BSF and Pakistan Rangers personnel during the beating retreat ceremony at Attari in Amritsar. File

It has been more than 50 days since the beating retreat ceremony at the joint check-post in Hussainiwala was suspended following the extensive damage to the venue in recent floods. The daily ritual usually draws thousands of visitors to witness the electrifying drill between the BSF and Pakistan Rangers.

Besides, the disruption caused by the ravaging Sutlej has silenced the patriotic spectacle — the Light and Sound show, which attracts countless tourists to pay homage to Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, BK Dutt and Punjab Mata, leaving local shopkeepers and service providers struggling for survival.

Ceremony timing advanced to 5 pm

Fazilka: The timing of the beating retreat ceremony has been advanced to 5 pm with effect from Thursday at Sadiqi (Fazilka), Hussainiwala (Ferozepur) and Attari (Amrtisar). Officials said the timing had been changed keeping in view the early sunset hours during the autumn and approaching winter. Earlier, the ceremony used to start at 5.30 pm. — OC

Floods have virtually scarred the Hussainiwala site. Roads, grills, generators and parking areas have been severely damaged, as part of the memorial complex and surrounding fields have remained inundated. Once buzzing with visitors, the memorial park and the parking zone now lie deserted due to floodwater.

The devastation has come at a time when the historic place was already struggling to recover from the 2023 floods, which had destroyed the state-of-the-art light and sound system setup under the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan scheme. It took two years to repair the hi-tech equipment and the spectacle of Independence struggle had just started leaving its imprint again when the floods struck again.

The Ministry of Tourism and Culture had announced Rs 25 crore package to develop this sacred place earlier this year; the DPR had been finalised and the work had to start when the deluge caused destruction.

BSF officials, on the condition of anonymity, said: “The entire area near the joint check-post has been severely damaged, especially tiles, pavement and railings. Damaged tiles in the check-post area will take some time for repair. They added that the National Highway Authority of India was reconstructing the entire stretch of flood-ravaged road, including a bridge on the way, leading to the JCP area.

Jagdish Kumar, a local shopkeeper who runs a stall near the memorial complex, said the suspension of the beating retreat had slashed tourist numbers drastically. “Besides Punjab, people from Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi used to visit daily. Now, only those bringing relief material visit the area. Our work is fully dependent on visitors, and after 2023, the recent floods have again left us with no income for weeks,” he said.

Carried rewards ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 1 crore

In a major breakthrough, as many as 170 Naxals on Thursday surrendered in Chhattisgarh, with some of them carrying rewards ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 1 crore.

Among those who surrendered included 10 senior operatives, including Satish, alias T Vasudeo Rao, of Central Committee Member (CCM), Ranita (SZCM, Secretary of Maad DVC), Bhaskar (DVCM, PL 32), Nila, alias Nande, (DVCM, IC and Secretary of Nelnar AC), Deepak Palo (DVCM, IC and Secretary of Indravati AC). T Vasudeo Rao (CCM) carried a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head.

Operatives of SZCM rank had rewards of Rs 25 lakh, DVCMs Rs 10 lakh to Rs15 lakh and ACMs had rewards worth Rs 5 lakh.

Huge numbers of automatic weapons, including AK-47s, INSAS, SLRs and 303 rifles, were also surrendered by the Naxals.

The number of Naxals, who surrendered on Thursday, assumes significance considering the fact that the Centre’s deadline of uprooting Naxalism from the country by March 31, 2026, is round the corner.

“Today, 170 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh. Yesterday, 27 had laid down their arms in the state. In Maharashtra, 61 returned to the mainstream yesterday. In total, 258 battle-hardened Left-wing extremists have abjured violence in the last two days,” Home Minister Amit Shah said in a post on X.

Since January 2024, after the BJP government was formed in Chhattisgarh, 2,100 Naxalites have surrendered, 1,785 have been arrested and 477 have been eliminated, Shah added.

The surrender also comes just two days after Mallojula Venugopal Rao, alias Sonu (70), a member of the CPI’s (Maoist) Politburo, surrendered in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli alongside 60 other cadres on October 14. With Sonu’s surrender, only nine core Central Committee members of CPI (Maoist) are now absconding.

These are Muppala Laxman Rao, Thippiri Thirupathi (reportedly the new CPI (Maoist) general secretary), Pulluri Prasad Rao, Paka Hanumanthulu, Pusunuri Narahari (all from Telangana), Misir Besra, Anal Da (both from Jharkhand) and Madavi Hidma as well as Majjidev (both from Chhattisgarh).

Shah lauded the decision of the Naxals to surrender.

“I applaud their decision to renounce violence, reposing their trust in the Constitution of India. It attests to the fact that Naxalism is breathing its last… Our policy is clear: those who want to surrender are welcome, and those who continue to wield the gun will meet the wrath of our forces,” Shah said on X.

Says no person can have any reason whatsoever to scandalise the court

Attorney General R Venkataramani on Thursday granted his consent to initiate criminal contempt of court proceedings against advocate Rakesh Kishore who attempted to hurl a shoe at CJI BR Gavai on October 6 over alleged insult to Sanatan.

“I hereby grant my consent under Section 15(1)(b) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971, for the initiation of contempt proceedings against Rakesh Kishore before the Supreme Court,” Venkataramani said in a letter to Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Vikas Singh, who had sought his consent on the issue.

“No person can have any reason whatsoever to scandalise the court. Throwing or attempting to throw any object aimed at the Hon’ble judges, or shouting at judges to find fault with the conduct of proceedings will be scandalous. The reason said to have been given by Kishore can never be in justification of such scandalous conduct. Such acts constitute a grave affront to the dignity of the court and to the rule of law itself. From the materials placed on record, I find Kishore has not shown any repentance as regards the conduct in question as is evident from his subsequent utterances,” Venkataramani wrote.

After obtaining the Attorney General’s consent, Singh mentioned it before a Bench led by Justice Surya Kant for urgent listing. “This shoe-throwing incident cannot go unnoticed like this. This person (advocate Kishore) has no remorse. I have sought consent from the Attorney General and the criminal contempt (petition) should be listed tomorrow…Social media has gone berserk,” Singh said.

Supporting the contempt action, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said, “The institutional integrity is at stake. Some action is needed.”

Agreeing to list the matter after Diwali vacations, the Bench wondered if the issue should be revived again for social media discussions, given the fact that CJI Gavai himself declined to pursue further legal action against the lawyer.

“The CJI has shown magnanimity and it shows that the institution is not affected as such,” Justice Kant noted.

The Supreme Court Bar Association has already terminated with immediate effect membership of Kishore for “grave misconduct”. The Bar Council of India, which regulates the legal profession in the country, has also suspended Kumar’s bar licence with immediate effect.

Advocate Kishore (71) on October 6 attempted to hurl a shoe at CJI Gavai during proceedings in the Supreme Court over alleged insult of Sanatan.

Hailing from Gurdaspur, Punjab, Capt Salaria not only saved the UN Force Headquarters in Congo, but also effectively isolated the rebels

Through a painting of the 1961 Congo clash, the Army has sent out a quiet yet powerful message — urging the United Nations to modernise its peacekeeping mandates in tune with today’s conflicts, while honouring Capt Gurbachan Singh Salaria’s ultimate sacrifice in defence of the fledgling nation.

Capt Salaria, hailing from Gurdaspur, Punjab, was posthumously awarded the Param Vir Chakra (PVC) for his gallantry. He not only saved the UN Force Headquarters in Congo, but also effectively isolated the rebels — the Katanga Gendarmerie — who were attempting to disrupt operations in the African nation.

Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi, while hosting a conclave (October 13-16) of countries contributing troops to UN peacekeeping missions, presented a painting each, on separate days, to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Military chiefs or their representatives from 32 troop-contributing countries attended the event.

India, the largest contributor of troops to UN peacekeeping missions, is seeking a broader operational mandate for such forces. The painting carried a strong message — that peacekeeping is a dangerous task, as rebels and non-state actors are often well-armed and operate outside international norms.

Jaishankar today said, “Troop-contributing countries as well as host states must be consulted while formulating mandates of peacekeeping missions.” Singh had echoed similar sentiments at the same event on October 14.

The painting depicted how Capt Salaria’s small team of about 16-18 troops was tasked with clearing a roadblock set up by secessionist Katanga gendarmes. They faced a superior enemy force of about 90 well-armed men supported by two armoured cars strategically placed to disrupt UN operations.

Commissioned into the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Gorkha Rifles in 1957, Capt Salaria launched a daring assault with his men. With the Gorkha war cry “Aayo Gorkhali!” (The Gorkhas are here!), they charged the enemy position, leading to fierce hand-to-hand combat.

Capt Salaria’s citation reads: “He led a charge with bayonets, khukuris and grenades, supported by a rocket launcher. Capt Salaria killed 40 of the enemy and knocked out two armoured cars.” His audacious action broke the resolve of the rebels, but he was fatally hit by automatic weapon fire.

Maj Gen Ian Cardozo (retd), in his 2003 book “Param Vir: Our Heroes in Battle”, wrote that Capt Salaria was born on November 29, 1935, in Janwal village near Shakargarh (now in Pakistan). His family moved to India during the Partition of 1947 and settled in Jangal village near Dinanagar in Gurdaspur district.

In the early 1960s, newly independent Congo was engulfed in a civil war after the secession of its mineral-rich Katanga province. With foreign commercial interests fuelling the unrest, the Congolese government appealed to the UN for help, leading to a peacekeeping mission being sanctioned in July 1960.

265 people had died in Ahmedabad

The father of Captain Sumeet Sabharwal — the pilot who died in the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad — and the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) have moved the Supreme Court seeking a court-monitored probe into the accident in which 265 people, including both pilots and crew members, died.

Filed under Article 32 of the Constitution by Pushkaraj Sabharwal and the FIP, the petition seeks a court-monitored committee comprising a retired judge of the Supreme Court and independent aviation and technical experts to conduct a fair, transparent and technically robust probe into the crash.

It urged the top court to direct that all investigations carried out so far, including the preliminary report dated July 12, be treated as closed and all records, data and evidence be transferred to the new inquiry panel to be set up.

Terming the ongoing probe “incomplete, biased and technically unsound”, the petitioners said it undermined India’s obligations under International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annexe 13, which mandated an independent investigation authority.

The current five-member team is dominated by officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the very entities responsible for regulatory oversight, thereby violating the principle of nemo judex in causa sua (no one should be a judge in their own cause), they alleged.

The AAIB report predominantly focused on the deceased pilots, who were no longer there to defend themselves and that the report failed to examine or eliminate other more plausible technical and procedural causes of the crash, the petitioners submitted.

Accusing the authorities of selectively leaking the contents of the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) to the media, they said it violated Rule 17(5) of the Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017.

These leaks, they claim, fuelled a “malicious media campaign” attributing fault to the deceased pilot without corroborative evidence, amounting to state-facilitated defamation and violation of the family’s right to dignity under Article 21.

This is the second petition filed in the top court on the June 12 plane crash. The Supreme Court had on September 22 asked the Centre, the DGCA and the AAIB to respond to a PIL filed by the Safety Matters Foundation seeking an independent, fair and expeditious probe into the June 12 Air India plane crash at Ahmedabad.

Expressing concern over the selective leak of the preliminary inquiry report, which led to a media narrative blaming pilot error for the crash of the London-bound Air India Flight AI171, a Bench led by Justice Surya Kant had noted that certain aspects of the July 12 AAIB preliminary report indicating lapses on the part of the pilots were “irresponsible”.

Calling the attribution of pilot error “implausible” and “procedurally unjust,” the petitioners argue that the failure to probe design or software integration failures in Boeing’s Common Core System amounts to non-application of mind and suppression of material facts.

Sabharwal’s father said his son had an “unblemished career spanning over 30 years, with 15,638 hours of incident-free flying, including 8,596 hours on Boeing 787-8 aircraft, without a single reported lapse or incident causing fatalities or otherwise.”

The petition pointed to several technical lapses in the preliminary report.

Indian army shares Upendra Dwivedi-Kazakhstan’s counterpart photos, internet spots this painting

Join the ranks: Agniveer recruitment rally in Shimla from October 17

MoD doubles 3 grants for ex-soldiers, families

Army to get new missiles, ‘night sights’ for rifles

IAF, UK navy jets hold joint drills over Indian Ocean

Ladakh violence: Restrictions in Leh lifted after 22 days

Tri-services multi-domain exercise on futuristic warfare concludes at Northern Command

Punjab sees 5-fold rise in arms smuggling from Pak

Pakistan’s Gen AAK Niazi signed the instrument of surrender of East Pakistan after defeat to India. Over 93,000 Pakistani troops surrendered to the Indian Army on December 16, 1971.

The painting of Pakistani army surrender of 1971 in the background (Image: X/@adgpi)

A photograph shared on X during a recent high-level military meeting between India and Kazakhstan has drawn attention online, as it prominently features the iconic mural of the 1971 India-Pakistan war surrender in the background.

Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi met Major General Mereke Kuchekbayev, Chief of Land Forces of Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of the United Nations Chiefs of the Counter-Terrorism Conference (UNTCC) 2025.

The Indian Army shared the image of the meeting on X from its official handle and wrote, “On the sidelines of the #UNTCC2025, #GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS met with Major General Mereke Kuchekbayev, Chief of Land Forces, Kazakhstan.”

The post said that the meeting reaffirmed the enduring defence partnership between the India and Kazakhstan, with a focus on training cooperation, capacity building and continued engagement for regional peace and stability.

The mural hanging on the wall in the background caught attention online due to its historic significance and the heritage of Indian Armed Forces.

The Army Recruiting Office, Shimla is set to organise the ‘Agniveer Recruitment Rally’ for the Indian Army in Prithi Military Station, Averipatti in Rampur Bushahr, Shimla from November 17 to 24 for the youth of Shimla, Solan, Kinnaur and Sirmaur districts of the state. This was stated by Shimla Deputy Commissioner (DC) Anupam Kashyap while he chaired a meeting regarding the upcoming recruitment rally here.

During the meeting, he appointed Rampur Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) as the Nodal officer to ensure the successful rally. The DC instructed him to inspect the rally site along with the officials concerned within this week to ensure all the timely completion of all preparations for the recruitment rally.

He said a controlroom will be set up at the main entrance of the rally site, where police and revenue department officials will be deployed. The DC also directed the police department to ensure adequate deployment of police personnel, PCR vans, proper traffic management, checkpoints and other necessary security arrangements at the venue so that the youth do not face any inconvenience during the rally.

The SDM also instructed the PWD officials to ensure the maintenance of the ground as well as to construct temporary toilets. He also directed the Jal Shakti Department officials to ensure sufficient drinking water supply during the rally besides directing the Electricity Board to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

The SDM said doctors along with an ambulance will be stationed at the rally site. “Additionally, officials from the Education and Sports Departments will also be deployed during the rally. Arrangements for accommodation will be made in Panchayat Bhawans, school buildings, dharamshalas, etc.” he said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a 100 per increase in financial assistance for ex-servicemen and their dependents under schemes implemented by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare through the Kendriya Sainik Board.

Enhanced assistance

The penury grant has been doubled from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000 a month, providing sustained lifetime support to ex-servicemen who did not qualify for pension 

The education grant has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 a month per head for up to two dependent children from class 1 to graduation

The marriage grant has been raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000, applicable to up to two daughters of the ex-servicemen and for widow remarriage

As per the list of enhanced benefits released by the Ministry of Defence, the penury grant has been doubled from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000 a month per beneficiary, providing sustained lifetime support to aged ex-servicemen who did not qualify for pension. The grant will also apply to their widows above 65 years of age.

The penury grant is for those who don’t have the financial means and applies to officers and jawans who served less than 20 years and 15 years, respectively.

The education grant has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 a month per head for up to two dependent children from class 1 to graduation. For widows of soldiers, this will be extended for pursuing a two-year postgraduate course.

The marriage grant has been raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per beneficiary. It is applicable for up to two daughters of the ex-servicemen and for widow remarriage.

The revised rates take effect for applications submitted from November 01, 2025 onwards, with an annual financial implication of approximately Rs 257 crore to be met from the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF). These schemes are funded through the ‘Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund’, which is a subset the AFFDF.

The MoD said the decision strengthened the social security for non-pensioner soldiers, widows, and dependents from lower-income groups, reaffirming the government’s commitment to honouring the service and sacrifice of the veterans.

Ministry of Defence

Raksha Mantri approves 100% increase in financial assistance for Ex-Servicemen & their dependents

Posted On: 15 OCT 2025 11:52AM by PIB Delhi

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has approved a 100% increase in financial assistance for Ex-Servicemen (ESM) and their dependents under schemes implemented by the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare through Kendriya Sainik Board. The approved enhancements are as follows:

• Penury Grant has been doubled from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000 per month per beneficiary, providing sustained lifetime support to aged and non-pensioner ESM and their widows above 65 years of age with no regular income.
• Education Grant has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 per month per head for up to two dependent children (Class I to Graduation) or widows pursuing a two-year postgraduate course.
• Marriage Grant has been raised from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per beneficiary. Applicable for up to two daughters of ESM and for widow remarriage, for marriages solemnised after issuance of this order.

The revised rates take effect for applications submitted from November 01, 2025 onwards, with an annual financial implication of approximately Rs 257 crore to be met from the AFFDF. These schemes are funded through the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund, which is a subset of the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund (AFFDF).

The decision strengthens the social security net for non-pensioner ESM, widows, and dependents from lower-income groups, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to honouring the service and sacrifice of the veterans.

Two separate contracts were signed today to enhance the operational readiness of the Army — one for procuring a new-type of missiles and other for adding ‘night firing’ capability to assault rifles.

The Army’s Corps of Army Air Defence today signed a contract with Thales UK for procurement of light weight modular missile (LMM) system that will add to the air defence systems. Procurement of these missiles for £350 million was announced on October 9 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Keir Starmer met in Mumbai for a bilateral meeting.

Adding firepower

The light weight modular missile (LMM) system is effective against all types of aircraft, helicopters and UAV’s to a range greater than 6 km in all-weather conditions

Advanced ‘night sights’ are being procured for 7.62 x 51mm assault rifles to enable soldiers to precisely aim and fire at targets at night. It is useful along the LoC

The LMM is a light weight and man-portable missile system which can be deployed in operational areas, including the high-altitude areas. The missile operates on laser beam riding principle and is resistant to evasive actions taken by modern day aerial platforms.

The missile is effective against all types of aircraft, helicopters and UAV’s to a range greater than 6 km in all-weather conditions. The missile has a high single-shot kill probability due to advanced sighting system, incorporation of proximity fuze and high explosive warhead.

The missile system has been procured post Operation Sindoor to detect and destroy high value drones and UAVs.

The second deal is a Rs 659.47-crore contract the Ministry of Defence signed for procurement of advanced ‘night sights’ for the Army’s 7.62 x 51mm assault rifles.

‘Night sights’ enable soldiers to precisely aim and fire at targets at night. It is useful along the Line of Control to stop infiltration.

The Ministry of Defence said the ‘night sight’ would enable soldiers to fully exploit the longer effective range of the ‘SIG 716 assault rifle’.

These sights are capable of engaging targets up to an effective range of 500 metres, even under starlit conditions and provide a significant improvement over the existing Passive Night Sights (PNS).

This procurement, has more than 51% indigenous content, is a major step towards aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in defence manufacturing. The initiative will also benefit the MSMEs involved in manufacturing of components and supply of raw material.