Sikkim Chief Secretary R Telang on Monday chaired a high-level meeting to review the disaster situation in Mangan district, which has been affected by continuous rainfall, landslides, and widespread disruption in road connectivity, reported PTI. During the meeting, key issues, such as road blockages, evacuation of stranded tourists, and urgent restoration of essential services like power, roads, and telecommunications were discussed, the Information and Public Relations Department said in a statement. Meanwhile, in a video-conference briefing, Mangan District Magistrate Anant Jain apprised the Chief Secretary of the overall situation prevailing in the district. According to PTI, Telang has instructed Mangan DM and Superintendent of Police Sonam Detchu Bhutia to ensure effective communication with residents, particularly regarding the timing and routes for the evacuation of stranded tourists. Altogether, 1,678 tourists in north Sikkim's Lachung and Chungthang towns following rain-triggered landslides were evacuated on Monday, even as more than 100 others are continue to remain stranded in Lachen, DGP Akshay Sachdeva said. The Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA) and the Land Revenue and Disaster Management Department have officially declared the damage caused by incessant rainfall in Mangan district from May 28 onwards a "disaster" under Section 22(2)(b) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. During the meeting, Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials provided an update on the extent of road damage and ongoing restoration efforts. The BRO was directed to deploy sufficient manpower and machinery to expedite the reopening of strategic routes, the statement said. The Chief Secretary directed the concerned officials to make immediate provisions for dispatching a sortie on Tuesday to facilitate emergency access and deploy a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team equipped with satellite phones and necessary gadgets from Siliguri to Chhaten to support rescue and relief operations. However, three army personnel died and six soldiers went missing after a landslide hit a military camp at Chhaten in Sikkim, a defence official said on Monday. The landslide, which occurred at 7 PM on Sunday near Lachen town in Mangan district, was triggered by heavy rainfall in the area, he said. Likewise, teams from BSNL and the Power Department will be mobilised from Pakyong to Lachen with essential equipment and backup batteries to restore disrupted services, the statement said. The Home Department has been tasked with organising and dispatching field teams, while Gangtok District Magistrate Tushar Nikhare has been instructed to provide continuous situation updates and ensure coordination between field teams and the state control room, along with the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority (SSDMA). Telang further stressed that immediate priority must be given to restoring power (both conventional and mobile) and telecommunication services, including the use of satellite-based solutions in inaccessible areas. If full connectivity cannot be restored immediately, the departments concerned are directed to explore foot access routes and evaluate helipad operations depending on weather conditions. The Chief Secretary also underlined the importance of inter-departmental coordination to consolidate field-level inputs and take a unified approach to relief operations, the statement said. Meanwhile, coordination with the Indian Army was also suggested for logistics support and situational updates. Emphasising the need for ground-level information, the Chief Secretary urged the departments to activate survey and feedback mechanisms to assess current conditions, including the status of road, power, and mobile network infrastructure. The immediate objective remains the restoration of connectivity and the safe evacuation of those stranded, the statement said. Officials from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 27 Mountain Division, officers from the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority, representatives of the Travel Agents Association of Sikkim, and various line departments attended the meeting. In light of the current disaster situation, the state government urged the residents of Mangan district and neighbouring areas to remain vigilant and cooperate with local authorities. The state administration is closely monitoring the situation 24/7 and taking immediate measures to mitigate the impact, the statement added. (With inputs from PTI)
02 June,2025 10:02 PM IST | Gangtok | mid-day online correspondentA Delhi court has initiated criminal proceedings against a woman for allegedly concealing the fact that she had received Rs 10 lakh during her divorce settlement, reported the PTI. The court observed that any misuse of laws meant for the protection of women must be curbed at the outset. Judicial Magistrate Anam Rais Khan was hearing a criminal complaint filed by the woman herself. According to PTI, in an order dated April 25, which was recently made available, the court stated that the complainant admitted all disputes between the parties had been settled before the family court of the southeast district. The first motion of divorce by mutual consent was passed on November 22, 2022, after which the complainant received Rs10 lakh out of the total settlement amount of Rs19 lakh. The court further noted that the woman's estranged husband was willing to pay the remaining amount, but these crucial facts were concealed by the complainant in the current petition. The woman also admitted to having already used the part-settlement amount of Rs10 lakh and had deliberately not appeared for the recording of her statement for the second motion of divorce by mutual consent before the family court, the court added. It was observed that the woman benefited from the settlement without honouring its terms. "In a nutshell," the court said, "the respondent (former husband), despite paying Rs10 lakh, remains in the same position, and the present case was filed after the amount was received." According to PTI, the court found a prima facie violation of the family court’s order and the undertaking given by the woman under oath. It also observed an “attempt to deceive the present court” by filing the petition without disclosing the settlement. This, the court said, amounts to filing a false affidavit by actively concealing material facts, representing a clear abuse of legal process and a misuse of provisions intended for the protection of women. The court emphasised that such conduct should not go unchecked and must be addressed promptly. Accordingly, the court directed that separate proceedings be initiated against the woman under Sections 340 and 195(1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and sought her response. Section 195(1)(b) deals with offences related to public justice and forged documents used in court, while Section 340 outlines the procedure for initiating an inquiry into such offences. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on June 30. (With inputs from PTI)
02 June,2025 09:28 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed his ‘deep appreciation’ to Paraguay for its ‘strong condemnation’ of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack after holding a "comprehensive discussion" with the President Santiago Pena Palacios in Delhi, reported ANI. According to the Ministry of External Affair (MEA), both the leaders held comprehensive talks at Hyderabad House, covering bilateral ties including trade, investment, health, pharmaceuticals, and people-to-people links. During a press briefing, P Kumaran, Secretary (East) at MEA, emphasised that both leaders "unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all forms", with President Pena extending deep harmony with the victims and their families. Pena is on a three-day India tour, which will conclude on June 4, ANI reported. "Prime Minister Modi expressed his deep appreciation to Paraguay for its strong condemnation of the terrorist attack, as well as for the sincere condolences and solidarity expressed with the people and the government of India. Both leaders unequivocally condemned terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations. On behalf of the Paraguayan people, President Pena expressed his deep solidarity with the victims and families of the terrorist attack," Kumaran stated during the briefing. On April 22, terrorists backed by Pakistan, shot dead 26 people in the Pahalgam region of Jammu and Kashmir. Two weeks later, under ‘Operation Sindoor’, India attacked nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Kumaran also mentioned that during President Pena’s meeting with PM Modi, both the leaders expressed support for setting up a Joint Commission Mechanism (JCM) at the Secretary or Vice-Minister level to strengthen collaboration in key areas of shared interest, reported ANI. Acknowledging India's expanding influence in the global economy, MEA highlighted President Peña’s strong interest in encouraging Indian investments in Paraguay. "The two sides welcomed the establishment of a Joint Commission Mechanism at the Secretary or Vice Ministerial level. The JCM will serve as a key platform to review and advance cooperation in priority areas of mutual interest. Recognising India's growing global economic role, President Pina expressed keen interest in attracting Indian investments to Paraguay. He engaged with prominent Indian business leaders in Delhi. He is scheduled to travel tomorrow to Mumbai and interact with top Indian business leaders and companies," Kumaran added. President Pena will also be meeting his Indian counterpart Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where a banquet will be hosted. "The two leaders held a comprehensive discussion on the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, including trade and investment, health and pharmaceuticals, defence and security, infrastructure, mining and mineral resources, agriculture and food security, green energy, ICT, digitalisation, innovation, disaster management, science and technology and people-to-people links. The President is scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu in the evening at Rashtrapati Bhawan, where a banquet will be hosted for him. The bilateral relationship was expanded steadily with growing cooperation in sectors such as trade, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, and information technology. Paraguay is a growing trade partner for India in the Latin American region”, Kumaran said. Earlier in the day, President Pena paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat and laid a wreath at the memorial. (With inputs from ANI)
02 June,2025 08:56 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentSenior Maharashtra Congress leader Balasahed Thorat on Monday asserted that farmers in the state were suffering from severe losses due to early monsoon showers in May but the government is not providing any aid to this problem, reported the PTI. Addressing a press conference he asserted that the state government should provide a financial aid of Rs 50,000 per hectare to aid the losses of farmers, instead of waiting for the ‘punchnama’ (loss assessments), reported PTI. "Farmers are in dire straits. If they are in trouble, common citizens too will face hardships. There is unrest among farmers and the government must act. A farmer spends Rs 50,000 per acre for vegetable cultivation and nearly Rs 60,000 per acre for horticulture cultivation. Due to the Maharashtra rains, even fodder has been destroyed," he said, according to the PTI. He further added that agriculture is not a profitable business, also the one-rupee crop insurance scheme has been stopped, and the state government has not acted on its commitment of loan waiver. "The administration is, however, nowhere to be seen on the ground. Guardian ministers must be touring districts to take stock of the situation but many districts don't have guardian ministers. If the chief minister says work doesn't stop in the absence of a guardian minister, then why have this post for districts," Thorat added. While talking to the reporters after heading a meeting in Nashik on Sunday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis responded to a query about the absence of a guardian minister for the district, which is set to host the Simhastha Kumbh Mela next year, by stating, "guardian ministers come and go." Additionally Thorat said that the state government will have to face the consequences for ignoring the agricultural issues. When questioned about his nephew and Independent MLC Satyajit Tambe's recent remarks made to a local digital channel, where he challenged state leaders to secure an appointment with Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, within an hour, Thorat said the comments were ‘childish.’ "One should be grateful if anyone has been helpful in life. One must never forget the favour. He needs to learn a lot about politics and must introspect. If you have issues, one must learn to keep it in the heart," Thorat said. (With inputs from PTI)
02 June,2025 07:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentPakistan on Monday unveiled details of its global diplomatic push to seek international support following the recent conflict with India and to highlight the importance of dialogue in addressing issues between the two countries, reported the PTI. However, the diplomatic outreach comprises two delegations moving in different directions to garner support for the country, the Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement. The move follows India's deployment of seven multi-party delegations to 33 global capitals as part of its diplomatic outreach after the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, reported PTI. “On Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's directive, a high-level multi-party delegation will visit New York, Washington DC, London, and Brussels from 2 June 2025," the Foreign Office (FO) said. The nine-member delegation is led by Pakistan People's Party Chairman and former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Other members include Federal Minister Musadik Malik, former foreign ministers Hina Rabbani Khar and Khurram Dastgir Khan, former ministers Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari and Sherry Rehman, Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, and two former foreign secretaries—Jalil Abbas Jilani and Tehmina Janjua. Meanwhile, another delegation led by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi will visit Moscow from June 2. The details of its composition were not shared. The two delegations will engage in a series of meetings with international leaders, public officials, senior government personnel, parliamentarians, think tanks, media representatives, and the diaspora, the FO said, according to PTI. "The visits of these delegations are aimed at projecting Pakistan's perspective on the recent Indian aggression," the statement added. The delegations will also “highlight that dialogue and diplomacy should take precedence over conflict and confrontation.” The need for the immediate resumption of the normal functioning of the Indus Waters Treaty will also be a key theme of the delegations' outreach, according to the FO. According to PTI, Pakistan had announced last month that it would send a team of experts to foreign capitals to inform the world about the four-day conflict with India and present its perspective on the issue. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated following the Pahalgam terror attack, with India conducting precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7. Meanwhile, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9, and 10. However, India responded strongly to these actions. It is worth noting that the on-ground hostilities ended with an understanding to cease military actions after talks between the Directors General of Military Operations of both sides on May 10. (With inputs from PTI)
02 June,2025 06:30 PM IST | Islamabad | mid-day online correspondentRahul Gandhi is set to launch a Congress Working Committee (CWC)- approved campaign aimed at rebuilding the party's image in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Madhya Pradesh. The launch will take place in Bhopal on Tuesday, where he will address a brainstorming session to prepare the party for the 2028 assembly polls. An announcement in this regard was made during the inauguration of the ‘Sangathan Srajan Abhiyan’ (Organisation Rejuvenation Campaign) during the extended meeting that was organised in Belagavi in December 2024. "The 'Abhiyan' is being launched to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level and instill enthusiasm among party workers. We have not been in power in Madhya Pradesh for a long time," former MP Congress chief Arun Yadav and ex-minister Sajjan Verma told reporters on Monday. Yadav assured that 'Mission 2028' aims to bring Congress to power in Madhya Pradesh, by winning the upcoming assembly elections, reported PTI. A similar initiative was undertaken by the Congress in Gujarat, another state where the party’s organisation is in disarray, much like in Madhya Pradesh. Except for a brief 15-month stint between December 2018 and March 2020 under Chief Minister Kamal Nath, the Congress has remained out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003. In the 2023 assembly elections, the BJP delivered a resounding blow to the Congress, increasing its seat count by 54 and securing 163 seats in the 230-member Assembly, while the Congress was reduced to just 66 seats as the main opposition. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, Congress was defeated by BJP with 29 seats. Yadav stated that the party’s rejuvenation initiative is focused on reinforcing the organisational structure and enhancing coordination and communication among grassroots workers, office-bearers, MPs, MLAs, and various wings of the Congress. "After arriving in Bhopal, Rahul Gandhi will visit the state Congress office and attend a meeting of the political affairs committee," Verma said, noting that senior leaders from Madhya Pradesh will deliberate on the political landscape and the challenges ahead. Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to take part in an interactive session with MPs and MLAs, followed by meetings with AICC-appointed observers and state-level in-charges. The former Congress president will then address a convention bringing together representatives from the AICC, the state Congress, and presidents from district and block units. Verma also asserted that the Central government’s decision to hold a caste-based census came in response to Rahul Gandhi’s determined push for greater social inclusion. "Rahul was initially mocked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior BJP leaders for strongly demanding a caste-based census, but eventually, they bowed to the demand," he said, adding that a thanksgiving is on the cards for Rahul Gandhi for advocating the caste-based census. (With inputs from PTI)
02 June,2025 06:17 PM IST | Bhopal | mid-day online correspondentAn IndiGo flight suffered a bird hit and made an emergency landing at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport on Monday, an official said, adding that around 175 passengers in the aircraft were safe, reported the PTI. All the passengers and crew members are safe while the aircraft Airbus 320 suffered damage, the official said. "An IndiGo flight suffered a bird hit near Ranchi. It was approximately 10 to 12 nautical miles away from here at an altitude of 3,000 to 4,000 feet when the incident occurred. The IndiGo flight was coming from Patna to Ranchi, and the pilot had to make an emergency landing here," Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi, Director R R Maurya told PTI. He said all the passengers are safe, but the "aircraft suffered a dent after being hit by a vulture. Engineers are assessing the damage," he said.The incident occurred at 1.14 pm. Another official said that the aircraft, which was coming to Ranchi, was scheduled to go to Kolkata. IndiGo officials, however, did not make any comment, the PTI reported. IndiGo places order for 30 more wide-body A350 planes Meanwhile, IndiGo on Sunday announced it will place a firm order for another 30 wide-body A350-900 planes as the country's largest airline steps up its efforts for long-term international expansion, according to the PTI. In April last year, the airline placed a firm order for 30 A350 aircraft and there was an option to order 70 more such planes. At a briefing in the national capital, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said that out of the option for 70 planes, it is now placing a firm order of 30 aircraft, as per the PTI. The airline has over 900 planes on order that are to be delivered in the coming years. With ambitions to have more than 600 planes as well as become a global carrier by 2030, IndiGo is not only betting on more wide-body operations but is also expanding its partnerships to provide enhanced connectivity to Europe and North American destinations. On the sidelines of the IATA World Air Transport Summit (WATS) in the national capital, IndiGo inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbus to double its wide-body order from 30 to 60 firm Airbus A350-900 aircraft. "This is yet another step in defining the airline's long-term plans of international expansion," the airline said, the PTI reported. IndiGo is also set to operate flights to 10 new overseas cities with leased Boeing 787 planes in the current fiscal year ending March 2026. Currently, the airline has more than 430 planes in its fleet and operates around 2,300 daily flights. (with PTI inputs)
02 June,2025 05:47 PM IST | Ranchi | mid-day online correspondentNationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Anil Deshmukh on Monday downplayed speculation about a political reunion between party chief Sharad Pawar and his nephew and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. Pawar senior and the deputy CM met on several occasions in the recent past, following the split in NCP in 2023, fuelling speculation in political circles about rapprochement. However, Deshmukh asserted that there was no discussion on the rival NCP factions coming together. "There is no discussion on both the NCPs reuniting. The two leaders keep meeting on different occasions on issues related to sugar and educational institutes. There is no discussion on the two factions merging," Deshmukh told reporters in Nagpur, in reply to a query. The former Maharashtra Home Minister also added that such meetings are routine between leaders. Meanwhile, speaking on the issue of the local and civic body elections pending in the state, Deshmukh said they should be held as per the Supreme Court's orders. "Clean drinking water and governance issues are pending, elections should not be delayed further," he said. Elections to several local and civic bodies, including the all-important and cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), are long overdue. The apex court had in May directed the State Election Commission to hold local body elections within four months, in what would be the mini-assembly polls. Deshmukh was also asked on the issue of the delay in appointing the Raigad and Nashik guardian ministers. To this, he said, "It's disappointing that key administrative posts remain vacant. We need to come together and resolve this for better governance." He also criticised the state government for failing to address the real issues faced by farmers. "They promised loan waiver, but nothing has been done. The government must act, not just talk," Deshmukh said. The former minister has also alleged fraud in the recruitment of teachers in Malegaon and demanded a high-level probe into it. "More than 100 bogus teachers have been recruited using fraudulent methods," he claimed, warning that the party will move the court if the government fails to take immediate action into the matter. "If a scam is happening in the education minister's own constituency, then a thorough, independent probe is necessary," he said. (With PTI inputs)
02 June,2025 04:45 PM IST | Nagpur | mid-day online correspondentThe Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) on Monday announced the results of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced 2025. A total number of 1,80,422 aspiring candidates appeared for both the exams including JEE mains and advance that was held on May 18. Out of these 54,378 candidates have qualified, including 9,404 female candidates. Rajit Gupta has topped the JEE advance exams by impressively scoring 332 out of 360 marks in IIT Delhi zone. Among the female category Devdutta Majhi from the IIT Kanpur zone has topped the rank by scoring 312 out of 360 marks, reported PTI. Aspiring students can check their results on the official website of jeeadv.ac.in. - Click on the link for ‘JEE Advanced Results 2025’, - Enter your roll number, - Date of birth and - Registered mobile number - Submit the details to view your result - Download and print the scorecard for future reference Answer keys for both the papers have also been released on the official website. The next step for the admission process is to enroll for the JoSAA counseling session. Qualified candidates are now eligible to participate in the Joint Seat Allocation Authority counseling process. Registration for this counseling process will begin from June 3. The JEE Advanced examination is an important step in students like who aspire to pursue graduation in engineering programmes at IITs. The results of these exams not only qualifies the student for the further admission process but also marks an important criteria in allocation of seats during the counselling process. Students are advised to constantly check the official JEE Advance website and stay updated with the announcements from JoSAA for further detailed information regarding the cutoff marks, tie- breaker rules, and counseling procedure. Speaking about their success, the JEE- Advance toppers said that analysing mock papers, focusing on NCERT books, and taking timely breaks has helped them crack this exam. During an interview with PTI, two toppers shared their experience and strategy to crack this exam. Rajiy Gupta, all India topper said that he began his preparation from class 10. He said, “There wasn't anything special in my preparation. My key goal was to complete the assigned tasks and solve modules on time. " He also mentioned that his focus was on the NCERT textbook and solved questions from HC Verma and Irodov. "I didn't adhere to a specific number of hours. It entirely depended on completing an entire topic. I generally devote most of the time to studying," he added. He further said that he would take breaks if he got stuck on solving a question, he said, “I would speak to my younger sister which would change my mood and would then go back to studying." Speaking about his success Deepak Gupta, his father said that he had piles of books piled up above his head and he also solved heaps of mock papers. Sakshyam Jindal from Hisar, Haryana, who stood second in the Common Rank List (CRL) said that he has been staying in Kota for the past two years, preparing for the entrance exam. Both the students Jindal and Gupta attended the Allen Careers Institution for their preparations. Adding on Jindal said once he was confident about Maths he started focusing on Physics and Chemistry. "Regular analysis of your mock test will improve your concept. It will help you overcome panic during the examination," he said. When asked about his future goals, Jindal said, "Primarily, my goal is to join IIT Bombay." "At present, I don't have any plans regarding going abroad for better opportunities," he added. (With inputs from PTI)
02 June,2025 04:20 PM IST | Kota, Rajasthan | mid-day online correspondentCongress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday attacked the Modi government over the flood situation in the northeastern states and hoped Prime Minister Narendra Modi would open the floodgates of his PM CARES Fund, where he claimed crores lie without any audit. Referring to Assam, he said PM Modi had promised in 2016 to make the state flood-free but it seems the BJP's double-engine governments have betrayed the state. In a post on X, he noted that the northeast is reeling under devastating floods, landslides and heavy rains. The Northeast is reeling under devastating floods, landslides and heavy rains. Assam, Arunachal, Manipur, Sikkim and Meghalaya are among the worst affected states, where many lives have been lost and lakhs of people have been affected.Congress leaders and workers must do… — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 2, 2025 Assam, Arunachal, Manipur, Sikkim and Meghalaya are among the worst affected states, where many lives have been lost and lakhs of people have been affected, he observed. Congress leaders and workers must do everything to provide assistance to the people, he said. "In 2016, BJP had promised to make a 'Flood-Free' Assam. In 2022, Home Minister Amit Shah repeated this promise. Looking at the visuals from the so-called 'SMART CITY' Guwahati, one is reminded how Modi ji and his double engine governments have betrayed Assam," Kharge said in his post. "Diversion, Distraction and Digression from basic developmental issues to emotive and polarising subjects has been the hallmark of BJP's politics," the Congress chief said. He said the Modi government must release more funds to all the states of the northeast, especially Assam for flood preparedness. "Perhaps Modi ji could open the floodgates of PM CARES Fund, crores of which lie, without a public audit," Kharge said while taking a swipe at the PM. Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said the news of the loss of life due to heavy rains in the northeastern states, especially Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, is extremely sad. "Due to this tragedy, the situation in Guwahati is extremely worrying - life has been completely disrupted. I appeal to the Central and State governments to speed up relief and rescue operations and provide immediate assistance to everyone in need," he said. Gandhi also urged all Congress leaders and workers to provide all possible assistance in relief work. The flood situation in the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh is grim after heavy rainfall in several parts. Ten people have died so far in floods in Assam and more than four lakh people remained affected in over 20 districts, with seven major rivers in spate. The situation is likely to aggravate people living in low-lying and river bank areas due to continued heavy rainfall in the state and neighbouring areas.
02 June,2025 02:46 PM IST | New Delhi | mid-day online correspondentAs many as sixteen Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said, adding that of them nine cadres belonged to Kerlapenda village and after their surrender the village was now Maoist-free, reported the PTI. Those surrendered on Monday include six carrying a collective cash reward of Rs 25 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said. Of them, nine cadres belonged to Kerlapenda village panchayat under Chintalanar police station limits. With this surrender, the village has become Naxalite-free, making it eligible for development projects of Rs 1 crore as per a new scheme of the state government, an official said, according to the PTI. All 16 cadres, including a woman, turned themselves in before senior police and CRPF officials, here citing disappointment with the "hollow" and "inhuman" Maoist ideology and atrocities by ultras on local tribals, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said, as per the PTI. The cadres were also impressed by the Chhattisgarh government's 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme, aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages, and the state's new surrender and rehabilitation policy, the official said, the news agency reported. Among those who surrendered, Rita alias Dodi Sukki (36), a woman who was active as member of the central regional committee (CRC) company number 2 of Maoists, and Rahul Punem (18), a party member within PLGA battalion no. 1 of Maoists, carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh each, he said. Besides, Lekam Lakhma (28) carried a bounty of Rs 3 lakh, while three more cadres carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh each, the official said. As per the Elvad Panchayat Yojna of the state government, the village will be provided an incentive of Rs 1 crore for development works, he said. The scheme has been introduced under the new Chhattisgarh Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief and Rehabilitation Policy-2025. It provides for a sanction of development works of Rs 1 crore for those village panchayats which facilitate in the surrender of Naxalites active in their area and to pass a resolution declaring them as Maoist-free. This is the second such village panchayat in the district to get rid of the Naxal menace after the state government recently introduced the scheme. In April, Badesatti was declared Naxal-free after all 11 lower-rung Naxalites from there surrendered before police. All the Naxalites who surrendered were provided an assistance of Rs 50,000 each, and will be further rehabilitated as per the government's policy, the SP said. Last year, 792 Naxalites surrendered in the state's Bastar region, which comprises seven districts including Sukma. (with PTI inputs)
02 June,2025 02:29 PM IST | Sukma | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
-1748873660966_d.png "Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) greets Paraguay's President, Santiago Pena, at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi. Pic/PTI")
-1748869089112_d.png "During a recent press conference Senior Congress Leader Balasaheb Thorat asserted that agriculture is not a profitable business. Representation Pic/File.")
-1748866384792_d.png "Rahul Gandhi aims to aims to bring Congress to power in Madhya Pradesh, by winning the upcoming assembly elections of 2028. File pic")
-1748854756077_d.png "Total 1,80,422 aspiring candidates appeared for both the exams including JEE mains and advance that was held on May 18. Representation Pic/File.")
