
5 Bangladeshi nationals detained near Red Fort amid preparations to mark Independence Day
According to Raja Banthia, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), North Delhi, the incident took place near the access control point of the historic monument. Security personnel deployed in the area stopped the group of five men, aged between 20 and 25 years, after they failed to produce valid entry passes.
'On enquiry, they were found to be Bangladeshi nationals who illegally came to India some three-four months ago. They were working as labourers in Delhi. They came to see the Red Fort as they were not aware that it has been closed to the public since July 15. Bangladeshi documents were found with them. On interrogation, nothing suspicious could be found. They will be deported as per law,' DCP Banthia said.
The Red Fort has been closed to the public as part of routine security preparations ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
The matter has been reported to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO), and authorities have initiated the process for the deportation of the men under legal provisions.
Meanwhile, seven policemen were suspended after failing to intercept a Delhi Police Special Cell team that snuck in with a dummy bomb during a mock drill at the Red Fort on Monday. Drills are being conducted across the National Capital to test security arrangements ahead of Independence Day, officers said.

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Indian Express
26 minutes ago
- Indian Express
MP chain snatching case: Over 1,500 CCTV cameras scanned, 200 quizzed but police yet trace suspect, scooter
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The Print
41 minutes ago
- The Print
Rape-murder convict Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim gets 40-day parole, his 14th release since 2017
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Ram Rahim was convicted in August 2017 for raping two disciples, and was given a jail term of 20 years. In 2019, he was convicted for the murder of journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati and two years later for the murder of Dera manager Ranjit Singh. In both these cases, he has been awarded life imprisonment. Ram Rahim's latest parole follows a pattern of regular temporary releases. The Dera chief has will have spent nearly a year—364 days to be precise—outside jail since 2022, when the current parole ends, raising questions on the Haryana government's policies on parole under BJP rule. On May 28 last year, the Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him and four others in the Ranjit Singh murder case. The CBI's appeal against his acquittal is pending before the Supreme Court. His last release was on April 9, 2025, when he was given a 21-day furlough for the celebrations of the Dera's foundation day in Sirsa. Also Read: Rape-murder convict Ram Rahim out on furlough again, his 13th release since conviction in 2017 Victim family 'frustrated' Anshul Chhatrapati, son of slain journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, said frequent paroles and furloughs for Ram Rahim make the victim's family feel frustrated and that is why he has stopped responding to media queries now. 'However, this time I will give my reaction because I have a strong reason for this,' Anshul told ThePrint Tuesday, adding Ram Rahim's appeal against conviction in his father's murder case is being heard almost on a daily basis since 21 July by a division bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Vikram Aggarwal of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. 'Under these circumstances, the state government should not have given him the benefit of paroles or furloughs,' Anshul said. 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But did PM ever expressed any regret or remorse for having campaigned for him after Revanna was convicted for rape?' she asked. ThePrint reached Chief Minister Nayab Saini's media advisor Parveen Attrey, information department media coordinator Ashok Chhabra and Haryana BJP spokesperson Sanjay Sharma through calls but they did not respond. This report will be updated if and when a response is received. A district-level BJP leader, however, denied that the government was giving any special treatment to the Dera Chief. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he rejected Sudesh Kumari's allegations and said the BJP government accords top priority to women's safety and works on the principle of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' without any discrimination based on religion or caste. The paroles Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been granted 14 temporary releases from jail after his first conviction in 2017. His first two emergency releases in October 2020 and May 2021 were for a day each to meet his ailing mother, as under the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1988, he was not entitled to get benefit of temporary releases. However, after the Haryana government amended this act in 2022, which some alleged was done to benefit Ram Rahim Singh, he will have spent 364 days out jail between February 2022 to August 2025. During this period, he got a 21-day furlough on February 7, 2022, before the Punjab Assembly elections; 30-day parole on June 17, 2022 ahead of the Haryana municipal elections; and a 40-day parole on October 15, 2022 before the Adampur assembly byelection in Punjab. In 2023, Ram Rahim got 40-day parole on 21 January ahead of his predecessor Shah Satnam Singh's birth anniversary on 25 January; 30-day parole on June 20, before the Haryana panchayat elections; and 21-day furlough on 21 November, ahead of the Rajasthan Assembly elections. In 2024, before the Lok Sabha elections, he got 50-day parole on January 19; 21-day furlough on August 13 ahead of his 57th birthday, and 20-day parole on October 3, days before the Haryana Assembly elections. In the current year, Ram Rahim got 30-day parole, a week before the Delhi Assembly elections on January 28; 21-day furlough, around the Dera's foundation day on April 9 and now, 40-day parole ahead of his 58th birthday on August 5. These releases, often aligning with significant electoral or personal milestones, have allowed him to stay at Dera headquarters in Sirsa or ashrams in Bagpat, sparking debates over the timing and frequency of his temporary freedom. The modified parole laws The Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1988 sets a set of circumstances for granting parole, including death in the family, critical illness, marriage, or farm requirements etc. Anshul Chhatrapati alleged that the government amended this law in 2022 by doing away with the conditions to help Ram Rahim Singh, who didn't fall under any of the conditions mentioned in the 1988 law. Under the 2022 Act, convicts who have received more than 10 years of imprisonment are eligible for 10 weeks of parole every year, which can be taken in two instalments, with the duration spent outside added to the period of punishment. Besides this, the prisoner is entitled to 21 days of furlough every year. Sudesh Kumari, however, alleged that the certificate of good conduct is issued by the authorities who are under the state government. A senior official from the Haryana Prisons Department, however, told The Print on the condition of anonymity that the state replaced the Haryana Good Conduct Prisoners (Temporary Release) Act, 1988, with the 2022 iteration to 'streamline' the process. 'The new Act makes the process less hassled, and paroles are issued on the basis of good conduct and administrative clearance,' the officer explained to The Print. The head of Dera Sacha Sauda has had good equations with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose leaders were seen advocating for him even ahead of his 2017 conviction. Three years before his sentencing in rape and murder cases, senior BJP leaders, including then Haryana in-charge Kailash Vijayvargiya, visited the Dera headquarters in Sirsa. Vijayvargiya took 44 BJP candidates with him to meet Ram Rahim and seek his blessings before the Haryana Assembly elections in 2014. Before this, the Dera Sacha Sauda extended its open support to the BJP with its followers participating in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Sirsa on 11 October, 2014, with banners of the Dera. Months before his conviction, Ram Rahim Singh shared a dais with then chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar during a joint sanitation campaign by the local authorities and the Dera at Karnal on 6 May 2017. Since 2014, the Dera has publicly extended electoral support to the BJP, with a strong call to back the party in Haryana assembly elections made at a clandestine meeting at Sirsa 5 October 2024, immediately after Ram Rahim's 20-day parole. Cases against Ram Rahim Ram Rahim's legal trouble started in 2017 when a special CBI court in Panchkula sentenced him to 20 years for raping two female disciples. In 2019, he was convicted for murdering journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, and in 2021, for killing Dera manager Ranjit Singh. The Punjab and Haryana High Court acquitted him in the Ranjit Singh case in May 2024 on grounds of 'tainted and sketchy' investigations, but the Supreme Court is now hearing a CBI appeal. Further, Ram Rahim is on trial for reportedly castrating men in the Sirsa ashram, a case that critics have said would be tainted by the frequency of his visits to the Dera. The Dera Sacha Sauda, started by Shah Mastana in 1948 and headed by Shah Satnam Singh from 1963 until 1990, became a socio-spiritual organisation under Ram Rahim with a huge following in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and beyond. (Edited by Ajeet Tiwari) Also Read: Why a Panchkula court has allowed prime witness to appear virtually in castration case against Ram Rahim


Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Punjab DGP reviews anti-drug campaign, security ahead of I-Day
Chandigarh, Punjab Police chief on Tuesday chaired a state-level meeting with officers to review the ongoing anti-drug campaign, the overall law and order situation, and the internal security landscape across the state. Punjab DGP reviews anti-drug campaign, security ahead of I-Day Director General of Police Punjab, Gaurav Yadav held meetings with all range inspector generals of police, commissioners of police, and senior superintendents of police. Special DGP Arpit Shukla, Special DGP Praveen Kumar Sinha, ADGP Anti-Narcotics Task Force Nilabh Kishore, ADGP Anti-Gangster Task Force Promod Ban, and ADGP Counter-Intelligence Amit Prasad were also present in the meeting. During the meeting, senior officers briefed the field officers on critical issues such as cross-border drug trafficking, Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, organised crime networks, and key law and order concerns. "We also reviewed the progress of the state-wide anti-drug campaign 'Yudh Nashian Virudh', launched on March 1, 2025, and discussed strategic interventions to strengthen this ongoing war against drugs," said DGP Yadav in a statement. He asserted that the ANTF's dual approach, aggressive enforcement on the ground and robust, community-led prevention, would create a drug-free and secure Punjab. Sharing the outcome of the 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign, he said that the Punjab Police has registered 15,671 FIRs and arrested 24,639 drug smugglers since March 1. Police have recovered 1,020 kg of heroin, 330 kg of opium, 21 tonnes of poppy husk, 14 kg of charas, 377 kg of ganja, 3.3 kg of cocaine, 31.74 lakh intoxicant pills and tablets, and ₹12.25 crores cash from their possession. During the meeting, the DGP also reviewed the state-wide preparedness for upcoming Independence Day celebrations and directed all field units to remain on high alert and ensure foolproof security arrangements. "Security arrangements were reviewed and suitable instructions have been given to maintain peace and harmony by ensuring police presence at all important places, intensifying domination operations and other preventive and detective measures ahead of forthcoming Independence Day celebrations," Yadav said. He also directed police officers to conduct a manpower audit of all police establishments and pull out police personnel from non-core duties to ensure a visible police presence, especially in crowded places. He also directed the district police chiefs to increase police checkpoints in their respective jurisdictions and ensure the checking of a maximum number of vehicles. The DGP said apart from the ongoing decisive war against drugs, action against organised crime, gangsters, and Pak-sponsored terror activities has been the Punjab Police's topmost priority and perpetrators in all the major cases have been identified. Meanwhile, police conducted a cordon and search operation at and around all the district and sub-divisional courts across the state to ensure foolproof security arrangements at all the judicial complexes. The checking was conducted simultaneously in all the districts of the state. Special DGP Arpit Shukla said that the police officers were directed to personally monitor this operation and make sufficient numbers of police teams to carry out checking under the supervision of Superintendent of Police rank officers. He said police officers were also asked to conduct checks of all suspicious persons in and around the court complex, besides carrying out checks of all the vehicles parked around the complex by using the Vahan app. He said police teams were also asked to make sure that door frame metal detectors and CCTV cameras installed at the premises of judicial complexes are functioning. Shukla said police teams have frisked as many as 694 suspicious people found roaming around the court complexes. As many as 1,160 vehicles stationed at different parking places around the court premises were also checked, during which police teams issued 129 challans and impounded four vehicles. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.