Mangaluru: Rowdies threaten, extort firecrackers from vendors in Bajpe; case registered
Bajpe: Police have registered a case against two men for allegedly threatening and extorting firecrackers from shop owners in Bajpe. The accused have been identified as rowdy-sheeter Prashanth alias Pacchu, a suspect in the Fazil murder case of Mangalpet in Surathkal, and his associate Ashwith.
According to the complaint, the duo visited several firecracker shops on October 22 and forced vendors to hand over firecrackers for free. Intimidated by their reputation, most shop owners reportedly refrained from approaching the police.
However, after Bajpe Police assured traders of protection, one of the vendors, Damodara, came forward and lodged a formal complaint on Thursday night. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case against both accused and have initiated an investigation.
Police officials confirmed that Prashanth is a close associate of the recently murdered rowdy-sheeter Suhas Shetty.
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'Someone must be held accountable': HC converts civil suit on Goa nightclub tragedy into PIL
Panaji (PTI): The Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub into a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) saying "someone has to be held accountable" for the tragedy in which 25 people were killed.In a stern observation, Goa bench of the High Court of Justices Sarang Kotwal and Ashish Chavan said the local panchayat had "failed to take suo motu cognisance" of the club and had taken "no action despite complaints."
The division bench directed the Goa government to file a detailed reply on the permissions granted to the nightclub.
The High Court, while fixing January 8 as the next date of hearing, pointed out that commercial operations were continuing in the structure despite it having been served a demolition order.
The original petition was filed after the December 6 tragedy by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil Divkar, the owners of the land on which the nightclub was operating.
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Advocate Rohit Bras de Sa, the lawyer representing the petitioner, was made amicus curiae in the matter and has been asked to file a detailed affidavit in the matter.
In their petition, Amonkar and Divkar highlighted "the alarming pattern of statutory violations that have remained inadequately addressed despite multiple complaints, inspections, show-cause notices, and even a demolition order".
They contended that these violations posed "immediate threats to public safety, ecological integrity, and the rule of law in the state of Goa."
Investigations by multiple agencies into the nightclub fire have revealed various irregularities, including lack of permissions to operate the nightclub.
The Goa police arrested five managers and staff members of the club, while co-owners Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra have been detained in Thailand after they fled the country.
