Transgender men dressed as sari were extorting money from a BMW owner; police arrested four after scanning CCTV.
Four men, dressed as eunuchs, were threatening a BMW owner and demanding 5,000 rupees. After the video surfaced, police scanned CCTV footage and arrested the four men. Hyderabad: In India, you’re likely to encounter transgressors at red lights. They often appear in groups of 4-6. As soon as the light turns red, they approach stopped vehicles and demand money from people. Believing that a transgressor’s blessings will never go unanswered, people often give them money. Sometimes, they refuse to pay and move on. This often leads to a fight. However, it’s not necessary that the person you’re giving money to is a transgressor. Sometimes, men are also disguised as transgressors. One such case has come to light in Hyderabad, where police have arrested four men dressed as sari men disguised as transgressors. On August 21st, they demanded money and threatened a BMW owner. These four men are accused of dressing up as women and threatening a BMW owner, demanding ₹5,000 from him. Jubilee Hills police in Hyderabad have arrested four men. They are accused of stopping a BMW owner near True Black Coffee on Road No. 45 on August 21st and demanding ₹5,000 from him. The incident came to light after a video of the confrontation was posted on social media. Following instructions from senior police officers, investigators examined nearly 500 CCTV cameras and traced the suspects’ movements from Jubilee Hills to Boduppal. The four accused have been arrested. The accused have been identified as Ramesh (40), Satyanarayana (41), Ramesh (42), and Yadagiri (44); all residents of Boduppal, Hyderabad. Investigators allege that the four men would masquerade as transgender individuals and stop drivers and extort money. Police also reported that they would visit housewarming ceremonies and newly opened shops to demand money. With the help of a task force, the four were arrested and later remanded to judicial custody. The investigation is ongoing. Reported by: Ashish Pandey, Edited by: Prabhanshu Ranjan Courtesy: Hindi News
Dalit Woman Delivers Baby On Road After Being Denied Hospital Admission In UP; Doctor Sacked
UP Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also holds the portfolio of the in-charge of the health department, took serious note of the issue after the video surfaced. The mother and the newborn were later admitted to the hospital. | Image for representation A 20-year-old woman from a Dalit community gave birth to a baby in a public place outside a government hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi after she was denied admission to the health centre. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, prompting action against the on-duty doctor and other staff. Family Helps Woman Deliver Baby By Roadside The incident took place outside Maharaja Chet Singh District Hospital in Gyanpur. Rani was taken to the hospital on Tuesday night after she went into labour. Her family alleged that hospital staff refused to admit her after identifying her as belonging to the Musahar community. As they were leaving the hospital, Rani’s condition deteriorated and her family helped her deliver the baby outside the facility. Following the incident, CMO Dr SK Chak ordered an inquiry and ensured that Rani and her newborn were admitted to the hospital. 4-Member Panel Formed A four-member panel subsequently found lapses in the handling of the case. EMO Dr Pankaj, who was on duty when Rani arrived, was sacked after the inquiry found that he referred her without examining her. Staff nurse Neelam Maurya was transferred, while the salary of obstetrician Dr Mukesh Prajapati was withheld. The inquiry also recommended state-level action against CMS Dr Ajay Tiwari and Dr Neelima Dhawan. The report said Dhawan had examined Rani a day earlier but referred her elsewhere despite her severe anaemia. The CMS was also held negligent. Dr Prajapati was away from the district and arrived about 90 minutes later. The nurse was also accused of refusing admission while referring to the family as Musahar. Published By : Manisha Roy About the Author Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com, with over 7 years of experience in journalism. She covers politics and a wide range of hard news, with a keen interest in national and international developments. Courtesy : News18 Note: This news is originally published on https:/news18.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
UP: SP Focuses on Dalit Votes! A Major Dalit Conference in Agra on November 15th, Akhilesh Yadav to Be Chief Guest
Agra News: Ahead of the 2027 Assembly Elections, the Samajwadi Party will hold a major Dalit conference in Western Uttar Pradesh on November 15th at the GIC Grounds in Agra. Akhilesh Yadav will be the chief guest. Sunil Saket, Agra: Ahead of the 2027 Assembly Elections, the Samajwadi Party has intensified its efforts to strengthen its political base among Dalit voters in Western Uttar Pradesh. As part of this strategy, a major Dalit conference in Western Uttar Pradesh is being held on November 15th at the GIC Grounds in Agra. SP National President Akhilesh Yadav will be the chief guest. The party is preparing to mobilize a large number of workers and supporters from various districts of Western Uttar Pradesh for the conference. Recent reports have also confirmed the Agra conference on November 15th and Akhilesh Yadav’s presence. SP National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha member Ramji Lal Suman held a press conference on Saturday regarding the preparations for the conference. He said that from Agra, a message will be sent to politically unite the Dalit community in western Uttar Pradesh. The SP’s strategy is to strengthen the PDA (Backward, Dalit, and Minority) social equation. This effort by the party comes at a time when all major parties are busy balancing social equations for the 2027 assembly elections. “BJP is a communal party” Ramji Lal Suman, targeting the BJP and RSS, said that a large number of people in western Uttar Pradesh are opposed to the RSS’s ideology. Calling the BJP a communal party, he said that those who want to remove the BJP from power are joining the SP. He said that issues such as the rights, reservation, employment, and social respect of the Dalit community will be prominently raised through the conference. Suman accused the government of working towards weakening reservation. He also raised the issue of the lack of government jobs and recruitment through outsourcing. Referring to incidents of damage to statues of Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, he claimed that 151 statues of Baba Saheb have been vandalized recently, but the government has not taken any action against them. This figure of 151 statues damaged was also recently claimed by the Samajwadi Party. A Look at the BSP’s Political Base The SP’s strategy also reflects an attempt to reach out to the BSP’s traditional Dalit base. Suman also launched a political attack on the BSP and Mayawati, and spoke of the SP’s increasing acceptance among Dalit voters. He said that the BSP’s vote share, which was 30 percent in the last two assembly elections, has now dropped to 9 percent. The choice of Agra for the conference also has a political message. The party is trying to reach out to Dalit voters in Western Uttar Pradesh and integrate the PDA equation into the election campaign. The November 15 conference will be a major public platform for this strategy. Recent reports have also described the conference as an attempt to expand the SP’s reach among Dalit voters. What did he say about the Deputy CM’s statement? Regarding the Deputy Chief Minister’s statement on Akhilesh Yadav, Suman said that he did not want to respond to the statements of smaller leaders. He said that the SP will contest the 2027 elections based on its strategy and organization, and that the Dalit conference to be held in Agra will prove to be historic. However, on the question of crowd gathering, he said that while he has not estimated the crowd size, a large influx of his workers from Western Uttar Pradesh will be expected. Edited by: Devesh Pandey About the Author Devesh Pandey works for Navbharat Times Online. He is a member of NBT’s Uttar Pradesh-Uttarakhand digital team. Devesh has 9 years of extensive experience in digital, web, and broadcast journalism. He joined Navbharat Times Online in May 2025. Courtesy: Hindi News
NHRC team to visit Kendrapara on October 5 over Dalit sarpanch ‘assault’
The NHRC took cognisance of the complaint and directed its registry to forward a copy to the district magistrate, and the superintendent of police seeking an inquiry and a report. KENDRAPARA: A team of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will visit Kendrapara on October 5 to conduct an inquiry into the alleged assault and mistreatment of Tikhiri gram panchayat sarpanch Chameli Ojha (33), a Dalit woman, three months ago. Ojha, the sarpanch of the panchayat under Mahakalapada block, was allegedly assaulted and manhandled by police and the block development officer (BDO) of Mahakalapada on June 11 after she raised allegations of corruption against officials, according to the complaint. The NHRC team will conduct a spot inquiry and examine officials, eyewitnesses, police personnel and other persons connected with the case. The commission has informed the Kendrapara collector and superintendent of police about the visit, Collector Raghuram R Iyer said on Friday. Earlier, Human Rights Front (HRF) India chairperson, Manoj Jena filed a petition before the NHRC on July 14, alleging that Ojha had been falsely implicated in a case registered on the complaint of the Mahakalapada BDO under charges including attempt to murder, causing hurt and obstruction of a public servant. The NHRC took cognisance of the complaint and directed its registry to forward a copy to the district magistrate, and the superintendent of police seeking an inquiry and a report. The SP submitted a report to the commission on June 27, stating that three FIRs had been registered in the matter and that they were cross-cases. Ojha had earlier written to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi alleging that officials were hindering development works in her gram panchayat by withholding payments to persons who had executed tasks. In her letter, she alleged that she had gone to the BDO’s office on June 11 to request clearance of pending bills, but the BDO and others abused her. She further alleged that the police assaulted and misbehaved with her inside a vehicle while taking her to the police station. Ashis Senapati Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewindianexpress.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
SP MP discusses preparations for Dalit convention: Arrives in Pinahat for November 15th event in Agra
Samajwadi Party National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman arrived in Pinahat on Saturday evening to discuss preparations for the Dalit convention to be held in Agra on November 15th. The MP met with local party workers and villagers to inquire about the program’s outline and arrangements. During the meeting, the SP MP urged party workers to ensure maximum participation of the public and supporters. The workers welcomed him and pledged to make the convention a success. Senior leader Harishankar Sharma, Vice President Sudhir Dubey, Ramsanehi, Sonu Tomar, Vijay Singh Pradhan, Suraj Bhan, Arvind, and Nand Kishore, along with several prominent party workers, were present. Sumit Sharma | Pinahat (Agra), Agra Courtesy: Hindi News
Rahul Gandhi to raise MPSC aspirants’ demands before state govt
Pune: Leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday extended support to the ongoing agitation of MPSC aspirants in the city and said he would raise the protesters’ demands before Maharashtra govt. As several MPSC aspirants continued with their protest on the third day in Pune despite police denying them permission, Rahul took to his “X” handle to support their demands, including the removal of the MPSC chairperson and filling up over 70,000 vacant posts. “During the recent ‘Chhatron ki Goonj’ programme in Pune, I had demanded the Maharashtra chief minister to listen to the students, and ensure reforms in MPSC and transparency in examinations. However, nothing has happened and the aspirants are again staging a protest in Pune,” Rahul wrote. The protesters recently held a meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai, where he assured them of a judicial inquiry against the current and former chairpersons of MPSC as well as other members, the continuation of offline examinations and reforms in the recruitment process. Following the meeting, the protesters announced calling off the agitation. But several aspirants gathered near Pune’s Abasaheb Garware College on Thursday and started an agitation despite police denying them permission. Rahul on his “X” handle mentioned that Youth Congress and NSUI would continue to stand by the protesters. “The demands of the protesters are not unjust. They need action and not just assurances. I will raise the issue again before the Maharashtra govt and demand a permanent solution. The institution that determines students’ future has been hijacked; we will not let it continue,” he wrote. Congress members, including state chief Harshwardhan Sapkal, former state minister Balasaheb Thorat and MLA Vishwajeet Kadam, joined the protest on Saturday. “We will continue to stand by the protesters in their fight till the system that plays with the students’ future is held accountable,” Sapkal 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
‘He was so scared’: SP MP on ally Rahul Gandhi skipping Amethi in 2024 Lok Sabha polls
NEW DELHI: Strain deepened within the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance ahead of Uttar Pradesh polls, with SP MP Shiv Pal Singh Patel in an off-the-cuff remark claimed that Rahul Gandhi was “reluctant to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election” from Amethi and chose Raebareli because he was “so scared”. Patel, who represents Pratapgarh, also credited the SP-Congress alliance for the Congress’s six Lok Sabha wins in Uttar Pradesh, arguing that the party would have drawn a blank in the state without SP’s support. Speaking to news agency PTI, Patel said the SP leadership had to persuade Gandhi to contest from Raebareli after he appeared unwilling to fight from Amethi, the traditional Gandhi family constituency. “Had there been no alliance (with the Samajwadi Party), they (Congress) wouldn’t have won a single seat. It even reached a point where their top leader Rahul Gandhi was ready to give up his seat. He contested from elsewhere (Raebareli) instead of Amethi. He was so scared,” he said. The leader futher added: “It was our national president who reassured and persuaded him, asking him to contest and warning that if he didn’t, he (Akhilesh) would field his own candidate. Only then did Gandhi agree to contest. Otherwise, he was extremely reluctant to run for that traditional seat, the one said to belong to the Nehru family. Gandhi only managed to win it because of that persuasion,” he said. Patel credits SP for Congress wins Patel said SP voters backed Congress candidates in constituencies allotted to the Congress under the alliance arrangement. “Every single vote from the Samajwadi Party went to the Congress wherever they were allotted seats. That is precisely how they managed to win those six seats,” he said. The SP won 37 of Uttar Pradesh’s 80 Lok Sabha seats in the 2024 elections, while Congress won six. The BJP won 33 seats, while the NDA’s tally in the state stood at 36. Patel said the difference in the two parties’ performances should be reflected in any future seat-sharing discussions. “We secured 37 seats. We are far ahead of the Congress in every respect. They shouldn’t ask for more than 50, and should feel happy. The Congress should cooperate, rather than making all sorts of absurd or negative remarks,” Patel said. SP MP dismisses Congress’s caste strategy Patel also criticised the Congress’s reported caste strategy in Uttar Pradesh, including its appointment of a Brahmin as state Congress president and a Muslim as working president. “This will not yield any benefit. Look, Dalits were with Mayawati, but they have now shifted to our side. They realised that there was no significant upliftment of Dalits during the Congress regime, and certainly none is happening under the BJP. Whereas, during the Samajwadi Party’s tenure, everyone gets equal opportunities. Everyone gets an equal chance to progress; their children get a chance to receive an education.” He added, “That is precisely why the party was named ‘Samajwadi’. Our party operates based on the ideals of (Ram Manohar) Lohia-ji. Our party’s objective is the welfare of all sections of society.” The SP currently has 101 MLAs in the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly, while Congress has two. Patel said the SP could benefit from continuing its alliance with Congress, but argued that the Congress would suffer more if it contested elections without its regional ally. “If we proceed with an alliance, we will certainly benefit. Even if it doesn’t happen, we won’t have any significant loss. But for them, the tally will drop to zero. I can say this with confidence: if they don’t contest as part of an alliance, they will end up with zero seats. The public will realise they are fielding candidates solely to split votes. If they act as vote-spoilers, they will be reduced to zero,” Patel said. Congress hits back Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi pushed back against Patel’s remarks and said the SP should rein in leaders making such statements. “The Samajwadi Party must work to rein in leaders who make such statements. It is because of the INDIA bloc that he (Patel) has become an MP. He should know his limits and avoid making statements like these,” Awasthi told PTI. 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
4 men pose as transgender persons, try to extort BMW owner at Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills, held
HYDERABAD: Four men who had extorted money from a BMW car owner while posing as transgender persons were arrested by the Jubilee Hills police on Friday. The accused are Yadagiri, 44, Satyanarayana, 41, K Ramesh, 40, and S Ramesh, 42, from Boduppal. An extortion case was registered against the unknown accused posing as transgender persons after they had extorted Rs 5,000 from a BMW car owner at Road Number 45 in Jubilee Hills on August 21. “The incident took place near True Black Coffee Shop in Jubilee Hills. Four fraudsters posing as transgender persons intercepted a BMW car as its owner was leaving the place after having coffee. They forcibly demanded money and took it from him. We have registered an extortion case against the accused,” Jubilee Hills inspector D Ashok said. Subsequently, in the first week of September, DGP CV Anand instructed police commissioners to curb the extortion incidents involving members of the transgender community. Jubilee Hills police verified footage from hundreds of CCTV cameras in the area and with the help of West Zone Task Force sleuths, the accused were arrested from Boduppal on Thursday. “We have produced the four accused men before the court and they were sent to judicial remand,” the inspector 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
Bags, mosaics and more: Transgender artisans bring their craft to Pune fair
Pune: Eighteen transgender artisans are turning their craft into livelihood and offering a different outlook on life at the 19th Yellow Ribbon NGO fair in Pune. At their stall, palm-leaf baskets have been reimagined in wire, strips, and woven forms, while shards of coloured glass are cut, shaped, and pieced together into mosaics. Family rejection, discrimination, and difficulty finding housing and the barriers to finding formal employment have shaped their lives, but haven’t defined them. The artisans are part of PeriFerry Foundation all over India and at this fair organised between Oct 1 and 5 at Creaticity, Yerawada, they are displaying bags, baskets, coasters, keychains, mosaic artworks and decorative frames made by them. At PeriFerry’s Pune workshop, in-house teams of experienced artisans and workers teach and help newer members learn the techniques. Among them are two transgender women who have taken on leadership roles, with one overseeing the artisan team and another who is an artisan and in charge of quality control. “One of the craft traditions is kudai, a form of basketry associated with Tamil Nadu. Traditionally, women made these baskets by weaving and shaping palm leaves into containers used for everyday purposes. As materials and consumer preferences changed, the craft evolved, with contemporary makers experimenting with wire and other materials while retaining the basic woven structure and forms,” said Neelam Jain, founder of the NGO. Artisans use the traditional idea as a starting point for bags and baskets that have a more contemporary finish. “The other major craft is mosaic. Small pieces of glass are cut and shaped before being assembled into patterns, images and decorative works. The practice draws on traditions found across Europe and the Middle East, where mosaic has been used for centuries in architecture and art. At the workshop, the painstaking process can take a day or more for more intricate pieces,” said Jain. Artisans are paid a monthly salary rather than being dependent on individual sales. “We don’t think livelihood should depend on whether something sells that month,” Jain said. Accommodation and basic food are also provided, an important consideration for workers who can struggle to find housing. “The people who join us are those who genuinely need a job, whether because they are not accepted by their families or because of the other challenges transgender people face. We identify where they need support and train them in-house,” said Jain. For the 18 transgender artisans this is not just a skill or steady income but perhaps most importantly, a measure of independence. 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
Ambedkar Nagar News: Dalit hospital operator stripped and beaten
Ambedkar Nagar. Police have filed a case against two accused in the case of beating, robbery, and inhumane treatment of a Dalit youth, a hospital operator, in Deoria Bazaar, Rajesultanpur. An FIR has been registered against Ankit Pandey and Raja Singh, naming them under eight serious sections, including robbery, assault, intimidation, and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The investigation of the case has been handed over to the Circle Officer, Alappur. Hospital operator Siddhant Kumar, a resident of Bariyarpur, Malipur, stated in a complaint to the police on Thursday that on October 1st, at around 1 p.m., Ankit Pandey called him and invited him to the Tenduaikala underpass. Upon reaching there, Ankit took him in his car and took his car to his home, giving it to Raja Singh. According to Siddhant, upon reaching home, the two men held him hostage. He is alleged to have been stripped, beaten with a belt, and subjected to casteist abuses. The accused also forcibly snatched his mobile phone. The victim has also alleged that approximately 50,000 rupees kept in the car and the car were taken away. He has also been accused of making him lick spit. Alappur Circle Officer Jitendra Singh stated that an FIR has been registered and the matter is being investigated seriously. Based on the facts and evidence revealed in the investigation, legal action will be taken. Courtesy : Hindi News