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Sex with minors an offence even after a valid marriage, Kerala High Court refuses to exclude Muslim personal law from POCSO Act

OpIndia Staff
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Sex with minors an offence even after a valid marriage, Kerala High Court refuses to exclude Muslim personal law from POCSO Act

On November 19, Kerala High Court ruled that a marriage between Muslims under personal law cannot be excluded from the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Justice Bechu Kurain Thomas said if one of the partners in the marriage is a minor, offences under POCSO Act will apply. The validity of the marriage would not be considered in such cases.

Notably, Punjab and Haryana High Courts, Delhi High Court and Gujarat High Court had ruled differently from what Kerala High Court ruled. The three state High Courts had favoured personal law above POCSO. However, on October 30, Karnataka High Court ruled POCSO would override personal law.

Justice Thomas said, “With respect to the learned Judges, I am unable to agree to the proposition laid down in those decisions that an offence under the POCSO Act will not get attracted against a Muslim marrying a minor.”

The court was hearing a bail plea moved by a 31-year-old Muslim man accused of kidnapping and raping a minor. He claimed to have gotten married to the minor as per Muslim personal law in March 2021. Thiruvalla Police Station booked the accused under sections 366, 376(2) (m) and 376(3) of the Indian Penal Code and under sections 5(j)((ii), 5(i) and section 6 of the POCSO Act.

The FIR in the matter was registered based on intimation received by a doctor of a health care centre where the victim had gone for a checkup for her pregnancy. The accused allegedly abducted the minor from West Bengal and “committed repeated penetrative sexual assaults during the period before 31.08.2022, due to which the victim became pregnant and thereby, the accused committed the alleged offences.”

The accused’s counsel argued that as Muslim personal law allows the marriage of girls below the age of 18, he cannot be prosecuted for rape of provisions under the POCSO Act. On the contrary, the state argued POCSO Act would override personal law.

Justice Thomas said, though, as per The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, all questions related to marriage would be divided as per the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) after the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 came to force, “It is questionable whether the said personal law will prevail over the special statute relating to marriages. Under section 3 of the said Act, a child marriage shall be voidable at the option of the contracting party, who is a child. But section 12 makes a child marriage void in certain circumstances.”

The court noted that the investigation officer alleged the accused enticed the victim without the knowledge of her parents. At that time, the victim was only just over 14 years. The validity of the marriage was also put under scanner by the court.

The court ruled, “However, the petitioner is arrested for the offences under the POCSO Act as well as the IPC. The POCSO Act is a special statute enacted specifically for the protection of children from sexual offences. Sexual exploitation of every nature against a child is treated as an offence. Marriage is not excluded from the sweep of the statute.”

The court further added that Section 42A of the POCSO act categorically says that if there are inconsistencies with provisions of any other law, the POCSO Act will override other laws.

Multiple courts stated that Muslim girls could marry at the age of 15

The Kerala High Court’s judgement saying POCSO oversides Personal Law is significant because, in the past, several High Courts have ruled that marriage of Muslim girls above 15 years of age or those who have attained puberty is legal as per Muslim Personal Law, which is based on Sharia Law.

In a recent judgement, the Punjab and Haryana High Court said that a Muslim female aged 15 years and above can legally marry a person of her choice with her own consent and willingness. On October 28, Punjab and Haryana Court reaffirmed that a Muslim girl who reaches the age of 15 can marry whoever she wants, and such a marriage would not violate the Prohibition of Child Marriage (PCM) Act. Notably, according to the personal laws in Islam (Sharia), the age of attaining puberty is 15.

The High Court also reassured that Muslim girls will continue to be governed by Islamic personal laws. The Court had added that such a marriage would not contradict the terms of Section 12 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006.

However, the Supreme Court will be examining the matter on the petition filed by the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), challenging the said judgement.

In June 2012, Delhi High Court had said in a judgment that a Muslim girl could marry a person of her choice at the age of 15 if she had attained puberty.

In December 2014, Gujarat High Court said that the marriageable age of Muslim girls was 15 years and above.

In December 2021, Punjab and Haryana Court had asked the authorities to provide protection to a 17-year-old girl who had gotten married to a 33-year-old Muslim man suggesting that as per Islamic law, a girl above the age of 15 can marry a person of her choice.

Khargone riots: Minor sent a notice of liability of Rs 2.9 lakhs for damaging property, media rushes in to save accused labelling him ‘sleeping child’

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Khargone riots: Minor sent a notice of liability of Rs 2.9 lakhs for damaging property, media rushes in to save accused labelling him ‘sleeping child’

On April 10, 2022, riots erupted in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, after Hindus were attacked by Islamic extremists on Ram Navami. The violence not only targeted Hindu houses and businesses, but also police officers. Rioters had shot the district’s SP, and the blame for the rioting was ingeniously thrown on Nupur Sharma’s remarks on the Islamic prophet.

To analyse the damage caused by the violence, the government formed a tribunal led by a retired judge. The government established this tribunal under the ‘Prevention and Recovery of Damage to Public Property Act.’ Several senior former top officers, including retired IAS, are members of the panel.

This tribunal sent several of the offenders notices of damages and penalties in accordance with the investigation’s conclusions. A certain media section made an effort to turn one of those notices into a point of disagreement in those letters. This notice was delivered to a 12-year-old juvenile. The minor child is from the Muslim community, and his father’s name is Kalu Khan.

The panel has imposed a Rs 2.9 lakh fine on him. The tribunal believes that the accused 12-year-old juvenile was actively involved in violence and caused property damage. The panel has also ordered Kalu Khan to pay Rs 4.8 lakh since the tribunal thinks both father and son were complicit in the attack.

12-year-old hits headlines

The 12-year-old entered the media spotlight shortly after the notice was published. Numerous accounts refer to the alleged violent perpetrator as a “child.”

Media coverage on notice after Khargone incident

With headlines like “sleeping kid,” institutions like The Wire and Maktoob Media also entered the fray.

The media somehow tried to save the rioters

High Court rejected the demand for cancellation of notices

Media reports refer to Prabhat Parisar, a member of the tribunal. He stated that children or minors are protected from prosecution in criminal instances, but the issue of compensation is civil, not criminal. According to Parashar, the accused’s lawyer, Bashar Ali, is yet to provide any rationale or proof to support his innocence. According to this report, Bashar Ali went to the Indore High Court to have the notice dismissed, but the High Court asked him to state his case before the tribunal.

The ADM of Khargone told OpIndia that the damage assessment and recovery are being handled by the tribunal. He stated that the chairman of the recently established tribunal is a retired judge, not an administrative person. This tribunal, according to ADM, is acting on the basis of substantial evidence.

Action is being taken on the complaint of victims, not the administration

OpIndia met with a member of the tribunal formed to probe the Khargone riots. The member has been a former senior bureaucrat. He informed us that the notice being reported in the media is the initial notice and that it has not been pronounced as a final judgement. In addition, the member stated that the compensation notice, which was also issued, was issued on the complaint of a victim of violence rather than by the tribunal or any administrative official.

According to the tribunal member, by giving the notice, the accused have been given the chance and time to defend their case. He stated that if it is interpreted as an instruction to deposit money quickly, it is incorrect. According to the tribunal member, the family of the 12-year-old accused have presented their case to the tribunal, which will make a final judgement shortly alongside other members.

Responsibility of next to the kin in compensating for loss on exemption in criminal cases

The tribunal member, who did not want to be identified, went on to say that while the law grants minors immunity in criminal trials, it is also important to pay for the damage done. He informed us that the minor’s relatives had also been notified at the same time. Some children, according to the member, had actively joined in the violence. Finally, we were informed that no one was being treated unfairly and that the tribunal’s processes were fair.

Vivek, the leader of Khargone’s VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), spoke to OpIndia. Vivek told us that not only the riot victims but also the majority community of Khargone, are impressed with the tribunal’s and administration’s actions. Concerning minors, Vivek informed us that many juveniles were participating in the violence that targeted Hindu houses and businesses. The VHP leader also anticipated that the administration will continue the action equitably and without any pressure.

Minors looted shops

Raju alias Rajesh Taylor informed us that his shop was looted and torched during the Khargone violence and that he was robbed of roughly Rs 25 lakh. Rajesh went on to say that several of the perpetrators of the theft were children, whose faces were also recorded on CCTV. Rajesh, who fully supports the recovery action against the offenders, stated that owing to the tribunal’s and administration’s action, he has gotten around two and a half lakh (2.5 lakh) rupees out of his entire loss so far.

Rajesh has sent us video evidence and pictures of the violence to back up his accusations. Some youngsters can be seen actively participating in the violence, with stones evident in their hands, in the video.

A minor with a stone in his hands.

However, while criticising the administration’s assistance as inadequate, Rajesh informed us that he is doing everything he can to resurrect his ruined enterprise.

Arvind Kejriwal supporter threatens to kill Kumar Vishwas for criticising the Delhi CM and praising Lord Ram ‘too much’, arrested from Indore

OpIndia Staff
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Arvind Kejriwal supporter threatens to kill Kumar Vishwas for criticising the Delhi CM and praising Lord Ram ‘too much’, arrested from Indore

A man named Lokesh Shukla from Indore has been arrested for sending death threats to poet and former AAP leader Dr. Kumar Vishwas through emails. Shukla swore in the name of Shaheed Udham Singh that he will kill Dr. Vishwas for criticising Arvind Kejriwal and praising Lord Ram ‘too much’. Shukla is a supporter of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and he had sent several emails to Kumar Vishwas with the threats.

Ghaziabad City-2 SP Gyanendra Kumar Singh said that accused Lokesh Shukla was arrested at 3 AM from his house in Sudama Nahar in Indore in Madhya Pradesh by a police team from Indirapuram. Lokesh is also a poet. During questioning, he said that he was angry because Kumar Vishwas continues to criticise Arvind Kejriwal through public comments and poetry. He was also angry because Kumar Vishwas was showing too much devotion towards Lord Ram.

Indirapuram police station in-charge Devpal Singh Pundir said that Lokesh Shukla had sent the first threatening mail to Kavi Kumar Vishwas on 23 October. After this, for the next four-five days, he sent several threatening emails to the poet, swearing in the name of Shaheed Udham Singh that he will kill him.

After receiving a series of such emails, Kumar Vishwas’ office took the matter seriously and decided to approach the police. Accordingly, a complaint in this regard was filed at the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad on 20th November 2022.

Informing about the complaint filed, Kumar Vishwas said in a Twitter post, “Now he and his accomplices don’t like me glorifying my Raghavendra Sarkar Lord Ram. They say “they’ll kill me.” All this is fine but tell your men not to abuse Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram. Do your work or else remember that the dynasty of Ravana is not left, then who are you Lavanasur?”. Although not named, Vishwas was referring to Arvind Kejriwal bby ‘he’.

Attached with this tweet is the complaint letter submitted by the former AAP leader’s manager to the officer of the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad. The letter mentions, “I, Praveen Pandey, am the manager of Dr. Kumar Vishwas. For the past few days, a person is continuously threatening Dr. Kumar Vishwas through e-mail. The e-mailer has given a warning in this email not to glorify Lord Ram, giving very derogatory, dirty, and obscene abuses to Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram.”

It is further mentioned in this letter, “The person who threatened has also warned Dr. Kumar Vishwas not to comment on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, describing him as better than Kumar Vishwas (Arvind Kejriwal is better, did good to the poor, made government schools better, etc.). In his recent mail, the person threatening Dr. Kumar Vishwas openly said I swear on Shaheed Udham Singh that I will kill you.”

The complaint letter concluded by saying, “Kumar Vishwas’s office has also informed the security agency provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs about the whole incident and mail. Since he frequently travels across the country for public events, all the emails are being made available to you with this letter for security and information purposes. Please take serious note of this whole episode.”

It is notable that poet Dr. Kumar Vishwas has grown differences with his former colleague and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over the past few years. He had criticized the AAP convenor during the Punjab assembly elections in February 2022. He is known for his performances in various literature festivals where he recites poetry and his uniquely designed show Apne Apne Ram in which he describes and explains various facets of the life of Lord Ram.

Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2 records solid growth on weekend, rakes in Rs 21 crore on day 2

OpIndia Staff
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Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2 records solid growth on weekend, rakes in Rs 21 crore on day 2

Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2 is creating a lot of buzz among the audience. The film has managed to strike a chord with the audience giving the film a flying start at the box office. Other than Ajay Devgn, the film has Tabu, Akshaye Khanna, and Shriya Saran in the lead roles. 

The film earned Rs 15 crore nett on Day 1 and saw a massive 40 percent increase on Day 2 for a total of Rs 36 crore nett. The crime thriller is getting excellent word of mouth resulting in increased footfall. Drishyam 2 capitalized on the strong brand value created by the first installment. The first part was a hit at the box office, and it also did extremely well on satellite television and digital platforms.

In less than two days, Drishyam 2 has surpassed the lifetime collections of the two other Ajay Devgn films released in 2022, Runway 34 and Thank God. The interesting tidbit is that Runway 34 and Thank God were released during Eid and Diwali, respectively, whereas Drishyam 2 was released on a non-holiday weekend, with little help in terms of music and promotion costs.

Notably, the film is faring well overseas as well. Drishyam 2 has crossed the 1.5 million dollar mark from overseas in two days and is on its way to a weekend in excess of 2.5 million dollars. These figures are excellent for an Ajay Devgn film, and based on word of mouth, a lifetime total of more than $5 million from overseas is almost certain.

Noted film critic Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to inform about the film’s ‘remarkable run’ and wrote, “All estimations and calculations go for a toss… #Drishyam2 is SENSATIONAL on Day 2… East. West. North. South. The REMARKABLE RUN continues PAN-#India… Multiplexes superb, mass pockets join the party… Fri 15.38 cr, Sat 21.59 cr. Total: ₹ 36.97 cr. #India biz.”

About Drishyam 2 

The film is a sequel to Ajay Devgn‘s 2015 crime thriller “Drishyam,” which was a Hindi remake of the Malayalam film of the same name starring Mohanlal. The Malayalam film’s sequel was released in February of last year.

The story revolves around a family of four who see their lives thrown into turmoil after an unfortunate incident with their elder daughter (played by Ishita Dutta). As Meera (Tabu) has yet not come to terms with the death of her son, the case is reopened and investigated by IG Tarun Ahlawat played by actor Akshaye Khanna. The captivating plot and excellent performances by the actors keep the audience on the edge of their seats. It will be interesting to see if the film manages to maintain the box office momentum.

Qatar 2022: The controversial World Cup finally kicks off as the host nation makes its tournament debut against Ecuador

OpIndia Staff
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Qatar 2022: The controversial World Cup finally kicks off as the host nation makes its tournament debut against Ecuador

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which has attracted more controversy than any other edition of the tournament, finally kicks off today as the host nation face off against Ecuador. The match will start at 9:30 PM IST. The match is being held at Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor, one of the 8 brand new stadiums constructed for the mega event.

This is the tournament debut for Qatar which has qualified for the World Cup for the first time because of being the host of this edition. Ecuador will be making their 4th appearance at Football’s showpiece event having made their first appearance in 2002. The two teams are part of Group A with Netherlands and African champions Senegal being the other two teams in the group.

The host nation Qatar will be hoping that the action on the pitch will finally get people to focus on football instead of the various controversies that have been talked about in the lead-up to the tournament. Ever since the tournament was awarded to Qatar in December 2010, questions have been raised over the suitability of the gulf nation as a venue for the event with the voices becoming really loud in the weeks before the tournament.

Criticism of Qatar’s human rights record

Qatar’s treatment of the migrant workers, who make up the bulk of the population in the country, has come under the scanner ever since they were awarded the tournament. The country has seen an infrastructure boom in the last 12 years with the projects linked to World Cup alone seeing a $200 Billion expenditure. However, the workers who have toiled hard to build these stadiums have had to endure terrible working conditions.

Thousands have died during the construction of the new stadiums and the related infrastructure due to poor working conditions. Qatar on its part has denied any human rights abuse and has claimed that working conditions have improved in the country.

Allegations of bribery and corruption on Qatar to get the hosting rights

The world was left shocked in 2010 when FIFA awarded Qatar the rights to host the 2022 edition of the World Cup, a decision since described by the then FIFA President Sepp Blatter as a mistake. There were various allegations of bribery leveled against Qatar and claims were made of widespread corruption in FIFA.

The country was awarded a summer world cup despite the temperatures reaching 50 degrees celsius in the summer, eventually forcing FIFA to switch the tournament to winter for the first time. The wisdom to award the tournament to a country with little football pedigree or interest was also questioned.

Qatar will be hoping that the quality of football will finally make everyone forget about all these issues and they can make the tournament a success.

Bengali actress Aindrila Sharma passes away at the age of 24 after suffering cardiac arrest

OpIndia Staff
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Bengali actress Aindrila Sharma passes away at the age of 24 after suffering cardiac arrest

Aindrila Sharma, a Bengali actress who was on life support after having numerous cardiac arrests on Tuesday, died on Sunday (November 20) at a hospital in Kolkata. On November 1, Aindrila was brought to the hospital after having a brain stroke.

She developed an intracranial haemorrhage and required surgery for a left frontotemporoparietal decompressive craniotomy. On November 14, the actor suffered multiple cardiac arrests, which worsened her condition. On November 20, Aindrila passed away at the hospital at 12.59 PM, at the age of 24. Aindrila had previously been treated for Ewing’s sarcoma with surgery and chemoradiation.

Cancer survivor Aindrila Sharma was born and raised in Berhampore, West Bengal. Aindrila Sharma recently played Anirban Chakraborti’s daughter in the Zee Bangla Cinema original movie “Bhole Baba Par Karega.”

She played the lead in “Jibon Jyoti” and “And Jiyon Kathi,” among other OTT productions. She made her television debut in the Sabyasachi Chowdhury-starrer show “Jhumur.” She was dating Sabyasachi Chowdhury, according to media reports.

Sabyasachi Chowdhury had earlier taken to social media to ask fans to pray for her. “I never thought that I would write this here. However, today is the day. Pray for Aindrila. Pray for a miracle. Pray for the supernatural. She is fighting against all odds, beyond human,” he wrote.

In the past, the number of persons dying from heart attacks and cardiac arrests has increased. Notably, renowned TV actor Siddhaanth Vir Surryavanshi died on November 11. The actor fainted at the gym while working out. Puneeth Rajkumar, a prominent Kannada actor, died on October 29, 2021, in Bengaluru, from a major heart attack.

Similarly, on September 2, 2021, television star Sidharth Shukla died of a heart attack in Mumbai. He rose to prominence through his roles in serials such as Balika Vadhu and as the winner of the reality show Bigg Boss 13.

“They will use ‘Hindu khatre mai hain’ during elections. Lord Ram is everyone’s, not just of Hindus”: Farooq Abdullah in Jammu

OpIndia Staff
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“They will use ‘Hindu khatre mai hain’ during elections. Lord Ram is everyone’s, not just of Hindus”: Farooq Abdullah in Jammu

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and MP Farooq Abdullah said that Lord Ram belongs to everyone. Farooq Abdullah added that some people call Lord Ram just their own, but he is the God of the world. Farooq Abdullah said this while addressing an event in Akhnoor, Jammu, on 19th November 2022, while launching an attack on BJP, saying that the party alleges attacks on Hindus during elections.

“They will use ‘Hindu khatre mai hain‘ (Hindus are in danger) a lot during the elections… but I request you to not fall prey to it”, Farooq Abdullah said without naming BJP. He said that no religion is bad, and it is humans who are corrupt, not a religion.

Farooq Abdullah said, “I would like to request you all, especially the mothers and sisters here, to understand that today there is no fight of temple and mosque. I want to tell them, who assume that Lord Ram is just theirs, that Lord Ram is the God of the whole world. He is not just the Lord of Hindus but he is the God of all including those who don’t believe in any God.”

Farooq Abdullah further said, “We call Allah Rab-ul-Alamin which means that he is the God of all. Those who believe, believe. those who don’t, don’t. But I want to tell this thing to them, who simply sit and say that Ram is only ours, that Ram is not just yours, but he is of all. So, when Ram is for all, then we must understand that we should walk together. We should strengthen not only ourselves but also our faith. We will be ruined if we step back from our faith.”

Farooq Abdullah added, “Teach religion to kids properly. No religion teaches us to commit theft or rape. All they ask us to do is to walk on the correct path. You take any religious book including Guru Granth Sahib of Guru Nanak Dev. See how he talks of unity in that book. No religion is bad. Humans are bad. If I learn my religion and understand it, I will not see other religions to be bad. If I don’t know my own religion then how can I know the other religions? I appeal to you all. They will use this in the elections and they will tell you that Hindus are in danger. Who is in danger? There is 70 to 80 percent of Hindus in the country. Why should they be afraid? Fear those who try to create dangers in society. Choose the proper path. Ask the almighty to show us the proper path. Because he is the one who guides. And in the end, we all go to him however long we live. This life is very short even if someone lives for two hundred years.”

During this, Farooq Abdullah also said that he will contest the next assembly elections, no matter when the elections are held. At the same time, he said that unless the central government rules the hearts of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, peace will not be restored in the state. Farooq Abdullah also said that his party never sided with Pakistan.

Farooq Abdullah stepped down from the post of president of National Conference on Friday. Following his surprise decision, the party has stared the process to elect a new leader.

‘With which face would Congress leaders seek votes in Gujarat?’ PM Modi slams Rahul Gandhi after Medha Patkar joined Bharat Jodo Yatra

OpIndia Staff
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‘With which face would Congress leaders seek votes in Gujarat?’ PM Modi slams Rahul Gandhi after Medha Patkar joined Bharat Jodo Yatra

On 20th November 2022, PM Modi addressed a public meeting in the Dhoraji town of the Rajkot district in Gujarat as he campaigned for the assembly elections of Gujarat. In his speech at this public meeting, PM Modi lashed out at the Congress leaders and so-called social workers who delayed the Narmada project that has brought water to the households in the drought-hit areas of Kutch and Kathiawad in Gujarat. PM Modi’s comments came after Medha Patkar, who led the movement opposing the Narmada Project and delayed it for decades, joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Rahul Gandhi.

In his 30-minute speech, PM Modi spoke at length about the water revolution that took place in Gujarat during his tenure as the chief minister first and the prime minister later and how it was achieved with the spirit of people’s power. At the same time, PM Modi did not forget to slam those responsible for delaying the projects related to this revolution for more than three decades.

Mentioning the photograph of Rahul Gandhi and Medha Patkar that went viral a day before the Dhoraji public meeting, PM Modi reminded the people of Gujarat to remember the ones who caused the unpardonable delay in the development works and defamed Gujarat on the global diaspora.

PM Modi said, “There has been so much delay in the Narmada project. Pandit Nehru laid the foundation stone of the Sardar Sarovar Dam and it took so much time to complete that Narendra Modi had to come for the inauguration of the same. Just imagine how much time and money was wasted by this delay. And so many people came in between to resist this project for their own reasons. Recently, a photograph was published. A Congress leader is seen in that photograph. Ask him, with what face would he come to you to seek votes. This Narmada was the only way to provide drinking water to our people living in the Kutch and Kathiawad regions. The water of this Narmada river was stopped from reaching your homes for more than three decades. Decades went into courts and procedures. Problems were created. Dirty agitation movements were started to ensure that the water does not reach here. Gujarat was being defamed in order to ensure that no one in the world including the world bank invests money in or gives money to Gujarat.”

Narendra Modi further said, “Yesterday, a Congress leader was walking in a march holding the hand of the lady who orchestrated all this. The photograph of the same has been published. When the Congress leader comes here to seek votes, do ask him why he holds the hand of the one who resisted the Narmada project. Had there been no Narmada water, what would happen to Kutch and Kathiawad? Ask him with what face he comes to seek votes from you. Would you ask them? Ask them loudly.”

It is notable that NGO activist Medha Patkar, who led the propaganda protests against Gujarat’s vital Sardar Sarovar Project, delayed funding for the dam, and for years slowed down the implementation of the vital Narmada Yojana, joined Congressman Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo container Yatra on November 17. Gujarat assembly elections are scheduled to take place in December 2022. The polling will be held in two phases that is on December 1 and December 5. The results will be declared on December 8.

‘Went to meet Aftab’s family in 2019 to propose Aftab and Shraddha’s marriage, but they declined and insulted us’: Shraddha’s father

OpIndia Staff
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‘Went to meet Aftab’s family in 2019 to propose Aftab and Shraddha’s marriage, but they declined and insulted us’: Shraddha’s father

As the parents of Aftab Amin Poonawalla, arrested on the murder case of his live-in-partner Shraddha Walkar remains untraceable, Shraddha’s father has made a revelation which shows that Aftab’s family was hostile towards the girl and her family since the beginning. In an interview with the Marathi channel ABP Majha, Shraddha’s father Vikas Walker said that he and his wife had gone to meet Aftab’s family in 2019 proposing the marriage of Aftab and Shraddha, but the family rejected it, insulted him, and thrown them out of their house.

Vikas Walkar said that in August 2019, he and his wife Harshila Walkar went to meet the family of Aftab. They had proposed that Aftab should marry Shraddha, as they already love each other. But the family didn’t agree to the marriage. Not only that, Shraddha’s family was also insulted by Aftab’s family members. Aftab’s cousin asked them to leave the house and told them to never step into the house again in future.

Vikas Walkar said that Aftab’s family should have at least ensured some solution to this issue by mutual understanding because both girl and boy were in love with each other. So, if marriage was not possible, then there could be some solutions like staying away and breaking the contact, etc. But the family was not even ready to discuss the matter.

‘Had Aftab’s family taken such serious steps with a mutual understanding with us, such big incident would not have happened,’ Vikas Walkar said. He said that had there been talks on the matter, this would not have reached this stage, but the parents were not even ready to discuss the relationship. Therefore, Aftab and Shraddha left Mumbai and went to Delhi. He added that Shraddha’s mother died six months after this humiliating experience, and after that, he never tried to meet the family.

It is notable that as per the complaint filed by Vikas Walkar, which has been recorded in the FIR, he was against the relationship of Shraddha with Aftab because he is Muslim. But despite that, he and his wife went to meet Aftab’s family to propose the marriage because she was adamant about the relationship, and had said that she can take her own decisions as she is 25 years of age. Shraddha met Aftab in 2018, and they started to live together in Vasai.

Therefore, her parents went to meet Aftab’s family to formalise the relationship, as her daughter was not leaving Aftab despite their opposition. As they could not convince her to end the relationship, they wanted her to settle with him through marriage.

Vikas Walkar had earlier said that he suspect that Aftab’s family is also involved in the murder of his daughter after they went found to be absconding. “I now think that the whole family is involved in this crime. They are now absconding. The police should question them too,” he had said.

Police teams now are searching for Aftab’s parents. The family used to live in their own flat in Vasai, but just 2 weeks before Aftab’s arrest, they had moved to a flat in Mumbai. Aftab had arrived to help his parents to shift to the new house.

The family had told the neighbours that Aftab’s brother had got a job in Mumbai and he was allotted a company paid flat in the city, therefore they decided to shift for convenience, as Aftab’s father also works in Mumbai. They rented out their own flat in Vasai and moved to Mumbai. But now that flat in Mumbai flat is locked.

Mangaluru auto-rickshaw blast: Passenger was carrying pressure cooker with IED, had faked identity using stolen Aadhar card

OpIndia Staff
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Mangaluru auto-rickshaw blast: Passenger was carrying pressure cooker with IED, had faked identity using stolen Aadhar card

On Saturday, November 19, an auto-rickshaw exploded in Mangaluru, Karnataka’s coastal town, under mysterious circumstances. Now it has been reported that the passenger in the auto-rickshaw was carrying a pressure cooker, and police have found that there was an improvised explosive device (IED) inside the cooker which exploded. 

The passenger was also carrying a stolen Aadhar card of a 24-year-old Hindu person named Premraj, who is a resident of Hubballi. As per a News18 report, police sources said that the suspect is from Shivamogga and for the last few months was also on the radar of the police. The suspect was reportedly planning a similar attack two months ago in Shivamogga, however, could not succeed as the plan was busted by the police. 

The owner of the house where the suspect rented a room has also confirmed his identity, according to intelligence agencies.

M Mohan Kumar, the house owner from Mysuru, stated that the suspect was paying Rs 1,800 per month for a single room. Kumar produced a copy of the rental agreement, which listed the suspect’s name as Premraj, S/o Sri Maruthi, with a Hubballi address.

Explosives, circuit boards, sulphuric acid, other chemicals, small bolts, batteries, mobile displays, wooden powder, aluminum foil, multimeter, wires, mixer jars, pressure cooker and whistles, and other items were discovered in the room by intelligence agencies.

A mobile phone, two fake Aadhaar cards, one PAN card, one debit card, an unused SIM card, and a notebook with circuit drawings have also been recovered.

Meanwhile, a team of NIA officials from Bengaluru arrived on the scene to investigate the incident. A bomb disposal squad and a dog squad have also arrived at the explosion site, and an auto-rickshaw has been brought there as part of the investigation.

Speaking about the incident, Karnataka Home Minister said, “The passenger injured in the auto blast in Mangalore yesterday is being treated in a hospital and is currently unable to speak. However, the police investigation has found that this is the work of an anti-national terrorist organization. The Central Intelligence Agency has also arrived in Karnataka to conduct an investigation. Along with them, the Karnataka Police will conduct an investigation.”

On Sunday, November 20, the Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) took to Twitter to announce that the explosion was not an accident but an ‘act of terror.’

“It’s confirmed now,” said the Director General of Police (DGP) in a tweet, “The blast is not accidental but an act of terror with the intention to cause serious damage. Karnataka State Police is probing deep into it along with central agencies.”

In another tweet, the DGP confirmed that Premraj, the person whose Aadhar Card has been recovered from the suspect, is a victim of identity theft and has no involvement in the case.

“Mangalore blast case; Premraj is a victim of identity theft. It’s confirmed. He has nothing to do with this incident,” the Karnataka DGP tweeted.

It should be noted that the findings, in this case, are similar to those in the Coimbatore blast case, where an LPG cylinder exploded inside a car. A 25-year-old man died on October 23 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, after an LPG cylinder in a vehicle exploded in the communally sensitive Kottaimedu region. Following the incident, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party president K Annamalai asserted that it was not an accident, but rather a planned terror attack with ties to the Islamic State.

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