LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated a two-day conference of senior police officers here on Saturday and launched an AI-based “YAKSH” app to strengthen policing and preventive law enforcement in the state.The conference, titled “Police Manthan”, focused on challenges ranging from cybercrime and human trafficking to emerging issues such as social media, officials said.In a post on X, the UP Police said officers will participate in 11 sessions to shape the strategic priorities and future road map for policing in the state.Adityanath was accorded a traditional guard of honour at the event and was welcomed with a bouquet by Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna and Additional Director General of Police (PAC) Ram Krishna Swarnkar, it said.The conference will end on Sunday, it added.“The objective of the conference is to strengthen people-centric policing, develop a technology-based modern policing system and ensure effective and swift action against crime and criminals,” the DGP told reporters.The chief minister will remain present for both days of the session, he added.Krishna said the conference replaces the traditional annual “Police Week” to ensure a sharper focus for outcome-oriented brainstorming sessions.Several thematic sessions were held on the first day, with detailed presentations on beat policing, technology-driven initiatives, and best practices made before Adityanath, police sources said.During the event, the chief minister also launched “YAKSH” app, a digital version of the beat book developed using AI and big data analytics, officials said, adding that the app will maintain comprehensive data on crimes, criminals and sensitive areas.YAKSH will simplify the daily work of beat personnel through features — station-wise offender databases, beat-level verification, AI-based suspect identification, voice search, gang-link analysis and movement alerts, they said.Discussions also covered women-related crimes, child protection and human trafficking, with Additional Director General of Police (Women and Child Security Organisation) Padmaja Chauhan presenting on key initiatives, including Mission Shakti centres, awareness programmes, family dispute resolution clinics, and law enforcement in rape cases.ADG Gorakhpur Zone Ashok Mutha Jain gave a presentation on the Bahu-Beti Sammelan, while deliberations were also held on police station management and upgradation.Another officer presented the “Smart SHO Dashboard”, which will allow station house officers to monitor complaints, crimes, and staff performance on a single platform.The dashboard will improve grievance redressal, reduce pendency, enhance accountability of police personnel and make traffic management and crime monitoring more effective, officials said.

NEW DELHI: The Unnao rape case victim levelled serious allegations against the investigating officer in the case saying that IO “colluded with the judge” to ensure that the “other party won”. The charges came as the Delhi high court granted bail to the convict and expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and suspended his life sentence. The survivor and her mother met the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials on Saturday and submitted a complaint regarding the same.

“The complaint is that the investigating officer has wronged me. He colluded with the judge to ensure that the other party won, so that the rape victim would lose, her courage would be broken, and she would not be able to pursue the case further,” ANI quoted the survivor as saying.“Had the CBI stood with my lawyer, we wouldn’t have had to see this day. We would have won, and they would have lost,” she further said.The CBI has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the Delhi high court’s order staying the life sentence of former Uttar Pradesh MLA and granting him bail. The high court’s ruling sparked strong backlash from the survivor’s family and opposition parties, escalating calls for the Supreme Court to step in.Reacting to this, the survivor’s mother said: “If CBI meets us, only then will we trust them. How can we trust them otherwise? We have not discussed CBI. We have only said that the Investigating Officer met them. He was talking to Kuldeep Sengar’s daughter. When we asked him whether he knew the victim, he said, ‘Why would I know her?’ He said this in a crowded court.”Sengar was found guilty in the Unnao rape case in December 2019 and sentenced to life imprisonment along with a Rs 25 lakh fine. Despite being granted bail in this matter, he will remain incarcerated as he is serving a separate 10-year sentence in another CBI case linked to murder.Delhi witnessed protests on Saturday over the suspension of the life sentence of Sengar, with police detaining several demonstrators near the Parliament complex. Activist Yogita Bhayana, Congress leader Mumtaz Patel and others were taken into custody after they staged a sit-in to oppose the Delhi high court’s recent order granting Sengar bail.

Here are the top 5 stories of the day

Congress’s Digvijaya Singh praises RSS photo, highlights Modi’s rise from worker to PM

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh sparked controversy on Saturday by praising the organisational strength of the RSS, a group the Congress has long opposed. Sharing a black-and-white photograph showing Narendra Modi seated on the ground while BJP veteran L.K. Advani sat on a chair, Singh highlighted how the RSS shapes leadership, noting it enabled a grassroots worker to rise to Chief Minister and eventually Prime Minister.Posting the image on X, he called it “very impressive” and lauded the power of the organisation. Later, Singh clarified that while he praised the RSS’s organisational structure, he remains a staunch opponent of the RSS and PM Modi, emphasizing that acknowledging the effectiveness of an organisation does not alter his political stance.Read full story

Resident doctors’ strike paralyzes Himachal hospitals

Medical services, except for emergencies, were severely disrupted across several government hospitals in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday after resident doctors went on an indefinite strike protesting the termination of Dr. Raghav Narula, who was accused of assaulting a patient at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla.The Resident Doctors’ Association announced the strike after mass casual leave on Friday, suspending outpatient services, routine care, and elective surgeries while maintaining emergency services. The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, showed Narula punching the patient, Arjun Singh, who had objected to being addressed disrespectfully; both parties later blamed each other.Read full story

Israel recognises Somaliland, sparking diplomatic backlash

Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state has sparked diplomatic backlash across Africa and the Middle East, reigniting debate over the status of the self-governing region in northern Somalia. While Israel became the first country to grant official recognition, the United States has rejected the move, and the African Union warned it could destabilise the continent.Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991 following the collapse of Somalia’s Siad Barre regime, has functioned for over three decades as a de facto state with its own government, currency, army, and elections, but remains unrecognised by Somalia, the UN, the African Union, and all major powers.Read full story

BJP alleges Congress collusion with ‘anti-India’ forces over Rahul Gandhi’ Germany visit

The BJP on Saturday accused the Congress of colluding with “anti-India” forces, highlighting Rahul Gandhi’s participation in the Global Progressive Alliance during his Germany visit.Citing remarks by Rahul’s long-time advisor Sam Pitroda, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi claimed the alliance promotes “anti-India” narratives and suggested it exposed the Congress party’s true ideological leanings, drawing renewed connections between the party and George Soros.Read full story

Hindus in Bangladesh seek India’s help amid rising BNP influence

Fearing for their lives after the lynchings of Dipu Chandra Das and Amrit Mondal, persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh are appealing to India to open its borders as a refuge from Islamist mob attacks. Their fears have intensified amid rising support for hardliner BNP leader Tarique Rahman, with many worried that the party’s potential return to power could worsen minority persecution, leaving them feeling trapped and vulnerable.

NEW DELHI: Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday created a stir by praising the organisational strength of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh — a group the Congress has long opposed ideologically. Sharing a black-and-white photograph from a social media platform that showed Narendra Modi seated on the ground while BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani sat on a chair in the background, Singh acknowledged how the RSS shapes leadership within the organisation.He pointed to the image as an example of how a grassroots worker from the RSS and Jan Sangh rose to become prime minister of the country.

Posting the picture on X, the former Madhya Pradesh chief minister wrote, “I found this image on the Quora site. It’s very impressive. How an RSS grassroots swayamsevak and Jan Sangh @BJP4India worker sat on the floor at the feet of leaders and became the state’s Chief Minister and the country’s Prime Minister. This is the power of the organisation.”But later in the day, he issued a clarification, saying, “I support the organisation. I am against the RSS and Modi ji… You have misunderstood… I have praised ‘sangathan’. I was, am, and will remain a staunch opponent of the RSS and Modi… Is it a bad thing to strengthen and praise the organisation?…”Earlier this week, Singh had also praised Rahul Gandhi for his stance on socio-economic issues, giving him “full marks” while calling for internal reforms within the Congress. Drawing a parallel with Rahul Gandhi’s push for Election Commission reforms, Singh argued that the party itself needed similar changes.In another post on X, he wrote, “Rahul ji you are absolutely ‘Bang On’ in matters of Socio-Economic Issues. Full Marks. But now please look at Congress also. Like Election Commission needs Reforms, So Does Indian National Congress. You have started with ‘संघटन सृजन’ But we need more Pragmatic Decentralised Functioning.”He added, “I am sure you would do it because I know you can do it. Only problem is that it is not easy to ‘Convince’ you!!”

NEW DELHI: A political row broke out in Chhattisgarh after a video went viral showing Bageshwar Dham head Dhirendra Shastri arriving on a government aircraft. The clip also shows a uniformed police officer touching the preacher’s feet.Chhattisgarh Congress communication department head Sushil Anand Shukla on Saturday alleged that arranging a government aircraft for Shastri amounted to “wastage of public money” and “misuse of the state exchequer.”The clip, widely circulated on social media, shows Shastri alighting from the aircraft along with state minister Guru Khushwant Saheb at Raipur airport. In the video, an on-duty police officer is seen first saluting the minister and then removing his cap and shoes before touching Shastri’s feet. Shastri had arrived in the state to attend a religious discourse in Bhilai town of Durg district.Shukla questioned under what constitutional provision the aircraft was made available to the preacher and demanded an official clarification. He claimed that Shastri was neither a recognised religious head nor a peethadhishwar of any established shrine or ashram and accused him of acting “against the country’s composite culture.”The Congress leader further alleged that Shastri promotes social discord, which he said runs contrary to the inclusive values of Sanatan Dharma. Referring to Lord Hanuman, Shukla said that Hanuman symbolises love, tolerance, bravery and forgiveness and those invoking his name should embody these values. “Superstition and hypocrisy cannot survive for long,” he added.The incident also sparked debate online, with several users criticising the alleged use of a government aircraft for a religious figure at taxpayers’ expense and calling the police officer’s gesture a “mockery of uniform ethics.” Others defended the officer, arguing that he followed official protocol by saluting the minister and later expressed personal faith.Responding to the criticism, the BJP defended both the officer and the government. State BJP chief spokesperson and MP Santosh Pandey said there should be no objection to a police officer offering obeisance to a religious guru out of personal belief.“Don’t (Muslim) railway employees and airport staff offer namaz at railway stations and airports? Why does it upset the Congress when a police officer bows to a guru out of personal faith?” he asked.On the use of the state aircraft, Pandey countered by asking the Congress to explain instances during its own tenure when government helicopters and planes were allegedly used by religious figures. He accused the Congress of being “against Sanatan Dharma,” citing remarks by opposition leaders that he said were derogatory to the faith.

NEW DELHI: BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Friday criticised the Congress for opposing the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgaar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (VB-G RAM-G), alleging that the party’s objection stemmed from discomfort with the word “Ram” in the legislation’s name.Speaking to reporters, Thakur took a swipe at the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress, describing it as an electorally weakened party and predicting further setbacks.“…The Congress party under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi will soon score a century of defeats in 2026,” he said.Responding to the opposition’s criticism over the removal of Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the revamped rural employment law, Thakur questioned Congress’s record on naming employment schemes.“…In 1989, it was named ‘Jawahar Rozgar Yojana’, in 1999 it was named ‘Jawahar Gram Samridhi Yojana’, and in 2001 it was named ‘Sampoorna Grameen Rozgar Yojana’, and then again in 2004, under the UPA government, the scheme was named ‘NREGA’, and finally in 2009, it was named ‘MGNREGA’. I ask the Congress, did they only remember Mahatma Gandhi in 2009?…” Thakur said.He further accused the Congress of politicising Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy, claiming that Gandhi had himself asked for the dissolution of the Congress after Independence.Highlighting provisions of the new law, Thakur said the VB-G RAM-G offers enhanced benefits compared to MGNREGA, including an increase in guaranteed employment days and higher funding.“The poor and needy people in the country will now get the opportunity to work for 125 days instead of 100 days. The daily wages will be increased in this bill. Congress’s budget for MGNREGA was Rs 30,000 crore, which the Modi government has increased to Rs 1 lakh 11 thousand crore annually. To prevent fraudulent activities, as observed in the Congress reign, geotagging and bank account creation have been done…” he added.The Hamirpur MP also accused the Congress of opposing references to Lord Ram, citing its criticism of the Ram Mandir, Ram Setu and related controversies, and said Sanatan Dharma was deeply rooted across the country.“Congress only has issues with the name of Ram. The opposition only wants to insult devotees of Ram. They open fired on Ram bhakts, opposed Ram temple, to date haven’t visited Ram temple, opposed Ram Setu. Even when the Ram temple events were underway, TN CM closed the doors of state temples and the devotees had to go to courts. Right now DMK-Congress government in TN even after the Madurai court judgement has gone against the order and has escalated Deepam row. Can Congress stay alive in India by abusing Sanatan, Congress is mistaken, Mughal came and went, Brits came and went back, Sanatan has stayed and will always stay,”Earlier in the day, Thakur attended the Harballah Sangeet Sammelan in Jalandhar, where he spoke about the importance of preserving India’s musical traditions.The VB-G RAM-G Bill was passed by Parliament on December 18 and received the President’s assent on December 21. The law guarantees 125 days of wage employment per rural household, up from the existing 100 days, for adult members willing to undertake unskilled manual work.Under Section 22, the Centre and states will share funding in a 60:40 ratio, while North-Eastern states, Himalayan states and Union Territories including Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir will follow a 90:10 pattern. Section 6 allows states to notify up to 60 days in a financial year during peak agricultural seasons.

Lucknow: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said the legacy of Sikh gurus, who gave everything for faith, nation and humanity, continues to guide India’s path of progress.“History is shaped only by those who embody sacrifice and renunciation. The history of Sikh gurus in India is a history of the extraordinary radiance of devotion and strength,” the CM said while paying tributes to the four ‘Sahibzadas’ of Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Tegh Bahadur on his 350th martyrdom anniversary on Friday.Speaking at a kirtan organised to mark Veer Bal Diwas, the day the four Sahibzadas were martyred, Yogi said the occasion was an opportunity to pay tribute to the sacrifice of Baba Ajit Singh, Baba Jujhar Singh, Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving national recognition to the event.The CM added that where Guru Nanak spread his message across India, Guru Tegh Bahadur and Guru Gobind Singh highlighted their devotion through sacrifices and commitments.“This year marks the 350th anniversary of the martyrdom of the ninth Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. It is a coincidence that while marking the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, I had the privilege of announcing Dec 26 as Veer Bal Diwas. This day is now being observed in schools, colleges and offices across the country, and the stories of the Sahibzadas have been included in the curriculum to inspire the younger generation with the values of sacrifice and selflessness,” he said.The CM spoke about the Sikh tradition of langar as a powerful symbol of social harmony, which transcended caste and religion, highlighting the role of Guru Gobind Singh in uniting society.Yogi also paid respect to Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Gujri Devi, saying that the sacrifice of their sons, now celebrated as Veer Bal Diwas, was a source of inspiration for India’s youth.The CM also assured full support of the BJP govt in the state and the Centre for organising events to mark the 350th martyrdom year of Guru Tegh Bahadur.