Mangaluru: Mangaluru Police Commissioner on Saturday while addressing a press conference added that one person has been arrested in connection with the case of setting beef stalls in Thokkottu on fire earlier last week.

Police Commissioner Shashi Kumar said the accused has been identified as Nagaraj (37), a resident of Thokkottu.

Police further said Nagaraj used to buy meat from same stall in the market and used to cook and consume it at a friends house.

His actions of setting the stall on fire was prompted by a recent incident when the vendor had refused to give him more quantity of beef.

On January 9, the accused reportedly purchased kerosene and set the stall on fire at around 2 am. He also informed his mother about his crime the same night, who rubbished his claims thinking he was drunk and was lying.

A case in this regard was registered at Ullal Police Station and a special team was formed to investigate the case. The police team collected CCTV footages around the area and zeroed down on Nagaraj, Commissioner said.

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Geneva: India’s human rights accreditation status is under scrutiny as the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) prepares to review the country’s processes this week. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) faces potential downgrading from its current “A status” due to concerns raised in 2023, including the lack of pluralism, the appointment of police officials and ruling party members to the NHRC, and the absence of gender and minority representation.

The decision on India's accreditation status will impact its ability to vote at the UN Human Rights Council and some UNGA bodies. The Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA) of GANHRI will conduct the review, which occurs every five years for each member of the 114-member alliance. India, which has been accredited since 1999, had its status deferred in 2016 but restored after a year.

The NHRC has defended its composition, stating that the presence of government officials, including the Secretary-General and CEO, enhances its effectiveness. However, criticisms include the involvement of police officers in investigations, lack of gender and minority representation, and political affiliations of some members with the ruling party.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has engaged with countries involved in the review process to present India's case diplomatically. Despite confidence in restoring its A status, the government emphasizes that it does not focus on "external certifications" of India's human rights record.

International civil society organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and CIVICUS, have raised concerns about increasing restrictions on civil society and discrimination against minorities in India. They urge GANHRI-SCA to amend the NHRC's rating to reflect its failure to comply with the Paris Principles and address the deteriorating human rights situation in India.

The Ministry of External Affairs has criticized the U.S. State Department's latest human rights report on India as biased and reflective of a poor understanding of the country. It further stated that it attaches no value to the report and urges others to do the same.