Latest news with #GRP
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- The Hindu
11 kg ganja seized from Nagercoil bound train in Dindigul
The Government Railway Police (GRP) seized 11 kg of ganja from a Nagercoil-bound train at the Dindigul Railway Junction on Tuesday. GRP personnel inspected the Coimbatore-Nagercoil Express. As the train reached Dindigul Junction, the police personnel conducted an inspection and seized 11 kg of ganja kept in a plastic cover in an unreserved coach. The bag was left unattended. The police seized the bag and handed over the ganja to the Anti Narcotics Intelligence Unit.
New Indian Express
21 hours ago
- New Indian Express
After arrest of nuns, political row in Chhattisgarh
RAIPUR: A case of alleged human trafficking and religious conversion got political colour on Monday following the arrest of three, including two Catholic nuns—Sisters Preeti Marry and Vandana Francis—from Kerala in Chhattisgarh's Durg. The trio, taken into custody by Durg Government Railway Police (GRP) on Saturday for human trafficking and coerced religious conversion, were remanded to judicial custody by the JMFC court till August 8. They were booked under BNS Section 143 (trafficking). Citing the incident as a serious concern for women's safety, Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Monday wrote on X, 'Three daughters of Narayanpur were promised nursing training and later jobs. It's an attempt to convert people through human trafficking by allurement. Investigation is going on in this matter. The case is sub-judice and the law will take its own course.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Two nuns held in Chhattisgarh over 'conversion bid, trafficking'
RAIPUR: Three people, including two nuns, were arrested from Durg station in BJP-governed Chhattisgarh on charges of trafficking three tribal girls, all under 23, from Maoist-affected Narayanpur and attempting their religious conversion under the guise of giving them nursing jobs in Agra. The arrests on July 25 followed a complaint from a Bajrang Dal worker, sparking a political storm with Congress alleging that minorities were being targeted under the BJP-led administration. But CM Vishnu Deo Sai justified the action, claiming this was a case of "human trafficking under the guise of religious conversion". Those arrested were identified as Sister Preeti Mary (45) and Sister Vandana Francis (50), both from a Kerala denomination, and Sukaman Mandavi (19) from Narayanpur. A GRP official claimed the tribal women were brought to Durg station by Mandavi without intimation to gram panchayat officials in their Narayanpur village and written consent from their parents. The three accused were produced before a local court and sent to jail on judicial remand. The tribal women were sent to Sakhi Centre, a govt shelter. Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi alleged that arrests pointed to "BJP-RSS mob rule". "Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith. This isn't justice. It reflects a dangerous pattern, systematic persecution of minorities. We demand their immediate release," he said on X.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Nuns are innocent, say family members of tribal women
Days after the Chhattisgarh Police arrested three persons, including two Keralite nuns, on charges of trafficking and forcibly converting a few tribal women, the latter's family members have denied the police claim. The kin said the women accompanied the nuns and a man from Narayanpur of their own volition, and that they are innocent. However, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, on Monday (July 28, 2025), backed the arrests, saying that 'through inducement, an attempt was being made [by the arrested persons] to engage in human trafficking and conversion'. The arrest sparked widespread protests from Delhi to Kerala on Monday (July 28, 2025). Nuns Preeti Mary and Vandana Francis, and Sukaman Mandavi from Narayanpur were arrested on July 25 after a local Bajrang Dal member, Ravi Nigam, filed a complaint with the police, saying that Mr. Mandavi had brought three women to the Durg railway station, from where they had to go to Agra with the two nuns. 'They are being framed' Speaking to The Hindu over the phone on Monday (July 28, 2025) evening, the sisters of two of the women rejected claims of forceful conversion, and said they themselves had consented to be taken to Agra for a job. Their family members did not have any objections either, they said. 'Our parents are no longer alive and I sent my sister with the nuns so that she could take up a nursing job in Agra. I myself had taken up a job with them in Lucknow and I realised a similar move would help her to become self-reliant. And my sister was completely in agreement. The sisters [nuns] are innocent. Even the boy [Mandavi] is being framed, we sent our sisters with him,' said the elder sister of one of the three women over phone from a police station in Durg. The younger sister of another woman who was in Narayanpur also demanded the release of the nuns and said her sister left home on July 24, and that the family had converted to Christianity five years ago. In a related development post the arrests, all three families gave a written submission to the Narayanpur Police on July 26 saying that they were aware that the women were being taken for jobs, said Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria. On the question of families' consent and the basis for arrest, a Government Railway Police (GRP) officer said they were in the process of gathering corroborative evidence. Safety issue, says CM Even as senior police officers in the GRP or the State police were unavailable for comment, the Chief Minister backed the move and claimed the issue of women's safety was being given a 'political colour'. 'Three daughters from Narayanpur were promised nursing training and subsequent job placements. They were handed over to two nuns at the Durg station by a person from Narayanpur, who were taking the girls to Agra. Through inducement, an attempt was being made to engage in human trafficking and conversion,' Mr. Sai said. 'This is a serious matter related to women's safety. The investigation is still ongoing. The matter is under judicial review, and the law will take its course.' 'Chhattisgarh is a peaceful State where people of all religions and communities live in harmony. It is extremely unfortunate to give a political colour to the issue related to the safety of our Bastar daughters,' he wrote on X.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Nuns among three held for alleged human trafficking in Chhattisgarh, forced conversion of Bastar's tribal girls, sparks political storm
RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Railway Police have arrested three persons including two nuns on charges of alleged human trafficking and forced religious conversion of three tribal girls from Maoist- affected Narayanpur district under the age of 20. The girls were being taken to Agra on July 25 from Durg railway station, said railway police, adding that the girls were being taken for nursing jobs. The three arrested were identified as Sister Preeti Mary (45) and Sister Vandana Francis (50), both from Kerala congregation, and Sukaman Mandavi (19) from Narayanpur. They were arrested by GRP based on a complaint by a local Bajrang Dal functionary. According to the police, the trio was allegedly taking three tribal girls from Narayanpur to work as nurses at a hospital in Agra, while also attempting to convert them to Christianity. The girls, all under the age of 23, were intercepted at Durg station just before boarding the train by GRP. A GRP official said that whenever girls or anyone leaves a village for work, it has to be recorded in the 'palayan register' and intimated to the 'gram sachiv' but none of it was done when checked, nor did the alleged accused carry written consent from the parents, which is mandatory. The girls said the nuns were taking them to Agra in Uttar Pradesh on the pretext of jobs and that Mandavi had brought them to Durg railway station, from where they had to go to Agra with the two nuns, a GRP official said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info Undo It was after the initial probe that members of Bajrang Dal protested at the railway station platform and demanded arrest of the alleged accused. They submitted a complaint to the GRP. Based on their statements and preliminary questioning of the accused, police registered Case number 60/2025 under Section 143(3) of the IPC for human trafficking, and Section 4 of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Act (1968). The alleged accused were produced before the court and sent on judicial remand. The issue has triggered a nationwide political storm and Church and Opposition Congress alleging that minorities are being targeted under the BJP-led administration. Lok Sabha MP and senior Congress leader KC Venugopal on Monday posted on X, 'UDF MPs held a strong protest outside Parliament today against the shocking arrest and harassment of Catholic nuns in Durg in Chhattisgarh. They were targeted by a violent mob despite no wrongdoing. By the BJP-RSS ecosystem, all minorities are treated as criminals and lumpen elements are unleashed to intimidate fellow citizens practising their faith.' This jugalbandi between Bajrang Dal goons and the police in Chhattisgarh shows the BJP's real intent towards religious minorities, Venugopal said in his social media post, adding, 'We demand their immediate release and justice for the innocent nuns.' Venugopal has written to Chhattisgarh chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai strongly condemning Bajrag Dal's vigilante action and appealing for strict action against perpetrators. Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sharply reacted to the move, 'Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith - this isn't justice, it's BJP-RSS mob rule. It reflects a dangerous pattern, systematic persecution of minorities under this regime. We will not be silent. Religious freedom is a constitutional right. We demand their immediate release and accountability for this injustice.' Chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai reacted stating, 'Three daughters from Narayanpur were promised nursing training and subsequent employment. They were handed over at Durg railway station by a local man to two nuns, who were taking them to Agra. There was an attempt to lure them with false promises and carry out human trafficking under the guise of religious conversion.' 'This is a serious matter concerning the safety of women. The investigation is currently ongoing. The case is subjudice and the law will take its own course. Chhattisgarh is a peaceful state where people of all religions and communities live in harmony. It is extremely unfortunate that a sensitive issue involving the safety of our daughters from Bastar is being given a political colour,' CM said. The three girls have been placed under protection at the Bhilai Sakhi Centre. GRP officials also said that photographs of minor girls and the contact details of a priest were found with the nuns, along with some official documents under scrutiny. Durg police maintain that the arrests were made based on legal provisions and witness statements. 'The three women were being taken under the pretext of employment, but the circumstances raised suspicion. The investigation is ongoing,' a GRP officer said. BJP slams Congress for backing accused BJP has strongly criticized Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Venugopal, for allegedly siding with those accused in the trafficking and religious conversion of tribal girls from Bastar. In a statement issued on Tuesday, BJP's state media in-charge Amit Chimnani said, 'Due to their politics of appeasement, top Congress leaders have chosen to stand with the accused in the trafficking of Bastar's daughters. Shockingly, even Chhattisgarh Congress, which should be supporting the state's daughters, is echoing the voices of their national bosses. Once again, it has become evident that Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh merely follow the commands of their high command and have no concern for the people of the state.' Chimnani added that the daughters of Chhattisgarh will never forgive the Congress for this betrayal.
