Three Indian security officers were killed in a gun battle with rebels in Kashmir’s Anantnag district, while a soldier and two rebels were killed in a separate gunfight in the border district of Rajouri on Wednesday.
Security officers, rebels killed in gun battle in Kashmir
A joint party of the police and army launched an operation on Tuesday after receiving intel on the suspected rebels who were reported to have been spotted in the forests of the Kokernag area of Anantnag.
The region’s police chief Dilbagh Singh, while condoling the demiseresponding to the death of the officers, said “the perpetrators of the criminal act would be brought to justice soon”.
X labelled ‘habitual non-compliant platform’ in court
India’s government has told a court that X is a “habitual non-compliant platform” and for years has not followed many orders to remove content, undermining the government’s role.
The remarks were part of an Aug 24 non-public filing by India’s IT ministry at the high court in Karnataka, which is set to hear a challenge brought by the social media platform over a government fine in coming days.
X has an ongoing legal tussle with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration over what New Delhi alleges is non-compliance with content removal orders.
Naidu to remain in jail as high court defers plea
The Andhra Pradesh high court on Wednesday adjourned to Sept 19 a petition filed by Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is seeking to quash a case filed against him by the Crime Investigation Department (CID), the Hindustan Times reported.
The former chief minister, who is accused of being involved in a multi-crore state skills development corporation scam, said the First Information Report filed by the CID was politically motivated and the case was foistedbrought at the behest of Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for political revenge.
Kashmir farmers protest tax cut on US fruit imports
Apple farmers and political activists in Indian Kashmir on Wednesday protested against the Central government’s decision to remove an additional 20 per cent duty on the fruit imported from the US, saying cheaper American apples will hurt local growers.
The decision was one of six World Trade Organization disputes India and the US resolved when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Washington in June, and it was implemented last week.
India imposed the additional 20 per cent customs duty on apples from the US in 2019, on top of an existing 50 per cent duty, as a retaliatory measure for Washington increasing tariffs on Indian steel and aluminium products.
IndiGo gets regulatory nod to wet-lease 11 A320 aircraft
IndiGo operator Interglobe Aviation has been allowed to wet-lease 11 A320 aircraft, CNBC-TV18 reported on Wednesday, citing sources at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
This comes amid IndiGo grounding nearly 40 planes due to a Pratt & Whitney engine issue, the report said.
Pratt’s owner RTX on Monday said it would have to pull a total of 600 to 700 engines off their Airbus A320neo jets for lengthy quality inspections between 2023 and 2026.
Afghan students urge India to extend visas
Hundreds of Afghan college students overstaying in India staged a protest in New Delhi on Wednesday to urge the Indian government to extend their stay and allow them to resume their studies.
India has in the past offered scholarships to thousands of overseas students from countries such as Afghanistan to pursue undergraduate and post-graduate degrees.
But after the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan in August 2021, many Afghan students in India were reluctant to return home due to fears of possible reprisals and a lack of opportunities due to the country’s economic crisis.
Firecracker ban reinstated to combat pollution
New Delhi has reinstated a ban on firecrackers ahead of the Deepavali festival to curb air pollution in the winter when air quality reaches hazardous levels, the capital city’s environment minister said on Monday.
“Manufacturing, storage, sale, online delivery and setting off of any type of firecrackers is completely prohibited in Delhi,” Minister Gopal Rai said at a press conference, adding that the police have been instructed to stop issuing licences for fireworks.
Firecrackers are a part of celebrations for the Hindu festival of Deepavali, which falls in mid-November this year.
India imposes anti-dumping duty on Chinese steel
India on Monday imposed an anti-dumping duty on some Chinese steel for five years, according to a government notification.
On Sept 4, India’s steel secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha said New Delhi was monitoring the steel import situation after the steel industry raised concerns over potential dumping by Chinese sellers.
Between April and July, China was the second-biggest steel exporter to India, after South Korea, selling 0.6 million metric tons – up 62 per cent from the same period a year earlier.
AR Rahman show organiser takes full responsibility for fiasco
Days after AR Rahman’s Marakkuma Nenjam concert in Chennai, the organiser ACTC Events issued a statement apologising for mismanagement.
CEO Hemanth Raja posted on Instagram a video urging people not to blame AR Rahman and said he took responsibility for the incident.
Tickets for the concert on Sunday were allegedly oversold, leading to a stampede at the venue. There were also claims by women that they were groped and harassed.
Hotel staff allegedly beats man to death for asking for extra curd
A Hyderabad man was allegedly beaten to death by restaurant staff on Sunday after he asked for extra curd.
“The deceased, Mohammad Liyaqat, along with his friend, visited a restaurant in Panjagutta,” said Inspector Durga Rao.
“The argument began when Liyaqat asked for extra curd and the waiter ignored his request, leading to a scuffle. The victim died on the way to the hospital and a case has been registered against six people.”
$14m worth of drugs seized in Mizoram
In one of the largest-ever seizures in Mizoram this year, Assam Rifles troopers seized drugs worth Rs87.84 crores ($14 million) from Champhai district on Wednesday.
Methamphetamine tablets worth Rs60 crore and 3.978kg of heroin valued at Rs27.84 crore were found in an abandoned house on World Bank Road, bordering Myanmar.
The seized drugs, smuggled from Myanmar, were handed over to Zokhawthar police station.
