Around 400 people of Lapangap and other villages, backed by members of several social organisations of Meghalaya, went to the plantation area, uprooted the saplings and burnt the wooden structure around 11 am, claiming that Assam was trying to encroach into their state by carrying out the plantation.
The prime accused in the Kolkata law college gang rape case, Monojit Mishra, is a history-sheeter having a slew of pending cases of sexual harassment and violent crimes registered against him, police said on Monday.
A video showing a mob surrounding a schoolboy and forcing him to urinate on a Pakistani flag in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, has prompted police to launch a probe and book three people. The incident has been condemned by the Samajwadi Party, which sees it as an attempt to incite communal discord. Police are investigating both this incident and a separate report of a fruit juice vendor's shop being ransacked.
People from the Hindu community blocked roads in Hojai during the day, alleging that some pieces of meat were thrown by miscreants on Saturday night, and while Muslims also held another roadblock and the police had to use batons to disperse protesters, a senior officer said.
Thanks to a close one's illness, I have seen quite a few hospital rooms in the past half a year or so. They have revived my respect for life reinterpreted via its essentials, notes Shyam G Menon.
The Supreme Court of India questioned whether former JNU student Sharjeel Imam can be prosecuted in multiple states for sedition based on a single speech. The court is considering a plea to club multiple FIRs filed against Imam in Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh for his alleged inflammatory remarks during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The court is concerned about the potential for double jeopardy and has indicated that it may transfer the cases to Delhi.
It's an action-packed week on OTT. Fasten your seat belts and check out these options from Sukanya Verma.
The West Bengal government has assured the Calcutta High Court that the law and order situation in violence-hit Murshidabad district is under control. The court was hearing a petition by the Leader of the Opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, who alleged bomb blasts during communal riots and sought an NIA investigation. The state government claims adequate steps have been taken to quell the violence, while the Centre has requested an extension of CAPF deployment in the district. The violence erupted during protests against the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Murshidabad, displacing several families. The state government has reported that some families have returned to their homes.
The Kerala police were the most sensitised to the rights of those arrested while that of Jharkhand and Gujarat the least.
The house of the BJP Minority Morcha's Manipur president, Asker Ali, was set on fire by a mob allegedly for supporting the Waqf Amendment Act. The incident happened at Lilong in Thoubal district on Sunday night. Ali had expressed his support for the Act on social media on Saturday. An irate mob gathered outside his residence around 9 pm, vandalised it and later set it on fire. Following the incident, Ali posted a video on social media, apologising for his earlier statement. He also expressed opposition to the Act.
At least three BSF personnel sustained bullet injuries after gunmen fired at security forces in Manipur's Thoubal district, police said on Thursday.
The protesters torched tyres and old furniture in the middle of the road in Kwakeithel and Uripok, demanding the release of the leader. The situation remained tense on Sunday morning.
The Supreme Court would likely hear on Wednesday a plea of Ashoka University's faculty Ali Khan Mahmudabad against his arrest for his social media posts over Operation Sindoor.
Government employees in Bangladesh locked down the main gate of the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka, protesting a new service law that allows for easier dismissal of officials for misconduct. The protest, which lasted for about half an hour, disrupted government operations. The employees also threatened to continue their protests until the ordinance was scrapped. Meanwhile, the protest by employees of the Dhaka South City Corporation, demanding the installation of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain as its mayor, has brought administrative services to a halt. These protests, coupled with concerns raised by the business community and the military, highlight a growing sense of unease in Bangladesh over the policies of the interim government.
A Delhi court reserved its order on the quantum of sentence against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a murder case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots for February 25. The complainant, whose husband and son were killed, sought the maximum punishment of death penalty for Kumar. The court on February 12 convicted Kumar for the offence and sought a report from Tihar jail on his psychiatric and psychological evaluation.
Protests against the Waqf Act turned violent in parts of West Bengal on Friday, with demonstrators setting ablaze vehicles, disrupting traffic and rail movement, and injuring several policemen. The unrest erupted in Suti, Murshidabad district, where protesters defied prohibitory orders, hurled stones at security personnel, and torched police vans and public buses during processions. Police responded with lathi charges and tear gas, while some officers were forced to seek refuge in a nearby mosque. Similar protests were held in Malda and Kolkata, prompting Governor C V Ananda Bose to direct the state government to take swift action against those responsible. The governor also contacted Union Home Minister Amit Shah and held discussions with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, which was recently passed by both houses of Parliament, aims to improve the management of Waqf properties, safeguarding heritage sites and promoting social welfare.
Minority Democratic Party (MDP) leader Fahim Khan has been arrested in connection with the violence that erupted in Nagpur on Monday after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) workers staged an agitation for the removal of Aurangzeb's tomb. Khan's name is mentioned in one of six FIRs registered so far, along with 50 others. Police are investigating whether Khan played any role in instigating the riots. Khan, along with eight others, had allegedly gathered outside a police station and submitted a memorandum against the VHP's protest. Subsequently, he went to another area where a large group of people from a minority community had gathered. Police are searching for those named in the FIRs and are investigating whether the accused had any role in planning the violence. The violence erupted amid rumors that a 'chadar' with holy inscriptions was burnt during the VHP's protest.
Two persons were beaten to death by a mob when they were trying to flee after gunning down an ex-army man in Bihar's Rohtas district, police said.
"The NIA categorically refuted allegations of mala fide in its Bhupatinagar blast case," an agency spokesperson said.
An eyewitness captured a video verified by Reuters showing a group of men running near Amsterdam central station, chasing and assaulting other men, as police sirens sounded.
The video purports to show the 22-year-old man, with his lower body stripped, tied to a bullock cart. Multiple men and women can be heard in the background, with some also being heard inciting a dog to attack him and others encouraging a thrashing. A voice can be heard saying, "Let it go, what if he dies?"
Protesters in West Bengal's Murshidabad district set fire to police vehicles and hurled stones during a demonstration against the Waqf (Amendment) Act. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon in the Jangipur area, where a large crowd had gathered demanding the withdrawal of the legislation. Police responded with lathi charges and tear gas to control the situation. Several people were detained and police personnel were injured in the stone-pelting. The West Bengal Police has said the situation is under control and strict action will be taken against those who resorted to violence.
Sajjan Kumar is currently lodged in Tihar jail.
Ghanashyampur Primary School in Dhulian, Murshidabad district, West Bengal, reopened on Wednesday after a six-day closure due to violence in the area. The school had been shut since Friday noon after violence erupted on April 11 during a protest against the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act in Parliament. Several houses and properties were ransacked and set ablaze by a mob, leading to fear and disruption in the locality. While some guardians are still hesitant to send their children to school, teachers are optimistic that attendance will increase in the coming days.
'What makes this tragedy even more painful is the attempt by some to weaponise it, to paint an entire community with the brush of guilt. This is not just irresponsible. It is dangerous.'
Action, romance, comedy, it's raining masala entertainment on OTT this week.
A Bangladeshi national, Azizul Nizanul Rahman, was arrested in Mumbai for staying illegally in India. Police are investigating if he was involved in the March 17 violence in Nagpur. Rahman, a daily wage labourer, admitted to obtaining an Aadhaar card using forged documents. Police are analyzing his mobile phone location and have shared information with Nagpur authorities.
The chief adviser's decision to stay in office came two days after he told student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders that he was mulling resignation as he felt "the situation is such that he cannot work", citing difficulties in working amid the failure of political parties to find common ground for change.
Before the violence and rioting that erupted in Nagpur on Monday, March 17, over Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb came provocative statements from various political leaders.
Ashoka Univeristy associate professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad has been arrested for his social media post on Operation Sindoor, police said in Sonipat on Sunday.
Sejal Shah's flatly-narrated timeline would probably serve better as a documentary, observes Sukanya Verma.
Other officers had to escape from the place without conducting the search to save their lives as the mob became "very violent" and even chased the officials so as to deter them from performing their official duty, it said.
The Shiv Sena, a ruling party in Maharashtra, has demanded the removal of the protected monument status from Aurangzeb's tomb in Khultabad. This demand comes after protests and calls for the tomb's demolition from organizations like the Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protects the tomb as a monument of national importance. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated that the state government will protect the tomb but will not allow the glorification of Aurangzeb.
Police used tear gas shells to disperse the mob as it was believed that it would target other properties.
Maharashtra Minister Yogesh Kadam said 54 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in Nagpur, India, while a search is underway for the mastermind. The violence, which injured 33 police personnel, was triggered by rumors about a chadar with holy inscriptions being burnt during protests by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
A group of rioters allegedly touched a woman constable inappropriately and tried to disrobe her during violence in Nagpur, sparked by protests against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb. The mob also hurled petrol bombs at the police. Authorities have arrested 51 rioters and filed 57 charges against them.
Former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar now faces a maximum of death penalty and a minimum of life term in prison after being convicted on Wednesday by a Delhi court in a murder case stemming from 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
Curfew was lifted from the remaining four areas of Nagpur in Maharashtra on Sunday, six days after violence rocked the city. The violence erupted on March 17 after rumors spread about a chadar with holy inscriptions being burnt during a protest led by the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal. The rumors were later found to be baseless.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the argument that a three-judge bench, rather than a two-judge bench, should hear appeals of convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case. The court found that the Gujarat High Court commuted the death penalty to life imprisonment, therefore not requiring a three-judge bench. The hearing of the appeals will continue on Wednesday, with the state government seeking restoration of the death sentences of 11 convicts.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has called the violence in Nagpur a premeditated conspiracy and said the mob had targeted specific houses and establishments. The violence erupted on Monday after a protest against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb's tomb, resulting in several houses and vehicles being vandalised. At least 12 police personnel, including three deputy commissioners of police, were injured in the violence, which erupted in central Nagpur. Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said those who attacked police personnel will not be spared.