SC refuses terror accused Purohit's plea, asks him to approach High Court

April 29, 2016

New Delhi, Apr 29: Refusing to entertain the plea of Malegaon blast accused Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Shrikant Purohit, who had challenged the framing of charges against him in the trial court, the Supreme Court on Friday asked the former to approach the High Court.

NIA chief Sharad Kumar had last week said that Lieutenant Colonel Purohit was not involved in the Samjhauta express blast, adding that no evidence was found against him. Lieutenant Colonel Purohit, who is one of the main accused in the Samjhauta and Malegaon blasts cases, is presently in jail for over seven years.

He had written to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on April 4 requesting restoration of his honour. In his letter, he claimed that he was falsely implicated and has been behind the bars for more than seven years now.

The case pertains to a criminal conspiracy, which resulted in bomb blasts in the Samjhauta Express train near Panipat in Haryana on February 18, 2007. The blast and the consequent fire in the train resulted in the loss of 68 lives and injuries to 12 train passengers, including women and children.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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