The anti-Naxal Hawk Force of the state police and local police teams take part in the operation that takes place in a forested area near the Chhattisgarh border

Three women Naxalites were killed on Wednesday in an encounter with the police in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district, an official said.

The anti-Naxal Hawk Force of the state police and local police teams took part in the operation that took place in a forested area near the Chhattisgarh border, said additional superintendent of police Vijay Dabar.

The gun battle took place in the morning, at a location some 90 km from the district headquarters, and more details were awaited, Dabar told PTI.Hawk Force and the police neutralised three hardcore Naxalites in an encounter near Ronda Forest Camp in Supkhar Forest Range under Garhi Police Station area,” an official statement said.n

Police recovered an INSAS rifle, a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) and a .303 rifle, it said, adding that some Naxalites were injured in the encounter, but managed to escape.

Twelve police teams are carrying out a combing operation to track them down, the statement added.

The mortal remains of Captain Karamjit Singh Bakshi, an army man who was killed in Jammu and Kashmir, were consigned to flames in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh on Thursday.

The 27-year-old army man who belonged to Punjab Regimental Centre was among two defence personnel killed after suspected terrorists set off an improvised explosive device (IED) near the Line of Control (LoC) in Akhnoor sector on Tuesday.

The air was thick with grief as the body of the man was cremated at the burning ghat in Khirgaon here in the presence of his teary-eyed parents and other people. Bakshi’s fiancee, an Army doctor stationed in Jammu, whom he was supposed to marry in April, also stood silently among the crowd.

Earlier, Captain Bakshi’s body was received by his family.

His parents, Sardar Ajinder Singh Bakshi and Neelu Bakshi stood still as they watched their only son embark on his final journey wrapped in a tricolour.

The streets were lined with mourners, many of whom knew Captain Bakshi since his childhood.

The town that had celebrated Karamjit’s engagement a few days ago. His uncle Sardar Amarjit Singh Bakshi told PTI, “Karamjit was like Kohinoor for family and friends. A very charming youth who was always there for people.  He had come to Hazaribag for a week and left on January 24 for Akhnoor where he was posted.”

The uncle said the deceased was due to be married in Jammu on April 5. “When we were expecting a celebration, we received such a setback,” his other uncle Sardar Devinder Singh said.

The Army Captain is survived by his mother, father and sister. Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar, Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore and a large number of Army and Civil officials paid tributes to the fallen soldier at the Birsa Munda Airport on Wednesday. Chief Minister Hemant Soren condoled the death of Bakshi and an army jawan in the IED blast.

Family members of Param Vir Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid have expressed strong displeasure over the removal of the war hero’s name from the main gate of a primary school in Ghazipur where he once studied. After recent paint work, the…

Family members of Param Vir Chakra awardee Abdul Hamid have expressed strong displeasure over the removal of the war hero’s name from the main gate of a primary school in Ghazipur where he once studied.

After recent paint work, the school in Dhamupur village in the district was renamed ‘PM Shri Composite School’, according to officials. Jameel Ahmed, the grandson of Hamid, said the school was repainted four days ago. ‘PM Shri Composite School’ was painted at the entrance, replacing ‘Shaheed Hamid Vidyalaya’, he added.

When Ahmed and his family raised an objection with headmaster Ajay Kushwaha, he directed them to approach Basic Education Officer Hemant Rao. The family members said Rao informed them Hamid’s name had been painted on one of the school’s external walls. However, the entrance remained unchanged, the family claimed. They filed another complaint on Saturday. While Rao assured it would be done “immediately”, Ahmed claimed that the name was still not displayed at the entrance, as of Monday, leaving the family “deeply hurt”. During the 1965 India-Pakistan war, Hamid, displaying extraordinary bravery, destroyed three Patton tanks, forcing the enemy to retreat.

Rao said, “The name would soon be reinstated at the school’s main entrance.”

The school in Dhamupur, part of the PM Schools for Rising India scheme, was reportedly set to be renamed PM SHRI Composite Vidyalaya Dhamupur by authorities.

New Delhi: Days after the education department in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur reportedly removed the name of 1965 war hero Abdul Hamid from a government school’s title, the move sparked backlash from his family and Opposition leaders.

The school falls under the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, and authorities had planned to rename it PM SHRI Composite Vidyalaya Dhamupur, according to local reports.

However, Ghazipur’s Basic Education Officer, Hemant Rao, told ThePrint that the school was merely being repainted and that there were no plans to change its name. He claimed the controversy arose during this process.

Hamid’s grandson had reportedly criticized the removal of his grandfather’s name. Following the backlash, the Ghazipur administration reached out to the family and assured them that the school’s name would remain unchanged, Rao said.

He, however, added that there was, in fact, no official record of the school being named after Hamid. The school has been carrying his name since 2012 in honour of the war hero who was from Dhamupur, he said.

Company Quarter Master Havildar Abdul Hamid of 4 Grenadiers of Indian Army’s infantry regime was commander of a recoilless gun detachment during the 1965 war with Pakistan. He was awarded the Param Vir Chakra posthumously.

Several Congress leaders in the state, such as Members of Parliament Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan and Imran Pratapgarhi, and president of Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee Ajay Rai, slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for excluding Muslims who have fought for the country.

Pratapgarhi Monday posted a video of the new name being painted on the school building and wrote, “After the news that the name of Param Vir Chakra awardee Veer Abdul Hamid School in Ghazipur was being changed, the education department was forced by the voices raised on social media to name the school again after Veer Abdul Hamid.”

In July last year, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat had visited Dhamupur to release two books—Mere Papa Paramvir, about Abdul Hamid, and Bharat Ka Musalman.

The Indian Army showcased an advanced kamikaze drone at the Science and Technology Expo held at IIT-Jammu on February 17, 2025. This drone emphasizes both surveillance and attack capabilities, marking a significant advancement in India’s military technology.

Key Specifications

Payload Capacity: The drone can carry between 150 to 300 grams, specifically designed to transport explosives such as RDX.

Flight Duration: Without Mini Drone: Up to 30 minutes.

With Mini Drone: Approximately 15 to 20 minutes, allowing for kamikaze attacks where the mini drone is deployed to strike a target.

Operational Features: Equipped with a small camera, it can operate effectively in both day and night conditions, featuring a zoom capability for enhanced surveillance.

Operational Mechanism: Defence personnel explained that once a target is identified at a distance, the main drone will deploy the mini drone carrying the payload, which will then crash into the target. This method is referred to as a “suicide drone” due to its self-destructive nature upon impact.

This demonstration comes amidst criticism from Congress MP Rahul Gandhi regarding India’s drone policy, where he compared domestic capabilities unfavourably with Chinese technology. However, industry experts defended India’s advancements, highlighting the growing domestic drone industry with over 400 companies contributing to technological innovations.

Smit Shah, the President of the Drone Federation of India (DFI), expressed his discomfort and that of the drone community regarding comments suggesting a lack of understanding of drone technology in India]. This statement was made in response to a video shared by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, where Gandhi criticised the government’s drone policy and showcased what appeared to be a Chinese-made drone.

Shah emphasised that there are over 400 companies in India, along with approximately 40 to 50 drone component companies, that are diligently working to advance the drone industry. He felt compelled to speak out against Gandhi’s remarks, which he viewed as belittling the entire industry, especially when someone with significant public influence uses a Chinese drone to suggest that India lacks understanding and domestic production capabilities.

Shah highlighted the progress in the drone industry, noting that since 2021, the government has focused on regulation, technology, and adoption to establish India as a global drone hub. He also questioned Rahul Gandhi’s decision to display a DJI drone, which has been banned in India since 2022, and raised concerns about whether Gandhi had the necessary drone pilot license and clearances for operating the drone in a restricted zone.

The introduction of this Kamikaze drone reflects India’s strategic focus on enhancing its military capabilities through advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), aligning with global trends in modern warfare.

ANI

Tuesday, 18 February 2025 | Biswajeet Banerjee | Ghazipur

The name of Param Vir Chakra awardee Shaheed Veer Abdul Hamid was removed from the main entrance of a primary school in Dhamupur village, sparking protests from his family and locals. Following their objections, the martyr’s name was restored-but only on an external wall, not the main gate, leading to further controversy.

The school, previously known as ‘Shaheed Abdul Hamid Vidyalaya,’ was renamed ‘PM Shri Composite School’ after a recent repainting, according to officials. Jameel Ahmed, Hamid’s grandson, stated that the name was erased during the repainting work four days ago. When the family raised objections, headmaster Ajay Kushwaha directed them to approach Basic Education Officer (BSA) Hemant Rao.

Rao later assured the family that Abdul Hamid’s name had been inscribed on one of the school’s external walls, but the entrance continued to bear only the new name. Dissatisfied with the response, the family lodged another complaint on Saturday, demanding that the martyr’s name be reinstated at the entrance. Despite assurances from officials that the matter would be addressed immediately, as of Monday, the name remained missing from the main gate, leaving the family “deeply hurt.”

Abdul Hamid is revered for his bravery during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, where he single-handedly destroyed three Pakistani Patton tanks, forcing the enemy to retreat. His valor earned him India’s highest military decoration, the Param Vir Chakra, awarded posthumously to his wife, Rasoolan Bibi.

In response to growing criticism, BSA Hemant Rao said: “Shaheed Abdul Hamid’s name will soon be reinstated at the school’s entrance, and it has already been inscribed on an external wall.”

However, locals and the martyr’s family remain dissatisfied, insisting that his name be prominently displayed on the main gate as well. “If the government truly respects our war heroes, they should ensure that their legacy is honored properly,” said a local resident.

The issue has now taken a political turn, with the Congress party strongly opposing the name change. Uttar Pradesh Congress President Ajay Rai condemned the move in a Facebook post, calling it an “insult to the country’s heroes” and vowing to fight against it. “The Yogi government has changed the name of a school that was dedicated to one of India’s greatest warriors. This is unacceptable, and we will not remain silent,” he said.

The party has announced a protest at Sarju Pandey Park, Kachheri, on February 17 at 1 PM. Congress leaders, including State Secretary Fashat Hussain, will participate in the demonstration, and a memorandum addressed to the Governor will be submitted to the District Magistrate.

The school was repainted four days ago with ‘PM Shri Composite School’ being painted at the entrance, replacing ‘Shaheed Hamid Vidyalaya’, Hamid’s grandson said

After massive uproar erupted over the removal of 1965 war hero Abdul Hamid’s name from the main gate of a primary school in Dhamupur village under Ghazipur district of Uttar Pradesh where he once studied, the administration decided to reinstate the name on Monday (February 17, 2025).

Amid growing concerns over skirmishes on the Line of Control (LoC), J&K Manoj Sinha says ‘the Indian Army was giving a befitting response’

Growing incidents of skirmishes on the Line of Control (LoC), including sniper attacks and infiltration bids this year, is posing a fresh challenge to security agencies in J&K. J&K Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said “the Indian Army was giving a befitting response”. 

At least six skirmishes were reported on the LoC in the Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch districts in the past two months. Two soldiers, including a Captain, were killed by an improvised explosive device (IED), and at least two other soldiers were hit by snipers. It remains “inconclusive if the Pakistani Army or the militants” were involved in these attacks. Two infiltrators were also killed in this period in Poonch.

The four-day Director General (DG)-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commenced on February 17. BSF Chief Daljit Singh Chawdhary welcomed BGB Chief Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui at the IGI Airport on…

The four-day Director General (DG)-level talks between the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) commenced on February 17. BSF Chief Daljit Singh Chawdhary welcomed BGB Chief Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui at the IGI Airport on Monday. The talks are aimed at addressing border-related issues and improving coordination between the two border guarding forces.

This is the first meeting between the two DGs after the political crisis erupted in Bangladesh.