A Muslim man in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh divorced his wife using the banned triple talaq practice just because she said that the riots and attack on police in Sambhal were wrong. The man accused his wife of being a kafir, pronounced instant divorce, and abandoned her along with their 5-month-old son.
The woman identified as Nida was planning to visit Sambhal for a wedding, and was watching videos on Sambhal violence to check if it was safe to visit the town. The violence in Sambhal erupted in Sambhal after a court ordered survey of the Jama Masjid there over claims that it was built by demolishing a temple.
Her husband Ejazul was living separately from his family for some time, and was not providing financial support to his family. Therefore, recently Nida went to his office to meet him, and while waiting, she was watching videos on Sambhal violence on her phone. When the husband arrived and saw her watching the videos, he confronted her about why she was watching such videos.
In response, the woman asked what is wrong in watching the videos. She then proceeded to say what is wrong is wrong, and everyone has the right to defend themselves, referring to the attack on the police by Muslim mob.
संभल में हुए उपद्रव के दौरान पुलिस कर्मियों पर हो रहे पथराव का वीडियो देखकर महिला ने उसे गलत बताया था
पीड़िता का आरोप पति एजाजुल आबादीन ने काफिर कहते हुए तीन तलाक दिया है
Her husband got enraged at hearing this, and announced instant divorce on the spot declaring that she is not Muslim. He said, ‘You are a kafir (infidel), you are not a Muslim. You are supporting police. Now I will not keep you, I am divorcing you right here’. Saying this, he pronounced the word ‘Talaq’ three times.
He then asked her to leave, saying that their relation has ended. She pleaded to not divorce her, saying that their kid is ill, but he didn’t listen, and ordered her to leave.
Nida also said that she has 3 children from her previous marriage, and married Ejazul after the death of her previous husband. But Ejazul refuses to accept them, and he also refuses to accept his own son with her.
After the incident, the woman filed a complaint against the man at police station in Moradabad. Confirming the development, Moradabad SP Ranvijay Sing said, “A woman has filed a complaint against her husband that she was watching a YouTube video related to Sambhal, which led to a fight between the couple. The husband asked her not to watch the video, and when she did not agree, he ended the marriage by saying talaq three times.”
Notably, the controversial practice of triple talaq that allows Muslim men to divorce their wives by saying the word ‘Talaq’ three times was banned by the Supreme Court in 2017. After that in 2019, the Modi government legislated an act to formally outlaw the practice to protect the rights of Muslim women.
A complaint has been registered at the local police station in Navsari, Gujarat, that a mob of 150 to 200 Islamists attacked Hindus, especially women, living in the Dargah Road area of Navsari on the night of December 7.
It is alleged that after creating a ruckus over vehicle parking, the Islamist mob entered the Hindu areas and abused even the women, threatened to kill them and throw them out of the area. A complaint has been registered at the Navsari Town Police Station in this matter, based on which the police have started a preliminary investigation.
Chandan Rathod, a victim of this attack, told OpIndia that the incident took place on Saturday (December 7) night. He said that there was an argument with a local Muslim youth over vehicle parking. After that, a large number of local Muslims arrived at the location carrying sticks and sticks. It is alleged that a mob of 100-150 Muslims abused the women and threatened to kill them.
However, the police have denied any communal angle in the incident and have stated that it was only a verbal dispute between two groups.
“Go away, infidels, this is our territory.”
According to the victim, a large number of Muslims live on Dargah Road. He further said that the Islamist mob misbehaved with the women and beat them up saying, ‘Infidels, run away from here, this is our area. This is just the beginning.’ Apart from this, it is alleged that the mob also threatened the Hindu women by saying, ‘We will strip them and kill them’. According to the complainant, caste-based abuses were also used.
The women have filed a complaint at the Navsari Town Police Station demanding action. The women have also mentioned the names of some Muslim men in the complaint. A copy of the complaint is available with OpIndia.
The complaint names Shahnawaz Bhandari (main accused), Ajaz Sheikh, Shoaib Sheikh, Sufyan Salim, and Rafiq Patel’s son. It is alleged that 100-150 Muslims had gathered under the leadership of these people. Navsari Town Police is currently investigating the matter.
In this matter, an officer of the town police station told OpIndia that action will be taken in this matter.
A video of the women narrating about the alleged harassment has gone viral on the social media.
Hindus are harassed even during Navratri, Ganeshotsav – Complainant
Complainant Chandan Rathod further said that the majority of the population on Dargah Road is from the Muslim community. They also have a Dargah here, next to which a Hindu temple is also located. The complainant has said that for the last three years, radical Muslims have not allowed them to celebrate a single festival. He said that even in the Ganesh Pandal, local Muslims create obstacles and force them to stop bhajans and kirtans. He has tried to convince the local Muslims many times, but still they create obstacles during Hindu festivals.
Locals say that during Navratri, a Garba program is held in the temple, but for the last three years, local Muslims have been harassing them a lot during the event. They said that during Garba, some Muslims enter the pandal on bikes and threaten to stop the program. They added that Muslims also misbehave and molest the women who perform Garba.
In addition, when the Hindu community built a toran for the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha Mahotsava, local Muslims opposed it and threatened to remove the toran. According to the complainant, they have been enduring all this for three years, but now as such incidents are increasing, they have decided to file a police complaint. They further said that people named Shahnawaz Bhandari and Shoaib Sheikh play a major role in every incident and gather crowds.
OpIndia also spoke to a local Hindu organization. The organization said that they are now fully with the victims and are petitioning the police officers and demanding action. Along with the complainants, the Hindu organization’s activists have also gone to the Deputy SP office and demanded action. Currently, the Hindu organizations and the victims are waiting for an FIR to be filed.
Police denies communal angle, says it was a parking disute
Meanwhile, the police have stated that there was no assault, and no religious threats were made against Hindus. Police have added that it was a parking dispute and the incident has no communal angle. However, accused have been arrested under the SC/ST Act and other relevant section. The police have also clarified that anti-Hindu threats or slurs were not spoken and the viral videos of the incident also do not show any anti-Hindu remark.
The accused persons have been booked for offences under the BNS and SC-ST Act. Further action on the issue is underway.
Note: A previous version of this report appeared with a different headline and content. The report has been updated with the latest available information. Further details will be updated when available.
On 3rd December, Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières or RSF) held its 32nd edition of the Press Freedom Awards in Washington, DC. Propagandist YouTuber Ravish Kumar, who calls himself a journalist, won the ‘Independence Prize’. Kumar was praised from all directions by RSF on the awards page. Interestingly, RSF is a Ford Foundation and Western government-funded organisation known for its anti-India and anti-Modi coverage.
"This is a difficult time for journalists all over the world. Many are knowingly risking their lives everyday. It is only a very firm belief in the value of our independence that has enabled journalists like us to continue our work." -Ravish Kumar pic.twitter.com/SoTIEtzbuj
Ravish Kumar has been described as someone who personified the resistance of Indian media to political pressure. RSF called him a “true hero of journalism” in the country. RSF claimed that Ravish Kumar was “brutally ousted from NDTV” after the Adani Group took over the media house, which is a false allegation. Ravish, in fact, resigned from the channel. RSF, however, did not name the Adani Group for some reason but mentioned “a businessman close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi”.
RSF recently came out in support of so-called fact-checker MohammedZubair, co-founder of Alt News, after he was booked by UP Police for allegedly endangering the sovereignty and unity of India.
RSF is funded by Ford Foundation and Western Governments
For those who are unaware, RSF is heavily funded by Western governments and private foundations, including the Ford Foundation. According to its 2023 financial statement, the European Commission MFA, AIDS, Front Line, Oak Foundation, NHRF TAPIEI, MOF Danida Taiwan, Ford Foundation, OSF Core Support, and others are among the top funders of RSF. The European Commission MFA has given 1,760,915 Euros, NED (a US government-funded organisation) gave RSF 333,283 Euros, and the Ford Foundation gave 384,008 Euros in 2023 to RSF.
Source: RSF
One of the other important supporters of RSF is the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which is funded by the US Government. Its website states, “Funded largely by the U.S. Congress, the support NED gives to groups abroad sends an important message of solidarity to many democrats who are working for freedom and human rights, often in obscurity and isolation.”
It states further, “Created jointly by Republicans and Democrats, NED is governed by a board balanced between both parties and enjoys Congressional support across the political spectrum. NED operates with a high degree of transparency and accountability reflecting our founders’ belief that democracy promotion overseas should be conducted openly.”
The RSF is also supported by the Ford Foundation, which has a history of financing anti-social elements in India. A report on The Grayzone observed, “Reporters Without Borders has for years also been criticized for its bias against governments that are targeted by the US and Europe for regime change. RSF has shown a particularly extreme prejudice against Venezuela, portraying oligarch-owned right-wing media outlets and US-funded opposition groups that have actively participated in numerous violent coup attempts against the democratically elected socialist government as hapless victims of an autocratic regime.”
RSF’s dubious press freedom rating of India
In May 2023, RSF released its annual Press Freedom Report, in which it put India at 161st position out of 180 countries. As per RSF, India slipped 11 ranks since 2022. Interestingly, according to RSF, Pakistan’s press freedom index has improved. From 157th rank in 2022, Pakistan has acquired the 150th position in the list. The same goes for Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, which got its rank improved from 156 to 152.
One of the most bizarre points RSF put in its report is about the money the government of India spends on advertisements. RSF claimed the central government is spending more than 130 billion rupees (Rs 13,000 crores) or 5 billion euros a year on ads in the print and online media alone.
OpIndia had filed an RTI seeking information on the ad spent by the central government on different platforms, including print, outdoor advertisements, social media, radio and television. As per the reply sent by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India, the actual figures are nowhere close to what RSF has claimed. According to the reply sent by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the central government spent only Rs 26.44 crore on television ads and only 1.33 crore on social media ads in the financial year 2022-23. Notably, ad spending has decreased significantly since the Modi government came to power in 2014. The maximum amount the government has spent on television ads was Rs 280.77 crores in FY 2016-17.
Throughout its report on India, RSF made several claims that were nowhere close to reality. RSF claimed Reliance Industries Group led by Mukesh Ambani owns more than 70 media outlets. They also pointed out good relations between Ambani and PM Modi. The claim does not stand strong as it is based on a 2019 statement by Mukesh Ambani where he had said Reliance Industries owned 72 television channels, which includes all genres of channels and not just news channels, with around 800 million viewers. This includes News18 branded TV news platforms like CNN Worldwide, CNN-News18, CNBC-TV18, CNN-IBN, CNBC Awaaz and more. Other than news channels, it also includes an entertainment portfolio under Viacom18 Media which is the parent company of 50 channels. All these are entertainment channels and do not have any “media outlets” as mentioned by RSF. Reliance’s Jio platform is also a source of news for its subscribers but that is more of an aggregator rather than owner of the channels or media outlet.
RSF used data from different years to claim 1/3 of Covid-19-related deaths of media personnel were from India. RSF linked a report of Dhaka Tribune from June 2021 that noted 1,500 media persons died of Covid worldwide. Dhaka Tribune used data from Press Emblem Campaign. Then it linked to a document maintained by the Network of Women in Media, India, that noted over 500 media persons died of Covid in India. The number on that document now stands at 626. Using these two data points, RSF in 2021 claimed that 1/3rd (33 per cent) of the deaths of media persons by Covid-19 took place in India. Using this report, RSF said, “Under the guise of combatting Covid-19, the government and its supporters have waged a guerrilla war of lawsuits against media outlets whose coverage of the pandemic contradicted official statements.” RSF did not update itself in terms of data. When we checked, it was found that PEC noted till March 2022 that 1,994 media persons died of Covid-19 and out of those, 284 were from India.
RSF claimed the Indian government misbehaved and unlawfully arrested media persons who covered farmer protests. Interestingly, they mentioned the time when Twitter handles of media persons were suspended for sharing fake news about violence. They included the case of The Wire’s Siddharth Varadarajan was booked for reporting the death of a protester. Not to forget, even after repeated clarification from the Police and the doctor who did an autopsy of the deceased, Varadarajan continued to share fake reports about the death of the protester. It must be noted that The Wire was forced to remove multiple reports related to Tek Fog and Meta as they were based on false evidence. This report of RSF was published in 2021 and appeared in the 2023 ranking.
They also mentioned the arrest of so-called journalist Siddique Kappan who was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police for allegedly plans to instigate the public during the Hathras case in 2020. Details revolving around Kappan can be read here. RSF also linked a report where it extended its support to propaganda journalist Rana Ayyub. Notably, Ayyub is known for making false claims on international platforms. She is accused of financial fraud. The case against her is sub-judice. Recently, she downplayed gangster Atiq Ahmed’s crimes at a UNESCO event.
They also linked an old report to claim the situation is “still worrisome” in Kashmir. RSF linked to an article calling for the release of Kashmiri journalist Fahad Shah. Notably, he was arrested by NIA for glorifying terrorism. Charges were framed against him in January 2023. He was also accused of Me Too. RSF awarded him for his “courage” in 2020. They also came out in support of Irfan Mehraj, an alleged journalist from Kashmir who was arrested in a terror funding case.
About Ford Foundation and its anti-India activities
Ford Foundation is an American charitable organisation that presents itself as a group engaged in advancing human welfare. In reality, it is a cesspool of intolerant and bigoted left-wing extremists. The group has a storied history of bankrolling the causes championed by left-wing supporters, including that in India.
In 2015 the Government of Gujarat while investigating Teesta Setalvad’s embezzlement case came across funding by Ford Foundation to her entities. It was found that her trust had violated FCRA norms. Sabrang Communication and Publishing Pvt Limited, with which Teesta is associated, received $ 2.9 lakh from Ford Foundation as a grant to “address communalism, caste-based discrimination in India, including media strategies”.
Later, a letter was issued by the Gujarat Police, following which the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) expressed its intention of probing the activities of the Ford Foundation. This probably set off a chain of events, most of which happened in the background and was later revealed by Wikileaks.
As per the leaked emails, Ford Foundation claims that they got embroiled in a controversy over its funding to Sabrang Trusts managed by Teesta Setalvad. The letter titled Ford Foundation in India: Notes to John Podesta dated May 26, 2015, also mentions their funding to Arvind Kejriwal’s NGO before he got into politics as a possible reason for Government’s action.
This was confirmed by none other than one of the leading luminaries of the Indian left-wing firmament, Ms Arundhati Roy. In an interview with Sagarika Ghose, Roy talked about one of the articles that she wrote for The Hindu in which she alleged that NGOs of Kejriwal and Sisodia had received over $400,000 from Ford Foundation in three years of time. Roy claimed that the group of ten people who were the top ‘management’ of the movement had well-funded NGOs. She said that three core members of the team had won Magsaysay Award which is also funded by Ford Foundation.
Former Indian footballer Sunil Chhetri does not endorse any soft drinks in advertisements stating that for a player, the food he or she consumes is “paramount” and he does not believe in endorsing products which he himself would never bring home.
Speaking to ANI in an exclusive interview, Chhetri touched upon a variety of topics ranging from football, retirement from international sport, his diet and fitness as well as his family.
Talking about why he does not endorse soft drinks, Chhetri said, “What I say matters to a lot of kids. I am really, really very strict about what I eat. I think for any sports person, food is paramount. It is fuel. So whenever I try as much as possible, whenever I do endorse any food items, I make sure that my team are on their toes. I generally restrain from doing that or endorsing food items. But whenever I do, the team really works hard. One fine day, someday we might miss something. But it is not for anything. But what I do not consume, I do not want to endorse.”
On if he would endorse any sports/health supplements, Chhetri said that while he does use some supplements and he might endorse one if the brand is right, he does not do all this stuff for money since he has made enough of it.
Chhetri is a vegetarian, but still does not openly tell youngsters and his audience that it is the only right way to eat and play sport. He also said that a lot of effort goes from his chef and his wife, Sonam, into preparing the right meals for him. The 40-year-old star revealed how his close friend and star India batter Virat Kohli has a team of nutritionists and chefs to carefully select what he eats
“Why I do not talk about being vegetarian is for a single reason, Do not think that you can eat roti, onion, dal and play. And this is what people generally think. The first thing people ask is, where will you get protein from? You already know the person has no knowledge or lack of knowledge. So people like Virat and me have played for the last six years at the top level, physically being vegetarian. So that myth is gone. That vegetarians cannot play. But what me and Virat eat is extensive and expensive right now, and it is not easy to bring on the table. We eat a lot. We are really fortunate we have got chefs, we have got nutritionists. Two-three types of vegetables, cereal, quinoa, salad, nuts, fruits, pomegranate. There are a lot of things on the table that we eat. Only then do we get the enough fuel needed to perform,” he said.
“That is why I am scared of saying, yes, be a vegetarian and play. I do not know, some kid might think, ‘I will eat Dal roti and play. And he would not be able to play at the top level. That is why I restrain myself from saying that, yeah, vegetarian is good. A lot of effort from my chef and my wife goes every day to make food for me. Every day, I’m very fortunate,” he added.
Chhetri says that he does like having samosas as a cheat meal, but mostly, he eats, “the same stuff”. “I mean, it is the same fruits, it’s the same seeds, same nuts, same quinoa, same red rice, same vegetables.”
He also said that in order to stay fit, it is not necessary that “you have to eat quinoa” and other expensive food items. Rather, people can eat what is made at home.
“There are a lot of Indian options to it. Yeah. Ragi is one of the best… I love Ragi. Me and my son loves Ragi. But ragi is good and also idli is good because it is fermented also. Yeah. So again, you do not have to go on labels and buy expensive stuff. We Indians, throughout the country, we have so many good options. So if you cannot find anything, I am talking about diet, eat what is being made at home.”
Growing up, said the footballer, he would have ” vegetables, rice, lentils: and every other day, there was meat and eggs. He also opened up on eating habits of his wife, Sonam and son Dhruv.
“We used to eat this. She (his wife Sonam) consumes fish. I am a vegetarian, she consumes a lot of fish. He (his son) is eating everything. I want him to eat everything. And he enjoys it. He does not eat sugar. We do not give it to him. But whatever we eat, whatever he eats, he eats. He is one year, three months now. And my family raised me and they gave me whatever was being made at home. We try not to give him packets because I do not eat it myself,” he said.
“For all the viewers, if you do not understand anything, eat whatever is being cooked at home. And consider the timing. Timing. Your body likes timing. Your body should know, yes friend, Now breakfast will come, lunch will come, whatever. You only have lunch and dinner, so lunch and dinner. You take three snacks. Whatever system you have at home or yours. Whatever works for you. Because there is no right and wrong way. But your body loves timing. Sleeping at the same time, eating at the same time. Your body will work optimum level. If physically being fit is your priority. It does not matter,” he said.
Chhetri kicked off his professional football journey at Mohun Bagan in 2002. Chhetri helped India win the 2007, 2009, and 2012 Nehru Cup, as well as the 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2023 SAFF Championship. He also led India to victory in the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, which helped India qualify for its first AFC Asian Cup in 27 years.
He received the Arjuna Award in 2011, and the Padma Shri in 2019. In 2021, he became the first footballer to get the Khel Ratna Award, India’s highest sporting honour.
In a career that spanned over 19 years, the Arjuna Award winner has 94 goals in 150 matches on the international stage. Interestingly, Indian football talisman Sunil Chhetri is fourth overall in the all-time international goal scorers’ list. Chhetri played a major role in India’s footballing fortunes in the last decade, earning legendary status in the nation’s sporting history.
At least five people were killed after an explosion in an apartment building in The Hague, the Netherlands on Saturday, CNN reported, citing authorities.
According to firefighters, the blast occurred at around 6:15 am (local time), causing the three-storey apartment building to partially collapse and set on fire. They said five different apartments were impacted by the explosion.
Police has urged witnesses who might have seen car moving from the spot at a very high speed shortly after the incident occurred. The Hague mayor, Jan van Zanen, said that the search started as a rescue operation by Saturday afternoon. However, it turned into a recovery mission, CNN reported.
He said it is not unknown how many people were still under the rubble, but “the reality is that the chances of survival for them are slim.” He said, “We are considering the worst-case scenario.”
The Dutch Urban Search and Rescue service deployed a rescue group at the site of the incident on Saturday, which included four dog handlers and a structural engineer.
Firefighters said the fire was nearly out by 11:30 am (local time) and rescue dogs were carrying out search for possible victims. The dogs could not search the building for long as there was a risk that it could fully collapse, CNN reported, citing Dutch public broadcaster NOS.
According to the report, people from some 40 homes have been evacuated. Speaking to the broadcaster, one man said that his initial thought after seeing the aftermath of the explosion was that it occurred due to a rocket attack.
The man said he heard a child calling for help from the rubble. However, he was unable to reach them as people pulled him back from the fire. The broadcaster reported that forensic officers were also at the spot gathering evidence.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof stated that he was “shocked” by images of the damaged apartment building in The Hague.
In a post on X, he stated, “Shocked by the terrible images of a collapsed apartment building in The Hague. My thoughts go out to the victims, all other people involved and the emergency services who are now working on the scene. This morning I have been in contact with mayor Van Zanen of @GemeenteDenHaag and offered him all the help needed on behalf of the cabinet.”
In a statement shared on X, the Dutch King and Queen said that their thoughts were with those impacted by the incident.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 6th December, Sambhal Police arrested a fake journalist identified as Asim Raza Zaidi for inciting violence and extorting money in the name of those who died during the violence on 24th November. In a video statement, Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishan Bishnoi said that Zaidi falsely claimed to be a journalist of the Dev Kesari newspaper and possessed a fake ID card.
Zaidi was booked under Sections 318, 338, 336, and 340 of the Bharatiya Nayay Sanhita (BNS) and sent to jail.
Zaidi reportedly made a video that contained his UPI QR code. In the video, he referred to those who died in the Sambhal violence on 24th November as “martyrs” and urged people to oppose police action. He was using the violence to collect funds in the name of the deceased mobsters and incite public unrest. OpIndia checked the QR code being used by him. It showed the name as “Asim Raza Zaidi” in PhonePe app.
Source: amritvichar/PhonePe
Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishan Kumar Bishnoi stated, “Asim Raza Zaidi was actively provoking individuals through social media, calling for resistance against the administration’s actions and using videos to solicit money purportedly for the families of those deceased in the violence. Investigations have revealed he falsely claimed to be a journalist for the Dev Kesari newspaper and possessed a fake ID card.”
Zaidi, who resides near Jama Masjid, reportedly circulated videos with QR codes, urging donations and labelling the deceased as martyrs. His arrest took place on 6th December, shortly after the Friday prayers. According to SP Bishnoi, the Dev Kesari management confirmed that Zaidi had been dismissed two months prior and had no legitimate connection to the organisation.
Full statement by SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi
In a video statement, SP Krishan Kumar Bishnoi said, “Yesterday evening, Inspector Sanjeev from Sambhal Kotwali police station received information about a young man named Asim Zaidi, who was creating QR codes to incite people and extort money. He was allegedly provoking individuals to speak against the police and participate in protests. Upon being interrogated by the police, the individual claimed to be a journalist for the Dev Kesari National Daily newspaper. However, when the newspaper was contacted, they clarified that they had no journalist of this nature on their payroll and stated that anyone using their name in this manner was fraudulent.”
कहने को पत्रकार,असल में जिहादी,संभल में नसीम ज़ैदी गिरफ़्तार,यही है मीडिया जिहाद !! pic.twitter.com/wNAmlCcvcG
He added, “When his ID card was examined, it was found to be fake. Following this, a case was registered at the Kotwali police station under Sections 318, 338, 336, and 340 of the BNS Act. The accused, Asim Raza Zaidi, is being arrested and sent to jail. Investigations are underway to determine how much money he has collected, which accounts the money was sent to, and from where the funds were received. Further action is being ensured.”
Court-ordered survey at Jama Masjid in Sambhal and violence that erupted on 24th November
On 19th November, a court-mandated survey was conducted at Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The court ordered the survey in response to a petition filed by Supreme Court Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, and seven co-plaintiffs, asserting that the mosque occupies the site of a temple dedicated to Bhagwan Kalki. The site in question is a protected monument under the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act of 1904. The survey was carried out under the supervision of Advocate Commission. A heavy police force was deployed in the area to ensure the survey proceeded peacefully.
However, on 24th November, during the second round of court-mandated survey at Jama Masjid, Islamist mobsters gathered outside the mosque and engaged in violence. They pelted stones at police, opened fire at police personnel and set ablaze vehicles and shops. At least 20 police personnel were injured during violence and four mobsters were killed in the mayhem, likely from illegal guns carried by rioters.
In the aftermath of the Sambhal violence on 24th November, police have clarified that the deaths of three individuals occurred due to firing by rioters, not by the police. Post-mortem reports revealed that two victims were shot with country-made pistols, while the 315-bore bullet was found inside the body of another victim, a type not used by Uttar Pradesh Police. Sambhal SP Krishna Kumar Bishnoi stated that the police initially fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob but were fired upon by rioters.
During the survey, however, Muslims living in the area gathered outside the Jama Masjid and raised religious slogans. The District Magistrate of Sambhal confirmed that the survey was completed in around two hours and stated that a report would be submitted to the Civil Court, which will review it on the next date of hearing, 29th November 2024. OpIndia accessed the petition filed by the plaintiffs in the case.
As of now, the Supreme Court of India has stayed the hearing in the District Court, Sambhal, in response to plea filed by the Muslim side. Furthermore, the survey report submitted by the Advocate Commissioner has been ordered to be sealed and not to be opened till an order is passed by the High Court in the matter. Next hearing in the matter will be in January 2025. A judicial committee was formed by CM Yogi Adityanath to investigate the cause of the violence.
OpIndia’s detailed report on petition filed at the court can be checked here.
Six people from the Meitei community, including three children, were kidnapped and killed in Manipur’s Jiribam district by Kuki militants in November this year. On Saturday, December 7, the kin of the 6 people killed narrated what they called the “horror” of November 11.
The six Meiteis included three women, two minors, and a 10-months-old infant. They were kidnapped and later brutally murdered, including burning some of them to death.
Notably, Security forces had unearthed large weapons cache in Jiribam, Manipur, just weeks before this deadly attack.
The family members of the deceased reached Delhi from Jiribam on Saturday, December 7, to narrate their ordeal and the horrific nature of the crime. They also highlighted that no arrests have been made in the case.
Addressing a Press Conference, the relatives of the killed Meiteis said, ““While seeing the deceased bodies of my 6 family members including my wife and children, they were signs of torture, sexually assaulted and I suspected they were rapped before they were killed and then thrown into the Barak river.”
‼️Family of the butchered Jiribam Victim travels to #Delhi and appeals for justice as the killers have been hailed as ‘#KukiMartyrs’ ‼️
Please hear their heart wrenching story and help bring justice .
Telem Uttam Singh, 38-yrs husband of Telem Thoibi Devi, and father of Thajamanbi (8 years) further added, “I never imagined that whole my family members could be abducted in front of CRPF and killed after adduction. So, I appeal to the authorities to investigate and give severe punishment to those aggressors.”
Highlighting the horror of the incident, Telem Uttam Singh said, “When the dead bodies of my mother and sisters were found, they were half-naked. My sister’s upper part of her head had been torn off, and there were many bruises and injuries on their bodies. I suspect that the Kuki militants raped them and then killed” says Sandhya-Daughter and sister of the victims.”
12-year-old Nongyai said that they did not even know anything about the attack because they were hiding in the bushes. They only came to know about it much later, when CRPF people came and rescued them. He mentioned that they realised that only then they realised his mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and her children were kidnapped.
The Manipur government in a cabinet resolution has called the perpetrators of the Jiribam massacre “Kuki militants”.
The family members of the killed Meiteis told reporters that they want the government to ensure the death penalty is given to all the Kuki militants involved in the Jiribam massacre.
As the rebel forces in Syria have reached Damascus and preparing to seize the city, American president-elect Donald Trump has said that the USA has nothing to do with it, and US forces should not get involved in the conflict.
“This is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved!” Trump posted on Truth Social, saying that even though Syria is a mess, it is not America’s friend and the United States should have nothing to do with it.
Donald Trump also accused former president Barrack Obama of refusing to honour his commitment of protecting the Red Line In The Sand. Notably, Obama in 2012 had said that the US would launch an offensive if Assad used chemical weapons on rebels. But when the Assad regime used the deadly Sarin gas to kill almost 1400 people, the US refrained from launching an assault in Syria.
As the Russia and Iran-backed Assad regime is likely to be defeated by the rebel forces, Trump said that it may actually be the best thing that can happen to Russia. He said that “there was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid.”
He posted, “Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad. Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years. This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in. But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them. There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid.”
Notably, Rebels in Syria have made rapid advances and have reached the outskirts of Damascus, and the fall of the city looks like a possibility. The opposition forces moved at a rapid speed after seizing several cities in the war-torn country, and have reached the outskirts of Damascus, ready to launch their final assault on the capital city.
The rebels have faced little resistance, as the Syrian armed forced have retreated from most places instead of fighting. Many soldiers of Assad’s force have fled to Iraq, while some have joined the rebel forces.
In a highly symbolic move, the rebels took down a statue of Hafez al-Assad, father of current president Bashar al-Assad, in the city of Jaramana, just 4 km from Damascus.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday reacted to President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on BRICS nations, stating that India has “no interest” in weakening the US dollar.
Speaking at the Doha Forum on Saturday, Jaishankar reflected on the positive relationship India had with the first Trump administration, highlighting the restart of the QUAD under Trump’s presidency.
“We had a good relationship, a very solid relationship with the first Trump administration, yes there were some issues mostly trade-related issues, but there were a whole lot of issues on which Trump was very international, and I remind people that it was actually under Trump that the QUAD was restarted,” he said.
He also noted the personal connection between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President-elect Trump, which has contributed to the strong bilateral ties between the two countries.
“There a personal relation between PM Modi and Trump…Where the BRICS remarks were concerned. We’ve always said that India has never been for de-polarisation, but right now there is no proposal to have a BRICS currency. The BRICS do discuss financial transactions…US is our largest trade partner, we have no interest in weakening the dollar at all,” he added.
Jaishankar was addressing the 22nd edition of the Doha Forum panel on ‘Conflict Resolution in a New Era’ where Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani and Norway Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide were also present.
EAM Jaishankar is on an official visit to Qatar and Bahrain from December 6-9.
In Bahrain, he will co-chair the 4th India-Bahrain High Joint Commission (HJC) with the Foreign Minister of Bahrain; Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani. EAM will also participate in the 20th edition of the IISS Manama Dialogue in Bahrain on December 8.
Earlier on September 9, EAM Jaishankar held a meeting with Qatar’s Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Saudi Arabia. The two leaders discussed taking forward bilateral ties.
Sharing details regarding his meeting with Qatar PM, Jaishankar stated, “Began the day with a good meeting with PM & FM of Qatar @MBA_AlThani_. Discussed taking India-Qatar bilateral ties forward. Appreciated his insights and assessments on regional developments.”
The two leaders had earlier held a meeting in Doha in June.
The two leaders had held talks on strengthening bilateral ties across various sectors and addressing key regional challenges.
Jaishankar conveyed warm greetings and wishes from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Qatar Amir Amir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Qatar PM.
Further, he underscored the robust nature of the India-Qatar relationship, emphasising cooperation in political, trade, investment, energy, technology, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Rebels in Syria have made rapid advances and have reached the outskirts of Damascus, and the fall of the city looks like a possibility. The opposition forces moved at a rapid speed after seizing several cities in the war-torn country, including the largest city Aleppo. As per the latest reports, insurgents linked to the Jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have reached the outskirts of Damascus, ready to launch their final assault on the capital city.
The rebels have said they have begun their “final phase” of encircling the capital, and will launch an invasion soon. They have already captured the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya, ready to enter central Damascus.
The rebels trying to overthrow the Bashar al-Assad government have already taken control of several provinces including Hama, Homs, and Daraa. They also claimed to have captured a major military base.
An insurgent commander posted on Telegram that have started carrying out the “final stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus. The rebel alliance is fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s troops from the northern and southernmost parts of the country, surrounding Damascus.
The rebels have faced little resistance, as the Syrian armed forced have retreated from places like Palmyra, Hassaka, Deir Ez Zor etc. In some places, the military have even switched sides and joins the invading rebels. After the fall of Aleppo, Syrian forces have crumbled across the country, and the opposition forces have captured several major cities and provinces.
While Syrian military denied that it had withdrawn from the outskirts of Damascus, it admitted that forces were withdrawn from other places. The military said that its forces in the southwestern cities of Daraa and Sweida were “redeployed” to new positions.
Apart from Aleppo in the north, the rebels have seized Hama in the centre and Deir al-Zor in the east, Quneitra and Suweida in South, among other places.
Notably, Assad regime is facing multi-faced assault, as different groups are heading towards Damascus from different sides. The Free Syrian Army is moving from South, and is just on the outskirts of the city. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham is advancing from the north, where they have captured Homs. Similarly, local militia groups have launched an offensive from south.
After capturing cities, the rebels have freed people from jails on a mass scale. Large number of people jailed for their opposition to the govt are being released from the prisons.
HISTORIC: Hafez al-Assad statue toppled in Jaramana, just kilometers from Damascus. pic.twitter.com/P1zqNsetDW
In a highly symbolic move, the rebels took down a statue of Hafez al-Assad, father of current president Bashar al-Assad, in the city of Jaramana, just 4 km from Damascus. Hafez al-Assad was responsible for the massacre of over 40,000 Syrians in Hama in 1982.
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad remains in Damascus amid the mounting assault on his regime. The govt denied reports that he has left the city, asserting that he is continuing to perform his duties from his office in Damascus.
