Authorities in Kashmir have launched a massive crackdown on terrorists and their sympathisers in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, razing homes of the ultras, raiding their safe havens and detaining hundreds of overground workers for questioning, officials said on Saturday. Houses of five terrorists or their associates have been demolished in the past 48 hours with officials saying similar action will be taken against others involved in terror activities. Raids were carried out at more than 60 places on Saturday in Srinagar “to dismantle the terrorist ecosystem”, a J&K Police spokesman said. In Anantnag district, search operations are being carried out round-the-clock as security forces step up vigilance. Mobile vehicle checkpoints have been put up across the district to monitor any suspicious movement, the officials said. The security forces are going after the known terrorist associates and their sympathisers across the length and breadth of the Valley to create deterrence against any Pahalgam-like attacks, the officials said. As the operations proceed, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued an advisory to all media platforms to refrain from showing live coverage of defence operations and movement of security forces. Meanwhile, the Pakistani military resorted to unprovoked firing all across the Line of Control and Indian troops effectively responded to them, military sources said on Saturday. The exchange of fire for a second consecutive night came amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan. “Indian troops responded appropriately with small arms,” officials said. No casualties were reported in the firing. 60No. of places raided in Srinagar This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 April,2025 07:47 AM IST | Srinagar/New Delhi | AgenciesAfter a gap of nearly five years, India and China will resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra from June—a move being seen as an attempt to normalise their relationship that was severely hit by the eastern Ladakh border standoff. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday said the Yatra is set to take place from June to August via two routes—Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. The pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Mansarovar Lake in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region holds religious significance to Hindus as well as Jains and Buddhists.“Kailash Manasarovar Yatra organised by the MEA is set to take place during June to August 2025,” the MEA said. The Yatra was suspended initially in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently because of the military standoff between the two sides on the LAC in eastern Ladakh. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 April,2025 07:47 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesPrime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Saturday that his government is taking several measures to ensure that the opportunities for employment and self-employment keep growing. Addressing the 15th edition of Rozgar Mela after distributing more than 51,000 appointment letters to recruits in different departments of the central government, he said it is a time for unprecedented opportunities for youngsters. In the virtual event, he noted that the International Monetary Fund has said India will remain the fastest-growing major economy, asserting that employment opportunities will be rising in every sector. The production and export in automobile and footwear industries have hit new records, generating employment in large numbers, Modi said. Citing the difference his government has made, the PM listed out that cargo being handled through inland water transparent has surged to 145 million tonnes from 18 million tonnes before 2014 while national waterways have increased from five to 110, and their length from 2,700 km to over 5,000 km. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 April,2025 07:47 AM IST | New Delhi | AgenciesRajasthan’s Shaitan Singh got engaged to Kesar Kanwar from Pakistan's Sindh province four years ago. As the groom's family struggled for years to get visas, the cross-border wedding was hit by another hurdle when the government closed the Attari border on Thursday. With his wedding attire ready and all set to tie the knot in Pakistan's Amarkot city on April 30, Singh along with his family and “baraat” set out from Barmer district for the Attari border on Tuesday. But by the time they reached there, authorities refused to let them cross the border as India on Wednesday ordered immediate shutdown of the Attari-Wagah border as part of a series of retaliatory steps following the tragic Pahalgam terror attack. “We’ve waited a long time for this day,” said Singh, adding that after years of efforts it was only recently, February 18, that he, his father and brother were granted visas. The groom’s cousin Surendra Singh said the situation has left both families disheartened. “Our relatives from Pakistan had come here but they had to return. We are very disappointed. Terror attacks cause a lot of damage. Relations get spoiled. Movement on the border stops,” he said. As the cross-border wedding remains disrupted. The visa of Singh, a resident of Indroi village in Barmer district, is valid until May 12, giving the families a glimmer of hope that the wedding might still happen if the border reopens in time. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 April,2025 07:47 AM IST | Jaipur | AgenciesTwo people were injured on Saturday afternoon in a blast at a unit making industrial and mining explosives in Nagpur, a police official said, reported the PTI. Those injured were women workers at the unit, the official said. The explosion took place in the unit under Kalmeshwar police station limits, resulting in burn injuries on the hands of the workers identified as Vandana Jangle and Archana Lokhande, he said, according to the PTI. "They have been hospitalised. Police and civic officials are at the site of the blast. The process of registering a case is underway," he said. The unit manufactures slurry, seismic and emulsion explosives as well as low column charge explosives, the official added. Fire breaks out at plywood godown in Bhiwandi; fireman injured Meanwhile, in an another incident, a fireman sustained injuries in a blaze that erupted a plywood factory-cum-godown in Maharashtra's Thane district in the wee hours of Saturday, an official said, reported the PTI. The fire broke out in the three-storey structure at Rahnal village in Bhiwandi area of Thane district at around 3.30 am, the official said, adding that following the information regarding the blaze the firefighters rushed to the spot. The official added that a massive firefighting operation was launched by the fire brigade officials to control the blaze. Rajesh Pawar, chief fire officer of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation (BNMC), said the injured firefighter has been admitted to a hospital with leg fractures, and his condition is stable, according to the PTI. He said the fire quickly engulfed the structure due to the highly combustible stock of plywood stored inside, and local fire teams, along with the disaster management cell, rushed to the scene after receiving the alert. Four fire engines are at the site to douse the flames. Pawar said, "This is a difficult operation. The fire cannot be fully contained for at least another day, as the godown is packed with plywood. The fire load is massive," reported PTI. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained, he said, adding that people have been asked to avoid the area. (with PTI inputs)
26 April,2025 11:23 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday said that the process of expelling Pakistani citizens from India in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack has begun and legal action will be taken against such individuals overstaying in the state, reported the PTI. CM Fadnavis condemned the killing of innocent tourists and said the Modi government will give a befitting reply. The chief minister met the families of two friends from Pune- Kaustubh Ganbote and Santosh Jagdale- who were killed in the April 22 terror attack. "I met the family members of those killed in the terror attack. The description of the incident narrated by Asawari Jagdale (daughter of one of the victims) is disturbing. I don't want to say anything to those speaking out of turn on the (Pahalgam) incident, according to the PTI. "Our resolution to fight against terrorism has become even stronger. Help will be provided to the six families from Maharashtra," he told reporters. As many as twenty-six persons, mostly tourists, were killed by terrorists at a popular meadow in Kashmir's Anantnag district. Ganbote and Jagdale were among six individuals from Maharashtra who fell prey to bullets. Meanwhile, according to a state Home Department official, 55 Pakistani nationals living in Maharashtra on short-term visas have been asked to leave the country by the Central government's deadline of April 27. "Those Pakistanis who are illegally staying in the country will be found soon. The process of expelling Pakistani citizens from the country has begun. The Centre has already decided to suspend the visa services to Pakistani nationals with immediate effect, along with revocation of all existing valid visas issued to Pakistanis," CM Fadnavis added, according to the PTI. He said legal action will be taken against Pakistani nationals overstaying in Maharashtra. The chief minister visited Ganbote's residence in Kondhwa area and consoled his wife Sangita, who survived the terror attack. He then headed to Jagdale's residence in Karvenagar and spoke to Jagdale's daughter Asavari and wife Pratibha, the news agency reported. Ganbote, who owned a 'farsan' (snacks) business, had gone to Kashmir along with his wife and the family of Santosh Jagdale. (with PTI inputs)
26 April,2025 09:22 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentLocals in Amritsar have lauded the decision of the Indian government to shut the Attari Integrated Check Post (ICP), among other diplomatic measures in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. They also condemned Tuesday's attack and supported the government's decision, even though some of them had to delay or cancel their plans. A tourist from Rajasthan, Surinder Singh, told ANI that they had come to Amritsar with the hopes of crossing through the border to attend a family wedding in Pakistan, but now the plans have been postponed. "I was going to Pakistan today for my brother's wedding, but it will be postponed now. My grandmother and her four sons stay in Pakistan, and her one son stays in India. The attack on tourists (in Pahalgam) was very wrong," he said. Shaitan Singh, a relative of Surinder, expressed uncertainty about his plans. "What the terrorists have done is wrong...We are not being allowed to go (to Pakistan) as the border is closed...Let us see what will happen now," he told ANI. The Central government has also suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption scheme, giving Pakistani nationals 48 hours to return to their country. A Pakistani national, Mohammed Jammeel, also condemned the attack, saying that "whoever's blood is shed is wrong." "Khoon kisi ka bhi bahe woh galat hai (Whoever's blood is being shed is wrong), even if it is mine, or someone else's, everyone's hearts beat the same," Jameel told ANI. At the same time, businessmen in Amritsar said that while their business will be affected, they stand with PM Modi regarding the decision/ A businessman from Attari said, "The closure of the Attari border will definitely affect the business here... but the incident that has happened is also very wrong." Another business said that the attack in Pulwama on innocent people was wrong, adding, "The attack on the tourist was wrong. We stand with the nation. Jis hisab se Modi ji desh chala rahe hain, chalane do. We stand with the decisions of PM Modi," he said. As many as 26 people were killed in the dastardly attack by terrorists on tourists in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. The attack, carried out by terrorists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, is one of the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The attack was one of the biggest terror attacks in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. In response, the Central government announced on Wednesday the closure of Attari ICP, reducing the strength of High Commissions in India and Pakistan to 30 officials each, and suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said, "Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under an SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2025 05:51 PM IST | Amritsar | ANIThe Gurugram Police on Saturday said that it has arrested a man from Madhya Pradesh who had been on the run for as many as 17 years for allegedly killing his friend, reported the PTI. The city police said that he had shifted his hideout quite frequently and had stayed in Mathura, Agra and Indore to evade arrest. According to the police, on August 18, 2007, the man identified as Ramesh had allegedly hit his friend -- Ramlal with a stick and killed him. The accused and the deceased used to work as masons together, a Gurugram Police spokesperson said. After Ramesh fled the spot, an FIR was registered at Badshahpur police station but he could not be arrested, police said, as per the PTI. He was later declared a proclaimed offender by the court. On Thursday, a police team finally arrested the accused from Madhya Pradesh, the police said. Man wanted in murder case held in Thane Meanwhile, in an another incident, earlier this month, a man wanted in a murder case in West Bengal's Kolkata has been apprehended in Maharashtra's Thane district, the police said on Friday, reported the PTI. The accused was identified as 36-year-old Sirajuddin Ahmed Shah alias Captain. According to the police, based on a tip-off, the police on Thursday nabbed the accused from the Pisvali area of Dombivili town in Thane district, according to the PTI. He said that Shah had been on the run for the last two months and was working in a factory in the MIDC area. According to the police, Shah and another accused allegedly shot and killed Bunty Sav in the Dankuni police station limits in Kolkata two months ago over an illicit affair with a woman, and the duo had fled the city, as per the PTI. The official said while the other accused was nabbed early on, Shah evaded arrest. The police verified the accused's identity, and during interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in the crime, he said, adding that a special team from Kolkata police has taken Shah's custody, the news agency reported on Friday. (with PTI inputs)
26 April,2025 04:01 PM IST | Gurugram | mid-day online correspondentFlight operations at the Delhi airport might be affected by easterly winds expected between April 26 and May 4, airport operator DIAL said on Friday. In recent weeks, the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) had seen flight delays due to air traffic congestion, closure of one runway and easterly winds. As per the forecast from the Indian Meteorological Department, easterly winds are expected between April 26 and May 4, Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) said. "This change in wind patterns may potentially affect flight operations during this period. "We are actively coordinating with the airlines & ATC to work out the flight schedules to have a minimum impact on flight operations," it said in a post on X. Citing the IMD forecast, SpiceJet, in a post on X, said all departures, arrivals, and connecting flights may be impacted. IGIA is the country's largest and busiest airport, and handles around 1,300 flight movements daily. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2025 03:48 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe mother of a 17-year-old boy involved in the Pune Porsche crash, in which two persons lost their lives, walked out of jail on Saturday, four days after the Supreme Court granted her interim bail, reported news agency PTI. She is the first among the 10 accused arrested in the alleged blood sample-swapping case to be released on bail. The others in custody include the teenager's father, Sassoon Hospital doctors Ajay Taware and Shrihari Halnor, hospital staffer Atul Ghatkamble, two middlemen, and three others, reported PTI. A Porsche allegedly driven by a 17-year-old boy in an inebriated state fatally knocked down two IT professionals on a two-wheeler in Pune's Kalyani Nagar in the early hours of May 19 last year. The boy's mother is accused of swapping her blood sample with that of her son to conceal his inebriation at the time of the Pune Porsche crash. While granting the mother interim bail, the Supreme Court had directed a Pune court to set the bail conditions. Accordingly, the district and sessions court heard arguments from both sides on Friday, reported PTI. Special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray represented the state, while advocates Angad Gill and Dhvani Shah appeared for the woman, reported PTI. Advocate Hiray said, "We sought conditions such as barring her from staying in Pune district, a passport seizure, mandatory police station attendance, and keeping her mobile location on at all times," reported PTI. Additional sessions judge Amol Shinde, however, rejected the prosecution's plea to restrict her from staying in Pune but accepted other conditions. The defence lawyers opposed the condition of her staying out of Pune, citing her husband's custody and the need for her presence in the city to assist in the legal proceedings. They also objected to the proposed Rs 5 lakh surety and daily police station visits. "We argued that since the chargesheet has been filed and no recovery is pending from her, such strict conditions are unwarranted," the defence counsel said, reported PTI. The court accepted the arguments and imposed standard bail conditions, including a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh, submission of her passport to the investigating officer, mandatory mobile tower location sharing, and a ban on leaving India without court permission, reported PTI. The court has also barred the woman from disclosing her identity for three months and asked her to report to the police station every Wednesday. (With inputs from PTI)
26 April,2025 02:24 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondentThe officials on Saturday said that Mumbai Police Crime Branch officials questioned 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Tahawwur Hussain Rana at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) office in Delhi, reported news agency ANI. According to Mumbai Police officials, 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Tahawwur Rana was questioned for eight hours on Wednesday, during which he gave evasive answers and did not cooperate. Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a Pakistani-Canadian accused of terrorism, is a former military doctor with an alleged history of involvement in terror-related activities. He was recently extradited from the United States of America to India. Earlier, the Patiala House Court of Delhi dismissed a plea filed by Tahawwur Rana, seeking permission to speak with his family over the phone. Special NIA Judge Chander Jit Singh on Thursday decided to dismiss his petition, reported ANI. Rana's legal counsel, Piyush Sachdeva, had argued that as a foreign national, he has the fundamental right to communicate with his family, who are anxious about his treatment while in custody, reported ANI. However, the NIA opposed the request, citing the ongoing investigation and expressing concerns that Rana might divulge sensitive information, reported ANI. Rana faces multiple charges under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), including conspiracy, terrorism, forgery, and waging war. The court noted that under extradition laws, he can only be prosecuted for offences explicitly sanctioned in the extradition agreement. Furthermore, since Sections 16 and 18 of the UAPA apply, extended police custody beyond standard Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) limitations may be permitted due to the terrorism-related nature of the case. (With inputs from ANI)
26 April,2025 01:24 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
