Violence claimed 258 lives so far: Security adviser

Animesh Singh Tribune News Service

An additional 90 companies of paramilitary forces will be deployed in Manipur, the state government’s security advisor Kuldiep Singh said after holding a high-level meeting with the Army and paramilitary personnel on Friday evening.

Singh said these 90 companies will be sent as reinforcements in addition to the 198 companies of paramilitary forces already stationed in the state, thus taking the overall tally of companies to 288. Some of these reinforcements have already reached Imphal, he added. The decision was taken after holding a security review meeting with state DGP, representatives of the Army, CRPF, BSF, SSB, ITBP and Assam Rifles, the security adviser further informed.

“We held a review meeting of all the districts of the state and discussed threadbare all the issues and noted concerns of the districts SPs. We are getting 90 additional companies over and above the 198 which are already there,” Singh said. He added forces will be distributed in vulnerable districts to protect lives and properties and in addition to this, district coordination cells will be created along with control rooms.

Existing control mechanisms and SOPs for highway security, fringe area protection, and force deployment were reviewed and upgraded. The authorities are monitoring highways to ensure smooth functioning and safeguarding fringe areas that are prone to disturbances, Singh said.

Responding to a query, he said as many as 258 people have been killed in the ethnic conflict which started in the state in May 2023 and operations are still going on. Till now, 3,000 weapons have been recovered. This development came after the burial of nine deceased in Jiribam earlier in the day, which was facilitated by coordinated efforts from all forces, Singh said.

Ten Naxalites, three of them women, were gunned down in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Friday, a senior police official said. CM Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the security forces and said the era of peace…

PTI

Ten Naxalites, three of them women, were gunned down in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Friday, a senior police official said.

CM Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the security forces and said the era of peace and progress had returned to the Bastar region.

The gunfight broke out in the morning in a forest near Bhandarpadar village in the jurisdiction of the Bhejji police station, where a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, said Sundarraj P, IGP (Bastar range).

He said personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and CRPF launched the operation based on inputs about the presence of Maoists from the Konta and Kistaram area committees on forested hills of Korajguda, Dantespuram, Nagaram and Bhandarpadar villages.

“Bodies of 10 Naxalites, including three women, clad in ‘uniform’, have been recovered from the spot,” he said. Besides, 12 weapons, including an INSAS rifle, an AK-47 rifle, a self-loading rifle (SLR) and Barrel Grenade Launchers (BGLs), were also seized, he said. Two of the deceased have been identified as Madkam Masa (42), military in-charge of the south Bastar division of Maoists, and Lakhma Madvi, an area committee member, the IG said, adding that they were carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respective

Taking exception to the Centre filing an appeal against an order of the Armed Forces Tribunal in a case of disability pension where the law has already been settled by the courts, the Delhi High Court has imposed a fine…

Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service

Taking exception to the Centre filing an appeal against an order of the Armed Forces Tribunal in a case of disability pension where the law has already been settled by the courts, the Delhi High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Navy.

The HC had made it clear to the MoD in October that if it continued to challenge orders covered by previous judgments, it would be burdening the ministry with heavy costs for wasting public money and time of the court.

The Bench of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Shalinder Kaur, on November 12, dismissed the writ petition filed by the MoD and the Navy against the grant of disability pension to a former Navy Commander, AK Srivastava, who had been granted relief by the AFT on the basis of the law laid down by the SC.

The top court had held that the benefit of doubt for disability was to be given to medical conditions arising during service unless the disability was pre-existing and a note had been recorded that it could not be detected on entry into service. The SC had held that soldiers were not to prove their entitlement and rules had to be interpreted liberally irrespective whether the disability was detected in peace or field area.

The MoD and the Navy, despite the case being covered by HC and SC judgments, had challenged the order which has now been dismissed by the HC with costs of Rs 50,000 to be paid to the officer by the ministry.

Despite slight lull in violence in Manipur, the suspension of Internet was extended for another three days till November 23 in seven districts, even as curfew was relaxed for five hours in three districts. Exemptions were granted only for government…

Tribune News Service

Despite slight lull in violence in Manipur, the suspension of Internet was extended for another three days till November 23 in seven districts, even as curfew was relaxed for five hours in three districts. Exemptions were granted only for government offices and specific cases approved by the state government.

Meanwhile, the Manipur Police detained five persons during search operations in hill and valley districts.

In a display of rare empathy, a Kuki group called Kuki Organisation for Human Rights Trust (KOHUR) in a statement condemned all kinds of violence against all communities, including the killing of six members of a Meitei family and sought to know why violence escalates in the state whenever CM Biren Singh’s matters come up for hearing in the Supreme Court.

Taragi Cheisu, a unified Meitei foundation, also condemned the Jiribam killings, labelling it a gross violation of International Humanitarian Laws (IHL) and Indian law. Cheisu also denounced the killing of a Hmar woman in Jiribam on November 7, calling for justice for all victims, regardless of their community.

It was referring to the killing of six members of a family, who were residing in a relief camp in Jiribam, and also to the encounter on November 11 between the CRPF and suspected militants, which had led to the death of 10 suspected extremists.

Cheisu also criticised the Centre for its silence on the atrocities and its failure to protect civilians. The reimposition of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in six police station areas, including Jakuradhor, also drew a sharp rebuke from the body.

Cheisu highlighted that AFSPA failed to prevent the massacre despite its presence in the region.

On the political front, just days after the National People’s Party (NPP) withdrew its support from the N Biren Singh government in Manipur, the BJP has dared the erstwhile alliance partner to end their partnership in Meghalaya. The BJP accused the NPP of staying in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) only to secure central funds.

Meghalaya BJP vice-president Bernard N Marak, while speaking to an online portal, said the NPP “cannot afford” to detach itself from the BJP due to “rising debts” of the state government, led by Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma. The NPP, which has 31 MLAs in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly, leads the ruling Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) in the state. The BJP, which has two MLAs, is a constituent of the NDA. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had backed the two candidates fielded by the NPP in Meghalaya.

Earlier the NPP on November 17, had withdrawn support from the BJP government in Manipur. On November 18, Sangma said the withdrawal of support was specific to his counterpart N Biren Singh.

Sangma had told the media, “We have withdrawn our support to the Biren Singh-led government, so it is very specific to him. If we see that there is a change in leadership, a positive step forward and a plan to find a solution and we can constructively cooperate and contribute so that peace and normalcy return, then we will be happy to be working (with BJP) but we will see the situation.” He added that the NPP was supporting the government hoping that the situation would improve but in the last week, the situation further deteriorated.

Justice Krishnakumar to be new Manipur CJ

• The Centre on Wednesday notified the appointment of Justice D Krishnakumar of the Madras High Court as the next Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.
• Justice Krishnakumar will replace present Manipur High Court Chief Justice Siddharth Mridul, who is due to retire on Thursday.
• The notification came two days after the SC Collegium, led by CJI Sanjiv Khanna, on Monday recommended the appointment of Justice Krishnakumar as the next Chief Justice of the Manipur HC.

An ex-serviceman was strangled to death, allegedly by his wife and her paramour in Baba Bakala sub-division here last night. The police have arrested the suspects from Ferozepur railway station and a case registered in this regard. The deceased was…

Tribune News Service

An ex-serviceman was strangled to death, allegedly by his wife and her paramour in Baba Bakala sub-division here last night.

The police have arrested the suspects from Ferozepur railway station and a case registered in this regard.

The deceased was identified as Sukhdev Singh alias Fauji, while the accused were his wife Jaswinder Kaur and her alleged paramour Kulwant Singh, a resident of Bhullar village.

Gagandeep Singh, SHO, Baba Bakala police station said that Partap Singh of Vedadpura village informed the police that his niece called him and said that some unknown person along with her mother Jaswinder Kaur was strangling her father. He said the police teams immediately rushed to the spot but the accused had fled the scene.

He said the police analysed footage from the CCTV cameras and arrested the suspects from Ferozepur railway station.

As per preliminary inquiry, Jaswinder Kaur had developed illicit relations with Kulwant Singh. The victim used to object to it and they decided to get rid of him. Yesterday, the duo along with an unknown accomplice killed Sukhdev Singh. The police have registered a murder case against three persons. Further probe is on in the matter.

Embassy also instructed employees to shelter in place

The US Embassy in Kyiv said it has received warning of a potentially significant Russian air attack on Wednesday and would be closed as a precaution.

In a statement, the embassy also instructed employees to shelter in place and also recommended that US citizens in Kyiv be prepared to immediately shelter in the event of an air alert.

The warning was unusual for its specificity as Russian air attacks have become a common, near-daily occurrence in Ukraine.

But it comes one day after Moscow said US-made longer range missiles had been used in a Ukrainian attack that struck a weapons warehouse in the Bryansk region after US President Joe Biden authorised their use.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said in September that if Western countries allow Ukraine to strike deep inside Russia with their longer-rage weapons, “it will mean that NATO countries, the US, European countries are at war with Russia.” “And if it is the case, then, bearing in mind the change of the very essence of the conflict, we will be making appropriate decisions based on threats that will be posed to us,” Putin said.

Russia has recently escalated air attacks, launching complex combined drone and missile barrages to target energy infrastructure this week as temperatures begin to drop.

Will be conferred the honorary rank of “General of the Nepal Army” by Nepalese President Ramchandra Paudel on Thursday in continuation of an age-old tradition that first started in 1950

Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi embarked on a four-day visit to Nepal on Wednesday to further ramp up the already close defence and strategic ties between the two countries against the backdrop of the evolving regional security situation.

Gen Dwivedi will be conferred the honorary rank of “General of the Nepal Army” by Nepalese President Ramchandra Paudel on Thursday in continuation of an age-old tradition that first started in 1950, reflecting the strong ties between the two militaries.

The Army Chief’s visit to Nepal from November 20-24 aims to strengthen military cooperation between the militaries of India and Nepal, besides exploring new avenues of collaboration between the two nations, the Indian Army said.In Kathmandu, Gen Dwivedi is set to hold extensive talks with his Nepalese counterpart Gen Ashok Raj Sigdel and will call on President Paudel, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Defence Minister Manbir Rai.

Gen Dwivedi will also be briefed by the Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) of the Nepali Army on issues of common interest at the Nepali Army headquarters on Thursday, officials said.

Gen Upendra Dwivedi is also likely to visit the Shri Muktinath temple in the Mustang region of Nepal.

It is learnt that India’s first Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat also wanted to visit the temple. In his memory, a Bell named ‘Bipin Bell’ was installed in the temple in February 2023.

Gen Dwivedi’s visit is expected to focus on the ongoing defence modernisation in both militaries, through various initiatives, officials said.

A key pillar of India-Nepal military cooperation is the annual ‘Surya Kiran’ joint military exercise, which enhances interoperability between the two armed forces.

This exercise, which focuses on counterterrorism, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, will see its 18th edition in December in Nepal.

India has been supporting Nepal in its military modernisation by supplying various forms of military hardware, including small arms, vehicles, and advanced training simulators.

Need to focus on cooperation than conflict, says Rajnath

Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun, who met on Wednesday, agreed to ‘rebuild’ mutual trust and understanding.

The duo met on the sidelines of the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) at Laos. Rajnath is on three-day visit to Laos from November 20 to 22.

The Ministry of Defence, in a statement, said Rajnath Singh called for reflecting on lessons learnt from the unfortunate border clashes of 2020 (Galwan June 2020). Rajnath asked for the need to “take measures to prevent recurrence of such events to safeguard peace and tranquillity along the border”.

The MoD said: “Both sides agreed to work together towards a roadmap for rebuilding mutual trust and understanding.” Rajnath Singh emphasised and looked forward to greater trust and confidence building between the two sides through de-escalation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

ADMM is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN. ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN member states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam – and its eight Dialogue Partners – India, US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand – to strengthen security and defence cooperation.

India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992 and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 2010. Since 2017, ADMM-Plus Ministers have been meeting annually to bolster the cooperation amongst ASEAN and the Plus countries. Laos is the chair and host of 11th ADMM-Plus.