Dingaleshwar Swami campaigns in Dharwad, asks voters to ensure Pralhad Joshi is defeated
Hubballi: Fakeera Dingaleshwara Swami, pontiff of the Shirahatti Mutt, campaigned vehemently in the district for the defeat of incumbent MP from the constituency and BJP candidate for the current Lok Sabha elections, Pralhad Joshi.
Addressing a mega rally at Kundgol town, the pontiff urged voters not to favour Joshi while polling but to contribute to the MP's defeat in the current elections. Referring to his position as Lingayat seer, Dingaleshwar Swami told the gathering that he had taken off the sacred necklace symbolizing his stature, adding that he had sworn to wear the necklace only after Joshi was dethroned.
ALSO READ: Youth arrested for impregnating minor girl in Hubballi
The pontiff requested the Dharwad voters attending the campaign rally to beat Pralhad Joshi in the ongoing polls as it would let him wear the sacred necklace again.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sathankulam custodial deaths: Nine police personnel sentenced to death by court
Madurai (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): In a landmark judgment, a court here on Monday handed the death penalty to nine police personnel in the sensational 2020 Sathankulam custodial death case.
Father-son duo P Jayaraj and J Bennix were allegedly assaulted by the convicted policemen in Sathankulam, Thoothukudi district, for allegedly keeping their mobile shop open in violation of COVID-19 norms.
First Additional District and Sessions Judge G Muthukumaran classified the case as the rarest of rare, observing that those entrusted with protecting the public had committed a crime that shook the collective conscience of society.
The court sentenced all nine convicted police personnel to death for the murders of Jayaraj and Bennix.
The convicts include former inspector S Sridhar, former sub-inspectors Balakrishnan and Raghu Ganesh, and head constables Murugan and Saamidurai.
In addition to the capital punishment, the court imposed a combined fine of Rs 1.40 crore on the convicts to be paid as compensation to the victims' family.
While pronouncing the quantum of sentence, the judge said the police are meant to protect the common man, and when they become the perpetrators of such brutality, the law must act as a deterrent.
It also noted that by killing both the father and the son at once, the police had uprooted the very foundation of a family.
The judge stressed that the punishment must be severe enough to ensure such horrors never recur.
The tragedy dates back to June 2020, when Jayaraj and Bennix were picked up for allegedly keeping their mobile phone shop open beyond permitted hours. They were subjected to extreme physical assault while in custody, leading to their deaths at a hospital days later.
Following a massive public outcry, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court took notice of the case, which was eventually investigated by the CBI.
A total of 105 witnesses were examined over a five-year period. Of the initial 10 accused, special sub inspector Pauldurai died during the trial due to health complications.
