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.

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.

New Delhi, Oct 13: A Supreme Court lawyer has approached Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant seeking consideration of suo motu criminal contempt proceedings over a now-deleted social media post by Congress Kerala targeting the CJI and the Opposition’s protest march to the apex court.

In his complaint-cum-representation, advocate Vineet Jindal urged the CJI to examine whether the post and the reported demonstration and slogan-shouting inside the apex court premises raised issues warranting action under the law, particularly in view of concerns over the security and orderly functioning of the Supreme Court.

The Congress Kerala unit had posted on X: “Dear Surya Kant, If law and order is not your domain, resign now. We will find your replacement who can handle it.”

Jindal submitted that the publication should be examined in its complete factual and legal context to determine whether it fell within the bounds of permissible political criticism or warranted consideration under Section 2(c) of the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

He referred to Article 129 of the Constitution, which empowers the Supreme Court to punish for contempt of itself, and sought consideration of suo motu proceedings, if warranted.

The advocate further sought an examination of the reported demonstration during the filing of a petition by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders to ascertain whether any restricted area was entered without authorisation, security instructions were violated, or the functioning of the top court was obstructed.

Jindal urged the preservation and examination of relevant CCTV footage, access-control logs, security deployment records and other evidence before any conclusion is drawn.

Earlier, the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Supreme Court Advocates-on-Record Association (SCAORA) had separately condemned statements calling for the CJI’s resignation, cautioning that such remarks risk undermining judicial dignity and interfering with the administration of justice.

The INDIA bloc’s march on Monday was held to protest alleged electoral irregularities and the SIR exercise.

A delegation of Opposition leaders subsequently approached the Supreme Court with a joint petition challenging the electoral roll revision process.

Meanwhile, lawyers have approached the Supreme Court in connection with Monday’s incident at the apex court registry, when Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, arrived to file a petition challenging the SIR exercise.

When senior advocate Gaurav Bhatia mentioned the matter before the top court on Tuesday, the CJI asked, “Is it in the mentioning list?” After Bhatia replied in the negative, the CJI said, “Just mention tomorrow.”

Delhi Police have also registered four FIRs in connection with the INDIA bloc’s protest march, police sources said. The cases were registered at the Tilak Marg, Mandir Marg and Barakhamba police stations for alleged violations of Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

Two FIRs were registered at Tilak Marg police station and one each at Mandir Marg and Barakhamba police stations. Separately, several protesters, including Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) members Ashutosh Ranka and Saurav Das, were detained at Jantar Mantar during a flash protest.