Youth held for damaging church statue
Mumbai: A statue in the premises of a church in suburban Bhandup was damaged when a youth allegedly hurled a stone at it, police said on Monday. The accused identified as Paulraj Yauvan Nadar (21) was arrested after the incident occurred at Anthony Church on Sunday night, said Vinay Rathod, DCP (zone VI). He said Paulraj’s brother Dinakaran was also involved in the incident and police are looking for him. After the incident, a crowd started gathering at the spot, but police intervened in time and defused the situation. Police suspect that Paulraj was in an inebriated condition at the time of the incident. “We are trying to find out the motive, but it appears that Paulraj was drunk at the time of the incident,” an investigating officer said. Paulraj will be produced before court and police will seek his custody. “Our team nabbed the accused last night only, but we registered the case against him in morning after a complaint was lodged by one P Selvraj,” said Bhandup police station senior inspector P R Chavan. A case has been registered under various sections of the IPC for trying to hurt religious sentiments of a community. (PTI)
Karna govt to form panel on sex workers
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government will soon form a panel to look into problems faced by sex workers, Women and Child Welfare Minister Umashree said on Monday. “The government, in a day or two, will form a panel to study the plight of sex workers across Karnataka,” she told reporters here. However, she declined to make any concrete statement on legalising prostitution in the state in the backdrop of some religious leaders and politicians, including former law minister M C Nanaiah favoring wider discussion on the matter. “The question of legalising prostitution will only arise after the panel submits its report,” she said. Umashree said the issue is sensitive and there have been differences of opinion among several eminent personalities. “The issue of legalising prostitution is sensitive. There have been differences among several eminent people on the issue,” she said. The minister said the modalities for setting up of the panel is in progress and she would finalise the names proposed. The committee will look into the challenges and sufferings of sex workers and submit a report to the government as soon as possible, Umashree said. The panel will offer solutions in terms of rehabilitation and legal aid to sex workers, she said. Nanaiah, who is also chairman of an expert committee, had suggested wider discussion on legalising prostitution to prevent crimes against women, including rape. Noted writers and religious leaders, including Nisar Ahmed and Mathe Mahadevi had urged legalising prostitution as has been done in many countries. (PTI)
