Terrorism

Pahalgam attack case: Karambir Singh Nalwa named special public prosecutor

The Centre has appointed noted lawyer Karambir Singh Nalwa as Special Public Prosecutor to lead the trial in Pahalgam terror attack case, which claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local pony operator on April 22 last year. The development comes on the first anniversary of the deadly terror attack. In an order notified on Wednesday, the Union Home Ministry said it exercised the powers under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008 and Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 to appoint senior advocate Nalwa as Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for conducting trial and other matters related to the case on behalf of the agency in NIA special court, Jammu and the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The appointment is for a period of three years or till the completion of trial of the case or till the satisfaction of NIA with the performance of the SPP, whichever is earlier, it said. The NIA had filed a comprehensive chargesheet against six people and two terrorist ...

Security tightened across Kashmir on Pahalgam terror attack anniversary

Security has been beefed up across Kashmir as the nation remembers the 26 men who were gunned down by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam resort on this day last year. Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed at important places, including tourist resorts, across Kashmir on the first anniversary of the deadly terror attack, officials said, expecting events and rallies to be held in memory of the victims. On April 22, 2025, a dastardly terrorist attack ripped through the quaint Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam, killing 25 tourists and a local pony-ride operator. The brutal attack carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists led to an exodus of tourists from Jammu and Kashmir, prompting the authorities to shut nearly 50 tourist spots before reopening some of those in a phased manner after a security audit. A year down the line, the famed meadows of Pahalgam are once again buzzing with tourist activity, with none rueing their decision to visit the 'Mini ...

Pakistani handler expanding network in India via social media: UP police

Two men arrested in Bijnor for allegedly being in touch with a Pakistan-linked handler based in Saudi Arabia told police that the Pakistani handler was expanding his network in India via social media. Circle Officer Najibabad, Anjani Kumar Chaturvedi, said on Saturday that police arrested Uvaid Malik and Jalal Haider in Bijnor following a tip-off regarding their alleged links with Aqib, a native of Sathla village in Meerut's Mawana area who is currently staying in West Asia. According to police, Aqib earlier come into the spotlight after a video surfaced on Instagram on November 23, purportedly showing him displaying an AK-47 rifle and explosives. During interrogation, the arrested men allegedly told police that Aqib used to incite youngsters against Hindus and encourage anti-national activities, disseminating radical and inflammatory ideas on Instagram, the officer said. Police said both the arrested men came in contact with Aqib and Maizul (who is based in South Africa) three yea

J-K LG Manoj Sinha orders magisterial probe into Ganderbal encounter

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday ordered a magisterial probe into the encounter in Ganderbal district in which one alleged terrorist was killed by security forces. Several mainstream leaders, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, had raised questions about the encounter that took place on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday. In a post on X, Sinha said, "I have ordered a thorough and impartial magisterial inquiry into Arhama, Ganderbal incident. The inquiry will examine all aspects related to the incident and ensure that justice is served". The family of the slain youth -- Rashid Ahmad Mughal -- had claimed that the deceased had no links to terrorism. Abdullah had said on Thursday that, "I believe the claim of the family should not be dismissed out of hand. At the very least this encounter needs a transparent & time bound probe with the facts made public". "Any attempt to obfuscate or delay the announcement .

3 arrested over suspected terror links in Andhra Pradesh's Vijayawada

Three men have been arrested here for allegedly expressing support for extremist ideology on social media and suspected links to terror networks, a police official said on Tuesday. The accused are identified as Mohammad Rahmatulla Sharif (23), Mirza Sohail Baig (23), and Mohammad Danish (27), and they were found during surveillance of online activities linked to radical content and propaganda. "Based on intelligence inputs, our teams arrested three individuals. They were found sharing and promoting extremist content on social media platforms," the official told PTI, adding that further investigation is underway. The trio was apprehended near their residence in the Two Town locality on Monday by Intelligence officials as part of a coordinated operation. Preliminary investigation revealed that the group is part of a network of around 10 members operating across the country and allegedly attempting to influence youth and divert them towards extremist activities, officials said. Polic

Lebanon says 83 children among 400 killed in week of Hezbollah clash

Israel's renewed offensive began last week after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel during the opening days of the war

Govt unveils first ever national counter-terrorism policy 'Prahaar'

The eight-page document stresses prevention of terror attacks, swift and proportionate response mechanisms, and stronger coordination among agencies

Massive blow to terror network: Army on elimination of 3 terrorists in J-K

The Army on Monday termed the killing of three Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar a "massive blow to the terror network", and said it was the culmination of a relentless, high-altitude joint operation conducted over 326 days in extremely challenging terrain. Three members of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, including its self-styled commander, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kishtwar on Sunday. They said army troops, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force tracked the terrorists in extremely hostile conditions. "Troops of White Knight Corps, police and CRPF, based on a well-knit intelligence grid established by civil and military intelligence agencies, have finally eliminated all seven dreaded terrorists in Chatroo belt of Kishtwar (in several operations during last near one year)," the White Knight Corps said in a post on X. It described the outcome as a "massive blow to the terror network"

'Mule account' network in J-K busted; agencies flag potential terror links

Security agencies have busted an ever-growing ecosystem of "mule accounts" in Jammu and Kashmir that serves as the financial backbone of global scam networks, with officials fearing that the funds routed through these accounts could be used for separatist and anti-national activities. The officials said more than 8,000 mule accounts operating in the region have been identified and frozen over a period of three years, exposing a sophisticated network of money laundering. They described these accounts as the "weakest yet most crucial link" in the cybercrime chain, as without them, the conversion of stolen money into untraceable cryptocurrency would be impossible. Central security agencies have asked the Jammu and Kashmir Police and other law enforcement agencies to hold consultations with banks to curb the mushrooming of 'mule accounts' and identify middlemen, commonly referred to as "mulers", who facilitate such financial frauds, they said. Officials suspect that after the National

“Don't fuel terrorism in our neighbourhood”: EAM Jaishankar's blunt message to Poland

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday cautioned Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski against supporting or legitimising terrorism

Op resumes in Kathua to track down terrorists; 1 security personnel injured

The security forces on Thursday morning resumed a search operation to track down terrorists hiding in a forest in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, where one security person suffered a minor injury. The joint action by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of J-K Police and other security forces was launched at Kahog village in Billawar on Wednesday evening, leading to an encounter, officials said. The search operation to track down the hiding terrorists has been resumed after a night-long cordon, a senior security official said. The searches are being conducted in the Dhanu Parole-Kamadh nallah area. Additional forces have been called in, along with aerial surveillance, to pin down the terrorists hiding in the dense forest, they said. Despite darkness, thick vegetation and treacherous terrain, the SOG is relentlessly engaging the terrorists. Teams of the CRPF are also participating in the joint operation, Bhim Sen Tuti, IGP, Jammu Zone, said in a post on X. The gunfight broke out

Kneejerk reactions not enough to stop the next Bondi Beach attack

Faced by such a targeted act of violence after years of increasing antisemitic attacks, it's unsurprising that Jewish Australians feel they've been left unprotected

Udhampur encounter: Operation continues to track holed-up terrorists in J&K

Security forces searched for terrorists in Udhampur on Tuesday, a day after a policeman was killed in a gunfight there, a police officer said. During the encounter on Monday, one terrorist was believed to have been injured, while two policemen suffered minor bullet wounds. "The operation has been resumed in the area to track down the holed-up terrorists. The cordon has been further strengthened," the officer told PTI. A joint team of the Special Operations Group (SOG) of police, along with the army and the CRPF, is on the job with sniffer dogs, the officer said. On Monday, forces got locked in a gunfight with terrorists in Soan village of the Majalta area in Udhampur. The village was raided by the police on a tip-off about the presence of three terrorists, believed to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit. The encounter took place in the besieged village around 6 pm and continued for some time, resulting in injuries to one SOG jawan, Amjad Pathan, so

Who is Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in the White House National Guard shooting?

A 29-year-old Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, has been identified as the suspect in a brazen ambush near the White House

Terror not linked to religion; people should not fall for narratives: BJP

Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesperson Tahir Chowdhary on Saturday said the recent Delhi blast was a terror attack aimed at India, and urged people not to fall for narratives that divide people or demonise any community. He appreciated the coordinated efforts of the security agencies investigating the November 10 blast that killed 15 persons in the Red Fort area, and said invoking the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other stringent provisions against the culprits was not only justified but essential. Terrorists want chaos. They want mistrust. They want to weaken our social fabric. Giving this attack a communal colour is exactly what they want. We cannot allow that, Chowdhary said in a statement here. He said the arrests, including individuals detained from Pulwama, indicate a wider conspiracy and show that the attack was neither random nor impulsive. He called the attack a "planned terror strike" aimed at a high-footfall area with immense national symbolism. Coming out

India's priorities shine through in G20 South Africa Leaders' Declaration

The declaration unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, reflecting India's consistent stance on the issue

India, Israel have to work together to eliminate terrorism: Piyush Goyal

Speaking at the India-Israel Business Summit in Tel Aviv, Goyal also addressed the recent challenges faced by Israelis, referring to the October 7 Hamas attack and hostilities that followed it

Top Naxal commander Madvi Hidma killed in encounter in Andhra Pradesh

Top Naxalite commander Madvi Hidma, who had masterminded several attacks over the last two decades, was killed in an encounter in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, a breakthrough Chhattisgarh Police described as the "last nail in the coffin" of the insurgency. Security forces gunned down Hidma, his wife Raje, and four other Naxalites in the Maredumilli forest in Alluri Sitaramaraju district of the neighbouring state this morning, a senior police officer in Bastar confirmed. Hidma's elimination is the "last nail in the coffin" of severely-weakened insurgency in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. "We have received information that Maoist leader Hidma is among the cadres killed on the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border. It is a very important development," Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma told reporters in Raipur. A native of Puvarti village in Sukma district, Hidma's age and appearance remained mysterious until his photograph surfaced earlier this year. He heade

Red Fort car blast: A look at Delhi's long, violent history of explosions

The latest explosion near Red Fort metro station, which claimed 13 lives, adds to a painful legacy of market and court blasts that have shaken Delhi in 2005, 2008 and 2011

Maharashtra ATS questions Thane teacher over 'terror' links of Pune techie

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has questioned a teacher in Thane in connection with the arrest of a Pune-based software engineer for his alleged links with Al Qaeda and other banned outfits, officials said on Wednesday. The teacher's house at Mumbra in Thane district was used for one of the meetings by the arrested engineer, Zubair Hangargekar, they said. The ATS nabbed Hangargekar (37) on October 27 for his alleged links with banned outfits, such as Al Qaeda and Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent, and for his suspected involvement in radicalisation activities. During the investigation, the ATS had found a Pakistani contact number saved on his old phone. While probing further, the ATS learned that Hangargekar had visited Mumbra for one of his meetings. Accordingly, the ATS officials visited the teacher's house on Tuesday and enquired about Hangargekar and his meeting, an official said. The teacher is neither an accused nor a witness in the case, he said. The ATS tol