Gold thief nabbed at Ajmer dargah

Ajmer (PTI): Devotees at Moinuddin Chisti’s dargah caught a man stealing a gold plate from the dome at the shrine.

Police said the man, identified as Mehendi-al-Hassan from Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh, had been working as a book binder in Mumbai for some years.

Hassan said he has “direct contact” with “Khuda”, police added. He was admitted to a hospital to ascertain his mental condition.

The dome at the dargah is made of 50 kg gold which was donated by the Rampur nawab about a century and a half ago.

Scanner on court campuses

New Delhi (PTI): Delhi High Court has issued notices to the Delhi Development Authority and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi seeking action against unauthorised constructions in the Patiala and Tis Hazari court complexes.

A division bench headed by acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain granted four weeks’ time to the respondents to file their reply and posted the matter for further hearing on July 26.

The petition was filed by J.K. Jain, chairman of Jain Television, alleging discrimination by authorities in demolishing illegal structures in the capital.

The bench wondered why no action was initiated against illegal construction in the two court complexes when several unauthorised constructions were demolished under the anti-encroachment drive. The petitioner argued that under the Constitution, the state should ensure equal application of law against all citizens.

Multiple rape

Mumbai (PTI): A 14-year-old girl from Mumbai lodged a complaint with police claiming that she was raped by 42 persons in the last one year, including her blood relatives.

A case of rape has been registered against 21 persons, including the girl’s grandfather, uncle, maternal uncle, a senior police officer said.

NRI sentence

Dubai (PTI): A court has sentenced an Indian to 15 years’ imprisonment for stabbing a compatriot to death. The 30-year-old Indian electrician was charged with premeditated murder of the man at a labour camp.

Explosives haul

Ghaziabad (PTI): Several bombs, some of them live, and missile components were found in a water tank when police raided Shankar Steel factory in Kavi Nagar area on Monday. The factory owner, Devesh Luthra, has been arrested.

The Goa Tourism Development Corporation will host Grape Escapade, a wine festival, from May 12 to 14. Wine industry giants from various parts of the country will participate.