Page 538 - War Conflict

TN to augment police arsenal

As part of beefing up the state police arsenal, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today said weaponry like submachine gun, anti-riot vehicles and a host of security and surveillance gadgets would be procured at a cost of Rs 183.11 crore. Nineteen types of weaponry like remington gun, under barrel grenade launcher and submachine gun would be procured at a cost of Rs 4.20 crore for training police personnel, he said. He said multi-shell launcher (MSL) and gas gun would also be bought. MSL can be used for firing teargas shells and smoke grenades, while gas guns could be used to fire teargas shells. As many as 1397 police vehicles including 33 anti-riot vehicles ('Vajra' and 'Varun') would be bought at a cost of 119.73 crore, he said after winding up his reply to the demand for grants to the police department. Palaniswami said an anti-riot software with features like crowd monitoring would be developed at a cost of Rs 1.32 crore by roping in the Indian Institute of ...

India opposes use of chemical weapons

India has opposed the use of chemical weapons anywhere by anybody at any time and demanded accountability of perpetrators of such acts and non-discriminatory implementation of the UN Convention on the issue.

Pentagon rules out halting all joint drills with Seoul

The commander of US Forces Korea (USFK) on Wednesday ruled out that all joint military exercises between South Korea and the US would be suspended to support an ongoing spirit of rapprochement with North Korea.

J'khand CM condemns killing of Jaguar Force jawans

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today expressed deep sorrow over the killing of six jawans of Jharkhand Jaguar Force in a landmine blast. The blast was triggered by Maoists in the state's Garhwa district bordering Latehar yesterday. "The naxalites had perpetrated a cowardly attack on our jawans. The martyrdom of six jawans is sorrowful. We will root out naxalism in Jharkhand and this will be the true tribute to the martyrs," Das tweeted. While six jawans were killed, four were injured. Yesterday the police had received an information that some Maoists were present in the Chinjo area of Garhwa district. When the security personnel went to the area in the evening evening, the Maoists carried out a landmine blast and opened fire, killing six jawans of the Jharkhand Jaguar Force. Some personnel of the force were also injured in the incident, the officer said. The Jharkhand Jaguar Force is a special unit of the state police.

UN says Malian army 'summarily' killed 12 civilians

The Malian army "summarily" executed 12 civilians in a market in central Mali in May in retaliation for the death of a soldier, a UN investigation into the killings said. On May 19 a Malian soldier and at least a dozen other people were killed in violence that occurred during an army patrol through a market. The army said the 12 were "terrorists" who had been "neutralised", but local residents said they were civilians. The Malian army is often accused of making arbitrary arrests and carrying out extra-judicial executions in the fight against jihadists. Following the incident, the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, MINUSMA, announced at a press conference it would send a special team from its human rights division to inquire into the incident, which occurred in Boulkessi, a town near the border with Burkina Faso. "The MINUSMA investigation concluded that, on May 19, elements of the Malian battalion of the joint G5 Sahel force summarily and/or arbitrarily executed 12 civilians at ...

Army must conquer cyberspace to counter terror: Army chief

The Indian armed forces and security establishment must learn to "exploit cyberspace to our advantage" if the scourge of terrorism has to be defeated, Army chief General Bipin Rawat said here on Wednesday.

India for constructive engagement, unity over chemical weapons

India has called for constructive engagement, dialogue and unity of purpose at the ongoing Special Session of the Conference of State Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

It's faith over fear for Amarnath pilgrims

Unperturbed by the looming terror threat, pilgrims who set out on the Amarnath Yatra today said their unflinching faith in Lord Shiva and the security forces had motivated them to undertake the journey to the cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas. The first batch of nearly 3,000 pilgrims today left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here amid tight security. The batch was escorted by CRPF personnel and a special motorbike squad equipped with cameras and various life-saving equipments. Chants of "Bam Bam Bhole" and Bharat Mata ki Jai" filled the air as the enthusiastic pilgrims, including 520 women and 21 children, left the base camp. They are scheduled to reach the Baltal and Pahalgam base camps in Kashmir later in the day. We have come for the yatra on the call of 'Barfani Baba', leaving everything, including the fear of terror attacks, behind," Susheela, a spirited 65-year-old from Uttar Pradesh, told PTI. She is leading a group of 21 people, including her grandchildren. Susheela said it

C'garh: Jawan hurt in IED explosion

A District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan was today injured when an IED planted by naxals went off in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar region, police said. The incident occurred in the forest along the border of Bastar and Dantewada districts, when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-naxal operation, a senior police official told PTI. The combined team of security forces, comprising personnel from the DRG and District Force from the two districts, had launched the operation in the forest along the border, he said. When they were cordoning off the jungle near Marjoom (Bastar) and Katekalyan (Datewada), a jawan inadvertently stepped on a pressure IED (Improvised Explosive Device) connection that led to an explosion leaving him injured, he said. The injured jawan is identified as constable Dhaniram Sori, he said. On receiving information, reinforcements were rushed from Katekalyan police station and the injured was being brought to Dantewada town for ...

Poland amends controversial Holocaust law

Poland today amended a controversial Holocaust law that sparked outrage in Israel by imposing jail terms on anyone claiming the government was responsible for Nazi German war crimes. The amendment removes fines or criminal penalties of up to three years in prison for anyone found guilty of ascribing Nazi crimes to the Polish nation or state. Lawmakers in Poland's right-wing dominated lower house of parliament voted 388 in favour of the amendment, with 25 against and five abstentions. The Senate is expected to adopt the amendment later on Wednesday before it is signed into law by the president. Poland's right-wing Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki proposed the changes out of the blue earlier on Wednesday, telling MPs that the criminal penalties had "stirred so much controversy they began to be counterproductive." The law, passed by Poland's Senate in February made it a criminal offense to ascribe "responsibility or co-responsibility to the Polish nation or state for crimes committed by

Naxal killed in Jharkhand encounter

A day after six jawans died in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists, a naxalite was today killed in an encounter with the security forces during combing operation. A CRPF spokesman said, the encounter was still on between its CoBRA battalion and the naxalites in the area that lies between the state's Latehar and Garhwa districts and is considered a hotbed of the ultras. An INSAS rifle and some ammunition was recovered from the possession of the naxalite, the spokesman said. The combing operation was carried jointly by the CoBRA battalion of the CRPF and the state police. Six jawans of the Jharkhand Jaguar Force were killed and four received injuries in yesterday's blast near Chinjo area in Garhwa district bordering Latehar. The injured jawans were airlifted to Ranchi and admitted to a hospital, the police said. The Jharkhand Jaguar Force is a special unit of the state police for carrying out anti-naxal operations.

India is against use of chemical weapons: Rajamony

India has said it is against the use of chemical weapons under any circumstances and believes those who indulge in such "abhorrent acts" must be held accountable. Speaking at a special conference of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) here, India's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the OPCW Venu Rajamony said the country expresses its deepest sympathies to the victims of chemical weapons attacks and their families. The conference has been called by the UK, the US and the West to have discussions on upholding the global ban against the use of chemical weapons. The UK has reportedly proposed to consider empowering the OPCW to identify the organisation or government responsible for chemical attacks in addition to its existing power of carrying out the investigation into such cases. "It has been India's consistent position that the use of chemical weapons anywhere, at any time, by anybody, under any circumstances, cannot be justified and the ...

Army chief dismisses UN report on alleged rights violations in JK as 'motivated'

Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat today dismissed the recent UN report on alleged human rights violations in Kashmir as "motivated" and asserted that Indian Army's record in this regard is "absolutely above board". "I don't need to speak about the human rights record of the Indian Army. It is well known to all of you, it is well known to the people of Kashmir, and to the international community," Gen. Rawat told reporters on the sidelines of a conference on cyber security here. "The human rights record of the Indian Army is absolutely above board," he said. In a report released earlier this month, the United Nations Human Rights Council talked about alleged human rights violations in both Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and sought an international inquiry into these cases. "I don't think we should get too concerned about the report. Some of these reports are motivated," Gen. Rawat said today. Earlier, the MEA had also discarded the report saying, "India rejects the report. It is ...

Police baton charge, fire tear gas at mob blocking search operations in Khunti

Police today fired tear gas shells and used batons to disperse a mob obstructing their search operation to rescue three policemen, who were abducted from an MP's house in Khunti district by 'Pathalgarhi' supporters, a police officer said. The three were abducted from BJP MP Karia Munda's residence at Anigada-Chandih yesterday, the officer said, adding, the policemen were yet to be found. Police used batons to disperse the mob at Ghaghra during the search operation related to the kidnapping of three policemen, Superintendent of Police of Khunti district, Aswini Kumar Sinha, said. The police and the district administration tried to convince the villagers at Ghaghra village to set the constables free and swung into action when they refused to do so, Additional Director General of Police, R K Malik, said. He said action is on and those indulging in such activities in the name of 'Pathalgarhi', would be dealt with as per the law. Malik said people tried to obstruct the police yesterday ...

Maoists kill six security personnel in Jharkhand

Maoist guerrillas exploded a landmine in Jharkhand's Latehar district, killing six security personnel, officials said on Wednesday.

Identify and track, CRPF's policy for Amarnath pilgrims

After last year's attack on an unescorted bus of Amarnath pilgrims, the CRPF has this year adopted an "identify and track policy" for vehicles ferrying devotees to the annual cave shrine pilgrimage in Kashmir Himalayas beginning on Thursday.

Lankan national arrested, two others escape

A Sri Lankan national, was arrested at Uchipuli Valangapuri coast near here while two others escaped into a nearby forest, police said today. Sagaya Stephen from Thalaimannar was seen moving around in suspicious circumstances near the coast last night along with two others when he was arrested, 'Q' Branch inspector N Rajeswari said. The two others managed to escape into a nearby forest, she added. The trio had come from Thalaimannar by a fibreglass boat, she said. Police also seized the boat which was fitted with a Suzuki engine. Enquiries are on to find out why the trio had come to the town. Police had on Monday recovered more than 50 boxes of abandoned ammunition, 41 light machine guns, 22 machine guns and five landmines near Thangachimadam area in Ramanathapuram district. The explosives were recovered after occupants of the house alerted police to what they had discovered while a septic tank was being dug following which police were despatched to the spot.

Missing SPO joins Hizbul

A special police officer (SPO) who went missing from Pampore police station in Jammu and Kashmir with an AK-47 rifle, has joined the Hizbul Mujahideen, the militant group said.

Jharkhand: 3 policemen abducted by 'Pathalgarhi' supporters

Three policemen posted at the residence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Karia Munda were abducted on Tuesday.Initial investigation suggested that supporters of 'Pathalgarhi', a movement to declare certain geographical areas as self-governed by putting up stones, were responsible for the abduction.On receiving the information of 'Pathalgarhi' at Anigara, Ashwani Sinha, Khunti Superintendent of Police Ashwani Sinha reached the spot with more than 400 police to stop the movement."An ambush was laid by the Naxalites yesterday, in which 6 police of jaguar force were killed and 400 injured. Related search operations are going on by the police," said Sinha.Although the police tried to convince the villagers in a peaceful manner to return to their own villages and cancel this program, hundreds of them surrounded the police and cornered them on all four sides.This led to a lathi-charge by the police, after which several villagers and policeman sustained injuries.On a related note, a search .

Attacks inside Afghanistan launched from safe havens in its neighbourhood: India

In a veiled reference to Pakistan, India has said the problem of terrorism in Afghanistan is not a local one and attacks inside the country are launched from safe havens in its neighbourhood that has sheltered Taliban leaders and supported the "dark agendas" of terror outfits like the LeT and JeM. India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin during a debate at the Security Council on the situation in Afghanistan said yesterday that the spring offensive from the Taliban had taken many lives despite the much-appreciated peace offer from the Afghan Government. "Such offensives are planned and launched from safe havens in the neighbourhood of Afghanistan, he said. While not naming Pakistan, Akbaruddin said those supporting the terrorists targeting Afghanistan have not been deterred. Notwithstanding the efforts made by the international community, there are still those who provide sanctuaries to support the dark agendas of terrorist organizations like the Taliban, .