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Handwara, Oct 16: Forest officials of the Forest Protection Force (FPF) foiled a major timber smuggling attempt in the Khanpura block of compartment 40, in Rajwar Range, Handwara on Thursday, officials said. Six accused have been booked after illegal timber was recovered from the area, Assistant Director FPF Manmeet Singh confirmed. Singh said that at around 3:30 am, the team received information about illegal timber extraction. "We immediately rushed to the site with my party. The main accused, identified as Muhammad Rafi, son of Saifuddi, resident of Dogripura, had dumped a large quantity of timber near his area," Singh said. "When we reached, we found timber stored in sand and round farms. As soon as they saw us, they raised an alarm. We informed our territorial staff, and the matter was brought to the notice of the DFO, who directed further action," he added. Singh said the team faced resistance from the locals during the night. "The family members, including women, came out and tried to stop the operation. There was a scuffle with our staff, so we decided to halt and stay in the jungle overnight," he said. In the morning, the operation resumed with reinforcements. "Senior officers, including the Conservator, DFO, and Deputy Director, supervised the entire action. We recovered all the hidden timber and found that the smugglers had even tried to set it on fire. Around 20 logs and 43 saw pieces were seized on the spot," Singh said. The seized timber was transported to the division office under Form 25. "Six culprits were involved, one from the house and five associates. An FIR has been registered against all six, and the number will be available soon," Singh confirmed. He praised his team for acting wisely and staying calm during the night. "We acted as per our duty and followed the instructions of our senior officers, including CCF Kashmir, Conservator Nath, and other senior officials. The department has a strict policy against timber smuggling," he said Singh warned that strict legal action will continue against timber smugglers. "Our Forest Protection Force remains alert round the clock. Anyone involved in forest damage will face immediate legal action," he added.
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
SRINAGAR, Jun 27: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Friday filed a chargesheet before the Court of Additional Judge Anti-Corruption, Kashmir, against two persons in a bribery case involving a ₹9,000 demand for land record processing. "Jammu and Kashmir Anti Corruption Bureau has filed a charge- sheet under Section 173 Cr.P.C. before the Hon'ble Court of Addl. Judge Anti-Corruption, Kashmir in Case FIR No. 15/2022, against the following accused persons: Jamil Hussain Khan, then Patwari Halqa Baghat-e-shoor, Owanta Bhawan, Soura, Tehsil Eidgah - Charged under Section 7 of th ...Read More >
Srinagar- In a significant move, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Sunday vowed long-overdue justice, recognition, and support for victims of terrorism whose stories, he said, had been buried by decades of silence and systemic neglect. LG Sinha who met with over 80 families of Kashmiri civilians killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists over the last three decades pledged justice, recognition, and long-overdue support for the victims who, he said, had been forgotten by the system for years. Calling it a "historic step," the LG said the Government of India is committed to amplifying the voices of te ...Read More >
SRINAGAR, JULY 04: Thousands of Shia mourners participated in the 8th Muharram procession in Srinagar on Friday morning, marking the third consecutive year that the traditional religious practice has been revived along its historic route after a 35-year ban. The pre-dawn procession, which began at 5:00 am from Guru Bazar, passed through BudshahKadal and Maulana Azad Road before culminating at Dalgate. This iconic route, blocked off since the early 1990s due to security concerns, was officially reopened in 2023 under the administration of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, a decision welcomed ac ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday extended the term of the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) Ravi Agrawal by one year, an official notification said.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the re-appointment of Agrawal, an IRS officer of the 1988 batch, as CBDT chairman for one year from July 1 this year to June 30, 2026, on contract basis.Agrawal took over as the CBDT chairman from Nitin Gupta in June 2024 after Gupta's extended tenure ended. Agrawal has been a member of CBDT. He was member administration and had served as DG investigation in Delhi. The gover ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is probing from all angles, including sabotage, in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that killed 274 people on board and on the ground last month, Minister of State (MoS) For Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said. Mohol said the black box of the Air India flight AI 171 that has been recovered is in AAIB's custody and will not be outside the country for a thorough assessment. The MoS was speaking at the Pune chapter of the Emerging Business Conclave. "It (plane crash) was an unfortunate incident. The AAIB has begun a full investig ...Read More >
Jaipur: Police in Didwana have stepped up their probe into a cross-border smuggling case in which they arrested two arms and drug smugglers on June 27 for supplying Austrian Glock and Chinese Norinco pistols. It has emerged that the case has links to a massive Rs 300-crore heroin consignment seized by Punjab's Amritsar police near the India-Pakistan border in Barmer on June 30. Canada-based Joben Kaler was identified as the main overseas handler of the heroin consignment. Didwana-Kuchaman police had arrested Mohammad Ilyas from Khunkhuna and Amarjeet Singh Takhar, alias Prince, from Jalandhar ...Read More >
Srinagar- The Economic Offence Wing of Crime Branch Kashmir on Thursday filed Chargesheet against a doctor for submitting fake MCI Certificate along with other documents at the time of engagement at SKIMS Bemina. In a statement, the The Economic Offences Wing, Srinagar (Crime Branch Kashmir) said that it has submitted Charge-sheet in Case FIR No. 01/2023 U/S 420, 467, 468, 471, 201 RPC before the Hon'ble Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Srinagar against Numan Farooq Wani S/o Late Farooq Ahmad Wani R/o Abu Bakar Lane Umarabad Zainakote Srinagar for submitting fake MCI (Medical Council of Ind ...Read More >
Haridwar: A woman politician has been arrested for allegedly letting her boyfriend and others repeatedly rape her 13-year-old daughter in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The horrifying crime, which occurred between January and March, was exposed when the minor bravely confided in her father, prompting a police investigation that led to the arrest of the accused. The accused was arrested with her boyfriend and one more. According to police reports, the minor was gang-raped multiple times, often in the presence of her mother. The minor, who had been living with her father following her parents' separat ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The heads of the border guard forces of India and Bangladesh will meet in New Delhi in mid-February for the first time since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government to discuss key issues such as the fencing of the boundary and tackling trans-border crime. The director general of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Maj Gen Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui, will travel to India during February 16-19 for talks with the head of the Border Security Force (BSF), Daljit Singh Chawdhary, people familiar with preparations for the meeting said on condition of anonymity on Wednesday. Siddiqui's t ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Former head of Air India and chairman of the Railway Board Ashwani Lohani is the new Prime Ministers Museum and Library (PMML) director. The official order for his appointment was issued on Wednesday. A 1980-batch officer of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME), Lohani is known for turning around various organisations during his illustrious career. Following his retirement from IRSME service, he joined the GMR Group as the CEO. According to the order dated June 4, his appointment to the post of director, Prime Ministers Museum and Library in the rank and pa ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Revenue minister Suresh Pujari on Saturday said Odisha would not be allowed to follow the lawless path in sand operations like it is in Bihar and West Bengal, while responding to the recent assault of an additional tehsildar in Kaptipada block, Mayurbhanj district, by the sand mafia. He promised stringent action against the sand mafia regardless of their connections, while speaking to mediapersons here on Saturday."The Kaptipada incident represents a serious escalation in conflict between law enforcement and the sand mafia. The attack on officers performing their enforcement dutie ...Read More >
MADURAI: Likening the custodial murder of Ajith Kumar in Tiruppuvanam to an 'organised crime by police where the state kills its own citizens,' Madras high court lambasted the Tamil Nadu police and said the action against the perpetrators should be more stringent than in normal murder cases.A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice A D Maria Clete pointed to 44 external injuries on the person of Ajith Kumar and said no part of the body was spared by the delinquent cops. "Even an ordinary murderer would not have inflicted such kind of injuries," the bench said on Tuesday.The natur ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Signalling the government's intent to move ahead with the impeachment motion of Allahabad High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said that main opposition parties have given their in-principle approval to support the motion in the upcoming monsoon session scheduled for July21-August 21. Rijiju said that the government is yet to decide whether the motion would be brought in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha. For the Lok Sabha, signatures of a minimum 100 MPs is required. The requirement is the support of at least 50 MPs in the Rajya Sabha. H ...Read More >
BENGALURU: The Headquarter Investigative Unit-II of Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in New Delhi has provisionally attached immovable properties of Rs 34.12 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), in a case related to the transnational gold smuggling and laundering of its proceeds by the popular Kannada actress Harshavardini Ranya alias Ranya Rao and her associates. The ED has provisionally attached four properties of equivalent value belonging to Rao. These include a residential house in Victoria Layout, a residential plot in Arkavathi Layout, industrial land in Tumakuru, ...Read More >
Chennai, Dec 18 (VOICE) The Tamil Nadu police have ramped up security measures at border check posts with Kerala after reports of medical waste being dumped in a public area at Palavoor, Kadangallur, in Tirunelveli district surfaced.Patrolling has been intensified across various check posts in districts including Kanyakumari, Coimbatore, Gudalur, and Theni. Tirunelveli district police have warned of strict action against those involved in the illegal disposal. Environmental activists allege that large quantities of medical waste are being transported illegally from Kerala and dumped in Tamil ...Read More >
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday directed officials to take measures to supply sand at lower prices to people and supply sand free of cost to beneficiaries of Indiramma houses. During a review meeting on the mines and minerals department at his residence on Monday, Revanth Reddy ordered officials to inspect sand reaches and take stringent action against those involved in sand smuggling. District collectors and superintendents of police are being entrusted with the responsibility. In Hyderabad, HYDRAA has been assigned the task to curb sand smuggling. Special officers will ...Read More >
Sharmistha Panoli, a law student, faced arrest over a controversial social media video. The video sparked outrage for allegedly insulting a religious community. Despite an apology, legal action followed. Kolkata Police arrested Panoli in Gurugram. A Kolkata court initially remanded her to judicial custody. Now, the Calcutta High Court has granted her interim bail.The Calcutta High Court on Thursday granted interim bail to influencer Sharmistha Panoli, arrested for allegedly posting video on socia ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Kolkata, June 28: A political slugfest has erupted in West Bengal after a woman accused Padma Shree awardee monk Kartik Maharaj, who is posted with the Murshidabad unit of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, of allegedly raping her 12 times for six months in 2013. As per the police complaint lodged by the woman, Kartik Maharaj raped her multiple times 12 years ago promising her a job at a local school. The ruling Trinamool Congress is highlighting the issue in a major way and accusing the BJP of being silent on it since the accused monk had been reportedly close to the saffron party. The woman accusin ...Read More >
Srinagar: Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to discuss issues concerning terror victim families whose loved ones were killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists and directed officials to reopen cases buried deliberately. The LG also said culprits roaming free for many decades will be brought to justice. In a post on X, the LG, per news agency -- Kashmir News Observer (KNO), directed deputy commissioners and senior superintendents of police to reopen cases which were deliberately buried and file an FIR. The post added that he also directed the officials to ensure jobs ...Read More >
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered the reopening of 'buried' cases of those who lost their lives to terrorist attacks in the last three decades. The directions follow Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha's meeting with the families of civilians killed by the terrorists in the Valley on Sunday, as part of the Centre's initiative to enable families shattered by terrorism to share their pain and expose the conspiracies of the terror ecosystem. The event, organised by 'Save Youth, Save Future Foundation', saw over 80 families from three districts of south Kashmir, includi ...Read More >
SRINAGAR, July 1: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today directed for identifying the Government employees who were part of the terror ecosystem in the past and they are likely to face the axe. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Chairinga a high-level meeting here, the LG directed for identifying those elements from the terror ecosystem who were involved in killing of common Kashmiris and are currently working in Government Departments. The Government for the last few years terminated around 100 employees for terror links and with the fresh directions from the LG several more are ...Read More >
Pune: Hospitals in Pune have started reporting an increase in dengue cases among children following recent heavy rainfall and intermittent showers. Conditions are now ripe for mosquito breeding, experts said, as they warned citizens to ensure there's no waterlogging or stagnant pools near homes and offices. "Dengue is typically seen first in children as they often play outside," said Dr Sagar Lad, a senior neonatologist and pediatric intensivist at Jehangir Hospital and Sahyadri Hospital, Shastrinagar. Dr Lad said he's seen at least three children admitted for dengue this week, with all of the ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
Mumbai, June 29 (SocialNews.XYZ) It was a belligerent, brilliant, and breathtaking performance from the Chennai Bulls, who were crowned the first ever champions of the Rugby Premier League, here in Mumbai, at the Shahaji Raje Bhosale Sports Complex. The Chennai Bulls thrashed the Delhi Redz by a scoreline of 41-0 in the final, to clinch the title. In fact, the margin of victory is the biggest across Season 1 of the GMR RPL. Meanwhile, the Hyderabad Heroes, who had finished top of the table in the league stage, came away with a third-place finish, after they won 17-12 against the Bengaluru Bra ...Read More >
SRINAGAR, Jul 1: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today chaired a high-level meeting and discussed the issues concerning victim families whose loved ones were brutally killed by Pakistan-backed terrorists. The Lieutenant Governor directed the Deputy Commissioners and SSPs to reopen cases which were deliberately buried and file an FIR and ensure jobs are provided to Next of Kins (NoKs) on priority. He further directed them to take immediate measures to free terror victim families' property and land grabbed by terrorists or their sympathisers. Identify those elements from terror ecosystem who w ...Read More >
Mumbai, Jun 8 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday said his party is ready to come together with anyone who will work to protect the interests of Maharashtra and Marathi manoos, his statement coming amid the rapprochement buzz between the Uddhav Thackeray-led party and Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). Talking to reporters here, Thackeray accused the BJP of "swallowing" Mumbai and Maharashtra. He said injustice is being meted out to Maharashtra by the BJP. "We have been saying this consistently. We are ready to work with anyone, any party that is ready to ...Read More >