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Crime

K’taka HC upholds ban on hijab in schools & colleges, dismisses all petitions

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The Karnataka High Court’s special bench on Tuesday dismissed all petitions seeking direction for permission to wear hijab in classrooms.

The HC also stated that “wearing of hijab is not an essential part of Islam. Prescription of uniform is constitutional and students can’t object to it.” Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi read the judgement.

“We are of the considered opinion that wearing a hijab by Muslim women does not form any essential form of practice in Islamic faith. The prescription of school uniforms is only a reasonable restriction and are constitutionally permissible which the students cannot object,” the bench said.

“In view of the above we are of the considered opinion that the government has power to issue the government order dated February 5, 2022 (restricting hijab in classrooms) and no case is made for its invalidation,” the bench noted.

The bench further observed, “We are of the considered opinion that no case is made out for issuance of direction of disciplinary action and warrants against the respondents. Therefore, the petition in this regard is rejected as not maintainable.

“Accordingly in above circumstances all these petitions are devoid of merits and liable to be dismissed, and all the pending applications are not maintainable and disposed of,” the bench underlined.

The bench after commencing the session said that keeping the holistic view of the entire matter, it has formulated a few questions and they have answered them.

“The questions which are formulated are whether wearing of hijab, headscarves is a part of essential religious practice in Islamic faith protected under Article 25 of the constitution?

“The second question is whether restriction of school uniforms is not legally permissible and being violative of petitions fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 19 (1) (a) freedom of expression and privacy?

“The third question whether government order dated February 5, 2022 apart from being incompetent is being issued without application of mind and further it is manifestedly arbitrary and therefore violates the Articles 13, 14 of the constitution?

“Whether any case is made out in the petition of issuance of direction initiating disciplinary enquiry and warrants against respondents? The special bench said.

As a precautionary measure security was beefed up across the state. Holiday was declared in the districts of Dakshina Kannada, Kalaburagi and Shivamogga for schools and colleges.

Most of the districts imposed prohibitory orders in the surrounding areas of educational institutions. The Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant issued prohibitory orders restricting protests, celebrations and gatherings in the entire city for seven days from March 15.

The hijab row, which started as a protest by six students of the Udupi Pre-University Girl’s College, turned into a big crisis.

The bench headed by the Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice Jaiunnesa Mohiyuddin Khaji heard the matter on a daily basis.

The counsels appearing for the petitioners contended that restriction on hijab to classrooms is a violation of fundamental rights and religious rights. There is no legal standing for the School Development Committee (SDC) or College Development Committee (CDMC), they said.

They also argued that wearing of hijab is an integral part of Islam. However, the Advocate General and other counsels appearing for the government argued that wearing of hijab is not an essential part of Islam. They have also stated that the government respects the wearing of hijab and it had been left to the discretion of SDMC and SDCs. It was also brought to the notice of the court that many Islamic and European countries have banned hijab.

Crime

Delhi Police arrests thief who stole jewellery from relative’s house; gold items recovered

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New Delhi, Nov 24: Delhi Police on Monday arrested a thief who stole jewellery from his own relative’s house. The Bindapur Police Station team of the Dwarka district recovered the stolen gold items following the arrest.

According to a statement released by the Dwarka Police, the team recovered one gold chain with a locket, another gold chain, one pair of gold chains, one pair of gold earrings, two gold rings, and a 20-gram gold biscuit at the instance of the accused.

On November 9, an online e-FIR (No. 80106448/25) under Section 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was received at Bindapur Police Station. The police team reached the location and met the complainant, Manjinder Kaur, wife of Aslam Saleem and a resident of Arya Samaj Road, Uttam Nagar, Delhi. She reported that unknown persons had stolen jewellery from her residence. Based on her complaint, the aforementioned e-FIR was lodged.

Maintaining a zero-tolerance approach as directed by the DCP of Dwarka District, a dedicated crack team from Bindapur Police Station was formed to solve the case and apprehend the culprit. The team comprised Head Constable Neeraj, Head Constable Ashok, Constable Rajesh Dagar, and Constable Ashish, under the supervision of Inspector Naresh Sangwan, Station House Officer, and overall supervision of Rajkumar, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Dabri.

In pursuit of the investigation, the team visited the crime spot and examined CCTV footage from the house and surrounding areas. Notably, there were no signs of forced entry, no locks or doors had been broken leading the police to suspect involvement by someone familiar with the house or residing in the same building.

During the enquiry, it came to light that a cousin of the complainant had visited and stayed at the house for three days. Police questioned the cousin, identified as Parmjeet Singh, a resident of GTB Nagar, Lalhedi Road, Ludhiana, Punjab. When questioned, Parmjeet initially introduced himself as Sub-Inspector Parmveer Singh. However, he failed to produce any identity card and could not give a satisfactory answer regarding his alleged posting.

As his statements appeared suspicious, police conducted a more thorough interrogation. During sustained questioning, Parmjeet admitted that he worked as a commission agent dealing in old cars and ultimately confessed to committing the theft at the house of the complainant, who is the daughter of his maternal aunt.

He further revealed that he had hidden the stolen jewellery at his maternal grandfather’s house in Ambota, Himachal Pradesh, concealing it inside a bed. Based on his disclosure, Parmjeet was arrested, produced before the court, and placed under police remand. A police team accompanied him to Himachal Pradesh, where the stolen items were successfully recovered.

Further investigation is underway.

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Crime

Dahisar Woman Dies By Suicide After Years Of Alleged Abuse; Husband Arrested For Harassment And Abetment By MHB Police

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Mumbai: A 36-year-old woman, Sapna Tribhuvan, allegedly died by suicide by hanging herself with a cloth at her residence in Dahisar West after enduring prolonged mental and physical abuse over trivial family matters. Her husband, Gautam Tribhuvan, has been arrested by the MHB police for allegedly harassing her and abetting her suicide.

According to the FIR, the incident occurred on Monday, November 17, between 12 pm and 1 pm at Navagaon, Dahisar West.

The complainant, Sangeeta Mhaske, 54, has been residing in Nashik for the past five years, where she works in a reputed hospital. Sapna was her daughter and had married Gautam in November 2007.

According to Mhaske, Gautam began mentally and physically abusing Sapna shortly after their marriage over trivial household issues. He allegedly assaulted her frequently. Sapna had informed her mother about the harassment several times.

In 2021, exhausted by the constant abuse, Sapna left Gautam’s house with her two children and went to live with her mother. During this period, Gautam did not visit her even once, but continued to abuse and threaten her over the phone. Following these threats, Sapna filed a petition against him in family court. In May 2025, the couple reached a settlement on Gautam’s assurance, and Sapna returned to his Dahisar residence with their children, hoping for a better future.

Initially, things improved, but Gautam soon resumed mentally and physically abusing her. During this time, Sapna learned that he was allegedly having an extramarital affair. When she confronted him, he refused to end the relationship and allegedly told her to either leave the house or die by suicide. This caused her immense mental stress, and on Monday, November 17, she allegedly ended her life.

On receiving the news, Sangeeta Mhaske rushed to Mumbai with her son and daughter-in-law. At Bhagwati Hospital, she learned that doctors had declared Sapna dead. MHB police reached the spot and recorded her statement, in which she alleged that her daughter was consistently harassed, beaten, and tortured by Gautam, who was also involved in an extramarital affair.

Based on her complaint, the police registered a case against Gautam for harassment and abetment to suicide. He was arrested on Tuesday and later produced before a local court in Borivali, which remanded him to police custody.

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Crime

SC to hear Delhi Police arguments today against bail in 2020 riots case

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New Delhi, Nov 24: The Supreme Court is slated to continue hearing on Monday the bail pleas of student leaders Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shifa-ur-Rehman — all accused under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 North East Delhi riots.

As per the the causelist published on the apex court’s website, a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria will continue to hear the submissions of the Delhi Police opposing bail.

In an earlier hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi Police, had submitted that the 2020 violence was not a spontaneous communal clash but a “well-designed, well-crafted” attack on national sovereignty.

“Your lordships were told, there was a protest, and it resulted in communal riots. First of all, I would like the myth to be busted. This was not a spontaneous riot but well-designed, well-crafted, orchestrated, pre-planned, choreographed riots, and that will emerge from the evidence collected,” S-G Mehta submitted, claiming that evidence, including speeches and WhatsApp chats, revealed a “clear and discernible attempt to divide the society on communal lines”.

Referring specifically to Sharjeel Imam’s alleged statements, the Centre’s law officer had told the apex court: ‘He (Imam) says it is his heartfelt wish that there be a chakka jam in every city where Muslims reside.”

S-G Mehta also sought to place reliance on WhatsApp chats recovered by the Delhi Police, which allegedly show “how the property is to be damaged, how money is to be collected”, adding that it was “a systematic and synchronised attempt to divide the society and divide the nation”.

On Thursday, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju, appearing for the Delhi Police, played before the top court video clips of Sharjeel Imam’s speeches as well as visuals of the 2020 riots.

ASG Raju submitted that the material revealed during the course of the investigation reflected a “clear, deliberate, and coordinated” attempt to provoke unrest. The Delhi Police, in its counter-affidavit, has described Umar Khalid as a “key conspirator” and “mentor” to others, including Imam, alleging that the conspiracy was pre-planned to coincide with the official visit of US President Donald Trump.

“This was done to draw the attention of ‘international media’ and to make the issue of CAA a global issue by portraying it as an act pogrom of the Muslim community in India. The issue of CAA was carefully chosen to serve as a ‘radicalising catalyst’ camouflaged in the name of ‘peaceful protest’,” the affidavit said.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had rejected the bail pleas of all the accused.

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