03.08.2025.UT Daily NewS.A collection of SC.ST.Buddhist,Adivasi,reservation atrocity news of India.by Team Sivaji.9444917060.asivaji1962@gmail.com
Photo:Sotheby’s
India-West News Desk
NEW YORK, NY – A rare and sacred collection of ancient Buddhist relics, believed to be linked to the cremated remains of the Buddha, has returned to India more than a century after it was first unearthed in colonial-era Uttar Pradesh.
The treasure, known as the Piprahwa collection, was acquired from Sotheby’s by Mumbai-based Godrej Industries Group and will soon be housed permanently at the Indian Museum in Kolkata. The set of roughly 350 gemstones—sapphires, rubies, garnets, amethysts, pearls, and gold—had been scheduled for auction in Hong Kong before the sale was halted following a diplomatic intervention.
The artifacts trace their origin to an 1898 excavation by British engineer William Claxton Peppé, who discovered a stupa on his estate in Piprahwa near the Indo-Nepal border. Hidden in the stupa were over 1,800 gems and bone fragments believed to be the Buddha’s remains, buried between 240 and 200 BCE. An inscribed reliquary urn led archaeologists to conclude the site was one of the original eight stupas that held the Buddha’s ashes after his death in 440 BCE.
Though the bulk of the finds were handed over to the British administration and later transferred to the Indian Museum, Peppé was allowed to retain a portion. It was his descendants who recently consigned a subset—roughly 20% of the collection—to Sotheby’s. The planned sale was estimated to fetch nearly $13 million.
India’s Ministry of Culture objected swiftly, issuing a legal notice in May asserting the relics were part of the nation’s “inalienable cultural and religious heritage.” The sale, it warned, would perpetuate colonial-era dispossession.
After weeks of negotiation, Sotheby’s announced on July 30 that the collection had been acquired by Godrej, effectively ending the dispute and clearing the way for the relics’ return.
“The Piprahwa gems are not just artefacts—they are timeless symbols of peace, compassion, and the shared heritage of humanity,” said Pirojsha Godrej of the Godrej Group, echoing the significance of the moment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the return, calling it a “proud moment” for India. “The sacred Piprahwa relics of Bhagwan Buddha have come home after 127 long years,” he posted on X.
4 deaths in month revive caste fault lines in Hisar
Hisar has long been a centre of Dalit activism, especially after the 2010 Mirchpur violence, where a woman and her father were burnt to death. In that case, 32 upper caste accused were convicted.
Later, a lobby of Dalit activists emerged here. It led to a high number of cases under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, though over 50 per cent of them stood cancelled by the police.
Realising the threat to social fabric, a group of activists from Dalit and upper caste communities, along with retired police personnel, have formed the Sarv Jatia Bhaichara Manch to intervene before the situation deteriorates further.
“Unfortunately, some activists have unnecessarily targeted other communities and disturbed the social fabric. We have come together to make up for the damage done,” Chalia said, emphasising that activists should instead work with the administration and demand better civic amenities, education and healthcare in Dalit localities. “People from all communities are eager to support such a movement. It will not only strengthen social harmony, but also pressure the authorities to improve the living conditions of the Dalits,” he added.
The current chain of events began with the death of Ganesh Balmiki on July 7 during a police raid. While the police booked several individuals for allegedly attacking officers, a counter-FIR was filed against cops for Ganesh's death. The subsequent deaths of Sanjay, Hunny and Poonam also sparked protests by Dalit activists.
The police acted tough and booked about 240 activists for violent acts. Defending the FIRs, a senior police official said, “We are acting strictly to ensure law and order. Everyone is equal before the law.”
Among those arrested include Rajat Kalsan, an activist, who was booked and arrested for allegedly making provocative statements and assaulting cops.
Official records reveal that Hisar has emerged as a flashpoint of caste-related cases. According to NCRB data for 2022, out of a total 1,633 FIRs across Haryana, Hisar alone saw 319 FIRs under the SC/ST Act. Palwal followed with 103 FIRs and Karnal with 90, which apparently point to heightened caste tensions in Hisar. The data obtained through an RTI application reveals that since 2019, of the 117 FIRs under the SC/ST Act in Hisar, 74 were cancelled after investigation. The trend has continued: In 2023, of 248 FIRs, 127 were cancelled; in 2024, as many as 79 FIRs of the total 135 were cancelled; in 2025 (up to July 31), 21 of 52 FIRs were cancelled. These numbers have sparked a fresh debate about the growing use and suspected misuse of caste-based legal provisions, pointing to a volatile caste cauldron region in Haryana.
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Two forest staff suspended over death of ST man
TIRUPPUR: While an autopsy was conducted on the body of the tribal man who allegedly died by suicide while in the custody of the forest department at Udumalaipet range office in Tiruppur district, two forest officials were placed under suspension on Friday as part of the probe.
The postmortem was conducted at Tiruppur Government Medical College Hospital in the presence of a judicial magistrate.
On Thursday, P Marimuthu (58), of Mel Kurumalai hamlet in Tiruppur district, was allegedly found dead in the toilet of the Udumalaipet forest range office, under Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR). He was interrogated on charges of possessing leopard teeth.Six people, including Marimuthu’s wife Pandeeshwari, daughters Sindhu and Radhika, and tribal people representatives, were allowed inside the autopsy hall.
Speaking to reporters, Pandeeshwari and her daughters said, “There were injuries to his body, including head, arms, and neck. He was beaten to death by the forest officials. A case should be registered against those involved in this under the SC & ST Act.”
B Rajesh, deputy director of ATR (Tiruppur Forest Division), said, “An inquiry is under way. On Friday, two officials – forester Nimal and watcher Senthilkumar from Udumalaipet range – have been placed under suspension.”
Yadav Girish, SP of Tiruppur, said, “Judicial magistrate’s investigation is under way in the case. Further action will be taken based on the investigation report.”
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