logo
Dehradun Police book five linked to Chhangur Baba gang for alleged religious conversion racket

Dehradun Police book five linked to Chhangur Baba gang for alleged religious conversion racket

DEHRADUN: Dehradun Police have booked five individuals, allegedly linked to the 'Chhangur Baba gang', for attempting religious conversions among youth.
The action, initiated at Ranipokhri police station, stems from a complaint by a local businessman whose daughter was reportedly targeted by the group, which allegedly operated a conversion racket through Instagram.
Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh confirmed the development, stating, "The Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) had contacted Doon police regarding this matter, and subsequently took Abdul Rahman and a young woman named Mariam from Doiwala into custody for questioning."
Based on the information provided by the UP ATS, Dehradun Police swiftly formed its own team and launched a thorough investigation into the alleged racket.
During the course of their probe, several suspicious Instagram IDs linked to the operation were put under close surveillance.
Police sources revealed that Abdul Rahman, a key figure, originally from Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, was born a Hindu but converted to Islam after coming into contact with Jalaluddin alias 'Chhangur Baba's' gang approximately 12 years ago. He had moved to the Selakui area about a decade and a half ago in search of work and currently works as a taxi driver in Shankarpur, Sahaspur.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Malegaon verdict flags major shortcomings in investigation. NIA must appeal it
Malegaon verdict flags major shortcomings in investigation. NIA must appeal it

Indian Express

time2 hours ago

  • Indian Express

Malegaon verdict flags major shortcomings in investigation. NIA must appeal it

Just 10 days after the Bombay High Court acquitted 12 accused in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case, highlighting critical procedural lapses in the investigation, a trial court in Mumbai has acquitted all seven accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case. The outcome in both sensitive and high-profile cases raises serious and urgent questions about the perils of the due process of justice being relegated by the surround sound of a polarising politics — in the Malegaon case, the spotlight had turned to allegations and counter-allegations on 'Hindu terror', kicking off a dismal war of labels, and a flurry of often contrived comparisons and equivalences. The verdict in the case, as in the Mumbai blasts case before it, has put in the dock the conduct of investigating agencies and prosecution, and the systemic delays that often render justice, when it comes, too little too late. The trial in the Malegaon case began in December 2018, a decade after a bomb went off outside a mosque, killing six and injuring nearly a hundred others. The Court was clear on the intent of the attack, on the last day of Ramzan and before Navratri was to begin: 'It was apparent that conspirators caused bomb blast with an intent to terrorise the people, to cause loss to life and property, disruption of supplies and services essential to the community, to create communal rift and to endanger internal security of the State.' It is troubling that the investigation and prosecution of a case as consequential as this one was found to be riddled with glaring lapses and omissions, inconsistencies and contradictions. Special NIA Judge AK Lahoti found it necessary to mention that 'the evidence on record creates the grave suspicion against the accused but mere on suspicion there cannot be a conviction.' The probe into the Malegaon case was begun by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). Hemant Karkare, the ATS chief at that time, heading the investigation, was killed in the Mumbai terror attack on November 26, 2008, only days after the first arrest in the case. The ATS had filed a chargesheet after collecting evidence, including phone taps, witness statements, and video recordings of the meetings where the conspiracy was allegedly hatched from the laptop of one of the accused. All these were deemed inadmissible in court since the agency had failed to fulfil the statutory requirement to prove the authenticity and reliability of electronic evidence. While transcripts were prepared from intercepted conversations, interceptions were not authorised in the specific period, and permissions were obtained belatedly, rendering the intercepted data unusable as evidence. In 2011, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the case and criticised the ATS probe, even as it continued moving it in the same direction. In 2016, it dropped MCOCA charges arguing that the ATS had not followed proper procedure in invoking the stringent anti-terror law. There were other loopholes and omissions too — for instance, 13 statements of witnesses went missing from the court records. The investigation in the Malegaon case was mired in political controversy over the (religious) colour and shade of terror right from the beginning. Investigators in cases such as this one do come under an enormous amount of pressure. But that is a challenge to be professionally navigated, it cannot lead to slipshod investigations and inordinate delays. Given that the court has underlined the several omissions of the state and said explicitly that there is 'grave suspicion,' the NIA must appeal the verdict, and make a better case.

28-yr-old held for stalking, blackmailing woman: Police
28-yr-old held for stalking, blackmailing woman: Police

Hindustan Times

time4 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

28-yr-old held for stalking, blackmailing woman: Police

A 28-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh was arrested on Saturday for allegedly stalking, blackmailing, and threatening to circulate private photographs and videos of his 20-year-old relative, police said on Sunday. 28-yr-old held for stalking, blackmailing woman: Police The accused, police said, had been allegedly pressuring the woman to continue their relationship and fulfil sexual demands by threatening to make her personal content public. The case came to light after the victim's 19-year-old brother lodged a complaint with the Cyber Police Station of northwest Delhi on July 25, said deputy commissioner of police (northwest) Bhisham Singh. The complaint alleged that a relative from Bulandshahr had sent him sexually explicit images and videos of his sister on Instagram. According to the police, the families of both the victim and the accused had learned about their relationship about one-and-a-half years ago and objected to it. The woman subsequently ended the relationship and cut off the accused. However, he continued harassing her. When his attempts failed, the accused escalated his threats by sending the explicit content to the victim's brother via Instagram using the 'View Once' feature, which typically makes media disappear after being viewed once. However, the brother recorded the objectionable content on his mother's mobile phone and presented it as evidence. DCP Singh said that based on the complaint, an FIR was registered on July 27 under Section 67A of the Information Technology Act (for publishing or transmitting sexually explicit material in electronic form). Police arrested the accused on Saturday and seized the mobile phone used in the crime.

Alert from Meta helps UP cops save life of man who consumed poison
Alert from Meta helps UP cops save life of man who consumed poison

Time of India

time8 hours ago

  • Time of India

Alert from Meta helps UP cops save life of man who consumed poison

Lucknow: A young man's life was saved in Prayagraj on Friday night thanks to swift coordination between Meta and Uttar Pradesh Police. The 33-year-old, who works as a waiter at weddings, posted a distress message on Instagram stating, "I have consumed poison. " Within just 10 minutes of receiving an alert from Meta, police teams reached his house and rushed him to the hospital, ultimately saving his life. According to the official statement, on the night of Aug 2 at 10.59 pm, the Social Media Centre at the DGP Headquarters in Lucknow received an alert email from Meta—Instagram's parent company—regarding a potential suicide attempt by a user from the Puramufti police station area in Prayagraj. The alert contained a message indicating that the individual ingested poison. Taking immediate cognisance, Director General of Police (DGP) Uttar Pradesh, Rajeev Krishna, directed urgent intervention. Based on the phone number shared in the Meta alert, the social media team tracked the user's location and informed the Prayagraj district police. Acting swiftly, SHO of Puramufti police station, Manoj Kumar Singh, along with his team, reached the youth's home within 10 minutes. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why Seniors Are Snapping Up This TV Box, We Explain! Techno Mag Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola After speaking with the family, they rushed to his room where they found him lying on his bed. Upon questioning, the man admitted to consuming rodent poison due to financial stress and depression. He was immediately transported to a hospital in the police vehicle along with his family. Doctors managed to stabilise the youth's condition. Upon regaining consciousness on the morning of Aug 3, he told police that he was struggling to make ends meet as a waiter and fell into deep mental distress. Police personnel provided counselling to the man, who assured authorities that he would not repeat such an act. The family expressed gratitude to the Uttar Pradesh Police for their timely action and coordination with Meta. This life-saving effort is part of an ongoing collaboration between Meta and Uttar Pradesh Police, established in 2022. Under the arrangement, any suicidal posts on Facebook or Instagram are flagged in real-time and reported via email and phone to the police. Between Jan 1, 2023, and July 31, 2025, this partnership helped save 1,195 lives across the state by facilitating timely intervention. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Friendship Day wishes , messages and quotes !

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store