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First Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Is Pakistan behind kidnapping of three Indians in Iran?
India is probing the involvement of Pakistan and its ISI in the abduction of three Indians in Iran after the families of the victims received ransom calls from Pakistani phone number read more India is investigating the role of Pakistan and its spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the abduction of three Indians in Iran. According to a report by The Economic Times, the probe began after the families of the Indian nationals received calls from a Pakistani phone number. The three Indians who have been abducted in Iran are from Punjab's Sangrur, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar. The sources close to the matter told ET that they went missing in Iran and the authorities are making efforts to trace them 'urgently'. The three abductees have been identified as Hushanpreet Singh (Sangrur), Jaspal Singh (SBS Nagar) and Amritpal Singh (Hoshiarpur). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The three Indian nationals went missing on May 1 after they landed in Tehran. Sources close to the matter told ET that ISI might be trying to prove that the Indians were involved in 'espionage' in Pakistan. Indian embassy issued a statement Meanwhile, the Indian embassy in Tehran also issued a statement on the matter. 'Family members of three Indian citizens have informed the Embassy of India that their relatives are missing after having travelled to Iran. The embassy has strongly taken up this matter with the Iranian authorities and requested that the missing Indians be urgently traced and their safety should be ensured,' the Indian embassy in Iran recently said in a statement. The embassy noted that it is 'keeping the family members regularly updated' on the efforts being made by it in the case. Meanwhile, a report from The Financial Express noted that these three men had been lured by an agent in Punjab who promised to send them to Australia through a route that passed via Dubai and Iran. The agent was based in Hoshiarpur and is currently untraceable. What is also concerning is the fact that this is the second case in the past year involving Indian nationals going missing in Iran. In the past, Iranian authorities have urged Indians to be cautious while travelling abroad and not fall prey to illegal agents and trafficking networks.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
5 buried alive, 34 hurt as 2-storey firecracker factory collapses in blast in Muktsar: Police
Five workers were buried alive and 34 others injured as a two-storey firecracker factory building collapsed in a powerful blast at Singhewala village in Punjab's Muktsar district on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, police said, adding the factory owner has been arrested. Muktsar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhijeet Kaplish said seriously injured persons were admitted to AIIMS, Bathinda, while others were being treated at the Civil Hospital under the Punjab government's Farishtey scheme. 'The firecracker unit was operating without permission required under the Explosives Rules, 2008. As of now, our top priority is treatment and taking care of the injured persons. A detailed inquiry is underway, and strictest action will be taken against those found guilty,' the DC said. The owner had reportedly submitted a request before the DC's office for necessary approval, but the file was yet to be processed. Lambi Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jaspal Singh said the explosion took place between 12 midnight and 1 am. 'We responded swiftly and recovered five bodies from the debris. The rescue operation was over by the afternoon,' the DSP told The Indian Express. 'At least 34 people were injured and admitted to various hospitals, including the Civil Hospital in Badal and AIIMS, Bathinda. As per reports, all are stable,' the DSP said. According to reports, 28 patients were still undergoing treatment at various hospitals, while six were sent home after first aid. Muktsar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Akhil Chaudhary said, 'The preliminary investigation finds manufacturing and packaging of firecrackers were being carried out on the same premises. Moreover, several workers were living on the factory premises. A few workers were doing packaging work while others were sleeping when the blast took place, and the building collapsed.' 'It seems the blast was caused by material used in the manufacturing of firecrackers, though the exact cause can be ascertained after investigations and forensic examinations. Our forensic team is investigating the spot to determine what triggered the blast,' the SSP said. After the preliminary investigation, Muktsar police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against factory owner Tarsem Singh and his son Navraj Singh. The factory owner was arrested, police said. Police said the accused were booked under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 118(2) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt using dangerous means) and 3(5) (group liability in crimes committed with shared intent) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), section 98 of the Explosives Act, 1884, which empowers the central government to prohibit dangerous explosive activities, and section 92 of the Factories Act, 1948, which deals with penalties for violation of safety and regulatory norms. The father-son duo was running the factory, while papers submitted at the DC office, seeking a licence, were in the name of Navraj, police sources said. Police said that they were trying to establish the identity of the deceased persons. Coworkers who can help identify the deceased are hospitalised, so it may take some time, they said. The contractor, who would bring workers from Uttar Pradesh, was yet to arrive, which also delayed the identification process, police said. Meanwhile, Punjab Cabinet Minister and Lambi MLA Gurmeet Singh Khuddian visited the injured persons at AIIMS, Bathinda. He inquired about their condition and assured them the Punjab government would bear the entire cost of their treatment. Khuddian also visited the blast site in Singhewala village. The minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased persons on behalf of the Punjab government, a government statement said. The minister said, 'The government stands with the affected families and will leave no stone unturned to ensure justice for them. Those liable will not be spared under any circumstances. Strictest legal action will be taken against them.' Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, who also met injured workers at AIIMS, termed the incident 'a failure of governance.' Alleging that the illegal factory was running under political patronage, Sukhbir said, 'There were no fire safety measures at the factory where even minor children were employed. I met a few of them. Shockingly, the contractor disappeared after the blast, and the factory owner was of no help to the trapped workers.' Demanding strict action against the accused, Badal said, 'If the government fails to act firmly, the SAD will launch an agitation at the site.' Badal said such tragedies must not repeat in the future. 'We demand immediate compensation for the deceased persons' families and a high-level inquiry into how such a dangerous operation continued unchecked,' the SAD chief said. He urged the state government to ensure accountability and stricter enforcement of industrial safety norms across Punjab
Mint
3 days ago
- Health
- Mint
World No Tobacco Day 2025: Experts say ‘vaping more dangerous than cigarettes,' blame ‘influencers for glamourising'
On World Tobacco Day, experts have underlined the rampant use of e-cigarettes and vapes, highlighting how sellers are promoting their use as a "luxury" and employing clever tactics to compel teenagers to buy these products. During a seminar organised against vapes, experts noted that despite the ban on these products under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act (PECA), 2019, producers have found ways to circumvent the law and promote e-cigarettes and vapes. "Why is the industry using new tactics to attract our youth? Because the industry needs new users to consume these devices so that they can be turned into lifelong consumers," Avinash Sunthlia, Deputy Additional Director General (DADG), Health Ministry, was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. Read | Health ministry reports 350 violations of e-cigarette ban, black market thrives He added that they also market these devices as safer alternatives for smoking cessation, but it is actually about recruiting new users for a lifetime of dependence. "To spread awareness, we have issued comprehensive guidelines for schools, initiated capacity-building programmes for teachers, and are working closely with influencers and digital creators to speak up about the dangers of vaping," he said. Another expert asserted that consumption of vapes is more dangerous than cigarettes, as such devices can be used to consume hard drugs. "Based on my experience, several users have confessed to using vaping equipment for hard drug intake. What makes the threat more dangerous is the way these products are promoted. Manufacturers and sellers use tactics like influencer marketing on social media to glamourise these devices and target young users while avoiding direct accountability and prosecution," said Jaspal Singh, Special Commissioner of Police for Protective Security, Delhi. Also Read: India Inc adds health goals to appraisals Puducherry Secretary Padma Jaiswal further underlined that these devices are promoted as a "luxury" style, and most of the users affected by vapes are adolescents in schools and colleges. "Being a mother myself, I am aware that vaping is rampant, and the habit leaves a strong impact among adolescents and youth. They are attracted to these devices because they are promoted as a luxury, a style statement with the narrative that it is neither harmful nor punitive. Therefore, we need to raise awareness that these electronic devices are banned in India," she added.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Pak role in kidnapping of 3 Indians in Iran? India probes
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel India is probing Pakistan's role in the kidnapping of three Indians in Iran as the families of the abductees received ransom calls from Pakistani phone families of the three Indians, who recently went missing in Iran, have received ransom calls from Pakistani phone numbers, raising suspicion of Pakistani spy agency ISI's hand in the incident, ET has Indians - from Punjab's Sangrur, Hoshiarpur and SBS Nagar - went missing in Iran and efforts are on to trace them "urgently", according to sources. They have been identified as Hushanpreet Singh (Sangrur), Jaspal Singh (SBS Nagar) and Amritpal Singh (Hoshiarpur). They all went missing on May 1 after landing in Tehran. Sources alleged that ISI will try to prove that these three Indians were involved in "espionage" in Pakistan."Family members of three Indian citizens have informed the Embassy of India that their relatives are missing after having travelled to Iran. The embassy has strongly taken up this matter with the Iranian authorities and requested that the missing Indians should be urgently traced and their safety should be ensured," the Indian embassy in Iran recently said in a embassy said that it is "keeping the family members regularly updated" of the efforts being made by agent in Punjab had promised the three men that they would be sent to Australia via the Dubai-Iran route. The government is also probing if the agent had any links with the Pakistan government, it has been learnt. The agent from Hoshiarpur who sent the men to Iran is reportedly missing."The case concerning the disappearance of three Indian nationals is being followed up by the Consular Affairs Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran in coordination with the relevant judicial authorities. The Embassy of the Republic of India in Tehran is also being kept informed of the proceedings within the judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran through coordination with the Consular Affairs Department," the Iranian embassy in New Delhi said in a post on X on also urged Indians to apply caution while travelling to other countries and not fall prey to illegal agencies. This is the second case of Indians who went missing in Iran over the past one year.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- New Indian Express
Five workers killed, 34 injured in blast at firecracker unit in Punjab's Muktsar
CHANDIGARH: Five people were killed and 34 injured after a blast led to the collapse of a double-storey firecracker factory at Fatuhiwala village in Punjab's Muktsar district in the early hours of Thursday. Sources said the explosion occurred around 1 a.m. when approximately 40 workers, mostly migrant labourers, were inside the factory engaged in production and packaging of firecrackers. The force of the explosion was so intense that it brought down the entire building, trapping many under the debris. Most of the workers were migrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The identities of the deceased have not yet been confirmed. A worker said that at the time of the explosion, many of them were sleeping after completing their night shift. 'All of a sudden we heard a loud explosion and many of us got trapped under the debris,' he said. Deputy Superintendent of Police of Lambi, Jaspal Singh, said that five bodies had been retrieved from the rubble and 34 injured persons had been sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bathinda. He confirmed that the factory was licensed and situated in the fields, away from the residential area. 'The case will be thoroughly investigated,' he said. He added, 'Three bodies were recovered during the night, and two more in the early morning hours. Once the injured are stable, we will record their statements to ascertain the exact cause of the blast. Strict action will be taken as per the law. The factories department has also been informed and their team will soon visit the site to examine any violations under the Factories Act.'
