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Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Telangana sees drop in cybercrime complaints: Official
Hyderabad, Telangana reported a substantial reduction in cybercrime complaints and financial losses during the first four months of 2025, when compared to the same period in 2024, a senior police official said on Sunday. The Telangana Cyber Security Bureau credits this progress to a combination of public awareness initiatives, proactive investigations, and strategic operations powered by data analytics and inter-agency collaboration, TGCSB Director Shikha Goel said in a release. Telangana witnessed 11 per cent decrease in financial cybercrime complaints from January to April 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, she said, adding that in contrast, cybercrime complaints across the country increased by 28 per cent during the same period. The total amount lost in cybercrimes in Telangana decreased by 19 per cent from January–April 2025 when compared to 2024. Nationally, cybercrime-related financial losses rose by 12 per cent during the same timeframe, Goel said. Telangana also improved its percentage of recovery of lost money from 13 per cent in 2024 to 16 per cent in 2025, demonstrating more effective complaint redressal and coordination with banks and platforms. The number of arrested persons tripled, rising from 230 in early 2024 to 626 in 2025. TGCSB has adopted data-driven and technology-supported methods to identify cybercrime hotspots and successfully conducted two interstate and three intrastate special field operations, Goel said. "Advanced analytics, digital profiling, and Open-Source Intelligence tools are being deployed to support enforcement teams in identifying and arresting cybercriminals efficiently. Joint operation teams have been formed to execute interstate PT warrants, enhancing tracking and resolution capabilities," the TGCSB Director said. TGCSB's efforts to streamline processes, strengthen coordination with district police, and adopt data-backed tracking significantly contributed to higher case closures and quicker action against cybercriminals, she said. TGCSB conducted extensive statewide awareness campaigns targeting digital arrest scams, investment frauds, and OTP-based crimes, Goel added.
India Today
23-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
One month since Indus Waters Treaty suspension: What satellite images reveal
It's been a month since India put the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on hold following the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. So, how is this suspension really affecting Pakistan?River flow data and geospatial evidence suggest that the government has made flushing of dams a regular exercise in the last month. Satellite images of the Baglihar Dam on the Indian side show flushing operations underway on May 1, matching both news reports and a visible change in river water colour on the imagery indicating mud and sediments. Over the next 10 days, Sentinel images show shows a sharp drop in water levels followed by a sudden spike. advertisementIndia Today's Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team has identified a clear pattern at India's dams on the Chenab and Jhelum rivers: filling the reservoirs to its capacity, then force-flushing silt to clear them out. This practice not only clears sediment but also boosts hydroelectric power generation. We reviewed satellite images and water inflow data over 30 days at the last dam in India and the first in Pakistan on Chenab and Jhelum rivers. The idea is to detect any shift in water management. For instance, if India opens the sluice gates of a dam, the water level downstream in Pakistan should also rise. advertisement Water inflow data from Pakistan's Indus River System Authority (IRSA) for the Marala Dam — the first regulation point on the Chenab after it enters Pakistan — shows a sharp drop in water levels followed by a sudden outflow of water at Marala Dam – the rate at which water is released from the dam – stood at 14,800 cusecs when IWT was suspended , dropped to 8,087 cusecs on May 2, surged to 55,148 cusecs on May 3, and then fell sharply to just 3,761 cusecs by May 6. The outflow spiked again to 18,331 cusecs on May 9, before dropping to 3,470 cusecs by May 16 and then peaked to 20,648 on May images of the Baglihar Dam on the Indian side show flushing operations underway on May 1, matching both news reports and a visible change in river water colour on the imagery indicating mud and sediments. Over the next 10 days, the dam's gates remained closed until a sudden release on May 11. A similar pattern was observed the following flushing, typically done annually, clears sediment buildup to restore storage capacity, boost turbine efficiency, and extend the life of hydroelectric plants. Kishanganga, a small hydroelectric project with limited reservoir, opens all three gates in phases, then closes them together. Before the suspension of the IWT, Pakistan routinely objected to this practice, as the flushing of silt and sediments not only increases downstream flow but can also potentially block irrigation canals. Conversely, refilling the reservoir by closing the gates can decrease the river water flow downstream for a short period. While there are no drastic fluctuations in water levels at Pakistan's Mangla dam on the Jhelum river, data indicates periods of increased flow, likely resulting from upstream flushing activities by Indian images from the European Space Agency show the gates of the Kishanganga dam – the first major dam on the Jhelum's tributary – fully open on April 29. Over the next week, only one gate remained open until it was finally closed on May 21. Kishanganga, a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project, has a limited reservoir capacity of just 18.8 million cubic clear pattern was observed over the month on the Indus River, as India currently has no operational storage dams on this stretch. LONG-TERM PLANSAs part of long-term plans to utilise the waters of the rivers covered under the IWT, four additional power plants are proposed, which will allow India to utilise more water from the western rivers through associated roadmap also outlines the revival of the long-stalled Tulbul navigation project on the Jhelum, enhancements to Wular Lake and the Jhelum river for improved flood control, lift irrigation projects to accelerate water utilisation, and the optimised use of the Ranbir and Pratap canals to ensure greater water availability for the Jammu Pakistan has written to India expressing its willingness to restart dialogue regarding renegotiating the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), which India has kept in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack. However, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has firmly stated that the suspension will remain in place 'until Pakistan credibly and irreversibly ends cross-border terrorism.' advertisementIN THIS STORY#India-Pakistan#Pakistan
India Today
13-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Fact-check for Pakistan: Minister shares video of PM's Adampur air base visit
The surrounding air echoed with chants of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' as Prime Minister Modi visited Punjab's Adampur air base early this morning. Hours after the visit, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took a dig at Pakistan, which had claimed to have destroyed the Adampur air base during its attack on the night of May 9–10, in response to India's Operation Prime Minister's visit was significant as it demonstrated the air base was in fine condition, refuting reports of any Union Minister posted a video of the Prime Minister meeting jawans at the Adampur air base on X and said, 'Fact-check for Pakistan, which claims to have attacked the Adampur Air Base. PM Narendra Modi interacted with our brave jawans.' In a post on X, the Prime Minister shared a few photos with the jawans and called it a 'very special experience'.'Earlier this morning, I went to AFS Adampur and met our brave air warriors and soldiers. It was a very special experience to be with those who epitomise courage, determination and fearlessness. India is eternally grateful to our armed forces for everything they do for our nation,' the Prime Minister said. advertisement Adampur was one of the four key Indian Air Force stations that Pakistan claimed had suffered major damage after being targeted on the night of May 9–10, in response to India's Operation Today's Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team reviewed medium-resolution satellite imagery from the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA for at least 10 air bases and imagery did not show any visible damage to the runway, administrative buildings, or aircraft hangars for Avantipur and Udhampur air base in J&K, Pathankot, Bathinda, Adampur in Punjab, Suratgarh air base in Rajasthan, and Sirsa in Haryana.
India Today
03-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Visual explainer: What makes hunt for Pahalgam attackers so challenging
In the shadowy forests of South Kashmir, a massive manhunt is underway for terrorists who killed 26 people in Pahalgam on April 22. In these 11 days, security forces found possible signs of their presence in some areas but they still remain at what's delaying their capture? South Kashmir's treacherous terrain. Let's understand this through a digital elevation model, India Today's Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team examined the terrain of South Kashmir and found a landscape marked by dense forests and steep ridgelines — natural cover that complicates pursuit and slows down security operations. advertisement The tallest mountain near Pahalgam rises to nearly half the height of Mount Everest, just a few kilometres from Baisaran, as per the US Geographical Survey (USGS). With peaks reaching up to 15,108 feet, the area is marked by a maze of rugged mountain ridges and dense forests to the east where terrorists could be hiding. Baisaran Meadow lies southeast of Pahalgam town and is accessible via a winding trek that cuts through streams, dense forests, and muddy stretches. Much of the route is unmotorable. Further east, the ranges rise sharply—from 8,104 to 14,393 feet—towering to the right-hand side and adding to the area's formidable forces have been carrying out a mega search and cordon operation in these rugged stretches to track down the terrorists have leveraged the region's topography to their advantage, using the dense forest cover—stretching from Kathua in Jammu to South Kashmir—as both a natural shelter and a secure transit corridor. Adding to the challenge is the harsh weather in these mountainous forests, where temperatures drop sharply at night. advertisement Another challenge is the Kishtwar range, which connects to the higher reaches of Pahalgam and has seen low snowfall this season. The lack of snowcap this year has left large stretches of rugged terrain exposed, widening the area that security forces now have to Kishtwar range offers terrorists a route toward the Jammu side, where thicker forests and tougher terrain can aid their escape. Though they've used this corridor for movement, sources believe they are still in South trees line the peaks of this region, adding 100 to 328 feet to the elevation. On the Kashmir side, Himalayan pine and spruce trees grow up to 190 feet tall. On the Jammu side, oak trees reach heights of up to 80 feet. These forests retain their green cover year-round, with trees spaced just 10 to 20 metres dense forests, coupled with cranberry bushes, severely limit visibility — generally to 30–35 metres, and in some areas, to less than 10 metres, as per a botanist from Kashmir officials believe the terrorists are highly-trained and battle of the perpetrators, Hashim Musa, is believed to be a former Pakistani para commando linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. He is known for his military training and tactical expertise. Intelligence inputs suggest the attack was carefully planned, with the group infiltrating the region through the Samba-Kathua corridor over two months ago.
India Today
01-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Pakistan's aviation industry is so dead it doesn't feel India's airspace ban
In a tit-for-tat move, India has banned Pakistani aircraft from its skies following the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam. But will Pakistani airlines feel the same sting Indian carriers did when Islamabad imposed a similar ban?Flight-tracking data shows Pakistani airlines recently started avoiding Indian airspace even before the official ban was announced on Wednesday night. India Today's Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) team found that six flights operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), the state-run flag carrier, began rerouting to Malaysia starting Tuesday, April PIA's six weekly flights from Islamabad and Lahore airports to Kuala Lumpur are now taking a circuitous route via China to bypass the Indian airspace. The new route is considerably longer as flights skirt the Tibetan Plateau due to harsh conditions, adding nearly three hours of travel time to the original Pakistani operators, PIA is the only carrier that serves routes passing over India, which has several private carriers operating hundreds of flights daily across numerous routes, Pakistan relies primarily on its state-run airline, east of Pakistan that require overflying Indian airspace are mostly served by foreign carriers such as Etihad, China Southern Airlines, and Thai Airways. These airlines won't be impacted by the Indian OR NO COMPARISON?According to data and experts, the ban on Pakistani airlines in Indian skies wouldn't hurt them as much as Pakistan's ban hurts Indian operators. The reason is simple: Pakistanis don't fly to the East as much as Indians travel to the and size in both countries' aviation industries are another major differentiator. India's aviation industry is the third-largest in the world, trailing only the United States and China, while Pakistan ranks 50th globally. Pakistan's low flight volumes and limited eastbound destinations mean the impact on its already non-existent indigenous aviation industry is likely to be an estimated aggregate of Pakistan-based commercial airlines is 53 (PIA alone operates 32), Indian carriers affected by the ban boast a fleet of more than a thousand aircraft.A serving commercial pilot, requesting anonymity, said the Indian ban would add more flight hours, fuel and hence a slump in operating profit for the affected flights of PIA, which is knee-deep in debt. 'But Pakistan doesn't have the concept of making profits, it seems. They make stupid decisions and create bigger problems for themselves. As for Indian flights, we are prepared for this since Pakistan closed its airspace in 2019,' he pay a fee when they use another country's airspace. While India loses nothing by closing its airspace, Pakistan is likely to suffer a loss of crores in overflight charge revenue. Pakistan lost around Rs 250 crore or 8.5 billion in Pakistani currency during five months of its ban on Indian flights during military tensions triggered by the 2019 Pulwama measure will exacerbate the economic pressure on the undersized PIA with a modest fleet of 32 aircrafts", says Dr. Manoranjan Sharma, chief economist at Infomerics Valuation and Ratings.
