A Delhi court convicted him on Saturday Raju Kumar SinghBJP MLA from Sahebganj, Muzaffarpur, Dr. Archana Gupta was killed in the firing case at an eight-year-old New Year party. Singh was convicted of culpable homicide under the IPC and Arms Act. Special Judge Vishal Gogne of Rouse Avenue Court ordered his detention. His wife, Renu Singh, and two others, Rana Rajesh Singh and Ramendra Singh, who were accused of destroying evidence, were acquitted. The court will hear arguments on the sentence on June 9.The case pertains to celebratory firing during a party at a farmhouse in Fatehpur Beri, Delhi on December 31, 2018. Gupta was shot in the head and died in hospital on January 3, 2019.

‘Government cannot escape responsibility’: MLA on deaths

During this period, the state government paid Rs 5.1 crore as compensation. However, there is a huge variation in payments across districts, highlighting the gap between reported deaths and settled claims. Bikaner got compensation of Rs 92 lakh, Churu Rs 72 lakh, Jodhpur Rs 58 lakh and Hanumangarh Rs 48 lakh. Sriganganagar got Rs 18 lakh. Jhalawar received only Rs 18 lakh despite reporting 42 deaths. There were eight deaths in Deeg but no compensation was received, while there were 11 deaths in Kota and Rs 2 lakh was received.Officials blamed the disparities on claims verification and approval processes. Agriculture department records do not reveal the exact cause of each death. The data includes deaths associated with pesticide use during agricultural work. It included only cases reported and verified by authorities.“If hundreds of farmers are dying while doing routine agricultural work, the government cannot wash off its responsibility by just giving compensation. We need accountability, strict regulation of pesticides and a comprehensive safety program for farmers across Rajasthan,” said Kishanpole MLA Amin Kagzi.The number of deaths emerged alongside other figures from the Assembly: 189 pesticide samples failed quality tests over the same two-year period. Of the 5,570 pesticide samples collected across Rajasthan, 5,521 were analysed. While 5,332 met the prescribed standards, 189 were found substandard.Authorities issued 282 notices, filed 14 court cases, suspended 14 licenses and canceled 22 licenses after quality checks. Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh top the list of substandard pesticide samples with 17 each, followed by Bikaner (13), Kota (10) and Bhilwara (9). Sriganganagar recorded the highest number of notices at 34, followed by Bikaner (20), Hanumangarh (19) and Churu (17). Legal action was initiated in 14 cases, including five in Bikaner and three in Sriganganagar.These figures paint a clear picture of the dangers of pesticides in India. Heavy reliance on chemical pesticides has long been a pillar of high-yield farming, but experts have repeatedly warned that inadequate protective gear, unsafe handling practices, overspray and poor-quality agrochemicals can turn fields into toxic workplaces.In addition to human health risks, overuse of pesticides has been linked to soil erosion, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, and declining populations of pollinators and beneficial insects. State Agriculture Minister Kirori Lal Meena tried to play down the figures, saying the data compiled from police stations would be reviewed by the Home Department.