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Hindustan Times
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Families of blasts victims look back in anger
Malegaon: 'Have they been let off just today? Wasn't Sadhvi already free?' The youngest victim, Farheen, was 10 years old when she was killed in the blasts in 2008. 'Uparwala saza dega.' (God will punish them.) These words from relatives of those who died in the 2008 Malegaon blast, which occurred in the month of Ramzan, encapsulate the sentiment of the six affected families in this power loom city in Nashik district, soon after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) court's verdict on Thursday. Old, ailing and abandoned by all political parties, these families, among the poorest residents of this city, have barely been able to keep track of the many twists and turns of the case. After the acquittal of all the accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts last week, the question being asked in Malegaon was simple –– will this be repeated in the Malegaon blast case. And if so, will the government rush to appeal as it did in the train blasts case? 'The home minister's speech in Parliament gave an inkling of the verdict,' said Aleem Faizee, founder editor of the Malegaon-based news website referring to Amit Shah's comment on Wednesday that no Hindu could ever be a terrorist. 'We have not got justice; we will appeal,' said Mufti Ismail, Malegaon MLA and general secretary of the Jamiat Ulema, which arranged for lawyers to represent the intervenors in the case. Advocate Irfana Hamdani added, 'We need to study the judgment to know how the evidence was placed before the court. The ATS charge sheet had both audio and video records of strategy meetings and phone conversations, recorded by one of the accused, and these pointed to Pragya Thakur's involvement.' Infirm and hard of hearing, Syed Nisar, 74, whose son died in the blast, has been the voice of the victims in the NIA court. He intervened in 2017 when the NIA said it had no objection to Sadhvi Pragya's bail application. 'This was not out of enmity for any community, but for justice,'' he clarified. 'My son was just 19.' The former scrap dealer is ready to continue fighting. Ainoor Bi lost her 23-year-old son Irfan, who helped her sell vegetables, in the blast. 'How could they not have been punished?'' she asked. 'Imagine what it means for parents to lose their young child.' After Irfan's death, she tried to resume work but could not do so as returning to the same spot in the market where her son's friends worked was unbearable. Hussain Shaha, who lost his father Harun, a power loom worker, was at his usual spot selling vegetable fritters even on the day the verdict was pronounced. The verdict means nothing to his mother, he said. 'Her health started failing after my father died; she is so far gone, she does not even recognise me.' 'Hemant Karkare (then ATS chief) had uncovered everything. If only he'd been alive…' rued Liaquat, father of the youngest victim. Holding up a picture of his then 10-year-old daughter Farheen, he said it was given to him by her teacher who took it from Farheen's scholarship form. 'My daughter was clever. She loved studies,' said the former truck driver. Karkare is revered in the community. Another set of victims in Malegaon, inextricably linked to the 2008 blast, also remembered him. Nine Muslims were arrested for the first set of blasts in the city in 2006 on Shab e Baraat, a night of prayer, in which 31 Muslims were killed. These men could get bail in 2011 and were finally discharged in 2016 only because Karkare's investigations into the 2008 blast led to a different set of accused for the 2006 blasts too. The appeal against their discharge is pending in the Bombay high court. Thursday's verdict has left people in the community angry. 'Was NIA's duty just to prove the accused innocent, or also to find the real culprits?'' asked eminent surgeon Dr Saeed Farani, who treated victims of both blasts. 'Perhaps we should just learn to live with this.' But what of Malegaon's Hindus? The Mausam river divides Hindus and Muslims geographically in the city. The power loom industry on which the city runs, necessitates interaction but otherwise, there's little intermingling. Gandhian Subhash Pardeshi said: 'When 31 of their fellow citizens died in the 2006 blasts, though Shiv Sena MLA Dada Bhuse sent Shiv Sainiks to donate blood, no Hindu in Malegaon condemned the attack or stepped up to share the grief of the families of the deceased.' 'That silence will continue,' he added.
Straits Times
20 hours ago
- Straits Times
Fallen tree branch damages two Yishun flats, showering one homeowner with shattered glass
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox On July 31, workers from Golden Landscaping were removing a tree next to Block 259, Yishun Street 22, when the incident happened. SINGAPORE - Recovering from the flu, Mr Irfan was resting on the couch in his living room when a tree branch smashed through the windows , showering him with glass. Even though the sofa was next to the windows and glass landed on his face, Mr Irfan, a workplace safety and health trainer, was uninjured. On July 31, at around 9.30am, workers from Golden Landscaping were removing a tree next to Block 259, Yishun Street 22 when the incident happened. MP for Nee Soon East, Mr Jackson Lam, said two units were damaged. The homeowner of the affected unit on the second floor, who only wanted to be known as Mr Irfan, 43, said: ' It was very loud, and it felt like the whole structure was going to collapse.' His wife, who only wanted to be known as Madam Salfarina, 41, and who was working in the next room, was also not injured. Madam Salfarina, an executive at a healthcare insurance company, said she heard a loud bang and the home shook . Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore No entry: ICA to bar high-risk, undesirable travellers from boarding S'pore-bound ships, flights Singapore 5 foreign women suspected of trafficking 27kg of cocaine nabbed in Changi Airport Singapore Over half of job applications by retrenched Jetstar Asia staff led to offers or interviews: CEO Singapore 17-member committee to drive roll-out of autonomous vehicles in Singapore Business Singapore gold investment soars 37% to 2.2 tonnes in Q2 while jewellery demand wanes Singapore Underground pipe leak likely reason for water supply issues during Toa Payoh fire: Town council Multimedia 60 years, 60 items: A National Day game challenge Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family' Mr Irfan said he could not hear temporarily after the impact. He said: 'I had to call my son to check my face (to see if I was bleeding).' When The Straits Times arrived at 2pm, cracks were on their living room walls, and the window grilles were bent out of shape. The couple said they were grateful their two younger children, aged eight and one, were not home when the incident happened. Their eldest child, a 22-year-old son, was sleeping in his room at the time. Mr Lam, visited the family at around 2pm. He assured them the landscaping company would pay for the damages, and the town council would facilitate the process. Mr Irfan said he could not hear temporarily after the impact. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SALFARINA He said in a statement the tree had spot decay, weakening its structure. And the ongoing works to remove it aggravated the condition, leading to a tree branch falling and damaging two HDB units. No one was hurt. He said the town council was activated to clear the debris, and assess the impact of the damages. Another team was working on the removal of the tree for safety reasons. Mr Lam said: 'I spoke with the (Nee Soon) Town Council's Horticulture team and understand that necessary safety precaution was taken before the removal of the tree. 'Notices were put up, the area was cordoned off, nearby structures were removed where needed, and visual checks were done before work began.' He said they were helping the affected families.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
MDMA seized, man arrested
Mangaluru: A person was arrested for possession of MDMA in Ullal police station limits on Monday. The accused is Srijith Shetty. In a complaint filed by CCB PSI Sudeep MV, they received reliable information around 6pm on Monday, that the accused was in illegal possession of the narcotic substance MDMA and was arriving near the bridge on the road leading to a college in Beeri, Kotekar village, with the intention of selling it. Officials reached the location around 7.30pm and observed from a distance. At approximately 7.45pm, a person carrying a backpack was seen standing in the area. Upon confirming that he matched the description of the suspect, a raid was conducted. When confronted, the accused, attempted to flee the scene, but was arrested. Police recovered approximately 5.5g of MDMA, estimated at around Rs 50,000, which he admitted to have obtained illegally, from a Nigerian national through Irfan from KC Road, with the intention to sell at a higher price. Police seized a mobile phone and a travel bag. All the seized items were taken into custody for legal procedures. A case has been registered against Srijith Shetty, Irfan, and the unidentified Nigerian national under relevant laws for possession and attempted sale of narcotic substances.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Hans India
Gullible fall prey to attention diversion gang in Tolichowki
Hyderabad: Tolichowki police have apprehended five individuals involved in an attention diversion case, recovering Rs 7.55 arrested are Mohd Bilal, Md Abdul Azam Pervez, Mohd Iqbal, Mohd Jameel Ahmed, and Syed Maaz Hussaini. Meanwhile, Abdul Shahed, Syed Kaleel Ahmed, Mohd Akhil Ahmed, and Syed Irfan are currently absconding. According to police, a complaint was lodged on July 25 by P Sai Prasad Reddy, who reported being defrauded of Rs 11,71,000 by a group employing an attention diversion tactic. The complainant, interested in purchasing cryptocurrency, came into contact withMaaz online via the Reddit app. Maaz informed him that his friend Irfan possessed USDT (Tether) worth Rs 10 lakh and was willing to sell it at a low price. On July 24, Sai Prasad arranged Rs 6,40,000 and met Maaz and Irfan at Paramount Colony. They took him to a shop named Air Link (Domestic & International Ticketing) at Ahmed Mazil, Paramount Colony, Tolichowki. Upon entering the office, four unknown persons and a customer were present. An unknown individual took Rs 6,40,000 from the complainant, counted the amount, which was then taken by other unknown persons. They instructed him to wait for some time, assuring that the USDT would be transferred directly to his Trust Wallet (trading account). He waited for a long time, but the USDT was not credited to his wallet, leading him to suspect a delay. During this time, two members of the office staff suddenly began quarrelling, diverting the complainant's attention. Meanwhile, the other two individuals seized his cash bag and fled from the office. The complainant subsequently learned that the accused had simultaneously used the same diversion tactic to defraud another customer, Syed Niyamudin, of Rs 5,31,000.
Sinar Daily
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
Irfan Zaini aims to bridge Malaysian, global film industries
Irfan, whose full name is Muhammad Irfan Mohamed Zaini, 30, achieved an impressive milestone by appearing in three Tamil films alongside renowned star Thalapathy Vijay, 51, who is also actively involved in politics in Tamil Nadu, India. 27 Jul 2025 12:01pm According to Irfan, the opportunity to act in India did not come easily. It required nearly five years of back-and-forth travel, meeting directors and producers, and even being scammed by individuals who made false promises. - Bernama photo KUALA LUMPUR - Behind his calm demeanour and modest smile, rising actor Irfan Zaini harbours a big dream-not just to be known on the local screen, but to serve as a bridge connecting the Malaysian film industry to the international stage. Irfan, whose full name is Muhammad Irfan Mohamed Zaini, 30, achieved an impressive milestone by appearing in three Tamil films alongside renowned star Thalapathy Vijay, 51, who is also actively involved in politics in Tamil Nadu, India. Irfan said that in trying to break into the Kollywood industry, there's no set strategy to follow, but his deep passion drove him to work hard and patiently wait for his chance. - Bernama photo The young actor from Kuala Lumpur made his debut in the film Kuruvi (2008) at the age of 12, followed by Greatest of All Time (GOAT) (2024), and is now working on Jana Nayagan, which is currently in production and expected to be released early next year. According to Irfan, the opportunity to act in India did not come easily. It required nearly five years of back-and-forth travel, meeting directors and producers, and even being scammed by individuals who made false promises. "People think I went there and immediately got acting roles, but the truth is, I lost a lot of time, money, and energy. Many are still waiting for their chance, but I consider myself lucky because I was desperate to act in India,' he said in an interview with Bernama recently. He said that in trying to break into the Kollywood industry, there's no set strategy to follow, but his deep passion drove him to work hard and patiently wait for his chance. "Maybe others would have given up halfway,' he added. Irfan, who gained recognition among Malay audiences after starring in Blood Brothers: Bara Naga, said acting in India opened his eyes to the vastly different work culture, with productions managed in a more professional and structured manner. "In Malaysia, a film might have only two to four assistant directors. But in India, they can have over 20. "Each has a specific role-some handle the filming locations, others coordinate hundreds or even thousands of crew members, and some focus solely on planning complex sets like large-scale action scenes. Everything needs to be managed efficiently and quickly,' he explained. He added that most film crew members in India are part of a film workers' union that protects their welfare, including compensation in the event of injury or death during filming. "But in terms of quality-like camera work and storylines-I think Malaysia is already on par with India, even though our films are mostly made with smaller budgets,' he said, expressing his determination not only to make a name abroad but also to open more doors for collaboration between the Malaysian and international film industries. He pointed to the Indian film industry's recent focus on pan-India films, which bring together actors and crew from different regions such as Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam, and are released in multiple languages simultaneously-creating a nationwide phenomenon. "If they can bring together actors from different cultures and languages, I believe we too can start collaborating with neighbouring countries like Korea, Thailand, or Indonesia. "So when foreign actors appear in our films, our market will grow even bigger,' he said, believing that such a model could elevate Malaysian cinema on the global stage. - BERNAMA
