A video of the incident doing the rounds on social media shows the woman giving birth behind a curtain, apparently made out of a saree, as women commuters join in for help. The woman was reportedly four-and-a-half-months pregnant.

This is near Rajbhavan in the heart of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. A woman delivered on road as several women commuters on the spot came to her rescue. pic.twitter.com/1lVAuhtGGL

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) August 13, 2023

Confirming the incident, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak, who also holds the health portfolio said that he was heading to the spot to get further information about the incident. “I have taken cognizance of the incident and I am going to the spot. What I have been told by the principal secretary is that this family was going in a rickshaw and the incident took place near gate number 13 of the Raj Bhavan,” Pathak had told news agency PTI earlier.

The baby was taken to Veerangana Jhalkari Bai Women and Child Hospital where it was declared dead by doctors. It was later buried at Baikunth Dhaam in Lucknow.

Giving details , a doctor posted at the labour room of Veerangana Jhalkari Bai Women and Child Hospital said that following the incident, the woman, Rupa Soni, underwent a check up at around 12.30 pm.

“Earlier in the day, she had gone to the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital in Lucknow after experiencing pain and was administered an injection. She went home but did not get any relief,” the doctor said.

“While on her way here, she delivered (the baby) outside Raj Bhavan. The baby was brought dead,” the doctor said.

No ambulance available

A incident drew a sharp reaction to the state of health services in UP from Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Yadav who alleged that the woman was forced to give birth on the road due to the “non-availability” of an ambulance.

“The state’s health system is on ventilator support despite lakhs of advertisements and claims. A pregnant woman going to the hospital by rickshaw was forced to deliver on the roadside near Raj Bhavan due to the non-availability of an ambulance. It is shameful for the entire system and it is the reality of the state’s health system,” he said in a post in Hindi on X.

However, Pathak trashed the accusations and said the woman decided to take a rickshaw and not an ambulance to the hospital, but when some passersby outside the Raj Bhavan called an ambulance, it arrived in 25 minutes.

“The ambulance responded in 25 minutes. They (the family) had not sought an ambulance initially and took a rickshaw,” Pathak said.

(With PTI inputs)

As per reports, the Sujan Ahirwar sells chickens in villages on his motorcycle . On the the day of the incident, he was on his travelling to some village in connection with his work when he halted by a group of men who asked for a chicken. The victim asked them to pay for it, however, the men, allegedly drunk at the time, assaulted him with slippers for demanding payment.

ललितपुर में फ्री में मुर्गा नही देने पर जमकर जूतों चप्पल से पीटा, मुर्गा बेचकर परिवार का पालन पोषण करता है पीड़ित
#Lalitpur pic.twitter.com/ItNnTWSsLm

— Lokesh Rai (@lokeshRlive) August 12, 2023

An onlooker filmed the incident on his mobile phone camera and the 10-second clip has now gone viral on social media sites. Taking cognizance of the incident, police said they have registered a case against the attacker under sections of the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

A flurry of atrocities against Dalits

Atrocities against the Dalit community have seen a sharp spike in recent time.

Last month, a disturbing incident came to the fore from Giridih district of Jharkhand where a Dalit woman accused of having an extra-marital affair, was reportedly stripped naked, tied to a tree and viciously beaten by villagers. According the police, the 26-year-old victim remained tied to the tree for the entire night before being rescued by the cops who later took her to a hospital.

Police said the horrifying incident took place in a village under the Saria police station area, about 170 km from the state capital Ranchi, adding that four people, including two young men, have been arrested in connection with the alleged assault.

In her complaint to the police, the woman stated that she received a call at around 11 PM on the fateful night, asking her to come out of the house. However, when she came out of her home, two youths standing outside her house forcefully made her sit on a motorcycle and took her one kilometre away, where she was stripped, thrashed, and tied to the tree, IANS reported.

Earlier in July, the infamous Sidhi urination incident took place in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi district wherein a video showed a man urinating on a tribal youth. The disturbing act triggered national outrage.

The accused, Pravesh Shukla, was arrested and booked under provisions of the stringent National Security Act, and his family’s house was also demolished.

(With inputs from agencies)

Giving details, a senior officer said the boy, a resident of a village in the district, sed to work at a street food shop and often visited the the shop owner’s house. On one occasion, he found the owner’s wife take a bath in her house and secretly filmed her.

“The minor then started blackmailing her to have an illicit relationship with him by threatening to upload the video on social media,” Station House Officer (Koirauna) Pradeep Kumar told news agency PTI. However, the woman narrated the ordeal to her husband who confronted the boy, following which the teenager shared the video in several WhatsApp groups, the SHO said.

Thereafter, the woman lodged a complaint against the teenager, on the basis of which an FIR was registered against him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and he was taken into custody on Saturday.

Tamil Nadu techie held for secretly filming women in shopping malls

Meanwhile, in a similar back in July this year, a 22-year-old engineering graduate from Tamil Nadu’s Erode was arrested by the cybercrime wing of the Greater Chennai police for secretly filming women in shopping malls and selling morphed images on the messaging service Telegram.

As per the police, the matter came to light following a complaint by a purported victim from Adambakkam, who stated that someone secretly clicked her picture while she was trying out an outfit in  a mall in 2022 ahead of Diwali.

The complainant told the police that she later found out that her morphed pictures were being sold on Telegram.  Following the complaint, the police registered a case and launched an investigation. The cops scanned CCTV footage and other evidence which led to the arrested of the accused, identified as Arya, from his home in Erode’s Sathyamangalam.

According to the police, Arya secretly clicked pictures and filmed women at shopping malls, supermarkets and other commercial centres. The accused would later morph these images into obscene content and sell them on Telegram as password protected zip files.

(With PTI inputs)

“There will be restriction of commercial vehicles’ entry from 10 pm Saturday till the completion of rehearsals on Sunday afternoon. Similarly, there will be traffic restrictions from 10pm Monday till the completion of Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday, August 15,” Anil Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (traffic) told Hindustan Times.

Notably, the vehicles involved in essential services will be exempted from restrictions, while other vehicles will be able to go towards their destinations through the following routes.

Noida Traffic Release Traffic Advisory: Key Takeaways

• Vehicles entering Delhi from Chilla Red Light border will be able to take a U-turn from Chilla Red Light and go towards their destination via Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and Eastern Peripheral Expressway
• Vehicles entering Delhi from DND Flyway will be able to take a U-turn from DND toll plaza and go towards their destination via Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and via Eastern Peripheral Expressway
• Vehicles entering Delhi from Kalindi Kunj border will be diverted from the underpass crossing before the Yamuna river

“Vehicles entering Delhi from Chilla Red Light border will be able to take a U-turn from Chilla Red Light and go towards their destination via Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and Eastern Peripheral Expressway,” said the DCP Anil Kumar Yadav.

“Vehicles entering Delhi from DND Flyway will be able to take a U-turn from DND toll plaza and go towards their destination via Noida-Greater Noida Expressway and via Eastern Peripheral Expressway,” he said.

The traffic police also issued a traffic helpline number — 9971009001– for motorists to contact in case of any confusion or emergency.

Independence Day: Section 144 imposed around Red Fort, Rajghat

The Delhi Police has imposed prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 near areas such as Rajghat, ITO and Red Fort ahead of Independence Day. “In view of Independence Day celebrations, Section 144 of CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) has been invoked in areas nearby Rajghat, ITO, Red Fort etc. No gathering of any kind is permitted in these areas,” police posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Independence Day will be celebrated on August 15 during which the prime minister addresses the nation from the Red Fort.

Independence Day: Red Fort, Surrounding Areas Beautified

Gyan Path in front of the Red Fort in central Delhi will be decked up with flowers and G20 signage and more than 10,000 security personnel will be deployed for the Independence Day celebrations when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation, officials said on Friday.

Around 1,000 cameras with facial recognition and video analytic systems will be installed in and around the Mughal-era fort and at other strategic locations to ensure foolproof security and monitor VVIP movements, police said.

Around 70 to 75 couples from every state are among the special invitees to the programme and they will attend it in their traditional dresses. Sarpanches of vibrant villages, nurses, fishermen and labourers engaged in the construction of Central Vista project are also among the special invitees.

“This year more than 20,000 officials and civilians will take part in the Independence Day celebrations. Gyan Path is being decorated with flowers and G20 signage for the national festival,” a senior police officer said.

What She Wrote in Suicide Note?

Police said the teenager in her suicide note did not hold anyone responsible for her extreme step. However, she said she is committing suicide so that her brother can give up drugs. Police said when the victim’s mother returned home, she knocked on the door and after getting no response from inside the room, she informed the neighbours. Then, the neighbours informed the police.

Soon after getting the information, a police team reached the spot and broke-open the door and found the girl hanging.

Later, the body was taken to a private hospital where doctors declared her brought dead. Police further added that no complaint has been lodged by the family yet.

Another Incident in March 2023

In another incident earlier this year in March, a 16-year-old girl allegedly jumped to death from the tower of a highrise in Ghaziabad’s Vijay Nagar. The girl fell off a window between the 12th and 13th floors of Tower A.

Police scanned the CCTV footage and said it could not be immediately ascertained if the girl was alone or was speaking to someone over the phone. While police were still waiting for the autopsy and call record data, they suspect the girl may have died by suicide.

Giving details, ACP-1 Anshu Jain told TOI that the girl was a student of class 12 and had skipped school on Wednesday. Police said the girl had left her flat in Tower C of the residential society around 2.30 PM and was spotted loitering on the premises for some time.

Police added that as per the CCTV footage, the girl had a mobile phone and headphones. “Call details of the phone have been sought and her body was sent for autopsy,” the ACP said.

Increasing Cases of Suicides

In yet another incident in June this year, a 16-year-old Dalit girl living in Kashiram Awas Yojana in Ghazabad died by suicide. Police said the minor girl had befriended Shoib (21), who has been arrested. However, the victim’s father alleged that the man was responsible for her death.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Nipun Agarwal told PTI that the teenager consumed acid after her father admonished her for talking to Shoib over phone.

She was rushed to the district hospital but she died on the way. Police said they have registered a case for abetment to suicide and under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

“We are Bangladeshi Muslim hacker’s never try to mess our cyberspace. We oppose oppression where we are, we represent freedom, we are simple evolimion of the technological system when liberty is at risk …expect us… (sic),” read the message on the school’s website.

The website showed the national flag of Bangladesh. The hackers signed off message with “Joy Bangla” and “Bangladesh” written after it followed by multiple code names.

The hack comes close on the heels of a cyber security firm’s report that a hacktivist group known as “Mysterious Team Bangladesh” has carried out several distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks since June 2022.

The group, which is said to be primarily driven by religious and political motives, has attacked multiple sectors in India, according to the report by firm Group-IB.

According to reports, Anuj played active part in local politics, he also contested block chief elections from Asmoli block in Sambhal district and lost by 17 votes. He was an active party member and was seen at all party meetings in Sambhal.

WATCH: BJP Anuj Chowdhary Shot Dead At Outside His Residence

Warning: Disturbing video
In #Moradabad, a purported CCTV footage of 3 bike borne assailants shooting from point-blank range at local #BJP leader Anuj Chaudhary out on walk has surfaced. #Cctv #cctvfootage #UttarPradesh #firing #bjpleader #bike #guns #gunfiring #walk
Cr. Twitter pic.twitter.com/qzjdkNtsXo

— Ekta Chaubey (@EktaChaubey10) August 10, 2023

Speaking to the media, SSP Moradabad Hemraj Meena said, “There was personal rivalry between the two parties. A case has been registered against four people. Five teams have been formed to arrest the accused. Strict legal action will be taken after arresting the wanted accused soon.”

https://t.co/i9T5hABXXZ

— MORADABAD POLICE (@moradabadpolice) August 11, 2023

Family members attribute the murder to political rivals, specifically naming Amit Chaudhary and Aniket as culprits. Four suspects have been charged, and a manhunt is underway to apprehend them, as reported by the police.

Giving details, a police official said the accused broke into the home of businessman Dhan Kumar Jain (70) in Brahmpuri area at around 8 am and started looting the place. However, upon noticing the prowlers, Jain protested and tried to resist the robbery bid resulting in him getting shot by the accused men.

Upon witnessing his husband getting shot, Jain’s wife, Anju (65), tried to intervene and grab hold of one of the attackers and got shot in the process. Both victims rushed to a hospital where Jain succumbed to injuries while his wife is undergoing treatment, police said, adding that the two robbers fled the scene with cash and jewellery after gunning down the elderly couple.

The robbery lasted for about an hour following which the robbers fled with cash and jewellery from the businessman’s home, Additional Superintendent of Police (City) Piyush Kumar Singh told news agency PTI.

#WATCH #Breaking: Businessman DK Jain shot dead in Uttar Pradesh's #Meerut district, wife's condition critical.

The attackers committed the crime by entering the bedroom this morning.#SHOOT @meerutpolice @Uppolice pic.twitter.com/Jwb8CTg9H8

— Nitesh rathore (@niteshr813) August 10, 2023

The senior officer said the accused arrived at the victim’s home on a motorcycle wearing helmets and the details of the looted goods have been sought from the relatives.

Police have registered a case in this connection and launched searches to nab the accused, he added.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav tried to corner the state government over the incident.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Yadav said “The murder of a businessman in Meerut by entering his house, looting and murderous attack on his wife is a heart-wrenching and extremely terrifying incident.”

“Recession during the BJP government, corruption of officials, collection of donations by the ruling party and above all, the fear of criminals have completely killed the business in UP,” Yadav said.

(With PTI inputs)

Talking to PTI over the phone, Yadav said one of the victims approached the police, claiming that some people had recorded a nude video of him and were using it for blackmailing. A case was registered at the Kalyanpur police station and a police investigation was launched that helped in busting the ’sextortion’ gang, police said.

A case was registered at the Kalyanpur Police Station and a police investigation was launched that helped in busting the ‘sextortion’ gang, police said. Those arrested were identified as Dileep alias Pradyumn Singh (21), Arun Rajpoot (22), Vipin Singh (21), Pawan Kumar Singh (22), Praveen Singh (20) and Brijendra Singh (19).

During the arrests, the police also seized a police uniform, a laptop, nine ATM cards from different banks, and five mobile phones.

Former Karnataka CM’s OSD Falls Prey to Sextortion

A 58-year-old man, who previously served as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) for a former Karnataka Chief Minister, recently fell victim to a sextortion, resulting in a loss of Rs 6.8 lakh. The victim, however, filed a formal complaint with the cybercrime police unit after he sought Bengaluru city police commissioner’s intervention in the matter.

According to a Times of India report, the victim shared a chilling narrative of blackmail and extortion. The sequence of events began when he started engaging in a video call from a guest house in Maharashtra’s Nashik on June 12. After the initial incident, as the perpetrators persistently demanded more money, the victim sought assistance from the Bengaluru city police commissioner. This led to the filing of a formal complaint with the cybercrime police unit.

The TOI report stated that the 58-year-old explained to the police that he initially dismissed the call as a mistake. However, around 1 pm on the following day, he received another call from an unfamiliar number. The caller identified himself as Mahendra Singh, claiming to be a reporter associated with a prominent national Hindi news channel. Singh alleged that a woman had filed a complaint against the victim, accusing him of initiating a video call and engaging in inappropriate behavior.

On July 18, the victim reported the matter to the cybercrime police in Bengaluru.

What is Sextortion?

Sextortion is a crime that involves blackmailing a victim. The extorter threatens to share images, videos, or information about the victim’s sexual preferences unless the victim pays up or engages in more sexual acts. Usually, the perpetrator will threaten to share the sexual content with the victim’s family, colleagues, friends, and other acquaintances. Alternatively, the content might be uploaded to a large (pornographic) online platform.

Generally, sextorters know how to invoke a great deal of fear in the victim. They might show the images or a screenshot of a specifically explicit conversation. Moreover, they often skim the victim’s social media accounts to find out about their family members and friends. In other words, they will let the victim know they can destroy their reputation (with their loved ones) at any moment — even though that’s often a lie.

When you get a sextortion email like this, keep these three rules in mind: Don’t pay the extorter anything, Don’t click on any links or attachments, Don’t engage with the sender.

Once passed, the Rules of Procedures and Conduct of Business of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, 2023 will replace the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of UP Legislative Assembly, 1958.

“The new rule was tabled on Monday. Discussion on it will take place on Wednesday and subsequently it will be passed,” Uttar Pradesh Assembly Speaker Satish Mahana told PTI.

Under the new set of rules, MLAs will not be able to tear any document in the House. They will also not point towards anyone in the gallery while delivering a speech or praise him/her. The legislators will neither be able to stand nor sit with their backs towards the Speaker. They will also not be able to bring or display weapons in the House.

The members cannot smoke nor can they talk or laugh loudly in the lobby.

The rules state that the members of the legislative assembly (MLAs) should show respect by bowing towards the Speaker’s chair, and not show their backs while entering or leaving the House or while sitting or rising from their seats.

According to the new rules, the duration for summoning a session of the state assembly has been halved to seven days from the 14 days at present. Apart from this, the members will not be allowed to take any literature, questionnaire, book or press comments inside or distribute slips not related to the proceedings.

On behalf of the principal secretary of the legislative assembly, a list of work of each day will have to be made available to the MLAs online or offline.

It may be noted that on December 6 last, SP MLA Atul Pradhan was caught live streaming proceedings of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Facebook Live while holding a protest in the well over the Rampur bypolls, drawing the ire of the Speaker who asked him to leave the House.

Uttar Pradesh has a 403-member legislative assembly.

However, when Sandeep visited his secret lover/wife’s house, told her family about their affair and marriage, and insisted on taking her with him, they refused and disapproved of their union. Unable to cope with the rejection from his relatives, the dejected lover shot himself at his lover’s house, reportedly with an illegal weapon he had brought with him, India Today reported.

Following the incident, police arrived at the scene and sent Sandeep’s body for post-mortem. It was also revealed that hours before his suicide, the deceased had shared a video of his marriage with his cousin on his Facebook handle.

Police said they have registered a case in this connection and further investigation is underway.

A relative of the victim’s lover said that Sandeep arrived at their house in Ambedkar Nagar at around 3:30 AM and shot himself with without even giving them a chance to stop him.

“He came here at 3:30 and shot himself. He didn’t even give us a chance to say don’t do this. He was my brother-in-law’s boy,” the report quoted the girl as having said.

According to local media reports, Sandeep came to the girl’s house at around 4 AM on Saturday and allegedly tried to force his girlfriend to come along with him. Meanwhile, the girl’s family woke up due to the commotion and an argument ensued. Upon witnessing the upheaval, the girl refused to go with him, this angered Sandeep, who in a fit of rage and overwhelmed by emotion, put a gun to temple and shot himself. He died on the spot.

The girl’s family members are reportedly absconding after the incident even as the police are still determining if this was a suicide or cold-blooded murder.

A tragic love affair

The deceased, Sandeep Maurya, a resident of Itauri village under the Rajesultanpur police station limits, had reportedly fallen in love with his maternal aunt’s daughter in nearby Samdih village, around 8 km from Itauri, five years ago. As per the police, the lovers’ parents had got wind of the affair and opposed their relationship; however, the lovebirds defied their diktats and continued to meet.

The couple got married in secret at a local temple around 6 months back, however, their families found out and an argument ensued between the two sides. Following the news of her secret wedding, the girl’s family essentially put her under house arrest and forbade her from leaving the house.

Unable to be with his girlfriend, Sandeep became desperate and tried to persuade his aunt and other family members to approve of their union, but they refused to budge.

On the fateful day of August 5, Sandeep went to his aunt’s home and asked his girlfriend to come with him. An argument ensued and the girl refused to accompany him due to pressure from her family. This upset Sandeep and in a fit of rage, he shot himself in the head and died on the spot.

A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media showed Dhillon, standing on the dias, being approached by Danish Ali and the two begin to have an argument. Both politicians were soon joined in by their supporters and railway officials with Ali later seen being taken to his seat.

Major ruckus in UP's Amroha after BJP MLC Hari Singh Dhillon began his address with "Bharat Mata ki Jai" slogan at the event to inaugurate redevelopment of railways stations under Amrit Bharat station scheme. pic.twitter.com/fheYKa0GiD

— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) August 6, 2023

The MP and the MLC were invited as guests for the inauguration of the modernisation work of Amroha Railway Station to be done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually.

After the event, Dhillon told reporters that he had raised the “Bharat Mata ki Jai” slogan which was objected to by Ali. “He told me that it was a government event. What is wrong with raising Bharat Mata ki Jai slogan at a government event? He shouldn’t have done it.”

#WATCH | UP: "This heated argument erupted on saying 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. He (Danish Ali) said not to say it. Saying 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' is not a wrong thing," says BJP MLC Hari Singh Dhillon on his heated argument with BSP MP Danish Ali during an event in Amroha pic.twitter.com/zFPblk8BtT

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 6, 2023

However, Danish Ali claimed the entire stage was occupied by BJP workers and other functionaries who raised slogans praising their leaders and the BJP.

“I was invited by the Railway ministry for the programme as the local MP. And it was due to my efforts that two stations from my constituency (Amroha) were taken for modernisation,” the BSP leader told news agency PTI.

“First of all, the entire stage was taken over by the BJP workers. I also spoke to the railway officials that how come a former MP from BJP, its city and district unit presidents, and workers, all were allowed on stage and allowed to address the gathering.

“They were raising slogans in praise of their leaders and of the party. I objected to this saying that this is a government-organised programme and how can you convert it into a political programme?” the BSP MP said.

He alleged that BJP subverted his comments and made the whole episode look like he was opposed to praising the Bharat Mata.

#WATCH | UP: Heated argument ensued between BSP MP Danish Ali and BJP MLC Hari Singh Dhillon during an event in Amroha. pic.twitter.com/4gWVSweUGf

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 6, 2023

Ali said, “Bharat Mata is not your patent. Bharat Mata is as good as my mother. I will not take a certificate for my nationalism from the BJP or the RSS.”

(With PTI inputs)

#Hapur, #UttarPradesh: A car rams into a toll booth staff at Delhi-Lucknow highway at Chhajarsi Toll Plaza. pic.twitter.com/kQJfcDpgXq

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay07) August 6, 2023

As per reports, the incident took place at the Pilkhuwa toll plaza in UP’s Hapur district and was caught on CCTV cameras. The shocking clip shows a white car passing through the toll gate, presumably without paying the toll as staffers give chase. The car then turns around off camera and rams into the toll plaza employee at breakneck speed and drags him for under the wheels as other employees rush to the victim’s rescue.

The driver reportedly fled the scene after crushing the toll booth staffer under his car

Taking cognizance of the incident, police said they have registered a case against the accused driver and launched a manhunt to nab him at the earliest. “A person deliberately rammed his car at Chhajarsi Toll Plaza employee. A case has been registered & the accused will be apprehended at the earliest,” Varun Mishra, DCP, Pilkhua Circle told news agency ANI.

#WATCH | Harpur, Uttar Pradesh: Varun Mishra, DCP, Pilkhua Circle says, "A person deliberately rammed his car at Chhajarsi Toll Plaza employee. A case has been registered & the accused will be apprehended at the earliest…" pic.twitter.com/VZMOn4Wyue

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 6, 2023

According to the police, the victim was rushed to a nearby government hospital for treatment where his condition is stated to be critical. “Further investigation in the case is underway,” they said.

TMC MP assaults toll booth staffer

In a related incident, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP allegedly assaulted a toll booth employee after the staffer stopped his car at a kiosk in Palsit area of West Bengal’s Burdwan district. The incident took place on Thursday night and was captured on CCTV cameras installed at the booth.

The video went viral on social media platforms and sparked outrage from netizens for the TMC leader’s high-handedness against the man who was simply doing his job.

According to a India Today report, the toll plaza staffer, identified as Ujjwal Singh, said that TMC leader and Bardhaman East MP Sunil Mandal did not halt his car at the booth, stepped out of his vehicle and assaulted him as he tried to remove the fluorescent traffic cones from the road.

Singh said that he merely acted as per protocol and went to move the traffic safety cones from the VIP lane when he saw Mandal’s car hit the cones. However, the legislator stepped out and shoved the toll booth staffer when he went to move the traffic cones.

The entire incident was captured on surveillance cameras and the video quickly went viral on social media sites. In the video, a white luxury car is seen approaching the toll plaza at Palsit and hits a traffic cone as it attempts to go past the booth. Soon, Bardhaman East MP, Sunil Mandal steps out of the car and can be seen engaging in a physical altercation with the toll booth employee and shoving him away.

ये #MP #MLAs को समझना चाहिए कि टोल प्लाजा पर खडे सामान्य लोग उन्हें नहीं पहचानते. वो अपना काम कर रहे है. अगर गाडी रोक दी तो गुनाह नहीं कर दिया

जनाब पश्चिम बंगाल के बर्दवान पूर्व के #सांसद #sunilmandal है

हरकत तो दिख ही रही है https://t.co/w1sRx9QO3t pic.twitter.com/09EbhRDNDu

— Archana Pushpendra (@margam_a) August 4, 2023

Following the incident, Sunil Mandal issued an apology and said he was in a hurry and got carried away.

“I am extremely sorry for what happened yesterday,” Mandal said, adding that he was in a hurry. The TMC MP claimed that his security guards told the staffers at the booth to move the cones and let the car through, but they did not do it.

Mandal accused the toll booth employee of behaving badly with him, however, he admitted that he was wrong in physically pushing for staffer, the report said.

The staffer said he did not know that the car belonged to lawmaker as it did not have any stamp or logo which would indicate the same, leading to confusion. “I did not realise that the car belonged to a legislator as it did not have any logos which would indicate the same,” Singh said, according to the report.

Sharma, an ardent devotee of Lord Ram, plans to the gift the unique handcrafted lock to the Ram Temple authorities later this year.  Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust officials said they are receiving offerings from scores of devotees and they will have to see where the lock can be used.

A herculean effort

Talking about the herculean effort, Sharma said he made massive lock keeping the Ram Temple in mind. Sharma’s mammoth creation is 10 feet high, 4.5 feet wide, and 9.5 inches thick and comes with a four feet key. The gigantic lock weighs a whopping 400 kilograms.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Sharma said his family has been engaged in making handmade locks for over a century while he has been hammering, grinding, and shining locks in Aligarh, also known as ‘taala nagri’ or the land of locks, for over 45 years.

The lock was displayed at the annual Aligarh exhibition earlier this year and Sharma, who is busy making minor modifications and adding embellishments to his creation, said he wants it to be perfect.

‘Labour of love’

It was a “labour of love” for me while my wife, Rukmani, too helped me in this arduous venture, Sharma said.

“Earlier we had made a 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide lock but some people suggested making a bigger lock so we started working on it,” Rukmani said, adding that final touches are being given to the lock.

According to Sharma, it cost him about Rs 2 lakh to make the lock and he has willingly poured his life’s savings in turning his dream project into a reality.

“As I’ve been in the lock-making business for decades, I thought of making a giant lock for the temple as our city is known for locks and no one has done anything like this before,” he said.

Consecration ceremony in January

Meanwhile, the temple trust will hold the consecration ceremony at Ram Mandir on January 21, 22, and 23 next year for which an invitation will be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Ram Mandir Trust General Secretary Champat Rai said on Friday.

The trust members had earlier said they would be sending an official invite to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the event.

“The consecration ceremony of Ram Janmabhoomi will take place in the third week of January next year. Three dates 21, 22, and 23 of January — have been fixed for the consecration ceremony. We will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ceremony which will also be attended by prominent sadhus and other dignitaries,” the trust’s General Secretary Champat Rai said.

“The main event would be kept non-political. Guests from different political parties will also be invited, provided they have the intention to come. There will be no stage in the programme nor any public meeting,” he said.

The trust plans to invite over 25,000 Hindu religious leaders of 136 Sanatan traditions for the ceremony.

A list of such saints is being prepared by the temple trust and soon an invitation letter will be sent to them with the signature of trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das, he said.

The horrific video of the assault showed green chillies were also inserted in the private parts of the two minor boys. The boys were also stripped naked and their hands and feet were tied, according to a report by Times Now.

6 Arrested After Disturbing Video Of Assault On Minor Boys Surfaces

Six people have been arrested in connection to the incident. “A viral video on social media has come to notice in Thana Pathra Bazaar regarding objectionable acts with two minors,” ASP Siddhartha was quoted as saying in a report by news agency ANI.

“After taking note of the viral video, cases have been registered under relevant sections. Six people have been nabbed in connection with the incident. They will be presented in court,” the police officer said.

#WATCH | After a viral video purportedly showing two minors in UP’s Siddharthnagar surfaces, ASP Siddhartha says, “A viral video on social media has come to notice in Thana Pathra Bazaar regarding objectionable acts with two minors. After taking note of the viral video, cases… pic.twitter.com/8yUGfkojal

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 6, 2023

The accused has been charged under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act.

Superintendent of Police Devesh Kumar Pandey said the trolley carrying 45 pilgrims, including women and children, was going from Jalesar in Etah district to Govardhan in Mathura, news agency PTI reported.

“Five persons died on the spot, while one succumbed to injuries later. The deceased have been identified as Vikram (45), Madhuri (22), Hemlata (12), Lakhmi (18), Abhishek (20) and Vishnu (20),” Pandey revealed.

VIDEO | Five killed, several injured after a tractor trolley collided with a dumper in UP's Hathras on Friday night. pic.twitter.com/ai7gLuv68W

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 5, 2023

The senior officer said the injured were admitted at the community health centre in Sadabad, Hathras district hospital, JN Medical College in Aligarh and SN Medical College in Agra, where they are undergoing treatment.

हाथरस में एक ट्रैक्टर ट्रॉली और डंपर की जबरदस्त टक्कर हुई है. इस हादसे में पांच लोगों की तुरंत मौत हो गई जबकि एक दर्जन से अधिक लोग घायल बताए जा रहे हैं. घायलों को नजदीकी अस्पताल में भर्ती कराया गया है.#UttarPradesh #Hathras #RoadAccident pic.twitter.com/4nQsXPY6Em

— Nidhi solanki (@iNidhisolanki) August 5, 2023

The bodies of the deceased have been sent for post-mortem, police said. The truck driver and his two co-drivers have been detained, and the truck has been seized, they added.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath condoled the tragic deaths caused in the mishap.
In a tweet in Hindi, CM Adityanath expressed “deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the road accident in Hathras district”.

Police officer, businessman in Bengal accident

Meanwhile, in a similar incident, two people, including a police officer, died, while five others were injured in a car accident in West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district on Friday night.

As per the police, the accident took place post-midnight at Benapur railway gate on the Digha-Kharagpur, Odisha Trunk Road in Kharagpur rural area, police said.

The deceased have been identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Ramanand Dey from Kharagpur rural police station and businessman Jahangir Sheikh of Kharagpur town.

Dey was standing on the Odisha Trunk Road after getting down from a police van at Benapur railway gate when a speeding luxury car hit him. The car, in which Jahangir was travelling, then crashed into the railway gate signal post and a tea stall on the left side, police added.

Police had to work hard to rescue the injured from the mangled car. With the help of local residents, five people were rescued one by one and taken to hospital.

The bodies have been sent to Kharagpur sub-divisional morgue for postmortem.

Jahangir and his companions were returning to Kharagpur from a dhaba in Makrampur in Paschim Medinipur when the accident took place.

(With PTI inputs)

The footage of the incident that has gone viral on social media platforms shows the 12-year-old being encircled by a pack of at least five stray dogs who try to pounce on her even as the child attempts to fend off the beasts.

#WATCH : #गाजियाबाद में एक बच्चे को 5 कुत्तों ने घेर लिया। उसको कई बार नोंचा। बच्चा शोर मचाता रहा। तब एक डिलीवरी बॉय आया, जान बचाई।#Ghaziabad #dogattack #dog #LatestNews #Latest #LatestUpdates pic.twitter.com/OzIqXSc6fL

— upuknews (@upuknews1) August 5, 2023

The 49-second-long clip shows the girl crying for help as the dogs surround her and start biting her. A delivery boy passing through the area on his bike and notices the girl being attacked by dogs. The man stops his vehicle and saves the minor girl by chasing the canines away.

Pet dog beaten to death

In a related incident, a pet dog was viciously beaten to death by crazed locals in a village of Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district last month. A video of the horrific incident had gone viral on social media and showed a group of villagers beating the helpless animal to death with sticks.

As per reports at the time, the incident took place in Kaithra village within Patan police station limits, when around 10 villagers, including a local Panchayat office-bearer, stormed the house of Arvind Garg, dragged his pet down a flight of stairs and onto the road, and then viciously beat the beast to death with rods and wooden sticks in broad daylight.

The disturbing video showed the helpless canine being dragged out of a building and onto the road by some of the attackers while their accomplices keep assaulting the animal with sticks and rods.

The dog, which is seen trapped in a net, presumably by the villagers, is dragged down a flight of stairs and onto the road, where the men continue the merciless beat down until the poor animal died, the video shows.

Following the incident, Garg filed a complaint with the local police, claiming that a local panchayat office-bearer accompanied by 10 other villagers, attacked his pet dog with sticks and rods, in which the animal died, Patan police station in-charge Surendra Singh told news agency PTI.

“The complainant said he had contested the panchayat election against the panchayat office-bearer and had also lodged a complaint about his illegal possession of government land. He claimed that the killing of his dog was fallout of that,” the official said.

Investigation into the complaint has been launched and legal steps will be taken on the outcome of the probe, he added.

“As per the preliminary probe, the attackers were angry as Garg’s pet dog had bitten a family member of the panchayat office-bearer last month. They were also annoyed with the continuous barking by the dog,” he said.

The stomach-churning clip which has been widely shared and viewed on social media platforms shows the boy writhing in pain and crying for help as his own father, Maiku Prajapati, keeps raining down blow after blow on the helpless with a wooden stick.

ये वीडियो UP के जिला #Kaushambi का बताया जा रहा,जहां निर्दयी पिता का अपने मासूम बेटे के हाथ-पैर बांधकर तालिबानी सजा देते वीडियो वायरल हो रहा,मना करने पर भी इस निर्दयी का अपने बच्चे के प्रति दिल नहीं पसीज रहा है,चरवा के गढ़वा गांव का बताया जा रहा वीडियो!!@kaushambipolice #viral pic.twitter.com/s4rlri0ojh

— Gaurav Dixit (@GauravKSD) August 4, 2023

According to the police, the incident took place on August 3 (Thursday) in a village of Kaushambi district when the boy skipped school, inviting his father’s wrath who subjected the boy to severe corporal punishment for his refusal to attend school.

The irate father first thrashed the boy with a wooden stick until it broke, and later used a bamboo stick to continue the brutal beatdown of his 10-year-old son even as the kid kept writhing in pain and begging from mercy from his father.

Following the incident, the local police took cognizance of the video and detained Prajapati. A senior official said that a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) will be registered against him and proper action will be taken after investigation into the incident is completed.

Additional Superintendent of Police Samar Bahadur said the boy was taken to a hospital for treatment and his condition is stated to be stable, adding that further probe in the case is underway.

Principal mounts beats up, mounts 12-year-old chest in Bihar school

A related incident happened last month in Munger district of neighbouring Bihar where a school principal was arrested after a video showed him beating up and mounting the chest of a 12-year-old student while the former was asleep.

The principal’s disturbing act was caught on security cameras and the video went viral on social media platforms. According to reports, the incident took place at Nirmala International Residential Public School in the Fariyadpur area of Jamalpur in Munger district. The institution also provides hostel facilities to students.

As per a India Today report, 12-year-old Mathew Rajan was sleeping when the school principal, Ram Nath Mandal, came up to him and started beating up the child at around 10 PM on the night of July 16. The video also showed the principal mounting the child’s chest and pressing down on the kid’s torso with his legs while other students watch in disbelief.

The incident was caught on camera and the video has gone viral on social media platform. The viral 12-second clip shows the man, reportedly in an inebriated condition, entering the school premises with an axe and starts repeatedly smashing a handpump inside the school with his axe.

Watch the video here:

#Barabanki – कुल्हाड़ी लेकर विद्यालय में पहुंचा सिरफिरा

शिक्षकों और बच्चों पर कुल्हाड़ी से किया हमला

हमले का वीडियो सोशल मीडिया पर #Viral

दहशत की वजह से स्कूल नहीं जा रहे बच्चे

प्रधानाध्यापक ने थाने में दर्ज कराया मुकदमा

फरार आरोपी की तलाश में जुटी स्थानीय पुलिस

प्राथमिक… pic.twitter.com/7JVXPBuc6j

— abhishek tyagi (@abhishek03tyagi) August 3, 2023

The man continues to create commotion at the premises even as panicked people, presumably the school staff and students, can be heard shouting.

According to reports, the incident left the teachers and students terrifified and in shock and resulted in the school remaining unofficially shut as the staff as well as students did not show up at the premises even on the third day after the startling incident.

Police said they have registered a case against the accused, identified as Shiv Prasad, based on a formal complaint filed by District Education Officer, Pradeep Kumar, India Today reported. The accused is currently absconding and efforts are underway to nab him, they said, adding that further investigation in the case is ongoing.

13-year-old stabs classmate to death at Kanpur school

Meanwhile, in a related incident earlier this week, a Class 10 student allegedly stabbed to death by his classmate at a school in UP’s Kanpur on Monday (July 31) during a scuffle between the two teenagers.

According to the police, the incident happened at a private school at Gopalpuri in the Bidhnu area of Kanpur district during the lunch break, news agency PTI reported.

Citing the classmates of the accused and the victim, Additional DCP (South) Ankita Sharma said the 13-year-old accused stabbed Nilendra Tiwari (15) repeatedly in his neck and near it, leaving him seriously injured.

Other students in the class caught hold of the accused and informed the teachers, following which the police reached the school and detained the student.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought, Sharma said.

The accused student alleged that he was threatened with serious life consequences by Tiwari a few days ago, the ADCP said.

He added that he was carrying the knife only to scare Tiwari and had no intention to harm anyone, the officer added.

The accused student would be sent to a juvenile home after interrogation, the police said.

The victim was the only son of Satendra Tiwari, a resident of the Gangapur Colony here, they added.

(With PTI inputs)

The deceased has been identified as 73-year-old Sushila Devi, a resident of Paras Tiera Society, the police said, as reported by news agency PTI. The police stated that the woman was alone in the life, when its wire snapped, leading to a free fall.

The lift did not hit the ground but was caught between some of the middle floors of the building, a police official said as details about the incident that took place in a high-rise society were being ascertained.

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh: A woman died after a lift collapsed at a society in sector 137 in Noida

DCP (Central Noida) Anil Kumar Yadav says, “Information was received that a woman got injured after a lift collapsed in a society. Police reached the hospital and found that the woman… pic.twitter.com/kKF69Ctm0o

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 3, 2023

“Today, a woman going in the lift fainted due to the breaking of the lift wire in Paras Tierra Society in Sector 137, under Police Station Sector 142 area. The woman was alone in the lift. She was admitted to Felix Hospital but died during treatment,” the police said in a statement.

The incident took place around 4.30 pm and the woman passed away after an hour in the hospital.

The doctors said that the elderly woman sustained injuries on the back of her head and soma abrasion on her elbows, which appear to have been caused due to fall off the lift. “There was no pulse and her eyelids were dilated when she was brought to the hospital, suggesting a possible cardiac arrest because of the suddenness of the event,” a doctor of the Felix Hospital told news agency PTI.

Following the incident, hundreds of residents of the Paras Tiera society gathered in the society’s complex to protest against the incident and upkeep of common services, like the management of the lifts. According to the residents, one more free fall lift incident was reported in the society on Thursday afternoon. However, no injuries were reported.

Noida police books society’s maintenance firm, office-bearers, lift maker

Noida police has booked German elevator manufacturer ThyssenKrupp, a maintenance firm as well as office bearers of a residents’ association in a society here for negligence in the death of an elderly woman, officials said on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Anil Kumar Yadav said an FIR has been lodged on the basis of a complaint by the woman’s son and further investigation is underway.

The FIR has been lodged at the local Sector 142 police station under Indian Penal Code sections 287 (negligent conduct with respect to machinery) and 304A (causing death by negligence) against seven people, including the society’s maintenance firm, office-bearers of the Apartment Owners’ Association (AoA) and ThyssenKrupp.

Those named are Ajay Singh Shekhawat and Santosh Kumar Baral, both directors of A N Secure, Monik Sharma, the facility manager of A N Secure, Ramesh Gautam, president of the AoA, Anang Pal Chauhan, vice president of AoA, and Neetu Salar, treasurer of AoA, according to the FIR seen by PTI.