Consent, promise of marriage and power imbalances in Keerthy-Tovino starrer Vaashi

Commentary The Malayalam film, directed by Vishnu Raghav, has brought back to spotlight one of the most divisive aspects of Indias rape-related laws does sex on the false promise of marriage amount to rape? Lakshmi Priya Tovino Thomas and Keerthy Suresh in Vaashi. Pic: YouTube/ Netflix India Spoiler alert: This is not a review. It contains spoilers including a discussion on the ending of the film Vaashi. If you haven't watched the film and don't like to read spoilers before watching, please don't read ahead. Gautham Ganesh may well be from a reputed family, highly qualified, and may have never committed any offence, as his lawyer Madhavi Mohan puts it, but he is on trial for the charge of rape under pretext of marriage. The complainant, Anusha Shivakumar, is Gauthams colleague, who used to assist him at the architectural firm in which he worked. It is a classic case of he-said-she-said. Anusha says she fell in love with him, and alleges that he has always behaved as if those feelings were mutual. He knew very well from the outset that she was not interested in a casual fling, she says. Gautham asserts that they were just close friends, and that he has only interacted with her in the same manner as he did with others. When she has never even expressed her feelings to me, how can she say that I promised to marry her, he asks. The incident of contention took place one night at Gauthams apartment, where Anusha had arrived with another colleague for an official matter. After the third person left, one thing led to another, and the two had sex. It was only on the next day, after they woke up, that Anusha realised he had no plans to marry her. She broke down, tried to convince him, gave him a tight slap, and walked out of the apartment. But is it my fault alone that all this happened that night? If I knew she expected me to marry her, I wouldnt have gotten into all this, Gautham later tells his lawyer. Anusha, meanwhile, stands by her statement that if she had known he had no intention of marrying her, she would not have had a physical relationship with him. Whoever is at fault here, the consequences were dire. Anusha attempted suicide at her hostel, but was luckily spotted by Saira, her roommate and Gauthams college friend who had put the duo in touch in the first place. It is at this point that Anushas father decides to file a case in court, and the legal battle that subsequently ensues is at the core of the recent Malayalam film Vaashi, starring Keerthy Suresh, Tovino Thomas, and directed by Vishnu Raghav. The film brings back to spotlight one of the most divisive aspects of Indias rape-related laws does sex on the false promise of marriage amount to rape? Consent in complex relationships Section 90 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) defines consent in sexual relationships as one that is fully informed, and given without any misconception about the circumstances in which a sexual act is taking place. As the Section makes clear, a consent is not such a consent as intended by any section of this Code, if the consent is given by a person under fear of injury, or under a misconception of fact, and if the person doing the act knows, or has reason to believe, that the consent was given in consequence of such fear or misconception. Read this with Section 375(4) of the IPC, which states that a man has committed rape if he is found to have had sexual intercourse with a woman with her consent, when the man knows that he is not her husband, and that her consent is given because she believes that he is another man to whom she is or believes herself to be lawfully married. This means that if a person had consented to the act solely under the assumption that they would eventually be married to their partner as promised, this is conditional consent. If it later turns out that the promise of marriage made by the partner in this scenario was false, the consent too is invalid, because the condition under which the person had consented was based on deception. This interpretation of the law is essentially broadening the idea of consent, by recognising the unequal social consequences that premarital sex places upon the woman in a heterosexual relationship in the Indian cultural context. This need not be seen from a moralistic point of view, says professor Deepa Srinivas, former director of the Centre for Womens Studies, University of Hyderabad. If an unmarried woman consents to having premarital sex with a man without the promise of marriage, it is an informed choice that she is making. But if the man is deceptively promising marriage to a woman just to have sex with her, then there is definitely an element of exploitation there beyond the morality of it. A marriage could mean many things to a woman, including security. She would be the one to face the backlash and any other consequence that might follow premarital sex. So if she is consenting to intercourse because of that promise, it is an entirely conditional consent, she explains. Court judgments across India on the subject, however, have been as varied as they come. As recently as on July 27, the Supreme Court had dismissed a petition alleging rape due to a false promise of marriage. The bench, in this case, had distinguished between a false promise and one that was made in good faith at the time of making it, but could not subsequently be fulfilled. The parties chose to have [a] physical relationship without marriage for a considerable period of time. For some reason, the parties fell apart. It can happen both before or after marriage, the bench observed. On July 8, the Kerala High Court had also stated in an order that a subsequent refusal to marry or a failure to lead the relationship into a marriage are not actors sufficient to constitute rape, even if the partners had indulged in a physical relationship. In December 2013, a Delhi trial court order had controversially referred to premarital sex as immoral and against the teachings of every religion, before going on to state that sex on the promise of marriage was not rape. When a grown up, educated and office going woman subjects herself to sexual intercourse with a friend or colleague on the latters promise that he would marry her, she does so at her own peril, the order had stated. But just about a month before that, the Supreme Court had awarded life imprisonment to a man by stating that having sex under the false promise of marriage amounted to rape. He brazenly raped her for two years or more giving her the false assurance that he would marry her, and as a consequence she became pregnant, stated the apex court order, while reversing an Allahabad High Court order acquitting the accused. Advocate Harikrishnan V points out that these variations in judgments, however, cannot be generalised, as they vary based on the circumstances of each case and the background of the victim as well as the accused, among several other factors. The power imbalance aspect A relationship between two adults can turn sour anytime. All of those cases cannot be categorised under Section 376 [punishment for rape]. This is where the social status of the victim becomes important. If the said relationship concerns two individuals who are similarly placed in terms of their education, income, caste and other sociological factors, many courts have refused to identify the sexual acts within these relationships as rape on pretext of marriage. On the other hand, if the victim in the case is of a lower social standing while considering the aforementioned aspects, then the question that arises is if she was lured into consenting to sex with the promise of matrimony, Harikrishnan explains. In the case of Gautham and Anusha in Vaashi, there exists a clear case of power imbalance, an important factor that goes unexplored in the film. Gautham is Anushas senior at their firm, and several dialogues in the film indicate that he might also have been the person who hired her. This leaves space for the film to address subjects ranging from the ab initio element (whether the accused had the intention of deceiving the complainant from the beginning) to the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at the Workplace (PoSH) Act. This is definitely a limitation of the film. Unfortunately even within the lawyer community, there are not many people who are aware of the PoSH Act or the need for an Internal Complaints Committee in every workplace. The fact that the accused stands at the position of a dominant authority to the complainant is a relevant factor here, says the lawyer. The Indian woman experience The fact that the woman attempts suicide is an important matter that the court will take into consideration here, says Harikrishnan. This is clearly the first time she has engaged in sexual intercourse. And when she talks about marriage after that, this man brushes it away. Consequently, she tries to take her own life. Culturally, we see the sexual dignity or privacy of an Indian woman as very important. In fact, there are many judgments that cite the dignity of the Bharatiya naari (Indian woman) as a crucial element of the case. So from this context, the court can observe that the woman was pushed to suicide because she lent her heart to this person, solely under the assumption that he intends to marry her, he says. The subsequent conduct of the victim is of significance in the case, Harikrishnan adds. In contemporary society, however, it is rare to see a woman of education and a relatively privileged social standing [like in the film] to be pushed to this juncture. But it is all subjective, and as I said, varies on a case to case basis. Gift as promise of marriage In the film, Madhavi points out that her client had never told Anusha out loud that he would marry her, nor has he proposed to her. Prosecutor Ebin Mathew (played by Tovino Thomas), however, cites a birthday gift Gautham gave to Anusha as the evidence for the allegation that the accused had promised to marry the complainant. Gifting a saree is considered as a promise of marriage in our culture. Or, this gift was at least intended to make her believe so. From this, it is evident that the accused was deliberately trying to mislead her, Ebin says in court, adding that this made Section 417 of IPC [punishment for cheating], read with 415 [cheating], valid in the case. Besides, according to another witness Vimal, the third colleague who had accompanied Anusha to the accuseds apartment on the said night, there were rumours in the workplace that Gautham and Anusha were in love. The duo was always seen together in the office, even during breaks. People have spotted them together even on holidays, he says. Even though the company has a cab service, Gautham used to drop Anusha back home at night, he adds. While these may seem as mere gossip as Madhavi says, Ebin argues that it is this conduct of the accused that may have essentially misled the complainant into believing he wanted to marry her. Eventually, the judge (Ramesh Kottayam) in Vaashi indeed rules in favour of the woman in the film a script decision that comes as a surprise to the cynical viewer. According to Harikrishnan, however, in a real court, it would be difficult to prove the allegation beyond reasonable doubt using the evidence presented in the film. Considering how complex this issue is, it would be difficult for this case to hold ground in court with this evidence. There are no overt acts they are using to substantiate the argument that he had promised to marry her. While conduct of the accused is admissible as evidence, that too has its flaws. For instance, just because two people travelled in a car together, it doesnt mean that they are in love or are going to get married, he points out. That is not to say that the case would not have gone in favour of Anusha in real life. Ultimately, it depends on the judge and their thought process, Harikrishnan says. Vaashi too takes a moment to emphasise this in one of its final scenes, zooming in on a family photo of the judge (Ramesh Kottayam) with his daughter in it an indication that there could be factors beyond mere evidence that had influenced his verdict in favour of the woman in the equation. As professor Deepa puts it, Vaashi would have turned out to be a superior visual text if it had addressed more nuanced aspects of this relationship, such as the power imbalance between them. But in the end, if these complex debates are happening in popular culture, it is an excellent step in the right direction.

No question of apology: Man who fired at Owaisi continues threats after bail

Crime In an interview with The Quint, the accused Sachin Pandit referred to the killings of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi and said Owaisi should have knowledge of our history. TNM Staff Facebook/Deshbhakt Sachin Hindu One of the two men arrested for attempting to shoot AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi earlier on February 3 in Uttar Pradesh, who is now out on bail, has continued to threaten the Hyderabad MP after being released on bail. In an interview with The Quint, 27-year-old Sachin Pandit, who was reportedly granted bail by the Allahabad High Court on July 12, said there is no question of apologising over the attempt to shoot Owaisi, who was campaigning for the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Uttar Pradesh at the time. According to the FIR, Sachin, who was arrested along with the second accused Shubham, had told the police that he considered himself a true patriot and planned to kill Owaisi as he found his speeches harmful to the country. Sachin told The Quint that although he had received some messages from people asking him to apologise for his actions, he could not compromise with self-respect. Stating that he felt no remorse for his actions, Sachin said, No one on earth has the power to make me apologise I dont care even if they hang me, there is no question of apology. He also further threatened Owaisi while referring to the assassinations of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Referring to Owaisi, Sachin said in the interview, No one should have such arrogance that no one can harm him. Owaisi should have knowledge of our history. Our former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were very powerful people. They had all kinds of security. But when its time for you to meet god, no one can save you. Sachin also said in the interview that his mission is to strengthen Hindutva, and that Owaisi was only able to speak so much because of our (Hindus) weakness. Sachin Pandit was arrested for shooting at Asaduddin Owaisi in February. Now out on bail, he says he has no remorse and continues to threaten the leader. I visited him at his village, where he is being celebrated by many. Please watch this ground report:pic.twitter.com/00S1I2E2qW Fatima Khan (@khanthefatima) August 8, 2022 When asked about his reason for attempting to shoot Owaisi, Sachin said that politics is different from faith and if anyone tries to hurt their pride, the Hindu community will not accept it. Sachin, who was found to be a BJP member, said in the interview that he received no support from the BJP, and that the party wouldnt encourage illegal or unconstitutional acts. According to The Quint, celebratory events have been organised to welcome and commend Sachin and Shubham since their release, attended by members of various Hindu outfits. The report also said that local BJP leaders had visited Sachin at his residence in Duryai village in Greater Noida. Days after Sachin and Shubham were arrested in the case, Uttar Pradesh BJP leader Sunil Bharala announced support to them, and assured their families of a fair probe. The shooting happened around 6 pm on February 3 near the Chhajarsi toll plaza on the Hapur-Ghaziabad stretch of the National Highway 24. Shots were fired at Owaisis vehicle, and while he escaped unhurt, the MP said that the bullets pierced the tyres of his car. Following the incident, Owaisi said in the Lok Sabha that he wanted to reject the 'Z' security cover extended to him by the government, and questioned why the shooters were not being charged with stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, as in several other cases. Read: UP man who opened fire at Owaisis car suspected to be BJP member

Call for Har Ghar Tiranga increases demand for Azadi ke Senani dresses

Ahead of celebration of 75 years of Indias Independence, the demand for Azadi ke Senani (dresses of freedom fighters like Subhash Chandra Bose, Rani Laxmi Bai, Bhagat Singh, Chandra Shekhar Azad, Mahatma Gandhi, among others) and tricolour flags have increased manifold ahead of the

Boy killed, sister hurt in road accident

In yet another road accident, a minor boy was killed while his 14-year-old sister sustained serious injuries when their cycle was hit by a speeding roadways bus near Sahsoon bypass road on Prayagraj- Gorakhpur highway under the limits of Sarayinayat police station on Monday afternoon.

3 Pratapgarh cops arrested on charges of looting trader

Three policemen, posted at neighbouring Pratapgarh district, were arrested by a joint team of Shahganj police and SOG on Sunday evening on the charges of looting around 4 kg silver from a Hathras based jeweller in the city.

City reverberates with Har Har Mahadev chants

Observing the last Somvar (Monday) of the holy month of Shravan, devotees in large numbers thronged various city temples of the city, on Monday. Although Shravan would end on coming Sunday, the temples continued to reverberate with the chants of bam bam bhole and har har Mahadev.

Woman bank official injured in acid attack in Kaushambi

Two bike-borne unidentified miscreants threw acid on a woman manager of Bank of Barodas Saiyed Sarawan branch near Chilla Shahbazi under the limits of Charwa police station of Kaushambi district on Monday morning.

Allahabad University gets patent for potato flakes energy bar

NRHM scam: HC provides relief to ex-DGP, ADGP

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has given a major relief to former DGP Karmveer Singh, ex-ADGP VK Gupta as well as the then Lucknow jailor Bhim Sen Mukund in connection with custodial death of the then deputy CMO Dr YS Sachan in 2011.

Interpretation of Section 498A IPC: Conflicting Judicial Decisions and Overstepping the Legislature

The possibility of misuse of a provision does not become a ground to either repeal the provision or to take away its essence, as has been recently done by the Allahabad High Court.

Head constable killed, another hurt in road accident

A 46-year-old head constable, posted at Unchahar was killed and another biker sustained injuries when two bikes collided head on near Shivgarh area under the limits of Soraon police station in trans-Ganga on Sunday.

Digital Kumbh museum to come up at Arail

At a time when a number of projects are proposed in view of organising the Mahakumbh-2025 on a large scale, the district administration has also proposed to make a Digital Kumbh Museum at Arail.

Robbers attack case: Woman succumbs at SRN hospital

Sixty year-old woman Neerja Mishra, who sustained grave injuries in the robbers attack and was undergoing treatment at SRN hospital for the past six days, on Sunday succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

With students gang under scanner, no bomb hurling incident in last 10 days

The arrest of 35 students including 27 minors for allegedly exploding crude bombs outside prominent schools, has helped in curbing bomb explosion menace in the city.Ever since the arrests, on July 27, not a single case of bomb hurling or clashes among students groups has been reported.

Booster doze vax camp organised

A mega precaution (booster dose) vaccination camp was held at around 180 vaccination centres including all CHCs, PHCs, Health & Wellness centres and Urban CHCs in the district here on Sunday. Over 75,000 doses were administered to the recipients of all age groups.

Convicts Have Right To Pursue Studies, Appear In Examinations From Jail; Observes Allahabad HC

Justice Niraj Tiwari directed AMU to inform the HC on the next date about the modalities as to how the petitioner would complete his BA LLB course to save his educational career without disturbing the discipline of the institution.

AU faculty member, students tie rakhi to trees, pledge to protect environment

Although around a week is left for the festival of Raksha Bandhan, but the former garden in-charge of Allahabad University, Prof NB Singh of the department of Botany, and his students celebrated the festival on Saturday in a unique way.

Bharti Bhawan gets over 2.84 lakh house tax notice

Even as the country celebrates Azadi ka Amrit Mahotasva marking 75 years of independence and is paying homage to the freedom fighters, Bharti Bhawan library a public library associated with a number of freedom fighters and established by Bharat Ratna Pt Madan Mohan Malviya at Loknath

Move to appoint yoga trainers in Govt and aided schools

Aiming to impart yoga training to the students of government and government-aided secondary schools, UP secondary education department authorities have sent a proposal to the government to appoint part-time yoga trainers in 2,332 government-run and 4,528 government-aided secondary schools

AU scientists to probe rocks of Bundelkhand

Led by eminent geologist Prof Jayanta Kumar Pati of the department of earth and planetary sciences of Allahabad University, a team of scientists would soon embark on a mission to discover 4,000 million years old rocks besides a range of priceless metals and minerals in Bundelkhand.

Convicted Person Also Has Right To Study, Appear For Exam From Jail: Court

The Allahabad High Court has observed that in the Indian legal system a convicted person also has the right to pursue his study and appear in examinations from the jail to enter into the mainstream of...

BSP MP Atul Rai acquitted in rape case by Varanasi court

He will remain at Naini prison in Allahabad as other cases are still pending against him

UIT students, teachers turn discared old car into an electric one

A group of students and teachers of the department of electrical and mechanical engineering of the United Institute of Technology (UIT), Naini have been successful in turning a discarded Maruti 800 car into an eco-friendly, non-polluting and economical electric car.

AU finding hard to fill teacher vacancy under EWS quota

Even as the Allahabad University (AU) authorities have been successful in appointing around 170 new teachers in the ongoing process of faculty recruitment, they are finding it hard to fill posts of professors and associate professors reserved for the candidates of economically weaker

Over 6k apply for 76 PMAY houses in city

The authorities of Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) have opened the online application for allotment of 76 houses being constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana on the piece of land located at Lukerganj. Over 6,000 individuals have applied.

Hi-tech smart classroom comes up at AU Geography department

Students of the department of Geography, Allahabad University would now be taught through hi-tech smart classrooms. The first such classroom on the varsitys campus was inaugurated by vice-chancellor Prof Sangita Srivastava on Tuesday.

Cloakrooms of stations under NCR to be given to Pvt cos

At a time when many works of railway stations and trains of North Central Railway (NCR) are on PPP model, preparations are now afoot to hand over cloakrooms of many railway stations of NCR in private hands.

Uday Pratap under house arrest in Kunda

In a dramatic move, police placed Uday Pratap Singh, father of Kunda MLA and president of Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiyya, under house arrest at Bhadri House on Friday.

65 Congmen detained

Over 65 Congressmen including UPCC general secretary Mukund Tiwari and party spokesman Haseeb Ahmad were detained by cops here on Friday amid a massive protest against rising prices, unemployment and GST hike on essential items.

Divyanka Tripathi is all set for her forthcoming project; shares picture

Divyanka Tripathiis among the most popular and loved actresses in the television industry. She is more often trending on social media for her personal life as well as her professional life. The actress rose to fame with her character of Ishita in the show Yeh Hai Mohabbatien and was last seen in the reality show Khatron Ke Khiladi 11. She was the first runner-up of the show hosted byRohit Shetty and she was given the title of Dhaakad for her stunt performances. The actress has not been in any show for quite some time now but it seems like she has picked up a project. In the current post shared byYeh Hai Mohhabatein actress, she is seen sitting comfortably with her reading glasses on and script in her hand. She wore a white casual t-shirt paired with blue comfortable lowers. Her hair is tied up and she also was wearing a red lipstick. There is a heap of spiral binds in front of her as she reads through them. She wrote under the post, A moment of self discovery through the role I play. It seems like the actress will be a refreshing and interesting character for her new project. She before took to her social media handle and shared a monochrome picture of her showing half the side of her face and can be seen intensely looking at the camera. Posting this photo, she wrote, Parde mein rehne do... #InMaking. Fans took to her comments section and expressed their excitement about her forthcoming project. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Divyanka Tripathi Dahiya (@divyankatripathidahiya) On the professional front, Divyanka has proven her acting skills in various shows such as Intezaar, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein, Yeh Hai Chahatein, Teri Meri Love Stories, Mrs. And Mr. Sharma Allahabadwale, Banu Main Teri Dulhan etc. She also participated in Khatron Ke Khiladi season 11 and Nach Baliye 8. Darlings Review: Revenge of Domestic Violence, Arises a Question of right and wrong Birkenstock Fashion Finds A Place In Every Aristocrat Closet Actor Aamir Khan giving too much importance to work regrets, know why

Schoolbus hit by dumper, 15 kids hurt

Over a dozen children sustained injuries after the school bus ferrying them was hit by a speeding dumper from behind, near Wazidpur Brahamauli area on Prayagra-Lucknow highway under the limits of Nawabganj police station of Pratapgarh district, on Thursday morning.

Mom, girl die; hubby critical after having food with insecticide

In a tragic incident, a woman and her toddler daughter died while the husband is battling for life after the couple allegedly consumed brinjal curry laced with insecticide at their house in Chandra village under the limits of Bara police station in trans-Yamuna locality, on Thursday

Clip of parents carrying sons body goes viral on social media

Taking a serious cognizance of the shocking incident where a couple was forced to carry the body of their 9-year-old son on their shoulders back to their village from SRN hospital, the state government on Thursday constituted a two-member panel to probe the incident.

Div commissioner visits TBS Sapru hosp

Divisional commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant on Thursday inspected TB Sapru (Beli) hospital and asked the chief medical superintendent and other doctors to make better management arrangements in the hospital.

Allahabad HC rejects bail plea of Siddique Kappan

A Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Thursday rejected the bail plea of Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan, saying that use of ainted money by him and his colleagues could not be ruled out. Kappan was arrested in October 2020 when he and three others were going to Hathras where a dalit girl had allegedly been raped and killed. All four were accused of disturbing law and order.

UP: Don Brijesh Singh walks out of jail after 14 yrs

Mafia don-turned-politician Brijesh Singh was released from Varanasi Central jail on Thursday, a day after Allahabad high court granted him bail in a criminal case for alleged attack on another mafia don and former MLA Mukhtar Ansari in 2001 in Mohammadabad police station area of Ghazipur district. This was the last of the several criminal cases Brajesh Singh was facing in which the trial was yet to start.

UP govt orders probe after video of parents carrying sons body goes viral

The team of chief medical officer, Prayagraj, Dr Nanak Saran and principal of MLN Medical College, Prayagraj, Dr SP Singh, will probe the case and submit the report at the earliest.

Uttar Pradesh: Don Brijesh Singh walks out of jail after 14 years

Mafia don-turned-politician Brijesh Singh was released from Varanasi Central jail on Thursday, a day after Allahabad high court granted him bail in a criminal case for alleged attack on another mafia don and former MLA Mukhtar Ansari in 2001 in Mohammadabad police station area of Ghazipur district.

HC quashes results of PCS pre-2021

Quashing the results of PCS pre-2021, the Allahabad high court has directed the secretary of UPPSC to give benefit of 5% reservation to ex-army personnel on group-B and group-C posts and issue the results afresh within one month.

Gyanvapi registered in gazette as waqf property on December 26, 1944

As the hearing of the Gyanvapi case resumed at the Allahabad High Court here on Wednesday, the counsel representing the UP Sunni Central Waqf Board filed the supplementary affidavit bringing on record the gazette notification dated December 26, 1944 by which the Gyanvapi mosque was

BJP aims to hoist 9L tricolours in city

With Independence Day fast approaching, the district Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leadership has assigned its leaders from booth level workers to MPs MLAs to-do list to ensure that tricolour is hoisted at each and every house including those of government employees, advocates,

Raja Bhaiyas dad stages sit-in against mosque-shaped gate in Kunda

Uday Pratap Singh, father of Kunda MLA and president of Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiyya, on Wednesday sat on a dharna at the SDM Kunda office demanding removal of a mosque-shaped gate being installed for Muharram at Seikhpur Ashiq village under the limits

30-year-old constable commits suicide

In a shocking incident, a 30-year-old constable identified as, Akash Kumar posted at reserve police lines committed suicide by shooting himself with his service weapon inside the campus of reserve police lines under limits of Colonelganj police station here on Wednesday evening.

Atiq Ahmad, son among 9 booked for attack on property dealer

The Puramufti police of Prayagraj on Monday booked mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, his son Ali Ahmad and seven others for criminal conspiracy, threatening and attacking a property dealer near Mauja Sundari Road.

4 snatchers held, cash & bikes seized

A joint team of special operation group (SOG) and Colonelganj police on Tuesday claimed to have arrested four members of an inter district snatchers gang and seized Rs 1.15 lakh cash, two golden chains, four bikes and four mobile phones from their possession.

Land records being checked after 6.47L farmers apply for PMKSN

As a large number of farmers have applied for financial help under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN), the state government has directed mapping of land records of all the applicants.

Heavy downpour derails normal life in Sangam City

At a time when the district received a delayed monsoon and the city witnessed long dry spell with intermittent rains, the Sangam City received heavy downpour on Tuesday. Because of the heavy rains, several localities of the city were water logged.

Nag Panchami: Lord Shiva devotees throng city temples to offer prayers

Nag Panchami was celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety in the Sangam City on Tuesday. Devotees were seen forming a bee line since morning in various temples of Lord Shiva especially those dedicated to Nagraj including Nag Vasuki of Daraganj and Takshakeswar temple of Dariyabad.

AU LAT Admit Card 2022 released at allduniv.ac.in, check direct link and steps

AU LAT Admit Card 2022: The Allahabad University has released the admit card for Law Admission Test, LAT on its official website. The candidates, who were waiting for their admit cards, would now be able to download it from official website -. Around 6,000 candidates would appear for Paper Base Test (PBT) mode and over 2,000 candidates would appear for Computer Based Test (CBT) mode.

New Judges Appointed To Andhra Pradesh and Allahabad High Courts - Sakshi Post

New Judges Appointed To Andhra Pradesh and Allahabad High Courts Sakshi Post

AU gets 61 new teachers after a gap of 26 years

Three departments of Allahabad University (AU) got a new lease of life as the Executive Council (EC) has approved the appointment of 61 new teachers.

AU proposes diploma course in Hindu rituals

Aiming to enhance and conserve the rich legacy of astrology and rituals of Hindu religion, the authorities of the department of Sanskrit, Allahabad University have decided to start a new course on Hindu astrology and rituals.

AU Economics dept collects 75 units of blood

The department of Economics of Allahabad University organised a blood donation camp commemorating the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. The department had set the goal of collecting 75 units of blood which they did successfully.

Kanwariyas showered with flower petals on second consecutive day

Large number of devotees thronged temples in various parts of the district as they celebrated the third Monday of the holy month of Shravan by offering prayers to lord Shiva.

Nag Panchami: Idols being made of waste material

Concerned over environmental issues, artisans have come up with unique ideas to make their idols and statues eco-friendly in Sangam city.

Prayagraj-based medicos undertake kanwar yatra on their cycles

In the present holy month of Shravan, when kanwar yatra is hogging the limelight and individuals can be spotted traveling on foot, buses and lorries, a group of around 20 eminent doctors from Prayagraj too undertook the holy voyage, not on foot but on their cycles.

Prayagraj: What it takes to make a crude bomb? 10 minutes and Rs 80

What does it takes to make a bomb? Around Rs 60 to Rs 80 and 10-15 minutes.

Chaos at examination centre over alleged cheating case

Chaos prevailed at Chetna Girls Inter college and adjoining areas under the limits of Kareli police station on Sunday over an alleged cheating case in Lekhpal recruitment exam 2022.

Free health camp at Kamla hosp from today

The Kamla Nehru memorial hospital of the city will be organising special camp on occasion of 75th anniversary of Indias Independence under the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. This will also commemorate 80 years of hospital.

Inter-district solvers racket busted, 3 arrested

Sleuths of special task force (Prayagraj unit) on Sunday claimed to have busted an inter-district solvers racket for Lekhpal recruitment exam 2022 and arrested its three members including kingpin near Gohri-Soroan road under the limits of Phaphamau police station in trans-Ganga area of

UP cops, Prayagraj DM shower flower petals on Kanwariyas from a chopper

Smiles writ large on the faces of scores of Kanwariyas on Sunday when the top district police and administrative officials performed petal shower on them from a chopper.

Covid hospitalisation enough ground for ex gratia: Allahabad high court

The Allahabad high court has held that if a persons is admitted to a hospital due to Covid-19 dies during treatment, it should be considered a Covid death, even if the immediate cause is heart failure or dysfunction of any other organ.

Azad gallery at Allahabad Museum all set to open

The Allahabad National Museum is all set to open the worlds first digital gallery dedicated to the legendary freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad, who laid down his life while fighting the British in Prayagraj on February 27, 1931.

UPRTOU to hold exams from Aug 2

UP Rajarshi Tandon Open University (UPRTOU) would be holding its examinations from August 2 till September 14 at 139 centers across the state. These examination centers also include 8 central jails of the state. Around 60,000 candidates will appear in the examination.

MNNIT shows impressive placement even during Covid

Despite the ongoing pandemic, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT)-Allahabad has registered an impressive growth of 24.75% in placement of its students this time (2021-22) as compared to the last placement session (2020-21).

Prayagraj: SP MLA Vijma Yadav lodges FIR over threat letter

The Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Pratappur assembly seat, Vijma Yadav has lodged an FIR against unknown miscreants at Cantonment police station, on Saturday. The FIR has been lodged in connection with a threat given to her son through a letter sent to her by registered post.

Prayagraj: Atiq Ahmad's son Ali Ahmad surrenders, sent to 14-day judicial custody

Ali Ahmad, the son of mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad, surrendered before the sessions court here on Saturday in a case of extortion, attempt to murder and intimidation pending against him at Kareli police station, Prayagraj. Ali had been absconding for the past seven months and the police had announced a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head.

Jal police to be extra vigilant near the under-construction bridge over Ganga

At a time when the volume of water in both Ganga and Yamuna are increasing at an alarming rate and has submerged huge area on both sides of the river, the ongoing work at the second railway bridge over Ganga, connecting Daraganj and Jhunsi, is now been carried out in a limited way.

UP govt to provide learning materials to students with multiple disabilities

In a first, the state government through the basic education department has decided to provide learning materials and stationery items to children suffering from severe multiple disabilities and thus, fully-dependent upon home-based education.

Allahabad HC: Hospitalisation due to Covid-19 a valid ground for compensation

The Allahabad high court has held that if a person is admitted to hospital due to Covid-19 dies during treatment, it should be considered a Covid death, even if the immediate cause is heart failure or dysfunction of any other organ.

Gangs of Prayagraj: 35 students, including 27 minors, held so far

Breaking the network of students' groups allegedly involved in bomb explosions outside prestigious schools as well as shops in the city to create sensation, police on Friday claimed to have sent a total of 35 students, including minors, behind the bars. Besides, the police authorities are also considering invoking the National Security Act (NSA) against the adult students.

Women wrestlers flex their muscles for dangal

Apart from male wrestlers, as many as 10 women are currently learning traditional wrestling at Jhunsi railway akhara. Interestingly, these women wrestlers apart from hailing from rural background, are also pursuing their undergraduate or post graduation studies.

Celebration to be historical this I-Day

This year on August 15, the celebrations for marking the 75th anniversary of the countrys freedom would be historical in the Sangam City.

Gangs of Prayagraj: 35 held, 27 of them minor

Breaking the network of students groups allegedly involved in crude bomb blasts outside prestigious schools as well as shops in the city to create sensation, police on Friday claimed to have apprehended 35 students, including 27 minors.

Demand for akharas fast declining in Sangam City

With more and more youngsters obsessed with gym and fitness clubs, the number of aspirants seeking admission in Vyayamshalas (local gymnasium), popularly known as Akhara, is fast declining.

Welcoming pilgrims old tradition: Maurya on Owaisi kanwariya remark

Reacting sharply to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi slamming the Yogi Adityanath-led UP government for extending special treatment to kanwariyas, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP ) leader and Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday said that since ages, there has been a

AU scholar to do post-doctoral research in cancer at US univ

Making the university and the city proud, a research scholar of the department of botany , Allahabad University, Saket Jha, has been selected for a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Illinois, Chicago in the US. Jha would pursue research in the field of cancer.

Allahabad's teen gangs: 35 held so far, 27 of them minor

Breaking the network of students groups allegedly involved in crude bomb blasts outside prestigious schools as well as shops in the city to create sensation, police on Friday claimed to have apprehended 35 students, including 27 minors.

CBSE & UP Board retain 30% cut in syllabus this year too

For the third consecutive year , to ease the pressure of studies on the students, UP Board and CBSE have decided to curtail 30% of the syllabus of classes 9 to 12.

Prayagraj: Keep Muharram procession simple, maintain peace

This year, there will be a ban on taking out camels, sticks, fencing stunts, bike processions etc during Moharrum procession in Prayagraj and stern against would be taken against violators. This was decided at a meeting held in Kareli area of the city.

Allahabad: RTO collects 15L till June via fancy VIP registration numbers

Sporting fancy VIP registration numbers has seen a huge demand among the denizens of Sangam city. The passion for the same has been bringing a handsome revenue for the regional transport office (RTO) as well. Car owners of Sangam city are paying more than Rs 1 lakh to put their favourite number on their car. This year, the VIP number 0001 was allotted for an amount of over Rs 1 lakh.

Gangs of Prayagraj: Young students behind bomb blasts outside schools

Tandav, Jaguar, Tiger, Immortal, Rangbaz....One can easily take these as worthy successors of Hindi flicks Shamshera, Pushpa and Bahubali. But this is not the case. These are names of the gangs, or WhatsApp groups, of high school and intermediate students from the city found involved in at least six bomb-hurling incidents outside various schools in the past three months.

Allahabad University students get insight into the world of theatre

An interactive session for students was arranged on Thursday with the eminent theatre personality, Sangeet Natak Academy (Yuwa) awardee Abhishek Pandit at Center for Theatre and Film, Allahabad University.

Allahabad HC junks CBI chargesheet against health officials

Report cards to mention conduct

Following introduction of the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, students in around 27, 735 schools and colleges recognised by the UP Board would be assessed in a holistic manner. For this, changes have been made in the report card and school diary formats of the students.

Twin rivers swelling in Prayagraj, locals shift to safer places

With an increase in water level of the Ganga and Yamuna, residents of low-lying areas have begun moving to safer places along with their belongings in the Sangam city.

Gangs of Prayagraj: Teenage students behind bomb blasts outside city schools, say police

Tandav, Jaguar, Tiger, Immortal, Rangbaz....One can easily take these as worthy successors of Hindi flicks Shamshera, Pushpa and Bahubali. But this is not the case. These are names of the gangs, or WhatsApp groups, of high school and intermediate students from Prayagraj found to be involved in at least six bomb-hurling incidents outside various schools in the past three months.

UPPSC declares PCS Pre result, nearly 6k candidates declared successful

The result of Combined State/Upper Subordinate Services (Preliminary) Examination-2022, commonly known as PCS (Pre)-2022 has been declared by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) on Wednesday. A total of 5,964 candidates have been declared successful against a total 384 posts. The results have been made available on the official website- https://uppsc.up.nic.in/, informed UPPSC secretary Jagdish.

Two new AU hostels ready for upcoming academic session

In a huge sigh of relief for the students coming to study at Allahabad University from different cities across the country, AU would be providing hostel accommodation in the coming academic session in two new hostels constructed by the varsity.

UP performs poorly in NMMSS scholarship

In the backdrop of the fact that not even 50% students against the total allotted share of Uttar Pradesh could not be selected this time for the prestigious National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS) given by the Union Education Ministry annually, now the Union ministry of