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Jammu and Kashmir: Fierce firefight underway in Kulgam as security forces hunt terrorist who attacked IAF convoy

ANI
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Jammu and Kashmir: Fierce firefight underway in Kulgam as security forces hunt terrorist who attacked IAF convoy

 Amid the massive manhunt for the gunmen behind the ambush attack on an Indian Air Force (IAF) convoy in the Poonch sector, a fierce exchange of fire broke out between terrorists and security forces in the Redwani Payeen area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam, Kashmir Zone Police informed on Tuesday.

However, there was no official word if the terrorists engaging in a firefight with the forces were the ones behind the Poonch attack.

The forces, meanwhile, intensified search operations from the Surankote to the Jarran Wali Gali areas, in light of the May 4 Poonch attack.

Heavy security deployment was seen throughout the Union Territory following the attack on the Air Force convoy.

An IAF officer was killed and four others injured after suspected terrorists from across the border targeted a convoy in the Poonch district.

The area where the attack took place lies between Surankote’s Sanai Top and Mendhar’s Gursai area in the border district.

“An Indian Air Force vehicle convoy was attacked by terrorists in the Poonch district,” an official said earlier.

The injured personnel were evacuated to Udhampur for treatment on IAF choppers, where one of them succumbed. 

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

UP STF arrests Mohammed Zubair, absconding for 5 months, for smuggling beef; was booked after 21 tonnes of beef was caught in December 2023

OpIndia Staff
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UP STF arrests Mohammed Zubair, absconding for 5 months, for smuggling beef; was booked after 21 tonnes of beef was caught in December 2023

On Monday (6th May), the UP STF arrested a member of a gang involved in beef (cow meat) smuggling to other nations, including those in the Gulf. The arrested individual has been identified as Mohammed Zubair Qureshi. The police in Jalaun had placed a reward of Rs 50,000 on him. 

Zubair had been absconding for over 5 months after he and five others were booked in a beef smuggling case when trucks carrying 21 tonnes of beef were seized in December of last year. Local police are now pursuing further legal action in this matter.

According to reports, the police had received intelligence that Mohammed Zubair and his gang were active in various districts of Uttar Pradesh, smuggling beef to nations in the Gulf and other regions.

Konch Circle Officer Umesh Kumar Pandey stated that on 21st December 2023, acting on intelligence, the Kotwali police recovered 21,000 kilograms of suspicious meat in a container near the toll plaza during a vehicle check. Upon inspection of the documents, the police found that they were forged, and the meat was being transported illegally. Subsequently, the police filed a case against six individuals.

It was later revealed that the meat seized from those containers was beef. Five individuals were arrested in connection with the case and remanded to jail. Mohammed Zuber Qureshi, son of Mohammed Laik, and a resident of Jagatpuri, East Delhi, had been absconding. Following instructions from higher officials, a reward of Rs 50,000 was declared for his capture. Finally, the UP STF arrested him from Hotel Eurasia Palace under the Dhampur police station in the Bijnor district with the assistance of Jalaun Police. 

During interrogation, Zubair confessed that on 20th December 2023, he fabricated a bill under the guise of seafood/fish from New Delhi, while in reality, banned cow meat (beef) was loaded into a container and shipped to Chennai. Following the registration of the case, a reward was placed on him, prompting him to go into hiding. 

CO Pandey stated that during interrogation, Mohammed Zubair Qureshi, who had a reward of Rs 50,000 on him, confessed to sourcing beef from Kishanganj, Bihar. He admitted to fabricating invoices and other paperwork, and then shipping the beef to various destinations such as Vietnam, Dubai, Qatar, Oman, Iran, etc., via Chennai. Currently, the police have taken action against the accused and he has been remanded him to jail.

Students at National Law University, Delhi, write ECI’s obituary, and ironically, hail German national Dhruv Rathee as defendant of Indian democracy

OpIndia Staff
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Students at National Law University, Delhi, write ECI’s obituary, and ironically, hail German national Dhruv Rathee as defendant of Indian democracy

On Monday (6th May), OpIndia accessed an email sent to University students, revealing their plan at the National Law University (NLU), Delhi, to hold a ‘mourning’ for the Election Commission of India (ECI). In the sarcastically drafted email, the students have written an obituary for the ECI, alluding to the allegations made by the opposition and its ecosystem that the ECI, as a constitutional body, has failed to provide a ‘level playing field‘. 

Additionally, they have hailed ex-journalist turned YouTuber from Bihar (a reference to Ravish Kumar) and German Citizen Dhruv Rathee as the final torchbearers, safeguarding India’s democracy. 

According to the content of the e-mail accessed by OpIndia, the students have planned to hold a “mourning” for the ECI at 11:05 am tomorrow (7th May).

The content of the E-mail furthers allegations refuted several times

Writing an obituary for the Constitutional body, the e-mail reads, “It is with a heavy heart that I must inform you of the passing of a constitutional body very near and dear to our hearts: the Independent Election Commission of India.” 

However, the allegations are false and misleading. They are attempts to spread misinformation and smear the polling body. The SC’s order, which temporarily included CJI in the selection process, also allowed the Parliament of India to come up with a law for the same. It was clearly mentioned that the March 2023 order, which included the CJI in the selection committee, was valid only till the parliament brought a law in this regard.

As per the SC directive, the Modi government passed a bill for the selection of election commissioners in the Parliament. As per the law, the officials are selected by the President of India on the recommendation of a committee comprising the Prime Minister as chairman, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a union cabinet minister that the Prime Minister would nominate. Furthermore, on 21st March, 2024, the top court refused to stay the appointment of Election Commissioners or stay the legislation.

Nonetheless, the e-mail further reads, “The grapevine has it that it has been dead for a long time now, but for the bereavement it would have caused our great nation, our Hon’ble Union Government could not bring itself to tell us of this profound loss. Our deepest respects to them.”

Alleging wrongdoings in the ongoing legal proceedings against some of the leaders or parties of the I.N.D.I. alliance, the e-mail sarcastically paints that the opposition is systematically being crushed, furthering the boogie of “death of democracy”. 

It reads, “The entire nation is in a state of sorrow, Many leaders of the nation are voluntarily giving up candidacies in the upcoming general elections to pay their respects to the Election Commission. Many leaders, Including Delhi’s own Chief Minister (a frequent guest of our valedictory ceremonies and the person we have to thank for our construction funds), were so deeply moved by this tragedy that they voluntarily submitted themselves to ED custody as a mark of respect, A prominent political party, we are told, sealed its own bank account and refused to spend any money from its party account in the upcoming general elections to pay Its respects.” 

Hailing Ravish Kumar and Dhruv Rathee as the torchbearers, safeguarding India’s democracy, it further states, “The Election Commission of India is survived by a (semi-independent judiciary, the ghost of a Vigilance Commission, an ex-journalist-turned-YouTuber from the State of Bihar, and some German guy called Dhruv Rathee.” 

It concludes, “To mourn this loss, we are holding a gathering near Amul at 11:05 am tomorrow (7 May), We request everyone to be there. Preferably wear white or black to show respect to the dead. Thank you.” 

Some of the students of the NLU Delhi had actively supported the anti-CAA protests

It is pertinent to note that some of the students of National Law University Delhi had actively supported the anti-CAA protests that turned violent in many parts of India and had extended solidarity with students of AMU and Jamia Milia Islamia who are accused of spreading falsehoods and fanning and orchestrating violent protests to oppose Citizenship Amendment Act 2019. 

In December 2019, students and alumni of National Law University Delhi had issued a statement. In the statement, they alleged that the CAA arbitrarily discriminates among ‘illegal migrants’ on the grounds of religion, country of origin, and date of entry into India. The statement also accused the Delhi Police of aggravating the situation by firing bullets and shelling tear gas bombs at so-called unarmed protesters “in the garb of responding to the violence”.

Additionally, in December 2022, Project 39A, an initiative of NLU Delhi organised a guest lecture by the convicted assassin of India’s Former PM Rajiv Gandhi at the Asian College of Journalism in Chennai, linked to The Hindu’s N Ram. After massive backlash, the “guest lecture” was later held online.  

Kolkata Police deletes “summons” to X user for sharing a popular meme featuring West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee after facing online backlash 

OpIndia Staff
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Kolkata Police deletes “summons” to X user for sharing a popular meme featuring West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee after facing online backlash 

The Kolkata Police has deleted its tweet seeking details of an X user for sharing a popular meme featuring West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee after drawing online flak. 

The tweet was deleted after Kolkata Police faced online backlash over its post, with several X users sharing the videos on their respective timelines and slamming the police for its ‘overreaction’ and ‘intolerance’ to seek personal details of an X user over the video.

Kolkata Police deletes tweet after online backlash

Many social media users shared the video quoting the police’s tweet seeking details of the X user who had shared the meme featuring Mamata Banerjee.

The official X account of the DCP Crime Branch of Kolkata Police on Monday asked a social media user to disclose his identity, including his name and residence, after he shared a spoof video on CM Mamata Banerjee on the microblogging platform. 

“You are directed to immediately disclose your identity including name and residence. If the information sought is not revealed, you shall be liable for legal action u/s 42 CrPC,” the official X account of the DCP Crime Branch of Kolkata Police tweeted.

The tweet was in response to a spoof video on Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal and the chief of Trinamool Congress. The video, which shows Mamata Banerjee dancing to a song, had gone viral on social media and garnered over 400 retweets.

“It has been observed that you are using social media for posting offensive, malicious and inciting posts,” a notice to the said user by Kolkata Police said. “You are hereby directed to delete the above-mentioned post and also refrain from such acts failing which you will be liable for strict penal action under the relevant provision of laws.”

‘Non-binary people, transgender men can also experience pregnancy’: SC on the use of ‘pregnant person’ instead of ‘pregnant woman’ in judgment

OpIndia Staff
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‘Non-binary people, transgender men can also experience pregnancy’: SC on the use of ‘pregnant person’ instead of ‘pregnant woman’ in judgment

In a ruling last week, the Supreme Court indicated that in addition to cisgender women, non-binary individuals, and transgender men can also become pregnant, among other gender identities.

Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra’s bench clarified why it used the word “pregnant person” rather than “pregnant woman” while resolving a case concerning the termination of a 14-year-old underage girl’s pregnancy in Maharashtra. 

“We use the term ‘pregnant person’ and recognize that in addition to cisgender women, pregnancy can also be experienced by some non-binary people and transgender men among other gender identities,” the Court stated in a footnote while delivering the judgment.

The young girl in this instance was sexually abused resulting in her pregnancy. She was deemed physically and mentally fit for a pregnancy termination by a medical board, subject to the High Court’s approval. She was more than 27 weeks pregnant when she filed a termination request with the Bombay High Court.

In a subsequent clarifying opinion, the medical board rejected the termination of the pregnancy because the baby was not congenitally defective and had not yet reached full term without viewing the girl. By using the clarifying opinion, the High Court rejected the termination plea.

Following an appeal, the Supreme Court ordered the medical board to reevaluate the girl’s pregnancy. The board reported that it was in favour of terminating the fetus and that the girl’s physical and mental health would suffer if the pregnancy went on. As a result, the Supreme Court had approved the termination on April 22.

But by the time the girl’s parents made a choice, they had concluded that the girl’s health was now in jeopardy because of the pregnancy, which was more than 30 weeks old. The top court reaffirmed its April 22 ruling, taking into account the minor’s plan to give birth to the fetus and subsequently offer it for adoption, as well as the parents’ desire to protect their daughter’s health.

The Court further pointed out that, in violation of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 (MTP Act), the board’s clarificatory opinion before the High Court did not express a view on how the pregnancy would affect the expectant mother’s physical and mental health.

“This highlights the need for giving primacy to the fundamental rights to reproductive autonomy, dignity, and privacy of the pregnant person by the medical board and the courts. The delays caused by a change in the opinion of the medical board or the procedures of the court must not frustrate the fundamental rights of pregnant people. We, therefore, hold that the medical board evaluating a pregnant person with a gestational age above twenty-four weeks must opine on the physical and mental health of the person by furnishing full details to the court,” the court noted.

The Court has also issued guidelines to medical boards regarding the termination of pregnancy, emphasizing the protection of practitioners and medical boards when forming an opinion in good faith as to the termination of pregnancy. The board must evaluate the pregnant person’s physical and emotional well-being, provide reasons for changes, and consider the consent of the pregnant person in decisions regarding reproductive autonomy and termination, the court further suggested.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor joins in instigating conspiracy theories about Hemant Karkare’s death during the 26/11 terror attack, wants a forensics investigation

OpIndia Staff
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Congress leader Shashi Tharoor joins in instigating conspiracy theories about Hemant Karkare’s death during the 26/11 terror attack, wants a forensics investigation

On Monday (6th May), senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor publicly extended his support to Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Maharashtra Assembly, Vijay Wadettiwar. This came a day after Waettiwar alleged the involvement of an RSS-linked cop in Hemant Karkare’s death, thereby absolving Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab of the murder.

Speaking with news agency ANI, Shashi Tharoor argued that the allegations should be seriously investigated and demanded a forensic investigation to probe the allegations. It is pertinent to note that, in the past, courts have not just taken cognisance of this allegation but have also junked pleas alleging the same.

Furthering the conspiracy theory, ‘26/11 RSS ki sazish’, already busted by the judiciary, Shashi Tharoor argued that the nation has every right to know what really happened (around Hemant Karkare’s death).

Speaking with ANI in Pune regarding Wadettiwar’s allegations, Congress candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor said, “The matter is extremely serious. Our concern is that when the LoP points to something which is an allegation that has been in the public domain for some time and which featured in a book by the former IG of police, Mushrif, who said that the bullets found in Karkare’s body could not have been fired by the Ajmal Kasab and that it could have been fired by a police revolver, it seems to me that this allegation should have been seriously investigated. And it is not too late. Because on such an important matter, the nation has every right to know what really happened…We are not saying that the allegation is definitely true. We are saying it should be investigated.”

Wadettiwar allegations and SM Mushrif’s book couldn’t stand the test in the court of Law

It is pertinent to note that, yesterday, after facing massive backlash for his allegations, Congress leader Wadettiwar told reporters that he made the contentious remarks based on the book written by SM Mushrif. Click here, to read in detail about the controversial man SM Mushrif who had authored books to absolve Pakistani terrorists for several terror attacks and instead pinned the blame on ‘Brahminists’ adding that it is a major conspiracy of the Intelligence Bureau (IB).  

SM Mushrif is a controversial former Inspector General of Police (IGP). He wrote a book titled ‘Who killed Karkare? The Real Face of Terrorism in India’, claiming that the then ATS chief Hemant Karkare was killed by “Hindu radicals”. 

According to SM Mushrif, Islamist terrorism in India is a figment of imagination, a facade created by the Intelligence Bureau to cover up the ‘real terrorism’ in the country perpetrated by Brahminists to establish Brahminist hegemony. He went further to allege that RSS is ‘India’s number 1 terrorist organisation’. He also wants that the secularists of the country should approach the Supreme Court and challenge the UAPA which is used against terrorists, in other heinous crimes as well as anti-national activities.

It is pertinent to note that in 2018, a decade after the Mumbai terror attack, Bombay HC had refused to order a probe into former ATS chief Karkare’s death and junked a petition alleging that his killing during the 26/11 terror attack was a conspiracy hatched by “Right Wing extremists”. Incidentally, the PIL relied on S M Mushrif’s book ‘Who Killed Karkare’. Additionally, he was also summoned by the Bombay High Court in 2010 in connection with his propaganda book.

Shashi Tharoor targets Ujjwal Nikam

Apart from demanding an investigation, Shashi Tharoor didn’t condemn the remarks of his party colleague Vijay Wadettiwar who had called Ujjwal Nikam, the former senior public prosecutor who fought the case against Kasab, a “traitor who suppressed the fact“. 

Targeting the then prosecutor and BJP candidate in the ongoing elections, Ujjwal Nikam, Shashi Tharoor alleged that he had already propagated an unjustified myth that the terrorist was served biryani in jail. 

Tharoor said, “We already had known that he (Ujjwal Nikam) had propagated this unjustified myth that the Pakistani terrorist was served biryani in prison and that is something that shows him in a very poor light. If, indeed he has already revealed his political bias in that moment, then there is every reason to worry whether his political bias had influenced any other of his stands. We are not saying that the allegation is true. We are saying it should be investigated.” 

Several prominent netizens have slammed the Congress leader for absolving Kasab based on unsubstantiated allegations that further’ conspiracy theories devised by Pakistan. Responding to a few X users, Tharoor issued a ‘clarification’ claiming that he is not giving clean chit to Kasab. He claimed that if there is “evidence”, the allegations must be investigated, prompting widespread criticism from netizens for claiming that there is evidence in this matter. 

Strikingly, the allegations rely solely on a book by SM Mushrif, which has been known to courts for decades. However, rather than accepting it as ‘evidence’, the courts have dismissed pleas based on it, suggesting that the book solicits no credence in the court of law.

‘Rahul Gandhi wanted to overturn Ram Mandir verdict’: Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod’s explosive revelation

OpIndia Staff
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‘Rahul Gandhi wanted to overturn Ram Mandir verdict’: Former Congress leader Acharya Pramod’s explosive revelation

On 6th May, former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam stated that soon after the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Ramjanmbhoomi case, Rahul Gandhi expressed that the grand old party would “overturn the directive regarding the Ram temple once the Congress government comes into power”.

In a statement, Acharya Pramod Krishnam said, “I have spent more than 32 years in the Congress and when the Ram Mandir decision came, Rahul Gandhi in a meeting with his close aides said that after the Congress govt was formed, they will form a superpower commission and will overturn the Ram Mandir decision just like Rajiv Gandhi overturned the Shah Bano decision…”

Notably, former Congress leader Acharya Pramod has been critical of the party as its leaders did not attend the Shri Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony on 22nd January this year. In February, Congress expelled him for indiscipline and making repeated statements against the party.

In recent times, several former Congress leaders revealed the problems they faced with the party leadership over Ram Mandir. The most recent example is of Radhika Khera who resigned from the grand old party on 5th May. In her letter to the All India Congress Committee, she alleged that justice was denied to her after the mistreatment by party members as she visited the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. She wrote, “It is an established truth since ancient times that those who support religion have been opposed. Examples of this range from Hiranyakashipu to Ravana and Kansa. At present, some people are opposing those who take the name of Lord Shri Ram in the same way. For every Hindu, the birthplace of Lord Shri Ram holds great significance with its sacredness and while every Hindu considers his life successful just by seeing Ram Lalla, some people are opposing it.”

On 4th April, Gourav Vallabh resigned from the Congress Party. In a letter to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, he said, “I do not feel comfortable with the directionless way in which the Congress party is moving forward today. I can neither raise anti-Sanatana slogans nor abuse the wealth creators of the country. I am resigning from all posts and primary membership of the Congress party.” In a statement to India Today, he called Congress’s decision to skip the Ram Mandir event a “sin”. In a statement on Congress rejecting Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha invite, he said, “An invitation was received and Congress rejected the invitation, I cannot accept it…The leaders of the alliance raised questions on Sanatana, why was Congress not responding to it?…I joined BJP today and I hope to use my ability and knowledge to take India forward…” Later, he also slammed Rahul Gandhi for not visiting the Ram Mandir even after three months of Pran Pratishtha despite claiming to be a devoted Hindu. 

‘No proof of Islamic terrorism’: Rana Ayyub whitewashes Islamists who brutalised Israelis in October 7 attack and regularly persecute Hindus

Amit Kelkar
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‘No proof of Islamic terrorism’: Rana Ayyub whitewashes Islamists who brutalised Israelis in October 7 attack and regularly persecute Hindus

Washington Post columnist Rana Ayyub recently claimed that there is no proof of Islamic terrorism. The incredulous claim came during an interaction with the Middle East Eye, a UK-based propaganda portal known for whitewashing Islamist depravity and contextualising atrocities committed by Islamists. 

Ayyub, embroiled in a donation fraud scam that runs into crores, said that Islamic terrorism has no proof and is an artificial imagination aimed at vilifying Muslims. 

“There is no proof of Islamic terrorism. It is something that has been built,” Ayyub said while drawing a comparison between Israeli PM Netanyahu and PM Modi.

“After the October 7 attack, the official X handle of BJP put out a tweet stating that what happened in Israel is what used to happen in India before they came to power. It was a dog whistle that this is Islamic terrorism…. narratives are going on that claim Modi should be doing what Bibi is doing in Israel,” Ayyub said. 

This is not entirely surprising, since Ms Ayyub has a history of batting for the Islamists. If one goes by Ms Ayyub’s claims, the 9/11 terror attack in the United States, the London bombings, the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, or the Pulwama attack in February 2019 were not Islamic terror attacks, notwithstanding that the fact religion played a crucial part in the indoctrination of the terrorists who carried out the aforementioned attacks. 

Ajmal Aamir Kasab, the lone terrorist caught alive after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, has on record admitted to being brainwashed through Islamic scriptures to conduct the attack. In the wake of the CRPF attack in Pulwama in February 2019, a pre-recorded video of terrorist Adil Ahmed Dar, who rammed his explosives-laden car into the CRPF convoy, was released that defended the attack and took a swipe at Hindus with a ‘gaumutra’ jibe. 

But for the likes of Rana Ayyub, there is no proof of Islamic terrorism as by doing so they deprive the victim of their agency to retaliate against the dastardly attacks mounted against them. Such proclamations are made as a part of the larger attempt to shield Islam from critical scrutiny and to discredit the legitimacy of retaliatory attacks against Islamic terrorists. 

In the 31-minute-long interaction that is available on YouTube, Rana Ayyub appears perpetually agitated and rants against a host of issues, including the Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, lamenting that Modi used the temple to prop up his image of a Hindu leader who brought Ram back and built a temple on the ruins of a demolished mosque. 

The Ram Mandir consecration ceremony was conducted on January 22 this year and PM Modi was invited as a chief guest on the occasion. The temple was built after the SC in a historic judgment granted the disputed land to Hindus in 2019, 27 years after the demolition of the Babri edifice in December 1992. According to Hindu beliefs, archaeological examination, and British-era archives, a temple that existed at the said was demolished during the reign of Mughal emperor Babur to raise a mosque over it. 

Pakistan: 3 men arrested for sexually assaulting and videographing a college student naked; had blackmailed him and threatened to kill him

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: 3 men arrested for sexually assaulting and videographing a college student naked; had blackmailed him and threatened to kill him

On Sunday (5th May), Pakistan’s Bisham Police arrested three men on charges of sexually harassing and videographing a college boy naked. The incident unfolded in the Maira area of Bisham tehsil in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The accused also blackmailed the victim to leak his video and threatened to kill him if he told anyone about the incident.  

An FIR has been registered at the Dandai Police station in Bisham tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa under Sections 377 (unnatural offence), 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or for a shorter term), and 506/34 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the FIR, on Friday, 3rd May, the victim was returning after giving his intermediate examination when he was approached by the accused who were known to him. They lured him on the pretense of taking him to a riverbank where they attempted to sexually molest him. While the victim resisted, the accused videographed the boy in a naked state and threatened to make it public and kill him if he reported the ordeal.

Confirming the arrests, Station House Officer (SHO) Dandai Muhammad Arif Khan said that the trio named in the FIR were arrested and further interrogation was underway.

According to the FIR, the victim was sent to the tehsil headquarters hospital, Bisham, on the day of the crime for medical examination.

Data collected by Sahil, an NGO dedicated to addressing child sexual abuse, reveals a disturbing trend: the majority of abusers are individuals known to the victims, such as acquaintances, neighbours, or even family members. 

Shockingly, religious teachers and clerics emerge as the primary perpetrators within institutional settings, surpassing even police officers, school teachers, or nuclear family members in the number of complaints filed against them, according to Pakistani news outlet Dawn. 

Incidentally, on 2nd April, a Pakistani man, Faisal Rafi, asked people on X (formerly Twitter) if they were raped or sexually abused by a Maulvi (Islamic priest/religious teacher). The question went viral quickly, and hundreds of people, irrespective of gender, responded by saying yes, shocking many. Faisal himself said yes to the question. He said the incident happened to him not at a madrasa but at his home.

The responses made it evident that physical and sexual assault by Maulvis is common in Pakistan, even among Muslims living in the UK. Even in India, such cases have emerged from time to time. In December 2023, a Maulvi named Muntazir Alam was arrested for the sexual assault of a minor girl who came to learn Urdu at a mosque in Hamirpur.

As per reports, primary data remains limited and organisations rely on media reports and police complaints but the trend over the past 20 years shows the gender divide of abused girls in madarsas is slightly higher than that of boys.

(With Inputs from ANI)

‘AAP received $16 million from Khalistani terror outfits’: Delhi LG recommends NIA probe against Arvind Kejriwal over ‘political funding’ from SFJ

OpIndia Staff
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‘AAP received $16 million from Khalistani terror outfits’: Delhi LG recommends NIA probe against Arvind Kejriwal over ‘political funding’ from SFJ

The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, VK Saxena, has urged for an NIA investigation into Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s alleged acceptance of political funding from the banned terrorist organization “Sikhs for Justice,” potentially deepening the challenges for the AAP leader.

In a communication directed to the Home Secretary, Saxena highlighted a complaint he received regarding the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP allegedly receiving substantial funds – amounting to USD 16 million – from extremist Khalistani groups. These funds were purportedly linked to facilitating the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar and promoting Pro-Khalistani sentiments between 2014 and 2022.

Furthermore, Saxena referenced the complainant, Ashoo Mongia, National General Secretary of the World Hindu Federation India, who cited tweets on Platform ‘X’ by Dr. Munish Kumar Raizada. These tweets allegedly confirmed Kejriwal’s clandestine meeting with Pro-Khalistani leaders at Richmond Hill Gurudwara, New York, in 2014.

The complainants cited the material from a video stored on their enclosed pen drive, purportedly showing Pannun making allegations. In the video, it is claimed that the Aam Aadmi Party, under Kejriwal’s leadership, received a substantial sum of USD 16 million in funding from Khalistani groups spanning from 2014 to 2022.

“The tweets also affirm that, beyond public appearances, Mr Kejriwal convened a private meeting with Pro-Khalistani Sikh Leaders at Richmond Hills Gurudwara. Additionally, it’s noted in the letter that Mr Kejriwal wrote to former President Sh. Pranab Mukherjee, advocating for clemency for Bhullar. A copy of a letter from Mr Arvind Kejriwal to one Sh. Iqbal Singh is provided in this context,” the letter elaborated.

Pannun had claimed AAP received $16 million from Khalistani groups for elections

In a video released in March 2024, Khalistani terrorist and founder of terror organisation Sikhs For Justice, Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, alleged that Khalistani groups gave USD 16 million to Aam Aadmi Party to fund elections. He added that Kejriwal had allegedly offered to release Khalistani terrorist Professor Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar within five hours of formation of government in Delhi.

Pannun had said, “Arvind Kejriwal and his associates who call themselves honest Indian Hindus turned out to be more dangerous than the dishonest Indian Hindus. When Kejriwal was not in power in 2014, he came to the US and promised pro-Khalistani groups that he would release Professor Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar within five hours of forming a government. We told them not to trust him at that time. It has been nine years since he came to power.”

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