Safrina Latheef, becomes first Kerala expat from Qatar to summit Mt Everest
Doha/Kathmandu: In a remarkable display of courage and determination, long-time Qatar resident Safrina Latheef has successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. With this historic climb, she becomes the first Kerala expatriate woman in Qatar to scale the 8,848-metre Himalayan giant.
Safrina reached the summit at 10:25 am Nepal time after a grueling 20-hour climb through freezing temperatures and harsh winds. Her achievement has earned her wide admiration both in Qatar and among the Malayali diaspora worldwide.
A resident of Qatar since 2001, Safrina lives in Doha with her husband Dr. Shameel Musthafa, a surgeon at Hamad Medical Corporation, and their daughter Minha.
Her Everest ascent is the culmination of years of dedication to high-altitude mountaineering. Safrina had earlier climbed Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895m) in Tanzania, Mount Elbrus (5,642m) in Russia, and Aconcagua (6,961m) in Argentina—often alongside her husband. She also underwent intensive ice training in Kazakhstan as part of her preparation for Everest.
After descending to Camp 2, Safrina thanked her family, friends, and the Elite Exped expedition team, whose guidance and support played a crucial role in the successful climb.
Her achievement has drawn praise from various quarters, particularly for serving as an inspiration to women and young girls pursuing their dreams in adventure sports and beyond.
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Man gets life imprisonment for sexually assaulting minor girl in Palghar
Thane (PTI): A special POCSO court here has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Palghar district in 2018, describing the crime as "heinous".
Special Judge N K Karande, delivering the verdict on March 11, held the accused, Sandesh Ganpat Kharpade (35), guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on the accused.
The incident occurred on August 5, 2018, in Wada taluka of Palghar district.
According to the prosecution, the accused lured the victim to his house on the pretext of giving her sweets while her parents were away at work and sexually assaulted her.
The assault resulted in severe injuries to the child, who was later found bleeding by her parents.
The court relied on the victim's "trustworthy" testimony and medical evidence that confirmed the assault.
The crime committed by the accused is "heinous", it said.
The defence had argued that the case was falsely foisted due to a prior dispute and pointed to the lack of external injuries on the victim's limbs.
The court, however, dismissed these claims, saying no parents would put up the life of their child "on the anvil" and ruin it.
The claim that the victim sustained injury (to her private parts) by falling is not believable, it noted.
The victim categorically denied the defence of the accused. The defence has not suggested any reason to depose the victim as false, the court said.
While the accused pleaded for leniency, citing his weak financial condition and status as a first-time offender, the court held that the nature of the crime warranted a severe penalty.
The court further noted that the medical evidence corroborated the child's account of the assault.
Special Public Prosecutor Vijay M Munde examined 12 witnesses, including the victim, to prove the charges.
