Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Maoist attack on troops heightens fears for India election

MAOIST rebels today (4) ambushed an Indian military patrol and killed four soldiers in a jolt to security ahead of a national election starting next week, officials said.

Indian authorities also faced protests over the closure of a major highway in restive Kashmir state for two days a week during voting so it can be used for military convoys.


Border Security Force troops were on a foot patrol in a remote forested district of Chhattisgarh state when attacked.

Six BSF troops were also wounded.

State police chief, DM Awasthi, who gave the toll, said the wounded soldiers have been evacuated from Kanker district.

Indian forces have been fighting Maoists for decades in the mineral-rich central state, which will vote on April 11, the first day of the multi-stage nationwide election which will only finish on May 19.

The rebels often call for a boycott of elections as part of their campaign against the Indian state.

The Maoists are believed to be present in at least 20 other Indian states but most active in Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra.

Their insurgency has left tens of thousands dead.

Tens of thousands have also been killed in the past three decades in Kashmir where Indian authorities have ordered the main Udhampur to Baramulla highway a 300-kilometre lifeline from the Kashmir valley to the rest of India on Wednesdays and Sundays to prevent suicide attacks.

The road closure order issued late Wednesday (3) sparked angry protests from politicians, businesses and residents in the Muslim-majority region.

Omar Abdullah, a former chief minister in Kashmir, said patients would not be able to reach hospitals, students will not get to schools and many people will not get to work.

"There has to be a better, less people unfriendly way of protecting forces using the highway," Abdullah said on Twitter.

"This is martial law. We have never seen this kind of ban here and it will hugely affect trade between Kashmir and other states in India," Yasin Khan, a business leader said.

The only other road connecting the landlocked valley to Jammu province in the south is in bad shape and closed for many months each year.

A railway link under construction for nearly 15 years has missed several completion deadlines.

"Last I checked, we were a democracy. But this sounds like a diktat of martial law," said Mehboob Mufti, another former chief minister and ally of prime minister Narendra Modi.

The government was inflicting "collective punishment" on Kashmiris," Mufti said on Twitter.

(AFP)

More For You

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions
Anura Kumara Dissanayake

Sri Lanka forms committee to address UK sanctions

THE Sri Lanka government on Wednesday (2) formed a committee to recommend measures regarding the UK's decision to impose sanctions on three former military commanders who led the campaign that crushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 2009.

Health minister Nalinda Jayatissa told reporters that foreign minister Vijitha Herath, justice minister Harshana Nanayakkara and deputy minister of defence Aruna Jayasekara would comprise the committee that would consult experts for the purpose.

Keep ReadingShow less
Gujarat-blast-ANI

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed. (Photo: ANI)

ANI

Death toll rises to 21 in Gujarat firework factory explosion

AN EXPLOSION at an illegal firecracker factory in Gujarat's Deesa town killed 21 people and injured several others on Tuesday, officials said.

The blast caused the factory’s concrete roof to collapse, scattering debris and body parts across the area, officials confirmed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

Child benefit, normally paid every four weeks directly into bank accounts, has undergone significant changes in recent months (Photo: Getty Images)

Child benefit payments set to rise for UK families

MILLIONS of British families are set to receive a financial boost as child benefit payments increase from April 7, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

From next week, parents will receive £26.05 per week for the eldest or only child, amounting to £1,354.60 annually - up from the current rate of £25.60. For each additional child, payments will rise to £17.25 weekly, totalling £897 per year - an increase from the present £16.95 rate. This represents a 1.7 per cent increase across all payment categories.

Keep ReadingShow less
Anant Ambani Walks 140 Km in Spiritual Tribute on 30th Birthday

Anant’s padyatra is a reflection of the larger cultural fabric of India

Getty

Anant Ambani embarks on a 140-kilometer spiritual journey on foot to celebrate 30th birthday

Anant Ambani, a director of Reliance Industries Limited and a prominent figure in Indian industry, has chosen a unique and spiritual way to mark his 30th birthday. As part of his celebrations, he is currently undertaking a padyatra—a traditional pilgrimage on foot—from Jamnagar to Dwarka, covering a distance of approximately 140 kilometres. The journey reflects his devotion to Lord Dwarkadhish, the presiding deity of the Dwarkadhish Temple in the city of Dwarka.

Anant began his journey from his family’s residence in Moti Khavdi, Jamnagar, and has been progressing steadily for the past five days. Walking an estimated 10-12 kilometres each night, he travels under the protection of Z+ security and local police, ensuring his safety during this significant journey. The padyatra is expected to take between seven to nine days in total, with plans to conclude at the Dwarkadhish Temple in time for his birthday on April 10.

Keep ReadingShow less
New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

Government urged experts to come forward to help draw up a new five-year TB action plan. (Photo: Getty Images)

New TB action plan proposed as cases surge

BRITAIN on Wednesday (2) urged health experts and sufferers of tuberculosis (TB) to come forward to help draw up a new five-year action plan as it deals with record rises in the disease.

In 2023, England recorded its largest annual increase (11 per cent) in cases since enhanced surveillance began in 2000.

Keep ReadingShow less