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Land dispute between 2 parties, Yadav man hit with an axe: How a fight between two families is being termed as ‘casteist attack’

OpIndia Staff
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Land dispute between 2 parties, Yadav man hit with an axe: How a fight between two families is being termed as ‘casteist attack’

Last week, a Sahariya tribal family belonging to in Guna, Madhya Pradesh alleged that around 12-15 people belonging to the upper caste attacked them, destroyed their wheat crop, and also urinated on them. The family said that the accused got the tractor and ran it over the crop. When the tribal family tried to escape from the spot to save their lives, the accused persons gheraoed them, assaulted them, and also urinated on them.

The family in the complaint further accused that the accused persons, the family of a former Sarpanch, tried to electrocute them but could not due to the power cut. As per the complaint, the family said that the prime accused among the mob of 12-15 persons was a former sarpanch of Karili village Udaybhan Singh Yadav who was allegedly targeting them due to an ongoing land dispute between the two families. However, several media reports claimed that the issue had erupted due to the lower caste of the victims and that the upper caste people deliberately launched the attack on them.

A report by Dalit Times attempted to give casteist color to the matter as it said that the ‘Casteists’ crushed the huts of the victims with a tractor and destroyed their crops. It also reported that the complaint by the victim against the former Sarpanch was not taken seriously by the police.

Another similar report filed by the Statesman reported that the ‘upper caste’ people attacked the tribal family in Madhya Pradesh. However, the attack was not out of caste hatred but due to a long-standing land dispute between the two families. The OBC Jankalyan Sangh also suspects that the victim’s family is making partially false allegations against the accused persons by claiming that the latter urinated on them and tried to electrocute them to death.

The incident is said to have happened in the wee hours of Monday when the Adivasi family consisting of 5-6 members was sleeping in their hut in Karili village. A woman from the family filed a complaint at Sirsi police station saying that the accused mob of around 12-15 persons led by former Sarpanch Udaybhan Singh Yadav arrived at the spot with a tractor and ran it over, destroying the wheat crop. She also said that their hut was demolished and they were threatened with death.

In the complaint, the woman further added that the accused persons assaulted them and urinated on them. “They also tried to kill us by electrocuting but could not due to power issues. When we tried to escape from the spot to save our lives, they assaulted us and threatened that we would be killed soon,” the woman said adding that the accused persons brutally assaulted their folk Hari Singh, Sonu, Gyani Singh, and Raju.

Police say urination allegations are misleading

As per the Dalit Times and other similar reports, the police did not take the complaint filed by the woman seriously and instead detained Hari Singh, Gyani Singh, and Raju for interrogation. However, Sirsi police station indicated that the allegations of urination and casteist motives do not appear to be prima facie correct.

“There is no such case of urination of making the victim drink urine. Only a case of assault has come to light. There has been a long-standing land dispute between the two parties. The action was taken after a fight broke out between the two parties at 2 o’clock last night. The issue of crop destruction by tractors has come to light,” said Sirsi officer Abhishek Tripathi.

Meanwhile, Additional SP Mansingh Thakur also confirmed the matter and said that a case has been registered from both sides in the land dispute. “The investigation into the urination episode is going on but prima facie it doesn’t appear to be true. These are tribal people of the Sahariya community. Their old land dispute is going on. They have been fighting for the land. A case has been registered on that basis. The allegations made by the victims will be analyzed and appropriate action will be taken,” he added.

Neither of the reports nor the authorities confirmed that the accused persons had tried to kill the victims and urinated on them. They pressed that the allegations were under investigation and that interrogations of the victim’s family members were underway. During this, the authorities confirmed that there had been a long-standing land dispute between the two families due to which the farm crop had been destroyed.

A report by Dainik Bhaskar mentioned that the tribal family had attacked the Yadavs with an axe and Indrabhan Yadav has suffered a serious head wound in the fight. No such injuries are to be seen in the members of the tribal family. The report also mentioned that the land dispute is between two families of the same tribal community and the Yadavs got involved in it because they have been renting the land to cultivate wheat crop.

Report by Bhaskar

Yadavs complain Sahariya family destroyed crops, hit them with axe

It is also said that a scuffle happened in the Monday hours of the incident and that the accused Indrabhan Singh Yadav was injured in the event. Given this, the family of Yadav along with the OBC Jankalyan Sangh has filed a formal complaint with the SP Sanjeev Kumar Sinha accusing the Sahariya family of plotting alleged false allegations against them.

In the complaint, Udaybhan Singh said that his men including his nephew were attacked by Sahariya family over the land dispute. “We had cultivated wheat on a 10-bigha plot, which the Sahariya family claims as their own. Allegedly, the Sahariya family destroyed the crop by running a tractor over it. When we protested, we were assaulted with an axe and other weapons by Hari Singh Sahariya and his family members,” the complaint by Yadavs read.

He also said that his nephew, Indrabhan was brutally assaulted and injured in the event. The Yadav family claims that the Sirsi police registered a cross-case against Indrabhan and three others under political pressure. “The land dispute is currently being adjudicated in court, and a stay order has been issued in their favor. A copy of the stay order was reportedly provided to the Tehsildar and the police station in charge, but the officials allegedly ignored it,” they added.

The national president of the OBC Jankalyan Sangh, Rajkumar Yadav, and Udhaybhan Singh have demanded strict punishment against the tribal family and claimed that the allegations leveled by the victim are all fabricated. They say that the Sahariya people are playing the victim card and taking illegal advantage of the status they have. The Yadavs have demanded an impartial investigation in the case and punishment of the accused.

Why should history be kind to Dr Manmohan Singh – a leader who oversaw many disasters

S. Sudhir Kumar
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Why should history be kind to Dr Manmohan Singh – a leader who oversaw many disasters

India’s Prime Minister from 2004 to 2014, Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away on December 26, 2024. Amongst the things people were remembering about him, was his one utterance that became very popular –“I hope history will be kinder to me”. I kept wondering – why? Why must history be kind to a leader who oversaw many disasters and only a few good things?

Consider this startling statistic that concerns the life of citizens of India. In the 10 years before and in the 10 years after he became the Prime Minister, India has seen far fewer deaths and injuries from terror attacks than what we saw in his 10 years as Prime Minister. 

Number of civilians and security persons killed from 1994 to 2024

English media anchors lose no opportunity to tell us how every life is important when they want to hype up isolated incidents of violence in a large country such as ours. However, they simply wish us to forget the terror that was prevalent when Manmohan Singh (and Sonia Gandhi) was ruling because it shows him in a bad light. Only the 26/11 Mumbai attacks occupy media space right now, but the list of bombings on various civilian places from 2004 to 2014 is quite long. Up until the 26/11 attacks happened, the Prime Minister of the country was so helpless that he could not even fire the woefully underperforming Home Minister. I cannot help but keep thinking why must history be kind to a leader like him? 

For a moment, let’s keep all media debates and arguments on his performance aside. Let’s just take a look at what his own party considers as his achievements. The Congress party released the following infographic on their X handle (formerly Twitter), after Dr. Manmohan Singh passed away. 

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh achievements according to Congress

My intention is not to debate the history and nature of these achievements. My intention is to highlight yet another startling fact. Do you notice how the infographic has zero achievements to show in 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012 & 2014? For 5 out of his 10 years in power, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s own party says he has zero achievements. Of the 12 achievements that his own party lists out, 3 of them pertain to the Nuclear Deal. His own party is confirming that his 2nd term was such a disaster that they don’t even know what to write about it. I cannot help but keep thinking on why must history be kind to a leader like him?

We spoke about the terror attacks in various places in India during his rule. The Congress party thinks that one of Dr. Manmohan Singh’s greatest achievements is to establish the National Investigative Agency (NIA) after 1000s of civilians were either killed or injured. He took 4 years to even do such a basic thing, but sure, history should be kind to him.

The English media tells us that we have been unkind to him regarding corruption. For a moment let’s leave out all the opposition and media out of this. His own ministers in UPA2 accused his own ministers of UPA1 of corruption. Were they being unkind too? The highest official in the department of Coals (Secretary) was convicted in the Coal Mines scam. The minister directly handling the Coals ministry was Dr. Manmohan Singh himself. Were the courts being unkind too? 

Bereft of any significant achievements during the 2004 to 2014 reign (as confirmed by the Congress party itself), the English media talk about him being a dignified person; a calm person etc. What good are these qualities if as Prime Minister of India, he sets a benchmark of being helpless? He famously said, “we are passing our burden to our children who have to repay this debt”. Imagine the great economist saying this to justify his actions. Why must history be kind to a leader who passes burdens to our children? 

Speaking in the Parliament sometime after winning the 2009 elections, Dr Manmohan Singh said that since the people of the country have given a higher number of seats to UPA (compared to 2004), all criticism directed against him should be put to rest. It is of course true that the people of the country voted in favour of UPA (though they still did not win 272 seats). The MNREGA, the farm loan waiver, and the Nuclear Deal – have all helped UPA retain power in 2009, despite the repeated terror attacks. That’s the beauty of democracy. 

Now, by that same yardstick, the people of the country have badly rejected Dr Manmohan Singh (and Sonia Gandhi) in 2014. The memories were so bad (and of course, Modi’s performance was also good) that the people of the country continued to reject the Congress party for 3 consecutive elections (2014, 2019 & 2024). By Dr Manmohan Singh’s own logic, why must history be kind to a man who presided over such a disastrous reign?

Sure, he has done some good things. No one is denying him credit, wherever it is due. People of the country gave UPA a higher mandate in 2009 too. More such details about his tenure and all Prime Ministers of India can be found at the PM’s Museum in New Delhi (which by the way, was built by his successor Narendra Modi!). Sentimental dialogues such as “History will be kinder to me” may play well to the galleries, but the people of the world’s largest democracy have given their verdict about his legacy. In his death, the people have also shown great respect to the departed soul. Let’s not confuse that respect with washing away the actions of his disastrous reign. There is no reason why history must be kind to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. 

Bangladesh: Amid ongoing persecution, Hindu youth Sudeb Haldar hacked to death, activists say he was murdered for being Hindu

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Amid ongoing persecution, Hindu youth Sudeb Haldar hacked to death, activists say he was murdered for being Hindu

Amid the ongoing persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, another Hindu youth has been murdered. On the 6th of January, 28-year-old Sudeb Halder, son of Subrata Halder of Betora village in Sadar upazila, was found hacked to death in the Rampur Jorapol area of ​​Nabagram Union of Sadar Upazila. He owned a mobile phone shop in the local Baukathi market. Sudeb was the youngest of two brothers and two sisters.

According to the police, Sudeb was travelling back home after closing his shop where he was indiscriminately stabbed by ‘miscreants’. On the 7th of January, the locals and his family found his hacked body lying in a crop field one kilometre away from his home and informed the police. Jhalakathi Superintendent of Police Ujjwal Kumar Roy said, “A blow to the head was found. It is believed to be a murder. The body will be sent to Jhalakathi Sadar Hospital morgue for an autopsy. A murder case will be filed in this regard.” The police also said that Sudeb was stabbed multiple times and had deep wounds on his head and neck.

Sudeb’s father, Subodh Halder, said, “My son has no enemies. I don’t understand who killed my son and why. I want the police to uncover the truth and ensure that the killers are brought to justice.”

Amid the ongoing persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh, the murder of Sudeb has raised an uproar yet again. Bangabandhu Prakasholi Parishad Secretary Sushanta Dasgupta said, “Every day, murders are happening in Bangladesh, somewhere or the other. We have investigated and found that Sudev Haldar, who was killed, had no personal enmity with anyone. We believe that he was killed only because he was a Hindu. By killing Hindus in this way, a message is being sent that this Bangladesh does not belong to Hindus. He was killed to scare Hindus into leaving Bangladesh.” 

Sudeb’s brother said that since childhood, he was living in Kolkata with his uncles and it was only during the COVID pandemic that he went back to Bangladesh to open his own mobile shop. He has claimed that it is possible that he was hacked to death after an argument with some people about mobile repair at his shop.

Attack on Hindus in Bangladesh since the fall of Dhaka

OpIndia has been vetting and reporting cases of atrocities on Hindus since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina on 5th August 2024.

There were at least 205 attacks on Hindu temples, shops and businesses within 3 days of the fall of Dhaka.

We previously exposed how Muslim students have forced as many as 60 Hindu teachers, professors and government officials to resign from their positions.

Human rights activist and exiled Bangladeshi blogger, Asad Noor, has recently revealed that the minority community is now being coerced into joining ‘Jamaat-e-Islami’.

On 6th September 2024, a procession of Hindu devotees carrying the idol of Lord Ganesha came under attack in the Kadam Mubarak area in Chittagong city of Bangladesh.

Ahead of the Durga Puja celebrations, a radical Muslim man named Yasin Mia vandalised the idols of Goddess Durga and other Hindu deities in Gouripur town in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh on 25th September.

In another series of attacks, idols of Goddess Durga and other Hindu deities were vandalised at the Rishipara Barwari Puja Mandap and the Manikadi Palpara Barwari Pujamandap on 28th September and 1st October respectively.

The attacks were carried out in Sujanagar upazila in Pabna district in Rajshahi Division of Bangladesh. While a total of 4 idols were defaced at the Rishipara Barwari Puja Mandap, another 5 Hindu idols were destroyed at the Manikadi Palpara Barwari Pujamandap.

On 3rd October, 7 idols of Hindu deities were destroyed at the Gopinath Jiur Akhara Durga Puja mandap in Kishoreganj, Dhaka Division, Bangladesh.

On 5th November, the Hindu community came under attack from police and law enforcement authorities in Hazari Goli in Chittagong city of Bangladesh.

On 29th November, a violent Muslim mob attacked Hindu minorities and vandalised 3 temples in Patharghata in Chittagong district of Bangladesh.

The Hindu religious sites that the Muslims targeted included the Shantaneshwari Matri Temple, the Shoni Temple, and Shantaneshwari Kalibari Temple. The attack took place immediately after the conclusion of Jumma Namaz. 

On 30th November, a prominent Hindu journalist named Munni Saha was arrested by the police from Karwan Bazar in Dhaka city of Bangladesh.

A group of extremists attacked the Mahashmashan Kali Mata Mandir, vandalised 7 idols of deities and stole gold ornaments on 13th December 2024.

On 19th December, a Muslim man identified as Alal Uddin vandalised an idol at the Polashkanda Kali Temple and then attempted to create a fake alibi. The incident occurred in Haluaghat upazila in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh.

Another 37-year-old Muslim man identified as Azharul vandalised several idols of deities in Haluaghat Upazila in the Mymensingh district of Bangladesh.

The recent arrest of Chinmoy Krishna Das Prabhu and his aides, attempts at banning Hindu organisation ISKCON and stifling Hindu protests with cases of ‘sedition’ highlight systematic persecution under the interim government of Muhammad Yunus.

There have been multiple instances of attacks on Hindus under the pretext of ‘blasphemy.’ The recent cases of Hridoy Pal, Utsab Mandal, Partha Biswas Pintu, Akash Das, Pranta Talukder and Utsab Kumar Gian are shining examples of targeted persecution.

So far, there have been many attempts to downplay violence against Hindus as ‘fake‘, ‘exaggerated‘ or ‘politically motivated‘.

Allahabad HC dismisses PIL challenging impeachment motion against Justice SK Yadav over his address at VHP event

OpIndia Staff
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Allahabad HC dismisses PIL challenging impeachment motion against Justice SK Yadav over his address at VHP event

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against an impeachment motion submitted to the Rajya Sabha Secretary General by 55 Members of Parliament, which sought to remove Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav for his speech at an event hosted by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (Legal Cell) in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh on 8th December was rejected by the Allahabad High Court on 7th January.

Advocate Ashok Pandey’s plea was dismissed by a bench of Justices Attau Rahman Masoodi and Subhash Vidyarthi after the bench verbally expressed dissatisfaction with its maintainability. Justice Vidyathi stated, “How this PIL plea is maintainable. Can a PIL plea be filed in this case? The PIL could lie only when the cause is for a vulnerable section of the society.” Additionally, Justice Masoodi pointed out that the court will not consider the request unless it is satisfied with its maintainability.

The petitioner attempted to respond by arguing that the primary issue was whether judges have the fundamental right to free speech and expression. However, the court rejected this argument, noting that the judge is not vulnerable and can approach the court if required. As a result, the court rejected the motion.

The plea asked for a direction to the Rajya Sabha Chairman to rule against the motion against Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav that was filed by Kapil Sibal and fifty-four other Members of Parliament. According to the appeal, Justice Yadav spoke in his role as a Hindu on subjects that are important to the community and have an impact on their daily lives. It further highlighted that as the meeting’s attendees were exclusively Hindu, the comments spoken there could not be classified as hate speech under the guidelines set forth for such public gatherings.

It added that the use of the word “Kathmu**ah” in his address did not qualify as hate speech and added that he was only voicing his viewpoint, perhaps as a person whose friends or family had endured physical and psychological abuse as a result of “Kathamu**apan.”

It prayed, “He may be a person whose some of relation or friends have faced torcher due to some incidents of love jihad. He may be a sensitive person who is aggrieved with the legal permission the Muslims to marry as many as ladies they want without attraction of any penal or civil consequence, he may be a person who moves on the road with open eyes and sees the girl child aged even five to six years going to school with hizab.”

The plea then added, “As an advocate and the judge he might have got the information that how the Kathamu**apan is stopping the muslim girls from going to school and college or how the Muslim ladies are being compelled to wear Hizab and Burka by Kathamu**a’s. He could be expressing a grievance against the Kathamullapan of certain Muslims who, by standing with Babar, obstructed the construction of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple for a long time and continued to align with the actions of Aurangzeb at the Shri Kashi Vishwanath temple and the temple at Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi.”

Furthermore, it submitted that judges have the same fundamental right to free speech and expression as protected by Article 19 of the Constitution. As a result, any statements made by a judge outside of the courtroom cannot serve as justification for dismissal. It maintained that the MPs who made the proposal were clearly abusing their position, and in addition to rejecting the resolution, they ought to be cautioned not to do so in the future.

It further conveyed, “Such a warning is required as the leader of this group means Sri Kapil Sibal is in habit of dictating terms to the judges and those who don’t follow it, motion to remove them is moved.” It mentioned that the application presented to the RS does not explain how Justice Yadav’s remarks during his meeting with some members of the Dharm, to which he belongs, will be interpreted as evidence of proved misconduct or incapacity.

Justice Shekhar Yadav’s judicial roster was altered by the Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court four days after his statement, and the alterations took effect on 16th December. He was also summoned by the Supreme Court Collegium to clarify his position on the matter after the apex court took cognisance of his speech on 10th December.

“Lekin yeh jo kathmullah hai jo…yeh sahi shabd nahi hai…lekin kehne mein parhez nahi hai kyunki woh desh ke liye bura hai…desh ke liye ghatak hai, khilaaf hai, janta ko bhadhkane wale log hai…desh aage na badhe is prakar ke log hai…unse saavdhaan rehne ki zaroorat hai (But these kathmullah… this may not be the right word… but I won’t hesitate to say it because they are harmful to the country…they are detrimental, against the nation, and people who incite the public. They are the kind of people who do not want the country to progress, and we need to be cautious of them),” the judge had stated during the event.

Where Guru Dattatreya chanted Vedas, 200 acres of donated land by Mysuru Wodeyars and queen Chennamma, now a Muslim Mujawar and Dargah: All you need to know

Shraddha Pandey
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Where Guru Dattatreya chanted Vedas, 200 acres of donated land by Mysuru Wodeyars and queen Chennamma, now a Muslim Mujawar and Dargah: All you need to know

On the 7th of January, the Supreme Court allowed a final opportunity for the Karnataka government to take a decision regarding the worship rights at the holy shrine Datta Peeta of Bababudangiri in Chikkamagaluru district, which is worshipped by both Hindus and Muslims. The court directed the Karnataka government to make its decision within the next 8 weeks and said that if the state of Karnataka fails to do so, it “would be liable to pay costs as would be determined by the Court.”

CJI Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan were hearing the challenge to the Karnataka High Court order, which rejected the State’s decision in March 2018 to allow only a Mujawar (Muslim Priest) to execute the rites at the Datta Peeta.

The High Court division bench of Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Vijaykumar A Patil dismissed the appeals challenging the order of a single bench that set aside the state government’s decision, citing “flagrant violation of the rights of both communities guaranteed by Article 25 of the Constitution of India.”

As reported earlier, back in 2021, the Karnataka High Court had ordered the state government to appoint a Hindu priest at Datta Peeta. It also quashed an order dated March 19, 2018, by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government which had permitted the appointment of only a Mujawar (Muslim priest) selected by Shah Khadri to enter the sanctum of the Sri Guru Dattatreya Swamy Peeta cave. The Mujawar was also made to distribute ‘teertha’ or holy water to both Hindus and Muslims and perform other Hindu rituals.

During the hearing on 7th January 2025, the Karnataka government’s counsel informed the court that As far as the shrine is (concerned), the Hindus are being led by a Hindu Pujari and the Muslims are concerned, there is a Mujawar that is taking care of the Muslim rituals.”

The court cited the sensitivity of the matter and extended the time for the Karnataka government to review its decision and notify the court of the same within the next 8 weeks. The next hearing on the matter will be held in March 2025.

“Whatever it is, some decisions are difficult, we are not saying they aren’t difficult…..we extend the time for deciding terms of Order dated 25th of January, 2024,” the bench said.

According to the order dated the 25th of January 2024, the Karnataka government was granted time to submit a report/decision on this issue. “It is submitted on behalf of the State of Karnataka that a Cabinet Sub Committee has been constituted and they are deliberating on dispute forming the core of the present special leave petition,” the court order read.

What is the controversy?

Sri Guru Dattathreya Swamy Peeta is located on the Chandra Drona Range at Bababudangiri Hills in Karnataka’s Chikmagalur district. A sacred place for Hindus, it is said that the first Guru, Dattatreya, chanted the Vedas for his disciples at this very place.

“The Mysuru Wodeyars and Rani Keladi Channamma donated 200 acres to the cave shrine to conduct Trikala Pooja,” VHP Kshetriya Sanchalak Suryanarayan had informed while talking about the significance of the place.

Image via HinduJanjagratiSamiti

Whereas, the Muslims claim it to be the place of Dada Hayat Mir Qualandar and refer it to as “Sree Gurudattathreya Bababudnaswamy Dargha.” They believe that the saint took up residence here more than 150 years ago and brought coffee seeds for the first time to India from Yemen.

However, the controversy around the peetha began when the temple in 1975 was handed over by the state government to the Wakf board from the Muzrai Department, just before the Emergency was declared in the country.

Before that, it was a major Muzarai temple under the Mysore Religious and Charitable Institutions Act, of 1927, according to court documents.

What did the Endowment commissioners’ report say?

The High Court in its order stated that as per the annual report of the Mysuru Archeological Department, 1932, Shri Guru Dattatreya Swami Peetha is a small cave in Baba Budangiri, which is sacred to both Hindus and Mohammadans. The Endowment commissioner’s report recorded Shri Dattatreya as the son of Sage Athri by his virtuous wife Anasuya and embodiment of the Hindu trinity, the gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

It further said that 1,861 acres of land were granted to Shri Dattatreya Devaru and 111.25 acres to Shri Baba Budan Dharga separately by the then Maharaja of Mysore. This Endowment commissioner report was submitted on March 10, 2010, before the Supreme Court. It suggested that a Hindu priest should be appointed by the management committee of the shrine.

The controversy once again picked up steam in 2018, just before the Karnataka state assembly elections, when the BJP accused Congress of pandering to minority voters by ordering the compulsory appointment of a Mujawar for the peeta.

Hostility, betrayal, and a long road to justice – The chilling details of how Chandan Gupta’s family was pressurised during trial

Anurag
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Hostility, betrayal, and a long road to justice – The chilling details of how Chandan Gupta’s family was pressurised during trial

On 3rd January, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court presided over by Additional District Judge Vivekanand Sharan Tripathi in Lucknow sentenced 28 accused in the Chandan Gupta murder case to life imprisonment under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and other sections.

Chandan was brutally murdered during violence that occurred during the Tiranga Yatra on 26th January 2018 in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh. The accused were convicted on 2nd January 2025. OpIndia accessed multiple court documents and FIRs related to the case. During the trial, a hostile environment was created for Chandan’s family in the Kasganj court, forcing his father to file a plea in the Allahabad High Court to transfer the case. Furthermore, the nexus of Islamists was so strong in the Kasganj court that several witnesses reportedly turned hostile as the case progressed in the courts.

Why the Chandan Gupta case was transferred from Kasganj to Etah

As the case proceeded in the Kasganj court, Sushil Gupta, father of Chandan Gupta, filed an application in the Allahabad High Court seeking the transfer of the case. The judgment dated 10th March 2022 revealed shocking details of why Sushil approached the High Court for the transfer.

According to the court document accessed by OpIndia, in his application, Sushil Gupta alleged that Munazir Rafi, one of the accused in the case, was pressuring him to enter into a compromise in the murder case. Furthermore, he said that some senior advocates in Kasganj refused to represent Chandan’s side due to Munazir’s influence and intimidation tactics.

Gupta further told the court that Munazir and his supporters, including a significant section of the local legal community, created a hostile environment for Chandan’s family, making it impossible for them to get fair legal representation. This situation left Sushil apprehensive about the possibility of an impartial trial in Kasganj.

During the hearing of the matter in the High Court, Sushil argued that his son’s murder case could not be fairly tried in Kasganj due to the hostile environment and undue influence of the accused. He highlighted that no senior advocate in the district had filed a vakalatnama on his behalf, further leaving him vulnerable in pursuing justice for his son. On the other hand, the accused’s counsel claimed that Sushil’s allegations were baseless.

After carefully examining the case, the High Court bench, led by Justice Anil Kumar Ojha, concluded that his apprehension of bias in Kasganj was reasonable. It noted that the influence of Munazir Rafi, combined with the refusal of senior advocates to represent Gupta, created an environment where justice appeared unreachable.

On 10th March 2022, the Allahabad High Court allowed the transfer application and directed the District Judge of Kasganj to transfer the case to the District Judge of Etah within two weeks. It further instructed the District Judge of Etah to assign the case to a competent court.

The court observed: “Coming to the facts of the present case, the applicant has filed an affidavit stating therein that no senior advocate of District Kasganj has filed a vakalatnama on behalf of the applicant due to the influence of opposite party no. 30 and groups of advocates supporting opposite party no. 30. In the facts and circumstances of the case, it may be a reasonable apprehension in the mind of the applicant that he will not get justice at Kasganj. Moreover, justice should not only be done, but it should be seen to be done. Keeping in view the entire facts and circumstances of the case, I deem it appropriate to transfer the aforesaid case from District Kasganj to District Etah.” Party no. 30 here was Munazir Rafi.

Munazir Rafi and murder of Advocate Mohini Tomar

Munazir Rafi is currently lodged in Kasganj jail for his involvement in the Mohini Tomar murder case. Munazir is a lawyer by profession and practices in the Kasganj court. Speaking to OpIndia following Mohini’s murder, Chandan’s brother Vivek said that Munazir’s name had come up during the investigation. He was not only part of the mob that stopped the Tiranga Yatra but also part of the mob that carried out the deadly attack on the participants, leading to Chandan’s death. Vivek said that during the attack, Munazir was holding weapons.

Munazir was also accused of pressurising Chandan’s father, Sushil Gupta, to settle the case outside court. He used his position as a practicing advocate to intimidate Sushil and create an environment where senior advocates refused to represent the Gupta family in Kasganj. This situation forced Sushil to approach the Allahabad High Court and get the matter transferred to Etah, from where it was eventually transferred to the Special NIA Court in Lucknow.

Munazir’s name surfaced in the Mohini Tomar murder case, which was mentioned in the judgment in the Chandan Gupta murder case as well. Mohini was known for her fearless advocacy. She actively opposed Munazir’s bail in Chandan’s case and was a prominent voice against him. In the complaint filed by Mohini’s husband following her disappearance in September 2024, he highlighted that her strong opposition to Munazir made her a target.

Munazir and his associates were allegedly involved in Mohini’s murder. They reportedly hired professional killers to murder Mohini. Her dead body was recovered from a canal a day after her disappearance. Munazir is facing trial in that matter.

The role of Chandan Gupta’s friends

While the Muslim community in Kasganj stood firmly with the accused killers, betrayal from Chandan’s own community was painfully evident. Two of Chandan’s close friends, Anupam Chouhan and Vivek Maheshwari, who the family was counting on as key witnesses, didn’t appear in court at all.

The biggest shock came from Chandan’s closest friend, Prateek Malu. Social media posts mention that Prateek’s family had a close bond with Chandan’s – his sisters tied Rakhi to Chandan, and the Gupta family saw him as their third son. Despite this, Prateek turned hostile during the trial and testified in favour of the killers, leaving Chandan’s family heartbroken.

The road to justice – A long way to go

The hostile environment faced by Chandan Gupta’s family throughout this trial highlights just how much remains to be done when it comes to ensuring justice in this country. From the refusal of senior advocates in Kasganj to represent the family, to key witnesses turning hostile, the challenges were immense. It was only the strong will of Chandan’s family and the determination of the state government to punish the guilty that led to the conviction of the murderers.

However, this is not the end of the road. The advocate representing the convicted individuals has already stated that they will appeal in the High Court. This means the battle for real justice for Chandan Gupta is far from over. The family’s resilience and determination will once again be tested as they continue their fight in the higher courts to ensure that the murderers remain behind bars. Justice must not only be done but seen to be done, and until that day, the struggle for Chandan’s family continues.

Deceit, sexual extortion, and pressure to embrace Islam: How Armaan sexually exploited a Hindu woman in Gwalior for over 5 years

OpIndia Staff
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Deceit, sexual extortion, and pressure to embrace Islam: How Armaan sexually exploited a Hindu woman in Gwalior for over 5 years

A Muslim youth sexually exploited a Hindu girl and then kidnapped her and forced her to convert to Islam in the Dabra region of Gwalior district, Madhya Pradesh. Armaan Khan initially befriended her and proceeded to sexually exploit her. He even recorded her obscene video and used it to blackmail her to continue the abuse for five years. Furthermore, he began to pressure her to embrace Islam. When she objected, he and his uncle Zahid Khan forced her to sit on a motorcycle and attempted to take her away.

The victim managed to save her life and escape from their grasp. She reached out to Dial 100, which facilitated her arrival at the Dabra City Police Station, where she complained, leading to the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against the two suspects. Acting promptly, the police arrested Armaan while the search for Zahid continued. Reports indicate that 23-year-old Armaan Khan is a resident of Salwai village on Bhitarwar Road in Gwalior district. He had connected with the 25-year-old woman about five years ago through social media. He invited her to meet him, offering snacks and a cold drink, after which she reported losing consciousness.

Taking advantage of her condition, he filmed her after disrobing her. Once the girl regained her senses, he warned her that failure to comply with his wishes would result in him revealing their WhatsApp exchanges and the explicit videos to her brother. This marked the beginning of a prolonged cycle of blackmail, wherein he repeatedly pressured her to meet him, leading to her physical violation.

On 6th January, the offender again threatened her and pushed her to meet him. Afterward, he started to force her to become a Muslim, upon her arrival. She charged that he had been subjecting her to offensive actions regularly and now sought to change her religion against her will. He also compelled her to accompany him to Samudan village on Gwalior Road and made her ride on his motorcycle. They found Zahid Khan at the location who also exerted pressure on her to covert. The duo threatened that refusal to agree to their demand would result in her death. After hearing their menacing words, she dismounted from the two-wheeler and fled, subsequently contacting the police. She was also assisted by the passersby.

After the girl was brought to the Dabra City Police Station by the officers from the 100 dial service, representatives from a Hindu organization arrived at the station, demanding strict action. The cops listened to her ordeal and submitted a case against the perpetrators under various sections of the BNS (Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita). They have also intensified the efforts to catch Zahid Khan. According to other reports, Armaan trapped her in a relationship to sexually abuse her and then blackmailed her to embrace Islam in the name of marriage.

Superintendent of Police Niranjan Sharma reported that the young woman has charged that Armaan Khan, was persistently exploiting her and forcing her to convert. A case has been launched against him, based on the allegations. A police team was then dispatched to his house to arrest him.

Meanwhile, Awadhesh Singh, an activist associated with a Hindu organization, expressed concerns regarding individuals from a specific community who are enticing Hindu women and converting them. He urged the police authorities to remain vigilant in this matter. He stated that they had already notified the police and requested them to take stringent measures. He highlighted the existence of numerous gangs in Gwalior that specifically prey on Hindu women, ensnaring them in romantic deceptions to facilitate their conversion. He called upon the police to identify them and take appropriate action.

How George Soros made a detailed plan to flood Europe with fake asylum seekers: Elon Musk calls radical leftist billionaire a hater of humanity

Dibakar Dutta
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How George Soros made a detailed plan to flood Europe with fake asylum seekers: Elon Musk calls radical leftist billionaire a hater of humanity

On Monday (6th January), Tesla CEO Elon Musk slammed George Soros for normalising illegal immigration in Europe and the United States.

Musk tweeted, “George Soros spent billions to create the fake asylum-seeker nightmare that is destroying America and Europe.”

The Tesla CEO shared a screenshot from an article (archive) published on the website of Soros in 2015. Soros had himself written that article for ‘Project Syndicate.’

Plan unveiled by George Soros through his article

At the onset, the article called for a ‘common asylum policy’ for countries belonging to the European Union to avert a political crisis stemming from the large influx of migrants (particularly from Syria).

“The EU needs a comprehensive plan to respond to the crisis, one that reasserts effective governance over the flows of asylum-seekers so that they take place in a safe, orderly way, and at a pace that reflects Europe’s capacity to absorb them,” it stated.

George Soros suggested a 6-step comprehension plan to settle illegal immigrants (referred to as asylum seekers in the article) in Europe. The first step was the annual acceptance of at least 1 million or 10 lakh migrants each year.

He suggested that the burden of taking in the people be distributed fairly between the member states of the EU. The far-left billionaire asked the European Union to provide €15,000 ($16,800) for each asylum seeker for a year.

Screengrab of the article by George Soros

“It is equally important to allow both states and asylum-seekers to express their preferences, using the least possible coercion. Placing refugees where they want to go – and where they are wanted – is a sine qua non of success,” the article stated.

In the second step, Soros called upon the EU to provide funding to Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan so that they can in turn support 4 million ‘asylum seekers’. He suggested at least €5,000 per refugee annually.

“In addition, the EU also should help create special economic zones with preferred trade status in the region, including in Tunisia and Morocco, to attract investment and generate jobs for both locals and refugees,” he continued.

The far-left billionaire recommended the creation of a single ‘EU Asylum and Migration Agency’ and a single ‘EU Border Guard’ instead of 28 separate asylum systems. This was his third step of the ‘comprehensive plan.’

In the fourth stage, Soros suggested the establishment of safe channels to facilitate the movement of illegal immigrants to ‘destination countries’ via Greece and Italy. He claimed that it would help in controlling panic.

The far-left billionaire explained the 5th stage in this manner-

“The next logical step is to extend safe avenues to the frontline region, thereby reducing the number of migrants who make the dangerous Mediterranean crossing. If asylum-seekers have a reasonable chance of ultimately reaching Europe, they are far more likely to stay where they are. This will require negotiating with frontline countries, in cooperation with the UN Refugee Agency, to establish processing centers there – with Turkey as the priority.“

As part of the last step, Soros suggested the European Union to ‘mobilise the private sector’ and turn NGOs, church groups, and businesses into sponsors.

He added that for the plan to succeed, funding, human and IT capacity would also be required to match sponsors with illegal immigrants.

“The exodus from war-torn Syria should never have become a crisis. It was long in the making, easy to foresee, and eminently manageable by Europe and the international community,” Soros concluded his article.

George Soros hates humanity, says Elon Musk

In a tweet on Tuesday (7th January), Elon Musk stated, “Soros really was a genius at arbitrage, whether finance or politics…Brilliant. I just wish he loved, rather than hated, humanity.”

In October 2023, Musk lashed out at the far-left billionaire for putting human civilisation under threat during a podcast with radio host Joe Rogan.

“In my opinion, (Soros) fundamentally hates humanity. He is doing things that erode the fabric of civilization,” he was heard saying.

UP: Gulzar and Salman mowed down two girls with their vehicle in Gorakhpur for opposing molestation, one dead, the other injured

Shraddha Pandey
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UP: Gulzar and Salman mowed down two girls with their vehicle in Gorakhpur for opposing molestation, one dead, the other injured

In Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, Gulzar and Salman mowed down two cousin sisters with a loader van after they protested against molestation. The incident took place in front of Bhatgawan Panchayat Bhawan in Chaurichaura area of ​​Gorakhpur on Sunday (5th January). The incident unfolded when the two girls were going for their exams. While one girl died on the spot, the other sustained injuries. The locals tried to catch the driver of the van, however, he managed to escape.

Investigation revealed that the accused, both residents of Kaithwalia village, had attacked the girls by crushing them with a Magic van when they protested against molestation. Angry villagers of Gorakhpur blocked the Gorakhpur-Kushinagar highway for two hours on Monday (6th January) afternoon by placing the body of the girl who died. During this, the villagers, along with the family members, demanded that the accused be encountered and bulldozers be run on their houses.

On receiving the information about the blockade, SDM Finance and Revenue Vineet Singh, Magistrate Aarti Sahu, SDM Chaurichaura, SP North, two COs, the police force of six police stations and a PAC vehicle were called. During the conversation, the family demanded that the accused should be punished in the same way as the girl was killed adding that the accused should be “encountered”. In addition, the victim’s family should be given financial aid.

The officials cleared the blockade after persuading the family. The girl’s father cremated the body at Madapar Ghat at around 6 pm. More than 100 villagers were present during this time. According to the complaint, a BA third-year student from a village in the Chaurichaura area was going to take her exam at a college in Jagdishpur with her cousin on Sunday at 10:40 am.

The police registered a case on the complaint lodged by the victim’s uncle and arrested accused Gulzar Ali alias Rehman Ali. By Monday evening, the police arrested the second accused Salman. The police said that the arrested duo are being questioned.

According to the post-mortem report of the deceased student’s body, the head was fractured due to the car running over her and the ribs were broken causing her death. There were scratch marks on the leg as well.

On Monday, Sarvan Kumar Nishad, the BJP MLA from Chaurichaura met the family of the victims to offer his condolences and give assurance that appropriate action will be taken in the matter. The MLA assured that the victims will be given justice and necessary financial aid. In addition, bulldozer action will also be taken against the accused if required along with action against negligent police officials.

The victim who survived the attack by Gulzar and Salman said that the accused duo had been harassing her for the last one week. The duo used to follow her sometimes in a car or on a bike. She said that Salman and Gulzar used to repeatedly give their phone numbers to the victim and pressurise her to talk to them.

On Sunday the two girls left home to take their exam. About half a kilometre away from the house, both the accused passed by a Magic van. When the girls passed by there, the accused Muslim youths tried to talk to them, and after protesting, they walked ahead. The accused duo then parked their vehicle ahead and started waiting. As soon as the girls passed by there, Salman and Gulzar drove the vehicle over them from behind.

The family members of the student also say that after the incident, the family members of the accused are threatening them. Meanwhile, the incident has infuriated the villagers who demand that the accused Salman and Gulzar be hanged to death.

A CCTV footage of the incident that occurred on Sunday has also been recovered. It shows that the Magic van is coming forward and stopping. The students were moving ahead when the accused suddenly moved the van forward and went ahead at a high speed, crushing the students. It is also seen in the CCTV footage that Gulzar is stopping the vehicle on the road. As soon as the girls came close, Salman took over the wheel from Gulzar. Reports say that Salman is the one who crushed the girls with the vehicle.

How Indian media and ‘liberals’ romanticised UAPA accused: From Campa Cola to mutton, Umar khalid gets celebrity treatment during his one-week bail

Anurag
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How Indian media and ‘liberals’ romanticised UAPA accused: From Campa Cola to mutton, Umar khalid gets celebrity treatment during his one-week bail

On the eve of 28 December, when the world was indulging in Christmas food and waiting for the new year, student activist Umar Khalid came out of prison to spend a week with his family to attend a wedding. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? An accused under the UAPA in the larger conspiracy of the Delhi Riots 2020 getting glittery treatment of words? This is exactly what happened as Khalid spent a week on bail. Though he is back in jail awaiting trial for the case, the way Indian media and “liberals” romanticised it deserves a slow clap, to say the least.

The Indian Express, one of the widely read mainstream newspapers, published a long article explaining what his family said and how Khalid spent his week at home. Titled “When Umar Khalid Came Home,” the piece was authored by Nirbhay Thakur. The feature image showed Khalid and his father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, a former SIMI operative. Quotes from his parents, his close friend Banojyotsna Lahiri, and others were included in the article in emotional, candid ways.

Source: Banojyotsna Lahiri/Instagram

Lahiri did not miss any opportunity to show “optimism” that Khalid would get bail soon. She told The Indian Express that Khalid thinks “the fake charges against him cannot go on forever.” She added, “We know this will be over soon.”

While Khalid enjoyed home-cooked mutton alongside burgers, pizzas, and cakes brought by his friends, it has been claimed that Ilyas has drawn some “red lines” at home. As he is a critic of the US and Israel, despite Khalid’s love for cold drinks, their fridge was filled only with “Campa Cola,” a cold drink brand recently revived by… drumroll… MUKESH DHIRUBHAI AMBANI!

So, does this mean Khalid’s family has a soft spot for Ambani? The same Ambani who, according to Left-liberals, is a symbol of corporate greed and detrimental to the country? Quite the conundrum, at least for layman (or laypeople?!?!) like us. While the rest of The Indian Express article was filled with setting a narrative that Umar Khalid is an innocent activist who has been jailed without trial due to “politics” or some other reason, many others jumped on the same bandwagon of making him a superstar — the Allu Arjun of liberals.

Source: Indian Express

Before The Indian Express, on the day Khalid was supposed to return to prison, liberals’ favourite comedian, who has a lot of free time on his hands, Kunal Kamra, shared a photo with him on social media. He wrote, “Heart knows no concept of time,” suggesting that even though they had not met for years, Khalid and Kamra were still friends. The post was “loved” by many including actress Richa Chadha who threw a heart in comments and Urfi who liked the post.

Source: Instagram

The photograph with unicorny comments was shared by many media houses including ABP News, Live Mint, Lallantop and many others. These media houses included comments like “This is the best picture of 2025! I hope we see many more” and “So so so heartwarming to see Umar doing normal person things in normal person atmosphere. More photos of Umar please” while addressing Khalid specifically as “activist”. The PR for Khalid runs at its best from time-to-time.

Darab Farooqui, on 4th January, a day after he went back to jail, wrote, “Umar Khalid will inspire generations to come in India.” It is funny how when either he comes out of jail on bail or there is a bail hearing scheduled, many like Darab take on social media to draw a glorious painting of Khalid, as if he is some celebrity fantasy hero imprisoned by an evil demon away in some unknown castle.

Source: X

Anirban Bhattacharya, a student of JNU wrote on Facebook, “It feels like a multiverse. He came for seven days through a portal. And today he was sucked back into it. Back to the monochromatic world of iron bars and grimmer shades. We stay back in the other universe where we dwell in silent complicity as hate-guzzlers roam free. All we have in common on both ends of the portal is the memory of these seven days. Seven days of joy, of well wishers, of catching up, of sharing, of hope, of laughter and lame jokes. And then he goes back wearing a black sweat shirt and an endearing smile. It is them, the dissenters like him, who are the true heroes of this multiverse that is India today. Stay strong Umar!”

Source: Facebook

Umar Khalid and his role in Delhi’s anti-Hindu riots

On 14th September 2020, Umar Khalid, former JNU student and son of an ex-SIMI member was arrested for his role in the Delhi anti-Hindu riots that broke out on the 24th of February. He, along with others, was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA and relative provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for being the masterminds of the riots. Umar Khalid, son of Ilyas on the other hand admitted to the Delhi police that he was involved in organizing Muslim groups, instigating them, and preparing for the large-scale violence.

The riot that Khalid and others instigated, claimed 53 lives.

He had mobilized the Muslims to run riots, block roads and harass the public, by asserting that the new law was ‘against Muslims’ and had also planned to involve women and children in the ‘Chakka Jam’ amid the visit of US President Trump to India. He had allegedly met the former AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain and another accused Khalid Saifi to assure logistical support during the riots through his contacts in the PFI. According to the reports, the agencies have been watching and warning about the nexus between Maoists whose front organization Khalid is aligned with, and hardline Islamists allegedly represented by Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Welfare Party of India, and banned outfit SIMI. He had also repeated Pakistani talking points in Kashmir and claimed that the Indian Union territory was occupied by Indian forces.

The romanticisation of Umar Khalid by parts of the media and some “liberals” raises serious concerns. Despite facing charges under UAPA for his role in anti-Hindu riots, he is portrayed as a victim or even a hero. Glowing articles and celebrity endorsements ignore the seriousness of his actions. This selective sympathy undermines justice and sets a dangerous trend. It’s worth asking if such glorification helps justice or just fuels a biased narrative.

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