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3 More Arrested For Khalistani Violence In Australia

By LokMarg 30th March 2023

Three men have been arrested in connection with violent brawls that broke out between pro-Khalistani supporters and Indian demonstrators in late January in Melbourne, Australian state Victoria’s police said on Thursday.

The arrests were made by the Melbourne East Neighbourhood Policing Team “in relation to an alleged affray” at the Federation Square on January 29, Victoria Police said in a statement today. With the latest arrests, police have so far rounded up five suspects in connection with the incident.
“Police were in attendance at a Khalistan Referendum event at Federation Square on 29 January when it’s alleged two fights broke out, one at about 12.45pm and the other at about 4.30pm,” it stated.

Police said that the investigation remains ongoing and they are making enquiries to identify and apprehend any further alleged offenders from the day.

According to Victoria Police during the fight it is alleged flag poles “were used by several men as weapons which caused physical injuries to multiple victims.”

Two victims, one with a hand laceration to their head and another with a hand injury, were treated at the scene by paramedics. Several other victims sustained injuries and required medical treatment.

In both alleged incidents, police said it quickly responded to separate and disperse the crowd. OC spray (pepper spray) was used in the second incident as per the police statement.

Earlier this month the Victoria police had released images of six men seeking assistance from the public to identify them

Victoria Police today said that two men were arrested on the day of the incident itself, with a further three arrested this week.

Those arrested this week include a 23-year-old man from Kalkallo who has been charged with affray and unlawful assault, a 39-year-old man from Strathtulloh and a 36-year-old from Craigieburn, both charged with affray and violent disorder.

All the above three charged this week have been bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on August 8.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had during his visit to India earlier in March had said that his country won’t tolerate any extreme actions and attacks that took place in religious buildings, and that there is no place for such action against Hindu temples.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese had discussed disturbances created by pro-Khalistani outfits in Australia and the Australian Prime Minister assured that his government will take all necessary measures to ensure that peace and harmony prevail. (ANI)

Khalistani Violence In Australia: Three Arrested

By LokMarg 30th March 2023

Melbourne East Neighbourhood Policing Team has arrested three men in relation to an alleged affray at Federation Square in late January, Australia’s Victoria Police said in a statement on Thursday.

Police were in attendance at a Khalistan Referendum event at Federation Square on 29 January when it’s alleged two fights broke out, one at about 12.45 pm and the other at about 4.30 pm.
It’s alleged flag poles were used by several men as weapons which caused physical injuries to multiple victims. Two victims, one with a hand laceration to their head and another with a hand injury, were treated at the scene by paramedics. Several other victims sustained injuries and required medical treatment.

In both alleged incidents, police quickly responded to separate and disperse the crowd. OC spray (Oleoresin Capsicum Spray also known as pepper spray) was used in the second incident.

Two men were arrested on the day of the incident. More than three were arrested this week.

The three arrested this week are, a 23-year-old man from Kalkallo, a 39-year-old man from Strathtulloh and a 36-year-old from Craigieburn, all three charged with affray and violent disorder, Victoria police said in a statement.

All those charged this week have been bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 8 August.

Further investigation is ongoing and the police are making inquiries to identify and apprehend any further alleged offenders from the day. (ANI)

Sania-Bopanna Pair Enters Aus Open Mixed Doubles Final

By LokMarg 25th January 2023

The mixed doubles pair of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna stormed into the finals of the mixed doubles competition at the ongoing Australian Open in Melbourne, after defeating British-American pairing of Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk in their semifinal match on Wednesday.

The Indian pair eliminated the third seeds from the competition by a margin of 7-6(5), 6-7(5), 10-6 in a semifinal that lasted for one hour and 52 minutes.

They rolled into the semi-finals of the ongoing Australian Open 2023 mixed doubles event after the duo was handed a walkover in their quarters clash at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.

Mirza and Bopanna were slated to face Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko and David Vega Hernandez of Spain in their final-eight clash but advanced after their opponents decided to withdraw.

Last year’s Wimbledon was Sania Mirza’s most recent participation in a Grand Slam semifinal. The Croatian mixed doubles team of Mate Pavic and the Indian tennis player fell short against eventual champions Desirae Krawczyk and Neal Skupski.

She will play in her final Grand Slam event at the 2023 Australian Open because the Indian tennis pro will retire after the WTA tournament in Dubai later this month.

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna, who advanced to the semi-finals of the Rio 2016 Olympics together, is India’s last remaining challenger at the Australian Open in 2023.

Sania Mirza’s women’s doubles campaign came to an end on Sunday, while Rohan Bopanna and his men’s doubles partner Matthew Ebden tumbled out of the men’s doubles competition on Friday.

The 365-year-old veteran has won three mixed doubles titles in her career, including Australian Open (2009), French Open (2012) and US Open (2014). She has also won three women’s doubles titles.

Notably, Poland’s Magda Linette continued her career-best run at a grand slam event as she stunned the former world number 1 Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic to reach the first-ever semifinal of a major tournament in her career.

Magda downed Pliskova by 6-3, 7-5. The world number 45 sent shockwaves in Rod Laver Arena by defeating the number 30 seed Pliskova in just 87 minutes to keep the Polish representation in the tournament going after current world number 1 Iga Swiatek crashed out in the round of 16.

Before this, she had never progressed beyond the third round of any major tournament and had last at that stage six times.

“Maybe I still do not really believe it,” Linette said with a smile in her post-match press conference as quoted by WTA.

In the semifinal, Linette will be facing fifth-seeded player Aryna Sabalenka. The winner of the match will be reaching their first-ever Grand Slam final.

Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka stormed into the semifinals after a 10-year gap, defeating No.3 seed Jessica Pegula here at Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.

The two-time Australian Open champion produced a stunning performance to book a place in the semifinals, beating Pegula 6-4, 6-1 in a match that lasted for one hour and 37 minutes.

Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina trounced Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday to reach the semifinals of the Australian Open 2023 at the Rod Laver Arena.

Elena Rybakina is the first player to book a spot in the Australian Open 2023 women’s semifinals after triumphing in a battle of grand slam winners.

The 22nd seed overpowered Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-4 in a one-hour and 19-minute encounter, becoming the first woman representing Kazakhstan to reach the final four at Melbourne Park. (ANI)