INDIA

A controversy surrounding the Khwaja Garib Nawaz Dargah, the dargah of the famous Sufi saint, has escalated as Hindu Sena claims that the site was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. To support this claim, Hindu Sena has presented a book published in 1910 in court. The matter is currently being heard in the Ajmer Civil Court, which is expected to decide today whether further action will be taken. Hindu Sena has also requested the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to conduct a survey of the dargah, similar to the survey carried out at the Sambhal mosque. Vishnu Gupta, the national president of Hindu Sena, has called for the dargah to be officially recognized as a temple of Lord Shiva and for the Dargah Committee’s alleged illegal occupation of the site to be re...

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has set up a permanent unit of the National Security Guards (NSG) in Jammu City to enhance the region's capacity to respond to large-scale militancy incidents. This strategic deployment is part of a broader security overhaul aimed at protecting high-rise buildings, critical infrastructure, and sensitive public spaces in and around the city. A dedicated NSG team is now stationed in Jammu, allowing for faster deployment during emergencies, a significant improvement over previous protocols where NSG commandos had to be airlifted from Delhi or Chandigarh, causing delays in response times. While the exact size of the unit remains undisclosed, authorities assure that the personnel are fully equipped to handle a variety of militancy threats. This ini...

Gulfam Saifi, an IIT student and aspiring national-level shooter, was reportedly abducted and brutally assaulted in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. The incident occurred on Saturday evening while Gulfam was returning home from his shooting practice. According to Gulfam’s family, a group of 3-4 men abducted him, took him to an abandoned swimming pool at Victoria Park, and forced him to chant "Jai Shri Ram" while brutally beating him. The attackers also allegedly stripped him and left him unconscious after the assault. The victim's family has raised serious concerns over the incident, describing it as a targeted attack. Gulfam is currently undergoing treatment at a private hospital, with injuries from the assault. However, local police have contested parts of the allegations. Civil ...

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said it was “disheartening” that the country’s largest minority was facing “unprecedented threats” as it celebrated Constitution Day. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) supremo referred to the violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, where four people died during protests against a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque. The government on Tuesday kick-started yearlong celebrations to mark the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution. “Today, as we celebrate Constitution Day, it is disheartening to see the largest minority in our country facing unprecedented threats. Their dignity, lives, livelihoods and places of worship are under attack, contradicting the Constitution’s guarantee of equal rights and dignity for every citizen, rega...

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Kashmir's chief cleric has strongly condemned the deaths of four youth in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh. The violence, which erupted amidst clashes between locals and the police, has sparked widespread outrage and sharp political reactions across India. In a statement, the Mirwaiz described the incident as "distressing and discriminatory," criticizing the government for its failure to protect minority communities. "The life of minorities has become dispensable, a pawn in the pursuit of electoral gains," he stated. He also denounced the rising trend of questioning the status of historical mosques, calling it a divisive tactic aimed at polarizing communities. The violence occurred on Sunday during a survey of the Mughal-era mosque, initiated by a local court following ...

Three people tragically lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district when their car, relying on Google Maps for navigation, was directed onto an unfinished flyover. The vehicle plunged into a river, leading to the fatal incident, India Today reported. The victims, identified as Vivek and Amit among them, were traveling from Gurugram to Bareilly to attend a wedding when the GPS directed them onto the under-construction bridge. The crash occurred on Saturday, prompting families to accuse construction officials of negligence in failing to properly mark or secure the incomplete flyover. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

The Supreme Court of India on Monday dismissed a series of petitions challenging the inclusion of the terms “socialist” and “secular” in the Preamble of the Constitution through the 1976 amendment. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar ruled that the petitions did not warrant a detailed hearing, emphasizing that the inclusion of the terms does not undermine the fact that the Constitution was adopted in 1949. “The arguments around retrospectively, if accepted, would apply to all amendments, which is untenable,” noted Chief Justice Khanna. He further clarified that the inclusion of "socialist" and "secular" reflected the evolving nature of the Constitution in response to societal needs and values, and the 1976 amendment was a legitimate development ...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday took aim at the opposition parties, accusing them of using hooliganism to control Parliament for their own political gain, despite being rejected by the public multiple times, ANI reported. Speaking to the media before the commencement of Parliament proceedings, Modi stated that the opposition’s actions were obstructing the smooth functioning of the Parliament, undermining democratic traditions. “Their main objective seems to be hindering Parliament's progress rather than contributing to it,” said Modi. He added that while Parliament sessions should be marked by healthy discussions, some opposition members are trying to dominate the proceedings through disruptive tactics. Referring to the upcoming 75th anniversary of India’s Constitution, ...

In yet another hate incident from Surjanpur village in Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur district, two Kashmiri businessmen faced communal harassment allegedly instigated by the wife of a local Sarpanch. A video of the incident, now circulating widely on social media, shows the woman threatening the men, urging villagers to boycott their business, and coercing them to chant "Jai Shri Ram." "Why should we buy from Kashmiris. Do they give us things for free? Even if they do, we shouldn't but anything from them," the woman is heard urging others. The young man in the video tells the woman that they too are from India, but soon they are seen leaving from the venue. Before asking the duo, including an old aged man to leave, she is heard telling the duo, "Raise Jai Shri Ram slogans," "Do n...

Jammu Kashmir Police successfully apprehended a man accused of raping a woman in Jammu, who had been on the run since the incident. According to a police spokesperson, the accused, Mohd Ali, a resident of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested in Lakhimpur Kheri district after months of investigation. He was charged with rape following a complaint filed on October 31, 2024, at the Pacca Danga Police Station. The police managed to track Ali down after extensive efforts, culminating in his arrest and transfer to Jammu for further legal proceedings. Additionally, police on Saturday arrested two absconders—Neeraj Kumar Puri and Sahil Sharma—who had been evading arrest for years in separate cases registered in 2017-18. The men were finally located and apprehended in Bishn...