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Ban circulation of video of Regar killing Afrazul Khan, appeals Afrazul’s widow to SC

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Ban circulation of video of Regar killing Afrazul Khan, appeals Afrazul’s widow to SC

Gulbahar Bibi also asks for compensation and for an independent public prosecutor not aligned to the state of Rajasthan

The pain of Gulbahar Bibi, whose husband Afrazul Khan was brutally hacked to death by Shambhulal Regar (currently under arrest), on December 6, 2017 in Rajsamand District, Rajasthan over false allegations of love-jihad, is not over.

It was not enough that Gulbahar had to endure the horrific incident when the family’s only breadwinner was hacked in a field by the sick-minded Regar with his young nephew even video recording it.

Now social media hacks, probably as sick as Regar, are continuously forwarding and sharing the horrific video that Regar had uploaded on the internet.

Now Gulbahar Bibi has petitioned the Supreme Court, naming the Union of India (Through Ministry of Home Affairs) and the State of Rajasthan (Through its Chief Secretary) as respondents to ban the video’s online circulation.

The demand in the petition is that the apex court should direct the Union government and the state governments to stop such viral video being shared and forwarded.

The petition also says that this video also promotes hostility between two communities and all websites hosting the video should be immediately banned.

The petitioner has approached the court “under Article 32 of the Constitution of India in order to also demand an impartial investigation from an independent national agency and also to look at the spreading of hate speech of a communal nature targeting a whole religious community and discriminating against them, demonizing them and encouraging violence against them and creating a communal divide.”

Says the petition: “Such propaganda is resulting in hate crimes which hit at the very root of our pluralistic and inclusive society.”

Regar is the murderer, but the petitioner has also sought an inquiry into the factors that “acted as a catalyst and motivated him to commit such a heinous act, the factors and people responsible for spreading such hatred in the name of a communal myth/fiction being propagated as ‘Love Jihad’”, the petition says.

The petition, which addresses the bigger picture in this barbaric act, says: “Such a vile act is reprehensible by all standards of humanity and violates the fundamental rights of the petitioner to live with dignity and in peace without the threat of being persecuted on the basis of her race, caste, creed, gender or religion, as such rights are bestowed upon the citizens of this country by the mandate of Article 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution of India. The Petitioner is also seeking the immediate removal of all videos of the heinous killing circulating on several websites including YouTube and the Respondent No 1 is duty bound to ensure that the service providers do not upload the said videos which are a form of hate speech encouraging others to indulge in copycat crimes.”

It has to be remembered in this context that the top court is already hearing petitions regarding obscene and reprehensible videos of sexual crimes against children that have been uploaded on the Internet and are circulating on social media. The issue has been heard in detail, but so far little progress has been made in finding a foolproof formula on how to segregate such videos and messages by either Google or WhatsApp or Facebook or other social media platforms.

This particular video presents yet another problem for the top court to sort out.

Compensation

Through the petition Gulbahar Bibi has also sought adequate compensation from the state (Rajasthan) for its failure to prevent the spread of communal violence. She has received a sum of Rs 2 lakh from the State of West Bengal and Rs 3 lakhs from the Rajasthan government, “but she has three daughters to provide for and the amount is by no means adequate for her maintenance and to take care of their future.”

That fear still stalks the widow was clear from the next part of the petition, which states that “The Petitioner is also seeking access to justice in a free and fair atmosphere and the appointment of a special public prosecutor unrelated to the ruling party of the state (Rajasthan) and functioning under the supervision of the (apex) court. This is particularly important since the petitioner resides in West Bengal and is unable to be physically present at the trial. There is an atmosphere of mass hysteria at the hearings as is evident from news reports that orange flags were hoisted on court house building by supporters of the accused on the date of hearing.”

Gulbahar Bibi and her late husband are from Kaliachak in the Maldah district of West Bengal and the 48-year-old Afrazul had been working as a daily wage labourer in the area for over ten years.

India News

Abhishek Banerjee says will not bow to BJP after nearly 11 hours of ED questioning

After spending nearly 11 hours before the Enforcement Directorate, TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee said he would not bow to the BJP and accused the ruling party of using investigative agencies for political purposes.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Trinamool Congress leader and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said he would not bow to the BJP after spending nearly 11 hours being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an ongoing investigation.

Speaking after the questioning, Banerjee alleged that central agencies were being used to target opposition leaders and asserted that he would continue his political fight despite what he described as sustained pressure.

The TMC leader has repeatedly maintained that investigations involving him are politically motivated, a charge he has made on several previous occasions while appearing before central agencies.

His appearance before the ED comes amid a period of heightened political activity and multiple investigations involving leaders in West Bengal. Recent days have also seen Banerjee face summons and questioning in separate matters by state investigative agencies.

After leaving the ED office, Banerjee reiterated that he would not be intimidated and said he remained committed to his political responsibilities. He also accused the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties through investigative action, an allegation that the BJP has rejected in the past.

The Enforcement Directorate has not publicly commented on Banerjee’s remarks. The investigation related to the questioning remains ongoing.

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India News

DMK attacks Rahul Gandhi, accuses him of weakening opposition unity

DMK has intensified its criticism of Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the Congress leader’s actions have weakened opposition unity and strained relations within the INDIA bloc.

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Rahul-Gandhi

The war of words between the DMK and Congress has intensified, with the DMK launching a strong attack on Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and accusing him of contributing to divisions within the opposition alliance. The criticism comes amid strained ties between the two parties following their political split in Tamil Nadu.

According to the DMK, Rahul Gandhi’s political approach has weakened unity among opposition parties. The party’s IT wing mocked the Congress leader on social media, while an editorial published in the DMK’s official mouthpiece Murasoli questioned his recent remarks on opposition solidarity.

DMK questions Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on opposition unity

In its editorial, Murasoli argued that Rahul Gandhi was speaking about opposition unity despite, according to the DMK, contributing to disagreements among alliance partners in several states. The publication cited criticism directed at Congress by various opposition parties and suggested that the party’s actions had often created tensions within the INDIA bloc.

The editorial also referred to past political disputes involving Congress and Left parties, particularly in Kerala, claiming such episodes had raised concerns among opposition allies about Congress’s approach toward its partners.

Tamil Nadu political fallout adds to tensions

The attack comes after a major political realignment in Tamil Nadu. Following the 2026 Assembly elections, Congress ended its alliance with the DMK and joined the government led by Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK). The move left the DMK in the opposition and significantly altered the political equation between the two former allies.

The DMK has alleged that Congress benefited from the alliance during the election and later abandoned its partner. The party’s editorial questioned whether assurances from Congress leadership would be trusted by alliance partners after the developments in Tamil Nadu.

Congress rejects allegations

Congress has not issued a detailed official response to the editorial, but party sources have rejected the allegations. According to the party, its decisions in Tamil Nadu were made in line with the mandate delivered by voters and were not intended to undermine either the DMK or the broader opposition alliance.

The latest exchange highlights growing strains between two key opposition parties even as leaders continue to stress cooperation on national issues. Just days earlier, Rahul Gandhi had said that the DMK remained aligned with the opposition on defending the “idea of India” despite political differences.

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Entertainment

Kumkum Bhagya actor Sanchita Ugale dies by suicide near Mumbai at 22

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, died by suicide at her residence near Mumbai. Police have launched an investigation.

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Sanchita Ugale

Television actor Sanchita Ugale, known for her appearances in Kumkum Bhagya, Wagle Ki Duniya and Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi, died by suicide at her residence in Nalasopara East near Mumbai on June 14. She was 22.

According to police officials, the incident took place at her home in Achole village, Nalasopara East. Authorities said Ugale had locked herself inside her bedroom and was later found hanging from a ceiling fan. Family members and local residents rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.

Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death. Officials said inquiries are underway and the exact reason behind the incident has not yet been established.

Career across television, OTT and films

Ugale had built a growing presence in the entertainment industry through television, streaming projects and films. Apart from Kumkum Bhagya and Wagle Ki Duniya, she played a lead role in Dilwali Dulha Le Jayegi. She also appeared in OTT projects such as Crime Aaj Kal and Silence 2.

The actor was also associated with the film Chhaava, which contributed to her growing recognition among audiences.

Last social media post draws attention

Following news of her death, social media users shared and commented on Ugale’s final Instagram post, which had been uploaded hours before the incident. The post showed the actor in traditional attire lip-syncing to a classic Bollywood song. Fans expressed shock and grief after learning of her death.

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