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<div class="itg-mosimage"><amp-img src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F2002September%2Fcontrovers2_033012012558.jpg" alt="" height="425" width="650" class="" layout="responsive"></amp-img>Father Melvin de Silva<p>For the sleepy town of Nasirabad in Ajmer district of Rajasthan, the scandal was unimaginable. Father Melvin de Silva, a warden of the boys' hostel at St Martin's School allegedly forced the boarders into acts of sexual gratification.</p><p>He was arrested after angry parents and local villagers gathered at the school. The police found many empty liquor bottles in his room and have also charged him for possession of pornographic films. </p><div class="itg-mosimage"><amp-img src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F2002September%2Fcontroversy_033012012558.jpg" alt="" height="425" width="650" class="" layout="responsive"></amp-img>The boys' hostel</div></p><p>A number of students have testified that they were forced to perform sexual acts by Father Melvin. While Ajmer residents compare it to the scandal in which Muslim khadims at Chisti's Dargah had raped schoolgirls in the early 1990s, the principal of St Martin's, Father Ronaldo Lobo, defends Melvin.</p><p>"I stay just a room away from Melvin and never noticed any such thing," he says. "This is being politicised." </p><p>The school has closed the hostel, but the issue has provided Hindu organisations new ammunition for their tirade against Christian missionaries in the state.</p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Sep 23, 2002</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

controversy

Controversy

<div class="itg-mosimage"><div class="itgimage"><img  title=""  class="" alt="" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F2002September%2Fcontrovers2_033012012558.jpg" loading="lazy" /></div>Father Melvin de Silva<p>For the sleepy town of Nasirabad in Ajmer district of Rajasthan, the scandal was unimaginable. Father Melvin de Silva, a warden of the boys' hostel at St Martin's School allegedly forced the boarders into acts of sexual gratification.</p><p>He was arrested after angry parents and local villagers gathered at the school. The police found many empty liquor bottles in his room and have also charged him for possession of pornographic films. </p><div class="itg-mosimage"><div class="itgimage"><img  title=""  class="" alt="" src="https://ancillary-proxy.atarimworker.dev?url=https%3A%2F%2Fakm-img-a-in.tosshub.com%2Fsites%2Fmedia2%2Findiatoday%2Fimages%2Fstories%2F2002September%2Fcontroversy_033012012558.jpg" loading="lazy" /></div>The boys' hostel</div></p><p>A number of students have testified that they were forced to perform sexual acts by Father Melvin. While Ajmer residents compare it to the scandal in which Muslim khadims at Chisti's Dargah had raped schoolgirls in the early 1990s, the principal of St Martin's, Father Ronaldo Lobo, defends Melvin.</p><p>"I stay just a room away from Melvin and never noticed any such thing," he says. "This is being politicised." </p><p>The school has closed the hostel, but the issue has provided Hindu organisations new ammunition for their tirade against Christian missionaries in the state.</p><div id="tab-link-wrapper-plugin"><div class="authors__container"><div class="authors__by"><div class="authlable">Published By: </div><div class="authdetaisl">AtMigration </div></div><div class="published__on"><div class="authlable">Published On: </div><div class="authdetaisl">Sep 23, 2002</div></div></div><div class="sendros">--- ENDS ---</div></div></div>

For the sleepy town of Nasirabad in Ajmer district of Rajasthan, the scandal was unimaginable. Father Melvin de Silva, a warden of the boys' hostel at St Martin's School allegedly forced the boarders into acts of sexual gratification.


India Today

Father Melvin de Silva, a warden of the boys' hostel at St Martin's School allegedly forced the boarders into acts of sexual gratification.

Unholy orders - India Today

Ajmer school boys' hostel warden held for forcing boarders into acts of sexual acts

Unholy orders

The ICC is set to meet soon to discuss Pakistan’s threat to boycott the T20 World Cup match against India. On Sunday, the global body warned Pakistan of the possible implications and urged the Pakistan Cricket Board to take a decision in the best interests of global cricket.

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At the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap shared his views on the challenges of making political films in the current Indian climate. He talked about the importance of drawing inspiration from global cinema.

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The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would win 352 seats if the Lok Sabha elections were held today, INDIA bloc 182 seats and others nine seats, according to the India Today-CVoter Mood of the Nation survey.

NDA would win 352 seats if Lok Sabha polls were held today: Mood of the Nation poll

Bands of the Army, Navy, and Air Force and paramilitary enthralled the audiences with an array of foot-tapping melodies, including 'Vande Mataram', 'Kadam Kadam Badhaye Ja', 'Vijay Bharat', 'Sitare Hind' and 'Brave Warrior', at the Beating Retreat ceremony at Delhi's Vijay Chowk on Thursday.

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In this report, the focus is on the high-level meeting between Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. The meeting aimed to address speculations regarding a rebellion and internal friction within the Kerala Congress unit. Speaking after the marathon session, Shashi Tharoor stated, 'The discussion with my two party leaders, the LOP and the Congress President and we had a very good, constructive, positive discussion.' He emphasized that the party is moving forward on the same page, dismissing rumors of a fallout. Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, confirmed he would continue to campaign for the party alongside the state leadership. The Congress leadership has reportedly stepped in to ensure unity ahead of upcoming elections, describing Tharoor as an asset to the party. The discussion follows Tharoor's recent absence from party meetings and reported differences with the state leadership in Kerala.

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Shashi Tharoor meets Rahul Gandhi, Kharge to resolve Kerala Congress rift

In this Special Report, the focus is on the tabling of the Economic Survey 2025-26 and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at the start of the Budget Session. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the survey in the Lok Sabha, projecting a robust GDP growth of 7.4% for FY26. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the India-EU Free Trade Agreement, stating, 'In the beginning of this quarter, the free trade agreement between India and the European Union is a glimpse of how bright the future of the youth of India is.' The Prime Minister emphasized that the next 25 years are crucial for achieving the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' and noted that India is now on the 'reform express.' The bulletin also covers the political friction in Parliament, with the opposition demanding a rollback of the G. Ramji law while the BJP accused them of disrespecting constitutional traditions. The survey highlights fiscal prudence, with the deficit met at 4.8% of GDP.

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This special report covers the final rites of Ajit Pawar being conducted at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati. The transcript highlights the emotional scenes as the Pawar family, including Sunetra Pawar, Parth Pawar, and Jai Pawar, pay their last respects. A significant moment is noted between Supriya Sule and Sunetra Pawar, who stood together despite their past political face-off in the Lok Sabha elections. The speaker notes, 'The family, the political divide blurred by what has been deep love within the family and that void today is filled by the outpouring of grief.' The programme reflects on Ajit Pawar's legacy as a 'mercurial leader' who transformed Baramati into a model constituency. The report details the public nature of the bereavement, with a three-day mourning period announced in the region as the community gathers to say goodbye to the leader they affectionately called 'Dada'.

Final Rites: Baramati Bids Farewell To Ajit Pawar

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Ajmer school boys' hostel warden held for forcing boarders into acts of sexual acts

For the sleepy town of Nasirabad in Ajmer district of Rajasthan, the scandal was unimaginable. Father Melvin de Silva, a warden of the boys' hostel at St Martin's School allegedly forced the boarders into acts of sexual gratification.

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