At least twelve people lost their lives in different parts of the country after they were allegedly beaten up during police’ action in public for “violating restrictions” during the first five weeks of the nationwide lockdown, which was imposed to contain the further spread of novel coronavirus, a report by a non-government organisation has said.
The study by the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), which tracked such deaths from March 25 (first day of lockdown) to April 30 based on media reports, stated that three out of these 12 deaths were suicides committed by the victims due to the humiliation and insult they faced after being beaten up brutally in public.
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According to the study, three deaths each were reported from Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Two deaths reported in Madhya Pradesh, while Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Punjab reported one death each.
Those 12 who died were identified as – Luvkush, Mohammad Rizwan, Roshan Lal from Uttar Pradesh; Bansi Kushwaha and Tibu Meda from Madhya Pradesh; Shaikh Mohammed Ghouse, Veerabhadraiah, and Peddada Srinivas Rao from Andhra Pradesh; Sagir Jamil Khan from Maharashtra; A Abdul Rahim from Tamil Nadu; Lal Swami from West Bengal and Bhupinder Singh from Punjab.
The study further stated that Bhupinder Singh, Peddada Srinivasa Rao and Roshan Lal committed suicides after feeling humiliated and insulted in public.
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Demanding an independent inquiry into the matter, Devika Prasad, CHRI’s program head (police reforms), while speaking to Hindustan Times, said, “Media reports have brought to light that people have died following alleged police action during the lockdown. There must be an independent inquiry into these deaths.”
Prasad said the CHRI believes that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will probe these serious allegations in a “fair and effective way towards accountability.” “This is yet another sign that courts and other oversight bodies need to hold police accountable for excessive force in “enforcing” the lockdown,” he said.
In two of the 12 cases reported, police personnel involved were suspended from duty and a magisterial inquiry was also ordered. These two cases are of Bansi Kushwaha (Madhya Pradesh) and Shaikh Mohammed Ghouse (Andhra Pradesh).
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As per the study, the concerned authorities have denied any police beating in the cases of deaths of Lal Swami, Mohammad Rizwan, Sagir Jamil Khan and Tibu Meda. Moreover, regarding the death of Lal Swami, who was from West Bengal, the police claimed that he died due to cardiac arrest since he was already suffering from heart ailments.
Hindustan Times reported that Kunal Aggarwal, Howrah Police commissioner, told the media that it was a case of “misreporting” by the press.
Similarly, Uttar Pradesh police also refuted the claims that the death of Mohammad Rizwan was due to police action to enforce lockdown, the said CHRI report.
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As per statement reported in the media, Alok Priyadarshi, Ambedkar Nagar’s superintendent of police, had said, “Going by the evidence collected, there was nothing to show that Rizwan was assaulted with batons.”
Regarding the death of Tibu Meda, who was a native of Madhya Pradesh, the district collector told media that he had lost his life due to a cardiac arrest after he saw a “police vehicle approaching him with blaring sirens”.
Despite such a claim, Meda’s family was given a compensation of Rs 20,000 by the state authorities, the CHRI reported.
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Meanwhile, the Maharashtra Police registered Sagir Jamil Khan’s demise as “accidental death”.
Speaking to PTI on the matter, Sangram Singh Nishandar, the deputy commissioner of police (Zone 1), had said that Sagir Jamil Khan’s medical report showed the cause of death as “heart enlargement”, and there was “no external or internal injury on the body”.
Besides these 12 deaths, three people who were held on various charges also lost their lives in police custody during the nationwide lockdown. They were from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra. In two of these three cases, the victims were in custody for crimes unrelated to lockdown.
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Meanwhile, the CHRI has sent a plea to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to initiate a thorough probe in all these 15 deaths.
Speaking on the same, Hindustan Times quoted Alok Prasanna Kumar, a senior resident fellow at Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, as saying, “The police in India continues to function with the colonial outlook of protecting the state/ regime in power from the people. Hence, the Constitution and rule of law take the backseat and the police wield their lathi at the slightest provocation. Moreover, the police is viewing the lockdown and its implementation as a law and order problem and not as a public health necessity.”
He continued, “Besides, there is also the issue of not holding them accountable. At the most, we hear about a policeman being suspended or transferred. But there is hardly any criminal prosecution against those in the police who violate the law. This also contributes to the impunity with which they function.”
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A huge update for those who were a part of COVID vaccination programs! Rare side effects of the vaccination have surfaced, questioned by numerous health experts.
The Economic Times reported that AstraZeneca, the British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company, has legally acknowledged that its product, Covishield, can cause certain rare side effects.
AstraZeneca developed Covishield, which was produced by the Serum Institute of India. In India, Covishield was one of the primary vaccines provided to citizens.
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AstraZeneca’s Statements
AstraZeneca is currently facing a lawsuit in a UK court. The lawsuit was filed after claims surfaced on the internet that AstraZeneca’s vaccine caused deaths. To date, 51 deaths have been reported, hence 51 cases have been filed against the company.
AstraZeneca finally admitted in one of the court papers that, “Covishield can, in very rare cases, cause TTS.” TTS stands for Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.
Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, a medical expert, told ANI,
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“TTS is thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, which is basically a clot in the blood vessels of the brain or elsewhere, along with a low platelet count. It is known to occur in very rare instances following certain types of vaccines and also from other causes. According to the WHO, adenovirus vector vaccines, in particular, have rarely been associated with this condition.”
TTS: About, Diagnosis, Treatment
TTS, or Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome, is a serious yet rare health condition characterized by low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia) along with the formation of blood clots (thrombosis).
Various symptoms associated with TTS include neurological deficits, shortness of breath, leg swelling, abdominal pain, and severe headaches.
TTS can be diagnosed if blood tests are conducted to assess the levels of platelets in the blood. Moreover, to detect blood clots, imaging studies are required, reported the Times of India.
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TTS can be treated with a multidisciplinary approach. It includes supportive care, anticoagulation therapy to prevent blood clotting, and hospitalization.
To manage and stabilize platelet levels in the body, plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) can also be performed.
Patients with TTS are prone to severe complications like death and organ damage. Hence, close monitoring of patients by healthcare providers is a must.
The prime suspect in the murder case of a famous Punjabi singer, Goldy Brar, is alive, reported TOI.
Goldy is the infamous Canadian gangster who was earlier rumored to be dead in an alleged incident that took place at Fairmont and Holt Avenue last Tuesday.
In the incident, one of the two individuals reportedly got gunshot wound and succumbed to injuries at the hospital. You can read our story about California shooting incident in which Goldy Brar allegedly got shot here.
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As per the US police, reports of Goldy’s disappearance were circulating all over the internet on Tuesday. However, the U.S. authorities clarified the rumors of Brar’s disappearance in a California shooting incident are untrue.
The claims were refuted by the Fresno police department and labeled them as fake. William J. Dooley, the Lieutenant, debunked online speculations and announced that the victim of the California shooting was not Goldy Brar.
William J. Dooley stated,
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“If you are inquiring because of the online chatter claiming that the shooting victim is ‘Goldy Brar’, we can confirm that this is absolutely not true.”
Who is Goldy Brar?
Goldy Brar, hailing from Muktsar Sahib, Punjab, is a close ally of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. It is anticipated that he is the mastermind behind the assassination of Sidhu Moose Wala, the Punjabi pop icon.
According to The Economic Times, in January 2024, Satinderjit Singh, also known as Goldy Brar, was designated as a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the anti-terror law, UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act).
Orders by the government-linked Goldy Brar to a listed terrorist organization under the UAPA, Babbar Khalsa International.
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Goldy Brar has never ceased to vanish from police’s eyes since he murdered Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. His father also was a Police Officer himself.
After completing his graduation and getting a BS degree, he has been operating from Canada remotely.
Last year Goldy’s statement, targetting Bollywood superstar Salman Khan next made huge media headlines.
The viral sex video case involving Prajwal Revanna, a member of the prominent Karnataka political family JDS, has created a storm in the Karnataka political scene.
The video, which involves a trail of deceit connected to a 16-acre ancestral property, has led to allegations of intimidation and blackmail, resulting in legal action and widespread dissemination of the tapes.
The central figure, now-suspended MP Prajwal Revanna, is the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
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The origins of this scandal trace back to an acrimonious land dispute within the inner echelons of H D Deve Gowda’s son, H D Revanna’s family. In 2023, a trusted lieutenant of the Revanna family, Kartik, went rogue and decided to challenge the family’s monopoly.
At the center of the controversy was a 16-acre piece of land located in the ancestral village of the Deve Gowda clan in Holenarsipura.
This land soon became a prestige issue and the bone of contention between Kartik and the Revanna family.
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Tensions escalated when Kartik, feeling marginalized, lodged a complaint in December 2023 accusing Prajwal and his mother of using coercive means to hand over the land.
This was followed by a series of revelations about clandestine activities within the Deve Gowda lineage.
It was also revealed that Kartik had access to Prajwal’s mobile phone, with which he recorded the incriminating videos.
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The scandalous videos were initially shared on his personal device and later used as a tool of blackmail after Kartik’s fallout with the family.
Kartik later approached prominent lawyer and BJP functionary G Devaraj Gowda, which further aggravated the situation.
This led the Revanna family to seek legal action against some media outlets and individuals, alleging a smear campaign against them.
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The courts ruled to forbid the release of the videos in any manner.
G Devarajegowda maintained silence and did not release the videos, citing concerns for privacy and dignity.
However, his political rivals did not let the opportunity slip and started a widespread dissemination of the tapes ahead of the elections.
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According to Kartik, he doesn’t know what Devaraj did with the videos.
Whenever he asked about them, Devaraj told him to wait.
It is also said that Devaraj gave the videos to the BJP high command and even asked the party not to give a ticket to Prajwal, and wrote a letter to this effect.
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Later, Kartik asked Devaraj to return the pen drive containing the videos.
Devaraj gave him a copy of the letter he had written to the BJP high command, stating that even if he did not get justice from the court, he would seek it in this way.
Later, Kartik said that Devaraj discussed the matter with the media and started ignoring him.
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Devaraj also stated to the media that he had given some copies of the videos to some friends from Congress, but this has been outrightly denied by Kartik, who added that Devaraj had cheated him.
The Karnataka Government has initiated a special probe and has formed an SIT team to investigate the matter.
Things have become even more complicated after Prajwal’s departure for Frankfurt, Germany, just a day before the formation of the SIT, leading to many unanswered questions.
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The SIT team has been tasked with investigating allegations of sexual harassment and an alleged obscene video scandal against Prajwal Revanna, the current Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Janata Dal (Secular) from Hassan.
It is not clear how many women have been victims in this high-profile sex scandal. It is alleged that a number of women were sexually harassed, and videos were made.
More than 3000 videos have gone viral on different social media platforms like Twitter, Reddit and more.
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The videos started surfacing about 5 days before the start of the second phase of the voting for the Lok Sabha 2024 elections, which occurred on 20 April.
Voting for the second phase of the elections happened on 26 April in different parts of the country, including 14 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka.
Prajwal Revanna, however, remained unfazed and even participated in the election campaigns, asking voters to support the NDA alliance, of which JD(S) is a component.
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Post-elections, he took a flight to Germany, and opposition parties have alleged that he fled the country to escape prosecution.
Amidst these developments, a woman who had worked with the Revanna family filed an FIR and made many shocking charges against both HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna.
The woman stated that she first came in contact with the Revanna family when she was employed as a worker during their son Sooraj’s marriage.
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Later, Prajwal Revanna would often call her alone to a room.
She revealed that six women used to work for the Revanna family and all were petrified and afraid of Prajwal Revanna.
The woman also alleged that whenever the female members of the Revanna family were out, Prajwal Revanna would call her and behave in an objectionable manner.
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She also accused him of sexually molesting her.
The Holanarsipur Police have since recorded the statement of the woman and are investigating the matter, and have registered a case against both H D Revanna and Prajwal Revanna.
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