Property of drug peddler worth Rs 1 crore attached in J&K’s Srinagar

Mumbai, Sep 29 (IANS) Maharashtra Samajwadi Party chief and MLA Abu Azmi on Monday criticised the Uttar Pradesh government over the recent ‘I Love Muhammad’ protests in Bareilly, saying that such demonstrations should not have taken place without prior permission from the administration.

He alleged that law and order had collapsed in the state and described the situation as “jungle raj”.

Clashes broke out in Bareilly’s Kotwali area on Friday when a large crowd carrying ‘I Love Muhammad’ posters gathered outside a mosque after a demonstration announced by cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan was cancelled.

The unrest soon escalated into violence, leading to a heavy police crackdown.

Speaking to IANS, Azmi said, “I believe that the I Love Muhammad’ issue began on Eid, when people chanted it and cases were filed against them. However, coming onto the streets without permission is not right. There is a jungle raj in Uttar Pradesh, no law and order, and in the same state, protesting on the streets is not right. A permission should have been taken.”

He further said that those raising the slogan should live by the teachings of the Prophet.

“Those who say I love Muhammad, tell them to follow the path shown by the Prophet. Become such an example that the world itself starts saying I love Muhammad,” Azmi stated.

The Samajwadi Party leader also commented on the arrest of Tauqeer Raza Khan, chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, who was detained on Saturday for allegedly masterminding the violence.

Azmi said the punishment handed out was “too severe” and the police action “excessive”.

Police conducted overnight raids after the clashes, arresting eight people, including Khan, while more than two dozen others were taken into detention.

Authorities said over 500 suspects were being tracked through video and CCTV footage.

“The mistake was not so big, but the punishment is too severe. The way the police have beaten people is wrong. If you think something illegal is happening, you could have arrested them or used water cannons. But the way the protestors have been beaten and the posters on their hands fell on the ground; all of this was wrong,” Azmi said.

He went on to add, “The government should not have done it, but since there is jungle raj in UP, anything is possible.”

–IANS

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Shivpuri, Nov 27 (IANS) Union Minister and Guna Lok Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday visited Bageshwar Dham head priest Dhirendra Krishna Shastri during a religious discourse in Shivpuri district and sought his blessings.

Addressing the gathering, Scindia announced plans to install a 108-foot statue of Lord Shiva in Shivpuri, which falls under his parliamentary constituency.

Later, in a post on X, Scindia said the interaction with Shastri brought “profound peace” and described the priest’s blessings as an inspiration for service and devotion.

Shastri, who began a ‘Shrimad Bhagwat Katha’ in Shivpuri on Thursday, told reporters that the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana should be included in school curricula nationwide.

He also urged Hindu families to shield children from excessive social media use, terming it “social jihad.”

The head priest further said every Hindu family should have at least four children, adding, “If others can have thirty children, why can’t Hindus have four? We will not let this country become Ghazwa-e-Hind.”

Responding to questions on his recently concluded multi-state ‘Pad Yatra,’ Shastri clarified it was aimed at promoting Hindu unity and Sanatan Dharma, not politics.

“There is no need for a padyatra to enter politics,” he said.

–IANS

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Patna, Jan 13 (IANS) The Patna Police of Bihar, in coordination with the District Intelligence Unit (DIU), achieved a major breakthrough on Tuesday in the sensational Aman Shukla murder case, which had rocked the state capital earlier this month.

Police arrested three criminals and uncovered that a Rs 5 lakh contract had been given to execute the crime.

The incident occurred in broad daylight on January 5 in the Patrakar Nagar police station area, triggering panic and serious law-and-order concerns in the locality.

Following the incident, a special investigation team comprising Patna Police and the DIU’s technical unit was constituted.

Using scientific evidence, technical surveillance, and intelligence inputs, the team successfully tracked and arrested the accused.

During the operation, police recovered a cache of illegal arms used in the crime, including three illegal firearms, large quantities of live cartridges, and magazines.

During interrogation, the arrested accused revealed that the attack was carried out on a contract worth Rs 5 lakh.

According to Patna SSP Kartikeya Sharma, the contract was given by Sonu alias Kallu, who is also the main conspirator in the case.

“The crime stemmed from a dispute over criminal dominance and Sonu alias Kallu’s exclusion from an illicit operation. To avoid suspicion, Sonu alias Kallu had surrendered in court earlier after orchestrating the entire plan,” Sharma said.

The arrested individuals have been identified as Dharmendra Kumar, Sujit Kumar, and Jitendra Kumar.

Police also noted that the deceased Aman Shukla had a prior criminal background and was previously accused of a bank robbery and other incidents, which further intensified rivalry among local criminal groups.

“This was a planned criminal conspiracy driven by rivalry and dominance. With the help of technical surveillance and evidence, the accused have been arrested and weapons recovered. Further investigation is ongoing,” SSP Kartikeya Sharma said.

The swift action by Patna Police and DIU has been widely appreciated and is being seen as a significant step in cracking down on organised crime in the capital.

–IANS

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