India

New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI) The Supreme Court today expressed serious concern over recent cases of rape and sexual abuse of women at shelter homes in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and asked when these horrific incidents would stop.

The apex court's observation came while hearing a matter relating to sexual abuse of children at orphanages.

Jabalpur, Aug 9 (PTI): The Madhya Pradesh High Court has upheld a lower court's order awarding death sentence to a man for raping and killing a four-year-old girl, observing that "humanity is more in danger in the hands of persons like the convict".

Describing the offence as an act of "extreme depravity" and taking note of the rise in crimes against minor girls, the court said in such cases, an extreme punishment would deter other criminals.

Bengaluru, Aug 9 (PTI): The SIT probing the killing of journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh today arrested a 37-year old hotelier from Belagavi on charges of harbouring two key accused in the case, police said.

Bharat Kurne, a resident of Sambhaji Gali in Belagavi, had 'harboured' the mastermind of the crime Amol Kaleand sharp shooter Parashuram Waghmare, an official of the Special Investigation Team said.

With this, the total number of suspects arrested in the case has risen to 12.

New Delhi, Aug 9 (PTI): A group of activists held a meet at the Jantar Mantar today, demanding justice for the victims of hate crimes.

They demanded immediate implementation of the July 17 Supreme Court directives to prevent vigilantism and compensation for victims of hate crime.

The activists also sought prosecution of political and public figures who through action or speech support vigilantism.

New Delhi, Aug 8; GANASHAKTI : As part of the ongoing struggles by the peasantry and the working class, the call given by All India Kisan Sabha to organize massive Jail Bharo struggle on the Quit India Day – 9th August 2018 is receiving widespread support from various sections of the society.  Around 20 lakh people across the country are expected to participate in this struggle.

Jabalpur (MP), Aug 8; PTI:  A labourer has been arrested for allegedly raping a 30-year-old woman in a moving train in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur district, police said today.

The woman, a ragpicker, boarded the empty general compartment of the Vindhyachal Express from the Madan Mahal station in Jabalpur city on Monday evening. After the train left the station at around 8.40 pm, the victim fell asleep, following which the accused allegedly raped her, said Y Mishra, station in-charge, Government Railway Police (GRP), Jabalpur.

New Delhi, Aug 8 (PTI) The government has appointed Chartered Accountant Swaminathan Gurumurthy, who is associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch, on the board of the Reserve Bank of India.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved his appointment as non-official director on the central board of the RBI for a period of four years, an order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

Jalandhar (PB), Aug 8 (PTI) A Class 8 Dalit student attempted suicide in Punjab's Jalandhar after he was allegedly tricked into drinking urine by his classmates and his teacher slapped him for complaining about it, police said today.

The teacher, Shriki Sharma, has been booked yesterday for allegedly assaulting and using casteist slurs against the 12-year-old boy. The student is hospitalised with multiple fractures after he jumped from the roof of his house following the incident in a private school last Friday, a police officer said.

Patna, Aug 8 (PTI) Bihar Social Welfare Minister Manju Verma today handed over her resignation to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar amid uproar over sex scandal case in the Muzaffarpur shelter home.

Verma met the chief minister and handed over her resignation to him, sources in the Chief Minister's Office said here.

The minister has been in the eye of the storm after name of her husband surfaced in the case of sexual abuse of girls at state-funded Muzaffarpur shelter home.

Mumbai, Aug 8 (PTI) Actor Kangana Ranaut today said it is a sad state of affair that people in the country are being lynched in the name of cows, even as she stressed the need to protect the animal.

There have been several incidents of lynching in the country on suspicions of either cow smuggling or consuming beef.