Jharkhand: Three policemen suspended for lapse in PM's security
Ranchi (PTI): Three policemen were suspended for security lapse during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Ranchi, a police officer said on Thursday.
The action was taken after a woman unexpectedly ran and came in front of PM's convoy while it was on its way to Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park-cum-Freedom Fighter Museum on Wednesday morning, the officer said.
The woman, however, was immediately caught by security forces deployed for PM's security and taken into custody.
Modi was on a two-day visit to Jharkhand on the occasion of the birth anniversary of tribal icon Birsa Munda.
"An ASI and two constables have been suspended for dereliction of duty during the prime minister's visit," a police statement said.
The policemen, who were suspended include ASI Abu Zafar, constable Chotelal Tudu and constable Ranjan Kumar.
The woman, who was caught while breaching PM's security, was identified as Sangita Jha, who was reportedly upset with her husband and wanted to lodge a complaint against him, police said.
Ranchi Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Chandan Kumar Sinha told PTI, "During interrogation, the woman said that she was married to a man at Jamuni village in Jharkhand's Deoghar district in 2012. But, a dispute between them started in 2016."
There was a regular scuffle between them. "The woman wants the salary of her husband to be credited in her bank account. In this regard, she also went to Delhi in October this year to meet the prime minister and stayed there for 10 days. After failing, she also tried to meet the President. When all efforts went in vain, she returned to her in-laws' house in Deoghar," the SSP said.
Jha told police that she came to Ranchi after getting information that the PM was coming to the state capital.
As per the police, the woman tried to meet him during the roadshow on Tuesday night but failed and even made an effort to visit Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.
"She was returning disappointed from Raj Bhavan. But, she suddenly heard the siren of PM's convoy at Radium road and came suddenly in front of the convoy," Sinha said.
The prime minister on Tuesday held a 10-km roadshow and the next morning he paid floral tribute at the statue of Birsa Munda at Bhagwan Birsa Munda Memorial Park-cum-Freedom Fighter Museum, near Jail Chowk in Ranchi.
Later, he visited Birsa Munda's birthplace Ulihatu village in Khunti district on Wednesday on the occasion of the third Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas and paid tribute to the tribal hero.
He also launched a Rs 24,000-crore project aimed at the development of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
The PM also flagged off the 'Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra', released the 15th instalment of Rs 18,000 crore under the PM-KISAN scheme, and inaugurated and laid the foundation of projects worth Rs 7,200 crore in the state.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
