INDIA

Bhubaneswar, Sep 25 (IANS) Leader of Opposition (LoP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President, Naveen Patnaik, on Friday demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar following reports about differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI) over decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, new voter registration and voter data, among other things.

Speaking to the media, Patnaik said, “Because of the strong and sharp differences between the two Election Commissioners and the Chief Election Commissioner, the CEC should immediately resign and the whole SIR process should be thoroughly revisited. The BJD has been against this SIR process from the beginning.”

Earlier, the Odisha Congress announced that it would organise a massive rally on Friday from the power house square to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) demanding the ouster of CEC Gyanesh Kumar, after a media report recently claimed that the two Election Commissioners had “objected on record” to several decisions taken by the poll panel, allegedly without their knowledge.

In a press conference organised here on Thursday, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) alleged serious irregularities in the electoral process and demanded the immediate removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar through the impeachment process, besides scrapping the allegedly flawed SIR of electoral rolls.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhawan here, Congress leader Arabinda Das alleged that what Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has been saying for the last three years about “vote theft” has now been proved true by the investigative media report.

Das alleged that the Modi government has been using the Election Commission as a “weapon” to manipulate the country’s electoral process.

He further alleged that CEC Gyanesh Kumar, acting in favour of the BJP government, has been conducting a flawed SIR across the country, thereby undermining the democratic system. He claimed that Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections to various decisions of the Commission on 14 occasions over the past 10 months, but that the CEC has ignored their objections and proceeded with decisions according to his own preference.

“The fact that two members of the Election Commission have raised such serious objections against its head shows that the entire system has been compromised,” Das stated.

–IANS

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Wayanad (Kerala), Sep 25 (IANS) Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its remarks that her party questions electoral validity when it is unable to win polls, saying that the latter should stop making “lame excuses”.

This comes amid a political dispute after a media report claimed differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Interacting with reporters in her Kerala parliamentary constituency of Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi said: “That’s a very stale and weak story. There are facts, and there is evidence. It is there for the whole country to see. My brother (Rahul Gandhi) has shown it in many different press conferences. He has put the evidence forward. Now it is very clear: 13 crore voters have been deleted.”

“This is a lame excuse, and the BJP should stop making lame excuses. If they are meddling with the elections and if their leadership is making the Election Commission do this, then it is an act of treason, and they should be aware of it and take ownership,” she added.

The Congress leader accused the BJP of turning “overconfident” by “rigging” elections.

“If they (BJP-Centre) are doing it, then why can’t they say it? What are they scared of? How many years has it been that they have been rigging elections? Naturally, they are so overconfident all the time,” Priyanka Gandhi added.

A day before, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the BJP-led Centre, suggesting he resign and turn “approver” in the alleged “stealing” of votes.

Addressing a press conference, Rahul Gandhi questioned the “absence of anti-incumbency” against the BJP.

Seeking Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, the LoP said: “What you have done amounts to treason. It is an attack on the Constitution and the legal structure of the country…We are not going to let democracy be destroyed in India and sit in silence. People who are responsible for this are going to get punished someday or the other.”

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Sep 25 (IANS) Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi on Friday called upon established startup founders and industry partners to mentor emerging innovators, saying those who had received support during their early stages should now help young entrepreneurs turn their ideas into products and scalable solutions.

Addressing the Seva First Innovation Challenge at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru, Joshi said the government and IISc would support young innovators and ensure that promising ideas received continued mentoring even beyond the competition.

“When you were struggling to put up a startup, someone or the other supported you. Now you support these young people, our bright future,” Joshi said, urging startup founders and industry partners to engage with the teams participating in the challenge.

He said the objective of the initiative was not merely to offer prize money, but to identify promising ideas, provide mentoring and support, and facilitate their implementation on a larger scale.

Joshi said innovation should ultimately be guided by the spirit of ‘Seva’ and focus on solving problems faced by ordinary people, particularly poor people, farmers and labourers.

“We did innovation, we did everything, but for the common person, who is having real need, you should try to understand them, their problems, and that problem has to be solved. That is the intention,” he said.

Highlighting India’s growing startup ecosystem, Joshi said the number of startups had increased from around 360 in 2014 to about 2.4 lakh currently, making India the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem. Nearly half of the startups, he said, are from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

He also said India’s Global Innovation Index ranking had improved from 81 in 2015 to 38 currently. The country had filed more than one lakh patents in the last 10 years, compared to around 4,200 in 2013-14, he said.

Recalling the participation of Indian startups at the BRICS summit, Joshi said 120 startups had showcased their innovations at Bharat Mandapam, where leaders from BRICS countries interacted with young entrepreneurs.

He said young innovators should be given opportunities to experiment, develop prototypes and convert their ideas into products that could benefit society.

Joshi also proposed creating a national repository through the Seva First Innovation Challenge website so that promising ideas could remain available for future mentoring and large-scale adoption.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat’, Joshi said young minds would have a key role in India’s development over the next two decades.

“The future is yours. Future of the world is in India, and that future belongs to you,” he told the participants.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Sep 25 (IANS) The Karnataka BJP on Friday observed the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya with a floral tribute programme at the party’s state headquarters, Jagannath Bhavan, in Malleswaram.

Speaking on the occasion, BJP MLC Keshav Prasad said Upadhyaya’s ideas continue to provide the right guidance on the path society should take, and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked towards fulfilling his vision of ensuring that benefits reach the last person in society.

“Today is the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, whose work and ideas continue to set an example. Reading his thoughts helps us correct the path we follow,” Keshav Prasad said.

He said Upadhyaya had emphasised the need to provide facilities and support to the person at the bottom of the social and economic ladder. The Modi government, he claimed, had sought to implement this vision through initiatives such as providing LPG connections to poor families, constructing toilets in their homes and opening 58 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts.

The BJP MLC said 81 crore people across the country were being provided with ration and claimed that 25 crore people had moved above the poverty line as a result of assistance provided by the Union government.

He said the BJP government under PM Modi was moving forward by implementing the principles advocated by Upadhyaya.

Recalling Pandit Upadhyaya’s early life, Keshav Prasad said he was born in Uttar Pradesh in 1916 and faced hardships during his childhood. He lost both his parents at a young age, which, he said, had a deep impact on his life.

Pandit Upadhyaya excelled in education and received a gold medal before coming into contact with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He later came into contact with RSS founder K.B. Hedgewar and other senior leaders. After meeting Hedgewar, Upadhyaya decided to dedicate his life to national service, Keshav Prasad said.

Karnataka BJP vice-president Harathalu Halappa, former MLA M.D. Lakshminarayana, Bengaluru North district president S. Harish, state office secretary Lokesh Ambekallu, joint secretary Vishwanath Anaji, party leaders, and office staff were present at the programme.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) India’s intelligence agencies have launched heightened surveillance on small, secret gatherings across South Indian states following reports that the Islamic State is deploying a micro-group strategy to radicalise local youth.

The Islamic State, which maintains a significant presence in parts of the region, has reportedly succeeded in radicalising a large number of young people.

The group, which has focused considerable attention on southern India, has increasingly adopted a broader radicalisation strategy to influence the mindset of sections of society and create a wider support base for its ideology.

An official said that while online radicalisation efforts are continuing, security agencies are maintaining a close watch on meetings and gatherings being held across southern states, particularly in Tamil Nadu.

“The Islamic State has been focusing heavily on this state (Tamil Nadu), where it has found considerable success since its inception in 2014,” the official said.

An Intelligence Bureau official said those indoctrinated and radicalised by the Islamic State are holding meetings to discuss and propagate the outfit’s ideology.

“The meetings are attended by not more than three to four persons, and this is a deliberate ploy to evade the attention of the security agencies,” the official also said.

The Islamic State wants to replicate its Tamil Nadu playbook in the rest of South India as well. These meetings also discuss ways to set up the Tamil Nadu model in Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

While the outfit does have its presence in all these states, the scale of radicalisation is not much as compared to Tamil Nadu.

Another official said that although the Islamic State’s major priority is just radicalisation for the moment, it would be more than welcome if any of the youth take up a lone-actor assignment.

In addition to the expansion plans for South India, these meetings are also intended to discuss possible targets in the state and beyond to be executed by lone actors. The intelligence agencies have learnt that most of the future terror attacks would be executed by lone actors.

They are taking a cue from the Jameesha Mubin incident in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, on October 23, 2022. Mubin attempted to carry out a blast using a vehicle near the Sangameshwar Temple in Kottaimedu, Coimbatore. He failed to reach the intended target and was killed when the vehicle exploded.

Officials say that although Mubin was not successful, he had managed to conceal his plans and evade the attention of intelligence agencies.

“Prior to the incident, he was involved in fundraising and was also part of several meetings, all of which went undetected. The actual plan came to light only once the explosion took place,” the official said.

The Enforcement Directorate found that Mubin and his associates had raised funds by running a fake COVID-19 vaccination certificate programme. They were also fraudulently collecting donations at the Kovai Arabic College in Coimbatore. The vaccination funds were generated from people who wanted fake certificates without the actual vaccination.

The meetings are similar to those that Mubin was known to attend, an official said. The gatherings are kept small, which helps those involved evade detection. No material, including pamphlets or books, is distributed during these meetings.

According to the official, discussions focus on three key areas: radicalisation, identifying potential targets for lone actors, and spreading the Islamic State’s ideology across South India.

–IANS

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Jaipur, Sep 25 (IANS) BJP’s Sunil Kothari was elected Mayor of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation in the mayoral election held on Friday amid protests and allegations by Congress.

Congress candidate Sunita Mawar fought against him in the direct contest. Kothari, a councillor from Ward 112, secured the support needed to cross the majority mark of 76 in the 150-member corporation.

The election was marked by protests and allegations from Congress during the voting process. Congress MLA Rafiq Khan reached the Municipal Corporation headquarters but was stopped from entering the voting area. He later staged a sit-in outside the corporation office along with Kishanpol MLA Amin Kagzi and Jaipur Congress City President Sunil Sharma.

Congress leaders alleged that some of the party’s councillors were being prevented from entering the voting area to cast their votes.

The situation was subsequently brought under control, and the councillors were allowed to proceed to voting.

Khan and Kagzi also alleged that people without authorised roles were being allowed to enter and leave the polling area. Khan demanded that CCTV recordings be reviewed to establish who entered the area and under what authorisation.

During the proceedings, Congress councillors also clashed with police near the main gate while attempting to enter the voting area.

Congress councillor Mukesh Chhapola led the group during the confrontation.

BJP MLA Gopal Sharma was also stopped by Jaipur Congress City President Sunil Sharma while he was moving towards the voting area. Following a brief protest by Congress workers, Sharma was escorted outside.

Earlier in the morning, BJP candidate Sunil Kothari and Congress candidate Sunita Mawar were among the first to reach the Municipal Corporation headquarters. Both candidates expressed confidence about their respective prospects.

Several councillors were seen bowing in reverence at the entrance of the Municipal Corporation before entering the premises to cast their votes.

Sunil Kothari, the BJP candidate, is the elected councillor from Ward 112. He has previously served as BJP Jaipur City President, State Secretary and State Vice-President and is a member of the BJP State Executive Committee.

In the last municipal elections, Kothari defeated Congress candidate Ashish Sharma by 905 votes. Congress fielded senior councillor Sunita Gupta Mawar from Ward 118 this time. She had served as a councillor four times and was selected as the party’s official candidate for the mayoral election.

After the withdrawal of other nominations, Mawar and Kothari remained the two candidates in the mayoral contest.

The Jaipur Municipal Corporation has 150 wards. The recent municipal elections left the BJP with 78 councillors, Congress with 57, and 15 Independents won as councillors. The majority mark for the Mayor’s election was 76 votes. BJP entered the election with 78 councillors, while Congress had 57. The 15 Independent councillors therefore attracted attention during the election, although the final result saw Kothari securing 89 votes.

As per the election schedule, voting for the Jaipur Mayor’s post was conducted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Counting began immediately after polling concluded, with the result declared soon after. The Deputy Mayor election is scheduled for September 26.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Sep 25 (IANS) Union Education Minister, Pralhad Joshi, on Friday said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 places critical thinking, creativity, experimental learning and problem-solving at the centre of education, while highlighting initiatives aimed at encouraging innovation among students from an early age.

Speaking at the Seva First Innovation Challenge at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Joshi said the objective of the education policy was not merely to prepare students for jobs but to encourage them to think critically, experiment, innovate and find solutions to real-world problems.

Referring to Karnataka, Joshi alleged that the state government had discontinued the implementation of NEP 2020. Karnataka had earlier initiated NEP implementation, but the Congress government subsequently decided to move away from the policy and work towards a State Education Policy to suit regional realities.

Joshi said more than 10,000 Atal Tinkering Labs were currently engaging over 1.1 crore students across the country. Students working through these labs had already created more than 16 lakh innovation projects, he said.

Recalling his visits to schools with Atal Tinkering Labs, Joshi said some schools had kept the laboratories locked because teachers feared that students would damage the equipment.

He said students should be allowed to use the facilities and experiment without fear of damaging equipment, as the objective was to encourage young minds to develop their thinking and critical-thinking abilities.

The minister said the government had announced 50,000 additional Atal Tinkering Labs in schools over the next five years. In higher education, more than 17,300 Institution Innovation Councils have also been established, he said.

Joshi cited several innovations emerging from educational institutions, including Homosap, a robotic septic tank cleaner developed by IIT-Madras, and an Electrolarynx designed to provide a voice to people who have lost their ability to speak.

He also referred to an induction stove developed by NIT-Warangal for copper and aluminium utensils, saying that such innovations, though they may appear small, could address several day-to-day problems faced by ordinary people.

“We should work, we should innovate, we should provide solutions, not only for India, but for the world also. Innovate in India, Make in India, not only for India, for the world also,” Joshi said.

He said more than 65 per cent of India’s population was below the age of 35 and described the country’s young population as an opportunity to drive innovation and development.

Joshi also highlighted efforts to build capacity in frontier technologies, saying four Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence had been established in healthcare, sustainable cities, agriculture and education, with a total outlay of Rs 1,490 crore.

He said the Smart India Hackathon had witnessed participation from more than 18 lakh students, who had worked on nearly 3,158 real-world problem statements submitted by government departments, industry and public institutions.

Referring to the Bharat Innovates event held in Nice, France, Joshi said India had showcased 120 deep-tech startups emerging from higher education institutions.

He said the French Head of State, who had initially allotted 20 minutes to visit the innovation showcase, spent more than an hour interacting with the participants after seeing the innovations.

Joshi said India had subsequently received more than 20 requests to organise similar showcases in countries including Canada and other nations, attributing the interest to growing confidence in Indian young minds and the country’s policy stability.

He said the goal of becoming Viksit Bharat by 2047 was primarily for today’s young generation, who would be the beneficiaries of India’s development in the coming decades.

Joshi also referred to India’s progress in telecommunications, saying 5G technology had been developed in India and 6G technology would also be developed using Indian technology.

He said smartphones manufactured in India were currently designed outside the country, but in the coming years, the aim would be to have phones designed and manufactured in India, while also being sold in domestic and international markets.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) India continues to have the strongest growth outlook among the geographies covered in the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) outlook and among the chief economists surveyed, 98 per cent expect moderate or stronger growth over the next 12 months, including 74 per cent who anticipate strong or very strong growth for India, compared with 52 per cent in May.

India’s growth forecast for fiscal year 2026–27 was raised to 6.7 per cent in August, reflecting continued resilience in domestic demand.

“Growth is expected to remain supported by resilient domestic demand, although higher energy prices continue to weigh on the outlook,” according to the WEF report.

Inflation expectations have moderated since May, with 55 per cent of chief economists expecting moderate inflation and 45 per cent expecting high inflation over the next 12 months, compared with 61 per cent expecting high or very high inflation in May.

Consumer price inflation increased to 4.8 per cent year-on-year in August, moving above the 4 per cent medium-term target while remaining within the 2–6 per cent tolerance range.

The outlook further stated that a majority (67 per cent) of respondents expect monetary policy to remain unchanged, while 24 per cent anticipate tightening.

The policy rate was kept at 5.25 per cent in August, alongside a neutral policy stance. Fiscal policy is also expected to remain broadly stable, with 72 per cent anticipating no change and 22 per cent expecting looser policy.

“Strong growth and inflation that remains within the tolerance range are broadly consistent with survey expectations of policy stability,” said the outlook.

However, equity market performance has been less buoyant, with the Nifty 50 down 7.9 per cent since the start of the year ((as of August 19).

On unemployment, 70 per cent of chief economists expect no change over the next 12 months, while respondents are similarly divided between an increase (17 per cent) and a decrease (13 per cent).

The unemployment rate among people aged 15 and above declined to 5 per cent in August from 5.1 per cent in July, while labour force participation increased from 55.4 per cent to 55.6 per cent during the same period.

These developments point to relatively stable labour market conditions alongside strong activity, although sustained employment creation remains important, said the WEF survey.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) founder, Abhijeet Dipke, on Friday said that the outfit will stage nationwide protests from October 2, that marks Gandhi Jayanti, if Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar does not resign by Saturday.

This comes a day after the CJP demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation within 48 hours and warned of a nationwide agitation if he does not step down.

In a post on X, Abhijeet Dipke said: “If Gyanesh Kumar does not resign by tomorrow, CJP will begin its nationwide protest from Mumbai on 2 October, and take it to cities across India.”

“This Gandhi Jayanti lets pledge to save democracy,” he added.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Dipke had said: “If within 48 hours Gyanesh Kumar doesn’t resign, the Cockroach Janata Party will start a nationwide agitation. We won’t step back till the time Gyanesh Kumar resigns.”

The CEC has come under fire following reports of differences within the Election Commission of India (ECI) over decisions related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, access to voter data and new voter registrations, among other things.

Abhijeet Dipke said: “A report came out regarding the Election Commission, which shows that Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Election Commissioner, is the biggest traitor of this country. He is the biggest anti-national. Gyanesh Kumar is the biggest anti-national of this country, and he should resign immediately. Now, why is he anti-national? Because he is undermining India’s democracy.”

He alleged that the functioning of the Election Commission under Kumar had undermined democracy.

“What did democracy mean in our country? Democracy meant that the people would choose the government; the people would decide whom they want to vote for. But ever since Gyanesh Kumar became the Chief Election Commissioner, the government has been deciding who will vote and who will not,” he said.

“You have completely turned democracy upside down. This is not democracy; this is autocracy. And the biggest criminal in this, the biggest anti-national, is Gyanesh Kumar,” Dipke remarked.

CJP co-convenor Saurav Das had also criticised the functioning of the electoral system during the press conference.

“They have turned the country into a huge joke under the current system. This system is corrupt; this system is broken. The youth of the country is demanding change. They are saying, ‘Change is required; fundamental change is required’,” Das said.

–IANS

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Bengaluru, Sep 25 (IANS) Union Education Minister, Pralhad Joshi, on Friday called upon India’s young population to work, innovate and develop solutions not only for the country but for the world, saying that more than 65 per cent of India’s population is below the age of 35.

“We should work, we should innovate, we should provide solutions, not only for India, but for the world also. Innovate in India, Make in India, not only for India, for the world also,” Joshi said.

Addressing the Seva First Innovation Challenge organised by the Ministry of Education at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Joshi said India’s large young population presented a significant opportunity for innovation and development.

He said young people should use their curiosity and skills to identify problems and develop solutions that could make the lives of ordinary people easier.

“That curiosity should get an opportunity, and opportunity should convert into action, and action should serve the common person of the country and the common person of the world. That is why it is called Seva,” he said.

Joshi said the Seva First Innovation Challenge was aimed at encouraging students and young innovators to look around them, identify problems and find practical solutions. The initiative brings together students from schools, ITIs, polytechnics, colleges and universities.

He said innovation should begin with an understanding of people’s real needs and should ultimately benefit the common person.

The minister cited examples of problems relating to water wastage, garbage disposal and traffic management, saying that people often observe such issues but do not attempt to find solutions.

“First you should search for the problem and also find a solution,” he said, referring to the need for innovation to be driven by real-world requirements.

Joshi said promising solutions under the innovation challenge would receive support beyond the prototype stage through mentoring, incubation and pathways for adoption in real life. He said the final round of the challenge would be held in Delhi.

He also highlighted the role of young innovators in addressing emerging challenges in areas such as renewable energy and green hydrogen.

Joshi said researchers at IISc had developed technology to extract 99 per cent pure green hydrogen from agricultural waste and biomass. He also spoke about the need for indigenous solutions for storing renewable energy and stabilising the power grid as solar and wind generation increases.

The minister said India was working towards becoming a developed country by 2047 and stressed that innovation would be important in addressing the country’s challenges.

He also said IISc would serve as the South Zone Nodal Institute for the Seva First Innovation Challenge, coordinating technical evaluation and mentorship across Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.

Joshi urged young innovators to develop solutions that could benefit not only India but people across the world.

–IANS

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Mangaluru (Karnataka), Sep 25 (IANS) Nine senior students of a private college in Pandeshwar in coastal city of Mangaluru have been booked for allegedly kidnapping, stripping and brutally assaulting two first-year students in a suspected ragging incident, police said on Friday.

The victims are first-year BBA Port Shipping Logistics students at Srinivas University, Pandeshwar. Both are from Kerala.

Based on a complaint filed by Ameer Ali, Mangaluru South police registered a case against nine senior students identified as Naseed Ameer, Adil M, Ashrak, Anish, Uvais, Rohan Ramesh, Adil V.P, Rehan M.P and Shinas.

According to the complaint, the incident took place on August 19 between 3.19 p.m. and 6 p.m. The victims were allegedly walking outside the college when the accused seniors forcibly dragged them, made them get onto a motorcycle and took them to a room in a house.

The accused allegedly forced the two students to remove their clothes and remain in their underwear. When the victims cried for help, the accused reportedly covered their mouths and assaulted them.

The complaint states that Naseed Ameer allegedly beat the victims with a belt, while Adil M assaulted them with a clothes hanger. The other accused allegedly attacked them with their hands.

The assault allegedly turned more violent when Rehan M.P. attacked the victims with an iron knuckleduster. He allegedly aimed blows at Ameer Ali’s head and neck. When Alfaz attempted to intervene, Rehan allegedly targeted his forehead. The victims reportedly managed to evade the blows but sustained grazing injuries to their heads and shoulders.

The complaint alleged that the blows could have caused fatal injuries had they landed directly. Meanwhile, Ashrak allegedly recorded the incident on his mobile phone.

When the victims asked for water after being assaulted, Rohan Ramesh allegedly brought contaminated water and poured it over them after they refused to drink it.

The complaint further alleged that Uvais threatened the victims with death and warned that they would be chopped into pieces with a knife inside the college if they informed the police about the incident.

The two students were allegedly kept captive and subjected to physical assault until around 6 p.m.

Following the incident, Naseed Ameer allegedly continued to harass the victims on the college campus and ordered them to attend classes clean-shaven and without shoes.

The victims reportedly delayed approaching the police due to fear of the threats. They later informed their families and approached the police on September 23.

Mangaluru South police have registered a case under Sections 140(3), 127(2), 115(2), 118(1), 351(2), 109 and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, along with Section 116 of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983.

Police have taken up further investigation into the allegations.

–IANS

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Ahmedabad, Sep 25 (IANS) A Ugandan national was arrested at Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport (SVPIA) after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 981 grams of cocaine allegedly concealed inside the telescopic handle and plastic support parts of his trolley bag, officials said on Friday.

Acting on specific intelligence developed by the DRI’s Ahmedabad Zonal Unit, officers intercepted the passenger after he arrived at SVPIA on Qatar Airways flight QR-534 on September 24.

The passenger had allegedly arrived with narcotic substances concealed in his baggage.

According to the DRI, the passenger initially denied carrying any contraband.

A detailed examination of his trolley bag, however, led officers to detect white powdery substances packed in polythene bags and “cleverly” concealed inside the bag’s telescopic handle and plastic support components.

The recovered substance weighed 981 grams and tested positive for cocaine, following which it was seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The passenger was arrested under the Act.

Further investigation is underway to establish the source of the cocaine, its intended destination and the wider network, if any, involved in the alleged smuggling attempt.

The seizure comes days after the DRI reported a series of intelligence-led operations across the country in which more than 845 kg of narcotic and psychotropic substances were seized and 15 people arrested.

Among the cases was the seizure of around 5.8 kg of cocaine from an Indian passenger arriving at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport from Dubai via Doha on September 15. The cocaine was found in nine packets inside his checked-in baggage.

In another recent case, the DRI seized 2.659 kg of cocaine worth an estimated Rs 13.295 crore in two separate operations at Mumbai airport in May.

One passenger arriving from Addis Ababa was found carrying 1.575 kg of liquid cocaine in eight pouches, while an African male passenger was found to have ingested capsules containing 1.084 kg of cocaine. Both were arrested under the NDPS Act.

–IANS

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