New Delhi, August 6
Twenty-four years after the shocking hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC-814 from Kathmandu in Nepal, its pilot Captain Devi Sharan has revealed that he had made a secret plan to scare the Air Traffic Control at Lahore by pretending to crash land the aircraft on a highway.
Pretended to crash-land
When the Lahore ATC refused permission to land the aircraft, I made a plan to pretend to crash-land it… my plan worked, and the ATC said the runway is open, and we safely landed there. Captain Devi Sharan
Till date, it was understood that Capt Sharan, his co-pilot Rajinder Kumar and flight engineer AK Jaggia had decided to land the aircraft at the Lahore airport against the decision of the Pakistani authorities, and while doing so, they mistook a highway for the runway as lights on the runway were switched off. It was a narrow escape as the aircraft was about to touch the highway when they realised it and pulled it up.
Capt Sharan, while narrating the IC-814 hijacking story to the mediapersons, said: “There were two terrorists standing behind me in the cockpit, and whatever I used to communicate to my co-pilot or the crew, they used to understand everything. So I decided to keep certain things to myself.”
He added, “When the Lahore ATC refused permission to land the aircraft, I made a plan to pretend to crash-land the aircraft so that it would put pressure on them to switch on the runway lights and allow us to land there. A device called a transponder fitted in the aircraft provides location details to the ATC and, according to him, with the help of this device, they thought that he was going to crash-land the aircraft. “Believe me, my plan worked, and I got a communication from the ATC that the runway is open, and we safely landed,” Sharan said.
Army personnel near the body of a terrorist in Rajouri on Sunday. PTI
Arjun Sharma
Jammu, August 6
Even as one terrorist was shot dead by security forces in an encounter in J&K’s Rajouri on Saturday, another was learnt to be holed up inside the forest area and the operation to neutralise him continued throughout Sunday, said officials.
Holed up in forest
Personnel from the Army’s Special Forces were flown in and airdropped in Rajouri from where they rushed to the forest area along with specialised equipment. The police said the neutralised terrorist was a Pakistani national, identified from the marking on the medicines and the eatables he was carrying.
An Army official said the slain terrorist, who was firing at the security personnel, was detected through an unmanned aerial vehicle and shot dead. He was wearing Army uniform, which suggested he was likely planning to target a military area, the official said.
The encounter started on Saturday when the police at Khawas post received inputs about the presence of a group of armed terrorists. The police today said now only one terrorist was holed up inside the forest. Sources in the military establishment said additional troops of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) were mobilised as the terrain was undulating and had thick vegetation.
Mukesh Singh, Additional Director General of Police of Jammu, said after receiving inputs about the presence of the terrorists, the area was cordoned off. “As the search operation was underway, the militants started firing, which was retaliated and one terrorist was killed,” he said.
GOC of Romeo Force, Major General Mohit Trivedi, said one AK rifle, five magazines and four hand grenades were recovered.
Meanwhile, the police in Rajouri issued an advisory on Sunday, asking people to stay away from the encounter scene to avoid any casualties.
New Delhi, August 6
The Manipur Government has suspended five police personnel over the May 4 incident in which two women were allegedly stripped and paraded by a mob in Thoubal district of the state that has been witnessing ethnic violence for the past three months, officials said today.
The decision to suspend the personnel, including the in-charge of Nongpok Sekmai police station, was taken soon after a purported video of the incident surfaced on July 19 and soon went viral, the officials said. They said the action was prompt and wasn’t revoked despite protests by certain sections, particularly from the majority community. One of the women was allegedly gang-raped.
In a fresh case of violence, 15 houses were set afire in Imphal West district late last evening as a mob went on a rampage at Langol Games village. Security personnel fired several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, said officials. A 45-year-old man was injured in firing and has been admitted to hospital. In view of the fresh flare-up, 10 more companies of central forces— five from the Central Reserve Police Force, three from the Border Security Force and one each from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Sashastra Seema Bal—have been deployed to aid the existing security personnel.
The Manipur Police have also ordered a time-bound inquiry by an Inspector General-rank officer to investigate the looting of an armoury on August 3 in Bishnupur. About 19,000 bullets were looted from the headquarters of the 2nd India Reserve Battalion (IRB) at Naranseina. The police have so far recovered 1,195 looted arms—1,057 from the valley districts and 138 from the hill districts—and thousands of bullets. “Raids are being conducted to recover the looted arms and ammunition. Strict action will be taken against those indulging in such action,” said DGP Rajiv Singh.
The ethnic clashes broke out on May 3 after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The violence has so far claimed over 160 lives.
KPA withdraws support to Biren Singh govt
10 more CAPF companies deployed
1,195 looted arms recovered
Imphal, August 6
NDA partner Kuki People’s Alliance (KPA) on Sunday announced withdrawal of support from the N Biren Singh government in Manipur.
In a letter to Governor Anusuiya Uikey, KPA president Tongmang Haokip informed about the party’s decision to snap ties with the BJP-led government in Manipur, where ethnic rioting since the last three months has claimed more than 160 lives.
“After careful consideration of the current conflagration, the continued support for the incumbent government of Manipur led by Chief Minister N Biren SIngh is no longer fructuous.
“Accordingly, the support of the KPA to the Government of Manipur is hereby withdrawn and can be considered null and void,” Haokip said in the letter.
In the 60-member House, the KPA has two MLAs – Kimneo Haokip Hangshing from Saikul and Chinlunthang from Singhat.
The development will have no impact on the stability of the government, as the BJP has 37 members in the Manipur Assembly.
The NPP has seven MLAs and the NPS has five. The Congress has five legislators.
The Bar Association has detailed a long list of concerns over the MoD’s actions, including a recent communication instructing the AFT to give an ‘analysis’ of decisions by its Chandigarh Bench.
Bar & BenchPublished on : 04 Aug 2023, 6:13 pm5 min read
The Armed Forces Tribunal (AFT) Bar Association, Chandigarh Bench has written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud urging him to take cognisance of “contemptuous” actions and direct interference by the Defence Secretary and other officers of the Union Ministry of Defence (MoD) in the functioning of the AFT.
Chandigarh, August 4
Border Security Force (BSF) personnel shot dead an unidentified person “in self-defence”. He was moving towards them in an “aggressive manner” near the International Border in the Tarn Taran Sector on Friday morning.The incident occurred around 4 am close to the border fence near the Bhikiwind-Khalra village, a BSF officer said.The troops repeatedly warned the person to not proceed further and when he did not pay heed, they opened fire in self-defence, the officer added.The local police have been intimated about the incident and investigations are being conducted to establish the identity of the deceased and ascertain his movements and activities, sources said.
New Delhi, August 5
Fresh violence erupted in Manipur, as three persons, including a father-son duo, were killed by militants in Bishnupur district late on Friday night while another three sustained bullet wounds following heavy exchange of fire between state forces and armed men in the district. Also, a 24-hour general strike in 27 Assembly segments of Imphal valley crippled normal life today, police officials said.
This came as the Manipur Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday, recommended to Governor Anusuiya Uikey to convene a session of the state Assembly from August 21, officials said.
According to police sources, the three persons were gunned down while in sleep and later slashed with swords at Kwakta in the district on Saturday morning. The assailants came from Churachandpur, they added.
A police source said: “The three had been staying in a relief camp and had moved to their residences in Kwakta on Friday after the situation had improved.”
Soon after the incident, an irate mob gathered at Kwakta and wanted to head towards Churachandpur, but was stopped by security personnel, the police sources said. Eyewitnesses said several houses were burnt at Ukha Tampak in Bishnupur district by a mob in retaliation to the murders.
Heavy exchange of fire between security forces and militants also took place at nearby Phougakchao and in the vicinity of Kwakta, they said. Three persons, including a policeman, were injured near Kwakta on Saturday morning.
Yesterday, the police had said a joint team of security forces conducted an operation in the Koutruk hill range and destroyed as many as seven illegal bunkers.
In Imphal valley, the 24-hour general strike called by the coordinating committee of 27 Assembly constituencies in the state paralysed normal life, with markets and business establishments remaining shut in almost all localities.
Even public transport remained off the roads and schools closed due to the strike from midnight.
The hill districts, however, largely remained unaffected by the strike, which was called by the committee to demand an emergency Assembly session to discuss various issues.
Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence that broke out in May, and sporadically continued to plague the northeastern state for the past three months, claiming over 160 lives.
Call session on August 21: Cabinet
The Manipur Cabinet has urged Governor Anusuiya Uikey to call the Assembly session from August 21. This will be the first session since violence broke out in May. The previous session was held in March.
Solan, August 4
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has constituted a seven-member committee headed by Joint Secretary to work out the modalities of excising civilian areas in six cantonment towns of Himachal Pradesh.
The committee, constituted on July 31, is supposed to submit its report to the ministry within a week, according to the directions issued by the ministry.
The excising exercise is underway at Kasauli, Dagshai, Subathu, Jutogh, Bakloh and Dalhousie cantonments in the state where the civilian area are proposed to be merged in the nearby civic bodies or panchayats.
Additional Secretary, Urban Development, of the state government has been directed to work out the modalities for the excision of civil area which include issues like transfer of land and immovable assets, cantonment board employees, pensioners, cantonment funds, civic services, movable properties, stores, records, etc.
The committee will also have a representative of the state government as its member besides Additional Director General (ADG) (Land Work and Environment) from the army headquarter, ADG, Director General Defence Estate, Director, Defence Estate, Western Command, Chandigarh, president of the cantonment board as well as its Chief Executive Officer of the concerned board as its other members according to the letter.
The committee will elicit views of all concerned to finalise the proposed exercise. Once excluded, the benefits of various state government schemes will be available to these residents. Basic problems like repair of roads, upgrade of civic amenities like water, sewerage, etc. in civilian areas would be dealt with by the state government agencies.
The most popular town of Kasauli recorded a growth rate of mere 13.79 per cent. A majority of these towns have recorded low growth rate ranging from -8.99 to 27.13 per cent as per the 2001 Census. Only Subathu and Jutog cantonments have witnessed higher growth rates of 54.56 per cent and 47.74 per cent, respectively.
Aparna Banerji
Jalandhar, August 5
Cries of “Bole So Nihal…Sat Sri Akal” on the completion of the plugging of the Gatta Mundi Kasu bundh on the Sutlej in Jalandhar on Friday symbolise the sweat and blood of thousands of volunteers who toiled for 18 days to plug the 925-foot breach.
The miracle of the recent flashfloods has been the people-led movement to plug five breaches measuring over 3,050 ft in Doaba, with little or no help from the administration.
Tonnes of material was pooled by residents across Punjab to ensure the completion of the astounding feat in record time.
The five breaches in Doaba were Mandala Channa (325 ft), Gatta Mundi Kasu (925 ft) and Darewal in Jalandhar, and Baupur Kadim (600 ft) and Ali Kalan (1,200 ft) in Sultanpur Lodhi. The Mandala and Gatta Mundi Kasu breaches were plugged on MP Seechewal’s initiative and those in Sultanpur Lodhi on Sant Sukha Singh’s initiative. The Darewal, Baupur Kadima and Ali Kalan bundhs are yet to be restored.
An astounding number of over 5,000 trolleys of sand and soil were pooled in by the ‘sangat’ to plug the breaches on two bundhs in Jalandhar.
Shahkot farmer Nirmal Singh said: “The bundhs have seen 500 trolleys queue up on a single day. Anonymous volunteers of this material don’t seek credit or publicity. But the question is that is the government even keeping track of the material received? A formal record should be kept.”
Baba Sukha Singh’s aide Jagmohan Singh said: “The Darewal breach will be completed in a day or two. Three to four earthmovers have also been provided by anonymous people. However, a minister and JE have assured help with fuel.”
MP Balbir Seechewal said the plugging of bundhs was completed in Jalandhar and now their height was being raised.
Astounding feat
Not a grain of sand was provided by the administration. The entire work was undertaken under Baba Sukha Singh’s initiative. Ordinary people have pulled off this astounding feat without any help from the government. — Rana Inder Partap, Sultanpur Lodhi MLA
Massive exercise
The plugging task is a massive exercise. It is a testimony to the people’s power. I don’t have the record of the material but sacks and MGNREGA workers were provided by the administration and the Drainage Department as well. — Balbir Seechewal, Rajya Sabha MP
