Latest news with #Pahalgam
India Gazette
an hour ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
COAS General Upendra Dwivedi felicitates BSF Asst Commandant Neha Bhandari for contribution in Op Sindoor
Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 31 (ANI): Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday felicitated Neha Bhandari from BSF Jammu with the Commendation Disc for her exceptional courage and operational proficiency during the Operation Sindoor. 'On 30 May 2025, COAS General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, felicitated Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari of BSF Jammu with the Commendation Disc for her exceptional courage and operational proficiency during Operation Sindoor. She gallantly commanded a forward-deployed BSF company under challenging conditions', an 'X' post from BSF Jammu said. BSF Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari commanded a forward post along the International Border (IB) during Operation Sindoor. Earlier, speaking to ANI, she described the high spirits of the personnel during the operation, saying, 'The josh was high...' Bhandari's company was responsible for stopping any infiltration attempts and keeping the IB safe. They successfully fulfilled their responsibilities during the operation. 'During Operation Sindoor, I was commanding a company deployed at the IB. Our responsibility was to stop any infiltration, give a befitting reply to Pakistan and keep the International Border safe. We fulfilled all responsibilities well,' she told ANI. The BSF personnel fired at the enemy using high and flat trajectory weapons, giving a strong response to Pakistan's actions. Bhandari highlighted the role of women personnel in the operation, saying that both women and men BSF personnel carried out their duties effectively. 'We fired at the enemy using high and flat trajectory weapons. In this operation, both women and men BSF personnel carried out their duties. We have posts and bunkers for our protection,' she added. Bhandari mentioned that the BSF has posts and bunkers for protection, showcasing the force's preparedness and vigilance along the IB. India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The Indian armed forces responded effectively to subsequent Pakistani aggression and pounded its airbases. The two countries then reached an understanding to stop military action following a call made by Pakistan's DGMO to his Indian counterpart. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Couple slams shopkeeper in Turkey flaunting world flags except India's in undated video
An undated video of a couple slamming a shopkeeper in Turkey has gone viral on social media. In the video, a man questions a shopkeeper why he hasn't displayed an Indian flag in his shop when he has put up flags from multiple other countries. In the video, a couple exploring the streets of Turkey comes across a shop with flags of different nations tied above its door. The man tries to find the Indian flag but fails. Instantly, he confronts the shopkeeper and asks why there is no Indian flag, but he doesn't receive a certain answer. As the couple leaves the shop, the man says that the next time he is in Turkey, he will get an Indian flag and put it in a shop. The video has prompted a series of mixed reactions on social media. While some appreciated the video, many slammed the man for using abusive language after leaving the shop. This video went viral amid the ongoing calls for a Turkey boycott. It came after the country openly showed its support for Pakistan amid its conflict with India. Pakistan launched strikes on India following Operation Sindoor. This op destroyed terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir in retaliation for the deadly Pahalgam attack that claimed the lives of 25 Indians and a Nepali citizen.
Mint
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Shahid Afridi's welcome at Kerala alumni event sparks outrage, group says cricketer came 'unannounced': Viral video
A Kerala expatriate group in Dubai has issued an apology after facing strong online backlash for warmly welcoming Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi at a recent event. Apologising for it, the community clarified that the gesture was unintentional. The incident came to light when a video showing Shahid Afridi being welcomed during a programme by the Cochin University Btech Alumni Association (CUBAA) in Dubai went viral on social media. In the video, the crowd is seen cheering Shahid Afridi and chanting his nickname 'boom boom' when he addressed the gathering. In his brief address, the cricketer was seen praising Kerala and its cuisines. In the wake of the recent Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives and heightened tensions between the two countries, the warm reception given to the Pakistani cricketer has drawn sharp criticism and did not sit well with many. The social media users attacked the CUBAA office-bearers, citing the Pakistan cricketer's recent controversial remarks against India and its Army in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack. Amid the growing controversy, CUBAA office-bearers issued an apology on Instagram on Friday, stating that the incident was unintentional and expressing regret over the uproar it caused. Without naming Shahid Afridi, they said they had booked Pakistan Association Dubai (PAD) as a venue of the second season of an inter-collegiate dance competition much before the tension between India and Pakistan. The same venue was used for the first season of the event last year also due to its affordability, the statement said. 'At the time of our event, the diplomatic tensions had already eased. Due to the unavailability of an alternative venue on short notice, we proceeded with the programme as scheduled at PAD Dubai,' they said. They clarified that Shahid Afridi, along with a few other cricketers, visited the auditorium for a separate event held on the same day as their programme, May 25. As the Kerala community's programme was concluding, these cricketers made an 'unannounced and unsolicited appearance' at their event, which was held in the same auditorium, they further said. 'We would like to categorically state that no member of our organising team, officials or alumni members invited them nor coordinated this appearance. Our officially published event schedule, which does not include these individuals as guests, further supports this,' the organisers said. "We regret any confusion or inconvenience caused to attendees, participants, or supporters due to this unplanned development. We deeply regret any hurt or offense our actions may have caused. It was never our intention, and we sincerely apologise to those affected," they said.
Arab News
2 hours ago
- General
- Arab News
Pakistan voices concern over rise in Islamophobic incidents in India
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan expresses grave concern over a rise in Islamophobic incidents across India, the Pakistani foreign office said on Saturday, following reports of attacks against Muslims. The reports of increasing attacks against Muslims and Kashmiris in India emerged after an April 22 attack on Hindu tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir's Pahalgam town that killed 26 people. New Delhi blamed the assault on Pakistan, a charge denied by Islamabad. The attack triggered a four-day standoff between the neighbors this month that killed 70 people on both sides before a truce was announced on May 10. At least 184 anti-Muslim hate incidents, including murders, assaults, threats and vandalism, have been recorded countrywide in India, Indian media outlets quoted New Delhi-based Association for Protection of Civil Rights as saying this month. 'Pakistan calls upon the Government of India to uphold the rights and safety of all its citizens, regardless of faith,' Pakistani foreign office spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan said, adding that such incidents violate international human rights obligations and vitiate the prospects for communal harmony and regional stability. Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, since gaining independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety but rule it in part. While a conflict between the neighbors feeding minority hatred on either side is not a new phenomenon, critics and rights bodies say Hindu right-wing groups have become emboldened in recent years due to a 'culture of impunity.' 'Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi likes to boast of India's democratic traditions, but it's become increasingly hard for him to hide his government's deepening crackdown on minorities and critics,' Meenakshi Ganguly, the deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in January this year. 'A decade of discriminatory policies and repression has weakened the rule of law and has restricted the economic and social rights of marginalized communities.'
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Amit Shah to arrive in Kolkata for two-day Bengal visit
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Kolkata on Saturday (May 31, 2025) night for a two-day visit to West Bengal, marking his first trip to the State after the success of 'Operation Sindoor'. Also Read | Amit Shah arrives in J&K to review security situation, plans for Amarnath Yatra Mr. Shah is scheduled to attend a series of official and party programmes on Sunday (1st June, 2025). According to the official itinerary, the Home Minister will begin his day with the inauguration of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Rajarhat, on the outskirts of Kolkata. Later in the day, Mr. Shah will address BJP leaders and functionaries at a party convention at the Netaji Indoor Stadium. Party insiders said the meeting is expected to focus on the BJP's roadmap for West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections. "Amit Shah Ji will give us a roadmap for the next assembly polls in the state," BJP State president and Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said. Mr. Shah will also pay a visit to the ancestral home of Swami Vivekananda at Simla Street in north Kolkata. This is Mr. Shah's first visit to West Bengal since 'Operation Sindoor', the military response launched following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. His visit also comes just two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's whirlwind tour in North Bengal, underscoring the central leadership's sustained focus on the State.
