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Has OYO banned unmarried couples from its hotels? Here’s what the new policy actually says and how media sensationalised the news

OpIndia Staff
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Has OYO banned unmarried couples from its hotels? Here’s what the new policy actually says and how media sensationalised the news

On 5th January, almost all major media portals reported that the hospitality chain OYO Hotels & Homes has decided to ban unmarried couples from its hotels. This caused a major stir among people as the OYO hotels are very popular among unmarried couples for its liberal policy towards unmarried couples.

Here are a few headlines from some media websites reporting that the new OYO guidelines have banned unmarried couples from their hotels.

”No room for the unmarried couples, OYO changes check-in rules”, read the News18 headline.

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India Today used the headline, “ No entry to unmarried couples: OYO changes check-in rules, starting in Meerut”.

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A similar headline was used by Hindustan Times which read, “OYO says no hotel rooms for unmarried couples in this city: Details here”.

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Zee News also reported, “OYO changes check-in policy in this city; unmarried couples no longer allowed; here’s how to book rooms via app”.

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What the revised guidelines say

Contrary to what was insinuated by the headlines of almost all the media websites, the revised check-in policy guidelines of OYO do not ban unmarried couples from making bookings in their hotels. In fact, under its revised policy, OYO has granted discretion to its partner hotels to decide on allowing or disallowing unmarried couples from making bookings in their hotels. This does not mean that OYO has banned unmarried couples from staying in their hotels. It only means that it is now up to the partner hotels whether they will allow or deny bookings to unmarried couples.

Notably, earlier OYO policy dictated that its partner hotels can’t deny rooms to unmarried couples. This made the chain popular among unmarried couples looking for some private place for intimate relations. However, now the company has revised its policy and allowed individual properties to decide whether to allow unmarried couples or not. There is no blanket ban on unmarried couples in OYO properties, as claimed by news headlines.

The new guidelines have first been rolled out for partner hotels in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. These may later be extended to other cities based on feedback.

The decision has reportedly been taken by the company after receiving feedback from civil society groups on the ground. “OYO has empowered its partner hotels’ discretion to decline couple bookings based in their judgment, aligning with local social sensibility”, the company said. According to reports, OYO has received similar requests from people in other cities as well to disallow unmarried couples from making bookings in OYO hotels.

Pawan Sharma, Region Head, OYO North India, told PTI, “ OYO is committed to upholding safe and responsible hospitality practices. While we respect individual freedoms and personal liberty, we also recognise our responsibility to listen to and work with the law enforcement and civil society groups in the micro markets we operate in. We will continue to review this policy and its impact periodically”.

The company has reportedly launched initiatives like holding joint seminars on safe hospitality with police and hotel partners, black listing hotels found to be promoting immoral activities and initiating action against unauthorised hotels using OYO branding.

Madhya Pradesh: Ujjain police arrest Saif Ahmed for booking hotel as Prakash Kumar Gupta using fake Aadhaar card, ‘love jihad’ angle under probe

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Ujjain police arrest Saif Ahmed for booking hotel as Prakash Kumar Gupta using fake Aadhaar card, ‘love jihad’ angle under probe

On 5th January, Ujjain Police apprehended a man named Saif Ahmed from Hotel Eklavya Palace near the Mahakal temple. Ahmed has been accused of taking a room in the hotel using the fake Hindu identity of Prakash Kumar Gupta. He was arrested by the police following a tip-off from Hindu organisations who saw him with a Hindu woman. Following the arrest, activists of Hindu organisations raised concerns over the possibility of ‘love jihad’ in the matter. A case has been registered at Mahakal Police Station, and further investigation is underway.

According to media reports, Ahmed checked into Hotel Eklavya Palace near the Mahakal temple using a fake Aadhaar card. Police informed the media that Ahmed is a resident of Bhilai in Chhattisgarh. The Hindu woman who accompanied him is also from Bhilai and is currently working in Pune. She reportedly claimed to have known Ahmed since childhood.

Source: Amar Ujala

During questioning, Ahmed told the police that he secured the hotel room using a fake Aadhaar card provided by an auto driver. Initial investigations revealed that the couple struggled to find accommodation as hotels refused to allow a Muslim man and a Hindu woman to share a room. The auto driver allegedly stepped in with the fake identity card and helped them secure a room.

Ahmed further told the police that he runs two eateries, Gabbar Dhaba and Gabbar Restaurant, in Bhilai. The woman told the police that she accompanied Ahmed to Ujjain and had planned to continue her journey to Pune, where she works. The family of the woman has been informed about the incident.

Source: Amar Ujala

Speaking to the media, Hindu activist Arjun Singh Chauhan said that they had received information about Ahmed’s activities in the area. Members of the Hindu organisation followed him and recorded a video. They then called the police after the couple checked into the hotel.

The police took Ahmed into custody and initiated an investigation into the matter. The search for the alleged auto driver who provided the fake identity is under way. Authorities are also investigating the hotel management’s role in allowing a room to be booked under a forged identity. Hotel staff may face legal action for negligence if found culpable.

Reportedly, the police are also exploring the possibility of a “love jihad” angle in the case due to the religious dynamics of the incident. OpIndia tried contacting the police for further information but could not connect.

Malaysia turns away two boats carrying around 300 Rohingyas trying to enter the country

OpIndia Staff
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Malaysia turns away two boats carrying around 300 Rohingyas trying to enter the country

Two boats believed to be carrying around 300 Rohingya Muslims were reportedly turned away by Malaysian authorities on Saturday. The Rohingyas were trying to enter the country illegally. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement confirmed that it had prior intimation about two boats trying to enter their territory.

The people on the boats reportedly did not have the necessary supplies. Therefore, the Malaysian authorities provided food supplies and drinking water before turning the boats away. The information was given by the Chief of the Maritime Enforcement Agency, Mohammad Rosli Abdullah in his statement. “The MMEA provided assistance, including food and clean drinking water, before expelling the boats out to the national maritime border to continue their journey”, Abdullah said.

Two other boats were also detected by the Malaysian authorities on Friday. The same day around 196 Rohingyas were detained by the authorities on a beach on the northeastern report island of Langkawi. The Malaysian authorities have been monitoring the movement of such boats in coordination with Thai authorities.

It is not known from where the Rohingyas came. Notably, Rohingya refugees from Myanmar have entered Bangladesh in large numbers, and many of them are being lured by traffickers to other countries with the promise of better lives. Over 1 million Rohingya Muslims live in Bangladesh after fleeing Myanmar amid ethnic violence in the country. Being a Muslim-majority country, Malaysia is a popular destination for Rohingyas looking to escape crowded camps in Bangladesh.

The country had earlier accepted Rohingya Muslims. However, recently it has tried to limit their intake apprehending their mass influx. Around 111,410 Rohingya refugees and asylum-seekers were registered by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Malaysia in November last year. This number alone amounts to about 58 per cent of total refugee population in Malaysia.

Amid outrage over grooming gangs in UK, tweet of Muslim ‘journalist’ justifying sex with minors goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Amid outrage over grooming gangs in UK, tweet of Muslim ‘journalist’ justifying sex with minors goes viral

Amid outrage over the overwhelming prevalence of Pakistani Muslim grooming gangs in the United Kingdom, a 2-year-old tweet of ‘journalist’ Sulaiman Ahmed has gone viral on social media.

In April 2023, the Muslim scribe attempted to deviate public discourse from the heinous sexual crimes perpetrated by Pakistanis in the UK to white men.

Ahmed rationalised the grooming and rape by his co-religionists by claiming that the underage victims ‘consented’ to the sexual acts.

He had tweeted, “Social workers said CONSENT was given by these women. When CONSENT is given there is no rape and there CANNOT be any grooming and as a result this would be a non case.”

Ahmed deliberately called the victims ‘women’ and not ‘girls’ despite the fact that they were underage. The Muslim ‘journalist’ conveniently ignored the cardinal fact that minors cannot consent to sex in the United Kingdom.

Any act of sexual intercourse with a minor constitutes statutory rape. A minor is an individual below the age of 18 years old. Ahmed, being a practitioner of Islam, may have mistook the UK’s laws for Islamic sharia.

Netizens slam Sulaiman Ahmed

In a tweet, popular X (formerly Twitter) Han Shawnity said, “In a surprise to no one Sulaiman Ahmed is rushing to the defense of the Pakistani Muslims rape gangs of England who drugged and raped little girls.”

Political commentator Drew Pavlou stated, “Sulaiman Ahmed is now writing that some victims of the grooming gangs actually consented to being abused by pedophiles.”

Writer Arshia Malik lambasted Sulaiman Ahmed and said, “For a Muslim man, consent by a child whether 9, 11 or 18 is Yes and no amount of arguing, reasoning or laws are going to change this basic mentality. What’s more tragic and infuriating is this mentality pervades the Muslim world”

Another X user said, “In case people weren’t already sure of the fact that Sulaiman is a vile and despicable human being, just look at what he has to say about the rape gangs”

The UK-based Muslim ‘journalist’ is known for supporting Hamas, peddling lies about Israel and demonising India based on isolated cases of rape.

On the contrary, he defends Pakistani grooming gangs in the UK by suggesting they are a minority and rape with minors involves consent.

BJP leader Parvesh Verma writes to Delhi CM Atishi urging to open the “Sheesh Mahal” for public viewing, says people want to see it

OpIndia Staff
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BJP leader Parvesh Verma writes to Delhi CM Atishi urging to open the “Sheesh Mahal” for public viewing, says people want to see it

Delhi BJP leader Parvesh Verma has written a letter to CM Atishi urging her to open the “Sheesh Mahal”, the CM’s residence, for public viewing. He said that the govt bungalow was specially decorated and given a grand look when Arvind Kejriwal was the CM, and now the people want to see the house now known as “Sheesh Mahal”.

Parvesh Verma, who is contesting the Delhi assembly elections from the New Delhi constituency against Arvind Kejriwal, wrote in the letter to CM Atishi:

“I want to bring it to your notice that during the tenure of former Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party Convenor Shri Arvind Kejriwal, the government residence was specially decorated and given a grand look. It is being known as ‘Sheesh Mahal’ among the common people. The people of New Delhi Assembly constituency, who elected Shri Kejriwal as their MLA for three consecutive times and sent him to the Assembly, have a strong desire to see this building.

This building is no longer just a residence, but has become an important symbol of the history of governance and administration of Delhi. The public wants to understand by seeing it how the place looks like where their elected representative spent his tenure.

I request you to open this ‘Sheesh Mahal’ for public darshan from 10 am to 4 pm, so that the people of Delhi can see it closely. This will not only fulfil the expectations of the public, but will also strengthen transparency and trust between the government and the public.”

Earlier Verma had said that he wants to take all the people of Delhi to see “Sheesh Mahal”. He had said, “I am writing a letter to CM Atishi to open the doors of Sheesh Mahal because the people of Delhi want to see what happened to the tax they paid.”

Verma, a former MP and son of former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma, will be facing former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit, son of former Delhi CM Shiela Dikshit, in a three-cornered contest in the upcoming Delhi assembly election.

Hitting out at Kejriwal, he said that he hoped that the AAP chief ‘does not run away from the New Delhi seat.’ He said, “I just hope Arvind Kejriwal doesn’t run away from the New Delhi seat, because the people here have elected him three times so he has to be accountable for his work and whatever the decision of the people will be. I have been asking the people here to tell me about any kind of work being done here, but in the 11 years, they can’t even tell 11 things, or even 2.”

All India Muslim Jamat president claims that Kumbh Mela is being organised on Waqf land, Hindu Mahasabha President calls for his arrest saying he is sponsored by Pakistan

OpIndia Staff
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All India Muslim Jamat president claims that Kumbh Mela is being organised on Waqf land, Hindu Mahasabha President calls for his arrest saying he is sponsored by Pakistan

Just a week before the start of Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, a cleric has stoked a controversy by claiming that the event is being held on land owned by the Waqf Board. Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamat, has claimed that 55 bighas of Waqf land are being used for the Hindu religious event.

In a video message, Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi said that Muslims of Prayagraj have shown a large heart by allowing the mela on Waqf land, and Hindus should reciprocate by allowing the Muslims to enter the event. He slammed the call by All India Akhara Parishad to bar non-Hindus from the Kumbh.

Barelvi said, ‘Akhara Parishad, Naga Sanyasis, swamis and babas have banned the entry of Muslims from Kumbh Mela. On the other hand, a Muslim man named Sartaz from Prayagraj has said that the land where preparations are being made for the Kumbh Mela belongs to the Waqf, and it is owned by local Muslims. But see the large-heartedness of Muslims, they have not raised any objections over the 55 bigha of waqf land being used for the Kumbh.’

He added that while Muslims have shown a large heart, Hindu groups are showing narrowness by not allowing Muslims in the Kumbh Mela.

However, Hindu leaders have rejected the claims made by the Muslim cleric. Hindu Mahasabha President Swami Chakrapani Maharaj said that Maulana Shahabuddin must be sponsored by Pakistan and ‘people with a terrorist mindset’. He said that the cleric is making a malicious attempt to disturb the Maha Kumbh, and his statements should be investigated.

‘I believe that immediate action should be taken against people who spoil the atmosphere in this way. FIR should be registered against them and they should be arrested. If such people are out, they will keep talking such nonsense and spoil the atmosphere of the country,’ Chakrapani Maharaj said.

PM Modi inaugurates the Delhi section of Namo Bharat Rapid Rail Transit System

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi inaugurates the Delhi section of Namo Bharat Rapid Rail Transit System

On 5th January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Delhi section of the Namo Bharat Rapid Rail Transit System (RRTS) in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. PM Modi visited the Sahibabad RRTS station and took a ride on the Namo Bharat train to New Ashok Nagar station in Delhi.

During the journey, PM Modi interacted with school students.

Connecting Sahibabad to New Ashok Nagar

The recently completed 13-km stretch links Sahibabad in Ghaziabad to New Ashok Nagar in Delhi, passing through Anand Vihar. It is part of the larger Delhi-Ghaziabad-Meerut RRTS corridor. The RRTS corridor spans 54 km with 11 stations. Once operational, the enhanced corridor will reduce travel time between Delhi and Meerut to only one hour. A large number of people commute between Delhi and Meerut daily for work, and the RRTS will not only make the journey quicker but also extremely comfortable.

Before the new stations, Rapid Rail Transit System operated between Sahibabad and Meerut South. With the addition of two new stations—New Ashok Nagar and Anand Vihar—the RRTS will integrate further into the capital’s transport network. Furthermore, expansions are planned for April and May 2025, which will extend the network to Sarai Kale Khan and Jangpura stations.

All about the new RRTS stations

The New Ashok Nagar station offers seamless connectivity to the New Ashok Nagar Metro station via a 100-metre footbridge. Additionally, extra footbridges are under construction to connect the station to nearby areas, including Chilla Village and Mayur Vihar Extension.

Anand Vihar station, the first underground station on the RRTS line, is set to become a major transit hub. It will connect to the Pink and Blue Metro lines, Anand Vihar railway station, and inter-state bus terminals. Designed for heavy foot traffic, the station will feature three lifts, five escalators, and two entry/exit gates, enhancing passenger convenience.

As of now, the RRTS corridor has nine operational stations, including Sahibabad, Ghaziabad, and Meerut South, which will now increase to 11 stations.

RRTS trial and current operations

The trial runs for the new stations began in October 2024. The corridor recently received the necessary certification from the Commissioner for Metro Rail Safety (CMRS).

Kerala: POCSO court sentences Malappuram man Unais to 87 years of rigorous imprisonment for repeated sexual assault on minor girl

Anurag
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Kerala: POCSO court sentences Malappuram man Unais to 87 years of rigorous imprisonment for repeated sexual assault on minor girl

On 4th January, a POCSO court in Kerala’s Manjeri sentenced 29-year-old Unais, son of Hussain, to 87 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old minor girl. Furthermore, a fine of Rs 4.6 lakh has been imposed on Unais as punishment. Unais, who is a resident of Kooliyodan House, Pullancheri, will have to face an additional eight months of imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine.

According to media reports, the assault happened between 1st May 2020 and 31st December 2022. Unais repeatedly sexually assaulted the minor on several occasions. Reports suggest that he entered the house of the minor unlawfully on many occasions, threatened her and committed multiple acts of penetrative sexual assault (rape). Furthermore, he threatened to leak objectionable photographs (nude photographs) of the victim online if she told anyone about the assault.

The matter came to light when the victim told her family about the assault, after which the family filed a complaint against Unais at Manjeri Police Station. Accordingly, a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered in the case. The investigation in the matter was led by Inspector Riyas Chackeri and Sub-Inspector Sajeev was also part of the investigating team. Special Public Prosecutor A Somasundaran represented the state. 13 witnesses and 18 documents were presented in the court by the prosecution.

The judgment in the matter against Unais was delivered by a single-judge bench of Manjeri POCSO court led by Justice AM Ashraf. The court sentenced Unais to 40 years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 5(l) (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) read with 6(1) (punishment for aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the POCSO Act, along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh. In case he fails to pay the fine, three months of simple imprisonment will be added to his sentence. Furthermore, the court sentenced him to another 40 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 2 lakh under Section 376(3) (rape of girl below the age of 16 years) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). In case he fails to pay the fine, three months will be added to his sentence.

Additionally, a five-year term of rigorous imprisonment was imposed under Section 450 (house-trespass) of the IPC accompanied by a fine of Rs 50,000 and one month of simple imprisonment in case of default. Finally, 2 years of rigorous imprisonment has been imposed under Section 506(I) (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, with a fine of Rs 10,000 and one month of simple imprisonment for non-payment. The court added that the sentencing under IPC Section 376(2)(n) has already been addressed as per the provisions of the POCSO Act.

The fine has to be paid to the family of the victim. Furthermore, the victim will also get compensation under the Victim Compensation Scheme by the District Legal Service Authority as directed by the court.

Unais has been transferred to Tavanur Central Jail to serve his sentence.

Bangladesh: Extremists break into the house of Hindu journalist, attack his parents with sharp weapons

OpIndia Staff
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Bangladesh: Extremists break into the house of Hindu journalist, attack his parents with sharp weapons

On Friday (3rd January) night, extremists attacked the family of a Hindu journalist in Dumain village in the Faridpur district of Bangladesh.

According to reports, the journalist was identified as Saugata Bose. He is a correspondent of the Bengali daily ‘Ajker Patrika.’

The extremists laid siege to Saugata’s home on Friday at 8:30 pm and attacked his 65-year-old father Shyamlendu Bose. Saugata’s mother Kakuli Bose (60) and their minor neighbour were also thrashed.

They are being treated at the Faridpur Medical College and Hospital. The family of the scribe noticed someone inside their houses while they were watching Television.

When they chased the intruder, Shyamlendu Bose was attacked on the head with a sharp weapon. Kakuli Bose and another underage victim were also injured and left in a bloodied state

While speaking to the media, Saugata’s aunt Shukla Bose said, “Around 8:30 pm, they made a video call to me, covered in blood, begging for help. I informed the neighbours, who then rescued them and took them to the hospital.”

Journalist Saugata Bose stated, “We don’t know if there was just one attacker or multiple. We don’t have any known disputes with anyone either. This wasn’t a theft. Besides, nothing has been stolen. This must have been an attack for some other reason.”

According to doctors, the father of the Hindu journalist is in critical condition. He had suffered blood loss and a fracture to his skull.

The police, led by Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime & Operations) Shailen Chakma, is currently investigating the case.

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 have been 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, 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 the latest 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 stiffling 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‘.

Heartbreaking tragedy: 579 animals suffocate to death in Dallas pet shop fire

OpIndia Staff
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Heartbreaking tragedy: 579 animals suffocate to death in Dallas pet shop fire

On 3rd January (local time), tragedy struck a pet shop at Plaza Latina Bazaar in Northwest Dallas as over 550 animals died in a shopping centre fire. The fire broke out at the shopping centre in the morning. All the animals reportedly died due to smoke inhalation. Most of the animals in the pet shop were small birds. The shop also deals in exotic animals but none of them were found during the rescue operation.

Speaking to the media, Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans said that 579 animals in the pet shop at Plaza Latina in Northwest Dallas died from smoke inhalation. The flames from the fire never reached the animals. However, all of them inhaled deadly smoke, leading to the tragedy. The dead animals included chickens, hamsters, two dogs, and two cats.

In a post in Spanish on Facebook, Plaza Latina Bazaar wrote, “Unfortunate situation we had today morning, we ask for your prayers for all the families who work here, hoping to be back firm, to give them the attention your family deserves.”

Source: Facebook

Around 45 firefighters reached the spot at around 11 AM to extinguish the fire. Evans said, “While DFR personnel did search and attempt rescue, all the animals in the shop unfortunately perished due to smoke inhalation.”

As per reports, Dallas Fire-Rescue was dispatched to a 911 call for a structure fire at the shopping centre at 9:12 PM When the firefighters reached the spot, they encountered heavy smoke and fire. A second-alarm response was requested after assessing the situation, leading to additional firefighters arriving at the scene. It took them around two hours to control the fire.

The shopping centre houses around 50 businesses, ranging from restaurants and candy shops to a tattoo parlour and an insurance agency.

No people were injured in the incident. However, the structure of the shopping centre was severely damaged, and a part of the roof collapsed. An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

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