News Analysis India

Tag: Jaipur

  • Jaipur Police crack four-year-old’s rape-murder case

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: The Jaipur rural police on Friday claimed to have solved the rape and murder case of a four-year-old girl within 20 hours of recovering her body by assigning the task to over 700 policemen, according to an official.

    The victim had gone missing from her house on Wednesday evening and her body was found on Thursday in an isolated area near a water pond, around 3 km away from her house.

    Family members and villagers refused to take the body and started a dharna at a health centre under the Narena police station area in Jaipur rural on Thursday.

    Looking at the seriousness of the case, Jaipur Rural SP Shankar Dutt Sharma engaged all three additional SPs, five DSPs and 26 SHOs under him to solve it.

    “Along with them, 700 policemen were engaged in the case. Teams were formed and around 20 suspects were picked. It was a blind case with no clue or evidence and therefore it was a major challenge for us,” the SP told reporters at the Narena police station.

    The accused, Suresh Balai, was arrested within 20 hours of recovering the body, he said.

    Sharma said the accused is a resident of a village under the Narena police station and has been married for five years.

    He said it was a challenging task to identify the accused because there was no clue.

    The accused do not carry a mobile phone.

    “On Wednesday evening, he was on his way home when he saw the victim outside her house. He picked her and took near the pond where he raped and murdered her,” he said.

    When police were making efforts, hundreds of villagers gathered outside the health centre, demanding immediate arrest of the accused.

    He said a 15-km area around the site of the incident was searched.

  • BJP MP hoists community flag at Jaipur’s Amagarh Fort, defies Hindutva groups

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: The Rajasthan police arrested BJP MP Kirori Lal Meena on Sunday after he hoisted a tribal white-coloured flag despite prohibitory orders at the Amagarh Fort in Jaipur. Police said that Meena has been arrested for disturbing the peace in the area. Dodging the heavy deployment of police around the fort, Kirodi Lal Meena managed to sneak inside the Amagarh Fort with his supporters and hoisted the flag on Sunday morning. A little later, the Jaipur police took corrective steps and detained the Rajya Sabha MP.

    Despite heavy police deployment in and around the fort, Kirodi Lal Meena and his supporters managed to enter the premises and unfurl the flag, following which he was taken into preventive custody by the Rajasthan Police. In a video shot by his supporters, before the police arrived to detain him, Kirodi Lal Meena said, “along with dozens of brave Meena youth, we have overcome several challenges to enter the Amagarh Fort and hoisted the flag of the Meena community.”

    Tensions have been running high in Jaipur for over a week after some Hindutva groups allegedly hoisted a saffron flag atop the Amagarh Fort which was later removed by members of the tribal Meena community who accused right-wing Hindu groups of tampering with their culture. The Amagarh Fort has a temple that is popular among members of the Meena community.

    After a video of the removal of the saffron flag went viral, Hindu outfits had raised objections. Controversy erupted as Hindutva groups claimed that Meena community leader and independent MLA Ramkesh Meena had allegedly torn off the saffron flag while it was being removed from the Amagarh Fort. BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena had accused Ramkesh Meena of misleading the community and creating disharmony. He said also argued that Meenas were Hindus and Ramkesh Meena was distorting facts.

    Tensions between the Meenas and Hindu outfits had escalated further over remarks of Sudarshan TV editor-in-chief Suresh Chavhanke who had threatened to visit the fort on August 1 to once again hoist a saffron flag on the Amagarh Fort.

    On Saturday, Chavhanke was booked in a police case in Jaipur for hurting religious sentiments under relevant provisions of the IPC, IT and SC/ST Acts. The FIR against Chavhanke, lodged by Girraj Meena, the head of the Surajpol unit of the Rajasthan Adivasi Meena Seva Sangh, claims that Chavhanke abused the community on his channel and hurt their sentiments.

    Given this massive row and fears that tensions may erupt in a big way at the Amagarh on August 1, prohibitory orders were issued. The Jaipur Police had tightened security arrangements to prevent anyone from going to the fort but with MP  Kirodi Lal Meena and his supporters sneaking in, the Jaipur police has been left rather red-faced.

    MLA Ramkesh Meena said that he has no objection to Kirori Lal hoisting the white flag of the Meena community.  The MLA said that they were opposed to Hindutva organizations who had announced that they will hoist a saffron flag in Amagarh. Ramkesh says that since Kirori Lal has hoisted the flag of the Meena community, he has no hard feelings.

  • NCW summons Rajasthan Police chief for allegedly mishandling women during ‘forceful displacement’

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has summoned the Rajasthan Police chief on Monday over reports of women being allegedly mishandled during “forceful displacement” of people residing in a part of Jaipur.

    Taking cognisance of the incident, the commission has directed the state’s Director General of Police to take immediate action in the matter.

    “The NCW while taking suo motu cognisance of media reports regarding forceful displacement of residents living in Parshuram Circle, Jaipur, has directed the Director General of Police, Rajasthan, to appear before the commission on June 14, 2021 at 12:30 pm,” the NCW said.

    “The commission had also sought explanation for mishandling of women by officers concerned and even ignoring COVID-19 protocols.

    The commission has agreed to the request of the DGP to appear via video conferencing considering COVID protocols,” it said in a statement.

    The DGP has also been directed to provide the status of matters of heinous crimes against women.

  • Rajasthan receives rains triggered by cyclone Tauktae

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: Several places in Rajasthan recorded rainfall triggered by’ Jaipur, May 18 (PTI) Several areas in Rajasthan recorded light to moderate rainfall triggered by cyclone Tauktae during the last 24 hours, IMD officials said on Tuesday, adding that heavy rainfall is likely on Wednesday.

    Bhilwara recorded the maximum of 50 mm rainfall followed by Chittorgarh which received 25 mm rainfall, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

    According to the Met department, Dabok received 20.6 mm rainfall, Vanasthali 20 mm, Sawai Madhopur 16 mm, Bundi 14 mm and Ajmer 11.8 mm rainfall in the past 24 hours.

    It predicted extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in Udaipur, Sirohi, Rajsamand, Dungarpur, Pali and Jalore districts on Tuesday.

    Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated areas in several districts including Jaipur on Wednesday, the department said.

  • Self-styled godman in Jaipur accused of rape by four women devotees

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: A self-styled godman in Jaipur has been accused of rape by four women devotees. The godman known as ‘Tapasvi Baba’ has an ashram on the outskirts of Jaipur and the alleged rape incidents happened there according to an FIR filed by the women in Bhankarota police station located on the Jaipur-Ajmer highway. A woman who lived at the Ashram as an assistant to him has also been accused of cooperating in the Baba’s activities.

    The real name of the Baba is Yogendra Mehta according to Bhankarota Police Officer Mukesh Chaudhary who is conducting the investigation into the case.

    According to the police, one of the devotees, a 45-year-old woman, said that her husband and his family used to go the Baba’s Ashram in Mukundpura even before she was married. Later, she too started going to the Baba’s ashram for the past many years. One night when she stayed at the Ashram, the Baba called her to his room and said she should serve him to her best capacity. The Baba allegedly claimed, “I am God. You serve me and surrender everything to the Guru.”

    Later, the Baba gave her a shot claiming that it was a form of prasad. Soon after that, she claims she started feeling giddy as the shot was laced with some intoxicant. Then the Baba raped her.

    When she went to the ashram after six months, the Baba called and raped her again. When the woman protested, the Baba allegedly threatened her to stay quiet claiming that he had powerful connections.

    She then stayed silent but stopped going to the Baba’s Ashram though her family continued to worship him. A few days ago, however, the woman was forced to come out with the truth as her husband was asked by the Baba to bring his 20-year-old daughter to the Ashram. The woman then narrated her trauma to her husband in order to stop him from taking their daughter to the Baba.

    On hearing her ordeal, two other women in the family also said the Baba had similarly raped them. In addition, another woman devotee of the Baba has also come out with her nightmare of being raped by the same Baba.

    Meanwhile, Mukesh Chaudhary, the SHO of Bhankarota Police station, said, “We have registered an FIR under IPC sections of 376 and 384. Three of the four victims belong to one family. We are conducting a thorough probe on all aspects of the case which was registered on May 5.”

  • Jaipur diary

    Express News Service
    Young businessmen donate 500 oxygen cylinders

    At a time when the country is battling an acute shortage of oxygen cylinders, two young entrepreneurs in Rajasthan have donated 500 oxygen cylinders for use in government hospitals in Rajasthan’s Barmer.

    Jogendra Chauhan and Rajendra Chauhan are sons of late Tan Singh Chauhan, who was leading philanthropist in the area.

    During the lockdown last year, this family had helped people by providing free ration items, food, and other facilities.

    Recently, due to technical problems at the oxygen plant in the government hospital, the oxygen generation had got stopped. But the two brothers recently donated 500 big oxygen cylinders to the Barmer Medical College. 

    Man hands over his hospital to local authorities 

    The owner of a private hospital in Alwar has handed over his hospital to the local authorities to be used as a Covid care centre.

    The owner of the Lord’s Hospital Manoj Chachan had taken part in the cleaning process and made necessary arrangements to ensure that the hospital could welcome Covid patients at the earliest.

    Sanitation workers of the hospital said when Manoj joined the process, the pace of the work, which was initially very slow, picked up pace.

    The workers quickly cleaned the porch, toilets, and all the wards in the hospital. The sweepers also joined the process.

    “This is our hospital. If everyone cleans up together, what is wrong? Cleaning will ensure that patients coming here will get a good atmosphere,” Chachan said 

    Haldi event at police station for cop on duty 

    A female constable in Rajasthan had her Haldi ceremony at the police station where she works in the Dungarpur district as her leave was not sanctioned due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

    The bride-to-be, Asha, was to be married in May last year, but the ceremony was postponed due to the pandemic.

    The wedding was then fixed for April 30 this year. However, Asha had to report for duty as a resurgent pandemic prompted a lockdown in the state. This time, her colleagues decided to do her Haldi ceremony at the police station.

    Efforts on to revive Jaipur’s Bollywood ties

    From Mughal-E-Azam to Jodha-Akbar, Rajasthan has always been a favourite destination for Bollywood. The state’s rich heritage and culture have captivated countless filmmakers.

    Given the economic slowdown due to the pandemic, the Rajasthan Foundation is planning to revive the state’s connect with Bollywood in the hopes of generating jobs.

    In this direction, a special dialogue was recently organised by the foundation with the help of actor Amir Khan.

    During the discussion, suggestions were sought for a proposed film city, which may help promote tourism and help local artists. 

    Rajesh Asnani

    Our correspondent in Jaipur

    rajesh.asnani@ newindianexpress.com

  • 320 doses of COVID-19 vaccine missing from hospital in Jaipur

    By Express News Service
    JAIPUR: At a time when Rajasthan and many other states are battling an acute shortage of vaccines,  320 doses of ‘Covaxin’ have gone missing from a hospital in Jaipur. An FIR has been registered about the theft at Kanwatia Hospital in the Shastri Nagar area of Jaipur.

    According to the FIR and information from the local police, as many as 320 doses of Bharat Biotech’s indigenously manufactured vaccine, COVAXIN, has gone missing from the cold storage of the Kanwatia Government hospital.

    The hospital had received these doses on April 11 but when the hospital administration looked for the doses on April 12, they could not find a single jab of the 320 doses that were received.  

    The SHO of the Shastri Nagar police station, Dilip Singh said they will use the CCTV footage of the cameras installed in the hospital to push their investigation forward.

    The FIR was lodged after the hospital staff failed to locate the vaccine.

    After a male nurse Hiralal Verma of the hospital filed the complaint about the missing vaccine at the Shastri Nagar police station, the probe has been handed over to Head constable Harnath Singh. The FIR has been filed against unidentified persons.

    The police is taking a close look at the stock register of the Kanwatia Hospital and all staff members of the hospital are being interrogated. Meanwhile, the health department will also probe this case which has raised fears that the missing vaccine doses may have been sold in the black market.

    Just last week, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming that the stock of COVID-19 vaccine in the state will be finished in the next 2 days. Gehlot had also asked PM Modi to provide another 30 lakh doses to the state to prevent vaccine shortage in Rajasthan.

  • Rajasthan man strangles daughter to death over her ‘live-in relationship’ with Dalit lover

    Express News Service
    JAIPUR: Cases of honour killing continue to surge in Rajasthan. In the latest shocker, a father strangled his daughter to death over her ‘live-in relationship’ with a Dalit lover in Dausa district on Thursday. After killing the daughter, the father confessed to his crime and surrendered in the police station.

    The case has also put the police in the dock as the young couple had sought protection from the Rajasthan High Court which in turn directed the police to protect the young lovers but the cops failed to provide adequate security and the girl lost her life.

    According to the Dausa police, the deceased Pinky Saini lived with her family in Ramkund area. She was in love with a Dalit boy named Roshan Mahawar who lived in the same locality. Pinky’s father, Shankar Lal Saini, was against her marrying Roshan and he got her forcibly married on 16 February in a village in Lalsot area.

    After marriage, Pinky escaped from her home on February 21 with Roshan and later took refuge in the Rajasthan High Court. Pinky expressed her desire to have a live in relationship with Roshan. She also accused her family members of forcing her into a marriage against her wishes. She filed a petition in the High Court demanding protection.

    After this, the Rajasthan High Court directed the Ashok Nagar police station of Jaipur and cops in Dausa to provide security to Pinky Saini and her lover Roshan Mahawar. On 1st March, the young lovers reached Roshan’s home in Dausa district. When Pinky’s family came to know about it, they kidnapped her from her lover’s home. 

    The Dalit lover, Roshan, then lodged a case of kidnapping at the Women’s Police Station. However, the police did not take any strong action though the cops claim that they tried to find Pinky but couldn’t succeed. The Police suspects that Pinky’s family wanted her to return to her husband’s house but she was not ready to leave Roshan. 

    Finally, on Thursday morning, the father strangled the daughter to death and reached the police station after killing Pinky.  He told the police of his crime and added that the dead body is lying at home. At the moment, it is not known who else was in the house at the time of the murder.

    Having failed to provide protection to the couple after the High Court order, the police is now trying to defend itself.

    Talking to the New Indian Express, Anil Beniwal, SP , Dausa, said, “ the father has confessed that he killed his daughter. He has told us that he had got his daughter married but she ran away with her lover. The father says his daughter has ruined the family’s izzat (honour) and says that if she wanted to elope why did she not do so before her marriage.”  

    The police SP also claimed that there was no dereliction of duty on the part of the police.

    “In the High Court order of 26th February, the local authorities were asked to provide police protection wherever the young couple asked for the same. In compliance with that, the Jaipur police gave them protection till they wanted. When they left Jaipur and reached Dausa, the young couple never informed the police and we had no idea about their where-abouts. It is only when the young man came and complained that Pinky had been kidnapped by her family that we got to know about them. When we searched the girl’s home, we did not find her there.”

    To prevent such atrocities, the Rajasthan Assembly had passed a bill in August last year  to make the law more stringent on ‘honour killings.’ The bill had  included a provision of death penalty or life imprisonment for killings in the name of ‘family honour’ .

    Celebrating the completion of two years of his government in office in December last year CM  Ashok Gehlot had  targeted the Central Government for not clearing the bills and had said “we passed bills on honour killing and mob lynching nearly six months ago but these bills are yet to get clearance  simply because the Government of India is not interested.”

    However, given the horror in Dausa, its clear that its not just making laws but rigorous implementation that could bring about some effective check on honour killings.

  • Jaipur Literature Festival to be held virtually from February 19 to 28

    By PTI
    JAIPUR: The 14th edition of the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) will be held virtually from February 19 to 28, its organisers announced on Saturday.

    The literary extravaganza brings together a feast of transformational perspectives and literary thought in its remarkable line-up featuring some of the world’s greatest writers, thinkers and speakers, they said.

    Celebrated author and poet Mark Haddon, famous for his global bestseller ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’, will talk about the inspiration that guides his pen.

    The festival will also see acclaimed and popular writer Philip Pullman talking about his vision of alternative reality.

    At another session featuring two disquieting novels, writers Deepa Anappara and Annie Zaidi will examine inequity and alienation across Indian society, and speak about their writing process.

    Ireland’s greatest living novelist Colm Tóibín will take the audience to the roots of his writing process and celebrated career at a session on his bestselling book ‘The Master’.

    The festival will also feature an exclusive conversation between celebrated actress Priyanka Chopra and well-known writer and columnist Shobhaa De, discussing Chopra’s autobiography ‘Unfinished’.

    Author and JLF Co-director Namita Gokhale said, “It’s been a joyous challenge to work on the programming for Jaipur Literature Festival 2021.

    We look at our transformative times and try to understand the future through the lens of the present and the past.

    Our hybrid digital outreach has opened up a new universe of possibilities.” Writer and JLF Co-director William Dalrymple said, “Our spectacular Jaipur 2021 programme is now online.

    I am bowled over by what we’ve managed to achieve despite the pandemic. This is one of our strongest line-ups yet and we still have some literary superstar surprises to reveal.”

  • Flood situation in Jaipur, Meteorological Department issued red alert

    Jaipur: After the first monsoon rains in the state, the situation in the capital Jaipur has started deteriorating. Water is flooded everywhere in Jaipur. The lower areas have drowned. Vehicles have stopped due to water filling the roads. After the morning rains in Jaipur, more than 4 inches of rain has been recorded.

    At the same time, the Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for heavy rains in Jaipur, Ajmer. Also, Orange alert has been issued in 20 districts of the state. According to the Meteorological Department, an alert of heavy rain has been issued in Jaipur in the next three events. With this, NDRF teams from Ajmer have been sent to Jaipur.

    About 4 inches of water is rained in Jaipur in three hours. Due to heavy rains, water has been flooded everywhere. Due to water filler, there has been jam at every place. Many two-wheelers were washed away due to the strong currents of water. Trains have stopped on the beach road due to the filling of water. Things have started deteriorating in Jaipur’s Ramganj and Johri Bazaar. In three hours flood conditions have been created in the boundary wall. The houses have been flooded for about 3 feet. Chattan has fallen due to rain on the Ramgarh road, Delhi Road, after which the administration has closed the way. Flood situation has also been created in Galtaji. Disaster teams are reaching the spot. About 13 teams of civil defense have reached different places. 

    Apart from this, the car has been hit by 22 warehouse wall collapses. A piece of the Central Park wall has collapsed. Jai Singhpura Khor dam is also reported to have broken the wall. Pictures of waterfalls flowing from the mountains are coming out. The Statue Circle of Jaipur is also full of water. The District Collector has appealed to the people to stay at home.