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New Delhi: Tribal activist and Jesuit priest Stan Swamy passed away on Monday after testing positive for COVID-19 in May while he was lodged at Taloja Central Jail in Mumbai. He passed away at the Holy Family Hospital in Bandra.

The 84-year-old was put on ventilator support after his condition deteriorated on Sunday. Swamy's lawyers had sought an urgent hearing on his medical bail plea which the Bombay HC was set to hear on Monday.

A tribal rights activist, he worked for over 5 decades in Jharkhand, fighting for the rights of the Adivasi community. He was jailed for seven months, booked for alleged criminal conspiracy and sedition, and under the UAPA by NIA in the Bhima Koregaon case.

Swamy who suffered from hearing loss, Parkinson’s disease, lumbar spondylosis, also tested positive for Covid in May. Since then, his condition had deteriorated. On June 17, taking note of “serious medical issues” HC had extended his stay at the hospital till 5 July.

Several activists, journalists, and other eminent figures from across the country expressed solidarity and condolences on the death of Swamy. Meanwhile, the right-wing trolls on social media platforms mocked those expressing condolences and abused Swamy for his alleged involvement in the case that was still being probed.

Some of the trolls went on to label Swamy as “anti-national” and “traitor” and in a way celebrated the death of the Human Rights champion.

Here are some of the tweets:

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Lucknow (PTI): The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered a probe by the special task force (STF) into alleged irregularities in the rejoining of a teacher at City Intermediate College in Barabanki, observing that the reinstatement appeared to be prima facie illegal.

The court also directed the recovery of the salary paid to the teacher during the disputed period.

A bench of Justice Rajeev Singh passed the order on a petition filed by the college management committee. The court expressed doubts over the roles of the District Inspector of Schools (DIOS), Barabanki, the college principal and the teacher concerned and hence, directed a detailed inquiry into the matter.

Taking note of alleged manipulation of records and misleading submissions, the court ordered the immediate transfer of the Barabanki DIOS to ensure a fair probe. It also directed the initiation of disciplinary proceedings against the then joint director of education of the Ayodhya division.

In its order, the court found that the teacher, Abhay Kumar, was initially appointed as an assistant teacher in 2018 but joined an Eklavya Model Residential School in Chhattisgarh as a lecturer in June 2024 without obtaining permission from the management. His subsequent request to retain the lien was rejected.

Despite this, he was allowed to rejoin the Barabanki College in September 2025 on the directions of the joint director of education and the DIOS, and was even paid the salary for October 2025. The court termed the rejoining "wholly illegal" and lacking any legal basis.

The bench also expressed concern over lapses in communication within the education department and directed the Uttar Pradesh chief secretary to ensure that official orders are communicated through email and WhatsApp as well, to prevent disputes.

The matter is next listed for hearing on May 28 when a compliance report is sought.

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