Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tajinderpal Singh Bagga's father Preetpal Singh on Friday alleged that Punjab Police personnel punched him in the face and did not even allow his son to wear a turban while they were arresting him.

Punjab cops punched me, did not allow Bagga to wear turban: Father

Delhi (The Hawk): The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have entered into a long-term purchase agreement (LTPA) for upcoming dedicated ethanol plants across India. The first set of Tripartite-cum-Escrow Agreement (TPA) was signed among OMCs, project proponents and Banks of the respective ethanol plant projects in presence of Shri Sandeep Poundrik (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, Govt. of Bihar, Shri Ashwani Bhatia, MD State Bank of India and Shri Sukhmal Jain, Executive Director I/C, Marketing Corporate, BPCL.State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Indian Bank are three banks who are involved in this tripartite agreement with OMCs and project proponents. The agreement is designed to ensure that payment received by Ethanol plants is utilized for servicing the finance extended by these Banks. As per the agreement, ethanol produced by these dedicated ethanol plants shall be sold to OMCs for blending with Petrol as per Govt of India’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Program. Payment towards supply of ethanol shall be credited to escrow account maintained with the financing bank to ensure servicing of loan as per schedule. TPAs were signed with Micromax Biofuels Pvt Ltd, Bihar, Eastern India Biofuels Pvt Ltd, Bihar, Muzaffarpur Biofuels Pvt Ltd, Bihar, K P Biofuels Pvt. Ltd, Madhya Pradesh and Visag Biofuels Private Limited, Madhya Pradesh.In Ethanol Supply Year 2021-22, India achieved 9.90% ethanol blending, consuming 186 Cr. Ltr of ethanol, saving over 9000 Crores of foreign exchange. However, the Government has advanced the target of achieving 20% blended ethanol by 2025, which is commonly known as E20 target. The major challenge is the deficit of ethanol to achieve this target. As per E20 scenario, the country requires 1,016 crore litre of ethanol to achieve the target in 2025-26. But, there is a deficit of approx. 650 crore of ethanol as per the current availability. These five projects are likely to contribute to around 23 crore litres of ethanol per annum.&nbsp;Ethanol blended petrol not only give us cleaner environment as it produces 38 % lesser carbon dioxide emission, as well as, support rural economy with investment in rural areas and employment generation.

The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) - Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have entered into a long-term purchase agreement (LTPA) for upcoming dedicated ethanol plants across India.

Leading Oil PSUs come together to sign Tripartite-cum-Escrow Agreement for upcoming dedicated ethanol plants

Mumbai: Bollywood's action star Vidyut Jammwal has sponsored an upcoming action Assamese film titled 'Local Utpaat' releasing today.Jammwal extended financial support to the film.Director Kenny Basumatary says: "I am thankful to our favourite action star who was kind enough to extend financial support to our dream project Local Utpaat. He's a country boy for a reason and we're highly grateful for his contribution towards this special film."He adds, "I mean, he's such a big star. To my surprise, he called me back after I requested help and asked me to send him my account details. This was of immense help because I managed to pay my fighters something more than what we'd budgeted.The film released today in theatres all over Assam and we're very grateful for Vidyut's contribution."One of the top martial 2022, Vidyut Jammwal is all set for the theatrical release of 'Khuda Haafiz Chapter II Agni Pariksha' and has exciting projects like 'IB 71' and 'Sher Singh Raana' in the making.—IANS

 Bollywood's action star Vidyut Jammwal has sponsored an upcoming action Assamese film titled 'Local Utpaat' releasing today.

Vidyut Jammwal sponsors an Assamese film 'Local Utpaat'

New Delhi: As part of the restructuring of the unified MCD, the office of Shahdara South Zone will be shifted from Vishwas Nagar to the headquarters of the erstwhile East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) at Patparganj, officials said here.According to civic officials, the headquarter building of the erstwhile EDMC had been lying vacant after the merger of the three civic bodies in Delhi. Last month, the major staff and offices of the EDMC were shifted to the Civic Centre, which now houses the headquarters of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).The move comes days after the visit of the MCD Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti to the erstwhile EDMC headquarter building where he had directed officials to shift here the zonal office of the Shahdara South Zone.The unified MCD has 12 zones which include Shahdara South, Shahdara North, Central, South, West, Najafgarh, City-SP, Civil Lines, Keshavpuram, Karol Bagh, Rohini and Narela.Currently, the zonal office of the Shahdara South Zone is situated in Vishwas Nagar area of east Delhi.An order in this regard was also issued by the MCD on Tuesday.The order had asked officials concerned to complete the exercise of assessment of space requirement of each department of the zone by June 9 and submit the same to the executive engineer-II (building) of the MCD."After collecting space requirement of each department, the executive engineer-II (building) will prepare a plan for shifting the zonal office to erstwhile EDMC (HQ) office," the MCD order said.It said that the requirement of each department should be such that offices functioning outside the zonal office should also be accommodated at single location.The unified MCD came into existence on May 22 with senior IAS officer Ashwani Kumar taking charge as the special officer and Gyanesh Bharti as the commissioner of the civic body.—PTI

As part of the restructuring of the unified MCD, the office of Shahdara South Zone will be shifted from Vishwas Nagar to the headquarters of the erstwhile East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) at Patparganj, officials said here.

Shahdara South Zone's office shifts to Patparganj

Along with the youth, Consortium for Tobacco Free Karnataka, Anti-Tobacco Forum, National Law School of India University, and others have also urged the Prime Minister to pass the COTPA amendment bill 2020 drafted by the Union Health Ministry. In their letters, the youth stressed that to contain tobacco use and prevent youth from addiction, COTPA has to be amended to make it stronger and more comprehensive. They requested the Prime Minister to increase the legal age for tobacco use from existing 18 to 21 years, ban the provision for Designated Smoking Areas at airports, hotels and bars, completely ban the direct and indirect advertisement of tobacco, and levy hefty penalties for smoking in public places and to make the public places 100 per cent smoke-free. "We find that COTPA is being violated blatantly. As per the Global Youth Tobacco Survey, children even before attaining 10 years of age are getting addicted to tobacco. Children and youths are lured into tobacco through illegal advertisements. We have to ban all forms of direct and indirect tobacco advertisement by amending COTPA", said S.J. Chander, convenor of Consortium for Tobacco Free Karnataka, a coalition working on tobacco control in the state. "Youth are getting lured by direct advertisements and indirect promotion of tobacco. They are the main target of the tobacco companies as once they get addicted it is difficult to get out of this vicious cycle. We request the Prime Minister to increase the legal age for smoking to 21 years, when youth realize that tobacco is not good for their health," said Eshaan S, one of the youth who wrote a letter to PM Modi. --IANS

"Youth are getting lured by direct advertisements and indirect promotion of tobacco. They are the main target of the tobacco companies as once they get addicted it is difficult to get out of this vicious cycle. We request the Prime Minister to increase the legal age for smoking to 21 years, when youth realize that tobacco is not good for their health," said Eshaan S, one of the youth who wrote a letter to PM Modi.

Save youth from tobacco, amend COTPA: PM Modi

More than 1,000 youth from Bengaluru have written to PM Modi requesting him to pass the COTPA (Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products Act) Amendment Bill 2020 in the ongoing Monsoon Session.


Save youth from tobacco, amend COTPA: Bangaluru youth urge PM Modi

New Delhi: A major fire broke out in a courier office in East Delhi's Patparganj area on Wednesday. An employee of the firm suffered burn injuries, said officials.
According to the fire services department, they got a call about the fire in an office of a courier company at 1 p.m. Initially, five fire tenders were rushed to the spot and later four more fire tenders also reached there.
"By 2:40 p.m. we brought the fire under control. The cooling operation is still going on. An employee suffered burns and was removed to the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital. The exact cause of the fire was not yet known," the official said.&nbsp;
The local police said they were also assisting the fire fighters. A case was being lodged in the incident.&nbsp;
—IANS

A major fire broke out in a courier office in East Delhi's Patparganj area on Wednesday. An employee of the firm suffered burn injuries, said officials.

 Fire in courier office in Delhi's Patparganj, one suffers burn injuries

Dehradun: Uttarakhand"s Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj has questioned the norms being followed for the recruitment of "Agniveers" into the armed forces in the hill state."The height requirement for the hill people in Army recruitment rallies was reduced during the time of (former Chief of Defence Staff) General Bipin Rawat to 163 centimetres. But the colonel looking after the recruitment process for Agniveers in Kotdwar is still following the 170-centimetre criterion," Maharaj said in a video statement.He said he has spoken to Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt about it and asked him to ensure that the recruitment of Agniveers is done strictly in accordance with the norms."As people in the hills are usually not very tall, a relaxation in the height requirement was given to the Army aspirants in Uttarakhand during the time of late General Bipin Rawat. However, it has been brought to my notice that the norm set by General Rawat is not being followed in the recruitment rally for Agniveers currently underway in Kotdwar," Maharaj said.He added that he has urged Bhatt to look into the matter and ensure that the norms are followed.The recruitment of Agniveers began in Kotdwar on August 19 and will go on till August 31. —PTI&nbsp;

Uttarakhand"s Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj has questioned the norms being followed for the recruitment of "Agniveers" into the armed forces in the hill state.

Uttarakhand Minister Questions Norms For Recruitment Of 'Agniveers' Into Armed Forces

New Delhi: After a cyber-security research firm claimed that call data records of around 20 million customers of Vodafone Idea (Vi) was leaked and accessed by cyber-criminals, the telecom operator has denied the breach.
Cyber-security research firm CyberX9 claimed in its report that the call data records of 20.6 million postpaid Vi customers were leaked due to vulnerabilities in the company's systems.
The report claimed that data leaked included call time, duration of the call, from where the call was made, full name of the subscriber, address SMS details and roaming details.
However, Vi denied the claim, saying that there was no data breach and the report is "false and malicious".
The company said that it learnt about a "potential vulnerability in its billing communication" and that "was immediately fixed" and a thorough forensic analysis was conducted to "ascertain there was no data breach".
Vodafone Idea said that it performs "regular checks" and audits are conducted to strengthen the security infrastructure.
CyberX9, however, said that the company's claim that they have conducted a forensic audit is absurd.
According to CyberX9, call logs and other data of millions of Vi customers have been leaked for the past two years, which was accessed by hackers.
—IANS&nbsp;

After a cyber-security research firm claimed that call data records of around 20 million customers of Vodafone Idea (Vi) was leaked and accessed by cyber-criminals, the telecom operator has denied the breach.

 Vodafone Idea denies data of 20 mn postpaid customers leaked

Washington: Communication among cells is altered in pregnant women who go on to develop postpartum depression (PPD) after giving birth, suggests researchers of a federally-funded study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine.
The findings of the study were published in Molecular Psychiatry.
Changes in extracellular RNA communication, a recently discovered cell signalling method, have already been linked to premature births, gestational diabetes, toxic maternal high blood pressure and other pregnancy-related events. Leaders of the new study examined maternal blood and sought to determine if there were distinct changes in this extracellular communications system during PPD.
The extracellular RNA communication changes identified in the study suggest that women who develop PPD are unable to efficiently remove ageing and defective cell components. This process, called autophagy, is also known to malfunction in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
"Potentially, postpartum depression could be treated using certain Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease medications that induce autophagy," says Sarven Sabunciyan, PhD, an assistant professor of paediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the paper's senior author. One in nine new mothers has postpartum depression, a condition marked by periods of sadness, loneliness and inability to care for their newborns that last longer than two weeks. "With postpartum depression, there are many potential negative outcomes, such as a high rate of suicide among mothers or a disruption in the baby's cognitive, emotional and social development," says Sabunciyan. "If we could identify mothers who may be more at risk ahead of the birth, we might prevent these adverse events."
Efforts have been underway for decades to identify genetic or other biological markers for PPD.
In the new study, the research team specifically investigated the messenger RNA (mRNA) content of extracellular vesicles (EVs) -- fatty sacs of genetic material that is essential to communication among cells. During pregnancy, Sabunciyan says, this communication system ramps up to address needs for embryo implantation and growth. A mother's placenta also releases RNA vital for immune system development that protects the growing fetus from viruses. Sabunciyan, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins Children's Center whose work focuses on the root causes of psychiatric disorders, says the research team collected blood samples from 42 women who were pregnant and were seen at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Newly developed sequencing and computational analysis methods were used to measure the level of thousands of different mRNAs that are packaged into EVs in the blood of 14 participants during the second and third trimester of pregnancy and up to six months after giving birth. Seven of the participants were diagnosed with postpartum depression after childbirth, receiving a score of 13 or above on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (a standard tool to identify women with the condition). None of these women had signs of depression during pregnancy. The mRNA levels identified to change the most robustly in participants who had PPD using this analysis were then measured in the blood of an additional 28 women during pregnancy.
Fourteen of these women were diagnosed with PPD and five of them exhibited signs of depression during pregnancy. The changes in mRNA levels identified in those who developed PPD in the first set of 14 participants, were replicated in the second group of 28 women, confirming the validity of the sequencing findings. Of the 42 women in the study, 34 were white, four were Asian or Pacific Islander, two were Black and two identified as another race. All were in their late 20s or early 30s and had live births.
The research team says this analysis revealed that extracellular RNA communication levels during pregnancy and the postpartum period were "extensively altered" in women who developed postpartum depression.
The researchers found that the level of 2,449 mRNAs changed (1,010 increased and 1,439 decreased) between those who went on to develop PPD compared with those who did not. On average, there was nearly a twofold difference in individual mRNA levels between the two groups. The vast majority of these changes occurred during the pregnancy instead of the postpartum period.
The researchers also discovered that EV mRNA levels associated with autophagy were decreased in women who later developed PPD -- meaning the cells were not cleaning out excessive, damaged or defective parts. In addition, they found that EV mRNAs associated with PPD originated from white blood cells known as monocytes and macrophages.
The researchers caution that their study was limited by small numbers and a lack of racial diversity. But they say if further studies confirm the findings, they could potentially develop a blood test that can identify women who are pregnant who are at risk for developing PPD after delivery. The research may also advance the development of therapies for PPD.
"If we can identify those at risk early, and get them into proper treatment, we're likely to be able to prevent a lot of serious effects of postpartum depression," Sabunciyan says. —ANI

Communication among cells is altered in pregnant women who go on to develop postpartum depression (PPD) after giving birth, suggests researchers of a federally-funded study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Researchers Advance Biological Markers Predicting Postpartum Depression Risk

New Delhi (The Hawk): On Wednesday, leading finance platform PhonePe revealed that it had made it possible to activate UPI using OTP authentication based on Aadhaar.
According to a statement from the firm, PhonePe is the first UPI Third Party Application Provider (TPAP) App to launch the Aadhaar-based UPI onboarding procedure, allowing several crore Indians to join the UPI ecosystem for the first time in an easy and secure manner.
A valid debit card was required under the former UPI onboarding flow in order to set up a user's UPI PIN during the UPI registration process, which severely limited access for many Indian bank account users who didn't have access to a debit card.
This barrier will be lifted with the integration of Aadhaar onboarding for UPI, enabling previously underserved communities to enjoy the benefits and ease of digital payments.
"We are thrilled to be the first fintech platform to provide Aadhaar-based authentication for our consumers, thereby streamlining and broadening the UPI onboarding flows. We consider this to be a really forward-thinking action by the RBI, NPCI, and UIDAI and a superb illustration of the advancements in digital financial inclusion made possible by UIDAI's Aadhaar programme "said Deep Agrawal, PhonePe's head of payments.
The Aadhaar e-KYC flow will be integrated into the PhonePe App's UPI onboarding process under the new flow.
The onboarding procedure will only require users who select this option to enter the final six digits of their Aadhaar number.
To finish the authentication procedure, they will then receive an OTP from UIDAI and their respective bank. Customers will then be able to use the PhonePe App to access all UPI services, including payments and balance checks.
"This will attract more clients to the world of digital payments while also expanding the UPI ecosystem as a whole. Countries all across the world are attempting to use UPI because it has emerged as a global model. We are closely collaborating with NPCI to expand UPI internationally going forward ""Agrawal" remarked.
With 41.5 crore registered users, PhonePe is currently used by one in four Indians. Additionally, the organisation has effectively digitalized 3.3 crore offline retailers, encompassing 98% of the nation's pin codes.
(Inputs from Agencies)

On Wednesday, leading finance platform PhonePe revealed that it had made it possible to activate UPI using OTP authentication based on Aadhaar.

PhonePe is the first company to support UPI activation with Aadhaar

Chandigarh: Carrying swords and arms, supporters of Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh, chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' group, on Thursday clashed with the police and forcefully entered a police complex in Punjab's Amritsar district in protest against the arrest of their activist.
Six policemen were injured amid the protests and were admitted to a hospital. The supporters were staging a demonstration in Ajnala town against the arrest of Amritpal Singh's aide Lovepreet Toofan. A case was registered against Amritpal Singh and his supporters for allegedly kidnapping and thrashing a resident of Chamkaur Sahib in Ropar district.
Videos and photos shared on social media showed crowd of protesters outside the police station, while the cops tried to control the crowd. "The FIR was registered only with a political motive. If they don't cancel the case in one hour, the administration will be responsible for whatever happens next," Amritpal Singh, who had recently reportedly issued a threat to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he will meet the same fate as that of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The Waris Punjab De is an organisation of radicals founded by activist Deep Sidhu, who died in a road accident in February last year.
—IANS

 Carrying swords and arms, supporters of Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh, chief of the 'Waris Punjab De' group, on Thursday clashed with the police and forcefully entered a police complex in Punjab's Amritsar district in protest against the arrest of their activist.

Supporters Of Khalistan Sympathiser Amritpal Clash With Police In Punjab

Chandigarh: Radical preacher Amritpal Singh's aide Lovepreet Singh, who was accused of kidnapping among other charges, walked out of a jail on Friday, hours after a court ordered his release based on the application of police.
His release comes hours after self-styled gun-trotting Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, who just came to the limelight after returning from Dubai for criminal and social connect, and his sea of supporters on Thursday, carrying swords and arms, clashed with the police and forcefully laid a siege on a police station in Ajnala, which led to a scuffle and injuries to several police personnel in Amritsar district.
They were staging a demonstration against the arrest of Lovepreet Toofan. To diffuse the tension, Police Commissioner Jaskaran Singh had told the media they have given enough proof that Lovepreet Toofan is innocent. "The SIT (Special Investigation Team) has taken note of it. These people will peacefully disperse now, and the law will take its course," he said.—IANS

 Radical preacher Amritpal Singh's aide Lovepreet Singh, who was accused of kidnapping among other charges, walked out of a jail on Friday, hours after a court ordered his release based on the application of police.

Day After Mayhem, Radical Leader Amritpal Singh’s Aide Released From Jail

Chandigarh: Those who turned over Guru Granth Sahib to the police cannot be considered true "waris" of Punjab. C.M. Mann. On Saturday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann remarked that people who used the Guru Granth Sahib as a shield at a police station cannot be considered the 'waris' (heir) of Punjab.
A few days prior to his comments, on Thursday, self-proclaimed Sikh preacher and Khalistani sympathiser Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of whom brandished swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskirts of the city of Amritsar, demanding the release of his aide and kidnapping case accused Lovepreet Singh.
For the purpose of holding "amrit sanchar" (a Sikh ceremony) at the police station, Amritpal, the leader of an organisation called "Waris Punjab De," and his followers drove a van with a copy of the Guru Granth Sahib there.—Inputs from Agencies

Those who turned over Guru Granth Sahib to the police cannot be considered true "waris" of Punjab. C.M. Mann.

Punjab's "waris" cannot be those who carried Guru Granth Sahib to police: Mann

Amritsar: Amritpal Singh, who is considered to be a radical preacher and sympathizer of Khalistan separatist Jarnail Singh Bhind-ranwale, on Saturday said that calling him a "terrorist is terrorism" itself and said that he works for the people of Punjab and has an influence on the youth "not for wrong, but for right reasons".
Amritpal, who is also the chief of 'Waris Punjab De' organisation, whose supporters allegedly clashed with the Ajnala Police on February 23, said that he has many "political enemies".
In an exclusive interview with ANI, he said that he is against the bigger industries alleging that they are destroying the economy across the country. "I am fighting against bigger industries. The bigger industries are coming to Punjab and destroying the economy not just in Punjab but in every state. They are destroying the local businesses. Privatization is at its peak right now. When I speak against capitalism, these people are my enemies. They own the media houses. They call Amritpal a terrorist. Calling me a terrorist is terrorism, when a person fights against terrorism and has an influence on youth, not for any wrong reasons, but for right reasons," he said. He said that it is very relevant to talk about Kartar Singh Bhindranwale today and said that Punjab is a peaceful state. "It is very relevant to talk about Sant Kartar Singh Bhindranwale today. They are alleging that I took shelter of Guru Granth Sahib. Indira Gandhi (former Prime Minister) imposed Emergency. Section 144 was imposed everywhere. So Sant Kartar Singh Bhindranwale went out and did nagar kirtans, called them juloos. They were walking with Guru Granth Sahib ji. Somebody can say that you are using Guru Granth Sahib against Emergency. But Guru Granth Sahib is our living Guru and we are in its shelter all the time. You can see in the video, the Sangat was in front of the Guru Granth Sahib. When the police started lathi-charge, I got out of my car and went in the front. What happened yesterday is now over. Punjab is not disturbed, but a peaceful state," he said while describing the Ajnala clashes with the police. Amritpal claimed that he fights against drugs and helps youth overcome its addiction.
"Even before yesterday, we were doing 'dharm prachar' and fighting against drugs. We were running many centres in Punjab where youth come and leave drugs. We give them medical facilities. We are providing them with urgent medical attention. We are also trying to resolve the local issues of Punjab which are not able to be solved at the police stations," he said.
Dubbing the FIR against his associate Lovepreet Singh Toofan as the reason for the large protests in which thousands of his supporters demonstrated holding swords and guns in their hands on February 23, Amritpal said that the police should not have arrested Toofan if there was no evidence against him. Toofan was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and thrashing a man.
"Why did this thing lead to such protests? If the FIR didn't have any evidence, they should not have arrested Toofan Singh. Hundreds of police personnel went to his house like he was a terrorist and did not let him wear his turban properly. When we got the news that he was arrested, we contacted them. I told them that they cannot arrest somebody on the basis of the complaint by someone who is not mentally stable," he claimed.
Stating that he enjoys the support of a large number of people, Amritpal said that he is doing the things which Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann should do.
"I have many political enemies. I have a huge number of supporters. Anybody can falsely accuse me of something. The police should not move without an FIR. What the Chief Minister should do, I am doing. It is his state, he should be doing the things. Instead of saying what Amritpal is doing, he should be doing the things. When he said he needs 24 hours to do justice in the sacrilege case, many months passed. Sidhu Moose Wala got killed," he said.
"The people here are peaceful and will remain so until they are harmed and provoked and made to go through injustice," the 'Waris Punjab De' chief added.
He called the violence during the protests in which several police personnel were injured a failure of the system.
"I went to the police station way before the palki came there. It's the system's failure. I will not say it is the failure of the police," he said.
Amritpal further said that the idea of sacredness is different for Sikhs than Hindus and Muslims and stressed that people should not define "sacredness of each other". "The idea of sacredness is very different from that of the Hindus and Muslims. What is sacred for us might not be sacred for Hindus. That does not mean they will define our sacredness. That is happening since 1947. They say you go to the Golden temple with weapons. It's propagated like it has been made impure. But I am asking them, what if I am making it more sacred by bringing weapons there? My Guru asked me whenever you come, make sure to get more weapons on you and come to Gurudwara. That's our sacredness. It's like a Hindu going to the temple and putting 'tilak' on his forehead. Let's not define the sacredness of each other," he said.
Thousands of supporters of 'Waris Punjab De' Chief Amritpal Singh on February 23 staged a massive demonstration in Amritsar to protest against the arrest of Singh's close aide Lovepreet Toofan. The Punjab Police decided to release Toofan that evening after "evidence" was presented before them.
"They have given enough proof that he (detained Lovepreet Toofan) is innocent. SIT has taken cognizance of it. These people will peacefully disperse now and the law will take its own course," the SSP had said.
Notbly, Amritpal's supporters had threatened to disturb law and order in Toofan was not released within 24 hours.
—ANI

Amritpal Singh, who is considered to be a radical preacher and sympathizer of Khalistan separatist Jarnail Singh Bhind-ranwale, on Saturday said that calling him a "terrorist is terrorism" itself and said that he works for the people of Punjab and has an influence on the youth "not for wrong, but for right reasons".

'Calling Me Terrorist Is  Terrorism': Amritpal Singh

New Delhi: On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who pledged cooperation between the federal government and his state on the issue of law and order. Meanwhile, 1,900 members of the Central Reserve Police Force and its specialised anti-riot unit were being sent to the state to bolster its security. It was a topic of conversation between the two heads of state. According to reports, Mann explained the sequence of events that led up to the Ajnala incident to Shah.
To secure the release of his aide and kidnapping case accused Lovepreet Singh, self-styled Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh and his supporters, some of whom brandished swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into a police station in Ajnala on the outskirts of the Amritsar city on February 23. The chief minister said in a tweet in Punjabi that the "Centre and Punjab will work together on the subject of law and order".
Last week, according to official sources, the Union home ministry ordered the deployment of 18 companies to Punjab to "assist the state administration with law and order tasks." Eight of the 18 units are recruited from the Rapid Action Force (RAF), which is responsible for quelling riots, while the remainder are standard units. Over 1,900 people make up the combined strength of these businesses.—Inputs from Agencies

On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who pledged cooperation between the federal government and his state on the issue of law and order. Meanwhile, 1,900 members of the Central Reserve Police Force and its specialised anti-riot unit were being sent to the state to bolster its security. It was a topic of conversation between the two heads of state. According to reports, Mann explained the sequence of events that led up to the Ajnala incident to Shah.

Punjab CM meets HM Amit Shah; Centre sends 18 CRPF-RAF companies

<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">Chandigarh: On Saturday, the Punjab government reportedly began a significant crackdown against extremist Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh, with police detaining 78 members of an outfit headed by him.
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">Authorities ramped up security at several locations and suspended internet connections in the state till Sunday noon, but the elusive preacher himself gave the police the slip and avoided their dragnet when his cavalcade was intercepted in the Jalandhar area.
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">The police have said that they have begun a "major state-wide cordon and search operations (CASO)" throughout the state to apprehend members of the 'Waris Punjab De' (WPD), led by Singh, for whom multiple criminal charges had already been filed. It was reported that 78 people had been arrested and numerous others were being held for interrogation during the operation.—Inputs from Agencies&nbsp;

On Saturday, the Punjab government reportedly began a significant crackdown against extremist Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh, with police detaining 78 members of an outfit headed by him.

Punjab arrests 78 radical preacher Amritpal Singh supporters

Chandigarh: Mobile Internet services have been suspended in several districts of Punjab until 12 noon on Sunday, State police said today after launching an operation to arrest chief of suspected pro-Khalistan outfit 'Waris Punjab De', Amritpal Singh and his aides.
"All mobile internet services, all SMS services (except banking &amp; mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks, except the voice call, in the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab shall be suspended from March 18, (12:00 hours) to March 19, (12:00 hours) in the interest of public safety," Punjab's department of Home Affairs and Justice said.
The police action came almost over three weeks after Amritpal's supporters clashed with police personnel at the Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar last month, demanding the release of one of Amritpal's close aide- Lovepreet Toofan.
On February 23, thousands of his supporters, stormed the Ajnala police station, flashing swords and high-calibre firearms, threatening the police with dire consequences if they did not release Lovepreet Toofan, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting and abducting a man.
The supporters, brandishing swords and guns broke through police barricades erected outside the Ajnala police station.
The police later said "in the light of the evidence presented", it has been decided that Lovepreet Singh Toofan will be discharged. Lovepreet Singh was released from jail on February 24 following orders of a court in Ajnala on an application by the police.
Reacting to the incident, chief minister Bhagwant Mann said that these "1000 people" don't represent Punjab, and alleged that they are "funded by Pakistan" to disrupt peace in the state.&nbsp;
—ANI

Mobile Internet services have been suspended in several districts of Punjab until 12 noon on Sunday, State police said today after launching an operation to arrest chief of suspected pro-Khalistan outfit 'Waris Punjab De', Amritpal Singh and his aides.

Internet Services Suspended In Punjab As Police Launch Operation To Arrest Amritpal Singh

Guwahati: Due to security reasons, four aides of absconding Sikh radical preacher Amritpal Singh were brought to Assam's Dibrugarh district on Sunday, according to police sources.  They have been kept at the Dibrugarh Central Jail. An SP-rank officer of the Punjab Police, Superintendent of Police Tejbir Singh Hundal, led the team to shift the four arrested to Assam.  However, neither the Punjab Police team nor any officer from the Assam Police confirmed this.  Dibrugarh Superintendent of Police Shwetank Misra said, "Four arrested persons have been brought here. We will divulge further details later."  The identities of the four people are still unknown.  Meanwhile, outside the Dibrugarh central jail, security has been beefed up. A police source said that the four arrested persons might undergo a marathon interrogation by a joint team of Punjab and Assam Police later in the evening. IANS

Four of the missing Sikh radical preacher Amritpal Singh's aides were transferred to the Dibrugarh jail, for safety purposes on Sunday.

Amritpal Singh's 4 aides flown to Assam's Dibrugarh jail for security reasons (Ld)

With a manhunt underway for radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh in Punjab, Haryana has intensified checking of vehicles along the border with the neighbouring state.

Punjab Police on Saturday launched a major crackdown against Amritpal and suspended internet and SMS services till Monday noon. It has arrested 78 members of 'Punjab Waris De', an outfit headed by him.

At the Shambhu border with Punjab, Ambala police have been put on high alert, officials said on Sunday.

Additional checkpoints have been set up and a large number of police personnel have been deployed there, they said.

In some other districts too, including Kurukshetra, Kaithal and Sirsa, which share borders with Punjab, police are maintaining strict vigil and have intensified checking of vehicles, they said.

CIA-1 incharge of Ambala police Harjinder Singh, who was present at the Haryana-Punjab border near Shambhu, said the situation is normal and peaceful but police are maintaining a vigil.

In Punjab, security forces conducted flag marches at several places in the state, including Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana.

Dubai-returned Amritpal was last year anointed the head of 'Waris Punjab De', which was founded by actor and activist Deep Sidhu who died in a road accident in February last year.

Last month, Amritpal and his supporters, some of them brandishing swords and guns, broke through barricades and barged into Ajnala police station on the outskirts of Amritsar city, and clashed with police for the release of one of his aides. Six policemen were injured in the incident.

Punjab Police filed an FIR on February 23 in connection with the incident.

With a manhunt underway for radical Sikh preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh in Punjab, Haryana

Hunt for Amritpal: Haryana Police intensifies checking of vehicles along Punjab border

Chandigarh: Sunday, in response to a high alert in the state, police in Punjab stepped up their search for radical preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh. At the same time, security forces marched under a sea of flags in a number of locations, and authorities cut mobile internet and SMS services until Monday at noon.
Daljit Singh Kalsi, who is accused of being Amritpal's financial advisor and provider, was detained along with three others on Saturday and brought to Assam from Punjab via "special flight," where they are currently being held at the Dibrugarh Central Prison.
Senior officers with the Punjab police force have said that the law and order situation is under control, and that anyone spreading rumours will face severe consequences. The force has also claimed that it is keeping an eye on fake news and hate speeches emanating from other countries, states, and cities.—Inputs from Agencies

Sunday, in response to a high alert in the state, police in Punjab stepped up their search for radical preacher and Khalistan sympathiser Amritpal Singh. At the same time, security forces marched under a sea of flags in a number of locations, and authorities cut mobile internet and SMS services until Monday at noon.

The Hawk

Tag : TPA

Punjab cops punched me, did not allow Bagga to wear turban: Father

Karan

Tag : TPA

Punjab cops punched me, did not allow Bagga to wear turban: Father

Karan

More about TPA