INDIA

A Delhi court has allowed the police to withdraw a case against former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) vice president Shehla Rashid Shora over her 2019 tweets on the Indian Army. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Anuj Kumar Singh issued the order on February 27, following an application by the prosecution. The application cited an order from Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, who withdrew his sanction for Rashid's prosecution. According to the prosecution, the Screening Committee recommended the withdrawal, and the LG granted approval on December 23, 2024. The case was based on Rashid's August 18, 2019 tweets, in which she alleged that the Army had entered homes and "tortured" locals in Kashmir. The Army rejected these claims as baseless. Rashid was accused of promoti...

Raipur, February 28, 2025 – The People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has strongly condemned the arrest of Raghu Midiyami, a 24-year-old activist and former president of the now-banned Moolvasi Bachao Manch (MBM). Midiyami was taken into custody by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Raipur on February 27 under charges of acting at the behest of Maoists in organizing protests against police camps, roads, and bridges in Bastar's interior villages. Midiyami has been booked under sections of the Chhattisgarh Vishesh Jan Suraksha Adhiniyam (CVJSA), 2005, as well as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), which relate to the management of an unlawful organization, abetting unlawful activity, and allegedly raising funds for a banned outfit. His arrest follows the detention...

In a major success, Railway Police seized five pistols and ten empty cartridges from an unclaimed from a Jammu and Kashmir bound train in Pathankot. An official told news agency Kashmir Bulletin that an unknown bag was seized in Malwa train and during confiscation, the GRP team recovered five pistols and ten empty cartridges at Pathankot Cantonment Station. "The train, Malwa Express, was going from Delhi towards Jammu and Kashmir," the official said. "A case has been registered in this regard for further investigations," the official added. More details awaited. (KB)

Several Muslim detainees held in Assam's Matia detention centre have rejected the government's claims that they are Bangladeshi nationals. The Assam government, in an affidavit, recently identified 63 detainees as Bangladeshis. However, when the court questioned why they had not been deported, the government responded that the detainees had not provided addresses in Bangladesh. The detainees, all of whom have homes and families in India, remain incarcerated despite evidence of their Indian citizenship. According to a Scroll report that tracked seven families, 20 detainees have challenged their deportation in courts, including the Supreme Court. Of the 63, at least 27 were sent to the detention centre in September last year. The report highlights multiple inconsistencies in the gov...

A 15-year-old boy and his parents were arrested after allegations surfaced that he raised “Pakistan Zindabad” slogans during the India-Pakistan Champions Trophy match on Sunday, February 23. Following protests by Hindutva groups, authorities also demolished their scrap shop, citing encroachment concerns. The incident reportedly took place after Indian captain Rohit Sharma’s dismissal, triggering protests led by Hindutva groups. The demonstrators demanded strict legal action and the immediate demolition of the family's property. Responding swiftly, the Malvan Municipal Council, along with local police, used JCB machinery to raze the shop. Shiv Sena MLA Nilesh Rane shared visuals of the demolition on social media, thanking the authorities for their prompt response. He labeled the...

Fresh from his tour to the US where he carried a piece of ice from a glacier in Ladakh to flag their fast melting, climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that India should take a lead in addressing the issue. Drawing attention to the gravity of the situation in the Himalayas, Wangchuk told a press conference in the capital that if steps are not taken to restore these glaciers which are the source of our perennial rivers, the next Maha Kumbh after 144 years may be held on sand as the rivers may dry up. Wangchuk, who has been working on preserving Himalayan glaciers, travelled from Ladakh to Delhi, and then to the US with a piece of ice from a glacier in Khardung La. The ice was placed in a container wrapped in Ladakh's ico...

In Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal district, a video has gone viral showing Mohammed Haji Raees, a Muazzin, offering the Jummah Azaan from the roof of the Shahi Jama Masjid. This act followed the removal of loudspeakers from the mosque’s roof by the police, in compliance with the Yogi Adityanath government’s directive restricting loudspeaker use in public places. Sambhal Superintendent of Police (SP) Krishan Kumar Bishnoi told The Times of India that the police were enforcing government orders. He emphasized that while loudspeakers were no longer permitted, the Muazzin remained free to recite the Azaan, as it did not constitute a criminal act. The move is part of an ongoing crackdown on loudspeaker use at mosques in the district. In January, police booked two Imams—Rehaan Hussain of a mos...

In Pathardi taluka of Maharashtra, local villagers have passed a resolution barring Muslim traders from participating in the Kanifnath Mandir Madhi Yatra. The decision, they claim, stems from concerns that Muslim traders do not adhere to local traditions, which they argue hurts their religious sentiments. The annual yatra, which begins on Holi and concludes on Gudi Padwa, follows a set of customs, including a month-long mourning period during which oil is applied to the deity. During this time, villagers abstain from fried food, sleep on the floor, and avoid celebrations. “Muslim traders do not follow our traditions,” said Sanjay Bajirao Markad, the village head and chairman of the Kanifnath temple trust. “This is a sensitive period for us. While we refrain from celebratory activitie...

Leaders from the Sikh and Muslim communities gathered at the Combined Movement for Constitutional Rights of the Minorities (CMCRM) Conference 2025, held at the IICC auditorium, to reaffirm their commitment to unity and constitutional rights. The event, themed around the ‘Malerkotla Legacy,’ highlighted growing concerns over marginalization and the need for solidarity in today’s political climate. Former Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh, voiced frustration over the unfulfilled promise of equality in India. He lamented that despite the Constitution guaranteeing equal rights, minority communities still feel betrayed. Recalling the historical sacrifices made by Sikhs and Muslims, he stressed that their struggle continues, particularly in movements like the farmers’ pro...