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Pakistan: Rioters burn down KFC in Mirpur to support Hamas in Israel-Hamas war

On 29th March, rioters attacked a KFC restaurant in Mirpur, Pakistan and burned it to the ground. The attack was to support Palestinians in Gaza, as Pakistanis are attacking foreign companies in Pakistan, including McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks and others. The police reportedly used tear gas to disperse the rioters.

Images and videos of the incident went viral on social media. It appeared that the rioters opened fire at the windows of the restaurant as there were holes, which possibly occurred due to gunshots. A man in a viral video was heard shouting “We have burned down KFC” while cheering.

In a video posted on social media, the restaurant was engulfed in flames. The customers who were inside the restaurant at the time of the attack were seen running out to escape the fire. The rioters were chanting slogans including “We burnt KFC”.

Reports suggest that the rioters were shouting anti-Israel and pro-Palestine slogans as they burnt down the store. Around 50 rioters were arrested by the police. Several raids took place in search of more culprits.

Daily Mail quoted a British national in the city for a holiday who saw the riots. Speaking to the media house, he described the scene as aggressive and frightening. He pointed out that the police present at the scene were useless as the rioters outnumbered them.

KFC is one of the most popular fast-food destinations in the city. However, the rioters destroyed it completely, aiming to attack the foreign company that they claimed was a supporter of Israel in the Israel-Hamas war. Earlier on 21st March, a KFC branch was shut down by the protesters in Peshawar.

In February this year, Pakistanis called for a boycott of the Pakistan Super League cricket tournament, as KFC was one of the sponsors. KFC’s Middle East unit has reported a decline of 5% in sales for the last quarter as many Muslim countries are facing similar boycott movements against the fast food chain.

CEO David Gibbs reportedly said during an earnings call to the investors that the conflict impacted the top line sales across the Middle East, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Starbucks is also facing similar boycott calls. Last year, McDonald’s also faced identical attacks after it gave away thousands of free means to Israeli forces and citizens after the gruesome 7th October terrorist attack by Hamas.

7th October terrorist attacks by Hamas on Israel

On 7th October, Hamas terrorists launched an all-out attack on Israel from sea, land, and air. At least 5,000 rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza, and tunnels were used to breach the Israeli territory and butcher Israeli civilians, particularly in the border villages. A music festival hosting more than 200 people was turned into a slaughter ground with many women raped, mutilated and abducted to Gaza. At least 1,300 people, including some foreign nationals, babies, women and senior citizens, died in the attacks. More than 200 were abducted and taken to Gaza. Following the attack, Israel launched a counterattack to eliminate Hamas. The Israel-Hamas war entered its 176th day on 31st March 2024.

Maharashtra: CSK fan celebrates Rohit Sharma’s dismissal in an IPL match against SRH, dies after MI fans hit him in the head

The ongoing IPL season coincides with the Lok Sabha elections, stirring up fervent discussions among cricket enthusiasts. While IPL teams and players rake in substantial earnings, fans passionately debate the victories and losses of their favourite teams. Tragically, a dispute over cricket led to a fatal incident in Kolhapur in Maharashtra, where a man lost his life.

On 27th March, an IPL match was played between teams Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. The incident took place when the victim and the accused were together watching the match on TV. The deceased has been identified as Bandopant Bapuso Tibile (63), a resident of Hanmantwadi. The accused, Balwant Mahadev Jhanjage (50), and Sagar Sadashiv Jhanjage (35), both residents of Hanmantwadi, have been arrested.

Accused Balwant Jhanjage and Sagar Jhanjage and some people from their locality were watching an IPL match in a man’s house. Both the accused are fans of Mumbai Indians. During the match, Hyderabad tabled a big score, and they were not happy with this.

When Rohit Sharma of Mumbai Indians was dismissed, Bandopant Tibile, who is a Chennai Super Kings fan, started a celebration. He said, “Mumbai Indians will not win now as Rohit Sharma is dismissed.” Enraged accused Balwant Jhanjage and Sagar Jhanjage beat him on his head with sticks. Tibile was seriously injured in the incident and fell unconscious on the spot. He was rushed to the hospital. However, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment on 31st March.

The police were also taken aback by the incident of assault over a very minor issue. Police registered a case against both the suspects and arrested them. Further investigation into this case is going on.

In the meanwhile, Mumbai Indians lost the match to Sunrisers Hyderabad by 31 runs.

Maharashtra: Over 24000 schools cultivate kitchen gardens, fostering lifelong skills among students and helping the environment

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Over 24,000 government schools in Maharashtra have established kitchen gardens within the past year, reveals the state primary education department. These gardens, tended by students under teacher guidance, supply produce for school meals. A competition to honour exemplary kitchen gardens statewide is also going to be held soon.

According to a report by Times of India, State Education Commissioner Suraj Mandhare remarked, “Schools have taken great interest in this scheme and are growing vegetables that go straight into daily meals. It is a very encouraging sign and some of the kitchen gardens are a treat to see.”

He added, “Setting up gardens has helped students and schools achieve the goal of learning a lifelong skill of critical importance, considering rapid urbanisation and environmental issues. This shapes behavioural patterns of students.”

The Union Ministry of Education has released planning guidelines specifying suitable plants for kitchen gardens, including fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, 46,946 schools in Maharashtra participated in the Union government’s kitchen garden program for 2023-2024. Approximately Rs 20 crore was allocated for this initiative under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in 2019.

These developments underscore the proactive approach of Maharashtra’s government schools in promoting sustainable practices and empowering students with practical skills. The integration of kitchen gardens into the school environment not only enhances nutritional offerings but also instills values of self-sufficiency and environmental stewardship among students.

With the upcoming competition, schools are expected to further enhance their efforts in nurturing thriving kitchen gardens, contributing to a culture of healthy eating and environmental awareness in educational institutions across the state.

The initiative aligns with broader efforts to promote holistic education and sustainable development, ensuring that students are equipped not only with academic knowledge but also with practical skills essential for their future success and well-being.

Pakistan: Presbyterian church in Rawalpindi’s Gujar Khan set on fire a day after Good Friday, police blames short-circuit

On 30th March, authorities in Gujar Khan city of the Rawalpindi district in Pakistan shared that a Presbyterian church was set on fire during the course of the night at around 3 am, only hours after Good Friday. According to reports from the area, there was a dispute between the Christian community and the owner of a local plaza on Good Friday because the Church had closed a nearby street for security.

Rawalpindi CPO Khalid Mahmood Hamdani claimed that a preliminary inquiry indicated a short circuit was the reason behind the incident and they did not discover any combustible material around. The official alleged in response to a question that they had looked into the matter and that the plaza’s owner was not linked to the fire. However, Elder Javed, the church’s custodian, told the reporters that although he had not mentioned it in his statement, police filed a complaint citing short circuit as the cause of the fire.

He added that they engaged in an altercation with one of the locals. Elder Javed charged that either that local or someone else at his behest was responsible for the arson. Later, the Christian community protested outside the church, calling on the administration of Punjab to look into the matter and reimburse damages. The demonstrators were given assurances by Assistant Commissioner Gujar Khan Murad Hussain Nekokara that the incident would be fairly investigated.

According to a church official, the proprietor of a nearby plaza demanded that the church administration take down the tents that were erected to block the road on Good Friday for security reasons. However, police and other locals stepped in and resolved the issue. Afterwards, the church remained closed for the night, but Saturday morning word of the fire reached them. When they arrived at the location, enormous flames were bursting out of the church.

The lead pastor Adeem Alfons also attested to the fact that the Gujar Khan incident stemmed from the difficulties the church is experiencing as a result of the plaza next to it undergoing construction. There is a conflict between the church and the plaza’s owner, since the former had closed the traffic for security concerns. The police and fire brigade were summoned after unknown individuals set fire to the church at approximately three in the morning.

Goa: Cops arrest AIFF member after two women footballers accuse him of physical assault, other players deny allegations

On 30th March, Goa police arrested All India Football Federation (AIFF) executive committee member Deepak Sharma for allegedly physically assaulting two women players.

According to reports, two footballers from Khad FC, a Himachal Pradesh-based football club, were in Goa to participate in the Indian Women’s Football League (IWL). They said in their complaint that on the night of 28th March, Sharma, the owner of the club, barged into their room in drunken state and physically assaulted them.

Speaking to the media, Deputy Superintendent of Police Sandesh Chodankar said, “Sharma was called for questioning during the day after a formal complaint was received. He was arrested by the Mapusa police for causing hurt, using force against women and other charges.”

Mapusa police station inspection Shitakan Naik said, “He will remain in custody for the night and will be produced in court on Sunday for remand.”

Speaking to PTI, GFA President Caetano Fernandes said the association helped the two women footballers file complaints with the police.

Contrary to the allegations levelled by the women footballers, a group of women players from FC Khad said the accusations against Sharma were false. When Sharma was being taken to the hospital for medical explanation, the group was seen crying.

They also tried to stop the media from recording Sharma. Ridiculing the allegations, the group said they had been associated with Sharma for over ten years but never saw him misbehaving.

Furthermore, they added the women who complained against Sharma accompanied them for the first time. One of the players said, “On Friday, one of the complainants moved out of the apartment at 11.30 pm to fetch something. Sharma was upset and questioned why she went out late at night in an unknown city. She got upset over it and started creating drama.”

AIFF has initiated a probe into the matter as well. The probe panel has been asked to submit the report in seven days.

‘This has angered every Indian’: PM Narendra Modi says after RTI reply reveals Congress gave Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka

On Sunday (31st March), Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a post from his X handle to reveal how Congress callously gave away the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka during Indira Gandhi’s regime. He also quoted a news report by the Times of India which says that an RTI reply shows the way Congress ceded this 1.9 square km of land about 20km from Indian shore to Sri Lanka.

PM Narendra Modi wrote in his post, “Eye-opening and startling! New facts reveal how Congress callously gave away Katchatheevu. This has angered every Indian and reaffirmed in people’s minds- we can’t ever trust Congress! Weakening India’s unity, integrity and interests has been Congress’ way of working for 75 years and counting.”

The Katchatheevu Island, nestled within the confines of the India-Sri Lanka border near Rameswaram, has evolved into a contentious focal point, giving rise to a burgeoning call for its repossession. Historically, this island has served as a shared enclave for Tamil fishermen hailing from both India and Sri Lanka. The year 1974 witnessed a pivotal juncture when the island transitioned hands, as the then-Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, relinquished its sovereignty to Sri Lanka as part of a bilateral accord.

According to the news report Modi embedded in his post, an RTI application in this regard was filed by Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai. According to this report, shocking information was unearthed by the reply to this RTI application. The report says that official documents and parliamentary records illustrate how India’s wavering stance led to its failure to assert control over the island in the Palk Strait. It shows that the reluctance of Congress towards claiming the Katchatheevu island dates back to the Nehruvian era.

As per this report, shortly after gaining independence, Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, asserted its sovereignty by stating that the Indian Navy, then known as the Royal Indian Navy, required its permission to conduct exercises on the island. In October 1955, the Sri Lankan Air Force conducted its exercise on the island, further emphasising its autonomy. The position taken by Sri Lanka was documented in a memorandum from the first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, on May 10, 1961, where he downplayed the matter as insignificant.

Nehru’s memorandum forms a section of a document drafted by the then Commonwealth Secretary, YD Gundevia, which the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) circulated as background material to the Informal Consultative Committee of Parliament in 1968. Nehru wrote, “I would’ve no hesitation in giving up claims to the island. I attach no importance at all to this little island and I would have no hesitation in giving up our claims to it. I do not like this pending indefinitely and being raised again in Parliament.”

The Ministry of External Affairs said, “The legal aspects of the question are highly complex. The question has been considered in some detail in this ministry. No clear conclusions can be drawn as to the strength of either India’s or Ceylon’s claim to sovereignty.”

Notably, the then attorney general M C Setalvad had opined in 1960 that India had a stronger claim on the island formed by a volcanic eruption. The documents reveal that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)’s Joint Secretary (Law and Treaties), K. Krishna Rao, expressed uncertainty initially but ultimately concluded that India possessed a strong legal argument that could be utilized to secure fishing rights. This legal contention remains relevant today as it underlies the ongoing plight of numerous Indian fishermen who are detained by the Sri Lankan Navy in waters surrounding the island. This is why the issue of the Katchatheevu island will be important in Tamil Nadu in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as well.

On 10th August 2023, a renewed discourse surfaced concerning the Katchatheevu island casting a spotlight on the historically enduring relationship between the two nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi accentuated this matter during his parliamentary address, as he responded to the opposition’s no-confidence motion. Now, the Prime Minister has posted about the new details about the Katchatheevu island obtained in an RTI filed by K Annamalai. A detailed history of this island and how it was given to Sri Lanka by Indira Gandhi can be read here.

Bihar: Mohammad Ansari kills 6 members of his family in Motihari, later commits suicide

On Friday (29th March), Mohammad Iddu Mian Ansari from the Motihari district in Bihar committed suicide after killing his wife and children with a sharp weapon.

A day later, his body was found cut into two parts on the railway track. His head and torso were found at different places on the track. Railway police recovered the body from near the Sugauli railway station.

Iddu Ansari killed his wife, 4 daughters and brother-in-law. He killed his second wife and three daughters on Thursday when he was out on bail. 4 years ago he was jailed for killing his daughter from his first wife.

Iddu Ansari killed his wife Afrina Khatoon and three daughters by stabbing them in the neck with a sharp weapon while they were sleeping in their house in Babaria village of Paharpur police station area of the district late on Thursday (28th March) night.

The deceased are identified as Reshma Khatun (age 47), Awrula (age 12), Shabnam (age 10), and Shahzadi (age 9).

The accused Iddu Ansari escaped from the spot after the murder. The police reached the spot and called the forensic team and the dog squad. After the investigation, the police raided several locations to arrest the murderer Iddu Ansari.

Late on Friday evening, Motihari Superintendent of Police Kantesh Mishra announced a reward of Rs 15,000 and appealed to the people that this amount would be given as a reward for giving information about the accused. But later the dead body of the accused was reportedly found at a railway track near the Sugauli railway station.

Sugauli railway station chief Dharmendra Kumar said, “On Friday night, a man died under Danapur Sugauli Intercity train number 15516. An FIR has been registered and a post-mortem has been conducted. The body is yet to be identified. However, according to information received from social media, it is the body of Iddu Ansari of Babaria village of Paharpur police station area. Information has been given to the relatives of Iddu Ansari and the people of the village so that they can visit here and the body can be identified.”

Iddu Ansari worked as a daily wage labourer. He married twice. He had two sons and a daughter from his first wife. He killed his daughter from his first wife a few years ago and was jailed in this case. The first wife died a long ago. Later, he came out on bail. From the second wife, he had five daughters. He killed his second wife and three daughters and then committed suicide. According to reports, he had also killed his brother-in-law.

Enforcement Directorate interrogates ‘suspended’ TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in land grab case, discovers illegal financial transactions

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) interrogated Sandeshkhali accused now-suspended TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan in connection with the land grab case.

Shahjahan has been accused of forcibly occupying several lands in the Sandeshkhali area of West Bengal, according to ED sources.

ED also found many illegal financial transactions in the shrimp import and export business.

The ED filed two Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIR) against him.

One ERIC was regarding ration (PDS) corruption, the source of which was found in a letter written by Jyotiprioryo Mallik, former Bengal food minister.

The other one was filed in regard to unlawful dealings in export-import transactions. This ECIR has allegations of forcible land acquisition.

As per the ED sources, Shahjahan was interrogated in relation to the second ERIC, which involved land grab allegations, on Saturday.

Earlier, suspended TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan was sent to judicial custody in the Sandeshkhali Enforcement Directorate (ED) assault case.

Before that, on the directive of the Calcutta High Court, the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Kolkata Police handed custody of Sheikh Shahjahan to the CBI.

Issuing a contempt notice to the CID, the high court ruled on Wednesday that the case pertaining to the attack on ED officials be handed over to the CBI along with the custody of the prime accused, Shahjahan.

The court further observed that state police played ‘hide and seek’ in the matter.

After allegedly evading capture for nearly two months, the suspended TMC leader was apprehended by the West Bengal Police on February 29th.

The women of Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district have accused Shahjahan and his aides of grave excesses and atrocities.

Multiple women on the island accused Shajahan and his aides of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Gururgram Police books Elvish Yadav and Fazilpuriya for illegally using snakes in music video ‘32 Bore’, action taken on court order

On Saturday (30th March), Gurupram Police stated that it has filed a case against YouTuber and Bigg Boss OTT 2 winner Elvish Yadav and singer Rahul Yadav alias Fazilpuriya for using prohibited snakes and abusive language during the shooting of the song 32 Bore. The case has been registered at the Badshahpur Police Station, Gurugram under Section 294 of IPC (Obscene acts or songs). 

SHO of Badshahpur police station, Satish Deshwal stated that the case has been registered following a court order under Section 156(3). 

Deshwal said, “We have received an order from the court that an FIR should be registered against Elvish Yadav and singer Fazilpuriya under section 156(3). An FIR has been registered under sections of the IPC, Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and Wildlife Protection Act…” 

The officer added that a notice will be sent to them and their statements will be recorded. 

He added, “We will verify the record and a notice will be sent to them (Elvish Yadav and singer Fazilpuriya) after further investigation. The complainant has provided a link (of video) in the FIR, after the joint investigation of the complainant party, all the evidence will be collected.”

Notably, in the music video 32 Bore, several reptiles, including multiple snakes and large lizards, are used.

Earlier this month on 17th March, Noida Police arrested YouTuber Elvish Yadav in connection with a snake venom case. Later on 23rd March, the Gurugram court granted him bail.

The FIR against Yadav was filed on complaint of a functionary of Menaka Gandhi’s NGO People For Animals. 

Yadav was linked to a case in November last year involving the supply and ingestion of snake venom at a Noida rave party. The Drugs Department, the Forest Department, and the Noida Police jointly busted the event and arrested five people identified as Jaikaran, Rahul, Titunath, Narayan, and Ravinath. Some unmanned individuals are also named in the report.

The Noida police had recovered 9 snakes, including 5 cobras from the accused men. The reptiles were reportedly caught from different places and their venom was sold at exorbitant prices.

The Noida police filed an FIR against the social media influencer after his involvement came to light when they questioned the five arrested culprits.

Delhi court refuses bail to former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, says he not only funded the Delhi riots but also participated in it

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A Delhi Court has dismissed the regular bail application of Tahir Hussain, accused in the larger conspiracy of the Delhi riots under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Court dismissed the plea in view of the bar under UA(P)A and the role attributed to him as per the statement of witnesses.

“Thus, in view of the facts as discussed above and the bar under Section 43(D)(5) of UA(P)A, the Court does not find the case of the applicant to be a fit case for granting bail,” the court said in the order passed on March 30.

The accused was arrested based on the present FIR on April 6, 2020, in connection with the case related to the conspiracy of the North East Delhi riots of 2020. The charge-sheet was filed on September 16, 2020, after the completion of the investigation.

Subsequently, supplementary charge-sheets were also filed and the matter is pending on the question whether the investigation is complete or not.

The court said that in the case in hand, after going through the record, it is of the view that the allegations against the accused are prima facie true.

“As far as the role of the applicant as shown by the prosecution is concerned, the record shows that the applicant, while participating in the conspiracy, not only funded the activities of the riots but also participated in the other activities that led to the riots,” the court said.

The court further said that the statements of some prosecution witnesses as recorded under Section 161 CrPC and other material on record clearly show the role of the present applicant.

The Court also said that one of the witnesses to the prosecution is Rahul Kasana, who clearly states the role of the applicant regarding the distribution of money to the protesters in order to make preparations for the riots, meeting of the present applicant with the other co-accused persons.

“It is also on record that the applicant got his licenced revolver released just two days before the alleged incidents and used the same as 22 spent or used cartridges were recovered from his house,” it said.

Besides this, allegedly, the applicant got approximately Rs 1.5 crore in cash, which was used in the rioting and the said fact has been confirmed through the statements of different witnesses and the examination of relevant bank accounts, the court said.

Accused Tahir Hussain sought regular bail on various grounds, including that of parity with other accused persons.

It was submitted by the counsel that many co-accused persons, namely Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal alias Tanha, Faizan Khan and Ishrat Jahan, have already been granted bail in the present FIR and as the applicant has much better case than them, he is also entitled to bail on parity as well.

Further, the order of granting bail to the co-accused persons Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal, was challenged by the State to the Supreme Court of India, but the

petition of the State has been dismissed vide order dated May 2, 2023, the counsel submitted.

The court rejected the contention and said that, giving an opinion specifically about the co-accused persons, the High Court concluded that limitations and restrictions on the grant of bail under Section 43D(5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, do not apply. As such, it is important to note that the opinion of the High Court is with respect to the co-accused persons

It was also contended by the Counsel for the applicant that the alleged acts of the applicant cannot be termed as terrorist act and do not constitute the offences under Section 13,16, 17 & 18 of UA(P)A.

The Court said that it is not in agreement with this contention of the Counsel. Definition of

‘Terrorist Act’ as provided under Section 15 of the UA(P)A clearly shows that even if some inflammable substance, fire arms, or lethal weapons are used that are likely to cause death or injury to any person or cause loss, damage or destruction to any property, such an act would fall under the definition of a terrorist act.

“In the case in hand, the allegations against the applicant, as mentioned earlier, are such that his acts may fall under the definition of a terrorist act. As such, at this stage, it cannot be said that the provisions of the UA(P)A as mentioned in the charge-sheet are not applicable to the applicant,” the court held.

Special public prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad opposed the bail application. He contended that the rejection of bail is a rule and to allow the bail is an exception under the UA(P)A.

The judgment as relied upon by the prosecution makes it clear that bail must be rejected as a rule if, after hearing the public prosecutor and after perusing the final report or the case diary, the court arrives at a conclusion that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accusations are prima facie true, the court said.

“As already mentioned, in the case in hand, after going through the record, the court is of the view that the allegations against the accused are prima facie true,” the court held.


This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)