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Five IAF personnel killed in plane crash in Assam

Site of crash of IAF transport plane in Jorhat in Assam

Guwahati, June 13:  In a tragic accident, 5 personnel of the Indian Air Force (IAF), including a senior officer, were killed today after their AN-32 transport aircraft crashed while landing at the Jorhat Airbase in Assam.

The co-pilot survived the crash and is currently undergoing treatment.

In a statement, IAF said a Court of Inquiry has been ordered to determine the cause of the crash.

The deceased personnel were:

  • Squadron Leader Prashant Singh
  • Flight Lieutenant Shubham Kumar
  • Sergeant Jitendra Sharma
  • Agniveervayu Khemaram Kumawat
  • Agniveervayu Danish Alam

The IAF said it extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and stands firmly with them in this hour of grief.

According to reports, the aircraft caught fire after landing.

Firefighting teams were rushed to the spot immediately after the incident. (NVI)

Electricity bills in Delhi to increase

Power Ministry

New Delhi, June 13: Electricity bill in Delhi is going to increase if the consumption is more than 500 units as the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) has allowed power distribution companies to recover a higher Power Purchase Adjustment Charge (PPAC).

It will mainly affect consumers who are not covered under the Delhi government’s electricity subsidy schemes.

Consumers receiving either full or 50 per cent subsidy will not face any additional burden, according to the government.

“There is a provision under the law to increase PPAC. Therefore, DERC has approved the increase. Fuel prices have risen because of the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, and that has increased costs for power companies,” Delhi Power Minister Ashish Sood said.

Till March this year, Delhi’s fuel and power purchase adjustment charge was imposed on a quarterly basis.

However, from the April billing cycle, DERC has shifted to a monthly review and recovery mechanism.

This is the first such monthly order issued by the regulator.

Under the new order, power distribution companies will be allowed to recover a larger share of the additional costs incurred while purchasing electricity.

According to Sood, the PPAC being recovered from consumers was around 14.5 per cent earlier and has now increased to 17.9 per cent, translating into an increase of about 3.4 percentage points.

Implications

The biggest impact is expected on consumers who are outside the subsidy framework and those with higher electricity consumption.

Officials said households receiving electricity subsidies from the Delhi government will continue to get the benefit because the subsidy is linked to units consumed rather than the bill amount.

As a result, consumers receiving full or 50 per cent subsidy are unlikely to see any impact from the latest PPAC revision.

However, households consuming more than 500 units of electricity a month could see higher bills depending on their usage and applicable surcharge.

Reason

There are three power distribution companies (Discoms) in Delhi — BSES Rajdhani Power Limited (BRPL), BSES Yamuna Power Limited (BYPL) of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Power and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL).

All these privately-owned companies approached DERC, a nodal body responsible for overseeing power-related matters in the capital.

These companies sought relaxation from the existing 10 per cent cap on fuel and power purchase adjustment surcharge recovery.

According to the regulator’s order, the FPPAS for April stood at 31.5 per cent for BRPL, 35.26 per cent for BYPL and 16 per cent for TPDDL.

DERC, however, did not permit full recovery. Instead, it allowed BRPL to recover an additional 7.94 per cent surcharge and BYPL an additional 7.43 per cent surcharge. TPDDL was allowed to recover the full 16 per cent FPPAS.

As a result, the total surcharge permitted for recovery now stands at 17.94 per cent for BRPL, 17.43 per cent for BYPL and 16 per cent for TPDDL.

The regulator said the relaxation was intended to help power companies recover a reasonable portion of the increase in electricity purchase costs.

How Long?

The DERC has clarified that the relaxation will continue on a month-to-month basis until further orders.

The regulator has also allowed unrecovered surcharge amounts from previous months to be recovered gradually in future billing cycles, subject to the prescribed limits.

The decision has effectively introduced a new monthly review system for power purchase cost recovery in Delhi, making future electricity bills more closely linked to fluctuations in fuel and electricity procurement costs. (NVI)

EOW Conducts Searches in Shopian, Pulwama in DOB Manipulation Case

Srinagar, Jun 13 (NVI): The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch Kashmir on Saturday conducted searches at the office and residence of a senior health official in connection with an alleged date-of-birth manipulation case aimed at securing undue service benefits, officials said.

The searches were carried out in Shopian and Pulwama districts as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations of fraudulent insertion and alteration of date-of-birth entries in official service records, they said.

According to officials, the EOW teams searched the office of the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) in Shopian and his residence in the Thamuna area of Pulwama district after registering an FIR under relevant provisions of law.

The searches were conducted in accordance with legal procedures and in the presence of independent witnesses, officials said.

Documents and other materials relevant to the investigation were seized and are being examined to ascertain the extent of the alleged irregularities and identify those involved, they added.

The Crime Branch has urged the public to remain vigilant against economic offences and report instances of fraud to the Senior Superintendent of Police, Economic Offences Wing, Kashmir.

Further investigation in the case is underway, officials said (NVI)

Armed Forces Must Be Mentally Ready for Any Form of Warfare: Rajnath Singh

Hyderabad, June 13 (NVI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said emerging technologies have transformed the nature of warfare, making it imperative for armed forces personnel to remain prepared for evolving and unconventional threats.

Addressing the Combined Graduation Parade at the Indian Air Force Academy in Hyderabad, Singh said the traditional battlefield advantage once enjoyed by major powers is diminishing as smaller nations are increasingly capable of inflicting significant damage through advanced weaponry and modern military tactics.

“Earlier, it seemed that big powers had a decisive edge on the battlefield. But now, even smaller powers can cause heavy losses with their small but dangerous weapons and new tactics. My purpose in telling you all this is that you should be mentally ready for any form of warfare,” he said.

The Defence Minister noted that rapid technological advancements have fundamentally altered warfare, requiring military personnel to adapt continuously to emerging security challenges.

Congratulating the newly commissioned officers, including women pilots inducted into the Indian Air Force, Singh said their inclusion would further strengthen the force and reflect India’s commitment to greater gender representation in the armed services.

He said the induction of women officers has made the Air Force more balanced, robust and representative of the country’s inclusive values.

Highlighting the role of the Indian Air Force beyond combat operations, Singh praised its contribution to humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and evacuation missions involving Indian and foreign nationals.

Such operations, he said, have showcased India’s values, culture and commitment to global humanitarian responsibilities.

Urging the young officers to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, discipline and dedication, the Defence Minister said they would serve the nation in an increasingly complex and technology-driven security environment. (NVI)

DRDO Successfully Tests Advanced Missile Defence, Anti-Ship Missile Systems

New Delhi, June 13 (NVI): Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully demonstrated a series of advanced defence technologies, including a multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system and a Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR), significantly enhancing India’s strategic defence capabilities.

According to officials, three consecutive flight-tests were conducted on June 10 and 11 to validate India’s capability to counter a range of aerial threats, including long-range ballistic missiles and hostile naval targets.

The multi-layered BMD system successfully intercepted and destroyed designated targets during the trials, demonstrating its effectiveness against emerging missile threats. Officials said the successful tests place India among a select group of nations possessing the capability to engage ballistic missile threats, including those comparable to Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).

In a separate milestone, DRDO also successfully carried out the maiden flight-test of the Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Medium Range (NASM-MR), designed to strengthen the Indian Armed Forces’ maritime strike capabilities.

Senior officials from DRDO and the armed forces witnessed the trials.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO and all stakeholders involved in the successful demonstrations, describing the achievements as a major boost to India’s defence preparedness.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh closely monitored the tests and commended the collective efforts of DRDO scientists, industry partners and the armed forces in achieving the successful outcomes.

The successful trials are expected to further strengthen India’s indigenous defence technology base and enhance its ability to counter evolving security challenges. — (NVI)

Balochistan: Civilian houses burnt, families abused by Pakistani soldiers

Quetta (Balochistan), June 12: Pakistani forces today committed widespread acts of violence against the civilian population in parts of occupied Balochistan, setting dozens of houses ablaze and looting valuables like gold and money.

The Pakistani forces also subjected women, children and elderly civilians to physical abuse and intimidation in Tump district, according to Baloch Women Front (BWF).

“The deliberate targeting of civilian communities, the destruction of private property and the mistreatment of vulnerable populations constitute serious violations of human rights,” it said.

“We strongly condemn the military operation,” said a statement issued by BWF Central Spokesperson.

“These actions constitute a grave violation of fundamental human rights and represent a deeply troubling practice of collective punishment, the militarization of civilian spaces and the erosion of the rule of law,” the statement said.

“Such measures not only inflict immediate suffering on affected families but also contribute to growing insecurity, social instability and political marginalization,” the BWF said.

“We call for the immediate cessation of all actions that endanger civilian lives and demand an independent, transparent and impartial investigation into the reported abuses. Those responsible for any unlawful conduct must be held accountable through due process,” it said.

Furthermore, affected families must be provided with protection, restitution and access to justice, the statement said.

“The international community, human rights mechanisms, civil society organizations and democratic institutions must urgently take notice of the situation in Kech Balochistan and press for accountability, transparency and the protection of civilian populations.

“Silence in the face of such allegations risks emboldening further abuses and perpetuating impunity,” it said. (NVI)

Balochistan: BLA says it controlled highways, destroyed 36 vehicles ferrying resources

Site of attack by BLA in Quetta in Balochistan on May 24
Vehicles destroyed by BLA (file pic)

Quetta (Balochistan), June 12: Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) tonight said its freedom fighters maintained control over major highways by executing 11 operations over a period of 12 days in Balochistan and vowed to continue enforcing economic blockades until Pakistan ends plunder of resources of the occupied territory.

More than 36 vehicles were destroyed and two main bridges on the CPEC route were demolished using explosives during this period, BLA spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said in a statement to NVI.

In these attacks, BLA targeted convoys associated with the Saindak mines exploitative project, vehicles involved in transporation of fuel, and other vehicles providing economic benefits to the occupying Pakistani state, he said.

“The rampant theft of our precious national resources such as Saindak, Reko Diq, Gwadar, Sui, and coal is what provides the financial fuel for this tyrannical domination of the occupying Pakistani military,” he said.

He said the strategic imperatives of the ongoing war for national liberation in Balochistan demands that a decisive blow be dealt to the economic lifeline of the occupying state.

“It is an established and universal principle of armed national resistance against colonial subjugation that the economic interests of the occupying power must be rendered insecure, unstable, and a losing proposition to the extent that the strategic and military cost of maintaining its forced occupation over the occupied land far exceeds the profits reaped from the plunder of its resources,” the BLA spokesman said.

“Until Balochistan is transformed into an inevitable economic burden for the occupying state, it is impossible to halt its blind military adventurism and the horrific cycle of Baloch genocide,” he said.

The BLA spokesman asserted that “the main highways passing through Balochistan are not merely ordinary communication or travel routes, but are colonial trade arteries through which the wealth of our motherland is ruthlessly squeezed and transferred to Punjab.

“The forced and rampant exploitation of the resources of an enslaved homeland can never be in the broader interest of its local people.”

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Pakistan Army conduing aerial bombings of civilian areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 15 days

He declared that “This economic blockade enforced by the Baloch Liberation Army around the occupier and the targeting of exploitative companies’ vehicles is not a manifestation of public enmity, but a legitimate, legal, and indispensable defensive response aimed at ensuring Baloch national survival, protecting the coast and resources, and shattering the expansionist colonial designs of the occupying state, an effort that will continue with even greater intensity.”

He added, Under international laws, the United Nations Charter, and the established principles of national defense, the subjugated and oppressed people of any occupied region possess the fundamental and inalienable right to reject by force any form of coercive projects imposed on their land.

“The so-called development projects constructed by the occupying power by violating the will and sovereignty of the local Baloch population are, in reality, a deep and deceitful conspiracy to prolong the colonial occupation and to reduce the Baloch nation to an economic, political, and geographical minority on their own historical land.”

Baloch said all the foreign and local investment projects, including CPEC, are not designed for the prosperity of the Baloch people, but to strengthen the military machinery engaged in their genocide.

“Therefore, paralyzing the logistic supply lines, communication networks, and infrastructure of these exploitative projects is an indispensable and recognized part of the struggle for national liberation in accordance with international law,” he added.

“Our war is a war for the complete sovereignty, national dignity, and unconditional freedom of the Baloch nation; and until foreign occupation, exploitative plunder, and colonial oppression are completely eradicated from the Baloch soil, our economic blockade and military resistance will continue with full intensity and scope,” he emphasised. (NVI)

Pakistan Army conduing aerial bombings of civilian areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 15 days

Pakistani Army soldiers (File Pic)

Peshawar, June 12: For the last 15 days, the Pakistani Army has been carrying out aerial bombardments, using helicopter gunships, in various parts of North Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, killing several innocent Pashtun civilians and forcing thousands to dislocate.

The particular targeted area is Miranshah, where bombs are being dropped from military helicopters indiscriminately and randomly at civilian localities, according to the reports from the ground.

According to the locals, unarmed people are being shelled with helicopters, cannons, drones, quadcopters and tanks, the reports said.

There is a complete military siege and all food, medicine and transportation routes have been blocked, said the locals.

Mobile signal and internet have been shut down in the entire North Waziristan for the last 15 days so that people remain unaware of the ongoing state terrorism.

“These cruel actions of the Pakistan Army have been continuing for the last 15 days and the people are feeling troubled,” said a local Pashtun.

Several people have been killed or injured in these bombings but exact details are not yet available because of the communication disconnection, said the local person.

“The Pakistani army has always targeted the general population in its anti-terrorism operations in the tribal areas,” he said.

Pakistani National Apprehended by Villagers in Karnah Sector, Handed Over to Police

J-K Police
Representational image

Kupwara, June 12 (NVI): A 19-year-old Pakistani national was apprehended by local villagers in the Seemari area of Karnah near the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Friday and subsequently handed over to the police, officials said.

The individual has been identified as Ashraf Khan, son of Jaidev Khan, a resident of Muzaffarabad in POK

According to officials, the youth was noticed by villagers in the Seemari area under the jurisdiction of Police Post Teetwal in Karnah at around this evening

The villagers detained him and informed the police, following which he was taken into custody further questioning is underway, They added.(NVI)

Digital Governance, Telecom Connectivity in J&K reviewed

Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner Secretary of Information Technology, Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar, June 12 (NVI): Progress of key digital governance and citizen service delivery initiatives across Jammu and Kashmir were reviewed today at a meeting held by Saurabh Bhagat, Commissioner Secretary, Information Technology.

During the meeting, Bhagat assessed the implementation of e-Office 2.0 and stressed the need for complete adoption of digital workflows across government offices to improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in administration. He directed officials to ensure effective utilization of the platform and further strengthen digital governance practices.

The meeting also reviewed the status of telecom connectivity and related infrastructure projects being executed across the Union Territory. Bhagat discussed measures to improve digital connectivity, facilitate seamless implementation of telecom initiatives and address issues requiring inter-departmental coordination. He asked Deputy Commissioners and concerned departments to expedite pending matters and ensure timely progress of ongoing projects.

The functioning of Common Service Centres (CSCs) and other citizen-centric digital service delivery platforms was also reviewed.

Emphasis was laid on strengthening last-mile service delivery, expanding access to digital facilities in remote and underserved areas and improving the overall quality of services available to citizens.

Reviewing Aadhaar-related service delivery issues, Bhagat directed stakeholders to ensure seamless access to Aadhaar-enabled services and stressed the need for timely resolution of operational challenges, better coordination among implementing agencies and efficient public service delivery.

The Commissioner Secretary also assessed preparations for the forthcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra and emphasized robust digital support systems, effective grievance redressal mechanisms and close coordination among departments to ensure smooth conduct of the pilgrimage and hassle-free services for devotees.

Highlighting the importance of a citizen-centric and technology-driven approach, Bhagat urged all stakeholders to work in close coordination to strengthen governance and ensure government services reach people in an efficient, transparent and timely manner.

Senior officers from the Information Technology Department, district administrations, JaKeGA, NIC, telecom service providers, CSC e-Governance Services India Limited and other concerned departments attended the meeting.(NVI)

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