The violence erupted again in Darjeeling today on the 25th day of pro-Gorkhaland stir, with agitators setting aflame a police camp, injuring four police personnel and attacking a BDO office at Pokribong.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha members also took out a rally at Chowkbazar with the bodies of Suraj Sundas and Sameer Subba who were allegedly killed in police firing.

The GNLF also took out a procession at Sonada with the body of Tashi Bhutia who too was allegedly killed in police firing.

The protesters also attacked the Sonada police station and torched a part of it in what was second such attack in two days.

The Sonada police station was attacked yesterday too, by protesters.

A police booth was also set ablaze in Darjeeling by the protesters.

In the afternoon today a huge mob attacked a BDO office and a police camp at Pokribong and set it on fire as several police personnel were also beaten up.

Meanwhile, the all-party meeting of the hill parties,which was scheduled to take place on July 18, has been advanced to July 11.

The GJM has claimed that four persons were killed during police firing after clashes broke out between pro-Gorkhaland supporters and police in various parts of the hills yesterday.

The police, however, denied the reports of firing and said it did not fire a 'single shot'.

The GJM also rejected Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's offer of talks yesterday.  -- PTI

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory in the 'liberated' city of Mosul today, his office said, in the biggest defeat yet for the Islamic State group.

Abadi 'arrives in the liberated city of Mosul and congratulates the heroic fighters and the Iraqi people on the achievement of the major victory', his office said in a statement.

The announcement comes after a gruelling nearly nine- month battle to retake the northern city from the jihadists after three years under their rule.

A photo on Abadi's official Twitter account showed him dressed in a black military uniform and cap as he arrived in Mosul to announce the recapture of the city.

However, the fighting did not seem to be completely over yet, with gunfire still audible in Mosul and air strikes hitting the city around the time the premier's office released the statement.

The recapture of Mosul will not however mark the end of the threat posed by IS, which holds territory elsewhere in Iraq and is able to carry out frequent bombings in government-held areas. -- Agencies

Pakistan on Sunday summoned India's deputy high commissioner in Islamabad for the second consecutive day over alleged ceasefire violations along the LoC, claiming that more civilians were killed in firing by the Indian troops.

Deputy High Commissioner J P Singh was summoned again to 'condemn and lodge protest over more civilian casualties at the LoC due to unprovoked ceasefire violations by India', Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.      

The Foreign Office spokesman alleged that three more civilians were killed in Chirikot and Satwal Sectors yesterday by the Indian troops, increasing the total civilian toll to five, including one man and four women.

Director-General (South Asia and SAARC) Mohammad Faisal who summoned Singh 'condemned further unprovoked ceasefire violations' by the Indian forces.

He said 'the deliberate targeting of civilians is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity and international human rights and humanitarian laws'.

During the meeting yesterday, Singh had conveyed to Faisal that the ceasefire violations were initiated by Pakistani troops in Poonch and Krishnaghatti sectors and the Indian forces only responded appropriately.

A strong protest was also lodged over the death of two Indian civilians in the yesterday's ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops.

The Director General today urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement; investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations; instruct the Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC.  -- Sajjad Hussain/PTI

A Parliamentary panel has sought details from the government on giving in-principal approval to its divest stake in Air India even as modalities are being worked out for the proposed divestment to revive the debt-laden national carrier.

Officials from the ministries of finance and civil aviation as well as from Air India are expected to provide views this week to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture.

On June 28, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave in-principle approval for considering strategic disinvestment of Air India and five of its subsidiaries.

The committee will hear the views of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (Ministry of Finance) and Air India on the disinvestment of the airline on July 12, as per the panel's schedule.

Sources had earlier said that the committee had discussed the government's decision at its meeting held on July 5 and later decided to seek details on the same.

The 31-member panel is headed by Trinamool Congress member Mukul Roy and has 21 MPs from the Lok Sabha. The members include those from the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party, Biju Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Communist Party of India-Marxist and Telugu Desam Party.

A group of ministers, headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, would be looking into various aspects related to Air India. It would look into the treatment of unsustainable debts of the national carrier, hiving off certain assets to a shell company and de-merger and strategic disinvestment of three profit-making subsidiaries, among others.

Air India, which has a debt burden of more than Rs 52,000 crore, is staying afloat on taxpayers' money.

The previous United Progressive Alliance government had extended bailout package worth little over Rs 30,000 crore to the national carrier for a ten-year period starting from 2012.

The national carrier's main grouping -- the Air Corporations Employees' Union -- is opposed to the disinvestment. The ACEU represents Air India's non-technical staff and has nearly 8,000 of the airline's total 21,137 employees as members.

On July 12, the panel is also expected to 'consider and adopt the draft reports on the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2016 and the Major Port Authorities Bill, 2016'.  -- PTI

Former Nagaland chief minister T R Zeliang has staked claim to form government in state.

Zeliang claims support of 34 MLAs out of 47 of the ruling Naga People's Front, including him, to continue as the Leader of the Legislature party.

"Also authorised me to stake claim before the governor to form a new NPF-led DAN (Democratic Alliance of Nagaland) government in Nagaland," Zeliang wrote to Governor P B Acharya.

He said the MLAs also urged the present CM, who is a non-MLA, to resign and pave way for him to take over as the CM.

Zeliang is the DAN chairman.

"Seven Independent MLAs have also affirmed their support in favour of me taking the tally to 41 out of 59 in support of me," Zeliang wrote.

Zeliang further requested the governor to invite him to form a new NPF-led DAN government in Nagaland at the earliest, as 'Chief Minister Shurhozelie Liezietsu's government reduced to a minority'. -- ANI

India today hit out at Pakistan for glorifying terrorist commander Burhan Wani, saying Islamabad's terror support and sponsorship need to be condemned by 'one and all'.

In a strongly worded tweet, External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Gopal Baglay said, 'First @ForeignOfficePk read frm banned LeT's script. Now Pak COAS (Pakistan army chief) glorifies Burhan Wani. Pak's terror support and sponsorship need to be condemned by one and all.'

Baglay's comments came a day after Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa praised Wani, Hizbul Mujahideen commander who was killed in an encounter with Indian security forces last year.

Wani was responsible for several attacks against security personnel in Kashmir.

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday paid tributes to Wani, saying his death 'infused a new spirit in the struggle for freedom' in the Kashmir Valley.  -- PTI

A Bharatiya Janata Party worker has been arrested from Raigarh district for allegedly duping his colleague on the false promise of giving a government job to his wife by claiming to be the representative of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, police said today.

The accused- Netram Chauhan, 38, was arrested yesterday from Saraitola village under Kotra Road police station limits and cash of Rs 20,000 was recovered from him.

The action was taken based on the complaint lodged by the victim Dilip Kumar, 26, Station House Officer Kotra Road Salim Tigga said.

"As per the complaint, Chauhan, who works as a driver with a steel industry here, had promised his colleague Dilip Kumar that he would provide a job to his wife. He demanded Rs 3 lakh from him for the purpose," he said.

On May 23 this year, the complainant gave Rs 20,000 to Chauhan along with educational qualification certificates and other documents of his wife.

That time, Chauhan assured him of getting the appointment letter within 10 days, the officer said. When Dilip did not receive any appointment letter within the promised time, he contacted Chauhan.

However, the latter assured him that his money was with him and his wife would get the job next year.

"When he realised that he has been duped, Dilip filed a police complaint," the SHO added.

The accused was arrested from his village under section 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code and Rs 20,000 was seized from him, he said.

Chauhan was produced in a local court yesterday, which sent him to judicial remand for 14 days, the SHO said.

According to police, Chauhan is a local BJP worker and has duped several people on the pretext of providing jobs posing himself as the representative of the chief minister. Further investigation is on, police said.  -- PTI

Life returned to normal in riot-hit Baduria town and adjacent areas of North 24 Parganas district today after communal violence broke out over a Facebook post early this week.

"Everything is normal now in Baduria, Swarupnagar, Deganga and Basirhat. There has been no problem anywhere in the district for the last 36 hours or more. People are trying to resume normal life and we are keeping everything under watch," a senior police officer said.

Though Internet services remained suspended in and around the area, locals came out to the streets to resume normal life as shops, market places opened on a sunny Sunday.

Large number of state police and central paramilitary forces were posted in the area to keep close watch on 'every proceedings', the senior police officer told PTI.

There was no report of any untoward incident from Baduria and nearby areas in Basirhat sub-division of North 24 Parganas district.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had yesterday announced a judicial inquiry into the communal violence that rocked Baduria and Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district.

Banerjee had also accused the Modi government and the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to 'disturb peace' and 'destroy' the federal structure by allowing people from across the border to enter the state and vitiate the atmosphere.

The West Bengal government had yesterday transferred the Superintendent of Police of North 24 Parganas district and the Inspector General of Police (South Bengal).  -- PTI

IMAGE: Samajik Nyay Parishad activists protest against recent communal violence in North 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Photograph: Vijay Verma/PTI Photo

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ideologue M S Golwalkar's views on nationalism have been 'misunderstood and maligned' and need to be put in 'correct' perspective, according to a body affiliated to the HRD ministry.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Golwalkar, the second RSS chief, as 'Poojniya Guru Ji' in his book -- Jyotipunj -- in which he tells the life stories of 16 men who inspired him.

The Indian Council for Philosophical Research, setup by the HRD ministry to promote research in philosophy and assist projects in the field, believes that Golwalkar's views on nationalism have been misunderstood and maligned by his adversaries.

A seminar titled The Concepts of Nation and Nationalism in the thoughts of MS Golwalkar will be organised probably next month.

The council has invited entries from scholars till July 27 following which a date for the seminar will be decided.

"The seminar aims at putting the views of Golwalkar incorrect perspective since he has been much misunderstood and maligned by his adversaries. He was a champion of robust nationalism.

"His views on nation and nationalism are to be understood in proper context in a holistic way and in the light of present day Indian and global scenario," a concept note for the seminar says.

According to an ICPR member, "Golwalkar's conception can be regarded as enlightened nationalism when he talks of 'Hindu Rashtra'. It is not theocracy. Rather it it can be branded as dharmocracy."

"He emphasised on 'dharma-centricity' of Indian cultural ethos. Dharma is a very comprehensive concept enriched by several ideas and ideals, customs, traditions and practices which are beneficial to individual, society and world at large," he added.

"One of the major thrust of his views was rejection of communist-socialist-capitalist ideology and revival of ancient Indian ideas and ideals which are not antagonistic to universal well-being, though they are full of patriotic fervour," the ICPR member said.

"There has been a fierce debate in the West as to what is nation and nationalism. These concepts were understood narrowly and still such views prevail there. But in India these concepts do not have only territorial confinements but also cultural overtones," he added.

Golwalkar, the ideological guru of the RSS, was the successor of RSS founder K B Hedgewar. He has written two books Bunch of Thoughts and We or Our Nationhood Defined. -- PTI

Three Tamil Nadu fishermen were today arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly fishing in the island nation waters.

The fishermen from Jagadapattinam in Pudukottai district were detained off Karainagar in northern Sri Lanka, a state Fisheries official said in Rameswaram.

They were later taken to Kangesanthurai port, Fisheries Assistant Director Sivakumar said.

This is the second instance of arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Lankan Navy this month.

Earlier, on July 6, eight fishermen, also hailing from Pudukottai district, were taken into custody and their two boats seized.

There has been a spurt in the detention of Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka since last month, when more than 50 fishermen were held, prompting state Chief Minister K Palaniswami to seek the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure their release. -- PTI

Financial crisis reduced a farmer in Sehore's Basantpur Pangri village in Madhya Pradesh to use his two daughters, instead of oxen to pull the plough in their fields.

Sardar Kahla claimed that his family does not have enough money to buy or take care of oxen for ploughing.

"I do not have enough money to buy or take care of bulls for ploughing. Both my daughters quit their schooling due to financial crisis," farmer said.

Meanwhile, District Public Relation Officer Ashish Sharma said that the administration is looking forward into the matter and a proper help would be given to him under governmental schemes.

"The farmer has been instructed not to use children for such activities. Whatever help he can be given under governmental schemes, administration is looking into it," Sharma said.

Both daughters Radhika, 14 and Kunti, 11 years quit their education due to lack of money or financial support.

Several farmers have committed suicide in the state due to financial crisis.

Recently, Mandsaur became the epicenter of a farmers' agitation over a demand for loan waivers and better prices for their produce.

During the agitation, six farmers were gunned down by the police, thereby drawing criticism from political parties. The situation forced the district officials to impose Section 144, and restricted prominent personalities from visiting the violence-hit district. -- ANI

The Gorkha Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti on Sunday held a protest march at Jantar Mantar demanding a separate 'Gorkhaland' from West Bengal.

"We are not going to deviate this. We don't want to talk about anything other than Gorkhaland. If the government invites us for anything else, then they better not do so. We are not going to settle for anything else," Rajiv Sharma, member of Gorkha Sanyukt Sangharsh Samiti told ANI.

"We are doing this protest to make it clear that we Gorkhas also belong to India and we are also an integral part of it. There is no political party included in this," another protestor said.

Earlier on Friday, a Gorkhaland supporter was found dead in Sonada, on the outskirts of Darjeeling.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has alleged that he was killed by the police force present there.

GNLF spokesperson, Neeraj Zimba alleged that Tashi Bhutia, a Gorkhaland supporter was shot by police and there are reports that he died on the spot.

"He had received bullet injuries on his forehead somewhere near his ear," added Zimba.

Talking to ANI, Zimba said, "No, that is what the police claims. There will be counter allegations, but there were twelve to thirteen police convoys and they stopped one unarmed person and shot him."

He said that it was not a disturbed area and section 144 was not imposed anywhere near the area, and anybody could make free movements there.

Earlier on June 17, three GJM protestors were killed in clashes that broke between out in Darjeeling, the sixth day of the party's indefinite shutdown demanding a separate Gorkhaland. -- ANI

Authorities today restored mobile and broadband Internet services in Kashmir, two days after the facilities were snapped in view of apprehensions of law and order problems on the death anniversary of Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani.

While mobile Internet services were restored during the night, BSNL's broadband service resumed this morning.

"Both mobile as well as broadband Internet services have been restored in Kashmir," an official said.

The official, however, said only 2G services were working on mobile networks.

"The high speed network is still suspended," he said.

He said the decision to restore the high speed Internet services would be taken after assessing the situation today.

Internet services across the Valley were snapped on Thursday night as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order in view of Wani's first death anniversary yesterday.

Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on 8 July last year. -- PTI

The father of the Ballabgarh lynching has demanded the death sentence for the man responsible for his son Junaid's death.

The prime accused in the killing of Junaid Khan onboard a Mathura-bound train was yesterday arrested from Dhule district of Maharashtra.

The killing on June 22 had triggered a nationwide outrage.

A statement released by the Government Railway Police said that a team was sent to Dhule following on a tip-off that the accused was hiding there.

The GRP claimed in the statement that during interrogation, the accused had "confessed" to having killed 17-year-old Junaid Khan.

The police had earlier arrested five persons including a Delhi government employee in connection with the killing of Junaid between Ballabgarh and Mathura stations onboard a Delhi-Mathura passenger train.

Junaid was stabbed to death while his brothers, Hashim and Sakir, were injured by a mob which also allegedly hurled communal slurs against them.

His brothers said the attackers had taunted and repeatedly called them "anti-nationals" and "beef eaters".

 The government is considering selling state-owned Air India in parts to make it attractive to potential buyers, as it reviews options to divest the loss-making flagship carrier, several government officials familiar with the situation said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cabinet gave the go-ahead last month for the government to try to sell the airline, after successive governments spent billions of dollars in recent years to keep the airline going.

Air India - founded in the 1930s and known to generations for its Maharajah mascot - is saddled with a debt burden of $8.5 billion (approx. Rs. 55,000 crore) and a bloated cost structure. The government has injected $3.6 billion (approx. Rs. 23,200 crore) since 2012 to bail out the airline.

Once the nation's largest carrier, its market share in the booming domestic market has slumped to just 13 per cent as private carriers such as InterGlobe Aviation's IndiGo and Jet Airways have grown.

Previous attempts to offload the airline have been unsuccessful. If Prime Minister Modi can pull this off, it will buttress his credentials as a reformer brave enough to wade into some of the country's most intractable problems. His office has set a deadline of early next year to get the sale process underway, the officials said, declining to be named as they were not authorised to speak publicly about the plans.

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Authorities today restored mobile Internet services in Kashmir, two days after the facility was snapped in view of apprehensions of law and order problems on the first death anniversary of Hizbul 'commander' Burhan Wani.