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Tuesday,22-September-2026
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Passport Seva Portal To Be Shut From Today: Technical Maintenance Work From August 29-September 2, All Appointments Rescheduled

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Individuals gearing up to travel and perhaps even relocate will have to wait for some days, as the Passport Seva Portal, India’s official website processing passport-related exercises, will be down from August 29 to September 2.

According to the website, the portal, “Passport Seva portal will be down for technical maintenance from 29th August 2024, Thursday 20:00 hrs IST to 2nd September, Monday 06:00 hrs IST.”

The pop notification on the government website said, “System will not be available during this period for citizens and for all MEA/RPO/BOI/ISP/DoP/Police Authorities. The already booked appointments for 30th August 2024 will be suitably rescheduled and informed to applicants.”

This therefore would mean that all the existing appointments will in all probability be rescheduled.

The Passport Seva Portal X account posted the notifications on August 25. It also reposted posts from Regional Passport Offices.

According to the External Affairs Ministry, “The External Affairs Ministry said this is a routine procedure. “For rescheduling of appointments, we always have contingency plans. The maintenance activity for a public centric service (like Passport Seva Kendras) is always planned in advance so that no inconvenience is meted out to public. So rescheduling an appointment will not be a challenge,” a source from the ministry has said.”

National News

Kolkata police arrest four, in connection with college clashes at Bengal Bhangar

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Kolkata, Sep 22: Four persons were arrested in two separate cases registered by the Kolkata Police on Tuesday morning, in connection with the major violence that broke out recently, in two phases within a college campus at Bhangar in the southern outskirts of Kolkata.

The four arrested persons have been identified as Rabiul Zama Sheikh, Akhtar Ali Molla, Rabiul Mistry and Aslam Habib. Although originally, Bhangar, being under the administrative jurisdiction of the South 24 Parganas district, was under the jurisdiction of the West Bengal Police, towards the closing quarters of the previous Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress regime, it was brought under the law & order jurisdiction of Kolkata Police.

The root of the tension at Bhangar College, which is located at a thoroughly minority-dominated area in South 24 Parganas district, broke out after the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman, Sayantan Basu, who is the president of the managing committee of Bhangar College, reached the college campus for administrative functioning.

The activists of the CPI(M)’s students’ wing, Students’ Federation of India (SFI), started protesting over Basu’s visit to the campus. Soon the activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also reached the spot, following which massive altercations broke out between the two students’ groups, which ultimately led to two rounds of clashes between the two groups.

A huge contingent reached the spot and somehow brought the situation under control. Now, on Tuesday morning, the cops have arrested four individuals in connection with the clashes.

Its is learnt that that the police registered a suo motu case in the mater at Bhangar Police station in relation to which Rabiul Mistry and Rabiul Zaman Sheikh were arrested

There are multiple charges against them including illegal assembly, illegal entry into the college, and obstructing the president of the management committee, said a city police insider.

On the other hand, a section of ABVP activists also filed a written complaint with Bhangar police station. On the basis of that complaint, another case was registered by the police in connection to which the other two persons were arrested.

All four of them will be presented at a district court in South 24 Parganas district on Saturday and the public prosecutor will seek their police custody.

Following Monday’s violence, a police picket has been set up in front of the Bhangar College premises since Tuesday morning. The police are also keeping an eye on the situation to ensure that no new unrest breaks out.

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Crime

People who revealed victim’s face are equally guilty: Sanjay Saraogi on Jamui molestation horror

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Patna, Sep 22: Condemning the horrifying molestation incident that occurred in Jamui, Bihar BJP President, Sanjay Saraogi, said that the people who revealed the identity of the minor victims in the matter, are equally guilty.

Sanjay Saraogi said, “Such incidents cannot be accepted in a civilised society under any circumstances. One cannot condemn it enough… The police registered an FIR, formed an SIT, and arrested three people as soon as the incident came to light. The police are continuously conducting raids to arrest the main accused, who will be arrested soon.”

“But the people who revealed the identity of the victim on social media are also at fault. One’s identity can’t be revealed on social media in such cases. People who revealed the minor’s identity will be punished too,” he added.

While reacting to the Opposition’s take on the matter, he said, “How does Tejashwi Yadav treat the women of his family? Many cases have happened in the past too. Many incidents like this happened when his father (Lalu Prasad Yadav) was in power. However, such incidents can’t be tolerated. The police are vigilant, and three arrests have been made in the matter. The main accused will also be arrested; no one will be forgiven.”

A viral video showing the harassment of two Class 10 students, including a girl, in Bihar’s Jamui district by a group of men has raised questions about law and order and the security of women in the state.

The two students were returning from their coaching classes on a scooter when a group of youths stopped them and molested the girl and assaulted the boy.

Saraogi also spoke on Yogi Adityanath’s comments on the Samajwadi Party and the latter’s take on Sanatan. “Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is right in saying that the Samajwadi Party is opposed to Sanatan Dharma and Sanatan culture. For Muslim votes and the votes of a particular community, the SP can stoop to any level,” he claimed.

Saraogi questioned whether people forgot what happened when Ram devotees from across the country demolished the disputed Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, and how the Samajwadi Party killed numerous people.

“There was a brutal lathi-charge, firing took place, and many Ram devotees were killed. Now, with elections approaching, the Samajwadi Party wants to indulge in communal polarisation again,” he claimed.

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Crime

Jamui cops arrest one individual in minor student’s molestation case; FIRs filed against 120 social-media profiles

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Patna, Sep 22: Jamui Police arrested Ramashish Chaudhary in connection with the alleged molestation and harassment of two minor students in the Madwa Pahar area along the Jamui-Lakhisarai route. A video of the shocking incident in Bihar was recorded and subsequently circulated on social media, prompting police action against the molesters and also the people who shared the video online, thus compromising the minor victim’s identity.

Police are continuing their investigation and examining the alleged roles of other individuals involved in the horrific incident.

The prime accused, identified as Nandan Yadav, who was seen wearing an orange scarf around his head in the video, and Hare Ram Yadav remain at large.

Police teams are conducting continuous raids to locate and arrest them.

Meanwhile, Jamui Police have also intensified action against people who allegedly shared the video and disclosed or risked disclosing the identity of the minor victim.

According to police, FIRs have so far been registered against the operators of 120 social-media profiles across different platforms.

Authorities have appealed to the public not to share photographs, videos or any information that could reveal the identity or personal details of the minor victim.

Jamui Superintendent of Police, Vishwajeet Dayal, said displaying or circulating material that reveals the identity of a minor victim is a serious offence and can attract provisions under the POCSO Act, Information Technology Act and Juvenile Justice Act.

Cases have been registered at Jamui Sadar Police Station under the relevant provisions of these laws, the SP said.

Dayal added that the police were conducting the investigation impartially and that efforts were also underway to have videos uploaded on social-media platforms removed.

The incident occurred late on Saturday evening in the Madwa Pahar area, when a minor female student was allegedly stopped and molested by a group of youths while returning from the area.

A male student accompanying her was also allegedly assaulted.

The matter came to the attention of the authorities after the video began circulating on social media on Sunday evening.

The Jamui administration subsequently contacted the victim’s family and registered an FIR.

Police said three juveniles in conflict with the law have been detained in connection with the case.

Seven to eight youths have been identified so far, while two additional suspects have also been identified.

Raids are being conducted to apprehend those still at large.

A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to conduct a detailed investigation.

Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, the roles of the identified suspects and the source from which the video was recorded and circulated.

ADG (Law and Order), K.S. Anupam said efforts were continuing to identify and arrest all individuals found to have been involved in the crime.

Police have reiterated their appeal to the public not to post, forward or share photographs, videos or other information that could reveal the identity of the minor victim. The investigation remains underway.

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