New Delhi, Oct 14: Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Vivek Bhagat, posted in Delhi’s Connaught Place subdivision, has lodged an FIR against a woman journalist and two others, alleging that they made casteist remarks against him, publicly humiliated him and obstructed him from performing his official duties during a protest in the national capital on October 3.

The FIR, registered at Parliament Street Police Station on October 13, names journalist Rosy, Gajendra Singh, associated with a news portal, and an unidentified person as accused. The case has been registered under Sections 221, 356(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Bhagat has been in the spotlight amid allegations of harassment of women protesters during the recent agitation against Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The allegations are being investigated by the Crime Branch.

According to the complaint filed by ACP Vivek Bhagat, who belongs to the Megh/Meghwal Scheduled Caste community, the alleged incident took place at Buta Singh Roundabout on October 3, when police personnel were deployed to manage a protest called by Neha Bora and others against the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Bhagat stated that protesters had gathered around 2.30 p.m. and were attempting to proceed towards Jantar Mantar. Despite police announcements regarding the enforcement of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and requests to disperse, the protesters allegedly refused to move, following which police personnel began detaining them.

The ACP alleged that before the detention process, Rosy, in the presence of her colleague Gajendra Singh and others, made derogatory remarks referring to his nameplate and caste identity.

According to the complaint, she allegedly said, “Ye Bhagat hai, Meghwal hote hain, ye choti jaati ke hote hai, silai bunai ka kaam karte hai, ye *** kahan se ACP ban gaya.” (This is Bhagat; they are Meghwals, belonging to a lower caste. They do sewing and stitching work. How the hell did this fellow become an ACP?)

Bhagat said he ignored the remarks and continued performing his duty. He further alleged that around 3 p.m., while facilitating the movement of a bus carrying detainees, Rosy accused him of sexually assaulting her. He claimed that she and her colleagues repeatedly confronted him, questioned his conduct and obstructed his official work.

The complaint further states that Rosy, Gajendra Singh and others staged a protest outside Parliament Street Police Station around 6.15 p.m. the same evening, raising slogans against him and allegedly portraying him as a sexual predator and potential rapist.

Bhagat also alleged that several posts and reels were subsequently circulated on X and Instagram by the accused and others, including members of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), damaging his reputation.

The ACP claimed that the allegations and online posts had caused him mental trauma and reputational damage. He also expressed apprehension that the actions were intended to target and humiliate him because of his caste identity.

The FIR states that, prima facie, offences under the relevant provisions of the BNS and the SC/ST Act were made out. Further investigation has been assigned to ACP Ajay Kumar Sharma of Parliament Street subdivision.

Patna, Oct 14: In a major tragedy, at least 13 children drowned after a boat carrying passengers capsized in the Ganga River near Rampur Shyamchand village under the Raghopur police station area of Bihar’s Vaishali district on Tuesday evening. The search is on for missing passengers.

Even more heartbreaking is the fact that seven of the deceased children belonged to the same family, turning the incident into a huge tragedy for the family and the village.

According to preliminary reports, around 20 to 30 people were travelling by boat to attend a feast in a neighbouring village.

The boat reportedly lost equilibrium after reaching the main current of the Ganga and overturned, throwing passengers into the water.

The accident triggered panic in the area, as cries for help were heard from the river.

Local residents rushed to the spot and began rescue efforts before the district administration, police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams joined the operation. Local divers also assisted in the search.

Seven of the deceased children were reportedly from the family of Rampravesh Rai, alias Raja, a resident of Rampur Shyamchand village.

The deaths have left the affected families and the wider village in deep mourning.

The group was travelling to a neighbouring village, crossing the river and a nearby low-lying waterlogged area locally known as a dhab.

Several children were aboard the boat, while the total number of passengers was estimated at between 20 and 30.

Authorities have been working to establish the exact number of people on board and determine whether anyone remains missing.

Angry residents protested against the district administration following the tragedy.

Villagers alleged that the boat was old and in poor condition and claimed that requests for its replacement had been submitted earlier, but no action was taken by the authorities.

There are also suspicions that the boat may have been carrying more passengers than its holding capacity.

However, the exact cause of the accident and the boat’s condition remain subject to investigation.

Union Minister Chirag Paswan expressed grief over the deaths, describing the incident in Raghopur Diyara, which falls within his parliamentary constituency, as deeply distressing.

Paswan said he had spoken to the District Magistrate to seek details about the rescue operation and discuss assistance for the affected families through the Bihar and central governments.

Paswan also announced that he would visit the accident site to meet the bereaved families and enquire about the condition of the injured.

He added that injured passengers had been sent to NMCH for further treatment.

The Bihar Congress also expressed deep sorrow over the deaths of the children and conveyed condolences to the bereaved families.

The party prayed for peace for the souls of the departed children and strength for their families to cope with the loss.

Further details regarding the final casualty count, the number of missing passengers and the circumstances leading to the capsizing are awaited.

New Delhi, Oct 14: A wide cross-section of the Harvard community on Wednesday expressed concern over the ‘negative public discourse’ and ‘concerted campaign’ against India’s constitutional institutions, in light of the ongoing Delhi protests against the Election Commission and ‘vote chori’, and also dubbed the assertions by the university’s alumni as “alarming and troubling”.

The Harvard Community, including lawyers, policymakers, civil servants, scientists and academicians, has voiced strong opposition to alleged attempts at using Harvard University’s name to lend credibility to a political campaign without appropriate authorisation.

“In moments such as these, silence cannot be an excuse for indifference,” said many Indian citizens associated with Harvard and other famed Universities, who are signatories to this statement.

This comes a day after about 100 Harvard University alumni comprising students, faculty and staff members condemned the crackdown on the CJP-led protests in the national capital on October 10, while alleging police brutality and violation of constitutional rights.

The signatories to the Harvard community statement expressed deep concern over attempts to malign institutions, such as the Election Commission of India, the Supreme Court, the Chief Justice of India, and Parliament.

They also took strong exception to the language used to describe India as being under “siege” and to characterise constitutional authorities as “thieves” or “compromised”.

“This raises serious concerns about the intent to undermine public trust in democratic institutions,” the statement said.

It further said that the law enforcement agencies are expected to undergo fair scrutiny, but sweeping accusations and abusive rhetoric cannot be a substitute for evidence.

It also calls for respecting the Constitution, the rule of law, and civil liberties at all times, not just when it suits one’s interests.

“Our commitment must remain to the Constitution, not convenience; to justice, not selective outrage; and to democratic institutions, not the politics of accusation,” it said.

Notably, a day ago, the Harvard Club of India came out with a clarification that it did not endorse or issue any statement from the University regarding the ongoing protests in Delhi.

The club distanced itself from the reported Harvard alumni letter and said the statement did not represent the organisation’s official position, hinting that it was rather their personal opinion.