Seema Haider, a Pakistani citizen who had entered India illegally in May and has been residing with her partner in the country, was apprehended by the Uttar Pradesh Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on Tuesday (18).
The agency conducted a second day of questioning, lasting for over nine hours.
Accompanying her during the investigation were her Indian partner, Sachin Meena, and his father, Netrapal Singh.
The authorities picked them up from their residence in the Rabupura area of Greater Noida at approximately 8.30 am and subsequently transported them to the ATS's unit office in Noida by 10 am, where the interrogation continued until late evening.
Around 8.15 pm, Seema, Sachin, and Netrapal were allowed to leave the ATS office.
As of now, there has been no official statement from the ATS regarding any further questioning or developments in the case.
The cross-border couple, Seema (30) and Sachin (22), experienced their first interrogation by the UP ATS on Monday (17) at the agency's Noida office.
After the questioning, they were allowed to return home around 10.30 pm.
Previously, on July 4, the local police in Greater Noida had arrested Haider and Meena. However, they were later granted bail by a court on July 7.
An officer from the Uttar Pradesh ATS explained that the questioning process was crucial for matters pertaining to national security.
Depending on the inquiry's outcome, the couple "may or may not be arrested" in connection with this sensitive issue.
Separately, the local police are conducting its investigation into the case filed under the Foreigners Act. As of now, they are yet to file a chargesheet in the matter.
In May, Seema entered India with her four children by bus from Nepal, with the intention of living with her partner, Sachin.
The couple, who claim to have gotten married in Nepal earlier this year, first connected in 2019 through the online game PUBG.
On July 4, Seema was taken into custody by the local police for illegally entering India, while Sachin was detained on charges of harbouring illegal immigrants.
However, a local court granted bail to both Seema and Sachin on July 7, permitting them to live together along with Seema's four children in a house situated in the Rabupura area.
During her interactions with the media, Seema expressed her desire not to return to Pakistan and instead voiced her wish to continue living with Sachin. She also stated that she has converted to Hinduism.
Back in Pakistan, the family and neighbours of Seema told a PTI correspondent that they do not wish for her to return.
Meanwhile, in the Southern Sindh province, a gang of dacoits carried out an attack on a Hindu temple using rocket launchers on Sunday.
According to a police officer in the region, the assailants targeted the small temple and nearby homes belonging to Hindus in the Kashmore area of Sindh., There were no casualties reported in the attack.
This incident occurred shortly after dacoits in the Kashmore and Ghotki riverine areas issued threats of violence against Hindu places of worship and community members as a response to Seema and Sachin's PUBG love story.
According to a media report on Monday, Pakistan's intelligence agencies have communicated to the government that the primary reason for the mother of four sneaking into India was "love."
The woman had formed a friendship with a Hindu man through an online game platform, which ultimately led her to choose to live with him in India.
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
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