India, Maldives hold talks to boost defence cooperation

India initiates work on construction of MNDF Coast Guard Harbour

Male (ANI): Union Defence Minister of India

Rajnath Singh reached Maldivian Capital Male on May 1, 2023, on the invitation of his Maldivian Counterpart Defence Minister Mariya Didi.

During his visit, Rajnath Singh and Mariya Didi held bilateral talks to enhance defence cooperation and strengthen the longstanding partnership between India and Maldives.

They discussed a wide range of regional and global security issues of mutual concern and agreed to deepen their cooperation in the defence and security domains.

Both Ministers reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability and security in the region and recognised the need to work together to address common security challenges.

The Ministers welcomed the progress made in ongoing defence cooperation between the two neighbours, including joint exercises and exchanges of visits by military officials.

Crucial Read

PRESIDENT MURMU TO VISIT HER VILLAGE, SIMILIPAL TIGER RESERVE IN ODISHA

Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to visit her home district Mayurbhanj in Odisha on Thursday for the first time after assuming office. During her three-day stay, she will attend a host of programmes, including the convocation of Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University, Baripada and a visit to Similipal Tiger Reserve. The President will board a helicopter to Odisha and land at Badampahar helipad in Mayurbhanj district at around 10.15 a.m. on May 4.

CYBERCROOK MAKING `3 CR A DAY HELD: POLICE

Mumbai: A class XII passout and a self-taught cybergeek has been arrested from Vishakhapatnam by the Bangur Nagar Police in a multi-crore cyberfraud spanning the length and breadth of the country.

Shrinivas Dadi was nabbed from a five-star hotel, where he had been hiding.

Investigators said Dadi had been converting money, that was defrauded from Indian citizens, into cryptocurrency and transferring it to Chinese nationals.

Manipur: Internet down; curfew in eight districts

Imphal (PTI): Curfew was imposed in eight districts of Manipur and mobile internet services were suspended in the entire northeastern state over violence during a tribal agitation on Wednesday, officials said.

Violence broke out during ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ called by All Tribal Student Union Manipur (ATSUM) in Torbung area of Churachandpur district to protest the demand of nontribal Meiteis, who dominate the Imphal Valley, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Thousands of agitators took part in the rally, during which violence between tribals and non-tribals was reported in Torbung area, a police officer said.

RAJNATH SINGH AND HIS MALDIVIAN COUNTERPART LAY FOUNDATION STONE

Male (ANI): Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Maldivian counterpart Mariya Didi on Wednesday jointly laid the foundation stone for MNDF

Police raids in Delhi, Haryana; six held

New Delhi (ANI):

Dwarka district police raided various locations across the national capital and Haryana early morning on Wednesday, and recovered Rs 20 lakh cash, weapons and other illegal materials from the hideouts of the members of a criminal gang, officials said.

RAGA DENIED EXEMPTION FROM COURT APPEARANCE

New Delhi: A court on Wednesday rejected Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s plea seeking exemption from personal appearance in connection with a 2019 defamation case over his ‘Modi surname’ remark. This comes weeks after a Surat court convicted Rahul Gandhi in the same case and sentenced him to 2 years in jail. Following his conviction, Rahul Gandhi’s was disqualified from Parliament.

‘MORAL POLICING’ IN K’TAKA: MUSLIM MAN ASSAULTED FOR TALKING TO HINDU GIRL

New Delhi: In a suspected moral-policing incident, a Muslim youth was allegedly assaulted by four people for talking to a Hindu girl at Puttur in Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada district Tuesday. Following a complaint, the Puttur town police began an investigation, leading to the arrests. The police have arrested the four assailants. The incident has come at a time when the Karnataka Congress has promised to take “decisive action” against the Hindu right-wing group Bajarang Dal for “spreading hatred amongst communities” if the party is voted to power in the Assembly elections slated for May 10.

This comes a day after gangster Tillu Tajpuriya was killed in Tihar jail. Deputy Commissioner of Police M Harshawardhan said,

“Dwarka Police has raided the hideouts of gangsters and their associates sitting abroad. Raids have been conducted at some locations in Delhi including Sonipat & Jhajjar.”

The raids concluded with the arrest of 6 & detention of 20 others, officials said. “They have been arrested for various offences under the Arms Act and Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act”, said official.

Police fired several rounds of tear gas shells to control the mob, the officer said. The situation remains tense but many agitators have started returning to their homes in different parts of the hills.

RAIN LASHES PARTS OF DELHI & POURS TRAFFIC WOES

New Delhi: Delhi-NCR continues to witness heavy rains, bringing temperature further down in the region. As per weather forecast, another spell of rain is expected from Friday onwards. The IMD has issued a warning of “moderate” to “heavy” rainfall in the capital region for the next 48 hours. The department has also predicted thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds. The spell is likely to continue until the end of the week, with intermittent spells of showers.

231 Indians evacuated from strife-torn Sudan

Indian citizens evacuated from crisis-hit Sudan arrive at Rajkot, on Wednesday. 150 Indian evacuees from Sudan were brought to Rajkot in 4 buses from Ahmedabad airport. —PHOTO BY ANI

Mumbai (ANI): As ‘Operation Kaveri’ continues to bring stranded Indians back to the country from conflicthit Sudan, another flight with 231 passengers landed in Mumbai today.

Taking to Twitter, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi informed about the flight’s arrival and said that citizens are back home now. “Another #Opera-

OVER 3,000 EVACUATED, MORE PEOPLE

REACH JEDDAH AS WAR CONTINUES tionKaveri flight brings citizens back home. Flight carrying 231 passengers lands in Mumbai,” Mr Bagchi

The Indian government has evacuated 3,195 of the 3,400 citizens registered with the Indian embassy in Sudan, over a week after launching Operation Kaveri. Amid escalating conflict between rival factions in the North African nation since 15 April, India and other foreign countries have been working to evacuate their citizens from danger. As fighting continues in the strife-torn African country, India has intensified its Operation Kaveri to rescue all the Indians from Sudan. From Jeddah, the Indians are being brought back home in either commercial flight or IAF’s aircraft.

Days after ‘indiscipline’ remark, IOA chief Usha meets wrestlers

First India Bureau

New Delhi: Days after critisising the #MeToo protest against the federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, IOA president PT Usha on Wednesday met the wrestlers at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. PT Usha left the protest site without talking to the media. Bajrang Punia said she has assured help to the players. Usha had said her comments for us were misinterpreted.

Usha said she was an athlete first and then everything else. She said she would resolve our situation as soon as possible. But we all have said her that we will remain here till Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh goes to jail. —Bajran Punia, Wrestler