Latest news with #RegionalPassportOffice
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Three youngsters killed as truck hits bike in Tumakuru
Three security personnel died after a container truck rammed their motorcycle near Kyathasandra, Tumakuru, early Friday morning. The deceased are Rajesh, Dhananjay and Dhanush, all in their 20s and working with an industrial unit in Dobbespet. The three were riding back to their single-bedroom house in Upparahalli when the accident occurred at 7.30am, police said. "The youngsters visited a fuel station in Nandihalli. After filling petrol, they reached Bengaluru-Pune highway. At the same time, the container truck coming from the rear rammed the bike, crushing all three to death," a police officer said, adding, "The driver and others in the truck fled the scene." Hoax bomb threat to passport office, CM's house Unidentified persons sent an email to Regional Passport Office in Koramangala, stating they will blast the office and the the chief minister's residence with the help of suicide bombers. "Today is holy Dhul Hijjah day. Using explosives made of ammonium sulphur, we will blast the passport office as well as the chief minister's residence. This is vengeance for actions taken against Kasab and Savukku Shankar," was the gist of the email written in English. The anti-sabotage team, along with the bomb disposal squad and local police, scanned the passport office and CM's residence and found the threat to be a hoax. BGS flyover to be closed today for Bakrid BGS Flyover, one of the busiest overpasses in the city connecting City Market (Town Hall junction) and Mysuru Road, will be closed for some hours Saturday during Bakrid celebrations at BBMP ground, Chamarajpet. The flyover will be shut at 8am and reopen only after celebrations are over in the afternoon. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Thousands of Kasabs will rise: Bomb threat to Bengaluru passport office
A bomb threat was issued to the Regional Passport Office in Bengaluru's Koramangala on Friday morning, prompting an emergency response from the alarming email, sent around 11 am, warned of suicide bombers with IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) targeting both the Passport Office and the Chief Minister's residence. The message claimed the attack was planned for 3:15 pm email, addressed to passport officials and even copied to the Islamabad police in Pakistan, claimed to represent a group calling itself 'Viduthalai Puli.' It referenced religious motivations and cited the arrest of people like Savukku Shankar and Kasab 'bhai', saying 'Our brother should have been tried as a minor and let off, but the Indian establishment wanted to gain sympathy of the world Human Rights groups and made him reach Janna. Now, 1000 Kasab's and Savukku Shankar's will come into picture.'advertisement The email also demanded the dropping of legal cases against individuals including Kiruthiga Udhayanidhi and others allegedly linked to a Tamil Nadu meth email also made mention of alleged RFID-based explosives and a 'twinning IED mechanism' involving human suicide police rushed to the passport office soon after the threat was received and are currently on the details are awaited. Security has been tightened around the area. IN THIS STORY#Bengaluru#Karnataka
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
Siddaramaiah's Residence, Bengaluru Passport Office Receive Suicide Bomb Threat
Last Updated: The message called the planned attacks as a 'holy event', citing the arrest of YouTuber Savukku Shankar and the execution of Ajmal Kasab as reasons behind the threat Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's residence and the Regional Passport Office in Koramangala, Bengaluru, received a bomb threat early Friday morning. The threatening email, sent by an individual identifying as 'Daudee Shankar Jiwal', warned of suicide bomb attacks at both locations by 3:15 PM. The message called the planned attacks as a 'holy event", citing the arrest of controversial Tamil YouTuber Savukku Shankar and the execution of 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab as reasons behind the threat. Shortly after the email was reported, Koramangala police searched the passport office premises. They have dismissed the threat as a hoax but confirmed that an investigation is underway to trace the email's origin and identify the sender. Meanwhile, security has been increased around both the Chief Minister's residence and the passport office as a precaution. The bomb threat also comes just two days after the deadly stampede outside Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebration, which left 11 people dead and several others injured. This is not the first time Karnataka Chief Minister has received a bomb threat. Days after a blast at Rameshwaram Cafe in Bengaluru in March 2024, Siddaramaiah and two other cabinet ministers were targeted in a bomb threat email. The message had warned that explosions would rock the entire city. The email was addressed to CM Siddaramaiah, his deputy DK Shivakumar, the Home Minister, and the Bengaluru Police Commissioner. It was reportedly sent by an individual named Shahid Khan. According to the email, explosions were planned at busy locations such as restaurants, temples, buses, and trains. Khan also warned of bombs being planted at public events. The message demanded a ransom of 2.5 million dollars (over Rs 20 crore) to prevent the blasts from happening. First Published: June 06, 2025, 13:47 IST
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Time of India
Trafficking accused arrested, used fake docus for passport
Mumbai: A 49-year-old agent, who was wanted for three years in connection with a case of human trafficking and facilitating illegal immigration to the US, has been found involved in a fresh case of passport-related misrepresentation. Zakir Shaikh, a Goregaon resident, was held by the State Monitoring Cell (SMC) of the Gujarat Police recently. Police said Shaikh presented forged documentation before the Regional Passport Office, Malad East, to obtain passports under a different identity. In Dec 2022, the SMC had registered an FIR at Ahmedabad's Sola High Court Police station against 18 people, including Shaikh, for conspiring among themselves and with others "to commit large scale passport fraud and human trafficking for financial gains between 2015 and 2022." These 18 accused are based out of Mumbai, Delhi and Gujarat, and one of them lives in New Jersey, US. Their targets were people wanting to enter the US illegally through the US-Mexico border. The accused either contacted such people directly or through intermediaries. Using fake or forged documentation, they applied for visas of foreign countries for their targets. The SMC investigation has shown that they facilitated illegal immigration to the US on the basis of these documents, charging Rs 60 lakh to 70 lakh for individuals, Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.25 crore for couples, and Rs 21.75 crore in cases involving children. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Police said Shaikh applied to the Regional Passport Office at Malad using a false identity-- Sait Sameer Kareem. A different place of birth, date of birth and mother's name was mentioned in this application. Proofs, such as Aadhaar card, driving licence and Pan card were provided to support the false identity. The application also claimed that he had studied up to class X when he had never actually been to school. Shaikh used the passport to flee from India, despite a Look Out Circular (LOC) being issued against him. Initially, he travelled to the UAE. The interpol issued a Red Corner Notice against him. Subsequently, he re-entered India through the Indo-Nepal Border. A fresh FIR was registered against him at the Dindoshi police station on May 25 in connection with the passport-related misrepresentation. Police said Shaikh has passport-related offences registered against him in Delhi as well.
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Business Standard
16-05-2025
- Business Standard
India begins issuing chip-based e-passports in cities: All you need to know
India has officially entered the league of over 120 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Japan, and Australia, by introducing chip-enabled biometric e-passports. This marks a significant advancement in modernising international travel for Indian citizens, aiming to bolster border security, reduce identity fraud, and simplify immigration procedures. When did India begin rolling out e-passports? The rollout of biometric e-passports began in April 2024 in a pilot phase as part of the upgraded Passport Seva Programme 2.0. Initial pilot phases took place in major cities such as Nagpur, Bhubaneswar, Jammu, Panaji, Shimla, Raipur, Amritsar, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad, Surat, and Ranchi. The government plans to implement the new system nationwide by mid-2025, according to News18. E-passport issuance in Tamil Nadu began on March 3, 2025, at the Regional Passport Office in Chennai. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, over 20,700 e-passports had been issued in the state by March 22. What is an e-passport? An e-passport is a conventional passport enhanced with electronic features. It contains a built-in RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) chip and an antenna embedded in its cover. This chip securely holds the holder's personal and biometric data, including fingerprints and facial recognition details. A gold symbol on the passport's front cover indicates that it is electronically enabled. Security protocols such as basic access control (BAC), passive authentication (PA), and extended access control (EAC) are used to encrypt this sensitive data, ensuring global standards of protection. The government launched e-passports to safeguard citizens' personal information and to curb duplication and misuse of passport credentials. How do e-passports speed up immigration? Biometric e-passports have become the international standard for secure travel, allowing for contactless verification through automated e-gates at immigration points. This technology accelerates border control by reducing wait times and eliminating the need for manual document inspections, thereby improving the overall travel experience. How does India benefit from aligning with global standards? By adopting biometric e-passports, India conforms to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) guidelines. This alignment places Indian travellers on par with those from technologically advanced countries, enhancing India's standing and credibility on the global stage. How can citizens apply and where are e-passports made? Indian citizens can easily apply for the new e-passports via the Passport Seva Portal or by scheduling appointments at local Passport Seva Kendras or Post Office centres for biometric enrolment. Importantly, all biometric passports are produced domestically at the India Security Press in Nashik. This not only ensures stringent data security but also supports the government's Make in India initiative, reinforcing national control over sensitive citizen information. >Log in: Use your registered credentials to access your account >Start application: Select the option 'Apply for Fresh Passport/Re-issue of Passport.' Choose 'Fresh' if this is your first time applying for that passport type, or 'Reissue' if you've previously held one >Make payment and book appointment: Complete the fee payment online and schedule an appointment at your preferred Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Regional Passport Office (RPO) >Save confirmation: Either print your application receipt or keep the SMS confirmation handy to show during your visit Why is the shift to biometric passports significant? In the wake of a post-pandemic resurgence in international travel — surpassing 1.5 billion arrivals globally in 2023 — countries are increasingly relying on biometric solutions to manage growing passenger volumes securely. Traditional machine-readable passports are prone to forgery and data manipulation, whereas biometric e-passports offer enhanced physical and digital security, significantly mitigating identity fraud risks. Future of travel: Towards a digital ecosystem India's introduction of biometric e-passports is only the first step toward a more comprehensive digital overhaul of the travel ecosystem. Upcoming innovations are expected to include mobile passport wallets, blockchain-based identity verification, integration with Aadhaar and DigiLocker platforms, and embedding visas directly onto passport chips. These advancements aim to eliminate paper-based travel documents entirely, paving the way for a seamless, fully digital, contactless, and intelligent travel experience. India's adoption of this technology is a decisive move toward securing borders, increasing efficiency, and redefining the future of international mobility for its citizens.
