Indian forces are bracing for more “shallow intrusions” or “needling probes” from China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) in vulnerable spots along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), according to sources in the Indian defence establishment.
This assessment comes even as both forces held a border personnel meeting (BPM) in eastern Ladakh on Wednesday to calm down tempers, a day after Indian and Chinese soldiers pelted stones at each other near Pangong Lake.
The PLA is unlikely to try anything near the already restive Sikkim-Bhutan-Sikkim tri-junction because Indian troops are militarily much better-placed there and can easily threaten China’s narrow Chumbi Valley in the region, if required, the according to India’s assessment.
“But the PLA could try something in eastern Ladakh, as was seen on Tuesday, or eastern Arunachal Pradesh or Lipulekh Pass and Barahoti in the central sector (Himachal-Uttarakhand),” one of the sources said.
Source: The Times of India
Dismissing objections raised by its own officials, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) changed its layout plan to allot a plot in the capital earmarked for a post office to an NGO closely associated with Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Vijay Goel in September 2016. In fact, Goel’s NGO kept asking for the plot, adjacent to a school it runs. And at one point, it openly upbraided the DDA for seeking documents.
In January 2014, soon after Goel became a Rajya Sabha member, Vaish Aggarwal Educational Society (VAES) – DDA records mention Goel as vice-president, son Siddhant and daughter Vidyun among members – sought land from the DDA to set up a toy bank.
Source: The Indian Express
The US State department on Wednesday designated Hizbul Mujahideen as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO). The move comes nearly a month after it designated HM chief Syed Salahuddin as a specially designated global terrorist.
Source: The Indian Express
Thirty-four children died at the BRD Medical College on Monday and Tuesday, official records of the hospital said. The high number of deaths showed that the situation continued to be very alarming nearly a week after over 30 children died at the same hospital on 10 August and 11.
Source: Hindustan Times
The Supreme Court directed on Wednesday the National Investigation Agency to investigate the alleged forced conversion of a Hindu woman to Islam for marriage in Kerala.
The order came after the country’s counter-terrorism organisation said it was not an isolated case but part of a growing pattern of converting women from Hinduism to Islam.
The NIA made its remarks during a hearing on a petition filed by Kerala-based Shafin Jahan, a Muslim man whose marriage last December with a Hindu woman was annulled by the Kerala high court.
Source: Hindustan Times
A nasty scuffle by Indian and Chinese troops in the Ladakh sector and ways to maintain “peace and tranquility” in the sensitive region were discussed at a marathon meeting between military officers of the two neighbours on Wednesday.
More details weren’t immediately known as the army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police officers refused comments. The meeting began in the afternoon and continued till late into the evening.
It was held a day after Chinese troops hurled stones at Indian border troopers, forcing them to retaliate. Blows were also exchanged, leading to injuries on both sides.
Source: Hindustan Times
Acting swiftly on PM Narendra Modi's Independence Day promise to take steps to rein in healthcare costs, the government on Wednesday said it is placing knee implants under price control.
Official sources said hip implants and intraocular lenses are the next items likely to attract the attention of the regulatory scanner.
Source: The Times of India
The Supreme Court constituted on Wednesday a supervisory panel of its two retired judges to scrutinise 241 cases related to the anti-Sikh riots.
Most of the people were murdered in New Delhi. A top court bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra said the panel will submit its report within three months and fixed November 28 for the next hearing.
Source: Hindustan Times
Marking a major shift in its approach to urban mass transit projects, the Union Government has made it mandatory for state governments seeking central financing for their proposed Metro Rail to involve private players in the execution and running of the system.
The Union Cabinet approved Wednesday the New Metro Rail policy, which states that “private participation either for complete provisioning of metro rail or for some unbundled components will form an essential requirement for all metro rail project proposals seeking central financial assistance”.
Source: The Indian Express
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