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‘Mamata Banerjee had offered to go to Kandahar as hostage’: The bizarre assertion of latest TMC convert Yashwant Sinha

OpIndia Staff
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‘Mamata Banerjee had offered to go to Kandahar as hostage’: The bizarre assertion of latest TMC convert Yashwant Sinha

Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who joined the Trinamool Congress on Saturday, has issued a bizarre statement saying Mamata Banerjee wanted to offer herself as a hostage in exchange for passengers of the hijacked plane in the ‘Kandahar incident’ for the sake of the country.

After formally joining the party, Yashwant Sinha claimed that after the Indian Airlines IC 814 flight was hijacked by Harkat-ul-Mujahideen terrorists, who took the flight to Afghanistan’s Kandahar, Mamata Banerjee had offered to be a hostage to free the other civilians.

“At the time of the Kandahar plane highjack incident, Mamataji proposed to the cabinet that she was ready to be a hostage so others are freed. She was ready to give her life for the country,” Yashwant Sinha said.

Mamata Banerjee, who was then the ally of the BJP and part of the NDA coalition, served as the Minister of Railways in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government during the incident on December 24, 1999. Yashwant Sinha was the Minister of Finance in the Vajpayee government.

Kandahar hijack:

On December 24, 1999, Indian Airlines IC 814, with 178 passengers and 11 crew members, left Kathmandu for Delhi. It entered Indian airspace at 5.30 pm and was hijacked shortly after. Harkat-ul-Mujahideen hijacked the airline with the support and active assistance of ISI before flying to several locations before landing in Kandahar, Afghanistan. The hostage crisis ended after seven days when India agreed to release three dreaded Islamic terrorists – Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and Maulana Masood Azhar.

IC-814 was en route from Kathmandu to New Delhi. The hijackers directed the pilot Captain Devi Sharan to fly to Lahore initially. However, The captain flew to Amritsar citing insufficient fuel and persuaded the hijackers to allow him to land the plane at Amritsar. While the Crisis Management Group (CMG), headed by the Cabinet Secretary, was still deliberating on dealing with the situation, the IC-814 had already left Amritsar. Even though there was a 45-50 minute window to carry out an operation to end the hostage crisis, the government of the day did not prefer to take the risk, fearing the casualties. The reluctance from the government to go for an NSG operation also came from the fact that the opposition led by the Congress party, aided by its friendly media, had put severe pressure to make sure that the Vajpayee government did not consider any military operation to release the hostages.

IC 814 was eventually taken to Kandahar in Southern Afghanistan from Amritsar, after briefly touching down in Lahore and Dubai. After the IC-814 reached Kandahar, which incidentally was the base of the Taliban government, headed by Mullah Mohammed Omar. The hijackers had demanded the release of 35 terrorists from Indian prisons, including the dreaded terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar and had demanded $200mn in cash.

The Indian government sent in a team of negotiators headed by Diplomat Vivek Katju, Ajit Doval, who was a high ranking Intelligence Bureau officer then, Nehchal Sandhu, and CD Sahay, along with few other representatives of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security. On December 31, 1999, the crisis came to an end as India agreed to release three of the top militants including Masood Azhar, the founder of the terrorist outfit, Jaish-e-Mohammad. During these negotiations, Doval was also effective in bringing down the number of terrorists to be released from 35 to just three.

Years later, many senior government officials who were involved with the negotiating team, including NSA Ajit Doval had spoken about the negative role played by the media to put pressure on the release of hostages. 

Signs of tension between Pilot and Gehlot emerge in Rajasthan yet again, MLAs from Pilot’s camp threaten to quit alleging bias against SC/STs

OpIndia Staff
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Signs of tension between Pilot and Gehlot emerge in Rajasthan yet again, MLAs from Pilot’s camp threaten to quit alleging bias against SC/STs

The Congress government in Rajasthan appears to be set for fresh trouble. Months after Rajasthan CM and Congress senior leader Ashok Gehlot baited his colleague Sachin Pilot, yet another senior member of the Congress party, to turn rebel, pushing the Congress government in Rajasthan on the brink of collapse, he has once again managed to miff some MLAs from the latter’s faction.

On March 12 (Friday), three Rajasthan Congress MLAs, namely Ramesh Meena, Murari Lal Meena and Ved Prakash Solanki, who were part of the rebellion against CM Ashok Gehlot last year, accused the Rajasthan Govt led by Gehlot of being biased against the legislators of Scheduled Castes and other backward communities. Accusing the state government of discrimination, Ramesh Meena, the former Food and Civil Supplies minister in Ashok Gehlot’s cabinet, has also threatened to resign. 

Ashok Gehlot govt is trying to suppress the voice of legislators representing the backward class: Rajasthan MLAs

The MLAs alleged that the Ashok Gehlot government is trying to suppress the voice of legislators who represent the SC/ST and OBCs as they have been allotted seats in the assembly without microphones.

“I will meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding this issue. I have sought time for a meeting. If our problems are not resolved, then I will not step back from resigning,” Meena said outside the state assembly.

The development comes on the heels of an argument which ensued between Meena and Speaker CP Joshi inside in the Assembly over the former not having a microphone on his chair.

Ramesh Meena, who was ostracized from the cabinet after he joined the rebellion by former Deputy CM Sachin Pilot last year, said: “I don’t seek a ministerial post, but only development. I am a Congress worker. I have sought time from Rahul Gandhi. If he listens to us, then it is fine, or else I won’t hesitate in giving my resignation letter.”

If we are not getting heard, how will SC/STs and OBCs be heard: former minister Ramesh Meena

Talking to media persons outside the Assembly Friday, Meena said: “We are elected MLAs and are ruling party MLAs. I respect the Speaker, and he can seat me on the floor, but there should be an arrangement for us to speak. A message should not go in my Assembly constituency that I don’t have a microphone and I’m not being allowed to speak.”

“If we ourselves are not getting heard in the Assembly, and if we are not being taken seriously, how will other SC/STs and OBCs be heard. The present Congress government was formed with SC/STs, OBC and minorities, and if they themselves are facing discrimination…” he added, accusing Congress Chief Whip Mahesh Joshi of discrimination when it comes to seating “MLAs from the marginalised communities.”

Rajasthan crisis

It may be recalled that in July last year, rebel party leader Sachin Pilot had sent the Congress party in a tizzy when he along with 20-25 Congress and independent MLAs approached senior party leaders in Delhi to express his angst against the Ashok Gehlot government, leading people to speculate that the Rajasthan government was on the brink of collapse. Soon after, Sachin Pilot was ousted as Deputy CM and state Congress chief by the Congress party which accused him of conspiring with BJP to destabilise govt.

This was followed by a month-long enthralling drama, with Ashok Gehlot first disclosing that the two were not in talking terms for the past 1.5 years. The tussle became bitter when the Rajasthan CM lashed out at the rebel leader by calling him “nikamma and nakaara (useless)”.

The show reached its climax with ultimately Sachin Pilot returning to his home turf and conceding before Ashok Gehlot. Soon, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot informed that a 3-member committee has been constituted by the Congress party to resolve grievances with Sachin Pilot. He claimed that peace and brotherhood would always remain in the grand old party.

Now, with the fresh trouble brewing against Ashok Gehlot, people are being forced to speculate whether the Congress government in Rajasthan is once again heading towards a similar scenario.

Mumbai top cop Sachin Vaze embroiled in Antilla Bomb Scare case says ‘time to say goodbye to the world’ is coming closer in WhatsApp status: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Mumbai top cop Sachin Vaze embroiled in Antilla Bomb Scare case says ‘time to say goodbye to the world’ is coming closer in WhatsApp status: Report

Mumbai Police officer ‘Encounter specialist’ Sachin Vaze, embroiled in the Antilla Bomb Scare case, has put out a WhatsApp status where he has hinted at his death in a cryptic message. In a WhatsApp status claiming that he has become the target of false allegations, Sachin Vaze said that his ‘time to say goodbye to the world’ is coming closer.

The WhatsApp status says, according to an India Today report, “3rd March 2004. Fellow officers from the CID arrested me in a false case. That arrest inconclusive till date. Sensing the history is going to repeat. My fellow officers are on to falsely trap me. There’s a slight difference in the scenario. Then probably I had 17 years of hope, patience, life and service too. Now I will have neither 17 years of further life nor service nor patience to live. I think the time to say goodbye to the world is coming closer.”

Meanwhile, Sachin Vaze has reached the office of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to record his statement in connection with the Antilla Bomb Scare case.

Earlier in the day, his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Sessions Court in Thane. The case revolves around the bomb threat to industrialist Mukesh Ambani and the subsequent death of Mansukh Hiren, who was the owner of the explosives-laden car and had reported it missing.

On Wednesday, Sachin Vaze was removed from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch after his name surfaced in connection with the matter. The case had gotten murkier and murkier after it was reported that Vaze was in touch with Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the car, since June 2020. Hiren was subsequently found dead in the Kalwa creek, which only served to deepen the mystery surrounding the attack against Mukesh Ambani.

‘Keyboard warrior Kunal Kamra can inculcate poisonous ideas in people’s minds,’ petitioner files rejoinder after alleged comedian plays victim

OpIndia Staff
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‘Keyboard warrior Kunal Kamra can inculcate poisonous ideas in people’s minds,’ petitioner files rejoinder after alleged comedian plays victim

A petitioner in the contempt of court case against far-left stand-up ‘comedian’ Kunal Kamra case has filed a rejoinder to the Supreme Court stating that the affidavit filed by Kunal Kamra in the Supreme Court showed his “hubris”, “arrogance”, “ignorance” and “egotism” and “malevolent attitude”.

According to reports, law student Shrirang Katneshwarkar, one of the petitioners in the case, has filed his response to the Supreme Court saying that alleged comedian Kunal Kamra, who has 1.7 million followers, can influence the minds of at least some of them to shake public faith in the judiciary through his tweets.

In his rejoinder, the petitioner said that ‘keyboard warriors’ like Kunal Kamra can inculcate “poisonous ideas” in people’s minds. The rejoinder also added that Kunal Kamra’s “scandalous tweets” cannot be labelled as “jokes” as they undermine the dignity of the Court and shake the confidence which common people have about the judicial system.

“The affidavit filed by Kunal Kamra tried to teach the Supreme Court of its duties, and he should not justify his “scandalous tweets” as jokes/satire/comedy,” the petitioner said.

Further, the petitioner pointed out that Kunal Kamra, by suggesting that the contempt petitioner lacks a “sense of humour”, has shown acrimony in his mind. He should introspect and change his “malevolent attitude”, the rejoinder filed by the petitioner in the Supreme Court said.

The rejoinder by the petitioner came four weeks after the Supreme Court had adjourned the case following Kunal Kamra’s response to the contempt case initiated against him for making derogatory comments against the judiciary.

On February 22, a bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan and RS Reddy had deferred the matter after petitioners had sought an adjournment for filing a rejoinder to the reply filed by Kamra.

In his reply, Kamra had defended his derogatory tweets against the judiciary, saying India would be reduced to a “country of incarcerated artists and flourishing lapdogs” if powerful people and institutions show an inability to “tolerate rebuke or criticism”. Facing contempt proceedings, Kunal Kamra had said that there was a growing culture of intolerance where taking offence is seen as a fundamental right and has been elevated to the status of a “much loved national indoor sport”. 

Contempt case against Kunal Kamra

On December 18 last year, the top court issued a show-cause notice to alleged comedian Kunal Kamra for his alleged scandalous tweets against the judiciary.

The notice had come after Attorney General K K Venugopal had granted consent for initiation of criminal contempt proceedings against Kamra, saying the comedian’s tweets were in “bad taste”, and it was a time that people understand that attacking the judiciary brazenly would attract punishment.

AG KK Venugopal, granting his consent to initiate proceedings against Kamra said the tweets by Kamra, where he referred to the Supreme Court of India as Supreme Joke India, and said that humour has left the SC long ago, “were highly objectionable.”

A Mumbai based lawyer had sought the Attorney General’s permission to initiate contempt proceedings against Kunal Kamra for his tweets against the Supreme Court, after apex court had granted bail to Arnab Goswami.

‘Encounter specialist’ Sachin Vaze reaches NIA office to record statement in Antilla Bomb Scare case

OpIndia Staff
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‘Encounter specialist’ Sachin Vaze reaches NIA office to record statement in Antilla Bomb Scare case

‘Encounter specialist’ Mumbai Police officer Sachin Vaze has reached the office of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to record his statement in connection with the Antilla Bomb Scare case.

Earlier in the day, his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the Sessions Court in Thane. The case revolves around the bomb threat to industrialist Mukesh Ambani and the subsequent death of Mansukh Hiren, who was the owner of the explosives-laden car and had reported it missing.

On Wednesday, Sachin Vaze was removed from the Mumbai Police Crime Branch after his name surfaced in connection with the matter. The case had gotten murkier and murkier after it was reported that Vaze was in touch with Mansukh Hiren, the owner of the car, since June 2020. Hiren was subsequently found dead in the Kalwa creek, which only served to deepen the mystery surrounding the attack against Mukesh Ambani.

The Maharashtra ATS have already interrogated and recorded his statement in the matter.

Ghaziabad police arrest one Mohsin after a video of him spitting on rotis before cooking at an engagement ceremony goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Ghaziabad police arrest one Mohsin after a video of him spitting on rotis before cooking at an engagement ceremony goes viral

On March 13, the Ghaziabad police arrested one Mohammad Mohsin after a video of him making rotis while spitting on them at the wedding ceremony went viral on the microblogging site. Replying to a Twitter user @TheAshwiniRaj, who shared the video of the disturbing incident on the social media site, Ghaziabad police informed that they have registered an FIR against the youth invoking relevant sections and arrested him. The police are now questioning him.

Moreover, the police have also named the caterers, who were given the catering contract for the wedding, in the FIR.

The incident purportedly took place on March 11 in the Bhojpur area of Ghaziabad district. The cook identified as Mohammad Mohsin in seen making rotis and spitting on them.

According to media reports, the incident happened during the engagement ceremony of the nephew of one Shivkumar on Thursday, in one educational institute premises near Dausa Banjarpur falling under the Bhojpur police station limits. Mohammad Mohsin was making rotis at this engagement ceremony when he was caught red-handed spitting on the dough prepared for the rotis before putting it in the tandoor. He was also secretly filmed doing the same. The video of the incident went viral the next day.

On Friday, when Mohsin realised that the video of the incident has gone viral on social media, he fled from his village along with his family members.

After watching the viral video, Ghaziabad police sprang into action. The police approached Shivkumar to confirm whether the video was genuine. After verifying they spoke to the catering company which had hired Mohsin, to know his whereabouts. On learning that Mohsin was a resident of Sahbiswa in Muradnagar, Ghaziabad, the police reached his house to arrest him but Mohsin had fled by then. The police immediately launched a manhunt and arrested the accused.

Ghaziabad incident is a reminder of a similar incident where one Naushad was caught indulging in the same act in Meerut in February

The video of the incident which is being shared widely on various social media sites, makes one recall a similar incident that was reported widely in the month of February where one Naushad alias Suhail was arrested by Meerut Police for indulging in the same act.

During interrogation, it was reportedly revealed that Naushad worked as a cook in wedding ceremonies for the last 15 years. A video had surfaced in which he allegedly confessed to spitting on food for at least ten years. After his video went viral, followed by his arrest, several other videos had started circulating on social media with similar incidents.

Possibility of a nexus indulging in unholy acts

Due to the gross nature of the incident and the ongoing pandemic situation, the Uttar Pradesh police had then initiated an investigation to see if this Meerut case was an isolated incident or if there is a nexus that indulge in such activities.

Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha joins Mamata’s TMC, three years after quitting his former party

OpIndia Staff
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Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha joins Mamata’s TMC, three years after quitting his former party

Yashwant Sinha, former BJP leader, has joined the Trinamool Congress on Saturday. He was the Union Minister of Finance in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government and served as the Minister of External Affairs for a time as well.

His son, Jayant Sinha, is a Minister in the Modi cabinet. Yashwant Sinha sung a familiar hymn at the TMC Bhavan in Kolkata. “The country is facing an unprecedented situation today. The strength of democracy lies in the strength of the institutions of democracy. All these institutions including the judiciary have become weak now,” he said.

He continued, “BJP during Atal Ji’s time believed in consensus but today’s government believes in crushing & conquering. Akalis, BJD have left the BJP. Today, who is standing with BJP?”

Yashwant Sinha had joined hands with Prashant Bhushan initially after quitting the BJP in 2018. Since leaving the party, he had joined the efforts demanding investigation into the procurement of the Rafale jets but the petitions were rejected by the Supreme Court because it lacked merits.

During lockdown, he sat on a dharna and then declared on social media that he had been arrested. Prior to the Lok Sabha Elections in 2019, Yashwant Sinha further strengthened his ‘secular’ credentials when he attended an event organized by a man who blamed RSS for the Mumbai Terror Attacks.

‘Apolitical Farmer leaders’ jump into electoral politics to ‘teach BJP a lesson’, reaches West Bengal: What their pamphlet says

OpIndia Staff
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‘Apolitical Farmer leaders’ jump into electoral politics to ‘teach BJP a lesson’, reaches West Bengal: What their pamphlet says

The so-called farmer leaders, who have now established a permanent colony of brick and mortar houses outside the Delhi border, have at last left all the pretence of being ‘apolitical’. Although it was known from the beginning that the so-called protest against three farm laws is nothing but propaganda against the Modi government, the left-liberal media had tried hard to paint it as a genuine agitation of farmers. But with the assembly elections starting in 4 states and one UT, the farmer leaders have decided to jump into the political arena.

The protesting leaders have decided to focus on West Bengal, where the election battle is most heated, as Mamata Banerjee faces a tough challenge from BJP. BJP is almost certain to win in Assam, and it has slim chance in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, as such, the opposition parties are putting their best efforts in Bengal for preventing BJP in grabbing power. As part of that strategy, Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Rakesh Tikait reached Kolkata today, where officially he is scheduled to address Kisan Mahapanchayats in Kolkata and other locations.

However, Tikait has made it clear that in the Mahapanchayats, he will also campaign against the BJP, and will ask the attendees to defeat BJP in the elections. Although Tikait said that he will appeal to the voters of Bengal to vote against the BJP, he claimed that he is not supporting any political party in the assembly elections.

Samyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella organisation of farmer organisations running the protests, has also released an appeal for the farmers to vote against BJP. A pamphlet released by it starts with the title- ‘An appeal to the farmers of Bengal, give proper lesson to anti-farmer BJP in these elections’.

It says that if farmers of Bengal punished BJP in the elections, it will learn a proper lesson. ‘If BJP losses the Bengal elections, its pride will be shattered and Modiji will have to accept the demands of the farmers’, the pamphlet issued by SKM says.

It says that it is not telling whom to vote, and the farmers can vote as per their choice, but they should not do the mistake of pressing the button next to the lotus. The pamphlet further adds as they are not able to send it to every farmer in the state, the recipient should copy the same and distribute it among others, or share the same through mobile phones.

Even though Rakesh Tikait said they are not supporting any political party, when he reached Kolkata, TMC’s Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen was present at the Kolkata airport to welcome him. He said that he will go to Nandigram, the constituency from where CM Mamata Banerjee is contesting. A Kishan Mahapanchayat is also being organised in Nandigram.

As part of the campaign, SKM leaders are expected to campaign extensively against the BJP in West Bengal during the 8-phase assembly elections starting from 27th April.

AICTE withdraws notification, says Physics, Mathematics continue to be important subjects for engineering courses

OpIndia Staff
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AICTE withdraws notification, says Physics, Mathematics continue to be important subjects for engineering courses

A day after media reports had emerged that mathematics and physics at Class XII-level are being made optional for admission to engineering courses, the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) on Friday said that they would be withdrawing the earlier notification that hinted at a change in the eligibility criteria for engineering courses, reports Times of India.

A major controversy had erupted on Friday after AICTE, the technical education regulator, had made Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (PCM) optional for students who wanted to pursue technical courses like biotechnology, textile or agriculture engineering at the undergraduate level. 

In a virtual release of the handbook, AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe had said the revised regulation is in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) vision that encourages flexibility in the choice of subjects.

“In 2010, AICTE made only physics and maths mandatory for nearly seven to eight subjects. We have been facing challenges as new disciplines have emerged where many students questioned why they have to study chemistry when they don’t use it in their entire career. Similarly, many students demanded to study biology as they need to pursue biotechnology. Therefore, we are creating a new window for students who have either not taken maths or physics or chemistry but can enter into engineering,” Sahasrabudhe had said.

The AICTE also said that PCM was made compulsory for only 14 subjects, from which students can choose three and secure a minimum 45 per cent in each to take up engineering. The AICTE had also asked colleges to offer suitable bridge courses to engineering aspirants.

AICTE backtracks and withdraws the handbook, says not mandatory on institutions

However, the change in the eligibility criteria to make important application-level subjects such as Mathematics and Physics as ‘optional’ had not gone well with the public, who protested against such a change.

Following the outrage, the AICTE has withdrawn its approval process handbook (APH) for 2021-22, which had the new eligibility criteria. The AICTE has also clarified that the changes are not binding on institutions.

Clarifying the changes, AICTE chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe said, “Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics will continue to be important subjects for certain streams of engineering like mechanical engineering, it’s not that these subjects will lose their relevance. However, for streams like Textile Engineering, Agriculture or maybe Biotechnology, students will have an option of not studying the three subjects compulsorily in class 12 and make up for them through bridge courses later”.

The AICTE, in its website, announced, “It is to inform all concerned that APH 2021-22 has been withdrawn for a typographical correction, and it will be placed again on the AICTE website within a day or two.”

Man attempts suicide by setting himself on fire at the residence of Congress leader Maha Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat: Here is why

OpIndia Staff
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Man attempts suicide by setting himself on fire at the residence of Congress leader Maha Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat: Here is why

On Tuesday (March 9), a man tried to set himself on fire at the residence of the sitting Maharashtra Revenue Minister and Congress legislator Balasaheb Thorat.

As per reports, the victim is a resident of the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra. Identified as Pandurang Wagh, he attempted suicide for not receiving the refund from the Maharashtra government for the licence fee paid for a stalled sand mining project.

Reportedly, Wagh had obtained his licence for sand extraction in 2018 for a fee of ₹8.72 lac. However, the project had to be discontinued over frequent ‘protests’ by locals, resulting in huge monetary loss.

Distraught by the stalling of the project, the victim tried to approach the revenue Department authorities for a refund of the licence fee. However, when he failed to get his refund, Wagh decided to end his life. In order to draw the attention of the sitting Minister Balasaheb Thorat, the victim poured petrol over himself and set himself on fire in the special executive officer hall of Royal Stone (the residence of Thorat).

Victim arrested, released on bail later

He was saved by the police officials present at the residence of the Revenue Minister. While speaking about the incident, Senior Inspector (Gamdevi) Rg Rajbhar stated, “Wagh was detained and taken to the police station. We arrested him under section 309 (Attempt to commit suicide) of Indian Penal Code and released him on bail with a warning not to repeat such act in future.”

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