SC restrains Assam cops from coercive action against journalist Siddharth Varadarajan, others
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday restrained Assam Police from taking any coercive action against senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan and other journalists, including consulting editor, working with web portal "The Wire" in connection with an FIR lodged against them over a news article.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi passed the order after senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan, appearing for the journalists, said that Assam police was circumventing the earlier orders passed by the court.
She said Vardarajan and other journalists, including a consulting, editor have been summoned Friday for recording statements in an old FIR lodged in May and there is apprehension that they may be arrested.
The bench, while protecting the journalists, said everyone is expected to follow the law and asked the journalists to join the investigation and file a status report on the next date of hearing.
On August 12, the top court had protected Vardarajan and restrained the Assam police from taking any coercive action against him in connection with an FIR lodged against him over an article on Operation Sindoor.
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Yenepoya University conducts autism awareness campaign in Mangaluru
Mangaluru: The Department of Occupational Therapy at Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) conducted a community-based Autism Awareness Campaign at Fiza Mall and Ullal Beach in the city.
The campaign was aimed at promoting awareness, inclusion, and early identification of autism, in line with the global theme, “Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value.”
The programme was led by Dr. Dhayanithi K and Dr. Ananya Jana as organising chairpersons, with Dr. Anas, Dr. Amanda S. Phillip, and Dr. Ansu V. David served as organising members.
Students of the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (BOT) programme participated in conducting the campaign.
The event included activities such as flash mobs, street plays, face painting, mehendi, and direct interaction with the public.
These activities focused on highlighting early signs of autism, the need for early intervention, and the importance of inclusion and acceptance of individuals with autism.
The campaign reached around 300 to 500 members of the public. It also provided students with practical exposure to community-based rehabilitation and public health education.
As part of the initiative, QR-based digital resources were introduced to help the public access reliable information on autism.
“Awareness is the first step towards inclusion, and early intervention can significantly improve outcomes,” the organising team said.
The department thanked the university for its support in organising the campaign. It also acknowledged the cooperation of the management of Fiza Mall and the Ullal Beach Police Department in facilitating the event.
