Mumbai teenager leaves red-light zone for US degree

August 5, 2013

Mumbai_teenagerMumbai, Aug 5: A young Indian woman who grew up in Mumbai's red-light district facing poverty and sexual abuse has overcome the odds to win a scholarship to study in New York.

Shweta Katti, 18, left for America on Thursday to study at the liberal arts Bard College, where she hopes to read psychology. Afterwards she wants to return to India and help other young women in her community.

"It's my childhood dream. I didn't think it would finally happen," she told AFP before leaving Mumbai, where she grew up in a brothel.

Katti's determination won her a place this year in Newsweek's list of 25 " Young Women To Watch" aged under-25, alongside Pakistani schoolgirl and activist Malala Yousufzai who was shot in the head by the Taliban.

It is a long way from Katti's early childhood experiences of abuse and harassment in Mumbai's notorious Kamathipura neighbourhood.

"You would see everyday someone beating up a woman, the police coming unexpectedly at anytime, and women selling their bodies — they were not happy," Katti said.

"Men would ask to sleep with me, it was so embarrassing, but I had to face it. My father abused me, many people abused me, but my mum was with me always saying: 'You are the best, you can do anything'."

The teenager, who describes herself as "a tough-skinned girl", said she faced discrimination "from all sides" at school because of her poor background and low caste status.

She credits her mother, a factory worker, as her "inspiration" and says the local charity Kranti — meaning "revolution" in Hindi — also played a vital role in helping her achieve her dreams.

The group's aim is to empower girls from Mumbai's red-light areas "to become agents of social change", and a small group of them live at Kranti's north Mumbai apartment, where Katti moved two years ago.

Here she was able to work on her English language skills and experience therapy, which sparked her interest in psychology.

"I really think it can change somebody. I started thinking openly and respecting my background and myself," she said.

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News Network
July 5,2020

Bhubaneswar, Jul 5: Odisha Police have arrested five persons including groom for gross negligence and violation of COVID-19 guidelines during his marriage procession in Berhampur.

"A case has been registered for violation of COVID-19 guidelines for organising a marriage procession with more than 50 guests in the premises of a hotel. They disregarded the compulsory use of mask and flouted social distancing norms," DIG Central Zone Satyabrata Bhoi said.

The incident happened on July 2.
"The case has been registered at Gopalpur PS under section 188/269/270 IPC, R/W Sec- 3 Epidemic Disease Act, and 34 IPC. Two vehicles used in the procession have also been seized. the arrested persons will be produced in the court," he added.

The District Collector has sealed the hotel for violating the COVID-19 norms.

Following the incident, the Chief Minister's office tweeted: "Odisha is in a crucial phase in the fight against COVID-19, hence, it is very essential that we all obey guidelines and regulations issued by State Government to contain the spread of COVID-19. Violation of the same would lead to strong action." 

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Agencies
May 24,2020

Kanpur, May 24: Three persons onboard separate Shramik Special trains lost their lives due to various ailment, officials said here on Saturday.

"Family members of the deceased said all were suffering from serious ailment. The travel history of all the three deceased passengers was taken, Kanpur District Magistrate Brahma Deo Ram Tiwari said.

Giving details about the deceased, he said Naichinalyu Disang (23), a resident of Nagaland, was going from Delhi to Dimapur.

"She was suffering from liver ailments," Tiwari said. As she coughed and vomited in the train, other passengers got terrified, he added.

The district magistrate said the body reached Kanpur Central Station at around 10.00 am.

Sample has been taken to check for the presence of novel coronavirus. She was working at a spa in Himachal Pradesh, he said.

Tiwari said Rajendra Prasad (50), a resident of Unnao, died on the Lucknow-bound special train from Andhra Pradesh.

Munni Devi (80), a resident of Siwan district in Bihar, died onboard the special train going from Surat to Siwan, the senior official informed.

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Agencies
May 24,2020

Bijnor, May 24: A man died after he was attacked by his cousins, allegedly for not getting tested for the Coronavirus after his return from Delhi.

The incident took place in Malakpur village in Bijnor district.

Manjeet Singh (23) died on Friday during treatment in Meerut.

A FIR has now been registered against Manjeet's cousins, Kapil and Manoj, their mother Puniya and Manoj's wife Dolly at the Nahtaur police station on a complaint filed by the father of the deceased Kalyan Singh on Sunday.
SHO, Nahtaur police station, Satya Prakash Singh said that no arrests have been made yet.

According to reports, Manjeet died due to head injuries.
His sample was not collected for a Coronavirus test by doctors during treatment.
Additional SP, Bijnor, Sanjay Kumar said, he underwent thermal screening when he reached Bijnor on May 19 from Delhi. The report was negative so his sample was not collected.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performs 'rudrabhishek' for safety from COVID-19
SHO Satya Prakash Singh said, "Since his return, Kapil and Manoj were regularly asking Manjeet to get his test done. On Thursday, the cousins again asked Manjeet to get his test done after which an argument ensued between them."

"The accused brought sticks and started hitting Manjeet. He suffered injuries on the head and shoulder. When Manjeet fell unconscious, he was rushed to government hospital by his parents where he succumbed to injuries a day later," said Singh.

Chief Medical Officer, Bijnor, Dr Vijay Yadav said he has "no information" about the matter.

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