Patna SDM accidentally lathi charged by policeman during Bharat Bandh protests
Patna: Patna Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Shrikant Kundlik Khandekar was accidentally struck by a policeman during a lathi-charge on Wednesday, as law enforcement attempted to disperse supporters of the day-long Bharat Bandh.
The incident, which occurred at the Dak Bangla Square, was caught on camera and quickly went viral. The video shows Khandekar, who was dressed in plain clothes, being mistakenly hit by a policeman with a baton. The SDM is visibly surprised by the blow, after which his colleagues quickly inform the erring officer of the mistake. The policeman can be seen gesturing apologetically towards Khandekar, and the two are seen briefly conversing afterward.
The lathi-charge took place as protestors, who had earlier broken through barricades at the JP Golambar intersection, reached the busy Dak Bangla Square. To control the situation, security forces not only resorted to a lathi-charge but also used water cannons to disperse the crowd.
The Bharat Bandh, called by the ‘Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti,’ saw a mixed response across the country, with significant impact in Bihar, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. The bandh was organized in opposition to a Supreme Court ruling on August 1, which allowed further sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by state governments to ensure a more equitable distribution of quotas among these groups.
The organisers of the bandh are demanding the reversal of the Supreme Court’s ruling and urging the central government to reject the decision. Among their other demands are: justice and equity for SCs, STs, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs); the passage of a new Act of Parliament on reservations; the release of caste-based data on SC/ST/OBCs in central government jobs; a target of 50% representation for these groups in the higher judiciary; and the filling up of backlog vacancies in central/state government jobs as well as public sector undertakings.
SDM saahab ko hi koot diya patna main 🤣🤣 (0.6 - 0.9) #BharatBandh pic.twitter.com/gCG8h9sK7Q
— Prayag (@theprayagtiwari) August 21, 2024
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NCW chief condemns rape-murder of 4-year-old girl in Pune, calls for swift action
New Delhi (PTI): National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has condemned the alleged rape and murder of a four-year-old girl in Maharashtra's Pune, calling it "deeply distressing" and a "blot on humanity".
The girl was allegedly raped and killed by a 65-year-old labourer, who has a criminal record, in Bhor tehsil of Pune on Friday. The accused allegedly lured the child to a cattle enclosure on the pretext of giving her food. After raping her, he killed her by hitting her with a stone, according to police.
The accused has been arrested.
In a post on X on Saturday, Rahatkar said the incident in the Nasrapur area in Pune was heartbreaking and has shaken society.
"The brutal torture and murder of a four-year-old innocent girl in Nasrapur (Bhor, Pune) is deeply painful, heartbreaking, and shocking. It is a blot on humanity," she said.
She said Pune Rural police has arrested the accused and noted that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar have assured strict action in the case.
Rahatkar said the NCW has taken cognisance of the matter and written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), requesting the body to ensure necessary and prompt action.
It has also been recommended that the case be pursued under stringent provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and be closely monitored from the filing of the chargesheet to proceedings in a fast-track special court to ensure time-bound justice, she added.
Ensuring justice for the victim and stringent punishment for the accused is a collective responsibility, the NCW chairperson underlined.
In a post on X, the NCW said it has taken suo motu cognisance of the extremely "heinous" incident.
"This heinous crime causes profound pain and outrage, and it highlights serious concerns regarding the safety of young girls," it said.
Strongly condemning this grave "inhuman act", the NCW said such crimes constitute a serious violation of children's rights and raise questions about society's security system.
