Page 174 - War Conflict
Four farmers killed in Boko Haram attack in Nigeria: Witnesses
Four farmers were killed in an attack by Boko Haram insurgents in northeast Nigeria's Borno state, witnesses said here. The attack came a day after the jihadists killed three people in a raid in neighbouring Adamawa state. Fighters in trucks on Tuesday opened fire on the farmers as they worked in their fields outside Lassa village on the fringes of the group's Sambisa forest enclave. "We lost four of our kinsmen to Boko Haram who came around 2:00 pm (1300 GMT) yesterday and shot them dead in their farm outside the village," Adamu Galadima, a militia leader assisting the military to fight the Islamists, said Wednesday. "They (Boko Haram) tried to enter the village but our vigilantes mobilised and chased them away," he said. Resident Danjuma Ijaduwa who gave a similar account, told AFP the attack was a reprisal after the jihadis incurred heavy losses the previous day. On Tuesday, vigilantes in Lassa laid an ambush on Boko Haram fighters as they fled a military pursuit. The insurgents ...
J-K: 3 CRPF jawans shot dead by fellow soldier
3 CRPF personnel of 187th battalion were shot dead a fellow jawan at the battalion headquarters in Udhampur's Battal Ballian on Wednesday night.After firing at his colleagues, the jawan shot himself. His condition is said to be critical.Speaking to media here, Harinder Kumar, Commandant of 187th Battalion, said: "3 jawans have died, the one who shot them dead is critically injured."The motive behind the incident is being ascertained.Further details are awaited.
1971 war hero captain M N Samant dies
Veteran commander of Indian submarine in 1971 Bangladesh war, captain M N Samant, died of a cardiac arrest here on Wednesday, the Navy said. He was 89. Captain Samant was admitted to Arogya Nidhi Hospital in suburban Vile Parle. He was conferred with Maha Vir Chakra for his acts of conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy. Post-war, Samant had served as the first chief of staff of the Bangladesh Navy, the Navy said.
Nine injured as Naxals blow up SUV using IED in Chhattisgarh
Nine people were injured, one of them critically, after naxals blew up a civilian vehicle using an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Wednesday, police said. The incident took place around 7.45 pm near Peddakodepal village when the victims were heading towards neighbouring Dantewada district in an SUV to visit a fair, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Govardhan Ram Thakur told PTI. "All the nine occupants, including the driver, of the vehicle were injured in the blast," he said. After being alerted, a police team rushed to the spot and admitted the injured people to a hospital, Thakur said, adding that the condition of one of them is reportedly serious. Police suspect that the rebels might have planned to target the security forces, whose movement has been intensified in view of the Lok Sabha elections, but mistakenly attacked the civilian vehicle.
Army jawan shoots self to death
An Army jawan allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself to death with his service rifle at the Infantry Brigade camp here while on duty, police said. Vishal Kumar P (25), from Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram district, allegedly committed suicide on Tuesday night, police said. The deceased hailed from Pangode village in Nedumangad taluka of Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram district, an official of Jamnagar A division police station said. "The jawan shot himself with his Insas service rifle while on duty at Army's Infantry Brigade military camp here at around 10.15 pm yesterday. Hearing the gunshot, people rushed to the spot only to find him dead," the official said. Police are trying to find out the reason behind his extreme step, he said. His family members have been informed about the incident, the official said.
Nirav Modi will be extradited to India like Michel: Javadekar
In the wake of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's arrest in London, Union minister Prakash Javadekar Wednesday said he will be extradited to India like AgustaWestland case accused Christian Michel and all "thieves" will be put behind bars under the Narendra Modi-led government. The Human Resource Development Minister said the government will ensure that the money looted from the country is returned to the nation. "Michel was extradited, then Talwar and Saxena were brought in and Vijay Mallya is also going to be brought back soon. Nirav Modi has also been arrested. All thieves under the leadership of Narendra Modi will be put behind the bars and will have to return the looted money to the nation,"Javdekar said. He said the arrest of Nirav Modi only "prove" that the country is in safe hands under the leadership of the prime minister. Nirav Modi, the main accused in the USD 2 billion PNB scam case, was arrested in London and a court on Wednesday remanded him in custody till March 29, ...
Sri Lanka rejects calls for international probe into rights violations
Sri Lanka on Wednesday rejected calls for setting up an international judicial mechanism to probe alleged human rights violations during the final phase of the conflict with the LTTE, saying constitutional challenges prevent foreigners from participating in the process. Foreign Minister Thilak Marapana's comments came during his address at the ongoing session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva. Marapana explained to the UNHRC the legal and Constitutional challenges which prevent foreigners participating in the judicial process. "It has been explained that if non-citizen judges are to be appointed in such a process, it will not be possible without an amendment to the Constitution by 2/3rd of members of Parliament voting in favour and also the approval of people at a referendum," a statement released here said. The 2015 resolution had called for an international investigation in a hybrid court on alleged human rights violations blamed on both the government troops and the .
Encounter breaks out in J-K's Baramulla
An encounter broke out on Wednesday between terrorists and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district.The encounter broke out when a troop of 176 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), SOG Kunzar and Rashtriya Rifles (RR) were carrying out the cordon and search operation.Intermittent firing is underway.No injuries or causalities have been reported yet.More details are underway.
Rs 3 lakh looted from ATM
Unidentified men have looted Rs 3 lakh from an ATM in west Delhi, police said Wednesday. The incident occurred at Ranhola area on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. The suspected robbers came to an Indicash ATM, broke open the front panel and took Rs 3 lakh from it, a police officer said. A case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been registered and an investigation is on. Police are checking the CCTV footage of the ATM and nearby areas, the officer said. Earlier on the same night, unidentified men fled with an entire ATM machine of the Corporation Bank, which had around Rs 30 lakh, near the Nawada metro station in Dwarka.
No point in Nirav Modi's arrest till taxpayers money returned: AAP
AAP leader Sanjay Singh said on Wednesday there was no point in arresting fugitives like Nirav Modi until taxpayers' money looted by them is returned to the country. Nirav Modi, the main accused in the USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank scam case, was arrested in London where a court on Wednesday remanded the fugitive diamantaire in custody till March 29, saying there were substantial grounds to believe that he would fail to surrender if granted bail. Reacting to the development, Singh said fugitive Vijay Mallya was also arrested recently, but the matter died down. He said till the taxpayers' money looted by fugitives like Nirav Modi was returned to the country, there was no point in such arrests. "The fugitive economic bill has been passed by the Parliament, so the property owned by these people in the country should be auctioned by the government to return people's money -- that is our demand. The government should be worried about how the loot by these people should be returned to .
Kejriwal not to celebrate Holi in respect of CRPF men killed in Pulwama attack
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not celebrate Holi on Thursday as a mark of respect to the 40 CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama terror attack. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed after a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into their bus, which was part of a convoy of the paramilitary force going to Srinagar from Jammu, on February 14. "Delhi Chief Minister @ArvindKejriwal will not celebrate the Holi festival tomorrow as a mark of respect to the martyrs of Pulwama terror attack" the AAP posted on its official Twitter handle on Wednesday. The CRPF will also not be celebrating the festival of colours this year officially in solidarity with the families of the troopers killed in the suicide attack in south Kashmir.
Manipuri dancer explores human cost of war
The plight of refugees and their constant state of movement and instability became the central theme of "1 Sq Ft", a contemporary dance act by Manipuri choreographer Surjit Nongmeikapam, who was first inspired by the horrors of the World World II wreckage in Manipur.
'Leaders only talk war, don't send kin to fight one'
Unhappy with political parties preaching war as the only way to teach Pakistan a lesson, S.N. Subbarao, a Gandhian, on Wednesday said parties that
Raj Bhavan not to celebrate Holi: J&K Guv
As a mark of respect to the CRPF jawans who died in the Pulwama terror attack, the Raj Bhavan here will not celebrate Holi this year, an official said on Wednesday. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) too will not be celebrating the festival of colours this year officially in solidarity with the families of the 40 troopers killed in the February 14 suicide attack in south Kashmir. A Raj Bhavan spokesperson informed that Governor Satya Pal Malik has decided that there will be no official Holi celebrations at the Raj Bhavan in the state's winter capital of Jammu. Malik said that he will not be celebrating the festival personally as well. The Governor did greet the people and observed that celebrating festivals together strengthens the bond of brotherhood between people. In his message, Malik said, the celebration of festivals, a valuable part of our rich cultural heritage, strengthens the bonds of brotherhood and amity. I hope that this Holi would spread happiness and joy all around
J&K Governor praises boy on receiving Shaurya Chakra
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday congratulated the Kashmiri boy on receiving the 'Shaurya Chakra' for tackling militants in the Shopian district.
Man sacked and deported from UAE for praising NZ attacks
An employee at a Dubai-based security company was fired and deported for celebrating the deadly New Zealand mosque attacks under a fake identity on Facebook, the group said Wednesday. "Over the weekend, a Transguard employee made inflammatory comments on his personal Facebook account celebrating the deplorable mosque attack in Christchurch, New Zealand," the Transguard security group said in a statement. "Despite posting under a false name, the employee responsible for last weekend's inflammatory (Facebook) comments has been identified, terminated as per Transguard policy and handed over to the authorities." Transguard, which is affiliated with the Emirates Group that includes Emirates Airline, said the man had been deported by the UAE government. It did not name him or reveal his nationality. An Australian white supremacist shot dead 50 Muslims praying at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on Friday. The attacks sparked global revulsion and drew condemnation from the United ...
Taliban militants kill 6 paramilitary personnel in Pakistan
Heavily armed Taliban militants attacked a remote security check post in Pakistan's restive Baluchistan province, killing at least six paramilitary personnel and wounding over a dozen others, an official said Wednesday. The Pakistani Taliban known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack which took place in the mountainous Lal Khattai area of Ziarat district. The militant outfit said in a statement in Urdu that the attack was in retaliation to several deaths of its activists by the paramilitary forces. Qadir Bakhtakani, Ziarat district deputy commissioner, said the militants started the operation late night and exchange of fire continued for a while. "They attacked a Levies checkpoint and came heavily armed," he said. An investigation into the killing of six soldiers was underway, he said, adding that the injured have been shifted to different hospitals. Several militant groups operate in Baluchistan, including the Pakistani Taliban which continues to ...
Defence Ministry clears proposal to buy 10 lakh 'Made in India' hand grenades for Army
Defence Ministry on Wednesday cleared a major project for the Indian Army for the acquisition of 10 lakh 'Made in India' multi-mode hand grenades, sources said.The new hand grenades will replace the existing inventory, HE-36 grenades manufactured by the Ordnance Factory Board. The multi-mode grenades have been developed by the DRDO and a production agency has been selected to manufacture them in large numbers.The project worth more than Rs 500 crore proposal was critical as the government has already taken care of the main personal weapon requirements of the Army soldiers by signing two contracts for modern rifles.Hand grenades are among the few critical weapons that soldiers need in the time of war as they can be used to cause heavy damage to enemy positions or bunkers apart from taking out their soldiers.
Singapore rejects Sri Lankan leader's allegation on trading scam suspect
Singapore rejected Wednesday Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's allegation it was sheltering a former central bank chief wanted for fraud, saying Colombo failed to provide documents to support its extradition request. Sirisena on Monday accused Singapore of sheltering Arjuna Mahendran, one of his country's former central bank chiefs wanted in connection with a high-profile USD 74 million insider trading scam. Sirisena said he appealed to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in January to return Mahendran, who is believed to be in Singapore, but claimed nothing had been done. Mahendran, a Singapore national of Sri Lankan origin, was accused in 2015 of passing sensitive information to his bond-dealer son-in-law to make millions. The pair are accused of manipulating bond auctions in 2015 and 2016, causing losses of over USD 11 million to the state. A spokesperson for Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said authorities in the city-state have been cooperating with their Sri Lankan .
Two Palestinians killed by Israeli army in West Bank clashes: health ministry
Two Palestinians were killed by Israeli forces in clashes near a flashpoint religious site in the occupied West Bank overnight Wednesday, the Palestinian health ministry said. The health ministry said Raid Hamdan, 21, and Zaid Nouri, 20, died after being shot late Tuesday by Israeli troops near the Joseph Tomb's religious site close to the Palestinian city of Nablus. The Israeli army said in a statement explosives were hurled from a vehicle as Jewish worshippers visited the site late Tuesday. "Troops responded with live fire towards the vehicle." There were no reports of injuries on the Israeli side. The site has long been a source of tension in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. Jews believe the site contains the remains of the biblical patriarch Joseph, one of the 12 sons of Jacob. Palestinian Muslims believe an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Yusser (Joseph) Dweikat, was buried there two centuries ago. It is located near a Palestinian refugee camp in the West Bank, the territory occupied by .