Ahead of Independence Day, explosives seized in Delhi, terror suspects nabbed in Bengaluru

Agencies
August 10, 2018

New Delhi, Aug 10: Ahead of the Independence Day celebrations, the authorities have seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition from two places in national capital while a suspected Bangladeshi terrorist was nabbed in Bengaluru.

According to reports, a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including carbines and cartridges, were recovered from two suspected arms peddlers in two separate operations by the Delhi Police late on Thursday.

The two accused have been identified as Mohammad Azimuddin Sheikh lias Azim, a resident of Malda in West Bengal and Soyyam alias Aas Mohammad, a resident of Shamli in Uttar Pradesh.

Sharing details of the police action with media, Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) said, ''Soyyam was arrested from Singhola village on GT Karnal road on Thursday while Azim was arrested earlier this week from northwest Delhi.''

The accused were involved in supplying arms to Delhi-based criminals for the last four-five years, the official said.

With just few days left to the Independence Day, the Special Cell of Delhi Police has been keeping a tight vigil on the movement of arms suppliers and those with suspected terror links. The recovery of the arms and ammunition leading to the arrest of the two suspects is part of our vigit, the officer said.

''The Special Cell has launched a drive against supply of illegal firearms in Delhi from other parts of the country. Concerted efforts have led to busting of several gun selling rackets and seizure of huge cache of sophisticated/semi-automatic weapons,'' the officer said.

According to the DCP, the teams of the Special Cell have successfully busted two interstate gun-selling rackets with the recovery of large cache of arms and ammunition from the accused.

Azim was arrested by one of the teams of the Special Cell on August 6 following a tip-off, he said.

Azim along with Akil had come to deliver the huge consignment of illegal firearms to Hazi Kayum in Delhi. Following specific inputs, a team laid a trap at the vantage points near Tara Chowk, Dheerpur in northwest Delhi here, the officer said.

Around 11.55 am, Azim was found waiting for Kayum, carrying two trolley bags. He was subsequently overpowered and nabbed. From the trolley bags two automatic sophisticated carbines, 38 pistols and 50 live cartridges concealed in clothes and newspapers were recovered, the ACP said.

Another team of the Special Cell nabbed Soyyam, a key member of arms supplier syndicate of Kairana (UP) from near CNG station in village Singhola near GT Karnal road, added the DCP.

Twelve sophisticated .32 bore pistols and 19 magazines were recovered from his bag, the DCP said.

During interrogation, it came to light that after the police crackdown in Bihar's Munger, the arms manufacturers have shifted their base to West Bengal and weapons are being manufactured at different places.

The weapons manufactured in West Bengal are being supplied in Delhi and its neighbouring areas.

The DCP said raids are being conducted to nab more associates of the arrested duo.

In a related incident, the Army too seized a large quantity of arms and explosive materials, including 7 firearms, 14 grenades and 401 rounds, during a search operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Thursday.

Army troops discovered the weapons during a search operation in the Chapriyan-KP Nala area of Mandi tehsil, a defence spokesperson said.

The recoveries include four 9mm pistols with seven magazines and 31 rounds, four carrying bags, one AK-56 rifle (with sling) along with three loaded magazines, one 7.62mm rifle of foreign origin, one revolver, 14 hand grenades and one AK-47 Bayonet, he added.

Meanwhile, the National Investigating Agency (NIA) has arrested a suspected member of the Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh in Bengaluru.

The arrest was made a day after the NIA nabbed the outfit's top leader Mohammed Jahidul Islam, wanted in several terror cases.

29-year old Adil Alias Assadullah, a resident of a village in West Bengal's Murshidabad district, was arrested near the Cantonment Railway station on August 7 in connection with the bomb blast at Kalchakra Maidan in Bodh Gaya on January 19, the NIA said in a statement.

He is believed to be the close associate of Jahidul Islam, who was arrested by an NIA team from nearby Ramanagara.

Assadullah was produced before an NIA special court which granted transit remand for being taken to Patna.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 17,2025

melkar1.jpg

Melkar, Dec 17: The 17th Annual Day and Graduation Ceremony of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, themed “Fusion-2K25,” was celebrated with dignity and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic journey. The programme reflected the college’s steadfast commitment to academic excellence, character building, and the holistic development of students.

The event was inaugurated by Mr. Asif Mohammed, whose presence greatly enriched the occasion. The celebration was further graced by the chief guests Mr. P. B. Ahmed Mudassir and Mr. Nissar Fakeer Mohammed, along with the distinguished guests of honour Mr. B. A. Nazeer and Mr. Ibrahim Gadiyar. In their inspiring addresses, the guests encouraged the graduating students and appreciated the dedicated efforts of the management, faculty, and students.

The annual report was presented by the Principal, Mr. Abdul Majeed S, highlighting the institution’s academic progress, notable achievements, and extracurricular accomplishments during the academic year.

The presidential address was delivered by the esteemed Chairman of Melkar Women’s PU and Degree College, Dr. Haji S. M. Rasheed, who emphasized the vital role of education in empowering women and shaping responsible citizens. He also stressed the importance of discipline, dedication, and perseverance in achieving success.

Cultural programmes and academic recognitions formed an integral part of the celebration, showcasing the talents and achievements of the students. The graduation ceremony was a proud moment for the outgoing students as they were formally conferred degrees and wished success in their future endeavours.

Ms. Mashmooma Fathima served as the Master of Ceremonies. The welcome address was delivered by Ms. Fathima Nida, and the programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Ms. Ayisha Suhana.

The event successfully achieved its objectives and was highly appreciated by the guests and attendees.

melkar3.jpg

melkar2.jpg

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 20,2025

train.jpg

At least seven elephants were killed and one calf injured after a herd collided with the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam's Hojai on Saturday morning, leading to disruption of rail services. 

The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express struck a herd of elephants, resulting in the derailment of the locomotive and five coaches. No passenger casualties or injuries were reported, officials said.

The New Delhi-bound train met with the accident around 2.17 am, PTI reported. The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Mizoram's Sairang (near Aizawl) to Anand Vihar Terminal (Delhi). 

Railway has issued helpline numbers at the Guwahati Railway Station:-

•    0361-2731621
•    0361-2731622
•    0361-2731623

The accident site is located about 126 km from Guwahati. Following the incident, accident relief trains and railway officials rushed to the spot to initiate rescue operations.

Train Services Disrupted

Sources said that due to the derailment and elephant body parts scattered on the tracks, train services to Upper Assam and other parts of the Northeast were affected.

Passengers from the affected coaches were temporarily accommodated in vacant berths available in other coaches of the train. Once the train reaches Guwahati, additional coaches will be attached to accommodate all passengers, after which the train will resume its onward journey.

The incident occurred at a location that is not a designated elephant corridor. The loco pilot, upon spotting the herd on the tracks, applied emergency brakes. Despite this, the elephants dashed into the train, leading to the collision and derailment.

Last month, an elephant was killed after being hit by a train in Dhupguri in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district. The incident took place on November 30. 

The adult elephant was killed on the spot, and a calf was discovered lying injured beside the tracks. 

Over 70 Elephants Killed In Train Collisions Over Last 5 Years

At least 79 elephants have died in train collisions across the country in the last five years, the Environment Ministry had informed Parliament in August.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh had said the figure is based on reports from state governments and Union Territory administrations for the period 2020-21 to 2024-25.

He said that the ministry does not maintain consolidated data on the deaths of other wild animals on railway tracks, including in designated elephant corridors.

Singh confirmed that three elephants, including a mother and her calf, were killed on July 18 this year after being hit by a speeding express train on the Kharagpur-Tatanagar section in West Bengal's Paschim Midnapore district. The incident took place near Banstala between Jhargram and Banstala stations.

The minister said several measures have been taken jointly by the Environment Ministry and the Railways to prevent such accidents.

These include imposing speed restrictions in elephant habitats, pilot projects such as seismic sensor-based detection of elephants near tracks and construction of underpasses, ramps and fencing at vulnerable points.

The Wildlife Institute of India, in consultation with the ministry and other stakeholders, has also issued guidelines titled 'Eco-friendly Measures to Mitigate Impacts of Linear Infrastructure' to help agencies design railways and other projects in ways that reduce human-animal conflicts.

Singh added that capacity-building workshops were conducted for railway officials at the Wildlife Institute of India in 2023 and 2024 to raise awareness on elephant conservation and protection.

A detailed report titled 'Suggested Measures to Mitigate Elephant & Other Wildlife Train Collisions on Vulnerable Railway Stretches in India' had also been prepared after surveys across 127 railway stretches covering 3,452 km.

Of these, 77 stretches spanning 1,965 km in 14 states were prioritised for mitigation, with site-specific interventions suggested. 

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
December 19,2025

Mangaluru: In a decisive move to tackle the city’s deteriorating sanitation infrastructure, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has announced a massive ₹1,200 crore action plan to overhaul its underground drainage (UGD) network.

The initiative, spearheaded by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV, aims to bridge "missing links" in the current system that have left residents grappling with overflowing sewage and environmental hazards.

The Breaking Point

The announcement follows a high-intensity phone-in session on Thursday, where the DC was flooded with grievances from frustrated citizens. Residents, including Savithri from Yekkur, described a harrowing reality: raw sewage from apartments leaking into stormwater drains, creating a "permanent stink" and turning residential zones into mosquito breeding grounds.

"We are facing immense difficulties due to the stench and the health risks. Local officials have remained silent until now," one resident reported during the session.

The Strategy: A Six-Year Vision

DC Darshan HV confirmed that the proposed plan is not a temporary patch but a comprehensive six-year roadmap designed to accommodate Mangaluru’s projected population growth. Key highlights of the plan include:

•    Infrastructure Expansion: Laying additional pipelines to connect older neighborhoods to the main grid.

•    STP Crackdown: Stricter enforcement of Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) regulations. While new apartments are required to have functional STPs, many older buildings lack them entirely, and several newer units are reportedly non-functional.

•    Budgetary Push: The plan has already been discussed with the district in-charge minister and the Secretary of the Urban Development Department. It is slated for formal presentation in the upcoming state budget.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.