On Tuesday (5th December), Prayagraj police arrested three youths named Akram, Junaid, and Faizan (all sons of Mushtaq Ali) for forcibly converting a Hindu woman to Islam. Another accused Mushtaq Ali has already died. A case in this matter has been registered in the Colonelganj police station of Prayagraj under sections 147 (rioting), 323 (causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation), 342 (wrongful confinement), 354(A) (sexual harassment) of the IPC and sections 3 and 5(A) of the Uttar Pradesh Prevention of Illegal Religious Conversion Act 2021.
According to reports, the victim young woman Puja Gupta (name changed but surname retained) told in her police complaint that deceased Maulana Mushtaq Ali lured her father late Bachcha Gupta to convert to Islam. For this, Maulana Mushtaq Ali told Bachcha Gupta that his business of sweets would grow if he converted to Islam. Influenced by the Maulana, Bachcha Gupta started visiting mosques, going to various Mazars, offering chadars and doing other Islamic activities like namaz. He stopped worshipping Hindu deities. Mushtaq Ali also forced Bachcha Gupta to build a grave in his house failing which – he threatened Bachcha Gupta – his whole family might die.
According to the allegations made by Puja Gupta, Mushtaq Ali began exerting influence over her, her husband, and other family members following the death of Bachcha Gupta. Mushtaq allegedly compelled Puja and her daughter to visit the Mazar situated in the Chhota Baghada area of the town. Once there, he allegedly confined the minor to a room and subjected her to sexual assault.
Prayagraj, UP: Mushtaq Ali, Akram, Junaid, and Faizan abducted a Hindu girl named Pooja Gupta (only name changed, surname retained), and took her to an Islamic Mazar where they raped her and converted her to Islam.
Upon the minor disclosing the incident to Puja, she confronted Mushtaq Ali, who reportedly threatened her with severe consequences. Mushtaq claimed to possess the ability to inflict harm, similar to what allegedly happened to her father through his purported magical powers. Subsequently, the daughter’s health reportedly deteriorated, ultimately leading to her demise on December 28, 2018.
Puja Gupta succumbed to his terror and complied with Mushtaq’s every demand like giving money, jewellery, and other goods asked for the Mazar, all in fear of his alleged magical abilities. On 23rd October 2023. Mushtaq Ali died. On the same day, his sons Akram, Junaid, and Faizan came to Puja’s residence, stating that Mushtaq Ali had commanded them before dying that they must bring her to Mushtaq’s tomb at any cost. She hesitantly went to the Mazar on 24th October, fearing their threats and intimidation. She faced verbal and physical abuse there.
Puja stated in her legal complaint that Akram and his siblings forced her to spit on the floor and consume it. They kept her in a room and subjected her to undesirable touching and rude remarks. They also demanded that Puja bring her eldest daughter to the Mazar.
She stressed that she was not the only victim of their malice; countless other women had been subjected to similar torture and abuse. The accused and their family, according to Puja Gupta (name changed), pressured these ladies into converting to Islam. Females in their household also assisted in the conversion and manipulation when needed.
Puja said, “With all these claims I approached both Colonelganj and Annie Basent police stations but to no avail and no one filed an FIR against the perpetrators.”
The authorities received her complaint letter on 11th November 2023, and the FIR was filed on 5th December. Mushtaq Ali was not booked as he died. His three sons were booked in the FIR filed at the Colonelganj police station. All the three accused were arrested on 5th December.
A cardiologist from Kanpur has started the practice of presenting a Hindu book of faith as an obligatory part of treatment, according to a report in The Times of India. Dr. Neeraj Kumar, a cardiac surgeon at the Laxmipat Singhania Institute of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery is winning over his patients’ hearts by having them read holy scriptures including the Ramayana, Sunderkand, Hanuman Chalisa and Bhagavad Gita before long-term care and surgery.
Reportedly the initiative has improved the health and recuperation of patients since the campaign commenced around a year ago. The cost of these books for his patients is covered directly by the doctor. He said, “Reading religious books makes patients mentally stronger, and boosts their morale during treatment. Whether it is for treatment of heart ailments or other diseases, the immunity power of the patient together with medicines plays a crucial role in the recovery.”
He further mentioned, “Once the disease is diagnosed, the patient gets mentally worried about his treatment and family. In such a situation, reading the Gita, Sunderkand Hanuman Chalisa and Ramayana divert the patient’s mind, which also has a positive effect on his health. Patients who read religious books when they are admitted in the hospital and appear happier than other patients when they are discharged.”
He disclosed that while patients were first given newspapers, this proved to be ineffective and the practice was later changed to providing religious materials which benefitted them immensely. “Initially, patients were given newspapers to read. But since the feedback was not encouraging, I started giving these books to our patients. It surely made them mentally strong and their immune power was found to be increased.”
After the BJP secured a comfortable majority in Rajasthan, the focus is now on who will be the next chief minister. The BJP, which won 115 seats in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly, is said to have several leading contenders for the position of Chief Minister. The party, which did not project a CM face, fought and won the Rajasthan elections collectively under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
According to the reports, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, Mahant Balak Nath, who won the Tijara assembly constituency on Sunday (3rd December), Law Minister of India Arjun Ram Meghwal, MP Diya Kumari, Rajasthan BJP chief CP Joshi, and Union Minister Gajendra Shekhawat are said to be among the strongest candidates for the position of chief minister.
Vasundhara Raje, a two-time former chief minister, was re-elected to the House from the Jhalrapatan constituency in Jhalawar by a margin of 53,193 votes. She received a total of 1,38,831 votes and defeated Congress candidate Ramlal, who received 85,638 votes.
Vasundhara Raje Scindia of the Bharatiya Janata Party holds the record for being the only woman chief minister of the state. She belongs to the prominent Scindia royal Maratha family and is the daughter of Vijayaraje Scindia-Shinde and Jivajirao Scindia-Shinde, Maharaja of Gwalior. She finished her graduation from Sophia College for Women in Mumbai with degrees in economics and political science and began her political career in the year 1984.
Vasundhara Raje, known as Raani among her supporters, is eyeing a third term after the BJP swept the election with 115 seats, defeating the incumbent Congress, which managed to secure 69 seats. The BJP is scheduled to hold a meeting in Delhi on Thursday (7th December) to discuss who might be the next CM of the state. Amid the race, Raje on 6th December made a visit to Delhi and dodged any questions on the meeting. “I have come to Delhi to see my daughter-in-law,” she was quoted as saying by the media.
Mahant Balaknath
Mahant Balaknath, a spiritual leader and Alwar MP, defeated Congress candidate Imran Khan in the Tijara assembly constituency by a margin of 6,173 votes. he belongs to the Yaduvanshi community and is Chancellor of the Baba Mastnath University (BMU). His political career was shaped by his Guru, Mahant Chandnath, a former Member of Parliament from Alwar.
Balaknath Yogi is one of the most influential leaders in the state of Rajasthan. He is known for supporting Hindutva and belongs to the Nath sect. He was nominated as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Lok Sabha candidate from Alwar, Rajasthan, and he won in 2019 by a margin of 3 lakh votes over Indian National Congress candidate Bhanwar Jitendra Singh.
Arjun Ram Meghwal
Meghwal is the Union Minister of Law and Justice at present. He has also served as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs since 2017 and Culture since 2021. Meghwal, a BJP leader, previously served as Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises from 2019 to 2021, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs from 2016 to 2017, and Minister of State for Water Resources from 2016 to 2017.
He has also served in the Lok Sabha since 2009, representing the Rajasthan constituency of Bikaner. In 2013, he received the award for Best Parliamentarian. His name is at present being discussed as a strong contender for the post of Chief Minister in the state of Rajasthan.
Diya Kumari
Another rising leader Diya Kumari, who won the Vidhyadhar Nagar seat on a BJP ticket by defeating Congress candidate Sitaram Agarwal by 71,368 votes, is seen as a strong CM contender. The Vidhyadhar Nagar constituency is located in the Jaipur district.
Kumari is the granddaughter of Man Singh II, the last ruler of the princely state of Jaipur during India’s British Raj. She joined the BJP in 2013 and was elected to the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly as a BJP candidate from Sawai Madhopur in 2013.
She was elected as a Member of Parliament from Rajsamand to the Lok Sabha in 2019. She received 8.58 lakh votes, and her victory margin of 5.51 lakh votes ranks among the top 20 largest in 2019.
CP Joshi
CP Joshi, a two-time Lok Sabha member from Chittorgarh who presently heads the BJP’s state unit, is also considered to be a dark horse for the CM post. In the run-up to the elections, PM Modi praised his work as Rajasthan BJP State President in Udaipur. Joshi is widely regarded as a popular, simple, and soft-spoken. He began his political career as vice-president of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) from 1994 to 1996. He later joined the ABVP, rising through the ranks to become a Member of the Chittorgarh District Council (Zilla Parishad) in 2000.
He was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha in 2014 and the 17th Lok Sabha in 2019 from the Chittorgarh Lok Sabha Constituency. He received 9.79 lakh votes, and his victory margin of 5.76 lakh votes ranks among the top ten largest margins of victory in 2019.
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, the Union Jal Shakti Minister who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Jodhpur, is also seen as an effective candidate for the post of chief minister in the state. Shekhawat has been the Lower House representative for Jodhpur since 2014.
He was born in Jaisalmer. Jai Narain Vyas University in Jodhpur awarded him a Master of Arts and a Master of Philosophy. Shekhawat began his political career as president of the Student Union at JNVU University in 1992. He was then named National General Secretary of the BJP Kisan Morcha, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s farmers wing. He was also a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Rajasthan State Executive.
He was elected to the 16th Lok Sabha in 2014 with the highest-ever winning margin (4,10,051 votes) from the Jodhpur constituency.
On November 25, Rajasthan went to the polls for 199 of the 200 assembly seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the elections and is poised to form the state government in the 200-member state Assembly, having secured 115 seats.
Earlier on 6th December, a purported press release attributed to BJP claimed that the party had selected Mahanth Balaknath Yogi as the next Chief Minister and appointed two Deputy Chief Ministers to assist the CM.
It also stated that Senior BJP leader and MLA from Sawai Madhopur Kirodi Lal Meena and MLA from Rajsamand Diya Kumari will be the two Deputy Chief Ministers. However, the Bhartiya Janata Party’s state unit took to X (formerly Twitter) and alerted that the press release was Fake.
From its official Twitter handle BJP4Rajasthan, the party tweeted, “Fake Alert!” along with the forged press release having the party’s name as the header to make it look authentic.
Earlier on 3rd December, the BJP defeated the ruling party Congress after it secured 115 seats. While Congress bagged 69 seats, other parties in the likes of Bharat Adivasi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party secured 3 and 2 seats respectively.
Controversial AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam is at it again. The former Delhi Minister has this time targeted Hindu temples and asked Dalits not to visit temples. He said that Hindu temples are places “where Dalit women are raped and Dalits are killed”. In a video shared on social media platform X, the AAP MLA can be seen addressing a crowd donning a Buddhist flag-coloured scarf.
“Don’t trust in such things which hurt you. Tell me one thing, if our people are killed for going to a temple, if our youth is killed for touching idols then why do you go to such places where you are insulted, where the dignity of your sister and daughter is violated, where you are murdered. Stop going there where you are insulted,” said the MLA from Seemapuri constituency.
"Dalit women are raped in Temples" "Dalits are killed in Temples" "Stop going to Temples"
AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam again abuses Hindus and Temples again.
Gautam was speaking at an event in the Lahrada village in Sonepat. The BJP has hit out at the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) asking why the MLA has not been removed from the party yet.
BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia wrote on X, ” “Stop going to temples”, “Women are raped in temples”, “Dalits are killed in temples”. AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam once again abused temples and Hindus. Earlier, during the mass conversion of 10,000 people, he was making people take an oath to boycott Hinduism and Hindu gods. Why hasn’t Kejriwal, a staunch “Hanuman devotee”, taken action against him for repeatedly insulting Hindu religion and expelled him from the party?”
"मंदिरों में जाना बंद करो"
"मंदिरों में महिलाओं के साथ दुष्कर्म होता है"
"मंदिरों में दलितों को मारा जाता है"
आप विधायक राजेंद्र पाल गौतम ने एक बार फिर मंदिरों और हिंदुओं को गाली दी
इससे पहले, 10,000 लोगों के सामूहिक धर्मांतरण के दौरान, वह लोगों को हिंदू धर्म और हिंदू देवताओं… pic.twitter.com/4HVkBTnGEp
— Gaurav Bhatia गौरव भाटिया ?? (@gauravbhatiabjp) December 6, 2023
In October last year, Rajendra Pal Gautam was forced to resign from the post of Minister of Social Welfare, Cooperation, SC/ST welfare and Gurudwara election of Delhi. This was owing to his participation in a conversion event in the national capital.
10,000 Hindus were converted en masse to Buddhism at the event organised by the Buddhist Society of India at the Dr BR Ambedkar Bhavan in Jhandewalan. He later took to X to gloat over the mass conversion.
A month after his resignation, the AAP MLA during an interview with so-called ‘journalist’ Arfa Khanum Sherwani of The Wire, said that Hindus will remain a majority only for a few years’ time.
Following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s landslide victories in the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Janata Dal (United) Lok Sabha MP from Sitamarhi, Sunil Kumar Pintu caused a political stir by endorsing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and bringing up the party’s poll slogan, “Modi hai toh mumkin hai” (Modi makes it possible).
Now, he has revealed that the meetings of the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (I.N.D.I.A.) bloc were restricted to tea and samosas until seat distribution happened. “I.N.D.I. Alliance meetings are limited to chai-samosas until seat distribution takes place.”
Regarding his compliments for PM Modi, the parliamentarian stated that he was merely expressing the reality and that the former’s supporters are the inhabitants of the Hindi heartland states. “We must understand and consider people’s choices and work on our strategies for the upcoming elections.”
He proclaimed that he was and would always be a BJP member at heart and asserted that the party had sent him to Janata Dal (United). He declared his readiness to step down at the request of his leader, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Furthermore, he voiced unease about running in the forthcoming Lok Sabha election with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) as a coalition partner.
The lawmaker lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi and raised the BJP’s vote slogan which sparked a furore in Bihar just after the results of the five-state poll were announced. He made the remarks amid the BJP’s resounding triumph in the Hindi heartland. He obserevd, “Jo nara Bharatiya Janata Party ne diya hai ki ‘Modi hai toh mumkin hai’ aur ‘Modi magic hai’ yeh janta ne uspar apni mohar lagakar uss baat ko sahi kar diya ki sahi mein Modi magic hai. (The slogans that the BJP has given that with Modi it is possible and it is Modi magic, this was approved and proven by the people that there is indeed Modi magic).”
He also endorsed the prime minister’s call for the development of the “4 castes” namely women, youth, farmers and the poor. “The attempt to employ our farmers, women, youth and poor is right. Until and unless these 4 castes are uplifted we will not be able to develop the nation. It is important that there should be development for women, farmers and youth and we can become a world power by 2047 only by uplifting the 4 castes including the poor.”
The JDU leader slammed the Congress and charged that the party only recalled its political allies after suffering defeats in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. He highlighted that Congress lost because of the disregard of its partners. He further accused that the I.N.D.I. Alliance lacks effective communication and influential leaders are not consulted. He unveiled that the coalition would only survive in 2024 if Congress put forward regional parties.
Former Indian batter Gautam Gambhir posted a cryptic tweet on Thursday.
Interestingly, Gambhir’s tweet came out just hours later after a video of him emerged on social media in which he was arguing with former Indian pacer Sreesanth in the Legends League Cricket (LLC) match between India Capitals and Gujarat Giants.
“Smile when the world is all about attention!” said the caption of Gambhir’s post, in which featured a picture of him smiling.
On Thursday morning, a video of an argument between these two former Indian players emerged. Gautam, leading India Capitals could be clearly seen in an argument with the former Indian pacer who was playing for Gujarat. Other players and the umpire had to separate the two.
Following the incident, a video emerged on social media of Sreesanth talking about the incident. He said that the former Indian batter abused him and accused Gambhir of not respecting his senior teammates, like Virender Sehwag, who was also his opening partner for years.
“Thank you for all the love and support. Just wanted to clear the air on what happened with ‘Mr Fighter’ who always fights with all his colleagues for absolutely no reason. He does not even respect his own senior players including Viru bhai (Virender Sehwag) and a lot of people. Even today, without any provocation, he kept calling me something very rude and something he should not have said. I am not at all fault, wanted to clear the air,” said Sreesanth in the video.
“What Mr Gauti has done, you will know sooner or later. The words he said on the cricket field are not unacceptable. Please do support and me, my state and family have gone through so much and I fought those battles with all your support and now people want to down me for no reason, even when I am giving my best and the team is doing well,” continued the former pacer.
Sreesanth also accused Gambhir, who also does commentary during India’s matches often, of not speaking about star India batter Virat Kohli when he is asked about him during the broadcasts.
“I will let you all know what he said. What is the point of representing the people if you do not respect your colleagues? Even in live broadcasting, when he is asked about Virat, he never speaks about him, he speaks about something else. I do not want to go further in details. I am hurt, my family is hurt and my dear ones are hurt. The way he said things, I did not use any single bad/abusive word, he just kept on saying words, like he always does,” concluded Sreesanth.
Coming to the match, half-century from Gambhir (51) and knocks from Ben Dunk (30) and Bharat Chipli (35) powered India Capitals to 223/7 in 20 overs. Rajat Bhatia (2/37) was the pick of the bowlers for Gujarat. In the chase of 224, Gujarat got big contributions from Chris Gayle (84) and Kevin O’Brian (57), but some great death bowling made sure that Gujarat fell 12 runs short.
India Capitals will now meet Manipal Tigers in the Qualifiers II on December 7, 2023.
(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 6th December (local time), the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara, denied the Department of Fair Employment and Housing’s (DFEH) motion to permit the use of a fictitious name (John Doe) in the Cisco Caste Discrimination lawsuit. The case, officially recognised as Case No 20CV372366, was filed against Cisco Systems, Inc. and two individuals, Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella. It revolved around the so-called caste discrimination of the plaintiff, whose identity was withheld for “security reasons”. The court’s decision has spotlighted the utilisation of anonymity for a party referred to as “John Doe”.
BREAKING: In the Cisco caste discrimination case John Doe’s appeal to use an anonymous name DENIED by courts .
Doe enjoyed anonymity in a flaky and now dismissed case of discrimination that he filed against his ex classmate who had hired him.
In its motion, DFEH sought permission from the court to use a fictitious name for the individual. Initially, the request was dismissed by the trial court. However, the Court of Appeal intervened and stressed the importance of considering potential harm to the plaintiff’s family members in India.
The court ruled that someone can be allowed to keep the name secret during the proceedings only if there is a big chance that revealing the identity could cause harm. Furthermore, anonymity can be provided only if there is no other way to protect the individuals without letting the public know what happened in court.
#BREAKING: Remember all the claims around the harm that was about to be visited upon John Doe's family in India in California’s #CiscoCaste lawsuit, if his identity was revealed? Another lie falls apart.#EqualityLabs argued breathlessly that his parents would be subject to… pic.twitter.com/NE5WbDzhYr
— CoHNA (Coalition of Hindus of North America) (@CoHNAOfficial) December 7, 2023
After examining the evidence provided by DFEH during the hearing of the matter in question, the court determined that the risk of harm to John Doe and his family, particularly those live in India, did not meet the high burden set by the overriding interest test. The court placed the emphasis on the lack of specific and current evidence of harm. The court further pointed out that the incidents mentioned by the plaintiff took place years ago and questioned the likelihood of present harm.
Notably, the plaintiff informed the court that his mother-in-law told him about the incident when her neighbours stopped interacting with her because she cooked meat. The incident occurred decades ago and did not establish if it was tied to the fact that she is a Dalit. The court decided not to consider the incident as evidence in the matter.
Based on the evidence and arguments, the court denied DFEH’s motion. Cisco Systems is not obligated to respond to the first complaint. Instead, DFEH has been asked to change and re-file the complaint within a week, mentioning the plaintiff’s real name. Cisco Systems has been given one month to reply after DFEH files the changed complaint.
Who is John Doe
Earlier, OpIndia found the potential identification details of the anonymous plaintiff, John Doe, in the failed Cisco case against Iyer. We examined CRD documents and publicly available information from LinkedIn, IIT Bombay, ContactOut, CrunchBase, RocketReach, and USPTO. The investigation focused on Chetan Narsude, a Principal Engineer at Cisco and co-founder of Candid, Iyer’s startup, due to the connection between Iyer and Narsude’s shared attendance at IIT Bombay. Patents filed by Iyer and Narsude implicated their collaboration and concurrent enrollment at IIT Bombay, and shared projects under Professor SSSP Rao further strengthened the link between Iyer and Narsude.
The Cisco Caste discrimination case
In October 2020, a complaint was filed by a Dalit engineer who alleged that he faced caste-based discrimination and harassment while working at Cisco’s San Jose campus. The case has now concluded, and while the CRD has found that the two individual engineers are not directly responsible, it maintains that the work environment at Cisco enabled the alleged discrimination to occur.
In April 2023, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) dropped its case against two Indian-origin engineers who were initially named alongside Cisco as defendants. However, the department is still pursuing its claims against Cisco itself for allegedly fostering a hostile work environment based on caste.
Tamil actor Aditi Balan has criticised the DMK government for mishandling the flood situation in Chennai which has damaged several houses, public property and led to loss of life too.
The actor has alleged that she was told to make way for Chief Minister MK Stalin’s convoy while she was rescuing her family as they were walking through the waterclogged streets.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the actor shared a screenshot of her story on Instagram wherein she wrote, “I was asked to move my car while waiting to pick up family that was walking through the stagnant water because the CM convoy was approaching @chennaicorp @_chennaipolice @udhay_stalin @mkstalin…Really?”
In another post, she questioned the absence of state authorities. “Govt, where are you? I just went to Radhakrishnan Nagar, Thiruvamiyur. Water from surrounding areas have been pumped into this area. There were dead animals floating around,” she wrote.
Govt, where are you? I just went to Radhakrishnan nagar, Thiruvamiyur . Water from surrounding areas have been pumped into this area. There were dead animals floating around. pic.twitter.com/hy2C3eWYBQ
The actor also pointed out that a boat with six cops rowed into River View Road in Kottur Puram “to pick up one influential lady”.
“We had to walk through the entire stagnation to rescue 2 kids and their grandma. Meanwhile a boat with 6 cops rowed into river view road in Kottur Puram to pick up one influential lady,” the actor wrote.
In a follow-up post, the actor alleged that the situation in Radhakrishnan Nagar has not changed at all.
“Nothing has changed in Radhakrishnan Nagar. People are still stuck there. Why isn’t anyone from the @chennaicorp reaching out to anyone there?” she said.
Nothing has changed in Radhakrishnan nagar. People are still stuck there. Why isn’t anyone from the @chennaicorp reaching out to anyone there?
According to reports, Balan also asked in another post if the DMK government is not helping the constituency where they were not elected.
Actor Vinodhini Vaidyanathan also took to X to slam the government for “terrible mismanagement at all levels”.
“Sorry but the writing on the wall is clear. Terrible mismanagement at all levels. No helpline numbers are working. There was a knee jerk reaction from GCC a week back on an issue, will be writing about it in detail. Hint: Narikuravas. Today we’ve seen how massive corruption at all levels work. If any of you come at me with “but what about” or “but we have to be patient till the rain stops”, I’m going to throw up.? 2015 was far better,” she wrote.
Sorry but the writing on the wall is clear. Terrible mismanagement at all levels. No helpline numbers are working. There was a knee jerk reaction from GCC a week back on an issue, will be writing about it in detail. Hint: Narikuravas. Today we’ve seen how massive corruption at… pic.twitter.com/2aJmSK30Cg
At least eight people have died in the Tamil Nadu capital following heavy rainfall and floods caused by Cyclone Michaung. Stagnant water in the city owing to poor infrastructure, power disruption, shortage of daily essentials like milk et cetera have brought life to a standstill.
Schools and colleges in the city have been shut. CM Stalin has written to PM Modi regarding the interim relief of Rs 5,060 crore sought from the Centre for the damage caused.
In the past few months, unknown gunmen have been making headlines for selectively targeting India’s enemies on foreign soil, from Pakistan to Canada. Interestingly, these individuals neither have any names nor do they have any recognisable faces.
It’s noteworthy that the targets of these gunmen are either criminals, or individuals listed as wanted terrorists by the Indian government. Whoever they are, the targets of these unknown gunmen are considered enemies of India. The unknown gunmen have been actively eliminating these ruthless criminals for several months now.
What’s remarkable is that once a terrorist is eliminated, there is no evidence or trace left behind by these unknown assailants. They come, do their job, and leave – that’s their modus operandi. These unknown attackers not only resort to shooting, but they have also added the method of poisoning to their list of ways to eliminate the target.
Some foreign leaders or politicians suspect that these unknown gunmen may not be independent actors but agents of India’s intelligence agency, RAW. However, no evidence has surfaced to confirm this theory.
Till now there have been many reported cases where these unknown gunmen have eliminated India’s enemies on foreign soil. In this article, we take a brief account of some of the major killings by them in which the targets were notorious anti-India elements or wanted terrorists.
Hanzla Adnan alias Adnan Ahmed
On the intervening night of 2nd and 3rd December 2023, Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Hanzla Adnan was shot by unknown gunmen near his residence in Karachi Pakistan. Hanzla Adnan received 4 bullets. Adnan was attacked amid tight security outside his safe house. After being shot, he was secretly admitted to a hospital in Karachi by the Pakistani army. He died on 5th December. Hanzla Adnan had recently shifted his operation base from Rawalpindi to Karachi.
Hanzla Adnan was the key conspirator in the Udhampur attack of 2015 wherein a BSF (Border Security Force) convoy was targeted by the LeT terrorists. 2 BSF soldiers were killed in this attack while 13 other jawans were injured. The attack was investigated by the NIA and a charge sheet was filed on 6th August 2015.
The dead body of Hanzla Adnan. Image Source: India Today
Hanzla Adnan was also the mastermind behind the 2016 attack on a CRPF convoy in Pampore. In this attack, 8 soldiers were martyred, while 22 soldiers were injured. In both these attacks, Hanzla – sitting in Pakistan – was giving instructions to the terrorists. Adnan was also called Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Communication Expert.
Hanzla Adnan played a big role in carrying out the suicide attack in the Srinagar and Pulwama areas of Jammu and Kashmir. He was often deputed to the Lashkar camp in PoK to influence and train the newly recruited terrorists to be sent to India to execute various attacks.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, infamous for his role in planning and executing the Mumbai 26/11 attacks, was poisoned inside Central Jail at Dera Ghazi Khan in Pakistan. He was airlifted by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI on 4th December 2023 and kept on ventilator support in CMH Bahawalpur. He may die anytime soon considering his serious condition. Sajid Mir was reportedly poisoned by a private cook, employed in the Central Jail Dera Ghazi Khan kitchen since October 2023, who has suddenly gone missing.
Terrorist Sajid Mir is the chief commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and is in charge of the group’s “India establishment.” He was a key figure in the Mumbai terror attack that took place on 26 November 2008, when 10 armed Pakistani terrorists created mayhem in the country’s financial capital, killing hundreds of civilians and leaving scores of others injured.
Sajid Mir. Image Source: Times Now
Mir reportedly recruited Dawood Gilani, alias David Coleman Headley, a Pakistani-American and FBI/DEA informant, and planned the Mumbai attacks with the assistance of Pakistani military officers. He was the mastermind behind the largest-ever overseas Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist attack.
Sajid Mir was the Lashkar-e-Taiba project manager for the November 2008 Mumbai terror strikes. He, via satellite phones, had commanded the terrorists involved in the operation to execute the hostages. India has marked him as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act [UA(P)A], 1967, as amended in 2019 in October 2020.
Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Mohammed Muzammil
In Sialkot, unknown assailants carried out their work again which flashed in the news on 15th November 2023. Mohammed Muzammil, the commander of the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, who carried out many terrorist incidents all over India including Kashmir, was killed by unknown gunmen in this targeted attack. A video of this attack went viral.
Pakistan- 'Unknown Men' on motorcycle have targeted and killed Md. Muzamil, a member of Lashkar-e-Toiba, along with his associate Naeemur Rahman at Khokhran Chowk in Pasrur tehsil, third one cirical.
Mohammed Muzammil along with his accomplice Naeem-ur-Rehman was going somewhere in the Pasroor tehsil area of Sialkot in the car. At the same time, bike-borne assailants came to the car when it was near Khokhran Chowk. The unknown gunmen opened fire and killed Mohammed Muzammil and his accomplice. Police said the attack was the result of a land dispute. However, the police could not catch the unknown attacker. They could not even tell the name of the person with whom Muzammil had a so-called land dispute.
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist, and close aide of Masood Azhar, Maulana Raheem Ullah Tariq was shot dead by ‘unknown men’ in the Orangi town area of Karachi, Pakistan, on 13th November 2023.
Maulana Raheem Ullah Tariq. Image Source: Aaj Tak
He was going to attend a religious gathering when unidentified people opened fire at him. Two unknown individuals on a bike approached the deceased and fired three shots. Maulana Tariq often used to speak fiercely against India in anti-India gatherings. The family of the slain terrorist Rahimullah rejected the enmity accusations. The mystery behind the unidentified gunmen remains unresolved.
Akram Khan Ghazi, a senior commander of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was killed by unidentified bike-borne assailants in the Bajaur district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Akram Khan was reportedly going for his afternoon prayer when unknown attackers opened fire at him near Inayat Kalay mosque. He was immediately shifted to a hospital but didn’t survive the attack. The news of his death appeared on 10th November 2023.
The LeT terrorist was shot dead in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. (Source: X)
Akram Khan Ghazi was a weapon trader by profession. He was a recruiter for LeT who had radicalised many terrorists who had invaded the Kashmir Valley in several batches in recent years. Moreover, against the reports of assassination by unidentified persons, ISKP (Islamic State – Khorasan Province) claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the identity of the assailants was not established.
Khwaja Shahid Alias Mia Mujahid
On 5th November 2023, Khwaja Shahid alias Mia Mujahid – a Lashkar-E-Taiba commander – was found dead in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. His body was found beheaded. He was abducted by unidentified attackers a few days before his dead body was found. He hailed from the Neelum Valley of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The circumstances surrounding the incident are still unknown and no organisation has taken responsibility for the action.
Khwaja Shahid alias Mia Mujahid. Image Source: X handle of Times Algebra IND
Khwaja Shahid was the key conspirator of the deadly attack on the Sunjuwan Army camp in Jammu in February 2018. In this attack, three terrorists stormed into an army camp. they had AK-47 assault rifles and grenades. they killed six soldiers and injured 20 others including 14 soldiers and five women and a child. The Indian forces neutralised all three terrorists.
Lashkar-e-Jabbar founder Dawood Malik
Lashkar-e-Jabbar founder Dawood Malik was one more terrorist involved in anti-India activities to get killed in an attack by unknown gunmen. Dawood Malik was shot dead in North Waziristan, Pakistan in the wee hours of 20th October 2023.
Lashkar-e-Jabbar founder Dawood Malik. Image Source: The Economic Times
He was a close acquaintance of Jaish-e-Mohammed’s (JeM) Mohammad Masood Azhar, who is one of India’s most wanted Islamic terrorists. He was reportedly ambushed by anonymous masked gunmen at a private clinic who opened fire at him before absconding from there.
On 11th October 2023, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Shahid Latif was killed by unknown gunmen in Sialkot, Pakistan. He was the mastermind of the terrorist attack on the Pathankot airbase in January 2016. Latif was India’s most wanted terrorist and was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a UAPA case. Latif was shot by unknown gunmen at point-blank range. This shows that the shooters were aware of the local topography very well.
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist Shahid Latif. Image Source: India Today
Shahid Latif was arrested on terror accusations in India in 1993. He was tried and imprisoned. However, he was released by the Congress-led UPA govt in 2010, along with 24 other terrorists. According to an NIA investigation, Shahid Latif returned to the Jihadi factory in Pakistan after he was released and allowed to go to Pakistan.
Latif, 47, had been imprisoned in India for 11 years for terrorist crimes. He was one of 25 terrorists from Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, and JeM who were released on May 28, 2010, as part of the then-UPA government’s outreach activity to the hostile neighbour.
Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Mufti Qaiser Farooq
On 30th September 2023, Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist, Mufti Qaiser Farooq, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Pakistan’s city of Karachi. This incident raised concerns in Pakistan as it follows a pattern of high-profile terrorists being eliminated in Pakistan. A video of this incident also went viral on social media. Mufti Qaiser Farooq was a close aide of Hafiz Saeed.
Unidentified armed individuals opened fire on Qaiser Farooq, aged 30 at the Gulshan-i-Umar seminary near the Edhi Centre before fleeing the scene. The injured victims were subsequently transported to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. Qaiser Farooq succumbed to his injuries during treatment, having sustained bullet wounds to the back.
Qaiser Farooq (left) and the still from CCTV footage of the killing. Image Source: Free Press Journal
Hafiz Saeed’s son Ibrahim Kamaluddin
On 27th September 2023, media reports emerged alleging that Ibrahim Kamaluddin Saeed was kidnapped by unidentified individuals. Kamaluddin Saeed was one of the sons of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack mastermind and internationally designated Islamic terrorist Hafiz Saeed. On 29th September 2023, it was claimed in multiple social media posts that Ibrahim Kamaluddin’s dead body was found in Peshawar, Pakistan.
Ibrahim Kamaluddin Saeed, the son of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Hafiz Saeed, was abducted and later killed by “unknown individuals” in Peshawar, Pakistan. Multiple injuries found on his body, brutally tortured. His abduction occurred late last night in Peshawar.
Kamaluddin Saeed was abducted in Peshawar by miscreants who came in cars. Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI could not trace him anywhere after the abduction.
Hafiz Saeed (centre) and Ibrahim Kamaluddin Saeed (right). Image Source: The Jaipur Dialogues
Popular X user @Kesariya_Meenu alleged that Kamaluddin Saeed, the body of the missing son of LeT chief Hafiz Saeed was recovered from Jabba Valley in the KPK region and that Pakistan’s ISI has already performed his last rites.
??BIG BREAKING ??
Big News – Ibrahim Kamaluddin Saeed, missing son of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba chief Hafiz Saeed has been killed. His body was recovered from Jabba Valley in KPK region. Kamaluddin was reportedly kidnapped from Peshawar on September 26, 2023. Pakistani ISI performed…
Gangster Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha was killed in Canada by unknown gunmen on the night of 20th September 2023. Sukhdool Singh was known as ‘Sukha Duneke’ and was on a wanted list by India.
Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha Duneke shot dead, images via NIA and X
Sukha had fled from India in 2017 with the help of forged documents. He hailed from Moga district of Punjab. He was linked with the Davinder Bambiha gang. Unknown assailants shot Sukha in Canada’s Winnipeg. Sukha’s name was on the list of 43 wanted criminals released by NIA. 29 gangsters from the Punjab region feature in the list. Sukha appeared at Number 33 on the NIA’s list.
Riyaz Ahmed
On 8th September 2023, some unidentified gunmen opened fire inside the Al-Qudus mosque in Rawalkot, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and killed a top terrorist leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Riyaz Ahmad alias Abu Qasim who was going for Fajr prayers at the mosque.
Riyaz Ahmed was one of the main architects of the terror incident in Rajouri district’s Dhangri on 1st January 2023 that killed seven people and left 13 more injured. The village was attacked by terrorists who opened fire indiscriminately. Furthermore, they had placed an improvised explosive device (IED) which detonated the following morning.
Riyaz Ahmed. Image source: Free Press Journal
Riyaz Ahmad was from the Jammu region and reached Pakistan in 1999. He was responsible for the resurgence of terrorism in the border areas of Poonch and Rajouri. He operated from the Lashkar-e-Taiba base camp in Muridke but had recently shifted to Rawalakot.
During morning prayers at the Al-Qudus mosque in Rawalakot, unidentified gunmen entered the mosque and shot at him from a point-blank range, i.e. less than 12 inches. He was shot from behind. As soon as he was shot, he fell on his knees to the ground and died.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar
On 18th June 2023, the dreaded Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar was shot dead in Surrey, Canada. He was a wanted terrorist by the Indian Government. Nijjar was the head of Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Sahib. He was shot dead by two unidentified assailants within the Gurdwara premises. 46-year-old Nijjar hailed from the village Bhar Singhpura of Jalandhar.
Nijjar was recently designated a terrorist by the Indian Government. (Image: Global News)
His name was added to the list of designated terrorists recently by the Indian Government. In 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) declared a Rs 10 lakh reward on Nijjar after his name appeared in a conspiracy to kill a Hindu priest in Jalandhar, Punjab.
Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) was behind the conspiracy to kill the Hindu priest. Nijaar was the chief of the Khalistani terrorist organization KTF. Apart from his activities in KTF, Nijjar was also linked to the Khalistani terrorist organization Sikhs For Justice.
Avtar Singh Khanda
Khalistani terrorist Avtar Singh Khanda, chief of the banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF), died in a London hospital on 15th June 2023. He was the main handler of Khalistani separatist Amritpal Singh. He was suspected of being poisoned. However, there were claims that he was suffering from blood cancer. The actual reason for the death remained suspicious.
Avtar Singh Khanda
Avtar Singh Khanda was the mastermind behind the attack on the Indian High Commission in London where he had pulled down the Indian national flag and attempted to hoist the Khalistan flag. He was arrested after the March 19 incident. The Indian Intelligence agencies confirmed that Khanda and Nijjar worked together to organise protests outside Indian high commissions and also sponsored terror attacks in India.
Avtar Singh Khanda was a close associate of Khalistani terrorist Parmjit Singh Pamma. It is Khanda who radicalised Sikh youths overseas. He was the ‘main handler’ of ‘Waris Punjab De’ chief and radical Khalistani separatist, Amritpal Singh. He was in fact, the link between Amritpal and Pakistan’s (Inter-Services Intelligence) ISI.
Khalistani terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar
On 6th May 2023, a Khalistani terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar was killed by two unidentified men in Johar town in Lahore city of Pakistan. He was a wanted terrorist and the leader of the banned Khalistan Commando Force (KCF). Paramjit Singh Panjwar was also known by his alias Malik Sardar Singh. The slain Khalistani was born in 1960 in Panjwar village in Tarn Taran district of Indian Punjab. He went on to become the chief of the proscribed outfit KCF and began operating from Lahore.
Slain terrorist Paramjit Singh Panjwar
He was involved in illegal arms training for terrorists in Pakistan and helping them infiltrate India to target economic installations and VIPs. He was at the helm of the drug trade, circulating fake Indian currency notes and inciting minorities against the Government of India. The Khalistani Commando Force (KCF) headed by Panjwar was eyeing to reactivate sleeper cells and form a nexus of ex-terrorists with other anti-India elements.
Syed Noor Shalobar
On 4th March 2022, unidentified assailants gunned down Syed Noor Shalobar, responsible for several terror incidents in Kashmir. Syed Noor Shalobar was working with the Pakistani Army and ISI to promote terrorist activities in Kashmir.
Syed Noor Shalobar. Image Source: Khaama News
He was responsible for recruiting youths, especially Kashmiris, for terrorist organizations. Shalobar was killed by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.
Syed Khalid Raza
On 26th February 2023, unidentified men killed Syed Khalid Raza, a former commander of the Pakistan-based terrorist outfit Al Badr. The dreaded terrorist was shot outside his residence in the Gulistan-e-Johar Block 7 area of Karachi, Pakistan. For almost 8 years in the 1990s, Syed Khalid Raza was the commander of the Al-Badr terror group in Jammu and Kashmir. According to Jamaat e Islami President Karachi, the deceased was also associated with JeI Talba Wing.
Pakistan-based Al-Badr terrorist outfit, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization by the United States, was formed in June 1998 to strengthen the ‘Kashmiri freedom struggle’ and ‘liberate’ the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir and merge it with Pakistan. It is one of several terrorist offshoots of the Jamaat-e-Islami and has often worked in tandem with the notorious Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM).
Syed Khalid Raza, a former commander of the Pak-backed terror group Al Badr killed in Karachi (source: ANN News)
Other than the LeT and the JeM, the Al Badr is the only group that has incorporated suicide (Fidayeen) attacks into its strategy. It disseminated propaganda through its Urdu journal ‘Al Badr,’ which was founded in Pakistan in 1999. The ISI, along with the Jamaat-e-Islami, have long been significant supporters of the organization, though relations with the Jamaat have been strained. It openly solicited funds in Pakistan for its operations, with almost no resistance from the authorities.
A former commander of this Al Badr outfit Syed Khalid Raza had been living in Karachi, Pakistan for some time, where he was made the vice-chairman of the Federation of Private Schools. However, he was associated with Kashmiri terrorists and was helping them while sitting in Pakistan. Khalid was shot by unknown assailants outside his house and died on the spot. Later, the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army claimed responsibility for the killing of the terrorist Khalid. Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army is demanding a separate Sindhudesh from Pakistan.
IS terrorist Ejaz Ahmed Ahangar alias Abu Osman al-Kashmiri
Kashmir-born terrorist Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar was killed by unknown gunmen on 22nd February 2023. According to reports, Ahangar was killed by the Taliban in the Kunar area of Afghanistan. The Taliban later confirmed it. Taliban said that the unknown gunmen were from Taliban security forces. However, no other details about the attackers surfaced.
Ejaz Ahmad Ahangar. Image Source: ABP News
Born in Srinagar in 1974, terrorist Ejaz Ahmed Ahangar was accused of plotting several terror attacks in the valley. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification on 5th January 2023, declaring Ahangar a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, of 1967. Ahangar was affiliated with the Islamic State and used to train suicide bombers to attack Indians.
Qari Fateh was also killed with Ejaz Ahmed Ahangar in the same attack by these unknown gunmen. Qari Fateh was the head of the Islamic State’s intelligence network. Qari Fateh allegedly worked to strategize for the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP). Qari Fateh was also responsible for attacks against Russian, Pakistani and Chinese diplomatic missions in the capital Kabul.
Bashir Ahmad Peer alias Imtiaz Alam
On 20th February 2023, top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Bashir Ahmad Peer was killed by unknown attackers in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Imtiaz was a founding member of the outlawed terror organisation Hizbul Mujahideen, serving as its third commander. He was killed in front of a shop by two unidentified assailants.
So, has the battlefield shifted? Hizbul Mujahideen launching commander Bashir Ahmad Peer @ Imtiaz Aalam of Kupwara has been shot dead in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. IS top man Aijaz Ahmad Ahangar of Nawakadal Srinagar reportedly shot dead by Taliban in Kunar Province of Afghanistan.. pic.twitter.com/6S8ndvWJ2H
Imtiaz, a resident of Babarpora in the Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, was standing in front of a shop in the evening when assailants fired at him from point-blank range and fled. Imtiaz was rushed to the hospital in critical condition where he was proclaimed dead. The Indian government led by PM Narendra Modi had designated Bashir Ahmed Peer as a ‘terrorist’ under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on October 4 last year. The Indian security forces were looking for him concerning many terrorist attacks.
Bashir Ahmad Peer alias Imtiaz Alam. Image Source: News4Bihar
Imtiaz was involved in providing logistics to the banned outfit’s terrorists, especially for infiltration into the Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir. He was also involved with online propaganda groups to unite former terrorists and other cadres of jihadi terror groups to promote the activities of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and other Pakistan-backed terrorist groups. Imtiaz used to instigate the youth in the name of implementing Sharia law in Jammu and Kashmir. He also played a key role in mobilizing youth and providing them with arms and ammunition. Bashir Mir was coordinating the terror camps and launch pads from PoK as well.
Laal Mohammed
Lal Mohammad alias Mohammad Darji was shot dead by unknown gunmen on 19 September 2022 in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Lal Mohammad was carrying out anti-India activities from Nepal as an agent of Pakistan’s intelligence agency. Not only this, he also had connections with underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. He was the key player in circulating fake Indian currencies via the Nepal route.
Lal Mohammad, an ISI agent known as Darji Mohammad in Nepal’s Gothar area, was killed when he got out of the car and was heading home. During this time, bike-borne unknown assailants opened fire on him. As soon as the bullets were fired, he started running but the attackers did not stop firing at him. Lal Mohammad was shot in the head, stomach and leg in this attack. He died on the spot. The unknown attackers fled and were never spotted anywhere again.
1985 Air India Kanishka bombing accused Ripudaman Singh Malik
Ripudaman Singh Malik, who was accused in the 1985 Air India Kanishka bombing case, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Surrey, Canada on 15th July 2023. Malik was shot to death as he sat inside his car at about 9:30 AM local time outside an industrial plaza where he has a business office in the 8200 block of 128th Street. Reportedly, a burning car was also discovered near where he was shot dead. Police were called in after gunshots were heard and despite first responders giving medical aid to Malik, he succumbed to his injuries after being shot.
Ripudaman Singh Malik (Image credit: WION)
Malik, who founded the Khalsa Credit Union, was acquitted in the Air India case by a Canadian court in 2005. Malik, Inderjeet Singh Reyat (convicted) and Ajaib Singh Bagri were among the three main accused in the blast on board Air India Flight 182, Emperor Kanishka, a Boeing 747 aircraft that was on its way to Delhi from Montreal on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 on board. Malik and Bagri were charged with 329 counts of murder. However, they were acquitted after Reyat, who was convicted of the bombing, said that he could not remember the bombing plot or the names of those who were involved in it. It was speculated that ISI killed Malik because he changed his opinions and praised PM Narendra Modi in January 2022. However, it was not confirmed and the attackers are yet unknown.
IC-814 Indian Airlines Aeroplane hijacking accused Zahoor Mistry
Zahoor Mistry, one of the five terrorists who hijacked the Indian plane IC-814 in Afghanistan’s Kandahar in 1999 was killed in Pakistan’s Karachi. Mistry who was living under a fake identity of Zahid Akhund and also owned the ‘Crescent Furniture’ store in Karachi was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Karachi’s Akhtar Colony on 1st March 2022. His killers are still unknown.
On December 24, 1999, an Indian Airlines plane (IC-814) was hijacked by five terrorists belonging to the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen from Nepal. The plane which was supposed to reach Delhi made suspicious stops at Lahore, Amritsar and Dubai before being stationed at Afghanistan’s Kandahar which was under the control of the Taliban.
Around 178 people and 11 crew members aboard the plane were made hostages for a week it ended after India was forced to release three JeM terrorists Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar from its custody. The hijackers demanded the release of thirty-five terrorists from Indian prisons, including the dreaded terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar in addition to US$200mn in cash. The hostage ended on December 31, 1999, after a team of Indian negotiators including the present NSA Ajit Doval agreed to free three terrorists.
The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to remove Urdu-Persian words from registry documents and replace them with generic Hindi words. For this, the Registration Act 1908 will be amended. Apart from this, now the sub-registrar will not have to take the Urdu examination. So far, even after being elected from the Public Service Commission, the sub-registrar had to pass this examination for a permanent job. This was due to the excessive use of Urdu and Persian words in official documents.
The Yogi Adityanath government is going to change the Registration Act made in the year 1908 for the registries to be done in Uttar Pradesh. This law was brought in by the British. Under this Act, Urdu and Persian were promoted in government documents. For this reason, most registries have a lot of words in Urdu and Persian.
These words are so complex that the common Hindi-speaking people do not understand them. Due to the wide use of Urdu and Persian in government documents, the registry officers also have to learn these languages. For this, officers recruited from the sub-registrar level have to pass an Urdu examination after being selected by the Public Service Commission.
To appear for this test, the candidates have to attend a special training course where they learn things like writing, typing speaking, grammar and translation in Urdu. This period of learning the language is two years and during this time the selected candidates remain on probation. Without passing this exam, the job of the candidates is not made permanent.
However, now the state government has decided that there is no justification for continuing with the use of Urdu and Persian in govt documents, which require the officials to attend special training and then appear for an exam to make their appointments permanent. The Yogi Adityanath government has decided that this exam will now be replaced with general computer knowledge.
Along with this, significant changes are being made in the Stamp and Registration Act, 1908 to replace Urdu and Persian words with simple Hindi words that everyone can understand. The state govt will submit the proposal in the cabinet soon.
This will also make it easier for the candidates and at the same time, the public will be able to understand the language of government papers. At present, Urdu and Persian words are extensively used in documents such as property registries in tehsils, court cases, and complaints written in police stations.
