YouTube channel banned over ‘national security’, editor-in-chief claims it was only asking questions
New Delhi: YouTube news channel 4PM has been banned in India following a government order linked to concerns over “national security or public order.”
The channel’s owner and editor-in-chief, Sanjay Sharma, confirmed the development, revealing that he had received an email from YouTube on Tuesday morning notifying him that the channel had been closed in compliance with government directions, as reported by Newslaundry.
Sharma expressed concern over the ban, asserting that the channel had only been seeking to ask the government questions about ongoing issues. “I am concerned about national security and was only asking the government questions,” Newslaundry quoted Sharma as saying.
The specific reasons behind the government's order for the ban remain unclear.
In recent days, 4PM had uploaded numerous videos questioning the Narendra Modi government’s handling of the Pahalgam attack, including attention-grabbing headlines such as, “Pahalgam hamle ka khul gaya raaz. Raaton raat kya hua ki hat gayi sena?” (The truth behind the Pahalgam attack revealed. What happened overnight that the army was withdrawn?) and “Laal kaaleen par Amit Shah ka swaagat. Mritakon ko shraddhanjali dene gaye the ya tamasha banaane?” (Amit Shah was welcomed on red carpet. Was he there to pay respects to the deceased or create a spectacle?).
At the time of writing this report, a message on 4PM’s YouTube page read: “This content is currently unavailable in this country because of an order from the government related to national security or public order.” Viewers were directed to the Google Transparency Report for further details about government removal requests.
4PM operates six other YouTube channels, including 4PM UP and 4PM Rajasthan. The ban comes just a day after the Indian government banned sixteen Pakistani YouTube channels in India.
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Man jumps to death from 22nd floor of posh Noida society; depression suspected
Noida (PTI): A 37-year-old man allegedly died by suicide after jumping from the 22nd floor of a posh residential society in Sector 107 here, police said on Monday.
The incident took place on Sunday in Prateek Edifice Society under the jurisdiction of the Sector-39 police station. The deceased has been identified as Sajjal Mehrotra, a company director who lived in the society with his family.
"On Sunday afternoon, he jumped from the balcony of his flat on the 22nd floor," a police official said.
Family members and security guards rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead, police said, adding that no suicide note has been found.
Prima facie, the deceased was suffering from depression, officials said, adding that other aspects of the case are being investigated.
The body has been sent for post-mortem and further legal formalities are underway.
Police said the man got married about 10 years ago and is survived by his wife and two children. No complaint has been received from the family in connection with the incident.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
