The Karnataka cabinet has rejected the clemency plea of Shubha Shankar, who is serving life imprisonment for the 2003 murder of her fiancee, Girish. The cabinet also decided to challenge the High Court's ruling on enhanced reservation quotas for SCs and STs in the Supreme Court.
Senior BJP leader R Ashoka has accused the Karnataka Congress government of a Rs 14.95 crore fraud in the Dr B R Ambedkar Development Corporation, following a previous alleged scam in the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Ashoka cited an ED press release detailing the siphoning of funds through fake accounts and forged documents, demanding accountability from the Congress leadership.
Suspected militants attacked Chassad village in Manipur's Kamjong district on Saturday, resulting in one death and four injuries. The incident involved an exchange of fire between the militants and a local armed group, with the gunfight reportedly ongoing. This attack adds to the ongoing violence between Kuki and Naga tribes in the state since February.
This week's OTT releases offer a diverse selection, from the Tamil drama Dorothy to the live-action Moana, alongside Telugu thrillers, Korean cooking shows, and Hindi biopics, ensuring there's something for every viewer.
A Class XI Dalit student in Coimbatore allegedly died by suicide after facing caste-based harassment and bullying from classmates over his caste and food choices, including beef. Police have registered cases against the principal, a teacher, and two classmates for abetment of suicide and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, with the class teacher already arrested.
A court in Kaushambi has sentenced four men to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1.31 lakh each for the 2009 kidnapping and murder of a Dalit woman. The verdict was delivered after examining evidence and witness statements in a case registered under various IPC sections and the SC/ST Act.
Police in Pathanamthitta, Kerala, have arrested the mother of an eight-month-old girl, Manju, nearly three years after the infant was allegedly killed by a man who became angry when she cried. The baby's body was dumped in a marsh in August 2023, and two other accused, Sivan and Shakthi, are currently being sought.
A Class XI Dalit student in Coimbatore died by suicide on October 21, allegedly due to caste-based harassment and bullying by classmates over his caste and food choices, including beef. Police have registered cases against the principal, a teacher, and two classmates, with the teacher already arrested. The incident has led to protests and calls from political leaders for stringent action and measures to eliminate caste discrimination in schools.
The Surguja district administration has challenged a subordinate court's order granting bail to an accused in a case involving the alleged illegal transfer of tribal land. Collector Ajeet Vasant wrote to the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Ambikapur, alleging that the bail was granted without hearing the prosecution and that the case falls under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, requiring a Special Court. The accused, Azad Iraqi, is implicated in fabricating documents to mutate tribal land into his name.
Delhi recorded four cases of 'crimes and atrocities against Scheduled Tribes (STs)' in 2024, up from two reported in 2023, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data.
The Supreme Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation challenging the constitutional validity of the 2018 amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The amendment had restored restrictions on anticipatory bail and removed requirements for preliminary inquiry and prior approval before arrest. The court cited its 2020 verdict which had already upheld these amended provisions, rejecting arguments about potential misuse and "reverse discrimination."
The Assam Assembly has passed the Uniform Civil Code Bill, aiming to establish a common legal framework for marriage, divorce, succession, and live-in relationships, irrespective of religion. This makes Assam the third state in India to pass such a bill, following Uttarakhand and Gujarat.
Uttarakhand Minister Rekha Arya has vehemently denied corruption allegations made by her husband, Girdhari Lal Sahu, calling them "100 per cent baseless." Sahu accused her of possessing illegal assets worth Rs 210 crore after Arya filed a complaint against him for domestic violence, harassment, and caste-based slurs. Arya asserted her life is transparent and welcomed any investigation, while also defending her decision to speak out against domestic violence.
Police in Surat have arrested a third resident doctor, Anuj Maheshwari, in connection with the alleged ragging and harassment of a first-year postgraduate medical student, Harsh Pandya, who died by suicide in August. Two other doctors, Dikshita Ghewaria and Hina Bhut, were arrested earlier. The accused face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the SC/ST Act, based on an anti-ragging committee report which found evidence of mental harassment and humiliation.
The Jammu and Kashmir Crime Branch has filed a chargesheet against 15 individuals in the Kishtwar minor's rape and death case. The chargesheet alleges a criminal conspiracy to conceal the sexual assault, intimidate the victim's family, and illegally terminate her advanced pregnancy. The 15-year-old tribal girl died on August 20 following an alleged abortion attempt after being repeatedly sexually assaulted by a teacher, resulting in pregnancy. Accused include the main perpetrator, health workers, and community elders involved in the cover-up and pressure tactics.
The Supreme Court has refused to entertain the Centre's plea challenging the Calcutta High Court's decision to uphold the maintainability of Public Interest Litigations (PILs) against the Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project. The PILs allege violations of the Forest Rights Act and impact on Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups. The apex court directed the High Court to proceed with hearing all related petitions.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the withdrawal of all cases against the Kurmi community filed by the previous TMC government. He also pledged to include Kurmali and Rajbanshi languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and reactivate the Kurmi Development Board, allocating Rs 50 crore for community development.
Police in Surat have arrested two senior resident doctors, Dikshita Ghewaria and Hina Bhut, in connection with the suicide of first-year PG medical student Harsh Pandya. The doctors are accused of systemic harassment and ragging Pandya and nine other first-year students, leading to Pandya's death by suicide on August 9. Two other accused are still at large.
Nine people have been killed in fresh clashes between two communities in Manipur's hill districts of Kamjong, Ukhrul, and Kangpokpi. Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh has appealed for peace and restraint, and additional security forces have been deployed. The violence began on Friday night with the killing of a woman, leading to further attacks and exchanges of fire. This comes after earlier ethnic violence in the state that killed over 300 people.
The Allahabad High Court has ruled that the SC/ST Act cannot be invoked merely because a complainant belongs to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe. Justice Santosh Rai observed that specific ingredients of the offence must be present, quashing proceedings under the Act in a property dispute where no caste-based abuse occurred.
Thirteen children from the Baiga tribe were rescued from bonded labour in Chhattisgarh's Kabirdham district. Eight people have been arrested, including two alleged traffickers and six employers.
In a shocking incident from Gujarat's Surendranagar, a woman was forced by her husband and others to undergo a 'punishment-cum-purification ritual' involving sexual assault by her live-in partner. Police revealed the husband had previously chained her to prevent her from fleeing. Ten people, including the husband and the woman's stepson who uploaded a video of the incident, have been arrested. The accused claimed this was a 'common practice' in their community for eloping women.
The Paradise is a mind-numbingly senseless, hellish cycle of violence, gore, and torture porn that makes you question if everyone involved in the film harbours some sort of bloodlust, complains Sreeju Sudhakaran
The Delhi High Court has refused anticipatory bail to YouTuber Ajeet Bharti in a case involving alleged casteist remarks against Nagina MP Chandrashekhar Azad, citing a statutory bar under the SC/ST Act.
The Supreme Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the trial court to ensure the appearance and examination of two crucial victim-witnesses in a Manipur sexual violence case. This order comes amidst the CBI's plea to cancel the bail of two accused, citing concerns over witness intimidation. The court emphasized the authorities' obligation to provide witness protection and set specific dates for the witnesses to depose, as part of its ongoing monitoring of cases related to the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur.
Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam informed the assembly that 306 people have been killed and 49 are still missing in the ethnic violence that began in May 2023. The conflict between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities, sparked by a protest over Scheduled Tribes status, led to President's rule and subsequent political changes in the state.
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka assembly R Ashoka on Sunday announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally Janata Dal-Secular would lay siege to Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on August 24 seeking the removal of planning and statistics minister B Nagendra from the cabinet.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court's Indore bench has quashed an order by a municipal officer that altered a young woman's date of birth, citing a violation of natural justice. The case involves an interfaith marriage and allegations of 'love jihad', where the woman's father sought to prove her a minor by changing her birth record, leading to an FIR against her husband. The court directed the Chief Municipal Officer of Maheshwar to reconsider the application after giving the woman an opportunity to be heard.
The father of an IIT Bombay student who died by suicide has alleged that his son faced relentless caste-based mocking and torture from a professor and the administration. A police complaint has been filed, and an FIR registered against a professor for abetment of suicide and under the SC/ST Act. IIT Bombay has removed a Dean from his post following the allegations.
Yezhu Kadal Yezhu Malai has the makings of a fascinating existential fable, but Ram's surreal experiment gets lost in its own muddled storytelling.
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As Nani gears up for the ambitious The Paradise, we look back at his most memorable performances, from a vengeful housefly to a fiery revolutionary and to a Saturday-only action hero.
The Crime Branch has taken over the investigation into the alleged suicide of a 22-year-old IIT Bombay student, Sahil Ravindra Wakode. Wakode was found dead after being caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during an exam. His parents have filed a complaint alleging institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination, leading to a protest by students. A professor has been named as an accused, and the Crime Branch is expected to summon them for questioning. This marks the third suicide at IIT Bombay in seven months.
Students at IIT Bombay are demanding 'meaningful institutional reforms' and greater accountability following the death of Sahil Wakode, a second-year B Tech student. While condemning academic misconduct, students highlight systemic issues and have submitted a comprehensive set of demands to the Director, who has agreed to implement them. The protest also addresses the removal of Dean Suryanarayana Doolla during an investigation into alleged abetment to suicide and caste discrimination, emphasising the need for an independent probe.
Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar confirmed that Minister B Nagendra has offered to resign to avoid embarrassing the Congress party and the government, despite Shivakumar's insistence on Nagendra's innocence in the alleged Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation scam. The Chief Minister stated he would consult the party high command before making a final decision.
The Supreme Court has expressed shock over numerous deaths, including unnatural ones, in relief camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Manipur. It directed the state's chief secretary to explain steps taken for investigation, criminal proceedings, and ensuring safety, questioning low compensation and incomplete post-mortems. The court also sought a report from MSLSA and urged expeditious trials in violence-related cases.
IIT Bombay has removed Suryanarayana Doolla, Dean of Administrative Affairs, from his post and issued a public apology following the death by suicide of 22-year-old student Sahil Wakode, who his parents allege faced caste-based discrimination.
Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party, used a satirical "resignation" letter to criticise the Mohan Yadav government in Madhya Pradesh over the deaths of over 30 tribal children in Balaghat district. His letter, addressed to the Governor, highlighted failures in compensation, basic amenities like water and education, and tribal welfare, questioning the government's accountability. The issue has also drawn the attention of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, which sought responses from state departments regarding the alleged deaths due to infectious diseases and inadequate facilities.
An FIR has been registered in Haldwani against unknown persons following an alleged "purification ceremony" at Ramlila Maidan after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's public meeting. The complaint, filed by Congress leader Anju Arya, alleges caste discrimination and social humiliation. The Uttarakhand High Court has been assured of an investigation, and Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallu Ravi, have demanded action, with Ravi filing a separate complaint in Delhi.
Self-proclaimed Hindutva influencer Swatantra Bhardwaj was questioned by Delhi Police during his remand in connection with an alleged assault on a student activist's father at Jantar Mantar. Bhardwaj, who showed no remorse, was confronted with his viral videos. The case now includes charges under the SC/ST Act and POCSO Act, following outrage and further complaints.
