West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has submitted a report to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs expressing concern over the recent riots in Murshidabad district and the threat of "radicalisation" and "militancy". The governor has suggested a series of measures, including the establishment of a commission of inquiry and the deployment of central forces in border districts, and has hinted at the possibility of President's rule under Article 356 if the situation deteriorates further. He has also criticized the state government's response to the violence, alleging a lack of coordination and a failure to prevent the escalation of the situation.
Violating the ceasefire yet again, Pakistani troops fired at a forward Indian border outpost along the border in Jammu on Tuesday morning, killing a Border Security Force jawan. Pakistani troops fired at the Chak Sagwari border outpost in Paragwal sector, 20 kms from Jammu, at approximately 6.15 am, BSF officials said. BSF jawan Sultan Ali was killed in the firing. Indian troops guarding the border retaliated and the firing ended at around 6.30 am.
Hours before United States President Barack Obama's arrival in India, Pakistani Rangers resorted to small arms firing along the International Border in Jammu district, forcing the Border Security Force to retaliate.
The move, which was approved by the Union home ministry, comes amid a military standoff with China in the eastern Ladakh area.
There was no traditional exchange of sweets and pleasantries between the two sides along the International Border, the officials said, attributing it to the tense situation following the recent ceasefire violations by Pakistan Rangers that left a Border Security Force jawan dead.
The Army chief is likely to visit Jammu and discuss the recent and ongoing counter-terrorist operations and the casualties that have been suffered in the recent terror attacks there, defence sources said.
The Border Security Force said on Friday that top United Liberation Front of Asom leader Arabinda Rajkhowa, another key militant and their families surrendered at the Dawki border outpost in Meghalaya early on Friday morning.
Repeatedly violating the ceasefire in the last 36 hours, Pakistani troops opened fire at forward posts along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, injuring a Border Security Force jawan.
The process to authorise new battalions for the ITBP, guarding the LAC between India and China, is in the last stage and the government is determined to provide transport and logistical support to all security forces, Union Minister Nityanand Rai said on Sunday.
The road network at the Indo-China border will also help locals settle in their villages to run homestay and other tourism-related businesses
In a major ceasefire violation, Pakistani Rangers on Wednesday opened heavy fire at Indian border outposts along the international border in Jammu district, killing a Border Security Force personnel and leaving three other troopers injured.
'Despite the existence of a ceasefire agreement between Pakistan and India, Pakistan Rangers did not stop their nefarious activities against India and carried on with their ill motives on IB in Jammu'
This is third day of shelling and firing by Pakistan troops along the International Border in Jammu frontier and comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
The outpost at Abduliam was subjected to small arms fire from Ata post on the Pakistan-held territory at around 2130 hours, drawing retaliatory action by BSF, they said, adding that the intermittent exchange of fire continued well past midnight.
The government has sanctioned a dozen fresh SSB battalions, comprising over 13,000 personnel for the Nepal and Bhutan borders guarding force, to "fortify" defences along these fronts including the tri-junction area in Sikkim that adjoins Bhutan and Tibet, officials said.
The bandh, called by Barak Democratic Front and supported by political outfits including opposition AIUDF and social organisations, was "total" and there was no report of any untoward incident from any district, another official said.
Pakistani troops fired mortars, rockets and automatic weapons on border posts and civilian areas along the International Border in Jammu and Samba districts, resulting in heavy exchanges till the wee hours of the day.
The Meitei group Arambai Tenggol surrendered 246 firearms to security forces in Manipur, bringing the total number of weapons surrendered to 307. The surrender follows a deadline set by Governor Ajay Bhalla for the return of illegal weapons. Arambai Tenggol's decision was influenced by assurances from the governor, including the eradication of opium poppy cultivation, implementation of border fencing, and a general amnesty for members of the group. Officials believe the surrender will contribute to restoring peace in the state, which has been rocked by ethnic violence for nearly two years. The police have urged others in possession of illegal firearms to surrender them before the deadline. Former Chief Minister N Biren Singh welcomed the surrender, calling it a "big step towards peace."
Unprovoked firing by Pakistan Rangers has marred dozens of weddings in villages along the International Border in Jammu with many forced to make last-minute changes to some rituals as well.
Pakistani troops heavily shelled 15 border outposts and hamlets along the international border overnight, leaving three persons injured, one of them seriously in Jammu district.
In the second ceasefire violation in as many days, Pakistani troops on Monday fired at a forward outpost along the International Border in Jammu where the Border Security Force foiled an infiltration bid by militants.
At least 27 mortar shells of the 1971 Indo-Pak war period were found in West Tripura district on Thursday, police said.
The BSF claimed to have foiled the plans of terrorists to disrupt the Amarnath Yatra.
Glimpses from the preparations and rehearsal for Independence Day.
Video footage showed 'Himveers' dressed in white uniforms and chanting slogans of -- Bharat Mata ki Jai and Vande Mataram as the tricolour flies high. Two of the soldiers were seen holding the tricolour as they marched in the snow.
During the three-day mourning period, the national flag will fly at half-mast and there will be no public entertainment, a notification issued by the Assam government said.
Militants on Friday shot dead two BSF personnel at a remote border outpost along Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya's South West Khasi Hills district.
The move has been introduced to check any infiltration of terrorists in the wake of the Pathankot attack.
As part of a 'Green Mission', the Border Security Force has taken a massive plantation drive all over the country to set a record in the Limca Book of Records, a BSF officer said on Sunday.
The BSF troops retaliated, resulting in exchange of fire, which was still going on when last reports came in.
Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to brief firing on border outposts along the International Border.
Pakistani troops on Friday fired on Indian forward posts along the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, said an officer of the Border Security Force. Pak Rangers fired on Border outposts along IB in Pindi forward area along IB of R S Pura belt of Jammu district around 9.35 am, the officer said.
There was no report of any casualty in the latest ceasefire violation which came a day after a personnel of the Indian Army was killed and three others including two women were injured in separate ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Rajouri and Poonch districts.
In yet another ceasefire violation, Pakistani troops fired on Indian positions in Nikowal forward belt along the International Border in Jammu sector on Sunday morning.Pakistani rangers opened unprovoked fire on Indian Border Outposts which lasted for over 45 minutes, a senior Border Security Force officer said. The BSF returned the fire, he said, adding there were no casualties on the Indian side.
The Eastern Command General Officer Commanding-in-Chief also said India is giving shelter to anyone from Myanmar seeking refuge, including common villagers, army or police, in Mizoram and Manipur, but not armed cadres of militant groups of drug traffickers.
Did the Pakistani officials mistakenly sanction the deadly NATO strike on their own border outposts killing 24 soldiers? According to a Wall Street Journal report, that is what happened on the fateful Saturday.
Amid heightened tension on the border, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice on Monday targeting Indian forward posts along the International Border in Poonch and Samba districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Amid tension in the border following firing from the Pakistani side, a flag meeting was held on Friday between the border guarding forces of the two countries to review the situation. Officials of Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers held the flag meeting at Nikwol border outpost in Jammu and Kashmir's Khour belt to discuss the firing incidents on Thursday night and on Friday morning.
Two Border Security Force jawans were injured in firing from Pakistani side as the border guards foiled an infiltration bid by militants along the international border in Jammu and Kashmir's Khour belt.
