Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his recent trip to the United States took a truck ride from Washington DC to New York with truck driver Taljinder Singh. During the 190-km long journey, the Congress leader and the truck driver exchanged their views regarding the working conditions of Indian and American truck drivers. 

During the truck ride, Rahul Gandhi recalled his previous truck rides in India namely one from Murthal to Ambala, one from Ambala to Chandigarh, and the other from Delhi to Chandigarh. The Congress leader discussed how trucks in India were not designed for the driver’s comfort, while noticing that the American truck was built keeping the drivers comfort in mind. 

The truck driver, Taljinder Singh opined that the American trucks had much better safety measures when compared to the Indian ones. The two further deliberated on the possibility of minimum wages and credit facility for fuel refilling for Indian drivers. Taljinder Singh mentioned that the truck drivers in India stay far away from their families for nearly 8-10 days at a time. He expressed that the phenomenon is hard compared to the drivers with families in the US. He added that truck drivers in the United States can do both and survive. 

The truck driver also expressed his views about Indian politics and economy. He added that the BJP followers do not talk about unemployment, education and humanity. He continued that there is so much inflation and people have now understood that true dharma is when one person helps another. He opines that everyone is free to follow their religion but this still won’t guarantee food on one’s plate, one needs to have specific skills to earn more. Rahul Gandhi replied to this stating that no religion teaches to spread hate. 

Rahul Gandhi and Taljinder Singh also spoke about the murder of Punjabi singer and Congress leader Sidhu Moosewale. Commenting that the singer did not get justice yet, the truck driver decided to play a song in his memory. Earlier in May, Gandhi took a truck ride in Haryana, from Murthal to Ambala, in a bid to understand the issues and problems faced by the drivers. Meanwhile, following the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Congress is projecting Gandhi as a “jan nayak” or people’s leader. 

A clash broke out between police and villagers in Belra village of Roorkee. Following the incident, Section 144 was imposed in the area. The clash erupted between police and villagers after one person from the village had died and the villagers claimed that the investigation has not been done fairly in a murder case of a person. A huge number of people gathered in a village and some miscreants pelted stones at the police. According to the Haridwar police, over 24 people have been arrested. He added that the attack on the police seem to be a conspiracy. An investigation has been done.

On Monday evening, nearly six police personnel were injured during a clash that broke out at Belra village in Uttarakhand’s Roorkee over an alleged murder of a person.

The situation became such sensitive that district administration authorities had to issue prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 and deployed security forces in the entire village area to bring the situation under control. When a large number of people gathered, some miscreants allegedly pelted stones at the police teams, which left nearly half a dozen personnel injured in the village.

In an attempt to bring the situation under control, police had to use force and tear gas to disperse the mob. A few vehicles were also allegedly set on fire. Over 24 people have been arrested so far.

According to officials, the matter is related to the death of a person in Belra village. The villagers were not satisfied with the investigation done in the case and alleged that the person was murdered, but nothing as such has been found in the investigation.

However, the police is suspecting a conspiracy behind the incident and have initiated a probe into the same. Recently, in Uttarakhand, a case of alleged kidnapping of a 14-year-old girl by two men came to light, which led to the conflict between the two religious groups.   

The Delhi Police has sent a notice to the wrestling federation of five nations asking for information, CCTV footage concerning the allegations of sexual harassment by Indian wrestlers against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers in their FIR lodged on April 21, alleged that they were harassed during tournaments in Indonesia, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. 

A senior Delhi police official said to Hindustan Times that they had written to different federations within a week of filing the FIRs and some of them have even replied. He further questioned why this issue is being raked up again. Report claims that while the notices were sent within a week of lodging the FIR against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the matter came to light recently. 

This report comes as the Delhi Police is preparing to file a chargesheet in the court by June 15 in the concerned case. According to reports, the officials have recorded statements of more than 200 people as yet. They have recorded statements of the protesting wrestlers, coaches, referee and also WFI chief’s colleagues. 

Earlier, the Delhi Police have asked two female wrestlers, who have alleged Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of touching their breasts and stomach on the pretext of checking their breathing, to produce photographs, audio and video as evidence to support their allegations. As per reports, on Sunday, four among six woman athletes provided audio and visual evidence to support their allegations. 

The top wrestlers who have been protesting against Wrestling Federation of India chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh are demanding his arrest over the charges of sexual harassment. The wrestlers halted their protest after the sports minister Anurag Thakur assured on June 7 that a chargesheet will be lodged against  Singh by June 15. Nonetheless, the wrestlers feel that the WFI chief is using his influences and that he won’t be arrested anytime soon.