Ranchi Diary | No more closed vehicles at Betla National Park

A notice issued by Betla National Park management says that tourists will now be able to view wildlife only in open vehicles, as closed vehicles have been completely banned inside the park. The order will take effect when the park reopens to tourists after the monsoon season. Tourists will need to rent open vehicles to navigate the park. As news of the impending deadline spread, the villages adjoining the park witnessed a flurry of activity, as the residents who own most of the taxis began modifying their vehicles. Wife of top Maoist Sahdeo a daily wager The wife of Maoist Sahdeo Soren, who carried a bounty of `1 crore on his head and was killed in an encounter with security forces, works as a daily wage labourer in her village to make ends meet. Parvati Devi reveals that her husband left home 15 years ago and never returned. She realised he had joined the Maoists only when police started coming to the house searching for him, she said. She thanks the villagers for their support and is proud that she has been able to educate both her sons. She hopes they will become responsible citizens and erase the stigma associated with their fathers connections. Her elder son is in Class 12, and the younger one is in Class 8. Five biogas plants to come up in Jharkhand To promote energy production from organic waste in rural areas, five new biogas plants are set to be established in Bokaro, Ramgarh, Dumka, Jamtara, and Saraikela-Kharsawan, Jharkhand. These plants will generate 135 cubic meters of gas daily, benefiting local communities with cleaner energy. Additionally, a completed 25-cubic-metre plant in Bandgaon will serve 20 households. These biogas plants are being installed under the GOVARDHAN (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources Wealth) scheme launched by the central government. With the installation of these five new biogas plants, the number of biogas plants in Jharkhand will increase to 47. Mukesh Ranjan Our correspondent in Jharkhand mukesh.r@newindianexpress.com

SAIL supplies 15,000 metric tonnes steel for Bairabi-Sairang railway line in Mizoram

Of this, nearly 10,000 mt comprised high-grade R-260 Prime rails from SAILs Bhilai Steel Plant, while another 5,000 mt of plates, TMT bars, and structural steel were sourced from its plants in Bokaro, Rourkela, Durgapur, Burnpur, and Bhilai.

Naxalism completely eradicated from Jharkhand's Bokaro region, says Home Minister Amit Shah

RANCHI: Elated with the achievement of security forces in Jharkhands Hazaribagh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Naxalism has been completely eradicated from the Bokaro region in northern Jharkhand. The entire country will be free from the Naxal problem, he said. In an X post, Shah expressed, Today, in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, a joint team of the CRPF's Cobra Battalion and the state police has achieved a major success in an anti-Naxal operation. In this operation, the notorious Naxal commander with a Rs 1 crore bounty, Central Committee Member of CPI(Maoist) Sahdev Soren alias Parvesh, has been eliminated. Additionally, two others wanted Naxals, Raghunath Hembram alias Chanchal and Birsen Ganjhu alias Ramkhelawan, have also been gunned down by the security forces. CRPF 1 , , - Amit Shah (@AmitShah) September 15, 2025 Earlier on Sunday, Jharkhand police had also gunned down a wanted Maoist Mukhdeo Yadav, a member of the banned Maoist organisation, Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC), during an encounter. The fierce encounter took place between security forces and TSPC in the Manatu jungles of Palamu, lasted for several hours. Notably, as Police action against Maoists and organised criminals have been intensified in Jharkhand, on average three encounters have taken place every month during the last eight months in the state. A total of 30 Maoists and three notorious criminals have been killed in police encounters by the security forces across Jharkhand in different districts. Meanwhile, five security personnel have also been martyred during those encounters. 'Modi government won't rest until Naxals are surrendered, caught or eliminated': Amit Shah

Pakistan-backed terror module busted; five individuals across India arrested in multiple raids

NEW DELHI: In a joint operation with state police and central agencies, the Delhi Polices Special Cell has busted a Pakistan handlerbacked pan-India terror module and arrested five people from different States via multiple raids. Two of them were planning to purchase land as a base to initiate caliphate related training activities. The accused have been identified as Ashhar Danish (23), a resident of Bokaro in Jharkhand, Aaftab Qureshi (25), Sufiyan Abubakar Khan (20), a resident of Mumbra, Mohammed Huzaif Yaman (20), a resident of Telangana, and Kamran Qureshi alias Samar Khan (26), a resident of Rajgarh in MP. Simultaneous raids were conducted at multiple locations in Delhi, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh. Incriminating material, arms, ammunition, and chemicals used in making IEDs were also recovered. Through a tip-off, a terror module with operational footprints in Delhi, Ranchi, Thane, Nizamabad and Rajgarh was identified. The members possessed significant knowledge about preparing gunpowder and fabricating IEDs. A few of them expressed willingness to sacrifice their lives in pursuit of establishing a caliphate in India under the concept of Gazwa-e-Hind, a senior police officer said. It was further revealed that Danish, a key figure, was attempting to procure weapons from Delhi/NCR and chemical substances from agro-chemical shops and online platforms. A trap was laid on Tuesday near Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station, where Qureshi and Sufiyan were intercepted while carrying two semi-automatic pistols, along with 15 live cartridges. During the investigation on Wednesday, joint raids were carried out in Ranchi, Thane, Bengaluru, Nizamabad, and Rajgarh with assistance from the sister agency. Later, Danish was arrested in Ranchi. From his rented room, IED-making components and chemical substances were recovered. He admitted that he had procured arms, ammunition and explosives in pursuance of a criminal conspiracy to establish a caliphate through violent means, Additional Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Kushwah said. Danish stated that he was receiving instructions from a Pakistan-based handler and was in constant communication with other module members. Later, Yaman was arrested by Nizamabad, who disclosed his involvement in experiments related to manufacturing arms and ammunition under the guidance of Danish. Police also arrested Kamran from Rajgarh, Kushwah stated. Three pistols, 16 live cartridges, copper sheets and steel hollow pipes, Sulphuric acid, Nitric acid, Sodium bicarbonate, Sulphur powder, pH value checker, ball bearings, weighing machine, Rs 10,500 cash, etc. were recovered from their possession. Danish, a post-graduate in English from Ranchi, began listening to lectures of Dr. Israr Ahmad and gradually adopted radical beliefs. He came across individuals like Aaftab Qureshi and Izhar-Ul-Haq on social media, who shared a similar ideology. He created a group and added around 40 people, where discussions centred on establishing a caliphate, Kushwah said. He also created multiple groups with multiple social media IDs showing himself as CEO of a company, a professor or an NGO operator to disguise any surveillance upon him and his activities. He collected for the procurement of chemicals and purchased Sulphur for making gunpowder. In August, he procured copper plates to manufacture cartridges. He also obtained a bullet and a country-made pistol from Bokaro to study as a prototype for manufacturing arms. Aaftab was active on social media platforms and started consuming radical Islamic content around 2020, including speeches of Tariq Masood, Zakir Naik, Israr Ahmed and Tariq Jameel. He became a member of radical groups discussing Jihadi ideologies. He connected with Danish through various social media platforms, police said. According to the police, Yaman is a B. Pharmacy student who came into contact with Danish three to four years ago, through an online platform. Danish discussed perceived atrocities against Muslims in India and proposed forming a Lashkar to retaliate through armed jihad. Danish assigned him the responsibility of learning firearm manufacturing for jihadist purposes. Kamran admitted that he came into contact with Danish through the WhatsApp group, which promoted radical ideology for the Gazwa-e-Hind. He contributed funds to the Danish and was instructed to recruit more members. He and Danish were also planning to purchase land as a base to initiate caliphate related training activities, police added.

Jharkhand to set up 2,100-bed super-speciality kidney hospital, six new medical colleges

RANCHI: Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari on Tuesday announced an ambitious plan to establish a 2,100-bed super-speciality kidney hospital in the state, alongside six new medical colleges. He said the projects, along with other reforms, would transform Jharkhands medical infrastructure within the next two years. Ansari was speaking at a function held at the Institute of Public Health in Namkum, where 91 Community Health Officers (CHOs) were given appointment letters. Sharing his recent experience during a visit to Bokaro, the minister said people had expressed their difficulties due to the absence of MRI and CT scan machines in hospitals. I was deeply affected by their plight. I have decided that these facilities will be made mandatory in every district hospital, he announced. People told me how much financial and mental pain they have to suffer due to the absence of MRI and CT scan machines in hospitals. This touched my heart. I have decided that these facilities will be made mandatory in every district hospital, said Ansari. Highlighting the states upcoming projects, Dr Ansari said the proposed kidney hospital would end the need for patients to travel outside Jharkhand for transplants and advanced kidney treatments. He also reaffirmed that the long-awaited Medico City and six medical colleges would be completed on schedule. Some strict decisions are necessary to fix the system. There will be criticism, but our promises will soon be visible on the ground, he remarked. Ansari further added that since taking charge, work was being done to strengthen the health system. The improvements that could not be made in the last 25 years are now being completed at a fast pace, he said. Health Department Additional Chief Secretary Ajay Kumar Singh noted that Jharkhand has surpassed national averages in several health parameters despite limited resources.

Delhi Police, Jharkhand Anti-Terrorism Squad Arrest Two Suspected ISIS Operatives

The prime accused, identified as Bokaro native Ashar Danish, was arrested from Ranchi. Another suspect, Aftab, was apprehended from Delhi during the coordinated action.

Jharkhand: Suspected ISIS terrorist arrested from Ranchi lodge by the joint security team

RANCHI: A joint team comprising Ranchi Police, the Delhi Police Special Cell, and the Jharkhand Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) has arrested a suspected terrorist believed to be associated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The arrest was made at Tabarak Lodge, located in Islamnagar under the jurisdiction of the Lower Bazaar police station in Ranchi. The suspect, identified as Ashar Danish, is reportedly linked to ISIS. During the raid, the joint team also seized several electronic devices from the premises. According to police sources, the Delhi Police Special Cell had been searching for Danish for a considerable period in connection with an old case registered against him in Delhi. Following continuous surveillance and intelligence gathering, he was finally apprehended in Ranchi. After receiving a tip-off about the suspected ISIS terrorist, a joint team of Ranchi Police, Delhi Police Special Cell, and Jharkhand ATS conducted a raid at the lodge and arrested Ashar Danish, said a police source. Danish was staying in a room at Tabarak Lodge in Islamnagar, the source added. It has been confirmed that Danish is originally from Petarwar Block in the Bokaro district. During the operation, the ATS and the Delhi Police Special Cell seized multiple electronic devices, which are now being analysed. Additionally, the joint team carried out a raid in Palamu district, detaining one individual who is currently being interrogated by security agencies. Authorities are investigating whether this person has any links to Ashar Danishs alleged network. Interrogation of Danish is ongoing and is expected to uncover critical information about ISISs activities and connections within the region. Security agencies are particularly focused on identifying individuals who were in contact with him and understanding the extent of his operations. Officials believe that the investigation may reveal significant insights into ISISs presence and potential plans in India. Notably, several suspects have already been arrested from different districts in Jharkhand in connection with ISIS-related cases. This latest arrest has once again heightened alertness among security agencies across the region.

'Will blow you up': Jharkhand health minister receives death threat again

RANCHI: Jharkhand Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari once again received a death threat through a phone call from an unknown number late Sunday night. The caller initially used abusive language and warned that the minister would be blown up very soon. You just wait We will blow you up very soon, the caller said. The minister informed the police immediately, following which security agencies were put on alert and efforts were made to further strengthen his security. The investigation has also been intensified as the police have started tracking the phone number to identify the caller. According to sources, the threat call came on the minister's mobile at around 11:56 pm on Sunday, while he was staying at Bokaro Circuit House. He had gone there to attend an official programme. Ansari's office later confirmed the incident and said that he is not afraid of any threat, adding that the law will take its course and the culprit will soon be in police custody. Senior administrative and police officials have been informed about the entire incident, they said. Notably, this is not the first time Ansari has received such threats. A few days ago, a youth from Giridih released a video on social media threatening to blow up Ansari and Urban Development Minister Sudivya Kumar with a bomb. In the video, which went viral on social media, the youth was seen threatening to blow up Sudivya and Ansari within 24 hours. The youth, identifying himself as Ankit Kumar Mishra, a resident of Giridih, claimed to be a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The youth said that he had some personal matter with these ministers, but if they apologised, he would not do anything. Later, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by Giridih Police arrested Mishra from Patna in Bihar. During interrogation, the police found that he had no connection with any organised criminal gang, but he had been to jail for petty crimes on several occasions.

Jharkhand braces for heavy rainfall over next three days

RANCHI: In yet another weather alert issued by the Ranchi Meteorological Centre, heavy to very heavy rainfall has been predicted in several parts of Jharkhand over the next three days, accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds. According to the Head of the Meteorological Centre in Ranchi, Abhishek Anand, It will continue to rain in Jharkhand till 23, 24 and 25 August; some districts will receive heavy to very heavy rain, while some districts will receive heavy rain. During this time, an alert has also been issued for thunderstorms and lightning along with rain. According to the forecast, north-western parts of the state are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on 23 August. Isolated heavy showers are also expected over south-western, north-eastern and adjoining central regions, along with thunderstorms and gusty winds. On 24 August, heavy rainfall may occur at isolated places over southern, central and north-eastern parts of the state. Thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are likely in several areas. Similarly, on 25 August, western and adjoining central parts of Jharkhand may experience heavy rainfall at isolated places, while thunderstorms with lightning and gusty winds are expected across the state. According to the Meteorological Department, the monsoon trough is currently passing through Jaisalmer, Kota, Datia, Sidhi, Ranchi, Bankura, Digha and extending southeastwards into the east-central Bay of Bengal, up to 1.5 km above mean sea level. An upper air cyclonic circulation persists over northwest Madhya Pradesh and adjoining regions, extending up to 7.6 km above mean sea level, it said. Another circulation lies over north Odisha and adjoining Gangetic West Bengal at around 5.8 km above mean sea level. The Met office has advised citizens to remain alert, avoid unnecessary travel during heavy downpours and take precautions against lightning strikes and gusty winds. There is a possibility of heavy rainfall at some places in Palamu, Garhwa, Chatra, Latehar, Ranchi, Bokaro, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Ramgarh, Lohardaga, Koderma, Dhanbad, Giridih and Simdega districts on 24 August. IMD has issued a yellow alert for these districts. Meanwhile, in a tragic incident on Thursday, three innocent girls were killed in a lightning strike while returning from school near Ranchi. According to locals, Pari Oraon of Class 1 in Primary School Hondpidi and Anjalika Kujur of Class 3, along with Basmati Oraon of Class 6, were going home during which a lightning strike took place killing all the three on the spot. Jharkhand has so far received 25% excess rain than normal.

Derailed wagons collide with another train in Jharkhand; no casualties reported

RANCHI: A goods train heading towards Purulia on the down line derailed near Pitaki gate, about 200 meters away from the station, and fell away over the up line. Another goods train, coming on the up line, collided with it; the collision was so intense that a total of 21 wagons derailed, out of which two fell on the roadside. According to local sources, the accident took place at 4:15 am near pole number 375/22 near Chandil railway station in Jharkhand on Saturday morning. Initial reports suggest that the crash was caused by a technical fault and a signal failure. As soon as the information about the accident reached the railway officials, they rushed to the spot and started investigating the matter. Work is going on war footing to restore the railway track. Railway administration said that efforts are being made to restore the operation as soon as possible. The intensity of the collision could be gauged from the fact that the wheels of the train broke and fell far away, and the railway tracks were damaged for about 200 meters in the accident. Due to the accident, train services have been disrupted on ChandilTatanagar, ChandilMuri, and ChandilPuruliaBokaro routes. Many passengers remain stranded at various stations, while the route of some trains has been changed. Alternative transport is being arranged for the passengers who are affected. Due to the accident, many trains leaving from Tatanagar railway station have been cancelled. These include important trains like Tata-Patna Vande Bharat Express, Tata-Buxar Superfast Express, and Tata-Dhanbad Swarnarekha Express. Apart from this, the routes of some long-distance trains like Purushottam Express and Anand Vihar Express have also been changed.

Derailed wagons collide with another train in Jharkhand

RANCHI: A goods train heading towards Purulia on the down line derailed near Pitaki gate, about 200 meters away from the station, and fell away over the up line. Another goods train, coming on the up line, collided with it; the collision was so intense that a total of 21 wagons derailed, out of which two fell on the roadside. According to local sources, the accident took place at 4:15 am near pole number 375/22 near Chandil railway station in Jharkhand on Saturday morning. Initial reports suggest that the crash was caused by a technical fault and a signal failure. Some crew members have suffered minor injuries and been admitted to the nearest hospital. As soon as the information about the accident reached the railway officials, they rushed to the spot and started investigating the matter. Work is going on war footing to restore the railway track. Railway administration said that efforts are being made to restore the operation as soon as possible. The intensity of the collision could be gauged from the fact that the wheels of the train broke and fell far away, and the railway tracks were damaged for about 200 meters in the accident. Due to the accident, train services have been disrupted on ChandilTatanagar, ChandilMuri, and ChandilPuruliaBokaro routes. Many passengers remain stranded at various stations, while the route of some trains has been changed. Alternative transport is being arranged for the passengers who are affected. Due to the accident, many trains leaving from Tatanagar railway station have been cancelled. These include important trains like Tata-Patna Vande Bharat Express, Tata-Buxar Superfast Express, and Tata-Dhanbad Swarnarekha Express. Apart from this, the routes of some long-distance trains like Purushottam Express and Anand Vihar Express have also been changed.

Jharkhand to bid farewell to Dishom Guru Shibu Soren in Nemra today

The last rites of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) patriarch and former Chief Minister of the state will be performed on Tuesday afternoon at 2 pm in his ancestral village, Nemra, near Barka Nala in Bokaro district.

Shibu Sorens last rites today in Nemra Village; Rahul Gandhi, Kharge to attend

New Delhi: The last rites of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) founder and former Chief Minister Shibu Soren will be performed on Tuesday at 2 p.m. in his native village, Nemra, near Barka Nala in Bokaro district. The 81-year-old tribal leader and veteran politician breathed his last on Monday morning at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

The making of a legend: Shibu Soren's evolution from Shivcharan to Guruji

RANCHI: The founder patron of JMM, who dominated Jharkhand politics for over four decades, passed away during treatment at a hospital in New Delhi at the age of 81 on Monday. Though he became Chief Minister of Jharkhand thrice, his early life remained quite challenging and full of struggle. Born on January 11, 1944, at Nemra village under Gola Block of Ramgarh, Shibu Soren was fondly called Shivlal in his childhood, but he was enrolled in the primary school as Shivcharan Manjhi. After receiving his primary education at the village school, he moved to a state-sponsored high school in Gola block, where he continued his studies while staying in a tribal hostel. Despite belonging to the tribal community, his father, Sobaran Manjhi, was highly educated and worked as a teacher. Sobaran was involved in various activities for the upliftment of his community and raised his voice against the exploitation by moneylenders. As Sobaran gradually became a prominent voice among the tribals and continuously opposed the oppression by mahajans, he was allegedly killed by them on November 27, 1957. This incident became a turning point in the life of Shibu Soren, who was just 13 years old at the time. Shaken by his fathers murder, Shibu Soren left his studies and began opposing the moneylenders. This was no easy task, as many villagers were deeply indebted. He was disturbed to see tribal lands being seized over unpaid debts, with villagers tricked into giving thumb impressions on blank papers under the influence of alcohol. These incidents inspired Shibu Soren to launch a movement against the moneylenders. As he raised his voice, more people started joining him. At the same time, he began spreading awareness against the consumption of alcohol and hadia (rice beer). His social reform movement and resistance to the moneylenders gained traction across Gola and neighbouring areas like Bokaro and Dhanbad. Between 1972 and 1976, the movement gained momentum. He succeeded in reclaiming tribal land taken by moneylenders. His assertive approach won him admiration within the tribal community. Eventually, Soren became a widely popular figure at his call, thousands would gather with bows and arrows to harvest crops from seized lands. He also built an ashram at Pokhariya under Tundi block of Dhanbad, known as Shibu Ashram. People began calling him Guruji out of love and respect. However, his political identity took root in Santhal Pargana, where he earned the title Dishom Guru or Guru of the nation. In 1972, Soren and his colleagues decided to form a political party. This led to the formation of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM). Shibu Soren first contested elections in 1977 but faced defeat. Undeterred, he contested again in 1980 and began his political ascent. He went on to serve as Member of Parliament from Dumka Lok Sabha seat seven times. He played a pivotal role in the campaign for a separate Jharkhand state. Devoting his entire political career to the cause, he led a sustained movement that eventually led to the creation of Jharkhand from Bihar in 2000. Tribal titan Shibu Soren: A legacy of power, struggles and controversies

PM Modi to visit West Bengal on July 19, inaugurate development projects

KOLKATA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit West Bengal on Friday, where he will address a BJP rally in Durgapur, besides laying the foundation stone and inauguration of multiple development projects worth over Rs 5000 crore. With the Assembly elections in West Bengal due in April-May next year, Modis visit assumes political significance, especially because it coincides with Trinamool Congress Chief Mamata Banerjees Martyrs Day rally at Kolkata on July 21. According to political observers, since it is the last Martyrs Day rally of the Trinamool Congress before the Assembly polls, Banerjee is all set to use this platform to give a clear political message to her main political rival, the BJP and is also expected to announce some new schemes to lure voters. In this context, Modis speech in the public meeting at Durgapur will catch everyones attention. On Wednesday, Banerjee held a protest march in Kolkata against the alleged harassment and torture of Bengali-speaking people in several BJP-ruled states. Daring the BJP-led Centre to send her to the detention camp, she had said, The people of Bengal have elected me to serve them. Let me work here. If you create disturbance here, I will tour the entire country. You wont be able to stop me. I will see how many detention camps you can lodge me in. Even there I will speak in Bengali. If Bengalis are sent to detention camps, the people of Bengal through their votes will send BJP to the political detention camp. Bengal is under our control and will remain so. In the coming days, we will also take over Delhi, taking everyone along, she had claimed on Wednesday. On the same day, Leader of Opposition at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Suvendu Adhikari, went to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal on the infiltration issue. Meanwhile, for the occasion of Modi's meeting on Friday afternoon, two stages have been set up at Nehru Stadium in Durgapur. The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of several projects before addressing a public meeting on another stage nearby. After the meeting, the Prime Minister will leave for Delhi. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for Bharat Petroleum Corp. Ltd (BPCL) City Gas Distribution (CGD) project in Bankura and Purulia districts of West Bengal, worth around Rs 1,950 crore. It will provide PNG connections to households, commercial establishments and industrial customers, and provide CNG at the retail outlets and also create employment opportunities in the region. Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation the Durgapur to Kolkata section (132 Km) of Durgapur-Haldia Natural Gas Pipeline, which has been laid as a part of Jagdishpur-Haldia and Bokaro-Dhamra Pipeline also known as Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga (PMUG) Project. The Durgapur to Kolkata section, worth over Rs 1,190 crore, is passing through the districts of East Burdwan, Hooghly and Nadia in West Bengal. The pipeline provided direct and indirect employment during its implementation phase and will now facilitate the supply of natural gas to lakhs of households in the region. Boosting rail infrastructure in the region, the Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation the doubling of the Purulia Kotshila Rail Line (36 KM) in Purulia, worth over Rs 390 crore. It will improve rail connectivity between industries from Jamshedpur, Bokaro and Dhanbad with Ranchi and Kolkata and efficient movement of goods trains, reducing travel time and improving logistics for industries and businesses.

Maoist with Rs 5 Lakh Bounty, CRPF Jawan Killed in Jharkhand Gunfight; Civilian Also Dead

Encounter in Bokaros Birhordera forest claims three lives; search operation continues, Assam CM pays tribute to slain jawan

Jharkhand encounter: CRPF jawan, 2 Maoists killed; search operation under way

A fierce gunfight erupted between Maoists and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Jharkhand's Bokaro district, resulting in casualties on both sides. The clash occurred in the Birhordera forest, claiming the lives of two Maoists and a CRPF jawan from the CoBRA battalion. Security forces are currently conducting a search operation in the area following the deadly encounter.

2 Maoists, 1 CRPF jawan killed in gunfight in Jharkhand's Bokaro

BOKARO: Two Maoists and a CRPF jawan were killed in a gunfight in Jharkhand's Bokaro district on Wednesday morning, police said. The gunfight broke out between the security forces and the Maoists in the Birhordera forest in the Gomia police station area around 5.30 am, they said. The security forces gunned down two Maoists during the encounter. A jawan of the CPRF's CoBRA battalion was also killed in the exchange of fire, IG (Bokaro Zone) Kranthi Kumar Gadidesi told PTI. Bokaro's SP Harvinder Singh told PTI that a search was underway in the area following the encounter.

Water release, Jharkhand rain trigger flood-like situation in West Bengal, Mamata blames DVC

KOLKATA: The release of water from Damodar Valley Corporations (DVC) Panchet and Maithan reservoirs, along with incessant rain in Jharkhand, has created a flood-like situation in several districts in West Bengal. After an administrative meeting at Nabanna, the state administrative headquarters, on Tuesday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee once again blamed the Central Government and the DVC for this situation. She said, It is not a flood. Several areas have been inundated with water. People are facing hardship due to the release of water. The West Bengal CM held a virtual meeting with all the district magistrates, superintendents of police, and police commissioners of the state to deal with the flood situation. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, state DGP Rajeev Kumar, and senior government officials were also present in the meeting. The Chief Minister also expressed regret over not getting results after a long struggle. For the water released by the DVC a vast area has been submerged. Despite repeated requests, they are not listening. Our delegation went to Delhi and discussed the problem. I have also written a letter to the Prime Minister myself. I have been fighting for 14 years but there is no result, she said. She claimed that from June 18 to Tuesday, the DVC has released 27 thousand lakh cubic meters of water. As a result, a flood situation has arisen in some districts like West Midnapore, Hooghly, Howrah, East Midnapore. In this situation, the CM has ordered the administration to be active in relief work. According to sources, from Tuesday morning, DVC has started releasing 45,000 cusecs of water. Out of this, about 36,000 cusecs of water is being released from Panchet, and about 9,000 cusecs of water is being released from Maithan. Continuous heavy rain in Jharkhand has made the DVC reservoirs full. With no other option being left, DVC has started release of water from its two reservoirs in West Bengal, and that water is flowing through Damodar River towards Howrah, Hooghly, and East Burdwan districts. As a result, the areas in the lower catchment of Damodar in West Bengal are under threat of flooding. Areas like Khanakul, Arambagh in Hooghly, and Amta, Udaynarayanpur in Howrah are already being flooded. The West Bengal Irrigation Department has asked the residents of the areas concerned to be alert. Executive engineers of the Irrigation Department said that if the water pressure in Durgapur Barrage increases, the amount of water released from there may also increase. As a result, the situation is feared to become more complicated. On the other hand, according to DVC sources, the water level in Panchet and Maithan reservoirs has increased due to continuous rains in Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, Bokaro, and the upper Damodar catchment areas in Jharkhand. The decision to release water has been taken to control the excess water in the reservoirs. Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has ordered the administration of ten districts to keep a close eye on the situation. The administration has already been activated to carry out relief and rescue operations in the flooded areas. The process of evacuating the residents of low-lying areas of Howrah, Hooghly, and East Burdwan to safer places has begun. However, there has been a debate over the release of water by DVC for several days. It has been alleged that the water was released without prior consultation with the state government. Earlier, the Chief Minister had criticised the unilateral release of water by DVC. She called the flood caused by the release of water from the DVC a man-made flood. In response, the DVC authorities said that they release as much water as they receive orders to release from a designated committee. The committee includes representatives of the West Bengal government, Jharkhand government, and the DVC authorities, along with the Central Water Commission. The committee decides how much water should be released after looking at the amount of water in the reservoirs and rainfall. Therefore, the accusation is unreasonable, DVC sources said.

Water from DVC reservoirs released; three West Bengal districts along Damodar river flooded

KOLKATA: The release of water from DVCs Panchet and Maithan reservoirs has created flood-like situation in at least three districts in West Bengal - Howrah, Hooghly and East Burdwan. The process of evacuating the residents of low-lying areas of Howrah, Hooghly and East Burdwan to safer places has begun. The DVC reservoirs have reached full capacity due to continuous heavy rain in Jharkhand's Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, Bokaro and the upper Damodar catchment areas. With no other options left, DVC has started releasing water from its two reservoirs in West Bengal through the Damodar River towards Howrah, Hooghly and East Burdwan districts. As a result, the areas in the lower catchment of Damodar in West Bengal are under threat of flooding. According to sources, DVC started releasing 45,000 cusecs of water from Tuesday morning. Of this, about 36,000 cusecs of water is being released from Panchet and about 9,000 cusecs of water from Maithan. Areas like Khanakul, Arambagh in Hooghly and Amta, Udaynarayanpur in Howrah are already being flooded. The West Bengal irrigation department has asked the residents of the concerned areas to be alert. Executive engineers of the Irrigation Department said that if the water pressure in Durgapur Barrage increases, the amount of water released from there may also increase. As a result, the situation is feared to become more complicated. Villagers look at the inundated fields in Aushgram in East Burdwan district. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has ordered the administration of ten districts to keep a close eye on the situation. The administration has already activated to carry out relief and rescue operations in the flooded areas. However, there has been a debate over the release of water by DVC for several days. It has been alleged that the water was released without prior consultation with the state government. Earlier, the Chief Minister had criticised the unilateral release of water by DVC. She called the flood caused by the release of water from the DVC a 'man-made flood'. In response, the DVC authorities said that they release as much water as they receive orders to release from a designated committee. The committee includes representatives of the West Bengal government, Jharkhand government and the DVC authorities along with the Central Water Commission. The committee decides how much water should be released after looking at the amount of water in the reservoirs and rainfall. Therefore, the accusation is unreasonable, DVC sources said.

Four die in Himachal, five in Rajasthan's Kota as rain plays havoc

NEW DELHI: Four people died in Himachal Pradesh as rain continues to wreak havoc in the state, while five were swept away in Rajasthan's Kota at a barrage after a heavy downpour caused the authorities to release water from a reservoir. In Himachal, more than 200 roads are out of bounds for vehicular traffic, a majority of them in Mandi, while a flash flood warning has been issued for 12 districts in Jharkhand. An individual each drowned in Kullu and Kangra districts, one died after being bitten by a snake in Bilaspur, while one was killed after falling from a height, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said. Since the onset of monsoon on June 20, 61 people have died in the state in rain-related incidents. In Rajasthan, Khatauli in Kota district recorded 198 mm of rain over 24 hours, the highest in the state. Five youths were swept away in the Chambal River Monday afternoon after the water level suddenly rose following the release of water from 12 gates of the Kota Barrage. The identity of the five missing youths is yet to be confirmed, as the rescued individual is not in a condition to provide detailed information at this stage, Digod Police Station SHO Purshottam Mehta said. Due to continuous rainfall in the region, the authorities opened all 12 gates of the Kota Barrage at 11.30 am on Monday, releasing approximately 2.2692 lakh cusecs of water downstream, said Nisha Sharma, Junior Engineer at Kota Barrage. A met department official said that a circulation system over Madhya Pradesh has intensified into a low-pressure area. Due to the system, parts of Kota, Ajmer, Jodhpur, and Udaipur divisions have seen heavy rain since yesterday. Delhi got a decent drizzle towards the evening, lifting the heavy humid pall it had sweltered under during the day. According to IMD data, Lodhi Road recorded the highest cumulative rainfall at 18.5 mm till 8.30 am on Monday. Pragati Maidan received 24.3 mm of rain, Ayanagar, 15.5 mm, Safdarjung, 15.8 mm, and Palam, 8.5 mm. In Himachal Pradesh, 208 roads, including 157 in the disaster-hit Mandi district, are closed for vehicular traffic, while 745 water supply schemes and 139 power distribution transformers were affected. The local Met office has issued an Orange alert of heavy to very heavy rain in Kangra, Mandi and Sirmaur on Monday, and Shimla, Solan, and Sirmaur on Tuesday. It issued a Yellow alert, meaning heavy rain, for at least three of the 12 districts till Friday. In Odisha, the weather department forecasted heavy rainfall in 19 of the 30 districts, as a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a well-marked system. The India Meteorological Department cautioned fishermen not to venture into the sea for the next 24 hours in the north Bay of Bengal, as squally winds, blowing at 40-50 kmph, gusting to 60 kmph, were likely to prevail along and off north Odisha. A red warning was issued for extremely heavy rain, above 20 centimetres, in Mayurbhanj, Keonhar and Sundargarh. Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore were predicted to receive 12 cm to 20 cm of rain. The remaining districts were forecasted to witness 7-11 cm of precipitation. Kolkata is likely to experience spells of light to moderate rain or thundershowers over the next 24 hours. Light to moderate rain is likely across South Bengal districts, as a cyclonic circulation over the Bay of Bengal is set to intensify into a low-pressure area within the next 24 hours, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre here. In Jharkhand, a flash flood warning was issued for Bokaro, East Singhbhum, Garhwa, Gumla, Khunti, Latehar, Lohardaga, Palamu, Ranchi, Saraikela, Simdega, and West Singhbhum districts till 11.30 am on Tuesday. Surface runoff and inundation may occur in some low-lying areas, the IMD said. A Red alert was sounded for heavy to extremely heavy rain in Saraikela-Kharswan, East Singhbhum, and West Singhbhum districts, and an Orange alert for Gumla, Khunti, and Simdega districts till 8.30 am on Tuesday. The weather office has issued a Yellow alert for heavy rain in Ranchi, Lohardaga, Ramgarh, Bokaro, Dhanbad, Jamtara, Hazaribag, Giridih, Koderma, and Deoghar till 8.30 am tomorrow. Ranchi Meteorological Centre Deputy Director Abhishek Anand said the state is likely to experience widespread rainfall till July 17 under the influence of a depression and monsoon trough.

Key conspirators arrested in Rs 100 crore Bokaro land grab scam in Jharkhand

RANCHI: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday arrested the key conspirators in the Rs 100 crore Bokaro land scam case - Izhar Hussain and Akhtar Hussain - for the first time. The duo is accused of fraudulently selling 103 acres of forest and revenue land in Bokaro in 2012. According to the CID, the land mafia, in connivance with employees of the zonal office and some officials of BSL, allegedly forged documents to facilitate the illegal sale of government land to private parties. The land originally belonged to Bokaro Steel Plant but was later returned to the Forest Department. The case is being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) along with the CID and is currently pending before the Supreme Court. Officials in CID informed that this is the first time that the main conspirators were held in the case. Jharkhand DGP Anurag Gupta also confirmed the arrests, saying that the matter is quite old, but for the first time the key conspirators have been arrested. A land was transferred illegally by making fake documents in Bokaro, in which FIR was lodged by the police which was later taken over the CID. The key conspirators, Izhar Hussain and Akhtar Hussain, who are also brothers, have been arrested from Bokaro and were sent to judicial custody on Saturday, said DGP Anurag Gupta. Both of the accused will be taken on remand and interrogated thoroughly in order to get into the details of the matter, he added. The complaint in this regard was filed by Rudra Pratap Singh, Forester in Charge and Forest Guard of the Bokaro Forest Division. The investigation later revealed that officials and land mafia had jointly sold 117 acres of forest land in Tetulia, Bokaro, using fake documents. During the initial investigation, the CID found that the land mafia and the BSL employees together had manipulated the land records by not properly handing over the land to the Forest Department. The handover was not documented, allowing several individuals, including members of the land mafia, to take advantage of the situation. Later, on the instructions of DGP Anurag Gupta, the case was officially handed over to the CID, which began its investigation based on case number 32/2024 registered at Sector 12 police station in Bokaro. According to CID officials, as the investigation progresses, several senior officials, government employees, and members of the land mafia are likely to come under its purview.

Jharkhand HC imposes fine of Rs 2 lakh on JSSC

RANCHI: The Jharkhand High Court on Thursday quashed the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commissions (JSSC) order to blacklist Vincent Technology in the Jharkhand Diploma level Joint Entrance Competitive Examination paper leak case, terming it as erroneous. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on JSSC. The order was passed by a division Bench of Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Rajesh Shankar. The court directed that the JSSC should pay the company's bank guarantee of Rs 61 lakh back to it besides the outstanding bill of Rs 2.90 crore with 7 percent interest within four weeks. During the hearing, the court observed that a company cannot be blacklisted for lifetime only on the basis of police report. Notably, Vincent Technology was responsible for conducting the CGL exam 2020-21. The paper of this exam held on 3 July 2022 was leaked, after which JSSC canceled the exam and the company was blacklisted. The Staff Selection Commission told the court that the company has been blacklisted in view of the police report. The police report had raised suspicion of the company's involvement. Senior advocates Ajit Kumar and Vikalp Gupta, appearing on behalf of the company, told the court that the agency had delivered sealed papers to all the centers and they have no involvement in the paper leak case. The police had registered an FIR, but have not yet filed any charge sheet. The police gave the report in 2024, in which it was written that there is no truth in the allegations made against the company. JSSC is also not paying the company's bill. Advocates Sanjay Piperwal and Prince Kumar Singh, appearing on behalf of JSSC, said that the commission had to cancel the examination conducted by the company, due to which, the bill could not be paid. Therefore, the court directed the commission to pay the bill given by the company with seven percent interest. The court said that if the security money of the company has been seized, then the commission should return it. The court was informed that the examination was conducted in Ranchi, Bokaro and East Singhbhum districts on July 3, 2022. After the paper leak and police investigation, the examination was canceled on July 25, 2022.

Campaigns launched in Nov 22 inflict heavy damage on Maoists in Jharkhand

RANCHI: In a breakthrough for anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhand, a total of 19 Naxal operatives were gunned down in 2025 till June 10, compared to the 18 and 14 insurgents killed in 2024 and 2023, respectively. The year 2019 remains the most successful year against the red rebels in Jharkhand forests, with 31 Maoists gunned down by the police force. According to police data, 155 police encounters took place in the past five years, during which as many as 114 Maoists were neutralised. According to officials, aggressive crackdown by state police, especially the elimination of most-wanted Maoist leaders in encounters, has led to an internal rift and sparked fear in the Maoist organisations. The latest crackdown in April this year, killing eight Naxal operatives, including Vivek, a Central Committee member of CPI (Maoist) carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore, in Lugu Pahar area of Bokaro, created panic among the Maoist cadre, officials asserted. This was the first instance that a Maoist with a reward of such magnitude was killed in an exchange of fire. Sources said the continuous police crackdown has spread panic among Naxalites, especially after recent encounters in areas like Bokaro, Latehar and Palamu. There are also reports that many among the Maoist folds are considering to surrender before cops and return to the mainstream. Notably, Maoists are now restricted only to Saranda jungles in Jharkhand. According to an estimate, around 90 Maoists are said to be hiding in Saranda jungles, where they have planted thousands of IEDs, making it nearly inaccessible.

Jharkhand government transfers 48 IPS officers in major bureaucratic reshuffle

RANCHI: The Jharkhand government has effected a major bureaucratic reshuffle, transferring 48 IPS officers, including senior superintendents of police and SPs of 14 districts, an official notification said. According to the notification issued by the Home, Prison and Disaster Management Department on Tuesday evening, Amol V Homkar, who was IG Operations, was made IG Railways, while ADG Priya Dubey has been given additional charge of ADG Modernisation cum Training. Special Branch IG Prabhat Kumar has been given additional charge of IG JAP. ADG Railways Tadasha Mishra was made Special Secretary, Home Prison and Disaster Management Department, while ADG Operations Sanjay Anandrao Latkar has been given the charge of ADG Railways, it said. In addition, the state government changed SSPs and SPs of Jamshedpur and Dhanbad, besides Pakur, Garhwa, Lohardaga, Simdega, Hazaribagh, Jamtara, Godda, West Singhbhum, Chaibasa, Gumla, Khunti, Bokaro and Chatra districts. The Jharkhand government also transferred Ranchi's SP City, SP Rural and Dhanbad's SP City. On Monday, the government had appointed new deputy commissioners (DCs) in 20 districts of the state.