Home Blog Page 1741

Gaza falls into complete darkness as its sole power plant ran out of fuel after Israel stopped supplying electricity

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Gaza falls into complete darkness as its sole power plant ran out of fuel after Israel stopped supplying electricity

As Israeli defence forces continue bombing Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip, the territory experienced a complete power outage after the sole power station in the Palestinian enclave stopped working, Reuters reported, citing Hamas media. The development comes two days after Israel announced that it was going to impose a “total blockade” on Gaza which would include a ban on admitting food and fuel to the area.

As Israel had stopped supplying electricity to Gaza due to the horrific terror attack by Hamas, the Gaza Strip was completely dependent on a diesel-powered power plant. However, the plant ran out of fuel as Israel imposed a complete blockade, resulting in a complete loss of electricity for the territory. Israel cut the power supply to Gaza after the Israeli defence minister announced the government’s intention to do so.

After Hamas terrorists launched a rocket attack and ground invasion on 7th October, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced, “There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed.” Since then, Gaza has been facing an electricity crisis as Israel stopped the supply of electricity to the region. But now, its only other source of power has also run out of fuel and has reportedly stopped working leaving Gaza with no electricity. 

Earlier, on 7th October (Saturday), the power authority in Gaza reported an electricity shortage of close to 80 percent. On 9th October (Monday), the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs had estimated that the power plant could soon run out of fuel.

Public advocacy director at Gisha, Miriam Marmur said, “Within a matter of days Gaza will be in a blackout.” 

It is notable that the main source of electricity for Gaza is Israel, apart from its own diesel plant. Two power companies in Israel supply around 120 megawatts of power to Gaza through ten power lines over the fenced border. When the Gaza power plant was working, it often operated at reduced capacity due to its dependence on inefficient diesel fuel.

Earlier Egypt also used to supply electricity to Gaza through the border, but it was stopped in 2018.

(Image Source – The Washington Post)

As per an Israeli nonprofit organisation Gisha, the sole power plant in Gaza runs on diesel fuel which has been funded by Qatar in recent years. The plant was purchased from Israel and was transported to Gaza via the strategic Kerem Shalom Crossing. 

The power supply in Gaza is around 195 megawatts, out of which 120 megawatts of electricity is purchased from Israel which was used to be delivered through direct power lines to the Gaza Strip. Whereas, Gaza’s sole power plant has three turbines which produce energy in the ranges between 65-75 megawatts. 

(Image Source – The Washington Post)

Till the time Hamas terrorists attacked Israeli citizens and made ground invasions inside Israeli territory, Gazans were reportedly getting up to 15 hours of electricity per day on average, depending on weather conditions. 

However, the Israel-Hamas war has entered its fifth day and Gaza’s sole power plant has reportedly run out of power while Israel has already announced a ‘complete blockade’. On account of these developments, the 2.3 million Gazans are facing a complete blackout in the region. 

On the fifth day of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Israel asserted that it had regained full control of its border towns that were captured by Hamas terrorists. According to The Times of Israel, the death toll from Hamas terror and ground invasion has passed 1,200. Additionally, over 3,000 people have been injured, and many of them are in critical condition.

In its retaliation, IAF has launched mass strikes in Gaza, bombing a large number of Hamas bases. Israel Defense Forces has said that the bodies of 1,500 Hamas terrorists who had invaded Israel through land, sea and aerial routes have been found around southern Israel. Hundreds more have been killed inside Gaza in IDF operations.

Israel forms an emergency unity government and a war cabinet amid the crackdown on Hamas terror sites

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Israel forms an emergency unity government and a war cabinet amid the crackdown on Hamas terror sites

On 11th October (Wednesday), Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Benny Gantz agreed to form an emergency unity government and a war Cabinet amid ‘Operation Swords of Iron’ against Hamas terrorists. 

The joint statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gantz read, “An agreement has been reached to bring Benny Gantz’s opposition National Unity party into an emergency government amid the war with Hamas in Gaza following days of negotiations.” 

According to the agreement, a small war cabinet to direct the war with Hamas will be created, as demanded by Gantz, which will include just Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Gantz, The Times of Israel reported. 

Additionally, Former IDF general National Unity MK Gadi Eisenkot along with Minister Ron Dermer will serve as observers in the war cabinet.

Taking to X, Economy Minister Nir Barkat wrote, “The State of Israel has a unity government. At a time like this, we must join forces, give support to IDF soldiers, and work as one until there is a complete victory of the State of Israel over its enemy.”

(Translated version of Israeli Minister’s tweet)

Additional information about the unity government reveals that throughout the entire war, five members from the National Unity party will join the expanded security cabinet, which operates under every government — Gantz, Eisenkot, MK Gideon Sa’ar, and two others yet to be determined.

A position in the war cabinet has been left open for Opposition Leader Yair Lapid. He has reportedly refused to join the government if the far-right Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit parties remain in it, as reported by The Times of Israel.

However, it has been agreed that no legislation in the Knesset or government resolutions will be advanced during the war that is not related to managing the war.

Meanwhile, the Israel-Hamas war has entered its fifth day and Hamas media has reported that its sole power plant has stopped working leaving 2.3 million Gazans to face a complete blackout. 

Israel has asserted that it has regained full control of its border towns that were captured by Hamas terrorists. According to The Times of Israel, the death toll from Hamas terror and ground invasion has passed 1,200. In its retaliation, IAF has launched mass strikes in Gaza, hitting at least 150 targets overnight. These reportedly included the Homes of the Hamas commander’s father. The Israeli forces have also killed 18 infiltrating gunmen in the past 24 hours. 

Ex-NewsClick interns, Caravan columnists and anti-Hindu ‘liberals’: Indians of ‘Harvard Undergraduate Ghungroo’ who signed the resolution in support of Hamas

Shraddha Pandey
-
0
Ex-NewsClick interns, Caravan columnists and anti-Hindu ‘liberals’: Indians of ‘Harvard Undergraduate Ghungroo’ who signed the resolution in support of Hamas

On Saturday (7th October), a student union coalition at Harvard University issued a statement blaming Israel for the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The letter issued by the Harvard Palestine Solidarity Groups was co-signed by 33 student groups.

Calling Israel an apartheid regime the letter asserted that Israel alone is responsible for the fresh onslaught by the Hamas terrorists. The pro-Palestine letter accused Israel of ‘systematised land seizures’, ‘regular airstrikes’, ‘detentions’ and forced family disappearances. The letter for all the obvious reasons did not mention the atrocities committed by the Hamas terrorists though.

“The apartheid regime is the only one to blame. Israeli violence has structured every aspect of Palestinian existence for 75 years. From systematized land seizures to routine airstrikes, arbitrary detentions to military checkpoints, and enforced family separations to targeted killings, Palestinians have been forced to live in a state of death, both slow and sudden,” the letter reads.

The statement concludes with the pro-Palestine student union coalition calling on the Harvard community to “take action to stop the ongoing annihilation of Palestinians.”

The letter sparked a huge outrage with many Harvard alumni condemning the university’s inaction against the said letter. Moreover, several corporate heads also announced that they would not hire anyone of those who supported Hamas which is inflicting atrocities on innocent Israeli civilians.

Interestingly, several Indians were also among the thousands of signatories of the outrageous letter. Notably, a student group named Harvard Undergraduate Ghungroo supported the pro-Palestine resolution only to backtrack later. It is notable that this organisation is a part of Harvard’s South Asian Art (SAA). As per the information available on SAA’s website, Arjun Prasad is the co-president of SAA along with Farib Mahmud while Siona Prasad and Nikhil Dharmaraj are SAA’s cultural chair.

Interestingly, the Board of members of the SAA had supported the infamous Hinduphobic SB403 Bill alongside Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Executive Director of Equality Labs, the dubious organisation that supported the bill. The contentious bill was recently returned by the governor of California Gavin Newsom who found the bill unnecessary since the existing law already prohibits discrimination based on caste, color, religion and other similar lines.

In the media section of the SAA’s website, a screenshot of a video conference held by the SAA board members including Nikhil Dharmaraj and Siona Prasad along with Equality Labs’s Thenmozhi Soundararajan titled “Caste 101: Fighting Caste Discrimination in CS/Tech.

Image source: harvardsaa.com

As reported earlier the bill was tabled by Senator Aisha Wahhab and passed by the state assembly on 29th August this year, however, it could not become a law with the governor’s veto. The bill was completely based on the Cisco caste case that fell flat in January 2023. Despite the main case on which Aisha Wahab and Equality Labs based the bill was no longer effective in the court, the California State Assembly moved forward and passed the bill.

SAA’s Nikhil Dharmaraj in May this year wrote a piece for far-left propaganda magazine The Caravan titled: “The dangers of facial-recognition technology in Indian policing”. The article not surprisingly was blatantly Hinduphobic. Nikhil Dharmaraj in his propaganda piece also blamed Hindus/Hindu mob for the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots.

The “saree-loving” Nikhil Dharmaraj in an X post regarding the said article did not forget to bring in Brahminical genealogies even in subjects like AI and face recognition technology.

Notably, Dharmaraj over the years has been a hater of Israel. As reported by Canary Mission, Dharmaraj was also a member of Harvard University’s Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) in 2020, 2022, and 2023. It is rather ironic to see a queer supporting Islamic terrorist organisation like Hamas when Islamists openly despise queers.

Moreover, Nikhil Dharmaraj and the abovementioned SAA board members are a part of South Asians for Forward-Thinking Advocacy and Research (SAFAR) which has been a pro-Palestine and pro-Kashmir ‘freedom’ organisation known for its disdain towards India and Israel.

As highlighted by an X user who goes by the name “Sensei Kraken Zero”, one of the signatories of the anti-Israel Harvard student union statement, Sravya Tadepalli is on the board of directors of a dubious organisation named Hindus for Human Rights.

It is worth noting that HFHR co-founded by Sunita Vishwanath is notorious for its pathological hatred for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is the same organisation that endorsed the infamous ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’ event. To no surprise, the HFHR also has links to the controversial financier and ‘regime change specialist’ George Soros.

There is one thing in common about most of the Indian signatories of the outrageous statement against their hatred for PM Modi and India’s “right wing”. Shraddha Joshi, another Harvard alumni to sign the said statement has been a Modi hater as evidenced by her article titled: “Modi’s Visit to the US Whitewashes India’s Far-Right Violence” published in The Nation magazine in June this year as PM Modi was on a historic state visit to the United States. “Ever since Modi took power in 2014 as the leader of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), India has experienced what is widely described as democratic backsliding, characterized by anti-minority and caste-based violence along with brutal crackdowns on dissent,” the article reads.

Interestingly, Joshi has also been an intern at propaganda portal NewsClick which is currently under investigation over receiving funds from China for peddling pro-China propaganda. The portal is accused of flouting the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) rules. Shraddha Joshi is also a supporter of Urban Naxal and ‘journalist’ Gautam Navlakha.

Excerpt from Shraddha Joshi’s The Nation article (Image source: thenation.com)

It is worth recalling that Gautam Navlakha was arrested in 2020 when 11 people were taken into custody for organizing and giving provocative speeches during the Elgar Parishad event on the 31st of December 2017. The event was organized by “activists” of Kabir Kala Manch in Pune. The NIA says that the event promoted enmity between different groups of people and caste groups, leading to violence and loss of life. The NIA investigation revealed that the organizers of Elgar Parishad were in touch with leaders of CPI (Maoist), a banned terror outfit under UAPA, and were spreading the ideology of Naxalism/Maoism to encourage unlawful activity.

As per a Canary Mission report, Shraddha Joshi was an organiser at Harvard Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC). Joshi has also been involved in furthering anti-Israel propaganda. Being a typical hypocrite, Joshi has been actively involved in downplaying the violence committed by the Palestinian side against Israel while blaming Israel for the conflict between the two countries over the years.

Israel Hamas War

The terrorist organisation Hamas launched a devastating terror strike on Israeli soil on 7th October. Over 900 people were killed in the attack. Paragliders and vehicle-borne Hamas terrorists brandishing automatic weapons stormed the border fences, attacking civilians, residential communities, and even a music festival in Southern Israel. In retaliation to the brutal terrorist attack,  Israel declared war on Hamas and has been bombarding the Gaza Strip with bombs for three days. Hundreds of Israelis and other nationals have been reported to have been kidnapped by Hamas. Despite the fact that Hamas is holding innocent Israeli people hostage, killing children and families, and raping women, the student unions of Harvard extended support to Hamas and blamed Israel.

They will shoot you, you will die: Turkish minister threatens Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu following Israel’s retaliation to Hamas terror attack

OpIndia Staff
-
0
They will shoot you, you will die: Turkish minister threatens Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu following Israel’s retaliation to Hamas terror attack

As Israel launched a massive retaliatory action against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after the Hamas terror attack on Israel on Saturday, several Muslim nations have expressed their support for Hamas. A minister in Turkey has gone ahead in this aspect, who warned Israeli PM Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Hamas will kill him.

Nazif Yilmaz who is the Deputy Minister of National Education of Turkey threatened Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with death on X (Twitter). Referring to the Hamas terrorists, he wrote, “One day they will shoot you too. You will die.” Nazif Yilmaz posted this in reaction to a post uploaded by Netanyahu which portrayed Israel’s military retaliation to the recent gruesome attack on the Jewish nation. Netanyahu posted a video showing Israeli forces bombing Hamas sites in Gaza, with the caption ‘continue with all the strength’.

The Turkish minister however later deleted the tweet.

Notably, the Eurasian country is a major part of the powerful North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) alliance headed by the United States. The comment received backlash from social media users who reminded the politician of the horrifying terror attack perpetrated by Hamas terrorists.

A netizen asked him what response he expected after the assailants massacred kids and added that Hamas “knowingly sacrificed their own when they committed acts of terror.”

Another asked the minister about his opinion on the atrocities inflicted by the Hamas terrorists on the morning of 7 October.

A user told him to go to the Israel border and not make empty threats on the platform.

An individual remarked, “Take a look at the deputy minister of national education of the republic. Notice his tone. The war between the two countries does not concern the ministry of national education nor it was provoked by the social media account. You don’t care what we think in private. Do not confuse your ministry. Be accountable.”

A netizen posted an image featuring multiple soft toys for children with ’40 babies murdered’ scrawled in bold letters on top.

Armed Hamas terrorists stormed Israel during the attack on 7 October where they ransacked homes, rampaged through farms along with neighbourhoods and took up hundreds of hostages back to Gaza in addition to slaughtering at least 1,200 people and injuring thousands more including women, children and elderly. Since Israel began airstrikes on the Palestinian enclave at least 1,000 people have died in Gaza and many more are injured.

It is important to note that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is known for his proximity with the Islamist elements as well as providing monetary support to religious seminars in India to radicalise Muslims and taking them on a full-expense covered trip to his country for further indoctrination.

He has repeatedly supported Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and never condemned the terrorism carried out by the southsian country. Turkey has been found guilty of funding anti-India activities along with Pakistan including the anti-CAA protests and radical preacher Zakir Naik.

‘It felt like we were playing in Rawalpindi’: Muhammad Rizwan reacts to support Pakistan team received in WC match in Hyderabad

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘It felt like we were playing in Rawalpindi’: Muhammad Rizwan reacts to support Pakistan team received in WC match in Hyderabad

On 10th October (Tuesday), Pakistani wicket-keeping batsman Muhammad Rizwan addressed a post-match press conference. He claimed that their game against Sri Lanka in Hyderabad felt like it was some sort of a home game. He argued that the strong support of the Hyderabad crowd made him feel as if they were playing in Lahore, Karachi, or Rawalpindi. 

During the post-match event, Rizwan said, “I felt like I was playing a match in Pindi. The way the crowd gave love today, and not just for me, but for the whole Pakistan team, they gave love.” 

One sports journalist inquired about his health as during the match he displayed signs of facing cramps. He noted that even they were feeling pained to see him like that and went on to claim that he played like a mujahid. He also inquired about Pakistan’s 15-day stay in Hyderabad. It is worth noting that during the presentation ceremony when he was asked about cramps, Rizwan said, “Sometimes it is cramps, sometimes it is acting.” 

To which, Rizwan made this observation underscoring that support from the Hyderabad crowd made them feel like a home game. However, he also claimed that they were glad to see that the Hyderabadi crowd lauded good cricket as they also supported Sri Lankan cricketers. 

Regarding Hyderabad’s hospitality during their 15-day stay, Rizwan expressed, “Hospitality, you all must have seen it. Someone must have taken pictures when we came to the airport. You must have seen it. What you guys didn’t see, the way these guys welcomed us at the airport, was awesome. The way the crowd came, everyone saw it today, the way they gave their voices with love, I said earlier that I felt like I was playing in front of the crowd of Rawalpindi, our ground in Lahore is big, a lot of people come there, this ground felt like Rawalpindi. Today it seems that Pakistan’s match is taking place in Rawalpindi.” 

Another sports journalist inquired about the specific aspects of Rizwan’s cricketing skills that he has focused on to enhance his performance over the years. 

In his response, he thanked the team management for moving him upward on the batting order. He, however, added that he had the required skillset from the start and had done nothing special except hard work which Allah demanded from him. He added that Allah is Rabbul Alamin and it is by grace that luck favoured him as with that even a thick edge could land in the empty ground. 

Meanwhile, loud chants of “Jeetega bhai Jeetega, Pakistan jeetega” engulfed the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday evening during the Pakistan vs Sri Lanka match of the World Cup 2023. Several social media users took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their shock over the support Pakistan was receiving in its match against Sri Lanka.

“Loud chants of “Jeetega bhai jeetega, Pakistan jeetega” in Hyderabad stadium. They did not start organically but the DJ said “jeetega bhai jeetega” & left it to the crowd to finish the famous chant,” said one of the X users, while sharing a video of the same.

A day after the match in which he scored a man-winning innings of unbeaten 131 runs, Muhammad Rizwan dedicated Pakistan’s win to “brothers and sisters in Gaza.” Taking to X, he also thanked the Indian audience and added, “Extremely grateful to the people of Hyderabad for the amazing hospitality and support throughout.” However, the cricketer received a lot of flak for interjecting politics into the game.

Why ICC, BCCI, and the GoI need to take stern action over Muhammad Rizwan’s post glorifying Hamas terrorists

Rizwan’s tweet appeared to be in violation of the code of conduct drawn up by the ICC, which has strict rules for cricketers indulging in making political and religious statements. In fact, in World Cup 2019, the ICC had objected to something as benign as wearing wicket-keeping gloves with Indian Army insignia and had asked former Indian wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to remove them.

“The ICC has responded to the BCCI to confirm the logo displayed by MS Dhoni in the previous match is not permitted to be worn on his wicket-keeping gloves at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019,” the ICC statement issued in 2019 read. 

Similarly, in 2014, the ICC banned English cricketer Moeen Ali from wearing “Save Gaza” and “Free Palestine” wristbands while playing for England. 

The BCCI should also take note of Rizwan’s comment and ensure that foreign cricketers who have come to India for the 2023 World Cup don’t end up exploiting the cricketing platform to peddle individual agendas and express sympathy for terrorists who killed hundreds of civilians in Israel. The Indian government should also step in and convey to the Pakistan Cricket Board that their cricketers must refrain from politicising the sport while being in India for an ICC event. Rizwan should be made to apologise for politicising the World Cup and asked to pull down his post.

Maharashtra: Gaurakshaks in Pune save cows, Iqbal Alam and two other smugglers arrested; cow meat seized from a vehicle in Manchar

Gopal Tiwari
-
0
Maharashtra: Gaurakshaks in Pune save cows, Iqbal Alam and two other smugglers arrested; cow meat seized from a vehicle in Manchar

On Tuesday (10th October) Gorakshaks in Pune saved two cows from the clutches of cow smugglers who were taking the cows to a slaughterhouse in Pune. Iqbal Alam and other two smugglers were arrested in this case based on the complaint filed by Gorakshak Upendra Balkavde. In another incident in the Pune district, cow meat was seized from a car in Manchar on 9th October.

Cows saved in Pune city

Upendra Mahadev Balkawade, 32, works with the Hyundai Company in Pune. He has also been working as the Pune district president of the All India Krishi Go Seva Sangh for the last two years. Upendra Balkavde said in his complaint, “On 09/10/2023, around 09:30 pm, I received a call from my Gaurakshak colleague. He told me that two cows were being taken to Kondhwa Pune for slaughter in Motor Tempo Vehicle No. MH 12 QW 5747 from Rajaram Bridge Pune. Accordingly, my Gaurakshak colleagues Suraj Suresh Bandal, Ganesh Dattatray Sutar, Manish Mahadev Chavan and I sat in a motor car No. MH 12 OT 1400 at Dandekar Bridge and stopped on the road leading to Swargate.”

Cows saved by Upendra Balkavde and other Gaurakshaks in Pune. Image Source: Upendra Balkavde

He further stated, “On 09/10/2023 at around 11:45 pm, we saw the motor tempo heading towards Saaras Bagh and immediately we followed him in our car. We warned the tempo driver to stop. But the driver did not stop his vehicle and went ahead from Savarkar Chowk, Mitra Mandal Chowk. Laxmi Narayan Chowk, and Diasplot Chowk.”

Upendra Balkavde added in his complaint, “Since the driver was not stopping his tempo, I stopped my car in front of his vehicle at Golden Bakery Diasplot Gultekdi Pune around 00:05 pm. We all got out of our car and inspected the tempo. The rear of the tempo was covered with green tarpaulin sheets. When the tarpaulin sheet was removed, we discovered two live cows, one white and one black-and-white. I called the police control room and called the police to the spot. When the police arrived, the police and I took the tempo and came to Swargate police station, Pune.”

The three arrested accused are identified as Iqbal Alam (age 22, resident of Ghorpadi village in Pune), Rahim Ismail Shaikh (age 32), and Deepak Lallan Singh Thakur (age 30). During interrogation, Rahim Shaikh said that the cows were brought from Sanjay Pawar who lives in Pandit Jawahar Lal Colony at Canal Road behind Dasbhuja Ganapati Mandir on Karve Road in Pune.

A case in this regard is registered in Swargate police station under sections 5 and 9(A) of the Maharashtra Animal Protection Act 1976, and sections 11(1)D, 11(1)E, and 11(1)I of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The Gaurakshaks and police took the cows to a local Jain Hindu Gaushala in Pune.

Upendra Balkavde rescued cows. Image Source: Upendra Balkavde

A copy of this FIR is with OpIndia. OpIndia contacted Upendra Balkavde to learn more about the incident. He said, “We Gaurakshaks have an active network in and around Pune city. The accused in this case are arrested by police and will face legal consequences. We do our best using whatever capacities we have. The smugglers were taking the cows to Kondhwa. The Kondhwa area in Pune has become a hiding hub of Islamic terrorists. Recently, the NIA took action and nabbed a few such people who used to live there. Slaughterhouses are also in the same Kondhwa area.”

Upendra Balkavde added, “Sanjay Pawar mentioned in this case supplies cows to these smugglers. We have caught him in two similar cases before this incident. He is a repeat offender. Most of the cow smugglers take cows to the Mumbai area. However, in and around Pune city, our group works hard to prevent cow slaughter and save Gaumata and Dharma.”

The Gaurakshaks and police took the cows to a local Jain Hindu Gaushala in Pune. Image Source: Upendra Balkavde

Underlining the importance of coordinated efforts of all the Gaurakshaks, Upendra Balkavde said, “No mission is difficult when the community comes together to put a joint effort. Ours is not a very large group, but coordinated work gives effective output. In this operation, Sahil Pawar, Ganesh Sutar, Manish Chavan, Chetan Badole, Datta Pawar, Tanmay Babar, Sahil Kamble, Aniket Dalvi, Sachin Gaikwad, Suraj Bandal, Siddhesh Shigwan, and Shivam Sonawane played a crucial role. They were with me throughout the incident and took various responsibilities in this task to save the cows.”

Cow meat seized in Manchar

The incident came to light in the early hours of 9th October when beef weighing 405 kg was found in a four-wheeler that met with an accident on Pune Nashik Highway Road at Bhorwadi under Manchar police station limits. A case has been registered against the unidentified absconding driver and unidentified owner of the car.

At approximately 3:50 am on 9th October, an unknown individual, driving a Ritz car with the registration MH06AZ7781, was travelling at a high speed on the Pune-Nashik Highway. This vehicle collided with the pickup truck, bearing the license plate MH14KQ7339, which was owned by Akshay Shankar Thorat, a resident of Manchar Pimpalgaon in the Ambegaon taluka, from behind.

The Ritz car was carrying cow meat. Image source: Bajrang Dal activist Suraj Chakradhar Dharam

Partially cut organs and flesh of cattle weighing 405 kg worth Rs 81,000 were found in the car. The driver of the car escaped from the spot. A case has been registered against the driver and owner of the car under sections 279 and 427 of the Indian Penal Code, sections 184,134 (A)( B), and 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act, Sections 5, 5(c), and 9(a) of Maharashtra Animal Protection Amendment Act 1995, and section 11 of Indian Animal Protection Act.

Police Sub-Inspector Shete is conducting a further investigation into this case under the supervision of Police Inspector Balwant Mandge. It is notable that Balwant Mandge is the same police officer who upheld the peace talks and restrained people from filing any case in a recent incident of a Hindu-Muslim scuffle during the Ganpati Visarjan procession in Manchar. A day after this incident, Islamists in Manchar attacked the house of a Bajrang Dal activist Suraj Chakradhar Dharam. When the members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad insisted that a case should be filed in this regard, the attackers apologised to Suraj Dharam and his family members with folded hands. A detailed report of this incident can be read here.

‘Outside the field of play’: ICC refuses to act against Muhammad Rizwan over his tweet dedicating WC match win to Gaza residents

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Outside the field of play’: ICC refuses to act against Muhammad Rizwan over his tweet dedicating WC match win to Gaza residents

The International Cricket Council, ICC, has reportedly refused to take action against Pakistan cricketer Muhammad Rizwan over his tweet dedicating the team’s win over Sri Lanka in the World Cup to the Gaza residents.

Claiming that it is outside the field of play and not within their domain, the ICC added it is up to the individual and the cricket board to act on the situation.

Aaj Tak journalist Vikrant Gupta took to X, a social media platform earlier known as Twitter, to inform that ICC has refused to take action against Muhammad Rizwan.

Earlier today, Pakistani cricketer Muhammad Rizwan, known for unabashedly demonstrating his religiosity on and off the field, stirred a hornet’s nest after he dedicated the victory over Sri Lanka to Gaza residents. His posts quickly went viral, triggering sharp reactions from several quarters on X, formerly known as Twitter, with many social media users asking for the BCCI and ICC to act against the cricketer for expressing solidarity with the people after Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, resulting in the deaths of over 1,000 Israelis, including elderly, women, and children.

While the ICC had tried to wash its hand off the issue by claiming that it is outside the field of play, it is worth noting that Muhammad Rizwan is infamous for fusing politics, religion and sports much like several of his countrymen. He recently caught the attention of many when he started offering Namaz on the cricket field during the second half of the match against the Netherlands while his teammates awaited drinks during the break.

Earlier in 2021, Rizwan had offered namaz on the ground. When Babar Azam-led side defeated India by 10 wickets in the ICC T20 World Cup ‘Super 12’ game, former Pakistan pace bowler Waqar Younis expressed his glee and voiced, “What I liked most is what Rizwan did. He stood in the middle of the ground and read the prayers in front of the Hindus,” after the 31-year-old Muhammad Rizwan had used the cricket match as an opportunity to flaunt his faith in front of millions of viewers.

Hamas Attacks Israel

A surprise attack deemed ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’ by Hamas on Israel which combined gunmen raiding Israeli border villages with a barrage of rockets fired from Gaza was launched at dawn on 7 October during the Jewish high holiday of Simchat Torah which resulted in the gruesome murder of at least 1000 people including children and elderly while more than 2,000 were wounded. 

The terrorists also raped women and abducted hundreds in one of the deadliest attacks in history. Israel then launched ‘Operation Iron Swords’ in retaliation and invoked Article 40 for the first time since the Yom Kippur War in 1973 and officially declared war.

ECI revises Rajasthan assembly election date to 25th November from 23rd November citing ‘large scale weddings’ in state

OpIndia Staff
-
0
ECI revises Rajasthan assembly election date to 25th November from 23rd November citing ‘large scale weddings’ in state

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has revised the dates of Rajasthan Assembly elections from 23rd November to 25th November. The ECI stated in its press note that “considering large-scale wedding/social engagement on 23rd November may cause inconvenience to a large number of people”.

“Representations have been received in the Commission from various political parties, social organisations and also issues raised in various media platforms for change of date of poll considering large scale wedding/social engagements on that day which may cause inconvenience to large number of people, various logistic issues and may lead to reduced voters participating during poll,” the ECI stated.

Earlier on Wednesday (11th October), BJP MP from Pali, PP Chaudhary wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI) requesting to reschedule the date of the assembly polls in Rajasthan citing festivities on the day.

“On one hand it is the responsibility of the Election Commission and all of us to increase the voting percentage. The common people should strengthen the Indian democratic system by taking part in the sacred festival of democracy,” Chaudhary said in a letter to the ECI.

The ECI on Monday (9th October) announced the dates for upcoming assembly elections across 5 states namely Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, and Mizoram. The polls are scheduled to commence on 7th November and conclude with the counting of votes on 3rd December.

Chhattisgarh is the only state to cast the ballot in two phases that is on 7th November and 17th November. Madhya Pradesh will go to polls on 17th November and Telangana on 30th November. Mizoram will cast the ballot on 7th November. Rajasthan will now go to polls on 25th November instead of 23th November.

New Delhi: Nozzles worth lakhs of rupees stolen from fountains installed for G20 Summit at Bharat Mandapam

OpIndia Staff
-
0
New Delhi: Nozzles worth lakhs of rupees stolen from fountains installed for G20 Summit at Bharat Mandapam

Nozzles worth lakhs of rupees have been stolen from the fountains which were installed outside Bharat Mandapam and the Delhi Gate for the G20 Summit. After the conclusion of the Summit, the agency appointed for the maintenance of the fountains noticed the theft and filed a police complaint.

According to officials of the Public Works Department, the stainless steel nozzles are priced at Rs 4,000 each. A number of fountains were installed across the central Delhi area in the run-up to the G20 Summit.

A PWD official reportedly said, “Twenty-four nozzles have been stolen from fountains outside the Bharat Mandapam while 12 nozzles from the fountain at Delhi Gate. The theft happened after the culmination of the G20 Summit.”

When asked whether the CCTV cameras installed in the areas captured any suspicious movement, the official said that the cameras installed by the agency cover only Gates 6 and 7 of Bharat Mandapam.

“There are also cameras installed by the Delhi Police but we do not know whether they are functional. The nozzles are expensive and we are trying to find alternatives to them,” the official said.

He added that while the PWD replaced the stolen nozzles with plastic ones at the Delhi Gate, the nozzles outside Bharat Mandapam could only be fitted with stainless steel because of the large size of the fountains.

Mere 10-15 days after the G20 Summit concluded, incidents of thefts and damage to items installed around Bharat Mandapam reportedly increased. The police said they have received several complaints of missing flower pots, rubber nozzles, wires, and broken lights in the national capital.

In February too, months ahead of the G20 Summit, a video went viral showing a VIP resident from Gurgaon stealing several flower pots and carrying them in his high-end vehicle.

Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv sets up 24-hour helpline desk amid Israel-Hamas war, asks Indians to stay calm and vigilant

ANI
-
0
Indian Embassy in Tel Aviv sets up 24-hour helpline desk amid Israel-Hamas war, asks Indians to stay calm and vigilant

As the war between Israel and Hamas grows intense, the Indian Embassy in Israel has set up a 24-hour helpline desk for the citizens stranded there and has asked them to follow the security advisories.

In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Israel has stated that it has been working constantly to help fellow citizens.

“The Embassy has been working constantly to help our fellow citizens in Israel through a 24-hour helpline. Please remain calm & vigilant & follow the security advisories,” India in Israel wrote on X.

The Indian Embassy in war-hit Israel has activated a 24/7 helpline number +972-35226748 and +972-543278392 for Indian nationals citizens who need assistance amid the ongoing conflict or wish to register with the Embassy.

“24*7 Emergency Helpline/Contact: Tel +972-35226748, Tel +972-543278392, Email: [email protected]” the Indian Embassy in Israel wrote.

Meanwhile, the Embassy of India in Israel and Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS) has set up Helpdesks with 24/7 Emergency Helpline numbers.

“Andhra Pradesh Non-Resident Telugu Society (APNRTS), an entity of Govt of Andhra Pradesh has set up Emergency Helpdesk and is prepared to assist in repatriating the Non-Resident Telugus (NRTs) of Andhra Pradesh from Israel in case of emergencies and communicated the same with the Indian Embassy in Israel,” an official press release said.

The Embassy of India, Tel Aviv, Israel has issued an important advisory to Indian citizens in Israel about the ongoing developments in Israel requesting Indian citizens to remain vigilant, observe safety protocols exercise caution, and stay close to safety shelters as advised by the local Government authorities.

Indian nationals who are planning to travel to Israel are advised to reconsider their travel plans until the situation normalizes.

“Non-resident Telugu (NRTs) of Andhra Pradesh in Israel may also contact APNRTS 24/7 Helpline numbers @ +91 85000 27678(w), 0863-2340678 for any assistance. Family members of NRTs are also advised to contact APNRTS helpline numbers if their dear ones in Israel need any assistance,” the press release added.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) on Wednesday said it was carrying out strikes in Lebanon in retaliation to the attack on its border with anti-tank guided missiles, The Times of Israel reported.

The IDF said it would soon come out with more information on the attack. Earlier, the IDF said an anti-tank missile was launched from Lebanon towards a military post near the community of Arab Al-Aramshe.

Taking to X, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) stated, “An anti-tank missile was launched from Lebanon toward a military post adjacent to the community of Arab Al-Aramshe on the #BlueLine.”

Earlier in the day, the spokesperson for Israel Defence Forces (IDF), Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Conricus, said 1,200 citizens were killed and more than 2,700 injured in the Hamas strikes, adding that the Israeli forces were ready to execute the mission in Gaza.

“Four days after Hamas breached into Israel, attacked Israeli communities, murdered and massacred Israeli citizens and took dozens of Israeli hostages into Gaza. The death toll is staggering, a 1200 dead Israelis. The overwhelming majority of them civilians and more than 2700 wounded and sadly something tells me that these are not final numbers,” he said.

The IDF spokesperson informed that about 300,000 soldiers have been deployed on the Gaza border, adding that they would ensure that Hamas is completely shorn of its military capabilities at the end of the ongoing war. 

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

1...1,7401,7411,742...7,650Page 1,741 of 7,650