Six die, over a dozen hurt in Delhi fire

New Delhi, Nov 2 (IANS) At least six people, including four women, died and over a dozen were injured in a fire at a factory here Saturday evening, police said.

The fire broke out around 5.50 p.m. in a purse manufacturing factory in Ranjeet Nagar area.

"Seven fire tenders rushed to the spot and doused the blaze around 7.50 p.m. Over a dozen people were rescued from the factory and rushed to three different hospitals," said a fire service official.

"Six victims were declared dead while others are undergoing treatment. Some others have been discharged from hospitals," said a police officer.

All the victims were employees in the factory.

"The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained," said the officer.

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Owner arrested after Delhi factory fire kills six

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) The Delhi Police have arrested the owner of a purse manufacturing factory where a fire Saturday evening killed six people and injured 11 others.

Varun Gambhir, 27, was arrested for illegally running the two-storeyed factory in Delhi's Ranjeet Nagar area where a blaze broke out around 5.50 p.m. Saturday.

Though fire service personnel doused the flames after two hours, 17 people received burn injuries.

"Six of the injured, including four women, were declared dead in a hospital while 11 others are being treated," said a police officer.

Five of the six injured have been identified as Puja, 18, Soni, 22, Dropadi, 35, Piyush, 25, and Rahul, 25.

All the victims worked in the factory.

"The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained," said the officer.

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JNU alumni wants CBI probe into Delhi woman's suicide

Mumbai, Oct 31 (IANS) JNU Delhi alumni in Mumbai along with several NGOs and social groups Thursday demanded a CBI probe into the death of Pavitra Bharadwaj, working with Delhi University's Bhim Rao Ambedkar College in the capital.

"In view of the circumstances surrounding her death, we feel it is necessary for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the case. We have no faith in the investigations by the Delhi Police," said Rakesh Shetty, founder of NGO Ekta.

Shetty said that Ekta is in touch with several like-minded NGOs and activists in Mumbai and New Delhi who will fight to secure justice for the victim and press for a CBI probe.

On Oct 1, the 40-year old Bharadwaj attempted suicide by burning herself outside the Delhi Secretariat, suffering 90-95 percent burns. She succumbed to her injuries a week later.

She was sacked as a laboratory attendant in the college last year after she accused the college principal of repeated sexual harassment.

She filed several cases of sexual harassment against the principal and his associates since 2009, but the university authorities ruled against her.

An executive council member and chairperson of Academics for Actions and Development, A.N. Misra revealed several letters penned by Bharadwaj since 2009 to various organisations including the varsity administration and Delhi Lt. Governor, pointing to mental and physical harassment by the principal.

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SC seeks details of crimes against women in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) The Supreme Court Tuesday asked the Delhi government to submit every month details of the number of offences committed against women in the national capital.

A bench of Justice G.S.Singhvi, Justice Shiva Kirti Singh and Justice C. Nagappan asked for the information in the course of the hearing of a petition seeking an independent probe into alleged unprovoked baton charge by police on Aam Admi Party workers protesting outside Gokulpuri police station in east Delhi.

The Aam Admi Party workers were protesting against the non-registration of a FIR on a complaint by a woman alleging rape inside the police station in June this year.

The court asked police to produce the video of the entire incident that culminated in police baton charge on the Aam Admi party workers, as it found that the photographs produced by police in its defence did not addressing all the queries of the court.

The court was moved by 19 people that included five minors who were arrested by police after the incident.

Appearing for the petitioners, senior counsel Shanti Bhushan sought a SIT probe into the incident as he apprehended cover-up by police. He told the court while police personnel received scratches, the activists of AAP suffered serious injuries.

However, Additional Solicitor General Siddharth Luthra disputed submissions by Bhushan.

He told the court that after the incident, a directive has been issued that all the complaints about such alleged incidents had to be mandatorily registered notwithstanding whether the case is one-day-old or one-year-old.

The court will hold further hearing Wednesday after viewing the video recording of the incident.

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Delhi High Court overturns man's conviction for raping daughter

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Tuesday acquitted a man, sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court for allegedly raping his 11-year-old daughter, observing that his first wife used the daughter "as a tool" to seek revenge.

Justice Kailash Gambhir and Justice Indermeet Kaur said: "The evidence produced by the prosecution and even the medical evidence does not lead us to believe that the appellant had committed a rape of his daughter."

The bench set aside the trial court's order that sentenced the man to life imprisonment on the charge of rape of his minor daughter in 2006.

"It is unfortunate, that to seek revenge from her own husband, she went to the extent of using her minor daughter as a tool to implicate him of an offence such as rape," the court said.

"The facts and circumstance of the case make it amply clear that the grudge nursed by the mother of not being adequately compensated during the divorce coupled with the fact that she was made to agree to hand over the legal custody of children in favour of her husband and above all the remarriage of the husband capitulated her into plotting this devious act."

The bench also rejected the claim of prosecution that man raped his daughter, saying: "The common belief that no women will fabricate an offence such as rape owing to its social and mental ramification is undoubtedly flawed as is exemplified by the present case..."

"The trauma of a man being falsely accused of raping his own flesh and blood is unspeakable and unfathomable.

"The court is appalled as how the mother for her personal vendetta compromise the well-being of her daughter to let her live for a lifetime with such a stigma and scar of being raped by her own father. The question is best left unanswered in the interest of humanity...," the court said.

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Indian Oil employee jumps to death in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) An Indian Oil officer committed suicide by jumping off the sixth floor of his office building in south Delhi, police said Tuesday.

Tikam Shivan, 52, working as section officer in the marketing division of the Indian Oil, jumped from the building located in the Yusuf Serai area Tuesday evening, police said.

Shivan died on the spot.

Police said a suicide note was recovered in which he has named an accounts officer of his company for compelling him to take the extreme step.

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Locked for two days, Delhi minor maid escapes

New Delhi, Oct 29 (IANS) A minor maid escaped after being locked by an Air India woman employee in her Delhi home for two days, police said Tuesday.

The victim, hailing from Manipur, escaped Monday. She had come to Delhi two years ago and was employed at Air India crew member Kirathoibi's house in the Sarojini Nagar area of south Delhi.

"Monday evening, Kirathoibi's help informed a neighbour that she was locked inside the house for two days. She somehow managed to escape when her employer left for work," said a police officer.

A neighbour called the police, said the officer.

The victim told police that Kirathoibi used to beat and lock her inside the house whenever she went for work. She did the same thing Sunday and left for duty. She is now abroad.

Police have registered a case against her employer and started a probe. They said the victim has been sent to a child welfare home.

Early this month, a senior employee of a French multinational company and a resident of Vasant Kunj was arrested for physically abusing her domestic help.

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Bus runs over CA student in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) A chartered accountancy student was killed Sunday when he was run over by a Haryana roadways bus in south Delhi, police said.

Shaksham Seth, 23, was on his motorcycle when a speeding bus hit the two-wheeler and ran over him near the Tughlakabad Metro station in the Badarpur area Sunday evening. Seth died on the spot.

Police said Seth lived in Faridabad and was going to meet his friend.

The bus was impounded while the driver is absconding, said a police officer.

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Delhi official's death: Post-mortem report awaited

New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) The post-mortem examination report of a government official and his wife who were found dead here is awaited to ascertain the sequence of events, police said Saturday.

The bodies of K.Vijay Kumar, 57, and his wife Sita, 51, were found in two different rooms of their Kaka Nagar house in south Delhi Friday evening.

Kumar was working as advisor (cost) in the ministry of food and civil supplies, while Sita was at a senior postion at a bank.

The incident came to light when their 19-year-old daughter Waranya arrived at the two-bedroom house around 4.30 p.m. and called police when she got no reply after repeated knocks on the door.

The door was broken open, and Kumar was found lying in a pool of blood in the drawing room with deep wounds on his neck, while his wife was found hanging in a bedroom.

Police is also probing the possibility that Sita either killed her husband or got someone to murder him before hanging herself.

On Friday, Joint Commissioner of Police Vivek Gogia said: "No suicide note was recovered from the spot. There was no sign of forced entry into the house, the door was bolted from within. We have registered a case of murder."

Another investigating officer said the couple's relationship had been strained for a while. Police is also questioning the family's servants who were hired recently.

Neighbours said the family usually kept to themselves. They did not respond to the door Friday when a vegetable vendor had knocked at their door several times in the morning.

Waranya told police that she had gone to Rajasthan with her friends on a two-day trip. On Friday morning, she called her parents repeatedly but got no response.

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Mystery shrouds Delhi woman's death, three held

New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) A 60-year-old woman died under mysterious circumstances here after an altercation with her neighbours, said police Saturday, adding three women were arrested and hunt was on for two male accused.

Kamlesh Mahana of central Delhi's Patel Nagar was declared dead at the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital around 1.25 a.m. Saturday after her health deteriorated following a heated argument with her neighbours Friday evening.

"There was a dispute between Kamlesh and her neighbour, Seema Kohli, for sometime over a case of molestation that Kohli's daughter had registered against the former's son, Arun," said a police officer.

According to police, a verbal spat broke out around 5 p.m. Friday between Kamlesh and Seema who was accompanied by her daughter and a relative, Muskaan.

The verbal spat soon turned into a scuffle during which Kamlesh fell. Other neighbours informed police around 5.30 p.m. who then rushed her to hospital.

Police have registered a case of culpable homicide and arrested Seema, her daughter and Muskaan while hunt is on for two men who were also involved.

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22 nabbed for gambling in Delhi motel

New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) At least 22 people were arrested from a motel here for gambling, police said Saturday.

"All the gamblers were arrested Friday night in a raid conducted at the motel in west Delhi's Alipur area," said a police officer.

Police recovered Rs.3 lakh cash from the accused.

According to police, the gamblers belong to different states, including Delhi, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir.

"The gamblers booked two rooms in the motel whose owner Jai Kishan Sharma was also arrested under the Gambling Act," the officer added.

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Wife killed Delhi official: Post-mortem report

New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) The post-mortem examination report on the government official and his wife found killed in their home revealed she killed him before hanging herself, said sources.

The bodies of K. Vijay Kumar, 57, and his wife Sita, 51, were found in two different rooms of their Kaka Nagar house Friday evening.

"The report suggested Sita first slit the throat of Kumar with a knife when he was sleeping and later hanged herself around 4 a.m. Friday," said sources.

Police said they have recovered the knife.

The sources added Sita was facing some mental problem for a few years and undergoing treatment at a private hospital. "The couple's relationship was strained for a while," said the officer.

Kumar was working as advisor (cost) in the ministry of food and civil supplies, while Sita was at a senior position at a bank.

The incident came to light when their 19-year-old daughter Waranya arrived at the two-bedroom house around 4.30 p.m. and called police when she got no reply after repeated knocks on the door.

The door was broken open, and Kumar was found lying in a pool of blood in the drawing room with deep wounds on his neck, while his wife was found hanging in a bedroom.

Joint Commissioner of Police Vivek Gogia had Friday said a case of murder had been registered since no suicide note was recovered and there was no sign of forced entry into the house with the door being found bolted from within.

"Neighbours said the family usually kept to themselves. The duo did not respond to the door Friday when a vegetable vendor knocked several times in the morning."

Waranya told police she had gone on a two-day trip to Rajasthan with her friends. Friday morning, she called her parents repeatedly but got no response.

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Delhi encounter: Hunt on for 47 others

New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) Police are on the lookout for 47 members of the gang of extortionist-cum-professional killer Neetu Dabodha, gunned down Thursday along with his two associates.

"We were tailing Dabodha's movements for over one year and prepared his dossier. Till now, 47 members of his gang are on our wanted list," said S.N. Srivastava, special commissioner of police (Special Cell).

The Haryana-based criminal, Surender Malik alias Neetu Dabodha, 29, was killed in an exchange of fire along with Alok Gupta and Deepak Ray near the Grand Hyatt hotel in Vasant Kunj area of south Delhi.

"The trio were rushed to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) where they were declared dead," said the officer.

Srivastava said Gupta and Ray were not in the dossier but during investigation, Gupta's role in five criminal cases came to light.

"We are verifying Ray's background whether he was involved in any criminal case or he recently joined Dabodha's gang," said the officer.

Explaining the sequence of events, Srivastava said on a tip-off the accused were spotted travelling in an I-20 Hyundai car near a petrol pump in the Vasant Kunj area.

"When our team signalled them to stop, they sped towards the Grand Hyatt hotel using the C-5 link road. After a few minutes chase, our team in a bullet-proof Scorpio intercepted them near the hotel," said Srivastava.

He said the criminals rammed their car against the police vehicle and opened fire.

"We retaliated in self defence and after 18 minutes exchange of fire, the trio were gunned down," said Srivastava.

"No police team member was injured as all were wearing bullet-proof jackets," he said.

The officer said Dabodha, with a bounty of Rs.3 lakh on his head, had come to Delhi to execute a kidnapping-cum-ransom plan.

"One revolver, two pistols, one carbine and 45 live cartridges were recovered from their possession," said the officer.

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Polytechnic student commits suicide in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) A 21-year-old polytechnic student committed suicide by hanging himself at his house here, said police Thursday.

Brijesh Bist's body was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his house in Bhagwati Garden area in west Delhi's Uttam Nagar around 9.30 a.m.

"No suicide note was recovered from his possession. Police is yet to establish the exact reason behind his extreme step," said a police officer.

Bist was pursuing final year course in electronic trade from Marathwada Institute of Technology (Polytechnic) situated in west Delhi's Mundka area.

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Three criminals killed in south Delhi shootout

New Delhi, Oct 25 (IANS) The special cell of Delhi Police gunned down three inter-state criminals here in a shootout late Thursday night, a police officer said.

Neetu Dabodia, wanted in several cases of robberies, extortions and murders in Delhi and Haryana state, was shot dead along with his two other associates in a car near Grand Hyatt hotel in Vasant Kunj area around 11 p.m. following a tip off, a senior Delhi Police officer told IANS.

"The criminals arrived in a car. They were immediately surrounded by our team. They attempted to flee and rammed into our vehicle before opening fire on us. We retaliated in self-defence and all the three were shot dead," the officer said.

He added that the trio had come to meet their other associates.

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Man run over on Delhi Metro track

New Delhi, Oct 22 (IANS) A 36-year-old man was run over by a Metro train just after he jumped on to the track to commit suicide here Tuesday morning, police said.

Manoj Kumar of Prem Nagar area died after being run over by the train at the Chandni Chowk Metro station around 11.35 a.m.

"Kumar's body was found chopped into several parts. CCTV cameras at the platform captured his suicide attempt. Prima facie, it seems he took the step under depression," said deputy commissioner of police (railways) Sanjay Bhatia.

"Some pieces of papers were recovered form Kumar's pocket but the reason behind his taking the extreme step is yet to be established," he said.

Kumar was pursuing a computer course from a private institute and was unmarried, said the official.

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Delhi official's aide arrested for taking bribe

New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) The aide of sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Delhi was arrested for accepting a bribe of Rs.20,000 from a complainant, said a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official said Monday.

Ram Kishan Sharma, posted as a reader to the SDM of Daryaganj in central Delhi, was caught red handed Oct 17 while accepting the bribe from a complainant for settling the case of his shop, situated in Kishan Ganj market, for causing noise pollution, the official said.

Sharma was produced next day before a special court, which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days.

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Woman dies as house catches fire in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 21 (IANS) A 70-year-old woman was burnt to death when a fire broke out at her house here Monday evening, police said.

The incident happened at Krishna Nagar area in east Delhi. Urvashi Mahajan was at the ground floor of her two-storey house when the fire broke out there only.

"Her son Shashi Kant, somehow, came out of the house with the other members of the family but failed to managed to rescue her," said a police officer.

Shashi Kant, a businessman, told police that he was at the first floor at that time.

Two fire tenders were pressed in service to stop the fire. Police said the reason of the fire was being investigated.

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Minor raped by juvenile in Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 20 (IANS) A six-year-old girl was raped by her minor neighbour at her house here, police said Sunday.

The incident happened in east Delhi's Usmanpur area around 8 p.m. Saturday when the girl was alone at her home.

"The victim was found bleeding when her mother returned home. She was taken to a nearby hospital where her condition is stable. The 16-year-old accused was apprehended on her statement," said a police officer.

He has been sent to a juvenile justice home.

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