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Gujarat court commutes Godhra train attack sentence to life (Lead)

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Ahmedabad, Oct 9 (IANS) The Gujarat High Court on Monday commuted to life imprisonment the capital punishment of 11 convicted for burning a Sabarmati Express coach near the Godhra railway station in Gujarat in 2002 which killed 59 persons.

The High Court simultaneously passed strictures on the government, then ruled by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the state had failed to maintain law and order in the state and directed payment of a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the next of kin of the ‘kar sevaks’ who were killed.

The attack on the Sabarmati Express train coming from Ayodhya had triggered massive communal riots across Gujarat, leading to deaths of another about 1,000 people.

A total of 130 persons were accused, of which 94 stood trial on charges of murder and conspiracy. Of these 63 were acquitted by a special court in 2011 which had pronounced life sentence for 20 and death sentence for 11 persons.

This was challenged in the Gujarat High Court, which heard the petition and kept its sentence reserved for two-and-a-half years.

A special bench of the Gujarat High Court on Monday refused to alter the verdict on 63 acquittals while the judges expressed regret for delay in pronouncing the judgment.

“There seems to be some discrepancies in the investigation. Nothing can be done about the way it was investigated but even with this investigation if the court has found a conspiracy in the incident, we expected strictest punishment,” Vijay Patel, lawyer representing victims of Sabarmati Express burning, told reporters at the court.

“We are partially satisfied as the court has upheld the incident as a planned conspiracy but sad that strictest punishment has not been given… We will go to the Supreme Court,” Patel said.

–IANS
desai/mr

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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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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.

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