A total of 1,669 properties across four tehsils have been identified in the three-month-long survey of the Waqf Board concluded in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The district administration has surveyed all the properties and sent the report to the government which will be subsequently tabled before the Joint Parliamentary Committee for further action.
Sadar Tehsil accounts for 914 properties under the Sunni Waqf Board and 34 under the Shia Waqf Board. Additionally, Ghatampur Tehsil has 189 Waqf properties, Bilhaur has 388, and Narwal has 144.
Among these, around 548 properties are government-owned. Mosques and cemeteries have been built on them. The Revenue Department does not have complete records of these properties.
A week ago, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had spoken about reclaiming land from those occupying Waqf properties. Following this, the administration began a survey of Waqf properties as per government instructions.
However, a similar survey of properties had also been conducted in 2021 on the orders of the government. The matter had settled down due to opposition. Now, the administration has identified 548 government properties, covering an area of 89 hectares. Sadar Tehsil has the highest number of properties belonging to the Sunni Waqf Board. Several properties around the Parade area are also Waqf Board properties.
These properties include Eidgahs, mosques, cemeteries, Muslim orphanages, and more. The land values in areas where the Waqf Board owns properties are the highest.
The properties under Sunni Waqf include the Muslim Orphanage, Khairat Ali Mosque in Nawabganj, a property in Neel Wali Gali, Waqf Mosque at Parade, Khalwa Cemetery, the Tomb and Shrine on Parvati Bagla Road, Fazal Hussain’s Hata in Fazalganj, and Sheikh Abdul Rahim’s property in Anwarganj.
The Shia Waqf properties include Nawab Bahadur’s property in Gwaltoli, Hadi Begum and Sardar Begum’s properties in Colonelganj, and Waqf Haji Mohammad Ali Khan’s property in Suterganj, Gwaltoli.
On January 8, 2025, a high-level meeting between India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, took place in Dubai. This engagement marks a crucial shift in India’s Afghanistan policy, with talks focusing on key issues like trade, security, and the use of the Chabahar Port. Following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, India had taken a cautious stance, pausing diplomatic ties with the new regime. However, recent regional developments, particularly escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, have prompted India to reassess its strategy and re-engage with Afghanistan. This reset is not only a step toward rebuilding historical ties but also a response to the evolving geopolitical landscape in South Asia.
Historical Ties Between India and Afghanistan
India and Afghanistan have a rich history of diplomatic and cultural ties, particularly since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. India’s $3 billion in aid to Afghanistan has supported development in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and governance. Indian-built infrastructure like the Salma Dam, the Zaranj-Delaram Highway, and the Afghan Parliament symbolized India’s deep involvement in Afghanistan’s reconstruction.
Salma Dam, image via India Today
Afghanistan’s people-to-people ties with India have also remained strong, with Afghan students studying in India and medical patients benefiting from Indian healthcare. This relationship was halted by the Taliban’s return in 2021, but it is now being revived with strategic intent.
Afghan parliament
Disruptions Following the Taliban Takeover
The Taliban’s sudden takeover in 2021 disrupted India-Afghanistan relations. India, like many countries, evacuated its diplomatic staff from Afghanistan, freezing official ties. Pakistan and its sympathizers celebrated the Taliban’s return as a strategic victory, suggesting that India’s investments in Afghanistan were now “wasted”. Western media echoed this sentiment, often highlighting India’s “miscalculation” in investing heavily in post-2001 Afghanistan. Headlines predicted the end of India’s influence in Kabul, framing the situation as a geopolitical setback.
However, India’s approach of cautious engagement and humanitarian aid has kept open channels for dialogue, allowing for today’s diplomatic reset.
Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations: Escalation and Strategic Consequences
Recent months have seen a sharp escalation in tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan territory, particularly in Kunar and Khost provinces, have resulted in civilian casualties, triggering anger and outrage in Afghanistan. Afghanistan’s leadership has openly condemned Pakistan’s aggression, warning that continued provocations could lead to severe consequences for Islamabad.
Adding to the strain are reports that Pakistan may have plans to seize the Wakhan Corridor, a narrow stretch of land connecting Afghanistan to China. Afghan leaders have responded forcefully, asserting that any attempt to occupy Afghan territory would result in prolonged conflict. Afghanistan’s Defense Minister has warned Pakistan of potential retaliation, raising concerns of a protracted and asymmetric conflict.
There is growing speculation that Afghanistan could adopt Pakistan’s own strategy of “bleeding with a thousand cuts”, a tactic Pakistan has employed for decades against India. If Afghanistan begins supporting insurgent groups in Pakistan, it could lead to a devastating internal conflict for Pakistan, further destabilizing the region.
Pakistan-Tajikistan Meeting and Wakhan Corridor Plans
Reports suggest that the Wakhan Corridor may have been a topic of discussion during the recent Pakistan-Tajikistan meeting. For Pakistan, controlling this strategic corridor would provide direct access to China, bolstering its regional position. Tajikistan, sharing a border with Afghanistan via the corridor, may see security benefits in collaborating with Pakistan. However, such a move would severely undermine Afghan sovereignty and pose a challenge to India, as Pakistan would gain increased access to Central Asia and expand its strategic influence.
This scenario also threatens India’s regional connectivity efforts, particularly through Iran’s Chabahar Port, which serves as an alternative route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, bypassing Pakistan. Strengthened Pakistan-Tajikistan cooperation could shift the regional balance of power, making it imperative for India to re-engage with Afghanistan to protect its interests.
Mutual Benefits of India-Afghanistan Relations
Rebuilding India-Afghanistan relations would bring substantial benefits to both countries across several dimensions:
• Revival of Infrastructure Projects: India’s halted development projects in Afghanistan, including road construction, healthcare facilities, and schools, could be revived, boosting employment and economic stability in Afghanistan.
• Access to Central Asia: Afghanistan serves as a gateway to Central Asia for India. Strengthening ties would enhance India’s connectivity to resource-rich Central Asia via the Chabahar Port and potential trade routes through Afghanistan.
• Chabahar Port Development: Continued cooperation in developing Iran’s Chabahar Port would facilitate smoother trade between India and Afghanistan, bypassing Pakistan and reducing reliance on volatile border regions.
• Soft Power Influence: Cricket, as a cultural bridge, strengthens ties between Indian and Afghan societies. By continuing to offer training and infrastructure support, India can use cricket to foster goodwill and unity, enhancing its soft power in Afghanistan. • India’s Support to Afghan Cricket: India has been instrumental in the development of Afghan cricket, providing facilities and training that have helped the Afghan national cricket team rise to international prominence.
Humanitarian Aid
Food and Medicine Supplies: India’s humanitarian assistance has been crucial for Afghanistan, especially during times of economic distress and conflict. Continued support would reinforce India’s role as a key partner in Afghanistan’s recovery.
Educational Scholarships: Afghan students have benefited from Indian educational scholarships. Expanding this cooperation can help Afghanistan’s youth build a better future, fostering goodwill between the two nations.
Security Cooperation
Counterterrorism Collaboration: Both India and Afghanistan face threats from extremist groups like ISIS-K and Taliban offshoots. Increased cooperation in intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism efforts could help both nations stabilize the region.
• Border Security: Enhanced security cooperation would ensure that Afghan soil is not used for activities detrimental to Indian interests, particularly regarding terrorist groups that threaten India’s national security.
Strategic Counter to Pakistan: Afghanistan’s Potential Retaliation
A strengthened India-Afghanistan partnership would have profound implications for Pakistan. Faced with growing tensions on its western border, Pakistan could find itself locked in a decades-long armed struggle with Afghanistan if the latter adopts a strategy of “bleeding with a thousand cuts”. This approach, historically used by Pakistan against India, would see Afghanistan supporting insurgent movements within Pakistan’s borders, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, regions already rife with separatist sentiments.
A prolonged conflict with Afghanistan would drain Pakistan’s economic and military resources, exacerbating its internal instability. This could provide India with a strategic advantage, as a weakened Pakistan would be less capable of focusing on its eastern front. A destabilized Pakistan might also lose its grip on Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (PoJK), giving India an opportunity to assert control over the region, a long-standing goal in India’s foreign policy.
Conclusion: A Strategic Realignment in South Asia
From India’s perspective, rebuilding relations with Afghanistan is not just a diplomatic necessity but a strategic imperative. In the face of Pakistan’s ambitions and the growing instability in the region, a strong India-Afghanistan partnership could serve as a powerful counterbalance to Pakistan’s influence. Additionally, it would strengthen India’s connectivity to Central Asia, enhance regional security, and provide Afghanistan with much-needed economic and humanitarian support.
As Pakistan faces the prospect of a prolonged conflict with Afghanistan, India can leverage this situation to further weaken its adversary, thereby reshaping the balance of power in South Asia.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate from Jangpura, Manish Sisodia’s assets have risen significantly over the past five years. This was revealed after Sisodia filed his nomination papers on Thursday for the Assembly elections in the city-state.
According to the affidavit filed during his nomination, Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia’s movable assets have seen a significant rise over the past five years.
Sisodia’s movable assets are now valued at Rs 34.43 lakh, up from Rs 4.74 lakh in the 2020 election affidavit. His wife Seema Sisodia’s movable assets have also increased from Rs 2.66 lakh to Rs 12.87 lakh during the same period.
Sisodia’s property value has risen by approximately Rs 30 lakh in the last five years, while his wife’s property has increased by around Rs 10 lakh. Despite this increase in assets, the family currently has an outstanding education loan of Rs 1.5 crore.
Sisodia, who is facing six criminal cases, has denied any charges as none of them have been proven so far. Additionally, Sisodia owns a flat worth Rs 23 lakh in Ghaziabad, while Seema Sisodia owns a flat worth Rs 70 lakh in Mayur Vihar.
The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. The last date for filing nominations is January 17. The date for scrutiny of nominations is January 18.
The last date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20. A three-way contest is on the cards in Delhi between the ruling AAP, BJP and Congress.
Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat.
AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections by winning 62 out of 70 seats while the BJP got eight seats.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A heinous attack was carried out on a bull belonging to the famous Srikanteshwara temple in Nanjangud in the Mysore district on January 16. As per reports, the attackers chopped off the bull’s tail and inflicted serious injuries on his body using sharp weapons. A vet was called to treat the bull and the bovine is currently out of danger.
Earlier, in a similar incident, a person identified as Saiyyed Nasru sliced off the udders of three cows in Bengaluru.
The incident has sparked outrage among the local Hindus who demanded swift action against the culprits. People are blaming the Congress government in the state for not building a ‘Gaushala’ which renders stray cattle vulnerable to such attacks and smuggling. Witnesses to the incident reportedly said that the attackers also attempted to catch the bull and put it in a vehicle. Some people have accused the temple administration of being complicit in the attack on the bull.
The police were informed about the incident. Mysuru SP, N Vishnuvardhana took cognizance of the matter and ordered the filing of an FIR against unknown persons. Two teams of police have been formed to nab the culprits. A protest was organised by former BJP MP Pratap Sinha and local people against the incident. Along with speedy action in the matter, people demanded the construction of a cow shelter for stray cattle in the area.
District convenor of Mysuru-based Yuva Brigade, S Chandrashekhar said that the attack and smuggling of bulls donated to Srikanteshwara temple is not new. He said that in the absence of a Gaushala, the bulls become vulnerable to such attacks. Mysuru city BJP Chief L Nagendra also condemned the brutal attack on the bull.
There is a tradition of donating bovines in the Srikanteshwara temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. According to locals, the previous government had marked around 2 acres of land and issued funding for the construction of a Gaushala. Due to the state government’s inaction, the temple administration has decided to temporarily convert the elephant shelter of the temple to accommodate the stray bovines.
Recently, a video from the Guruvayur temple in Kerala went viral on social media. An individual identified as Abdul Hakeem could be seen disrespecting the Tulsi plant, usually worshipped by Hindus as an avatar of Goddess Lakshmi. The video showed Abdul Hakeem plucking out his pubic hair and putting it on the Tulsi plant as he walked past it. As soon as the video surfaced, widespread social media outrage followed. People started reposting and sharing the video expressing anger over the act. Subsequently, a complaint was filed by Hindu Aikya Vedi, a Hindu nationalist organization in Kerala which led to Hakeem’s arrest.
However, the Thrissur City police claimed that the accused was mentally unstable and that he had been undergoing treatment for the past 25 years. “A video of a young man in Guruvayur is seen circulating in social media in a way that creates communal rivalry. During the investigation, it was learned that the young man had a mental disorder and was under treatment for the past 25 years. Those who share the video and share posts related to it in a manner that creates communal rivalry will be subject to strict legal action,” the police warned on Facebook.
Following the incident, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad performed a purification puja of the Tulsi plant. A purification ceremony was performed by VHP Joint Secretary Anoop, members of Hindu Aikya Vedi, members of the Temple Protection Committee, and local devotees. The Hindu Aikya Vedi filed a police complaint which eventually led to the arrest of the accused but the police labelled the accused as mentally unstable.
Purification organized by VHP
It is crucial to note that the accused Abdul Hakeem has not faced the allegations for the first time. Hakeem who is the owner of the National Paradise Restaurant was accused of selling stale and spoiled food to the people. He was also accused of installing hidden cameras in his hotel’s restrooms which resulted in complaints being filed against him at the Guruvayur police station. The matter was reportedly suppressed due to political intervention. The Islamist was also accused of pelting stones earlier at busses carrying Ayyappa devotees.
The recent incident notably adds up to the misconduct executed by the accused, this time attempting to insult the Hindu religion. It has been observed time and again that the reason for ‘mental’ instability’ is used in many cases to downplay the crimes and allegedly save the accused, especially those belonging to specific communities.
It seems to be a time-tested formula that keeps resurfacing again and again. Be it the attack on the Gorakhnath temple or the incident in Telangana where two Muslim women wearing burqa tried to damage temple and church idols, the corporate English media, the left-liberals, Islamists, and their apologists, have been unrelenting in their use of the ‘mental illness’ trope to justify Muslim-committed crimes.
List of attacks where accused from specific communities were declared ‘mentally unstable’
1) Recently, in November 2024, a 24 years old woman, named Fatima Khan, was detained from Ulhasnagar in the Thane area of Mumbai, Maharashtra, for sending death threats to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The police detained the woman and labelled her as mentally unstable. Interestingly, the woman held a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology.
2) In December 2023, a 60-year-old man named Latif Khan was arrested by the Mahakal police station of Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh for urinating on Hindu temples at Ramghat in Ujjain. The accused was a retired sanitation worker of the Ujjain Municipality. He was booked under section 295A of the IPC and presented before a court after which he was sent to jail. The police looked into the incident primarily and declared that the accused was mentally unstable.
Ujjain, MP: Ex-sweeper of the Municipal Corporation, Mohammad Latif Khan caught urinating on Hindu Mandirs.
3) Farooq Chisti, one of the six culprits of one of the largest sex scandals in the nation, which took place in Ajmer 32 years ago, who raped the minor girls and threatened them was also earlier declared mentally unstable. However, he was convicted by a fast-track court in Ajmer in 2007 and was sentenced to life in jail by the district court on August 20th, 2024.
4) In 2022, the Gorakhnath temple in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh was attacked by accused Ahmad Murtaza Abbasi who allegedly had planned the targeted attack. However, SP’s Akhilesh Yadav had whitewashed the attack saying that Abbasi had psychiatric issues. Downplaying the attack on a Hindu temple, the SP Chief had targeted the BJP saying that it was ‘exaggerating’ the matter.
Later, during the investigation, the security agencies found that the accused was influenced by banned Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and had ISIS links. It was also learned that the accused had terror connections and was associated with extremists in Syria.
CCTV screenshot of attack in Gorakhnath temple premise
5) In October 2022, two Muslim women were detained for reportedly vandalizing the idol of the goddess Durga at a Navratri pandal in Hyderabad. The ladies barged into a pandal in the city’s Khairatabad locality and smashed a portion of the Durga statue, according to Hyderabad Police. When a local tried to stop them, one of the ladies attacked him with a metallic tool. The ladies were reportedly labelled as mentally disturbed and affected by schizophrenia.
6) In September of the same year, a man identifiedas Rameez Ahmed broke into the Bhagwan Hanuman temple in the Hindpuri Police Station area of Ranchi, Jharkhand, and vandalized the idol there. Ahmed was subsequently arrested by the police. Notably, the police had claimed that Ahmed was mentally unstable. The locals were not satisfied by the reasoning provided by the police.
7) In 2018, a case of idol vandalism in a Hindu temple had been reported from the Shahganj region of Agra in Uttar Pradesh. It was reported that the accused had vandalized a Hanuman and Durga idol to instigate communal tensions. The devotees then caught hold of the individual reportedly trying to flee the temple premises, who when questioned identified himself as Sonu Khan.
As per a tweet by ANI, the accused was assaulted by the locals after being tied to a tree, following which he was handed over to the police. The news agency claimed that the accused was “mentally challenged”.
8) Similarly, in 2016, a youth from a particular community barged into the temple at Janipur in Jammu, threw stones at windowpanes, and tried to damage the idol. The miscreant was identified as Yasir, a resident of Doda town in Jammu. Several media outlets were ready to play the ‘mentally disturbed’ card in this case as well because the offender belonged to their preferred community.
9) In October 2022, Jammu and Kashmir DGP (Prisons) Hemant Kumar Lohia was found dead under mysterious circumstances with throat slit and burn marks on his body. Terror group People’s Anti-Fascist Force (PAFF), an offshoot of Pakistan-headquartered terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba, had claimed responsibility for the murder. Prima facie it had appeared to be a case of murder and his domestic help Yasir Lohar was believed to be the primary suspect. Yasir first suffocated the DG to death, then used a broken ketchup bottle to slit his throat, and later tried to set his body on fire before fleeing the crime scene. In the given case as well, the accused was declared as ‘mentally unstable’.
Disturbing trend transpiring hatred towards the Hindu religion
In recent years, a concerning trend of attacks on Hindu temples by Islamists dubbed “mentally unstable” in the media and by the leftist authorities has emerged in various parts of India. These incidents have affected regions across the country. Notably, some of these attacks have occurred during festive seasons or close to religious Hindu processions.
Additionally, this trend transpires without provocation, underscoring the deep-rooted hatred towards Hinduism in the minds of Islamists which is probably the root cause behind these attacks. It is worth noting that in several of these cases, dedicated attempts were made to excuse their actions by labeling the attackers as mental patients.
In the given case also, the attack on Tulsi happened in the Guruvayur temple in the state of Kerala which is ruled by the left. The attacker, Abdul Hakeem who is the owner of a hotel and has been accused several times earlier of misconduct is being labelled as ‘mentally unstable’. The accused notably insulted the Tulsi during the Pongal festival which is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival celebrated in the southern part of the country.
It is worth noting that in many such cases, it is observed that the accused Islamists only attack Hindu temples or events in an alleged targeted attempt. And then such attacks are either downplayed by the left and Islamists or are whitewashed. The left authorities also notably label the accused persons, especially those belonging to the specific communities as ‘mentally unstable’, in an alleged attempt to shield the accused and maintain communal peace.
Interestingly, these ‘mentally unstable’ accused Islamists only look for Hindu temples to attack and cause insult to the Hindu religion. Other religion’s places of worship are hardly allegedly attacked by these ‘mentally unstable’ accused Islamists, indicating the community’s deep hatred towards Hinduism. And in any other case of an alleged attack on a specific religion, the accused are charged with blasphemy.
Hindus need to stand together against such downplaying and whitewashing of crimes against their community and demand justice. This also calls for an unbiased application of the law equally against all the accused persons committing crimes against Hindus, despite whatever religious background they come from.
The Supreme Court on Friday denied bail to E Abubacker, former chairman of the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI), who sought his release on medical grounds in a case registered against him under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
A bench of Justices Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal said it was not inclined to grant bail on medical grounds at this stage and granted liberty to him to approach the trial court.
Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the National Investigation Agency, argued that all the medical conditions raised by Abubacker have been optimised through various treatments and hence, he cannot be granted bail.
Abubacker was arrested on September 22, 2022, by the NIA during a massive crackdown on PFI.
The government banned the PFI and several of its associate organisations on September 28, 2022, for five years under the stringent anti-terror law, accusing them of having links with global terror groups like ISIS.
He approached the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court’s May 28, 2024 order which denied him bail.
Abubacker said that he was in his seventies and suffering from Parkinson’s disease and that he had undergone surgery for treatment of cancer.
Among the allegations against Abubacker is that he was earlier associated with SIMI, a banned organisation and later he became an integral part of the PFI. He was also an authorised signatory with respect to the bank accounts of PFI.
The revered occasion of Maha Kumbh is in full swing in Prayagraj of Uttar Pradesh. This monumental gathering has attracted global eyeballs due to its vast scale and extensive preparations. Nevertheless, there are individuals who have resorted to spreading unfounded rumors for trivial politics which evidenced by a recent incident.
On 14th January, a man was charged with disseminating misleading information on social media over the deaths of eleven devotees at Maha Kumbh, according to the police.
The accused has been identified as Lalu Yadav Sanjeev who lives in the Gulf. He is also associated with the Samajwadi Party. On Station House Officer (SHO) Rajendra Prasad Singh’s complaint, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed at the Pakdi police station and section Section 353(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was invoked to charge him.
He ran a Facebook account under the name “Rakesh Yadav Azamgarhiya” and alleged, “11 devotees have died of heart attack due to cold during the holy bath at the Maha Kumbh and the ICU emergency camps are overcrowded with patients.”
“It was an honest mistake. I apologize with folded hands and assure that I won’t spread such rumours in the future. I accept my mistake. Please forgive me,” the perpetrator then stated on his social media account which has now been deactivated.
The authorities soon took cognisance of the issue and informed, “The fake post pertains to Phoolpur Police Station area in which a user named Rakesh Yadav Azamgarhiya was spreading romours regarding the deaths of the devotees in Maha Kumbh. The bogus news was immediately refuted and the police have also submitted a case in the matter. Further investigation is undeway. Preliminary inquiry disclosed that the person belongs to Phoolpur and is currently staying in Saudi Arabia. The process to cancel his passport has also been initiated and further action will be taken accoring to the investigation.”
थाना फूलपुर क्षेत्रान्तर्गत राकेश यादव आजमगढ़िया द्वारा फेसबुक पर महाकुंभ में श्रद्धालुओं की ठंड से हार्ट अटैक द्वारा मृत्यु की भ्रामक खबर के संबंध में थाना स्थानीय पर सुसंगत धाराओं में अभियोग पंजीकृत व नियमानुसार कार्यवाही के संबंध में #Spraazh चिराग जैन की बाइट। pic.twitter.com/Cv1tCiBENU
According to the police, Avkush Kumar Singh filed a complaint on X (earlier Twitter) on 13th Januar, adding that the offender has ties to the Samajwadi Party. The post led to panic and disturbed the peace, the complaint said. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Mohammad Faheem Qureshi was tasked with conducting an inquiry after the complaint. He mentioned that the case was registered following the investigation and legal action is being pursued.
Notably, the fraudulent claims and screenshots soon spread like wildfire on social media with many people, especially supporters and members of the opposition parties sharing the same. National Secretary of the student wing of Samajwadi Party, Aashish Yadav also posted it on Facebook along with others.
An apparent supporter of Bahujan Samaj Party and fan of Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad Ravan even inflated the fake numbers and claimed that heart attack claimed the lives of 20 devotees in Maha Kumbh.
Another person amplified the disinformation and asked whether the Sadhus who participated in the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir were also among those who passed away or it was just a facade?
Several of these people have amassed thousands of followers who share their posts in addition to seeing and reacting to them. As a result, the false information was propagated and reposted by many individuals which further enhanced its visibility. Interestingly, after the authorities called out the fake news, some of them also deleted their deceitful posts fearing police action. However, others didn’t as it continue to spread online.
A minor Hindu student, studying at the St Thomas Senior Secondary School in Karvi town in the Chitrakoot district of Uttar Pradesh, was stopped from writing his exams. His only mistake was that he greeted someone at the convent school with ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
The victim has been identified as Harsh Pandey, a student of Class 10. According to his father, Harsh had greeted someone with the Holy Hindu chant during the school break.
Angered by his act, the school administration stopped the underage boy from writing his exam. The incident occurred on Thursday (16th January). Harsh’s father dialled the police, who quickly intervened in the matter.
#चित्रकूट के कर्वी क्षेत्र स्थित संत थॉमस सीनियर सेकेंडरी स्कूल में एक विवाद हुआ, जब बच्चों को "जय श्री राम" बोलने के कारण परीक्षा में प्रवेश से मना कर दिया गया। बच्चों ने गेट पर खड़े एक व्यक्ति को "जय श्री राम" कहा, जिसे सुनकर फादर ने उन्हें प्रवेश करने से रोक दिया। जब बच्चों के… pic.twitter.com/7qHxocaiZH
The Hindu boy was thereafter allowed to write his papers. In a video that has surfaced on social media, Harsh’s father remarked, “What kind of rule is this? What kind of punishment is this – stopping a student from writing an exam for chanting Jai Shri Ram.”
On learning about the matter, angry Hindu students belonging to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) held a demonstration outside the premises of the St Thomas Senior Secondary School.
Reportedly, the principal of the convent school tendered an apology following outrage over the incident. It was only after that the matter calmed down and the situation came under control.
Mumbai Police on Friday detained one person in connection with an attack on Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra residence. The suspect has been brought to the Bandra police station for further questioning.
Earlier today, Mumbai Police said that they have taken possession of a portion of the blade extracted from Saif’s back, while efforts to recover the remaining part are still underway
Mumbai Police also said that the accused involved in the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was last seen near Bandra railway station and that the search is on to nab him. Police suspect that after the incident, the suspect caught the first local train in the morning and headed towards Vasai Virar. Mumbai Police teams are searching in Vasai, Nalasopara and Virar areas, an official said.
Bollywood Actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked by an intruder in his 11th-floor Bandra flat at around 2:30 am on Thursday. The incident occurred when an intruder allegedly confronted the actor’s maid at his residence. As Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, it escalated into a violent altercation, resulting in the actor sustaining several stab wounds. Saif was immediately taken to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital after being stabbed by the intruder. He underwent surgery under the supervision of a team of doctors there.
As per doctors, Saif sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine, and surgery was performed to remove a 2.5-inch-long knife from the actor’s spine and repair his ‘leaking spinal fluid’. While Saif is “out of danger”, doctors are continuing to monitor him. After surgery, he was shifted to ICU, where he is currently recovering. Mumbai police registered an FIR regarding the attack on the actor and recorded the statement of the complainant, who is the maid employed by the actor.
In the complaint, it is alleged that the attacker demanded one crore rupees from the family. According to the complainant, the intruder attacked the maid allegedly with a hexa blade, which hit both her hands. “He ran towards me with something like wood in his left hand and a long thin hexa blade in his right hand, during the scuffle, he tried to attack me with the blade, when I tried to protect myself by moving my hand forward, something like a knife hit my wrist near both my hands and the middle finger of my left hand. At that time, I asked him “What do you want” Then he said, “I need money, I asked how much.” Then he said in English ‘One crore’,” the statement read.
In the recorded statement, the house help mentioned that the incident happened at 2 AM on January 16. “When I looked again I saw a shadow at the bathroom door, and as I bent down to see who might be inside, one person came out and went towards their (Saif Ali Khan’s) son,” the statement added.
She further said, “He attacked Saif with a wooden object in her hand and a hexa blade… We all ran out of the room, pulled the door, and ran towards him. Hearing the sound, Ramesh, Hari, Ramu and Paswan who were sleeping came out. When we took him to the room again, the door of the room was open.”
Mumbai Police is currently investigating the matter and have formed 20 teams to track down and nab the intruder who stabbed Saif. Dixit Gedam, DCP Zone 9 of Mumbai Police, who is part of the team investigating an attack on Saif, said that the incident was a “robbery attempt” and the accused used a fire escape staircase to enter Saif Ali Khan’s house. Edam said, “Last night, the accused used a fire escape staircase to enter Saif Ali Khan’s house. It appears to be a robbery attempt. We working to arrest the accused. 10 Detection teams are working on the case. An offence has been registered in Bandra Police Station.”
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
In Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, an elderly Hindu man died allegedly after an assault by his Muslim neighbours. As per reports, the deceased man was a victim of the Kashmiri Hindu exodus and had escaped with his family to UP after Islamists threatened Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir.
The deceased Harbans Lal, aged 79 years, had an ongoing dispute with his Muslim neighbours over the cooking of meat and wanted to put fibre sheets on the wall to keep the smell of meat out. The dispute with the Muslim neighbours was over Lal’s family putting up fibre sheets to barricade the portion off.
The incident occurred on 15 January. Deceased Harbans Lal, residing in the Neelkanth Colony of Bareilly, was getting fibre sheets put up on his wall that he shared with his Muslim neighbour Sagir Ahmed, as per reports. Sagir Ahmed had objected to the wall being covered up with fibre sheets and had fought with Harbans Lal over the issue.
As per the complaint by Harbans Lal’s son Hemant, Sagir and his wife had fought with Harbans Lal over the fibre sheet works on the wall. The family had frequent fights with Lal’s family because the Lal family was objecting to the smell of meat coming from Sagir’s house. On 15 January, the fight escalated and Sagir and his wife allegedly pushed Harbans Lal and hit him. Harbans Lal suffered a fall and was rushed to the hospital. However, he was declared brought dead.
The police have registered a case of unintentional murder against Sagir and his wife. The locals were outraged after the death of Harbans Lal and Hindu organisations demanded the immediate arrest of Sagir and his family for the murder of Lal.
Hemant Lal has informed that his family is a victim of the Kashmiri Pandit exodus and they had eventually settled in Bareilly after escaping from Kashmir decades ago. In the colony, there are around 32 Hindu families and Sagir’s family was the only Muslim family in the neighbourhood. He added that they never had any fight with other neighbours but with Sagir’s family.
The Bareilly Police have registered an FIR against Sagir and his son Imran in the matter on the victim family’s complaint.
थाना बारादरी क्षेत्र में वाद-विवाद के कारण बुजुर्ग की मृत्यु हो जाने के बाद अभियोग पंजीकृत कर, की जा रही अग्रिम विधिक कार्रवाई के संबंध में पुलिस अधीक्षक नगर #bareillypolice श्री मानुष पारीक की बाइट।#UPPolicepic.twitter.com/tL7nPuZUWR
The Bareilly police have stated that they have the CCTV footage of the incident and are examining the complaints made. SP Manush Pareek also added that no injuries were detected on the body of Harbans Lal and the cause of death will be clear after post-mortem. He stated that the police is investigating the allegations made.
As per reports, Sagir has denied beating the elderly man. Sagir and his family have absconded and their house is locked.
