UK man given life imprisonment for stabbing Indian-origin wife 59 times

Agencies

May 13, 2019

London, May 13: A man in the UK has been sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing to death his Indian-origin wife following a row on Christmas day last year.

Laurens Brand, 47, who was charged with murder, used two kitchen knives to repeatedly stab his 41-year-old wife Angela Mittal in 2018.

He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 16 years and eight months' imprisonment at a sentencing hearing at Reading Crown Court on Friday.

Angela had suffered 59 stab wounds to her neck and chest and died at the scene at their home in Shinfield, Berkshire.

Sentencing Brand, Judge Heather Norton said: "You stabbed your wife in the bedroom of the family home. Your attack on her was ferocious. You stabbed your wife no fewer than 59 times."

"At some point in the course of that attack, one knife broke. You left the room, you went to the kitchen, you fetched another knife and then returned," the judge said.

The court heard that the forensic evidence suggests that the victim was alive and struggling to defend herself through much of that attack. The judge noted that she would undoubtedly have suffered fear and pain.

"This was a brutal assault carried out by Laurens Brand on his wife, Angela Mittal, during which she suffered 59 separate injuries," said Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Mike Roddy, of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Unit.

"Brand subjected Angela to this vicious attack in her own home, a place where she should have felt safe and secure. Instead of helping Angela, he tried to clean up before calling (emergency) 999. When he did call, he didn't ask for an ambulance, he asked directly for the police already in the knowledge it was too late for Angela," he said.

The court heard how Brand had physically and emotionally abused his "formerly bubbly and outgoing wife". The police expressed their sympathy with the victim's family during an "extremely difficult" time.

"I'd also like to commend them on the courage they have shown, especially today when having to explain what the loss of Angela means to them. It is never an easy time to lose anyone, but in such violent circumstances, in her own home, it is unimaginable," said Mike Roddy.

Her family, including father Bharat and mother Kamla Mittal, paid tribute to Angela, describing her as a popular young lady known for her "sweet and enduring wit".

They said in a statement: "Her life was tragically cut short due to a senseless crime."

"Angela truly lived life to the fullest through the simple pleasures; chatting with friends, spending time and enriching the lives of her family and always seeing the brighter side to life. She had this beautiful talent to bring people together from all walks of life and touch them in a deep and positive way".

They said that Angela was known for her creativity, kindness and big heart and the friendships, generosity and enthusiasm she displayed throughout her life is an "inspiration".

"Angela will be missed beyond words, her love, warmth and beauty will remain alive in her family and friends hearts," the family statement said.

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19-year-old boy arrested for attempt to open fake SBI branch

News Network

July 12,2020

Tamil Nadu, Jul 12: An alleged attempt by a 19-year-old man to "open a branch of the State Bank of India" at Panruti near Tamil Nadu was scuttled and he was arrested for forgery, police said on Saturday.

The man, son of retired SBI employees, had readied fake seals and challans of the public sector lender, and had other paraphernalia like a cash counting machine needed "to run a bank branch," on an upper floor of his residence at Panruti, about 25 km from Tamil Nadu.

He had not, however, put up any signboard. The SBI Panruti branch manager lodged a complaint with police seeking action following a tip-off by a customer that the man was "opening an SBI branch and has challans as well."

A printer who printed the challans and another who had made fake seals were held for similar offences and abetment.

They were produced before a magistrate court and enlarged on bail.

Asked if the man had cheated people by soliciting deposits or facilitating loans, Panruti police inspector K Ambethkar said, "no..we have not received any such complaint so far."

The man's late father had worked for SBI and his mother had retired from the same bank some time back, he said.

To a question, the police inspector said the man's mother, who has mobility issues, and another woman a relative living in the same house had no clue about his "idea."

Investigations revealed that he aspired to work for a bank and since he had closely watched banking operations for long he was "very knowledgeable" about it.

On the suspected motive, he said several of his replies were incomprehensible, childish, and strange notwithstanding his excellent understanding of the banking processes.

"He even calmly told us that he awaited approval from Mumbai to open the (SBI) branch and that he was about to put up a signboard," the inspector said, adding that the man had tried unsuccessfully to get employment on compassionate grounds in the SBI following the death of his father in harness.

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Blind student attacked during JNU violence on Sunday

Agencies

January 6,2020

New Delhi, Jan 6: A blind student who is pursuing research in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) was also attacked by the mob that perpetrated violence in the University yesterday.

"I thought that the mob which came yesterday would disperse after raising a few slogans but they indulged in violence. They were targeting ABVP students. They beat me with sticks and rods. When I went to the AIIMS Trauma Centre, I came to know that there are many other injured students there," Surya Prakash, the blind student pursuing research in the University told ANI.

"I talked to my family members. They are really worried about the situation here. I qualified in the National Eligibility Test (NET) last year but I want to study and hence I am continuing research in JNU. How can we do anything in this atmosphere of fear? I am receiving calls from anonymous numbers threatening me not to come in front of the media. They are saying that as I am blind, I would become the face of this case," he added.

Another PhD student, Santosh Bhagat recounted his experience.

"In the evening at around 7 pm, many masked men entered the hostel. They had rods and sticks in their hands. We tried to go out but the attackers had entered the premises by then. I locked my room from inside but the attackers broke the door and entered my room and attacked me. They pushed me from the first floor and I fell down and sustained an injury. Later, I took shelter at one of the Professor's flat. Later, I was taken to the AIIMS Trauma Cantre," Bhagat said.

On Sunday evening, more than 30 students of the university, including JNUSU President Aishe Ghosh, were injured and were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after a masked mob entered the JNU and attacked them and professors with sticks and rods.

The JNU administration and political leaders, cutting across political lines, condemned the attack on students and urged the police to take action against the perpetrators.

Meanwhile, the situation remained tense but peaceful outside JNU on Monday morning as the university guards maintained a strict vigil at the gate, checking I-cards of all those entering the university.

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