Kerala origin couple, twin children found dead with gunshot wounds at their $2 million US home

News Network
February 14, 2024

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New Delhi: An Indian-origin family from Kerala was found dead at their home in US' California in an apparent case of murder-suicide. The family have been identified as Anand Sujith Henry, 42, his wife Alice Priyanka, 40, and their 4-year-old twin children Noah and Neithan.

Cops found the bodies after one of the family's relatives sought a welfare check as nobody in the house was attending the call.

The Indian-American couple, Anand and Alice, were found dead with gunshot wounds inside a bathroom. The twin children were discovered dead in a bedroom, with the cause of their death still under investigation.

"After arriving officers were met with no response, they searched the perimeter of the home and did not see any signs of forced entry into the house. Finding an unlocked window, officers entered the home and located four people dead; 1 adult male, 1 adult female, and two children," police said.

A 9mm pistol and a loaded magazine were recovered from the bathroom.

The couple had purchased the house in 2020 for $2.1 million, records show.

An initial assessment by the police suggests a possible murder-suicide scenario, though they have not ruled out other possibilities.

"Based on the information we have at this time, this appears to be an isolated incident with no danger to the public as we are confident the person responsible was located within the home," the San Mateo police department said in a statement.

The family, originally from Kerala, had been living in the United States for the past nine years. Anand, a software engineer, and Alice, a senior analyst, had relocated from New Jersey to San Mateo County two years ago. Described as friendly, hardworking, and devoted parents, the couple was well-liked by both neighbors and colleagues.

According to court records, Anand had filed for divorce in December 2016, but the separation did not go through in court.

San Mateo County's Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) has taken over the case, working alongside the San Mateo County Crime Lab to collect evidence. The bodies have been taken into the custody of the San Mateo County Coroner, who is working to positively identify each individual and notify next of kin.

The case bears an eerie resemblance to a recent case where a wealthy Indian-origin couple and their teenage daughter were found dead in their $5 million mansion in Massachusetts.

In the last month, at least seven Indian-origin people have been found dead in the US. US envoy to India Eric Garcetti reassured that the US is committed to making sure it remains a safe destination for Indian students.

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News Network
January 20,2025

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Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanekzai, the Taliban's acting deputy foreign minister, delivered a powerful plea to his senior leadership, urging them to reopen schools for Afghan girls. In a speech that resonated as one of the strongest criticisms of the Taliban’s policies on female education, Stanekzai emphasized the injustice and non-compliance with Islamic Sharia law that the current restrictions represent.

“We request the leaders of the Islamic Emirate to open the doors of education,” he declared, invoking the teachings of Islam. “In the time of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), the doors of knowledge were open to both men and women.” His words underscored the historical precedence and religious justification for granting education to all.

Stanekzai did not shy away from highlighting the gravity of the issue. “Today, out of a population of forty million, we are committing injustice against twenty million people,” he stated, pointing to the female population of Afghanistan who remain deprived of their fundamental right to education.

His remarks come as a rare public rebuke of the Taliban’s ongoing school closures for girls, a policy that has faced internal disagreements and widespread international criticism. Sources indicate that the decision was enforced by the Taliban’s supreme spiritual leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada, despite opposition within the group.

The Taliban’s shifting stance on women’s education has drawn sharp condemnation globally. After initially promising to reopen high schools for girls in 2022, they reversed course, leaving the doors of secondary education and universities firmly closed to female students. The administration has claimed it is working on a plan for reopening these institutions but has yet to announce any concrete timeline.

Stanekzai’s speech adds to the chorus of criticism from Islamic scholars and the international community, who have called for the Taliban to honor women’s rights in accordance with Islamic principles. Western diplomats have made it clear that formal recognition of the Taliban government hinges on significant policy changes, particularly in the area of women’s education.

As of now, there has been no immediate response from a Taliban spokesman in Kandahar, where Haibatullah Akhundzada resides, regarding Stanekzai’s statements.
 

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News Network
January 31,2025

Bengaluru: Special matching grants for the development of the backward region of Kalyana Karnataka, approval for the Mekedatu project and release of Rs 11,495 crore of special grants recommended by the 15th Finance Commission were among the suggestions and requests made by the Karnataka government during a pre-budget consultation with the Centre.

Last month, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman met finance ministers of states and union territories (UTs) to take their demands and suggestions for the Union Budget 2025-26, to be presented on February 1.

In his presentation at the meeting, Karnataka Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on behalf of the state government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sought release of Rs 5,300 crore promised in the Union Budget to Upper Bhadra project to provide water to drought prone central Karnataka and special matching grants for the development of backward region of Kalyana Karnataka and the global eco sensitive Western Ghats.

The state urged the Central government to shift from a "reimbursement-based" system to an "advance-release" model for the implementation of the centrally sponsored schemes and also proposed increasing the Central share of their honorariums to Rs 5,000 per month for ASHA workers and Rs 2,000 for Anganwadi helpers.

According to a statement shared by the Gowda's office on Friday, the minister suggested increasing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana assistance from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs five lakh for urban houses and from Rs 72,000 to Rs three lakh for rural houses.

Karnataka has requested additional railway lines, expedited projects, and Central support for 50 per cent of land acquisition and 100 per cent construction costs.

The state also urged approvals for road infrastructure proposals, including new ring roads and upgrades to National Highways.

Gowda has also requested the Union government to increase pensions for old-age, widows, physically-challenged persons.

The Karnataka government called for transparent and need-based reforms in disaster relief fund allocation and timely release of SDRF (State Disaster Response Force) funds, prioritising states' disaster vulnerabilities, it stated.

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News Network
January 28,2025

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Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging the Centre to prioritise waiving loans for farmers and the middle class instead of wealthy individuals. He also demanded a nationwide law to prohibit the waiver of loans given to billionaires.

Notably, Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled for February 5 and the result will be announced on February 8. Kejriwal is seeking a third consecutive term, following AAP's landslide victory in 2020 when it won 62 out of 70 seats.

Income tax, GST rates can be cut to half

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Kejriwal criticised the central government, alleging favouritism toward the wealthy by writing off corporate loans worth thousands of crores. He claimed such practices burden ordinary citizens with excessive taxes while benefitting the rich. "Common people are paying half their salaries in taxes, while the loans of the rich are being waived. Why doesn't the central government waive home loans, car loans, or other financial burdens of ordinary citizens?" Kejriwal asked.

He emphasised that discontinuing loan waivers for billionaires could enable the government to reduce income tax and GST rates by half, double the taxable income threshold, and remove GST on essential commodities. "This is a massive scandal, and it's time to put an end to it," he said.

Kejriwal writes to PM Modi 

In his letter, Kejriwal stated, "Prime Minister should declare that no rich person's loan will be waived off. If you want to waive off, then waive off farmers' loans, middle class's home loans. This money will benefit the middle class a lot."

Kejriwal further argued that by waiving loans for the wealthy, the government could reduce tax rates. "I have calculated that if loans are not waived off, then tax rates will be halved. A person earning 12 lakhs annually pays his entire salary in tax, this is the sorrow of the middle class," Kejriwal wrote.

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