IPS Officer Rahul Kumar transferred days after foiling riot plot in Ratlam, booking Hindutva leaders
Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh): In a controversial development, IPS officer Rahul Kumar Lodha, who successfully prevented a communal riot in Ratlam on September 7 and booked 13 leaders from right-wing groups, was transferred within two days of the incident.
The attempted unrest began when right-wing groups in Ratlam spread rumors of stone-pelting on a Ganesh idol during a procession. In response, the group raised provocative slogans outside a police station, pelted stones at the police, and later targeted Muslim neighborhoods. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rahul Lodha acted to prevent the situation from escalating further, registering cases against 13 leaders involved in the incident, including several with criminal histories.
While the police were quick to intervene and control the situation, some members of the group who had participated in the Ganesh procession gathered at the police station, demanding that an FIR be registered. The mob became violent, vandalizing vehicles and shops in the Hathikhan area, prompting the police to use force to disperse them. Following this, the police registered a case against unidentified individuals, which included the name of Jalaj Sakhla, the district vice president of the BJP Yuva Morcha.
Hindu organizations, expressing dissatisfaction with the police action, submitted a memorandum protesting the booking of their leaders while criticizing the police for not identifying the alleged stone pelters. They warned of further agitation if the authorities failed to act against those responsible for the initial stone pelting within 24 hours.
Later that night, around midnight, in a sudden administrative reshuffle, SP Rahul Lodha was transferred from his post in Ratlam to SP Rail, Bhopal. Narsinghpur SP Amit Kumar was appointed as the new SP of Ratlam. Lodha’s transfer has sparked outrage among many citizens, with netizens praising his efforts to prevent communal violence and suggesting that his removal was politically motivated.
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3 Indians arrested in Canada for shooting outside home
Ottawa (PTI): Three Indian nationals have been arrested by Canadian police on an anti-extortion patrol and charged after bullets were fired at a home.
Harjot Singh (21), Taranveer Singh (19) and Dayajeet Singh Billing (21) face one count each of discharging a firearm, and all have been remanded in custody until Thursday, the Surrey Police Service (SPS) said in a statement on Monday.
The suspects were arrested by patrol officers after an early morning report of shots fired and a small fire outside a home in Surrey's Crescent Beach neighbourhood, the LakelandToday reported.
On February 1, 2026, the SPS members were patrolling in Surrey’s Crescent Beach neighbourhood when reports came in of shots being fired and a small fire outside a residence near Crescent Road and 132 Street.
The three accused were arrested by SPS officers a short time later, the statement said.
SPS’s Major Crime Section took over the investigation, and the three men have now been charged with Criminal Code offences, it said.
All three have been charged with one count each of discharging a firearm into a place contrary to section 244.2(1)(a) of the Criminal Code.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. All three have been remanded in custody until February 5, 2026.
The SPS has confirmed they are all foreign nationals and has engaged the Canada Border Services Agency, it said.
One of the suspects suffered injuries, including two black eyes, the media report said.
Surrey police Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton said on Monday that the suspect had refused to comply with instructions to get out of the ride-share vehicle and started to "actively resist."
"As we were trained, he was taken to the ground and safely handcuffed," said Houghton.
A second suspect with a black eye was also injured in the arrest after refusing to comply, Houghton said.
The arresting officers were part of Project Assurance, an initiative that patrols neighbourhoods that have been targeted by extortion violence.
Houghton said the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is also involved because the men are foreign nationals, and the trio may face additional charges.
It's not clear if the men are in the country on tourist visas, a study permit, or a work permit, but Houghton said CBSA has started its own investigation into the men's status.
Surrey has seen a number of shootings at homes and businesses over the last several months, but there's been an escalation since the new year.
