
14 IEDs, grenades seized in anti-Naxal operation in Jharkhand's West Singbhum
Among the recovered items were 14 powerful IED bombs, each weighing 2 kilograms, along with desi hand grenades, ammonium nitrate powder, firecracker powder, steel containers, and other bomb-making materials.All the recovered explosives were safely defused and destroyed on-site with the help of the bomb disposal squad. The swift action ensured that the Naxalites could not cause any harm to the security personnel.- EndsMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Jharkhand

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Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Slow and steady on final journey, VS Achuthanandan's 150-km funeral procession sees massive crowds lining streets in Kerala
Kerala has a history of momentous funeral processions for former chief ministers, and V S Achuthanandan's carried forward that tradition. The fiery Communist leader died in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday at the age of 101. On Tuesday, his funeral procession from the state capital to his home district of Alappuzha saw an outpouring of emotion by people who thronged the streets to witness it. With crowds lining up on both sides of the road, the low-floor bus carrying his body, decorated with flowers, moved slowly along. The procession began from the state Secretariat at around 2.30 am, and was scheduled to arrive in Alappuzha by 9 pm. However, by that time, it had only reached Mangalapuram — about 22 km from the starting point. It took over six hours for the procession to cross the city limits of Thiruvananthapuram. The destination was more than 150 km to the north. At Kayamkulam, the land of Kerala People's Arts Club (KPAC) — a theatrical movement that helped popularise the Communist ideology in the state — people eagerly waited for the cortege from late evening. Viswanathan, an 80-year-old member of the CPI, said, 'VS always stood for the people. That is why we are seeing this outpouring of emotion. He was arrested during the Emergency. He had strong connections to Kayamkulam. If I remember correctly, for a brief time, he went underground and took shelter in Kayamkulam.' 'VS was a crowd puller. I attended several election rallies where he would come and people would turn up from faraway places to just hear him talk,' Viswanathan recalled. Johnson, 50, a Gospel preacher, came from Adoor, 30 km away. He said he has no political affiliation, but he respected Achuthanandan for his 'compassion and humanity'. 'He never took the side of the wealthy and powerful, but always argued for the causes of the marginalised. Such politicians are rare these days. We may never see another VS amongst us,' said Johnson. For Kalesh, a CPI leader and KPAC office-bearer in his 30s, Achuthanadan was the inspiration to enter politics. 'He was a fighter for the causes of farmers and the downtrodden. He was a leader of the masses, and he was also an able administrator. The first agitation I participated in was when I was in Class 9, during a strike for the rights of Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) employees. The principles that VS espoused invoked the sense of justice in a generation like us and prompted us to fight for the people around us,' he said. Sashi Kumar from Vaikom, who suffers from physical disabilities, arrived at the KPAC junction in Kayamkulam on a scooter fitted with a photo of Achuthanandan. 'There were three people I admired the most: Kalabhavan Mani (the Malayalam actor), Oommen Chandy and VS. Now, all three have gone,' he said. It took the persuasion from local party workers for him to abandon plans to go all the way to Thiruvananthapuram. Instead, he waited at the makeshift venue where people were slowly beginning to gather ahead of the procession's arrival. Among them was Arunima, a class 6 student who had come with her father. She did not know who Achuthanadan was until Monday afternoon. The relentless coverage of his death on TV channels made the girl an admirer of the man, and she was now chanting the slogan: 'kanne karale VS (VS, you are our eye, our heart).' She said she would return home only after paying tribute to him. That sentiment was shared by everyone present, as they checked the YouTube feeds of news channels for updates on the progress of the procession from Thiruvananthapuram. Once Achuthanandan's body reaches Alappuzha, it will be taken to his house in Punnapra. On Wednesday afternoon, the body will be taken to the Valiyachudukadu burial ground, the resting place of hundreds of martyrs of the 1946 Punnapra-Vayalar uprising against landlords and the colonial regime, and he will be cremated with state honours.


News18
3 hours ago
- News18
CPI(ML) urges EC to stop SIR, cites danger of mass disenfranchisement
Last Updated: New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) Mass disenfranchisement remains a 'very real danger" for the poor in Bihar in the ongoing SIR exercise, CPI(ML) Liberation told the Election Commission on Tuesday, urging it to withdraw the circular and conduct the forthcoming polls in the state on the basis of updated version of the electoral rolls used for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. This was communicated to the EC by a delegation of the CPI(Marxist-�Leninist) Liberation, who met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the election commissioners and submitted a detailed memorandum expressing strong objections to the ongoing SIR exercise. The delegation, comprising Rajaram Singh (MP, Karakat and CPI(ML) floor leader in the Lok Sabha), Sudama Prasad (MP, Ara), Shyam Chandra Chaudhary (secretary, Bihar State Committee) and Sanjay Sharma (central headquarters, CPI(ML), raised concerns about alleged procedural violations, exclusionary practices, and the danger of 'mass disenfranchisement of the poor, migrant, and young voters," the party said. In its memorandum, the CPI(ML) questioned the claims of BLOs coming across large numbers of foreign nationals from Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar in their house-to-house visits. They also questioned the figures of likely deletion from the rolls. 'Did the summary revision fail to note this and revise the rolls accordingly?" they asked. The party pointed out that though there is a provision for migrants to fill the form online, which was 'belatedly" pulicised in newspapers, many may not have access to information and internet facilities. They also said it is 'well known" that large numbers of electors do not have the documents mentioned in the EC's indicative list of eleven documents. 'On the basis of our experience of the first four weeks of the SIR drive in Bihar, we are afraid that mass disenfranchisement remains a very real danger for Bihar's poor, women, migrant workers and young electors, with all its alarming consequences," the CPI(ML) said. 'We therefore once again urge the EC to withdraw the SIR circular and conduct the forthcoming Assembly elections of Bihar on the basis of a duly updated version of the electoral rolls used for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections," they said. The EC, in its statement, said the meeting is in continuation of the interactions being held by ECI with the presidents of various national and state political parties. 'These interactions provide for a long-felt need of constructive discussions which enable national and state party presidents to share their suggestions and concerns directly with the commission," it said. 'This initiative aligns with the commission's broader vision of further strengthening the electoral process in accordance with the existing legal framework with all stakeholders," it said. The EC added that in March, a total of 4,719 all-party meetings were conducted, including 40 meetings by CEOs, 800 by DEOs, and 3879 by EROs, engaging over 28,000 representatives of various political parties. PTI AO MNK MNK view comments First Published: July 23, 2025, 00:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Maoists urged to surrender as LWE activities decline in ASR region
Rajahmundry: Left Wing Extremist (LWE) activities have significantly declined in the Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district, largely due to sustained and intensive developmental efforts undertaken by the government. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As a result, tribal development has taken center stage in the region. Assistant superintendent of police (ASP) Rampachodavaram, G Sai Prashanth, stated, "It has come to our notice that a few individuals and organisations have made unfounded and baseless allegations concerning the operations conducted against LWE elements, particularly regarding the Exchange of Fire (EOF) that occurred on June 18, 2025, in the Kintukuru area. We categorically refute all such allegations." He clarified that the location of the said EOF is a dense forest area, far from any civilian habitation, and that no civilian casualties occurred. The encounter ensued when police teams came under gunfire from armed Maoists. All procedures mandated for an independent and impartial investigation post-encounter were followed diligently and within the prescribed timelines. The ASP appealed to underground cadres and Maoist sympathisers to abandon violence and take advantage of the government's surrender and rehabilitation schemes. He emphasised the police's commitment to ensuring a dignified reintegration of such individuals into mainstream society.