Thane: In a significant operation exposing a wildlife smuggling racket, the Forest Officials rescued rare species of animals from a highrise in Dombivli. The officials raided an apartment in Palava City, Dombivli and found exotic animals including lizard, turtles, rare species snakes and other reptiles stored in the flat. Horrifying enough, the team found a monkey caged in the washroom of the apartment.

It was later confirmed that the rescued animals included Ignuana (lizard), an Orangutan and python. The operation was conducted by the Forest Range Officers from Thane and Kalyan along with a team from Manpada Police Station after a tip.

The officials did not find any accused present in the apartment at the time of the raid. A case under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 has been registered and a search for the accused is underway. Meanwhile, the seized species are handed over to a local NGO on a temporary basis for observation.

The video of the forest officials raid surfaced on the internet shows a boy opening the door of the well-kept apartment. After entering the flat, the officials gradually come across wildlife species stores in small cage, plastic boxes piled up in the passage and shocking enough an Orangutan in washroom at the end of the apartment.

As per the statement issued by the police, the teams raided the 8th floor apartment in B wing of Savarna Building in Palava City, Dombivli. In the action, the exotic animals seized as prima facie identified as python, ignuana (lizard), turtle, snake etc. The seized wildlife species, on temporary basis, are handed over to Birsa Munda- a local NGO. The pachanama, documentation and search for the accused is underway, it added.

Shiv Sena MP and party’s candidate from Mumbai’s Worli constituency for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Milind Deora, on Wednesday challenged Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and his opponent in the seat, Aaditya Thackeray, to an open debate on the future of Worli, Mumbai, and Maharashtra. In an X post, Deora referred to Aaditya’s old post in which he had said, “Someone who is scared of an open debate with rival candidates is not worthy of being in any public forum.”

Responding to an old post by Aaditya on X, which was posted in May this year during the Lok Sabha elections, Deora invited the former Maharashtra minister to a debate, saying, ‘Let’s also talk about BMC’s 30-year misgovernance, Mumbai Metro delays, Mahalaxmi Racecourse, and the Sachin Vaze scandal’s impact on Maharashtra’s economy.’

‘Worlikars should decide whether “speed breaker politics” or “progress without speed limits” is the best way forward for our city and state,’ he added.

Notably, in May this year, Aaditya Thackeray had challenged the Shiv Sena candidate Yamini Jadhav, who was pitted against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Arvind Sawant from Mumbai South seat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Aaditya had said that two events where citizens could have watched South Mumbai candidates debate face-to-face and be asked questions by the citizens were canceled at the last minute. He alleged that the police canceled the events citing ‘fear of political workers clashing.’

In the post, he further said that Shiv Sena (UBT) South Mumbai candidate Arvind Sawant was ready for the debate and open questions, but the event was canceled.

‘Someone who is scared of an open debate with rival candidates is not worthy of being in any public forum, the Parliament being the highest,’ Aaditya had said.

Mumbai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday boldly asserted that the Narendra Modi government will amend the Waqf Board law “come what may (danke ki chot par)” and after that no one would be able to declare private land as Waqf property.

Shah said the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is against the changes, but the bill to amend the law regarding the Waqf board will soon be passed in the Parliament.

Home Minister On Waqf

Speaking at the rally in Ghatkopar on Tuesday, the Union Minister said that in Congress-ruled Karnataka, entire villages had been declared as Waqf property.

“The Waqf Board of Karnataka has transferred lands of farmers, villages and old temples to Waqf property, and no one can stop them. It won’t be possible here, because Modi ji has proposed the changes in the law of the Waqf Board. The Aghadi is against the changes, but the bill to amend the law regarding the Waqf board will soon be passed in the Parliament,” Shah said.

“Narendra Modi sarkar waqf kanoon danke ki chot par badal ne wali hai (Come what may Narendra Modi government is going to amend the Waqf act) and then no one’s land or house would be declared as Waqf property. This is a free India, and no one has the permission to do this,” he added.

What Is The Waqf Act Of 1995?

The Waqf Act 1995, was originally established to regulate Waqf properties, but it has long faced criticism over issues of mismanagement, corruption, and encroachments. The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha this August, seeks to bring sweeping reforms, introducing digitisation, stricter audits, transparency, and legal mechanisms to reclaim illegally occupied properties.

Amit Shah in his rally further talked about a petition submitted by a large group of ulemas to the Congress State President in Maharashtra, demanding 10 per cent reservation for Muslims. He said the Indian Constitution does not allow reservation based on religion.

“Just now, a large group of ulemas met the Congress State President in Maharashtra and submitted a petition demanding 10 per cent reservation for Muslims. In this country, 50 per cent of reservations have already been allocated, and if you (Congress) want to provide reservation to Muslims, then someone’s reservation will have to be reduced. Our Constitution does not allow reservation based on religion…let Rahul Baba and his company do what they can, but we will protect the reservation rights of OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis,” Shah said in his speech.

“A few days ago, I presented the BJP’s manifesto before the people of the state, and on the same day, Kharge ji presented the Maha Aghadi’s manifesto to the public. Furthermore, Kharge ji told the Maharashtra Congress to make promises that can be fulfilled, not promises that can’t be kept,” Shah added.

Campaigning has intensified for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra with both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) making efforts to woo the electorate.

The polls are scheduled for November 20 and counting will be held on November 23.