A youth from Maseetan village in Sultanpur Lodhi subdivision of Kapurthala district drowned in a pool in the US. Sahilpreet Singh (21) had moved to the US some years ago in the hope of earning a better livelihood. One of three siblings, Sahil was the eldest and the key bread winner of the family. Sahil died while trying to save a friend, who also drowned. As per family, Sahil along with another friend from Punjab had gone to celebrate the friend’s recently acquired permanent citizenship of the US at a swimming pool in Florida. Venturing into the deeper part of the pool area, Sahil tried to rescue his friend when he slipped. But both drowned in the pool.
Court rejects Hindu foundation's argument
A federal court in California dismissed the Hindu American Foundation’s attempt to portray legal action against caste-based discrimination as a violation of religious freedom. The legal dispute goes back to 2020, when the California Civil Rights Department filed a lawsuit against tech giant Cisco Systems. The CRD alleged that the company engaged in caste-based discrimination against an employee of Indian descent. HAF took up the case and in September 2023, filed an amended complaint, adding 12 plaintiffs, including three who remained anonymous, stating that the lawsuit against Cisco would infringe on their religious freedom. The court also stated that “personal discomfort with the Department’s Cisco Action” did not constitute a “plausible likelihood of threats or harm.”
Indian origin doctor placed on probation
Dr Ishwari Prasad, an 84-year-old gastroenterologist in Tampa has been placed on probation by the Florida Board of Medicine following two botched colonoscopy procedures at the Tampa Ambulatory Surgery Center last year, according to a report by USA Today. In one of the incidents, Prasad, who was not wearing his hearing aids, failed to hear a patient’s screams of pain during a colonoscopy. The patient had not been fully sedated, and Prasad reportedly continued the procedure despite the patient’s cries. The complaint also revealed that Prasad had “improperly delegated” medical tasks to a surgical technician who was not licensed to practice medicine. This unlicensed individual stated that she frequently assisted Prasad with tasks beyond her training because the doctor was unable to perform them himself.
Police convoy in Pak attacked, 12 killed
The death toll in a rocket attack on police vans by dacoits in Pakistan’s Punjab province rose to 12 after one of the wounded officers died in a hospital, as police pursued suspects in Punjab province, officials said. Two vehicles carrying around 22 policemen were on their way back from a police camp in riverine area Rahim Yar Khan district, some 400 km from Lahore, when the vans stuck in a muddy road at Machah point. A group of dacoits reached there and attacked them with rockets and also opened fire on the police team. At least 11 cops were killed in the attack on the spot, while some of them were taken hostage and the remaining were injured, police said. One more policeman succumbed to his injuries, reaching the death toll to 12,” a Punjab police spokesperson said.
Bangladesh floods leave 5 million stranded
About five million people in Bangladesh were stranded by floods in low-lying areas, as strong currents washed away river embankments. The death toll rose to 15 as at least five rivers in the country faced the severest flooding since 2018, according to government data. Eleven districts were affected. The devastating floods are the latest setback for the country of 170 million people, recently besieged with deadly political protests. “These are the worst floods we have seen in three decades,” Liakath Ali, director of climate change at non-governmental organization BRAC, said. Ali said entire villages, all of the families and everything they owned have been washed away. The govt is rushing food and emergency medical supplies to the people marooned in flooded areas, and opened 3,176 shelters.
Hindu priest leads vedic prayers at DNC
A Hindu priest opened the third day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) with a traditional Vedic prayer, seeking blessings for a united country. Rakesh Bhatt, a senior priest at the Sri Siva Vishnu Temple in Maryland, chanted "Om Shanti Shanti" and urged the nation to choose a leader who embodies the ancient Vedic principle of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' - the whole world is one family. Rakesh Bhatt was born into a traditional Madhwa Brahmin family in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He pursued his academic studies with a strong focus on religious texts and languages.
Doctor shot dead in US
Dr Ramesh Babu Peramsetty, the founder and medical director of the Crimson Care Network, was shot and killed in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on August 23. The network, which manages several local clinics, confirmed his passing in a Facebook post and requested privacy for the Peramsetty family. Further details about the incident and the ongoing investigation have yet to be released. Originally from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, Peramsetty was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. He was a well-known figure in the medical community, with nearly four decades of experience. He gained significant recognition during the Covid-19 pandemic when his clinics were among the first to offer testing, vaccinations, and monoclonal antibody treatments.
Indian held amid charges of hiding wife’s body
In a tense courtroom, a judge ruled that Naresh Bhatt, 37, be held without bond following his arrest last week. The judge cited concerns that Bhatt posed both a flight risk and a danger to the community. The decision comes in the wake of disturbing revelations surrounding the disappearance of Bhatt’s wife, Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, who has been missing for over three weeks. Court documents from Bhatt’s arraignment reveal that police found significant digital and forensic evidence suggesting that Mamta was murdered in their Manassas Park home, and that Bhatt attempted to cover it up.
Former police officer gets 15 year sentence
Amitoj Oberoi, a 31-year-old former Edison Township police officer, was sentenced to 15 years in state prison for a high-speed, drunken driving crash that claimed the lives of two passengers. The crash occurred in August 2023. The Somerset County Superior Court judge handed down the sentence which includes two concurrent 15-year terms for first-degree vehicular homicide. Oberoi must serve 85% of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The vehicle veered off the road, striking trees, lamp posts, and a utility pole before coming to a stop.
Indian doctor charged with multiple sex crimes
Oumair Aejaz, a 40-year-old physician from Rochester Hills, has been charged with multiple sex crimes involving both adults and children. The charges against Aejaz include one count of child sexually abusive activity, four counts of capturing an image of an unclothed person, five additional counts of child sexually abusive activity, and five counts of using a computer to commit a crime. Aejaz is an Indian citizen who has been in the US since 2011 and is accused of secretly recording individuals at various locations, including his home, places of employment and a swim club.
