Gonda (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 25 (ANI): A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by four persons in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district, the district Superintendent of Police said on Thursday.
Gonda Superintendent of Police (SP) Shailesh Kumar Pandey told ANI, “Yesterday evening a 15-year-old girl filed a complaint at Mankapur police station. The girl in her complaint stated that a person from her village aged around 48 or 49 years, along with three others, gang-raped her. A case has been registered and the girl has been sent for a medical examination.”
“As a matter of fact, past disputes between the families of the girl and the man have also come to light. But a detailed investigation is being carried out and on the basis of confirmed facts we will take appropriate action against the accused persons,” he further said.
According to the victim’s statement, she was returning home by bicycle from school when she was stopped by four people near Belbharia, pulled off from her bicycle and taken to a nearby sugarcane field where they tried to rape her.
The victim in her statement further said that when she resisted their attempts of rape, she was attacked with a knife following which they gang-raped her. After committing the crime, the accused threatened to kill her if she revealed anything to the police or her family, said the victim in her statement.
As per the statement of the victim’s family, the girl’s behaviour raised suspicion and on being asked she narrated her ordeal to them following which they got a complaint registered in the Mankapur police station.
The Gonda SP said that a complaint has been registered against one Baburam, a resident of Mankapur and three unidentified people under various sections including gangrape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, adding that a case has been registered, an investigation is being carried out on the basis of facts and efforts are being made to apprehend all the accused. (ANI)

Panaji (Goa) [India], February 25 (ANI): The Cyber Crime Cell of Goa on Thursday arrested one person for allegedly creating and using a fake profile of state Health Minister Vishwajit Rane on Facebook
The accused has been arrested from Rajasthan’s Bharatpur.
“The accused has been identified as Arman and is a resident of Nandera Satwas village in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur,” the police informed.
“During the interrogation, the accused revealed that he would make fake profiles of public personalities to cheat people by asking money from the victims,” the police said.
“However, he failed to do so in this case due to proactive response of Cyber Cell which immediately disabled the profile,” he added.
Further investigation into the matter is underway. (ANI)

New Delhi [India], February 25 (ANI): President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday condoled the death of acclaimed Malayali poet Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri, saying that he was an inspiration to many and his death has left a void that cannot be filled.
“Shri Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri was not only an extraordinary poet but also a teacher, priest, Veda scholar and an inspiration to many. His death leaves a great void that cannot be filled. Condolences to his family, friends, students and well-wishers,” President Kovind said in a tweet.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed anguish at the death of the renowned poet who passed away earlier in the day, saying that the poet’s contribution to the world of culture and literature will always be remembered.
“Anguished by the demise of Sri Vishnu Narayanan Namboothiri. His pioneering contribution to the world of culture and literature will be remembered. His widely read works reflect compassion and sensitivity. Condolences to his family and admirers. Om Shanti,” PM Modi tweeted.
Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri, a Padmi Shri recipient, breathed his last at his residence in Thycaud due to old-age ailments at the age of 81 earlier on Thursday.
Known for his elegant style and ease with he handled modern poetry, Namboothiri carved a niche in contemporary Malayalam literature.
His famous literary works include ‘Swathantryathe Kurichoru Geetham,’ ‘Pranaya Geethangal,’ ‘Ujjayiniyile Raappakalukal,’ ‘Aranyakam,’ ‘Aparajitha,’ ”Bhoomigeethangal,’ and ‘Mukhamevide’, India Enna Vikaram’, ‘Asaahitheeyam,’ ‘Kavithayude DNA,’ and ‘Alakadalum Neyyambalukalum’.
He has received numerous awards for his works including Ezhuthachan Puraskaram, Vayalar Award, Vallathol Award, Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award, Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award and Odakkuzhal Award. (ANI)

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], February 25 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council on Thursday passed the ‘Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Religious Conversion Bill, 2021’, which aims to curb religious conversions by fraudulent or any other undue means, including through marriage.
The Bill was passed in the Legislative Council by voice vote, a day after it got the nod in the state Assembly. House was adjourned for 10 minutes amid the uproar caused by Samajwadi Party MLCs.
The Bill seeks to replace the ordinance promulgated in November last year that provides for imprisonment up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 50,000 for violators and “love jihad”-related offences.
The Bill will become law after getting Governor Anandi Ben Patel’s assent. The Bill prohibits and provides for punishment for conversion by “misrepresentation, undue influence, coercion, marriage or any fraudulent means.”
Mohsin Raza, Minister of State for Minority Welfare in the Uttar Pradesh government, has extended his gratitude to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
“The Bill will provide justice to the victims. The criminals who are engaged in religious conversions by fraud or any other undue means will be punished, now. This law is for all the people of the state, not just for any particular community,” he said. (ANI)

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], February 25 (ANI): Hitting out at the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen’s (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday said if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Congress, CPM and TMC can hold a rally in the poll-bound state then why cannot his party do the same.
“Model Code of Conduct has not come into effect now. If they are refusing to give us permission even before the Model Code of Conduct, how will the election be free and fair? Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda are holding rallies. If Congress, CPM, TMC can hold rallies, then why cannot we?” Owaisi told mediapersons here.
He further alleged that TMC practices hypocrisy as the party acts differently in Delhi and West Bengal.
“TMC MPs speak about freedom of expression, constitution, dissent in Parliament. But, they have two faces. They say one thing in Delhi and do just the opposite in Bengal. If I want to conduct a public meeting there, then why am I not being permitted? The secular, liberal people who clap when they listen to the speeches of TMC MPs will have to think. This clearly shows the doublespeak and hypocrisy of TMC,” said Owaisi.
Owaisi’s scheduled rally in Kolkata on Thursday has been cancelled after the police refused permission, party leader Zameerul Hasan said.
With this rally, Owaisi was to kickstart his party’s campaign ahead of Bengal Assembly polls. The rally was to take place in the Muslim-dominated Metiabruz area of Kolkata, which falls in the parliamentary constituency represented by Abhishek Banerjee, who is Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew.
It is noteworthy to mention that West Bengal is a key state for the AIMIM as the party has stretched its wings in eastern India after bagging five seats in Bihar.
The Assembly election for 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal is likely to take place in April-May. However, the Election Commission is yet to announce the final dates. (ANI)

Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India], February 25 (ANI): A day after “Godse supporter” Babulal Chaurasia joined the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Jaiveer Bhardwaj, National Vice-President, Hindu Mahasabha on Thursday alleged that the Congress has bought Chaurasia as it is on the verge of falling apart.
Congress on Wednesday welcomed Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha leader Babulal Chaurasia into the fold in presence of former state chief minister Kamal Nath in Gwalior, ahead of the Madhya Pradesh civic body elections.
Speaking to ANI, Bhardwaj said that Hindu Mahasabha had issued a show-cause notice to Chaurasia and later expelled him.
“Congress is on verge of falling apart. Hence, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nathji is hiring people from Hindu Mahasabha because none of their workers are left. He (Babulal Chaurasia) had taken oath to stay as a life-long member of the organisation. It’s on stamp paper. Congress bought him,” he said.
“I challenge Nath to a debate. I can prove Congress has bought him. 15 days ago we had given him a show-cause notice and we expelled him,” he added.
Lalji Sharma, Hindu Mahasabha leader, said only Congress party or Chaurasia can tell about the “deal for which he became the member of the party.”
“We can only say that he came to the Hindu Mahasabha himself. He was proud of the Hindu Mahasabha and promised to never leave the organisation. But now, he has joined Congress,” he said.
Babulal Chaurasia, who attended an event for the installation of an idol of Nathuram Godse in Gwalior in 2017, joined Congress in presence of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Wednesday.
“Hindu Mahasabha conspired against me to make me part of that event. I was at the event and they asked me to offer my prayers to all the pictures of great personalities around the hall. Then somebody gestured towards the Godse idol and without realising, I offered water to it. I was framed. They wanted to show that a former Congress member was supporting Godse. I lodged a strong protest after I realised what happened,” said the former Hindu Mahasabha leader.
He said he had been keeping himself away from Hindu Mahasabha’s programmes since the event, as his “consciousness did not allow” him to cater to the party’s ideology.
Congress has been a vocal critic of the Hindu Mahasabha, which had time and again tried to project Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse as a “nationalist” and “patriotic” figure. (ANI)