On 17th August, Delhi High Court said in its order said that the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) stated in a compliance report submitted on 12th April 2023 in response to the judgment passed by the Delhi High Court on 6th March 2023 that the Ministry is working on bringing rules to moderate language on social media platforms.
In its compliance report, the government stated that creating rules to moderate vulgar language, including bad words and profanity, is a policy decision. However, the ministry acknowledged the concerns raised by the Delhi High Court in its March 2023 judgment on the same matter. These concerns will be taken into account while creating rules and regulations for social media platforms and intermediaries to control the use of vulgar language. The government informed the court that it is already in the process of creating these rules as part of its regular policy-making exercise.
Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted that the court has been “assured that the concerns of this Court expressed through the said judgment will be incorporated in the future rules and regulations which will be shortly undertaken.”
The matter related to the language used in the web series, the ‘College Romance.’
The March judgment by the Delhi High Court regarding the web series College Romance was passed over the vulgar language. In his judgment, Justice Sharma criticised the use of vulgar language in the web series and said it was “obscene, profane and vulgar which will deprave and corrupt the minds of young people”.
The court added, “The challenge faced by our country, as faced by many other countries, for enacting appropriate law, guidelines and rules to regulate the content on social media and on OTT platforms needs urgent attention.”
The Bench had refused to quash the FIR filed against the actors and makers of the web series. It has directed the Ministry to take steps to enforce the strict application of IT Rules 2021. The govt was asked to make laws or rules, whatever was deemed fit, considering the observations made by the Delhi High Court in the matter.
Rakhi Sawant’s estranged husband Adil Khan Durrani, who was in judicial custody following multiple accusations from the actress, has broken his silence about the allegations meted at him. In an interview with Bollywood Bubble, Durrani claimed that the allegations levelled at him by Rakhi Sawant were completely false and baseless.
Notably, Adil Khan Durrani was first arrested by Mumbai Police, after Rakhi filed a complaint against him of cheating, fraud and unnatural sex. On February 21, 2023, Adil was arrested by Mysuru Police on the basis of a complaint filed by an Iranian woman accusing him of raping her.
Now, after coming out of jail, Adil hit back at the Bollywood actresses, levelling several counter-allegations at her, which include her making Adil Khan’s nude videos by giving him drugs, cheating on him with ex-husband Ritesh Singh and extorting money from people in the name of her mother’s cancer.
Calling her a “dangerous woman”, Adil Khan, first, accused Rakhi of lying that she never married Ritesh Singh, her ex-boyfriend. Adil showed documents of her marriage with Ritesh and alleged that she never got divorced from him when she married Adil.
Rakhi allegedly visited Ritesh and kept in touch with him throughout their marriage, according to Adil. Rakhi had informed Adil that she was on a work-related UK tour, but he later discovered messages to Ritesh in which she implied that they had spent the entire week together and that she made a mistake by marrying Adil.
While Rakhi claimed in her FIR that Adil had physically abused her, Adil claimed that it was the other way around. He asserted that Rakhi beat him after he requested a divorce from her. He also displayed a video of himself with bruises all over.
Adil Durrani also accused his ex-wife of recording him naked over a video call. Adil went on to say that Rakhi used the same tactic while falsely accusing him of having extramarital affairs with other women and sexually abusing an Iranian woman.
Adil said that Rakhi Sawant was friends with the Iranian woman and had paid her money to file a false rape complaint against him.
Adil Khan Durrani speaks on the money Rakhi Sawant owes him
Notably, Rakhi said that Adil Khan Durrani had taken more than Rs 1.5 crores from her account in June to buy a car without her knowledge, but she didn’t complain because he had pledged to marry her. Adil refuted the allegations saying that he had, in turn, spent as much as Rs 2.8 crores on her, including money for her cosmetic surgeries, a property in Dubai, a BMW car, a diamond engagement ring, a necklace, and gold items for her birthday.
Adil then mentioned the video of him confessing that he took Rs 1.5 crore from her and said, “Ek tablet di thi Rakhi ne, she had literally drugged me. Mujhe aisa nasha jaise feel ho raha tha. Usne ye bhi allegations lagaya tha ki Adil drugs leta hai. Main soya hu aur utha hu aur mujhe kuch samajne nahi aa raha tha. Jo jo sawaal puch raha tha main uska jawab de raha hu aur mera sir bohot zyada dhukh raha hai (I was feeling intoxicated. She has accused me of taking drugs. I wasn’t aware whether I was awake or asleep. I was replying to whatever I was asked and my head was hurting a lot).”
He then showed a video of himself chewing the tablet. “It looks like I’m drowsy, and I’m eating some tablets, and I have some tablets in my hand. I’m not in my senses because I don’t know what is happening,” Adil continued.
Cannot get pregnant, does not have a uterus: Adul Khan Durrani exposing Rakhi Sawant
Khan further claimed that the actor had lied about her pregnancy and miscarriage. He said that the actor couldn’t get pregnant as she had undergone surgery to remove her uterus due to ‘age-related issues.’
“6-7 din hua tha, natak chal raha tha, Adil aur mera bacha gir gaya, humara miscarriage hogaya (For around 6 to 7 days this drama was going on.) But how can she be pregnant? When she was admitted, I was sitting at the hospital with her when she had to get her uterus removed because of age-related issues. She can’t get pregnant,” he said.
Adil also accused Rakhi Sawant of using her mother’s illness to extort money from people. He said that he used to give Rs 30,000 to Rakhi Sawant’s mother every month yet the actress used to take money from everyone in the industry in the name of her mother’s cancer and spend it on herself.
Adil revealed that he will take counter-legal action against Rakhi. “I’ll fight for justice. I won’t spare her. I want justice from the people and the Constitution, so that next time, Rakhi doesn’t trap another man like this. Whatever Sherlyn Chopra has said about Rakhi, it’s a fact,” Adil said in the interview.
Earlier, several videos of Rakhi Sawant were posted by the paparazzi in which she could be seen accusing Adil of ruining her life.
It may be recalled that in January this year, a month before his arrest, Adil Khan Durrani had claimed that he and Rakhi Sawant never got married and called their Nikah ‘fake’. Rakhi Sawant had told the media that Adil has not been talking to her ever since she shared the pictures and photos of their low-key Nikah ceremony that was held in May last year.
She further added that she changed her name, accepted Islam, loved him, and did ‘halal’ instead of ‘haram’. “Many people do ‘haraam’ but I did ‘halal. Where am I wrong?” she said. It is notable that the Nikahnama shows that she added Fatima to her name, becoming Rakhi Sawant Fatima.
While Congress swept to power in Karnataka riding on a wave of freebie promises, the state is apparently facing an acute dearth of funds, forcing CM Siddaramaiah to write a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking special grants for the state.
Confronted with significant financial challenges concerning the funds required to implement the five poll guarantees and the initiation of routine developmental projects, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah of Karnataka penned a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on August 19th, requesting the disbursement of special grants and state-specific funding amounting to Rs 11,000 crore, as suggested by the 15th Finance Commission.
In his letter to the finance minister, Siddaramaiah asked the federal government to allocate Karnataka Rs 6,000 crores as outlined by the 15th Finance Commission in its conclusive report for the years 2021-2026. This allocation was intended for the comprehensive enhancement of water bodies in Bengaluru and the construction of the peripheral ring road.
“However, the Government of India, in its explanatory memorandum, stated that ‘consideration will be given to the recommendation on specific grants’ while taking into account the untied resources with state governments and the fiscal commitments of the central government. Despite this, no grants have been released to the state of Karnataka so far. This has dealt a significant blow to the state’s fiscal position, which is already strained due to severe cuts in tax devolution,” a report published by TOI quoted the letter as saying.
Furthermore, Siddaramaiah highlighted that the report of the 15th Finance Commission for the fiscal year 2020-21 had suggested Rs 5,495 crore as special grants for Karnataka for that period. In an earlier section of his correspondence, the chief minister pointed out that the state had borne a significant brunt due to the adoption of the Income-Distance criterion by the commission.
Siddaramaiah observed that the inclusion of IT-related services had markedly improved the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in the 2011-12 series. However, there was an absence of proportional input from these services in terms of state taxes, given that the export of IT services is subject to zero-rating.
Karnataka has been plagued with financial crisis for some time now. In July this year, Deputy CM DK Shivakumar candidly admitted that the Karnataka government was suffering from a paucity of funds to bankroll development projects this year as they had budgeted Rs 40,000 crores for implementing the five election guarantees.
Shivakumar made these comments in response to inquiries regarding the discontent expressed by certain Congress MLAs who have requested funds for the development of their respective constituencies. The Congress legislature party (CLP) has scheduled a meeting this evening to address the concerns of these MLAs who are disappointed that their constituencies have not received adequate development funds.
No evidence of hate/inciteful speech has been found against Monu Manesar, said Haryana ADGP Mamata Singh in an exclusive conversation with News18. The statement is significant in view of the allegations that were leveled against Monu Manesar for inciting the Nuh violence.
#BreakingNews: Haryana ADGP shares latest updates on #NuhViolence; More than 500 people arrested or in preventing detention so far
A larger part of the mainstream media and Twitter users along with perpetrators of the Muslim violence against Hindus in Nuh had held Monu Manesar responsible for “inciting Muslims” in the area. An old video of Manesar was used to justify the violence by Muslims. This was alleged despite the fact that Manesar, who is wanted by Rajasthan Police in a case where 2 cow smugglers were killed, was never present in Nuh in the first place.
Notably, while interviewing the Haryana ADGP Mamata Singh, Rajdeep Sardesai in his question had justified the violence by Muslims by insinuating that it was a result of “Gaurakshaks spreading hate and violence in the area.”
The Haryana ADGP’s statement comes about three weeks after the 31st July violence in Nuh wherein five people lost their lives while conducting a peaceful procession to the brutal attacks from Muslim mobs who were stationed strategically in the hills surrounding the region. Around 3,000 Hindus sought shelter in the Nalhar Shiva Temple to save their life.
“If you listen to the audio in Monu Manesar’s social media post before the 31st July Yatra, he says: ‘I am arriving for the yatra, you all also participate.” I doubt that an announcement that he is arriving for a yatra falls under the ambit of hate/inciteful speech” Mamata Singh said to News18 on 19th August.
The Haryana top cop has also clarified that Bittu Bajrangi’s recent arrest was not for partaking in the Nuh violence but in a different case in connection with obstructing a government official from discharging their duty. Singh said, “The media interpreted that Bajrangi was arrested in Nuh violence case. But this is wrong. These are two different cases. The Faridabad police had filed a case on the inciteful post. The Nuh police had arrested him because, on the day of the yatra, Bajrangi had a fight with the additional SP. He was carrying swords and other weapons which was not permitted.”
The clarification comes 20 days after Monu Manesar issued a clarification against the charges saying that he chose not to attend the yatra because he had learned from law enforcement that it might cause trouble.
Manesar alias Mohit Yadav, a member of the Bajrang Dal, became the center of controversy when the Islamists and their media associates attempted to use him as a scapegoat and blame him for the major violence that rocked the state on 31 July following an attack on the Brajmandal Shobha Yatra in Haryana’s Nuh district.
He, however, refuted any role in the clashes or proactive social media posts in an interview. The Gau Rakshak stated, “Whoever is accusing me, none of the videos you must have watched contains any statement that might be construed as provocative or as an inciting factor. The violence is caused by criminals and cow smugglers. The cybercrime police station was set on fire. They are entirely to blame.”
“Nobody was triggered by my video. I skipped the procession. Our senior members attended it, but I didn’t. A renowned leader of the Vishva Hindu Parishad named Dr Surendra Jain was also fired upon. What could possibly be worse than that,” he asked.
He further continued, “Our Hindu mothers and sisters were targeted by gunfire. The Hindu community will not tolerate their victimisation and being shot at in a Muslim-dominated area like this. I am watching social media and keeping in touch with my people. Launchers and modern weapons like the AK-47 were used in the violence.”
When questioned who he held accountable for the violence, he replied, “The Muslim MLA in the region, Mamman Khan, is solely responsible. He is enticing Muslims to come forward and assuring them of his support in the fight. If you want to battle, head for the border.”
Monu Manesar, the head of the Gau Rakshak wing of Bajrang Dal in Haryana, came in the news when he was accused of allegedly kidnapping and killing two cow smugglers named Junaid and Nasir, both residents of Ghatmeeka village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. Their bodies were found in a charred car in Loharu, Bhiwani in February of this year.
What’s more is that on 14th August, the Rajasthan DGP Umesh Mishra categorically stated that no direct involvement of Gaurakshak Monu Manesar has been found in the alleged double murder case.
Responding to a question regarding Monu Manesar, DGP Mishra said, “Our team visited Nuh to investigate the matter. I would not like to blame Haryana Police. We have a professional approach. We asked them for help. The main issue is actionable intelligence. If there is intelligence, he will be caught. Let me also tell you that he (Monu Manesar) is not among those who were directly involved or were present on the spot or had direct involvement in the incident. However, police are investigating whether he played any indirect role in this case or not.”
The previous statement by the Rajasthan police and now the statement by the Haryana ADGP show the role that propaganda combined with sensationalism was hyped by the mainstream media and the Islamist ecosystem in justifying the barbaric Nuh violence against Hindus.
One of the accused in the 31st July anti-Hindu violence in Nuh, Aamir, has been arrested after a second encounter. The accused, who was armed, fired shots at the police team and was met with counter-firing. Aamir, a resident of Dhidara in Taoru village in Nuh, sustained a bullet wound in his right leg and was taken to the Nalhar medical hospital for treatment.
#BreakingNews: नूंह हिंसा के आरोपी के साथ पुलिस की मुठभेड़
The Nuh crime branch recovered a locally-made gun and five cartridges from Aamir after the encounter in the hills of Aravalis in the Taoru area. The encounter reportedly ensued on Monday night at around 10 pm after police officer Amit received information that an accused in the Nuh violence case named Aamir was hiding in the ruins of nearby Aravali hills.
The arrest comes 12 days after two accused were arrested following a similar encounter. The Haryana police had nabbed Munsaid and Saikul following a police encounter. Saikul was shot in his leg; the duo was hiding in the Aravalli Hills in Haryana’s Nuh, which the Islamists had converted into a tactical cover to evade arrests after they unleashed violence on thousands of Hindu devotees attending the Jalabhishek Yatra on Shravan Somvar on 31st July.
Five more accused were arrested in the case from Singar village after some locals handed over the accused to the cops, the police said on Monday, 21st August.
Meanwhile, the police have filed 60 FIRs in the violence and 264 accused have been arrested so far even as the hunt for more accused is underway. 11 people have been booked for spreading rumours on social media and one person has been arrested. On 12th August, the Haryana Police team and Special Task Force arrested a person identified as Afzal from Firozpur Jhirka for circulating provocative videos and audio on social media and messaging services.
On Monday, August 21, the Delhi Police arrested a senior Delhi government officer named Premoday Khakha (51) for raping a minor girl for over three months in Delhi’s Burari region. The police also arrested the wife of Khakha who served the minor girl with pills to curb unwanted pregnancy. The accused is a Christian and shared ties with the family of the victim girl that established and developed in a church in north Delhi’s Burari region.
The 17-year-old minor girl complained against Khakha and his wife Seema Rani that the two assaulted her for three months during her stay at their place between October 2020 and April 2021. The victim girl said that Khakha who served as deputy director in Delhi’s women and child department (WCD) raped her multiple times and his wife forced her to have abortion pills.
Premoday Khakha, Deputy Director of Delhi Women & Child Development booked on the charges of repeatedly raping deceased friend's minor daughter for months.
And, Premoday's wife assisted in the abortion when the victim minor girl got pregnant.
According to the reports, following the death of the father of the girl in October 2022, Khakha, who the girl referred to as “mama” brought the child to his Burari residence. The victim’s mother, who had known the family for many years, thought her daughter would grow stronger under Khakha’s supervision, and spending time in their house would help her get over the loss.
The families trusted each other
The two families initially came into contact in 1998 while attending Sunday services at the Amazing Grace Church in Shahdara, East Delhi. However, they connected stronger over several similarities in lifestyle. Both families belonged to Ranchi in Jharkhand and they both adhered to the Lutheran Church.
When they relocated to Delhi, they explored a Lutheran church and found Amazing Grace Church instead, which was established in 1992 by Ajit Kumar Horo, a Ranchi resident, at his home in Bihari Colony in Shahdara.
After having himself given up looking for a Lutheran prayer place in the Capital, Horo is said to have formed the church.
The small, close-knit church has been around for more than 30 years, but even after moving twice—from Shahdara to Mukherjee Nagar in 2002 and again to Burari in 2015—it only has 30 families as members. The church today operates from a two-story building in Himgiri Enclave residential colony.
Khakha, after the allegations by the 17-year-old girl, was suspended from his position in the government and was later arrested by the police. The members associated with the church revealed to the Hindustan Times that the girl and her mother had not visited the church and that the two families shared good relations with each other for the past 25-30 years.
The victim girl is admitted to a hospital in Delhi and is being treated for frequent panic attacks. The church members including Horo stated that it is hard to believe that Khakha has sexually assaulted the girl.
Interestingly, it has come to the fore that the senior government officer has assaulted three other women at his workplace. Several complaints had also been filed against Khakha but no action against him was taken given his position in the WCD department. OpIndia has access to a letter dated February 23, 2019, sent by the Delhi High Court to the WCD department of Delhi, which states that the department has not responded in the case against Khakha despite seeking a response.
Notice from Delhi High Court against Khakha ignored by WCD department
In the year 2019, Premoday Khakha was the superintendent of ‘The Observation Home for Boys, Sewa Kutir Complex’ under falls under the supervision of the WCD Department. In the notice, the Joint Registrar of the Delhi High Court had written to the Secretary, Social Welfare Department, Government of Delhi, that despite sending a letter on July 5, 2019, and reminding again on January 10, 2019, no reply had been given by the department. The complaint was filed by Anil Kumar Kalia, president of Child Survivor India.
It was also informed in the same letter that a similar complaint had been sent to the Juvenile Justice Secretariat by Clinical Psychologist Abhilasha Dwivedi, posted at Kingsway Camp, Sewa Kutir Complex. The ‘Juvenile Justice Committee’ had sought a reply from the department within 10 days. A copy of this letter was also sent to Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
Not only this, a complaint was also lodged against the official and financial irregularities for the year 2019-19 in ‘Boys-II, Sewa Kutir, Kingsway Camp’. Welfare Officer Brijkishore Pandey had lodged the said complaint and in this regard also the Joint Registrar of Delhi High Court had sought a response from the department. A letter in this regard was sent on May 13, 2019, followed by a reminder letter on July 26, 2019. The third letter was sent on August 27, 2019, which can be read below:
Letter by Joint Registrar
In one such letter which was sent on March 7, 2019, it has been mentioned that the case had been closed due to no response from the complainant Anil Kumar Kalia. It also noted that the complaint of Abhilasha Dwivedi was in relation to the violation of the rights of the children in the ‘Observation Home’. Along with this, Khakha was also accused of assault by several women at the workplace. The letter sent by the Joint Registrar of the Delhi High Court on March 5, 2019, is also serious as it affirms the allegation of sexual abuse of children in the Boys’ Home. The complaints had also been recognized by the Juvenile Justice Committee which had sought urgent attention in the case.
The DWCD was tasked by the Juvenile Justice Committee to act on this matter within a day and transfer the previous Superintendent while the investigation was ongoing. Additionally, it was ordered that he not be sent to any children’s homes. He was also forbidden from being moved to a location where he could sway the probe, according to the directive. The department was further obligated to submit a report on the work done so far by March 6, 2019, in addition to the other requests. The letter is accessible here:
Letter obtained by OpIndia
In the same vein, it was also requested to reopen the investigation into Premoday Khakha in a letter dated May 16, 2019. The Delhi High Court’s “Juvenile Justice Secretariat” also forwarded this letter. Additionally, the investigation’s preliminary report was sought. This demonstrates that the department was not sincere about the issue despite obtaining multiple complaints. It also demonstrates Premoday Khakha’s power. On Independence Day (August 15) of 2019, it is said that he raised the flag at “Seva Kutir” in Mukherjee Nagar despite several complaints and FIRs.
Thus, it is apparent that Premoday Khakha is a dishonest officer even though the minister referred to him as his OSD despite the numerous accusations made against him. Even the seniors were disregarded in the decision to promote him to deputy director. Both allegations—sexual abuse of children in daycare facilities and professional harassment of women—are grave. However, the AAP government did nothing. He is now being accused of raping a minor girl. The concern now is, will earlier victims’ complaint files be reviewed now given that this issue has again come to light?
NCPCR takes cognizance, suspects the role of the church
The 17-year-old girl, in the current case, returned to her mother in January 2021. The incident is said to have come to the fore only after the girl started getting severe panic attacks. She revealed that she was given anti-pregnancy pills after being raped by Khakha.
NCPCR Chief Priyank Kanoongo has taken cognizance of the event and has suspected the involvement of the church in the episode. The girl was 14 when the incident happened. Now she is 17 years old and is studying in class 12.
Social media reveals that Premoday Khakha is a staunch Christian. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “I would have no hope if I were not aware that someone had paid for all my deeds by sacrificing on the cross.”
The church founder and pastor, Horo meanwhile has stated that the ‘religious place’ has 16 CCTV cameras installed and no such crime has taken place within the church premise. Horo also added that he was unaware of the trauma that the minor girl was put through. “We have video footage of the past few days. If required, we will give the footage to the police,” he was quoted as saying.
On the occasion of Nagpanchami, Hindu religious processions have been attacked in several locations across Bihar. As per reports, severe stone pelting, vandalism, and clashes have been reported from Bagaha, Motihari-Mehsi, and other places.
As per reports, the Mahaviri Akhada in Bagaha district’s Ratanmala had taken out a religious procession on the occasion of Nagpanchami. The procession was taken out with prior police approval and police forces were present during the procession. However, the procession came under a brutal stone-pelting attack while passing through a specific locality.
In the videos of the incident, mobs standing on rooftops can be seen pelting stones at the procession. Even police personnel can be seen running here and there to save themselves from the onslaught of stones from adjacent rooftops.
▶️ बिहार के मोतिहारी-मेहसी, कल्याणपुर और दरपा में हिंसक झड़प
A Zee News report has stated that despite adequate police presence, the stone pelting attack was so severe that even police personnel scattered to save their own lives. Incidents of vandalism and arson have been reported too.
As per reports, some incidents of attack on Hindu processions were reported in Champaran too.
Speaking to ANI, SDPO Nand Prasad stated that the situation now is peaceful and the police are alert. He added that adequate forces have been deployed and appealed to everyone to participate in the religious processions peacefully.
#WATCH | Bihar: SDPO Nand Parsad says, "…Force and Magistrate are present everywhere. It is peaceful now…We are keeping an eye…I request everybody to participate in the Mahaviri Yatra peacefully." (21.08) https://t.co/EZYLX3yuFNpic.twitter.com/PuNabPt0HV
In the Motihari district, similar incidents of clashes have been reported from 3 different places. In Mehsi, Kalyanpur and Darpa, religious processions by Hindus were attacked by stone pelters. As per a report by Jagran, when policemen tried to control the situation by lathi charge, they were attacked too. Several policemen have been injured.
In Darpa, a procession in Pipra was attacked by some elements in Pachiyari Tola. Bricks and stones were hurled between two groups.
Darpa SHO Dharmendra Yadav has been reportedly injured in the incident.
The Motihari police, meanwhile, took to the microblogging site X, formally Twitter on August 22, to inform that they are, on the basis of video footage and local sources, registering an FIR and raiding the suspects in the incident of stone pelting on two sides during the Mahaviri flag procession in Pipra village under Darpa police station of Motihari district. The spot has been inspected by SDO and SDPO. Magistrates and additional armed forces are continuously available at the spot and the situation is normal and under control, the post in Hindi read.
मोतिहारी जिले के दरपा थानांतर्गत पिपरा गाँव में महावीरी झंडा जुलूस के वक़्त 2 पक्षों में पथराव की घटना में पुलिस द्वारा प्राथमिकी दर्ज कर वीडियो फुटेज एवं स्थानीय स्रोतों के आधार पर संदिग्धों की पहचान व छापामारी की जा रही है। एसडीओ व एसडीपीओ द्वारा घटनास्थल का निरीक्षण किया गया…
In another post, the Motihari police added that they controlled the situation and organized a peace committee meeting by calling members of both sides. “Magistrates and additional armed forces are continuously available at the spot and the situation is normal and under control,” the police said.
On 20th August (local time), Derbyshire police arrested four men aged 24, 28, 30 and 38 on suspicion of possessing a firearm and violent disorder after a clash broke out at the Kabaddi tournament in Derby. As per reports, gunshots were fired, and men fought using swords, machetes and rods. Around four people were rushed to the hospital, out of which one was reportedly in serious condition.
Disturbing visuals. Viewers’ discretion is advised.
At around 4 PM, the armed police reached the event happening at Bridle Gate Lane in Alvaston after receiving a call about the clash. Videos of the incident went viral on social media in which around 50 masked men can be seen barging into the event site with rods, huge swords, knives and machetes near the food stalls. As soon as they entered the event site, a fight between the two groups broke out while the fans who visited to watch Kabaddi ran for their lives.
Disturbing visuals. Viewers’ discretion is advised.
As per the UK Mirror, an eyewitness said one of the victims was shot while the attackers chopped up the other. Some of the fans ran away, leaving their vehicles at the site after the attack.
In another video, a group of men were seen surrounding an injured man in the group. They kept hacking him with swords and knives while he stayed on the ground screaming and covered in blood. Reportedly, he was shot before being attacked by the swords.
In an official statement, Derbyshire police said that they have arrested four men. The police have requested the public to submit video footage of the incident to identify and arrest the culprits.
Chief Superintendent Emma Aldred said, “We are keen to speak to anyone with information about yesterday’s incident. We are aware of videos of the incident circulating online, we are carrying out investigations in relation to these, and I would encourage anyone with footage to send it to us for enquiries to continue. Officers remain in the area to provide reassurance to the community; please speak to them if you have any information or contact us using the methods provided.”
As per the Times of India report, Khalistani flags were seen hoisted during the Kabaddi event that was organised by England Kabaddi Federation UK (EKF). As per EKF, the Home Office has recognised Kabaddi’s official governing body in the UK. There are sixteen Kabaddi clubs in the UK associated with the Federation.
Disturbing visuals. Viewers’ discretion is advised.
Good old England.
Reported gunshots were fired at a Derbyshire sports contest where three people were injured and a man was attacked with a sword yesterday.
Armed police rushed to the incident, said to be sparked by rival gangs, at the Derby Kabaddi grounds in Alvaston at… pic.twitter.com/5OfKcV1c5I
EKF’s general secretary Surinder Singh Manak said in a statement that the attackers could not get past the crowd barriers that were protecting the pitch. While it was a horrific and terrifying incident, no bystander (player, official or spectator) was in any way attacked or involved. Initial unconfirmed enquiries indicate that it was a pre-arranged fight between rival gangs based in Midlands,” Manak said. “EKF wishes to emphasise that the gangs in question do not have any links or connections with any EKF-affiliated club or its members,” he said.
Speaking to TOI, vice president of Guru Arjan Dev Gurdwara Kabaddi Club, Derby, Kulvinder Singh said, “It was an amazing day for the teams, sponsors, supporters and real fans of Kabaddi. Spoilt by mindless individuals that ruined everything we stand for. I can only apologise to the great spectators… I can only hope the police use every means possible to bring these evil criminals to justice.”
Disturbing visuals. Viewers’ discretion is advised.
Kabaddi tournament #Derby: 2 gangs clash 'using swords' in UK; terrified spectators run for life in panic, 3 hurt#Punjab The incident took place at the Derby Kabaddi grounds on Elvaston Lane, Alvaston, at around 4pm on #Sunday. pic.twitter.com/vCziOaZzQR
President of England Kabaddi Association Ashok Das said, “It worries me as we are also called Kabaddi. Sports means peace and harmony. If people are frightened of sport, where can they go… I am worried this will put this young generation off Kabaddi.”
Manga Mithapuria Powar, a professional Kabaddi player, expressed his dismay on social media. In a Facebook post, he wrote, “Once again, another kabaddi tournament in Derby has been ruined! This appalling behaviour is not acceptable. If this behaviour continues, our mother game is over.”
TOI’s UK journalist Naomi Canton shared the official statement of EKF. The organisation said, “EKF understands that a fight broke out between unknown individuals in the car park, which then spread as far as the entrance gates of the Kabaddi playing areas, which, as always, was secured by the 2-meter high mesh security fence. However, the individuals involved did not get past the crowd barriers protecting the pitch.”
IN FULL: Statement from the England Kabaddi Federation (UK) which organised Derby's kabaddi tournament on Sunday.
"On behalf of England Kabaddi Federation (UK) I write to advise that EKF condemns the incident that took place yesterday at Derby Kabaddi Tournament in strongest…
EKF had to abandon the event as the police declared the site a crime scene. The organisation said the police were not replying to them about the investigation. They said, “So far, we have had no direct contact from the police and despite trying numerously yesterday, we were unable to speak to the investigating officers on site.”
Kabaddi tournaments have a history of violence in the UK. In May 2007, a man named Jaswinder Singh Sahota was jailed for waving a long sword at a Kabaddi tournament in Gravesend. He was found guilty of chopping off the fingers of a security guard.
In 2016, the Home Office busted a nexus of non-EU players coming to play for the EKF. Reportedly, around 100 players from India and Pakistan went to the UK every year to participate in the EKF. It was only in 2019 that the visa situation got resolved.
A farmer lost his life and seven policemen were injured during protests by farmers in the Longowal area of Sangrur on 21st August, Monday. The farmers in the area were staging protests in demand for financial compensation to flood-hit farmers. The stir was ongoing for the last several days. The deceased farmer has been identified as 70-year-old Pritam Singh.
Reg unfortunate death of a protester today at Longowal,it is clarified that as per witnesses & videos d deceased was overrun by a rashly driven tractor trolley by protesters,which also severely injured a police inspector who narrowly escaped from getting crushed.Our condolences? pic.twitter.com/iKuYGG4ENN
Tensions were heightened following a clash between the police and the protesting farmers who were going to participate in a stir in Chandigarh. They clashed with the police after the latter tried to stop them from proceeding to block a road and a toll plaza near Badbar village on the Sangrur-Barnala highway. The police clarified that no lathi-charge was done by them.
The police said that the farmer died due to rash driving by protesters. “Unfortunate death of a protester today at Longowal, it is clarified that as per witnesses & videos the deceased was overrun by a rashly driven tractor trolley by protesters, which also severely injured a police inspector who narrowly escaped from getting crushed. Our condolences,” the Sangrur police wrote on its Twitter account.
Senior police officer SSP Surendra Lamba reportedly said that the tractors and trolleys filled with protesters forced their way through the barricades that were put in place by the cops. He also reportedly said that some protesters turned violent and attacked the police with sticks. He said that the protests turned violent during protests by BKU (Azad).
A Tractor-trolly ran over a farmer injuring his legs…He was immediately shifted to the hospital for treatment, he succumbed to his injuries. No lathi charge was done, the protesters breached the barricades and continued moving: Sangrur SSP Surendra Lambapic.twitter.com/ORxJnFlb19
A video has been doing the rounds from the protest site where a tractor-trolley can be seen mowing a person at the wheel and at a close distance a cop can be seen on the ground trying to reason with the farmers who have surrounded him.
The SSP says that even after trying to reason peacefully with the farmers, they were not ready to understand. “Some people got violent and attacked our people (cops) and one got injured in the face. Inspector Deependra sustained serious injuries owing to rash driving (by farmers). One or two people have been injured in the face.”
The Shorimani Akali Dal has demanded action against Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. “The horrendous broad daylight murder of a beleaguered and peacefully protesting farmer Pritam Singh at Longowal (in CM’s home district Sangrur) has sent shock waves throughout the state, especially among the farmers. A murder case should be registered against the Chief Minister @BhagwantMann as it was done on his orders. The senior police officers, who executed this, should also be booked,” Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal demanded.
Horrendous broad daylight murder of a beleaguered and peacefully protesting farmer Pritam Singh at Longowal (in CM’s home district Sangrur) has sent shock waves throughout the state especially among the farmers. A murder case should be registered against the Chief Minister… pic.twitter.com/hskUHTGC1j
A call to reach Chandigarh was given by 16 farmers’ organisations including Kisan Majdoor Sangh Samiti, Bhartiya Kisan Union (K), BKU (Azad), Azad Kisan Samiti, Doaba, BKU (Behramke), and Bhoomi Bachao. Notably, the Aam Aadmit Party (AAP) which is in power in Punjab had supported the farm protests in 2020-2021.
On the 22nd of August 2023, Dainik Jagran published a report claiming that the Indian Army – SF Commandos – crossed over to Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and conducted another surgical strike, neutralising 8 terrorists and several launch pads. According to the report, several SF Commandos crossed over to the Kolti and destroyed 4 terror launchpads, killing at least 7 or 8 terrorists. The Jagran report said that this operation was conducted on Saturday night.
The Defence Ministry in a statement has however refuted the report which claimed that SF Commandos crossed over to PoK (essentially, crossed the Line of Control) and neutralised terror launchpads. Sources in the Defence Ministry said that while there was no ‘Surgical Strike’ which was conducted, India did foil an infiltration bid by Pakistan.
According to Defence Ministry, there was a heavily backed group of terrorists attempting to infiltrate India from the Balakote Sector of Jammu and Kashmir. It is said that on Monday morning, two terrorists were detected by alert troops to be making attempts to cross the LoC onto the Indian side, “making use of inclement weather, dense fog, thick foliage, and undulating ground in Hamirpur area of Balakote Sector.”
“Intelligence Inputs received from Multiple Intelligence agencies and Jammu and Kashmir Police revealed the presence of terrorists waiting to cross the LC from opposite own Balakote Sector. Based on these inputs own surveillance grid was placed on heightened alert and multiple ambushes were sited at suitable locations,” the ministry’s statement read.
When the terrorists tried to infiltrate, the Indian Army engaged them in heavy fire, forcing them to retreat, making use of the weather conditions. “However effective fire resulted in one terrorist falling down on the ground near the LC. Additional troops were then moved into the area and search operations commenced in the afternoon after improvement of weather conditions and visibility,” it said.
During the ground search, the statement said that an AK-47 was recovered, along with Pakistan-made medicines, two magazines and 30 live rounds along with two grenades. Interestingly, a blood trail was also found during the search.
Given the blood trail and the fact that one terrorist had fallen down after a retaliatory fire, it is likely that at least one of the terrorists died during the firing by Indian Army.
