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50,000 out of the 75,000 mosques in Iran are closed: Top Iranian cleric expresses concern over the lowering interest of people in religion

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50,000 out of the 75,000 mosques in Iran are closed: Top Iranian cleric expresses concern over the lowering interest of people in religion

Recently, the Iranian woman’s anti-Hijab movement drew praise and support from all around the world while infuriating the country’s Islamic leadership. Now, according to Maulana Mohammad Abolghassem Doulabi, out of the 75,000 mosques in the country, 50,000 have been shuttered, reflecting a decline in the number of people who attend.

On June 1, he voiced concern about the alarming situation and stated that the statistics represent a troubling admission for a country based on Islamic beliefs.

Notably, Maulana Mohammad Abolghassem Doulabi serves as the liaison between the administration of Sayyid Ebrahim Raisolsadati, commonly known as Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s seminaries as well as included in the Assembly of Experts a deliberative body charged with selecting Iran’s Supreme Leader.

He stressed that the society’s religiosity is waning, and pointed out that the legitimacy of a government driven by religious decree is undermined. He mentioned, “When people look at the output of the religion, they decide to enter the religion or leave the religion with reasons including ‘the humiliation of people in the name of religion,’ ‘falsification of religious concepts and teachings,’ and ‘depriving people of a decent life and creating poverty in the name of religion.’

The prominent Muslim cleric vocalised his distress as more Iranians of all ages grew weary of the government’s pretext of Islam as the cornerstone of its brutal dictatorship, as evidenced by months of violent protest since September of last year in response to Mahsa Amini’s untimely death while in the care of the morality police after being imprisoned for wearing her hijab inappropriately.

Iran has over 60% of its mosques closed due to a lack of devotees for prayer. He proclaimed people choose to quit or join a religion based on its repercussions when they are brought up.

It is crucial to remember that Iran is regulated by an extremely rigid Islamic law, and even the slightest deviance from it can lead to severe penalties.

ICC World Test Championship: Amid oil protest threats, two pitches prepared for the final between India and Australia

OpIndia Staff
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ICC World Test Championship: Amid oil protest threats, two pitches prepared for the final between India and Australia

The ICC has prepared two pitches for the World Test Championship final which is set to begin on June 7, 2023. The match will start at 3 PM IST. A reserve day has also been put in place in case of a weather intervention. The final will be held at the Oval Stadium in London.

As per reports, the decision to prepare two pitches was taken after oil protesters threatened to destroy the pitch. If the pitch gets damaged, the ICC experts will access it and see if it can be repaired for the match. In case it is beyond repair, the reserve pitch will be checked, and the match will be shifted accordingly.

Both team captains, Rohit Sharma for India and Pat Cummins for Australia have been informed about the update. As per reports, they both have agreed to shift to the reserve pitch in case of an incident so that match does not get called off and abandoned.

In a statement, Cummins said, “It’s something we got in the security briefing a couple of days ago. I’ve heard that they’re aware of it and keeping an eye out. But that’s as much as we’ve heard. So hopefully, it doesn’t happen, obviously. But yeah, I’ve heard there are a few different events that have been affected.”

Determining the pitch state

As per the ICC regulations, several sections will play a vital role in deciding whether the pitch needs to be shifted. First, the on-field umpires will check and determine if the pitch is safe to continue. If they feel it is unreasonable to continue, the ICC match referee will be called after halting the match under section 6.4.1.

Then under section 6.4.4, the on-field umpires will examine the pitch to determine if the pitch can be repaired and if the match can be resumed from the point it was stopped. The match referee will be consulted to make the final decision. It will be the referee’s responsibility to determine if the repair may give an unfair advantage to any side or not, as a portion of the game had already been played on the damaged pitch.

Under section 6.4.7, the referee will make sure to keep the captains and the head of the ground authority in the loop of the decision-making process. Timely public announcements about the situation will be the responsibility of the head of the ground authority.

Squads

India- Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, and Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper).

Suryakumar Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have been placed on the list of standby players.

Australia – Pat Cummins (Captain), Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wicket-keeper), Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wicket-keeper), Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Steve Smith (Vice Captain), Mitchell Starc, and David Warner.

Mitch Marsh and Matthew Renshaw are on the standby list.

Watch: Director Om Raut emotionally requests Adipurush producers and distributors to keep one seat vacant for Lord Hanuman during every show

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Director Om Raut emotionally requests Adipurush producers and distributors to keep one seat vacant for Lord Hanuman during every show

The grand pre-release event of the film Adipurush was held in the sacred city of Tirupati on Tuesday, June 6, where the makers also unveiled its highly anticipated final trailer. The movie is produced by Bhushan Kumar’s T-Series, written and directed by Om Raut, and stars Prabhas and Kriti Sanon in the lead roles of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita.

During the event, Om Raut got emotional and teary-eyed as he requested the producers and distributors to dedicate one seat in every theatre to Lord Hanuman. The lead actor Prabhas comforted him by giving him a side hug as he sobbed.

“My mother says that wherever Ramayan is being played, Hanuman will be present there. I am requesting Bhushan sir, Anil sir, and all the producers to leave one seat vacant for Lord Hanuman. Everywhere in the world where Adipursh is being screened, I request to keep one seat. He (Lord Hanuman) will come. Please, sir,” the director implored.

It is believed that once Lord Hanuman asked Lord Ram how will he survive on the earth without him to which the latter replied that he will have to live and protect the devotees from the evil Kaliyuga, but whenever and wherever his name is chanted or Ramayana is recited with pure devotion, the former would be present there. Lord Hanuman is one of the eight Chiranjivis (immortals) who are to remain alive on this planet until the end of the current Kali Yuga.

In addition to praising Prabhas, Om Raut asserted that the movie would not have been feasible without the backing of the actor. “I have said this before, I would have been unable to make this without darling (Prabhas). If there is anything that makes Adipurush what it is, it is darling. I just want to tell everyone that this is not our film, this is your film, and this is everybody’s film. Adipurush is a film of India.”

Adipurush stars Prabhas as Raghava, Kriti Sanon as Janaki, Sunny Singh as Lakshmana, Devdatta Nage as Bajrang and Saif Ali Khan as Lankesh. It is set to release in theatres on June 16 in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam.

Om Raut, whose last venture Tanhaji with Ajay Devgn, which was released in 2020, was very successful and has been working on Adipurush for a few years now. It is made on a humongous budget of Rs 500 crore and has run into several hurdles ever since its inception. However, it is now all set for a grand release in multiple languages across the globe.

Uttar Pradesh: 11-year-old girl abducted from home, raped, and killed by one Sheel Kumar in Gilaula, reports claim his actual name is Muzzafar Khan

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: 11-year-old girl abducted from home, raped, and killed by one Sheel Kumar in Gilaula, reports claim his actual name is Muzzafar Khan

An 11-year-old Hindu Brahmin girl living in a small village in the Gilaula region of Shravasti in Uttar Pradesh was abducted, raped, and then murdered in a terrible episode that shocked the entire community in the state. The accused, Sheel Kumar, is known to the family and has been nabbed by the police.

It is being reported by a section of media that his actual name is Muzaffar Ali, and he had been residing in the area for around 20 years using the Hindu identity Sheel Kumar.

The Police have arrested the accused and charged him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 302 (murder) and 376(A) (rape), along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The villagers suspect that the accused originally hails from Bangladesh.

According to the reports, the little girl was allegedly abducted on Saturday and taken to an isolated spot by the accused, where she was raped. After raping her, he brutally strangled the girl to death, trying to hide his crime. He then stuffed the dead body into a sack and then hid it in a bush close to the bank of a canal in Mirchiha village, which falls under the Payagpur police station.

The incident was discovered after the girl failed to get home for an extended period of time. After the girl was not found, the father of the victim filed a complaint against Sheel Kumar and his family at the Gilola police station, accusing them of abduction. The father said that the accused had come to their house at around 1-1.30 PM on Saturday and took the girl with him on some pretext. However, she didn’t return for a long time after that, and therefore it was suspected that Sheel Kumar abducted and did something with her.

The cops took began an investigation after filing a case based on the complaint. Police were able to track down and arrest the suspect in the Buddhist circuit, close to Parevpur. During questioning, the accused confessed to the crime. Based on his statement, police recovered the body of the minor girl.

Reportedly, after the arrest, it was also revealed in the police probe that Sheel Kumar’s actual name is Muzaffar Ali, and he had been living in the village for around 20 years using a Hindu identity. According to the villagers, Ram Pheran married a woman from West Bengal in 2005 after his first wife died. Sheel Kumar was the five-old son of that woman who came to the village along with her.

The Village Pradhan expressed shock and outrage about the occurrence, and after learning that the accused had been residing in the village for two decades, with a Hindu identity despite being a Muslim. The community was in disbelief when the accused’s actual identity was made public.

At present, the accused has been arrested and has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 302 (murder) and 376(A) (rape), along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Coromandel Express set to resume operation today; CBI initiates a probe into the tragic train accident

OpIndia Staff
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Coromandel Express set to resume operation today; CBI initiates a probe into the tragic train accident

Days after the deadly triple train accident in Odisha, the Coromandel Express train is set to resume operation on Wednesday, June 7. “The Coromandel Express is ready to resume service on Wednesday,” said Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Aditya Kumar Chaudhary.

Chaudhary stated that the Coromandel Express train will start its journey from Shalimar station at 3:20 pm on Wednesday. In addition to this, the Railway chief PRO stated that an ex-gratia amount of Rs 16.10 crore has been given to over 536 people.

On June 2, the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express collided with a halted freight train, causing several coaches to derail onto the opposite track near Balasore’s Bahanaga Railway Station. Coromandel Express carriages derailed near Bahanaga Railway Station and ‘infringed’ on the opposing track.

Following that, the Howrah Express, which was running from Yesvantpur to Howrah, crashed into the affected carriages at high speed, leading to further derailment. The accident claimed 288 lives and injured over 1,000 people.

CBI takes over Odisha train accident probe

On Tuesday, June 6, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officially took over the investigation into the Odisha triple train accident after Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday announced that a CBI probe has been recommended in the matter.

The CBI team inspected the damaged coaches of the two passenger trains on Tuesday and inquired regarding the signalling system at the Bahanaga Bazar railway station since its initial findings suggested that a signalling malfunction may have caused the collision. The CBI officials reportedly looked for relevant documents and sought data-logger records. Officials also went to the Balasore railway station to gather evidence.

Meanwhile, the CBI has registered an FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 337 (who causes hurt to any person by doing any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life), 338 (causing grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others), 304 A (causing death by negligence), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

Following the announcement of the CBI investigation, the Railways announced a week-long nationwide safety push on signalling systems, with a special emphasis on the existing “double locking” arrangement of its signalling apparatus at stations.

Government willing to hold talks with protesting wrestlers as they resume their government duties

OpIndia Staff
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Government willing to hold talks with protesting wrestlers as they resume their government duties

The Government of India has agreed to hold talks with the protesting wrestlers after they resumed their government duties. The update came days after the three main protesters, Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. In a midnight tweet, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur said, “The government is willing to discuss with the wrestlers on their issues. I have once again invited them for the same.”

June 9 protest cancelled by Khap and Kisan leaders

After the reports that the wrestlers met HM Shah and resumed duties, Khap and Kisan leaders cancelled the scheduled protests on June 9. It was reported that the Khap and Kisan leaders were unaware of the meeting between the protesters and the Home Minister. Though the protest has been cancelled, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait said they had not withdrawn their support to the protest. In a statement, Tikait told PTI, “Our June 9 demonstration in Delhi remains postponed at the moment. We will wait for the meeting outcome between government officials and protesting wrestlers. We (farmers’ union) support the wrestlers and will continue supporting them.”

Wrestlers protest against former WFI chief

The wrestlers have been protesting against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest. Female wrestlers have alleged that Singh sexually harassed them. Two FIRs were registered against Singh on the complaint of seven female wrestlers, including one allegedly minor wrestler. Singh was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POCSO Act. However, recently it was reported the minor wrestler withdrew her statement in front of the magistrate and recorded a new one under Section 164 of the CrPC.

On June 6, Delhi Police recorded statements of Singh’s staff at his residences, including in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh. Around 27 people, including servants, drivers, guards, gardeners and other staff members, were questioned as part of allegations against him.

Damoh Hijab Case: District Education Officer to be removed for giving clean chit to Ganga Jamuna School, action against Collector also confirmed

OpIndia Staff
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Damoh Hijab Case: District Education Officer to be removed for giving clean chit to Ganga Jamuna School, action against Collector also confirmed

In an update to the ongoing hijab controversy at the Ganga Jamuna School in the Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh, School Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar revealed that Damoh Collector Mayank Agarwal is trying to save the District Education Officer (DEO) SK Mishra who is found guilty as per the prima facie information obtained. The Minister also confirmed that the state government would take action against the DEO and remove him from his post amid a comprehensive investigation that is being conducted against him.

This comes after a few enraged BJP leaders protested against the DEO and threw ink on him while the officer was leaving his office in his car. The protesters and the Hindu activists could be heard raising the slogans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in the video that has gone viral over the internet.

Confirming the DEO’s negative involvement in the case, Minister Inder Singh Parmar said, “Prima facie information that is coming out is that the District Education Officer (DEO) has given wrong information, that is why the DEO is guilty. He is supposed to visit the school continuously and inspect it, but that didn’t happen. Later, when the incident came to light through the press and social organizations, even then the DEO tried to give a clean chit.”

The Minister also said that after the investigation, it was found that the matter was not only about the controversial uniform but many more problems were uncovered. “It is quite clear that the DEO has deliberately done negligence. We are taking action against the DEO and removing him. Along with this, we are conducting a comprehensive investigation against him, it will also be ensured that he has been negligent, and will also take action against those who are guilty.”

Further, slamming Damoh Collector Mayank Agarwal over the issue, the Minister stated that timely action should have been taken by the collector because the matter is not only about the school, it is about spreading malice in society.

“What has been clarified by the Children’s Commission means that many illegal activities were happening there, topics like conversions have also come up, and the topic of terror funding has also come to the fore. District Administration should immediately investigate. Chief Minister and Home Minister have given instructions for the investigation, all the points will come to the fore. The collector is also trying to save him, but the facts will come out in the investigation and I understand that the Chief Minister is active in such developments, and will take strict action against the accused,” the minister added.

The controversy in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, erupted when Hindu and Jain girls were seen wearing hijabs on the posters of meritorious students from a private school named Ganga Jamuna School. The school administrator Haji Mohammad Idris then tried to mislead the matter calming that the students were wearing scarves and not hijabs. The DM also dismissed the assertions after a probe, claiming that they were simply rumours and that there was nothing untoward discovered during the initial enquiries.

Taking cognisance of the matter, NCPCR’s Priyank Kanoongo issued a notice on May 31 to the District Magistrate (DM) demanding an action report in a week. During the investigation, the SCPCR found that Ayats and lessons from the Quran were imprinted on every wall of the school. Every girl student was made to wear a hijab and they had been taught to greet the teachers with ‘Assalam Walikum..’ and not Good Morning.

The students at the school were also asked to recite three Islamic prayers followed by the National Anthem during the assembly every day. The prayer included ‘Lab pe aati hai dua..’ by Allama Muhammad Iqbal who had advocated the formation of a separate nation for Muslims in the form of Pakistan in 1930.

Several girl students have come to the fore after the investigation began in the case to confirm that the school authorities asked them to read Namaz on Fridays and pressurised them to learn Arabic and Urdu. “They asked us to pray to Allah. Even the Hindu students were asked to pray to Allah. We were also asked to recite Islamic prayers after Jana Gana Mana,” the girl could be heard saying in the video.

Further, not only the students but teachers were also mandated to follow the Islamic practices on the school premises. Three of the school teachers, 2 Hindus and 1 Jain have converted to Islam post their appointment for the job at the school. Further probe into the case is underway.

Quick thinking of Rajdhani pilot averts major train accident in Bokaro after a tractor trolley gets stuck at a Railway crossing

OpIndia Staff
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Quick thinking of Rajdhani pilot averts major train accident in Bokaro after a tractor trolley gets stuck at a Railway crossing

On Tuesday, June 6, a major train tragedy was averted in Bokaro, Jharkhand, days after the deadly triple train crash in Odisha, when a tractor collided with a railway gate close to the Santaldih railway crossing as the New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express was passing from there. 

The tractor got stuck between the railway track and the gate at the Santhaldih railway crossing. The major mishap was averted by the loco pilot’s fast thought and quick action, as he quickly applied the brakes, bringing the train to a stop at the right time.

“A tractor crashed the railway gate as it closed at the Santaldih railway crossing of the Bhojudih railway station in Bokaro district. However, the train’s driver timely applied the brakes and the train came to a stop, avoiding a serious accident,” said Manish Kumar, DRM, Adra Division, South Eastern Railway.

Kumar stated that the incident occurred at around 5 p.m. and that the train was delayed for around 45 minutes. He stated that the tractor has been seized and that an FIR was registered at the concerned police station. The tractor’s driver had fled the scene.

Meanwhile, Vikas Kumar, the senior divisional commercial manager of the Adra railway station stated that the gateman at the Santaldih crossing has been suspended and that an inquiry has been launched into the matter.

The gateman allegedly failed to lower the crossing gate as soon as he was informed of the approaching train. While the gate was open, the tractor attempted to cross the tracks. 

The incident took place just days after one of the country’s most terrible train disasters at the Bahanaga Bazar station in Odisha’s Balasore district, which claimed 288 lives and injured over 1,000 people after a crash involving the Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express, and an iron-laden goods train.

Artwork depicting the contributions of women, tribal leaders, and freedom struggle will be added to the new Parliament building

OpIndia Staff
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Artwork depicting the contributions of women, tribal leaders, and freedom struggle will be added to the new Parliament building

The New Parliament building will soon have artwork depicting the contributions of women, tribal leaders and freedom struggle. These artworks are going to be part of the second phase of the New Parliament Building’s decoration, which will soon commence, said senior culture ministry officials while speaking to The New Indian Express. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the New Parliament building on May 28.

The officials said, “Second phase is a big ambitious concept. We will be showing the independence struggle and 75 path-breaking women of the country starting from the prehistoric era. One wall will be dedicated to tribal leaders who have done great work for the country. Then we will have a wall showcasing India’s rich traditions — nature, knowledge, and sports. Once the ongoing phase one is completed, the second round will begin…concepts are ready, and artists have been selected.”

14 idols repatriated from abroad to be placed in the New Parliament building

The report further suggested that around 14 recently repatriated idols from foreign countries will be placed on the parliament premises at specific points. The ongoing first phase of the decoration is more general. It will be completed in the next couple of months, and the next phase will begin within three to four months.

Speaking on the artwork to be installed in the building, the officials said, unlike the old building, where paintings and statues were placed haphazardly, the placement in the new building had been planned meticulously for each section.

They said, “In the old premises, artworks were never planned. Artists were invited to create paintings in a vacant space. There was no thematic unity. Everything was a mishmash. Here (new building), each thing is planned. We have decided to add 14 stolen statues smuggled out of the country. These antiquities were brought back.”

As per the plan, there will be a digital wall in one of the galleries showing details about the Parliament members in the Lok Sabha since its inception. The 17th Lok Sabha”s tenure will be completed next year around May.

Old building to serve as an office block

Furthermore, it seems the government is deciding what to do with the old building. Per the officials’ statement to the New Indian Express, the old building will serve as an ‘office block’. It will be open to the general public. Further, the culture ministry plans to combine the old building with the Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya, giving the tourists an ‘integrated viewing experience’.

The officials said, “The ministry plans to introduce a single ticket for Pradhanmantri Sangrahalaya and the old Parliament building after its opening for the general public.”

The New Parliament Building

The New Parliament building was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 28, 2023. Sacred Sengol was placed at the Lok Sabha House next to the Speaker’s chair. Sengol was presented to the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru as a symbol of the transfer of power by Mountbatten. After that, it was shifted to Anand Bhavan in Prayagraj for unknown reasons. After PM Modi was made aware of it, a team was formed to trace Sengol and bring it back to the Parliament.

UPSRTC bus driver suspended, conductor terminated for stopping the bus to allow two passengers to offer namaz on the road

OpIndia Staff
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UPSRTC bus driver suspended, conductor terminated for stopping the bus to allow two passengers to offer namaz on the road

On Monday, June 5, a driver of the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) was suspended for halting the Delhi-bound “Janrath” bus on Saturday night (June 3), to allow two Muslim passengers to offer namaz on the road. The bus conductor, a contractual employee, has been removed from his post as well.

The incident transpired on June 3, when the UPSRTC bus made an abrupt stop on National Highway-24 in the Milak area of Rampur district after departing from the Bareilly terminal at around 7 p.m.

When the passengers saw that the bus had stopped so that two fellow passengers could perform namaz, they objected. One of the passengers named Satyendra recorded a video and tweeted it. This passenger complained on Twitter that two Muslim passengers stepped down from the bus and began performing ‘namaz’ in front of the halted bus.

“At night I took the Janrath bus @UPSRTCHQ from Bareilly to Delhi. Whose departure time was 7 PM, the bus stopped at 8:25 pm and I went and saw that 2 Muslims got down from the bus and started offering Namaz sitting in front of the bus, I complained to ARM, SM, RM of Bareilly Depot,” Janrath passenger Satyendra tweeted. 

In the viral video, two Muslims can be seen performing Namaz on the road as other passengers protest against the conductor for stopping the bus. Meanwhile, the conductor is seen telling people not to do ‘Hindu-Muslim’. While the passengers expressed their concern over their safety as the bus was stopped during the night at a secluded place, the conductor said that they have stopped the bus out of ‘humanity’.

Sanjeev Kumar Srivastava, the assistant regional manager (ARM) of UPSRTC in Bareilly, was instructed by the regional manager to launch an investigation. As a result, driver Krishna Pal Singh was suspended and the conductor had his employment with UPSRTC terminated.

Meanwhile, Rampur police have also taken cognisance of the matter and said that they have initiated a probe as well. The police have stated that the probe of the case has been handed over to the Deputy SP of Milak Circle and that legal action will be taken.

“In the said case, the matter is being thoroughly investigated after talking to the driver and operator of the roadways bus shown in the tweet by the jurisdictional officer, Milak, after the investigation, necessary legal action will be taken,” Rampur police tweeted.

Meanwhile, Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s national spokesperson Vinod Bansal has also demanded action on the matter as he tweeted, “It’s too much… Where are we moving to…@CMOfficeUP needs to look into it to save the precious time of passengers. How could a driver allow it???”

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