Monthly Archives: August 2018

New Delhi, July 25

Hinting that things are gradually getting under control in the violence-hit Manipur, the state government today eased restrictions on broadband Internet connectivity in a “liberalised manner”.

The decision comes nearly three months after broadband Internet was banned due to widespread violence in the state. Officials, however, said mobile Internet would remain suspended. The Manipur Home Department, in a notification, said: “Connection will be only through static IP and that the subscriber concerned shall not accept any other connection other than allowed for the time being [TSP (telecom service provider)/ISP (Interet service provider) shall be held responsible for non-compliance of this condition].”

“No Wi-Fi hotspots shall be allowed at any cost by the subscriber concerned,” it further noted.

Meanwhile, the state police today said they had arrested one more person in connection with the May 4 disrobing and parading of two women, a video of which had created a nationwide outrage. The police, in a tweet, said the fresh arrest on late Monday evening from Thoubal district took the total number of apprehensions in the case to seven.

The police had earlier said they had identified 14 persons from the video.

 Welcoming Sub Maj Sanjay kumar,  PVC, onboard

Tribune News Service

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, July 24

The Chandigarh Bench of the Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT), Chandimandir (Panchkula), has issued directions for payment of war injury pension to former sailor Tara Singh, 83, who got injured during the Goa Liberation Operation.

Fought in 1961 liberation of Goa

• Ludhiana resident Tara Singh joined the Navy on July 6, 1960; he was deployed in Goa Operation of Liberation of Anjediva Island in Dec 1961
• On Dec 18, he was part of a landing party from INS Trishul when his motorboat came under fire from enemy and a bullet hit him in head
• Discharged from service in 1963, he got disability pension; but resurvey board assessed disability at below 20%; his pension was stopped in 1971
• AFT said his case was covered under 2001 order by Centre that stated any type of injury/casualty had to be treated as battle casualty/injury

The Ludhiana resident had joined the Indian Navy on July 6, 1960. He was posted aboard INS Trishul and deployed in the Goa Operation of Liberation of Anjediva Island in December 1961.

On December 18, 1961, Tara Singh was part of a landing party from INS Trishul and was directed to move to the island by a motorboat. On the way, his party came under fire from the enemy and a bullet hit him in the head.

“The injury sustained during the operation was declared ‘head injury fracture skull’ and a piece of bullet still remains lodged in his head. After being hit, he was evacuated and admitted to INS Ashwani,” submitted his counsel Arun Singla.

The island was under control of the Portuguese since 1506 and they surrendered it in 1961, 48 hours after mainland Goa was surrendered to India. Tara Singh was discharged from the Navy on November 1, 1963, and granted a disability pension. However, the Resurvey Medical Board assessed his disability percentage at below 20 per cent and his disability pension was discontinued on June 16, 1971. The Union of India argued before the AFT as the disability percentage was below 20%, he was neither entitled to war injury pension nor disability pension.

The Bench, headed by Justice Dharam Chand Chaudhary, observed: “… it is desirable to refer to the Government of India instructions dated January 31, 2001, which provided as to what type of injury/casualty has to be treated as battle casualty/injury. Casualties/disabilities amongst others caused in an operation especially notified by the government from time to time have been categorised as war casualties in this document.”

The Bench added the case of Tara Singh was covered under instructions dated January 31, 2001, as the Goa Liberation Operation was notified by the government. “The applicant as such is definitely entitled to the grant of war injury pension and the denial thereof is not only illegal, arbitrary, and an abuse of power vested in the respondents, but also capricious,” noted the Bench. Tara Singh will get war injury pension from the day next to the date of his discharge at 20% till December 31, 1995, and thereafter at 50% from January 1, 1996, for life as per the law laid down in ‘Union of India and others vs Ram Avtar’ of 2014.

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Org indian army veterans

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, July 24

The efforts of the Army to improve its outreach in far-off areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts along the Line of Control (LoC) have started showing results. The elimination of four terrorists in Poonch on July 18 was a result of intelligence provided by locals.

The Army has been conducting meetings with local communities of Rajouri and Poonch, especially after five soldiers were killed in an ambush on a military truck by terrorists near Bhimber Gali in Poonch on April 20. Five other Army men were killed in a blast while searching for terrorists hiding in the Kandi forest area of Rajouri on May 5.

“The recent Poonch operation in which four Pakistani terrorist were killed is an example of coordination between intelligence agencies, security forces and civilians. Without the help of locals, who are well aware of the routes within forest areas, it is difficult even for the Army and the police to search for terrorists,” said a military intelligence official.

The Army has held several meetings with members of the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities who reside in temporary structures on mountainous passes. These routes are often used by terrorists to reach other places within J&K.

Soon after reports that terror organisations in Pakistan were trying to revive armed insurgency in the Hindu-dominated Jammu region, the Army has started focusing on far-flung areas of the division and is imparting to women and youth training in skill development to help them set up their own small businesses.

The Army has also started a series of meetings with the locals. Meetings were held today at Kulai, Dogrian and Marhot in Poonch in which issues concerning the local populace, including basic amenities, education and infrastructural development, were discussed.

On July 20, the Army, in association with E-DAC (Error Detection and Correction) company, conducted a seminar in the Potha area of Poonch to empower local teachers with innovative teaching techniques and digital tools.

To promote synergy and coordination between government officials, security forces and local population of the Jammu region, the Army organised a ‘Civil-Military Liaison Conference’ on July 5 at the Rakhmuthi Military Station in Jammu.

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, July 24

The IMD has issued heavy to very heavy rain warning for Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka for Monday.

It also issued heavy rain warning for Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Odisha, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 24

Around 100 passengers, including three BJP MPs, were stranded at the Rajkot airport on Sunday night after they boarded an Air India flight to Delhi as the pilot refused to fly saying he was tired and his duty was over. The passengers waited for two hours before the flight was cancelled and alternative arrangements made for the passengers.

New Delhi, July 24

The Manipur Police have identified 14 more suspects from the shocking video of the two women who were disrobed and paraded on May 4. A manhunt has been launched to nab these suspects, all of whom are absconding, officials said today. The police have so far arrested six accused.

Related News

• Parliament logjam on, Opposition presses for PM’s statement on Manipur violence

Mizoram steps up security for rally

Security has been stepped up in Mizoram as the Young Mizo Association-led NGO Coordination Committee has proposed a march on July 25 in support of Kuki-Zo community in Manipur.

In fresh cases of arson, the police confirmed that at least 10 abandoned houses and a school were burnt by armed miscreants led by women late last evening in the Torbung Bazaar area of Churachandpur district.

Meghalaya CM’s office attacked, 5 cops hurt

Five cops were injured when a mob attacked Meghalaya CM’s office in Tura, where Conrad K Sangma was holding a meet over declaring it winter capital. PTI

Union Minister RK Ranjan Singh’s house in Imphal, which was vandalised and set ablaze last month, was again attacked today by protesters as a women’s rally outside his residence turned ugly. The protesters hurled stones at the house, demanding that the minister should speak in Parliament about the situation in the state, officials said, adding that none was injured as no one was present in the house. Despite the protesters firing in the air and hurling locally made bombs, the forces avoided retaliation when they saw the attackers led by hundreds of women, the officials added.

Later in the day, Imphal students of Manipur University took out a rally demanding restoration of peace in the state. The police fired tear gas shells to disperse them as the youths crossed the permissible area for the rally, police officials said.

Countering the fake news menace, the police have registered an FIR against unidentified people for allegedly circulating a picture of an RSS functionary and his son and claiming that they were directly involved in the May 4 incident of sexual assault.

In Mizoram where the Young Mizo Association (YMA)-led NGO Coordination Committee has proposed a solidarity protest march on July 25 to express support for the Kuki-Zo community in Manipur, the state police have tightened security arrangements.