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Uttar Pradesh: Muslim woman faces ire of her in-laws, husband for voting for BJP, being threatened with triple talaq

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Muslim woman faces ire of her in-laws, husband for voting for BJP, being threatened with triple talaq

A Muslim woman has been threatened with divorce by her husband, allegedly for voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. The incident was reported in Gumnahwa village in the Balrampur district in Uttar Pradesh.

In a letter to the Superintendent of Police, the victim, Rubia, stated that her husband and his family members have been harassing her and threatening her with Triple Talaq, despite the fact that the evil practice is illegal in India. She lamented that she had pleaded with her husband Anees to consider their children before taking such a drastic step, but Anees was adamant. Rubia requested justice from the SP in her application.

Rubai said that she had voted for the BJP to show her gratitude for the free ration, various schemes and other facilities that the BJP government has provided them with since the party came to power in the state in 2017. This, she said, infuriated her husband and his family members. Since then, the husband has been threatening her with divorce. “He is ready to throw me out of the house and marry someone else. For which he is continuously threatening me with triple talaq,” Rubia said, adding that she was so fed up with the harassment that she has moved out of her husband’s house and is currently living with one of her relatives.

The victim has also filed a complaint with the regional MLA, Kailash Nath Shukla. Speaking about Rubia’s case, the MLA said that he would make sure that the victim receives all possible assistance. “No one can be harassed for exercising their voting rights”, said the MLA, adding that if what the victim was saying was true, he would make sure she got justice.

This is not the first case in Uttar Pradesh where a Muslim person has had to face the ire of his or her family members or neighbours for choosing the BJP over other political parties in the state. Ever since Yogi Adityanath returned to power, many such cases of assault and harassment have come to the fore.

On April 8, a Muslim family of Uttarakhand’s Rudrapur was at the receiving end of their neighbours’ ire for having extended their support to the BJP in the assembly elections that were held earlier this year. According to a report published in News 18, a Muslim family, including children, were severely injured by locals, who accused the family of being “Kaafir” and “betraying Islam” for supporting the BJP in Uttarakhand assembly elections. The deadly attack against the Muslim family left 4 injured, including a girl who was seriously wounded. 

Similarly, on March 21, 2022, OpIndia reported how a Muslim woman had been thrown out of the house by her in-laws allegedly for voting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the recent Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. She had voted for BJP for the work it has done, including the law against Triple Talaq and free ration to the poor. 

Ravindra Jadeja still searching for his first IPL win as captain as Chennai Super Kings slump to 4th successive loss

OpIndia Staff
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Ravindra Jadeja still searching for his first IPL win as captain as Chennai Super Kings slump to 4th successive loss

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) slumped to their 4th successive loss in the IPL continuing their miserable start under new captain Ravindra Jadeja. Fellow strugglers Sunrisers Hyderabad made short work of Chennai as they romped home to a comfortable 8 wickets win with 2.2 overs to spare.

In the battle of two teams without any win so far in the IPL, Chennai, put in to bat, got off to a reasonably decent start of 25 off 3 overs, but they soon lost both their openers Uthappa and Ruturaj after that. A solid, if not very spectacular partnership of 62 between Moeen Ali and Ambati Rayudu gave hopes of a big total, but once the duo departed in quick succession, they were always going to be short of a par score.

Captain Jadeja hit a couple of good blows to push the total above 150 but it was never going to be enough. For Hyderabad, Washington Sundar was the standout bowler picking 2 for 21 off his 4 overs taking crucial wickets of Uthappa and Rayudu.

Chasing 155, Hyderabad were never in trouble thanks to a solid opening partnership between skipper Kane Williamson and youngster Abhishek Sharma. The veteran Williamson took a back seat as Abhishek took it upon himself to inject momentum in the innings.

Once Williamson was dismissed at the team score of 89, any hopes that CSK may have were quickly extinguished as the new arrival Rahul Tripathi continued his good form with a stroke-filled 39 off just 15 balls. Even after Abhishek got out for 75 off 50 balls, the result was never in doubt as Tripathi and Pooran guided their team home.

If CSK still harbors any hope of defending their title, they need a quick reversal in form when they face Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad will face Gujarat Titans on Monday hoping to continue their new found winning streak.

Jammu and Kashmir police arrest 13 Islamists for raising anti-India and Azadi slogans at Jamia mosque, Pakistan’s role suspected

OpIndia Staff
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Jammu and Kashmir police arrest 13 Islamists for raising anti-India and Azadi slogans at Jamia mosque, Pakistan’s role suspected

On Saturday, the Jammu and Kashmir police arrested 13 people, including two masterminds behind the raising of anti-India and Azadi slogans during Friday prayers at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid.

According to the reports, the Jammu and Kashmir police suspect the role of Pakistan in raising anti-India slogans inside the Jamia mosque in Srinagar on Friday.

“During the initial investigation, we learnt that instructions had come from Pakistani handlers of terror outfits to disrupt the Friday prayer and create a law and order situation,” Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Balwal said in a statement.

The mosque in Srinagar’s old city was opened for prayers only last month ahead of Ramzan after remaining shut for almost two years.

The police have registered a case of sedition and criminal trespass against the accused.

“After the prayers, about a dozen people shouted anti-national and provocative slogans for a while…Most of the crowd remained aloof. Volunteers of the managing committee tried to stop the sloganeering and hooliganism, leading to clashes,” Balwal said.

Earlier, two of the mastermind behind the incident were arrested. They were identified as Basharat Nabi Bhat and Umar Manzoor. Basharat Nabi Bhat is a resident of Hawal in Nowhatta town of Srinagar. 

Anti-India and Azadi slogans were shouted inside Jamia mosque

On Friday (April 8), the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar reverberated with Azadi and anti-India slogans, following the Jumma Namaz. A large mob, which had gathered for the Friday prayers, was heard chanting Azadi slogans and hailing terrorist Zakir Musa.

Musa was the Chief of the terrorist group Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind and was neutralised by the Indian Army in an encounter in May 2019. Ashraf Wani, a journalist with India Today group, had shared a video clip where Islamists could be heard shouting slogans that called for secession from India.

Along with Azadi slogans, screams of “Nara e Taqbeer, Allahu Akbar” could be heard in the video clip attached by Wani. Stone-pelting was also witnessed outside the mosque, where personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force were deployed.

Earlier, journalist Aditya Raj Kaul reported that the Jammu and Kashmir police had initiated action against those who raised pro-Islamist terror slogans inside the mosque.

China: Guard beats a dog to death over Covid fears after its owner tests positive

OpIndia Staff
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China: Guard beats a dog to death over Covid fears after its owner tests positive

On the evening of April 6, photos and a video of a corgi dog being beaten to death went viral in China sparking online fury. The dog was killed over fears it could spread Covid after its owner tested positive and was taken into isolation. The incident happened in a residential compound in the Pudong district of Shanghai.

In the viral photos and video, the dog chases after a van presumably carrying its owner to a quarantine facility. It is then chased down by the worker in full PPE kit who hits the dog with a spade 3 times, killing it on the spot. A WeChat account ‘corgi sh’ first posted about the incident which subsequently went viral on all social media platforms in China. People already frustrated with the strict covid lockdowns and food shortages in Shanghai were furious to see visuals of the worker killing the dog.

The Dog next to the van taking its owner away

Initially, it was reported that the man killing the dog was a healthcare worker, however, later reports emerged that he was a gate guard at the compound. He killed the dog after its owner tested positive for Coronavirus to try and stop the spread of the disease.

The guard with the dog he just killed

The dog’s owner has claimed the neighbourhood committee refused to help care for the the corgi, whilst the committee said it was concerned the pet could have been infected too. There has not been any confirmed cases of animals passing the virus back to humans, but they still chose to kill the dog.   

The online community in China, already frustrated with the lockdowns got really angry about this incident. Chinese social media Weibo has been abuzz with comments about the incident for the past three days.

“The man is a monster. He wants to fight Covid, but who gave him the right to kill an innocent life?” one Weibo user commented.

Another user said, “We would rather coexist with a virus than with this vicious and perverted person.”

This is not the first instance of pets being killed in China over Covid fears. In March this year, a woman from Huizhou city in Guangdong province shared a video of Covid workers beating her pet dog to death while she was in quarantine. Earlier in November 2021, there was another case of a dog being beaten to death by city workers in Shangrao in the eastern Jiangxi province because the owner was in quarantine.

Currently, all the 25 Million residents of Shanghai are under a strict lockdown as China tries to battle the latest wave of Coronavirus. Travel in and out of Shanghai has come to a standstill and the bustling metropolis wears a deserted look with only healthcare workers on the road.

Pakistan foreign minister calls opposition ‘Slaves of America’ ahead of trust vote, says history will expose those behind toppling Imran Khan govt

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan foreign minister calls opposition ‘Slaves of America’ ahead of trust vote, says history will expose those behind toppling Imran Khan govt

On Saturday, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi blamed the United States and other foreign powers for the dramatic political twist in Pakistan. Defending PM Imran Khan he said that it is now for the country’s people to decide ‘whether to live with its head held high or with its head bowed’. He also called the oppositions in the National Assembly ‘slaves of America’.

Pakistan’s parliament on April 9 began the session to take up the no-confidence resolution against Prime Minister Imran Khan, as ordered by the Supreme Court. The session was adjourned for some time, and the voting will take place at around 8 PM.

In absence of Imran Khan, Foreign Minister presented his position in the House and attacked the opposition’s move to execute a no-confidence motion against the PTI government. “It is the constitutional right of the opposition to move a no-confidence motion against the government, and it’s the government’s duty to defend it,”, he said as he slammed the opposition for allowing political interference in internal matters of Pakistan.

Qureshi further added that Pakistan’s visit to Russia was crucial for the development of the country. “This was before the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. But the visit was cancelled. US NSA had called the NSA of Pakistan and ordered us not to go to Russia. Pakistan is a sovereign state. Which nation is ordered around like this?”, he pondered in presence of 176 opposition members who were present in the assembly for the no-trust vote against Imran Khan.

The Foreign Minister stated that Pakistan PM Imran Khan has been humiliated several times at the global forums. “We want to build relations with China, Russia, America, EU, Islamic nations, Africa. We want good relations with all, that has been our policy but the US government wants to topple the PTI government. US wants to view Pakistan and India on different platforms. They said that they look at India through lens of China”, he reiterated.

Meanwhile the opposition leaders in the assembly said that Khan was using tactics to delay the no-trust motion. The SC had on Friday ordered that today’s session of the National Assembly cannot be prorogued till the vote of no-confidence against the Imran Khan’s government is held. Responding to this, Qureshi said that PTI govt is ready to face the vote today or tomorrow. While Imran Khan has still not arrived in the national assembly, the Pakistan Assembly has reconvened after a delay and said that no-trust vote to be held at 8 pm on April 9.

Pakistan’s political crisis-

Pakistan’s latest political crisis erupted last week, when Khan sidestepped the opposition’s initial no-confidence petition, a motion that had been weeks in the making and instead accused his opponents of colluding with the United States to remove him. Shehbaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and brother of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, tabled a no-confidence motion against Imran Khan’s government in the National Assembly on March 8. The resolution of no confidence was passed against Imran Khan in the midst of surging inflation and dire economic conditions in Pakistan.

Earlier on April 3, the national assembly was scheduled to vote on the no-confidence motion against the Imran Khan govt brought by the united opposition but it was rejected by the Deputy Speaker Qasim Suri of the house. Suri read out a pre-written note and stated that the motion was inspired at the behest of an unnamed ‘foreign power’ and therefore it is unconstitutional. Minutes after that, Imran Khan announced that he had asked the president to dissolve the assembly and called for fresh elections.

Khan was of the opinion that the move by oppositions was a part of some foreign conspiracy to destabilize Pakistan and transfer power to corrupt individuals who would then operate on foreign commands. He, in his address later had said that the govt in Pakistan should be elected by people in a democratic process, not by foreign powers. After the non-confidence motion was dismissed, the opposition parties moved to the Supreme Court against the deputy speaker and the prime minister. The SC ruled to restore the National Assembly after it declared the government’s decision to dissolve the assembly unconstitutional.

Reportedly, the Imran Khan’s PTI party has filed review petition in Pakistan SC demanding operation of impugned order and voting on no-confidence motion be suspended. Khan has also urged his supporters to stage peaceful protests across the country when the new imported government comes into power on Sunday.

Environmental activism of Shiv Sena a farce: BMC to remove 1,100 trees to make way for flyover and tunnel along Goregaon Mulund link road

OpIndia Staff
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Environmental activism of Shiv Sena a farce: BMC to remove 1,100 trees to make way for flyover and tunnel along Goregaon Mulund link road

The Shiv Sena-led Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to axe or relocate nearly 1,100 trees for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR) project, reports the Times of India.

According to the reports, BMC notices posted on trees on the Eastern Express Highway and near the Nahur railway station read that as many as 1,100 trees in the zone would be affected. Out of the 1,100 trees, at least 115 would be axed to make way for the construction of a flyover.

The uprooting work east-west connector is yet to begin, however, BMC officials said they are still unsure how many trees would be axed.

“We are yet to decide on the exact number, however, all the trees will need to go,” said Satish Thosar, the chief engineer of the BMC bridges department.

In addition to a flyover, a tunnel bypassing the Sanjay Gandhi national park will impact more trees. The BMC officials said that the rest of the trees would be affected due to road widening proposed along the Mulund-Goregaon side of the proposed road.

Meanwhile, environmental activists have voiced their concerns against the axing of so many trees to make way for infrastructure projects. Activist Zoru Bhathena said that in 80% of cases when trees are relocated, they do not survive.

“It is better if BMC relocates the trees to the end of the same proposed road itself instead of taking these to another location. However, if the trees are those that have been recently planted, their survival rate is high,” he said.

Advocate and activist Godfrey Pimenta said that environmental destruction could be irreversible. “This should not be allowed at any cost, and we will vehemently oppose it,” the activist said.

BMC has already started constructing two bridges that connect Western Express Highway with Eastern Express Highway. The total length of the road beginning from Western Express Highway in Goregaon up to Eastern Express Highway in Mulund is over 12 km.

This comes almost a month after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had planned to chop off nearly 2000 mangrove trees to make way for bridges in the Andheri and Malad region.

However, the BMC’s decision to axe thousands of trees is, in fact, contrary to the recent stand taken by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, which had vehemently opposed the felling of trees to develop infrastructure projects. It is imperative to recall how the Shiv Sena govt led by Uddhav Thackeray had played petty politics over the Aarey forest ever since the Shiv Sena supremo took over Maharashtra’s chief minister’s seat.

Shiv Sena and environmental activism farce

On the one hand, the Shiv Sena-led MVA government in Maharashtra resorts to activism to cancel infrastructure projects citing environmental degradation, while the BMC sanctions axing thousands of trees to build flyovers and roads.

In December 2020, BMC also granted Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) permission to remove over 1,000 trees for Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL). As part of the plan, around 454 trees will be axed, while about 550 other trees will be transplanted for the project. MTHL, also known as the Sewri-Nhava Sheva project, will connect Sewri with Nhava Sheva in Navi Mumbai through a 22-km long, 6-lane highway bridge over the Arabian sea.

This move comes after the Shiv Sena’s “saving of the trees” in the Aarey milk colony by cancelling the metro car shed project, which was to be established there. In the run-up to the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Shiv Sena had fiercely protested the project to save the ‘Aarey forest’. This was despite the clearance from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the nod of the Bombay High Court (BHC).

After coming to power, the Uddhav Thackeray govt had stalled the project and, after that, allotted an alternate site. But since coming to power, the Shiv Sena-led government has allowed the axing of trees to make way for several other projects.

The ruling Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, which often advocates for eco-conservation by cancelling the metro project at Aarey on ‘concerns’ that trees are being cut, earlier took a U-turn by deciding to axe more than 300 trees for the construction of a metro line the elevated Metro-2A corridor between Dahisar and DN Nagar.

Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray has been extremely vocal on the issues of environmental conversation. The young Sena prince had opposed the BJP government’s decision to the felling of trees at Aarey Milk colony to construct a Metro shed.

However, just a month after extreme activism by Shiv Sena to impress its coalition parties – Congress and NCP, Sena exposed its hypocrisy by ordering the Aurangabad Municipal Corporation to chop down 1,000 trees for a Bal Thackeray memorial in Priyadarshini Park. Interestingly, the environmental activists, NGOs and liberals who had hit the streets to protest against the then BJP government in the state for axing the trees at Aarey colony have now suspiciously chosen to remain silent.

“YouTube has signed its own warrant”: Russia hints at banning YouTube after the platform blocks Russian Parliament’s channel Duma TV

OpIndia Staff
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“YouTube has signed its own warrant”: Russia hints at banning YouTube after the platform blocks Russian Parliament’s channel Duma TV

As part of sanctions against Russia for the invasion on Ukraine, Google’s video sharing platform YouTube has blocked the official channel of Duma, the lower house of Russian parliament. According to Reuters, a message on YouTube said the Duma channel had been “terminated for a violation of YouTube’s Terms of Service”. A visit to the YouTube Channel Duma TV shows that the page is not available.

Duma TV on its website said that the channel had 145,000 subscribers, and the videos of then channel had over 100 million views. Apart from broadcasting sessions of the parliament, Duma TV also streamed comments by government officials and parliamentarians, and exclusive programs.

The channel said that they were already prepared for a possible blocking by YouTube, and has already readied alternate Channels on RuTube, VKontakte and Telegram.

Russian officials strongly objected to this decision by Alphabet Inc. Virtually threatening to ban YouTube in Russia, Foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, “From the look of it, YouTube has signed its own warrant.” She advised Russian YouTube users to transfer their content to Russian platforms, indicating that YouTube may disappear from Russia soon. “Save content, transfer to Russian platforms. And hurry up,” she said on Telegram.

Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said that YouTube’s move was further proof of violations of rights and freedom by the US govt. “The USA wants to obtain a monopoly on promoting information. We cannot let it happen,” the speaker said.

In the meanwhile, Russian telecommunications watchdog Roskomnadzor said that it has urged Google to restore the Duma TV channel. “The American IT company adheres to a pronounced anti-Russian position in the information war unleashed by the West against our country,” Roskomnadzor said.

The department also demanded to explain the reason for such restrictions.

The machine translation of the statement by Roskomnadzor reads as following:

Roskomnadzor demanded that the American company Google LLC, which owns the YouTube Internet service, immediately restore access to the Duma TV channel of the State Duma of the Russian Federation on video hosting and explain the reason for the introduction of such restrictions.

The State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation is a representative and legislative body of power in the Russian Federation, one of the chambers of the Parliament. The blocking of the YouTube channel of the state body, carried out by the administration of the video hosting, prevents the dissemination of information and free access to it.

The American IT company adheres to a pronounced anti-Russian position in the information war unleashed by the West against our country. Video hosting is a key platform for the spread of fakes, discriminating against official Russian sources of information.

Google said that it was committed to compliance with all applicable sanctions and trade compliance laws. “If we find that an account violates our Terms of Service, we take appropriate action. Our teams are closely monitoring the situation for any updates and changes,” the company told Reuters via email.

Russia has already blocked access to Meta owned platforms Facebook and Instagram calling it an extremist organisation.

Access to Twitter also has been restricted in the country. It also can be completely blocked, as the micro-blogging site has started limiting the reach of Russian government accounts. “We will not amplify or recommend government accounts belonging to states that limit access to free information and are engaged in armed interstate conflict — whether Twitter is blocked in that country or not,” Twitter said in a statement.

Gujarat High Court refuses anticipatory bail to Mahmood, who converted 37 families and 100 Hindus to Islam: All you need to know

Dibakar Dutta
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Gujarat High Court refuses anticipatory bail to Mahmood, who converted 37 families and 100 Hindus to Islam: All you need to know

On Monday (April 4), the Gujarat High Court dismissed the anticipatory bail petition of one Islamic preacher named Varyava Abdul Vahab Mahmood for converting 37 Hindu families and 100 Hindus to Islam in exchange for financial assistance, reported LawBeat.

Mahmood was allegedly facilitated in his nefarious conversion agenda by 5 other accused, namely, Shabbirbhai, Samadbhai, Abdul Aziz, Yusuf and Aiyub. He had sought anticipatory bail in connection to a First Information Report (FIR) registered against him on November 15 last year at Aamod Police Station in Bharuch city of Gujarat.

The matter came up for hearing before Justice BN Karia. He observed, “Prima facie from the record produced by the prosecution, it appears that the present appellant has attempted to convert directly or otherwise, any person from one religion to another by use of force or by allurement or by any fraudulent means nor any person abet such conversion.”

“Considering the material placed on record before this Court… this Court is not inclined to accept the prayer to release the appellant on anticipatory bail, as prayed for. Hence, this appeal deserves to be dismissed and accordingly, the same is dismissed,” Justice BN Karia ordered.

The Background of the Case

On November 15, 2021, a man named Pravinbhai Vasantbhai Vasava (converted to Salman Vasant Patel) filed a complaint with the Aamod police in Bharuch city against two people, namely, Shabbirbhai Bakerywala and Samadbhai Bakerywala.

He had accused the duo of converting him to Islam in 2018 and forcibly changing his name on the Aadhar card. Pravinbhai pointed out that the duo also converted another man named Ajitbhai Vasava to Islam by providing him financial assistance about 15 years ago. On conversion, Ajitbhai adopted the name ‘Abdul Aziz Patel.’

The trio then converted two others, namely, Mahendra Vasava (who became Yusuf) and Raman Vasava (who became Aiyub) in exchange for money. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against them under the Indian Penal Code Sections 120B, 153(B)(1)(c), 506(2) and Section 4 of Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003.

As per the FIR, the accused converted a total of 37 Hindu families and 100 Hindus by providing them monetary support. They also converted a house, built with government funds, into an Ibadatgaah (Islamic place of worship).

When Pravinbhai expressed his desire to re-convert to Hinduism, he was threatened with dire consequences on October 26 last year. Forced by circumstances and an immediate sense of danger, he had filed a case against the accused.

“Subsequently, the Investigating Officer filed a report seeking to add Sections 466, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC and Section 3(2)(5-A) of the Atrocities Act…Subsequently, on 16.12.2021, the offences under Section 4A of the Freedom of Religion Act and 84C of the Information Technology Act, 2002 are added in the FIR,” the court order had noted.

The Investigating Officer filed his affidavit dated 24.12.2021, inter alia, declaring that the appellant had facilitated financial assistance to the convertees and given religious sermons/takrirs demeaning Hindu religion,” it further added.

Accused Yusuf, Aiyub and others also created a Whatsapp group where they spewed vitriolic content against the Hindu community through videos, speeches, and chats.

Witnesses testified that Islamic preacher Varyava Abdul Vahab Mahmood, who had filed the appeal before the Gujarat High Court, had tried to lure people to Islam by gifting them air coolers, water coolers, lories, chatai (carpet) to perform Namaz, dresses, medicines, ration and cash.

On December 28 last year, a Special court had rejected the anticipatory bail application of Mahmood, following which he moved the High Court seeking relief. However, his petition was dismissed by the High Court based on prima-facie details of the case.

As Covid-19 vaccine precaution doses become available at private hospitals, Covishield and Covaxin prices cut to Rs 225

OpIndia Staff
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As Covid-19 vaccine precaution doses become available at private hospitals, Covishield and Covaxin prices cut to Rs 225

Serum Institute of India and Bharat Biotech have announced that they are reducing the price of their Covid-19 vaccines for private hospitals. The price of both the vaccines has been fixed as ₹225 now.

Both companies took this decision in consultation with the govt of India, a day after the govt had announced that precautionary dose or the booster dose of Covid-19 vaccines will be available for everyone above the age of 18 years.

Serum Institute CEO Adar Poonawalla announced the company’s decision on Twitter, saying that the price of Covishield for private hospitals has been reduced from ₹600 to ₹225. “We are pleased to announce that after discussion with the Central Government, SII has decided to revise the price of COVISHIELD vaccine for private hospitals from Rs.600 to Rs 225 per dose,” the CEO of world’s biggest vaccine maker said.

Similarly, Bharat Biotech’s Joint Managing Director Suchitra Ella announced the company’s decision to reduce the price of Covaxin from ₹1200 to ₹225 on Twitter. “In consultation with the Central Government, we have decided to revise the price of COVAXIN  from Rs 1200 to Rs 225 per dose, for private hospitals,” she tweeted.

Both of them welcomed the decision of the govt of India to open the booster dose for everyone above 18 years of age.

Yesterday the union health and family welfare ministry had announced that from Sunday, Precaution Dose of Covid-19 vaccines will be now available for people above 18 years of age at private vaccination centres. All those who are more than 18 years of age and have completed 9 months after the administration of second dose, would be eligible for Precaution Dose.

Private hospitals can charge maximum ₹150 for administering the dose, which means the maximum cost of taking either Covishield or Covaxin at private hospitals will be ₹375. The precaution dose will have to be the same vaccine which was taken in the first and second dose.

The ministry also clarified that there is no need separate registration for the booster dose. All beneficiaries are already registered on the COWIN portal.

According to the minister, so far about 96% of all 15+ population in the country have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, while about 83% of 15+ population has received both the doses. More than 2.4 crore Precaution Doses have also been administered to Healthcare Workers, Frontline Workers and 60+ population group. 45% of 12 to 14 years age group have also received the first dose.

The ongoing free vaccination programme through Government Vaccination Centres for first and second dose to the eligible population as well as Precaution Dose to Healthcare Workers, Frontline Workers and 60+ population would continue and would be accelerated.

Himachal Pradesh: Newspaper hawker Asif Mohammad arrested after he slit throat of minor girl, police urge people not to give it ‘communal’ colour

OpIndia Staff
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Himachal Pradesh: Newspaper hawker Asif Mohammad arrested after he slit throat of minor girl, police urge people not to give it ‘communal’ colour

A 15-year-old girl was killed in her house at Pratap Nagar in Amb, the sub-divisional headquarters of Una district on Tuesday 5th April 2022. The 15-year-old deceased girl has been identified as Prachi Rana who is the daughter of Ajay Rana living in the Pratap Nagar area of Amb. Prachi, a student of class 10, was strangulated to death. The police have arrested the accused named Asif Mohammad alias Honey, a resident of Ward-3 of Amb.

The accused was arrested by the police late at night. Una SP Arjit Sen confirmed the arrest of the accused. The dagger used in the incident has also been recovered by the police.

According to reports the accused used to distribute newspapers and used to come to the teenager’s house to give newspapers. The accused entered the house in the afternoon on 5th April 2022 and committed the crime. The victim’s mother had found the dead body lying soaked in blood in the lobby of the house when she came back from duty on Tuesday evening.

Una superintendent of police (SP) Arjit Sen Thakur said, “The police had secured the crime scene immediately after receiving the information. A team of forensic experts from Dharamshala Regional Forensic Science Laboratory had collected vital evidence from the crime scene while the police scanned the entire locality with the help of a dog squad. There were no signs of forced entry into the house and it was clear that the perpetrator was known to the victim.”

He further said, “The accused entered the house at around 1 pm on the pretext of collecting the newspaper bill. He tried to molest the victim and when she resisted, he picked up a paper cutter and slit her throat. People in the area and the call records also confirmed the presence of the accused in the area on that day”.

Enraged people gathered outside the Amb police station and protested demanding capital punishment for the accused. People also demanded that if he is not given the punishment by the law, then he be handed over to them. SP reached there and deployed heavy force in order to maintain law and order situation. He also urged people not to give any communal angle to this case.

Amb Bar association held an emergency meeting called by president Ravi Prashar and decided that no member of the association will defend the accused in this case. A resolution was passed in this meeting using its members not to represent the accused in this case.

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