Over 2,500 Arrested In Assam Crackdown On Child Marriage

As the total number of arrests in the continued drive against child marriage in Assam reached 2,528 on Tuesday amid protests by affected women outside transit camps, the DGP said the biggest challenge for the force now is filing charge sheets within the stipulated timeframe.

The police during the day arrested 87 more people in the crackdown, which started on Friday.

"Crackdown continues. Total arrest so far - 2528," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in a tweet.

Protests against the arrests by women activists were reported during the day from Matia in Goalpara district and Silchar in Cachar district.

They protested before a transit camp in Matia and a stadium in Silchar, which were converted to temporary jails to accommodate those arrested in child marriage cases. Four of the protestors were arrested in Silchar and released on personal bond, police said.

The Director General of Police (DGP) G P Singh said that the biggest challenge for the police is now to file charge sheets within a 60 to 90 days period.

Singh said that the police did not aim to harass anybody but its role was to stop child marriage completely in the state by the next two to three years.

"We have registered 4,074 cases and over 2,500 people have been arrested till this morning. All the accused in these cases have been identified and they will be arrested and charge sheets filed against them," Singh told PTI.

On the 65 accused people already securing bail, the DGP said the focus is on ensuring that charge sheets are filed within the stipulated time frame.

"Bail is okay. To me, it is not important who stays in jail for how long. It is important that they have to be charge-sheeted and they face the music of law," he asserted.

Chairperson of Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) Sunita Changkakoti told PTI that the crackdown was a much-awaited move and it will send a strong message to the society against this menace.

"We have been campaigning against child marriage for long and hold regular district review meetings in which we involve all stakeholders, including government departments like the health and education and NGOs. A concerted effort by all sections of society can help in ending the problem," she said.

The Assam police had launched the crackdown on child marriage on Friday with over 2,000 people, including Hindu and Muslim priests who officiated these weddings, arrested within the first two days.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier asserted that the drive will continue till the 2026 Assembly election.

Justifying the crackdown, Sarma had pointed out that teenage pregnancy accounted for nearly 17 per cent of over 6.2 lakh pregnant women last year in the state.

The opposition parties have criticised the manner in which it is being carried out, terming the arrests of teenage husbands and family members as "abuse of law" for political gain and equating the police action with "terrorising people".

State Congress president Bhupen Bora had said a humane approach was needed in dealing with the issue.

The AIUDF had claimed that the state government was cracking down on child marriage under provisions of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) "without framing the requisite rules".

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi had said that the Assam government should have concentrated on increasing literacy levels if it was actually seized of the problem of child marriage.

The state cabinet had recently approved a proposal to book men who have married girls below 14 years of age under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO).

Cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 will be registered against those who have married girls in the age group of 14-18 years, the cabinet had decided.

The offenders will be arrested and the marriages declared illegal.

Assam has a high rate of maternal and infant mortality, with child marriage being the primary cause as an average of 31 per cent of marriages registered in the state are in the prohibited age, according to reports of the National Family Health Survey.

Of the 4,004 cases of child marriage registered recently, the highest was reported in Dhubri (370), followed by Hojai (255), Udalguri (235), Morigaon (224) and Kokrajhar (204).

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Comedian Shares How She Was Mistaken For PV Sindhu, Internet Reacts

Crossing path with people who bear an uncanny resemblance to popular personalities is not rare. In such scenarios, people usually get excited and sometimes forget that the person is not actually a celebrity. This is what happened with a stand-up comedian recently. 

Abby Govindan, a 25-year-old stand-up comedian and writer based in the United States, was approached by a man at an airport in India. Taking to Twitter, Ms Govindan shared how the man asked for a picture with her and how she got all excited to be recognised. However, her excitement came crashing down when she realised the man had mistaken her for badminton star PV Sindhu. 

"Guy at the airport in India asked for a picture with me and I was so excited to be recognized until he said "I'm a huge badminton fan" and I realized he thinks I'm PV Sindhu," the 25-year-old wrote on Twitter. 

Take a look below: 

guy at the airport in India asked for a picture with me and I was so excited to be recognized until he said “I'm a huge badminton fan” and I realized he thinks I'm PV Sindhu

— abby govindan (@abbygov) February 6, 2023

Ms Govindan posted the tweet on Monday, and since then it has accumulated more than 1,600 likes and over 170,000 views. 

In the comment section, one user jokingly wrote, "She's like a foot taller than you, how did he mess that up so bad?" To this, the comedian replied, "She is 2 inches taller". 

Also Read | AI-Generated Baby Portraits Of 'Shark Tank' Judges Go Viral, Anupam Mittal Responds

Another user said, "Ngl (Not going to lie) you do look a tiny bit like her". A third hilariously commented, "At least he didn't say."I'm a huge tennis fan," and call you Sindhu." 

"This is hilarious bye," added fourth. "I'm cracking up," wrote fifth.

Meanwhile, in a similar incident last year, a hilarious video of a doppelganger of Ashneer Grover caught the attention of social media users. In the video, a man was seen energetically chanting and clapping. He was also seen wearing similar glasses to that of the former Shark Tank India judge. The clip drew many reactions on social media including one from Mr Grover himself. 
 

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'वेलेंटाइन डे मनाने के लिए मेरी मदद करो', फैन के सवाल पर दिनेश कार्तिक ने दिया Weird जवाब

दिनेश कार्तिक सोशल मीडिया पर काफी एक्टिव रहते हैं. वह अक्सर सोशल मीडिया पर फैन के सवाल का जवाब देते है. एक शख्स ने दिनेश से ऐसा अजीबोगरीब सवाल पूछा कि कार्तिक भी जवाब देने में नहीं हिचकिचाए. उन्होंने फैन के सवाल पर अजीबोग़रीब जवाब दिया.

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ZIM vs WI : अंग्रेजों ने बेइज्‍जत कर भगाया! जिम्‍बाब्‍वे लौटकर जड़ा सैकड़ा...2 देशों के लिए शतक ठोककर रच दिया इतिहास

वेस्‍टइंडीज की टीम ने जिम्‍बाब्‍वे दौरे (Zimbabwe vs West Indies) के दौरान पहले बैटिंग करते हुए छह विकेट के नुकसान पर 447 रनों पर अपनी पारी घोषित की. जिम्‍बाब्‍वे की टीम पहली पारी के दौरान 379 रनों पर ही ऑलआउट हो गई.

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Netflix To Make A Film On Prince Andrew's Explosive 2019 Interview, Reveals Cast

In 2019, BBC's explosive interview with Queen Elizabeth II's son Prince Andrew wherein he talked about his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, made headlines around the world. The interview is widely credited as being the final nail in the coffin of Prince Andrew's public role. 

Cut to 2023, Netflix has started production on 'Scoop'-a new movie based on the infamous interview, which provides a behind-the-scenes account behind the drama. The film is adapted from McAlister's book 'Scoops: Behind The Scenes of the BBC's Most Shocking Interviews', which shares details of what actually happened behind the scenes of the interview. 

Now, Netflix has revealed that it has cast Gillian Anderson to play former BBC news anchor Emily Maitlis, who conducted the infamous exchange. The actress is best known for her roles in the TV series The X-Files, The Fall and Sex Education. 

Meanwhile, Rufus Sewell has been cast as the disgraced royal, Billie Piper as TV producer Sam McAlister, who negotiated and secured the interview, and Keeley Hawes as Andrew's former private secretary Amanda Thirsk, Variety reported. Emmy and BAFTA winner Philip Martin is set to direct the project. 

In a tweet, Netflix UK and Ireland shared the update and wrote, ''Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piper and Rufus Sewell will star in SCOOP - a film based on Sam McAlister's memoir giving the inside account of Newsnight's bombshell interview with Prince Andrew.''  

See the tweet here:

Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piper and Rufus Sewell will star in SCOOP – a film based on Sam McAlister's memoir giving the inside account of Newsnight's bombshell interview with Prince Andrew. pic.twitter.com/OibWwtrTio

— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) February 7, 2023

Netflix said the film will give viewers the "inside track" on how Price Andrew came to be grilled by presenter Emily Maitlis over his relationship with late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in November 2019. In the same interview, he was also asked questions about Virginia Giufffre's claims that she was forced to have sex with him under the orders of Jeffrey Epstein. He strongly denied the claims throughout the interview. However, Prince Andrew infamously claimed that he had remained friends with Epstein, even after he had been released from prison. 

Following the interview, the Duke stepped down from public life and was stripped of many of his patronages and roles. 

"The inside track of the women that broke through the Buckingham Palace establishment to secure the scoop of the decade that led to the catastrophic fall from grace of The Queen's 'Favourite son. From navigating Palace vetoes to breaking through to Prince Andrew's inner circle, the high stakes negotiations and intensity of rehearsal - to the jaw-dropping interview itself.,' reads the film's logline, according to Hollywood Reporter.  

No set release date has been given for 'Scoop' yet, and the film is currently in production. 

Philip Martin, who directs Scoop, said in a statement, "Uptempo, immersive and cinematic, I want to put the audience inside the breathtaking sequence of events that led to the interview with Prince Andrew - to tell a story about a search for answers, in a world of speculation and varying recollections. It's a film about power, privilege and differing perspectives and how - whether in glittering palaces or hi-tech newsrooms - we judge what's true.'' 

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Jharkhand Woman, Differently Abled Daughter Killed In Fire At Home

A septuagenarian woman and her 35-year-old daughter were charred to death in a fire that broke out in their house in Khunti district on Tuesday, a police officer said.

The victims were identified as Susana Kashyap,75, and her physically challenged daughter Pushpa Kashyap of Amritpur Mohalla, about 40 km from Ranchi, after the fire-fighters doused the fire.

Short-circuit was stated to be the cause of the fire. The old woman and her daughter were trapped inside their house in the fire.

"We came to know about their death only when the fire-brigade personnel retrieved the bodies after they doused the flames," local residents said.

They said the daughter was handicapped and speech impaired, so she could not even scream for help.

Officer-In-Charge of Khunti police station Inspector Pintu Kumar told PTI that police is investigating the incident from all angles including the possibility of a conspiracy behind it.

However, he said, police did not find any clue of conspiracy after interrogating the victims relatives and local residents.

Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered based on the statements of the relatives.

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"Pervez Musharraf Was An Old Friend Of The Chinese. He Made...": China

China on Monday said it is ready to work with Pakistan to carry forward their "iron-clad friendship" and further deepen the bilateral all-weather strategic cooperative partnership.

Condoling the death of Pakistan's former president Gen Pervez Musharraf, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning described the former dictator as "an old friend" of the Chinese people.

Musharraf, Pakistan's last military ruler, died on Sunday in Dubai after a prolonged illness. The 79-year-old retired general, was living in the UAE since 2016 on self-exile.

"Former President Musharraf was an old friend of the Chinese people. He made important contribution to China-Pakistan relations. We deeply mourn the passing of Mr Musharraf and extend our sincere sympathies to his family," Mao said in response to a question at a regular Chinese foreign ministry briefing.

"China stands ready to work with Pakistan to carry forward our iron-clad friendship, deepen the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership, and advance the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era," she added.

Chinese and Pakistani leaders often describe the bilateral ties as "iron-clad" and "all-weather".

Pakistan considers China as one of its closest friends and partner and China considers Pakistan as its "Iron Brother", Pakistan's embassy in Beijing says on its website.

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How Much Elite Units Spend To Protect VIPs Explained: 10 Points

1. As per the demands for grant sanctioned by the Finance Ministry, the budget of the Special Protection Group (SPG), which is responsible for the Prime Minister's security, has increased by 12.3 per cent.
2. In the previous fiscal, Rs 385.95 crore was allocated. This time, Rs 433.59 has been allocated. This means the cost for the SPG's wide array of tasks comes to approximately Rs 1.18 crore a day, an officer said, asking not to be identified.
3. The budget for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) has increased by 8.2 per cent from Rs 90,870 crore in the previous fiscal to Rs 94,665.03 crore.
4. The budget for the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which provides security to the maximum number of people compared to other units of the CAPFs, however, has been reduced by Rs 276 crore.
5. The CRPF has been allocated Rs 31,772.23 crore this fiscal, while it got Rs 31,495.88 crore in the last fiscal's budget. Currently, the CRPF provides security to 129 people, of which 21 are Z-plus and 26 are of Z category.
6. "There are 247 battalions in the CRPF, of which six battalions are dedicated for VIP security. We got about Rs 772 crore sectioned for duties related to VIPs," a senior CRPF officer told NDTV, asking not to be named.
7. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, for example, gets Z-plus security cover from the CRPF, which involves 30-40 personnel guarding him 24x7.
8. "On an average, about Rs 50 lakh is being spent to protect him, which means about Rs 1.5 lakh daily," the officer told NDTV.
9. According to Home Ministry data, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) protects the maximum number of VIPs. It provides security to 144 people, of which 9 are VIPs in Z-plus category and 11 in Z category.
10. Data shows the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the National Security Guards (NSG) provide Z-plus and Z category security to some 70 people.

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बिना 1 भी टेस्ट खेले बनाया वर्ल्ड रिकॉर्ड, नागपुर में मैदान पर उतरा तो समझो ऑस्ट्रेलिया की शामत!

टीम इंडिया के नियमित विकेटकीपर ऋषभ पंत कार एक्सीडेंट में बुरी तरह से घायल होने की वजह से सीरीज में नहीं खेल रहे हैं. चयनकर्ताओं ने ईशान किशन और केएस भरत को ऑस्ट्रेलिया के खिलाफ चुना है.

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मियांदाद मुंह खोलने से पहले 100 बार करेंगे तौबा! पूर्व भारतीय गेंदबाज ने कंबल में लपेटकर मारा जूता

भारत और पाकिस्तान की टीमों के बीच आईसीसी और एसीसी के टूर्नामेंट में ही मुकाबले खेले जाते हैं. एशिया कप की मेजबानी हासिल करने के बाद पाकिस्तान को उम्मीद थी कि भारत उसके घर खेलने जाएगा जिससे उसे मोटी कमाई होगी.

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Will Fight Till Last Breath To Protect Constitution: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday that she will fight till her last breath to protect the Constitution.

Speaking at the fourth convocation of St Xavier's University, where she was conferred an honorary DLitt, Ms Banerjee said everyone should work to protect the unity of this country.

"To protect our constitution, which lays the foundation of India as a secular democratic country, I will fight till my last breath. Let us fight hunger, let us fight poverty, let us fight injustice and inequality," she said.

St Xavier's University's Vice-Chancellor Father Felix Raj said Ms Banerjee was honoured for her contribution to the field of social services and the spread of education.

She was handed the citation of DLitt (Doctor of Letters) in presence of Governor CV Ananda Bose at a function held at the varsity's New Town campus.

Accepting the citation, Ms Banerjee said she was dedicating it to the people of the state, and of the country, "without whom I am nobody".

"I am what I am because of the common man," she added.

She announced that the state government will set up a chair at the private university in the name of Mother Teresa.

"It will contribute to spreading her sacrifice, her mission, her work towards peace and brotherhood and her values across the world through academic activities," the chief minister said.

Addressing the students, she said, "Never feel depressed and never think negatively." Mamata Banerjee said over 50 colleges and several universities have been built during her tenure in the state.

The governor said the chief minister "truly deserved" the honorary DLitt because of her long social life and various other activities for public services.

"For her political acumen she already got the recognition from the people," Bose said.

"Banerjee got the honour for her contribution in the field of painting, literature and social service," he added.

In January 2018, the state-run Calcutta University conferred an honorary DLitt on the chief minister in recognition of her social service.

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VIDEO: आर अश्विन और नाथन लियॉन की बहस में साउथ अफ्रीका के दो खिलाड़ी आए आमने-सामने! जानें कौन है बेस्ट

टीम इंडिया 4 टेस्ट की सीरीज में ऑस्ट्रेलिया को टक्कर देने के लिए तैयार है. टीम इंडिया के अनुभवी स्पिनर आर अश्विन का खौफ ऑस्ट्रेलिया से लेकर साउथ अफ्रीका तक फैला हुआ है. साउथ अफ्रीका के दो खिलाड़ी बस में नॉथन लियॉन और अश्विन को लेकर बहस करते नजर आ रहे हैं.

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BJP MLA Joins Trinamool, Sparks Off Debate On Anti-Defection Law

Another BJP MLA has switched sides in Bengal and joined the state's ruling Trinamool Congress. Suman Kanjilal is the sixth BJP MLA to do so after the 2021 assembly elections. The BJP now has 69 MLAs in Bengal, down from the 77 seats it won in the 2021 elections, which the Trinamool swept.

Mr Kanjilal, MLA from Alipurduar in north Bengal, joined Trinamool today after meeting the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee in Kolkata. North Bengal is one of the areas of the state where the BJP has made inroads and poses a tough challenge to the ruling party.

The Trinamool Congress tweeted: "Rejecting the anti-people policies & hate-laden agenda of @BJP4India, Shri Suman Kanjilal joined the AITC family today, in the presence of our National General Secretary Shri @abhishekaitc. Yet another @BJP4Bengal MLA realises the truth that BJP has no intention to serve people!"

"Are you scared of the 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution (anti-defection law)? Not handing over TMC flag? Because, inside Vidhan Sabha, as in the case of Mukul Roy, TMC Owner labelled him as BJP; Suman Kanjilal would also claim that he belongs to the BJP Legislative Party," shot back BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, who is also the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal, on Twitter.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh weighed in: "Before tweeting this to public, please go home first, and tell this theory of anti-defection law to your father and brother. Also accept the fact that MLAs of BJP have no trust on BJP and LOP. This is failure of opportunist betrayer Suvendu Adhikari also."

Before tweeting this to public, please go home first, and tell this theory of anti defection law to your father and brother. Also accept the fact that MLAs of BJP have no trust on BJP and LOP. This is failure of opportunist betrayer Suvendu Adhikari also. https://t.co/CNOE4SRNKc

— Kunal Ghosh (@KunalGhoshAgain) February 5, 2023

Suvendu Adhikari's father and brother are Trinamool MPs who lean towards the BJP but have not quit their seats. On several occasions, they have defied party whips.

The Trinamool Congress has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, asking him to disqualify Sisir Adhikari, Suvendu Adhikari's father and the MP from Kanthi. But the Speaker has not taken action so far.

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Adani Row: Congress To Hold Nationwide Protests Tomorrow

Amid the ongoing Hindenburg-Adani row, the Congress will launch protests from the Parliament to the streets on Monday.

The party has decided to hold countrywide protests in front of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) offices and State Bank of India (SBI) branches.

In Delhi, the demonstration will be held by NSUI-Youth Congress outside the SBI office and LIC office located at Parliament police station.

Congress leaders across the country will protest outside the SBI office and LIC office, in which big leaders of the states will participate.

Congress MPs will protest near the Gandhi statue in Parliament House on Monday.

Although the Congress is getting the support of other Opposition parties on the Adani issue, it has to be seen whether the parties such as the Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Aam Aadmi Party and Trinamool Congress, which are seen together in the meetings, will join the Congress demonstration or extend moral support.

However, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Janata Dal (Secular) have kept their distance from the Congress on this issue.

It is being argued by the Opposition that the investment of the Adani group in public sector banks such as the SBI and LIC has had a big impact on the savings of the middle class.

Opposition MPs said the government was not allowing the issue to be discussed in Parliament. After the uproar in Parliament, the proceedings of both Houses of Parliament were adjourned till February 6.

Earlier on Friday, the Congress and 16 opposition parties demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) or Supreme Court-monitored probe into the Hindunberg report against the Adani Group, alleging a scam.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had said that keeping in mind the public interest, the party wants an inquiry. There should also be daily reporting of the investigation on this issue, he said.

A report by a US-based Hindenburg Research surfaced on January 24, claiming that the Adani Group had weak business fundamentals, and was involved in stock manipulation and accounting fraud, among others.

The report triggered a sell-off of shares of all Adani Group companies.

Adani Group has dismissed the charges as lies, saying it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements.

Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.
 

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Man Kills Wife, 2 Children, Later Dies By Suicide: Uttar Pradesh Cops

A 42-year-old man died by suicide after murdering his wife and two kids in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, police said today.

The murder-suicide took place in Devkali village under the Gola police station limits, and the victims were identified by police as Indra Kumar Maurya, his wife Sushila (38), daughter Chandni (10) and son Aryan (8).

Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Grover said local people alerted police on noticing smoke coming out of the house.

"We found a partially burnt man's body, a woman's body and two bodies of children. The bodies of the woman and the children had cut marks on their necks and abdomens," he said.

According to police, Maurya was a habitual drinker and gambler. He also owed money to a lot of people, they suggested.

A forensic team inspected the crime spot and sent the bodies for post-mortem examination, the officer said, adding, "It seems that Indra Kumar first killed his wife and children and later, set himself on fire. The matter is being investigated."

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