INDIA

A video of Russian President Vladimir Putin kissing the Holy Quran has gone viral on social media, drawing significant attention and praise. The footage was captured during Putin's visit to Grozny, the capital of the Chechen Republic, where he was presented with a gold-encrusted Quran at the newly constructed "Prophet Jesus" mosque. https://twitter.com/GlobeEyeNews/status/1826213291003457797?s=08 Putin was accompanied by Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov and Mufti Salah Mezhiev, the head of the Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of the Chechen Republic. After receiving the Quran, Putin kissed it and held it close, a gesture that quickly sparked a wave of positive reactions online. Many users took to social media to express their admiration for Putin, with comments such as "...

Mufti Salman Azhari, a prominent Islamic preacher, has now spent nearly 200 days in jail following his arrest by Gujarat Police. He was initially detained in Mumbai on February 5 for delivering an allegedly provocative speech within the jurisdiction of B Division Police Station in Junagadh on January 31. The following week, on February 8, the Kutch East police also registered an FIR and arrested Azhari for a separate speech he purportedly made in Samakhiyari village, Bhachau taluka, on the same date. Although Azhari was granted bail in the cases registered against him in Junagadh and Kutch East, he faced continued detention under the Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA). The Gujarat Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) is typically applied to indiv...

In a shocking development that has deeply affected communities across India and sparked solidarity protests by doctors nationwide, the parents of a trainee doctor, who was allegedly raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, have made serious allegations. They claim that insiders at the hospital were involved in the crime, according to a report by Business Today. The family has reportedly provided the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with the names of several interns and physicians whom they believe are connected to the tragic incident. These allegations have introduced new dimensions to the investigation that was ordered by the Calcutta High Court. A CBI officer confirmed that, following the parents' suspicions about the involvement of multiple i...

On August 12, the body of a young Dalit girl was discovered in a pond. Her family has alleged that the primary suspect, Sanjay Rai, had previously threatened to kidnap and rape the girl if they refused his marriage proposal. Despite these allegations, no arrests have been made yet. The police have registered an FIR against Mr. Rai and five of his associates under various sections, including sections 103 (1) (punishment for murder) and 70 (2) (gang rape of a woman under 18) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as sections 4 and 6 of the POCSO Act. Additional charges under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 have also been filed. The FIR indicates that on the night of August 11, Mr. Rai, along with the other accused, forcibly entered the...

A man was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly sexually assaulting and murdering a nurse employed at a private hospital in Uttarakhand. The suspect, identified as Dharmendra Kumar, was apprehended a week after the nurse’s body was discovered in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district. According to police reports, Kumar allegedly intercepted the nurse while she was on her way home from work at a hospital in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, on July 30, and subsequently assaulted her. Security camera footage captured the nurse leaving the hospital on the evening of July 30 and boarding an e-rickshaw from Indra Chowk in Rudrapur, which is located in Udham Singh Nagar district, Uttarakhand. However, she never arrived at her rented accommodation on Kashipur Road in Bilaspur, Uttar Pradesh,...

A major controversy has erupted over alleged inflammatory remarks made by Hindu religious leader Ramgiri Maharaj against Prophet Mohammad and Islam, Press Trust of India reported. Following complaints from the Muslim community, police filed cases against him in two districts of Maharashtra. The controversial remarks were made by Ramgiri Maharaj during a religious event at Shah Panchale village in Nashik district's Sinnar taluka. A video of his comments went viral on social media, leading to widespread outrage. Despite the uproar, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde shared a stage with Ramgiri Maharaj during an event in Nashik on Friday, referring to him as a “saint.” Additionally, minister Girish Mahajan and former Ahmednagar MP Sujay Vikhe Patil were seen touching his feet on stage. ...

India celebrates its 78th Independence Day, a group of over 100 advocates, law researchers, and activists have raised serious concerns over the prolonged judicial delays in the bail applications of those accused in FIR 5G/2020, related to the February 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. The National Alliance for Justice, Accountability, and Rights (NAJAR) issued a statement expressing deep dismay over the inordinate delays faced by the accused, many of whom are students, activists, and local Muslim residents, charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). NAJAR highlights that out of the 18 individuals arrested in connection with this case, only six have been granted bail so far. The others are caught in a web of judicial delays, with judgments being reserved but...

In his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated for the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), describing the existing civil code as "communal" and calling for a secular alternative. Modi criticized the current system as divisive and argued that a secular civil code is necessary to eliminate religious discrimination and ensure equality for all citizens. The Uniform Civil Code is designed to replace the diverse personal laws governing various communities with a single set of laws applicable to everyone, regardless of religion, he said. Ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP has pledged to implement the UCC if it secures a third term. Currently, Uttarakhand is the only state in India with a UCC law. However, the UCC faces sig...

In Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, several Muslim girls wearing hijabs were barred from attending Janta Inter College in Mahua, Thana Kotwali Dehat. The incident, captured in a video that surfaced on social media, shows the girls in college uniforms outside the college premises. According to the girls, they were expelled by Principal Shivendra Pal Singh after being instructed to remove their hijabs and wear loose garments. The students reported being told to come to the college without their hijabs and keep their hair tied. Following their expulsion, they were asked to bring their guardians to the college, as per news reports. The expulsion has sparked outrage among the guardians, who view it as an infringement on religious freedoms and a violation of students' religious rights. They...

In Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, authorities have demolished a church amidst allegations of illegal conversion activities. This demolition is part of a broader crackdown on "religious conversions." The church, reportedly constructed without permission by Vinod Kumar and Ramakant from Ahirura police station, was the subject of local complaints. Following an investigation, and with a significant police presence, the demolition proceeded. Notices were issued by the sub-district magistrate’s court to Kumar and Ramakant, but their failure to appear led to the demolition by the police and administrative teams. Police Superintendent Abhinandan stated, "The church was illegally built on forest department land. We received multiple complaints about conversion activities at the site. In re...