Right-wing group forces Dalit woman to‘postpone’ her interfaith wedding in UP
Bareilly: An interfaith couple’s planned wedding in Meerut was “postponed” following threats and protests by members of a right-wing group. An FIR was also registered against the groom under the Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act following allegations of “love jihad”. TOI had reported about the FIR earlier this week. The couple — Akanksha Gautam, who follows Buddhism and works in the private sector, and Shahvez Rana, a medical professional — was scheduled to marry on Friday. Both belong to Meerut city. Following news of their wedding a few days ago, members of Hindu Suraksha Sangathan protested and, accompanied by Akanksha’s uncle, Premchand Gautam, filed a complaint at the city’s Ganga Nagar thana. Speaking to TOI on Friday, Akanksha said, “My wedding is a non issue. This (right-wing) group wants to make it a national headline. I want to ask who are these men to take a decision on my behalf, and how can they thrust their decision on me? My life has turned into a complete chaos, but the man I chose to marry still stands by me. I gave my statement to the court, and I want to marry him. Our marriage has been postponed, not cancelled.” The 29-year-old added: “My father passed away in 2023, after which my uncle, who filed this complaint against Rana, wants to grab our property. We have a house and other properties in my mother’s name, which he wants to be registered in his name… When my mother and sister are happy for me, why is he (uncle) creating a problem?” The woman’s mother, Lata Rani, meanwhile, said, “We’re Buddhists and not Hindu. This is open bullying… Whatever we’re doing is within the framework of the Indian Constitution. I fully stand by my daughter and Shahvez. They will get married, come what may.” In his complaint, Akanksha’s uncle alleged deception. “Shahvez Rana deceived her with the intention of grabbing property. He conspired after manipulating and brainwashing her,” he stated. Meanwhile, the right-wing members failed to go ahead with their ‘maha panchayat’ at the wedding venue in Meerut on Friday after police locked up the place and prevented them from reaching the venue. 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
Villagers allegedly stop sending children to Kendrapara Anganwadi after Dalit cook’s appointment
Families in Nuagaon village, Kendrapara district, Odisha, have reportedly ceased sending their children to a local Anganwadi following the appointment of Sarmistha Sethi, a Scheduled Caste cook, in November last year. Sarmistha Sethi stated she began working at the Anganwadi on November 20, but children have not attended since because of her caste. “I joined on 20 November last year. Students are not coming here because I belong to the Scheduled Caste. It has been three months like this. Something like this should not happen in the education sector. I am a cook here. The sub-collector officer and tehsildar also know about this issue,” she said. Sub-Collector of Kendrapara, Arun Kumar Nayak, said he visited the Anganwadi and discovered villagers refusing to accept the cooked food, although no formal complaint regarding caste discrimination has been filed. He assured that the matter will be resolved promptly and that action will be taken if civil rights violations occur. “I went there yesterday and inquired with a few villagers and the candidate herself. Although it was not clear from anyone, we have not received any complaint regarding any kind of caste issue. I came to know that villagers are not taking any cooked food from that Anganwadi centre. We will sort out the issue very soon. Tomorrow we will do a massive campaign. If it is a case of violation of civil rights, then we will act accordingly,” he stated. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, raised concerns on February 14 about alleged caste discrimination at workplaces. Referring to the incident in Odisha during Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, he highlighted that some families refused to allow their children to eat food prepared by a Dalit Anganwadi worker. Kharge remarked that such discrimination undermines social reform and unity in the 21st century, noting that the Anganwadi centre had been boycotted for three months. He emphasised that Anganwadis are fundamental to children’s physical and cognitive development, asserting that these discriminatory practices affect their growth and infringe upon the right to education under Article 21A of the Constitution. Courtesy : TNM Note: This news is originally published on https:/thenewsmill.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
A Meerut wedding that got too risky. Dalit bride, Muslim groom, parents, venue ready
The FIR against the Muslim groom has left two families, who barely a week ago were in a celebratory mood, worrying for their safety. The engagement hall that was booked by the Meerut families. Akanksha Gautam and Shahvez Rana were supposed to exchange rings last week when an FIR was lodged against the groom alleging forced conversion. | Sabah Gurmat | ThePrint A Meerut interfaith wedding between Akanksha Gautam and Shahvez Rana was cancelled after Akanksha’s uncle, instigated by a Hindutva group, filed a “love jihad” FIR. The couple, who had planned a secular marriage, face emotional and financial distress, and fear for their safety under Uttar Pradesh’s controversial law. *AI-generated summary. Check context in original text. Meerut: Akanksha Gautam should have been receiving congratulatory messages and calls on her phone. The 29-year-old Meerut woman was supposed to marry her former neighbour Shahvez Rana. Now, the wedding is cancelled. And an FIR and the draconian love-jihad law haunt the couple. Akanksha’s phone was ringing non-stop on Wednesday morning. But now, she is battling the system while trying hard to minimise her losses on a wedding that has cost the family a fortune. “I paid Rs 65,000 to book the Saat Phere banquet hall for my sagai. I just want the refund now,” said Akanksha, distraught about what is to follow. In her living room, crammed with cartons of Voltas and LG ACs bought as “gifts” for the groom’s side, Akanksha sank into the sofa and turned her phone off. Her cousin Madhu had arrived from Agra, looking forward to all the dancing and celebrations at the haldi and mehendi ceremonies. “Now it’s less like a shadi ka ghar, more like a maatam ka mahaul.” The Meerut couple is the latest to be at the receiving end of the Uttar Pradesh law that many have called regressive ever since it came into existence in 2020. The case has left two families, who till barely a week ago were in a celebratory mood, worrying for their safety. While police investigate the ‘love jihad’ allegations against the groom, and the family seeks appointments with top cops in the hope of some relief, WhatsApp forwards and fake news circulation hound Shahvez and his kin. And the Hindu group that helped file the FIR has openly declared they will not leave the couple alone. In UP, nobody wants to host an inter-faith wedding. Twenty-five-year-old Shahvez served as a manager at a small privately-run hospital in Meerut. Now, he is “too afraid” to return to his work. “My name, my work, my reputation has all gone. Even Akanksha – and she is alone just with her sister and mother, did anyone think of her? – she is at risk too. This is all happening because of Sachin Sirohi and goons like him who have instigated her uncle. Her chacha has known me for years, did he not know I’m Muslim? Go ask him, ask his whole family. They all know me well! They are just being instigated by these hate mongering goons” said Shahvez over a video call, unable to hold back his tears. Sirohi is a well-known vigilante in Meerut who enjoys political patronage. He was earlier the Meerut zone’s head of the Hindu Jagran Manch, and has been involved in incidents like this in the past as well. Local journalists said he likes to do whatever it takes to get in the limelight. ThePrint tried reaching out to Meerut SSP Avinash Pandey and SP (rural) Abhijeet Kumar through calls and messages. This report will be updated with their responses as and when they arrive. Investigating Officer Dheeraj Singh said the probe was underway and that the police will proceed accordingly to ascertain whether this is a case of forced conversion or not. “No arrests have been made so far. The complainant’s claim was an offence of a serious nature, and the police are bound to register a case.” Sachin Sirohi (second from left), president of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Sangathan with Prem Chand (third from left), Akanksha’s uncle in whose name the FIR was registered against Shahvez the Muslim groom. | Sabah Gurmat | ThePrint A name, a dog whistle, and an FIR Relatives from Agra had arrived at Akanksha’s home for the wedding. As the family now tries to make sense of the developments, they are also keeping an eye on how the case is being reported in the media Rohan, one of Akanksha’s nephews, fished out his phone and played a TV news story about Shahvez’s purported “Love Jihad”, even as he said that Shahvez had been like a friend to him. All her maternal side of relatives knew of him since the time they were friends. Madhu, the cousin and Megha, the younger sister, saw Shahvez as a caring and responsible man. Someone who had “always been there as a friend to our sister”. Akanksha Gautam with her mehndi. | Sabah Gurmat | ThePrint At the centre of this storm is 39-year-old Sachin Sirohi, who accompanied Akanksha’s uncle Prem Chand, and went to the Ganga Nagar police station on 9 February– just hours before the couple’s sagai/engagement ceremony. Their biggest reservation was a name printed on the wedding card. Shahvez’s name was printed as ‘Sahil’ in one version of the wedding cards distributed by the bride’s side. Aided by members of various Hindutva organisations, a police complaint was filed, which was later converted into an FIR. In 2021, Sirohi was booked in a case that involved pressurising a Hindu woman to slap and assault her Muslim friend. In December last year, Sirohi was accused by the family of a Muslim home-buyer, as the person responsible for threats. Sirohi and other Hindutva groups had opposed the sale of a home to a Muslim family in a posh colony inhabited by Hindus and Sikhs. Now, there is anger among Akanksha’s family members and an urge to respond. Rohan said that if their side could get “people from the Bhim Army”—the way
Kharge raises Odisha anganwadi boycott over Dalit cook in Parliament debate
Congress chief cites NCRB data on atrocities against SCs and seeks accountability, warns caste prejudice in public institutions harms equality and child welfare The Congress on Thursday raised in Parliament the alleged boycott of an anganwadi centre in Odisha’s Kendrapara district after a Dalit woman was appointed cook-cum-helper. Congress president and the leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, said the incident in Ghadiamal village had brought to light caste-based prejudices among the majority community against the Scheduled Castes. Kharge demanded strong action and accountability in cases of caste-based discrimination. “Had the government taken timely actions in such incidents in the past, this incident would not have happened,” he said. Residents of the Odisha village have stopped sending their children to the anganwadi centre after the Dalit woman was appointed. During Zero Hour, Kharge said that in the 21st century when some people are talking about social reforms and Hindu unity, most families in an Odisha village have refused to have the food prepared by a cook in an anganwadi centre. Kharge said anganwadi centres lay the foundation for children’s cognitive development and such caste-based prejudice would affect their growth. “These incidents reflect caste-based discrimination in workplaces. Recently, many such incidents have come to our notice. Had timely action been taken in those cases, such an incident would not have happened,” Kharge said. He cited several incidents in recent years: a man urinating on a tribal in Madhya Pradesh, a Dalit employee in Gujarat committing suicide because of caste-based exploitation at the workplace, and the linking of an IPS officer’s suicide in Chandigarh to caste bias. “These incidents demonstrate that caste-based prejudices are not limited to social life alone. They get manifested in workplaces too. This affects the dignity, career progress and safety of weaker sections. Such behaviour is a clear violation of Articles 14, 15 and 17. I demand taking strong and time-bound actions. Accountability must be fixed in cases of such violations,” Kharge said. On February 10, minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale had in Parliament quoted data from the National Crime Records Bureau to say that the number of cases registered under crimes or atrocities against SCs during 2021, 2022 and 2023 was 50,900, 57,582 and 57,789, respectively. Courtesy : Telegraph India Note: This news is originally published on https:/telegraphindia.com/bha and is used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes, especially human rights
Red tape: 360 Dalit families live in dark for 40 years in Tamil Nadu
Several poor Dalit families settled down on barren land strips on the city’s outskirts over the years in batches, and were promised patta for nine acres and 13 cents of land by successuve governments. MADURAI: For the nearly 360 Dalit families residing at Theerthakadu village near Vandiyur within Madurai city limits, the tug-of-war between the city corporation and the state revenue department over issuance of land pattas has meant a life without electricity, drinking water, roads, drainage, and sanitation facility for more than 40 years. Though the locality falls under ward 38 of the Madurai City Corporation and is part of the Madurai East Assembly constituency represented by Commercial Taxes Minister P Moorthy, for the authorities, the life of 1,200 residents is a matter unspoken, unheard, and unseen. According to a few residents, several poor Dalit families settled down on barren land strips located on the city’s outskirts over the years in batches, and they were promised patta for nine acres and 13 cents of land by successive governments. Only 68 families, however, received e-pattas from Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin in December last year. This delay in issuing pattas hampered the transfer of common land area for development of amenities by the state revenue department to the city corporation, leading to the delay in creating basic facilities in the locality. Unwilling to put up with this official apathy any longer, the Theerthakadu SC Residents Protection Welfare Association has decided to boycott the upcoming elections. Raising slogans such as “enough is enough”, the residents have pasted posters in and around the village announcing their decision to not vote in any election until they are provided with basic facilities. Speaking to TNIE, Muthamil Pandian, president of the association, said, “We have decided to boycott the Assembly polls in protest against this neglect for over 40 years. We are also planning a rally to the Tamil Nadu Assembly in Chennai in the next few days.” During TNIE’s visit to the village, resident N Mullaikodi (35) said more than 350 SC families have been living in the locality since 1983. ‘No power to charge free laptops given to students’ “Although we have constructed houses, the corporation has refused to provide basic amenities. Due to lack of water pipelines, we are forced to shell out Rs 80 for a 100-litre barrel of borewell water (for non-drinking use) and Rs 15 per pot of drinking water,” she said. She further alleged that the lack of electricity connection has made the village unsafe, with miscreants frequently using the area for illegal activities. “We are daily-wage labourers and cannot afford to live in rented houses elsewhere. We can’t go out to work before sunrise or return home after sunset as the locality is pitch dark. It is also dangerous at night due to poisonous insects and snakes,” she said, adding that women and girls are subjected to harassment when they go out to relieve themselves. “With no proper lighting, students are forced to study under candlelight. We are unable to use any electronic equipment, including free laptops, given to students. They remain unused or are sold. Not a single child from our village has graduated in the last 40 years. We are compelled to spend money even for basic necessities. We travel to nearby areas that have electricity and pay Rs 5 per device to charge phones,” said Renuka (30), another villager. A senior revenue official, under condition of anonymity, told TNIE, “We are looking into the issue and taking steps to fulfil the villagers’ demands, including electricity and water connection.” When contacted, Collector KJ Praveen Kumar told TNIE he would check with the Corporation Commissioner regarding the matter. Jeyalakshmi Ramanujam 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
Was a Dalit wedding procession stopped in Etah, or did the wedding party misbehave with another community’s function? A scuffle ensued.
Etah Dalit Wedding: A wedding ceremony in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district turned into a wrestling match when two groups clashed over dancing to the DJ music. The incident took place in Peepal Tola, Sakiat, where an altercation between the wedding procession and the Tilak ceremony escalated into a violent altercation. Etah News: A wedding ceremony in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district turned into a wrestling match when the dancing steps of the wedding procession interfered with each other. The incident occurred in the Peepal Tola neighborhood, where the wedding procession was proceeding on one side and the Tilak ceremony was underway on the other. What ensued? A verbal battle broke out over dance steps, leading to the use of sticks and rods. The situation became so severe that the groom had to seek police protection before the wedding rituals. A ruckus over dancing to a DJ The incident began in the Sakiat police station area, where a Tilak ceremony was taking place at a Shakya community home, and people were enjoying the DJ. Meanwhile, a Dalit wedding procession was passing by. Some young men in the procession began dancing to the DJ. However, the hosts were not happy with the uninvited guests’ dancing. An argument ensued, followed by a scuffle, and the situation quickly escalated into free-style wrestling. Dispute between two communities and the Dalit angle As the night progressed, the dispute escalated. The bride’s sister-in-law directly alleged that the miscreants not only stopped the wedding procession but also assaulted them on caste lines. The other side argued that the dispute was about the DJ and indecency. However, it is being exaggerated by creating an angle of Dalit oppression. Meanwhile, a video of the altercation is going viral on social media, showing the wedding guests and the hosts assaulting each other. Police arrived at the scene as soon as the incident was reported. Given the situation, the police took charge and completed the wedding rituals in their presence. Finally, the groom was able to bid farewell to his bride, albeit under police protection. Etah police are proceeding cautiously in this matter. After an initial investigation, the police stated that “the allegations of stopping the wedding procession or targeting the Dalit community do not appear to be true at first glance. The matter stems from a dispute over dancing on a DJ. However, the viral video and complaints from both parties are being seriously investigated.” Courtesy: Hindi News
Uproar over temple entry: Priest snatches offerings from woman’s hand and throws them on the road; you’ll be shocked to know the reason.
At the Hanuman Temple located at Amroha Gate in Moradabad, a priest prevented a Dalit woman from praying. Priest Sachin Sharma insulted the woman with casteist slurs… Read more Jagran correspondent, Moradabad. A Dalit woman who had come to worship at the Hanuman Temple located at Amroha Gate in the Kotwali area was not allowed to enter by the priest. When the woman attempted to worship, he insulted her with casteist slurs. The priest also threw away the offerings she had brought. Police have filed an FIR against the priest based on a complaint. The incident is three months old. Sushma, a resident of Buddhi Vihar in Majhola, stated in her complaint to the Kotwali police that she frequently visits the Hanuman Temple located near Amroha Gate. On December 9, 2025, at around 7 pm, she went to the temple to pray. The temple priest, Sachin Sharma, a resident of Dewan Bazaar, Nawabpura Road, Nagphani, refused to perform the puja after seeing the woman. The woman nevertheless attempted to enter the temple. The priest became enraged and snatched the prasad from her hand and threw it away. He began using casteist slurs in public. Hearing the commotion, people gathered nearby. They also tried to reason with the priest, but he refused to listen. The priest publicly insulted her using casteist slurs and threatened to kill her if she returned to the temple. Passersby present at the scene also protested. Inspector-in-Charge Rajesh stated that an FIR has been registered against priest Sachin Sharma based on the complaint. The incident is old. CCTV footage will not be available, but the entire matter is being investigated. Further action will be taken after the investigation. BY SACHIN CHOUDHARYEDITED BY: ANSHUL BHARTARIYA Courtesy: Hindi News
Villagers skip meeting to resolve anganwadi boycott over dalit cook
Nuagaon residents refuse to attend meet; only 2 villagers, sarpanch, ward member turn up. KENDRAPARA: The Kendrapara administration’s efforts to convince villagers of Nuagaon under Rajnagar block to end the boycott of the local anganwadi over appointment of a dalit cook failed to yield any result on Wednesday. Acting on the directions of collector Raghuram R Iyer, sub-collector Arun Nayak, Rajnagar tehsildar Jisukrishna Das, district welfare officer (DWO) Arabinda Ray and other officials visited Nuagaon under Ghadiamala panchayat to resolve the issue. However, villagers reportedly refused to attend the meeting. “Only the ward member, sarpanch and two villagers were present, making the chances of a breakthrough slim,” said child development project officer of Rajnagar Dipali Mishra. “Villagers did not attend the meeting as they do not consume food cooked by dalits. No one wants to break this age-old custom. If the administration forces our children and women to eat such food, it may lead to unrest. The administration should appoint a cook from the upper caste to resolve the issue,” said a villager on condition of anonymity. Sources said most villagers preferred to remain silent on the issue. Several educated residents and members of the dalit community are also reluctant to speak. Villagers maintained that nothing unusual has occurred, despite children and women staying away from the anganwadi centre for nearly three months. The riverside village of Nuagaon has around 45 families, including seven dalit households. Ghadimala sarpanch Sailendra Mishra said, “We urged the village leaders to send children to the anganwadi centre, but they ignored our appeals.” He added that pregnant women have also stopped visiting the centre, depriving themselves of services such as supplementary nutrition, health check-ups, iron-folic acid supplements, immunisation and health education. Contacted, collector Iyer said, “The sub-collector has been directed to submit a report after visiting the village. Necessary action will be taken once the report is received.” President of the district unit of Dalit Samaj Nagen Jena alleged that the actions of the villagers violate fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21. “Dalits often face discrimination in temples, but here children and women are being kept away from welfare services. We expect the police and administration to take firm steps,” he said. The anganwadi centre at Nuagaon has reportedly not been functioning since 23-year-old Sarmista Sethi was appointed as a helper-cum-cook at the facility on November 24 last year. Soon after her appointment, the village committee allegedly decided to boycott the centre in protest and stopped sending their kids to the facility as Sethi belongs to the dalit community. Even pregnant and lactating women have refused to visit the centre since then. 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
Gadchiroli: How did the dream of ‘justice at the doorstep’ for tribals become entangled in files? The system woke up after the Supreme Court’s strictness.
After the Supreme Court’s reprimand, the appointment was made in 7 days; the Aheri court remained empty for months without a judge, leaving hundreds of prisoners distressed. New Delhi/Gadchiroli: A vivid example of how the Aheri court, which was established with the vision of providing justice to tribals in the remote areas of Maoist-affected Gadchiroli, is being hampered by delays in the appointment of judges and administrative lethargy, was recently seen in the Supreme Court. The case involves Surendra Gadling, a co-accused in the Bhima-Koregaon case. On January 21, when his lawyer informed the Supreme Court that the trial in a case related to arson charges from 2016 had not yet begun due to the irregular attendance of the judge and the permanent public prosecutor in the court, it raised many questions about the system. What is the whole matter? Surendra Gadling is accused of conspiring to burn 76 vehicles carrying iron ore from the Surjagarh mines on December 25, 2016. His lawyer argued in court that his discharge petition had been pending in the single-judge District and Additional Sessions Court in Aheri since 2022. The reason was that there was neither a judge nor a permanent prosecutor there at the time. Following this information, the Supreme Court issued strict instructions to the Registrar General of the Bombay High Court, directing them to ensure “the regular posting of a competent judge within seven days.” This strictness of the Supreme Court had an immediate effect, and after the hearing, the vacant post was filled. A judge was appointed there just two days later. The seat remained vacant for 22 days in January. Although officials claim that the process for appointing a judge was already underway and that it takes time given the sensitivity of the post, the reality is that the court remained without a judge for 22 days, from the 1st to the 22nd of January. Court records indicate that this was not the first time the Aheri Court had been vacant while awaiting a judge. Work stalled for three months in 2025 The Aheri Court, which was inaugurated in July 2023 by then Supreme Court Justice Bhushan R. Gavai with the promise of providing “close-to-home justice” to 725 villages in Maoist-affected and tribal-dominated talukas, remained in a disturbing state in 2025. According to records, the court remained without a judge for nearly three months in 2025. During this period, trials, bail hearings, and regular judicial work effectively came to a standstill. When a judge finally assumed charge on July 22, 2025, he found that over 200 undertrial cases were pending. This is mentioned in a court order dated October 6, 2025, which stated, “Upon assuming charge on July 22, 2025, it was found that over 200 cases and several bail applications were pending, which were disposed of on a priority basis.” Lawyers and Prisoners Faced Increased Difficulties During the three-month vacancy, trial proceedings could not proceed. Accused persons were not brought from jail for hearings. Lawyers were forced to travel more than 120 kilometers to Gadchiroli, where a judge was given additional charge of the Aheri Court. The situation became so dire that undertrial prisoners wrote letters from jail to the Gadchiroli Court and the Bombay High Court, requesting the transfer of their cases, as proceedings had come to a complete halt. Accused yearn for bail The judge’s absence had the worst impact on those in jail. During this period, the in-charge court could only hear urgent bail applications or petitions for extensions for filing charge sheets. In one case, an accused arrested in 2020 sought bail, alleging that despite charges being framed in 2023 on the Supreme Court’s directive, no witnesses had been examined until July 2025. In another case, an accused remained in jail for over a year simply because he could not provide a surety of ₹30,000. He was released only after the appointment of a judge in August 2025. The Bar Association also raised its voice Aheri Bar Association President Rajendra Prasad Menganwar told the Indian Express that the primary purpose of establishing a court in Aheri was to prevent litigants and lawyers from having to travel up to 200 kilometers for hearings. He said, “In 2025, when no appointments were made for three months, we had to go to the Gadchiroli Court for important hearings. We then met with the administrative officials of the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court and requested that the vacancy be filled, which, thankfully, was done immediately.” Delay due to sensitive cases? Court officials attributed the delay to the court’s handling of many important cases related to the UAPA and alleged Maoist activities. Therefore, judicial appointments require very careful scrutiny and consideration, which is a major reason for the delay. A Long Journey to Justice The establishment of the Aheri Court was the result of a demand dating back to 2008 to ensure that litigants, accused, and victims would not have to travel long distances through poor roads and irregular transportation in Maoist-affected forest areas. They often had to stay overnight for hearings. With this in mind, a Magistrate Court was inaugurated in 2015, and a Sessions Court in July 2023. At the inauguration, Justice Gavai stated that this court would help provide justice to 725 villages in the Aheri, Mulchera, Sironcha, Bhamragad, and Etapalli talukas. He said, “Justice has come to the doorsteps of the tribals of Gadchiroli.” It remains to be seen whether, after the Supreme Court’s intervention, this system will continue to function smoothly in the future. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy : Hindi News
Jharkhand: 10 children from the Birhor community who went to a feast in Koderma have been missing since February 1st. Police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT), causing panic in the village.
Innocent children aged 6 to 12 years old, who went to a feast in Parsabad, have not returned home. Police responded to a report from the head of the Berogai Panchayat, and the Superintendent of Police issued strict instructions. Koderma: A very worrying incident has emerged in Jharkhand’s Koderma district, where 10 children have mysteriously disappeared from the Gadiyai Birhor hamlet, which falls under the Jaynagar police station area. These children are reported to be between 6 and 12 years old. They have been missing since February 1st. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the police administration registered an FIR on Friday and formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to search for the children. It is worth noting that the Birhors are a ‘Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group’ (PVTG) and one of the most vulnerable populations in Jharkhand. Around 50 families reside in the Gadiyai Birhor hamlet. The children had gone to attend a feast. According to information received from officials, the incident occurred on February 1st. The children had gone with their family to attend a feast (daawat) held in Parsabad, about 3 kilometers from their settlement. After the event ended, the elders returned home, but the children did not return. Initially, the families thought the children might have stayed with a relative or were playing nearby. However, as days passed and no trace of the children was found, an atmosphere of fear spread throughout the settlement. The Panchayat Chief’s Initiative Awakens the Administration After a few days of missing the children, the distraught parents contacted Rajendra Prasad Yadav, the head of the Berogai Panchayat, and narrated their ordeal. Upon learning of the incident, the chief immediately alerted the local Block Development Office (BDO) and the police. However, on Friday itself, the distressed parents officially lodged a complaint at the police station, requesting the safe return of their children. Upon receiving the information, a police team visited the settlement on Friday and assessed the situation. Missing Children Identified Police have obtained the names and details of nine of the 10 missing children, as follows: Rajesh Birhor’s two children: 7-year-old Nisha Kumari and 5-year-old Ramesh Kumar. Kela Birhor’s 8-year-old daughter, Sajani Birhor. Dhanku Birhor’s four children: Birju, Mithun, Shivani, and Kalpana. Suresh Birhor’s 8-year-old daughter, Rekha Birhor. Budhan Birhor’s 6-year-old daughter, Anisha Birhor. Police Action and Response Koderma SP Anudeep Singh stated that a high-level Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed to track the children. DSP Rati Bhan Singh said, “Several teams have been formed on the SP’s instructions. We have begun the investigation and will recover the children soon.” Kedarnath Yadav, a local district council member, demanded immediate and aggressive action. He said that recent incidents of missing children across Jharkhand have increased the sense of “fear” and insecurity among the people, so the administration must act swiftly. Rajan Chaudhary Courtesy: Hindi News