The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the Government of India, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force for rescuing 20 Iranian crew members of the fishing vessel Azini from pirates in a coordinated operation in the Arabian Sea.

Appreciating the Indian Armed Forces for their efforts, the Iranian Embassy said the operation reflected India’s commitment to humanitarian assistance and its role in saving lives beyond borders.

In a post on X, the Embassy said: “The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in New Delhi expresses its sincere appreciation to the Government of India, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force for their successful operation to rescue the 20 Iranian crew members of the fishing vessel Azini from pirates.”

“We highly commend the professionalism, courage and effective coordination demonstrated by the Indian Armed Forces, reflecting India’s strong commitment to Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and its role in saving lives beyond borders,” It added.

The embassy highlighted that this humanitarian operation stands as a testament to the “spirit of friendship, solidarity and cooperation between Iran and India.”

“We extend our sincere gratitude to all those involved in ensuring the safe rescue of the Iranian crew.”

The Indian Navy rescued all 20 crew members of the pirated fishing vessel Azini in a meticulously coordinated 48-hour operation, more than 3,000 km from Mumbai, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

The operation was successfully carried out on November 2, with the Navy locating and intercepting the vessel and securing the safe release of all crew members from heavily armed pirates.

Congratulating the Indian Navy on the successful mission, the Defence Minister said that the operation demonstrated the force’s high operational readiness and its ability to respond decisively to maritime threats across the region.

In a post on X, Singh said: “My congratulations to #Indian Navy for successfully executing a meticulously coordinated 48-hour operation to rescue all 20 crew members of the pirated fishing vessel, Azini, more than 3000 km from Mumbai in the Arabian Sea, on 02 Nov 26.”

“The swift localisation, interception and safe release of the crew and vessel from significantly-armed pirates, with timely support from the Indian Air Force, speak well of the Indian Navy’s high operational readiness and ability to respond decisively to maritime threats across the region,” he added.

Praising the personnel involved, the Defence Minister said: “Our brave personnel have once again demonstrated India’s ability, intent and resolve to safeguard lives, uphold maritime security and ensure stability across the Indian Ocean Region.”

Reiterating India’s commitment to maritime security, Singh said the country would continue to work towards ensuring safe seas and a free, open and secure Indian Ocean Region.

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah will undertake a one-day visit to Raipur on Wednesday to inaugurate a private hospital and the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Park, and to participate in the closing ceremony of the Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav.

According to the revised official itinerary issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, HM Shah will arrive in Raipur at 2:40 p.m. on a special Indian Air Force aircraft. At 3:00 p.m., he will attend the inauguration of a private hospital on Mandi Road in Pandri. At 4:50 p.m., he will reach Peepal Van in Sector-16 of Naya Raipur (Atal Nagar) to inaugurate the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Park. Thereafter, he will proceed to the Rajyotsav Ground in Naya Raipur to attend the closing ceremony of the Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav, scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., as the chief guest.

The closing ceremony, to be held on November 3 — the final day of the Rajyotsav — will be a major highlight. During the event, distinguished individuals who have made notable contributions across various fields and disciplines in the state will be honoured with ‘State Awards’ (Rajya Alankaran), where HM Shah will be the chief guest. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai will also be present at the function.

The awards ceremony aims to recognise talents from Chhattisgarh who have brought pride to the state through their dedication, hard work and achievements in art, culture, literature and social service, and to inspire the younger generation.

Cultural programmes will begin at 6:00 p.m. with folk music performances by artists from the South Central Zone Cultural Centre, followed by a presentation by Padma Shri awardee Usha Barle.

The State Awards ceremony will be held from 7:00 p.m. onwards. Later, Bollywood playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya will perform popular songs, bringing the three-day Rajyotsav to a musical close. After the conclusion of the event, the Union Home Minister will depart for New Delhi at 8:20 p.m.

Bollywood actor Tusshar Kapoor has received an extortion call from a person identifying himself as Harry Boxer, said to be a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. He purportedly threatened the actor to pay Rs 5 crore, following which the actor reported the matter to Mumbai Police. The Anti-Extortion Cell and the Crime Branch have taken up investigation into the matter.

According to Mumbai Police sources, the Crime Branch’s technical team conducted a detailed examination of the audio recording of the threatening call received by Tusshar Kapoor. The police compared the voice in the recording with an official audio sample of Harry Boxer available in their database.

According to senior Mumbai Police officials, preliminary investigations suggest that the call was a hoax, as the voice did not match the available audio sample. Police suspect that some miscreant may have used the name of the Bishnoi gang to create fear and extort money from the actor.

The police are now trying to trace the person behind the audio threat and ascertain whether it was an isolated act by a miscreant or whether an organised gang was involved in the incident.

Tusshar Kapoor belongs to a prominent family in the film industry. He is the son of veteran actor Jeetendra and producer Shobha Kapoor, while his elder sister, Ekta Kapoor, is a renowned television and film producer.

Tusshar made his acting debut with films such as ‘Mujhe Kucch Kehna Hai’, ‘Kyaa Dil Ne Kaha’ and ‘Jeena Sirf Merre Liye’. However, he gained wider recognition through comedy films, particularly the ‘Kyaa Kool Hain Hum’ series and the ‘Golmaal’ franchise, which includes ‘Golmaal’, ‘Golmaal Returns’ and ‘Golmaal 3’.

He also received appreciation for his performance in the critically acclaimed film ‘Shor in the City’, in which he explored a more serious role.

Also, eight bullion traders in the Sarafa Bazar area of Nagpur are said to have received threatening letters demanding Rs 10 lakh each in the name of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, with police suspecting the role of local criminals. The senders have also threatened to kill the traders and their family members, if they fail to pay the money or inform the police.