Srinagar, May 28: Four drug peddlers were arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore area, said police on Wednesday, adding that narcotic substances were recovered from them.

“Based on specific inputs received from the public, Sopore Police launched a series of well-coordinated operations leading to the arrest of four drug peddlers and seizure of narcotic substances, including codeine-based syrup and brown sugar-like material,” said the police in a statement.

Three separate FIRs have been registered under relevant sections of the NDPS Act.

In the first incident at Adipora Crossing, one Rameez Ahmad Mir, son of Ghulam Hassan Mir, resident of Adipora Sopore, was arrested with 13 bottles of codeine-like substance with tampered labels. In the second operation, Waseem Ahmad Mir, son of Ghulam Hassan Mir, also a resident of Adipora Sopore, was apprehended at Malpora-Warpora Crossing while attempting to flee from the naka point. A quantity of brown sugar-like substance was recovered from his possession.

In another significant bust at Chijhama Crossing, two individuals — Javid Ahmad Bhat, son of Mohammad Subhan Bhat, and Rayees Ahmad Baba, son of Bashir Ahmad Baba, both residents of Marzipora — were arrested while transporting codeine-based substances in a truck (JK05E-4845), which was also seized.

“These arrests are part of Sopore Police’s sustained crackdown on the drug network threatening the lives of local youth,” said the statement.

SSP Sopore, while reaffirming the district police’s commitment, stated: “These operations underscore our zero-tolerance policy against drug peddling. Let this be a strong message — those involved in the narcotics trade will face strict legal action. With public support, we are determined to rid Sopore of this menace.”

Sopore Police has thanked the public for their continued cooperation and urged citizens to keep reporting suspicious activities to help build a safer, drug-free society.

Police and the security forces have started an aggressive campaign against drug smugglers and drug peddlers in Jammu and Kashmir.

Security forces and the intelligence agencies believe that the funds generated by drug smuggling and hawala rackets are finally used to support terrorism in the union territory. The anti-terrorism operations, therefore, include operations against drug smuggling as well.

Babina, May 28: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi witnessed high-tech demonstrations of indigenous Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Counter-UAS technology, and Loitering Munitions at the Babina Field Firing Ranges in Uttar Pradesh, the Indian Army said on Wednesday.

In a post on X, the Army stated, “General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS, witnessed cutting-edge demonstrations of indigenous UAS, Counter-UAS and Loitering Munitions on 27 May 2025 at Babina Field Firing Ranges.”

“These capabilities will significantly enhance operational efficiency, force protection and precision engagement across varied terrains,” the statement further read.

The demonstrations are part of a broader effort to boost India’s defence preparedness through advanced homegrown technology.

The Army shared several images and a video clip from the exercise, highlighting the use of sophisticated drone systems in battlefield simulations.

The Indigenous UAS showcased during the event is designed to offer real-time surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance data in challenging operational scenarios.

These systems mark a vital step in the Indian Army’s transformation towards a more agile and responsive force, in alignment with its broader agenda of network-centric warfare and enhanced battlefield transparency.

Of particular significance were the loitering munitions — a new class of precision-guided weapons that hover above target zones, assess threat scenarios, and then strike with pinpoint accuracy.

These munitions can function either autonomously or under human control and are programmed to self-destruct upon impact.

The loitering munitions demonstrated at Babina had already seen operational deployment during Operation Sindoor, where they were used to destroy nine high-value terror hubs in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

The strategic strikes were carried out entirely from Indian soil in retaliation to the Pahalgam terror attack and were based on precise intelligence inputs that pinpointed the targets.

The Army’s emphasis on adopting advanced drone warfare systems follows the government’s recent approval of a new ‘programme execution model’ for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) — the country’s indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter project.

The model, cleared by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, opens the door for private players to compete alongside state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), marking a departure from the long-standing policy of reserving fighter jet production exclusively for HAL.

This shift is expected to accelerate prototype development and streamline the induction of next-generation combat systems into the armed forces.

New Delhi, May 27: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday showered praise on AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi for exposing and unmasking Pakistan over its brazen attempts to spread false propaganda in the wake of Operation Sindoor.

Owaisi, one of the members of the all-party delegation in Kuwait, took a sharp swipe at the Pakistani establishment, saying, ‘it takes brains to copy things properly’.

Reacting to Owaisi’s tirade against Pakistan, Kiren Rijiju shared his video and wrote in Hindi, “Pakistan ki toh poll hi khol di (You exposed Pakistan to the core).”

Rijiju’s praise for Owaisi comes after the latter called Pakistan’s bluff by fact-checking the photograph unveiled by Pakistan Army chief as the one ‘signifying its victory’ over India.

The picture was of China’s 2019 military drill and has been wrongly presented as the Pakistan Army’s recent action.

Owaisi called Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Pak Army chief Asim Munir ‘stupid jokers’, highlighting how the top leadership of Pakistan was ‘hiding’ behind a fake memento as a face-saving measure.

The memento that Owaisi referred to was presented to Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif at a high-profile event, attended by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Deputy PM Ishaq Dar.

“Yesterday Pakistan Army chief gave the photo to Pak PM in the presence of the President and the National Assembly Speaker. These stupid jokers want to compete with India. They had given a 2019 photograph of a Chinese Army drill, claiming it was a victory over India. This is what Pakistan indulges in, they can’t even give a proper photograph,” Owaisi told the gathering.

The AIMIM MP, currently in Kuwait as part of India’s diplomatic outreach on the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, further taunted Pakistan’s top leadership for their copycat moves. He said that the Pakistani PM and his Army chief need no brains to copy.

“We used to hear in childhood that ‘nakal karne ke liye akal chahiye’ (copying also requires brains). In nalayakon ke pass toh akal bhi nahi hai (These worthless people don’t even have brains),” he said.

Interestingly, this is not the first instance of Pakistan resorting to misinformation for gaining an ‘upper hand’ in the propaganda war.

Another incident pertaining to Pakistan Deputy PM Ishaq Dar earned him the blushes as he used a fake picture of an article published in a UK daily to praise the Pakistani Air Force. His bluster, when caught by its own media, made the Pakistani establishment a laughing stock before the world.