INDIA

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday accused the Waqf Board of grabbing land of temples, villagers, and others in Karnataka and asserted that it was time to make changes in the body and amend the related Act. He also claimed that no one can stop the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which is “needed to check infiltrators,” and assured tribals that they would be kept out of its ambit. “The Waqf Board is in the habit of grabbing land. In Karnataka, it has devoured the assets of villagers… It has grabbed land parcels of temples, farmers, and villagers… Tell me whether changes are required in Waqf Board or not. Hemant Babu and Rahul Gandhi say no. I tell you let them oppose it, the BJP will pass the Bill to amend the Waqf Act. No one can stop us,” Shah said while addres...

In Karnataka, a group of nursing students from Jammu Kashmir enrolled at Government Nursing College, Holenarasipura, has voiced their frustration over college grooming policies that they feel infringe on their cultural and religious rights. The students, who are part of a special scholarship scheme, claim they were instructed by college authorities to shave or trim their beards, with warnings that failure to comply would result in being marked absent from clinical duties, Indian Express reported. "We are being forced to choose between our education and our beliefs," one student expressed, describing the policy as both "arbitrary" and "culturally insensitive." According to the students, the directive could not only affect their daily campus life but also influence their internal as...

Exposing a financial racket operating from a Jammu Kashmir post office, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against five postal employees for swindling thousands of rupees from the savings accounts of a late senior citizen operating in Gandhi Nagar Head Post Office in Jammu. The federal agency has named as accused: Sadaf Gulzar, then Postal Assistant; Surinder Singh, then Postal Assistant; Karun Sharma, then Postal Assistant, Joginder Singh, then Postal Assistant and Amita, the Postal Assistant, and unknown others. CBI sources said a list of accused has been prepared for questioning in connection with the fraud which started with the illegal closure of three accounts of Rani Fotedar – 0783869052, 0783869025 and 0783869007 – in September last year. Foted...

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said that there was no question of security lapses, but added that the number of incidents is low compared to the past in Jammu Kashmir. Talking to the media persons in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, Rajnath as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) while replying to a query, said that it cannot be said that the terrorist activities have increased after the elections, but the fact is three-four such attacks have been reported while the security forces are giving befitting reply and many terrorists have been killed as well. “It is not a question of security lapses; we are familiar with the number of activities in J&K earlier. However, such attacks have reduced compared to the past. The security forces are alert,” he said, adding that the...

Prices for jet fuel and commercial LPG cylinders have been raised again, delivering another blow to industries reliant on these fuels. Jet fuel, or aviation turbine fuel (ATF), saw a 3.3% increase, pushing rates up by ₹2,941.5 per kilolitre to ₹90,538.72 in the national capital. The rise in ATF costs is expected to add pressure on airlines, which have been facing fluctuating operational expenses over recent months. In addition, the price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder, used widely by hotels and restaurants, jumped by ₹62, marking the fourth consecutive monthly hike. The latest increase brings the cost of commercial LPG to ₹1,802 per cylinder in Delhi, significantly impacting small and medium-sized businesses already dealing with inflationary pressures. Prices in other citie...

An angry mob pelted stones at the homes of Muslim community leaders in Kadakola village, Savanur taluk, Haveri district, Karnataka, amid tensions surrounding Waqf property registration. The unrest was sparked by a directive from Waqf Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan, who announced on September 3 that Waqf properties in Kadakola should be registered under the Waqf account, a stance later reinforced by ZP CEO Akshay Sridhar on September 27. During the incident, Muslim leader Rafi’s home was targeted, with a parked bike damaged by stones. Rumors circulating that residential properties would be transferred to the Waqf account raised fears of potential evictions among residents, further fueling the violence. In response to the incident, Haveri Deputy Commissioner Vijay Mahantesh and Super...

Following a militant attack on an army convoy in Akhnoor, the government forces have increased surveillance and operations across the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu Kashmir. On Monday, militants opened fire on a passing military convoy in Akhnoor. The army responded swiftly, preventing any injuries. In the aftermath, a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched, cornering the militants in the area. Reports indicate that three militants have been killed in the ongoing encounter. However, an army dog also lost its life during the exchange of fire. The attack occurred near Sunderbani in Rajouri, prompting the reinforcement of security measures across the region, which was already on high alert. Field units are maintaining heightened vigilance, especially i...

A massive search operation was launched Saturday morning by the security forces in Botapathri and nearby areas in north Kashmir, with the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Baramulla stating that 3-4 militants were involved in a deadly attack on Thursday evening. Speaking to the media in Baramulla, the SSP, Zaid Mohammed as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the operation had been halted overnight but resumed in the wee hours today. “Police, Army, Paramilitary, and other security forces are involved in the massive combing operation.” The extensive search is covering the woods from Baba Reshi to Gulmarg and other adjacent areas. The SSP also said that prior to the Botapathri attack, the search operations were initiated in other locations based on specific ...

Disengagement of troops of India and China has started at two friction points in Demchok and Depsang Plains in the Eastern Ladakh sector, defence officials said. As per the agreements between the two sides, the Indian troops have started pulling back equipment to rear locations in the respective areas, they said. On October 21, India announced that it reached an agreement with China on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh ending the over four-year-long military standoff. Speaking at an event in New Delhi on October 24, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the two countries had reached a consensus to restore the “ground situation” based on the principles of equal and mutual security. He added that this includes restoration of “patrolling and grazing t...

A communal clash erupted at Jamia Millia Islamia during Diwali celebrations on Tuesday, October 22, 2024. According to reports, tensions flared when the Rashtriya Kala Manch, an ABVP-affiliated outfit, allegedly raised communal slogans and heckled Muslim students. Outsiders, including senior leaders from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and ABVP, were reportedly involved in the incident. The Students' Federation of India (SFI) accused these individuals of harassing female Muslim students and chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' in their presence. The SFI alleged that when university students protested this behavior, violence broke out, leading to police intervention. The police used lathicharge to disperse the crowd, but students claimed that the force was used on those objecting to...