National
Shimla gang rape-murder case: CBI arrests IG, seven other policemen (Second Lead)
Shimla, Aug 29 (IANS) The CBI on Tuesday arrested eight policemen, including an IPS officer, for the custodial death of one of the accused in the sensational gang rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Shimla district last month, an official said.
The arrested included Inspector General of Police (IGP) Zahur H. Zaidi, who was heading the Special Investigation Team probing the crime, Deputy Superintendent Manoj Joshi, and former Station House Officer Rajinder Singh, a Sub-Inspector.
Others arrested are Assistant Sub-Inspector Deep Chand, Head Constables Surat Singh, Mohan Lal, and Rafiq Ali and Constable Ranjit Streta.
The policemen were on Tuesday afternoon sent in CBI custody till September 4 by a Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Shimla.
“Eight policemen, including IGP Zahur H. Zaidi, were arrested in connection with the custodial death of an accused,” CBI Spokesperson Abhishek Dayal told IANS on phone from New Delhi.
Police said the 16-year-old schoolgirl was offered lift in a vehicle by prime accused Rajinder Singh on July 4 when she was returning home from school in Kotkhai town, nearly 56 km from the state capital.
On the way, the accused and his accomplices raped and murdered her in a nearby forest. Her naked body with injury marks was found two days later.
Rajinder Singh, Ashish Chauhan, Subhash Bisht, Deepak Kumar, Suraj Singh, and Lokjan were arrested. They were believed to be drunk at the time of the crime.
The case got a new twist after Nepal national Suraj Singh was allegedly strangled by 32-year-old accused Rajinder Singh in Kotkhai police station lock-up on July 19.
What happened at the police station remained a mystery because the two were housed in adjacent cells with minimal security.
Following the gang rape and murder of the girl, people held massive protests in the hill state. The victim’s family alleged that the “real culprits” belonging to high-profile families had gotten away “scot-free”.
Later, on the state government’s plea, the Himachal Pradesh High Court recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Earlier, the Special Investigation Team of the state police was handling the case.
Pulling up the CBI over the slow pace of investigation, the High Court on August 17 granted it two more weeks to complete the probe.
A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Sandeep Sharma also made all policemen of the Special Investigation Team as respondents in the case.
On court orders, the CBI constituted a Special Investigation Team headed by a Superintendent of Police after registering a case of murder and rape under the Indian Penal Code, apart from Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
The CBI also registered a separate FIR to probe the circumstances leading to the death of Suraj Singh.
–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.