West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asserted that merely filing of the FIR by the CBI against Trinamool Congress leaders in the Narada tape case did not mean that their guilt have been proved. 

The by-election result in the Malappuram parliamentary constituency in the Malabar region, held previously by former Minister of State for External Affairs late E Ahamed, has come as a great departure from the electoral politics along Hindu-Muslim polarisation in North India. Secular India can heave a sigh of relief.

Suffice it to say, Malappuram constituency can be a perfect laboratory for the politics of communal polarisation, which the Bharatiya Janata Party mentored by the Hindu fundamentalist RSS, practises robustly and met with stunning success in the recent state election in Uttar Pradesh.

Read Mk Bhadrakumar's blog HERE

A man, arrested for allegedly striking a deal of Rs 50 crore to help the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam faction keep the 'two leaves' poll symbol, could not be remanded to judicial or police custody as the concerned judge was not available during the court hours today.

The police later took Sukesh Chandrasekhar to the residence of the concerned Metropolitan Magistrate.

Chandrasekhar was arrested by the crime branch of Delhi Police from a five-star hotel in New Delhi, was brought to Tis Hazari Courts (THC) within court hours at 4.30 pm but no judge was available to send him to police or judicial custody.

The court's working hours are from 10 am to 5 pm. The confusion regarding the concerned judge continued for over an hour as the police kept rushing from one court to another and finally took the accused to the house of the concerned judge in south Delhi.

During the day, the DCP of Delhi Police told reporters that Chandrashekhar would be taken to THC.

After bringing him to the court complex, police took the accused to the court of four judges -- Special Judges Poonam Chaudhry, M K Nagpal and Himani Malhotra and Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Satish Kumar Arora.

Thereafter, the police decided to take the accused to the residence of the concerned judge for his production.

Even the advocate, prosecutor and investigator were in a dilemma on where to produce Chandrashekhar.

The case pertains to an alleged attempt to bribe an Election Commission official by AIADMK (Amma) leader T T V Dinakaran for trying to get the party's poll symbol of 'two leaves' in a by-election to the RK Nagar assembly seat in Tamil Nadu. -- PTI

The Central Bureau of Investigation registers first information reports against 13 persons -- including Trinamool Congress leaders Madan Mitra, Mukul Roy and Saugata Roy -- among others in Narada sting operation case.

Others named in the FIR are: Sultan Ahmed, Iqbal Ahmed, Kakoli Ghosh, Prasun Banerjee, Suvendu Adhikari Sovan Chatterjee, Subrata Mukherjee, Firhad Hakim, Aparupa Poddar and serving Indian Police Service officer Syed Md Hussain Meerza.

Earlier on March 17, the Calcutta High Court had ordered CBI to conduct a preliminary inquiry in the case in which several leaders of the ruling party in West Bengal were seen purportedly seen taking money. -- ANI

The National Investigation Agency sought the apex court's direction that the agency does not want police custody for Malegaon 2008 blast accused Lieutenant Colonel Purohit.

Last month, the NIA denied any procedural flaw in arresting Purohit and conveyed to the Bombay high court that there is prima facie evidence against him in the blast case.

Lieutenant Colonel Purohit, who is one of the main accused in the Samjhauta and Malegaon blasts cases, is presently in jail for over seven years.

He had also written to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on April 4 last year requesting restoration of his honour.

In his letter, he claimed he was falsely implicated and has been behind the bars for more than seven years now.

The case pertains to a criminal conspiracy, which resulted in bomb blasts in the Samjhauta Express train near Panipat in Haryana on February 18, 2007.

The blast and the consequent fire in the train resulted in the loss of 68 lives and injuries to 12 train passengers, including women and children, travelling in the train. -- ANI

Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi defends the human shield used by the army in Kashmir's Budgam district. He said the situation demanded it and it was an effective tactic that ensured no lives were lost.

The government has also stood by the Army officer who took the decision to use an alleged stone-pelter as a "human shield" tied to a jeep to steer his unit and Jammu and Kashmir officials and paramilitary personnel on election duty to safety.

The government has taken note of an Army probe into the April 9 incident which concluded that the commanding officer took the decision reluctantly and as the last resort after he realised that his unit had to pass through streets crowded with a mob of stone-pelters who had also taken positions on surrounding rooftops.

The trapped personnel included about a dozen local J&K employees, about 9-10 ITBP jawans, a couple of constables from J&K police and a bus driver.

Defence minister Arun Jaitley is likely to address the issue when he meets Army commanders today.

Just in: Court in Jamshedpur acquits RJD goon Mohammad Shahabuddin in the triple murder case dating back to 1989. The case pertains to the murders of Anand Rao, Janardan Choubey and Pradeep Mishra on February 2, 1989, near Tata Steel Power house in Jugasalai police station area. The former MP, who is currently lodged in Delhi's high security Tihar Jail, is an accused in the case along with seven others.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has decided to speed up the process of holding organisational polls in the party. The decision comes after a brief, but intense confrontation with the Election Commission over the extension of the deadline for holding the partys internal polls.

The Election Commission has directed political parties to ensure that their internal workings be democratic and transparent and elections be held for the post of national president and office bearers.

The Congress and other political parties have never held internal polls and many posts are self appointed.

Rahul Gandhi has now asked general secretary Janardan Dwivedi to address the issue at all the state units. In his April 13 letter, Dwivedi has asked state chiefs and party office-bearers across the country to wind up the ongoing membership drive by May 15. You must be aware that we have to complete our organisational elections by the end of this year. I would like to remind you that under no circumstances will the date of enrolment and submission of membership forms be extended beyond May 15, Dwivedi said in the letter. 

After a flurry of letters, the EC has finally accepted the grand old partys request seeking extension of

deadline for completing its organisational polls by December 31. The poll body has asked the Congress Party to submit its list of new office-bearers by the first week of January 2018.

Alarmed by the letter from EC, the Congress had also questioned the poll body's jurisdiction in fixing a date for its organisational elections.

The Congress has insisted that the deadline fixed by the EC goes against the resolution of the Congress Working Committee, its highest decision-making body, allowing Sonia Gandhi to continue to hold the post  of the party chief till December 31, 2017.

Congress leaders said the extension does not necessarily mean that party vice-president Rahul Gandhi will have to wait till the end of the year to take over the reins of the organisation.

Sonia, 70, holds the record of being the party chief for 18 consecutive years after taking over from Sitaram Kesri in 1998.

In a mild rebuke, decorated Lieutenant General Harcharanjit Singh Panag has just shut up foul-mouthed singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya.

The video of a man tied to the front of an Army jeep and paraded through several villages by the Indian army sparked outrage.

Lieutenant General Panag was among those who slammed the treatment given to Farooq Ahmad Dar, the man who was tied to the Army jeep.

"Image of a 'stone pelter' tied in front of a jeep as a 'human shield',will 4 ever haunt the Indian Army&the nation! [sic]", he tweeted.

The Lieutenant General is a former Commanding officer of the Northern Command and Central Command of the Indian Army.

Singer Abhijeet, who was once arrested for abusive tweets, took to Twiter and accused Lieutenant General Panag of being a Pakistani supporter. "U r a Pak supporter, wish you were kicked,beaten & humiliated on the streets of #Kashmir & then wd hv seen ur reaction [sic]", he tweeted.

Responding to this accusation, Lieutenant General Panag said that even at this age he can give lessons to a terrorist and also to an "upstart".

TWhile many people criticised the incident on social media platforms, some justified the act using a counter argument that the Army faces violence in Kashmir and that they show restrain. Another viral video that showed CRPF jawans being beaten by Kashmiri youngsters, and the jawans not retaliating despite having guns, was proof enough.



The singer had infamously tweeted in support of Salman Khan during the actor's hit-and-run case hearing. He had said, "Kutta rd pe soyega kutte ki maut marega, roads garib ke baap ki nahi hai I ws homles an year nvr slept on rd. If dogs sleep on the road, they will die a dog's death. Roads do not belong to the poor..."

He had also hit a new low with an abusive tweet targetting former AAP leader and Supreme Court lawyer Prashant Bhushan for being part of a team of lawyers which had moved a late night petition seeking stay on Yakub Menon's hanging.

In a vitriolic tweet, Abhijeet posted, "Prashant bhushan ko fata hua sasta joota marunga (mine is costly) uski dead body par, Camera ready rakhna.'



Abhijeet received major backlash for his comments against the decorated Lieutenant General.
However, Abhijeet is not the only one to condemn Lieutenant General Panag's view. Ashoke Pandit, member of the Central Board for Film Certification by Modi government, also said he wished the former former Commanding officer would have been in the place of the soldiers who were 'kicked, beaten and humiliated' on the streets of Kashmir.

The similarity between the tweets made by Ashoke Pandit and Abhijeet, in the usage of "soliders who were kicked, beaten and humiliated on the streets of Kashmir and would have seen your reaction" is also being a matter of discussion on Twitter now. People think either one of the two right-wing advocates copied the other's words, or that there is a dedicated "troll army" that decides how to tackle anything that is being said against some people in power.  

Sadanand Dhume‏Verified account
@dhume

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Sadanand Dhume Retweeted abhijeet
Potty-mouthed C-list singer gives decorated former general a lesson in patriotism. #OnlyInIndia #IndianArmy

abhijeet‏Verified account @abhijeetsinger  21h21 hours ago
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abhijeet Retweeted Sadanand Dhume
You all #presstitutes @dhume types r funded by enemies,
#नोटबंदी से इनकी potty-mouth से निकल रही है,
सामने आ bstr.. #केजरीपना निकाल दूँ

Air India formulates rules on unruly passengers after the back-to-back episodes of MLAs -- Shiv Sena's Ravindra Gaikwad and TMC's Dola Sen -- last month.

In a circular dated April 13, Air India cites examples of unruly behaviour by Dola Sena where she dealyed a flight by 39 minutes because she refused to vacate the seat near the emergency exit occupied by her wheelchair-bound mother. The circular then mentions Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad delaying a flight by 90 minutes and YSRC MP Mithun Reddy assaulting an AI officer in November 2015.

The airlines says "even a hotel on the roadside has a board 'Rights of Admission Reserved', AI therefore must have a procedure for handling of unruly passengers. It says the unruly behaviour does not require any provocation and therefore it is proposed:

1. When such an incident occurs the first person to be informed is the Airport Manager/MD/RD/CD and CMD office.
2. No direct interaction with the media by any employee.
3. FIR/police complaint to be filed immediately under the relevant seciton of the IPC.
4. Property damage to be assessed and claimed.
5. Financial damage to be charged as under from the unruly passengers ad fine:
a. For delay up to one hour: Rs 5 lakh
b. For delay beyond one hour and up to two hours: Rs 10 lakh.
c. For delay beyond 2 hours: Rs 15 lakh. 

These are for now, proposals and not a rule.

Air India lifted the travel ban on Gaikwad on April 7, but a section of national carriers pilots refused to fly him unless he apologised for allegedly assaulting a senior cabin crew on board a flight last month.

Gaikwad expressed regret for the incident but did not apologise in a letter to civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapati Raju.

Snapchat is facing a public relations crisis in India, the world's fastest growing smartphone market, after allegations its founder said the app was "only for rich people' and that he did not want to "expand into poor countries like India". Read more

The Supreme Court has ordered the auction of Sahara's Aamby Valley over the business conglomerate's alleged failure to deposit money for refunding to its investors. The SC bench has directed Sahara Group's Subrata Roy be personally present in the next date of hearing on April 28th in the case.


The top court has told appointed Bombay High Court official liquidator for selling the prime property in Lonavala.

Last week, the Supreme Court had said if the Sahara Group fails to deposit Rs. 5,092.6 crore in SEBI-Sahara refund account by April 17 in pursuance of its order, it will be "compelled" to auction its property valued at Rs. 39,000 crore at Aamby Valley in Pune.

"No extension of time shall be granted. Sahara Group must deposit the money on time otherwise Aamby Valley will be auctioned," the court had told Roy's counsel.

The court has also ordered personal presence of Sahara chief Subrata Roy before it on April 28.

Just in: The Supreme Court orders the auction of Sahara's Amby Valley property. The auction is expected to recover Rs 5000 crore dues. 

Rebuffing charges of trying to buy AIADMK's 'two leaves' symbol, party general secretary TTV Dinakaran on Monday said he does not know accused middleman Sukesh Chandrasekhar, adding that the case will be fought legally.


"I will legally face if any summon comes to me from the Delhi Police. I don't know anybody by this name, Sukesh Chandrasekhar (alleged middleman). I haven't bribed anyone for anything," Dinakaran said.


Dinakaran was earlier in the day named accused in FIR filed by the Delhi Police crime branch for allegedly offering bribe for his party's 'Two leaves' symbol.


Dinakaran's faction contested on the hat symbol after the Election Commission froze their two leaves symbol acknowledging the split in the party.


The police action came in the wake of arrest of an alleged middleman named Sukesh Chandrasekhar from Hyatt hotel last night.


The Delhi Police's case against Dinakaran comes even as a major crisis looms in the state government with a section of ministers revolting against him and seeking his resignation as party deputy general secretary.


Pic: Alleged middleman Sukesh Chandrasekhar being taken into custody

Jammu and Kashmir: All schools in Naushera closed for the time being, as ceasefire violation by Pakistan continues in the area.


Chinese foreign ministry: India should not use the Dalai Lama to undermine China's interests.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a show-cause notice to Karti Chidambaram and a firm purportedly linked to him for alleged violations of the FEMA laws to the tune of Rs 45 crore.


The agency also issued a similar notice, after over two years of investigations, to another firm M/s Vasan Health Care Private Limited, which is based in Chennai, for alleged forex violations of Rs 2,262 crore.


"The total amount of contravention identified on different counts and found to have been committed by M/s Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited in the sale transaction of shares of Vasan (Chennai firm) to overseas investors is around Rs 45 crore.


"Show-cause notice has been issued to M/s Advantage Strategic Consulting Private Limited, its directors and also to Karti P Chidambaram who appears to be the controller and ultimate beneficiary in these transactions," the ED said in its notice. Karti is the son of senior Congress leader and former finance minister P Chidambaram.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today referred to an episode of the epic Mahabharata to condemn the silence on the triple talaq practice, reports NDTV.

"There's a new debate in the country. You must have seen. Different theories are being propagated. Some are silent on the issue," Yogi Adityanath said. "When I see people silent on the raging issue, the episode from Mahabharata comes to my mind. Draupadi asked the palace - who is responsible for this situation? Who's responsible for this crime? Vidura said those responsible are criminals, those who supported this incident are culprits, those who are silent are responsible," he added.

The CM was referring to Draupadi's disrobing in the Mahabharata in which the silence of the court elders is judged in the same measure as those who committed the crime. He compared the silence on Draupaid's humiliation with triple talaq.

"The system makes them stand in court with those guilty, the supporters and with those who are silent," he said.

The Supreme Court is hearing petitions challenging the practice of instant divorce by uttering "talaq" thrice and debating whether the court has the right to step in.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken against triple talaq.

Earlier this month, the Centre told the Supreme Court that 'triple talaq' was among customs that impact the social status and dignity of Muslim women and deny them fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Given the current hostile environment, very few would bet in favour of any engagement between Pakistan and India. But the chequered history of the South Asian rivals' relationship shows that they can spring surprises when odds are against them.


Few had predicted that India's then prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee would travel to Lahore by bus merely months after the two countries conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests in 1998.


In 2001, the two countries were on the brink of a war after an attack on India's parliament. But just seven months later, the Agra summit took place and Vajpayee sat down with Pervez Musharraf, whom the former had accused of sabotaging the Lahore declaration through the Kargil adventure.

Read more on the Express Tribune

File pic of PM Modi meeting Nawaz Sharif in 2015 in Lahore.

Highly placed sources in the Delhi police have revealed that an FIR was filed against TTV Dinakaran, AIADMK leader V K Sasikala's nephew, following a tipoff from the Chennai unit of the Intelligence Bureau.


This followed the arrest of one Sukesh Chandrasekhar from a New Delhi 5-star hotel on Sunday and the recovery of Rs 1.30 crore and a BMW and Mercedes cars from him. 


According to the Delhi police, Sukesh had struck a deal for Rs 50 crore to secure the 'Two Leaves' symbol for the Sasikala faction of the AIADMK.


The Chennai unit of IB is said to be in possession of a tape-recorded conversation in which the location and payment details were being discussed in order to secure the allocation of 'Two Leaves'.


In interviews to television channels, Dinakaran has denied knowing Sukesh, or ever talking to him.


Meanwhile, sources claim that a former secretary to the Government of India is among those being questioned by the Delhi police in connection with the case registered against Dinakaran. 

Sanjay Dutt appeared before Andheri Court, NBW against him over alleged threat to filmmaker Shakil Noorani, cancelled by Mumbai court. 

Syed Ata Hasnain @atahasnain53  Served with Gen Panag @rwac, one of the finest Generals ever.He having a different perception makes no difference to my deep respect for him

The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the huge vacancy in police force in six states, including Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.   

Just In: Wholesale inflation falls to 5.70 per cent in March, from 6.55 per cent in the previous month.

TVF CEO Arunabh Kumar, who has been accused of molestation, has been granted anticipatory bail. Arunabh was called by the police eight times for interrogation.

Arunabh Kumar, founder and CEO of The Viral Fever and creator of the fictional web series such as Permanent Roommates and Pitchers has been accused of molesting at least two women, one of them a former TVF employee. 

Fifty Indians, including gymnast Dipa Karmakar, Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik and actress Alia Bhatt, are among Forbes' list of super achievers from Asia under the age of 30.


The second Forbes '30 Under 30' Asia list 2017 features 300 impressive young entrepreneurs -- 30 in 10 categories, including entertainment, finance and venture capital, retail, social entrepreneurs and enterprise technology -- under the age of 30 years who are pushing the boundaries of innovation.


India has 53 achievers on the list, second only to China which has 76 honorees.Leading the pack from India are Karmakar, 23, who became the first Indian female gymnast to ever compete in the Olympics during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro -- and the first Indian gymnast to compete in 52 years.


Fellow athlete Malik, 24, became the first Indian woman to win a medal in Rio in wrestling, where she bagged the bronze.Forbes noted that Malik, who hails from a small Indian town Rohtak, faced a lot of local opposition to her desire to wrestle when she took up the sport at age 12.


Srikanth Bolla, 25, founder of Bollant Industries has been featured in the manufacturing and energy category. Bolla was born blind into a family of farmers in rural India and "went on to become the first international blind student at MIT", where he studied business management. Post-MIT, Bolla chose to return to India where he set up Bollant Industries in Hyderabad, a company that employs and trains differently-abled individuals to manufacture eco-friendly and compostable packaging.

Clashes broke out between security forces and agitating students near a college in Srinagar today, police said. A group of students were holding a protest rally near Sri Pratap (SP) College on Moulana Azad Road close to the Lal Chowk city centre this morning, a police official said.


He said security forces asked the protesters to disperse but they did not budge and started pelting stones on the forces, leading to clashes. Security forces used tear smoke shells to chase away the protesters, the official said, adding clashes were going on when last reports came in.


Students' groups had called for protests against the "brutality perpetrated by forces on students" of Degree College Pulwama in south Kashmir, where clashes with security forces left many injured.

File pic.

Clashes broke out between security forces and agitating students near a college in Srinagar today, police said. A group of students were holding a protest rally near Sri Pratap (SP) College on Moulana Azad Road close to the Lal Chowk city centre this morning, a police official said.


He said security forces asked the protesters to disperse but they did not budge and started pelting stones on the forces, leading to clashes. Security forces used tear smoke shells to chase away the protesters, the official said, adding clashes were going on when last reports came in.


Students' groups had called for protests against the "brutality perpetrated by forces on students" of Degree College Pulwama in south Kashmir, where clashes with security forces left many injured.

"The irony, of course, is that Ambedkar is anything but obscure. Statues of the man in the blue suit, a copy of the Constitution in one hand and the other upraised with the forefinger pointing towards an egalitarian future, are everywhere - more ubiquitous than those of any god, goddess or Gandhi. Without doubt the most radical of India's founding fathers who refused to be co-opted by - even when he cooperated with - the Congress-led national movement before Independence, Ambedkar became a much bigger icon for the erstwhile 'untouchables' and other oppressed castes in the years after his death and is today their veritable deity. Since Ambedkar was an 'untouchable' himself, and his words and thoughts provide a virtual ideological armoury, his deification among the victims of India's caste system is only too understandable."

Read Manini Chatterjee's column for the Telegraph.

The counting of votes polled in the April 12 Malappuram Lok Sabha bypoll in Kerala is currently underway amid tight security.According to Election Commission data, 70.41 percent out of 13.12 lakh voters had exercised their franchise, marking a slight dip in the 71.41 per cent polled in the 2014 general election in the minority dominated constituency.


The counting is going at the Government College Malappuram.The postal ballots are being count in the first session of counting.Initial trends show Congress-led-UDF candidate P.K. Kunhalikutty is leading by more than 3,000 votes.

Delhi govt seeks setting up of Constitution bench to decide its appeal against HC verdict upholding primacy of LG in the city administration. SC tells Delhi govt that it may set up a Constitution bench after the summer vacation.

Police-students clash in Srinagar's Lal Chowk; J&K cop injured in the clash.

Mumbai's BEST finally brought the curtains down on its air-conditioned bus service from today as the operational costs coupled with low patronage was drilling a hole in the already depleted pockets of the transport utility.

Passengers who have passes on these buses can either use them for conventional buses or could get a refund, BEST said in a statement. A fare reduction by 50 per cent in July last year was the last throw of the dice and when even that did not change the bottom-lines of the AC operations, BEST authorities said there was no option but to scrap the service.

Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam raised eyebrows this morning with a series of controversial tweets slamming azaan or the call to prayer by mosques. He said his home is near a mosque and termed it forced religiousness.

"God bless everyone. I'm not a Muslim and I have to be woken up by the Azaan in the morning. When will this forced religiousness end in India.

"And by the way Mohammed did not have electricity when he made Islam.. Why do I have to have this cacophony after Edison?

"I don't believe in any temple or gurudwara using electricity To wake up people who don't follow the religion . Why then..? Honest? True?

"Gundagardi hai bus..."

Azaan is given five times a day by the muezzin of a mosque via loudspeakers. The first call is given early in the morning.

Reactions poured forth on Twitter, some in support of the singer, some not.

Madhur Chandna‏ @macchandna  Replying to @sonunigam
I am a fan of urs but this was definitely a bullshit statement. U gotta respect other religions beliefs. It's a democratic country.


Tiruvalluvar‏ @intellisurfer  when did blaring sound become part of religious beliefs?


Insiyah Abidi‏ @In5iyahA  Replying to @sonunigam Morning sir, this is a very interesting question raised by you, but Azan is a call towards prayers, it's a call of God for all.


Insiyah Abidi‏ @In5iyahA  I completely understand, what you are trying to say, because I have never heard the Azan in London, but again, this is the beauty of India.

rajendra raghavendra‏ @rajendraraghave It is.I don't trouble my neighbours with my prayers. Why should I get troubled 5 times a day everyday. All shld protest on using speakers.

Update on the ceasefire violation along the Line of Control.

Pakistani troops fired from automatic weapons and shelled mortars on forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir today, in the sixth instance of ceasefire violation this month.

"The Pakistani Army fired indiscriminately from small arms and automatic weapons and resorted to mortar shelling from 0800 hours today on Indian Army posts along the LoC in Noushera belt of Rajouri district," a defence spokesman said. Army troops deployed on forward posts retaliated and the exchange was continuing till last reports came in. This is the sixth ceasefire violation this month.

On April 8, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the LoC in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir by resorting to firing on forward posts.

On April 5, ceasefire violation took place along the LoC in Poonch district.

On April 4, Pakistani Army fired mortar shells on Indian Army posts along the LoC in Bhimbher Gali sector of Rajouri district.

On April 3, Pakistani troops had shelled mortar bombs on forward posts in Balakote sector of Rajouri district. In the second ceasefire violation on April 3, Pakistani troops had shelled Indian posts along the LoC in Digwar area in Poonch sector.

In the same area, a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO), Naib Subedar S Sanayaima Som, was killed in an improvise explosive device (IED) blast along the LoC in Poonch sector on April 1.

There were four violations of the ceasefire along the LoC in Poonch in March.

On March 9, army jawan Deepak Jagannath Ghadge was killed when Pakistani soldiers initiated indiscriminate and unprovoked firing along the LoC in Poonch.

In 2016 there were 228 instances of ceasefire violation along the LoC, while there were 221 instances of ceasefire violation along the International Border (IB).


Representational image.

The Shiv Sena on Monday made a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi in its editorial mouthpiece 'Saamna' by indirectly comparing his tenure with the era of Alexander the Great and Napoleon Bonaparte.

"The golden era should not belong to only one party but to the whole state or nation. This is what we believe in. Alexander the Great and Napoleon were also not able to win the world in their political life," the Saamna said.

It also blamed the BJP-PDP Government in Jammu and Kashmir for failing to control violence and also for poor law and order management during the recent Srinagar by-polls, low percentage of voting and misbehaving with the Indian Army.

This comes after Prime Minister yesterday said, "We not only want the growth of BJP but our priority is to make nation economically, socially, culturally stable as well.

"However, the Shiv Sena praised Prime Minister Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah for their hard work and dedication for the upcoming elections and said that victory in most of the states is good and inspirational as well.


The Shiv Sena hasn't read this since there's a lot to learn from Napoleon: Top 7 life lessons from Napoleon

"Putting Yogi Adityanath in the CM's seat two years before the 2019 Lok Sabha polls is something to be read carefully.

"Opposition parties would be dishonest themselves and unfair to secular people if they failed to unite and work as a single force to defeat the BJP."


Justice (retd) Rajinder Sachar headed the Sachar Committee which studied the socio-economic and educational status of Muslims in India. A champion of civil liberties for decades, the 93-year-old former chief justice of the Delhi high court spoke to M I Khan in Patna about India today. Do read