Social media influencer lands in soup for painting Lord Jagannath on turtle shell
In a formal complaint submitted to the principal chief conservator of forests (Wildlife) and the chief wildlife warden of Odisha, general secretary of Snake Helpline Subhendu Mallik accused social media influencer Ashish Meher of Bijepur of hunting an Indian Flap Shell Turtle, a Schedule-I species protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
A video, which has been widely circulated on social media, shows Meher forcibly handling the turtle, painting its back with synthetic colours to depict Lord Jagannath, carrying the reptile on a bike, and eventually releasing it into a water body without removing the paint.
'This act is not only a clear violation of section 9 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, but also breaches the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Moreover, since turtles are considered divine incarnation in Hindu belief, painting an image of Lord Jagannath on its shell in this manner and leaving it back in the river is disrespectful and deeply hurts religious sentiments,' said Mallik.
The complaint called for Meher's immediate arrest, citing an earlier directive issued by the chief wildlife warden to take strict action against such offences.
While wildlife activists said such videos may encourage others to commit similar acts for social media attention, the influencer with over 10,000 followers on Facebook has removed the video following the controversy.
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Hindustan Times
43 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Eknath Khadse's son-in-law arrested during drug party in Pune
Pune Police on Sunday arrested seven people, including Pranjal Khewalkar, son-in-law of senior NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse, after busting an alleged drug party at a studio apartment in an upmarket area of Kharadi. The raid was carried out around 3:40 am following a tip-off received by the Crime Branch. Blood samples of all seven accused have been sent for forensic analysis to determine whether they had consumed narcotics. (HT) According to police, the raid led to the seizure of 2.70 grams of a cocaine substance, 70 grams of ganja, 10 mobile phones, two cars, hookah sets, liquor bottles, and various party paraphernalia—all worth approximately ₹41.35 lakh, police said. Blood samples of all seven accused have been sent for forensic analysis to determine whether they had consumed narcotics. The accused include Khewalkar, a 41-year-old MD in medicine, and husband of NCP (SP) state unit chief of women wing, resident of Hadapsar; along with Nikhil Popatani, 35, involved in the cigarette business; Sameer Sayyad, 41, who works in hardware materials business; Sachin Bhombe, 42, a private employee; Shripad Yadav, 27, a contractor; and two young women identified as Isha Singh, 22, from Aundh, and Prachi Sharma, 23, from Mahalunge. Police said the arrested individuals knew each other and had been in contact through calls and messages. Preliminary findings suggest the group had attended a party at a well-known pub in the city before assembling at the rented studio apartment. Investigators confirmed that three rooms had been booked in the building from July 25 to July 28, each costing ₹10,357 per night. Around 45 minutes before the raid, all seven had gathered in the flat. Following the arrests, police searched Khewalkar's bungalow in Hadapsar, Sai Krupa, and seized laptops, CDs, and other items. Crime Branch officials revealed that Popatani and Yadav have criminal records. Popatani was booked in 2023 by Kondhwa police under IPC sections 420 and 34, and sections 66(c) and 66(d) of the IT Act, reportedly for online betting. Yadav was booked in 2022 by the Bund Garden police under the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act. A Crime Branch officer said an earlier attempt to detain the group on Friday had failed. However, based on fresh information, they moved in on Saturday night and arrested the seven with drug-like substances. 'The police have registered a case under sections 8(c), 21(b), 22(b)(ii)(a), and 27 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and sections 7(2) and 20(2) of the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), at the Kharadi police station,' said deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Nikhil Pingale. Police said they are now trying to identify three more people reportedly seen at the apartment during the party,' said NCP (SP) leader Eknath Khadse, reacting to the arrest of his son-in-law, said he had not spoken to him and was aware of the incident only through media reports. 'If a fair investigation reveals it was a rave party and my son-in-law is guilty, I will not defend him. But the police must act impartially. The perception among people is that police can do anything, so let the truth come out through forensic and blood reports,' Khadse said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said he had seen media reports but had not yet received an official briefing. 'Preliminary information suggests that a rave party was busted and some narcotics were found,' he said. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said the police were acting as per rules and anyone found guilty would face consequences. MP Supriya Sule also reacted to the case, saying her party stood behind Rohini Khadse, wife of the arrested Khewalkar. Sule expressed concern over the possibility of tampering with reports, especially in light of past incidents at Sassoon Hospital. 'We will ensure a full investigation takes place, but my concern remains with how evidence is handled,' she said. Officials said the investigation is ongoing, with police verifying the identities of others who may have attended the party and reviewing communications.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Pune studio suite drug bust: Cocaine, booze and political links in high-profile party circuit; how police caught Eknath Khadse's son-in-law, bizman, builder
Eknath Khadse (File Photo) PUNE: Former state minister Eknath Khadse's son-in-law Pranjal Khewalkar and six others, including two women, were arrested after a Pune police team claimed to have busted a house party early on Sunday in a Kharadi studio flat off Pune-Ahmednagar highway where cocaine, marijuana and hookah pots were used along with liquor consumption. Police later took Khewalkar, an MD (medicine) and the husband of Rohini Khadse, who heads the NCP (SP)'s state women's wing, and others to Sassoon hospital for medical tests and then to his bungalow in Hadapsar where searches were carried out as part of an investigation to trace the source of the drugs. "A laptop, three pen drives and a hard disk were among the articles seized from the bungalow," a police officer said. Khewalkar and the others were produced before judicial magistrate first class N S Bari who ordered their custodial remand until Tuesday. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune Police chief says his team acted on tip-off, seized cocaine & marijuana Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar told TOI, "Our crime branch team reached the flat following a tip and detained 7 individuals, including Khewalkar, who were found partying there. The team seized cocaine (2.5g), marijuana (70g), hookah flavours and liquor bottles." DCP (crime) Manoj Pingale said, "The seized drugs, hookah pots and flavours will be sent to forensic laboratory." Police identified the other individuals as Nikhil Poptani (35), a cigarette trader from Hadapsar, Sameer Sayyed (41), a hardware businessman from NIBM Road, Shripad Yadav (27), a builder from Akurdi, Sachin Bhombe (42) of Wagholi, Isha Singh (22) of Aundh and Prachi Sharma (23) of Mhalunge," Pingale said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Casa Maquista chefs explore turmeric's essence in Macanese cuisine. MGTO Undo He added that Khewalkar has a practice in Jalgaon and stays in Hadapsar. A case for offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA) has been registered with the Kharadi police. Pingale said, "Khewalkar booked three suites in the studio apartment for three days between Friday and Sunday. He paid for them. Three other women were to arrive at the flat but walked away when the police action began. The men and the women know each other through a party circle. " Sassoon General Hospital's medical superintendent Dr Yallapa Jadhav said, "Two women and five men, were brought to the hospital's casualty on Sunday at 6.15am for medical examination and sample for alcohol and drugs consumption. Two had consumed alcohol according to the primary examination by the CMO. Blood and urine samples were collected from all and sealed and handed over to the police." On Sunday, when TOI visited the apartment, the staff members said the two four-storey buildings have 34 suites. The rooms are available from Rs 2,000 to Rs 4,500, inclusive of breakfast and dinner. " We rent rooms after taking photocopies of people's ID cards," a staffer said. In court, prosecutor Priyanka Vengurlekar submitted that police needed seven days of custody to investigate the source of the drugs and to ascertain if an organized gang was involved and if the accused have links to any inter-state drug network. "Two of the accused arrested are habitual offenders as they have cases registered against them in the past" she added. Khewalkar's lawyer Vijaysingh Thombare submitted that the arrest was politically motivated. "There were previous attempts by police in civil clothes to trap my client at two locations, and CCTV footage supports this claim," he said. Lawyer Abid Mulani, representing two other accused, submitted, "Police failed to provide the grounds of arrest to the accused at the time of detention in direct violation of Section 50 of the CrPC, which mandates that the arrested persons be informed of the grounds in such an arrest." Lawyer Sachin Zalte, appearing for Yadav, submitted that police have failed to mention in their arrest report the quantity of cocaine seized. The omission is crucial, as possession of less than two grams qualifies as a bailable offence. The court said the allegations of illegal arrest can be taken up in subsequent hearings.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Haridwar stampede: 8 dead, 30 injured in stampede at Mansa Devi temple
At least eight people, including a 12-year-old boy, were killed and 30 others injured in a stampede on a narrow stairway leading to a temple in Haridwar on Sunday morning, officials aware of the matter said. Footwear lay scattered at the spot following a stampede at the Mansa Devi temple, in Haridwar on Sunday. 8 people died and other 30 were left injured. (ANI Video Grab) According to officials, the incident took place at around 9am after a rumour spread that a high-voltage live wire had fallen on the passage leading to the Mansa Devi temple, one of Uttarakhand's busiest pilgrimage sites, triggering panic among a large crowd of devotees. 'Six people have been confirmed dead. According to eyewitnesses, someone spread a rumour that a live wire had fallen on the path to the temple, which triggered panic among the devotees,' Haridwar district magistrate Mayur Dixit said earlier in the day. Officials later in the day said that two more people died. Also Read | 'Peeche jao': Harrowing Haridwar stampede video captures chaos; death toll mounts to 8 Thirteen of the injured were referred to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, state disaster management secretary Vinod Kumar Suman said. The deceased were identified as UP residents Arush (12), Vishal (19), Ram Bharose (65), Vicky Saini(18), Vakil Shanti Devi; Shakal Dev (18) from Bihar; Vipin Saini (18), a resident of Uttarakhand. The full names and ages of some of the victims were not immediately available. Video clips from the stampede spot showed a large crowd pressed against each other in the choked 1.5 km stretch leading to the temple, which is located atop the Shivalik Hills at the height of 500 feet. Witnesses said there was hardly any room to move on the path, and people started pushing against one another after the rumour of a high-voltage wire falling on the passage spread. 'There is very little space on this used both for going up to the temple and coming down. There was a lot of pushing and shoving. No electric current was involved. It was just a rumour. People started jumping over each other, and some even leapt off to the other side of the wall,' Bunty (who goes by one name), an eyewitness, quickly spread among the devotees, leading to chaos and confusion, witnesses recounted. 'I somehow managed to survive. Five of our family members got separated. We've found three, but we're still searching for the other two,' Santosh Kumar, a resident of Bihar, said. Dixit said several electric wires were found broken at the site, indicating that some people may have attempted to climb up using them for support. The Mansa Devi Temple is a revered Hindu shrine dedicated to Goddess Mansa. It is situated around 3km from Har-Ki-Pauri and can be reached either by trekking the uphill path or through a ropeway. Local residents said that there was a surge in the crowd on account of it being a weekend. 'Mansa Devi is the biggest centre of attraction for devotees in Haridwar after Har Ki Pauri. Thousands of devotees come here every day. The crowd swells during the month of Sawan as a rule. Being a Sunday, the possibility of a larger crowd was very much there,' said Ajay Jaiswal, a local resident. Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said a magisterial probe has been ordered in the incident. 'We have ordered a magisterial probe into the incident, and those responsible for spreading the rumour will face strict action,' Dhami said. He announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 each for the injured. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the stampede. 'Condolences to those who lost their loved ones. May the injured recover soon. The local administration is assisting those affected,' he said in a post on X. Uttarakhand Congress slammed the state government over the incident, terming it as an 'administrative failure' and seeking a judicial inquiry. ' 'This incident is not only a human tragedy but also stark evidence of administrative failure. The administration had made no concrete plans to handle the crowd,' said state Congress president Karan Mahara. The BJP rejected the charge and urged the Opposition to not make baseless accusations. 'The incident is under investigation, and strict action will be taken against those found responsible. Making political accusations without verified facts is not appropriate,' 'BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Mahendra Bhatt said.
