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Modi in USA: Tampa City Council member praises the Prime Minister before his visit, says India has achieved remarkable milestones under him. Details

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Modi in USA: Tampa City Council member praises the Prime Minister before his visit, says India has achieved remarkable milestones under him. Details

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India achieved remarkable milestones showcasing its immense potential in various fields, Guido Maniscalco, a Tampa City Council member said on Monday and added that those achievements are a testament to the hard work, resilience and spirit of its people. 

Taking to Twitter, the Indian Embassy in the US shared Maniscalco’s video message and thanked him for that. In a video message, Maniscalco said, “Prime Minister Modi, your presence here is a testament to the enduring friendship and collaboration between our two great nations. On behalf of the residents of Tampa and Hills Borough County, I offer you a warm and gracious welcome. India, under your leadership, has achieved remarkable milestones showcasing its immense potential in various fields.” 

“Your nation’s achievements are a testament to the hard work, resilience and spirit of its people. As a councilman of a diverse community in Tampa, I am proud to acknowledge the striking similarities between our two democracies. The United States and India share a deep respect for individual freedoms, equality and the pursuit of happiness. We believe in the power of democracy to empower our citizens and provide them with opportunities to shape their destinies,” he added. 
In the video message, he also stated that PM Modi’s visit to the US represents an opportunity to strengthen the bond between the two nations and deepen cooperation. 

The member of Tampa City Council further stated that together, India and the US can address the pressing challenges of time, fostering economic growth and promoting global peace and security. 

“Prime Minister, as you embark on this visit I encourage you to explore the warmth and hospitality of Tampa and Hillsborough County. Our doors are open and our community stands ready to engage in meaningful dialogue and exchange ideas that will further strengthen the ties between our nations. Once again, on behalf of the residents of the city of Tampa I extend a warm welcome to you, Prime Minister Modi. May this visit mark the beginning of a new chapter in the friendship and cooperation between our two nations. Together, let us work together toward a brighter future guided by the principles of liberty, justice and equality,” he added. 

PM Modi is all set to visit the US today and will commence his trip with the Yoga Day celebrations at the UN headquarter. 

Meanwhile, a US congressman, Andrew Garbarino from New York’s second congressional district said that he is delighted that Prime Minister Modi will make a historic state visit to the United States. 

He further stated that he is looking forward to PM Modi’s speech in front of the joint session of Congress on June 22. “This truly does highlight the strong US-India partnership, and I wish him the best trip and the most success,” Garbarino said in a video message which was shared by the Indian embassy in the US. 

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host a State Dinner in honour of the Prime Minister the same evening, according to a release issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The PM will also address a Joint Sitting of the US Congress on June 22. 

Another Congressman Matt Cartwright, ahead of PM Narendra Modi’s State Visit to the US, said that he is delighted that they are receiving PM Narendra Modi. “What a momentous, special occasion this is, and we welcome him to the United States. We eagerly look forward to him being hosted by the United States President, Joe Biden at the White House on June 22, 2023,” he said in the video message. 

He further stated that he cherished the relationship between India and the USA as stronger than ever and really one of the most consequential relationships of the 21st century. 

After his tweet, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tweeted, “Appreciate your warm message, Congressman @RepCartwright. We deeply value the cherished #IndiaUSPartnership and look forward to PM @narendramodi’s visit.” 

On June 23, the prime minister will be jointly hosted at a luncheon by US Vice President Kamala Harris and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. In addition to official engagements, the Prime Minister is scheduled to have several curated interactions with leading CEOs, professionals, and other stakeholders. He will also meet members of the Indian Diaspora.

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

Odisha triple train accident: CPRO South Eastern Railways refutes reports of suspect JE Amir Khan absconding, no clarification from CBI yet

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha triple train accident: CPRO South Eastern Railways refutes reports of suspect JE Amir Khan absconding, no clarification from CBI yet

UPDATE: After the media reported that JE Amir Khan was absconding, CPRO South Eastern Railways refuted the media reports. This report, which was based on Wion News, Business Standard and others has been updated to reflect the latest information.

Balasore train accident | “A few media reports are coming in that a Bahanaga staff is absconding and missing. This is factually incorrect. The entire staff is present & a part of inquiry. They are appearing before agency,” said Aditya Kumar Chaudhary, CPRO South Eastern Railway.

On June 19, It was reported that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sealed the rented house of Junior Engineer (JE) Amir Khan. As per reports, Khan is a suspect in Odisha triple train tragedy that the CBI is investigating. When a CBI team reached his house located near Annapurna Rice Mill in Soro, the house was locked. The CBI later sealed it. The June 2 triple train accident at Bahanaga took away the lives of 292 passengers and injured over a thousand.

The Business Standard report said two CBI personnel are watching the house after the JE had reportedly absconded with family after initial questioning, however, Railway authorities have now refuted claims.

Role of signal JE at the Indian Railways

The signal JE is responsible for installing, maintaining and repairing the signalling equipment, including point machines, interlocking systems and signals, etc. In short, they play a vital role in ensuring train operations run smoothly and safely.

Railway officials raised suspicion of deliberate sabotage

Notably, railway officials have insisted that the train accident was possibly a result of sabotage by “deliberate interference with the electronic interlocking system.” In a report, the Times of India quoted the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Khurda, Rinkesh Roy, saying, “You get green signal only after fulfilling all the pre-conditions such as whether the route is set and everything is right. Even if there is a minor problem, technically, there cannot be a green signal in any circumstance; it becomes red. It can’t go green unless and until someone has tampered with it, someone has physically tempered with it.”

Investigation was handed over to CBI on June 6

On June 6, the investigation into the train accident was taken over by the central investigation agency. An FIR has already been initiated in the matter. CBI was handed over the investigation after the allegations of tampering with the electronic interlocking system came to the fore following the accident.

For those who are unaware, electronic interlocking systems installed at the stations provide vital information about the status of the trains. The railway officials had raised suspicions of deliberate sabotage. The official sources quoted by WION suggested five railway employees are under CBI’s radar for the investigation.

Ex-Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM party pulls support from the Nitish Kumar government

OpIndia Staff
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Ex-Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s HAM party pulls support from the Nitish Kumar government

On Monday, the 19th of June, Ex-Bihar CM Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) withdrew its support from the Nitish Kumar-led coalition government. The Party’s National President and Former CM Manjhi’s son Santosh Suman stated that he has sought an appointment with the Bihar Governor, Rajendra Arlekar, to hand over the letter of withdrawal of support from the Nitish government.

Suman made these remarks while addressing a press conference, as the National Executive body of HAM had earlier authorised him to make decisions regarding the future course of action.

Suman added that later in the day, he would be visiting Delhi to “explore options”. He said that he is “willing to consider” an invitation from the NDA if it is extended by the BJP-led coalition.

HAM President Suman said, “We are also keeping the option open for setting up a third front.” However, he ducked the queries about unconfirmed reports of him having a meeting scheduled in Delhi with BJP President JP Nadda.

Last week, Suman resigned from the Nitish Kumar cabinet citing that he cannot compromise his self-respect. He alleged that the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was pressuring him to merge his party with the JD(U).

Differences between Nitish Kumar and Jitan Ram Manjhi over opposition parties meeting

Reportedly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar stated that Manjhi wanted to be a part of the opposition parties meeting scheduled to be held on 23rd June. However, CM added that Manjhi was not invited as there were apprehensions that he may leak details of the event to the BJP.

Apparently, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had been trying to put together a common opposition front against the Modi government. He went to different states seeking support for the same. Earlier, a meeting of the opposition parties was scheduled for the 12th of June. The meeting was rescheduled for the 23rd of June as Rahul Gandhi was on a ten-day US tour. However, before the meeting, the unity faced a major setback when BRS and BJD announced their plan to skip the opposition meeting.

It is interesting to note that since its formation in 2015, Jitan Ram Manjhi’s party has switched allies many times. Notably, the HAM, with its four MLAs, broke ties with NDA and joined the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ last year.

The ruling coalition, consists of JD(U), RJD, Congress, with three Left parties supporting it from outside. They hold a significant majority in the 243-member assembly with nearly 160 MLAs.

Travancore Devaswom Board official arrested for stealing Gold from Sabarimala temple treasury

OpIndia Staff
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Travancore Devaswom Board official arrested for stealing Gold from Sabarimala temple treasury

On Monday, June 19, a 53-year-old man was arrested by the Pampa Police on charges of stealing a gold ornament from the treasury of Sabarimala temple, Kerala. The accused was identified as Rejikumar, a native of Kottayam. 

Reportedly, he is an employee of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB)’s Etumanur Vasudevapuram temple. 

In the CCTV footage, Rejikumar was seen stealing a gold bangle that was donated by a devotee to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.

The theft came to light from CCTV footage

According to the information, this incident of theft took place on the 16th of June. An official of the Devaswom Board had deposited the gold in the temple’s treasury, but there was no record of it. Afterward, the executive officer of Sabarimala filed a complaint. 

Later, a CCTV footage investigation was conducted under the leadership of Vigilance SI Biju Radhakrishnan. During the investigation, it was revealed that the bangle had been thrown into the garbage by Rejikumar through the conveyor belt in the warehouse and then retrieved from there.

As per media reports, the accused Rejikumar stole a golden bangle weighing 10.950 grams that was donated by a devotee on June 16. The temple administration found out about the theft through the CCTV footage. The ornament had been offered after informing the TDB officials on duty but it was missing from the collection box.

The Bhandaram Special Officer recovered the missing ornament underneath the suspect’s pillow. Subsequently, he was taken into custody by the Devaswom Vigilance.

Official statement

An official said, “The main hundi at the temple sopanam is connected to a conveyor belt that takes the cash and ornaments to a box placed below. When the Devaswom vigilance team inspected the CCTV visuals, they found the accused standing near the box and concealing the ornament in a waste dump. The ornament was later discovered in his room during an inspection.”

Accordingly, the Police lodged a complaint in this matter and arrested the accused Rejikumar. Reports claim that the accused came to Sabarimala temple on a cash-counting duty for the Masa Puja.

A few days earlier, the Sabarimala temple was opened for Mithunamasa pujas. Led by the Temple Chief K. Jayaraman Namboothiri and under the guidance of Tantri Kantarar Rajivara, the Temple shrine was ceremoniously opened, and the lamp was lit. Following the completion of the five days of Puja, the Nata will be closed on the night of the 20th.

Bihar: Government awards Rs 1,600-cr ambulance contract to JD(U) MP’s kin despite Court’s warnings and several red flags

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Bihar: Government awards Rs 1,600-cr ambulance contract to JD(U) MP’s kin despite Court’s warnings and several red flags

On the 31st of May this year, the Bihar government awarded the Rs 1,600-crore ambulance contract to Patna-based Pashupatinath Distributors Private Limited (PDPL). The contract was awarded to PDPL to operate 2,125 ambulances as part of the Dial 102 Emergency service. Reportedly, the company, PDPL is run by the relatives of JD(U) MP from Jahanabad, Chandeshwar Prasad Chandravanshi.

The State Health Society of Bihar (SHSB), an agency under the Health Department that handles the service, reportedly tweaked norms in the original Request for Proposals (RFP). These modifications were done to renew the 5-year ambulance contract with PDPL. 

The Bihar government conveniently overlooked all the red flags

Despite many red flags, the RJD-JD(U) government decided to renew the contract with PDPL for another five years. The contract allows PDPL to run emergency ambulances across the state. Apart from this, it was for the first time that the state government added a new clause in the contract. This new clause allows it to extend the contract for another three years. 

As per the Indian Express report, to renew PDPL’s contract, the Mahagathbandhan government brushed aside the cautious remarks of the Patna High Court. The coalition government also ignored a series of audits that had flagged irregularities with the company, like missing oxygen, giving expired medicine, allegations of “document leaks” and tweaking the norms of RFP.  

The Indian Express report highlights that the original Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued on the 5th of April, 2022. Afterward, several rules were changed or “tweaked” despite strong objections just to renew the multi-crore ambulance contrast to PDPL which has raised concerns of favouritism and malpractice. 

Several directors of PDPL are family remembers of JD(U) MP Chandravanshi. These include Sunil Kumar, his son; Neha Rani, his daughter-in-law; Monalisha, his daughter-in-law; and Yogendra Prasad Nirala, his brother-in-law. 

Allegations of changing rules, and Norms in RFP

According to the Indian Express report, the initial Request for Proposal (RFP) outlined certain requirements. In the case of a sole bidder, they were expected to have experience in operating and managing a minimum of 750 ambulances (in addition to 50 advanced life support ambulances). Another condition stated that the bidder should also be backed by a call centre with a minimum of 75 seats, operating continuously for three years since 2018-19.

Contrary to the conditions specified in the RFP, independently PDPL had no prior experience running ambulance services in Bihar. Also, it only had a call centre of 50 seats during the stipulated three years. 

As per the report, the State Health Society of Bihar (SHSB) — an agency under the Health Department that handles the service, reduced the earlier specified numbers in RFP. Now, the minimum required capacity has come down from 50 Advanced Life Support ambulances to 40 and the call centre requirement from 75 seats to 50 seats.

IE report further highlighted that as per a corrigendum, a key term was changed in May 2022. In the RFP, the final selection parameter was changed from quality and cost-based selection to the least-cost selection method. 

The initial RFP said, “The final selection of the agency/ bidder shall be as per Quality and Cost Based Selection (a standard practice in hiring an agency with good experience).” 

The corrigendum said, “The final selection of the agency shall be as per the least cost selection method”. 

Resultantly, after the corrigendum, the path was made clear for the lowest bidder.

Allegations of document “leaks”

Earlier, in July 2022, three RJD MLAs, Mukesh Kumar Roshan, Rishi Kumar, and Bhai Virendra, wrote a letter to the then-Bihar Health Minister BJP’s Mangal Pandey. 

They alleged that the bidding documents got “leaked” and called for a fresh bidding process. However, on 9th August 2022, things changed and Nitish Kumar switched sides to form a grand coalition government with RJD and six other parties. Resultantly, Tejashwi Yadav became the Deputy CM and Health Minister of Bihar. Since then, no action has been taken in regard to their complaint.

When asked about the follow-up or action taken so far, RJD’s Maner MLA and party spokesperson Bhai Virendra told The Indian Express that he had done his part by raising the issue but now he has his own limitations as a politician.

Talking to Indian Express, JD(U) MP Chandravanshi said, “It (PDPL) is my relatives’ company and I have no personal say or stake in it.”

On the question of conflict of interest and allegations of favoritism in getting a government contract, he claimed that Nitish Kumar doesn’t favour anyone. 

He said, “We all know Nitish Kumar, he does not favour anyone. PDPL is an established company that was in the petroleum, liquor trading, and transport business and got Dial 102 contract purely on merit. We are now established in ambulance services.”

Court Proceedings in regard to the contract

On the 8th of December, 2022, a two-judge-divisional bench of Patna High Court asserted that since the court is hearing the grievances of the petitioner, the tender may continue but no final decision should be taken by SHSB without leave of the court. The two-judge bench comprised Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Sunil Dutta Mishra.

On the 10th of April, 2023, the state Advocate General PK Shahi requested the High Court to vacate its earlier order dated the 8th of December. AG Shahi also wanted the court to allow the contract to be given to the lowest bidder.

In response, the court inquired which of the two, PDPL or Samman, could carry out the new tender at a lower rate than the current one. Samman willingly agreed and submitted an affidavit affirming their willingness, whereas PDPL declined to do so.

Furthermore, on that very day, the court took notice of the complaint regarding document leaks. The court urged the SHSB to safeguard all the records. Additionally, the court asked the Administrative Officer to explain whether it was permissible for them to disclose specific material information.

A few days later, the court vacated its earlier order dated 8th of December. It stated that it stands modified to the extent that the lowest bidder is permitted to execute the work subject to the outcome of the present writ petition.

However, the consortium of BVG India and Samman went to the apex court and challenged this order. They claimed before the Supreme Court that Samman was not considered the lowest bidder despite its affidavit.

On the 15th of May, the SC bench of Justices A S Bopanna and C T Ravi Kumar made the ruling. It clearly stated that the High Court shall advert to all contentions and consider and dispose of the Writ Petition on its own merits and in accordance with the law.

The SC also directed the High Court to refer to its previous order dated the 10th of April in connection to awarding work to the lowest bidder. Furthermore, the Court mentioned that if the writ petition cannot be resolved immediately, the arguments presented by the petitioners should be taken into account after hearing all the parties involved.

Despite this, on the 31st of May, SHBS executive director Sanjay Kumar Singh wrote a letter to civil surgeons of all 38 Bihar districts. 

He said, “Following interim orders of Patna High Court and legal opinion from learned advocate general, operationalisation and management of a fleet of ambulances and mortuaries vans through an integrated centralized call centre in the state of Bihar under public private partnership (PPP) mode, the contract is awarded to L-1 bidder M/s Pashupatinath Distributors Private Limited, Patna”.

When questioned about why he went ahead with the contract despite the court’s instructions to wait for the petition to be resolved, Singh explained that the state was incurring substantial losses of over Rs 2.5 crore per month due to the delay. 

Singh said, “The state was running an estimated loss of over Rs 2.5 crore per month on account of the delay. So, we went ahead with PDPL, the lowest bidder. As for the SC order asking the Patna High Court to dispose of the matter, the order does not look clear. The SC order did not stay the HC order but asked to consider other aspects. Under these circumstances, we sought the opinion of the A-G and decided to award the provisional contract to PDPL. If the HC orders otherwise, we will comply accordingly.”

Everything about Dial 102 service and who covers the cost of it?

Dialing 102 is like calling for an ambulance when someone is in dire need of medical assistance. When you dial 102, an ambulance is dispatched to transport individuals who are critically ill, pregnant women, and babies to a government hospital, completely free of cost.

Under this service, there are two types of ambulances – Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS). A BLS ambulance has two people on board i.e. a driver and an emergency medical technician. While an ALS ambulance has three people to provide more specialized medical care. These include a driver, an emergency medical technician, and an assistant. 

The ambulances are either owned by the Bihar government or by a consortium/private player. Between 2017 and 2022, the Bihar government provided 400 ambulances, while the PDPL-Samman consortium either rented or purchased 250 ambulances.

For government ambulances, the consortium receives a monthly payment of Rs 1.20 lakh, while for consortium ambulances, the government pays Rs 1.46 lakh per month. It is estimated that each ambulance generates around Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 in revenue per month.

Bihar: Toll plaza employee beaten to death and dumped onto railway tracks by bouncers over suspicion of stealing Rs 50, video goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Toll plaza employee beaten to death and dumped onto railway tracks by bouncers over suspicion of stealing Rs 50, video goes viral

A toll plaza employee was beaten by bouncers in the Bhojpur district of Bihar on the suspicion of stealing Rs 50, an official said here on Monday. He added that the victim identified as Balwant Singh later died in his native place Gonda in Uttar Pradesh. He was employed at the Kulharia toll plaza for the last six to seven months.

In the video of the incident that went viral on social media, guard Balwant Singh is allegedly seen getting beaten and threatened by bouncers. The group of men are seen pinning the Arrah toll plaza and blowing punches at him. One man continuously thrashes the employee while the other beat him up mercilessly with a broom. While assaulting him, one of the bouncers takes out a few currency notes from the pocket of the victim.

“Take him back to the toll,” one person can be heard saying in the video.

According to reports, the attackers not only beat him but also threw him onto the railway track near Kulharia railway station.

“We have learnt about the death of a toll plaza employee, named Balwant Singh (35) in his native of Mankapur village in the Gonda district of Uttar Pradesh. He was deployed at the Kulharia toll plaza.

“A video went viral on social media showing some bouncers thrashing the employee after accusing him of stealing money from the toll kiosk. After the physical assault, Singh returned to Gonda where he died,” the SHO of Koilwar police station said.

“An FIR has been registered in Gonda and the post-mortem was also conducted there. We are waiting for the post-mortem report and FIR. Once we get it, we will analyze the actual cause of his death. If the post-mortem report and FIR puts fingers towards the alleged bouncers, we will take action against them,” he said.

Uttarakhand: Woman throws currency notes on Shivling in Kedarnath, temple authorities order investigation: Watch video

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Woman throws currency notes on Shivling in Kedarnath, temple authorities order investigation: Watch video

A woman was seen throwing money at the Shivling in the sanctum sanctorum of the Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand. Officials from the temple have asked the police to take the necessary steps on this issue immediately. The woman’s identity is still unknown. The incident was recorded on camera and later released on social media attracting outrage from the devotees.

The footage not only showed the woman acting improperly inside the sacred premises as she disgracefully threw cash around, but it was also reportedly shot right next to the Shivling, where photography and videography are strictly forbidden.

In a press release that was formally released by the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, temple president Ajendra Ajay acknowledged the viral video and urged the authorities to take appropriate action. He communicated with the district magistrate of Rudraprayag and the superintendent of police to request that she be dealt with swiftly.

Badri-Kedarnath Temple Committee debunks claims of ‘Gold Scam’ at Kedarnath

Earlier, the temple committee of the renowned and revered shrine responded angrily to accusations made on social media that there has been a gold scam at the shrine. Officials from the Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) described it as a conspiracy. A

On Thursday (June 15), a video of ‘Acharya’ Santosh Trivedi surfaced on social media wherein he accused the Badri-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) of engineering a ‘gold scam.’

Trivedi, who serves as the Vice-President of Char Dham Tirth Purohit Samaj, claimed that the gold plating inside the sanctum sanctorum of the Kedarnath temple has transformed into brass.

Several news publications including Congress mouthpiece National Herald reiterated the allegations levelled by ‘Acharya’ Santosh Trivedi about a supposed gold scam at the Kedarnath temple.

The Committee, which manages the Kedarnath temple, has rubbished the claims of ‘Acharya’ Santosh Trivedi. In a press release on Thursday (June 15), it said, “The work of decorating the sanctum sanctorum of Shri Kedarnath Temple with gold plates was done in the year 2022 with the help of a donor.”

At present, a video is being circulated on social media by some people that gold worth ₹ 1,15,00,00,000 (One Billion Fifteen Crore rupees) has been placed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. Misleading information is being circulated without facts. Efforts are also being made to hurt the sentiments of the public,” the press release read.

It pointed out, “…The Shri Badri-Kedarnath Temple Committee would like to clarify that a total of 23,777.800 grams of gold has been placed in the sanctum sanctorum of Shri Kedarnath Temple with the help of a donor. The current value of the used gold, according to the market rate is approximately Rs ₹14.38 crores.”

The Badri-Kedarnath Temple Committee added that copper plates along with gold have been used to decorate the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. “The total weight of the copper plates used is 1,001.300 kg, whose total value is ₹29,00,000,” it emphasised.

Greece: Polish woman found dead under a tree on the island of Kos; one Bangladeshi man arrested, his Pakistani roommate under probe

OpIndia Staff
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Greece: Polish woman found dead under a tree on the island of Kos; one Bangladeshi man arrested, his Pakistani roommate under probe

The body of a young Polish woman named Anastasia-Patricia Rubinska, who had relocated to Greece to work as a waitress for the holidays, was discovered yesterday under a tree, shrouded in branches and dried grass and in a naked condition. The Polish girl was wrapped in a sheet and found one kilometre away from the residence of the 32-year-old Bangladeshi man, near a wetland, by a volunteer participating in her search. The Bangladeshi suspect has been arrested since then and charged with kidnapping.

Due to marks on her neck, the forensic examiner is looking into the possibility that she was strangled. Police have identified the body, and her family, her mother, and her partner are expected to formally confirm the same.

The Bangladeshi man, who was the last person the victim encountered before going missing, remains the prime suspect in the murder investigation, which is focused on finding the assailant. DNA found in his residence has been matched to the victim.

Security footage showed her visiting his house with the culprit that fatal evening but not leaving it. Authorities believed that in order to avoid being recorded on CCTV camera, he removed the deceased’s body from the back door that opened onto the fields. He had also bought a ticket to exit the country. Officers searched his residence and recovered two knives, a flight ticket to Italy purchased after Anastasia disappeared, and a yellow jumper with stains and blonde hair.

The police are conducting inquiries into his Pakistani flatmate as well. Police suspected the latter was lying when he claimed that nothing of the sort ever occurred.

A man who works as a security guard spotted her mobile at about noon on Saturday at an abandoned building in Marmari. The SIM card had been taken out of the cell phone, according to the officials.

Anastasia-Patricia Rubinska attended a party on the island of Kos on June 12. She was last seen on Monday night in a little store in the Marmari neighbourhood. According to reports, she met with a group of males from Pakistan and Bangladesh while inebriated.

Later, she called her 28-year-old Polish boyfriend, confessing to having consumed too much alcohol. She informed him that she will take a lift on a motorbike to meet him. The boyfriend notified the police of her disappearance after she failed to show up and mentioned that she went missing on June 12.

A missing person page on Facebook posted, “Anastasia was last seen on the island of Kos before 11 pm. Most likely, she got on a motorcycle with a man from Bangladesh. He was only supposed to give her a ride to meet her boyfriend. The last location of Anastasia’s phone showed a different place where she had arranged to meet her partner from Poland.”

She was seen entering a barbeque business to purchase food last Monday in one of the tapes that the police officials viewed. She went to the counter to place her order and make payment. She was carrying a bag of personal items on her back while dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts.

Chinese tourist alleges she was raped by Usham, a hotel staff at Ritz-Carlton resort in Maldives, accuses police and hotel authorities of inaction

OpIndia Staff
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Chinese tourist alleges she was raped by Usham, a hotel staff at Ritz-Carlton resort in Maldives, accuses police and hotel authorities of inaction

On June 18, Sunday, a Chinese national took to Twitter to share a harrowing incident she encountered during her stay at Maldives’ luxurious Ritz-Carlton resort. In her long Twitter thread, the 26-year-old Chinese tourist accused a resort staff named Usham of sexual assault. She also accused the resort management and the Maldivian police of hushing the matter and taking no coercive steps to investigate her case.

The victim also shared pictures of her assault, a photo of the accused, Usham and a copy of the complaint filed with the Maldivian police to substantiate her allegations.

The victim, a Chinese national currently pursuing her studies in Australia, in a long Twitter thread wrote that she had reached Maldives on the 6th of June and was scheduled to return to China on the 10th but she decided to extend her stay and checked into the Ritz Carlton Fari Island resort, unaware of the horror that would befall her.

Ritz-Carlton Fari Island Resort, owned by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company and a subsidiary of Marriott International, high-end resort known for its pristine beaches and world-class hospitality.

The Chinese tourist, however, revealed that the alleged perpetrator was not an outsider but an in-house butler of this lavish resort, assigned to assist the victim during her stay.

The victim recalled being assigned Usham as her butler soon after checking into the hotel. Usham assisted her in settling in and gave her the rundown of the hotel’s amenities once she checked into her room.

The victim added that the same day, she accidentally poured water on her phone, which resulted in her phone getting damaged. She said that she approached the front desk for assistance because she was worried and didn’t know how to contact her family. They sent Usham to assist her.

The victim recalled that Usham came to her room and offered her his phone. She inserted her sim card into Usham’s phone and spoke to her parents. Usham then sat on her bed and started making conversations with her, which at first were quite generic.

He asked things like ‘Why did you come alone, where do you live, etc,’ the girl recalled, adding that later he started asking her some personal questions like what she did last night and if she slept outside by the room pool. “And that’s when I realized he watched me. And I wanted to change the topic. He left the room for a brief moment and came back because my mother had sent a WeChat,” she wrote.

The victim said that this time while chatting with her again, Usham took a chewing gum in his mouth and asked her whether she would like to kiss him. The girl felt uncomfortable and told him that she did not like “physical contact.”

“And he was chatting with me again, asking questions. And he took a chewing gum and started chewing and asked me if I wanted to kiss, which left me numb. I was blank. I said no I don’t like physical contact. I took my computer and translated it to him in case he didn’t understand.”

The victim recalled in her subsequent tweet, how the resort staff tried to coerce her into having sex with her by saying “yoly no need to be ashamed sex is ok,” but when she resented he forced his tongue into her mouth.

The girl, here, recounted how Usham at first tried to mock her by asking her if she is gay since she was not showing interest in him. He also told her that he would be a gentleman while he continued to force himself on her. He then pushed the victim to the bed and began assaulting her.

“I was in my pyjams. He started forcing his tongue into my mouth and said I will be a gentleman. He then pushed me to bed and started removing his pants and he put his pen*s in my mouth twice. He then went ahead and touch me down in my pvt part and tried to intercource,” the girl recounted the horrific incident.

“I was forcing and trying to stop him but he wouldn’t. His tries to have sex with he was not working that’s when he stretched his fingers inside my pvt part. I then got up and ran and wrapped myself in a quilt. He then asked me if he can touch my breasts to cum. I refused,” the hapless victim added.

She then said that the accused ejaculated on her computer screen then used a towel kept in the bathroom to clean the screen and left saying, “you need time to open up” and that he would come back again.

The girl recalled how she managed to gather herself after the terrible incident and told the resort managers what had happened, but they showed up at her room and pretended that everything was normal. She urged the resort staff to call the police.

Further explaining how the resort management tried to cover up the crime, the victim said that the staff members told her that they would contact the police. Meanwhile, two staff members went to her room and confiscated her laptop and the towel, which had the accused’s semen smeared on it. She recounted telling the resort staff that those were important pieces of evidence and should be handed over to the police.

After some time, the police arrived at the crime scene and recorded her statement. The victim added that the police took the sample of her mouth and told her that it would take a week to get the result. They told her that she should leave Maldives before the results come. The police, also trying to hush the matter, further told the victim that they had no reason to arrest the accused at that point.

The victim added that she went ahead and did a medical examination as well. “I had bruises all over my body,” the victim wrote, lamenting how the Maldivian police did nothing more than ignore the obvious evidence.

“I was then asked to leave the hotel at the earliest. And that it’s a case between police and Usham and nothing ti do with the hotel. And that they can no longer arrange my accommodation. I left the hotel and there wasn’t even an apology,” she bemoaned.

The victim concluded her long Twitter thread by lambasting the Ritz-Carlton management which, she revealed, accused her of concocting the story for a free stay.

“you only train your housekeepers to ask for tip @RitzCarlton I was raped in your hotel and you did nothing. You told me I did this to get a free stay. I paid the full amount to the hotel. I’m a chines living in Australia my family is well reputed and rich,” the Chinese student wrote, as she concluded her post with pictures of her assault.

Local media reported the Maldivian police as saying that they have launched an investigation into the accusations. They confirmed that they have collected the necessary samples required for the investigation. The police further said that no arrests have yet been made in relation to the case.

The Chinese national, meanwhile, in undergoing treatment at the Health Center in Thulusdhoo island of Kaafu Atoll in Maldives.

After his Gaumutra jibes earlier, Uddhav Thackeray now follows Western propaganda by equating Nazi Hakenkreuz to Swastika

OpIndia Staff
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After his Gaumutra jibes earlier, Uddhav Thackeray now follows Western propaganda by equating Nazi Hakenkreuz to Swastika

On Sunday, June 18, Shiv Sena (Uddhav camp) chief and former Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray launched a fresh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. While addressing a conclave of his party leadership a day before Shiv Sena foundation day, Thackeray criticised the PM and HM. However, during his speech, Thackeray also backed Western propaganda and equated the Nazi Hakenkreuz to the Hindu Swastika.

Thackeray equated PM Modi to Hitler and claimed that his rule pushed the country towards dictatorship in the same way Adolf Hitler pushed Germany in the 1930s. Equating BJP to Hitler’s Nazi party, Thackeray said, “Our ruling party is acting in the same way as Hitler’s party [the Nazi party]… It is silencing all Opposition, unleashing Central agencies on them, seizing control of the media. Remember, Hitler’s symbol too was the Swastika.” He claimed that the “authoritarian” rule of the PM and the BJP was threatening to “split the country into pieces”.

He criticised the PM and HM over Manipur violence and attacked the scheduled US visit of the PM while violence is still persistent in Manipur; he said, “If you [PM Modi] want to show your strength, then first go to Manipur and try and get things under control… No one even cares about Amit Shah there, such is the fury of the locals at the moment. PM Modi is willing to go to America and advise but cannot visit Manipur. He brags about allegedly stopping the Russia-Ukraine war, but I want to see if he can calm Manipur down.”

Pointing out his intentions to attend the opposition parties’ meeting on June 23, he said, “We are not merely Opposition parties who are getting together just to oust the BJP at the Centre. We are patriots who seek to protect our country’s freedom and save democracy.”

Hakenkreuz is not Swastika

Thackeray, who claims to be a devout Hindu and speaks volumes on Hindutva, followed the same template that the West followed by claiming Swastika was the symbol used by Nazis. However, in reality, it was Hakenkreuz, or the Hooked Cross, that the Nazis used, which is a Christian symbol. It is worth mentioning that this is the tactic used by Hindumisic propagandists who intentionally link ‘Swastika’ to the Nazi Hakenkreuz (hooked cross) in order to indicate that Hindus draw their inspiration from Nazis.

In fact, it has been debunked several times that Hakenkreuz and Swastikas are very different. Hindus and Hindu leaders worldwide are working hard to change the perception people have created towards Swastika. Interestingly, there is documented evidence that Adolf Hitler never used the word Swastika in his autobiography ‘Mein Kampf’ but used Hakenkreuz. However, when it was translated from German to English, the translator used Swastika, which has been propagated ever since.

Uddhav Thackeray’s history of using Gaumutra jibes

This is not the first time that the CM of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray, has used anti-Hindu jibes while attacking his political opponents of BJP and RSS. He habitually uses Gaumutra jibes to attack both BJP and RSS. In April 2023, he said, “Every time I am accused of going with the Congress and leaving Hindutva, is there no Hindu in the Congress? There (RSS-BJP) Hindutva is Gaumutradhari Hindutva.” Irked by the reports that Gaumutra was sprinkled in Sambhajinagar, where MVA conducted a public meeting, he said, “They recently sprinkled cow urine at the place in Sambhajinagar where we conducted our public meeting. They should have drunk some cow urine; they would have become wiser; our Hindutva is about nationalism.”

In March 2023, Thackeray said, “Did our country get freedom by sprinkling cow urine? Did it happen that cow urine was sprinkled, and we got freedom? It was not so. The freedom fighters had made sacrifices, and then we got freedom.”

The cow urine jibe

Cow urine jibe is one of the most popular to abuse Hindus and Indians. Sadly, this was not the first time Uddhav used the cow urine jibe. In October 2020, he attacked BJP with crass, Hinduphobic references to Gaumutra (cow urine) and gobar (cow dung). The Shiv Sena supremo made derogatory remarks while addressing the annual Shiv Sena Dusshera Mela.

Not to forget, in 2019, a Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Muhammad terrorist in a suicide attack, killed as many as 40 CRPF soldiers in Pulwama, Kashmir. Following the attack, a video was released in which the terrorist could be heard saying he wanted to punish and kill the ‘cow urine drinkers’ in the name of Allah. The terrorist, identified as Adil Ahmed Dar alias Waqas was seen admitting that he had joined the Jaish-e-Mohammad a year ago. In the video, he referred to Indians as “Gae ka Peshab Peene Wale” (People who drink cow urine).

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