National
One killed, over 100 injured during ‘Bharat Bandh’ in UP
Lucknow, April 2 (IANS) One person was killed in Muzaffarnagar and over 100 were injured on Monday as violence singed many parts of the state during the “Bharat Bandh” enforced by Dalit groups in protest against a ruling of the Supreme Court with regard to the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, police said.
Maximum violence in the state was reported from western Uttar Pradesh, where the protesters took to the streets and went on rampage.
More than 450 people, including a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator, have been arrested.
The police and state Home Department officials said the National Security Act (NSA) would be invoked against the lumpen elements who took law in their hands.
Additional security forces were rushed to Agra, Meerut, Muzaffarnagar and Hapur districts where the situation went out of control by evening.
Two persons were critically injured in police firing in Muzaffaranagar, one of whom later succumbed.
More than two dozen vehicles were set on fire in Hapur and hundreds were attacked. Dalit protesters here also vent their ire on Hapur legislator Vijaypal Aadhati and attacked his car. An Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) was also injured in the violence.
Over three dozen policemen were injured in Muzaffarnagar and Meerut as protesters pelted stones on them and engaged in brick-batting. An irate mob also tried to torch the family court premises and set on fire the Shobhapur police outpost.
Violence and road jams due to squatting of protesters was also reported on the busy Delhi-Yamunotri highway in Saharanpur.
Roads were blocked in Shamli and Bulandshahr and the protesters targeted trains and blocked them by lying on the rail tracks. Several trains including Taj Express, Gatimaan Express, Karnataka Express and Kochi Express were delayed by several hours due to the disruption of rail traffic.
Violence has also been reported from Agra and Firozabad. Initially, there were reports that a Dalit youth had been killed in the violence, but Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar categorically denied it.
“That incident was separate. It happened last night and had nothing to do with the Monday protests,” the official told IANS.
Demonstrations were also held in Rampur, Amroha, Sambhal, Moradabad, Pilibhit, Budayun, Bareilly and Shahjahanpur.
In Gorakhpur, 16 persons were taken into custody after they were caught forcing shopkeepers to down shutters. They had also damaged a bank ATM.
–IANS
md/nir
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.