FIR against Opindia for spreading fake news on migrant workers in Tamil Nadu
Chennai: Avadi Police have registered an FIR against news portal Opindia.com on charges of spreading fake news and creating a sense of fear among migrant workers in Tamil Nadu.
According to a police release, Thirunindravur Police in Avadi, have registered a case against Rahul Rusan, CEO, and Nupur Sharma, editor, of the website, based on a complaint by a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) IT wing member, seeking action in the matter, reports The Print.
Further details are awaited on the matter.
In an outright dismissal of the reports that Bihari migrant labourers were attacked in Tamil Nadu, DGP C Sylendra Babu told ANI on Monday that the videos circulated on social media claiming to be on the alleged attacks were fake. He also pointed out that most of the videos were not from Tamil Nadu.
The top police official of the state urged the media to act responsibly with regard to ‘offensive matter’. He also asked the people not to spread any message on social media on such matter.
“The situation is now peaceful and that the workers had resumed their work. Some of the workers have left for Holi celebrations. They had already booked tickets for the journey and have left. We are also able to convince them through their employers,” he added.
The officer said, “The police officers have reached out to the migrant workers and convinced them that there is no such incident of attack on Bihari workers or workers from any other state here. Whatever they have seen in the media that the migrant labourers are attacked, they are all fake videos.”
The efforts of the police had convinced the labourers that migrant workers in Tamil Nadu would not be attacked, the DGP added.
“The workers are also convinced that the videos being shared on social media are not from Tamil Nadu. In the places where the north Indian workers were employed, we have intensified the police patrol. Hindi-speaking police officers are in constant touch with them,” he said.
The DGP said that special helplines were set up in districts like Erode, Tripur, Coimbatore and Chennai in order to encourage people to not hesitate to complain if there were cases of attack.
“There has been not even one complaint from them,” the police officer said.
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No clarity on US-Iran talks as Islamabad stays under lockdown
Islamabad (PTI): Large parts of Pakistan's capital remain under a tight security lockdown for over a week on Saturday, even as uncertainty persisted over the proposed second round of talks between the US and Iran.
Arterial roads leading into Islamabad are sealed, while the Red Zone, housing key government buildings and diplomatic missions, remains under a strict security cordon.
In the adjacent commercial 'Blue Area', markets are deserted, cafes are running short of supplies, and public transport disruptions with no service at bus terminals have left commuters stranded.
For residents, uncertainty has become the hardest part. Islamabad is a city of transients, where many residents work during the week and return to family homes at the weekend.
This is the second lockdown in recent weeks. Islamabad was earlier sealed on April 11 for talks between the US and Iranian delegations that ended without a deal. The city briefly reopened before restrictions were reimposed as Pakistan prepared to host another round of engagements, which has yet to materialise.
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived here late Friday for engagements with the Pakistani leadership. He was received by senior officials, including Army chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.
However, there is no clarity on whether direct talks between Washington and Tehran will take place during the visit.
"No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said in a social media post on Saturday.
He said the Iranian delegation arrived in Islamabad "for an official visit" and Araghchi will be "meeting with Pakistani high-level officials in concert with their ongoing mediation and good offices for ending American-imposed war of aggression and the restitution of peace in our region".
As the Iranian team landed in Islamabad, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US Special Envoy on the Middle East Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner would be leaving for Pakistan on Saturday "to engage in direct talks" with representatives of the Iranian delegation.
“Everyone will be on standby to fly to Pakistan if necessary, but first, Steve and Jared will be going over there to report back to the president, the vice president and the rest of the team,” she said.
However, the US team has not yet arrived.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, in a social media post, expressed hope for "meaningful engagements" between the two warring parties to promote regional peace and stability.
The Foreign Office here said Iranian foreign minister Araghchi will hold meetings with Pakistan’s senior leadership to discuss the latest regional developments as well as ongoing efforts for regional peace and stability.
"Following key discussions with the Pakistani mediation team, a second round of peace talks between the United States and Iran is expected to be held in Islamabad on Saturday and Sunday," a government official said.
He said a US logistics and security team is already present in Islamabad to facilitate the negotiation process.
Araghchi, before leaving for Islamabad, said that he was embarking on a timely tour of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow, and the purpose of his visits is to "closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments".
"Our neighbours are our priority," he said.
The first round of US-Iran talks held on April 11 and 12 failed to produce a breakthrough, prompting a flurry of diplomatic efforts by host Pakistan to cool tensions and revive hopes for another round of dialogue.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The Iran war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes.
