Amritsar, Oct 2: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Friday thwarted a major infiltration attempt across the India-Pakistan border in Punjab by neutralising two Pakistani intruders who tried to sneak into Indian territory in the state’s Tarn Taran district, officials said.

The incident occurred in the BOP Rajoke area of ​​Tarn Taran early in the day.

According to sources, the BSF troopers swung into action after noticing suspicious movement near the border and challenged the purported infiltrators.

At least three individuals were moving towards the Indian border from the Chattanwala area on the Pakistani side, the sources said, adding that they were challenged and warned against moving any further. When they did not pay any heed and kept moving towards the Indian side, the BSF personnel opened fire.

While two infiltrators were shot dead, a third one managed to run back. The identity of the neutralised Pakistani intruders is yet to be ascertained.

The dead bodies have been handed over to police for a post-mortem examination and further proceedings are underway, in close coordination with the Punjab Police.

The incident underscores the level of alertness maintained by security agencies regarding infiltration attempts along the India-Pakistan border in the Punjab sector.

The incident comes amid continued security concerns along Punjab’s 553-km-long international border with Pakistan, which has witnessed several infiltration and cross-border smuggling attempts in recent years. However, several of these were successfully foiled by the BSF jawans.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police dismantled two illegal arms and narcotics supply networks and apprehended four accused and recovered 10 kg of heroin and 10 pistols.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused are allegedly linked to foreign-based smugglers and are involved in procuring illegal weapons and narcotics, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said.

Two first information reports (FIRs) were registered in Amritsar. Further investigation is underway to uncover the complete network and establish the backward and forward linkages, he added.

In a related earlier development, Amritsar Rural Police had dismantled an illegal arms and narcotics supply network with the arrest of three people, comprising a woman, her husband and her brother. The police had recovered 10.030 kg of heroin, two sophisticated assault rifles, including an AK-47 and an AK-56, along with three magazines and 10 cartridges from their possession.

New Delhi, Oct 2: Left student unions and several other organisations staged protests here on Friday to demand the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, with a large number of students and activists participating and several of them being detained by police.

CPI-M General Secretary M.A. Baby told media that thousands of youth and student activists of the party-affiliated Students’ Federation of India (SFI) and Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) had arrived in Delhi from different parts of the country to participate in the protest.

“I think this would be the biggest mobilisation in Delhi today. They are going to strongly register their demand that Gyanesh Kumar, who has been nakedly violating all existing rules of the functioning of the Election Commission, should be removed,” he said.

“INDIA bloc has taken a decision. We are going to conduct a rally on November 1. On October 6, MPs of the INDIA bloc and others will be marching. As he (Gyanesh Kumar) is not resigning, we will continue to protest,” he added.

Rajya Sabha member A.A. Rahim said Delhi Police had denied permission for the protest at Jantar Mantar, forcing protesters to proceed without permission.

“We will not surrender to authoritarianism. We will not turn back and will continue our fight to safeguard the Indian Constitution, because that is our duty. Peaceful protests are our right; how can they prevent us?” Rahim said.

“We will fight for justice,” he added.

CPI-M leader Brinda Karat alleged that the Election Commission’s actions had undermined voting rights and demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation or removal.

“On Gandhi Jayanti, we are pledging to defend the principles for which Gandhi ji fought, and one of those rights is the equal right to vote,” Karat said.

Karat also alleged that nearly 13 crore voters had been illegally deleted under Gyanesh Kumar’s leadership and demanded an end to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

About the denial of permission for the protest, Karat said, “We don’t require permission to defend democracy.”

She also criticised the detention of protesters, saying, “What is detention? Detention versus deletion.”

Delhi Police had imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, in the Jantar Mantar area. The order prohibits public gatherings or assemblies of five or more people, processions, demonstrations, picketing and dharnas without prior written permission. It also restricts shouting slogans and making speeches without permission.

Members of Left organisations and civil society groups had called for protests against the Election Commission over the ongoing SIR exercise and demanded action against Gyanesh Kumar. Protesters were detained after police denied permission for the demonstration.

New Delhi, Oct 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke with flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar over a video call, praising his courage, presence of mind and composure during the mid-air incident in which he helped save the lives of passengers and crew members.

The conversation turned emotional as Captain Machchhar became teary-eyed while speaking to the Prime Minister. At one point, the visibly emotional pilot broke down and apologised to PM Modi for losing his composure during the call.

Machchhar told the Prime Minister that he had never imagined he would one day get an opportunity to speak with him.

PM Modi consoled the emotional captain and said, “Why are you crying? The whole country wants to talk to you.”

Referring to Machchhar’s remarks about the Hanuman Chalisa, PM Modi said, “And what you have said about the Hanuman Chalisa, I will thank Geeta Ben for giving you such values.”

“The whole country is here to welcome you with great excitement,” the Prime Minister added.

PM Modi also described Machchhar as a ‘Veer Purush’ and praised his courage during the incident.

During the conversation, Machchhar said he did not consider what happened merely as his work but as a journey.

“I am confident that I will recover soon,” he told the Prime Minister.

PM Modi wished him a speedy recovery and congratulated him for his courage and presence of mind.

“I want to congratulate you, and today is Gandhi Jayanti. I want to say that you have demonstrated what ahimsa (non-violence) means,” PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister also spoke with Machchhar in Gujarati during the interaction.

Machchhar sustained severe injuries during an attack by the Omani co-pilot on a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight on Wednesday. The co-pilot allegedly attempted to take control of the aircraft, following which Machchhar fought him off and managed to unlock the cockpit door.

The move allowed crew members and passengers to enter the cockpit and restrain the attacker, averting what could have been a major disaster.

The flight was carrying more than 170 people. Meanwhile, flydubai has temporarily suspended flights to and from Israel as an investigation into the incident is underway, according to the airline.