The India Army and Pakistan Army will hold Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) level talks over the phone today, sources said.

The Indian Army will raise issues of infiltration bids, actions of Border Action Team (BAT) and use of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) territory for propagating terrorist activities.

 
Earlier, the Pakistan Army was informed through established communication channels to take over the bodies of the hostile Pakistani nationals. A stern warning has been given to the Pakistan Army to restrain the terrorists operating from its soil.

On October 21, five to six Pakistani armed intruders crossed the LoC and fired on Indian Army patrol in the Sunderbani sector of Jammu region. Three Indian Army soldiers were killed and one suffered injuries in the unprovoked cross-border action by Pakistan. Two intruders were also killed by the Indian armed forces. The intruders were wearing combat uniform, however, their identity could not be ascertained.

Since the last DGMO level talks on May 29, which was held at the behest of Pakistan, Indian Army has been maintaining utmost restraint to uphold the ceasefire along the LoC despite regular provocative actions from across the border.

However, Pakistan Army has been vigorously attempting to send terrorists across the LoC. Since May 30, seven infiltration bids have been eliminated by the Indian Army in which 23 terrorists have been killed.

The India Army and Pakistan Army will hold Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) level talks over the phone today, sources said. The Indian Army will raise issues of infiltration bids, actions of Border Action Team (BAT) and use of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) territory for propagating terrorist activities.

The India Army and Pakistan Army will hold Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) level talks over the phone today, sources said. The Indian Army will raise issues of infiltration bids, actions of Border Action Team (BAT) and use of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) territory for propagating terrorist activities. Earlier, the Pakistan Army was informed through established communication channels to take over the bodies of the hostile Pakistani nationals. A stern warning has been given to the Pakistan Army to restrain the terrorists operating from its soil. On October 21, five to six Pakistani armed intruders crossed the LoC and fired on Indian Army patrol in the Sunderbani sector of Jammu region. Three Indian Army soldiers were killed and one suffered injuries in the unprovoked cross-border action by Pakistan. Two intruders were also killed by the Indian armed forces. The intruders were wearing combat uniform, however, their identity could not be ascertained. Since the last DGMO level talks on May 29, which was held at the behest of Pakistan, Indian Army has been maintaining utmost restraint to uphold the ceasefire along the LoC despite regular provocative actions from across the border. However, Pakistan Army has been vigorously attempting to send terrorists across the LoC. Since May 30, seven infiltration bids have been eliminated by the Indian Army in which 23 terrorists have been killed.

India, Pakistan to hold DGMO-level talks today; Army to raise issues of infiltration, BAT actions

The Bangladesh Army on Saturday sharply reacted to the comment made by a pro-opposition rights activist questioning the military chief's integrity and called it a deliberate attempt to belittle the force's top position and bring down the morale of its personnel.&nbsp;

Dr Jafarulah Chowdhury,75, during a talk show of Somoy TV on October 9 stated that a huge quantum of military weapons and ammunitions "went missing, were stolen or sold out" from the army's arsenal in north-eastern Chattogram area when the incumbent army chief General Aziz Ahmed was the commander.

Chowdhury, who is also a doctor and the founder of non-government Ganashasthya Kendra hospital and medical college, said that the incident exposed Aziz to a court-martial.

Chowdhury is currently spearheading a media campaign accusing the incumbent government of misrule and politicising the administration ahead of the elections slated for December this year.

The army called Chowdhury's comment completely untrue, misleading and motivated and aimed to belittle a state organisation like the Army before the people, apart from affecting Ahmed's personal reputation, social status and his official position.

"In a different way it misled every serving military personnel and affected negatively their morale. Besides such a misleading campaign harmed the solidarity and unity of a disciplined force like army which is unexpected," said the Army in a statement.

"It was an untrue and irresponsible comment . . . Because General Aziz in his service life never served as the GOC or commandant of Chattogram," the statement said.

It also mentioned that Ahmed never faced any court martial in his career.&nbsp;

"It is especially mentionable that present Chief of Army Staff Aziz Ahmed did never face any court-martial during his long colourful army career," the statement said.&nbsp;

The Bangladesh Army on Saturday sharply reacted to the comment made by a pro-opposition rights activist questioning the military chief's integrity and called it a deliberate attempt to belittle the force's top position and bring down the morale of its personnel.

The Bangladesh Army on Saturday sharply reacted to the comment made by a pro-opposition rights activist questioning the military chief's integrity and called it a deliberate attempt to belittle the force's top position and bring down the morale of its personnel. Dr Jafarulah Chowdhury,75, during a talk show of Somoy TV on October 9 stated that a huge quantum of military weapons and ammunitions "went missing, were stolen or sold out" from the army's arsenal in north-eastern Chattogram area when the incumbent army chief General Aziz Ahmed was the commander. Chowdhury, who is also a doctor and the founder of non-government Ganashasthya Kendra hospital and medical college, said that the incident exposed Aziz to a court-martial. Chowdhury is currently spearheading a media campaign accusing the incumbent government of misrule and politicising the administration ahead of the elections slated for December this year. The army called Chowdhury's comment completely untrue, misleading and motivated and aimed to belittle a state organisation like the Army before the people, apart from affecting Ahmed's personal reputation, social status and his official position. "In a different way it misled every serving military personnel and affected negatively their morale. Besides such a misleading campaign harmed the solidarity and unity of a disciplined force like army which is unexpected," said the Army in a statement. "It was an untrue and irresponsible comment . . . Because General Aziz in his service life never served as the GOC or commandant of Chattogram," the statement said. It also mentioned that Ahmed never faced any court martial in his career. "It is especially mentionable that present Chief of Army Staff Aziz Ahmed did never face any court-martial during his long colourful army career," the statement said.

Bangladesh Army protests untrue comments against its chief

A policeman injured in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.

The policeman was injured in a terrorist attack at a police station.

The incident has come days after the recent brutal&nbsp;killing of three policemen in the state.

Over the years the state has witnessed a remarkable increase in the militant attacks on the police personnel.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UPDATE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UPDATE</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/jammukashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#jammukashmir</a>: Policeman who was injured in terror attack on a police station in Shopian has succumbed to injuries. (visuals deferred) <a href="https://t.co/eJ6cyRZifG">pic.twitter.com/eJ6cyRZifG</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1046228428230471680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Meanwhile, the army prevented an infiltration bid&nbsp;along the Line of Control (LoC) in the state's Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district.

The Army responded strongly to the ceasefire violation and the infiltration attempt.

"There was an infiltration attempt by terrorists and ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Tangdhar sector in the north Kashmir district late last night," an Army official said Sunday.

"Own forces retaliated strongly and foiled infiltration bid being attempted under covering fire by Pakistan Army," the official said.

He said "there was no damage, injury or casualty on this side.

(With inputs from agencies)

A policeman injured in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. The policeman was injured in a terrorist attack at a police station.

A policeman injured in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. The policeman was injured in a terrorist attack at a police station. The incident has come days after the recent brutal killing of three policemen in the state. Over the years the state has witnessed a remarkable increase in the militant attacks on the police personnel. #UPDATE #jammukashmir: Policeman who was injured in terror attack on a police station in Shopian has succumbed to injuries. (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/eJ6cyRZifG — ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2018 × Meanwhile, the army prevented an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in the state's Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district. The Army responded strongly to the ceasefire violation and the infiltration attempt. "There was an infiltration attempt by terrorists and ceasefire violation by Pakistan Army in Tangdhar sector in the north Kashmir district late last night," an Army official said Sunday. "Own forces retaliated strongly and foiled infiltration bid being attempted under covering fire by Pakistan Army," the official said. He said "there was no damage, injury or casualty on this side. (With inputs from agencies)

J&K: 1 policeman killed in terror attack at police station in Shopian

Chief of Pakistan's powerful spy agency ISI, Lt General Naveed Mukhtar, and four other three-star generals will retire on Monday, according to a media report.

Besides director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Mukhtar, the others retiring on Monday are Peshawar Corps Commander Lt General Nazir Ahmad Butt, Commander of Army's Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) Lt General Mian Mohammad Hilal Hussain, Military Secretary at the General Headquarters (GHQ) Lt General Ghayur Mehmood and Inspector General of Training and Evaluation, GHQ, Lt General Hidayatur Rehman, Dawn newspaper reported.

Commissioned in the armoured corps regiment in 1983, Lt Gen Mukhtar is a graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta; National Defence University (NDU) Islamabad and the United States Army War College.

He assumed the office of ISI director general on December 11, 2016. &nbsp; &nbsp;

Commissioned in Frontier Force regiment in 1983, Lt Gen Butt is a graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta, and the NDU Islamabad. He also served as military secretary to the prime minister and Pakistan defence attache in the US.

Commissioned in 1983, Lt Gen Rehman is a graduate of the Command and Staff Collage, Quetta, and the NDU Islamabad, where he later also served as chief instructor. He has the honour of being the first lieutenant general hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan.

Commissioned in artillery in 1982, Lt Gen Hilal Hussain was appointed as commander of the Army Strategic Force Command in September 2015.

He is a graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta, and the NDU Islamabad. He has served as military advisor to Pakistan's permanent representative in the UN and military secretary to the President of Pakistan.

Lt Gen Mahmood, who is currently posted as Military Secretary at GHQ, was commissioned in Frontier Force regiment in 1982.

He is a graduate of the Command and Staff Collage, Quetta, and the NDU Islamabad. He has commanded an infantry division in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. He has also served as Inspector General of the Frontier Corps and Vice Chief of General Staff.

Chief of Pakistan's powerful spy agency ISI, Lt General Naveed Mukhtar, and four other three-star generals will retire on Monday, according to a media report. Besides director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Mukhtar, the others retiring on Monday are Peshawar Corps Commander Lt General Nazir Ahmad Butt, Commander of Army's Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) Lt General Mian Mohammad Hilal Hussain, Military Secretary at the General Headquarters (GHQ) Lt General Ghayur Mehmood and Inspector General of Training and Evaluation, GHQ, Lt General Hidayatur Rehman, Dawn newspaper reported.

Chief of Pakistan's powerful spy agency ISI, Lt General Naveed Mukhtar, and four other three-star generals will retire on Monday, according to a media report. Besides director general of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt Gen Mukhtar, the others retiring on Monday are Peshawar Corps Commander Lt General Nazir Ahmad Butt, Commander of Army's Strategic Forces Command (ASFC) Lt General Mian Mohammad Hilal Hussain, Military Secretary at the General Headquarters (GHQ) Lt General Ghayur Mehmood and Inspector General of Training and Evaluation, GHQ, Lt General Hidayatur Rehman, Dawn newspaper reported. Commissioned in the armoured corps regiment in 1983, Lt Gen Mukhtar is a graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta; National Defence University (NDU) Islamabad and the United States Army War College. He assumed the office of ISI director general on December 11, 2016. Commissioned in Frontier Force regiment in 1983, Lt Gen Butt is a graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta, and the NDU Islamabad. He also served as military secretary to the prime minister and Pakistan defence attache in the US. Commissioned in 1983, Lt Gen Rehman is a graduate of the Command and Staff Collage, Quetta, and the NDU Islamabad, where he later also served as chief instructor. He has the honour of being the first lieutenant general hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan. Commissioned in artillery in 1982, Lt Gen Hilal Hussain was appointed as commander of the Army Strategic Force Command in September 2015. He is a graduate of the Command and Staff College, Quetta, and the NDU Islamabad. He has served as military advisor to Pakistan's permanent representative in the UN and military secretary to the President of Pakistan. Lt Gen Mahmood, who is currently posted as Military Secretary at GHQ, was commissioned in Frontier Force regiment in 1982. He is a graduate of the Command and Staff Collage, Quetta, and the NDU Islamabad. He has commanded an infantry division in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. He has also served as Inspector General of the Frontier Corps and Vice Chief of General Staff.

Pakistan's ISI chief Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar to retire: Report

An Army Major has been booked for allegedly raping his domestic help in southwest Delhi on a day in July her husband allegedly committed suicide, the police said Sunday.&nbsp;

They said a case was registered at the Delhi Cantonment police station on September 25 based on a complaint filed by the woman.

In her complaint, the woman has alleged that she was raped by the Major on July 12, the same day her husband allegedly killed himself, a senior police officer said.

During investigation, police learnt that the woman's husband had committed suicide in a servant quarter where they used to reside, he said.&nbsp;

The woman was working at the Major's house even after the rape incident, he added.

A case has been registered, police said, adding the matter is being probed.&nbsp;

An Army Major has been booked for allegedly raping his domestic help in southwest Delhi on a day in July her husband allegedly committed suicide, the police said Sunday.

An Army Major has been booked for allegedly raping his domestic help in southwest Delhi on a day in July her husband allegedly committed suicide, the police said Sunday. They said a case was registered at the Delhi Cantonment police station on September 25 based on a complaint filed by the woman. In her complaint, the woman has alleged that she was raped by the Major on July 12, the same day her husband allegedly killed himself, a senior police officer said. During investigation, police learnt that the woman's husband had committed suicide in a servant quarter where they used to reside, he said. The woman was working at the Major's house even after the rape incident, he added. A case has been registered, police said, adding the matter is being probed.

Delhi: Army major booked for raping domestic help

Article 33 of the Constitution is an exception to the Fundamental Rights contained in Part III. It empowers Parliament to restrict or abrogate the Fundamental Rights of certain categories of government servants so as to ensure the proper discharge of their duties and maintenance of discipline amongst them. Besides the three wings of the armed forces, these rights have been abrogated in respect of the members of the police and paramilitary forces, persons employed in intelligence or counter-intelligence services, and communication systems set up for the above organisations.

In exercising the powers conferred by Article 33, Parliament has authorised the Central government to make rules to restrict certain Fundamental Rights of the members of the armed forces. The Central government, exercising its rule-making power under the Army Act, 1950 (and also the Air Force Act), has restricted the rights relating to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom to form associations and unions contained in Article 19 of the Constitution. In the case of the Navy, Parliament has done this under section 12 of the Navy Act itself. The Supreme Court has ruled that these rights can be restricted even for personnel with non-combat roles in the armed forces. This appears logical because the armed forces have to be a disciplined organisation.&nbsp;

The question which emerges is whether the Fundamental Rights of the members of the armed forces, other than the three listed under Article 19, can also be abrogated even if they do not have any impact on discipline or the performance of duty.

There have been a number of incidents where military governance in matters of promotion, posting, pay and allowances, conditions of service and pension have been taken up in the Supreme Court. The arbitrariness in the justice delivery systems has also been questioned in several cases. The Delhi High Court held in a recent case: “A soldier or officer’s honour and dignity is as much a part of his right to life; it is to be respected just as much, if not more, for the reason that it is offered unhesitatingly and fully in defending the borders of the nation. Unlike ‘hired guns’ they stand guard so that the rest exercise our liberties. Denying them the right to a safe workplace with standard equipment constitutes violation of their right to life and dignity.”&nbsp;

The fundamental rights have been liberally construed by the Supreme Court in the last five decades, keeping in view the international covenants to which India is a party. For instance, the right to protection of life and personal liberty has received the widest possible interpretation. The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has held that access to justice is a fundamental right guaranteed to citizens by Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution.

While dealing with the case of Ram Sarup in 1964, the Supreme Court relied on the submission made by the Attorney General that each provision of the Army Act is a law made by Parliament and that if any provision tends to affect the fundamental rights, it must be taken that Parliament, under Article 33, has made the requisite modification to affect the respective fundamental right. This was perhaps a wrong interpretation of the constitutional provision, which has to be reviewed in the context of the march of time and the development of law. A constitutional provision must be construed not in a narrow, constricted sense, but in a wide and liberal manner. 
 
The Supreme Court has often taken the path of least resistance by supporting the military in any controversial case. The courts are generally of the opinion that any adverse comment on military higher-ups may erode discipline in the armed forces. The judiciary believes, in good faith, that by supporting the organisation, they are affording an opportunity to the military hierarchy as well as the government to rectify the defects in governance and the justice delivery system. Thus, in cases of alleged bias, denial of rights or injustice at the hands of a commander, the courts are tempted to rule out the possibility of culpability or malice on the part of the superior.&nbsp;

In Maneka Gandhi case (1978), the Supreme Court observed, “The attempt of the court should be to expand the reach and ambit of the fundamental rights, rather than to attenuate their meaning and content by a process of judicial construction.” In the case Ajay Hasia (1981), the Court declared that it has a special responsibility “to enlarge the range and meaning of the fundamental rights and to advance the human rights jurisprudence”. However, when it comes to the fundamental rights of military personnel, the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the constitutional provision has been very narrow. 
 
The members of the armed forces must be entitled to the same rights and protections as all other persons, subject to certain limitations imposed to maintain discipline. When the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the members of the armed forces are protected within their institution, they will be more likely to uphold these while carrying out their duties.&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-protecting-basic-rights-of-military-personnel-2667368">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Article 33 of the Constitution is an exception to the Fundamental Rights contained in Part III. It empowers Parliament to restrict or abrogate the Fundamental Rights of certain categories of government servants so as to ensure the proper discharge of their duties and maintenance of discipline amongst them.

Article 33 of the Constitution is an exception to the Fundamental Rights contained in Part III. It empowers Parliament to restrict or abrogate the Fundamental Rights of certain categories of government servants so as to ensure the proper discharge of their duties and maintenance of discipline amongst them. Besides the three wings of the armed forces, these rights have been abrogated in respect of the members of the police and paramilitary forces, persons employed in intelligence or counter-intelligence services, and communication systems set up for the above organisations. In exercising the powers conferred by Article 33, Parliament has authorised the Central government to make rules to restrict certain Fundamental Rights of the members of the armed forces. The Central government, exercising its rule-making power under the Army Act, 1950 (and also the Air Force Act), has restricted the rights relating to freedom of speech and expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom to form associations and unions contained in Article 19 of the Constitution. In the case of the Navy, Parliament has done this under section 12 of the Navy Act itself. The Supreme Court has ruled that these rights can be restricted even for personnel with non-combat roles in the armed forces. This appears logical because the armed forces have to be a disciplined organisation. The question which emerges is whether the Fundamental Rights of the members of the armed forces, other than the three listed under Article 19, can also be abrogated even if they do not have any impact on discipline or the performance of duty. There have been a number of incidents where military governance in matters of promotion, posting, pay and allowances, conditions of service and pension have been taken up in the Supreme Court. The arbitrariness in the justice delivery systems has also been questioned in several cases. The Delhi High Court held in a recent case: “A soldier or officer’s honour and dignity is as much a part of his right to life; it is to be respected just as much, if not more, for the reason that it is offered unhesitatingly and fully in defending the borders of the nation. Unlike ‘hired guns’ they stand guard so that the rest exercise our liberties. Denying them the right to a safe workplace with standard equipment constitutes violation of their right to life and dignity.” The fundamental rights have been liberally construed by the Supreme Court in the last five decades, keeping in view the international covenants to which India is a party. For instance, the right to protection of life and personal liberty has received the widest possible interpretation. The Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court has held that access to justice is a fundamental right guaranteed to citizens by Article 14 and Article 21 of the Constitution. While dealing with the case of Ram Sarup in 1964, the Supreme Court relied on the submission made by the Attorney General that each provision of the Army Act is a law made by Parliament and that if any provision tends to affect the fundamental rights, it must be taken that Parliament, under Article 33, has made the requisite modification to affect the respective fundamental right. This was perhaps a wrong interpretation of the constitutional provision, which has to be reviewed in the context of the march of time and the development of law. A constitutional provision must be construed not in a narrow, constricted sense, but in a wide and liberal manner. The Supreme Court has often taken the path of least resistance by supporting the military in any controversial case. The courts are generally of the opinion that any adverse comment on military higher-ups may erode discipline in the armed forces. The judiciary believes, in good faith, that by supporting the organisation, they are affording an opportunity to the military hierarchy as well as the government to rectify the defects in governance and the justice delivery system. Thus, in cases of alleged bias, denial of rights or injustice at the hands of a commander, the courts are tempted to rule out the possibility of culpability or malice on the part of the superior. In Maneka Gandhi case (1978), the Supreme Court observed, “The attempt of the court should be to expand the reach and ambit of the fundamental rights, rather than to attenuate their meaning and content by a process of judicial construction.” In the case Ajay Hasia (1981), the Court declared that it has a special responsibility “to enlarge the range and meaning of the fundamental rights and to advance the human rights jurisprudence”. However, when it comes to the fundamental rights of military personnel, the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the constitutional provision has been very narrow. The members of the armed forces must be entitled to the same rights and protections as all other persons, subject to certain limitations imposed to maintain discipline. When the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the members of the armed forces are protected within their institution, they will be more likely to uphold these while carrying out their duties. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Important to protect basic rights of military personnel

Terrorists kill 3 J&K policemen; bodies found in orchards 

As many as 32 out of the 50 students of the Indian Army's Kashmir Super-50 free engineering coaching institute in Srinagar have cracked this year’s IIT-JEE (Advanced), the results of which were announced on Sunday.

The outgoing batch is the fifth batch of Kashmir Super 50 which had 45 boys based in Srinagar and five girl students based in Noida. &nbsp;

Out of which this year, 32 students (30 boys and 02 girls) have cleared IIT-JEE Mains and seven students have cleared IIT-JEE Advance.

Project 'Kashmir Super 50' has been one of the most successful projects undertaken by the Indian Army in the valley and has directly impacted the lives of a number of youths in J&K by providing them with the right guidance and opportunity to make a career for themselves.

The project has equally helped the families of these youths in their growth and prosperity. It is a major initiative towards bringing normalcy in the valley.

A group of 30 students, part of Kashmir Super 50 visited New Delhi and interacted with General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff on 12 Jun 18.

The General shared his experiences while serving in these areas, with the students and motivated them to work hard & contribute actively to the nation-building process.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat interacts with the students from J&K (supported by ‘Kashmir Super 30’ Project) who have qualified for the JEE (Main & Advance), 2017-18, in New Delhi <a href="https://t.co/01ByEftqTM">pic.twitter.com/01ByEftqTM</a>
— PIB India (@PIB_India) <a href="https://twitter.com/PIB_India/status/1006526864234598400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

On similar lines of Kashmir Super 50 for engineering aspirants, Indian Army has recently signed a MoU for medical aspirants with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) & National Integrity Educational Development Organisation (NIEDO), under which selected students will be provided with complete free residential coaching for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).&nbsp;

Project 'Kashmir Super 50' has been one of the most successful projects undertaken by the Indian Army in the valley and has directly impacted the lives of a number of youths in J&K by providing them with the right guidance and opportunity to make a career for themselves.

As many as 32 out of the 50 students of the Indian Army's Kashmir Super-50 free engineering coaching institute in Srinagar have cracked this year’s IIT-JEE (Advanced), the results of which were announced on Sunday. The outgoing batch is the fifth batch of Kashmir Super 50 which had 45 boys based in Srinagar and five girl students based in Noida. Out of which this year, 32 students (30 boys and 02 girls) have cleared IIT-JEE Mains and seven students have cleared IIT-JEE Advance. Project 'Kashmir Super 50' has been one of the most successful projects undertaken by the Indian Army in the valley and has directly impacted the lives of a number of youths in J&K by providing them with the right guidance and opportunity to make a career for themselves. The project has equally helped the families of these youths in their growth and prosperity. It is a major initiative towards bringing normalcy in the valley. A group of 30 students, part of Kashmir Super 50 visited New Delhi and interacted with General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff on 12 Jun 18. The General shared his experiences while serving in these areas, with the students and motivated them to work hard & contribute actively to the nation-building process. Chief of Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat interacts with the students from J&K (supported by ‘Kashmir Super 30’ Project) who have qualified for the JEE (Main & Advance), 2017-18, in New Delhi pic.twitter.com/01ByEftqTM — PIB India (@PIB_India) June 12, 2018 × On similar lines of Kashmir Super 50 for engineering aspirants, Indian Army has recently signed a MoU for medical aspirants with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) & National Integrity Educational Development Organisation (NIEDO), under which selected students will be provided with complete free residential coaching for National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

32 of 50 students from Army’s 'Kashmir Super 50' project crack IIT-JEE

A day after home minister arrived in<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/as-rajnath-singh-lands-in-jk-terrorists-ambush-army-patrol-in-kupwara-142769"> Jammu and Kashmir(J&K)&nbsp;terrorists</a> attacked an army patrol in Haril area of Kupwara district.

On Thursday, terrorists had ambushed the Army's patrol party in the Keran sector in Kupwara. Two soldiers were injured in the attack.

Home minister Rajnath Singh is in J&K to review the security situation in the state and meet people in the border area.

During a function in Sher-e-Kashmir Indoor Stadium in J&K, India's home minister said the Centre had decided to withdraw cases against stone-pelters.

"We believe that children anywhere are the same. We understand that some youth were misled into stone pelting."

"Children can make mistakes... That is why we decided to withdraw the cases against those children who were involved in stone pelting," he said.

Rajnath appealed to the youth in J&K to take the "path of development and not destruction." The home minister asserted that the state's sports infrastructure would be improved which he said "will change the face and destiny of the state."

Sing also facilitated several sportsperson from the state, including Parvez Rasool, Mehrajuddin, Rajinder Singh, Manzoor Dar and Tajjammul Islam.

<iframe allow="autoplay encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wNL4YFarQJ0" width="560"></iframe>

Home minister Rajnath Singh is in J&K to review the security situation in the state and meet people in the border area.

A day after home minister arrived in Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) terrorists attacked an army patrol in Haril area of Kupwara district. On Thursday, terrorists had ambushed the Army's patrol party in the Keran sector in Kupwara. Two soldiers were injured in the attack. Home minister Rajnath Singh is in J&K to review the security situation in the state and meet people in the border area. During a function in Sher-e-Kashmir Indoor Stadium in J&K, India's home minister said the Centre had decided to withdraw cases against stone-pelters. "We believe that children anywhere are the same. We understand that some youth were misled into stone pelting." "Children can make mistakes... That is why we decided to withdraw the cases against those children who were involved in stone pelting," he said. Rajnath appealed to the youth in J&K to take the "path of development and not destruction." The home minister asserted that the state's sports infrastructure would be improved which he said "will change the face and destiny of the state." Sing also facilitated several sportsperson from the state, including Parvez Rasool, Mehrajuddin, Rajinder Singh, Manzoor Dar and Tajjammul Islam.

As Rajnath Singh visits J&K, terrorists attack Army patrol in Kupwara twice in 24 hours

North Korea's new top three military officers are known for their unquestioning support of leader Kim Jong Un and are flexible enough to accept the massive changes that may come from any deal with U.S. President Donald Trump, people who follow the secretive country say.

They replaced older, more conservative officers who have been recently sacked, according to a senior U.S. official and North Korea leadership analysts in Seoul.

As Washington pursues a negotiated end to Pyongyang's nuclear programme, U.S. officials believe there was some dissent in the military about Kim's negotiations with South Korea and the United States, a complete reversal of the North's pursuit of nuclear weapons and historic hostility. It was not clear if the sacked officers were responsible.

Citing an unidentified intelligence official, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said No Kwang Chol, first vice minister in the defence ministry, had replaced Pak Yong Sik as the defence chief, while Ri Yong Gil had returned as the army's chief of general staff in place of Ri Myong Su.

The appointments could not be immediately confirmed.

North Korean media had earlier reported that Army General Kim Su Gil had succeeded Kim Jong Gak as director of the army's powerful General Political Bureau, one of the most senior positions in the country.

The changes are a shock because they take place so close to each other and come just ahead of the scheduled June 12 summit between Trump and Kim in Singapore.

Some analysts said Kim was replacing older officers who were wedded to the country's nuclear doctrine with loyalists who would follow any changes he may make following the summit.

"There would be a denuclearisation roadmap coming out of the summit with Trump, and it would be burdensome for Kim to have hawks who could be agitated by any desertion of the nuclear programme," said Cheong Seong-Chang, a senior fellow at South Korea's Sejong Institute.

Trump wants North Korea to "denuclearise" in return for relief from economic sanctions. Pyongyang sees its nuclear weapons as vital to its survival but Kim has said he plans to focus on economic development.

The moves are also in line with Kim's years-long efforts to consolidate power by purging senior officers and promoting trusted younger advisers to the politburo and other core positions.

The new officers could also provide some insurance against any attempt to seize power while Kim is away at the summit, experts say.

"All these guys are Kim Jong Un people," said Michael Madden, a North Korea leadership expert at Johns Hopkins University's 38 North website. "Kim Jong Un is going to put people in place he can trust, who are loyal to him."

In addition to being hardcore loyalists, Madden said the three officers were experienced in dealing with foreigners, which was seen as a plus point. But it was not immediately clear whether any of them would accompany Kim to Singapore.

Kim Su Gil, 68, is a four-star Army general who is one of Kim Jong Un's most trusted aides, accompanying him on various military inspections and public events.

He was among those involved in the purge and execution of Kim Jong Un's powerful uncle, Jang Song Thaek, in December 2013. Then he was tapped to lead the party's Pyongyang chamber in early 2014, a job which Madden said was meant for "housecleaning" the administration of Jang's confidants.

Kim's appointment to the General Political Bureau is part of Kim Jong Un's drive to expand the party's control over the military, said Ken Gause, director of the International Affairs Group at CNA, a non-profit research and analysis organisation based in Arlington, Virginia.

All of the newly promoted officials are younger than their predecessors, even though they are all in their 60s.

The three were also named in May 2016 as alternate members of the ruling Workers' Party politburo - the opaque, all-powerful governing body where top state affairs are decided.

Ri Yong Gil served as chief of staff from 2013 to 2016 until he reportedly fell from grace for a brief period, the analysts said.

In the early 2000s, Ri was commander of an Army unit that defends the perimeter around Pyongyang, a sensitive position that Gause said is traditionally "personally selected" by the leader of the country.

In March 2013, he was seen attending a late night meeting convened by Kim to order missile units on "standby" to strike U.S. and South Korean military installations after a U.S. strategic bomber flew over South Korea.

In February 2016, he was briefly demoted to deputy chief and three stars from four for an unspecified reason. South Korean intelligence officials said he had been executed for corruption and abuse of power, only to see him appear at a major party assembly as a politburo candidate three months later.

No Kwang Chol, the 62-year-old relatively less known new defence chief, previously headed the Second Economic Committee, which oversees defence production including the nuclear and missile programmes.

"This is where you would send someone you could trust," said Hong Min, head of North Korea research at the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul.

"No is a person who has come to the fore in the Kim Jong Un era, as a up-and-coming and trusted aide. It is not strange at all if he becomes defence minister."

North Korea replaced older, more conservative officers who have been recently sacked, according to a senior US official and North Korea leadership analysts in Seoul

North Korea's new top three military officers are known for their unquestioning support of leader Kim Jong Un and are flexible enough to accept the massive changes that may come from any deal with U.S. President Donald Trump, people who follow the secretive country say. They replaced older, more conservative officers who have been recently sacked, according to a senior U.S. official and North Korea leadership analysts in Seoul. As Washington pursues a negotiated end to Pyongyang's nuclear programme, U.S. officials believe there was some dissent in the military about Kim's negotiations with South Korea and the United States, a complete reversal of the North's pursuit of nuclear weapons and historic hostility. It was not clear if the sacked officers were responsible. Citing an unidentified intelligence official, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said No Kwang Chol, first vice minister in the defence ministry, had replaced Pak Yong Sik as the defence chief, while Ri Yong Gil had returned as the army's chief of general staff in place of Ri Myong Su. The appointments could not be immediately confirmed. North Korean media had earlier reported that Army General Kim Su Gil had succeeded Kim Jong Gak as director of the army's powerful General Political Bureau, one of the most senior positions in the country. The changes are a shock because they take place so close to each other and come just ahead of the scheduled June 12 summit between Trump and Kim in Singapore. Some analysts said Kim was replacing older officers who were wedded to the country's nuclear doctrine with loyalists who would follow any changes he may make following the summit. "There would be a denuclearisation roadmap coming out of the summit with Trump, and it would be burdensome for Kim to have hawks who could be agitated by any desertion of the nuclear programme," said Cheong Seong-Chang, a senior fellow at South Korea's Sejong Institute. Trump wants North Korea to "denuclearise" in return for relief from economic sanctions. Pyongyang sees its nuclear weapons as vital to its survival but Kim has said he plans to focus on economic development. The moves are also in line with Kim's years-long efforts to consolidate power by purging senior officers and promoting trusted younger advisers to the politburo and other core positions. The new officers could also provide some insurance against any attempt to seize power while Kim is away at the summit, experts say. "All these guys are Kim Jong Un people," said Michael Madden, a North Korea leadership expert at Johns Hopkins University's 38 North website. "Kim Jong Un is going to put people in place he can trust, who are loyal to him." In addition to being hardcore loyalists, Madden said the three officers were experienced in dealing with foreigners, which was seen as a plus point. But it was not immediately clear whether any of them would accompany Kim to Singapore. Kim Su Gil, 68, is a four-star Army general who is one of Kim Jong Un's most trusted aides, accompanying him on various military inspections and public events. He was among those involved in the purge and execution of Kim Jong Un's powerful uncle, Jang Song Thaek, in December 2013. Then he was tapped to lead the party's Pyongyang chamber in early 2014, a job which Madden said was meant for "housecleaning" the administration of Jang's confidants. Kim's appointment to the General Political Bureau is part of Kim Jong Un's drive to expand the party's control over the military, said Ken Gause, director of the International Affairs Group at CNA, a non-profit research and analysis organisation based in Arlington, Virginia. All of the newly promoted officials are younger than their predecessors, even though they are all in their 60s. The three were also named in May 2016 as alternate members of the ruling Workers' Party politburo - the opaque, all-powerful governing body where top state affairs are decided. Ri Yong Gil served as chief of staff from 2013 to 2016 until he reportedly fell from grace for a brief period, the analysts said. In the early 2000s, Ri was commander of an Army unit that defends the perimeter around Pyongyang, a sensitive position that Gause said is traditionally "personally selected" by the leader of the country. In March 2013, he was seen attending a late night meeting convened by Kim to order missile units on "standby" to strike U.S. and South Korean military installations after a U.S. strategic bomber flew over South Korea. In February 2016, he was briefly demoted to deputy chief and three stars from four for an unspecified reason. South Korean intelligence officials said he had been executed for corruption and abuse of power, only to see him appear at a major party assembly as a politburo candidate three months later. No Kwang Chol, the 62-year-old relatively less known new defence chief, previously headed the Second Economic Committee, which oversees defence production including the nuclear and missile programmes. "This is where you would send someone you could trust," said Hong Min, head of North Korea research at the state-run Korea Institute for National Unification in Seoul. "No is a person who has come to the fore in the Kim Jong Un era, as a up-and-coming and trusted aide. It is not strange at all if he becomes defence minister."

North Korea's three new military leaders are loyal to Kim, not policies

Intensifying allegations of military interference threaten to cast a shadow over Pakistan's general election on July 25, a historic event that will mark only the country's second ever democratic transition of power.

On Friday the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party handed over to a technocratic caretaker administration after completing a full five-year term, another democratic milestone.

But as campaigning begins, tensions between the civilian politicians and the powerful military, which has ruled for about half of Pakistan's history since independence in 1947, are running high.

Four PML-N lawmakers told Reuters they had received threats and pressure to switch allegiance to rival parties, while newspapers are awash with accusations of military "engineering" and journalists and media houses complain of growing censorship.

"It is a chipping away. It's behind the scenes, under the covers, below the radar," PML-N's outgoing Privatisation Minister Daniyal Aziz told Reuters, using typically coded language to hint at meddling by the generals without naming them.

The military, which strongly denies interfering in politics, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The political tensions come at a time of growing economic instability in the nuclear-armed nation of 208 million people. Islamabad's rapidly depleting currency reserves and a widening current account deficit have prompted many analysts to predict the next government will need to seek the country's second International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout since 2013.

PML-N founder Nawaz Sharif was ousted by the Supreme Court as prime minister in July and now faces corruption charges, events he has described as "pre-poll rigging" aimed at denying his party another term. He has cast the campaign as a battle to protect the "sanctity of the vote".

ANTI-CORRUPTION PLATFORM

PML-N's main challenge is expected to come from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who is betting his anti-corruption message will propel him to power.

Khan has denied the generals have thrown their weight behind PTI, and accuses Sharif of hiding behind such allegations to avoid accountability.

Also read: <a href="Pak court allows ex-foreign minister Khawaja Asif to contest elections">Pak court allows ex-foreign minister Khawaja Asif to contest elections</a>

In a statement, the PTI this week said: "Any deliberate or unconscious effort to compromise the sanctity of ballot could cause irreparable damage to national interests".

But analysts and Western diplomats who spoke to Reuters said the military was squeezing PML-N ahead of polls.

"This kind of interference has always been there, but this time it is so naked that everyone is seeing it and everyone is talking about it," said Ijaz Khan, a retired international relations professor at Peshawar University.&nbsp

A "Pre-Election Assessment Report" published this week by an independent think-tank, Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), deemed the pre-poll process to have been "unfair overall" in the 12 months before the election was called last week.

PILDAT said "surreptitious muzzling" of the media, a rise in bias from the military establishment and a "perceived partisanship in judicial and political accountability have nearly eroded the prospects of a free and fair election in 2018".

Pakistan's biggest TV channel, Geo, went off air for several weeks in April and only returned after its executives struck a deal with the military over their coverage of Sharif, two executives told Reuters.

Distribution of Dawn, the biggest English-language newspaper in the country, has been suspended from some military cantonment areas in several cities, a senior Dawn executive told Reuters. Many prominent columnists have put out statements about their work being censored, often by their own editors.

MENACING PHONE CALLS

A frequent complaint by Sharif, whose second term as prime minister was ended by a bloodless army coup in 1999, is that PML-N lawmakers are being intimidated.

Four PML-N lawmakers from the Punjab province described to Reuters a similar pattern of strange calls and visits from unknown men who would pretend to be well-wishers, but then make clear to them it would be in their interest to ditch Sharif.

None of the lawmakers wished to be identified. One recounted a recent, seemingly random, encounter with a man claiming to be a supporter that ended with the well-wisher telling him: "Your boss is a traitor. Traitors have no future in this country".

Three of the lawmakers are sticking with PML-N but one has defected to PTI. All four said they believed the calls were from intelligence agents, though they did not have any proof. Reuters could not independently corroborate the events they described.

In the last few months at least 15 National Assembly PML-N lawmakers have left the party, mostly to join PTI. PML-N officials say most were politicians who won their seats as independents in 2013 and joined PML-N afterwards.

Khan has dismissed PML-N accusations the lawmakers were pressured into switching sides, but predicted in a recent meeting with foreign media that many more would follow. He believes such defections will be vital to gaining a foothold in Punjab, long a PML-N stronghold that returns 141 of the 272 directly contested seats in the National Assembly.

IN THE DOCK

Several senior PML-N figures are currently facing court cases after a flurry of charges against them.

Among them, Sharif could be jailed for 14 years before the polls in a corruption trial he calls a "witch hunt", while Aziz, the former privatisation minister, is facing contempt of court charges that could bar him from standing in the election.

The judiciary has denied targeting, or favouring, any political party, and rejects allegations from PML-N of collusion with the military to weaken the party.

The Election Commision of Pakistan's code of conduct for the pre-poll campaign period is shaping up to be the next battleground.

Proposed new rules would prohibit anyone from criticising the military and the judiciary, while also banning politicians from talking about what they have achieved in government.

With PML-N's electoral campaign built around touting mega infrastructure projects and defending civilian rule, the party is no doubt who this would hurt the most.

Newspapers are awash with accusations of military 'engineering' and journalists and media houses complain of growing censorship. The elections are scheduled to take place on June 25

Intensifying allegations of military interference threaten to cast a shadow over Pakistan's general election on July 25, a historic event that will mark only the country's second ever democratic transition of power. On Friday the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party handed over to a technocratic caretaker administration after completing a full five-year term, another democratic milestone. But as campaigning begins, tensions between the civilian politicians and the powerful military, which has ruled for about half of Pakistan's history since independence in 1947, are running high. Four PML-N lawmakers told Reuters they had received threats and pressure to switch allegiance to rival parties, while newspapers are awash with accusations of military "engineering" and journalists and media houses complain of growing censorship. "It is a chipping away. It's behind the scenes, under the covers, below the radar," PML-N's outgoing Privatisation Minister Daniyal Aziz told Reuters, using typically coded language to hint at meddling by the generals without naming them. The military, which strongly denies interfering in politics, did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. The political tensions come at a time of growing economic instability in the nuclear-armed nation of 208 million people. Islamabad's rapidly depleting currency reserves and a widening current account deficit have prompted many analysts to predict the next government will need to seek the country's second International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout since 2013. PML-N founder Nawaz Sharif was ousted by the Supreme Court as prime minister in July and now faces corruption charges, events he has described as "pre-poll rigging" aimed at denying his party another term. He has cast the campaign as a battle to protect the "sanctity of the vote". ANTI-CORRUPTION PLATFORM PML-N's main challenge is expected to come from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who is betting his anti-corruption message will propel him to power. Khan has denied the generals have thrown their weight behind PTI, and accuses Sharif of hiding behind such allegations to avoid accountability. Also read: Pak court allows ex-foreign minister Khawaja Asif to contest elections In a statement, the PTI this week said: "Any deliberate or unconscious effort to compromise the sanctity of ballot could cause irreparable damage to national interests". But analysts and Western diplomats who spoke to Reuters said the military was squeezing PML-N ahead of polls. "This kind of interference has always been there, but this time it is so naked that everyone is seeing it and everyone is talking about it," said Ijaz Khan, a retired international relations professor at Peshawar University. A "Pre-Election Assessment Report" published this week by an independent think-tank, Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), deemed the pre-poll process to have been "unfair overall" in the 12 months before the election was called last week. PILDAT said "surreptitious muzzling" of the media, a rise in bias from the military establishment and a "perceived partisanship in judicial and political accountability have nearly eroded the prospects of a free and fair election in 2018". Pakistan's biggest TV channel, Geo, went off air for several weeks in April and only returned after its executives struck a deal with the military over their coverage of Sharif, two executives told Reuters. Distribution of Dawn, the biggest English-language newspaper in the country, has been suspended from some military cantonment areas in several cities, a senior Dawn executive told Reuters. Many prominent columnists have put out statements about their work being censored, often by their own editors. MENACING PHONE CALLS A frequent complaint by Sharif, whose second term as prime minister was ended by a bloodless army coup in 1999, is that PML-N lawmakers are being intimidated. Four PML-N lawmakers from the Punjab province described to Reuters a similar pattern of strange calls and visits from unknown men who would pretend to be well-wishers, but then make clear to them it would be in their interest to ditch Sharif. None of the lawmakers wished to be identified. One recounted a recent, seemingly random, encounter with a man claiming to be a supporter that ended with the well-wisher telling him: "Your boss is a traitor. Traitors have no future in this country". Three of the lawmakers are sticking with PML-N but one has defected to PTI. All four said they believed the calls were from intelligence agents, though they did not have any proof. Reuters could not independently corroborate the events they described. In the last few months at least 15 National Assembly PML-N lawmakers have left the party, mostly to join PTI. PML-N officials say most were politicians who won their seats as independents in 2013 and joined PML-N afterwards. Khan has dismissed PML-N accusations the lawmakers were pressured into switching sides, but predicted in a recent meeting with foreign media that many more would follow. He believes such defections will be vital to gaining a foothold in Punjab, long a PML-N stronghold that returns 141 of the 272 directly contested seats in the National Assembly. IN THE DOCK Several senior PML-N figures are currently facing court cases after a flurry of charges against them. Among them, Sharif could be jailed for 14 years before the polls in a corruption trial he calls a "witch hunt", while Aziz, the former privatisation minister, is facing contempt of court charges that could bar him from standing in the election. The judiciary has denied targeting, or favouring, any political party, and rejects allegations from PML-N of collusion with the military to weaken the party. The Election Commision of Pakistan's code of conduct for the pre-poll campaign period is shaping up to be the next battleground. Proposed new rules would prohibit anyone from criticising the military and the judiciary, while also banning politicians from talking about what they have achieved in government. With PML-N's electoral campaign built around touting mega infrastructure projects and defending civilian rule, the party is no doubt who this would hurt the most.

Allegations of Army interference cast shadow over Pakistan general election

Terrorists on the wee hours of Thursday attacked an&nbsp;Army's patrolling party in&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir's&nbsp;Kupwara&nbsp;district.

The incident took place around&nbsp;Qaziabad&nbsp;forests situated in&nbsp;Kralgund&nbsp;area of the district.

The firing was retaliated and triggered off following a brief gunfight between the security forces and terrorists.

A search operation has been launched to trace out the terrorists.

Bodies of two terrorists were recovered after a search operation was launched in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district.

On Wednesday, a suspected terrorist lobbed a grenade at the residence of National Conference leader Mohammad Ashraf Bhat in Pulwama's Tral town.

On the same day, terrorists hurled a grenade towards a joint checkpoint of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and&nbsp;Jammu and Kashmir&nbsp;police in Pulwama district.

The incident took place around Qaziabad forests situated in Kralgund area of the district

Terrorists on the wee hours of Thursday attacked an Army's patrolling party in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. The incident took place around Qaziabad forests situated in Kralgund area of the district. The firing was retaliated and triggered off following a brief gunfight between the security forces and terrorists. A search operation has been launched to trace out the terrorists. Bodies of two terrorists were recovered after a search operation was launched in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district. On Wednesday, a suspected terrorist lobbed a grenade at the residence of National Conference leader Mohammad Ashraf Bhat in Pulwama's Tral town. On the same day, terrorists hurled a grenade towards a joint checkpoint of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir police in Pulwama district.

Jammu and Kashmir: Terrorists attack army patrolling party in Kupwara

The developmental efforts initiated by Indian government in Jammu and Kashmir are a welcome measure for the state as well as for the country. These have been preceded by controversial measures of amnesty to stone pelters, and declaration of Non-Initiation of Combat Operations or NICO.

The details of the developmental activities have been covered in detail by all segments of the media in last two days, and these measures will have long term positive effects, more so in Ladakh and Jammu region. But the question whether it will bring peace in Kashmir valley, or otherwise, needs a dispassionate analysis beyond the optics and announcements.

What message does development initiatives convey

Development is a necessity to physically and mentally connect with people in far flung areas and demonstration of India's will to reach out to them. Initiatives like the Zojila tunnel, besides improving connectivity and ease of travel from Kashmir valley to Ladakh, indicate the effort to lift the mental barrier of isolation for people on both sides of Zojila pass. Other projects like ring roads around Srinagar and Jammu will definitely ease the traffic congestion of both cities, and the two power projects on Kishenganga and Pakal Dul will address the needs of the state besides creating surplus power to be put on national grid.

The social messaging of these projects indicates the Indian will of closer social inclusion of people of Jammu and Kashmir. Also, while Prime Minister's decision to attend the closing ceremony of birth centenary of Rinpoche in Leh amused the Buddhist population, the gesture of declaring suspension of combat operations by security forces, and Tarakote Marg and ropeway of Mata Vaishnodevi shrine was welcomed by almost everyone. In a nutshell, the social packaging covers every segment of society of Jammu and Kashmir, and an investment of approximately Rs 25,000 crore will help in changing their economic landscape and connectivity may help in boosting tourism.

Embracing the people of Kashmir: Risk analysis

The recent initiatives aimed to embrace people of Kashmir are noble, but high-risk ideas with rare chance of success. The idea of amnesty to stone pelters has failed, and given a new dimension to the terrorist actions through stone pelting, wherein almost similar damage can be caused to security forces or civilians, with reasonable expectation that they will be left lightly, even if apprehended.

The ideas like ceasefire and declaration of NICO were tried earlier in the year 2000, but failed. The present declaration although is a slightly improved version of the old one, wherein security forces' deployment and intelligence grid is not being disturbed. But they can take retaliatory action, only if militants fire at them. The fact that declaration was rejected by terrorist groups, who intend continuing their actions during the holy month of Ramzan, as well as separatist groups enjoying state protection, means that it is waiting to fail. Let me analyse the possibilities under the present model of NICO:

<ul>
	<li>The announcement by Kashmiri politicians that the people can peacefully sleep is a misconception, because the militants, especially the foreign ones cause innumerable atrocities on innocent people of Kashmir, but no one lodges complaint/FIR against them, as they know that the entire family will be wiped out. Abu Dujana is a case in point. It is unfortunate that not many politicians of Kashmir criticise or highlight their atrocities, which gives an impression that either they are terrorised or sold out to the adversary propagating proxy war.</li>
	<li>The announcement only restricts security forces, which is demeaning and misplaced, because security forces are not there by choice, but are performing their duty for the nation.</li>
	<li>Under present model of NICO, the militants can move freely, kill some informers and terrorise the rest. The incidents of killing one civilian, looting of bank, and snatching weapons are minor incidents, but can be an indication of testing the waters, as they know that security forces cannot do anything till they actually fire at them.</li>
	<li>Terrorists are free to extort, launder money and muster enough funds for subsequent operations.</li>
	<li>They can carry out recruitment of young boys into their outfit by luring them or terrorising their parents.</li>
	<li>NICO has no connection with the firing from across the border, hence border villages will continue to remain under threat.</li>
	<li>There is no guarantee that militants will behave during Amarnath Yatra with this political overreach, hence all precautions will have to be taken.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
Is the prescription suiting the ailment?

The development in Jammu and Kashmir, like any other state, is an encouraging step and will definitely ease lives of our people. But the fact is that the per capita GDP of Kashmir is higher than many states. There are many states in India, which are less developed but have not resorted to firing guns or stone pelting. This indicates that the ailment of Kashmir is not limited to poor infrastructure. The problem of Kashmir has external and internal dimensions, which have to be dealt with together, as they are closely interwoven.

In external dimension, the Pakistan army and ISI are the main players. Their influence and relevance is due to 'Indian threat' and a 'Boiling Kashmir valley', hence a peaceful Kashmir does not suit them. With radicalisation and Wahhabism on the rise, Pakistan has witnessed a change in psyche and ideology. Kashmir remains an obvious target to avenge 1971.

The internal dimension is the perception that separatists are involved in arranging funds and organising protests against the Indian establishment. While the development of Kashmir will reduce the numbers of unemployed youth, the glamour of quick money with minimum efforts and belief in concocted radicalised narrative would need some more efforts.

What should India do?

As the problem has persisted for so many decades, there are no easy answers. As an Indian analyst, let me attempt to suggest some:

<ul>
	<li>Internally, the decision makers need to have an honest intention to resolve it. The allurement of vote bank politics has to be subordinated to national interest.</li>
	<li>War with Pakistan is not a worthwhile economical option, but India can look at covert options against militants.</li>
	<li>While India expects the entire world to declare Pakistan a terror state, it has not yet scrapped the 'Most Favored Nation' status accorded to its neighbour.</li>
	<li>India should also take up the issue of Baluchistan in all world forums.</li>
</ul>

The development of Jammu and Kashmir and embracing of Kashmiri population is a welcome step on India's part. But amnesty to stone pelters and announcement of NICO (rejected by terrorists and separatists) is marred with danger. Some strategists will read it as a message of peace to Kashmir and the international community, while others may call it as a message of a weak state, running out of options. This will invite criticism, should this initiative fail. Protection and mercy on separatists needs to be stopped if the decision makers are really interested in having peace in Kashmir.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

The recent initiatives aimed to embrace people of Kashmir are noble, but high-risk ideas with rare chance of success.

The developmental efforts initiated by Indian government in Jammu and Kashmir are a welcome measure for the state as well as for the country. These have been preceded by controversial measures of amnesty to stone pelters, and declaration of Non-Initiation of Combat Operations or NICO. The details of the developmental activities have been covered in detail by all segments of the media in last two days, and these measures will have long term positive effects, more so in Ladakh and Jammu region. But the question whether it will bring peace in Kashmir valley, or otherwise, needs a dispassionate analysis beyond the optics and announcements. What message does development initiatives convey Development is a necessity to physically and mentally connect with people in far flung areas and demonstration of India's will to reach out to them. Initiatives like the Zojila tunnel, besides improving connectivity and ease of travel from Kashmir valley to Ladakh, indicate the effort to lift the mental barrier of isolation for people on both sides of Zojila pass. Other projects like ring roads around Srinagar and Jammu will definitely ease the traffic congestion of both cities, and the two power projects on Kishenganga and Pakal Dul will address the needs of the state besides creating surplus power to be put on national grid. The social messaging of these projects indicates the Indian will of closer social inclusion of people of Jammu and Kashmir. Also, while Prime Minister's decision to attend the closing ceremony of birth centenary of Rinpoche in Leh amused the Buddhist population, the gesture of declaring suspension of combat operations by security forces, and Tarakote Marg and ropeway of Mata Vaishnodevi shrine was welcomed by almost everyone. In a nutshell, the social packaging covers every segment of society of Jammu and Kashmir, and an investment of approximately Rs 25,000 crore will help in changing their economic landscape and connectivity may help in boosting tourism. Embracing the people of Kashmir: Risk analysis The recent initiatives aimed to embrace people of Kashmir are noble, but high-risk ideas with rare chance of success. The idea of amnesty to stone pelters has failed, and given a new dimension to the terrorist actions through stone pelting, wherein almost similar damage can be caused to security forces or civilians, with reasonable expectation that they will be left lightly, even if apprehended. The ideas like ceasefire and declaration of NICO were tried earlier in the year 2000, but failed. The present declaration although is a slightly improved version of the old one, wherein security forces' deployment and intelligence grid is not being disturbed. But they can take retaliatory action, only if militants fire at them. The fact that declaration was rejected by terrorist groups, who intend continuing their actions during the holy month of Ramzan, as well as separatist groups enjoying state protection, means that it is waiting to fail. Let me analyse the possibilities under the present model of NICO: The announcement by Kashmiri politicians that the people can peacefully sleep is a misconception, because the militants, especially the foreign ones cause innumerable atrocities on innocent people of Kashmir, but no one lodges complaint/FIR against them, as they know that the entire family will be wiped out. Abu Dujana is a case in point. It is unfortunate that not many politicians of Kashmir criticise or highlight their atrocities, which gives an impression that either they are terrorised or sold out to the adversary propagating proxy war. The announcement only restricts security forces, which is demeaning and misplaced, because security forces are not there by choice, but are performing their duty for the nation. Under present model of NICO, the militants can move freely, kill some informers and terrorise the rest. The incidents of killing one civilian, looting of bank, and snatching weapons are minor incidents, but can be an indication of testing the waters, as they know that security forces cannot do anything till they actually fire at them. Terrorists are free to extort, launder money and muster enough funds for subsequent operations. They can carry out recruitment of young boys into their outfit by luring them or terrorising their parents. NICO has no connection with the firing from across the border, hence border villages will continue to remain under threat. There is no guarantee that militants will behave during Amarnath Yatra with this political overreach, hence all precautions will have to be taken. Is the prescription suiting the ailment? The development in Jammu and Kashmir, like any other state, is an encouraging step and will definitely ease lives of our people. But the fact is that the per capita GDP of Kashmir is higher than many states. There are many states in India, which are less developed but have not resorted to firing guns or stone pelting. This indicates that the ailment of Kashmir is not limited to poor infrastructure. The problem of Kashmir has external and internal dimensions, which have to be dealt with together, as they are closely interwoven. In external dimension, the Pakistan army and ISI are the main players. Their influence and relevance is due to 'Indian threat' and a 'Boiling Kashmir valley', hence a peaceful Kashmir does not suit them. With radicalisation and Wahhabism on the rise, Pakistan has witnessed a change in psyche and ideology. Kashmir remains an obvious target to avenge 1971. The internal dimension is the perception that separatists are involved in arranging funds and organising protests against the Indian establishment. While the development of Kashmir will reduce the numbers of unemployed youth, the glamour of quick money with minimum efforts and belief in concocted radicalised narrative would need some more efforts. What should India do? As the problem has persisted for so many decades, there are no easy answers. As an Indian analyst, let me attempt to suggest some: Internally, the decision makers need to have an honest intention to resolve it. The allurement of vote bank politics has to be subordinated to national interest. War with Pakistan is not a worthwhile economical option, but India can look at covert options against militants. While India expects the entire world to declare Pakistan a terror state, it has not yet scrapped the 'Most Favored Nation' status accorded to its neighbour. India should also take up the issue of Baluchistan in all world forums. The development of Jammu and Kashmir and embracing of Kashmiri population is a welcome step on India's part. But amnesty to stone pelters and announcement of NICO (rejected by terrorists and separatists) is marred with danger. Some strategists will read it as a message of peace to Kashmir and the international community, while others may call it as a message of a weak state, running out of options. This will invite criticism, should this initiative fail. Protection and mercy on separatists needs to be stopped if the decision makers are really interested in having peace in Kashmir. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: With Kashmir ceasefire, India walks a fine line

According to reports, a Russian helicopter crashed in Syria on Monday night. Moscow's defence ministry issued a statement noting that both the pilots had died in the mishap.&nbsp

Russian Ka-52 helicopter was on a routine flight over eastern Syrian regions when it crashed due to what is been reported as a technical fault.&nbsp

This is the second time in a week when Russian army's helicopter crashed in Syria. Last week, a Russian fighter jet crashed after taking off from an airbase, both the pilots were killed.&nbsp

At least 39 people were killed when a transport plane crashed on landing at the Hmeimim airbase in March this year. The incident is being reported as one of Russia's largest military losses to have occurred recently.&nbsp

(With inputs from agencies)

This is the second time in a week when Russian army's helicopter crashed in Syria

According to reports, a Russian helicopter crashed in Syria on Monday night. Moscow's defence ministry issued a statement noting that both the pilots had died in the mishap. Russian Ka-52 helicopter was on a routine flight over eastern Syrian regions when it crashed due to what is been reported as a technical fault. This is the second time in a week when Russian army's helicopter crashed in Syria. Last week, a Russian fighter jet crashed after taking off from an airbase, both the pilots were killed. At least 39 people were killed when a transport plane crashed on landing at the Hmeimim airbase in March this year. The incident is being reported as one of Russia's largest military losses to have occurred recently. (With inputs from agencies)

Syria: Russian helicopter crashes, both pilots get killed

Seven soldiers in Myanmar were sentenced for their part in the extrajudicial killings of 10 Rohingya Muslim men, according to a Facebook post by the army chief late on Tuesday. 

"Four officers have been purged (from the army) and given a 10-year prison sentence with hard labour. A further three soldiers were purged and given a 10-year prison sentence with hard labour in a criminal prison," the post read.

Myanmar’s military has been accused of violating human rights with impunity for decades, including in its conflicts with rebel groups.

Most recently it has been accused of abuses during what it calls “clearance operations” against ethnic Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state. More than 650,000 Rohingya have left Myanmar for Bangladesh, fleeing what the United Nations calls ethnic cleansing.

Myanmar’s military last week made a rare public admission of killing 10 Rohingya Muslims, whose bodies were found in a mass grave in a village in northern Rakhine.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Myanmar’s military has been accused of violating human rights with impunity for decades, including in its conflicts with rebel groups.

Seven soldiers in Myanmar were sentenced for their part in the extrajudicial killings of 10 Rohingya Muslim men, according to a Facebook post by the army chief late on Tuesday.  "Four officers have been purged (from the army) and given a 10-year prison sentence with hard labour. A further three soldiers were purged and given a 10-year prison sentence with hard labour in a criminal prison," the post read. Myanmar’s military has been accused of violating human rights with impunity for decades, including in its conflicts with rebel groups. Most recently it has been accused of abuses during what it calls “clearance operations” against ethnic Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state. More than 650,000 Rohingya have left Myanmar for Bangladesh, fleeing what the United Nations calls ethnic cleansing. Myanmar’s military last week made a rare public admission of killing 10 Rohingya Muslims, whose bodies were found in a mass grave in a village in northern Rakhine. (With inputs from Agencies)

7 Myanmar soldiers sentenced to 10 years over Rohingya killings: Army

A Pakistani political party placed on the US&nbsp;list of foreign terrorist organisations vowed on Wednesday to continue its political activities and participate in upcoming elections.

The Milli Muslim League (MML) is controlled by Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, who has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head. The group shot to prominence after fielding a candidate in a September 2017 by-election to fill a seat vacated by deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

The US State Department on Tuesday termed MML an alias for militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, blamed for a bloody 2008 attack in India.

"We clearly state that on US&nbsp;announcements we will not discontinue our political activities at any cost," MML president Saifullah Khalid said, reading from a statement in Karachi.

"Milli Muslim League will fully participate in the 2018 elections and will field candidates from across Pakistan."

Saeed is the founder of LeT, which is also on the U.S. terrorist list and blamed by the United States and India for a four-day militant attack on Mumbai in 2008 in which 166 people were killed.

Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the attack.

Images of Saeed appeared on MML campaign posters during rallies held in two major Pakistani cities leading up to by-elections last year.

The party was subsequently barred from participating in polls by Pakistan's electoral commission, a decision that was overturned by the courts.

"We have confidence in our higher judiciary ... MML will be registered and it will emerge as a big national party in future," Khalid said.

Khalid termed the U.S. decision a violation of basic human rights and an open intervention in Pakistan's internal affairs, asking for the State Department to bring evidence before the courts.

"Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence," the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

Under pressure from the United States, the United Nations and international institutions to crack down on terrorist financing, Pakistan drew up secret plans last December for a "takeover" of charities linked to Saeed.

Saeed has since taken the government decision to court.

Saeed's freedom in Pakistan, where he holds rallies, has been a thorn in Pakistan’s relations with old rival India and the United States.

The US State Department on Tuesday termed MML an alias for militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, blamed for a bloody 2008 attack in India.

A Pakistani political party placed on the US list of foreign terrorist organisations vowed on Wednesday to continue its political activities and participate in upcoming elections. The Milli Muslim League (MML) is controlled by Islamist leader Hafiz Saeed, who has a $10 million U.S. bounty on his head. The group shot to prominence after fielding a candidate in a September 2017 by-election to fill a seat vacated by deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The US State Department on Tuesday termed MML an alias for militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), or Army of the Pure, blamed for a bloody 2008 attack in India. "We clearly state that on US announcements we will not discontinue our political activities at any cost," MML president Saifullah Khalid said, reading from a statement in Karachi. "Milli Muslim League will fully participate in the 2018 elections and will field candidates from across Pakistan." Saeed is the founder of LeT, which is also on the U.S. terrorist list and blamed by the United States and India for a four-day militant attack on Mumbai in 2008 in which 166 people were killed. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the attack. Images of Saeed appeared on MML campaign posters during rallies held in two major Pakistani cities leading up to by-elections last year. The party was subsequently barred from participating in polls by Pakistan's electoral commission, a decision that was overturned by the courts. "We have confidence in our higher judiciary ... MML will be registered and it will emerge as a big national party in future," Khalid said. Khalid termed the U.S. decision a violation of basic human rights and an open intervention in Pakistan's internal affairs, asking for the State Department to bring evidence before the courts. "Make no mistake: whatever LeT chooses to call itself, it remains a violent terrorist group. The United States supports all efforts to ensure that LeT does not have a political voice until it gives up violence as a tool of influence," the U.S. State Department said in a statement. Under pressure from the United States, the United Nations and international institutions to crack down on terrorist financing, Pakistan drew up secret plans last December for a "takeover" of charities linked to Saeed. Saeed has since taken the government decision to court. Saeed's freedom in Pakistan, where he holds rallies, has been a thorn in Pakistan’s relations with old rival India and the United States.

Hafiz Saeed's MML, designated 'terror group' by US, vows to fight Pak elections

The 20-year-old army jawan had told his parents that he will be coming home in two days. Tomorrow, they will receive the body of Sepoy Shubham Suryakant Mustapure at his village Konerwadi in Parbhani district of Maharashtra, for last rites.

Mustapure, who joined the Army two years ago, was killed as Pakistani troops fired mortar bombs at forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir today.

A pall of gloom has descended on the village as people await the arrival of his body, for the last rites to be performed tomorrow.

Mustapure will be cremated with military honours at 4 pm tomorrow, an official said. The soldier’s body is expected to land at Aurangabad airport at 11 am and will be taken to Konerwadi by road, he added.

“Shubham recently called his parents and informed them he will be coming home in two days. Now, his body, wrapped in tricolour, will reach here,” a relative of the soldier said.

The jawan, who was a bachelor, is survived by parents and grandparents and two younger brothers. While one brother studies in Gangakhed in Parbhani district, another studies at Ahmedpur in Latur district, the kin said.

The soldier’s father owns one and a half acres of farm and also supplements his income through tailoring.

When Shubham was recruited in the Army two years ago, after completing his 12th class, he had treated the entire village to a grand feast, the relative said.

Sepoy Shubham Suryakant Mustapure, who joined the Army two years ago, was killed as Pakistani troops fired mortar bombs at forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir today.

The 20-year-old army jawan had told his parents that he will be coming home in two days. Tomorrow, they will receive the body of Sepoy Shubham Suryakant Mustapure at his village Konerwadi in Parbhani district of Maharashtra, for last rites. Mustapure, who joined the Army two years ago, was killed as Pakistani troops fired mortar bombs at forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir today. A pall of gloom has descended on the village as people await the arrival of his body, for the last rites to be performed tomorrow. Mustapure will be cremated with military honours at 4 pm tomorrow, an official said. The soldier’s body is expected to land at Aurangabad airport at 11 am and will be taken to Konerwadi by road, he added. “Shubham recently called his parents and informed them he will be coming home in two days. Now, his body, wrapped in tricolour, will reach here,” a relative of the soldier said. The jawan, who was a bachelor, is survived by parents and grandparents and two younger brothers. While one brother studies in Gangakhed in Parbhani district, another studies at Ahmedpur in Latur district, the kin said. The soldier’s father owns one and a half acres of farm and also supplements his income through tailoring. When Shubham was recruited in the Army two years ago, after completing his 12th class, he had treated the entire village to a grand feast, the relative said.

Soldier killed in Pakistan shelling had told parents he would return

Six persons were killed and several others, including policemen, sustained injuries in violent protests in Madhya Pradesh during the nationwide bandh called today by Dalit outfits against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Curfew was clamped in three districts including Bhind, where the Army was called in to control the situation.

"Two people were killed in Gwalior while one person each died in Bhind and Morena districts during the violence," Inspector General (law and order) Makrand Deoskar told PTI.

Three&nbsp;other people were killed in the protests, two in Uttar Pradesh, and one in Alwar, Rajasthan, taking the total toll to nine.&nbsp;

Incidents of stone-pelting, arson and loot were also reported from several parts of the state during the protest, he said, adding that further details are awaited. 
 
A student leader, identified as Rahul Pathak, died in firing in Morena district, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Umesh Shukla told PTI.

Pathak was allegedly shot by agitators and he succumbed to injuries enroute to hospital, he said.

As the violence escalated, curfew was imposed in the entire city, Shukla said.

The protesters also stopped a train in Morena, the police said.

Curfew was also imposed in Gwalior and Bhind districts following violence, officials said.&nbsp;Gwalior Commissioner B M Sharma said, "Curfew has been imposed in several parts of the Gwalior city following violence during the protest."

The Tahtipur, Gola Ka Mandir, Hazira and Morar police station areas in Gwalior were brought under the purview of the curfew, a senior official said.

Curfew was also imposed in Bhind city, and Mehgaon, Lahar, Gohad and Machand areas of the district, Bhind Superintendent of Police Prashant Khare said.

The Army has been called in Bhind to control the situation, Khare said.

A person, identified as Mahavir Singh (32), died in the firing in Bhind district where while two others suffered serious injuries and were referred to a hospital in Gwalior, Bhind's chief medical and health officer J P S Kushwaha said.

In Jhabua, protesters looted shops during the agitation, triggering tension in the tribal town.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to the protesters to maintain peace in the state as the Centre has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court.

Protests were also held in the state capital Bhopal with agitators blocking a road on the Board Office Square near the statue of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar.

More than two dozen vehicles were damaged, several of them torched by the protesters, eyewitnesses said.

In Morena district, the Chhattisgarh Express was stopped by protesters and was till at the station, they said.

The Supreme Court had on March 20 diluted certain provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, in a bid to protect 'honest' public servants discharging bona fide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act.

The verdict is being widely criticised by the Dalits and the Opposition, who claim that dilution of the Act will lead to more discrimination and crimes against the backward community.&nbsp;

The deaths took place in Madhya Pradesh where curfew was clamped on three districts, in one of which the army was called in to control the situation

Six persons were killed and several others, including policemen, sustained injuries in violent protests in Madhya Pradesh during the nationwide bandh called today by Dalit outfits against the alleged dilution of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Curfew was clamped in three districts including Bhind, where the Army was called in to control the situation. "Two people were killed in Gwalior while one person each died in Bhind and Morena districts during the violence," Inspector General (law and order) Makrand Deoskar told PTI. Three other people were killed in the protests, two in Uttar Pradesh, and one in Alwar, Rajasthan, taking the total toll to nine. Incidents of stone-pelting, arson and loot were also reported from several parts of the state during the protest, he said, adding that further details are awaited. A student leader, identified as Rahul Pathak, died in firing in Morena district, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Umesh Shukla told PTI. Pathak was allegedly shot by agitators and he succumbed to injuries enroute to hospital, he said. As the violence escalated, curfew was imposed in the entire city, Shukla said. The protesters also stopped a train in Morena, the police said. Curfew was also imposed in Gwalior and Bhind districts following violence, officials said. Gwalior Commissioner B M Sharma said, "Curfew has been imposed in several parts of the Gwalior city following violence during the protest." The Tahtipur, Gola Ka Mandir, Hazira and Morar police station areas in Gwalior were brought under the purview of the curfew, a senior official said. Curfew was also imposed in Bhind city, and Mehgaon, Lahar, Gohad and Machand areas of the district, Bhind Superintendent of Police Prashant Khare said. The Army has been called in Bhind to control the situation, Khare said. A person, identified as Mahavir Singh (32), died in the firing in Bhind district where while two others suffered serious injuries and were referred to a hospital in Gwalior, Bhind's chief medical and health officer J P S Kushwaha said. In Jhabua, protesters looted shops during the agitation, triggering tension in the tribal town. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan appealed to the protesters to maintain peace in the state as the Centre has filed a review petition in the Supreme Court. Protests were also held in the state capital Bhopal with agitators blocking a road on the Board Office Square near the statue of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar. More than two dozen vehicles were damaged, several of them torched by the protesters, eyewitnesses said. In Morena district, the Chhattisgarh Express was stopped by protesters and was till at the station, they said. The Supreme Court had on March 20 diluted certain provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, in a bid to protect 'honest' public servants discharging bona fide duties from being blackmailed with false cases under the Act. The verdict is being widely criticised by the Dalits and the Opposition, who claim that dilution of the Act will lead to more discrimination and crimes against the backward community.

Bharat Bandh protests: Death toll rises to 9 as violence sweeps across India

Syria's army promised Saturday to finish off fighters in the final opposition holdout of devastated Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus after a penultimate pocket was declared "empty" of rebels.

Russia-backed regime forces have recaptured the vast majority of the enclave through the combination of a deadly air and ground assault and evacuation deals.

After a six-week blitz the only remaining scrap of rebel-held territory centres on the main town of Douma, but Moscow-brokered talks over a possible evacuation have stalled as the group controlling it has pledged to stay put.&nbsp;

Syria's army vowed it would now press on with "fighting in the area of Douma to rid it of terrorism", using the term it usually uses to refer to rebels.

The announcement came shortly after state news agency SANA reported another rebel area was "empty of terrorism" as the last buses carrying rebels and civilians left it on Saturday afternoon as part of a deal to withdraw.

More than 41,000 people have been bussed out of the southern pocket held by the Faylaq al-Rahman rebel group in over a week under the Russian-supervised agreement, according to a tally of state media figures.

"It's a strategic victory against terror and a turning point" in the battle for Eastern Ghouta, an army officer told state television as soldiers around him celebrated.

As of Saturday, regime forces supported by their Russian allies had retaken 95 percent of Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The assault on Ghouta has killed more than 1,600 civilians since February 18 and seen tens of thousands more flee the fighting into regime-held areas, the Britain-based monitor says.

Troops have pursued a divide-and-conquer strategy, seizing most of the enclave then breaking up what was left of it into three isolated pockets.

In total, more than 45,500 people have left Eastern Ghouta under evacuation deals from the two first pockets.

Now Jaish al-Islam are the only rebels left clinging on to their turf after the others were sent packing.

The head of Jaish al-Islam's political office, Yasser Delwan, said late Saturday that talks over Douma's fate were ongoing.

"But we still haven't reached an agreement," he said, however describing the atmosphere of the negotiations as "positive".On Friday, Russia's defence ministry said it had brokered a deal that would see rebels abandon Douma "shortly", but the fighters denied it immediately.

Jaish al-Islam had been angling to reach a settlement with the Russians whereby they could stay.&nbsp;

But negotiations faltered over the group's demands of a general amnesty and unrestricted movement for Douma residents across the country, a source with knowledge of the talks told AFP.&nbsp;

Moscow threatened Jaish al-Islam with a renewed assault on the town if they did not agree to withdraw, and Syrian troops have amassed around the holdout.&nbsp;

With the offensive on Eastern Ghouta, President Bashar al-Assad has sought to secure his capital Damascus, which was within mortar range of the rebel enclave.

Last week, a rebel rocket attack on the capital killed 44 civilians.

Assad's forces retaking Eastern Ghouta would be a considerable victory in Syria's seven-year war, which has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced millions.

Syria's civil war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests.

Eastern Ghouta is the "beating heart of the rebellion near Assad's capital," said analyst Nick Heras, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

"When Assad stops that heart from beating, he eliminates the greatest threat to his rule in Damascus."

After a six-week blitz the only remaining scrap of rebel-held territory centres on the main town of Douma, but Moscow-brokered talks over a possible evacuation have stalled as the group controlling it has pledged to stay put

Syria's army promised Saturday to finish off fighters in the final opposition holdout of devastated Eastern Ghouta outside Damascus after a penultimate pocket was declared "empty" of rebels. Russia-backed regime forces have recaptured the vast majority of the enclave through the combination of a deadly air and ground assault and evacuation deals. After a six-week blitz the only remaining scrap of rebel-held territory centres on the main town of Douma, but Moscow-brokered talks over a possible evacuation have stalled as the group controlling it has pledged to stay put. Syria's army vowed it would now press on with "fighting in the area of Douma to rid it of terrorism", using the term it usually uses to refer to rebels. The announcement came shortly after state news agency SANA reported another rebel area was "empty of terrorism" as the last buses carrying rebels and civilians left it on Saturday afternoon as part of a deal to withdraw. More than 41,000 people have been bussed out of the southern pocket held by the Faylaq al-Rahman rebel group in over a week under the Russian-supervised agreement, according to a tally of state media figures. "It's a strategic victory against terror and a turning point" in the battle for Eastern Ghouta, an army officer told state television as soldiers around him celebrated. As of Saturday, regime forces supported by their Russian allies had retaken 95 percent of Eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The assault on Ghouta has killed more than 1,600 civilians since February 18 and seen tens of thousands more flee the fighting into regime-held areas, the Britain-based monitor says. Troops have pursued a divide-and-conquer strategy, seizing most of the enclave then breaking up what was left of it into three isolated pockets. In total, more than 45,500 people have left Eastern Ghouta under evacuation deals from the two first pockets. Now Jaish al-Islam are the only rebels left clinging on to their turf after the others were sent packing. The head of Jaish al-Islam's political office, Yasser Delwan, said late Saturday that talks over Douma's fate were ongoing. "But we still haven't reached an agreement," he said, however describing the atmosphere of the negotiations as "positive".On Friday, Russia's defence ministry said it had brokered a deal that would see rebels abandon Douma "shortly", but the fighters denied it immediately. Jaish al-Islam had been angling to reach a settlement with the Russians whereby they could stay. But negotiations faltered over the group's demands of a general amnesty and unrestricted movement for Douma residents across the country, a source with knowledge of the talks told AFP. Moscow threatened Jaish al-Islam with a renewed assault on the town if they did not agree to withdraw, and Syrian troops have amassed around the holdout. With the offensive on Eastern Ghouta, President Bashar al-Assad has sought to secure his capital Damascus, which was within mortar range of the rebel enclave. Last week, a rebel rocket attack on the capital killed 44 civilians. Assad's forces retaking Eastern Ghouta would be a considerable victory in Syria's seven-year war, which has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced millions. Syria's civil war started in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government protests. Eastern Ghouta is the "beating heart of the rebellion near Assad's capital," said analyst Nick Heras, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security. "When Assad stops that heart from beating, he eliminates the greatest threat to his rule in Damascus."

Syria Army vows to finish off last rebels in Ghouta

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday said all the seven terrorists killed in an encounter with the security forces in Shopian's Dragad were locals.

Terror groups in the Valley suffered a major setback as 11 terrorists were gunned down in counter-insurgency operations in three different areas in South Kashmir in which three Army jawans and two civilians were also killed.

Addressing a press briefing, Vaid said, "All seven terrorists killed in Shopian's Dragad have been identified as locals and their bodies have been claimed by their kin."

The DGP said that a huge cache of weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists.

He further said, "Two army jawans lost their lives in an encounter in Shopian. We caught one terrorist alive and one was killed, in Anantnag. Two army jawans lost their lives in the ongoing operation. Few J-K police, the CRPF, and the Army personnel have suffered injuries."

Talking about the terrorist who was killed, Vaid revealed that Anantnag's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) made efforts to convince him to shun violence, but to no avail.

"Anantnag SSP made a special effort. He spoke to his family members to convince him to leave the path of violence, but the terrorist did not listen," he said.

The operations by security forces rendered a severe dent to militant groups such as the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashker-e-Taiba, officials said.

Three army jawans have lost their lives in the operations at Kachdooru in Shopian, officials said, adding three bodies of militants have been recovered from the debris so far.

The operation has been called off at Kachdooru and the security personnel will search&nbspthe debris tomorrow again, the officials said.

The DGP said that a huge cache of weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists

Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid on Sunday said all the seven terrorists killed in an encounter with the security forces in Shopian's Dragad were locals. Terror groups in the Valley suffered a major setback as 11 terrorists were gunned down in counter-insurgency operations in three different areas in South Kashmir in which three Army jawans and two civilians were also killed. Addressing a press briefing, Vaid said, "All seven terrorists killed in Shopian's Dragad have been identified as locals and their bodies have been claimed by their kin." The DGP said that a huge cache of weapons were also recovered from the killed terrorists. He further said, "Two army jawans lost their lives in an encounter in Shopian. We caught one terrorist alive and one was killed, in Anantnag. Two army jawans lost their lives in the ongoing operation. Few J-K police, the CRPF, and the Army personnel have suffered injuries." Talking about the terrorist who was killed, Vaid revealed that Anantnag's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) made efforts to convince him to shun violence, but to no avail. "Anantnag SSP made a special effort. He spoke to his family members to convince him to leave the path of violence, but the terrorist did not listen," he said. The operations by security forces rendered a severe dent to militant groups such as the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Lashker-e-Taiba, officials said. Three army jawans have lost their lives in the operations at Kachdooru in Shopian, officials said, adding three bodies of militants have been recovered from the debris so far. The operation has been called off at Kachdooru and the security personnel will search&nbspthe debris tomorrow again, the officials said.

Terrorists killed in Shopian encounter were locals:  Shesh Paul Vaid

Nearly 680 people including locals and tourists in 320 vehicles stuck in unexpected heavy snowfall near Sela Pass near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh since yesterday afternoon were rescued by Army teams last evening, the operations continuing late into the night.

More than two feet of snow fell since yesterday noon and a large number of vehicles got stuck in sub-zero temperatures between Ahirgarh and Sela Pass.&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/img_7296-20180313102052.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
The road had about two-three feet of snow and was opened for traffic today by the Border Roads Organisation. (Zee News Network)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Three rescue teams from the nearest base at Baisakhi worked relentlessly till midnight and all people and vehicles were brought to safety.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/img_7295-20180313102240.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
With darkness setting in early, the entire operation was almost conducted in the dark and continued till all tourists were rescued. (Zee News Network)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

One team led by Havildar Prasan Rai working North of Sela extricated 188 stranded vehicles and approximately 400 civilians stuck in them to the Rescue Camp established at Jaswantgarh by 7.30 PM from where they moved on their own.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iLT-Zr90Q1g" width="560"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Additionally, two teams led by Captain Tarun Singh Guleria and Capt Lavanya Sharma were launched to rescue and evacuate civilians stranded South of Sela Pass and they evacuated 280 persons and 132 vehicles till late in the evening.

Conduct of rescue work in sub-zero temperatures at an altitude of more than 13,000 feet in a hazardous terrain under failing ambient lighting conditions posed a formidable challenge for the teams. The troops of the Baisakhi Brigade of the Blazing Sword Division toiled for more than seven hours to get all to safety.

The rescued included a one and a half-year-old child who was having difficulty in breathing and a seventy-year-old tourist whose blood pressure had spiked to more than 200. The critically ill patients were stabilized at the medical post at Ahirgarh and later evacuated.

Last year, sudden heavy snowfall at this location had killed a Bulgarian woman, while 127 other tourists, including five foreigners, were rescued by the army after they were stuck in a raging blizzard.

Three rescue teams from the nearest base at Baisakhi worked relentlessly till midnight and all people and vehicles were brought to safety

Nearly 680 people including locals and tourists in 320 vehicles stuck in unexpected heavy snowfall near Sela Pass near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh since yesterday afternoon were rescued by Army teams last evening, the operations continuing late into the night. More than two feet of snow fell since yesterday noon and a large number of vehicles got stuck in sub-zero temperatures between Ahirgarh and Sela Pass. The road had about two-three feet of snow and was opened for traffic today by the Border Roads Organisation. (Zee News Network) × Three rescue teams from the nearest base at Baisakhi worked relentlessly till midnight and all people and vehicles were brought to safety. With darkness setting in early, the entire operation was almost conducted in the dark and continued till all tourists were rescued. (Zee News Network) × One team led by Havildar Prasan Rai working North of Sela extricated 188 stranded vehicles and approximately 400 civilians stuck in them to the Rescue Camp established at Jaswantgarh by 7.30 PM from where they moved on their own. × Additionally, two teams led by Captain Tarun Singh Guleria and Capt Lavanya Sharma were launched to rescue and evacuate civilians stranded South of Sela Pass and they evacuated 280 persons and 132 vehicles till late in the evening. Conduct of rescue work in sub-zero temperatures at an altitude of more than 13,000 feet in a hazardous terrain under failing ambient lighting conditions posed a formidable challenge for the teams. The troops of the Baisakhi Brigade of the Blazing Sword Division toiled for more than seven hours to get all to safety. The rescued included a one and a half-year-old child who was having difficulty in breathing and a seventy-year-old tourist whose blood pressure had spiked to more than 200. The critically ill patients were stabilized at the medical post at Ahirgarh and later evacuated. Last year, sudden heavy snowfall at this location had killed a Bulgarian woman, while 127 other tourists, including five foreigners, were rescued by the army after they were stuck in a raging blizzard.

Heavy snowfall lashes Tawang, Army rescues 680 tourists

Three unidentified militants were today killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army said.

The&nbsp;encounter&nbsp;broke out between security forces and terrorists in&nbsp;Anantnag&#39;s Hakura in the early hours of Monday.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a>: Visuals from Anantnag&#39;s Hakura where three terrorists were killed in a brief encounter with security forces this morning. (visuals deferred by unspecified time) <a href="https://t.co/GfuFWdxORQ">pic.twitter.com/GfuFWdxORQ</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/973046290966827008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&nbsp;

According to primary information, no collateral damage to the security forces has been reported.

Army officials&nbsp;said three militants were killed in the pre-dawn encounter with security forces. The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants was not immediately known.&nbsp;

Further details are awaited.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Army officials said three militants were killed in the pre-dawn encounter with security forces

Three unidentified militants were today killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, the Army said. The encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Anantnag's Hakura in the early hours of Monday. #JammuAndKashmir: Visuals from Anantnag's Hakura where three terrorists were killed in a brief encounter with security forces this morning. (visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/GfuFWdxORQ — ANI (@ANI) March 12, 2018 × According to primary information, no collateral damage to the security forces has been reported. Army officials said three militants were killed in the pre-dawn encounter with security forces. The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants was not immediately known. Further details are awaited.

3 terrorists killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir

Syrian regime forces on Saturday cut off the largest town in Eastern Ghouta from the rest of the rebel-held enclave near Damascus, pressing on with a 20-day assault that has left more than 1,000 civilians dead.

Government troops and allied militia launched their military campaign for Eastern Ghouta on February 18 and have since overrun more than half of the area, defying global calls for a halt to the violence.&nbsp;

The assault has followed a divide-and-conquer strategy, eating away at rebel-held territory, and government forces on Saturday successfully isolated Ghouta&#39;s main town of Douma in a blow for the beleaguered rebels.

Regime fighters cut off a road linking Douma with the town of Harasta further west and also captured the town of Misraba, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

&quot;Regime forces have therefore divided Eastern Ghouta into three parts -- Douma and its surroundings, Harasta in the west, and the rest of the towns further south,&quot; the Britain-based monitor said.

Shelling and air strikes slammed into Douma on Saturday, trapping residents inside their basements for hours, AFP&#39;s correspondents in the town said.

Rescue workers and medics were struggling to navigate the town&#39;s rubble-littered roads to bring wounded residents back to field clinics.

At least 20 civilians -- including four children -- were killed in Douma on Saturday, in addition to 17 civilians in other battlefront towns, said the Observatory.&nbsp;

The deaths raised the assault`s total toll to 1,031 civilians, including 219 children, according to the Observatory. More than 4,350 have been wounded.&nbsp;

Douma&#39;s opposition-run local council issued an urgent &quot;distress call&quot; on Saturday to international organisations.&nbsp;

&quot;The bomb shelters and basements are full, and people are sleeping in the streets and in public gardens,&quot; the statement said.

&quot;For three days, it has been hard to bury the dead because of the intense bombing on the cemetery,&quot; it added.&nbsp;

Eastern Ghouta is the last remaining opposition-controlled zone on the outskirts of the capital, and rebels there have regularly fired rockets onto Damascus.

On Saturday, at least one child was killed and four other civilians wounded in rebel shelling on eastern districts of Damascus, according to state news agency SANA.&nbsp;

Rebels have tried to slow the advance with an attempted counter-offensive, but President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s forces steamrolled their efforts.

Syrian state television broadcast live footage from Misraba hours after it was captured by the army on Saturday, showing dozens of civilians in a dark basement, surrounded by troops.

One elderly man broke down into tears as he relayed how his family had fled to Douma under fierce bombardment.

Eastern Ghouta is home to around 400,000 people, living under a five-year siege that has made food and medical aid exceedingly rare.

On Friday, an aid convoy by the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent delivered food to hunger-stricken residents.

It was the second convoy in one week, after deliveries on Monday were interrupted by heavy bombardment.&nbsp;

The UN refugee agency&#39;s Syria representative, who entered Ghouta with Monday&#39;s convoy, said the area was &quot;on the verge of a major disaster&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;ve never seen such scared faces in my life,&quot; Sajjad Malik said Friday.&nbsp;

He described seeing a five-storey building that had been reduced to rubble, with a powerful stench emanating from several bodies trapped underneath.

Two Islamist groups are the most prominent rebel factions in Ghouta, but jihadists from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) -- once linked to Al-Qaeda&#39;s Syria branch -- also have a presence.

On Friday, 13 HTS members and their relatives were bussed out of the enclave.

Rebels said they would be taken to HTS territory in the northern province of Idlib, in an arrangement struck following consultations with the UN and international players.

Such evacuation deals have been repeatedly agreed in Syria&#39;s seven-year war, most notably in the second city of Aleppo in late 2016.

After a ferocious month-long government assault, thousands of rebel fighters and civilians were bussed out of the city&#39;s east.

That paved the way for Syria&#39;s government to announce the full recapture of Aleppo -- the largest defeat to date for the fractured opposition movement.&nbsp;

Syria&#39;s conflict erupted with protests against Assad but has since developed into a full-blown war drawing in world powers.

Russia has intervened on Assad&#39;s behalf while Turkey has backed rebels against his regime, rival jihadists and Kurdish forces.

Saturday, Ankara-backed rebels advanced against Kurdish militia in northwest Syria, coming to within two kilometres (just over one mile) of the flashpoint town of Afrin, the Observatory said.

Elsewhere in Syria, the White Helmets rescue force suffered its first female fatality on Saturday, after air strikes hit a rebel-held town in Idlib province.

Government troops and allied militia launched their military campaign for Eastern Ghouta on February 18

Syrian regime forces on Saturday cut off the largest town in Eastern Ghouta from the rest of the rebel-held enclave near Damascus, pressing on with a 20-day assault that has left more than 1,000 civilians dead. Government troops and allied militia launched their military campaign for Eastern Ghouta on February 18 and have since overrun more than half of the area, defying global calls for a halt to the violence. The assault has followed a divide-and-conquer strategy, eating away at rebel-held territory, and government forces on Saturday successfully isolated Ghouta's main town of Douma in a blow for the beleaguered rebels. Regime fighters cut off a road linking Douma with the town of Harasta further west and also captured the town of Misraba, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "Regime forces have therefore divided Eastern Ghouta into three parts -- Douma and its surroundings, Harasta in the west, and the rest of the towns further south," the Britain-based monitor said. Shelling and air strikes slammed into Douma on Saturday, trapping residents inside their basements for hours, AFP's correspondents in the town said. Rescue workers and medics were struggling to navigate the town's rubble-littered roads to bring wounded residents back to field clinics. At least 20 civilians -- including four children -- were killed in Douma on Saturday, in addition to 17 civilians in other battlefront towns, said the Observatory. The deaths raised the assault`s total toll to 1,031 civilians, including 219 children, according to the Observatory. More than 4,350 have been wounded. Douma's opposition-run local council issued an urgent "distress call" on Saturday to international organisations. "The bomb shelters and basements are full, and people are sleeping in the streets and in public gardens," the statement said. "For three days, it has been hard to bury the dead because of the intense bombing on the cemetery," it added. Eastern Ghouta is the last remaining opposition-controlled zone on the outskirts of the capital, and rebels there have regularly fired rockets onto Damascus. On Saturday, at least one child was killed and four other civilians wounded in rebel shelling on eastern districts of Damascus, according to state news agency SANA. Rebels have tried to slow the advance with an attempted counter-offensive, but President Bashar al-Assad's forces steamrolled their efforts. Syrian state television broadcast live footage from Misraba hours after it was captured by the army on Saturday, showing dozens of civilians in a dark basement, surrounded by troops. One elderly man broke down into tears as he relayed how his family had fled to Douma under fierce bombardment. Eastern Ghouta is home to around 400,000 people, living under a five-year siege that has made food and medical aid exceedingly rare. On Friday, an aid convoy by the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent delivered food to hunger-stricken residents. It was the second convoy in one week, after deliveries on Monday were interrupted by heavy bombardment. The UN refugee agency's Syria representative, who entered Ghouta with Monday's convoy, said the area was "on the verge of a major disaster". "I've never seen such scared faces in my life," Sajjad Malik said Friday. He described seeing a five-storey building that had been reduced to rubble, with a powerful stench emanating from several bodies trapped underneath. Two Islamist groups are the most prominent rebel factions in Ghouta, but jihadists from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) -- once linked to Al-Qaeda's Syria branch -- also have a presence. On Friday, 13 HTS members and their relatives were bussed out of the enclave. Rebels said they would be taken to HTS territory in the northern province of Idlib, in an arrangement struck following consultations with the UN and international players. Such evacuation deals have been repeatedly agreed in Syria's seven-year war, most notably in the second city of Aleppo in late 2016. After a ferocious month-long government assault, thousands of rebel fighters and civilians were bussed out of the city's east. That paved the way for Syria's government to announce the full recapture of Aleppo -- the largest defeat to date for the fractured opposition movement. Syria's conflict erupted with protests against Assad but has since developed into a full-blown war drawing in world powers. Russia has intervened on Assad's behalf while Turkey has backed rebels against his regime, rival jihadists and Kurdish forces. Saturday, Ankara-backed rebels advanced against Kurdish militia in northwest Syria, coming to within two kilometres (just over one mile) of the flashpoint town of Afrin, the Observatory said. Elsewhere in Syria, the White Helmets rescue force suffered its first female fatality on Saturday, after air strikes hit a rebel-held town in Idlib province.

Syria army cuts off main rebel town in Ghouta as death toll tops 1,000

The Indian Army on Friday concluded the 500 kilometres Chindits Trail Expedition near Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh.

The Expedition traversed across the Vindhya Ranges between Betwa and Ken Rivers and culminated on the banks of Narmada River.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/army%201-20180309051539.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
Indian Army conducting Trail Expedition. (ANI)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/army%202-20180309051522.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
Indian Army conducting Trail Expedition. (ANI)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/army%203-20180309051353.JPG" />
<div class="media-description">
Indian Army conducting Trail Expedition. (ANI)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

(With inputs from ANI)

The Expedition traversed across the Vindhya Ranges between Betwa and Ken Rivers and culminated on the banks of Narmada River

The Indian Army on Friday concluded the 500 kilometres Chindits Trail Expedition near Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh. The Expedition traversed across the Vindhya Ranges between Betwa and Ken Rivers and culminated on the banks of Narmada River. Indian Army conducting Trail Expedition. (ANI) × Indian Army conducting Trail Expedition. (ANI) × Indian Army conducting Trail Expedition. (ANI) × (With inputs from ANI)

In photos: Indian Army carries out 500 km Trail Expedition

An army soldier allegedly shot himself dead in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Kupwara district on Wednesday morning.

The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District.

The 24-year-old, of the 30RR, killed himself at around 6:45 am today.

It was immediately not clear as to why he ended his life. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched.

More details are awaited.

Just last week, another army soldier shot himself to death with his service rifle while on duty in Langate area of Handwara in north Kashmir&rsquo;s Kupwara district, &nbsp;police said.&nbsp;

The reason for the drastic step is still unclear.&nbsp;

The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District

An army soldier allegedly shot himself dead in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Wednesday morning. The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District. The 24-year-old, of the 30RR, killed himself at around 6:45 am today. It was immediately not clear as to why he ended his life. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched. More details are awaited. Just last week, another army soldier shot himself to death with his service rifle while on duty in Langate area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said. The reason for the drastic step is still unclear.

J&K: Army soldier shoot self, reason unclear

A Russian transport plane crashed on landing at an airbase in Syria Tuesday, the defence ministry said, killing all 39 people on board in one of the deadliest incidents since Moscow&#39;s intervention in the country&#39;s war.

The ministry said the 33 passengers and six crew members were all military personnel, in a statement carried by news agencies, revising up an earlier toll of 32.

&quot;The reason for the crash according to preliminary information could have been a technical fault,&quot; the ministry said, adding that the plane had not come under fire according to a report from the ground.&nbsp;

The transporter was around 500 metres (yards) from the runway at the Hmeimim airbase in western Syria, according to the defence ministry.

President Vladimir Putin expressed &quot;deep condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the crash and also to all of the military over the loss of their comrades&quot;.&nbsp;

Putin, who is on a trip in the Urals region, spoke to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the phone about the accident, according to the Kremlin.

A commission will investigate the causes of the crash, the defence ministry said.

The Investigative Committee, which covers major incidents, also announced a probe into possible safety breaches, saying the plane was carrying out a planned flight.

- Red Army Choir - 
The accident is the second greatest loss of life for Russia since Moscow&#39;s intervention in the war.

In December 2016, a military plane carrying the famed Red Army Choir to Syria crashed after taking off from Sochi, killing all 92 people on board.

Moscow began conducting air strikes in Syria in September 2015, and its intervention has swung the nearly seven-year conflict firmly in favour of the forces of President Bashar al-Assad.&nbsp;

Putin made a surprise visit to Hmeimim in December where he ordered the start of a pullout of Russian troops, saying their task in the war-torn country had been largely completed.

Three battalions of military police and officers of the Russian Centre for Reconciliation would remain in Syria, as well as two Russian bases, Shoigu said on a subsequent trip.

Antonov-26 planes are used by the military in Syria for internal flights transporting troops and supplies between provinces, Kommersant business daily reported.

The planes have also been used on press tours.

&#39;Black boxes found&#39; 
The transport plane crashed and burst into flames near the highway that connects Damascus to Latakia on Tuesday, the pro-Kremlin daily newspaper Izvestiya reported, adding that the black box flight recorders had been found.

Tuesday&#39;s crash brings Russia&#39;s official military losses in the Syrian war to 84.&nbsp;

The most recent officially acknowledged military loss in battle in Syria was last month when a Russian pilot was killed after his plane was downed over Idlib province.

Russia has also acknowledged that five of its citizens were killed in a US-led coalition bombing in the eastern Deir Ezzor province on February 7, in the first admission of non-military Russian personnel killed in combat.

Moscow also said &quot;several dozen&quot; were wounded in the coalition strike.

The United States said its strike killed at least 100 regime and allied fighters and various reports indicated a death toll of up to several hundred Russians from the strike.

Russian nationals are regularly reported to be serving as paid mercenaries in Syria and taking on dangerous missions that often lead to casualties.

However, officials deny this and serving as a mercenary is illegal under Russian law. &nbsp;

Moscow&#39;s Syrian air base Hmeimim has been targeted in several attacks.

The military said that two drones carrying explosives attacked the base in January without causing any casualties.

On New Year&#39;s Eve last year, a mortar attack on the base killed two Russian soldiers.

In the most recent accident at the base, a Sukhoi military jet crashed while trying to take off in October, killing two crew members.

The defence ministry said the 33 passengers and six crew members were all military personnel, in a statement carried by news agencies, revising up an earlier toll of 32

A Russian transport plane crashed on landing at an airbase in Syria Tuesday, the defence ministry said, killing all 39 people on board in one of the deadliest incidents since Moscow's intervention in the country's war. The ministry said the 33 passengers and six crew members were all military personnel, in a statement carried by news agencies, revising up an earlier toll of 32. "The reason for the crash according to preliminary information could have been a technical fault," the ministry said, adding that the plane had not come under fire according to a report from the ground. The transporter was around 500 metres (yards) from the runway at the Hmeimim airbase in western Syria, according to the defence ministry. President Vladimir Putin expressed "deep condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed in the crash and also to all of the military over the loss of their comrades". Putin, who is on a trip in the Urals region, spoke to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on the phone about the accident, according to the Kremlin. A commission will investigate the causes of the crash, the defence ministry said. The Investigative Committee, which covers major incidents, also announced a probe into possible safety breaches, saying the plane was carrying out a planned flight. - Red Army Choir - The accident is the second greatest loss of life for Russia since Moscow's intervention in the war. In December 2016, a military plane carrying the famed Red Army Choir to Syria crashed after taking off from Sochi, killing all 92 people on board. Moscow began conducting air strikes in Syria in September 2015, and its intervention has swung the nearly seven-year conflict firmly in favour of the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. Putin made a surprise visit to Hmeimim in December where he ordered the start of a pullout of Russian troops, saying their task in the war-torn country had been largely completed. Three battalions of military police and officers of the Russian Centre for Reconciliation would remain in Syria, as well as two Russian bases, Shoigu said on a subsequent trip. Antonov-26 planes are used by the military in Syria for internal flights transporting troops and supplies between provinces, Kommersant business daily reported. The planes have also been used on press tours. 'Black boxes found' The transport plane crashed and burst into flames near the highway that connects Damascus to Latakia on Tuesday, the pro-Kremlin daily newspaper Izvestiya reported, adding that the black box flight recorders had been found. Tuesday's crash brings Russia's official military losses in the Syrian war to 84. The most recent officially acknowledged military loss in battle in Syria was last month when a Russian pilot was killed after his plane was downed over Idlib province. Russia has also acknowledged that five of its citizens were killed in a US-led coalition bombing in the eastern Deir Ezzor province on February 7, in the first admission of non-military Russian personnel killed in combat. Moscow also said "several dozen" were wounded in the coalition strike. The United States said its strike killed at least 100 regime and allied fighters and various reports indicated a death toll of up to several hundred Russians from the strike. Russian nationals are regularly reported to be serving as paid mercenaries in Syria and taking on dangerous missions that often lead to casualties. However, officials deny this and serving as a mercenary is illegal under Russian law. Moscow's Syrian air base Hmeimim has been targeted in several attacks. The military said that two drones carrying explosives attacked the base in January without causing any casualties. On New Year's Eve last year, a mortar attack on the base killed two Russian soldiers. In the most recent accident at the base, a Sukhoi military jet crashed while trying to take off in October, killing two crew members.

39 dead in Russian plane crash at Syria base: Kremlin

A Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist who plotted last month&rsquo;s attack at an army camp in Sunjuwan was killed in a gun battle in south Kashmir, sources in the security forces said on Monday.

Mufti Waqas, the mastermind of the February 10 attack that left seven people, &nbsp;was killed in an encounter with the Army&rsquo;s 50 Rashtriya Rifles and the Jammu and Kashmir&rsquo;s Police in Pulwama&rsquo;s Lethpora.

Shesh Paul Vaid, the Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police, said on Twitter that the terrorist has been gunned down.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
He was Cheif Commander of JEM in J&amp;K &amp; master mind of suicidal attacks of Sunjuwan , Lethpora , Pulwama DPL and BSF at Srinagar airport.
&mdash; Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) <a href="https://twitter.com/spvaid/status/970652807899549698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&quot;Waqas, the operation commander of JeM, eliminated in Awantipora. He was the mastermind behind several terrorist attacks on security forces including Sunjuwan attack. Weapons &amp; incriminating materials like IED preparation material recovered. He is a foreign terrorist,&quot; said Kashmir IG SP Pani.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Waqas, operation commander of JeM, eliminated in Awantipora. He was mastermind behind several terrorist attacks on security forces including Sunjuwan attack. Weapons &amp; incriminating materials like IED preparation material recovered. He is a foreign terrorist: SP Pani, IG Kashmir <a href="https://t.co/obVOuXHMGE">pic.twitter.com/obVOuXHMGE</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/970651933231996928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

One policeman also sustained minor injuries in the encounter and was shifted to a nearby hospital.

Waqas's death is being seen as a major win in the war against the terror outfit.

A Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist who plotted last month’s attack at an army camp in Sunjuwan was killed in a gun battle in south Kashmir, sources in the security forces said on Monday. Mufti Waqas, the mastermind of the February 10 attack that left seven people, was killed in an encounter with the Army’s 50 Rashtriya Rifles and the Jammu and Kashmir’s Police in Pulwama’s Lethpora. Shesh Paul Vaid, the Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police, said on Twitter that the terrorist has been gunned down. He was Cheif Commander of JEM in J&K & master mind of suicidal attacks of Sunjuwan , Lethpora , Pulwama DPL and BSF at Srinagar airport. — Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) March 5, 2018 × "Waqas, the operation commander of JeM, eliminated in Awantipora. He was the mastermind behind several terrorist attacks on security forces including Sunjuwan attack. Weapons & incriminating materials like IED preparation material recovered. He is a foreign terrorist," said Kashmir IG SP Pani. Waqas, operation commander of JeM, eliminated in Awantipora. He was mastermind behind several terrorist attacks on security forces including Sunjuwan attack. Weapons & incriminating materials like IED preparation material recovered. He is a foreign terrorist: SP Pani, IG Kashmir pic.twitter.com/obVOuXHMGE — ANI (@ANI) March 5, 2018 × One policeman also sustained minor injuries in the encounter and was shifted to a nearby hospital.

Sunjuwan terror attack mastermind Mufti Waqas killed in south Kashmir: Army

As China should work towards reducing tension in the Indian Ocean Region and put pressure on Pakistan to accept India&#39;s position over Kashmir, an improved Sino-Indian relationship can only be possible if India, in response, should agree to facilitate the unhindered utilisation of Chinese-built road through Aksai Chin. The Chinese built this road to serve some very crucial logistical purposes, particularly, to connect with the Xin Jiang province, the raison de etre for the occupation of Aksai Chin in 1962. Further, India should also agree to transit facilities to China for CPEC infrastructure, passing through the Indian territory in POK.&nbsp;&nbsp;

China needs to persuade Pakistan to see reason in revisiting their political priorities. Pakistan&#39;s Kashmir obsession has catapulted it into a political cauldron of the economic mess, governance deficit and slanderous afflictions associated with terrorism. It has been amply proved in Pakistan&#39;s case that the religion alone is not the binding force to sustain the viability of a nation-state. Pakistan needs to introspect their politico-religious concepts as they have failed to keep East Pakistan based on it and there are dissident movements continuing within Pakistan, indicating flaws in theological overreach which Pakistan propagates in Kashmir.

Moreover, looking at current US strategic interests, Russian assertiveness, and Chinese aggressiveness in the Asian landscape,&nbsp; it has the potential to impact on political autonomy and security of Pakistan itself.&nbsp; Reconciliation with India would bestow higher political buoyancy to absorb the negative influences of extra-regional manipulations which is a bigger threat to them as on date. Pakistani civil society and think tanks are abuzz with such fears and have been vocal in favour of an urgent need of a reality check by the ruling establishment.&nbsp;

Post reconciliation, if it happens, Pakistan would no longer require strategic depth against India which has been the primary motive of their complicity in fostering insurgency in Afghanistan. As a cascading effect, it would pave the way for reconciliation amongst the warring factions of Afghanistan as Pakistan have substantial influence over Taliban and their affiliates. It will help in bringing about political stability in the Af-Pak region, leading to a gradual reduction in terrorism, a matter of grave international concern. It would also deny any excuse for extra-regional powers to meddle in their internal affairs to an extent they do it as of now.&nbsp;&nbsp;

With security situation improving in Afghanistan, the success of CPEC would get a further boost with the participation of Central Asian Republics and Eurasian countries. Besides this, Pakistan would have much needed higher economic synergies with a friendly India and its&nbsp; MFN status for trade and commerce. As a consequence, Pakistan would have fair chances to bring about their economic turnaround. It is time for Pakistan to realise that their political vibrancy is a function of regional cohesiveness and not extra-regional political surrogacy.&nbsp;

The&nbsp; spectre of ten ASEAN heads of states on 69th republic day of India, Quad sponsored mil exercises in Indo- Pacific, suspension&nbsp; of US aid to Pakistan,&nbsp; Indian&nbsp; concern on illegality of CPEC alignment through POK, Chabahar port as an alternate linkage to Afghanistan and Eurasia are all links to a subtle&nbsp; political message to China and Pakistan combine signaling them to revisit their priority matrix . India is central to this diplomatic push being the dominant power in IOR and South Asian landscape, hence need be taken seriously.&nbsp;

Unlike Chinese self-seeking exclusivity, India has aspirations of peaceful growth including everyone as per their ancient philosophy of &ldquo;Vasudeva Kutumbam&rdquo;(the world is one family). The key to Chinese aspirations and Pakistani politico-economic stability lies in recognising the legally correct status of J&amp;K as it existed at the time of accession with India, and restoring forced occupation of its territories to India. Yes, it is difficult to change the subversive political narratives propagated by both China and Pakistan for their vested interests all these years. But, given the current national interests of all parties, reconciliation is the only sensible way forward, and it is bound to happen sooner or later. Therefore, it is time to move away from the designed manipulative discourses by the Chinese as well as Pakistani leaders.&nbsp;

India as an economically vibrant, militarily strong, politically mature nation with strong strategic pull is a beacon to be rallied around to bring in positive political synergies in the South Asian landscape.&nbsp; Marching together with India will bring about higher strategic dividends to both China as well as Pakistan, a win-win situation for all.&nbsp;

To do all these, the Chinese political tango needs a paradigm shift in the orchestration of her steps in sync with contemporary global strategic outlook and keeping in rhythm with regional compatriots to achieve their ambitions of world leadership role. The ball is in China&rsquo;s court. Take it, or leave it.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

China needs to persuade Pakistan to see reason in revisiting their political priorities in Kashmir.

As China should work towards reducing tension in the Indian Ocean Region and put pressure on Pakistan to accept India's position over Kashmir, an improved Sino-Indian relationship can only be possible if India, in response, should agree to facilitate the unhindered utilisation of Chinese-built road through Aksai Chin. The Chinese built this road to serve some very crucial logistical purposes, particularly, to connect with the Xin Jiang province, the raison de etre for the occupation of Aksai Chin in 1962. Further, India should also agree to transit facilities to China for CPEC infrastructure, passing through the Indian territory in POK. China needs to persuade Pakistan to see reason in revisiting their political priorities. Pakistan's Kashmir obsession has catapulted it into a political cauldron of the economic mess, governance deficit and slanderous afflictions associated with terrorism. It has been amply proved in Pakistan's case that the religion alone is not the binding force to sustain the viability of a nation-state. Pakistan needs to introspect their politico-religious concepts as they have failed to keep East Pakistan based on it and there are dissident movements continuing within Pakistan, indicating flaws in theological overreach which Pakistan propagates in Kashmir. Moreover, looking at current US strategic interests, Russian assertiveness, and Chinese aggressiveness in the Asian landscape, it has the potential to impact on political autonomy and security of Pakistan itself. Reconciliation with India would bestow higher political buoyancy to absorb the negative influences of extra-regional manipulations which is a bigger threat to them as on date. Pakistani civil society and think tanks are abuzz with such fears and have been vocal in favour of an urgent need of a reality check by the ruling establishment. Post reconciliation, if it happens, Pakistan would no longer require strategic depth against India which has been the primary motive of their complicity in fostering insurgency in Afghanistan. As a cascading effect, it would pave the way for reconciliation amongst the warring factions of Afghanistan as Pakistan have substantial influence over Taliban and their affiliates. It will help in bringing about political stability in the Af-Pak region, leading to a gradual reduction in terrorism, a matter of grave international concern. It would also deny any excuse for extra-regional powers to meddle in their internal affairs to an extent they do it as of now. With security situation improving in Afghanistan, the success of CPEC would get a further boost with the participation of Central Asian Republics and Eurasian countries. Besides this, Pakistan would have much needed higher economic synergies with a friendly India and its MFN status for trade and commerce. As a consequence, Pakistan would have fair chances to bring about their economic turnaround. It is time for Pakistan to realise that their political vibrancy is a function of regional cohesiveness and not extra-regional political surrogacy. The spectre of ten ASEAN heads of states on 69th republic day of India, Quad sponsored mil exercises in Indo- Pacific, suspension of US aid to Pakistan, Indian concern on illegality of CPEC alignment through POK, Chabahar port as an alternate linkage to Afghanistan and Eurasia are all links to a subtle political message to China and Pakistan combine signaling them to revisit their priority matrix . India is central to this diplomatic push being the dominant power in IOR and South Asian landscape, hence need be taken seriously. Unlike Chinese self-seeking exclusivity, India has aspirations of peaceful growth including everyone as per their ancient philosophy of “Vasudeva Kutumbam”(the world is one family). The key to Chinese aspirations and Pakistani politico-economic stability lies in recognising the legally correct status of J&K as it existed at the time of accession with India, and restoring forced occupation of its territories to India. Yes, it is difficult to change the subversive political narratives propagated by both China and Pakistan for their vested interests all these years. But, given the current national interests of all parties, reconciliation is the only sensible way forward, and it is bound to happen sooner or later. Therefore, it is time to move away from the designed manipulative discourses by the Chinese as well as Pakistani leaders. India as an economically vibrant, militarily strong, politically mature nation with strong strategic pull is a beacon to be rallied around to bring in positive political synergies in the South Asian landscape. Marching together with India will bring about higher strategic dividends to both China as well as Pakistan, a win-win situation for all. To do all these, the Chinese political tango needs a paradigm shift in the orchestration of her steps in sync with contemporary global strategic outlook and keeping in rhythm with regional compatriots to achieve their ambitions of world leadership role. The ball is in China’s court. Take it, or leave it. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Kashmir is key to political reconciliation between India, Pakistan, China

The Indian Army has killed at lat 20 Pakistan Rangers and left around 7 wounded in cross-border firing along the Line of Control (LoC) this year.&nbsp;

The information was brought to light on Thursday and added that Indian Army has been doing pro-active operations along LoC due to ongoing ceasefire violations and due to reports of 180 to 200 terrorists waiting to cross South of Pir Panjal ranges which includes areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar.

&ldquo;Similar number of terrorists (180-200) are ready to cross LoC in North of Pir Panjal Ranges. In the action by Indian Army Pakistan has suffered 20 casualties &amp; 7 more were injured in 2018. This number was 138 casualties in 2017 with 156 people getting injured,&rdquo; ANI quoted.

The area south of Pir Panjal ranges includes Poonch, Rajouri, and Mendhar.

The insiders further revealed that the army is very much active in the Valley and is involved in pro-active operations due to the ongoing ceasefire violations.

Also, the Indian Army had suffered 10 casualties during ceasefire violations along the LoC this year.

They have been ordered to go ahead with cross firing in case of any act of violence by Pakistani troops along the LoC.&nbsp;

In 2017, the number of causalities on Pakistan side was 138. &nbsp;

(With ANI inputs)

Also, the Indian Army had suffered 10 casualties during ceasefire violations along the LoC this year

The Indian Army has killed at lat 20 Pakistan Rangers and left around 7 wounded in cross-border firing along the Line of Control (LoC) this year. The information was brought to light on Thursday and added that Indian Army has been doing pro-active operations along LoC due to ongoing ceasefire violations and due to reports of 180 to 200 terrorists waiting to cross South of Pir Panjal ranges which includes areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar. “Similar number of terrorists (180-200) are ready to cross LoC in North of Pir Panjal Ranges. In the action by Indian Army Pakistan has suffered 20 casualties & 7 more were injured in 2018. This number was 138 casualties in 2017 with 156 people getting injured,” ANI quoted. The area south of Pir Panjal ranges includes Poonch, Rajouri, and Mendhar. The insiders further revealed that the army is very much active in the Valley and is involved in pro-active operations due to the ongoing ceasefire violations. Also, the Indian Army had suffered 10 casualties during ceasefire violations along the LoC this year. They have been ordered to go ahead with cross firing in case of any act of violence by Pakistani troops along the LoC. In 2017, the number of causalities on Pakistan side was 138. (With ANI inputs)

Indian Army killed 20 Pakistan Rangers this year

A preliminary enquiry has been ordered by the Army to ascertain facts on suspected leakage of classified information from IT devices of a Lt Colonel posted in Jabalpur.&nbsp;

&quot;It is yet to be established whether it has happened inadvertently or deliberately as reported,&quot; a senior Army official told ANI.

The officer has only been questioned as part of an ongoing enquiry, the official said.

&quot;He continues to perform his routine duties in the unit. Evidence related to the case including digital evidence has been seized and sent for further forensic analysis,&quot; the official said.

Recently, An Indian Air Force (IAF) officer was taken into custody for possibly leaking of classified information.

The authorities are still investigating the case.

In another case, the Delhi Police arrested an IAF officer Group Captain Arun Marwah on charges of providing secret IAF documents to Pakistan&#39;s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence(ISI).

The officer has only been questioned as part of an ongoing enquiry, the official said.

A preliminary enquiry has been ordered by the Army to ascertain facts on suspected leakage of classified information from IT devices of a Lt Colonel posted in Jabalpur. "It is yet to be established whether it has happened inadvertently or deliberately as reported," a senior Army official told ANI. The officer has only been questioned as part of an ongoing enquiry, the official said. "He continues to perform his routine duties in the unit. Evidence related to the case including digital evidence has been seized and sent for further forensic analysis," the official said. Recently, An Indian Air Force (IAF) officer was taken into custody for possibly leaking of classified information. The authorities are still investigating the case. In another case, the Delhi Police arrested an IAF officer Group Captain Arun Marwah on charges of providing secret IAF documents to Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence(ISI).

Army probing suspected leak of classified information

Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu, General Officer, Northern Command said today that social media was a big factor for the&nbsp;increase in terror-related activities as the youth are increasingly using it on a large scale.

&quot;The youth joining terrorism is a concern, we need to address this trend,&quot; Lt Gen Anbu said.

Addressing a press conference, the northern command chief said anyone who has arms&nbsp;and is against the state, is a terrorist, adding that terror organizations &nbsp;Hizbul Mujahideen, JeM and LeT are hand-in-glove in the Kashmir Valley.

Taking a dig at those who recently whipped up the issue of religion in the Indian Army, Lt Gen Anbu said: &quot;We don&#39;t communalise martyrs, those making statements don&#39;t know the Army well.&quot;

On the recent spate of terror attacks, Lt Gen Anbu declared that the enemy was &quot;frustrated&quot;&nbsp; so&nbsp;it was trying to attack &quot;soft targets&quot;.

&quot;Last year we focused on the leadership and eliminated it,&quot; he said.

Addressing a press conference, the northern command chief said anyone who has arms and is against the state, is a terrorist,

Lieutenant General Devraj Anbu, General Officer, Northern Command said today that social media was a big factor for the increase in terror-related activities as the youth are increasingly using it on a large scale. "The youth joining terrorism is a concern, we need to address this trend," Lt Gen Anbu said. Addressing a press conference, the northern command chief said anyone who has arms and is against the state, is a terrorist, adding that terror organizations Hizbul Mujahideen, JeM and LeT are hand-in-glove in the Kashmir Valley. Taking a dig at those who recently whipped up the issue of religion in the Indian Army, Lt Gen Anbu said: "We don't communalise martyrs, those making statements don't know the Army well." On the recent spate of terror attacks, Lt Gen Anbu declared that the enemy was "frustrated" so it was trying to attack "soft targets". "Last year we focused on the leadership and eliminated it," he said.

We don't communalise martyrs, those making statements don't know the Army: Lt Gen Anbu, northern command chief

army

Army, News on Army, stories on Army, articles on Army, Army stories at Wion, Army news, Army latest news