HYDERABAD: By torchlight in deep forest camps, a shadow surgeon once cut close to a beating Maoist heart, fingers steady as a bullet lay lodged centimetres away. For years, the man they called Dr Rafiq worked unseen. Little about him surfaced beyond intelligence files.Now, through surrendered Maoists and security officials, a detailed portrait is emerging of Rafiq alias Mandip — an MBBS from Punjab who joined CPI (Maoist) and spent years building a medical system across Dandakaranya in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar.Surrendered Maoist M Venkatraju alias CNN Chandu described Rafiq as the only formally trained doctor to have joined the movement. He treated cadres and Adivasis, performed emergency surgeries with scarce resources, trained paramedics and documented medicine. He wrote manuals standardising treatment for bullet wounds, malaria, snakebites, gastroenteritis, and battlefield trauma under forest conditions. Chandu told TOI, “He trained locals and cadres in first aid, stitching sutures when a bullet hits, and how to remove the bullet.”Intelligence officers said he moved from Dandakaranya to Jharkhand in 2016, where he remains at large. Rafiq first surfaced in 2013 through confessions of arrested cadres, described then as a “mystery doctor” capable of surgeries and leading Dandakaranya’s medical wing. Police inputs in 2018 referred to “Rinki, wife of MBBS Dr Rafiq”, who allegedly treated senior Maoist commander Prashant Bose.

According to Chandu, Rafiq worked from Maad, the Maoist headquarters zone in Abujhmarh. “The doctor is revered as a god by locals,” he said. “People came from far away just to see him.”Forest villages with little or no access to formal healthcare relied on Rafiq for everything from fever treatment to trauma care. Several underground medics, known as “doctors” despite lacking degrees, were trained through Rafiq’s system. Each dalam had at least one trained medical aide, Chandu said. Medical continuity survived even after Rafiq left Dandakaranya.Rafiq also documented herbal medicine knowledge passed down by Adivasi vaddes or pujaris and incorporated it into Maoist man-uals. “Malaria is most common,” Chandu said. “People believed illness meant God was angry. We told them even if they do puja, they should also take medicine.” Prayer and pills coexisted in those manuals, which still circulate in interior areas.While security forces tracked weapons and movement, Rafiq quietly built medical capacity — a parallel health network shaped by war, forests and necessity. As surrenders rise, his trail remains elusive.

Rithvik Sanjeevi and Surya Charishma Tamiri (Agency Image)

Surya Charishma Tamiri and Rithvik Sanjeevi emerged as the new women’s and men’s singles champions respectively at the Senior National Badminton Championships, sealing their titles with composed performances on Sunday. In the women’s singles final, 19-year-old Surya, hailing from Vijayawada, recovered from a slow start to defeat Tanvi Patri 17-21, 21-12, 21-14 in a contest that stretched close to an hour. Tanvi had the early upper hand, dictating play midway through the opening game and forcing Surya into a series of unforced errors to take the first game.

A key moment arrived early in the second game at 6-5, when Surya struck a service return into the net. She was handed a lifeline when the service judge called a height fault, allowing her to stay in the rally. Capitalising on the reprieve, Surya raised her intensity and rattled off seven straight points to seize control of the game and level the match. The deciding game turned into a test of endurance. Surya dragged Tanvi into extended rallies, and the physical toll soon became evident. Tanvi tried to stay in touch, but her movement slowed as the game progressed. From 15-14, Surya shifted gears and closed out the contest by winning six consecutive points to clinch the title. In the men’s singles final, Rithvik Sanjeevi leaned on his solid defence and calm temperament to outplay Bharat Raghav. Rithvik claimed the opening game comfortably, but the second game proved more challenging as Bharat surged ahead to a 9-5 lead. The 2024 Odisha Masters champion responded with a run of six straight points to swing the momentum back in his favour, appearing set for a straightforward finish. However, a couple of poor judgement calls allowed Bharat back into the contest, and he even reached game point. Rithvik held his nerve, stayed true to his tactics, and sealed the match in 39 minutes. The doubles finals also produced clear winners. In women’s doubles, seasoned campaigners Shikha Gautam and Ashwini Bhat K claimed the title with a straight-games victory over second seeds Priya Devi Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra, winning 21-14, 21-18. Top seeds Hariharan Amsakarunan and R Ruban Kumar lived up to their billing in the men’s doubles final, defeating Mithileish P Krishnan and Prejan 21-17, 21-12. In mixed doubles, second seeds Sathwik Reddy K and Radhika Sharma caused an upset by beating top seeds Ashith Surya and Amrutha P 21-9, 21-15 to lift the championship trophy.

NEW DELHI: Over the past two decades, Supreme Court has protected the Aravalis from activities that can harm ecologically sensitive zones, including in 2002 when it banned mining and pumping of groundwater within 5km of the Delhi border, and subsequently banned illegal mining in Haryana and Rajasthan.Even the PMO, on two occasions in April 2014 during the Manmohan Singh government and even last year, stepped in to stop the dilution of provision of 0.5% restriction on construction and other non-forest activities in Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ) in NCR which largely includes Aravalis and water bodies.“From 2002, SC has consistently passed orders restricting non-ecological activities in Aravalis. The PMO has also stepped in from time time to time to stop dilution of environmental norms. Surprisingly, the report submitted by the environment and forest ministry in the current case before the court seems to facilitate mining rather than conservation,” said M D Sinha, former principal chief conservator of forests in Haryana government.The series of SC orders from 2002 to 2019 shows that the court did not allow mining activities and even put Haryana’s PLPA Act, which would have resulted in large tracts of the Aravalis and Shiwaliks losing the legal forest tag, in abeyance.Activists fighting for protection of Aravalis said there had been consistent efforts by government entities, particularly in Haryana, to allow non-forest and real estate activities in the guise of creating recreational facilities. In 2014, then Haryana government’s push to relax the construction limit in Aravali beyond 0.5% during mid-term review of the NCR Regional Plan 2021 was stopped after the PMO directed the NCR Planning Board to take the environment ministry’s concerns on board.Again in 2022, Haryana pushed for doing away with mention of Aravali and NCZ in the Draft Regional Plan 2041 with a less restrictive “Natural Zone”, the provision that would remove this mandatory conservation requirement. When the matter came before the PMO and a Group of Ministers, they directed the housing and urban affairs ministry not to dilute the provision of NCZ and Aravali.

Salman Khan celebrated his 60th birthday with a lavish midnight bash at his Panvel farmhouse on December 27, joined by close friends, family, and film industry colleagues. The night featured an lavish feast, meticulous guest arrangements, and non-stop festivities stretching into the early morning.

Standout food lineup

According to a Hindustan Times, special attention was given to the food served at the gathering. Salman had an elaborate food menu for the guests. Koti kebabs, dahi kebabs, aloo tikki broccoli kebabs were served in vegetarian starters while there were five varieties of non-vegetarian kebabs in the menu. In vegetarian main course, there were several types of assorted breads, two types of daal, paneer gravy and rice. For desserts, gajar ka halwa, gulab jamuns, rabri, ice creams and malai dessert were served. There was also a counter of a popular Paris dessert brand stationed there. The menu included pastries, assorted macarons pyramids, almond Bostock and French toast – classic and tiramisu.

Luxury guest arrangements

Reportedly, Salman had also called for vanity vans for every single actor, who stayed back overnight at the birthday party at his farm. A lot of his friends from the fraternity had left thw farm around 6-7am on December 27. The actor also had a sundowner on Saturday afternoon that was attended by his close friends and family. For the decor, the farm was decorated with white roses all over. The DJ played ‘subah hone naa de’ song on loop.

Salman Khan’s casual style

For the occasion, Salman wore a simple black T-shirt, blue jeans, and stayed clean-shaven for his birthday. The actor cut his cake outside with paparazzi and shared slices with them.

Star-studded guest list

Several celebrities joined the bash, like Maniesh Paul, MS Dhoni, Aditya Roy Kapur, Huma Qureshi, Rakul Preet Singh, Mika Singh, Sangeeta Bijlani, and Bina Kak. Salman’s family showed up too, with nephews and nieces Arhaan Khan, Nirvaan Khan, and Alizeh Agnihotri among them.