UP: Dalit youth’s ears cut off for not paying goonda tax, accused looted money for drinking alcohol, case registered
An incident of assault on a Dalit man has come to light in Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh. It is alleged that the goons cut off both the ears of a person named Charan Das for not paying goonda tax for drinking alcohol. Pankaj Mishra, Hamirpur: In Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh, goons beat up a Dalit and cut off both his ears for not paying goonda tax for drinking alcohol. After committing the crime, the goons fled after looting thousands of rupees from him. As soon as the family came to know about the incident, they reached the spot and immediately admitted him to the government hospital for treatment. The police have also registered an FIR of the incident and started searching for the accused. The Dalit family is in panic due to the incident that took place in Saidpur village of Rath Kotwali area of Hamirpur district. Charan Das, son of Ghasi Ram, a resident of Saidpur village, was going to the temple from his house, when Fukkan and Sandeep of the same village stopped him on the way outside the village and abused him. These bullies demanded goonda tax from Charan Das for drinking alcohol. When he refused, he was beaten badly. Not only this, the Dalit was dragged towards Moksha Dham, where the two thousand rupees in his pocket were snatched. Police registered a case When Charan Das fought with the bullies to get his money back, the bullies cut both his ears with a knife. After committing the crime, both the bullies fled from the spot threatening them. As soon as the family came to know about the incident, they rushed to the spot. The family took the seriously injured Charan Das to the police station with both his cut ears. On the basis of the complaint of the incident, the police registered a case under serious sections. Referred to Jhansi Medical Colleg Blood-soaked Charan Das was admitted to the CHC in Rath. Here Dr. Akhilesh has referred him to Medical College Jhansi. Inspector in-charge of Rath Kotwali, Ram Asare Saroj, said that on receiving the complaint of the incident, a case has been registered against Fukkan and Sandeep of the same village. The accused are being searched for arrest. About the author Dhirendra Singh I am a senior content producer in Navbharat Times Digital. I have the responsibility of working on political and other news related to UP and Uttarakhand. Talking about my past, I have studied journalism from Delhi University. I started my career in 2014 and have more than 8 years of experience. During this time, I also got a chance to do reporting in Delhi, UP and Jammu and Kashmir. Before Times Group, I have worked in some other institutions including Dainik Jagran, Amar Ujala, Rajasthan Patrika (Digital), Navodaya Times, Hindustan Samachar News Agency. Edited by: Dhirendra Singh| Courtesy: Hindi News
Top court against ‘sitgmatising’ transgender blood donors, for accommodating them
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati defended the restrictions, submitting that the decision was taken by the doctors based on the viability of the blood. The Supreme Court on Wednesday, while hearing a matter concerning blood donation by members of the transgender community, sought to allay concerns associated with it. The top court called on the petitioners seeking restrictions on blood donation by transgenders, sex workers and LGBTQ individuals to find a way through which possible health risks can be taken care of as well as see that the community is not stigmatised. “The concern is.. Are we going to brand all transgenders risky? And indirectly stigmatise the community? Are we creating a segregated group then? It creates a stigma also,” the court observed. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Aishwarya Bhati defended the restrictions, submitting that the decision was taken by the doctors based on the viability of the blood. She submitted that no one can say they have the right to donate blood and this has to be seen through the prism of health. A bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Kotiswar Singh questioned what would happen if those in need of blood were well-informed about the situation and the risk involved. To which, the ASG submitted that this is blood which will go directly to the blood banks. The court went ahead and asked ASG Bhati to consider if there was a way that there is no discrimination with regard to the exclusion and the medical aspect is also not compromised. The ASG then submitted that the guidelines are in the interest of safe blood being available and not to violate individual rights. She added that this group is taken as a high-level risk group in many countries across the world, except those who have a fool-proof mechanism of testing. Further, it was submitted that if it is seen from a public health perspective, the court will see that the idea is not to stigmatise anyone. The court still expressed concern if such an exclusion would lead to the aggravation of the biases against the members of the transgender community. The Bench also directed the ASG to speak to experts, and see if something could be done in a way that, as a community, they are not separated, but medical concerns are also taken care of. Edited By: Vivek Kumar Courtesy : India Today Note: This news is originally published on https://indiatoday.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.
‘Can’t interfere’: Trans person’s plea on UAE entry denial junked
Mumbai: Observing that issuing a visa is a sovereign function and cannot be considered a deficiency in service under Consumer Protection Act, a consumer commission recently dismissed a complaint filed by a transgender person against the consulate general of UAE in Mumbai after they were denied entry into Dubai. It held that even with a valid visa issued by the UAE, the final decision on entry rests with the immigration authorities of the destination country. “Even though the visa service includes fees, a direct claim or complaint cannot be filed against the embassy under Consumer Protection Act… But since [the consulate] is a sovereign authority of another country, it is our opinion that this complaint cannot be maintained before this commission under Consumer Protection Act,” the commission said, adding that the Act’s scope is limited to Indian territory. Pointing out that embassies are protected by sovereign immunity, it said filing a direct complaint against a foreign embassy is not easily permissible and often requires consent of the Indian govt under Civil Procedure Code, which is rarely granted. In a Feb 13, 2024, complaint, Vikhroli-based Salim alias Salma Umar Khan Sakharkar, chairperson of Kinnar Maa Ek Samajik Sanstha Trust, said they were stopped at Dubai immigration and told that transgender persons are not allowed to enter the city on Feb 1 that year. They said they paid Rs 5.2 lakh for a five-day trip with two companions, which included visa processing by the UAE consulate in Mumbai, and argued that denial of entry after the consulate approved their visa constituted unfair and defective service. They sought a public apology from the consulate, a full refund of the tour cost and the return flight ticket, Rs 20 lakh in compensation for mental harassment, and Rs 10,000 for litigation costs. The commission acknowledged that the consulate approved the visa after the complainant paid the necessary fees, but said denial of entry is at the discretion of Dubai immigration officials upon arrival. It said the complainant did not qualify as a consumer of the UAE consulate in this context, and the Dubai immigration authorities’ act in denying entry did not constitute a deficiency in service by the consulate under Consumer Protection Act. It said had the consulate issued a visa despite having rules against issuing one to transgender persons, then it could be seen as incorrect information or negligence. The UAE consulate in Mumbai did not appear before the commission despite being sent a notice. 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.
Five held for trying to illegally convert Dalits to Christianity
Lucknow: Five people, including two women, were arrested in UP’s Barabanki district on Monday on charges of trying to lure some Dalits with free medical and other benefits to convert to Christianity. A prayer meeting was convened at the house of one Rakesh Nat in Bankipur village on Sunday, where some Dalits villagers, along with 14 other people had gathered. Police said the prayer meeting was just a facade, and the plan was to convert them discreetly. However, police conducted a raid after being alerted by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad functionaries, and detained 14 people for questioning. On Monday, five accused were arrested under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act. The arrested persons were identified as Shivani Kumari, Gyananjay Kumar, Shyam Sundar, Radheshyam Gautam and Rekha Kumari. Police said the accused were allegedly involved in misleading, coercing and inducing poor families and members of SC communities through promises and undue influence during a prayer session. 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.
Dalit activists allege SOP dilutes SC/ST Act; Tamil Nadu government denies charges
The SC/ST Act clearly specified a government job for the kin of the victim, but the state government refuses to allocate based on educational qualifications. MADURAI: The state government has denied allegations levelled by several Dalit activists that have the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) released by Adi Dravidar Welfare and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department has diluted the Schedule Castes And the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention Of Atrocities) Act 2015. Speaking to TNIE, state secretary of Dalit Liberation Movement (DLM) C Karuppiah said, “The SOP, released few weeks ago, mentions that FIR can be registered (Rule 12) by an Inspector who is considered as investigation officer (IO). This is wrong. Section 12 of SC/ST Act clearly mandates that police officers below the rank of DSP should not be appointed as IO.” He added “It says FIR should be sent to the SP by the Inspector to appoint the investigating officer (IO). This is also wrong. Under the SC/ST Act, the Superintendent of Police (SP) should appoint the IO after the spot inspection of the incident”. “Besides, we are disappointed by the norms about grant of compensation and government job. The SOP kin of a victim can be offered financial assistance for only undergraduate courses. But SC/ST Act highlights financial assistance all kinds of education regardless whether it is UG or PG,”he added. Kathir, founder of Evidence, said,”Apart from the Investigation Officer (IO), there are several other issues related to the SOP. After I flagged some of them on social media, an official from the department called and assured me to rectify them. We suspect the government isn’t serious enough to stop atrocities against SC/ST people. The SC/ST Act clearly specified a government job for the kin of victim, but the state government refuses to allocate based on educational qualifications. In a number of cases, a victim holding PG degree is offered office assistant job.” When contacted, the secretary to government, Adi Dravidar and tribal welfare department, Lakshmi Priya said, “DSP is the Investigation Officer (IO) and it has always been that way. Also, FIR is filed by SHO (Station House officer) who could be Inspector as it needs to be done immediately. Further action is carried out by IO who is the DSP which happens after the filing of FIR. I will check about the other things and take appropriate action if necessary.” 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.
Kerala: SI suspended for detaining, mentally harassing Dalit woman falsely accused of theft
The woman was detained at the police station for about 20 hours and denied food and water; another cop, Prasannan, is said to have harassed the woman the most but no action against him has been taken yet. THIRUVANATHAPURAM: A police sub-inspector attached with Peroorkada station has been suspended for mentally harassing a dalit woman, who was taken into custody on a complaint of theft, which was later proved to be false. S G Prasad was suspended on the basis of an adverse report filed by the Special Branch Assistant Commissioner, who had probed the incident on the instruction of the City Commissioner. Bindu R, who hails from Panavoor near Nedumangad, was working as a house maid at Ambalamukku when she was detained by the cops on the complaint of the house owner claiming that 20 grams of gold ornament had gone missing from house. The police detained the 39-year-old for about 20 hours where she was even denied drinking water. Her ordeal ended when the complainant found the gold, which was misplaced in her house, and conveyed it to the police. The police withdrew the FIR against the woman, but the incident snowballed into a major controversy after the victim complained with the Police Complaints Authority, SC/ST Commission and the CM’s Office. The Special Branch report said lapses from the police side were evident. It said the woman was kept in custody at odd hours without prior authorisation and the entire episode contravened existing legal conventions. Meanwhile, Bindu said though she was contended with the action against the SI, another cop named Prasannan who had harassed her the most was still untouched and that she wanted action to be taken against him. 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.
‘Opposing Modi should not lead to opposing country’: Shivraj Singh Chauhan slams Rahul Gandhi for seeking govt clarification on Indian jets
NEW DELHI: As Rahul Gandhi asked the government to clarify how many Indian jets were shot down by Pakistan following Operation Sindoor, Union minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan advised the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha that “opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not lead to opposing the country.” While speaking to reporters, Chauhan said that requested Congress to prioritise the country first before the party when it comes to national issues. “It is unfortunate that at a time when the entire nation stands united against Pakistan, against terrorism, and against the enemies of the country, the leaders of the responsible parties are not doing the same. My only request is that when it comes to national issues, we should prioritise the country first, the nation first, and the party later,” Chauhan said. “Opposing Modi should not lead to opposing the country, as this will not elevate your stature, nor is it a demonstration of patriotism in any way,” he added. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan also attacked Rahul and accused him of sounding like “propaganda in chief of Pakistan.” “Rahul Gandhi has been doubting the nation, the government, and also distrusting the Indian armed forces. Now, he is sounding like the propaganda in chief of Pakistan. Let alone the Leader of Opposition, our nation deserves a more responsible and patriotic parliamentarian than Rahul Gandhi,” Kesavan said “Pakistan is now parading Rahul Gandhi as a poster boy for Pakistan, and they are peddling Rahul Gandhi’s tweets to spin and fabricate an inimical narrative to India and our Indian armed forces. This is because of Rahul Gandhi’s tweets… The Indian armed forces, very clearly in their press briefing on May 11th, have categorically, beyond doubt, established all the facts, but Rahul Gandhi does not trust them. The Indian armed forces. He has no faith in what the Indian armed forces… He continues to rake up nonexistent issues. This shows that the nation never comes first for Rahul Gandhi or the Congress Party… Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party have mortgaged our national interest in favour of cheap political profit and expediency,” he added. Earlier, Rahul had again questioned external affairs minister S Jaishankar over his remarks on Operation Sindoor, asking how many Indian aircraft were lost during the operation. “EAM Jaishankar’s silence isn’t just telling — it’s damning. So I’ll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew?” Gandhi posted on X while resharing an earlier post of himself. He added, “This wasn’t a lapse. It was a crime. And the nation deserves the truth.” On May 17, Rahul had shared an undated video of Jaishankar where the minister is heard saying that India had warned Pakistan before launching strikes on terror infrastructure. “Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it.” He also asked, “Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?” Gandhi wrote. The ministry of external affairs refuted Rahul’s claim, calling it a “misrepresentation of facts.” The MEA said the government had warned Pakistan in the “early phase after Operation Sindoor’s commencement” and not before it began. It clarified that Jaishankar had said, “We had warned Pakistan at the start, which is clearly the early phase after Op Sindoor’s commencement.” “This is being falsely represented as being before the commencement. This utter misrepresentation of facts is being called out,” the ministry added. Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, targeting terror bases in Pakistan in retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. 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.
EAM’s silence on planes India ‘lost’ damning: Rahul Gandhi
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi Monday launched a fresh attack on EAM S Jaishankar, saying his silence on number of aircraft India “lost” after Pakistan was “informed” about the military action under ‘Operation Sindoor’ is “damning”. The Congress neta made the fresh remarks even though the MEA had Saturday refuted his charge that Jaishankar had “informed” Pakistan about targeting of terror infrastructure as part of the operation. “EAM Jaishankar’s silence isn’t just telling – it’s damning. So, I’ll ask again: How many Indian aircraft did we lose because Pakistan knew? This wasn’t a lapse. It was a crime. And, the nation deserves the truth,” Rahul said on X. At presser, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said, “If we have forewarned Pakistan, then most of the terrorists must have escaped. Why did we allow that? The PM and the minister must open their mouths and come out clean,” he said. Rahul also reposted on X his Saturday post that has an undated clip of Jaishankar and the Congress neta saying, “Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GoI did it.” “Who authorised it? How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result,” he had asked. In a statement, MEA had said the minister had “stated that we had warned Pakistan at the start, which is clearly the early phase after ‘Operation Sindoor’s’ commencement”. “This is being falsely represented as being before the commencement. This utter misrepresentation of facts is being called out,” it had 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.
Rahul Gandhi speaking language of Pakistan, daftness is sinister: BJP
BJP Monday accused Rahul Gandhi of speaking the “language of Pakistan” and questioned if his party was serious about supporting the nation. This came after Rahul attacked EAM S Jaishankar for his silence on number of fighter jets India “lost” after Pakistan was “informed” about military action under ‘Op Sindoor,’ calling it “damning.” “Rahul Gandhi’s daftness is sinister. He is speaking the language of Pakistan” and should stop “distorting facts,” BJP IT head Amit Malviya said on X. “For India’s benefit and to expose the LoP’s intent, I repost DGMO Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai’s statement dated 11.05.2025 – ‘…we tried to communicate our need to strike terror to my counterpart right after ‘Operation Sindoor,’ but the request was brusquely turned down with a warning of severe response. We were prepared…’,” Malviya said. He added Lt Gen Ghai’s remarks align with the EAM’s – India warned Pakistan early during ‘Op Sindoor.’ “This is being misrepresented as if warning came before the operation began,” 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.
‘Denied water, threatened with arrest’: Dalit woman alleges harassment by Kerala police
The case centres on Bindu, a domestic worker from Chullimanoor, who was detained for nearly 20 hours on 23 April after her landlord accused her of stealing a gold necklace Synopsis: A Dalit domestic worker’s claim of police harassment at Peroorkada station has sparked public outrage in Kerala. Opposition leader V D Satheesan demanded a departmental probe and legal action, blaming government inaction and political interference for enabling such abuse. Civil society groups and political parties have also rallied behind the victim, condemning the alleged mistreatment and police excess A Dalit domestic worker’s allegation of police harassment at the Peroorkada police station has triggered widespread outrage in Kerala, drawing sharp criticism from Opposition parties and civil society groups. The incident has prompted Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan to demand a departmental inquiry and strict legal action against the officers involved. Satheesan lambasted the state government and the Home Department for their silence on the matter, stating that unchecked politicisation of the police force has led to such gross misuse of power. “This is not an isolated incident. Who gave these officers the right to illegally detain and mentally torture an innocent woman?” he asked. Dalit worker detained over theft claim The controversy revolves around Bindu, a domestic worker from Chullimanoor, who was taken into custody on 23 April based on an allegation by her landlord that she had stolen a gold necklace weighing two and a half sovereigns. Bindu, who was returning home from work in Ambalamukku, was summoned to the Peroorkada station, where she claims she was held for nearly 20 hours. During her detention, she alleges, she was denied water, not allowed to contact her family, and was threatened with the arrest of her daughters unless she confessed. Her family was unaware of her detention until the police brought her home later that night. The next morning, the landlord reportedly acknowledged that the necklace had been found. However, Bindu claims the sub-inspector warned her not to disclose the incident. (Edited by Ananya Rao with inputs from Dileep V Kumar) Stampede-like situation at rapper Vedan’s programme injures at least 15; police resort to lathi-charge As Vedan took the stage and began his first song, the crowd broke past the barricades, leading to a stampede-like situation. Synopsis: At least 15 people were injured in a stampede-like situation during a music programme conducted by Malayalam rapper Vedan in Palakkad. The police resorted to a lathi-charge multiple times to bring the situation under control. At least 15 people were injured in a stampede-like situation during a music programme conducted by Malayalam rapper Vedan at Kotta Maithanam (fort ground) in the Palakkad district of Kerala on Sunday, 18 May. The incident occurred on Sunday evening as an uncontrollable crowd surged forward, forcing police to resort to a lathi-charge multiple times to bring the situation under control. The event, jointly organised by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department and the Culture Department, had drawn a crowd of over 2,000 people. The programme, which was scheduled to start at 6 pm, began two hours behind schedule, further agitating the waiting audience. Scuffle and stampede-like situation As Vedan took the stage around 8 pm and began his first song, the crowd broke past the barricades set up for security, leading to a scuffle and a stampede-like situation. Several people suffered minor injuries, and some in the audience reportedly fainted due to the chaos. Police initially attempted to control the crowd but were soon overwhelmed by it. A team led by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rajesh Kumar arrived at the spot and temporarily halted the programme to clear pregnant women, the elderly, and children from the venue. Despite attempts to restore order, the unrest persisted. The police were forced to lathi-charge the crowd four times during the event. Unable to manage the law and order situation, Vedan exited the stage by 9 pm after performing just three songs. The injured were admitted to Palakkad District Hospital for treatment. Tensions flared further as a scuffle reportedly broke out between the police and organisers during the commotion. Several people complained of breathlessness and dizziness near the stage but no major injuries were reported. Local authorities are yet to issue an official statement regarding the lapses in security arrangements and crowd management at the venue. (Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Dileep V Kumar.) Courtesy : TSF Note: This news is originally published on https://thesouthfirst.com/ and is for use by the non-military/non-commercial community, especially those in the human rights sector.