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Maharashtra

MT Chem Pluto: Indian Navy Forensic Analysis Points Toward ‘Drone’ Attack On Merchant Vessel

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The Indian Navy (Explosive Ordnance Disposal team) analysis of the area of attack on MT Chem Pluto confirmed that the vessel affiliated to Israeli shipping magnate Idan Ofer was hit by a drone off the Gujarat coast on Saturday (December 24) . The debris found on chemical tanker MT Chem Pluto escorted by Coast Gaurs patrol vessel ICGS Vikram in the outer anchorage off Mumbai confirmed the drone attack. Meanwhile, the ship was escorted to Mumbai.

“Further forensic and technical analysis will be required to establish the vector of attack including type and amount of explosive used,” said a senior naval official investigating the drone attack inside the Indian exclusive economic zone.

The special explosives teams inspection for preliminary assessment of the type and nature of attack on Liberian flag chemical tanker MV Chem Pluto by suspected drone early Saturday confirmed drone with an explosives payload was used to hit the commercial shipping in Indian territorial waters.

MT Chemo Pluto escorted to Mumbai

MT Chemo Pluto was escorted to Mumbai by Coast Guard patrol vessel ICGS Vikrqm and anchored safely at Outer Anchorage off Mumbai at 3.30 pm on Monday. A Joint Investigation team of various agencies commenced on completion of the analysis by the Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Team and was cleared for further operation by her company-in-charge at Mumbai.

“The ship is scheduled to undergo mandatory checks by the various inspecting authorities before undertaking Ship to Ship (STS) transfer of cargo at Indira Docks,” said another naval official. MT Chem Pluto will have to underground to extensive repairs after docking.

INS Mormugao deployed

Indian Navy has deployed Guided Missile Destroyers, INS Mormugao, INS Kochi and INS Kolkata in the Arabian Sea to maintain a deterrent presence following spate of drone and missile attacks in the Indian Ocean region. Indian Navy has tasked long range maritime reconnaissance P8I aircraft to maintain domain awareness.

Western Naval Command’s Maritime Operations Centre actively monitoring the situation in close coordination with Coast Guard and all concerned agencies for any suspicious activities in the Indian Ocean region

Attack explained

In simple terms, it was attacked from the rear by the explosives-laden drone launched from another vessel off the western coast of India in the exclusive economic zone or Indian territorial waters which is an act of aggression on the sovereignty of India.

200 Nautical Miles into the sea from the shore line is the exclusive economic zone according to international maritime regulations.

India has petitioned the United Nations (UN) to expand its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the Arabian Sea near the coast of Gujarat and Mumbai to 500 nautical miles from the current boundary of 200 nautical miles to challenge the grey zone policy adopted by China and Pakistan to intrude into Indian territorial waters.

Chinese vessels venturing closer to the coast of Gujarat and Mumbai

The rising incidents of Chinese vessels venturing closer to the coast of Gujarat and Mumbai in the Arabian sea collecting marine data, location of submarines, pipelines and activities of Indian ports has raised major security concerns in the Indian defence establishment.

“Most Chinese vessels are strategically ensconced just outside 200 nautical miles where India’s current EEZ ends,” confirmed senior naval commander with the Indian Naval Offshore Defence Advisory Group.

Maritime experts identified most of the Chinese ships are on the sanction list of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), US Department of Treasury and the watchlist of Greenpeace near the Mumbai coast.

Drone hit on the stern of MT Chem Pluto

The drone hit on the stern of MT Chem Pluto severely damaging the power generation and electric supply on the chemical tanker. The vessel also suffered structural damage leading to slower propulsion and reduced speed of about 9 knots under escort from ICGS Vikram after the drone attack.

Maharashtra

Pakistani PIO spy Ravinder Verma in judicial custody

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Mumbai: The court has ordered the remand of Pakistan Intelligence Operative PIO spy Ravinder Verma from ATS remand to judicial custody. Ravinder Verma of the police station is accused of providing secret information to Pakistan, after which the ATS arrested him. Ravinder Verma’s defense lawyer Rupali Shinde said that her client does not have any secret money more than Rs 2,000 in his account, but the ATS opposed it and said that money was also transferred to him from other accounts, after which the court ordered the accused to be kept in judicial custody for 14 days. The defense lawyer said that the girl with whom Ravinder Verma was in contact is not Preeti Jaiswal, but Jaspreet, and he was in contact with her and was affected by the honey trap and this girl is from Punjab and Delhi. The ATS has interrogated the accused, in which the ATS has been provided with many important details.

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Maharashtra

Muslim representative delegation met police commissioner Deven Bharti on Mumbai loudspeaker, stop action till Eid-ul-Adha: Azmi

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Mumbai: Muslim representatives met Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and lodged an objection against the removal of loudspeakers from mosques, saying that only mosques are being targeted, which is completely wrong, while the principle of noise pollution is equally applicable to all, but only on the complaint of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya there is a risk of deteriorating the environment by removing loudspeakers from mosques, and a demand was also made to stop police action to maintain law and order.

Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and Assembly member Abu Asim Azmi told the media after meeting the Police Commissioner on the loudspeaker issue that Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti said that no action will be taken against loudspeakers till Eid-ul-Azha, while Azmi drew the attention of the Police Commissioner on this issue that unilateral action is being taken only against mosques. The police take action after the complaint of Kirit Somaiya and then the action starts. He said that the issue of removing loudspeakers from mosques is threatening peace in Mumbai. Azmi said that the way Kirit Somaiya and Nitish Rane are demonstrating provocations has spoiled the atmosphere of Mumbai city.

The police should also take action against them to maintain law and order. Police Commissioner Deven Bharti has assured the delegation that he will take necessary steps on this issue and action will be taken as per the law. Abu Asim Azmi, while expressing concern over mischief on Eid-ul-Azha, told the Police Commissioner that the way some miscreants are constantly trying to create conflict in societies by offering sacrifices. On Nitish Rane’s venom regarding sacrifice in societies, Azmi said that sacrifice is offered in societies and it is done legally, there is no problem in it, but some people are presenting sacrifice as an issue to spoil the environment. He said that even in Hinduism, cats are offered, then no one objects. On Nitish Rane’s demand for virtual sacrifice, he said that Islam will follow Sharia and Muslims offer sacrifices only according to Sharia and the law has allowed us to do so.

Samajwadi Party leader Yousuf Abrahani, Advocate Amin Solkar, Khateeb and Imam of Hari Masjid Maulana Zubair Ahmed Barkati were also present in this representative delegation. Yousuf Abrahani said that legal action is being taken on the loudspeaker issue and the court is also being approached, while all the conditions imposed on the loudspeaker issue are illegal, while the Supreme Court had ordered decibel control and decibels have been fixed, accordingly, loudspeakers are used in mosques, but the police are taking action under pressure from the Kirit Somaiya and the police do not have the authority to remove loudspeakers from mosques, but despite this, this process is continuing, while the Mumbai Police Commissioner has also assured of necessary action on this issue.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Cyber ​​Cell recovered Rs 1.29 crore

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Mumbai: The Cyber ​​Cell of Mumbai Police has recovered Rs 1.29 crore from the victims in the Digital Arrest fraud case. The Mumbai Crime Branch had received several complaints on helpline 1930, in which complaints of cyber fraud were received. A 73-year-old doctor from Vile Parle had lodged a complaint on the helpline. The elderly man was called on a video call by a police officer and a judge and cash was withdrawn from his bank account.

In this case, money was transferred five times from the bank account between June 2 and June 4 and Rs 2.89 crore was transferred. After registering a complaint in this case, the police filed a complaint on the NCRP portal and the nodal officer of the bank froze Rs 1.29 crore in the bank account itself for cyber crime. This action was taken under the guidance of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Crime Lakshmi Gautam, DCP Purushottam Karad.

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