An all-out offensive against Naxals, with over 60,000 central security personnel in action.Security personnel have re-drawn their strategies keeping in mind that they would be entering areas and forests which security personnel have not ventured into so far. The Naxals too are re-stratagising and are reportedly improving their defence systems. Naxals are laying pressure bombs in the jungles, which are similar to landmines, besides constructing new pits with wooden spikes.
The Indo-Tibetan Border Police, deployed along the country's border with China, on Tuesday announced the formation of its water wing to man lakes, rivers and hot springs in the Himalayan region. The water wing will help the border force man the Pangong Lake, whose one-third portion is in north of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, Indus River and some of the hot springs and rivers in northeast. This was announced by Director General of ITBP R K Bhatia.
The Union government on Friday indicated that it is planning to strengthen troop posts along the borders with China and acquire modern weaponry and specialised vehicles for soldiers guarding the icy frontier.
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), and attended by the Central Public Works Department (CPWD), Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) among others.
A thick security blanket has been thrown in and around the Bombay High Court which will hear from the arguments on confirmation of death sentence awarded to Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab for his role in the 26/11 attacks.
The suicide bombing outside the Indian Embassy in Kabul was condemned on Thursday, by various nations, including the UK, US and Pakistan, who described the attack as "deeply troubling" and "awful".
The Indian government will launch an offensive against Naxals in various states later this year using Indian Air Force helicopters for movement of troops and satellite images to carry out surgical strikes.
Following the audacious attack in Kabul on places frequented by Indians, the government on Friday decided to send 40 additional Indo-Tibetan Border Police commandos to secure its people and installations in the war-hit country. The ITBP commandos will leave for the neighbouring country on Saturday. Sources said while some would be deployed in the Indian missions, a few others would be stationed in guest houses frequently used by Indians involved in development work.
As Maoists continued to strike at will, the Centre is planning to deploy approximately 15,000 additional paramilitary personnel by April in the Naxal-affected states, to deal with the extremists.These men will be in addition to the 60,000 central security personnel currently deployed to assist the state governments to counter the Naxals.The men, who are now being acquired from forces like CRPF, BSF and ITBP.
Officials said that 100 more companies are expected to be sent to the valley.
The annual Amarnath Yatra began on Wednesday under a tight security cover, with the first batch of 1,272 pilgrims leaving the Jammu base camp for the cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,338-metres.A cavalcade of 53 vehicles carrying the devotees under tight security was flagged off by Tourism and Culture Minister Nawang Rigzin Jora from the Amarnath base camp at Bagwatinagar Yatri Niwas at approximately 5 am. Security is being provided by the Central Reserve Police Force
Three more bodies were recovered Monday from the Tapovan tunnel, taking the toll in the Uttarakhand flash flood to 54 as hopes of finding survivors there over a week after the disaster dimmed.
Security personnel at work inside the tunnel rushed out and heavy machines engaged in drilling through the debris and sludge inside were withdrawn.
While rescue efforts are on in full swing, the narrow tunnel and the massive slush that was brought down by the glacial flood are hampering rescue operations, confirm Swati Bhadauria, the district collector of Chamoli, and Yashwant Singh Chauhan, the superintendent of police.
The SP of Chamoli district, which faced the brunt of the glacier break in Uttarakhand, provides insights about the rescue operations.
Villagers living along the India-China border in Arunachal Pradesh said on Wednesday that Chinese incursions were a result of lack of border demarcation.
The government on Tuesday termed as "incorrect" a media report which said that two Indo-Tibetan Border Police jawans were injured in firing by Chinese troops in Sikkim recently.
Trained sniffer dogs such as the one used in Osama raid, German Shepherd and Labradors will be deployed.
The incident took place between Delaram and Zaranch when the suicide bomber along with others carried out an attack on Border Roads Organisation personnel working in the area
The Centre has decided to drop action against two journalists of a national daily for filing a "wrong" report about Chinese firing at Indian border guards in Sikkim.
Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra has been approached by the Indo Tibetan Border Police to train its shooters preparing for next year's Commonwealth Games.
Each year the nation is glued to its television screen as the country shows off its might at the Republic Day parade. However, it takes much practice with sessions starting 5 am, and dedication of the participating paramilitary jawans, other participants and behind-the-scenes helpers -- labourers, cleaners and security staff, among others -- who brave the relentless Delhi chill to make the parade a flawless spectacle.
Notwithstanding Pakistan's vociferous protests, Indian Army will organise a civilian mountaineering and trekking expedition to the forbidding Siachen Glacier for the second year in a row in October-November this year. Even before the planned Siachen trekking kicks off, the Indian Army will take out its own expedition to the glacial heights of Khatling on the Indo-Tibetan border in Uttarakhand later this month.
At present, the Chinese Army has diverted its troops carrying out a massive exercise on their side of the LAC and deployed them at short notice across the Line of Actual Control in the areas under the Indian Army's 81 and 114 Brigades deployed to counter the Chinese assertions from Daulat Beg Oldie and adjoining areas.
Gen Rawat carried out an aerial recce of certain areas and was briefed about key aspects of the security matrix in the region by senior military commanders.
Sources in the security establishment said the force is also set to get sanctions from the Union Home ministry to raise at least nine fresh battalions soon. They said in order to bolster troop numbers along the 3,488 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, as many as 60 companies have been ordered to move towards the front in various areas like Ladakh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
In a candid admission, the Indo Tibetan Police Force on Tuesday said Chinese soldiers guarding the border are better equipped than its own men and that there have been more than 140 border violations by the troops of the communist nation. The ITBP top brass has already informed the government about the developments and proposals for enhancing the force's equipment and supporting infrastructure are under 'active' consideration.
The bus was returning from the Gangotri shrine.
With increased security threat on Indian assets in Afghanistan, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police will dispatch a fresh contingent of its troops to the war-torn country next week to augment the security of key Indian assets."A batch of officers and personnel will leave for Kabul in the next ten days to augment our strength," Director General of ITBP Vikram Srivastava told PTI.
Efforts are on to rescue the two trekking teams trapped in the Gharwal Himalayas due to heavy rains hitting the area for the past two days and they are reported to be safe.
At least 134 highly trained commandos will be despatched in two batches beginning this month for protection of Border Roads Organisation personnel constructing a crucial highway in Afghanistan, sources told PTI in New Delhi on Sunday.
Andrea Loresis lodged the complaint with Registrar S K Sarkar against her colleagues Prakriti Chakraborty and Nayam Kayal.
Personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police could be brought in to guard arrested terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab in jail, a senior police official said on Tuesday.
In its first official account of the standoff between the two militaries, the ITBP revealed how its troops "not only effectively used shield to protect themselves but also responded fiercely to advancing PLA (Chinese People's Liberation Army) troops and brought the situation under control". "The ITBP has recommended the names of 21 men who faced the Chinese during the face-offs and skirmishes in May-June this year for gallantry," it said.
India displayed its military might and vibrant cultural heritage on Rajpath on Wednesday with the grandest flypast with 75 aircraft to mark the 'Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav' celebrations being the highlight of the 73rd Republic Day Parade, which was drastically scaled down in view of the Covid pandemic.
At least six Sikh pilgrims were killed and 10 others injured when an avalanche struck Ghangharia area near Hemkund Sahib shrine in Chamoli district in Dehradun on Monday evening.
At the devastated Tapovan power project site rescuers worked nonstop even as the odds of finding the trapped workers alive seemed slim.
Tension is still simmering at Kimin town since rampaging by the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) following a molestation charge against a jawan on October 20.
Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh on Friday reviewed the security situation for the Indian consulate in Afghanistan's Herat which was attacked last week.