Archives for 2024

The Rahul Gandhi-led ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’, on Thursday entered Assam through Haluwating in Sivasagar district from Nagaland.

Gandhi resumed his journey in a bus from Tuli in Nagaland in the early morning and reached Assam around 9:45 am. He was received by hundreds of party workers at Haluwating, where the national flag was handed over to Assam Congress leaders for the eight-day journey in the state.

The 6,713-km-long march, led by the Congress MP, commenced from Manipur on January 14 and will culminate on March 20 in Mumbai. The Assam leg of the march will continue till January 25.

The ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ is planned to cover 110 districts in 15 states.

NEW DELHI: Three convicts in the case of gangrape of Bilkis Bano and murder of seven of her family members during the 2002 riots in Gujarat moved the Supreme Court on Thursday seeking extension of time to surrender. One of the convicts had on Wednesday sought extension of four weeks, beyond January 22, to surrender to the jail authorities.

The other two convicts are Ramesh Rupabhai Chandana and Mitesh Chimanlal Bhat.

The top court on January 8 had quashed the Gujarat government’s decision to grant remission to 11 convicts in the case, saying the orders were “stereotyped” and passed without application of mind. It had asked the convicts to surrender before jail authorities in two weeks.

The matter seeking extension of time was mentioned before a bench of Justices B V Nagarathana and Sanjay Karol on Thursday. The bench then issued directions to the Registry to seek orders from CJI DY Chandrachud for reconstitution of the bench tomorrow (Jan 19) to take up the applications.

“It is stated by three respondents that applications have been filed for an extension of time to surrender and report to jail. Since the bench has to be reconstituted, registry to seek orders from CJI for reconstitution of the bench since time expires on Sunday (Jan 21),” the bench said

Convict Govindbhai Nai, in his application filed before the Supreme Court, had stated that he is the only caregiver for his ailing 88-year-old father, who is bedridden and completely dependent on him. He stated that his father is an elderly man suffering from asthma and in poor health and that he recently underwent surgery, including an angiography, and is scheduled for another operation for the treatment of hemorrhoids. He also mentioned that his mother is 75 years of age and also in poor health. Nai also said that he also a father of 2 children who are completely dependent on him for their financial and other needs.

Khurma had to borrow her neighbour’s shoes to walk to Pul-e Alam city to collect a cash handout being given to the growing number of vulnerable Afghans who are struggling to survive the winter.

The 45-year-old widow waited in her threadbare blue burqa to receive 3,200 Afghanis ($45) from the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in the eastern Afghan city, where temperatures can drop well below freezing.

“We are desperate,” the mother-of-six told AFP. “When we can’t find any bread, we go to bed on an empty stomach.”

She is one of millions facing months of hunger and cold, with natural disasters and displacement putting more Afghans at risk even as funding to one of the world’s poorest countries — wracked by decades of war — has plummeted.

“Things were already quite catastrophic” in Afghanistan, said Caroline Gluck, spokesperson for the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. “But as winter starts we have two massive emergencies.”

Thousands of people are still sleeping in tents in Herat province after successive earthquakes in October destroyed or rendered uninhabitable 31,000 homes.

And around half a million Afghans fleeing deportation from Pakistan have returned in recent months to a country where unemployment is rife, “at the worst possible time of the year”, Gluck said.

Rabbani, 32, is one of them.

As a refugee, he is entitled to WFP aid: 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of flour, six kilograms of red beans, five litres of oil and 450 grams of salt.

But, “there is no work here”, he said.

When freezing temperatures set in, his family of seven abandoned the tent they had occupied since crossing from Pakistan for a shack.

“When there is nothing left to eat, death is better than begging.”

Food emergency

Shakar Gul, 67, had just received the first of six monthly payments of 3,200 Afghanis from the WFP.

“If we adults don’t have enough to eat for several days, that’s okay… but we don’t let our children die of hunger,” she said.

With the money she will be able to buy household essentials — but only enough for 15 days.

This year, there is less assistance, due in part to a spike in humanitarian emergencies around the world and donor fatigue.

“Excluded people still come here and wait, especially women,” said Baryalai Hakimi, director of the WFP’s Pul-e Alam centre. “They are upset. We explain to them that the people who get help are more vulnerable than they are.”

Such is the case for Bibi Raihana. Aged 40, she has eight children, a husband in prison, health problems and “not a single Afghani”.

Her eyes were wet with tears behind the mesh of her burqa.

“My name wasn’t on the lists. They didn’t give me anything,” she said.

This winter, 15.8 million Afghans need assistance, with 2.8 million at an emergency level of food insecurity, said Philippe Kropf, spokesperson for WFP, which provides 90 percent of food aid in Afghanistan.

Funding shortages have forced WFP to tighten the criteria for aid handouts, with just six million people eligible for emergency assistance in food, cash or vouchers, Kropf added.

“It leaves a gap of 10 million people.”

Once flush with humanitarian aid following the US-led invasion of the country, funding to Afghanistan has plummeted since the Taliban returned to power in mid-2021, in part over the many restrictions imposed on women.

Today, approximately 85 percent of Afghans live on less than $1 a day, according to the UN, with extreme poverty found in both rural and urban areas.

The poorest are left with distressing choices: fall into debt, take their kids out of school to work in the streets, or marry off young daughters to lessen household expenses.

‘Only God’

In a desert an hour’s drive from Pul-e Alam, WFP distributed essentials in the Baraki Barak district.

Hunched in the back of a three-wheeled flatbed, 77-year-old Zulfiqar said his family sometimes goes hungry for days.

“When we have nothing left to eat, we just wrap ourselves in our shawls and sleep,” he said.

In the poverty-stricken Kabul suburbs, thousands of returnees from Pakistan have sought aid.

The Taliban authorities provided assistance at the border to the returnees, but government welfare programs are very limited.

Depending on eligibility, UNHCR distributes a maximum of $375 per person, sometimes much less.

Najiba arrived in Afghanistan two months ago with her husband and three children.

All five sleep on the floor in a room in her brother’s house.

“We fill cans with hot water to keep warm, we don’t have any wood,” she said, rocking her youngest child in the courtyard. Her other children were barefoot nearby, despite the cold.

Benazira’s fate is just as uncertain: at 34, she has eight daughters, a son and a sick husband.

Clutching the money she had just received from UNHCR, she asked for help counting the crisp, unfamiliar US dollars — $340, enough to survive three weeks.

“Only God is with us,” she said, before setting off on the hours-long journey to Nangarhar province, where her family sleeps in a brickyard.

BENGALURU: A month after the number of Covid positive cases witnessed an uptick, following the discovery of the new variant JN.1, the state is now witnessing a downward trend in the number of active positive cases, test positivity rate, and hospitalisation. Experts say that the trend and the data recorded in the last few days is encouraging.

The state witnessed a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases by mid-December.

The number of tests being conducted also ramped up from around 700 tests per day to 8,000 per day. From just 79 active cases on December 19, 2023, the cases kept swelling till it reached 1,000 positive cases by December 31, and by Jauary 4, the cases had reached 1240.

From then on, the number of active cases saw a downward trend. By January 10, the active cases stood at 974 and on Tuesday (16th Jan) the cases are down to 751.

Dr Rajath Athreya, Senior Consultant and HOD Paediatrics and Neonatology, Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru, told TNIE, “We are seeing a downward trend in the positivity rate, number of active cases, and hospitalisations. The infection is trending down.” He said that a similar scenario was seen in Kerala a few weeks earlier.

“We need to watch the trend, and as of now, in the last few days, the trend has been encouraging. Stay cautious and wait for more information to become available,” said Dr Athreya and added that people should continue to wear masks and take precautions.

Health Commissioner Randeep D attributed the declining trend in positive cases to fewer tests being conducted, due to festivals.

Practo, a digital integrated healthcare company, said that from November to December 2023, their platform witnessed a staggering 10X increase in the number of COVID-19 consultations, with a notable spike observed in the last two weeks of December.

Bengaluru contributed to the largest share of consults with a significant 53 percent of consultations coming from the city, followed by Delhi with 15 percent, Hyderabad with 14 percent, Chennai with 7 percent, Mumbai with 5 percent, and Pune with 4 percent.

“The year-end spike (last 2 weeks of December) signifies that the holiday season, which results in many group gatherings and events, could be one of the reasons for a rise in the number of cases,” revealed insights from Practo.

Nasheman news

Kaatera Leads with 15 Nominations at Chandanavana Critics’ Awards

The V Chandanavana Film Critics Academy Awards 2024 nominations were unveiled on Tuesday morning, showcasing the Sandalwood hit Kaatera at the forefront with an impressive 15 nominations. Among its accolades, the film secured nods for Best Film, Best Direction (Tharun Sudhir), Best Actor (Darshan), and numerous technical categories. Following closely is the 2023 sensation from the Kannada film industry, Sapta Sagaradaache Ello, with 13 nominations.

These nominations, spanning 25 categories, including five debut awards, are the result of the keen judgment of Kannada film journalists. The debut category witnesses Hostel Hudugaru Bekaagiddare, Daredevil Musthafa, Achar & Co vying for top honors.

The Academy made the nominations public on Tuesday morning, setting the stage for the awards ceremony scheduled on February 28, where winners will be revealed and trophies distributed. The newly revealed trophy was introduced by actor Sharan, filmmaker Indrajit Lankesh and actress Amulya.

“This is an unparalleled and amazing work by Kannada film journalists. As an actor, awards give us additional responsibility to improve ourselves. Chandanavana Awards by Kannada film journalists is an unique honour,” Sharan said.

Lankesh expressed pride, stating, “Being a journalist myself, I am proud of how the Academy and the Critics’ Awards have come to symbolize impartiality and trust. The objectivity of film critics in recognizing the best of Kannada entertainment is a significant contribution to the film industry.”

This year’s awards carry the theme of organ donation, with the Academy partnering with the Health Department to promote organ donation registration. Over two dozen celebrities have pledged their support for this initiative. Wilfred Samson of Kauvery Hospitals, Bengaluru, supporting the cause, remarked, “We know how Dr. Rajkumar and Puneeth Rajkumar influenced the eye-donation campaign immensely. Similarly, the organ donations of late actors like Sanchari Vijay and Lokesh spread awareness. We are proud to be part of this association.”

Actress Amulya extended her best wishes to all nominees and hinted at a possible comeback, saying, “Awards are not only recognitions for actors but also inspire us. When the awards are given by critics, there can be no bigger applause for our work. I wish I would be among the nominees and win an award from the critics.”

Among the noteworthy nominees this year are actress Ramya in the Best Debut Producer category for her film Swati Muttina Male Haniye, actor Daali Dhananjaya in the Best Lyrics category for Sambanja Andre in the film Tagaru Palya, and popular singer MD Pallavi in the Best Supporting Actress category for the film 19.20.21. Kaatera and Sapta Sagaradaache Ello are set to compete in eight categories.

Best Debut Producer ~ Dr Puneeth Rajkumar Award

1. Swati Mutthina Male Haniye (Ramya – AppleBox Studios)
2. Hostel Hudugaru Bekaagiddare (Varun Studios)
3. Daredevil Musthafa (Cinema Mara)
4. South Indian Hero (Shilpa LS – Riyanshi Films)
5. Mandala (Ajay Sarpeshkar)

Best Debut Actress ~ Tripuramba Award

1. Aradhanaa Ram (Kaatera)
2. Nireeksha Rao (Rajayoga)
3. Amrutha Prem (Tagaru Palya)
4. Chaitra HG (Maavu Bevu)
5. Pritika Deshpande (Pentagon)

Best Debut Actor ~ Sanchari Vijay Award

1. Shishir Baikadi (Daredevil Musthafa)
2. Rajesh Dhruva (Sri Balaji Photo Studio)
3. Shivanna Beeruhundi (Doddahatti Bore Gowda)
4. Kiran Narayan (Snehashri)
5. Sarthak (South Indian Hero)

Best Debut Writer ~ Chi Udayshankar Award

1. Ramenahalli Jagannath (Hondisi Bareyiri)
2. Nitin Krishnamurthy (Hostel Hudugaru Bekaagiddare)
3. Sindhu Srinivasmurthy (Achar & Co)
4. Umesh Krupa (Tagaru Palya)
5. Mandala (Ajay Sarpeshkar)

Best Debut Film Director ~ Shankar Nag Award

1. Sindhu Srinivasamurthy (Achar & Co)
2. Nitin Krishnamurthy (Hostel Hudugaru Bekaagiddare)
3. Shashank Shogal (Daredevil Musthafa)
4. Devendra Badiger (Rudri)
5. Umesh Krupa (Tagaru Palya)

Best VFX

1. Sapta Sagaradaache Ello (A&B) – Pinaka Studios – Rahul V Gopalkrishnan
2. Kabzaa – Unifi Media
3. Gurudev Hoysala – Digital Turbo Media, Kusa
4. Kaatera – Gagan Ajai
5. Ghost – Asoo Studios (Tehran), Mohammad Abdi

Best Art Direction

1. Kabzaa – Shivakumar J
2. Sapta Sagaradaache Ello (A&B) – Ullas Hydur
3. Kaatera – Guna
4. Ghost – Mohan B Kere
5. Kaiva – Dharani Gangeputra

Best Stunt Choreography

1. Sapta Sagaradache Ello (Side B) – Chethan Dsouza, Vikram More
2. Gurudev Hoysala – Dhilip Subbarayan, Arjun Raj
3. Kabzaa – Ravi Varma, Vikram More
4. Kaiva – Arjun Raj, Different Danny
5. Kaatera – Ram-Laxman

Best Cinematography

1. Sapta Sagaradache Ello (Side B) – Advaitha Gurumurthy
2. Hostel Hudugaru Bekaagiddare – Aravind  Kashyap
3. Swati Mutthina  Malehaniye – Praveen Shriyan
4. Ghost – Mahendra Simha
5. Kaatera – Sudhakar S Raj

Best Editing

1. Hostel Hudugaru Bekaagiddare – Suresh M
2. Ghost – Deepu S Kumar
3. Shivaji Surathkal 2– Akash Srivatsa
4. Kaatera – K M Prakash
5. Kaiva  – K M Prakash

Best Choreography

1. Pushpavathi – Kranti – Ganesh
2. Pasandagavne – Kaatera – Bhushan
3. Bad Manners – Bad Manners – B Dhananjay
4. 90 Haaku Kittappa – Kousalya Supraja Rama – Kalali

5. Chumu Chumu – Kabza – Jaani Master

Bhopal: In Ujjain, western Madhya Pradesh, on July 19, 2023, municipal officials, accompanied by police, swiftly demolished a three-story building owned by Ashraf Hussain Mansoori (43) to the resonating tunes of the devotional Hindu song “Govinda Govinda” and the rhythmic beats of drums. The demolition occurred just half an hour after serving a backdated notice, supposedly addressed to Mansoori’s deceased mother. This abrupt action left a dozen individuals, spanning three families, and homeless, with most lacking any criminal record or accusations.

The demolition transpired following an accusation by a group of Hindu youth, who claimed that three teenagers, including two minors, had deliberately spat on a Hindu religious procession from the rooftop of Mansoori’s building. As rumors circulated about Muslims allegedly spitting on the religious procession, attendees of the rally verbally abused Mansoori’s family and Muslims in general. Outside the local Kharakua police station, Hindu fundamentalists gathered, demanding swift action.

Based on a complaint filed by Sawan Lot (28), a devotee from Indore who traveled 55 km to join the religious procession, the Ujjain police arrested the three teenagers under five sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860: 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings), 153-A (offense committed in a place of worship), 296 (disturbing religious assembly), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). Among the accused were Mansoori’s sons, aged 18 and 15, and their 15-year-old friend.

Five months later, on December 15, 2023, Sawan Lot and his friend, witness Ajay Khatri, recanted their statements before the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court. They asserted that they had neither identified the accused nor witnessed them spitting on the procession. In written statements, they disclosed that the police had coerced them to sign the complaint, despite inconsistencies with a portion of the First Information Report (FIR).

On the same date, the Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh high court granted bail to Adnan Mansoori, Ashraf’s 18-year-old son, who had been incarcerated for 151 days since July 18. The judge noted that Ajay Khatri, the eyewitness, had also turned hostile, failing to support the prosecution’s case.

In July 2023, Article 14 interviewed a former high court justice, two former director generals of police, and a Supreme Court lawyer, all of whom asserted that the arrests of the teenagers, the drumming, and the demolition of the Mansooris’ homes were not in accordance with due process and were illegal, violating the Constitution.

The demolition of the Mansooris’ building mirrored similar actions targeting properties of alleged wrongdoers, especially in states directly administered or controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Over the past year, Ujjain itself experienced more than two dozen such demolitions. Other states where such property demolitions have occurred in recent years, in violation of Supreme Court orders prohibiting the demolition of unauthorized constructions without affording the owner an opportunity for a hearing, include New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh (MP), and Gujarat. Notably, this form of collective punishment, primarily targeting Muslims, has been documented.

In the Mansooris’ case, the municipal corporation’s claim that the building was “dangerous” lacked evidential support, and conflicting statements from various officials were reported by Article 14.

Despite numerous attempts over a week to obtain comments from Ujjain Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma, he remained unavailable.

The judge noted that Ajay Khatri, the eyewitness, had also turned hostile and did not support the prosecution’s case.

Website ‘Article 14’ spoke to a former high court justice, two former director generals of police, and a Supreme Court lawyer in July 2023, who unanimously stated that the arrests of the teenagers, the drumming, and the demolition of the Mansooris’ homes were not conducted in accordance with due process, being deemed illegal and violative of the Constitution.

The demolition of the Mansooris’ building reflected similar incidents targeting properties of alleged wrongdoers, particularly in states directly administered or controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Ujjain alone witnessed over two dozen such demolitions in the past year. Other states, such as New Delhi, Madhya Pradesh (MP), and Gujarat, have similarly engaged in property demolitions in recent years, in contravention of Supreme Court orders prohibiting the demolition of unauthorized constructions without giving the owner an opportunity for a hearing. This form of collective punishment, primarily affecting Muslims, has been extensively documented.

In the Mansooris’ situation, the municipal corporation’s claim that the building was “dangerous” lacked supporting evidence, and Article 14 reported conflicting statements from various officials.

Despite making multiple attempts over a week to obtain comments from Ujjain Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma, he remained unresponsive, accoridng to ‘Article 14’.

The judge observed that Ajay Khatri, the eyewitness, had also become uncooperative and did not endorse the prosecution’s case.

The excuse presented by the municipal corporation in the Mansooris’ case, asserting that the building was “dangerous,” was not substantiated by evidence, and various officials’ statements were contradictory, as reported by Article 14.

Despite persistent efforts over a week to secure a response from Ujjain Superintendent of Police Sachin Sharma, he remained unattainable.

The order from Justice Verma highlighted that the investigation was concluded, and Adnan Mansoori had no criminal record. Considering these factors, the court deemed it appropriate to grant bail to the applicant.

Vivek Singh, Adnan Mansoori’s counsel in the high court, informed Article 14 that both the complainant and the witness had testified in court, stating that they had not identified the accused and were not in agreement with the relevant portions of the FIR.

Adnan’s bail was granted two months after the Indore high court had already granted bail to both minors on September 19, 2023.

Justice Verma remarked that the juvenile court’s decisions to reject their bail petitions on two occasions were deemed as “errors” in light of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. The judge emphasized that there was no possibility of the two minors associating with known criminals or being exposed to “moral, physical, or psychological danger” if released on bail.

On July 19 and again on July 24, the minors’ lawyer, Umesh Sharma, submitted bail applications, which were turned down by the juvenile justice board and subsequently by a children’s court.

Despite being mentioned in the FIR, the police failed to present court videos of the incident as evidence. Advocate Devendra Sengar, who represented Adnan Mansoori in the lower court and assisted in the high court petition, pointed out that the chargesheet filed by the Ujjain police referred to only one video of the alleged incident as evidence. According to Sengar, the video purportedly showed a minor in a skullcap standing on the roof with a water bottle in hand.

In the high court proceedings, the police requested time to provide the video evidence, but this did not materialize, as noted by Sengar.

Sawal Lot, in the FIR lodged at Kharakua police station on July 17, 2023, claimed that he had come to Ujjain on a pilgrimage with his friends Yogesh Bagmar and Ajay Khatri to participate in the religious procession. Lot accused Adnan Mansoori, who had recently turned 18 in May 2023, and the two minors of spitting water on the religious procession from the roof with the intent to hurt religious sentiments.

However, in a written statement to Ujjain’s first-class judicial magistrate Priyanka Solanki on October 28, 2023, Sawan Lot stated that he went to Ujjain with his friends to witness the ‘Mahakal Sawari’ (procession with an idol of the temple deity) on July 17, 2023. Around 7 pm, a disturbance occurred near the Tanki Square area of Ujjain, and the police evacuated the area, taking some devotees, including Lot, to the Kharakua police station.

Lot revealed that he later realized that the police had taken his signature on his statement and a panchnama (an inquest report by police including accounts of five witnesses), based on which the FIR was lodged and a chargesheet was filed.

Lot asserted that he was misquoted in many places, specifically referring to the FIR. He clarified that he did not claim Musam Jaiswal, who recorded the video of the incident, as his friend, and he did not state that the incident had offended his religious sentiments.

“Police never actually took my statement,” he alleged.

Lot testified that he was incorrectly quoted in the panchnama regarding having viewed videos before the arrest to confirm the identity of the accused. He stated, “I have no knowledge of this,” expressing confusion about why the police included this information in the report.

Nearly two weeks after Lot’s testimony, on November 11, 2023, witness Ajay Khatri provided his written statement before the first-class judicial magistrate. Khatri’s two-page statement emphasized that he neither witnessed the alleged incident nor was present when it occurred. He asserted that he did not know the accused and could not identify them. Similar to Lot, Khatri claimed that the police had misquoted him in the FIR.

Following the filing of the FIR, Ujjain police arrested all three accused from their homes in a late-night operation. The day after the arrest, around 9 am on July 19, 2023, Ashraf Hussain Mansoori received a phone call from a local police station officer informing him, “Your son has committed a crime, your house will have to be demolished.”

Thirty minutes later, at 9:30 am, a municipal officer affixed a notice on the ground floor of the three-story building where the Mansoori brothers and their parents had lived for more than half a century. Addressed to Shahjan Bee, the Mansoori brothers’ deceased mother, the notice stated, “This is to inform you that your dangerous construction has not been razed so far.” It notified the family, for the last time as per section 436 of the Madhya Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1961, that they must remove their dangerous building or face its removal by the administration. The notice warned of the family being liable to pay for the labor charges of the demolition.

Ashraf Hussain Mansoori later alleged that the reason for this action was that the building was not illegal. Had it been an unauthorized construction, according to the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1956, the government would have had to issue him a 14-day notice and wait for his explanation before taking further action.

Approximately an hour after the notice was affixed, a bulldozer, accompanied by drummers and a truck with loudspeakers, arrived. As the Mansooris and their astonished families looked on, a devotional Hindu song, “Govinda Govinda,” performed by the popular singer Kailash Kher, blared from the loudspeakers. Drummers played their drums, a police contingent observed, and within two hours, their residence on Chandrashekhar Azad Lane in Tanki Chowk—and the small provision store run by Ahsraf Hussain Mansoori on the ground floor—was reduced to rubble.

A dozen men, women, and children from three families were left homeless, the majority of whom had no criminal record and were never accused of any crime. The municipal corporation’s excuse that the building was “dangerous” lacked any supporting evidence.

Following the demolition, Ashish Agarwal, spokesperson for the Madhya Pradesh BJP, issued a statement outlining the government’s intentions in the case.

Regarding the demolition, advocate Sengar noted that the district administration had taken a similar stance in unrelated cases. He cited an instance where Muslim shopkeepers accused of selling prohibited Chinese kite strings in Ujjain had their homes razed. Referring to a demolition carried out in the aftermath of the December 25, 2020 clash in Ujjain, Sengar recounted a situation where an illegal building, from which a Muslim woman was seen in a video pelting stones, was initially targeted. However, upon arrival, officials discovered that the building belonged to a Hindu; the Muslim woman had been a tenant. Subsequently, the corporation razed the adjacent building owned by a Muslim who had no connection to the clash, according to Sengar.

Representing several Muslims in cases related to illegal demolition, wrongful arrest, and allegations of raising pro-Pakistan slogans, Sengar highlighted the broader pattern of such incidents.

Meanwhile, for the past five months, the Mansooris have resided in a rented home, sustaining their livelihood by reopening the shop that was bulldozed along with their three-story building. Asgar Hussain Mansoori, the elder brother of Ashraf Hussain Mansoori, mentioned that they managed to reopen the shop with minimal repairs to support the family. Rebuilding the demolished home will be more challenging, requiring both finances and permissions.

Even with the complainant and witness turning hostile in court, the family has no plans to file a complaint against the municipal corporation or the police officials who filed the FIR based on superficial allegations without any evidence.

“We thank God that our children have returned home,” expressed Akbar Hussain, Ashraf Hussain’s other brother. “We want nothing else.