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Uttarakhand Tunnel Accident: Six Workers Killed, Two Missing

Uttarakhand, Aug 14 (NVI): Six workers were killed while 14 others were rescued after water, mud and debris suddenly flooded an under-construction tunnel at the THDC project in Pipalkoti area of Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, officials said.

The incident occurred on the evening of August 13, reportedly after heavy rainfall triggered a landslide above the tunnel alignment, resulting in the sudden ingress of water and debris into the tunnel.

According to officials, 22 workers were trapped or affected in the incident. While six workers have been confirmed dead, 14 others were rescued and shifted for medical treatment. Two workers are still reported missing.

A multi-agency rescue operation involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Army and local police is underway.

Heavy-duty pumps are being deployed to drain accumulated water and remove muck and debris from inside the tunnel as rescuers continue efforts to trace the missing workers.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the authorities to carry out the rescue operation on a war footing and ensure all possible assistance to those affected.—(NVI)

PM Modi Pays Tribute to Partition Victims, Calls for Unity

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New Delhi, Aug 14 (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tribute to those affected by the Partition of India in 1947, saying the occasion should strengthen the resolve for harmony, brotherhood and national unity.

In a post on X on the eve of Independence Day, Modi recalled the suffering caused by Partition, saying families were uprooted, loved ones separated and countless people faced immense hardships.

“Today we mark #PartitionHorrorsRemembranceDay. We recall the courage of all those who were impacted by Partition,” the Prime Minister said.

He said those affected by Partition demonstrated immense courage and resilience by overcoming adversity, rebuilding their lives and contributing to the progress of the country.

The Centre has been observing August 14 as ‘Partition Horrors Remembrance Day’ since 2021 to remember those who lost their lives and suffered during the violence and mass displacement that accompanied Partition.

Modi called for renewed efforts to strengthen goodwill, harmony and brotherhood, saying the occasion should deepen the collective resolve to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’.

“Let us further strengthen the national spirit of goodwill and unity,” he said. (NVI)

J&K Police Personnel Honoured: 38 Gallantry, 13 Meritorious Service Medals

Srinagar, Aug 14 (NVI): As many as 51 personnel of the Jammu and Kashmir Police have been selected for gallantry and meritorious service medals on the occasion of Independence Day 2026, according to the official honours list.

The list comprises 38 personnel selected for the Medal for Gallantry (GM) and 13 for the Medal for Meritorious Service (MSM). Besides, a J&K Home Guard and Civil Defence personnel has also been selected for the MSM.

Among those selected for the Medal for Gallantry are senior police officers, including Deputy Inspector General Shiv Kumar, IPS, SSP Shobhit D Saksena, IPS, SP Nasir Ahmad, SP Mushtaq Ahmad, DIG Pande Rajiv Omprakash, IPS, and SP Divya D, IPS.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Sarfaraz Bashir has been awarded the second bar to the Medal for Gallantry, while Head Constable Rayeesh Ahmad Reshi and Selection Grade Constable Ishtiaq Ahmed Khan have been awarded the first bar to the gallantry medal.

Other recipients of the Medal for Gallantry include Waseem Mohi-Ud-Din Lone, Manzoor Ahmad, Mudasir Ahmad, Ashak Hussain P, Kishore Kumar, Javid Iqbal Jan, Mohinder Singh, Sheeraz Ahmad, Surinder Paul, Ishtiyaq Ahmad Reshi, Tanveer Hussain Lone, Mudasir Ahmad Shah, Kalu Din, Adit Kumar Nad, Mohd Usman, Shabir Ahmad Malik, Manzoor Ahmad Ganie, Khurshid Ahmed Wani, Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, Ab Rashid Mir, Mohamad Shafi Banday, Abdul Rashid, Zahoor Ahmad, Dheeraj Kumar, Shakir Hassan, Vikram Nag, Mushtaq Ahmad Khan and Tariq Ahmad.

The 13 personnel selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service include SP Sandeep Kumar, SP Amit Gupta, DSP Rajesh Sharma, DSP Muzaffar Ahmad Shah, DSP Kuljeet Singh, DSP Sharat Chander Singh, Inspector Shamim Ahmed, Inspector Vikram Singh, ASI Bodh Raj, Inspector Mumin Ahmad Rather, ASI Mushtaq Ahmed, Sub-Inspector Manzoor Ahmad Gada and Constable Ashraf Gull.

The honours recognise personnel for acts of gallantry and distinguished and meritorious service in police and other uniformed services on the occasion of Independence Day.

A J&K Home Guard and Civil Defence personnel has also been selected for the Medal for Meritorious Service.(NVI)

Two armed attacks on policemen in Lahore on eve of Pakistan’s Independence Day

Two policemen killed in attacks in Lahore tonight

New Delhi, Aug 13 (NVI) On the eve of Pakistan’s Independence Day, gunmen carried out two attacks at police personnel in its Lahore city tonight, killing at least 2 cops and injuring 5 others.

The gunmen struck at two places almost simultaneously.

In one incident, two gunmen attacked three policeman at a petrol pump in Badami Bagh area of Lahore.

CCTV footage from the petrol pump showed the two armed men approaching the policemen and shooting them from close range, before fleeing.

Two police personnel — a Sub-Inspector and a Constable — were killed in the attack, while one was injured.

Soon after, another attack on policemen was carried out in Nawa Kot area of Lahore. In this incident, 4 police personnel were injured.

Jamaat-ul Ahrar (JuA) outfit later claimed responsibility for the attacks.

The timing of these attacks and in a key part of Pakistan are significant, particularly when the country is getting to ready to celebrate its Independence Day tomorrow. (NVI)

Five Members of Family Fall Ill After Suspected Contaminated Water Consumption In J&K’s Rajouri

Shivam Bakshi

Rajouri, August 13 (NVI): Five members of a family fell ill after allegedly consuming water from a local spring in the Moghla area of Kalakote in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, officials said on Thursday.

Four members of the family, residents of the Leth Moghla Jugdian area, developed vomiting and diarrhoea during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday after dinner. They had also consumed water from a local baoli.

The four were taken to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Moghla, where they received initial treatment before being referred to Government Medical College (GMC), Rajouri, for further treatment.

Later, another family member was brought to the PHC with complaints of pain and burning sensation in the throat and mouth, as well as a burning sensation while urinating. He was also referred to GMC Rajouri.

The condition of all five patients was stable and they were out of danger, officials said.

Health authorities have collected water samples from the concerned baoli for testing to determine whether the water was contaminated.

The exact cause of the illness will be established after the test reports are received, officials said.

As a precautionary measure, residents have been advised not to use water from the source for drinking or cooking until the test results are available.

Authorities have urged residents to consume safe and clean water and seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain or weakness.(NVI)

J&K: Two Killed, Two Injured In Lightning Strike In Anantnag

Srinagar, Aug 13 (NVI): Two persons were killed and two others injured after lightning struck at Gawran Nard area of Kokernag in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, officials said.

The deceased have been identified as 18-year-old Faizan Ahmad, son of Mohd Yaqoob Chard, a resident of Gawran, and 16-year-old Bilal Ahmad Battana, son of Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Redwani Gawran.

The injured have been identified as 15-year-old Sajad Ahmad Battana, son of Sai Battana, and Shareef Ahmad Battana, son of Jumma, both residents of Redwani Gawran.

The injured were shifted to PHC Larnoo for initial medical treatment.

Further details are awaited.(NVI)

New Labour Codes to Transform Workers’ Welfare in J&K: Chief Secretary

Srinagar, Aug 13 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo on Thursday reviewed the financial and social security benefits emerging from the implementation of the four new labour codes for private sector workers in the Union Territory, stressing the need to ensure that the reforms translate into greater financial security and statutory protection for employees.

Chairing a meeting attended by senior officials of the Finance, Law, Labour and Employment departments, Dulloo said the new framework should not be viewed merely as a compliance exercise but as a step towards creating a more equitable, transparent and financially secure employment ecosystem.

The four codes — Code on Wages, 2019; Industrial Relations Code, 2020; Code on Social Security, 2020; and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, 2020 — consolidate 29 existing labour laws into a unified framework.

The Chief Secretary directed the Labour and Employment Department and other concerned departments to ensure that workers and employers are made aware of the financial and social security benefits available under the new framework.

He also emphasised that the implementation mechanism should take into account the changing nature of employment and ensure that workers engaged outside traditional permanent arrangements are not excluded from social security benefits.

The meeting was informed that the new framework provides for universal wage protection, with minimum wage provisions extended across employments, replacing the earlier scheduled-employment approach.

It also provides for a National Floor Wage, below which minimum wages fixed by states and Union Territories cannot fall, subject to the applicable framework.

According to the presentation made by the Labour and Employment Department, employers’ EPF contribution is 12 per cent of wages, subject to the applicable statutory wage ceiling. The ESI framework provides for an employer contribution of 3.25 per cent of gross wages for eligible employees within the prescribed wage ceiling, in addition to the employee contribution mandated under law.

A key reform relates to fixed-term employment. Under the new framework, fixed-term employees are recognised as a formal category and are entitled to statutory benefits at par with permanent employees for the period of their employment.

Fixed-term employees would also be eligible for pro-rata gratuity after one year of continuous service, calculated at the applicable rate of 15 days’ wages for every completed year of service, subject to statutory provisions and the prescribed ceiling.

The reforms are expected to provide greater financial certainty and formalisation of employment arrangements in the private sector while giving workers clearer statutory rights and benefits.

The new framework also introduces dedicated provisions for the social security of gig and platform workers, besides strengthening the institutional architecture for unorganised workers and building workers.

The four labour codes envisage a simplified and technology-driven compliance mechanism, including single registration, a single licence and unified annual returns. Mandatory appointment letters for employees are also part of the framework.

The meeting was informed that the reforms would have implications across various employment arrangements, including contractual and fixed-term employment, unorganised workers and emerging categories such as gig and platform workers.

Dulloo stressed that effective implementation of the reforms would be crucial to strengthening the social security net, improving wage protection and enhancing financial security and formalisation of employment for workers in Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting concluded with an emphasis on ensuring a transparent and simplified compliance environment for employers while safeguarding the statutory rights and benefits of workers.(NVI)

35-Year Manhunt Ends: GRP Nabs 1991 Jammu Railway Blast Accused

J-K Police
Representational image

Srinagar, Aug 13 (NVI): The Government Railway Police (GRP) Jammu has arrested a man who had been absconding for 35 years in connection with a 1991 bomb blast at Jammu Railway Station, officials said on Thursday.

The accused, identified as Altaf Hussain Sheikh, son of Nazir Ahmed Sheikh, a resident of Marhama-Bijbehara in Anantnag district, was arrested after a sustained investigation and efforts to trace absconders in militancy-related cases, they said.

According to officials, Sheikh was allegedly involved in the blast that occurred on April 2, 1991, at Platform No. 1 of Jammu Railway Station. The explosion had left three people dead, including two paramilitary personnel, and injured 18 civilians.

An FIR was registered at GRP Jammu under sections 307, 302 and 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code, besides provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act and Explosive Substances Act.

During the investigation, one accused, Aman Ullah Khan, was arrested, while three others managed to evade arrest and were subsequently declared absconders by the court, officials said.

GRP Jammu intensified efforts to trace the absconders over the past two years. During the investigation, Sheikh’s identity and whereabouts were verified, and it was found that he had allegedly been living under a concealed identity for several decades and had established himself as a businessman in the Bijbehara area.

Sheikh was arrested and produced before the TADA Court on Thursday for further legal proceedings, officials said.

The arrest, they said, was the result of sustained efforts by GRP Jammu to trace and bring to justice absconders wanted in long-pending militancy-related cases.(NVI)

Process to select Chandrasekaran’s successor as Tata Sons Chairman launched

N Chandrasekaran who has said he will not seek another term as Tata Sons Chairman

Mumbai, Aug 13 (NVI) Accepting the decision of N Chandrasekaran not to seek another term as Chairman of Tata Sons, the company’s majority stakeholder Tata Trusts has initiated the process of selecting his successor.

Chandrasekaran’s current tenure ends on February 20, next year and he announced yesterday that he will leave after that.

Tata Trusts holds a 65.9 per cent stake in Tata Sons, making the Trusts a key shareholder in the holding company.

Chandrasekaran’s decision came against the backdrop of differences within the company.

In a statement issued today, the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust (SDTT) said its nominee directors had received an email from Chandrasekaran on 12 August informing them that he would not offer himself for reappointment.

The Trust also expressed its appreciation for his contribution and stewardship of Tata Sons and the Tata Group over the past decade.

The trustees of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust have passed a resolution to constitute a selection committee under the Articles of Association of Tata Sons.

The committee will recommend a candidate for appointment as the company’s next chairman.

Tata Trusts said it would extend its full support to Tata Sons to ensure a smooth, timely and orderly leadership transition, consistent with the values and long-term interests of Tata Sons and the Tata Group.

“We thank him for his immense contribution during a period of significant change, growth and transformation across the Group,” the Trust said.

Chandrasekaran said he decided against seeking another term after his reappointment proposal did not receive unanimous support from the Tata Sons board.

In his resignation letter, he said the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust and Sir Ratan Tata Trust had unanimously resolved to recommend a five-year extension, which was subsequently recorded and recommended by the Tata Sons Nomination and Remuneration Committee and the board.

According to Chandrasekaran’s letter, the proposal was placed before the Tata Sons board on 24 February but was not carried through after one board member did not support it. He said that, in the absence of unanimous backing, he chose to defer the decision.

Chandrasekaran also said around six months had passed since the board meeting without a decision being reached. He added that appointing a leader beyond February 2027 was important to provide clarity to employees, investors, partners and other stakeholders. (NVI)

J&K DGP Reviews Security Grid, Directs Heightened Vigilance Ahead of I-Day

Srinagar, August 13(NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat on Thursday chaired a high-level security review meeting at the Police Control Room Kashmir to assess preparedness for Independence Day celebrations across the Union Territory, officials said.

The meeting was attended by senior officers of the J&K Police, BSF, CRPF, SSB and other security agencies, including the IGPs of Kashmir and Jammu zones, range DIGs, district SSPs and other senior officers.

During the meeting, Prabhat reviewed the overall security arrangements and stressed heightened alertness, intelligence-based operations and prompt response to any emerging threat, the officials said.

He directed officers to ensure effective deployment of manpower, intensified area domination and close coordination among all security agencies to strengthen the security grid.

The DGP also reviewed security arrangements at major venues, particularly Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar, and emphasised effective traffic regulation and parking management to minimise inconvenience to people attending the Independence Day function.

He directed officers to intensify night patrolling and naka checking, particularly at vulnerable locations and inter-district borders, besides maintaining close surveillance and effective area domination.

The meeting also reviewed access control, anti-sabotage measures, frisking, route security, deployment of personnel and surveillance arrangements at venues across J&K.

Prabhat directed all security and law-enforcement agencies to maintain close coordination and strictly adhere to standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure foolproof security.

The meeting concluded with a resolve to ensure peaceful and smooth conduct of Independence Day celebrations across Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.(NVI)

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