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Operation New Order: Hezbollah confirms the death of its chief Hassan Nasrallah in Israeli airstrike, several top leaders of the group killed and its missiles destroyed by bunker buster bombs

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Operation New Order: Hezbollah confirms the death of its chief Hassan Nasrallah in Israeli airstrike, several top leaders of the group killed and its missiles destroyed by bunker buster bombs

Lebanon-based group Hezbollah has confirmed that its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut. This comes after Israel had announced that Nasrallah has been eliminated in the ongoing operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A statement issued by the group said, “Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Hezbollah, has joined his great, immortal martyr comrades whom he led for about 30 years.” Hezbollah added that it would continue its battle against Israel “in support of Gaza and Palestine, and in defence of Lebanon and its steadfast and honourable people.”

Gaza based Hamas also confirmed and mourned the death of Hezbollah chief. “We mourn with deep patience and respect for the honourable Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah and his brothers,” the group said in a message on Telegram. The terror group said, “We recall his life’s journey, filled with sacrifices for the liberation of Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and honour his steadfast positions. His unwavering support for our Palestinian people, our courageous resistance, and our legitimate rights continues to inspire us. We also acknowledge his commitment to remaining at the heroic forefront, supporting our people and our resistance in the Al-Aqsa flood.”

Meanwhile, Israeli forces have said that not just Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, but several top leaders of Hezbollah were killed in the airstrikes on the group’s headquarters in Beirut. IDF said that alongside Nasrallah, the commander of Hezbollah’s so-called Southern Front, Ali Karaki was also killed in the Friday afternoon strike, along with other top commanders in the terror group.

As per a widely shared infographic, also shared by IDF, Hezbollah has lost almost all of its top leadership in recent Israeli operations. As per it, apart from Abu Ali Rida, the Commander of the “Bader” Unit, ten top leaders of the group have been eliminated. They include four second in command leaders and five third in command leaders, apart from chief Nasrallah.

In the operation titled “New Order,” Israeli Defence Forces used dozens of bunker-buster bombs to hit the underground bunkers of Hezbollah in Beirut’s southern suburb of Dahiyeh on Friday. The group’s headquarters are located beneath residential buildings, and Hezbollah top leadership had assembled there to plan attacks against Israel in light of escalating tensions on the Israel-Lebanon border.

As per media reports, around 85 “bunker-buster” bombs were used in the operation, which are also known as “ground penetration munition”. These are missiles designs to target underground bunkers, they burrow deep into the ground before detonating. Such missiles destroy underground facilities and even reinforced concrete buildings. American F-15 fighter jets of Israeli Air Force were used for the operation, as confirmed by a video shared by IDF spokesperson.

The American GBU-28 bunker buster bomb, some which were sold to Israel, can penetrate up to about six meters of concrete. Israel also uses MPR-500 bombs made by Elbit.

Israel Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani said that the operation was carried out based on “real time intelligence”. Israel knew Nasrallah at the Hezbollah headquarters in Beirut, and aimed to eliminate him. Shoshani added that the airstrike was based on years of tracking Nasrallah apart from real time intelligence.

The spokesperson said that despite the loss of senior leaders, Hezbollah’s arsenal remains intact, and Israel will continue to target the group. “This isn’t a threat that has gone away,” he said, adding that it is safe to assume that Hezbollah will retaliate.

After the assassination of Nasrallah, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen Herzi Halevi said Israel would reach anyone who threatened the country and its citizens. “The is not the end of the tools in the toolbox. The message is simple, to anyone who threatens the citizens of the State of Israel, we will know how to get to them,” he said.

Following the strikes on Friday, Israel hit several buildings on Saturday after warning the residents to move away. As per Israeli military, these locations were used by Hezbollah to store anti-ship missiles.

Before the strikes, IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said that IDF will now strike the weapons stored by Hezbollah under the residential buildings. “We will now reveal how Hezbollah places strategic weapons under civilian buildings in the heart of the Dahiyeh. These missiles are a real threat to world shipping lanes and strategic facilities of the State of Israel. In a short while, we will attack the weapons under the buildings. The intensity of the explosion of the weapons under the buildings, will lead to damage to the buildings and could lead to their collapse,” Hagari said.

After giving civilians time to move outside of the area, Israeli Air Force struck the buildings where anti-ship missiles were stored, along with several other Hezbollah sites in Beirut’s southern suburbs. IDF said that the strikes took out six warehouses where the coast-to-sea missiles were stored and maintained, destroying dozens of the anti-ship missiles.

In a video message, Hagari said that Hassan Nasrallah and other Hezbollah leaders were legitimate military targets under international law. “Nasrallah intentionally built Hezbollah’s central headquarters under residential buildings in Dahiya, Beirut—because Hezbollah intentionally uses Lebanese civilians as human shields. While Hezbollah seeks to maximize civilian harm, Israel seeks to minimize it,” he said.

Pakistan: Education for kids in Rawalpindi comes to a grinding halt as state runs out of money to pay the teachers

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Pakistan: Education for kids in Rawalpindi comes to a grinding halt as state runs out of money to pay the teachers

The inability of the Pakistani government to pay adequate compensation to its retired and on-roll teachers has forced the teacher associations in Pakistan’s Rawalpindi to raise their voices by holding protests, The Express Tribune reported.

The teaching fraternity has complained about issues with the latest pension rules, concerns over the privatisation of government schools, and demands for the approval of leave encashment.

Education in schools in Rawalpindi has come to a halt, as the Grand Teachers Alliance has called upon a citywide strike over the concerns faced by teaching professionals, The Express Tribune reported.

The strike has halted operations in 5,610 government institutions across the six districts of Rawalpindi Division, including Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Attock, Chakwal, Talagang, and Murree. The protesters held banners and placards announcing an indefinite boycott of educational activities. Additionally, sports activities have also been cancelled until the strike continues.

The protestors warned that their protests will continue and may escalate, including a potential long march to Islamabad, according to the Express Tribune report. The leaders also warned that the privatisation of schools would lead to increased educational costs and a rise in the number of out-of-school children, which could reach 30 million.

The report further stated that the education department has demanded the list of absent teachers and has warned to issue show-cause notices to 15 educators. However, the protestors have said that the action of the government will be contested, and any officer who issues a suspension letter will face protest.

The protestors, on the other hand, have asserted that they are attempting to prevent the conversion of government schools to private, and the government must support the initiative instead of harassing them. Additionally, the Grand Teachers Alliance leaders like Shahid Mubarak, Malik Amjad Mehmood, and Qazi Imran declared their demonstration was nonpolitical and nonviolent, according to The Express Tribune report.

An agreement between teachers and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz during a previous sit-in by teachers in Lahore, where she had promised to address the demands of the teachers, The Express Tribune reported.

However, the protestors claimed that upon taking office, the chief minister had forgotten her commitment, which they argue is detrimental to the educational system.

The alliance also expressed ‘deep concerns’ over the issues of job security faced by the teachers in Pakistan, claiming that the chief minister’s actions threaten their livelihoods and the future of the country’s children.

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

MUDA scam in Karnataka: Allegations were made by Congress party itself – BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi

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MUDA scam in Karnataka: Allegations were made by Congress party itself – BJP’s Sudhanshu Trivedi

Bhartiya Janata Party MP Sudhanshu Trivedi hit out at the Congress party over the alleged MUDA ‘scam’ and said the allegations pertaining to the case were first made by the Congress itself and the decision has also come in Lokayukta Court of Karnataka.

Attacking the party further, he asked whether Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and AICC President Sonia Gandhi are supporting “corrupt” leaders.

“In the case of Karnataka Congress CM Siddaramaiah’s MUDA scam, the way his family made huge wealth by misusing land and government authority in the Mysore Urban Development Authority, the court has given this decision in which CM Siddaramaiah has been made accused number one. Is the Chief Minister the first and the prime accused in this? The important thing is no central agency has investigated this and no one has filed an application on their own,” Trivedi said addressing a press conference on Saturday.

He added that the decision has come from the Lokayukta Court of Karnataka because the allegations were made by the Congress party.

“The decision itself has come in Lokayukta Court of Karnataka because the allegations itself were made by Congress. Now I want to ask Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi whether they are standing with the corrupt politicians and to remember, this case is done by your party members itself. I would like to tell you that Malikarjun Kharge is from Karnataka too and since he has been on post, the corruption in Karnataka has risen twice,” Trivedi said.

The BJP leader further said that Siddaramiah has been trying to “protect himself” from investigation in the case for the last couple of months.

“I would also like to remind you that Siddaramiah has been trying to protect himself from investigation in the case for the last couple of months. This is the few rare cases of history in which a sitting Chief Minister has been accused in a scam,” he added.

A petition has been filed in the Karnataka High Court, demanding a CBI probe against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam with Snehamayi Krishna, a petitioner in the case stating that the investigation must be handled by the central probe agency as Lokayukta works under the preview of the government and Chief Minister of Karnataka.

A Special Court in Bengaluru on Wednesday passed an order directing Karnataka Lokyukta to conduct an investigation against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the allegation of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites worth Rs 56 crore to his wife Parvathi by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). 

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

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei goes into hiding after Israel eliminates Hezbollah chief Nasrallah

OpIndia Staff
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Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei goes into hiding after Israel eliminates Hezbollah chief Nasrallah

On Saturday, September 28, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they have eliminated chief of Iran backed terror organisation Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. Reportedly, Nasrallah was eliminated in a targeted strike in Lebanon by Israel. Following the death of Iran backed Nasrallah, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei has gone into hiding to avoid any similar strike by Israel against him.

As per Reuters report, Iran was in constant contact with Lebanon’s Hezbollah and other regional Iran proxy groups to determine the next step after Israel announced that it had killed Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah in a strike on south Beirut. 

Following the killing of Nasrallah, Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been moved to a safer place within the country and security has been beefed up for him with the fear that he can be next.

Notably, following the death of Hezbollah chief Nasrallah, Israel’s army chief, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, vowed to “reach” anyone who poses a threat to Israeli citizens. Iran has always been against the existence of Israel, and the Ayatollah has been at the forefront of spewing venom against Israel.

Earlier, in response to Hezbollah’s provocation, Israel struck the terror group’s central headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut. During the attack, Israel killed the group’s co-founder and current chief Hassan Nasrallah.

As per media reports, Nasrallah’s daughter Zainab Nasrallah, Hezbollah missile unit commander Muhammad Ali Ismail, and his deputy Hossein Ahmed Ismail were also killed in Israel’s attack.

Israel and Hezbollah have always been at war, however, the tensions have escalated since the October 7 terror attack by Hamas in Israel, a terror attack supported by Iran-backed Hezbollah.

Canada: Masked pro-Palestinian protesters deface Maharaja Ranjit Singh statue, spark outrage

OpIndia Staff
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Canada: Masked pro-Palestinian protesters deface Maharaja Ranjit Singh statue, spark outrage

On 28th September, a video of masked pro-Palestinian protesters surfaced on social media from Malton, Mississuaga in Canada, where they were seen defacing the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, founder of the Sikh Empire. The social media user Leviathan, who published the video, identified the person defacing the statue as Hosaam Hamdan, who has a history of defacing statues of cultural significance.

In a post on X, the user wrote, “Frequently masked protester Hosaam Hamdan defacing a statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, a massive insult to the Sikh community as he is the first Maharaja & founder of the Sikh Empire. Hosaam Hamdan has a history of defacing statues of cultural significance, so this should not be observed as a 1-off instance.”

Sharing the video, senior correspondent for the National Telegraph, Daniel Bordman, wrote, “Jihadists in Canada attack and deface a statue of Ranjit Singh. Ranjit Singh was the father of the Sikh Empire, the last man to successfully hold Afghanistan and generally loved by all in South Asia. This isn’t about Israel or Palestine, it’s about the destruction of everything that is not part of the Muslim Brotherhood’s worldview.”

The viral video is around 37 seconds long. Two Palestinian masked protesters can be seen on the statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. One of them can be seen tying a cloth on the horse of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The video was shot by several protesters present at the scene. The Peel Police of Canada have been informed about the incident, which is being looked into, but they have not released any official statement.

Vandalism of Ranjit Singh statue by Islamists

Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s statue has been a target of Islamists before. In August 2021, a similar incident occurred at Lahore Fort in Pakistan where a nine-foot-tall statue of Maharaja Ranjit Singh was vandalised for the third time by members of a Pakistani political party. The statue was pulled down by workers of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (an Islamist political party). The TLP workers first broke the arm of the statue and then dislodged it completely. The two workers entered the fort posing as a disabled person and his helper. The man, who pretended to have a leg disability, hit the statue with the rod he was carrying.

Who was Maharaja Ranjit Singh?

Maharaja Ranjit Singh was an exemplary and powerful Sikh ruler who successfully repelled numerous Afghan attacks in Punjab and safeguarded the region from invasion. He is often referred to as the “Lion of Punjab.” He was the founder and first ruler of the Sikh Empire, established in the early 19th century.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh lost the sight in one eye due to smallpox at a young age. Despite having only one functional eye, he emerged as a formidable leader and military strategist. He consolidated a vast Sikh Empire and challenged the might of the Afghans. Maharaja Ranjit Singh also resisted the expansion of the British Empire. His administration was inclusive, comprising individuals from various religious backgrounds, including Sikhs, Hindus, Muslims, and Europeans.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh was born on 13th November 1780 in Gujranwala (now in Pakistan), Punjab. He fought his first battle at the age of 10 and ascended the throne soon after. At 18, he conquered Lahore. He ruled for 40 years, keeping the British at bay and ensuring no one came near his empire.

At the age of 12, following his father’s death, the burden of the throne was placed on his young shoulders. He was officially crowned as the Maharaja of Punjab at the age of 20, on 12th April 1801. After his coronation, in 1802, he annexed Amritsar into his empire. By 1807, he had defeated the Afghan ruler Qutb-ud-Din and captured Kasur. In 1818, he seized Multan, and by 1819, Kashmir was under his control. He passed away on 27th June 1839.

Gujarat: Illegal religious structures, including a mosque, a 500-year-old graveyard, and dargahs close to Somnath Temple demolished

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: Illegal religious structures, including a mosque, a 500-year-old graveyard, and dargahs close to Somnath Temple demolished

The Gujarat administration demolished Illegal religious structures, including a mosque, graveyard, and a dargah near the hallowed Somnath Temple on 28 September 2024.

36 JCBs, 70 tractors, 5 Hitachi machines, 10 dumpers and 1,400 policemen were deployed by the Gujarat administration as a part of the demolition operation, reported Desh Gujarat, a news organisation based out of Gujarat. 

The operation was in response to illegal encroachments and unlawfully constructed religious structures that had cropped up in Prabhas Patan in Gir Somnath district close to Somnath Mandir.

A bevvy of members from the minority community gathered to witness the spectacle as JCBs and machines rolled to raze down illegal structures. While the operation was conducted in peace and harmony, over 70 people were detained over protests and movements in restricted areas. Among those present at the site included the district collector, IG, three SPs, six DySPs, and fifty police inspectors and sub-inspectors.

A video circulated by the official X account of ‘The Observer Post’, an ‘Independent media organisation’ as per its bio, claimed that bulldozers were used to demolish mosques, graveyards, and dargahs in Prabhas Patan Veraval in Somnath. 

The demolition began early in the morning, around 4 am. Construction of illegal religious structures on government lands is a common site in Gujarat, most notably in coastal regions such as Somnath, which had once been an object of Islamist perversity, repeatedly raided by Mahmud of Ghazni, who not only broke the presiding deity’s idol into four pieces in an attempt to humiliate Hindus but also reportedly sent them to different places; one he took with him to Ghazni (in Afghanistan) where it was deposited at the threshold of the Jama Masjid of Ghazni and the other piece at the court door of his palace. The remaining two fragments were sent to Mecca and Medina to be buried inside the mosques there.

The legendary loot of the Somnath temple brought other Islamic marauders to its shores as well, along with other places of religious import for Hindus, Jains, and other communities, like Dwarka, Girnar, etc. These temples, which were a confluence of trade and religiosity, also brought settlers from places far and wide. Over time, illegal structures mushroomed up alongside these religious shrines, many of which have been razed down as a part of demolition drives carried out by the Gujarat administration in the past in coastal locations like Bet Dwarka, Porbandar, and Jamnagar. These operations have targeted not only encroachments but also instances of land grabbing and activities such as drug trafficking, smuggling, and other threats to national security.

Will reach everyone who poses a threat to Israel: Army Chief Herzi Halevi promises after Hezbollah chief Nasrallah got killed

OpIndia Staff
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Will reach everyone who poses a threat to Israel: Army Chief Herzi Halevi promises after Hezbollah chief Nasrallah got killed

On Saturday, September 28, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that they have eliminated Hassan Nasrallah, the Lebanese cleric and the secretary-general of terrorist organisation Hezbollah.

Following the death of Hezbollah chief Nasrallah, Israel’s army chief, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, vowed to “reach” anyone who poses a threat to Israeli citizens.

Notably, Hezbollah has been threatening Israel repeatedly with drone, and even missile attacks.

In response to Hezbollah’s provocation, Israel struck the terror group’s central headquarters in the southern suburbs of Beirut. During the attack, Israel apparently killed the group’s co-founder and current chief Hassan Nasrallah.

Talking about the death of Nasrallah, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi added that the strike, which killed Nasrallah, had been planned meticulously for some time and executed with precision.

“This attack was prepared for a long time, executed at the right moment with great precision, and now we are moving forward with careful preparation for the next steps”, he said.

Delay in filing FIR, milder charge instituted against accused: Calcutta HC raps WB police over IAS officer’s wife’s rape case. Another rape cover-up by Mamata govt?

OpIndia Staff
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Delay in filing FIR, milder charge instituted against accused: Calcutta HC raps WB police over IAS officer’s wife’s rape case. Another rape cover-up by Mamata govt?

West Bengal remains on a boil over the horrific RG Kar rape and murder case, with protests persisting for more than 40 days after the alleged crime. Micro and macro-level demonstrations have continued across the city, with many accusing Mamata Banerjee’s administration of deflecting attention from the crisis by resorting to whataboutery in rape cases.

The RG Kar case, however, is not an isolated event that reflects a broader pattern of systemic failures and political patronage that pervades West Bengal’s governance. The alleged rape of a civil servant’s wife in the state’s capital in July this year serves as yet another glaring example of this spoils system at work.

On Friday, September 27, the Calcutta High Court ordered that the investigation into the alleged rape of a civil servant’s wife, who is posted outside West Bengal, be transferred to a deputy commissioner-level officer. The court also revoked the bail previously granted to the accused by a lower court and instructed the Kolkata Police commissioner to take disciplinary action against three police officers for negligence in handling the investigation.

Ordering the transfer of the probe, Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj of Calcutta High Court, observed: “Despite the gravity of offences, the case was registered under less severe sections.”

The order was passed by the High Court after the victim stated that despite being raped twice within a span of seven hours at her residence, the accused was charged with the lesser offence of outraging modesty. Furthermore, a lower court granted him bail the day after his arrest.

The judge also directed the present investigation officer to hand over all documents and the case diary to the deputy commissioner within three days.

The case and the alleged delays and cover-ups by Kolkata police

In an incident that occurred on July 14 and 15, an IAS officer’s wife was allegedly raped at gunpoint in the Lake Thana area while the officer was stationed outside the state. The victim, who works in a managerial capacity in a private firm, alleged that she was raped at gunpoint twice in her own home, first at 11:30 pm on July 14, and again at 6:30 am the next day.

The victim had approached the High Court accusing the police of tampering with the charge sheet.

In her petition, the victim stated that on July 15, she went to Lake police station to file a complaint, but there was an unexplained delay in processing her complaint.

On the same day, she was reportedly subjected to coercion and intimidation by the son and wife of the accused, who were allegedly brought to the station by police officers in an attempt to pressure her into withdrawing her complaint.

Despite the victim’s request, there has been no scrutiny or investigation of the CCTV footage from the Lake police station covering the period from 4 pm to 8 pm on that day.

Additionally, it was claimed that the victim had to undergo a medical examination at a government facility on her own initiative, as the police failed to arrange one.

The state’s counsel, however, argued that instead of filing a formal written complaint, the victim used her friend’s mobile phone to send a WhatsApp message, which was received by the on-duty officer at Lake police station.

He further submitted that the complainant was later asked to recount the incident to a female officer, and her oral statement was video-recorded.

Noting discrepancies between the WhatsApp message and her oral statement, the complainant was then instructed to submit a written, signed complaint, according to the state’s lawyer’s submission before the court.

The state also claimed that the victim’s medical report did not initially provide evidence of rape, leading to the accused being granted bail shortly after his arrest by a lower court.

However, after yesterday’s (Friday, September 27) hearing, the Calcutta High Court revoked the bail of the accused. It also ordered that a female police officer of Deputy Commissioner rank take over the investigation. This officer will now lead the case moving forward.

Furthermore, the court instructed the Kolkata Police Commissioner to take disciplinary action against the OC of Lake Police Station, a sub-inspector, a sergeant, and three female police officers.

The Calcutta High Court noted that despite the seriousness of the rape allegations, the case was initially weakened due to delays in filing the FIR and suspected tampering with the charge sheet, raising concerns about the transparency of the investigation.

The shoddy investigation by the Kolkata police in the RG Kar rape and murder case

The RG Kar case has raised serious concerns about the Kolkata Police’s role in investigating the rape and murder of a young doctor. When the Supreme Court criticized the delay in filing an FIR in the RG Kar sexual assault and murder case, the police presented a timeline of their investigation, which was shared with the media through a government lawyer.

The timeline detailed the professional backgrounds of all individuals interrogated, except for the main accused, Sanjoy Roy. The police have only provided vague, source-based information about Roy’s ties to the force.

Despite serious allegations, including a complaint from Roy’s late wife’s family after he assaulted her while she was three months pregnant, no action was taken against him.

Similarly, the treatment of Sandip Ghosh, former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government raised several questions about the Mamata Banerjee government’s casual approach towards the RG Kar case. Despite multiple complaints, the state’s health department led by none other than Mamata Banerjee herself, took no action against Ghosh.

Even sources within the TMC acknowledged Ghosh’s influence. His resignation was quickly followed by reassignment to another post, reflecting the impunity enjoyed by those with powerful connections.

Owing to the Kolkata police’s shoddy investigation, junior doctors and civil society members protested, demanding the resignation of the then Kolkata Police Commissioner, Vineet Goel, who was eventually removed under pressure from the movement.

Currently, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, as ordered by the Calcutta High Court.

Dehradun: Islamists pelt stones during clashes with Hindu advocacy groups after a Muslim girl from Badaun travels to meet a Hindu youth, sparks protests

OpIndia Staff
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Dehradun: Islamists pelt stones during clashes with Hindu advocacy groups after a Muslim girl from Badaun travels to meet a Hindu youth, sparks protests

Communal tensions erupted at Dehradun railway stations after a Muslim girl, hailing from Badaun, UP, came to the city to meet a Hindu youth. The incident took place on Thursday night when hundreds of people clashed over the interfaith couple, hurling communal slurs at each other, reports said.

The incident came to light after passengers at the railway station witnessed the couple engaged in an animated argument. The RPF personnel took notice of the brawl and intervened, taking the duo along with them. 

When the RPF personnel contacted the girl’s family members, they found out that she was from Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun and had been missing for a day. She had reportedly travelled to marry a Hindu boy in Dehradun.

Meanwhile, clashes erupted between the two groups at the station over the couple. As per reports, while the police had taken the girl into custody, news had spread and an Islamist mob gathered from nearby areas. Local Hindus also organised came out in numbers. One group was reportedly led by Bajrang Dal leader Vikas Verma while the other was led by Asif Qureshi, Azad Samaj Party’s city unit head for Dehradun.

The clashes eventually led to stone-pelting following which police intervened. Over 100 people, including Vikas Verma, were detained in connection with the incident. 

Verma’s detention, however, sparked massive widespread outrage across the city, with hundreds of people coming out on the streets to oppose the arrests made in the Dehradun stone-pelting incident. Videos of protests show thousands demonstrating at the Clock Tower in Dehradun against police action in the stone-pelting incident at the railway station. 

Verma was subsequently released by the police.

Following the incident, Dehradun SSP Ajay Singh shared details about the matter. Singh said the clashes were triggered after a minor Muslim girl had travelled from Badaun to meet the youth.

“A police team reached the spot… but people from some organisations and people from different communities gathered there… sloganeering and stone pelting took place between the people of the two communities, but there were also many such people whom we couldn’t identify who they were and which organisations they belong to. Police dispersed the crowd and FIR was registered against this incident… today many people from both communities were detained for interrogation and also we asked them to identify people who were part of the protest so that we could arrest them…” Singh said.

Bareilly: Dispute over illegal mosque construction in Kela Dandi village, stone pelting videos go viral as communal tension persists

OpIndia Staff
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Bareilly: Dispute over illegal mosque construction in Kela Dandi village, stone pelting videos go viral as communal tension persists

In past few days, communal tension has spread in Kela Dandi village of Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh due to illegal construction of a mosque. This dispute started when some people of the Muslim community started building an illegal mosque inside the village. The situation worsened when people of the Hindu community took to the streets over the illegal construction and a part of the wall of the mosque allegedly fell. After this incident, tension spread in the entire village and police had to be deployed in large numbers to control the situation.

According to media reports, Fida Hussain and his brother Arif of the Muslim community donated their plot for the construction of the mosque. After this, people of the Muslim community erected walls on that plot and started building a mosque there. Painting was done on the walls and Namaz was being observed at the place. However, this construction was done without any government permission, which became the main reason for the dispute.

People of the Hindu community had complained to the administration about this illegal construction about three months ago. At that time, the administration had put a stop to the construction work in the presence of police and also put the place under lockdown. However, even then the illegal construction was not completely demolished, due to which resentment grew in the Hindu society.

The situation worsened when the people of the Hindu society allegedly demolished a part of the wall of the illegal mosque on Friday (27th September, 2024). After this incident, the police immediately reached the spot and got the wall rebuilt under their supervision. This step raises questions on the role of the police, as the Hindu society alleged that the police was working in cahoots with the Muslim side and promoting illegal construction. Reacting to this, the people of the Hindu society again took to the streets and sat on a dharna.

BJP MLA Dr. MP Arya also got actively involved in this dispute. When he came to know about this matter, he immediately reached the village and joined the women sitting on the dharna. He also demanded the removal of this illegal construction and strongly criticized the role of the police-administration. He informed about this whole matter through a post on social media and criticized the attitude of the police.

After this dispute, the police and administration came into action and a large number of police forces were deployed in the village. SP Southern, Mukesh Chandra Mishra, said in this matter that the administration had earlier also taken steps to stop the illegal construction of the mosque. He said that the construction work was already stopped on the orders of the magistrate, but the Hindu side alleged that Namaz was being offered there and this construction started again secretly.

This dispute took a more serious turn when stone pelting started between the two communities. Many videos of this stone pelting went viral on social media, in which it can be seen that people of both sides are throwing stones at each other. After this incident, tension spread further in the area. The police immediately called a fire brigade vehicle to the spot and security was increased to prevent stones being thrown from the rooftops.

After the stone pelting, the police detained 12 people. These people were mainly from the Hindu community, who were accused of demolishing the wall of the illegal construction. These arrests further angered the people from the Hindu side, due to which they started protesting under the leadership of MLA MP Arya. The main demand of the people sitting on the protest was that the arrested youths should be released unconditionally and the illegal construction should be completely stopped. At present, in view of the tense situation, police from many police stations and PSC force were deployed in the village.

At present, the situation in the village is tense but under control. Efforts are being made to maintain peace in the village amid heavy deployment of police force. However, tension still persists between the two communities and questions are also being raised on the role of the administration. MLA MP Arya and his supporters say that they will continue their protest until the illegal construction is completely removed and the arrested youths are released.

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