Youth assaulted, urinated upon in UP's Sonbhadra, probe on
Sonbhadra (UP), Oct 2: A group of men allegedly assaulted and urinated upon a 22-year-old youth in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Sonbhadra, prompting a police probe into the matter.
A senior officer said on Wednesday that the main accused, who led the group of seven to eight people, has been taken into custody.
Additional Superintendent of Police Kalu Singh said the incident took place on September 26 evening when Pawan Kharwar was attacked by Ankit Bharti and his associates.
"The incident took place near Barrier number 1 in the Shaktinagar police station area. The accused thrashed him, urinated on him and made a video of the act," Singh said.
The matter has come to light after almost a week the victim's brother Ankit Kharwar highlighted it on social media.
ASP Singh said, "Soon after the incident, Kharwar and his brother had left for Baidhan in Madhya Pradesh and have returned now. During the meantime, they did not contact the local police or even the emergency 112 number."
He said a case is being registered, while the main accused Bharti has been taken into custody.
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Bharat Bandh today: Nationwide strike disrupts services as over 25 cr workers protest govt policies
New Delhi: A nationwide strike or Bharat Bandh called by ten central trade unions is underway today, with over 25 crore workers from both organised and unorganised sectors participating. The strike, which is also supported by several rural and agricultural labour organisations, is a protest against the central government’s economic and labour policies, which unions claim favour corporates at the cost of workers, farmers, and the poor.
Key demands of protesters:
► Withdrawal of the new labour codes,
► Increase in minimum wages,
► Creation of more government jobs,
► Hike in MGNREGA wages and workdays,
► A similar urban employment guarantee scheme,
► End to hiring retired officials over younger professionals in government departments.
A 17-point charter of demands has been submitted to the Union Labour Ministry, but union leaders allege no meaningful engagement has been initiated by the government so far.
Disruptions reported:
While banks, stock markets, and government offices are functioning as usual, disruptions are being reported in public transport across several states:
West Bengal: Protesters blocked railway tracks at Jadavpur railway station despite police deployment. Bus services continued amid high security, with some drivers seen wearing helmets as a safety measure.
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Bihar and parts of Delhi and Maharashtra reported sporadic disruptions in bus and train services.
Schools and colleges remain open in most places, though some institutions announced last-minute closures depending on local conditions.
Unions leading the strike:
The strike is being spearheaded by major trade unions including: INTUC, AITUC, CITU, HMS, SEWA, AIUTUC, AICCTU, LPF, UTUC, and TUCC.
The new labour laws, a major flashpoint, have drawn flak for allegedly weakening worker protections. Union leaders say the changes:
► Extend working hours,
► Restrict the right to strike,
► Undermine collective bargaining.
The unions have also criticised the trend of hiring retired officials instead of young jobseekers. With 65% of India's population under the age of 35, they argue that ignoring youth employment in sectors like Railways, steel, and education is both unjust and economically damaging.
This is not the first large-scale strike organised by the trade unions. Similar nationwide protests were held on:
November 26, 2020,
March 28–29, 2022,
February 16, 2024.
All of them focused on issues like the privatisation of PSUs, job insecurity, and the casualisation of the workforce.
