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Thursday,19-June-2025
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Politics

By ignoring Chinese incursion government betraying India: Rahul Gandhi

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Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday attacked the government for ignoring the Chinese threat. He was commenting on reports about China’s military build up in Ladakh.

Rahul Gandhi tweeted,”China is building the foundations for hostile action in the future. By ignoring it, the Govt is betraying India.”

The comments come in wake of a US senior military official flagging the issue which was rejected by the Chinese officials who had alleged that it’s like adding fuel to fire.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said, “This border issue is between China and India. The two sides have the will and capability to properly resolve the issue through talks.”

On June 1, the 24th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held — the Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary, East Asia, from the Ministry of External Affairs, while the Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese side.

The two sides reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the western sector of the India-China border. They recalled that since the last meeting of WMCC in November 2021, both sides have held the 14th and 15th meetings of the Senior Commanders in January and March 2022, respectively.

The two sides exchanged views on the current situation along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. They agreed that as instructed by the two Foreign Ministers, both sides should continue the discussions through diplomatic and military channels to resolve the remaining issues along the LAC at the earliest to create conditions for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.

In this context, they agreed to hold the next (16th) round of the Senior Commanders meeting at an early date to achieve the objective of complete disengagement from all friction points along the LAC in the western sector in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols.

Maharashtra

Mumbai local train passengers barred from travelling with bags

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Mumbai: Ban on passengers standing at the door with bags in Mumbai local trains Now, standing with bags has been banned in Mumbai local trains because earlier there was a collision between the passengers of Pacific Express and local trains in Mumbra and Diva and the accident happened due to the bag. 4 passengers died in this. Now, passengers standing at the door with bags has been banned. Additional railway forces have been deployed on the main railway platform to monitor this. Railways has taken this step to protect passengers from accidents in trains. Railway Police and Railways have also taken steps to control the crowd and crowd. Usually there is a crowd in the evening and morning, so orders have also been issued for special monitoring at railway stations. The railway administration has now decided to run trains with automatic doors. In this, the doors will remain closed and passengers will not be able to hang out. For this, a special design will be prepared and implemented.

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Maharashtra

Juhu Hookah Parlour Bust: 45 People, Including 5 Young Women, Booked

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Mumbai, June 2025 – In a major crackdown, Mumbai Crime Branch officials raided an illegal hookah parlour in Juhu late last night, detaining a total of 45 people—including five young women—and registering cases under multiple legal provisions.

Discovery and Arrests

At around 1 a.m., Mumbai Police’s Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) raided the rooftop lounge, where patrons were being served hookah. Officers found that at least 30 customers were partaking in tobacco-laced hookah smoking. The establishment was operating without any valid licence, in clear violation of city regulations instituted after the tragic 2017 Kamala Mills blaze.

A total of 45 individuals were taken into custody—comprising staff, management, and patrons. Among them, five were young women in their early twenties, all of whom now face charges. The CIU also seized hookah paraphernalia including pipes, charcoal, tobacco mixtures, and multiple flavouring agents.

Legal Action

The accused have been booked under:

  • Various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),
  • The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA),
  • The Disaster Management Act, which enforced the hookah ban post the Kamala Mills fire.

Officials emphasized that hookah parlours have been strictly proscribed within Mumbai’s municipal limits following the rooftop fire disaster in 2017, which claimed 14 lives.

Safety Concerns

Authorities expressed alarm over the use of charcoal heaters and enclosed space setups—both serious fire hazards. The rooftop venue lacked any proper fire safety certifications or equipment, prompting fears of repeat incidents. City regulations firmly prohibit unauthorized structures atop buildings, particularly due to their vulnerability to rapid fire spread .

Wider Context

Since the Kamala Mills tragedy, Mumbai Police have consistently targeted illegal hookah dens. Multiple establishments have been raided in Andheri, Bandra, and other suburbs since 2021. Notably, a similar rooftop operation in Andheri in February 2021 resulted in 42 people being booked under the same statutes.

What’s Next?

All 45 detainees have been charged and are undergoing legal proceedings. Investigators are examining the hookah lounge’s ownership chain, regulatory breaches, and whether its patrons posed broader public health or safety risks. Officials also plan to study fire safety compliance more rigorously to prevent any repeat of past tragedies.

Why It Matters

  • Public Safety: Enclosed hookah parlours, especially without proper fire measures, are high-risk zones.
  • Legal Enforcement: Despite bans, illicit hookah operations persist, highlighting gaps in oversight.
  • Policy Reminder: The Kamala Mills fire remains a stark reminder of the need for vigilance in Mumbai’s nightlife spots.
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International

Flight carrying 110 Indian citizens evacuated from Iran arrives in Delhi

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New Delhi, June 19: The first flight carrying 110 Indian citizens, including 90 students from Jammu and Kashmir, arrived in New Delhi after being successfully evacuated from Iran, on Thursday, amid the escalating military conflict in the Middle East.

All the Indian nationals were flown to Delhi on IndiGo flight 6E 9487.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Kirti Vardhan Singh, welcomed the evacuated students at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, media reported on Thursday.

India launched Operation Sindhu, a mission aimed at ensuring the safety and evacuation of Indian nationals from Iran.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Wednesday evening that Indian students residing in Tehran were safely evacuated from the city through coordination by the Indian Embassy.

“Indian students in Tehran have been moved out of the city for safety reasons through arrangements made by the Indian Embassy,” the Ministry said in their official statement.

The Indian students left Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan, Armenia, via a special flight at 14:55 IST on June 18, with their expected arrival in New Delhi during the early hours of June 19.

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal announced through Twitter, “Operation Sindhu begins. India launched Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran. India evacuated 110 students from northern Iran who crossed into Armenia under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia on June 17.

This is part of the many steps that the Indian government has taken over the last several days for the safety and security of Indian nationals stuck in Iran and called for help in view of the deteriorating situation due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The Indian government said that it is grateful to the governments of Iran and Armenia for the smooth facilitation of the evacuation process.

“India accords highest priority to the safety and security of Indian nationals abroad. As part of the ongoing operation, the Indian Embassy in Iran has been assisting large numbers of Indian nationals in moving from areas seeing increased hostilities to relatively safer areas within the country and to subsequently evacuate them using the available and feasible options,” the MEA said.

The MEA advised Indian nationals in Iran to stay in touch with the Indian Embassy in Tehran through its emergency helpline, and with the 24×7 Control Room established by the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

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