1. Pulwama Terror Attack: Guj CM, BJP and Cong Cancel Programmes
In the wake of Pulwama terror attack, in which at least 40 CRPF jawans lost their lives, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Friday 15 February, cancelled all his official engagements.
Besides Rupani, Gujarat BJP and Congress also cancelled their party events and meetings scheduled be held in parts of the state on Friday.
Protests condemning the terror attack are being held in different parts of Gujarat. In Rajkot, members of Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad, floated by Pravin Togadia, burnt an effigy of terrorists and demanded retaliation.
(Source: PTI)
2. Ahmedabad Mourns Pulwama Death
Traders' bodies have appealed to traders from all walks of life to shut their shops on Saturday, as a mark of solidarity with the victims of terror attack in Pulwama on Thursday, 14 February.
Bodies like Amdavad Vepari Mahajan (AVM) and Gujarat Traders Federation (GTF) have appealed to all the associations of traders, not to open their shops. However, in a novel appeal AVM has also said that traders can alternatively close their shops for half of day and conduct business for the rest of the day but donate the day's profit to the victims of the terror attack.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
3. Gujarat Cops Quiz Teesta, Husband in Rs 1.4 Crore Fund Embezzlement Case
Social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand on Friday, 15 February, appeared before the Ahmedabad Crime Branch to record their statements in the alleged Rs 1.4 crore fund embezzlement case related to their Mumbai-based NGO Sabrang Trust.
The activist couple was allowed to go after primary questioning at the Crime Branch office here, said a senior police official, adding the duo will be called in the future if needed.
On 8 February, the Gujarat High Court had granted anticipatory bail to Setalvad and Anand in the case. While giving them relief, the court had also asked the couple to appear before Crime Branch officials on 15 February for questioning and recording statements.
(Source: Business Standard)
4. Lion Found Dead in Gir Sanctuary
A lion was found dead in Tulsishyam range of Gir Wildlife Sanctuary near Amreli district of Gujarat on Friday 14 February, officials said.
The lion, aged between 5 and 9 years, was found dead by the forest staff of the Gir-East division during a routine patrolling in Nandivela foothill area inside the protected forest, D T Vasavada, Chief Conservator of Forests, Junagadh Wildlife Circle, said.
The carcass of the lion was sent for post-mortem to ascertain the cause of death, the official said.
(Source: PTI)
5. Gujarat: Compensation for Rape, Violent Crimes Increased
In the scheme, implemented by Gujarat State Legal Services Authority, the compensation for rape survivors has been increased from minimum Rs 3 lakh earlier to Rs 4-7 lakh. Similarly, gang-rape survivors would get Rs 5-10 lakh compensation, and victims of unnatural sex Rs 4-7 lakh.
The compensation for death due to physical violence has been fixed at Rs 5-10 lakh. For permanent disability (80% or more), the compensation would be Rs 2-5 lakh, and Rs 2-4 lakh in case of 40-80% permanent disability. For partial disability of between 20 and 40%, victims would get Rs 1-3 lakh, and Rs 1-2 lakh for up to 20% disability.
For acid attacks, which lead to disfigurement, the compensation has been fixed at Rs 7-8 lakh. It also proposes different compensation for varying degrees of injuries.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
6. Gujarat High Court Issues Non-Bailable Warrant Against Mumbai-Based Stalker
In a bizarre case of stalking, the Gujarat High Court has issued a non-bailable warrant against a Mumbai-based man for harassing a Jamnagar woman for marriage for the past eight years creating a mayhem in her personal life resulting in a divorce. The accused, Nitin Patil, is now on the run and the court has directed the Jamnagar police to arrest him and produce before it.
As per the case details, the woman was working as a customer care executive in Reliance Web World in Rajkot and Patil called her raising a query about his data card connection. Thereafter, he continued calling her on one or the other pretext from different numbers. Annoyed with the same, when she complained to Patil, he won her over saying her voice is similar to his deceased sister.
(Source: DNA Ahmedabad)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)