Karnataka Court Convicts 98 Persons With Life Imprisonment In Atrocity Case

by Hemanta Pande

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

In a historical judgment, a Karnataka court has convicted 98 persons to life imprisonment in an atrocity case reported in the Koppal district of the state.

Koppal (Karnataka), Oct 25: In a historical judgment, a Karnataka court has convicted 98 persons to life imprisonment in an atrocity case reported in the Koppal district of the state.

Judge C. Chandrashekar passed the judgment in the case.

It is the first case in the history of the state that such a large number of accused have been convicted of life imprisonment in an atrocity case, according to sources.

The incident had taken place in Marakumbi village in Gangavathi taluk.

The Gangavathi police had investigated the case and submitted the charge sheet.

A total of 101 persons were produced before the court and among them, three accused persons belonging to the SC and ST community were awarded five years of rigorous imprisonment with a Rs 5,000 fine, and the rest belonging to the upper caste were awarded with life imprisonment.

The incident took place on August 28, 2014.

The accused were charged with demolishing the houses of Dalits and attacking them in the village for a trivial matter.

The Gangavathi police had registered an FIR against 117 persons.

Enraged by the proactiveness of a few Dalit youths who questioned untouchability in the village, the accused had barged into the Dalit's colony and torched their huts.

The accused had also destroyed the houses and attacked Dalits.

The judge had reserved the order for Thursday as the charges were established against the accused in the charge sheet and before the court.

The police had taken 101 persons into custody while the remaining 16 persons had died.

The family members of all the accused had gathered in the premises of the Koppal court and were seen in tears as the police had taken them to the prison.

The accused will be taken to the Koppal district prison and later they will be shifted to the Ballary prison.

--IANS

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"Intend To Be President For All Americans": US Vice President Kamala Harris

by Hemanta Pande

Pennsylvania [US], Oct 25: With less than two weeks remaining in the presidential elections, US Vice President Kamala Harris expressed her intent to be the leader of "all Americans."

Speaking to reporters at a press gaggle before departing for campaigning in Georgia, Harris said that she is seeing men and women speaking about their concerns regarding the future of democracy in equal measure.

The US goes into elections in less than two weeks with former US President Donald Trump running for a second term and Vice President Kamala Harris for her first term to the White House.

Kamala Harris stated that Americans want a president who leads the country with optimism and takes on the challenges they face. She accused Donald Trump of taking away fundamental freedom of people.

Asked about her views on the gender gap issue in polls and why she thinks that she has more support among women than Trump, Harris responded, "I have to be honest with you, it's not what I see in terms of my rallies, in terms of the interactions I'm having with people in communities and on the ground. What I am seeing is in equal measure, men and women talking about their concerns about the future of our democracy; talking about the fact that they want a president who leads with optimism and takes on the challenges that we face, whether it be grocery prices or investing in small businesses or homeownership."

She further said, "So, I'm not actually seeing that kind of disparity, and I intend to be a president for all Americans. And that includes paying attention, yes, to a fundamental freedom that has been taken away because of Donald Trump -- the freedom of a woman to make decisions about her own body -- and, in equal measure, to prioritize the economic needs of individuals and families in America and what we also must do in terms of upholding our strength and standing on the global stage."

She also spoke on the border issue and termed putting the resources into ensuring that US border is secure her "highest priority". Harris pledged that, if elected, she will bring the bipartisan border security bill and sign it into law.

When asked whether construction of a southern border wall will continue in her administration, Harris stated, "I will tell you that my highest priority is to put the resources into ensuring that our border is secure, which is why I've been very clear: I'm going to bring back up, as president, that bipartisan border security bill and make sure that it is brought to my desk so I can sign it into law."

She further said, "The biggest issue that we have right now is that Donald Trump has stood in the way of what would have been a proven part of the solution to the bigger problem, which is that we have a broken immigration system in America, and we need to fix it. And we have the tools at hand, but we have on the other side of this election, Donald Trump, who would prefer to run on a problem instead of fixing a problem.I intend to fix the problem in a way that is just about practical solutions that are within our arms reach if we have the commitment to do it."

Kamala Harris will campaign with former US President Barack Obama for the first time in Georgia at a star-studded rally near Atlanta on Thursday (local time), ABC News reported.

Bruce Springsteen, whose music has peppered many presidential candidates' of Democratic Party will perform at the get-out-the-vote concert, according to ABC News report.

Harris is set to appear with former US first lady Michelle Obama in Michigan on Saturday, according to the campaign officials, the report said. Barack Obama and Michelle Obama endorsed Harris in July and both made remarks at the Democratic National Convention in August.

When asked about getting support from Obama and Bruce Springsteen while speaking to reporters in Philadelphia on Thursday, Harris said she is "honored" to have them at her campaign events. (ANI)

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Odisha: Trees Uprooted Due To Gusty Winds And Heavy Downpour As Cyclone Dana Makes Landfall

by Hemanta Pande

Bhadrak, Oct 25: Several trees were uprooted due to gusty winds and heavy incessant rains in the Bhadrak district of Odisha as the landfall process of Cyclone 'Dana' continues in the early hours of Friday.

Several roads were blocked in the area after trees were uprooted following strong winds and heavy downpours.

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Odisha is currently experiencing strong winds at a speed of 100-110 Kmph gusting to 120 kmph.

The IMD posted on X and said, "The severe cyclonic storm "Dana" moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph and lay centred over north coastal Odisha, about 15 km north of Dhamara and 30 km north-northwest of Habalikhati nature camp (Bhitarkanika)."

The IMD also mentioned that the landfall process would continue for the next 1-2 hours.

"It is likely to move nearly west-northwestwards across north Odisha and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by the forenoon of today, the 25th of October. The system is under continuous surveillance of the Doppler weather radar at Paradip," it said.

Earlier, Suresh Pujari, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister said that around 10 districts are likely to be affected by the cyclone, adding that the evacuation proves has already reached its conclusion.

While talking to the media, Pujari said, "Around 10 districts are likely to be affected by the cyclone, comprising 60 blocks, 2131 villages, 12 urban local bodies, and 55 wards in different urban local bodies. The evacuation process has already reached its conclusion...Three lakh seventy-seven thousand people have already been evacuated...We have prepared 7307 relief centres across different districts. 4756 cyclone relief centres are already operational...6454 domestic animals have been brought to relief centres...213 medical teams have been deployed to take care of the evacuated people 120 veterinary teams have also been positioned in different locations."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reviewed the state's preparedness for the approaching cyclone Dana with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and reassured central support.

According to an official statement, Odisha has made extensive preparations to tackle the cyclone's impact. The state has set up 5209 cyclone shelters and evacuated over 3,62,000 people from vulnerable areas, including 3654 pregnant women who have been relocated to nearby hospitals.

Moreover, 19 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 51 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), and 220 Fire Services teams have been deployed. (ANI)

Karnataka Court Convicts 98 Persons With Life Imprisonment In Atrocity Case

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