Over 200 reputed authors, educationists, filmmakers demand release of Umar Khalid

News Network
September 24, 2020

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New Delhi, Sept 24: More than 200 educationists, filmmakers and authors, including Noam Chomsky and Mira Nair, issued a joint statement on Wednesday demanding the Centre free Umar Khalid arrested in connection with the northeast Delhi riots.

Besides Chomsky and Nair, the signatories include actor Ratna Pathak Shah, authors Amitav Ghosh, Salman Rushdie and Arundhati Roy, and journalist P Sainath.

"We call on the Government of India to free Umar Khalid and all those falsely implicated and unjustly incarcerated for protesting against the CAA-NRC that denies equal citizenship rights and to ensure that the Delhi Police investigates the Delhi riots with impartiality under the oath they took as public servants bound by the Constitution of India," the statement read.

Khalid has been arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a case related to the communal violence in northeast Delhi in February this year.

"We stand in solidarity and outrage, with the brave young scholar and activist Umar Khalid, arrested in New Delhi on September 14, 2020, under fabricated charges of engineering the Delhi riots in February 2020," the statement said.

The statement said that Khalid "used the passion of his commitment to his country, marshalled his education and his voice to join the movement for equal citizenship, against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)" which introduced religion as a criterion for citizenship, and has no place in a secular nation.

The Delhi Police had on September 13 said it is investigating the role of all individuals who took part in the February riots and were behind the larger conspiracy of organising violence and inciting communal passion amongst communities.

Delhi Police Commissioner S N Shrivastava had last week said the force has collected documentary evidence, including scientific evidence, to support its case in connection with the riots.

He said that the police have so far arrested 1,571 people irrespective of their caste or religion and they are almost equally distributed among both communities.

Responding to former IPS officer Julio Ribeiro's letter in which he had questioned the Delhi police's investigation, Srivastava had said that there are several entities who have their reasons to weave a "web of deception" and push a "false narrative of bias and insensitivity" on the part of the police.

He said that police investigations in criminal cases are guided by facts and evidence, not by reputations and personalities.

"Delhi Police are serving the oath and the Constitution with conviction, integrity and sensitivity, without fear of any self-proclaimed true patriots or favour towards any class, creed or community," Srivastava had said in an email reply to Ribeiro.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between those supporting the citizenship law and those opposing it spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

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News Network
November 19,2024

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Gone are the days of chaotic group chats and endless back-and-forth messaging. Say hello to seamless event planning with WhatsApp's new event feature—your ultimate tool for stress-free gatherings!

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News Network
November 27,2024

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Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta recently met with Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnav to discuss urgent concerns regarding the region's railway infrastructure development. Key issues raised during the meeting included the long-pending Mangaluru-Bengaluru connectivity, the Shiradi Ghat stretch, and other vital railway concerns impacting the region.

In addition to discussing these issues, Captain Chowta submitted a letter requesting the Union Minister's intervention and support. The letter emphasized the need to merge Konkan Railway with Indian Railways and called for the doubling of railway tracks between Bengaluru and Mangaluru, which would significantly improve rail connectivity between the state capital and Mangaluru.

Further, Captain Chowta raised concerns about enhancing passenger facilities along the region's rail routes, particularly the need for better services between Subrahmanya and Mangaluru.

To bring more attention to these pressing issues, Captain Chowta took to social media, urging the state government’s support. In a tweet on his official X handle, he requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to expedite the resolution of these concerns. “In this direction, I request our Karnataka government led by CM Shri @siddaramaiah to kindly provide the necessary state support for the swift redressal of various concerns pertaining to both Konkan Railways as well as HMRDC to ease movement of both people and cargo in this important stretch between Mangalore and Bangalore,” he posted.

The meeting with the Union Minister was attended by Bengaluru Rural MP Dr. CN Manjunath, Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, and Uttara Karnataka MP Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, all of whom supported the discussion on enhancing railway infrastructure in the region.

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News Network
November 28,2024

Udupi: A 53-year-old woman fell victim to a sophisticated online fraud, losing ₹19.7 lakh to scammers posing as officials from telecom companies and the police.

According to the complaint filed by Vidya, the incident began on October 4 when she received a call from an individual claiming to be from Airtel. The caller alleged that a SIM card linked to her Aadhaar was being misused in Mumbai for spam and fraudulent activities. They warned her that all her mobile numbers could be blocked and connected her to a supposed "Sahara police station."

A man identifying himself as Mohan Kumar, an "investigation officer" from the Sahara police station, then contacted Vidya. He alleged that a fraudulent bank account had been opened in her name at an SBI branch in Mumbai. This account, he claimed, was being used for human trafficking and money laundering activities by someone named Vivek Das. He insisted that all her bank accounts needed to be reviewed.

On October 5, the scam escalated when Kumar, posing as a police officer, threatened Vidya with arrest and warned her not to leave her location without his permission. He demanded that she transfer funds from her accounts to specific UPI IDs and bank accounts under the pretext of "reviewing" her finances. Fearing legal consequences, Vidya complied and transferred ₹19.7 lakh in installments between October 16 and November 7.

The fraud came to light only after she realized she had been deceived. A case has been registered at the CEN (Cyber, Economic, and Narcotics) police station, and an investigation is underway.

Public Warning:

  • Beware of unsolicited calls claiming to be from telecom companies, banks, or police stations.
  • Never share sensitive personal or banking details over the phone.
  • Always verify the identity of callers through official channels before taking any action.
  • If in doubt, contact your local police or cybercrime cell immediately.
  • Stay vigilant to avoid falling prey to such scams!

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