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Wrestler Bajrang Punia Returns His Padma Shri As A Mark Of Protest; Keeps It On The Footpath

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A day after Sakshi Malik decided to retire from professional wrestling due to the appointment of Brij Bhushan Singh’s close aide Sanjay Singh as the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief, fellow wrestler Bajrang Punia has taken another drastic step. Punia took to his official handle on X, writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about his desire to return his Padma Shri award.

A video surfaced on X (formerly Twitter) of Punia keeping his Padma Shri on the footpath outside of PM’s residence, having been surrounded by police officials and media personnel. The police officials seemed to be requesting him not to return his award, but the 29-year-old was likely adamant on doing it.

“Our protest site was vandalized” – Bajrang Punia

Punia took to X and recalled the events when they started protesting and how the authorities stopped them from doing it by destroying their site.

“Dear Prime Minister ji, hope your health is well. You must be busy in many work but I am writing this to draw your attention to what is happening to the wrestlers of the country. You must be aware that the women wrestlers of the country started a protest in January this year against Brij Bhushan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment. I too had joined their protest. The protest stopped after the government promised strong action.”

“Our protest went on for 40 days. There was much pressure on us during those days. Our protest site was vandalized and we were also not allowed to protest any more. We did not know what to do next so we went to immerse our medals in the Ganga. Then we were stopped by the farmer leaders and coaches.”

The Haryana-born wrestler acknowledged government’s awards to them since several years, but also admitted that mistreatment of women have left him gutted. Hence, Punia has decided to relinquish it.

“The government has given us a lot. I was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2019. I also received the Arjuna, Khel Ratna award. When I got these awards, I was on cloud nine. But today the sadness weighs more. And the reason is a woman wrestler left the sport because of her security.”

“Sports have empowered our women athletes and changed their lives but the situation is such that the women who could have been the brand ambassadors of beti bachao, beti padhao are now leaving the sport. And we, the wrestlers who were ‘awarded’ could not do anything. I can’t live my life as a Padma Shri awardee while our women wrestlers are insulted. Hence I return this award to you,” he wrote.

Sanjay, who is also the UP Wrestling Association vice-president, was crowned as the new chief of WFI as panel emerged victorious, winning 13 out of 15 posts in the polls. 2010 CWG Gold medalist Anita Sheron also contested the election, but Singh received 40 votes, with the former receiving only 7. Brij Bhushan reacted to the massive development, hoping to have the wrestling events resume across the country.

Teary-eyed Sakshi Malik desired for a woman WFI chief:

Hours after Sanjay Singh emerged as the winner of the elections, Malik resigned and lamented the lack of woman as WFI’s chief. She said during a press conference:”If the president would be a woman, harassment would not happen. But, there was no participation of women earlier and today you can see the list, not even a single woman was given a position. We had fought with complete strength but this fight will continue. The wrestlers of the new generation have to fight.”

National News

FIR filed against Noida Authority as 4-year-old dies after falling into septic tank

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Noida, Aug 2: Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Noida Authority following the death of a four-year-old boy after he fell into an uncovered water tank and died, officials said on Sunday.

The child, identified as Firoz Alam, died after falling into an open pump tank in the Sector-122 green belt area. The incident, reported on Saturday, falls under the jurisdiction of the Sector-113 police station in Noida.

The accident reportedly occurred while the child had gone to drink water from the tank.

According to officials, no Noida Authority employee was stationed at the site when the accident took place, raising safety concerns.

Speaking to reporters a day before, pump operator Anil said: “I came to know about the incident this evening. The family has​ already taken the dead body to the village. The child died here.”

“As soon as I got to know (about the tragedy), I informed the authorities who then arrived at the spot. I don’t know anything more than this,” he added.

As authorities face questions over the incident, the staff of the Sector-113 Police Station have registered an FIR against the concerned employees of the Noida Authority following the tragic death of the four-year-old.

Moreover, the roles of the Horticulture and Water departments are also under police investigation.

In a similar incident reported in July, a six-year-old boy had lost his life after falling into a 15-foot-deep water-filled pit at Kala Dham Society in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

The victim was identified as Avyaan Surya, the son of Siwan Yadav, Vice Principal of Kendriya Vidyalaya.

According to police and local residents, the incident occurred in the Knowledge Park area of Greater Noida on Saturday. The pit, nearly 15 feet deep, had reportedly been dug by the Greater Noida Authority for boring work and had filled with rainwater following recent showers.

Residents alleged that the excavation site had neither barricades nor warning signs, making it hazardous for people, especially children. They said Avyaan was playing with other children near the site when he accidentally fell into the open pit.

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National News

FairPoint: When the protest became a mirror to society

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New Delhi, Aug 2: In Hindu philosophy, there is a belief that everything happens for a reason. If that thought holds, the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar has served a purpose far greater than drawing attention to examination paper leaks. It has exposed deep cracks in institutions, the erosion of civility, the weakening of family values and the ease with which sections of the youth could be drawn into outrage, abuse and manipulation.

Long after the slogans have faded, these are the questions that should concern the country the most.

It exposed an examination system that has been rotting for decades, corroded from within by those entrusted with protecting it. It exposed the erosion of the stature once enjoyed by teachers in Indian society. It exposed coaching institutes that increasingly view education as a business rather than a responsibility. It exposed sections of the political ecosystem that are quick to exploit emotions of young people. And perhaps most importantly, it exposed the gradual decline of family values and parenting, leaving many teenagers vulnerable to manipulation and the lure of instant fame.

The CJP protest, therefore, should be seen as a wake-up call — not just for governments, but for politicians, parents and the youth themselves.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to respond in a manner that went beyond politics. Through a series of social media videos, he attempted to engage directly with young people, projecting himself as the head of a large national family concerned about the direction in which a section of the younger generation is heading.

His first Instagram video on July 23, when the CJP-led protests were still underway, announced fast-track courts to hear paper leak cases and promised legislation prescribing stricter punishment for those involved. A day later, he thanked young people for sending thoughtful suggestions in response to the video, saying his relationship with them would only grow stronger.

On July 26, the Prime Minister announced that a task force headed by Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani would study India’s examination system and recommend comprehensive reforms. He later followed it up with another video explaining the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026.

However, it was his July 31 message that stood apart.

Beginning with the words, “Hi friends, today I feel like talking only to you”, the Prime Minister adopted a deeply personal tone. Referring to the abusive language directed at him and his late mother during the protests, he said the words did not belong in a civilised society and that seeing “daughters” use such language came as a cultural shock.

Instead of demanding harsh punishment, he urged society to view the episode differently. Young people make mistakes, he said, and youth is also the stage when those mistakes can be corrected. Rather than dragging them through endless court proceedings or socially isolating them, society should embrace them and help them find the right path, he said.

To drive home the point, he used a simple analogy of tongue and teeth, saying that the teeth may bite the tongue and it might bleed. “But we do not break the teeth. Both the teeth and the tongue are ours. These youngsters are ours too, and guiding them is our responsibility, ” he said.

It was a message that combined firmness with compassion. The July 31 address demonstrated how a leader can respond to a sensitive issue involving young people without reducing it to a purely political contest.

The real test, however, does not lie with the government alone. It lies equally with the opposition and with society.

Throughout the paper leak controversy and the CJP agitation, the opposition failed to convert a genuine public concern into a meaningful national debate.

Instead of engaging seriously with examination reforms, institutional accountability and the future of India’s students, much of the discourse descended into political theatrics. Parliament, too, failed to rise to the occasion. Even Rahul Gandhi, who has consistently tried to position himself as a voice of students and the youth, could not offer a substantive agenda. A serious issue eventually got reduced to exchanges over who called whom an “idiot”.

But the biggest lesson from the CJP protest is for society itself.

Young people will question authority. They should. Curiosity, idealism, adventurous rebellion are natural characteristics of youth; there is nothing wrong with that. But the real concern arises when that energy is easily hijacked by vested interests pursuing political or personal agendas.

The protests also revealed an uncomfortable reality. Some participants appeared more interested in creating viral content than contributing to a meaningful movement. The abusive language directed at the Prime Minister and his late mother reflected a disturbing coarsening of public discourse. Equally troubling were reports that, in pursuit of better camera angles and social media engagement, some participants were even directing Sonam Wangchuk during his fast to change his position for better visuals.

Such incidents point to a deeper societal problem. Has the pursuit of online popularity begun to overshadow dignity, respect and purpose? Have likes, reels and followers become more important than values?

These are questions that deserve far greater attention than the political slugfest surrounding the protest.

The protest has ended. The protesters have gone home. But the fallout is immense, an eye-opener for society, politicians and the youth themselves.

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Crime

Delhi govt notifies compensation of up to Rs 7.5 lakh each for unnatural death of jail inmates

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New Delhi, Aug 2: The Delhi government has notified a compensation scheme – with relief amounts ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh – for the next of kin or legal heirs of prisoners who suffer an unnatural death during custody in city prisons, said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the scheme, notified in accordance with the guidelines of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), will ensure timely relief to affected families in specified cases while further strengthening administrative accountability.

According to the notification issued by the Home (General) Department of the Delhi Government, the scheme will be implemented as the Scheme for Payment of Compensation on Account of Death of Prisoners in Delhi Prison, 2025, said a statement.

It will apply only to cases involving the unnatural death of a prisoner in any Delhi prison on or after the date of notification of the scheme. As per the notification, compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh will be paid to the family of a deceased prisoner in cases where death occurs due to clashes between inmates or alleged torture or assault by prison personnel, it said.

A compensation of Rs 5 lakh has been prescribed in cases involving negligence by prison authorities or staff, negligence by medical or paramedical personnel, or suicide by a prisoner, it said.

The notification makes it clear that no compensation will be payable in cases of natural death or death caused by illness. It further states that deaths occurring while escaping from prison or from lawful custody, as well as deaths caused by disasters or calamities, will not be covered under the scheme, said the statement.

Under the scheme, the Jail Superintendent concerned will be required to submit the magisterial inquiry report, post-mortem report, final cause of death, the prisoner’s medical history, and details of the treatment provided before death to the Director General (Prisons), Delhi, in every case, it said.

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