'Don't shoot me': Man with placard around neck surrenders before police in UP
Gonda (UP), Aug 30: A man wanted in a loot case surrendered before the police here with a placard hung around his neck that read "I have come to surrender, don't shoot me", officials said on Wednesday.
The man, identified as Ankit Verma, has been on the run for the past six months, they added.
"It is a result of the fear of the police among the criminals that they are surrendering," Circle Officer (CO) Navina Shukla said.
On Tuesday, Verma reached the Chhapia police station with a placard hung around his neck and shouted, "I have come to surrender, don't shoot me," he said.
The placard also carried the same message in his handwriting, the police officer said.
One Amarjit Chauhan of Mahuli Khori village had filed a complaint with the police alleging that when he was returning from a college on February 20 on a motorcycle, two men stopped him near Piprahi bridge and looted his two-wheeler, mobile phone and wallet at gunpoint, he said.
Subsequently, a case of robbery was lodged and during investigation, the names of Ankit Verma and another person came to the fore, Shukla said, adding Superintendent of Police Ankit Mittal also announced a reward of Rs 20,000 on their arrest.
Station House Officer Suresh Kumar Verma said the man was placed under arrest and other legal formalities were carried out.
The surrender of the man before the visit of Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath here is being described by the police as a "big achievement".
20,000/- के इनामिया लुटेरे ने @gondapolice की कार्यवाही से थाना छपिया में आकर किया आत्मसमर्पण, #SPGonda @AnkitMittal789 की कार्यवाही का दिखा असर- pic.twitter.com/Rzqd6Auul1
— Gonda Police (@gondapolice) August 29, 2023
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Parliament passes Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025
New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.
In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.
In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.
Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.
"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.
He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.
Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.
"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.
He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.
"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.
According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.
As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.
A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.
The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.
It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.
The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.
It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.
