Rush Hour: Pro-Tibet protesters held, Bengal university staff transfer bill sparks criticism & more

Four members of Students for a Free Tibet were detained near Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam after they put up banners demanding independence for Tibet and protesting Beijing’s rule, the organisation said in press statement. The protest was held ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit the capital to attend the BRICS Summit.

The Delhi Police is yet to comment on the matter.

The pro-Tibet group called on BRICS leaders to condemn China’s occupation of Tibet and alleged human rights violations. They also expressed concerns about Beijing’s infrastructure projects on Tibetan rivers and called for action against what they described as “Chinese encroachment” along the Indo-Tibet border. Read on.

A Mumbai court has granted bail to former Tata Institute of Social Sciences student Abhirup Paul, who was arrested for allegedly shouting slogans in support of jailed activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Paul was arrested on August 7, hours after he and a batchmate were denied anticipatory bail.

They were also booked for allegedly possessing downloaded books and other material that the prosecution claimed reflected Maoist ideology.

While granting bail, the court said Paul had spent sufficient time in custody for interrogation and noted that there was no evidence linking him to any Maoist or banned organisation. It also observed that downloading Maoist literature and...

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