Category: Uncategorized

On Saturday, the Special Task Force of Delhi Police received information about a gang using dating apps to scam people at a bar inside a mall in East Delhi and arrested four people.

Lured to bars, trapped with exorbitant bills and forced to pay up – a simple night out turned nightmare for many online dating app users in Delhi.

On Saturday, the Special Task Force of Delhi Police received information about a gang using dating apps to scam people at a bar inside a mall in East Delhi and arrested four people.

After hours of questioning, the accused admitted to setting up fake women profiles on dating apps to lure victims. Well-known dating apps like Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, Happn, Aisle and Woo were used to lure the victims, officials said.

Explaining in detail, the accused told the police that once someone fell for the fake profile and agreed to meet, they were taken to the “Big Daddy Bar” in Delhi’s Cross River Mall and encouraged to order expensive food and drinks. By the end of the night, the bill, rigged in collaboration with the bar management, would be increased to an exorbitant amount forcing the victim to pay a huge amount.

In return for this entire racket, the accused used to get Rs 3,000 per day from the bar. The women – who posed as fake dates – were also arranged from different bars, so that the scam looked real.

The police have recovered four mobile phones from the accused, which have substantial evidence related to these fraudulent activities.

Police are actively investigating the matter and are now also finding out whether this gang is linked to other people or bars.

Police said the victim filed a complaint after being blackmailed and they tracked down the accused

Three people have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad for allegedly using a gay dating app to lure people into sexual activity, filming the act and then blackmailing them for money. Rinku, Ajay and Shubham have been arrested and two accused are on the run.

According to police, they received a complaint in which a man said he connected with someone on Grindr, a gay dating app, and went to meet him at a flat. During their meeting, the two started getting intimate. Some other people, who were present in the flat, filmed them in the act. They then blackmailed the complainant and forced him to transfer Rs 1.40 lakh into an account. The victim later approached the police and registered a complaint.

Swatantra Kumar Singh, Assistant Police Commissioner, said they filed a case based on the complaint and started tracking the accused. “We received information that the accused would be near NDRF road today. We set up a checkpost and arrested the accused. Rinku is the mastermind of the gang. The other accused are Shubham and Ajay. Ajay had connected with the complainant and lured him to the flat. Two people are on the run and they will be arrested soon.”

The senior police officer said they had seized three identity cards from Rinku describing him as an advocate. “We are investigating if they are fake,” he said. Police have also seized three mobile phones and Rs 10,000 in cash.

Asked if the gang had targeted other people in the past, the officer said, “The owner of the rented flat told us that the accused moved in on January 2. They have admitted that they blackmailed some others too. We are investigating this.” 

Amid a surge in blackmail cases using dating platforms, the officer had a word of caution for the public. “If you are not careful in the virtual world, someone can hide their identity and target you like this. If you are talking to someone and becoming friends online, you must be cautious before trusting them,” he said.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) officials said the body of Vaibhav Sharma, a second year B.Tech student of ABES College in Ghaziabad, has been recovered. He was from Baraut in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh.

A 20-year-old engineering student drowned while bathing in the Ganga river in Uttarakhand’s Rishikesh on Sunday, officials said.

State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) officials said the body of Vaibhav Sharma, a second year B.Tech student of ABES College in Ghaziabad, has been recovered. He was from Baraut in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh.

The incident occurred at Mastram Ghat in Lakshmanjhula area when Sharma along with his three friends had come to Rishikesh for a visit. While bathing in the river, he slipped and was swept away, the officials said.

Upon receiving information an SDRF team launched a search operation. After an intensive search of around 30 minutes divers recovered his body at a depth of 20 to 25 feet, they added.

Kuldip Tyagi shot his wife dead with a licensed revolver and then fired at himself at his home in Ghaziabad’s Raj Nagar Extension

A real estate dealer in Ghaziabad near Delhi shot his wife dead and then died by suicide yesterday. Kuldip Tyagi (46) left a suicide note that said he had been diagnosed with cancer and did not want money to be wasted on treatment because recovery is uncertain. The note said he had killed his wife, Anshu Tyagi, because they had vowed to stay together. The couple is survived by two sons and Kuldip’s father, a retired cop.

According to police, Kuldip shot his wife dead with a licensed revolver and then fired at himself at his home in Radha Kunj society of Raj Nagar Extension around 11 am yesterday. Their sons were at home at the time of the incident and rushed to their parents’ room on hearing the gunshots. Kuldeep’s body was found on the floor and Anshu’s was on the bed. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

A suicide note was found in the room. “I am suffering from cancer, and my family is unaware of it. I don’t want money to be wasted on my treatment because survival is uncertain. I am taking my wife along because we vowed to stay together forever. This is my decision. No one, especially my children, is to blame,” the note read.

Police seized the pistol and sent the bodies for autopsy.

Senior police officer Poonam Mishra said, “Kuldeep Tyagi shot his wife and then himself with his licensed revolver. In a suicide note, Kuldip Tyagi said he was suffering from cancer and his family members didn’t know about it. He did not want money to be spent on his treatment, so he decided to kill his wife and himself. We are investigating this matter,” she said.

The bag stuck in bushes along the embankment was spotted on Sunday by locals who alerted the police.

The body of a teenage girl stuffed inside a plastic bag has been fished out from Masuri Ganga canal in Ghaziabad, police said on Monday.

The bag stuck in bushes along the embankment was spotted on Sunday by locals who alerted the police.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Masuri Suryabali Maurya said, “The deceased appears to be 16-17 years old and was wearing jeans and top. No external injury marks were found on the body.” Based on the state of the decomposed body, police suspect the murder may have taken place two to three days ago.

“It is likely that the body was dumped into the canal either from a train passing over the railway bridge nearby or from a vehicle. The water current may have carried it to the spot where it was discovered,” Maurya added.

The ACP said the identity of the girl remains unknown.

Police have sent the body for post-mortem, which will be conducted after 36 hours.

If no one comes forward to claim the body, cremation will be carried out after 72 hours in accordance with the protocol, the officer said.

An investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the death, the ACP added.

The girl had been missing since Tuesday evening and her family members had been looking for her. Last morning, she was found naked and injured in a field

An 11-year-old speech-and-hearing-impaired girl was brutally raped in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district. She was found unconscious and with serious injuries. Police have arrested an accused after an encounter during which he suffered a bullet injury in his leg.

The girl had been missing since Tuesday evening and her family members had been looking for her. Last morning, she was found naked and injured in a field. She was rushed to a nearby hospital, which referred her to Meerut for better treatment. Police have registered an FIR under charges of rape of a minor and relevant sections of the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Police scanned footage from CCTV cameras in the area and identified Dan Singh (24), a resident of the same village, as a suspect. When cops tried to take him into custody, he opened fire and was injured in retaliatory firing, police said.

Dr Anju Singh, who conducted the girl’s medical examination, told The Times of India, “This is a clear case of rape by one or more persons as there were multiple injuries on her private parts. Her face had been struck with a blunt object, leaving it swollen. She was terrified and unable to explain anything. It is one of the most horrific sexual crimes I have seen.”

Rampur police chief Vidya Sagar Mishra said the girl’s mother submitted an application to the police, informing that her daughter, who cannot speak or hear, was sexually assaulted. “We registered a case and arranged for the girl’s medical examination. Three teams were formed to track down the accused. When we tried to arrest him, he opened fire at the police team. Police fired in self-defence and he suffered a bullet injury. We have electronic evidence against the accused. The girl is being treated,” he said. The senior officer said that CCTV footage shows the accused talking to the girl outside her home. “He then convinces her into accompanying him somewhere where she was raped.”

The accused was booked for rape and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Wednesday, police said.

 A 13-year-old girl, a student of class 7, was allegedly raped by her 19-year-old cousin in a village here, police said on Thursday.

The accused recently called the girl’s father after his wife’s death and asked the girl to help with cooking. She stayed with the accused for a few days and he then dropped her back home, said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Modinagar, Gyan Prakash Rai.

“Due to the late hour, the accused stayed overnight at her residence. After everyone in the family went to sleep, he allegedly entered the minor’s room, where she was sleeping alone, and raped her.

“When the girl tried to raise an alarm, the accused stuffed her mouth with a piece of cloth and beat her, threatening her with dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident,” the officer said.

“Later, the girl complained of severe stomach ache and her family took her to a doctor. It was then discovered that she was sexually assaulted by the accused,” he said.

The accused was booked for rape and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act on Wednesday, police said.

“The culprit will be arrested soon,” ACP Rai said, adding that further investigation is underway.

A video critical of Dravidian icon Periyar and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister CN Annadurai was screened at the Lord Muruga conference in Madurai.

What was billed as a grand spiritual celebration – the Lord Muruga conference in Tamil Nadu’s Madurai on Sunday – has turned into a major political embarrassment for the opposition AIADMK. Organised by the Hindu Munnani and spearheaded by the BJP, the event took a controversial turn when a video critical of Dravidian icon Periyar and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister CN Annadurai was screened with several senior AIADMK leaders on stage, including Deputy Leader of the House RB Udhayakumar.

The AIADMK, which draws ideological legitimacy from Annadurai, whose name it carries, was caught off guard, with its leaders facing backlash for remaining silent during the episode.

The video, which reportedly questioned the legacy of Periyar and Annadurai, has provided ammunition to the ruling DMK, which wasted no time in slamming the AIADMK for “mortgaging itself to the BJP”.

“Even God will not forgive a spiritual event being turned into a political meet,” said DMK spokesperson Dr Syed Hafezullah, calling the episode a blatant political stunt disguised as a devotional gathering.

The AIADMK said the video should not have been played.

“They could have avoided using this video. In future, this has to be avoided and no room should be given for fodder to rivals to portray that all is not well in the AIADMK-BJP alliance,” party spokesperson Kovai Sathyan told NDTV. 

Senior leader SP Velumani also sought to downplay the controversy, warning critics not to underestimate the party’s reverence for its late leaders.

“You know how our leader responded when our late leaders were insulted,” he said, referring to the AIADMK’s past decision to snap ties with the BJP following controversial remarks by former state BJP chief K. Annamalai.

Despite the unease, the AIADMK has indicated that its alliance with the BJP remains intact.

The conference, attended by thousands, was part of the BJP’s larger effort to expand its footprint in Tamil Nadu, a state where it has historically struggled to gain electoral traction. The party has pinned its hopes on leveraging religious symbolism and cultural events, such as this Lord Muruga conference, to build resonance in the Dravidian heartland.

To boost appeal, the BJP roped in Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and actor Pawan Kalyan, whose appearance added star power to the event. The exhibition also showcased replicas of all six abodes of Lord Muruga, attracting large crowds.

Marking their presence at the exhibition ahead of the conference were BJP-appointed governors, including Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan, offering prayers.

However, the controversy over the anti-Periyar video may have overshadowed the BJP’s larger messaging, with critics calling it a deliberate provocation to undermine the Dravidian movement, which remains deeply rooted in the state’s political and social fabric.

As the political fallout unfolds, the AIADMK finds itself on the defensive, trying to balance its alliance with the BJP while safeguarding the legacy of its founding icons.

Stalin pushed back against the BJP’s claims of religious discrimination in the state, pointing instead to the DMK government

In a scathing political counterattack, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday tacitly targeted the recently concluded Lord Muruga Conference in Madurai, an event organised by the Hindu Munnani and strongly backed by the BJP, accusing the saffron party of misusing religion for political gains.

Without naming the event directly, Mr Stalin said the BJP was attempting to “create chaos in a land known for religious amity,” and alleged that the party’s newfound devotion was “nothing but a drama” in the Dravidian heartland.

“The people of Tamil Nadu will not fall for the BJP’s fake devotion drama. Religion is not under threat here, as the BJP claims. The only thing under threat in this state is the BJP alliance,” Mr Stalin said while addressing a public event.

The Lord Muruga Conference, which saw participation from several BJP members and allies including Pawan Kalyan, RSS and Hindu Munnani functionaries, was widely seen as part of the party’s strategy to build a religious narrative and expand its footprint in the state ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. Tamil Nadu remains one of the few Indian states where the BJP has minimal electoral presence.

Stalin pushed back against the BJP’s claims of religious discrimination in the state, pointing instead to the DMK government’s record.

“This is the land of Periyar, Anna (CN Annadurai), and Kalaignar (Karunanidhi). In our tenure, we’ve consecrated 3,000 temples. We’ve spent Rs 84 crore on restoring churches and mosques too. Even in spirituality, the DMK has scored, and they have nothing to talk about,” he said.

The Chief Minister also launched a fresh attack on the AIADMK for its “silence” over what he called insults to Dravidian stalwarts.

Referring to the controversial video played during the Lord Muruga Conference that was critical of Periyar and former Chief Minister Annadurai, Mr Stalin questioned the AIADMK’s moral authority. “The party that carries Annadurai’s name stood quiet when he was mocked. The party that has mortgaged itself to the BJP will not hesitate to pledge the state too,” he said.

The AIADMK, which broke ties with the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and then failed to win any seats, has revived its alliance with the saffron party-a move that Mr Stalin appeared keen to leverage politically.

The AIADMK condemned the controversial video following widespread criticism.

Senior AIADMK leader RB Udhayakumar said this ought to have been avoided, and the party can’t accept insults to Periyar and MG Ramachandran. He also clarified that the party never expected this in the spiritual meeting.

According to the MLA, the passenger and his companion responded rudely and threatened him. He claimed video evidence now supports his version of events.

BJP’s Babina MLA Rajeev Singh on Thursday clarified his stand on the May 19 incident aboard the Vande Bharat Express, stating that a “misunderstanding” with fellow passengers escalated unnecessarily and that the altercation by his supporters in Jhansi was “unfortunate and unintended”.

Addressing a press conference, the MLA said he was travelling with his wife and children from Delhi to Jhansi when he “politely requested” a passenger to swap seats so the family could sit together.

According to the MLA, the passenger and his companion responded rudely and threatened him. He claimed video evidence now supports his version of events.

The Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP, on June 22, issued a show-cause notice to the party MLA in connection with the episode. The BJP had sought a reply from the legislator within seven days.

According to the Government Railway Police (GRP), the altercation occurred on June 19 on the Delhi-Bhopal Vande Bharat Express, allegedly over changing seats and objectionable sitting posture inside the train.

The situation escalated at Jhansi station, where a passenger was allegedly assaulted by some individuals linked to the ruling party MLA.

On Thursday, Mr Singh reiterated that he had filed a non-cognisable report (NCR) with the GRP that same evening after the encounter.

He added that during the train journey, he had also sought assistance via the Rail Madad helpline, citing safety concerns.

Later, when the train reached Jhansi, some of his local supporters, informed by his security personnel, allegedly assaulted one of the passengers. The MLA said this was done “in over-enthusiasm” and without his approval.

He stated that he later apologised to the passengers, who accepted his regret and acknowledged the misunderstanding.

The incident has drawn political reactions, with some opposition leaders and a former IPS officer demanding action. However, the passenger involved has not filed a formal complaint, and the matter is currently under police investigation.