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NDTV
2 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Operation Shield: Security Drills In States Neighbouring Pakistan Today
New Delhi: In a significant move to enhance national security preparedness, civil defense mock drills will be conducted on Saturday, under 'Operation Shield' across several states and Union Territories sharing borders with Pakistan. The exercises are scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. and will be held in Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, and Chandigarh, focussing on regions closest to the border and most susceptible to cross-border threats. Initially planned for May 29, the drills were rescheduled due to administrative reasons. A government press release issued on May 29 confirmed the new date and emphasised the importance of this exercise in bolstering readiness and closing critical gaps identified during a similar nationwide drill conducted earlier this month on May 7. 'Operation Shield' is designed to simulate hostile situations, including air raid sirens, blackout protocols, and various emergency response actions to evaluate the preparedness of civil authorities, emergency services, and local populations. The drills aim to replicate real-time scenarios that may arise from potential external threats, particularly in sensitive districts near the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB). According to official sources, complete blackouts will be enforced in identified vulnerable civilian areas across Punjab, except for essential services such as hospitals and emergency response units. Sirens will be sounded to alert residents, and mock response measures will be enacted to test how effectively communities and response agencies react under pressure. Government officials highlighted that the previous nationwide exercise revealed several operational deficiencies, prompting the need for follow-up drills focussed specifically on high-risk zones. This initiative underscores the government's ongoing efforts to strengthen civil defence mechanisms amid heightened regional security concerns. The drills are expected to significantly improve inter-agency coordination, public awareness, and the ability of local systems to respond swiftly and efficiently in the event of any hostile act or natural disaster affecting the border regions.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Destroying 118 enemy posts in three days proves BSF's professional excellence: HM Amit Shah
Jammu: Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday, saying that destroying 118 enemy posts in just three days proves the bravery, courage and professional excellence of the force. Addressing the BSF jawans in Poonch district, Amit Shah lauded the BSF for its resolute response to Pakistani aggression earlier this month and said that over 118 enemy posts were destroyed and damaged in retaliatory action along the Jammu frontier by the BSF. Amit Shah said the BSF guarding the International Border (IB) in J&K had dismantled the enemy's surveillance network, dealing a serious blow that would take them years to repair. The Union Home Minister, during his two-day visit, reviewed the security situation, Amarnath Yatra preparedness and interacted with victims of Pakistani shelling in Poonch district. 'When Pakistan responded to our anti-terror operations by attacking our borders and civilian areas, it was the BSF jawans of the Jammu Frontier who retaliated by destroying and damaging over 118 posts,' he said. He pointed out that the BSF dismantled the enemy's entire surveillance system piece by piece, a system that will take them four to five years to rebuild. 'BSF Director General told me that Pakistan has suffered the biggest blow to its communication systems and surveillance equipment, rendering them incapable of waging a full-fledged information-based war for quite some time,' the Home Minister said. Praising the BSF's readiness even during times of relative peace, Shah said their intelligence enabled precise pre-emptive action, which proves that even during peacetime, they kept a vigilant eye. 'Based on your accurate intelligence, a precise counter-strategy was prepared well in advance. When the opportunity arose, you implemented it with success. Such bravery only emerges when there is pride in the nation, a sense of patriotism in the heart, and a passion for supreme sacrifice. That is when such outcomes are possible,' said Shah. He added that the BSF continues to serve as India's first line of defence, operating across deserts, mountains, forests, and rugged terrains with unwavering dedication. 'Whenever there is any kind of attack on India's borders, organised or unorganised, covert or overt, the first to bear the brunt are our BSF jawans, but they never pause to consider where the boundary lies,' he said Reflecting on his travel to Poonch despite inclement weather, Shah said he was determined to meet the jawans personally. 'I came to Poonch to visit and share the grief of the damage done to gurudwaras, temples, mosques, and civilian populations. I was told the weather was not favourable. Still, I decided that I would go by road and return only after meeting the jawans posted at the border,' he said. The Home Minister said that God was gracious, the weather cleared up, and he had the opportunity to meet them. The Union Home Minister expressed gratitude to the BSF troopers on behalf of the government and the citizens of India. 'The cheer for BSF is as loud as for the Army, and that is a matter of great pride for all of us,' he said. The Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated that the valour and sacrifices of BSF jawans have earned national admiration and stand as a symbol of India's enduring resolve towards security.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
What led to Congress's Shashi Tharoor vs Udit Raj war of words? ‘This was unprecedented'
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor's statement on India's cross-border strikes in Panama has triggered sharp criticism from within his own party. Tharoor on Thursday issued a clarification, saying his statement was twisted by 'zealots'. In a post on 'X', Shashi Tharoor wrote, 'For those zealots fulminating about my supposed ignorance of Indian valour across the LoC in the past, I was clearly and explicitly speaking only about reprisals for terrorist attacks and not about previous wars.' He added, 'My remarks were preceded by a reference to the several attacks that have taken place in recent years alone, during which previous Indian responses were both restrained and constrained by our responsible respect for the LoC and the IB (International Border).' The Congress MP stirred an intra-party conflict with his recent remarks about India's cross-border military operations against terror bases in Pakistan while addressing leaders and diplomats in Panama. Tharoor said, 'When, for the first time, India breached the Line of Control between India and Pakistan to conduct a surgical strike on a terror base, a launch pad – the Uri strike in September 2015 – that was already something we had not done before.' He emphasised that this was unprecedented, stating, 'Even during the Kargil War, we had not crossed the Line of Control.' The Congress party criticised him for the statement, with party member Udit Raj sarcastically suggesting that he should be appointed as the "super spokesperson of the BJP." Udit Raj fueled the controversy, accusing Shashi Tharoor of harming the party's image by downplaying Congress's role and praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'fake surgical strikes.' "My dear Shashi Tharoor, Alas! I could prevail upon PM Modi to declare you as super spokesperson of BJP, even declaring (you) as foreign minister before landing in India. How could you denigrate the golden history of Congress by saying that before PM Modi, India never crossed LoC and International border." "In 1965 Indian Army entered Pakistan at multiple points, which completely surprised the Pakistanis in the Lahore sector. In 1971, India tore Pakistan in two pieces and during UPA government several surgical strikes were unleashed but drum beating was not done to encash (it) politically," he said. "How could you be so dishonest to the party which gave you so much," asked Raj. Congress general secretary in-charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh later reposted Raj's criticism on 'X'. When asked if Tharoor should be suspended from Congress, Raj said the decision lies with the party's working committee and leaders like Rahul Gandhi. 'If he makes incorrect statements and tries to erase Congress's history, then I am standing with Congress,' Raj added. Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor is currently leading a multi-party parliamentary delegation on an official visit to five countries, including the United States and Panama. However, Tharoor was not among the names formally recommended by the Congress party to the government for inclusion in the outreach delegations.
India.com
6 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
‘The Josh Was High, The Guns Were Ready': BSF's Neha Bhandari Recounts Fiery Night During Operation Sindoor
Jammu: The International Border (IB) was tense; the night was long; but the josh (morale) was off the charts. Border Security Force (BSF) Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari stood resolute and firm on the frontline – not as an observer but as a commanding officer. 'The josh was high...,' she said, while recalling the intensity and morale of soldiers during Operation Sindoor. The mission of her company was to stop all possible attempts of infiltration and hit back hard to secure the IB. While commanding a forward post along the IB during India's counter offensive of Pakistan's aggression, she performed her duty well and ensured safety of her country's territory. 'I was commanding a company deployed at the IB during Operation Sindoor at IB. We were tasked with foiling any infiltration attempt. We gave a fitting reply to Pakistan and fulfilled the responsibility were given,' said Bhandari. Her team strongly responded to the Pakistani aggression by using high and flat trajectory weapons. It was not only men this time. BSF women soldiers were in the thick of it. 'They carried out their duties shoulder-to-shoulder,' she said. With steel resolve, fire power and bunkers, the BSF held the line. Highlighting the preparedness of the force, Bhandari said that the BSF has well-fortified positions along the border to respond effectively to any threat. BSF DIG (Sector Sunderbani) Virender Dutta too addressed the media at the Frontier Headquarters in Jammu today and revealed that his sector witnessed heaviest shelling on the intervening night of May 8-9 during the operation, but the BSF destroyed two prominent Pakistani launchpads. 'Without wasting time, we planned and destroyed the Luni launchpad in the night. The launch pad, which was being used by the Pakistan Army, has not been occupied for 20 days, which shows that it has been destroyed. Similarly, there is no movement in Luni as well,' he stated. He said the Pakistani side used 120 heavy mortars, but the BSF retaliated and inflicted significant damage. To counter drone threats, he said, Air Defence (AD) guns were deployed and civilians were alerted to maintain safety. 'Ours was the only sector that led to heavy losses for them, and they used 120 heavy mortars, but we also replied accordingly. For drones, we placed the AD guns and also warned the people to stay safe,' he added. Dutta also issued a strong warning, 'If they (Pakistan) repeat this mistake again, then they will get beaten up even badly.' BSF DIG SS Mand provided further details, adding that real-time intelligence was received about terrorist movements. The BSF responded by launching bomb attacks on launchpads and a cemetery used as a hideout. 'We got to know about the movement of the terrorists, we took a call and attacked with bombs. They had one launchpad, and we received real-time input about their location at a cemetery. We attacked there also,' he said. Mand added that according to intercepted information, there were 7-12 casualties in the enemy camp, though confirmation is difficult due to restricted media access across the border. BSF DIG, RS Pura Sector, Chiter Pal commented on the April 22 Pahalgam attack, where 26 civilians were killed, describing the resulting national mood as one of grief and determination. 'In Pahalgam, when the terrorists murdered our 26 innocent civilians, there was a feeling of sorrow and revenge in the nation. We received intelligence regarding Pakistan having an idea that such a revenge would be launched on our side, so they started moving the armed cars. But when Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, it was confirmed that they would also show some movement,' he said. He added that firing began on May 9 in his sector, escalating gradually, but the BSF silenced all enemy posts with a trained and coordinated response. 'In my area, they fired on the night of May 9. First, they fired from limited posts, but slowly they opened fire on all the posts in my sector. Our troops were trained to retaliate against the firing, and their (Pakistan's) posts were silenced,' Pal noted. Launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Operation Sindoor has so far resulted in the elimination of more than 100 terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen. The operation also involved India's strikes on 11 Pakistani airbases, damaging radar, communication and logistics infrastructure. The Indian offensive was followed by cross-border shelling, drone threats and eventually a ceasefire understanding announced on May 10 between India and Pakistan.
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First Post
14-05-2025
- First Post
Pakistan releases BSF soldier held last month
Pakistan has released Purnam Kumar Shaw of the Border Security Force (BSF), who had been held since April 23 for crossing the International Border read more Pakistan Rangers on Wednesday handed over Purnam Kumar Shaw, the Border Security Force (BSF) soldier held since April 23, to Indian authorities. A BSF official said that the handover took place at 10:30 am at Joint Check Post Attari, Amritsar in accordance with established protocols. This is a developing story. It will be updated as details emerge.
