Dalit girl death: Witnesses fear attack, seek protection
Bhopal: Day after the Supreme Court rejected the plea of MP govt and ordered a CBI investigation into the controversial death of Dalit girl, Anjana, 20, in Barodia Naunagir village of Madhya Pradesh’s Sagar district, fresh concerns emerged over the safety of witnesses. A key petitioner and brother of the deceased Dalit girl, sought police protection claiming that his elderly parents reportedly left their home for an undisclosed location. A bench of Justice M M Sundresh and Justice N K Singh on Wednesday rejected the investigation theory of the MP Police and ordered a CBI probe in the case. Vishnu Ahirwar, nephew of murdered witness Rajendra Ahirwar and a co-petitioner in the SC case, wrote to the director general of police (DGP), MP, seeking security for himself and his mother, citing threats and intimidation linked to the case. He told TOI that he requires ‘immediate security arrangements’. “Rajendra’s parents have not been seen since yesterday. I am scared too. My applications for security to DGP and other officers remain unattended” Vishnu said. The case relates to a sexual assault case filed by the survivor and her kin dating to 2019 against some influential people in the region. When the complainants refused to bow to pressure, her brother Nitin alias Lalu was assaulted on June 24, 2023 leading to his death. Rajendra Ahirwar, uncle of Nitin was a witness to the killing. Anjana and her family meanwhile moved the police including SP, IG and director general of police demanding a fair probe into the deaths and feared for their lives. The witness Rajendra Ahirwar died in a suspicious condition after an assault a year later in June 2024 while he was returning to Sagar. A day later while Anjana was accompanying the body of Rajendra she died under mysterious circumstances after falling off the hearse. Her brother Vishnu and family have since been demanding a fair probe into the deaths, alleging that influential people were behind the murders. In the application, Vishnu told the DGP that he fears for the lives of himself, his mother and other family members, alleging that they could be attacked or killed like his brother Nitin alias Lalu, his relative Rajendra Ahirwar and his sister Anjana. He requested that security be provided to him and his family and that legal action be initiated against those allegedly threatening witnesses. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Probe MP Dalit woman’s death, SC instructs CBI
NEW DELHI: Supreme Court on Wednesday directed CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of a 20-year-old Dalit woman in MP’s Sagar district in 2024. It rejected the plea of the state that the case was politically motivated, and said the truth must come out. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh said its conscience did not allow it to accept state govt’s plea, and ordered an inquiry by the central agency. The court left it to CBI to take a call on registering an FIR. SC had last year issued notice on a petition by the woman’s mother, who was seeking a CBI or SIT probe into the dea-ths of three family members. “We direct CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry on the ci-rcumstances surrounding the death of the girl,” SC said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
In Chhatarpur, miscreants entered the home of a Dalit family at midnight and beat them with sticks for refusing to give them gutkha.
In Chhatarpur, miscreants, angry at being denied gutkha and cigarettes, entered the home of a Dalit family and assaulted them. A case has been filed against 10 accused. Chhatarpur: A case of bullying has come to light in the Bamitha police station area on Wednesday night. Angry at a Dalit family for not opening their shop at night, miscreants entered the home of a Dalit family and launched a deadly attack with sticks, injuring the young shopkeeper, his father, and mother. Police have filed a case against 10 accused in this case and launched a search. Entered and assaulted The entire incident took place in Jhamatuli village, under the Bamitha police station area. Arvind Ahirwar was sleeping in his home late at night when some miscreants entered his shop to buy gutkha and cigarettes. The shopkeeper refused to give them the goods as it was late at night. Enraged, the miscreants used casteist slurs and broke into the house. After which, the miscreants brutally assaulted the shopkeeper and his family. There is an atmosphere of terror in the village after the incident. The miscreants attacked after refusing to give goods. Victim shopkeeper Arvind Ahirwar said, “My father Bisla Ahirwar runs a grocery shop in the village. Around 12 o’clock on Wednesday night, some people including Rana Singh, Shailendra Singh, and Darru Patel arrived at the house and knocked on the gate and asked to open the shop to give them gutkha and cigarettes. But due to the late hour, the shop was refused. This enraged the accused and they started abusing and assaulting him with sticks.” A case has been filed against 10 accused. He further explained, “When my mother and I heard the commotion and went to intervene, the accused assaulted us with sticks. They pelted the house with stones and fired shots to spread terror in the village. Upon receiving information about the incident, the police arrived at the scene, but by then the accused had fled. Based on the complaint of the victim’s family, the police have filed an FIR against 10 people.” Victim Visla Ahirwar stated, “Praveen and Naveen have a liquor contract in the village. Rana Singh and his associates, who are involved in the liquor business, carried out this incident. We also filmed the incident and provided it to the police.” Station House Officer Ashutosh Shroti stated, “A dispute arose over not being given gutkha. A case has been filed against 10 people. The accused are being searched.” Courtesy: Hindi News
Bhopal News: Transgender Feel Social Prejudice In Accessing Healthcare Services; Study
The study also emphasized that sensitivity, cultural understanding, and a respectful approach in the behavior of healthcare workers are extremely important. It further highlighted that policy-level reforms, training of healthcare professionals, and the creation of a safe environment are necessary to ensure equal and respectful healthcare services for the transgender community. Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): AIIMS research revealed that transgender people feel social prejudice and discriminated in accessing health care services. Nursing student of AIIMS Komal Kathale presented research paper titled, A study to explore the expectations and experiences related to healthcare services among the transgender population in a tertiary care hospital: A qualitative study.” The study attempted to understand the real-life experiences of transgender individuals. The findings revealed that while accessing healthcare services, they face several challenges such as social prejudice, discrimination, communication gaps, and the lack of gender-sensitive services. The study also emphasized that sensitivity, cultural understanding, and a respectful approach in the behaviour of healthcare workers are extremely important. It further highlighted that policy-level reforms, training of healthcare professionals, and the creation of a safe environment are necessary to ensure equal and respectful healthcare services for the transgender community. Komal Kathale, a 2nd year MSc nursing student of the College of Nursing, AIIMS Bhopal, secured first position in the postgraduate category at National Scientific Paper Presentation 2026. The conference was organised by Symbiosis College of Nursing, Symbiosis International University, Pune, in which participants from across the country took part. Courtesy : TFPJ Note: This news is originally published on https:/thefreepressjournal.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Farmers, workers bring their worries, expectations at Rahul-Kharge event
Bhopal: The loudest sounds at the Congress’s ‘Kisan Maha Chaupal’ at Jawahar Chowk on Tuesday were from slogans and loudspeakers, but the stories, almost drowned out by the shrill chants and public announcements, were conveyed through hushed conversations reflecting the many challenges faced by farmers, workers and labourers who enable city lives everyday. From an elderly woman, who came all the way from her village in a nearby district to not just to hear about the impact of the India-US trade deal but also share how badly she needed a pension for survival, to a single mother facing the challenge of eviction from the piece of land where her humble accommodation exists as the area is set for redevelopment under the smart city project, these were some of the stories shared by women as they joined thousands of others at the Congress event. For many, the event, headlined by Congress heavyweights Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, was yet another way to make themselves heard by those in places of authority for the varied concerns that affected them. Along the footpath, near a small table set up with drinking water arrangements, farmers gathered in small circles, talking about land, prices and survival — conversations shaped less by ideology and more by everyday uncertainty. Seventy-year-old GL Gour from Koudiya village in Phanda tehsil did not push his way forward. He stood patiently, listening, occasionally nodding. For him, the present is best understood by remembering the past. “Back in the day when HD Deve Gowda was prime minister, I used to sell soybean at Rs 8,000 per quintal. Now it is below Rs 4,000,” he said, in an almost matter-of-fact manner. Gour has 20 acres of land, and a family of 10 entirely dependent on agriculture. He identifies himself as an educated farmer — he passed higher secondary in 1968. “I did not come here with any political leader. I came on my own with a belief that when we fight, something will surely happen,” he told TOI. Nearby, 75-year-old Chain Singh Patel from Biccholi village in Sehore district spoke of a different kind of insecurity. His village lies in a forest area, and ownership of land remains a dream. “My grandfather was born there. We have been cultivating this land for generations, but we still don’t have patta,” he said. Asked why he made the journey to Bhopal, Patel paused before replying, “I hope something will happen”, in a voice betraying lack of conviction. Not all the journeys were short. Acche Lal Saket, 60, travelled more than 500 km from Naigarhi in Rewa district, spending the night in a general class train compartment with two friends. “I have only five acres. Earlier,it was enough to raise my family. Now, things are getting more difficult day by day,” he said, adding, “We are here in the hope of our betterment.” For 28-year-old Bhola Singh Lodhi, a small tribal farmer from Bargi in Jabalpur, the expectation was simpler. “We should get better prices for our crops,” he said, watching the crowds swell as Rahul and Kharge spoke at the Kishan Maha Choupal. Arun Patel and Sewak Ram Patel, both farmers, sat in the front row at the rally listening cautiously to every speech. When this correspondent asked them what brought them here, they said they were Soybean farmers from nearby districts. “We have come with a memorandum that we want to share with the Congress leaders about our challenges in getting compensation when crops are damaged due to rain. We also want to hear about what this trade deal is about and how it will impact us,” Patel said. As the rally continued at Jawahar Chowk, many farmers stayed back even after the speeches ended. Some folded banners carefully, others sat quietly on the pavement. They did not speak of victories or assurances — only of hope. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rahul Gandhi, Kharge to address farmers’ convention in Bhopal on February 24
Bhopal: Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will visit Bhopal on Tuesday to address a farmers’ convention. The Congress is organising a massive farmers’ rally to protest the recent India-US interim trade deal. The decision to oppose the deal was taken at a meeting in the AICC office. On Thursday, the US Supreme Court struck down American President Donald Trump’s tariff policy. Congress argued that, if PM Narendra Modi waited for 18 days more and did not accept the interim trade deal, Indian farmers’ interests could be protected. Now Congress will protest PM Modi’s trade deal with Trump across the country, starting from Madhya Pradesh. Speaking to reporters, state Congress President Jitu Patwari said on Saturday, “The deal signed under pressure from Trump is a betrayal of farmers. A sword was placed on the throats of our farmers cultivating soyabeans, cotton, maize and other crops to sign a trade deal of compromise. The Congress’ nationwide protest against the deal will start from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh.” Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
How, in a first, Bhopal’s transgender community is split on communal lines
A group of eunuchs has petitioned the Bhopal administration that they are being forced to convert to Islam. Their other claim: infiltration of ‘Bangladeshis’ into the community Communal divide seems to have hit the eunuch/transgender community too. In Bhopal, one group has accused the other of forcible conversion and exploitation. The accusations include infiltration by ‘Bangladeshi’ eunuchs, in much the same way as claims about illegal border influx from Bangladesh in eastern and northeastern India. A group of eunuchs has petitioned the Bhopal district administration that they are being forced to convert to Islam. Last week, the group held a meeting at a slum settlement to apparently formulate a strategy against what they termed as ‘kinnar (transgender) jihad’. Rishi Ajay Das, founder of the Kinnar Akhada, an outfit that claims to work for the empowerment of transgenders, said a guru of the eunuchs in Mangalwara, located in the older part of Bhopal where most transgenders in Bhopal reside, had been attempting to convert Hindu members of the community to Islam. He alleged that alms collected by Hindu eunuchs was being used for building religious and educational structures of another community. So far, Bhopal never witnessed communal tension in the transgender community. While the city’s transgenders are aligned to various groups, internal rivalries and fights have been over territory control or joining of new members, but never on religious lines. Das mentioned a third angle for the conflict: Bangladeshi eunuchs entering Bhopal—a claim he did not substantiate but said had caused divisions in the community. At last count, way back in 2011, the eunuch/transgender community in Bhopal numbered around 300. However, voluntary organisations suggest they could be 10 times that estimate. Das has sought the district administration’s intervention by claiming to be a minority within a minority grouping. Rahul Noronha Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https:/indiatoday.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Patwari demands dismissal of three ministers before budget session
Bhopal: State Congress president Jitu Patwari on Thursday shot a letter to chief minister Mohan Yadav, demanding the dismissal of three ministers from the cabinet before the governor’s address in the state assembly scheduled for Monday. Patwari demanded the removal of minister for tribal welfare Vijay Shah for his offensive statements against lady army officer Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, deputy chief minister Rajendra Shukla for the cough syrup tragedy which allegedly claimed the lives of 23 children, and Kailash Vijayvargiya for the water contamination deaths in Indore. “Madhya Pradesh is a democratically governed state, where every unit of governance is expected to adhere to democratic values, ethics, and constitutional norms. It is unfortunate that the actions of your govt appear to be contrary to public sentiment, fostering anarchy, arrogance, and authoritarian tendencies,” Patwari’s letter to the CM said. It further added that the state’s budget session begins on Feb 16, with the governor’s address scheduled for that day. “It is well known that this address will present more statistics than reality, while the state is grappling with a severe economic crisis and a mounting debt burden, to which your govt appears to be turning a blind eye,” the letter argued. “In this context, a serious and public-spirited issue needs to be brought to your attention. Ministers whose presence in the cabinet is now demanding answers regarding their usefulness,” Patwari’s letter claimed. “Serious allegations of insulting the nation’s daughters and the Indian Army: Vijay Shah; dozens of innocent children died due to poisonous syrup in Chhindwara: health minister Rajendra Shukla; and a minister who failed to provide clean drinking water to the people of his constituency: urban administration minister Kailash Vijayvargiya,” the letter said. Patwari contended that it is extremely unfortunate and shameful that, despite the insult to the army, the deaths of innocent people, and administrative failures, such ministers remain in office. This raises serious questions about the govt’s morality, sensitivity, and accountability, the letter said. Patwari then demanded, “This time is also a test of your moral commitment, responsibility, and leadership abilities. You are expected to respect public sentiment by dismissing these ministers from the cabinet before the governor’s address in the budget session. Otherwise, it will send a clear message that your govt tacitly supports lies, immorality, and the insult to the nation’s daughters and the Indian Army.” While Patwari sent his letter, LOP Umang Singhar called a meeting with the CLP (Congress Legislative Party) on Monday evening to strategise on how to attack the BJP govt on the same three issues. It is expected that the budget session might be noisy, with the Congress preparing to tear into the Mohan Yadav govt on the issues of Bhagirathpura water contamination, Chhindwara cough syrup deaths of children, and Vijay Shah’s prosecution sanction still on hold. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https:/timesofindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Dalit Groom Rides Horse Holding Constitution in MP Village, First Such Wedding Procession in 75 Years
A Dalit groom in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district took out a horse-mounted wedding procession for the first time in 75 years in his village. The incident took place in Kuankheda village of Patera tehsil, where Nandu Bansal from the Bansal community rode a horse through the village streets amid music, dancing and celebrations.Photo journalism course What made the procession even more symbolic was that the groom was holding a copy of the Constitution of India in his hands while riding the horse. As drums played and relatives danced, the moment turned into a powerful assertion of equality, dignity and constitutional rights. Community members said the procession was not just a wedding ritual but a matter of self-respect. “This was about our dignity. Holding the Constitution showed that we are equal citizens of this country,” a member of the Bansal community said. They also thanked the police and local administration for ensuring that the procession passed peacefully without any trouble. The groom’s family had earlier expressed fear of possible opposition from influential villagers. On Wednesday, members of the Bansal community, along with the SC Mahasabha, submitted an application to Superintendent of Police Shrut Kirti Somvanshi, seeking protection for the horse-mounted procession. They said there was apprehension that some people might try to create disturbances. Taking the request seriously, the SP directed the Hata police station to maintain law and order. On Wednesday night, Patera Tehsildar Umesh Tiwari and police personnel reached the village and held talks with the groom’s family and other villagers. During the discussions, villagers from other communities assured the administration that they had no objection to the Dalit groom taking out the procession.Women’s sports merchandise Following this, the wedding procession went ahead smoothly on Thursday. Groom Nandu Bansal performed rituals with his family before mounting the horse, after which the procession moved through the village under police presence. SC Mahasabha president Akash Bharti said, “The SP extended full support, due to which the procession was conducted peacefully. The police and administration cooperated at every step.” The groom’s brother, Jeevan Bansal, said the event should become an example for the future. “Such harmony and brotherhood should always remain in the village so that everyone can live with dignity and mutual respect,” he said. Courtesy : TOP Note: This news is originally published on https:/theobserverpost.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Video of inhumane treatment of a Dalit youth goes viral in Morena; accused Dharmendra Tomar arrested in 7-month-old case
7-month-old video exposes the truth: Dalit youth forced to perform obscene acts under the influence of alcohol; Amba police arrest accused Dharmendra Tomar Morena (Madhya Pradesh): A case that shames humanity has come to light in Morena district of Madhya Pradesh. Police immediately swung into action after a video of a Dalit youth being assaulted and subjected to abusive behavior went viral on social media. Acting swiftly, the police arrested the 30-year-old accused on Tuesday. According to police officials, this incident is not recent, but about seven months old. The arrested accused has been identified as Dharmendra Singh Tomar, a resident of Amba. What is the whole matter? Morena Superintendent of Police (SP) Sameer Saurabh, while providing information about the incident, said that the accused Dharmendra and the 20-year-old victim were part of the same friend circle and often spent time together. The Hindu quoted the SP as saying, “These two people used to drink alcohol together, and this incident occurred while they were drunk. A third friend present there recorded the entire incident on his mobile phone. Later, when that third friend had an argument with the accused, Dharmendra, he circulated these videos on social media to take revenge.” Brutality shown in the videos Two videos that went viral on social media have shocked people. In one video, the accused, Dharmendra, is seen forcing the victim to squat and questioning him about the return of his money. In the second video, the accused is seen crossing all limits, slapping the victim and pressuring him to perform obscene acts. Swift police action SP Sameer Saurabh stated that a minor financial transaction has also emerged in the case, although it does not appear to be the main reason for the incident. He said, “The victim also denied that the assault was solely for money. He was so scared that he neither told his family nor mustered the courage to file a police complaint. Even when the police contacted him, he was unwilling to file a complaint.” Despite this, given the seriousness of the video, the police took cognizance and registered a case. Within just two hours of the case being registered, the police arrested the accused. Case registered under these sections Ambah Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Ravi Singh Bhadoria, providing details of the legal proceedings, said that an FIR has been registered against the accused at the Ambah police station under Section 296 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3(1)(e) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Bhadauria also informed that the victim previously lived in a rented house in the same street as the accused Tomar, but after this humiliating incident, he left that house and moved to another location. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News