Rahul Gandhi leaves for Tamil Nadu tour, will meet the families of three students who committed suicide over the NEET controversy.
Rahul Gandhi left for Tamil Nadu on Saturday morning. He will meet the families of three students who committed suicide in Chennai over the NEET controversy. Tamil Nadu unit president B. Manickam Tagore stated that there is no plan to meet with Chief Minister Vijay. New Delhi: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, left for Tamil Nadu on Saturday from his residence in New Delhi. Today in Chennai, he will meet with three families whose children allegedly committed suicide during the NEET paper leak controversy. Rahul Gandhi will also discuss with party officials under the “Sangthan Srujan Abhiyaan,” an initiative to strengthen the party at the grassroots level in Tamil Nadu. However, no meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thalapathy Vijay is currently planned. According to reports, Rahul Gandhi will meet with three families in Chennai whose children committed suicide due to irregularities in the NEET UG exam regarding the NEET paper leak. Regarding Rahul Gandhi’s meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay Thalapathy, the party stated that “there is no plan for Rahul Gandhi to meet Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay during his visit to Tamil Nadu.” Will Address Officials Congress General Secretary and Tamil Nadu in-charge Ghulam Ahmed Mir and the party’s Tamil Nadu unit president B. Manickam Tagore told reporters in Chennai that Rahul will address officials on Saturday at the closing ceremony of the 10-day training camp for District Congress Committee presidents held from July 23 to August 1 in Mamallapuram. Initiative to Strengthen the Party at the Grassroots Level Rahul is expected to arrive in Chennai at 11 a.m. on August 1, where he will preside over a party event held there, and then depart for Delhi at 6 p.m. The training camp for the Chennai Congress Committee presidents is an initiative to strengthen the party at the grassroots level under the “Organization Creation Campaign.” When asked about the possibility of Rahul Gandhi meeting Chief Minister Vijay, Tagore said that the top leader’s Chennai program is related to party organization. Congress is part of the Tamil Nadu coalition government led by the Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam (TVK). Curated by: Abhishek Pandey About the Author Abhishek Pandey is a digital journalist at Navbharat Times. He joined Navbharat Times, the digital wing of the Times of India Group, in July 2025. He currently covers news for the National and Delhi desks. Courtesy: Hindi News
Hate speech case: Suvarna appears before probe officer
Udupi: Udupi MLA Yashpal Anand Suvarna, booked for alleged derogatory remarks and hate speech against leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi, appeared before the investigating officer Friday. Responding to a police notice, the MLA answered questions posed by the investigating officer. The probe will proceed based on his responses, Udupi SP Hariram Shankar said. Udupi Town police had registered an FIR against Suvarna under sections 57, 192, 196(2), 352, 353(2) and 351(2) of BNS for allegedly making inflammatory statements against the Congress leader during a protest Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Udupi District Congress staged a protest in the town Friday against Suvarna’s alleged hate speech and threats against Rahul Gandhi, as well as his remarks on the NEET students’ movement. Former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake demanded the MLA’s immediate arrest. Congress leader Niketh Raj Maurya said the younger generation was exposing the Centre’s actions through social media and would respond democratically in the 2029 elections. In a press release, Dakshina Kannada BJP spokesperson Arun G Shet accused the Karnataka govt of using the administrative machinery to further “politics of hatred” instead of functioning in an accountable and democratic manner. 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
Meerut: Attempted kidnapping of Dalit girl; police find her using drone in 3 hours; search for the accused continues
The girl’s family said they suspect the accused are from the same village, and the police are currently investigating. Meerut: A case of kidnapping of an 11th-grade Dalit girl has come to light in the district. Some unidentified youths forcibly dragged her into a field. Acting on information from local residents, police launched a search operation using drone cameras. After approximately three hours of effort, the girl was recovered safely, while the police are continuing to search for the absconding accused. SP City Vinayak Gopal Bhosale stated that the incident occurred in the Partapur police station area, where a Dalit minor girl was forcibly taken into the fields by some men. Local villagers became suspicious and informed the police. Upon receiving the information, the SSP arrived at the scene with his team and began a search using drone cameras. After approximately three hours of effort, the girl was recovered. The villagers also provided considerable support during this time. The SP stated that drone cameras are now being used to monitor the area. The accused youths will be identified and arrested soon. Efforts are also being made to interrogate the student so that the accused can be identified quickly. Meanwhile, the student’s family stated that they suspect the accused are from the village. Currently, the police are investigating from every angle. Courtesy: Hindi News
Eyewitness to Dalit youth murder case in Tehri arrested on rape charges
New Tehri, Diwakar Dimri, an eyewitness to the murder of Dalit youth Ketan Lal in Uttarakhand’s Tehri district, has been arrested on rape charges. Police announced this on Thursday. Police said Dimri was arrested on Tuesday evening on charges of raping a minor girl involved in the case. According to a police complaint filed by Dhanpal Lal, father of Ketan (18), a resident of Dewal village, at 11 pm on June 7, his son, along with his friend Dimri, arrived at the minor girl’s house in Kholgarh village at her call, where the girl’s family locked them in a room and severely beat them. The next morning, the minor girl’s father called Ketan’s family and asked them to take his son away. According to the complaint, when they reached Kholgarh, Ketan was found bleeding and died on the way to be taken for treatment. The injured Dimri was admitted to the district hospital for treatment. Now, with Dimri’s arrest, the incident that occurred last month in Kholgarh village in the Pratapnagar area has once again gained momentum, where the family members of the deceased staged a protest at the Collectorate on Thursday demanding the release of Dimri and the arrest of his alleged co-accused. However, Ketan’s family and villagers later ended the protest after District Magistrate Nitika Khandelwal assured them of a fair investigation. Earlier, the family members of the minor girl and the people of the area, who had long threatened to protest after Dimri’s arrest, postponed a planned protest and siege of the District Magistrate’s office on Wednesday. According to the police, a case of alleged rape was registered against Dimri on July 11 at the Lambgaon police station under various sections, including the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, based on the complaint of the minor girl’s mother. During the investigation, he was arrested based on the victim’s statement and other evidence. Meanwhile, the deceased’s father, Dhanpal Lal, mother, Rukma Devi, along with other family members and villagers staged a sit-in protest at the Collectorate on Thursday, demanding the arrest of alleged co-accused in the Ketan murder case. The protesters alleged that other individuals were also involved in Ketan’s murder, against whom no action has yet been taken. They also claimed that the minor girl’s mother and others also played a role in Ketan’s beating. The protesters demanded that the case be heard in a fast-track court, all co-accused be arrested, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report be made public, and the arrest of arrested eyewitness Dimri. Investigating officer and Police Circle Officer Chandramohan Singh stated that the investigation is ongoing and four individuals have been arrested so far in connection with Ketan’s murder. He added that further action will be taken based on whatever facts and evidence emerge from the investigation. Deepti Shafiq This story has been auto-fed from Bhasha news agency. ThePrint is not responsible for its content. Courtesy: Hindi News
MP: Teacher brutally beats 8-year-old Dalit student for touching water bottle, FIR filed
A case of alleged untouchability and caste discrimination has come to light at a government school in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh. The teacher allegedly beat an eight-year-old student with a stick and used casteist slurs for touching his water bottle. A shocking incident has come to light in Shivpuri district, Madhya Pradesh, raising serious questions about both the education system and society. It is alleged that an 8-year-old student studying in a government school drank water from a teacher’s water bottle. Angered by this, the teacher allegedly beat the child and used casteist slurs against him. Following the incident, the family filed a police complaint. According to an NDTV report, the incident occurred at the government primary school in Ukawal village, Kolaras tehsil, Shivpuri district. According to reports, the 8-year-old student, a Class 4 student, arrived at school as usual. While studying, he felt thirsty and drank water from the teacher’s water bottle in the classroom. It is reported that this sparked a dispute, and the teacher’s anger was directed at the innocent student. Family members and local residents allege that teacher Lokesh Sharma became angry when the student touched his water bottle. They say the teacher first scolded the student and allegedly used casteist slurs against him. It is alleged that the teacher then brutally beat the student with a stick, saying, “How dare you touch my bottle?” The child returned home crying. When the student returned home after the beating, he was terrified. He informed his family about the incident. The family was shocked to hear his story. The family says that treating a young child in this manner simply for drinking water is a very serious matter. Following this, the family decided to take legal action and filed a complaint at the police station. FIR Registered On the complaint of the victim’s family, the Lukwasa police station in the Kolaras police station area has registered a case against the accused teacher, Lokesh Sharma. The police have registered a case under sections 296(A) and 115(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). They have also taken action against the accused under sections 3(1)(d), 3(1)(d), and 3(2)(v) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Police Engaged in Investigation According to police officials, an investigation has been initiated into the case. Further action will be taken based on the complaint, witness statements, and other available evidence. Officials say that necessary legal action will be taken as per the law after the investigation is complete. Meanwhile, there is an atmosphere of anger in the village and surrounding areas following the incident. Locals say that schools are places to impart the message of education, equality, and respect to children. In such a context, the emergence of such allegations is extremely serious and worrying. Such incidents have happened before. It should be noted that similar incidents have occurred before. In April of last year, a 15-year-old Dalit student in Agra suffered fractures to two fingers and serious injuries to his thigh, shoulder, and jaw. It was alleged that a teacher beat him for touching a water bottle. This incident occurred at a private higher secondary school in Haripur. The student told the English newspaper TOI, “I was thirsty, and when I saw a water bottle on the table, I picked it up. As soon as I touched the bottle, my teacher, Mangal Singh Shakya, became angry and said, ‘How dare you touch the bottle? It’s no longer fit to be touched. Who will drink from it?’” The boy said that Shakya locked him in a room after school and beat him severely. A similar incident also occurred in Rajasthan in July 2022. A nine-year-old Dalit student died after being allegedly beaten by a teacher for drinking water from a water pot at a private school in Jalore district, Rajasthan. The victim was a student at a private school in Surana village, Jalore district. He was beaten on July 20 and later died at a hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Courtesy: Hindi News
Life imprisonment for raping a Dalit girl: POCSO court in Ambedkar Nagar also imposed a fine of 40,000 rupees, ruling in a 6-year-old case.
In the case of rape of a Dalit girl in the Jaitpur area of Ambedkar Nagar, Special Judge under the POCSO Act, Mohan Kumar, convicted the accused, Anand Singh alias Jhinak Singh, and sentenced him to life imprisonment. The court also imposed a fine of 40,000 rupees. According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on September 11, 2020. The accused, Anand Singh alias Jhinak Singh, a resident of Bhitaura South, gagged a Dalit girl who was outside her house, dragged her into the bushes, and raped her. When she resisted, the accused beat her and threatened to kill her. Charge sheet filed after investigation Following the incident, the police registered a case based on the complaint of the victim’s family. After the investigation was completed, the charge sheet was filed in the court. During the hearing, statements and evidence from the victim and other witnesses were presented before the court. The court delivered its verdict based on the evidence. The prosecution demanded a harsh punishment for the accused. Despite the defense’s arguments, the court deemed the available evidence and witness statements sufficient and convicted the accused. Sentence under the SC-ST Act and rape sections The special judge sentenced the accused to life imprisonment and a fine of ₹10,000 under the SC-ST Act. He also imposed various sentences under other sections, including 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for the crime of rape. The court also ordered a copy of the verdict be sent to the District Legal Services Authority to provide compensation to the victim. Arunesh Pratap Singh | Ambedkar Nagar Courtesy: Hindi News
Samajwadi Party’s ‘PDA’ Strategy On General Seats: Akhilesh Yadav To Field Over 100 Dalit Candidates In UP Assembly Polls
UP Assembly Election: Samajwadi Party is expanding its ‘PDA’ strategy for the 2027 UP Assembly elections, with Akhilesh Yadav planning to field over 100 Dalit candidates, including on general seats. This move aims to broaden SP’s voter base and challenge BJP’s social engineering in the state. Strategy aims to challenge BJP’s social engineering in UP. Jagran Correspondent, Lucknow: With just a few months remaining in the much-awaited Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) has begun preparing its strategy. It is planning to expand the formula of “PDA” (Backward, Dalit, and Minority), the strategy that helped the Samajwadi Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha election as it emerged as the single largest party in the state. SP To Expand PDA Strategy As per the reports, along with seeking votes on the PDA formula, the socialist party is also planning to field candidates on this formula to target a larger voter base. Akhilesh Yadav is preparing a “2.0” version of the PDA formula, in which the “D” (Dalit) category of the PDA will also be assured a greater share. The reports suggest that along with the reserved seats, Akhilesh Yadav is in favor of fielding Dalit candidates on general seats as well. As per the experts, the effort is likely to increase the party’s acceptance among Dalit and non-Yadav backward voters while also challenging the BJP’s social engineering. More Dalit Candidates Likely Earlier in the 2022 assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party fielded Dalit candidates on only three general seats, in addition to the reserved seats. However, it is considering fielding Dalit and tribal candidates on over 100 seats, including 15 to 20 general seats in the 2027 polls, reported Jagran, citing sources. The party reportedly believes that fielding Dalit candidates on general seats will lead to political polarization in those seats, as well as in surrounding regions. The strategy could help the Akhilesh Yadav-led party in Western Uttar Pradesh and other regions where Dalits are in significant numbers. With this move, the SP also aims to weaken the BJP’s non-Yadav backward class and non-Jatav Dalit alliance. This equation has benefitted the saffron party for the past decade; however, the Samajwadi Party managed to make a dent in the last Lok Sabha elections. By Aditya Jha Courtesy : The Daily Jagran Note: This news is originally published on https:/thedailyjagran.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Rape of Dalit girl in Nasirabad… Accused still absconding: Lok Janshakti Party and villagers protest, Samajwadi Party threatens agitation.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) workers and villagers protested on Thursday against the non-arrest of the absconding accused in the rape case of a Dalit girl in the Nasirabad police station area of Rae Bareli. Meanwhile, a delegation of the Samajwadi Party (SP) also met with the victim’s family and demanded immediate action. The incident dates back to last Tuesday, when a case was registered under sections of the rape and SC/ST Act for the rape of a Dalit girl. Police have arrested Prem Sagar Tiwari, but the other four accused are still reported to be absconding. Lok Janshakti Party, Amethi District President, Dharmraj Paswan, visited the victim’s family. The family alleged that the arrest of the remaining accused was being delayed and they were receiving constant threats. Following this, party workers and villagers protested in the village and demanded the immediate arrest of all the absconding accused. Assurances given to protesters Upon receiving information about the protest, Paraiya Namaksar outpost in-charge Atul Kumar Tripathi arrived at the scene with police force. During this, there was a minor altercation between the protesters and the police regarding the arrest of the accused. The police assured the protesters that continuous efforts were being made to arrest the absconding accused and that action would be taken soon. Following this, the protest ended. Demand for fair and strict action Meanwhile, a delegation from the Samajwadi Party also met with the victim’s family. SP leader Chaudhary Suresh Nirmal warned that if the absconding accused were not arrested within 24 hours, the party would launch a major agitation regarding the matter. He demanded fair and strict action from the police administration. LJP’s Chhavilal Pasi, Rakesh, Pushpendra, Ramesh and several other villagers were present on the occasion. Ashar Fapur (Salon), Rae Bareli Courtesy: Hindi News
TVK betraying farmers, DMK to hold stir in Thanjavur on August 3: MK Stalin
He added that the protest on Monday will demand firm steps to protect Cauvery water rights and a special relief package for delta farmers. CHENNAI: DMK president MK Stalin on Thursday accused the ruling TVK government of betraying farmers on multiple fronts. He announced a massive protest led by Leader of Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin in Thanjavur on August 3, the day Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay is set to meet his Karnataka counterpart DK Shivakumar in Bengaluru for talks over Cauvery. Reacting to it, TVK headquarters accused the DMK leadership of speaking “as though the party is still in power” and asserted TVK “will never allow the interests of Tamil Nadu’s farmers and people to be harmed.” In his statement on X, Stalin listed four grievances against the state government: disappointment over crop loan waivers, lethargic approach to the Mekedatu dam issue, damage to kuruvai cultivation because Mettur dam has not been opened, and delay in convening an all-party meeting on Cauvery-related matters. He added that the protest on Monday will demand firm steps to protect Cauvery water rights and a special relief package for delta farmers. Stalin also warned of larger agitations ahead. TVK headquarters responded with an unnamed statement issued on X, dismissing the DMK’s charge of inaction on Mekedatu as self-indictive. “If the DMK leadership claims the Mekedatu issue arose only after May 10, 2026, isn’t it confessing as to who was actually sleeping on the issue?” the statement said. “Even after being thrown out by the people of Tamil Nadu, speaking as though he (Stalin) is still the CM is what being out of touch with reality looks like – but as usual, there seems to be no one in the DMK to point this out to its leadership,” the statement read. Chennai: The Madras High Court on Thursday ordered notice to the state assembly secretary and the other respondents directing them to file a counter-affidavit to the petition filed by AIADMK challenging the amendment made to the June 19 Assembly resolution on Mekedatu issue, for adding a clause on the demand for setting up a tribunal to resolve the issue. The first bench of CJ Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the respondents to file the counter-affidavits within two weeks and adjourned the hearing in the petition filed by the party’s Whip Agri SS Krishnamurthy. Don’t hold talks with Karnataka: Anbumani to CM Chennai: PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday urged Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay not to hold talks with the Karnataka CM on the proposed Mekedatu dam project, saying such a move would weaken Tamil Nadu’s long-standing opposition to the project. Speaking to reporters at Chennai airport before leaving for New Delhi, Anbumani challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to clearly state his stand on the issue. “If Rahul Gandhi says in one sentence that Karnataka should not build the Mekedatu dam, we are ready to quit the NDA alliance,” the RS MP stated. 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
Tushar Gandhi appealed to Satheesan and Chennithala, whom he described as personal friends, to follow the Congress high command’s line.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson and president of the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation, Tushar Gandhi, has urged the state government to withdraw the FIRs and charge sheets filed against students who protested in solidarity with the Delhi protest. In his letter to Chief Minister V D Satheesan and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, Tushar Gandhi said he was “unpleasantly surprised” that Kerala Police had booked protesting students. “This does not behoove the progressive state of Kerala, and even more so, a government led by the Congress party,” he said in the letter. He noted that Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi had backed the students’ movement. They had condemned the “brutal oppression” unleashed by the Union government and the Delhi Police. Action against students in Kerala, where the UDF government is in power, was “disgraceful,” he said. “Let me not remind you that the Congress was born out of the spirit of satyagraha; one expects much better from a Congress-led government, invoking the Congress party’s roots in the Satyagraha movement,” he said in the letter. Tushar Gandhi appealed to Satheesan and Chennithala, whom he described as personal friends, to follow the Congress high command’s line. 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