IANS/PTI
4 policemen killed in encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh
Raipur, Jan. 24 (PTI): Four police personnel, including two sub-inspectors, were killed and seven others injured in a gun-fight with Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district today, police said. The encounter took place in the forests of Irpanar village in Abhujmad area when a police team was out on anti- Naxal operation, Special Director General of Police (anti- Naxal operations) D M Awasthi told PTI. The team, comprising personnel from DRG and the Special Task Force (STF) of police, was cordoning off Irpanar forests when the exchange of fire broke out, he said. Soon after getting information about the encounter, reinforcement was rushed to the spot, Awasthi said, adding that the injured were being airlifted to Raipur for treatment. Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Vivekanand Sinha said the encounter started around 11 am and lasted for about two hours.
IED found near Kashmir railway station
Srinagar, Jan. 24 (IANS): A major tragedy was averted on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district when security forces discovered and defused an improvised explosive device (IED) near a railway station. Police said the IED planted by militants in a pressure cooker was discovered in Kandizal-Tangpora village near the railway station in Pampore, some 20 km from here.
Soldier injured in Pakistani firing dies
Jammu, Jan. 24 (IANS): A soldier injured in Pakistani firing died on Wednesday at a hospital in Rajouri, even as both the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border remained calm for the second consecutive day. With the death of the soldier, the death toll in ceasefire violations by Pakistan in Jammu region has gone up to 13. Earlier, seven civilians and five security personnel had been killed in recent Pakistani shelling and firing on the LoC and the International Border. After unabated clashes between Indian and Pakistani troops on the LoC and IB, calm has now returned to the border in Jammu region since the past two days.
3 injured after ATM guard’s gun goes off accidentally in J&K
Srinagar, Jan. 24 (IANS): Three civilians were injured on Wednesday when the gun of an ATM guard went off accidentally in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, police said. The 0.12 bore gun of the guard apparently went off accidentally in Chandoosa village. “The injured have been shifted to a hospital. The guard has been taken in for questioning after registering a case in the incident,” police said. Bank guards employed by private agencies in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) for ATM protection are not provided rifles, but .12 bore guns in which cartridges containing pellets of different sizes are used.
The craze to take a selfie video with a speeding train in the background nearly cost the life of a young man in Hyderabad. He escaped with injuries as he was knocked down by a train while aiming for the daring shot. The youth, identified as Shiva by police, attempted the selfie with fast approaching Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS) train in the background. The incident occurred on Sunday near Bharat Nagar railway station on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The disturbing video surfaced on Wednesday and went viral with many netizens describing the stunt as “height of stupidity” and appealing to youths never to attempt this. The video shows the young man smiling into his smartphone camera and pointing at the approaching train with his right hand. As the train comes closer, someone is heard warning him. However, he ignores the warning and is heard saying “one minute”. The video ends with a thud as the young man is hit by the train. It records the commotion that followed as people rushed towards him.
Gujarati bus driver Sheikh Salim Gafur, who defied terrorists’ bullets and saved 52 Amarnath pilgrims, has been awarded the ‘Uttam Jeevan Raksha Padak’, the second highest honour given to civilians for gallantry. This was announced by the Home Ministry ahead of the Republic Day today. Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak is the highest honour given to civilians for gallantry. Gafur has been selected for the honour as he displayed some rare grit and bravery and continued to drive the bus of the Amarnath pilgrims, which came under attack by the militants on July 10, 2017, in Jammu and Kashmir, a home ministry official said. Besides, the award, Gafur will also be honoured with Rs one lakh cash at a special function later.
