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Will not participate in any offensive operations: Biden tells Netanyahu that the US will not support any Israeli counterattack to Iran’s assault

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Will not participate in any offensive operations: Biden tells Netanyahu that the US will not support any Israeli counterattack to Iran’s assault

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, has received word from President Joe Biden that the United States will not support or participate in any Israeli counteroffensive against Iran. The two leaders spoke over the phone when the message was delivered to PM Netanyahu. Joe Biden informed that the United States will strongly oppose any Israeli counterattack against Iran. The development transpired after Iran unleashed a flurry of ballistic missiles and drones into Israel on 13th April.

A senior White House official revealed that President Biden stated, “Will not participate in any offensive operations against Iran and will not support such operations,” to which the Jewish Prime Minister replied that “he understood.” Joe Biden also hailed Israeli defence against the assault from the Islamic Republic. The White House official reported that the US President also informed his counterpart that the Iranian attack was thwarted by the “joint defensive efforts” of the US, Israel and other nations in the region. “You got a win. Take the win,” Joe Biden expressed during the call.

The President reportedly mentioned, “Tonight is a win because the current US assessment is that Iran’s attacks had been largely unsuccessful and demonstrated Israel’s superior military capability.” A readout from the White House noted that Joe Biden voiced, “Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks, sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” before the Prime Minister.

According to US assessments, nearly every Iranian drone and missile fired into Israel has been destroyed. “No cruise missile made an impact,” the official declared, noting that nothing of “value” was damaged. Joe Biden strongly denounced the strikes carried out by “Iran and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq” in an official statement following his conversation with PM Netanyahu.

White House official release quoted the president, “At my direction, to support the defence of Israel, the US military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defence destroyers to the region over the course of the past week. We helped Israel take down nearly all the incoming drones and missiles.” Joe Biden claimed that he reiterated Washington’s “ironclad commitment to the security of Israel” to Netanyahu.

In addition, the President announced that he would “convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack” on 14th April. He claimed, “My team will engage with their counterparts across the region. And we will stay in close touch with Israel’s leaders. And while we have not seen attacks on our forces or facilities today, we will remain vigilant to all threats and will not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people.”

Joe Biden met with his security aides to discuss the situation shortly after Iran launched more than 200 missiles and drones into Israel. However, he and the senior advisors raised grave concerns that an “Israeli response to Iran’s attack on Israel would lead to a regional war with catastrophic consequences.”

While Biden has said that the US will not support any offensive against Iran by Israel, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said that if Iran attacks Israeli or American forces in the region, US will not hesitate to take defensive measures. He said, “We do not seek conflict with Iran, but we will not hesitate to act to protect our forces and support the defense of Israel.”

The Israeli military asserted that the “vast majority” of Iranian missiles and drones were intercepted by its troops. It also acknowledged that several “small hits” were detected in southern Israel resulting in minimal damage to infrastructure. “More than 200 drones, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles were fired from Iran. Most of the threats were intercepted outside of Israeli airspace,” announced Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.

BJP govt will expand Vande Bharat trains to every corner of country, 3 new bullet trains will run in North, South and East India: PM Modi after releasing BJP’s Sankalp Patra

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BJP govt will expand Vande Bharat trains to every corner of country, 3 new bullet trains will run in North, South and East India: PM Modi after releasing BJP’s Sankalp Patra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday promised that his government will expand Vande Bharat trains to every corner of the country and charted out the government’s plan to expand bullet train services, adding that three new trains will run in north, east and south India.

“BJP will expand Vande Bharat trains to every corner of the country. Three models of Vande Bharat will run in the country – Vande Bharat Sleeper, Vande Bharat Chaircar and Vande Bharat Metro. Today the work of the Ahmedabad Mumbai Bullet Train is going on in full swing and is almost reaching completion. In the same way, one Bullet Train will run in North India, one Bullet Train in South India and one Bullet Train in Eastern India. Survey work for this will also be started soon,” PM Modi said after the announcement of the manifesto, ‘Sankalp Patra’.

Coming down heavily on the corrupt leaders, the Prime Minister said that strict action will continue against the corrupt.

“Now the poor are getting their rights and those who looted the poor are going to jail. Such strict action will continue against the corrupt, this is Modi’s guarantee. In the national interest, the BJP doesn’t walk away from taking ‘bade’ (big) and ‘kade’ (strict) decisions. For us, the country is bigger than the party,” PM Modi said.

“Nari Shakti Vandan Act has now become a law. BJP removed Article 370 and we brought CAA. We will move forward more rapidly following the mantra of Reform-Perform-Transform,” the Prime Minister added.

CAA, passed by Parliament on December 11, 2019, and getting the President’s assent the following day, met with protests all across the country. The CAA came into effect on January 10, 2020.

PM Modi said that the ruling party will continue to move forward with the resolve of ‘One Nation, One Election’ and considers implementing the Uniform Civil Code significant for the country.

“We will create the necessary infrastructure and ecosystem for strengthening good governance, digital governance and data governance in the country. We will move ahead with the resolve of The BJP, in the same way, considers implementing the Uniform Civil Code significant for the country,” he said.

UCC is contemplated as a common set of laws for citizens governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption, irrespective of religion, sex, gender or caste.

Notably, Uttarakhand became the first state in India to implement UCC earlier this year.

He further noted that the BJP will start working on its ‘Sankalp Patra’ immediately after the result of Lok Sabha polls, i.e., June 4.

“Work on BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ will begin immediately after the June 4 results. The government has already started working on the 100-day action plan. The ambition of the people of the country is Modi’s mission. We saw the success of Chandrayaan. Now we will experience the pride of Gaganyaan. We just saw India welcoming the world to the G20 and now we will make all efforts to host the Olympics,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that the BJP will strengthen the foundation of India through three kinds of infrastructure, including social, digital and physical infrastructure.

“BJP is going to strengthen the foundation of India of the 21st century through three kinds of infrastructure – 1) social infrastructure, 2) digital infrastructure, 3) physical infrastructure. We are opening new educational institutions for social infrastructure…Under physical infrastructure, we are modernising highways, railways, airways, and waterways across the country. Under digital infrastructure, we are expanding 5G network, working on 6G and for keeping Industry 4.0 in mind we are building the digital infrastructure,” he said.

The BJP had appointed a manifesto committee headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh that met twice to deliberate on its contents after the party had launched multiple exercises, including massive campaigns across the country to seek people’s suggestions before the release of the ‘Sankalp Patra’.

The BJP received over 1.5 million suggestions for its manifesto, including more than 400,000 through the NaMo app and over 1.1 million through videos.

The Lok Sabha polls in India are scheduled to take place from April 19, 2024, to June 1, 2024, to choose the 543 representatives for the 18th Lok Sabha. These elections will be conducted over seven phases, with the outcome being declared on June 4.

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

Uttar Pradesh: Maulana Sonu Hafiz arrested for raping a 14-year-old girl in Kanpur, the cleric gave abortion pills to the girl after three months of pregnancy

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Maulana Sonu Hafiz arrested for raping a 14-year-old girl in Kanpur, the cleric gave abortion pills to the girl after three months of pregnancy

On Sunday (14th April), Uttar Pradesh police arrested a cleric named Sonu Hafiz from Kanpur for raping a minor girl. The cleric also gave abortion pills to the victim girl after three months of pregnancy. The victim’s condition worsened due to these abortion drugs and then the girl was taken to hospital for medical treatment. Sonu Hafiz is also known as ‘Maulana‘ among local people. UP Police are probing further in this case.

This case is from the Naubasta police station area of the Kanpur South region. On 13th April, the mother of the 14-year-old minor victim complained to the police station against her neighbour Sonu Hafiz. She said in her complaint that Sonu Hafiz had been following her daughter with ill intentions for a long time. Hafiz often called the girl to his room on some pretext and used to take off all the clothes of the victim and rape her. When the child talked about complaining to her family, the accused threatened her that she would be killed along with her family.

The mother of the victim has said in her complaint that her daughter endured prolonged suffering in silence due to threats from Sonu Hafiz. Throughout this period, the victim became pregnant multiple times as a result of rape. When she told Sonu Hafiz about her pregnancies, he provided her with contraceptive pills.

At the behest of Hafiz, the victim consumed abortion pills, resulting in severe bleeding and loss of consciousness. Her family rushed her to the hospital, where they discovered she was three months pregnant.

Upon questioning by her mother, the victim revealed the entire truth, disclosing Sonu Hafiz’s involvement. As the girl’s mother prepared to lodge a police complaint, Hafiz intimidated her and her family. The girl’s mother has urged for stringent action against Sonu Hafiz.

An FIR has been lodged against Sonu Hafiz based on the complaint, charging him under sections 511, 506, 376, and 313 of the IPC along with the POCSO Act. On Sunday, 14th April 2024, the police apprehended the accused Sonu Hafiz.

OpIndia has the complaint copy. In a viral video, the victim’s mother said that she had suspected the accused Sonu Hafiz for almost a month. The accused would smile at the girl, and whenever the mother used to scold him for this, he would say that the victim girl was like a sister to him. However, while he used to rape the girl, he also used to assure her that he would marry her.

BJP releases manifesto ‘Sankalp Patra’ with tagline “Modi Ki Guarantee”, promises UCC, one nation one poll, focus on women empowerment, upliftment of youth & poor

OpIndia Staff
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BJP releases manifesto ‘Sankalp Patra’ with tagline “Modi Ki Guarantee”, promises UCC, one nation one poll, focus on women empowerment, upliftment of youth & poor

The voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha Election is scheduled to commence on 19th April and the result will be announced on 4th June. Ahead of the polls, the Bharatiya Janta Party presented its manifesto ‘Sankalp Patra’ titled “Modi’s Guarantee 2024” on 14th April in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who listed new goals for his government’s third term during the event. The party has prioritized “One Nation One Election,” “Population Control” and “Uniform Citizenship Code” and women’s empowerment and the upliftment of youth as well as the poor have received particular emphasis.

GYAN, or schemes for the “Gareeb” (poor), “Yuva” (youth), “Annadaata” (farmers), and “Nari” (women) are the focus of the manifesto. Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the contents of the manifesto highlighting its commitment to dignity, quality of life as well as quantity and quality of opportunities. He stated that the manifesto supports the four pillars of Viksit Bharat (developed India) which include farmers, youth, poor and women.

The party has promised to introduce the Uniform Civil Code, one nation one election and a common electoral roll if it won the general election. All governmental sectors will adhere to the motto of perform, reform and transform. The government’s anti-corruption drive would also be carried out more strictly, based on the manifesto.

PM Modi outlined the accomplishments of his administration as well as his goals. According to him, the BJP has guaranteed every aspect of its manifesto. ‘Dignity of life, quality of life and employment through investments’ is the BJP’s aim, he remarked. He reiterated his goal of making India the centre of all developing economies worldwide. He assured that India will be an epicentre for innovation, legal insurance, contracts, business, pharmaceuticals, electronics, automotive, semiconductors and green energy.

India’s prosperity, bolstering its foreign ties and encouraging the preservation of the nation’s legacy are among its other main objectives. According to the manifesto, India’s economy ranked 11th in the world between 2004 and 2014. However, India has risen from 11th to 5th place in the last ten years and the party vowed to bring the country to the third spot.

The Prime Minister promised that if his government is elected, it will expand the number of Jan Aushadi Kendras where people can obtain their medications at an 80 per cent discount. He further assured that individuals would continue to receive free healthcare up to Rs 5 lakh through the Ayushman Bharat programme. Furthermore, the Ayushman Bharat programme would encompass all older individuals above the age of 75. He revealed that the BJP has decided to include the transgender community in the purview of the initiative.

The prime minister declared that the BJP has decided to enhance the loan limit under the ‘Mudra’ plan to Rs 20 lakh from Rs 10 lakh, adding that PM Modi reveres the individuals who are disregarded by everyone else. He added that the PM Swanidhi Yojana’s limit will also be increased to Rs 50,000, adding that it will be applicable to tier two and tier three cities as well.

Training would be provided in IT, education, health, retail, and tourism to over 10 crore women-led Self Help Groups (SHG), per PM Modi. He mentioned that there is currently 1 crore “lakhpati didis” and that the BJP has now chosen to raise that figure to 3 crores. He mentioned that female athletes will receive special incentives in the realm of sports. The party will also start a cervical cancer program for their health. India will also bid for the Olympic Games in 2036.

He pointed out that the party will concentrate on “Shree Anna” which benefits the 2 crore people who are involved in farming and he expressed confidence that India will soon become a “Global Nutrition Hub.”

He ensured that work was proceeding at full speed to complete the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project and that a survey would be conducted shortly about the construction of a bullet train in the south, north and east. In addition to the BJP government’s efforts on Industry 4.0 and 6G, he conveyed that charging stations would be installed all around the nation. The BJP plans to extend Vande Bharat trains in India. Three Vande Bharat models, Vande Bharat Sleeper, Vande Bharat Chaircar and Vande Bharat Metro will be operated nationwide.

The BJP has pledged to further develop airports and railroads. There will be a total elimination of the waiting list system. New airports, highways and water metros will continue to be built. The party also promised to turn India into a global hub and provide jobs to the youth.

The PM Housing Scheme will now prioritize housing for persons with disabilities and extra efforts will be taken to make sure they receive accommodation that meets their unique needs. Furthermore, the BJP manifesto guarantees to construct 3 crore residences, to work expeditiously to supply piped gas to houses at a cheap price and to cut down electricity bills to zero. The free ration scheme will be continued for the next five years.

Ramayana will be celebrated all over the world and Ayodhya will witness even greater growth. BJP election manifesto, ‘Sankalp Patra: 2025’ to be dubbed as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Year.’ He also announced that Birsa Munda’s 125th birthday will be commemorated with celebrations throughout India.

BJP national president J P Nadda and other senior leaders including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, S Jaishankar, and Ashwini Vaishnaw also marked their presence at the event in New Delhi. The theme of the manifesto is “Modi’s Guarantee: Developed India 2047,” with a focus on cultural nationalism.

We not seek conflict with Iran but will not hesitate to act to protect American and Israeli forces: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

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We not seek conflict with Iran but will not hesitate to act to protect American and Israeli forces: US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has stressed that the US does not seek conflict with Iran but will not hesitate to act to protect their forces and support Israel’s defence.

US Defense Secretary further highlighted that the US forces, at the direction of President Joe Biden, intercepted dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel.

“At the direction of President Biden, U.S. forces in the Middle East on April 13 intercepted dozens of missiles and UAVs en route to Israel, launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen. Our forces remain postured to protect U.S. troops and partners in the region, provide further support for Israel’s defense, and enhance regional stability,” Austin said.

US Defense Secretary further condemned the “reckless and unprecedented attacks” by Iran and its proxies on Israel.

“We condemn these reckless and unprecedented attacks by Iran and its proxies, and we call on Iran to immediately halt any further attacks, including from its proxy forces, and to deescalate tensions,” he said.

US Defense Secretary Austin added, “We do not seek conflict with Iran, but we will not hesitate to act to protect our forces and support the defense of Israel.”

Moreover, Austin commended the bravery of US troops who stood guard to prevent further conflict or escalation.

“I am grateful for the professionalism and the skill of the brave U.S. troops who took part in today’s actions and who continue to stand guard to prevent further conflict or escalation. I will continue to monitor the situation closely and to consult with our allies and partners,” he said.

Earlier today, US President Joe Biden condemned Iran’s attack on Israeli soil, adding that he will convene G7 leaders on Monday to coordinate a united diplomatic response.

“Earlier today, Iran–and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq–launched an unprecedented air attack against military facilities in Israel. I condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms,” Biden said, according to the White House statement.

US President Biden also held talks with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and reaffirmed the US’s “ironclad” commitment to Israel’s security.

“I’ve just spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu to reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel. I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” he said.

Moreover, Biden reaffirmed that the US will be in close touch with Israeli leaders.

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

Telangana phone-tapping case: Former SIB officials confess to unauthorised surveillance and cash transports in govt vehicles on instructions of BRS leaders

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana phone-tapping case: Former SIB officials confess to unauthorised surveillance and cash transports in govt vehicles on instructions of BRS leaders

On 29th March, the Hyderabad police submitted before the Nampally criminal court the remand report of the investigation by Telangana police into the alleged snooping on some political leaders by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi government. More details of the report were revealed on Friday (12th April). According to this, the Special Intelligence Bureau (SIB) had also seized cash from other political parties and illegally transported money belonging to the BRS in police vehicles. The report contains statements by three police officers arrested in this case.

Three police officers, formerly employed in the SIB, have provided statements to the Hyderabad police regarding the telephone tapping case. According to reports, they confessed during interrogation to conducting unauthorized surveillance on political figures, confiscating cash related to various political parties, and transporting cash using government vehicles before the assembly elections held on 30th November 2023.

The trio, comprising Inspector Gundu Venkat Rao, who formerly served in the SIB, Inspector of Task Force Kanumarla Srikanth, and Sub-Inspector of Task Force Sara Sai Kiran, reportedly confessed individually during their statements. They claimed to have acted under the instructions of former SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao, who is currently evading authorities, along with retired Deputy Commissioner of Police and Officer on Special Duty for the Task Force, P Radha Kishan Rao, and former Deputy Superintendent of Police in SIB, D Praneeth Kumar.

The names of these officers were disclosed by Radha Kishan Rao

The statement given by Radha Kishan Rao revealed information about the alleged involvement of three ministers, three BRS MLAs and three party MLCs in the phone-tapping case. In his recorded statement, Radha Kishan Rao, accompanied by his counsel, purportedly became emotional and revealed that he and former SIB chief T Prabhakar Rao had played a significant role in facilitating coordination among political leaders, law enforcement personnel, and intermediaries.

He provided detailed insights into their modus operandi, including the involvement of various political figures, intermediaries, and fellow police officials, before being remanded to judicial custody. As per Radha Kishan Rao’s confession, the police have identified government officers as key witnesses, and their names have allegedly been included in Radha Kishan Rao’s remand report.

Radha Kishan Rao purportedly admitted that initially, he complied with instructions from Prabhakar Rao but later followed directives from four prominent party leaders. He confessed to assisting an MLC, his childhood friend, by transporting substantial sums of money, including some obtained through extortion, during the Assembly elections.

What is the case?

During the second week of October, Srikanth and his team confiscated ₹3.35 crore from two individuals—Hanumanth Reddy and Prabhakar, associates of realtor Mahesh Reddy of AMR Infra at Banjara Hills—following instructions from Prabhakar Rao and Kumar, who had obtained specific information through phone tapping.

Likewise, Srikanth and his team seized ₹22 lakh from G Raj Kumar of Tarnaka, ₹15 lakh from Gadapa Naresh, ₹49 lakh from Kazil Maliq at Himayatnagar, and ₹1 crore from Mustafa Khan at Bhavani Nagar based on information provided by Prabhakar Rao and Kumar. These operations were overseen by Radha Kishan Rao, who was serving as OSD of the task force at the time.

What else was revealed in the remand report submitted to the court?

According to the remand report, Radha Kishan Rao directed his teams to use vehicles assigned to the task force to transport cash, aiding the BRS during election campaigns. Sub-Inspector Sai Kiran, who was then part of the Hyderabad Central Zone Task Force, acknowledged escorting ₹2 crore in cash using a government-owned Mahindra Bolero from various locations. He handed the cash over to Divya Charan Rao, a retired police officer working at Yashoda Hospital in Secunderabad, on two occasions—one from Ranigunj and another from Afzalgunj.

Additionally, Sai Kiran confessed to escorting cash belonging to former Indian Administrative Service officer and current BRS legislative council member P Venkat Ram Reddy, who is running for the Lok Sabha elections from the Medak parliamentary constituency. Reddy and his brothers are promoters of Rajapushpa Constructions, a real estate firm based in Hyderabad.

Attempt to destroy the evidence

Sai Kiran revealed that he transported ₹3 crores on three separate occasions and delivered the funds to Shiva Charan Reddy, also known as Charan, a neighbour of the BRS MLC. He did so under the instruction of Radha Kishan Rao, who provided him with a new iPhone for managing the covert cash transactions.

The day after the BRS lost the elections on December 3, Radha Kishan Rao tendered his resignation. As part of the alleged conspiracy, he reformatted his two mobile phones to erase evidence related to the clandestine operations, according to the remand report. On March 29, police arrested Radha Kishan Rao and confiscated his two cell phones.

BRS leader refutes the allegations

On Saturday (13th April), BRS leader Venkat Ram Reddy rejected all the charges levelled against him. He said, “The state government is leaking the remand reports to the media only to malign my image, as the Congress cannot take on me politically. The ruling Congress is deliberately seeking to tarnish my image as I am contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Medak and going to win the seat.”

More details of snooping from the sources

A police officer familiar with the investigation told the media more about the case history. He said that under the leadership of Prabhakar Rao, the former team of officials in the SIB established numerous war rooms across various locations in Nalgonda, Ranga Reddy, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, and Hyderabad. These rooms were utilized to conduct telephone tapping of numerous opposition leaders during the BRS regime.

Speculating more arrests in this case, he said, “These tapping centres were used to track the movement of the opposition leaders and snoop on their telephone conversations during the election time.”

The opposition seeks a serious probe

Bharatiya Janata Party state president G Kishan Reddy said that the state government should seek a high-level inquiry, if required by the Central Bureau of Investigation, into the alleged phone tapping by the previous BRS government. He said, “There are allegations that the SIB authorities during the BRS regime had tapped phones of big industrialists, traders and even celebrities and extorted big money from some of them.” He also expressed that Governor C P Radhakrishnan should intervene in the matter and get an inquiry done into the case.

In October 2022, the BRS government in the state had alleged that the BJP is poaching 4 BRS MLAs. Now, after the details revealed in the remand report, the BJP has said that the BRS could level these allegations only because its government in the state was involved in tapping the phones of the opposition leaders. BJP leader K Laxman said, “There are suspicions that the BRS government had tapped the phones of even top BJP leaders like B L Santosh. It requires a comprehensive probe by the CBI.”

Demands for an ED probe

Hyderabad-based lawyer U V Suresh Kumar has lodged a petition with the Enforcement Directorate, requesting an investigation into the telephone tapping case, citing alleged large-scale money laundering activities. He said, “The SIB authorities during the previous BRS regime indulged in extortion of money from various real estate firms, infrastructure companies and individuals by tapping their phones. The ED should probe into that angle.”

Allegations of tapping the phones of non-political persons

Senior Congress legislator and government whip Adi Srinivas asserted that during the previous BRS government, the SIB authorities had not only tapped the telephones of opposition leaders but also those of private individuals and businessmen. He said, “They even tapped my phone and I gave a complaint to this effect much before the assembly elections. We are ready for any lie-detector test. Are the BRS leaders ready?”

Iran-Israel war: Israel launches counter-strike on Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in response to attack on the Jewish country

OpIndia Staff
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Iran-Israel war: Israel launches counter-strike on Iran-backed Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in response to attack on the Jewish country

On 14th April, Israel launched a counterstrike in southern Lebanon targeting Iran-proxy Hezbollah’s hideouts following Iran’s attack on Israel.

As per Israel Defense Forces’ statement on their official channel on Telegram, IDF fighter jets struck a number of military structures linked to Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces in Jbaa.

Source: IDF

The statement read, “IDF: A short while ago, IDF fighter jets struck a number of military structures in a complex belonging to Hezbollah’s Radwan Forces in the area of Jbaa in southern Lebanon. Earlier during the night, IDF fighter jets struck Hezbollah military structures in Khiam and Kfarkela.”

The retaliation came after Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel. Iran claimed the attack was in retaliation to an attack on its consulate in Syria that killed seven Iranian personnel. Iran launched dozens of missiles at Israel, most of them were intercepted outside the Israeli border by Israel and its allies.

India’s MEA has issued a statement calling for de-escalation in the region.

US President Biden issued a statement

In a statement, President of United States, Joe Biden, condemned the attack on Israel in the “strongest possible terms”. The President has directed the US military to support defense of Israel. Furthermore, Biden talked to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and reaffirmed America’s commitment to the security of Israel.

The statement read, “Earlier today, Iran—and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq—launched an unprecedented air attack against military facilities in Israel. I condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms. At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week. Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles.”

President Biden further said, “I’ve just spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu to reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel. I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel. Tomorrow, I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack. My team will engage with their counterparts across the region. And we will stay in close touch with Israel’s leaders. And while we have not seen attacks on our forces or facilities today, we will remain vigilant to all threats and will not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people.”

Punjab: Two bike-born assailants murder VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar, probe initiated

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Two bike-born assailants murder VHP leader Vikas Prabhakar, probe initiated

On Saturday (13th April) evening, a Hindu activist named Vikas Bagga (also known as Vikas Prabhakar) was murdered by two unidentified men at his confectionary shop in Patiala city of Punjab.

As per reports, Bagga was the President of the Nangal unit of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). According to CCTV footage, two men (one wearing a helmet and the other covering his face with a cloth) reached the shop of the victim at about 4:47 pm.

The man, who was wearing a helmet, was seen entering the shop and then returning within a span of 1 minute. Bagga was later found in a pool of blood. He was rushed to a local hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

The assailants were driving a scooter without a number plate. It remains unclear what kind of weapon was used in the murder.

Following the incident, BJP politician Dr Parminder SIngh condemned the killing of the VHP leader and stated that the AAP government in Punjab has failed to maintain law and order.

While speaking about the matter, Ropar SSPP Gulneet Singh Khurana informed that a probe has been launched into the matter. He added that the nature of the murder weapon would only become clear after the postmortem was conducted.

He further stated that empty cartridges were recovered from the murder scene. In the meantime, SHO Nangal Rajneesh Chaudhary told The Times of India, “The assailants wearing helmets and masks, fled the scene after fatally shooting Vikas Prabhakar.”

The cops are now analysing the CCTV footage to ascertain the identity of the assailants. A First Information Report (FIR) was registered for murder and common intention in connection to the case.

Iran launches drone and missile attack on Israel – India calls for immediate de-escalation

OpIndia Staff
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Iran launches drone and missile attack on Israel – India calls for immediate de-escalation

On Saturday, 13th April, Iran launched a full-fledged drone and missile attack on Israel. Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement that the attack was launched at specific targets in Israel. The attack was intercepted by Israel and other countries including Jordan and Saudi Arabia. A war cabinet meeting was called by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Notably, face-to-face Israel-Iran war has never happened before. Earlier, Iran used to attack Israel using its proxies like Hezbollah in Lebanon or Hamas in Gaza..

The Iranian attack on Israel is claimed to be a retaliation of a strike on the Iranian consulate in Syria by Israel on 1st April. Seven IRGC officials, including a top commander, died in that attack. Notably, Israel did not confirm or deny involvement in the attack.

In a statement on the Telegram channel, Israel Defense Forces said, “Iran has launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from its territory toward the State of Israel… Continue to act responsibly and calmly, as you have done so far, and follow the guidelines.” The IDF is prepared and ready across all its defensive and offensive systems; we have prepared for a variety of scenarios in advance.”

In a statement, the Commanding Officer of the Home Front Command, MG Rafi Milo, announced that education activities would be stopped across the country. Furthermore, gatherings exceeding 1,000 people are prohibited.

The statement read, “We have been at war on several fronts for over six months. Throughout the war, we have faced and confronted a large number of challenges in a wide variety of threats. We have learned and improved – we are prepared and strong in both defence and offence. In light of the situational assessment, we have decided to change the defensive guidelines. Starting tomorrow, throughout the country, there will be no educational activity. Also, gatherings of over 1,000 people are prohibited. You are required to continue to vigilantly adhere to the guidelines, they may change based on the situational assessment. So far, your conduct and adherence to the guidelines have been exceptional. Keep it up – it saves lives. The Home Front Command is deployed and prepared throughout the country. The alert system is prepared and ready, together with the heads of the authorities and emergency response organisations – we will overcome this challenge.”

Notably, the vast majority of Iranian missiles were intercepted outside Israeli borders. In a statement, the IDF pointed out that dozens of surface-to-surface missiles were launched from Iran towards Israel. Most of them were intercepted by the IDF’s Aerial Defense Array. Israel’s strategic allies helped them to intercept the attack. IDF added, “Over the past few hours, many dozens of hostile aircraft, as well as dozens of cruise missiles, from Iran, were identified approaching Israeli territory and intercepted. Dozens of IAF fighter jets are currently operating to intercept all aerial threats approaching Israeli territory.”

Source: IDF

India called for de-escalation

The Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, issued a statement over the escalation. The statement read, “We are seriously concerned at the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran which threatens the peace and security in the region. We call for immediate de-escalation, exercise of restraint, stepping back from violence and return to the path of diplomacy.”

“We are closely monitoring the evolving situation. Our Embassies in the region are in close touch with Indian community. It is vital that security and stability are maintained in the region,” the statement added.

Israel-Hamas war

Israel has been facing attacks from multiple sides especially since Hamas launched a terrorist attack on its territory on 7th October 2023. Hamas terrorists launched an all-out attack on Israel from sea, land, and air. At least 5,000 rockets were launched into Israel from Gaza, and tunnels were used to breach the Israeli territory and butcher Israeli civilians, particularly in the border villages. A music festival hosting more than 200 people was turned into a slaughter ground with many women raped, mutilated and abducted to Gaza. At least 1,300 people, including some foreign nationals, babies, women and senior citizens, died in the attacks. More than 200 were abducted and taken to Gaza. Following the attack, Israel launched a counterattack to eliminate Hamas. Notably, on IDF withdrew all ground troops, except one brigade, from Southern Gaza hours before peace talks. The Israel-Hamas war entered its 190th day on 14th April 2024.

Gunmen open fire outside Salman Khan’s house in the Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai, shooters yet to be identified

OpIndia Staff
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Gunmen open fire outside Salman Khan’s house in the Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai, shooters yet to be identified

On Sunday (14th April) unidentified gunmen opened fire outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s house. The incident reportedly took place around 5 AM outside actor Salman Khan’s Galaxy Apartments residence in the Bandra (West) area of Mumbai. Salman Khan had received threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang last year. A probe in this firing case has been initiated.

According to preliminary information, four rounds were fired by two strangers outside Salman Khan’s apartment in Bandra. In the wee hours, two men came on a bike and opened fire. Various teams of Bandra police and crime branch are currently investigating the spot.

Police have seized a CCTV DVR after the firing outside Salman Khan’s house. Various police teams are investigating the incident at the spot. Using the CCTV DVR, the police are trying to establish the identity of the unknown assailants.

Along with the police team, a forensic team has also reached the spot. Police and forensic teams are inspecting and investigating the scene. Today’s firing outside the actor’s house is believed to be linked to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Salman Khan has received multiple threats from the Bishnoi gang in the past.

Earlier, Salman Khan’s father Salim Khan was threatened by a note in 2022 while he was on a morning walk outside his house in the morning. In the threat note, it was written that he would meet the fate of Sidhu Moosewala. Salman Khan’s security was also increased after this incident. Later, a pistol licence was also issued to him for security reasons. There was also an increase in the number of private security guards of the actor. Salman Khan had also received threatening emails in November 2023.

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