SP leader’s 'blue drum' gift to UP Deputy CM sparks political controversy over Meerut murder case
Meerut: The murder of Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput in Meerut has sparked a political debate after Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Deepak Ranjan presented a blue drum to Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak at an event in Lucknow on Tuesday. The gesture, captured in viral images, was seen as a jibe at the state’s law and order situation.
Rajput’s wife, Muskan Rastogi, confessed to killing him with the help of her lover, Sahil Shukla. The duo dismembered Rajput’s body and concealed it in a blue drum filled with cement. The crime has turned the blue drum into a chilling symbol, widely referenced in memes and social media discussions.
SP leader Ranjan’s act of gifting a blue drum has ignited debate over governance and security in Uttar Pradesh. The move, made during the ‘Lantrani Hasya Utsav’ event in Lucknow, has further intensified political discourse.
The case has also affected sales of blue drums, particularly in Meerut and Aligarh, where shopkeepers report a decline due to public apprehension. Some sellers have urged people not to stigmatise the item.
Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla remain in jail, facing trial for the gruesome murder.
Fogg से भी ज़्यादा चलने वाला आइटम ये नीला ड्रम ही है । अब तो लोग उप मुख्यमंत्री तक को गिफ्ट कर रहे है
— Amrish Srivastava🇮🇳 (@amrishsonu) April 2, 2025
सपा प्रवक्ता दीपक रंजन ने DCM ब्रजेश पाठक को नीला ड्रम भेंट किये... @brajeshpathakup @DeepakRanjanSP @yadavakhilesh pic.twitter.com/2axEC2XEKt
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Karnataka sets up India's first Cyber Command Centre to tackle surge in cybercrimes
Bengaluru: In a significant step toward strengthening cybersecurity, Karnataka has established the country’s first Cyber Command Centre. This pioneering initiative aims to address the alarming rise in cybercrime cases across the state.
The newly-formed Cyber Command Centre will focus on a broad range of digital threats, including cyber fraud, hacking, identity theft, online stalking, sextortion, deepfake-related crimes, misinformation, data breaches, among others. It comes as Karnataka, particularly its capital Bengaluru, continues to grapple with a spike in cybercrime incidents—reportedly accounting for nearly 20% of all such cases recorded in India’s megacities. Over the past four years, the state has registered more than 52,000 cybercrime cases, the highest in South India.
The Cyber Command will operate under the leadership of an IPS officer of the rank of Director General of Police.
As part of the restructuring, 43 CEN (Cyber, Economic and Narcotics) police stations across the state will now function as designated cybercrime units.
Headquartered at the CID building on Palace Road, the Cyber Command Centre will serve as a hub for coordinating the state’s cybercrime prevention and investigation efforts. DGP (Cyber Command) will report to the Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department and not the Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP), Karnataka State Police.
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