logo
Captain Brijesh Chowta Urges Stronger Counter-Terror Measures, Permanent NIA Office in Mangaluru

Captain Brijesh Chowta Urges Stronger Counter-Terror Measures, Permanent NIA Office in Mangaluru

Hans India20 hours ago
Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday to express gratitude for the Centre's decision to hand over the Suhas Shetty murder case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He described the move as a reflection of the government's commitment to justice and national security.
Speaking on behalf of Shetty's family and the people of Dakshina Kannada, Chowta lauded the swift intervention by the Ministry of Home Affairs, calling it a reassurance to law-abiding citizens and a deterrent to extremist elements.
Raising serious concerns about the coastal region's vulnerability to radicalisation, drug trafficking, and organised crime, Captain Chowta highlighted the increasing footprint of extremist networks and cited the recent MDMA drug seizure in Mangaluru—the largest in Karnataka's history—as an example of the threats confronting the district.
He urged the Minister to consider establishing a permanent, fully equipped NIA office in Mangaluru for better intelligence coordination and rapid response capabilities.
'Dakshina Kannada is a sentinel of India's cultural and national identity. We must not allow violence, narcotics, or ideological subversion to destabilise the region,' Chowta said.
He also invoked the transformation of Gujarat under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in the early 2000s, expressing hope that a similar model of integrated security and governance could be replicated in Dakshina Kannada.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

"Rahul Gandhi Not A Child, Should Not Harm Nation's Image": Kiren Rijiju
"Rahul Gandhi Not A Child, Should Not Harm Nation's Image": Kiren Rijiju

NDTV

time27 minutes ago

  • NDTV

"Rahul Gandhi Not A Child, Should Not Harm Nation's Image": Kiren Rijiju

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday hit out at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi for echoing US President Donald Trump's criticisms of the Indian economy, saying the opposition leader is "not a child" and should understand the country's image cannot be harmed this way. "Rahul Gandhi is giving statements against the country. Several members from the Opposition have also said that this is not right. India's economy and image cannot be harmed like this," the Parliamentary Affairs Minister told reporters. "Rahul Gandhi should understand that he is not a child. It is everyone's responsibility to maintain the country's honour and image. The Opposition leader should have this much understanding," he added. On Thursday, Mr Gandhi stoked controversy after he reiterated US President Donald Trump's remarks on the Indian economy and said everyone, except Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam, knows that the country's economy is "dead". The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha also alleged that the BJP-led Centre has destroyed the country's economic, defence and foreign policies, and is "running the country to the ground". "He (Mr Trump) is right, everybody knows this except the prime minister and the finance minister. Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact. It is a dead economy, are you people not aware of it," he told reporters. His remarks came hours after the US President announced a 25% additional import duty plus penalty on goods imported from India. Subsequently, he hit out at India and Russia and said the two countries "can take their dead economies down together". The BJP flayed the Congress leader for "echoing" Mr Trump's "dead economy" jibe at India, calling it a "shameful" insult to the aspirations, achievements, and well-being of the people of the country. Mr Gandhi also failed to find favour with a section of his own party, as party leaders Rajeev Shukla, Shashi Tharoor and Karti Chidambaram disagreed with the US President. Mr Shukla said Mr Trump's statement was "completely wrong". "Our economic condition is not at all weak. If someone claims they can finish us economically, it's likely due to a misunderstanding. Trump is living in a delusion," he told news agency ANI. Mr Tharoor also rejected the US President's remarks and said "it is not the case, and we all know it". Senior BJP leader Amit Malviya said the Congress leader hit a new low by echoing Mr Trump's "dead economy" jibe. "But let's be honest - the only thing truly 'dead' here is Rahul Gandhi's own political credibility and legacy. Even amidst global slowdown, India remains the world's fastest-growing major economy, with the IMF and World Bank revising growth projections upwards," he said, adding, "This is not a dead economy. This is a surging, resilient India."

Empowering Muslim women vital for inclusive growth: Kiren Rijiju
Empowering Muslim women vital for inclusive growth: Kiren Rijiju

Hindustan Times

time27 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Empowering Muslim women vital for inclusive growth: Kiren Rijiju

New Delhi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Friday said empowering Muslim women with knowledge of their rights is critical towards inclusive development. Empowering Muslim women vital for inclusive growth: Kiren Rijiju He was speaking at a national consultation organised by the National Commission for Women on the theme "Rights of Muslim Women in India". "Empowering Muslim women with awareness of their rights is not just a social commitment but a necessity for inclusive growth," Rijiju said during his inaugural address. "When women become economically independent, they also become socially powerful. Economic empowerment automatically leads to social empowerment," he said. The day-long consultation brought together lawyers, academics, sociologists, women's rights activists, policymakers and representatives from civil society across India to discuss the legal, economic and social rights of Muslim women. Rijiju also assured participants that he would take forward the key recommendations that emerged from the consultation. "I will personally contribute to advancing the outcomes of this consultation so that the voices heard here translate into meaningful change," he said. NCW Chairperson Vijay Rahatkar said the Commission is consistently working to safeguard the rights and welfare of Muslim women. "This consultation is not just an event; it is a platform to amplify voices that have long remained unheard," she said. "No woman - irrespective of her background - should be denied justice, dignity, and human rights," she said. She stressed that legal reforms must be accompanied by shifts in societal thinking. "When we talk about Muslim women's rights, merely opening law books is not enough. We must also address the evolving societal landscape, where balancing tradition and progress is crucial," she said. On the occasion, Rijiju also released Naya Daur, a special publication by the NCW compiling information on Muslim women's rights, legal provisions, and welfare schemes. The consultation featured four thematic technical sessions. The first focused on assessing the effectiveness of government schemes aimed at the socio-economic empowerment of Muslim women. The second session examined provisions in the Wakf Act, 2025, with speakers calling for greater transparency and women's representation in Wakf boards. The third session explored legal challenges related to maintenance, child custody, and property rights under Muslim personal law, while the final session addressed marriage and divorce rights of Muslim women, highlighting the need to ensure dignity and justice from a constitutional lens. The NCW said the consultation aimed to bring Muslim women's voices into the policy discourse and ensure equal rights and opportunities for them in Indian society. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

The Evening Wrap: July 31, 2025
The Evening Wrap: July 31, 2025

The Hindu

timean hour ago

  • The Hindu

The Evening Wrap: July 31, 2025

A day after announcing 25% tariff rate on India in addition to an unspecified 'penalty' tariff for India purchasing Russian energy and arms, U.S. President Donald Trump has dubbed both the nations as 'dead economies'. Launching a fresh attack on social platform Truth Social, Mr. Trump wrote 'I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.' 'We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World,' he added. His post also 'warned' former Russian President Dimitry Medvedev 'to watch his words.' He's entering very dangerous territory!, Mr. Trump's post read. Mr. Medvedev, on July 28, had posted in X, formerly Twitter: 'Trump's playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10… He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn't Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country. Don't go down the Sleepy Joe road!' Meanwhile, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal informed both Houses of Parliament on Thursday that the government is examining the impact of the 25% tariffs and penalty announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on imports from India, and is communicating with all domestic stakeholders to assess the impact. 'We will take all necessary steps to secure and advance our national interests,' he said. 'The Government is confident that we will continue our fast paced journey of inclusive growth and sustainable development towards the goal of Viksit Bharat 2047. India is moving confidently towards self-reliance.' He further highlighted that, in an increasingly protectionist world, India has entered into 'mutually beneficial' trade agreements with the U.A.E., U.K., Australia and EFTA countries. 2008 Malegaon blast case: Special NIA court acquits all seven accused, including Pragya Thakur, Lt. Col. Purohit Seventeen years after the blast, a special NIA court in Mumbai has acquitted all seven accused, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt. Col. Prasad Purohit, in the 2008 Malegaon blast case. Special Judge A.K. Lahoti delivered the verdict. The NIA court, in its judgment, said that the prosecution 'failed to prove the case' and that the accused 'deserved the benefit of doubt'. The provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) were not applicable to the case, the court said. The judge observed that the prosecution could not prove that the bike to which the bomb was allegedly strapped, belonged to Pragya Thakur. Ms. Thakur had turned into a sansyasi two years before the bomb blast took place in Malegaon. She had already given up all the material things in life before the incident happened, the court said. It's hard to establish prosecution's claims that there was any conspiracy between the accused. There is no evidence to prove the claims that an organisation named Abhinav Bharat that was founded by Pragya Thakur and Col. Purohit, used the funds generated through the organisation to execute the bomb blast, the court further observed. The court also said there was no evidence to prove that Lt. Col Purohit had sourced RDX from Kashmir and assembled the bomb at his residence. On September 29, 2008, a bomb exploded in Malegaon, Nashik district, killing 10 and injuring over 100 people. A case was filed by the Azad Nagar police station, but later re-registered by the Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) in November 2008 and charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) were applied. In January 2009, the ATS filed its first chargesheet followed it with a supplementary chargesheet in April 2011. However, in April 2011, the Ministry of Home Affairs suo motu directed the NIA to take up further investigation of the case. In May 2016, the NIA had filed its second supplementary chargesheet and dropped MCOCA charges against former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur, Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, retired Major Ramesh Upadhyay, Sameer Kulkarni, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi and Sudhakar Chaturvedi. In December 2017, Special Judge S.D. Tekale dropped MCOCA charges and charged them under Sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. All the accused are currently on bail. Dharmasthala mass burial case: Partial skeletal remains found at sixth site The Special Investigation Team found partial skeletal remains of a body in the sixth of the 13 sites identified by 50-year-old complainant in Dharmasthala, on July 31. The complainant had alleged illegal burial of bodies in Dharmasthala. The SIT officials said they have not found a skull at the sixth site, but have discovered about 15 bones. A few of these bones were broken. The forensic doctor at the spot has prima facie opined that the bones were of a male. Final opinion would be given only after a forensic examination, the SIT officials said. Forensic doctors and the scene-of-crime officers seized the body parts after noting down the details, including the location and the way the parts were found. Stella Verghese, Assistant Commissioner, Puttur sub-division, was present at the spot. The complainant is a former sanitation worker, who had given a statement to the SIT about burial of over 100 bodies between 1995 and 2014. On July 28, the SIT took the complainant to the bathing ghat in Dharmasthala where he listed 13 alleged burial sites. The process of digging up the sites started on July 29. A total of five sites were dug up till July 30; however, no human remains were found. The digging at the sixth site, which is in the forest area and close to the Netravathi river, commenced on July 31 morning. While digging at the first site, the SIT found the debit card of a woman and the PAN card of a man. The investigation team tracked down the family of the man whose PAN card was recovered. The man, Suresh, hailing from Nelamangala taluk in Bengaluru Rural district, died of jaundice in March 2025 at his native village and last rites were conducted there, too. The SIT visited his house and the father of the deceased confirmed the same. The deceased was an alcoholic, the SIT officials said. They suspects that he may have lost his PAN card when he visited Dharmasthala before his death. Regarding the Rupay debit card that was in the name of a woman, an SIT officer said: 'The bank is yet to provide us with her details and cross-verification of her whereabouts is still underway.' Will PM and Maharashtra CM appeal Malegaon acquittal, like Mumbai train blast verdict? asks Owaisi Hyderabad parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi described the acquittal of all accused in the 2008 Malegaon bomb blasts case as 'disappointing' even as he questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis would appeal the verdict like that against the acquittals in the 2006 Mumbai train blasts case. Mr. Owaisi took to X on Thursday and underscored that six Muslim worshippers were killed in the attack and another 100 were injured near a masjid in Malegaon. He maintained that the attack was a clear act of terrorism targeting Muslims for their faith. The MP questioned the silence of Maharashtra's political parties, particularly those who describe themselves as secular, asking whether they would now demand accountability for the failed investigation. He recalled that it was in 2016 that special public prosecutor Rohini Salian had reportedly stated that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had instructed her to 'go soft' on the accused. In 2017, the NIA sought to have Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur acquitted from the case. Ms Thakur, who was later fielded by the BJP, was elected to the Lok Sabha from Bhopal in 2019. Mr. Owaisi also recalled the role of police officer Hemant Karkare, from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), who investigated the Malegaon case and was later killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. He recollected that Sadhvi Pragya had reportedly stated that she had cursed Mr. Karkare. He also wondered whether officers in the NIA and ATS would face any consequences for what he described as a 'faulty' investigation. 'This is the 'tough on terror' Modi government. The world will remember that it made a terror accused a Member of Parliament,' he stated. In Brief: The camp led by former Chief Minister and former coordinator of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) O. Panneerselvam, on Thursday, announced its decision of quitting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Earlier in the morning, Mr. Panneerselvam met Chief Minister and DMK president M.K. Stalin at the Theosophical Society where the latter routinely goes for a walk. Emerging from a three-hour-long meeting of Mr. Panneerselvam with his colleagues and supporters, Panruti S. Ramachandran, former Minister who has been acting as an advisor of the camp, told journalists in Chennai there was no need for him to state the reason explicitly. 'The State knows it,' Mr. Ramachandran observed. The Income Tax Department on Thursday conducted a survey operation at the premises of some broking companies as part of an alleged tax evasion probe against Jane Street, the U.S.-based proprietary trading firm accused of market manipulation, official sources said. Sources stated the department is undertaking a 'verification' exercise in the backdrop of a recent Sebi action against Jane Street. In an interim order issued on July 3, Sebi found Jane Street (JS) guilty of manipulating indices by simultaneously placing bets in cash along with futures and options markets to secure massive gains. The Maharashtra government withdrew its decision to implement a 10% Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota in private medical colleges, stating that the reservation will be applicable only if the Central Government or the respective Council increases the existing seats. The State Medical Education & Drugs Department on Wednesday stated that for the implementation of 10% EWS reservation, the Central government has to compensate for the reservation impact on other category seats. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store