logo
AUD Students' Council demands to revoke suspensions of 5 students

AUD Students' Council demands to revoke suspensions of 5 students

Hindustan Times22-04-2025

New Delhi, The Ambedkar University Delhi Students' Council on Tuesday voiced sharp concerns over varsity adminstration and demanded the immediate revocation of suspensions imposed on five students who were protesting an earlier disciplinary action related to a ragging complaint.
Tensions escalated in the university following the April 12 suspension of five students including elected union members for allegedly attempting to meet Vice Chancellor Anu Singh Lather.
However, the administration accused them of obstructing official duties and attempting assault, allegations that have been firmly denied by the students as well as the Students' Federation of India , which has extended support to the protest.
The suspended students were part of a demonstration against the administration's handling of a ragging case in the Karampura campus. Videos and photos circulating online reportedly show the students being beaten with sticks and physically assaulted by police and private security personnel.
Over the last 11 days, the student movement has seen a surge in participation and activity and April 15, more than 200 students participated in a 'March for Justice' on the Karampura campus, an official statement of AUDSC said.
Between April 16 and 20, General Body Meetings were held across undergraduate and postgraduate programs, all of which condemned the suspensions and called for the restoration of normalcy. Research scholars from other AUD campuses have passed solidarity resolutions backing the demands of the Karampura students.
A campus-wide class boycott was held on April 21, which the students' council claimed was successful in 20 out of 27 programs — amounting to roughly 75 per cent of lectures being boycotted. The council said this was not the first time students had resorted to such measures, recalling earlier boycotts in solidarity with the victims of the 2020 Delhi riots and to demand digital infrastructure during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Students have also launched a hunger strike, which has now entered into its second week, with many reportedly falling ill due to heat and starvation. The students claim they have made repeated efforts to meet the university administration, but no meeting has materialised despite verbal assurances.
'This raises serious questions over whether AUD's management is wishing to fight a war of attrition against its main stakeholders — the students,' the council said in its statement.
Their demands include the immediate revocation of suspensions, reopening of the main gate and removal of barricades inside the campus, withdrawal of a notice banning protests in administrative areas, cancellation of a show-cause notice issued to faculty member Dr Kaustav Banerjee for expressing solidarity with students, and restoration of the university's common mailing list, which has been disabled since March 6.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Elon Musk expresses 'regret' over last week's X posts on Donald Trump after feud: ‘Went too far'
Elon Musk expresses 'regret' over last week's X posts on Donald Trump after feud: ‘Went too far'

Hindustan Times

time18 hours ago

  • Hindustan Times

Elon Musk expresses 'regret' over last week's X posts on Donald Trump after feud: ‘Went too far'

Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday expressed 'regret' over last week's posts on US President Donald Trump after a brief feud. After last week's feud with US President Donald Trump (L), Tesla's Musk took to X on Wednesday to express "regret" over his posts. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} 'I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far,' Musk wrote on X. {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} Earlier, Trump had issued a warning about 'serious consequences' for Musk — but that was in response to reports that Musk planned to support candidates running against Trump-backed Republicans in the upcoming midterms. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} 'If he does, he'll have to pay the consequences for that,' Trump told NBC, though he didn't elaborate on what those consequences might be. When did the Musk-Trump relationship go bad? {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} 'If he does, he'll have to pay the consequences for that,' Trump told NBC, though he didn't elaborate on what those consequences might be. When did the Musk-Trump relationship go bad? {{/usCountry}} {{^usCountry}} The rift between Donald Trump and Elon Musk began after Musk publicly slammed Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' (OBBB), calling it a 'disgusting abomination.' The bill, which proposes sweeping tax cuts, is expected to add around USD 3 trillion (AUD 4.62 trillion) to the US national debt. What followed was one of the most intense and closely watched clashes between two global powerhouses. {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} The rift between Donald Trump and Elon Musk began after Musk publicly slammed Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' (OBBB), calling it a 'disgusting abomination.' The bill, which proposes sweeping tax cuts, is expected to add around USD 3 trillion (AUD 4.62 trillion) to the US national debt. What followed was one of the most intense and closely watched clashes between two global powerhouses. {{/usCountry}} {{^usCountry}} The fallout began after Musk stepped down from his advisory role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE). He criticised the OBBB as a 'disgusting abomination' that would 'burden America [sic] citizens with crushing, unsustainable debt.' {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} The fallout began after Musk stepped down from his advisory role at the Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE). He criticised the OBBB as a 'disgusting abomination' that would 'burden America [sic] citizens with crushing, unsustainable debt.' {{/usCountry}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} Trump responded by threatening to cancel government subsidies and contracts tied to Musk's companies. Musk fired back, claiming Trump wouldn't have won the presidency without his support. 'Without me, Trump would have lost the election, Dems would control the House and the Republicans would be 51-49 in the Senate,' Musk wrote on X. 'Such ingratitude,' Musk added. He also reshared posts critical of the president, including one calling for Trump's impeachment. Trump replied by saying, 'Elon was 'wearing thin', I asked him to leave […] and he just went CRAZY!' The biggest barb came from Musk, who alleged that the US President's name was in the files related to disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and that was the reason for them not being made public, as Trump had promised during the campaign. {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} 'Time to drop the really big bomb:@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!' Musk had said in a X post. However, the post has been deleted. Trump blamed Musk's reaction on the administration's move to end tax credits for electric vehicles. In a May 29 CBS interview, Musk voiced frustration over the bill, saying, 'I was, like, disappointed to see the massive spending bill, frankly, which increases the budget deficit, not just decrease it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing.' Upon Musk's exit, Trump remarked, 'Elon's really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth, I think, I have a feeling.' {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{^usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{#usCountry}} {{/usCountry}} {{/userSubscribed}} SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON

Indian-origin man accused of masterminding illegal drug, tobacco ring in Sydney
Indian-origin man accused of masterminding illegal drug, tobacco ring in Sydney

Indian Express

time5 days ago

  • Indian Express

Indian-origin man accused of masterminding illegal drug, tobacco ring in Sydney

A Sydney-based man of Indian origin has been accused of heading a sophisticated international drug and tobacco trafficking syndicate that spanned several continents and used legitimate freight channels to move illicit cargo into Australia. Gurvindar Singh, 42, is at the centre of a two-year investigation by Australia's Multi Agency Strike Team (MAST), which comprises the NSW Police, Australian Federal Police (AFP), Australian Border Force, NSW Crime Commission, AUSTRAC, the ATO and other agencies. He faces multiple charges, including five counts of importing a commercial quantity of controlled drugs and illegal tobacco, as well as offences relating to proceeds of crime and directing a criminal group. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Authorities allege that Singh masterminded the import of 50 kg of cocaine hidden in cement bags from Panama, 280 kg of liquid methamphetamine shipped from Canada, and over 20 million illicit cigarettes brought into the country from the United Arab Emirates using a freight company based in Punchbowl, a suburb in southwestern Sydney. According to news portal Australia Today, the first major breakthrough came in August 2024, when investigators intercepted a liquid meth consignment arriving from Vancouver. Surveillance teams tracked it from port storage to a covert cooling and extraction site in Riverstone, Sydney's northwest, leading to the arrest of two men. This, police say, eventually led them to identify Singh as the suspected ringleader. More evidence emerged in January 2025, when customs officials flagged irregularities in a container from the UAE. Three separate consignments of illegal cigarettes had already been imported through the Punchbowl freight firm allegedly linked to Singh's network. Police estimate that the illicit cigarette sales alone netted him at least AUD 443,000. Last month, investigators executed a series of early-morning raids involving over 150 officers across properties in Wetherill Park, Punchbowl and nearby suburbs. Singh was arrested outside a private residence near a police van, moments after stepping out of a vehicle. Two Canadian nationals of Indian origin—24-year-old Aman Kang and 31-year-old Mani Singh Dhaliwal—were also arrested. The police allege they were recruited by Singh to recover and distribute the cocaine shipment. Both men were denied bail and charged with possessing a commercial quantity of drugs and participating in a criminal group. A seventh suspect was intercepted at Sydney Airport while attempting to board an international flight, the police added. Singh allegedly relied on encrypted messaging apps, port insiders, and shell companies to facilitate his operations. In one intercepted conversation, cited both by ABC News and Australia Today, Singh was allegedly heard exclaiming 'It's fake' when he realised the police had swapped out the 50 kg of cocaine with an inert substance prior to a handover. At a press conference following the arrests, AFP Detective Superintendent Peter Fogarty said the syndicate exploited access to legitimate logistics and transport firms to subvert border controls. 'This was not a small-scale operation,' Fogarty said. 'This was an enterprise worth tens of millions of dollars, spanning multiple continents.' Apart from the large quantities of contraband recovered, vehicles, digital devices, cash, and financial records believed to be linked to money laundering were seized. Financial crime investigators are now probing the movement of funds through what they describe as a web of shell companies. At Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday, Singh's lawyer, Ahmed Dib, requested bail, citing the accused's poor health, family responsibilities, and his willingness to offer his home as surety. However, Magistrate Josephine Carling denied the request, stating that the serious nature of the charges and Singh's international links posed a significant flight risk. 'Given the volume of illegal tobacco and narcotics purportedly imported, the risk to community safety is substantial,' she observed. Singh and his co-accused are scheduled to appear at the Downing Centre Local Court on July 31, where they are expected to be formally arraigned. The case has triggered renewed political debate in Australia around tobacco excise policy. As Australia Today reported, NSW Premier Chris Minns cited the operation as evidence that the country's high tobacco taxes are fuelling a booming black market, calling on the federal government to re-evaluate the excise regime. 'Our legitimate tobacconists cannot compete with criminals selling cigarettes for a fraction of the cost,' he said. Opposition Leader Mark Speakman, however, argued that the solution lies in better enforcement, not lowering taxes. Investigators have warned that additional arrests may follow as they analyse financial trails and digital evidence recovered during the raids. They say the crackdown has dealt a serious blow to transnational criminal networks operating in Australia and are hopeful it will lead to more robust anti-smuggling enforcement measures.

‘Sacred journey' turns into tragedy: Australian woman seeks fundraiser help to return after husband, daughter die in TN accident
‘Sacred journey' turns into tragedy: Australian woman seeks fundraiser help to return after husband, daughter die in TN accident

Indian Express

time02-06-2025

  • Indian Express

‘Sacred journey' turns into tragedy: Australian woman seeks fundraiser help to return after husband, daughter die in TN accident

A trip to India to visit a Christian pilgrim shrine near Tamil Nadu's Karaikal turned tragic for an Australian family, now survived only by Sandra Edward and her older daughter Angie, both grievously injured and seeking help to return to their country. Melbourne-based Sandra was in India with her husband Dass Santiago (45) and two daughters — Angie and Natasha. They were on a 'sacred journey', visiting Santiago's ailing mother after her husband's older brother died in Sydney last year. He worked for Nissan Dandenong in Melbourne. On May 21, as they were headed to the Velankanni Christian shrine, their van collided with a bus on a highway near Karaikal. Six family members were killed in the accident including Santiago and five-year-old Natasha who was looking to ring in her sixth birthday next month. 'I saw my husband die in front of me. That image is burned into my mind, a cruel, relentless torment,' Sandra wrote on a GoFundMe page created to raise about 150,ooo AUD to fund her daughter and her medical evacuation back to Australia. It is also expected to cover the memorial planned for her husband and younger daughter on June 14. The GoFundMe page raised almost 137,000 AUD as of June 2. Sandra, who was seriously injured, underwent two surgeries and is still receiving medical treatment. 'Barely surviving the crash myself with multiple fractures and life-threatening injuries, I clung to the hope that my children were safe,' she was quoted as saying on Daily Mail. The impact of the accident crushed her elder daughter Angie's skull. She remains in a coma after undergoing two brain surgeries. 'I must live for Angie. She is my reason to fight, my last shred of hope in this unfathomable darkness. We desperately need the specialised medical care that can give us a chance at recovery and at rebuilding shattered lives,' Sandra added. The family were members of the St Kevin's Catholic Parish in Hampton Park, which paid tribute this week. 'We offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of those we've lost, and pray for strength and hope for the ones still battling through this heartbreaking situation,' the parish wrote in a post on social media. Meanwhile, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it is providing consular assistance to Sandra for her return to Melbourne. — With inputs from Daily Mail.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store