The Lok Sabha elections’ second phase featured 1200 candidates across 12 States, with 2633 nominations and prominent candidates like Rahul Gandhi. A 91-year-old woman passed away post-voting in Karnataka, calling for increased voter turnout.

The Delhi High Court on Friday pulled up the city government over the issue of non-supply of books to the children studying in MCD schools, saying the continuation of Arvind Kejriwal as the chief minister even after his arrest puts political interest over national interest.

The court said the Delhi government was “interested in appropriation of power”.

The court’s observations came after the Delhi government counsel said the matter requires certain approvals from Arvind Kejriwal who is in custody in the alleged money laundering case in connection with the 2021 excise policy.

The court stated that till now it has “politely” emphasised that national interest is “supreme” but the present case has highlighted what was “wrong” and it would pass an order in the matter on Monday.

“I am sorry to say you have placed your interest above the interest of the students, the children that are studying. That is very clear and we are going to give that finding that you have placed your political interest at a higher pedestal.”

“It is very unfortunate that you have done this. It is wrong and that is what has got highlighted in this matter,” said the bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet P S Arora.

The court told the Delhi government lawyer that his client is “just interested in appropriation of power”.

“I don’t know how much power you want. The problem is because you are trying to appropriate power, which is why you are not getting power,” it said.

It is the personal call of the chief minister if he wants the administration to be “paralysed”, the court remarked.

The bench further said the persons who lead have to “carry everyone along” as it cannot be a case of “one man upmanship”.

The Delhi government counsel said he was not appearing for the chief minister and assured the court that the issue of non-supply of educational material would be resolved if the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) commissioner makes a formal request for financial approvals even in the absence of the civic body’s standing committee.

The court noted that the Delhi government counsel was appearing on instructions from the Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and stated, “We will record your statement that it is because the chief minister is in custody that I cannot do anything. If that’s his personal call, good luck to him.” “Choice is yours that the chief minster will continue despite being in jail. We will have to say this. This is your administration’s will. You are asking us to go down that track and we will come with full vigour,” said Justice Manmohan.

The court was dealing with a PIL by NGO Social Jurist, represented by advocate Ashok Agarwal, highlighting the non-supply of educational material and other statutory benefits to students in the MCD schools even after the commencement of the new academic session.

The MCD commissioner had earlier stated that the non-distribution of the facilities was due to the non-formation of a standing committee which has the power to reward contracts worth more than Rs 5 crore.

The court had then prima facie said there could not be a vacuum in the absence of a standing committee and in such a situation, the financial power has to be delegated forthwith by the Delhi government to another appropriate authority.

On Friday, the Delhi government counsel said the MCD commissioner was free to seek the necessary financial approvals even in such situations and an appropriate resolution would be passed.

“You people can’t even elect your committee and you are telling us you will pass the resolution?… Do you want us to take judicial notice of what is happening in the house? How the people are pushing each other?” the court said.

The court remarked that several projects concerning distribution of books and medicines were admittedly stalled, and questioned, “Don’t you have a heart? Don’t you feel for them?” “I don’t think you are seeing any of this. I think you are just shedding crocodile tears,” the court further said.

It said the Delhi government does not feel for the common man.

“Desks and chairs are broken.. Would any of the corporators like their children to study in that manner? Will the mayor like her children to study in a place where tables are broken?” asked the court. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Ohio police released video of a Black man who died at a local hospital after repeatedly telling officers “I can’t breathe” as they pinned him to the floor of a bar and handcuffed him, evoking memories of the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

In body camera video released on Thursday by the Canton Police Department, officers are seen apprehending the man, identified as Frank Tyson, 53, who was suspected of leaving the scene of a single-car accident on April 18.

The Canton Police Department was not immediately available for comment on the video, which was posted online by several local media outlets, or to confirm details about the incident.

The 36-minute clip begins with a patrol officer coming upon a car that had struck an electrical pole and a bystander telling him that the driver of the vehicle had fled into a nearby tavern.

Canton, Ohio

Bodycam footage of Frank Tyson pic.twitter.com/RvpE4Meuib

— The Daily Sneed™ (@Tr00peRR) April 26, 2024

Officers are then seen entering the establishment, where they find Tyson standing at the bar. An altercation ensued as they attempted to grab his arms, and he repeatedly shouts “They are trying to kill me” and “Call the sheriff.”

Officers wrestled Tyson to the ground and handcuffed him. One of them is seen placing a knee on his back near his neck for about 30 seconds.

Tyson can be heard repeatedly saying, “I can’t breathe. I can’t… get off my neck,” as an officer yells “Calm down” and “You’re fine” before standing up.

The video next shows Tyson lying motionless, face down on the floor for about six minutes, while officers speak with bar patrons.

The officers then check on Tyson, who appears to be unresponsive. They can be heard saying, “Is he breathing?” and “Does he have a pulse?”

Eight minutes after the officers handcuffed Tyson, they remove the cuffs and begin CPR. Paramedics then arrive at the scene and take Tyson out of the bar on a stretcher and into a waiting ambulance, the video shows.

Tyson died at a local hospital, according to WKYC, an NBC affiliate in Cleveland. Reuters could not immediately confirm the report. The official cause of death has not been determined.

The incident is reminiscent of Floyd’s deadly encounter with Minneapolis police four years ago. A cellphone video of Floyd’s killing, which went viral, unleashed a wave of protests worldwide against police brutality and racism.

It shows a white officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as Floyd, who was Black, begs for his life, repeating “I can’t breathe” before falling silent.

Chauvin and three of his fellow officers was eventually convicted of manslaughter and other crimes.

The Canton Police Department officers involved in the Tyson incident were identified as Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch, WKYC reported.

Both were placed on administrative leave and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (OCI) is investigating the incident, the station reported.

Calls to the OCI were not immediately returned.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)