HC orders issue of notice to TN govt
Chennai: The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered issue of notice to the state government on a petition filed by ‘Police’ Fakruddin, arrested in connection with the murder of a BJP functionary, seeking a direction to authorities to remove him from solitary confinement at Puzhal Prison here.The vacation division bench, comprising Justice V. Dhanapalan and Justice S.Vaidhiyanathan, ordered issue of notice to the Public Prosecutor on behalf of the state government on a habeas corpus petition.The court directed the public prosecutor to file his reply within two weeks and posted the matter after two weeks.’Police’ Fakruddin was arrested on October 4, 2013 in connection with the murder of a BJP functionary and was transferred from Vellore Central Prison to Puzhal Prison on November 3 last year.In his petition, he submitted that from the day of his detention in Puzhal prison he was kept under solitary confinement and was not permitted to meet any prison inmates.He further submitted that no action was taken on his representation to authorities seeking his shift from solitary confinement and hence he filed the present plea. (PTI)
14 child labourers rescued in east Delhi
New Delhi: Fourteen children, who were forced into a hazardous job for paltry wages, were rescued by Bachpan Bachao Andolan with assistance from local authorities from a factory in Ganga Vihar in east Delhi. The children, aged between 12 and 15, were found making steel netting (jali) under a tin roof in the sweltering heat. They were rescued on Monday. “There were cuts and scars all over their hands and arms which were acquired during cutting and welding of steel wires. They used to paint them with their bare hands,” said Rakesh Senger, project director at BBA. Trafficked from Bihar and UP, these children worked from 5 AM to 11 PM, that is 18-hours a day, earning a paltry amount of Rs 50 to 100 a week, he added. The children were rescued under the supervision of SDM, Yamuna Vihar, and have been sent to BBA’s Mukti Ashram until further orders about their repatriation. (PTI)
Four of family die due to food poisoning
Jaipur: Four members of a family, including two children, died due to suspected case of food poisoning in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, police said on Wednesday. An elderly woman Ghisi Bai, her two grandsons and daughter died last evening in Jogania Mata area of Chittorgarh district, they said. According to police, Ghisi Bai, a resident of Lothiyana village was ailing for some time and her daughter Jamna Baia accompanied by her nephew Bhairo (10) had come to visit her yesterday. “Suddenly, Jamna Bai and Bhairo fell sick and died. Their cremation was performed the same day without a postmortem in the Jogania Mata area of the district,” Mithu Singh, SHO Bhainsroadgarh police station said. Later in the evening, the elderly woman and her grandson Naresh also died, he said. The police was informed about the incident by the sarpanch Suresh Chand Labana. Following this, postmortem was conducted and the bodies were handed over to the family members today, Singh said, adding, that the postmortem reports were awaited. “The reason behind the deaths would be clear after we get the reports”, he added. (PTI)
Have Lord Jagannth’s chariot wheel at Rs 50,000!
Bhubaneswar: The devotees of Lord Jagannth have a rare opportunity to possess parts of the Lord’s wooden chariots, including wheels, after the Odisha government put up them for auction. While the price of a decorated wooden chariot wheel is fixed at Rs 50,000, a piece of “Prava” (a decorative wood work on the chaiot) will cost Rs 25,000. This apart, the Guja (the wodden plate connecting wheel base and floor of chariot) is sold at the rate of Rs 10,000 and the price of Asuri (wodden pillar) is also Rs 10,000 per piece, a notification issued by Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) said. “On purchase of one wheel of any chariot, one guja will be free. Similarly, on purchase of two numbers of wheels, one prabha (if available) or two guja will be free,” said SJTA PRO Laxmidhar Pujapanda. (PTI)