The Times Patriot

The decades-old practice of Pakadua Vivah (coerced marriage) has resurfaced in Bihar, with a fresh incident reported from the Rajeshwari police station area of Supaul district. A video showing a young man allegedly held hostage and forcibly married has gone viral on social media, triggering outrage and raising serious legal concerns. The video, circulating since Tuesday, shows a newlywed couple seated among villagers, purportedly after being forced into marriage. According to local sources, the incident is linked to an alleged love affair. A 22-year-old man from Madhepura district had reportedly come to meet his girlfriend in her village when he was caught by the girl’s family and local villagers. Despite resistance, the villagers allegedly detained the youth and compelled the couple to marry at a temple. The act is being widely described as a case of Pakadua Vivah. The video has further intensified concern after the girl, during questioning by villagers, claimed she was only 15 years ...

A video showing a distressed daily wage labourer alleging that his name was deleted from the voter list has reignited debate over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The clip, said to be from Indore in Madhya Pradesh, surfaced on social media on Thursday and has since gone viral. In the video, the man is seen holding the hand of his elderly mother and complaining that his name was removed from the SIR list despite having complete documents. He alleged repeated inaction by officials. According to information, a public hearing was held at the Indore Collector’s office on Tuesday under the supervision of the Additional District Collector. During the hearing, the man arrived with his mother to raise the issue but was reportedly unable to meet officials as he had not obtained the required meeting slip. This led to an argument, following which he began shouting in frustration. During the altercation, the man claimed that the Booth Level Officer (BLO) was not responding to ...

Ghaziabad Police have arrested a woman accused of honey-trapping Sub-Inspector Jaisingh Nigam of the Shalimar Garden police station and attempting to extort large sums by threatening false cases. After a medical examination, the accused was sent to jail. According to a complaint filed by the SI’s wife, Rekha Tyagi of Shalimar Garden, along with her associates, allegedly honey-trapped the officer in June 2024. The complainant claimed she was forced to pay about ₹3 lakh in cash and ₹20,000 online. Later, an additional demand of ₹10 lakh was allegedly made inside court premises. Audio recordings reportedly suggest the money was shared among gang members. The accused allegedly threatened to ruin the family, implicate them in false cases and get the complainant dismissed from her job if the money was not paid. It was also alleged that despite knowing the officer was married with three children, she forced him to sign marriage-related documents. The complainant further claimed that the accus...

Amroha (Uttar Pradesh): Police in Amroha have arrested Samreen Nisha, also known on social media as ‘Bhabhijaan’, for allegedly posting objectionable and abusive content that hurt religious sentiments and disturbed communal harmony. According to police, a case was registered at the Amroha Rural (Dehat) police station following a complaint filed on February 2 by local resident Pratik Sharma. The complaint alleged that Samreen Nisha (30), a resident of Sultanpur Intezam Ali village, had uploaded a viral video on social media using derogatory language against Hindu women and society, including remarks targeting saffron-clad people. Based on the complaint, police booked her under Section 299 and relevant provisions of the Information Technology Act, and arrested her on Wednesday. The video sparked widespread outrage on social media, with several Hindu organisations demanding strict action. As protests intensified, another video surfaced in which Samreen Nisha apologised, claiming she had d...

Basti (Uttar Pradesh): Panic broke out on the Ayodhya Highway in Basti after a young man opened fire on a moving bus following an argument over overtaking on Wednesday afternoon. The bullet struck the bus’s windshield, narrowly missing passengers. The incident occurred in the Ghaghau area under Cantonment police station limits. The bus was carrying the body of Parshuram Upadhyay (68) to Ayodhya for cremation when two youths on a Bullet motorcycle attempted to overtake near the under-construction ring road. Due to heavy traffic, the bus driver did not give way. According to driver Anand, the rider became aggressive, tried to stop the bus near the gate, and began arguing. Moments later, he allegedly pulled out a 12-bore pistol and fired, even shooting again while fleeing. Passengers attempted to chase the accused, but the duo escaped. A video of the firing has surfaced and has been handed over to the police. Additional SP Shyam Kant confirmed that one youth is clearly seen firing in the ...

A land dispute within the family led to the brutal murder of 34-year-old lawyer Swapna, allegedly at the hands of her own brother. Gotike Shantayya of Ketireddipalli village, Moinabad mandal in Rangareddy district, had two daughters and a son. After his death, his 10 acres of land were registered in his wife Venkataamma’s name. Later, six acres were transferred to their son Raju, while four acres remained with Venkataamma. About a year ago, Raju allegedly fraudulently registered the remaining four acres in his own name without Swapna’s knowledge. Swapna approached police and revenue officials, following which the land was restored to her mother’s name. During a land survey conducted recently in the presence of Swapna and her mother, Raju allegedly arrived with a few others, attacked Swapna with a knife, slit her throat and fled. She was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Last month, Swapna had suffered a broken leg in a scooter accident and had complained to police th...

Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh): In a tragic incident in Ranpur village of Neemuch district, an Anganwadi cook lost her life after saving around 20 children from a bee attack at the Madawada Panchayat Anganwadi centre. The deceased has been identified as Kanchan Bai Meghwal. According to locals, the children were playing on the Anganwadi premises when a swarm of bees suddenly attacked. Kanchan Bai immediately rushed to their rescue, using tarpaulins and mats to cover the children and shielding them with her own body as she moved them inside the centre. While the children escaped unharmed, hundreds of bees stung Kanchan Bai, including on her face and mouth. She collapsed at the spot. Constable Kalunath and pilot Rajesh Rathod rushed her to a community health centre, where doctors declared her dead on arrival due to multiple bee stings. Kanchan Bai was the sole breadwinner of her family and also served as president of the Jai Mata Di Self-Help Group. Her husband Shivalal is paralysed following ...

Mumbai: What appeared to be a routine elevator ride turned dangerous after balloons carried by a man exploded inside a lift, triggering a brief fire in a residential building in Goregaon, a western suburb of Mumbai. According to CCTV footage, a woman carrying trolley luggage entered the elevator first and pressed her floor button. Moments later, a man carrying a large sack filled with balloons stepped in, followed by another man. Seconds after the lift doors closed, the balloons suddenly exploded, engulfing the elevator in flames. The fire briefly obscured the camera view. The three occupants were then seen rushing out of the lift, with the balloon seller stumbling after losing balance. Police said the man and the woman sustained burn injuries and were shifted for medical treatment. A case has been registered against the balloon seller. Authorities are investigating the type of gas used to fill the balloons. While helium balloons are non-flammable, officials noted that hydrogen-filled ...

Rangareddy (Telangana): A shocking twist has emerged in the brutal murder of Swapna, a woman lawyer practising at the Chevella court, with police revealing that her elder sister allegedly masterminded the killing over a property dispute. According to investigators, the elder sister had been pressuring Swapna regarding property and allegedly hired a contract gang to eliminate her. The murder took place on the Moyinabad outskirts when Swapna was on her way to a field in the early morning. Police said the assailants arrived in a car, wearing masks, attacked Swapna with a knife, slit her throat, and fled the spot. She died on the spot due to severe injuries. The incident had initially sent shockwaves across Rangareddy district due to the brutality of the crime. With the alleged role of a close family member now coming to light, police say further arrests and legal action are underway as the investigation continues.