National
Kopardi rape: Three convicts get death penalty (Second Lead)
Ahmednagar (Maharashtra), Nov 29 (IANS) A Special Court on Wednesday awarded death sentence to all three accused convicted in the rape and brutal murder of a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Kopardi village in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar district in 2016.
Jitendra alias Pappu Babulal Shinde, 26, Santosh Gorkha Bhawal, 30, and Nitin Gopinath Bhailume, 28, were sentenced to death for rape, conspiracy, murder and other crimes, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the media after the verdict.
Earlier, finding them guilty on November 18, Ahmednagar District and Sessions Judge Suvarna Keole, pronounced the verdict under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act before a packed courtroom.
The judge has allowed the convicts to appeal before the Bombay High Court.
“We shall challenge not only the verdict but the entire proceedings before the High Court, the lapses and other issues on which we have already given our written submission to the Sessions Court,” the lawyers for Bhawal, Balasaheb Khopade and Vijayalaxmi Khopade, told IANS.
The crime took place on July 13, 2016 when the 15-year-old was abducted, raped, mutilated and killed, sparking off a casteist and political furore in Maharashtra.
That evening, the Class 9 student was out to fetch some spices from her grandmother’s home in the same village.
“Justice has finally been done. My daughter will never return. This is the real tribute to my daughter. We are grateful to (Ujjwal) Nikam Saheb,” the victim’s mother said before breaking down inconsolably outside the courtroom.
Nikam said: “The prime accused Shinde has been convicted and fined for committing the offences of molestation, rape and brutal murder while the other two, Bhawal and Bhailume, provoked him (Shinde), encouraged, conspired and abetted in the crimes.”
The verdict has been hailed across the political spectrum.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the trial was conducted in a record time and it would serve as a warning to all rapists.
Opposition leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Congress) said: “Justice at last.”
State Congress President Ashok Chavan said the trial could be conducted so fast because of the changes in the law effected by the UPA government after the heinous ‘Nirbhaya’ case of 2012.
AIMIM legislator Imtiaz Jaleel demanded that the convicts should be hanged in a public place with live telecast — as in some Arab countries.
A large number of people staged a noisy protest outside the court demanding that the death sentence verdict be implemented as soon as possible to serve as a warning to potential offenders.
Several political leaders demanded that the verdict should be taken up for confirmation hearing by the Bombay High Court on priority and the sentence of the lower court should be upheld.
The trial in the case – with the victim dubbed as Maharashtra’s ‘Nirbhaya’ – started before the fast-track Special Court on December 20, 2016.
In 11 months, the prosecution examined 31 witnesses while defence lawyer Vijayalaxmi Khopade examined one witness.
The prosecution said the prime accused, Shinde, allegedly raped and murdered the victim while the other two, Bhawal and Bhailume, conspired in committing the crime.
Though the police had previously hyped it as “gang rape”, Nikam later submitted 24 pieces of evidences to deduce that the prime accused Shinde had raped and smothered the girl to death.
On the “conspiracy” of the co-accused, Nikam argued that Bhawal and Bhailume were present when Shinde had teased the girl two days prior to the incident. Shinde had given a missed call to Bhailume when he and Bhawal were in the vicinity of the crime.
“The entire case was based on ‘circumstantial evidence’ which we have proved to the court. Though the accused may lie, circumstantial evidences can’t lie. Besides, other forensic evidences also helped clinch the case,” Nikam said.
The prosecution lawyers – Yohan Makasare, Khopades and Prakash Aher – argued that their clients were framed.
–IANS
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National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.