Wednesday, January 14, 2026

What forced Akhilesh’s hand to forge a tie-up with Congress

By
Mudit Mathur
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The alliance for LS poll between Congress and the Samajwadi Party, partners in INDIA Bloc, just ahead of the final leg of Rahul Gandhi’s Nyay Yatra, has cut into the plans of the BJP, which was aiming for a clean sweep of all 80 seats. A report by Mudit Mathur

Despite BJP’s public posturing predicting a clean sweep for the party in Lok Sabha election from the soil of Lord Rama and Krishna in UP, worry lines have begun to appear within the saffron party following a last-minute poll tie-up between the BJP and the SP. Uttar Pradedh is considered the most crucial state politically, as it sends a big chunk of 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha.

The pre-poll alliance between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, partners in the India Alliance, just ahead of the final leg of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, has upset the apple cart of the BJP, which was aiming for a clean sweep of all 80 seats. The development comes after the BJP had gained a significant advantage following the high-voltage mega event of the consecration of the Ram temple at Ayodhya –– a central theme of the BJP’s campaign to sway the majority Hindu votes in its favour.

Uttar Pradesh, a politically sensitive state with a rich plurality intertwined in its cultural heritage, boasts of unmatched patriotic participation and sacrifices during the country’s freedom struggle. Eminent leaders from various religious communities have left indelible imprints of their immortal legacies on national politics, impossible to be erased

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demonstrated his political acumen to forge an alliance with Congress party and join hands with Rahul Gandhi in the last leg of his “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra” at Agra enroute to Rajasthan. After the deal was sealed, workers from both the Congress and Samajwadi Party raised slogans in support of Yadav and Gandhi

The SP’s wisdom to challenge the BJP unitedly was spurred by compelling ground realities, and its decision to uphold the integrity of the minority vote base. This base has been gradually shifting away from regional parties due to the changing nature of politics at the national level. The members of the minority community which have endured the ‘bulldozer justice,’ found themselves helpless as no one stepped forward to rescue or protest for them at the sites when the buildings were being razed to ground.

The minorities are not as content or confident as they once were under Akhilesh’s father Mulayam Singh Yadav, affectionately known as ‘Mulla Mulayam’ among them. Several Muslim figures, such as Azam Khan and Saleem Sherwani, have voiced their frustrations, feeling neglected by the party during times of need.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi during his “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra” pitched for caste census to save the constitution for securing goals of social, economic and political justice. He stressed the need for unitedly fighting against oppressive Modi  rule for its unfair policies, inequitable concentration of national wealth and resources in select hands by depriving poor and downtrodden – who constitute the majority population in our democracy.

Addressing a public meeting after participating in Nyay Yatra with Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav said, “Agra city is well-known throughout the world. I am happy that they have started with the “Mohabbat ki Dukan” and this entire city is a city of love.” “In the coming days, the biggest challenge is to save the democracy and the constitution, and to fulfil the dream of Dr BR Ambedkar, that has been ruined by  BJP,” said Yadav even as he raised the slogan “BJP hatao, desh bachao.”

Earlier, announcing the alliance with Congress to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said that the Congress will contest 17 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats. The Congress will field its candidates in Raebareli, Amethi, Kanpur Nagar, Fatehpur Sikri, Bansgaon, Saharanpur, Prayagraj, Maharajganj, Varanasi, Amroha, Jhansi, Bulandshahar, Ghaziabad, Mathura, Sitapur, Barabanki and Deoria. On the rest of the seats, SP and other partners of the alliance will field their candidates.

Rise in human-leopard conflict amid changing landscape

By
Deepanwita Gita Niyogi
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Though the Chalisgaon range in Jalgaon, Maharashtra, has scrub type of forest, leopards do not always require a dense forest to survive. As the animals thrive in sugarcane fields, there is human-leopard interface, which sometimes results in acute conflict, writes Deepanwita Gita Niyogi

Shital  Nagrale, an officer in the Chalisgaon range of Jalgaon forest division, has helped reunite many abandoned leopard cubs with their mothers. Nagrale, who underwent training from 2016 to 2018 before joining the Maharashtra forest department, was posted in the Dhule forest division for almost two years. Over a phone call, she spoke about her affinity with nature and a degree in environmental science which helps her in her job profile.

Nagrale’s current posting in Chalisgaon, however, offers challenges. The human-leopard conflict is high in the area due to the dominance of sugarcane fields.

“Chalisgaon is fully irrigated. As there is not much disturbance here apart from sugarcane cultivation, it is a safe place for mating and breeding of leopards, thereby increasing the population of the animals,” said Nagrale, whose area of operation currently covers 15,000 hectares stretched over four talukas.

The officer added that for leopards roaming in the Chalisgaon range, the sugarcane fields offer the same kind of cover as a jungle. To find out the location of leopards, the forest department takes the help of trap cameras. At present, there are 25-30 leopards in
Chalisgaon.

Tracing human-leopard conflict

Though the Chalisgaon range has scrub type of forest, leopards do not always require a dense forest to survive. As the animals thrive in sugarcane fields surrounded by human habitation, there is human-leopard interface which sometimes results in acute conflict.

Nagrale said that around the year 2018, a male leopard made nine human kills in the Chalisgaon range. “Apart from sugarcane cultivation, people here keep many domestic animals and own poultry farms which attract leopards. Sometimes, the only mode of local transportation is bullock carts. Thus, many people feel afraid, especially after dark. There is an abundance of banana plantations too.”

In the Chalisgaon region, both men and women work in the sugarcane fields. However, women often squat outside for defecation due to cultural norms which makes them vulnerable to possible leopard attacks. It is better to stand to minimise the chances of attacks.

Nagrale pointed out that the forest department carries out awareness drives in the villages. “I tell people to move about in groups, especially while watering fields at night, play songs on mobile phones and carry sticks for protection.” She admitted that women get aggressive at times, taking into consideration the safety of the male members of their families.

At the receiving end

As leopards are living amidst human beings in Chalisgaon, they too are paying a heavy price. Sometimes, during crop cutting, mothers are forced to abandon their cubs. In such cases, the cubs are reunited with their
mothers. “So far, 13 cubs have been reunited with mothers from September 2021 till 2023. For this, mainly infrared cameras are used,” Nagrale, posted here since September 2021, said.

“The cubs reside in sugarcane fields with mothers. When the crop is cut, mothers get disturbed, pick up one cub and move away leaving behind the rest of the litter. At that time, farmers call us for help. When I visit fields, I try to make people understand as they at times want the cubs to be caged,” Nagrale added.

Sometimes, the animals too die. According to departmental data, three leopards died after falling into a well, one died in an accident and two cubs died after being separated from their mother from 2020 to 2023. During this time, there were three human injuries.

In the year 2022-2023, the compensation given to people stood at Rs 68 lakh for human injuries, cattle killed by leopards and crop damaged by wild animals. Of this, about Rs 30 lakh had to be dispensed to people for cattle lifting.

Sudarshan Shisav of the Maharashtra forest department said the cubs are born in the sugarcane fields. “At times, farmers become aggressive and demand that the animals should be taken away elsewhere. But some of them do cooperate with the department.”

Apart from awareness campaigns, there is a dedicated team which tracks the animals. Shisav pointed out that besides sugarcane, the growth of the Prosopis juliflora species is also responsible for the conflict. “Over cropping has led to soil infertility and the abundance in Prosopis.”

Mumbai-based Nikit Surve, who works with the Wildlife Conservation Society, said that humans perceive leopards to be staying in forests. So, when they find them in fields, the perspective often changes.

Leopards are highly territorial animals. Sometimes, even after being released in different areas, they try to come back. “The interface of the human-animal conflict increases when there are agricultural fields,” Surve added. 

According to wildlife researcher, Dipak Sawant, there has been a decrease in the natural habitat of leopards even though the animals adjust themselves well in a disturbed forest. Sawant said the reduction in the wild prey population and the conversion of fallow lands into agricultural ones has increased the presence of leopards in human-dominated areas. The need of the hour is to work together and engage as much as possible with the public.

Apex Court ruling on Chandigarh mayoral poll deals a blow to BJP

By
Mudit Mathur
-

The court declared Kuldeep Kumar of AAP as the winner, overturning the earlier result that had favoured a BJP candidate. The election was a litmus test for the INDIA Alliance, as its constituents, AAP and Congress, had joined forces for the first time against the BJP. A report by Mudit Mathur

In a major setback to the BJP, the Supreme Court, following substantiated charges of rigging in the counting of votes, declared Kuldeep Kumar of Aam Aadmi Party as the winner of the Chandigarh mayoral election, overturning the earlier result that favored a BJP candidate. The court’s decision came amid reports of horse trading with three AAP corporators defecting and joining the BJP.

The Bench was hearing a petition filed by Kuldeep Kumar against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s refusal to stay the results of the Chandigarh mayoral election where the Presiding Officer Anil Masih, was seen on camera placing a mark on eight ballot papers during the polls.

Quashing the result of the election declared by presiding officer Anil Masih, a BJP leader, the apex court ordered his prosecution for ‘serious misdemeanour’ for making a false statement before the court that he had invalidated eight ballots because those had been defaced.

In a landmark judgement, the bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud with justices J.B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra ruled that the election’s presiding officer, Anil Masih, had made a deliberate attempt to deface eight ballots that were cast in favour of Kumar so that the BJP’s Manoj Sonkar could be declared as the elected candidate.

Analysing the sequence of events, the court noted, “The Presiding Officer made a solemn statement that he had done so because he found that each of the eight ballots was defaced. It is evident that none of the ballots had been defaced. As a matter of fact, it is also material to note that after the votes are cast, the ballot is folded in a vertical manner to ensure that if the ink on the rubber stamp appears on the corresponding half of the ballot it will appear alongside the name of the candidate for whom the vote has been cast. The conduct of the Presiding Officer must be deprecated at two levels. Firstly, by his conduct, he has unlawfully altered the course of the Mayor’s election. Secondly, in making a solemn statement before this Court on 19 February 2024, the Presiding Officer has expressed a patent falsehood, despite a prior warning, for which he must be held accountable.”

Maninder Singh, senior counsel appearing on behalf of Manoj Sonkar, elected Mayor of the BJP, submitted that the relief sought by the appellant in the underlying writ petition before the High Court is for setting aside the result of the election and for the conduct of a fresh election. He argued that during the pendency of these proceedings, Sonkar had tendered his resignation and hence, a fresh election would have to be held in terms of the provisions of Section 38(3) of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act 1976 which had become operational to Union Territory of Chandigarh after its extension in 1994.

Moulding the relief in favour of petitioner, Mayoral candidate Kuldeep Kumar by invoking its powers under Article 142 to do “complete justice” and protect the sanctity of electoral democracy, the court held, “We are of the considered view that it would be inappropriate to set aside the election process in its entirety when the only infirmity which has been found is at the stage when the counting of votes was recorded by the Presiding Officer. Allowing the entire election process to be set aside would further compound the destruction of fundamental democratic principles which has taken place as a consequence of the conduct of the Presiding Officer.”

The Bench said it was evident that “while the petitioner is reflected to have polled 12 votes, the eight votes which are treated as invalid were wrongly treated to be so”, and “each of those…invalid votes were in fact validly cast…in favour of the petitioner”. It follows that Kuldeep had in fact received 20 votes, while Manoj Sonkar, the BJP candidate, had got 16. “We accordingly order and direct that the result of the election as declared by the presiding officer shall stand quashed and set aside,” the court said. “Allowing such a state of affairs…would be destructive of the most valued principles on which the entire edifice of democracy in our country depends,” it said.

Earlier, smelling the rat behind the move of BJP after the defection of three Aam Aadmi Party, the Supreme Court decided to check horse trading for saving democracy and free and fair elections. Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, while expressing concern over the Chandigarh Mayor polls during the hearing, remarked, “We are deeply concerned about the horse-trading which is taking place. This whole business of horse trading which is going on is very disturbing. Let the entire video of counting of the votes be also produced tomorrow noon.”

On 19 February, the Bench recorded the statement of presiding officer Anil Masih, in the crowded courtroom which it noted as under:

“During the course of the hearing, the Returning Officer Mr Anil Masih is present before this Court. Responding to a query of the Court, Mr Masih stated that he had, besides signing the ballot papers, put his mark at eight ballot papers during the course of the counting of the votes. He states that he did so as he found that the ballot papers were defaced.”

The Bench held, “We are of the considered view that a fit and proper case is made out for invoking the jurisdiction of this Court under Section 340 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 in respect of the conduct of Shri Anil Masih, the Presiding Officer. In paragraph 2 of the order dated 19 February 2024, we have recorded the statement which was made by the Presiding Officer when he appeared personally before this Court. As Presiding Officer, Anil Masih could not have been unmindful of the consequences of making a statement which, prima facie, appears to be false to his knowledge in the course of judicial proceedings.” The Court through its registry issued a show cause notice to Anil Masih returnable on 15 March 2024.

AAP supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked the court for saving democracy in these difficult times. Kejriwal congratulated Kumar and said that he hails from a poor family. “His victory became possible because of the Supreme Court. This is a victory of Indian democracy,” Kejriwal added.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Supreme Court judgement on his X handle: “In the BJP’s conspiracy to murder democracy, Masih is just a ‘pawn’; behind this is the ‘face’ of Modi.”

In the first hearing itself, the Supreme Court snubbed Masih and made it clear that it would not let democracy be “murdered” like this. Sensing that the court might set the election aside, BJP leaders started working on alternate plans to remain in power. Strategically, Sonkar resigned and then poached three AAP councillors a day before the hearing in order to have a sufficient strength of councillors in the event of a repoll. These three AAP councillors joined the BJP in the presence of BJP general secretary Vinod Tawde and former Chandigarh BJP chief Arun Sood.

The election of Mayor this year assumed significance in view of a newly forged alliance between the Congress, AAP and other opposition parties against the BJP for the first time clearing decks for potential realignment for the Lok Sabha elections. The parties are together in the opposition INDIA bloc, and have reached a seat-sharing deal in Delhi, even though they have decided to contest separately in Punjab.

The BJP had showcased the victory of its Mayor defeating INDIA Alliance candidate as a trendsetter event for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Over enthusiastic BJP president J.P. Nadda had said soon after Sonkar’s victory that it showed how the INDIA Bloc, of which both the Congress and AAP are part of, had failed the test. “That the INDIA Alliance fought their first electoral battle and still lost to the BJP shows that neither their arithmetic is working nor their chemistry,” Nadda said in a post on X congratulating Sonkar.

Delhi records minimum temp of 11.4 degree Celsius

By
Tehelka WebDesk
-

New Delhi: The national capital on Thursday recorded a minimum temperature at 11.4 degrees Celsius, seasonal average, the India Meteorological (IMD) Department said.

The IMD predicted that the maximum temperature on Thursday is likely to hover around 25 degrees.

The weather department said that there will be “mainly clear sky becoming partly cloudy towards evening or night”.

Meanwhile, the overall air quality AQI across the city fell under the ‘moderate’ levels on Thursday.

In the Anand Vihar area, at 8 a.m., PM 2.5 levels were recorded to be in the ‘poor’ category standing at 210 and PM 10 reached 174 or ‘moderate’, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

The Air Quality Index (AQI) between zero and 50 is considered ‘good’; 51 and 100 ‘satisfactory’; 101 and 200 ‘moderate’; 201 and 300 ‘poor’; 301 and 400 ‘very poor’; and 401 and 500 ‘severe’.

The Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport (T3) recorded PM 2.5 levels at 126 and PM 10 at 118.

Dwarka Sector 8 witnessed PM 2.5 levels at 242, and PM 10 was at 192.

Yogi govt launches helpline number for senior citizens

By
Tehelka WebDesk
-

Lucknow: Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has launched ‘Kalyan Sathi’ helpline number 14568 for senior citizens.

The ‘Kalyan Sathi’ mobile app and old age home portal for senior citizens and departmental quarterly magazine ‘Kalyani’ have also been launched simultaneously.

Eligible senior citizens can avail the benefits of the various schemes by calling Kalyan Sathi helpline number. The department will provide the benefits of the scheme to the beneficiary at home through the Panchayat assistant. This service will be operational from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on working days.

According to the government spokesman, about 53 lakh elderly people are already getting pension benefits from the department.

Social Welfare Minister Aseem Arun said that to solve the problems faced in getting information, assistance and benefits of departmental schemes, the Social Welfare Department is running an Integrated Command Centre, under which callers can call the Kalyan Sathi helpline number 14568 and can register any type of problem related to availing the benefits.

The problems registered through the helpline will be resolved by regular monitoring from the district level and the beneficiary will also be informed. Similarly, problems related to schemes like scholarship, mass marriage, etc., will also be resolved immediately.

Minor stabbed to death in Delhi park, three juveniles held

By
Tehelka WebDesk
-

New Delhi : A 15-year-old minor was allegedly stabbed to death by three boys in a park at west Delhi’s Inderpuri area, police said on Thursday.

Sharing the information, police said that on Tuesday, around 9 p.m., an information was received at Inderpuri police station regarding the stabbing of a boy in Harit Park following which a police team rushed to the spot.

Upon reaching the spot, it was found that the injured, a resident of Inderpuri, was admitted to Kapoor Medical Centre Naraina, where the doctor declared him brought dead.

“During interrogation, it was found that three boys (all juvenile) had an altercation with the victim and his friend in the park. They attacked the victim with knives. The victim sustained injuries on his chest and abdomen, ” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (west) Vichitra Veer. “During the probe, all three juveniles were nabbed and weapons used in crime were recovered, ” the DCP added.

Kisan Congress takes out rally in Hyderabad in support of agitating farmers

By
Tehelka WebDesk
-

Hyderabad :  The Kisan Congress Cell organised a rally in Hyderabad on Wednesday in support of the farmers protesting near Delhi to demand a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The Telangana unit of Kisan Congress cell took out a rally from L.B. Stadium in the heart of the city to Indira Gandhi statue at Necklace Road on the banks of Hussain Sagar lake.

The participants, led by Kisan Congress national vice-president Kodanda Reddy, expressed solidarity with the farmers who started their ‘Delhi chalo’ march from Punjab.

Over 200 farmers’ unions have undertaken the march to press the Centre to address their demands, including the enactment of a law guaranteeing MSP for crops.

The protesters at the rally held in Hyderabad were carrying placards, demanding legal guarantee for MSP and withdrawal of all cases registered against farmers during the 2020-21 agitation.

They also paid tributes to 750 farmers who laid down their lives during the earlier agitation.

Kisan Congress president Avinash Reddy said farmers were worried over lack of legal guarantee for MSP.

“Instead of addressing the long pending demands of the farmers, the government at the Centre is creating hurdles in their march by erecting iron barricades, ” he said.

The Kisan Congress leader alleged that the Centre was following anti-farmers’ policies.

He said the MSP policy of the Centre has many loopholes.

Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir’ banned for another 5 years

By
Tehelka WebDesk
-

The union government has declared ‘Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir’ as an ‘Unlawful Association’ for an additional five-year period under Section 3(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) 1967. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, echoing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to zero tolerance against terrorism and separatism, announced the extension of the ban. The organization was initially labeled an ‘Unlawful Association’ on February 28, 2019.

Amit Shah emphasized the government’s dedication to curbing activities that pose threats to the nation’s security, integrity, and sovereignty. He warned that stringent measures would be taken against anyone endangering the security of the country.

The previous ban on ‘Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir’ was enforced through Gazette Notification Number S.O. 1069(E) on February 28, 2019. The recent decision to extend the ban was justified by the organization’s alleged involvement in promoting terrorism and anti-India propaganda, contributing to secessionism in Jammu and Kashmir. The government’s statement highlighted that such activities are prejudicial to the sovereignty, security, and integrity of India.

Numerous criminal cases, including charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, have been registered against ‘Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu Kashmir’ and its members.

Denial of entry to prof Nitasha Kaul  at Bengaluru airport triggers political slugfest

By
Tehelka WebDesk
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Bengaluru : UK academic Nitasha Kaul was deported on arrival in Bengaluru on the basis of a ‘preventive lookout circular’ on her after agencies flagged her consistent “pro-separatists” and “anti India” line on Kashmir at public fora, government sources said. The OCI card holder was invited to a meet on India’s Constitution by Karnataka government. She claimed on X that immigration officers said her entry was being barred on “order from Delhi”.

Denial of entry of Nitasha Kaul ignited a heated exchange of words between the ruling congress and opposition. The BJP criticized the congress for inviting what they termed an “anti-India” propagandist. BJP state president BY Vijayendra condemned the Congress govt’s decision, accusing them of supporting sympathizers of the ‘TUKDE TUKDE GANG” and wasting on unnecessary expenditures.

Congress slammed the BJP-led Centre, saying Kaul’s deportation was “unfortunate” and an “insult” to the state of Karnataka. The congress criticized the denial citing concerns over individual rights and the autonomy of state government. Congress Minister emphasized the incident as a violation of state rights and urged patriotic Indians to reflect on the threats to the constitutional idea of India. Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP took to X to thank security agencies at the immigration for catching an “anti-India element” and termed Nitasha Kaul a “Pakistani sympthatiser “. Former Infosys chief finance officer Mohandas Pai, echoed that sentiments of BJP leaders, justifying Professor Kaul’s deportation and suggesting she continue her activities outside of India.

The BJP, on the other hand, took a swipe at the ruling Congress in Karnataka and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, asking if, by inviting the author, he is “trying to challenge the Constitution and threaten the unity and integrity of India”. “No money to spend on drought relief or developmental needs of Karnataka, but Siddaramaiah is happy to finance the Break India Brigade in an effort to appease Rahul Gandhi and save his CM Chair, all in the name of Dr. Ambedkar’s constitution. What a disgrace,” Karnataka BJP tweeted.

Prof. Nitasha Kaul, a faculty member at the University of Westminister, expressed her dismay over the incident, stating she was denied entry despite being invited as an esteemed delegate by the Congress ruled state govt of Karnataka. She highlighted the rejection as a hindrance to discussion of democratic and constitutional values.

NIA chargesheets five in Rajouri attack case

By
Tehelka WebDesk
-

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally charged three absconding Pakistan-based handlers affiliated with the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and two other individuals in connection with the Rajouri attacks that occurred in January 2023. 

The case pertains to a terrorist attack on civilians in the village of Dhangri in Rajouri district on January 1 last year, followed by an IED blast the following day. Tragically, seven innocent people, including two children, lost their lives, and numerous others sustained severe injuries in these attacks.

According to the NIA, the three LeT handlers – Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt alias Ali alias Habibullah alias Numan alias Langda alias Noumi, Mohd Qasim, and Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi – orchestrated the recruitment and dispatch of LeT terrorists from Pakistan. Their primary targets were innocent civilians, particularly from the minority community in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as security personnel.

“The attacks were carried out under the directions of these Pakistan-based handlers,” states the NIA.

“Saifullah is currently a highly placed LeT Commander and was responsible for engineering the overall conspiracy from Pakistan, along with the other two. Mohd Qasim is presently the right hand of highly placed LeT Commanders. Abu Qatal had come to India in 2002-03 and was active in the Poonch-Rajouri range, along with other terrorists,” the NIA further revealed.

The other two accused, Nisar Ahmed alias Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain alias Chacha, both Overground workers (OGWs) of the LeT, were residents of Mohra, Gursai, Tehsil Mendhar, District Poonch. These individuals were arrested during the NIA’s investigations.

“It was found during investigations that they had provided logistical support to the terrorists on the directions of Abu Qatal,” says the NIA.

“Along with a juvenile, who was also apprehended for aiding and abetting the perpetrators, they had provided food, shelter, and other types of logistics support to the terrorists for approximately three months following the attack in Dhangri. They had also attempted to conceal evidence by destroying the mobile phone used for clandestine communication with the Pakistan-based LeT commanders,” the NIA added.

As per the anti-terror agency, Nisar had also received a consignment of arms, ammunition, and cash sent by the Pakistan-based handlers for the terrorists.

“Investigations have revealed that Nisar had come in contact with Abu Qatal during the latter’s stay in India. He had remained in touch with Abu Qatal even after the latter’s return to Pakistan.”

In the chargesheet, the two arrested adult accused and the Pak-based handlers have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and various sections of the Indian Penal Code, said the NIA.

“The Final Report against the apprehended juvenile will be submitted to the Juvenile Justice Board, Rajouri in due course,” it added.

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