Cong workers 'purify' reinstalled statues of Kakori martyrs in Shahjahanpur
Shahjahanpur (UP), Mar 27 (PTI): Congress workers on Friday took out a torch march and performed a symbolic "purification" ritual on the reinstalled statues of Kakori incident martyrs in Shahjahanpur, days after the idols were allegedly demolished and dumped at a garbage site triggering outrage.
The protest comes a day after the statues of the freedom fighters were reinstalled at the Town Hall tri-junction following directions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The statues of Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Roshan Singh, who hailed from Shahjahanpur, were installed at the Shaheed memorial site along a road outside the municipal corporation office here and were regularly garlanded by visiting public representatives.
Freedom fighters Ram Prasad Bismil, Ashfaqulla Khan and Roshan Singh were were hanged by the British on December 19, 1927 for looting a train that was carrying government funds in August 1925 near Kakori, Lucknow.
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Their statues were allegedly demolished on Sunday night. A video purportedly showing the statues being razed and their debris dumped at a garbage site was posted on social media, drawing sharp reactions. Protests were held by the local Congress unit and a Hindu outfit.
On Tuesday evening, Shahjahanpur Police lodged an FIR against the company under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Sections 196(2) (promoting enmity affecting harmony at religious places) and 352 (intentional insult). Superintendent of Police Rajesh Dwivedi said that the municipal corporation's chief engineer lodged a complaint at Sadar Bazar police station.
Congress district president Rajneesh Gupta told PTI that party workers were deeply hurt by the disrespect to the martyrs. He said hundreds of workers took out a torch procession on Thursday night and later gathered near the statues, sprinkling milk and Ganga water as part of a ritual.
He said the statues had been freshly painted, and the ritual was carried out carefully to avoid any damage. He alleged that while "BJP leaders may disrespect martyrs, Congress workers consider them sacred", adding that damaged idols are traditionally not worshipped and are instead immersed in the Ganga or respectfully buried.
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Demonstrations by various political groups continued for the fourth consecutive day, with protesters demanding an independent probe into the incident. Several groups have alleged that the demolition could not have occurred without administrative approval.
Samajwadi Party (SP) district president Tanveer Khan earlier claimed that the statues were targeted due to political reasons, alleging that they were installed during his tenure and bore his name on the plaque.
The controversy stems from an incident on Sunday night when the statues were allegedly bulldozed in the name of a beautification drive and their remains dumped in a garbage vehicle. The episode sparked widespread anger.
Taking cognisance, Chief Minister Adityanath ordered action, following which a junior engineer and an assistant engineer were suspended and an FIR was lodged against the executing agency.
Meanwhile, opposition parties have intensified their demand for a high-level and independent investigation to fix accountability in the matter.
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Case registered over website impersonating Mangaluru police for online gambling
Mangaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): A case was registered after a website impersonating the city police was used to cheat people through online gambling, officials said on Friday.
The case came to light when personnel from the Cyber, Economic, and Narcotics (CEN) police station noticed a suspicious website during routine monitoring, they added.
On verification, it was found that unidentified individuals had created a portal using the name and identity of the city police, raising concerns over potential misuse for fraudulent purposes, they further said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the fake platform was being used to lure individuals, particularly those unfamiliar with cyber risks, into online betting and gaming schemes, a senior police officer said.
Victims were reportedly persuaded to deposit money with promises of attractive returns, after which the funds were siphoned off, he said.
Police suspect the accused used the department’s name to make the website appear legitimate and win users’ trust.
"The misuse of official identity appears to have played a key role in convincing victims to engage with the platform," officials said.
A case has been registered against unknown persons, and efforts are underway to trace those responsible for creating and operating the fraudulent website.
Technical analysis of the domain and transaction trails is also being conducted as part of the investigation, police said.
Authorities have cautioned the public to remain vigilant while accessing websites and to rely only on verified official platforms.
Citizens are also advised to avoid links or schemes promising quick financial gains, as such offers are often used as bait in cyber fraud cases.
