Top news of the day: May 25, 2025
Lalu Prasad expels elder son Tej Pratap Yadav from party and family for 'irresponsible behaviour'
Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday expelled his eldest son and Hasanpur MLA Tej Pratap Yadav from the party for six years following his video with a girl going viral on social media on Saturday. Mr. Prasad posted a message on social media X saying, 'Ignoring moral values in personal life weakens the collective struggle for social cause. The activities, public conduct and irresponsible behaviour of the eldest son are not in accordance with our family values and traditions. Therefore, due to the above circumstances, I remove him from the party and family. From now on, he will not have any role of any kind in the party and family. He is expelled from the party for 6 years.'
BJP MP sparks row saying tourists should have fought terrorists and women lacked 'warrior spirit'
Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha member Ram Chander Jangra has courted controversy over his remarks on Pahalgam attack for saying that the women, whose husbands were killed by the terrorists, 'did not have the spirit of warriors' and that's why these women fell victim to the bullets pleading for the lives of their husbands with folded hands. He later clarified that his statement was presented in a distorted manner to create political controversy, and this mentality be shunned, adding that he still did not mind apologising for his remarks if anyone was hurt.
Operation Sindoor not just military mission, but reflection of changing India, says PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that Operation Sindoor was not just a military mission, but 'the face of a changing India' that reflects the country's resolve, courage, and growing strength on the global stage. Addressing his monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister termed Operation Sindoor as a turning point in the global fight against terror and a symbol of India's growing strength and clarity of purpose. 'Today the entire country is united against terrorism, filled with anger and determination,' Mr. Modi said.
964 children rescued so far by anti-child trafficking cell: NCPCR
About 964 children have been rescued since the formation of an Anti-Child Trafficking Cell, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said on Sunday. The NCPCR, in a statement, said that it recently rescued 17 minor girls from an orchestra group operating in Bihar's Saran district. The rescue operation was launched after the Commission received inputs from an NGO that several minor girls were being forced to perform obscene dances by local orchestra groups in the region.
Shashi Tharoor slams Kerala Govt for aid to Turkiye in 2023, John Brittas responds
Amidst a multi-party delegation's visit across the globe as part of government's outreach in the wake of the India-Pakistan conflict, two Parliamentarians from Kerala Congress's Shashi Tharoor and CPI(M)'s John Brittas sparred over Kerala Government's financial assistance to Turkiye after it was struck by an earthquake in 2023. Mr. Tharoor in a post on 'X' on Saturday (May 24, 2025), criticised the Kerala Government's ₹10 crore aid to Turkiye two years ago, as 'misplaced generosity'. To which Mr. Brittas said Mr. Thaoor's comments show 'selective amnesia', since it does not mention Narendra Modi Government itself had launched Operation Dost to help Turkiye.
Protesters scuffle with security forces near Manipur Raj Bhavan
A scuffle broke out between protesters and security forces on Sunday while they were on their way to gherao the Raj Bhavan in Imphal against the removal of the State's name from a Government bus. The protesters responding to a call by COCOMI (Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity) to stage mass agitation gathered at Khwairamband and took out a rally for some 500 metres before security forces stopped them. They were demanding an apology from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla over an alleged insult to Manipur's identity.
Playing cards for entertainment and recreation without gambling is not moral turpitude: Supreme Court
Playing cards for entertainment and recreation without an element of betting and gambling does not involve moral turpitude, the Supreme Court has said as it restored the election of a man in a cooperative society in Karnataka. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh noted that one Y.C. Hanumantharayappa, who was elected to the board of directors of Government Porcelain Factory Employees Housing Co-operative Society Ltd., was allegedly fined ₹200 without any trial when some persons, including him were caught playing cards sitting on a roadside.
Assembly bypolls to five seats in four States on June 19: Election Commission
Bypolls to five Assembly seats in four States will be held on June 19, the Election Commission said on Sunday. While two assembly bypolls will be held in Gujarat, one each will take place in Kerala, West Bengal and Punjab. The counting of votes will take place on June 23, the poll authority said. In Gujarat, the bypoll to the Kadi seat was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Karsanbhai Punjabhai Solanki. Another bypoll to the Visavadar seat in the state is taking place due to the resignation of sitting member Bhayani Bhupendrabhai Gandubhai.
Overnight heavy rains threw life out of gear in Kerala; IMD issues red alerts for five districts
Heavy rains pummelled Kerala overnight, causing some disruption to everyday life, even as the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the South West Monsoon will likely intensify on Sunday. The IMD has issued a red alert for five northern districts —Kasargod, Kannur, Kozhikode, Wayanad, and Malappuram — for the next 24 hours. The rest of Kerala, including Idukki, was under orange alert. The IMD has predicted intense rainfall in the regions until Monday (May 26). The IMD will likely update its weather forecast at 10.30 a.m.
Bangladesh court begins first trial of Hasina-era officials
Bangladesh began the first trial on Sunday at a special court prosecuting former senior figures connected to the ousted government of Sheikh Hasina, the chief prosecutor said. The court in the capital, Dhaka accepted a formal charge against eight police officials in connection with the killing of six protesters on August 5 last year, the day Ms. Hasina fled the country as the protesters stormed her palace. The eight men are charged with crimes against humanity. Four are in custody and four are being tried in absentia.
Trump defends block on foreign students at Harvard
U.S. President Donald Trump defended on Sunday his administration's move to block foreign students at Harvard after a judge suspended the action, branded by the top university as unlawful. 'Why isn't Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their student's education, nor do they ever intend to,' Mr. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Massive Russian drone-and-missile attack on Ukraine kills 12 people, officials say
A massive Russian drone-and-missile attack targeted the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and other regions in the country for a second consecutive night, killing at least 12 people and injuring dozens, officials said early Sunday. The scale of the onslaught was stunning — Russia hit Ukraine with 367 drones and missiles, making this the largest single attack of the more than three-years-long war, according to Yuriy Ihnat, a spokesperson for Ukraine's Air Force.
IPL 2025 | Josh Hazlewood rejoins Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of IPL playoffs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have got a massive boost ahead of the Indian Premier League playoffs with Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood rejoining the side two days before their final league match in Lucknow on May 27, 2025. Hazlewood had returned home during the one-week break due to the suspension of the IPL in the wake of India-Pakistan military conflict and was also dealing with a shoulder niggle from which the right-arm pacer has recovered.
It will be a challenge for Gill to lead India in England, says Pujara
Test veteran Cheteshwar Pujara on Sunday said it will be a challenge for a youngster like Shubman Gill to captain India in tough conditions in England, but a big opportunity and confidence booster for him if he achieves success as a leader in the marquee series. 'When you go abroad as a captain, whether you are young or matured, it will be challenging. To start off in England, it won't be easy for Shubman but it's a great opportunity for a young player. If he leads well in England it will boost his confidence.
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Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Op Sindoor proves India safe under Modi, says Majhi
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said Operation Sindoor has proved that India is safe under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Majhi was addressing a function organised to celebrate the first anniversary of Odisha's maiden BJP government. Showering praises on Modi, who was also present on the dais, Majhi said, 'Earlier, people used to say – 'Modi hai to mumkin hai' (it is possible if Modi is there) but today, the entire country is saying 'Modi hai to desh surakshit hai' (the country is safe when Modi is at the helm).' Majhi said Operation Sindoor is not just an Army operation against terrorists, but a hope for the mothers, sisters and daughters of India. 'With Operation Sindoor, a new India has emerged, which will not bow down under any circumstances. This new India will write its own destiny,' the Chief Minister said. Stating that India is reaching new heights of development under Modi's leadership, Majhi said in the last 11 years, every section of the society has progressed. 'Today, India has become the fourth-largest economy in the world, and is soon going to become $5 trillion economy. Extreme poverty in the country has come down from 27.1 per cent to 5.3 per cent. This proves that under your leadership, the country is changing and is moving forward on the path of development at a rapid pace,' he said. Majhi said Odisha is also making progress and the State's initiatives are modelled keeping in mind the four categories mentioned by Modi – the poor, the farmers, women and youth. Majhi said the Odisha government has secured an investment proposal of Rs 17 lakh crore in just two days after Modi's call to the industries during a conclave held earlier this year. 'This was possible only because of the trust of the industrial world in you (Modi),' Majhi added.
Scroll.in
2 hours ago
- Scroll.in
After Pahalgam, what is the counterterrorism grid in Jammu and Kashmir up against?
Two months ago, on April 22, a group of militants gunned down 25 tourists holidaying in the meadows of Pahalgam in South Kashmir. A local man was also killed. Even by the standards of violence seen in Kashmir's 36-year-old armed insurgency, the targeted killing of tourists was a first. It pushed India and Pakistan to the brink of war. On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor and carried out military strikes on alleged terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The four-day conflict eventually came to an end following the purported intervention of the United States. But the attackers of Pahalgam are still untraced. The National Investigation Agency has taken over the investigation but there has been no major breakthrough in the case. The Pahalgam attack came at a time when the Centre's grip over the restive region was absolute and militancy-related violence was at its lowest. After New Delhi scrapped Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and downsized it from a state to a Union territory, it has ruled the region directly with the security establishment under the central government's exclusive control. For the counterinsurgency grid in Jammu and Kashmir, the April 22 terror strike has left behind several questions. Scroll spoke to security officials in Kashmir, who mapped the landscape in which they now operate post-Pahalgam and Operation Sindoor. They contended that the Pahalgam attackers had crossed a 'red line'. 'The line between who can be targeted and who cannot has blurred in the eyes of terrorists,' said a senior police officer in Kashmir. 'After Pahalgam, we are working on the assumption that they can go for any soft target.' In the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, security forces detained around 2,800 individuals for questioning, most of whom were eventually released. In addition, more than a hundred individuals, with past records of militancy, have been detained under the preventive detention law Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act. The security agencies also demolished the homes of the families of around nine active local and Pakistan-based militants to send a message. Yet, success has eluded them. Security officials told Scroll that they are up against a lack of strong intelligence, the evolving tactics of hardened Pakistan-backed militants in Kashmir – and the possibility of a new front opening up in the skies through drones. A new militancy After 2019, the Centre carried out a widespread crackdown on militancy and its support system in Kashmir. As a result, local recruitment to militant ranks drastically went down. According to government officials, there are only seven active militants from Kashmir Valley at the moment – the lowest since militancy broke out in 1989. However, the number of foreign militants has continued to remain in two digits owing to infiltration from across the border. Even if few, these militants have made their presence felt in the last six years. 'How does a terrorist show his presence? It's not that a militant will leisurely walk with a gun on a street to show he exists. He needs to attack someone in order to show that they exist,' said a second police officer, not wishing to be identified by name. 'A single militant with a gun can kill 100 people if there's no gun against him.' Among the many tactics adopted by these militants is choosing what the security officials describe as 'soft targets' – like migrant workers, and members of the minority community. From August 5, 2019, to July 9, 2022, 118 civilians were killed in militancy-related incidents across Jammu and Kashmir, the Minister of State for Home Affairs told Parliament. Five of the dead were Kashmiri Pandits and 16 belonged to other Hindu or Sikh communities. Observers see the Pahalgam incident as part of the same continuum of tactics. 'Counter-terrorism is a cat-and-mouse game,' explained retired Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda, former Northern Commander of the Indian Army. 'The terrorists observe the tactics of the security forces and they look for weaklings, soft spots and areas with weak presence of security forces.' The dip in intelligence Conventionally, the counter-insurgency policy adopted by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir involved reliance on quality intelligence, a third police officer explained. 'Once terrorists started using mobile phones, technical intelligence was key to eliminating them,' the officer said. 'Plus, terrorists hiding in populated areas would also lead to human intelligence on them. As a result, it's easier to nail them down and neutralise them,' the officer added. Over the last few years, the third officer conceded, there has been a considerable impact on the quality of the intelligence primarily as a result of the different tactics adopted by the militants. 'Technology is an evolving spectrum and we have seen terrorists using high-end encrypted communication devices which are difficult to intercept. As a result, the technical inputs have gone dry to an extent,' the officer explained. Human intelligence, too, has suffered. One of the key strategies adopted by militants post-2019 is that they have largely avoided staying in populated areas. 'The cost of aiding militants has increased manifold because of the government,' the officer said. 'Therefore, anyone who was sheltering militants would find his house seized and himself in jail. While this helped in creating fear and a deterrence among over-ground workers, it also compelled terrorists to stay deep inside jungles. The net result was that human intelligence on them was not much because they were not seeking shelter among the people.' Besides the change in tactics, the officer added, the terrorists seemed to be well-trained and prepared for jungle warfare, particularly in the Jammu region. In the last five years, ostensibly well-trained Pakistani militants have carried out multiple precision strikes or ambushes against the security forces in the challenging and dense topography of Jammu hinterland. Militants from across the border infiltrate into Jammu region via Kathua and Samba districts, which sit on the international border with Pakistan. Once inside the Indian territory, the militants then venture deep into other districts of the region while navigating a dense terrain and challenging topography. 'The assumption with the Pahalgam attack is also that the terrorists who carried it out came from across the border and had been active in the mountainous areas along the border dividing Kashmir Valley and Jammu region,' explained the first senior police officer. In most cases, the militants are adept at surviving in deep jungles. 'They rely on dry rations and mostly take food once a day,' said the third police officer. 'They hardly venture into civilian areas and even when they do, they will pick an isolated house, take whatever they need and never come back to that house again.' That the militants are highly trained is also reflected in the weaponry and type of attacks they have carried out in the last few years. 'These are terrorists who wear body cameras to shoot their action and then use that footage for propaganda…in most of the attacks, the slain soldiers had been shot in the upper parts of their body or head suggesting that these are professionally trained foreign terrorists,' he added. 'In almost every attack, we have seen the use of US-made M4 carbine rifles.' Significantly, none of these militants tracked down by security forces in the Jammu region has given up without a fight. 'It's possible to get a good amount of information from a militant if he's arrested alive but in this case these terrorists have preferred to fight till death than surrender.' 'Challenge of drones' During the four-day-long military clashes between India and Pakistan in May, Indian security forces spotted massive drone activity across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir. While these drones were not able to create any significant damage, the fact that Pakistani drones could land up in the heart of Srinagar city was not lost on anyone. The security establishment has been aware of this aspect of warfare for some years now. In 2020, then Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Dilbag Singh, had pointed out a new tactic adopted by the militants across the border. 'Pakistan has been trying to send arms and ammunition to militants through drones. We have detected several such incidents in the past," Singh told reporters in Srinagar. Weapons had been delivered via unmanned aerial vehicles, Singh added, in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir including Jammu's Kathua and Rajouri and along the line of control in Kupwara in North Kashmir. Less than a year later in June 2021, Indian Air Force's Jammu station was hit by two improvised explosive devices that had been dropped by low-flying drones. While there was no significant damage, this was something new. Since the early 2000s, drones have increasingly become part of modern warfare with the United States using UAVs to hit targets in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. Prior to this groups like Islamic State, Al Qaeda, Hezbollah and Houthis have used drones as a part of their military arsenal. However, the 2021 attack was arguably the first time drones had entered the landscape of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. After Operation Sindoor, the threat of drones being used for combative use has become more real than ever – and it is one that the Jammu and Kashmir's security establishment is not taking lightly. 'Not only the armies but even terrorists have used drones in many regions of the globe and this is not the first time we have anticipated such a thing,' the first senior police officer added. 'Having seen what Pakistan tried to do during the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, we cannot ignore the possibility of terrorists also using drones for their actions.' On June 16, Jammu and Kashmir union territory administration declared all the routes leading to the Amarnath holy cave as a 'no flying zone'. As per the orders, no one is allowed to use 'any kind of aviation platforms' including drones and balloons during the duration of the yatra that begins from July 1 and goes on till August 10. According to the administration, the decision was taken on the 'advice' of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Retired Lieutenant General Hooda, who was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian army's Northern Command during the 2016 'surgical strike' in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, said the concern of the security establishment in Jammu and Kashmir regarding drones is rightly placed. 'After seeing how drone technology has been used in Ukraine, I anticipate that for not just the Pakistani military but even the non-state actors, the use of drones is a feasibility they will adopt.' Given their readiness of use, low cost and capacity to go unnoticed, Hooda added, the security establishment has to be proactive. 'Drones are easy to fly and very difficult to protect against. They are so small that one often doesn't even notice how suddenly they appear. We have already seen an attack on the Jammu airbase,' Hooda remarked, referring to the June 2021 attack on Jammu station of the Indian Air Force. 'So now, when it comes to security force establishments, sensitive areas, and sensitive targets, we have to be extremely concerned and careful.'
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Pahalgam probe: In hunt for gunmen, 2 possibilities on radar
New Delhi: The manhunt for the Pahalgam attackers continues with no arrests since the April 22 assault at Baisaran meadow. (PTI) Indian security forces are pursuing two theories about the whereabouts of three terrorists who killed 26 tourists in Kashmir two months ago, with officials divided over whether the attackers remain in hiding or have fled to Pakistan. The manhunt for the Pahalgam attackers continues with no arrests since the April 22 assault at Baisaran meadow, according to three security officials who spoke on condition of anonymity. Authorities have identified the suspected attackers as Hashim Musa, also known as Suleiman, and Ali Bhai, also called Talha Bhai — both Pakistani nationals — and local operative Adil Hussain Thokker. The government has offered rewards of ₹ 20 lakh for each suspect. Initial eyewitness accounts suggested four to five terrorists could have been involved, though security forces have so far identified these three. Security agencies are split between two assessments of the terrorists' location, the officials said, citing these as based on 'tell-tale signs' and 'intelligence assessments'. The first theory suggests the same group was involved in a May 22 gun battle with security forces in Kishtwar's dense forests, where one army soldier was killed and two others wounded. Officials believe the attackers then fled deeper into the jungle towards the Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban border region and may have crossed into Pakistan. The second assessment holds that the terrorists remain hidden in the Tral ridge area, avoiding electronic communication with Pakistani handlers or local contacts. 'Both theories are based on intelligence assessments and have been discussed in detail by the Army, paramilitary forces and Jammu and Kashmir police,' said one official. 'But there is no definite answer.' Most security officials favour the second theory, citing heavy troop deployment near the border following the attack and continuous satellite surveillance. The National Investigation Agency, which is formally investigating the case, has questioned hundreds of people over two months, including suspected collaborators, pony operators, vendors and tourism workers. Investigators have also examined videos and photographs taken by families at Baisaran that day. Since the April attack, security forces have killed six terrorists in separate encounters across Kashmir, but the Pahalgam attackers remain at large. The Resistance Front, a proxy group for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba organisation, claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian agencies say the group is a front used by Pakistan to avoid international sanctions. As first reported by HT on April 24, intelligence agencies traced the attack's digital communications to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi, establishing Pakistani involvement in what officials described as similar to the control room-operated 2008 Mumbai attacks. India responded with Operation Sindoor on May 7, bombing nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in pre-dawn strikes that killed at least 100 militants. The operation sparked four days of cross-border fighting involving fighter jets, missiles and artillery. On the night of May 9-10, the Indian Air Force struck targets at 13 Pakistani airbases and military installations before hostilities ended on May 10. Last week, the Financial Action Task Force condemned the Pahalgam attack, saying such operations require significant funding and money transfer capabilities between terrorist supporters. India also raised the attack at a United Nations meeting in Vienna last month, accusing Pakistan-based groups including Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad of orchestrating attacks on Indian soil.
