Tumakuru man held for posing as cybercrime police officer to extort money by threatening 'arrests'
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Business Standard
25 minutes ago
- Business Standard
US millionaire hunter gored to death: Social media hails buffalo as hero
In a dramatic twist of fate that has reignited fierce debate on the ethics of big-game hunting, American trophy hunter Asher Watkins, 52, was fatally gored by a Cape buffalo—often dubbed the 'Black Death'—during a licensed safari in Limpopo, South Africa, on August 3, 2025. Watkins, a Texas-based millionaire and self-proclaimed 'adventure conservationist,' had built a prominent online presence showcasing his trophy kills from across the globe. But this time, nature struck back. The buffalo, one of Africa's most formidable and unpredictable animals, charged while being tracked and instantly killed him—a rare reversal that quickly turned into a viral morality tale. Public voices split, but the internet takes the buffalo's side Within hours, news of Watkins' death exploded across social media platforms, where reactions ranged from sympathy to savage criticism. While some viewed his death as a tragic accident, many celebrated it as karmic justice. 'He deserved his fate. He travelled the planet killing for fun. Hope the buffalo wasn't harmed,' one user commented. 'Karma at its finest. The hunted finally fought back,' another quipped. The phrase 'when the hunter becomes the hunted' trended widely, with users across platforms framing the incident as a reckoning moment for those who glorify killing animals for sport. The wall at the buffaloes house — Chloe Of Now (@ChloeOfNow) August 6, 2025 Online sentiment: The buffalo as a symbol of justice A clear shift in public sentiment emerged—sympathy poured not for the fallen millionaire, but for the buffalo. On Reddit and Facebook, users dubbed the animal a symbol of wild justice and resistance. One Redditor wrote: 'Sounds like perfectly justifiable self-defence on the buffalo's part.' 'To kill for sport is despicable. Love this buffalo for taking out the trash.' 'He came to my territory uninvited' — Pfarelo (@PfareloMulondo) August 7, 2025 Viral memes, commentary threads, and wildlife advocacy pages echoed the same sentiment: it was nature's turn to win. From blood sport to backlash: the ethics of hunting under fire While defenders of trophy hunting pointed to the economic benefits such safaris bring to local communities and conservation efforts, critics were quick to dismiss those arguments, calling them smokescreens for cruelty. The tragic end of a man who once boasted about taking down lions and elephants became a catalyst for reflection on the legitimacy of these 'hunts' in the modern age. Posts questioned why such practices still receive legal sanction and tourist support. One wildlife conservation page remarked: 'It's telling that the world mourns the buffalo, not the man. That says everything about where we are in 2025.' Digital-age morality tale The social media narrative following the incident has evolved into more than just a viral news cycle—it's a morality play for the digital age. It reveals changing global attitudes toward wildlife, colonial legacies in safari culture, and the growing consensus that the right to life doesn't end at the species line. In the end, this was not just a story about a man's tragic death—it became a symbol of resistance. And on that front, the internet has spoken loudly and clearly: it stands with the buffalo.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Odisha cop forcefully marries Class 10 student, tortures her; arrested
An assistant sub-inspector of Odisha Police has been suspended for allegedly forcefully marrying a minor and torturing her, an officer said on Friday. The police ASI was also booked under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act along with other charges.(Pixabay/Representative) The police identified the ASI as Amit Padhi, a resident of Baliapal area in Balasore district and he was posted in Puri district. Amit allegedly married a class-10 girl student (15/16 years) of Jagatsinghpur district after developing a relationship with her on Facebook and tortured her, the police said. "Amit Padhi forcefully married my minor daughter in July 2024. She was forced to tell her age was 22 to others. After the marriage, Amit and his family members tortured her physically and mentally," alleged the mother of the victim. The ASI then left his wife at her parental home in Jagatsinghpur, she alleged. "After receiving a written complaint from the victim, a case has been registered at Jagatsinghpur Town police station. As the victim had earlier informed him that she will lodge a police complaint, Amit is absconding from Puri," Jagatsinghpur SP Bhawani Sankar Udgata said. "When we intimated Puri SP about the incident, he suspended Amit from police service," Udgata said, adding that the accused ASI is still absconding and efforts are on to nab him. The police ASI was also booked under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act along with other charges, the SP said. The other accused family members of Amit surrendered before a local court as per an order of the high court and got bail, he added.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Mumbai man, 80, befriends ‘four women' on Facebook, loses ₹9 crore to online scam
An 80-year-old Mumbai man was scammed of nearly ₹9 crore over two years allegedly by four women, who are possibly the same person, who duped him through 734 online transactions. The fraud began in April 2023 when the victim connected with a woman named Sharvi on Facebook.(Pic for representational purpose only) NDTV reported that the fraud began in April 2023 when the victim connected with a woman named Sharvi on Facebook. The woman claimed that she had separated from her husband and sought money for her children's medical expenses. Over time, other women, named Kavita, Dinaz, and Jasmine, contacted the man via WhatsApp, each asking for financial assistance under different pretexts. The fraud intensified when Dinaz told the victim that Sharvi had died and demanded money to cover her hospital expenses. She allegedly threatened to take her own life if he refused. By January 2025, the man had exhausted his savings, paying her a total of ₹8.7 crore. He then borrowed money from his son and daughter-in-law, continuing the payments until his son grew suspicious and stepped in. The revelation that he had fallen prey to a cyber scam left the man severely shocked; he was hospitalised and later diagnosed with dementia. A cybercrime case was filed on July 22, and investigations are underway, NDTV reported. Fake call centre busted in Delhi In an unrelated incident, the Lucknow police has arrested two men from Delhi for allegedly operating a bogus call centre that defrauded people by posing as bank representatives and luring them into credit card renewal scams. The gang is suspected to have committed cyber frauds amounting to over ₹50 lakh in the past year, they said. Addressing a press conference, deputy commissioner of police (South) Nipun Aggarwal said a local resident, Jitendra Kumar, had filed a complaint in June at the Sarojini Nagar police station. He reported receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be a bank official who told him that his credit card was about to expire and needed renewal. The fraudsters then accessed his card and siphoned off ₹1.6 lakh, he said. "Acting swiftly, our cybercrime team and Sarojini Nagar police traced the suspects to the Jaitpur area in South Delhi and arrested two individuals – Vikas Kumar (28) and Rahul Lakhera (31)," Aggarwal said, speaking alongside additional DCP Rallapalli Vasanth Kumar. The police said they recovered 25 mobile phones, nearly two dozen SIM cards, a laptop, and other digital tools from the accused. Investigations revealed that the duo operated out of Vikas Kumar's house, which also served as the fake call centre. Several women were employed there, making fraudulent calls to unsuspecting victims. They were paid monthly salaries ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹15,000. DCP Agarwal said the gang used personal data provided by an accomplice referred to only as "Dubey ji" from Bihar, who supplied credit card information of potential victims at the rate of ₹10 per customer. (With inputs from PTI)
