"Murderous Attack On Probe Agency Officials": BJP Targets Mamata Banerjee

The BJP on Friday came down heavily on the Trinamool Congress over the attack on Enforcement Directorate officials in West Bengal, saying the continuance of the party's government under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is a threat to national security.

The BJP also demanded Ms Banerjee's resignation and an apology to the people as well as to the probe agency official who sustained serious injuries in the attack.

The party's reaction came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers were assaulted and their vehicles damaged allegedly by supporters of TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan when they tried to raid his residence in North 24 Parganas district this morning in connection with a probe into the ration distribution scam.

According to officials, the ED officers left their damaged vehicles and had to move out of Sandeskhali in auto rickshaws and two-wheelers. At least two of the officers suffered serious injuries and were taken to a hospital.

Reacting sharply to the incident, BJP co-incharge for political affairs in West Bengal Amit Malviya wrote on X, "This is how lawless Bengal is." "Continuance of the TMC government in West Bengal is a national security threat,” he said.

Mr Malviya said the team of ED and accompanying media was attacked when it raided the premises of block-level TMC leaders Shahjahan and Shankar Adhya. State food minister Jyoti Priya Mallick has already been arrested in connection with the scam.

Hundreds of men and women gathered at the spot shouting slogans and attacked the officials, the BJP leader said, adding "Shahjahan Sheikh, in particular, is close to Abhishek Banerjee, nephew of CM Mamata Banerjee, who is also the Home Minister of Bengal."

"It is likely that several of those who came out to attack the probe agency officials are illegal migrants, who have been patronised by the local TMC leaders, to serve as their vote bank," Mr Malviya added.

Addressing a press conference at party headquarters here, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi demanded Ms Banerjee's resignation.

"TMC goons have made a murderous attack on the ED officials who had gone there to carry out investigations. It is said that Rohigiyas, illegal infiltrators, have done this," he said, alleging "jungle raj" in the state.

"Police refused to speak to the ED officials when they called for help on being attacked by the TMC goons. Imagine how worrisome it is... Law and order in West Bengal has completely collapsed," he said.

"Mamata Banerjee doesn't have the right to remain in her post. She must resign. She should apologise to the people and the ED officials who were injured in the incident," he added.

Mr Trivedi said lawlessness, goondaism and anarchy have reached their peak in West Bengal, and there is no democracy left in the state.

"When Mamata Banerjee is standing by the goons instead of law, it won't be wrong to say that she only wants to enjoy power," he charged.

"Mamata Banerjee, if you have a misconception that your goons will beat honest officers and protectors of law, let me tell you that that you won't be able to protect them when law will take its course," Mr Trivedi said.

The central government "very firmly crushes anarchic elements" within the limits of law. That will happen (in this case also)", he added.

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High Court Reduces Jail Term Of Man Convicted For 'Digital Rape' Of Minor

The Delhi High Court on Friday reduced to 12 years the 20-year jail term awarded to a man convicted for the "digital rape" of a four-year-old girl in 2014.

Justice Amit Bansal said the appellant, aged 38, has a "substantial life ahead of him" as well as an ageing mother to look after, and his conduct in jail was satisfactory.

"The trial court had sentenced the appellant for 20 years of rigorous imprisonment observing that the appellant had committed 'digital rape' on a child of four years at the time of the incident," the court said.

Digital rape refers to the act of penetration by using fingers. The court upheld the conviction of the appellant under POCSO Act but added, "In my considered view, ends of justice will be met if the sentence of the appellant is reduced to 12 years. In this view of the matter, I deem it appropriate to reduce the sentence of the appellant from 20 to 12 years. The fine of Rs 15,000 awarded by the trial court is retained."

The appellant, the brother-in-law of the survivor's tutor, was awarded a 20-year jail term in 2021 under Section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Indian Penal Code along with a fine of Rs 15,000 by the trial court.

The court stated that under POCSO Act, penetrative sexual assault can occur if there is insertion, to any extent, of an object or body part of an accused into the vagina, urethra, or anus of a child and in the present case, the appellant failed to successfully rebut the "presumption" against him by leading evidence or discrediting the evidence of the prosecution.

Penetrative sexual assault qualifies as aggravated penetrative sexual assault under certain situations such as the survivor being less than 12 years of age.

The court observed that the trial court rightly held that just because the defence witness, the tuition teacher who was related to the appellant, turned hostile, the statements of the child cannot be ignored.

Absence of external injuries on the private parts as well as the hymen of the survivor being intact did not mean that she was not subjected to penetrative sexual assault, opined the court.

The court also observed that there was no straight-jacket formula under the criminal law for sentencing an accused and its objective should be to create a deterrence as well as bring a reformation.

It noted that the appellant has undergone more than nine years in prison, during which he has been working as a 'langar sahayak' and his conduct was satisfactory.

"He has not been involved in any other offence. It is also relevant to note that the appellant was a young man of around 28 years at the time of commission of the offence. As on date, he is around 38 years of age and has a substantial life ahead of him. He also has an aging mother to look after," the court said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Union Minister Proposes New Unreserved Lok Sabha Seat In Manipur After 2026

Union Minister Rajkumar Ranjan Singh has written to Home Minister Amit Shah over the delimitation exercise in Manipur which is likely to happen once the moratorium ends in 2026, if it is not postponed.

Mr Singh proposed creating a new unreserved Lok Sabha seat by combining the eight unreserved assembly seats currently under the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat, which is a Scheduled Tribes (ST) reserved constituency.

Delimitation is done to fix the boundaries of constituencies to represent changes in population.

Anticipating a likely increase in assembly seats from the existing 60 to 70, Mr Singh in the letter to the Home Minister said all efforts should be made to ensure fair distribution and creation of reserved (SC/ST) and unreserved seats.

Mr Singh's letter comes amid the ethnic tension in Manipur between the hill-majority Kuki tribes and the valley-majority Meiteis. The Union Minister's house in the state capital Imphal, too, was vandalised and set on fire by a mob in June.

Any indication of the assembly seats rising from 60 to 70 is likely to be controversial, given the claims and counter-claims between the two communities that their population has shrunk, which could mean the community with a larger, growing population may grab the additional seats.

Mr Singh represents the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency; the other MP is Lorho S Pfoze, who represents the Outer Manipur seat in the border state that sends only two MPs to the Lok Sabha.

In the letter, the Minister of State for External Affairs and Education said the comprehensive delimitation exercise for parliamentary and assembly constituencies in Manipur must be based on the latest census data, biometrics, and linked with Aadhaar for accuracy and authenticity.

He said he has informed Mr Shah that apart from relying on the latest census, a fair and unbiased approach should be taken without favouritism towards any community or ethnic group.

Mr Singh also underscored the importance of maintaining complete transparency in the delimitation process to ensure free and fair decision and conclusion.

"... The proposed recommendations would contribute to a more equitable political representation in Manipur, aligning with the great democratic principles and values of Bharat," Mr Singh said in a statement.

The Centre has decided to scrap for now the Free Movement Regime (FMR) that allows people close to the India-Myanmar border to go 16 km into each other's territory without visa.

The crisis in Manipur has been pinned on illegal immigrants from Myanmar crossing over to India over a matter of decades, and a huge network of drug traffickers fed by thousands of acres of poppy cultivation in the hills.

The Kuki tribes in the hills have strongly denied the allegations by the Meiteis, who live in the valley areas, and claimed the Meiteis dominate the state's politics and only want to grab the land of the tribes.

Over 180 have died in the violence that began on May 3 and thousands have been internally displaced. They are still living in relief camps, unable to return home - either to the valley for the Kuki tribes, or the hills for the Meiteis.

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Twinkle Khanna's Maldives Vacation Is The Best Way To Start 2024

The author and columnist, Twinkle Khanna is currently in Maldives for a birthday and New Year vacation. She jetted off to Maldives with her husband, actor Akshay Kumar, and their kids Aarav and Nitara Kumar. To offer the world a sneak peek into their wonderful vacation, Twinkle shared a special video on her Instagram handle. The fun-filled montage began with Twinkle riding a bike and accidentally bumping into a pole. The video then showcased scenes of underwater swimming. Following that, the couple was seen enjoying a party. Next, a hand was scooping a spoonful of dessert that had "congratulations" written on top. Aarav and Nitara also made appearances in the video. In her hilarious caption, Twinkle wrote, “Aside from banging my wayward bike into a pole, this was truly paradise. It has also been a holiday where taking it a step further from Jesus who turned water into wine, I have already performed my own transmogrification by turning wine into cellulite:) Now let's see if I can perform another miracle and reverse this situation. If you have any grander resolutions feel free to inspire others by throwing them in the comments below."

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On her 50th birthday, Twinkle Khanna posted another video showcasing the family of four enjoying snorkelling in the turquoise blue waters. The video also captured glimpses of a turtle and many colourful fishes. Captioning the post, Twinkle wrote, “On my 50th birthday, my eyes and heart are still filled with wonder when I look at the world around me and at my family. People may cite great philosophers, but I follow Dory from Finding Nemo, where, no matter what life brings, she says, ‘Just keep swimming.' May the adventures never cease.”

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Earlier, Twinkle Khanna shared a delightful video from her Parisian holiday, capturing glimpses of her enjoyment at various locations. In her caption, the star wrote, “To observe, we must be still. Paradoxically, it's easier to stay still when we are moving. Planes, trains, automobiles, and rambling walks compel the mind to halt its endless skipping rope workout, three jumps in the future, two in the past, getting tangled up and tripping over repeatedly. Routine is commonly described as a fixed time to do fixed things. It is an elixir to enhance productivity, and a cage. When we travel, devoid of routine, we wander, watch and wonder. What does travelling mean to you? Let me know in the comments below.” 

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Twinkle Khanna's 2024 definitely started on a chill note

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UP Police Special Task Force To Provide Security To Ayodhya Ram Temple

A special task force of the Uttar Pradesh Police will provide a comprehensive security cover to the upcoming Ram temple complex in Ayodhya, a senior government functionary said Tuesday.

The temple spread over 70 acres will be open to the public after Prime Minister Narendra Modi does the "pran pratishtha," or the consecration ceremony of the Ram Lalla idol, on January 22.

A special task force of the UP Police will secure the temple premises including the main complex, built in the traditional Nagara style, that will be 380 feet long (east-west direction), 250 feet wide and 161 feet high.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that has been guarding the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex, after the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December 1992, will gradually be withdrawn, the functionary said.

The paramilitary force had thwarted a terrorist attack that took place on July 5, 2005 at the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid with the killing of five militants.

The Supreme Court, in 2019, delivered a historic verdict settling a temple-mosque dispute that went over a century back.

The court backed the construction of the Ram temple at the disputed site, and ruled that an alternative five-acre plot must be found for building a mosque. 

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"Mandir Wahin Banne Wala...": India Great's Reply On 2024 Query Goes Viral

Former Indian cricket team fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad conducted a Q&A session on his X (formerly known as Twitter) profile on Sunday and when asked about a prediction for 2024, he made a reference to the Ram temple that is under construction in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. When a follower asked what he thinks will happen in 2024, he wrote - "Mandir wahin banne waala hai (The temple is going to be made there)". It was a reference to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22.

Mandir wahin banne waala hai. https://t.co/Yg3mgddSTn

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) December 31, 2023

Earlier, Prasad summed up the Rohit Sharma-led side bitter-sweet 2023 in international cricket. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter),

Prasad pointed out how India dominated other teams during the recently concluded World Cup on home soil, but fell at the the final hurdle, losing the cup to Australia. Prasad also rued India's defeat in the World Test Championship (WTC) final to the same opponents.

It's been more than a decade since India last won an ICC trophy, and a fan asked Prasad whether the Indian team is the "new chokers of world cricket".

While highlighting India's back-to-back Test series wins in Australia, Prasad refused to give the team the "chokers" tag. However, with India's ICC title drought extending for a further year, Prasad feels there is something wrong with Indian cricket.

"Sir Do You also Think That Team India Has become New CHOKERS of World Cricket ?? as we have Just Lost 10th Consecutive ICC Knockout in last 10 Years," the fan asked Prasad.

Prasad replied, saying: "Chokers not, we have won 2 Test series against Australia in Australia, the last one in 2020-21 after 36 all out, I consider as one of India's greatest especially with more than half first choice players missing. But there is certainly something not right about not winning any major tournament in 11 years."

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Man, 2 Daughters, Son Die By Suicide After Jumping In Front Of Train In Gujarat

A man, his two daughters and a son allegedly committed suicide on Sunday by jumping in front of a train in Botad district in Gujarat, an official said.

The incident took place at 6:30pm between Ningala and Alampur railway stations, Railway Protection Force sub inspector VS Gole said.

"As part of a suicide pact, the four jumped in front of a passenger train on its way from Bhavnagar to Gandhidham. The bodies of the man, his two daughters and a son were found along the tracks," he said.

The man, identified as Mangabhai Vijuda (42), was out on bail after getting arrested on charges of attempt to murder following a fight with a relative, as per police.

The others who died are his daughters Sonam (17) and Rekha (21) and son Jignesh (19).

They belonged to Nana Sakhpar village in the district's Gadhada taluka, he said.

The bodies have been sent for post mortem and further probe into why they took this extreme step is underway, the official said.

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