India News

MP Assembly passes Bill for awarding death penalty for rape of girls aged 12 years or below

Published

9 years ago

December 4, 2017

MP Assembly passes Bill for awarding death penalty for rape of girls aged 12 years or below

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Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s cabinet had approved the Bill last week; NCRB 2016 report shows MP has highest incidence of rape in India

Days after a report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) revealed that Madhya Pradesh continued with its dubious distinction of the highest incidence of rape – including cases where the victims were minors – in the country, the state’s Assembly has unanimously passed a Bill that proposes death penalty for those guilty of raping girls aged 12 or below in the state.

The Bill, which will now be sent to the Centre which in turn has to then refer it to President Ram Nath Kovind for his assent, is titled Dand Vidhi (Madhya Pradesh Sanshodhan) Vidheyak, 2017.

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The passage of the Bill comes a week after the state cabinet, led by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, approved its draft for being tabled in the Vidhan Sabha.

The Bill proposes death penalty, life imprisonment till death or a minimum term of 14-year rigorous imprisonment for raping girls aged 12 or below – the quantum of punishment will follow the rarest of the rare principle and be granted after the presiding judge in the case factors in various aspects of the crime. For gang rape of girls aged 12 or less, minimum punishment has been increased to 20 years rigorous imprisonment while the maximum will be the death penalty.

It also proposes a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh against repeat offenders in cases of molestation, stalking or harassment besides the existing provision for a jail term. The Bill will also recognise ‘rape on the pretext of marriage’ as a separate category of crime against women that will be punishable at par with cases of rape.

The BJP government in Madhya Pradesh, sources said, hopes that the stern provisions made under the Bill for sexual offences – especially against minor girls aged 12 years or below – will act as a deterrent for such crimes.

The government’s move to propose the radical changes to provisions in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) also comes at a time when the Shivraj Singh Chouhan administration is facing increasing attacks from the Congress-led Opposition and civil society groups over the unabated rise in crimes against women in the state.

For several years in a row, MP has retained its dubious distinction of recording the highest number of rape cases in the country. This, even as Madhya Pradesh under Shivraj Singh Chouhan was the state which coined the BJP’s poll slogan of Beti Padhao, Beti Bachao – a pitch for women’s empowerment and security.

According to the latest Crime in India report released by the National Crime Records Bureau Madhya Pradesh once again accounted for the highest number of rape cases in the country in 2016 – 4882 cases out of a total of 38947 registered rape cases. Uttar Pradesh with 4816 cases and Maharashtra with 4189 cases had ranked at the second and third spots respectively. MP had ranked number in the total cases of rape but with fewer cases – 4391 out of a countrywide total of 34556.

More worrisome, and also pertinent to the Bill passed by the MP Assembly on Monday, is the fact that as per the Crime in India 2016 report the state also ranked the highest in cases of rape (413) and gang rape (29) registered against juvenile while it ranked third highest in crimes registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to the NCRB report, Madhya Pradesh accounted for 4717 cases out of a countrywide total of 36022 cases registered under the POCSO Act. The only other states that fared worse than Madhya Pradesh in this category were Uttar Pradesh with 4954 cases and Maharashtra with 4815 such cases.

Speaking in the Assembly on the issue, Chouhan said those who rape minor girls do not have the right to live.

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CID creator BP Singh dies of heart attack, film industry pays tribute

B.P. Singh, the creator and producer-director of CID, has died after suffering a heart attack. His contribution to Indian television has prompted tributes from colleagues and members of the entertainment industry.

Published

8 hours ago

October 27, 2026

APNLive Desk

Veteran television producer-director B.P. Singh, best known for creating the popular crime investigation series CID, has died after suffering a heart attack. His death on Tuesday, October 27, prompted tributes from colleagues and members of the entertainment industry, who remembered his contribution to Indian television.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit shared the news of Singh’s death in a social media post, remembering him as an accomplished filmmaker whose work had captivated audiences through shows such as CID and Aahat.

Pandit also recalled his association with Singh during the latter’s tenure as president of the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association. Expressing grief over the loss, he described Singh as a close friend and a person whose work would continue to inspire future generations.

The last rites are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 28, according to Pandit’s post.

BP Singh’s contribution to Indian television

Born Brijendra Pal Singh, B.P. Singh established himself as a prominent figure in Indian television through his work as a producer and director. He created CID, one of the country’s longest-running crime investigation shows, which premiered in 1998 and followed a team of Mumbai crime branch officers investigating cases.

The series became widely recognised among television audiences and ran for around two decades. Singh also occasionally appeared on the show as DCP Shamsher Singh Chitrole.

One of the show’s notable milestones came in October 2004, when a special episode was filmed in a single continuous take lasting 111 minutes. The achievement received recognition in the Limca Book of Records and the Guinness World Records.

Singh’s work was not limited to crime dramas. He was also associated with Aahat, a popular horror television series that aired from 1995 to 2015. His other projects included Khaaki, Abhay and SuperCops Vs Super Villains.

Ashoke Pandit remembers the veteran filmmaker

In his tribute, Pandit recalled Singh’s professional achievements and their personal association. He praised the filmmaker’s work on CID and Aahat and expressed condolences to his family and loved ones.

Singh’s death marks the loss of a veteran television professional whose productions helped shape crime and horror programming in India.

His work on CID and Aahat remains a significant part of his legacy in Indian television.

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October 27, 2026

APNLive Desk

India has invited Pakistan’s Minister for National Heritage and Culture, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, to attend the inaugural Civilisational Dialogue Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in New Delhi in November.

The invitation comes ahead of the two-day SCO Council of Ministers of Culture meeting scheduled for November 20 and 21. The wider Civilisational Dialogue Forum is expected to take place from November 20 to 22, bringing together representatives of SCO member countries and other invited participants.

However, Pakistan has not yet confirmed whether it will send a delegation to the event. Its government is reviewing the invitation and is expected to decide on participation following internal consultations, according to reports citing diplomatic sources.

What is the SCO Civilisational Dialogue Forum?

The Civilisational Dialogue Forum is an initiative aimed at promoting awareness of the shared civilisational heritage of SCO member countries and encouraging cultural exchanges among them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed the forum at the SCO leaders’ summit in Tianjin, China, in 2025. The proposal was subsequently adopted by the organisation’s council.

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on October 20 that the country would host the first forum, inviting all SCO member states to participate.

The event is being organised by India’s Ministry of Culture and Ministry of External Affairs. According to reports, it is planned at Purana Qila, the historic fort in New Delhi.

The proposed discussions will cover religious and philosophical traditions, art and architecture, language and literature, manuscript traditions, and cultural expressions and living traditions across participating countries.

India-Pakistan engagement through the SCO

India and Pakistan are both members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, which provides a platform for regional cooperation despite differences between the two countries.

The invitation follows previous high-level engagements between the neighbours under the SCO framework. Pakistan’s then Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari travelled to Goa in May 2023 to attend an SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting hosted by India.

In October 2024, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Islamabad for the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting. India also sent its SCO National Coordinator, Alok Dimri, to Islamabad for a meeting in September 2026.

If Khichi attends the November forum, it would mark another ministerial-level visit from Pakistan to India under the SCO framework since the 2023 meeting in Goa. However, his participation has not yet been confirmed.

What happens next?

The immediate development to watch is Islamabad’s decision on whether to send its culture minister or another delegation to New Delhi.

The invitation is part of India’s engagement with the SCO’s multilateral framework. It should not, by itself, be interpreted as confirmation of a separate bilateral diplomatic breakthrough between India and Pakistan.

For now, the forum is scheduled for November, while Pakistan’s final participation remains undecided.

India News

Cyclone Arnab nears Andhra Pradesh coast, red alert issued

Cyclone Arnab is approaching the Andhra Pradesh coast, prompting a red alert for Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha. The storm is expected to bring winds of 115–125 kmph, with gusts reaching 140 kmph.

Published

9 hours ago

October 27, 2026

APNLive Desk

Cyclone Arnab is moving towards the Andhra Pradesh coast, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) warning of a very severe cyclonic storm expected to make landfall on Wednesday, October 28. Authorities in Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring Odisha have stepped up precautionary measures as the system approaches the eastern coastline.

The IMD has issued a red-message cyclone warning for Andhra Pradesh and adjoining south Odisha. The storm is expected to cross the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts between Bapatla and Visakhapatnam by the forenoon of October 28, close to Yanam.

At the time of the IMD’s October 27 morning bulletin, the cyclone was centred over the west-central Bay of Bengal, around 260 km southeast of Visakhapatnam. It was moving westwards at approximately 22 kmph during the preceding six hours.

Cyclone Arnab landfall forecast and wind speed

According to the weather department, Cyclone Arnab is expected to cross the coast as a very severe cyclonic storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 115–125 kmph and gusts reaching 140 kmph.

The approaching system is also expected to bring heavy to extremely heavy rainfall to parts of Andhra Pradesh. The red alert signals the need for heightened preparedness in areas facing the threat of intense rain and strong winds.

Andhra Pradesh and Odisha step up precautions

Authorities in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have intensified preparations ahead of the expected landfall. Precautionary measures include school closures in affected areas, restrictions on sea fishing and the deployment of emergency response teams.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has stationed teams across several locations in Andhra Pradesh, including Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Anakapalli districts. Additional teams have been kept on standby to respond to emergencies.

Officials have also been directed to ensure the availability of essential commodities and the swift restoration of electricity and other essential services in the event of disruptions.

The weather department has warned that the cyclone could cause significant rainfall across parts of the eastern region. Residents in vulnerable coastal areas have been urged to follow official advisories and remain cautious as the storm approaches.