India’s shooting ace Manu Bhaker scripted history on Tuesday when she became the first Indian to win two medals at the same Olympics.
Bhaker and her partner Sarabjot Singh secured bronze in the 10 M Air Pistol Mixed team event. Earlier, Bhaker had won bronze in the women’s individual 10M Air pistol event.
Manu-Sarabjot beat South Korea’s Lee Wonho and Oh Ye Jin 16-10 in the Bronze Medal play-off match. With this medal, India’s medal tally increases to two in the Paris Olympics. Both Bhaker and Sarabjot shot consistently with regular 10s in the series against the Koreans.
The NRAI celebrated the success saying “India wins bronze in the mixed team 10m air pistol as @realmanubhaker and @Sarabjotsingh30 beat Korea’s Oh Ye Jin & Lee Won Ho 16-10 in the bronze match. Second medal for Manu at the Games. History!”
Earlier on Monday, Manu-Sarabjot secured 580-20x points in total to finish third, The gold medal match will take place between Turkiye (582-18x) and Serbia (581-24x).
In the qualification round of the mixed team 10 m air pistol event, each member of a team got to shoot a total of 30 shots in a time span of 30 minutes. Each series of shots consists of 10 shots per player and 20 in total. The top four teams got the privilege of qualifying for medal rounds, with the top two teams playing for gold and third and fourth-placed teams locking horns for bronze.
Manu-Sarabjot, sat at six with 193 points, with Manu getting 98 points and Sarabjot getting 95. In their second series, Manu and Sarabjot secured a total of 195 points, with Manu getting 98 and Sarabjot getting 97.
In their third series, Manu-Sarabjot secured 192 points, with Manu getting 95 points and Sarabjot getting 97 points. At the end of all three series, Manu-Sarabjot had the final score of 580-20x.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Tuesday, 30th July, the Maharashtra Crime Branch arrested Dawood Sheikh who brutally murdered a 20-year-old girl identified as Yashashri Shinde in Uran area of Navi Mumbai. As per the reports, the accused was arrested from his hometown, Gulbarga in Karnataka.
The police had created eight teams to launch a manhunt for Dawood who had fled from Mumbai after he brutally killed Yashashri on 26th July. According to a crime branch officer familiar with the case, Dawood admitted to killing Yashashri Shinde because she had rejected advances earlier and he feared she was in a relationship with another man.
As reported earlier, the dead body of Shinde was found lying in a pool of blood on an isolated road near a petrol pump in Kotnaka of Uran taluka in Navi Mumbai on 26th July. Her private parts had been brutally stabbed and her face was smashed using a rock so that she could not be identified. The parents of the girl identified the accused as Dawood Sheikh. Sheikh reportedly confessed to having murdered the girl as an act of revenge.
Notably, in 2019, the victim’s father had registered an FIR against Dawood Sheikh for molesting and harassing his daughter. As she was a minor, a case under Sections 354 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 8 and 12 of POCSO were registered. Dawood was arrested and sent to jail. After coming out of jail, he went to Karnataka and later returned to Mumbai to take revenge. The family has alleged that Dawood was in contact with Yashshri.
CCTV footage related to the incident has also been accessed by local media which reported that the accused had been keeping watch on the victim in the Uran area. Yashashri in the video can be seen passing through the Uran area street on 25th July. In the same footage 10 minutes later, the accused can be seen following her, hinting at the possibility that the entire incident may have been planned and that the victim was stalked by the accused on the day of the incident.
तीन दिवसांपूर्वी उरणमध्ये एक धक्कादायक घटना घडली होती. यशश्री शिंदे नावाच्या तरुणीची अत्यंत क्रूरपणे हत्या करण्यात आली. आता याचा एक व्हिडीओ समोर आला आहे. ज्यामध्ये आरोपी तरुणीचा पाठलाग करताना दिसून येत आहे. pic.twitter.com/uhi0ciM6cW
Team OpIndia has obtained the FIR copy of the incident filed on 27th July against an unidentified person. As per the complaint copy, Yashashri had gone missing on the 25th of July. She worked at AMII Business Support Solution in Belapur but was on work off that day. She had left her home saying that she would be with one of her friends and be home soon. However, she failed to be back by 7:45 pm after which the family members of the deceased victim filed a missing person’s complaint (40/2024).
After some time at around 2:20 am the police called the family and said that a dead body was found near a petrol pump in Kotnaka of Uran taluka in Navi Mumbai. The body had been brutally mutilated and the face of the body was also destroyed. The father of the girl, however, identified Yashashri from her clothes and accessories and confirmed that it was his daughter.
“The body was stabbed in several places including her private parts. Her face was ruined. Injury marks could be seen on her stomach and chest. It was Yashashri. She was taken to the Indira Nagar Local Hospital where she was declared dead,” the, father of the deceased victim mentioned in the FIR.
Yashashri sustained three stab injuries on her waist and back. A TV9 report suggested that there were several injuries on her private parts. Her bones were broken and stab wounds were found on her stomach and back. Several injury marks were found on her chest as well. The face was smashed using a rock so that she could not be identified. The father of the victim later identified a suspect in the case as Dawood Sheikh and stated that his daughter was murdered as an act of revenge.
Senior inspector Rajendra Kote had confirmed the suspect saying that the victim girl’s parents had alleged that Shaikh murdered their daughter as she had registered an FIR of molestation and POCSO against Shaikh in the year 2019, after which he was arrested by Uran police and sent to jail.
Team OpIndia also obtained the claimed FIR from the year 2019 which was filed by Yashashri’s father under sections 354 (uses criminal force against a woman to outrage her modesty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and 8 and 12 of the POCSO Act, 2012.
As per the complaint, the accused Dawood had followed the girl to her classes and once threatened her to spend time with him. He had tried to coerce her into a relationship. The accused was also caught red-handed forcefully talking to the girl and harassing her. “He had forced my daughter, 15 years old to talk to him and spend time with him. My daughter resisted. He also molested her and forced her to come close to him. He ignored constant resistance from my daughter,” Surendra mentioned in the complaint filed in the year 2019.
As per the information exclusively gathered by OpIndia, the accused Dawood was then arrested by the police and sent to jail for 6 months. After his release, he went back to Karnataka. However, he returned to Mumbai recently intending to murder the girl.
While the 2019 FIR suggested Dawood molested Yashashri, some media reports stated that it was a case of a “love affair gone wrong”. Call records released after the brutal incident suggested that she had been in contact with the accused. Free Press Journal report noted that the police said the victim had a tattoo of the accused’s name on her body.
On Monday, 29th July, the Supreme Court of India granted veto powers to former apex court Judge, Justice BN Srikrishna, to take administrative decisions of the Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Temple. The decision by the apex court came in response to the report submitted by Justice Srikrishna stating that he was facing difficulties in managing the temple affairs amidst non-cooperation from committee members. The order was passed by a three-judge bench comprising of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Mishra.
The court acknowledged former Judge Srikrishna’s concerns who reported that there was a potential contempt of court orders if the current state of affairs persisted. The apex court also emphasised the importance of strictly maintaining ancient traditions and forms of worship in the temple that date back centuries.
The court said, “The suggestions of Justice Srikrishna should be accepted”. Consequently, the court also issued several directives to ensure the smooth functioning of the temple administration. The court said that the District Judge of Karwar is to be inducted into the committee with an Additional District Judge (ADJ) as an alternate if there is a need. The ADJ, however, will not handle the matters related to the temple.
The court asserted that the decision-making authority regarding the temple administration will be constituted by the District Judge in case Justice Srikrishna is not available. However, consulting Justice Srikrishna before making any decision is essential, the court said. The chairperson of the committee will frame the procedural rules.
The apex court granted Justice Srikrishna, the appointed chairperson of the committee, the veto power of a casting vote while other members will serve only in an advisory capacity without any such power.
CJI: 3. Chairperson shall have the casting vote and all members apart from Chairman and vice chairman shall have advisory role and no veto over the chairman and vice chairman decisions.
4. State govt can re nominate 4 private members of the committee who shall be the…
The Supreme Court granted permission to the State Government to re-nominate four private members (Upadivantas) to the committee.
CJI: 3. Chairperson shall have the casting vote and all members apart from Chairman and vice chairman shall have advisory role and no veto over the chairman and vice chairman decisions.
4. State govt can re nominate 4 private members of the committee who shall be the…
Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat representing Math objected to the veto power granted to Justice Srikrishna stating that the judge had not personally visited the temple since 2021. The apex court, however, expressed confidence in Justice Srikrishna’s impartiality and reiterated the necessity for all committee members to function in an advisory role.
Sr Adv Devadatt Kamat: This is just a one sided story.. Justice Srikrishna has not even visited the ground since 2021.
CJI: There is no reason for us to disbelief as former judge of this court.
CJI: We will say all members to act in advisory capacity. Rules of procedure to be…
Background of the Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Temple case
In 2021, the Supreme Court of India appointed Justice Srikrishna as head of the overseeing committee. The judgement came in response to an appeal filed against a 2018 Karnataka High Court judgment that quashed the state government’s decision of 2008 which transferred the temple management to Ramachandrapura Math.
It all started when the Gokarna Mahabaleshwar Temple was included in the list of notified temples under the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, of 1997. In 2008, the then-Karnataka government de-notified the temple name from the list and handed over the administration to the Ramachandrapura temple leading to a public interest litigation.
In 2018, the Karnataka High Court quashed the 2008 order of the Karnataka Government and reinstated the temple as a notified institute. The court also established an oversight committee. The matter was challenged in the Supreme Court of India by the Ramachandrapura Math. In the 2021 Judgement, the Supreme Court of India appointed BN Srikrishna to lead the committee and emphasised the need for an independent administration pending final adjudication.
In January 2024, the Karnataka High Court quashed the attempts made by the Congress-led State Government to alter the composition of the oversight committee by changing the members appointed by the previous BJP-led government. The High Court noted that to make such changes, the Karnataka Government should have sought permission from the Supreme Court and deemed the move an attempt to bypass the Court’s orders.
The matter is scheduled for the next hearing in September 2024.
On Tuesday (30th July), the Odisha government suspended an Indian Police Service (IPS) Officer named Pandit Rajesh Uttamrao on charges of ‘grave misconduct.’
Uttamrao served as the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in the Department of Fire Services & Home Guards in Odisha.
The disciplinary action comes three days after he assaulted the husband of a woman, with whom he had an alleged extra-marital affair. The incident took place on Saturday (27th July).
Odisha government suspends IPS officer Pandit Rajesh Uttamrao on the grounds of 'grave misconduct' pic.twitter.com/yXIexqeWTv
As per reports, the IPS officer forcibly entered the house of the woman in an intoxicated state, vandalised the furniture and attempted to drag her out to marry her.
He also assaulted the husband of the woman. Interestingly, the woman is a police Inspector in the Bhubaneswar Economic Offences Wing and has had an affair with Pandit Rajesh Uttamrao for 5 years.
The IPS officer is also married and has two children. He was taken into custody when cops were informed about the matter.
Action against Pandit Rajesh Uttamrao
Following the incident, the Odisha government directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to submit a confidential report on the matter.
The government thereafter suspended Pandit Rajesh Uttamrao with immediate effect for ‘grave misconduct’ as a member of IPS. He has been directed to not leave Cuttack without the permission of the DGP.
During the period of suspension, Uttamrao will be allowed to draw subsistence allowance after he furnishes a certificate proving his non-engagement in any other employment, business, profession or vocation.
After the shocking murder of Yashashri Shinde in Navi Mumbai, two more cases of brutal sexual assaults have come to light from the Mumbai area. Notably, Shinde was found lying in a pool of blood on an isolated road near a petrol pump in Kotnaka of Uran taluka in Navi Mumbai.
On Sunday, 28th July, the Maharashtra Police booked two individuals identified as Mohammed Galib Sheikh and Talib Sheikh for harassing, threatening, and sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in the Penkarpada area of Mumbai. The accused persons have also been charged for forcing the girl to commit suicide.
The incident is said to have taken place in the last week, however, the FIR in the case was filed at Kashmira Police Station in Mumbai on 28th July. The victim was a minor and belonged to the Phulpur area of Uttar Pradesh’s Azamgadh district. As per the FIR copy exclusively obtained by OpIndia, the girl was allegedly abducted by the accused Galib who brought her to Mumbai.
The girl had gone missing from her village on 22nd July. While the family of the girl was looking for her, they were informed by one of the villagers that she had committed suicide on 25th July, and that she was last seen with the accused Galib Sheikh in Mumbai.
The girl committed suicide (Image obtained by OpIndia)
As per the mother of the girl who filed a complaint in the case, the accused Galib, who belongs to the same village, had been following and harassing the victim. “He (Galib) used to follow my daughter to her school. He used to threaten her to leave the school and marry him. He used to harass her and say that he would continue harassing her even if she got married to some other person,” she said.
“I was worried about my daughter’s safety so I dropped her off at school, because he had threatened my daughter that he would abduct her and marry her. He had also taken her to Mumbai earlier. I had then complained at Nizamabad Police Station but his threats continued. However, my daughter went missing on 22nd July. Somebody then informed me that she was last seen with Galib Sheikh. He is the one who has forced my daughter to commit suicide. She has ended her life being fed up with Galib and his brother’s (Talib) harassment,” the mother said.
As per the complaint, the accused is said to have sexually assaulted the minor girl in the Penkarpada area of Mumbai after which she committed suicide. As per the family, the girl was sexually assaulted previously by Galib who had threatened her to keep quiet about it.
The police have charged Galib Sheikh and Talib Sheikh under sections 137(2), 87, 96, 64(1), 108 of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, 2023, and section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Dr Asif Khan lures, sexually assaults 34-year-old Hindu, flees
Another horrifying case of sexual assault was filed by a 34-year-old woman at Mira Road Police Station on 22nd July saying that one Dr Mohammed Asif Khan lured her into a relationship first, and then sexually assaulted her on the pretext of marriage. The accused, as per the FIR, assaulted the woman several times and forced her to abort her pregnancy three times. He promised her that he would marry her and also made her talk to his mother Rajiya Khan for assurance.
The accused and his mother are said to have made fake promises to the woman, after which the accused fled from Mumbai, and went to Vapi, Gujarat, his home. The woman in the complaint said that the accused later stopped taking her calls and also refused to marry her.
The sexual assaults continued from February 2023 to June 2024. The police have booked the accused under sections 376(2)(n), 313, and 420 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 read with section 173 of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita, 2023. Further investigations are underway.
Concerns about women safety in Mumbai
The safety of women has become in new concern in the state of Maharashtra. This is after the dead body of a 20-year-old woman identified as Yashashri Shinde was found lying in a pool of blood on an isolated road near a petrol pump in Kotnaka of Uran taluka in Navi Mumbai on 26th July. Her private parts had been brutally stabbed and her face was smashed using a rock so that she could not be identified. The parents of the girl identified the accused as Dawood Sheikh who is believed to have murdered the girl as an act of revenge.
Notably, in 2019, the victim’s father had registered an FIR against Dawood Sheikh for molesting her daughter. As she was a minor, a case under Sections 354 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 8 and 12 of POCSO were registered. Dawood was arrested and sent to jail. After coming out of jail, he went to Karnataka and later returned to Mumbai to take revenge. He is believed to have trapped the girl in a ‘love’ affair and then murdered her. The family has alleged that Dawood was in contact with Yashshri. Investigations in the case are underway.
In the year 1999, Australian pastor Graham Staines and his two sons were killed by a mob in Manoharpur, Odisha, on suspicion of converting locals to Christianity. Dara Singh’s name made the news in this case. Dara Singh was arrested as the main accused in 2000 by Odisha’s then-Congress government. Dara Singh has not been granted even a single day of parole since then.
Dara Singh’s arrest took place 24 years ago. Dara Singh’s family has undergone significant changes during the last 24 years. Despite efforts by his family to apply for a few days of parole on important occasions of grief or joy, Dara Singh was denied parole. OpIndia has spoken with Dara Singh’s family and acquired information about the case from the beginning to the present status.
How Ravindra Pal became Dara Singh
Notably, Dara Singh’s real name is Ravindra Kumar Pal. Speaking to OpIndia, Ravindra Pal’s brother, Arvind Pal, said that his family are devout Hindus. Ravindra’s father used to start his day with pooja-paath [worship]. Following the completion of his intermediate schooling, Ravindra Pal began working in Noida due to help his family financially.
Ravindra Kumar Pal was always punctual with his work. The company’s staff and management began referring to Ravindra Kumar Pal as Dara Singh after noticing his hard work and dedication towards his work. During those days, a wrestler named Dara Singh was well-known both nationally and internationally. This is how Ravindra Pal earned the moniker, Dara Singh.
Dara Singh shifted from Noida to Odisha
Arvind Kumar Pal also told us that while working in Noida, he met a friend from Odisha. Dara Singh and that person were such good friends that they started visiting each other’s homes often. Dara Singh developed a fondness for Odisha, and after a few days, he left his work in Noida with a friend and moved to Odisha.
Dara Singh took up a private job teaching children in the Keonjhar district. He taught the Hindi language and values of Hindu Dharma to the children. It is worth noting that Ravindra Kumar Pal, alias Dara Singh, is originally from Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh. However, he had made Odisha his karmabhoomi.
How Dara Singh joined Bajrang Dal
Dara Singh’s family members said that the Dharmic discussions he led at school spread to neighbouring villages. Following this, several parents started discussing with Dara Singh about Hindu Dharma. He eventually became popular in the districts of Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj.
After school, he began visiting tribal areas and educating people about Hinduism. Dara Singh soon learnt the Odia language as well. Because of his popularity, members of Hindu organisations approached him, and Dara Singh eventually joined the Bajrang Dal.
‘Christian missionaries were actively converting locals in Odisha‘
Arvind Kumar Pal went on to tell OpIndia that when Dara Singh became Bajrang Dal office bearer, Christian conversions in Odisha were on a dramatic rise. He said that entire villages were being converted to Christianity. Graham Staines, a Pastor from Australia was claimed to be the mastermind of this conversion nexus.
It is reported that around 25 years ago, Graham Staines spent a lot of money on enticing people. He used to travel in a vehicle similar to those used by MPs and MLAs at the time. As per Arvind, his brother began warning locals about religious conversion. Consequently, he became the target of numerous conspiracies.
‘When Dara Singh was not found, police detained his brother‘
According to Arvind Kumar Pal, after the murder of Graham Staines in 1999, when the Odisha Police and CBI team could not apprehend Dara Singh, the authorities caught him. Then, local press reported that Dara Singh’s brother had been arrested.
Arvind Kumar says that the police and CBI treated his family very badly at that time. The CBI agents also harassed his mother, father, and sisters. Arvind claims that they were held in detention for a long period without being charged with a crime and paraded around Odisha forests.
Dara Singh’s brother Arvind Pal (left), his nephew Golu (right)
‘Dara Singh’s surrender was misrepresented as arrest‘
Dara Singh’s brother claimed that after receiving false information about his detention, Dara Singh surrendered at an Odisha police station. It is claimed that the government placed a bounty of lakhs of rupees on Dara Singh, and in order to obtain it, the concerned Odisha police station misrepresented Dara Singh’s surrender as his arrest.
Concerning the police station where Dara Singh surrendered, his family members claim that its officers led him to the bush and then attempted to make the surrender appear to be an arrest. However, the conspiracy was eventually uncovered and it is said that no one has received the reward money as of yet.
First picture of Dara Singh after alleged arrest (surrender)
‘Dara Singh was denied parole even on mother and father’s death‘
Arvind Kumar Pal claims that the CBI and Odisha police tortured his brother Dara Singh severely. Dara Singh’s family protested, but no one heard them. It is argued that at the time, no political leader, media, or court took a favourable position on any petition presented in support of Dara Singh.
According to Arvind Kumar Pal, Dara Singh was swapped between Keonjhar, Cuttack, and another jail. Moreover, a separate FIR was filed in Cuttack jail regarding a dispute naming Dara Singh. In the last 24 years, his father, mother, and sister have all died prematurely. Everyone was always concerned about Dara Singh.
They all hoped to meet Dara Singh once before he died. However, their wish could never be fulfilled. After the death of his father, and his sister, Dara Singh applied for parole but his application was always rejected. At some point or the other, Singh’s plea was obstructed.
‘Dara Singh’s nephew Golu says he will get married in the presence of his uncle‘
Dara Singh’s niece got married last year. Despite his best efforts, Dara Singh was not permitted to attend this wedding. Dara Singh’s 24-year-old nephew and another 22-year-old niece are set to marry soon. Both of them want their weddings to take place in the presence of their uncle Dara Singh.
Dara Singh’s niece aspires to become a police officer, while nephew Golu is doing a private job in a local company due to the family’s financial challenges. Golu insists that irrespective of how long he has to wait, he will marry only in the presence of his “bade pitaji”, Dara Singh.
‘Ashes of parents buried in the soil, immersed in Ganga after 20 years of wait’
Dara Singh, alias Ravindra Kumar Pal, was unable to meet his father and mother before their deaths. The ashes of his parents were kept in a pot and buried in the fields for a long period. Dara Singh’s parents’ dying desire was that after being released from jail, he pour their ashes in the Ganga. This wish remained unfulfilled.
After nearly 20 years, Dara Singh’s brother finally immersed his parents’ ashes in the Ganga, as per custom. Arvind Kumar Pal explained that he needed to get his oldest daughter married, and according to Hindu religious norms, ashes buried in family property, instead of being immersed in the Ganga as per Hindu customs, are considered inauspicious for sacred rituals to take place in the home.
‘Only a few people helped’: Dara Singh’s brother thanks OpIndia
Arvind Kumar Pal thanked OpIndia for sharing his grief with the rest of the world. He expressed his emotions, saying that very few people have supported his family in the last 24 years. He and his family have faced various forms of persecution over the last two decades.
According to Arvind Kumar, his family is hopeful that Dara Singh will spend his final days with his family and at home after serving more than two decades in a prison sentence. Presently, the Supreme Court is slated to hear Dara Singh’s plea for parole in August this year.
On Tuesday (30th July) morning, the hilly areas of Meppadi village in Wayanad district of Kerala were hit by massive landslides. The catastrophe claimed the lives of 19 people, including an infant.
A large number of victims are feared to be trapped. In the meantime, search and rescue operations are carried out by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams.
The rescue operations have been hindered due to heavy rainfall and the destruction of a bridge. An additional NDRF team and 2 teams of Kannur Defence Security Corps are on to their way to Meppadi/
Just 50 meters away from home ?
A few neighbors are missing.. ? Visuals from Vilangad (Kozhikode District, Kerala).
While taking cognisance of the matter, PM Modi tweeted, “”Distressed by the landslides in parts of Wayanad. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones and prayers with those injured.”
He emphasised, “Rescue ops are currently underway to assist all those affected. Spoke to Kerala CM Shri Pinarayi Vijayan and also assured all possible help from the Centre in the wake of the prevailing situation there.”
PM Modi also announced ₹2 lakh compensation for the kin of those individuals who died in the catastrophe and ₹50000 for victims injured during the landslide.
Distressed by the landslides in parts of Wayanad. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones and prayers with those injured.
Rescue ops are currently underway to assist all those affected. Spoke to Kerala CM Shri @pinarayivijayan and also assured all possible…
It must be mentioned that Wayanad is the Lok Sabha constituency of Gandhi scion Rahul Gandhi, who has been recently been appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the lower House of Parliament.
On 29th July, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, tabled the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2024, in the State Assembly. The proposed bill, when passed, will increase the maximum punishment from 10 years to life imprisonment. Furthermore, any person can file a complaint, and bail in such matters will become more difficult.
The government of UP has said that the existing provisions under the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2021 are not sufficient. Bill’s statement of reasons read, “Keeping in mind the sensitivity and seriousness of the crime of illegal religious conversion, the dignity and social status of women, and the organised and planned activities of foreign and anti-national elements and organisations in illegal religious conversion and demographic change, it has been felt that the amount of fine and penalty provided in the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act should be increased and the bail conditions should be made as stringent as possible.”
It further read, “As the existing penal provisions of the Act are not sufficient to prevent and control religious conversion and mass conversion in respect of minor, disabled, mentally challenged person, woman or person belonging to Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, thus there is a need to amend the Act above. It has been decided that, in addition to the above, it has also become necessary to resolve certain difficulties that have arisen in the past in various cases regarding legal matters… (related) to Section 4 of the Act.”
The key changes proposed in the bill tabled by CM Yogi Adityanath
As per the existing provisions, any aggrieved person, his or her parents, siblings any other blood relative, and anyone related by marriage or adoption can file a complaint in the matter. However, the bill tabled by CM Yogi Adityanath proposes that the ambit be widened to “any person”. The proposed legislation read, “Any information related to violation of the provisions of the Act can be given by any person”.
As of now, the maximum punishment in such cases is 10 years. However, the bill proposes that any person intending to cause religious conversion can be put behind bars for life. Furthermore, assaults, use of force, promises or instigating marriage, conspiring or inducing any minor, woman or person to traffic or otherwise sell them or attempting on this behalf will lead to rigorous imprisonment not less than 20 years that can be extended to life imprisonment. The bill proposes that the onus to prove the conversion has not been done forcibly will lie on the accused and the person who has been converted. Those who seek to convert must notify the district magistrate using a prescribed form two months in advance. In case anyone fails to comply, he or she may face a jail term of six months to three years.
The fine imposed under the Act would be paid to the victim for medical expenses and rehabilitation. The bill tabled by CM Yogi Adityanath read, “The court shall also approve appropriate compensation payable by the accused to the victim of the said religious conversion, which may be up to Rs 5 lakh, which shall be in addition to the fine.”
The bill further proposed to increase punishment for anyone who receives foreign funding or funds from illegal institutions in connection to unlawful religious conversion to at least seven years of rigorous imprisonment that can be extended to 14 years. In addition to it, the person will be liable to pay a minimum fine of Rs 10 lakh.
The bill further proposed that whoever contravenes the provision about a minor, disabled or mentally challenged person, woman or SC/ST, will face rigorous imprisonment for up to 14 years and will be liable to pay a fine of a minimum of Rs 1 lakh. As per the current provisions, the maximum imprisonment is up to 10 years and the minimum fine is Rs 25,000.
In case of mass religious conversions, the person may face punishment of 7-14 years with a minimum fine of Rs 1 lakh. Currently, there is the provision of 3-10 years of imprisonment and a minimum fine of Rs 50,000.
A sub-section under Section 7 of the current Act has been proposed to make it more stringent. Section 7 states, “Notwithstanding anything contained herein, all offences under this Act shall be cognizable and non-bailable and shall be triable by the Court of Session.” The proposed sub-section states, “A person accused of any offence punishable under the Act, if in custody, shall not be released on bail unless the public prosecutor is given an opportunity of opposing the application for bail for such release, or where the public prosecutor opposes the bail application, the session court is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for believing that he is not guilty of such offence and that no offence can be committed by him while on bail.”
The bill tabled by CM Yogi Adityanath is expected to get passed in UP Vidhan Sabha on 30th July 2024.
This year, Islamists and the leftist ecosystem launched a smear campaign against the Kanwar Yatra even before it commenced on 22nd July. After the administration in Western Uttar Pradesh instructed eatery owners to reveal the real names of their owners and operators, concerted efforts have been going on to smear the Hindu religious procession on one pretext or the other. While propagandists and fake news peddlers like Mohammed Zubair initiated a vicious campaign against the Kanwar Yatra, journalists like Arfa Khanum have also joined in.
Peddling the boogie of Muslim victimhood, Arfa Khanum described the eatery renaming row as a conspiracy to destroy the businesses of Muslims and Dalits. However, OpIndia’s investigation has found that her claims couldn’t be further from the truth.
‘Will not rename our eatery and give it an Islamic name even if the potential profit runs in lakhs per hour’: Hindu shopkeepers told OpIndia
OpIndia team spoke to dozens of Hindus who own eateries on the Kanwar Yatra route between Ghaziabad and Saharanpur. It also includes mobile dhabas like Desi Thath, Babe Di Dhaba, Shyam Bhojnalaya, and Pehalwan Dhaba along with small shopkeepers like Vansh Juice and Bhojnalaya. All of them unanimously told OpIndia that one should earn a fortune or fame for themselves based on the quality of their food rather than using some name. Dhaba owners like Ashwani Saini and Ram Kumar among others said that they never changed the names of their shops to take advantage during any Muslim festival.
All of them unanimously emphasised that even if they earn a profit to the tune of Lakhs per hour by giving their eateries an Islamic name, they will not make even a minor change in the banners revealing their real identity.
‘Our business is suffering losses due to fake names‘
A Hindu Dhaba owner located on Ambala-Dehradun road in Saharanpur district said that there were at least half a dozen dhabas owned by Muslims who were running their business under false Hindu names. According to him, following the administration’s orders, many shopkeepers had started using their real names but after the Supreme Court order, they reverted back to using false names for their eateries.
He said that because of these activities, shopkeepers who are doing business diligently in their real names suffer losses.
‘Khurshid renames his dhaba multiple time‘
In our ground report, we came across Manav Punjabi Dhaba in the Sarsawa area near Saharanpur. It was learned that a man named Khurshid owns this dhaba. Local people told us that he had initially named it Prayagraj Hotel but later renamed it Manav Punjabi Dhaba. Incidentally, there is another dhaba by the name of Manav Punjabi in the vicinity and it is owned by a Sikh man who has been running it for a long time near Sarsawa Toll Tax, about 15 km from Khurshid’s dhaba. Local people call Khurshid’s actions a duplication of the original Manav Punjabi dhaba.
‘Jahangir’s new Sheetal Chaat adjacent to Lakshmi Chaat‘
OpIndia spoke to Abhishek Pandit, a Bajrang Dal functionary in the Saharanpur district. He told us that the use of duplicate names by Muslims is not just limited to business purposes but is also being done in many places to reduce the sales of Hindus.
For example, Abhishek Pandit cited the name of Sheetal Chaat Bhandar located in Kailashpur. It falls on one of the busiest Kanwar Yatra routes in Saharanpur.
He told OpIndia that Lakshmi Chaat Bhandar in Kailashpur is owned by a Hindu who hails from the backward class. It has been very popular among the people for almost 20 years.
According to Abhishek, about 3-4 years ago, a new shop named Sheetal Chaat was opened next to this chaat bhandar to reduce its sales as it exactly mirrored the interior of Lakshmi Chaat Bhandar. It is said that the owner of this Sheetal Chaat Bhandar is a man named Jahangir. It is alleged that he made all possible efforts to break the customers of Lakshmi Chaat. However, Lakshmi Chaat still continues to remain the first choice of the local people because of its better quality.
‘They do not allow any Hindu to survive even in the fruit business‘
OpIndia team contacted a local social worker and BJP leader from Kailashpur, Rajesh Johri to undertake a ground investigation of Abhishek Pandit’s allegations.
Rajesh Johri described his area as Muslim-dominated and himself as a victim of extremism. He said that bones were hung in front of his house following Imran Masood’s victory. According to him, Abhishek Pandit’s claims about Lakshmi and Sheetal Chaat are correct.
Rajesh Johri also mentioned the Kanwar route falling in the Kailashpur area. Several retailers selling fruits on roadside carts can be seen on the Dehradun-bound road. According to him, most of the fruit retailers here belong to the Muslim community. He told OpIndia that Hindu shopkeepers are not even allowed to compete in terms of setting rates for fruits.
He also claimed that the conditions of Kailashpur have become livable for Hindus under the present government, otherwise, it used to be worse in the previous governments.
‘Most of the commission agents in the fruit-vegetable market belong to the Muslim community‘
OpIndia visited the mandis of Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, and Saharanpur. Most of the agents selling vegetables and fruits here belong to the Muslim community. Some of them also owe money to vegetable traders from other states.
A vegetable trader from Madhya Pradesh alleges that a Muslim trader from Saharanpur mandi has not paid him for the vegetable consignment for several years. About 3 years ago, when he approached him to ask for his money, he was threatened and sent away. Out of fear, this trader from Indore City requested anonymity.
‘Appeals are made from the Mosques to boycott the Hindu shopkeeper‘
Machendra Puri is the Mahant of Balaji Dham temple which is located in the Hindan Vihar area in Ghaziabad. He claimed that there is only 1 Hindu-owned shop in this Muslim-dominated area. He added that during meetings held inside the Mosque, announcements are made to not buy goods from the Hindu shopkeeper.
According to Mahant Puri, the Hindu shopkeeper is not able to leave the place and go anywhere because he owns a house there. For the Hindu shopkeeper’s safety, OpIndia is not making his name public.
Meanwhile, Mahant Puri has demanded an investigation into the real reason that forced Hindus from the Hindon Vihar area to migrate to eastern areas.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his political opponent claimed victory in the national elections, a vote that was marred by accusations of fraud and counting irregularities, CNN reported.
With 80 per cent of votes counted, Maduro secured more than 51 per cent of the vote, beating Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, who got over 44 per cent of the vote, according to a statement by the National Electoral Council (CNE).
The United States and multiple global leaders have voiced concerns about the official results, handing the presidential election victory to the strongman leader.
As the votes were being counted on Sunday evening, claims of election irregularities started emerging. The opposition witnesses alleged being denied access to the CNE headquarters during counting, and the CNE allegedly halted data being sent from local polling stations to their central location to prevent more votes from being processed.
The CNE has been criticized by some international bodies for its lack of impartiality, according to CNN.
Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said in a news conference that their own records showed their candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia had received 70 per cent of the vote against Maduro’s 30 per cent.
“We won, and everyone knows it,” Machado said, adding that the opposition would “defend the truth.”
“The entire international community knows what happened in Venezuela and how people voted for change,” she said.
Gonzalez, who was also at the news conference, alleged that rules had been violated during the election.
This election was anticipated to be the biggest challenge to Maduro’s 11-year rule. Voters had turned out in droves, with many saying they would leave the country if he won, pointing to violent repression and economic collapse under his rule.
After the results were announced, Maduro described it as a “triumph of peace, stability, republican ideals, and the ideas of equality.”
“They could not overcome the sanctions, they could not overcome the aggressions, the threats, they could not now and will never be able to overcome the dignity of the people of Venezuela,” he said during his public speech, referring to his political opponents.
The results announced by the election authorities were met with mixed emotions in the capital, Caracas, with Maduro supporters cheering and celebrating outside the president’s official residence. Meanwhile, opposition supporters were seen crying and hugging on the streets.
If Maduro takes office, it will be his third consecutive six-year term and the continuation of “Chavismo,” the left-wing populist ideology named after Maduro’s predecessor, Hugo Chavez, as reported by CNN.
Chavez ruled Venezuela for 14 years until his death in 2013. His policies were dominated by nationalisation and the redistribution of the nation’s huge oil wealth to the marginalized and poorest communities, as well as a constant push to protect Venezuelan sovereignty against “imperialist” powers.
But, in the past few years, the oil-rich nation has experienced the world’s worst peacetime economic crash in recent history. Maduro has blamed foreign sanctions against his regime on the downturn, saying Venezuela is the victim of an “economic war.”
Meanwhile, the opposition, which galvanized this election cycle and posed the most significant threat to Maduro’s grip on power in years, had promised to restore Venezuela’s democracy and rebuild the economy if it won.
Maduro has already overseen unprecedented levels of poverty and emigration from the country over his two terms – some 8 million Venezuelans have fled the country amid shortages of vital goods and soaring inflation.
Once the fifth-largest economy in Latin America, Venezuela’s economy has shrunk to the equivalent of a medium-sized city, according to data from the International Monetary Fund. Maduro, however, has blamed the economic meltdown on sanctions imposed by his regime by the US and other Western countries.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
