Category: India

Law enforcement is facing a tough situation as they deal with 35 police reports (FIRs) that came from a report by the Hema Committee. This report talks about sexual abuse and unfair treatment of women in the Malayalam film industry. Many survivors of these incidents do not want to take legal action, making the investigation harder.

The FIRs were filed by a special team created to investigate claims of molestation, attempted rape, and rape. Some of these claims date back to the early 2000s. Because a lot of time has passed, there isn’t much evidence left, and the investigation needs to rely mostly on the stories of the survivors. Sadly, these stories might not be enough for legal action.

Many survivors have chosen not to name their attackers. However, the police believe they can still find the suspects based on hints given in the survivors’ statements. To keep everyone safe, the details of the FIRs are kept private, protecting both the survivors and the famous people involved in the cases.

Actor Mala Parvathy, who spoke to the committee, has now gone to the Supreme Court to stop the investigation. She believes that it is unfairly bothering innocent people. The decision of the court could greatly impact the investigation and the conversation around holding people accountable in the industry.

In the meantime, G Poonguzhali, an officer in charge of coastal security, has been chosen to help manage the complaints from survivors and ensure their safety from any possible threats related to the Hema Committee report.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced its second list of candidates for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections. A big change is that Manish Sisodia, who is a top leader in the party, will now run for the Jangpura seat instead of his usual Patparganj area. Sisodia has been elected from Patparganj since he first ran in December 2013. Avadh Ojha, who recently joined AAP and is an educator, will now be the candidate for Patparganj.

Manish Sisodia used to be the deputy chief minister of Delhi. He won by large margins in 2013 and 2015 but only had a narrow win in 2020.

Another important name from the second list is Rakhi Bidlan, who is the deputy speaker in the Delhi assembly. She will now run for the Madipur seat instead of her current seat in Mangolpuri, which will go to Rakesh Jatav Dharamrakshak

In Farrukhabad, a leopard caused chaos on Monday morning, injuring a dozen people, including two students and three forest workers. The leopard was first seen in the fields near Jasmei village around 8:30 am. It attacked two students walking to school and then moved to another area, injuring four more people near a villager’s home.

Villagers tried to catch the leopard, but it attacked three forest workers who were trying to help. As the situation worsened, local police and a government officer arrived to manage the crowd of scared villagers. The leopard escaped into the fields near Noorpur, and it’s feared it could enter busier areas. Everyone is working hard to trap the leopard to keep the community safe.

On Monday, the Supreme Court decided not to take action on a request that asked the government to clear roads in Punjab where farmers are protesting. The case was discussed by a group led by Justice Surya Kant.

A social activist from Punjab had filed the request. The activist wanted to know if the government could stop the farmers from blocking the roads and railway tracks during their protests. Groups of farmers, including the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have been protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri borders of Punjab and Haryana since February 13. Their protest began when police stopped them from marching into Delhi.

The farmers first planned to enter Delhi on December 6, but after police used tear gas to break up their efforts, they decided to pause their march. However, they resumed their protest on December 8 but faced more police action.

The farmers have reportedly blocked the Shambhu highway for over a year, and recently, they have also blocked several other highways across Punjab. This news was shared by the news agency PTI.

The plea claimed that these blockades were a security risk because a lot of army movements go through Punjab, especially towards the northern borders. It also mentioned that local residents from Punjab and nearby states are struggling to reach hospitals quickly in emergencies, as even ambulances can’t get through blocked roads.

The activist’s plea argued that everyone has the right to move freely on highways, and that right is being taken away because of the farmers blocking them. The plea stated that outside forces might be trying to use the farmers to cause trouble in Punjab, a state that plays a crucial role in the country and has faced many challenges from neighboring nations.

On Monday, Kiren Rijiju, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, expressed worry about potential ties between Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and George Soros, a businessman from Hungary and the U.S. He urged all political groups, including Congress, to stand together against “anti-India forces.”

Rijiju spoke to the media just before a heated session in Parliament and said that if any leaders are found working against the interests of India, all parties should speak up. He mentioned that Soros’s connections are not just about Congress but should be a serious issue for everyone.

His comments followed accusations from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that Sonia Gandhi is linked to a group backed by Soros’s foundation, which supports the idea of Kashmir being independent.

In response, RJD MP Manoj Jha said when the government looks at conspiracy theories, it might be trying to hide something. He challenged the government to investigate these claims.

Rijiju emphasized that any leader working with anti-India forces should be opposed by all political parties. He reminded Congress members that they will be discussing the Constitution on December 13 and 14 in Lok Sabha, and on December 16 and 17 in Rajya Sabha. He encouraged Congress leaders and workers to speak out if they find their leaders connected to anti-India activities, stressing the need for unity against such forces.

At least three people have died in a big explosion at a house in Murshidabad, West Bengal, according to news reports. The blast happened when homemade bombs exploded in the Khayartala neighborhood on Sunday night. The bombs were being made in the home of a man named Mamun Mollah.

Mollah’s neighbors heard a loud bang but didn’t know what had happened. Sadly, the three people who died include Mollah, Sakirul Sarkar, and Mustaqin Sheikh. The explosion was so powerful that it made the roof of the house collapse.

Police and officials are currently investigating what caused the explosion.

In another similar incident, four people died and five were injured in Madhya Pradesh after a blast caused three houses to crumble in a neighborhood called Rathore Colony. A local man, named Vasudev Rathore, whose house was destroyed, thinks the explosion was caused by gunpowder, since the gas cylinders remained unharmed.

Just last week, another tragedy occurred in Gujarat’s Ankleshwar, where four workers died in a boiler explosion at a waste treatment plant. The police are looking into what caused that explosion as well.

On Monday morning, more than 40 schools in Delhi received a scary email demanding $30,000. The email threatened to “detonate bombs” if the money was not paid. As a safety measure, many schools sent students home early.

Some of the first schools to report the threats were Delhi Public School in RK Puram and GD Goenka Public School in Paschim Vihar. The email claimed that small bombs were hidden “very well” and warned that while they wouldn’t cause much damage, many people would be hurt if they went off. It read: “I planted multiple bombs inside school buildings. The bombs are small and hidden very well. They will not cause much damage, but many people will be injured when they explode. If I do not receive $30,000, I will detonate the bombs.”

This email was sent late at night on December 8, around 11:38 pm. Other schools that also received similar messages included Mother Mary’s School, British School, Salwan Public School, and Cambridge School.

Mother Mary’s School informed parents: “An email was received this morning regarding a bomb threat. The students are being sent home immediately as a precaution. Please collect your children from the bus stops.”

Delhi’s Chief Minister, Atishi, criticized the central government, saying it has failed to keep people safe. She pointed to the increase in threats and crime in Delhi. She stated, “The law and order situation has never been this bad.” Former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also spoke out, asking Union Home Minister Amit Shah to explain the safety issues in Delhi.