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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 8:56:24 pm

Man gets death for minor’s rape, murder

Mumbai | Nashik: A Nashik Special Fast Track Court has awarded the death sentence to a 25-year old man who was convicted last week for luring a 4-year-old girl with a chocolate, kidnapping, raping and murdering her, here on Friday. Terming the case as the ‘rarest of rare’ crimes, the Special Judge K. D. Paldewar – who had found Vijay Sanjay Khairnar guilty of kidnap, sexual assault and murdering the child on Sep. 30 but reserved the verdict after the final arguments on Oct. 7 – pronounced the...

Man gets death for minor’s rape, murder

Mumbai | Nashik: A Nashik Special Fast Track Court has awarded the death sentence to a 25-year old man who was convicted last week for luring a 4-year-old girl with a chocolate, kidnapping, raping and murdering her, here on Friday. Terming the case as the ‘rarest of rare’ crimes, the Special Judge K. D. Paldewar – who had found Vijay Sanjay Khairnar guilty of kidnap, sexual assault and murdering the child on Sep. 30 but reserved the verdict after the final arguments on Oct. 7 – pronounced the capital punishment today. He also slapped a fine of Rs 10 lakhs as compensation to the victim’s family, hailing from Dongrale village before a packed courtroom where the villagers, the victim’s family and others were present. Emerging from the courtroom after the verdict, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told the media that “the Court had considered the gravity of the crime and the circumstantial evidence establishing Khairnar’s involvement” while deciding the sentence. The Court did not take into account the convict’s poverty – he was a daily wager – or illiteracy as grounds for leniency, added the ace criminal lawyer. It was on Nov. 16, 2025 in Dongrale village of Malegaon taluka when Khairnar lured the little girl on the promise of giving her a chocolate and took her to a desolate spot to carry out his devious plans. Betraying the trust of the child who used to call him ‘dada’ (elder brother) due to their acquaintance, Khairnar sexually assaulted her, killed her and abandoned her before decamping from there. A few hours later, the child’s body was found dumped in a nullah and the police were summoned. As details of the gruesome crime tumbled out and spread, it ignited widespread public outrage all over the state. The police swung into action, formed several probe teams and managed to track down Khairnar from his hideout within a few hours. Considering the sensitivity of the crime, the strong emotions plus the mass furore it created, the state government assigned the case to a fast-track court, assigned Nikam as the SPP and the matter was heard speedily. The SPP aggressively led the prosecution, arguing in the court that in view of the gravity of the crime, the circumstances leading to it and other aspects, it warranted the severest punishment – death – for Khairnar, irrespective of his age or financial status. The Dongrale villagers stood in solidarity with the victim’s family and they raised a chorus for quick investigations, an expeditious trial and slapping the death penalty on the convict to serve as a strong deterrent to potential offenders. As per the Indian law, the trial court’s verdict will now go to the Bombay High Court for confirmation. Political leaders from different parties hailed the court verdict and said “justice has finally been done to the victim’s family”.

E-Waste: From Disposal to Resource Recovery

Writer: Dr. Sanjay Joshi
Dr. Sanjay Joshi
10 hours ago
3 min read

E-waste is not rubbish; it is a valuable resource waiting to be recovered.

Continuing from last week’s article, let us consider a practical question: how do we find an authorised collection centre or registered e-waste recycler? With our busy schedules, locating a facility and transporting a bulky appliance can be inconvenient.


The simplest first step is to contact the manufacturer or brand you purchased the appliance from. Many producers offer take-back or collection arrangements for end-of-life products. Alternatively, consumers can approach registered recyclers or refurbishers. NGOs, schools and colleges also organise periodic collection drives. Some recycling companies arrange locality-based pickups when they have enough e-waste. A quick online search can help identify collection facilities. However, always verify the recycler’s registration and the collection agency’s credentials. Responsible disposal should be a phone call or a scheduled pickup—not a treasure hunt!


Organised Recycling Initiatives

Bengaluru-based E-Parisaraa, established in 2004, was among India’s pioneering formally approved e-waste recycling companies, demonstrating the potential of environmentally sound recycling technologies.


Another initiative, Karo Sambhav, a partner to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has developed collection networks across more than 30 Indian states and Union Territories, combining collection facilities, awareness programmes and partnerships to channel discarded electronics towards responsible recycling.


Poornam Ecovision in Pune collects e-waste by organising collection drives from time to time. Collected waste, especially laptops, computers, tablets, etc., is repaired, refurbished, and donated to schools in rural areas. There are many recycling companies in and around Mumbai.


Respose Waste Management and Research Pvt. Ltd. (Respose India) is a clean tech and environmental technology company based in Dombivli in Maharashtra. They are the manufacturers and consultants of indigenous e-waste (WEEE) recycling plants, printed circuit board (PCB) recycling systems, lithium-ion battery recycling plants, auxiliary machinery, etc. There are many more recycling companies in and around Mumbai.


Let us explore some inspiring examples of e-waste management.


The Tokyo 2020 Medal Project: Japan hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021, following their postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of its sustainability efforts, the country launched the Tokyo 2020 Medal Project, inviting citizens to contribute end-of-life electronic devices. The collection campaign ran from April 2017 to March 2019, with approximately 90% of municipalities participating.


Municipal authorities collected around 78,985 tonnes of used small electronic devices, while local shops collected approximately 6.21 million mobile phones. According to project figures, about 32 kg of gold, 3,500 kg of silver and 2,200 kg of bronze were recovered for approximately 5,000 Olympic and Paralympic medals. This initiative demonstrated how public participation can turn discarded electronics into valuable resources.


Creative reuse in Mumbai: Besides recycling, refurbishing, etc., there have been several initiatives taken by sculptors and artists in India who have created wonderful artefacts. Designer and sculptor Akshay Rajpurkar created a South Mumbai map, an artwork using discarded computer circuit boards, microchips, and other materials. Displayed at Mumbai International Airport’s Terminal 2, it transforms electronic waste into an artistic representation of the city.


These examples offer an important lesson: E-waste is not merely rubbish but a valuable source of recoverable materials. Responsible disposal can help reduce pollution, conserve natural resources and support a circular economy. The change begins with each of us.


Dear readers, this brings us to the end of our series on waste management. Thank you for your encouraging comments throughout the series. Take good care of your waste, and stay happy, healthy and blessed!


(The writer is an environmentalist. Views personal.)

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