Remember that whacky dadi from Ajay Devgn starrer ‘Raid’ who helps him unknowingly in unearthing the illegal money in the film? She is no more.

Pushpa Joshi who was Bollywood’s oldest debutante at the age of 85 with ‘Raid’ died on Tuesday. Director Raj Kumar Gupta shared a tweet remembering the actress fondly. He wrote, “Very sad to hear about the passing away of Pushpa Joshi ji. One of the highlights of my directing career was watching you perform in RAID. You were a live wire on and off the sets. Wherever you are you will be smiling and spreading happiness Dadi ji. We will miss you. RIP,” Gupta wrote.

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Very sad to hear about the passing away of Pushpa Joshi ji. One of the highlights of my directing career was watching you perform in RAID. You were a live wire on and off the sets. Wherever you are you will be smiling and spreading happiness Dadi ji. We will miss you. RIP. <a href="https://t.co/TMleLe1oJA">pic.twitter.com/TMleLe1oJA</a>
— Raj Kumar Gupta (@rajkumar_rkg) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajkumar_rkg/status/1199665970773544960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Casting director Shikha Pradeep also mourned Pushpa Joshi’s loss. In a Facebook post, she wrote, “The oldest debutant in Hindi cinema who at the age of 85 started her acting career with the movie Raid, played so many characters with such a ease be it in films or it is in tvcs (Fevikwik dadi) where I got a chance to cast her and many other different roles that everyone fell in love with her.”

“On 26th Nov’19 she breathed her last, we lost this shining star forever. Farewell Pushpaji, Rest in peace,” Shikha added.

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Pushpa Joshi was cast in ‘Raid’ after the makers saw her in the short film ‘Zaayka’. She is also fondly remembered for her appearance in an advertisement for glue brand Fevikwik.

Remember that whacky dadi from Ajay Devgn starrer ‘Raid’ who helps him unknowingly in unearthing the illegal money in the film? She is no more. Pushpa Joshi who was Bollywood’s oldest debutante at the age of 85 with ‘Raid’ died on Tuesday.

Remember that whacky dadi from Ajay Devgn starrer ‘Raid’ who helps him unknowingly in unearthing the illegal money in the film? She is no more. Pushpa Joshi who was Bollywood’s oldest debutante at the age of 85 with ‘Raid’ died on Tuesday. Director Raj Kumar Gupta shared a tweet remembering the actress fondly. He wrote, “Very sad to hear about the passing away of Pushpa Joshi ji. One of the highlights of my directing career was watching you perform in RAID. You were a live wire on and off the sets. Wherever you are you will be smiling and spreading happiness Dadi ji. We will miss you. RIP,” Gupta wrote. Very sad to hear about the passing away of Pushpa Joshi ji. One of the highlights of my directing career was watching you perform in RAID. You were a live wire on and off the sets. Wherever you are you will be smiling and spreading happiness Dadi ji. We will miss you. RIP. pic.twitter.com/TMleLe1oJA — Raj Kumar Gupta (@rajkumar_rkg) November 27, 2019 × Casting director Shikha Pradeep also mourned Pushpa Joshi’s loss. In a Facebook post, she wrote, “The oldest debutant in Hindi cinema who at the age of 85 started her acting career with the movie Raid, played so many characters with such a ease be it in films or it is in tvcs (Fevikwik dadi) where I got a chance to cast her and many other different roles that everyone fell in love with her.” “On 26th Nov’19 she breathed her last, we lost this shining star forever. Farewell Pushpaji, Rest in peace,” Shikha added. Pushpa Joshi was cast in ‘Raid’ after the makers saw her in the short film ‘Zaayka’. She is also fondly remembered for her appearance in an advertisement for glue brand Fevikwik.

Pushpa Joshi, cool grandmother in Ajay Devgn starrer 'Raid' no more

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted searches at around 187 places in various states and Union Territories and has registered around 42 cases of bank frauds involving approximately Rs 7,200 crore. Searches are still in progress. 
 
The searches are being conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Dadra and Nagar Haveli related to bank fraud cases. 
 
The banks involved (including consortium members) are Andhra Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Indian Overseas Bank, State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, Canara Bank, Dena Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, Central Bank of India, Union Bank of India, IDBI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra and Bank of India, read a statement from the CBI. 
 
The places being searched were in Delhi, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Dehradun, Noida, Baramati, Mumbai, Thane, Silvassa, Kalyan, Amritsar, Faridabad, Bengaluru, Tirupur, Chennai, Madurai, Quilon, Cochin, Bhavnagar, Surat, Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Chandauli, Bhatinda, Gurdaspur, Morena, Kolkata, Patna, Krishna, Hyderabad and Bhopal. 
 
Out of these 42 cases, there are four cases of more than Rs 1000 crore (approximately) and 11 cases of fraud amount of Rs 100 crore (approximately) to Rs 1000 crore (approximately), CBI statement added. 
 
Among the prominent cases registered include - a case against a Malad (East) Mumbai/Bhopal based private company; its five Directors/Additional Director/Guarantors and unknown public servants on the allegations that the accused Directors and Guarantors of the company engaged in bulk trading of agro commodities, in connivance with unknown bank officials and others fraudulently availed credit facilities of Rs. 6000 crore (approximately) from SBI, Bhopal by resorting to falsification of accounts and forgery of documents, such as the bill of lading, falsely showing the movement of goods etc. 
 
During searches, incriminating documents have been recovered so far.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted searches at around 187 places in various states and Union Territories and has registered around 42 cases of bank frauds involving approximately Rs 7,200 crore.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted searches at around 187 places in various states and Union Territories and has registered around 42 cases of bank frauds involving approximately Rs 7,200 crore. Searches are still in progress. The searches are being conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Dadra and Nagar Haveli related to bank fraud cases. The banks involved (including consortium members) are Andhra Bank, Oriental Bank of Commerce, Indian Overseas Bank, State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, Canara Bank, Dena Bank, Punjab and Sind Bank, Punjab National Bank, Central Bank of India, Union Bank of India, IDBI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of Maharashtra and Bank of India, read a statement from the CBI. The places being searched were in Delhi, Gurugram, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Dehradun, Noida, Baramati, Mumbai, Thane, Silvassa, Kalyan, Amritsar, Faridabad, Bengaluru, Tirupur, Chennai, Madurai, Quilon, Cochin, Bhavnagar, Surat, Ahmedabad, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Varanasi, Chandauli, Bhatinda, Gurdaspur, Morena, Kolkata, Patna, Krishna, Hyderabad and Bhopal. Out of these 42 cases, there are four cases of more than Rs 1000 crore (approximately) and 11 cases of fraud amount of Rs 100 crore (approximately) to Rs 1000 crore (approximately), CBI statement added. Among the prominent cases registered include - a case against a Malad (East) Mumbai/Bhopal based private company; its five Directors/Additional Director/Guarantors and unknown public servants on the allegations that the accused Directors and Guarantors of the company engaged in bulk trading of agro commodities, in connivance with unknown bank officials and others fraudulently availed credit facilities of Rs. 6000 crore (approximately) from SBI, Bhopal by resorting to falsification of accounts and forgery of documents, such as the bill of lading, falsely showing the movement of goods etc. During searches, incriminating documents have been recovered so far.

CBI unearths 42 cases of bank fraud after raids at 172 locations

Australia on Friday acknowledged it may have killed as many as 18 civilians in an air strike on Mosul two years ago, during a massive and ultimately successful campaign to dislodge jihadi fighters.

Following an internal investigation, the Australian Defence Forces said coalition raids against Islamic State group positions in the then-occupied northern Iraqi city on June 13, 2017 "may have caused civilian casualties".

"The coalition assesses that between six and 18 civilians may have been killed," during strikes on the Al Shafaar neighbourhood.

Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld indicated there was no firm information about the number of deaths or whether they came as a result of the Australian strike, or from other coalition members.

The intense aerial bombardment to retake what had been Iraq's second-largest city has already been the subject of intense scrutiny, with the US-led coalition admitting over 1,100 civilian casualties.

A total of 30,008 strikes against IS were carried out between August 2014 and the end of August 2018, with the Mosul campaign being particularly intense.

Critics have alleged the coalition strategy leaned too much on overwhelming air power. While quicker and posing fewer risks for coalition forces, they allege it put civilians at greater risk.&nbsp;

Monitoring group Airwars says the number of civilian deaths acknowledged by the coalition is well below the true toll of the bombing campaign, estimating that at least 7,468 civilians were killed.

IS was known to hold civilians as human shields in a deliberate effort evade detection, deter air strikes and shape Western public opinion against the war.

Hupfeld said the Australian strike was requested by Iraqi security forces and was in "full compliance with the law of armed conflict and applicable rules of engagement".

"The Australian Defence Force takes all feasible precautions to minimise the risk of civilian casualties."

Ahead of the strike, seven IS fighters were identified in a building and adjacent courtyard, armed with heavy weapons.

They were hit with a "500lb precision guided munition" which "achieved the effect desired".

Australia's defence forces said the civilian casualties were in a nearby building.

Australia on Friday acknowledged it may have killed as many as 18 civilians in an air strike on Mosul two years ago, during a massive and ultimately successful campaign to dislodge jihadi fighters.

Australia on Friday acknowledged it may have killed as many as 18 civilians in an air strike on Mosul two years ago, during a massive and ultimately successful campaign to dislodge jihadi fighters. Following an internal investigation, the Australian Defence Forces said coalition raids against Islamic State group positions in the then-occupied northern Iraqi city on June 13, 2017 "may have caused civilian casualties". "The coalition assesses that between six and 18 civilians may have been killed," during strikes on the Al Shafaar neighbourhood. Air Marshal Mel Hupfeld indicated there was no firm information about the number of deaths or whether they came as a result of the Australian strike, or from other coalition members. The intense aerial bombardment to retake what had been Iraq's second-largest city has already been the subject of intense scrutiny, with the US-led coalition admitting over 1,100 civilian casualties. A total of 30,008 strikes against IS were carried out between August 2014 and the end of August 2018, with the Mosul campaign being particularly intense. Critics have alleged the coalition strategy leaned too much on overwhelming air power. While quicker and posing fewer risks for coalition forces, they allege it put civilians at greater risk. Monitoring group Airwars says the number of civilian deaths acknowledged by the coalition is well below the true toll of the bombing campaign, estimating that at least 7,468 civilians were killed. IS was known to hold civilians as human shields in a deliberate effort evade detection, deter air strikes and shape Western public opinion against the war. Hupfeld said the Australian strike was requested by Iraqi security forces and was in "full compliance with the law of armed conflict and applicable rules of engagement". "The Australian Defence Force takes all feasible precautions to minimise the risk of civilian casualties." Ahead of the strike, seven IS fighters were identified in a building and adjacent courtyard, armed with heavy weapons. They were hit with a "500lb precision guided munition" which "achieved the effect desired". Australia's defence forces said the civilian casualties were in a nearby building.

Australia admits 'may have killed' civilians in 2017 Mosul raid

Robert Vadra's lawyer on Friday alleged that the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/enforcement-directorate-raids-robert-vadras-close-associates-182254">Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids</a> at the premises of close associates of his client at the behest of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government to plant false evidence against the businessman to divert attention from the probable loss of recently-held Legislative Assembly elections.

Vadra, son-in-law of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, is being investigated by the ED in connection with a land deal.

Vadra's advocate Suman Khaitan claimed that the ED officials raided "close associates" and business partners of Vadra in Delhi without even showing any search warrants.

"They (Centre) have not found any evidence since last four-and-half years. So they wanted to come, lock the door, plant evidence today. They will lose elections and to divert attention, they will claim that they found the evidence (which is actually) manufactured and planted," Khaitan told media in Delhi.

"On the basis of law, can they conduct raids without letting us inside? They have locked up people of Sky Light Hospitality inside. They are not allowing them to come out and allowing us in. We have been knocking the door since morning, but they are pretending as if they can't hear us. Is this the rule of law? Is this Nazism? Is this Indian democracy? What I will do if they will plant evidence inside? We don't know who these people are," he added.

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Delhi: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Visuals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Visuals</a> from Robert Vadra's office Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd in Sukhdev Vihar where ED was conducting a raid since yesterday. Company's advocate says, "they entered by breaking doors &amp; kept employees locked for 13-14 hours. They have completely ransacked the office" <a href="https://t.co/dEBA26bkVz">pic.twitter.com/dEBA26bkVz</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1071176549037195264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Khaitan said that the officials raiding properties of Vadra's close aide neither showed any search warrant nor revealed their identities.

"We are presuming it is ED. In the morning, when our lawyers asked them about their identity, they refused to say anything. Is the Indian Constitution not being destroyed? Two days back, I went to the ED and submitted 600-pages documents. Before that on November 26 also I gave the same documents. Since last four-five years, he (Vadra) has been summoned eight to 10 times. Every time we have gone," Khaitan said.

"Did they say they want to interrogate him? No. Did they say he is an accused? No. Did they say I need you as a witness? No. They said you please come and give the documents. I have given them the same. Now, do they want to see his face? If you want to interrogate him or accuse him, then they need to mention that in summon," he added.

Khaitan also informed that Vadra was not present at the spot during the raids.

He said a newspaper had reported that that three summons had been served on Vadra by the ED but "we have received none."

Vadra had earlier this week alleged that the corruption probe against him is a result of a political witch-hunt aimed at "besmirching his dignity and reputation".

In a Facebook post, Vadra further claimed that the authorities are well aware that there is no case against him and the proceedings are a mere "media circus to distracting the public."

Robert Vadra's lawyer on Friday alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the premises of close associates of his client at the behest of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government to plant false evidence against the businessman to divert attention from the probable loss of recently-held Legislative Assembly elections.

Robert Vadra's lawyer on Friday alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the premises of close associates of his client at the behest of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government to plant false evidence against the businessman to divert attention from the probable loss of recently-held Legislative Assembly elections. Vadra, son-in-law of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, is being investigated by the ED in connection with a land deal. Vadra's advocate Suman Khaitan claimed that the ED officials raided "close associates" and business partners of Vadra in Delhi without even showing any search warrants. "They (Centre) have not found any evidence since last four-and-half years. So they wanted to come, lock the door, plant evidence today. They will lose elections and to divert attention, they will claim that they found the evidence (which is actually) manufactured and planted," Khaitan told media in Delhi. "On the basis of law, can they conduct raids without letting us inside? They have locked up people of Sky Light Hospitality inside. They are not allowing them to come out and allowing us in. We have been knocking the door since morning, but they are pretending as if they can't hear us. Is this the rule of law? Is this Nazism? Is this Indian democracy? What I will do if they will plant evidence inside? We don't know who these people are," he added. Delhi: #Visuals from Robert Vadra's office Sky Light Hospitality Pvt Ltd in Sukhdev Vihar where ED was conducting a raid since yesterday. Company's advocate says, "they entered by breaking doors & kept employees locked for 13-14 hours. They have completely ransacked the office" pic.twitter.com/dEBA26bkVz — ANI (@ANI) December 7, 2018 × Khaitan said that the officials raiding properties of Vadra's close aide neither showed any search warrant nor revealed their identities. "We are presuming it is ED. In the morning, when our lawyers asked them about their identity, they refused to say anything. Is the Indian Constitution not being destroyed? Two days back, I went to the ED and submitted 600-pages documents. Before that on November 26 also I gave the same documents. Since last four-five years, he (Vadra) has been summoned eight to 10 times. Every time we have gone," Khaitan said. "Did they say they want to interrogate him? No. Did they say he is an accused? No. Did they say I need you as a witness? No. They said you please come and give the documents. I have given them the same. Now, do they want to see his face? If you want to interrogate him or accuse him, then they need to mention that in summon," he added. Khaitan also informed that Vadra was not present at the spot during the raids. He said a newspaper had reported that that three summons had been served on Vadra by the ED but "we have received none." Vadra had earlier this week alleged that the corruption probe against him is a result of a political witch-hunt aimed at "besmirching his dignity and reputation". In a Facebook post, Vadra further claimed that the authorities are well aware that there is no case against him and the proceedings are a mere "media circus to distracting the public."

Centre planting evidence against Vadra to divert attention from elections loss: Lawyer

The Income Tax department is conducting searches at the residences of Telangana Congress working president A Revanth Reddy on Thursday. 
The Congress condemned the raids and termed it as "political vendetta" by the ruling TRS in the state and the BJP at the centre.

A senior official of the I-T department confirmed the searches but did not reveal details such as what triggered the raids.

Calls made to Revanth Reddy for his reaction went unanswered.

Reddy was appointed as one of the Working Presidents of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee recently.

Jubilee Hills police inspector P Chandra Shekar said they deployed police force near Reddy's residence to avoid any untoward incident.

The city police had earlier issued notice to the Congress leader and former MLA seeking his appearance as part of investigations in a case relating to alleged irregularities committed by office-bearers of a Co-operative Housing Society in 2004.

Describing the I-T searches as "politically motivated", TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy tweeted that the TRS and BJP were hand in glove.

"IT &amp; ED raids at @INCTelangana Working President @revanth_anumulas house is pure political vendetta to demoralise our strong MLAs (sic). The people will teach KCR a lesson for being hand in glove with the BJP and the Central govt. I severely condemn these politically motivated raids," he tweeted.

On May 31, 2015, Revanth Reddy, then in Telugu Desam Party, was caught by Anti-Corruption Bureau while allegedly paying a bribe of Rs. 50 lakh to Elvis Stephenson, a nominated MLA, for supporting TDP nominee Vem Narendar Reddy in Legislative Council elections held on June 1, 2015.

&nbsp;"First (sic) it was @JaggaReddyT &amp; now @revanth_anumula, this is a clear sign of KCRs cowardice. He has no capacity to take on any of our leaders &amp; hence resorts to these backdoor moves. @INCTelangana will be united in its fight to rid Telangana soon of his autocratic &amp; whimsical rule," the TPCC president said in another tweet.

The Income Tax department is conducting searches at the residences of Telangana Congress working president A Revanth Reddy on Thursday. The Congress condemned the raids and termed it as "political vendetta" by the ruling TRS in the state and the BJP at the centre.

The Income Tax department is conducting searches at the residences of Telangana Congress working president A Revanth Reddy on Thursday. The Congress condemned the raids and termed it as "political vendetta" by the ruling TRS in the state and the BJP at the centre. A senior official of the I-T department confirmed the searches but did not reveal details such as what triggered the raids. Calls made to Revanth Reddy for his reaction went unanswered. Reddy was appointed as one of the Working Presidents of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee recently. Jubilee Hills police inspector P Chandra Shekar said they deployed police force near Reddy's residence to avoid any untoward incident. The city police had earlier issued notice to the Congress leader and former MLA seeking his appearance as part of investigations in a case relating to alleged irregularities committed by office-bearers of a Co-operative Housing Society in 2004. Describing the I-T searches as "politically motivated", TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy tweeted that the TRS and BJP were hand in glove. "IT & ED raids at @INCTelangana Working President @revanth_anumulas house is pure political vendetta to demoralise our strong MLAs (sic). The people will teach KCR a lesson for being hand in glove with the BJP and the Central govt. I severely condemn these politically motivated raids," he tweeted. On May 31, 2015, Revanth Reddy, then in Telugu Desam Party, was caught by Anti-Corruption Bureau while allegedly paying a bribe of Rs. 50 lakh to Elvis Stephenson, a nominated MLA, for supporting TDP nominee Vem Narendar Reddy in Legislative Council elections held on June 1, 2015. "First (sic) it was @JaggaReddyT & now @revanth_anumula, this is a clear sign of KCRs cowardice. He has no capacity to take on any of our leaders & hence resorts to these backdoor moves. @INCTelangana will be united in its fight to rid Telangana soon of his autocratic & whimsical rule," the TPCC president said in another tweet.

Income Tax department raids Telangana Congress chief's house

Ajay Devgn and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-ileana-dcruz-on-marriage-reports-its-there-for-the-world-to-see-32014" target="_blank">Ileana D&#39;Cruz</a> starrer <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/raid-trailer-ajay-devgn-plays-an-income-tax-officer-who-carries-out-the-longest-raid-of-the-century-31986" target="_blank">Raid</a>&nbsp;gets a thumbs up at the box office with the recently released film becoming the second highest grosser of 2018.

Earning&nbsp;41.25 crore&nbsp;in just 3 days, it is second to Sanjay Leela Bhansali&#39;s big-ticket film Padmaavat.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-ajay-devgn-my-directors-know-that-i-will-not-be-able-to-do-a-rehearsal-or-remember-my-lines-36080" target="_blank">Also </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-ajay-devgn-my-directors-know-that-i-will-not-be-able-to-do-a-rehearsal-or-remember-my-lines-36080" target="_blank">Read</a>:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-ajay-devgn-my-directors-know-that-i-will-not-be-able-to-do-a-rehearsal-or-remember-my-lines-36080" target="_blank">Ajay Devgn says &#39;My directors know that I will not be able to do a rehearsal or remember my lines</a>&#39;

Trade expert Ramesh Bala confirmed Raid&#39;s box-office mathematics on Twitter and wrote, &quot;Raid takes the 2nd biggest opening for a Bollywood movie after #Padmaavat. Friday 10.04 crores, Saturday 13.86 crores and Sunday 17.35 crores makes it a total of 41.25 crores.&quot;

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. <a href="https://twitter.com/ajaydevgn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ajaydevgn</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/Ileana_Official?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ileana_Official</a> &#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raid</a> takes the 2nd Biggest Opening for a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bollywood?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bollywood</a> movie in 2018 after <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Padmaavat?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Padmaavat</a> ???? 
 
Fri - ₹ 10.04 cr. 
 
Sat - ₹ 13.86 cr. 
 
Sun - ₹ 17.35 cr. 
 
Total - ₹ 41.25 cr.
&mdash; Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) <a href="https://twitter.com/rameshlaus/status/975563692128415744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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In an interview with DNA, Ajay Devgn praised his&nbsp;director Rajkumar Gupta and said: &quot;With Raid, I thought Raj Kumar can pull it off, seeing what he has done earlier with Aamir and No One Killed Jessica. Once I started shooting this film, I realised he is very good.&quot;

Raid is a period drama set in the early 1980s with Lucknow as the background. It revolves around a true incident of the longest raid in history.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The film has become the second highest grosser of 2018 with 41.25 crore earnings in just 3 days

Ajay Devgn and Ileana D'Cruz starrer Raid gets a thumbs up at the box office with the recently released film becoming the second highest grosser of 2018. Earning 41.25 crore in just 3 days, it is second to Sanjay Leela Bhansali's big-ticket film Padmaavat. Also Read: Ajay Devgn says 'My directors know that I will not be able to do a rehearsal or remember my lines' Trade expert Ramesh Bala confirmed Raid's box-office mathematics on Twitter and wrote, "Raid takes the 2nd biggest opening for a Bollywood movie after #Padmaavat. Friday 10.04 crores, Saturday 13.86 crores and Sunday 17.35 crores makes it a total of 41.25 crores." . @ajaydevgn - @Ileana_Official 's #Raid takes the 2nd Biggest Opening for a #Bollywood movie in 2018 after #Padmaavat ???? Fri - ₹ 10.04 cr. Sat - ₹ 13.86 cr. Sun - ₹ 17.35 cr. Total - ₹ 41.25 cr. — Ramesh Bala (@rameshlaus) March 19, 2018 × In an interview with DNA, Ajay Devgn praised his director Rajkumar Gupta and said: "With Raid, I thought Raj Kumar can pull it off, seeing what he has done earlier with Aamir and No One Killed Jessica. Once I started shooting this film, I realised he is very good." Raid is a period drama set in the early 1980s with Lucknow as the background. It revolves around a true incident of the longest raid in history.

Ajay Devgn-Ileana D'Cruz starrer 'Raid' gets 2nd biggest opening after 'Padmaavat'

It&#39;s a role that Ajay Devgn has played all too well in the past. An honest officer who will fight the odds in honour to stay true to his country and motherland. As a cop, or as an activist, Devgn has time and again played roles that are sometimes jingoistic in nature yet work immensely well with the audience. In his latest film Raid, directed by Rajkumar Gupta, Ajay Devgn plays&nbsp;an extension of some of the roles that he has played in the past. There is a sense of familiarity when the film begins.&nbsp; 
 
Amay Patnaik, an Income Tax Officer has already travelled across the country for his honest work. Patnaik is an atheist, who worships Bharat Mata and abides by the law. So much so, that on being invited to an elite club for a round of drinks, he refuses to go inside because of his inappropriate footwear(rules should be followed) and once his host gifts him the right pair, he insists on paying.&nbsp;He even drinks his own, cheap liquor -because he only drinks what he can afford. Writer Ritesh Shah gives Devgn ample lines to prove how honest he is as a person- someone who will follow the rule book to the hilt.&nbsp; 
 
On an anonymous tip-off, Amay gathers a group of officers to conduct an early morning raid at local MLA and semi-goon Rameshwar Singh&#39;s sprawling mansion. The house is locked down and no one is allowed to enter or exit the premises till Amay and his officers complete their investigations. His informer had insisted that he would find black money stashed inside Rameshwar&#39;s house so Amay is adamant to find the hidden money.&nbsp;

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A still from Raid featuring Saurabh Shukla. (Others)
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The group literally turns the house upside down in order to look for hidden wealth but find nothing. And then while the raid is still on, Amay gets clues from within the house and sometimes even from some house members who unknowingly give away details about the house and its architecture. And while the officers go inside the house hoping to complete in the raid in a day&#39;s time, it spills over days making it the longest IT raid in the history of the country as the group grapples to calculate the cash, jewellery and other valuables items are unearthed from all sorts of place within the house. 
 
Now, the film is based on a real-life incident that took place in 1981, a time when media was not so aggressive with its coverage and no mobile phones existed. It was also the time when such massive raids perhaps shook the conscience of most in the country, unlike present day where scams and bank frauds have become common. With a such a background, co-writers Gupta and Shah, weave a gripping tale of how a group of mere government officer dared to enter into a land of goons and unravel so much of hidden wealth.&nbsp; 
 
Now, most of the story takes place within the confinement of Rameshwar&#39;s palace so to keep the viewers engaged throughout can be a challenge. Raid does slip in parts, especially when Ajay Devgn is harping about how honest a man he is with an absolutely straight face. But it also picks up in the next moment especially in the scenes that have Saurabh Shukla in them.&nbsp; 
 
Shukla, in fact, is one of the high points of the film. But he is that in almost all his films, no matter what the length of the film is. In Raid, Shukla plays the antagonist who is smug and is aware of his power. While most of the family start losing their cool at the intrusion of their space, its Shukla who keeps egging Devgn&#39;s character to look for more - aware that he won&#39;t find a thing. And when he finally does, Shukla plays out completely different emotions with absolute ease. Some of the scenes where Devgn and Shukla have face-offs are superb with both maintaining their character&#39;s tone accurately.&nbsp; 
 
Devgn shines too in certain scenes but since we have seen the actor playing similar roles, it may give you a sense of Deja Vu. He delivers, no doubt. But his restraint performance may not seem new to his fans, that&#39;s all.&nbsp; 
 
The supporting cast is good too. Amit Sial, as Lallan, the corrupt official who keeps hampering the work of his colleagues and Pushpa Joshi as Rameshwar&rsquo;s toothless mother, who inadvertently gives Amey clues about the household are particularly good.&nbsp; 
 
The only unnecessary&nbsp;character in the entire film is, unfortunately, Malini, Amay&#39;s wife, played by Ileana D&#39;CRuz. While the story has her as Amay&#39;s strength and emotional anchor, her scenes with Devgn don&#39;t really help the narrative much. In fact, two romantic songs right in the middle of a thriller raid just slacken the pace of the film.&nbsp;

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Stills from the song Nit Khair Manga from the movie &#39;Raid&#39;. (Source: YouTube) (Others)
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With an overdramatised, stretched climax, the second half of the film appears to be long but overall the suspense as to who gave Amay so much information about the house remains intact till the end.&nbsp; 
 
A word on the camera work by Alphonse Roy who uses multiple aerial shots to make the viewers understand the scale of the situation in certain scenes.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3h4thS-Hcrk" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Go watch Raid this weekend, for Devgn who does what he is good at, for its engaging screenplay and for the incredible Saurabh Shukla who never fails to impress.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Rating: 3/5

Filmmaker Rajkumar Gupta weaves a thrilling tale set in the 1980s.

It's a role that Ajay Devgn has played all too well in the past. An honest officer who will fight the odds in honour to stay true to his country and motherland. As a cop, or as an activist, Devgn has time and again played roles that are sometimes jingoistic in nature yet work immensely well with the audience. In his latest film Raid, directed by Rajkumar Gupta, Ajay Devgn plays an extension of some of the roles that he has played in the past. There is a sense of familiarity when the film begins. Amay Patnaik, an Income Tax Officer has already travelled across the country for his honest work. Patnaik is an atheist, who worships Bharat Mata and abides by the law. So much so, that on being invited to an elite club for a round of drinks, he refuses to go inside because of his inappropriate footwear(rules should be followed) and once his host gifts him the right pair, he insists on paying. He even drinks his own, cheap liquor -because he only drinks what he can afford. Writer Ritesh Shah gives Devgn ample lines to prove how honest he is as a person- someone who will follow the rule book to the hilt. On an anonymous tip-off, Amay gathers a group of officers to conduct an early morning raid at local MLA and semi-goon Rameshwar Singh's sprawling mansion. The house is locked down and no one is allowed to enter or exit the premises till Amay and his officers complete their investigations. His informer had insisted that he would find black money stashed inside Rameshwar's house so Amay is adamant to find the hidden money. A still from Raid featuring Saurabh Shukla. (Others) × The group literally turns the house upside down in order to look for hidden wealth but find nothing. And then while the raid is still on, Amay gets clues from within the house and sometimes even from some house members who unknowingly give away details about the house and its architecture. And while the officers go inside the house hoping to complete in the raid in a day's time, it spills over days making it the longest IT raid in the history of the country as the group grapples to calculate the cash, jewellery and other valuables items are unearthed from all sorts of place within the house. Now, the film is based on a real-life incident that took place in 1981, a time when media was not so aggressive with its coverage and no mobile phones existed. It was also the time when such massive raids perhaps shook the conscience of most in the country, unlike present day where scams and bank frauds have become common. With a such a background, co-writers Gupta and Shah, weave a gripping tale of how a group of mere government officer dared to enter into a land of goons and unravel so much of hidden wealth. Now, most of the story takes place within the confinement of Rameshwar's palace so to keep the viewers engaged throughout can be a challenge. Raid does slip in parts, especially when Ajay Devgn is harping about how honest a man he is with an absolutely straight face. But it also picks up in the next moment especially in the scenes that have Saurabh Shukla in them. Shukla, in fact, is one of the high points of the film. But he is that in almost all his films, no matter what the length of the film is. In Raid, Shukla plays the antagonist who is smug and is aware of his power. While most of the family start losing their cool at the intrusion of their space, its Shukla who keeps egging Devgn's character to look for more - aware that he won't find a thing. And when he finally does, Shukla plays out completely different emotions with absolute ease. Some of the scenes where Devgn and Shukla have face-offs are superb with both maintaining their character's tone accurately. Devgn shines too in certain scenes but since we have seen the actor playing similar roles, it may give you a sense of Deja Vu. He delivers, no doubt. But his restraint performance may not seem new to his fans, that's all. The supporting cast is good too. Amit Sial, as Lallan, the corrupt official who keeps hampering the work of his colleagues and Pushpa Joshi as Rameshwar’s toothless mother, who inadvertently gives Amey clues about the household are particularly good. The only unnecessary character in the entire film is, unfortunately, Malini, Amay's wife, played by Ileana D'CRuz. While the story has her as Amay's strength and emotional anchor, her scenes with Devgn don't really help the narrative much. In fact, two romantic songs right in the middle of a thriller raid just slacken the pace of the film. Stills from the song Nit Khair Manga from the movie 'Raid'. (Source: YouTube) (Others) × With an overdramatised, stretched climax, the second half of the film appears to be long but overall the suspense as to who gave Amay so much information about the house remains intact till the end. A word on the camera work by Alphonse Roy who uses multiple aerial shots to make the viewers understand the scale of the situation in certain scenes. Go watch Raid this weekend, for Devgn who does what he is good at, for its engaging screenplay and for the incredible Saurabh Shukla who never fails to impress. Rating: 3/5

'Raid' review: Ajay Devgn and Saurabh Shukla's performances make for an engaging watch

Riding high on the success of Raid, Ajay Devgn is a happy man.&nbsp;

Playing the role of a deputy commissioner of Income Tax, Ajay is reported to have delivered a power-packed performance in the film along with&nbsp;Ileana D&#39;Cruz and Saurabh Shukla who have played equally important roles.&nbsp;

While promoting his film, Ajay was quoted speaking about his acting and how he usually takes&nbsp;two-three minutes before a shot to get into the role. He said,&nbsp;&quot;I still don&#39;t know how to &#39;get&#39; into a role. Even if I sit down and say, &quot;Let me work hard on my acting&quot;, it doesn&#39;t happen. This is how I am. I can do it only spontaneously. My directors know that I will not be able to do a rehearsal or remember my lines there. I cannot. It&#39;s just that when the camera starts rolling, you start feeling and thinking like the character.&quot;

&quot;And that&#39;s my only preparation &mdash; to know what my character will do, or behave, in a situation. That&#39;s the only system I follow. In between shots, as soon as it&#39;s a cut, we have fun, even when the most emotional scenes are happening,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

The film is helmed by Raj Kumar Gupta.&nbsp;

Read the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/raid-review-ajay-devgn-and-saurabh-shuklas-performances-make-for-an-engaging-watch-36029" target="_blank">review</a> of the film here.&nbsp;

Ajay Devgn's 'Raid' released in theatres today and is touted to be a great film by critics.

Riding high on the success of Raid, Ajay Devgn is a happy man. Playing the role of a deputy commissioner of Income Tax, Ajay is reported to have delivered a power-packed performance in the film along with Ileana D'Cruz and Saurabh Shukla who have played equally important roles. While promoting his film, Ajay was quoted speaking about his acting and how he usually takes two-three minutes before a shot to get into the role. He said, "I still don't know how to 'get' into a role. Even if I sit down and say, "Let me work hard on my acting", it doesn't happen. This is how I am. I can do it only spontaneously. My directors know that I will not be able to do a rehearsal or remember my lines there. I cannot. It's just that when the camera starts rolling, you start feeling and thinking like the character." "And that's my only preparation — to know what my character will do, or behave, in a situation. That's the only system I follow. In between shots, as soon as it's a cut, we have fun, even when the most emotional scenes are happening," he added. The film is helmed by Raj Kumar Gupta. Read the review of the film here.

Ajay Devgn: My directors know that I will not be able to do a rehearsal or remember my lines

You can almost imagine Akshay Kumar playing such a role and yet it is Ajay Devgn who plays an honest Income tax officer in Rajkumar Gupta&#39;s new film Raid.&nbsp; 
 
Based on a real incident that took place in 1981, Raid highlights one of the most high-profile and well-crafted Income Tax raids in the country. The film explores the struggle an upright Income Tax Officer has to go through to conduct a raid on one of the wealthy goons of a city. 
 
The film also stars Ileana D&#39;Cruz who plays Devgn&#39;s wife and Saurabh Shukla who plays the antagonist. Raid releases in theaters on 16th March.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3h4thS-Hcrk" width="560"></iframe>

The actor shared the trailer of the film on Twitter on Tuesday.

You can almost imagine Akshay Kumar playing such a role and yet it is Ajay Devgn who plays an honest Income tax officer in Rajkumar Gupta's new film Raid. Based on a real incident that took place in 1981, Raid highlights one of the most high-profile and well-crafted Income Tax raids in the country. The film explores the struggle an upright Income Tax Officer has to go through to conduct a raid on one of the wealthy goons of a city. The film also stars Ileana D'Cruz who plays Devgn's wife and Saurabh Shukla who plays the antagonist. Raid releases in theaters on 16th March.

Raid Trailer: Ajay Devgn plays an income tax officer who carries out the longest raid in the country

Amid marriage reports, actor Ileana D&#39;Cruz says she wants to guard her personal life and whatever is out there, the world can see and judge. 
 
There have been reports that<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-has-ileana-dcruz-secretly-gotten-married-to-beau-andrew-kneebone-27653"> D&#39;Cruz got hitched to her </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-has-ileana-dcruz-secretly-gotten-married-to-beau-andrew-kneebone-27653">rumoured</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-has-ileana-dcruz-secretly-gotten-married-to-beau-andrew-kneebone-27653"> boyfriend Andrew Kneebone </a>after the actor posted a picture of herself on Instagram last December and wrote &quot;photo by hubby.&quot; 
 
The Baadshaho&nbsp;actor had captioned the photo &quot;My favourite time of the year #christmastime #happyholidays #home #love #family Photo by hubby @andrewkneebonephotography&quot;

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BdCzeCUDtir/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">My favourite time of the year &hearts;️ #christmastime #happyholidays #home #love #family Photo by hubby @andrewkneebonephotography &hearts;️</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ileana_official/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Ileana D&#39;Cruz</a> (@ileana_official) on <time datetime="2017-12-23T11:54:54+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Dec 23, 2017 at 3:54am PST</time>
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At<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/raid-trailer-ajay-devgn-plays-an-income-tax-officer-who-carries-out-the-longest-raid-of-the-century-31986"> the trailer launch of her latest film Raid</a>, when asked about her personal life, her co-star Ajay Devgn quizzed D&#39;Cruz, &quot;Are you married?&quot; 
 
To this, the actor said, &quot;Apparently! I don&#39;t know what comment to make. Professionally, I am doing well. Personally, also, I am doing well. Thank you. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think there&#39;s any comment to be made. I have kept my personal life fairly private. I don&#39;t like to talk about it too much. But it&#39;s pretty much there for the world to see,&quot; she added. 
 
Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid&nbsp;-- set against the backdrop of the 1980s &nbsp;will feature Devgn as an income tax officer hailing from Uttar Pradesh. It&#39;s written by Pink&nbsp;writer Ritesh Shah. 
 
&quot;Honestly, Ritesh had written such a clear script that I didn&#39;t need any brief. Raj is one of those directors to work with who is very easy and straightforward. So I just had to listen to him and make sure the lines are delivered well,&quot; D&#39;Cruz said. 
 
At the launch, Devgn said he personally did not consult any income tax officers and relied on the director. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a true story, based on a real character so basically they (Rajkumar, Ritesh) understood a lot from him. They understood what they felt at that point of time and kept it as real as possible,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

There have been reports that D'Cruz got hitched to her rumoured boyfriend Andrew Kneebone

Amid marriage reports, actor Ileana D'Cruz says she wants to guard her personal life and whatever is out there, the world can see and judge. There have been reports that D'Cruz got hitched to her rumoured boyfriend Andrew Kneebone after the actor posted a picture of herself on Instagram last December and wrote "photo by hubby." The Baadshaho actor had captioned the photo "My favourite time of the year #christmastime #happyholidays #home #love #family Photo by hubby @andrewkneebonephotography" My favourite time of the year ♥️ #christmastime #happyholidays #home #love #family Photo by hubby @andrewkneebonephotography ♥️ A post shared by Ileana D'Cruz (@ileana_official) on Dec 23, 2017 at 3:54am PST × At the trailer launch of her latest film Raid, when asked about her personal life, her co-star Ajay Devgn quizzed D'Cruz, "Are you married?" To this, the actor said, "Apparently! I don't know what comment to make. Professionally, I am doing well. Personally, also, I am doing well. Thank you. "I don't think there's any comment to be made. I have kept my personal life fairly private. I don't like to talk about it too much. But it's pretty much there for the world to see," she added. Directed by Raj Kumar Gupta, Raid -- set against the backdrop of the 1980s will feature Devgn as an income tax officer hailing from Uttar Pradesh. It's written by Pink writer Ritesh Shah. "Honestly, Ritesh had written such a clear script that I didn't need any brief. Raj is one of those directors to work with who is very easy and straightforward. So I just had to listen to him and make sure the lines are delivered well," D'Cruz said. At the launch, Devgn said he personally did not consult any income tax officers and relied on the director. "It's a true story, based on a real character so basically they (Rajkumar, Ritesh) understood a lot from him. They understood what they felt at that point of time and kept it as real as possible," he said.

Ileana D'Cruz on marriage reports: It's there for the world to see

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday held Sasikala and members of her family responsible for the Income Tax raids at Poes Garden. &nbsp;

Speaking to reporters in Madurai, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said Sasikala and her family members have brought &#39;bad name to the party&#39;.

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It is the wrong doing of a family (Sasikala) which has brought bad name for the party and that is why IT raids are happening.: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami in Madurai <a href="https://t.co/vfRY9TFCAe">pic.twitter.com/vfRY9TFCAe</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931910113585020928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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&quot;During I-T raids in Poes Garden, Amma&#39;s room was not searched. There is no connection between the IT raids in Poes Garden &amp; state government. Raids are conducted by the IT dept which is under Centre,&quot; the reports said quoting Palaniswami.&nbsp;

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During IT raids in Poes Garden, Amma&#39;s room was not searched. There is no connection between the IT raids in Poes Garden &amp; state govt. Raids are conducted by the IT dept which is under Centre.: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami in Madurai <a href="https://t.co/Kt4sqHq0te">pic.twitter.com/Kt4sqHq0te</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931910657196228608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Responding to TTV Dhinakaran&#39;s charge that he did not express his opposition to the IT raids, the CM asked&nbsp;&quot;Who is TTV Dhinakaran? He was not in the party for past 10 yrs, only after Amma&#39;s death, he has to come to the fore. He did not make me CM. It is my step by step contribution to the party that I became CM, all MLAs elected me,&quot; he added.

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Who is TTV Dhinakaran? He was not in party for past 10 yrs, only after Amma&#39;s death he has to come to the fore. He did not make me CM. It is my step by step contribution to the party that I became CM, all MLAs elected me.: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami in Madurai <a href="https://t.co/uB3wpHWvDU">pic.twitter.com/uB3wpHWvDU</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/931911306268966912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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A few days after conducting raids for almost a week at different&nbsp;places owned by&nbsp;jailed AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala and her relatives, the IT department officials arrived at former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa&#39;s Poes Garden house in Chennai and conducted a search. During the search, the Income Tax officials said to have seized two pen drives and two laptops.&nbsp;

The officials conducted a thorough search in the two rooms used by Sasikala and a room used by her personal secretary S Poongundran.&nbsp;

The Madras High Court on Friday upheld the CBI court order convicting son-in-law and daughter of jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala&#39;s sister in a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/it-raid-on-sasikala-and-kins-reveals-rs-1430-crore-unaccounted-for-investments-24174">Rs.1400 crore</a>&nbsp;disproportionate assets (DA) case registered two decades ago.

The Madras High Court on Friday upheld a CBI court order convicting son-in-law and daughter of jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's sister in a Rs.1400 crore disproportionate assets (DA) case registered two decades ago.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Saturday held Sasikala and members of her family responsible for the Income Tax raids at Poes Garden. Speaking to reporters in Madurai, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said Sasikala and her family members have brought 'bad name to the party'. It is the wrong doing of a family (Sasikala) which has brought bad name for the party and that is why IT raids are happening.: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami in Madurai pic.twitter.com/vfRY9TFCAe — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × "During I-T raids in Poes Garden, Amma's room was not searched. There is no connection between the IT raids in Poes Garden & state government. Raids are conducted by the IT dept which is under Centre," the reports said quoting Palaniswami. During IT raids in Poes Garden, Amma's room was not searched. There is no connection between the IT raids in Poes Garden & state govt. Raids are conducted by the IT dept which is under Centre.: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami in Madurai pic.twitter.com/Kt4sqHq0te — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × Responding to TTV Dhinakaran's charge that he did not express his opposition to the IT raids, the CM asked "Who is TTV Dhinakaran? He was not in the party for past 10 yrs, only after Amma's death, he has to come to the fore. He did not make me CM. It is my step by step contribution to the party that I became CM, all MLAs elected me," he added. Who is TTV Dhinakaran? He was not in party for past 10 yrs, only after Amma's death he has to come to the fore. He did not make me CM. It is my step by step contribution to the party that I became CM, all MLAs elected me.: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami in Madurai pic.twitter.com/uB3wpHWvDU — ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017 × A few days after conducting raids for almost a week at different places owned by jailed AIADMK general secretary VK Sasikala and her relatives, the IT department officials arrived at former Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa's Poes Garden house in Chennai and conducted a search. During the search, the Income Tax officials said to have seized two pen drives and two laptops. The officials conducted a thorough search in the two rooms used by Sasikala and a room used by her personal secretary S Poongundran. The Madras High Court on Friday upheld the CBI court order convicting son-in-law and daughter of jailed AIADMK leader VK Sasikala's sister in a Rs.1400 crore disproportionate assets (DA) case registered two decades ago.

Sasikala has brought 'bad name to the party', says Tamil Nadu CM

In the Indian capital, Delhi police special cell today seized heroin worth Rupees 16 crore and arrested four persons, including two Nigerians. The other&nbsp;two, Surendra Bhatt and Balwinder, belong to northern Punjab state, and they were arrested from Delhi&#39;s Mubarka Chowk. 
 
On questioning, the Indian duo revealed that the two Nigerians used to supply them heroin. After the raid, the two Nigerians were also arrested and one kilogram of heroin was seized from them. 
 
The police have recovered a Nigerian passport, a South Africa passport and a fake Indian visa.The two accused from Punjab used to supply heroin in Delhi, which was being used in parties. 
 
The police are on the look out of more people involved in this racket.&nbsp; 
 
 
(ANI)

Four people including two Indians and two Nigerians, were arrested in the raid by Delhi Police special cell

In the Indian capital, Delhi police special cell today seized heroin worth Rupees 16 crore and arrested four persons, including two Nigerians. The other two, Surendra Bhatt and Balwinder, belong to northern Punjab state, and they were arrested from Delhi's Mubarka Chowk. On questioning, the Indian duo revealed that the two Nigerians used to supply them heroin. After the raid, the two Nigerians were also arrested and one kilogram of heroin was seized from them. The police have recovered a Nigerian passport, a South Africa passport and a fake Indian visa.The two accused from Punjab used to supply heroin in Delhi, which was being used in parties. The police are on the look out of more people involved in this racket. (ANI)

India: Police recover heroin worth 16 crores

A Canadian citizen was one of the masterminds behind a mass killing at a Dhaka cafe, Bangladesh police said on Saturday, after new information came to light following a raid on an extremist hideout. 
 
Tamim Chowdhury, whose whereabouts are unknown, returned to Bangladesh from Canada three years ago. He has since led and financed efforts to radicalise young Muslims, officers with knowledge of a probe into recent attacks told AFP. 
 
The dual Canadian-Bangladeshi national, in his early 30s, is thought by counter-terrorism officials to lead a faction of the Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militant group, blamed for scores of murders of foreigners and religious minorities. 
 
Five assailants stormed an upscale cafe in Dhaka&#39;s Gulshan neighbourhood on July 1 and killed 20 hostages, including 18 foreigners in Bangladesh&#39;s deadliest single militant attack.&nbsp;A week later, gunmen attacked an Eid prayer gathering of 250,000 people held to mark the end of Ramadan, killing three. 
 
&quot;So far what we learnt is that Tamim Chowdhury is one of the masterminds of the attacks of Gulshan cafe and Sholakia Eid prayer ground,&quot; an officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. 
 
&quot;He trained the extremists behind the two attacks and the nine extremists killed at Kalyanpur,&quot; the officer said, referring to a shoot-out by police at a flat used as an extremist hideout on Tuesday.&nbsp;He added that Chowdhury &quot;has been working to radicalise&quot; young Muslims. 
 
Another senior police officer told AFP that Chowdhury&#39;s role in fostering extremism was revealed during the interrogation of Rakibul Hasan, 25, who was arrested in the raid on the hideout. 
 
According to a police first information report into the raid, seen by AFP, Chowdhury and others gave him and the nine militants killed in the raid &quot;money, explosives and weapons&quot; and &quot;trained and advised&quot; them. 
 
Hasan told police during the interrogation that Chowdhury &quot;used to visit the extremists&#39; flat and give them necessary funds and encourage them by talking about jihad and religious issues,&quot; the report said. 
 
Authorities blame the JMB militant group for the attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka and the assault on the Eid gathering.&nbsp;However, the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the cafe attack, releasing photos of the carnage and of extremists posing with the group&#39;s flag. 
 
Arrested extremist Hasan told police the group busted in the raid were members of IS, with officers recovering its signature black flags and robes from their hideout.&nbsp;But the national police chief A K M Shahidul Hoque has rejected that claim, asserting that they were members of the banned JMB. 
 
Another senior officer told AFP that foreign intelligence agencies sounded alarm bells on Chowdhury&#39;s extremist activities a year ago.&nbsp;Police are investigating whether the JMB faction allegedly led by Chowdhury has any ties with IS. 
 
(AFP)

Tamim Chowdhury's role supplying 'money, explosives and weapons' was revealed while interrogating a fellow militant arrested in a raid

A Canadian citizen was one of the masterminds behind a mass killing at a Dhaka cafe, Bangladesh police said on Saturday, after new information came to light following a raid on an extremist hideout. Tamim Chowdhury, whose whereabouts are unknown, returned to Bangladesh from Canada three years ago. He has since led and financed efforts to radicalise young Muslims, officers with knowledge of a probe into recent attacks told AFP. The dual Canadian-Bangladeshi national, in his early 30s, is thought by counter-terrorism officials to lead a faction of the Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) militant group, blamed for scores of murders of foreigners and religious minorities. Five assailants stormed an upscale cafe in Dhaka's Gulshan neighbourhood on July 1 and killed 20 hostages, including 18 foreigners in Bangladesh's deadliest single militant attack. A week later, gunmen attacked an Eid prayer gathering of 250,000 people held to mark the end of Ramadan, killing three. "So far what we learnt is that Tamim Chowdhury is one of the masterminds of the attacks of Gulshan cafe and Sholakia Eid prayer ground," an officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. "He trained the extremists behind the two attacks and the nine extremists killed at Kalyanpur," the officer said, referring to a shoot-out by police at a flat used as an extremist hideout on Tuesday. He added that Chowdhury "has been working to radicalise" young Muslims. Another senior police officer told AFP that Chowdhury's role in fostering extremism was revealed during the interrogation of Rakibul Hasan, 25, who was arrested in the raid on the hideout. According to a police first information report into the raid, seen by AFP, Chowdhury and others gave him and the nine militants killed in the raid "money, explosives and weapons" and "trained and advised" them. Hasan told police during the interrogation that Chowdhury "used to visit the extremists' flat and give them necessary funds and encourage them by talking about jihad and religious issues," the report said. Authorities blame the JMB militant group for the attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Dhaka and the assault on the Eid gathering. However, the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the cafe attack, releasing photos of the carnage and of extremists posing with the group's flag. Arrested extremist Hasan told police the group busted in the raid were members of IS, with officers recovering its signature black flags and robes from their hideout. But the national police chief A K M Shahidul Hoque has rejected that claim, asserting that they were members of the banned JMB. Another senior officer told AFP that foreign intelligence agencies sounded alarm bells on Chowdhury's extremist activities a year ago. Police are investigating whether the JMB faction allegedly led by Chowdhury has any ties with IS. (AFP)

Canadian citizen confirmed mastermind behind Dhaka siege

Heavily armed special police raided an apartment in Munich early on Saturday morning (July 23), hours after a gunman opened fire in a busy shopping mall in Munich, killing at least nine people. 
 
The police sealed off the area around the building, searching a part of it with night-vision glasses and dogs, and with emergency vehicles waiting. The reason for the raid, in the district of Maxvorstadt was unknown, but occurred only hours after the deadly shooting, the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. 
 
Police say the likely sole gunman was an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had both German and Iranian citizenship. 
 
Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said on Saturday the motive for the shooting was not clear, and despite earlier reports, there was no sign of any additional shooters involved in the incident. 
 
The gunman killed nine people before apparently killing himself, Andrae said. Sixteen people were injured in the attack, including three who were in life-threatening condition and several children. 
 
(Reuters)

Armed special police with night-vision glasses and dogs sealed off the area around the building and searched a part of it

Heavily armed special police raided an apartment in Munich early on Saturday morning (July 23), hours after a gunman opened fire in a busy shopping mall in Munich, killing at least nine people. The police sealed off the area around the building, searching a part of it with night-vision glasses and dogs, and with emergency vehicles waiting. The reason for the raid, in the district of Maxvorstadt was unknown, but occurred only hours after the deadly shooting, the third attack against civilians in Western Europe in eight days. Police say the likely sole gunman was an 18-year-old German-Iranian who had both German and Iranian citizenship. Munich police chief Hubertus Andrae said on Saturday the motive for the shooting was not clear, and despite earlier reports, there was no sign of any additional shooters involved in the incident. The gunman killed nine people before apparently killing himself, Andrae said. Sixteen people were injured in the attack, including three who were in life-threatening condition and several children. (Reuters)

German police raid apartment block after Munich tragedy

Turkish police carried out raids against suspected Islamic State cells in Istanbul and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir today, the state-run Anadolu agency said, two days after a triple suicide bombing killed 42 people at Istanbul airport. 
 
Turkish authorities and US officials believe Islamic State was responsible for Tuesday night&#39;s gun and bomb attack on Europe&#39;s third-busiest airport, the deadliest in a series of suicide bombings in Turkey this year. 
 
Counter-terrorism police led by special forces officers carried out raids in several low-income neighbourhoods of Istanbul,&nbsp;including Pendik, Basaksehir and Sultanbeyli,&nbsp;&nbsp;Anadolu said, without citing its sources. 
 
It was not immediately clear if the raids were directly linked to the attack on Ataturk airport. 
 
Nine suspected militants, thought to have been in contact with Islamic State members in Syria, were meanwhile detained in the dawn raids in four districts of Izmir, the news agency said. It said they were accused of financing, recruiting and providing logistical support to the Sunni hard-line group. 
 
Three bombers opened fire to create panic outside Istanbul airport on Tuesday, before two of them got inside and blew themselves up. The third detonated his explosives at the entrance. Two hundred thirty-nine people were wounded. 
 
Turkey is part of a US-led military coalition against Islamic State and home to about 3 million refugees from the five-year civil war in neighbouring Syria. 
 
Islamic State has established a self-declared caliphate on swathes of both Syria and Iraq and declared war on all non-Muslims and all Muslims who do not accept its ultra-hardline vision of Sunni Islam. It has claimed responsibility for similar bombing and gun attacks in Belgium and France in the past year. 
 
(Reuters)

Nine suspected militants thought to have links with IS in Syria were detained in raids in four districts of Izmir, Anadolu agency reported

Turkish police carried out raids against suspected Islamic State cells in Istanbul and the Aegean coastal city of Izmir today, the state-run Anadolu agency said, two days after a triple suicide bombing killed 42 people at Istanbul airport. Turkish authorities and US officials believe Islamic State was responsible for Tuesday night's gun and bomb attack on Europe's third-busiest airport, the deadliest in a series of suicide bombings in Turkey this year. Counter-terrorism police led by special forces officers carried out raids in several low-income neighbourhoods of Istanbul, including Pendik, Basaksehir and Sultanbeyli, Anadolu said, without citing its sources. It was not immediately clear if the raids were directly linked to the attack on Ataturk airport. Nine suspected militants, thought to have been in contact with Islamic State members in Syria, were meanwhile detained in the dawn raids in four districts of Izmir, the news agency said. It said they were accused of financing, recruiting and providing logistical support to the Sunni hard-line group. Three bombers opened fire to create panic outside Istanbul airport on Tuesday, before two of them got inside and blew themselves up. The third detonated his explosives at the entrance. Two hundred thirty-nine people were wounded. Turkey is part of a US-led military coalition against Islamic State and home to about 3 million refugees from the five-year civil war in neighbouring Syria. Islamic State has established a self-declared caliphate on swathes of both Syria and Iraq and declared war on all non-Muslims and all Muslims who do not accept its ultra-hardline vision of Sunni Islam. It has claimed responsibility for similar bombing and gun attacks in Belgium and France in the past year. (Reuters)

Turkish police raid suspected Islamic State cells in Istanbul, Izmir

Three men have been charged with &quot;attempted terrorist murder&quot; following sweeping nationwide anti-terror raids in&nbsp;Belgium, federal prosecutors said on Saturday.
Named as Samir C., Moustapha B. et Jawad B., the trio were among 12 people detained during the raids.

They have also been charged with &quot;participation in the activities of a terrorist group&quot;, while the nine others were released after questioning, prosecutors added.
Earlier, security for 30 VIPs had been reinforced over fears of an &quot;imminent&quot; attack. 
 
The alert came as thousands of people gathered across the country in fan zones for Belgium&#39;s Euro 2016 match against Ireland. 
 
&quot;Over the coming hours we are going to take additional and updated security measures,&quot; Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said after a national security council meeting called to discuss the threat. 
 
&quot;The different events planned for the next few days will go ahead,&quot; Michel added, urging people however to &quot;respect safety advice&quot;. 
 
Dozens of searches were carried out across Belgium overnight in a case that needed &quot;an immediate intervention&quot;, federal prosecutors said Saturday. 
 
Forty people were initially held and 152 garage boxes searched, they said. 
 
The raids took place in 16 communes in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia and &quot;passed off without incident,&quot; they said in a statement, adding that &quot;until now no arms or explosives were found.&quot; 
 
Flemish commercial broadcaster VTM reported that it was connected to a threat linked to Belgium&#39;s fixture against Ireland, held Saturday afternoon in Bordeaux, France. No incidents were immediately reported after the match ended with a 3-0 defeat for the Irish. 
 
The channel said the threat was against targets in Belgium, possibly fans watching the game on television in crowded places. 
 
A judge will decide later whether to detain those who have been arrested, none of whom have been named. 
 
Belgium is still reeling from the Islamic State suicide bombings at Brussels airport and on the city&#39;s metro on March 22 which killed 32 people and wounded hundreds more. 
 
They came five months after jihadists, many of them from Brussels, carried out gun and bombing attacks in Paris on November 13, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more. 
 
The latest raids targeted several areas tied to the attacks of November 13 and March 22. 
 
Officers in Flanders moved on the town of Zaventem close to Brussels National airport while there were raids in the Brussels suburbs of Molenbeek, Schaarbeek and Forest were closely associated with the perpetrators of both attacks. 
 
Molenbeek is notorious for being a hotbed of Islamic extremism where Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the 10-man jihadist team that attacked Paris, hid out for months until his dramatic arrest on March 18. 
 
One of the searches in Wallonia was conducted in the area of Fleurus close to Charleroi airport -- the country&#39;s second international air hub -- and a region that also hosts part of the country&#39;s nuclear industry. 
 
- &#39;Their actions are imminent&#39; - 
France, which is hosting the Euro 2016 football championships, is on maximum alert after an assailant previously convicted for jihadism killed a police officer and his partner on Monday. 
 
The latest raids have raised tensions in Belgium which is already dogged by the threat of terrorism. 
 
Belgian media reported on Wednesday that police had warned that Islamic State group (IS) fighters had recently left Syria to carry out attacks. 
 
&quot;They would separate into two groups, one for Belgium, the other for France, to attack in pairs. According to the information received these people are in possession of the necessary armament and their actions are imminent,&quot; an official document revealed by the La Derniere Heure newspaper stated. 
 
On Saturday, a source close to the Belgian authorities told AFP that several leading Belgian political figures have recently had their security increased. 
 
According to state broadcaster RTBF and daily Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Prime Minister Charles Michel, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, Interior Minister Jan Jambon and Justice Minister Koen Geens, are among a group of 30 people who, along with their families, have had their personal security stepped up since Friday. 
 
RTBF added that there is no link to the most recent raids. 
 
Despite the disclosures, Belgium&#39;s terror level remains at level three meaning that an attack is considered &quot;possible and probable&quot;. The highest, level four, would mean that the threat is &quot;serious and imminent&quot;. 
(AFP)

Alert that attack is 'imminent' was sounded as thousands of people gathered in fan zones across the country for Euro game against Ireland

Three men have been charged with "attempted terrorist murder" following sweeping nationwide anti-terror raids in Belgium, federal prosecutors said on Saturday. Named as Samir C., Moustapha B. et Jawad B., the trio were among 12 people detained during the raids. They have also been charged with "participation in the activities of a terrorist group", while the nine others were released after questioning, prosecutors added. Earlier, security for 30 VIPs had been reinforced over fears of an "imminent" attack. The alert came as thousands of people gathered across the country in fan zones for Belgium's Euro 2016 match against Ireland. "Over the coming hours we are going to take additional and updated security measures," Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel said after a national security council meeting called to discuss the threat. "The different events planned for the next few days will go ahead," Michel added, urging people however to "respect safety advice". Dozens of searches were carried out across Belgium overnight in a case that needed "an immediate intervention", federal prosecutors said Saturday. Forty people were initially held and 152 garage boxes searched, they said. The raids took place in 16 communes in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia and "passed off without incident," they said in a statement, adding that "until now no arms or explosives were found." Flemish commercial broadcaster VTM reported that it was connected to a threat linked to Belgium's fixture against Ireland, held Saturday afternoon in Bordeaux, France. No incidents were immediately reported after the match ended with a 3-0 defeat for the Irish. The channel said the threat was against targets in Belgium, possibly fans watching the game on television in crowded places. A judge will decide later whether to detain those who have been arrested, none of whom have been named. Belgium is still reeling from the Islamic State suicide bombings at Brussels airport and on the city's metro on March 22 which killed 32 people and wounded hundreds more. They came five months after jihadists, many of them from Brussels, carried out gun and bombing attacks in Paris on November 13, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds more. The latest raids targeted several areas tied to the attacks of November 13 and March 22. Officers in Flanders moved on the town of Zaventem close to Brussels National airport while there were raids in the Brussels suburbs of Molenbeek, Schaarbeek and Forest were closely associated with the perpetrators of both attacks. Molenbeek is notorious for being a hotbed of Islamic extremism where Salah Abdeslam, the only surviving member of the 10-man jihadist team that attacked Paris, hid out for months until his dramatic arrest on March 18. One of the searches in Wallonia was conducted in the area of Fleurus close to Charleroi airport -- the country's second international air hub -- and a region that also hosts part of the country's nuclear industry. - 'Their actions are imminent' - France, which is hosting the Euro 2016 football championships, is on maximum alert after an assailant previously convicted for jihadism killed a police officer and his partner on Monday. The latest raids have raised tensions in Belgium which is already dogged by the threat of terrorism. Belgian media reported on Wednesday that police had warned that Islamic State group (IS) fighters had recently left Syria to carry out attacks. "They would separate into two groups, one for Belgium, the other for France, to attack in pairs. According to the information received these people are in possession of the necessary armament and their actions are imminent," an official document revealed by the La Derniere Heure newspaper stated. On Saturday, a source close to the Belgian authorities told AFP that several leading Belgian political figures have recently had their security increased. According to state broadcaster RTBF and daily Flemish newspaper Het Nieuwsblad, Prime Minister Charles Michel, Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, Interior Minister Jan Jambon and Justice Minister Koen Geens, are among a group of 30 people who, along with their families, have had their personal security stepped up since Friday. RTBF added that there is no link to the most recent raids. Despite the disclosures, Belgium's terror level remains at level three meaning that an attack is considered "possible and probable". The highest, level four, would mean that the threat is "serious and imminent". (AFP)

After nationwide raids, Belgium charges 3 men with 'attempted terrorist murder'

Niger vowed to avenge the deaths of 24 of its soldiers who were killed by Boko Haram insurgents in one of the jihadist group`s deadliest attacks in the country. 
 
&quot;We must continue to fight, this insult must be expunged, there is nothing to be done, it must be avenged,&quot; Defence Minister Hassoumi Massoudou said Sunday. 
 
The minister was speaking to troops at a garrison at Bosso, near the Nigerian border where the deadly attack took place on Friday, according to a broadcast on state television on Monday. 
 
The bradcast said the minister visited military positions in Bosso accompanied by army chiefs and Nigerian General Lamidi Adeosun, head of the multinational force that groups soldiers from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad to fight Boko Haram. 
The minister also toured the town to view to scale of the damage caused by the Islamic insurgents, the television said. 
 
It showed images of a burnt-out military transport vehicle and a town seemingly devoid of its 20,000 residents and Nigerian refugees. 
 
&quot;It`s terrible, all of Niger is crying,&quot; said Massoudou, adding that he felt &quot;deeply wounded&quot; after visiting the site of the bloodshed. 
The attack &quot;will unfortunately be engraved on the history of our people.&quot; 
 
He urged the troops to keep their &quot;morale high&quot; as &quot;we will win this war.&quot; 
 
Twenty-four Nigerien and two Nigerian soldiers were killed in the attack by hundreds of Boko Haram assailants on a military post in Bosso, the government said in a statement Monday.&nbsp; 
 
The defence ministry earlier said that a total of 32 soldiers had been killed.&nbsp; 
 
Some 67 soldiers were injured, according to the updated statement, while 55 Boko Haram fighters were killed and &quot;many&quot; injured. &quot;On the enemy`s side, several dead and injured were taken away,&quot; the ministry said. 
 
Local resident and former MP Elhaj Aboubacar said: &quot;They drove up at twilight, shouting Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), they fired a lot of shots and torched many places in Bosso.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We don`t know where our military went, but one thing is for sure, Boko Haram were able to do what they liked until dawn,&quot; Aboubacar said. 
 
It was one of the deadliest attacks by Boko Haram in Niger since the Islamist group began launching raids in the country in February 2015 from its stronghold in neighbouring Nigeria. 
 
Boko Haram`s seven-year insurgency has devastated infrastructure in Nigeria`s impoverished northeast and forced around 2.1 million people in Nigeria to flee their homes, according to the UN`s refugee agency. 
 
The unrest has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and made more than 2.6 million homeless. 
 
Since Friday`s attacks, thousands of residents have fled Bosso to &quot;more secure areas&quot;, a UN source said. 
 
Water, food, shelter and medical aid remain &quot;the most urgent needs&quot;, the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in Niamey. 
 
It said humanitarian aid missions to Bosso were suspended for security reasons. 
The attack comes as the multinational force prepares to launch a &quot;decisive&quot; offensive against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region.

Niger vowed to avenge the deaths of 24 of its soldiers who were killed by Boko Haram insurgents in one of the jihadist group`s deadliest attacks in the country

Niger vowed to avenge the deaths of 24 of its soldiers who were killed by Boko Haram insurgents in one of the jihadist group`s deadliest attacks in the country. "We must continue to fight, this insult must be expunged, there is nothing to be done, it must be avenged," Defence Minister Hassoumi Massoudou said Sunday. The minister was speaking to troops at a garrison at Bosso, near the Nigerian border where the deadly attack took place on Friday, according to a broadcast on state television on Monday. The bradcast said the minister visited military positions in Bosso accompanied by army chiefs and Nigerian General Lamidi Adeosun, head of the multinational force that groups soldiers from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad to fight Boko Haram. The minister also toured the town to view to scale of the damage caused by the Islamic insurgents, the television said. It showed images of a burnt-out military transport vehicle and a town seemingly devoid of its 20,000 residents and Nigerian refugees. "It`s terrible, all of Niger is crying," said Massoudou, adding that he felt "deeply wounded" after visiting the site of the bloodshed. The attack "will unfortunately be engraved on the history of our people." He urged the troops to keep their "morale high" as "we will win this war." Twenty-four Nigerien and two Nigerian soldiers were killed in the attack by hundreds of Boko Haram assailants on a military post in Bosso, the government said in a statement Monday. The defence ministry earlier said that a total of 32 soldiers had been killed. Some 67 soldiers were injured, according to the updated statement, while 55 Boko Haram fighters were killed and "many" injured. "On the enemy`s side, several dead and injured were taken away," the ministry said. Local resident and former MP Elhaj Aboubacar said: "They drove up at twilight, shouting Allahu Akbar (God is Greatest), they fired a lot of shots and torched many places in Bosso." "We don`t know where our military went, but one thing is for sure, Boko Haram were able to do what they liked until dawn," Aboubacar said. It was one of the deadliest attacks by Boko Haram in Niger since the Islamist group began launching raids in the country in February 2015 from its stronghold in neighbouring Nigeria. Boko Haram`s seven-year insurgency has devastated infrastructure in Nigeria`s impoverished northeast and forced around 2.1 million people in Nigeria to flee their homes, according to the UN`s refugee agency. The unrest has left at least 20,000 people dead in Nigeria and made more than 2.6 million homeless. Since Friday`s attacks, thousands of residents have fled Bosso to "more secure areas", a UN source said. Water, food, shelter and medical aid remain "the most urgent needs", the UN Office for the Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in Niamey. It said humanitarian aid missions to Bosso were suspended for security reasons. The attack comes as the multinational force prepares to launch a "decisive" offensive against Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region.

Niger vows to avenge deadly raid by Boko Haram

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