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

Pakistani terrorist Asif alias Musa, commander of LeT outfit, who was killed in encounter in Budgam in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 30 (NVI) : A top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander, identified as Pakistani national Asif Musa alias Asif Fauji or Moosa, was killed in an overnight operation by security forces in the Yousmarg forests of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, officials said on Wednesday.

The operation was launched in the Korag area of Yousmarg based on specific intelligence inputs, they said.

According to officials, Musa had been active in Jammu and Kashmir for around three years after infiltrating into the territory in September 2023.

He had been operating across the Pir Panjal range, including the dense forests of Poonch, before shifting his activities towards the central Kashmir areas of Budgam and Yousmarg, the officials said.

The officials said a massive search operation had been underway against Musa as he was allegedly involved in several attacks on security forces.

His close associate Yasir alias Abu Talha was killed in an operation in the Budgam forests on September 5, they said.

The Chinar Corps said in a post on X that a joint search operation was launched by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF in the general area of Korag, Yousmarg.

“Vigilant troops observed suspicious activity and upon being challenged, terrorists opened fire, prompting a fierce exchange of gunfire during which one terrorist was neutralised. Operation is in progress,” it said.

Further details about the operation and recovery of arms and ammunition are awaited.—(NVI)

Afghanistan: Pakistan-aided incursions foiled, 41 armed infiltrators killed, 62 nabbed

An infiltrator from Pakistan captured by Afghan forces

Kabul, Sept 30: Afghanistan’s Taliban government tonight announced conclusion of three-day operations to foil Pakistan-aided iinfiltration by a large number of ISIS terrorists and other mercenaries by killing 41 of them and capturing 62 alive.

Around 300 heavily-armed men had attempted to sneak into Afghanistan from Pakistan via the border in Nuristan province on September 27.

These infiltrators were intercepted by the Afghan forces, triggering large-scale and fierce gun battles which went on for three days.

Tonight, the Afghan Ministry of Defence posted on X that the operations conducted against “disruptive elements and ISIS insurgents in Nuristan were concluded”.

It said the insurgents had crossed the Durand Line (border) into Afghan territory in Kamdesh district of Nuristan province “with the support of the Pakistani military regime”.

In the course of these operations, a total of 41 of these disruptive elements and ISIS terrorists were killed while 62 others were captured alive, the ministry said.

It warned that if anyone attempts to do such a thing again, a greater response will be given by the Afghans.

On the first day itself, Afghan forces killed 28 intruders from Pakistan and captured over 30 others after detecting the incursion.

Videos on social media show several men in the custody of Afghan forces stating that they had been trained and sent to Afghanistan by Pakistani intelligence agencies to cause destruction in the country.

The development comes amidst escalating tensions between the two neighbours after Pakistan conducted air strikes in Afghanistan twice a few days back, once targeting the spiritual base of the Taliban regime in Kandahar Province.

The Pakistani air strikes on Thursday killed at least four people, a spokesman for the Afghan Taliban government said and pledged to deliver an “appropriate response”. (NVI)

Encounter in Kashmir: One Terrorist killed by security forces

File Photo

Srinagar, Sep 29 (NVI) Security forces tonight killed a terrorist in an encounter in Kashmir’s Budgam district where one terrorist was killed in a similar gunfight earlier this month.

This evening, security forces received an intelligence input about presence of terrorists in Yousmarg in Budgam district, the Army said.

Based on the input, a joint search operation was launched by the Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF in the area.

On sighting the security forces, terrorists opened fire on the party.

The security forces retaliated and in the ensuing fierce exchange of gunfire, one terrorist was neutralised, the Army said.

The area remains cordoned off and additional security forces have been deployed at the site.

The operation is still underway.

Earlier this month, an encounter took place in the same Yousmarg in Budgam district on September 4, in which one Pakistani terrorist identified as Yasir was killed.

Terrorist killed in Budgam encounter identified as Pakistani national: JK Police

An AK-series rifle along with war-like stores were recovered after that encounter.—(NVI)

Encounter breaks out between security forces and terrorists in Budgam in Kashmir

Shopian
(Representational/file photo)

 

Budgam, Sept 29 (NVI): An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists in Gurwatkalan area of Budgam district on Tuesday evening, officials said.

The operation was launched after security forces established contact with the terrorists in the area. Personnel of 53 Rashtriya Rifles along with other security forces are engaged in the operation, officials said.

Further details are awaited.—(NVI)

Four CISF personnel, including officer, killed in fratricide incident in J&K’s Kathua

Representat

Shivam Bakshi

Jammu, Sept 29 (NVI): Four Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, including an officer, were killed in an alleged fratricide incident in Basohli area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, officials said today.

The incident took place at the Sewa Power Project, they said.

A fratricide incident refers to firing by a member of an armed force against fellow personnel.

Further details are awaited.—(NVI)

DGP Nalin Prabhat Reviews Security Grid, Anti-Terror Operations in J&K’s Rajouri

Shivam Bakshi

Rajouri, Sept 29 (NVI) : Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and IGP Jammu Zone Tejinder Singh on Tuesday reviewed the security situation and anti-terror operations in the border district of Rajouri, officials said.

The senior police officers chaired a security review meeting with senior officers of Rajouri Police and took stock of operational preparedness, intelligence gathering and security measures in the district.

The officers briefed the DGP and IGP on recent operations, the prevailing ground situation and measures being taken to maintain peace and prevent attempts to disrupt normalcy, officials said.

The meeting also focused on strengthening intelligence collection, surveillance and coordination among security forces operating in vulnerable and sensitive areas.

Prabhat stressed the need for continued vigilance, close coordination and effective intelligence sharing among security agencies to meet emerging security challenges.

He also directed officers to maintain a high level of alertness and strengthen field-level preparedness and security arrangements across the district, officials said.

The senior officers also reviewed operational requirements and measures to further strengthen the security grid in the border district.—(NVI)

Bank of India launches pre-set auto-debit facility for customers

Bank of India

Mumbai, Sept 28: State-owned Bank of India (BOI) has launched a User-Level Programmable CBDC and Auto Issuance which lets a user schedule automatic issuance of digital rupee (e₹) to a beneficiary’s wallet, at a set amount and frequency, while defining the purpose the funds can be used for.

It is built in line with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) guidelines.

A user, instead of authorizing the same transfer by hand every month, configures it once. The system handles the recurrence, and the funds carry their intended use with them.

A parent supporting a child studying in another city can replace the manual monthly transfer with a standing instruction: a fixed sum, credited to the child’s e₹ wallet on the same date each month, spendable on tuition, meals and the other education expenses the parent approved in advance.

Key capabilities

  • User-level programmability of the digital rupee, configurable by the account holder rather than the issuing bank.
  • Auto Issuance of a predefined amount to a beneficiary’s CBDC wallet at a set frequency — no manual initiation required.
  • Purpose-based usage controls, so recipients spend within the parameters the sender defines.
  • Full automation of recurring payments without the sender giving up oversight of how the funds are used.
  • Built-in support for allowances, education expenses and other recurring, purpose-bound payments.

“User-level programmability gives customers greater flexibility and control over recurring payments. Auto Issuance further simplifies the experience by removing the need to manually initiate the same payment every month,” said Ashutosh Mishra, General Manager & CTO, Bank of India.

“This marks another important step in Bank of India’s digital rupee journey, implemented in collaboration with Montran India,” he said.

“Programmability turns the digital rupee from a payment instrument into a policy tool,” said Julie Esca, Chief Executive Officer of Montran India, the company which has built the platform.

“Bank of India can now issue e₹ automatically and attach real usage conditions to it. That is a meaningfully different capability than a wallet-to-wallet transfer, and it points to where CBDC is headed in India,” she said.

It is a programmable, purpose-bound instrument that fits how Indian households already move money for school fees, allowances and recurring family expenses. (NVI)

J&K to offer 100 government services through WhatsApp

Srinagar, Sep 29 (NVI) Jammu and Kashmir is set to offer 100 frequently accessed government services through WhatsApp as part of an initiative to make public service delivery more accessible and reduce the need for physical visits to government offices, officials said on Tuesday.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo reviewed the preparedness of the Information Technology Department for the early rollout of an AI-powered conversational messaging platform that will enable citizens to access government services through WhatsApp, an official statement said.

The platform will allow users to apply for services, track applications, submit documents, make payments and receive official communications without downloading separate applications or navigating multiple government portals.

The first phase will cover 100 high-footfall services from various departments, including issuance of income, domicile, caste, EWS and RBA certificates and access to land records such as Fard, Girdawari, Jamabandi and Mutation.

Services related to driving licences, vehicle ownership transfers, e-challans and fancy vehicle number e-auctions are also proposed to be integrated.

The platform will also provide access to birth and death certificates, commercial establishment NOCs, building permissions, social welfare schemes, scholarships, electricity and water bill payments, ration card modifications, agricultural schemes, JKSSB registrations and pilgrimage-related services, the statement said.

The proposed Multi-Channel Conversational Messaging API Solution will use generative artificial intelligence to provide an integrated and multilingual interface in Urdu, Hindi and English.

Dulloo directed the IT Department to coordinate with line departments to expedite backend integration and ensure seamless delivery of services.

He also called for performance benchmarking, user acceptance testing and adequate training of government employees before the rollout.

The chief secretary said the initiative should simplify government-citizen interactions, reduce procedural complexities and particularly benefit people in rural and remote areas, including those with low-bandwidth internet connectivity.

Commissioner Secretary, IT, Saurabh Bhagat said Jammu and Kashmir currently offers 1,710 e-services through digital platforms such as e-UNNAT, ServicePlus and Revenue Plus.

The proposed platform will have a one-time registration and single sign-on mechanism, along with a unified citizen database for integration with the Family ID system.

Other features include AI-assisted conversational interfaces, optical character recognition-based document processing, secure payment gateway integration and automated grievance escalation.

A dedicated system integrator has already been onboarded through the National e-Governance Division empanelment framework for implementation of the project.

JK SAMADHAN 2.0, the government’s public grievance redressal platform, has been selected as the first service for integration, and a functional multilingual demonstration has already been developed, officials said.

The meeting was attended by senior officers of the IT Department, administrative departments, deputy commissioners, the National e-Governance Division, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the National Informatics Centre.—(NVI)

Border Youth Must Get Equal Access to Education, Opportunities: J&K LG Sinha

Srinagar, Sep 29 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday called for greater focus on education, entrepreneurship, sports, culture and mentorship to empower youth in border areas and enable them to pursue their aspirations with confidence.

Addressing a felicitation ceremony for meritorious students organised by Wadies Hindi Shiksha Samiti in collaboration with the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Sinha said the younger generation is the torchbearer of India’s rich tradition of knowledge, literature and culture.

Congratulating the students, teachers, parents and organisers, he said the mother tongue is not merely a medium of communication but is linked to identity, memory and cultural heritage.

Sinha said Jammu and Kashmir’s linguistic diversity reflects India’s shared cultural heritage and noted that the National Education Policy places emphasis on early education in the mother tongue and Indian languages.

“The real development of Jammu Kashmir will come when a child in our border villages can say with confidence, ‘I can fulfil my dreams’,” he said.

The LG outlined five key areas for youth empowerment in border areas — education and technology, employment and entrepreneurship, sports and culture, access to opportunities, and guidance and mentorship.

He called for smart classrooms, digital libraries and skill-development opportunities to be extended to remote villages.

“We must create opportunities for youth in handicrafts, horticulture, agriculture, tourism, and local industries so that they become not just job-seekers but also job-creators,” Sinha said.

He also stressed that scholarships, digital platforms, training programmes and national and international competition opportunities should be made accessible to youth living in border areas.

Officials should ensure that professionals from Jammu and Kashmir visit such students at least twice a year or provide them mentorship through programmes in Srinagar or Jammu, he said.

Urging students to take pride in their language and culture while embracing science, technology and modern knowledge, Sinha said every student possesses a special ability and should transform it into a responsibility.

He also appreciated the efforts of Wadies Hindi Shiksha Samiti in promoting the Hindi language and wished the students a bright future.

Principal Secretary, Culture Department, Brij Mohan Sharma, Commissioner Secretary, School Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg, SSP Srinagar G V Sundeep Chakravarthy, Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo and Secretary JKAACL Harvinder Kour, among others, attended the event.—(NVI)

Navy must enhance maritime surveillance amid growing complexity: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Sep 29 (NVI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India has emerged as a “first responder” and “preferred security partner” in the Indian Ocean Region, and called for upgrading the country’s maritime surveillance and response mechanisms amid growing challenges at sea.

Addressing the second edition of the Indian Navy’s biannual Commanders’ Conference here, Singh said the presence of Indian warships in the South China Sea, Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean demonstrates the country’s blue-water naval capability.

“Today, issues such as congestion, deception and gray-zone activities have made our maritime domain far more complex than ever before. Hence, we must elevate our monitoring and response mechanisms to a new level,” he said.

Singh said the Indian Navy has a crucial role in ensuring strategic depth and regional power projection, and urged it to remain a future-ready, combat-ready and globally respected force.

He said the Navy is a strategic anchor in the government’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, going beyond protection of maritime boundaries to strengthening economic security, regional stability and India’s power projection.

Highlighting the Navy’s role during the recent West Asia crisis, Singh said ensuring the safe transit of Indian-flagged merchant vessels, particularly LPG tankers, through the Strait of Hormuz under Operation Urja Suraksha was an important achievement.

India imports around 85-90 per cent of its crude oil and nearly 50 per cent of its natural gas through maritime routes, making the security of sea lanes critical to the country’s economy, energy supplies and defence preparedness, he said.

Singh also highlighted the Navy’s contribution to defence self-reliance, saying warships commissioned recently have more than 75 per cent indigenous content.

“India must not only meet its own requirements but also export its warships to friendly foreign nations,” he said.

The Defence Minister called for a significant upgrade of the country’s maritime surveillance architecture, saying the growing volume and complexity of maritime traffic required enhanced analytical capabilities.

He described 2026 as a “historic year” for the Navy, with 18 warships planned for induction or commissioning, which would constitute the largest single-year force accretion in its history.

Singh also commended the Navy’s efforts towards women’s empowerment and innovation under the “All Ranks, All Roles” approach, including the deployment of women officers on frontline warships and aircraft.

He congratulated the Navy on assuming command of Combined Task Force-154 under the Combined Maritime Forces and highlighted Operation Southern Readiness conducted in Kochi during India’s command tenure.

The exercise involved 276 personnel from 27 countries, 76 facilitators and subject-matter experts, and four international organisations, he said.

Singh also highlighted the deployment of INS Sudarshini for Lokayan-26, saying it strengthened India’s maritime diplomacy and engagement with the Indian diaspora across the US, Atlantic and Mediterranean regions while showcasing the country’s maritime heritage.

Concluding his address, Singh said India’s maritime power was aimed not merely at displaying the national flag at sea but at ensuring that wherever the Tricolour is seen, it conveys security, trust and confidence.

“If the seas are secure, India will be secure; and if India is secure, the resolve for a Viksit Bharat will be further strengthened,” he said.

The three-day conference, being held from September 29 to October 1, brings together the top leadership of the Navy to review operational preparedness, maritime security and future capability development.

Singh also interacted with Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi during the conference.—(NVI)

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