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PM Modi inaugurates Adani’s Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport in Kerala, calls it an example of “new age development”

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PM Modi inaugurates Adani’s Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport in Kerala, calls it an example of “new age development”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday congratulated the people of Kerala and the country after inaugurating the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, calling it a “symbol of new age development.”

The inauguration in Thiruvananthapuram of the project, built by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), which is India’s first deep-water dedicated container transhipment port, was conducted in the presence of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

The Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, which has been built at a cost of 8,900 crore ambitious project of the Kerala government has been developed under the public-private partnership by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd.

Furthermore, PM Modi emphasised that the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport is an example of “new age development” as at one end there is a deep sea, whereas on the other hand, there are a lot of opportunities, which is the beauty of nature.

“On one hand, there is this big sea with so many opportunities and on the other hand, there is beauty of nature, in between there is this ‘Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport’, which is a symbol of new-age development”, PM Modi said in his address to the public.

Furthermore, PM Narendra Modi extended his wishes on the occasion of Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti and said that he had the privilege of visiting his birthplace three years ago. He added that there is a statue of Adi Shankaracharya in the Kashi Vishwanath Temple premises.

“Today is the birth anniversary of Lord Adi Shankaracharya. Three years ago in September, I had the opportunity to visit his birthplace. I am happy that a grand statue of Adi Shankaracharya has been installed in the Vishwanath Dham complex in my parliamentary constituency Kashi. I have got the opportunity to unveil the divine statue of Adi Shankaracharya in Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand. Today, the doors of the Kedarnath temple have opened in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand”, PM Modi said.

Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan extended the gratitude of PM Modi on behalf of the people of the state to dedicate the landmark project to the nation.

“On behalf of the people of Kerala, I once again express our sincere gratitude to the Prime Minister for visiting our state to dedicate the landmark project to the nation. I also extend my congratulations to the Adani Group for executing this mission with excellence”, he said while addressing the gathering.

The Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport port is currently being developed in a landlord model with a Public Private Partnership component on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer basis. The private partner, the Concessionaire Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited commenced the construction on December 5, 2015.

Strategically located just 10 nautical miles from the international shipping routes connecting Europe, the Persian Gulf and the Far East, Vizhinjam port with its proximity to the East-West axis, the port is expected to significantly reduce the dependence of the country on other international ports for transshipment of cargo.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Bihar: Mohammad Sahil trapped Hindu girls, made their obscene videos and sold them on porn sites, girlfriend Gulshan used to help

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Mohammad Sahil trapped Hindu girls, made their obscene videos and sold them on porn sites, girlfriend Gulshan used to help

A shocking case of love jihad has come to light from Vaishali in Bihar. Mohammad Sahil used to trap girls with the help of his girlfriend Gulshan Khatoon, and then blackmailed them after making their pornographic videos. Not only this, he also used to sell it on international porn sites. Sahil targeted girls of different religions, although most of his targets were Hindu girls. He made dozens of girls victims of this dirty game.

According to Bihar Police, Mohammad Sahil started this ‘business’ of making girlfriends and made money through it. Police is now finding out on which porn sites he sold these videos and how much money he charged. It is also being investigated from which countries these porn sites are being run.

This dirty game was revealed when a porn video of a minor girl went viral. After this, an FIR was registered against Mohammad Sahil and he was arrested on 2nd April 2025. However, even after 15 days of the incident, the victim was neither given a medical examination nor was she produced in the court.

Tired of this, the victim’s family informed the media about the matter and the matter came to light. According to local DSP Abu Zafar Alam, a case of making an offensive video viral has come to light. The accused has been arrested and sent to jail. Further investigation is being done.

According to the victim’s family, their daughter used to go for computer class, where she became friends with Gulshan Khatoon. Mohammad Sahil used to come to meet Gulshan Khatoon often. During this time, Gulshan introduced Sahil to the girl. Slowly, she fell into Sahil’s trap. She got many photos clicked with Sahil. After this, Sahil took her to a hotel and both of them had a ‘relationship’. During there meetings, Sahil recorded their initimate videos. Following that, Sahil started blackmailing the girl.

Hamas, which killed thousands of Jews, declared alliance with Pakistani terrorists before Pahalgam attack where Hindus were massacred, ‘blood will be spilled,’ they said: Full details

OpIndia Staff
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Hamas, which killed thousands of Jews, declared alliance with Pakistani terrorists before Pahalgam attack where Hindus were massacred, ‘blood will be spilled,’ they said: Full details

Indian intelligence officials have associated the Pahalgam terror attack with an escalating partnership between the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas and jihadist groups supported by Pakistan, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), according to a report in “The New Indian.” According to top intelligence sources, the main conspirators of the assault took part in a rally held on 5th February, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The gathering, which was held at Shaheed Sabir Stadium in PoK, was called the “Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation Al Aqsa Flood Conference.” A JeM leader from the dais delivered a threat at the event and declared, “The fighters of Palestine and Kashmir now march as one. Blood will be spilled in Delhi, and Kashmir shall be torn from India.” The assembly aligned with Pakistan’s yearly commemoration of “Kashmir Solidarity Day” and was reportedly attended by about 100 foreign terrorists.

Top-ranking terrorists, including Talha Saif, the brother of JeM chief Mohammad Masood Azhar Alvi, senior field commanders Asghar Khan Kashmiri and Masood Ilyas and prominent LeT members attended the rally. Hamas leaders Dr. Khalid Al-Qadoumi, Dr. Naji Zaheer, Mufti Azam and Bilal Alsallat joined the Islamist event. Hamas, through its Iran-based ambassador Qadoumi, announced its first official presence in the PoK.

Several other well-known Palestinians were also present. The flags of Palestine, Pakistan and Hamas were displayed on the shawls worn by Hamas terrorists. “Pakistan-backed terrorist outfits are now consciously emulating Hamas blueprint. These groups are manipulating religious ideologies to provoke violence and foster deep-seated communal discord within Jammu and Kashmir,” disclosed a senior intelligence functionary.

“Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), along with its military, is at the helm of this campaign. Their objective is to reshape the Kashmir narrative on the global stage by equating it with the Palestine-Israel conflict. The intention is two fold: to draw international attention and to radicalize impressionable youth by weaponizing religious sentiment,” senior officers pointed out.

The Pakistan Markazi Muslim League strongly promoted the slogan “Pak ki Azadi, Kashmir ki Azadi” in an eight-minute propaganda video posted on social media ahead of this high-level radical assembly. Kashmiri terrorists and separatists leaders like Yasin Malik, Masrat Alam Bhat and Syed Ali Shah Geelani were praised in the footage. Terrorists like Burhan Wani and Manan Wani were glorified and their funeral prayers were showcased. The video made analogies between Kashmir and Gaza to provoke young Kashmiris to rebel against India.

Indian security authorities view the meeting as a calculated attempt to depict both Hamas’ fight against Israel and Pakistan’s Islamist campaign in Kashmir as acts of “resistance against occupation.”

A profound conspiracy

Terrorist organizations that are allegedly prohibited in Pakistan, such as Jammu and Kashmir United Mujahideen (JKUM), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), actively participated in the carefully constructed Pahalgam terror attack. A squad of highly skilled and well-trained Pakistani terrorists carried out this massively planned attack. According to intelligence sources, the attack was primarily planned by Abu Musa (also known as Musa Kashmiri), Saifullah Kasuri (also known as Saifullah Khalid) and Rizwan Hanif and was executed by trained international terrorists.

Abu Musa, also known as Musa Kashmiri, had ties to Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the past. He participated in the planning of assaults against foreigners in India, including plots to attack tourists in Kolkata. He had tried to conduct lone-wolf attacks and was discovered in possession of extremist literature. Later, he joined the LeT and was sent to Jammu and Kashmir to attack security personnel and non-locals.

Saifullah Kasuri, also known as Saifullah Khalid is a senior commander of LeT and is a close associate of its founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. The United States Treasury has identified him for his involvement in terrorist operations. He was a member of the Punjabi JuD Coordination Committee and has led LeT’s operations in Peshawar. He has ties with the political entity Milli Muslim League (MML), which has faced allegations of serving as a civilian facade for the operations of LeT. His statements have been known to trigger communal violence.

Senior JKUM member Rizwan Hanif mainly operates out of Rawalakot in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). It is believed that he was crucial in organizing the planning and carrying out of the Pahalgam strike.

An international jihadi nexus

“There are similarities between the Pahalgam attack and what happened on 7th October (2023) in Israel. Innocent tourists were enjoying their vacation in Pahalgam, while in Israel, people were celebrating at a music festival,” Israel’s envoy Reuven Azar conveyed. He highlighted that global terror groups are increasingly working together more closely and added, “The terrorists are collaborating at all levels and trying to be copycats of each other. I am sure the intelligence agencies are working together to defeat them.”

Hamas claimed the lives of thousands of Israeli citizens and injured many more and even took hundreds of hostages, resulting in the ongoing military campaign by Israel in Gaza. Over the previous year, Hamas representatives have visited Pakistan several times, particularly following their attack on Israel in October 2023. A Hamas delegation recently inspected a Pakistani Army facility opened by Army chief Asim Munir and visited the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur. This installation is strategically important to the army of Pakistan and is located near Rajasthan.

Qadoumi, a spokesman for Hamas, was also asked to speak before Pakistan’s Parliament in January 2024. “That plan is now buried under the rubble of Gaza,” a Pakistani lawmaker remarked during the session, claiming that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) was designed to oppose China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The “Al-Aqsa Million March” was also reportedly organized in Karachi by Hamas leaders, and Qadoumi praised Pakistan as the “elder brother” for taking in 15 Palestinian prisoners who had been released under a peace accord with Israel.

‘Fan’ rudely tells Sonu Nigam to sing in Kannada at Bengaluru concert, singer says this is why Pahalgam like attacks happen

OpIndia Staff
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‘Fan’ rudely tells Sonu Nigam to sing in Kannada at Bengaluru concert, singer says this is why Pahalgam like attacks happen

On Thursday (1st May), legendary singer Sonu Nigam was rudely asked by a fan to sing in Kannada while performing at East Point College in Bengaluru. The singer said he felt “threatened” by the rude demand and stopped his performance to address the language issue, as well as speak about the deadly Pahalgam attack.

A video of the incident went viral on social media. In the video from the concert, Sonu Nigam can be heard saying, “In my career, I have sung in multiple languages but the best songs that I have ever sung is in the Kannada language. Whenever I come to your city, I come with lots of love. We do a lot of shows in a lot of places, but whenever we have shows in Karnataka we come with a lot of respect for you. You have treated me like your family, but I didn’t like when the boy there, who is not even as old as my career, is rudely threatening me to sing in Kannada.”

Nigam compared the student’s mindless rudeness towards the singer with the Pahalgam terror attack and said, “This is the reason behind the incident in Pahalgam. Please see who is standing before you. I love you guys.”

Expressing his love for Kannada language and his respect towards his audience, Sonu Nigam said, “I do so many shows across the world where thousands of people gather, and every time I hear even a single person shouting ‘Kannada’, I make sure to sing at least one line in Kannada for them. That’s how much I love and respect all of you. So please be kind.”

Notably, Sonu Nigam is a multi-lingual playback singer. In his career spanning three decades, Nigam has recorded many iconic songs in over 32 languages, including Hindi, Kannada, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Odia, English, Assamese, Malayalam, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, Nepali, Tulu, Maithili, and Manipuri.

World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit inaugurated by PM Modi in Mumbai; Mukesh Ambani says creative industries are real power: What happened on 1st day of WAVES 2025

OpIndia Staff
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World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit inaugurated by PM Modi in Mumbai; Mukesh Ambani says creative industries are real power: What happened on 1st day of WAVES 2025

The inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) commenced on May 1 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. Organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The four-day event (May 1–4) brings together global leaders in media, entertainment, and technology to position India as a hub for content creation and cultural innovation.​

The summit is hosting over 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300 companies, and 350 startups from over 100 countries.

India’s Creative Economy Takes Center Stage

Inaugurating the summit PM Modi emphasised the rise of India’s “Orange Economy”—centered on content, creativity, and culture. He highlighted India’s growing influence in music, film, gaming, and animation, stating, “India is becoming the global hub of music, film, and gaming.” PM Modi encouraged young creators to “dream big” and share their stories with the world, underscoring government initiatives like Skill India and Startup India that support the creative sector.  

He said India is not just a market for stories but also a powerhouse of storytelling. “Artists, innovators, investors and policy makers from more than 100 countries have come together under one roof today. In a way, we have laid down the foundation of global talent, global creativity and global ecosystem,” he said.

The PM said that WAVES is not just an acronym but a real wave. “Films, music, gaming, animation and storytelling are riding on this wave. Right from the first moment, the summit began to roar. It has attracted the world’s attention in its very first summit. More such beautiful waves are about to come,” he added.

Mukesh Ambani: Creative Industries Are ‘Real Power’

Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani addressed the summit, asserting that India’s entertainment and cultural industries constitute “real power,” not just soft power. “People say Media & Entertainment is India’s soft power—I call it India’s real power,” said Ambani. He projected that the current $28 billion media and entertainment sector could exceed $100 billion within a decade, given appropriate investment and policy support.

“India is not just a nation—it is a civilization of stories, where story-telling is a way of life”, Mukesh Ambani said in his keynote address titled “Building the Next Global Entertainment Revolution from India”. He referred to India as “the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of traditions.” Emphasizing that storytelling is deeply woven into the fabric of Indian life, he stated, “From our timeless epics to mythological tales, storytelling is our heritage. Content is king—and good stories always sell. This timeless principle is the foundation of global entertainment.”

He also identified two tectonic shifts reshaping the creative landscape: geo-economics and technology. As the economic might of the Global South surges—home to 85% of the world’s population—so does its role in content creation and consumption. At the same time, cutting-edge technologies like Artificial Intelligence are revolutionizing every stage of the entertainment value chain, from content creation to distribution.

Highlighting India’s unique strengths, Ambani said that the country is poised to lead the entertainment revolution, powered by three pillars; Compelling Content, Dynamic Demography and Technological Leadership. “India’s digital revolution is not just a story of scale—it is a story of aspiration, ambition, and transformation,” he declared.

Day 1 Highlights: Celebrating Legends and Emerging Voices

The first day featured a tribute to late actor Manoj Kumar, with Hema Malini and director Madhur Bhandarkar discussing his contributions to Indian cinema. Musical performances by artists like MM Keeravani, Shreya Ghoshal, Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan, KS Chithra, and Mangli added to the day’s events

Key panel discussions included:

Legends & Legacies: The Stories that Shaped India’s Soul: Featuring Hema Malini, Mithun Chakraborty, Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, and Chiranjeevi, moderated by Akshay Kumar, the panel reflected on their cinematic journeys and impact on Indian cinema.​

The New Mainstream: Breaking Borders, Building Legends: Director Karan Johar led a discussion with SS Rajamouli, AR Rahman, Alia Bhatt, Anil Kapoor, and Vicky Kaushal on how Indian cinema is transcending borders.​

The Journey: From Outsider to Ruler: Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone shared their experiences of overcoming industry challenges, in a session moderated by Karan Johar.​

Talent Beyond Borders: Allu Arjun spoke about the global recognition of regional talents. ​

Braving the Odds: Scripting a New Narrative: Legendary Footballer Ariane Hingst, Super Model Binaca Balti, Israeli actor Rona Lee Shimon, and TV9 MD Barun Das participated in this panel discussion.

“The Business of Influence: Creators Shaping Global Culture”: Moderated by Gautam Anand, Vice President, YouTube APAC, the session brought together four extraordinary creators whose journeys, rooted in passion and purpose, have quietly transformed corners of the digital world. Japanese creator Mayo Murasaki, Chef Ranveer Brar, Akash Jadhav of ‘Indian Farmer’, and Jeetendra Advani of ‘Chess Talk’ were the panelists.

Other than Mukesh Ambani, others to deliver keynote addresses on day 1 were Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for DCMS, UK on “Creative Bridges: Unlocking The Power of Cultural & Creative Partnerships Between the UK & India”, WPP CEO Mark Read on “The Future of Advertising”, Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayan on “Design, Media and Creativity in the Age of AI”, Ogilvy Chief Strategy Officer Prem Narayan on “Culture as a Fuel to Build Brands”, and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan on “Powering the Creator Economy in India”.

WAVES 2025 has attracted over 100 countries, featuring international figures like Louis Boswell (AVIA), Kang Sungkyu (Busan Film Commission), and Prince Faisal Bin Bandar Bin Sultan Al Saud (Saudi Esports Federation). ​

The summit also introduced initiatives such as the WAVES Bazaar, a global e-marketplace for creative talent, and the WAVES Awards, recognising excellence in film, gaming, and advertising. ​With its blend of cultural celebration and strategic vision, WAVES 2025 aims to solidify India’s position as a global leader in the creative economy.​

Water War: As Punjab’s AAP govts vows to not release a single drop of water for Haryana, CM Saini says excess water will go to Pakistan if reservoirs not emptied before monsoon

OpIndia Staff
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Water War: As Punjab’s AAP govts vows to not release a single drop of water for Haryana, CM Saini says excess water will go to Pakistan if reservoirs not emptied before monsoon

As the Indian government has suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan and stopped the flow of water of several rivers to Pakistan, a new water war has emerged between the Indian states of Punjab and Haryana. The issue emerged after the Bhakra Beas Management Board decided to release 8,500 cusecs of water to Haryana from the Bhakra Dam. This triggered protests by AAP and a war of words between the two state governments.

AAP argues that Haryana has already received its share of water from the dam, and Punjab should get all the water. Notably, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi are partnering states that meet their water requirements from Bhakra and Pong dams managed by the BBMB. The board decides the annual quota of water supply to the three states for a cycle from May 21 to May 21 every year.

In a meeting attended by all three partner states on Wednesday, the BBMB accepted Haryana’s request for additional water, which was supported by Rajasthan and Delhi but strongly opposed by Punjab. Congress-ruled Himachal Pradesh chose not to vote for any side.

Notably, the Bhakra–Nangal Dam system is comprised of two dams, Bhakra Dam in Himachal and Nangal in Punjab.

Haryana is currently receiving 4,000 cusecs daily but has now requested 8,500 cusecs. The AAP govt in Punjab has alleged that Haryana has already utilized its allocated share, and it can’t be given more water, saying it is unjustified and will harm Punjab’s agriculture. Punjab officials blamed Haryana of mismanagement of water in the heated debate during the meeting.

After the meeting, Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini called Bhagwant Singh Mann, saying Haryana needs additional water. But Mann refused, saying Punjab is already facing a water crisis, and it did not have a drop to spare.

Soon after, the Punjab govt decided to escalate the matter, and refused to release water to Haryana from the dam. The govt also ordered increased security at the Nangal dam.

CM Bhagwant Mann said, “Haryana has used its share of water. It runs from May 21 to May 21, they have used their water till March itself. Now, they are asking for additional water, which we don’t have. Our paddy season has arrived, we have fixed our canal system, now Punjab is using its share of water.”

The Punjab CM posted on X today, “The entire Punjab strongly opposes the decision to give water that is the right of Punjab and Punjabis to Haryana through BBMB. The BJP government of the Center and Haryana have united against Punjab. We will not tolerate another robbery of our rights by BJP at any cost. BJP should be ready to face opposition.”

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the AAP government will not allow the release of any more water to Haryana. He said, “There is a strong government in Punjab and it will not allow the release of even a single drop of water to Haryana. We are not stopping anybody’s right and we are not betraying anyone. We have already given the allotted water.”

On the other hand, BJP has accused AAP of playing politics over the issue. Haryana BJP president Badoli accused Arvind Kejriwal of instigating Punjab CM Mann to take such actions to take revenge against people of Delhi for losing the elections. He said, “When the AAP government was in Punjab and Delhi, they used to misguide people the same way during the three months of summer. They used to lie, claiming a shortage of water. Politicising a matter like drinking water is Arvind Kejriwal’s old habit.”

Delhi minister Parvesh Sahib Singh has said that Punjab government has resorted to dirty politics by stopping the water supply to Haryana and Delhi.

He tweeted, “After losing in Delhi, now they want to create water crisis in Delhi. We are working day and night to provide clean water to every household in Delhi and now the Punjab government wants to take revenge on the people of Delhi in this way. Stop this dirty politics or else you will be expelled from Punjab as well.”

Haryana govt has also alleged that Punjab has capped the Bhakra water supply at 4,000 cusecs. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has denied AAP’s claim that the state has received its full share, saying they have only received 60% of water.

The CM said, “He is trying to politicise this issue. I would like to clarify that the SYL (Sutlej-Yamuna Link) canal matter is under the supervision of the Supreme Court. But this issue is not about SYL’s water. It is about the issue of drinking water… Haryana has not yet received its full share. In the last week, Haryana received only 4,000 cusecs of drinking water, which is approximately 60 per cent of the state’s total demand. If BBMB provides the remaining water per Haryana’s demand, it will be only 0.0001 per cent of Bhakra Dam’s water reservoir.”

In a significant comment, CM Saini said that if Punjab govt keep capping water released from the dam at 4,000 cusec, excess water will overflow during monsoon and reach Pakistan. He said that the Bhakra dam reservoir has to be emptied before monsoon so that excess water accumulated during monsoon can be stored in the reservoir.

He said, “It is necessary to empty the Bhakra Dam water reservoir before June so that rainwater can be stored during the monsoon. If there is no space left in the water reservoir, excess water will go to Pakistan via Hari-ke-Pattan, which is neither in the interest of Punjab nor the nation.” 

Notably, if Saini’s warning becomes true, it will nullify the impact of Govt of India stopping flow of water to Pakistan. Because the flow can be stopped only by dams. But if the water overflows over the dams because of filled-up reservoirs, then the water can’t be stopped from flowing downstream and reaching Pakistan.

CM Minister Nayab Singh Saini added that stopping water for Haryana will also impact Delhi. “As long as there was an Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, the Mann government in Punjab had no objection to the water going to Delhi. Now that there is no Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, why is Mann making such statements to punish the people of Delhi?” he said.

Nanital: 12-year-old Hindu girl raped by 76-year-old Usman, Hindu groups call bandh- Details

OpIndia Staff
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Nanital: 12-year-old Hindu girl raped by 76-year-old Usman, Hindu groups call bandh- Details

On the evening of Wednesday, 30th April, protests broke out in the Mallital neighborhood of Nainital, Uttarakhand, following the rape of a 12-year-old girl by an old man named Usman. He has been indicted under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Usman was brought before the court and has been placed in judicial custody. The victim was taken to BD Pandey Hospital for a medical evaluation.

Meanwhile, the administration is not only pursuing legal action against Usman who has been arrested, but is also preparing to take measures against his illegal constructions. A notice has been placed at the accused’s residence by the municipal administration for the impending demolition.

“It has come to notice during the joint inspection conducted today, dated 01-05-2025, by the team comprising the Municipal Council / Police Administration / Revenue Department / District Development Authority, that you have encroached upon land belonging to the Municipality / Forest Department, which is against the rules and constitutes a violation of the provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1916. Therefore, through this notice, you are hereby informed to ensure the removal of the said encroachment at your own level within 03 days. If you wish to present your side in this matter, make sure to do so within the same 03-day period. Failure to comply will result in legal/punitive action as per the rules, for which you alone shall be held fully responsible,” the official letter stated.

On the other hand, massive demonstrations erupted throughout the hill town of Nainital. On 1st April, there was complete shutdown in Nanital. Colleges, shops, street sellers and rickshaw services stayed closed in protest from Tallital to Mallital. As a safety measure, multiple schools were closed. A demonstration organized by Hindu organizations in Mallital drew thousands of participants. Multiple Hindu organizations also gathered around the local police station on the night of 30th April.

Bharatiya Janata Party city president Nitin Karki, along with members of Shri Ram Seva Dal and other Hindu outfits, marched to the Kotwali police station and protested there. They complained that certain elements of a specific community in the city were harboring antisocial individuals and accused the police of showing leniency in taking action against them. The enraged crowd stated that a close relative of the accused is a doctor at BD Pandey Hospital, raising concerns about possible tampering or bias.

However, the police intervened to placate the situation. When certain individuals hurled stones at a religious site, the police deployed their vehicle to obstruct the assault.

Protesters have called for the accused to face severe penalties, including the seizure of their property. They also demanded the identification and expulsion of any foreign nationals living illegally, as well as verification efforts for all outsiders, particularly tenants and temporary employees from a particular community. The agitators yelling anti-Pakistan slogans allegedly broke window panes in nearby homes and damaged cars by throwing stones at them.

Senior officials including Superintendent of Police (City) Jagdish Chandra, pacified the situation and assured the demonstrators that the offender would face harsh punishment. A few stores owned by members of a specific community were vandalized and stones were hurled. Cops did lathi-charge to control the situation. The administration dispatched more police personnel from other districts when a fight broke out between two sides during the demonstration.

“We have kept the accused under tight security in view of the mob’s unrest after taking him into custody. The medical examination of the accused is being conducted,” senior official stated. Officials are diligently observing social media platforms to curb the dissemination of false information.

“On Wednesday, we received a complaint from the minor girl’s family that she was raped by Usman, who is a building contractor and lives in their neighbourhood, in his car by luring her with some money. According to the family, the incident took place on 12th April. The minor girl lives with relatives and her mother lives in Sambhal of Uttar Pradesh. She told her mother about the incident on Wednesday. We immediately registered the FIR on the complaint and arrested the accused,” Jagdish Chandra informed.

He added, “As locals came to know about the crime, they first gathered at the Mallital police station. They then pelted stones at shops belonging to the Muslim community in Gaadi Padav area and beat up some men. The stones were also pelted at the gate and walls of the Jama Masjid. We brought the situation under control at around 12:30 am and dispersed the crowd. We are gathering visuals of the individuals who were part of the crowd, involved in stone pelting. We will also take action against them after their identification.”

The horrific incident has also severely hurt the city’s tourism industry. Numerous travelers have shortened their vacations due to the increasing instability and widespread hotel cancellations have been recorded. There was a significant police presence across the city to maintain the peace. Officials acknowledged that the situation remains tense but under control and they have stationed security officers at important locations throughout the town.

Saharanpur: Female student expelled from school for trying to remove Pakistan flag pasted on the road after her video went viral

OpIndia Staff
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Saharanpur: Female student expelled from school for trying to remove Pakistan flag pasted on the road after her video went viral

A Muslim girl student was reportedly expelled from school in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, for trying to remove a Pakistan flag pasted on the road. The school administration took action against her after a video went viral showing the student attempting to remove the flag. The flag was reportedly pasted by some Hindu organisations on Tuesday (29th April) in protest against the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 Hindu tourists were brutally killed by Islamic terrorists.

The video went viral

The 11th standard student was reportedly passing through the Saharanpur bus stand crossroad in Gangoh Nagar on her scooter when she noticed the flag. She parked her scooter on the side and walked to the middle of the road where the flag was pasted. The video shows that she tried to lift the flag from one corner, but was unable to remove it completely as the flag was pasted to the road with glue. There, when it did not come off, she gave up, went back to her scooter and left. However, an onlooker had recorded the incident, and the video went viral on social media, leading to outrage.

The flag was reportedly pasted by members of Kranti Sena on Tuesday, a day before the girl tried to remove it. Vehicles and pedestrians were passing over the flag. 

Hindu organisations protested

After the video of the girl trying to remove the flag went viral, it triggered outrage. As the girl was in her school uniform, her school was quickly identified, and people from Hindu organisations, including Kranti Sena, reached the school and started creating a ruckus on Wednesday.

District head of Kranti Sena Neeraj Rohila met the principal of the school with a delegation and expressed his protest, and submitted a memorandum. He called the act of the student treason and demanded immediate expulsion of the student from the college. Seeing the anger of the activists and the seriousness of the matter, the principal immediately expelled the student from the college.

From her uniform, it appears that the girl studies at the Silver Oak Public School in Gangoh, Saharanpur.

The girl’s family defends her act

The family of the student came out in her defence, claiming that she was not trying to remove the flag. They said that the girl walked to the middle of the road looking for her pen that had fallen there. Coincidentally, Pakistan’s flag was pasted at the exact spot where she went looking for her pen. This made her appear like she was removing the flag.

Delhi Police files chargesheet against ex-AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, three others in MCOCA case

ANI
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Delhi Police files chargesheet against ex-AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, three others in MCOCA case

 Delhi Police on Thursday filed a supplementary chargesheet against former MLA Naresh Balyan and three other accused — namely Sahil alias Poli, Vijay alias Kalu, and Jyoti Prakash alias Baba – arrested in connection with an MCOCA case involving an alleged organised crime syndicate run by gangster Kapil Sangwan alias Nandu.

This is the second supplementary chargesheet in the case and the first one naming Naresh Balyan. Earlier, a main chargesheet was filed against Ritik alias Peter. The first supplementary charge sheet was filed against Rohit, also known as Anna, and Sachin Chikara.
Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh will hear the Delhi Police’s submissions on Friday.

This current chargesheet has been filed under various sections of under various sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

Balyan was arrested in connection with the case on December 4, 2025. Following his arrest, the court had granted an extension of 60 days to complete the investigation against him.

On April 23, the court further extended the time for 11 days to complete the investigation against two accused, namely Sahil alias Poli and Vijay Gahlaut alias Kalu, in a case under MCOCA.

Investigation officer ACP Naresh and Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) appeared before the court and sought an extension of 30 days.
The court had extended judicial custody of EX MLA Naresh Balyan and other accused till May 5.

Notably, the Court had already granted an earlier 60-day extension on March 1 to allow the Delhi Police to complete the investigation against Naresh Balyan.

This extension period was set to expire on May 4.

The Court has already taken cognisance of the charge sheet filed against the accused Ritik alias Peter. A supplementary charge sheet has also been filed against Rohit alias Anna and Sachin Chikara. The court has also taken cognisance of the same.

Earlier, Special Judge Jitendra Singh had extended the period of investigation until May 5 after hearing the prosecution’s submissions.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Rajasthan HC directs state government to exclude candidates with annual income above ₹25 lakh from scholarship scheme, says it is misuse of public money

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan HC directs state government to exclude candidates with annual income above ₹25 lakh from scholarship scheme, says it is misuse of public money

A single judge bench of the Rajasthan High Court on Tuesday (29th April) reprimanded the state government for including rich beneficiaries in a scholarship scheme, calling it a misuse of public money. The High Court highlighted the disparities in the implementation of the Swami Vivekananda Scholarship for Higher Studies (earlier known as the Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship), in its order passed on the petition of a candidate seeking benefit under the scholarship scheme. The court called out the state government for providing financial assistance under the scheme to candidates from rich and well-off families.

“Millions of rupees have been given in the name of such Scholarships to those candidates of the rich & wealthy parents who are, in fact, not in need to receive the same. By getting the benefits of such Scholarships by those candidates, they are actually depriving those needy, poor and scholar candidates who are outstanding in their studies, whose academic record is excellent and who want to pursue their higher studies in a renowned University/College in the nation and across the world. But, they have been deprived of getting the benefits of the same because these scholarships are given to the wards of the wealthy, rich and Influential parents,” the High Court noted.

The court cannot close its eyes to such discretionary functioning of the government: HC

Rejecting the petition, Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand restrained the state government from granting the benefits of the scholarship to candidates falling under the E3 category. The scholarship scheme divides eligible candidates into three categories- E1, E2 and E3, based on their annual family income. E1 category candidates are those with an annual family income under ₹8 lakh. E2 category candidates are those having an annual family income between ₹8 lakh to ₹25 lakh. And, E3 candidates are the ones who have an annual family income of more than ₹25 lakh.

“This Court cannot shut and close its eyes to such discretionary functioning of the Government and its officials who are misusing the public money and the government exchequer in the name of granting Scholarships to those who are not in fact entitled to receive the same,” the court asserted.

The court restrained the government from granting the scholarship to E3 category candidates. “Until further orders, the respondents are restrained to grant the benefits of this Scholarship Scheme to any candidates falling under the E3 category,” the court said.

Government not inclined to bring the truth: HC

In an order dated 17.04.2025, the High Court had directed the state government to furnish a list of beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme since its inception. However, the state government failed to provide the list. “…no such list of the beneficiaries and complete details of parents of such candidates has been submitted on record by the respondents for the reasons best known to them. Non-furnishing of the list of beneficiaries and the details of their parents reveals that the Government is not inclined to bring the truth on the record with a view to hiding the identity of the beneficiaries and their parents,” the High Court said, expressing disappointment over the state government’s inaction.

The High Court directed the state government to comply with its previous order and furnish the list of the beneficiaries.”The respondents are once again directed to comply with the order dated 17.04.2025 passed by this Court and submit the complete list of all the candidates along with the details of their parents, to whom the benefits of the Scholarship Scheme under the Categories of E1, E2, and E3 have been granted, since the date of inception of the Scheme to till date,” the court ordered.

The next date of hearing is set on 9th May.

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