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Visakhapatnam, September 23, 2018 14:40 IST
Updated: September 23, 2018 16:16 IST
Special Correspondent
MLA and former MLA S.were on their way to attend a meeting when their vehicle was stopped reportedly by about 60 Maoists, and they were killed after conducting a “praja court”.
The surprise attack of Maoists in district killing an MLA and former legislator is not new as similar attacks had led to the death of a Minister and three sitting legislators in the past.
On March 7, 2000, Panchayat Raj Minister in the then Government was killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoist belonging to the People's War Group .
Panchayat Raj Minister, who held the portfolio of Home in the past was killed along with his driver and a personal security officer. The Minister's brand new Toyota Qualis was blown up when a powerful landmine planted underneath a flyover was triggered.
Other incidents include the sensational killing of the then MLA inside his party office in the town on September 15, 1999. Maoist sprayed bullets on the MLA and three of his gunmen who were present there. The incident came ahead of Assembly elections slated sometime in December that year.
On December 29, 2001, tribal MLA too fell to the maoist bullets. Tribal MLA was shot dead outside a small hotel in the district by four Maoist. The slain legislator along with his wife went to participate in a local festivity.
But, the most gruesome killing was that of senior Congress MLA and 10 others on August 15, 2005. It is the last major maoist attack on politicians.
Senior Congress MLA was on a visit to the SC Colony in the town to lay the foundation stone for a school when an action team of the People's War Group first shot the senior MLA. In the burst of firing afterwards, nine others were killed on the spot.
Senior Congress MLA and 10 others too fell to maoist bullets at the Independence Day function in mandal headquarters of district on August 15, 2005.
Another incident that can be recalled is the killing of former Assembly Speaker on April 13, 1999. He was waylaid by four PWG extremists near village in district while returning after attending a ritual of his friend. He was shot dead from the point blank range. His death sent shock waves across the political circles in those days.
sitting Congress MLA along with three of his personal security officers were gunned down inside his office in Mill Township on September 15, 1999.
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Constable and his friend were arrested by the Special Investigation Team on Sunday in connection with the gang-rape of a teenager earlier this month. The two were on the run since September 12.
Prime accused room owner have already been arrested in the case. While Prime accused is on
police remand till September 25, two other room owner have been remanded to judicial custody till October 5. All the five accused identified in the case so far, have now been accounted for with the arrest of the duo.
Superintendent of
Police, the SIT head, said constable and his friend and Prime accused room owner, were involved in several cases of organised gang-rape earlier as well, besides the recent case of the teenager, but not a single victim could be “positively” identified so far. She said the victims were probably lured from outside the village. She made an appeal to the victims to come forward with the information and assured action on any complaint received by the SIT. She said that third room owner knew for “long” that the place was being used for commission of crime by the accused.
Superintendent of
Police said constable and his friend were nabbed outside a “dhaba” around 5 a.m. based on technical surveillance following an input. Superintendent of
Police said the duo took shelter at
“dharamshalas”, stayed in houses on the outskirts of the villages and slept in the open fields and on the mountains while being on the run. The duo also went to Bikaner and Ranthambore in Rajasthan and mostly took shelters at border areas, added the police officer.
“The constable and his friend buried their phones. They did not have enough cash and took help from the petty criminals,” said Superintendent of
Police. Superintendent of
Police however, refused to share the details of recoveries made from the constable and his friend saying that it was “important to maintain the integrity of the investigation”.
Superintendent of
Police said that more arrests could not be ruled out in the case and roles of more people were being looked into. “It was an organised gang-rape. The investigation is still at a crucial stage. There could be more revelations in the next 24 hours,” said Superintendent of
Police. Superintendent of
Police added that the investigation in the case was carried out in the shortest “humanly” possible time as the police needed to process every data and follow up every input.
Prime accused room owner along with constable and his friend had allegedly
abducted, drugged and gang-raped the victim on September 12 when victim was on her way to coaching classes at Kohima.
The victim's family had alleged that the Police delayed the transfer of zero First Information Report to their Military counterparts allowing the accused ample time to flee. Superintendent of Police was then transferred and women Sub-Inspector at Women Police Station put under suspension for dereliction of duty.
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Message that mob action will invite ‘wrath of law’ to start on TV, radio in a week: Govt. tells SC
The Centre on Monday assured the
Supreme Court that the Union and State governments would, within a week,
start broadcasting on radio and TV a stern message that mob lynchings and violence would invite the “wrath of law”. The Centre’s promise came in response to a query by a Bench led by Chief Justice of India as to whether the court’s directions on the matter had been complied with.
On July 17, the Supreme Court had directed the governments, both at the Centre and in the States, to disseminate using radio, television and other media platforms including the official websites of the Home Department and police of the States the message that “lynching and mob violence of any kind shall invite serious consequences under the law”.
On Monday, senior advocate , appearing for activist , drew the court’s attention to its more than two-month-old direction to use the mass media to warn against public lynchings.
The direction on broadcasting warnings was part of the
court’s July 17 verdict and was included among the “preventive measures” that the governments were supposed to put in place to save innocent lives from mob fury.
The court had held that it was the obligation of the
government to safeguard citizens and ensure that the “pluralistic social fabric” of the country was protected against mob violence.
In her submission, senior advocate said nothing appeared to have been done on the ground. She said people must be made to realise the gravity of their acts, and for this, they ought to dread the long arm of the law.
When the court sought a response from Attorney General and Additional Solicitor General , they replied that “the same shall be done, if not already done, within a week”. Attorney General informed the Bench that an empowered Group of Ministers was considering a specific law against lynchings.
“It has to be borne in mind that the said direction was issued so that people would realise the gravity of their act and the effect on the law and order situation,” Chief Justice observed in Monday’s order for the Bench, also comprising Justices . “The said purpose has to be put on the high pedestal and people must realise that involving in such kind of activities will invite the wrath of law.”
The Supreme Court had in its July 17 judgment termed the increasing incidents of mob lynchings as “horrendous acts of mobocracy”.
On Monday, the court also directed the State governments to not lag in compliance and follow the direction “absolutely religiously within a week from today”.
The court noted that eight States and Union Territories including Mizoram, Telangana, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Delhi were yet to file reports indicating their compliance with the July 17 verdict. It granted a last opportunity to the eight States and UTs to file their compliance affidavits within three days and listed the PIL of Congress leader after two weeks.
Congress leader, in his plea, has filed a contempt petition against the Rajasthan government over the
lynching of 28-year-old dairy farmer .
28-year-old dairy farmer was attacked by a group of cow vigilantes at Alwar in Rajasthan on July 20, three days after the apex court had delivered its July 17 verdict.
On September 7, the court had ordered the Rajasthan government to file an affidavit on the status of the Alwar probe and on the action taken against the errant police officers.
Additional Solicitor General had submitted that the State House Officer was suspended and the constables transferred. A chargesheet had also been filed against three of the accused for murder.
