<p>All good things take time &ndash; and so they have, as the Bhils of Jhabua bear witness. Traditionally, a tribal population, the Bhils have settled across the hilly terrain of western Madhya Pradesh as the main populace for centuries now. A community left outside the realm of mainstream civilisation, thanks to the tense and often tremulous relationships they shared with the people in authority. Having been labelled guerrillas and vagrants by the British overlords and soon demons and savages by their Indian successors, the Bhils have spent decades fending for themselves, as they struggled to stake claim over their land, water and traditions.</p>

<p>Flanked by the borders of arid Rajasthan and industrious Gujarat on one side and the vast expanse of Madhya Pradesh on the other, the district of Jhabua has battled many a misfortune &ndash; unemployment, illiteracy, malnutrition - to name a few. Without opportunities to make their own decisions, the Bhils had come to believe that they were too backward and illiterate to think for themselves.</p>

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<p>We are family: The large family of Maansingh bhai, leader of village Vikas Kendra, sitting outside their home in Dhawdipada village in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh (Others)</p>
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<p>Today, the Bhils are slowly making inroads into modern society due to the combined efforts of the community and the numerous NGOs working in the region. For over two decades now, Mahesh Sharmaji, founder and visionary behind the unique social movement that is Shivganga Samastha Gram Vikas Parishad (Shivganga), has travelled and lived amongst the Bhils.</p>

<p>This slow and steady march towards progress and prosperity is in itself a &lsquo;social movement&rsquo;. The community, with the help of NGOs like Shivganga, has learnt to identify their needs, unify their strengths and realise their goals. Self-help and self-reliance have become the motto of the community and protection of Mother Nature &ndash; their only collective asset &ndash; has become their primary goal.</p>

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<p>On the edge: Sitting in Bhaji Dungra village in Madhya Pradesh, with Uchavaniya district of the state of Gujarat in the backdrop. (Others)</p>
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<p>Years of exclusion has led the community to encourage open dialogue and look for solutions internally. For a population with an average literacy rate of 44.45 per cent - far lower among the tribal community of Bhils &ndash; innovative and creative tools of information dissemination and community mobilisations need to be devised. Mythology, lore and cultural devices, become the unique means of achieving extraordinary goals.</p>

<p>Protection and preservation of natural resources and traditions have been identified by the community as its main aim. Often the two are mingled into one broad objective that the Bhils sometimes defend passionately. When droughts became a yearly phenomenon and the government initiatives struggled to deliver timely results, Halma, the age-old (and dying) tribal tradition of community help, was resurrected. Again, NGOs like Shivganga worked to mobilise and train the tribal to come together in thousands and dig trenches to save water.</p>

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<p>Powwow zone: Community Shivlings where regular village meetings, storytelling sessions and awareness campaigns are held (Others)</p>
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<p>Bhagirath Katha, the tale of the great king Bhagiratha whose arduous penance brought River Ganga, and also peace and prosperity, to Earth, was used to inspire the Bhils on the importance of water conservation. Today, Halma has become a yearly event, started first in 2010, with over two thousand Bhils congregating over the hills every summer to dig trenches that would store the monsoons rains for the year.</p>

<p>The Bhils now devise unique ways to break free from the cycle of unemployment and poverty. Some households have taken up animal husbandry while others now indulge in rearing the world famous sable Kadaknath chickens, indigenous to Madhya Pradesh.</p>

<p>The rise in the number of motorbikes in the villages have encouraged the youths to learn mechanical repair work even as women set up petty shops to sell their handicrafts. Organic farming is gaining popularity as farmers wish to free their land from the harm caused by harsh chemical fertilizers.</p>

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<p>Together we cry: A child cries for his mother in Chayanpachim village in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh. (Others)</p>
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<p>While such efforts have been far too many to count, spread across every sphere of the lives of the Bhils, their effects are only just being witnessed. The Bhils still live in extreme poverty, isolated from mainstream society without sufficient education or healthcare facilities. Social evils such as child marriage, dowry and casteism still prevail among the community.</p>

<p>While efforts are being made to enlighten the community about the harm of such customs, Sharmaji is quick to warn against the sanction of laws banning the tribe&rsquo;s age-old customs &ndash; no matter how archaic and erroneous, as it will only cause anger and distrust, in an already isolated community.</p>

<p>In fact, efforts by authorities to promote tribal participation in local government structures and to conserve water bodies are yet to show the desired results as they have failed to inspire and include the tribe in the planning and decision-making process.</p>

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<p>Labour of love: A reservoir built from scratch, through voluntary contributions, by members of Bhil tribes in Bhaji Doongra village, large enough to hold monsoon water for six months (Others)</p>
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<p>Despite the slow nature of change, the developmental progress of the region due to continuous work of the government, NGOs and the community, cannot be denied. Contributions from large philanthropic organisations such as the Infosys Foundation too have had a momentous impact on the social and economic improvement of the tribal landscape.</p>

<p>Such is the nature of any great social movement - its influence is spread over decades of labour while integrating every member of the community in the stride towards prosperity. It may be too soon to dismiss the impact of the social movement orchestrated by the Bhils, but it&rsquo;s never too late to help in whatever way one can.</p>

<p>Image Credit: Nidhi Punmia</p>


Self-help and self-reliance have become the motto of the Bhil community and protection of Mother Nature has become their primary goal.

All good things take time – and so they have, as the Bhils of Jhabua bear witness. Traditionally, a tribal population, the Bhils have settled across the hilly terrain of western Madhya Pradesh as the main populace for centuries now. A community left outside the realm of mainstream civilisation, thanks to the tense and often tremulous relationships they shared with the people in authority. Having been labelled guerrillas and vagrants by the British overlords and soon demons and savages by their Indian successors, the Bhils have spent decades fending for themselves, as they struggled to stake claim over their land, water and traditions. Flanked by the borders of arid Rajasthan and industrious Gujarat on one side and the vast expanse of Madhya Pradesh on the other, the district of Jhabua has battled many a misfortune – unemployment, illiteracy, malnutrition - to name a few. Without opportunities to make their own decisions, the Bhils had come to believe that they were too backward and illiterate to think for themselves. We are family: The large family of Maansingh bhai, leader of village Vikas Kendra, sitting outside their home in Dhawdipada village in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh (Others) × Today, the Bhils are slowly making inroads into modern society due to the combined efforts of the community and the numerous NGOs working in the region. For over two decades now, Mahesh Sharmaji, founder and visionary behind the unique social movement that is Shivganga Samastha Gram Vikas Parishad (Shivganga), has travelled and lived amongst the Bhils. This slow and steady march towards progress and prosperity is in itself a ‘social movement’. The community, with the help of NGOs like Shivganga, has learnt to identify their needs, unify their strengths and realise their goals. Self-help and self-reliance have become the motto of the community and protection of Mother Nature – their only collective asset – has become their primary goal. On the edge: Sitting in Bhaji Dungra village in Madhya Pradesh, with Uchavaniya district of the state of Gujarat in the backdrop. (Others) × Years of exclusion has led the community to encourage open dialogue and look for solutions internally. For a population with an average literacy rate of 44.45 per cent - far lower among the tribal community of Bhils – innovative and creative tools of information dissemination and community mobilisations need to be devised. Mythology, lore and cultural devices, become the unique means of achieving extraordinary goals. Protection and preservation of natural resources and traditions have been identified by the community as its main aim. Often the two are mingled into one broad objective that the Bhils sometimes defend passionately. When droughts became a yearly phenomenon and the government initiatives struggled to deliver timely results, Halma, the age-old (and dying) tribal tradition of community help, was resurrected. Again, NGOs like Shivganga worked to mobilise and train the tribal to come together in thousands and dig trenches to save water. Powwow zone: Community Shivlings where regular village meetings, storytelling sessions and awareness campaigns are held (Others) × Bhagirath Katha, the tale of the great king Bhagiratha whose arduous penance brought River Ganga, and also peace and prosperity, to Earth, was used to inspire the Bhils on the importance of water conservation. Today, Halma has become a yearly event, started first in 2010, with over two thousand Bhils congregating over the hills every summer to dig trenches that would store the monsoons rains for the year. The Bhils now devise unique ways to break free from the cycle of unemployment and poverty. Some households have taken up animal husbandry while others now indulge in rearing the world famous sable Kadaknath chickens, indigenous to Madhya Pradesh. The rise in the number of motorbikes in the villages have encouraged the youths to learn mechanical repair work even as women set up petty shops to sell their handicrafts. Organic farming is gaining popularity as farmers wish to free their land from the harm caused by harsh chemical fertilizers. Together we cry: A child cries for his mother in Chayanpachim village in Jhabua, Madhya Pradesh. (Others) × While such efforts have been far too many to count, spread across every sphere of the lives of the Bhils, their effects are only just being witnessed. The Bhils still live in extreme poverty, isolated from mainstream society without sufficient education or healthcare facilities. Social evils such as child marriage, dowry and casteism still prevail among the community. While efforts are being made to enlighten the community about the harm of such customs, Sharmaji is quick to warn against the sanction of laws banning the tribe’s age-old customs – no matter how archaic and erroneous, as it will only cause anger and distrust, in an already isolated community. In fact, efforts by authorities to promote tribal participation in local government structures and to conserve water bodies are yet to show the desired results as they have failed to inspire and include the tribe in the planning and decision-making process. Labour of love: A reservoir built from scratch, through voluntary contributions, by members of Bhil tribes in Bhaji Doongra village, large enough to hold monsoon water for six months (Others) × Despite the slow nature of change, the developmental progress of the region due to continuous work of the government, NGOs and the community, cannot be denied. Contributions from large philanthropic organisations such as the Infosys Foundation too have had a momentous impact on the social and economic improvement of the tribal landscape. Such is the nature of any great social movement - its influence is spread over decades of labour while integrating every member of the community in the stride towards prosperity. It may be too soon to dismiss the impact of the social movement orchestrated by the Bhils, but it’s never too late to help in whatever way one can. Image Credit: Nidhi Punmia

How Bhil tribe members are changing the course of their history

<p>&nbsp;A five-year-old boy died after he fell into a borewell in Rajasthan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Aman had fallen into a 30 feet borewell in Sawai Madhopur&#39;s Malarna&nbsp;Dungar in Rajasthan.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Though the&nbsp;boy was rescued from the borewell and was shifted to a hospital, he could not survive.</p>

<p>A series of similar incidents have been happening in the country leading to innumerable deaths.</p>

<p>Recently an eminent doctor died in the 2017&nbsp;torrential rain in Mumbai after falling into an open manhole.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> from Rajasthan: 5-year-old fell into a borewell in Savai Madhopur&#39;s Malarna Dungar and got stuck at 30 feet; later rescued &amp; shifted to hospital for treatment. <a href="https://t.co/J847Z4omm5">pic.twitter.com/J847Z4omm5</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/930622047603920896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Though the?boy was rescued from the borewell and was shifted to a hospital, he could not survive

A five-year-old boy died after he fell into a borewell in Rajasthan. Aman had fallen into a 30 feet borewell in Sawai Madhopur's Malarna Dungar in Rajasthan. Though the boy was rescued from the borewell and was shifted to a hospital, he could not survive. A series of similar incidents have been happening in the country leading to innumerable deaths. Recently an eminent doctor died in the 2017 torrential rain in Mumbai after falling into an open manhole. #Visuals from Rajasthan: 5-year-old fell into a borewell in Savai Madhopur's Malarna Dungar and got stuck at 30 feet; later rescued & shifted to hospital for treatment. pic.twitter.com/J847Z4omm5 — ANI (@ANI) November 15, 2017 ×

5-year-old dies after falling into borewell in Rajasthan

<p>The Rajasthan Police has appointed its first transgender constable after Rajasthan&#39;s&nbsp;High Court&nbsp;directive.</p>

<p>Constable Ganga Kumari was appointed as the first transgender woman constable after Justice Dinesh Mehta issued the order.</p>

<p>Ganga Kumari, who hails from Jalore, had filed a petition in the court when she was not given appointment by the Jalore Police Superintendent even after qualifying the examinations.</p>

<p>This is the first time in Rajasthan and third time in India when a transgender woman has been appointed to a government position.</p>


This is the first time in Rajasthan and third time in India when a transgender woman has been appointed to a government position.?

The Rajasthan Police has appointed its first transgender constable after Rajasthan's High Court directive. Constable Ganga Kumari was appointed as the first transgender woman constable after Justice Dinesh Mehta issued the order. Ganga Kumari, who hails from Jalore, had filed a petition in the court when she was not given appointment by the Jalore Police Superintendent even after qualifying the examinations. This is the first time in Rajasthan and third time in India when a transgender woman has been appointed to a government position.

Meet Constable Ganga Kumari, first transgender appointed in Rajasthan Police

<p>Fourteen doctors have been detained under the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenace Act (RESMA)&nbsp;for refusing to call off their strike.</p>

<p>The state police launched a search operation on Thursday evening for the rest while 100 other agitating doctors agreed to resume their work.</p>

<p>On November 10, the striking doctors were asked about their duties and said strict action would be taken if they do not comply with the order by the Rajasthan Government, ANI reported.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rajasthan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rajasthan</a> govt asks doctors on strike to return to their duties by 7 pm, today, says, strict actions will be taken if direction is not complied with.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/928889838593384449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The health services in four districts of Rajasthan have taken a plunge after over 8,000 government doctors in Kota, Bundi and Jhalawar districts went on strike on Monday over various demands.</p>

<p>The 33 long-pending demands by the doctors include the formation of a separate cadre of in-service doctors, Rs 10,000 grade pay benefit for doctors, and running government health centers in a single shift, among others.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Rajasthan health minister, Kalicharan Saraf, said they are open for talks and invited the protesting doctors, but the fulfillment of the demands may take time.</p>


Fourteen doctors have been detained under the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenace Act (RESMA)?for refusing to call off their strike

Fourteen doctors have been detained under the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenace Act (RESMA) for refusing to call off their strike. The state police launched a search operation on Thursday evening for the rest while 100 other agitating doctors agreed to resume their work. On November 10, the striking doctors were asked about their duties and said strict action would be taken if they do not comply with the order by the Rajasthan Government, ANI reported. #Rajasthan govt asks doctors on strike to return to their duties by 7 pm, today, says, strict actions will be taken if direction is not complied with. — ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2017 × The health services in four districts of Rajasthan have taken a plunge after over 8,000 government doctors in Kota, Bundi and Jhalawar districts went on strike on Monday over various demands. The 33 long-pending demands by the doctors include the formation of a separate cadre of in-service doctors, Rs 10,000 grade pay benefit for doctors, and running government health centers in a single shift, among others. Meanwhile, Rajasthan health minister, Kalicharan Saraf, said they are open for talks and invited the protesting doctors, but the fulfillment of the demands may take time.

Rajasthan doctors' strike: 14 arrested, 100 others agree to resume work

<p>Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked several states to inform about the action taken against stubble burning.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-pollution-tips-to-choose-air-purifier-23667">The court asked Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan to inform about the action taken against stubble burning.</a></p>

<p>Observing that the situation was grave in wake of advisories issued against sending children to school &amp; discouraging morning walks, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-wakes-up-to-hazardous-smog-23655">the court said that stubble burning may be the visible villain but there are other contributory factors too, the court observed.</a></p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Air Pollution matter: Delhi High Court asks Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan to inform about action taken against stubble burning.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/927850756593434625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, with the air quality in Delhi getting worse, the CISF ordered the issuance of over 9,000 face masks for its personnel deployed to guard the IGI Airport, the Delhi Metro and other government ministries and installations here.</p>

<p>A senior officer of the paramilitary force said CISF Director General (DG) O P Singh has ordered for the issuance of the masks so that the men and women of the force out in the open, could better combat the severe toxic smog.</p>

<p>&quot;While 2,000 protective face masks are being issued immediately, 7,000 more will be sent to all the units in Delhi in the next few hours,&quot; he said.</p>

<p>The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), a paramilitary force under the Union home ministry, is tasked to guard the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, the Delhi Metro and a number of government departments and ministries in the national capital region.</p>

<p>A blanket of thick haze enveloped Delhi this morning, as pollution levels breached the permissible standards by multiple times.</p>


The court asked Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan to inform about the action taken against stubble burning.

Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked several states to inform about the action taken against stubble burning. The court asked Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan to inform about the action taken against stubble burning. Observing that the situation was grave in wake of advisories issued against sending children to school & discouraging morning walks, the court said that stubble burning may be the visible villain but there are other contributory factors too, the court observed. Air Pollution matter: Delhi High Court asks Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan to inform about action taken against stubble burning. — ANI (@ANI) November 7, 2017 × Meanwhile, with the air quality in Delhi getting worse, the CISF ordered the issuance of over 9,000 face masks for its personnel deployed to guard the IGI Airport, the Delhi Metro and other government ministries and installations here. A senior officer of the paramilitary force said CISF Director General (DG) O P Singh has ordered for the issuance of the masks so that the men and women of the force out in the open, could better combat the severe toxic smog. "While 2,000 protective face masks are being issued immediately, 7,000 more will be sent to all the units in Delhi in the next few hours," he said. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), a paramilitary force under the Union home ministry, is tasked to guard the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, the Delhi Metro and a number of government departments and ministries in the national capital region. A blanket of thick haze enveloped Delhi this morning, as pollution levels breached the permissible standards by multiple times.

Delhi HC asks states to inform about action taken against stubble burning

<p>All the practicing doctors in Rajasthan have decided to go on a mass leave from November 6 (today), in support of their pending demands before the state government.</p>

<p>The mass leave has followed the warning by the All India In-Service Doctors` Association (AIISDA) issued last month.</p>

<p>The All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors` Association (ARISDA) has said if the state government takes an oppressive action against the doctors, a mass medical strike would be called.</p>

<p>The 33 long-pending demands by the doctors of the state include the formation of a separate cadre for in-service doctors, Rs. 10,000 grade pay benefit for doctors, and running government health centres in a single shift, among others.</p>

<p>The state health minister, Kalicharan Saraf, has said the fulfillment of the demands may take time.&nbsp;</p>


The doctors want their demands, pending with the state government, met

All the practicing doctors in Rajasthan have decided to go on a mass leave from November 6 (today), in support of their pending demands before the state government. The mass leave has followed the warning by the All India In-Service Doctors` Association (AIISDA) issued last month. The All Rajasthan In-Service Doctors` Association (ARISDA) has said if the state government takes an oppressive action against the doctors, a mass medical strike would be called. The 33 long-pending demands by the doctors of the state include the formation of a separate cadre for in-service doctors, Rs. 10,000 grade pay benefit for doctors, and running government health centres in a single shift, among others. The state health minister, Kalicharan Saraf, has said the fulfillment of the demands may take time.

All practising doctors in Rajasthan to go on mass leave from today

<p>A drunk driver hit a woman on a scooter in Rajasthan&#39;s Mount Abu, dragging her for several metres before finally being stopped by onlookers.</p>

<p>In a video, that appears to be from the CCTV of a shop, a white van is seen dragging a woman and her scooter.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A group of onlookers can be seen rushing towards&nbsp;the van and pulling the drunk man out.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The woman was reportedly rushed to the hospital.</p>

<p><em>Watch video below:</em></p>

<p>(Warning: Graphic content. Viewer&nbsp;discretion advised.)</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a> Mt Abu(Rajasthan):Drunk driver hits woman on scooty,drags both several meters before being stopped by ppl.Woman admitted to hospital <a href="https://t.co/ADczX9yaXZ">pic.twitter.com/ADczX9yaXZ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/879937889882128388">June 28, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


The woman was dragged several metres before onlookers finally got the van to stop

A drunk driver hit a woman on a scooter in Rajasthan's Mount Abu, dragging her for several metres before finally being stopped by onlookers. In a video, that appears to be from the CCTV of a shop, a white van is seen dragging a woman and her scooter. A group of onlookers can be seen rushing towards the van and pulling the drunk man out. The woman was reportedly rushed to the hospital. Watch video below: (Warning: Graphic content. Viewer discretion advised.) #WATCH Mt Abu(Rajasthan):Drunk driver hits woman on scooty,drags both several meters before being stopped by ppl.Woman admitted to hospital pic.twitter.com/ADczX9yaXZ — ANI (@ANI_news) June 28, 2017 ×

Video: Van has woman trapped underneath but driver won't stop

<p>A group of municipal council officials have been accused of allegedly beating a man to death in Rajasthan&#39;s Pratapgarh town -- because he objected to them taking photographs of women defecating in the open.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In parts of the country, government officials have reportedly taken to photographing people defecating in the open in an attempt to shame them into not doing so.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The man who was allegedly beaten has been identified as Zafar Khan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Newspaper reports said the commissioner of the municipal council was among the men who beat Khan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&ldquo;We have lodged an FIR under IPC section 302 (murder) against Nagar Parishad Commissioner Ashok Jain and municipal employees Kamal Harijan, Ritesh Harijan and Manish Harijan following a complaint by the family of Zafar Hussain, 44, who died on Friday morning after an alleged assault by these government employees,&rdquo; the Indian Express reported Pratapgarh Station House Officer Mangi Lal Bishnoi as saying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Express added that Jain had denied the charges.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">He (Zafar Hussein) died due to fight after disagreement with group of people. Case registered under Sec 302: ASP Ratan Lal <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rajasthan?src=hash">#Rajasthan</a> <a href="https://t.co/u3OTYLFfyU">pic.twitter.com/u3OTYLFfyU</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/875920842479157249">June 17, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Express quoted the complaint as saying, &ldquo;Some women&hellip; were defecating in open today at around 6-6:30 am near our Kuttchi Basti Mehtab Shah colony, when the Nagar Parishad commissioner&rsquo;s car reached the spot, along with Kamal, Ritesh and Manish and others. The men started taking photographs of the women.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The complaint added, &ldquo;My brother Zafar&hellip; asked them not to click photographs but the men started assaulting him with lathis, and punched and kicked him. He fell and died on the spot. All the people present at the spot, including the women, can identify the men who killed my brother.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Hindustan Times reported Jain as saying, &ldquo;We went to the slum to spread awareness about the adverse effects of open defecation. This man, Zafar Khan, arrived there and started abusing us and later also assaulted one of our sanitation staff. Following that, he left the place and returned to his home. At that time he was perfectly healthy.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>And, &ldquo;We met the people and heard their grievances before writing their feedback. When we left we assured them that toilets will be built. We went to the police station later to lodge a case against Khan for assaulting our team but learnt that he has died.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Hindustan Times report added that Khan denied he or his team had tried to shame people into not defecating in the open.</p>

<p>The Express added that based on Jain&rsquo;s complaint, an FIR was lodged against Khan at the Pratapgarh station under IPC sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty).&nbsp;</p>


A police complaint says the commissioner of Pratapgarh's Nagar Parishad and three other municipal council employees beat the man

A group of municipal council officials have been accused of allegedly beating a man to death in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh town -- because he objected to them taking photographs of women defecating in the open. In parts of the country, government officials have reportedly taken to photographing people defecating in the open in an attempt to shame them into not doing so. The man who was allegedly beaten has been identified as Zafar Khan. Newspaper reports said the commissioner of the municipal council was among the men who beat Khan. “We have lodged an FIR under IPC section 302 (murder) against Nagar Parishad Commissioner Ashok Jain and municipal employees Kamal Harijan, Ritesh Harijan and Manish Harijan following a complaint by the family of Zafar Hussain, 44, who died on Friday morning after an alleged assault by these government employees,” the Indian Express reported Pratapgarh Station House Officer Mangi Lal Bishnoi as saying. The Express added that Jain had denied the charges. He (Zafar Hussein) died due to fight after disagreement with group of people. Case registered under Sec 302: ASP Ratan Lal #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/u3OTYLFfyU — ANI (@ANI_news) June 17, 2017 × The Express quoted the complaint as saying, “Some women… were defecating in open today at around 6-6:30 am near our Kuttchi Basti Mehtab Shah colony, when the Nagar Parishad commissioner’s car reached the spot, along with Kamal, Ritesh and Manish and others. The men started taking photographs of the women.” The complaint added, “My brother Zafar… asked them not to click photographs but the men started assaulting him with lathis, and punched and kicked him. He fell and died on the spot. All the people present at the spot, including the women, can identify the men who killed my brother.” The Hindustan Times reported Jain as saying, “We went to the slum to spread awareness about the adverse effects of open defecation. This man, Zafar Khan, arrived there and started abusing us and later also assaulted one of our sanitation staff. Following that, he left the place and returned to his home. At that time he was perfectly healthy.” And, “We met the people and heard their grievances before writing their feedback. When we left we assured them that toilets will be built. We went to the police station later to lodge a case against Khan for assaulting our team but learnt that he has died.” The Hindustan Times report added that Khan denied he or his team had tried to shame people into not defecating in the open. The Express added that based on Jain’s complaint, an FIR was lodged against Khan at the Pratapgarh station under IPC sections 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty).

Rajasthan: Man dies after officials beat him for objecting to them photographing women defecating in open

<p>&nbsp;Twenty-five people were killed when a wall of a marriage hall collapsed during a heavy storm in Bharatpur district of the Indian state of Rajasthan on Wednesday night, police said.</p>

<p>A marriage function was going on in the hall when the storm hit the area, police said.</p>

<p>People took shelter under a shed attached with a wall which collapsed suddenly, inspector general of police Alok Vashishtha told PTI.</p>

<p>He said the entire structure of the wall and the shed collapsed and they got trapped.</p>

<p>Superintendent of police Anil Tank&nbsp;said the wall was nearly 90-feet long and 12-13 feet in height.</p>

<p>Several food stalls were set up adjoining the wall. A tin shed was also attached to a portion of the wall.</p>

<p>&quot;The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals immediately and treatment was administered. One injured has been referred for SMS Hospital in Jaipur,&#39; he said.</p>

<p>The weather suddenly changed and heavy winds started blowing tonight which led to the incident at Sewar Road.</p>

<p>The bodies have been shifted to a mortuary and postmortem will be conducted tomorrow, police sources said.</p>

<p>Chief minister Vasundhara Raje condoled the deaths and gave necessary instructions to officers concerned for proper treatment of the injured.</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


A marriage function was going on in the hall when the storm hit the area, police said. People took shelter under a shed attached with a wall which collapsed suddenly

Twenty-five people were killed when a wall of a marriage hall collapsed during a heavy storm in Bharatpur district of the Indian state of Rajasthan on Wednesday night, police said. A marriage function was going on in the hall when the storm hit the area, police said. People took shelter under a shed attached with a wall which collapsed suddenly, inspector general of police Alok Vashishtha told PTI. He said the entire structure of the wall and the shed collapsed and they got trapped. Superintendent of police Anil Tank said the wall was nearly 90-feet long and 12-13 feet in height. Several food stalls were set up adjoining the wall. A tin shed was also attached to a portion of the wall. "The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals immediately and treatment was administered. One injured has been referred for SMS Hospital in Jaipur,' he said. The weather suddenly changed and heavy winds started blowing tonight which led to the incident at Sewar Road. The bodies have been shifted to a mortuary and postmortem will be conducted tomorrow, police sources said. Chief minister Vasundhara Raje condoled the deaths and gave necessary instructions to officers concerned for proper treatment of the injured. (PTI)

India: 25 dead as wall of marriage hall collapses in Rajasthan

<p>After a Muslim man was killed by gau rakshaks&nbsp;in Rajasthan&#39;s Alwar, the BJP&#39;s Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in Parliament today that: &quot;No such incident took place.&quot;</p>

<p>&quot;Jis tarah ki ghatna pesh ki ja rahi hai, aisi koi ghatna zameen par nahi hui hai,&quot; ANI reported him as saying in the Rajya Sabha.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that the state government had refuted the incident, and that &quot;we do not condone lawlessness&quot;. &nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Jis tarah ki ghatna pesh ki ja rahi hai, aisi koi ghatna zameen par nahi hui hai: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in RS on Rajasthan&#39;s Alwar incident <a href="https://t.co/ZqrUBwdwP1">pic.twitter.com/ZqrUBwdwP1</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/849865214099169281">April 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>But the blowback was swift, with leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabhi&nbsp;Azad saying, &quot;Even the New York Times knows and the minister doesn&#39;t know.&quot; &nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I am extremely sorry that the minister is so ill-informed. Even the New York Times knows and the minister doesn&#39;t know: Ghulam Nabi Azad <a href="https://t.co/dYazdhNkrH">pic.twitter.com/dYazdhNkrH</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/849866516627587073">April 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Pehlu Khan had died on Monday after he and four others were attacked by gau rakshaks&nbsp;(cow protectionists, India&#39;s Hindu community considers the cow sacred) in Alwar.</p>

<p>All five had to be hospitalised, but Khan -- who was 55 -- died from his injuries.</p>

<p>New reports said a sixth man with them -- their driver Arjun -- was allowed to go free.&nbsp;</p>

<p>News reports said the men had bought the cows they were transporting -- in an open pick-up -- from a cattle fair.</p>

<p>They had shown their attackers papers saying so.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Khan&#39;s companions said the cows were milch cattle -- that were to be reared for their milk, and were not meant for slaughter.</p>

<p>Which is why they were transporting them openly, and had not bothered to hide them. &nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION)</p>


After a Muslim man was killed by gau rakshaks in Rajasthan's Alwar, the BJP's Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said in Parliament today that: "No such incident took place." "Jis tarah ki ghatna pesh ki ja rahi hai, aisi koi ghatna zameen par nahi hui hai," ANI reported him as saying in the Rajya Sabha. He added that the state government had refuted the incident, and that "we do not condone lawlessness". Jis tarah ki ghatna pesh ki ja rahi hai, aisi koi ghatna zameen par nahi hui hai: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in RS on Rajasthan's Alwar incident pic.twitter.com/ZqrUBwdwP1 — ANI (@ANI_news) April 6, 2017 × But the blowback was swift, with leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabhi Azad saying, "Even the New York Times knows and the minister doesn't know." I am extremely sorry that the minister is so ill-informed. Even the New York Times knows and the minister doesn't know: Ghulam Nabi Azad pic.twitter.com/dYazdhNkrH — ANI (@ANI_news) April 6, 2017 × Pehlu Khan had died on Monday after he and four others were attacked by gau rakshaks (cow protectionists, India's Hindu community considers the cow sacred) in Alwar. All five had to be hospitalised, but Khan -- who was 55 -- died from his injuries. New reports said a sixth man with them -- their driver Arjun -- was allowed to go free. News reports said the men had bought the cows they were transporting -- in an open pick-up -- from a cattle fair. They had shown their attackers papers saying so. Khan's companions said the cows were milch cattle -- that were to be reared for their milk, and were not meant for slaughter. Which is why they were transporting them openly, and had not bothered to hide them. (WION)

After Muslim man is killed by gau rakshaks in Rajasthan, BJP's Naqvi says 'no such incident took place'

<p>The anti-terrorist squad of India&#39;s northwestern state of Rajasthan has arrested an alleged Islamic State (IS) operative in Sikar district who was involved in collecting and transferring funds for the terror organisation from Dubai.</p>

<p>&quot;The accused identified as Jamil Ahemad (41) works in Dubai. He is a sympathiser and operative of ISIS. He had been raising funds from India, Bangladesh and UAE and transferring to the ISIS for the last two years through hawala,&quot; ADG-ATS Umesh Mishra said.</p>

<p>&quot;He was on our radar for some time. He came to India recently and visited his ancestral house in Fatehpur eight days back. He was picked up by us interrogation and was placed under arrest yesterday,&quot; he told PTI.</p>

<p>Ahemad was in touch with other ISIS operatives on social media platform. An MBA graduate, Ahemad was working as the Assistant Financial Manager at a reputed firm in Dubai since 2003.</p>

<p>He has a house in Mumbai where his wife and children live, Mishra said.</p>

<p>&quot;Our one team is in Mumbai and conducing searches at his house with the help of Mumbai ATS,&quot; he said today.</p>

<p>Mishra said that the accused, who has been arrested under prevention of unlawful activities act, has revealed his connections in the ISIS and says that he has no regret.</p>

<p>&quot;He is completely remorseless and supports the organisation. He said that those (terrorists) are fighting for a cause,&quot; the officer said, adding, that he is being interrogated.</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


The accused was allegedly involved in collecting and transferring funds for the terror organisation from Dubai

The anti-terrorist squad of India's northwestern state of Rajasthan has arrested an alleged Islamic State (IS) operative in Sikar district who was involved in collecting and transferring funds for the terror organisation from Dubai. "The accused identified as Jamil Ahemad (41) works in Dubai. He is a sympathiser and operative of ISIS. He had been raising funds from India, Bangladesh and UAE and transferring to the ISIS for the last two years through hawala," ADG-ATS Umesh Mishra said. "He was on our radar for some time. He came to India recently and visited his ancestral house in Fatehpur eight days back. He was picked up by us interrogation and was placed under arrest yesterday," he told PTI. Ahemad was in touch with other ISIS operatives on social media platform. An MBA graduate, Ahemad was working as the Assistant Financial Manager at a reputed firm in Dubai since 2003. He has a house in Mumbai where his wife and children live, Mishra said. "Our one team is in Mumbai and conducing searches at his house with the help of Mumbai ATS," he said today. Mishra said that the accused, who has been arrested under prevention of unlawful activities act, has revealed his connections in the ISIS and says that he has no regret. "He is completely remorseless and supports the organisation. He said that those (terrorists) are fighting for a cause," the officer said, adding, that he is being interrogated. (PTI)

Alleged Islamic State operative arrested in Rajasthan

<p>The state government of western Indian state of Rajasthan approached India&#39;s top court on Tuesday against Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan&#39;s acquittal in two cases related to chinkara (Indian gazelle) poaching case, according to multiple reports.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The high court in western Rajasthan on July 25 had acquitted Khan in the poaching case citing lack of evidence, Indian daily, DNA reported, after the actor challenged the lower court&#39;s verdict that had handed him one and five years&#39; imprisonment, respectively, in the two separate cases of poaching.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;The government is studying the merits and demerits of the case and has decided to appeal against the decision in the Supreme Court,&quot; an Indian news channel, NewsX, quoted the state law minister, Rajendra Rathore, as saying.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the&nbsp;Indian news agency PTI, two separate cases had been registered against Khan under section 51 of Wildlife Protection Act for poaching of two chinkaras in village Bhawad on 26-27 September, 1998 and one chinkara in Mathania (Ghoda Farm) on 28-29 September, 1998.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Salman, who&nbsp;has spent time in a Jodhpur jail twice for in the poaching case, was convicted in 2007 and&nbsp;sentenced to five years for hunting and killing the two endangered chinkara deer and one blackbuck in Rajasthan in 1998. In 2013, however, the Rajasthan High Court suspended the conviction to make it easier for the actor to travel to the United Kingdom to shoot for a film. Both animals are protected and killing them is a punishable offence.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</p>


The high court in western Rajasthan on July 25 had acquitted Khan in the poaching case citing lack of evidence,

The state government of western Indian state of Rajasthan approached India's top court on Tuesday against Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan's acquittal in two cases related to chinkara (Indian gazelle) poaching case, according to multiple reports. The high court in western Rajasthan on July 25 had acquitted Khan in the poaching case citing lack of evidence, Indian daily, DNA reported, after the actor challenged the lower court's verdict that had handed him one and five years' imprisonment, respectively, in the two separate cases of poaching. "The government is studying the merits and demerits of the case and has decided to appeal against the decision in the Supreme Court," an Indian news channel, NewsX, quoted the state law minister, Rajendra Rathore, as saying. According to the Indian news agency PTI, two separate cases had been registered against Khan under section 51 of Wildlife Protection Act for poaching of two chinkaras in village Bhawad on 26-27 September, 1998 and one chinkara in Mathania (Ghoda Farm) on 28-29 September, 1998. Salman, who has spent time in a Jodhpur jail twice for in the poaching case, was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to five years for hunting and killing the two endangered chinkara deer and one blackbuck in Rajasthan in 1998. In 2013, however, the Rajasthan High Court suspended the conviction to make it easier for the actor to travel to the United Kingdom to shoot for a film. Both animals are protected and killing them is a punishable offence. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Rajasthan government approaches India's top court against Salman Khan in poaching cases

A fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed today in the Barmer district of western Rajasthan state; however, no loss of life was reported.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The MiG 21 aircraft took off from Utterali near Barmer, while the crash was reported at around 12:15 pm, according to the Indian standard time.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;The plane crashed in an open field near Malio ki Dhani, about 20 km from the city. There is no information of any loss of life or property so far,&quot; superintendent of police, Barmer, Gagandeep Singla told Indian news agency PTI.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;The pilot is said to have ejected before the crash,&quot; he said. No damage was reported to any civil or service property.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
While an inquiry has been ordered into the incident, according to media reports, another incident of MiG aircraft crash reminded of the monicker, &#39;Flying Coffin&#39; &nbsp;that it earned due to series of such accidents. The MiG crashes have sparked public outbursts in the past.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;

An MiG aircraft, often tagged as 'flying coffin', crashed in the Barmer district of western state of Rajasthan today

A fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed today in the Barmer district of western Rajasthan state; however, no loss of life was reported. The MiG 21 aircraft took off from Utterali near Barmer, while the crash was reported at around 12:15 pm, according to the Indian standard time. "The plane crashed in an open field near Malio ki Dhani, about 20 km from the city. There is no information of any loss of life or property so far," superintendent of police, Barmer, Gagandeep Singla told Indian news agency PTI. "The pilot is said to have ejected before the crash," he said. No damage was reported to any civil or service property. While an inquiry has been ordered into the incident, according to media reports, another incident of MiG aircraft crash reminded of the monicker, 'Flying Coffin' that it earned due to series of such accidents. The MiG crashes have sparked public outbursts in the past. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Indian Air Force's fighter aircraft crashes, pilot and co-pilot escape unhurt

The world?s oldest tigress Machali passed away at the grand old age of 19 years.

The world’s oldest tigress Machali passed away at the grand old age of 19 years.She lived a life of freedom in the great wilderness of the Ranthambore National Park in the Indian city of Rajasthan.

Queen of Ranthambore: Machali

A woman&#39;s forehead and other body parts were inked with expletives in northwestern India after she failed to fulfill her in-laws dowry demands, police said today.<br />
<br />
In her police complaint, the 25-year-old victim has also alleged rape by her brother-in-law and husband&#39;s nephew.<br />
<br />
She said two years after her marriage to a man based in Alwar district of Rajasthan state, her in-laws started demanding money and motorbike as dowry. When she resisted their demands, expletives were tattooed on her forehead and arms.<br />
<br />
The victim now lives with her family in Jaipur district of the state, where she filed the police complaint.<br />
<br />
&quot;She alleged in her complaint that she was raped by her brother-in-law and nephew and she was tortured by her husband and others with expletive tattoos on her forehead and other parts of body over dowry.<br />
<br />
&nbsp;She also told us that when this matter came to light they (in-laws) tried to erase the tattoos with acid. We have registered a complaint and investigation is underway,&quot; said senior police official, Abdul Wahid.<br />
<br />
He added that the victim would be sent for medical examination to ascertain the allegations of rape.<br />
<br />
The victim alleged that her husband threatened to kill her if she failed to fulfill his dowry demand.<br />
<br />
&quot;He (husband) asked me to get a motorbike and money from my parents, failing which he would stab me to death,&quot; she said.<br />
<br />
A report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said there were 337,922 reports of violence against women such as rape, molestation, abduction and cruelty by husbands in 2014, up by nine per cent since 2013.<br />
<br />
(Reuters)

She alleged that her nephew and brother-in-law raped her, while her husband and others tattooed her body with abusive words

A woman's forehead and other body parts were inked with expletives in northwestern India after she failed to fulfill her in-laws dowry demands, police said today. In her police complaint, the 25-year-old victim has also alleged rape by her brother-in-law and husband's nephew. She said two years after her marriage to a man based in Alwar district of Rajasthan state, her in-laws started demanding money and motorbike as dowry. When she resisted their demands, expletives were tattooed on her forehead and arms. The victim now lives with her family in Jaipur district of the state, where she filed the police complaint. "She alleged in her complaint that she was raped by her brother-in-law and nephew and she was tortured by her husband and others with expletive tattoos on her forehead and other parts of body over dowry. She also told us that when this matter came to light they (in-laws) tried to erase the tattoos with acid. We have registered a complaint and investigation is underway," said senior police official, Abdul Wahid. He added that the victim would be sent for medical examination to ascertain the allegations of rape. The victim alleged that her husband threatened to kill her if she failed to fulfill his dowry demand. "He (husband) asked me to get a motorbike and money from my parents, failing which he would stab me to death," she said. A report by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) said there were 337,922 reports of violence against women such as rape, molestation, abduction and cruelty by husbands in 2014, up by nine per cent since 2013. (Reuters)

Woman inked with expletives over dowry in northwestern India

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