Four Naxals killed in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat during encounter, arms recovered
This marks the highest number of naxalites being killed in Madhya Pradesh so far in a year. The earlier high was six in a year. However, the Madhya Pradesh Police has touched the double-figure mark in just five and a half months. India's decades-long battle against left-wing extremism is entering its final stage, with security agencies confirming a near-complete dismantling of the Communist Party of India (Maoist)'s leadership.According to Bastar IG Sundarraj Pattilingam, only four Politburo members and 18 Central Committee members remain active, most of whom are either in hiding or too old to operate effectively.Earlier this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had outlined his government's multi-pronged strategy to entirely eliminate the threat of Naxals in India by March 2026. Must Watch
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The Hindu
20 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Shopkeepers down shutters in Karambakudi condemning the relocation of Fire and Rescue Service station
Shops and business establishments in Karambakudi town in the district remained closed on Tuesday as shopkeepers and members of traders association downed shutters condemning the relocation of the Fire and Rescue Service station from Karambakudi to a site situated seven kilometres away. Barring medical outlets, over 850 shops in the town remained shut for the whole day with shopkeepers and traders staging a demonstration demanding that the Fire and Rescue Service station should continue to function in Karambakudi town and not to relocate it. A road roko agitation was held in support of the traders by the members of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and other parties where the CPI(M) Gandarvakottai assembly constituency MLA M. Chinnadurai participated. The one-day call for keeping the shops closed on Tuesday was given by the Varthagar Sangam, Vyapaarigal Sangam with support from various political parties, including the Communist Party of India - Marxist. The president of the Karambakudi Vyapaarigal Sangam A. K. Santhiyamoorthy said the station had been functioning in a town panchayat building for over two decades. The station was to be relocated at Pallavarayanpathai which is about seven kilometres away from Karambakudi town, he added. The Karambakudi town has several shops and business establishments, government schools and fuel stations. Relocating the station to a new place which is seven kilometres away from the town would result in time delay while attending to emergencies, he said. Representations had been given to the district administration not to relocate the station. The traders and shopkeepers had suggested a place within the town for the station instead of relocating it. Following the demonstration and road roko, the Revenue Divisional Officer, Pudukottai, Aishwarya, held talks with the shopkeepers, traders and political parties representatives at the taluk office. Sources said following the meeting the RDO said the issue would be brought to the notice of the higher-ups and that the work taken up at Pallavarayanpathai would be suspended. A senior Fire and Rescue Service department official said the station had been functioning in a rented building of the Town Panchayat for nearly 20 years. A Government Order had been issued for the construction of a building to house the station at Pallavarayanpathai at a cost of ₹259.6 lakh. Borwell had been sunk at the new site and power connection had been obtained, the official further said.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor aftermath: BSF ups drone shield along Pakistan border; first UAV squadron being raised to counter threat
This is an AI-generated image, used for representational purposes only. NEW DELHI: In a major move to strengthen border defences, the Border Security Force (BSF) is raising its first drone squadron to counter increasing aerial threats from Pakistan, especially in the wake of lethal drone attacks witnessed during Operation Sindoor . The unit will be deployed at select Border Outposts (BoPs) along the India-Pakistan frontier and will include reconnaissance, surveillance and attack drones operated by specially trained personnel, official sources said, as quoted by news agency PTI. This specialised drone squadron, to be monitored by a control room based at the BSF's western command in Chandigarh, is a direct response to recent security challenges, including Pakistan's use of drone swarms targeting Indian military and civilian areas. During Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike launched by India on May 7 following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, Pakistan responded by sending thousands of drones across the border. One such deadly attack occurred on May 10, when a bomb-laden Pakistani drone dropped explosives on BSF's Kharkola post in the RS Pura sector of Jammu. The attack killed two BSF personnel and one Army jawan, critically injuring four others. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AirSense 11 – Smart tech for deep sleep ResMed Buy Now Undo One of the injured troops had to undergo leg amputation. As per PTI, the BSF has since begun fortifying its border infrastructure. Bunker walls and roofs are being reinforced with alloy sheets and additional protective measures are being implemented at vulnerable posts. A BSF officer said the force is also working with defence and intelligence agencies to install counter-drone technology at key locations to intercept and neutralise rogue UAVs. According to PTI, sources confirmed that the new drone squadron will be stationed at BoPs spanning the more than 2,000-km India-Pakistan border across Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Each drone team will consist of 2-3 trained personnel. Some equipment has already been procured, and training is underway in batches. Union home minister Amit Shah recently said the BSF 'destroyed more than 118 Pakistani posts and completely dismantled their surveillance system' during Operation Sindoor, underlining the force's aggressive role in recent border operations. Meanwhile, Pakistan-based smugglers have stepped up attempts to push narcotics and arms across the border using drones. The BSF recently recovered a DJI Matrice 300 RTK drone and a 3.7 kg heroin packet in Punjab's Tarn Taran, and earlier intercepted drones carrying drugs and weapon parts near Amritsar and Khemkaran. These frequent drone intrusions reflect the urgency behind the BSF's decision to launch a dedicated UAV combat unit.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Madrash High Court's Big Order On Party Flagpoles In Public Spaces In Tamil Nadu
Chennai: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered the maintenance of status quo on the removal of political flagpoles from public spaces, in a major relief to political parties, caste and community organisations across Tamil Nadu. The decision comes as part of an appeal filed by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) challenging a previous directive that mandated the removal of all political flagpoles from public areas. The issue was taken up by a three-judge bench comprising Justices SM Subramaniam, Vijayakumar, and Soundar. The CPI(M), through its state secretary Shanmugam, argued that flagpoles had been set up across Tamil Nadu for over six decades as part of the party's outreach to the people and to symbolically represent its ideology. The party claimed that local officials were removing flagpoles across districts, in some cases without any prior notice, which they argued was a violation of their rights. The court acknowledged that the previous order was issued without hearing the views of political parties, which formed the crux of the argument. The judges questioned the government on its stance, even asking whether only flagpoles were obstructions while statues in public spaces were not. The Bench has now invited political parties and organisations wishing to intervene in the matter to file impleading petitions by August 5, beyond which no further petitions would be accepted. The Tamil Nadu government has also been directed to issue public notices in two Tamil and two English newspapers by July 25 informing stakeholders of the opportunity to participate. Until then, the court ordered that no further flagpole removals should be carried out, and adjourned the matter to August 6 for further hearing.
