Home Blog Page 903

Punjab Police arrest five operatives of Canada-based Lakhbir Landa gang, recover 5 foreign-made pistols

ANI
-
0
Punjab Police arrest five operatives of Canada-based Lakhbir Landa gang, recover 5 foreign-made pistols

In a major breakthrough, Punjab Police on Sunday arrested five operatives of the Canada-based Lakhbir Landa gang and recovered five foreign-made pistols.

Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav informed on X, “Commissionerate Police Jalandhar arrests five operatives of Canada-based Lakhbir Landa Gang in a 15-Day Operation. They were involved in arms and drug smuggling across the border, multiple heinous crimes such as murder, extortion, ransom and many other criminal activities in many districts of Punjab.”

He further said that the police have recovered five foreign-made pistols.

“Punjab Police is fully committed to eradicate organised crime in state as per the directions of CM Bhagwant Mann,” the DGP further added.

Earlier this month, the Punjab police carried out raids at multiple hideouts of gangster Lakhbir Singh Landa.

Bathinda Superintendent of Police (SP) Narinder Singh said a total of five people have been rounded up and search operations are being carried out.

On June 20, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted multi-state searches and arrested a key operative linked with designated terrorist Lakhbir Singh Sandhu alias Landa.

The anti-terror agency made the arrest during searches at the premises connected with 10 suspects across Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Punjab, leading to the arrest of Jaspreet Singh from district Ferozepur (Punjab).

The NIA seized one 32-bore revolver, 69 cartridges of various bores, 100 gm heroin, 100 gm opium, Rs 2,20,500 cash and various digital devices from Jaspreet, who was found to be associated with the foreign-based terrorist Landa.

Earlier in February, Punjab Police’s Anti-Gangster Task Force arrested three associates of terrorists, Harwinder Singh alias Rinda and Lakhbir Singh alias Landa Harike.

The arrests were made under the drive to eradicate organised crime from the state as per the directions of Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government.

 (This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Uttarakhand: Avalanche hits Gandhi Sarovar near Kedarnath due to cracking of snows, no loss of life or property

ANI
-
0
Uttarakhand: Avalanche hits Gandhi Sarovar near Kedarnath due to cracking of snows, no loss of life or property

An avalanche was reported near Gandhi Sarovar in Kedarnath early on Sunday morning.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Rudraprayag, Dr Vishakha Ashok Bhadane told ANI, “There was an avalanche from above Gandhi Sarovar in Kedarnath at around 5 am today. But there has been no loss of life or property.”

According to the SSP, the avalanche occurred on a hill about 4 km away from the Kedarnath temple as a result of the cracking of snow due to sunlight.

Fortunately, there were no reports of casualties or damage to property due to the avalanche, which was captured in a video shared widely on social media.

“There has been no loss of lives or damage to the temple’s property,” said the official.

The video shared by an official handle by Shri Kedarnath shows a cascade of snow and debris tumbling down a steep slope right behind the revered temple.

Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as more details about the incident are awaited to assess any potential risks or further impacts.

Earlier last week, a condolence meeting was held in Kedarnath Dham to pay tribute to the victims of the devastating flood disaster that struck the region in 2013.

Organized by the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee and Kedar Sabha, the event saw participation from the entire Tirthapurohit community, the District Police Administration, and numerous pilgrims.

The disaster, which occurred on the evening of June 16, 2013, was triggered by a series of cloudbursts in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand.

These cloudbursts caused severe floods and landslides, obliterating several villages and towns. Thousands of people were swept away, and many bodies remain unaccounted for to this day.

The Kedarnath Dham flood disaster, which impacted five districts of Uttarakhand on June 16-17, 2013, was exacerbated by the rapid melting of snow and ice on Kedarnath Mountain. This led to the overflowing of Chorabari Lake, followed by its collapse, contributing to the massive flooding that affected thousands.

Despite the weather, over 22 lakh pilgrims have visited the four Dhams of Uttarakhand so far this season.

Earlier on June 11, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed the officials in a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s residence to coordinate with the District Magistrates to improve the Chardham Yatra arrangements.

From time to time, senior officials should conduct on-site inspection of travel arrangements, and cooperate with the District Magistrates for better arrangements.

The Hindu pilgrimage Char Dham circuit consists of four sites: Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The River Yamuna originates from the Yamunotri Glacier in Uttarakhand. Pilgrimage season peaks in Uttarakhand for the Char Dham Yatra annually during the summers.

 (This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Noida: Mohammad Saud brutally stabbed his landlord Sachin Awana for asking him not to abuse other tenants, threatened to kill his uncle, arrested

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Noida: Mohammad Saud brutally stabbed his landlord Sachin Awana for asking him not to abuse other tenants, threatened to kill his uncle, arrested

A tenant identified as Mohammad Saud originally from Bihar stabbed his landlord Sachin Awana with a knife in Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The latter has been admitted to a hospital for treatment where his condition remains critical. The accused also threatened to kill the victim’s uncle Keshram Gurjar who lodged a complaint in the matter. He has now been arrested. The incident transpired on 27th June in the Phase-1 police station area of ​​Noida.

The complainant stated that his nephew visited the house on 27th June at approximately 8:40 in the morning to check on his tenants and noticed that the perpetrator had been abusing other tenants. Mohammad Saud is a native of the Bundehra village of the Parsa Police Station in the Khagaria district of Bihar. According to the complaint, Sachin Awana intervened and asked him to stop hurling abuses unnecessarily which angered the offender. He then pulled out a knife he had concealed and began attacking the helpless man on his back, stomach and hands.

Keshram Gurjar and many other people reached the spot upon hearing his horrifying screams after which Mohammad Saud escaped from there while waving the knife as he saw himself surrounded. stumbled close to the steps in his haste to get away but stood up promptly. He also threatened to kill Sachin Awana and Keshram Gurjar in the future. The police arrived at the scene as soon as they received information about the incident. Sachin Awana was taken to the hospital with their assistance. He was moved to Kailash Hospital as his condition deteriorated. He continues to be in a serious state.

Keshram Gurjar has demanded strict action against the accused. The authorities immediately registered a First Information Report and started looking for him. The shrewd culprit had switched off his phone so that his location could not be traced. The cops conducted a raid and eventually apprehended him. He was hiding in Noida’s Phase 1 vicinity and was trying to take out some things from his room. The information was found to be correct as he was captured and sent to jail. He has been booked under sections 307, 324, 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code. The knife used in the attack has also been recovered. OpIndia has a copy of the complaint. Mohammad Saud worked as a tailor in Noida. The police are taking further action and the matter is under investigation.

After Amritpal Singh’s victory in Lok Sabha polls, his two accomplices in jail to contest Assembly by-elections in Punjab

OpIndia Staff
-
0
After Amritpal Singh’s victory in Lok Sabha polls, his two accomplices in jail to contest Assembly by-elections in Punjab

Amritpal Singh’s victory in the Lok Sabha Elections has given a push to a worrisome trend in the Indian political landscape. Two of his accomplices, Bhagwant Singh ‘Pradhan Mantri’ Bajeke and Kulwant Singh Raoke, have announced that they will contest Punjab Assembly by-polls from Gidderbaha and Barnala constituencies. Both Bhagwant Singh and Kilwant Singh were arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) with Amritpal Singh. Both of them are currently lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail, along with Amritpal Singh and others arrested last year.

Kulwant Singh’s cousin Maha Singh claimed that he talked to Kulwant who expressed a desire to contest Assembly Elections by-polls. He also claimed that Kulwant asked him to seek Panthic organisations for support. Kulwant was a Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) employee from Raoke Kalan in the Moga district. He was an accomplice of Waris Punjab De chief and pro-Khalistan MP Amritpal Singh. He is currently lodged in Dibrugarh Central Jail of Assam, and is yet to take oath as Lok Sabha MP after victory in the elections.

Kulwant Singh is the son of Charat Singh who was booked under NSA in 1987. He was picked up by police in 1993 and after that, he never returned home. His family claimed they did not know what happened to him. Maha Singh said, “To date, we do not know if he was killed in a fake encounter or if he is still alive. We do not have any proof of his death. He was taken by police and never came back.” His father was also arrested under the NSA in 1987.

Speaking to the Times of India, he said, “When I had a word with Kulwant Singh on Friday, he confirmed that he’d contest from Barnala and asked me to contact the panic organisations to prepare the ground. I am on with that task.”

A few days ago, a boy named Akashdeep Singh claiming to be the son of Bhagwant Singh ‘Pradhan Mantri’ Bajeke released a video on social media that Bajeke will contest Assembly by-Elections from Gidderbaha. Notably, Bajeke was active during farmer protests. Bhagwant Singh is the one whose “Police again police” meme got famous on social media.

Gidderbaha’s seat was vacated as Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring became MP from Ludhiana. Barnala’s seat was vacated as Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won the Sangrur seat in the Lok Sabha Elections. Two more seats, Baba Bakala and Chabbewal got vacant after Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Raj Kumar Chabbewal became MPs. As the Punjab Assembly Speaker has announced these four seats vacant, the Election Commission has to schedule by-polls within the next six months.

Apart from Amritpal Singh winning Lok Sabha polls from Khadoor Sahib in Punjab, there were two more concerning victories in the elections. Kashmiri separatist leader Abdul Rashid Sheikh, who is in Tihar jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), won from Baramulla defeating Omar Abdullah. Another Khalistani leader Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa won from Faridkot. Sarabjeet Singh Khalsa is the son of Beant Singh, one of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s assassins.

West Bengal: Bahubali leader ‘JCB’ Tajemul kicks, assaults woman and man with sticks during Taliban-style ‘Insaf Sabha’ over alleged extramarital affair in Chopra

OpIndia Staff
-
0
West Bengal: Bahubali leader ‘JCB’ Tajemul kicks, assaults woman and man with sticks during Taliban-style ‘Insaf Sabha’ over alleged extramarital affair in Chopra

A video shared by CPI(M) leader Mohammed Salim, in which a local Bahubali leader is seen assaulting a married woman and a man lying helplessly on the road in the name of ‘summary Justice’ is doing rounds on social media. Sharing the video of the assault, CPI(M) leader and Former Rajya Sabha MP Salim alleged that the main accused seen in the video is a local TMC goon who goes by the nickname ‘JCB’. According to him, the local goon is running a Kangaroo court where he allegedly serves summary trial and punishment like the Taliban.

In the video shared by the CPI(M) leader, the accused is seen manhandling a woman and a man. The accused threw the victims on the ground and started assaulting them with cane sticks in his hand and kicked the woman several times. While the woman could be seen screaming and rolling on the road in pain, a large crowd gathered there didn’t come forward to help the victims.

Notably, as per TV9 Bangla video report on the issue, a police vehicle was present within a few meters away from the spot where the accused assaulted the victims. A green jeep that looked like a police vehicle can be seen at the top of the video. Two words are written on the vehicle, and the second word seems to be ‘Patrol’, suggesting it is a police patrolling vehicle. The vehicle stopped at the place, but nobody came out.

According to the information received, the incident took place in Chopra’s Lakshmipur village in the Dighalgaon area. The accused is identified as a local Bahubali leader Tajemul, who is popular as JCB in the area. He allegedly assaulted the victims over an allegation of ‘extra-marital affair’. 

As per media reports, he notoriously runs Taliban-style ‘quick justice’ through his ‘Insaf Sabha’ and is a close associate of Chopra MLA Hamidur Rahaman. In the current case, he brutally assaulted the victims during a so-called ‘arbitration meeting’ which he named ‘Insaf Sabha’ over an allegation of an ‘extramarital affair’.  

According to local sources cited in the TV9 Bangla report, the victim is a married woman who is a resident of that village. It is alleged that she had an extramarital affair with the young man being assaulted in the video. After learning about their affair, an “arbitration meeting” was called where the main accused ‘JCB’ assaulted them as part of his ‘summary justice’ in ‘Insaf Sabha’.

It is also alleged that the victims were fined as well. As per the report, nobody took them to the hospital after the assault.

Meanwhile, according to reports, the man who captured the incident on camera is absconding over security concerns. It is being also claimed on social media that a case has been filed against the man who recorded it.

According to reports, such “Insaf Sabha” are held in the area regularly. The local residents are afraid to speak about such assaults with Police or media persons out of Tajimul aka JCB’s terror in the area. 

Reportedly, the young woman did not even go to the government health centre after the brutal assault which took place on Friday afternoon (28th June). 

While reporting on the incident, the TV9 anchors called Trinamool Congress district president Kanhaiya Lal and asked him about the incident. After learning about the incident from the news channel, he said on air, “I am calling the police administration and they will look into the matter. I will ask the SP to take immediate action. Whoever JCB is.” So far, the police have not yet arrested anyone in this incident.

BJP Social media head, Amit Malviya slammed the Trinamool Congress over the assault incident. Tagging NCW to take action, he stated that the incident exposes the ugly face of Mamata Banerjee’s rule in West Bengal. He asserted that the Sandeshkhali horror where several women made allegations of mass sexual exploitation, and land grabbing among others, is happening in every village in West Bengal under the TMC regime.

He added, “India must wake up to the reality of Sharia Courts in TMC run West Bengal. There is a #Sandeshkhali in every village and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a curse for women. There is no semblance of law and order in Bengal. Will Mamata Banerjee act against this monster or defend him like she stood up for Sheikh Shahjahan?” 

After accusing BJP of trying to change the constitution, Congress party reiterates its demand to change the constitution to remove 50% limit on reservations

OpIndia Staff
-
0
After accusing BJP of trying to change the constitution, Congress party reiterates its demand to change the constitution to remove 50% limit on reservations

While the Congress party ran the entire election campaign accusing the BJP of trying to change the constitution, it itself has been demanding changes to the constitution. On 30 June, the party once again called to change the constitution to lift the 50% limit on the quota of Schedules Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes. Rahul Gandhi’s close confidant and Rajya Sabha MP Jairam Ramesh stated that his party has been raising the demand regularly during the Lok Sabah election campaign.

Jairam Ramesh stated that his party wants the Constitution to be amended to remove the 50% cap on the quota imposed by the Supreme Court.

He accused the Janata Dal-United (JDU), which left INDI Alliance and joined NDA, of maintaining silence on the issue and added, “They passed a resolution regarding category status. It is very easy to do that but will they put pressure on their ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Patna and Delhi? Will the Chief Minister tell the Prime Minister that we are supporting you and ask for special category status, the caste census and eliminate the 50% limit? JDU is not addressing the issue anymore. So it is quite easy to say but it is very difficult to do and there is a huge difference between the two.”

The Bihar administration’s proposal to increase quotas for Dalits, members of backward classes, and tribal people from 50% to 65% in government positions and educational institutions was overturned by the Patna High Court on 20th June. A division bench chief justice K Vinod Chandran and justice Harish Kumar, while passing the order on a bunch of petitions which had opposed the legislation brought by the state govt in November 2023, declared the two amended reservation laws of Bihar, the Bihar Reservation of Vacancies in Posts and Services (for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes) Amendment Act, 2023 and the Bihar Reservation (in admission to educational institutions) Amendment Act, 2023 as unconstitutional.

On 28th May, Rahul Gandhi promised to get rid of the 50% cap on the caste-based reservation and increase quota benefits for people from Dalit, backward and tribal communities. “BJP and RSS want to finish this, change this. And the Congress and INDIA bloc are trying to save this. This Constitution has given you rights on jal (water), jangal (forest) and zameen (land). Narendra Modi wants to remove them, he wants full power,” he claimed while addressing a poll rally at Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh.

The Gandhi scion pledged, “That’s why they gave the ‘400 seats’ slogan. But forget 400, they are not getting 150 seats. They say they will remove the reservation. I want to tell you from this stage, we will increase reservation beyond the 50 per cent cap. We will give as much reservation as needed for the poor, the backwards, Dalits and Adivasis.”

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) on 22nd April red-flagged the Karnataka government’s move to categorise Muslims under the backward caste bracket for reservation purposes. According to the panel, social justice principles in the nation are weakened by this kind of broad classification. The government data, as cited by NCBC, indicated that all castes and communities of Muslims in the state have been included in the list of OBCs for reservation in employment and educational institutions. The commission had looked into the state’s quota policy for OBCs in government employment and educational institutions during a field visit last year.

Sri Lanka cracks down on Muslim women wearing Hijab during exams violating rules, results of 70 students withheld

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Sri Lanka cracks down on Muslim women wearing Hijab during exams violating rules, results of 70 students withheld

The Examinations Department of Sri Lanka has taken a firm stance on upholding the examination rules leading to the withholding of Advanced Level (A/L) examination results of 70 students from Zahira College, Trincomalee. Notably, these students did not comply with the rules as mandated by the Education Department which states that both ears of the student must remain uncovered for the entire exam duration.

In a statement, the Commissioner General of Examinations, Amith Jayasundara, said that this rule was not arbitrarily imposed but was established after consultations with all the stakeholders including Muslim religious leaders. The rule was then passed by the Parliament. Jayasundara said, “It is not enough to merely show the ears to the examiner when entering the exam hall as we cannot determine whether they will use a Bluetooth device afterwards. The rule is to leave both ears uncovered the entire time they are in the exam hall.”

Jayasundara further clarified that the rule is important as it ensures the integrity of the examination process. The officials had advised students to comply with the regulations. Those who followed the instructions did not face any problems in getting the result. He added, “There is awareness about this rule, so it must be followed in all instances.”

He noted that the students have not been disqualified yet and the Sri Lanka education department is reviewing the circumstances carefully before coming to any decision keeping in mind that the students are young. He highlighted that at other centres, the students complied with the rules without any problem.

Speaking to the media, a teacher who wished to remain anonymous claimed that students did not wear Hijab but wrapped shawls ensuring their ears were visible. However, adherence to the specific rule is crucial for maintaining standardized examination procedures. The teacher acknowledged that the students had travelled from different towns to complete their A/L education at Zahira College and indicated they should have adhered to the established rules to avoid complications.

Member of Sri Lanka Parliament MS Thowfeek who represents the Trincomalee district confirmed he spoke to the Education Department regarding the matter. He assured that the results would be released once the Executive Board approves the same.

Meanwhile, activist Shreen Saroor claimed that the students wore shawls so their ears could be easily visible. She claimed that the penalisations were part of anti-Muslim sentiments that have been pushed not only by the “Sinhala Buddhist majority but also the Tamil community”. She said, “It is systematic and it penalises Muslim girls systematically. Muslim girls rarely get the chance to sit for the A/Ls, so when they do, they should not face these systematic barriers. Politicians from the area are politicising the issue on Hindutva-Islam communal lines for their political gains, with elections just around the corner.”

A similar incident took place in October 2023 in Sri Lanka. Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahman said, “Thirteen Muslim women’s results have not been released for wearing the hijab during the principal-appointment exams. However, when they were entering the hall, they had shown their ears to the supervisor. Yes, they had violated the rule of leaving the ears uncovered during the duration of the exam, but the issue here is the supervisor’s attitude. The same supervisor who had allowed them to sit the exam after checking their ears on the first day had raised an issue on the second day. If the supervisor had informed, the women would have followed the rules and had written the exam trusting the supervisor, but the same supervisor had then said they had violated the rules.” The results were later released in March 2024.

The Karnataka Hijab Controversy

The Udupi Hijab dispute in Karnataka arose in late 2021 which concerned Muslim female students in the state who wanted to wear hijabs as part of their school uniforms which led to major protests and legal battles as well as spread to other parts of the country.

The debate started in January 2022. A Udupi college turned away a number of Muslim students who were wearing hijabs to class. There were countless images on social media depicting college administrators forbidding students who donned the head covers from entering their campuses. Afterwards, the college administration contended that the hijab was not included in the uniform dress code that the students had been instructed to follow.

The administration had requested that female students forgo the hijab during their time in college, in accordance with the new state regulations. Eight female students consistently disobeyed the rule and claimed it inhibited them from practising their faith.

A student of PES College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mandya named Muskan Zainab who rose to fame owing to her theatrics during the row was disclosed to have links to the banned radical Islamic organisation Popular Front of India through her father Abdul Sukoor who was a leader of the extremist outfit. The development had exposed the role of the group behind the controversy.

The girl came to the limelight after she was seen yelling “Allahu Akbar” in a niqab in response to Hindu students who were chanting “Jai Shree Ram.” They were protesting against the Muslim students who were screaming Islamic slogans in hijab and burqa inside the institution.

Barsana: Katha Vachak Pradeep Mishra apologises by rubbing his nose on the floor in Ladli Mandir after backlash over his remarks on Radha Rani

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Barsana: Katha Vachak Pradeep Mishra apologises by rubbing his nose on the floor in Ladli Mandir after backlash over his remarks on Radha Rani

On Saturday (29th June), renowned Katha Vachak Pradeep Mishra offered obeisance to ShriJi Radha Rani in Barsana’s Ladli Mandir and apologised after facing backlash for his earlier remarks on Radha Rani and Lord Krishna. Notably, Pandit Mishra of Sehore Kubereshwar Dham prostrated in the Ladli Mandir, rubbed his nose on the temple floor, and apologised for his remarks that sparked outrage and angered seers and the saint community in Barsana.

A controversy erupted after Pandit Mishra made controversial remarks while delivering religious sermons. During a religious discourse, he stated that Radha was originally from Rawal village and only visited Barsana once a year, where her father’s court was located. 

“Radha’s name was not among Lord Krishna’s queens and her husband was Anay Ghosh, her mother-in-law was Jatila, and her sister-in-law was named Kutila,” Pandit Mishra was quoted saying. He had further claimed that Radha’s marriage took place in Chhatra village. His remarks on Shri Radha Rani and Lord Krishna triggered outrage and angered seers in Barsana who asked him to apologise for the remarks or face action. 

(Video Courtesy – Hindustan)

Premanand Maharaj, prominent among the critics, expressed his outrage over Pandit Mishra’s remarks. He had said, “After reading a few verses, they become Katha Vachak. What do you know about Ladli Ji?… What right do you have to speak about Radha Ji when you know nothing about her? We live in her, and she lives in us. If you want to know Shri Ji, look into my eyes and see what Shri Ji is.”

Slamming Pandit Mishra’s remarks, Premanand Maharaj also emphasised the inseparability of Radha and Krishna. 

“Radha and Shri Krishna are not separate. Pradeep Mishra is talking too much. No one can save you from hell. You should be ashamed. The glory of the one whose fame you live on, eat from, and sing of, you do not understand,” he was quoted saying.  

Furthermore, the saint community in Barsana demanded an apology from Pandit Mishra within three days, a deadline that he had initially failed to meet.

Following the backlash, Pandit Mishra visited Barsana on Saturday to pay his obeisance to Radha and tendered his apology. Speaking with the media after his apology, Mishra said, “I have come here at the feet of Radha Rani. I offer my apologies if my words have hurt Braj people. I seek forgiveness from Radha Rani.”

Ramakant Goswami is the convener of the ‘Sant Panchayat’ in Barsana. He is also the former receiver of the Mukut Mukharvind Temple in Govardhan. He said, “Pradeep Mishra has asked for forgiveness in a prostrate position from Radha Rani, the chief deity of the Ladli Temple.”

Goswami said, “The chapter of opposing Mishra is now closed.” After asking for forgiveness as a devotee in the presence of a large number of devotees and police inside the temple, Mishra said that he came here at the call of Radha Rani.

Tripura: 11 Bangladeshi intruders including women arrested at Agartala railway station, 72 Bangladeshi nationals caught in less than 2 months

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Tripura: 11 Bangladeshi intruders including women arrested at Agartala railway station, 72 Bangladeshi nationals caught in less than 2 months

Eleven Bangladeshi nationals including six males and five females were taken into custody by the authorities on the night of 29th June during a late-night operation at the Agartala Railway Station. They were apprehended by the Government Railway Police (GRP) and Railway Protection Force (RPF) while trying to enter India illegally with preparations to take trains to Bengaluru, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Odisha among other destinations. A case has been submitted against them and they will be presented before the court on 30th June with charges of violating the Foreigners Act.

The infiltrators have been identified as MD Sujan Rana (20), Azizul Shaik (30), MD Limon (19), Nargis Akhtar (34), MD Yousuf Ali (35), MD Sahidul Islam (26), Nipa Mandal (27), Akhe Begam (35), Omi Akhtar (35), Sajib Ali (19) and Asma Biswas (36). “Agartala GRP (Government Railway Police) has registered a case in this regard and the accused will be presented before the court tomorrow. We can’t rule out the possibility of human trafficking attempts. We have started an investigation into the case,” stated Officer-In-Charge, Tapas Das. The Bangladeshi nationals were unable to provide a legitimate travel document to enter India during their interrogation.

The women planned to travel to Kolkata first, then board trains for their other destinations, according to the results of the preliminary investigation. Railway police began looking for the accused on the evening of 29th June, based on specific information that some Bangladeshis had crossed the international boundary in the Sepahijala area of Tripura and were about to board a train at the Agartala railway station. A few cell phones, some Indian and Bangladeshi currency along with a few Bangladeshi documents have also been confiscated by the authorities.

In less than two months, 72 Bangladeshi nationals, the majority of whom were women, were apprehended in Tripura. All of the intruders had entered India through unofficial means while looking for work in different parts of the nation. Authorities are being extra vigilant as a result of the incident, which has brought attention to the ongoing problems with illegal immigration across the border between Bangladesh and India.

Two Bangladeshi women Feroza Khatun (22) and Anamika Aktar alias Akhi (20) had been arrested on 27th June at the same station for similar violations. “We acted on a tip-off that two Bangladeshi nationals were trying to get out of the state. We arrested the two Bangladeshi women who had illegally entered India and were trying to board a train to Karnataka,” informed Tapas Das, Government Railway Police Station in-charge, Agartala Railway Station. An initial investigation revealed that the women intended to travel to Pune and some regions of Karnataka. They were brought before a local court and prosecuted for breaching the Foreigners Act.

Four Bangladeshi women and one Indian national were reportedly nabbed by Government Railway Police at the Agartala railway station on 26th June, just before they were about to board trains that would take them to Ahmedabad and Pune. The arrested individuals were identified as Meem Sultana (23), Rubaiya Sultana alias Asha (20), Ritu Begam (28), and Jyoti Khatun (20), all residents of Bangladesh. The Indian citizen was identified as MD Kashem Miah (24) from Tripura’s Sepahijala.

According to reports, the infiltrators had entered India unlawfully from Bangladesh and some of them planned to go to Ahmedabad while others aimed to take a train to Pune. Their unauthorized entry and transit into India are believed to have been facilitated by the captured Indian national. The accused were scheduled to appear in His Majesty’s Court, the next day after the GRP lodged a complaint at the Agartala Police Station.

Seven Bangladeshi people, including two women and a ten-month-old child, were caught by the Railway Police at Agartala Station on 23rd March for illegally crossing into India. According to Tapas Das, the Officer-in-Charge of the Government Railway Police at Badharghat, two of the inmates had disguised themselves as women to hide their true identities. They confessed to being citizens of Bangladesh during questioning. They were arrested before could board a train to Chennai. Authorities reported that the offenders have been trying to utilize the Northeastern state as a gateway to travel to major cities including Chennai and Kolkata.

(With inputs from ANI)

Andhra Pradesh: Suspicious death of 17-year-old girl at madarsa in Vijayawada triggers outrage, family denies claims of health issues

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Andhra Pradesh: Suspicious death of 17-year-old girl at madarsa in Vijayawada triggers outrage, family denies claims of health issues

On 28th June, a 17-year-old girl named Karishma died under mysterious circumstances at a madrasa in Ajit Singh Nagar, Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. The incident has triggered significant controversy and unrest in the area. The parents of a girl student have raised suspicions of foul play and alleged that there were injuries on her body and they were called after six hours of the incident. On the other hand, the Madarsa administration said she fell ill due to food poisoning.

Karishma was a native of the village Angaluru near Gudivada in Krishna district. She joined the madrasa to study Arabic and Urdu a year ago. On the day of the incident, she fainted and was rushed to the Government General Hospital (GGH) where she was declared dead. The madarsa is being run by a man named Syed Shahid Parveez under Niswan Educational and Chairtable Trust.

A case of suspicious death under Section 174 of CrPC was registered by the police after shifting the dead body to the GGH mortuary. Police official investigating the case said in a statement, “A suspicious death case has been registered, and the body was handed over to the family after post-mortem. The investigation is on.”

Shaikh Mastan Bi and Maabu Subhani, parents of Karishma, suspected foul play. They staged a protest at Madarsa and GGH mortuary on the night of 28th June. Karsihma’s mother, Mastan Bi said, “My daughter’s health condition was good, and she did not suffer from fever. Food poisoning was not the cause of death.” She demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.

Upon learning about the incident, local authorities including Vijayawada Central MLA Bonda Umamaheswara Rao, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) officials and police reached Madarsa to investigate the matter. There are 66 students at the madrasa from different districts including Guntur, Khammam, Krishna, and Eluru.

While the madrasa officials claimed Karishma fell ill due to food poisoning, local authorities said they did not find any evidence to support their claim. There were concerns that other students also suffered food poisoning and were taken to the hospital. Andhra Jyothi report suggested that around eight other students suffered food poisoning.

Reportedly, the madrasa was running without any official permission as told by NTR District Education Officer (DEO) UV Subba Rao. District Medical and Health Officer (DM&HO) Dr M Suhasini confirmed other students were healthwise stable.

Speaking to the media, Ajit Singh Nagar Circle Inspector, Guru Prakash said that the cause of Karishma’s death was unknown and the police were waiting for the RFSL report. The body was handed over to the family after postmortem. Meanwhile, officials from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) raided Madarsa and found around 100 KG of rotting meat from the freezer that had been lying there for several days. The samples were sent for laboratory examination.

1...902903904...7,574Page 903 of 7,574