Month: January 2025

A 28-year-old Muslim man, Yusuf, was brutally beaten to death by a mob in Palwal, Haryana, on suspicion of cow smuggling. His companion, who was also attacked, remains in critical condition. According to reports, the two were transporting a cow and its calf when a group of self-proclaimed cow vigilantes intercepted them, accusing them of smuggling the animals for slaughter. The mob launched a violent assault, and Yusuf succumbed to his injuries after being rushed to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi. The incident has sparked outrage, with activists and community leaders condemning the attack and highlighting the growing trend of mob violence under the pretext of cow protection. Haryana’s stringent Cow Protection and Cow Promotion Bill has been criticized for fueling such tensions, w...

The Supreme Court has ruled that domicile-based reservations for postgraduate (PG) medical courses under the State Quota are unconstitutional, declaring that such provisions violate the right to equality enshrined in Article 14 of the Indian Constitution. The verdict was delivered in the case Tanvi Behl v. Shreya Goyal by a Bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy, Sudhanshu Dhulia, and SVN Bhatti. The Court emphasized that admissions to PG medical courses should be based solely on merit. "We are all domiciled in India, and there is no concept of provincial domicile. The right to pursue trade or profession across the country must be upheld. While limited domicile-based reservations may apply to MBBS admissions, extending them to postgraduate courses contravenes Article 14," the judgm...

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a major milestone with the successful launch of its 100th mission. The GSLV-F15 rocket carrying the NVS-02 satellite lifted off at 6:23 AM from Sriharikota, marking a historic moment for India's space program. This launch is part of ISRO's ongoing efforts to enhance its capabilities in satellite deployment. The GSLV-F15, which is the 17th mission of India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) series, also carries the 11th flight of the indigenous Cryogenic stage. This marks the 8th operational mission utilizing this technology. The rocket's payload fairing, measuring 3.4 meters in diameter, is a metallic version designed to protect the satellite during its journey. The NVS-02 satellite will be placed into a Geosy...

The death toll has risen to seven in a stampede at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, India, while at least 10 others have been injured, officials confirmed on Wednesday. The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of January 29 as tens of millions of devotees gathered for a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers on what is considered the most auspicious day of the six-week Hindu festival. Drone footage captured the massive crowds moving shoulder to shoulder in the predawn darkness, while images from the aftermath showed bodies being carried away on stretchers, distressed devotees sitting on the ground, and personal belongings scattered across the area. A Reuters witness reported seeing several deceased individuals as ambulances rushe...

The Reporters’ Collective, a non-profit organization known for its investigative journalism in India, has announced that tax authorities have revoked its non-profit status, arguing that journalism does not serve a public purpose. The move, the organization says, severely hampers its ability to function and raises concerns over the state of independent journalism in India. The Reporters’ Collective, which has been operating as a registered non-profit trust since July 2021, has carried out investigative reporting in multiple formats and languages, along with journalist training and research. “We began as an informal group bootstrapping from our meagre resources,” the Collective stated in a press release. “Since July 2021, we have existed as a formal registered non-profit trust funde...