Poll-Bound Bihar To Get Another Amrit Bharat Train This Week; Purnia-Patna Vande Bharat En Route
Bihar, going for elections later this year, has been getting a connectivity and infrastructure push over the last couple of months
Over 12,000 trains to be operated for Bihar during Diwali, Chhath: Ashwini Vaishnaw
Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the Railway Ministry will operate over 12,000 trains for Bihar during Diwali and Chhath. A new Amrit Bharat train will connect Delhi and Gaya. A Vande Bharat train between Purnia and Patna will soon be launched. The Ministry has planned a Buddha Circuit train connecting Nalanda and Rajgir.
Sharda University administration booked after B.Tech student died by suicide citing bullying, stress
LUCKNOW: Sharda University appears to be sailing in troubled waters. While the institution has yet to clarify the circumstances surrounding the alleged death by suicide of second-year BDS student Jyoti Sharma, 21, in mid-July, reportedly due to harassment by faculty members, another tragedy has struck. A B.Tech student, 24, died by suicide on the night of 15 August in a private hostel in Knowledge Park, barely two kilometres from the campus. According to sources, police registered a case of abetment to suicide against the Sharda University administration and unidentified individuals in connection with the death. In a suicide note recovered from the possession of the deceased, identified as Shivam Dey, 24, a native of Purnia district in Bihar, he allegedly described himself as useless and wrote that he could no longer bear the stress. The first information report (FIR) also alleged that the deceased told his parents that classmates bullied him over failing the exam. On Sunday, two days after the incident, Greater Noida police registered a case under Section 306 (abetment to suicide) against the administration of Sharda University and unidentified individuals, on the complaint of the students father, who alleged mismanagement. The college did not inform us that my son was not attending classes despite accepting tuition fees for the past two years, reads the FIR. Meanwhile, sources claimed that as per the initial probe, the student had enrolled in the universitys B.Tech course in 2022 but stopped attending classes after failing his second-year exams. The student received a supplementary exam in the first year. He passed the supplementary exam and was admitted to the second year. But after another supplementary exam in the second year (2023), this time he failed in it and then he stopped attending classes since 2023, said Sharda Universitys Director (Public Relations), Dr Ajit Kumar. We were informed that the student concerned had created fake mark sheets from Sharda University and sent them to his parents, claiming he was enrolled and studying. As he had a login ID for the college, his parents continued sending fees to the universitys account. We sent multiple messages about his absence and re-admission to the college, but it was revealed that he had provided his personal number, where the university sent messages, Kumar said. In the last two years, his parents deposited over Rs 2.5 lakh in the universitys account. We asked them to provide bank details to return the additional money, added Kumar, questioning how someone could be considered part of the university when he had left the course without providing any information. The university, meanwhile, stated that had the parents contacted them directly, they would have been informed about the additional fees and it would have been refunded without delay. With more than 20,000 students enrolled, it was challenging to monitor each students login details for fee deposits, the administration claimed. Police investigations, however, revealed clear lapses on the part of the college, as the administration allegedly continued to accept fees without informing the parents that the student had stopped attending classes. Evidence provided by the family suggests that they deposited all semester fees without delay. If the student provided an incorrect number at the time of admission, the college should have cross-verified it, said Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) (Greater Noida) Vivek Ranjan Rai. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
BTech student at private university in Greater Noida dies by suicide
NOIDA: A second year engineering student at a private university in Greater Noida allegedly died by suicide at his hostel room, police said on Sunday. In his suicide note, Shivam Dey held no one responsible for his death and requested the university to refund the fee to his parents. The student also mentioned that he was unable to bear the pressure of studies, they said. A native of Purnia in Bihar's Madhubani, Shivam was pursuing BTech in Computer Science from Sharda University in Greater Noida. According to the family, the 24-year-old student went back to college on August 2 after returning from family trip to Vaishno Devi. Kartik Dey, the student's father claimed that he was normal when he was at home and showed no signs of distress. Shivam was the lone son in his family, his father works in a private company and mother is a housewife. The Knowledge Park police informed that a memo from a private hospital was received on August 15 that a 24 years old student was found dead in HRM Hostel. The body was sent for the post-mortem and a case has been registered, they said. A spokesperson of the Sharda University said that the university has expressed condolences to student's family and confirmed that fees would be refunded and all necessary support would be given to them. Shivam Day enrolled in the B Tech computer Science programme in 2022. He completed his first year, but after that he struggled in his second year and failing to meet the minimum grade requirement of a 5.0 CGPA to progress to the third year, the spokesperson said. His mentor remained in his touch to support him and encouraged him to participate in internships, and other academics programmes, he added, adding that Shivam was also given opportunities to improve his performance, but if could not he was offered to repeat the second year at reduced fees. On July 18, a second year student of Dental Sciences also died by suicide. She had accused two faculty members for her death and after that they were arrested by police. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)
Ex-Sharda University Student Found Dead In Hostel, Suicide Note Mentions Mental Stress
The deceased, hailing from Purnia district in Bihar, was found hanging inside his room at a hostel in Knowledge Park, about two kilometres from the university
Bihar elections: Migration a major factor behind change in voter demography
Bihar's draft electoral roll reveals demographic shifts due to migration. Patna saw the highest voter deletion, followed by Madhubani. BJP-JDU strongholds like East Champaran also experienced significant deletions. Gopalganj's voter list shrank due to migration and floods. Samastipur witnessed a close NDA-RJD contest. Purnia is among the top districts with voter deletions.
Bihar Assembly Elections: Seemanchal, close to Bangladesh, sees significant voter deletion
Bihar's Seemanchal region, comprising Araria, Kishanganj, Purnia, and Katihar, has experienced significant voter deletions in the draft electoral roll, totaling several lakhs. These districts, bordering Bangladesh and Nepal with a high Muslim population, are known for infiltration. The region's 24 assembly seats are crucial for the NDA and INDIA bloc, marked by communal polarization and close contests.
NEW DELHI: The NHRC said on Wednesday that it has issued notices to the Bihar government and the state's police chief over reports that five members of a Scheduled Tribe (ST) family were allegedly hacked to death and their bodies burnt on the suspicion of practising witchcraft in Purnia district earlier this month. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also directed the state government to take steps to ensure the safety of a 16-year-old boy, the sole surviving member of the family and an eyewitness to the alleged incident, and provide counselling to him. The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that five members of a family, belonging to a Scheduled Tribe, including three women, were allegedly hacked to death and their bodies were burnt on suspicion of practising witchcraft in Bihar's Purnia district on the night of July 6, the rights panel said in a statement. The commission observed that the contents of the news reports, if true, raise serious issues of violation of human rights. Therefore, it said it has issued notices to the chief secretary and the director general of police of Bihar, seeking a detailed report in two weeks, including the present status of the investigation of the case and arrest of the perpetrators. According to the media reports published on July 8, the 16-year-old sole surviving member of the family has informed police that a mob of around 50 people allegedly stormed into their house, accusing his mother of practising witchcraft, the statement said. The mob first allegedly assaulted his mother with bamboo sticks, calling her a witch. Then it attacked the rest of the family members who came to rescue her and hacked all of them to death in front of the survivor, it said, quoting the reports. Later, the assailants allegedly carried the victims' bodies around 100 to 150 metres away from their house and set those ablaze, the NHRC said. Reportedly, villagers suspected that the illness and death of a boy in the village were caused by the victim family by practising witchcraft, it added.
Bihar's 'Tanishq robbery' mastermind, LJP leader's murder accused nabbed by Uttarakhand STF
DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Special Task Force (STF) has achieved a significant breakthrough by arresting a notorious gangster from Bihar. The criminal was a wanted suspect in a major jewellery heist worth Rs 3.70 crore and is also accused of murdering a Lok Janshakti Party leader. According to the STF, the accused, identified as Mohammad Rahul alias Shakib, was hiding under a fake identity in Kaliyar Sharif area of Roorkee, Haridwar. His arrest on Sunday marks the end of several months of his evasion. Senior Superintendent of Police Navneet Singh Bhullar of the STF provided detailed information about the arrest. He stated, Mohammad Rahul alias Shakib was a wanted suspect in a multi-crore jewellery robbery and is also accused of murdering a Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader in Bihar. SSP Bhullar elaborated on the Tanishq showroom robbery that took place on July 26 last year, in Purnia district, Bihar. Six criminals had robbed the Tanishq showroom located in Khajanchi Haat police station area at gunpoint, looting jewellery worth Rs 3.70 crore, he explained. He further detailed the subsequent actions, saying, Following the incident, one accused, Chunmun Jha , was killed in a police encounter, while four other accused are currently in jail. However, Mohammad Rahul alias Shakib, who was a key member of this robbery gang, had been absconding since the incident. SSP Bhullar informed that the Uttarakhand STF received precise intelligence from Bihar Police that Rahul was hiding in Kaliyar. Describing the operation, he said, Based on this information, the STF team acted swiftly. They successfully arrested the wanted accused from the Kaliyar police station area using manual policing and their informer network. This high-profile arrest is part of a special campaign being run by the Director General of Police of Uttarakhand, Deepam Seth, to apprehend long-absconding wanted criminals and gangsters across the state. This action by the STF reinforces the commitment to maintaining law and order in the state.
Aadhaar saturation rate higher than 100 per cent in Bihar's Seemanchal region
PATNA: Aadhaar saturation rates in Seemanchal region of election-bound Bihar are above 100 per cent, official data revealed. The data was collected from Seemanchal region comprising Kishanganj, Purnea, Katihar and Araria districtsthat have Muslim populations ranging from 39 per cent to 68 per cent. According to official data collected during caste-based survey by the Bihar government, while the states average Aadhaar coverage stands at around 94 per cent, Kishanganj, with 68 per cent Muslim population, shows an Aadhaar saturation of 105.16 per cent of the districts total population. Similarly, Katihar (45 per cent Muslim population) and Araria (50 per cent) each have a saturation rate of 101.92 per cent and 102.23 per cent, respectively. Purnia (with 39 per cent Muslim population) stands at 101 per cent of the districts total population. The figures suggested that there were over 120 Aadhaar cards for every 100 residents in Seemanchal region, which shares its border with West Bengal and Nepal. This anomaly raised questions about who these additional Aadhaar cards were meant for and why they existed. Authoritative sources said that Aadhaar cards were being mostly used for obtaining domicile certificates in these districts. Sudden rise in applications for domicile certificates also raised doubts and officials posted in the districts shared their concerns with their seniors in the state secretariat. Deputy chief minister Samrat Choudhary said that around 2 lakh applications have been submitted for domicile certificates in the past one week and so in Kishanganj district alone. A sudden jump in applications for domicile certificates in Muzaffarpur district has also raised concern, he added. The state government has ordered an investigation into sudden jump in applications for domicile certificates in Seemanchal region, especially after the Election Commission (ECs) Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls started on June 24, he told the media. Deputy chief minister did not rule out possibility of Bangladeshi citizens settling in these districts as countrys international border with Bangladesh is not far off from Kishanganj. An IAS officer posted as district magistrate in Seemanchal region, said on condition of anonymity that the district administration was keeping a close watch on applications for domicile certificates under his jurisdiction. According to official figures, 1,27,000 applications for domicile certificates were submitted to authorities concerned in Kishanganj district between July 1 and 6. The four districts of Seemanchal region have registered about 16 per cent growth in Muslim population between 1951 and 2011, as per census. The average Muslim population in the four districts stands at 47 per cent. The issue has stirred debate not only in poll-bound Bihar but also in neighbouring West Bengal, where Mamata Banerjees government is already grappling with Aadhaar card deactivation concerns. Many political observers have questioned whether this is an attempt by Opposition parties and the Left to position Aadhaar as proof of citizenship. Given the one person-one Aadhaar rule, the figures have triggered concerns over possible duplication or issuance to non-citizens. Seemanchals geographical location adds sensitivity to the issue, as the region borders West Bengal, Nepal, and is not far from Bangladesh, said a senior journalist Pramod Kumar, who earlier worked in Purnea. The Opposition, including RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, called for a Bihar bandh on July 9 to protest the ECs Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, which excludes Aadhaar as valid proof for voter verification.
Video: Pappu Yadav, Kanhaiya Kumar Stopped From Boarding Van With Rahul Gandhi
In a potential embarrassment for the Congress, its leader Kanhaiya Kumar and Purnia MP Pappu Yadav were stopped from boarding an open van which had Rahul Gandhi, RJD Chief Tejashwi Yadav and some other leaders on it.
In Purnia district, Bihar, a family of five was allegedly burned alive by villagers accusing them of practicing black magic. The victims, identified as members of the Oraon community, included the father, mother, brother, sister-in-law, and grandmother. Police have arrested three individuals as investigations continue into the horrific incident, which has sparked outrage and political condemnation.
Five members of family burnt alive in Bihars Purnia district on allegation of witchcraft
Incident took place on Sunday, July 6, night at Tetgama village under Muffasil Police station, three arrested
Five Family Members Lynched, Their Bodies Burnt By Mob Over Witchcraft Allegation In Bihars Purnia
According to police, the victims were first beaten to death and then their bodies were burnt by a mob of more than 250 villagers who accused them of practising witchcraft.
He won from Purnia because of Tejashwi Yadav's mercy: BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal hits out at Pappu Yadav
Sanjay Jaiswal, a BJP MP, attacked Purnia MP Pappu Yadav. He claimed Yadav won due to Tejashwi Yadav's support. Jaiswal alleged Pappu Yadav's past electoral malpractices. He criticized Tejashwi Yadav's candidate selection, accusing him of vote diversion. Jaiswal defended the ECI's electoral revision in Bihar. He clarified document requirements, citing the Supreme Court's stance on Aadhaar.
Fake police station busted in Bihar days after ASI held with sophisticated weapons
PATNA: A group of fraudsters operated a fake police station for nearly a year from a government school building in Bihars Purnea district. The racket surfaced shortly after a suspended ASI was arrested in Samastipur with sophisticated weapons, including an AK-47, Insas rifle, and a carbine. The alleged mastermind, Rahul Kumar Sah, has been absconding since the fake police station in Mohani village under Kasba police limits was exposed on Monday. Purnea SP Kartikey Sharma said a special police team has been formed to investigate the case. According to police, Sah posed as a recruiter for the Gramin Raksha Dal, charging local youth between Rs 2,500 and Rs 5,000 for supposed appointments as constables and chowkidars. After enrolling them, he handed out police uniforms, batons, and fake identity cards, and assigned them tasks, including vehicle checks and raids targeting liquor smugglers. Once recruited, they were instructed to carry out vehicle checking at different locations and fine motorists Rs 400 for infractions such as not wearing helmets or carrying a driving licence. Rs 200 went to the patrol team as commission, and the remainder was pocketed by Sah. Rahul told us the rest of the money was going into the government treasury, one of the victims told senior police officers. In a brazen move, Sah operated the fake police station from the premises of Madhya Vidyalaya Betauna in Mohani Panchayat. From there, illegal collections were made from liquor smugglers and seized vehicles were released in exchange for bribes. Witnesses reported that CNG autos were used for patrolling, driven by uniformed individuals.The police are now attempting to trace the vehicles and other members of the gang. Surprisingly, the operation went unnoticed by local authorities for months. Mukhiya Shyam Sundar Oraon and his nephew, Sinod Oraon, were allegedly linked to the operation and even honoured fake constables and chowkidars at this years Republic Day celebrations on January 26. Several public representatives are reported to have attended events organised by the fake police station. Villagers openly accused local administration officials of complicity or negligence. How can it happen? It is unbelievable that fake police can operate for about an year with the knowledge of local administration, asked a police officer posted at police lines in Purnea. Former Bihar minister and Kasba MLA Mohammad Afaq Alam has demanded a full investigation by Purnia SP, Kartikeya K. Sharma. Such a big fraud was going on, yet the police had no information. This government is promoting unemployment, which is driving educated youth into the hands of fraudsters, Alam said, suggesting possible involvement of white-collar figures and calling for a special probe. Meanwhile, Kasba SHO Ajay Kumar Ajnabi confirmed that a case (153/25) has been registered against Rahul Kumar Sah and his associates. Raids were ongoing at multiple suspected hideouts to apprehend the fugitive. Rahuls family has been given a two-day ultimatum to present him at the police station, failing which we will initiate attachment proceedings, Ajnabi said. District police administration is also investigating the broader network behind the fake police operation and seeking to identify its main kingpin. Last week, a suspended ASI Saroj Singh and his four associates were arrested from Sultanpur village under Mohiuddin Nagar police station limits in Samastipur district. Sophisticated weapons such as AK-47 rifle, Insas rifle and carbine were recovered during the raid.
For most residents of Pakistan Tola in Bihar, the village name is an embarrassment
Ever since the Pahalgam attacks in April this year, people of Pakistan Tola in Bihars Purnia district have been demanding to change the name of the village they have been living in for years
