Dehradun, August 23

A court of inquiry has been ordered into the recent death of two cadets of the prestigious Indian Military Academy here after they fell sick during a 10-km-run as part of their routine training, sources said today.Dipak Sharma (22) from Bathinda in Punjab and Navin Chetri (23) from Darjeeling in West Bengal were among seven cadets who took ill after they participated in a 10-km run called “Pahla Kadam” at the Badshahibagh training area on the outskirts of Dehradun on August 18, they said. The duo died at a hospital later. Prima facie, the cadets died due to exhaustion and dehydration, sources said. — PTI

Washington, August 22

Even as US President Donald Trump today hit out at Pakistan for providing safe havens to “agents of chaos” that kill Americans in Afghanistan and warned Islamabad that it had “much to lose” by harbouring terrorists, China jumped to its ally’s defence, saying Islamabad was at the frontline of combating terrorism.Trump, in his first prime-time televised address to the nation as commander-in-chief, came down heavily on Pakistan. “Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror. The threat is worse because Pakistan and India are two nuclear-armed states whose tense relations threaten to spiral into a conflict. And that could happen,” he said. He reached out to India, seeking an enhanced role in rebuilding Afghanistan.

The two biggest militaries of the continent have finally agreed to call off their standoff after two months. The fact that Prime Minister Modi will be rubbing shoulders with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a week may have been instrumental in ending the confrontation. The incident is a sad commentary on the lack of trust that has kept the two nations estranged for over half a century. Other forces too have happily played a role in keeping animosities bubbling and distrust alive. The unilateral walk back by the Indian Army confirms that the contest all along has been over Bhutan, long considered by China as a bee in its bonnet.Ever since 1962, loyal Bhutan always stood by India’s side. Since India had a festering border dispute, it also kept dragging its border talks with China despite several blandishments including a seat on the UNSC. Nor did it permit China to open an embassy in Bhutan. For a country that aims to overtake the US, this Bhutanese demurral rankles and China did what it knows best — it tried to militarily pressurise Bhutan with a road at Doklam. The Indian Army’s intervention sabotaged China’s game plan, leading to the standoff and an unending cascade of angry remonstrations.Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi would also have realised that this standoff was diminishing their political capital. Pseudo-nationalists on both sides were on the rise. Their high- pitched economic boycott call forced New Delhi to bend with the wind: anti-dumping duty was slapped on 93 Chinese products and its hot selling mobile phones are under the intelligence scanner. Xi is also under attack from his domestic opponents. A reverse on the border would have not only weakened his position at home but would have emboldened the South China Sea rivals to frontally tackle China. The strategic bad blood between India and China will continue. But for the moment, Xi and Modi were not willing to take a leap into the unknown.

Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit being taken to the Army base at Colaba from Taloja Central Jail on Wednesday. PTI

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, August 23

Lt Col Shrikant Prasad Purohit, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case, was today released from Taloja jail in Mumbai after his release order was issued by the Special National Investigation Agency court.The Supreme Court had on Monday granted bail to Purohit. However, his release, which was due on Tuesday, was delayed due to procedural hassles.Purohit walked out of jail shortly after 10.35 am and left for the military barracks at Colaba in South Mumbai in a convoy of 15 military vehicles.The former Military Intelligence officer, along with Sadhvi Pragya and others, was accused in the 2008 Malegaon blasts case. Seven persons died in the blast. Shortly after the SC order, Purohit told reporters on Tuesday that he was looking forward to rejoining the Army. He said he was thankful to the Army for standing by him.

जेएनएन, संगरूर। स्वतंत्रता दिवस की पूर्व संध्या पर गुरदासपुर के तिबड़ी कैंट में आर्मी जवान की शिकायत पर मुख्यमंत्री कैप्टन अमरिंदर सिंह ने सख्त रवैया अपनाया है। मामले में जांच के 24 घंटे के भीतर ही थाना धूरी के एएसआई को सस्पेंड कर दिया गया है। इतना ही नहीं, कैप्टन ने इस कार्रवाई की सूचना आर्मी के एक अधिकारी को खुद एसएमएस करके दी। साथ ही ये भी कहा कि एएसआई को सस्पेंड कर एसएचओ बदल दिया गया है। आर्मी जवान नए एसएचओ से मिल सकता है, जो खुद एक्स आर्मी पर्सन है।

जानकारी के अनुसार कैप्टन अमरिंदर सिंह 14 अगस्त की शाम को गुरदासपुर के तिबड़ी कैंट में थे। उन्होंने 3 सिख रेजीमेंट के अफसरों और जवानों के साथ मुलाकात की। इसी दौरान आर्मी जवान गुरप्रीत सिंह ने मुख्यमंत्री को बताया कि वह धूरी के गांव दुर्गेवाला का रहने वाला है। कुछ दिन पहले उसका व पड़ोसियों से किसी बात को लेकर झगड़ा हुआ था।

यह भी पढ़ें: डेरा प्रमुख से जुड़े यौनशोषण मामले में सीबीआइ कोर्ट 25 को सुनाएगी फैसला

धूरी थाने के एएसआई हरमीत सिंह ने दोनों पक्षों को सुनवाई के लिए थाने बुलाया। वह अपनी वर्दी में थाने गया तो एएसआई के सामने पड़ोसियों ने उसे बेइज्जत किया और मौके पर मौजूद एएसआई ने कुछ नहीं कहा। इसी दौरान आर्मी के आईजी ने इस मामले को अपने स्तर पर देखने की बात की तो कैप्टन ने उन्हें बीच में टोकते हुए फौजी की सारी बात सुनकर संगरूर पुलिस के उच्चाधिकारियों को फोन पर मामले की जांच करके रिपोर्ट देने के आदेश दे दिए।

इसके बाद देर शाम इस फौजी के अफसर को सीएम कैप्टन अमरिंदर सिंह की ओर से एसएमएस पर सूचना मिली कि एसएचओ का तबादला और सब इंस्पेक्टर को सस्पेंड कर दिया गया है। साथ में ये भी कहा कि जवान अब नए एसएचओ से मिल सकता है, जो एक्स आर्मी पर्सन है।

यह भी पढ़ें: गीतकार गुलजार बोले- मैंने देखा है लाशों के ढेर पर देश को बंटते हुए

उधर, इस बारे में संगरूर के एसएसपी मनदीप सिंह सिद्धू ने दैनिक जागरण को बताया कि मामले की जांच के बाद थाना धूरी के एएसआई हरमीत सिंह को सस्पेंड किया गया है। जबकि थाना प्रभारी विजय कुमार का तबादला कर उसकी जगह इंस्पेक्टर परमिंदर सिंह को एसएचओ का चार्ज दिया गया है।

Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has said that if he loses the Panaji by-poll, he has the option of returning as the defence minister.

Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray has attacked Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar over his remarks on returning as defense minister if he loses the state by-poll. Parrikar is contesting the Panaji assembly bypoll scheduled on August 23. Parrikar recently said that if he loses the Panaji by-poll, he has the option of returning as the defence minister.

In a strongly worded editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna, Uddhav Thackeray has even called Parrikar a failure as a defence minister. The editorial says that Parrikar must lose the Panaji by-poll and let the nation see if he really returns as defence minister.

In the editorial Uddhav says, “the misunderstanding that Manohar Parrikar is a politician with a clean image is bygone now. He himself has stamped his image as a self-centred politician. After failing miserably as the defence minister, he returned to Goa”.

Parrikar’s arrogant statement that if he loses Panaji by-polls he will return to Delhi as defence minister has not only insulted the CMs post of Goa but has also degraded the defence minister’s post” Uddhav said.

“Actually for a ‘Mahatma’ like Parrikar the elections should have been unopposed. But he turned his back when the borders of the nation were in danger to enjoy his ‘fish curry rice’, isn’t this a great bravery ? He should get a Mahaveer Chakra for this bravery, but instead BJP made him the CM of Goa,” Uddhav quipped sarcastically in the editorial.

The Shiv Sena chief alleged that inspite of badly losing the Goa assembly elections, Parrikar managed to form the government. Uddhav said that the Goa chief minister is afraid of a defeat in the by-poll and is insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi by making such a statement. Parrikar’s statement is laughable and an insult to democracy, Uddhav has said.

“The prime minister must explain. Is the defence minister’s post so cheap and orphaned?”, Uddhav questioned.

“The country is fighting the challenges on the borders by China and Pakistan…PM is making all efforts to face them .. but when people like Parrikar degrade the defence minister’s post, he deserves to be defeated. His fear of defeat must come true. The Goans will watch whether he’d really become the defence minister. How long are they going to fool the people of Goa?”, Uddhav said.

The by-election in Panaji and Valpoi constituencies would be held on August 23.

The bypolls were necessitated following the resignations of BJP’s sitting MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar and Congress’ Vishwajeet Rane, from Panaji and Valpoi seats, respectively.

Parrikar resigned as the defence minister after the BJP formed the government in Goa.

He was sworn-in as the chief minister on March 14 this year. He has to get elected to the Assembly within six months of taking charge as the chief minister.

Also Read:

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar proves majority in Goa Assembly: As it happened

Manohar Parrikar: Quit as defence minister due to pressure of issues like Kashmir

Also Watch:

Manohar Parrikar sworn in as Goa Chief Minister

PM Narendra Modi with the six women officers who are due to circumnavigate the globe and Admiral Sunil Lanba. PTI

New Delhi, August 17

A six-woman Navy crew led by an Uttarakhand officer, Lt Commander Vartika Joshi, will kick off their voyage to circumnavigate the globe in the first week of September from Goa.The officers have been trained to handle everything from equipment breakdown, extreme temperatures to emergencies such as a crew member falling overboard.Lt Commander Joshi said: “We will be facing some of the roughest seas. We’ve learnt everything from scratch and have trained to handle whatever may come our way.”(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)The crew comprises Lt Commanders Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.Jamwal hails from Kullu in Himachal Pradesh, while Gupta belongs to Dehradun.The officers will set out on the voyage, “Navika Sagar Parikrama”, from Goa aboard “INSV Tarini”, a 55-foot sailing vessel, and head to Australia.The 21,600-nautical mile expedition will be covered in five legs, with stopovers at four ports.  A voyage qualifies as circumnavigation if it starts and finishes at the same port, does not entail crossing a canal or strait, all meridians are crossed at least once and the distance covered is more than 21,600 nautical miles. — TNS

All-women naval crew to embark on around the globe voyage

Six women officers of the Indian Navy, who are due to circumnavigate the globe, at a press conference in New Delhi on Thursday. PTI

New Delhi, August 17  A six-member all-women crew of the Indian Navy is set to embark on an eight-month voyage in September to circumnavigate the world, the first such feat to be attempted from Asia.The naval officers led by Lt. Commander Vartika Joshi will set sail in the naval auxiliary vessel INSV Tarini from Goa, and they are expected to depart early September.“We will be passing through some of the roughest patches of sea during the voyage,” Joshi told reporters today.“This all-women circumnavigation attempt would be the first of its kind, not only from India but also Asia. They are well-trained and with their maritime odyssey, they will also set sail into the record books,” Naval Chief of Personnel Vice Admiral AK Chawla said.“They are going to set benchmarks not just for India but the entire world,” he said.Fellow crew member Pratibha Jamwal, who had joined the Naval Academy in 2011, said, the voyage is daunting but they are all trained and set for it.The expedition will be covered in five legs, with stopovers at 4 ports—Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa), it said.INSV Tarini is a 55-foot sailing vessel, which has been built indigenously, and inducted in the Indian Navy earlier this year.The crew had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday. — PTI

Soldiers of 3 Sikhs click photos with Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday. Tribune photo

Tribune News Service

Tibri Cantonment (Gurdaspur), August 14Punjab will observe September 12 as Saragarhi Day to commemorate the historic battle of Saragarhi, held on this date in 1897, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh announced on Monday.He was addressing the soldiers of 3 Sikhs, with whom he was spending the Independence Eve.A state-level function will be held on September 12 at the Saragarhi Gurdwara in Ferozepur to mark the occasion, which will be presided by Finance Minister Manpreet Badal, in the absence of the chief minister.Capt Amarinder will be in London for the launch of his book on Saragarhi, as part of the Saragarhi battle celebrations.The chief minister announced a state holiday to mark the day, which will be celebrated every year on September 12 from this year onwards.The Cabinet had in April decided to hand over the management of the Saragarhi Memorial Gurdwara to the administration of Saragarhi Memorial Management Trust, Ferozepur.The Trust comprises of serving Army men as well as ex-servicemen. The site is located at Ferozepur Cantt in district Ferozepur.On this date, under the command of Havildar Ishar Singh, 21 jawans and one NCO attained martyrdom after killing hundreds of tribesman, who had attacked the Saragarhi outpost.The British government had conferred the 21 soldiers with the highest battle honour — “Indian Order of Merit grade II”.This day is celebrated on September 12 every year in Gurdwara Saragarhi Sahib to commemorate the sacrifices of these men.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 4

The daring escape by three Indian Air Force pilots from a Pakistani prison and their failed attempt to reach the Afghanistan border has been documented into a film.‘The Great Indian Escape’ was screened at the IAF auditorium here today. Similar screenings are planned in Chandigarh, Jodhpur, Pune, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, among other places. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)Flight Lieutenants Dilip Parulkar, MS Grewal and Harish Singhji were among 12 pilots taken prisoners of war (PoWs) during the December 1971 India-Pakistan war and housed in a Rawalpindi prison. Though the war ended on December 16, repatriation formalities of the PoWs could not be completed even in two months. During the waiting period, the trio executed a well-planned escape from the jail and moved towards Torkham on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Though disguised as local Pathans, they were captured twice, the last time a mere five miles short of their target. They were then sent to Faisalabad jail before being repatriated to a hero’s welcome through the Attari-Wagah land route. Taranjiet Singh Namdhari is the film’s director-producer while Asheesh Kapur plays the role of Flt Lt Harish Sinhji, who passed away in 1999. Grewal and Parulkar are alive and their roles have been played by Raaj Singh Grewal and Raghav Rishi.