Latest news with #DharmenderSingh
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Time of India
After ceasefire, Pak courier drones return to border villages
Amritsar: The hum of carrier drones from Pakistan has returned to the border regions of Punjab, resuming their role as couriers of drugs, arms and explosives after a brief but terrifying shift during Operation Sindoor . Since May 10, after a break in Operation Sindoor, the Border Security Force (BSF) gas reported a resurgence of drone intrusions along the Indo-Pak border in Punjab, with nine drones being downed and significant recoveries, including around 2kg heroin, three pistols, eight magazines, 30 rounds of ammunition, two detonators, and an IED circuit, being made. These drones are not like the military-grade ones seen during Operation Sindoor, but residents of border villages have started fearing them, thinking that they may just attack them. Dharmender Singh, a resident of border village Daoke, said things seem normal on the surface as they were before Operation Sindoor, but the sight of Pakistani drones now caused significant panic. "This constant fear brings is spreading terror," he said. "These drones are back to smuggling, but the memory of explosions is fresh. We're scared they could instead harm people directly," said Manjinder Singh of the border village Naushera Dhalla. A senior Border Security Force (BSF) official, who wished to remain anonymous, informed that they successfully downed Pakistani drones using advanced anti-drone technology. "This technology effectively renders the drones uncontrollable for their pilots in Pakistan. Our forces are on high alert, and we have bolstered our surveillance and anti-drone capabilities to counter this threat," he said. A BSF spokesperson said most Pakistani drones are presumed to have fallen due to the technical interference of electronic countermeasures deployed on the border.
Time of India
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘We've seen this before, not worried, trust Indian Army': Punjab village surrounded by Pakistan stays calm amid tension
Despite rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the residents of Daoke, a village bordering Pakistan, remain cautiously optimistic. Having experienced previous conflicts, they perceive a media exaggeration of the current situation. DAOKE (AMRITSAR) : Daoke, a village surrounded on three sides by Pakistan and connected to the rest of India by a single narrow road, is cautious but not unnerved by the rising tensions between India and Pakistan. On Thursday, TOI visited the village and found groups of villagers gathered around large wooden tables, laughing and discussing local issues, while also commenting on what they perceive as the 'media exaggeration' of the ongoing conflict. In another corner, a group gathered beneath a shaded tree, with a barbed wire fence stretching out behind them, beyond which lay Pakistan. 'We've seen this before. In 1965, 1971 and during Operation Parakram, we were evacuated. Operation Sindoor Operation Sindoor: Several airports in India closed - check full list Did Pak shoot down Indian jets? What MEA said India foils Pakistan's attack on Jammu airport: What we know so far The Army was everywhere, and you could feel the war coming,' said Gurnam Singh, an elderly resident of Daoke. 'Back then, there was palpable fear, and we had no choice but to leave. Today, though, life is different. There's no change in our routine. We still work the fields, right next to Pakistan. The Army's presence is minimal, and we're just getting on with it. ' Dharmender Singh, another resident, admitted that the explosions heard in and around Amritsar on Wednesday night had been unnerving. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo 'It was scary; for a moment, it felt like war was imminent,' he said. 'But we're not worried — not yet.' This sentiment resonates across Daoke, a village of over 2,200 residents that shares a 9km border with Pakistan. While tending his fields, Kulwant Singh, a farmer, said if Pakistan blasts the single road connecting Daoke, they would be cut off and trapped. 'But we are not running away. This is our home, and we trust the Army to protect us,' he said. Despite their outward calm, subtle signs of caution linger. Many families have sent their children to relatives in safer areas. 'It's just a precaution. We don't discuss it openly, but we want the children to be safe,' said Kulwant. Reflecting on the past, Gurdev Singh, a resident of Mahawa village nearby, recalled the military presence during the 1971 war, when tanks rolled through fields and fighter jets filled the skies. 'Today, the tension feels more subtle — almost invisible — but no less real. The Army has advanced technology now, and though we can't always see them, we trust they have things under control,' he remarked. Sukha Singh, 71, a resident of neighboring border village of Neshta, shared his memories of the 1965 India-Pakistan war, noting how media was far less accessible. 'Back then, news trickled in through radios. Now, with everyone sharing updates on mobile phones, it's more confusing than helpful. We often don't know what to believe,' he said. Santokh Singh, Neshta resident, warned that if a resolution is not reached between India and Pakistan soon, it could have devastating consequences for both countries. 'I've lived through these conflicts,' he said. 'And I fear history could repeat itself,' he added.
Sky News
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
At least 15 people die in New Delhi train station stampede - as thousands head to India's Maha Kumbh festival
At least 15 people have died and a further 15 are injured after a stampede at the main train station in New Delhi on Saturday evening, the chief minister of the capital has said. The deadly surge happened at about 8pm local time as thousands of passengers waited to board a train to the Maha Kumbh Hindu festival in Prayagraj in northern India. Eyewitness Dharmender Singh said there was "a huge stampede... a huge crowd. I have never seen such a crowd before". Those killed included 10 women and three children, according to local media reports. Delhi's chief minister, known mononymously as Atishi, said on X that many of the victims were pilgrims en route to attend the Maha Kumbh festival. Their bodies were taken to the capital's Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain Hospital, Atishi said. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some other federal ministers confirmed the incident in posts on X, although they did not disclose the number of people who died. "Distressed by the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones," Mr Modi said on X. 2:29 Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said an investigation has been ordered to find out what caused the deadly stampede. Last month at least 30 people died in another stampede at the six-week festival itself, after tens of millions of Hindus gathered to take a dip in sacred river waters.
