Kashmiri writer bags Sahitya Akademi award
Srinagar: A Kashmiri writer and broadcaster, Mushtaq Ahmad Mushtaq, bagged the prestigious Sahitya Akademi award for literature in Kashmiri language on Wednesday. Sahitya Akademi awards were announced in New Delhi. Mushtaq was given this year’s award for his collection of short stories titled ‘Aakh’. ‘Aakh’ is a collection of 18 short stories that was chosen from the 13 books in Kashmiri language. The writer is presently posted as head of the regional news unit at Radio Kashmir Srinagar. He has served in Doordarshan news unit at Srinagar Kendra for nine years apart from having worked in other media units of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as an Indian Information Service (IIS) officer. (IANS)
Woman kills children, sets herself on fire in UP
Balli: A 26-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by setting herself on fire along with her two children in Koth village, police said on Wednesday.The incident happened in Sikandarpur area of UP’s Ballia. Kamroon Khatoon poured kerosene on herself and her two children – Shamim (2) and Jainish (4) – Tuesday afternoon following an argument with her husband, they said. Then she immolated herself along with her children, officials said, adding that all three died on the spot. Police said they are probing the matter. (PTI)
Man booked for raping minor girl in Goa
Panaji: A 50-year-old man has been booked for allegedly raping a minor girl in Goa, police said. The accused, a Goa resident who has been working abroad, left India soon after committing the offence in October, Margao Police Inspector Kapil Nayak said on Tuesday. The 14-year-old girl was raped repeatedly between October 15 and 20 by the accused residing in her neighbourhood at Sirlim village in South Goa district, he said. The matter came to light on Tuesday when the girl informed her mother about offence following which the latter filed a police complaint, he said. Based on the complaint, a case was registered against the accused under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation), and relevant provisions of the Goa Children’s Act, Nayak said. A search was on for the accused, he added. (PTI)
3 killed as vehicle falls into gorge in Shimla
Shimla: Three people were killed after their car fell into a gorge in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla district on Wednesday, police said. The vehicle slipped and rolled down from the road near Nandpur-Bhajanu area under Jubbal police station limits, they added. Officials said that the bodies were being sent to nearby hospital for postmortem exam. Further details are awaited. (PTI)
School girl sexually assaulted, five held
Kannur: Five people have been arrested in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 15-year-old school girl by several people over different days at various places in Kannur district after enticing her through social media, the police said on Wednesday. The tenth standard girl was taken to a lodge at Parasinikadavu, a temple town on the banks of Valapattnam river in the district and allegedly sexually assaulted by four of the accused on November 19. The fifth accused, the lodge manager, was arrested for failing to inform police of the offence, Thaliparambu Deputy Superintendent of Police PKV Venugopal said. Based on the girl’s statement, the first FIR was lodged and a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act registered, the police said. The minor’s statement was recorded before the Thaliparambu magistrate Tuesday, in which she has revealed “15 other offences,” Venugopal told PTI. Fifteen cases have been registered in different police limits in the district, police said. The accused had got in touch with the minor through social media by creating a fake profile of a woman. The girl was taken to different places in Kannur district over different days and allegedly sexually assaulted, police said. (PTI)