Archives for August 2025

Satna, Madhya Pradesh: A deeply disturbing video from Satna district has gone viral on social media, showing a young man being mercilessly thrashed by another man on mere suspicion of theft. The assault, captured on camera, has shocked viewers across the country, not only for its brutality but for what was later discovered in the victim’s pocket: just two dry rotis and a small packet of salt.

In the video, the young man does not retaliate or even cry out. He simply raises his hand in a silent plea for the blows to stop. Onlookers can be seen watching passively as the man is beaten repeatedly with a stick. No one intervenes. No one protests.

Later, when the victim’s pockets were searched, no stolen goods were found, only his likely meal for the day roti and namak The revelation has triggered outrage online with many users calling the attack not just inhumane but symbolic of a society that punishes poverty and hunger with violence

While local authorities are yet to issue a formal statement on the incident, public pressure is mounting for action against the attacker, and for better protection of vulnerable individuals from mob violence.

Mumbai: In a defiant show of protest, hundreds of members of the Jain community gathered at the Dadar Kabutarkhana in Mumbai on Wednesday morning, forcibly reopening the pigeon-feeding area that had been closed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) following court directives.

The protest comes in the wake of a June 30 Bombay High Court order, which instructed the BMC to lodge First Information Reports (FIRs) against individuals feeding pigeons at Dadar West and other locations in contravention of civic policies. The court noted that such feeding was being done “illegally” and in a “defiant” manner despite existing prohibitions.

On Sunday, August 3, the BMC sealed the Dadar Kabutarkhana by erecting bamboo structures and covering the area with tarpaulin sheets. The move followed directions from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who had instructed that pigeon feeding be permitted only in a “controlled manner”.

However, on the morning of August 6, protesters, predominantly women, gathered at the site, tore down the temporary coverings, and entered the enclosure to offer grains to the pigeons. The protest led to temporary chaos as the Mumbai Police attempted to contain the crowd, but no violence was reported.

Sandeep Doshi, representing the Dadar Kabutarkhana Trust, said the act was spontaneous and peaceful. “Some other members from other communities also gathered and the extreme action was taken by them. While some things happened in the heat of the moment, we did not break anything, did not fight with the police nor the administration,” he said.

As of Wednesday evening, the Mumbai Police confirmed that no FIRs had been registered in connection with the incident.

Ranchi: A day after veteran tribal leader Shibu Soren, fondly known as ‘Dishom Guru’, died, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren said that his father’s fight against injustice would continue.

The CM also said he was passing through the most difficult phase of his life after the demise of his father.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) co-founder breathed his last at a Delhi hospital at the age of 81 after battling illness.

“I am passing through the most difficult phase of my life, a pillar of Jharkhand’s soul gone. No book can explain Baba’s struggle, but I vow to continue his fight against injustice,” the Jharkhand CM posted on X.

Soren promised not to let Jharkhand “bow down” and vowed to work to realise his father’s dreams by working for the oppressed and the poor.

The chief minister said he will put his foot in his father’s shoes to wage a war against injustice.

“My father’s shadow has disappeared…He was my guide, the root of my thoughts. He inspired thousands and millions of Jharkhandis, like a forest protecting them from sunlight,” Soren asserted in the long social media post written in Hindi.

The chief minister also reminded that his father’s beginning was “very simple”.

Born in a small house in Nemra village, where there was poverty and hunger, but there was courage.

“He (elder Soren) lost his father in his childhood, but exploitation of the landlords ignited a fire that made him a fighter throughout his life,” Soren posted.

“When I was a child, I used to ask him: Baba, why do people call you Dishom Guru? Then he used to smile and reply: Because I just understood their pain and made their fight my own,” Soren penned.

The title was neither written in any book, nor provided by Parliament – it came from the hearts of the people of Jharkhand, the CM mentioned, adding that ‘Dishom’ means society and ‘Guru’ means the one who shows the path.

“And to tell the truth, Baba didn’t just show us the path, he taught us to walk on this,” he added.

The CM recounted that he saw his father only struggling and never afraid to wage a war against injustice.

“If standing up against injustice is a crime, then I will be guilty again and again. He used to say,” Soren said in the social media post.

“No book can explain Baba’s struggle. It was in his sweat, in his voice, and it was in his cracked heels covered by slippers.” Hemant Soren said, adding that “when the Jharkhand state was formed, his dream came true, but he never considered power as an achievement”.

“This state is not a chair for me…This is the identity of my people,” Hemant Soren quoted Shibu Soren as saying.

“Baba (father) is not here today, but his voice echoes within me. I learnt to fight from you, Baba. I learnt to love Jharkhand from you without any selfish motive. Now you are no longer amongst us, but you are there in every path of Jharkhand. At every beat of the drum, in the soil of every field, you look through the eyes of every poor person. what you dreamt it is my promise to fulfil,” Hemant Soren wrote on X.

The chief minister asserted that he will “not let Guruji’s name be erased or his struggle remain incomplete”.

“Baba, now you take rest. You have done your duty. Now we have to follow in your footsteps. Jharkhand will remain indebted to you. I, your son, will keep your promise. Long live the brave Shibu – Long live, Long live Dishom Guru!,” the CM concluded.

In another post, the CM mentioned that Shibu Soren has embarked on an infinite journey.

New Delhi: In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has upheld the powers of the pollution control boards to impose restitutionary and compensatory damages for environmental harm, saying that prevention and remediation must be at the heart of environmental governance.

A bench comprising justices PS Narasimha and Manoj Misra held that under provisions of the Water Act and the Air Act, pollution control boards are constitutionally and statutorily empowered to levy damages for actual or potential environmental harm.

“Having considered the principles that govern Indian environmental laws, we have held that the environmental regulators, the Pollution Control Boards exercising powers under the Water and Air Acts, can impose and collect restitutionary or compensatory damages in the form of fixed sum of monies or require furnishing of bank guarantees as an ex-ante measure to prevent potential environmental damage,” Justice Narasimha wrote in the judgement delivered on Monday.

The verdict said these powers are incidental and ancillary to the empowerment under Sections 33A and 31A of the Water and Air Acts. “At the same time, we have directed that the powers must be exercised as per procedure laid down by subordinate legislation incorporating necessary principles of natural justice, transparency and certainty,” it added.

The bench, however, clarified that such damages differ from criminal penalties, as they are civil in nature and intended to restore or prevent environmental degradation rather than punish violators.

The top court set aside a 2012 Delhi High Court decision that had curtailed the powers of pollution control boards to demand environmental damages.

The verdict reinforced the “polluter pays” and precautionary principles as central tenets of environmental law.

“Environmental regulators have a compelling duty to adopt and apply preventive measures irrespective of actual environmental damage. Ex-ante action shall be taken by these regulators and for this purpose a certain measure in exercise of powers under Sections 33A and 31A of the Water and Air Acts is necessary,” it said.

The bench referred to the legal position and said, “There is a distinction between a direction for payment of restitutionary and compensatory damages as a remedial measure for environmental damage or as an ex-ante measure towards potential environmental damage on the one hand; and a punitive action of fine or imprisonment for violations under …Water Act and …Air Act on the other hand.”

It said if directions are issued as restitutionary and compensatory measures then these are not to be considered as punitive in nature.

“Punitive action can only be taken through the procedure prescribed in the statute for example under chapters VII and VI of the Water and Air Acts respectively,” it said.

It said Indian environmental law has assimilated the principle of ‘Polluter Pays’ and there is also a statutory incorporation of this principle in our laws.

The principle of ‘Polluter Pays’ can be invoked when an established threshold or prescribed requirement is exceeded or breached, and it does result in environmental damage.

The bench said the principle can be used when a potential risk or a likely adverse impact to the environment is anticipated, irrespective of whether or not prescribed thresholds or requirements are exceeded or breached.

Setting aside the high court verdict, the bench said, “We are of the opinion that these regulators in exercise of these powers can impose and collect, as restitutionary or compensatory damages, fixed sum of monies or require furnishing bank guarantees as an ex-ante measure towards potential or actual environmental damage.”

To ensure that pollution boards impose restitutionary and compensatory environmental damages in a fair and transparent manner, necessary subordinate legislation in the form of rules and regulations must be notified, it said.

Satya Pal Malik

New Delhi: Satya Pal Malik, the former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir who oversaw the abrogation of Article 370 and later became a prominent critic of the central government, passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. He was 79.

Malik’s tenure as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, from August 2018 to October 2019, was one of the most consequential in the region’s history. He was at the helm when the Centre revoked the state’s special status under Article 370 and bifurcated it into two union territories.

Following his gubernatorial roles, which also included stints in Bihar, Goa, and Meghalaya, Malik became increasingly outspoken. He gained significant attention for his sharp criticism of the government on various issues, most notably on the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. Malik alleged major security and intelligence lapses had led to the attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, and claimed his request for aircraft for the jawans was denied by the Home Ministry.

Furthermore, he repeatedly levelled serious allegations of corruption, claiming he was offered substantial bribes to clear files related to business tycoons during his time as the J&K Governor.