Current Events :
Entire SS-15 Course( PO on 29Apr 1973) convey heartfelt condolences to the family members .
May Waheguru give him charan niwas and bless the depareted soul
Very painful moment for friends and family may God the almighty give strength to cope with the heavy loss
He is PRESIDENT PANCHKULA HARYANA UNIT,OF SANJHA MORCHA
The 32-year-old soldier was part of a patrolling party when he accidentally stepped over the landmine in Krishna Ghati sector
An army soldier was injured in a landmine explosion near the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.
The 32-year-old soldier was part of a patrolling party when he accidentally stepped over the landmine in Krishna Ghati sector, the officials said.een
They said the mine went off, causing critical injuries to the sepoy who was immediately evacuated to hospital.
As part of an anti-infiltration obstacle system, the forward areas are dotted with landmines which sometimes get washed away by rains resulting in such accidents, the officials said.
A Moga sarpanch has been invited by the Centre to attend the Republic Day celebrations as a special guest at the Red Fort in New Delhi for improving the lives of around 2,700 villagers by ensuring clean water supply and…
A Moga sarpanch has been invited by the Centre to attend the Republic Day celebrations as a special guest at the Red Fort in New Delhi for improving the lives of around 2,700 villagers by ensuring clean water supply and reducing the exploitation of groundwater by households through personal pump sets.
Chuggawan village sarpanch Narinder Kaur’s name was recommended by the state government to the Centre for the honour.
Naridner Kaur managed clean water supply at her village in collaboration with the Water Supply and Sanitation Department.
According to officials, she convinced the villagers to install government water connections and strengthened the village’s supply network, the reliance on which had reduced over the years due to poor quality of water and defunct infrastructure.
Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Sarangal said she also led efforts to improve the village’s infrastructure, including beautifying the waterworks area by constructing a park, which now serves as a recreational spot for residents.
In addition, she initiated the installation of nameplates outside homes, displaying water connection details and bearing the name of the family head.
Monthly meetings with officials and residents helped monitor the water-supply scheme’s smooth functioning, the officer said.
“Her leadership has brought significant improvements to the lives of people in Chuggawan. She has set an example for others by priortising essential services and community welfare,” said Sarnagal.
“It is a great honor to represent Chuggawan and Moga at the Republic Day celebrations. This recognition will motivate me to continue working for the betterment of my village,” said the sarpanch.
Israel’s top general resigned on Tuesday, taking responsibility for security failures tied to Hamas’ surprise attack that triggered the war in Gaza and adding to pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has delayed any public inquiry that could potentially…
Israel’s top general resigned on Tuesday, taking responsibility for security failures tied to Hamas’ surprise attack that triggered the war in Gaza and adding to pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has delayed any public inquiry that could potentially implicate his leadership.
While a fragile new ceasefire in the Gaza Strip held, Israel launched a large operation in the occupied West Bank, killing at least eight people, Palestinian officials said.
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi is the most senior Israeli figure to resign over the security and intelligence breakdown on October 7, 2023, when thousands of Hamas-led militants carried out a land, sea and air assault into southern Israel, rampaging through army bases and nearby communities.
The attack — the single deadliest on Israel in its history — killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the militants abducted another 250. More than 90 captives are still in Gaza, around a third believed to be dead.
Halevi’s resignation came days into the ceasefire with Hamas that could lead to an end to the 15-month war and the return of remaining captives. Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman, head of Israel’s Southern Command, which oversees operations in Gaza, also resigned.
Their resignations will likely add to calls for a public inquiry into the October 7 failures, something Netanyahu has said must wait until the war is over.
Halevi had appeared to be at odds with Israel’s new defence minister, Israel Katz, over the direction of the war. He said Israel had accomplished most of its goals, while Katz echoed Netanyahu’s vow to keep fighting until “total victory” over Hamas. Katz replaced the popular Yoav Gallant, who Netanyahu dismissed in a surprise announcement in November after growing disagreements over the war.
Halevi’s resignation letter said the military, under his command, had “failed in its mission to defend the State of Israel” and noted that the military’s investigations into those failures were “currently in their final stages.” He said his resignation would go into effect March 6.
Another major operation in the West Bank The ceasefire that started Sunday does not apply to the West Bank, where Israel announced a “significant and broad military operation” against Palestinian militants in Jenin, without details.
The city has seen repeated Israeli incursions and gunbattles with militants in recent years, even before the outbreak of the Gaza war.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 35 were wounded in the operation. It does not distinguish between militants and civilians in its tally.
Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians seek an independent state encompassing all three territories.
The West Bank has seen a surge of violence since the start of the war in Gaza. Israeli troops have carried out near-daily raids that often ignite gunbattles. There has also been a rise in attacks on Palestinians by Jewish extremists — including a rampage in two Palestinian villages overnight Monday — as well as Palestinian attacks on Israelis.
Hamas condemned the Israeli operation in Jenin, calling on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank to step up their attacks.
The smaller and more radical Islamic Jihad militant group also condemned the operation, saying it reflected Israel’s “failure to achieve its goals in Gaza.” It said it was also a “desperate attempt” by Netanyahu to save his governing coalition.
Netanyahu faces domestic criticism over ceasefire In addition to the pressures over the military resignations, Netanyahu faces criticism from far-right allies over the ceasefire. It requires Israeli troops to pull back from populated areas in Gaza and envisions the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including militants convicted of involvement in deadly attacks on Israelis.
The ceasefire is to last for six weeks and see 33 hostages gradually released. Three hostages and 90 prisoners were released on Sunday, when it took effect. The next release is Saturday.
The truce has already seen Hamas return to the streets, showing that it remains in control of the territory despite the war killing tens of thousands of Palestinians — including some Hamas leaders — and causing widespread devastation.
One of Netanyahu’s erstwhile partners, Itamar Ben-Gvir, quit the government the day the ceasefire went into effect, weakening the coalition but still leaving Netanyahu with a parliamentary majority. Another, far-right leader, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has threatened to leave if Israel does not resume the war after the ceasefire’s first phase.
Inside Gaza
Israel’s military campaign has killed over 47,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to local health authorities, who say women and children make up more than half of the fatalities but do not say how many of the dead were fighters. Israel says it killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said 72 bodies had been taken to hospitals in the past 24 hours, almost all of them recovered from attacks before the ceasefire. An unknown number of bodies remain unreachable because they are in northern Gaza, where access remains restricted, or in buffer zones where Israeli forces are.
Over 900 trucks of aid entered Gaza on the second day of the ceasefire Monday, the United Nations said — significantly higher than the 600 trucks called for in the deal — in a rush to supply food, medicines and other needs it has described as “staggering” for the population of over 2 million people.
“Most importantly, we want things that will warm us in winter,” one of the many displaced Palestinians, Mounir Abu Seiam, said Tuesday as people gathered in the southern city of Khan Younis to receive food.
At least 14 Naxalites, including Jayram, alias Chalapati, a member of the Naxalite central committee carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, were killed in an encounter with the police on the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border this morning. Weapons, including AK-47, SLR…
At least 14 Naxalites, including Jayram, alias Chalapati, a member of the Naxalite central committee carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, were killed in an encounter with the police on the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border this morning.
Weapons, including AK-47, SLR and INSAS rifles, were recovered from the Naxals.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation. “Another mighty blow to Naxalism. Our security forces have achieved a major success towards building a Naxal-free Bharat. The CRPF, SOG, Odisha and the Chhattisgarh Police neutralised 14 Naxalites in a joint operation along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. With our resolve for a Naxal-free India and the joint efforts of our security forces, Naxalism is breathing its last today,” he said in a post on X. Chalapati, who was around 60 years old, belonged to Madanapalle in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and had studied till Class X.
Despite his modest educational background, he had risen to prominence in the Maoist ranks, becoming a member of the central committee, a top decision-making body of the organisation.
Owing to his significant role in the Naxal hierarchy, Chalapati had attracted a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head.Chalapati was familiar with the dense forests of Bastar and his security detail comprised eight to10 personal guards.
His tactical expertise, leadership skills and ability to mobilise resources in challenging terrains earned him notoriety as one of the most-wanted Maoist leaders in the region.Chalapati’s swift rise through the Maoist ranks came after he executed several high-profile attacks, including one of killing an MLA.
He was accused of being the mastermind of the September 23, 2018, attack in Dumbriguda Mandal of Araku in which Kidari Sarveswara Rao, TDP MLA from Araku Valley, and former TDP MLA Siveri Soma were shot dead.
Tuesday’s incident comes four days after an IED attack by Naxals left two BSF personnel injured in Narayanpur district, Chhattisgarh.
This followed a similar incident on January 16, when two CRPF jawans were injured in a pressure IED blast planted by Naxalites near Putkel village under the Basaguda police station in Bijapur district. Earlier, on January 12, five Naxalites, including two women, were killed in an encounter with the security forces in National Park area.
The Quad foreign ministers’ meet the first significant foreign policy event after Trump’s inauguration
n a message to China on its attempts to use coercive tactics in the South China Sea to assert its territorial claims, the foreign ministers of the Quad countries strongly opposed the move and said India, the US, Japan and Australia were committed to upholding international law.
The Quad foreign ministers met at Washington DC on Tuesday, a day after Donald Trump took over as the US President, making the Quad foreign ministers’ meet the first significant foreign policy event.
A joint statement put out by the US State Department talked about how the four nations planned to take forward the Quad. “Our four nations maintain our conviction that international law, economic opportunity, peace, stability and security in all domains, including the maritime domain, underpin the development and prosperity of the peoples of the Indo-Pacific,” the statement said.
In a reference to China, the statement said, “We also strongly oppose any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force.”
It said, “We reaffirm our shared commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific where the rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity are upheld and defended.”
These blunt messages from the Quad foreign ministers to China come as Beijing is using coercive tactics at sea, primarily in the South China Sea, to assert its territorial claims and influence regional dynamics. These tactics include operations by a ‘maritime militia’ to intimidate and harass other countries’ fishing boats and coast guard vessels within disputed waters.
Chinese Coast Guard has been involved in aggressive manoeuvres, including ramming and water cannon attacks, against vessels from other countries operating in areas claimed by China.
China claims vast swathes of the South China Sea, overlapping with the exclusive economic zones of several other countries, leading to frequent confrontations. A code of conduct is being discussed among six countries—the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei—that are party to the maritime boundary dispute in the South China Sea. These countries have been discussing a code of conduct forced upon the claimants by China that did not accept a UN verdict on the demarcation of the maritime boundary.
Meanwhile, in Washington DC, the Quad foreign ministers said they are committed to strengthening regional maritime, economic and technology security in the face of increasing threats, as well as promoting reliable and resilient supply chains.
“We look forward to advancing the work of the Quad in the coming months and will meet together on a regular basis as we prepare for the next Quad leaders’ summit hosted by India,” the statement said.
The Quad foreign ministers’ meet was the first for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi were present at the meeting.
S Jaishankar posted on X, “The meeting today sends a clear message that in an uncertain and volatile world, the Quad will continue to be a force for global good.”
He said it is significant that the Quad foreign ministers’ meet took place within hours of the inauguration of the Trump Administration, adding, “This underlines the priority it has in the foreign policy of its member states.”
Neeraj Chopra–two-time Olympic medallist–on Sunday shared the news of his marriage with Himani Mor. The Javelin thrower from Haryana took to social media platforms to tell sports lovers about the marriage. The Tribune’s Monica Chauhan tells you more about
Neeraj Chopra–two-time Olympic medallist–on Sunday shared the news of his marriage with Himani Mor.
Himani hails from Haryana’s Larsauli and is currently pursuing her Master of Science in sports management and administration from McCormack Isenberg School of Management in the US.
Chopra didn’t reveal the date and venue of the wedding ceremony. He captioned it, “Starting a new chapter of life with my family. Grateful for every blessing that brought us to this moment together. Bound by love, happily ever after.”
However, Chopra’s uncle Bhim told PTI that the marriage took place in the country and the couple has left for honeymoon.
“Yes, the marriage took place in India two days back. I can’t disclose the place where it took place,” Bhim said from his village Khandra near Panipat.
Daughter of Chand Ram, Himani is an alumna of Delhi’s Miranda House where she completed her bachelors in political science and physical education. He has a brother, Himanshu, who is also a tennis player.
She participated in the 2017 World University Games in Taipei after competing at the national level for Delhi University. Her school website says she won a gold medal in the World Junior Tennis Championship held in Malaysia in 2016.
“The woman is from Sonipat and is studying in the US. They have left the country for honeymoon and I am not aware of the place they are going to. We wanted to keep it like that,” said Bhim, who stays with the Olympic medallist at Khandra.
According to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) website, Himani’s career-best national ranking was 42 in the singles and 27 in the doubles in 2018. She started playing in 2018 in AITA events.
Amherst College in Massachusetts lists her as an assistant coach of women’s tennis as most major students can do a job, along with studies. With PTI inputs
‘We view mountains as our teachers, imparting invaluable lessons about life’
On January 7, when the clock struck 17.32, Sikh couple Harpreet Singh Cheema and Navneet Kaur Cheema from the US made a history by becoming the first to plant the Nishan Sahib at the summit of Mount Vinson, the highest peak in Antarctica, and the sky echoed with the sound of “Bole So Nihal, Sat Shri Akal.’
On May 23, 2024, they reached Mount Everest (8848m), the world’s highest mountain. Both Harpreet and Navneet had set a goal to complete seven summits of the world together and since then, with great perseverance, they have been working to accomplish the same.
Their journey started when they first climbed 5,895 m high Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest mountain in 2019. After that, they have climbed Mt Elbrus in 2022, Mt Aconcagua in 2023, Mt Denali in 2023. Mt Puncak Jaya in Indonesia is the only one left. The couple has a Doaba connection as they got married in Hoshiarpur.
Sharing their experiences with \IThe Tribune\I, they said their passion for mountaineering began as an extension of their love for marathons, cycling and triathlons. “What started as a way to explore new challenges quickly grew into a deep love for the mountains and the tranquility of nature,” shared Harpreet who is working as senior vice-president of Strategy for Common Spirit Health, the second largest healthcare system in the US.
His wife, Navneet, is a computer Science Engineer working at Expedia Group (the largest online travel company).The couple shared that climbing Mount Vinson was a test of endurance, demanding both physical and mental strength. In many ways, it felt like a mirror of Denali, one of the toughest of the seven summits, they said.“The daily ascent of nearly 3,000 ft, carrying heavy backpacks and
sleds weighing over 50 kg, requires extensive training and resilience. Throughout the challenge, the presence of Nishan Sahib was a constant source of strength,” the proud couple told The Tribune.
Reaching the top or achieving something big certainly doesn’t come easy. Climbing at such high altitudes carries significant risks, including the potential for injury, frostbite, and other unforeseen dangers. The couple shared their tough and emotional moments as well.
“While we have seen fellow climbers giving up on their summit bids because of severe frostbites, HAPE or HACE, witnessing death and bodies on Mt Everest sent shivers down our spines. Nearing the Hillary Step, we encountered a Kenyan triathlete and strong climber in distress. Sadly, he succumbed to exhaustion shortly after. Witnessing this loss was devastating,” they said.
It takes a lot to prepare to achieve such a feat. Their workouts are specifically designed to enhance rock climbing, core strength and hiking endurance.
For the couple, on Mt Everest, the seven weeks spent enduring extreme conditions were a true test of both mental and physical resilience. They faced the harshest environments, dealing with bacterial and viral infections, diarrhoea and pneumonia. “At one point, I was on three different antibiotics and paracetamol tablets. Your mind screams to quit, your weakened body craves the comfort of home, but the key is mental strength — to resist the urge to give up, and outlast the weakness. It was Guru Nanak Dev’s teachings on resilience and strength that continued to inspire and guide them through every step of this extraordinary journey.
They have two children a 15-year-old daughter, Chaaniyaa Kaur Cheema and a 7-year-old son Huqmaay Singh Cheema. Both children enjoy hiking trips with their parents.
The CAPFs must have their own integral cadres, like the Coast Guard. The army, too, should yield control of the Assam Rifles.
The spurt in terrorist incidents in Rajouri-Doda-Kathua last year was blamed on gaps in the security grid caused due to pulling out of the army division for the more pressing task of beefing up deployment to combat the Chinese build-up on the northern border. Even after this much-belated rebalancing, described as RB-1.0, we have just around 30 per cent force level deployed against China, our main adversary on the northern borders. Out of the balance, 30-40 per cent is deployed to combat the proxy war in J&K.
Notwithstanding the recent agreement on the restoration of patrolling in Depsang and Demchok, it is imperative to maintain vigil and enhance the deployment levels. The army is reportedly working on RB-2.0. The critical determinant for such rebalancing is whether the designated forces — the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and police — would rise to the challenge and free the army for addressing the primary challenge.
The CAPFs, with around 10,45,750 personnel, comprise seven formidable forces for maintaining law and order, internal security (IS) and counter-insurgency (CI) and protecting the borders. They can be broadly grouped as per their functions.
The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) is meant for industrial and airport security. The Ministry of Railways also has a 75,000-strong Railway Protection Force (RPF). The question is whether the overburdened Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) should give control of the CISF to the designated ministries of aviation and industry, like the RPF.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is mandated to beef up the state police forces for maintaining law and order and internal security. It was created as a reserve to the state police forces. Besides the regular constabulary, most states have around 10 armed police battalions, funded by the Central government, with a shared understanding on their deployment. These are also referred to as the Rapid Action Force (RAF).
Then, there are the Border Security Force (BSF), the Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) and the Assam Rifles (AR). Their mandate is border management (BM).
The Kargil Review Committee in 1991 had enunciated the principle of ‘one border, one force’ for border management and it recommended that the CRPF be dedicated for internal security. Consequently, rationalisation was attempted: the BSF for Pakistan and Bangladesh, the ITBP for China, the SSB for Nepal and Bhutan and the AR for Myanmar.
Each border has its own challenges. There is the problem of narcotics delivery by drones in Punjab, cattle and human trafficking on the Bangladesh border and terrorist intrusions in J&K.
The Pakistan border is properly fenced in the International Border (IB) sector and has a modified fencing along the Line of Control (LoC). The Bangladesh border is approximately 80 per cent fenced, but it has treacherous riverine and jungle stretches. Except for the 60-odd km out of 1,643 km, the border with Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet — the Line of Actual Control (LAC) — and Myanmar is unfenced.
Border management has two categories: border guarding or patrolling on settled borders and border defence on active frontiers (LoC and LAC), where the BSF and ITBP work in supportive role with the army.
The Assam Rifles is dual-tasked for the Myanmar border and the counter-insurgency role in the NE. It is paramilitary in nature as the officer cadre is from the army on a deputation basis.
The challenges of managing internal security and counter-insurgency are such that battalions of the CRPF, BSF, ITBP, SSB and AR are deployed in Manipur, reflecting the fire-brigade response of mustering whatever and whoever is available.
The force mix in J&K is similar, though the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), CRPF and J&K Police have become the main components. However, the recent induction of Assam Rifles units in J&K is indicative of the fire-fighting approach. The reputation of the AR — the original mainstay of North-East — has been tarnished in Manipur. It is not only unfortunate but also shortsighted. If there are black sheep in a force, fix them by all accounts, but why trash the 189-year-old legacy?
The National Security Guard (NSG) or Black Cat Commandos are on the other end of the spectrum. They do specialised counter-terrorism work, including hostage rescue.
The combined strength of the CAPFs and the armed police battalions matches that of the army in numbers. They also enjoy similar benefits in pay and perks and wear a similar uniform. They have recently even created similar sounding HQs, like the Command HQ, further adding to confusion.
The first and foremost requirement is empowerment of the CAPFs for their designated roles. It is predicated on the implementation of the police reforms recommended by the Prakash Singh Committee. They have been duly reiterated by the Supreme Court.
While the states have not implemented the suggested reforms, the Union government can set the pace for empowering the CAPFs and police in states ruled by NDA governments.
Next, the CAPFs have roles that require specialisation and force ethos. The use of the CAPFs as a cadre management avenue for senior ranks in the IPS needs to be reviewed. Para-dropping in CAPFs at apex ranks and shifting of DGs degrade cadre cohesion. The CAPFs must have their own integral cadres, like the Coast Guard. The army, too, should yield control of the Assam Rifles.
Regarding the border defence role, the BSF on the LoC and the ITBP on the LAC should operate under the undiluted operational control of the army.
Additionally, the large-scale deployment of the CAPFs for elections has impacted their availability for other mandated tasks. The electoral process should be made less dependent on the CAPFs, with the police and Home Guards shouldering the challenge.
The influx of infiltrators as an electoral issue has resulted in the counter-accusation that border management is ineffective and porous.
The BSF, except in West Bengal, has been allowed to operate up to 50 km in the hinterland along the borders, enhancing its effectiveness.
Viksit Bharat can only happen in a ‘surakshit Bharat’. For that, the CAPFs need to take up the challenge and become accountable. The army is observing 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’. The CAPFs could consider making it the ‘Year of Empowerment and Accountability’.
