Morning Digest: Home Ministry nod for moving 10,000 security forces to J&K, the unravelling of a kidney racket, and more

A select list of stories to read before you start your day.

In this file picture Border Security Force personnel patrol near the Line of Control in Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir.

Home Ministry nod for moving 10,000 security forces to J&K

In an unprecedented move, the Home Ministry on Friday granted approval for the mobilisation of 100 additional companies of security forces in Jammu & Kashmir, fuelling speculation about the Centre planning to unroll fresh measures in Kashmir. An order issued by Ministry of Home Affairs said, “In order to strengthen the Counter Insurgency grid as well as for maintaining law and order situation in J&K, deployment of additional 100 companies of CAPFs are ordered.” Each company comprises approximately 100 personnel.

Ground Zero | The unravelling of a kidney racket

The epicentre of this massive illegal organ trade is the National Capital Region. The web of criminals includes police personnel, doctors, hospital administration staff, medical support staff, and kidney and liver donors — all catering to patients with end-stage kidney and liver failure. These patients can’t be treated with medicines or dialysis and therefore require a transplant.

Kerala may have undercounted jumbos

Kerala  may have undercounted almost 2,700 elephants in the latest elephant census, the response to a question in the Lok Sabha on India’s elephant numbers indicated. In 2017, the Union environment ministry reported that there were 27,312 elephants on average in the country according to figures collated from 23 States, a decline from the 29,576 elephants recorded as the mean figure in 2012. The exercise was part of the elephant census, conducted once in 5 years under the aegis of Project Elephant.

CBI summons Derek O’Brien in chit fund case

The CBI has summoned TMC leader Derek O’Brien in connection with a probe into a chit fund scam case. Mr. O’Brien has been told to join the probe in Kolkata in the first week of August, according to the agency. Responding to the development, the Trinamool leader tweeted: “

JagoBangla  is Trinamool’s official newspaper. Publisher: Derek O’Brien. Editor Subrata Bakshi was summoned by CBI a month ago to seek clarifications. Now, publisher served a notice at 2 p.m. July 25. Trinamool Motion in RS [Rajya Sabha] to oppose amendments to RTI Act started at 2 p.m., July 25.”

Madras HC grants HIV-infected woman ₹25 lakh as compensation

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday ordered payment of ₹25 lakh as compensation to a  woman from Sattur who was transfused with HIV-infected blood  at a government hospital in December 2018. The court also ordered the State government to allocate additional funds to the woman for the construction of a house. The court further directed that a suitable permanent job be given to the woman in the Class IV category within a period of three months from the date of the order, and added that she be provided free medical treatment and medicines.

698 Mughal-era coins recovered by U.P. police

The  Uttar Pradesh  police on Friday said it had recovered a treasure trove of 698 “rare” Mughal-era silver coins dating back to the 16th and 17th century. A few of the coins are said to be from the eras of emperors Akbar and Aurangzeb. The coins were found buried in a garden in Shimla, said a police officer from Moradabad district.

U.S. approves sales to support Pakistan’s F-16 fighter jets for 24x7 end-use monitoring

Days after the meeting between President Donald Trump and Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Pentagon notified the Congress on Friday of its decision to approve military sales worth $125 million that would result in 24x7 end-use monitoring of the F-16 fighter jets of  Pakistan.

At least 7 dead as quakes shake northern Philippine isles

Two strong earthquakes hours apart struck a group of sparsely populated islands in the Luzon Strait in the northern  Philippines  early Saturday, killing at least seven people, injuring about a dozen and causing substantial damage. Itbayat town Mayor Raul de Sagon said five people died in the first quake and two in the second, and at least 12 were injured.

A Grandmaster for every square: What has Indian chess got right and what can it do better?

When Prithu Gupta became India’s latest Grandmaster (GM) last week, the world did not stop. Just as it doesn’t when an Indian pace bowler clocks 90mph. But it wasn’t always so. An Indian getting a GM title used to be a rare occurrence, like the sighting of a genuine fast bowler this side of the Wagah border. Now, let us take nothing away from Gupta’s feat, which he achieved at the age of 15, that too after beginning to play at nine — about five years later than most of his contemporaries.

Editorial | BJP's second shot at power in Karnataka comes amidst a web of confusion

Giving a second opportunity to a person who could not prove his majority on the floor of the House earlier may seem unusual. And when one remembers that  B.S. Yediyurappa’s last term lasted only three days , it may even seem amusing. However,  Governor Vajubhai Vala’s invitation to Mr. Yediyurappa  to form a government in Karnataka is understandable. A coalition regime has just been voted out. In a House that is only 14 months old, it was to be expected that the Governor would again ask the leader of the largest party to explore the possibility of forming an alternative regime. Yet, questions abound on whether Mr. Yediyurappa should have been in such haste to stake his claim, given that there is profound uncertainty over the status of at least 13 of the legislators, and consequently, about the strength of the House.