Italy-born Odissi dancer allegedly assaulted in Puri

July 22, 2013

ileana

Puri, Jul 22: Italy-born famous Odissi dance exponent Ileana Citaristi on Sunday alleged that she was beaten up by the servitors on the chariot of Lord Jagannath as she "refused to pay money for darshan" of the deity.

Chief temple administrator Arabind Padhee said Citaristi had lodged a complaint with temple administration.

The commander of the temple police called 'Barkandas' has been asked to find out who were present on the chariot 'Nandighosh' during that time.

Citaristi, awarded 'Padmashree' for her contribution for promotion of Odissi dance, alleged in her complaint that she and one of her woman pupils had climbed up the chariot by paying donation of Rs.20 each to a priest.

However, when they tried to move close to Lord Jagannath, a servitor demanded Rs.1,000 each from the duo to allow them, Citaristi alleged, adding she was ill-treated and physically assaulted by the servitor when she refused to pay.

"I was shocked over the behaviour of the sevayat who ill-treated and hit me thrice on the head shouting foreigner ..foreigner," said the foreign national settled in eastern Indian state of Odisha.

"The temple administration will refer the matter to state police after obtaining a report on the alleged incident from the temple commander", Padhee said, terming the incident unfortunate. "Under no circumstances, anyone should show disrespect to devotees," he said.

Describing the incident as unfortunate, president of Daitapati Niyog, Ramachandra Dasmahapatra, said "we have no right to beat any devotee. On behalf of the Daitapati Niyog, I apologise for the unsavoury episode".

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News Network
March 3,2020

Daman, Mar 3: A BJP councillor was shot dead on Monday in the Union Territory of Daman, police said.

Salim Memon was sitting in his motorcycle showroom when three to four unidentified persons shot four to five bullets after asking a visitor there to move out, an official said quoting eye-witnesses.

While fleeing, they also shot two rounds close to this visitor who was standing outside, he said.

"Memon was rushed to a hospital in Marwad area but was declared dead on arrival. CCTV footage is being scanned to nab the culprits," said Daman Superintendent of Police Vikramjit Singh.

Memon was elected to Daman municipality as a Congress candidate but then switched over to the BJP.

Sources said Memon, who also has a land brokerage business, had come out of jail a few months back in connection with a case of rivalry.

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Agencies
January 21,2020

Kochi, Jan 21: A special court here on Tuesday sent two students, who were arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case in Kozhikode last November, to the custody of National Investigation Agency (NIA) for a day.

The NIA court ordered that the duo, who were in judicial custody till now, to be produced before it tomorrow.

In its application, the NIA had said that the accused must be interrogated on the basis of digital records and sought custody of the duo for a week.

However, the defendant argued that no new evidence had been found against the accused and therefore no custody should be granted.

During an earlier hearing, the two had told the court, "We are not Maoists. We are CPI (M) activists. The Chief Minister, who says we are Maoists, should bring proof of whom we killed and where we bombed. In the last election, we have served as CPI (M), booth agents. We are the ones who went out to vote and pasted posters for the party."

The two were charged under Sections 20 (punishment for being a member of terrorist gang or organisation), 38 (offence relating to membership of a terrorist organisation) and 39 (offence relating to support given to a terrorist organisation) of the UAPA.

Allen and Thaha, students of law and journalism respectively of Kannur University, were taken into custody by the police from Pantheerankavu in Kozhikode on November 1 last year.

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Agencies
February 20,2020

Kanpur, Feb 20: Inspector general, Kanpur range, has ordered a probe into a woman's allegation that the cops misbehaved with her at Raipurwa police station when she went there with her father to lodge a complaint of harassment and eve-teasing.

The woman posted her complaint on the Twitter handle of Kanpur police.

The woman, 21, alleged that instead of listening to her complaint, Raipurwa cops asked her, "Zyada padh gayi ho, itna advance kisne bana dia hai, tumhare Papa ne?" (You are too educated. Who made you so advanced - your father?)

She further said that instead of taking necessary action on her complaint, the police forced her father to compromise with the accused, the son of her landlord, who harassed her on Monday.

The woman also stated that there were no female cops at the police station and she had to wait for several hours.

"Throughout my presence at the police station, I had to interact with male cops," she tweeted.

Inspector, Raipurwa, Sunil Kumar, however, has denied allegations.

"Her allegations are not true. Both the parties settled the dispute on their own," he said.

IG Range, Mohit Agarwal, meanwhile, said, "I have asked the SSP to initiate a probe in this regard and take action against guilty cops."

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