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Sources indicate that the CRPF’s Jammu and Kashmir Zone had recommended against granting the jawan’s request, citing national security concerns

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Saturday sacked a jawan for marrying a Pakistani national without obtaining the mandatory departmental clearance — an act that has been viewed as a serious breach of laid protocols.

According to the CRPF, Constable Munir Ahmed, who was posted in the 41st Battalion, has been dismissed from the service with “immediate effect” for concealing his marriage to a Pakistani national and “knowingly harbouring” her beyond the validity of her visa.

“His actions were found to be in violation of service conduct and detrimental to national security,” the CRPF said.

Notably, the jawan had submitted a request to marry his cousin Menal Khan, a Pakistani citizen residing in PoK. However, before the CRPF could issue a formal response or grant a no-objection certificate (NOC), the marriage was reportedly solemnised.

The matter was taken on added sensitivity in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians. As part of heightened security measures, India had suspended visa services for Pakistani nationals and directed all Pakistani citizens in the country to exit before the expiration of their visas.

Sources indicate that the CRPF’s Jammu and Kashmir Zone had recommended against granting the jawan’s request, citing national security concerns. The matter was forwarded to higher authorities for a policy-level decision, given the sensitive nature of cross-border matrimonial cases.

An internal review was then undertaken, in which several procedural lapses, including the constable’s failure to inform the department that his spouse remained in India beyond the validity of her tourist visa, were flagged by the senior officers.

While the constable claimed that a long-term visa application had been filed, he did not formally notify the department of this development.

Officials said the constable’s conduct amounted to a violation of Rule 21(3) of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, which governs personal relationships with foreign nationals and requires prior government approval for such unions.

Following government instructions to enforce the exit of Pakistani nationals, the constable’s spouse was taken to the Wagah border for deportation. Parallelly, she also approached the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, which granted a 10-day stay on her deportation on April 29, pending further legal proceedings.

Advocate Ankur Sharma, who represented the Pakistani woman before the high court, said the Home Ministry’s “Leave India” order had exempted two types of Pakistani nationals — those holding diplomatic visas and long-term visas. He said Minal had applied for an LTV and was interviewed. A positive recommendation has reportedly gone to the Home Ministry, he said.

“She was sent back after the court passed an interim order,” he said, adding that her deportation status would depend on the outcome of her visa application.

To mark two years of continued violence, a statewide shutdown brought Manipur to a standstill on Saturday. According to reports from Imphal, markets were shut, public vehicles remained off the roads, and private offices remained closed in both the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley and Kuki-majority hill districts.

Saturday (May 3) marked the second year of the ongoing ethnic strife in Manipur, which began on this date in 2023. The violence that broke out between the majority Meiteis and tribal Kukis shows no signs of abating despite the imposition of President’s rule on February 13.

To mark two years of continued violence, a statewide shutdown brought Manipur to a standstill on Saturday. According to reports from Imphal, markets were shut, public vehicles remained off the roads, and private offices remained closed in both the Meitei-dominated Imphal valley and Kuki-majority hill districts.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity, a Meitei civil society organisation, urged people to cease their work on May 3 to attend the public convention held to mark two years of violence, while the Zomi Students’ Federation and Kuki Students Organisation (KSO) in the hills also held similar processions.

While Imphal witnessed a candlelight vigil and a ‘People’s Convention’ at Khuman Lampak Stadium to honour the victims, the Kuki-Zo community observed a solemn ‘Day of Separation’ with memorial events at the Wall of Remembrance and Sehken Burial Site in Churachandpur.

In the national capital, the Kuki Students Organisation held protests at Jantar Mantar, marking the occasion as ‘Separation Day’. The Kukis have been seeking a separate union territory status in tribal majority areas of Manipur. The Meiteis on their part claim that there is no technical term as “Kukis” and have called it as unconstitutional, seeking the Centre’s intervention to get the term removed from Manipur’s list of tribals.

The Meiteis also seek urgent NRC update in Manipur and termination of Suspension of Operations agreement with Kuki rebel groups. They have also sought free movement within the state. Violence in the state has claimed over 260 lives, injured more than 1,500, and displaced more than 70,000 people.

Attacks on villages and incidents of arson have been taking place on a regular basis across Manipur, despite Union Home Minister Amit Shah having claimed in Parliament on April 2 that no violence has been reported in Manipur in the past four months (referring to January-March period of 2025), and that the Home Ministry will soon convene a meeting of both the communities to find a lasting solution in the state.

However, Gampal and its hamlet Hayang in Kamjong district of Manipur were set on fire by unidentified arsonists on April 23.As a precautionary measure to prevent further escalation, the district administration had imposed a curfew in the entire jurisdiction.

On April 13, hundreds of Kuki-Zo community members gathered at the Thangjing Hill in Manipur’s Churachandpur district and staged demonstrations to prevent Meiteis from undertaking their annual pilgrimage to the “sacred site” situated on the hill. Violence had broken out after Meiteis had tried to climb the hill, as several Kuki protestors clashed with them.

The total duration of the flight, carried out from Sheopur Trial Site in Madhya Pradesh, was about 62 minutes

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out maiden flight trials of Stratospheric Airship Platform on Saturday evening.

Developed by Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment, Agra, the airship was launched carrying an instrumental payload at an altitude of around 56,000 feet.

Data from onboard sensors was received and would be utilised for development of high-quality fidelity simulation models for future high-altitude airship flights. 

Envelop pressure control and emergency deflation systems were deployed in flight for their performance evaluation. The trial team recovered the system for further investigation. 

The total duration of the flight, carried out from Sheopur Trial Site in Madhya Pradesh, was about 62 minutes.

The trial was carried out even as the IAF is seeking three unmanned high altitude platform systems, capable of operating at altitude of around 65,000 feet, for carrying out long duration intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has congratulated the DRDO for the successful maiden flight trial of the system. He said that this system would uniquely enhance India’s earth observation and Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, making the country one of the few countries in the world with such indigenous capabilities.

The Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development, and Chairman, DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, has also felicitated the DRDO team involved in the design, development and trial of the system. 

He said the prototype flight was a milestone towards the realisation of lighter-than-air high-altitude platform systems that could remain airborne for very long endurance at stratospheric heights.

Visitors targeted to dispel normalcy claims: Report

PTI

New Delhi, Updated At : 03:30 AM May 04, 2025 IST

A security official keep a vigil on the banks of the Dal Lake in Srinagar. PTI

Days before the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, intelligence agencies had flagged the potential targeting of tourists especially those staying in hotels on the outskirts of Srinagar in the foothills of the Zabarwan range, officials said on Saturday.

This prompted a heightened security presence in these areas with top police brass camping in Srinagar to oversee combing operations around Dachigam, Nishat and adjacent areas.

These areas gained attention and security forces increased patrolling because of a terrorist attack on a construction site in Gagangir, Sonamarg, in October last year in which seven persons, including a doctor, were killed. The area is located on the other side of Zabarwan range overlooking Srinagar city.

Despite a two-week operation, security forces conducted extensive searches on the outskirts of Srinagar based on the intelligence, but these efforts did not yield any breakthroughs and the operation was called off on April 22, the day when terrorists targeted tourists in Pahalgam.

There were inputs to suggest that terrorists wanted to carry out such nefarious designs during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier last month to flag off the first train from Katra to Srinagar.

“Definitely, Pakistan is not happy over the impending railway link that aims to connect the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country,” the officials said. They, however, added that the PM’s visit, earlier scheduled for April 19, was postponed due to adverse weather forecasts.

The officials made it clear that while weather was the sole reason for the postponement, fresh inauguration dates were expected to be announced soon.

The state and non-state actors sitting across the border never wanted the powerful visuals of flagging off the first train to get international attention and hence might have planned to overshadow the event with such barbaric killings, the officials said.

On the Pahalgam attack, the officials said what was emerging was that two local terrorists had already mingled with the tourists and as soon as the first shots were fired, they herded the tourists to a food court complex, where two other terrorists, reportedly Pakistanis, fired and killed 26 persons.

The aim of the attack seemed to be creating fear among the citizens and possibly to lead to retribution attacks against Kashmiris elsewhere in the country, the sources said.

The officials have also reported a worrisome trend in J&K following the recovery of advanced weaponry like M-series rifles, sniper rifles and armour-piercing bullets from encounter locations. These are suspected to be leftover weapons and ammunition of NATO troops in Afghanistan.

The authorities also warned against depending on the tourist arrivals in J&K solely as a marker of peace and noted the case of former CM Ghulam Nabi Azad, who had used tourist arrivals as an index of normalcy in the past.

Shortly after his statement in May 2006, four tourists were killed and six others injured when terrorists attacked a bus carrying tourists from Gujarat in Srinagar as it was reaching the Mughal Gardens.

According to the officials, in a conflict zone, tourism should primarily be viewed as an economic activity rather than a barometer for gauging normalcy

Move coincides with heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, there won’t be any immediate impact on military readiness, as acquisition will take months

Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service

he Indian Air Force will be acquiring “pseudo satellites” capable of providing communication, conducting surveillance and acting as a data relay system between aircraft and ground stations. Additionally, the Indian Army will get 48 launchers of the very short range air defence system (VSHORADS), along with 85 missiles and 48 night-vision sights.

Will boost air defence

IAF to deploy solar-powered pseudo satellites for persistent surveillance, communication and data relay at 16 km altitude

Army to induct 48 launchers with night vision capability, enhancing last-line defence against low-flying aerial threats

Despite border tensions, acquisitions won’t impact immediate readiness as procurement process will take months

Although these purchases coincide with heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, there will be no immediate impact on military readiness, as the acquisition process will take several months.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has sought pseudo satellites, referred to as high-altitude platform systems (HAPS). These solar-powered systems function as long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or drones) and do not require refuelling. Unlike conventional rooftop solar panels, the ones used to power these aircraft are made of extremely thin solar films.

HAPS operate at altitudes higher than traditional drones but lower than low Earth orbit satellites, providing a satellite-like view for extended periods.

The MoD issued a request for information (RFI), a step in the tender process, seeking three such platforms for the IAF and has invited domestic manufacturers to bid. The RFI states that these are needed for ‘persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)’ as well as airborne data relay for other unmanned platforms while intercepting adversary electronic signals.

The MoD requires the system to operate at an altitude of 16 km (16,000 metres). For context, Mount Everest stands at 8,849 metres, while long-haul international flights typically cruise at around 10,000 metres. Additionally, the HAPS should be capable of clear line-of-sight communication up to 150 km and at least 400 km when communicating with satellites.

Last year, the Navy signed a deal with Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research & Technologies (NSRT) to design and develop a domestically built HAPS. The MoD had funded this research under its Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative.

Separately, the MoD has issued a request for proposal, another step in the tendering process, for new-generation VSHORADS. These are man-portable anti-aircraft missiles designed to counter low-flying adversary aerial platforms.

VSHORAD systems are used by forward field formations and serve as the last line of defence in a multi-layered air defence mechanism to neutralise incoming threats.

The MoD seeks a man-portable launcher capable of engaging airborne threats during both day and night operations. The missile should be effective at distances of up to 6,000 metres.

Aircraft was thoroughly inspected, subsequently cleared for further operations

The Sri Lankan police on Saturday searched a flight arriving here from Chennai after being tipped-off that a suspect linked to the Pahalgam terror attack could be on board, a police spokesperson said here.

A statement from the national carrier SriLankan Airlines said its flight arrived at Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport from Chennai at 11.59 am and underwent a comprehensive security inspection upon arrival.

“The search was carried out in coordination with local authorities following an alert from the Chennai Area Control Centre regarding a suspect wanted in India who was believed to be on board,” the statement said.

The aircraft was thoroughly inspected and subsequently cleared for further operations, it added. On April 22, terrorists killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Indian authorities have identified five terrorists — including three Pakistani nationals — behind the massacre in Pahalgam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 24 vowed to punish the terrorists behind the Pahalgam terror attack and those part of the conspiracy beyond their imagination, asserting that the country’s enemies targeted not merely unarmed tourists but dared to attack India’s soul.

In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass on April 29, Modi asserted that the armed forces have “complete operational freedom” to decide on the mode, targets and timing of India’s response to the terror attack, according to government sources.

Pakistan Army fires across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor in J-K

Pakistani troops continued unprovoked small-arms firing in different sectors along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, prompting effective retaliation by the Indian army, officials said on Sunday.

The ceasefire violation by Pakistan was reported from eight places spread across five districts in the Union Territory during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday but there was no report of any casualty, the officials said.

This was the 10th consecutive night of unprovoked firing from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir, amid heightened tensions following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam.

“During the night of May 3 and 4, Pakistan Army posts resorted to unprovoked small-arms firing across the LoC in areas opposite Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor in J-K. Indian Army responded promptly and proportionately,” a defence spokesperson said.

The ceasefire violations along the LoC and International Border (IB) have been very rare since India and Pakistan renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021.

Taking precautionary measures, the panicked border villagers have already started cleaning their community and individual bunkers to make them habitable.

Since the night of April 24, just hours after India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistani troops have been resorting to unprovoked firing at various places along the LoC in J-K, starting from the Kashmir Valley.

Initially beginning with unprovoked small-arms firing at several posts along the LoC in Kupwara and Baramulla districts of north Kashmir, Pakistan swiftly expanded its ceasefire violations to the Poonch sector and subsequently to the Akhnoor sector of the Jammu region.

This was followed by small-arms firing at several posts along the LoC in the Sunderbani and Naushera sectors of Rajouri district. Subsequently, the firing expanded to Mendhar in Poonch district and the international border in Pargwal sector in Jammu district.

The renewed ceasefire violations come despite a recent hotline conversation between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan, during which the Indian side is learnt to have cautioned Pakistan.

1.Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari takes charge as IAF Vice Chief

2.Brigadier Inderjeet Singh Chugh slams Bilawal Bhutto’s U-turn remarks on terrorism

3.On 26th anniversary, recalling a war that dawned upon India in May 1999

4.Supreme Court protects family facing deportation to Pakistan, asks authorities to verify documents

5.US hopes Pakistan cooperates with India against terrorists: Vance on Pahalgam attack

6.Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif’s YouTube channel blocked in India 

7.Pakistan closes air space over Pakistan-occupied Kashmir

8.Pakistani troops resort to unprovoked firing at LoC for eighth consecutive day

9.CRPF jawan may face action for marrying Pak woman sans nod

10.Bangladesh distances itself from ex-army officer’s remarks of occupying India’s Northeast

11.Pakistan’s old playbook in a new crisis

12Border skirmishes continue in different sectors along LoC for 9th day in J-K

13.Punjab Congress MP Channi demands proof of surgical strikes, backtracks after BJP’s counter

He played a key role in operationalising the ‘Litening’ laser designation pod during the Kargil Operations in 1999

Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service

Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari has taken charge as the new Vice Chief of the Indian Air Force, succeeding Air Marshal SP Dharkar, who superannuated on April 30. Prior to this appointment, Air Marshal Tiwari commanded the IAF’s South Western Air Command at Gandhinagar.

The new Vice Chief of the IAF carries an interesting war-time legacy. He played a key role in operationalising the ‘Litening’ laser designation pod during the Kargil Operations in 1999. The pod, sourced from Israel and installed on IAF jets, marked an invisible beam that served as the path for laser-guided bombs to follow upon launch. This technology significantly enhanced the IAF’s precision targeting capabilities against Pakistani troops occupying mountain heights during the conflict.

A seasoned pilot, Air Marshal Tiwari has flown the Mirage and Tejas fighter jets. He served as a test pilot for the Tejas and held the position of Chief Test Pilot at Aircraft and Systems Testing Establishment.

Air Marshal Tiwari completed his schooling at the Rashtriya Indian Military College (RIMC) in Dehradun before joining the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasala. He graduated from the NDA in June 1985 with the President’s Gold Medal and was commissioned as a Fighter Pilot in the IAF in June 1986. With over 3,600 hours of flying experience, he is a Qualified Flying Instructor and an Experimental Test Pilot. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, USA.

Brigadier Inderjeet Singh Chugh on Friday strongly criticised Pakistan for its double standards on terrorism and pointed out how former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in the past had admitted that Pakistan had trained and funded terrorists and threatened India with atomic bombs, but later said that the country suffered a lot of damage, likely due to pressure from other countries.

Chandigarh [India], May 2 (ANI): Brigadier Inderjeet Singh Chugh on Friday strongly criticised Pakistan for its double standards on terrorism and pointed out how former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto in the past had admitted that Pakistan had trained and funded terrorists and threatened India with atomic bombs, but later said that the country suffered a lot of damage, likely due to pressure from other countries.

Speaking with ANI, Chugh said, “Bilawal Bhutto, who has made many statements in the past and threatened us with atomic bombs, is going back on his statement, maybe because of the pressure. Now he says that we used to train and fund the terrorists, but we suffered a lot of damage to our country, and we have learned lessons from it, and now we have stopped all this. The information was given earlier in such a way that we used to train them under the pressure of the United States and the United Kingdom. So, with all these statements, he has gone back…”

Chugh said, “There is a lot of pressure on them right now… America must have asked them when we told them thirty years ago to send terrorists against India. So, there is a pressure war and pressure from the countries they had linked together. So he has withdrawn his statement.”

Notably, Bilawal Bhutto on Thursday acknowledged Pakistan’s history with terrorism, claiming the nation has suffered but has reformed.

In a Thursday conversation with Sky News’s Yalda Hakim, Bhutto said, “As far as what the defence minister said, I don’t think it is a secret that Pakistan has a past… As a result, we have suffered, Pakistan has suffered. We have gone through wave after wave of extremism. But because of what we suffered, we also learned our lessons. We have gone through internal reforms to address this problem…”

“As far as Pakistan’s history is concerned, it is history and it is not something that we are partaking in today. It is indeed an unfortunate part of our history,” Bhutto said.

Meanwhile, following the clearance of the Army and Air Force versions of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv for operations, Chugh told ANI, “This is the Dhruv Chopper, which our HAL manufactured. This is an advanced light helicopter for the Indian Army and AIR Force, which was used for many purposes, transportation, evacuation and some such helicopters had fighting capability as well. There was an accident on January 5, and 300 helicopters were grounded. So now, the good news is that HAL has checked all the helicopters and given clearance. So these helicopters will now be available to our defence force. It’s a very important one.”

Defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, in a statement on Thursday, said, “In furtherance of the clarification dated 11th April 2025, it is now intimated that the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) Dhruv Army and Air Force versions are cleared for operations based on the Defect Investigation (DI) Committee recommendations. A time-bound plan for the resumption of operations has been worked out with the users.”

The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard versions of the choppers will continue to be on the ground as the investigations are still continuing.

The choppers were grounded after a crash involving an Indian Coast Guard chopper in Porbandar earlier this year. (ANI)

(The story has come from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by the Tribune Staff.)