Togadia staged ‘missing’ drama, faked illness, told lies: Gujarat police

News Network
January 17, 2018

Ahmedabad, Jan 16: In a major embarrassment to self-styled Hindutva Samrat Pravin Togadia, The Gujarat police has revealed that the Vishwa Hindu Parishad international working president faked illness and staged a ‘lost-and-found’ drama to mislead people and police.

The police also dismissed Togadia’s allegation that there is a threat to his life. Togadia had alleged that he fell unconscious while trying to escape a Rajasthan police team that was out to kill him in an “encounter”, a term used for extra-judicial killings.

The Ahmedabad crime branch accused Togadia of trying to fool the police through drama and lies in order to evade arrest. He had staged the drama when when Rajasthan police personnel came to execute a court’s arrest warrant against him in a 2001 case of breaking prohibitory orders in that state.

According to police, the 62-year-old leader was fit and admitted to a hospital by his aide.

“At 11.10am, Togadia left the VHP office in Paldi, Ahmedabad, with Dhiru Kapuriya and reached the house of Ghanshyambhai Charandas in Thaltej at 11.30am. Charandas rang up his driver, who then called an emergency ambulance service to the Kotarpur area,” joint commissioner of police JK Bhatt said.

Togadia was allegedly driven to Kotarpur where he shifted to the ambulance when it reached the spot. He was conscious, his were parameters normal, and was accompanied by Ghanshyambhai, the officer said.

The ambulance staff wanted to take them to the nearby civil hospital but the duo allegedly insisted on going to Chandramani private hospital, where doctors later said Togadia was in a semi-conscious state when he arrived.

Police alleged that Togadia had planned everything in advance to evade arrest as Ghanshyambhai had contacted Dr Rupkumar Agrawal of the private hospital around 6am. The hospital is located barely 8km from the VHP office.

According to officers, Togadia left his office with an aide and wasn’t accompanied by his guards. The VHP leader gets Z-category security cover.

Appearing in a wheelchair with a cannula for intravenous injections fixed on a hand, Togadia told reporters on Tuesday that he left the VHP office in an auto-rickshaw and reached a friend’s home after being informed that Rajasthan police had sent a team to kill him.

He then headed for the airport in another auto-rickshaw to catch a flight to Jaipur and present himself in a court, but couldn’t as he fell unconscious on the way, the firebrand right-wing leader said. “I woke up at the hospital in the night.”

According to Gujarat police, two Rajasthan policemen accompanied by a local team visited Togadia’s home in the Sola neighbourhood, but never went to VHP office in Paldi. The policemen returned when they couldn’t find the VHP leader in his home.

Comments

Mari Naga
 - 
Wednesday, 17 Jan 2018

What the f****? A man escapes Z plus security provided by the Centre and then claims that he is facing life threat!!! Then who the hell is going to kill him? The central government??

Althaf
 - 
Wednesday, 17 Jan 2018

Z+ security for an idiot. Where is tax payers money is spending!

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News Network
November 13,2024

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Bengaluru: An estimated overall 10.14 per cent voter turnout was recorded during the first two hours, since the voting began for bypolls to three Assembly segments in Karnataka on Wednesday, election officials said.

The voting began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm.

More than seven lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in about 770 polling stations in Shiggaon, Sandur and Channapatna, where a total of 45 candidates are in the fray.

While Channapatna recorded 10.34 per cent voter turnout till 9 am, it was 10.08 per cent in Shiggaon, and 9.99 per cent in Sandur, election officials said.

Voters, including women and elderly were seen queuing up in front of polling booths in these segments.

By-polls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna are necessitated, as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) -- to Lok Sabha in May elections.

As many as 31 candidates are in the fray from Channapatna, while Sandur and Shiggaon have six and eight contenders, respectively.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the three segments for the smooth conduct of the polls.

The by-polls will witness a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Sandur and Shiggaon segments, while in Channapatna, JD(S) which is part of the NDA alliance is in contest against the grand old party.

Among the three segments, Channapatna is considered to be a "high profile", where the contest is between C P Yogeeshwara, a five time MLA from the segment and former Minister, who joined the Congress quitting BJP ahead of nomination, and actor-turned -politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is Kumaraswamy’s son and former PM H D Deve Gowda's grandson.

BJP's Bharath Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai, is fighting Congress Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who had faced defeat against the former Chief Minister in the 2023 Assembly polls, in Shiggaon.

Bharath Bommai and his father cast their vote at a polling booth in Shiggaon segment.

In Sandur, Bellary MP Tukaram's wife E Annapurna of Congress is contesting from the seat vacated by her husband, against, BJP ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu, who is considered close to party leader and former mining barron G Janardhan Reddy.

Annapurna, Tukaram and other family members cast their votes at a booth in the segment.

With Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai contesting, the third generation of Gowda and Bommai families are in the fray in this by-poll. Both their fathers and grandfathers have served as Karnataka's Chief Ministers in the past.

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News Network
November 12,2024

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Mysuru, Nov 12: Zameer Ahmad Khan, the Tourism and Waqf minister of Karnataka, who stirred a controversy by addressing the Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy as ‘Kaala Kumaraswamy’ has tendered apologies for his remarks.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Tuesday, Minister Zameer stated that he will apologise if remarks have hurt JD-S workers.

“We both are very close. Then, in a total of 24 hours, we were together for 14 hours. He used to fondly address me as “kulla” (shorty) and I used to address him as “kariyanna” (blacky, kaalia),” Minister Zameer stated.

“I am not addressing him as ‘kaalia’ for the first time. I have not said something highly derogatory. It is being made as big in the backdrop of elections. With love, he used to call me a shorty and I called him a blacky. If I had caused pain to anyone by my words I apologise,” he said.

He further stated: “Kumaraswamy had said that he didn’t want the votes of the Muslim community. But now they are attempting to purchase Muslim votes. Against this backdrop, I have made the remark.”

Minister for Home G. Parameshwara stated on Tuesday, “Minister Zameer and Kumaraswamy are close friends. Their comments against each other are not significant.”

Zameer Ahmad Khan, the Tourism and Waqf minister of Karnataka stirred a controversy on Monday as he addressed the Union Minister as ‘Kaala Kumaraswamy’.

JD-S on Tuesday demanded a public apology and resignation of Minister for Waqf and Tourism Zameer Ahmad Khan over his ‘racist’ remarks.

“Remember, there is no place here for your divisive policies. You have insulted the people by making ethnic, racist and discriminatory statements. You should apologize to the people of the state and resign,” the JD (S) demanded in the post.

Union Parliamentary Affairs and Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju reacted sternly to the racist jibe and stated, “I strongly deplore Congress Minister Zameer Ahmed calling Union Minister and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Kumaraswamy as 'Kaalia Kumaraswamy'.

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News Network
November 26,2024

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Mangaluru: The coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi are witnessing a fascinating weather pattern, with chilly early mornings giving way to dry, sweltering afternoons. Over the past two days, dense fog blanketed the rural landscapes, while urban centers like Mangaluru felt the stark contrast of brisk mornings and peak afternoon heat.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) noted that in rural areas, the morning chill caused temperatures to dip by one to two degrees Celsius below the seasonal norm, intensifying the fog. Monday saw Mangaluru recording a maximum temperature of 33.3°C and a minimum of 22.6°C, reflective of the sharp day-night variation.

While mornings painted a serene picture with mist-covered trees and a cool ambiance, the afternoons proved relentless, with temperatures soaring between 11 am and 3 pm, offering little respite. Currently, there are no signs of rainfall, with forecasts predicting the continuation of this dual weather pattern for the coming days.

Local residents have mixed feelings about this weather trend. Farmers in rural areas appreciate the cool mornings that ease early chores but express concerns over the dry afternoons, which may affect crop irrigation if the dry spell prolongs. In contrast, urban dwellers are enjoying the foggy mornings but brace for the scorching afternoons.

Meteorologists attribute the sudden chill to shifts in atmospheric pressure along the coast, a precursor to possible weather transitions in December. Whether this pattern persists or leads to unexpected changes remains to be seen, but the twin districts are clearly caught in nature's dramatic play of contrasts.

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