UP school teachers suspended after Bajrang Dal protest over framed Quranic verse
Sambhal (Uttar Pradesh): Members of the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad forcibly entered a government primary school in Nagla Purva village of Sambhal district and objected to a framed Quranic verse displayed above the gate of a classroom . Their objection led to the suspension of two teachers pending an inquiry.
The activists alleged that assistant teacher Mohammad Nazim was giving Islamic lessons to students. Nazim denied the charges. The school staff and local residents also denied the allegation, as reported by The Observer Post. Videos of the incident surfaced on social media, showing protestors entering the school premises, questioning teachers, and inspecting classrooms, blackboards, and books.
The video also showed the protestors asking children whether namaz was being conducted in school? The students denied any such activity in the school.
Nazim was quoted by The Observer Post as saying that he had strictly followed the prescribed government syllabus and had never taught any religious content to students. He described the allegations as false and politically motivated. The claims of the removal of the posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Goddess Saraswati, made by the protestors were also denied by the school staff.
Following a written complaint to the police, the framed verse was removed from the school, while Basic Shiksha Adhikari Alka Sharma ordered the suspension of headmistress Pushpa Jatav and assistant teacher Mohammad Nazim. Sharma said the suspensions were precautionary and noted that it would remain in effect while a departmental inquiry was conducted.
Local education activists and residents have criticized the action. They questioned the decision to suspend the teachers before the investigation was concluded. Some argue that the suspension was motivated by street protests rather than proven facts.
Sambhal's Muslim community has also expressed their concerns about what they called selective scrutiny. They also questioned why similar issues were not raised about other religious symbols commonly present in public places.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
