Congress is gearing up for the Haryana assembly elections next month, however, there seem to be many hiccups on its way. While wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat joined the Congress at the party headquarters in Delhi on 6th September, some farmers staged protests outside the building as they protested the decision to give an election ticket to a Congress leader from Hisar.
“We are here from Hisar, Haryana. We came to know that Congress is going to give the ticket (for assembly elections) to a corrupt person. We all farmer leaders are here to request Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Deepak Babaria as they said that they won’t give tickets to any corrupt person. We want them to follow that,” voiced a demonstrator.
#WATCH | A man protesting outside AICC headquarters in Delhi, says, "We are here from Hisar Haryana, we came to know that Congress is going to give the ticket (for assembly elections) to a corrupt person. We all farmer leaders are here to request Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi… https://t.co/4tJ7ucgRpZpic.twitter.com/pLBfoa509D
“We are happy that Vinesh and Bajrang are joining Congress, they are our children and Olympians. But, our issue is that we don’t want any corrupt to get a ticket,” the man added. Meanwhile, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) Haryana in-charge Deepak Babaria also faced massive opposition from the locals who charged the party with corruption in ticket distribution. They surrounded the Congress leader’s vehicle and accused the party of giving a ticket to a corrupt candidate from Hisar.
Delhi: Haryana residents protested at the Congress office, accusing the party of corruption in ticket distribution. They surrounded Haryana in-charge Deepak Babaria's car, alleging that a corrupt candidate was being given a ticket for Hisar pic.twitter.com/ERZpDwAI5Q
Joginder, a farmer leader who came from Hisar, expressed, “Our demand from Congress is that the party should give the ticket to an honest farmer leader there.” He also warned that if the grand old party didn’t reverse its decision, then it was in their hands to vote, implying they would not support the party in the poll.
Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat joined the Congress in the presence of party general secretary KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria. Vinesh Phogat also announced her resignation from Northern Railways earlier in the day. The two wrestlers then visited Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in Delhi. The duo also met Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi on 4th September. According to media reports, Vinesh Phogat is expected to run from the Julana seat and Bajrang Punia is likely to contest from the Badli seat.
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Friday passed a significant resolution to legalise cannabis cultivation, following the recommendations of an Assembly committee report.
The committee proposed the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes, highlighting its potential as an economic asset for the state.
Jagat Singh Negi, Revenue Minister and chair of the Assembly committee, spoke in detail about the report and the potential benefits of cannabis cultivation. He noted that the idea was initially raised in the Assembly under Rule 130, with support from both the ruling and opposition parties. A committee was formed to explore the subject, and Negi was appointed its chairman.
“The committee visited all the districts of Himachal Pradesh and consulted local residents on how cannabis cultivation could be used for medicinal and industrial purposes. We also studied the successful models in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Madhya Pradesh. The overwhelming consensus was in favour of legalising it in Himachal Pradesh,” Negi said.
Negi emphasised the practicality of cannabis cultivation, explaining that the plant does not require much water, is resistant to animal damage, and is largely free of diseases. “It has great potential for both industrial and medicinal use. The industrial hemp plant will be drug-free, with negligible levels of THC, while the medicinal variety will be tightly controlled, similar to opium cultivation under the NDPS Act,” Negi added.
He further noted that industrial cannabis farming would not require extensive land, especially in areas where traditional crops are not feasible due to water shortages or animal interference. “Investors are interested in industrial hemp, and we will ensure strict regulations to manage medicinal cannabis cultivation, following controlled protocols to prevent misuse.”
During the Budget Session of 2023, the Assembly had discussed the possibility of legalising cannabis cultivation. In response, a panel of MLAs from both sides, led by Negi, was formed to examine the feasibility of this move. The panel’s findings, based on visits to other states and interactions with local stakeholders, were presented to the House.
The resolution, now adopted, is a major step towards legalising cannabis cultivation in the state. “This initiative is not about encouraging drug use, but about harnessing cannabis for industrial and medicinal purposes in a regulated, beneficial manner,” Negi added further.
The assembly of Himachal Pradesh during the Budget session early last year had appointed a panel to study the legal industrial and medicinal cultivation of hemp in the state. The panel is headed by the horticulture, revenue and tribal development Minister Jagat Singh Negi, Chief parliamentary secretary Sundar Singh Thakur, and legislators Janak Raj, Hansraj and Puran Chand are other members of the committee.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially designated Galathea Bay in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a “major port” for international transshipment. This places the Union Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Ministry in official administrative charge of the proposed Rs 44,000 crore mega project. Furthermore, it will be created using the public-private partnership model and is qualified to receive funding from the centre.
Currently, the Indian government controls 12 major ports that are in operation, while the states are in charge of 200 minor ports. Approximately 65 of the 200 minor ports are used for cargo, with the remaining ports serving as passenger terminals for small ferries and fishing boats. A significant portion of transshipped goods handled at ports outside of India will be captured by the Galathea Bay project once it becomes operational.
The planned facility is expected to be built in four stages. Phase 1 is expected to have a handling capacity of roughly four million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and be put into service in 2028. Phase 2 will likely be finished by 2058 and have a handling capacity of 16 million TEUs.
The development of three megaports, namely the Vadhavan-Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) Cluster, Paradip Port, and Deendayal Port, has also been approved. These will be transformed into mega ports with an annual capacity exceeding 300 million tonnes (MTPA). Four port clusters with a capacity of more than 300 MTPA and two with a capacity of more than 500 MTPA will be created under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
After drones were used by suspected Kuki terrorists in Manipur, a long-range rocket was fired at the residence of former Chief Minister M C Koireng at Moirang Kumam in Bishnupur District on Friday afternoon. One person died and five others were injured as a result of the attack by what has been described as a ‘crude rocket’.
The deceased has been identified as 70-year-old priest RK Rabei of Moirang Pheewangbam Leikai. He was reportedly struck by the suspected crude rocket while preparing for an Asti ceremony at the former CM’s residence. The injured persons are 13-year-old Sherina Mairenbam, 51-year-old Konjenbam Jugendro, 58-year-old Rajeev alias Bobo, 40-year-old Salam Nanao and 62-year-old Ngangom Ibobi.
Priest Rabei was offering prayers when shrapnel from the rocket hit his head, killing him on the spot, locals said.
#BreakingNews: Remains of the crude rocket at the residence of late Ex-Chief Minister of #Manipur, M. Koireng at Moirang Kumam, Sendra Road in #Bishnupur Friday afternoon. The attack by #Kuki armed groups resulted in one fatality and at least five injuries. The deceased,… pic.twitter.com/dMeG7YnpAB
The attack was carried out by armed Kuki groups, as per reports. This is the first time that the militant groups in the state used a surface-to-surface missile in the ongoing violence that started last year in Manipur. According to the sources, the rocket had a range of 10 km and it was locally made.
The rocket was launched from Kuki-dominated Churachandpur hills, targeting the former CM M C Koireng’s residence located at Sendra in Bishnupur, reports stated. The rocket struck the house of Manipur’s first Chief Minister Mairembam Koireng Singh, just 100 metres away from the Indian National Army (INA) Museum in the heart of Moirang town, on the banks of the northeast’s largest freshwater lake Loktak.
It is also suspected that the INA Museum dedicated to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was the likely target of the rocket attack.
September has seen the resurgence of violence in Manipur, and this was the second rocket attack in the state on Friday. As per reports, armed men fired RPGs from the hillside causing extensive damage to private property at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur district. Two structures were damaged by the rockets, but nobody was injured. After the RPG attack, intense crossfire erupted between the armed attackers and security forces who swiftly responded to the attack.
The rocket attacks come just days after bombs were dropped by Kuki militants using drones on a Meitei village in Imphal West district, killing two civilians and injuring many others. Insurgents had entered Koutruk village disguised as emergency services personnel in an ambulance and opened fire on the people in the village, apart from dropping bombs using drones. Apart from drones, long-range snipper rifles were also used in the attack.
The Delhi High Court on Friday denied bail to Seema Rani Khakha, the wife of suspended Delhi Government officer, Premoday Khakha, who allegedly raped a minor girl several times and impregnated her.
The court highlighted concerns about potential witness tampering and the erosion of trust between families.
Seema Rani Khakha is accused of actively participating in the crime, including administering medication to terminate the victim’s pregnancy.
Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma, in dismissing the bail application of Seema Rani Khakha, stated that the case “strikes at the root of trust between two families” and emphasised that the possibility of influencing witnesses could not be ruled out at this stage.
Earlier this year, in February, the Delhi High Court had denied bail to Premoday Khakha and his wife, Seema Rani Khakha, in a POCSO case, a decision upheld by the trial court.
The Khakhas had argued for bail on the grounds that the Delhi Police had not yet filed a complete charge sheet, which they claimed entitled them to default bail.
Justice Jyoti Singh, after hearing arguments from both the defence and the prosecution, dismissed the bail applications.
The Delhi Police subsequently filed the charge sheet on October 11, 2023, and the Tis Hazari Court took cognisance of it on November 9, 2023.
The Khakhas have remained in judicial custody since their arrest in August 2023.
Premoday Khakha, formerly a Deputy Director in the Delhi government’s Women and Child Development Department, is accused of sexually assaulting and impregnating a minor girl.
His wife, Seema Rani Khakha, is alleged to have threatened the victim and facilitated an abortion.
The case involves charges including rape, molestation, criminal intimidation, and offences under the POCSO Act.
(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 September, wrestlers Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat joined the Indian National Congress ahead of the assembly election in Haryana. The development transpired after they met with Congress leader and Raebareli Lok Sabha MP Rahul Gandhi on 4th September in New Delhi. The duo visited Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge at his Delhi home and formally joined the party afterwards in the presence of senior leaders including KC Venugopal and Pawan Khera.
#WATCH | Delhi: Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia join the Congress party
Party's general secretary KC Venugopal, party leader Pawan Khera, Haryana Congress chief Udai Bhan and AICC in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria present at the joining. pic.twitter.com/BrqEFtJCKn
“I want to thank the people of the country for supporting me during my wrestling career and I hope I live up to their expectations. I want to thank Congress because, as they say, it is only when times are bad that one finds out who is standing with them. When we were dragged on the roads, every party other than the BJP stood with us and understood our pain and our tears,” Vinesh Phogat stated during the event.
She added, “I am very proud to be associated with a party that stands up against misbehaviour and injustice against women. I want to assure the people of the country that we will work for them with the same intensity with which we worked in wrestling. We stand with every woman who finds herself helpless. If I wanted, I could have left wrestling at Jantar Mantar (during the protests) but I reached the finals of the Olympics but God had other plans. He has now given me a chance to serve the people of my country.”
“Chak de India, Chak de Haryana! Meeting our talented champions Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia who have made India proud in the world, at 10 Rajaji Marg. We are proud of both of you,” the Congress president stated on X (previously Twitter) along with a picture featuring the two wrestlers, Rajya Sabha MP KC Venugopal and himself.
चक दे इंडिया, चक दे हरियाणा!
दुनिया में भारत का नाम रौशन करने वाले हमारे प्रतिभाशाली चैंपियन विनेश फोगाट और बजरंग पुनिया से 10 राजाजी मार्ग पर मुलाक़ात।
Vinesh Phogat also resigned from the Indian Railways before officially joining politics citing ‘family circumstances and personal reasons’. She shared the resignation letter on social media and wrote, “Serving Indian Railways has been a memorable and proud time of my life. At this point in my life, I have decided to separate myself from the service and have submitted my resignation to the competent authorities of the Indian Railways. I will always be grateful to the Indian Railways family for the opportunity given to me in the service of the nation.” She was appointed as an officer on special duty (OSD) with the Northern Railways.
भारतीय रेलवे की सेवा मेरे जीवन का एक यादगार और गौरवपूर्ण समय रहा है।
जीवन के इस मोड़ पर मैंने स्वयं को रेलवे सेवा से पृथक करने का निर्णय लेते हुए अपना त्यागपत्र भारतीय रेलवे के सक्षम अधिकारियों को सौप दिया है। राष्ट्र की सेवा में रेलवे द्वारा मुझे दिये गये इस अवसर के लिए मैं… pic.twitter.com/HasXLH5vBP
According to sources, Vinesh Phogat will contest the assembly poll and Bajrang Puniya is anticipated to be named as the co-chairman of the Haryana Congress campaign committee. Her seat will be finalized by the evening. According to other media reports, Bajrang Punia is vying for the Badli seat while Phogat is most likely to run from Julana or Dadri Vidhan Sabha. Voting in the state will take place on 5th October and the result will be announced on 8th October.
Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50-kilogram gold medal match at the Olympics in Paris after it was discovered that she was 100 grams overweight. Her request for a shared silver award was also denied by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). One day after being disqualified, on 8th August, she declared her retirement from professional wrestling. Congressmen have been seen with her ever since her return to India. The first politician to arrive at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport to greet her with a “Hanuman Gada,” a victory symbol, was Rohtak Lok Sabha MP Deepender Singh Hooda. She also met with Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the former chief minister of Haryana, who had stated that anyone wishing to join the Congress is welcome.
Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat were among the most prominent names of the 2023 agitation against then-Wrestling Federation of India chief and former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh who has been facing sexual harassment charges. On 31st August, Vinesh Phogat visited a gathering of farmers at the Shambhu border where they were marking the 200th day of their protest in favour of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and was honoured by them during an event.
Meanwhile, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have begun negotiations about seat sharing, which could result in the continuation of their alliance from the previous year’s Lok Sabha election. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Haryana, Deepak Babaria, former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, and party screening committee chairman Ajay Maken comprise the three-member team that the Congress has constituted for seat-sharing negotiations with the Samajwadi Party and Aam Aadmi Party.
The committee’s work would be supervised by KC Venugopal, the general secretary of the party. According to sources close to the Congress party, in the 90-member legislature of Haryana, the party is prepared to extend three seats to the AAP and one to the Samajwadi Party. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) reportedly approached the Congress party for seat-sharing as well.
Suhail Ansari is yet again under the spotlight. An ‘international yoga teacher’ as per his Instagram profile, Ansari is infamous for posting vulgar videos in the name of yoga.
He had gained notoriety on social media for randomly mounting his female students, who mostly happen to be Hindus, under the pretext of teaching them yoga poses.
Ansari repeatedly brought shame to the ancient Hindu discipline by sexually objectifying the women in his videos and posting objectionable thumbnails (featuring zoomed-in images of hips, breasts and sex positions).
Screengrab of the Instagram profile of Suhail Ansari
The ‘international yoga teacher’ first came under the scanner in March this year when his vulgar videos went viral on social media.
While the ‘cheap publicity’ got him over 1.44 lakh followers on Instagram, Suhail Ansari drew the ire of Hindu leaders including Pandit Dheerendra Shastri of Bageshwar Dham.
— Bageshwar Dham Sarkar (Official) (@bageshwardham) March 30, 2024
The latter had also accused the ‘yoga teacher’ of getting 4 Hindu women married to Muslim men.
Pandit Dhirendra Shastri remarked, “There is a yoga teacher named Suhail who traps young girls and gets their Nikah done with Muslim men. 4 Hindu daughters have already fallen prey to it.”
“When such things happen in India, my blood boils,” he said in a viral video.
— ADV. ASHUTOSH J. DUBEY ?? (@AdvAshutoshBJP) March 31, 2024
Following the social media uproar, Suhail Ansari posted an ‘apology video’ and vowed to do course correction.
“My intentions are not to hurt anyone’s sentiments or feelings. I apologise from the bottom of my heart if I have hurt people’s sentiments. If any of my videos have hurt your sentiments, message me on Instagram and I will delete those videos,” the ‘international yoga teacher’ said.
Our team happened to stumble upon his Instagram profile and monitor his activity on the social media platform. OpIndia can confirm that Ansari is back to his old business of sexualising female students and using them as ‘bait’ in his videos.
Screengrab of the recent Instagram posts of Suhail Ansari
Screengrab of the recent Instagram posts of Suhail Ansari
While it is true that he temporarily did course correction, Suhail Ansari has now resumed uploading ‘vulgar videos’ in the name of Yoga. OpIndia found at least 6 disturbing posts from August alone.
Screengrab of the recent Instagram posts of Suhail Ansari
Screengrab of the recent Instagram posts of Suhail Ansari
Suhail Ansari attempts to shield himself from social media scrutiny by labelling his vulgar videos as ‘Advanced yoga training.’
Screengrab of the recent Instagram posts of Suhail Ansari
Screengrab of the recent Instagram posts of Suhail Ansari
OpIndia found that many of his ‘yoga training videos’ are filled with captions and emojis, making sexual innuendos.
“Have a look at this place,” read the caption of the thumbnail featuring the bare navel region of one of his students. “Did you forget me?”, read the caption of another hypersexualised Instagram post.
Our team also spotted the ‘Om symbol’ next to the problematic captions in videos, prominently featuring his perversions. At the time of writing, it remains unknown whether any legal action is being taken against him.
Al Qaeda-linked terrorist module’s head Dr. Ishtiaq who was caught from Ranchi in Jharkhand was preparing a suicide squad and had chosen a hilly area to execute his nefarious plan where he intended to bring his fellow terrorists and train them for the attacks. These shocking revelations were made by him and other accused in front of Delhi Police. According to media reports, Delhi Police’s Special Cell had recently reached Ranchi with Ishtiaq, Inamul Ansari, Shahbaz Ansari, Motiur Rahman and Altaf to know the extent of their preparation for executing their plans.
The terrorists told the authorities that they used to visit Nakata forest near Chanho village in Ranchi. This dense forest has no habitation around it and hence the activities happening inside the thick woods go unnoticed which is why it was considered the most suitable place to train terrorists. The perpetrators informed the cops that they were to be trained there to become suicide bombers along with learning how to handle weapons. They were following the orders of Dr. Ishtiaq who was responsible for their training. All of them wanted to bring Islamic rule to India.
Ishtiaq was the leader of the radical group. Some of these terrorists were reportedly sent to Rajasthan for similar training. The authorities also carried out searches in a madarsa. Jharkhand Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) carried out raids on 22nd August and arrested Ishtiaq and his associates. They are members of the Al Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) module. The development transpired based on a tip from Delhi Police.
Ishtiaq had expanded his terrorist module to Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. He had purchased weapons from Lakhisarai in Bihar. Raids were executed in Rajasthan. AK 47 rifle, .38 bore revolver, 6 live cartridges, 30 live cartridges of .32 bore, 30 cartridges of AK 47, dummy INSAS (Indian Small Arms System), air rifle, iron elbow pipe, hand grenade and other things were seized from there.
The killing of robber Mangesh Yadav by Special Task Force (STF) during an encounter in Uttar Pradesh has sparked heated political controversy. Mangesh Yadav was involved in a high-profile theft at Bharat Ji Saraf’s “Om Ornaments” jewellery shop in Sultanpur on the 28th of August, during which more than Rs1.5 crore in valuables were stolen.
Mangesh Yadav was a wanted criminal with a Rs 1 lakh bounty on his head and numerous robbery and theft cases against him. He was killed on the 5th of September, during an encounter with the UP Police’s Special Task Force (STF) in Mishirpur Puraina under Dehat Kotwali in Sultanpur. The police said they acted in self-defence during the encounter, however, the Samajwadi Party has raked up caste angle in the matter.
In a long rant on X, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the ruling BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has links with those involved in Sultanpur robbery. He claimed that due to these alleged links, the “main accused” Vipin Singh was made to surrender before the court in another case in Rae Bareilly two days after the robbery. He alleged that the main accused was made to surrender, and the other non-Yadav accused were shot in the leg just for show, while Mangesh Yadav was killed due to his caste.
“It seems that the ruling party had deep connections with the people involved in the Sultanpur robbery, that is why before the fake encounter, the ‘main accused’ was contacted and made to surrender and other people from the party were shot only on the legs for show and were killed on the basis of their ‘caste’,” Yadav said.
Expressing sympathy for the slain robber, Akhilesh Yadav said: “When the main accused has surrendered, all the looted goods should be returned and the government should pay compensation separately because the mental trauma caused by such incidents takes a lot of time to recover from, which leads to loss of business, which should be compensated by the government.”
Reiterating his fake encounter allegations against the Yogi government, Akhilesh said: “Fake encounters turn the protector into a predator. The solution is not fake encounters, but real law and order. BJP rule is the elixir of criminals. Till the public pressure and anger do not reach their peak, the work of sharing in the loot continues and when it seems that the public will surround them, then fake encounters are done as a superficial balm. The public understands how some people are saved and how others are trapped. Totally reprehensible!”
लगता है सुल्तानपुर की डकैती में शामिल लोगों से सत्ता पक्ष का गहरा संपर्क था, इसीलिए तो नक़ली एनकाउंटर से पहले ‘मुख्य आरोपी’ से संपर्क साधकर सरेंडर करा दिया गया और अन्य सपक्षीय लोगों के पैरों पर सिर्फ़ दिखावटी गोली मारी गयी और ‘जात’ देखकर जान ली गयी।
It has also been reported that a delegation of Samajwadi Party leaders led by Lal Bihari Yadav will visit the deceased robber Mangesh Yadav’s house to offer condolences. It appears to be an attempt to bolster Akhilesh Yadav’s position as a sole leader of the Yadav community even if that means siding with a criminal.
This, however, is not the first time that the Samajwadi Party has taken the side of criminals. In the recent Ayodhya rape case, Akhilesh Yadav demanded a DNA test of the accused in the case who raped a minor girl in Ayodhya. In this case, the Ayodhya administration had demolished the bakery of SP leader Moeed Khan, the main accused in the gang rape of a minor girl. Last year, when Ghulam Muhammad and Asad Ahmed, the son of gangster turned politician Atiq Ahmed, both accused in the Umesh Pal murder were killed in a police encounter, Akhilesh Yadav came out in defence of the slain criminal called the encounters fake. This came even as CCTV footage of the incident clearly showed the slain duo chasing and attacking Umesh Pal with a pistol. Akhilesh Yadav has expressed his love for deceased gangster Mukhtar Ansari.
Meanwhile, the Bhartiya Janata Party has hit back at the Samajwadi Party saying that it supports and offers condolences to criminals like Mukhtar Ansari, and Mangesh Yadav among others.
“To what extent will the Samajwadi Party go in supporting criminals? Now, the Samajwadi Party visits the homes of criminals to offer condolences. First, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav goes to Mukhtar Ansari’s house to express sympathy, and now Mangesh Yadav…” BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi on Samajwadi Party leaders visiting Gangster Mangesh Yadav’s house.
Lucknow: BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi on Samajwadi Party leaders visiting Gangster Mangesh Yadav's house, says, "To what extent will the Samajwadi Party go in supporting criminals? Now, the Samajwadi Party visits the homes of criminals to offer condolences? First, SP chief… pic.twitter.com/HjU0BI00FQ
The robbery occurred in Thatheri market, Nagar Kotwali region of Sultanpur district. Bharat Ji Saraf runs a shop called Om Ornaments Jewellery Shop in the market. On the 28th of August, at 10 a.m., Bhartiji and her son opened their jewellery shop and began working, and people came to the shop as usual. Around 12 p.m., two customers were sitting in the shop.
Meanwhile, one of the accused entered the shop with a handkerchief covering his face and aimed his firearm at Bharatji and his son. The father and son sitting in the shop were astonished, as were both customers. Before they could react, another gang member appeared wearing a helmet and carrying a black bag. Subsequently, three additional miscreants entered the shop and ransacked it.
As the shop owner protested, one of the robbers placed the gun on his head while the other two pointed pistols towards the two customers inside the shop. Meanwhile, three others collected valuables from the shop. In the CCTV footage of the incident, the robbers looted jewellery worth Rs 1 crore 40 lakh within minutes and escaped on their bikes.
दिनदहाड़े सोना-चांदी लेकर फरार हुए बदमाश
उत्तर प्रदेश: सुल्तानपुर में सर्राफ ठठेरी बाजार में कुछ बदमाश दिनदहाड़े 5 करोड़ के सोना और चांदी लेकर फरार हो गए. पूरी घटना CCTV कैमरे में कैद हो गई. पुलिस मामले की जांच में जुटी है.#Uttarpradesh | #CCTV | #Sultanpurpic.twitter.com/511N5Vumvr
Reports say that there were a total of 12 robbers who divided themselves into 3 teams. The first team included Pushpendra, Tribhuvan and Sachin who had allegedly chalked out the plan of robbery. Among them, Tribhuvan also arranged a Bolero car. After the robbery, the miscreants fled to Rae Bareli with the jewellery in this bolero. The second group consisted of Vipin Singh, Vinay Shukla, Ajay Yadav, Arvind Yadav, Vivek Singh, and Durgesh Singh. They used to provide backup to the criminals who carried out robberies. The third group consisted of Furqan, Anuj Pratap, Arbaaz, Mangesh Yadav and Ankit Yadav who robbed the shop in broad daylight.
According to the UP Police, Yadav was one of the key suspects in the crime and a member of a bigger gang. Several other gang members had been caught earlier, but Yadav was killed after he allegedly opened fire on police.
Initially, the police said that there were 5 accused robbers, however, further investigation revealed the involvement of 12 persons. Consequently, the UP Police placed Rs 1 lakh bounty on the heads of the 12 accused and began searching for them. While the alleged gang leader Vipin Singh surrendered in Rae Bareilly, Sachin Singh, Pushpendra Singh and Tribhuvan alias Lala Harijan were arrested on Tuesday and sent to jail after treatment during an encounter at Godwa village in Nagar Kotwali. On Thursday (5th September), accused Mangesh Yadav, a resident of Angoraura in Jaunpur district, opened fire at the police, in retaliation, the UP STF officer Dharmendra Shahi shot Yadav dead. Police also seized approximately 15 kg of silver jewellery, Rs 38,500 in cash, a stolen bike, 3 illegal guns, 3 cartridges, and 6 shells from the miscreants.
Responding to Akhilesh Yadav’s “caste-based fake encounter” allegations, UP STF CO Dharmendra Shahi simply said: “I cannot say much on this. Everyone has their own opinion.”
8 robbery and theft cases against Mangesh Yadav
Notably, Mangesh Yadav had around 8 theft and robbery cases registered against him. In 2021, the district’s Karaundikala police station registered the first theft and recovery case against Mangesh Yadav. Six cases were filed against him until 2022. In 2023, action was taken against him under the Gangster Act by the Karaundikala Police Station. In 2024, bike theft was reported in Jaunpur. The stolen bike was allegedly used in the Sultanpur jewellery robbery. On the 28th of August 2024, his name appeared in the Sultanpur bullion robbery case. On Thursday morning, he was neutralised in a police encounter, thus, marking the end of his four-year criminal life.
While Mangesh Yadav has been killed, three others have been arrested and Vipin Singh has surrendered, Furqan, Anuj Pratap Singh, Arbaaz, Vinay Shukla, Ankit Yadav, Ajay Yadav, Arvind Yadav, Vivek Singh and Durgesh Pratap Singh are still absconding.
In yet another illustration of shocking pusillanimity and apathy towards crimes against women, a woman was raped on the roadside in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain with a bevvy of passersby watching over without even trying to rescue her. In fact, one man shot the video and posted it online.
The woman later filed an FIR against the culprit, leading to his arrest.
Om Prakash Mishra, Ujjain’s City Superintendent of Police (CSP), stated, “Yesterday (Thursday) around 3:30 pm, a woman came to the police station and reported being raped. A woman officer was immediately called, her statement was taken, and an FIR was registered after informing senior officers.”
The police reported that the woman identified a man named Lokesh as the suspect in her complaint. “A team was immediately assembled and sent to locate Lokesh. We apprehended him within two hours of filing the FIR,” said Mishra. Lokesh was taken to the police station and, during questioning, confessed to the crime.
The woman underwent a medical examination, and Lokesh was brought before the court, which remanded him to judicial custody.
Mishra stated, “Additionally, the woman’s statement was recorded in court today (Friday), where she confirmed the rape incident. A video of the crime, which was also received by the police, has been taken as evidence.”
The police allege that the accused “promised to marry the victim, gave her alcohol, and then raped her on Wednesday.”
Congress tries to politicise the Ujjain rape incident even as it observes reticence on the RG Kar Hospital incident and rape cases against SP leaders
The incident, nevertheless, has awakened the opposition Congress party from its deep slumber. State Congress president Jitu Patwari criticised the BJP, pointing out that while the party was protesting nationwide over the RG Kar rape-murder case, a woman was raped on a footpath in the Chief Minister’s constituency in Madhya Pradesh.
However, ironically, the Congress party itself is accused of being relatively soft on the RG Kar Hospital incident compared to other incidents reported elsewhere in the country, especially in the BJP-ruled state. Rahul Gandhi is yet to visit the RG Kar Hospital victim’s family even as they level serious allegations against the TMC-led West Bengal government, headed by Mamata Banerjee, one of the key allies of the INDI alliance.
Besides, the Congress party has also maintained radio silence on minor rape cases allegedly involving leaders of the Samajwadi Party, another key alliance partner in the INDI bloc. Earlier this week, the DNA sample of Nawab Singh Yadav, a former Samajwadi Party leader arrested for allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl, matched with the sample taken from the survivor in Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh.
Nawab Singh Yadav, who was previously an associate of Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, was arrested on August 12 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and POCSO Act. He was subsequently placed in 14-day judicial custody for the alleged rape of the minor.
Just hours before his arrest, the survivor contacted the police, reporting that she had been stripped and an attempt to assault her had been made.
The incident took place in the Kotwali Nagar area of Kannauj. Chaudhary Chandan Singh Mahavidyalaya of Samajwadi Party leader and former block chief Nawab Singh Yadav is in Adangapur village.
Before this, Samajwadi Party leader Moid Khan and his servant Raju Khan were accused of gangraping a minor girl from the Nishad community in Ayodhya. The bakery shop where this incident took place, Moid Khan’s establishment, has since been demolished using a bulldozer. Moid Khan is close to Samajwadi MP Awadhesh Prasad from Ayodhya. Many pictures of the two together have also surfaced. Moid Khan had also campaigned for Awadhesh Prasad in the recent Lok Sabha elections.
BJP Madhya Pradesh president V D Sharma responded by accusing the Congress of politicising the incident.
“The Congress is trying to exploit the incident because they have no real issues to challenge the Madhya Pradesh government,” he said. “The BJP government was the first to introduce a law that allows the death penalty for such crimes. The accused has been arrested, and the state government will ensure that strict action is taken against them.”
