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Madras High Court Judge refuses to pursue contempt of court case against DMK leader who said that the judge had ‘malafide intention’

OpIndia Staff
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Madras High Court Judge refuses to pursue contempt of court case against DMK leader who said that the judge had ‘malafide intention’

On 25th August, Justice N Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court declined to pursue contempt of court charges against RS Bharathi, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) organisation secretary, and others who criticised him for reviewing the acquittal and discharge of three sitting DMK Ministers in disproportionate assets cases against them.

Advocate R Krishnamurthy had urged him to take action against Bharathi. However, Justice Venkatesh said, “Those who cannot tolerate criticism are unfit to hold public office.” Adv Krishnamurthy contended that the DMK member’s criticism of the judge and accusations of mala fides in the suo motu revision proceedings amounted to contempt of Court.

Justice Venkatesh said, “Let anyone talk anything. I know that I have been acting true to my conscience. I am sitting in this office consciously and performing my duties, knowing very well that I would get brickbats, too, for my work, but that will never prevent me from working effectively as a judge of this Court.”

While speaking in Tamil, he stated that only they know if they have acted honestly. They mentioned that others may have multiple interpretations but will not get involved in those discussions. Their priority is taking care of the last litigant standing before the Court, and they are more concerned about that than anything else.

Justice Venkatesh oversees cases against Members of Parliament and the Legislative Assembly (MPs and MLAs). Recently, he took it upon himself to review the acquittal of Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi and his wife, as well as the discharge of State Finance and Revenue ministers Thangam Thennarasu and KSSR Ramachandran in cases involving disproportionate assets.

Justice Venkatesh expressed his concern about handling the cases involving Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudi, his wife and State Finance and Revenue ministers Thangam Thennarasu and KSSR Ramachandran. He suggested that the courts, the defence, and the prosecution may have worked together to protect the accused Ministers. Following the verdict, Bharathi accused the judge of being selective in taking up cases related to DMK ministers.

Speaking to media persons at the DMK headquarters, Anna Arivalayam said that though the courts have the authority to take suo motu cognisance of the cases, the said judge appeared to have “acted with a malafide intention”. When asked if DMK was seeing it as a political intervention, he said, “I will not call it political intervention, but justice Anand Venkatesh has acted with a malafide intention. The judge had selected the case on a “pick and choose” basis. Already when he took up a case in a similar fashion in 2022, the Supreme Court pulled him up.”

Uttar Pradesh: Muslim mob pelts stones, attacks Hindu man & his family for removing bricks lying outside a mosque in Bareilly, 11 arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Muslim mob pelts stones, attacks Hindu man & his family for removing bricks lying outside a mosque in Bareilly, 11 arrested

On Thursday, 24th August, tensions erupted in a village in Bareilly after a group of Muslim men indulged in stone pelting after a man tried to remove bricks lying outside a mosque. In the Memudpur village of Aonla Tehsil in Bareilly district, a Hindu man named Nempal was clearing the bricks lying outside the mosque when Saddique, a frequent visitor to the mosque, reportedly began hurling abuses at Nempal’s mother. A verbal fight ensued between the two sides which was placated temporarily after bystanders intervened.

However, sometime later, a mob of Muslim men began pelting stones at Nempal’s shop and beat up his family too. Several people were reportedly injured. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media and policy is attempting to identify more accused from the same.

A case was filed against 18 people from both communities on a complaint made by Nempal. 11 people have been arrested. Bareilly ADG PC Meena reached the police station and inquired about the entire incident and said that the culprits would not be spared at any cost. Police say that action will be taken against whoever is guilty in this case.

A counter-complaint was lodged by the Muslim community against individuals from the Hindu community. As a result, cops have apprehended a total of 11 individuals from both groups including Siddique Atiq, Rehman Shah, Imam Shah, Nawab Shah, Ashraf Amar Ali, and Munne Ali from the Muslim side and Nempal Ravi and Vivek from the Hindu side.

Police are conducting raids at the residences of the accused, who are currently evading capture. Additionally, the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) has been deployed in the village. In the aftermath of this incident, the police are exhibiting a proactive stance, relentlessly pursuing the culprits. Identification of the accused is being facilitated through the video evidence.

Rahul Gandhi will be the PM candidate of Congress in 2024 – Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi will be the PM candidate of Congress in 2024 – Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot

On Saturday, August 26, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot announced that Rahul Gandhi is the prime ministerial candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024. CM Gehlot claimed that Rahul Gandhi was decided as the leader of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc by all the 26 opposition parties after holding discussions in this regard.

Speaking to India Today, Gehlot said that the opposition parties have decided to make Rahul Gandhi their prime ministerial candidate. He added that certain local factors play a crucial role, however, the public has created much pressure compelling all the parties opposed to the ruling BJP-led government to form an alliance.

Gehlot also stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not be “arrogant.” “PM Modi should not be arrogant, given that the BJP won power with only 31% of the vote in 2014. The other 69% were against him,” he continued while talking about the 2014 elections.

Gehlot also claimed that the NDA was “scared” when the I.N.D.I.A. coalition parties met in Bengaluru in July this year.

When asked about claims that the NDA is planning to win 50% of the vote in the 2024 general election, he responded, “PM Modi will never be able to achieve that. When Modi was at his peak popularity, he couldn’t get 50% of the vote. His vote share would fall, and the outcome of the 2024 elections will determine who becomes Prime Minister”, Gehlot said.

The Gandhi family loyalist did not stop here, as he went on to assert that the BJP could win the 2014 elections only because of Congress.

Meanwhile, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that Congress has made a smart move by positioning Rahul Gandhi as the face of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. He added that Rahul Gandhi’s name as the opposition’s prime ministerial candidate is pushed at the behest of the Gandhi family.

Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Poonawalla raised questions over where the other PM aspirants like Nitish Kumar, Sharad Pawar, and Mamata Banerjee stand since Congress has unilaterally declared Rahul Gandhi as the PM candidate. He also pointed out that the Aam Aadmi Party has already opposed the idea of projecting Rahul Gandhi as a ‘united’ opposition face against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Even though there is no vacancy in 2024, the mere projection of Rahul over others pretty much settles the fact that Congress considers Rahul to be above Mamata, Sharad Pawar, Nitish & Arvind Kejriwal – all of whom have served or are serving as CMs !!” Poonawalla posted.

“Did you ever imagine a person staying at 10 Downing Street would say ‘Jai Shri Ram’? Lord Curzon would’ve choked,” says UK envoy to India

OpIndia Staff
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“Did you ever imagine a person staying at 10 Downing Street would say ‘Jai Shri Ram’? Lord Curzon would’ve choked,” says UK envoy to India

At the ongoing NDTV G20 Conclave in the Indian capital Delhi, Alex Ellis, UK envoy to India spoke at length about various topics. In addition to other things, the UK Ambassador to India said, “Did you ever imagine one day a person staying at 10 Downing Street, on August 15, would say Jai Shri Ram? Lord Curzon would have choked.”

The UK envoy was referring to the Viceroy of India Lord Curzon who oversaw the Bengal Partition in 1905 on religious and ethnic lines.

Ellis was speaking at the NDTV G20 Conclave. Highlighting India’s rising reputation on the global stage, Ellis said that India tops three visa categories in the UK including students, visitors, and skilled workers. He said that India’s rise in the global order can be measured by the benchmark it has set in conducting the G20 presidency and the Indian-origin UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on Indian Independence Day.

On 15th August, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak attended the Ram Katha recital by spiritual Guru Morari Bapu at Jesus College, University of Cambridge. Sunak made a floral offering to Morari Bapu’s Vyas Peeth, chanting “Jai Siya Ram”. He also highlighted that when he was a Chancellor, he lit diyas outside during the auspicious occasion of Diwali.

Sunak said that it was an honour for him to be present at Morari Bapu’s Ram Katha on Indian Independence Day. “It is truly an honour and pleasure to be here today at Morari Bapu’s Ram Katha at the University of Cambridge on Indian Independence Day. Bapu, I am here today not as a Prime Minister but as a Hindu. For me, faith is very personal. It guides me in every aspect of my life. Being Prime Minister is a great honour, but it is not an easy job. There are difficult decisions to make, hard choices to confront and our faith gives me courage, strength, and resilience to do the best that I can for our country.”

The address by an Indian-origin UK PM on British soil became a talking point all over India and amongst Indians abroad. He further stated that he was proud of his national as well as religious identity and is proud to be Hindu. “Our values and what I see Bapu does each day of his life are the values of selfless service, devotion, and keeping the faith. But perhaps the greatest value is duty or seva, as we know it. These Hindu values are very much shared British values.”

All you need to know about Aditya-L1, India’s mission to the Sun

Anurag
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All you need to know about Aditya-L1, India’s mission to the Sun

After a successful Chandrayaan-3 mission, India will study the Sun. Aditya L1 will be the first space-based Indian mission to study the Sun. The spacecraft will be placed in a halo orbit around the Sun at Lagrange point 1 or L1 of the Sun-Earch system. This point is located 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, allowing for continuous observation of solar activities. Notably, the position will help Aditya L1 study the Sun without hindrance from occultations or eclipses.

The satellite will be equipped with seven different instruments or payloads that will be used to study various aspects of the Sun, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and corona. These observations will help scientists better understand our nearest star’s behaviour and how it affects our planet.

Source: ISRO

Objectives of the solar mission

As per the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) website, the main objectives of the mission include:

  1. Study the upper atmospheric dynamics (chromospheres and corona) of the Sun.
  2. Study the chromospheric and coronal heating, physics of the partially ionised plasma and initiation of coronal mass ejections and flares.
  3. Observe the in-situ particle and plasma environment, providing data for studying particle dynamics from the Sun.
  4. Study the physics of solar corona and its heating mechanism.
  5. Diagnostics of the coronal and coronal loops plasma are Temperature, velocity and density.
  6. Development, dynamics and origin of CMEs.
  7. Identifying the sequence of processes that occur at multiple layers (chromosphere, base and extended corona) eventually leads to solar eruptive events.
  8. Study of magnetic field topology and magnetic field measurements in the solar corona.
  9. Study of the drivers for space weather (origin, composition and dynamics) of solar wind.

Seven payloads of the ISRO program

The mission will have two types of payloads, Remote Sensing Payloads and In-situ Payloads. Remote Sensing Payloads will include four payloads. The first one will be the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph(VELC), capable of Corona/Imaging and Spectroscopy. The second payload will be the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), which can gather information on the Photosphere and Chromosphere Imaging (Narrow and Broadband). The third payload will be a high-energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer(HEL1OS) capable of a Hard X-ray spectrometer that will observe Sun-as-a-star.

Source: ISRO

In-situ Payloads will include three payloads. The first will be the Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment(ASPEX), equipped with Solar wind/Particle Analyzer Protons and heavier Ions with directions. The second payload will be the Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA), capable of analysing Solar wind/Particle Analyzer Electrons and heavier Ions with directions. The third and last payload will be Advanced Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometers capable of analysing In-situ magnetic field (Bx, By and Bz).

What are Lagrange Points

There are five Lagrange points where a small object can stay with reduced fuel consumption for a two-body gravitational system. The two large bodies’ gravitational pull equals the centripetal force required for a small thing to move with them. The five Lagrange points are L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5. L1 lies between the Sun-Earth line and is approximately 1% of the Earth-Sun distance away from Earth.

Trajectory of L1

The Aditya-L1 mission will be launched from Sriharikota by ISRO’s PSLV XL rocket. The spacecraft will first be placed in a Low Earth Orbit and then moved towards the Lagrange point (L1) using onboard propulsion. The total travel time from launch to L1 would take about four months.

Why is it important to study the Sun from space?

To conduct precise measurements in the vast expanse of interplanetary space, it is essential to gather observations from a location beyond the reach of Earth’s magnetic field and atmosphere. This is because the Sun emits various forms of radiation and magnetic fields that are not detectable from the surface of our planet but can be extensively studied in the vast, open expanse of space. By conducting research in this way, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics that govern our solar system and ultimately advance our knowledge of the Universe.

Is Aditya L1 a complete mission to study the Sun?

The simple answer is no. However, it is a first step. No space mission can be termed a “complete mission” owing to the size of the Solar System, even if not considering the Universe as a whole.

The scientific payloads carried by spacecraft in space are limited by mass, power, and volume, so only a few instruments can be sent on a spacecraft. For example, Aditya-L1 will measure everything from the Lagrange point L1. However, studying phenomena like the directional energy distribution of explosive/eruptive phenomena requires more instruments and viewpoints. L5 is a good vantage point for studying Earth-directed CME events and assessing space weather.

Further, the Sun’s polar regions are not well studied due to the technological challenges of achieving spacecraft orbits for such studies. The Sun’s polar dynamics and magnetic fields play an important role in deriving solar cycles, and studying polarisation measurements of solar radiations at different wavelengths is required to understand the various processes occurring in and around the Sun.

United States: White supremacist goes on a shooting spree in Florida, kills 3 African Americans, was earlier evaluated for mental health crisis

OpIndia Staff
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United States: White supremacist goes on a shooting spree in Florida, kills 3 African Americans, was earlier evaluated for mental health crisis

On Saturday (August 26, US local time) at noon, a gunman went on a shooting spree and killed three African-Americans in Jacksonville city in Florida State of the United States.

As per reports, the incident took place inside a Dollar General Store. The attacker was identified as a 21-year-old white supremacist, Ryan Palmeter. While speaking about the matter, Jacksonville Sheriff K. Waters said, “This shooting was racially motivated and he hated Black people.”

Palmeter shot himself with his assault rifle after killing three victims (two men and a woman). He had left behind a manifesto, detailing his hatred for the Black community.

The gunman reportedly lived with his parents in the Clay County of Florida. He asked his father to check his computer, following which the man found ‘manifestos’ and called the police. By the time the authorities were alerted, Ryan Palmeter had already begun killing people at the Dollar General store.

He was earlier spotted on the campus of a historically black school named Edward Waters University. The attacker was refused entry after he failed to identify himself.

Jacksonville Sheriff K Waters informed, “He took that opportunity to put his bulletproof vest on outside and to put his mask on outside and then proceed to the store where he committed this horrible act.”

According to the investigators, Ryan Palmeter was a lone-wolf attacker, who was in possession of a tactical vest, mask, handgun and an AR-15-style rifle. FBI’s special agent Sherri Onks assured that the incident would be pursued as a hate crime incident.

It has now come to light that the Jacksonville attacker was previously evaluated for a mental health crisis in 2017. He was involuntarily detained under the Baker Act of Florida, which allows law enforcement authorities to subject an individual to mental health examination for up to 72 hours.

An individual detained under the Baker Act is ineligible to purchase firearms. It remains unknown as to how Ryan Palmeter was able to procure a handgun and an assault rifle. He coincided the attack with another mass shooting at a Jacksonville gaming event, which took place exactly 5 years ago and killed 2 people.

While condemning the incident, Florida Governor De Santis said, “This shooting based on the manifesto that they discovered from the scumbag that did this was racially motivated…He was targeting people based on their race. That is totally unacceptable.”

“This guy killed himself rather than face the music and accept responsibility for his actions, and so he took the coward’s way out. But we condemn what happened in the strongest possible terms,” he further added.

According to the data posted by the Gun Violence Archive, there have been 471 mass shootings since January 2023 in the United States.

Kathua: Teacher Farooq Ahmed arrested for thrashing student over ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan, Principal Mohd Hafiz still absconding

OpIndia Staff
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Kathua: Teacher Farooq Ahmed arrested for thrashing student over ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan, Principal Mohd Hafiz still absconding

On Saturday, August 26, police arrested Farooq Ahmed, the teacher from Kathua who thrashed a Hindu student for writing Jai Shri Ram in the Government Higher Secondary School (Bani). The principal of the school, Mohammed Hafiz, is reportedly absconding till now. As per reports, Ahmed thrashed a Class 10 student for writing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on the classroom blackboard, leading to widespread protests against him.

The principal is also an accused in the matter. The victim, a teenage student, is currently in the hospital for treatment. According to the reports, the victim’s father, Kuldeep Singh, submitted a complaint against Ahmed and Hafiz at the police station on August 25, alleging they beat up his son. Based on his complaint, an FIR was registered against the duo at Police Station Bani under relevant Sections of the Juvenile Justice Act. A local SHO headed a team that visited the school premises and arrested the teacher.

A senior police official said, “The principal is absconding, and a search is going on to arrest him while further investigation is underway.” Deputy Commissioner of Kathua Rakesh Minhas formed a three-member committee to investigate the matter. Sub Divisional Magistrate (Bani), Deputy Chief Education Officer (Kathua) and Principal of Government High Secondary School (Kharote) are members of the committee.

In his order, while forming the committee, Minhas said, “The committee members are directed to inquire into the matter and submit the fact-finding report along with specific comments and recommendations to this office within two days positively in order to proceed further in the matter. Moreover, the committee is also directed to fix the responsibility against the culprit regarding the incident.”

The incident triggered protests in Kathua

A video of the victim narrating the incident had gone viral on social media. In the video, the minor student (class X) is seen narrating the incident. Explaining why he is in the hospital, he stated that his teacher, Farooq, and the school principal brutally thrashed him for writing Jai Shri Ram on the blackboard. Speaking with OpIndia, Kathua Police stated that the incident took place on the 25th of August. The police confirmed that the minor schoolboy was beaten for writing ‘Jai Shri Ram’ on the blackboard. Following the incident, Hindu organisations launched a protest against the teacher and the principal, demanding strict action by the police and the administration.

They added that they had filed an FIR in the case against two accused under Sections 323 (deals with punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement), 504(intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Additionally, they have charged the accused under Section 75 (which provides for punishment if any person having control of the child assaults, abandons, abuses or willfully neglects the child) of the Juvenile Justice Act. The accused have been identified as school Principal Mohammed Hafiz and lecturer Farooq Ahmed.

Bihar: 2 injured in firing incident in Samastipur court complex, BJP demands CM’s resignation for failing law and order situation

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: 2 injured in firing incident in Samastipur court complex, BJP demands CM’s resignation for failing law and order situation

On Saturday (26 August), two prisoners were injured in a firing incident that reportedly took place inside the Samastipur court complex in Bihar. According to media reports, around four unidentified miscreants openly challenged the Samastipur police and fired shots at two prisoners who were being brought by the police for an appearance before the court. Apparently, the entire incident was caught on camera.  

The injured prisoners were later identified as Prabhat Tiwari and Prabhat Chowdhary. Afterwards, they were taken to the nearby local hospital for treatment by police personnel. 

As per Police officials, the assailants were trying to shoot Prabhat Chowdhary, who was arrested a few days ago in relation to an illegal liquor business. The Police said the firing incident took place when Chowdhary appeared in court on Saturday (26 August).

Despite police presence, the assailants managed to escape on foot following the shooting. The police are conducting raids to nab the absconding assailants. 

Following the firing incident on court premises, Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinay Tiwari arrived at the crime scene. Speaking about the incident, he said that Chowdhary, known for his involvement in the liquor mafia, had been previously arrested and jailed.

According to him, another group which is different from Chowdhary had entered the liquor business. 

The senior police official asserted that action would be taken against the police personnel who were stationed at the court entrance for their negligence.

Meanwhile, the principal opposition party BJP launched a scathing attack on the Nitish Kumar-led state government for the crumbling law and order situation in the state. Highlighting the recent killing of a journalist and the firing incident in Court premises, BJP MP Sushil Modi targeted Nitish Kumar for the failure of law and order situation in the state. 

He said, “In this state, witnesses are not safe. A few days ago a journalist was killed in Araria, he was a witness in a murder case. If witnesses are not safe then the criminals won’t get punishment. Frequently coal mafia and sand mafia are attacking police. These frequent attacks show that Nitish Kumar’s USP of Law and Order is over.”

While speaking about the horrifying firing incident on court premises, Bihar BJP President Samrat Chaudhari lambasted CM Nitish Kumar and demanded his resignation. 

He said, “Bihar CM Nitish Kumar is not able to handle the state. The situation in the state is not good and when there is a firing inside the court premises then how is the law & order strict in the state? Nitish Kumar should immediately resign.”

Delhi: Couple kidnaps infant boy of homeless family after teenage daughter wanted a brother to tie rakhi, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: Couple kidnaps infant boy of homeless family after teenage daughter wanted a brother to tie rakhi, arrested

A married couple was arrested for the abduction of a month-old baby following their daughter’s request for a sibling to tie rakhi during the approaching Raksha Bandhan festival, police reported on 25 August. The 41-year-old Sanjay Gupta and his 36-year-old wife Anita Gupta, inhabitants of Raghubir Nagar in Tagore Garden, told the police that their 17-year-old son had passed away the previous year.

Police received information about the kidnapping of an infant belonging to a disabled woman around 4:34 a.m. on 24 August. The homeless complainant couple who reside on a sidewalk near Chhatta Rail Chowk informed that they noticed their child was missing at around three in the morning and believed that someone had taken him.

Since the place where the family sleeps is not covered by CCTV cameras, the police scanned the adjacent area’s CCTV cameras and identified a motorcycle with suspicious movements in the area, with a male rider and a female pillion passenger. The bike took several turns on a particular route.

As the number of the two-wheeler was not clear, the police chased it with CCTV cameras along the route. The officer stated that they examined 400 CCTV cameras and tracked them to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital.

He revealed that after conducting an inquiry into all the information, authorities discovered that the two-wheeler was registered in Sanjay Gupta’s name.

The area was cordoned off by 15 armed police officers, and a search operation was conducted. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi, they zeroed down on a house in C-Block in Tagore Garden’s Raghubir Nagar, where they found the accused couple and the abducted infant.

He stated that the perpetrators disclosed that their 15-year-old daughter was requesting for a brother to tie rakhi on the forthcoming Raksha Bandhan festival on 30th August. Their son passed away on 17 August of last year after falling off a terrace. Therefore, they made the decision to steal away a boy. The victim was spotted asleep away from his mother near Chhatta Rail Chowk by them and they proceeded to kidnap him so that he could be raised as their son.

“Their 15-year-old daughter had expressed a desire for a brother to tie a rakhi on for the upcoming Raksha Bandhan on August 30, 2023. Motivated by this, they decided to abduct a male child. They encountered this particular child sleeping at a distance from his mother near Chhatta Rail Chowk. The couple kidnapped the child with the intention of raising him as their own son,” said the DCP. 

He added, “The abducted boy was merely one month old. His mother is physically disabled, lacking the use of both hands and legs, while his father is a rag picker. The family is homeless, residing on a footpath near Chhatta Rail Chowk, without strong ties in society.” 

Anita Gupta is a mehendi artist while her spouse is a tattoo artist by profession. According to the authorities, the latter had previously been involved in three criminal instances.

Attacked with slurs, pestered to visit mosque and offer namaz: Minor in UP’s Kaushambi assaulted for sporting a ‘Tilak’, Qasim and Ejaz booked

OpIndia Staff
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Attacked with slurs, pestered to visit mosque and offer namaz: Minor in UP’s Kaushambi assaulted for sporting a ‘Tilak’, Qasim and Ejaz booked

Even as the left-liberal lobby gave a communal spin to outrage over the Muzaffarnagar school incident, another episode of a man attacked for wearing his identity on his sleeve did not elicit the kind of reaction it deserved. Earlier this week, a minor victim lodged a formal complaint with the police after being assaulted for sporting a ‘Tilak’ in the Kaushambi district of Uttar Pradesh, India, a report published in Organiser said.

The assaulters were identified as Qasim and Ejaz, who attacked the victim on August 22 and later absconded after a complaint was filed by the victim.

The victim reportedly faced slurs for wearing a Tilak outside the Panchayat office in Dhamava village of the Kaushambi district. When he responded to the insults hurled at him, the victim was subjected to physical assault.

A “tilak” is a symbolic mark and typically applied on the forehead, often centered at the ajna chakra (also known as the third eye or spiritual eye). It can also be found on other body parts like the neck, hand, chest, or arm.

According to the First Information Report (FIR 368/2023), the victim happens to be a 13-year-old boy. The victim detailed in his report that he was verbally attacked and physically assaulted by Qasim and Ejaz for choosing to sport a Tilak.

The victim was asked by the assailants to visit mosques and offer namaz instead of wearing a tilak. They even induced him with Rs 50 per day for embracing Islam. However, when he passed up their offer, they not only physically assaulted him but also pilfered money and damaged his mobile phone.

Ramendra Mishra, the leader of Mukhya Morcha in the village, submitted the formal complaint, the Organiser report said. In his concluding remarks within the letter, Mishra noted the presence of an unlawful madarsa being operated within the village. This Madarsa is being run from the residence of an individual named Shabbir Ahmed. Mishra warned that unless appropriate measures are taken against the assalaints, there will be widespread protests in the town.

Subsequent to the filed complaint, the individuals in question were charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code: 323 (intentionally causing harm), 427 (committing mischief causing damage), and 392 (penalty for robbery), along with sections 3 and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act.

On August 24, Organiser contacted Chandra Bhushan More, the officer in charge at Saini police station. More conveyed that ongoing investigations are being conducted in this matter, and the suspects will be apprehended shortly. Currently, they are on the run, he said.

Gyanesh Kashyap, the victim’s older brother, employed at a private firm in Gurgaon, narrated the ordeal his sibling had to endure. Kashyap stated that when the accused noticed his broter was wearing a tilak, they subjected him to verbal abuse, provoking a retort from him and leading to the ensuing altercation. Local residents intervened to bring the situation under control.

He explained, “Our colony is predominantly inhabited by Muslim residents, with only two Hindu families, including ours. I reside here, my mother is employed at the Anganwadi, and my sister is a student in 12th grade. Given the current circumstances surrounding this case, there’s no one to care for them. My father resides in the village.”

Priyank Kanoongo, the Chairperson of the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), was also informed about the incident and who provided assurance of prompt and committed action.

Kanoongo mentioned his intention to draft a letter addressed to the Superintendent of Police’s office, ensuring that the wrongdoers are held accountable through appropriate consequences.

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