The 45-day Maha Kumbh 2025, billed as the world's largest gathering of humans, began on Monday with the first major bathing ritual or 'Shahi Snan' at the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, India. This edition of the Kumbh is being held after 12 years, with the Uttar Pradesh government expecting over 35 crore devotees to visit. The event is being touted as a 'Digi-Kumbh' with Artificial Intelligence (AI) being used for various aspects, including security and cleanliness. The Maha Kumbh will be held from January 13 to February 26, and is expected to transform the area into the world's largest temporary city. Thirteen Akharas of seers from different sects are participating in the event, attracting attention from those seeking to learn about Indian spiritual beliefs.
The sources said two group of seven to eight terrorists, are believed to have engineered the attack.
Date, a 1990 Indian Police Service officer of the Maharashtra cadre who once sold newspapers in Pune to financially support his family, was honoured with the President's Police medal for gallantry for his role in what has come to be known as the 26/11 attack.
More than 40 persons have been detained for questioning as part of a massive operation currently underway to track down the terrorists involved in the Poonch terror attack, officials said on Monday.
One hopes the new Lok Sabha will mark a break from a dismal tradition -- lack of interest in defence and security policies, argues Colonel Anil A Athale.
Saradha scam accused Matang Sinh, who was recently arrested by the CBI, too will continue to enjoy Z-plus security.
He asserted that only the "Lord Almighty" could make him drop out of the race to win the November 5 election.
Fourteen people were detained for questioning, officials said, adding that some of them have been let off.
The Indian Navy rescued an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel with 19 Pakistani crew members and a Sri Lankan trawler in two swift operations after armed pirates hijacked the boats in the Arabian Sea amid deteriorating security situation arising out of Iran-backed Houthi rebels targeting various cargo ships in the region.
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It was learnt that 35 registered players, including seven foreigners, wrote to the club that they didn't wish to go to Iran.
Thousands of security personnel, 200 CCTVs and two high-mast, high-resolution cameras and 60 sniffer dogs of paramilitary forces and Delhi Police will also be part of the extensive security arrangement.
India spends significantly less on defence than could be expected from a country that faces simultaneous armed threats from two hostile neighbours -- China and Pakistan.
The trigger that led Japan and the Philippines to ink the deal was because of the deteriorating security situation in the South China Sea. China's coast guard increased the frequency and intensity of incursions into Philippine waters, provoking the Philippines to take countermeasures to deter China, explains Dr Rajaram Panda.
At least four terrorists were killed and two soldiers laid down their lives in twin encounters in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said.
In addition to Hindi and English, the question paper will be set in 13 regional languages -- Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Odia, Urdu, Punjabi, Manipuri and Konkani.
Delhi has been wrapped in a security blanket for Tuesday's 77th Independence Day celebrations, with more than 10,000 personnel manning the area in and around the Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation, the police said.
A lawyer was killed on Tuesday during clashes between the security personnel and followers of a Hindu community leader, who was denied bail and sent to jail by a court in the port city of Chattogram in Bangladesh, police said.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were upset as they were not given compensation or a job after their land was acquired by Indian Railways and Hindustan Zinc Limited.
In underlining the role of border villages as custodians of India's frontiers, New Delhi is following China's example in Tibet.
The agents allegedly confiscated the passports of Indians arriving in Russia and forced them to fight with the armed forces, officials said.
An 18-year-old student preparing for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) allegedly hanged herself at her home in Kota on Monday, leaving behind a suicide note saying sorry to her parents and calling herself a 'loser'.
At least 30 suspects have been detained in Bangladesh's Chattogram city for their alleged involvement in the killing of a lawyer and attacking security personnel following the arrest of a prominent Hindu community leader. The violence erupted after Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagran Jote, was denied bail and sent to jail in a sedition case. The lawyer, Assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam, was killed during clashes between security personnel and Das' followers. The interim government has condemned the violence, urging people to remain calm and has ordered an investigation into the killing and appropriate legal measures.
Farmers from different parts of Uttar Pradesh demanding adequate compensation for their lands acquired by the government marched towards Delhi on Monday but were stopped at the Noida-Delhi border where they sat on a dharna.
The minimum wage of Rs 80, which is applicable to central public sector undertakings, will see a 30 to 40 per cent jump in a single year once the changes are notified. The decision to hike the minimum wage level was taken by the Central Advisory Board at its meeting chaired by Minister for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes last week. The National Floor Level Minimum Wage of Rs 80 is likely to cross Rs 100 once the notification is issued.
The accused identified as Mohd Mustaqeem, originally from Balarampur, Uttar Pradesh, was also in touch with the IS entities of Kashmir, added sources.
He also said that his country would continue to talk about the Kashmir issue "through channels that are acceptable" and prayed that "the issue is amicably resolved".
Family members of the martyred personnel and survivors of the daring strike recalled the harrowing moments and pledged support to efforts to root out terrorism.
The assailants believed to be Pakistani terrorists, meticulously studied the site layout before executing their plan.
The government said on Tuesday that it would strive to establish a National Security Guard hub or an equivalent commando force in every state in due course to strengthen the national security apparatus. Home Minister P Chidambaram told the Lok Sabha during Question Hour that the government was trying to have these units soon, though it was a long-term plan in view of the constraints of manpower and training.
The interim budget 2024-25 on Thursday allocated Rs 202868.70 crore to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with the highest share of funds going to the paramilitary forces like Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Industrial Secular Force (CISF), showing priority on internal security and border guarding.
The pilot "mistakenly" pressed the 'hijack button' when it was taxiing for take-off.
The overnight operation in the Arabian Sea was carried out in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-terrorism Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau, it said.
Army Commander Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi visited the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and took stock of the ongoing operation, the officials said, adding he asked the troops to be relentless in their pursuit.
Five army personnel were killed and six injured on Monday when terrorists ambushed their vehicle in the remote Machedi area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said.
At this moment it is not possible to say whether any organisation or an individual was involved, the home minister said. There were certain theories during his visit to the cafe on Friday night, expressing suspicion that someone might have done it out of 'heartburn', unable to digest the cafe's success and expansion.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday praised the Indian Army as one of the most trusted and inspiring organisations in the country, highlighting its significant role in safeguarding borders, combating terrorism and assisting civil administration in times of need.
The government said it would strive to establish a National Security Guard hub or an equivalent commando force in every state in due course to strengthen the national security apparatus.
The new directives will also come to the aid of those personnel from Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Central Industrial Security Force, Indo Tibetan Border Patrol, Special Security Bureau, National Security Guard and Assam Rifles who have 'acquired' colour blindness after being recruited in these central forces
Sleuths of security forces and secret service agents have converged on the city and huge make-shift iron walls have come up several blocks around the convention's location.
