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Uttar Pradesh: Police arrest one Shaukat Ali for running madrassa in the name of coaching institute

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Police arrest one Shaukat Ali for running madrassa in the name of coaching institute

On Friday (June 23), the police arrested a man for running a madrassa in the garb of a coaching centre in the Deepak Vihar locality in Khoda in the Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh.

As per reports, the accused was identified as Shaukat Ali. He ran an unregistered coaching centre named ‘Future Track’ and would teach Islamic scriptures to students.

A police complaint was filed against him by local residents in January this year for a similar offence, following which he closed down the coaching centre. Recently, he reopened the centre and began running a madrassa from the coaching institute.

Reportedly, Shaukat Ali was also using the coaching centre to offer community prayers, despite the fact the institute was being attended by students of other Faiths.

While speaking about the matter, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vivek Chandra Yadav said, “The local residents objected to the religious activities and informed the police. The place was used for offering prayers and there are several videos of the religious activities.

He added, “The coaching centre is also attended by students of different communities. We have registered an FIR and arrested the suspect. Coaching centres cannot be used for offering prayers and other religious activities.”

Another officer from Khoda police station informed that objections were raised by local residents about large gatherings of people for mass prayers at the coaching institute.

On Friday (June 23), Shaukat Ali was arrested by the police and booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion).

PM Modi reflects on darkest era of Indian democracy: Remembers the imposition of Emergency 48 years ago

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi reflects on darkest era of Indian democracy: Remembers the imposition of Emergency 48 years ago

On the fateful day of 25th of June, 1975, exactly 48 years ago, the then Prime Minister of India Indira Gandhi imposed an ‘Emergency’ on the nation. Remembering that dark phase of Indian democracy, PM Modi shared a tweet paying homage to all those people who courageously resisted it and worked to strengthen our democracy.

PM Modi further remarked that “the dark days of Emergency” remain an unforgettable period in our history. He asserted that it was totally opposite to the democratic values that are celebrated in our Constitution.  

In a tweet, PM Modi wrote, “I pay homage to all those courageous people who resisted the Emergency and worked to strengthen our democratic spirit. The dark days of Emergency remain an unforgettable period in our history, totally opposite to the values our Constitution celebrates.”

In his earlier ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address, PM Modi referred to the ‘Emergency’ as a “dark period” in India’s history.

Reflecting on that era, PM Modi reminisced that those who stood in support of democracy at that time were tortured. He added that having a glance at such crimes that endangered the country’s freedom would make it easier for the young generation to understand the meaning and significance of democracy.

The ruling party, BJP, and Union Ministers penned their views on Emergency

Taking to Twitter Union Minister Smriti Irani shared a video highlighting the ordeals of several politicians and how they fought against this autocratic move by then PM Indira Gandhi. In her tweet, she claimed that the 25th of June, 1975 symbolises torture, imprisonment, murder, stifling the voice of the free press, all that, and more.

With the hashtag #DarkDaysOfEmergency, she tweeted, “Torture, imprisonment, murder, stifling the voice of free press – 25th June 1975 symbolises all that and more. Lest you forget what the Emergency imposed on India and Indians entailed; do watch this video & see what the Congress party is capable of!” 

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s official handle also took to Twitter and shared a poster with Indira Gandhi’s photo and the caption read – “The darkest chapter of Indian democracy.”

The party said that around 1,40,000 people were arrested without trial during the Emergency period.

Similarly, several Union Ministers like Kiren Rijiju, Rajnath Singh, Hardeep Singh Puri, and Nitin Gadkari. condemned the imposition of Emergency and atrocities committed during that period.

Maharashtra: ‘Long live Aurangzeb’ slogans raised at Asaduddin Owaisi’s rally in Buldhana; police to probe the video

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: ‘Long live Aurangzeb’ slogans raised at Asaduddin Owaisi’s rally in Buldhana; police to probe the video

Slogans of ‘Aurangzeb Amar Rahe’ meaning ‘long live Aurangzeb’ were allegedly raised at a rally of AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi in Maharashtra. The police have also started investigating the video of this incident after it went viral recently. On 24th June 2023, when Owaisi was addressing people in Buldhana, his supporters started shouting slogans glorifying Aurangzeb.

The public meeting in which the slogans of ‘Aurangzeb Amar Rahe’ were raised was held in Buldhana on Saturday, June 24, 2023. Those who raised the slogans also shouted ‘Jab tak suraj chand rahega, Aurangzeb tera naam rahega‘ which translates to ‘As long as the sun and the moon remain, Aurangzeb will be remembered’. Local police have said that some videos are received by them regarding this matter and that these videos are being investigated. However, no complaint has been lodged by anyone so far. The police are also taking legal opinions on the matter.

Buldhana police have said that action will be taken on the matter after taking legal opinion. Recently, posters were also seen in Maharashtra, in which Aurangzeb’s picture with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and ‘Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’ chief Prakash Ambedkar. Prakash, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, also visited Sambhajinagar (formerly Aurangabad) and offered flowers at Aurangzeb’s grave.

When these slogans were being raised, the leaders standing behind Asaduddin Owaisi on the stage were also laughing. At the same time, Owaisi was saying ‘yes, rahega, rahega’ meaning ‘yes he will be remembered‘ to calm the people and was asking them to keep quiet with a hand gesture.

Recently, violence took place in the name of Aurangzeb at various places in Maharashtra. The Aurangzeb controversy and subsequent violence started in Kolhapur after a WhatsApp status was put up in support of Aurangzeb.

Apart from Kolhapur, tension had also erupted in Ahmednagar due to the Muslim fundamentalists supporting Aurangzeb. A large number of Hindu activists took to the streets. There was also a war of words between Owaisi and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the issue.

Karachi-based Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Haji Salim trying to revive LTTE with the help of a massive Drug Network

OpIndia Staff
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Karachi-based Dawood Ibrahim’s aide Haji Salim trying to revive LTTE with the help of a massive Drug Network

On the 15th of June, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a charge sheet against 13 suspects for trying to revive LTTE, out of which 10 were reportedly Sri Lankan nationals and three others were Indian nationals. The NIA has been investigating the illicit trade of contraband substances and weapons, for a very long time now. During this probe, the agency found out that Pakistan-based outfits have been making efforts to resurrect the banned terror outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Sri Lanka and India.

As per media reports, experts reveal that Indian agencies have discovered that a Karachi-based gangster Haji Salim, an aide of notorious terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, is one of the kingpins responsible for hatching the revival of the proscribed terror outfit, LTTE. For this sinister purpose, he has been carrying out large-scale smuggling of drugs and arms in India and the sub-continent.

Haji Salim: Kingpin of drugs and weapons smuggling

Haji Salim is also said to be the kingpin of the multimillion-dollar drug network operating in Pakistan and the Indian Ocean. Nearly 70% of the drug trafficking in India comes through sea routes and the majority of this consignment is facilitated by his network alone. 

The officials involved in the case claim that the mastermind of this drug and weapons network, Salim has been closely working with India’s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and Pakistan’s notorious spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Apparently, Salim has been seen multiple times visiting Dawood Ibrahim’s Clifton Road residence in Karachi. It is suspected that both of them have pooled their resources for smuggling contraband substances and weapons in India. 

In its charge sheet filed last week, the NIA highlighted that Sri Lankan drug mafia members were sourcing drugs from Haji Salim. The charge sheet said, “The accused used various foreign WhatsApp numbers to carry out the clandestine trade.”

Salim was also framed in the charge sheet filed last week. The case relates to the smuggling of 40kg of heroin and pistols using a boat named Al-Soheli in December last year. In this operation, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad arrested 10 Pakistani individuals.

A security official said, “Even though D-Company’s network was eliminated by Indian agencies in the late 90s, it is possible his old contacts may be working with Salim’s syndicate as the drug trade via maritime and land route has exploded after Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. Salim has been seen at Dawood’s residence in Karachi and is protected by armed guards round the clock.”

There have been extensive media reports that Salim works with ISI and the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). He also oversees the drug smuggling network operating in India, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Middle Eastern countries.

Furthermore, his cartel operates many clandestine laboratories in Balochistan. Reportedly, Salim uses code numbers and code names to label heroin packets in Afghanistan to hide his direct connection. Some of the different symbols or inscriptions are as ‘555’, ‘999’, ‘Unicorn’, and ‘Dragon’.

Joint operation and widespread Crackdown

In a collaborative effort to combat this illicit trade, multiple prominent Indian agencies have joined forces to dismantle this criminal network. These include the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), the National Investigation Agency (NIA), and the Directorate of Revenue and Intelligence (DRI). Together, they are working closely to identify the Indian contacts and handlers associated with Haji Salim and Dawood Ibrahim’s D-Company. 

Last month, the NCB and the navy launched a joint operation and seized 2,500kg of high-purity methamphetamine worth ₹12,000 crores. Reportedly, they made these seizures by intercepting a mother ship in the Indian Ocean. 

The consignment was sent from Makran coast in Balochistan province. Apparently, this region falls in the death crescent (a term coined by Home Minister Amit Shah for the smuggling route of Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan). 

In its annual report for 2022, the NCB said, “The maritime drug trafficking in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal poses new challenges to drug law enforcement agencies and they anticipate a further increase of this route by international drug trafficking syndicates operating from Pakistan and Afghanistan.”

According to the first official mentioned, the government has allocated extra funds to the NCB and other agencies in order to improve surveillance of Indian waters. 

Ports are now conducting thorough inspections of all suspicious containers, ensuring a 100% checking rate. 

Additionally, the NCB has identified specific sites at international borders and inland locations where mobile vehicle scanners will be installed. Currently, the Home Ministry is looking for technological solutions to scan containers.

Governments should help make porn “normal and boring”: new owners of PornHub

OpIndia Staff
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Governments should help make porn “normal and boring”: new owners of PornHub

The new owner of Pornhub in a recent statement said that the government should take pride in sexual expression instead of cracking down on porn websites. It further urged the governments to help make porn “normal and boring”, the AFP reported.

Ethical Capital Partners (ECP), a Canadian private equity firm, bought MindGeek, the parent company of Pornhub, three months ago, bringing with it a stable of additional websites including YouPorn.

The acquisition has also resulted in a slew of legal issues. Its websites were removed from the US state of Utah in May after being ordered to verify user ages.

For months, website owners and regulators in France have been negotiating how to put a 2020 age verification law into action. Two of MindGeek’s sites have not implemented age verification and face a court ruling on July 7 that could result in their closure.

“We do not want any underage users on our websites,” ECP founder Solomon Friedman told AFP in an interview. However, he rejected the notion that the onus should be placed on websites, instead urging operating systems to come up with a solution.

“We strongly support age verification solutions that do two things: effectively protect children and do not expose personal data, “Friedman said. “The only solution that achieves both of these goals is device or browser-based verification,” Friedman explained, adding that it would be a “very simple step for Google and Apple.”

Notably, in the year 2020, the New York Times published an article levelling allegations that MindGeek’s sites were hosting material depicting rapes and sex involving minors.

The NYT‘s 2020 article read, “Its site is infested with rape videos. It monetizes child rapes, revenge pornography, spy cam videos of women showering, racist and misogynist content, and footage of women being asphyxiated in plastic bags. A search for “girls under18” (no space) or “14yo” leads in each case to more than 100,000 videos. Most aren’t of children being assaulted, but too many are.”

The article sparked intense scrutiny from regulators in several countries, and Visa and MasterCard suspended payment processing.

The owners tried for two years to sell the company, which is primarily based in Canada but has a complex corporate structure that spans many of the world’s tax havens, with its official headquarters in Luxembourg. Jean-Noel Barrot, the digital minister, has called children accessing porn websites a “scandal” and has directly challenged ECP to explain how they will comply with the law.

Solomon stated that he had contacted Barrot’s office and promised to deliver a report soon, stating that his company was committed to “talking openly and proudly about the porn industry.” “I think society has moved in the direction where we are proud of sexual expression. The fact that it’s adult is going to be boring, just as (legalised) cannabis in Canada has become boring.”

‘Fake news aimed at derailing the deal’: Defence Ministry refutes claims that MQ-9B drone deal with US is worth $3 billion, says price not finalised yet

OpIndia Staff
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‘Fake news aimed at derailing the deal’: Defence Ministry refutes claims that MQ-9B drone deal with US is worth $3 billion, says price not finalised yet

Among the many important deals announced during PM Narendra Modi’s just-concluded visit to the US was the deal to purchase the MQ-9B drone. India is purchasing 31 drones made by General Atomics, 16 Sky Guardian and 15 Sea Guardian variants. While reporting the government-to-government, several media reports said it is worth $3 billion. However, now the defence ministry has refuted this claim and said that an amount has not been announced yet. The ministry also said that such fake claims are being spread to derail the acquisition.

In a statement issued today, the union defence ministry said that the amount $3 billion is only the quoted price by the USA, and it has not been finalised yet. It said that while issuing the Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) on June 15 for the deal, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) noted the estimated cost of 3,072 million US dollars provided by the US Government, but it has not been accepted and finalised.

“However, price will be negotiated once policy approval of the US Government is received,” the ministry stated. The statement said that the Ministry of Defence will compare the acquisition cost with the best price offered by General Atomics to other countries. The procurement is in progress and would be completed as per the laid down procedure, the statement added.

India is purchasing the drones through Foreign Military Sale route, and a Letter of Request (LOR) would be sent to the US Government under it. The LOR will contain requirements of the Tri-services, details of equipment and terms of the procurement. Based on LOR, the US Government and MoD will finalise the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) where details of equipment and terms of the procurement would be negotiated and finalised in accordance with the FMS program and the price and terms offered by the US Government and GA to other countries.

The ministry stated that some speculative reports emerged in sections of social media referring to the price and other terms of purchase. “These are uncalled for, have ulterior motives and aimed at derailing the due acquisition process. Price and other terms & conditions of the purchase are yet to be finalised and subject to negotiations,” the ministry added.

In this regard, all are requested not to spread fake news/misinformation which can have a serious impact on the morale of the Armed Forces and adversely impact the acquisition process, the ministry added in its statement.

General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, also known as Predator B, is a High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS), developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems. Originally developed for intelligence gathering, reconnaissance and surveillance, it is also used for offensive purposes as it can carry guns, bombs and missiles.

The air force version of the drone is called SkyGuardian, and its maritime version is called SeaGuardian. India Navy already operates two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, taken on lease. Now as part of the deal, 16 SkyGuardian and 15 SeaGuardian drones will be acquired.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, some of the drones will be assembled in India, and some of them will be armed. It is notable that India is planning to buy the Hellfire missile, and the drone can carry this missile, therefore, it is possible for the drones to be armed with the Hellfire missile.

Congress stoops to a new low of high-headed elitism with jibes on PM Modi’s English

Anurag
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Congress stoops to a new low of high-headed elitism with jibes on PM Modi’s English

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a joint session of the US Congress on June 23, 2023. PM Modi gave the speech in English, and since then, Congress leaders and supporters have consistently been taking jibes at how he speaks the language. Comparing it to disqualified Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s speech in the US during his recent trip, the grand old party’s youth wing, Indian Youth Congress, from its official handle wrote, “Speak English in a way people close their ears” in Hindi on Twitter.

Congress’ chairperson of social media and digital platforms, Supriya Shrinate, tweeted mistakes made by PM Modi during his address.

Congress supporter Shantanu also mocked PM Modi and said he could not read though there were two teleprompters.

Congress IT and social media coordinator John Samuel claimed PM Modi’s followers do not understand what the world is hearing when PM Modi speaks, and it was funny that his sentence was beyond any moral person’s comprehension. Interestingly, he said, “But those bhakts don’t even can’t understand that the world is hearing Modi when he speaks.” Maybe he skipped proofreading.

Towards the end of his rant on Twitter, Samuel said that Congress supporters would never allow anyone to tarnish the country’s image. The statement came from a Congress supporter, the same Congress whose leader Rahul Gandhi has been tarnishing India’s image on international platforms by making misleading statements repeatedly.

English is not the native language of PM Modi. His mother tongue is Gujarati, and his second language is Hindi. He understands English perfectly and mostly replies in Hindi to the questions asked in English, which is a well-established fact. On the other hand, Rahul Gandhi has always studied in English medium schools. In all probability, his first language is English. He makes a lot of mistakes while speaking Hindi and often gets mocked for it because a vast majority speak Hindi in India. The same goes for Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, who, despite being in India, has been unable to get fluent in Hindi. She tried to speak in Hindi, but it was not her cup of tea.

If we look back at PM Modi’s speeches in different parts of the country, he always tries to build a connection with the locals in the local language. He will learn a few sentences of the native language of the state and include them in his speech making it more personal. Such efforts are often missing from speeches of Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi.

It is a fact that non-English speaking leaders of BJP, including PM Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, Tamil Nadu BJP state President Annamalai, and others, have gained immense popularity among the masses. People in India or abroad do not care what language PM Modi or other leaders speak. They look for a connection with these leaders, and PM Modi and other BJP leaders know how to establish that connection.

Mocking someone for pronunciation or vocabulary is easy, but these things do not make a leader. If speaking fluent English was necessary to become Prime Minister in India, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor would have led the country at least once by now. The reality is he did not, and neither did Rahul Gandhi, despite being “discovered” repeatedly over almost a decade.

Jibes on PM Modi’s language and background

This is not the first time Congress leaders have taken a jibe at PM Modi’s language or background. They have mocked him consistently by calling him ‘chaiwala’. PM Modi belongs to a very humble family background. He used to sell tea at a railway station as a child. It is the power of democracy that he became Chief Minister of Gujarat and then Prime Minister of India. Congress leader Mani Shankar Iyer once said, “In the 21st century, Modi cannot become Prime Minister. If he wants to distribute tea, we can arrange for that”, during a Congress meeting.

When Prime Minister called himself Chowkidar or the guard of the country, Rahul Gandhi gave the slogan “Chowkidar Chor Hai”. He constantly made his supporters chant the slogan in different rallies. He had to apologise in Supreme Court for repeatedly using derogatory language for the PM.

Rahul Gandhi mocked PM Modi for his surname and questioned if there was a connection between being a thief and the surname Modi. His jibes became the reason for his disqualification from the Parliament as he was sentenced to two years in a defamation case.

The rise of PM Modi in the political arena gives hope to everyone that they can lead the nation no matter what. However, the same humble background becomes a subject of trolling and mocking as the elite leadership of Congress fails to see the beauty of the constitution in PM Modi’s political career. For them, speaking English and being in a high-headed state are necessary for leadership.

PM Modi loves to flaunt his Indian-ness wherever he can. From wearing traditional dresses and headgear during visits to different states to wearing jackets made out of recycled plastic, PM Modi leads the way for a proud generation. The grand old party miserably fails to comprehend the reality of the situation and keeps mocking him for the things people love him.

Son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge directs cops to kick ‘gaurakshaks’ in Karnataka, netizens fume

OpIndia Staff
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Son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge directs cops to kick ‘gaurakshaks’ in Karnataka, netizens fume

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, who also happens to be the son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, has courted controversy for asking police to crack down on ‘gau-rakshaks’ in the State. The development came days ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid-al-Adha (also known as Bakri-eid).

He claimed that transportation of cattle is being obstructed despite having valid documents, and asked police to take action in such cases.

During a meeting with State police officials in Kalaburgi, Priyank Kharge directed, “Those who wear shawls, take the law into their own hands and say they are from these Dals (Bajrang Dal), kick them and put them behind bars.”

“If there’s anyone who’s a self-proclaimed leader and who spews venom in the name of communal issues, then action should be taken against them. I don’t want unnecessary communal riots,” he was quoted as saying.

“The law is very clear on the transportation of livestock. Be it within city limits or rural areas. If they have the right documents, don’t harass them,” Priyank Kharge was quoted as saying.

Although the contentious statement was made a few days earlier, the video of his speech went viral on Saturday (June 24). Social media users did not mince any words before lambasting the Congress Minister.

“Priyank Kharge- wants to throw people in jail if they do moral policing on Bakri Eid for rescuing COWs. Since when did they start cow slaughter on the day? Or is this to tease the Hindus the wrong way? One State has gone to Congress and see what is happening,” one user tweeted.

“There are many reasons like this why I have never voted for Congress, and I have no intention of voting for them,” wrote one Suneet Bhargav.

BJP leader Priti Gandhi said, “Every Hindu who voted for the Congress in Karnataka should hang their heads in shame!!”

In May this year, Priyank Kharge stirred the hornet’s nest by claiming that the Congress government will not hesitate to ban Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Karnataka. He had also stoked controversy for referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘Nalayak.’

Manipur: Security forces nab 12 members of banned Meitei group KYKL, released after a mob of 1200 led by women blocks them

ANI
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Manipur: Security forces nab 12 members of banned Meitei group KYKL, released after a mob of 1200 led by women blocks them

Security forces launched a search operation and apprehended 12 Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) cadres but had to release them to local leaders after a mob of over 1200 people led by women, surrounded the target area and prevented them from continuing with the operation, stated an official release from Defence PRO.

The search operation was carried out acting on specific intelligence, in village Itham (06 km East of Andro) in Imphal East district on June 24 morning. The forces seized arms, ammunition and war-like stores.

“The area was cordoned before the specific search commenced to avoid inconvenience to the locals. The operation resulted in the apprehension of 12 KYKL cadres along with arms, ammunition and war-like stores,” it read.

It stated that a mob of approximately 1200-1500, led by women and the local leader immediately surrounded the target area and prevented Security Forces from continuing with the operation, despite repeated appeals, to the aggressive mob, as per law. However, it did not yield any positive results.

“Keeping in view the sensitivity of the use of kinetic force against a large irate mob and envisaged casualties due to such action, the officer on the ground made a considerate decision to hand over all 12 cadres to the local leader. Own columns lifted the cordon and left the area with weapons and war-like stores, recovered from insurgents,” it read.

According to the press release, self-styled Lt Col Moirangthem Tamba alias Uttam was positively identified.

“He was the mastermind of an ambush on the 6th battalion of the DOGRA case in 2015 and was amongst the apprehended cadres,” it read.

As per an official release, a mature decision on the part of the Operational Commander displays the humane face of the Indian Army, making all efforts to avoid any collateral damage and denies the scope of escalating the situation, during the ongoing unrest in Manipur.

Indian Army further appealed to the people of Manipur to assist the Security Forces in maintaining law and order to bring peace and stability.

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

USA: Freight train carrying hazardous materials derails into Yellowstone River in Montana

OpIndia Staff
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USA: Freight train carrying hazardous materials derails into Yellowstone River in Montana

On Saturday, June 24, around ten bogies of a freight train fell into Montana’s Yellowstone River. The accident transpired following a derailment following a bridge collapse. 

According to a Montana Rail Link statement, the damaged rail cars were carrying “molten sulphur and asphalt.”

The train derailment involved two cars carrying sodium hydrogen sulphate, but neither landed in the river, according to the railroad. “Initial air quality assessments have been performed and confirmed that there is no release event associated with those two cars (bogies),” the railroad officials said.

Officials were checking if the derailment or bridge collapse occurred first, in addition to how much cargo had spilled into the river. Officials did not immediately know what caused the derailment.

The train cars, operated by Montana Rail Link, derailed around 6:45 AM local time in Stillwater County, according to the county’s Disaster and Emergency Services Department.

Stillwater County’s chief of emergency services, David Stamey, told New York Times that both spilled substances solidify quickly in the water. That means the potential environmental harm could be constrained, especially if the spread is limited, he stated.

According to Stamey, ten rail cars derailed in total. The train derailed between Reed Point and Columbus, about an hour west of Billings. According to Global Net, the bridge collapse damaged a fibre-optic cable that provided internet service to many customers in the state.

Meanwhile, Yellowstone County officials said they implemented emergency measures at water treatment plants in response to the “potential hazmat spill” and asked residents to conserve water.

Notably, on February 3, this year, a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio State, caused a massive chemical spill of toxic substances including vinyl chloride. A Norfolk Southern train carrying about 50 cars derailed near East Palestine, causing a massive fire and chemical spill in the area.

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