<p>Government school students in Madhya Pradesh&#39;s Satna district&nbsp;will have to say &quot;Jai Hind&quot; instead of the usual &quot;Yes ma&#39;am, sir&quot; when they answer roll call.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The announcement was made on Tuesday by MP school education minister Vijay Shah.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The diktat is to be implemented from October 1.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Schools in Satna directed to ensure students answer roll call with &#39;Jai Hind&#39; instead of &#39;Yes Sir/Madam&#39; from Oct 1:V Shah,MP School Edu Min <a href="https://t.co/raFS25sGVp">pic.twitter.com/raFS25sGVp</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/907822169283026949">September 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Shah added that should the experiment is successful, formal permission will be taken from the chief minister to implement the rule in all schools in the state.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Will take permission from CM if experiment turns successful, &amp; would like to implement it in entire MP: Vijay Shah,School Education Minister</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/907822271720501249">September 13, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Shah added that in an effort to inculcate patriotism amongst&nbsp;the youth, the state government has already instructed schools to hoist the tricolour and sing the national anthem every day.</p>

<p>Private schools have been advised to do the same.</p>


The diktat will have to be followed from October 1

Government school students in Madhya Pradesh's Satna district will have to say "Jai Hind" instead of the usual "Yes ma'am, sir" when they answer roll call. The announcement was made on Tuesday by MP school education minister Vijay Shah. The diktat is to be implemented from October 1. Schools in Satna directed to ensure students answer roll call with 'Jai Hind' instead of 'Yes Sir/Madam' from Oct 1:V Shah,MP School Edu Min pic.twitter.com/raFS25sGVp — ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2017 × Shah added that should the experiment is successful, formal permission will be taken from the chief minister to implement the rule in all schools in the state. Will take permission from CM if experiment turns successful, & would like to implement it in entire MP: Vijay Shah,School Education Minister — ANI (@ANI) September 13, 2017 × Shah added that in an effort to inculcate patriotism amongst the youth, the state government has already instructed schools to hoist the tricolour and sing the national anthem every day. Private schools have been advised to do the same.

Students in MP's Satna to answer roll call by saying 'Jai Hind', not 'Yes ma'am/sir'

<p>After organising the &quot;save composite culture&quot; meet on August 17 at a national level, Rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav is all set to hold a similar meet in Indore.</p>

<p>The &quot;save composite culture&quot; meeting that is scheduled for tomorrow will campaign against the ruling BJP government in the state.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Opposition leaders from different parties including Digvijay Singh, Anand Sharma of the Congress, Sitaram Yechury of the CPI-M and Tariq Anwar of the NCP are expected to join Yadav in the meeting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>BJP has been ruling Madhya Pradesh for the past 14 years. The state will hold assembly elections at the end of 2018.</p>

<p>The meeting that aims to campaign against the ruling&nbsp;BJP government will&nbsp;track the party&#39;s handling of the&nbsp;recent&nbsp;farmer&#39;s protest that happened&nbsp;in&nbsp;Madhya&nbsp;Pradesh.</p>

<p>Sharad Yadav also added that he will take up similar campaign against BJP in two other states, Gujarat and Rajasthan.</p>

<p>Rajasthan,&nbsp;Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are ready to face assembly elections by the end of next year.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The "save composite culture" meeting that is scheduled for tomorrow will campaign against the ruling BJP government in the state

After organising the "save composite culture" meet on August 17 at a national level, Rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav is all set to hold a similar meet in Indore. The "save composite culture" meeting that is scheduled for tomorrow will campaign against the ruling BJP government in the state. Opposition leaders from different parties including Digvijay Singh, Anand Sharma of the Congress, Sitaram Yechury of the CPI-M and Tariq Anwar of the NCP are expected to join Yadav in the meeting. BJP has been ruling Madhya Pradesh for the past 14 years. The state will hold assembly elections at the end of 2018. The meeting that aims to campaign against the ruling BJP government will track the party's handling of the recent farmer's protest that happened in Madhya Pradesh. Sharad Yadav also added that he will take up similar campaign against BJP in two other states, Gujarat and Rajasthan. Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are ready to face assembly elections by the end of next year.

Sharad Yadav to hold  'save composite culture' meeting in Indore

<p>Another accused in the Vyapam scam has committed suicide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Praveen Yadav allegedly committed by hanging himself on Wednesday at his home in Morena, Madhya Pradesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The number of people associated with the scam who have died is now over 40.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The deaths include those of the accused, witnesses and the Aaj Tak journalist Akshay Singh who was investigating the story, and have largely been under mysterious circumstances.</p>

<p>The scam pertains to alleged irregularities in entrance exams organised by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, also known as the Vyapam board.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The scam pertains to alleged irregularities in entrance exams organised by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, also known as the Vyapam board

Another accused in the Vyapam scam has committed suicide. Praveen Yadav allegedly committed by hanging himself on Wednesday at his home in Morena, Madhya Pradesh. The number of people associated with the scam who have died is now over 40. The deaths include those of the accused, witnesses and the Aaj Tak journalist Akshay Singh who was investigating the story, and have largely been under mysterious circumstances. The scam pertains to alleged irregularities in entrance exams organised by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board, also known as the Vyapam board.

Vyapam scam: Another accused commits suicide, toll now over 40

<p>Police in Indore have denied that 17 people died at a city hospital because their oxygen supply was cut off.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The police said the deaths were caused by illness, and that those many deaths are routine in a 1,400-bed hospital.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;No oxygen supply failure has been reported and no one died because of oxygen supply failure. They died to illness,&quot; ANI reported Indore commissioner Sanjay Dubey as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I have been to every ward of the hospital after certain local newspapers carried the misinformation. There was no break in oxygen supply. The hospital records 10-20 deaths a day,&quot; he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reports had surfaced earlier that 17 people had died at the city&#39;s MY Hospital after their oxygen supply was mysteriously cut off for about 15 minutes.&nbsp;</p>


News reports had alleged the deaths had taken place in the city's MY Hospital

Police in Indore have denied that 17 people died at a city hospital because their oxygen supply was cut off. The police said the deaths were caused by illness, and that those many deaths are routine in a 1,400-bed hospital. "No oxygen supply failure has been reported and no one died because of oxygen supply failure. They died to illness," ANI reported Indore commissioner Sanjay Dubey as saying. "I have been to every ward of the hospital after certain local newspapers carried the misinformation. There was no break in oxygen supply. The hospital records 10-20 deaths a day," he added. Reports had surfaced earlier that 17 people had died at the city's MY Hospital after their oxygen supply was mysteriously cut off for about 15 minutes.

Indore police deny 17 people died in city hospital because oxygen supply was cut off

<p>Madhya Pradesh police have dropped the charge of sedition against the 15 men it arrested for allegedly celebrating Pakistan&#39;s win over India in the finals of the Champions Trophy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It has now charged them with &quot;doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony&quot; or section 153A.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to prove the sedition charge. Moreover, none of them has a criminal background. After initial investigation we found Section 153-A is more appropriate instead of Section 124-A,&rsquo;&rsquo; Burhanpur SP RR Parihar told The Indian Express.</p>

<p>ANI reported the sedition charge was dropped on the orders of senior officials.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The charge would, in any case, not have stuck -- the Supreme Court has said a person cannot be charged with sedition if he or she has not incited violence.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Express reported that most of the men arrested in MP were daily wagers, while a few owned one or two acres of land.&nbsp;</p>


The 15 men have now been charged with 'doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony'

Madhya Pradesh police have dropped the charge of sedition against the 15 men it arrested for allegedly celebrating Pakistan's win over India in the finals of the Champions Trophy. It has now charged them with "doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony" or section 153A. “It’s difficult to prove the sedition charge. Moreover, none of them has a criminal background. After initial investigation we found Section 153-A is more appropriate instead of Section 124-A,’’ Burhanpur SP RR Parihar told The Indian Express. ANI reported the sedition charge was dropped on the orders of senior officials. The charge would, in any case, not have stuck -- the Supreme Court has said a person cannot be charged with sedition if he or she has not incited violence. The Express reported that most of the men arrested in MP were daily wagers, while a few owned one or two acres of land.

MP men who allegedly cheered Pak: Cops drop sedition charge, book them for disturbing communal harmony

<p>Curfew in the violence-hit Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh will be relaxed from 10 am to 6 pm, today.</p>

<p>Mandsaur District Collector Om Prakash Srivastava, on Thursday, said curfew would be relaxed for longer periods today in the district.</p>

<p>&quot;Curfew would be relaxed for longer hours tomorrow. ATMs will be opened, milk, petrol and diesel availability will also be ensured,&quot; Srivastava told ANI.</p>

<p>Curfew was relaxed for a few hours last evening.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered a judicial enquiry into the deaths of five farmers during the recent agitation.</p>

<p>He has announced a compensation of Rs one crore to the kin of those killed and Rs five lakh for those injured in the violence.</p>

<p>Internet services in Mandsaur, Ratlam and Ujjain remained suspended following the farmers&#39; protests.</p>

<p>Mandsaur has been facing a tense situation with farmers protesting over their demands for remunerative prices for their produce and a farm loan waiver not being met.</p>

<p>This, unfortunately, took an ugly turn earlier on Tuesday when five farmers were killed and eight others were injured in police firing.</p>

<p>(ANI)</p>


The curfew in Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, will be relaxed from 10 am to 6 pm

Curfew in the violence-hit Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh will be relaxed from 10 am to 6 pm, today. Mandsaur District Collector Om Prakash Srivastava, on Thursday, said curfew would be relaxed for longer periods today in the district. "Curfew would be relaxed for longer hours tomorrow. ATMs will be opened, milk, petrol and diesel availability will also be ensured," Srivastava told ANI. Curfew was relaxed for a few hours last evening. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered a judicial enquiry into the deaths of five farmers during the recent agitation. He has announced a compensation of Rs one crore to the kin of those killed and Rs five lakh for those injured in the violence. Internet services in Mandsaur, Ratlam and Ujjain remained suspended following the farmers' protests. Mandsaur has been facing a tense situation with farmers protesting over their demands for remunerative prices for their produce and a farm loan waiver not being met. This, unfortunately, took an ugly turn earlier on Tuesday when five farmers were killed and eight others were injured in police firing. (ANI)

Curfew in violence-hit Mandsaur to be relaxed today: Collector

<p>Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who was on his way to violence-hit Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh, was briefly arrested by the police from Madhya Pradesh&#39;s Neemuch and subsequently released.</p>

<p>The Congress president sought a comprehensive inquiry into the killing of five farmers here in police firing and demanded &quot;martyr&quot; status for them.</p>

<p>He said the party would aggressively raise the issues concerning farmers in parliament and seek loan waiver for them.</p>

<p>He was on his way to meet the families of those who were killed in police firing in Mandsaur on Tuesday.</p>

<p>According to ANI, he&nbsp;spoke with the family members of the farmers who were killed on phone.</p>

<p>In an attempt to evade the heavy police presence to stop his entry into the violence-hit district, he rode pillion on a motorcycle. The incident is reminiscent of the 2011 Bhatta Parsaul agitation in Uttar Pradesh when Rahul Gandhi sneaked into the village riding pillion on the motorcycle of a local municipality member.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a> Congress VP Rahul Gandhi travels by road on a motorcycle to Madhya Pradesh&rsquo;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mandsaur?src=hash">#Mandsaur</a> <a href="https://t.co/CWoUq0zpWS">pic.twitter.com/CWoUq0zpWS</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/872706932938756097">June 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Madhya Pradesh home minister, Bhupendra Singh, accused Rahul Gandhi of indulging in politics.</p>

<p>&quot;He (Rahul Gandhi) has been detained. What was the emergency to go there now? He only wants to do politics,&quot;&nbsp;the home minister tweeted earlier.</p>

<p>Rahul Gandhi said that the BJP-led Rajasthan and the Madhya Pradesh governments are preventing him from entering Madhya Pradesh and meeting the families of the farmers killed.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Raj &amp; MP Govts are doing their best to prevent me from entering MP &amp; meeting the families of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/farmers?src=hash">#farmers</a> killed in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mandsaur?src=hash">#Mandsaur</a></p>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/872716059383484416">June 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">What law of the land says that it is illegal to stand in solidarity with farmers who were killed simply for demanding what is their right?</p>
&mdash; Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficeOfRG/status/872718003380420608">June 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>He was accompanied by senior Congress leaders including Kamal Nath, who is&nbsp;touted to become the next chief of the state Congress. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier, he arrived at the Udaipur airport in Rajasthan from where he embarked on a road journey to visit the violence-hit district of Mandsaur to meet families of those killed in Tuesday&#39;s violence.</p>

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<p>Ahead of his visit to Mandsaur, violence again flared up as a toll plaza was vandalised and Rs 8-10 lakh were looted.</p>

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<p>Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh home minister Bhupendra Singh said that the five farmers, who were killed on Tuesday, died because of police firing.</p>

<p>Farmers in Mandsaur are on a protest demanding better prices for their produce and a farm loan waiver.</p>

<p>On Tuesday, five farmers were shot by police after which the protests intensified.</p>

<p>Protesters set on fire vehicles on Wednesday even as the authorities had clamped a round-the-clock curfew.</p>

<p>Protests were also reported from Ujjain, Neemuch and Dewas.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/protests-intensify-in-madhya-pradeshs-mandsaur-district-centre-deploys-five-additional-battalions-16517">Protests intensify in Madhya Pradesh&#39;s Mandsaur district, Centre deploys five additional battalions</a></p>

<p>The Indian government has decided to deploy five more battalions of the paramilitary force in Madhya Pradesh&#39;s Mandsaur district, ANI reported. The Centre had already sent six battalions to the area.</p>

<p>Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Congress of provoking violence in the state.</p>

<p>Speaking to ANI, BJP leader GVL Narsimha Rao said, &quot;This government had taken a series of decision towards the farmers and their demands. The Congress still cannot stand the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the state. The Congress is using this agitation of the farmers for themselves to provoke violence from within and giving their party a violent colour.&quot;</p>

<p>BJP leader and former minister Kailash Vijayvargiya stated that Congress needs to be blamed as they are grabbing focus in this violence.</p>

<p>&quot;Madhya Pradesh is a very peaceful place and will continue to be so. The BJP has always done well for the farmers and have also paid heed to all their demands. We are trying our best to curb the violence and also will resort to all their demands. The whole reason behind this situation is &#39;Congress&#39; who needs to be blamed as they are grabbing focus in this violence. The people in that village are smarter than Rahul and would also know his plan behind his visit,&quot; Vijayvargiya told ANI.</p>

<p>The chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh for those who have been injured.</p>

<p>The chief minister also urged the farmers to maintain calm.</p>

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<p>The strike that began on June 01 in the big western state of Maharashtra, with farmers dumping produce and milk on the streets to demand billions of dollars in debt forgiveness and better prices for their produce, soon spread to Madhya Pradesh (Reuters)</p>
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<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)</p>


Farmers in Mandsaur are on a protest demanding better prices for their produce and a loan waiver

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who was on his way to violence-hit Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh, was briefly arrested by the police from Madhya Pradesh's Neemuch and subsequently released. The Congress president sought a comprehensive inquiry into the killing of five farmers here in police firing and demanded "martyr" status for them. He said the party would aggressively raise the issues concerning farmers in parliament and seek loan waiver for them. He was on his way to meet the families of those who were killed in police firing in Mandsaur on Tuesday. According to ANI, he spoke with the family members of the farmers who were killed on phone. In an attempt to evade the heavy police presence to stop his entry into the violence-hit district, he rode pillion on a motorcycle. The incident is reminiscent of the 2011 Bhatta Parsaul agitation in Uttar Pradesh when Rahul Gandhi sneaked into the village riding pillion on the motorcycle of a local municipality member. #WATCH Congress VP Rahul Gandhi travels by road on a motorcycle to Madhya Pradesh’s #Mandsaur pic.twitter.com/CWoUq0zpWS — ANI (@ANI_news) June 8, 2017 × Madhya Pradesh home minister, Bhupendra Singh, accused Rahul Gandhi of indulging in politics. "He (Rahul Gandhi) has been detained. What was the emergency to go there now? He only wants to do politics," the home minister tweeted earlier. Rahul Gandhi said that the BJP-led Rajasthan and the Madhya Pradesh governments are preventing him from entering Madhya Pradesh and meeting the families of the farmers killed. Raj & MP Govts are doing their best to prevent me from entering MP & meeting the families of the #farmers killed in #Mandsaur — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 8, 2017 × What law of the land says that it is illegal to stand in solidarity with farmers who were killed simply for demanding what is their right? — Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) June 8, 2017 × He was accompanied by senior Congress leaders including Kamal Nath, who is touted to become the next chief of the state Congress. Earlier, he arrived at the Udaipur airport in Rajasthan from where he embarked on a road journey to visit the violence-hit district of Mandsaur to meet families of those killed in Tuesday's violence. × × Ahead of his visit to Mandsaur, violence again flared up as a toll plaza was vandalised and Rs 8-10 lakh were looted. × Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh home minister Bhupendra Singh said that the five farmers, who were killed on Tuesday, died because of police firing. Farmers in Mandsaur are on a protest demanding better prices for their produce and a farm loan waiver. On Tuesday, five farmers were shot by police after which the protests intensified. Protesters set on fire vehicles on Wednesday even as the authorities had clamped a round-the-clock curfew. Protests were also reported from Ujjain, Neemuch and Dewas. Also Read: Protests intensify in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district, Centre deploys five additional battalions The Indian government has decided to deploy five more battalions of the paramilitary force in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district, ANI reported. The Centre had already sent six battalions to the area. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the Congress of provoking violence in the state. Speaking to ANI, BJP leader GVL Narsimha Rao said, "This government had taken a series of decision towards the farmers and their demands. The Congress still cannot stand the success of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is the state. The Congress is using this agitation of the farmers for themselves to provoke violence from within and giving their party a violent colour." BJP leader and former minister Kailash Vijayvargiya stated that Congress needs to be blamed as they are grabbing focus in this violence. "Madhya Pradesh is a very peaceful place and will continue to be so. The BJP has always done well for the farmers and have also paid heed to all their demands. We are trying our best to curb the violence and also will resort to all their demands. The whole reason behind this situation is 'Congress' who needs to be blamed as they are grabbing focus in this violence. The people in that village are smarter than Rahul and would also know his plan behind his visit," Vijayvargiya told ANI. The chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the families of the deceased and Rs 5 lakh for those who have been injured. The chief minister also urged the farmers to maintain calm. The strike that began on June 01 in the big western state of Maharashtra, with farmers dumping produce and milk on the streets to demand billions of dollars in debt forgiveness and better prices for their produce, soon spread to Madhya Pradesh (Reuters) × (WION with inputs from agencies)

Rahul Gandhi briefly arrested en route to Mandsaur

<p>Another video has surfaced of a man being thrashed by a mob in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.</p>

<p>The mob is allegedly made up of &#39;gau rakshaks&#39; or cow protectors.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The video, which is over two minutes long, shows the mob slapping, kicking and beating the victim with belts. &nbsp;</p>

<p>ANI reported that police have arrested four of the attackers, and that a search for the others is underway.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a> Madhya Pradesh: Man thrashed allegedly by cow vigilantes in Ujjain; police arrested four people, search for others underway <a href="https://t.co/UqO7pRqyqy">pic.twitter.com/UqO7pRqyqy</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/863625051660210176">May 14, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Hindus consider the cow sacred, and the killing of cows is prohibited in most Indian states.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There has been a slew of attacks by gau rakshaks since the right-wing Narendra Modi government came to power in May 2014.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The attacks have resulted&nbsp;in a&nbsp;number of deaths. Most recently of the 55-year-old Pehlu Khan in Alwar, Rajasthan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The victims are usually always Muslim, with the gau rakshaks accusing them of transporting the cows for slaughter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>That usually turns out to not be the case.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Pehlu Khan, for example, turned out to be a dairy farmer.</p>

<p>The cows he was transporting&nbsp;had been bought by him at a cattle fair in Jaipur -- he had the papers to prove it.</p>

<p>He was not transporting the cows for slaughter but was taking them home to Haryana, where they would have been reared as milch cattle.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Another video has surfaced of a man being thrashed by a mob in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. The mob is allegedly made up of 'gau rakshaks' or cow protectors. The video, which is over two minutes long, shows the mob slapping, kicking and beating the victim with belts. ANI reported that police have arrested four of the attackers, and that a search for the others is underway. #WATCH Madhya Pradesh: Man thrashed allegedly by cow vigilantes in Ujjain; police arrested four people, search for others underway pic.twitter.com/UqO7pRqyqy — ANI (@ANI_news) May 14, 2017 × Hindus consider the cow sacred, and the killing of cows is prohibited in most Indian states. There has been a slew of attacks by gau rakshaks since the right-wing Narendra Modi government came to power in May 2014. The attacks have resulted in a number of deaths. Most recently of the 55-year-old Pehlu Khan in Alwar, Rajasthan. The victims are usually always Muslim, with the gau rakshaks accusing them of transporting the cows for slaughter. That usually turns out to not be the case. Pehlu Khan, for example, turned out to be a dairy farmer. The cows he was transporting had been bought by him at a cattle fair in Jaipur -- he had the papers to prove it. He was not transporting the cows for slaughter but was taking them home to Haryana, where they would have been reared as milch cattle. (WION)

Video: Another man thrashed in MP, allegedly by 'gau rakshaks'

<p>Coming close on the heels of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath&#39;s order of constituting anti-Romeo squads by the police department to check incidents of harassment of women, the Madhya Pradesh government led by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has indicated the launch of a similar campaign.</p>

<p>The move will ensure the safety and security of women and check activities of &#39;Majnoos&#39; (Romeos), PTI reported.</p>

<p>&quot;We will reform Majnoo-type of persons. They don&#39;t know how to respect... They are not good for the civilised society... A campaign will be launched against Majnoos,&quot; Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said addressing 89th Passing Out Parade at MP Police Academy here.</p>

<p>The chief minister said that the police should keep a close vigil in places like girls hostel to ensure that women don&#39;t face any difficulty.</p>

<p>&quot;Police should create such an atmosphere so that women are able to move around independently without any fear. It should take stern measures against criminal elements,&quot; he added.</p>

<p>On the role of women in police, the chief minister outlined that they are no less than men in terms of courage and valour and therefore one-third of the posts are reserved for them.</p>

<p>The Uttar Pradesh government formed the anti-romeo squads of police to ensure safety of women.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court also backed the move by declining to interfere in the state&#39;s action to form such a squad. The court also highlighted that such a step doesn&#39;t constitute moral policing.</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from PTI)</p>


'We will reform Majnoo-type of persons... They are not good for the civilised society,' chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said

Coming close on the heels of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's order of constituting anti-Romeo squads by the police department to check incidents of harassment of women, the Madhya Pradesh government led by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has indicated the launch of a similar campaign. The move will ensure the safety and security of women and check activities of 'Majnoos' (Romeos), PTI reported. "We will reform Majnoo-type of persons. They don't know how to respect... They are not good for the civilised society... A campaign will be launched against Majnoos," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said addressing 89th Passing Out Parade at MP Police Academy here. The chief minister said that the police should keep a close vigil in places like girls hostel to ensure that women don't face any difficulty. "Police should create such an atmosphere so that women are able to move around independently without any fear. It should take stern measures against criminal elements," he added. On the role of women in police, the chief minister outlined that they are no less than men in terms of courage and valour and therefore one-third of the posts are reserved for them. The Uttar Pradesh government formed the anti-romeo squads of police to ensure safety of women. The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court also backed the move by declining to interfere in the state's action to form such a squad. The court also highlighted that such a step doesn't constitute moral policing. (WION with inputs from PTI)

After UP, now Madhya Pradesh to crack down on 'Romeos'

<p>The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered all liquor shops in the state to keep a list of &quot;regular&quot; buyers.</p>

<p>The decision was part of the state&#39;s excise policy for 2017-18 which was approved by the state cabinet Monday, the Indian Express newspaper reported Tuesday.</p>

<p>The Indian Express report added that depending on how often a customer bought alcohol, the government would then decide whether said customer needed de-addiction treatment.</p>

<p>The state&#39;s BJP government added that no new liquor shops would&nbsp;be allowed to come up in the state.</p>

<p>Madhya Pradesh government officials added that they planned&nbsp;to launch an awareness campaign against the drinking of liquor, organise yoga sessions, set up meditation centres, and cancel the driving licences of those caught drunk-driving a third time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya was quoted in the Indian Express report as saying liquor shops would keep a record of regular liquor buyers, but that the lists would not be publicly displayed. Malaiya, however, ruled out the possibility of the state imposing total prohibition, the Indian Express report added.</p>

<p>The Indian Supreme Court had recently ruled that liquor shops within 500 metres of state and national highways were to be shut down across the country. India&#39;s highest court had also ordered that no new liquor vend was to be set up along the highways while those already issued&nbsp;licences&nbsp;were to be shut by April 1, 2017.</p>

<p>The decision to keep track of liquor buyers was first announced by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during his Narmada Seva Yatra in December last year.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


Depending on how often a customer bought alochol, the govt will decided whether he or she needs de-addiction treatment

The Madhya Pradesh government has ordered all liquor shops in the state to keep a list of "regular" buyers. The decision was part of the state's excise policy for 2017-18 which was approved by the state cabinet Monday, the Indian Express newspaper reported Tuesday. The Indian Express report added that depending on how often a customer bought alcohol, the government would then decide whether said customer needed de-addiction treatment. The state's BJP government added that no new liquor shops would be allowed to come up in the state. Madhya Pradesh government officials added that they planned to launch an awareness campaign against the drinking of liquor, organise yoga sessions, set up meditation centres, and cancel the driving licences of those caught drunk-driving a third time. Finance Minister Jayant Malaiya was quoted in the Indian Express report as saying liquor shops would keep a record of regular liquor buyers, but that the lists would not be publicly displayed. Malaiya, however, ruled out the possibility of the state imposing total prohibition, the Indian Express report added. The Indian Supreme Court had recently ruled that liquor shops within 500 metres of state and national highways were to be shut down across the country. India's highest court had also ordered that no new liquor vend was to be set up along the highways while those already issued licences were to be shut by April 1, 2017. The decision to keep track of liquor buyers was first announced by Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during his Narmada Seva Yatra in December last year. (WION)

India: Madhya Pradesh govt orders liquor shops to keep lists of 'regular' buyers

<p>By-elections were held in six Indian states and one union territory today, the first since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government&#39;s move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. The elections were held for four Parliament and 10 assembly constituencies in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.</p>

<p>In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP won both the Nepanagar assembly seat and the Shahdol (reserved constituency) Lok Sabha seat with its candidate Gyan Singh defeating Cong rival Himadri Singh by a margin of over 60,000 votes.</p>

<p>Around 66 per cent people voted in the by-polls in Shahdol constituency while the turnout in Nepanagar was about 73 per cent.</p>

<p>In BJP-ruled Assam, the party is leading by a huge margin in the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat vacated by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. It is also leading by 4,835 votes in Baithalangso assembly seat, where an ex-Congress candidate fought.</p>

<p>In West Bengal, where by-elections were held for one assembly seat - Monteswar - and two Parliament seats - Coochbehar and Tamluk - all the seats were held by the Trinamool Congress of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.</p>

<p>Trinamool Congress candidates were way ahead of rivals in the vote count on Tuesday where by-polls were held on Saturday. Dibyendu Adhikari was declared elected from Tamluk Lok Sabha seat defeating his nearest rival CPM&rsquo;s Mandira Panda by 497,000 votes.</p>

<p>In Tamil Nadu, by-elections were held for three assembly seats which are all won by AIADMK candidates, who were in direct contest with rival DMK.</p>

<p>Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy of the Congress has won the Nellithope Assembly seat.</p>

<p>In Tripura, the CPI-M won both the assembly seats in Barjala and Khowai.</p>

<p>These were the first elections after the currency ban, over which the opposition has attacked the government.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


The BJP won all seats in Madhya Pradesh, Trinamool in West Bengal, CPI (M) in Tripura, and AIADMK in Tamil Nadu

By-elections were held in six Indian states and one union territory today, the first since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government's move to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. The elections were held for four Parliament and 10 assembly constituencies in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. In Madhya Pradesh, the BJP won both the Nepanagar assembly seat and the Shahdol (reserved constituency) Lok Sabha seat with its candidate Gyan Singh defeating Cong rival Himadri Singh by a margin of over 60,000 votes. Around 66 per cent people voted in the by-polls in Shahdol constituency while the turnout in Nepanagar was about 73 per cent. In BJP-ruled Assam, the party is leading by a huge margin in the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat vacated by chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal. It is also leading by 4,835 votes in Baithalangso assembly seat, where an ex-Congress candidate fought. In West Bengal, where by-elections were held for one assembly seat - Monteswar - and two Parliament seats - Coochbehar and Tamluk - all the seats were held by the Trinamool Congress of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Trinamool Congress candidates were way ahead of rivals in the vote count on Tuesday where by-polls were held on Saturday. Dibyendu Adhikari was declared elected from Tamluk Lok Sabha seat defeating his nearest rival CPM’s Mandira Panda by 497,000 votes. In Tamil Nadu, by-elections were held for three assembly seats which are all won by AIADMK candidates, who were in direct contest with rival DMK. Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy of the Congress has won the Nellithope Assembly seat. In Tripura, the CPI-M won both the assembly seats in Barjala and Khowai. These were the first elections after the currency ban, over which the opposition has attacked the government. (WION)

By-polls in 6 Indian states: Ruling parties retain most seats

<p>Several videos have surfaced -- and troubling questions arisen -- following the killing of eight escapees from a high-security jail in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.</p>

<p>The escapees were all undertrials and accused of being members of the Students&#39; Islamic Movement of India or SIMI, a group that was&nbsp;banned in India in 2001. The escapees faced different charges from sedition to murder.</p>

<p>The eight men escaped from a jail in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, on Monday. They left behind one dead prison guard, whom they allegedly killed with knives fashioned from steel plates and glasses issued to them in prison.</p>

<p>A few hours&nbsp;later all eight undertrials were dead.</p>

<p>WION cannot verify the authenticity of the videos.</p>

<p>The one below shows apparently dead men lying on the ground. A man in plainclothes is seen recovering a large knife from one of them. Then a&nbsp;voice in the background says,&nbsp;&ldquo;Zinda hai, maaro.&rdquo; (He is alive, kill him.)</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Longer version of the video of the encounter by Madhya Pradesh Police of SIMI under-trials which looks as fake as it gets. <a href="https://t.co/NiPPYOoUSP">pic.twitter.com/NiPPYOoUSP</a></p>
&mdash; Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) <a href="https://twitter.com/free_thinker/status/793092329385168896">October 31, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<p>A policeman in uniform then points a rifle at a body, and shoots -- an arm moves -- while another voice says, &quot;Put one in the chest... He will die.&quot;</p>

<p>The escapees were caught on a hilltop only 8 kilometres from the Bhopal Central Jail.</p>

<p>India&#39;s National Investigation Agency is probing the jailbreak.</p>

<p>(WION)</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


The videos have not yet been authenticated but they have led to people asking if the killings were staged

Several videos have surfaced -- and troubling questions arisen -- following the killing of eight escapees from a high-security jail in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The escapees were all undertrials and accused of being members of the Students' Islamic Movement of India or SIMI, a group that was banned in India in 2001. The escapees faced different charges from sedition to murder. The eight men escaped from a jail in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, on Monday. They left behind one dead prison guard, whom they allegedly killed with knives fashioned from steel plates and glasses issued to them in prison. A few hours later all eight undertrials were dead. WION cannot verify the authenticity of the videos. The one below shows apparently dead men lying on the ground. A man in plainclothes is seen recovering a large knife from one of them. Then a voice in the background says, “Zinda hai, maaro.” (He is alive, kill him.) Longer version of the video of the encounter by Madhya Pradesh Police of SIMI under-trials which looks as fake as it gets. pic.twitter.com/NiPPYOoUSP — Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) October 31, 2016 × A policeman in uniform then points a rifle at a body, and shoots -- an arm moves -- while another voice says, "Put one in the chest... He will die." The escapees were caught on a hilltop only 8 kilometres from the Bhopal Central Jail. India's National Investigation Agency is probing the jailbreak. (WION)

Bhopal encounter deaths: Videos surface, questions arise after all eight 'escapees' from Indian jail are killed

A local court in India&#39;s Madhya Pradesh state granted bail to two Muslim women who were allegedly being beaten up by anti-beef vigilantes yesterday and charged with carrying buffalo meat&nbsp;under the stringent Madhya Pradesh anti-cow slaughter act which provides for a maximum punishment of seven years.<br />
<br />
After the lab test proved that they were carrying buffalo meat, they were charged under Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Cattle Preservation Act, 1959, which provides a maximum punishment of one year.<br />
<br />
Chief judicial magistrate MA Khan granted bail to Salma Mevati (35) and Shamim Akthar Hussain (30), both local residents, who were allegedly thrashed by cow vigilantes on the suspicion that they were carrying cow meat at the Mandsaur railway station on July 26.<br />
<br />
The bail was granted on personal bonds of 25,000 Indian Rupees (INR) each and surety of equal amount, said Umesh Parmar, one of their lawyers.<br />
<br />
Parmar and another advocate Nirmal Joshi contended in the court that their clients have been falsely implicated.<br />
<br />
The incident came close on the heels of the attack on dalit (socially discriminated) youths in the western state of Gujarat by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow, drawing outrage and triggering a slugfest between the ruling party and its rivals.<br />
<br />
Opposition Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress party created uproar in the upper house of Indian Parliament over the present incident.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(PTI)

The two women were allegedly thrashed by anti-beef vigilantes on the suspicion that they were carrying the meat on July 26

A local court in India's Madhya Pradesh state granted bail to two Muslim women who were allegedly being beaten up by anti-beef vigilantes yesterday and charged with carrying buffalo meat under the stringent Madhya Pradesh anti-cow slaughter act which provides for a maximum punishment of seven years. After the lab test proved that they were carrying buffalo meat, they were charged under Madhya Pradesh Agriculture Cattle Preservation Act, 1959, which provides a maximum punishment of one year. Chief judicial magistrate MA Khan granted bail to Salma Mevati (35) and Shamim Akthar Hussain (30), both local residents, who were allegedly thrashed by cow vigilantes on the suspicion that they were carrying cow meat at the Mandsaur railway station on July 26. The bail was granted on personal bonds of 25,000 Indian Rupees (INR) each and surety of equal amount, said Umesh Parmar, one of their lawyers. Parmar and another advocate Nirmal Joshi contended in the court that their clients have been falsely implicated. The incident came close on the heels of the attack on dalit (socially discriminated) youths in the western state of Gujarat by cow vigilantes for skinning a dead cow, drawing outrage and triggering a slugfest between the ruling party and its rivals. Opposition Bahujan Samaj Party and the Congress party created uproar in the upper house of Indian Parliament over the present incident. (PTI)

Muslim women thrashed for carrying beef in Indian state of Madhya Pradesh get bail

Flash floods triggered by torrential rain have killed at least 22 people in India and forced more than 170,000 from their homes, officials said on Monday, as forecasters predicted more downpours in coming days.<br />
<br />
India&#39;s monsoon rains, though vital for agriculture, regularly bring death and destruction. The rain was 35 per cent above average in the week that ended on July 6, the weather office said.<br />
<br />
Twenty people were killed in the central state of Madhya Pradesh where 70,000 people were left homeless as water rose to dangerous levels along parts of the Narmada river.<br />
<br />
Firemen waded through waist-high water to rescue women and children in flooded villages while rescue teams used inflatable boats to reach people stranded in urban areas.<br />
<br />
&quot;Thousands of people will be evacuated today. We are working on a war footing mode to set up relief camps,&quot; additional home secretary Basant Singh said in Bhopal, the state capital.<br />
<br />
&quot;The health department is distributing medicines to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases.&quot;<br />
<br />
Stormy weather also ravaged parts of the remote northeast.<br />
<br />
Heavy rain pounded the tea-growing, oil-rich eastern state of Assam killing at least two people. About 100,000 people were forced to take shelter on higher ground, officials there said.<br />
<br />
The rain has also swelled the Brahmaputra river, which flows into Bangladesh, to dangerous levels.<br />
<br />
Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal ordered officials to distribute food, clothing and medicines to people who could not return to their homes.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

Rescue teams used inflatable boats to reach people stranded in urban areas while firemen saved women and children through waist-high water

Flash floods triggered by torrential rain have killed at least 22 people in India and forced more than 170,000 from their homes, officials said on Monday, as forecasters predicted more downpours in coming days. India's monsoon rains, though vital for agriculture, regularly bring death and destruction. The rain was 35 per cent above average in the week that ended on July 6, the weather office said. Twenty people were killed in the central state of Madhya Pradesh where 70,000 people were left homeless as water rose to dangerous levels along parts of the Narmada river. Firemen waded through waist-high water to rescue women and children in flooded villages while rescue teams used inflatable boats to reach people stranded in urban areas. "Thousands of people will be evacuated today. We are working on a war footing mode to set up relief camps," additional home secretary Basant Singh said in Bhopal, the state capital. "The health department is distributing medicines to prevent outbreak of water-borne diseases." Stormy weather also ravaged parts of the remote northeast. Heavy rain pounded the tea-growing, oil-rich eastern state of Assam killing at least two people. About 100,000 people were forced to take shelter on higher ground, officials there said. The rain has also swelled the Brahmaputra river, which flows into Bangladesh, to dangerous levels. Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal ordered officials to distribute food, clothing and medicines to people who could not return to their homes. (Reuters)

Floods kill 22 people in India, 170,000 homeless

Imrat Namdev and her younger sister Pushpa Namdev were neighbours in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Chhatarpur district, in the drought-hit Indian region of Bundelkhand. Both relied on the same well for water and, according to police, frequently quarrelled over how much the other was using.<br />
<br />
In May, during one fight over water, Pushpa, 42, beat Imrat, 48, with a stick, police say. The injured sister was rushed to a hospital, but died there, and Pushpa was charged with murder.<br />
<br />
&quot;Our village faces a severe shortage of potable water,&quot; Imrat&#39;s son, Jitendra, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. &quot;Pushpa always felt my mother drew more water from the well.&quot;<br />
<br />
As northern and central India continue to suffer through severe drought and oppressive heat, police in Bundelkhand and several other regions are reporting a rise in violent &ndash; and often deadly &ndash; clashes over water.<br />
<br />
After almost ten years of below-average rainfall and several consecutive years of drought, the region&rsquo;s rivers, lakes, reservoirs and wells are drying up.<br />
<br />
Disputes are a common problem in many places in India that face water shortages. But Indian police report that the fighting is getting more frequent and bloody. In many parts of the country, neighbours, friends and family are turning on each other, desperate to protect what little water they have left, police records suggest.<br />
<br />
Last month, in the tribal-dominated Alirajpur district of central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, 13-year-old Surmada, her brother and her uncle used a neighbour&#39;s hand-pump, without permission, to get water for the family&#39;s houseguests.<br />
<br />
According to police, the owner of the pump and his son attacked the group with arrows. One pierced Surmada&#39;s eye, killing her.<br />
<br />
And in the village of Kanker, in Shivpuri district, a large-scale argument broke out after two motorcyclists got into an accident, causing one to spill the 15-litre (4 gallon) container of water he was carrying.<br />
<br />
&quot;The two later called their family members and friends and attacked each other with spears, axes and sticks,&quot; said investigating officer Jaisingh Yadav of Sathanwada police station. Fifteen people were injured, five of them women, he said.<br />
<br />
Lal Singh Arya, Madhya Pradesh&rsquo;s urban administration and development minister, said the government is using all its resources to try to make sure everyone has water. But he predicted tensions will remain high until monsoon rains &ndash; which began recently in some areas &ndash; take hold.<br />
<br />
&ldquo;There have been disputes over water in many parts of the state because of two consecutive droughts,&quot; he said. &quot;The situation will improve with the monsoon rains.&quot;<br />
<br />
Only drinking water&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Activists say the government&rsquo;s failure to act to better manage water is partly to blame for the rise in violence.<br />
<br />
&quot;The present crisis is the fallout of over-consumption, wasteful use and inefficient water governance systems,&quot; said Ajay Dubey, an activist with the environmental non-governmental organisation Prayatna, based in Madhya Pradesh.<br />
<br />
&quot;People are going to any lengths for the sake of water. They&#39;ve lost hope that the situation will ever improve. Things were never so bad,&quot; Dubey said.<br />
<br />
According to the Madhya Pradesh water resource department, out of the state&#39;s 139 main reservoirs, 82 are at only 10 per cent capacity and 22 are empty. As authorities try to make the remaining water last until monsoon rains help refill the reservoirs, the measures they have implemented have only exacerbated the sense of desperation.<br />
<br />
Across much of the region, authorities have banned the use of water for washing cars or trucks, bathing cattle or irrigating crops. In most cities in Madhya Pradesh, the local government only supplies drinking water on one out of every two to seven days.<br />
<br />
The district administration of Sehore in Madhya Pradesh has temporarily taken charge of all water sources, whether government or privately owned, so that it can manage use of the dwindling resource. And in three towns in Madhya Pradesh, the use of water for anything other than drinking is banned.<br />
<br />
Lokesh Kumar, sub-divisional magistrate of Ichhawar town, said water can&#39;t be used for farming or industrial purposes until July 5, when the monsoon is underway and authorities hope water sources will be replenished.<br />
<br />
For many in rural India, the struggle to survive with very little water is proving too difficult. In areas like Bundelkhand, a growing number of people are leaving their homes and abandoning their work in hopes of finding water &ndash; even just a little more &ndash; somewhere else.<br />
<br />
Asandi Das, who lives in a village in Chhatarpur district, plans to take his family to Agra, where the famous Taj Mahal is located, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. He said that right now his family has neither food nor water.<br />
<br />
He knows it won&#39;t be easy even in Agra &ndash; or anywhere else &ndash; but hopes to get enough work to make ends meet.<br />
<br />
&quot;We&#39;ll not be able to survive in our village,&quot; Das said. &quot;There&#39;s just no water. We&#39;ll have to go to some other place if we want to live.&quot;<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

The water crisis is apparently the fallout of over-consumption, wastefulness, and inefficient water-governance systems

Imrat Namdev and her younger sister Pushpa Namdev were neighbours in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, Chhatarpur district, in the drought-hit Indian region of Bundelkhand. Both relied on the same well for water and, according to police, frequently quarrelled over how much the other was using. In May, during one fight over water, Pushpa, 42, beat Imrat, 48, with a stick, police say. The injured sister was rushed to a hospital, but died there, and Pushpa was charged with murder. "Our village faces a severe shortage of potable water," Imrat's son, Jitendra, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "Pushpa always felt my mother drew more water from the well." As northern and central India continue to suffer through severe drought and oppressive heat, police in Bundelkhand and several other regions are reporting a rise in violent – and often deadly – clashes over water. After almost ten years of below-average rainfall and several consecutive years of drought, the region’s rivers, lakes, reservoirs and wells are drying up. Disputes are a common problem in many places in India that face water shortages. But Indian police report that the fighting is getting more frequent and bloody. In many parts of the country, neighbours, friends and family are turning on each other, desperate to protect what little water they have left, police records suggest. Last month, in the tribal-dominated Alirajpur district of central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, 13-year-old Surmada, her brother and her uncle used a neighbour's hand-pump, without permission, to get water for the family's houseguests. According to police, the owner of the pump and his son attacked the group with arrows. One pierced Surmada's eye, killing her. And in the village of Kanker, in Shivpuri district, a large-scale argument broke out after two motorcyclists got into an accident, causing one to spill the 15-litre (4 gallon) container of water he was carrying. "The two later called their family members and friends and attacked each other with spears, axes and sticks," said investigating officer Jaisingh Yadav of Sathanwada police station. Fifteen people were injured, five of them women, he said. Lal Singh Arya, Madhya Pradesh’s urban administration and development minister, said the government is using all its resources to try to make sure everyone has water. But he predicted tensions will remain high until monsoon rains – which began recently in some areas – take hold. “There have been disputes over water in many parts of the state because of two consecutive droughts," he said. "The situation will improve with the monsoon rains." Only drinking water Activists say the government’s failure to act to better manage water is partly to blame for the rise in violence. "The present crisis is the fallout of over-consumption, wasteful use and inefficient water governance systems," said Ajay Dubey, an activist with the environmental non-governmental organisation Prayatna, based in Madhya Pradesh. "People are going to any lengths for the sake of water. They've lost hope that the situation will ever improve. Things were never so bad," Dubey said. According to the Madhya Pradesh water resource department, out of the state's 139 main reservoirs, 82 are at only 10 per cent capacity and 22 are empty. As authorities try to make the remaining water last until monsoon rains help refill the reservoirs, the measures they have implemented have only exacerbated the sense of desperation. Across much of the region, authorities have banned the use of water for washing cars or trucks, bathing cattle or irrigating crops. In most cities in Madhya Pradesh, the local government only supplies drinking water on one out of every two to seven days. The district administration of Sehore in Madhya Pradesh has temporarily taken charge of all water sources, whether government or privately owned, so that it can manage use of the dwindling resource. And in three towns in Madhya Pradesh, the use of water for anything other than drinking is banned. Lokesh Kumar, sub-divisional magistrate of Ichhawar town, said water can't be used for farming or industrial purposes until July 5, when the monsoon is underway and authorities hope water sources will be replenished. For many in rural India, the struggle to survive with very little water is proving too difficult. In areas like Bundelkhand, a growing number of people are leaving their homes and abandoning their work in hopes of finding water – even just a little more – somewhere else. Asandi Das, who lives in a village in Chhatarpur district, plans to take his family to Agra, where the famous Taj Mahal is located, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. He said that right now his family has neither food nor water. He knows it won't be easy even in Agra – or anywhere else – but hopes to get enough work to make ends meet. "We'll not be able to survive in our village," Das said. "There's just no water. We'll have to go to some other place if we want to live." (Reuters)

Murder, violence on the rise as parched central India battles for water

madhya-pradesh

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