Student groups clash at COEP hostel over Rahul Gandhi’s Pune interaction
Pune: In a late-night development, two student groups clashed at the College of Engineering Pune Technological University hostel, prompting police to reach the spot and control the situation. NSUI representatives alleged that girl students were threatened, confined and beaten by members of the ABVP for supporting Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming interaction with students, ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’, scheduled to be held in the city on Saturday. ABVP members, however, alleged that NSUI representatives were forcing students to attend Rahul’s programme and had assaulted girl students. Speaking to the media at the spot, Congress MLA Vijay Wadettiwar said, “Two girl students were threatened and beaten by ABVP for supporting Rahul Gandhi’s programme. They are trying to stifle freedom of expression. We want action against those responsible. Even the police beat up the assembled students. If the police do not take action against the guilty, we will stage a sit-in protest,” Wadettiwar said. As night progressed, students and representatives from both organisations started arriving in large numbers while the police tried to disperse the crowd. 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
Omar Abdullah backs Rahul Gandhi, says LoP’s job is to make govt accountable
SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah Friday backed Rahul Gandhi, saying it is the job of the leader of the opposition (LoP) to question the govt and hold it accountable. He said, “If the opposition leader does not question the opposition, then what is the use of him?” Speaking to reporters, he said questions are not raised when the leader of the opposition in Jammu & Kashmir, Sunil Sharma (BJP), “asks useless questions again and again. But when he does it, you enjoy it. When Gandhi does it, you ask why he is doing this.” He said the opposition should not be judged on different scales. “Gandhi is doing what the country expects from him. The job of the opposition leader is to seek answers from the govt and make the govt accountable. Gandhi is doing the same,” he said, adding, “I would like him to continue doing so.” Omar’s remarks came after Gandhi sat on an over-six-hour protest at the Parliament Street police station in Delhi, seeking registration of an FIR on a complaint from a young man who had allegedly suffered pellet injuries during the July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar. 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
No change in Punjab Congress leadership, says Baghel
Chandigarh: Amid sustained pressure from a section of Punjab Congress leaders seeking a change in the state leadership, AICC general secretary in charge of Punjab Bhupesh Baghel on Thursday once again ruled out any change in the existing organisational structure, saying the focus was on expanding the committees already announced and bringing more leaders into the party’s election preparations. “There will be no changes now. Only expansion will take place,” Baghel said, making it clear that the existing committees would be enlarged by adding more members and new committees could also be constituted as part of the party’s organisational preparations. The development comes against the backdrop of an increasingly bitter power struggle within Punjab Congress, particularly between a group of senior leaders associated with former chief minister and Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi and the camp led by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring. The differences became more pronounced after Congress, on July 1, retained Warring as the PPCC president while announcing several election-related committees. The camp of leaders backing Channi, including senior figures such as Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Rana Gurjeet Singh and Bharat Bhushan Ashu, has since expressed dissatisfaction with the organisational arrangements and pressed the party high command to address their concerns. They have been seeking the removal of Warring and a greater role for Channi. Baghel, however, dismissed the suggestion that senior Punjab leaders meeting the party high command were doing so merely to lodge complaints. Meanwhile, Congress is working on a proposal for a programme involving senior party leader Rahul Gandhi in Punjab, with the plan awaiting his approval. Baghel said a proposal had been submitted to Rahul Gandhi and that the party was waiting for his approval. As part of the tentative plan, Rahul Gandhi may begin a bus journey from Amritsar after paying obeisance at Golden Temple. He is expected to travel with senior Punjab Congress leaders in an apparent effort to bring them onto a common platform. According to party sources, the proposed first phase of the journey could cover the stretch from Amritsar to Hussainiwala, a distance of around 135 kilometres, and pass through approximately 25 to 30 Assembly constituencies. If finalised, the programme could provide Congress an opportunity to publicly project unity among its senior leaders at a time when factionalism has emerged as one of the party’s biggest challenges in Punjab. Congress leadership has held several rounds of meetings in recent weeks in an effort to ease tensions within the state unit and resolve differences among senior leaders. Party assessments have also underlined the need to contain infighting, which has repeatedly hurt Congress in Punjab. The internal rift became particularly visible during ‘Har Booth, Congress Mazboot’ campaign, when Baghel and Warring travelled across different parts of the state. Supporters of rival factions raised slogans at some programmes, while protests against Baghel were also witnessed. At some meetings, tensions between supporters of different groups reportedly escalated into scuffles. The infighting later spilled into a poster war, with posters portraying Baghel as General Dyer appearing at some places, while separate posters targeting Warring also surfaced. 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
Mumbai: Man Posing As Transgender Rapes Powai Woman on Pretext of Blessing Her With Child, Arrested
A 30-year-old man reportedly posed as a transgender person, entered a woman’s house in Mumbai’s Powai area and sexually assaulted her on the pretext of blessing her with a child. The accused, identified as Anil Shinde, was later arrested. The police nabbed accused Anil Shinde, 30, from Kalwa after tracing the autorickshaw which he had taken from the building. A 30-year-old man reportedly posed as a transgender person, entered a woman’s house in Mumbai’s Powai area and sexually assaulted her on the pretext of blessing her with a child. The accused, identified as Anil Shinde, was later arrested. The police nabbed accused Anil Shinde, 30, from Kalwa after tracing the autorickshaw which he had taken from the building. Woman Alone With Elderly Relative When Accused Entered Home The woman, who has been married for around five years, lives with her husband, who was away at the time of the incident, and an elderly relative, The Indian Express reported. The couple do not have a child, and Shinde used it as a pretext to enter the home and perform a ritual to bless them with a child. Shinde then s*xually assaulted the woman and fled the house with INR 2,000 on Wednesday afternoon, police was quoted as saying. The police nabbed the accused the same night after tracing the autorickshaw, which he had taken from the building after assaulting the woman. Befriended on Instagram, 14-Year-Old Girl Lured to Nalasopara Chawl and Gang-Raped; 2 Minors Arrested. How The Crime Took Place Anil Shinde allegedly arrived at the flat on Wednesday, posing as a transgender person, when the elderly relative of the couple opened the door for him. The woman’s husband was at work at that time. He initially pretended to bless the elderly woman, police was quoted as saying. But during his conversation with her, Shinde learnt that there was a young woman in the house and had no child despite being married for several years. He then offered to perform a ritual on the woman that would bless the couple with a child. He allegedly spoke to the young woman for some time and then asked her to lie down on the bed, police said. He first touched her head on the pretext of performing the ritual and then touched her inappropriately and raped her, the Indian Express report added, citing police. Raipur: 16-Year-Old Raped by Father, Passed Off as Adult; Newborn Sold, 8 Arrested. Woman Realised She Was Assaulted An Hour Later She realised that she had been s*xually assaulted almost an hour after Shinde left the house, telling her that she would be soon blessed with a child. Shinde demanded money before leaving, and the woman allegedly gave him INR 2,000. After realising that she had been raped, the woman informed her husband, and the couple approached Powai police station that evening. The police registered a rape case and began examining the CCTV footage from the building and surrounding areas, in which they allegedly spotted Shinde boarding an autorickshaw. He was traced to Kalwa and was detained on Wednesday night. Accused Was A Man Posing As Transgender, Police Probe Similar Cases During the investigation, police found that Shinde was indeed a man who was posing as a transgender person. He has been arrested and produced before a court, which remanded him to police custody till Monday. Police are now investigating if Shinde may have used a similar modus operandi to carry out similar crimes. Women and Child Helpline Numbers: Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2026 08:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). By Team Latestly Courtesy : LatestLY Note: This news is originally published on https:/latestly.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Transgender influencer Jaanmoni Das held over anti-Modi remarks linked to NEET paper leak protest
KOZHIKODE: Transgender make-up artist and social media influencer Jaanmoni Das was arrested by Kozhikode Cyber Police on Thursday over alleged derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his family in a video linked to protests over the NEET question paper leak, police said. Das and two others who had shared the video on social media were summoned by the cyber police, questioned and arrested, officials said. After evidence collection, interrogation and other procedures were completed, all three were released on bail. The case followed a complaint filed by BJP Mahila Morcha state president Navya Haridas on July 27. According to police, Das allegedly made the remarks in the context of protests over the NEET question paper leak. A video containing the alleged remarks subsequently circulated widely on social media. After the video triggered a controversy, Das posted an apology and said the remarks were made because of a lack of knowledge of the language. The case has been registered under Sections 192 (provocation for causing riot) and 356(2) (criminal defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 120(o) (causing nuisance) of the Kerala Police Act. Police said all the offences invoked in the case are bailable. Das, who had shot into the limelight after appearing on a popular Malayalam reality show a few years ago, spoke to reporters after leaving the police station and said she had provided investigators with all the information they sought. She alleged that the case was an act of revenge over her participation in a Cockroach Janata Party protest in New Delhi against the NEET question paper leak. Das said the controversial video did not contain her own statement and claimed that she had only translated into another language a statement made by someone else in Hindi. “That was not my statement. I just translated what another person said. It shouldn’t have come from my mouth, and I have apologised for it. But still, people are targeting and bullying me,” Das said. She also said she was not a politician and had travelled to New Delhi to take part in the protest after several students from Kerala participated in it. 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
A Dalit woman who went to the fields to defecate was raped and murdered, her body thrown into a well.
In Raichur, Karnataka, a Dalit woman was raped and murdered. She had gone out to defecate when the accused attacked her with lust. After the murder, the accused threw her body into a well. Police have detained the suspects and begun questioning them, and are awaiting the post-mortem report. A tragic and shameful incident has come to light from Raichur district, Karnataka. A Dalit woman was first raped and then brutally murdered in Hokarani village, Sirwar taluka. The deceased is said to be 21 years old. After the rape, the accused threw her body into a well. According to reports, the woman had gone out to defecate when the accused, who were lying in wait, attacked her. When she did not return home for a long time, her family began searching for her. The woman’s body was later recovered from a well in the village. Upon receiving information about the incident, local police arrived at the scene and began investigating. Acting swiftly, the police identified some suspects and took them into custody. Police are currently interrogating the arrested suspects to uncover the full truth of the incident. Awaiting the Postmortem Report A senior police officer stated, “In the case of the girl who was raped and murdered, we are still confirming whether it was rape or gang rape. The situation will become clear only after the postmortem report is received.” A Suspect Confirmed The officer further stated, “We have identified and arrested the suspects. One of them has been confirmed as the main suspect. The investigation is ongoing, so it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage. The deceased was 21 years old, and the incident occurred when she had gone outside to relieve herself.” Sagay Raj Courtesy: Hindi News
‘Tu Sala N**ch’: Dalit Journalist Beaten In Udaipur, 2 FIRs Filed, 1 Against Him
“He abused my caste and attacked me with a sharp object on my chest, neck, face and head,” alleged Lakhan Salvi. In Udaipur’s Gogunda, a Dalit journalist, Lakhan Salvi, 42, was brutally attacked in an alleged case of caste-based violence on Wednesday, 19 August. “I was called ‘neech’ right before I was beaten. I was just doing my job,” claimed Salvi. Salvi, an independent journalist was working on a story, covering people’s voices in Jaswantgarh who had come to submit a memorandum to the SDM Gogunda regarding their problems. Shortly after, as he went downstairs to talk to some people, the accused Gopal Lodha disrupted his work, said Salvi. “He abused my caste and attacked me with a sharp object on my chest, neck, face and head,” alleged Lakhan Salvi. The accused Gopal allegedly said, “Tujhe dekh loonga baad mein. After the byte was done he said, “Tu sala neech,” “Ye neech mujhe patrakarata sikha rha hain.” He called me ‘neech’ at least 15 times. He continued to abuse my caste identity and then said, “Tu sala neech Gogunda ko tu kha gaya, Gogunda ko loot rha hain, tumahra yahan kya hain?” he said, claimed Salvi. After this verbal assault, Salvi stated that Gopal punched him a couple of times and then some people separated the two of them. “He also tried to hit at my private parts but I stopped him,” noted Salvi. The Quint has seen the video of the crowd distancing them. “After 5-10 minutes, he returned. He had some sharp object in between his fingers. He punched me so hard that a part of the object cut through my lip and hit my teeth. There are injuries on my head, face, neck, arms and chest. My head was bleeding.” Lakhan Salvi to The Quint “He abused my caste and attacked me with a sharp object on my chest, neck, face and head,” alleged Lakhan Salvi. The assault did not stop there. After some locals took Salvi to a nearby hospital, the main accused, Gopal barged into the hospital with his brother, Kailash Lodha and attacked him again. “He came running and hit me on my head from behind as the nurses were tending to my injuries. CCTV footage also shows him running away,” said Salvi. The Quint has also seen the CCTV clip of the accused rushing out of the hospital. Noted activist and author Bhanwar Meghwanshi posted his video from the hospital and said, “His body was smeared with blood, and an FIR has been lodged regarding this matter at the Gogunda police station. We strongly condemn this attack on a journalist who comes from the Dalit community, and we request the administration to arrest the accused with immediate effect.” “He abused my caste and attacked me with a sharp object on my chest, neck, face and head,” alleged Lakhan Salvi. An FIR was registered under BNS sections 115(2), 126(2) and 3(5) and SC/ST sections on the day of the incident itself, however, another FIR, this time by the accused was filed against Salvi. Speaking to The Quint, the accused, Gopal had another story to tell. “Lakhan started it. He abused me first and punched me. Then I hit him and during the fight, he got hurt with my pen and ring. I did not abuse his caste. At the hospital, I did not mean to hit him, when he turned abruptly, my hand hit him,” he said. “He abused my caste and attacked me with a sharp object on my chest, neck, face and head,” alleged Lakhan Salvi. ‘Had FIR Been Filed Earlier…’ The accused, Gopal has filed an FIR against Salvi under BNS sections 115(2) – Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt and 126(2) – Punishment for wrongful restraint. Gopal works as a local stringer. Salvi alleged that he tried to disrupt his work before as well. One of his brothers is an informant to the police and the other works with Anganwadi workers. There is history that predates them. Around 4-5 years ago, Salvi has reported on a story which involved one of Gopal’s brothers. Salvi alleged, “His brother works with Angwanwadi workers, they are registered at his house. I got information that there were lapses in how many Angandwadi workers were there, who was getting food, ration or money. I reported on it and since then, Gopal has been targeting me.” Gopal has denied this and said he has not held grudges against him for any story. Meanwhile, the targeted attacks, according to Salvi progressed to social media. He posted against him in January this year as well, Salvi alleged. On 10 November 2025, Salvi field a complaint against him as Gopal had reportedly wrote slander against him on social media. Salvi said he also approached SC ST court but has not received any order yet. “Had they registered an FIR back then, he would have not done this today, abusing my caste and attacking me in broad daylight,” Salvi told The Quint. “He abused my caste and attacked me with a sharp object on my chest, neck, face and head,” alleged Lakhan Salvi. Complaint filed by Salvi but an FIR was not filed last year. “One journalist has to run here and there to get an FIR filed, to be heard. It has been almost 10 months but my complaint was not taken seriously and now there was a brutal attack. What does a journalist or a citizen have to do to be heard? asked Salvi. Aliza Noor Aliza has been a journalist for five years and is based out of Delhi and Lucknow. Primarily, she covers communalism, hate crimes, issues of human rights, social justice, gender and politics and is also involved our interactive hate tracker on our website. Topics: Rajasthan Dalit Journalist Attacked Courtesy : The Quint Note: This news is originally published on https:/thequint.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
SP attacks BJP after Dalit MLA alleges caste bias at temple
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party has reacted sharply to allegations of caste discrimination levelled by BJP’s Dalit MLA from Mohanlalganj Jai Devi at Sheetla Temple in Lucknow’s Kakori, saying that the incident has exposed the caste bias rampant under state govt. Jai Devi has accused the temple administration of denying her due respect during a bhoomi pujan and foundation-laying ceremony for the temple’s renovation. She alleged that she was not allowed to touch a brick, light an incense stick or break the coconut as part of the ritual held on Wednesday. National general secretary of SP Baba Sahab Ambedkar Vahini, Rambabu Sudarshan, described the incident as ‘very unfortunate’. “The fact that such an incident has happened in the state capital and after 9 years of BJP govt explains the state of affairs at caste discrimination front across UP. The incident has only proven BJP’s position on caste bias. The allegations are levelled by BJP’s own sitting Dalit MLA who is the wife of two-time BJP MP and former Union minister late Kaushal Kishore. Had it been any MLA from another party, the BJP’s troll army would have painted the whole incident as politically motivated,” he said. Sudarshan said the incident not only highlights the plight of a sitting Dalit MLA but also the sentiments and emotions of crores of Dalits in the state and in the country. “BJP and RSS talk of uniting Hindus with slogans like Batenge to Katenge (divided we lose). Is this how the BJP wants to unite Hindus? Such incidents prompts one to ponder if the BJP even recognises Dalits as Hindus or not?” Sudarshan 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
Complaints filed against DU prof over ‘Dalit remarks’ during TV debate
New Delhi: A complaint has been submitted to Delhi University vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh seeking disciplinary action against political science professor Sangeet Ragi over remarks he allegedly made during a television debate Tuesday. Indian National Teachers’ Congress (INTEC), which has filed the complaint, has accused Ragi of making derogatory remarks against the Dalit community and sought strict action, including his expulsion from the university. The remarks were made during the debate in which a video of Congress functionaries, including Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, was played. The video allegedly showed Vande Mataram being stopped midway to arrange a chair for Kharge. Referring to this during the debate, Ragi said, “This is a mentality of slavery, this is a Dalit mentality.” Following immediate objections, Ragi said he was withdrawing the statement, while maintaining that “Dalit” was not a community-related word, but a political term. A complaint has also been filed at Parliament Street police station seeking registration of an FIR under BNS and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Aditya Goswami, former media coordinator of All India Congress Committee, alleged that Ragi’s statement equating “Dalit mentality” with “slave mentality” amounted to an “intentional insult and humiliation” of a member of the scheduled caste community and “promoted or attempted to promote disharmony and feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different castes/communities on grounds of caste”. Goswami has sought that “an FIR be immediately registered”, the matter be investigated, the full video and related material be “seized/preserved” and appropriate action be taken against Ragi. INTEC has complained to the vice-chancellor that the remark was “deeply offensive and derogatory towards the Dalit community” and alleged that it “perpetuates harmful historical prejudices, promotes social division, and flies in the face of our constitutional values of equality, dignity, and social justice”. The teachers’ body demanded that DU initiate strict disciplinary action against him following applicable rules and due process. TOI reached out to the vice-chancellor, who said he had not seen the complaint and would respond after examining it. No response was received from Ragi till the time of going to press. 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 girl molested and assaulted: Family reaches SP office demanding arrests
A case of molestation and assault of a Dalit girl has come to light in the Mursan police station area of Hathras. The victim’s family, accompanied by social activist Sunita Singh, reached the Superintendent of Police’s office and demanded the immediate arrest of the named accused. They allege that despite a case being registered, the police have yet to make any arrests. The girl’s mother stated that the incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. on August 14th. She was walking with her approximately 15-year-old daughter to the highway to collect fodder for animals. It is alleged that Sanjay (son of Shyam Fauji, resident of Baguli) and Arjun (resident of Turi), who were on a scooter, stopped her daughter. It is alleged that Arjun tried to grab the girl’s hand and pull her away. After she let go, the accused pulled her scarf, causing her to fall on the road. The woman alleges that the two young men then stopped the scooter, approached her daughter, and began molesting her. The teenager sustained injuries and began bleeding. When her mother raised an alarm, people nearby rushed to the scene, after which the two accused fled. They also threatened her as they left. Upon receiving information about the incident, police arrived at the scene and the injured teenager was admitted to the Mursan Community Health Center. Based on the victim’s complaint, the Mursan police station has registered a case against the named accused under relevant sections. The victim’s family alleges that despite the case being filed, the accused have not been arrested. They have demanded that higher authorities immediately arrest the two named accused and take necessary legal action so that the victim and her family can receive justice. In this regard, CO Sadabad JN Asthana stated that efforts are being made to arrest the accused. Courtesy: Hindi News