Monthly Archives: August 2018

PTI

Ahmedabad, March 12

Two persons were arrested from Rewa district in Madhya Pradesh by Gujarat police in connection with a bulk video and voice message released allegedly by a pro-Khalistan group threatening to storm Narendra Modi Stadium ahead of the India-Australia cricket match that started on March 9 in Ahmedabad, an official said on Sunday.

Ahmedabad police’s cyber crime cell traced the origin of the message to a facility set up in Rewa in the neighbouring state for call spoofing and arrested two persons from there, the official said.

The bulk message, urging people to stay safe at home as a pro-Khalistan group planned to storm the cricket stadium and install its flag, was released ahead of the India-Australia cricket match that was witnessed by Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.

“We have arrested two persons from Rewa district and busted a facility set up there for call spoofing. We traced the threat video message from the facility and recovered 11 SIM boxes, around 300 SIM cards, 4-5 routers,” Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cyber Crime) Jitendra Yadav said.

He identified the accused as Rahul Kumar and Narendra Kushwaha, who hail from Satna in MP.

“The threat was issued on a recorded message, and the call is jumped, spoofed in such a way that it becomes difficult to locate them. We have busted the centre from where the call was being spoofed. Further investigation will reveal who all are behind the recorded message,” Yadav said.

The messages, released purportedly by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, founder of US-based terrorist organisation ‘Sikhs for Justice’, threatened to disrupt the cricket match, with police saying it was aimed at creating panic among people.

“People of Gujarat, stay home and stay safe on March 9 (the day of opening of match between India and Australia) because pro-Khalistani Sikhs are going to storm Narendra Modi stadium and install Khalistani flag,” said message relayed through bulk messaging and mass voice call.

This was received by a number of people on their phones, as per police.  

United Nations, March 11

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has admitted that Islamabad faces an “uphill task” to get the Kashmir issue into the “centre” of the agenda of the United Nations.

Zardari also fumbled as he went on to refer to India, describing it first as “our friend” before using the term “neighbouring” country.

“You’re also right to note that we face a particularly uphill task to try and get Kashmir into the centre of the agenda at the United Nations,” Zardari said at a press conference here on Friday, responding to a question that drew parallels between the situation in Palestine with Kashmir.

Pakistan rakes up the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at every UN forum and platform, irrespective of the topic or agenda being discussed.

However, it fails to get any traction or support for its agenda from the wider UN membership that considers Kashmir to be a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.

“And whenever the issue of Kashmir is brought up, our friends within, with.. our friend… our.. our… neighbouring countries, strongly object, vociferously object and they perpetuate a post-fact narrative where they try to claim that this is not a dispute for the United Nations, that this is not a disputed territory recognised for the international community,” the 34-year-old Pakistani foreign minister said.

Tensions between India and Pakistan spiked after New Delhi abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution to revoke the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.

India has categorically told the international community that the scrapping of Article 370 was an internal matter. It also advised Pakistan to accept the reality and stop all anti-India propaganda.

India has told Pakistan that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Islamabad in an environment free of terror, hostility and violence.

Zardari said “while we do find it difficult to get the truth across, we are persistent in our efforts” and added that at every opportunity, whether it is in the UN Security Council or other events, he makes the effort to mention both the plight of the people of Palestine and of Kashmir.

“I think your parallel is very justified. There are many similarities between the plight of the people of Kashmir and the plight of the people of Palestine. I think it’s fair to say that both issues remain unaddressed by the United Nations and we’d like to see an extra focus not only on Palestine but also on Kashmir,” he added.

Zardari was addressing the media here on the outcome of the Women in Islam Conference and Commemoration of the First Islamophobia Day, on the sidelines of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

ESM WEBSITES

OLD FAUJI

PRESIDENT VISIT TO HARMANDIR SAHIB

https://expressindianews.com/epaper/

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 10

As promised at the time of launch of Agnipath scheme, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has notified the provision of 10 per cent reservation for former Agniveers in vacancies in the Border Security Force (BSF) with relaxations in the upper age limit.

The MHA has issued a notification in this regard after amending the Border Security Force, General Duty Cadre (Non-Gazetted) Recruitment Rules, 2015, and this had been made effective from March 9, officials said.

Age relaxation too

• Age limit to be relaxed up to 5 yrs for 1st batch of ex-Agniveers
• It will be relaxed up to 3 years for the subsequent batches
• Ex-Agniveers will also be exempted from physical efficiency test

In the notification, the MHA said while the upper age limit would be relaxed up to five years for candidates of the first batch of ex-Agniveers, subsequently it would be relaxed up to three years.

Former Agniveers would also be exempted from physical efficiency test, it said.

On June 14 last year, the government had unveiled the Agnipath scheme for recruitment of youths aged between 17.5 and 21 years in the Army, Navy and the Air Force, largely on a four-year short-term contractual basis. Those recruited under the scheme would be known as Agniveers.

After the completion of the four-year tenure, 25 per cent of the recruits from each batch would be offered regular service and the rest would be relieved with a substantial amount as ‘seva nidhi’.

At that time of the scheme’s announcement, the MHA had announced that 10 per cent vacancies in central paramilitary forces and the Assam Rifles would be reserved for those 75 per cent Agniveers who would be relieved after four years.

It had also announced that the upper age limit was relaxed for the first batch of ex-Agniveers by up to five years and for the subsequent batches for three years. In addition, the ex-Agniveers would be exempted from the physical proficiency test, the MHA had said.

The specified age limit for recruitment to paramilitary forces is 18-23 years. For those who join the armed forces even at the upper age limit of 21 years under the Agnipath scheme, they can be recruited with the BSF till the age of 30 years after the four years of service in the Army, Air Force or the Navy in case of the first batch and till 28 years for the subsequent batches.

The MHA decision for absorption of Agniveers into paramilitary forces is significant as it will help the ex-Agniveers get employment opportunities till their age of superannuation. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) would also be benefitted as they would get a trained pool of personnel to fill over 70,000 vacancies.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 10

The Indian and Australian Navies today discussed initiatives to enhance collaboration and interoperability towards realisation of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region.

Chief of Australian Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond and Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar discussed these issues here. The Australian Navy Chief is on a three-day official visit to India. The two sides discussed avenues to strengthen the growing cooperation between the two nations and the navies. Ways to deal with prevalent emerging maritime security challenges were also discussed. Both navies have been exploring new avenues for collaboration in the areas of defence industries, innovation and emerging technologies in support of the ‘Make in India’ vision.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10

A day after UT DGP Praveer Ranjan’s standing order regarding appointment of inspectors and ranks below surfaced, the Police Department today stated the authority to transfer personnel had not been changed from what existed before.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO), Chandigarh Police, stated the Police Establishment Board dealt with transfers and postings of personnel and the UT SSP remained a member of the board. No such orders changing these powers of the UT SSP had been issued, said the PRO. The March 3 orders stated there was a need to lay down various aspects of establishment matters in the UT police holistically and systematically.

Drug eradication SSP’s focus, to unveil WhatsApp number

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10

Eradicating drugs from society is among the priorities of new SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, who claims a dedicated WhatsApp number will be launched for citizens to share information on drug trafficking or traffickers and she will herself monitor it to conceal the identity of the informers.

IOs to face music for default bail to accused

SSP Kanwardeep Kaur said if any accused was released on default bail, then the investigating officer (IO) would be held responsible, as default bail was not possible without the connivance of an IO.

Interacting with the media, the SSP said people usually feared coming forward to share information about drug peddlers since they were somehow known to them. But when we ensure anonymity of the informers, they would come forward to provide information about peddlers.

The UT police had in 2015 launched a WhatsApp number to share information about the sale of drugs in the city. However, the department had failed to get a desired response.

“We will also focus on drug hotspots to crack down on suppliers,” she said.

Kanwardeep said the Police Department would ensure conviction in NDPS cases through a proper investigation.

Speaking about the default bail, she said if any accused was released on default bail, then the investigating officer (IO) would be held responsible, as default bail was not possible without the connivance of an IO.

The SSP, a 2013-batch Punjab cadre IPS officer, also spoke about reviving the police beat system. “I am being told that the system is not effective like it was earlier. I will review the system and ensure that the beat officers are responsible for maintaining law and order in their respective areas,” she added.

The manpower at the police stations will be reviewed and if required, these will be provided with more staff.

Kanwardeep also talked about curbing the incidents of snatching in the city. “I am being told that mostly mobile phones are snatched in the city. Efforts will be made to deter miscreants from committing such crimes,” she added.