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Pakistan staring at ‘Kharif crop crisis’ as dams run dry after India suspends Indus Water Treaty and clamps down on Chenab’s water supply

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan staring at ‘Kharif crop crisis’ as dams run dry after India suspends Indus Water Treaty and clamps down on Chenab’s water supply

Pakistan faces a dismal kharif (summer crop) sowing season due to a significant decline in live storage at its two main dams, Tarbela on the Indus and Mangla on the Jhelum. Moreover, India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror assault and regulate the flow of the Chenab River have only exacerbated the issue.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed alarm during an international conference on glacier preservation last week in Dushanbe in Tajikistan that the impending shortfall would get more dire in the coming weeks, especially during the early part of the kharif sowing season. Prime Minister Sharif also ranted about India suspended the water treaty.

The recent estimates from Pakistan’s Indus River System Authority (IRSA) outlined that the nation is already experiencing a 21% overall water flow shortage and roughly 50% live storage shortage in the two major dams that are essential for producing hydropower and supplying water for irrigation in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.

According to the IRSA’s review of water availability for summer sowing operations from May to September, the agency “noted with concern” that the “sudden decrease in river Chenab inflows at Marala due to short supply by India would result in more shortage in early kharif season.”

The agency instructed dam officials and irrigation supply monitoring organizations to utilize water from reservoirs sparingly, “keeping in view the crisis created by Indian short supplies in Chenab river,” as it announced a 21% overall scarcity. Pakistan’s farming activities will be increasingly dependent on how India controls the flow through its two reservoirs, Baglihar and Salal, on the Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir, even if the situation might improve with monsoon rainfall in the catchment area.

Thus far, India has simply removed sediments from these reservoirs to cleanse them and make more water storage available. Furthermore, it put the 1960 agreement on hold and ceased exchanging water flow statistics with Pakistan after the Pahalgam tragedy. According to publicly available data on the live storage of Pakistan’s key reservoirs, Tarbela dam’s live storage is just over 50% (6 MFA) of its total capacity of 11.6 MFA, while Mangla dam is currently left with less than 50% of its fill level (2.7 MAF out of 5.9 MAF).

The officials mentioned that it would be challenging for the neighboring nation to even control floods during the peak flow season once the monsoon strikes the catchment areas of the Indus river system, as a significant portion of it falls within India, since India is not required to share water flow data with Pakistan after suspending the IWT.

Punjab and Sindh, two Pakistani provinces, rely entirely on irrigation canals connected to the Indus river system, which receives nearly all of its water from the western rivers, the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab. Under the IWT, India has complete rights over the waters of the eastern rivers (the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas), yet, Pakistan benefits from India’s lack of infrastructure. Pakistan gains by default since India is allowed to build water storage facilities on western rivers up to 3.6 MAF but has not been able to fully utilize the same.

India hits back at Pakistan

“India’s unilateral and illegal decision to hold in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty, which governs the sharing of the Indus Basin’s water, is deeply regrettable,” Shehbaz Sharif stated on 30th May in Dushanbe. However, India told Pakistan to stop holding it responsible for the Indus Water Treaty violation.

“We are appalled at the attempt by Pakistan to misuse the forum and to bring in unwarranted references to issues which do not fall within the purview of the forum. We strongly condemned such an attempt,” Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh conveyed.

He stated that it is an indisputable reality that since the signing of the Indus Waters Treaty, fundamental circumstances have changed, necessitating a reevaluation of the treaty’s regulations. According to Kirti Vardhan Singh, these developments include the continuous threat of cross-border terrorism, demographic shifts, climate change and technology advancements. He mentioned that it is crucial to honor the treaty in good faith because its preamble declares that it was signed in the spirit of friendship and goodwill.

“However, the unrelenting cross border terrorism from Pakistan interferes with an ability to exploit the treaty as per its provisions. Pakistan, which itself is in violation of the treaty, should desist from putting the blame of the breach of the treaty on India,” the minister highlighted.

India declared the suspension of the treaty as part of a number of retaliatory steps against Pakistan after the terrorist attack in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam on 22nd April.

Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea over deportation drive in Assam

ANI
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Supreme Court refuses to entertain plea over deportation drive in Assam

The Supreme Court on Monday declined to entertain a petition alleging that the Assam government has reportedly launched a “sweeping and indiscriminate drive” to deport persons suspected to be foreigners to Bangladesh.

A vacation bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma asked the All BTC Minority Students Union (ABMSU) to approach the Gauhati High Court for appropriate relief.

The petitioner said that the state of Assam has reportedly launched a sweeping and indiscriminate drive to detain and deport individuals suspected to be foreigners, even in the absence of Foreigners Tribunal declarations, nationality verification, or exhaustion of legal remedies.

The petition filed through advocate Adeel Ahmed said there is a growing pattern of indiscriminate detentions and extrajudicial “push backs” of individuals, many of whom are from marginalised communities, by Assam authorities in border districts such as Dhubri, South Salmara, and Goalpara.

By its February 4 order, the apex court had directed the deportation of 63 identified “declared foreigners” whose Bangladeshi nationality was confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the government of Bangladesh.

The petition said that the Assam government has gone far beyond the mandate of that order by launching a sweeping deportation drive without any judicial oversight.

The petition alleged a violation of fundamental rights arising out of the ongoing deportation of Indian citizens under the guise of implementing the top court’s order.

“This policy of ‘push back’– being executed in border districts like Dhubri, South Salmara, and Goalpara–is not only legally indefensible, but also threatens to render stateless numerous Indian citizens stateless, especially those from poor and marginalised communities who were either declared foreigners exparte or have no access to legal aid to challenge their status,” the petition stated.

It sought direction that deportation without due process, including judicial declaration, MEA verification, and exhaustion of remedies, is unconstitutional.

It further sought a stay on all deportation proceedings carried out against individuals.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

Buxar triple murder: Local RJD MP and MLA reach victims after 8 days, angry family members question their absence for so long

OpIndia Staff
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Buxar triple murder: Local RJD MP and MLA reach victims after 8 days, angry family members question their absence for so long

On 24th May 2025, in Buxar, Bihar, five members of a family were shot due to personal enmity, three out of them lost their lives in this incident. 8 days after this entire incident, local RJD MP Sudhakar Singh and MLA Vijendra Yadav reached the house of the victims to meet them.

During this visit, the victims and villagers expressed their anger against them. The RJD leaders were asked that when leaders of every party had been visiting during the past 8 days, why did the local MP and MLA not bother to pay them a visit? RJD MP Sudhakar Singh started making excuses of pressure from the administration and limited resources when directly questioned.

According to the Dainik Bhaskar report, MP Sudhakar Singh said that first the administration did not allow him to come and after that he went to Tamil Nadu. That is why he was late in visiting the bereaved family.

When the angry people questioned him for not providing any update on the entire matter till now, he said that due to lack of resources, he is not able to remain active on social media.

MLA Vijendra Yadav said the accused is crazy

Apart from this, MLA Vijendra Yadav called the accused a crazy person. Vijendra Yadav said that Manoj, who is a named accused in the murder case, is a ‘crazy’ man.

Apart from this, the MLA started uttering all sorts of things about the army as well. He said, “The army also teaches us that when bullets start firing and you are weak, then run away from there. Even if you come back stronger later.”

Villagers were furious at his statements. The victim’s family told MP Sudhakar Singh that they have lost their family, and just want justice.

What is the entire matter

Three members of the same family were shot dead over a sand dispute in Ahiyapur, Buxar, Bihar. There was a dispute going on between the two families involved for past several days.

On Saturday (May 24, 2025), the family had gone out for a walk in the morning, when they were shot by people who came in two Scorpios near the canal. Vinod, Sunil and Virendra Singh of the family died on the spot and two others were seriously injured. One of the injured had to have his leg amputated due to serious injuries.

On the complaint of the victim’s side, the police have named 19 people. Out of these, the political connections of two people Santosh Yadav and Manoj Yadav have come to the fore.

JDU leaders are calling the murders ‘violence done by the opposition’. Party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar shared pictures of Santosh Yadav, the accused in the murder case, with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and MP Sudhakar Singh, and said that this is organised violence with political support.

Was Pakistan planning something similar to Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb in Russia that destroyed 40+ fighter aircraft? Read about Al Sham, and its cache of attack drones

OpIndia Staff
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Was Pakistan planning something similar to Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb in Russia that destroyed 40+ fighter aircraft? Read about Al Sham, and its cache of attack drones

On 1st June, Ukraine launched Operation Spiderweb deep inside Russia, showcasing a shocking display of asymmetric warfare. President Zelenskyy later confirmed it was in planning for nearly 1.5 years. Notably, the attack happened just a day before Russia and Ukraine were supposed to start peace talks in Istanbul. Ukraine used FPV (first-person view) drones to attack multiple high-security Russian airbases, resulting in the loss of billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment, including nuclear-capable warplanes.

Interestingly, these drones were not launched from the Ukrainian border. Instead, they were smuggled into Russia well in advance, hidden in mobile wooden cabins loaded onto trucks. The trucks were driven by unsuspecting locals. They were parked near airbases in Belaya, Diaghilevo, Olenya and Ivanovo. Once the trucks were in place, the SBU, Ukraine’s intelligence agency, remotely opened the truck roofs and launched the drones.

The drones flew just a few feet above the ground and provided crystal-clear visuals of Russian bombers and early warning aircraft, including Tu-95s and the A-50. Each drone, carrying precision munitions, struck the targets with remarkable accuracy. Russia’s loss was not just strategic but irreversible. The Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers destroyed in the operation are no longer in production. Over 40 aircraft were hit, with the total estimated damage crossing $2 billion.

Following the attack, the same trucks exploded in coordinated blasts, eliminating all evidence and wounding or killing those who went near them. It was meticulously planned, ruthlessly executed, and surprisingly cost-effective. Russia, the wounded bear, is expected to retaliate strongly.

And just last year, India came dangerously close to a similar plot

In May 2024, OpIndia had reported how the National Investigation Agency (NIA) revealed one of the darkest secrets of terrorists living inside the country. In the sleepy town of Padgha, just 50 KM from Mumbai, investigations led by journalist Pankaj Prasoon and actions by the NIA exposed that the village had become a base of ISIS operations in India. The village was renamed Al Sham by its self-declared ruler, terrorist Saqib Nachan.

In 2023, a massive NIA raid in Padgha unearthed a stash of 44 drones, clearly being prepared for a coordinated attack on Mumbai. Those were not toy drones but were rigged for combat. The NIA found explosives, extremist literature and even Israeli flags, indicating a twisted attempt at false-flag operations or to incite communal tensions.

Saqib Nachan is a known terrorist linked to the 2002–2003 Mumbai bomb blasts. He had not just resurfaced but gone further. He was backed by foreign handlers, organised funding and digital networks to plan to turn Padgha into India’s version of Spiderweb. He was radicalising youth under the pretext of religious gatherings. They were getting trained in IEDs and given bayʿah, an oath of allegiance, to ISIS.

Thankfully, the NIA acted before the attack could have been executed and arrested 15, including Nachan, in December 2023. Had they delayed, India might have been writing obituaries, not reports. The world marvelled at Ukraine’s ingenuity on 1st June, but similar tactics, when used by terrorists, can lead to devastating results. It is not hard to imagine what could have happened had Al Sham succeeded.

Constant upgradation is a necessity

Operation Spiderweb is a chilling reminder of how modern warfare no longer relies on missiles, fighter jets and expensive equipment. It has turned towards low-cost, high-precision tools like FPV drones and covert logistics. The fact that such an operation could be planned, drones smuggled and an attack executed in just 1.5 years without detection should set alarm bells ringing across the world, especially for India.

There are hostile actors not only in Pakistan but inside India itself. These actors, backed by Pakistan and ISIS-linked operatives, actively seek to replicate such tactics. The threat is neither distant nor hypothetical. The foiled Padgha plot showed how dangerously close India came to witnessing a Spiderweb-style drone attack on Indian soil, much before Ukraine executed it in Russia.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, agencies like the NIA, supported by state police and central intelligence units, have cracked down hard on such sleeper cells and terror modules. The recent arrests of tens of spies working for Pakistan is another wake-up call that the enemy lives within.

The battle is far from over. Terrorism today wears many faces, from lone wolves to coordinated drone warfare. Defeating such sophisticated attacks requires a combination of proactive intelligence, strong political will, and public vigilance. The Modi government has taken significant steps to modernise internal security, but in an age where a Rs 30,000 drone can destroy a Rs 300 crore aircraft, constant upgradation of both technology and strategy is not a choice, but a necessity.

Over 2000 illegal immigrants sent back to Bangladesh, thousands going back on their own as Indian government cracks down on illegal immigration

OpIndia Staff
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Over 2000 illegal immigrants sent back to Bangladesh, thousands going back on their own as Indian government cracks down on illegal immigration

After a countrywide verification exercise, the authorities are believed to have sent back over 2,000 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh since “Operation Sindoor” commenced in the early hours of 7th May after the 22nd April Pakistan-backed Pahalgam terror attack, reported The Indian Express.

They added that during that time, an equal number of immigrants willingly crossed the border between India and Bangladesh as a result of the panic caused by the crackdown. The sources revealed that government action is majorly taking place in Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam along the Bangladesh border.

Approximately half of all individuals who have been sent back have come from Gujarat, which was one of the first states to start the round-up. The sources further disclosed that a significant number of immigrants have also been returned from Delhi and Haryana as well, with the remainder being rounded up from Assam, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.

A government source informed, “It is an ongoing process and all states which have cities with significant economic activity are rounding up such illegal immigrants after verification of their documents. A focused effort began in this direction following the Pahalgam attacks in April. Since Operation Sindoor, it has picked up pace. Gujarat was the first off the blocks followed by Delhi and Haryana. More states will begin sending soon. The instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs are clear in this regard and the states, too, are cooperating.”

These illegal immigrants are reportedly being transported from different places to the borders in Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft and then turned over to the Border Security Force (BSF) to be detained in temporary camps along the border. The source mentioned that after a few hours of confinement, they receive food and some Bangladeshi currency, if necessary, and then sent back.

“There is a perception that these states have been chosen because they are BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-ruled. But that is not true. BJP is a small minority in Meghalaya. These states were chosen because of the ease in pushing back from these states. In West Bengal, because of the nature of the border, which often passes through the middle of villages or even houses, and the familial connections on either side, there was fear of law and order issues cropping up,” a security establishment officer stated while talking about the action transpiring along the border in Tripura, Meghalaya and Assam.

Another official pointed out that around 2,000 Bangladeshi immigrants voluntarily arrived at the border to go back. “Because of largescale reporting in the media about a crackdown, many illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are voluntarily leaving the country for the fear of being detained,” the officer highlighted.

The Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) have reportedly been “cooperating” with their Indian counterparts and the operation has gone smoothly thus far. “It is because most of those who have been rounded up are not resisting deportation. Barring those who came to India decades ago, most are willing to go back. Once rounded up and taken to the border, they call up their relatives in Bangladesh who come to pick them up. Most of them know that once they are rounded up, they will end up in detention centres or jails. A majority of them are poor labourers with no means to fight a legal battle. They prefer to go back to their families,” conveyed another security establishment officer.

However, once the numbers rise to 10,000 or 20,000 per week, officials in Bangladesh are expected to become uncomfortable, according to sources. An official expressed, “This is only a temporary solution. Such exercises, albeit on a much smaller scale, have been carried out in the past as well, even under the UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government. But these illegal immigrants often come back once the heat lowers. That is why the Government is pushing for biometric capture of all such immigrants who are being pushed back and integration with larger immigration data.”

Crackdown against intruders in the country

On 29th May, around 160 illegal immigrants were sent back to Bangladesh via Hindon Air Base from Delhi. According to the sources, a special plane would transport them to Tripura after which they were to be deported by road to the Bangladesh border for repatriation. Nearly 470 Bangladeshi nationals were found to be living unlawfully in the city by Delhi Police and they were also removed using the same route. Most of these people had smuggled their way into India while others did not return to Bangladesh even after their visas had expired.

It has been reported that during 24th and 25th May, India forced 172 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh to head back to their homeland. The deportations were conducted via the borders of Sylhet, Meherpur and Moulvibazar in Bangladesh.

29 Bangladeshi nationals, including women and children who were staying illegally in India were taken into custody by the Haryana police. They were employed at Kharkiya brick kiln. During questioning, Noor Islam disclosed that he had been living illegally in India for 22 years. He claimed to have paid ₹15,000 to the contractor who facilitated his entry into India. Musharraf claimed that he paid an agent ₹25,000 last year in order to enter India illegally. Hafizul reported to have entered India at night via the Balaghat border region.

According to the investigation, the contractors created fictitious Aadhar cards for the Bangladeshis who were arrested. They organized Bangladeshi nationals into groups of five to ten and made it easier for them to enter through West Bengal.

Operation Push-back

For decades, India has followed established protocols to deport Bangladeshi infilitrators and Rohingyas to their home country. The process has been slow (pending trial in courts), cumbersome (because Bangladesh government and Bangladesh Border Guard often refuse to acknowledge their own citizens) and has failed to attain success.

The situation has been exacerbated due to continued illegal immigration through the porous India-Bangladesh border with the help of agents and brokers but not enough deportations year-on-year. For the unversed, there are more than 2 crore Bangladeshis living illegally in India (2016 data). Following the undemocratic ouster of Sheikh Hasina and the hostile attitude of the Yunus-led interim government, the deportation protocol has been rendered useless by Bangladesh.

Forced by circumstances, the Indian government has now resorted to what is being unofficially referred to as “Operation Push-back.” The Indian government has devised a new strategy to get rid of Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingyas who are caught red-handed at the Eastern border as well as living in India illegally for several years.

Instead of going through the hassle of handing them over to the police, registering a FIR, producing them before the court, continuing trials for years and then sending them back through established protocols, the Indian security forces are now increasingly pushing-back the infiltrators to the other side almost instantenously. “Operation Push-back” has been in motion since April 2025.

Lie big, apologise small: Times of India issues apology for publishing fake news that BJP would use Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh as campaign faces

OpIndia Staff
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Lie big, apologise small: Times of India issues apology for publishing fake news that BJP would use Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh as campaign faces

On 2nd June 2025, the Times of India issued an apology for publishing fake news that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) was planning to make Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh the face of its campaign.

In its Lucknow and Chennai editions, the leading Indian newspaper had published a report headlined, “Col Qureshi, Wg Cdr Vyomika set to be BJP campaign’s faces”.

The TOI in its tiny “correction” inserted on one corner said that although the report was based on a conversation with the National President of the BJP Minority Morcha, Jamal Siddiqui, the newspaper should have checked with the party’s central leadership.

“Correction: TOI’s June 1 editions of Lucknow and Chennai carried a report, headlined ‘Col Qureshi, Wg Cdr Vyomika set to be BJP campaign’s faces’. We have since gathered that BJP does not have such a plan. Though the report was based on a conversation with Jamal Siddiqui, national president of BJP Minority Morcha, we should have checked with the party’s central leadership. We apologise for the lapse,” the TOI stated.

In the article in question, the Times of India misreported BJP Minority Morcha leader Jamal Siddiqui’s statement about highlighting Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh as role models for women, especially for the Muslim community, as BJP’s plans to make Colonel Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh as its women-centric campaign’s face.

This news was published prominently by the newspapers of Times Media Group . In this news published in Times of India, it was told that on 9th June 2025, on the completion of 11 years of Modi government, BJP will run this women-centric campaign.

The TOI report claimed that the BJP Minority Morcha has been directed by the BJP to organise such Chaupals in mosques, dargahs and other places. The Times of India report also claimed that the party wants to increase its reach among the minority community. However, the BJP had called this news completely fake.

Calling out Times of India for peddling falsehoods, the BJP stated that it has no plans to use Colonel Qureshi or Wing Commander Singh as the faces of any of its campaign.

BJP leader Amit Malviya said on X, “This is #FakeNews. The BJP has no plans to use either Col Sofia Qureshi or Wing Commander Vyomika Singh as campaign faces. The comments made by BJP Minority Morcha President Jamal Siddiqui have been misconstrued. He simply made a limited point about highlighting Col Qureshi as an example of an empowered Muslim woman within the community.”

Earlier, BJP had rejected the report of Dainik Bhaskar in which it was claimed that the party is running a campaign to send sindoor to every house. BJP had said that it has no such plan.

Assam: Habiba Khatun calls Goddesses Durga and Kali ‘Nangi’, makes hateful videos against Hindus, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Assam: Habiba Khatun calls Goddesses Durga and Kali ‘Nangi’, makes hateful videos against Hindus, arrested

Amid the arrest of Sharmishta from Gurgaon by Kolkata police, a video of a Muslim woman making derogatory comments about Hindu community and its deities surfaced on social media on Friday (30th May).

The accused was identified as Habiba Khatun from Silchar (Cachar district) in Assam. She regularly posted hateful content targeting the Hindu religion and its practioners.

In one Instagram comment, she was seen making vile references to Goddess Kali and Goddess Durga (Hindu deities who are highly revered in Assam).

“Waise Kaali aur Durga to Nangi hoti hai, Iska matlab yeh sab nangi rehna chahti hai (Because Kali and Durga remain naked, they (Hindus) all want to stay naked),” she had commented.

Soon after, the Assam police took cognisance of the matter after it was brought to light by alert netizens.

On Sunday (1st June), Cachar Police tweeted, “She has been arrested and forwarded to the Hon’ble Court.”

In a subsequent tweet, Cachar Police informed, “A video recently emerged on social media in which Habiba Khatun of Tukergram, Silchar, was seen making derogatory & indecent remarks against Goddess Maa Kali, prompting arrested her & forwarded to the Hon’ble Court.”

Prior to her arrest, Habiba Khatun made a video promising not to make hateful content anymore on Instagram. But her damage control mechanism could not save her.

“Aaj se me Roasting video aur hindu muslim Nafrat failane wali Jo bhi content hoga wo me nhi banaungi aur Kuch aisa comment bhi nhi Karungi (I will not make roasting videos and spread Hindu-Muslim hate, or make any such comments),” her last post read.

Habiba Khatun has now deleted all her Instagram posts.

Drones hidden into cabins, self-destructing trucks: How Ukraine smuggled hundreds of drones deep into Russia and destroyed over 40 aircraft in Operation Spiderweb

OpIndia Staff
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Drones hidden into cabins, self-destructing trucks: How Ukraine smuggled hundreds of drones deep into Russia and destroyed over 40 aircraft in Operation Spiderweb

Ukraine on 1 June carried out a large-scale attack on multiple airbases in Russia, causing substantial damage. As per Ukrainian officials, they used swarms of FPV drones to target the airfields which were already placed near the target airfields.

Now details have emerged how the drones reached the airbases undetected, and how the attack was launched.

Ukraine used First-person view (FPV) drones, where an operator can view what’s in front of the drone using its cameras. When aircraft were spotted, they were targeted from weapons carried on the drones, ensuring very close-range precise strikes.

The drones were somehow smuggled into Russia much earlier, and were hidden inside mobile wooden cabins loaded onto trucks. The drones were hidden on the roof of the cabins, with a lid on the roof that can be opened remotely.

As per Ukrainian media, Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) first sent FPV drones into Russia. Later, they shipped mobile wooden houses separately. Once inside Russia, the drones were placed on the hidden compartment on the roof of the cabins, and the cabins were loaded onto tractor-trailers. Photos of the hidden cabins inside the wooden containers show several rows of quadcopter drones on them.

SBU used locals to drive the trucks to the target locals, who then parked the trucks near the airbases, as per instructions. They perhaps didn’t know what they were carrying, as the drones were hidden in roof of the cabins, not inside.

After parking the vehicles, the drivers were instructed to leave the places. When all the trucks were placed at the desired locations near the airbases in Belaya, Diaghilevo, Olenya and Ivanovo, the operation began.

At the right moment, SBU remotely opened the roofs of the trucks, and one by one, drones started to fly out, stunning the locals. Footage provided by Ukrainian officials show what they say through the drone cameras, lines of Russian bombers and other aircraft, while the operator shooting onboard missiles at them.

Igor Kobzev, governor of Irkutsk, confirmed that drones that attacked the military base in Sredniy in Siberia were launched from a truck.

When military uses traditional million-dollar UAVs to launch missile attacks, the UAVs fly thousands of feet above ground, providing very blurry image of the target. In contrast, Ukraine’s low-cost drones flew just few feet above the target planes, providing a very clear view to the operators.

Ukraine didn’t just stop at remotely attacking the airbases with drones, they also took care of the trucks that carried the drones. In a stunt that is seen only in Hollywood movies, they also rigged the trucks with explosives.

Videos show that when Russian forces tried to enter the trucks after the drones had flown out, the trucks exploded into giant fireballs.

One curious truck driver was reportedly killed when he went back to the truck to investigate after seeing the strange incident of drones flying out from the vehicle he had just parked. One truck driver suspected to be involved in the operation has been detained by Russian police.

As per Ukrainian officials, they have been planning this operation for 1-1.5 years, codenamed Operation Spiderweb. SBU added that people involved in the operation returned to Ukraine from Russia long ago. Therefore, Russia will be able to arrest only drivers and others associated with the trucks, who had no knowledge about Operation Spiderweb.

By smuggling drones deep into Russia on trucks and then launching them from very close range, Ukraine was able to precisely target Russian military aircraft parked at the airfields. As per Ukraine, they were able to hit over 40 aircraft, including Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 bombers, and at least one A-50 airborne early warning aircraft. 

Notably, Russian strategic bombers Tu-95 and Tu-22M3 are no longer in production, and therefore the destroyed aircraft can’t be replenished on short notice. SBU estimates total Russian loss to be more than $2 billion.

Using drones smuggled deep into Russia is a noble way of military attack that Ukraine used on 1st June. This shows how airbases with multiple military aircraft worth billions of dollars can be destroyed using drones that cost less than $500, and good old fashioned clandestine operation to smuggle them in enemy country and find gullible truck drivers to drive them to the target locations.

IndiGo places order for additional 30 Airbus A350-900 planes, to double wide-body fleet to 60

ANI
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IndiGo places order for additional 30 Airbus A350-900 planes, to double wide-body fleet to 60

IndiGo on Sunday announced it has placed orders for another 30 Airbus A350, on top of the 30 orders already in place with the French aircraft manufacturer.

Announcing the orders, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said that the deliveries of the aircraft will start from 2027.

“It was last year that IndiGo signed a deal with Airbus for buying 30 Airbus 350 900s with 30 firm and 70 purchase rights, and today we’re confirming the intention to confirm 30 out of those 70 also into a firm order,” the CEO said at a press conference

“We’re going to sign an MoU for that and we’re going to sign that here, right here and now,” the CEO added as he signed the agreement with Airbus.

In April 2024, IndiGo had placed an order for 30 A350 aircraft, and kept an option to purchase another 70 such planes in the future.

IndiGo has a total of over 900 planes on order, scheduled to be delivered in the years to come.

In June 2023, IndiGo placed the largest ever single aircraft order by any airline for 500 aircraft with Airbus. With that, the outstanding orderbook of A320 Family aircraft stood at almost 1,000 aircraft, which are yet to be delivered well into the next decade.

These orders will bring the strategic relationship between IndiGo and Airbus to an unprecedented level in terms of depth, breadth, and size, the airline had earlier stated.

With IndiGo’s current fleet, the almost 1000 A320 Family aircraft yet to be delivered, and today’s order for aircraft, IndiGo is not only well positioned to expand and densify its unparalleled network but equally importantly, IndiGo will play its part to fulfill the Indian Government’s stated mission of becoming an aviation leadership.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

National-level judo player accuses coach of sexual assault and intimidation in Moradabad, coach denies allegations

OpIndia Staff
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National-level judo player accuses coach of sexual assault and intimidation in Moradabad, coach denies allegations

A national-level female judo player from Dehradun has levelled serious allegations of rape and sexual harassment against National Judo Coach and Uttarakhand Judo Association General Secretary Satish Sharma. A zero FIR was registered under Section 76 of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on 28th April 2025 in the matter, which was later transferred to Bhojpur Police Station in Moradabad where the investigation is underway.

The victim has alleged that she was assaulted at a training facility in Moradabad on 12th March under the pretext of a training session. The victim, who is a national-level competitor with seven years of experience in the sport, alleged that Sharma manipulated her into accompanying him to a remote facility for a training session. However, she was allegedly taken to a farmhouse at a private location with some gym equipment and living quarters.

After the session, she alleged that Sharma locked the premises and forcibly removed her clothes. She added that he touched her private parts despite her resistance. When she resisted, he allegedly threatened to end her career. She also claimed Sharma had a history of inappropriate remarks and behaviour with girls during training sessions.

The complainant further alleged that, following her complaint, Sharma’s wife threatened her. She allegedly visited the victim’s house to intimidate her. Speaking to the media, she urged that the case should be transferred outside Moradabad for her safety.

Coach denies allegations, terms FIR a result of ‘vendetta politics’

Satish Sharma has strongly refuted the allegations and claimed that it was a conspiracy against him due to his position as General Secretary of the Uttarakhand Judo Association. He said, “This is all because I hold the secretary post. There has been internal rivalry over the leadership of the association. If I resign today, all these issues will disappear.”

He argued that there were inconsistencies in the FIR, as two different times for the alleged incident were mentioned, one in the morning and another at 7:30 PM. He further stated the location mentioned as a farmhouse does not exist. He said, “There is no farmhouse. It is a registered sports academy with proper signage and equipment. Anyone can visit and verify.”

He also questioned the delay in reporting the incident. “She stayed at the centre after the alleged date, travelled with my family to a competition in Haldwani, and returned again. She did not mention anything until 44 days later. There was no medical report, no immediate complaint,” Sharma said. “If there was force, there would be some physical marks.” Sharma has called for transparency in the investigation.

Moradabad Police confirm FIR transfer and investigation

Speaking to the media, Bhojpur police officials confirmed the FIR has been officially transferred from Dehradun. “The girl alleges that her coach brought her to the Islam Nagar area and molested her. We have registered the complaint under our crime number and begun investigation. Action will be taken based on the facts that emerge,” said the officer.

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