New Delhi, June 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dialled the Chief Ministers of Assam and Sikkim, as well as Manipur Governor Ajay Bhalla, to take stock of the flood situation in the northeastern states and offered all possible assistance in dealing with the flood menace.

The northeastern states, including Assam, Sikkim, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, have been battered by heavy rains in the past few days, thereby bringing life to a standstill and cutting off the key supply chain to remote locations in these states.

PM Modi assured Assam and Sikkim CMs, as well as the Manipur Governor, of all possible assistance from the Centre in the ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts.

The incessant rains in the northeast states, including Assam, Sikkim and Manipur and other adjoining regions, have caused water levels in rivers to swell to menacing levels. Major rivers of the region, including Brahmaputra, Pachnoi, and Kushiyara, are said to be flowing at alarming levels. Lakhs of hectares of land have been inundated, confining people to their homes and forcing those living in low-lying areas to move to safer locations.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also took to X to inform that PM Modi called him to inquire about the flood situation in the state.

“I briefed the Prime Minister on how continuous rainfall in Assam and adjoining states has led to flooding and impacted many lives. I also apprised him of the relief operation undertaken by the state government,” he informed on X.

“The Prime Minister expressed concern and assured full support from the Central Government for our relief and rehabilitation efforts. Grateful for his guidance and unwavering support to the people of Assam,” he further said.

Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang, taking to X, thanked the Prime Minister for extending support regarding the landslide and flood situation in the state.

He also reiterated that the state administration remains fully committed to managing the situation and providing all necessary assistance to those affected.

In Manipur, the Army and Assam Rifles personnel are collectively carrying out the relief operation. They have so far rescued over 1,000 flood-hit people in Imphal East and Imphal West districts, grappling with a serious flood situation.

A flood bulletin issued by the Manipur administration on Monday informed that more than 56,000 people remained affected in at least 174 villages.

London, June 3: The all-party delegation, led by BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad, held high-level engagements in London with UK government ministers, parliamentarians, party leaders, think tanks, and India friendship groups, highlighting Operation Sindoor as a significant shift in India’s counter-terrorism approach.

The leaders also discussed strengthening India–UK collaboration against cross-border terrorism.

The delegation received wide-ranging support, reaffirming shared commitments to global security, justice, and strategic partnership.

The delegation, in an interaction with UK Minister for Citizenship and Migration Seema Malhotra at the British Parliament, apprised her of India’s resolve against fighting terrorism.

They also met with Labour Party India Friendship Groups — including Labour Friends of India, Labour Convention of Indian Organisations, Sikhs for Labour, and Hindus for Labour presenting India’s united stance against terrorism.

The delegates reaffirmed India’s steadfast commitment to tackling terrorism with determination, highlighted that terrorism continues to endanger global stability and called for stronger cooperation to eliminate this shared threat in pursuit of lasting peace, security, and the collective good of humanity.

The Labour India Friendship Groups expressed their solidarity with India in a unified voice and extended firm support for India’s fight against terrorism.

They agreed that terror infrastructure must be dismantled wherever it exists and that terror financing must be addressed decisively — acknowledging that what affects India today could impact any nation, including the UK.

Both sides underscored the importance of continued dialogue to foster mutual understanding and expressed a shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and engagement between the Labour Party and India.

At Conservative Campaign Headquarters, the delegation engaged with Co-Chair of the Conservative Party Dominic Johnson and Co-Chair of the Conservative Friends of India Koolesh Shah.

They voiced strong support for India’s fight against terrorism, acknowledged its global implications, and lauded the Indian diaspora’s contribution to the UK.

Earlier, on Monday the delegates interacted with UK-based think tanks, discussing the threat of cross-border terrorism and how Operation Sindoor sets a new strategic benchmark in India’s fight against it.

“Today, alongside my esteemed colleagues from the all-party delegation, I had the privilege of engaging with UK think tanks and the academic community, sharing India’s unwavering stance of zero tolerance towards terrorism. We highlighted the ‘new normal’ established by India in countering state-sponsored terrorism. Our dialogue with leading think tanks was fruitful, and we conveyed our concerns, explaining the purpose of our visit,” Ravi Shankar Prasad posted on X.

“We emphasised India’s capability in handling Pakistan, which we have successfully done in the past. While we believe in peace and amity, we also recognise the need to take decisive action to protect our citizens from terrorism. The world must understand the scourge of terrorism. We also underscored India’s economic achievements, emerging as a manufacturing hub with global recognition. As a sovereign nation with a significant growth trajectory, we firmly believe terrorism and trade are incompatible,” the post added.

Furthermore, the delegation met Catherine West, UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, reiterating India’s resolve to combat terrorism. They also emphasised that terror remains a threat to all nations, and therefore, the world needs to eradicate this scourge in the interests of all humanity.

The Minister reiterated the UK’s condemnation of terror attacks in India, the priority it attaches to the India relationship in global strategic and economic terms, in contributing to stability in the Indo-Pacific and to global economic growth.

She said that the UK is with India in its efforts; as a nation that has suffered from terror attacks itself, the UK believes that those who commit acts of terror must be brought to justice. All countries must work towards this end.

Later, the delegation concluded the day interacting with UK thought leaders over dinner, discussing the global threat posed to all societies by terrorism, its social impact, and the connected rise of radicalisation.

The nine-member delegation includes a diverse political representation: Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP), Daggubati Purandeswari (BJP), Priyanka Chaturvedi (Shiv Sena-UBT), Ghulam Ali Khatana (BJP), Amar Singh (Congress), Samik Bhattacharya (BJP), M. Thambidurai (AIADMK), former Union Minister M.J. Akbar, and former Ambassador Pankaj Saran.

After concluding visits to France, Italy, and Denmark, the Indian delegation arrived in London as a part of India’s global diplomatic outreach campaign to highlight the significance of Operation Sindoor and India’s continued fight against Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism.

Chennai, June 3: A major reshuffle in the Tamil Nadu Prison Department has triggered widespread resentment among prison staff, who allege that the transfers were arbitrary and in violation of established government norms.

Several affected personnel are now considering legal action.

On May 27, DIG of Prisons Maheswar Dayal issued a sweeping order transferring 176 chief head warders across the state. The order includes long-distance reassignments, such as moving staff from Palayamkottai Central Prison to Vellore, nearly 600 kilometres apart, and vice versa.

Similar transfers were recorded from sub-jails in Nagapattinam and Ooty to Coimbatore and Palayamkottai, covering distances between 350 and 450 kilometres.

The move is part of a larger reshuffle underway over the past two months, involving assistant jailers, warders, and head warders.

While those posted over 400 kilometres away have been granted eight days to report for duty, others must report within six days.

Adding to the pressure, many have been verbally instructed to vacate their official quarters immediately.

A prison official based in Coimbatore expressed anguish: “My two children are in high school, and I’ve already paid their annual fees. How can I relocate my family overnight?”

Since April, nearly 250 personnel have been transferred, and insiders warn the move could damage morale and disrupt daily operations.

“This scale of reshuffling without consultation or consideration is unprecedented and could seriously impact the smooth functioning of prison administration,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity.

“Earlier, transfers were done through counselling and usually within a 60-100 km radius, keeping families in mind,” an officer said.

According to government rules, transfers are permitted once every three years.

A key government order issued by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms (Personnel M) Department in 1977 mandates that, when both spouses are in government service, efforts must be made to post them in the same station to support family welfare and children’s education. Already, one assistant jailer has secured a stay order from the court, while many others are reportedly preparing to file petitions challenging the transfer orders.

“If someone is facing proven corruption charges, a transfer — even to distant locations — is understandable. But these general transfers should factor in personal circumstances,” said a staffer from the southern zone.

In response, a senior prison department official defended the move, stating that many of the transferred employees had served in the same facility for over five years.

“The decision was made to break long-standing networks and eliminate potential corruption rings within prisons and sub-jails,” the official said, without offering further details.

As dissatisfaction continues to rise among the affected staff, legal battles and administrative scrutiny appear inevitable.