On Tuesday (18th March), extremists belonging to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) vandalised the house of a Hindu family and issued death threats to them in Sylhet city of Bangladesh.
According to reports, the victim was identified as a differently-abled Asim Kumar Das. On Tuesday, local BNP leader Jasmine Begum, and her brothers Raihan Mia, Kawasar and Kamal Ahmed pelted stones and bricks at his house.
They also broke the glass panes. When the victim’s parents attempted to stop the extremists, the latter assaulted them with sticks and pipes. The BNP leader and her aides also entered the premises of Asim Kumar Das’ house and carried out vandalism.
They also threatened to kill his parents. The Hindu family thereafter filed a complaint with the local police. OC Syed Anisur Rahman claimed that the dispute was over ‘road space’ and that the situation was under control.
On learning about the incident, the leaders of the local Sylhet Metropolitan Puja Udjavan Parishad and the Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council visited the residence of the Hindu family.
It has come to light that the BNP leader Jasmine Begum had previously attacked the residence of Asim Kumar Das not once but 3 different times. Attempts were being made to encroach his house in the guise of clearing space for the road.
First, the extremists were successful in encroaching 2 feet of space and later demanded an additional 5 feet of space from the helpless Hindu family. When the demands were not met, they carried out vandalism and issued threats.
In January this year, OpIndia reported how 4 radicals associated with Chatra Dal (the student wing of the Islamist political party BNP) abducted three Hindus from Chittagong and demanded ransom from their families.
After curfew restrictions were lifted across Nagpur following recent violence, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday assured that the situation in the city is completely peaceful and that there is no need for a curfew.
“The situation is completely peaceful. There is no tension anywhere, and people of all religions are living together in harmony. There is no need for a curfew anymore, and hence, it has been lifted,” CM Fadnavis told reporters.
Meanwhile, Nagpur Police conducted a flag march in the Mahal market area on Sunday as a precautionary measure to maintain peace and stability after the curfew was lifted across the city.
Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal issued a stern warning against the misuse of social media, urging people to think “a thousand times” before posting anything related to the recent Nagpur violence.
“Things are normal here. There is no issue right now, and life is normal everywhere. So far, 13 FIRs have been filed, more than 115 people are in custody, and further action is ongoing,” Singal said while speaking to ANI.
He urged the public to maintain harmony and refrain from spreading misinformation.
“Everyone should respect each other and avoid violence. If you have any information, report it to the authorities so we can take appropriate action. Those who upload or forward misleading content will face strict action. So before posting anything, think a thousand times about its consequences,” he added.
The flag march was conducted after the curfew was lifted across Nagpur, with restrictions eased in the last four affected areas on Sunday.
As per officials, restrictions have been relaxed in Kotwali, Tehsil, Ganeshpeth, and Yashodhara Nagar. The decision was made after law enforcement agencies reviewed the situation.
Earlier on Saturday, authorities had lifted the curfew in Pachpaoli, Shantinagar, Lakadganj, Sakkardara, and Imamwada. Besides, restrictions were temporarily relaxed in Kotwali, Tehsil, and Ganeshpeth between 7 PM and 10 PM.
The clashes in Nagpur on March 17 erupted over demands for the removal of Aurangzeb’s grave. Tensions escalated further when rumours circulated that a holy book of a particular community had been burnt during the agitation. However, the situation has now returned to normal, and the curfew imposed in several areas has been lifted.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
In the case of unaccounted cash found at Delhi High Court Justice Yashwant Varma’s residence after a fire incident, the Supreme Court of India has taken the unprecedented step of releasing several documents related to the case, along with a few photographs and a video clip showing burnt and half-burn currency notes. The apex court has released the report of Delhi High Court chief justice, reports by police and Delhi HC’s registrar and the response by Justice Varma.
In his response, Justice Yashwant Varma has denied keeping at the store room which caught fire on 14th March. However, a perusal by reports by various officials and the Varma’s response show that there are several contradictions in them. Moreover, the photos and videos released by Supreme Court show that cash was indeed burnt during the fire incident.
Here are some of the contradictions:
Who reported the fire
In his response submitted to Delhi HC’s Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, justice Yashwant Varma said that he along with his wife was in Madhya Pradesh when the store room at his residence caught fire, and only his mother and daughter were present at the spot. He said that when the fire broke out around midnight, the fire service was alerted by his daughter and his private secretary. He claimed that calls of the same would be duly recorded.
But the Delhi Police report contradicts this claim. The police has told the court that nobody called the fire service about the fire, and only a PCR call was made by the Justice Varma’s private secretary. As per police, the intimation of the fire was automatically forwarded to the fire service, and that is how firefighters reached the house and doused the fire.
The store room is locked or unlocked
Justice Varma in his response claimed that the store room, which is separate from his main residence, is kept unlocked, and that the room is “generally utilised by all and sundry to store articles such as unused furniture, bottles, crockery, mattresses, used carpets, old speakers, garden implements as well as CPWD material.”
He added, “This room is unlocked and accessible both from the official front gate as well as the backdoor of the staff quarters.” The judged further said, “The very idea or suggestion that this cash was kept or stored by us is totally preposterous. The suggestion that one would store cash in an open, freely accessible and commonly used storeroom near the staff quarters or in an outhouse verges on the incredible and incredulous.”
However, again this claim contradicts with the police version. The Commissioner of Police has stated that the store room used to be kept locked. Notably, the store room is adjacent to the Guard Room where Central Reserve Police Force (Battalion 70F) is posted.
What happened to the cash
Justice Yashwant Varma has categorically denied the presence of any cash in the store room. He says his daughter and others in the house were not shown any sacks of cash after the fire was douse. He adds no cash was found when he reached the house, which matches with report of Delhi HC’s registrar who visited the house on 15th March evening. The registrar said that when he visited the house at around 9.10 pm, he found no cash in the dark room.
However, the police version and the statements of the guards confirm that there were cash that got burnt in the fire, and the remains of the cash were removed the next morning. In his report, the police commissioner told the Delhi HC CJ that 4-5 half-burnt sacks were found after dousing the fire, and remains of burnt Indian currency notes were found inside the sacks.
Moreover, the police confirmed that debris and half-burnt items were removed from the room the next morning. This confirms that along with other items, the burnt currency notes were also removed in the morning of 15.3.2025.
The report by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya states that the probe so far does not reveal possibility of entry or access to the room by any person other than those residing in the bungalow, the servants, the gardeners and CPWD personnels, if any. He added in the report, “, I am of the prima faice opinion that the entire matter warrants a deeper probe.”
The reports by the police, and fire service, and visuals released by the Supreme Court confirms that cash was found after the fire was doused in the store room, and it was removed the next morning.
Notably, while fire service had first reported the cash, Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg on Friday said that firefighters did not find any cash during the operation. However, a day later he denied making any such statement, clarifying that he never said that no cash was found.
The fire incident took place on 14th March, and the courts stepped into action immediately after that, but the matter was made public only on 20th March, a week later. The hushed manner in which the matter has been dealt with by the authorities also raises serious questions on the accountability and transparency of the judiciary as well as the administration.
There are also allegations that police and fire service personnel who recorded videos of the cash were ordered to delete the videos and not circulate them, keeping only one original copy. Reports claim multiple videos were made, while Supreme Court has released only one. Notably, the Supreme Court has now formed a 3-member committee to probe the matter.
‘Student activists’ and advisers to the interim government of Bangladesh, led by controversial Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, are hoarding large sums of unaccounted money in the form of cryptocurrencies. The revelations were first made by ‘The AsiaPost News’ in a report published on 25th February this year.
The development came days after the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cancelled a $29 million USAID project to strengthen the ‘political landscape in Bangladesh.’
‘The AsiaPost News’ shared screenshots, obtained from their sources, which show people close to the Yunus regime amassing millions of dollars in wealth. The unaccounted money is being stored in the online cryptocurrency exchange, Binance.
Screengrab of the report by ‘The AsiaPost News’
The interim government in Bangladesh came to power only 7 months ago and yet the ‘student activists’ and ‘advisors’ have been able to enrich themselves in such a short span of time.
“These revelations further fuel concerns that the very individuals who once claimed to stand for justice and democracy may now be engaging in unchecked corruption, all while Bangladesh faces one of the most challenging periods in its history.These evidences could expose one of the most significant corruption scandals in Bangladesh’s history,” stated The AsiaPost News.
It further inquired, “As the nation struggles for survival, the question remains: will justice prevail, or will those in power continue to exploit the people they once vowed to protect?“
Binance account of Sarjis Alam
During its investigation, The AsiaPost News found that ‘student activist’ Sarjis Alam has accumulated a massive $7.76 million. This is despite no known source of income or a position with the interim government of Bangladesh.
Alam had repeatedly threatened India and demanded the handover of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Owing to his anti-Indian rhetoric, the Islamist was made the chief organiser of the Jatiyo Nagorik Committee. He issued veiled threats to PM Modi on Vijay Diwas (16th December 2024).
According to ‘The AsiaPost News’, Nahid Islam (who previously served as the information adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh) also had 204.64 Bitcoin in his Binance account. It roughly translates to $19 million.
Binance account of Nahid Islam
Coincidentally, Nahid Islam tendered his resignation around the time of publication of the report and later joined the newly formed ‘Jatiya Nagorik Party (National Citizen Party).
Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, the Youth and Sports Adviser to the interim government of Bangladesh, had also amassed 113 Bitcoin which is equivalent to $12 million.
According to ‘The AsiaPost News’, the Binance account of ‘student activist’ Khan Talat Mahmud Rafy shows that he has 11.09 Bitcoins. Despite having no position in the interim government, he enjoys full state protocol.
Binance accounts of Asif Mahmud Bhuiyan and Khan Talat Mahmud Rafy
Even the press Secretary to the interim government of Bangladesh, Shafiqul Alam has accumulated $10 million worth of cryptocurrencies in his Binance account.
With no known sources of income that could justify such wealth, it becomes increasingly clear that the funds have been received through illegal means from external sources.
While the regime of Muhammad Yunus came to serve the people, it quickly filled the coffers of its officials and ‘student activists’ who orchestrated the undemocratic ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
When Muhammad Yunus was convicted of violating labour laws
The track record of Yunus is not bright either. In January 2024, a labour court in Dhaka found him guilty of violating the labour laws of Bangladesh. He was convicted, sentenced to 6 months of simple imprisonment and fined Tk 30000 (~$260).
Yunus and three other directors at ‘Grameen Telecom’ violated labour laws by failing to create a welfare fund for the workers in the company.
The labour court Judge, Sheikh Merina Sultana, noted that 67 Grameen Telecom employees were supposed to be made permanent in the company which did not happen.
As per the company’s stated policy, it is supposed to share 5% of the dividends with the staff, which failed to materialise. Muhammad Yunus is currently facing 100 other charges for graft and labour law violations in Bangladesh.
The 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner founded Grameen Bank in 1983 to lend small loans to the poor. He was earlier fired as Managing Director of his bank for violating retirement regulations of the Bangladeshi government.
Yunus was also on trial for receiving money in 2013 for receiving money without government permission. He was infamously called a ‘bloodsucker’ by Sheikh Hasina for giving out loans to the poor at extremely high interest rates.
Attempts to discredit report by ‘The AsiaPost News’ as fake
Two days after the publication of the exclusive investigative report, a propaganda portal masquerading as ‘fact-checking’ website called ‘Rumour Scanner’ wrote an article decrying the revelations made against the govt officials and ‘student activists’ close to the Yunus regime.
It alleged that the screenshots are ‘manipulated using digital editing techniques’ and are being disseminated ‘based on an unreliable source’.
OpIndia spoke to renowned Bangladeshi journalist Salahuddin Shoaib Choudhury, who promptly pointed out that the ‘Rumour Scanner’ is being run from the Office of the Press Secretary to the interim government of Bangladesh.
? So-called Press Wing of Islamofascist Muhammad Yunus comprises band of Goebbels and culprits are are continuously attempting to bully any critical post against Yunus or his gang of Islamists and jihadists. For example, this Press Wing got it's statement condemning @DNIGabbard… pic.twitter.com/q7xnLu0iaa
— Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury (@salah_shoaib) March 23, 2025
The same Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has been exposed by ‘The Asia Post News.’ As such, Rumour Scanner did not spare any time to brand its report as ‘fake news.’
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury further directed us to 2 of his articles (here and here) where Shafiqul Alam had resorted to Joseph Goebbels-like propaganda to label news stories, critical of Yunus regime, as ‘fake.’
It has been a month since the ‘The Asia Post News’ published its critical story, exposing the corruption at the top level of the interim government. Despite this, no investigation has been initiated into the matter. Instead, an all-out effort has been made to bury the story.
In the latest revelation in the Justice Yashwant Varma cash controversy, it is being reported that the junior Delhi Police officials who recorded the videos of the burning cash at the judge’s residence were instructed to delete the videos and not to make copies of them.
According to the Republic, the videos of the burnt cash which formed a crucial piece of evidence were initially shared with senior officials. Later on, after the videos reached all the stakeholders, instructions were issued from within the police department to delete all the videos keeping an original copy and to prevent them from circulating.
Republic is leading the coverage of India's biggest judicial scandal. YOUR VOICE MATTERS! Just WhatsApp your opinion on 9810888944 or post on X (TWEET) with #JudgeCashVideo
As per Republic, multiple agencies were present at the scene during the fire incident like the fire department, police, NDMC, CPWD etc, and several personnel made videos. However, when the videos were sent to higher officials, they were instructed to delete them and not share them.
Multiple videos of the burnt cash were reportedly recorded by the officials present at the spot. One of the videos showing burnt cash was released by the Supreme Court last night.
Documents released by the apex court state that the burnt debris was removed a day after the fire incident, on 15th March morning. “On examining the incident reported, the material available and the response of Justice Yashwant Varma, what I find is that the Commissioner of Police in his report dated 16.3.2025 has reported that as per the guard posted at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, the debris and other partially burnt articles were removed from the room where the fire had broken out in the morning of 15.3.2025,” stated Delhi High Court chief justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya in his report submitted to CJI of India.
This is why the Registrar-cum-Secretary sent by the Delhi High Court Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya didn’t find any cash when he went there to inspect the site after the fire incident. The Registrar-cum-Secretary was accompanied by Justice Varma and his private secretary during the inspection and he said that there was no currency at the spot. Justice Varma also denied having any knowledge about the cash.
#BreakingNews | Delhi Police Junior Cops who shot the video were told to delete it, barred from circulation
Republic is leading the coverage of India's biggest judicial scandal. YOUR VOICE MATTERS! Just WhatsApp your opinion on 9810888944 or post on X (TWEET) with… pic.twitter.com/BFC3gatCnn
The fire incident occurred at Justice Varma’s official bungalow at 30 Tughlak Crescent, New Delhi late in the night on 14th March. The next day, i.e., 15th March, Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya, Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, received a call from the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, Sanjay Arora, at around 4:50 PM. He informed Justice Upadhyaya about the fire incident and the burnt cash at Justice Varma’s residence. Justice Upadhyaya informed CJI Khanna. The same day, Justice Upadhyaya sent the Registrar-cum-Secretary for inspection of the site of the incident. By that time, Justice Varma has also returned from Bhopal.
This raises an important question as to who removed the burnt cash from the site of the fire incident and on whose instructions. The removal of the burnt cash from the site of the incident amounts to destruction with evidence which is a criminal offence. Besides, why the instructions were issued to remove the videos of the burnt cash also remains a question to be answered.
Ever since the news of the fire accident at Justice Varama’s residence boke out, new twists and turns have been emerging in the matter every day. The hushed manner in which the matter has been dealt with by the authorities also raises serious questions on the accountability and transparency of the judiciary as well as the administration.
Interestingly, the fire incident occurred on 14th March but the news about the incident broke out on 20th March, a week later. Moreover, the Delhi Fire Services chief Atul Garg initially denied reports of finding piles of cash at the judge’s residence but later on, he denied having given any such statement to any media outlet and dismissed his earlier quoted by the media as fake news.
In the meantime, a transfer order was also issued by the Supreme Court transferring Justice Varma to Allahabad High Court. However, the Supreme Court yesterday denied any link between Collegium’s proposal to transfer the judge to Allahabad High Court, saying that it was a routine transfer proposal that has not been finalized yet.
On Saturday (22nd March), the Supreme Court publicly released a report on its website including three images and a video of the incident. The same day, a three-member committee was formed by the Supreme Court to conduct a probe into the matter. The committee is chaired by Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alongside Justice GS Sandhawalia of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court. The committee will investigate the allegations and submit a report to the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. The CJI also asked the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court to not assign any case to Justice Varma.
In the latest development in the investigation of the Sambhal violence, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Sambhal Police detained the Chief of Sambhal Shahi Masjid Committee and Jama Masjid Sadar, Zafar Ali for interrogation today (23rd March). Ali was called by the police for questioning and was later detained. This is the first time that he has been detained in connection with the Sambhal violence that erupted on 24th November last year.
#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh | Jama Masjid Sadar Chief & Shahi Mosque Committee Chief, Zafar Ali, taken into custody in connection with the November 24 Sambhal violence by the Sambhal police pic.twitter.com/fbSSrA421w
The development follows allegations of his involvement in the violence that broke out in Sambhal during a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid.
Ali was taken into custody around 11 am on Sunday from his residence amid heavy police deployment to deal with any law and order situation. Ali’s residence is about 100 m away from the Jama Masjid. Ali was first taken to Chandausi for a medical examination amid heavy security. He was questioned by the police for about 4 hours after which he wad taken to Chandausi court. As he was being taken in a police vehicle, his supporters chased the police vehicle and raised slogans in his support.
After Azafar Ali’s arrest, his elder brother Tahir Ali said that he stood by his statement where he said that the first shot was fired by the police during the Sambhal violence. He said that he would not go back to his words and could even go to jail for this. Tahir Ali accused the Sambhal administration and the senior officials of inciting communal tensions in the area.
Ali’s colleagues and supporters reached the police station in large numbers to protest his arrest. They questioned Ali’s arrest and demanded his release. ASP Shrichand said that police forces have been deployed in the area to ward off any unpleasant situation. Police teams are patrolling the area and appealing to the people to maintain peace in the area.
The police have reportedly found evidence indicating Ali’s connection with the Sambhal violence. The police said that Ali was the first person to be informed about the court-mandated survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. When the officials arrived to survey the mosque, a large crowd had already gathered there.
Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma who is facing an investigation after a huge amount of unaccounted cash was recovered from his residence during a fire incident on 14th March was reportedly an accused in the Simbhaoli Sugar Mill fraud case.
As per reports, Justice Varma was named in an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the Prevention of Corruption Act and an ECIR filled by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in an alleged fraud committed by Simbhaoli Sugars Ltd. on banks. Before his elevation as a judge to the Allahabad High Court in October 2013, Justice Varma was a non-executive director of the company. The company’s accounts were reported as a non-performing asset (NPA) in 2012. By 2015, the Sambhaoli Sugars case was declared a ‘suspected fraud’ case and was reported to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
An investigation was launched by the CBI in February 2018 against Sambhaioli Sugars based on a complaint filed by the Oriental Bank of Commerce. The bank had accused the company of misappropriating ₹97.85 crore of loan amount which was supposed to go to farmers. The company allegedly diverted the funds for other purposes. The CBI FIR mentioned the names of 12 accused including the name of Justice Varma as a non-executive director of the company.
However, the investigation in the case stalled and no significant action was taken in the case for a long time. In February 2024, the case was reignited after a court ordered the CBI to resume the investigation. However, the court order was overturned by the Supreme Court leading to the closure of the CBI’s preliminary inquiry (PE) in the case. The Supreme Court’s intervention effectively put an end to all investigations in the case raising questions on how high-profile corruption cases involving people occupying important positions were dealt with by the Indian judiciary.
The Cash Controversy
Around 4-5 half-burnt sacks containing remnants of Indian currency notes were found at Justice Varma’s official bungalow at 30 Tughlak Crescent, New Delhi on 14th March after a fire incident. Following the incident, a three-member committee was formed by the Supreme Court chaired by Justice Sheel Nagu, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, alongside Justice GS Sandhawalia of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and Justice Anu Sivaraman of the Karnataka High Court. The committee will investigate the allegations and submit a report to the Chief Justice of India, Sanjiv Khanna. Justice Varma was initially transferred to the Allahabad High Court, but following backlash, he was barred from performing any judicial duties. The Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court has been instructed not to assign him any work pending the probe.
Justice Varma, on the other hand, denied all allegations against him and said he did not have any knowledge about the cash found in his bungalow. He was in Madhya Pradesh with his wife when the incident took place and returned to Delhi on the evening of 15th March. On 17th March, he met Justice Upadhyaya at the Delhi High Court Guest House at 8:30 AM. When he was shown the photographs and video reportedly depicting burnt currency, Justice Varma insisted that he had no knowledge of any cash in the storeroom.
On 21st March, two schoolboys from Adivasi community, Prashant Dhele and Anand Ingle, from Lohara village in Akola’s Balapur taluka were allegedly beaten mercilessly by a police officer. Reportedly, the police official, identified as Assistant Police Inspector Gopal Dhole of Urla Police Station, took the adverse step as the schoolboys had kept a WhatsApp status featuring an image of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on horseback. The incident took place around 7 AM, triggering widespread anger among villagers. They marched to the district’s Superintendent of Police (SP) office and demanded strict action against the police personnel involved.
SHOCKING! OUTRAGEOUS!
In Akola, Maharashtra, the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, a PSI named Gopal Dhole brutally tortured two Hindu youths.
Reason: The youths had posted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj's status on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti.
The accused officer reportedly lost his temper after he saw the WhatsApp status of the schoolboys. According to a report in Marathi newspaper Ajinkya Bharat, locals said that Dhole summoned the two boys and brutally thrashed them with a baton. The students sustained injuries and had to be admitted to a local hospital for treatment.
The act of alleged custodial violence sparked outrage among the villagers. Over fifty residents from Lohara gathered at the Akola SP Bachchan Singh’s office and lodged a formal complaint against Inspector Dhole, demanding his immediate suspension. In their complaint, they called the assault inhumane and a gross misuse of police power. Villagers highlighted that the incident was not only dangerous but showed the high-handedness of the police. They urged the authorities to take swift action to ensure justice.
Sakal Hindu Samaj staged a protest outside the SP’s office and demanded swift action. Speaking to the media, Rajeet Gawande, a Hindu activist, called it a deeply condemnable incident. He said, “It is deeply condemnable that police officers are targeting Hindu youths and assaulting them so inhumanely. If Inspector Gopal Dhole has any courage, let him shut down the illegal rackets and slaughterhouses operating in his jurisdiction.” Reports suggest that similar complaints have emerged in the past against Inspector Gopal Dhole. However, no action was taken against him by senior officials.
Following the protest by the locals, the SP ordered an internal inquiry into the matter. Police have not released an official statement on the matter. However, media reports suggest that the senior officials are taking the matter seriously.
OpIndia tried contacting the concerned police station but could not connect.
The Israel Defence Forces launched a ground operation in Gaza’s Beit Hanoun town on Sunday morning, while Hamas confirmed the death of its politburo member in the airstrike, Israeli news agency, Tazpit Press Service (TPS) reported on Sunday.
As per the report, during the operation, fighter jets struck several Hamas targets and terror infrastructure sites in the area. Meanwhile, the IDF also warned residents of Rafah’s Tel-Sultan neighbourhood to evacuate their homes on Sunday.
“The IDF has launched an attack to strike at terrorist organizations. The area you are in is considered a dangerous combat zone,” Col Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic language spokesperson posted. “Gush Katif Street is considered a humanitarian route for your use in order to move to the Mawasi area.”
Hamas confirmed a member of its politburo, Salah al-Bardawil, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Khan Yunis, the report added.
In another update, CNN reported that Israel’s military carried out multiple waves of airstrikes across Lebanon targeting suspected Hezbollah sites on Saturday.
Citing the Lebanese Health Ministry, the report said that at least seven people have been killed, including a child, and 40 others injured in Saturday’s strikes.
The day’s barrages marked the most significant eruption of violence between Israel and Hezbollah since the ceasefire, which brought about an uneasy calm to the border.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that its latest strikes targeted “Hezbollah command centers, infrastructure sites, terrorists, rocket launchers, and a weapons storage facility.” It said it was responding to at least five projectiles fired from within Lebanon toward Israel; three were intercepted by the Israeli air force and two did not cross the border.
In the most recent update, Al Jazeera cited state media reports which said that
Meanwhile, another Israeli drone targeted a vehicle in a southern Lebanese town, Al Jazeera reported citing state media.
“An Israeli drone carried out an air strike this morning, launching a guided missile targeting a car in the town of Aita al-Shaab,” near the border with Israel, Lebanon’s official National News Agency said as quoted by Al Jazeera.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar informed the Consultative Committee on External Affairs on Saturday (22nd March) that India knew of the ant-Sheikh Hasina wave emerging in Bangladesh before the ouster of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024.
According to the Hindu, the Minister added that despite the knowledge, India was not in a position to act and it did not have the necessary leverage over the former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina who could only be advised. Jaishankar said that a few other stakeholders were also aware of the unrest brewing in Bangladesh including the UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk. He pointed out Turk’s recent remarks in which he warned the Bangladesh army against confronting the unarmed protesters in Bangladesh adding that if the army did not comply it would be banned from UN peacekeeping operations.
Jaishankar reportedly had a discussion with the members of the committee about India’s foreign policy with its neighbours including Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Asked about the situation on the India-Myanmar border, Jaishankar assured that India was prepared to deal with any law and order situation along the border. Commenting on the future of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the Minister said that “SAARC is not off the table” hinting at the possibility of its revival in future. The SAARC members Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have not met since November 2024.
India called out the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus
Since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh in August last year following a violent revolution, the relations between India and Bangladesh have spiralled downwards. India has been calling out the interim government in Bangladesh led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus for persecution of Hindu minorities and for holding India responsible for its internal problems.
Last month, India lodged a strong protest against Bangladesh for its negative portrayal of India in the country and for holding the Indian govt responsible for its internal problems. The Ministry of External Affairs summoned Md. Nural Islam, Bangladesh Acting High Commissioner to India, on 7 February to register the protest officially. MEA told the Acting High Commissioner that it is regrettable that regular statements made by Bangladesh authorities continue to portray India negatively, holding India responsible for internal governance issues.
