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Serum Institute’s Covid-19 vaccine Covovax approved for children in the age group of 12 to 17 years

OpIndia Staff
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Serum Institute’s Covid-19 vaccine Covovax approved for children in the age group of 12 to 17 years

National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI), on Friday 29th April 2022, approved Serum Institute’s anti-COVID-19 vaccine, Covovax, for children in the age group of 12 to 17 years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently stressed the need to vaccinate all eligible children at the earliest through special campaigns in schools, calling it a priority for the government.

Times Now reported that the Covovax vaccination course consists of two separate doses of 0.5 ml each. After receiving one dose of the vaccine, the second dose should be administered after 3 weeks. Protection against COVID-19 starts approximately 7 days after the second dose of Covovax ao individuals will be fully protected after 7 days of the second dose. The Covovax vaccine will be given as an intramuscular (IM) injection only, preferably in the deltoid muscle.

On 17th December 2021, the World Health Organisation(WHO) approved the emergency use of Serum Institute of India’s Covovax, a vaccine developed by the Serum Institute of India (SII) in partnership with the US-based Novavax, for showing excellent safety and efficacy. With this approval, Covovax became the 9th Covid-19 vaccine to be permitted for emergency use, providing a boost to ongoing efforts to vaccinate people in lower-income countries.

Covovax is a subunit of the vaccine developed by Novavax and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). It is stable at 2 to 8 °C refrigerated temperatures. The vaccine uses a novel platform and is produced by creating an engineered baculovirus containing a gene for a modified SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

In an interview with news agency ANI earlier this month, Serum Institute of India (SII) CEO Adar Poonawala said that the Covovax will be used for children. He said, “It has been approved by DCGI and we’re waiting for the Government of India to allow us to put it on the CoWIN app to make it available for everyone.”

When asked about the mix-and-match trials of COVID vaccines where Covovax can be used as a booster, Poonawalla said, “We will do that trial. Covovax, in about two or three months, can also be made available as a booster. But at the moment, it is approved for children of the age of 12 and above.” It should be noted that Covovax is the first Covid vaccine made in India and sold in Europe.

Another batch of weapons supplied from Punjab recovered in Maharashtra, 25 swords seized from a vehicle in Nanded

OpIndia Staff
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Another batch of weapons supplied from Punjab recovered in Maharashtra, 25 swords seized from a vehicle in Nanded

Within a month, Maharashtra has witnessed the third incident of recovering arms in heavy numbers. This time, Maharashtra police caught as many as 25 sharpened swords from an autorickshaw in the Gokul Nagar area of Nanded on 29th April 2022. It has been learnt these swords were brought from Amritsar in Punjab for selling in Nanded. The discovery of such a huge quantity of swords has created a stir in Nanded.

The police searched the rickshaw as they suspected while it was passing by the railway station. As many as 25 swords were found in the search. Police detained two persons in connection with the case. A case has been registered at the Shivaji Nagar police station in Nanded. Amidst increasing crimes, guns and deadly weapons are being found in the search operation of the police, but this is the first time that such a huge cache of swords is found.

It is notable that in a similar case that took place earlier this month in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area of Pune, 92 swords were recovered and all of the weapons were brought to Maharashtra from Amritsar. Similarly, 37 swords were recovered in Aurangabad on 30th March 2022, from the office of a courier company in a parcel sent to Akash Patil of Ahmednagar in Maharashtra by someone named Maninder who lives in Punjab.

Therefore, the Maharashtra police are also looking for this ‘supply from Punjab’ angle which is common in the recent sword recoveries. The police are trying to get to its roots. Why are swords coming to the state in such large numbers? Or is it an attempt to incite major violence? These questions have become a major worry for the Maharashtra police. The challenge now is also before the police to stop this as swords are being caught every other day.

Swords caught in Dhule

This is the third time in the month that the Maharashtra police have recovered a huge cache of weapons. Earlier, 90 swords and daggers were recovered from a Scorpio car while it was passing by the Songir village in the Dhule district on 27th April 2022. These swords were brought from Rajasthan and they were being shipped to the Jalna district of Maharashtra. The Dhule police arrested four accused Mohammed Sharif Mohammad Shafiq (age 35), Sheikh Ilyas Sheikh Latif (age 32), Syed Nai Syed Rahim (age 29), and Kapil Dabhade (age 35) in the case. All four are residents of the Jalna district.

Swords caught in Pune

In the Pimpri-Chinchwad of Pune city in Maharashtra, the police had recovered weapons from the godown of a private courier company in the Dighi area on 5th April 2022. The weapons were kept in two wooden boxes. 92 swords, 2 daggers, and 9 knives were recovered. The boxes were allegedly sent by Umesh Sood, a resident of Amritsar, to Anil Hoon, a resident of Aurangabad. The police had registered a case against the duo under the IPC and the Arms Act.

The matter came to light when the courier company employees scanned the parcels through electronic machines on April 1 and found out that swords were being sent via courier. The employees informed the police about the matter. A team of police officials then reached the spot and recovered 92 swords, 2 daggers, and 9 scabbards. The price of all the weapons seized has been estimated at Rs 3.7 lakhs.

The Pimpri Chinchwad Police commissioner informed that the consignment was supposed to be sent to Aurangabad in Maharashtra. The Police had asked the courier companies to scan the parcels carefully after a similar incident had occurred on 30th March 2022.

Weapons caught in Aurangabad in March 2022

The Aurangabad Police on March 30 had confiscated 37 swords and a dagger from the office of a leading courier company. The Police had then begun the investigation in the case to know that the box filled with swords was sent from Maninder, a resident of Punjab to Akash Patil of Ahmednagar. The Police had also booked them under the relevant sections of the IPC and the Arms Act.

It is worth mentioning that amidst the ongoing controversy over azaan and Hanuman Chalisa over loudspeakers in Maharashtra, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray is soon scheduled to hold a public meeting in Aurangabad of Maharashtra. Aurangabad is situated at a distance of 42KM from the Jalna city where the arms caught in the Dhule district were being shipped.

Enforcement Directorate files FIR against Kolkata Police over forged court order in coal scam case involving Mamata Banerjee’s nephew

OpIndia Staff
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Enforcement Directorate files FIR against Kolkata Police over forged court order in coal scam case involving Mamata Banerjee’s nephew

An FIR has been filed with Delhi Crime Branch by Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Kolkata police over forgery and fabrication of a court order. ED has alleged that the Joint Director of ED, Kapil Raj, was forced to provide a voice sample against his consent through a forged court order.

An audio recording allegedly containing ED officials discussing the coal smuggling case against Trinamool Congress MP and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee surfaced in 2021. The audiotape prompted Banerjee to file an FIR against Enforcement Directorate. The case was heard before a magistrate’s court in Kolkata which asked Kapil Raj to provide a voice sample with consent.

However, ED officials claim that in the copy of the order provided to them, the part about consent was removed, which allegedly amounts to forgery and fabrication on the part of the Kolkata police.

Kapil Raj is in-charge of the investigations into the allegations of coal scam against Abhishek Banerjee and ED alleges that he was fraudulently forced to give his voice sample by the Kolkata police.

This is the latest case of central agencies and Bengal police going head to head in what has become a very frequent altercation.

West Bengal coal scam being investigated by Enforcement Directorate

The West Bengal coal scam relates to the illegal mining and transportation of coal from lands belonging to the government-run Eastern Coalfields Limited in the western part of the state. Names of several powerful people, including CM Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee have figured in the 1900 Crores scam.

Sword brandishing Khalistanis do bhangra as police fire in the air to control the mob in Patiala: Watch visual

OpIndia Staff
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Sword brandishing Khalistanis do bhangra as police fire in the air to control the mob in Patiala: Watch visual

On Friday, a Khalistani mob in the Patiala district of Punjab unrelentingly created ruckus as the Police officers fired in the air to disperse the crowd. The supporters were seen performing Bhangra even as the police were firing, blatantly revealing that they did not fear the law and the Police in the state.

Clashes erupted between Khalistan supporters and members of Hindu organisations outside the hallowed Ma Kali Temple in Patiala, Punjab on April 29. The incident took place amid the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march that was carried out by Shiv Sena (Bal Thackeray). The Khalistan supporters attacked the march with stones and swords.

The video of the incident went viral over the internet where the Khalistani supporters could be seen performing Bhangra while the Police officers fired in the air to control the crowd. As reported earlier, the skirmishes escalated after Khalistan supporters raised slogans hailing Khalistan and further attacked the participants of the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march.

Chief Minister Bhagwat Mann condemned the incident and called it ‘deeply unfortunate’. He said that the situation was being closely monitored. “The incidents of clashes in Patiala are deeply unfortunate. I spoke with DGP, peace has been restored in the area. We’re closely monitoring the situation & won’t let anyone create disturbance in the State. Punjab’s peace and harmony is of utmost importance,” CM Mann said on April 29.

Meanwhile, the Patiala range inspector general of police Rakesh Aggarwal said that the situation was being controlled by the Patiala Police and that the Police were planning to conduct a flag march in the city. “We have called force from outside. A Peace committee meeting has been called by the Deputy Commissioner,” he said, adding restoring peace in the area was their priority.

According to the reports, though the Police reached the spot immediately after the riots broke out, several people have been injured in the clashes. Station House Officer Tripathi and Hindu leader, Karmaveer Singh have been severely injured. SHO Tripathi was attacked by Khalistan supporters with a sword. Around 15 rounds of aerial shots were fired by the police to bring the situation under control.

Clashes erupt in Kerala between two factions after Bishop converts Tiruvananthapuram’s MM church into a cathedral: Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
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Clashes erupt in Kerala between two factions after Bishop converts Tiruvananthapuram’s MM church into a cathedral: Here is what happened

A section of Christian protestors clashed with another faction in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram after the Bishop converted the Mateer Memorial Church into a cathedral.

According to reports, on Friday, protests erupted outside the Mateer Memorial Church in the heart of the capital city of Kerala after one faction opposed the decision of the Bishop to convert the 116-year-old church into a cathedral. The two sides clashed with one another in the presence of the police.

MM Church is one of the prominent landmarks in Thiruvananthapuram, located over 16.50 acres in the LMS Compound. Built in 1906, the church is considered one of the oldest in south India.

Reportedly, the 14-member church committee had unanimously passed a resolution against the conversion of the church and protested against the incumbent Bishop A Dharmaraj Rasalam. The church committee allege that Bishop Dharmaraj Rasalam is leading the campaign to convert the church into a cathedral.

A church refers to a Christian house of worship, while a cathedral is a church where the bishop and other priests of churches also reside.

Premchand Johnson, a church committee member, had alleged that the motive behind the conversion was to sabotage the democratic setup prevalent in the MM Church. He alleged that the Bishop wants to construct a shopping complex between the land belonging to the Wills Hostel inside the campus and the CSI Cathedral. Hence, the existing church is being converted into a cathedral to house the parishioners living in these areas. 

However, on Friday, Bishop Rasalam announced that the existing church has been converted into a cathedral evoking a strong reaction from a section. He also dissolved the existing church committee and replaced it with a new body. The bishop has also appointed five priests to replace the current priests.

Meanwhile, Rasalam has claimed that everybody has wanted this elevation since 1959, but it could not take place for various reasons.

“However, on perusal of records, we recently found out that a church committee in 1963 had given its nod for the elevation subject to the clearance of the CSI South Kerala synod. In January, the synod gave its nod, and today we have all assembled here for the elevation function,” said Rasalam.

Reacting to the protests, Bishop Rasalam said 99 per cent of the parishioners of the church were supporting this elevation.

Even as slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ are raised, AAP tries to water down violence in Patiala, shield extremists: What Raghav Chadha said

OpIndia Staff
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Even as slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ are raised, AAP tries to water down violence in Patiala, shield extremists: What Raghav Chadha said

AAP MP Raghav Chadha on Friday downplayed the violence that erupted in Punjab’s Patiala after Khalistani hoodlums went on a rampage, shouting ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ slogans and hurling stones and brandishing swords at the revered Maa Kali Temple.

Even as the clashes broke out between Khalistani supporters and those opposing it, Chadha refrained from holding Khalistanis responsible for the violence and insisted that the skirmishes took place between supporters of opposing political parties.

Speaking to the media, Chadha said, “I want to clarify that this unfortunate violent clash in Patiala today was not between 2 groups but the workers of 2 political parties – on one side, there were people from Shiv Sena & Congress & on the other side, people from Shiromani Akali Dal.”

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He further added, “The anti-social elements of both parties got involved in this clash, created violence & attempted to soil the atmosphere of Punjab. Any person attempting to disturb Punjab’s peace will not be spared. Police have restored law & order immediately.”

Raghav added that arrests have been made in the case and the Punjab government and police will take strict action against those behind the violence. “The masterminds of these political parties will not be spared,” Chadha said.

Allegations of AAP pandering to Khalistani supporters

Chadha’s refusal to acknowledge the role of Khalistani elements in the violence in Punjab once again brings under the spotlight the party’s reticence to call out the secessionists and hold them to account for the problems bedevilling Punjab.

Ahead of the Punjab assembly elections, former AAP member Kumar Vishwas had called out AAP for extending support to separatists and indulging Khalistani proponents. Lashing out at Kejriwal, Vishwas said the AAP supremo met terror sympathisers in his home during the last assembly elections in Punjab.

In his interview with ANI, Vishwas said that Kejriwal and AAP party were consorting with separatists and terror sympathisers during the run-up to the Punjab assembly elections in 2017.

In 2018, similar allegations were made by actress Gul Panag 2018. Referring to Khalistani supporters in Punjab as K Gang, she had said, “Poorly calculated flirtation that was. One I warned against. Repeatedly. It’s because they didn’t ‘get’ or ‘understand’ Punjab. I thought the K gang had electoral weightage. All of us from Punjab knew better. But alas!”

A day after Aam Aadmi Party’s massive victory in Punjab assembly elections held earlier this year, the pro-Khalistan secessionist group “Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ) had sent a letter to Chief Minister-designate Bhagwant Mann saying that AAP clearly won the elections by deceptively bagging the votes of pro-Khalistan Sikhs in Punjab who support SFJ’s secessionist referendum for the independence of Punjab from India.

Khalistani terrorist Pannun said that it is an open secret that AAP has been heavily funded and supported by pro-Khalistan Sikhs from the USA, Canada, the UK, the EU and Australia.

SFJ General Counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun stated that since the people of Punjab have decisively defeated anti-Khalistan leaders Badal-Captain Amarinder, now with AAP in power, Khalistan referendum voting should sail smoothly in Punjab.

Mob of Khalistan supporters hurl stones, brandish swords in Maa Kali Mandir

Clashes erupted between Khalistan supporters and members of a Hindu organisation outside the hallowed Ma Kali Temple in Punjab’s Patiala on Friday. The incident took place during the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march carried out by Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray when Khalistan supporters attacked the march with stones and swords.

Stones were hurled and swords brandished as the Khalistan supporters ran amok, barging into the Ma Kali Temple in Patiala. The skirmishes reportedly broke out after Khalistan supporters raised slogans hailing Khalistan and attacking the participants of the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march. The armed Sikh mob which was a part of the pro-Khalistan rally organised in opposition to the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march attacked the Kali Mata Temple after Hindus had taken shelter inside the temple premises.

In the wake of the violence, the administration has imposed a curfew in Patiala from 7 PM to 6 AM.

‘Shahid Afridi is a characterless forger and liar, I was mistreated for being a Hindu’, Danish Kaneria opens up on his struggles in Pakistan team

OpIndia Staff
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‘Shahid Afridi is a characterless forger and liar, I was mistreated for being a Hindu’, Danish Kaneria opens up on his struggles in Pakistan team

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Danish Kaneria has accused his former team-mate and captain Shahid Afridi of misbehaving with him for being a Hindu while playing cricket together for the Pakistani cricket team. Kaneria called Afridi a characterless forger and a liar. Kaneria also requested the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to lift the life ban imposed on him over spot-fixing charges.

41-year-old Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria said that the spot-fixing allegations leveled against him in 2013 were false and therefore he must be given a chance by lifting the ban imposed on him. It is notable that Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar had also revealed that the Pakistani team gave unfair treatment to Danish Kaneria because he is a Hindu.

Speaking to news agency IANS on Thursday, April 28, 2022, Danish Kaneria said that Pakistan team captain Shahid Afridi had conspired against him. He said, “Shahid Afridi always let me down. He used to keep me on the bench and not let me play One Day International matches. He didn’t want me to be on the team.”

He further said that Shahid Afridi is a characterless and false person. He also told the news agency that Shahid Afridi was jealous of his good performances and provoked other players against him. Kaneria said that ignoring all these things, he used to focus only on cricket. Had Shahid Afridi not been the captain, Kaneria would have played a lot more matches than the 18 ODIs. Kaneria took 261 wickets in his 62 Test matches and 15 wickets in his 18 ODIs.

Danish Kaneria added, “False allegations of spot-fixing were made against me. My name was associated with the person involved in this case. He was also a friend of other Pakistani cricketers, including Afridi, but I was included in it. I have not been involved in any kind of fixing.”

Danish Kaneria said Shoaib Akhtar was the first person to speak publicly about his problems. Akhtar had openly said how Kaneria was badly treated in the team for being a Hindu. Danesh Kaneria said that later several officials put pressure on Akhtar, after which Akhtar stopped talking about it.

He requested the PCB to lift the ban imposed on him so that he can live in peace and dignity. He said that it was a matter of pride for him to play for Pakistan and for that he was grateful to the PCB. He said the ban on many fixers has been lifted, so like other players, he should also get a chance.

It is notable that Danish Kaneria was banned for life from all cricket by the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on two charges of spot-fixing in English County Championship Pro-League matches in 2012. After this, the Pakistan Cricket Board suspended him.

Born in a very poor home in Karachi city of Pakistan, Danish Kaneria played 61 Test matches between 2000 and 2010, taking 261 wickets at an average of 34.79. Kaneria is the highest wicket-taking spinner for Pakistan in Test cricket, and 4th on the all-time list of Pakistani bowlers after Wasim Akram (414), Waqar Younis (373), and Imran Khan (362).

What did Shoaib Akhtar say about Danish Kaneria?

Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar admitted in a chat show in December 2019 that Danish Kaneria was not treated well in the Pakistan team just because he is a Hindu. The players in the team even used to question why does Danish Kaneria eat with them?

Kaneria was not the only player to feel this religious discrimination in the Pakistan dressing room. About Yousuf Yohanna, Shoaib Akhtar said, “Yusuf has 12,000 runs to his name. But we never respected them. I also had a fight with two or three players. I said that even if someone is a Hindu, he will play and then the same Hindu won us the Test series.”

Mentioning Danish Kaneria, Shoaib Akhtar said, “It will be open, but I want to tell you that some players asked me why Danish Kaneria eats with us. I told them all that I would pick you up from here and throw you out. You’d be the captain of your house. That player is giving you 6 wickets every time. In England, it was Danish and Sami who won us the series.”

It must be noted that Yousuf Yohanna was originally a Christian, but later he converted to the Muslim religion. It was also being said that a star player like him had to change his religion to prolong his cricketing career and to become the captain of the Pakistan team.

As Khalistani mob goes on a rampage, Punjab police blame those taking out ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march, say ‘they had no permission’

OpIndia Staff
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As Khalistani mob goes on a rampage, Punjab police blame those taking out ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march, say ‘they had no permission’

After clashes occurred on Friday between a Khalistani mob and members of a Hindu organisation outside the sacred Ma Kali Temple in Punjab’s Patiala, Punjab police announced that they are discussing with Shiv Sena State president Harish Singla since the march was not authorised.

DSP Patiala has further stated that looking at the situation in the area, heavy police forces have been deployed in the locality.

Harish Sangla, the Punjab working head of Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray, spoke to OpIndia about the conflicts between Khalistani extremists and Hindus. Sangla stated that his party organised a ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march to condemn a small group of Khalistan followers who harboured separatist sentiments.

Sangla said, “We had organised a ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march to mark our protest against a minuscule section of people who are still harbouring secessionist ideology and support the idea of Khalistan. This march was against proponents of Khalistan who have caused grave pain to the people of Punjab, who were victims of Khalistani terrorism and had lost their loved ones to it. Our protest was against Khalistan and we will never allow Punjab to become Khalistan.”

“Initially, a handful of pro-Khalistan supporters tried to stop our march but we drove them. Then, they brought with them a large number of people to attack the Kali Mata Temple,” he further added.

The violence occurred during Shiv Sena Bal Thackeray’s ‘Khalistan Murdabad‘ march when Khalistan supporters attacked the march with stones and swords.

The clashes allegedly erupted as Khalistan supporters chanted shouts in favour of Khalistan while hitting participants in the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march. The armed Sikh mob which was a part of the pro-Khalistan rally organised in opposition to the ‘Khalistan Murdabad’ march attacked the Kali Mata Temple after Hindus had taken shelter inside the temple premises.

While any state police should be focussing on controlling separatist and terrorist elements like the Khalistani mobs, one wonders if the Punjab police is getting ready to blame the Hindus organisations for taking out a march condemning secessionists. It would appear that using the trope that the march did not have “permission” only means that the police is saying that it is the fault of the Hindu organisation for “provoking” the Khalistanis instead of arresting and focussing on weeding out Khalistanis.

Uttar Pradesh: ATS arrests a Bangladeshi student with suspected Pakistan link from Darul Uloom in Deoband, recovers fake Indian IDs

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: ATS arrests a Bangladeshi student with suspected Pakistan link from Darul Uloom in Deoband, recovers fake Indian IDs

The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh Police detained a Bangladeshi youth while carrying out an operation in Deoband on Thursday 28th April 2022 late in the night. It is reported that using a fake ID, the youth was pursuing his Islamic education at Darul Uloom, an Islamic educational institution in Deoband. It is suspected that he may have links with Pakistan based terror groups, as he had travelled to Pakistan, and may have attended terror camps there.

Another youth was also caught with him, who was let off after questioning. Apart from Bangladeshi currency, many books and other documents have been recovered from the detained youth. In the initial investigation, the ATS found the activities of the Bangladeshi national suspicious. The name of the youth is Talha Tarulqdar bin Farooq. He had been studying in Darul Uloom Deoband since 2015. However, Darul Uloom has not admitted to the raid.

At around 1:30 on Thursday night, the ATS reached Darul Uloom, a reputed educational institution, where ATS officials took the management into confidence and detained two students from room number 61 of the hostel built on the campus of the institution. After making inquiries and going through all the documents, the ATS let off one of the students as he belonged to Assam, while the other student could not give any satisfactory answers. This deepened his suspicions. A cupboard of the student kept outside the room was opened and searched. During the search, Bangladeshi passport, some Bangladeshi currency, IDs, books, and other documents were recovered from that cupboard.

According to the ATS, the student is a Bangladeshi national who had been living in Deoband since 2015 on the basis of fake documents by concealing his identity. He is from the Chittagong district of Bangladesh and he had made an Aadhaar card of Meghalaya in his name. Reportedly, the mobile phone that the ATS has found from him has revealed a lot of information exposing the said student’s suspicious activities in Pakistan.

According to a report by the News Nation, he has travelled to Pakistan, and his activities were being tracked for two-three years. It is suspected that he may have obtained terrorist training in Pakistan, and could be part of a sleeper cell in India. Jihadi videos have also been recovered from his mobile. Meanwhile, Maulana Abdul Khaliq Madrasi, acting Mohtamim of Darul Uloom Deoband, said that no arrests of any kind have been made from the institution.

26,000 more loudspeakers removed from Uttar Pradesh religious places taking the total to 37,000, volume of 55,000 lowered: Police

OpIndia Staff
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26,000 more loudspeakers removed from Uttar Pradesh religious places taking the total to 37,000, volume of 55,000 lowered: Police

On Friday, the Uttar Pradesh Police removed additional 26,000 loudspeakers from religious places across the state and reduced the volume of 55,000 loudspeakers to the permissible levels as per the guidelines. The action by the UP Police is being taken based on the CM Yogi Adityanath-led state government’s order in which all religious places were asked to comply with the UP Pollution Control Board on loudspeakers by April 30.

This comes a day after the Uttar Pradesh Police took down 11,000 loudspeakers and reduced the volume of 35,000 loudspeakers to the permissible levels. As of April 29, the total number of loudspeakers removed is 37,000. According to the reports, the maximum number of loudspeakers was removed from Lucknow while other cities that saw the maximum impact of the order were Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Meerut, Prayagraj, and Bareilly.

Additional Director General Prashant Kumar on Friday said that the Police had undertaken a statewide drive to remove loudspeakers from religious places and set their volume within permissible limits. He added that loudspeakers were being removed from all religious places without any discrimination.

As reported earlier, the Uttar Pradesh Police is following the High Court order, which has set specific decibel levels for loudspeakers. “The order regarding this has been sent to district administrations. A committee has been formed to look after this. We are also talking to religious leaders as most of the loudspeakers are mounted at religious places. The drive has received a positive response”, Kumar said.

Last week, CM Yogi Adityanath held a meeting with senior officials to discuss the law and order situation in the state. The Uttar Pradesh CM had said that everyone has the right and freedom to follow the religion of their choice but they should ensure that others should not get disturbed. “Though microphones can be used, make sure the sound does not come out of any premises. Other people should not face any problem”, he had noted.

After the order was issued by the state government, many religious leaders from both Hindu and Muslim communities agreed to reduce the volume of the loudspeakers. The first one to bring down the volume was Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi in Mathura. They decided not to broadcast the famous ‘Manglacharan Aarti’ that was played every day for an hour from 5 am on the loudspeaker at Bhagwat Bhawan within the temple premises.

Later, Shaktipeeth Devipatan Tulsipur Temple in Balrampur removed three out of four loudspeakers from its premises and reduced the volume of the remaining loudspeaker as per the guidelines. Gorakhnath Temple in Gorakhpur, Rajeshwari Temple, and Kali Paltan Temple in Meerut also lowered the volume of the loudspeakers. Similar steps have been taken in Kanpur and Ayodhya by the temple authorities

Meanwhile, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Imam, Eidgah, has also issued directives to all Sunni mosques to reduce the volume of the loudspeakers. To date, a total of 37000 loudspeakers from atop various religious places have been taken down in the state of Uttar Pradesh and the volume of 55000 loudspeakers has been reduced to permissible levels.

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