Latest news with #SFI
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Climate
- Time of India
Weather plays spoilsport on inaugural of surfing event
Mangaluru: The opening day of the 6th NMPA Indian Open of Surfing (IOS), scheduled to take place at Tannirbhavi Eco Beach, was called off on Friday without any competition due to heavy rainfall and unsafe sea conditions. After early morning assessments revealed high swells and erratic wave patterns far exceeding safe competition levels, the organisers, including the Surfing Federation of India (SFI), Mantra Surf Club, and Surfing Swami Foundation, made the precautionary decision to postpone the day's events. The three-day premier surfing competition is the second stop of the National Surfing Championship Series 2025. Earlier this week, due to forecasted adverse weather conditions, the organising committee took the precautionary decision to shift the event venue from Sasihithlu Beach to Tannirbhavi Eco Beach. However, the weather remained unfavourable. Day two of the national championship will feature over 50 top surfers, such as Ramesh Budhial, Kishore Kumar, Ajeesh Ali, Harish Muthu, Kamali P, Shrishti Selvam, and Sinchana Gowda, battling it out in four categories: Men's Open, Women's Open, Groms (U-16) Boys, and Groms (U-16) Girls. "All participants assembled at the venue by 8am this morning, marking the commencement of day one of the event. The weather unfolded as forecasted, with heavy rain but minimal wind. Despite the inclement weather, the day was efficiently utilised for the registration process and distribution of event kits, including T-shirts and access bands. A detailed surfers' briefing was subsequently conducted, during which participants were familiarised with the venue and provided with an overview of the schedule and expectations for the upcoming days. While weather conditions limited activity, we remain optimistic that Saturday will bring improved conditions, allowing for the commencement of competitive sessions on the water," said Rammohan Paranjape, vice-president, SFI. "After careful assessment, we found the sea too rough and the intervals between waves too short, making it extremely difficult for surfers to paddle out safely," said Nawaz Jabbar, contest director, NMPA IOS. The NMPA Indian Open of Surfing is presented by Karnataka Tourism, powered by Cycle Pure Agarbatti, and supported by New Mangalore Port Authority.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
SFI urges govt. to drop plans to privatise medical colleges
Student Federation of India's (SFI) State committee leaders have slammed the State government for its reported plans to privatise 17 newly-established government medical colleges. In a statement on Friday (May 30), the federation's State president P. Rammohan and secretary K. Prasanna Kumar said reports appearing in a section of media suggested that these medical institutions were being leased out to private entities for up to 66 years at throwaway prices. They said the government decision would deprive students from marginalised communities of medical education and affordable healthcare services to the public would become a thing of the past. They pointed out that the Minister for Human Resource Development (HRD) and IT Nara Lokesh, during his 'Yuvagalam' padayatra, had promised to repeal G.O.s 107 and 108 introduced by the previous government to sell medical seats, and had assured that all seats would be filled under government quota. They demanded that the Minister keep his promise and persuade the government to drop its privatisation proposal. They warned of State-wide protests should the government overlook their demand. They also found fault with the practice of engaging private individuals and agencies to conduct exams in the SC, ST and BC residential schools across the State. They said the residential set-ups lacked basic amenities subjecting the inmates to serious hardship. Many of these residential hostels did not have wardens, cooks, helpers, watchmen and even basic health care support. Calling for immediate reforms, they said it was important to focus on revamping the teaching practices in residential schools, recruitment of adequate non-teaching staff, construction of permanent buildings for all residential schools and a ban on the practice of outsourcing the process of conducting exams to private agencies.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Grocery shop owner beaten over suspicion of selling cow meat in north Delhi
New Delhi: A 44-year-old grocery shop owner was allegedly beaten up by a group of people in northwest Delhi's Vijay Nagar, near Delhi University's North Campus, on Wednesday over suspicion of selling cow meat. The victim, Chaman Kumar, hails from Nepal and has been living in Burari with his wife, who is from Manipur, for the past three years. Police said they received a complaint from a 15-year-old boy, who alleged that he was sold the meat in question for Rs 400 per kilogram at the shop. According to police, a few people, acting on suspicion, manhandled Kumar. Police reached the spot and took the shopkeeper for medical examination. Police said as per the MLC, Kumar sustained minor injuries and was provided medical treatment. A purported video of the incident shows two men entering a shop and beating Kumar. He is then dragged out of the shop and thrashed again. In the video, one of the men is heard saying: "Take him out of the shop." They also demand to know where he got his supplies from. The shopkeeper is heard telling them that he does not know anything and is not supplying cow meat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Realizar o sonho da sua loja pode ser real para você também Tray Veja agora Undo According to police, the situation in the area is under control. Deputy commissioner of police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said CCTV footage from the area has been collected and will be reviewed to establish the sequence of events leading to the assault. Kumar has denied selling cow meat. A sample of the meat in question has been sent for forensic examination. A senior police officer said once the forensic results are available and the investigation is complete, appropriate legal action will be taken. Meanwhile, a group of students led by Left-backed Students Federation of India (SFI) staged a protest outside Model Town police station demanding arrest of the perpetrators and immediate registration of an FIR. An SFI delegation met Model Town SHO and submitted a police complaint. They alleged that their members, who attempted to protect the shopkeeper, were subsequently followed by the mob and received threats.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
DU: Mob assaults shopkeeper near North Campus over suspicion he sold beef
A 44-year-old grocery store owner in northwest Delhi's Vijay Nagar was assaulted by a mob on Wednesday night, allegedly after a teenage boy and members of an NGO suspected him of selling cow meat to students, police said. The incident took place near Delhi University's North Campus, an area densely populated with students living in rented accommodations. The shopkeeper, Chaman Kumar—a Nepali national—was allegedly dragged out of his shop and assaulted by over 50 people. Police said the incident stemmed from a tip-off by a 15-year-old boy who claimed to have overheard students discussing cow meat. The boy told HT he posed as a student from Kerala and inquired about beef for a birthday party. He alleged that Kumar initially denied selling meat but later agreed to sell him some the following day. On Wednesday around 8.45pm, the boy returned and claimed to have bought meat for ₹400/kg from Kumar. He said he then contacted members of the NGO 'Pahal Ek Jeevan Ki', located nearby, which describes itself as a cattle protection group. The group allegedly entered the shop to conduct a 'raid' but the situation quickly escalated. 'They slapped and thrashed him. I didn't know it would get violent,' the boy said. 'At one point, I thought they would kill him. I asked the NGO to confine him to the shop to protect him.' A purported video, circulated online, shows Kumar being pulled out of his shop, slapped, abused, and beaten. In the clip, he is seen crying and pleading, saying, 'I only sold buffalo meat, not cow's.' The beating continued as local residents joined the group. Police said they were alerted around 9:30pm, by which time students from the Students' Federation of India (SFI) had also arrived, reportedly attempting to shield Kumar from the mob. The standoff continued until 2am, with locals staging a protest and SFI members intervening to de-escalate tensions. Deputy commissioner of police (Northwest) Bhishm Singh said, 'On suspicion of cow meat being sold, some members of the public manhandled the shopkeeper. A police team brought the situation under control. He has received medical attention.' DCP Singh said police seized meat packets from the spot and have sent it to the forensic science lab for examination. A report is awaited, he said. Kumar did not file a police complaint and returned home that night. On Thursday, he was summoned to the station but did not appear. 'We are verifying the allegations and awaiting a forensic report to determine the nature of the meat seized. Further action will follow,' Singh said. Locals said Kumar primarily sold groceries, fruit beer, and vegetables. He has run the shop since 2022 and, according to neighbours, had no prior complaints against him. Kumar lives in Burari with his wife and two children. His residence was found locked on Thursday, and neighbours said they were unaware of the incident. His landlord, who also owns the shop, declined to comment beyond denying any involvement. A local beat officer said preliminary findings suggested Kumar may have sold buffalo meat to some students. 'The NGO appears to have acted on the belief it was cow meat,' he said. Rakesh Singh, a nearby food vendor, said, 'I didn't see him sell meat. I only noticed grocery items at his shop. I don't know why he was attacked.' A 20-year-old DU student from Manipur, who requested anonymity, said, 'Our landlord accused us of consuming beef after the incident. I've known Kumar for years—nobody here would risk selling cow meat in a residential area. This is targeted discrimination.' On Thursday, SFI issued a statement saying the mob also called for raids on flats of students from the northeast and Kerala, accusing them of consuming beef. 'The mob attacked anyone who supported the shopkeeper,' the statement said, adding that some SFI members were 'profiled, followed, and attacked'. Police said no FIR has been registered yet. 'We're reviewing video footage and await medical and forensic reports. Further action will depend on witness statements and any formal complaint by the victim,' said an officer.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Indian Express
Row over sale of meat reveals faultlines in locality next door to Delhi University
Tucked inside Vijay Nagar colony in Model Town is a nondescript store, simply called 'North East Shop'. A neon-coloured hoarding bearing a soft drink commercial hangs outside, in sharp contrast to its two black metal doors, which are firmly shut. It is this small shop, flanked by residential houses and other small eateries, which became a flashpoint on Wednesday when a group of men stormed the premises and thrashed shopkeeper Chaman Kumar, who is from Nepal, accusing him of selling cow meat. The Delhi Police have sealed the shop and said meat samples have been sent for forensic testing. At his home in Burari, Chaman, 44, denies the allegations and says he only sells buffalo meat. 'I don't keep the meat with me. I only bring it a day after someone orders it. So, I got him the meat on Wednesday. The next moment, a few people barged in and started slapping me. They dragged me out of my shop. The neighbours saved me,' he tells The Indian Express. The 'him' Chaman referred to is a 15-year-old boy who claims that he had gone to the shop on Tuesday to buy a cold drink when he overheard two persons discussing beef. According to the boy, he asked the shopkeeper if he could also buy beef and he was told to come the next day. The teenager says he contacted an NGO 'Pahal Ek Jeevan Ki'. 'The next day, as soon as I went to the shop, the NGO people went inside and checked the fridge…' he alleges. Chaman dismisses the allegations. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), North west, Bhisham Singh says a sample of the meat from the shop has been sent for forensic examination. With no FIR lodged against those who allegedly attacked Chaman, the Delhi Police says it would take a call once the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) results are in. No FIR or complaint has been filed in the case so far. Back in Vijay Nagar, the incident has caused unease through the large community of students from the Northeast who live and study in the area, a congested maze of alleys tucked behind Delhi University's North Campus, and patronise shops likes Chaman's that serve fresh meat in one section with the other functioning as an eatery offering delicacies of their home states. 'I've been living here for three years,' says Rachel, a 21-year-old third-year student at DU's Law Centre who is from Nagaland. 'The shop also had Manipuri food,' says Rachel. Chaman's wife is a Manipuri woman called Mary. They moved to Delhi in 2013. 'We wanted to start a family,' says Chaman, who initially opened a shop in Gandhi Vihar area, as it 'used to have a lot of people from the Northeast. 'I only wanted to open a shop with Northeastern people around, as I love cooking their cuisine besides Korean food. Later, I moved to Vijay Nagar,' he adds. Vijay Nagar is a densely populated area with closely packed buildings, most of them offering PG accommodations. The walls are splashed with graffiti of student unions like AISA and SFI. On Thursday, the Students' Federation of India (SFI) attempted to protest outside the Model Town Police Station but were denied permission. In a statement, SFI said: 'SFI Delhi held a protest today… against the mob who thrashed and beat the shopkeeper of the Northeastern store mercilessly… We condemn the inaction of the police who categorically refused to register the FI,R saying they will do a fact-finding inquiry first… Students stand united against the communal and xenophobic elements that are dividing and terrorising the Northeastern community in Vijay Nagar.' AISA, too, organised a demonstration later on Thursday evening, demanding arrests and protection for students from the Northeast. Aparna Huindro, 20, from Manipur, who resides right opposite the shop, says she would visit it to buy Singju, a traditional Manipuri snack made with vegetables. 'We just called him (Chaman) John. I didn't know his real name, but I knew his wife,' she says. The incident has exposed faultlines in the region where most owners are locals, and the tenants from Northeast. 'We are always judged – for eating buff, or dry fish. Every time I cook something traditional, the neighbours complain,' says Huindro. 'We look different. We have different food. But that doesn't mean we should be looked at or treated differenty'.
