Latest news with #PoonamSingh
Time of India
19-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
OSCs for women & child awaits regig
One Stop Centres (OSC), a visionary scheme launched by the Union ministry of women and child development in 2015 is designed to be a safe haven for women who have been at the receiving ends of crimes for which they have no aware of or of little or no fault of their or they were just punished because they were born women. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A n initiative launched under the 'Nirbhaya Fund' and dedicated to the 2012 Delhi gang-rape victim, OSC was envisaged to provide support and assistance to women affected by violence and in distress under one roof. These centres provide an integrated range of services, including medical and legal aid, advice, temporary shelter for up to five days, police assistance, and psychological counselling to needy women. Any woman in distress can seek help from these centres through the telephone helpline number 181, and rescued women are often brought to these centres by the police. In line with many OSCs set up across the country, Jharkhand also opened its doors to the victims of physical and sexual violence by setting up the first OSC in Feb 2016 at the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences (RINPAS). Later, the number of such centres across the state grew to 24, one in each district. However, nearly a decade after the establishment of the first OSC in the state, many centres in Jharkhand are currently struggling to function effectively due to critical infrastructural gaps and staff shortage, severely undermining the purpose of their set-up. While the state's first OSC at RINPAS has catered to a total of 599 cases till June this year since its inception, the centre is currently facing a staff shortage. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Against the 12 sanctioned posts at the OSC, the centre is functioning with just seven employees. "Staff crunch has been an obstacle to the smooth functioning of the centre. However, the centre has been providing the best services to the survivors. They are provided with food, shelter, clothes, legal aid, psychological counselling and all other sorts of facilities without fail. At present, 11 women are taking shelter at the centre," a source at the centre said Similarly, Dhanbad's OSC is functioning without a dedicated building. Currently, it operates from a single room in the Red Cross Society building at Khadeshwari Mandir Road. A member at the centre, Poonam Singh, informed that land has already been identified for permanently relocating the centre, and allocation will be done soon. "Despite the space constraint, the centre ensures proper care for women victims. There are separate rooms for accommodation, and kitchen facilities are available inside the Red Cross building," said Poonam, adding that food arrangements are made for the women and female guards have been deployed for round-the-clock security. The OSC in Hazaribag is functional in a double-storey building on the campus of Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital, situated on the Main road in Hazaribag city. But the 10-bed facility has also been running with officials on deputation, without permanent employees. At the same time, the OSC in Koderma, operational since 2019, has handled 223 cases as of July 2025, with the majority involving domestic violence, according to Archana Jwala, who heads the centre. Archana, who managed the centre single-handedly for the first four years, shared that two staff members joined her only a year ago to assist in the growing workload. Despite the limited manpower, she continues to provide critical support to the women in distress. "We are doing our best with the resources we have. Since 2019, the work has been challenging but fulfilling. Most cases that come to us are related to domestic abuse," she stressed. Archana also highlighted that awareness programmes for adolescent girls are being conducted regularly across all blocks in Koderma district. These sessions aim to educate girls on their rights and empower them to seek help when needed. Although 12 posts have been sanctioned for the OSC, only a few have been filled so far. "If more staff are deployed, we will be able to extend our outreach and improve the quality of services," Archana added. In a recent survey done by Women Gaining Ground (WGG), a global organisation that supports victims of sexual and gender-based violence, along with a Jharkhand-based organisation 'Youth Unity for Voluntary Action' (YUVA), highlights the obstacles the OSCs in Jharkhand are grappling with, including inadequate funding, poor infrastructure and acute staff shortages. "The very institutions that were meant to serve as safe havens for women in distress are in distress themselves. The lack of basic amenities and trained personnel, coupled with the lack of awareness among the women that they can seek help in these centres, is deteriorating the condition of the centres. In the centres surveyed, we found that there were no staff members, including the amenities provided to the distressed women," said Anjana Deogam, project coordinator of the survey. Notably, the problem persists not only in Jharkhand OSCs but in centres of many other states in the country. These OSCs are not physically-challenged friendly, as the centres are set up in multi-storey buildings. Apart from this, many centres lack security personnel to ensure the safety of the survivors. The absence of a women's commission in Jharkhand for a long period has also fuelled the organisational lacunas. In addition to the organisational shortcomings, a major concern is that rural women have yet to benefit meaningfully from these centres. Barnali Chatterjee, the executive secretary of YUVA, remarked, "Currently, there are no such centres in villages, making it difficult for rural women to access help even when they face abuse. In many cases, families prefer to keep such incidents hidden from the community and resolve them privately, which further hinders women from seeking proper support. " (With inputs from Vishvendu Jaipuriar, Sharad Chandra & Manoj Kumar)
NDTV
05-05-2025
- NDTV
How Poonam Singh Defended Bhuttewala Chowk During 1965 Indo-Pak War
Jaisalmer: As tension remains heightened between India and Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, people remember the sacrifice of Poonam Singh, an Indian soldier who managed to hold off 60 Pakistani rangers during the 1965 war, denying Pakistan access to the Bhuttewalla border checkpost. Just a few kilometres away from the Indo-Pak border on the Indian side is Bhuttewala Chowk in Rajasthan, a silent post that witnessed a heroic stand by Poonam Singh during the 1965 war. When the post was attacked at night by over 60 Pakistani rangers led by Pakistani commander Afzal Khan, Poonam Singh Bhati, along with seven other soldiers fought back with determination despite being outnumbered but still undeterred. However, during the battle, the Indian soldiers had faced a crunch of ammunition, according to legend, Singh even crossed over to enemy lines to retrieve cartridges from the Pakistani camp and returned to continue the fight. By the end of the night, Singh gunned down the commander, Afzal Khan, along with 8 other Pakistani rangers, before laying down his own life in the line of duty. The remaining enemy forces had fled and the Bhuttewala checkpost remained within Indian control. In memory of Poonam Singh, a memorial was erected at the checkpost, where it is still stands today, remembering his sacrifice. At the memorial, one can see a portrait of Singh, along with a short excerpt giving information about the history of the checkpost. According to the excerpt written there, the checkpost was established to keep a check on smuggling operations and intrusion in Rajasthan. Bhuttewala-Sultana-Jaisalmer was the main smuggling route. "Before Independence, Sindh province of Pakistan was an important trade market of western Rajasthan. At that time, state police force was responsible to keep a check on illegal smuggling and intrusion in Rajasthan. Bhuttewala-Sultana-Jaisalmer was the main smuggling route. Therefore a border checkpost was established at Bhuttewalla," read the excerpt at the memorial "Bhuttewalla has a small village of 15 to 20 houses, and some villagers were involved in smuggling activities. These people actively supported the Pakistan during 1965 Indo-Pak war. The Check post was damaged by Pak forces but constable Poonam Singh Bhati fought fallantly against Pak forces and attained martyrdom while opposing enemy offences. Hence, this border check post has been dedicated in the memory of martyr Poonam Singh Bhati." The 1965 Indo-Pak war lasted for more than a month, from August 5, 1965 to September 23, 1965. It is estimated that thousands of people were killed during that period.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
When an Indian soldier stopped 60 Pakistani Rangers
As tensions continue to escalate between India and Pakistan in the wake of the tragic Pahalgam attack in Jammu and Kashmir, many are recalling the bravery of Poonam Singh , an Indian soldier who valiantly defended against 60 Pakistani rangers during the 1965 war. His courageous actions prevented Pakistan from gaining access to the Bhuttewalla border checkpost, an ANI feature released on May 5 reminisced. #Pahalgam Terrorist Attack Inside Operation Tupac: Pakistan's secret project to burn Kashmir Who is Asim Munir, the Zia-style general shaping Pakistan's faith-driven military revival 'Looking for partners, not preachers': India's strong message for EU amid LoC tensions Situated just a few kilometers from the Indo-Pak border on the Indian side, Bhuttewala Chowk in Rajasthan stands as a testament to the heroic defence mounted by Poonam Singh during that pivotal conflict. It may be noted here that the 1965 Indo-Pak war spanned more than a month, commencing on August 5, 1965, and concluding on September 23, 1965. It is estimated that thousands lost their lives during this intense period of conflict. Continue to video 5 5 Next Stay Playback speed 1x Normal Back 0.25x 0.5x 1x Normal 1.5x 2x 5 5 / Skip Ads by by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Moose Approaches Girl At Bus Stop In Palawan - Watch What Happens Happy in Shape Undo In a nighttime assault, over 60 Pakistani rangers, commanded by Afzal Khan, launched an attack on the post. Poonam Singh Bhati , alongside seven fellow soldiers, exhibited remarkable courage in the face of overwhelming odds, refusing to back down despite being significantly outnumbered. According to accounts from that night, the Indian troops experienced a severe shortage of ammunition, prompting Singh to undertake a daring mission to retrieve cartridges from the enemy camp, which he successfully accomplished before returning to rejoin his comrades in battle. Live Events By dawn, Singh had eliminated the commander, Afzal Khan, along with eight other Pakistani rangers before ultimately sacrificing his own life in service of his country. The remaining Pakistani forces retreated, ensuring that the Bhuttewala checkpost remained under Indian control. In honor of Poonam Singh's sacrifice, a memorial was constructed at the checkpost, which still stands today as a reminder of his valour. Visitors to the site can view a portrait of Singh along with a brief narrative detailing the history of the checkpost. The inscription at the memorial notes that the checkpost was established to monitor smuggling activities and prevent incursions into Rajasthan. The Bhuttewala-Sultana-Jaisalmer route was identified as a primary corridor for smuggling. "Before India gained independence, the Sindh province of Pakistan served as a significant trade hub for western Rajasthan. During that era, the state police were tasked with combating illegal smuggling and incursions in Rajasthan, especially along the Bhuttewala-Sultana-Jaisalmer route. Thus, a border checkpost was established at Bhuttewalla," the excerpt at the memorial states. Additionally, it mentions that Bhuttewalla is a small village consisting of 15 to 20 houses, with some residents participating in smuggling operations. Many of these villagers were known to have supported Pakistan during the 1965 Indo-Pak war. The checkpost sustained damage from Pakistani forces, yet constable Poonam Singh Bhati fought valiantly against them and was martyred while defending against enemy advances. Consequently, this border checkpost has been dedicated to the memory of martyr Poonam Singh Bhati, ANI's feature recounted.
