-The Indian Express In what could give a legal validation to severe punishments in cases with grave “social consequences”, the Supreme Court has ruled that “punishment should acknowledge the sanctity of human life” and hence not just an act but its result must weigh heavy while ascertaining adequate penalty. Sending across a strong message to all trial courts to take note of the impact of a crime on the society and its...

-Outlook Hoogly (West Bengal): Seven persons have died after drinking Illicit liquor at Payradanga village in this district, police said today. About 20 villagers drank liquor on Sunday night and fell sick, following which they were brought to Panduah rural hospital. After their condition deteriorated, they were shifted to the Imambara Sadar Hospital at Chinsurah. While one person died on way to Chinsurah, two others died during treatment there, officials said. As some of...

RANWAN, India — In this north Indian village, workers recently dismantled stacks of burned and mildewed rice while flies swarmed nearby over spoiled wheat. Local residents said the rice crop had been sitting along the side of a highway for several years and was now being sent to a distillery to be turned into liquor. Just 180 miles to the south, in a slum on the outskirts of New Delhi, Leela...

75% of the youth. Every third student. 65% of all families in Punjab are in the throes of a sweeping drug addiction. With little or no hope in sight. THE RAILWAY barrier in Angarh, a locality in the border city of Amritsar in Punjab signals the end of too many things. The rule of law. The reign of sense. The fear of crime. The signs of normality. Even the divisions of...

The Election Commission's model code of conduct notwithstanding, liquor flowed freely on the eve of assembly polls in Punjab on Sunday, as campaign managers of different political parties sought to lure voters.  This was especially the case in and around the industrial city of Ludhiana, where more than a million migrant workers abound in Sherpur, Samrala Chowk, Mullanpur and Dhaka colony, among other areas.  Residents in the city said liquor was brought...