Bareilly police arrest certificate forger as inflation shrinks Dussehra effigies
Bareilly police arrested a 45-year-old man for running a fraudulent certificate operation, recovering 27 forged documents and 11 stamps. Meanwhile, the city's Dussehra season is unfolding against a backdrop of economic strain, as effigy artisans report inflation steadily reducing the size of Ravana effigies. A Catholic youth convention also drew more than 400 participants from across the Diocese of Bareilly.
Fake Marksheets Racket Busted, One Arrested
A 45-year-old Bareilly resident, Pradeep Kumar Gangwar, has been arrested on charges of manufacturing and distributing fraudulent academic marksheets and certificates. The arrest came after a police investigation in the city, with Senior Superintendent of Police Anurag Arya confirming that officers recovered 27 fake documents and 11 rubber stamps from Gangwar's possession at the time of the arrest. The recovered items suggest Gangwar operated a structured forgery setup capable of producing counterfeit credentials on demand. Officials described the accused as having been engaged in preparing and supplying the forged papers, indicating the operation extended beyond personal use to a commercial distribution network. The recovery of stamps alongside printed documents points to an in-house production process rather than sourcing from outside. Authorities have not disclosed the specific institutions whose marksheets were being forged, nor the scale of distribution at this stage. The case was reported on Friday, October 23, by ThePrint citing a PTI dispatch, and the arrest was described as the result of active police work in the district. The incident adds to continuing concerns about the circulation of fraudulent academic credentials in Uttar Pradesh, where such forgeries can enable individuals to obtain employment or admission on false pretenses. Law enforcement officials indicated further investigation is underway to determine how widely the forged documents had been circulated and whether additional individuals were involved in the operation. [5]
400 Catholic Youth Attend Pro-Life Formation Convention
More than 400 young Catholics from across the Diocese of Bareilly gathered from October 17 to 19 for the Anubhav Youth Convention 2026, an event organized by the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) with a focus on pro-life formation. Held at the Bishop Conrad School Campus in Bareilly, the three-day convention addressed what organizers described as moral and cultural challenges confronting young people, approached through the lens of Catholic teaching. The agenda covered a wide range of topics including abortion, in-vitro fertilisation, the theology of the body, human sexuality, pornography, masturbation, gender ideology, and LGBTQ+ issues. The formation sessions were conducted by Ajin Joseph, associate secretary of the CCBI Family Commission who holds special responsibility for pro-life ministry, alongside Sr Paulina Melite MSMI. Both facilitators emphasized the dignity of every human person, the value of chastity, and the importance of making life-affirming choices in everyday life. Joseph led an additional exclusive session focused on inner healing, physical healing, and deliverance, with particular emphasis on cultivating purity of heart and body. Participants were encouraged to deepen their relationship with Christ, seek spiritual renewal, and engage thoughtfully with contemporary moral questions grounded in Scripture and Church teaching. Bishop Ignatius D'Souza of Bareilly also presided over portions of the convention, lending it episcopal support and significance within the diocese. [8]
🎬 Rising Inflation Forces Artisans to Build Smaller Ravana Effigies
An ETV Bharat report from Bareilly highlights how rising inflation is diminishing a beloved Dussehra tradition: the construction of towering Ravana effigies. Effigy artisans in the city have noted that where effigies once stood 50 feet tall and formed a dramatic centerpiece of the festival, escalating costs of raw materials have forced them to build smaller and less elaborate structures each year. The report frames inflation as the principal driver behind what amounts to a steady reduction in the symbolic stature of one of Hinduism's most recognizable festival icons. The challenge is not merely one of cost — artisans also face the question of how to pass their craft on to the next generation in a climate where the economics of effigy-making are increasingly unfavorable. The traditional skill of building large bamboo-and-papier-mache effigies, decorated and prepared in the weeks leading up to Dussehra, has historically been passed from master craftspeople to apprentices within specialized communities. With margins shrinking and demand for large effigies declining alongside purchasing power constraints among event organizers, younger artisans have fewer opportunities to learn and practice the trade at scale. The report by Bhim Manohar for ETV Bharat underscores the broader impact that economic pressures are having on cultural and festival traditions across Uttar Pradesh. [9]
Sources: [5] ThePrint · [8] Catholic Connect · [9] ETV Bharat