Top stories on 26 June in a capsule

Terrorism, political unrest leading to drug abuse in border areas: President Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday referred to terrorism being one of the main reasons for the increase of drug abuse by youths in border areas, like that in Punjab in North India and Manipur in the north east. Calling for more vigilance in the territories sharing border with Iran-Afghanistan-Pakistan (Golden Crescent) and Myanmar-Laos-Thailand (Golden Triangle) the President said such areas have more chances of illegal drug trafficking too. “Increase in drug trafficking and drug abuse in border areas is also associated with issues of terrorism and political unrest. That is why there is a need to be more vigilant in border states like Punjab and Manipur,” he was quoted saying by news agency IANS.
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UP inter-faith couple lady gave false address: Police

In a new controversy for the Uttar Pradesh inter-faith couple who were denied passport by the regional officer allegedly over their religion, the state police on Tuesday said that the address of the lady in question as per her application form has been found to be false. Tanvi Seth, wife of Anas Siddiqui has been accused of providing Lucknow as her place of address while being a resident of Noida, according to Senior Superintendent of Lucknow Police Deepak Kumar told media agencies. “In our investigation, we found out that Tanvi Seth has not been staying at the current mentioned address for a year. We have sent our report to the Regional Passport Office, further investigation will be done by them,” Kumar was quoted by news agency ANI. Seth and Siddiqui were on June 27 had reached out to Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj alleging that they were harassed by granting officer Vikas Mishra over the inter-faith marriage. Mishra was transferred following the controversy.
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London Court gives 90 yrs of jail to four Indian origin men

A London court on Tuesday sentenced four Indian origin men to over 90 years in jail together for killing a 30-year-old Indian based in Britain over personal grievances. Accused Amandeep Sandhu, Ravinder Singh Shergil, Vishal Soba and Kuldeep Dhillon, has been found guilty of man slaughtering, planning and intimidation to deceased victim Sukhjinder Singh over the suspicion that he had been sleeping with wife of one of the men, news agency PTI reported. Giving the verdict, Judge Christopher Moss of the Old Bailey court said, “The nature of weapons used and ferocity of the attack, it is obvious you intended to kill.” The murderers had chopped off Singh’s fingers before clubbing him to death in 2016 at Southall district.
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Passport Seva App: Application made possible from any part of India

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday launched the Passport Seva app for mobile phone that will any citizen to apply for a passport from any part of the country. In what might be a big boon for the public, the app will introduce two new schemes - Passport application from anywhere in India and filling passport application forms from mobile phones. “Now, through the app, people can apply for a passport from any part of the country. Police verification will be done on the address you will give on the app. The passport will be dispatched to that address,” Swaraj said. The Ministry also talked of expanding passport centres firm its current number of 260 to all Lok Sabha constituencies and many of the northeastern states.
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PM Modi recalls 'dark days' of Emergency, Congress hits back with 'Aurangazeb' remark  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday delivered a full-blown attack aimed at the Opposition Congress party on the commemoration of the 43rd anniversary of the 1975 Emergency imposed by the PM Indira Gandhi. Holding the party responsible for overseeing the darkest day in India’s democracy, Modi while addressing a gathering of BJP workers in Mumbai said, “India turned into a huge jail during Emergency. The Black Day is organized not just to criticise Congress for the sin of attacking Constitution, but to create awareness about its perils.” He continued to slam the Grand Old Party by saying they have never respected their critics, including late singer Kishore Kumar and the 1975 movie Aandhi. Reacting to PM Modi’s allegations, Congress compared his governance to that of Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. “Aurangzeb had only taken his father as a hostage, but today’s Aurangzeb Modi has taken the entire country as hostage since the last 49 months,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala.

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Thailand struggles to find 13 people inside a cave missing since 3 days

Desperate parents in Thailand were left inconsolable on Tuesday as they stood outside a flooded cave, days after 13 kids, including minors and the coach of the football team of Royal Thai Navy went missing. The minor boys, aged 11 to 16, along with their 25-year-old coach went missing since Saturday and their bicycles were found outside the Tham Luang Nang Non cave in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand. According to rescue operators, the flood waters could be blocking the exit for the group who went visiting inside to explore the cave. Speaking to media agencies Provincial governor Narongsak Osottanakorn said "We must find the children today. We have hope that they are living somewhere in there," as quoted by Reuters. As per the latest reports, a special team of Thai navy SEALS and other rescuers are probing the inner passages of the cave.

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Home Ministry increases security of PM Modi following 'all-time' threat

The Home Ministry on Tuesday declared new rules of security for Prime Minister Modi, revealing that the threat perception is at an all-time high, and he is a target of several groups in the run-up to the 2019 General elections. The rules specify that no person, including Members of Parliament (MPs) and officials, can approach the PM, before being cleared by the Special Protection Group (SPG). As per news reports, the PM has also been asked to cut down on his road shows but address more public rallies, as they are easier to manage. The increase in PM’s security measures was taken after a series of ‘assassination’ attempts were thwarted by the police in the last few weeks. On June 7, a letter revealing a plan to 'assassination PM Modi like former PM Rajiv Gandhi was caught from five Delhi residents, having alleged Maoists links. On Tuesday, a 19-year-old youth from Uttar Pradesh was arrested for posting ‘threatening’ messages against PM Modi on social media.

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I have become poster boy of all Indian defaulters: Vijay Mallya

Liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who is wanted in India over loan default, on Tuesday said he has become the "poster boy" of bank default and a lightning rod of public anger. The wanted fugitive revealed that in April 2016, he had written an open letter to PM Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and promised to settle all the dues, but had not received any reply. Mallya released the letter a week after employees of defunct Kingfisher Airlines wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi accusing him of not paying salaries. He cleared that he had appealed in the Supreme Court to pay his employees a part of their salaries in 2014, but their application is still pending and not being heard. Mallya claims that the ED and CBI’s charge sheet against him is filled with false allegations and that he had offered to pay back his dues in the Supreme Court in 2016.

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India most dangerous country for women: Survey

India ranks first in the list of most dangerous countries for women, a Thomson Reuters survey said on Tuesday. The report states that women in India still face a high risk of sexual violence, forced labour, sex slavery, forced marriage, female infanticide and trafficking. Afghanistan and Syria ranked second and third, followed by Somalia and Saudi Arabia in the list. The only western nation in the top 10 was the United States, which ranked joint third when respondents were asked where women were most at risk of sexual violence, harassment and being coerced into sex. This poll is a repeat of a survey which was conducted in 2011 that found Afghanistan as the most dangerous country for women. Responding to this survey, congress President Rahul Gandhi targeted PM Modi and his fitness video, saying that ‘While our PM tiptoes around his garden making Yoga videos, India leads Afghanistan, Syria and Saudi Arabia in rape and violence against women. What a shame for our country!’

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Jharkhand gangrape: School principal told girls to go with the accused, say police

The Principal of the school in Jharkhand, from where five men kidnapped and raped 5 NGO workers had asked the women to go with the accused, ADG of Police RK Malik revealed on Tuesday. He later had also told them to not report the incident, media reports quoting investigators said. 5 women were performing a street play, when the accused took them to a nearby forest at gunpoint, raped them, made videos of the incident and threatened to distribute them. The police said that there is ‘concrete evidence’ against Father Alfonso Alien, the head of the missionary school. The police booked Alien for not reporting the incident but he was let off after he furnished a personal bond. Two of the accused – Ajub Sandi and Ashish Longo, were arrested on Saturday.
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