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होशियारपुर, 27 जनवरी (निस)
गणतंत्र दिवस समारोह के दौरान स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों के परिवारों को समानित किये जाने के दौरान मुख्यातिथि स्वास्थ्य मंत्री सुरजीत कुमार ज्याणी उस वक्त हतप्रभ रह गये जब सालभर उपेक्षा किये जाने का आरोप लगाते हुए एक स्वतंत्रता सेनानी की पत्नी ने उनके द्वारा दिये जा रहे सम्मान को लेने से
इंकार कर दिया।
यह कदम उठाया नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस के ड्राइवर रहे जय सिंह की पत्नी चन्नण कौर ने। चन्नण कौर का आरोप था कि न तो जिला प्रसासन और न ही पुलिस उनकी सुनवाई करती है। और बस दिखावे के लिए 15 अगस्त व 26 जनवरी को उन्हें बुलाकर दो मीटर कपड़ा थमा दिया जाता है।
चन्नण कौर का कहना था कि उन्हें जब भी किसी काम से प्रशासनिक व पुलिस अधिकारियों के पास जाना पड़ता है तो उनकी पूरी तरह अनदेखी की जाती है। उनका कहना था कि कई बार तो पुलिस वालों ने उन्हें पकड़ कर थाने या दफ्तर से बाहर भी निकाला है।
नयी दिल्ली, 27 जनवरी (एजेंसियां)
केन्द्रीय मंत्रिमंडल ने आतंकवाद और नक्सलवाद की समस्या से निपटने के लिए 17 रिजर्व बटालियनों के गठन को आज मंजूरी दे दी। इनमें से 5 बटालियन जम्मू-कश्मीर, 4 छत्तीसगढ़ , 3 झारखंड, 3 ओडिशा और 2 महाराष्ट्र के लिए होंगी। इसी के साथ काबुल में अफगान संसद भवन के निर्माण की 969 करोड़ रुपये की संशोधित लागत को आज पूर्व प्रभाव से मंजूरी दे दी गयी। यह भवन गत दिसंबर में ही तैयार हो गया था।
प्रधानमंत्री नरेन्द्र मोदी की अध्यक्षता में हुई मंत्रिमंडल की बैठक में इस आशय के प्रस्तावों को मंजूरी दी गयी। इन बटालियानों में स्थानीय युवाओं को भर्ती में प्राथमिकता दी जायेगी।
जम्मू-कश्मीर की 5 बटालियनों में सिपाहियों और चतुर्थ श्रेणी के कर्मचारियों की 60 प्रतिशत भर्ती राज्य के सीमावर्ती जिलों से की जायेगी। नक्सल प्रभावित राज्यों में सिपाहियों की 75 प्रतिशत भर्ती नक्सली गतिविधियों के गढ़ माने-जाने वाले 27 जिलों से की जायेगी। आतंकवाद की बढ़ती घटनाओं को देखते हुए लंबे समय से रिजर्व बटालियनों के गठन की मांग की जा रही थी।
साइबर सुरक्षा के 3 समझौतों पर हस्ताक्षर
इंडियन कंप्यूटर इमर्जेंसी रेस्पांस टीम (सीईआरटी-इन) ने मलेशिया, सिंगापुर व जापान स्थित अपनी समकक्ष इकाइयों के साथ साइबर सुरक्षा के क्षेत्र में सहयोग के समझौते किए हैं। संचार व आईटी मंत्रालय के बयान में यह जानकारी दी गयी है। इन समझौतों का उद्देश्य भारत तथा इन देशों के बीच साइबर सुरक्षा से जुड़े मामलों में ज्ञान व अनुभव साझा करने को प्रोत्साहित करना है।
President Pranab Mukherjee has approved the award of one Ashok Chakra, two Kirti Chakras and eight Shaurya Chakras to the Indian Army personnel on the occasion of Republic Day 2016.
The list of awardees:
Ashok Chakra
Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami (Posthumous), 9 PARA (Special Force)
Kirti Chakra
Subedar Mahendra Singh, Sena Medal, 9 PARA (Special Force)
Sepoy Jagdish Chand (Posthumous), 546 DSC Platoon
Shaurya Chakra
Colonel Santosh Yashwant Mahadik (Posthumous), Sena Medal, 41 Rashtriya Rifle (PARA)
Major Praphul Kumar Bhardwaj, 12 PARA (Special Force)
Major Anurag Kumar, 9 PARA (Special Force)
Major Sandip Yadav, 55 Rashtriya Rifle (Armed)
Lieutenant Harjinder Singh, 3 KUMAON
Naik Satish Kumar (Posthumous), 21 Rashtriya Rifle (Guards)
Naik Kheem Singh Mehra, 21 KUMAON
Sepoy Dharma Ram (Posthumous), 1 Rashtriya Rifle (MAHAR)
– See more at: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/president-pranab-mukherjee-has-approved-11-gallantry-awards-to-the-indian-army-on-republic-day/#sthash.V2zleHXj.dpuf
NEW DELHI: An unarmed Sepoy who chased a terrorist, snatched his assault weapon and killed him during the Pathankot terror attack, and a para commando who was part of three critical operations in Kashmir, in which 12 terrorists were killed, will be posthumously awarded top gallantry medals on Republic Day.
Sepoy Jagdish Chand, who belonged to the Defence Service Corps (DSC), will be conferred with the Kirti Chakra, the country’s second-highest peacetime gallantry award, for killing one of the terrorists that had stormed the DSC mess at the Pathankot airbase on January 2.
Chand, a cook, was one of the seven security personnel killed in the attack.
The country’s highest peacetime gallantry award, Ashoka Chakra, will be given to Lance Naik Mohan Nath Goswami of 9 Para (Special Forces), who killed two terrorists and assisted in neutralising another two during an operation in Haphruda forest of J&K’s Kupwara district’s last September.
Despite being hit by bullets, Goswami helped save the lives of three of his wounded colleagues. The 365 gallantry awards and other decorations approved by the President this Republic Day include one Ashoka Chakra, four Kirti Chakras and 11 Shaurya Chakras. The other Kirti Chakra awardees are Subedar Mahendra Singh of 9 Para (SF), head constable Rajesh Atra and constable Gautam Koch (Posthumous).
Vijay Mohan,Tribune News Service,Chandigarh, January 25
Sepoy Jagdish Chand of the Defence Security Corps (DSC), who died while grappling with terrorists during the Pathankot attack earlier this month, has been decorated posthumously with the Kirti Chakra, the second highest peacetime gallantry award.He is among the two heroes from the Western Command who have been awarded for bravery. Lance Naik Naresh Singh Rajput of the Rajputana Rifles has been decorated with the Sena Medal (Gallantry) for his acts during the terrorist encounter in Dinanagar near Pathankot in July last year. The awards have been announced on the eve of the 67th Republic Day.Jagdish Chand was working in the mess in the wee hours of January 2, when terrorists struck under the cover of darkness. Despite being caught unawares, he tackled one of the terrorists, snatched his weapon and shot him. In the meantime, he was fired upon and fell to other terrorists’ bullets. He was among the first security personnel to engage the terrorists.Hailing from Chamba district in Himachal Pradesh, he served in the Dogra Regiment and after retiring in 2009, he was re-employed with the DSC, which is deployed on security duties at military establishments. He had been transferred to Pathankot from Leh last month and had joined duty just a day before the incident after returning from a 10-day leave.
मुंबई: ट्रैवल साइट ट्रिपएडवाइजर के एक सर्वे की मानें तो जोधपुर के उम्मेद भवन पैलेस को दुनिया का सबसे अच्छा होटल आंका गया है। यह निष्कर्ष अलग अलग समीक्षाओं और टिप्पणियों के आधार पर निकाला गया है। बलुआ पत्थर से बने इस भव्य होटल में 347 कमरे हैं। ट्रिपएडवाइजर के ‘ट्रेवलर्स च्वाइस अवार्ड फार होटल्स’ में दुनिया के शीर्ष होटल श्रेणी में इसे पहले स्थान पर रखा गया है। इस श्रेणी के 25 शीर्ष होटलों की सूची में मैसूर का ऑरेंज कंट्री रिसॉर्ट 13वें स्थान पर है।
‘होश उड़ाने वाला किराया’
महाराजा उम्मेद सिंह के नाम पर बने इस महल को 1943 में पूरा किया गया और यह जोधपुर के राजघराने का शाही निवास था। उम्मेद भवन पैलेस के 347 कमरों में 64 कमरों का रखरखाव ताज होटल के हवाले है और पर्यटकों के लिए उपलब्ध हैं। अलग अलग ट्रैवेल वेबसाइट के अनुसार उम्मेद भवन पैलेस होटल में दो लोगों के लिए एक सामान्य कमरे का औसत किराया 50 हजार रुपये प्रति दिन है। यही नहीं महल में एक संग्रहालय भी है। उम्मेद भवन पैलेस का डिजाइन मशहूर एडवर्डियन आर्किटेक्ट हेनरी लैनकेस्टर ने तैयार किया था और इसपर पूर्वी और पश्चिमी दोनों ही वास्तुकला का असर दिखता है।
CHARSADDA: A chemistry teacher, who tried to protect his students by opening fire on Taliban militants during a deadly attack at a university in Pakistan on Wednesday, has been hailed as a “martyr” and a “gentleman”. At least 21 people were killed in the attack.
Lecturer Syed Hamid Husain, an assistant professor at the Bacha Khan University in Charsadda, ordered his students to stay inside as Taliban gunmen stormed the school near the city of Peshawar.
Students recalled how the professor opened fire at the gunmen as they rampaged across the campus, giving students the time to flee before their teacher was gunned down.
“We saw three terrorists. They were shouting, ‘Allah is great’ and rushing towards the stairs of our department,” one of the students who escaped, said.
“A student jumped out of the classroom through the window. We never saw him get up.”
Geology student Zahoor Ahmed said Husain had warned him not to leave the building after the first shots were heard. “He was holding a pistol. I saw two militants firing at him and I saw a bullet hit him. I ran inside and managed to flee by jumping over the back wall,” he said.
“They fired directly at the professor,” sociology student Muhammad Daud said, describing Husain as “a real gentleman and a respectable teacher”.
Tributes were paid to the slain academic on Twitter.
“Martyr of #education: Prof Hamid was killed by terrorists in #BachaKhan University#Pakistan,” tweeted journalist Raza Ahmad Rumi.
Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain confirmed the lecturer’s death and expressed condolences to his family.
Security officials said the operation went on for several hours. The military said it had killed four extremists. However, it is unclear whether this figure has been added to the death toll.
The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the attack.
Teachers in northwest Pakistan were given permission to carry firearms to the classroom after Taliban militants massacred more than 150 people, majority of them children, at a school in Peshawar in 2014.
The attack on an army-run school in the city, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Charsadda, was the deadliest in Pakistan’s history. It saw heavily armed militants go from room to room slaughtering students and staff.
SOURCE: IANS
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday slammed critics of his ministry’s decision to relocate the Defence Expo to Goa, saying the event was the defence equivalent of a consumer shop, where instead of kitchen articles, military equipment and technology from across the world would be sold across the counter.
Parrikar, who was speaking at a BJP function in Panaji, also said the expo, which is expected to be held at the Quitol plateau in Betul village, 45 km south of Panaji, would be thrown open to all school students in Goa for two days.
The expo may even encourage youngsters from Goa to join the armed forces in the future, he said.
“People are criticising the Defence Expo for the sake of criticism. It is similar (to a consumer shop). It is a display of weapons. Over three days, representatives from big companies will come and offer tanks, artillery, machine guns and aeroplanes for sale,” Parrikar said, trying to simplify the Defence Expo concept to the audience.
“Around one lakh people from outside (Goa) will be attending it. We will also keep it open for a day or two in order to allow children from all schools in Goa to visit it.
“Let them see the latest weapons from over the world. This may even result in an increase in the number of Goans joining the armed forces,” Parrikar said.
Traditionally held in the national capital, the Defence Expo, scheduled to be held in March this year, is being shifted to Goa, because a new convention centre is being built at Pragati Maidan.
However, the Defence Expo 2016, which is the ninth in the series of biennial land, naval and internal homeland security systems exhibitions organised by the defence ministry, has attracted opposition from political parties as well as a section of the civil society over the allocation of six lakh square metres of land in the coastal village to the defence ministry for the expo.
Parrikar, a former Goa chief minister, said the mega event would ensure that locals get employment and that the government should encourage residents of villages near Betul to set up tea kiosks and other stalls for the benefit of those visiting the events.
“Those running taxis will get a lot of business. The event is also being held at the fag end of the tourist season and will ensure that hotels get full occupancy,” Parrikar said.
The defence minister said that if locals continued to oppose hosting of the event in Betul after this year’s event, then another village in Goa, Keri, 35 km from Panaji, that has expressed willingness could be roped in to host the event.
“The Keri panchayat has offered 3.5 lakh square metres of land,” Parrikar said.
Jyotsna Dayal,Tribune News Service,Chandigarh, January 10
A book titled “Indian Counter-Terrorism Law” authored by Dr Shruti Bedi, senior assistant professor, University Institute of Legal Studies, Panjab University, was released by Justice AK Sikri of the Supreme Court of India at the Chandigarh Judicial Academy here today.The book deals with lacunae existing in the past laws on counter-terrorism in India, which have to a certain extent been taken care of in the present laws on the subject.Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shruti said an anti-terror law needs to be more than a penal statute. These extraordinary laws have been justified as crucial correctives that work towards ultimate protection of the liberty of an individual.Also present on the occasion were Justice HS Bedi, former judge, Supreme Court of India, Justice M Jeyapaul and Justice Mahesh Grover of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Panjab University Vice-Chancellor Prof Arun K Grover, senior advocate RS Cheema and Nirupam Srivastav, Head, Strategy, Lexis Nexis India. Justice SS Sodhi, former Chief Justice, Allahabad High Court, was also present.Justice HS Bedi welcomed the gathering which included Acting Chief Justice and judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.On how the state has dealt with terrorism in the past and the role of the judiciary in dealing with it, Justice Sikri mentioned Justice SS Sodhi who had dealt with cases of terrorism as a judge.Justice Mahesh Grover discussed the ideology of a terrorist, describing how one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter. He highlighted the fact that even the death penalty was no deterrent for a person (terrorist), who was willing to blow himself up for the cause that he believes in.Prof Arun K Grover said the subject was of much relevance in today’s scenario while RS Cheema spoke about the lacunae in the current anti-terror laws and the need for a comprehensive research in this area.
Tribune News Service,Chandigarh, January 8
Pointing out that in most cases information from locals pertaining to the movement of suspicious persons wearing military pattern clothes and carrying haversacks turned out to be misleading and caused inconvenience to the people at large, the Army has advised police personnel and civilians to refrain from using such attire.Thanking the public for providing information and keeping vigil at village level, the Army authorities said the Army and the police kept getting information about suspicious activities of persons and search operations thereon were inescapable to ensure safety and security.An advisory issued by the Western Command today asked private security agencies, police, central forces and civilians not to wear combat pattern dresses as these might lead to false alarms. It also asked relatives of armed forces personnel and ex-servicemen not to use items of military uniform that they might be having.It said shopkeepers should not sell combat-pattern cloth, uniforms or Army equipment as it was illegal. It has requested the police and the civil administration to crackdown on those indulging in such activities.The Army has also exhorted the youth to use social media to spread awareness and start a campaign to prevent Army uniforms and equipment being used as a fashion statement.
Tribune News Service,Pathankot, January 8
Civil hospital doctors have sent the DNA samples of all the six terrorists killed in the January 2 Air Force station attack to a Chandigarh laboratory.Doctors confirmed that they had conducted the post- mortem examinations of four bodies and the remaining two were “charred and mutilated beyond recognition.”“The bodies of two terrorists were packed and have been sent directly to the lab with the mandatory post-mortem reports. It was not possible to conduct the autopsies on these bodies as these were badly charred, probably due to the explosives being carried by the militants. We have noted the details of the clothes they were wearing,” said Dr Bhupinder Singh, Senior Medical Officer.After the July 27, 2015 Dinanagar attack, the Gurdaspur civil hospital doctors had refused to do the post-mortem examinations citing various reasons. The autopsies were finally done after Deputy Commissioner Dr Abhinav Trikha and IPS officer Akhil Chowdhury camped in the hospital and supervised the proceedings. At that time, Gurdaspur SMO Dr Sudhir Kumar was transferred for not abiding by the orders given by his seniors.However, in Pathankot, the authorities faced no such problems.A doctors’ team, headed by Dr Tarsem Singh, District Health Officer, was constituted and the post-mortems were conducted without any hiccup. Initially, there were some apprehensions that the doctors would cite ‘security concerns’ and refuse to perform the autopsies. However, the fears turned out to be unfounded as the job was done in four hours.Acting on a tip-off, SSP RK Bakshi today tightened security in the civil hospital where the bodies are kept. Police officers have confirmed that the place where the bodies would be buried won’t be made public.
THE FALLOUT
Patiala
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday warned of a similar terror strike as he claimed that Punjab was not at all prepared for an attack if the terrorists decide to target some civilian installation. “The state, due to its long border along Pakistan — part of which has proved to be porous, needs to take its vulnerability seriously,” he said.
Bhittewad (Amritsar)
Don’t politicise attack: CM
Slamming the Opposition for politicising the Pathankot terror attack, CM Parkash Singh Badal on Friday said that at least sensitive issues related to national security must be spared of cheap politics. Interacting with mediapersons on the sidelines of a Sangat Darshan in Rajasansi Assembly segment here today, the CM said, “Our soldiers have valiantly protected the honour of the country, but some political outfits are washing dirty linen in it for vested interests.”
Pathankot
MES electrician under lens
A Military Engineering Service (MES) electrician, who along with some other colleagues, was responsible for the maintenance of flood lights installed at the periphery of the 1,900-acre Air Force station, is being questioned by a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team. Some flood lights installed near the wire fencing on the periphery of the air base were facing the sky when the January 2 attack took place.
Chandigarh
Probe against SP
Even as SP Salwinder Singh has been given a clean chit in the Pathankot terror strike, he still finds himself facing an inquiry of another kind. Following allegations levelled by a Tanda-based woman, Punjab DGP has ordered a fact-finding inquiry against him. The woman has levelled accusations of bigamy against Salwinder Singh who is now posted at Jalandhar.
Chandigarh
Probe sought in spy casesThe Bharat Chetna Manch, which is an organisation of Pathankot-based advocates, on Friday demanded a high-level probe into the alleged laxity of Punjab Police officials and intelligence agencies for the lack or proper action against spies. Kulbushan Manhas, president of the organisation, said the enemy countries have been cultivating one spy after another using allurements, but our law-enforcement agencies were not strict with them. The organisation listed two cases for probe. One case needing probe was the ex-airman Sunil Bhaati case. The second was of a Pakistani couple who stayed in Pathankot under Indian identities and were caught in 2009.
