‘Same sex good relations must for healthy society’

‘Same sex good relations must for healthy society’

Jay.Pachchigar@timesgroup.com

Vadodara:03.09.2021

“It is necessary to note that for the healthy society, good and pious relations and friendships between same sex are very much needed … Such instance (honey trap) not only shakes the confidence of the society but also shakes the real purpose behind the concept of gay or same sex dating. Such kinds of offenders are a threat to society as well as social balance.” This is what a sessions court in Vadodara observed while rejecting the bail of a man who was arrested for blackmailing a man along with his two other friends through a gay social networking and dating mobile app.

The court of additional sessions judge A J Kanani also noted that offenders like the accused Rakesh Kanojiya ‘have shaken the social structure by trapping innocent people for their monetary gains’. Court also came down heavily on the accused and said that it is not inclined to show any leniency as he deceived the complainant and blackmailed him.

Kanojiya and his accomplices Ajay Thakor and Akshay Gohil had planned to extort money from a man, who used the gay dating application. Gohil took the man to a pre-decided place in Waghodiya in June. When Gohil and the man were in compromising position, Kanojiya and Thakor recorded their videos and photos and later ambushed him. They took away Rs 6,000 cash, gold necklace, mobile phones and demanded more cash due to which the man’s wife and sister came to give Rs 12,000. Later, they threatened the man to pay Rs 50,000 or else they would circulate his photos and videos. Tired of the blackmailing, the man had lodged an offence of robbery, extortion, unnatural offences, criminal conspiracy and under Information Technology Act. Following the registration of FIR, the accused were arrested and have been in judicial custody. Kanojiya sought bail again as the investigating officer submitted the chargesheet of the case.

Founder trustee of Lakshya Trust that works with the LGBTQ community, Sylvester Merchant said that he was very surprised with the judgement. "Gay men have very few options for dating and these days mobile applications are used widely and virtual spaces are used a lot. It is important that these places stay safe," he said.

Court directs top police officials

The court also directed the superintendent of Vadodara rural police and the inspector general of Vadodara range police to make sure that the owner of the dating application – Blued – to put disclaimer or warning for the safety and privacy of users. The court stated that celebrities like Ayushman Khurrana promote the application due to which youth are attracted towards it without being aware of criminal ramifications.

Artificial insemination is cruelty: Madras HC

Artificial insemination is cruelty: Madras HC

Sureshkumar.k@timesgroup.com

Chennai:  03.09.2021

Artificial insemination of native breeds of cattle denies mating rights of those animals, and also amounts to cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, Madras High Court said, urging authorities to avoid the process.

“Artificial insemination deprives of bulls and cows the pleasure of mating which they are entitled to naturally. Reproduction by natural process is a basic biological need which cannot be interfered with,” said a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran (since retired) and Justice P Velmurugan.

Denying and depriving right to copulate amounts to cruelty to animals under the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the court added.

The bench also ruled that only native-breed bulls should be permitted to run in jallikattu and other bull racing sport in Tamil Nadu and imported or hybrid bulls should be prohibited from participating in such events. State veterinary department officials should certify the nativity of animals prior to the jallikattu event, bench said, and directed the state government to encourage bull owners and farmers to groom native breeds by providing subsidies.

“No bull other than native bulls can participate in jallikattu. There is an inbuilt prohibition under the Act to use other breeds, including imported hybrid/cross variety bulls, in jallikattu. In view of the prohibition, no owner or authority can allow other bulls except native bulls to participate in jallikattu,” the court asserted.

The bench was passing the order on a plea seeking to ensure that only native breeds of bulls were permitted in jallikattu, manjuvirattu, oormadu, vadamadu and eruduttu viduthal.

Artificial insemination deprives bulls and cows of the pleasure of mating, the court said

Girl celebrates 8th b’day at dad’s samadhi

Girl celebrates 8th b’day at dad’s samadhi

Basavaraj.Kattimani@timesgroup.com

Koppal:03.09.2021

Having lost her father to Covid-19 more than three months ago, little Spandana couldn’t think of celebrating her eighth birthday without his presence. The extended family of over a dozen people went to his samadhi in Koppal district’s Kushtagi taluk and held a solemn event with Spandana cutting the cake on Wednesday morning.

Standing in front of the grave, Spandana Konasagar paid rich tributes to her father: “I feel my father is still around, watching and blessing me on this special day. It’s a memorable event in my life and I will come here to seek my father’s blessings on all special occasions.” Fighting off tears, the girl’s mother Roopa said: “I lost my husband Mahesh Konasagar, a social worker, in May. After attending a political rally, he developed a fever. Later, doctors said he has tested positive for Covid and he died on May 13. He was laid to rest in our family farmland.”

Only child of her parents, Spandana said her father would always celebrate her birthday in a grand way. “I couldn’t believe when my mother told me about his death. I miss him a lot.” Roopa said Spandana took long to come to terms with the tragedy. “When we decided to celebrate her eighth birthday at home, Spandana expressed desire to have it at the samadhi,” she added.

Spandana Konasagar paid rich tributes to her father

Woman sues KSRTC for not halting at stop, wins ₹8,000

CONSUMER IS KING

Woman sues KSRTC for not halting at stop, wins ₹8,000

Petlee.Peter@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:03.09.2021

A woman passenger took Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to consumer court after the bus she boarded for Tumakuru from Bengaluru didn’t halt at the stop of her choice and dropped her 400 metres away. The utility has been ordered to pay her a compensation of Rs 8,010 for the inconvenience caused.

On the morning of October 24, 2018, Vijaya Bai L, 33, a resident of Urdigere Hobli in Tumakuru, took a KSRTC bus from Bengaluru to Tumakuru to visit her sister’s residence. Despite informing the conductor and driver that she wanted to get off at the HMT bus stop in Tumakuru, the driver failed to stop the vehicle. Following a plea by Vijaya, the bus slowed down and halted 400 metres away from the spot. On disembarking, she found the area was barricaded and she couldn’t cross over to the other side of the road. She was forced to take two autorickshaws by paying Rs 10 and Rs 50, respectively, to reach her destination.

Following the unpleasant experience, Vijaya called the KSRTC helpline for relief but in vain. Finally, she approached the Tumakuru District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission with a complaint against KSRTC for deficiency of service. The consumer court on July 29, 2019 ordered Tumakuru divisional controller of KSRTC to refund Rs 10 towards Vijaya’s auto fare and pay compensation of Rs 10,000 and litigation cost of Rs 5,000 along with interest.

However, KSRTC appealed against the verdict before Karnataka State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Bengaluru and litigation began. The corporation’s attorney said the bus Vijaya travelled on was a nonstop passenger with limited stops and, therefore, the request that she be allowed to get off the vehicle in the middle was unjust.

But judges of the state forum stated that KSRTC hadn’t provided the bus driver’s version and it is to be noted that the conductor had issued a ticket for HMT bus stop to Vijaya Bai. Moreover, with no consideration for a woman passenger, the driver and conductor dropped her in the middle of the road and she had trouble finding her way to her destination.

However, considering the views of KSRTC, the judges in a verdict on July 28, 2021, reduced the compensation amount to Rs 5,000 and the litigation amount to Rs 3,000, but ordered that Rs 10 will have to be paid to the woman passenger within 60 days of the order.

The KSRTC attorney said the bus Vijaya travelled on was a non-stop passenger service with limited stops. But the state consumer forum observed that with no consideration for a woman passenger, the driver and conductor dropped her in the middle of the road and she had trouble finding her way to her destination

Court news

 

Edu institutions told to be extra cautious

Edu institutions told to be extra cautious

Kevin.Mendonsa@timesgroup.com

03.09.2021

The health department has ordered educational institutions in Dakshina Kannada to step up safety measures, after it was found that some institutions were not strictly enforcing Covid-19 protocols on the campus. Recently, three institutions were served notices for not following SOP.

Officials are also wary after a spike in cases were reported on campuses across the state. There have been outbreaks at a nursing college in Kolar and Bengaluru over the past week.

Health department officials say blatant violations have led to a surge in positive cases among students. After educational institutions reopened, a total of 792 students in Dakshina Kannada tested positive in the span of a month. This includes 620 students from Kerala, 76 from Dakshina Kannada and a dozen from Maharashtra, said Dr Ashok H, nodal officer for Covid-19.

“During our spot inspections, we found students who were supposed to be in mandatory quarantine, were freely mingling with others in the canteen and hostel mess. I’s likely some of them passed on the virus to more students,” said Dr Ashok.

Of the three institutions that were served notices, two are in Mangaluru and the other in Sullia. “We have warned them that a case will be booked under the Karnataka Epidemic Act. Fresh infections have been declining after we tightened the noose. We will continue to monitor the situation.”

Meanwhile, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, while speaking to reporters in Hubballi, reiterated that students, especially nursing students, who come from Kerala and stay in hostels in Karnataka should mandatorily be quarantined for a week and they should be tested at the end of their quarantine period to ensure they are not carrying the virus.

Judge: Cow only animal that inhales, exhales O2

Judge: Cow only animal that inhales, exhales O2

Prayagraj:03.09.2021

The Allahabad HC judge who asked for the cow to be declared India’s “national animal” while denying bail to a man accused of cow slaughter has said in the same 12-page order that “scientists believe cow is the only animal that inhales and exhales oxygen”.

Written in Hindi, Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav’s order claims it is a tradition in India to use ghee made of cow milk in each oblation during a yajna because “this gives special energy to sunrays, which ultimately causes rain”.

His observations about the cow’s supposedly unique respiratory process mirror former Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat’s 2019 statement that the cow exhales oxygen, not carbon dioxide. TNN

Eating beef not fundamental right: Order

Panchgavya, which is made of cow milk, curd, ghee, urine and cow dung helps in treatment of several incurable diseases,” states the order denying bail to the cow slaughter accused from UP’s Sambhal.

Since a cow’s existence is integral to Indian culture, consuming beef cannot be considered a fundamental right of any citizen, the order says. “The right to life is above the right to kill and the right to eat cow-beef can ever be considered a fundamental right. Right to life can’t be snatched away merely for another’s pleasure of taste, and that the right to life is above the right to kill. The right to consume cow-beef can never be a Fundamental Right,” the order states.

› Artificial insemination is cruelty to animals: HC, P 6

Panchgavya, which is made of cow milk, curd, ghee, urine and cow dung, helps in treatment of several incurable diseases

— JUSTICE SHEKHAR KUMAR YADAV | ALLAHABAD HC