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First Post
6 days ago
- First Post
History Today: When Mumbai was rocked by serial train bombings
Terror hit Mumbai on July 11, 2006, after a series of coordinated blasts were carried out on the city's local trains during rush hour. The 11 horrific minutes of chaos and carnage left nearly 200 dead and over 800 injured. Also, on this day in 1804, the famed Burr-Hamilton duel took place read more Mumbai was thrown completely in uproar after the local trains, known as the lifeline of the city on which millions rely on every day, came under attack on July 11, 2006. One of the most shocking and horrific incidents in India's history occurred on this day in 2006. Terror hit Mumbai yet again after a series of coordinated blasts were carried out on the city's local trains during rush hour. The 11 horrific minutes of chaos and carnage left nearly 200 dead and over 800 injured. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Also, on this day in 1804, the famed Burr-Hamilton duel took place. Here are some of the historical events that occurred on this day. Chaos, carnage and bloodshed in Mumbai Eleven minutes of sheer terror. Seven explosions. Mumbai was thrown completely in uproar after the local trains, known as the lifeline of the city on which millions rely on every day, came under attack. The bombs were placed in the first-class compartments of trains leaving Churchgate. The first blasts occurred at Bandra and Mahim stations around 6.20 pm. Everyone held their breath as memories of past attacks in 1993 and 2003 came flooding back. Then, five more explosions on different trains. The authorities revealed that bombs were made of RDX and ammonium nitrate. Mumbai's local trains are known as the city's lifeline. The IEDs were placed in pressure cookers to maximise the blast impact and were detonated using quartz timers. They pointed the finger at the Students' Islamic Movement of India – backed by Pakistan and its powerful Inter-Services Intelligence. The trial took eight years. Over 200 witnesses were called. In the end, a dozen men were found guilty of waging war against the nation, conspiracy and murder, while one was acquitted. Aaron Burr slays Alexander Hamilton in famed duel Before Alexander Hamilton gained renewed fame as a result of the award-winning musical show by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the political figure was perhaps most famous for his notorious duel with Aaron Burr. Which is a shame given that Hamilton was one of the greatest thinkers of his time and one of the original Founding Fathers of America. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While the two men were old-time political rivals, no one had thought it would come to this. After all, Burr was the sitting Vice-President of the United States. Hamilton, who was a major author of the Federalist papers, was himself was a famous and towering figure at the time. The duel was over some allegedly disparaging remarks that Hamilton had made about Burr during a dinner. It was Burr who challenged Hamilton in the 'affair of honour' – the parlance for duelling at the time. Portrait of US Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Image courtesy: While most such challenges ended with negotiations and compromise, this time the bitterness had gone too far. The fact that duelling had been outlawed didn't stay the hand of either man. Nor did it stop a sitting New York judge William P Van Ness from acting as Burr's second. What happened next has been mired in confusion and lost to history. Hamilton either shot his pistol into the sky on purpose or took aim at Burr and missed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Burr fired back – hitting Hamilton in the abdomen. Hamilton was taken back to New York – where he spent 31 agonising hours with his family before he died. Burr initially fled, but was later indicted. Ultimately, all charges against him were later dropped. Hamilton died, but his policies remain influential on the United States till this day. Burr, on the other hand, became a political pariah. To Kill a Mockingbird is published The literary classic To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was published on this day in 1960. Lee's story, set during the Great Depression in the small fictional town of Maycomb Alabama, told the tale of Jean Louise Finch and her father Atticus, a prominent lawyer. While Atticus was based on Lee's father, another character in the novel was based on Lee's friend and writer Truman Capote. Capote, incidentally, would himself be hailed for pioneering the true-crime literary genre with his novel In Cold Blood. Mockingbird deals with the story of a black man being falsely accused of raping a white woman and Atticus' defence of the man. The literary classic To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee was published on this day in 1960. The book was a sensation – selling over 30 million copies across the world and be translated into over 40 languages. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lee would be awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her work. The novel was famously adapted into a 1962 movie of the same name starring Gregory Peck as Atticus. Peck would win the Academy Award for his performance and become hailed as an indelible part of film history. This Day, That year 1914: Babe Ruth plays his first Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox. It would spark off a glittering career in which Ruth would rewrite all baseball records at the time. 1989: Sir Laurence Olivier, perhaps the greatest English thespian in the 20th Century and the only one who could challenge Marlon Brando's claim to be the world's best actor, passed away near London.
Hans India
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Indian Naval Personnel Detained For Alleged Intelligence Breach During Military Operations
Intelligence agencies have apprehended a naval clerk stationed at the Indian Navy's Delhi headquarters on suspicions of transmitting classified military intelligence to Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency, including sensitive data during the recent Operation Sindoor military campaign. Vishal Yadav, a Haryana resident working as a clerical staff member at Navy headquarters, was detained by Rajasthan police intelligence units following extensive surveillance operations. Investigators allege that Yadav maintained regular communication with a Pakistani intelligence handler who posed as an Indian woman named Priya Sharma through various social media platforms. According to senior police official Vishnukant Gupta, the Criminal Investigation Department's intelligence division had been tracking Pakistani espionage activities when they identified Yadav's suspicious communications. The accused allegedly transmitted confidential details about naval operations and other defense installations to his foreign contact, receiving financial compensation through cryptocurrency transactions and direct bank transfers. Digital forensic analysis of Yadav's mobile device revealed years of data exchanges and communications, including information shared during Operation Sindoor, the military response to the Pahalgam terrorist incident that resulted in over 26 civilian casualties. The four-day military confrontation between Indian and Pakistani forces occurred from May 7 to 10. Investigators discovered that Yadav's involvement in online gaming had led to substantial financial losses, potentially making him vulnerable to recruitment by foreign intelligence services. Multiple security agencies are currently questioning the suspect at Jaipur's Central Interrogation Centre to determine the full scope of the security breach and identify any additional conspirators. This arrest forms part of a broader nationwide security sweep targeting suspected Pakistani intelligence networks operating within India. Recent detentions include Shakur Khan, a Rajasthan government employee from Jaisalmer, and Haryana-based content creator Jyoti Malhotra, both facing similar espionage allegations. Malhotra allegedly maintained contact with Pakistani diplomatic personnel in New Delhi during the Operation Sindoor period. The intensified crackdown on espionage activities follows heightened security concerns after the Pahalgam attack, with authorities working to dismantle suspected intelligence networks that may have compromised national security through social media recruitment and digital communication channels.
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First Post
19-06-2025
- Politics
- First Post
'Hope the food was good': Tharoor takes a jibe at Asim Munir's luncheon with Trump
Trump and Munir reportedly discussed a wide range of topics, including India and Pakistan, wherein the Pakistani general expressed his gratitude to the president for preventing a potential nuclear war following the Pahalgam terror attack read more (File) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir (C) prays after laying wreath on the martyrs' monument during a guard of honor ceremony at General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on May 21, 2025. Photo by Handout/ Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). AFP Congress MP and leader Shashi Tharoor has taken a dig at Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir's lunch meeting with US President Donald Trump. Commenting on the White House reporting that Munir nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, Tharoor said, 'According to the White House, this general had said that the president should get the Nobel peace prize, and then he was rewarded with a lunch. I hope the food was good and he has also got some food for thought in the process.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump and Munir reportedly discussed a wide range of topics, including India and Pakistan, wherein the Pakistani general expressed his gratitude to the president for preventing a potential nuclear war following the Pahalgam terror attack. On Trump's mediation claims, Tharoor said, 'We welcome any pressure the US may have on Pakistan. But we did not ask for it. We did not request anyone's mediation.' Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a phone call with Trump on Wednesday, where he rejected his claims of US mediation. 'Working on trade deals with India, Pak' After their luncheon meeting, Trump said, 'The reason I had him here was I wanted to thank him for not going into the war and ending the war. Prime Minister Modi just left a little while ago, and we are working on a trade deal with India.' The president further said that his administration is also working on reaching a trade deal with Pakistan, adding that he is 'very happy' that 'two very smart people decided not to keep going with the war.' The White House has confirmed that the meeting was arranged in response to Munir's public remarks praising Trump's role in de-escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries. 'They know Iran better than most' The duo also discussed the ongoing situation in West Asia triggered by Israel's strikes against Iran and the following retaliatory attacks. 'They know Iran very well, better than most, and they're not happy about anything. They see what's going on. And he agreed with me,' Trump said.
NDTV
12-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Pak Says Man Who Led Terrorists' Funeral "A Family Man". US Disagrees
New Delhi: The Pakistani armed forces have claimed that Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a US-designated global terrorist, who led the funeral of the terrorists killed in Indian airstrikes during Operation Sindoor is an ordinary citizen. Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Pakistan's Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), categorically denied that the man seen in the image was a terrorist. Instead, he was described as a religious leader and "a common family man." The military spokesperson even presented what was claimed to be the individual's National Identity Card (CNIC), naming him as an official of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), specifically, its "Welfare Wing Incharge." Who Is Hafiz Abrur Rauf The man identified by Pakistan as a cleric is Hafiz Abdur Rauf, a senior leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and head of the now-banned Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), both of which are designated terrorist entities under US and United Nations sanctions. The CNIC number (35202-5400413-9), name, and date of birth (March 25, 1973) released by the Pakistani military match exactly with details in the US Department of Treasury sanctions lists. Pakistan's characterisation of Rauf as an innocent preacher is the latest instance in a long history of downplaying or denying links between state institutions and internationally designated terrorists. During the funeral, held in Muridke, near Lahore, several high-ranking officers of the Pakistan Army stood behind Rauf as he led the ceremony. Coffins wrapped in Pakistan's national flag were carried in military protocol, suggesting institutional backing. In a press briefing in New Delhi recently, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri had held up the viral photograph and highlighted the contradictions between facts and what the Pakistani military leadership says. The Funeral The funeral, held on May 8 in Muridke, did not resemble a private religious affair. Images and video footage show military protocol, state security presence, and formal participation by Pakistani officials. "They claim that only civilians were killed in the strikes on the 7th of May. We have made the point very clearly that all attacks on the morning of 7th May were against carefully selected terrorist infrastructure, terrorist targets?" Mr Misri had said at a press briefing. According to news agency IANS, the photograph shows Rauf surrounded by uniformed military officers, among them Lt Gen Fayyaz Hussain Shah (Corps Commander, IV Corps, Lahore), Maj Gen Rao Imran Sartaj (GOC, 11 Infantry Division), Brig Mohammad Furqan Shabbir (Commander, 15 Hybrid Mechanised Brigade), Punjab's Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar, and provincial MLA Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bherth. In an apparent attempt to deflect criticism, Pakistani officials appeared to conflate Hafiz Abdur Rauf with Abdul Rauf Azhar, brother of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar. Terror History Rauf Azhar, also Masood Azhar's brother, has a well-documented record of terrorism planning, including orchestrating the 1999 IC-814 hijacking, the 2001 Indian Parliament attack, and the 2016 Pathankot and 2019 Pulwama strikes. In contrast, Hafiz Abdur Rauf has been integral to the financial and propaganda operations of LeT since at least the early 2000s. According to the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Rauf has served in several key roles within LeT. These include Director of Public Service in 2003, Director of Humanitarian Relief in 2008, and operational head of LeT's charity fronts, initially Idara Khidmat-e-Khalq (IKK), later renamed Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF). As early as 2003, Rauf was involved in publicly defending the work of LeT-affiliated organisations, despite a formal ban imposed by Pakistan's own government. In interviews given to Pakistani news outlets and on LeT's official website, he claimed responsibility for managing fundraising and disaster relief under the guise of welfare operations. These activities, according to the US, were designed to provide cover for LeT's terrorist activities and evade international scrutiny. In 2009, Rauf led a fundraising delegation under the FIF alias to Bajaur, Pakistan, where LeT was active in both relief and recruitment. On November 24, 2010, the United States imposed sanctions on Rauf and FIF. The sanctions were the result of detailed dossiers shared by Indian intelligence, particularly after the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed over 170 people. The UN Sanctions Committee also lists both FIF and LeT, as well as Rauf's close associate and LeT founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed. Despite this, Rauf has continued to operate within Pakistan with apparent impunity.
