Bangladesh SC upholds top Jamaat-e-Islami leader's death sentence

June 16, 2015

Dhaka, Jun 16: Bangladesh's Supreme Court today upheld the death sentence against the second highest ranking leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami for war crimes, including massacre of intelligentsia whom he termed "agents of India", during the 1971 liberation war against Pakistan.

Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid

Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha's four-member bench confirmed the death penalty for 67-year-old Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujahid, Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general and a former commander of Al-Badr, the militia raised by Pakistan to crush the Bangladesh's struggle for independence.

"(The death penalty is) maintained," pronounced Chief Justice Sinha nearly three weeks after the bench wrapped up the hearing on the appeal against the death penalty verdict handed down by the Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal.

The verdict evoked contrasting reactions, with many hailing it while Jamaat calling a strike for tomorrow, slamming the trial as "farcical". A statement by the party's acting chief Maqbul Ahmad called for the countrywide shutdown from 6 AM Wednesday to 6 AM Thursday.

Mujahid had led the infamous Gestapo-like 'Al-Badr' militia, an elite auxiliary force of Pakistani troops, to crush the independence struggle. He was found guilty in five of the seven charges pressed against him.

In one of the major charges, Mujahid was convicted for engaging the Al Badr in massacring dozens of top Bangladeshi intelligentsia, including scientists, academics and journalists, just two days ahead of the Pakistani surrender on December 16, 1971.

"The court found that the intellectuals were massacred by Al Badr under Mujahid's leadership while the Pakistani troops were busy with their preparedness for surrender," attorney general Mahbub-e-Alam told reporters after the verdict.

Mujajid filed his appeal on August 11 last year against his capital punishment handed down by the country's International Crimes Tribunal-2 on July 17, 2013.

The tribunal had said it found Mujahid had played an "active role in encouraging them (Al-Badr) to liquidate the pro-liberation Bengali civilians terming them 'miscreants' or 'agents of India'."

He was a minister in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led four-party alliance government (2001-2006) with Jamaat being its crucial partner.

Under a previous Supreme Court decision, he can now file a petition within next 15 days seeking a review of the judgement by the apex court itself as his last legal resort to evade the gallows.

Mujahid's lawyers said they planned to file the petition.

Demands for the trial of the war criminals resurfaced in 2008 largely after he commented that the "anti-liberation forces never existed" and denied Jamaat's role in 1971. The Jamaat-e-Islami called the liberation war a "civil war" which further infuriated the people as demands for trial grew louder.

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News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru CEN police have arrested a 23-year-old man for allegedly posting provocative and misleading content on an Instagram page named “mr_a_titude”, targeting the Bajpe police.

Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Sudheer Kumar Reddy C H identified the arrested as Abhishek M, a resident of Katipalla in Mangaluru.

A case has been registered at the Bajpe Police Station under Sections 353(1)(c), 353(2), 56, and 57 read with Section 189 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) in connection with the post.

According to police, the accused uploaded a photograph of a hotel on the Instagram page and alleged that accused persons in a murder case under the Bajpe police jurisdiction were being given “royal treatment” by the police, including being served beef meals daily from the hotel.

The post further accused the police of supporting criminals, misusing their authority, and betraying public trust. Police said the content was provocative in nature and aimed at inciting public outrage against the police.

Following the post, a case was registered at the Bajpe police station, and further investigation was transferred to the CEN police station.

Police records indicate that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him, including murder, attempt to murder, assault, and robbery at the Surathkal Police Station, and one case at the Kaup Police Station.

The Commissioner said the accused was traced and arrested using technical evidence.

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News Network
December 15,2025

Udupi, Dec 15: What was meant to be a post-pilgrimage gathering turned tragic in Padukere village of Brahmavar taluk, Udupi district, late Sunday night, when a clash among youths escalated into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead.

The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Santosh Mogaveera, a resident of Padukere.

According to preliminary information, the incident took place during a late-night drinking party involving a group of local youths who had recently returned after completing their pilgrimage to the Sabarimala shrine. An argument reportedly broke out among the group and soon escalated into a violent confrontation.

During the ensuing brawl, Santosh Mogaveera was allegedly assaulted and collapsed at the spot after sustaining serious injuries. He was rushed by local residents to a private hospital in Brahmavar, where doctors declared him dead.

On receiving information, senior police officials, including Brahmavar Circle Inspector Gopikrishna, Kota Police Sub-Inspector Praveen Kumar T, Station ASI Manthesh Jabagoudar, and head constables Pradeep and Ashok, visited the spot and conducted an inspection.

Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the incident. A case has been registered at the Kota police station, and further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact sequence of events leading to the death.

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News Network
December 7,2025

SHRIMP.jpg

Mangaluru, Dec 7: A rare bamboo shrimp has been rediscovered on mainland India more than 70 years after it was last reported, confirming for the first time the presence of Atyopsis spinipes in the country. The find was made by researchers from the Centre for Climate Change Studies at Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, during surveys in Karnataka and Odisha.

The team — shrimp expert Dr S Prakash, PhD scholar K Kunjulakshmi, and Mangaluru-based researcher Maclean Antony Santos — combined field surveys, ecological assessments and DNA analysis to identify the elusive species. Their findings, published in Zootaxa, resolve decades of taxonomic confusion stemming from a 1951 report that misidentified the species as Atyopsis moluccensis without strong evidence.

The shrimp has now been confirmed at two locations: the Mulki–Pavanje estuary near Mangaluru and the Kuakhai River in Bhubaneswar. Historical specimens from the Andaman Islands, previously labelled as A. moluccensis, were also found to be misidentified and actually belong to A. spinipes.

The rediscovery began after an aquarium hobbyist in Odisha spotted a shrimp in 2022, prompting systematic surveys across Udupi, Karwar and Mangaluru. Four female specimens were collected in Mulki and one in Odisha, all genetically matching.

Researchers warn the species may exist in very small, vulnerable populations as freshwater habitats face increasing pressure from pollution, sand mining and infrastructure development. All verified specimens have been deposited with the Zoological Survey of India for future reference.

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