Pune: Kargil War veteran’s family alleges harassment by police, mob to prove Indian citizenship
Pune: The family of a Kargil war veteran, Hakimuddin Shaikh, living in the city has alleged that they were recently harassed by Chandan Nagar Police who stormed into their house with a group of men at night and demanded proof of their Indian citizenship.
As per a report in Times of India, the family members have alleged that the men were taken to the Chandan Nagar Police Station at around midnight, made to wait till 3 am and asked for documents as proof of their citizenship. The men were reportedly threatened to be declared Bangladeshis or Rohingyas if they failed to do so, the family members have said.
Shaikh’s brother Irshad Shaikh expressed shock that a mob of men, who were shouting slogans, was leading the policemen, while another member of the family said that although they produced their documents like Aadhaar cards, the mob declared them fake. He further said that the women in the house too were harassed to produce their documents.
When asked about the matter, Pune City Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar is learned to have said on Tuesday that the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) was probing the incident. He assured that due action would be taken against the personnel involved if there had been police negligence.
The Commissioner added that the preliminary investigation revealed no forcible entry by the police into the house, however, following the allegations by the family, the police were conducting further investigations.
DCP (Zone IV) Somay Munde clarified that the family had been asked to produce documents after the police team visited the spot on being informed of Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in the area.
Shaikh (58), retired as a Naik Havildar from the 269 Engineer Regiment of Corps of Engineers, after serving in the Indian Army for 16 years from 1984 to 2000 and also fighting the Kargil War in 1999.
Two of his uncles, Shaikh Naeemuddin and Shaikh Mohammad Salim, fought in the 1965 and 1971 wars. Naeemuddin is learned to have retired from the infantry unit of the Army while Salim was with the Engineering regiment.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
