Sushma’s husband thankful she is not contesting in 2019 polls
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj’s husband Swaraj Kaushal on Tuesday welcomed her decision not to contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. “Madam (Sushma Swaraj) – Thank you very much for your decision not to contest any more elections. I remember there came a time when even Milkha Singh stopped running,” he said in a series of tweets. “This marathon has been on since 1977 – that is 41 years. You have contested 11 direct elections. In fact you contested all elections held since 1977 except twice when party did not allow you to contest in 1991 and 2004,” he said. “You have been four terms in Lok Sabha, three terms in Rajya Sabha and thrice elected to state Assembly. You are contesting elections since you were 25 – and fighting elections for 41 years is quite a marathon,” he said. “Madam – I am running behind you for the last 46 years. I am no longer a 19-year-old. Please, I am also running out of breath. Thank you,” he added. (PTI)
7 awarded death sentence for killing one nine years ago
Muzaffarnagar: A sessions court here on Tuesday sentenced seven persons to death for killing a man nearly nine years ago at Harsoli in the district after a clash between two groups of people over an old dispute. District and Sessions Judge Rajesh Bhardwaj sentenced the seven after convicting them on charges of murder, attempt to murder and rioting, armed with deadly weapons. According to the prosecution, in the fight that took place between two groups of people of the same community, one Naseem was killed and several others were injured in February 2010 after which the police had registered a case under various penal offences. The seven accused, who were given death sentence, are Sadiq, Shahid, Arshad, Rashid, Sarfaraz, Farukh and Mumtaz. They all have been in jail since their arrests soon after the clash. (PTI)
Court awards death penalty to one in anti-Sikh riots case
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday awarded death penalty to convict Yashpal Singh for killing two men in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the first capital punishment in the case. Additional Sessions Judge Ajay Pandey also awarded life term to co-convict Naresh Sherawat in the case. The verdict pronounced in the Tihar Jail due to security concerns and attack on the convicts on the premises of the Delhi court. On November 14, the court had convicted Singh and Sherawat for killing two men here during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots — the first conviction in the cases reopened by the SIT. The Delhi Police had closed the case in 1994 for want of evidence. However, a Special Investigation Team on the riots reopened it. (PTI)
Woman maoist gunned down
Raipur: A woman maoist was on Tuesday gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, police said. The firefight took place in the afternoon near Burdhapara village under Fulbagdi police station limits when security personnel were out on an anti-Naxal operation, Deputy Inspector General (Anti-Naxal Operation) Sundarraj P told PTI. A combined squad of the state’s Special Task Force (STF) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was cordoning off a forest area near Burdhapara, located around 500 kilometres away from the capital, Raipur, when Naxals opened fire, he said. After a brief exchange of fire with the security forces, the ultras fled the spot, the DIG said. The woman ultra, identified as Hemla Ayathi, was a member of Badesetti local organisation squad (LOS) of Maoists. PTI)