Uttar Pradesh: Shopkeeper accused for alleged sexual abuse, blackmail to extort money; FIR filed
Meerut: A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against a 37-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh for allegedly sexually abusing numerous children and young adults in a village and recording the act to blackmail them afterward for money.
According to NDTV, the suspect, who ran a local grocery store, has allegedly targeted customers who visited his shop. He is accused of offering the victims drinks laced with intoxicants, and then sexually assaulting them while recording the incidents. He reportedly used these videos to blackmail the children, threatening to make the videos public unless they paid him.
The FIR, registered under sections for unnatural sex, criminal intimidations, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, includes six victims, four of whom are minors. One victim described the incident, saying, "One day I had gone to buy something from his shops. He offered me a cold drink. I fainted after drinking it. He showed me a video he had recorded of me and demanded money from me. I told my mother about what had happened after a few days," as reported by the news outlet.
Families of the victims described the severe trauma their children have endured to NDTV. One mother revealed the devastating effect on her son, stating, "My son has stopped eating or drinking. He has gone quiet, he does not talk to anyone." Another parent shared that the abuse had been ongoing for nearly four years, but the village came to know only when a video of the assaults surfaced on social media. “He used to threaten to kill my son, he would put a gun to his head and demand money. When we suspected that money was missing from the house for a few days, we asked him but he did not say anything, he would just stay quiet. He would rarely go to school and would not eat or drink anything. Once, he tried to take his own life," the victim’s mother added.
According to the publication's report, the Kailash Satyarthi Foundation has taken note of the situation and has affirmed its commitment to fighting for the victims. "Our foundation will fight the legal battle against the accused and demand justice for these children," asserted Rakesh Sengar, Executive Director of the Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation. Additionally, the police have stated that they are conducting raids at several locations to apprehend the accused.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
