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Kerala govt issues gag order banning scientists from visiting landslide-hit areas in Wayanad and sharing their studies and opinions on the disaster

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala govt issues gag order banning scientists from visiting landslide-hit areas in Wayanad and sharing their studies and opinions on the disaster

As the death toll in landslides in Wayanad district in Kerala has neared 300, the state govt has issued a gag order against the scientific community from commenting on the disaster or visiting the sites. The Communist govt in the state has issued a bizarre order to all science and technology institutions in Kerala preventing them from visiting the disaster sites or sharing their opinion about the incident.

In this order, Tinku Biswal, state relief commissioner and principal secretary, Kerala State Disaster Management has asked the Principal Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology to direct all science and technology institutions in Kerala not to undertake any field visits to Meppadi panchayat in Wayanad, which is notified as a disaster-affected area.

“The scientific community shall be directed to restrain themselves from sharing their opinions and study reports to the media. If any study is to be undertaken in the disaster-affected area, prior permission shall be obtained from Kerala Disaster Management Authority,” the note said.

It stated that if any study is to be undertaken in disaster affected area, prior permission will have to be obtained from the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority.

Talking to Onmanorama, Tinku Biswal said that the move is in keeping with disaster management protocols. “Other than rescue and relief personnel, we discourage and wherever possible restrict the movement of others into and from the disaster site,” she reportedly said.

When asked about gag order on sharing studies, she said that various theories and counter-theories are being floated and that should not happen during a disaster. Tinku Biswal said, “They impact the local population. We don’t want people to be distracted by theories. It dampens the mood of the population. If at all any study needs to be done, that can be done later.”

Notably, the direction has been issued by the same Pinarayi Vijayan government which prides itself for promoting science and technology and steering Kerala on the path to a full-fledged ‘knowledge economy.’

As per latest reports, the death toll in the landslides have reached at least 296 and over 200 are injured. Around 240 people are still missing.

Children filed FIR against parents for restricting use of phone, TV and living with aunt since 2021, Madhya Pradesh HC stays proceedings in trial court

ANI
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Children filed FIR against parents for restricting use of phone, TV and living with aunt since 2021, Madhya Pradesh HC stays proceedings in trial court

Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court put a stay on proceedings of the trial court in a case filed by children against their parents for restricting usage of mobile phones and TV.

A brother-sister duo, an eight-year-old boy and a 21-year-old girl, registered a case against their parents at Chandan Nagar police station in October 2021 alleging that their parents used to forbid them from using mobile phones and watching TV during the lockdown period.

The police had arrested the parents and also presented the challan before the district court. Recently, the father of the children, Ajay Chouhan filed a petition before the Indore Bench of MP High Court to dismiss the case under Section 482 CrPC.

“A 21-year-old girl and her eight-year-old brother had lodged an FIR against their parents at Chandan Nagar police station in Indore in October 2021. The police had registered a case under sections 323, 342, 506 and 34 of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and sections 75 and 82 of Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act,” said Dharmendra Chaudhary, lawyer on behalf of parents.

The children alleged that their parents harassed them, deprived them of food, and forbade them to watch TV, especially not letting them use mobile phones. There were other issues in the house as well. Due to this, the children went to live at their aunt’s (Bua) house, and after that, they lodged an FIR. After completing the investigation, Chandan Nagar Police presented the challan before the district court, Chaudhary said

“Recently, the main accused in the case, father of the children, Ajay Chouhan had filed a petition before the Indore Bench of MP High Court under section 482 CrPC in the case. On hearing the matter on July 25, the High Court stayed the proceedings of the trial court,” he said.

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

Interrogation required, allegations serious: Delhi court rejects former trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea

OpIndia Staff
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Interrogation required, allegations serious: Delhi court rejects former trainee IAS officer Puja Khedkar’s anticipatory bail plea

On 1st August, a Delhi court denied the request for anticipatory release submitted by Puja Khedkar, a former trainee IAS officer who has been charged with document fabrication and fraud in order to get selected for the Civil Service Examination. The development transpired one day after her candidacy was permanently revoked by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) amid intense controversy. Khedkar requested the anticipatory bail “to establish her innocence” and stated during the hearing that she was being singled out for the reason of reporting an officer for sexual harassment. The application was denied by the prosecution, who argued that she had “cheated the system” on multiple occasions.

The court ordered the investigating agencies to determine if an insider’s role enabled her to be appointed despite her phoney handicap and Other Backward Class (OBC) certificates and the probe must be conducted fairly. “The investigation agency needs to widen the scope of the investigation. The agency is directed to find out the candidates recommended (by the UPSC) in the recent past who have availed benefits beyond permissible age limit under OBC quota and those who availed Persons with Benchmark Disabilities benefits despite not being entitled to it,” declared Patiala House Court’s additional sessions judge Devender Kumar Jangala.

The court added, “I am of the considered opinion that the allegations against the applicant/accused Puja Manorama Dilip Khedkar are grave and serious which requires thorough investigation. Custodial interrogation of the applicant/accused is required to unearth the whole conspiracy and to establish the involvement of the other persons involved in the conspiracy. In the present facts and circumstances, I am of the considered opinion that it is not a fit case to exercise discretionary powers of anticipatory bail in favour of the applicant/accused.”

Devender Kumar Jangala remarked that Delhi Police “must also investigate if anyone from inside the UPSC helped Khedkar.” The court directed, “Hence the investigating agency (Delhi Police) is directed to conduct its investigation in all fairness to find out the candidates recommended in recent past (a) who have illegally availed the attempts beyond permissible limits; (b) who have obtained the OBC (non-creamy layer) benefit, despite not being entitled; (c) who had obtained the benefits of persons with benchmark disability, despite being not entitled and (d) the investigating agency shall also find out whether some insider from the complainant side has also helped the applicant to attain her illegal goals.”

The court further ordered UPSC to gather information regarding candidates who illegally claimed the Persons with Benchmark Disabilities quota and about other candidates who received OBC quota advantages without being in the non-creamy layer. The Commission and the Delhi Police, who have opened a case against Khedkar based on a complaint from the UPSC, contended on 31st July that the trainee IAS officer had “breached the integrity of the system,” necessitating her detention for interrogation.

Puja Khedkar has been charged by UPSC for “fraudulently availing attempts beyond the permissible limit under the Examination Rules by faking her identity by way of changing her address, email address, mobile number, and father’s and mother’s names, as well as her photograph and signature.” The 34-year-old was selected as an IAS officer in the 2023 batch of the Maharashtra cadre.

The UPSC had lodged a case with the Delhi police alleging that Puja manufactured false statements, produced counterfeit identification to appear for the civil services test more than she was eligible to, and altered the names and identities of her parents, Manorama and Dilip Khedkar. Puja Khedkar became embroiled in a controversy after her conversations with an official came to light, during which she repeatedly insisted on having a separate office cabin, a car, and good accommodations even though she was not qualified for any of these while she was on probation.

Atul Srivastava, the public prosecutor, stated that the matter is “at a very nascent stage” and that further investigation into it is necessary, thus she must be questioned while in custody. “These kinds of persons who cheat the system must be dealt with very seriously. This person has abused the process of law,” he submitted and added that there was still a possibility that she would continue to abuse the law.

‘Entire Police Chowki suspended, DCP, ADCP, ASP removed’: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Gomti Nagar harassment case, says women’s safety is top priority

OpIndia Staff
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‘Entire Police Chowki suspended, DCP, ADCP, ASP removed’: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Gomti Nagar harassment case, says women’s safety is top priority

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath informed the state assembly on Thursday that the entire team at a police station has been suspended over the incident of harassment of women on a waterlogged street in Lucknow. He also said that the culprits have been identified and two of them have been arrested, Pawan Yadav and Mohammed Arbaaz.

He further said, “Ye hain aapke sadbhavna wale log? Inke liye sadbhavna train chalayenge? Inke liye bullet train chalegi ab, aap chinta mat karo,” 

CM Yogi said that people who harass women will not be spared, and announced action against police for failing to protect women. He added, “Women’s safety is a major issue for us, and we have assured every sister and daughter that we take this seriously.”

He said, “We have taken this incident seriously. And the result of taking it seriously is that entire chowki has been suspended. Inspector has been suspended, ASP, DCP, everyone has been removed and actions have been initiated against them”.

“Anyone attempting to create chaos will face the consequences. I urge you to ensure your people abide by the law,” the CM added.

The action was taken against cops after videos of several youths harassing commuters on a waterlogged road in Lucknow’s Gomti Nagar went viral. The youths were splashing water on two-wheeler riders who were passing through the area.

In one video, they were seen harassing a man and his sister on a motorcycle. They surrounded the motorcycle, and some of the culprits pulled back the two-wheeler, causing it to fall. While the rider tries to move ahead, the woman falls to the ground, and at least one man in the crowd groped her.

In other videos, the vandals were seen vandalising cars, breaking streetlights, and pushing bikers into waterlogged roads, causing outrage among netizens. Police promptly intervened after the video went viral, dispersing the mob with batons.

After the incident, while a probe was launched against the culprits, action was also taken against cops over negligence in duty. The local Station House Officer, the in-charge of the police outpost, and all police personnel present at the outpost have been suspended.

The suspended cops are Inspector in-charge Deepak Kumar Pandey, Chowki in-charge Rishi Vivek, Sub-Inspector Kapil Kumar and Constables Dharmveer and Virendra Kumar. Apart from that, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Lucknow) Prabal Pratap Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Kumawat, and Assistant Deputy Commissioner Anshu Jain of Police were immediately removed from their positions.

Lucknow Police Commissioner Amrendra Sengar said that action was taken against the cops due to evident negligence.

The incident took place under the Taj Hotel bridge in posh Gomti Nagar area in Lucknow on Lucknow. An FIR was registered after the incident at the Gomti Nagar police station. So far four accused have been arrested, and the search for the rest is on.  The accused have been booked under sections 191(2) (rioting) and 74 (assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage modesty) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Apart from Pawan Yadav and Mohammed Arbaaz, the other two arrested are Sunil Kumar and Viraj Sahu.

Delhi coaching centre deaths: SUV driver arrested for ‘splashing floodwater inside basement’ released on bail, police drops culpable homicide charges

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi coaching centre deaths: SUV driver arrested for ‘splashing floodwater inside basement’ released on bail, police drops culpable homicide charges

Manuj Kathuria, the SUV driver detained in connection with the deaths of three IAS aspirants within the basement of a coaching center in Old Rajender Nagar in Delhi, was released on bail on Thursday, 1st August. He was granted bail on a bond of ₹50,000 by Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar.

This comes after the Delhi Police informed the court on Thursday that they decided to swap the SUV driver’s more serious allegation of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the coaching center death case.

The investigating officer (IO) informed Additional Sessions Judge Rakesh Kumar of the conscious choice to drop the case, who was hearing an appeal against the magisterial court’s refusal of bail to the SUV driver Manuj Kathuria on Wednesday.

Yesterday the Delhi’s Tis Hazari court dismissed the bail pleas of Manuj Kathuria along with four owners of the property. While dismissing the bail application of accused Manuj Kathuria, the judge had said, “Perusal of CCTV footage of the alleged incident shows that the driver can be seen driving the vehicle on an already heavily waterlogged road at a speed causing large displacement of water, resulting in the gate of the alleged premises giving way. Water entered the basement, leading to the loss of three innocent lives.”

The police had objected to the bail plea in the court yesterday. But today the police changed its position on the SUV driver, and dropped the harshed charge of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ against him, paving way for his bail.

“During the further investigation, as carried out in the proceedings 48 hrs, it has transpired that the ingredients of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) is, at this stage, not being sufficiently established,” the IO said explaining the reason for dropping the charge.

However, Manuj Kathuria is still booked under Section 281 of BNS, which is for rash driving or riding on public way. The police added that the cause of the flooding of the basement can be better assessed when the expert team from IIT-Delhi visits the spot and submits a report based on the findings.

Kathuria was charged with driving his Force Gurkha car across a rain-soaked roadway, allegedly causing the water to surge and breach the gates of the three-story structure that houses the coaching center, flooding the basement.

Yesterday, Shima Kathuria, wife of Manuj defended her husband saying that he was just trying to reach a safe spot amid heavy rains. “There was no rash driving, the video is in front of everyone. My husband was not driving at a high speed,” she said.

“The coaching institute owner was running a library there when they had a NOC only for storage. When there was severe waterlogging on the roads, police should have cordoned off the roads,” she added.

Heavy rain on Saturday, 27th July caused floods in the coaching center’s library, killing three IAS candidates. The library is located in the basement of the building, and approximately 20 students were trapped. While 17 were retrieved on time, three drowned.

Preliminary investigations into the incident have revealed several infractions by the building and coaching center’s owners, including using the basement without proper clearance and lying to acquire a certificate from the fire department. The library was allegedly locked with biometric security, which failed and the door could not be unlocked due to power failure caused by the flood water.

Atul Garg, chief of Delhi Fire Services, stated that there was no way to remove the water from the basement.

Notably, the Delhi High Court had criticised the Delhi Police for arresting the driver, calling it a strange probe. A bench comprising acting chief justice Manmohan and justice Tushar Rao Gedela said that police arrested a passerby, but no action was taken against MCD officials. “Delhi Police has arrested the passerby, a driver. It seems that someone has lost it. The police officers who are investigating the same, what are they doing? Only one MCD official has gone to jail. Someone needs to be held accountable at the end of the day. You (MCD) need to fix responsibility,” the court said.

‘This is unjust’: Italian boxer Angela Carini cries her heart out after abandoning fight at Paris Olympics against ‘biological male’ Imane Khelif of Algeria who failed gender test earlier

OpIndia Staff
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‘This is unjust’: Italian boxer Angela Carini cries her heart out after abandoning fight at Paris Olympics against ‘biological male’ Imane Khelif of Algeria who failed gender test earlier

On Thursday, 1st August, Imane Khelif of Algeria won ‘her’ first Olympic boxing battle as her opponent, Angela Carini of Italy, abandoned the match after 46 seconds. Khelif was excluded from the 2023 world championships for failing a gender eligibility test, and ‘her’ appearance at the Paris Olympics has currently sparked controversy.

Carini abandoned the battle after receiving two huge punches from Khelif, which is uncommon in Olympic boxing. The fight between Angela Carini and Imane Khelif lasted only 46 seconds, after which the Italian boxer threw her helmet onto the floor, abandoned the clash, and yelled, ‘This is unjust.’

The 25-year-old entered the ring at the North Paris Arena to a storm of enthusiasm, but the fight ended abruptly, confusing the spectators.

Carini then refused to shake Khelif’s hand after Khelif was declared winner, she fell to her knees and burst into tears in the ring before departing. She said that she had never felt such strong blows in a contest before. “I have always honored my country with loyalty. This time, I didn’t win because I couldn’t fight anymore. So I ended the match,” Carini stated. 

She further said, ‘I’m used to suffering. I’ve never taken a punch like that, it’s impossible to continue. I’m nobody to say it’s illegal.’

“I have never been hit so hard in my life. It’s up to the IOC to judge,” she added while talking to media after the fight.

Carini’s coach said that some people had advised Carini to not contest against a ‘man’, saying it would be dangerous.

Khelif is a skilled amateur who earned a silver medal at the International Boxing Association’s 2022 global championship. However, The same governing board disqualified her from last year’s championships in Delhi just before her gold medal match, as he failed a gender test, along with another ‘female’ boxer, Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan. As per IBA president Umar Kremlev, DNA tests had proved they had XY chromosomes and were thus excluded from the sports events. They also had ­elavated levels of testosterone. This means that the tests show that they were biological males and went through puberty as males.

Despite being disqualified by the International Boxing Association, Khelif is able to participate in the Olympics because IBA has been banned from running the Olympic boxing tournament in Paris because of old issues regarding governance, finance and some judging scandals. As a result, boxing matches are being organised by IOC’s Paris 2024 Boxing Unit, which has more relaxed rules than the IBA on gender issues.

Notably, the IOC has been criticised for clearing Khelif and Lin Yu-ting to compete in Paris despite their disqualification by the IBA for failing gender tests. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said earlier, “Everyone competing in the women’s category… is complying with competition eligibility rules.” He argued their passports mention that they are women.

Lin won the IBA world championships in 2018 and 2022, but the governing organization stripped ‘her’ of a bronze medal last year, stating she failed to meet eligibility conditions in a biochemical test. The IOC’s official website acknowledges that both boxers failed gender eligibility tests last year. Lin will meet Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova in a featherweight match on Friday.

The Algerian Olympic Committee released a statement on Wednesday defending Khelif. They claimed that it was ‘unethical targeting and maligning of our esteemed athlete, Imane Khelif, with unfounded propaganda from certain foreign media outlets.’

Mocking Abhinandan, supporting Pakistani terrorism in Kashmir: Netizens dig up hateful posts of Pakistani duo Young Stunners, protest against their upcoming event in India

Rukma Rathore
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Mocking Abhinandan, supporting Pakistani terrorism in Kashmir: Netizens dig up hateful posts of Pakistani duo Young Stunners, protest against their upcoming event in India

Young Stunners, a popular Pakistani hip-hop duet formed in Karachi in 2012 by Talha Anjum and Talhah Yunus is scheduled to perform in Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. The platform SkillBox is officially hosting the duo and has released the dates for the event, which will take place in three cities starting on 13th December and will last till 25th December. As of right now, no more information about the event is available.

The official website read, “Young Stunners India Tour 13th December 2024 – 25th December 2024. Join us for an electrifying experience as the dynamic duo, Young Stunners, embark on their much-anticipated India tour. Spanning three major cities, this tour promises to be a musical extravaganza featuring the raw and powerful Urdu rap that has taken the world by storm.

Giving information about the rappers and their background it conveyed, “About the Artists: Young Stunners comprises two incredibly talented Urdu-language rappers, Talha Anjum and Talhah Yunus. Known for their thought-provoking lyrics and captivating performances, they have carved a niche in the music industry with their unique style and profound storytelling Talhah Yunus & Talha Anjum a.k.a YOUNG STUNNERS; the real street vibe of Urdu rap.”

It added, “They have always been critical of presenting the real essence of Rap and Hip Hop, in such a way that it is effective yet constructive to the listeners, and able to keep the interest of the listeners in the content and spirit of their music. Besides that, they also believe in the need for variety in the content which made them create records with different themes, lessons and sometimes humor. That’s how they worked things out, and with Umair Khan on the music, they brought about hits like Burger-e-Karachi, Maila Majnu, Laam se chaura etc. And that is how Young Stunners was founded on July 9, 2012. Splitting up and working individually gave them a way to polish themselves in their own ways, and after three years, they got together and were back with some massive shots.”

The pair will perform on 25th December, Christmas Eve, in Delhi after 7 pm. The description read, “Join us for an electrifying experience as the dynamic duo, Young Stunners, embark on their much-anticipated India tour. Spanning three major cities, this tour promises to be a musical extravaganza featuring the raw and powerful Urdu rap that has taken the world by storm.” Urging people to participate in the event it stated, “Witness live performances of hit tracks that have garnered millions of views and streams. Experience the energy and passion of Young Stunners up close. Be part of a historic tour that brings together fans from across India to celebrate the power of Urdu rap.”

It further informed, “Pre-registration is now open! Ensure your spot at this unforgettable event by signing up early. Pre-registered attendees will get priority access to ticket sales once they become available. Mark your calendars and prepare for a night of unforgettable music, vibrant energy, and a celebration of artistic excellence.”

The website also shared details about the pre-registration and informed, “Stay tuned for further announcements on ticket sales and event details. Don’t Miss Out: This is your chance to be part of a landmark event in the world of music. Pre-register now and be the first to secure your tickets for the Young Stunners India Tour 2024!”

While the rest of the description is the same, according to SkillBox, Young Stunners will perform in Mumbai on 13th December and 21st December in Bengaluru from 7 pm onwards.

The official Instagram account of SkillBox also posted about the Pakistani artists’ upcoming event in the country which stated, “Young Stunners with Jokhay India Tour,” along with the images of the two rappers and Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai displayed at the top of the poster. It also confirmed that the event is going to happen in December of this year and pre-registration is available on their site but the dates are to be announced yet.

Image via SkillBox’s Official Instagram Account

Co-founder and CEO of SkillBox Anmol Kukreja shared a story about the event declaring, “@skillboxofficial always changing landscape! Pre-registration open now! Big ups to @desi_disco.au.”

Notably, the impending event has sparked a firestorm of criticism on social media, as users are incensed by the development. They are sharing old tweets of Talha Anjum in which he mocked Captain Abhinandan Varthaman, expressed anti-India sentiments and hatred against Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as advocated for Kashmir’s secession from India. A user highlighted, “Who is Talha? The one who wrote against (India’s stand in) Kashmir. The one who spewed venom against PM Modi. The one who made fun of Abhinandan. Now Indians will purchase his show’s tickets. It’s a shame that he is allowed to perform in the country.”

Popular YouTube channel “Aaj Ki Taza Khabar” also brought up the vitriolic remarks of Talha Anjum and asked, “Talha Anjum a Pakistani Rapper who has been tweeting against Bharat, Kashmir, Modi and everything Bharatiya. This guy has a show scheduled in December in Mumbai, Bharat. Should he be allowed to enter?”

“Lakshay Mehta” voiced similar sentiments and tagged the Office of the Home Minister (Amit Shah) and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar.

Another posted anti-India tweets by the rapper and requested, “Don’t let them do their show in India.”

Meanwhile, Ankit Jain, social media co-in charge of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) posted, “I have been assured this anti-India pig won’t be allowed in India. Rest assured,” while reacting to a post featuring the Pakistani artist’s offensive statements.

Young Stunners and their hatred for all things Indian

Talha Anjum shared a picture of bleeding Captain Abhinandan after he landed in Pakistan with “Total Dhamaal” written on it and tagged Ajay Devgn who was in the Bollywood movie.

The rapper endorsed Kashmir’s separation from India in another tweet and claimed that Pakistan’s army is striving for its “freedom”. He also alleged that India and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) are treating Muslims as “second-class citizens” and referred to it as racism.

Making a mockery of an Indian patriotic song, “Aao bachcho tumhe dikhaye jhanki Hindustan ki,” Talhah Yunus wrote, “Aao bachcho ser karaun main tumko Pakistan ki, Jiski khatir lalalalala Hindustan ki (Come children, let me take you on a tour of Pakistan for whose sake India ********)” abusing the country indirectly.

He attacked his fellow Pakistani celebrities in a tweet for not “speaking up” on Kashmir. He charged, “They refer to themselves as social media influencers. None of them raised their voice on Kashmir. They are scared of losing their Indian fans.” He then abused them and told them to wear dupattas and bangles (portraying them as weak and spineless) and added, “Shame on you.”

The rapper even uploaded a picture of two Kashmiri people with a green and white flag and wrote, “This is what Kashmir wants,” while tagging cricketer Shahid Khan Afridi who has openly supported separatism in the valley and is infamous for his anti-India and anti-Hindu stance.

Talha Anjum posted a purported photo of a man in a mask with “Go India, go back. We want freedom,” displayed in the background. He also retweeted a comment stating, “Modi is a terrorist.”

The two Pakistani rappers’ hateful remarks on India have come back to haunt them, as social media users are calling for the cancellation of their scheduled event in India and protesting against it. They are angry that rappers who regularly abuse and harbour contempt for India want to perform here and make money from it.

Update: Skillbox delists the event from platform after outrage

After the online outrage against the Young Stunners scheduled India tour, Skillbox has announced that they respect the sentiments of the people and they will be delisting the event from their platform.

However, the organisers of the tour, Desi Disco have informed that they are still working on bringing the Pakistani artists to perform in India.

The official website of Young Stunners is still displaying their upcoming India tour on the front page.

‘He doesn’t seem ashamed, power has gotten to his head’: Supreme Court slams Kejriwal’s close aide Bibhav Kumar’s conduct in Swati Maliwal case

OpIndia Staff
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‘He doesn’t seem ashamed, power has gotten to his head’: Supreme Court slams Kejriwal’s close aide Bibhav Kumar’s conduct in Swati Maliwal case

On Thursday, 1st August, the Supreme Court questioned Bibhav Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal’s close aide over the assault of Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal, saying it was surprised by how the incident occurred at the Delhi chief minister’s residence. The statement came as the court issued a notice of Kumar’s bail application, setting it for a hearing on August 7th.

A bench of justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan stated that the issue is not whether Maliwal’s wounds are substantial or slight. “We are shocked at the manner in which it is done to somebody visiting the CM residence,” it stated, agreeing to hear the bail petition. Kumar approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court refused him bail on July 12th.

Senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who defended Kumar, stated that Maliwal came to the chief minister’s residence and no one had gone to her house, prompting the bench to inquire whether the CM’s office was a private property.

“Does it need these kinds of rules? We have released on bail people who are charged with heinous offences. But see the way and manner the offence is done. What kind of power has gone into his head that she tells him to stop as she is having a particular physical condition, but he continues…It is inhuman. What kind of moral policing does he do. Is this kind of goon supposed to work at CM’s residence?” the court said, as per Times of India report.

The court will hear the case next on August 7th and assess the charge sheet. It sought a response from the Delhi Police to Kumar’s bail application while allowing the petitioner’s counsel to file the charge sheet.

Singhvi stated that the most serious allegation against Kumar is that he caused injury and that there are reasons for granting bail because he cannot interfere with evidence with the chargesheet already filed.

The bench responded by asking that if this type of individual cannot influence, who can? “If he can mislead people by calling the staff from outside, can anybody dare to speak against him?” The judges pondered if Kumar was a former chief minister’s aide or a government employee.

Singhvi claimed Kumar, a former government employee, was a political aide who made appointments for the CM. The Supreme Court asked why a former employee had more power at the CM’s residence than Maliwal. “The FIR [first information report] indicates you [Kumar] are an ex-private secretary. What authority did you have at the Chief Minister’s office that the victim did not? You want to make it appear as if a bad guy broke into the residence. And he isn’t even ashamed of his actions.”

Singhvi claimed Kumar was just requesting bail because he had been detained for 75 days. He stated that the event occurred on May 13th and Maliwal chose to register her complaint only three days later.

The bench asked what it meant if Maliwal called the police helpline 112 right away after the event. “This belies your story that subsequently she concocted allegations.” Singhvi claimed that the FIR was feasible due to “friendly” police and a “friendly” Lieutenant Governor, prompting the bench to rule that these were internal political concerns.

Kumar was charged on May 16th under the Indian Penal Code’s sections for criminal intimidation, assault with intent to disrobe a woman, and attempted culpable homicide. Kumar claimed that the allegations were baseless and that his detention was unwarranted because the investigation had concluded. He claimed that his arrest was made in haste, violating his rights because the police did not provide him notice before arresting him without a warrant.

Uttarakhand: Cloudburst leads to at least 10 deaths, path to Kedarnath blocked, rescue operations underway

OpIndia Staff
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Uttarakhand: Cloudburst leads to at least 10 deaths, path to Kedarnath blocked, rescue operations underway

At least ten persons lost their lives after severe rains in Uttarakhand destroyed a concrete bridge and footbridge on the Kedarnath path. Meanwhile, the renowned Char Dham Yatra was temporarily halted due to torrential rain, which caused landslides, flooding, and widespread devastation throughout the state. As per the report by Jagran, the majorly affected areas in the state are the Jakhanyali, Ghansali, and Tehri Garhwal districts.

“All Chardham paths are open; only the Kedarnath pathway has been blocked. 100 more routes are clogged; efforts are ongoing to open them,” the State Disaster Secretary was quoted as saying. Rescue operations are underway.

On Thursday morning, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met with authorities at the State Emergency Operation Centre to assess the status of rescue and relief activities in districts affected by the downpour. During the assessment meeting, CM Dhami stated that rescue teams had been active throughout the night, transferring people to safer regions after heavy rain.

“We received information about the disruption of life in many areas across the state. Consequently, rescue teams worked through the night to move people to safer locations,” CM Dhami said. He also stated that he is in constant contact with the local authorities. He also instructed the NDRF and SDRF teams to stay on high alert.

“All officers should keep in mind that whatever funds are required for evacuating people from sensitive areas to safe places, relief and rescue operations, reconstruction and rehabilitation from security point of view, will be sanctioned by the government immediately. The safety of the people of the state is our priority and every possible effort will be made for this,” he said taking to X.

With heavy rainfall expected across the state, the Uttarakhand government has issued safety advice for Chardham Yatra pilgrims, urging them to postpone their treks till the weather improves. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rain alert in Uttarakhand for the next five days. A red alert has also been issued in connection with a cloudburst incident near Kedarnath.

Earlier, two individuals were found dead and another injured after going missing following a cloudburst in Jakhanyali, Ghansali, Tehri Garhwal district. The deceased were identified as Bhanu Prasad, 50, and Anita Devi, 45.

Following severe rainfall in the state, the water level of the Ganga at Rishikesh rose to 20 meters above the warning line. The police squad has also notified locals in Ganga’s adjacent coastal areas, including the Triveni Ghat. At 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, the Ganga water level in Rishikesh has reached 339.70 meters.

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