Nagpur, June 18: The Nagpur Police have arrested a cleric who was allegedly involved in the forced religious conversion of a 24-year-old woman, the wife of an Indian Air Force officer. The accused, identified as Hazrat Maulana, was apprehended in Madhya Pradesh and brought into custody for questioning.

The case, which surfaced earlier this week, has attracted widespread attention due to the serious allegations made by the woman. In her complaint, she accused a former classmate and his several associates of sexual assault, blackmail, coercive religious conversion, and performing rituals claimed to be linked to black magic.

The controversy intensified after a video circulated widely on social media. The footage allegedly showed a man holding the woman by the hand while reciting religious verses. The video sparked outrage and led to increased scrutiny of the case.

According to NDTV, the principal accused, Ayaaz Madare (26), and his associate, Ameen Shaikh, are already in police custody. Investigators believe the arrested cleric played a significant role in the alleged conversion process and the conduct of a purported marriage ceremony.

As detailed in the FIR, the woman alleged that on February 8, 2025, she met Ayaaz at a hotel where he allegedly mixed an intoxicating substance into her drink. She claimed that after losing consciousness, compromising photographs and videos were taken without her consent. The accused allegedly used these materials to threaten her, warning that they would be shared with her husband and posted online. The woman further alleged that she was repeatedly subjected to sexual assault and forced to hand over nearly Rs 4 lakh.

In the viral video, the woman can reportedly be seen crying and pleading to be released while the accused recites verses and performs rituals. She claimed that following the incident, she was told that she had been converted against her will and that further attempts were made to sexually assault her.

The complainant also alleged that Ayaaz regularly forced her to consume a liquid from a plastic bottle. After drinking it, she claimed he would chant in Urdu, blow on her face, and describe the process as hypnosis or black magic before assaulting her.

Another incident mentioned in the complaint allegedly took place on May 31, when the woman was taken to Kalmeshwar by the accused and his associate. There, Hazrat Maulana allegedly conducted religious rituals and compelled her to utter “qubool hai” against her wishes. She stated that the cleric subsequently declared her conversion and performed a nikah ceremony with Ayaaz.

Police officials said further details are expected to emerge during the cleric’s interrogation. Investigators are now seeking documents related to the alleged marriage and examining whether additional individuals were involved. Authorities are also exploring whether similar incidents involving other women may have occurred.

Mumbai, June 18: As the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) stares at the prospect of a fresh rebellion within its Lok Sabha ranks, political observers point out that internal revolts have been a recurring feature of the party’s history.

Established by Balasaheb Thackeray on June 19, 1966, on the twin pillars of Marathi identity and Hindutva politics, the Shiv Sena has weathered several major splits over the past three and a half decades. From the first major defection in 1991 to the dramatic rupture of 2022, almost every decade has witnessed a prominent leader breaking away from the organisation.

The first serious challenge to Balasaheb Thackeray’s authority emerged in 1991 when senior Other Backward Classes (OBC) leader Chhagan Bhujbal rebelled against the party leadership. Disenchanted with internal functioning and his position within the organisation, Bhujbal walked out with 17 MLAs and joined Sharad Pawar’s camp. He later went on to serve as a minister and Deputy Chief Minister in Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) governments. The episode marked the first major legislative revolt against the Shiv Sena leadership.

Another significant departure followed in 1999 when Navi Mumbai strongman Ganesh Naik severed ties with the party and joined the newly formed NCP. Naik, who wielded considerable influence in the Navi Mumbai region, remained a key NCP leader for nearly two decades before switching to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019, while retaining his political dominance in the area.

The next major setback came in 2005 with the exit of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane. Growing differences with the emerging leadership of Uddhav Thackeray led to a bitter fallout and eventual expulsion from the party. Rane joined the Congress, later floated the Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksha, and eventually aligned with the BJP, where he continues to be an influential figure in the Konkan region.

A year later, the Shiv Sena suffered what many regarded as its most emotional split. Raj Thackeray, Balasaheb Thackeray’s nephew, parted ways with the Shiv Sena, citing marginalisation within the organisation and disagreements over Uddhav Thackeray’s style of functioning. In 2006, he launched the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). The party made an impressive debut, winning 13 Assembly seats in 2009, but gradually lost political ground and now has only a limited electoral presence.

Unlike previous rebellions in which leaders simply left to form or join other parties, Eknath Shinde’s revolt in 2022 fundamentally altered the Shiv Sena itself. Leading a rebellion by 40 MLAs and a majority of the party’s MPs, Shinde challenged Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership and claimed to represent the party’s original ideology.

With support from the BJP, he not only split the organisation but also secured control of the official Shiv Sena name and its iconic bow and arrow symbol through legal and constitutional processes. The development forced Uddhav Thackeray’s faction to function under the Shiv Sena (UBT) banner.

Now, amid speculation surrounding “Operation Tiger” and reports that six of the nine Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha MPs could cross over to the Shinde camp, the party once again finds itself confronting familiar political turbulence. Should the defection materialise, it would become the latest chapter in a long history of internal revolts that have repeatedly reshaped both the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra’s political landscape.

New Delhi, June 18: Ahead of the NEET (UG)-2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that nearly 16 lakh candidates have successfully downloaded their admit cards. The admit cards were released on June 14 for candidates appearing in the retest.

The NTA stated that it had received requests from several candidates who were unable to complete their account details due to various reasons and sought direct access to download their admit cards.

In response, the agency has decided to provide all candidates with the opportunity to download their admit cards for NEET (UG)-2026 through the official website, using their login credentials and selecting one of the available options.

Candidates may either choose to download their admit card immediately and complete the review and confirmation of their bank details for the examination fee refund at a later stage, or review and confirm their bank details first and then proceed to download the admit card.

The NTA has advised candidates facing any difficulty in downloading their admit cards to contact the agency through its helpline numbers, 011-40759000 or 011-69227700, or email their concerns to (neetug2026@nta.ac.in).

Candidates have also been urged to regularly visit the official websites of the NTA and NEET for the latest updates and announcements related to the examination.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has transported question papers for the NEET-UG 2026 retest to 18 locations across the country as part of extensive security arrangements ahead of the examination.

The move comes amid heightened efforts by authorities to ensure that the re-examination is conducted smoothly, securely, and without any irregularities. Officials said the use of Air Force aircraft is intended to ensure the safe and timely delivery of question papers to designated distribution hubs nationwide.

The NTA, in coordination with other government agencies, has implemented a multi-layered security framework for the re-examination. Security personnel, local administration officials, and law enforcement agencies have been deployed to oversee the transportation, storage, and distribution of examination materials.

In addition, sensitive examination centres will be placed under enhanced surveillance. Authorities have introduced strict monitoring mechanisms to prevent any attempts to tamper with question papers or disrupt the examination process.

The NEET-UG 2026 retest will be conducted on June 21 for candidates affected by issues identified during the earlier examination process. The examination remains one of the largest entrance tests in the country and serves as the gateway for admission to undergraduate medical courses across India.