1. Police Silent on Charges; Witch Hunt, Say Activists
Mumbai’s Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves among activists, writers and lawyers arrested in country-wide raids. No official statement issued by the police or the state government till late night; sources say arrests linked to FIR filed in connection with Pune’s Elgar Parishad
The Pune police on Tuesday raided the residences of several people in Mumbai, Delhi, Haryana, Ranchi, Goa and Hyderabad, including activists, a priest, writers and lawyers, and arrested at least five of them, for allegedly having Maoist links.
A senior police officer said near simultaneous searches were carried out at the homes of Varavara Rao, a prominent Telugu poet in Hyderabad; activists Vernon Gonsalves and wife Susan Abraham, a civil liberties lawyer, in Andheri, and Arun Ferreira in Thane; trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj in Faridabad and Chhattisgarh; and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha in New Delhi.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
2. BMC Stings Shop Selling Question Papers
Deputy education officer buys baseline papers of Class VI maths and science for Rs 25 each; photocopy shop sealed, case filed.
A sting conducted by the BMC’s deputy education officer Prakash Charate revealed that the question papers of the ongoing baseline tests in schools were being sold at a photocopy shop at Nagpada junction. Following the sting, the police on Tuesday sealed the shop and registered a case.
The triannual baseline tests of the Maharashtra government are conducted across the state in all state board and non-state board schools. The tests aim to gauge the learning levels among students. The first round of tests for the current academic year for Classes II to VIII that started yesterday will continue till August 31.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
3. Thane: Sanatan Sanstha Takes Out Rally Against Groups Demanding Its Ban
Members of Sanatan Sanstha on Tuesday took out a march in Thane against those groups who are demanding its ban by levelling various charges against it. The march or Bhavya Feri was attended by around 100 people, police sources said.
Amid police deployment, the march began from Gadkari Rangayatan and continued around a circular route till a makeshift stage near Talaopali. Those who took part in the march raised slogans against the “purogami” (progressives) and political parties.
Once the march concluded, Sanatan Sanstha leaders Chetan Rajhans, Sunil Ganvat, among others, addressed the gathering at Talaopali.
Source: The Indian Express
4. Excise Dept Dumps Dead Cars Under Bandra Skywalk
Vehicles being dumped for 10 yrs; MMRDA developing a viaduct from BKC to Mahim creek; contractor wants to clear the patch.
As the BMC and Mumbai Mirror continue to campaign against abandoned vehicles in the city, a government agency is openly flouting the rules. The state excise department has been dumping vehicles under the skywalk in Bandra East. Not only is it an eyesore for the cultural hub of western suburbs, it is also a safety and health nuisance. When Mumbai Mirror team visited the spot on Tuesday, it found 60 to 70 vehicles, including rickshaws, dumped over one another. Some of them even belonged to the excise department.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
5.12-year-old’s Response Nails Molester
A 12-year-old boy’s innocuous answer in a class at school that a computer can be used to watch porn has landed his 35-year-old neighbour in the police net for allegedly molesting him and his friend several times.
The man, who is married with a son, allegedly used to molest the kids after forcing them to watch porn on his mobile phone. He had told the children that he downloaded the videos from computer, a word that stuck with the 12-year-old.
According to the Sakinaka police, the Class VI student was attending his computer class when the teacher asked them to explain the benefits of having a computer at home and its uses.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
6. Five Months on, Bmc yet to Set up Waste Converters, Vermi-composting Units
FIVE MONTHS after the BMC decided to set up vermi-composting units and waste converters in four of its markets, the project is yet to take off.
The BMC had, in March, decided to start the project in four of its markets — the flower and vegetable markets at Dadar and one each at Malad and Borivali. The four markets produce around 27.5 metric tonnes of waste. Officials are still awaiting approval of civic standing committee for installation of organic waste converters in these markets on a trial basis before implementing it in other BMC-run vegetable markets.
Nidhi Chaudhari, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Special), said: “We want to ensure that while we have been making big housing societies and other commercial bulk waste generators to segregate and compost the wet waste generated in their premises, we too will convert the waste generated at BMC-owned markets. This will reduce the total amount of waste generated.”
Source: The Indian Express
7. Maharashtra Police Chief Gets Three-month Extension
Maharashtra’s police chief DD Padsalgikar has been given a three-month extension in service, according to an official order.
Padsalgikar was due to retire on Friday. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the extension in service of Padsalgikar, the Director General of Police (DGP), Maharashtra for a period of three months beyond the date of his superannuation, August 31, 2018, in public interest, the order issued by the Personnel Ministry said.
Source: Mumbai Mirror
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