Archives for October 2023

Nuh (Haryana): Congress MLA Mamman Khan, who was arrested in connection with the July 31 Nuh violence, was granted bail in two cases by a court here on Saturday, police said. However, Khan will remain in jail as he is yet to get bail in two other cases related to the Nuh violence.

The court has fixed October 3 as the next date of hearing on his bail plea, they added.

After hearing the arguments of both sides earlier in the day, Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Duggal reserved his order on the bail plea of the Congress MLA from Ferozpur Jhirka till 4 pm “The court verdict granted bail to the Congress leader in FIR numbers 149, 150, but Khan has not yet got bail in FIRs 137, 148 of Nagina police station.

“Due to this, he will have to remain in jail for now and the next hearing on the bail is fixed for October 3”, said Khan’s counsel Tahir Hussain Dewla.

Khan was arrested on September 15.

His lawyer argued that the allegations of the SIT are baseless and he should be granted bail.

At the same time, prosecution advocate Surendra Kumar said that enough evidence had been found against the MLA during the investigation.

The accused did not cooperate in the investigation even during the remand period, the advocate alleged.

A religious procession led by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) was attacked by mobs in Nuh on July 31. Six people were killed in the incident and the ensuing communal violence. A cleric was killed in an attack on a mosque in adjoining Gurugram.

The Congress’s Haryana unit had alleged that its MLA was arrested due to a “political witch-hunt” and demanded a judicial probe into the Nuh violence under the supervision of a high court judge.

Colombo: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has ordered a probe into the resignation of a district judge in the Tamil-majority Northern province’s Mullaithivu over threats to his life, officials said on Saturday.

T Saravanarajah tendered his resignation to the Judicial Service Commission on September 23, claiming threats to his life and reportedly left the country.

Among the various cases presided over by the judge, he had ruled against the building of a Buddhist shrine at a disputed archaeological site. The legal proceedings over the digging of an alleged mass grave in the same area were also presided over by Saravanarajah.

According to informed officials, President Wickremesinghe directed the Secretary to the President to probe the circumstances of Saravanarajah’s resignation, as the judge hadn’t lodged any complaints on the alleged threat to his life previously.

As the district judge of the northern region of Mullaithivu, Saravanarajah had ruled against the building of a Buddhist shrine at Kurunthamale, a disputed archaeological site. The Tamils in the region had protested against what they claimed were land grants by the state for Buddhist archaeological excavations.

Saravanarajah also presided over the legal proceedings at the digging of an alleged mass grave in the same area.

In June, the alleged mass grave was accidentally discovered at Kokkuthuduvai by the National Water Board workers while carrying out digging activities for a development project in the area. The minority Tamil community demanded a credible investigation into an alleged mass grave in the northeastern district.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ran a military campaign for a separate Tamil homeland in the northern and eastern provinces of the island nation for nearly 30 years before its collapse in 2009 after the Sri Lankan Army killed its supreme leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran.

Mullaithivu was a nerve centre of the LTTE as they ran a parallel state before May 2009 when they were defeated by the Sri Lankan military.

Many legal associations, including the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, described the judge’s resignation as a “serious threat” to the independence of the judiciary in the island nation and urged the Judicial Service Commission to carry out an independent investigation.

The Delhi Police registered an FIR under various section of Indian Penal Code 1860 in
connection to an alleged attack by the Patient on the doctor. He was in the emergency ward of
the South Delhi Safdarjung hospital as the officials stated on September 4. The complainant is a
third year PG student where the patient asked him to remove cannula from his hand , in response
the doctors asked to take the assistance of the nurse where the patient pilloried the doctor. The
doctor sustained several physical injuries since the patient pulled out a screw driver and attacked
him . Violence against healthcare professionals needs to raked over the coals. Doctors reiterates
on legislation regarding the protection of healthcare professionals. The recurring incidents
makes it perspicuous for the protection towards healthcare. The legislation should be
comprehensive and impose stringent penalties in instances of non-compliances .

Speedy investigation and prosecution should be included , stated by Dr Aviral Mathur the
president of Federation of Resident Doctors Association. Since health is a state subject , the urge
to all states to pass state laws regarding the protection of frontline workers. Very recently a
tormenting incident where the surgeon was stabbed to death in Kerala made the state pass an
ordinance taking stringent punishment on violence. Attack and Violence on health care
professionals are a silent pandemic we have been facing for a prolonged period , failing to curb
the same. Zero tolerance should be given and condemned both at state and centre. The lack of
central legislation is subverts the intensity of the issue. There are several cases that is being

reported and many that goes unreported. The focus should be on the upgrading the healthcare
system and providing a shield to the healthcare professionals. It is a moral commitement to
safeguard those who dedicate their lives serving others, thus a central legislation becomes the