Page 363 - War Conflict
C'garh poll: 1 lakh security forces deployed, says Special DGP
Around 1 lakh security personnel have been deployed in Chhattisgarh for smooth conduct of the first phase of polling on November 12, a senior police official said Saturday. The first phase of assembly polls will see voting in 18 seats spread over eight Naxal-affected districts in the state. Naxal outfits have given calls for boycott of the election and have also carried out three major attacks in the last fortnight which have claimed the lives of 13 people, including eight security personnel. The security personnel, including central paramilitary force, have been deployed to ensure peaceful polling in the first phase, Chhattisgarh's Special Director General (Anti-Naxal Operations) D M Awasthi told PTI. In the last 10 days, over 300 IEDs were recovered from Bastar region and Rajnandgaon district by security forces, he said, adding that all necessary measures had been taken to thwart attempts by Maoists to disrupt the poll process. A total of 650 companies, including those from ...
Army soldier killed, 2 BSF jawans injured in ceasefire violation in J&K's Rajouri
An Army soldier was killed Saturday in sniper fire by Pakistani troops, while two BSF personnel were injured in cross-border firing along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. Rifleman Varun Kattal (21), a resident of Mawa-Rajpura area of Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, was shot dead by a sniper from across the border in Sunderbani sector, triggering an exchange of fire between the two sides, the officials said. This was the second sniper attack along the LoC in two days. An Army porter lost his life in a similar attack in Akhnoor sector of Jammu Friday. "At about 0945 hours, unprovoked ceasefire violation was initiated by Pakistan in Sunderbani sector in which one Army soldier was shot by a sniper from across the border and later succumbed to injuries at 11.10 AM," a defence spokesman said. "Rifleman Kattal is survived by his parents, father Anchal Singh and mother Pinki Rani. He was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always ...
Soldier killed, two BSF men injured in Pakistan firing
Hours after an Indian Army soldier was killed on Saturday in Pakistan ceasefire violation, two Border Security Force personnel were injured on the Line of Control in Rajouri district.
Maharashtra forest minister linked to global poaching mafia: Mumbai Cong chief
Hitting out at the Maharashtra government over the killing of tigress Avni, Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam Saturday accused Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar of having links with the international poaching mafia, following which the BJP leader said he would file a defamation case. Mungantiwar has been facing flak from opposition parties in the state over the killing of the tigress in Yavatmal district on November 2. Officially called T1, the big cat had allegedly killed 13 people in the district's Pandharkawda area in the last two years. It was shot dead by a marksman hired by the state government. Demanding the minister be sacked from the Cabinet immediately, Nirupam said tigers are "unsafe" in Maharashtra as long as Mungantiwar is in-charge of the forest department. The Congress leader said a CBI probe should be instituted against the forest minister over the death of tigers in the state in the last four years. "Sudhir Mungantiwar resumed office as the forest minister in the .
Top cop rubbishes reports of arrest of 2 ISI agents in Nagpur
The Nagpur police Saturday termed as "fake" media reports about the arrest of two suspected agents of Pakistan's spy agency ISI from the city. Police Commissioner B K Upadhyay said no such operation was carried out in the city. There were reports Friday on social media that two suspected ISI agents were arrested from Bhaldarpura area under the Ganeshpeth Police Station. Some newspapers carried reports that the Military Intelligence (MI) had made the arrests in a covert operation on Friday night. However, the police commissioner said these reports were "fake" and no such operation was carried out in any part of the city. Irfan Quazi, a social activist residing in Bhaldarpura, said no one noticed any such raid in the densely populated area.
Maha: BJP, Sena fight over committee to probe tigress killing
The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena Saturday sparred over a committee formed by the Maharashtra government to probe the killing of tigress Avni after Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray called the panel a "farce". The big cat, officially known as T1, was shot dead in an operation in a forest in Yavatmal district on November 2, leading to outrage among animal lovers and wildlife organisations who accused the state government of violating norms. The state government Friday constituted a four-member committee, comprising wildlife experts and officials, for an "in-depth" probe into the killing of the tigress. Senior BJP leader and state Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said the state government is willing to form another panel under Thackeray's leadership, if he so desires. The committee is headed by Principal Chief Conservator of Forest S H Patil and includes Wildlife Institute of India member Habib Bilal, Wildlife Conservation Trust chairman Anish Andheriya and Additional Principal Chief ...
Death toll from Mogadishu bombings jumps to 41: police
The death toll from a series of car bombings near a popular hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu has jumped to 41, police said on Saturday. "The information we have received from the various hospitals indicates that the number of dead had reached 41 people, 106 others were also wounded," police official Ibrahim Mohamed said of Friday's attacks. The previous toll was about 20 dead.
2 Koreas complete disarming of 22 guard posts
The North and South Korean militaries completed withdrawing troops and firearms from 22 front-line guard posts on Saturday as they continue to implement a wide-ranging agreement reached in September to reduce tensions across the world's most fortified border, a South Korean Defence Ministry official said. South Korea says the military agreement is an important trust-building step that would help stabilize peace and advance reconciliation between the rivals. But critics say the South risks conceding some of its conventional military strength before North Korea takes any meaningful steps on denuclearisation an anxiety that's growing as the larger nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang seemingly drift into a stalemate. South Korea reportedly has about 60 guard posts bunker-like concrete structures surrounded with layers of barbed-wire fences and manned by soldiers equipped with machine guns stretched across the ironically named Demilitarised Zone. The 248-kilometer ...
Telangana caretaker CM visits spiritual centre
: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Saturday visited 'Divya Saketam', a spiritual centre of Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimannarayana Chinna Jeeyar Swami, at Shamshabad, near here, and offered special prayers. Rao visited the temple complex located at the spiritual centre, the Jeeyar Integrated Vedic Academy (JIVA) and offered prayers, an official press release said here. Later, he received the blessings of Chinna Jeeyar Swami, the release added.
VP Naidu inaugurates War Memorial in France, remembers Indian soldiers' sacrifice
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu said that India contributed immensely to the war effort during the World War I as he inaugurated the Indian War Memorial at Villers Guislain in France on Saturday.Speaking during the inaugural function, the Vice President spoke about the importance of the memorial, terming it as a tribute to the Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives fighting selflessly during the World War I."I consider it my privilege to have this honour to be amongst you today and inaugurate the first War Memorial constructed by the Government of India in France and to pay homage to the Indian soldiers who fought selflessly and heroically during World War I and made the supreme sacrifice," Vice President Naidu said during the event which had Mayor of Villers Guislain Gerard Allart, and other distinguished guests in attendance."India contributed immensely to the war effort in terms of both men and material. Her soldiers served with credit and honour in numerous battlefields around ..
Mumbai Congress says minister linked to 'global poaching mafia'
Upping its aggressive stance, Mumbai Congress on Saturday accused Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar of links with the international poaching mafia and sought his arrest and dismissal from the cabinet.
Army soldier killed in Pakistan sniper fire in J&K's Rajouri
An Army soldier was killed Saturday in sniper fire by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said. The spokesman identified the soldier as rifleman Varun Kattal (21), a resident of Mawa-Rajpura area of Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir. He is survived by his parents, father Anchal Singh and mother Pinki Rani. This was the second sniper attack along the LoC in two days. An Army porter lost his life in a similar attack in Akhnoor sector of Jammu Friday. "At about 0945 hours, unprovoked ceasefire violation was initiated by Pakistan in Sunderbani sector in which one Army soldier was shot by a sniper from across the border and later succumbed to injuries at 11.10 AM," the spokesman said. "Rifleman Kattal was a brave and sincere soldier. The nation will always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty," the spokesman said adding his martyrdom will not go in vain. He said the Indian Army ...
Trump calls off US military cemetery visit due to bad weather
US President Donald Trump on Saturday called off a trip to a World War I US military cemetery in France because of bad weather, the White House said. After talks with French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Trump cancelled his visit to Belleau Wood battlefield and cemetery 80 kilometres (50 miles) northeast of Paris because of "scheduling and logistical difficulties caused by the weather," his administration said. He and his wife Melania were to have flown to the site of a 1918 battle led by US Marines against German forces. A US delegation led by Chief of Staff General John Kelly and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joe Dunford will visit the cemetery instead, the White House added. Trump was due to join other world leaders for dinner at the Musee d'Orsay art museum Saturday evening, before visiting another American cemetery that holds war dead, at Suresnes, in the Paris suburbs, Sunday morning. Some 70 leaders will gather at 11 am Sunday local time) at the tomb of the ...
Turkey ammunition depot blast killed 7 soldiers, wounded 25
Turkey's president said Saturday that at least seven soldiers were killed and 25 others wounded in an explosion at an ammunition depot at a base in the southeast. The Defense Ministry previously said on Friday that 25 soldiers were wounded and seven others were missing following an unexplained accident during the firing of heavy weapons ammunition. The blast occurred at a base in Hakkari province, bordering Iraq and Iran. The base is mainly used for operations targeting outlawed Kurdish rebels. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking at a memorial marking the 80th anniversary of the death of the Turkish republic's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk said the incident involved an ammunition depot explosion and resulted in four deaths. He later told reporters before departing for Paris that seven soldiers were killed and 25 others were wounded in the explosion. Four of the wounded were in serious condition and were being evacuated by helicopter to a hospital in Ankara, Erdogan said. The ...
Maharashtra tigress killing: Thackeray calls probe panels a farce
Embarrassing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, its ruling ally Shiv Sena on Saturday termed as a 'farce' the inquiry committees set up yesterday to probe the killing of alleged man-eater tigress Avni and demanded a judicial probe into the incident.
UK police hunt for vandals who defaced new Indian war memorial
A UK police force on Saturday launched an appeal to arrest vandals who attacked a newly-inaugurated Indian war memorial in the town of Smethwick in the West Midlands region of England. West Midlands Police said officers are treating the vandalism to the retaining wall surrounding the 'Lions of the Great War' sculpture as "racially-aggravated criminal damage". The 10-foot high statue, which depicts a Sikh soldier symbolic of the contribution of South Asian soldiers to World War I, was unveiled last Sunday at a spot between the town's High Street and Tollhouse Way and is believed to have been targeted with graffiti in the early hours of Friday. "We understand that this attack has caused a lot of concern in the community, and we are working to understand the reasons behind it and identify whoever is responsible," said Sergeant Bill Gill from the Smethwick Neighbourhood Team of West Midlands Police. "Officers had already planned to be at the remembrance event which is happening tomorrow ..
Vice President Naidu inaugurates first India-built war memorial in France
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Saturday inaugurated the first India-bulit war memorial in northern France to pay tribute to thousands of Indian soldiers who fought selflessly and made supreme sacrifices during the World War I. Naidu, who is on a three-day visit to Paris starting Friday, also interacted with French armed forces veterans and children at the inauguration of the Indian War Memorial at Villers Guislain. "Extremely happy to unveil the Indian Armed Forces Memorial at Villers-Guislain town in France today. It's a great tribute to several thousands of Indian soldiers whose gallantry and dedication have earned worldwide recognition," Naidu said in a tweet. The memorial is the first-of-its-kind built by India in France after the country's Independence. The announcement to construct the memorial was made by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj during her last visit to Paris in June 2018. "India contributed immensely to the war effort in terms of both men and material. Her ...
Death toll in Somalia car bomb attacks rises to 30
The death toll in three car bomb explosions carried out outside a luxury hotel in the Somali capital has risen to 30, officials said on Saturday.
Army briefs Guv about security situation along IB and LoC in JK
A senior Army officer Saturday briefed Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik about the security situation along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC), including pattern of infiltration from across the border, an official said. The Army's General Officer Commanding (GOC), 26 infantry division, Maj Gen Sharad Kapoor met the Governor at Raj Bhavan here and briefed him about the security situation in the area of his responsibility, an official spokesman said. He said the Governor and the GOC reviewed issues relating to the pattern of infiltration from across the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC). They also discussed various other issues relating to the overall security environment in the area, the spokesman said.
Nirupam seeks Mungantiwar's resignation over Tigress Avni's killing
Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Saturday demanded the resignation of Maharashtra's Environment and Forest Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar over the killing of tigress Avni and also sought a CBI probe into the entire episode.Talking to media persons, he alleged that there was a connection between Mungantiwar and the poachers, who allegedly killed Avni. He claimed, "From 2008 to 2015 only 14 tigers were killed in the state while in 2016 as many as 16 tigers were killed. In 2017, 21 tigers were killed."Union Minister for Women and Child Development and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi on Tuesday wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking removal of Sudhir Mungantiwar, State Minister of Environment and Forest. She claimed that the tigress Avni could have been saved had the minister in-charge been 'little more sensitive.'Tigress Avni was killed in Maharashtra's Yavatmal on November 2. She had allegedly killed 14 people.