Month: July 2023

BRS, Cong Dangerous For Country: Modi

By LokMarg

Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi government and the Congress in Telangana, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the state has been “trapped in the claws of dynastic parties.”

“Both BRS & Congress are dangerous for people of Telangana…” PM Modi said, adding KCR government is the most “corrupt government.”

“You people had never thought that one day your state of Telangana will be trapped in the claws of dynastic parties. They think only about the future of their children,” the PM said while addressing a rally in Warangal in Telangana.

“The foundation of all these dynastic parties has its roots in corruption. The dynastic Congress party’s corruption was witnessed by the whole country. And the whole of Telangana is seeing the level of corruption in the state by BRS…” PM Modi hit out at both the BRS and Congress.

Under such a situation, the Central government decided to put a special focus on the development and connectivity of Telangana in the last nine years, PM Modi said.

“The present government in Telangana has done 4 things, abusing PM Modi & Bharatiya Janata Party government. They made one family the centre for power, they pushed Telangana’s economic development into turmoil… duping Telangana into corruption…” PM Modi said.

He alleged that there is no project in the state that does not have allegations of corruption.

“KCR government is the most corrupt government…” PM Modi alleged, adding that the people of Telangana should take “note” of one more thing. “The BRS government has done the cardinal sin of shattering the trust of its people. You people had harboured a lot of expectations from this government. But they have not lived up to your expectations,” the PM said.

Earlier on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi laid the foundation stones of various infrastructure development projects worth Rs 6,100 crore in Warangal and lauded the people of Telangana for their “great contribution” to the history of India.

From Warangal, PM Modi will travel to Bikaner in Rajasthan, to dedicate and lay the foundation stone of development projects worth over Rs 24,300 crore, a PMO statement earlier informed.

The statement further added that PM will dedicate to the nation a six-lane greenfield expressway section of the Amritsar – Jamnagar Economic Corridor and phase-I of the Inter-State Transmission Line for Green Energy Corridor.

The statement further added that the PM will lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of Bikaner Railway station.PM Narendra Modi is on a tour of four states including Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Rajasthan from July 7 to 8.

Except for Uttar Pradesh, all the states are going to polls later this year (ANI)

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Bengal Panchayat Elections: Central, State Security Forces Deployed On All Polling booths

By LokMarg

To conduct a fair, safe and impartial election for 3,317 Gram Panchayats, 341 Panchayat Samitis and 20 Zila Parishads in West Bengal on Saturday, security forces from Centre as well as the state are deployed on all 61,636 polling booths.

The state Election Commission has set up a total 61,636 polling booths across West Bengal to conduct the election.
A total of 59,000 personnel of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and other State Armed Police (SAP) forces have been deployed at sensitive polling booths and the rest of the troops of CAPF and SAP along with local State Police have been given the responsibility of security at the remaining polling booths.

After completion of the polling process in the evening, all the ballot boxes will be kept secured in the 339 strong rooms across the State and the responsibility to secure the strong rooms is given to Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

The polling is underway in the state and several incidents of violence were reported despite the security arrangements.

Workers of the state BJP on Saturday staged a protest outside the State Election Commission office in Kolkata. Meanwhile, voting was suspended at Indreshwar primary school in Dinhata of West Bengal’s Cooch Behar after water was thrown into the ballot box here.

In another incident, a ballot box at a polling booth in Baranachina of Dinhata in Cooch Behar district was set on fire allegedly by voters who were angry with bogus voting that was reportedly going on there.

Another incident was reported from Balutola in Gopalpur Panchayat of Malda where a clash broke out between Congress and TMC workers and bombs were hurled.

The polling booth at Baravita Primary School in Sitai of Coochbehar also was vandalised and ballot papers were set on fire.

Several other incidents of ballot box and ballot paper looting and destruction were reported from numerous polling booths in the state.

However, the voter turnout was recorded at 22.60 per cent till 11 in the morning.

Abdullah, the booth agent of an independent candidate was killed in Pirgachha of North 24 Parganas district following a protest by the villagers who demanded the arrest of the accused and alleged that the husband of TMC candidate Munna Bibi is behind the murder.

In the meantime, a 52-year-old TMC worker, Sateshuddin Sheikh was killed in Knhargram of Murshidabad.

However, the residents of Nandigram Block 1 of Purba Medinipur district said that they are boycotting the election until Central forces are deployed at booth numbers 67 and 68 in Mahammadpur No. 2 area.

A voter, Govind while speaking to ANI, said, “There is no Central force here. Booth capturing keeps happening here by TMC. They do bogus voting even in the name of the deceased. We won’t allow voting here unless Central forces come here…”

The panchayat elections are underway for a single phase, with the counting of votes scheduled on July 11.

Around 5.67 crore voters are likely to exercise their franchise to choose representatives for nearly 928 seats across 22 Zilla Parishads, 9,730 Panchayat Samiti, and 63,239 Gram Panchayats seats.

The number of village Panchayat Election centres is 58,594. There are 63,239 seats at the Gram Panchayat level, 9730 at Panchayat Samiti and 928 at the Zila Parishad level.

In 2018, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won uncontested, 34 per cent of the seats in panchayat elections, which also saw various instances of violence. Trinamool Congress has won many seats uncontestedly in the 2023 elections as well.

Following the violence, a war of words escalated between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress. (ANI)

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Sharad Ritrement

I’m Not Retired, I’m On Fire: Sharad

By LokMarg

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday replied to Ajit Pawar’s retirement remark against him and said that he is neither tired nor retired. He is dedicated to his party, Sharad Pawar said.

Replying to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister’s remark on Sharad Pawar’s age, the latter said at a press conference, “I’m not tired, I’m not retired, I’m on fire.”
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar on Wednesday said that his uncle and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar should step down and give a chance to the new generation stating that even leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) retire at the age of 75.

“I still have deep respect for him (Sharad Pawar)…But you tell me, IAS officers retire at 60…even in politics – BJP leaders retire at 75. You can see the example of LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi…That allows the new generation to rise…” Ajit Pawar had said.

“You (Sharad Pawar) give us your blessings…You are 83, aren’t you going to stop?…Give us your blessings and we will pray that you live a long life,” said the Deputy chief minister while addressing party legislators and other workers in Bandra on Wednesday.

Replying to this, NCP Sharad Pawar said that he is neither tired nor retired.

NCP Working President Supriya Sule also took to Twitter and quoted Sharad Pawar, ” Bhaag gaye Ranchhod sabhi, dekh abhi tak khadaa hoon main. Na thaka hoon na haara hoon, rann mein atal khadaa hoon mai” translated as “All of them ran away from the war, I am still standing. I am neither tired or retired standing here and fighting my war.”

In May this year Sharad Pawar announced that he would step down as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) national president but later took back his decision after protests.

During his address on Saturday, Sharad Pawar also said that all the rebels of the party would be disqualified.

Sharad Pawar also replied that he gave powers to his daughter Supriya Sule. He said that the party workers wanted Supriya to come into politics.

“Party workers wanted that Supriya Sule come to politics, she fought Lok Sabha polls and won. We gave Union Minister post to Praful Patel for 10 years. He lost the Lok Sabha election, after that, we gave him a Rajya Sabha seat,” Sharad Pawar said. (ANI)

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‘Uniform Civil Code Must Initiate a Debate, Not a Knee-jerk Poll Slogan’

By LokMarg

Naved Qureshi, a renowned journalist and editor at NMF News, examines various aspects of the call for a Uniform Civil Code and whether it is just an election gimmick. His views:

The concept of a Uniform Civil Code refers to a set of laws that would govern personal matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption for all citizens of India, regardless of their religion or community. Its proponents argue that such a code would promote equality and gender justice by eliminating discriminatory practices embedded in personal laws based on religious customs. For, they believe, such a code is essential to achieving a truly secular and progressive society.

The UCC holds significant importance for any country and society. It aims to establish a balance between personal religious laws and the prevailing laws of the land, regardless of one’s religious affiliation, including Muslims. This balance is essential to ensure equality, justice, and cohesion within a diverse society. The UCC promotes a common set of laws that enable citizens to enjoy equal rights and protections, irrespective of their religious beliefs. By harmonizing personal laws, the UCC contributes to fostering social integration, promoting gender equality, and upholding fundamental human rights, ultimately creating a more inclusive and just society.

However, the UCC has faced staunch opposition from various quarters, and reasonably so. One of the primary concerns is the potential infringement on personal religious laws and practices. India is a diverse, pluralistic society with multiple religions, communities, customs, cultures and sub-cultures, each with its own set of traditions and conventions.

ALSO READ: ‘After Love Jihad, BJP Will Rake Up Uniform Civil Code’

Critics thus argue that imposing a uniform code would violate religious freedom and cultural autonomy, undermining the principles of pluralism that the country cherishes and nourishes. The UCC is also seen as a controversial issue due to historical legacies. The idea of a uniform code was first introduced in the directive principles of the Indian Constitution, which urged the government to “endeavor to secure” its implementation.

However, the framers of the Constitution deliberately kept personal laws out of the purview of the UCC, considering the sensitivities involved. This historical context has created a perception that the UCC is an attempt by the majority Hindu population to impose its values on minority communities, particularly Muslims. The potential impact of the UCC on different sections of society is a topic of intense debate.

Critics argue that the UCC could adversely affect religious minorities, by eroding their cultural identity and subjecting them to the dominance of the majority community. There are concerns about the impact on tribal communities and their customary practices as well. It is essential to ensure that any proposed UCC does not ignore the unique needs and traditions of these marginalized groups.

Supporters of the Uniform Civil Code contend that it would empower women and promote gender equality, as it would seek to eliminate practices such as unilateral divorce, polygamy, and unequal inheritance rights that often adversely affect women in certain communities. They argue that personal laws rooted in religious customs often perpetuate patriarchal norms and deny women their fundamental rights.

The question of whether the current push for a Uniform Civil Code is merely an election gimmick is a subjective one. It is undeniable that the code has been a contentious issue, and politicians have used it to polarize the electorate along religious lines in the past. However, the real intentions behind the current push can only be known to those advocating for it. It is crucial for policymakers to approach the issue with sincerity and engage in a comprehensive and inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders to dispel any perceptions of ulterior motives.

In conclusion, the Uniform Civil Code remains a contentious issue due to concerns about potential infringement on personal religious laws, legacies, and the impact on various sections of society. While proponents argue that it would promote equality and justice, critics fear it could undermine religious freedom and cultural autonomy. It is essential to approach the issue with sensitivity, ensuring that any proposed UCC respects the diverse traditions and customs of different communities. A comprehensive and inclusive dialogue is necessary to address the concerns of all stakeholders and promote genuine secularism and gender justice.

As told to Deepti Sharma

Neetu Bday

Ranbir, Riddhima Light Up Neetu’s B’day

By LokMarg

Veteran actor Neetu Kapoor is celebrating her 65th birthday today and that too with an Italian touch.

Neetu headed to Italy a few days ago and has been exploring the place with her daughter Riddhima, son-in-law Bharat and granddaughter Samara.
Neetu’s son and actor Ranbir Kapoor also joined his family for the birthday celebration. During his departure a day before, he was spotted at the Mumbai airport, wherein he was seen requesting the paparazzi not to post the pictures on the same day as it would ruin the surprise for his mom. Interestingly, Ranbir reached Italy in time to be with his mom on her special day.

Wishing her mom on birthday, Riddhima took to Instagram and dropped a lovely image from the bash.

“Happy Bday Ma. We adore you #backboneofthefamily (major missing @aliaabhatt & my baby Raha),” she captioned the post.

The image shows Neetu sitting on a chair. She looked lovely in a red outfit. Ranbir hugged his sister Riddhima as they stood behind their mother. Samara posed next to her father Bharat in the picture.

Ranbir’s wife, actor Alia Bhatt and their daughter Raha were missing from the party.

The fam-jam picture garnered loads of likes and comments.

Actor Kareena Kapoor Khan commented, “Surprise best best.”

“Happy Birthday Neetu Aunty,” Saif Ali Khan’s sister Saba Pataudi wrote.

Bharat Sahni also wished his mother-in-law with the same picture. He also added a video in his Instagram stories where Neetu is seen cutting the cake as the family dines together.

Meanwhile, on the work front, Neetu was last seen in the film ‘Jug Jugg Jeeyo’ alongside Varun Dhawan, Anil Kapoor and Kiara Advani and the film received a positive response from the audience.

She will be next seen in the film ‘Letters To Mr Khanna’ with Sunny Kaushal and Shraddha Srinath. The official release date of the film is still awaited. (ANI)

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Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, Mughal Road Blocked Due To Landslides

Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, Mughal Road Blocked Due To Landslides

By LokMarg

Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) has been blocked due to landslides and people are advised not to use it, police said here on Saturday.

“NH-44, Mughal road and SSG road are blocked due to 2 landslides. People are advised not to travel till clearance,” Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police said in a tweet.
The 250-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, and Mughal Road connects Bufliaz town in the Jammu region’s Poonch district to the Shopian district of Kashmir. The 84-kilometre road traces a historic route used in the Mughal period over the Pir Panjal Pass.

While the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri (SSG) double-lane road connects the Ladakh region with Jammu and Kashmir.

Last month also the NH-44 was blocked due to multiple landslides and shooting stones from the hillock at Cafeteria Morh and Mehar in Ramban town. (ANI)

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Ganguly bday wishes

Cricket Fraternity Wishes Ganguly On His 51st B’day

By LokMarg

The Indian cricketing fraternity took to social media to extend birthday wishes to legendary Indian batter and former skipper Sourav Ganguly, who turned 51 on Saturday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the governing body of the sport in India, which he served as a president from 2019-22, also wished Ganguly on his birthday.
“424 intl. matches 18,575 intl. runs 38 intl. centuries Here’s wishing former #TeamIndia Captain and former BCCI President @SGanguly99

a very Happy Birthday,” tweeted BCCI.

BCCI Secretary Jay Shah also extended his wishes to Ganguly.

“Happy Birthday, Dada! May the almighty bless you with good health and prosperity. Have a great year ahead and I look forward to seeing you soon – @SGanguly99 #HappyBirthdayDada,” tweeted Shah.

India’s World Cup-winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who earned the backing of Ganguly in the early stages of his career, also wished the legend on his birthday in a hilarious manner.

“When you’re planning the next prank with dada without him knowing that he is the one who will actually be pranked Happy birthday #dadi! Loads of love always @SGanguly99,” tweeted Yuvraj.

Ganguly’s former Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders, also extended wishes to Ganguly on his 51st birthday.

“Maharaja Tomare Selam! Happy birthday, Prince of Kolkata! #HappyBirthdayDada | #SouravGanguly | @SGanguly99,” tweeted KKR.

Former Indian opener Wasim Jaffer also wished Ganguly on his birthday, saying that Ganguly led Team India to new heights of success in his stint as a captain.

“This Jersey, this era will always be special for Indian cricket fans. Happy Birthday to the man who led India to new heights during this era Wish you a wonderful year full of happiness and good health Dada @SGanguly99,” tweeted Jaffer.

Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa also wished a “fantastic year ahead” to Ganguly.

“Birthday greetings to the one and only @SGanguly99!! Have a fantastic year ahead Dada!! Love always!,” tweeted Ganguly.

Delhi Capitals (DC), the IPL team with which Ganguly is associated as Director of Cricket also revisited some of the best moments of his career.

“Roles and times might have changed, but our love and respect for Dada remained the same Send in your wishes as we celebrate Dada’s special day #HappyBirthdayDada@SGanguly99,” tweeted DC.

In the long format, Sourav played 113 matches. He scored 7,212 runs at an average of 42.17. He smashed 16 centuries and 35 half-centuries in 188 innings, with the best score of 239. He is the seventh-highest run-scorer for India in Test cricket. He smashed a century on his Test debut against England at the Lord’s in 1996.

As a captain, he led India in 49 matches. Out of this, India won 21 matches, lost 13 and drew 15 matches. With a win percentage of 42.85, he is one of the most successful captains for India. In 2001, the Ganguly-led side defeated Australia 2-1 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The Australian team, captained by Steve Waugh, challenged India to follow on in the series, but VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid staged one of the greatest comebacks in Indian cricket history in the second Test at Kolkata. This Test series win is considered as one of India’s best.

In 2004, he also oversaw an ODI and Test series in Pakistan. The Test series triumph was India’s first on Pakistani soil. India also won the ODI series.

Ganguly has also represented India in 311 ODIs, scoring 11,363 runs at an average of 41.02. He has scored 22 centuries and 72 half-centuries in 300 innings, with the best score of 183. He is the ninth-highest run-scorer in ODI cricket and the third-highest run-scorer for India in ODIs.

Ganguly is the fourth-fastest to 7,000 (174 innings), 8,000 (200 innings) and 9,000 ODI runs (228 innings) and third-fastest to 10,000 ODI runs (263 innings).

His run in 2000 as a batter made him the player with second highest runs in ODIs in a calendar year. In that year, Ganguly played 32 ODIs, scoring 1,579 runs at an average of 56.39. He also scored seven centuries and six fifties, with the best score of 144.

He led India to 147 ODI matches, winning 76, losing 66 and five failed to produce results. In ODIs, he had a win percentage of 51.70.

Ganguly led India to the finals of the 2000 ICC Knockout Trophy for the first time. India and SL also shared the title in 2002 after the final was abandoned due to rain.

Ganguly’s most memorable moment was definitely when he removed his shirt on the Lord’s balcony and started waving it, when India famously beat England from the jaws of defeat in the Natwest Trophy finals in 2002. Ganguly also led India to the World Cup finals in 2003, where they narrowly lost to Australia in the championship game.

Overall, Ganguly represented India in 424 matches, scoring 18,575 runs in 488 innings at an average of 41.46. He has scored a total of 38 centuries and 107 fifties, with the best score of 239. He is the 15th-highest run-scorer of all time in international cricket. Ganguly is also the fourth-highest run-scorer for India in international cricket. (ANI)

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Eastern Ladakh army

Eastern Ladakh: Army Tanks, Combat Vehicles Carry Out Drills To Cross Indus River

By LokMarg

Having deployed a large number of tanks and armoured vehicles in the world’s highest river valleys, Indian Army formations carried out drills in Eastern Ladakh to cross the Indus River and attacks in enemy positions.

Team ANI witnessed the special drills carried out by Indian Army’s tank formations including the T-90 and T-72 tanks and BMP infantry combat vehicles to cross the mighty Indus river which flows from the Tibetan territory controlled by the Chinese Army through the entire Ladakh sector before entering Pakistan.
Army officials said that such drills are carried out to prepare for contingencies where they have to take action against the adversaries if they try to capture Indian areas by using the routes of valleys in this area.

Indian Army is one of the very few armies in the world that operates tanks at high altitudes up to 16,000 feet, and in large numbers.

After the Chinese forces started showing aggression in the Eastern Ladakh sector by diverting its training exercise troops, the Indian Army brought in a large number of tanks and armoured combat vehicles in the eastern Ladakh sector that has large open valleys which are very conducive for tank battles.

Earlier, the Indian Army used to carry out such drills in a big way in the Punjab sector along the Pakistan front as it was believed that only plains and deserts would see tank battles but the mindset changed later.

The brigades and other formations with tanks started getting inducted into the force in Eastern Ladakh in 2013-14 onwards but the numbers increased manifold after the Galwan Valley clash incident in 2020.

The Indian Air Force’s C-17 and Ilyushin-76 transport aircraft brought in tanks and BMPs from deserts and plains in large numbers after that incident.

The armoured strength in the area has been strengthened by the Army to an extent where they can tackle any misadventure by the adversary. (ANI)

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Shri Amarnath from Jammu to Srinagar highway

Amarnath Yatra Halted For Second Consecutive Day

By LokMarg

The annual Amarnath Yatra has been suspended for the second consecutive day on the twin routes of Baltal and Pahalgam due to bad weather conditions in the state, officials said on Saturday.

According to the officials, inclement weather conditions in the union territory caused a delay to the annual Amarnath Yatra and suspended the yatra from both the Pahalgam and the Baltal routes.
Fresh batches of pilgrims were not permitted to depart Jammu to begin their yatra due to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway as a result of weather advisory and heavy rains in Kashmir valley, they said.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police also issued an advisory and urged the general public not to travel on the NH-44, Mughal Road, and the SSG Roads that were blocked due to the occurrence of two landslides.

“Traffic update at 6:25 am. NH-44, Mughal Road and SSG Road are blocked due to 2 landslides. People are advised not to travel till clearance,” tweeted J&K Traffic Police.

A total of 67,566 pilgrims visited the Amarnath cave shrine since the beginning of the Yatra on July 1.

About 18,354 pilgrims on July 5 left for the Amarnath cave shrine both from the Baltal base camp and Nunwan base camp performed the darshan.

“These include 12483 males, 5146 females, 457 children, 266 sadhus, and 2 sadhvis,” an official statement said.

“The total number of yatris who performed Darshan since the beginning is 67566. More yatris will visit the shrine in the coming days,” it added.

According to the official spokesperson, pilgrims are being assisted during their entire journey by state agencies and civil departments by making all the essentials and facilities available to devotees.

“All the departments including Police, SDRF, Army, paramilitary, Health, PDD, PHE, ULB, Information, Labour, Fire and Emergency, Education, and Animal Husbandry have saturated the overall requirements and arrangements of SANJY by the deployment of their men and machinery,” it mentioned.

Under the supervision of Camp directors, the entire facilities are extended to yatris including Langers, health facilities, assistance by service providers including poniwallaa, pithuwalas, dandiwalas, sanitation, and many other assistance, the statement said.

The 62-day-long Shri Amarnath Yatra will culminate on August 31, 2023. (ANI)

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Manipur firing at bishnupur

Manipur: Fresh Firing Reported At Bishnupur

By LokMarg

The situation in Manipur remains volatile as intermittent firing continued at the general area of Kangvai-Awang Lekhai area in Bishnupur district on Friday night.

According to the sources, Additional Border Security Forces (BSF) were inducted to bring the situation under control as columns of the Indian Army and Assam Rifles moved to the general area of Songdo.
The sources further said that one police personnel was injured during a retaliatory firing incident.

An exchange of fire was also reported in the Laikot area of YKPI with the situation being monitored by the security forces.

A mob of nearly 200 people built up at Mahabali road and set two vehicles on fire near the historic Kangla Fort in Imphal, Manipur.

According to sources, the mob also tried to snatch weapons from the police.

“The police had to resort to firing to disperse the mob and bring the situation under control, although no casualties were reported in the incident,” the sources said.

No casualty has been reported.

The sources further said that another mob of nearly 200 people had gathered at Palace Compound in Imphal West but Army and Rapid Action Force personnel were able to disperse by 12.30 am today.

According to a statement by Manipur Police, the situation is tense in some parts with sporadic incidents of firing, but is normal in most districts in Manipur, an official statement from Manipur police said on Thursday.

“The situation is tense in some places with sporadic incidents of firing and congregation of unruly mob during the last 24 hours. However, the situation is normal in most districts,” said the statement.

The statement added that the State Police and Central forces on Thursday conducted search operations in the vulnerable and fringe areas in both the hill and valley districts of the state.

The official statement further said that on July 6, a joint team of Manipur Police and the Central Security Forces (CSF) destroyed 24 bunkers in the districts of Manipur. (ANI)

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