National
Will approach court if SIT fails to nab killers: Lankesh’s family
Bengaluru, Sep 7 (IANS) The family of slain journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh on Thursday said they would wait for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to find the culprits and would only approach the court if it fails.
“We will give all the cooperation the SIT needs,” Lankesh’s sibling Indrajit Lankesh told reporters here at a press conference. “We will wait for the SIT to give us information and clues on the killers.”
Lankesh, 55, editor of popular Kannada tabloid Gauri Lankesh Patrike, was shot dead at her Bengaluru home by three unidentified assailants on Tuesday night. Seven shots were fired at her, of which two hit her in the chest and one in the forehead.
“The CCTV footage has found the image of the killer. The police can find some clues through her phone as well,” he said.
“We have known (Karnataka Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah on a personal level and our mother (Indira Lankesh) has also requested him to ensure justice to Gauri.”
“But if the SIT fails to find her killers, then we will approach the court and think of a Central Bureau of Investigation probe,” he said.
“Our motive is not just to find the killers but to know who was behind the killing,” said Gauri’s sister, Kavitha Lankesh.
“Gauri’s death should not be politicised,” the siblings added.
“She had no personal enmities, only ideological adversaries,” Indrajit said. “She was condemning right-wing extremists through her publication, which might be the reason for her murder.”
“However, other intentions cannot be ruled out,” Indrajit said.
“People are branding her as a Naxalite, but she was only trying to bring them into the mainstream,” he added.
An SIT was constituted on Wednesday after Siddaramaiah’s meeting with the state’s top police officials.
It was announced that the SIT would be headed by Inspector General of Police B.K. Singh.
Gauri was the daughter of renowned Kannada journalist P. Lankesh, who had started the publication of the Lankesh Patrike in 1980.
Both her siblings Indrajit and Kavitha are filmmakers in the Kannada film industry.
After the senior journalist’s killing, political parties were seen blaming one another for it, amidst widespread protests across the country, condemning the murder.
–IANS
bha/in/vt
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.