Latest news with #BajrangDal
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
‘People tell me I'm Hindu, he's Muslim… just want to be with him': Ghaziabad woman at centre of interfaith marriage speaks out
'Every day, someone new comes and tries to convince me that I have brought disrespect to my family because I married a Muslim man,' said Sonika Chauhan, 25, who is at the centre of a saga that includes an interfaith wedding, allegations of kidnapping, and vandalism. On May 25, Sonika's father, Laxman Singh Chauhan, filed a complaint with the Ghaziabad Police, alleging that his daughter had been kidnapped and wrongfully confined by a man named Akbar. The police registered an FIR, after which the couple surrendered at the Indirapuram police station. Hours earlier, they had shot a video in Akbar's car, stating they were married and requesting that their families not be harmed. Akbar's shop was also vandalised by a group of men belonging to the Bajrang Dal, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Indirapuram Yuva Morcha, and Uttarakhand Samaj Adhikarik, who raised allegations of 'love jihad'. Akbar was arrested on May 26, as were his relatives, including his sisters. He was finally released on bail on June 8. The police are yet to produce Sonika in court to record her statement. Speaking to The Indian Express, she said, 'People keep telling me that I am Hindu and he is Muslim, that I have brought disrespect to my family… I just want to be with him. When will all this end?' Akbar, meanwhile, who spent 14 days in jail before being granted bail by the Ghaziabad district court, said his private life had been turned into a political drama. Dressed in a white shirt and a pair of black jeans, he said, 'People are talking about love jihad, but do they know our story? Do they realise that she is my wife? We are married, I am not a criminal,' he said. Akbar recalled what had led to the FIR and vandalism of his two shops. 'On May 24, I was at my shop, and Sonika was at her salon, which is right next to my shop. Around 1 pm, Sonika's mother called her home,' said Akbar, showing CCTV footage from the cameras installed outside his shop. He said at 1.28 pm, Sonika returned with her mother to meet him, claiming that gold jewellery was missing from the house. 'I told them that I would figure it out. By 4 pm, Sonika returned to her salon, and my friend dropped her mother home. Later that evening, her mother returned to confront us about our marriage,' said Akbar, as he showed a copy of the marriage certificate, dated August 29, 2022, on his phone. Kalpana (25), Sonika's helper at the salon, said it was around 6-7 pm when Sonika's mother came to the salon and asked her to shut it down. 'There weren't many customers in the salon… When Sonika refused, her mother hit her. Soon, her father came as well,' said Kalpana. Akbar said that when Sonika's father confronted him about their marriage, he asked her to tell them the truth. 'She did, and we left for Allahabad, shot a video in the car to ensure that our family does not suffer. But everything was ruined… We were on our way to Kanpur when a police officer called and asked us to surrender. We came back, hoping to get police protection…' Akbar and Sonika, neighbours said, had known each other since they were children but fell in love nine years ago. 'I had known her since childhood, but it was all very formal. She studied at Kendriya Vidyalaya and went to school on the bus… some days, after school, I would stand at the bus stop and look for her. This is how we began talking,' Akbar said. 'Over the next five years, we completed school and college. Sonika wasn't interested in studying and planned to open her salon. So she opted for open school for graduation and joined a VLCC training programme that would last for 1.5 years,' Akbar said. 'In 2019, when her training institute denied her a learning certificate, she introduced me to her father. My brother is a lawyer. Several other girls did not get the certificate. I filed the complaint on behalf of 140 girls, and their certificates were issued — and I became a regular in her family,' said the 29-year-old. In 2022, Akbar said, Sonika opened her salon after many false starts and rejections. 'It was like a dream. We were financially capable of fending for ourselves and decided to get married. I was helping her all along. No friend does that, her parents knew that we were in love,' Akbar said. He reiterated that neither of them abandoned their religion, and they got married under the Special Marriage Act. 'I respected her religion and went to each temple that she wanted to go to. All I knew was that we wanted to be together, and I loved her. We thought that once we get married, our parents will not be able to pressure us,' Akbar said. 'Today, people are threatening those who were witnesses to our marriage. The problem is not the police or her parents, it is society,' he said. When The Indian Express contacted the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Trans-Hindon, Patil Nimish Dasharath over Sonika not being produced before the court for her statement, he said, 'We are trying. We will produce her when she is ready.' Akbar, however, is heartbroken. 'Bring her to court, let her say what she wants,' he said. 'I cannot take this separation. I am suffering, I cannot show the world, but I am breaking apart.' Neetika Jha is a Correspondent with The Indian Express. She covers crime, health, environment as well as stories of human interest, in Noida, Ghaziabad and western UP. When not on the field she is probably working on another story idea. On weekends, she loves to read fiction over a cup of coffee. The Thursday Murder club, Yellow Face and Before the Coffee Gets Cold were her recent favourites. She loves her garden as much as she loves her job. She is an alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. ... Read More
India Today
2 days ago
- India Today
Hindu group forces man to apply tilak, apologise to Lord Ram for insulting post
A man in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur district was forced to apologise at a temple after members of the Bajrang Dal accused him of making derogatory comments about Lord Ram on social media. The man, identified as Yasin, was allegedly taken from his home by the group and escorted to a local Hanuman temple, where he was made to apply a tilak on his forehead and seek forgiveness before the incident took place in the Verma Chauraha area of the city. Yasin, a resident of Ahmedganj, reportedly posted an objectionable comment on Instagram targeting Lord Ram, which sparked outrage among Bajrang Dal activists. Upon identifying his residence, a group of members visited his home and demanded he accompany them to a temple to publicly unwilling, Yasin was reportedly persuaded by his wife Nagma to comply. According to Bajrang Dal member Harshit, a confrontation broke out when Yasin allegedly attacked him with a knife concealed in his trousers, injuring him in the thigh. The situation escalated briefly before his wife intervened and convinced Yasin to go to the temple with the group. There, at the Verma Chauraha Hanuman temple, Yasin was made to apologise for his remarks and promised not to repeat such actions. He was released after the apology. Must Watch
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Indian Express
Pastor among 2 arrested over ‘religious conversion' claims in Ghaziabad: Police
The Ghaziabad Police arrested two men, including a pastor, for allegedly attempting to convert members of the Scheduled Caste (SC) by offering inducements, said officers on Monday. The arrest comes following a complaint by a Bajrang Dal member. According to police, Pastor Vinod hails from Kerala and currently lives in Sahibabad. The other arrested man is Premchand Jatav, a resident of Rahul Vihar in Ghaziabad. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Wave City, Priyashri Pal, said the arrests were made after police received a complaint from one Prabal Gupta at the Crossings Republik police station on Sunday. 'Gupta, in his complaint, alleged that he [the pastor] was converting people from SC communities by offering them cash and kind. We have not come to any concrete conclusion yet, but have begun our investigation,' ACP Pal told The Indian Express. 'We filed a case based on the application under relevant sections and arrested both the accused. Further legal action is being taken and an investigation is underway; legal proceedings will depend on the outcome of evidence collection,' the ACP added. Gupta, who said he is a member of the Bajrang Dal, claimed he got information that a 'church' was running illegally inside a house in Rahul Vihar. Claiming that Pastor Vinod was carrying out religious conversions at Jatav's home, he alleged in his complaint, 'Premchand had converted to Christianity several years ago and used to host weekly Sunday prayer meetings at his home and carry out conversions. These meetings served as a platform for the pastor to approach other individuals and persuade them to change their religion.' Gupta also alleged that when Bajrang Dal members opposed it, they were attacked. When The Indian Express visited Rahul Vihar on Monday, the single-storey house, where Gupta alleged religious conversion was taking place, was closed and its gates were damaged. Satish Anand, 54, a neighbour, said Jatav built this house nearly 30 years ago. 'It is not true that he was converting people,' he said. 'He used to hold prayers on Sunday, and people from Rahul Vihar and Buddh Vihar used to attend it. But he never asked anyone to convert,' added Anand, who runs an eatery in the area. 'He owned a dairy and supplied buffalo milk in the area,' said another resident. Neetika Jha is a trainee reporter with The Indian Express, Delhi. She covers crime, health, environment as well as stories of human interest, in Noida and Ghaziabad. When not on the field she is probably working on another story idea. On weekends, she loves to read fiction over a cup of coffee (cold coffee if it is summer). The Thursday Murder club and Yellow face were her recent favourites. She loves her garden as much as she loves her job. She is an alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. ... Read More
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Health
- Indian Express
48 hrs later, a night without end for grieving families, tired staff at Ahmedabad hospital
Till well after midnight when the city went quiet, a small group of labourers were busy reinstalling a canopy, outside the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital's new post-mortem building, that had been blown away when a sudden storm hit Saturday evening. This space was where the police were stationed since June 12, to process records and events related to the London-bound Air India crash that afternoon in which 241 passengers died. Outside Kasauti Bhavan nearby, the exam hall inside BJ Medical College where families were being registered for DNA sampling to identify the bodies, the crowd had thinned. A few family members who had come from other cities waited for updates from inside the hall guarded by policemen. Some volunteers took naps on the plastic chairs, before the long Sunday ahead when more bodies would be handed over. At the stretch inside the premise where the old post-mortem room is located, outdoor units of the heavy-duty air-conditioners blew out a fetid odour. Across this building, the city police had set up another canopy for 'Passenger Relatives'. Lists of relevant phone numbers and helplines hung on banners on the window. The benches were empty. The huge newly built mortuary building had masked policemen on guard in front. On the side of the building, members of the Bajrang Dal wearing saffron sashes and RSS volunteers were disposing trash, mostly plastic water bottles, after a tea break. Some volunteers were also posted outside Kasauti Bhavan to guide family members. The 110-acre Ahmedabad Civil hospital campus had turned into a fortress. Policemen were deployed outside all buildings in the huge complex called Medicity, which has a 1,200-bed hospital readied during the pandemic, UN Mehta heart institute, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, Institute of Kidney Disease and Research Centre, and other specialised medical institutions. A few friends of Gopal Patoliya, whose elder brother Arjun (37) died in the crash, had driven down from Surat and waited outside Kasauti Bhavan. 'Will we be allowed inside?' one of them asked nervously. Arjun, a British national originally from Amreli, had come to immerse the ashes of his wife Bharti who died of cancer on May 26, and was returning to his daughters Riya (8) and Kiya (4), who were in London with Gopal. Their 62-year-old mother Kanchanben, who was on the way to Surat after seeing off Arjun, had to return to Ahmedabad midway to give DNA samples for identification. 'None other than those who have given DNA samples or close family members with an authority letter and ID proof are allowed inside. We wanted to enquire about the DNA report but were told we can contact the helpline numbers, or somebody from the hospital will contact us,' said another member of the group. The policemen outside Kasauti Bhavan ensured that no one, barring those authorised, entered the hall where around 30-40 hospital and medical staff were at work. 'We have been informed that there are arrangements to take the body in an ambulance to our native place,' said one of Gopal's friends, as they headed back to the hotel. For all the families waiting for bodies to be handed over after DNA reports, the night did not seem to end. 'We are on a 12-hour shift, and deployed in the hospital campus around the clock,' said a police personnel who was seated with colleagues on the pavement under trees seeking cover from the drizzle in a section of the campus. Till early Sunday morning, 31 passengers had been identified by matching their DNA samples, which included that of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani. Outside, a few young girls and boys from the Tera Hi Tera Langar Sewa Trust, based in the Kubernagar area of Ahmedabad, were busy sourcing tea and snacks from stalls outside the hospital campus after they ran out of stock. 'This is the third night in a row that we are providing tea, water and breakfast to the families of victims in the Civil Hospital,' said Kajal Chawnani (23), a Chartered Accountant working in a private firm who was accompanied by 12 others. The group served tea and water till 4 am on Sunday. 'Most of the volunteers are either students or young professionals. Today, as per the approval of hospital authorities, again we will reach at 4 pm at the hospital with vegetable pulav, tea and water,' she said.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Time of India
Girl being lured to Guj for ‘marriage' rescued in Kanpur
Kanpur: A 16-year-old girl from Fatehpur, who was lured by a man under the pretence of marriage and being taken to Ahmedabad, was rescued in the McRobertsganj area of Kanpur on Friday. Police said that at Jhakkarkati bus station, their suspicious behaviour caught the attention of a ticket vendor, leading them to escape via auto-rickshaw. They were subsequently apprehended by an auto driver and Bajrang Dal members. The Colonelganj police contacted Fatehpur police, while Bajrang Dal members alleged the youth intended to traffic the girl, creating unrest. The Fatehpur police had registered a case following a complaint from a shopkeeper whose 16-year-old daughter, studying in class 11, endured harassment spanning two-and-a-half years from a local resident, Tasub, who insisted on marriage despite warnings. On Friday at 5am, the parents discovered their daughter had vanished with her belongings. Tasub took the girl to Jhakkarkati bus station in Kanpur to travel to Ahmedabad. When purchasing tickets, the vendor grew suspicious of their age gap and questioned their identities. The girl initially provided a Muslim name but later admitted they were Hindu. As the vendor attempted to intervene, they fled. Bajrang Dal members were notified, and another auto driver pursued them. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Isla De Bejucal: Inicia hoy con Amazon CFD y construye un segundo ingreso. Empezar ahora Registrarse Undo Near McRobertsganj, the pursuing driver and Bajrang Dal members caught the accused. After physically confronting him over allegations of trafficking, they transferred him to Colonelganj police. Station head Ravindra Srivastava confirmed the case belonged to Fatehpur jurisdiction, awaiting local police arrival to take custody. Joint police commissioner of law and order, Ashutosh Kumar and ADCP central Yogesh Kumar visited to assess the situation. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
