Why in news?

The National Stock Exchange (NSE) launched the Nifty 500 Ahimsa Index on July 10, 2026. This is India's first thematic index focused exclusively on animal cruelty-free companies, arriving weeks after BSE's similar Saatvik 100 Index launched on June 17, 2026.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• National Stock Exchange: Structure, Role and Regulatory Framework
• About Ahimsa Index
• Who Is Included and Excluded?
• Comparison with BSE's Saatvik Index
• Significance for Investors

National Stock Exchange: Structure, Role and Regulatory Framework

• The National Stock Exchange (NSE) is India's premier stock exchange and a core pillar of the country's financial system.
• Established in 1992 and operational from 1994, it was set up to bring transparency, efficiency, and nationwide access to securities trading.
• Headquartered in Mumbai, NSE replaced India's earlier manual trading system with a fully automated, screen-based platform.
• Legal Status and Recognition
  • NSE is a regulated stock exchange, officially recognised under the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956.
  • It offers trading across multiple asset classes:
    • Equities (shares)
    • Derivatives (futures and options)
    • Currency and commodity products
    • Debt securities
  • It is owned by major financial institutions, banks, and insurers, and operates under the regulatory oversight of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
• Organisational Structure
  • Ownership -Key shareholders include major public institutions such as LIC, SBI, ICICI Bank, and GIC.
  • Management -NSE is run by a Board of Directors, supported by executive leadership and functional departments covering trading, clearing, settlement, and surveillance.
  • Regulatory Oversight - SEBI regulates NSE under multiple statutes, including the Companies Act, the SEBI Act, the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, and the Depositories Act.
  • Clearing, Settlement and Depository Services - Clearing and settlement functions are handled by NSE Clearing Limited; Depository services are provided through the National Securities Depository Limited (NSDL).
• Governing Legal Framework
  • NSE's functioning is governed by four key legislations:
    • Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956
    • Companies Act, 2013
    • SEBI Act, 1992
    • Depositories Act, 1996

About Ahimsa Index

• The Nifty 500 Ahimsa Index tracks top 500 NSE companies whose business practices align with the principle of "Ahimsa" (non-violence).
• It gives investors a way to invest specifically in companies that avoid activities harming animals.
• This marks a shift from conventional ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) investing, which focuses on carbon emissions and governance metrics, toward a values-based screening rooted in Indian philosophical traditions.
• The index was developed jointly by NSE Indices and the Ahimsagain Foundation, a non-profit established in November 2024 by ethical finance advocates.
• Selection Framework
  • Companies are evaluated using the Ahimsa Investment Movement (AIM) framework, which classifies firms into three bands:
    • Green band: Fully compliant with animal-cruelty-free criteria
    • Orange band: Partial compliance
    • Red band: Non-compliant
  • Only green-band companies are included in the index.

Who Is Included and Excluded?

• The index includes leading companies from IT services, automobile, real estate, and healthcare sectors.
• Notable exclusions include:
  • Most Reliance Group companies (except Reliance Power)
  • Pharmaceutical companies using animal testing
  • All commercial banks and major NBFCs
  • Dairy, meat, poultry, and leather companies
  • Fashion brands, retail chains, and cosmetics companies using leather or wool

Comparison with BSE's Saatvik Index

• BSE's Saatvik 100 Index, launched earlier, has a broader mandate. It screens against animal cruelty, addictive or toxic products, and generally harmful or violent business activities.
• The near-simultaneous launch of two thematic ethical indices by India's major exchanges signals a new direction in India's capital markets — screening companies through indigenous philosophical lenses rather than only global ESG frameworks.
  • Global ESG frameworks are structured guidelines that help companies measure and report their performance on Environmental, Social, and Governance factors.
  • Environmental: Tracks a company's impact on nature, including greenhouse gas emissions, waste management, energy efficiency, and water use.
  • Social: Evaluates how a company treats people, covering labor practices, workplace health and safety, diversity, and community relations.
  • Governance: Assesses corporate leadership, executive pay, business ethics, internal controls, and shareholder rights.

Significance for Investors

• Expected to serve as a benchmark for asset managers.
• Likely to enable new passive investment products such as ETFs and index funds.
• Reflects a broader trend of younger, values-conscious investors entering capital markets.
• Market analysts note it will take time for mutual funds to build products around this theme, but see long-term growth potential.

Conclusion

• NSE's Ahimsa Index reflects a maturing Indian capital market willing to root ethical investing in home-grown philosophical concepts rather than borrowed frameworks.
• As younger, values-driven investors enter the market, such indices could reshape how corporate responsibility is measured and rewarded in India.

Why in news?

Videos from the July 20 "Sansad Chalo" protest in Delhi showed police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel in civilian clothes, or in uniform without visible nameplates. This has triggered a debate on the legality of unidentified policing during crowd control situations.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What Triggered the Controversy?
• Is Hiding Identity Legal?
• Why Police Avoid Identification?
• Conclusion

What Triggered the Controversy?

• Protesters organised by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), demanding action over the NEET paper leak and the resignation of the Education Minister, marched towards Parliament.
• Police lathi-charged the swelling crowd, leading to violent clashes and injuries on both sides.
• Social media videos allegedly showed unidentified men in civilian clothes using police-style lathis against protesters, while uniformed personnel without nameplates ignored questions about their identity.
• Delhi Police has not officially responded, but has reportedly directed personnel at the protest site to report in uniform going forward.

Is Hiding Identity Legal?

• Certain operations — particularly intelligence gathering — genuinely require concealment of identity or even impersonation.
• However, routine policing is bound by statutory procedure and judicial guidelines, which generally require identifiability.
• Statutory basis
  • Maintenance of public order is governed by Chapter XI of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), Sections 148–160 (earlier Chapter X of the CrPC, formerly Chapter IX).
  • While the law does not explicitly mandate identification, only a magistrate or a "police officer" is empowered to order a crowd to disperse — implying that the officer issuing such a command must be identifiable.
  • Legal experts argue that an unidentifiable person cannot lawfully exercise this statutory power.
• Judicial precedent:
  • In DK Basu vs State of West Bengal (1997), the Supreme Court mandated that arresting officers must carry clear, visible identification.
  • Though this ruling concerned arrests rather than crowd control, it reflects the judiciary's broader expectation that police be identifiable while exercising coercive authority.
  • In August 2025, the Andhra Pradesh High Court questioned how citizens could recognise plainclothes personnel as police while they discharged official duties, in a case involving a YSRCP MLA accused of obstructing police work.

Why Police Avoid Identification?

• Security concerns: The practice reportedly originated in conflict zones like Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Chhattisgarh, where personnel avoided nameplates and rank insignia to reduce the risk of being targeted by militants.
• Personal safety in routine duty: Officers argue visible identification can expose them to prolonged litigation, online harassment, and threats to their families.
• Practice has spread: What began as a conflict-zone safeguard has gradually extended into routine law-and-order policing, a trend experts describe as contentious when applied outside genuine security threats.
• Logistical compulsion: When additional personnel are urgently summoned to a protest site, all available officers from a unit — including those in plain clothes — are required to report, often due to overwhelming crowd size rather than deliberate strategy.
• Acknowledged Ambiguity
  • While the law does not strictly bar deploying plainclothes personnel, senior officers concede the practice introduces ambiguity into already volatile protest situations.
  • However, they argue such deployment remains important because anti-social elements can infiltrate protests and trigger violence or arson — special branch personnel are specifically tasked with blending into crowds to gather intelligence and monitor troublemakers.

Conclusion

The plainclothes policing debate captures a real tension between operational security concerns and democratic accountability.

While Indian law does not explicitly bar unidentified policing, statutory logic and judicial precedent point toward identifiability as essential to the legitimate exercise of police power — making transparency, not anonymity, the constitutional default for routine law enforcement.

Why in News?

• Recently, India's 8th Trade Policy Review (TPR) commenced at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva (~65WTO Members participated), covering the review period 1 January 2021–31 December 2025.
• Led by Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agarwal, India presented its trade policy achievements, economic performance and reform agenda while responding to questions from WTO members.
• The review serves as a transparency mechanism to assess members' trade policies and their consistency with WTO principles.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What is the WTO Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM)?
• India’s Economic and Trade Performance
• Major Trade and Economic Reforms Highlighted
• Recognition from WTO Leadership and Members
• Key Area of Conflict
• Significance for India

What is the WTO Trade Policy Review Mechanism (TPRM)?

• The TPRM is a transparency exercise under the WTO. It enables members to periodically examine each other's trade policies and practices.
• The objective is to improve transparency, predictability and accountability in the multilateral trading system rather than to enforce compliance.

India’s Economic and Trade Performance:

• India highlighted its resilience despite geopolitical tensions, supply-chain disruptions and rising global protectionism.
• Key achievements:
  • Recorded nearly 8% average annual GDP growth during 2021–2025.
  • Achieved record exports of USD 863.1 billion in 2025–26.
  • Continued pursuing the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 while addressing the developmental needs of nearly one-fifth of the world's population.

Major Trade and Economic Reforms Highlighted:

• India showcased a broad range of structural and trade-related reforms aimed at enhancing competitiveness and integration with the global economy.
• Key initiatives:
  • Aatmanirbhar Bharat: Strengthening domestic manufacturing while integrating with Global Value Chains (GVCs).
  • Jan Vishwas initiative: Regulatory simplification and ease of doing business.
  • Digital customs and trade facilitation measures.
  • Logistics modernisation and quality infrastructure development.
  • Expansion of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for financial inclusion and trade efficiency.
  • Promotion of Artificial Intelligence (AI), innovation and startups.
  • Focus on sustainability, agricultural resilience and inclusive development.
  • Expansion of Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs).
  • Continued support through South-South Cooperation and the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme.
• India reiterated its support for balanced, development-oriented WTO reforms that strengthen the multilateral trading system while safeguarding the interests of developing countries.

Recognition from WTO Leadership and Members:

• WTO TPR Body (TPRB):
  • Recognised India as one of the fastest-growing major economies.
  • Appreciated India's leadership in digitally delivered services exports.
  • Commended reforms in DPI, financial inclusion and trade facilitation.
  • Welcomed India's acceptance of the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies, following the deposit of its Instrument of Acceptance.
  • Praised India's timely responses to advance questions, reflecting transparency under the TPR mechanism.
• Active participant (Brazil): Brazil's representative highlighted -
  • Success of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in creating a unified domestic market.
  • India's digital trade reforms and expanding export strategy.
  • Importance of recent RTAs.
  • India's Duty-Free Tariff Preference (DFTP) Scheme for Least Developed Countries (LDCs).
  • India's DPI as a model for other developing countries. 

Key Area of Conflict:

• India and key WTO members are at loggerheads over the 66-nation Agreement on Electronic Commerce (ECA), with India challenging the legality of bypassing multilateral consensus.
• Core arguments and objections:
  • Consensus rule:
    • India maintains that adding any new plurilateral pact to Annex 4 requires the agreement of all WTO members under the Marrakesh Agreement.
    • It failed to pass during General Council meetings in 2025.
    • Annex 4 contains plurilateral trade agreements that are binding only on the specific member countries who choose to accept them.
    • It currently includes two active pacts: the Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft and the Revised Agreement on Government Procurement.
  • Interim validity: Following the deadlock, 66 participating countries issued a declaration, establishing an interim arrangement to operationalize the e-commerce pact.
  • Institutional overreach: New Delhi formally questioned the institutional and legal basis, challenging a partial-membership deal.
• Broader multilateral divide:
  • Plurilateral push: Proponent nations argue that coalition-based "Joint Statement Initiatives" are necessary to prevent total paralysis on new-age trade rules when complete consensus is unachievable.
  • Systemic risk: India contends that allowing subsets of countries to operationalize unapproved agreements undermines the core multilateral character of the global trading system.

Significance of TPR for India:

• Soft power and cultural diplomacy: On the sidelines of the review, India organised an exhibition showcasing diverse Indian products, and traditional papier-mâché handicrafts.
• Reinforces: India's image as a responsible stakeholder in the multilateral trading system.
• Demonstrates: India's attempt to balance self-reliance (Aatmanirbhar Bharat) with greater global economic integration.
• Highlights: India's growing role in digital trade, services exports, and South-South cooperation.
• Strengthens: India's credibility in ongoing WTO negotiations and reform discussions.
• Reflects: India's emphasis on inclusive, transparent and development-oriented global trade governance.

Why in the News?

• Mobile internet services were shut down in parts of Central Delhi during the 'Chalo Sansad' protest, raising fresh concerns about the legal framework governing internet shutdowns and their impact on fundamental rights.

What’s in Today’s Article?

• Internet Shutdowns (Definition, Types, Legal Framework, Supreme Court Rulings, etc.)
• News Summary (Legal Recourse Against Shutdowns, Way Forward)

About Internet Shutdowns

• An internet shutdown, as defined by the web rights advocacy organisations, is "an intentional disruption of internet or electronic communications, rendering them inaccessible or effectively unusable, for a specific population or within a location, often to control the flow of information."
• Forms of Internet Shutdowns

• Full network disruptions: complete blackout of internet services.
• Slowing down internet speed: throttling connectivity.
• Blocking specific platforms: restricting access to particular websites or apps.
• Mobile-only shutdowns: disabling mobile internet while keeping broadband active.

• When Are They Ordered?
  • According to the International Federation of Journalists, most internet shutdowns are ordered when:

• Large numbers of people gather for political reasons.
• Peaceful demonstrations are expected to take place.
• Violent protests may occur.
• Religious celebrations draw large crowds.
• Public examinations are being conducted to prevent cheating.

Legal Framework Governing Internet Shutdowns

• Earlier Framework
  • Internet shutdowns in India were earlier governed by:
    • Section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
    • Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017.
• Current Framework
• Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023.
• Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024.
• Under Section 20(2)(b) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, telecommunication services may be suspended only:
  • On the occurrence of a public emergency.
  • In the interest of public safety.
  • On the grounds specified in the provision.
  • For reasons recorded in writing.
• Procedural Requirements
  • Be reasoned and published.
  • Be limited in area and duration.
  • Be issued by the competent authority under the 2024 Rules.
  • Consider whether less restrictive measures would be sufficient.
  • Not remain in force for over 15 days.
  • A protest, by itself, is not a lawful ground for suspending internet services.

Continued Use of Outdated Provisions

• Despite the updated legal framework, a review by the Digital Defenders Network found that several shutdown orders issued by State governments since late 2024 continue to invoke the older Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and the 2017 Rules.
• For instance:
  • The Secretary, Home Department, Uttar Pradesh, issued an internet suspension order for Bareilly district on October 2, 2025.
  • The order invoked Section 7 of the Telegraph Act read with Rule 2(1) of the 2017 Rules.
• By continuing to rely on these outdated provisions, some States appear to have bypassed the procedural safeguards introduced under the 2024 Rules.

Supreme Court Rulings on Internet Shutdowns

• The Anuradha Bhasin Case (2020)
  • In the landmark Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India (2020) case, the Supreme Court held that access to the internet is closely connected to fundamental freedoms under the Constitution:
    • Article 19(1)(a): freedom of speech and expression.
    • Article 19(1)(g): freedom of trade and profession.
• The Court held that any shutdown must:
• Be backed by law.
• Pursue a legitimate objective.
• Be necessary and proportionate.
• Be the least restrictive measure available.
• Be limited in scope and duration.
• Be accompanied by detailed reasons.
• Be published for public scrutiny.
• Be reviewed by a competent committee.
• The Court observed that "complete broad suspension of telecom services, be it the internet or otherwise, must be considered by the State only if 'necessary' and 'unavoidable'."

India's Track Record on Internet Shutdowns

• India continues to record one of the highest numbers of internet shutdowns in the world:
  • Access Now's 2025 report recorded 65 shutdowns across 12 States and Union Territories.
  • India has recorded about 24 shutdowns in 2026 so far.
• According to the SFLC Internet Shutdown Tracker:
  • Jammu & Kashmir: the highest number with about 449 since 2012.
  • Rajasthan: 115 shutdowns.
  • Manipur: 62 shutdowns.

News Summary

• Mobile internet services were shut down in parts of Central Delhi during the 'Chalo Sansad' protest organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP). Key aspects include:
  • Thousands of people gathered on the opening day of Parliament's Monsoon Session.
  • Protesters demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
  • The protest followed the NEET paper leaks and irregularities in the CBSE school examination process.
  • The internet shutdown remained in place until the evening.
  • The Ministry of Home Affairs imposed the order across 150 cell sites, according to an industry source.
• The order was imposed under Clause (b) of Sub-section (2) of Section 20 of the Telecommunication Act, 2023, read with the 2024 Rules.

Legal Recourse Against Shutdown Orders

• A shutdown order may be challenged in court through:
  • High Court under Article 226: for writ petitions within a state's jurisdiction.
  • Supreme Court under Article 32: in appropriate cases involving fundamental rights.
• Courts can examine whether the order was:
  • Lawful and issued by the competent authority.
  • Proportionate to the situation.
  • Properly limited in area and duration.
  • Supported by valid reasons.
• Indefinite suspensions are unlawful. The government must publish its orders and provide reasons capable of judicial review.

Way Forward

• Legislative Reforms
  • Ensure strict compliance with the Telecommunications Act, 2023 and the 2024 Rules.
  • Discontinue the use of outdated Telegraph Act provisions.
  • Establish clearer criteria for what constitutes a public emergency.
  • Provide for automatic judicial review of shutdown orders.
• Institutional Safeguards
  • Strengthen the review committee mechanism.
  • Ensure timely publication of all shutdown orders.
  • Maintain a central public database of shutdowns.
  • Enable easier legal challenges to shutdown orders.
• Policy Approaches
  • Explore less restrictive alternatives such as targeted platform blocking.
  • Provide advance notice where possible.
  • Ensure the shortest possible duration of shutdowns.
  • Consider the cumulative impact on affected populations.
• Transparency Measures
  • Regular reporting to Parliament on shutdowns.
  • Public consultations on the framework.
  • Enhanced judicial oversight of orders.
  • Civil society engagement in policy formulation.

Context

• The emerging threat of a Bab el-Mandeb Strait crisis, following tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, underscores the vulnerability of global maritime trade.
• The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, is one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints.
• Any disruption could threaten nearly one-third of India's trade, making maritime security a strategic and economic priority.
• India must therefore adopt a proactive, rules-based maritime strategy to secure vital sea lanes.

Understanding the Strategic Importance of Bab el-Mandeb

• The Bab el-Mandeb Strait, situated between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, connects the Suez Canal with the Indian Ocean.
• It is indispensable for trade between Asia, Europe, and Africa, facilitating the movement of energy supplies, container cargo, and commercial shipping.
• Any blockage would force vessels to reroute around the Cape of Good Hope, increasing transit time, freight costs, and supply chain disruptions.
• Following the Gaza conflict, the Houthis (Ansarallah) launched attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, disrupting one of the world's busiest shipping routes.

 Major Consequences

• Around 40 commercial vessels were attacked.
• Over 2,000 ships avoided the Suez Canal, opting for the Cape of Good Hope.
• Freight charges and marine insurance premiums increased sharply.
• Egypt suffered significant revenue losses from reduced Suez Canal traffic.
• India's imports, exports, and supply chains experienced delays and higher logistics costs.
• The crisis demonstrated how regional conflicts can quickly disrupt global trade and economic stability.

Why the Present Situation is More Dangerous?

• The current geopolitical environment presents greater uncertainty than in 2024.
• Iran's reported support for Houthi threats has increased regional tensions.
• The United Nations Security Council remains divided, limiting prospects for coordinated action to uphold freedom of navigation.
• The United States is increasingly focused on Iran, creating uncertainty about sustained Red Sea security operations.
• China may continue protecting its shipping independently through bilateral arrangements rather than collective maritime efforts.

Implications for India

• Economic Impact
  • Simultaneous disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb could severely affect India's energy security, trade, supply chains, exports, and inflation by increasing transportation and insurance costs.
• Impact on Indian Seafarers
  • India is one of the world's largest suppliers of merchant seafarers.
  • Restrictions on Red Sea operations would affect the employment, safety, and welfare of thousands of Indian sailors while disrupting maritime commerce.

India's Strategic Response

• Build a Multilateral Maritime Task Force
  • India should establish a Trade Protection Task Force with France and Japan, both of which maintain naval bases in Djibouti.
  • The task force should escort commercial vessels, conduct coordinated patrols, deter attacks, and ensure uninterrupted maritime trade.
• Strengthen Regional Diplomacy
  • India should deepen engagement with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and other Red Sea littoral states that share an interest in protecting maritime commerce and regional stability.
• Enhance Maritime Domain Awareness
  • The Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) should be leveraged for real-time intelligence sharing, monitoring shipping movements, and coordinating multinational naval operations.
• Promote a Rules-Based Maritime Order
  • India should advocate adherence to UNCLOS, international maritime law, and freedom of navigation through joint rules of engagement and protection of commercial shipping.
  • This approach aligns with India's vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) and its commitment to a free, open, and secure Indo-Pacific.

Remaining Challenges and the Way Forward

• Challenges
  • India's response must address several constraints:
    • Escalating West Asian geopolitical tensions.
    • Lack of international consensus.
    • High costs of sustained naval deployment.
    • Balancing ties with Iran, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Western partners.
    • Ensuring the safety of Indian seafarers during prolonged crises.
• Way Forward
  • India should establish a multinational maritime security mechanism, strengthen naval interoperability with France and Japan, expand cooperation with Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
  • India should also enhance IFC-IOR capabilities, diversify trade routes, build resilient supply chains, increase strategic petroleum reserves, and champion a rules-based international order through sustained diplomatic and naval engagement. 

Conclusion

• The Bab el-Mandeb Strait has become a critical test of India's maritime strategy.
• The Red Sea crisis demonstrated that disruptions at strategic chokepoints can have far-reaching economic and geopolitical consequences.
• As a leading maritime power, India must combine naval capability, regional diplomacy, multilateral cooperation, and maritime domain awareness to secure vital sea lanes.
• A proactive and cooperative approach will safeguard India's trade, strengthen regional stability, and reinforce its vision of SAGAR, ensuring that the Bab el-Mandeb does not become a Gate of Tears for global commerce.

About Batukeshwar Dutt:

• Batukeshwar Dutt was an Indian revolutionary and a freedom fighter in the early 1900s.
• He was born on November 18, 1910, in Bengal’s Burdwan district.
• He was a close associate of freedom fighters Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh.
• He joined the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and learned how to make bombs.
• The Central Assembly Bombing (April 8, 1929):
  • He is best known for having exploded non-lethal bombs, along with Bhagat Singh, in the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi on 8 April 1929.
  • This was planned to protest the passage of the repressive Public Safety Bill and Trade Disputes Bill.
  • During the action, they raised the historic slogan Inquilab Zindabad! (Long Live the Revolution!), and distributed leaflets stating, ‘’if the deaf are to hear, the sound has to be very loud’’.
  • Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt quietly courted arrest after the incident.
  • They were famously defended by M. Asaf Ali but were both sentenced to imprisonment for life.
• After they were imprisoned, he and Bhagat Singh initiated a historic hunger strike protesting against the abusive treatment of Indian political prisoners and eventually secured some rights for them.
• Bhagat Singh was also tried for his involvement in the murder of British police officer John Saunders, along with Rajguru and Sukhdev. He was sentenced to death and executed on 23rd March 1931.
• After Dutt’s release, he took part in the freedom struggle notably in the Quit India Movement. He was jailed again for four years.
• He passed away on July 20, 1965.
• He was cremated in the Hussainiwala National Martyrs Memorial in Punjab. This is the same place where his friends Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru, and Sukhdev Thapar were cremated.

About Okinotori Island:

• Okinotori, also known as Parece Vela, is a tiny, uninhabited island that belongs to Japan.
• It's located far out in the Philippine Sea, which is part of the big Pacific Ocean.
• It's actually an atoll, which is a ring-shaped coral reef with a lagoon in the middle.
• At high tide, only two tiny rocky outcrops remain above sea level.
• This atoll is part of a long underwater mountain range called the Palau-Kyushu Ridge.
• Okinotori is part of a group called the Ogasawara Islands governed by Japan.
• It is Japan's southernmost island.
• It is the only Japanese territory south of the Tropic of Cancer and lies to the south of Hong Kong and Taiwan.
• Japan says that the waters around Okinotori are its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
• However, some other countries, like China, do not agree with Japan's claim over this specific EEZ.
• It is in a very important spot for military and shipping routes.
  • It sits about halfway between Taiwan and Guam (island territory of the United States).
  • This makes its location strategic in the Pacific Ocean.

About Harishchandragad Fort:

• It is a hill fort located in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.
• History:
  • The fort originally dates back to the 6th century during the rule of the Kalchuri dynasty.
  • The citadel was built during this era, and various caves probably have been carved out in the 11th century
  • Later the fort was under the control of the Mughals and the Marathas captured it in 1747
  • Remnants of microlithic human inhabitants have been discovered here.
  • The various Puranas, like Matsyapurana, Agnipurana, and Skandapurana, have many references about Harishchandragad.
• Architecture:
  • One of the most prominent structures on the fort is the Harishchandreshwar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva.
    • Built in the Hemadpanti architectural style, the temple boasts intricate carvings and a massive Nandi sculpture at its entrance.
    • The temple’s sanctum houses a shivling, making it a revered pilgrimage site.
  • The Konkan Kada, or the Konkan Cliff, is one of Harishchandragad’s most striking features.
    • This semicircular overhanging cliff offers stunning views of the Konkan region, and during certain seasons, a rare phenomenon called the “Brocken Spectre” can be observed, where one’s shadow appears on the clouds with a rainbow halo.