Srinagar, December 24

The killing of a retired police officer in Baramulla district has sparked widespread condemnation from political parties and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

The retired senior superintendent of police, Mohammad Shafi Mir (72), was shot dead by terrorists while he was giving “azaan”– the call for prayer — from a mosque early Sunday.

L-G Manoj Sinha expressed his condolences, denouncing the “barbaric act” and vowing that the “cowards responsible for this barbaric act will not be spared”. Sinha, deeply pained by the terrorist attack, conveyed his sympathy to Mir’s bereaved family.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti took to X to express her concerns, highlighting multiple instances of violence and calling on the government to address the ground realities rather than maintaining a false narrative.

Additionally, Apni Party president Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari condemned the killing, expressing heartfelt condolences to Mir’s family. He denounced the act as cowardly and urged society to unite against such killings, emphasising that killers should be condemned regardless of their faith.

Meanwhile in Delhi, the CPM “strongly” condemned the brutal killing of three civilians in Poonch while they were in custody of the Army. “There has to be a speedy investigation and punishment meted out to those responsible”, the CPM said. Several targeted killings have recently occurred in Jammu and Kashmir, including the shooting of a police constable earlier this month and the killing of a police inspector in October.

Pained beyond words

Pained beyond words by the dastardly terrorist attack on retired police officer while he was giving a call for prayer in the mosque. Cowards responsible for this barbaric act will not be spared. — Manoj Sinha, J&K Lieutenant Governor

Newly elected body appears to be in ‘complete control of former office-bearers’, says Sports Ministry official

New Delhi, December 24

The Sports Ministry on Sunday suspended the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) till further orders after the newly-elected body made a “hasty announcement” of organising the U-15 and U-20 nationals “without following due procedure and not giving sufficient notice to wrestlers” for preparations.

Related News

• After suspending Wrestling Federation of India, Sports Ministry requests IOA to constitute ad-hoc committee to manage affairs

Reacting to the development, WFI chief Sanjay Singh said, “We have not flouted rules, we will seek revocation of WFI suspension from government.”

“If suspension is not lifted, we can explore legal options to challenge it,” he told PTI.

The ministry also said the new body was working under the “complete control of former (WFI) office-bearers”, which was not in conformity with the National Sports Code.

The WFI elections were held on December 21 with former president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh’s loyalist, Sanjay Singh, and his panel winning the polls by big margins.

“The new body has not followed the WFI constitution. The Federation stands suspended till further orders. WFI will not be taking care of day to day activities of wrestling. They need to follow the due process and the rules,” a Sports Ministry official told PTI.

Top wrestler Bajrang Punia, who along with Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, had led the agitation against Brij Bhushan had returned his Padma Shri award to the government on Friday in protest over Sanjay Singh, who is a Brij Bhushan loyalist, becoming WFI President.

This was a day after Sakshi Malik quit wrestling for the same reason.

The source further explained the reasons for WFI suspension.

“Sanjay Kumar Singh, newly elected president of WFI announced on December 21, the day he was elected as president, that U-15 and U-20 nationals for Wrestling will take place in Nandini Nagar, Gonda (UP) before the end of this year.

“This announcement is hasty, without giving sufficient notice to wrestlers who are to take part in the said nationals and without following the provisions of the constitution of WFI,” said the source.

“As per clause 3 (e) of preamble of constitution of WFI, object of the WFI, among others, is to arrange holding of Senior, Junior and Sub Junior National Championships as per UWW Rules at places selected by the Executive Committee,” said the source.

The source added that the new body had started functioning in the same premises (Brij Bhushan’s official bunglow) from where the previous office-bearers operated wherein allegedly sexual harassment of the players have been alleged.

“The newly elected body appears to be in complete control of former office-bearers in complete disregard to the Sports Code.

“The business of the Federation is being run from the premises controlled by former office-bearers. Which is also alleged premises wherein sexual harassment of the players have been alleged and present (ly) the court is hearing the matter.

“The decisions made by the newly-elected executive body of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) demonstrate a blatant disregard for the established legal and procedural norms, violating both the WFI’s constitutional provisions and the National Sports Development Code,” the source said.

Several top wrestlers, including Olympic medallists Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik and World Championship medallist Vinesh Phogat, have levelled allegations of sexual harassment against Brij Bhushan and the case is being heard in the Delhi High Court.

The source added that all these actions by the new body are contrary to the established norms of fair and transparent governance.

“The actions smack of complete arbitrariness on part of the President, which is against the settled principles of good governance and devoid of transparency and due process. Adherence to governance norms is vital for ensuring fair play, transparency and accountability. These are crucial to build trust among athletes, stakeholders, and the public,” said the source.

The source added that the decision to hold the national championships should have been done in a procedural manner by informing the executive committee, which was not done.

“Such decisions (holding of the nationals) are to be taken by Executive Committee, before which agendas are required to be placed for consideration. As per Article XI of the WFI constitution under the Heading ‘Notices and Quorum for Meetings’,  minimum notice period for EC meeting is 15 clear days and quorum is of 1/3rd of representatives.

“Even for Emergency EC meeting, minimum notice period is 7 clear days with quorum requirement of 1/3rd of representatives.

“Further, in terms of the Article X (d) of Constitution of WFI, it is Secretary General of WFI, who has been made responsible for carrying out the general business of the Federation, keeping the minutes of the meetings, maintaining all the records of the Federation, calling the meetings of the General Council and the Executive Committee.

“It seems the Secretary-General has not been involved in the said meeting of EC, which was held without any notice or quorum,” the source added.

Newly-elected WFI secretary-general, Prem Chand Lochab, had written to Sanjay Singh a day after the elections that a “few states have objected to rescheduling and relocating of age group and junior Nationals”.

“In this regard, no regular meeting of the Executive Committee of WFI as per its Constitution has been conducted after the elections for newly elected Executive Council held on 21-12-2023.”       

“In view of the above, it is felt that the grievances of state federations are genuine and may be considered and the U20 and U15 National Wrestling Championships 2023 scheduled at Nandini Nagar, Gonda from December 28-30 may be postponed,” Lochab, the former Railway Sports Control Board secretary had written in his letter. 

First warship to have been named after a city from the North-East

New Delhi, December 24

INS Imphal, the indigenously-built stealth guided missile destroyer equipped with BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, will be commissioned into the Indian Navy on Tuesday in a boost to its maritime capability amid China’s increasing forays into the Indian Ocean region.

7,400 tonnes Displacement

164mLength

30 knots Speed

It is the first warship to have been named after a city from the North-Eastern region, the approval for which was accorded by the President in April 2019.

The warship will be commissioned at a ceremony in the naval dockyard in Mumbai in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, officials said.

The naming of the ship after the capital city of Manipur underlines the importance of the North-Eastern region for national security and prosperity, they said.

A guided missile destroyer with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and overall length of 164m, Imphal is a potent and versatile platform equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including surface-to- air missiles, anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.

Powered by Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) propulsion, the ship is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/hour).

The ship boasts of a high indigenous content of approximately 75 per cent that includes BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, medium range surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine indigenous rocket launchers and 76mm super rapid gun mount.

INS Imphal was delivered to the Indian Navy on October 20 after completion of a rigorous and comprehensive trial programme both in the harbour and at sea.

Subsequently, the ship successfully test-fired the extended-range supersonic BrahMos missile last month, a first for any indigenous warship before commissioning.

Following this milestone, the ship’s crest was unveiled by Defence Minister Singh in New Delhi in the presence of the Chief Minister of Manipur.

Upon commissioning, INS Imphal will join the Western Naval Command. The commissioning ceremony will mark the formal induction into the Navy of the third of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation, Warship Design Bureau.

The ship was constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai. “Imphal can rightfully be regarded as one of the most potent warships to have been constructed in India — a testament to India’s growing shipbuilding prowess in pursuit of the national vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’,” an Indian Navy spokesperson said

Sandeep Dikshit

New Delhi, December 24

A second Indian-operated ship was targeted by a drone in as many days even as the ship that was attacked on Saturday is being escorted to the nearest port by Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessels.

1st attacked by Iran?

• Mangalore-bound MV Chem Pluto was attacked by a drone in Arabian Sea on Saturday
• Carrying petrochemicals from Saudi Arabia, it was two days away from its destination
• The US said the hit, 217 nautical miles from Porbandar, was an attack drone fired from Iran

Panipat traders wary

Already reeling under a drop in orders from overseas buyers, Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea due to Israel-Hamas war have added to the concerns of exporters in Panipat.

Bahrain-based US Naval Forces Central Command received reports from two ships in the Southern Red Sea that they were under attack late on Saturday night. One of them was Gaboon-flagged vessel MV Saibaba with 25 Indian crew members. The other was Blaamanen, a Norwegian-flagged oil tanker which reported a near-miss by an attack drone with no injuries or damage reported.

Indian Navy officials said all the Indians aboard MV Saibaba were safe and the ship did not radio about any damage by the drone. The US Central Command said these attacks were the 14th and 15th attacks on commercial shipping by the Yemen-based Houthis since October 17. The Houthis say their attacks target fully or partially owned ships by Israeli shipping lines or billionaires.

More serious was the first attack on Saturday. MV Chem Pluto carrying petrochemicals from Saudi Arabia, and two days away from docking at Mangalore, was struck during morning hours in the Indian Ocean. The Pentagon claimed the hit that took place 217 nautical miles from Porbandar was a one-way attack drone fired from Iran. The Indian Navy and the Coast Guard, which were the first responders to the attack, have not made public their conclusions about the source of attack. The Navy deployed a warship and the Coast Guard a maritime patrol aircraft on Saturday soon after the UK Maritime Trade Operations said a drone had “attacked” MV Chem Pluto with 20 Indian and one Vietnamese crew members. The Navy’s guided-missile destroyer INS Mormugao had gone to the spot and examined details relating to the attack, said officials.

The attack caused an explosion and fire on the ship. Ambrey, a maritime security firm, was quoted as

saying the tanker was Israel-affiliated. The Coast Guard said MV Chem Pluto had started making way towards Mumbai port after repairs. Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is providing security to it.

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, December 24

Pending an inquiry into alleged custodial death of three civilians, the Army has shifted three senior officers, including a Brigadier stationed in Rajouri. The other two officers who have been moved out are of the rank of Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel. An internal inquiry is already underway into the three deaths.

Poonch residents Were picked up by army

Three Poonch residents were found dead after they were picked up by the Army for questioning over the terror attack that left four soldiers dead. A purported video of interrogation of detained civilians had gone viral.

Safeer Hussain, Mohammad Showket and Shabir Ahmad, all residents of Topa Peer village of Bafliaz in Poonch, were found dead after they and others were picked up by the Army for questioning to inquire about the ambush in the Dera ki Gali area on Thursday. Four soldiers were killed in the incident. A purported video of the interrogation of the civilians had gone viral after which political parties had demanded a probe.

The J&K administration has announced compensation and jobs for kin of the three victims. (With inputs from New Delhi)

Ashraf Al-Qedra, spokesman for the Gaza-based Health Ministry, says in a statement that the death toll is likely to rise as the airstrike on Sunday hit a crowded residential area

IANS

Gaza, December 25

At least 70 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike on the al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip, reported the state-run Palestine TV.

Ashraf Al-Qedra, spokesman for the Gaza-based Health Ministry, said in a statement that the death toll is likely to rise as the airstrike on Sunday hit a crowded residential area.

He said Israeli forces are bombing the central region’s main roads between camps, which obstructs ambulances and civil vehicles from reaching targeted locations, Xinhua news agency reported.

Local sources told the news agency that most of the killed were women and children, and it is currently difficult for local hospitals to receive more injured people.

Sources said that in addition to the al-Maghazi refugee camp, the Israeli army also attacked central Gaza’s al-Bureij refugee camp and the southern city of Khan Younis.

The latest tally by the Gaza-based Health Ministry showed on Sunday that the Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks has reached 20,424, and 54,036 others were wounded since the conflict broke out on October 7.

Meanwhile, a total of 15 Israeli soldiers were confirmed killed in Gaza over the past weekend, said the Israeli army, bringing to 154 the overall number of slain Israeli soldiers during its ground offensive in Gaza, which was launched in retaliation for a Hamas assault on October 7 that left about 1,200 Israelis killed and more than 200 captivated. 

Do you know where the most expensive land in the world has ever been sold till date? In London ? In Paris? In New York? No. The highest price for such a small piece of land in the world has been paid till date at Fatehgarh Sahab, located in Punjab.

The name of the man who bought this most expensive land ever in the world was Dewan Toder Mal, a wealthy Hindu merchant and an ardent follower of the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh ji. It was in December 1705 when two young sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji-Sahibzada Fateh Singh (less than six years old -born in 1699) and Sahibzada Zorawar Singh (just over eight — born in 1696) were slayed by the Mughal authorities for not renouncing their faith after attempts at bricking them alive in the foundation of the wall failed. They laid down their lives but did not bow before the tyranny of the Moghul government.

After the unparalleled martyrdom, a royal order was issued that no last rites could be preformed on the Mughal land. Toder Mal asked Wazir Khan for the mortal remains of the Sahibzadas and the land where they were martyred for their cremation. Wazir Khan showed impudence and raised unreasonable demand for as many pieces of gold coins that could cover this land. When the Diwan Todar emptied all his reserves of gold by laying the pieces on the land, Wazir Khan said that the gold stamps should be kept standing rather than laying, so that maximum pieces could be recovered.

Well Dewan Todar Mal sold all his belongings and bought 78,000 gold pieces to buy four yards of land so that the last rites of Sahibzadas could be performed with utmost respect.According to historians, the land cost that he paid by way of gold pieces was about 2500000000 ($37853000.00) and made record of being the most expensive land covering such a small area. Todar Mal, the wealthy Hindu merchant on December 13,1705 and performed the cremation of the three martyred bodies of the two young sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh and their grand mother, Mata Gujari

ਲੈ ਵੇ ਗੰਗੂ ਪਾਪੀਆ ਲਾਹਨਤਾਂ ਸੰਭਾਲ ਵੇ । Le Ve Gangu Papia। 

India’s port development sector took off only recently. The late arrival of Vizhinjam reflects strategic shortsightedness of successive govts.

Maj Gen Ashok K Mehta (Retd)

Military Commentator

EARLIER this week, Iran-backed Houthi militants claimed that they had launched a drone attack against an Israel-linked cargo vessel in the Red Sea region. The Gaza war has expanded, hitting international shipping. The previous week, four of the world’s largest cargo shipping companies had stopped transiting across the Red Sea, diverting shipping via the longer Cape of Good Hope. On December 19, the US announced an International Response Force, including Seychelles, to meet challenges in the Red Sea.

The closure of the Suez Canal is a possibility; this will result in disruption of supply chains, an increase in the cost of ocean freight and a hike in oil prices and insurance bonds. For India, it is a double jeopardy: the absence of a 20-metre-deep trans-shipment port to handle large cargo containers and oil tankers. Vizhinjam, India’s first deep-water container terminal (inaugurated on October 15), is not yet fully operational. Until now, large containers were being taken to ports in Sri Lanka, the UAE and Singapore, where cargo was trans-shipped on smaller vessels to ports on the Indian coastline. Currently, most container ships skip Indian ports due to poor infrastructure and high tariff.

Vizhinjam, near Thiruvananthapuram, dredged to increase the depth from 18 to 20 metres, is located 10 nautical miles from international shipping routes. About 80 per cent of world trade moves by sea; in case of India, it is nearly 90 per cent. India’s lethargic maritime outlook has failed to devise either a maritime policy or strategy. While the Indian merchant shipbuilding industry is stagnant, its port-handling capacity is limited. Had India developed deep-sea ports, large ships and containers could have been berthed and trans-shipped locally rather than being sent to foreign ports.

India’s port development sector took off only recently. The late arrival of Vizhinjam reflects strategic shortsightedness of successive governments and lack of Centre-state cooperation. The Indian Navy had projected the need for a deep-sea port as early as the late 1980s when I was with the Defence Planning Staff. The project was revived during the rule of UPA-II and it was in 2015 that the Vizhinjam port was awarded to the Adani Group with the unrealistic timeline of 2018 for completion. It took another five years of wrangling — domestic politics, conflict between national and local interests and lack of experience — to complete the first phase of the project. What’s ironical is that Chinese merchant ship Zhen Hua 15 arrived at Vizhinjam in October this year, bringing giant cranes from Shanghai for cargo handling. It was the first ship ever to dock at Vizhinjam and that too a Chinese one, more than three years after the Galwan clash between Indian and Chinese troops.

The Adani Group has acquired six ports in the past 10 years and now reportedly has a port every 500 km along India’s coastline. It has a total of 14 ports and terminals which handle one-fourth of the cargo passing through the country’s ports.

The acquisitions have catalysed strategic thinking about seaports, including foreign ones, in an era of war and Black Swan events so as to extend India’s strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean. In January, the group acquired Israel’s Haifa port — which is in sync with the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor — despite its conflict-prone reputation. The Colombo West International Terminal, acquired last year after much toing and froing with Sri Lanka, enables India to monitor Chinese activities in Colombo’s Eastern Terminal, China-built Colombo City and Hambantota port. The group aims to become a 500-million-tonne port company by 2025 and raise the Vizhinjam port’s cargo capacity to 1 billion tonnes by 2030.

The western Indian Ocean off the East Coast of Africa is piracy-infested, though it has been somewhat dormant lately due to EU/UN anti-piracy operations. Earlier this month, an Indian warship trailed a pirate-hijacked steamer in that area. For India, the key contestation is with China. The latter has acquired a sea base in Cambodia and the Kyaukphyu deep-sea port in Myanmar. China has also acquired the Gwadar port in Pakistan. It is eyeing sea bases in Vietnam; near Coco islands (Myanmar); near Chittagong (Bangladesh); and in Madagascar. It will seek one in Maldives after the regime change there and is also ensconced in Eritrea off the Red Sea. That’s formidable.

India, a late starter, has been less successful in securing foreign ports/military bases. Ayni in Tajikistan was its first acquisition. The Chabahar port terminal in Iran was acquired in 2014, Sittwe port (Myanmar) in 2014 and Agalega military base in Mauritius in 2020. Negotiations with Seychelles for a military base on Assumption Island went dormant last year or so. India missed out on Hambantota when it was first offered in 2007. Earlier this year, the government announced plans for a major trans-shipment hub in the Great Nicobar Island chain to activate the East Coast. The mega project will have an estimated investment of around Rs 41 lakh crore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced this week that India would become the world’s third-largest economy during his third term. Expansion of ports and increasing their efficiency in handling cargo containers and oil tankers are vital. A string of military bases and usable port terminals are essential to deal with threats to India’s economic ambitions.

Mohammad Shafi was shot inside a mosque early today

Srinagar, December 24

A retired police officer was shot dead by militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Sunday, police said.

Mohammad Shafi was shot inside a mosque early today, they said.

“Terrorists fired upon Shri Mohd Shafi, a retired police officer, at Gantmulla, Sheeri Baramulla, while praying Azan in the mosque and succumbed to injuries,” the Kashmir Zone Police said in a post on X.

Police said the area has been cordoned off after the incident and further details were awaited. —with PTI