Srinagar, July 30 (IANS) The J&K Police have ordered a probe into the ‘mysterious’ fire incident in which three houses belonging to Kashmiri Pandits were gutted in the Mattan area of Anantnag district.

South Kashmir DIG Javid Iqbal Mattoo said the fire broke out ‘mysteriously’ on the intervening night of July 28 and 29 at the house of Anand Razdan.

“The fire also engulfed the houses of Shadi Lal Razdan and Sham Lal Pathwar, both neighbours of Anand Razdan, damaging their houses. A nearby grain store was also damaged in the fire,” the DIG said.

He added that an investigation is underway following the filing of an FIR at the Mattan police station.

“Forensic teams have been called to assist the police with the investigation. We are also scanning the CCTV footage from the surrounding areas to look for clues,” the DIG said.

One of the houses gutted in the fire was the maternal home of the additional spokesperson of National Conference (NC), Umesh Talashi.

NC said the party stands united with the Kashmiri Pandit brethren.

“One of the affected houses holds deep sentimental value as it was the maternal home of our additional spokesperson, @UTalashi. This loss of property is deeply emotional and significant. We call on the authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation to bring the culprits to book,” the NC wrote on X.

–IANS

dan/arm

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Amid the ongoing political squabbles among the INDIA bloc constituents across Delhi, Punjab, West Bengal, Haryana, and Kerala, the alliance parties finally found a chance to show unity.

This opportunity arose due to the deteriorating health of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is currently imprisoned in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

The opposition leaders gathered at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday to express their concerns over Kejriwal’s health and his continued detention, demanding the Chief Minister’s release.

The rally saw leaders from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Samajwadi Party (SP), JMM, RJD, Congress, Trinamool Congress, and Left parties coming together to oppose Kejriwal’s arrest and criticise the Central government’s alleged repressive policies.

The demonstration featured leaders like Bhagwant Mann, Akhilesh Yadav, Ram Gopal Yadav, Raghav Chadha, N.D. Gupta, Pramod Tiwari, Gaurav Gogoi, Sanjay Raut, Sharad Pawar, Manoj Jha, and D. Raja, among others.

On stage, Kejriwal’s wife Sunita Kejriwal was praised by CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, who described her as a “lioness” and urged her to remain resolute in her fight.

However, the show of solidarity was tinged with irony, as the Left bloc, including Yechury, struggles to acknowledge Mamata Banerjee — who displaced the Left in Bengal — as a “lioness.”

The INDIA bloc parties, despite their regional differences, used this occasion to project a unified front at the national level.

In the Lok Sabha elections, two major constituents of the opposition bloc — Congress and AAP — diverged significantly in Punjab, even as they presented a united front in Delhi. This lack of cohesive strategy likely diminished public enthusiasm for their alliance.

With Assembly elections coming up in Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand, the INDIA bloc is yet to offer a clear political alternative.

The absence of a unified policy or governance vision has impeded their efforts to build a positive public image. Analysts suggest that voters perceive the opposition bloc as a mere counter to the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rather than a substantive alternative.

Internal conflicts are evident, with Congress and AAP leaders in Punjab frequently clashing publicly. The hostility between Congress and AAP is often more pronounced than their shared opposition to the BJP.

In Kerala, tensions were highlighted when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi competed with CPI leader D. Raja’s wife in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.

Raja was spotted sharing light-hearted moments with the Congress leaders at the Jantar Mantar, seemingly downplaying any existing rifts with the grand old party.

In Bengal, the discord between the Congress and Mamata Banerjee’s party is well-documented, with Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury frequently criticising Mamata Banerjee and her government.

Similarly, in Haryana, AAP’s increased political friction with the Congress is apparent, with AAP accusing the Congress of sabotaging their candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. AAP’s announcement to contest all 90 seats in Haryana further underscores this friction.

While the INDIA bloc focuses on taking the Central government to cleaners in the Parliament, they continue to struggle to mask their internal conflicts.

The BJP continues to exploit these divisions to undermine the Bloc’s efforts. This is why the opposition leaders seized the opportunity at Jantar Mantar to send a message of unity.

–IANS

brt/arm

New Delhi, July 30 (IANS) Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, on Tuesday informed the Lok Sabha that the total capacity of India’s 12 major ports has surged by 87.01 per cent between 2014-15 and 2023-24, reflecting the Centre’s commitment to enhancing maritime infrastructure in the country.

He said the capacity of the Paradip Port saw a substantial rise of 141.86 per cent, while the Kamarajar Port and the V.O. Chidambaranar Port in Tamil Nadu achieved impressive expansions of 154.05 per cent and 150.19 per cent, respectively.

Other ports such as Chennai, Cochin, and New Mangalore also reported notable increases.

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port in Kolkata has increased its capacity by 31.29 per cent, while the Deendayal Port in Gujarat stands out with a remarkable 121.79 per cent increase in capacity over the last decade, reflecting a significant boost in its operational capability, he added.

Sonowal also provided a comprehensive update on significant issues impacting the maritime sector in the Lok Sabha.

His detailed response also addressed concerns related to container shortages and port capacity expansion, highlighting the government’s ongoing efforts and strategic measures.

In response to questions about container shortages affecting the exporters, Sonowal clarified that there is no acute shortage of containers.

The recent challenges have stemmed from the Red Sea crisis, which began late in 2023 and persisted into early 2024. This crisis led to a significant diversion of ships from the Suez Canal to the Cape of Good Hope, increasing transit times by 35 to 40 per cent. Consequently, this caused delays at major global ports and elevated charter hire costs.

To mitigate these issues, the government has come up with several proactive measures. Shipping companies are currently repositioning empty containers globally based on market needs, Sonowal said.

The Ministry of Commerce & Industry has been actively working under its Service Improvement Group framework, conducting regular interactions with shipping lines, port authorities, and export-import associations, he added.

The notable steps include advising safety convoys for vessels navigating disrupted routes and addressing inland container depot congestion through coordination with the Container Corporation of India.

Additionally, the Directorate General of Shipping is promoting the ownership and operation of containers by Indian entities as a long-term solution, the Minister said.

The development of tracking and tracing mechanisms through the Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP) and Logistics Data Bank (LDB) aims to improve the turnaround time of export containers, thereby enhancing their availability, he added.

–IANS

sps/arm

Gurugram, July 30 (IANS) The Gurugram police on Tuesday arrested a gang of seven people, including two minors, for stealing mobile phones from several houses in the district, the police said.

The accused have been identified as Ankit alias Chhotu, Rajesh Ahirwar, Ankit, Vinod Ahirwar, Devraj and two minors.

According to the police, on Tuesday they received information that some persons who were involved in stealing mobile phones from the houses of other people were present in Krishna Kunj in the Bhondsi area in an attempt to sell the stolen mobile phones.

Following the information, a police team reached the spot and apprehended the accused along with the stolen mobile phones, the police said.

During the investigation, the accused revealed that they usually targeted houses located in Wazirabad, Badshahpur, Islampur and other places.

When the people went to sleep, the accused used to leave the doors of the houses of their victims open, steal the mobile phones and sell them.

“A total of 11 stolen mobile phones have been recovered from the possession of the accused by the police team. Further action is being taken as per the law in the case and the accused are being thoroughly questioned about the incidents of theft committed by them,” Sandeep Kumar, the Gurugram police Spokesperson said.

–IANS

str/khz

Hyderabad, July 30 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a 26-year-old woman passenger was allegedly raped on a moving private bus in Telangana, the police said on Tuesday.

One of the two drivers of the private bus, which started from Nirmal town and was heading to Prakasam in Andhra Pradesh, allegedly committed the offence on Monday night.

The Osmania University police intercepted the sleeper bus belonging to Hari Krishna Travels on the outskirts of Hyderabad past midnight after the victim called ‘Dial 100’.

However, the accused driver got down from the bus and escaped when the vehicle slowed down near the Mettuguda area.

The other driver who was driving the bus has been detained by the police.

The police have registered a case and sent the victim for medical examination. Circle Inspector N. Rajender said they are on the lookout for the absconding driver, identified as Krishna.

The woman told the police that the accused put a blanket in her mouth and allegedly raped her on the moving bus even though other passengers were there.

Meanwhile, in another incident, a young woman was allegedly gang raped by her friends at a party which she had thrown on getting a job in a software company. The incident occurred in Vanasthalipuram on the outskirts of Hyderabad.

According to Rachakonda police, the woman had thrown the party at a bar & restaurant for her childhood friend Gowtham Reddy and another youth, said to be a common friend.

When the victim was under the influence of alcohol, Gowtham Reddy and the other youth took her to a room and allegedly raped her.

Police have registered a case and taken up the investigation.

–IANS

ms/arm