Actor Mushtaq Khan, best known for his roles in films like Welcome and Stree 2, was allegedly kidnapped on the pretext of being invited to an event in Meerut, police said on Wednesday.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera called the order "state-sponsored bigotry".
Bypolls to 10 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh will be a litmus test for the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA)'s unity after the group's success in the recent Lok Sabha polls when they won more than 40 seats, significantly contributing to the Bharatiya Janata Party's failure to win a simple majority in parliament.
The radical raft of suggestions, which includes men not being allowed to take women's measurements and installing CCTV cameras, followed a meeting held on October 28.
Heads have started rolling over the violence in Muzaffarnagar with the Uttar Pradesh government today transferring top police officials, including Saharanpur DIG, SSP Muzaffarnagar and SP Shamli.
The Rajputs here held a 'mahapanchayat' and decided to boycott the Bharatiya Janata Party candidates in Muzaffarnagar, Kairana and Saharanpur Lok Sabha constituencies for allegedly neglecting the community while distributing party tickets, a leader said on Wednesday.
975 people have been arrested in connection with the violence in Muzaffarnagar, in which 40 people lost their lives, police said on Tuesday.
Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Kunwar Bhartendu Singh, accused of inciting last month riots in Muzaffarnagar, was on Thursday apprehended by the Uttar Pradesh police and sent to 14-day judicial custody.
Eight years since the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013, some 1,117 people accused in 97 cases related to murder, rape, robbery and arson among others connected to the violence have been acquitted over lack of evidence.
The SIT probing the Muzaffarnagar riots had found the involvement of 1550 accused in different cases. While 750 accused have been arrested so far, 800 are still absconding, Additional SP, SIT, Manoj Jha said.
Akhilesh said the alliance's decision was not informed by any seat-sharing math but its pursuit of victory.
Acting on complaints, the Election Commission on Wednesday ordered suspension of police personnel violating its guidelines on checking of voters and stopping them from casting votes in the Uttar Pradesh bypolls, officials said.
Four members of a gang have been arrested for kidnapping actor Mushtaq Mohammad Khan from the Delhi airport and holding him hostage in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh. The gang was also plotting to abduct veteran actor Shakti Kapoor on the pretext of inviting him to an event. The gang members were involved in abducting film stars by sending advance payments and air tickets under the guise of event invitations. Police recovered Rs 1.04 lakh from their possession and are investigating whether the gang was involved in the kidnapping of other film stars. In a related development, Arjun, one of the kidnappers involved in comedian Sunil Pal's abduction, was shot and injured during an encounter with police in Meerut. Arjun, who was arrested on Saturday, attempted to escape while being escorted for a medical checkup by snatching the pistol of a sub-inspector. The police team retaliated, and Arjun was shot and injured in the exchange of fire.
With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled for 2027, political experts are observing an increasing trend of temple-mosque disputes in the state, leading to heightened polarization. Recent bypolls saw the use of divisive slogans, and analysts believe this trend will intensify as the 2027 elections approach. The recent surge in claims about the existence of Hindu temples at the sites of mosques in various cities has fueled this polarization. The BJP-led government has been accused of promoting communal polarization, while opposition parties like the SP have criticized the ruling party's actions. The RSS chief has called for restraint in raising new temple-related disputes. Experts predict that communal polarization is likely to escalate in the coming days.
"The boy came from a marginalised background, could not pay the admission fees of Rs 17,500. He would have lost his admission had we not granted relief then. This is what has sustained me as a judge all these years," the CJI said.
The Supreme Court on Monday came to the rescue of a Dalit youth, who had lost his seat in IIT Dhanbad after missing the deadline to deposit a fee, by asking the institute to admit him to the BTech course.
The Samajwadi Party on Wednesday accused police personnel of deterring some people from casting votes in Uttar Pradesh where bypolls are underway, while the Bharatiya Janata Party alleged that the faces of some burqa-clad women voters are not matching with their IDs.
The politician, Rao Nadeem, who is also a property dealer, did not attribute any reason for selling off his property.
The Special Investigation Cell constituted by Uttar Pradesh government has begun its probe into the 106 cases registered in connection with Muzaffarnagar riots that left 49 people dead.
'Even if Akhilesh Yadav opens up the entire state treasury for us we will not vote for the Samajwadi Party... ''...I don't want to return to my village, my head will be chopped off. They want me to press the button on the lotus.' Caught between an aggressive BSP cornering Dalit votes and the BJP cornering other Hindu votes, the Muslims of Muzaffarnagar have nowhere to go, no one to turn to. Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt presents the grim situation on the ground in western Uttar Pradesh.
Kumar's parents failed to deposit Rs 17,500 as the acceptance fee by June 24, the deadline for depositing the requisite fees for blocking the seat.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government on a plea seeking transfer of probe into Muzaffarnagar clashes from state police to any independent agency.
Uttar Pradesh on Monday was on the edge struggling to contain communal flare-up as the death toll in Muzaffarnagar rose to 31 and violence spread to neighbouring Shamli and other districts even as curfew remained in force and army staged flag marches for the second consecutive day.
A Muslim man used to work on the tandoor at my restaurant. But due to this issue, I asked him to leave. Because people can make an issue over it. We don't want such trouble here
Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Legislative Assembly Sangeet Som, accused of uploading a fake video that played a role in provoking communal tension in Muzaffarnagar and making inflammatory speeches, was arrested on Saturday.
Union minister Sanjeev Baliyan and BJP MLA Suresh on Friday surrendered in a court in Muzaffarnagar after a warrant was issued against them.
Rongali, who had won a silver in the Asian Para Games last year in China, produced a personal best of 10.63m but that was enough for a fifth-place finish in a top-class field.
Factories, shops closed for four days; list of dead now 38.
The Manmohan Singh government has agreed to provide 2,800 additional paramilitary personnel to contain the unabated tension that continues to prevail in and around the riot-torn Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh where 32 persons were killed in the 48-hour-long communal violence that broke out on Saturday.
The Centre on Tuesday said there is no link between Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence and Muslim youth, who were victims of Muzaffarnagar riots, but agreed with Delhi police's statement that two suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba operatives had met two persons in the area.
With normalcy returning to riot-hit areas of the district, curfew was relaxed for seven hours on Thursday.
The Uttar Pradesh government has sanctioned an additional amount of Rs 3.28 crore for providing relief to riot victims, district authorities said in Muzaffarnagar on Friday.
The accused were allegedly trying to flee to Nepal, which shares a border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, the officer said.
Uttar Pradesh government has informed the Supreme Court that over 41,000 persons, out of 50,955 who had taken shelter in 58 relief camps in riots-hit Muzaffarnagar area, have gone back to their native places.
With tension running high in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar, the Centre on Monday offered to provide additional paramilitary forces to Uttar Pradesh to assist the local administration in dealing with the situation.
With the situation showing improvement, curfew was relaxed for five hours on Wednesday in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar while Baghpat witnessed a communal clash leaving a constable injured.
Curfew remained in force in riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar on Tuesday with the army patrolling troubled places as the death toll in the clashes in the district and adjoining towns rose to 38.
Attempting damage control, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday described the last year's riots in Muzzafarnagar as "unfortunate" and said his government took immediate steps to check them and there was no delay in calling the army.
Alleging that communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring areas was a political conspiracy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said it was an attempt to defame and destabilise his government.
A fresh bailable warrant has been issued by a court in Muzaffarnagar against Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan and Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Legislative Assembly Suresh Rana in connection with a case of violating prohibitory orders and inciting communal tension during the riots in 2013.
