NCSC team visits Vadakadu; Pudukottai Collector inspects affected areas
The delegation — S. Ravivarman, Director, NCSC, Chennai; N. Suresh, Research Officer, and S. Lister, Senior Investigator, — inspected the hamlet belonging to the Scheduled Castes at Thiruvalluvar Nagar, inside the Vadakadu panchayat and interacted with affected residents.
Speaking to media persons after the field visit, Mr. Ravivarman said: 'We have conducted a comprehensive assessment of the damages suffered by the Scheduled Caste residents in Vadakadu. A detailed report will be submitted to the NCSC in Delhi within two days.'
Superintendent of Police Abhishek Gupta accompanied the team.
Meanwhile, a day after appearing before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court in connection with a petition filed by S. Shanmugam regarding the Vadakadu incident, District Collector M. Aruna visited the village on Friday morning. She inspected the Scheduled Caste hamlet and the disputed temple land. Following the court's directive, police sources said that CCTV footage from the area surrounding the site of the clash had been collected for investigation.
During the May 5 clash, over 20 individuals were injured, and properties, including a Dalit woman's hut and several vehicles, were set ablaze. So far, 29 persons have been arrested — 21 from the Most Backward Class (MBC) community and eight from the Scheduled Caste group — under various charges, including provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Who is Harpreet Singh, aka Happy Passia, Khalistan terrorist, likely to be extradited to India?
Harpreet Singh, aka Happy Passia, is set to be repatriated to India shortly. The Khalistani terrorist, wanted in several terror, extortion and violence-related cases in India, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Sacramento. But what do we know about Passia, who is on the National Investigation Agency's list of 'most wanted' suspects? read more Harpreet Singh, aka Happy Passia, is set to be repatriated to India shortly. Image/X-FBIDirectorKash A Khalistani terrorist arrested in the US in April is set to be brought to India. Harpreet Singh, aka Happy Passia, is set to be repatriated to India shortly. Passia is wanted for several terror, extortion and violence-related cases in India. He has been in custody of the US authorities for the past few months. Who is Passia, who is on the National Investigation Agency's list of 'most wanted' suspects? What do we know about him? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Let's take a closer look: Who is Passia? Passia is a resident of Amritsar's Pachhia village. He hails from a family of farmers. His father has passed away. His other immediate relatives are a mother and a younger sister. Passia is wanted in over a dozen cases including under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act, and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Passia has been linked to at least 14 grenade attac His criminal career began with the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang. Passia later linked up with the Pakistan-based Harwinder Singh Rinda, who is part of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror group. The BKI is a proscribed terror group in India. Passia left for Dubai in April 2018 and returned to India in February 2019. He then headed to the United Kingdom in 2020 – from where he went to the United States. He is said to have entered the US via the Mexico border using an illegal human trafficking network. Happy Passia later linked up with the Pakistan-based Harwinder Singh Rinda, who is part of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror group. Reuters From September to October 2023, Passia and Rindra carried out several extortion and terror acts in Punjab. They would attempt to extort contractors and businessmen in Batala and Amritsar. The state police has smashed many terror and criminal modules from the Passia-Rinda group. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD These were targeting Hindu groups and their leaders, policemen who are on the force and have retired, liquor contracts and businessmen. They would use the money they extorted for terrorism. Between late 2024 and early 2025 the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) carried out over a dozen attacks in Punjab. This included placing an Improvised Explosive Device under Ajnala police station in November 2024 and an attack on the Qila Lal Singh police station in Gurdaspur. The home of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manoranjan Kalia was also targeted. The attacks were carried out by Passia alongside Rinda's US-based connections – Gurdev Singh alias Jaisal Pehalwan, Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi Nawansharia and Germany-based Swaran Singh alias Jeevan Faujia. The network is said to have targeted minors suffering from drug addictions to carry out terror attacks. A 17-year-old is said to have planted the IED at Ajnala police station after being lured with drugs and cash. The NIA in January 2025 announced a Rs 5 lakh award for any information on Passia. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A Blue Corner notice was issued against Passia in January. A Red Corner notice is currently in progress. This was for his alleged role in a grenade attack on the home of a retired police office in Chandigarh in September 2024. The NIA referred to Passia and Rinda as 'terrorists' and the 'primary handlers and masterminds behind the attack'. 'They had provided logistical support, terror funds, weapons and ammunition to India-based on-ground operatives in Chandigarh for executing the grenade attack,' it said. 'Investigations revealed that Rinda, along with Happy Passia, had orchestrated the conspiracy to strike terror among law enforcement officials and the general public through the grenade attack, as part of the broader aim to promote BKI's terrorist agenda. They had recruited local operatives, namely Rohan Masih and Vishal Masih, who were tasked with carrying out the attack under their direct instructions,' the agency said. Evasion and arrest Passia is said to have used several burner phones to evade capture by the authorities. He was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) in Sacramento. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The FBI described him on X as an 'alleged terrorist responsible for terror attacks in Punjab, India'. FBI director Kash Patel in April had vowed that justice would be done. 'Captured Harpeet Singh, part of an alleged foreign terrorist gang here illegally in the United States, who we believe was involved in planning multiple attacks on police stations both in India and the United States,' Patel wrote on X. 'FBI Sacramento conducted the investigation coordinating with our partners locally as well as in India. Excellent work from all, and justice will be done. The FBI will continue finding those who perpetrate violence — no matter where they are,' Patel added. With inputs from agencies
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Who is Happy Passia? What are the criminal charges against the gangster behind 14 grenade attacks in Punjab
Harpreet Singh, aka Happy Passia, is making headlines after reports surfaced that the wanted Khalistani terrorist will soon be extradited from the United States to India. According to India Today report, Happy Passia will arrive at Delhi Airport under tight security. Hence its time to know more details about the terrorist behind 14 Punjab blasts. United States-based Indian gangster Happy Passia, alias Jora, was arrested on April 17 from California's Sacramento by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He is alleged to have collaborated with Pakistan's ISI and is suspected to have ties with Khalistani extremist group Babbar Khalsa International (BKI). Notably, Happy Passia originally hails from Passia village in Amritsar district. Declared as one of the most wanted criminals by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), after a series of terror attacks across Punjab that targetting police stations and public institutions, he is accused in multiple cases. A wanted criminal in 17 criminal cases, he faces several charges, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Arms Act, and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The NIA placed ₹ 5 lakh reward on him in connection with the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack. A total of 16 grenade attacks were reported in Punjab in the concerned period. The blasts took place at police posts, religious sites, and residences of public figures, including BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia. It is alleged that Happy Passia provided weapons, funds, and logistical support to operatives to attack a house in Sector 10, Chandigarh on September 11 last year. He executed the strike with the help of Pakistan-based terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda. Passia reportedly used an illegal human trafficking network to illegally get into the United States in 2021 via Mexico border.
India.com
3 hours ago
- India.com
RTI Reveals Kerala Govt Sponsoring Visit Of Spy Suspect Jyoti Malhotra
New Delhi: The Kerala government has come under heavy fire after it was revealed that Jyoti Malhotra, a social media influencer recently arrested on espionage charges, had visited the state as part of a government-sponsored tourism promotion campaign. Malhotra, a Haryana-based vlogger, is now accused of leaking sensitive information to Pakistan. Shockingly, her entire trip across Kerala was facilitated and funded by the state's Tourism Department under an official influencer outreach initiative. Documents obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act confirm that her travel, accommodation, food, and even filming arrangements were handled by a private agency contracted by the department. She was among 41 influencers selected to promote Kerala as a global tourist destination. During her multi-city visit, Malhotra toured Kochi, Kannur, Kozhikode, Alappuzha, Munnar, and Thiruvananthapuram. She arrived in Kerala via Kannur airport after travelling from Delhi to Bengaluru. Her vlogs included visuals of Theyyam performances and scenic locations, all of which were shared on her YouTube channel Travel with Jo and other social media platforms. She eventually returned to Delhi by train. At the time of her visit, no suspicions had been raised regarding her activities. However, her arrest in May 2025 under the Official Secrets Act has now cast a shadow over the episode. Central intelligence agencies are probing whether her video content may have served as a cover for intelligence-gathering. Investigators are also examining whether she accessed strategically sensitive locations or communicated with Pakistani handlers during her stay. Adding to the growing alarm, Haryana Police have confirmed that Malhotra had visited Pakistan shortly before the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir - raising serious questions about her potential ties to ISI operatives. Amid the controversy, Kerala's Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas defended the decision to bring Malhotra to the state. He insisted that the program was launched with good intentions and followed the precedents set by previous governments. 'This was part of a larger influencer campaign aimed at promoting Kerala. Everything was done transparently and in good faith,' Riyas said. 'This is not a government that facilitates espionage. The media must understand how government systems work. No one could have foreseen this.' However, opposition parties were quick to respond. Both the Congress and the BJP criticised the state's failure to conduct adequate background checks on the influencers invited under official programs. They demanded accountability for what they termed a 'serious lapse in judgment' that could have had national security implications. The ongoing investigation has triggered a wider debate on the intersection of tourism promotion and national security. Many are now calling for more rigorous vetting procedures for individuals participating in government-sponsored initiatives, especially those involving sensitive travel routes or infrastructure. With Malhotra still in custody and the probe expanding, the Kerala government finds itself on the defensive, scrambling to contain the fallout from what is now being called one of the most embarrassing intelligence lapses linked to a state-sponsored tourism effort.
