Regional

Srinagar, June 28 (IANS) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday reiterated his government’s commitment to making Jammu and Kashmir one of the premier golf destinations in the country.

The Chief Minister made these remarks during a prize distribution ceremony held here at Srinagar, where winners and runners-up of the day’s golf tournament were felicitated.

Earlier, the Chief Minister joined golfers to tee off the tournament at the Royal Springs Golf Course, which saw participation from eminent golfers from across the country, including former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah.

Welcoming the golfers to Kashmir, the Chief Minister said their presence was highly encouraging. He also expressed his gratitude to the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) for organising the Golf tournament and tourism stakeholders’ interaction in Kashmir.

“It is very reassuring for us to see you all here. There is no doubt that your presence goes a long way in reinforcing what we are trying to do, which is essentially to bring tourism back on track after it had derailed,” he said.

Reflecting on recent challenges, the Chief Minister acknowledged the apprehensions tourists may have felt following the Baisaran tragedy.

“I understand why people would be afraid to visit. I understand the impact of the visuals from Pahalgam on the psyche of those who would otherwise not think twice about coming here,” he said.

“That is why your presence here carries immense significance — the message you take back with you amplifies what we are trying to achieve, in ways perhaps we cannot.”

Highlighting the power of word-of-mouth communication, the Chief Minister noted that the impressions shared by visitors hold greater weight than official statements.

“If I speak about Jammu and Kashmir as a tourism destination, my words will naturally be seen through the lens of a local. But when you return home and share your experiences here, the impact is far greater,” he said.

“I am not being frivolous when I say this, we truly hope each one of you goes back as ambassadors of Jammu and Kashmir, conveying that although the region has faced a difficult few months, there is light at the end of the tunnel, and better days lie ahead.”

On the development of golf infrastructure, the Chief Minister assured the gathering that all necessary efforts will be made to provide world-class golfing facilities in both Jammu and Kashmir Valley.

Referring to the recent tournament held in Gulmarg, he shared: “For the first time in over a decade, we were able to organise a small, locally-participated golf tournament using nine holes. By August or September, we hope to have all 18 holes operational. Work on the greens is underway.”

He further added, “Similarly, we will continue to enhance the quality of golf courses in Srinagar and Jammu. Rest assured, we are committed to ensuring that each time you return, you experience an improved game and setting.”

--IANS

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Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) The United Forum of State Government Employees, the umbrella body of the West Bengal government employees, spearheading the movement against non-payment of dearness allowance at par with that of the Central government employees and the arrears accrued on it, will organise a protest rally coinciding with Trinamool Congress's annual Martyrs' Day rally on July 21.

The decision had been taken amid the deadline for crediting the 25 per cent dearness allowance arrears to the accounts of the current and retired employees as directed by the Supreme Court last month expired on Friday midnight and the arrears were not credited.

Instead, the state government, during the last moment, filed a petition before the apex court seeking six months of additional time for paying the 25 per cent dearness allowance dues.

The state government, in its plea to the apex court, has said that six months of additional time was required considering the present financial status of the state exchequer.

At the same time, the West Bengal government also appealed to the Supreme Court for a review of the earlier order for payment of 25 per cent dearness allowance dues.

While Trinamool Congress's Martyrs' Day rally on July 21 will be held in central Kolkata, the United Forum of State Government Employees' rally will be organised less than a kilometre away at the base of Shahid Minar within the same time on same day.

Announcing this at a press conference on Saturday, the forum representatives also said that apart from their rally on July 21, they will also be organising a "march to State Secretariat" programme on July 28.

"Besides the members of the different associations of the state government employees, the "untainted" teachers losing jobs following a Supreme Court order in April this year will also be participating at the protest march on July 28," the forum convener Bhaskar Ghosh said.

At the same time, he said, the forum is getting prepared for another round of legal battle on this issue, including filing a contempt-of-court petition in the matter against the state government.

At present, the West Bengal government employees receive dearness allowances at the rate of just 18 per cent, as against 55 per cent received by their counterparts in the Union government and many other state governments.

Payment of 25 per cent of pending dues is expected to cost the state exchequer in West Bengal around Rs 12,000 crore.

The state Finance department employees apprehend that this drain-out might impact some monthly payments under different welfare schemes run by the state government.

--IANS

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Patna, June 28 (IANS) Amid intermittent monsoon rains, lightning strikes claimed the lives of two people and injured two others in Gaya district, Bihar, on Saturday.

In the Guraru block, Dinesh Yadav (40), a resident of Daulata village, died after being struck by lightning near Bhaduki village while returning from Rafiganj in Aurangabad. His sudden death has left the family in shock.

In a separate incident in Pandey Pokhar village of Guraru, Rohit Kumar (14), son of Ramesh Manjhi, died on the spot after being struck by lightning while grazing cattle in a barren field.

“There is news of two people dying due to the lightning strike. At present, one body has been sent to Magadh Medical College Hospital for post-mortem. We will recover another dead body for the post-mortem. Police are taking further action,” the SHO of Guraru Police stated.

Meanwhile, in the Aams block, a lightning strike damaged the upper part of a temple, injuring two people living nearby.

The injured have been identified as Suhana Parveen (12) and Jaimala Devi (30).

Both are undergoing treatment at the Primary Health Centre in Aams and are reported to be out of danger.

“Both injured are being treated and their condition is stable,” said Dr. Mahesh Prasad, Medical In Charge, PHC Aams.

Lightning strikes are regularly reported in Bihar during the monsoon season, despite alerts issued by the Meteorological Department.

Rural areas remain particularly vulnerable, with many people falling victim to such incidents while working in the fields or during daily chores.

Authorities have urged people to take precautions during storms, avoid open fields, and follow weather alerts to minimise risks during the ongoing rainy season.

The officials suggested people stay away from trees, electric poles and clay houses and take shelter inside concrete structures in case of rain.

Meanwhile, the state government has decided to compensate the family members of the deceased with Rs 4 lakh ex gratia.

--IANS

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Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) The Trinamool Congress, on Saturday, officially censured a party Lok Sabha member and a party legislator for making controversial comments over the alleged rape of a law student within the college premises at Kasba in Kolkata earlier this week.

The two leaders who have been censured in the matter are the four-time Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member and senior advocate of Calcutta High Court, Kalyan Banerjee, and the party legislator Madan Mitra.

After the rape incident took place and three persons accused in the case, all having links with Trinamool Congress's students' wing -- Trinamool Chhatra Parishad, Kalyan Banerjee made a comment claiming that it would not be possible for government authorities to provide protection in cases, where a friend rapes another friend.

Later, Madan Mitra, infamous for his frequent loose comments, also made a controversial statement claiming that the rape incident had sent a message to all girls that they should not go to college when it is closed.

Both the comments created a stir across the political and social circles in West Bengal.

On Saturday, Trinamool Congress issued a statement claiming that the remarks made by Banerjee and Mitra in the matter were made in their individual capacities and hence the party had unequivocally disassociated itself from their statements and strongly condemned them.

"These views do not reflect the position of the party in any manner whatsoever. Our stance remains resolute; we have zero tolerance for crimes against women and demand the strictest possible punishment for all those involved in this heinous crime," the statement said.

Meanwhile, a Calcutta High Court advocate Souma Subhra Ray, on Saturday, wrote a letter to the Calcutta High Court Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam seeking suo motu cognisance of the court in the Kasba law college rape case.

In the letter, Ray had requested Justice Sivagnanam to issue directions for a court-monitored and independent criminal investigation, preferably by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), to ensure an impartial probe free from state's influence or interference.

Ray has also pleaded for constituting a judicial commission, headed by a retired judge of the Calcutta High Court, to investigate the institutional, administrative and security failures that permitted this incident to occur.

--IANS

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New Delhi, June 28 (IANS) Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Saturday visited schools in Surat and said that an advanced education system featuring AI, smart boards, and robotics, on the lines of Gujarat, will soon be implemented in the capital’s schools.

Speaking to the media in Gujarat, Sood expressed confidence that this initiative would not only raise the quality of education in Delhi’s government schools but also enhance students’ exposure to modern technologies.

Sood criticised the so-called Delhi education model flaunted by the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

He said the self-proclaimed Delhi model of the AAP government and its Education Minister, who went to jail over the liquor scam, have completely failed.

Despite being the national capital with all available resources, Delhi’s government schools have just a few hundred smart boards. In contrast, Gujarat, despite facing natural challenges such as annual floods in several districts, has successfully established over one lakh smart classrooms, he said, adding that this completely exposes the failure of the so-called Delhi model.

On his educational trip to Surat, Sood visited Suman High School Number 6, Udhna, operated under the Surat Municipal Corporation.

The Education Minister visited various classrooms in the school and observed the teaching and learning process being conducted through smart boards.

He interacted with students to understand the utility of smart boards and the educational benefits they receive from this technology.

Sood also visited the school’s AI and Robotics Lab, where he observed practical projects being carried out by students on topics such as drones, 3D printers, and advanced sensor security systems.

While interacting with the students, he appreciated their efforts and extended his best wishes.

Sood’s visit was aimed at observing the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the best educational practices adopted by different states.

He remarked that the reforms introduced by Gujarat in government schools are commendable and that other states should take inspiration from them.

Present on the occasion were the District Education Officer of Surat, administrative officers from the Municipal Primary Education Committee, the District Primary Education Officer, and school administrators, along with other officials.

--IANS

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Agartala, June 28 (IANS) Union Ministry of DoNER (Development of North Eastern Region) is actively considering a Tripura government project worth Rs 132 crore to expand the area of cultivation of Queen variety of pineapple and to make the delicious fruit as a global brand, Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath said here on Saturday.

The Minister said that several rounds of meetings were held with DoNER Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, and he assured to help the state to expand the area of cultivation of the Queen variety of pineapple and to make the tasty fruit a global brand.

“Scindia assured us that he, along with officials, would visit the state to see the pineapple cultivation in the state. According to our discussion with him, we recently submitted the Rs 132 crore project to the DoNER ministry,” Nath told IANS.

He said that through a staggering process, the Queen variety of pineapple being cultivated in Tripura across 365 days of the year, not just as a seasonal fruit, has decided to start with 2,000 hectares.

Tripura is renowned for its Queen and Kew pineapple varieties, both of which flourish in the state's unique hilly and humid climate with minimal chemical intervention. These pineapples are golden yellow in appearance and have a distinct, pleasant aroma upon ripening, said Nath, who also holds the power department.

According to the Minister, the fruit cultivation area in Tripura is 58,491 hectares, out of which 11,862 hectares are now under pineapple cultivation, producing around 1,74,016 metric tonnes annually, with an average productivity of 14.6 tonnes per hectare, slightly below the national average of 17 tonnes per hectare.

“The organic Queen pineapple yields about 12 tonnes per hectare, while the Kew variety has a higher productivity of 15.71 tonnes per hectare. The Queen variety pineapple was granted Geographical Indication (GI) tag status, which highlights the unique quality and distinctiveness in the state,” Nath said.

He said that before the BJP government came to power, farmers cultivating pineapple never reaped benefits.

“However, after the BJP government came to power in 2018, they have started reaping those benefits, and the government is helping them by facilitating exports to other states and countries,” said the Minister.

Tripura, for many years, has been exporting pineapples and lemons to many countries and many Indian states as well.

Tripura has occasionally exported the queen variety pineapples to Dubai, Qatar and Bangladesh, facilitating crores of trade for the state's farmers.

Officials said that besides pineapples, Tripura also exported various other fruits, including lemon and horticultural products, to the UK, Germany and many other countries.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind, at a function in Agartala in 2018, announced the "Queen" variety of pineapple as Tripura's state fruit. Besides pineapples, Tripura also exported a large quantity of jackfruit, tamarind, stone apple, betel leaf, ginger to the UK, Germany, Dubai, Bangladesh and other countries, as well as various Indian states.

--IANS

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Noida, June 28 (IANS) Noida Cyber Police have apprehended three members of a gang involved in a massive cyber fraud case where a businessman from Noida was cheated out of Rs 3.26 crore.

All three individuals allegedly lured the victim by promising five times the profit through investments in the stock market. However, it turned out to be a scam.

The three accused — Puneet, Himanshu, and Vijay Chaudhary — were arrested near Noida Stadium. According to the police investigation, Puneet had rented out his bank account to Himanshu.

Using this account, approximately Rs 30 lakh was transferred as part of the fraudulent transactions. Later, Vijay Chaudhary took control of the same account from Himanshu and used it extensively for conducting cyber fraud activities.

The cybercrime team has revealed that the account witnessed transactions amounting to nearly Rs 1 crore, and the probe into the case is still ongoing to uncover the full extent of the scam and identify any other possible suspects.

Manisha Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), Cyber Crime, confirmed the arrests and stated, “We have detained the three accused involved in this cyber fraud. Our investigation is progressing, and we are committed to bringing all those responsible to justice.”

The modus operandi of the accused involved creating a false impression that investing in certain stock market schemes would yield high returns, thereby duping the businessman into transferring huge sums of money. Once the money was transferred, these criminals used multiple bank accounts to launder the proceeds. This is how they used to avoid detection, said the police.

Crime experts are of the view that this case highlights the increasing sophistication of cyber fraud schemes targeting investors, particularly through promises of unusually high returns in the stock market. Authorities have urged the public to exercise caution and verify investment opportunities through legitimate channels before committing funds.

The Noida Cyber Police are actively tracing the flow of money and examining digital footprints to dismantle the entire network behind this fraud. They are also coordinating with banks and other financial institutions to freeze the accounts linked to the suspects.

As the investigation unfolds, more details are expected to emerge, potentially revealing the broader network and modus operandi used by the accused in executing such high-value scams.

--IANS

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Kolkata, June 28 (IANS) The Kolkata Police, on Saturday, announced the formation of a five-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), with an Assistant Commissioner-level officer leading it, to probe the case of the rape of a law student within the college premises at Kasba in Kolkata, officials said.

The head of the SIT is Pradip Kumar Ghosal, an Assistant Commissioner posted with the south suburban division of the city police.

The city police have already appealed to record the confidential statement of the victim as well as her parents.

A total of four persons are in police custody now in connection with the case, the latest of whom is a 55-year-old security guard who was identified as the "sole helpless witness" in the matter.

The main accused in the rape case namely -- Monojit Mishra, Zaib Ahmed and Pramit Mukhopadhyay, were presented at a city court on Friday and they all were remanded to police custody till July 1.

All the accused trio were reportedly linked to Trinamool Congress's students' wing -- Trinamool Chhatra Parishad.

The pictures of Mishra with several top Trinamool Congress leaders have already flooded the social media.

Meanwhile, the father of Mishra, who is considered the main accused in the rape case, told a section of the media persons on Saturday, that his son had virtually no connection with his family since he passed out of the law college and claimed to have started practicing as an advocate at a city, besides working as a temporary staff at the same college.

He also said that he would not be participating in the legal process on behalf of his son.

I have done my bit in getting my son educated. Now if at this age he gets booked in such a case, nothing is there that I can do now. If he is proven guilty in the matter he will be punished. But I am not in a position to stand by him. I am not even in a financial position to do that," Mishra's father added.

--IANS

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Jaipur, June 28 (IANS) Tragedy struck the family of Kedarnath helicopter crash victim Rajveer Singh Chauhan once again, as his mother, Vijay Laxmi Chauhan (58), passed away due to a heart attack on Saturday, just a day after observing the 12th day ritual of her son’s death.

On June 15, pilot Rajveer Singh Chauhan, a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the Indian Army, lost his life along with six others in a helicopter crash near Kedarnath. After he retired from the Army, he joined a private aviation company and was flying commercial helicopters. Just four months ago, he had become the father of twin sons.

On Saturday, family members and neighbours had gathered outside the Shastri Nagar Rana Colony residence to discuss a tribute programme planned in Rajveer’s memory. During this time, Vijay Laxmi Chauhan, wife of Govind Singh Chauhan, suddenly experienced severe chest pain. She was rushed to Kanwatia Hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead. The news of her sudden demise has left the community shocked and heartbroken.

Just a day earlier, she had been speaking with relatives and neighbours about a special programme scheduled for Sunday in honour of her late son.

As per the plan, the square and road near Nandi Baba Temple were to be named after Colonel Rajveer Singh Chauhan, along with a 'Veer Tiranga Yatra', a collective tribute meeting, and Hanuman Chalisa recitation for the peace of the departed soul.

Rajveer’s wife, Sona Kanwar, had been coordinating with relatives and community members for the memorial programme when the second tragedy struck the family.

Rajveer Singh, a resident of Shastri Nagar Colony of Jaipur city, served in the Army for about 14 years. His wife Deepika Chauhan is also a Lieutenant Colonel.

The couple became parents for the first time four months ago after 14 years of marriage. Rajveer's father, Govind Singh, is a retired employee who was working with BSNL.

He said that the family was preparing for the Jalwa Poojan of the grandsons these days, but the news has brought a mountain of sorrow.

--IANS

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Jaipur, June 28 (IANS) Rajasthan BJP state in-charge Radha Mohandas Agarwal claimed on Saturday that his party is the only party where coordination can be seen between power and organisation, and listening to workers remains the foundation of the party.

“Workers are always given priority in the party, and through them, the problems of the public are identified and a quick solution is given by the government. Listening to the workers by communicating directly with them and taking advantage of schemes for the public is the basic foundation of the BJP’s working style,” he claimed.

He also praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary thinking and the policy of taking schemes to the last person in the line and said that the graph of the BJP government is constantly rising across the country as the party gives top priority to public service.

He said that by making the organisation more active, the presence of the party will be strengthened in every village, city and town in the coming time. It was also decided in the meeting that the benefits of the Central government's public welfare schemes - like Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala Yojana, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission - will be taken to every needy. Along with this, the progress of the schemes will also be evaluated by directly communicating with the beneficiaries.

During the BJP's organisational meeting, state chief Madan Rathore, while addressing the public representatives, made it clear that now the time has come when the power and the organisation together break the traditional political thinking of Rajasthan.

He said that the double-engine government of the BJP is continuously working for the overall development and public welfare of the state, and we have to ensure that after five years, once again the BJP government is formed in Rajasthan under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

Rathore announced that for effective coordination between the organisation and the power, the BJP will appoint a General Secretary, who will convey the issues of public interest suggested by the workers to the government on a priority basis and ensure their quick solution.

Rathore said that Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has fulfilled more than 50 per cent of the promises made to the public in the Sankalp Patra issued by the BJP during the Assembly elections in his first year of tenure.

“This shows that the BJP not only make promises, but also implements them,” he claimed.

Rathore said that the role of the organisation and workers is not limited to elections only, but they have an important role in taking the government's schemes and achievements to the people.

He called upon all the public representatives and workers to take the public welfare works of the government to every village and every street so that every citizen can get the benefit of the policies of the BJP government.

Describing the workers as the "backbone of the organisation", he said that the goal of the BJP is not only to gain power, but to provide service to the last person in society.

--IANS

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