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IPL: Gujarat Titans continue their dream run, edge out Kolkata Knight Riders in a nail-biter to return to the top of the table

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IPL: Gujarat Titans continue their dream run, edge out Kolkata Knight Riders in a nail-biter to return to the top of the table

Gujarat Titans continue to love life in their debut season of the IPL chalking up their 6th win in 7 games as they saw off an Andre Russell led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) charge to win by 8 runs. Andre Russell, who was caught out at 4 but got a reprieve because youngster Yash Dayal overstepped, nearly got KKR across the line before getting dismissed thanks to Kiwi Lockie Ferguson’s brilliance in the field.

Chasing a modest target of 157 set by Gujarat Titans, KKR looked to be out of it having lost 4 wickets for 34 in the face of some excellent bowling by Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal and Lockie Ferguson. However, Rinku Singh, getting a rare game today, and Venkatesh Iyer put together a 45 runs partnership to keep them in the game before Andre Russell arrived. An explosive 48 off 25 balls from Russell punctuated with 6 sixes looked to be pushing KKR towards an unlikely win before Lockie Ferguson took an excellent catch at fine leg to end KKR’s hopes.

Andre Russell tried hard but couldn’t drag KKR to win on his own (Image source: @IPL)

Earlier in the day, Gujarat chose to bat after winning the toss but lost their star opener Shubman Gill early. Veteran Wriddhiman Saha and Captain Hardik Pandya got them back on track though with a 75 runs 2nd wicket partnership, which was followed by another 50 runs partnership between Pandya and South African David Miller. However, Miller’s wicket derailed the Gujarat innings though as they mustered only 30 runs from their last 5 overs for the loss of 7 wickets. Hardik Pandya ended up top-scoring for them with a 49-balls 67.

Tim Southee, replacing Australian captain Pat Cummins, was the standout bowler for KKR as he ended up with 3 for 24 from his 4 overs, while Andre Russell made merry at the death picking up 4 wickets in the 20th over to end up with figures of 4 for 5.

However, the excellent fightback by KKR bowlers at the death wasn’t enough as Gujarat once again found a way to somehow win a game, as they have often done in this IPL. They sit pretty on top of the IPL table now having won 6 out of their 7 games, while KKR is now in the 7th spot, having lost 4 in a row.

Russia bars entry to US VP Harris, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, other US and Canadian officials

OpIndia Staff
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Russia bars entry to US VP Harris, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, other US and Canadian officials

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, Russia has barred 29 Americans and 61 Canadians including US Vice President Kamala Harris, Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, and dozen others from entering the country. The action taken by Russia is in retaliation to sanctions imposed by the United States over Ukraine.

The Foreign Ministry of Russia on April 23 issued a statement notifying that ‘people responsible for the Russophobic policies’ were not allowed to travel to Russia. The list issued by the Ministry includes delegates from the defence sector, business leaders, and journalists.

According to the reports, some of them specifically mentioned in the list are Pentagon spokesman John Kirby and Deputy Secretary of Defence Kathleen Hicks, ABC News television presenter George Stephanopoulos, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius, and the Russia-focused Meduza news site’s editor Kevin Rothrock.

However, the list of 61 Canadians includes Cameron Ahmad, the director of communications to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Canadian Special Operations Forces Commander Steve Boivin. The United States’ recent sanctions imposed over Ukraine consist of economic measures to ban new investment in Russia, severe sanctions on two Russian financial institutions – Alfa-Bank and Sberbank, sanctions on critical major state-owned enterprises, and sanctions on Russian government officials and their family members, including President Putin’s adult children and relatives of Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Earlier, the Russian government had barred British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several top UK Cabinet ministers and politicians for their ‘unprecedented hostile actions’ of imposing sanctions over the Ukraine conflict. “In connection with the unprecedented hostile actions of the British government, expressed, in particular, in the imposition of sanctions against top officials of the Russian Federation, a decision was made to include key members of the British government and several political figures in the Russian ‘stop list’,” the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation had read.

The full list of 13 British politicians on the stop list issued from Moscow included Indian-origin ministers – UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Home Secretary Priti Patel, and Attorney General Suella Braverman, as well as Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, and defence secretary, Ben Wallace.

Hubballi Police suspects the role of Raza Academy in instigating Muslim mob to attack police station, temple: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Hubballi Police suspects the role of Raza Academy in instigating Muslim mob to attack police station, temple: Reports

The investigation by the Hubballi police into the recent mob violence by the Islamist mob has revealed a suspected link to Raza Academy, a radical Islamist outfit responsible for the 2012 Azad Maidan riots in Mumbai.

According to the reports, the Hubballi police investigation suspects the role of Raza Academy in the recent violence against police personnel in the city. More than 200 Muslim youths had attacked and pelted stones at the old Hubballi police station, a nearby temple, and a hospital over an alleged offensive tweet put by an individual.

The Hubbali police had arrested more than 120 people in connection with the violence and had suspected the role of an Islamic cleric for inciting violence against the police personnel. A provocative speech by a controversial Muslim cleric named Maulana Wasim outside the Old Hubballi police station had enraged the Muslim mob culminating in attacks against the police station in Hubballi on Saturday.

Maulana Wasim Mobalik, also an AIMIM leader, was seen standing atop the Hubballi police commissioner’s car outside Old Hubballi police station, making provocative speeches. After his inflammatory speech, large-scale violence happened in Hubballi. On Thursday, the police arrested Maulana Wasim Mobalik, who was on the run after the riots.  

During his interrogation, the radical Islamist Maulana Wasim confessed that another accused in the case, Taufiq Mullah is a member of Raza Academy. Maulana Wasim also disclosed that he had formed a WhatsApp group and had incited the mob to attack the police. He also claimed that he was not expecting the attacks to intensify against the policemen.

Raza Academy was responsible for the Azad Maidan riots that took place in Mumbai in 2012, in which more than 40,000 Muslims had unleashed violence on the streets of Mumbai. The most shocking incident of the Azad Maidan Riots was the desecration of the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial by the Muslim mobs. 

Maulana Wasim also claimed that he did not know how such a large quantity of stones had arrived outside the Old Hubballi police station.

Police officials say the mob wanted to lynch them during the Hubballi riots

The Karnataka police, meanwhile, revealed on Thursday that the bloodthirsty mob had attempted to kill the policemen. In their complaint, police constables Anil Kandekar and Manjunath from Kasaba police station described how they narrowly escaped being lynched by the irate fanatics.

Earlier, the Hubballi police registered two cases against the Muslim mob in connection with the attacks on the police station in Hubballi based on a complaint filed by police inspector Jagdish.

In the complaint, the police inspector Jagdish also said that they were attacked and had to escape from the mob to save their lives. He also said that the enraged mob threatened to kill him and pelted stones at him and other police officials. Jagdish and his team were deployed to rescue the police personnel at the Old Hubballi police station, who were attacked by the mob.

Mumbai: Independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana arrested over their plans to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai: Independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLA husband Ravi Rana arrested over their plans to recite Hanuman Chalisa outside Matoshree

Independent MP Navneet Rana and her MLS husband have been arrested by Mumbai police after Shiv Sena workers foiled their attempts to recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of CM Uddhav Thackeray’s house Matoshree. Navneet Rana and her husband Ravi Rana were taken to the Khar Police station after their arrest. The action was taken after some Shiv Sena leaders had filed an FIR against them.

Reportedly, a case has been filed against the Amaravati MP under section 153A of the IPC (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony). The couple is accused of giving derogatory, offensive and inciting statements against the Maharashtra govt and CM Uddhav Thackeray over the Hanuman Chalisa vs Azaan issue.

After the arrest, Navneet Rana said that Mumbai police forcefully took her away from her home. She has also sought the help of former CM and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis in the matter.

After Naveen Rana was arrested by the police, Shiv Sena workers were seen celebrating in front of her house. It may noted that after the MP had announced her plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of Matoshri, Shiv Sena workers had staged a counter-protest in front of her house. They had been protesting there since today morning, preventing the Ranas to leave the house, and they celebrated by bursting firecrackers after police had taken away the MP and her husband.

Police arrested Navneet Rana despite the fact that she had called of her planned recitation. Amid the protests of Shiv Sena workers, she had said that she will not go to the CM’s residence to chant the Hindu prayer. Rana had said that Shiv Sena has become a party of goons and also said that Uddhav Thackeray only knows how to file cases against people and put them behind bars. “He’s creating a Bengal-like situation in Maharashtra,” she had added.

While announcing the decision to cancel the plan to recite Hanuman Chalisa in front of CM’s house, they had said that the decision was taken as PM Modi is visiting Mumbai tomorrow and they don’t want any law and order situation because of them.

Yesterday, Mumbai police had issued them a notice, asking them not to disturb the law and order situation. Police had also increased security near the CM’s residence.

Lovely Professional University (LPU) sacks professor after a video of her insulting Lord Ram goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Lovely Professional University (LPU) sacks professor after a video of her insulting Lord Ram goes viral

Gursang Preet Kaur, a professor at the Lovely Professional University (LPU), has been sacked by the university after a video of her insulting Lord Ram had gone viral on the internet.

The University released a statement on its official Instagram account, saying that it regretted the incident and informed that the concerned professor had been immediately relieved from the services.

“We understand that some people have been hurt by the video shared on social media where one of our faculty members can be heard sharing her personal opinion,” the statement said.

The University further added, “We wish to clarify that the views shared by her are absolutely personal, and the university doesn’t endorse any of them. We have always been a secular university, where people from all religions and faith are treated equally with love and respect.”

Professor sacked after calls Lord Ram a plotter, a bad person and extols Ravana

The development came in the wake of a video that has gone viral on social media. In the video, now-terminated Professor Gursang Preet Kaur makes insulting remarks against Lord Ram, saying that Lord Ram machinated against Ravana, who, according to Kaur, was a “good person”.

According to Kaur, who appears to be speaking to her students, it was Lord Ram’s “plan” to set a trap for Sita’s abduction and not Ravana’s fault who kidnapped her and took her to Lanka.

“Do you know Ravana was a good person by heart? Ram is not a good person. I find Ram to be a cunning person. He made all the plans to trap Sita and pass the blame for it on Ravana. How can we decide who is good and who is evil? And the whole world is worshipping Ram saying that Ravana is a bad person,” the Professor says while urging her listeners to make such perverse arguments to make people “think” about it.

All 3 demolished temples in Rajgarh in Alwar to be rebuilt: Alwar District Administration

OpIndia Staff
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All 3 demolished temples in Rajgarh in Alwar to be rebuilt: Alwar District Administration

While the political mud-slinging over the demolition of the temples in the Alwar district of Rajasthan is still going on, the Alwar district administration has said that all 3 temples will be rebuilt. Three temples and around 85 homes were demolished in Rajgarh in the Alwar district as part of the road-widening drive as per the city master plan.

“There were three temples. Two were private, and one was built on a drain. The administration removed idols after a unanimous consensus with the people. Temples will be built on non-controversial land with the proper agreement of the people by the municipality,” Sunita Pankaj, Additional District Magistrate of Alwar, told news agency ANI.

Since the demolition of the temples, BJP and Congress have been trading charges with both accusing each other for the demolition of the temples. While Congress has said that BJP governed Rajgarh Nagar Palika is to be blamed for the demolition of the temples, BJP has blamed local Congress MLA and the state Congress government for the demolition of the temples.

Amidst all this political fight, mahant of a local temple and local edition of Brajbhoomi Vikas Parishad have registered complaints against the local Congress MLA Johari Lal Meena, the local sub-divisional magistrate and the executive officer for demolishing the temples.

On the other hand, Congress leader and member of the former royal family of Alwar Bhanwar Jitendra Singh said, “We have lodged an FIR against BJP leader and Nagar palika Board Chairman and other people who were responsible for the demolition of temples.”

While the temples are set to be rebuilt thanks to the political outrage around them, there has been no news so far from the Rajasthan government about the demolition of 85 houses and shops in the same area.

Punjab: Dalit woman accuses Punjab police of torturing her by striping her naked in custody, SC Commission orders probe

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Dalit woman accuses Punjab police of torturing her by striping her naked in custody, SC Commission orders probe

In a shocking incident that allegedly took place in Punjab, a Dalit woman accused Punjab police of torturing her by striping her naked in the custody. The incident has been reported from Khannauri police station in Sangrur on 21st April 2022. Punjab state scheduled caste (SC) commission has ordered the Sangrur police to conduct a probe in this case. It is notable that Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann comes from Sangrur and he has earlier represented this constituency in Lok Sabha.

The incident came to light when the Dalit woman appeared before the state scheduled caste commission during a public hearing (Lok Adalat) held at the district administrative complex in Sangrur on Thursday 21st April 2022. The 42-year-old Dalit woman works as a maid to earn her living. Appearing at the public hearing, the Dalit woman alleged that she was taken into illegal detention on March 22 this year, two days after a theft took place at an upper-class household where she works. She also alleged that the Punjab police kept her naked at the police station, did not provide her food or water, and brutalized her.

She told the commission, “Khanauri station house officer (SHO), inspector Malwinder Singh, took me to the police station and thrashed me. A female cop forcefully removed my clothes and hit me with sticks on the direction of the SHO. They had locked me up in the police station without food and water. They released me the next evening after my brother, nephew, and panchayat members intervened.”

Commission member Chandreshwar Singh Mohi said, “The victim said the SHO had tortured her so as to get her to confess to a crime she did not commit. I also called the SHO to the Lok Adalat and asked him to present evidence of his innocence, but he failed to do so.”

Mohi further added, “the village sarpanch and panchayat members have testified to the atrocities faced by the victim as she was released after their intervention. I have also recorded the statement of the SHO. After hearing both sides, I have directed Sangrur police to conduct a probe and submit its report to the commission”.

Bhagwan Valmiki welfare society president Raju Gagat said that they had approached the SSP after the woman was detained by police, but no action was taken. Therefore they approached the SC commission.

However the accused police officer inspector Malwinder Singh has denied the allegations.  “I was also present before the commission when the woman made these allegations. All her claims are baseless,” he claimed.

Punjab police are at the center of controversy right from the beginning of the calendar year 2022. In the first week of the year, a major breach occurred in the security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was at that time on his tour to Punjab. At that time there was a Congress government in the state and Charanjit Singh Channi was the chief minister. In the assembly elections of February 2022, Congress lost, and Aam Aadmi Party won. Bhagwant Mann became the chief minister. After that, the Punjab government ordered a reshuffle of top police officers including those who took strict action against the sand mafias in the recent past. Now this case has appeared in which a Dalit woman accused the Punjab police of such harassment.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa announces Rs 50 lakh as ex gratia, jobs for next of kin of Assam soldiers who lost their lives serving the country in 1971 Bangladesh War

OpIndia Staff
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Assam CM Himanta Biswa announces Rs 50 lakh as ex gratia, jobs for next of kin of Assam soldiers who lost their lives serving the country in 1971 Bangladesh War

On Friday, April 23, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the soldiers from Assam who lost their lives serving the country would be given Rs 50 lakhs as compensation instead of Rs 20 lakhs. The CM also promised of providing a government job to at least one person from the family of the deceased soldier.

The Assam CM made the aforementioned announcement during the event ceremony organised by the state government at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati to commemorate 50 Years of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.

Sharing snippets from the event, Himanta Biswa Sarma Tweeted, “Our government has made efforts to recognise and compensate the sacrifices made by our soldiers by way of offering ₹50 lakh as ex gratia, jobs for next of kin, 2% job reservation in Govt jobs, and reservation of seats for their wards in medical studies.”

The CM also thanked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh who visited Assam on Saturday (April 23) to attend an award ceremony at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati.

“I feel honored at having accompanied Hon RM Shri @rajnathsingh ji who inaugurated an exhibition by Directorate of Sainik Welfare at Kalakshetra today. The exhibition is to showcase the valour & supreme sacrifice of our armed forces in 1971 war. We’re grateful to Raksha Mantri ji.”

The 1971 Bangladesh liberation war began on March 25 in erstwhile East Pakistan and ended on December 16.

The 1971 war was one of the fastest and shortest campaigns in military history. A new nation was born as a result of the swift campaign undertaken by the Indian Army against the Pakistani Army that was committing atrocities in then-East Pakistan under the leadership of General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi.

Niazi, along with his 93,000 troops, after facing defeat in the 1971 war, had surrendered to the Indian Army.

India celebrates Vijay Diwas every year on this day to mark India’s victory over Pakistan and the birth of Bangladesh.

Notably, last year, India celebrated 50 years of victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war. As a part of the celebrations, a delegation of the Bangladesh Army had taken part in the Republic Day parade at Raj Path in New Delhi on January 26, 2021.

Telangana: Azhar slits 23-year-old MCA graduate’s throat for rejecting his advances

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana: Azhar slits 23-year-old MCA graduate’s throat for rejecting his advances

On Friday, the Telangana Police arrested Mohd Azhar for slashing the throat of a 23-year-old girl in Hanamkonda town of Telangana. The accused had attacked the girl after she had rejected his love proposal.

The incident occurred at the victim’s house which falls within the limits of the Subedari police station in the town. According to the reports, the accused belongs to the Mondrai village in Warangal. He had met the victim a few years ago when she used to visit her relatives in Mondrai. His feelings for the victim drove him to Hanamkonda town where he requested the girl to meet outside once.

He started harassing the victim as she refused to meet him. Azhar then infiltrated her house when she was alone. He expressed his feelings for her but the girl stated that she was not interested. She asked Azhar to leave as she was preparing for her MCA exams. However, Azhar kept on telling her that he loved her and asked her to reciprocate his feelings.

He then grabbed a knife from a nearby shop and slit her throat. The neighbours rushed to the victim’s home hearing her screams and saw her lying in a pool of blood. The accused had fled from the spot by then. The woman was immediately admitted to the MGM hospital. A high-level team comprising senior doctors from different specialities like ENT, surgery, and physicians was formed to attend to the victim at MGM Hospital. The condition of the victim is said to be stable and out of danger.

The police have registered an FIR under Section 307, 354 and 506 of IPC based on the complaint filed by the victim girl and her family. The victim, who is in the MCA final year at Kakatiya University, lives near Pochamma Gudi in Gandhi Nagar, Hanamkonda. She lives with her parents in a rented apartment. Her mother is a daily wage worker and her father works in a welding workshop in Hanamkonda.

Karnataka: Gulab Pasha, leader of Yogendra Yadav’s party, demands Annamma Devi procession does not pass through ‘Muslim dominated’ areas. Read details

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Karnataka: Gulab Pasha, leader of Yogendra Yadav’s party, demands Annamma Devi procession does not pass through ‘Muslim dominated’ areas. Read details

Days after violent mobs attacked Hindu religious processions across the country, injuring several people, a Muslim leader from Karnataka has now taken objection to the Hindu religious procession in Bengaluru and have demanded the authorities change the route of religious processions or deny permission for Hindus to hold the procession.

Gulab Pasha, a leader of far-left ‘activist’ Yogendra Yadav’s Swaraj India Abhiyan, has written a letter to Bengaluru Police requesting them to change the route of the annual Annamma Devi procession in the city by claiming that it will disturb peace and harmony between different communities.

In the letter, Gulab Pasha has claimed that a procession for Goddess Annamma Devi has been organised on April 23 from 8 pm to 12 am by a Hindu organisation in Bengaluru’s Yelachanahalli BBMP ward.

Letter written by Gulab Pasha

The letter to the Bengaluru police along with the press release was tweeted by the official party handle. It was retweeted by Gulab Pasha himself.

Pasha said that they believe that the organisers of this procession have sought permission from Kumaraswamy Layout Police Station and have shared the proposed route for the same. According to Pasha, Balakrishna, a local BJP leader and former corporater of Yelachanahalli BBMP Ward, is the main organiser of this procession.

In his letter to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Gulab Pasha also added that the Annamma Devi procession is proposed to pass through Muslim-dominated areas of Fayazabad and Kanaka Nagar areas en route from Manju Layout to Shani Mahatma Temple.

“Procession for Goddess Annamma Devi was never organised in the past. We are deeply worried as this is being organised for the first time that too in the context of many incidents in Karnataka and in other parts of India that led to disturbance of peace and communal harmony in the recent past,” the Swaraj India leader claimed in his letter.

The Muslim leader also requested the authorities to take immediate action to change the route of the procession so that it did not pass through Fayazabad and Kanaka Nagar areas, where there are several mosques, and one of them is on the procession route itself.

As a large number of people attend evening prayers in these mosques during the Ramadan month, Pasha claimed, demanding the police to “maintain peace and harmony and prevent any communal tension”.

The press release tweeted by the party also says that they got a “positive response” from the DCP and they are thankful for it.

This letter comes just a week after Islamists attacked Hanuman Jayanti Shobha Yatra in Jahangirpuri, Delhi. Several people were injured, including police personnel. Even in Karnataka, a Muslim mob had attacked a police station and temple on the pretext that somebody had allegedly posted objectionable content on social media.

In the last month, at least ten incidents of mob violence in six states have been reported after Islamists had attacked Hindu devotees in Muslim-dominated areas for carrying out the religious processions.

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