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Tuesday,13-October-2026
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Kerala Guv slams lifelong pension to retd ministerial staff after 2 yrs service

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Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Saturday said he will raise the issue of recruitment by state cabinet ministers of personal staff members, who become eligible for lifelong pension after they complete two years of service.

This statement by the Governor comes a day after his address to the state Assembly.

Things went for a toss on Thursday evening when news surfaced that Khan had refused to sign his address to the Assembly. This led to a war of words between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Khan after which the Chief Secretary had to intervene to smoothen matters.

It was only after that, that news spread that Khan was angry about the way CPI(M) leaders appointed their staff members and replaced them after two years, who then become eligible for lifelong pension.

Another reason why the Governor was upset was the controversy surrounding the appointment of senior journalist Hari S. Kartha, who is also a state BJP committee member.

Khan was angry after a letter from K.R.Jyothilal, the General Administration Secretary, cleared the appointment of Kartha. The letter mentioned that such an appointment is being made for the first time.

On Thursday, Khan signed his address after Jyothilal was removed from his position.

Before flying to Delhi, the Governor on Saturday said he came to know about the appointment of staff only from the CPI(M) just three days back.

“I raised this issue and wanted to end it by implementing it as a policy. I was a Union Minister and had just 11 staff members. But in Kerala every Cabinet Minister has more than 20 staff. Nowhere in the country such a thing exists where these appointees, who retire after two years, gets lifelong pension and a new set of staff is appointed,” he added.

“I am not going to leave this issue and will pursue it. I have asked for all the files on this matter and want to make it clear that I will not allow anyone to run the Raj Bhavan. I am only answerable to the President,” Khan said.

Asked about the allegations of appointing a BJP leader to his staff, Khan said he is preparing a list of the total number of political appointments made to the Raj Bhavan in the past, adding that Kartha has resigned from the state BJP committee.

“I never asked for the removal of anyone. A Secretary alone can’t write that letter, which was unacceptable to me. Poor thing (Secretary) only carries out what he is being told, but I will not allow anyone to control the Raj Bhavan,” the Governor added.

Khan slammed former State Electricity Minister A.K.Balan for his rude comments.

“He lost his job as a Cabinet Minister and therefore, to please someone he might have made such remarks,” the Governor said.

Khan added that Balan should refrain from using “Balanish’ statements (word ‘Balan’ in Malayalam means a child)

The Governor slammed the Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan and said it would be better if he learns from former Opposition leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala.

Satheesan said he does not require advice from Khan.

“I don’t need advice from the Governor, who in his political career has worked with five different parties,” he added.

National News

Four injured as vehicle overturns in J&K Doda

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Jammu, Oct 13: At least four people were injured in a road accident in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, officials said on Tuesday.

Officials said the four people, including two women, were injured after a vehicle they were travelling in overturned near Shenai in the Bhalla area of the district.

Union Minister of State (PMO), Dr Jitendra Singh, said on X, “Just now spoke to DC Doda Sh Krishan Lal after learning about an unfortunate road accident involving a mini-bus, on way from Doda to Bhaderwah.”

“The injured passengers have been shifted to hospital for medical aid, and their condition is reported to be stable. Thankfully, no casualty reported. All necessary assistance being provided. My office is in touch with the district administration,” the Minister said.

The injured were identified as Ashiq Hussain (35), son of Ghulam Rasool, a resident of Gotha in Bhaderwah; Mohd Javed (48), son of Talib Hussain; his wife, Rubina Begum (46), both residents of Brassu in Bhalla; and Insha (35), wife of Rashid Ahmed, a resident of Bhaderwah.

Meanwhile, police have taken cognisance of the incident, and further details are being verified.

Road accidents in the hilly districts of Jammu and Kashmir (such as Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, and parts of Budgam) are caused by a combination of challenging geography, extreme weather, and human or infrastructural factors.

Treacherous terrain and poor road geometry, narrow carriageways, sharp bends, steep gradients, and limited sight distances make manoeuvring difficult on mountain highways and link roads.

A lack of essential safety infrastructure, such as crash barriers, parapet walls, and proper road signage, frequently turns minor slips into fatal plunges into deep gorges.

Monsoon rains, melting snow, and heavy fog trigger frequent landslides, rockfalls, and road-surface erosion, drastically reducing grip and visibility. July and monsoon months experience a notable spike in crashes as wet roads and mudslides compromise vehicle control.

Drivers often exceed safe speeds relative to the winding, unpredictable nature of hill roads. Overtaking on blind curves and ignoring lane discipline are major contributors to head-on collisions and vehicles skidding off-road.

Passenger vehicles and goods carriers are frequently overloaded beyond capacity, making navigation on steep slopes dangerous.

Commercial operators sometimes bypass strict permit or maintenance checks on link roads.

Limited police or traffic regulation presence on remote rural and hill link roads allows unsafe driving behaviours to go unchecked. Delayed road repairs and poor drainage systems further accelerate the deterioration of mountain paths.

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Crime

Explosives, weapons recovered near Sri Ganganagar Border in Rajasthan; two arrested

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Jaipur, Oct 13: Security agencies have recovered a consignment of suspected explosives and weapons from the Rawla Mandi area of Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar district, near the Pakistan border.

Two youths from Punjab have been arrested in connection with the case, while a search operation is underway in the surrounding areas.

According to preliminary information, the consignment was allegedly dropped by a drone from across the Pakistan border on Monday night.

The recovered material reportedly includes RDX, two pistols, four magazines, around 650 cartridges, four pairs of batteries and two remote-control devices.

The exact nature and quantity of the seized material are yet to be officially confirmed.

The operation was conducted by teams from the Border Security Force (BSF), the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) and Rawla police following an intelligence input about suspicious packets being dropped near Chak 4 KNM W Tail, under Gram Panchayat 12 KND in the Rawla area.

According to officials, the ANTF had received information that three packets had been dropped by a suspected Pakistani drone in a field near a canal at around 10 p.m. on Monday. Initially, the packets were suspected to contain narcotics. Acting on the input, security personnel searched the area and recovered the suspicious packets. The contents reportedly included weapons and explosive material. Two youths were apprehended during the operation.

Preliminary information suggests that one is from Jalandhar and the other from the Firozpur area of Punjab. Their alleged roles and links to the consignment are being investigated.

ANTF Inspector General Vikas Kumar said a large quantity of ammunition and suspected explosives had been dropped in Rajasthan using drones. He said security agencies were investigating who had sent the consignment and what its intended purpose was.

The entire matter was under investigation, and further details would emerge as the probe progressed. The IG confirmed that two accused had been arrested in connection with the case.

Following the recovery, security agencies have tightened surveillance in the border region. Search operations are underway in agricultural fields, along canal banks and in nearby areas to determine whether any additional packets or suspicious material were dropped.

Investigators are also questioning the arrested youths to establish their alleged connections, identify those behind the consignment and determine where the weapons and explosives were intended to be delivered.

A specialised team has reportedly been called from Jaipur to examine the seized material and establish its precise composition and quantity. Security agencies are continuing their investigation, and further details are awaited.

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Crime

Delhi Police file 4 FIRs over INDIA bloc march to SC; detain Ashutosh Ranka, Saurav Das from Jantar Mantar

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New Delhi, Oct 13: Delhi Police have registered four FIRs in connection with the INDIA bloc’s protest march to the Supreme Court, police sources said on Tuesday. The cases were registered at the Connaught Place, Tilak Marg, Mandir Marg, and Barakhamba police stations.

These FIRs have been filed for violation of Section 163 of the BNSS.

Two FIRs have been filed at the Tilak Marg police station, one at the Mandir Marg police station, and one at the Barakhamba police station, according to Delhi Police sources.

In another development, the police detained several protesters, including CJP’s Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, from Jantar Mantar. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke posted a video of a flash protest at Jantar Mantar where CJP volunteers were seen climbing an iron gate and a police barricade to reach Jantar Mantar to protest.

In the video of the protest, CJP leader Ranka and Das alongwith a few volunteers can be seen jumping a gate with flags in their hands and entering the area to stage a protest. The group raised slogans as they were chased by the police who were stationed there. The protesters had a little run in with cops who tried to stop them while they raised Bharat Mata Ki Jai and Inquilab Zindabaad slogans. The protesters were later detained and taken away.

The march on Monday witnessed a gathering of INDIA bloc leaders, activists and civil society members in central Delhi protesting against the Election Commission of India (ECI) over alleged electoral irregularities and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. A delegation of the leaders subsequently approached the Supreme Court with a joint petition challenging the SIR process.

The march came a day after Chief Justice of India Surya Kant declined a request to meet Opposition leaders over the issue, citing that the matter was sub judice.

Meanwhile, the Congress party claimed on its social media handles that 2.5 lakh people had participated in the protest. The ‘March for Democracy’, which began at the Constitution Club around 1.30 p.m., continued for more than four hours and proceeded largely unhindered by police barricades.

The march also witnessed several lighter moments, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge donning a Batman mask.

Despite a proposal by the INDIA bloc leaders that only the national flag should be displayed during the march, Congress flags dominated the gathering. Flags belonging to Left student organisations were also visible.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has invited the INDIA bloc leaders, civil society members and student organisations for a high tea at his residence at 4 p.m. on Tuesday. A press conference is also scheduled ahead of the meeting, a day after the Opposition’s march to the Supreme Court over the SIR of electoral rolls.

Meanwhile, a security review of three newly designated protest sites has been completed, sources said. The decision was based on real-time inputs received by the Ministry of Home Affairs’ control room. Security deployment strategies are being assessed and revised daily, they added.

A majority of the protesters were Congress supporters who had travelled from different parts of the country to participate in the demonstration.

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