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Children, disabled and the elderly: The most vulnerable victims of stray dog attacks

Anurag
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Children, disabled and the elderly: The most vulnerable victims of stray dog attacks

In 2024 alone, there were over 37 lakh cases of dog bites reported in India. The real numbers remain unknown as not all dog bite cases are reported. According to reports, around 20% of all bite victims were children. Studies have confirmed that children bear a disproportionate share of the burden of dog bite cases in India. An analysis estimates the number could even be double, at 40%, in rabies-endemic areas. Children are not the only ones who face the danger every day. The elderly, disabled, maids, daily wage workers and delivery partners are among the most affected.

Children often fall victim

On 18th July, a pack of street dogs mauled four-year-old Nithin to death at Rupla Thanda in Shivvampet Mandal of Telangana. The boy was on his way home after buying biscuits from a general store when the dogs attacked him. Nithin sustained serious injuries. Passers-by rescued him and his parents rushed the critically injured child to the government hospital in Narsapur, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Nithin did not die of rabies. He died of the dog bites he sustained during the attack, and this is not an isolated incident. There have been many cases where children have been mauled to death by packs of dogs, and in some cases, even pet dogs have killed children on streets without any provocation.

In May this year, a 4-month-old baby was attacked by a pet Rottweiler in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Dog lovers often claim that dog attacks are the result of prolonged abuse and attacks by humans. They should explain how a pet dog was attacked and abused by a 4-month-old toddler.

According to media reports, the maternal aunt of the baby girl took her out into the common garden of the housing society. At the same time, the owner of the Rottweiler was out with the dog while talking on the phone. The dog got aggressive for no reason and attacked the infant. The aunt and the infant were just sitting near the garden with others when the attack happened. It took seconds for the aggressive dog to maul the infant, who succumbed to injuries later in the hospital. The aunt also sustained serious injuries. Reportedly, the toddler sustained deep injuries on the neck and skull. How is this attack justified? How are the dog lovers, animal activists, judiciary and lawmakers going to justify allowing such breeds in the country?

Coming back to stray dogs, they commonly attack unsupervised children at play or when they are alone on the streets. Children’s smaller stature and curiosity make them easy targets. There are hundreds of reports where dogs have attacked school-age children. Children often become easy targets in different scenarios. For example, if children are playing near uncollected garbage that is frequently surrounded by hungry packs, dogs are going to attack the children one day or another.

To stop stray dog attacks on children, in July 2024, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs advised schools and parks to implement National Commission for Protection of Child Rights guidelines aimed at preventing attacks on children. However, despite the guidelines, the ground reality is in complete contrast, and child casualties continue to mount.

Disabled people face heightened risk

People with disabilities, especially sensory impairments, are extremely vulnerable to stray dog attacks. Mobility or vision limitations make it next to impossible for them to detect and avoid nearby dogs, and everyday aids can unintentionally provoke the stray dogs. For example, a visually impaired person uses a cane to walk, which can easily aggravate a pack of stray dogs, leading to an attack.

Persons with disabilities are far more prone to attacks, injuries and death by stray dogs as they are often unable to see, hear or avoid being attacked. On campuses and in markets, persons with disabilities may stumble over resting dogs, leading to an attack. For example, a first-year law student with 65% cerebral palsy in Odisha was chased repeatedly by packs of strays inside college grounds, which caused severe anxiety and health issues. In another case, an 11-year-old boy with a speech impairment from Kerala was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs and he could not cry out for help.

Notably, these dangers have not gone unnoticed. The Odisha High Court in 2024 upheld the fundamental right of disabled persons and ordered to remove the dogs from the law college premises. Activists working for the rights of disabled persons have argued that current no-kill dog policies that mandate the return of sterilised dogs to the street violate disability rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

In 2024, a PIL noted that India’s Animal Birth Control rules did not address the special danger faced by disabled people in public spaces. In short, lack of sight, sound or quick reflexes leaves many disabled individuals virtually defenceless against stray dogs. Delhi High Court, while hearing the PIL, noted, “The city has been taken over; nowhere in the world will you find a whole city taken over by dogs and monkeys. Today it is impossible to walk on the main streets.”

A practical solution for such issues would be designated no-dog zones, especially around schools for the blind, and legal liability for dog feeders. However, it appears that for dog lovers, dog feeders and animal activists, persons with disabilities virtually do not exist, as they keep on pushing for letting the stray dogs have the first right on the streets, and not humans.

Elderly people are also vulnerable

Frailer limbs, slower reflexes and a vulnerable state of mind make older adults easy targets of stray dogs. Multiple news reports have described how easily such individuals become a target. In Pune, an 88-year-old woman was bedridden after she was bitten multiple times by a stray dog that wandered into her home. In Aligarh, a pack of six stray dogs mauled an elderly man to death in a university park. The severity of these incidents is striking. In the Pune case, the woman was bitten on the face and hands.

Why are older people at risk? Many elderly individuals live alone or are cared for outdoors, for example, doing domestic work or walking for exercise. They may not notice a dog approaching and once they are on the ground, it is virtually impossible for them to scramble away. Even a non-fatal attack can leave an older person with serious injuries or trauma.

Older bite victims also run a higher risk of complications, including infection, as they may have other health conditions and are less likely to access immediate care, especially if they are living alone. The pattern is clear, stray dog packs tend to prey on the least mobile and least able to fend off an attack.

Despite clear precedent allowing removal of dangerous dogs under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the current ABC Rules make it practically impossible to permanently remove even repeat-offender dogs. Speaking to OpIndia, legal activist Muralidharan Shivalingam notes, “Nowhere do the Rules say dogs can’t be removed or euthanised. But that’s how they’re enforced, thanks to decades of misinformation and pressure tactics by powerful lobbies.”

Poor and working-class victims

A significant majority of bite victims are from economically weaker backgrounds. Daily wage earners, delivery workers, sanitation staff and house helps often fall victim to stray dog, as well as pet dog attacks. For instance, a Swiggy agent in Hyderabad died after leaping from a building to escape an aggressive dog that belonged to a customer. In Raipur, pit bulls mauled a delivery rider at a customer’s house. Rickshaw pullers, vendors and sanitation workers frequently report bites, but often avoid hospitals due to wage loss or unaffordability of vaccines.

Another activist, Ryan Lobo, spoke to OpIndia and cited a WHO-supported study from 2004 that estimates that over 75% of dog bite victims in India are from poor or marginalised communities. Yet, ironically, it is these very communities who are the least represented in the courtrooms or policymaking bodies defending the “rights” of stray dogs. Not to forget, a 4-month-old child was eaten by a stray dog while the child’s parents were working at a construction site nearby.

A policy designed for paralysis

Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, originally notified in 2001 and updated in 2023, mandate that stray dogs must be captured, sterilised, vaccinated and released in the same area. This policy, activists have argued, is fundamentally flawed.

The ABC Rules are subordinate legislation under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. However, as Ryan explains, “They are written through the lens of animal rights, not animal welfare. Globally, dog control is focused on ownership and accountability. In India, we have made street dogs a state-maintained hazard.”

Moreover, governments, both central and local, are spending crores on implementation of ABC Rules, but the number of strays remains unchecked. There are over 7 crore stray dogs in India, a number that should be more than enough to shake the lawmakers, but nothing is happening, thanks to the ABC Rules. Even in areas with high sterilisation coverage, new dogs quickly migrate in, filling the void. Feeding zones mandated under ABC further encourage this cycle.

Health threats beyond rabies

While rabies garners the most attention, fatal and life-altering outcomes from the sheer violence of dog bites and mauling incidents, without any rabies infection, are disturbingly common and deserve equal concern. Leptospirosis, campylobacter and other zoonotic diseases linked to dog faeces spike during monsoons. Contaminated water systems, open defecation by dogs and lack of routine veterinary screening contribute to these outbreaks. As Ryan points out, “Swachh Bharat succeeded in curbing human open defecation. But disease burdens haven’t reduced, because dog faeces in urban areas remains unchecked.”

Legal confusion, activist pressure and foreign funding

It has been made clear by the judiciary that stray dog management is a state subject. The governments are free to take decisions to protect human life. However, local bodies often hesitate, fearing litigation. Many NGOs file PILs within hours of any municipal action, armed with high-profile lawyers and backed by opaque foreign funds. In conversation with OpIndia, Muralidharan highlighted that ABC Rules were “written without jurisdiction”. Enforcement of these rules is based mostly on fear, not law.

Conclusion – Human rights must come first

India cannot claim to be a civilised, developing nation while it continues to allow its weakest citizens, children, the elderly, disabled and poor, to be regularly injured or killed by an unmanaged stray dog population. No law or rule justifies this breakdown of the state’s duty to protect.

Vaccinating and sterilising dogs is not enough if dangerous ones are allowed to remain on the streets. True animal welfare must walk hand-in-hand with public safety. And as Ryan bluntly noted, “A sterilised dog can still kill.”

It is time for India to course-correct, legally, morally and medically.

India-Maldives relations return to normalcy after a year of turbulence as PM Modi to visit the island nation next week, signals loosening of China’s grip on another country

Shriti Sagar
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India-Maldives relations return to normalcy after a year of turbulence as PM Modi to visit the island nation next week, signals loosening of China’s grip on another country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make his way to the Maldives from 25th to 26th July, in what is considered a major attempt to restore and strengthen connections with India’s sea-faring neighbour. It will be his third visit to the Maldives, and more importantly, the first official visit from any Head of State or Government to the country since the assumption of office by Dr. Mohamed Muizzu as President.

PM Modi will first visit the United Kingdom from 23rd to 24th July, at the invitation of UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. During his fourth visit to the UK, PM Modi will engage in extensive talks with Starmer on all aspects of India-UK relations, such as trade, technology, education, defence, and climate change. Modi will also be calling on King Charles III.

But the spotlight is clearly on the his second visit in the coming week, the Maldives visit from the 25th to the 26th of July. The trip comes at a delicate but important moment for India-Maldives ties, especially after the ups and downs of the past year.

First high-level visit after a year of strain

Modi’s visit to the Maldives will be symbolic and strategic. He has been invited as the ‘Guest of Honour’ at the 60th Independence Day celebrations of the Maldives on 26th July, 2025. This is not just an official visit; it carries a deeper diplomatic message.

India-Maldives relations have been in a troubled period since November 2023, when President Mohamed Muizzu assumed office. Muizzu had backed the “India Out” movement, a political movement that pushed for the evacuation of Indian troops from the island republic, during his campaign for the presidency. This movement gathered momentum and created tension between India and the Maldives.

Things got worse in early 2024 when two ministers from Muizzu’s cabinet made insulting remarks about Prime Minister Modi on social media. These posts were in reaction to Modi’s promotional campaign for tourism in Lakshadweep. Many interpreted it as a move to project Indian islands as an alternative to the Maldives. In reaction, many Indian social media users launched the “Boycott Maldives” campaign. Indian tourist arrivals, a chief source of revenue for the Maldives, fell suddenly. 

But both sides also attempted to de-escalate tensions. India offered to substitute its military personnel stationed for managing aircraft operations with civilian engineers. New Delhi also granted a currency swap facility and raised the financial assistance extended to the Maldives in the budget 2025, providing ₹600 crore, a major increase from the ₹470 crore provided in 2024–25.

Muizzu’s attempt to rebuild ties

Maldives President Muizzu himself, who ran an anti-India campaign before his election, came to make a move to re-establish ties with India. Both ministers who had previously made anti-India remarks resigned in September 2024, when Muizzu was set to embark on an official visit to India. Although officially cited as due to “personal reasons,” their resignations came at a time that raised eyebrows and suggested a shift in diplomatic strategy.

On 9th June, 2024, Muizzu travelled to India for the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi, among other leaders from neighbouring and Indian Ocean countries. Upon returning, Muizzu termed the visit a “success” and declared he was “delighted” with the invitation. He has since indicated his readiness to enhance relations with India, even going so far as to declare that he would be visiting India “very soon” for bilateral talks.

From China’s embrace to balanced diplomacy

After assuming power, Muizzu’s presidency was seen as heavily inclined towards China. His first official overseas visit was to China in January 2024, during which he signed 20 significant agreements with Beijing, including those on military and financial cooperation. This was a marked change from the usual practice of new Maldivian presidents visiting India first.

The Maldives’ ties with China over the last decade have strengthened, particularly under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Since it entered the BRI in 2014, the Maldives has taken on approximately $1.4 billion from Chinese banks, almost 20% of its overall public debt. Beijing has also financed gigantic infrastructure projects such as the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, costing $200 million.

The upgraded relationship also offers potential benefits to China. The Maldives sits along one of the busiest maritime trade passages in the Indian Ocean, through which nearly 80 per cent of Chinese oil imports flow. Analysts say Beijing wants Malé to remain a friendly regional military presence to help safeguard its access to oil from the Persian Gulf. 

But this increasing proximity was not without concerns. People observed that China was attempting to establish clout in the Indian Ocean via countries such as the Maldives and Sri Lanka, possibly threatening India’s strong position in the region. The Maldives’ strategic position close to major international shipping lanes makes the country geopolitically desirable for nations such as China.

But all that seems to be changing. Maldives and Sri Lanka are starting to resent Chinese loans. With a struggling economy and debt crisis, the Maldives now seems keen to rebalance its foreign policy, and that means aligning itself with India again.

India and Maldives: A historic partnership

India and the Maldives have a long relationship that goes back to 1965 when the island nation became independent from British domination. Throughout the decades, India has been a first responder whenever there was an emergency in the Maldives, it was the “Operation Cactus” of 1988, the tsunami in 2004, or the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to defence ties, India has funded various infrastructure, health, and education projects in the archipelago. On 18th May, 2025, the two nations signed 13 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to enhance ship operations in the Maldives under a ₹100 crore grant. Foreign Minister of Maldives, Abdulla Khaleel, stated at the time that India’s assistance has always been “purposeful, meaningful, and aligned with the needs of the Maldivian people.”

Maldives is a priority partner in India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, and its Vision MAHASAGAR (Maritime Association for Holistic Advancement in the South Asian Growth and Resilience) to boost regional stability and connectivity.

A strategic reset in the Indian Ocean

The importance of Modi’s Maldives visit lies in the broader regional picture. It is not just about resetting bilateral ties, it’s about reasserting India’s role in the Indian Ocean at a time when China’s presence is growing.

China had made strong inroads in the Maldives in recent years, but with the current diplomatic moves and economic dependencies, Maldives appears to be moving back towards India. Modi’s presence at the Independence Day celebrations is not just symbolic; it is a sign that India’s soft diplomacy and neighbourhood engagement are paying off.

In an era when most nations are reconsidering their excessive reliance on China, whether Sri Lanka re-negotiating loans or Maldives too appears to be striking its balance. In re-engaging with India, Male is looking for economic security as well as diplomatic safety.

The Maldives had seemed to be drifting away from India under the burden of anti-India polemics and expanding Chinese presence. But recent developments ranging from the resignation of anti-India ministers to increased Indian assistance and top-level visits indicate a reversal of that trend.

PM Modi’s upcoming visit is more than a diplomatic engagement; it’s a statement. It underscores the historical ties, cultural affinity, economic interdependence, and strategic importance of India-Maldives relations. And with the challenges of Chinese debt and a tourism-driven economy at stake, the Maldives now seems ready to walk a middle path, one that leans once again towards India.

‘Cases of Love Jihad are a potential threat to national integrity’: Says Haryana court while convicting Shahbaj for sexually assaulting minor Hindu girl

OpIndia Staff
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‘Cases of Love Jihad are a potential threat to national integrity’: Says Haryana court while convicting Shahbaj for sexually assaulting minor Hindu girl

A court in Jagadhari city in the Yamunanagar district of Haryana, convicted a Muslim man, Shahbaj, on 17th July for sexually assaulting and intimidating a minor Hindu girl to force her into a relationship with a Muslim juvenile. The court described the case as “Love Jihad” and sentenced the accused to a 7-year jail term along with a ₹ 1 lakh fine.

The court observed that such cases were a potential threat to the country’s sovereignty and integrity. Acknowledging that Love Jihad is not an offence under the BNS, additional sessions Ranjana Aggarwal described it as a “purported campaign by Muslim men to convert non-Muslim women to Islam by pretending to be in love”.

The case came to light in November 2024, when the 14-year-old Hindu girl’s father filed a complaint at City Yamunanagar police station naming 35-year-old Shahbaj and a juvenile as accused. The complaint stated that the juvenile used to stalk the girl on her way to school, and Shahbaj forced her to befriend the juvenile.

An FIR was registered under sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the BNS and sections 17 (abetment), 8 (sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment of a child) under the POCSO Act.

While convicting and sentencing the accused, the judge noted that Shahbaj systematically tries to force an interfaith relationship on the victim through “allurement and inducement”. The judge granted Shahbaj a four-year sentence under section 8 and a one-year sentence under section 12 of the POCSO Act and a two-year sentence under section 351(2) of the BNS. The sentences will run consecutively.

Cases of Love Jihad have been on a rise across the country. Recently, two massive Islamic conversion rackets were busted by the Uttar Pradesh police in Balrampur and Agra, in which Muslim men were being funded to lure and coerce young Hindu women to convert to Islam. Investigation into the rackets revealed foreign funding. Several individuals connected with the rackets, including a kingpin of the Balrampur conversion racket, Jalaluddin alias Chhangur Baba, were arrested by the police. A multi-agency probe is being conducted in the cases involving the Anti-Terrorist Squad and the Enforcement Directorate.

SIT arrests YSRCP MP, who happens to be a close aide of Jagan Mohan Reddy: Read about his role in the ₹ 3,200-crore liquor scam in Andhra Pradesh

OpIndia Staff
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SIT arrests YSRCP MP, who happens to be a close aide of Jagan Mohan Reddy: Read about his role in the ₹ 3,200-crore liquor scam in Andhra Pradesh

In a major blow to Jagan Mohan Reddy’s YSRCP, the Andhra Pradesh Police SIT arrested the party’s Lok Sabha MP PV Midhun Reddy in connection with a ₹3,200-crore liquor scam on Saturday (19th July) night.

As per reports, the SIT questioned Midhun Reddy for many hours before arresting him in Vijayawada. The path for his arrest was cleared after his anticipatory bail pleas were rejected by the Andhra Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court, with the latter rejecting the plea on Friday.

PV Midhun Reddy, who is said to be a close aide of former Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, has been termed by the SIT as a “core conspirator” in the liquor scam that happened during the previous YSRCP regime. He is accused of influencing the officials of the Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Limited (ABPSCL).

An FIR has been lodged by the state’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, at the CID office in Mangalgiri. Midhun has been named as the fourth accused (A4) in the FIR. Several other accused in the case have been arrested by the police, including Raj Kesireddy (alias Kesireddy Rajashekar Reddy), advisor to then Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Krishna Mohan Reddy, former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the former CM (2019-2024), Dhanunjay Reddy, a former IAS officer and who was secretary to Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy, former MLA, and Balaji Govindappa, director of Bharati Cements.

On Saturday, the SIT filed a preliminary chargesheet of more than 300 pages in a Vijayawada court. Around 268 witnesses have been questioned by the SIT in connection with the scam so far, and ₹62 crore have been seized. 74 hard drives, a laptop and over 1000 documents have so far been seized during the investigation. A second charge sheet is likely to be filed by the SIT in the coming days.

What is the Liquor Scam

Before the 2019 Assembly elections, Jagan Mohan Reddy promised to prohibit liquor in Andhra Pradesh in a phased manner. After coming to power in October 2019, his government introduced a new liquor policy, claiming that it was in line with Jagan Mohan Reddy’s promise. Under the new policy, the government took over around 3,500 liquor shops in the state, reduced their timings and increased liquor prices. Furthermore, it handed over the entire liquor business to the state-owned APSBCL.

After the TDP-led coalition government came to power in the state, it ordered an investigation into the liquor policy rolled out by the YSRCP. The investigation conducted by the CID revealed that the liquor procurement processes were manipulated under the liquor policy in favour of certain brands, causing wrongful gains worth ₹3,200 crore and significant losses to the state exchequer. Senior YSRCP leaders, several bureaucrats and some shell companies have been named in the scam.

The investigation uncovered an intricate network of officials who allegedly bypassed the automated order for supply (OFS) systems and opted for manual processes to favour certain suppliers. Besides, the OFSs were issued to select suppliers in exchange for kickbacks. The C-Tel software, which was designed to ensure secure and automated issuance of OFS, was allegedly disabled in October 2019, which paved the way for discretionary allocation of liquor orders.  

A Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) was also set up under the Prohibition and Excise Department to put a check on the smuggling of liquor and illicit distillation. However, it proved to be ineffective as increased liquor prices led to large-scale smuggling of liquor from the neighbouring states of Telangana and Karnataka. Gradually, the APSBCL switched from digital transactions to cash transactions at all retail outlets, claiming that digital transactions were not suitable for the liquor business and that cash payments were more transparent. 

Subsequently, a 5-member committee of the APSBCL was formed based on a complaint filed by a man named Yeedi Venkateswara Rao Srinivas. The committee submitted the Report on Liquor Procurement and Market Manipulation (2019-2024), claiming that the YSRCP regime was involved in “unfair discrimination” wherein it favoured certain liquor brands over others, leading to the disappearance of some brands. The report revealed that procurement systems were rigged in favour of certain brands.

In September 2024, Principal Secretary for Revenue (Excise) Mukesh Kumar Meena filed a complaint with the CID based on the report. In February 2025, an SIT was formed, headed by Vijayawada Commissioner of Police SV Raja Sekhara Babu, to investigate the corruption allegations against the YSRCP government. 

Telangana: BRS govt tapped phones of more than 600 people, including Opposition politicians, before 2023 Vidhan Sabha election

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana: BRS govt tapped phones of more than 600 people, including Opposition politicians, before 2023 Vidhan Sabha election

During the run-up to the 2023 Assembly elections, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has found that the Special Operations Team (SOT) of Telangana’s Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) has tapped the phones of at least 600 individuals. Many of them belong to political leaders from the opposition.

According to Indian Express sources, the tapping took place from 16th November to 30th November, 2023, the day the Assembly elections were held in the state. “While the tapping, according to confessions and investigation into the case, allegedly started in 2018-19, we have evidence that proves that for 15 days before the state assembly elections, at least 600 individuals were placed under surveillance without cause,” a top-ranked police officer told the Indian Express.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Mahesh Kumar Goud and BJP leader and Union Minister for State Bandi Sanjay Kumar have been summoned by the Hyderabad police to depose. It indicates that their phones may have been under surveillance.

In March 2024, allegations of phone tapping first surfaced when an ASP of SIB lodged an FIR against DSP Praneeth Rao at Hyderabad’s Punjagutta police station. He accused him of using illegal means to gather intelligence.

The Punjagutta police have named six accused in the case. The SIT is set to question former Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) chief T Prabhakar Rao, alongside Praneeth Rao, ASP M Thirupathanna and N Bhujanga Rao, former DCP T Radha Kishan Rao, and television channel owner N Shravan Kumar. The questioning will likely involve naming individuals whose phones were allegedly tapped.

The Supreme Court has granted Prabhakar Rao relief from arrest till August, while D Praneeth Rao, Bhujanga Rao, M Thirupathanna and T Radha Kishan Rao were arrested and later released on bail. N Shravan Kumar is currently lodged in Chanchalguda jail in a separate case. He, too, has been granted relief from arrest by the Supreme Court in the phone tapping case. The former SIB chief has been questioned several times, including the most recent one on 16th July.

According to sources, a major challenge for the investigators is that every six months, the SIB’s special operation team destroys surveillance records. “The SIB’s job is to investigate left-wing extremism. They only keep surveillance on people linked to the Maoists. In this case, the SIB is accused of keeping surveillance on unconnected individuals for political reasons as well,” the official said.

The surveillance was carried out by misusing Section 419(A) of the Indian Telegraph Rules. The Rules state: “No direction for the interception of any message or class of messages under sub-section (2) of section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 (hereinafter referred to as the said (Act)) shall be issued except under an order made by the Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Home Affairs in the case of the Government of India and by the Secretary to the State Government in charge of the Home Department in the case of a State Government”.

A legal expert of the Hyderabad police explained, “The rules, however, give a relaxation that in the case of emergency or unavoidable circumstances, such order may be made by an officer, not below the rank of a Joint Secretary to the Government of India, who has been duly authorised by the Union Home Secretary or the State Home Secretary”.

Kerala High Court prohibits use of AI tools by courts to issue orders or reach conclusions, warns action for violations

ANI
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Kerala High Court prohibits use of AI tools by courts to issue orders or reach conclusions, warns action for violations

The Kerala High Court on Sunday directed the courts not to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to issue orders.

The High Court has issued special guidelines in this regard for judicial officers and others.

The High Court has directed that cloud-based AI tools, such as ChatGPT, should not be used to issue orders, and action will be taken if these guidelines are violated. The guidelines also clarify that AI should not be used to reach conclusions or issue orders or judgments.

The High Court has directed that caution should be exercised, as there is a possibility of errors while using AI tools.

Proper training should be obtained in using AI tools. For this, one should attend a training program held at the Judicial Academy or the High Court. If AI tools are used, they should be approved only. There should be supervision at every stage of use.

The High Court has also clarified that if any anomaly is noticed in the approved AI tools, the IT department of the High Court should be informed. This is the first time that a High Court has issued such an instruction in the country.

Earlier on July 16, the Kerala High Court quashed the driving license exam reforms introduced by the State Transport Commissioner.

The move came after a petition was filed by driving schools, arguing that the new instructions were illogical, unilaterally imposed, and included vehicle bans.

The driving school owners argued that the norms announced were an encroachment on the jurisdiction of the Centre. Accepting this, the High Court single bench quashed the circular issued by the Transport Commissioner and the related orders.

The Kerala government may appeal the decision before a division bench.

The driving license exam reform included increasing the number of license exams to 30 per day and creating a new track, replacing the H Test with a new method.

The recommendations included that vehicles older than 15 years should not be used for tests, and vehicles with foot gears should not be used for two-wheeler license exams.

The announcement also prohibited automatic vehicles and electric cars from being used for the car license exam.

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

India’s shifting religious composition: Hindu population declines, Muslim and Christian shares rise in West Bengal and North-Eastern states

Shriti Sagar
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India’s shifting religious composition: Hindu population declines, Muslim and Christian shares rise in West Bengal and North-Eastern states

India has been a country with many kinds of religions. Most here practice Hinduism, but there are large communities who observe Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism and the tribal religions. The population by religion ratio has changed over time. Even though these changes might not be very prominent at the national level, they become extremely clear if we look closely at specific states and districts, especially in West Bengal, Assam, and the other North-eastern states.

The latest in-depth statistics we have available are those from the 2011 Census. It is more than a decade old now, but it continues to give us a solid idea of how the population mix changed between 2001 and 2011.

What changed between 2001 and 2011?

At the national level, the Hindu population came down slightly, from 80.46% in 2001 to 79.8% in 2011. But the Muslim population rose from 13.43% to 14.23%. Even Christians saw a marginal rise in their share. Although these numbers don’t look very large, if you take them district-wise, the story will be different.

The share of the Hindu population declined in 468 out of 640 districts of India. That is over 70% of the total districts. In 227 districts, the dip was even larger than the national average fall of 0.7%. The Muslim population increased in 513 districts, and the Christian population increased in 439 districts.

What is going on in West Bengal?

West Bengal has seen the Muslim population growing steadily and directly. In districts like Murshidabad, Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, and North and South 24 Parganas, the Muslim population grew at a higher rate than the Hindu population. For this reason, the Hindu share in these districts declined. Even the Hindu population declined by over 1% in some districts, much higher than the national average.

This growth isn’t merely evident in numbers. People who live in these regions have witnessed changes around them in the type of shops that open up, the sounds in the market, school holidays, and even in local politics. It’s the kind of change that builds up gradually, but once it reaches an extreme level, people take notice.

Assam’s border concerns

In Assam too, the share of Muslims increased in most districts, especially the ones which are adjacent to Bangladesh. Dhubri, Barpeta, Goalpara, and Morigaon districts all witnessed a massive increase in Muslim populations. Cross-border movement is thought by most people in Assam to be responsible for the phenomenon.

Though the Census does not ask about immigration or religious conversion directly, residents in Assam have been voicing opposition to illegal migration for years. Political parties, residents, and citizens regularly raise the issue. Demographic change has also been a major origin of the NRC (National Register of Citizens) and other verification campaigns across the state.

Christian population of the Northeast increases rapidly

There is a religious transformation taking place in Northeast India. States of Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh are experiencing a high rise in the Christian population. In fact, in 238 Indian districts, the Christian population increased by more than 50% between 2001 and 2011.

It has been most pronounced in tribal areas, where Christian missionaries have worked for decades. While some call it religious conversion, others call it a spin-off of education, healthcare centres, and welfare schemes by church organisations in far-off lands.

In such states, Christianity’s growth is now not seen as external; it has become indigenous. The majority of the tribal groups now declare themselves to be Christian and practice both their old ways and the new faith.

Economist and member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, Shamika Ravi, posted on social media a set of maps. They demonstrated how religious dynamics changed in India between 2001 and 2011. One map showed where the Hindu share declined the most, and another showed where the Muslim and Christian populations increased most.

The maps confirmed what residents in these areas had been sensing for years, intuitively, that their immediate population mix was changing.

Why are the changes happening?

There are several reasons why the religious makeup of these wards is changing.

The birth rate is the primary reason because muslims have recorded higher birth rates than Hindus, though this gap has started to narrow in the recent past.

Where Muslims or Christians existed already in significant numbers, their numbers grew more quickly. A slight difference in birth rates makes a big difference in the long term.

Migration and conversion, to which one can lay one of the causes in states like Assam and portions of the Northeast, religious conversion and cross-border migration also affect the indigenous population.

Interestingly, the steepest decline of Hindu share was in constituencies where Hindus were neither the overwhelming majority nor an infinitesimal minority, where the constituency was already a mix. Where Hindus were more than 90% or less than 20%, however, the switch wasn’t as steep. For the Muslims, growth was biggest where they were already in large numbers. And Christian growth was biggest where groups of tribes lived, especially in remote hilly tracts.

These are not sudden changes

It’s also important to mention that these changes didn’t take place overnight. They’ve been happening gradually for years. For example, between 1961 and 2011, the Muslim share of India’s population grew in each decade. Between 1961 and 1971, it rose by 0.5%, and between 1991 and 2001 by 0.8%, and again between 2001 and 2011 by 0.8%.

So the 2001-2011 transitions are not unexpected. They are part of a longer trend that has been accumulating over the last 50 years.

These data matter for a variety of reasons

These population changes matter for a variety of reasons. In a nation like India, where politics, identity, and communal life hinge so much on religion, even modest transitions can produce huge controversies.

In the West Bengal and Assam states, shifting demographics determine local politics, school education, festival management, and land disputes. In tribal areas, the process of converting to Christianity shapes the manner in which individuals identify themselves culturally.

Others are concerned that, if left unabated, the composition of the local population would completely change in a period of about two decades. Others view this as just part of natural expansion in an open nation.

No new information yet

The 2021 Census was expected to provide us with an estimate of such transitions, but it’s been delayed first due to COVID-19, and then due to administrative reasons. So, we are still stuck using 2011 data to get a sense of things.

Until the new data arrives, arguments regarding demographic transitions will have to go on based on old numbers, satellite studies, and surveys such as the one addressed here.

Diversity has been one of the major features of India from day one. But to maintain harmony in such a large and diverse society, monitoring the ways in which this diversity is changing is a must.

Between 2001 and 2011, we saw clear trends, the Hindu proportion of population declined in all districts except a few, while Muslim and Christian proportions increased, especially in West Bengal, Assam, and the Northeast. Transformations always have multiple causes, and these transformations are not new. But they are more visible today, especially in sensitive regions of population composition.

Indian cricket veterans withdraw from playing against Pakistan at World Championship of Legends, match called off: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Indian cricket veterans withdraw from playing against Pakistan at World Championship of Legends, match called off: Details

On Saturday (20th July), the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan cricket match of the World Championship of Legends (WCL) has been called off amid widespread outrage over the match.

According to reports, the decision follows the withdrawal of multiple Indian cricketers, including Harbhajan Singh, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, and the Pathan brothers (Yusuf and Irfan). There was massive outrage among the Indian public over the scheduling of the match in the aftermath of the Pakistan-sponsored Pahalgam terrorist attack.

WCL sponsor Easemytrip made a post on X saying, ” EaseMyTrip will not be associated with or participate in any WCL match involving Pakistan. We proudly continue to support the India Champions and stand firmly by our team. However, as a matter of principle, we do not support or promote any match that includes Pakistan. This position was communicated unambiguously to the WCL team from the beginning. EaseMyTrip supports Team India, but will not engage in any match featuring Pakistan”.

What is World Championship of Legends

The WCL is a cricket tournament that features famous retired international stars from various cricketing nations. It is sanctioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). The 2025 edition runs from 18th July to 2nd August across the four venues in the UK. The participating teams are from India, Pakistan, England, the West Indies, South Africa, and Australia. India is the defending champion, defeating Pakistan in the 2024 final.

Background: The Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor

On 22nd April 2025, in a cowardly act, several Pakistani terrorists invaded the Baisaran valley of Pahalgam. They brutally killed 26 Hindus based on their religion. The attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba.

On 7th May, in response, India launched Operation Sindoor, a fully-fledged cross-border anti terrorist operation, targeting and destroying multiple terror camps in Pakistan via missile strikes.

Why was the match cancelled

The match was cancelled after key Indian players refused to play against Pakistan. Shikhar Dhawan publicly shared an email dated 11th May, 2025, affirming his stance: “My country is everything; nothing is above the nation”

Apart from that, the tournament sponsor EaseMyTrip also declared it would boycott all matches involving Pakistan, emphasising its “Bharat First” policy.

In a viral social media post, Pakistani Captain Shahid Afridi made a derogatory remark on the Pahalgam terror attack. He told the local reporters in Pakistan, “The terrorists continued to kill people in Pahalgam for an hour, and not a single Indian soldier out of 8 lakh showed up. But when they did, they blamed Pakistan, India carries out terrorism itself, kills its own people, and then puts the blame on Pakistan”.

How the Balrampur conversion racket exposes the modus operandi of sexual harassment, blackmail, and a foreign-funded Islamist network in India

Anurag
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How the Balrampur conversion racket exposes the modus operandi of sexual harassment, blackmail, and a foreign-funded Islamist network in India

The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has busted a massive Islamic conversion racket operation running from Balrampur district. The racket was being run by a man named Jalaluddin who called himself Chhangur Baba. The racket is one of the largest Islamisation networks uncovered in recent Indian history involving over Rs 100 crores in foreign funding and was not limited to religious conversions. It included blackmail, sexual exploitation, land encroachment and links to criminal foreign intelligence syndicates.

Jalaluddin was running the racket along with his wife and other family members. He was arrested on 5th July from Gomti Nagar. His son, Mehboob, and close aides were arrested in April. He operated under the guise of a Sufi saint near Chand Auliya Dargah and even authored a religious book titled “Shijra-e-Tayyaba” to project himself as a spiritual leader. Interestingly, despite their conversion to Islam, the family maintained Hindu identities in official documents including passports and property records.

Several FIRs have been registered across multiple districts. Reportedly, his network lured at least 40 individuals, mostly Hindu girls, into Islam through coercion, deceit and sexual relationships. Muslim men were paid to take on Hindu identities, lure young Hindu women, and then marry them through nikah ceremonies arranged by Jalaluddin. Many of the victims of his network were minors. The incentive paid to Muslim men to lure Hindu girls was based on the caste of the victim. If the girl lured to convert to Islam was a Brahmin, Sikh, or Kshatriya, the incentive to be paid was Rs 15–16 lakh. Similarly, Rs 10–12 lakhs for OBCs and Rs 8–10 lakh for others.

The ATS recovered a diary that contained over 100 names marked as potential targets. Properties worth crores, showrooms, luxury cars and multiple foreign trips, specifically to Gulf countries, were revealed during the investigation, highlighting the extent of his illicit wealth. The ATS also found that he had travelled abroad over 40 times, while his close associate, Neetu (later converted to Nasreen), made 19 trips to the UAE between 2014 and 2019. However, discrepancies in travel and conversion certificates raised questions about document forgery.

A house of lies – Encroachment and blackmail

Jalaluddin’s Balrampur base was built on deception. The 3-bigha bungalow, which authorities demolished on 8th July, was an illegal structure registered under Nasreen’s name. It housed the converted Rohra family, Ghanshyam (now Jamaluddin), Neetu (Nasreen) and daughter Samale (Sabiha), who had earlier owned the property. The bungalow was not the only illegal property linked to Jalaluddin. A nearby college, hospital and madarsa built on Gram Samaj land were also bulldozed.

The extent of blackmail came to light through the account of a Hindu man named Sanchit who worked as a sweeper at Jalaluddin’s house. He was offered Rs 5 lakh, a house, and a motorcycle to convert. When he refused, he was threatened, falsely implicated in rape charges, and his wife jailed on fabricated grounds.

A network of front organisations and foreign accounts

The conversion racket was not based on ideology alone. It was fuelled by organised financial engineering. Jalaluddin created bogus entities like Aasvi Enterprises, Aasvi Charitable Trust, and Baba Tajuddin Aasvi Boutique to launder foreign funds. These funds were funnelled through at least 40 bank accounts that involved suspicious NEFT transactions and direct international transfers. He even deposited Rs 6 lakh from an Indian bank account into a foreign one.

One of his associates, Idul Islam from Pune, helped in expanding the network in Maharashtra. The ATS identified a Rs 16 crore property in Lonavala registered under an associate, which revealed the scale of interstate operations.

CM Yogi and law enforcement respond

Following the revelation of the racket, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, issued a strong statement. He assured that every illegal asset would be confiscated and the guilty would be punished as per the law. He promised “exemplary punishment”, especially for those who endangered women’s safety and disturbed societal harmony.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has now registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and joined the ATS and STF in a coordinated multi-agency investigation. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) may soon follow suit.

The deeper malaise – A sample of Islamist nexus in India

The Balrampur racket is not an isolated incident. It is merely a sample of the Islamist conversion nexus operating in India. The model used by Jalaluddin is similar to other known cases, including the infamous Beawar Muslim gang in Rajasthan. Both cases involved the targeting of school-going Hindu girls, caste-based conversion incentives, fake Hindu identities, sexual exploitation, and conversion through deceit.

Further investigations into the network have revealed Jalaluddin’s ties to international Islamist groups, including Saudi Arabia Islamic Development Bank, Dawat-e-Islam, Muslim World League, and the Islamic Union of Nepal. He even collaborated with Christian missionary groups operating along the India-Nepal border, reportedly paying them for data on vulnerable Hindu families. This inter-religious collaboration aimed solely at religious conversion highlights a disturbing new trend.

Reports have revealed that Jalaluddin has links with Pakistan’s ISI, identifying him as part of Mission Aabaad. It is a systematic plan to alter India’s demography through conversion. The presence of caste-based pricing, foreign funding, links to gangsters like Mukhtar Ansari, and document forgery all point to a powerful and well-connected syndicate.

The nexus is not just religious, it is criminal, financial, and political. From benami land deals and forged identity documents to mafia ties and encroachments, it reveals how these networks quietly embed themselves in society and operate with impunity. The complicity or negligence of local authorities allowed this racket to thrive for nearly 15 years.

While bulldozers have razed illegal structures, police have arrested several key accused, and agencies like ED and ATS are tracing the flow of foreign money, it is now clear that India now stares at an uncomfortable reality. Religious conversions have become a multi-crore industry. It is fuelled by international funds, caste-based targeting, sexual blackmail and deep ideological penetration.

The Balrampur conversion racket is not just a case of forced religious change but a chilling exposé of how Islamist syndicates operate in India. From grooming and sexual exploitation of minors to caste-based pricing for conversions, the racket reveals a structured pattern of harassment and blackmail. Backed by Rs 100 crore in foreign funding and aided by forged identities, bogus trusts, and missionary data, the operation reflects a well-oiled machinery designed to alter India’s demography. This case demonstrates how such networks exploit vulnerable populations while evading authorities, reinforcing the need to dismantle every arm of this deep-rooted Islamist nexus.

Implications for national security and communal harmony

As the probe into Jalaluddin’s network gets intense, the inclusion of terrorism-related charges cannot be ruled out. It is clear that there is a connection to foreign intelligence and funding. The evident demographic agenda has made it a serious national security concern. The Balrampur case has reaffirmed that there is a need for strict scrutiny of foreign-funded NGOs, religious trusts, and educational institutions that operate without accountability.

Furthermore, there is a need for cultural introspection. Why are India’s vulnerable communities repeatedly targeted and coerced into leaving their faith? And why have successive governments ignored this pacing undercurrent?

Jalaluddin’s downfall must serve as a warning bell and it has to be understood that this is not the last nexus busted in India. Without structural reform, stronger legislation, and vigilant enforcement, more “Chhangur Babas” will rise while hiding behind saffron names. They will construct illegal empires under the noses of administration, slowly chipping away at India’s social fabric. The conversion racket in Balrampur is no anomaly, it is a blueprint. And it is time the nation took notice.

Aligarh Muslim University: Hindu employee narrates how he is being mocked for wearing tilak, accuses officer Sameer of harassment and religious discrimination

OpIndia Staff
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Aligarh Muslim University: Hindu employee narrates how he is being mocked for wearing tilak, accuses officer Sameer of harassment and religious discrimination

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Uttar Pradesh, which often makes headlines for all the wrong reasons, is in the news once again. A Hindu employee at AMU’s Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College has raised the issue of religious discrimination on the university campus.

Ashish Sharma, employed at the purchase section of the college, has accused Assistant Finance Officer Sameer Mursil Khan of harassing him based on his religion. Sharma said that Khan has been harassing him for the past year. He said that Khan taunts him for wearing a Tilak, which is a Hindu religious symbol.

“For over a year now, Sameer Mursil Khan, the Assistant Finance Officer, has been repeatedly harassing me. Sometimes he says, ‘Go back,’ or asks, ‘Who is this tilak-wearing person?’ He even says the tilak is getting bigger day by day. He interferes in our office matters even when I have no orders. He sits and interrupts, telling suppliers what to do when I have no authority over orders,” Sharma told the media on Saturday (19th July).

The victim said that Khan has been threatening him and said, “You do not know about my background. Don’t take me lightly. My father has served as president here.” He said that whenever he goes to Khan’s office to hand over a parcel, he is not allowed to enter. Sharma said that he is fearing for his life because of Khan’s threats. His family are also scared and asking him to leave the job.

Sharma said that he has a right to practice his religion and therefore he has filed a complaint with the university authorities, including the Vice-Chancellor and the Registrar, regarding the harassment and religious discrimination by Khan. He said that, if needed, he would approach the local member of Parliament.

Ashish Sharma has been working at the college for seven years. He said that due to religious discrimination, he has not received his overdue salary appraisal and promotion and unfair restrictions are imposed on him.

Some college student leaders have expressed support for Sharma. AMU Proctor, Professor Wasim Ali, confirmed that the university has received Sharma’s complaint. He said that both parties will be heard and the matter will be amicably resolved.

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