In a shocking incident, a Pakistani passenger onboard a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Peshawar to Dubai created a ruckus inside the plane and tried to break the plane’s window, a video of which has gone viral on the internet.
According to the reports, the man started throwing tantrums as soon as the flight boarded and asked the cabin crew to get him off the aircraft. He then started stripping, punching, and kicking the seats and also kicked a window pane while the aircraft was mid-air, causing panic among the passengers and flight crew alike.
In the video shared above, one of the cabin crew members tries to calm the man down. However, the man loses his cool, jumps over the seats and kicks the adjoining window pane.
In another video of the incident, the passenger removed his belongings, lied down on the aisle blocking the passage and started giving Azaan (Islamic call to public prayer) inside the plane.
#Video A passenger created extreme trouble on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Peshawar-Dubai PK-283 flight as he suddenly started punching seats and kicking the aircraft’s window. pic.twitter.com/bUZ0ZTVNxw
The video of the man’s erratic behaviour, seemingly shot by one of the co-passengers, had instantly gone viral after it was shared on social media.
According to a report published in Dawn, with much effort, the crew restrained the passenger and tied his hands and feet as per aviation procedures.
Upon arrival in Dubai, the cabin crew took the passenger through security and informed the PIA management about the incident. The PIA immediately sent a two-member team from Islamabad to bring him back to Pakistan. Later the local authorities informed the PIA management who immediately sent a two-member team from Islamabad to bring the passenger back.
On Monday (September 19), ‘journalist’ Kallol Bhattacherjee courted controversy after he tried to downplay the vicious attack by Islamists on the Indian Hindu diaspora in Leicester as a fight between Gujaratis.
He made the contentious remarks while reacting to the condemnation of the attack by the Indian High Commissioner in London. Kallol Bhattacharjee attempted to strip the victims of their Indian identity and project the attack as an ethnic clash.
“Reports suggest that the fight is between two groups of Indians. Hindu and Muslim Gujaratis are fighting each other. So, it may not be entirely correct to say that Indians were attacked.”
Screengrab of the tweet by Kallol Bhattacharjee
In a subsequent tweet, the ‘journalist’ resorted to bothsidesism and falsely claimed that Hindus and Muslims took turns attacking each other. He also pinned the blame on ‘loud celebrations’ in the aftermath of the India Vs Pakistan Asia Cup match for the month-long violence against the Hindu community.
“Leicester is famous for being a Gujarati area. Tension has been high since India-Pakistan Asia Cup match. Hindus and Muslims have taken turns in attacking each other since trouble began over loud celebration after the match,” he had tweeted.
This is however not the first time that a prominent ‘journalist’ went on an anti-Gujarati tirade in the aftermath of the violence against Hindus in Leicester. On Sunday (September 18), ex-Ahmedabad Mirror Editor Deepal Trivedi insinuated that Gujaratis from India were responsible for the violence in Leicester.
Trivedi, a Congress side-kick, claimed that Leicester is dominated by Gujaratis and such behaviour is expected of them.
Screengrab of the tweet by Deepal Trivedi
Horror at Leicester: Targeted attacks on Hindus and Misinformation campaigns
Leicester City in England’s East Midlands region has witnessed a sharp increase in targeted attacks against the Hindu community. The orgy of violence by Islamists began soon after India clinched victory against Pakistan in the group stage match of the Asia Cup on August 28.
According to a Hindu organisation (@INSIGHTUK2), a casual banter between Indian fans and Pakistani supporters turned serious when the latter snatched and disrespected the Indian tricolour. Soon after, the police took cognisance of the matter but added to the raging misinformation by Islamists that religious slurs were hurled in Hindi.
India and Pakistan again met at the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. After Pakistan succeeded in settling scores on the field, its supporters attacked a Hindu home celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi.
The accused men also received overwhelming support from their co-religionists on social media. Homes, cars, and properties belonging to the Hindu community, which were easily identifiable with sacred symbols, were damaged. In order to control the situation, Chief Superintendent Adam Slonecki granted dispersal and stop search powers to the police.
Recently, a Hindu temple came under attack by Islamists in Leicester. In a viral video, one extremist was seen uprooting a saffron flag affixed to the temple structure. On September 16, the police informed that a total of 27 people were arrested in connection with the violence.
Meanwhile, the Islamists resorted to making outlandish claims to deviate public discourse from the targeted attacks on Hindus. While speaking to Opindia, research scholar Sarah L Gates said, “This was a planned clean out aka religious cleansing. They want to purge Hindus.”
Hindus in Leicester are now at the mercy of the police for their safety. With motivated news publications and Islamist groups portraying them as the perpetrators, they are left to fend for themselves.
Several recent ground reports by OpIndia have shown that demography is changing rapidly along India’s border with Nepal. The number of mosques and madarsas is rapidly increasing in the area. From August 20 to 27, 2022, an OpIndia team visited several areas in Nepal bordering India to observe the ground situation. What follows here is the fifteenth report of the series of reports documenting the facts noticed by the OpIndia team.
In prior reports, we discussed what locals think about the mosques, Islamic shrines and places of worship spread along the highways leading from Balrampur to Barhni and Jarwa along the open international border running between India and Nepal. We also reported how the authorities have sprung into action after the exclusive reportage by OpIndia along the UP-Nepal border.
In this report, we will share our experiences as we travelled the Tulsipur-Harraiya-Sirsia road, which also runs along Nepal’s border.
Throughout this path, the majestic Himalayan range could be viewed on the right-hand side. All the localities along this road are recognised Nepalese border villages. This route also falls under the limits of the Balrampur district in Uttar Pradesh.
Our journey started near the Tulsipur Devipatan Temple, the epicentre of the Hindu faith on the Nepal-India border. As we continued, we began to notice various Islamic sites of worship along the way, as we had on previous days.
The first thing we noticed was the ‘Garib Nawaz School’, decked with Islamic motifs
We had just passed the Tulsipur market on Harraiya Road when we noticed ‘Garib Nawaz Primary School.’ This school is located in Bairagi Purwa village in Tulsipur. On the main board of the school, the name of the school was inscribed in Persian. The identical thing was written in English and Hindi on its left and right hand sides, respectively. The top of the school gate had a moon-star emblem.
Entrance gate of ‘Garib Nawaz School’
We had hardly travelled about 2 kilometres from Garib Nawaz School when we noticed a large green madarsa next to the road. This madarsa, situated in a village panchayat named Odajhar, was two stories tall. Locals informed us that hundreds of children from the neighbourhood have been studying in this madarsa. A board placed outside it read, ‘Madarsa Darul Uloom’ in Arabic. As we looked around we noticed a green Islamic flag placed on the road next to this madarsa.
Madarsa Darul Uloom
We had just walked about 200 metres when we noticed another shrine built near to the road. This shrine was also green in colour, and a boundary wall was built around it. Though the structure resembled that of an Idgah, a mosque-style minaret also towered behind it.
The Idgah spotted near the aforementioned Madarsa in Odajhar Bazar
Mazars and Mosques in deserted locations
We had just passed through Odajhar when we noticed a new tomb on the right side of the road, completely abandoned. We noticed a lot of green flags around the tomb. The mazar was built in a field and some locals we met, claimed that the village was roughly a half-kilometre away from this place. The Himalayan range was clearly visible from behind this mazar.
The Mazar spotted in a deserted field
We had just moved a half-kilometre away from this tomb when we noticed a mosque near the Nepal border. This mosque was built about a kilometre away from the main road and was white in colour. The border’s forest zones began after this settlement.
Mosque near the Nepal border
By now, it was getting dark but we kept moving ahead. We were in Karonda village and had only travelled about 100 metres from the previous mosque when we noticed another mosque in the same border region. This mosque was also spotted near the mountains on the Nepalese border, roughly 1 kilometre from the main road. Its tower was visible from a considerable distance.
Mazar right next to the main road
We must have driven no more than 2 minutes after leaving Karaunda hamlet, where we saw at least two mosques and one mazar, we came across another mazar built right next to the highway road. This mazar was built right on the sidewalk, on a completely deserted part of the road, with a vast field behind it. It was made of concrete and surrounded by multiple Islamic flags. The tomb was surrounded by green sheets that took up a lot of space.
Mazar on the sidewalk on the highway road
Religious Islamic flags flying on roofs
We travelled from Karonda village to Piprahwa market, where religious flags and distinctive Islamic symbols could be found on the rooftops of numerous houses. These flags could be found not just atop houses but also on top of shops and other commercial establishments.
Islamic flags could be found not just atop houses, shops and commercial establishments
We spotted a mosque with two minarets at Piprahwa Bazaar. This mosque was around 100 metres from the main road.
Masjid situated in heart of Piprahwa market
Another mosque found in a desolate location
We had hardly walked one kilometre from Piprahwa Bazar when we observed another two-story mosque in another village near the Nepal border. According to the locals, there were fields surrounding this mosque and the area was always peaceful. The mountains of Nepal’s border can also be seen from here. People reported that leopards and other wild animals frequented this region.
Majid in an isolated area in Nepal border
Madarsa and masjid placed adjacent to each other
We were driving towards Harraiya on a route near the Nepali border, Prem Nagar Market was visible from this road. We noticed a mosque with a minaret in the heart of the bazaar. Locals told us that there is a madrasa immediately beyond this mosque, where hundreds of students study.
More Islamic worship places are found within villages than on roads
When we finished exploring Prem Nagar Bazaar, it was already dark. We had headed 15 kilometres further from the Tulsipur market when locals warned us not to go any further in the middle of the night because it was a forest area.
They confirmed that a chain of Islamic shrines stretched from Nepal’s border to Sirsia and beyond and that numerous more mosques and madarsas had sprung in regions away from the main road.
At this point, we returned to Balrampur city, heeding their warning not to travel any further at night.
A creeping Islamisation of Nepal and its border areas appears to be underway, with Islamists steadily establishing their foothold in distant villages, including those on the Indian border. In the first four parts of this series, OpIndia documented the demography change ongoing in Nepal, as well as the worrying surge in the number of mosques and madarsas in the Himalayan nation’s border villages. Additionally, we also spoke about the rising incidents of love jihad in Nepal, as well as its Delhi connection and smuggling, and various other notorious activities that are going on along India’s border with Nepal.
On September 17, a private university named Chandigarh University, located in Mohali, Punjab, saw a massive protest by students after it was revealed that a female student allegedly filmed 60+ female students in the hostel while they were bathing and sent the videos to a person in Shimla. The reports related to the incident started making headlines the following day with information about rumoured suicide attempts by at least eight female students of the University, out of which one was said to be dead.
Police and University have denied the claims of 60+ videos being leaked and girls attempting suicide. Furthermore, the media and students have been asked not to spread any message without confirming. As of now, three people, including the accused female student, her friend from Shimla, and another person from Shimla, have been arrested by Mohali Police. They were presented in court and have since been remanded to 7-day custody. Here is a look at how the events unfolded in a scandal that has rocked the nation.
How it all started?
On September 17, it came to light that a female student of Chandigarh University was allegedly caught by fellow students living in the girls’ hostel while filming another student taking a bath. Another claim was made that a few female students found out that their videos that were recorded while they were taking baths have gone viral on social media. Some social media accounts claimed that those students allegedly saw the videos. These claims could not be independently verified.
The accused student was questioned by the female students as well as by the warden, videos of which went viral on social media. In the first video, the warden can be seen questioning the accused student who asked her to make the video. She also instructed her to write an ‘apology letter’ and said she would be suspended from the University.
The girl informs the warden that she allegedly sent the videos to a man from Shimla. The warden questioned why she was “afraid” of the guy to the extent that she “disgraced” other female students of the University. It is noteworthy that the accused girl did not deny recording other girls in front of the warden.
1/N चंडीगढ़ यूनिवर्सिटी में पूरी रात हॉस्टल की लड़कियों के अश्लील वायरल वीडियो को लेकर मचा रहा हंगामा।
In the second video, the girls from the hostel could be seen confronting the accused girl. They questioned her why she made the video. “You must be under pressure. Tell us what happened. Calm down. We understand your situation, but you have to tell us,” said the girls. The accused girl showed the photograph of the person to whom she allegedly sent the videos. The girls told the accused girl that the matter would reach the Police.
2/N
जिस लड़की ने वीडियो बनाए, उसने इसी लड़के को वीडियो भेजने की बात कही है।
Journalist Shbhankar Mishra shared a series of videos on the matter. In the third video, a girl could be seen being rushed to an ambulance by Police officials. The students of the University alleged that multiple girls tried to commit suicide following the incident and the girl that was being carried by the Police officials was one of them. However, Police and later University denied those claims.
3/N
छात्रों का कहना है कि घटना से आहत कुछ लड़कियों ने आत्महत्या का प्रयास किया जिसमें 1 लड़की की मौत हो गई।
Students started protesting in Chandigarh University
After the students came to know what had happened at the University, they came out in large numbers and started protesting outside the University gate and around the hostel where the incident took place. The University, which was allegedly trying to suppress the matter, finally called the Police to control the students. Upon arrival, the Police tried to talk to the students, which further irked them, and they allegedly overturned a few PCR vans.
The Police used lathi charge to disperse the crowd. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the Police kept trying to calm the agitating students down, but the situation kept getting more and more tense.
The ‘clarifications’ from the Police and University administration
On Sunday (September 18), Police made multiple statements and denied the reports that the accused girl sent videos of other girls to the person in Shimla. Mohali SSP Vivek Soni said, “So far in our investigation, we have found out that there is only one video of the accused herself. She has not recorded any other video of anyone else. Even the [accused] student did not say that she made someone else’s video. Electronic devices and mobile phones have been taken into custody and will be sent for forensic examination today itself.”
Further talking to the media, SSP Soni said, “No suicide attempt or death has taken place. One student who was taken in an ambulance was suffering from anxiety, and our team is in contact with her. Apart from the video of one student, no other video has come to our notice.”
When asked why FIR was registered if no other girl’s video was leaked, SSP Soni said, “When we were informed about the incident, it was said that there might be videos of other girls as well. We were bound to initiate the investigation as per the law. Filing an FIR does not mean the accused is guilty. It is a standard procedure that we follow to initiate an investigation.”
Speaking about the protests, SSP Soni said protests happened because of the rumours. “We cannot give clean chit to anyone before completing the investigation,” he added. SSP Soni also urged media and social media users to restrain from publishing anything without verification.
Chandigarh University also backed the police statement
The Chandigarh University administration has also claimed that the reports of suicide attempts by girls are baseless and that no student attempted suicide. They also said there were no multiple videos of other girls, and the accused girl had recorded her own videos.
Speaking to the media, Chandigarh University officials said, “There are rumours that seven girls have committed suicide whereas the fact is that no girl has attempted any such step. No girl has been admitted to hospital in the incident.” They further added, “All the rumors of objectionable videos shot of other girl students are totally false and baseless. No videos were found of any student except a personal video shot by a girl which was shared by her with her boyfriend.”
Speaking to the media, the authorities said, “Some girls fainted during agitation, and medical attention was provided to those students.” Furthermore, the University authorities said that the investigation of videos had been taken up by the Police. “The University itself had reported to the Police about the matter. Police are investigating the matter, and FIR has been registered under IT Act and other relevant Sections. More information will be provided by the Police after the detailed investigation.”
Pro-Chancellor Dr RS Bawa also released a statement later on Sunday refuting all the claims made in reports and by the students. He said, “There are rumours that seven girls allegedly attempted suicide. The fact is, no girl attempted such a step. No girl was hospitalized. Another rumour suggested that 60 objectionable MMS has been found of different students. This is totally false and baseless.”
The reaction of the leaders
Several leaders of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and opposition leaders released statements on the matter. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “I humbly request all the students of Chandigarh University to remain calm, no one guilty will be spared. It’s a very sensitive matter and relates to the dignity of our sisters and daughters. We all, including media, should be very, very cautious, it is also test of ours now as a society.”
I humbly request all the students of Chandigarh University to remain calm, no one guilty will be spared.
It’s a very sensitive matter & relates to dignity of our sisters & daughters.
We all including media should be very very cautious,it is also test of ours now as a society.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann described the event as unfortunate and ordered a high-level probe. He said, “Sad to hear about the incident at Chandigarh University…Our daughters are our pride…have ordered a high-level inquiry into the incident..Whoever is guilty will face strict action. I am constantly in touch with the administration. I appeal to all of you to avoid rumours.”
चंडीगढ़ यूनिवर्सिटी की घटना सुनकर दुख हुआ…हमारी बेटियां हमारी शान हैं…घटना की उच्च स्तरीय जांच के आदेश दे दिए हैं..जो भी दोषी होगा सख्त कार्रवाई करेंगे…
मैं लगातार प्रशासन के संपर्क में हूं…मैं आप सब से अपील करता हूं कि अफवाहों से बचें… https://t.co/kgEGszUhAq
BJP leader Kirron Kher said, “I am morally shaken by the ghastly incident at Chandigarh University. The name of my city is being tarnished due to this institute. I want to clarify that it is based in Kharar, Punjab. My heartfelt concern goes out to the girls & their parents who are a victim of this incident.”
I am morally shaken by the ghastly incident at #ChandigarhUniversity. The name of my city is being tarnished due to this institute. I want to clarify that it is based in Kharar, Punjab. My heartfelt concern goes out to the girls & their parents who are a victim of this incident.
ABVP Delhi also tweeted about the incident and said, “The incident of Chandigarh University hostel is very shameful and condemnable, the government should give strict punishment to the culprits behind this incident by conducting a fair investigation at the earliest.”
The incident of Chandigarh University hostel is very shameful and condemnable, the government should give strict punishment to the culprits behind this incident by conducting a fair investigation at the earliest.#ChandigarhUniversity
BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “The issue of the viral video of Chandigarh University is a sensitive matter, and Punjab Police should take it seriously. It should be investigated thoroughly, and perpetrators must be held accountable. I urge all to support the girls. IT cell should keep a watch on those circulating the clips.”
The issue of #viralvideo of #ChandigarhUniversity is a sensitive matter & @PunjabPoliceInd should take it seriously. It shd be investigated thoroughly & perpetrators must be held accountable. I urge all to support the girls. IT cell shd keep a watch on those circulating the clips pic.twitter.com/SVqKGn8uyS
The accused girl was already arrested by the Police, and details of the person to whom she allegedly sent the videos were sent to Himachal Pradesh Police. One person was arrested, and another was detained by Himachal Pradesh Police. The person arrested was identified as 23-year-old Sunny Mehta, and the person detained was identified as 31-year-old Rankaj Verma. The Police teams from Rohru and Dhalli worked under SP Dr Monika and Shimla to nab the accused. They were later handed over to the Punjab Police team.
FIR in the case
FIR under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the IT Act was registered against the accused.
According to the Police FIR, a few girls suspected that the accused was filming six girls in the washroom. After interrogating the girl, the warden went to the hostel manager Ritu to inform her about the case. The accused was taken to the manager, where she refuted the claims. When they checked her phone, the photos and videos were found to be deleted.
During the meeting, the accused student was questioned if she had filmed and sent videos, to which she answered in the negative. There were no videos found on the accused’s phone when it was examined. Suspicions were aroused since the accused continued to receive calls and messages from a person throughout the episode.
The manager asked the accused to receive the call and put it on speaker. The accused was then asked to ask the caller to send screenshots of their chat. As the caller sent the screenshots of the chat, it became evident that videos were sent to the person, and subsequently, she confessed. The accused then said that she made the videos and then sent them to her friend Sunny in Shimla. It was after this confirmation that the manager reached out to the Police.
Video found on accused mobile, all three sent to Police remand
As per reports, two videos have been found in the mobiles of the accused that will now be sent for a forensic probe. One video is that of the accused girl, while the other one is of some other girl, ANI quoted the accused’s lawyer Sandeep Sharma as confirming to the media. All 3 have been sent to 7 days police remand.
Chandigarh University issue | All 3 have been sent on 7-day police remand. Their mobiles will be sent for forensic probe. 2 videos have been found. One is of the accused girl & other is of some other girl. A boy was blackmailing the girl: Sandeep Sharma, Advocate of the accused https://t.co/xJyBqY9ycVpic.twitter.com/0nC6nwD2zj
It is unclear why University and Police kept on claiming that the accused only sent her own videos to the person. The students continued protesting over the matter till 1:30 AM on September 19 and ended the protests after the administration agreed to their demands.
The Delhi High Court has refused to stay criminal proceedings against Tahir Hussain, one of the prime accused of the horrifying riots that took place in the national capital in 2020.
Hussain had filed an application seeking a stay of proceedings in FIRs against him in connection with the north-east Delhi riots, alleging that multiple FIRs have been filed for the same offences and facts arising from the same cause of action.
The accused pleaded for clubbing of FIRs lodged under Sections 109, 114, 109, 114, 147, 148, 149, 153A, 323, 392, 395, 427, 436, 454, 505, 120B, 32 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 25, 27 of the Arms Act, all registered in Khajuri Khas police station.
Leaning on the Supreme Court’s judgments, Hussain argued that he should not be subjected to a fresh police investigation in the same incident as it would amount to a violation of his rights under Article 20(3) of the Indian Constitution which says, “No person accused of any offence shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.”
However, the court of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta rejected his application saying, “No directions for a stay of criminal proceedings are passed, at this stage.”
The court listed the matter to be heard for January 25, 2023.
On Friday (May 6) this year, a Delhi court framed charges against former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain in connection to the Delhi Anti-Hindu riots of 2020.
The Court observed that Tahir Hussain was an active participant in the riots and not a mute spectator. It was hearing a petition filed by a man named Karan, whose godown was gutted by a frenzied mob led by Tahir Hussain in the Khajuri Khas in the Chand Bagh area of Delhi.
The Court stated that Hussain and 5 others, namely, Shoaib, Gulfam, Javed, Firoz and Anas had an agreement to engage in arson and vandalism of properties belonging to the Hindu community. As such, the former AAP councillor had made ‘elaborate preparations’ to ensure that his plans became a reality.
Role of Tahir Hussain in Delhi riots
It is notable to mention that Tahir Hussain had earlier confessed in a disclosure statement that he chose his own house as a launchpad for the riots. Given that his house was a high-rise building and was under construction at that time, it was easy to collect stones and bricks without raising any suspicion.
He confessed that he and his co-conspirators had started collecting stones, bricks and other ammunition, well in advance so that they could teach those, who were in support of the CAA, a lesson when the time was right. To that end, 2-3 days before the riots broke out, he had also got his licensed pistol released from the police station.
The Enforcement Directorate said on Monday that it had attached assets worth Rs 48.22 crore “beneficially owned” by former TMC minister Partha Chatterjee and his aide Arpita Mukherjee as part of a money laundering investigation into the West Bengal teachers’ recruitment scam.
The attached properties include 40 immovable assets such as a farmhouse, flats, and “prime land” in Kolkata worth a total of Rs 40.33 crore, as well as Rs 7.89 crore in deposits held in 35 bank accounts. With this, the total attachment/seizure is Rs 103.10 crore in this case.
ED has provisionally attached properties worth Rs. 48.22 Cr. in the Teachers Recruitment Scam in West Bengal. The attached properties are found to be beneficially owned by Partha Chatterjee and Arpita Mukherjee. With this, total attachment/seizure is Rs. 103.10 Cr. in this case.
The agency further said that several of the associated properties were registered in the names of shell companies and individuals acting as proxies for Chatterjee.
Earlier on July 22, ED conducted a raid on the properties of West Bengal Minister Partha Chatterjee as part of an investigation in this case and seized a total of Rs 49.80 crore, and gold and jewellery valued at more than Rs 5.08 crore from two premises belonging to Arpita Mukherjee.
On July 23, the Enforcement Directorate detained the former minister in West Bengal’s Mamata Banerjee-led government and his close associate Arpita Mukherjee.
‘Worked on party orders, top leaders involved’: Ex-TMC Partha Chatterjee spills the beans about the huge cache of cash found
Notably, days after the arrest of Partha Chatterjee, the former Trinamool Congress (TMC) Minister confessed to the involvement of the party’s top leadership in the School Service Commission (SSC) scam. During the course of interrogation, he told investigators that everyone in the TMC including top party leadership was privy to his activities. He alleged that fellow TMC members were aware that money was collected in exchange for providing government school jobs to ineligible candidates.
Partha Chatterjee has been placed in the Presidency Central Correctional Home’s high-security Poila Baish section. This particular section in the prison is under 24×7 surveillance. High-profile criminals including the American Centre attack mastermind Aftab Ansari are housed in this section.
On the other hand, Arpita Mukherjee, co-accused in the case, was housed in the Alipur Women’s Central Correctional Home is located five minutes away from the Presidency Central Correctional Home.
SSC Scam
The West Bengal Teacher’s recruitment scam, more commonly referred to as the SSC scam, looks into the recruitment process conducted through the State Level Selection Test (SLT) conducted by SSC from 2014 to 2016.
The West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) announced in 2014 that teachers would be hired at state-run schools in West Bengal through the State Level Selection Test (SLST), which is when the alleged scam first surfaced. In 2016, the hiring process got underway. At that time, Partha Chatterjee was the Minister-in-Charge of the West Bengal Department of Higher Education and School Education. Nevertheless, a number of complaints were submitted to the Calcutta High Court citing irregularities in the hiring procedure.
The petitioners alleged that many examinees who got lesser marks ranked high on the merit list. Several claims also surfaced regarding the receipt of appointment letters by some applicants who weren’t even on the merit list.
Leicester City in England’s East Midlands region has witnessed a sharp increase in targeted attacks against the Hindu community. The orgy of violence by Islamists began soon after India clinched victory against Pakistan in the group stage match of the Asia Cup on August 28.
According to a Hindu organisation (@INSIGHTUK2), a casual banter between Indian fans and Pakistani supporters turned serious when the latter snatched and disrespected the Indian tricolour. The man, dressed in black, was seen pushing and shoving Indian supporters who came on his way.
28th Aug: After a #INDvsPAK2022 cricket match rival fans bantered. Such banter is commonly seen amongst boisterous football fans too, it was non-religious & became serious only when an individual supporting the #Pakistan cricket team snatched and disrespected the #India flag. pic.twitter.com/GsVWalGoVb
Soon after, the police took cognisance of the matter but added to the raging misinformation by Islamists that religious slurs were hurled in Hindi.
In a letter to the Leicester Council of Faiths on August 31 this year, Chief Inspector Paul Allen falsely claimed that a small group of people called for the death of Muslims and Pakistan. He alleged that the provocative slogans were raised in Hindi, indicating that it must have been the handiwork of the Indian Hindu diaspora.
His email, the transcript of which has now gone viral on social media, was in reference to a minor scuffle that took place in Belgrave Road of Leicester. The grave assertion made by police chief Paul Allen gave a free licence to Islamists to unleash havoc on the Hindu community.
We know there are concerns in the community and we are working to identify those responsible for the disorder and racist remarks after the cricket match on Sunday evening – a statement from the force: pic.twitter.com/nLAaaqV1gP
On the following day i.e. September 1, he issued a clarification on the matter and rubbished his own claims. He said, “On Tuesday (August 28) afternoon it was reported that the chanting which had taken place, some of which was captured on video and was circulated on social media, included the phrases (in Hindi) “Death to Pakistan” and “death to Muslims”.
“We have investigated this and can find no verifiable evidence that there were any chants of “death to Muslims”. This is significant in terms of the context and I would encourage you to share this with interested parties,” Paul Allen stated on September 1, 2022. However, it was too late by then.
India and Pakistan again met at the Super 4 stage of the Asia Cup. After Pakistan succeeded in settling scores on the field, its supporters attacked a Hindu home celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi.
“Eggs were thrown into the house, attempted knifing of a young Hindu male and his aunt was punched on the nose when she came to save him. The incident took place while guests were arriving for the Ganpati Darshan,” informed Insight UK.
The accused men also received overwhelming support from their co-religionists on social media.
The incident took place while guests were arriving for Ganesh (#Ganpati) darshan. Instead of condemning the incident, many Muslims on social media and beyond have made light of the fact that eggs were thrown – yet this is comparable to pork being thrown at a mosque. pic.twitter.com/aYRtYgINse
The Leicester Police again took cognisance of the matter. Both Hindu and Muslim leaders made a joint appeal on September 5 in the hopes of restoring peace in the city.
Screengrab of the tweets by the poli
“Hindus listened to their leaders but 100s of Muslims, some from outside Leicester gathered & orchestrated approx 50 Hindu hate attacks. 1 Hindu youth was stabbed & another barely escaped. Hindu homes attacked, windows broken & Bhagwa flag debased,” informed the Twitter handle.
Hindus listened to their leaders but 100s of Muslims, some from outside Leicester gathered & orchestrated approx 50 Hindu hate attacks. 1 Hindu youth was stabbed & another barely escaped. Hindu homes attacked, windows broken & Bhagwa dhwaj debased. pic.twitter.com/VVrGmrO5m8
The orgy of violence did not stop. Homes, cars and properties belonging to the Hindu community, which were easily identifiable with sacred symbols, were damaged.
While speaking to Opindia, research scholar Sarah L Gates said, “This was a planned clean out aka religious cleansing. They want to purge Hindus.”
Yet another video of Pakistani Islamist organised gangs targeting Hindu houses in #Leicester, UK. What is the UK Government and Police doing about it? Shameful. Disgusting. Scary. Yet not surprising. pic.twitter.com/M0qaEmz3MY
In order to control the situation, Chief Superintendent Adam Slonecki granted dispersal and stop search powers to the police. “Incidents of violence will not be tolerated and the orders have been authorised to protect our communities and provide safety to those living in the area,” it said in a statement.
On September 16, the police informed that a total of 27 people were arrested in connection with the violence.
A total of 27 arrests have now been made as part of our policing operation in the East Leicester area.
Recently, a Hindu temple came under attack by Islamists in Leicester. In a viral video, one extremist was seen uprooting a saffron flag affixed to the temple structure.
What appears to be a Hindu temple being targeted in Leicester as running street battles continue into the early hours.#Leicesterpic.twitter.com/C2EfQXJNfz
In a statement, the police said, “Several incidents al violence and damage have been reported to the police and are being investigated. We are aware of a video circulating showing a man pulling down a flag outside a religious building on Melton Road, Leicester.”
“This appears to have taken place while police officers were dealing with public disorder in the area. The Incident will be investigated. Two arrests Were Made…They remain In police custody,” it added.
Meanwhile, the Islamists resorted to making outlandish claims to deviate public discourse from the targeted attacks on Hindus. One of the conspiracy theories peddled by the extremists was that a copy of the Quran was ‘ripped apart’ by Hindutva supporters.
This account says they saw vids of a Koran ripped up in Leicester by Hindutva pussies. There are countless threats to come there from outside and sort the Hindus out. This is not abating. pic.twitter.com/gBPVWhsnGQ
Another fake news that gained traction in Islamist circles was the story of an RSS ideologue, who supposedly tried to kidnap a 15-year-old Muslim girl. After dubbing the man as a paedophile, Islamists even leaked his address on Facebook. Later, it turned out to be fake news.
“A full investigation has been carried out. Following extensive inquiries, we have established that the incident did not take place and no offence was committed, “Leicester police informed on September 14.
Islamists also tried to use the troupe of provocation to justify their attacks on the Hindu community. They claimed that Hindus raised anti-Islamic slogans whereas they only chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and ‘Vande Mataram.’
Third Claim: Another claim that Hindu mobs #vandalised the local mosque while shouting anti-Islamic slogans was widely circulated on social media.
Fact: Police confirmed that no such incident took place. Instead, Indian flags were vandalised by Islamists previously.
Sarah L gates also pointed out how the police did not act against an Instagram handle (@1100786x), belonging to one Dutch Raja of Birmingham. In an Instagram story, he was seen advocating violence against Hindus and asking Muslims and Sikhs to come together and teach ‘RSS Hindutva extremists’, a lesson.
The police did not put this guy in the clink. They must want a race war in Leicester. They knew and did not stop them. Good luck Hindus. Your leadership is not working. pic.twitter.com/1ntFmsI6f6
Muslim activist Majid Freeman, who has been at the helm of this disinformation campaign about Hindu mobs attacking Muslims, was even fact-checked by the Leicester Police. However, this did not stop the British Broadcasting Channel (BBC) from interviewing him and setting the narrative in favour of the perpetrators.
A @LeicsPolice statement has confirmed that Majid Freeman lied about Hindus acting against Muslims in Leicester. Why are the BBC interviewing someone who has already been proven a liar? Why no interview of the Hindu community who suffered the attacks from #Islamists for weeks? pic.twitter.com/tBHDu9FkEz
Hindus in Leicester are now at the mercy of the police for their safety. With motivated news publications and Islamist groups portraying them as the perpetrators, they are left to fend for themselves.
Two days after protests broke out in Chandigarh University over a student allegedly filming her hostel mates changing clothes and taking showers, two videos have been found in the mobiles of the accused that will now be sent for a forensic probe. One video is that of the accused girl while the other one is of some other girl, ANI quoted the accused’s lawyer Sandeep Sharma as confirming to the media.
Chandigarh University issue | All 3 have been sent on 7-day police remand. Their mobiles will be sent for forensic probe. 2 videos have been found. One is of the accused girl & other is of some other girl. A boy was blackmailing the girl: Sandeep Sharma, Advocate of the accused https://t.co/xJyBqY9ycVpic.twitter.com/0nC6nwD2zj
Notably, the Mohali Police and the Chandigarh university had maintained that the accused girl shared videos only of herself, and they did not find videos of any other girl on her mobile in the preliminary investigation.
Meanwhile, all the three arrested accused, which include two men and one female student from the college itself, have been sent to 7-day police remand. Additionally, Chandigarh University officials have suspended two hostel wardens, including one who can be seen in the video that was allegedly leaked.
On September 18, the third accused in the Chandigarh University Video Leak case was detained from Shimla. The 31-year-old man was the second accused held by the Police from Himachal Pradesh. Earlier, the accused female student of the University and a 23-year-old man from Shimla were arrested by the Police.
Meanwhile, on the intervening night of September 18 and September 19, the Chandigarh University students ended their protests after Police and University administration assured to fulfill their demands. The students had been protesting over the alleged video leak case where a female student at the University allegedly sent nude videos of other female students to a man in Shimla.
The Chandigarh University video leak case
On September 18, it was reported that a girl student of Chandigarh University allegedly sent a nude video of around 60 female students to a man in Shimla. Reports further suggested around eight female students attempted suicide, and one of them died. However, Mohali Police and later University Administration released multiple statements refuting the claims. They said that the accused sent her videos only to the person, and no other girls’ videos were sent or found on the recovered devices. They also refuted the claims that girls committed suicide and said no one had died. A couple of girls fainted during the demonstrations and were rushed to the hospital.
Chandigarh University is a private university based in Mohali, Punjab, about 20 kms from Chandigarh, the state capital of Punjab and Haryana.
Several recent reports indicate that the demographics along the Nepal-India border are quickly changing. The number of mosques and madrasas is steadily growing. The OpIndia team toured the border areas from August 20 to August 27, 2022, to assess the ground reality of the demographic change in the area. We have been reporting what we have witnessed in chronological order. This is the fourteenth report in the series.
In the last report, we highlighted the Mazars, mosques, and madrasas erected along the route leading from Balrampur district headquarters to the Nepal-Badhni border. In this report, we interviewed local people and elected authorities. They all agreed that, in addition to the Islamic places of worship in Nepal’s border areas, the population of the Muslim community has grown dramatically in recent years.
‘Anyone who denies any aspect of Islam is a Kafir’
We came across two madrassa students while we were having our vehicles fueled on a petrol pump near Gainsdi. They were each about ten years old. They both stated to be natives of Bankatwa village. They both stated that they are studying the Quran. When we asked them what a Kafir is, they answered that anyone who denies any aspect of Islam (Deen) is a ‘Kafir.’
The children we spoke with.
No Hindu head in Ranwari village since independence
We halted for a bit at the village of Ranwari on the Balrampur-Tulsipur road. We met Anoop Pandey, the husband of Gram Pradhan of Bhagwanpur village, who had arrived there for some business. Anoop’s wife is the Pradhan of Bhagwanpur, a village adjacent to Ranwari. Anup Pandey stated that 80% of the people in his adjacent village Ranwari are Muslims.
With this, he stated that, even after independence, Ranwari has never been able to elect a Hindu head of the village. According to Anoop, the village of Ranwari is dominated by Muslims, and Hindus live in terror. He stated that the village has a population of 2645 individuals, with around 600 Hindus, out of which most people are from backward castes.
Saudi return Muslims create a fuss
According to Anoop Pandey, while the Hindus and Muslims of the village have lived in harmony in the past, in recent years, the new generation of Muslims, especially the ones who return from Saudi Arabia, have been inclined towards radicalisation and Islamism, creating rifts with the local Hindus.
Anoop Pandey.
According to Anoop, Ranwari village has three mosques and three madrasas. He went on to say that there is a huge difference between the previous Samajwadi Party government and the current Yogi government. He stated that Hindus feel protected under this regime.
Attempts to construct Islamic places of worship in a village with no Muslims
Anoop Pandey stated that there are no Muslims in his village of Bhagwanpur, but an attempt was previously made to construct a mosque there. He also stated that the mosque could not be erected owing to residents’ resistance. Anoop, on the other hand, stated that Karbala was already constructed in his village, where an attempt was made to erect a Mazar.
We are safe under the present government in the state
Mangal, a Dalit resident of Ranwari village, spoke with OpIndia. He told us that he is safe since Yogi Ji is in the state. He also emphasized the existence of other Hindu-majority villages nearby as factors for his safety. Mangal said that under the previous government, their lives were all at risk.
Mangal.
Increase in the Muslim population and mushrooming of Islamic places of worship
In Tulsipur, we met CP Mishra, a journalist from the Balrampur district. During our conversation, he said unequivocally that the Muslim population in Balrampur district had grown faster than the Hindu population. Along with this, CP Mishra informed us that while Islamic religious places were hardly visible in the district throughout his childhood, they are now visible everywhere.
CP Mishra.
Loudspeakers still intact in mosques
Saroj Kumar Mishra, the brother of the village head of Ganeshpur Dhawai, which borders the Pachpedwa police station area of Balrampur, spoke with us. He admitted that the Muslim population and places of worship in Nepal’s border areas had grown substantially in recent years. He stated that while the law and order situation has definitely improved under Yogi government, there are still issues. He added that despite government action, local mosques still use loudspeakers for azan.
The Muslim population increased from 30% to 50% in the village
Saroj Mishra, approximately 40 years old, informed us that in his childhood in his village Ganeshpur Dhawai, Hindus were around 70% and Muslims were around 30%, but currently the ratio is 50-50. Mishra informed us that under previous regimes, even Durga Puja music was halted at the time of Azan. He said that at that point, the generator had to be turned off and the battery tweezers had to be removed.
Saroj Mishra informed us that Muslims in his region get funds from cities such as Hyderabad in order to carry out Islamic religious activities. According to him, this contribution is only made to a few people. Saroj further stated that Azaan’s voice may still be heard via loudspeakers. According to Mishra, it sometimes appears that we are in Pakistan and not in India.
Saroj told us that when they celebrated Durga Puja for the first time in 2009, there was a dispute. According to Mishra, the Bahujan Samaj Party was in power at the time, and the MLA for his constituency was Alauddin. Saroj stated that at the moment, an announcement was made from the mosque in front of the police to grab weapons and not allow the idol to be installed. Mishra stated that the goddess was placed in the village despite widespread opposition from Muslims.
Saroj Mishra(Right) with OpIndia team.
Saroj Mishra, recalling the 2009 event, stated that then-BSP MLA Alauddin was backing the opponents behind this conspiracy. He stated that at the time, the police seized the idol of Maa Durga which they got released after an order from the High Court.
According to Saroj Mishra, the placement of the Durga idol for puja was a source of contention in the village for approximately 5 years before it became normal. He stated that he is still unable to roam with the idol in their own village due to the existence of a mosque. Saroj stated that there is roughly 40% Hindu population that lives beyond the mosque, yet the police still do not allow the idol to be passed around the mosque.
After speaking with Saroj Mishra, we travelled a little farther towards Gainsari, only to see a procession of idol immersion at a site called Rajderwa. There were slogans of Jai Shri Ram in the procession, in which women and children also participated. We were told that they are going to immerse the idol of Lord Krishna after Janmashtami. Police were also seen escorting the procession. We then spoke with the organiser of the puja.
75% Muslims and 25% Hindus in Rajderwa
Krishnadev Yadav, who led the procession, informed us that he is from Rajderwa, where Muslims make up 75% of the population and Hindus make up 25%. He stated that the village’s leader was the wife of one Akram. Krishnadev lost the Panchayat election. He stated that 870 of the 1560 voters in the village were Muslims.
Procession in Rajderwa.
Krishnadev said he is a supporter of Bulldozer Baba since the Hindus in the area had several challenges before the formation of this government. When we inquired about the issues, he stated that in previous regimes, religious processions were not permitted. With this, he said that no one used to pay heed to their problems but now the administration listens to them promptly.
Rapid increase in the Muslim population on the Nepal border
Krishnadev Yadav told us that the population of Muslims on the Nepal-India border is growing significantly. According to Krishnadev Yadav, there was not always such a large Muslim population or as many mosques and madrasas. He stated that this was not the status of the populace and houses of worship in this area when he was a youngster. One member in the crowd also mentioned the influx of Rohingya Muslims into the region.
Another participant in the procession, Dharmendra Yadav, stated that he formerly supported the Samajwadi Party but was persecuted by Muslims during that tenure. Now, Dharmendra Yadav, who calls himself a Yogi fan, openly talked of re-electing Narendra Modi in 2024. Others in the procession said that the policy of 4 to 14 of Muslims had resulted in a rapid one-sided population expansion.
The Indian High Commission in London on Monday in a strongly worded note has condemned the violence perpetrated against the Indian community in the UK.
In its statement, the HCI London also pointed out the vandalisation of premises and symbols of Hindu religion. The HCI have strongly taken up the matter with the UK authorities and sought immediate action against those involved in the attacks. The HCI also called upon authorities to provide protection to those affected by this violence.
Leicester violence
In August 2022 after India vs Pakistan match in Asia Cup when India defeated Pakistan, Islamists mob had reportedly attacked Hindus in Leicester after a scuffle during celebration by the Indian community. A week later, the violence had repeated where the Islamists attacked Hindus for days, starting from the 4th of September. Subsequently, the Indian community in UK, especially Leicester, has been victim of Islamist mob reportedly vandalising and desecrating Hindu symbols. However, certain section of the ‘liberal’ and leftist media along with Islamists and their apologists have been trying to paint the Indian community, especially Hindus, as aggressors.
