National News
UN Experts ‘Alarmed’ By Human Rights Violations In Manipur
In a press release issued today, United Nations human rights experts have expressed deep concern over reports of serious human rights violations and abuses in the Northeastern State of Manipur, India. These disturbing reports include allegations of sexual violence, extrajudicial killings, home destruction, forced displacement, torture, and ill-treatment.
The experts have highlighted what they refer to as an “inadequate humanitarian response” to the grave humanitarian crisis that has unfolded in Manipur. This crisis stems from a recent wave of community conflict between the predominantly Hindu Meitei and predominantly Christian Kuki ethnic communities that erupted in May 2023.
The statement said that by mid-August 2023, the conflict had claimed an estimated 160 lives, with the majority belonging to the Kuki ethnic community. Over 300 people were injured, and tens of thousands of individuals from these communities were displaced. Thousands of homes and hundreds of churches were reportedly set ablaze, farmland was destroyed, and crops were lost, resulting in severe livelihood challenges.
One particularly harrowing aspect of the situation is the reported gender-based violence targeting hundreds of women and girls, primarily from the Kuki ethnic minority, the experts said. These acts of violence allegedly include gang rape, public humiliation, fatal beatings, and even burning women alive or dead, they added.
The experts have expressed serious concerns about the role of hateful and inflammatory speech that was disseminated both online and offline, seemingly inciting and justifying these atrocities against the Kuki ethnic minority. Furthermore, they have raised alarm about the reported misuse of counterterrorism measures to legitimize acts of violence and repression against ethnic and religious minorities.
The deteriorating situation for religious and ethnic minorities in India has been highlighted by these events in Manipur. The UN experts have voiced their apprehension regarding the perceived slow and inadequate response by the Government of India, including law enforcement, in addressing the physical and sexual violence and hate speech in Manipur.
However, the experts have welcomed the fact-finding mission carried out by lawyers and human rights defenders in Manipur, as well as the follow-up actions taken by the Supreme Court of India regarding the situation in Manipur. They have urged the Supreme Court to maintain vigilance and closely monitor the government’s response, emphasising the need for justice, accountability, and reparations. Concerns were also expressed about the reported criminalization and harassment of human rights defenders documenting these cases.
In their closing remarks, the UN experts called upon the Government of India to intensify relief efforts for those affected by the crisis and to take swift and robust action to investigate acts of violence. They also emphasised the importance of holding perpetrators accountable, including public officials who may have contributed to the incitement of racial and religious hatred and violence.
Crime
Priyanka Gandhi office warns against her deepfake videos asking people to invest money

New Delhi, Sep 10: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday urged people to stay cautious of misleading and fabricated videos allegedly featuring her and asked them not to fall prey to fraudulent and deceitful calls for investment in real estate projects or any other futuristic ventures.
Priyanka Gandhi’s office flagged the issue after her deepfake videos surfaced and were seen in circulation on multiple social media platforms.
It has urged the Congress leader’s followers and others to neither click on those posts nor give consent to any requests made in the AI-generated video.
Issuing a formal scam alert on Instagram, Priyanka Gandhi’s office warned the public against fake, AI-generated videos that have apparently used her face and voice to cheat the people and hoodwink them into fraudulent investments.
“Fake videos using AI-generated images and voice of Smt Priyanka Gandhi Vadra ji is circulating on WhatsApp, Instagram and other social media platforms asking people to invest money,” Cong MP’s office informed on its Insta handle.
“These are scams. Please do not click or invest,” it further said.
The Congress MP also asked the people to block such posts at the first instance and also report them to the relevant authorities for suitable action.
Such scams using deepfake and AI-generated videos of famous personalities have mushroomed in the past few years, making many gullible investors prone to huge financial losses.
A deepfake video is made by using AI to simulate a person’s face and voice, making it a facsimile copy of the target.
The scammers distort and misuse the cutting-edge technology to generate misleading videos, featuring unauthorised images of prominent figures and then try to rob people of their money.
In the recent past, deepfake videos of industrialists like Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and Reliance’s Mukesh Ambani also surfaced, where the online scammers and fraudsters used AI-doctored videos to lure citizens into fraudulent investment traps, leading to huge losses to investors.
National News
Jammu Municipal Corporation demolishes 20 shops in Satwati area

Jammu, Sep 10: Jammu Municipal Corporation officials on Thursday demolished 20 shops in Satwati area of the city even as the shopkeepers alleged that no prior notice was served to them.
Reports said the Jammu Municipal Corporation today demolished around 20 shops at Satwari Chowk, triggering anger among shopkeepers who alleged that the decades old commercial establishments were demolished without any prior information or notification.
The shops, according to the affected shopkeepers, had been operating at the location for around 50 years, with the occupants claiming that they had been regularly paying monthly rent to the municipal authorities.
Angry shopkeepers alleged that the demolition was carried out without giving them adequate notice or information, leaving them with little opportunity to remove their belongings or make alternative arrangements. The action comes against the backdrop of the long-pending issue of rehabilitation of shopkeepers affected by development works in the Satwari area.
The UT Cabinet had earlier approved a rehabilitation and resettlement scheme for shopkeepers and open-space kiosks affected by road widening at Nai Basti, Satwari Chowk.
A Jammu Municipal Corporation official, however, said that the affected shopkeepers would be relocated to another site within six months.
The assurance has failed to convince the affected traders, who said they had heard assurances of rehabilitation earlier as well, but continued to face uncertainty over their livelihood. The issue of rehabilitation of Satwari shopkeepers has been raised repeatedly by traders’ bodies.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has previously stated that affected shopkeepers had been paying rent to the municipal authorities and had sought alternate sites and rehabilitation.
Shopkeepers affected by the Jammu Municipal Corporation actions argue that relocation promises are uncertain and have demanded immediate financial compensation.
In June 2026, Jammu Development Authority (JDA) cleared over 30 illegal structures near the Jammu railway station, reclaiming state land valued at Rs 10 crore.
Crime
Gujarat courts deliver 1,785 POCSO verdicts in five years; 908 get life term

Gandhinagar, Sep 10: Gujarat courts have delivered 1,785 verdicts in cases registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act between 2022 and August 2026, with 908 accused sentenced to life imprisonment and 16 handed death sentences, according to figures released by the state government.
The pace of proceedings has also strengthened, with police filing chargesheets in most POCSO cases within 45 days and fast-track courts taking up cases for early trial.
In one recent case in Kalol, a Special POCSO Court sentenced a 42-year-old man to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life within 72 hours of the police filing the chargesheet in connection with the alleged abduction and sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.
The number of judgments rose from 194 in 2022 to 499 in 2025. In the first eight months of 2026, courts have already delivered 346 judgments, including 241 life sentences and two death sentences.
Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the state had adopted a “zero-tolerance” approach towards sexual offences against children and is working to ensure that victims and their families did not have to wait for years for justice.
“There can be no mercy or leniency for anyone who casts an evil eye on girls in Gujarat. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, the state government has established fast-track courts and a robust legal framework for POCSO cases. As a result, victims and their families are now receiving speedy justice—not in months or years, but within a matter of days,” Sanghavi said.
Referring to the Kalol case, he said the verdict within 72 hours of the filing of the chargesheet reflected the quality of investigation by the Gujarat Police and the approach of the judiciary.
“Reaching a verdict within just 72 hours of the filing of a chargesheet is the result of the excellent and scientific investigation carried out by the Gujarat Police and the strict and commendable approach of the judiciary. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Gujarat Police and the judiciary. Our clear resolve is to ensure that such offenders receive the strictest possible punishment, setting a strong example for society,” he said.
Director General of Police (DGP), G.S. Malik, said investigations into POCSO cases are being conducted with sensitivity while maintaining speed and strictness.
“To ensure speedy justice for victims and their families, the police are particularly focussing on a three-pronged approach of ‘thorough investigation, strict action and speedy justice’ during the investigation process,” Malik said.
According to the police, each POCSO case is being monitored to ensure that chargesheets are filed promptly and cases are transferred to fast-track courts without unnecessary delay.
Over the past five years, chargesheets were filed within one to 15 days in 140 POCSO cases, while investigations were completed within 16 to 30 days in 1,339 cases.
Another 5,463 cases saw chargesheets filed within 31 to 45 days.
The figures indicate that a large majority of POCSO investigations are being completed within the 45-day period, allowing trials to commence sooner and courts to decide cases at a faster pace.
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