UP horror: Dalit teen found hanging from tree was gang-raped
AGRA: A Class 11 student, who was found hanging from a tree under mysterious circumstances in Mainpuri district on Thursday evening, was brutally gang-raped and strangled to death by her 23-year-old cousin and two others and then hanged with her scarf from the tree branch to mislead investigators, police said on Saturday. Police added the 17-year-old’s autopsy report on Friday evening confirmed “sexual assault and stated the cause of her death to be strangulation”. Her family suspected her cousin’s involvement and he was subsequently arrested after a brief encounter late on Friday. His brother-in-law and a friend, believed to be accomplices, were held on Saturday. The cousin — allegedly the main accused — sustained a bullet injury in his leg “in the crossfire”. He is a resident of Farrukhabad. Mainpuri SP (rural), Arun Singh, said, “Autopsy report clearly indicates that the girl was killed and then hanged. All three accused were arrested and sent to jail. Further probe is on.” An FIR was registered under BNS sections 70-2 (under 18 years raped by one or more persons) and 103 (murder) along with Pocso Act at a local thana following a complaint by the victim’s family. Both the victim and the accused belong to Dalit community. The girl left home on Thursday morning for school but never reached there. When she did not return home by evening, the family began looking for her. They later received a call from a relative in Farrukhabad, informing them that “the girl was in a farm on the village outskirts” in Mainpuri. The family thereafter rushed to that farm only to find her hanging from a tree. Police initially didn’t rule out suicide and sent the body for autopsy. No formal complaint was filed till Friday evening. Things quickly changed once the autopsy report was out and the girl’s family told the cops that they suspected her cousin. Police then laid a trap to apprehend him at night. (The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault) Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
80 Dalit Families in Gujarat’s Surat Defy Two-Year Delays, Embrace Buddhism
SSD members describe the administration’s approach as a deliberate “Delay and Destroy” tactic, designed to discourage applicants from conversion. Surat- After enduring two years of bureaucratic roadblocks, 80 Dalit families in Surat, Gujarat, have embraced Buddhism in a poignant ceremony held on May 14, at Anand Buddha Vihar, Bombay Colony, Amroli. The families, driven by the vision of equality espoused by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and the serene teachings of Lord Buddha, overcame persistent administrative delays to secure their right to convert. The Swayam Sainik Dal (SSD), a grassroots organization championing Dalit rights, played a pivotal role in navigating the systemic hurdles, making this a landmark victory for social justice and self-determination. A Protracted Battle Against Bureaucracy The journey began in 2023 when these people submitted applications to formally adopt Buddhism, seeking liberation from the caste-based discrimination embedded in traditional Hindu practices. Under Gujarat’s regulations, conversion applications (Form A) must be verified and approved by the District Collector within one month. However, the process was mired in delays, stretching over two years. SSD members describe the administration’s approach as a deliberate “Delay and Destroy” tactic, designed to discourage applicants. “For six months, we were tangled in paperwork. Then, the issuance of approval letters was stalled,” said an SSD representative. Across Gujarat, an estimated 40-50 thousand similar applications, filed by SSD and other Bahujan organizations, remain pending. Common excuses include staff shortages, officer transfers, or incomplete documentation, forcing applicants to make repeated visits to government offices. Many, exhausted by the ordeal, fail to complete the final step (Form C), resulting in their applications being quietly archived. “The system is rigged to frustrate those seeking to embrace Buddhism,” the SSD member added. “It’s not just inefficiency—it’s a strategy to maintain the status quo.” Despite these challenges, the families remained steadfast, supported by SSD’s unwavering advocacy. The Surat unit of SSD emerged as the backbone of this struggle. Through persistent phone calls, visits, and meticulous follow-ups, they kept the pressure on. As the delays dragged on, SSD escalated their efforts. Last week, they issued a stern ultimatum to the authorities: “Approve the applications, or we protests on the streets.” This bold stance compelled the administration to act, granting approvals to the pending applications. On May 14, the families gathered at Anand Buddha Vihar for an emotional ceremony. As they chanted the Buddha Vandana and reiterated the 22 vows given by Baba Sahab, the air resonated with a sense of liberation and hope. The event was not just a religious milestone but a powerful rejection of caste oppression, echoing Dr. Ambedkar’s call for social equality. SSD says the government delays conversions formalities on purpose to stop people from leaving Hinduism. How Buddhism changed their life Among those celebrating was Mayurraj Nag, a machine operator in a Surat diamond factory and an SSD member. Mayurraj, who embraced Buddhism in 2019, shared that of the 2023 applications, 110 have now been cleared, including the latest 80. His own journey reflects the transformative power of this path. “Eight years ago, I was lost—smoking, chewing gutkha, ignoring my family,” he said. “Meeting SSD in 2017 and learning about Babasaheb changed me. I quit my habits, started caring for my parents, and found purpose.” Mayurraj’s wife, Ashmita, whom he married four years ago in a love marriage blessed by their families, also embraced Buddhism. “I explained Buddhist teachings to her during our courtship. She understood, and now our family lives simply and happily,” he said. Mayurraj feels a newfound respect in his community. “People call me ‘bhai’ now, but it’s with respect. They listen when I speak, and that’s because of Buddhism.” Chandrika Shakya, a 30-year-old schoolteacher and member of SSD’s Jhalkari Brigade, has followed Buddhism for a decade. Despite her newborn keeping her from active outreach, she remains committed to empowering women. “I used to visit Dalit colonies, telling women about Babasaheb’s fight for equality,” she said. “We don’t push Buddhism first—we share his story, and people see it’s the way out of discrimination.” Chandrika’s family has also benefited financially. “We stopped spending on festivals like Holi or Diwali—no sweets, no puja items. That money now goes to our family’s future.” The administrative delays reflect a broader resistance to religious conversion, particularly to Buddhism, which challenges the caste hierarchy of Hinduism. SSD members allege that the system deliberately obstructs conversions to preserve traditional structures. “Buddhism has no rituals or caste divisions, which threatens the old ways,” an SSD member explained. “The delays are meant to tire people out, but we won’t let that happen.” SSD’s Broader Mission Founded in 2006 in Rajkot by 50 Dalit activists, SSD is dedicated to eradicating social inequalities and fostering a humane society. Rejecting hierarchies, every member is a “swayam sainik” (self-soldier). SSD conducts “chintan shivirs” (reflection camps) in rural areas to educate marginalized communities about their rights. Their ambitious goal is to facilitate the return of 20 million indigenous people to Buddhism by 2028, with planned mass conversion events on Ambedkar Jayanti from 2024 to 2028 in cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Bhopal, and Mumbai. “SSD empowers communities by raising awareness about constitutional rights and exposing the divisive rituals of Hinduism,” a senior member said anonymously. “We encourage people to shape their own futures.” Buddhism, with its rejection of caste and rituals, is seen as a pathway to dismantle discriminatory practices, aligning with SSD’s vision of equality. Courtesy : Geetha Sunil Pillai, The Mooknayak Note: This news is originally published on https://themooknayak.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘No irregularities in schemes for dalits’
Chennai: Denying any irregularities in the implemantation of the 500 crore Annal Ambedkar Business Champions Scheme (AABCS) for the upliftment of sanitary workers as entrepreneurs, Tamil Nadu govt told the Madras high court that it engaged the Delhi-based Dalit Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DICCI) as it had implemented similar schemes in four states successfully. “The company implemented similar schemes in four other states successfully. The scheme is a laudable initiative that benefitted many manual scavengers,” advocate-general P S Raman told a vacation bench of justice G R Swaminathan and justice V Lakshminarayanan on Friday, in response to a public interest writ petition filed by YouTuber Savukku Shankar. The PIL sought CBI probe alleging misappropriation of funds. The vacation bench had on Wednesday directed the state to produce the files relating to the scheme. When the plea came up for hearing on Friday, additional advocate-general J Ravindran, representing the municipal administration department, submitted that the court must provide more time for the department to produce the files. “The scheme started in 2023, but the petitioner remained silent until May 2025 and moved the second vacation court. The court ordered the production of files and posted for orders today (Friday). I am seeking a reasonable time. This is only a request,” Ravindran said. Courtesy :TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Is communicating with Dalits a sin, asks Congress over Rahul Gandhi’s Darbhanga address permission
It is the height of dictatorship that the JDU-BJP government prevented Rahul Gandhi from attending the ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ program at the Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar, says Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (May 15, 2025) hit out at the JDU-BJP government in Bihar, accusing it of sheer dictatorship by “preventing” Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi from holding a ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ in Darbhanga. Mr. Gandhi addressed students at Mithila University’s Ambedkar Hostel, despite being allegedly denied permission to hold the event. “Is communicating with Dalit, deprived and backward class students against the Constitution? Is it a sin to talk to them about their education, their recruitment exams and jobs,” asked Mr. Kharge. “It is the height of dictatorship that the JDU-BJP government prevented Rahul Gandhi from attending the ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’ program at the Ambedkar Hostel in Darbhanga, Bihar,” he said in a post on X in Hindi. Kharge said the birthplace of democracy Bihar will remember this “injustice” and will give a befitting reply to JDU-BJP when the time comes. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared a video of police action in preventing Gandhi from going to the Ambedkar students hostel in Darbhanga. “India is a democracy, it is governed by the Constitution, not by dictatorship. No one can stop us from raising our voice for social justice and education,” Ramesh said in his post on X. The Congress had also expressed outrage on the suggestion by the authorities to change the venue to an alternative site. Addressing the students, Gandhi claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to hold a caste census “out of fear” of the country’s deprived population, to which the opposition was lending its voice. The leader of the opposition made the remark at a charged-up interaction with students in Darbhanga district of Bihar. “As you all are aware, my car was stopped at the gate (of Mithila University). But I did not relent. I got out and took a circuitous route to reach here on foot,” said the Rae Bareli MP, who launched ‘Shiksha Nyay Samvad’, a public interaction programme in Bihar where assembly polls are due later this year. Courtesy : The Hindu Note: This news is originally published on https://thehindu.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Telangana CM Revanth sanctions houses to two Dalits in Chinnamallareddy village
Advisor to CM on Minority Affairs, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, said that during his padayatra, Revanth had visited the houses of two Dalit families in Chinnamallareddy village of Bhiknoor mandal. A file picture shows the then TPCC chief and present Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy interacting with Bhikkanoor Laxmi in her dilapidated house in Chinnamallareddy village. A file picture shows the then TPCC chief and present Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy interacting with Bhikkanoor Laxmi in her dilapidated house in Chinnamallareddy village.FILE | EPS KAMAREDDY: Fulfilling a promise he made during the 2023 Assembly elections, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has sanctioned Indiramma houses to two Dalit families. Senior Congress leader and Advisor to Chief Minister on Minority Affairs, Mohammed Ali Shabbir, on Thursday said that during his padayatra, Revanth had visited the houses of two Dalit families in Chinnamallareddy village of Bhiknoor mandal. “He was moved by the dilapidated condition of their residences and assured them that he would sanction houses to them after the Congress forms the government in the state,” Shabbir said. “Now, the government has sanctioned houses to Bhikkanoor Laxmi and Chityala Rajamani. Sanction letters have been handed over to them,” Shabbir continued, adding that if the Congress makes any promises, it surely fulfils them. Courtesy : TNIE Note: This news is originally published on https://thenewindianexpress.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘They Would Have Abused Vyomika Singh Too if They Knew She was a Dalit’: Senior SP Leader’s Dig at BJP
Ram Gopal Yadav took a dig at the BJP after its minister Kunwar Vijay Shah referred to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi as “sister of terrorists.” New Delhi: On the backfoot after one of its ministers in Madhya Pradesh made communally-laced derogatory remarks about Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on May 15 tried to shift the optics by rallying against senior Opposition leader Ram Gopal Yadav of the Samajwadi Party after he targeted the saffron party by referring to the caste backgrounds of the officers involved in the Operation Sindoor. Addressing a public meeting in Moradabad on Thursday, Yadav – a Rajya Sabha Member as well as the national general secretary of the SP – took a dig at the BJP after its minister Kunwar Vijay Shah referred to Qureshi as “sister of terrorists.” For his controversial remarks, Shah earned the censure of the MP High Court, which ordered police to register an FIR against him for further action. Yadav first criticised the BJP for launching nationwide Shaurya Tiranga Yatras to celebrate Operation Sindoor even as infiltration incidents continued in Jammu and Kashmir. “Terrorists are getting killed daily. They are coming from Pakistan. And they (BJP) are taking out a Tiranga Yatra. They are doing this only for elections,” said Yadav. ‘Had they knew the caste of other officers, they would have hurled abuses at them as well’ The senior SP leader then referred to the MP High Court ordering an FIR against Shah. He alleged that had the BJP known about the background of wing commander Vyomika Singh and air marshal A. K Bharti, its leaders could have insulted them too like they did with Colonel Qureshi, a Muslim. “They didn’t know what Vyomika Singh’s caste was nor did they know about air marshal Awadhesh Kumar Bharti. Otherwise, they would have hurled abuses at them too,” said Yadav. The SP leader then went on to talk about the caste background of Vyomika Singh and A.K Bharti. “Let me tell you – Vyomika Singh is a ‘Jatav Chamar’ from Haryana, and Air Marshal Bharti is a Yadav from Purnia. All three were from the PDA (Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak),” said Yadav. The PDA refers to the electoral strategy of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav – Ram Gopal Yadav is his uncle – of mobilising backward castes, Dalits and minorities, especially Muslims, against the BJP’s Hindutva agenda. Jatav is a Dalit community while Yadav is an Other Backward Classes (OBC) community. Yadav further said that while one (Qureshi) was abused because the BJP knew she was a Muslim, they did not say anything about Vyomika Singh assuming her to be an ‘upper caste’ Rajput. About A.K Bharti, they had no information whatsoever, added Yadav. The BJP, left red-faced by Shah’s remarks against Colonel Qureshi, launched an attack against Yadav accusing him of insulting the armed forces by viewing it through the lens of caste. “The uniform of the army is not seen through a ‘casteist lens’. Every soldier of the Indian army performs ‘national duty’ and is not a representative of any caste or religion,” said UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. BJP attacks SP over Yadav’s statement Targeting Yadav, Adityanath said that the SP leader’s “act of binding a brave daughter within the ambit of caste” was “not only a display of his party’s narrow-mindedness” but was also “a grave insult to the valour of the army and the country’s identity.” “This is the same mentality which dares to divide even patriotism in the name of appeasement and vote bank politics,” said Adityanath. BJP’s Uttar Pradesh president Bhupendra Chaudhary said Yadav’s “casteist statement” on wing commander Vyomika Singh, “the daughter of the country who broke the morale of terrorists and Pakistan, is not only reprehensible but is also a gross insult to the amazing courage, bravery of the army and the identity of Mother India.” “Ram Gopal Yadav has probably forgotten that by successfully completing Operation Sindoor, the daughter of the country has done the unique work of making Mother India’s pride and glory known to the entire world, which is amazing and admirable in itself,” said Chaudhary. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, herself a Jatav Dalit, criticised both Yadav and the BJP for their “shameful and condemnable” remarks. “The entire country is united and proud of the valour of Operation Sindoor of the Indian Army against the terrorists in Pakistan. In such a situation, it is extremely unfair to judge and divide the army on the basis of religion and caste,” she said. Courtesy : Omar Rashid, The Wire Note: This news is originally published on https://thewire.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
To consolidate SC votes, BJP to reach out to 6,000 influential Dalits
Lucknow: In a bid to consolidate support among Scheduled Castes, BJP has decided to launch another outreach campaign aimed at engaging 1,000 influential Dalit personalities in each of the six organisational regions of Uttar Pradesh. The campaign will be spearheaded by party’s SC Morcha in coordination with senior state functionaries. A campaign plan was recently drawn up by the BJP central leadership, which asked the state unit to reach out to the various sub-castes within the Dalits, including Jatavs, Pasis, Koris and Dhobis. “We will gather broader feedback from the influential sections amongst the Dalit and take corrective measures wherever needed,” UP BJP SC Morcha president Ram Chandra Kannaujia told TOI on Friday. The campaign is seen as part of a broader electoral strategy to counter opposition narratives while reinforcing the BJP’s footprints in the SC-dominated constituencies. BJP has demarcated UP into six organisational regions: Kashi, Gorakhpur, Awadh, Kanpur, Braj and western UP. Sources said that a dedicated team of party functionaries has been tasked to identify prominent Dalit people, including retired bureaucrats, teachers, social workers, religious figures, community leaders and professionals, whose influence could potentially impact a collective opinion within the SC community. The outreach comes at a time when the BJP faces stiff competition from the Opposition, primarily the Samajwadi Party and its ally Congress, besides the BSP, which have historically enjoyed significant support among Dalit voters. Kannaujia said that the campaign will aim to intensify its messaging around social justice, economic empowerment, and welfare measures targeted at SC communities. Experts said that personal interaction with influential Dalit figures can help dispel perceptions of exclusion and infuse a sense of political inclusion amongst the Dalit community. The campaign also aims to highlight the role of Dalit leaders within the BJP itself. Plans are also afoot to organise felicitation programmes and community service events in Dalit-dominated areas. These events will serve as platforms for dialogue on govt policies and community welfare. The development comes days after BJP initiated a ‘dialogue’ programme in various districts. The programme was spearheaded by state general secretary (organisation) Dharam Pal Singh. These meetings aimed to boost the morale of Dalit functionaries and prepare them for future campaigns, sources said. Though assembly elections are still two years away, BJP’s early start signals its intent to consolidate its support base and blunt any early moves by its political rivals. Party analysts believe that the Dalit vote, which constitutes over 21% of UP’s population, could be a deciding factor in several tightly contested seats. “The idea is not just to win elections, but to win trust,” said a BJP SC Morcha leader. “Our party believes in Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and we are proving that through direct engagement and representation,” he said. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
Bihar Assembly Elections 2025: Chirag Paswan’s LJP To Aggressively Court Dalit Votes With ‘Bahujan-Bheem Sankalp Samagam’; Plans To Contest Independently Within NDA
Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan is gearing up to reach out to all Dalit communities to bolster his party`s prospects in Bihar assembly election, due in October-November. Patna: Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan is gearing up to reach out to all Dalit communities to bolster his party`s prospects in Bihar assembly election, due in October-November. Dalits constitute 16.04 percent of the population of the state and play a dominant role in deciding the outcome of any poll in the state. On the other hand, Paswan is the second largest caste in Bihar after Yadav, as they constitute 5.311 percent of the state`s population. LJP (RV)`s state executive held a meeting in Patna on Friday and unanimously passed a resolution for Chirag playing a role of a prominent leader of Bahujan-Bheem Samaj. The party has also planned to organise ‘Bahujan-Bheem Sankalp Samagam’ to reach out to Dalits more aggressively. In another important issue, Chirag`s party through the resolution made it clear that it would contest the assembly election by keeping its independent identity intact. It is seen as LJP`s ploy to extract maximum number of seats from BJP in the assembly election. Chirag has asserted on several occasions that he would contest an election as an NDA ally. Former professor of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) Pushpendra Kumar Singh said, “Chirag understands very well that his party’s growth in NDA will be limited if he depends only on Paswan votes and so he will definitely like to reach out to other Dalit castes.” Although Chirag apparently commands a significant support of his caste members (Paswans), the dynamics would change if his uncle and former union minister Pashupati Kumar Paras joins the I.N.D.I.A bloc and makes inroads into Paswan votes with the help of its allies like RJD, Congress and left parties, he noted. LJP leader is also facing challenge from Congress as the latter after appointing a Dalit (Mallikarjun Kharge) as its national president has now made a Dalit (Rajesh Kumar) its state president, he asserted. Another challenge is that after BSP supremo Mayawati losing much of her clout in Bihar, her party`s votes in the election are more likely to go to INDIA bloc, he claimed. “Chirag will prefer to field his party candidates on seats in the state polls, mainly falling under the Lok Sabha constituencies of his five MPs,” he remarked. Courtesy : Dheeraj Kumar, TFPJ Note: This news is originally published on https://thefreepressjournal.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
UP BJP org rejig: Dalits, OBCs likely to weigh in prominently
Lucknow: OBC and Dalit communities are expected to weigh in prominently as the BJP gears up to reboot its organisational machinery at the ground level by inducting around 90,000 functionaries in over 1,500 out of 1,918 mandals (divisions). Sources said the party plans to recalibrate 80% of the mandals — a local organisational unit within the party’s hierarchical structure — even as the party draws up a broader blueprint of a strategy to counter opposition in the run-up to the 2027 UP assembly polls. A mandal is a key operational layer in the BJP’s grassroots machinery, enabling it to maintain a strong local presence. It is one level below a district and usually corresponds to a group of a few municipal wards or several village panchayats, mainly a sub-division within a district for efficient grassroots-level political and organisational functioning. According to BJP sources, the party will appoint over 60 functionaries in each of the over 1,500 mandals where the party has already appointed a president. A similar exercise will be undertaken in the remaining over 400 mandals after the appointment of presidents. The new team is expected to have a sizable presence of OBC, Dalit and women functionaries, a move that could align with BJP’s focus on strengthening its grassroots presence and bolstering its social coalition, which catapulted the party to an overwhelming majority in UP in the 2017 and 2022 assembly elections. The induction of OBC and Dalit functionaries at the grassroots, experts said, could allow the BJP to counter the opposition’s Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak (PDA) card, which dented the party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by shrinking its tally from 62 to 33 in UP. A senior BJP functionary said the induction of a good number of women functionaries at the mandal level is also on the cards. Speculations are rife that women may comprise around 33% of the total functionaries at the mandal level. Is that happens then it would be a strategic move by the party, which has been prioritising gender inclusivity by ensuring significant representation of women functionaries in the new appointments. The party also plans to engage the upper caste leadership strategically at the grassroots level as part of its broader organisational revamp. While OBCs and Dalits form the numerical majority and a critical voter bloc, upper castes (like Brahmins, Thakurs, Baniya, and Kayasthas) have traditionally been a core support base for the BJP. The party aims to retain their influence while expanding its appeal to marginalised groups. In March this year, the party had named 70 new district presidents, of whom 39 were from the upper caste, 25 were OBCs and six Scheduled Caste. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Dhokebaaz Sarkaar’: Rahul Gandhi’s Fiery Speech After Bihar Police Denies Meet With Dalit Students
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tears into the NDA, calling it a “Double Engine Dhokebaaz Sarkaar” after being stopped by Bihar Police from visiting Dalit and backward students at the Ambedkar Hostel. Accusing the BJP-led alliance of stifling democracy and fearing dialogue, Rahul says the Modi government only bows to pressure, not justice. He promises caste census and justice for all if Congress comes to power. In a dramatic move, he walked to the hostel after his car was stopped. Watch his fiery attack on the Bihar and central government over caste, constitution, and education. Courtesy : TOI Note: This news is originally published on https://timesofindia.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.