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In Fresh Unrest, Mob vs Cops Near Manipur Chief Minister's Office

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The police in Imphal opened fire in the air today to disperse a mob

Imphal:

The Manipur Police fired several rounds in the air today to disperse a mob that surrounded a police station near the Chief Minister’s office in the state capital Imphal. Curfew has been reimposed in the city.

Reports of gunfire at other parts of Imphal city came at the time of filing this report. Imphal residents who NDTV spoke to said they heard constant gunfire coming from the direction of the 1st Manipur Rifles complex.

The mob, allegedly led by the local youth group Arambai Tenggol, demanded weapons from the police station in protest against what they called the state government’s inaction following the killing of a senior police officer by an insurgent sniper in the India-Myanmar border town Moreh yesterday.

The mob clashed with the security forces and allegedly tried to surround the 1st Manipur Rifles complex, close to the Raj Bhavan and Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s office in Imphal West district, demanding arms and ammunition, police sources said.

To control the mob, the security forces first baton-charged them, but had to fire in the air as the crowds kept on pushing in. Some people were injured in the clash, police sources said.

Manipur Police officer Chingtham Anand was shot dead by suspected insurgents in Moreh

Manipur Police officer Chingtham Anand was shot dead by suspected insurgents in Moreh

Public Anger After Cop Shot Dead

The killing of senior Manipur Police officer Chingtham Anand by an insurgent sniper while he was overseeing the construction of a helipad in Moreh yesterday has sparked massive protests in the valley areas.

Protesters have demanded the Biren Singh government to send more forces to the border trading town, where the hill-majority Kuki tribes have objected against the deployment of Manipur Police personnel.

Commandos of the Manipur Police have arrested at least 10 Myanmar nationals in as many days for looting homes of Moreh residents, who left the border town when ethnic clashes broke out on May 3 between the Kuki tribes and the valley-majority Meiteis.

A small squad of Manipur Police commandos who have been stationed in Moreh since the May 3 violence is being bolstered with reinforcements now. Sending the police personnel to the border town, however, has not been easy due to roadblocks by miscreants, sources said, adding the need for a larger helipad was felt and so a decision to build it was taken.

Kuki Students’ Organisation Calls Shutdown

The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) has called a 48-hour shutdown starting Wednesday midnight in protest against the deployment of additional police commandos in Moreh.

The KSO in a statement said it takes “strong exception to the continued stationing and additional deployment of Manipur Police commandos in Moreh despite Home Minister Amit Shah’s assurance to withdraw all state forces within three days during his visit to the border town”.

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The Kuki tribes have objected to Manipur government sending more police commandos to Moreh

Mr Shah had gone to Moreh in late May, weeks after the ethnic violence began in Churachandpur and spread to other districts. The KSO alleged police commandos have been torturing Moreh residents after the killing of the police officer yesterday.

The Kuki body Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) has also made similar allegations. It criticised Biren Singh over what it claimed was inequality on treatment of two cases of cop deaths – one was Onkhomang Haokip, who was killed in September, and the other is yesterday’s Moreh incident.

Referring to Haokip’s death, the ITLF said, “… The Chief Minister’s Office remained startlingly mute on social media, and no immediate action to investigate was taken. Moreover, a meagre ex-gratia was announced… The brutal and cowardly assault on officer Haokip left his family bereft, yet the government’s indifference was palpable.”

Manipur Government Recommends UAPA Against Kuki Group

The Manipur government in a statement after an emergency cabinet meeting yesterday said a first information report (FIR) has been filed against an organisation called World Kuki-Zo Intellectual Council (WKZIC), which issued a statement on October 24 asking “volunteers” in the Kuki-Zo community to take up arms as the Kuki National Army and other insurgent groups cannot “join the war” due to the tripartite suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the centre and the state government.

At least 25 Kuki insurgent groups have signed the SoO agreement, under which they have to stay at designated camps, and keep their weapons in locked storage for regular joint monitoring with the security forces.

The WKZIC in a statement denied it ever published any statement asking for volunteers to “join the war”, and criticised the government for what it called falling for a “fake statement” issued by unknown miscreants to tarnish the image of the WKZIC.

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Opinion: The economic cost of terrorism

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A comprehensive multidimensional strategy for the ‘War on Terror’ must include a comprehensive view of other strategic military and economic affairs

Published Date – 11:45 PM, Wed – 1 November 23


Opinion: The economic cost of terrorism



By Dr P Subramanyachary

India faces several challenges in managing its internal security. Terrorism is one of them. In November 2004, a United Nations Security Council report defined terrorism as “an act intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants, to intimidate a population, or to compel a government or international organisation to take or refrain from doing something.” Terrorism in all its forms poses a direct threat to national security, international stability and prosperity.

Terrorist activities, cross-border terrorist activities and insurgent groups are intensifying. The techniques adopted by terrorist groups and organisations include hi-tech facilities in the form of communication systems, transportation, advanced weapons and many other means. This allows them to attack at will and create panic among the people. Terrorist activities in India have a religious form. Religious terrorism is committed by groups or individuals, with the hope of spreading or enforcing an ideology, belief, or a system of opinion. Besides, the politics of communalism and criminalisation, religious movements, irresponsible statements by political and religious leaders, violation of human rights etc are the other causes of terrorism.

Since Independence in 1947, at least 232 of the country’s 608 districts have been affected by insurgency and terrorist movements in varying degrees. At present, there are around 800 terrorist organisations operating in the country. Some of the major terrorist attacks include: March 12, 1993, when a series of 13 bombings killed 257 people; March 14, 2003, when a bomb in Mulund train killed 10; October 29, 2005, Delhi bombings, 2005 Ram Janmabhoomi attack in Ayodhya; 2006 Varanasi bombings; July 11, 2006, a series of seven bombs explode on trains killing innocent citizens; November 26, 2008, to November 29, 2008, when coordinated attacks killed at least 170, among others.

The Impact

The terrorism index in India averaged 7.65 points from 2002 to 2021, reaching an all-time high of 8.12 points in 2011 and a record low of 7.22 points in 2004. (India Terrorism Index – Values, Historical Data Charts – last updated on May 2023). Acts of terrorism can have negative effects on economies.

India ranks 102nd out of 163 countries in the world in the economic cost of violence. This expenditure is around 5 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), according to a 2018 report. Terrorism affects the economy indirectly through direct economic destruction of property, lives, market uncertainty, xenophobia, and loss of tourism, among others. Economic terrorism refers to the covert manipulation of a country’s economy, usually by state or non-state actors. However, economic terrorism may also be vague, we have already lost more than 70,000 citizens in the name of economic sanctions.

Apart from spending on our armed forces, just to maintain the entire setup to counter insurgency and cross-border terrorism, the financial outlay is Rs 45,000 crore. Over the past 15 years, budgets have increased 26 times due to terrorism or counter-insurgency operations.

Legal System

The criminal justice system like the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) in India is not designed to deal with such heinous crimes. Keeping this situation in view, it was felt necessary to enact special anti-terrorism laws to impose severe punishments on the thesis of enmity against humanity. Hence, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), 1987, Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, 1999 (MCOCA), Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA), 2002, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act (UAPA), 2004, were introduced.

In many cases, TADA and POTA have been used to arrest a rival politician. For example, while TADA was implemented in Punjab to protect the security and integrity of the country by fighting terrorists, it was also applied to Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat where there was no threat to national security.

Actions Needed

A comprehensive multidimensional strategy for the ‘War on Terror’ must include a comprehensive view of other strategic military and economic affairs. Laws requiring the reporting of suspicious transactions help prevent terrorism. As terrorism has become global, intelligence sharing between countries is critical in preventing or mitigating terrorist attacks. India is a signatory to this plan, which requires global cooperation on terrorist content.

Addressing a United Nations High-Level Conference on Counter-Terrorism, India extended its five-point formula which is: sharing timely actionable intelligence, preventing misuse of modern communication with private sector cooperation, capacity building for better border controls, sharing information regarding the movement of passengers, and designation of Counter-Terror Focal Points to fight global terror. The United Nations should become a global hub to fight global terrorism.

Terrorism is a complex, persistent phenomenon. Its associated motivations, financing support mechanisms, methods of attack and choice of targets often evolve, thus increasing the challenges of ensuring the existence of an effective strategy to combat it. Global cooperation is very important to win this war over terrorism. India should play an active role in neutralising the menace of terrorism. The world needs to join hands to deal with terrorist groups, and a good first step is to ratify India’s proposed Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.

Capture

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Pakistan opens holding centres ahead of Afghan deportations

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Hundreds of thousands of Afghans living in Pakistan face the threat of detention and deportation, as a government deadline for them to leave sparked a mass exodus.

The government has given 1.7 million Afghans it says are living illegally in the country until November 1 to leave voluntarily or be forcibly removed.

Forty-nine holding centres, some capable of holding several thousand people, opened across the country on Wednesday to process and deport Afghans, state media said.

(Source: AFP)

World

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists kill at least 40 in Yobe

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In the first significant attack on the northern eastern state in eighteen months, suspected Boko Haram militants fired at villagers and detonated a land mine in Yobe state, Nigeria, between Monday and Tuesday, killing at least forty people, the police reported on Wednesday.

According to Abdulkarim Dungus, the state police spokesperson, the attack occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. (1930 GMT) on Monday at Gurokayeya village in Gaidam local government in Yobe State.

He said that on Tuesday, while villagers were returning from burying the victims of the previous attack, a land mine exploded, killing at least twenty of them. He said that gunmen had opened fire on the villagers, killing at least seventeen of them.

MNA/PR

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AFC Olympic Qualifiers: Indian Women Bow Out With Defeat vs Uzbekistan

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The Indian women’s team bowed out of the AFC Olympic Qualifiers Round 2 with a 0-3 loss to Uzbekistan in Tashkent on Wednesday. In the four-team group, India had earlier lost to Japan and Vietnam. Backed by a loud, if not capacity crowd, Uzbekistan immediately applied pressure on India, and started dominating possession. The equation was clear: a win would put Uzbekistan in prime contention for the best second-place team slot. India, meanwhile, were playing for pride. Within two minutes though Uzbekistan took the lead from a set piece.

Karachik Lyudmila’s corner played at the near post glanced off Khabibullaeva Diyorakhon’s head towards the centre of the six-yard area, from where Kudratova Nilufar kneed it in to give them the lead.

It took some exceptional goalkeeping by Shreya Hooda to ensure that India didn’t fall behind by more through the half. In the 14h minute, Hooda saved from Nilufar when the striker was one-on-one with her after a through ball played from her midfield.

From the resultant corner, she tipped over a long-distance effort by Asadova Dilrabo. On another occasion, she denied Dilrabo from point-blank range again, the forward’s first-time shot from a cutback palmed to safety.

India came out of half time with more conviction in their attacking play, and, as has been the trend, Manisha Kalyan and Anju Tamang were leading the charge.

In the 49th minute, having picked up a pass at the top of the box, Manisha drove in from the left before unleashing a shot towards goal from an acute angle. She beat the keeper but the ball bounced off the crossbar.

Sensing the danger of an Indian comeback, Uzbekistan ramped up the pressure again and in the 51st minute Karachik doubled the team’s tally, scoring after some interplay at the top of the box.

She added a third with a long ranger that snuck in at the near post to hand the home side a comfortable win and a real chance of qualifying for the next round.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Hyderabad

NIT Warangal team examines rural road performance with geotextiles

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Geotextile DPRs are meticulously examined and designed, with engineers in the field being encouraged to implement this technology.

Published Date – 06:26 PM, Wed – 1 November 23


NIT Warangal team examines rural road performance with geotextiles

NITW team examines rural road performance with geotextiles.

Warangal: The National Institute of Technology, Warangal, (NITW) has played a pivotal role in overseeing the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) program since its inception, serving as the State Technical Agency (STA) and Principal Technical Agency (PTA). In its ongoing commitment to the program, NIT Warangal is taking a proactive role in advancing rural road infrastructure by scrutinizing Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for rural roads submitted by the Panchayat Raj departments of various states.

Under this initiative, geotextile DPRs are meticulously examined and designed, with engineers in the field being encouraged to implement this technology. The aim is to instill confidence in the adoption of cost-effective geotextile technologies for the enhancement of rural roads.

As part of this mission, the NITW has secured a research project focusing on monitoring the performance of roads constructed with geotextiles and geosynthetics in the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This research endeavour, funded by the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency under the Ministry of Rural Development, is valued at Rs 15 lakhs.

The research project is led by a team of distinguished investigators, including Prof. S. Shankar, Prof. Venkaiah Chowdary, Prof. Vishnu R, and Prof. CSRK Prasad. Their work involves the evaluation of approximately ten roads constructed with geotextile and geosynthetic materials, with assessments conducted before and after the monsoon season. Notably, the data collected and field observations indicate that roads constructed with geotextiles or geosynthetics in areas with black cotton soil, featuring a shoulder width of 1.0m to 1.5m, are performing well even after enduring four monsoon seasons. The research project is ongoing to further document and understand their long-term performance.

Middle East

China says deeply shocked by Israel massive strikes on Gaza

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Dozens of Palestinians have reportedly been killed in Israeli airstrikes on the Jabalia refugee camp on Wednesday, the second attack on the camp in less than 24 hours, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The report said airstrikes hit the residential area of Faluja in the camp, adding that several US-made bombs were used on the district, less than 24 hours after the first bombardment of the camp that leveled apartment buildings, leaving people, including children, buried in the rubble.

Jabalia is the largest of the Gaza Strip’s UN refugee camps housing people forcibly expelled by Zionist militia and Israel in 1948. The area is reportedly home to nearly 120,000 people.

At a daily news briefing in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin strongly condemned the brutal attack, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

“China is deeply shocked by the attacks on the refugee camps in Gaza and strongly condemns this. China calls for utmost calm and restraint from relevant parties, especially Israel, and urges them to implement the UN resolution adopted on October 27, stop fighting immediately, do everything possible to protect civilians, open up corridors for humanitarian assistance as soon as possible, and avert an even worse humanitarian disaster,” he said.

“China will play a positive and constructive role at the UN Security Council to help end the fighting, ensure the safety of civilians and strive for a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date,” Wang added.

Israeli warplanes, naval boats, and artillery kept pounding Gaza on Wednesday, inflicting more casualties on the civilian population.

The civilian death toll in Gaza and desperate humanitarian conditions have caused great concern across the world as food, fuel, drinking water, and medicine are running short.

On October 7, Israel launched a full-scale war on the impoverished Gaza Strip, where shortages of food, water, and medicine threaten the lives of Gazans, and hospitals are overwhelmed amid incessant Israeli bombings.

The ceaseless airstrikes, missile attacks, and shelling on Gaza have killed, as of Wednesday, 8,796 Palestinians, including 3,648 children and 2,290 women, and wounded at least 22,219 others, according to officials.

Around 2,000 people are still missing, including 1,100 children. The vast majority of these people are believed to be dead and buried under rubble.

MNA/Press TV

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Fake China Doctor Tricks Cancer Patient Into "Cement Treatment"

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Fake China Doctor Tricks Breast Cancer Patient Into Bizarre 'Cement Treatment', Probe Launched

The woman died from breast cancer in April this year. (Representative Pic)

A self-proclaimed “tumour research institute” in China is under investigation after a woman exposed how her cancer-stricken mother was duped into paying a staggering 200,000 yuan (approximately Rs 22.76 lakh) for treatments that include bloodletting and even applying cement to her skin.

According to South China Morning Post (SCMP), the woman, surnamed Wang, learned that her mother had been diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer at the end of 2021. Soon after diagnosis, the two women were introduced to a traditional Chinese medicine doctor in Wuhan, who claimed to specialise in treating cancer. They travelled to meet the man, surnamed Yu, at his Dongyusanbao Tumour Research Institute, where he told them he had invented a medicine that could kill cancer cells.

According to Ms Wang, Mr Yu went to great lengths to convince the two women, showcasing what appeared to be credible patent documents and prestigious awards certificates for his cancer treatment. 

Filled with hope, Ms Wang’s mother immediately purchased the first batch of liquid medication from Mr Yu at a cost of 20,000 yuan (US$2,700), which he assured was a simple oral remedy. Over the course of a year, Ms Wang said she and her mother flew to Wuhan from their home in northeastern Liaoning province six times. This journey took a severe financial toll, with the total expenditure racing over 200,000 yuan. 

Moreover, in addition to giving the elderly woman oral medication, Mr Yu also made dozens of injections into her breasts to make her lose blood, Ms Wang said, as per the outlet. He bizarrely also told the woman to apply a mixture of cement and lime skin under her armpits, claiming that it would aid in shrinking the cancerous lumps. 

“He told my mother to apply cement mixed with lime on the skin under her armpits, saying this could help shrink lumps. My mother followed his instructions but her skin festered after doing it for two months,” Ms Wang said.

Also Read | US Man Arrested For Pointing Gun At 6-Year-Old Boy’s Head Over Halloween Candy Bag

However, in April this year, Ms Wang’s mother’s condition deteriorated and local doctors told her that the cancer cells had spread across her body. But Mr Yu insisted that was normal and even told them not to worry. He even convinced the woman to continue drinking his medicine. However, this ultimately led to the mother’s death in June, Ms Wang said. 

According to SCMP, Mr Yu later confessed that neither he nor his institute have any medical qualifications. “I am not practising medicine. I just sold them health-enhancing products. My method of bloodletting is aimed at promoting good health, it is not acupuncture,” Mr Yu said. He also confessed that the certificates and documents he had shown the two women were, in fact, bought online for a few thousand yuan. The authorities are now still investigating the bizarre case.

Hyderabad

Elaborate arrangements made for KCR poll rally in Nirmal

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Minister A Indrakaran Reddy said elaborate arrangements were made for CM KCR’s rally to be conducted near the Integrated District Offices Complex at Ellapalli village on the outskirts of Nirmal

Published Date – 06:28 PM, Wed – 1 November 23


Elaborate arrangements made for KCR poll rally in Nirmal

Minister Indrakaran Reddy inspects arrangements made for Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Ra’s poll rally to be held in Nirmal, on Wednesday. 

Nirmal: Elaborate arrangements have been made for the success of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao‘s public meeting to be held in Nirmal on Thursday.

Minister A Indrakaran Reddy said elaborate arrangements were made for Chandrashekhar Rao’s rally to be conducted near the Integrated District Offices Complex at Ellapalli village on the outskirts of Nirmal.

Reddy urged cadres to make the meeting a success. He wanted activists of the BRS and elected representatives to attend the rally in large numbers. He stated that the BRS would be able to form the government for the third time in a row and create a history.

Meanwhile, the historical town turned pink with life-size flex posters of the Chief Minister welcoming him to the district. Streets and roads were adorned by flags of the party.

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Madhya Pradesh Police's Filmy Take To Increase Cyber Crime Awareness

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Madhya Pradesh Police's Filmy Take To Increase Cyber Crime Awareness

“Keep your OTP as safe as husband,” said Madhya Pradesh police (Representational)

Bhopal:

After Jai-Veeru politics in Madhya Pradesh, state police have also played a filmy stroke to make citizens aware in view of the increasing cyber crimes.

The state police has morphed a dialogue of Shahrukh Khan starrer movie ‘Om Shanti Om’ to make residents of the state to be sensible about the importance of an OTP (One Time Password).

Sharing the video on X (formerly twitter) on Wednesday evening from the official handle of Madhya Pradesh Police on the occasion of Karwa Chauth, they wrote, “Keep your OTP as safe as husband.”

In the shared video, it could be heard that, “Ek OTP ki kimat tum kya jano Ramesh babu (What do you know about the cost of an OTP, Ramesh Babu?).” While the original dialogue in the movie is, “Ek chutki sindoor ki kimat tum kya jaano Ramesh Babu.”

The state police has been continuously making efforts in making people aware about the increasing crimes in the state and also active in controlling the cyber crimes in the state.

Recently, Bhopal cyber police busted a gang involved in duping people by cloning their ATM cards and arrested two persons, including a Romanian citizen in connection from New Delhi.

Apart from this, the reel characters of famous superhit Bollywood movie ‘Sholay’ have found a real character space in the Madhya Pradesh politics. Recently, a Congress leader has compared the friendship of former chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh as ‘Jai-Veeru’ while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is claiming the duo as thieves.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)