Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

India convicts two over 2007 blasts that killed 44

An Indian court on Tuesday (4) convicted two members of a banned Islamist militant group over bomb blasts in August 2007 in the southern city of Hyderabad that killed 44 people.

One explosion went off in an auditorium packed with families watching a laser show. Minutes later a second blast ripped through a congested street food stall in another part of the city.


Justice T. Srinivas Rao found Aneeq Shafique Sayeed and Mohammed Akbar Ismail Choudhury guilty and acquitted two others in the protracted case, a prosecution lawyer told reporters in Hyderabad.

The judge will announce sentences on Monday. The court is also likely to rule on the third accused, Tarik Anjum, who is charged with giving shelter to the bombers after the blasts.

"I demand that the accused be given the strictest punishment so that they understand the pain we are going through," a blast survivor told reporters outside the special court.

The men belonged to the Islamic militant group Indian Mujahideen, which police say is an offshoot of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India.

In 2011 the US included Indian Mujahideen in its official blacklist of foreign terrorist organisations.

The trial heard testimony from 170 witnesses before closing arguments were made last month.

Three others accused in the case including the main conspirator Riyaz Bhatkal remain at large.

More For You

Jolly Rancher Recalled in UK Over Cancer-Linked Chemical Fears

Jolly Rancher sweet products were recalled due to the presence of banned ingredients

Amazon.UK

Jolly Rancher candy recalled in UK over cancer-linked chemicals

An urgent warning has been issued in the UK after several popular Jolly Rancher sweet products were recalled due to the presence of banned ingredients linked to cancer. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has confirmed that certain products, including Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, ‘Misfits’ Gummies, Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1, and Berry Gummies, are affected.

These sweets, produced by American confectionery giant Hershey, were found to contain Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOAH) and Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbon (MOSH), both of which are derived from crude oil and have been associated with serious health risks, including cancer.

Keep ReadingShow less
British national survives Ahmedabad Air India crash

Rescue and relief work underway following the Air India plane crash, in Ahmedabad. (PTI Photo)

British national survives Ahmedabad Air India crash

ONE survivor walked away from the Air India aircraft that crashed at Ahmedabad airport earlier this morning (12), according to the latest reports from India.

Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, a UK national, was in seat 11A of the Air India Flight 171 bound for London Gatwick when it crashed shortly after take off from Ahmedabad with 242 people on board.

Keep ReadingShow less
Air India crash: Former Gujarat chief minister Rupani was on aircraft

FILE PHOTO: Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. (PTI Photo)

Air India crash: Former Gujarat chief minister Rupani was on aircraft

FORMER Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was believed to be on board the London-bound Air India plane that crashed near the Ahmedabad airport soon after take-off on Thursday (12), a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

"Vijay Rupani was going to London by the Air India flight," senior BJP leader Bhupendrasinh Chudasama told reporters in Ahmedabad. "I am going to the city civil hospital to inquire about him," he added.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer says scenes of Air India plane crash 'devastating'

Keir Starmer. (Photo by JORDAN PETTITT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Starmer says scenes of Air India plane crash 'devastating'

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Thursday (12) expressed his anguish following a plane crash involving a London-bound Air India flight with 53 British nationals among 242 on board, shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport.

"The scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating,” Starmer said in a statement.

Keep ReadingShow less
Major air crashes in India

FILE PHOTO: Officials inspect the wreckage of an Air India Express jet at Calicut International Airport in Karipur, Kerala, on August 8, 2020. (Photo by ARUNCHANDRA BOSE/AFP via Getty Images)

Major air crashes in India

INDIA has witnessed several major air disasters over the decades, reflecting both the challenges of aviation safety and the complexities of its growing air traffic. While many flights operate safely each day, a few tragic incidents have left lasting impacts on the nation’s aviation history. Below is a list of some of the most significant plane crashes that have occurred in India.

1. Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision (Nov 12, 1996)
A Saudi Boeing 747 and a Kazakh IL-76 cargo plane collided mid-air near Delhi due to communication failures. All 349 people on both aircraft died, making it the deadliest air disaster in Indian airspace.

Keep ReadingShow less