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Drone sightings over Kolkata spark alarm, Defence Ministry issues statement

Drone sightings over Kolkata spark alarm, Defence Ministry issues statement

India Today21-05-2025

Several drone-like objects were spotted flying over prominent locations in Kolkata at night, alerting both state and central government agencies in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.At least 8-10 such unmanned aerial vehicles were spotted hovering over the Hastings area, Park Circus, the Vidyasagar Setu and Maidan on Monday, news agency PTI reported, citing state government officials.The drone-like objects were first sighted by officials at the Hastings Police Station.advertisement
"These drone-like-objects were seen flying from the direction of Maheshtala in South 24 Parganas district late on Monday. They hovered over the Hastings area, the Second Hooghly Bridge (Vidyasagar Setu) and Fort William (the army's Eastern Command headquarters)," a police officer was quoted as telling PTI.While a police officer told PTI that they are probing all angles, including espionage, the Defence Ministry cautioned against any speculation."We have received some information from media that drone activity has been spotted in the skies, we're looking into the authenticity of the information," the Defence Ministry stated while responding to reports of a drone hovering over the Indian Army's Eastern Command headquarters in Kolkata."It is requested to not speculate and wait for official version. Please do not speculate as it may be a complete hoax," it added.advertisementMeanwhile, a senior administrative official in the West Bengal government told PTI that the Centre has sought report of the recent sightings.An investigation has already been initiated by the Special Task Force (STF) and the Detective Department of Kolkata Police, the police official informed, as reported by PTI."We are probing the matter from all angles, including the possibility of espionage," the officer told PTI.According to the official, the drones were briefly sighted above the Park Circus area before it disappeared.Inputs from PTITune InMust Watch

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Ahead of G7 Summit, Canada Lists ‘Foreign Interference and Transnational Crime' as Key Priority
Ahead of G7 Summit, Canada Lists ‘Foreign Interference and Transnational Crime' as Key Priority

The Wire

time2 hours ago

  • The Wire

Ahead of G7 Summit, Canada Lists ‘Foreign Interference and Transnational Crime' as Key Priority

Menu हिंदी తెలుగు اردو Home Politics Economy World Security Law Science Society Culture Editor's Pick Opinion Support independent journalism. Donate Now World Ahead of G7 Summit, Canada Lists 'Foreign Interference and Transnational Crime' as Key Priority The Wire Staff 7 minutes ago Last week, Prime Minister Modi announced that he had received and accepted the invitation to attend the G7 summit. It was an unusually late invitation, considering other non-G7 states had got it by the first half of May. Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney. Photo: AP/PTI Real journalism holds power accountable Since 2015, The Wire has done just that. But we can continue only with your support. Contribute now New Delhi: Canada has identified countering 'foreign interference and transnational crime' as a key priority for the upcoming G7 Summit, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to attend after accepting a late invitation last week. Unveiling the host country's agenda ahead of the summit's opening on June 15, Prime Minister Mark Carney outlined three 'core missions.' The first, titled 'Protecting our communities and the world', includes strengthening peace and security, coordinating efforts to combat forest wildfires and, notably, 'countering foreign interference and transnational crime'. The second priority focuses on 'building energy security and accelerating the digital transition' by strengthening supply chains for critical minerals and leveraging artificial intelligence. Carney also said Canada would seek 'securing the new partnerships in the future' aimed at unlocking large-scale private investment to develop resilient infrastructure, generate better-paying jobs and expand access to competitive, high-growth markets. As the Canadian media observed, these outlined 'core missions' are aligned to Carney's domestic agenda. It remains unclear how prominently Canada's stated priorities will feature in the G7 summit discussions, but traditionally, the host nation's agenda tends to receive significant emphasis in the summit's joint declaration. Canada's emphasis on foreign interference and transnational crime also carries particular diplomatic weight. Ottawa has been outspoken about attempts by foreign governments to meddle in its domestic affairs – especially election processes. The pairing of 'foreign interference' with 'transnational crime' was also seen as a signal that Ottawa is referring to efforts by foreign governments to target individuals on Canadian soil. Last Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that he had received and accepted the invitation to attend the G7 summit during a phone call with the Canadian prime minister. It was an unusually late invitation, as it was just over a week before the summit was to begin, while other non-G7 states, like Mexico, Brazil, Ukraine and South Africa had got their invitation by the first half of May. Carney's invitation to India has drawn some domestic criticism, forcing him to clarify the decision publicly. 'We have now agreed, importantly, to continued law enforcement dialogue,' he said. 'There's been some progress on that, which recognises issues of accountability. I extended the invitation to Prime Minister Modi in that context, and he has accepted.' Among the G7 outreach invitees, India is the only country whom the host, Canada has accused of both 'foreign interference' and involvement in 'transnational crime'. 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In its January 2025 report, the commission noted: 'Intelligence holdings also reveal that a government of India proxy agent may have attempted to clandestinely provide financial support to candidates from three political parties in 2021,' adding that 'the source of any such financial contribution could have been unknown to the candidates.' Responding to the report, India's Ministry of External Affairs issued a sharp statement that it was Canada that had been 'consistently interfering in India's internal affairs.' The ministry also claimed that such interference had encouraged 'illegal migration and organized criminal activities'. In the run-up of the snap parliamentary polls in April that was won by Carney, a senior Canadian intelligence official said in a public briefing that India, along with China, has the potential to interfere in the country's upcoming general elections next month. 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Make a contribution to Independent Journalism Related News Canada Placed Law Enforcement Conditions Before Modi for G7 Summit Invite: Report Marking Turnaround in Ties, Modi Accepts Late Canadian Invitation to Attend G7 Summit Next Week As the G7 Clock Ticks, Silence over India's Invite and What it Means Nijjar & After: Facing Flak, Canadian PM says Progress in 'Accountability' Paved Way for Modi G7 Invite India's Disastrous Isolation Around the World As India and Canada's Foreign Ministers Speak Over Phone, Signs of a Further Thaw in Ties Has Development in Northeast India Undermined Its Environmental Sustainability? Israel Allows Limited Aid To Enter Gaza; France, UK, Canada Call Move 'Wholly Inadequate' G20 Is Too Elite. There's a Way To Fix That Though – Economists View in Desktop Mode About Us Contact Us Support Us © Copyright. All Rights Reserved.

RCB's bitter victory - The cost of celebration
RCB's bitter victory - The cost of celebration

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

RCB's bitter victory - The cost of celebration

Bengaluru: An aerial view of fans gathering for Royal Challengers Bengaluru�s fan engagement programme after the team won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, near M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, Karnataka. (PTI Photo) (PTI06_04_2025_000476B) By Vinod Jacob, Urban strategist and general manager, Namma Bengaluru Foundation The finger-pointing began almost as soon as the news broke. On June 4, a devastating stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium shattered what, less than 24 hours earlier, had been a moment of pure jubilation for Royal Challengers Bengaluru fans, celebrating their first IPL trophy win after eighteen agonising seasons. Eleven lives were claimed, and dozens were injured. The irony was palpable: a triumph long yearned for, now overshadowed by loss. Arrests were made. Officials suspended, followed by more resignations, ex gratia promises — and even calls for Virat Kohli's arrest — while the blame game raged on. But this isn't merely about individual culpability. This is about a systemic breakdown — a question of total administrative failure, especially when dealing with an event that touches the very core of India's cricket passion. For a nation where cricket borders on religion, any public gathering of this magnitude demands meticulous foresight. Was M Chinnaswamy Stadium, with its 35,000-seat capacity, ever truly suitable for a city-wide victory parade, particularly one made free after initially being a paid event? The answer, tragically, is no. The entire celebration should have been shifted to a venue, like the Palace Grounds, the BIEC, or a similar venue, offering proper entry/exit points and capacity for millions. The fact that RCB was headed to the finals had been known for a full week. This provided ample time for the responsible authorities to engage in comprehensive planning, coordinate with the police machinery, and anticipate the monumental public turnout. To now deflect blame onto an already overburdened police department, reeling from the previous night's unruly celebrations where citizens went berserk, pulling out barricades, seems not just unfair, but a convenient diversion from deeper administrative shortcomings. And why was there need for two locations? A single, well-planned convergence at one venue could have ensured effective crowd management, robust contingency plans, and, most critically, citizen safety. That safety aspect appears to have been completely disregarded. The stadium's own infrastructure is wanting – narrow, unramped gates with metal obstructions, utterly incapable of handling a rush, even for a normal game, let alone a historic celebration. Bengaluru has hosted large-scale gatherings before; surely lessons could have been learned from major shows that proceeded without incident. Other metros – Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai – have successfully orchestrated similar mass celebrations. Why, then, can Bengaluru, the supposed IT capital, not leverage technology for better crowd management, anticipating flows and ensuring security? A bus parade, like those seen elsewhere, would have been infinitely safer than directing millions to a fixed point of convergence. Unchecked chaos also inflicted damage on Cubbon Park. Trees, plants, and even birds' nests were destroyed due to the event's chaotic spillover — another terrible blow to Bengaluru's strained biodiversity, a particularly painful scar on the so-called 'Garden City'. Fans have every right to celebrate after an 18-year wait; they cannot be blamed for their exuberant outpouring. While citizens do bear some responsibility for failing to adhere to basic crowd control measures like queuing and respecting barricades, the primary culpability lies with the planning. The critical misallocation of manpower at free gates, with too few police for too many unmanned entry points and the added burden of VIP security, tragically sealed the fate for those eleven lives. The euphoria of victory has been drowned out by the cries of anguish. Bengaluru must now reflect, learn, and ensure that no triumph, no matter how sweet, is ever again marred by such preventable sorrow. The blame isn't diffused; it lies squarely with a system unprepared to manage its grand moments. What systemic changes will we truly implement to prevent history from tragically repeating itself ?

Political Row Erupts After Man Linked To 2024 Bangladesh Protests Found On Bengal Voter List
Political Row Erupts After Man Linked To 2024 Bangladesh Protests Found On Bengal Voter List

News18

time3 hours ago

  • News18

Political Row Erupts After Man Linked To 2024 Bangladesh Protests Found On Bengal Voter List

Last Updated: The man, identified as Newton Das, reportedly took part in the 2024 protests in Bangladesh that triggered a regime change. He was found on the voter list in West Bengal's Kakdwip. A fresh political storm erupted in West Bengal after a person allegedly involved in last year's student-led protests in Bangladesh that resulted in the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina turned out to be a voter from the state's Kakdwip area. The man, identified as Newton Das, appeared in several images circulating on social media showing him taking part in the 2024 protests in Bangladesh, which triggered a regime change. The protests were triggered by a controversial quota system for government jobs. However, Newton insisted that he was an Indian citizen and showed documents, including a PAN card and Aadhaar card, to support his claim. However, he did not clarify on whether he lived in India or Bangladesh. 'Unexpectedly Got Caught Up' 'I had travelled to Bangladesh in 2024 for some issues related to our ancestral property, but I unexpectedly got caught up in the revolution there. I have been a voter in Kakdwip since 2014," he was quoted by news agency PTI as saying in a video message. 'Although I lost my voter card in 2017, I managed to get a new one the following year with help from the local MLA, Manturam Pakhira. I also cast my vote during the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections." However, Newton's cousin Tapan offered a contradictory account, saying Newton was born in Bangladesh and exercises voting rights in both countries. 'Niutan was born in Bangladesh and holds voting rights in both countries. He came to India after the pandemic to sell some ancestral land and has stayed here since. He should be held responsible for registering as a voter in both places, that's clearly not right," Tapan told reporters. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seized on the controversy, accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of encouraging illegal immigration to manipulate electoral outcomes. 'This is the TMC blueprint — flood Bengal's voter rolls with illegal infiltrators and secure elections with ghost votes," the West Bengal BJP said on X. Union Minister and BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar said, 'Another shining example of the so-called 'Egiye Bangla Model"! The same Newton who was seen wielding a stick during Bangladesh's quota reform movement is now a registered voter in Kakdwip, West Bengal!" 'Thousands of Bangladeshi 'Newtons" voting in Bengal—courtesy of Mamata Banerjee's infiltration theory and appeasement politics. With illegal voters and these lathi-wielders miscreants as her support base, she's not running West Bengal… she's scripting a blueprint for Greater Bangladesh," he added. Another shining example of the so-called 'Egiye Bangla Model"!The same Newton who was seen wielding a stick during Bangladesh's quota reform movement is now a registered voter in Kakdwip, West Bengal! Thanks to the special encouragement of the failed Chief Minister… — Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) June 7, 2025 His statements were echoed by the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, who said there are lakhs of Bangladeshi nationals who are included in the voter rolls of West Bengal. BJP Mathurapur organisational district secretary Sanjay Das alleged that 'the Trinamool Congress is actively helping Bangladeshi infiltrators to enter India. In response, the TMC rejected the allegations, shifting the blame to the Centre and the Border Security Force (BSF), which guards the Indo-Bangladesh border. 'Our state government will do its part, but it's up to the Union government to ensure security," TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said. Debashis Das, TMC's Sundarbans organisational district student wing president, was seen cutting cake with Das in a viral birthday party photo. " had no idea he was involved in the Bangladesh protests. The photo going around was taken at a birthday celebration with many people present. If someone like him managed to cross the border, it just shows the BSF isn't doing its job properly," he clarified. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : bangladesh protests bjp vs tmc West Bengal Location : Kolkata, India, India First Published: June 09, 2025, 23:04 IST News politics Political Row Erupts After Man Linked To 2024 Bangladesh Protests Found On Bengal Voter List

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