Mangaluru: A young woman from West Bengal was reportedly found in a severely ill condition by locals late Wednesday night near Ranipur, on the banks of Nethravathi river, leading to suspicions of gang rape.
The woman has been admitted to a private hospital in Derlakatte. The police have registered a case and are investigating the incident.
Reports suggest that three people including a rickshaw driver allegedly gang-raped the victim. The police have reportedly taken the rickshaw driver into custody based on suspicion.
It has been alleged that a group of young individuals brought the young woman to a house near the banks of the Netravati river in Ranipur and committed the crime.
The young woman, native of West Bengal, had come to Mangaluru with a friend in search of employment, and was living in Uppala, Kerala. She ventured out alone at midnight and reportedly sought help from an auto-rickshaw driver she met. It is learned that the driver, under the pretext of offering assistance, allowed her to board his vehicle, administered drugs to her, and then committed the crime along with his accomplices.
The young woman, who was severely injured, knocked on the door of a local resident's house late at night. She collapsed and fell unconscious after asking for water. The family promptly alerted the police.
Upon receiving the information, the police rushed to the spot and immediately admitted the young woman to the hospital. Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal later visited the scene.
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Sonipat/New Delhi: Ali Khan Mahmudabad, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at Ashoka University, has been arrested following remarks made on social media regarding media briefings related to Operation Sindoor. The arrest has ignited a fresh debate on academic freedom and political sensitivities in India.
The arrest was initiated based on a complaint filed by Yogesh Jatheri, General Secretary of the BJP Yuva Morcha in Haryana. According to sources, Mahmudabad was taken from his Delhi residence without a transit remand, prompting criticism from several academics and activists. Delhi University professor Apoorvanand stated, "Haryana police has illegally arrested Dr. Ali Khan. Taken to Haryana from Delhi without transit remand. FIR at 8 PM. Police reached his home the next morning at 7 AM!"
Mahmudabad's remarks, referring to the press briefings by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi as "optics," sparked controversy. He had stated, “Optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it’s just hypocrisy,” as reported by PTI.
In response, the Haryana State Commission for Women issued a notice to Mahmudabad, citing suo motu cognisance of public statements made around May 7. However, the professor did not appear before the Commission in Panchkula as required.
Reacting to the developments, Mahmudabad defended his remarks in a public statement on social media platform X. He said, “I am surprised that the Women's Commission, while overreaching its jurisdiction, has misread and misunderstood my posts to such an extent that they have inverted their meaning.”
He added that his work has always upheld constitutional values. “My academic record, public writings, and policy work, including collaborations with senior bureaucrats, military officers, and politicians, attest to the fact that I have made it a priority to protect the unity and integrity of India,” he said.
Mahmudabad further asserted that his social media posts were aimed at promoting peace and harmony while appreciating the Indian armed forces for their resolve. “I exercised my fundamental right to freedom of thought and speech in order to promote peace and harmony, and to applaud the Indian armed forces for their resolute action,” he said.
Ashoka University issued a statement distancing itself from Mahmudabad’s personal views. “Comments made by a faculty member on his personal social media pages do not represent the opinion of the university. These statements have been made by him independently in his individual capacity,” the university said.
Reaffirming support for the armed forces, the university added, “Ashoka University and all members of the Ashoka community are proud of India's armed forces and support them unequivocally in their actions towards maintaining national security.”