IBM, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), and the Government of Andhra Pradesh have announced plans to deploy the country’s largest quantum computer at the newly planned Quantum Valley Tech Park in Amaravati.
According to TCS, anchored by IBM’s next-generation Quantum System Two with a powerful 156-qubit Heron processor, this initiative marks a pivotal step in India’s ambition to become a global quantum powerhouse.
The Quantum Valley Tech Park will be the first of its kind in India and aims to serve as a national epicentre for quantum research, innovation, and application development.
The project aligns with the goals of India’s National Quantum Mission, which envisions the country as a global leader in quantum technologies over the next two decades.
TCS will partner with IBM to advance the development of quantum algorithms and real-world applications, supporting sectors such as life sciences, energy optimisation, materials science, sustainable manufacturing, cryptography, and supply chain resilience.
The partnership will focus on hybrid computing architectures that integrate quantum capabilities with classical computing platforms to solve intractable challenges currently beyond conventional systems.
Dr Harrick Vin, Chief Technology Officer at TCS, stated, “Hybrid architectures are the key to overcoming intractable computing challenges, with quantum computing serving as a catalyst. TCS’s Hybrid Computing strategy is creating what we believe is a breakthrough software layer that intelligently decomposes programs across current systems — CPUs, GPUs and emerging computing architectures — such as quantum.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, said, “India’s National Quantum Mission is to make India a global hub in the quantum industry. Andhra Pradesh is set to lead the global quantum revolution, becoming the first state in the world to envision a dedicated Quantum Valley as the foundation of its future economy. With quantum computing poised to transform every major sector in the next 25 years, the state aims to be a first mover in harnessing this emerging frontier.”
IBM’s Vice President of Quantum, Jay Gambetta, added, “Our collaboration with TCS will help attract the country’s thriving ecosystem of developers, scientists, and industry experts to develop algorithms and applications.”
The tech park will offer industry members, academic researchers, and government agencies the opportunity to work directly with TCS and access IBM’s cloud-based quantum resources.
This initiative is expected to create high-end jobs, attract world-class talent, and draw global investments to India’s rapidly growing quantum ecosystem.
Once operational, the Quantum Valley Tech Park is poised to become a vital hub for quantum computing in Asia, positioning India at the forefront of global innovation in this next-generation technology space.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A person who has converted to a different faith cannot register a crime under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, according to the verdict of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. On April 30, the decision was pronounced by Justice N Harinath.
A complaint was filed under the SC/ST act by a Christian pastor Chintada Anand Paul from Kothapalem, Guntur district. He reported that the petitioners had punched and slapped him during a prayer service as well as hurled caste-based abuses against him.
However, the Court contended that the complainant’s conversion to Christianity rendered the submission of the FIR (First Information Report) under the SC/ST Act unlawful. They asserted that he cannot claim to a member of the scheduled caste community after conversion.
“The 2nd respondent has ceased to be a member of the scheduled caste community the day he had converted into Christianity. This court is of the considered view that the registration of crime under the provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is illegal,” the High Court declared.
The Court noted, “It is also held that filing of charge sheet in-spite of the categorical statements of the listed witnesses specifically stating that the 2nd respondent is working as a pastor for the last 10 years, the police could not have laid a charge sheet charging the petitioners for alleged offence under Sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), 3(2)(va), SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.”
The court reaffirmed that the SC/ST act’s provisions can only be invoked by members of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community. Additionally, it clarified that the security provided by the legislation cannot be applied to a person who has converted to Christianity but held their caste certificate. “As seen from the recitals of the complaint and the statements of the material witnesses it is amply clear that the 2nd respondent is working as a pastor and has been professing Christianity for the last 10 years as on the date of the complaint,” the Court judgement highlighted.
It established that “having converted to Christianity, the petitioner cannot continue to be a member of Scheduled Caste community. The caste system is alien to Christianity. Having converted to Christianity and admitting his role as a Pastor in a Church the 2nd respondent could not invoke the provisions of the Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.”
The Judge stated that although authorities will examine the caste certificate to determine its legitimacy, its existence would not grant him any rights under the act after his conversion. “This court is of the considered view that a false complaint is filed and no purpose would be served if the petitioners are relegated to the trial court and to undergo the rigmarole of trial criminal petition is allowed and Spl.SC.No.36 of 2021 on the file of IV Additional District and Sessions Judge – Cum – SC, ST Court, Guntur is hereby quashed,” he concluded.
Chintada Anand Paul, a pastor and Treasurer of the Pastors Fellowship, claimed to have been the target of threatening phone calls in December 2020, an attack on 3rd January 2021 during Sunday prayers, and another assault on 4th January 2021 by the petitioners and others. A police investigation, witness testimonies, a charge sheet and a medical report mentioning minor injuries were submitted after the complaint, which was submitted on 26th January 2021 with the Chandolu police against Akkala Ramireddy and others. The charge sheet was filed before a special court for SC/ST cases.
Afterwards, the petitioners were booked under sections 3(1)(r), 3(1)(s), and 3(2)(va) of the SC/ST Act, as well as Sections 341, 506, 323 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The pastor alleged that since the Tehsildar had verified that he was a member of the “Hindu-Madiga” caste and hence a member of the scheduled caste community, he could not be denied protection under the SC/ST Act.
The court found he could not claim SC status because of the statements of witnesses, including his wife. It also outlined that there was not enough evidence to support the accusations because the majority of witnesses did not support the alleged mob attack. The complaint violated the SC/ST Act, the court declared, and added that there was insufficient evidence to support a trial. A defendant had even died during the course of the proceedings.
SC/ST status cannot be misused for personal benefits
Notably, the Supreme Court of India issued a historic ruling on 26th November 2024, holding that it is “fraud on the Constitution” to convert to a religion merely to obtain reservation benefits without having a sincere belief in the faith. C Selvarani, who was denied a Scheduled Caste (SC) certificate after claiming to have reverted to Hinduism to receive reservation perks at work, filed an appeal, but the apex court rejected it.
It observed, “In any case, upon conversion to Christianity, one loses the caste and cannot be identified by it.” The court further declared, “One converts to a different religion when genuinely inspired by its principles, tenets, and spiritual thoughts. However, if the purpose of conversion is largely to derive the benefits of reservation but not with any actual belief in the other religion, the same cannot be permitted, as the extension of benefits to people with such ulterior motives will only defeat the social ethos of the policy of reservation.”
The court added that reservations are meant to promote social equity and correct historical injustice. False claims tend to deny legitimate claimants and reduce the efficacy of the reservation system. “A caste to which a Hindu belongs is essentially determined by birth. When a person is converted to Christianity or some other religion, the original caste remains under eclipse, and as soon as during his/her lifetime the person is reconverted to the original religion, the eclipse disappears, and the caste automatically revives. However, where it appears that the person reconverted to the old religion had been converted to Christianity since several generations, it may be difficult to apply the doctrine of eclipse to the revival of caste,” it observed.
The bench stated, “The conferment of Scheduled Caste communal status to the appellant, who is a Christian by religion but claims to still embrace Hinduism only for the purpose of availing reservation in employment, would go against the very object of reservation and would amount to fraud on the Constitution.” The Supreme Court panel, consisting of Justice Pankaj Mithal and Justice R Mahadevan, had affirmed the 2023 ruling of the Madras High Court regarding the case.
Cannot carry caste after conversion
A person cannot retain their caste after converting, according to a 2022 judgment by the Madras High Court. On a plea filed by U Akbar Ali, who was born a Hindu into a denotified group and hence belonged under the Most Backward Class (MBC) category, Justice G R Swaminathan rendered the decision. In 2008, Akbar Ali changed his name and embraced Islam. He applied for the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission’s (TNPSC) Group-II services but was not selected since he was considered an open category candidate rather than a reserved candidate. He petitioned the court to challenge his exclusion.
“Whether such a person should be given the benefit of reservation even after conversion is a question that is pending adjudication before apex court. When the supreme court is apprised of the matter, it is not for this court to uphold the claim of the petitioner. The stand taken by the TNPSC is correct and it does not warrant any interference,” the court stated. Not all Muslims are recognized as BCs in Tamil Nadu, based on Justice Swaminathan report.
Referencing a certificate issued by a Qazi in Tamil Nadu, Justice Swaminathan stated that Sathiyamoorthy S/o Lakshmanan had converted to Islam of his own free will, joined the Muslim Jamat as a member, and was abiding by Islamic laws and principles. He added, “This certificate declaring the petitioner’s conversion only states that the petitioner has become a Muslim and nothing more.”
He emphasised, “When a Hindu gets converted to Islam, he becomes just a Musalman and his place in Muslim society is not determined by the caste to which he belonged before his conversion. When the Qazi does not declare that the convertee is to be treated as belonging to the group of Labbais, I fail to understand as to how a revenue authority of a secular government can fix the converted individual in a particular slot or pigeon-hole him.”
The judge noted at least four letters from the Tamil Nadu government, stating that the administration had stipulated that candidates who converted from another religion to Islam would only be categorized as “others.” The jurisdictional Deputy Tehsildar acted inappropriately by disregarding the mandates outlined in the government correspondence that are obligatory for him.
BBC Hindi, in a recent profile of Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir, employed a classic media trope often used by Western outlets to sanitise perpetrators of violence—describing him as “the son of a school headmaster.”
BBC Hindi sought to humanize Pak COAS Asim Munir, who made inflammatory remarks days before the Pahalgam terror attack
While seemingly innocuous, such portrayals are not without motive. They form part of a well-documented pattern of narrative engineering that humanises those orchestrating violence, particularly in Kashmir, while casting the actual victims—often Hindus—as faceless statistics or even aggressors.
The BBC’s article conveniently omits General Munir’s incendiary rhetoric and ideological positioning. In recent months, Munir delivered a blatantly anti-Hindu, jihadist-laced speech in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where he referred to Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein”—a term with deep militaristic and Islamist undertones in Pakistan’s strategic doctrine. His speech was laced with veiled threats and overt religious overtones, framing the Kashmir conflict as not merely territorial but theological, reinforcing a narrative that demonises Hindus as occupiers and justifies religiously motivated violence.
This rhetoric did not remain mere bluster. Just days later, the Pahalgam terror attack shocked India and reflected the ideological poison Munir had been spewing. In a chilling act of targeted killing, Islamic terrorists abducted and lined up unarmed Hindu men—unarmed tourists who were in Pahalgam on a vacation with their loved ones—and executed them at point-blank range. According to eyewitness accounts and police reports, the attackers often confirmed their victims’ religious identity, even resorting in some cases to pulling down their pants to identify circumcision status—an unspeakable level of brutality aimed at ensuring they killed only Hindus.
The attack was not random; it was ideological. And it was emboldened by a state apparatus in Pakistan that openly gives moral and material support to jihadist proxies. Munir’s speech served as a dog whistle to these actors, couched in state-sanctioned religious supremacy. Yet BBC Hindi, rather than holding him to account or providing context for his dangerous rhetoric, chose to paint a softer, relatable image—focusing on his father’s profession rather than his own role in fomenting violence.
This pattern of reporting is not new. Western and Western-aligned media platforms have a long history of portraying Islamist terrorists and their backers in humanising tones—highlighting their poetry, family life, or humble beginnings—while treating Hindu victims of jihadist violence as mere collateral. In this distorted narrative economy, victims are anonymised, and aggressors are empathised with.
Such editorial choices are not harmless—they have consequences. They distort public perception, diminish the horror of sectarian violence, and indirectly provide ideological cover to genocidal hate. By failing to name Munir’s hateful rhetoric and its links to real-world massacres like Pahalgam, BBC Hindi is not merely reporting news—it is laundering narratives.
Complicity of western media in empowering jihadist ideologies and dismissing atrocities faced by Hindus
The Western media’s approach to reporting on terror, particularly in South Asia, reveals a persistent and disturbing pattern: a systematic humanization of terror enablers and the simultaneous erasure or minimization of violence against Hindus. This is not incidental—it reflects a deeper editorial bias that privileges geopolitical narratives over factual, ethical journalism.
Consider the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where Islamic terrorists abducted and brutally executed unarmed Hindu tourists. These were civilians—fathers, sons, and brothers on holiday with their families—lined up and murdered in cold blood. Eyewitness reports confirm that the attackers verified their victims’ religious identity, often through grotesque means, before executing them. This was not just a terror incident; it was a premeditated, religiously targeted massacre.
Yet, how did leading Western outlets frame this atrocity? The assailants were described blandly as “gunmen,” and the location as “Indian-administered Kashmir” or “Indian-controlled Kashmir,” subtly suggesting a political dispute rather than an act of jihadist terror. The deliberate linguistic framing shifts the focus from the victims and their suffering to a narrative that questions Indian sovereignty and sanitizes Islamist violence as “resistance.”
This narrative manipulation isn’t limited to Kashmir. In Bangladesh, the pattern repeats with chilling regularity—Hindu homes torched, temples vandalized, families lynched—yet Western coverage remains muted, decontextualized, or entirely absent. When atrocities are acknowledged, they are couched in vague language, stripped of the religious and ideological motivations driving them.
The same obfuscation applies to incidents in India’s West Bengal, where targeted violence against Hindus often goes underreported or is distorted through euphemisms and false equivalencies. Western-aligned outlets like BBC Hindi participate in this erasure under the guise of neutrality but reveal their bias through subtle narrative cues.
Prime Minister Modi today (2nd May) commissioned the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, India’s first deepwater transhipment port, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The event was attended by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, along with other dignitaries.
#WATCH | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala: Adani Group Chairperson Gautam Adani felicitates Prime Minister Narendra Modi
PM Modi to dedicate to the nation 'Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport' worth Rs 8,900 crore shortly; CM Pinarayi Vijayan is also present at the… pic.twitter.com/rmi5WaHdWn
The Vizhinjam International Seaport, built at a cost of ₹8,900 crore, is also India’s first semi-automated port. Developed under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, the port is operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd (APSEZ), while the Kerala government holds the majority stake in it. It is a pivotal step towards the development of India’s untapped maritime potential, which is a focus area under the Modi government’s Maritime India Vision 2030.
The port received its commercial commissioning certificate on December 4, 2025, after a successful trial run. The trial operations commenced on July 13, 2024, which involved the handling of 272 large vessels and over 550,000 containers docked at the port. On December 3, 2024, full commercial operations started at the port, marking the completion of phase I. The next phases are expected to be completed by December 2028, after which the port will have an enhanced annual capacity of at least 3 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). This will require an additional cost of ₹10,000 crore to be borne by Adani Ports.
On 2 May 2025, Prime Minister @narendramodi will dedicate to the nation the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Port in #Kerala, constructed at a cost of ₹8,900 crore.
This is India’s first dedicated container transshipment port, representing the transformative… pic.twitter.com/NMYmi1SqQa
At the beginning of the year, the port ranked first in the list of ports on India’s southern and western coasts for container cargo handling by managing more than 100,000 TEUs in a month. In another significant achievement, the Vizhinjam port was included in the Jade Service of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest shipping company, known to include only high-capacity ports in its key services. The port thus joined the league of global giants like Qingdao, Shanghai, Busan, and Singapore ports.
The Jade Service is an important shipping route operated by the MSC, which connects Europe and Asia via the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. Vessels in the Jade Service will now sail from Singapore to Spain and Italy via Vizhinjam.
The Vizhinjam port received MSC Türkiye
In a remarkable feat, in April this year, the Vizhinjam International Seaport received MSC Türkiye, which is among the world’s largest cargo ships, having a humongous capacity of carrying more than 24,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUS), thus becoming the first Indian port to handle a vessel of this size.
MSC Türkiye (via DD News)
Vizhinjam International Seaport and its strategic location
The Vizhinjam International Seaport, the only transhipment port in the entire Indian subcontinent, is close to international shipping routes. The port has the potential to become a major transhipment hub in the subcontinent due to its proximity to the east-west international shipping lane, which is only 10 nautical miles away from it. Its advantage is its natural depth of 18-20 metres, a kilometre away from the shore, which makes it conducive and cost-effective for the world’s largest cargo vessels like MSC Türkiye to dock without dredging, which is a costly process required to deepen shallow ports by removing sediments and other material.
In addition to that, Vizhinjam’s minimal sand movement (littoral drift) along the coast is another natural advantage for the port as it reduces maintenance costs. Moreover, the port is located at a distance of 2 km from NH 66, 12 km from a main railway line and 15 km from Trivandrum airport, which will make the cargo movement across the country convenient. To facilitate faster operations, the port has fully automated yard cranes and remotely operated ship-to-shore cranes. One of the unique features of the Vizhinjam port is that it is equipped with India’s first indigenous, AI-powered Vessel Traffic Management System, developed with IIT Madras.
What is a transhipment port
A transhipment hub is used when a direct route is not available or economical for the transit of cargo bound for a longer journey. The port has terminals that provide an intermediate point where the cargo is transferred from one vessel to another, which takes it to its destination. Often, smaller shipments are loaded onto larger vessels for more economic transportation. Countries having strong global trade networks make use of transhipment ports to transit large amounts of international cargo.
Image via DD News
Before this, India lacked the infrastructure to handle large vessels in the absence of a full-fledged deepwater container transportation port. As a result, India used to rely on foreign ports like Singapore, Colombo, and Jebel Ali in the UAE, for about 75% of its transhipment cargo. This arrangement resulted in delays, loss of foreign exchange and revenue and hiked costs, which were incurred by domestic traders. The port will eliminate India’s reliance on foreign ports, which in turn will make India’s supply chains immune to global geopolitical changes.
India’s maritime vision
The Modi government expressed its commitment to boost the maritime potential of India by allocating ₹25,000 crore in this year’s budget. To provide impetus to the country’s shipbuilding industry, the government accorded ‘infrastructure’ status to large ships. In her budget speech in February this year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the ships above a specified size would be included in the harmonised master list (HML) for infrastructure.
Aligning with the central government’s vision of establishing India as a maritime power on the global level, the Maharashtra government announced a dedicated maritime policy on 29th April. The state cabinet approved the Shipbuilding, Ship Repair and Ship Recycling Policy, 2025, which aims to enhance maritime infrastructure and generate employment opportunities in the maritime sector.
Last year in August, the construction of a deepwater port at Vadhvan in the Palghar district of Maharashtra. Another transhipment is proposed to be constructed on Great Nicobar Island in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. At present, India has 13 major and 217 non-major ports.
A Muslim man working at the power house in Mundali in Meerut cut the power to the entire village on Wednesday in protest against the Waqf Act. As a result, the man named linesman Riyazuddin has been suspended from his job.
On 30 April, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board had appealed to all the countrymen to participate in a ‘lights off’ protest against the Waqf Act by switching off the lights of their homes, shops, factories and other establishments from 9 PM to 9:15 PM on that day.
ऑल इंडिया मुस्लिम पर्सनल लॉ बोर्ड तमाम देशवासियों से अपील करता है कि वो वक़्फ़ संशोधन विधेयक 2025 के खिलाफ आज 30 अप्रैल की रात 9 बजे से 9:15 बजे तक अपने घरों, दुकानों, फ़ैक्टरियों और दूसरे कारोबारी स्थानों की बत्तियाँ बुझा (लाइट ऑफ़) करके एक शांतिपूर्ण और खामोश ‘बत्ती गुल तहरीक’… pic.twitter.com/6CABayIyW6
— All India Muslim Personal Law Board (@AIMPLB_Official) April 30, 2025
Accordingly, Ajrada village had also announced a 15-minute blackout at 9 PM on Wednesday. During that time, households opposed to the act were to switch off the lights in their houses. However, in an attempt to make the protest a success, power station worker Riyazuddin proceeded to switch off the power supply to the entire village at the scheduled time of the blackout, leaving the people of Ajrada in darkness regardless of whether they even wanted to partake in the anti-Waqf protest.
Moreover, when non-Muslims in the village continued to use their lights using inverters, the Muslim families objected, and this led to a ruckus between the two groups. Police were called and the situation was brought under control.
वक्फ कानून के खिलाफ कई मुस्लिम संगठनों ने एक मई की रात 15 मिनट के लिए लाइट बंद रखने का ऐलान किया था। यूपी के मेरठ में बिजलीघर कर्मचारी रियाजुद्दीन ने पूरे एरिया की ही बिजली काट दी। मामला मंत्री तक पहुंचा। रियाजुद्दीन को बर्खास्त कर दिया गया है। pic.twitter.com/bBAbUyBLsb
After that, some villages complained to the energy minister Somendra Tomar about the manner on Thursday. On the order of the minster, the power department officials took cognisance of the matter and launched a probe. After finding that linesman Riyazuddin had disconnected power for the village as part of blackout call against the Waqf Act, he has been suspended.
a senior official of the Energy Department said, “Such misuse of government position is completely unacceptable. The concerned employee has been removed from service with immediate effect.” Police have also registered a case in the matter.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated the people of Kerala and the country after inaugurating the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, calling it a “symbol of new age development.”
The inauguration in Thiruvananthapuram of the project, built by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), which is India’s first deep-water dedicated container transhipment port, was conducted in the presence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.
The Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, which has been built at a cost of 8,900 crore ambitious project of the Kerala government has been developed under the public-private partnership by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd.
Furthermore, PM Modi emphasised that the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport is an example of “new age development” as at one end there is a deep sea, whereas on the other hand, there are a lot of opportunities, which is the beauty of nature.
“On one hand, there is this big sea with so many opportunities and on the other hand, there is beauty of nature, in between there is this ‘Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport’, which is a symbol of new-age development”, PM Modi said in his address to the public.
Furthermore, PM Narendra Modi extended his wishes on the occasion of Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti and said that he had the privilege of visiting his birthplace three years ago. He added that there is a statue of Adi Shankaracharya in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple premises.
“Today is the birth anniversary of Lord Adi Shankaracharya. Three years ago in September, I had the opportunity to visit his birthplace. I am happy that a grand statue of Adi Shankaracharya has been installed in the Vishwanath Dham complex in my parliamentary constituency Kashi. I have got the opportunity to unveil the divine statue of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand. Today, the doors of the Kedarnath temple have opened in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand”, PM Modi said.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan extended the gratitude of PM Modi on behalf of the people of the state to dedicate the landmark project to the nation.
“On behalf of the people of Kerala, I once again express our sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister for visiting our state to dedicate the landmark project to the nation. I also extend my congratulations to the Adani Group for executing this mission with excellence”, he said while addressing the gathering.
The Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport port is currently being developed in a landlord model with a Public Private Partnership component on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis. The private partner, the Concessionaire Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited commenced the construction on December 5, 2015.
Strategically located just 10 nautical miles from the international shipping routes connecting Europe, the Persian Gulf and the Far East, Vizhinjam port with its proximity to the East-West axis, the port is expected to significantly reduce the dependence of the country on other international ports for transshipment of cargo.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A shocking case of love jihad has come to light from Vaishali in Bihar. Mohammad Sahil used to trap girls with the help of his girlfriend Gulshan Khatoon, and then blackmailed them after making their pornographic videos. Not only this, he also used to sell it on international porn sites. Sahil targeted girls of different religions, although most of his targets were Hindu girls. He made dozens of girls victims of this dirty game.
According to Bihar Police, Mohammad Sahil started this ‘business’ of making girlfriends and made money through it. Police is now finding out on which porn sites he sold these videos and how much money he charged. It is also being investigated from which countries these porn sites are being run.
This dirty game was revealed when a porn video of a minor girl went viral. After this, an FIR was registered against Mohammad Sahil and he was arrested on 2nd April 2025. However, even after 15 days of the incident, the victim was neither given a medical examination nor was she produced in the court.
Tired of this, the victim’s family informed the media about the matter and the matter came to light. According to local DSP Abu Zafar Alam, a case of making an offensive video viral has come to light. The accused has been arrested and sent to jail. Further investigation is being done.
According to the victim’s family, their daughter used to go for computer class, where she became friends with Gulshan Khatoon. Mohammad Sahil used to come to meet Gulshan Khatoon often. During this time, Gulshan introduced Sahil to the girl. Slowly, she fell into Sahil’s trap. She got many photos clicked with Sahil. After this, Sahil took her to a hotel and both of them had a ‘relationship’. During there meetings, Sahil recorded their initimate videos. Following that, Sahil started blackmailing the girl.
Indian intelligence officials have associated the Pahalgam terror attack with an escalating partnership between the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas and jihadist groups supported by Pakistan, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), according to a report in “The New Indian.” According to top intelligence sources, the main conspirators of the assault took part in a rally held on 5th February, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
The gathering, which was held at Shaheed Sabir Stadium in PoK, was called the “Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation Al Aqsa Flood Conference.” A JeM leader from the dais delivered a threat at the event and declared, “The fighters of Palestine and Kashmir now march as one. Blood will be spilled in Delhi, and Kashmir shall be torn from India.” The assembly aligned with Pakistan’s yearly commemoration of “Kashmir Solidarity Day” and was reportedly attended by about 100 foreign terrorists.
Held at Shaheed Sabir Stadium, the event marked Hamas' first formal presence in PoK. Chilling threats were issued: "Blood will be spilled… pic.twitter.com/FImEufzPk2
— ?The Milli Chronicle (@millichronicle) May 1, 2025
Top-ranking terrorists, including Talha Saif, the brother of JeM chief Mohammad Masood Azhar Alvi, senior field commanders Asghar Khan Kashmiri and Masood Ilyas and prominent LeT members attended the rally. Hamas leaders Dr. Khalid Al-Qadoumi, Dr. Naji Zaheer, Mufti Azam and Bilal Alsallat joined the Islamist event. Hamas, through its Iran-based ambassador Qadoumi, announced its first official presence in the PoK.
Several other well-known Palestinians were also present. The flags of Palestine, Pakistan and Hamas were displayed on the shawls worn by Hamas terrorists. “Pakistan-backed terrorist outfits are now consciously emulating Hamas blueprint. These groups are manipulating religious ideologies to provoke violence and foster deep-seated communal discord within Jammu and Kashmir,” disclosed a senior intelligence functionary.
#BREAKING: Hamas joins hands with Jaish e Muhammad and Lashkar e Tayyiba in Rawlakot of Pakistan Occupied Jammu & Kashmir. Jaish terrorist announces that Hamas and Pakistani Jihadi groups have united. Jaish gunmen can be seen on stage protecting Hamas leaders from Palestine. pic.twitter.com/p0Vn2rTKwW
“Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), along with its military, is at the helm of this campaign. Their objective is to reshape the Kashmir narrative on the global stage by equating it with the Palestine-Israel conflict. The intention is two fold: to draw international attention and to radicalize impressionable youth by weaponizing religious sentiment,” senior officers pointed out.
The Pakistan Markazi Muslim League strongly promoted the slogan “Pak ki Azadi, Kashmir ki Azadi” in an eight-minute propaganda video posted on social media ahead of this high-level radical assembly. Kashmiri terrorists and separatists leaders like Yasin Malik, Masrat Alam Bhat and Syed Ali Shah Geelani were praised in the footage. Terrorists like Burhan Wani and Manan Wani were glorified and their funeral prayers were showcased. The video made analogies between Kashmir and Gaza to provoke young Kashmiris to rebel against India.
Indian security authorities view the meeting as a calculated attempt to depict both Hamas’ fight against Israel and Pakistan’s Islamist campaign in Kashmir as acts of “resistance against occupation.”
A profound conspiracy
Terrorist organizations that are allegedly prohibited in Pakistan, such as Jammu and Kashmir United Mujahideen (JKUM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), actively participated in the carefully constructed Pahalgam terror attack. A squad of highly skilled and well-trained Pakistani terrorists carried out this massively planned attack. According to intelligence sources, the attack was primarily planned by Abu Musa (also known as Musa Kashmiri), Saifullah Kasuri (also known as Saifullah Khalid) and Rizwan Hanif and was executed by trained international terrorists.
Abu Musa, also known as Musa Kashmiri, had ties to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the past. He participated in the planning of assaults against foreigners in India, including plots to attack tourists in Kolkata. He had tried to conduct lone-wolf attacks and was discovered in possession of extremist literature. Later, he joined the LeT and was sent to Jammu and Kashmir to attack security personnel and non-locals.
Saifullah Kasuri, also known as Saifullah Khalid is a senior commander of LeT and is a close associate of its founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. The United States Treasury has identified him for his involvement in terrorist operations. He was a member of the Punjabi JuD Coordination Committee and has led LeT’s operations in Peshawar. He has ties with the political entity Milli Muslim League (MML), which has faced allegations of serving as a civilian facade for the operations of LeT. His statements have been known to trigger communal violence.
Senior JKUM member Rizwan Hanif mainly operates out of Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). It is believed that he was crucial in organizing the planning and carrying out of the Pahalgam strike.
An international jihadi nexus
“There are similarities between the Pahalgam attack and what happened on 7th October (2023) in Israel. Innocent tourists were enjoying their vacation in Pahalgam, while in Israel, people were celebrating at a music festival,” Israel’s envoy Reuven Azar conveyed. He highlighted that global terror groups are increasingly working together more closely and added, “The terrorists are collaborating at all levels and trying to be copycats of each other. I am sure the intelligence agencies are working together to defeat them.”
Hamas claimed the lives of thousands of Israeli citizens and injured many more and even took hundreds of hostages, resulting in the ongoing military campaign by Israel in Gaza. Over the previous year, Hamas representatives have visited Pakistan several times, particularly following their attack on Israel in October 2023. A Hamas delegation recently inspected a Pakistani Army facility opened by Army chief Asim Munir and visited the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur. This installation is strategically important to the army of Pakistan and is located near Rajasthan.
Qadoumi, a spokesman for Hamas, was also asked to speak before Pakistan’s Parliament in January 2024. “That plan is now buried under the rubble of Gaza,” a Pakistani lawmaker remarked during the session, claiming that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was designed to oppose China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The “Al-Aqsa Million March” was also reportedly organized in Karachi by Hamas leaders, and Qadoumi praised Pakistan as the “elder brother” for taking in 15 Palestinian prisoners who had been released under a peace accord with Israel.
On Thursday (1st May), legendary singer Sonu Nigam was rudely asked by a fan to sing in Kannada while performing at East Point College in Bengaluru. The singer said he felt “threatened” by the rude demand and stopped his performance to address the language issue, as well as speak about the deadly Pahalgam attack.
A video of the incident went viral on social media. In the video from the concert, Sonu Nigam can be heard saying, “In my career, I have sung in multiple languages but the best songs that I have ever sung is in the Kannada language. Whenever I come to your city, I come with lots of love. We do a lot of shows in a lot of places, but whenever we have shows in Karnataka we come with a lot of respect for you. You have treated me like your family, but I didn’t like when the boy there, who is not even as old as my career, is rudely threatening me to sing in Kannada.”
Sonu Nigam visibly enraged after a young boy from the crowd forced him to sing in Kannada during his live concert in #Bengaluru
Annoyed by the heckle, he hit back calling out rising regional intolerance and warning such behaviour fuels the very divide terror outfits like those… pic.twitter.com/D4RNbj0BFK
Nigam compared the student’s mindless rudeness towards the singer with the Pahalgam terror attack and said, “This is the reason behind the incident in Pahalgam. Please see who is standing before you. I love you guys.”
Expressing his love for Kannada language and his respect towards his audience, Sonu Nigam said, “I do so many shows across the world where thousands of people gather, and every time I hear even a single person shouting ‘Kannada’, I make sure to sing at least one line in Kannada for them. That’s how much I love and respect all of you. So please be kind.”
Notably, Sonu Nigam is a multi-lingual playback singer. In his career spanning three decades, Nigam has recorded many iconic songs in over 32 languages, including Hindi, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Odia, English, Assamese, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Nepali, Tulu, Maithili, and Manipuri.
The inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) commenced on May 1 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. Organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The four-day event (May 1–4) brings together global leaders in media, entertainment, and technology to position India as a hub for content creation and cultural innovation.
The summit is hosting over 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300 companies, and 350 startups from over 100 countries.
India’s Creative Economy Takes Center Stage
Inaugurating the summit PM Modi emphasised the rise of India’s “Orange Economy”—centered on content, creativity, and culture. He highlighted India’s growing influence in music, film, gaming, and animation, stating, “India is becoming the global hub of music, film, and gaming.” PM Modi encouraged young creators to “dream big” and share their stories with the world, underscoring government initiatives like Skill India and Startup India that support the creative sector.
He said India is not just a market for stories but also a powerhouse of storytelling. “Artists, innovators, investors and policy makers from more than 100 countries have come together under one roof today. In a way, we have laid down the foundation of global talent, global creativity and global ecosystem,” he said.
The PM said that WAVES is not just an acronym but a real wave. “Films, music, gaming, animation and storytelling are riding on this wave. Right from the first moment, the summit began to roar. It has attracted the world’s attention in its very first summit. More such beautiful waves are about to come,” he added.
Mukesh Ambani: Creative Industries Are ‘Real Power’
Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani addressed the summit, asserting that India’s entertainment and cultural industries constitute “real power,” not just soft power. “People say Media & Entertainment is India’s soft power—I call it India’s real power,” said Ambani. He projected that the current $28 billion media and entertainment sector could exceed $100 billion within a decade, given appropriate investment and policy support.
“India is not just a nation—it is a civilization of stories, where story-telling is a way of life”, Mukesh Ambani said in his keynote address titled “Building the Next Global Entertainment Revolution from India”. He referred to India as “the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of traditions.” Emphasizing that storytelling is deeply woven into the fabric of Indian life, he stated, “From our timeless epics to mythological tales, storytelling is our heritage. Content is king—and good stories always sell. This timeless principle is the foundation of global entertainment.”
He also identified two tectonic shifts reshaping the creative landscape: geo-economics and technology. As the economic might of the Global South surges—home to 85% of the world’s population—so does its role in content creation and consumption. At the same time, cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence are revolutionizing every stage of the entertainment value chain, from content creation to distribution.
Highlighting India’s unique strengths, Ambani said that the country is poised to lead the entertainment revolution, powered by three pillars; Compelling Content, Dynamic Demography and Technological Leadership. “India’s digital revolution is not just a story of scale—it is a story of aspiration, ambition, and transformation,” he declared.
Day 1 Highlights: Celebrating Legends and Emerging Voices
The first day featured a tribute to late actor Manoj Kumar, with Hema Malini and director Madhur Bhandarkar discussing his contributions to Indian cinema. Musical performances by artists like MM Keeravani, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, KS Chithra, and Mangli added to the day’s events
Key panel discussions included:
Legends & Legacies: The Stories that Shaped India’s Soul: Featuring Hema Malini, Mithun Chakraborty, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, and Chiranjeevi, moderated by Akshay Kumar, the panel reflected on their cinematic journeys and impact on Indian cinema.
The New Mainstream: Breaking Borders, Building Legends: Director Karan Johar led a discussion with SS Rajamouli, AR Rahman, Alia Bhatt, Anil Kapoor, and Vicky Kaushal on how Indian cinema is transcending borders.
The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler: Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone shared their experiences of overcoming industry challenges, in a session moderated by Karan Johar.
Talent Beyond Borders: Allu Arjun spoke about the global recognition of regional talents.
Braving the Odds: Scripting a New Narrative: Legendary Footballer Ariane Hingst, Super Model Binaca Balti, Israeli actor Rona Lee Shimon, and TV9 MD Barun Das participated in this panel discussion.
“The Business of Influence: Creators Shaping Global Culture”: Moderated by Gautam Anand, Vice President, YouTube APAC, the session brought together four extraordinary creators whose journeys, rooted in passion and purpose, have quietly transformed corners of the digital world. Japanese creator Mayo Murasaki, Chef Ranveer Brar, Akash Jadhav of ‘Indian Farmer’, and Jeetendra Advani of ‘Chess Talk’ were the panelists.
Other than Mukesh Ambani, others to deliver keynote addresses on day 1 were Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for DCMS, UK on “Creative Bridges: Unlocking The Power of Cultural & Creative Partnerships Between the UK & India”, WPP CEO Mark Read on “The Future of Advertising”, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayan on “Design, Media and Creativity in the Age of AI”, Ogilvy Chief Strategy Officer Prem Narayan on “Culture as a Fuel to Build Brands”, and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan on “Powering the Creator Economy in India”.
WAVES 2025 has attracted over 100 countries, featuring international figures like Louis Boswell (AVIA), Kang Sungkyu (Busan Film Commission), and Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud (Saudi Esports Federation).
The summit also introduced initiatives such as the WAVES Bazaar, a global e-marketplace for creative talent, and the WAVES Awards, recognising excellence in film, gaming, and advertising. With its blend of cultural celebration and strategic vision, WAVES 2025 aims to solidify India’s position as a global leader in the creative economy.
