Chef Vikas Khanna Finds Muslim Family That Saved Him During Mumbai Riots
New Delhi: Every year since 1992, Chef Vikas Khanna has fasted for a day during the holy month of Ramadan to honour a Muslim family he credits with saving his life during the 1992 riots in Mumbai. Now, 26 years later, the New York-based celebrity chef says he's happy to have finally found the family he lost touch with.
On Monday, he tweeted he was happy to have tracked down the family and would break his Ramadan fast with them. Last night, presumably after meeting and sharing an Iftar meal with the Mumbai family, Chef Khanna tweeted: "Heartwarming evening. All Heart. Tears. Pain. Pride. Courage. Humanity. Gratitude."
Chef Khanna described what unfolded nearly three decades ago in a Facebook post in 2015: "I was training in the kitchen of SeaRock Sheraton, Mumbai in 1992 December when riots broke and whole city was under fire. We were stuck in the hotel for days."
Elaborating in an interview to a TV channel last year, a clip of which went viral, Chef Khanna said because of curfews in place during the riots, no staff were able to leave or enter the hotel.
One day, he heard a rumour that the situation in Mumbai's Ghatkopar was getting out of hand with many hurt as a result of the riots. Worried about the safety of his brother who lived there, the chef said he immediately rushed to Ghatkopar - despite not knowing his way around the city.
On his way, a Muslim family warned him against rioters and took him in, he said in the interview.
Soon, a mob descended upon their home and demanded to know who he was.
"He's our son," the family told the mob, the chef recounted, and the group eventually left.
For nearly two days, Chef Khanna said he slept on their floor. "I don't know who they were or where I was during that time," Chef Khanna recalled. The family sent a relative to find out about Chef Khanna's brother - who, fortunately, was found to be safe.
"Since that year, I fast for one day during the Holy Month to thank them and keep them in my prayers," Chef Khanna wrote on Facebook.
On June 11, the chef tweeted that he managed to track down the Good Samaritans. Nearly eighteen hours ago, he tweeted: "Heartwarming evening... Thank you everyone to connect me with my souls."
The incredible reunion has struck a chord with many on social media.
"Your life story is absolutely amazing... You are truly destiny's child," wrote one person. "This is real India," wrote another.
Courtesy: NDTV
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Illegal sand mining has created environmental crisis in National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday said rampant illegal riverbed sand mining has created an "environmental crisis" and wreaked "havoc" in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, causing a grave risk to the gharial (long-snouted crocodile) preservation project.
Slamming the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh for their utter failure in dealing with the issue, the apex court directed them to install high-resolution Wi-Fi-enabled CCTV cameras along all routes frequently used for illegal sand mining in the area.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed that live feed of such surveillance cameras shall be placed under the direct control, supervision and operational oversight of the superintendent of police or the senior superintendent of police of the concerned district and the divisional forest officer.
It said these officers shall ensure continuous and effective monitoring of the CCTV feeds by designating appropriate officers.
"It can't be gainsaid that the issues involved are of great concern in as much as the rampant illegal mining activities in the river bed have created an environmental crisis and havoc in the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary causing a grave risk to the very project of gharial preservation of which the state governments themselves were proponents and were under an obligation to foster and promote," Justice Mehta said while pronouncing the order.
The bench directed the authorities in these three states to initiate prompt and necessary action under law if any instance of illegal mining or allied activities comes to light.
It said the authorities shall ensure seizure of vehicles or machinery found involved in illegal sand mining and also initiate prosecution of persons involved in it.
The bench, which passed several other directions, posted the matter for hearing on May 11.
The top court passed the order in a suo motu case titled 'In Re: Illegal sand mining in the National Chambal Sanctuary and threat to endangered aquatic wildlife'.
The National Chambal Sanctuary, also called the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, is a 5,400-sq km tri-state protected area.
Besides the endangered gharial, it is home to the red-crowned roof turtle and the endangered Ganges river Dolphin.
Located on the Chambal river near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the sanctuary was first declared a protected area in Madhya Pradesh in 1978 and now constitutes a long and narrow eco-reserve co-administered by the three states.
On March 13, the top court took suo motu cognisance of news reports about rampant illegal sand mining on the banks of the Chambal river.
