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China hikes tariffs on imports from US to 125% after American levy on Chinese goods reached 145%

ANI
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China hikes tariffs on imports from US to 125% after American levy on Chinese goods reached 145%

China on Friday hit back at the latest US tariffs by imposing 125 per cent tariffs on imports of all US goods.

Chinese official Xinhua agency cited the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council to state that it will lift the additional tariffs on products imported from the US to 125 per cent from 84 per cent, effective from April 12.

China has also filed lawsuit with WTO following the latest US tariff hikes, the Chinese commerce ministry said as per a report in the official Xinhua Agency.

Also in his first public remarks on US-China trade war, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday said, “There is no winner in a tariff war, and going against the world will only result in self-isolation”. He made the remarks during his meeting with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez in Beijing today according to Xinhua.

Xi further called on China and the EU to fulfill their international responsibilities, work together to safeguard economic globalization and the international trading environment, and jointly resist unilateral bullying.

The Chinese Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council today said that given that there is no longer any possibility of market acceptance for US goods exported to China under the current tariff levels, if the US side subsequently continues to impose tariffs on Chinese goods exported to the US, the Chinese side will not respond to any further tariffs imposed by the United States.

“Even if the US imposes even higher tariffs, it would no longer make economic sense and ultimately go down as a joke in world economic history,” according to the commission as reported in the Chinese state media.

The current US tariffs on Chinese imports include a 145 per cent duty on all products imported from China, according to the White House.

China said that the “excessively high tariffs” imposed by US President Donald Trump “seriously violates international economic and trade rules, goes against basic economic laws and common sense, and is nothing but unilateral bullying and coercion.”

However, should the US persist in substantially undermining China’s interests, China will take firm countermeasures and fight to the end, the commission added.

On April 10, Trump paused most of the tariffs for 90 days but for China the tariffs were hiked to 145 per cent.

Trump blamed Beijing’s retaliatory actions — including hiking the tariff rate to 84 per cent — and announced an immediate increase in US tariffs on Chinese imports to 125 per cent, on top of the 20 per cent rate the president had previously imposed on China — bringing the total tariff to 145 per cent.

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

House arrest, blasphemy accusations, forceful closure of shops and more: Muslim mobs are unleashing terror on Hindus in Bangladesh while police whitewash atrocities

OpIndia Staff
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House arrest, blasphemy accusations, forceful closure of shops and more: Muslim mobs are unleashing terror on Hindus in Bangladesh while police whitewash atrocities

Hindus have been living in fear and under house arrest ever since frenzied Muslim mobs unleashed mayhem in Bantara village in Dinajpur Sadar upazila of Bangladesh under the pretext of ‘blasphemy.’

On 6th April this year, Muslims blocked the Dinajpur-Gobindaganj highway after accusing a Hindu man (identified as one Sobuj Das) of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad. Radical outfits like Jammat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam also participated in the demonstrations.

They demanded the arrest and execution of the Hindu victim for supposedly committing ‘blasphemy’. The Muslim mobs unleashed carnage in the area in the presence of the police and the army.

Sobuj Das and his family had to flee the village, fearing for their safety and security. On the night of 3rd April, Muslims in Bantara village declared an indefinite closure of Hindu shops.

They also barred local Hindus from driving rickshaw vans. The extremists also threatened to vandalise and burn down Hindu properties if they dared to run their business in Bantar.

According to Bangladeshi journalist Shoaib Salahuddin Choudhury, the Muslim mobs also threatened to abduct Hindu women if they did not remain confined to their homes.

Noted Bangladeshi author-in-exile, Taslima Nasreen, highlighted that Hindus were being arrested in Bantara village in Dinajpur Sadar upazila. A case in point is that of a Hindu teacher named Upendranath Roy.

Roy was attacked and held hostage in his own home by a mob of ‘Tawhidi Janata’ – vigilante Muslims, unleashing violence under the pretext of protecting the tenets of Islam. The victim was then handed over to the police.

His only mistake was that he raised his voice against the collective persecution of the Hindu community in Bantara village.

Due to continued threats and fear of attacks, the 16-hour-long ‘Harinam Sankirtan’ was abandoned. The situation was further exacerbated by hate speeches made by a mob of ‘Tawhidi Janata’.

They openly acknowledged vandalising the house of Sobuj Das based on ‘blasphemous comments’ made on Facebook.

According to reports, more than 150 Hindu families had escaped from the area owing to immediate threats to their lives at the hands of the Muslim mobs.

After the news of the ill-treatment meted out to the Hindu community became viral, the same Muslims who threatened the Hindus for the past 7 days came forward to give out a message of ‘communal harmony.’

An announcement was also made from the microphone of the local mosque – “Hindu brothers, you open your shops or stay at home if you like. Do your work freely as per your occupation. There is nothing to fear or panic.”

Muslims gather for a Photo Op to showcase communal harmony in Dinajpur, image via Prothom Alo

Similar theatrics were witnessed during multiple religious conflicts in India (particularly in Delhi and Bengaluru)

The Bangladesh police swung into ‘damage control mode’ and claimed that reports of house arrest, persecution and illegal detention of Hindus in Bantara in Dinajpur Sadar Upazila are fake.

The cops made the claims via a Facebook post on Thursday (10th April).

Screengrab of the Facebook post by Bangladesh police

Muslims attack Hindu minorities in Bangladesh under pretext of blasphemy

This is not the first time that such an incident has come to light.

In February 2025, a Muslim mob comprising members of the radical ‘Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh’ and ‘Tawhidi Janata‘ hounded a Hindu man named Supta Saha Anik after accusing him of making ‘objectionable remarks’ about Islam.

The mob organised a protest rally in Kalmakanda upazila in the Netrakona district of Bangladesh after Jumma Namaz. They also demanded the immediate arrest of the Hindu man for supposedly insulting Prophet Muhammad and gave an ultimatum of 48 hours.

As expected, the violent Muslim mob raised genocidal slogans and vowed to make ‘ultimate sacrifie’ in order to avenge the supposed dishonour to Islam.

In January this year, a Hindu man named Pranta Talukder was abducted and tortured by a Muslim mob in the Chittagong city of Bangladesh. He was thrashed mercilessly and left severely injured over allegations of committing blasphemy.

In December 2024, Muslims carried out arson attack on 130 Hindu houses and 20 temples after accusing a young boy named Akash Das of making blasphemous comments on Facebook.

In October 2024, a frenzied Muslim mob laid siege to the Kadirdi Degree College in Boalmari in the Faridpur district of Bangladesh after accusing a Hindu boy named Hridoy Pal of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad.

In September last year, a Hindu boy named Utsab Mandal was almost lynched by a Muslim mob on accusations of ‘blasphemy’ in the Sonadanga residential area of Khulna city.

Later that month, another frenzied Muslim mob laid siege to the Patiya police station in Chittagong district of Bangladesh, demanding that the cops hand over a Hindu boy accused of ‘insulting’ Prophet Muhammad.

The mob, comprising mostly local madrassa students, also attacked an army vehicle after seeing a young boy in civilian clothes and mistaking him for the Hindu victim. A 22-year-old Hindu youth named Partha Biswas Pintu was arrested on charges of committing ‘blasphemy’.

In May 2024, a Hindu student named Utsab Kumar Gian, studying at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University in Bangladesh, was thrashed by a Muslim mob on accusations of blasphemy.

Drug addiction, luring young girls and sextortion: How the sordid rape case in Varanasi exposed a sinister gang operated from Continental Cafe

Aditi
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Drug addiction, luring young girls and sextortion: How the sordid rape case in Varanasi exposed a sinister gang operated from Continental Cafe

The investigation into the gruesome Varanasi gangrape case involving a 19-year-old victim and 23 accused that sent shockwaves across the country has uncovered a vicious drug nexus and organised racket that exploited women sexually and blackmailed them. So far, the police have arrested 12 out of the 23 accused named in the FIR for drugging and brutalising the victim in different locations for 6 days.

PM Modi instructs authorities to take the strictest action against the accused

On his arrival in Varanasi today (11th April), Prime Minister Modi instructed the police to take the strictest possible action against the culprits in the case. As soon as PM Modi landed in Varanasi, he was briefed by the police commissioner, divisional commissioner and district magistrate on the investigation in the case.

The cafe owner, his gang and their modus operandi

One of the accused named Anmol Gupta, is said to be the mastermind of the drug and sex racket. According to police, Gupta used to sell noodles at a food stall in Sigra. However, within just 2 years, he became the owner of the Continental Cafe, the epicentre of all the criminal activities linked to the drug and sex racket run by him. Gupta had a gang of 15 men who used to trap young girls, sedate them with drugs, sexually exploit them and record their videos to further blackmail them so that the gang members and their customers could keep exploiting them.

Anmol Gupta had assigned specific roles to all the gang members. One gang member, Sohail, said to be a law student, operated as the right-hand man of Gupta. Another member, Raj Vishwakarma, who worked in a private job, was given the task of supplying drugs. Sajid used to trap girls, while Ayush used to lure school and college-going students to the cafe. Tanveer alias Sameer, who worked as a car mechanic, is himself a drug addict. He was given the task of bringing customers. Another gang member, Imran, studying in the 12th standard, used to record the videos of the sexual exploitation of the victims. Danish used to create hype for the Continental Cafe on social media. Around 18 videos of sexual victims were found on his phone, indicating that there may be multiple victims exploited and raped by the gang.

The victim was taken to multiple locations and raped by multiple people for days

According to the FIR, the victim was sedated and raped by multiple people in diiefferent locations including hotels, hookah bars, lodges and cafes. The brutality started on the night of March 29, 2025, when the victim, a resident of Lalpur Pandeypur police station area of ​​Varanasi, met the accused Raj Vishwakarma when she was returning from a friend’s house. Vishwakarma knew her. He took her to his cafe located in the Lanka area of Varanasi. There he raped the victim all night. The next day, on 30th March, Sameer and Ayush Singh and a few others raped her by threatening to leak her videos. The next day, Sohail, Danish, Anmol, Sajid and Zaheer also joined them. They drugged the victim and took her to Continental Cafe. All of them raped the victim there who was in an unconscious state.

After this, on 1 April, Sajid, along with his friends, took her to a hotel named Girls’ Hostel. Three unknown persons were already present there. The victim was forced to massage the three people despite her refusal. During the massage, she was raped by one of them. From there, Imran forcibly took her to another hotel on a bike where he again drugged and raped her. Thereafter, Sajid, along with his friends, took the victim to a warehouse in Aurangabad. There she was raped by a man named Zaib who was already present there. The victim’s exploitation did not stop here. She was then taken to a room by Sajid, who was accompanied by Aman and one more person. Aman and the other person raped her in the room. After raping the victim, they abandoned her on a road. The victim spent the night near Sigra IP Mall.

On 2nd April, Raj Khan and his friend found her near the mall. They took her to a house in Hukulganj Bagwanala where they fed her noodles laced with sedatives and raped her. They dumped the victim in an unconscious state at Assi Ghat. The victim somehow managed to reach a friend’s house the next day. She left the friend’s house on the evening of 3rd April, but she met Danish. He took her to a room where Sohail, Shoaib and one more person were already present. All of them raped the victim had dumped her near Chowkghat in an unconscious state. Finally, on 4th April, the victim managed to reach her house. After reaching her house, the victim could not speak for 24 hours due to intoxication. She narrated the brutality to her family after gaining consciousness.

A case was registered by the police on 7th April based on the complaint filed by the victim’s mother. The police are on the lookout for the culprits who are on the run.

“Disgrace to public, true representation of DMK”: AIADMK’s Kovai Sathyan on Minister Ponmudy’s offensive remarks against Hinduism and women

ANI
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“Disgrace to public, true representation of DMK”: AIADMK’s Kovai Sathyan on Minister Ponmudy’s offensive remarks against Hinduism and women

AIADMK National Spokesperson Kovai Sathyan criticised Tamil Nadu Minister K Ponmudy as a “disgrace” to the public and a “true representation” of DMK.

Condemning Ponmudy’s reported controversial remarks on women and Hinduism, the AIADMK leader said that they go to any extent to mock a religious belief and practices of a particular section, that too particularly with respect to Hindu religious beliefs.

“He is a disgrace to the public, and people like him are the true representation of DMK and their parent body DK. They go to any extent to mock a religious belief and mock the practices of a particular sect and that too particularly with respect to Hindu religious beliefs…We strongly condemn it…” Sathyan told ANI.

The AIADMK leader further called the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister a puppet CM.

He further said, “MK Stalin is a puppet leader and puppet CM. The AIADMK stands that we don’t need NEET in Tamil Nadu, and the BJP stands that they are in for the NEET.

Earlier, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) dismissed Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ponmudy from the position of Deputy General Secretary in the party, following his reported controversial remarks on Hinduism and women.

Ponmudy’s remarks drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party. CR Kesavan demanded his removal from the Ministerial post, stating that he has no “moral rights” to stay as Minister.

Moreover, Kesavan criticised the ruling DMK and accused them of indulging in “mere eyewash” by removing him from just the party’s position and not from the Tamil Nadu cabinet.

Taking to social media post on X, the BJP leader wrote, “When the State Emblem of Tamilnadu is a Sacred Temple Gopuram, Ponmudi, after his perverted statements deliberately attacking sacred Hindu symbols to crude sexual innuendos, he has no moral right to continue as Minister of TN Government. DMK is indulging in mere eyewash by removing him from just from the party position. This vile individual should at once be sacked as a Minister.”

DMK MP Kanizmozhi condemned Minister Ponmudy’s remarks, calling them “unacceptable.”

“Minister Ponmudy’s recent speech is unacceptable. Regardless of the reason for the speech, such vulgar remarks are condemnable,” Kanimozhi posted on X.

DMK Minister K Ponmudy had purportedly made a ‘joke’ on two different sects of Hinduism, Shaivism and Viashnavism, drawing criticism from multiple leaders. 

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

As Tamil Nadu, Bengal declare opposition to Waqf Amendment Act, Muslims in Kerala ask govt to do the same: Read how such resolutions have no legal standing

Rukma Rathore
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As Tamil Nadu, Bengal declare opposition to Waqf Amendment Act, Muslims in Kerala ask govt to do the same: Read how such resolutions have no legal standing

Muslim organizations in Kerala have asked both the Left government and opposition parties to adopt a unified resolution stating that the Waqf Amendment Act will not be enforced in the state. They want the state to follow the actions of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. The Tamil Nadu Assembly passed a motion calling on the center to revoke the act before the parliament even passed it, while West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced that she would not implement it in her state.

West Bengal has been experiencing a surge of violence linked to the anti-Waqf Amendment Act over the last several days. On the other hand, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has approached the Supreme Court against the act. Thodiyur Muhammed Kunji Moulavi, General Secretary of the South Kerala Jamiatul Ulama, expressed, “Stalin has already made an announcement, and their assembly has passed a resolution against the implementation of the Wakf Amendment Act. We demand that the Kerala government should also pass such a resolution.”

The same demand has been made by multiple other Muslim outfits that organized a march to Kerala’s Raj Bhavan (Governor House) on 10th April in protest of the pivotal legislation. The amendment, according to Muslim leaders, is an attempt to “eradicate Muslims from the country” and steal all of their possessions, including Waqf assets, which Muslim households have donated for generations to help the nation’s impoverished.

Kadakkal Abdul Azeez Moulavi, President of the Kerala Muslim Jamaath Federation, threatened, “Until the death of the last Muslim in this country, we will not allow this anti-democratic law to be implemented. Our Raj Bhavan march is just the beginning, and we may even organise a massive protest rally to Parliament.” He declared that everyone who supported democracy and secularism would unite with the Muslims in the country to oppose the recently modified act.

The Muslim associations have promised to plan major rallies in the days ahead and have stated that they hope that the Supreme Court will take a democratic decision against the act by then. Former MP and CPI (Communist Party of India) national executive member Panniyan Raveendran, who also attended the event, stated that everyone opposed to the BJP/RSS’s religious polarization would stand with fellow Muslim citizens in the struggle against the alleged discrimination.

He accused, “We know how we live and the love we have for each other. The BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) or RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) do not even deserve to utter the name of Hindu. This is an organised attempt to loot properties for their corporate friends. After targeting Muslims, they are now targeting Christians.” Interestingly, the Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) termed some parts of the Waqf Act “unconstitutional and unjust” and had urged Members of Parliament from the states to support the amendments.

After the bill was passed, fifty Christians of Munambam in the state joined the BJP. Waqf has been claiming their land. Munambam is at the center of the state’s Waqf land dispute. The majority of the locals are Christians. They have spent the last 175 days battling the Kerala Waqf Board over its ownership of 400 acres of property that the people have possessed for many generations. The Muslim organizations declared that they would pursue legal action against the imposition of an “anti-democratic law” in addition to continuing their non-violent demonstrations against the revisions.

The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was approved by the Lok Sabha on 3rd April and the Rajya Sabha on 4th April, officially became the Waqf (Amendment) Act and came into effect on 8th April after receiving the assent of President Droupadi Murmu. Despite their opposition to the bill’s passage in Parliament, the CPIM’s (Communist Party of India-Marxist) government is yet to declare that the law will not be followed in the state.

Can states refuse to impose laws passed by Parliament

Notably, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Kerala and Punjab passed resolutions against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in their respective legislative assemblies in 2020. However, in 2021, the Supreme Court emphasized that resolutions passed by the legislative assemblies opposing central laws, such as the CAA or the farm laws, are only “opinions” of the majority members of the assembly and do not have legal authority.

The court was considering a Public Interest Litigation submitted by the Rajasthan-based NGO (Non-Governmental Organization), Samta Andolan Samiti, which argued that state assemblies can not pass resolutions opposing central laws that fall under the Union List of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. “It is the opinion of the majority in the Kerala assembly. They have not told people to disobey the law, they have only told Parliament to abrogate the law. It is only an opinion and does not have the force of law,” Chief Justice Bobde had pronounced during the hearing.

The Constitution specifies that states cannot refuse to apply the CAA since the center, not the state, is in charge of citizenship. The legislative authority between Parliament and state legislatures is outlined in Article 246 of the Constitution. “States would have no other option but to implement the law passed by Parliament. In case of any grievances by the state, they can always approach the Supreme Court if they feel that there is any violation of the fundamental rights of its citizens in any way,” Former Secretary-General of Lok Sabha, PDT Achary pointed out in an interview with India Today.

Supreme Court lawyer Ashwani Dubey outlined, “There is a clear demarcation between the subjects which the Centre can make decisions on as well as on the State, and states do not have the power to override laws passed by the central government in these areas. Those states opposing the implementation of the CAA have no power as per the constitution to do so.” He explained that states will be violating the fundamental rights of citizens if they fail to execute the CAA. He added, “If needed, citizens of a particular state can approach the court seeking implementation of their fundamental rights.”

Another Supreme Court advocate, Anas Tanvir, stated, “Citizenship is completely the domain of the Central Government. But in federalism, there is a trend and tradition where states, too, have some role to play. However, it’s up to the Union to give them the power to make them a partner in this and give them power if they wish to.” While issues mentioned in the State List are at the authority of the state legislatures, subjects included in the Union List, including citizenship, are exclusively under the purview of Parliament.

“Any attempt by a state to refuse implementation of citizenship laws passed by the central government would be legally untenable. States are bound by the laws made by Parliament,” voiced senior Supreme Court attorney KV Dhananjay.

Similar playbook in action against Waqf Amendment Act

Similar to how the opposition incited the anti-CAA protests through false promises, inflammatory statements and unrealistic commitments, the current situation reveals that these leaders are employing the same tactics to attract and consolidate their Muslim votebank. The resolutions or declarations that seek to prevent the Waqf Amendment Act from being implemented in their respective states hold no legitimate authority and are simply a strategy to manipulate their outraged Muslim supporters who are already wreaking havoc on the streets, reminiscent of the events during the CAA protests.

Significantly, the anti-CAA demonstrations kicked off in West Bengal, marked by assaults on the Railways, which resulted in massive losses, stranded passengers, train cancellations, vandalism, arson and multiple injuries to railway employees. “It is not our responsibility to protect the railways, but we tried to help them as much as possible. They have their force, RPF, to protect trains and stations,” West Bengal Chief Minsiter Mamata Banerjee declared at the time.

The infamous Shaheen Bagh agitation, the anti-Hindu riots that ravaged Delhi in 2020, and several such incidents stemmed from the actions of the opposition, alongside Muslim leaders who relentlessly spread hatred and disinformation to further their agenda. Likewise, a similar campaign is underway, portraying the new legislation, akin to the CAA, as anti-Muslim and unconstitutional. The accusations are primarily based on a fabricated narrative designed to advance personal and political agendas rather than reflect any actual truth or being grounded in reality.

Their only purpose is to blindly oppose Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government’s policies while misleading their loyal voter base with lies to maintain their electoral advantages, even as the country faces serious law and order and security challenges.

‘Indians deserved it. Terrorists should be honoured with Nishan-e-Pakistan’: Read what Tahawwur Rana told David Headley after the Mumbai 26/11 attack

OpIndia Staff
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‘Indians deserved it. Terrorists should be honoured with Nishan-e-Pakistan’: Read what Tahawwur Rana told David Headley after the Mumbai 26/11 attack

In a significant move nearly 16 years after the devastating 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the US Department of Justice on Thursday called the extradition of Tahawwur Rana a “crucial step in the pursuit of justice” for the six American victims and scores of others who perished in one of the deadliest terror strikes on Indian soil.

Rana, a 64-year-old Canadian citizen of Pakistani origin, was flown from the United States to India aboard a special aircraft on Wednesday and touched down in Delhi by Thursday evening. He stands accused of aiding his childhood friend, Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley—one of the key conspirators behind the 2008 attacks that paralyzed Mumbai for days.

The Justice Department also revealed chilling details from intercepted conversations following the attacks. Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indian victims “deserved it.”

In a shocking display of praise for the attackers, Rana reportedly lauded the nine LeT terrorists killed during the assault, saying they “should be given the Nishan-e-Haider,” Pakistan’s highest military honour awarded posthumously for battlefield valor.

The 26/11 attacks were executed by 10 heavily armed operatives from Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terror group. While nine were neutralized by Indian security forces during the siege, one—Ajmal Amir Kasab—was captured alive, tried, and hanged in 2012.

Rana’s alleged involvement went beyond words. He is accused of helping Headley—born Daood Gilani—pose as a legitimate businessman to scope out Mumbai’s vulnerabilities.

Acting as a front, Rana’s immigration firm supposedly enabled Headley to travel freely and conduct reconnaissance on potential targets, including the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. Once a military doctor in the Pakistani army, Rana moved to Canada in 1997 and eventually settled in the United States.

In Chicago, he launched multiple ventures including a law firm and a meat processing plant. Despite Headley’s complete lack of experience, Rana allegedly opened a Mumbai branch of his business and installed him as its head—an act prosecutors say was meant to mask terror surveillance under the guise of legitimate enterprise. Now back in India, Rana is expected to face trial for his role in an attack that continues to haunt memories and completely upended India’s approach towards dealing with Pakistani terrorism.

23 people dead in Nalanda as rains and storm wreak havoc in Bihar, total death toll reaches 80 in the state

ANI
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23 people dead in Nalanda as rains and storm wreak havoc in Bihar, total death toll reaches 80 in the state

The death toll in Bihar’s Nalanda district has risen to 23, following storm and rains wreaking havoc in the area, the District Magistrate said on Friday.

Earlier, the death toll reported in Nalanda was 22 following the devastating storm and rains.

21 people had died as a result of thunderstorms, with DM Shubhankar confirming to ANI that atleast 1 person died due to lightning while others died due to being buried at different places.

“23 people have died in Nalanda. Out of which one died due to lightning and others died due to being buried at different places,” the Nalanda DM Shashank Shubhankar told ANI.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also directed compensation for the families of the victims, and a team has been sent to assess the crop and housing damage in the area.

“Action is being taken to compensate all the families as per the instructions of the Chief Minister, and most of the people have been given compensation. Along with this, the team has gone out to assess the crop damage and house damage,” the DM said.

He said that the work of restoring the 18 kilometres of Low-Tension lines (LT) and 200 electricity poles is ongoing and will be completed by this evening.

“There was a challenge to restore the power system because more than 18 kilometres of LT line and more than 300 electricity poles have been uprooted, so it is being restored… All the system will be normal by this evening,” he added.

A compensation of Rs 4 Lakh has been announced to the families of the deceased.

In addition to the loss of human lives, significant damage has also been reported to homes, livestock, and agricultural crops, DM Shubhankar stated, adding that officials will begin an assessment of property and crop damage on Friday, after which compensation for the same will be provided.

The powerful storm, which uprooted trees and brought down structures across the region, led to fatalities in multiple blocks of Nalanda.

According to the officials, a massive Peepal tree collapsed onto a temple in the Nagma village of the district, killing several people who had gathered to take shelter following the rain and storm. The villagers of the area have claimed a delay in giving them compensation of Rs 4 lakhs.

“Compensation has not been received, nothing has been received. Someone had come to meet us; some officers from the government came to the police and identified them. They took our aadhar cards for identifying the deceased,” said one of the villagers in Nagma.

A total of 80 people have lost their lives following storms in different regions of Bihar.

Bihar’s Minister of Disaster Management, Vijay Kumar Mandal, said that the government is taking the matter really seriously.

Mandal told ANI, “So far, the death toll stands at 80…Chief Minister has announced compensation, we are providing Rs 4 Lakhs each to the bereaved families. People have suffered losses to thunderstorm and rain, farmers too have suffered losses. We are making arrangements for that too. The government is very serious about this, and we will work on it.”

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

Chhattisgarh: Missionary nursing college forces a Hindu student to convert to Christianity, Hindu organisations take out protest rally

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Missionary nursing college forces a Hindu student to convert to Christianity, Hindu organisations take out protest rally

Hindu organisations Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal took out a protest rally in Jashpur, Chhattisgarh, against the incident where a Hindu student studying in a Christian nursing college was barred from appearing in the examination after she refused to convert to Christianity. According to Dainik Bhaskar, hundreds of Hindus participated in the Hindu Akrosh Rally that began from Saliatoli and concluded at Jai Stambh Chowk, passing through the Tehsil office and police station. Security around the nursing college was tightened because of the rally to prevent any untoward situation.

Acharya Rakesh and Bajrang Dal district president Vijay Aditya Singh Judev led the rally. Acharya Rakesh said that the incident has exposed how attempts at conversion are being made in the name of service. He added that if the culprits, including the principal of the college, are not arrested, then a bigger movement will be launched and action will be taken to cancel the recognition of the college. Describing the incident as an attack on the faith of Hindus, Judev alleged that no action has been taken by the administration against the culprits despite the complaint of the student.

What was the incident?

Amisha Bai, a final year student at Holy Cross Nursing College, Kunkuri, had accused the principal of the college, Vincy Joseph, of forcing her to convert to Christianity. She alleged that three months after she enrolled in the General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) course at the college, the Principal offered her to convert. Initially, she ignored the offer, but the offer soon turned into pressure. The Principal allegedly kept forcing her to become a nun. When Amisha Bai refused to give in, the college management started harassing her, and her attendance was not registered.

It is alleged that the college management went to the extent of throwing her out of the class and barring her from entering the college premises. She was expelled from the hostel on April 1, 2025 and was prevented from taking the examination. Amisha Bai approached authorities with her complaint, after which she was allowed to sit for the exam but was threatened that she would fail. She submitted a written complaint to the Collector and SP regarding the matter and demanded action.

The father of the student suffers from physical disability. He hardly manages to provide for her education. He alleged that the college authorities used to call him and scold him for the tiniest mistakes of his daughter. “My daughter has told me about this harassment many times. The college sister (principal) repeatedly asked her to become a nun. I always told her to focus on her studies. If she has to become a nun, then there are Brahma Kumaris in our Hindu religion, too. Join them. The college people used to call us and scold us even for the smallest mistake of the girl. We did not say anything because we are poor people. We are somehow educating the girl, ” the father said.

Aligarh: Married Raza Khan claims to be Raja to lure Hindu girl, rapes her and blackmails her with explicit videos, pushes her to embrace Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Aligarh: Married Raza Khan claims to be Raja to lure Hindu girl, rapes her and blackmails her with explicit videos, pushes her to embrace Islam

A new case of “love jihad” has emerged from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. A young woman who visited a gym reportedly fell victim to manipulation, sexual exploitation and intimidation. The gym trainer, Raza (Raees as per other reports) Khan pretended to be Raja to trap her into love jihad. He is already married and has two children. A case has been filed at the Rorawar police station against him for concealing his identity, raping a Hindu girl and forcing her into marriage.

After the victim submitted a written complaint, the police initiated an inquiry and subsequently registered a case. Now, further action is underway. The accused introduced himself to the girl with the fake name. Afterward, he led her to a hotel where he sexually assaulted her. He recorded inappropriate videos and photos of her during this heinous act and later used it to blackmail her, threatening to make it public.

The victim was accompanied by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members to the police station. She recounted that she first met the offender two years back at “The Force” gym, situated at the Haddi Godam crossroads where she used to work out with her brother. She became acquainted with the owner there, who was also her trainer. She mentioned that shortly after their initial encounter, he began to stalk her and expressed desire to befriend her. Initially, she dismissed his advances. However, he continued to pursue her and made repeated efforts to initiate a friendship. Eventually, they started talking and a few days later, he took her to a hotel, where he raped her.

He frequently met her masquerading as Raja and she discovered his real identity after a long time. However, fearing societal backlash and shame, she was unable to confront him and silently endured the torture. She stated that after she learnt his true identity, he started to force her to convert to Islam. He took her against her will to mosques and dargahs (shrines) and pressurised her to participate in namaz (Islamic prayers). She mustered the courage to raise the complaint against him after enduring immense distress for several months. The police have since started probing the case and assured her of strict legal action against the perpetrator.

BJP leader Sanju Bajaj informed that when her family arranged her marriage, he used her offensive images and videos to terminate the engagement and relentlessly pushed her to do nikah (Islamic wedding) with him. SP (Superintendent of Police) City Mrigank Shekhar Pathak confirmed that a complaint has been received and the authorities swiftly launched an FIR (First Information Report). He added that legal action is currently in progress to apprehend the culprit.

Secular diabetic influencer in ICU after 20 takes of making reel against Baba Ramdev’s Gulab Sharbat to support Rooh Afza

Rahul Roushan
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Secular diabetic influencer in ICU after 20 takes of making reel against Baba Ramdev’s Gulab Sharbat to support Rooh Afza

Ravish Rathi – a promising YouTuber expected to defeat Modi in 2029 Lok Sabha elections – has been admitted to hospital after drinking almost an entire bottle of Rooh Afza while making videos and reels against Baba Ramdev.

“He was all right when he had gone for physics tuition in the evening. He was normal even when I picked up from the tuition center and drove him back home. In the car itself he started seeing some videos of Ajit Anjum and Sakshi Joshi. He sat in the parking area itself for 5 minutes at least watching the videos,” Ravish’s father Robert Gandhi recalled the turn of events.

Ravish is reported to have got hugely influenced and excited after seeing videos of Anjum and Joshi drinking Rooh Afza – a drink that is primarily sugar syrup with some added flavour of rose – which they had done to register their protest against Baba Ramdev.

Baba Ramdev had launched his own rose-flavoured sugar syrup a few days back and in a promotional video he appeared to take potshots at Rooh Afza, because a part of sales from Rooh Afza goes into Islamic charity and alleged terror activities.

“Both are same shit,” a bigot interjected while writing this article, but her opinion was rejected.

Coming back to Ravish, his father, who works as a private cab driver, confirmed that the budding youtuber ran fast to his room once he had consumed all the video, ordered a bottle of Rooh Afza from Swiggy, Zepto, Blinkit and one more app to keep the arrival time at the minimum, and started shooting his own video.

“He was planning to make a 5 minutes monologue and at least 3 Reels to destroy Ramdev. He didn’t even dilute the Rooh Afza syrup and started drinking them in the style of Anjum and Josh. He needed a lot of retakes to get the reels right. He kept consuming the Rooh Afza in excitement. He had done around 20 takes for the first video when he collapsed,” father of Ravish told journalists outside the North Delhi hospital where he is currently being treated.

Ravish is reported to be diabetic, and consuming huge amounts of sugar syrup deteriorated his health. He had barely finished recording just one reel before he collapsed. His father immediately rushed him to the nearest hospital where he is being treated using PM’s Ayushman Card which was launched just in time in Delhi.

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