News for 'forest officials'

Chocolates, biometric data: How dossier nails Pak's Pahalgam plot

Chocolates, biometric data: How dossier nails Pak's Pahalgam plot

Rediff.com4 Aug 2025

Security agencies have gathered evidence, including Pakistani government documents and biometric data, confirming that the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were Pakistani nationals.

Terrorist killed in J-K's Kulgam, search op underway

Terrorist killed in J-K's Kulgam, search op underway

Rediff.com2 Aug 2025

A terrorist was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Akhal forest area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district. The encounter began after a cordon and search operation based on intelligence inputs.

Maximum alert in Manipur ahead of Modi's likely visit

Maximum alert in Manipur ahead of Modi's likely visit

Rediff.com11 Sep 2025

Security measures have been intensified in Imphal and Churachandpur, Manipur, in anticipation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's possible visit. The visit comes after months of ethnic violence in the state.

Kerala's maneater tiger dead, remains of woman found in its stomach

Kerala's maneater tiger dead, remains of woman found in its stomach

Rediff.com28 Jan 2025

A 'man-eater' tiger that killed a woman two days ago was found dead in Kerala's high-range district of Wayanad on Monday and an autopsy on the dead cat revealed the presence of the victim's hair, dress, and a pair of earrings in its stomach, forest officials said.

Houses among 50 structures damaged due to land sinking in J-K's Poonch

Houses among 50 structures damaged due to land sinking in J-K's Poonch

Rediff.com9 Sep 2025

Land sinking in a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district has damaged about 50 structures, mostly residential houses. A minister has assured relief and rehabilitation.

In 1st visit to Manipur since 2023, PM to unveil Rs 8,500 cr projects

In 1st visit to Manipur since 2023, PM to unveil Rs 8,500 cr projects

Rediff.com11 Sep 2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 8,500 crore in Manipur on September 13. This visit marks his first since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May 2023.

Why did Pahalgam attackers choose Baisaran Valley? NIA reveals

Why did Pahalgam attackers choose Baisaran Valley? NIA reveals

Rediff.com29 Aug 2025

The terrorists chose Baisaran as the target due to its "high tourist presence", "relative isolation" and after considering that the "response (from the security agencies) would take time".

Maha steps up efforts to bring back elephant Mahadevi from Guj after stir

Maha steps up efforts to bring back elephant Mahadevi from Guj after stir

Rediff.com2 Aug 2025

Maharashtra minister Prakash Abitkar said efforts are underway to bring back elephant Mahadevi from a rescue center in Gujarat. The elephant was relocated following a court order due to health concerns. Local leaders are protesting the relocation and seeking her return.

India stuns Switzerland, but where's the tennis plan?

India stuns Switzerland, but where's the tennis plan?

Rediff.com14 Sep 2025

But the big question that keeps striking the mind is, if Indian tennis system can actually claim this win as its own. The answer is: partially.

Op Mahadev: 3 terrorists killed in encounter in J-K

Op Mahadev: 3 terrorists killed in encounter in J-K

Rediff.com28 Jul 2025

Security forces killed three unidentified terrorists in a gun battle in the Harwan forests near Dachigam. The operation followed intelligence inputs suggesting terrorist movement in the area after the Pahalgam attack.

Pahalgam attack mastermind killed in encounter

Pahalgam attack mastermind killed in encounter

Rediff.com28 Jul 2025

The Indian Army's para commandos killed the alleged mastermind of the Pahalgam terror attack, along with two associates, in an encounter near Srinagar.

Infiltration bid foiled in Poonch, 2 terrorists killed

Infiltration bid foiled in Poonch, 2 terrorists killed

Rediff.com30 Jul 2025

Two suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were killed when army troops scuttled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Wednesday.

Twist in Dharmasthala case, 'mass burial' complainant arrested

Twist in Dharmasthala case, 'mass burial' complainant arrested

Rediff.com23 Aug 2025

The complainant-witness, a former sanitation worker, has claimed that he worked in Dharmasthala between 1995 and 2014, and that he was forced to bury a number of bodies, including those of women and minors, in Dharmasthala.

Kolhapur: Thousands march to bring back Mahadevi from Vantara

Kolhapur: Thousands march to bring back Mahadevi from Vantara

Rediff.com3 Aug 2025

Thousands of people participated in a 'silent march' in Kolhapur on Sunday, demanding that 36-year-old female elephant Mahadevi (also called Madhuri), be brought back from Vantara wildlife rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation centre in Gujarat's Jamnagar district.

Woman with US passport found chained to tree in Maharashtra forest

Woman with US passport found chained to tree in Maharashtra forest

Rediff.com29 Jul 2024

A 50-year-old American woman was found tied to a tree with an iron chain in a forest in Maharashtra's Sindhudurg district, and a set of documents, including an Aadhaar card with a Tamil Nadu address, were recovered from her possession, a police official said on Monday.

'Good sign': Official on cheetahs straying out of park

'Good sign': Official on cheetahs straying out of park

Rediff.com7 Apr 2023

'It's a natural phenomenon and there is nothing to worry about. But I must tell you that every cheetah which has been released in Kuno is monitored round the clock'

Security stepped up in UP districts bordering Nepal after protests

Security stepped up in UP districts bordering Nepal after protests

Rediff.com8 Sep 2025

Security has been increased in Uttar Pradesh districts bordering Nepal following violent protests in Nepal over a ban on social media. Authorities are monitoring the situation and have increased patrols and surveillance.

Sorry state of affairs: SC slams Uttarakhand for forest fires

Sorry state of affairs: SC slams Uttarakhand for forest fires

Rediff.com15 May 2024

Terming it a "very sorry state of affairs", the apex court said the state was just trying to find some excuse or the other.

Days after Pahalgam attack, terror hideout busted in Poonch

Days after Pahalgam attack, terror hideout busted in Poonch

Rediff.com5 May 2025

The hideout was busted during a joint search operation by army and special operations group of J-K police at Suranthal in Marhote area of Surankote late Sunday evening, the officials said.

Kerala forest dept's Thrissur Pooram circular sparks controversy

Kerala forest dept's Thrissur Pooram circular sparks controversy

Rediff.com13 Apr 2024

The temple authorities and jumbo owners even suspected that the conditions of the circular with regard to parading of the domestic elephants during festivals were part of a conspiracy to sabotage the Pooram.

Search op to track down 3 JeM terrorists underway in Basantgarh

Search op to track down 3 JeM terrorists underway in Basantgarh

Rediff.com27 Jun 2025

A search operation by a joint team of security forces is underway to track down three Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists in a forested area of Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, officials said on Friday.

Ageing safari vehicles spark safety concerns in Ranthambore reserve

Ageing safari vehicles spark safety concerns in Ranthambore reserve

Rediff.com19 Aug 2025

Tourism stakeholders are raising concerns about the safety and environmental impact of ageing diesel-powered safari vehicles operating in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve after a recent breakdown left tourists stranded.

Forest staffer suspended for anti-EVM WhatsApp status

Forest staffer suspended for anti-EVM WhatsApp status

Rediff.com4 Apr 2024

A forest department staffer in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra has been suspended for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by keeping a WhatsApp status message that raised question marks over the efficacy of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), an official said on Thursday.

Man kills married lover, her 2 kids in Chhattisgarh

Man kills married lover, her 2 kids in Chhattisgarh

Rediff.com25 Jun 2025

As per preliminary investigation, Giddhi was in a live-in relationship with victim Subhadra Thakur, who was estranged from her husband. He allegedly murdered her over the suspicion that she was not faithful to him, Jashpur Senior Superintendent of Police Sashimohan Singh said.

1 JeM terrorist killed, 3 others trapped in Udhampur

1 JeM terrorist killed, 3 others trapped in Udhampur

Rediff.com26 Jun 2025

The encounter broke out when a joint search party of the army and police launched a search operation, based on a specific intelligence, in remote Bihali area of Basantgarh in the district this morning. Reinforcements have been rushed in and a massive search operation is going on despite bad weather.

17 Naxal-hit villages get electricity for the first time

17 Naxal-hit villages get electricity for the first time

Rediff.com16 May 2025

Seventeen villages nestled among nearly inaccessible mountains and dense forests in Naxal-hit Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district of Chhattisgarh have got electricity from the supply grid for the first time, officials said on Friday.

A Rakhi For Gurudev

A Rakhi For Gurudev

Rediff.com9 Aug 2025

Glimpses from India and around the world that will make you smile and cry.

3 terrorists killed in encounter in J-K's Shopian

3 terrorists killed in encounter in J-K's Shopian

Rediff.com13 May 2025

Three terrorists were on Tuesday believed to have been killed in an encounter with security forces in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Bagha Jatin: Forgotten Hero Of The Fight For Freedom

Bagha Jatin: Forgotten Hero Of The Fight For Freedom

Rediff.com9 Sep 2025

Jyotindranath Mukherjee, popularly known as Bagha Jatin, attained martyrdom while fighting the British in Balasore district on September 9, 1915. It is unfortunate that the supreme sacrifice made by Bagha Jatin and his associates is little known outside Bengal and Odisha.

ISI employs drug addicts as terror couriers in Indian jails: Officials

ISI employs drug addicts as terror couriers in Indian jails: Officials

Rediff.com8 Dec 2024

Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, is reportedly using individuals under the influence of drugs or posing as mentally disturbed to infiltrate India and deliver messages to terrorists in prisons. Officials have reported over 10 such cases since July, with individuals entering from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and being sent to prisons in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan. Security agencies suspect these individuals are couriers tasked with relaying communication to jailed terrorists. The ISI's tactic is believed to be a response to the increased use of technology in communication, which leaves behind electronic footprints. This method of infiltration has also been linked to drug smuggling operations. The ISI's current tactic is reminiscent of its past use of "sawari operators" on the Samjhauta Express for covert operations, which were effectively curtailed by authorities.

Army committed to terror-free J-K: Northern commander

Army committed to terror-free J-K: Northern commander

Rediff.com11 Apr 2025

The Indian Army has neutralized a terrorist in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir during an encounter with security forces. The Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar commended the troops for their swift action and reiterated the army's commitment to keeping the region terror-free.

SC sets aside T'gana HC order declaring 106 acre of forest land as private

SC sets aside T'gana HC order declaring 106 acre of forest land as private

Rediff.com19 Apr 2024

The humans have "selective amnesia" about the significance of forests, the Supreme Court said on Thursday while advocating the need for a change in approach towards natural resources from anthropocentric to ecocentric.

Security forces recapture Naxal-occupied hill after 9 days

Security forces recapture Naxal-occupied hill after 9 days

Rediff.com1 May 2025

A hill with an altitude of 5,000 feet, once a hub of the Maoists along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, was reclaimed by the security forces after driving out the extremists following nine days of intense anti-Naxal operation, official sources said.

Top Maoist leader Basavaraju's killing major setback for outfit

Top Maoist leader Basavaraju's killing major setback for outfit

Rediff.com21 May 2025

The killing of CPI-Maoist general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, the topmost leader by security forces in Chhattisgarh, is a major setback for the banned outfit. Basavaraju, who was on the most wanted list of the NIA, was among the 27 dreaded Naxals killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region. The Telangana Police official said that the killing will be a demoralising factor for the Maoists. The official pointed out that the Maoists are already demoralised and hundreds of their cadres have surrendered before Telangana police besides many being arrested.

Day 7 of op: Security forces comb through Anantnag forest

Day 7 of op: Security forces comb through Anantnag forest

Rediff.com19 Sep 2023

Security forces sieved through the dense forests of Gadole in Kashmir Valley's Anantnag district for the seventh day on Tuesday, one of Jammu and Kashmir's longest anti-militancy operations that has claimed the lives of three officers and a soldier.

6 Kanwariyas killed in bus-truck collision in Jharkhand

6 Kanwariyas killed in bus-truck collision in Jharkhand

Rediff.com29 Jul 2025

Following the collision, the driver fell from the bus and the passenger vehicle, without anyone behind the steering wheel, continued moving for some time and stopped after hitting a stack of bricks, the IG said.

'Declaring End Of Maoist Insurgency By March 2026 Is Foolish'

'Declaring End Of Maoist Insurgency By March 2026 Is Foolish'

Rediff.com14 Aug 2025

'Handling or mitigating a rebellion is not a corporate plan with quarterly, half-yearly and annual goals and results but an aggregation of the effort of several years.'

Sam Pitroda reacts over BJP's land-grabbing allegations

Sam Pitroda reacts over BJP's land-grabbing allegations

Rediff.com27 Feb 2025

Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda has denied owning any land, home, or stocks in India, responding to allegations by a BJP leader that he illegally acquired 12.35 acres of government land in Bengaluru. The BJP leader, N R Ramesh, has filed a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate and the Karnataka Lokayukta, alleging that Pitroda, with the help of government officials, acquired the land for his organization, FRLHT. Pitroda, in a statement on X, categorically denied the allegations, stating he has never taken any salary during his time working with the Indian government and has never paid or accepted any bribe. He further clarified that FRLHT received a five-year lease on the land for conservation purposes, which expired in 2001 and was extended for another 10 years. Ramesh claims the lease expired in 2011 and the land, now worth over Rs 150 crore, was not reclaimed by the forest department. He has urged the ED to file a criminal case against those involved in the alleged land grab, including the officials responsible.

Shivneri, Raigad among 12 Maratha forts earn UNESCO World Heritage tag

Shivneri, Raigad among 12 Maratha forts earn UNESCO World Heritage tag

Rediff.com12 Jul 2025

The 'Maratha Military Landscapes', representing the Maratha rulers' fortification and military system, has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, marking India's 44th property to receive this recognition.

Women among 6 held for aiding terrorists behind Kathua attack

Women among 6 held for aiding terrorists behind Kathua attack

Rediff.com31 Mar 2025

Security forces have intensified search operations using aerial surveillance and sniffer dogs following a night-long cordon after fresh reports of suspected movement of three individuals, believed to be terrorists, who escaped a recent encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said.