In the Sikrai town of Dausa district, a massive fire broke out in a clothing store located near the Dauji Temple. Initial reports suggest that the fire was sparked by a short circuit near an inverter, which quickly engulfed the entire shop, reducing the large stock of garments to ashes. Fire tenders from Bandikui and Dausa were rushed to the site, and Manpur Station House Officer Satish Kumar oversaw the operation. After nearly half an hour of intense effort, the fire brigade brought the blaze under control, and fortunately, no casualties were reported. Meanwhile, in the Khajuwala area of Bikaner district, the police achieved a significant breakthrough by arresting a supplier with 37.43 grams of illegal smack (chitta). The estimated market value of the seized contraband is approximately 7.60 lakh rupees. The accused has been identified as Gangasingh, a resident of Chak 10 KLD, Kundal. This action was taken under 'Operation Neelkanth' as directed by SP Mridul Kachhawa, and executed by a team led by CO Akanksha Chaudhary and CI Ashok Bishnoi. The police are investigating the case under the NDPS Act to uncover the full network of drug traffickers operating in the border region.
Chain Snatching in Banswara and MLA's Concerns in Sirohi
A sensational case of chain snatching has surfaced in Banswara city. Two men on a bike snatched a gold chain weighing approximately 2 tolas from Kanta Pawar as she was returning from the Sheetla Mata Temple in Khandu Colony. The value of the stolen chain is estimated to be around 3 lakh rupees. Following the incident, the Rajtalab police arrived at the scene, inspected the area, and began reviewing local CCTV footage to identify the culprits. A case has been registered based on the victim's report. Separately, Revdar MLA Motiram met with Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma to highlight various public grievances in the Revdar and Abu Road regions. He expressed deep concern over daylight attacks on common citizens, robbery attempts, and incidents of stone-pelting on the Abu Road-Revdar highway. The MLA requested the establishment of a new police station in Girwar and a police booth in Abu Road to strengthen law and order. He also urged for the immediate renovation of the Sirohi-Mandar National Highway, citing its dilapidated condition and frequent accidents.
Religious Processions and Dam Management
The grand chariot procession (Rathyatra) of Lord Jagannath departed from the historic Jagdish Temple in Udaipur at 4:30 PM. Thousands of devotees participated in pulling the silver chariot, which moved through Ghantaghar and Bada Bazar before returning to the temple late at night. Earlier, traditional rituals and Maharti were performed at the temple. In Jaipur, preparations were underway for a similar grand Rathyatra near the Shri Radhagovind Devji Temple. Meanwhile, in Karauli, the sluice gates of the Panchna Dam were opened on Thursday after resolving technical issues, allowing water to flow into the canals. Divisional Commissioner Nalini Kathotia, Karauli Collector Akshay Godara, Sawai Madhopur Collector Kanaram, SP Lokesh Sonwal, and farmer representatives were present at the event, providing significant relief to farmers in the command area for irrigation purposes.
Crackdown on Paper Leaks and Foeticide
The Rajasthan SOG has arrested Vinod Kumar Rewad, the alleged mastermind behind the RPSC Assistant Professor (Agricultural Science) 2022 paper leak case. According to SOG ADG Vishal Bansal, Rewad was an active member of a gang that helped candidates memorize leaked papers. The SOG will now seek a remand for the accused to identify other members and candidates involved in the nexus. Additionally, the SOG arrested Ashok Bishnoi alias Ashok Chotiya, a collaborator in a fake degree racket linked to the RPSC Hindi Assistant Professor examination. The accused is alleged to have provided a fake Mewar University degree to a candidate named Brahma Kumari and is currently on police remand until July 17. In a separate operation, a joint team from Hanumangarh, Bikaner, and Jaipur arrested a man named Rakesh in Dabwali, Haryana, for illegal sex determination and foeticide. Rakesh, who has been arrested before in 2017, is allegedly involved in over 100 cases of illegal abortions.
Court Verdicts and Political Developments
The Ajmer POCSO Court No. 1 delivered a landmark judgment in a case involving the rape of a 17-year-old minor, sentencing the accused Vikram Bhopa to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 20,000 rupees. The court based its decision on 37 pieces of evidence and DNA test results. In the Rajasthan High Court, a hearing was held regarding the petition filed by Kartikeya, son of Congress leader Pushpendra Bhardwaj, concerning the Prime Minister's AI video case. Justice Shubha Mehta’s single bench transferred the matter to another bench, citing jurisdictional reasons. Politically, PCC Chief Govind Singh Dotasara launched a scathing attack on the Bhajanlal government during the Rajasthan OBC Congress meeting at the Rajasthan International Center in Jaipur, demanding caste-based census. The High Court also took a firm stance on the Panchayati Raj and urban body elections, summoning the State Election Commissioner and the Secretary of the OBC Commission via video conferencing for the next hearing on Monday.
Other Incidents: Theft, Electrocution, and Disputes
In Pachgaon, Dholpur, three men on a bike stole a mobile phone from a grocery store while distracting the shopkeeper, an incident that was captured on CCTV. In Ranisar village of Nohar, a 45-year-old farmer named Pappu died of electrocution after coming into contact with an 11 KV power line, while two others were severely burnt. In Bansur, Kotputli, a land dispute led to a violent clash between two factions, resulting in one death and two injuries after a tractor was allegedly used to crush victims. The body of Eshu Sharma, who had jumped into the Banas River in Deoli, Tonk, three days ago, was recovered by the SDRF team. In Jaisalmer, the administration used bulldozers to demolish illegal religious structures in Mirpura as part of 'Operation Clean.' Finally, the 'Videsh Sampark–State Outreach Conference' was inaugurated at the Rajasthan International Center in Jaipur by Ministry of External Affairs Secretary Shripraya Ranganathan and Rajasthan Chief Secretary V. Srinivas.
