Chandigarh, June 28: In a major action against corruption and drug networks in prisons, the Punjab government on Saturday said it has suspended 25 officials, including three Deputy Superintendents and two Assistant Superintendents.

The government said the action is part of the drive to root out corruption and dismantle drug networks operating inside prisons.

“Following reports of irregularities and drug-related activities within jails, the government said the action was to end corruption and drug networks. The big action was taken as per information received about corruption and drug networks in jails,” the government said in a statement.

In March, the government shifted notorious jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria from the high-security Bathinda Central Jail to Silchar Jail in Assam as authorities suspected that detained gangsters were running drug syndicates from Punjab’s prisons.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had arrested Bhagwanpuria, also an accused in the killing of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act.

Bhagwanpuria, against whom 128 FIRs have been registered in Punjab and other states, was arrested in a murder case in 2015 and, since then, has been lodged in several jails, previously in Punjab.

In the singer Moosewala’s murder case, it was Bhagwanpuria and gangster Lawrence Bishnoi who had hatched a conspiracy to kill him.

However, later, both fell apart. Bhagwanpuria, a native of Gurdaspur district, is considered the most dreaded gangster of Punjab after Bishnoi and has more than five cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for hatching conspiracies to disturb communal harmony in Punjab.

Bhagwanpuria is facing 15 cases of arms and drug smuggling. On his shifting to Assam, the NCB had said then that Bhagwanpuria was moved out of Punjab as he had “established linkages” with international operatives in Canada, the US and Pakistan. His relocation was a must to disrupt the ecosystem, facilitating continued criminal activities, it added.

Seoul, June 25: The South Korean Foreign Ministry on Wednesday welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran and praised the diplomatic efforts led by the US and other involved countries.

“We hope that all parties will faithfully implement the terms of the agreement so that tensions in the region can be eased swiftly,” the ministry said in a statement.

As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, South Korea “will continue to participate in the international community’s efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East,” Yonhap news agency reported.

Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump declared that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel had officially taken effect, urging both sides to maintain restraint.

“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!” Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social.

The announcement came amid escalating violence in the Middle East, but President Trump’s declaration appeared to catch both parties off guard. The ceasefire claim was quickly contradicted by Iran, which asserted it had not received any formal proposal from Washington and had not agreed to a bilateral ceasefire.

US President Trump also wrote, “Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, ‘Peace’! I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real winners!”

“Both Nations will see tremendous love, peace and prosperity in their futures. They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of righteousness and truth. The future for Israel & Iran is unlimited and filled with great promise. God bless you both!” he added.

Earlier, Iran announced a unilateral halt to its military operations against Israel, effective 4 a.m. local time, but made it clear that the pause was conditional, based entirely on whether Israel would stop its own airstrikes and military actions.

Hanoi, June 25: Nearly 50 Vietnamese citizens have been evacuated from the conflict zone in Israel to Egypt, the state media reported on Wednesday.

Several evacuees have already returned to Vietnam, while others are completing necessary procedures to repatriate as soon as possible, the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said.

The evacuation was carried out through coordinated efforts by the Vietnamese embassies in Israel and Egypt, media reported.

The Vietnamese Embassy in Israel continues to advise citizens remaining in the conflict area to stay calm, maintain regular contact with the embassy, and strictly follow guidance and warnings issued by local authorities, MOFA and the embassy, media reported.

Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Iran.

Guterres urges Israel and Iran to fully respect the ceasefire and to stop fighting, noting that the people of the two countries have already suffered too much, said Stephane Dujarric, Guterres’ spokesman.

“The secretary-general hopes that this ceasefire can be replicated in the other conflicts in the region,” said the spokesman on Tuesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump declared that a ceasefire between Iran and Israel has officially taken effect, urging both sides to maintain restraint.

“THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!” Trump posted on social media platform Truth Social.

The announcement came amid escalating violence in the Middle East, but President Trump’s declaration appeared to catch both parties off guard. The ceasefire claim was quickly contradicted by Iran, which asserted it had not received any formal proposal from Washington and had not agreed to a bilateral ceasefire.

Earlier in the day, President Trump wrote, “Israel & Iran came to me, almost simultaneously, and said, ‘Peace’! I knew the time was NOW. The World, and the Middle East, are the real winners!”

“Both Nations will see tremendous love, peace and prosperity in their futures. They have so much to gain, and yet, so much to lose if they stray from the road of righteousness and truth. The future for Israel & Iran is unlimited, & filled with great promise. God bless you both!” he added.

Earlier, Iran announced a unilateral halt to its military operations against Israel, effective 4 a.m. local time, but made it clear that the pause was conditional, based entirely on whether Israel would stop its own airstrikes and military actions.