No restriction on using residential home for religious prayers: Karnataka HC
Bengaluru, Aug 26: The High Court of Karnataka has dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by some residents of HBR Layout, Bengaluru, alleging that a residential property was being used for prayers.
The Division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice MGS Kamal dismissing the PIL recently said, "Inspite of our repeated queries the counsel was unable to show any such prohibition, prevention in the rules of law, prohibiting an occupant to utilise the residential place for offering prayer." .
The judgement copy is yet to be released by the Court.
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Sam P Philip, Krishna SK, Jagaeesan TP and five other residents of HBR Layout, had approached the Court against the Housing and Urban Development Department, BBMP and Masjid E-Ashrafit over the issue. Their petition was subsequently converted to a PIL.
It was contended that a residential area was being used as a prayer hall causing disturbance to the neighbours. The matter had reached the Court once before when the Masjid Trust had constructed a building without the approval of the BBMP.
The Court had directed that the building for a Madarasa could be constructed only after obtaining necessary sanction from the BBMP. The building was then constructed and being used as a Madarasa for poor children. The PIL was filed after the new building came up on the property.
While dismissing the PIL, the Court noted that the "Counsel for the petitioner was unable to show any such specific prohibition and repeated his submission that using the residential area for offering prayer as a masjid is violation of the rules. Further (he) repeatedly submitted that as there may be a large gathering of people, the petitioners and residents apprehend disturbance. These submissions neither stand reasons, logic or law.".
During the hearing of the PIL, the Court took strong exception to the submission made by the counsel for the petitioners that there was a risk posed by conducting prayers.
"We are not permitting such statements. This is something to which we have strong objections, you cannot make a statement so casually. You have no right to make such sweeping statements. One can only say that there is some violation of rules, please as the authorities. How can you say someone offering prayer is a threatening activity?” the Court cautioned.
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Jharkhand horror: Man kills live-in partner, chops body into 40 pieces
Ranchi (PTI): A 25-year-old man, who works as a butcher, allegedly strangled to death his live-in partner and chopped her body into 40 to 50 pieces in a forested area in Jharkhand’s Khunti district, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, identified as Naresh Bhengra, was arrested.
The matter came to light after around a fortnight after the killing when a stray dog was found with human body parts near Jordag village in Jariagarh police station on November 24.
Bhengra was in a live-in relationship with the deceased, a 24-year-old woman also from Khunti district, in Tamil Nadu for the past couple of years. Sometime back, he returned to Jharkhand, got married to another woman without telling his partner anything and went back to the southern state without his wife to join her.
"The brutal incident occurred on November 8 when they reached Khunti as the accused who had married another woman did not wish to take her home. Instead, he took her to a forest near his house at Jordag village in Jariagarh police station and chopped the body into pieces. The man has been arrested," Khunti Superintendent of Police Aman Kumar told PTI.
Inspector Ashok Singh who investigated the case said the man worked in a butcher shop in Tamil Nadu and was expert in slicing chicken.
“He admitted chopping the body parts of the woman into 40 to 50 pieces before leaving those in the forest for wild animals to feast on. The police recovered several parts on November 24 after a dog in the area was seen with a hand," Singh told PTI.
Singh said that the woman, who was unaware of his marriage, pressured him to return to Khunti. After reaching Ranchi, they boarded a train on November 24 and headed to the man's village.
"Under a plan, the man took her to Khunti in an autorickshaw near his home and asked her to wait. He returned with sharp weapons and strangulated her with her dupatta after raping her. He then cut the body into 40 to 50 pieces and left for his home to live with his wife," Singh said.
The woman, however, had informed her mother that she had boarded a train and would be living with her partner, the police officer said.
Following the recovery of body parts, a bag was also found in the forest with the murdered woman's belongings including her Aadhaar card. The mother of the woman was called at the spot and she identified her daughter's belongings.
"The mother suspected the man behind the crime who after being nabbed by the police admitted to chopping the woman into pieces," the official added.
The incident has sent shockwaves among people in the region, with the Shraddha Walker murder case of 2022 still fresh in their memory.
Walker was killed by her live-in partner who chopped her body into pieces before dumping them in the jungle in South Delhi’s Mehrauli.
