National News
Ghulam Nabi Azad: Elephant in the China shop of Cong, NC, PDP
All the traditional political combinations and permutations went for a toss in Jammu and Kashmir after the former senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad decided to throw his hat into the electoral ring here.
After standing steadfast with the Congress for 52 long years, Azad has become the most serious challenge faced by the party in J&K.
Already many senior leaders of the Congress have resigned to join Azad who is likely to announce a new political party this week on his arrival in Jammu.
The turbulence that has hit the Congress is likely to upset the political equations of the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if not in the Valley, but definitely in the Jammu division.
The Muslim vote becomes a decisive factor in the Chenab Valley districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban.
Azad has personal influence and goodwill in Poonch, Rajouri, Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur and Reasi districts as well.
This personal goodwill might not necessarily translate into the number of assembly seats his party wins in these 7 districts but it could decide who loses the elections in those districts.
The BJP is well entrenched in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur and Reasi where its arch rival till yesterday, the Congress, will now have to dig in its feet to register some electoral victories.
Interestingly, the Congress in the Jammu division is likely to face an electoral challenge from the hitherto unknown Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that has gradually spread its influence to Jammu, Samba and Kathua after its victory in the neighbouring Punjab.
So far as the impact of the AAP on the ground level support of the BJP in these districts is concerned, it is unlikely that the BJP will concede seats to the AAP.
This clearly indicates that the loss of the Congress could well be the gain of either the BJP or the AAP.
Even in these seats, Azad can upset traditional equations because of his support, though limited, among both the Hindu and the Muslim voters.
In the districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban, Azad’s entry into the electoral fray is likely to become an elephant in a china shop.
He is likely to win seats in these three districts. How many seats would his party win can be debated, but how many will the NC and the PDP lose in these districts because of Azad’s presence must worry the two otherwise Valley-centric regional parties.
In Poonch and Rajouri districts, the NC has been winning at least 5 to 6 seats in the past. Once the Muslim vote gets divided between the NC and Azad, the BJP would stand to gain in these two districts.
The Peoples Conference (PC) headed by Sajad Gani Lone and the Apni Party headed by Syed Altaf Bukhari are likely to win around half a dozen or more seats in assembly constituencies in the Valley.
These 2 parties are still to establish themselves firmly in the Jammu division.
In a nutshell, Azad could well be an elephant in the political china shop of the Congress, NC and the PDP especially in the Jammu division that has 43 seats in the 90-member UT assembly.
Crime
CISF seizes foreign currency worth Rs 1.13 crore at Kolkata airport

Alert personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) detected foreign currency worth approximately Rs 1.14 crore concealed in the hand baggage of two passengers bound for Bangkok at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata.
The detection took place around 10:20 a.m. on October 19 during routine security screening at the International Terminal Security Hold Area. A CISF screener noticed suspicious images in the X-ray scans of the hand baggage carried by the two passengers scheduled to travel to Bangkok on Bhutan Airlines flight B3700. The bags were subsequently referred for physical examination.
During the inspection, CISF personnel recovered USD 1,19,900, equivalent to approximately Rs 1,13,64,002, concealed inside false bottoms of the two bags. The foreign currency had been wrapped in newspaper in an apparent attempt to conceal it from security personnel.
Of the total amount recovered, USD 74,900 was found in the hand baggage of one passenger, while USD 45,000 was recovered from the other passenger’s bag.
Following the prescribed formalities, both passengers, along with the seized currency, were handed over to the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Customs for further investigation and necessary legal action.
On October 20, the passenger from whose baggage USD 74,900 was recovered was taken by AIU/Customs officials to the District and Sessions Court for further legal proceedings following the investigation and seizure. The second passenger was released by Customs after the issuance of a detention receipt for the USD 45,000 recovered from the passenger’s baggage.
CISF in a release reiterated its commitment to maintaining aviation security through effective screening procedures, alert surveillance and professional conduct by its personnel. According to officials, the detection stresses the importance of coordinated action between airport security personnel and Customs authorities in addressing suspected financial and currency-related violations.
Crime
Gujarat: Man held after 0.77 grams of mephedrone found in ‘porter’ delivery parcel

A 27-year-old businessman was arrested by Naroda police after 0.77 grams of suspected mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540, was found in a parcel being delivered through the Porter application near Nana Chiloda Circle in Ahmedabad, police said on Wednesday.
The case came to light after police received a control-room message about a suspicious parcel that had arrived for delivery through the application.
The substance was examined preliminarily by a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) officer in the presence of panch witnesses and was found to be mephedrone, a synthetic drug.
Police seized the substance and initially registered an offence against three unidentified mobile phone holders under Sections 8(c), 22(a) and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
During the investigation, they traced and arrested the man suspected of ordering the consignment through the parcel.
The accused was identified as Priyang Sanghvi (27). He is a businessman who lives in Aram Park Flats in the Sabarmati area of the city. He is originally from Shirodi village in Rajasthan’s Sirohi district.
According to the police, the suspected method involved using a mobile phone number belonging to a witness to log in to the Porter application.
Drug consignments were allegedly packed separately in zipper bags and sent through the delivery service. An intermediary was allegedly used to distribute the drugs to different customers for sale.
The police said the arrest followed instructions from senior officers to curb the illegal sale and transportation of narcotic substances and detect offences related to them.
“The operation was conducted by Naroda police personnel under the supervision of Senior Police Inspector B M Katariya,” officials said.
The police seized 0.77 grams of mephedrone, valued at Rs 1,540. The investigation concerns the alleged use of a parcel delivery application to transport the substance and its subsequent distribution through an intermediary.
Crime
Bihar: 75-year-old man stabbed to death; woman and her son injured

A 75-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death, while a woman and her 25-year-old son were injured in a violent clash between neighbours at Rohda Kala village under Barharia police station limits in Bihar’s Siwan district on Wednesday.
The deceased was identified as Rama Nandan Prasad, son of the late Garib Bhagat.
The injured were identified as Baby Devi, 44, and her son Kishan Kumar, 25.
The injured were taken to the Barharia Community Health Centre for treatment. While Kishan received primary medical care, Baby Devi was referred to Siwan Sadar Hospital due to her critical condition.
According to Kishan Kumar, his grandfather was sitting outside the house drinking tea while his mother was cooking, and he was asleep.
Hearing a commotion, he went outside and found his grandfather lying in a pool of blood.
He then heard his mother crying from inside the house and rushed in, where he allegedly saw neighbours attacking her with knives. When he tried to intervene, he was also injured in the attack.
Kishan claimed that he had no prior dispute with the neighbours and said the reason for the attack was unclear.
With the help of residents, two alleged assailants were apprehended and handed over to the police.
After receiving information, the Barharia police reached the village and launched an investigation.
A Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team was also called to collect evidence from the scene.
The police have set up a camp in the village amid tension following the incident.
Barharia Station House Officer Chhotan Kumar said a patrolling officer was initially sent to the spot, after which he reached the village to investigate the incident.
He said an FIR has been registered against the named accused based on Kishan Kumar’s statement.
The two detained suspects are being questioned, while the motive behind the incident remains unclear.
Police said further action would be taken based on the investigation.
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