Latest news with #Afsar
Time of India
12-08-2025
- Time of India
Man held for selling adulterated paneer in Noida
Noida: A 34-year-old man, who allegedly made and sold adulterated paneer in NCR, was arrested on Monday. The accused had a bounty of Rs 25,000 on his head, said police. The accused Afsar Khan, a resident of Aligarh district, has been absconding since June. On June 28, Noida police acted on a tip-off and arrested three suspects, Gulfam (23), Naved (20), and Iqlakh (30), for carrying a truckload of adulterated paneer to Noida. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida | Gold Rates Today in Noida | Silver Rates Today in Noida Over 1,400 kg of adulterated paneer and raw materials were seized from their possession. During interrogation, the suspects said they were daily wage earners working for two men named Guddu and Afsar. Guddu was arrested the following day. During the investigation, it was found that Afsar and his co-accused prepared the artificial paneer at a plant in Sahajpura village of Aligarh and sold it to shopkeepers as pure paneer at cheaper rates. A case was registered against him under sections 274 (adulteration of food or drink intended for sale), 275 (sale of noxious food or drink), and 318(4) (cheating) of the BNS. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Indian Express
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Cattle markets at a standstill, farmers leaving animals on road: The fallout from Maharashtra butchers' strike over cow vigilantism
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar earlier this week instructed the police to prevent cow vigilantes from boarding or inspecting vehicles transporting animals. This directive comes in response to the ongoing strike by the Qureshi community, which has been protesting since July 22 against what they describe as an increase in harassment by cow vigilantes. With over 10 lakh butchers from the Qureshi community in Maharashtra going on strike, cattle markets in Akluj and Sangola taluka of Solapur district have virtually stopped operations. It, in turn, has impacted farmers who have now started leaving their unproductive animals loose across the countryside. Afsar Qureshi, member of the All India Jamiatul Quresh and the union of cattle traders, said their decision to stop trade was taken in the face of increased cow vigilantism. 'Even with proper documentation, we face violence from self-declared cow vigilantes. There is no protection for us who are carrying out trade in the legal manner,' he said. Quershi said the local police, at times, apply stringent sections of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act, 1999. 'Bribes are asked of us for freeing animals despite the court's ruling in our favour,' he said. Afsar said when their members transport animals, the vigilantes stop vehicles on highways. 'Even if we have proper papers, they confiscate our animals. Our vehicles are damaged intentionally,' he said. The Qureshi community, Afsar said, is spread across the state with a population of over 25 lakh , with a sizable portion of them being involved in the trade of cattle and meat. Since 2015, when the Devendra Fadnavis-led BJP-Shiv Sena government amended the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, 1976, to ban the slaughter of cow progeny, the trade in oxen and barren animals has completely collapsed, he said. Afsar noted that this single action has put over 5 lakh traditional butchers out of business. He said cattle traders are easy targets for many. 'When we are transporting the animals, many cow vigilantes frame us in false cases. They impound our vehicles and take away our animals. By the time we get court orders, we have lost business,' he said. Afsar said that while the Constitution has assured the right to livelihood, in the present environment, they are not allowed to practice the same. Senior cabinet leaders have called for action against cattle traders. Afsar said almost everyone associated with the cattle trade is targeted because of their religion, with little support from anyone. Currently, this strike has severely impacted the operations of cattle markets that handle animals for slaughter. In the cattle market located in Akluj taluka of Solapur, farmers would typically bring their non-productive male buffaloes for sale every Monday. Rajendra Kakade, secretary of the market, said the market saw business of around Rs 50 lakh on Mondays. 'Around 400-500 animals are sold with traders coming from every corner of the state,' he said. The market has completely shut down since the strike, leaving many farmers with no choice but to leave their animals on the roads. Similarly, the market in Sangola, located in the Solapur district, has also seen all activities come to a standstill. 'We hope for a quick resolution to the matter,' said Kakade. Partha Sarathi Biwas is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express with 10+ years of experience in reporting on Agriculture, Commodities and Developmental issues. He has been with The Indian Express since 2011 and earlier worked with DNA. Partha's report about Farmers Producer Companies (FPC) as well long pieces on various agricultural issues have been cited by various academic publications including those published by the Government of India. He is often invited as a visiting faculty to various schools of journalism to talk about development journalism and rural reporting. In his spare time Partha trains for marathons and has participated in multiple marathons and half marathons. ... Read More
Hindustan Times
08-08-2025
- Hindustan Times
Ghaziabad: Two women among four arrested for trafficking newborns to childless couples
Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad police on Thursday arrested four people, including two women, for their alleged involvement in a child trafficking racket that supplied infant or newborn children to childless couples, the police officials said. The police also recovered pictures of several other infants and minors along with pricing details,messages and voice chats from suspect Sandhya's phone. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo) The arrests came in connection with the case involving the kidnapping of a one-year-old boy who was picked up by two unidentified men outside his house in Loni on August 4. The accused are identified as Naved Ansari (19), a Loni resident; Afsar Ali (28) and Shaista Waseem (35) from Shamli and Sandhya Chauhan (37) from Muzaffarnagar. The officials said that Shaista had contacted Afsar to arrange a one-year-old boy for a woman, identified as Ranjana (single name), who is a nurse at a private hospital in Moradabad. Later, Afsar roped in Naved and allegedly kidnapped the boy from his house around 4.30pm on August 4 and fled on a bike. Fearing action from the boy's family, the duo abandoned the boy at the house of a local woman and fled. 'With the help of CCTV footage, the boy was traced and the four suspects were and Afsar were promised ₹25,000 each to deliver the child to Shaista, who would then send the boy to Sandhya in Muzaffarnagar. Sandhya had sent a picture of the boy to eight of her contacts, and one of these are a nurse in Moradabad,' said Siddharth Gautam, ACP of Loni circle. Officials said Sandhya allegedly shared the boy's picture with her contacts in Delhi, Bijnor, Moradabad, Roorkee, and Amroha, among others. The officials said that Sandhya confessed that the nurse opted to get the kidnapped boy after she fixed a deal with a childless couple for ₹2.5 lakh. The police also recovered pictures of several other infants and minors along with pricing details,messages and voice chats from Sandhya's phone. Officials said that Sandhya runs a marriage bureau in Muzaffarnagar and is in contact with couples who are childless for years. 'Sandhya also told us that the nurse in Moradabad had also provided an infant boy to a childless couple in Dehradun last year. The nurse is absconding, and is the fifth suspect in the case. The evidence of dealings, voice chats, and pictures of several newborns has been recovered from Sandhya's mobile. These were shared between her selected contacts. She also said that the price and demand for a supply of infant boys having fair colour is high. With the revelation, it appears that it is a larger network,' the ACP added. The matter will now be handed over to the human-trafficking unit of the Ghaziabad police. Naved and Afsar were arrested from the Nishant Colony area and Shaista and Sandhya from near Khadkhadi railway station in Loni. An FIR was registered under BNS section 143(4) (trafficking of a child) at Tronica City police station on August 4.
Time of India
08-08-2025
- Time of India
Owners of marriage bureau among four nabbed in child trafficking case
Ghaziabad: Two women who own marriage bureaus in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli were among four persons arrested for allegedly running a child trafficking racket that involved abducting babies and selling them to childless couples across various states. The gang, according to police, targeted fair-skinned newborns, who fetched them anything up to Rs 5 lakh. The rate — upwards of Rs 1.5 lakh — depended on the child's gender and skin tone. Police are also looking for a nurse attached to a Moradabad hospital and an Asha worker in connection with the racket, suggesting the possible involvement of health facilities in selling off babies. The four arrested gang members are Naved Ansari (19), Afsar (28), Swati alias Shaista (35), and Sandhya Chauhan (37). Sandhya operated the Subharti Marriage Bureau in Muzaffarnagar, while Swati ran Pari Marriage Bureau in Moradabad. Afsar owned a meat shop in Tronica City while Naved was a daily wager. You Can Also Check: Noida AQI | Weather in Noida | Bank Holidays in Noida | Public Holidays in Noida The gang is believed to have trafficked more than 10 babies over the past three years. The veil was lifted off the racket after police traced an abductor to a house in Loni and rescued a one-year-old boy on Thursday. The police probe began after the boy's father, Rashid, lodged a complaint about his missing son, who was last seen playing outside their house in Tronica City. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like With temperatures hitting 95°F, this is the mini air conditioner everyone's buying in the U.S News of the Discovery Undo CCTV footage from nearby bus stands and railway stations was scrutinised, leading to the identification of a man carrying the child. The cops traced the man to the house in Loni, where the child was found with a woman. The woman said Naved had given her the boy, claiming that his mother had eloped. Police investigation revealed that a couple from Moradabad had initially shown interest in taking the boy for Rs 2.5 lakh. But when they backed out, the gang contacted another couple in Amroha, who agreed to pay Rs 1.5 lakh. Naved, according to cops, had kept the baby boy in the Loni house for only a couple of hours when police barged in and rescued him. It was Afsar who had tipped off Naved about the child playing outside his house on Tuesday. Afsar, who was promised a commission for information on the boy, told interrogators that he was under mounting debt because his meat shop was shut during the month of Sawan. ACP Siddharth Gautam said the gang had spread its tentacles to Delhi, Bijnor, Moradabad, Roorkee, Amroha, and possibly Jammu & Kashmir and Nepal. So, how did they operate? The gang's members would randomly click photos of children playing and circulate them on social media, particularly WhatsApp groups. Swati and Sandhya, who had contacts of couples who came to their marriage bureaus, would reach out to them with photos of the babies, especially if they were childless after years of tying the knot. The rates would then be discussed, depending on the gender and complexion of the child. Nurse Ranjhana alias Reeta of Moradabad and Asha worker Deepak Singh would also give information on children from their health facilities, particularly those born to women with unwanted pregnancies and from poor background. Initial investigation revealed that Reeta was active in the gang for two years and a half. She would transfer babies to the other gang members after misleading women patients that they had delivered a stillborn. The cops said they had recovered several incriminating chats from the mobile phones of the accused women. The chats included discussions with Reeta and Deepak about selling the children and their possible rates. An FIR was registered against the arrested accused under Section 143 (4) (trafficking) of the BNS at Tronica City police station. "We plan to add more charges as the investigation progresses," an officer said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and s ilver prices in your area.
Hamilton Spectator
21-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
A mash made in heaven: New baked potato restaurant hits NOTL
A new baked potato shop opened in Niagara-on-the-Lake today and offered comfort food with enough toppings to warrant a second fork. Scrape restaurant was opened by Gizem Afsar, former executive chef at St. Catharines' Dispatch restaurant, and her husband, Emre, following the restaurant's closure in March. Located at 207 Victoria St. in Old Town, the restaurant's menu is built around loaded baked potatoes, with touches of Turkish flavour inspired by Afsar's roots. It's open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. until mid-fall, with hours to be determined after that. 'We put all our hearts and effort into this place,' said Afsar. 'I hope we can be here for years and years.' Each dish, except for one, starts with a russet potato base topped with butter and cheese, with the option to upgrade to a sweet potato. Customers can choose from house creations or build their own. 'Sort of a street food, but our way,' said Afsar. The surprise menu item, 'The Cool One,' is a sourdough brioche filled with housemade mascarpone ice cream and assorted sauces. This one doesn't include a potato. In fact, Afsar said it's the only item on the menu that doesn't. Afsar's personal favourite is 'The Summer One,' she said, which is topped with roasted zucchini, eggplant, peppers, tomato sauce and a cucumber-yogurt salad — a mix of flavours she grew up with in Turkey. 'It's sort of like my childhood,' she said, adding that another item, the carrot tarator, follows one of her family's original recipes. But if you're after the most popular picks, she said those would be 'The Wild One' and 'The Runny One,' featuring truffle-parmesan and breakfast-inspired flavours, respectively. After Dispatch closed, Afsar and her husband set out to build something of their own and said choosing the right place was key. 'We fell in love with Niagara-on-the-Lake when we first came in,' she said. 'I'm like, 'We need to do this.' She said she enjoys the opportunity NOTL provides to serve a mix of locals and tourists. The couple got the keys to the building on April 1 and spent three months renovating the space. 'It's been a huge three-month renovation,' said Afsar, adding that much of the shop's interior was built by Emre by hand, with help from a cousin. 'We are hoping to turn it into a chain,' she said. 'Maybe we are going to be spreading all over Ontario (and) Canada.' 'Why not?' paigeseburn@ Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
