AFSPA extended in Manipur for 6 months from October 1 barring 19 police stations of valley
Manipur government has extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 for another six months starting October 1, in all parts of Manipur except 19 police stations in seven districts. The Disturbed Area declaration under AFSPA in Manipur (except Imphal Municipality area) is in operation since 2004. In April 2022, AFSPA was removed from 15 police station areas in six districts and from April 1, the Disturbed Area notification was withdrawn from four other police stations.
Manipur violence | Protests in Imphal for second consecutive day against students’ killings
Protest rallies erupted in Imphal with thousands of students marching towards the centre of the city for the second consecutive day on September 27, protesting the kidnapping and killing of two youths. On the other hand, the women’s wing of Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF), the apex Kuki body, staged a demonstration in Churachandpur against the delay in ordering a CBI inquiry into the killing and rape of tribals during the nearly five-month-long ethnic violence in Manipur. Manipur Police, CRPF and RAF personnel were seen deployed in strength throughout Imphal Valley in anticipation of possible violence.
CJI agrees to list the Chandrababu Naidu case on October 3 after Justice Bhatti recuses
Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud has agreed to list on October 3 a plea by former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for quashing a FIR registered against him in the skill development scam case. Earlier in the day, Justice S.V.N. Bhatti, the Associate Judge on the Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna, recused from hearing the case. The case had been listed for hearing before this Bench on the day.
NIA cracks down on terrorist-gangster-drug smuggler nexus in six States, detains several suspects
The National Investigation Agency has detained several suspects during the searches across six States and one Union Territory as part of the crackdown on the terrorist-gangster-drug smuggler nexus, linked to Canada-based “listed terrorist” Arshdeep Singh Gill aka Arsh Dalla and other gangsters. The raids started in the early hours with the assistance of the local police. The NIA teams zeroed in on 53 locations from where pistols, ammunition and a large number of digital devices were seized. They included places in Punjab’s Amritsar, Moga, Fazilka, Ludhiana, Mohali, Faridkot, Barnala, Bhatinda, Ferozpur, SAS Nagar, Amritsar and Jalandhar.
India will soon emerge as global economic powerhouse: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that his aim is to make India a global growth engine and expressed confidence that the country will soon emerge as an economic powerhouse of the world. Speaking at an event to mark 20 years of success of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, PM Modi said they sowed small seeds of a “Vibrant Gujarat” 20 years ago, and today it has developed into a big tree.
Cauvery row | Karnataka to challenge CWRC direction in Supreme Court
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee’s direction to Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu from September 28 to October 15 would be challenged before the Supreme Court. He said he had discussed the CWRC’s direction issued on September 26 with the legal experts and based on their opinion, Karnataka will be challenging the decision. Meanwhile, the Cauvery Water Management Authority will meet in New Delhi on September 29 to review water availability and Tuesday’s directive of the CWRC to Karnataka to release 3,000 cusecs until October 15. Senior officials in Chennai say Tamil Nadu will continue to press for the release of 12,500 cusecs for the period up to October 15.
Fresh clash along Assam-Meghalaya inter-State border; none injured
A fresh clash occurred at a disputed village along the Assam-Meghalaya inter-State boundary as locals from both sides used bows and arrows and catapults to attack each other, officials said on September 27. However, no injuries were reported in the incident that took place in Lapangap village along the boundary between Meghalaya’s West Jaintia Hills district and Assam’s West Karbi Anglong district on September 26.
Chhattisgarh government withdraws plea against PMLA provisions
The Supreme Court has allowed Chhattisgarh to withdraw its petition challenging the legality of provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. A Division Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and S.V.N. Bhatti allowed the State to bow out. The State’s withdrawal came a day after Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul informed in open court that the Supreme Court has constituted a special three-judge Bench to review a July 2022 judgment which upheld amendments introduced in the PMLA which gave the ED wide powers to arrest and summon individuals and raid private property.
Consumers and food vendors across the country have been urged to immediately stop using newspapers for packing, serving, and storing food items. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued this directive, expressing concern over the health hazards associated with the use of newspapers for wrapping or packaging food. The CEO of FSSAI, G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, said that there are significant health risks associated with this practice, and the move seeks to alert consumers, food vendors and other stakeholders of the dangers.
IAS officer, who emptied Delhi stadium to walk dog, compulsorily retired by government
An IAS officer serving in the Arunachal Pradesh government has been compulsorily retired by the government, sources have said. Rinku Dugga, a 1994-batch AGMUT (Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory) cadre officer, was posted as Principal Secretary, Indigenous Affairs in Arunachal Pradesh. The government has the right to retire any government servant “if it is of the opinion that it is in the public interest to do so”, sources said.
Back-channel talks with China exist, but there is little progress: Tibetan leader
Confirming that a “back-channel” between Tibetan representatives of the Dalai Lama and Chinese representatives exists at present, the Central Tibetan Administration’s (CTA) Sikyong (President or elected leader) said, however, that their talks had not progressed enough to be discussed publicly. In an interview to The Hindu at the headquarters of the CTA, Sikyong Penpa Tsering said that the CTA backs the Dalai Lama’s call for the “Middle Way” that demands more autonomy from China, but not independence, a statement that the spiritual leader repeated to journalists on September 25.
A fire at a wedding hall in northern Iraq kills at least 100 people and injures 150, authorities say
A fire that raced through a hall hosting a Christian wedding in northern Iraq killed at least 100 people and injured 150 others, authorities said on September 27, warning the death toll could rise higher. Television footage showed flames rushing over the wedding hall as the fire took hold. In the blaze’s aftermath, only charred metal and debris could be seen as people walked through the scene of the fire, the only light coming from television cameras and the lights of onlookers’ mobile phones.
26-year-old American CEO found dead in apartment with blunt force trauma
The founder of a Baltimore tech startup, whose professional accomplishments earned her a spot on a Forbes 30 under 30 list earlier this year, was found dead after being reported missing late morning on September 25, according to city police. Pava LaPere, 26, had suffered from blunt force trauma, police said. Public records suggest LaPere was living at the apartment complex where her body was found.
U.S. officials say Travis King, who crossed into North Korea, is in American custody
Pvt. Travis King, the American soldier who crossed into North Korea two months ago, is in U.S. custody, two U.S. officials said September 27. One official said King was transferred to American custody in China. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss King’s status ahead of the announcement. Earlier, North Korea said it would expel King, 23. That announcement surprised some observers who had expected the North to drag out his detention in the hopes of squeezing concessions from Washington at a time of high tensions between the rivals.
Hangzhou Asian Games | Indian women bag 4 medals, including 2 golds, in pistol and rifle events
The Indian women’s shooting contingent had a fruitful day at the Asian Games on September 27, bagging a gold medal in the 25m pistol team event, a silver medal in the women’s 50m rifle 3 position event and gold and bronze in the individual 50m rifle 3 position event. Sift Kaur Samra produced some excellent shooting to claim the gold medal in the individual 50m rifle 3 position event while Ashi Chouksey settled for the bronze.
Hangzhou Asian Games | Indian sailor Vishnu Sarvanan wins bronze
Vishnu Sarvanan secured India a bronze medal in men’s dinghy ILCA-7 event in the Asian Games on September 27. The seasoned sailor, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics, had a net score of 34 to clinch the bronze in a gruelling 11-race competition. Sarvanan, in fact, missed the silver medal by just one point, as South Korea’s Jeemin HA took the second spot with 33 points. Singapore’s Jun Han Ryan Lo claimed the gold with with a net score of 26.
