Swiss couple chased and thrashed in Agra, Sushma Swaraj intervenes

News Network
October 26, 2017

Lucknow, Oct 26: In what might prove to be a major embarrassment for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during his Agra visit on Thursday, a group of youngsters in Fatehpur Sikri harassed and chased a Swiss couple and left them severely injured with a broken skull, a fractured arm and a hearing impairment.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday reacted to the incident and has asked for a report from the UP government. Swaraj tweeted: “I have asked for a report from the State Government. My officers will reach them in the hospital.”

Officials have said that they have identified some of the men involved in the incident, however, no arrests has been made so far.

The incident took place on Sunday afternoon when Quentin Jeremy (24) and his girlfriend Marie (24) were roaming at the Fatehpur Sikri complex and a group of youngsters first approached the couple and asked for selfies with Marie. They then started following the couple and forcibly clicked pictures.

The couple had been touring in India since September 30 and was in Agra for two nights before they decided to visit Fatehpur Sikri on Sunday.

Quentin, who is now undergoing treatment at a hospital in New Delhi, said, “I was with my girlfriend in Fatehpur Sikri, when a group of young boys started following us and started taking our pictures, even after my objection. They followed us for almost an hour.”

They soon started harassing the couple and after a while started thrashing Quentin with sticks. He said, “They started hitting me on my head with a stick and kept doing so until I fell down. My girlfriend rushed to help me and raised an alarm. They didn’t even spare her.”

“When my girlfriend raised an alarm, people gathered around us, but by then me and my girlfriend had sustained injuries,” said Quentin, who has suffered a skull fracture. Doctors say he has also developed a clot in his brain suffered a hearing impairment after a blow landed on his ear. His girlfriend Marie has a broken arm.

What is even more shocking is that the couple has alleged that there were bystanders who were taking pictures and shooting videos while they were lying injured on the ground.

According to local police officials, the Swiss couple was initially taken to a community health centre, but was later taken to Agra. They were later shifted to Apollo Hospital in Delhi.

Achnera Circle Officer Satyan Singh said, “Although the injured Swiss couple did not file a police complaint, a non-cognizable report (NCR) has been filed against four unknown persons and culprits will be arrested soon.”

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News Network
February 11,2020

New Delhi, Feb 11: As the counting of votes for the Delhi Assembly polls began, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday raised doubts on EVMs, alleging that no machine having a chip is tamper-proof.

He called upon the Election Commission and the Supreme Court to take a fresh look at the use of EVMs in the country.

"No machine (which) has a chip is tamper-proof. Also please do for a moment think, why no developed country uses EVM," Singh said in a tweet.

"Would CEC and Hon Supreme Court please have a fresh look on EVM voting in India? We are the largest democracy in the world, we can't allow some unscrupulous people to hack results and steal the mandate of 1.3 billion people.

"If they match the votes in the counting unit. Declare the result. If they don't match then count the ballots of all polling booths in the assembly. It would convince everyone and save time also as this has been the consistent argument of CEC in favour of EVM," the Congress leader said.

Polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly polls was held on Saturday.

The Election Commission on Sunday announced that the final voter turnout was 62.59 per cent, five per cent less than 2015.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 27,2020

Ayodhya, Jul 27: With days to go for the August 5 "bhoomi pujan" ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, the mosques adjacent to the demolished Babri Masjid premises are spreading the message of a peaceful coexistence of Hindus and Muslims.

There are eight mosques and two mausoleums located close to the 70-acre Babri Masjid premises mandated by the Supreme Court for a temple of Sri Ram.

Azaan and namaaz are offered in the mosques and the annual "Urs" is held at the mausoleums without any objection from the local Hindus.

The eight mosques located near the upcoming Ram temple premises are Masjid Dorahikuan, Masjid Mali Mandir ke Bagal, Masjid Kaziyana Achchan ke Bagal, Masjid Imambara, Masjid Riyaz ke Bagal, Masjid Badar Paanjitola, Masjid Madaar Shah and Masjid Tehribazar Jogiyon ki.

The two mausoleums are Khanqaahe Muzaffariya and Imambara.

"It is the greatness of Ayodhya that the mosques surrounding the Ram temple are giving a strong message of communal harmony to the rest of the world," Haji Asad Ahmad, the corporator of the Ram Kot ward, said. The Ram temple area is situated in Ahmad's ward.

"Muslims take out the 'juloos' of Barawafaat that goes through the periphery of Ram Janmabhoomi. All religious functions and rituals of Muslims are respected by their fellow citizens," the corporator said.

Asked for a comment on the presence of mosques near the upcoming Ram temple premises, the chief priest of the temple, Acharya Satyendra Das, said, "We had a dispute only with the structure that was connected to the name of (Mughal emperor) Babur. We have never had any issue with the other mosques and mausoleums in Ayodhya. This is a town where Hindus and Muslims live in peace."

"Muslims offer namaaz, we perform our puja. The mosques around us will strengthen Ayodhya's communal harmony and peace will prevail," he added.

Both Hindus and Muslims have accepted the Supreme Court verdict over Ram Janmabhoomi, Das said, adding, "We have no dispute with each other."

Sayyad Akhlaq Ahmad Latifi, the "sajjada nasheen" and "pir" of the 500-year-old Khanqaahe Muzaffariya mausoleum, said Muslims in Ayodhya are performing all religious practices freely.

"We offer prayers five times a day in the mosque at Khanqaah and hold the yearly 'Urs'," he added.

"What a scene would it be -- a grand Ram temple surrounded by small mosques and mausoleums and everyone offering prayers according to their beliefs. That will be representative of the true culture of India," Mahant Yugal Kishore Sharan Shastri, the chief priest of the Sarayu Kunj temple adjacent to the Ram Janmabhoomi premises, said.

Reacting to the presence of mosques and mausoleums near the Ram Janmabhoomi premises, Triloki Nath Pandey, the decree holder of the land as the "first friend of Ram Lalla" as mandated by the Supreme Court, said, "We do not have any objection to either those mosques or any other mosques. We will not trigger a dispute regarding any structure, Ayodhya must live in peace and communal harmony."

Mahant Raju Das, the priest of the Hanumangarhi temple, said, "The presence of the mosques tells the story of Ayodhya's communal harmony. A Ram mandir will be built and there will be no objection to the mosques or religious practices of Muslims."

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News Network
February 21,2020

New Delhi, Feb 21: Global terror financing watchdog FATF on Friday decided continuation of Pakistan in the "Grey List" and warned the country that stern action will be taken if it fails to check flow of money to terror groups like the LeT and the JeM, sources said.

The decision has been taken at the Financial Action Task Force's plenary in Paris.

The FATF decided to continue Pakistani in the "Grey List". The FATF also warned Pakistan that if it doesn't complete a full action plan by June, it could lead to consequences on its businesses, a source said.

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