Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced a complete ban of on Turkish products and she praised the decision of Azadpur Mandi traders for boycotting apple imports from Turkey. The decision was made after Turkey backed Pakistan and criticised India’s recent strike on terror camps in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir (PoK) under Operation Sindoor. Speaking to reporters during her visit to Azadpur Mandi, the Delhi CM expressed her gratitude to the local traders for their decision to stop importing apples from Turkey. She commended the move, describing it as a powerful and appropriate response to any country that acts against India’s national interests. "This decision is absolutely justified," she said. "If any country is found to be acting against India or supporting forces that are hostile to our nation, then the people of this country will stand together and reject any form of association with them, including trade. I wholeheartedly thank the traders for choosing to boycott the import of Turkish apples. Their decision reflects true patriotism and love for the country." In a related development, Jamia Millia Islamia University has officially suspended all academic collaborations with institutions associated with the Turkish government, citing serious concerns over national security. Similarly, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has also put an end to its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Turkey’s Inonu University. This MoU, which was signed earlier in the year, had outlined plans for academic exchange, including student and faculty collaborations. According to PTI reports commenting on these decisions, Gupta stressed the importance of taking a firm and uncompromising stand. "There should be a 100 percent disengagement from countries that are seen to support or shelter terror networks targeting India," she said, calling for a complete diplomatic and economic freeze with such nations. Following Turkey’s visible support for Pakistan on key international issues, a wave of public backlash has emerged across India. Citizens and organizations alike are calling for a nationwide boycott of Turkish goods and tourism. Popular online travel platforms such as EaseMyTrip and Ixigo have responded by issuing public advisories discouraging travel to Turkey, reflecting the growing sentiment of disapproval among Indian consumers. (With inputs from PTI)
16 May,2025 06:01 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentThe authorities have successfully rescued sixty-nine bonded labourers, including minors, from the Ahilyanagar district of Maharashtra and apprehended three individuals for the exploitation of these victims, as stated by an official on Friday. The victims, who were primarily engaged in stone cutting and labouring at sheep farms, were rescued on Thursday following a tip-off from activists, according to the official. They have since been repatriated to their villages in the Palghar district, reported PTI. Bonded labourers refer to individuals compelled to work in order to repay a debt or obtain some form of financial assistance, frequently under exploitative or abusive conditions. The Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act prohibits this practice in India. Sandeep Harmalkar, a labour officer from Ahilyanagar district, said they first raided a few sites and rescued 16 bonded labourers. "This initial rescue was part of a larger group totalling 69 individuals freed from their captors," Sandeep stated, reported PTI. Deputy Superintendent of Police Dr Kunal Sonawane from Sangamner in Ahilyanagar district said three of the six accused persons have been arrested. "Efforts are being made to track down and arrest the other three," Kunal Sonawane stated, reported news agency PTI. According to the FIR, the accused engaged the bonded labourers and even children in arduous sheep farming and forced them to cut stones. These children were subjected to physical and mental harassment and forced to work against their will, said the complaint. Woman, her brother killed as trailer truck hits two-wheeler in Palghar district The police on Thursday said that a 25-year-old woman and her brother were killed in the Palghar district after their two-wheeler collided with a trailer truck, reported news agency PTI. The accident took place on Tuesday night and the truck driver was absconding, said an official of Palghar police station. Mangesh Vishwakarma (22) and his sister Pooja Vishwakarma (25) set out on a motorbike to eat ice cream after dinner on Tuesday. While returning home by the Palghar-Mahim Road, a trailer coming from the opposite direction at high speed collided with their bike, the official said, reported PTI. (With PTI inputs)
16 May,2025 04:59 PM IST | Palghar | mid-day online correspondentCRPF on Friday conducted the last rites of a two-year-old Belgian Shepherd named Rolo, who was part of the force's elite canine squad. Rolo lost her life after being attacked by a swarm of bees during a major anti-Naxal operation in the Karreguttalu hills on the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. She was declared dead on 27 April 2025, with the cause of death being anaphylactic shock following 200 bee stings. K9 Rolo, born on April 5, 2023, was trained in infantry patrolling, explosive detection and assault at DBTS in batch sl. No. 80, subsequent to which it was deployed for Anti-Naxal duties in 228 Bn, CRPF in the month of April 2024. During the special operation at KGH, while K9, along with other troops, were carrying out an intensive search operation, a sudden attack by a huge swarm of honey bees led them in surprise. Handlers of K9 Rolo covered it with a polythene sheet to avoid being bitten by the bees but it went in vain as the huge swarm of bees slipped inside the cover and bit K9 Rolo who then, due to intense pain and irritation, got berserk and got out of the cover making him vulnerable to more bites, said the CRPF. Resultantly, K9 Rolo suffered around 200 bee stings, which made her unconscious. An immediate medical evacuation was performed. Emergency treatment was given by the handlers. However, K9 Rolo succumbed to the pain and suffering while on the way and was declared brought dead by the veterinarian, said the CRPF. To achieve the goal of eliminating Naxalism by March 26, 2026, the security forces have been conducting the biggest ever operation, 'Operation Black Forest', to break the backbone of Naxals near Karreguttalu Hill (KGH) at the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. The 21-day-long operation carried out by the joint forces of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and state police between April 21 to May 11 neutralised 31 Naxals carrying a bounty of Rs 1.72 crore. 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
16 May,2025 03:21 PM IST | Sukma | ANIDisplaced border residents on Friday started returning to the last village near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch's Salotri after a recent understanding between India and Pakistan ended days of heightened tension between the two countries. The shelling, which affected districts in Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control, resulted in significant damage to homes and infrastructure as well as the loss of civilian lives. The village people thanked the government for the understanding between India and Pakistan. Amjid Ali, a resident of Salotri village, said, "We live here and we saw something like this happening for the first time. The government had provided everything for our safety, but still, we were scared after witnessing the situation between the two countries. The Indian Army also provided us with all the safety and took care of us. The complete village was left empty after the situation. We are back here in our village as there is peace again." Another villager Haji Juniet urged the government to build bunkers there. "Around 400 people stayed here. When the fire started, the people left the village. The administration took care of us, and the SHO heard our problem. Today, we have returned to our village. But there is one problem here that we don't have bunkers here. Pakistan border is near, but here there are no sufficient bunkers. I request that the government build bunkers here. We urge both countries that war is not the solution, as people die in such situations. The people who say that war should take place, but we live here, and it is very difficult for the people who stay in the border areas," he said. Yesterday, the Indian Army carried out a door-to-door assistance drive in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, especially in areas near the Line of Control (LoC) that were severely affected by recent Pakistani shelling. As part of the outreach effort, Army jawans distributed essential supplies, including medicines and rations, to civilians impacted by the cross-border hostilities following Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, including a Nepali national. Troops from the Army's Romeo Force also interacted with locals to understand their needs and provide reassurance during the ongoing security situation. The Indian Armed Forces responded firmly to the aggression, targeting several military positions across the border. Later, both countries agreed to stop the firing and military action after Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) contacted his Indian counterpart. Operation Sindoor was India's decisive military response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Launched on May 7, Operation Sindoor led to the death of over 100 terrorists affiliated with terror outfits like the Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. After the attack, Pakistan retaliated with cross-border shelling across the Line of Control and Jammu and Kashmir as well as attempted drone attacks along the border regions, following which India launched a coordinated attack and damaged radar infrastructure, communication centres and airfields across 11 air bases in Pakistan. After this, on May 10, an understanding of the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was announced. 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
16 May,2025 03:16 PM IST | Poonch | ANIBJP MLA Asishrao Deshmukh on Friday said that Congress leader P Chidambaram revealed the truth of the political situation saying that the future of INDIA alliance is not so bright. According to reports by ANI, Deshmukh said, “Chidambaram is an experienced leader and expressed the truth of the situation. Sharad Pawar is trying to merge his party with the party of his nephew Ajit Pawar. The same is true with Uddhav Thackeray. The rest of their (INDIA bloc) supportive parties are separating one by one." Reacting to the remarks of Chidambaram, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Kerala president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called the opposition alliance a ‘motley collection of parties’ and their alliance is formed only for their ‘love for corruption’. Rajeev Chandrasekhar posted on X: The BJP is a formidable party because it believes in strong values or principles of India First and cares for all Indians - and so has the support of most Indians. INDIA alliance is a motley collection of parties, brought together by only their love for corruption and exploitation and fear or hatred of Narendra Modi ji. Earlier, Chidambaram voiced concerns about the future of the INDIA bloc, suggesting that it is breaking apart. However, he also mentioned that, with time, the alliance could still be saved. "The future is not so bright as Mritunjay Singh Yadav said. He seemed to feel that the INDIA alliance was still intact. I'm not sure. Only Salman can answer, because he was part of the negotiating team for the INDIA alliance. If the INDIA alliance is intact, I'm very, very happy. But it shows, it's at the seams, it's frayed. It can be put together, there's still time," Chidambaram said. Chidambaram was speaking during a book launch of ‘Contesting Democratic Deficit: An inside story of the 2024 elections.’ This book is written by Salman Khurshid and Mritunjay Singh Yadav at the India International Centre in the national capital. He also described BJP as not merely as a political party, but as an extraordinarily well-organized political force. He emphasized that to counter its dominance, the BJP must be challenged on multiple fronts. "In my experience and reading of history, there has been no political party as formidably organised as the BJP. In every department, it's formidable. It's not another political party. It's a machine behind which it's a machine, and the two machines control all the machinery of India, from the Election Commission of India to the lowest police station in India; they are able to control or sometimes capture these institutions. This is a formidable missionary you're fighting. It's not another political party. This formidable missionary must be fought on all fronts," he said. (With inputs from ANI)
16 May,2025 03:12 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentThe Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out raids at various locations across Tamil Nadu in connection with reported offences related to Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation Limited (TASMAC) and association entities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Investigating has begun today, early morning at 10 locations, informed the officials, reported news agency ANI. This search operation follows numerous FIRs filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The allegations include TASMAC shops charging more than the actual MRP, distillery companies giving kickbacks to TASMAC officials for supply orders, and senior TASMAC officials accepting bribes from retail shops and for staff transfers. On March 6, 2025, ED conducted a search operation and seized incriminating data related to transfer posting, transport tender manipulation, bar license tenders, indent orders benefiting specific distilleries, and overpricing of Rs 10- 30 per bottle at TASMAC outlets by officials. This investigation revealed tampering in TASMAC’s transport tender process, including interchanging between application KYC details and Demand Drafts. Tenders were passed despite having a single applicant. As per annual report of TASMAC over Rs 100 crore is paid for transporters. There is evidence that shows bar license tenders were budgeted for applicants without GST/PAN numbers or proper KYC documents. According to ANI, investigations revealed direct communication between several distillery companies and senior TASMAC officials, with the objective of securing inflated indent orders and obtaining undue favouritism in business dealings. This coordinated effort appears to be part of a much larger financial scam involving not just distilleries, but also multiple bottling firms operating within the supply chain. These entities are accused of deliberately inflating operational costs and creating fake purchases to embezzle more than Rs 1000 crore in unreported funds. The embezzled funds were allegedly utilized to pay bribes and illicit commissions to ensure preferential treatment, including the manipulation of supply orders in favour of select firms. Bottling companies. Bottling companies allegedly increased sales figures to help route excess payments, which were later withdrawn in cash after deducting commissions. This scam included systematic tampering of financial documentation, deliberate concealment of actual cash flows, and a well-orchestrated strategy to evade regulatory oversight. ED is actively investigating current and former TASMAC employees, and key personnel associated with both distilleries and bottling companies. (With inputs from ANI)
16 May,2025 03:11 PM IST | Tamil Nadu | mid-day online correspondentAam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced a 'Nasha Mukti Yatra' amid the ongoing 'War Against Drugs' in Punjab, which has been initiated by the administration to eliminate drug abuse in the state. He will be accompanied by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in this endeavour to curb drug abuse in Punjab. He said that the 'Nasha Multi Yatra' would reach each village and ward in Punjab to strengthen people's resolve against drug abuse and the selling of drugs. It would also focus on convincing people to provide treatment to drug addicts to ensure their well-being. "From today, the Nasha Mukti Yatra is starting in Punjab. This Yatra will go to every village and every ward of Punjab. Through this Yatra, people will now be connected with the Nasha Mukti Abhiyan. In every village and every ward, people will take an oath that they will not consume drugs themselves, will not let anyone sell drugs in their area and will get the drug addicts treated and get them out of addiction," Kejriwal, former Chief Minister of Delhi, posted on X. He stated that the Punjab government has made arrangements for the treatment of drug addicts. "The Punjab government has made arrangements on a large scale for the treatment of drug addicts. Three crore members of the Punjab family will now ensure that they eliminate drug addiction from Punjab," Kejriwal said. "In the last two and a half months, Punjab Police and Punjab Government have started a war against drugs. For the first time, action is being taken against drug smugglers on such a large scale," he added. Earlier, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema called for stringent regulations on methanol to prevent hooch tragedies across the country. This came after 17 people died and several were hospitalised after consuming illicit liquor in five villages under the Majitha block in Amritsar. In a letter to Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal, Cheema highlighted the absence of rules under the Alcohol Industrial Act 1951 to govern methanol, a key substance linked to illicit liquor incidents. Cheema further emphasised the urgent need for a track-and-trace system to monitor methanol's supply chain. 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.
16 May,2025 03:06 PM IST | Chandigarh | ANIThe Supreme Court on Friday refused to examine a couple of fresh pleas challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, saying everybody wants name in newspapers. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih said it would decide the pending matter scheduled to come up on May 20. The apex court would then hear the point of interim relief in the case. As soon as one of the pleas came up for hearing on Friday, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, objected and said there can't be an "endless" filing of pleas challenging the Act. The counsel appearing for the petitioner said he had filed the petition on April 8 and removed the defects pointed out by the apex court registry on April 15 but his plea was not listed for hearing. "Everybody wants his name to be in the newspapers," the CJI observed. When the lawyer urged the bench his plea should be tagged with the pending petitions, the bench said, "We will decide that matter." The bench then dismissed it. When another similar plea came up for hearing, the bench said, "Dismissed". When the counsel for the petitioner urged that he be allowed to intervene in the pending pleas, the CJI said, "We already have too many intervenors." On April 17, the apex court decided to hear only five of the total number of pleas before it. The pleas challenging the Act came up for hearing before a bench comprising the CJI and Justice Masih on May 15. The bench said it would hear arguments on May 20 for passing interim directions on three issues including the power to denotify properties declared as waqf by courts, waqf-by-user or waqf by deed. The second issue raised by the petitioners relates to the composition of state waqf boards and the Central Waqf Council, where they contend only Muslims should operate except ex-officio members. The third issue relates to a provision that says a waqf property will not be treated as a waqf when the collector conducts an inquiry to ascertain if the property is government land. On April 17, the Centre assured the top court that it would neither denotify waqf properties, including "waqf by user", nor make any appointments to the central waqf council and boards till May 5. Mehta on May 15 told the apex court that in any case, there was a subsisting assurance of the Centre that no waqf properties, including those established by waqf by user, would be denotified. The Centre had opposed the apex court's proposal to pass an interim order against the denotification of waqf properties, including "waqf by user" aside from staying a provision allowing the inclusion of non-Muslims in the central waqf councils and boards. On April 25, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs filed a preliminary 1,332-page affidavit defending the amended Waqf Act of 2025 and opposed any "blanket stay" by the court on a "law having presumption of constitutionality passed by Parliament". 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.
16 May,2025 03:03 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIAmid ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, India on Friday called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reconsider its USD one billion assistance to Pakistan, suggesting that Islamabad could use it for terror funding, reported news agency PTI. In an address to military personnel, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India does not want that the funding it gives to IMF should be used directly or indirectly to create terror infrastructure in Pakistan or any other country. "I believe that in today's time, any kind of financial assistance to Pakistan is nothing less than terror funding," he said, reported PTI. "India would like the IMF reconsider its assistance of one billion dollars to Pakistan and refrains from giving any kind of assistance in future," he said. Singh said in Operation Sindoor, India's armed forces not only dominated the enemy but also succeeded in decimating them. Lauding the Indian Air Force for spearheading the campaign against terrorism effectively, he said. "Our Air Force has touched new and greater heights with its valour, courage and glory". Singh arrived at the Bhuj Air Force station this morning to review the overall security situation. The Air Force base in Bhuj was one of the military infrastructures that Pakistan targeted during the four-day confrontation between the two militaries. He said the fight against terrorism is not just a matter of security, but it is now also a part of the National Defence Doctrine. "Now, the fight against terrorism is not just a matter of security, but it is now also a part of the National Defence Doctrine. Together we will uproot this proxy and hybrid warfare. As the Defence Minister, I would like to reiterate this resolve," he said. Praising the Indian Air Force for their action during Operation Sindoor, he said, "You have made the entire nation believe that 'Naya Bharat ab sahan nahi karta, balki wah palat kar jawab deta hai.' I can say all I want but my words would fail to assess your actions. On behalf of a grateful nation, I extend my gratitude to you once again." The Defence Minister also stressed that the Indian Air Force assumed a very impactful role in Operation Sindoor and is being appreciated all over the world. "Indian Air Force assumed a very impactful role in Operation Sindoor and it is being appreciated not only in this country but also in other countries of the world. In this Operation, you not only dominated the enemy but also successfully decimated them," Singh said. (With inputs from PTI and ANI)
16 May,2025 03:00 PM IST | Bhuj | mid-day online correspondentWith the ongoing India-Pakistan tensions, things in the valley do not seem to be at peace. After the April 22 Pahalgam attack, security forces turned the focus of their anti-terror operations to specific areas in south Kashmir. Recently, the anti-terrorist forces have eliminated six terrorists in the past three days, officials said on Friday. As per PTI, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, stated that "the security agencies reviewed their strategy according to the situation in the wake of terror activities in the last month, and our intensified focus was on operations." IGP was addressing a press conference with General Officer Commanding Victor Force, Major General Dhananjay Joshi, at the headquarters of the Victor Force in South Kashmir's Pulwama district. Pulwama and other regions of the valley are now being currently handled with special care by the forces to ensure peace and counter-terrorism. IGP V.K Birdi said that because of the intensified focus and coordination between various security agencies, two successful operations have been conducted in which a total of six terrorists have been eliminated. He termed their elimination as "significant achievements". as per PTI. "These successful operations were possible because of the coordination and synergy among the security and intelligence agencies. We are duty-bound to end any terror activity in Kashmir, and we are always ready to stop such acts," the IGP further stated. Briefing more about the situation, the encounters took place in the Keller area of Shopian and the Nadar area of Tral in Pulwama on Tuesday and Thursday, respectively. Three terrorists each were killed in the two operations in the valley. Victor Force GOC Major Joshi expressed that the security forces have designated several areas as their main focus. Immediately after the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives, the security forces designated several areas as focus areas, and since then they have been working quite actively. "We had intelligence inputs that terrorists had moved to the higher reaches after the melting of snow. Keeping that in mind, our domination parties had continuously been deployed in the higher reaches, mountainous areas and forests," he further stated. The security agencies received intelligence input about the presence of terrorists in the Keller area of Shopian on the night of May 12, Major Joshi said. "So the domination party that was deployed there for some time relocated itself and, in a focused way, closed in on the area. They challenged the terrorists who fired at them, leading to an encounter in which three terrorists were neutralised," he said. Addressing the Tral encounter, the GoC said that the operation took place in a different terrain. "We had input and cordoned off the village. The terrorists took positions in different houses and fired. Our challenge was the safe evacuation of innocent civilians, including children. Then systematic searches were conducted one by one in the houses, and the three terrorists were neutralised in separate places," he added. According to Major Joshi, the fact that both operations were carried out successfully demonstrates that the security forces will locate the terrorists and other members of the organisation, wherever they may be and eliminate them. Shahid Kuttay, a key participant in major attacks in the valley, was among the six terrorists killed. He was one of the most important perpetrators. The attacks included one that took place on a sarpanch in Heerpora, Shopian, on May 18 last year. He also played a key role in executing the gunfire incident that took place at the Danish Resort on April 8 of the same year, which resulted in the injuries of two German tourists and a driver. "Kuttay was also involved in fundraising and other activities," he added. Neutralisation of both the modules has dealt a blow to terror outfits and will help in stopping terror activities here and bring peace, Maj Joshi said. (With PTI inputs)
16 May,2025 02:59 PM IST | Awantipora | mid-day online correspondent | mid-day online correspondentMadhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday reached a private hospital in state capital Bhopal, where two police personnel are undergoing treatment after being injured during a drill and enquired about their health conditions. The two police personnel of the 25th battalion were hurt in a grenade explosion during the drill in the capital city on Thursday. CM Yadav met with the injured personnel, their family members in the hospital and also spoke to the doctors to know information about the treatment. He further instructed them for better treatment of the police personnel. "Today, I reached the hospital to enquire about the health conditions of our two police personnel, who were injured during a drill and I have given instructions to the doctors to provide the best treatment. I also met the family members of the personnel on the occasion," the CM told reporters. One of the police personnel sustained severe injuries near eyes and doctors said that it would heal with time, he said, adding that he ordered an investigation into the matter to ascertain the reason behind the incident. "I have ordered an investigation into the matter to find out the reason why such an incident happened and take action against those responsible. Our priority is the well-being of the police jawans and the state government is standing with them. I pray to Lord Mahakal, may the jawans get well soon," the CM said. "Additionally, if required then arrangements will be made to shift them further to a better place for better treatment. The state government is with them," he added. Furthermore, in a post on X, CM Yadav said, "Today, I visited a hospital in Bhopal to enquire about the well-being of two soldiers of the 25th Battalion who were injured during a mock drill. I received treatment-related information from the hospital management and doctors and gave instructions for better treatment. I pray to God for the speedy recovery of the Jawans." 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
16 May,2025 02:36 PM IST | Bhopal | ANIADVERTISEMENT
