Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 20

The Punjab Police have arrested an Army soldier and three others for their involvement in illegal arms and drug smuggling. The racket was busted last week in which a BSF jawan and three others were nabbed by the Jalandhar (Rural) police.

Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta said Ramandeep Singh, who is a soldier, was apprehended from Bareilly in UP, on the basis of disclosures made by BSF Constable Sumit Kumar.

He said three aides of Ramandeep, including Taranjot Singh alias Tanna, Jagjit Singh alias Laddi and Satinder Singh alias Kala would be brought on production warrants. Around Rs 10 lakh has been recovered from Kala thus taking the total amount seized to Rs 42.30 lakh.

Gupta said Sumit had revealed during interrogation that Ramandeep lured him into peddling. The duo was lodged together in Gurdaspur jail after murdering a person.

Gupta said Kala was lodged in Amritsar jail for sometime where he had come in contact of Maulvi alias Mulla, a Pakistani national, who had introduced him to smugglers. He said Kala was shifted to Kapurthala jail where he befriended Tanna.

The DGP said Sumit used to send photographs of fencing and drug-delivery locations to Tanna and Kala. After delivery of the consignment at a pre-determined spot, his accomplices used to collect it and Laddi used to provide his car to transport the contraband. “The accused have smuggled 42 packets of heroin and a 9 mm pistol (with 80 live rounds and two live rounds of .12 bore gun),” the DGP said.

He said out of Rs 39 lakh received as drug proceeds from Pakistan-based smugglers, Rs 32.30 lakh was to be distributed between Sumit and Ramandeep.

Tribune News Service
Srinagar, July 20

Amid the ongoing tension with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the authorities in Kashmir on Monday said that the work on the two tunnels along the strategic Srinagar-Ladakh road was being carried out on a war-footing.

The 6.5-km Z-Morh tunnel and Zojila tunnel are part of the strategic project for ensuring round-the-year connectivity between the Kashmir and Ladakh regions which remain closed during the winters due to heavy snowfall.

An official spokesman in Srinagar said the Z-Morh tunnel project, worth Rs 2,379 crore, is expected to be completed by June 30, 2021, and would provide round-the-year connectivity to Sonamarg.

The information was given at a meeting of National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), which was chaired by Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam.

An official spokesman said the works under the Zojila project were also being taken up.

It was mentioned that the project included a 14.15-km tunnel and an 18-km approach road between Z-Morh and Zojila tunnel as a single integrated package, besides a carriage way, two snow galleries, four major bridges and 18 avalanche protection dams. The project will cost Rs 4,430 crore and is expected to be operational by June 2026 and will enable round-the-year connectivity to Ladakh.

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 20

Just three weeks after India and Japan conducted a small naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal, the world’s largest warship, the USS Nimitz, a nuclear-powered carrier of the US Navy accompanied by its flotilla, conducted a basic maritime drill with Indian Navy warships on Monday.

The exercise, conducted west of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal, is classified as “Passex” in naval parlance. Operating together, the Indian and US naval forces conducted high-end exercises designed to maximise training and interoperability, including air defence. The exercise was conducted on Monday, Indian Navy Spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

Power play at sea

• The USS Nimitz is the world’s largest warship. The exercise assumes significance as it took place in the midst of China’s renewed military assertiveness in eastern Ladakh and the South China Sea
• The Indian Navy has increased its surveillance missions and beefed up operational deployment in the Indian Ocean region in the wake of the country’s border standoff with China

The US Navy flotilla, led by the nuclear-powered USS Nimitz, was on its way from the South China Sea to a deployment in the Middle East. Today’s exercise comes even as India and China remain locked in a tense border confrontation in Ladakh.

Ten days ago, the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan, another US carrier, had conducted a drill in the South China Sea.

“Nimitz operations are designed to provide security throughout the region, while building partnerships with friends and allies,” a US Navy website said.

New Delhi, July 20

The first batch of five Rafale fighter jets is likely to be inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) on July 29, according to an official statement.

It said the final induction ceremony will take place in second half of August.

“The first batch of five Indian Air Force Rafale is likely to arrive in India by end of July. The aircraft will be inducted at Air Force Station Ambala on July 29 subject to weather,” the IAF said.

“IAF aircrew and ground crew have undergone comprehensive training on the aircraft, including its highly advanced weapons systems and are fully operational now. Post arrival, efforts will focus on operationalisation of the aircraft at the earliest,” the IAF said.

Official sources said the Rafale jets are likely to be deployed in the Ladakh sector as part of the IAF’s efforts to enhance its operational capabilities along the Line of Actual Control with China in view of the border row with the country.

In a separate statement, the IAF said the top commanders of the force will take stock of the current operational scenario and deployments at a three-day conference here beginning Wednesday.

“The plan of action for operational capability enhancement of the IAF in the next decade will also be discussed,” it said.

Officials said arrival of the Rafale jets will further strengthen the IAF’s combat capabilities.

India had signed an inter-governmental agreement with France in September 2016 for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 58,000 crore.

The aircraft is capable of carrying a range of potent weapons. European missile maker MBDA’s Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missile and Scalp cruise missile will be the mainstay of the weapons package of the Rafale jets.

Meteor is the next generation of BVR air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) designed to revolutionise air-to-air combat. The weapon has been developed by MBDA to combat common threats facing the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Sweden.

It is powered by a unique rocket-ramjet motor that gives it far more engine power for much longer than any other missile, said an official.

Besides the missile systems, the Rafale jets will come with various India-specific modifications, including Israeli helmet-mounted displays, radar warning receivers, low-band jammers, 10-hour flight data recording, infra-red search and tracking systems among others.

The IAF has already completed preparations, including readying required infrastructure and training of pilots, to welcome the fighter aircraft.

The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal. The IAF spent around Rs 400 crore to develop required infrastructure like shelters, hangars and maintenance facilities at the two bases.

Out of 36 Rafale jets, 30 will be fighter jets and six will be trainers. The trainer jets will be twin-seater and they will have almost all the features of the fighter jets. — PTI