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ACB Traps Deputy Director Agriculture In Srinagar, ₹50,000 Bribe

Srinagar, Oct 1 (NVI) : The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has arrested a Deputy Director of Agriculture Law Enforcement and his alleged tout for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000 from a seed dealer here, officials said on Thursday.

The accused official has been identified as Naseer Ahmad Khan, Deputy Director Agriculture Law Enforcement, while his alleged tout is Mohd Owais Bhat, a resident of Qamarwari, they said.

According to the ACB, a complaint was received alleging that Khan had demanded Rs 2 lakh from a seed dealer for allowing him to sell plant seeds at his shop.

The complainant had already paid Rs 1 lakh under alleged pressure, following which the remaining amount was to be paid in two instalments of Rs 50,000 each, the agency said.

After the complainant approached the ACB, the allegations were verified and a case was registered under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, officials said.

A trap was laid on September 30, during which Khan and Bhat were allegedly caught red-handed while demanding and accepting Rs 50,000 from the complainant, they said.

The tainted money was recovered from their possession and both accused were arrested on the spot, the ACB said.

The accused were subsequently subjected to medico-legal formalities and lodged at Police Station Shaheed Gunj in Srinagar, it said.

Further investigation into the case is underway, officials added.—(NVI)

EOW Kashmir Chargesheets Pulwama Man Over Fake LG Letter

Srinagar, Oct 1 (NVI): The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a chargesheet against a Pulwama resident for allegedly forging the signature and letterhead of the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor and impersonating him to influence the Anantnag Police, officials said on Thursday.

The chargesheet has been filed before the court of the Sub-Judge, Srinagar, in FIR No. 29/2026 registered under Sections 204, 319(2), 336(2) and 340(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Saqlain Mushtaq Dar, son of Mushtaq Ahmad Dar, a resident of Deeri in Pulwama, the EOW said in a statement.

The case pertains to a purported communication addressed to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Anantnag, in which the accused allegedly impersonated the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the EOW, the communication was prepared using a counterfeit official letterhead and a forged signature and was allegedly intended to unlawfully influence the functioning of the Anantnag district police administration.

During the investigation, the allegations and evidence collected were found to substantiate the commission of offences under the relevant provisions of the BNS, the agency said.

The investigation was accordingly concluded as “proved” and the chargesheet presented before the court for judicial determination, it said.

The EOW advised people to remain vigilant against attempts involving impersonation of public authorities and the fabrication or use of forged letters, official letterheads, documents and signatures.

It urged people to verify the authenticity of suspicious communications purportedly issued by government authorities or public officials and report such instances to the Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch, Jammu and Kashmir.—(NVI)

Govt issues advisory to Indians against joining Russian military

India Responds to Trump’s ‘Hell-Hole’ Remark: MEA Issues Statement
External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal (file pic)

New Delhi, Sept 30: The government of India on Wednesday issued an advisory, cautioning countrymen about risks and dangers in joining the Russian military which is currently engaged in a conflict with Ukraine.

“We are continuing to see reports about Indian nationals recruited into the Russian armed forces. Government has on several occasions over the past two years underlined the risks and dangers inherent in this course of action and advised Indian citizens from time to time to be cautious while pursuing job opportunities abroad and not get lured by any job offers from unverified individuals,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in its travel advisory.

The advisory added: “We have also come across numerous instances wherein individuals are willingly seeking out offers to join the Russian armed forces with an understanding that they would be able to avail concomitant monetary benefits, and later secure release by approaching the Indian Government. It is reiterated that this is a dangerous path and is strongly discouraged by the Government.”

The advisory also said that a number of Indian nationals have been lured into taking up Russian citizenship for “short-term monetary benefits,” and urged against subscribing to such practices as well.

At least 49 were killed in the conflict, while the status of over 20 nationals remain unclear, and are considered as missing.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week at the United Nations General Assembly had said that citizens from 47 countries have fought for Russia in the ongoing war with Ukraine.

The almost half-a-decade long war has seen the frontlines remain largely frozen in eastern Ukraine, while the two sides have intensified air strikes and drone strikes in recent months. (NVI)

Windfall tax on export of diesel & ATF reduced from October 1

Representational Image

New Delhi, Oct 1: The government has reduced the windfall tax on export of diesel and Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), with effect from October 1.

According to a government order issued on Wednesday, the duty on diesel exports has been cut to Rs 16 per litre from Rs 20 per litre, while the levy on exports of aviation turbine fuel has been reduced to Rs 10.5 per litre from Rs 15 per litre.

The government, however, has kept the duty on petroleum exports unchanged at Rs 0.5 per litre.

The changes come as India continues to adjust taxes on petroleum product exports in response to international oil market conditions and domestic considerations.  (NVI)

Iranian boat with drugs seized near Lakshadweep, 5 Pakistanis held

Boat with drugs seized. 5 Pakistanis held

New Delhi, Sept 30: Indian security forces have seized an Iranian dhow, carrying heroin and methamphetamine worth Rs 3,000 crore and arrested 5 Pakistani nationals.

The dhow (traditional boat) was seized by a joint team of the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Indian Coast Guard (ICJ) in the Arabian Sea, west of Lakshadweep.

The operation culminating in the seizure and arrest of five Pakistani nationals, took over 16 days and involved a team of about 30 officers, officials said today.

The joint operation by Gujarat ATS, the Indian Coast Guard, and central intelligence agencies led to the seizure of 526 kg of methamphetamine and heroin from an Iranian boat inside India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), 160 nautical miles northwest of Lakshadweep and 490 nautical miles southwest of Mumbai.

The Indian Coast Guard said in a statement that in an intelligence-led joint operation with ATS Gujarat and the Central Intelligence Agency, Coast Guard units found a suspicious Iranian dhow in the Arabian Sea, west of Lakshadweep.

“Positive detection, sustained tracking and a hot pursuit culminated in tactical boarding, successfully neutralising a major transnational narco-smuggling vector,” the ICG said in a statement.

The operation resulted in the seizure of 526 kg of high-grade heroin and methamphetamine valued at over Rs 3,000 crore, alongside the apprehension of five Pakistani crew members, the statement said.

The apprehended vessel and crew have been escorted to Mumbai for multi-agency investigations and subsequent prosecution.

Gujarat ATS sources said an inspector-level officer received a tip-off on 10 September that a “Nigerian national had held a meeting through an intermediary in Ahmedabad regarding a drug transaction”.

The investigation revealed that “during the meeting, an order was placed for approximately 500 kg of methamphetamine and heroin to be transported aboard the Iranian boat Azad”. ATS sources said the consignment was to be delivered to a “Tamil Nadu-based boat in Indian territorial waters within the Mumbai–Kochi–Lakshadweep region”.

“An advance payment for the drugs had already been dispatched via hawala channels, with the remaining balance to be settled through hawala once delivery was completed,” sources said.

Given the scale of the shipment, “the conspirators planned to unload the narcotics along the Tamil Nadu coastline, split it into smaller batches, and transport it by land to deliver to the Nigerian national in Punjab”.

According to police sources, a wanted narcotic smuggler, identified as Haji Salim, and his associates arranged to send the consignment aboard the Azad in about a fortnight.

“The boat’s tandel, or captain, was reportedly to use a Starlink device,” said the police, adding that it was done to evade interception by using satellite connectivity to communicate at sea where standard telecom networks are unavailable.

After the initial input was brought to the notice of senior Gujarat ATS officials, they coordinated with the Indian Coast Guard Headquarters in Delhi, sending teams to Kochi, Kerala. At Kochi, ATS officers met with senior Coast Guard officials to form a joint operational team, police said.

Boarding a Coast Guard vessel, the team deployed to the target maritime zone to conduct surveillance and inspect suspicious vessels. “For 16 days, officers remained on the high seas, taking shifts around the clock to scan every vessel in search of the target Iranian dhow,” said another ATS source.

On 25 September 2026, the suspect vessel was spotted in Indian territorial waters west of Lakshadweep. The Coast Guard vessel intercepted and stopped the dhow, allowing joint ATS and Coast Guard teams to board and conduct a search. The vessel was subsequently brought to Mumbai.

Five Pakistani nationals aboard the Azad —identified as Mohammad Yakub Balochi, Shakirullah, Faridullah, Ahmed Khan, and Wahidullah Khan, all residents of Peshawar, Pakistan—were arrested. (NVI)

Indian sailor killed, another injured in attack on ship by pirates near Somalia

representative pic

New Delhi, Sept 30: An Indian sailor was among five crew members killed and another compatriot was injured by pirates who hijacked their fuel tanker near Somalia, officials said.

The Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF), the military service of Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland, said the Indian, along with 3 Pakistanis and one Myanmar national were killed early yesterday, before its forces launched an operation to secure the Palau-flagged tanker MT Honour 25.

One Indian and 3 Pakistani crew members were also wounded, news portal Somalia Today reported.

PMPF blamed the deaths on the Somali pirates holding the vessel off the coast of Puntland but did not provide details on how or when the crew members were killed.

As per BBC Somali, the crew comprised 10 Pakistanis, four Indonesians, one Indian, one Sri Lankan and a Myanmar national.

PMPF in a social media post on Tuesday said it “carried out a maritime operation off the coast of Dharin-baar, Bandar Beyla District, successfully rescuing the MT Honour 25 oil tanker, which had been hijacked by pirates”.

The vessel is now safe and under Puntland government control, it said, adding that during the operation, 16 suspected pirates were apprehended, while operations to locate the remaining members continue.

Citing authorities, The Daily Somali news outlet said the pirates initially offered to surrender while concealing the crew’s deaths.

The commercial vessel, carrying 18,500 barrels of fuel bound for Mogadishu, was hijacked by pirates on April 21, it said.

In another development, Somali pirates on Tuesday released a Togo-flagged tanker after holding it off Puntland’s Karkaar region, the report said.

Nearly 30 armed pirates disembarked, handing over all 12 crew members, comprising eight Egyptians and four Indians, unharmed to local community, it said, adding that the pirates damaged the vessel, MT Eureka, and set parts of it ablaze before fleeing.

“Hijacked on May 2 off Yemen’s Port of Qana while carrying 20,400 barrels of fuel, the tanker had substantial amounts of its cargo siphoned and sold off at sea during its months in captivity. The crew members are now in the care of local residents in the Hul-Aanood area,” the report said. (NVI)

Green Energy Corridor Proposal approved by Union Cabinet

Adani Green Energy project
New Delhi, Sept 30: The Union Cabinet today approved the ₹1.86 trillion Green Energy Corridor Phase-III (GEC-III) scheme for development of intra-state transmission system with Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
It is aimed at strengthening the country’s intra-state transmission system (InSTS) to enable the evacuation of 135 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy and facilitate grid integration.

 

The scheme also provides for the deployment of 50 gigawatt hours (GWh) of BESS at the renewable energy developer and generator end, or any other location of importance for grid flexibility, to address intermittency, congestion, peak-hour curtailment and meet demand during non-solar hours.

 

“The scheme is targeted to be set up by 2032-33 with a total project outlay of ₹1,86,405 crore, comprising ₹1,36,378 crore for the development of Intra-State Transmission Systems (InSTS) under GEC-III and ₹50,000 crore for 50 GWh of BESS,” said a statement issued by the official spokesman.

 

The renewable energy ministry said the programme is estimated to leverage around ₹1.32 lakh crore of investment, besides enabling investment associated with 135 GW of renewable energy, estimated at ₹4.6 lakh crore, along with additional investment in BESS and Pumped Storage Projects (PSP).
The government said the scheme will generate significant employment in the power, manufacturing and construction sectors. BESS manufacturing and deployment will additionally generate employment in the domestic energy storage industry.

 

The scheme involves a total Central Financial Support of ₹54,082 crore. The Central Financial Assistance (CFA) will help offset intra-state transmission charges and thus keep power costs down.
This includes ₹45,005 crore for intra-State transmission systems, ₹6,000 crore for BESS through Viability Gap Funding (VGF), ₹3,050 crore towards committed liabilities of earlier phases, and ₹27 crore for programme management and grid studies.

 

Under the scheme, all greenfield projects under the InSTS component will be implemented through the Tariff-Based Competitive Bidding (TBCB) mode, while brownfield upgradation and network-strengthening works will be executed on a Cost-Plus Basis (CPB).

 

State Transmission Utilities will be the overall implementing agencies, while Transmission Service Providers (TSPs) will participate under the TBCB on a build-own-operate-maintain (BOOM) model.

 

The scheme is expected to help achieve the target of 900 GW of installed non-fossil capacity by 2035. It will also contribute to the country’s long-term energy security and promote ecologically sustainable growth by reducing its carbon footprint.

 

The government is working on a target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel-based installed electricity generation capacity by 2030 and 786 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2035-36.
For this, the availability of generation capacity must be matched by adequate transmission capacity, grid flexibility and storage.
The principle underlying GEC-III is that transmission must precede renewable energy generation. (NVI)

Terrorist Killed in Kashmir Encounter was Ex-Soldier of Pakistan Army

Body of Pakistani terrorist Musa alias Fauji after encounter in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sept 30: The Pakistani terrorist who was killed in an encounter in Kashmir this morning was a former commando of Pakistan Army and responsible for several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since 2023.

Mohd Asif alias Moosa, who was also known by the name of Asif Fauji because of his military background, was gunned down in a gunfight with security forces last night in Yousmarg area of Budgam district in Kashmir. The body was recovered this morning after which the identification was made.

He was a commander of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist outfit.

He was involved in several terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, including one on an IAF convoy in Jammu region and another on a bus of Vaishno Devi pilgrims in Reasi in Jammu region, both in 2024.

Musa originally hailed from Dhok Milyar in Attock in Pakistan’s Punjab province and his family currently lives in Rawalpindi, near Pakistan’s capital Islamabad.

He had infiltrated into Jammu & Kashmir in 2023 at the behest of Pakistan Army to hold responsibilities of LeT.

Top LeT Commander Killed In J&K’s Budgam Operation was Pakistani national Musa

Prior to that, 1980 born had served in Pakistan Army from where he retired on March 31, 2023 as Havildar. The retirement age of Havildar in the Pakistan Army is 38 years.

He was in the Special Services Group (SSG) of Pakistan Army and even had a stint in the protective unit of former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf.

As a regular of Pakistan Army, Musa also in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was part of army detachment involved in Zarb-e-Azb operation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. (NVI)

Over 1.36 Lakh Public Grievances Disposed Of In J&K

Srinagar, Sep 30 (NVI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Wednesday reviewed the public grievance redressal mechanism across the Union Territory, with a focus on the quality and timeliness of disposal of complaints and citizen satisfaction.

The review meeting assessed the performance of various departments and district administrations and discussed measures to make the grievance redressal system more responsive, transparent and citizen-centric.

Dulloo said the success of the grievance redressal mechanism should be measured by the quality of resolution and the satisfaction of complainants.

He directed departments and district administrations to resolve public grievances promptly and effectively, and stressed that citizen feedback should be used as an important benchmark to assess their performance.

The Chief Secretary also called for identifying the reasons behind delays and addressing recurring grievances to strengthen public trust in the administration.

Commissioner Secretary, Public Grievances, Saurabh Bhagat made a detailed presentation on the functioning of JK Samadhan and the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS).

According to the data presented at the meeting, 1,60,685 grievances had been received through the two platforms as of September 25, 2026. Of these, 1,36,977 had been redressed or closed, registering an overall disposal rate of 85 per cent, while 23,708 complaints were under process.

JK Samadhan accounted for 1,40,101 grievances, of which 1,24,534 had been disposed of, achieving a disposal rate of 89 per cent. Another 15,567 grievances were under process.

CPGRAMS received 20,584 grievances, with 12,443 disposed of and 8,141 awaiting resolution.

The review also covered citizen feedback, with the department analysing 5,239 responses to assess the quality and timeliness of grievance resolution.

The meeting was informed that 15,75,457 households had been registered on JK Samadhan against a target of 22,49,631 households across Jammu and Kashmir, representing 70 per cent coverage as of September 24.

The administration is also working on upgrading JK Samadhan through technological interventions, including artificial intelligence-based features and predictive analytics in collaboration with BISAG-N.

The department has initiated the process for an MoU to replicate relevant features of Rajasthan’s grievance redressal model in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Another proposed initiative is the integration of JK Samadhan 2.0 with WhatsApp, which would allow citizens to access grievance redressal services through the messaging platform.

The meeting was attended by Administrative Heads of departments, Divisional Commissioners of Jammu and Kashmir, Deputy Commissioners, senior officials of NIC and Heads of Departments, besides a team from BISAG-N.—(NVI)

LG Sinha Hails Army’s Operation Drishti, 364 Regain Vision in J&K

Srinagar, Sep 30 (NVI): Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday lauded the Indian Army’s healthcare outreach in Jammu and Kashmir, saying 364 people regained their vision following eye surgeries conducted under Operation Drishti in Srinagar and Tangdhar.

Sinha attended the closing ceremony of the 11th Mega Eye Surgery Camp organised under Operation Drishti in Srinagar.

A total of 144 surgeries were performed at the Srinagar camp, while 220 patients underwent vision-restoring procedures at Tangdhar in Kupwara district, officials said.

The LG praised the Army, doctors of the Armed Forces Medical Services and support staff for conducting the surgeries, particularly in the difficult terrain of Tangdhar.

He said the Tangdhar camp was the first mega eye surgery camp conducted along the border and described it as a “historic milestone”.

“Those who have seen Tangdhar’s geographical conditions understand that reaching there with assistance is itself a challenge. One must cross mountains, traverse difficult terrain and at times advance even amidst danger,” Sinha said.

He said modern surgical equipment was airlifted to Tangdhar, enabling advanced eye-care facilities for people from Khawarpora, Tangdhar, Bagbella and adjoining villages.

The LG said the surgeries were not merely medical statistics but had transformed the lives of beneficiaries by restoring their vision, dignity and hope.

At the national level, more than 1.5 lakh people have undergone eye examinations and over 3,500 surgeries have been performed across 10 cities under Operation Drishti, he said.

Sinha said the Army was not only responsible for defending the country but also played an important role in providing healthcare and support to people in Jammu and Kashmir.

He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and appreciated the efforts of Brigadier Sanjay Kumar Mishra and his team.

He also acknowledged the contribution of Air Force pilots, soldiers and support staff involved in transporting equipment, preparing facilities and facilitating the surgeries in challenging conditions.

The LG said the 11th camp in Srinagar was not the end of Operation Drishti and expressed confidence that the initiative would reach more villages and towns across the country.

During the event, Sinha felicitated doctors and medical staff of the Defence forces and distributed post-operative kits among beneficiaries.

GOC Chinar Corps Lt Gen Balbir Singh, Senior Consultant and Head of Ophthalmology at Army Hospital (R&R) Brig Sanjay Kumar Mishra, Commandant 92 Base Hospital Brig B V Rao and senior civil and defence officials were present at the event.—(NVI)

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