News18 Daybreak | 37 CRPF Personnel Killed in Terror Attack and Other Stories You Need to Watch Out For
What to Watch Out For
37 CRPF personnel killed in JeM terror group attack, Govt blames Pakistan
A terrorist attack has left 37 CRPF personnel dead and others injured in Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday. The terror group, Jaish-e-Mohammad, has claimed responsibility for the strike, the worst in Kashmir since the 2001 J-K legislative assembly car bombing.
A 12-member team of the National Investigating Agency will be reaching Kashmir’s Pulwama today to assist the police in their probe while a Cabinet Security Meeting will also take place to discuss the security situation in the state.
What happened: The attack occurred when a suicide bomber rammed a car laden with 350 kgs of explosives into a CRPF convoy. Just minutes after the strike a video emerged in which a member of the JeM - Adil alias Waqas of Kakapora is seen brandishing several automatic rifles and saying, “By the time this video reaches you, I will be in heaven, I have spent one year as a militant with JeM and this is my last message for the people of Kashmir.”
He said she said: The Ministry of External Affairs has demanded that Pakistan stop supporting terrorists and terror groups operating in their country. The MEA also urged the international community to denounce the JeM as a terrorist group and has asked that the United Nations brand it so.
Pakistan while condemning the attack as a ‘matter of grave concern’ has rejected allegations of the country’s link to the strikes.
"We strongly reject any insinuation by elements in the Indian media and government that seek to link the attack to Pakistan without investigations," the Pakistan government said in a statement.
The UN chief Antonio Guterres also strongly condemned the “strongly” condemned the attack and has called “for those behind the attack to be brought to justice."
Meanwhile, cutting across party lines, several political leaders expressed their grief and condemnation over the attack.
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra called off her first press meet at Lucknow and observed a two-minute silence expressing grief over the deaths of the personnel.
“I want to say that not only the Congress party but the entire country is standing shoulder to shoulder with the families of our brave soldiers,” she said.
J-K National Conference’s Omar Abdullah also offered his condolence to the families of the bereaved and tweeted saying, “I condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms. My prayers for the injured & condolences to the families of the bereaved,” said.
Background: In February last year News18's Suhas Munshi had reported that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were working together to carry out a high profile attack in Kashmir using a vehicle laden with explosives.
Puducherry CM's dharna against governor Kiran Bedi enters its third day
The tussle between governor Kiran Bedi and Puducherry CM Narayanasamy continues as the CM will continue to sit on a dharna outside the governor’s residence for the third day. The CM was prompted to go on the dharna after the governor issued orders to enforce the rule to make wearing helmets for motorists compulsory, According to Narayanaswamy, the rule should be implemented in phases. The Puducherry government has also accused the L-G of interfering in the day-to-day government activities since 2016 and stalling 39 government proposals. Although Bedi had in her letter to Narayanasamy proposed to hold discussions on February 21, the CM has said that they will continue their protests till their demands are met.
Delhi Court to hear bail plea of Deepak Talwar in money laundering case day
Patiala House Courts will be hearing the arguments in the bail plea of corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar in a money laundering case. Special judge Santosh Snehi Mann sent Talwar on 14-day judicial custody on Thursday as his custodial remand with Enforcement Directorate (ED) ended. The ED has claimed that the businessman has links with fugitive Vijay Mallya in a case pertaining to negotiations favouring foreign private airlines. Talwar fled from India after Indian agencies began probing his role in the cases, and was extradited from Dubai on January 30.
Indigo airlines cancel 130 flights for Friday, sources say pilot shortage to blame
Indigo Airlines, Asia’s biggest low-cost carrier, is cancelling dozens of flight every day for the next two months citing a shortage of pilots. Around 130 flights were cancelled for Friday, which according to sources account for almost 10 per cent of the airline's operations. "The airline is facing a shortage of commanders and pilots and this is forcing the airline to cancel flights from across stations," PTI quoted a source as saying. The budget carrier has been cancelling flights since last Saturday after rain and hailstorm hit the Delhi-NCR region last week.
What You May Have Missed
SC gives control of Anti-Corruption Bureau, Inquiry Commissions to Centre, in major blow to AAP government
A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the control of Commissions of Inquiry and Anti-Corruption Bureau lies with the central government, in a major setback to the Aam Admi Party-led government in Delhi. Justice AK Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan, in their verdict, differed only on the issues of services, which was at the centre of an ongoing tussle between the state government and the Centre.
The conflict arose after the landmark 2018 judgement which held that although Delhi cannot be accorded the status of a state, the powers of the Lieutenant Governor (LG) are limited and s/he has to act on the aid and advice of the elected government. Soon after, the L-G at the time - Najeeb Jung, in a statement said that he would still continue to control services prompting the petition in the Supreme Court.
AAP keen on alliance with Congress in Delhi, claims Mamata Banerjee as parties chalk out strategy to fight BJP
Just two days after a ‘Save the Constitution’ rally, which was attended by several Opposition leaders in Delhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee claimed that the Aam Admi Party is keen on an alliance with the Congress in Delhi.
The CM added that it was now up to the Congress to decide on the alliance. However, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal stated earlier in the day that the Congress had ‘more or less’ ruled out any possibility of allying with the party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Their statements come a day after the Congress chief Rahul Gandhi met with Banerjee, Kejriwal in the residence of National Congress Party’s Sharad Pawar to discuss a pre-poll alliance with “common minimum agenda” ahead of the elections.
TDP lawmaker quits over "favouritism and corruption", joins YSR Congress
In a major setback to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Avanti Srinivas, MP from Anakapally constituency, joined the YSR Congress on Thursday in the presence of its president Jagan Mohan Reddy. Srinivas resigned both from the primary membership of the TDP and his parliament membership alleging that there is a lot of favouritism and corruption in the party. His decision came following a similar move by Chirala’s legislator, Amanchi Srinivas.
TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu had reportedly predicted Avanti Srinivas’ exit and told the party during a teleconference that it would have no impact on the party. Another leader from the Rayalaseema region is also said to be among those planning on resigning from the party.