The Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen, which has been fighting for “liberation of Kashmir” and involved in a series of terror acts, has been banned by the government, the Home Ministry said Wednesday.

In a notification, the ministry said the central government believes that the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) is involved in terrorism as it has committed and participated in various acts of terrorism in India and its members are getting financial as well as logistic support from their handlers based abroad.

The Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen came into existence in 1990 with the objective of “liberation of Kashmir” and has been actively pursuing the same by way of acts of terror, the ministry said.

“Now, therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, the central government hereby makes the following further amendments in the First Schedule to the said Act, namely:- In the First Schedule to the said Act, after serial number 40 and the entries relating thereto, the following serial number and entries shall be inserted, namely:- ’41. Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM) and all its manifestations’,” it said.

The TuM has carried out a number of terrorist attacks, besides subversive acts, such as grenade attacks, weapons snatching and supporting other terrorist outfits like the Hizb-Ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, in terms of financial and logistic support in the recent past, the notification said.

The terror group has also committed acts of terrorism and promoting acts of terrorism. It has been engaged in radicalisation and recruitment of youth for terrorist activities in India.

The notification said a number of cases have been registered by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the recent past, in which it is found that the TuM has played a major role in commission of terrorist acts and a number of its cadre have been arrested.

In the cases, it was also found that the group is running terrorist training centres for Kashmiri youth and is likely to recruit more youth from the Jammu and Kashmir, it said.(PTI)

Three personnel of the 44 Rashtriya Rifles have been detained by the Army and are being questioned for their alleged involvement in the abduction and killing of fellow soldier Aurangzeb by militants in June last year. Sources said it is suspected that the three RR soldiers shared information about Rifleman Aurangzeb who was abducted after he set out from the camp for his home in Poonch.

His killing led to outrage across the country. He was conferred the Shaurya Chakra posthumously on Independence Day last year. Two days ago, his father joined the BJP in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Vijaypur, Jammu. On Monday, 27 year-old Tawseef Ahmad, brother of Abid Wani, one of the three soldiers detained, was taken to hospital with multiple bruises after being assaulted, allegedly by RR personnel.

Reached for comment, Defence spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia told The Indian Express that “details are being ascertained” about the incident. Ahmad was first taken to the Pulwama district hospital from where he was referred to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in Srinagar. Doctors said his condition was stable.

PDP leader and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who visited the Srinagar hospital Tuesday to inquire about Ahmad’s condition, said: “I will talk to the Corps Commander regarding the matter. I am sure Governor Sahib will take note of this matter… his brother is also missing, his whereabouts are not known.”

Sources said detained RR personnel Abid Wani, Tajamul Ahmad and Adil Wani are facing an inquiry for allegedly sharing information about Aurangzeb. “Two are from Pulwama and one is from Kulgam. Their role came up during the investigation into the killing of Aurangzeb,” sources said.

Ahmad’s family members said he was called to the RR camp in Pulwama where was beaten. “When he came out of the camp, he was spotted by a local resident and taken to hospital,” one of his cousins said. Dr Abdul Rashid Parra, medical superintendent of Pulwama district hospital, said: “We received a patient on Monday evening. He reported to the hospital with an alleged history of beating. The patient had multiple bruises. His whole body was bruised. He was then referred to a Srinagar hospital for further treatment.”

Dr Saleem Tak, medical superintendent of SMHS Hospital, said: “The patient’s condition is stable and he is currently under observation at the hospital. The patient has soft tissue injuries.”

Courtesy The Indian Express

Stock markets started Wednesday’s session on a strong note, with the Sensex rising more than 250 points, ahead of the outcome of the central bank’s policy meeting. The 30-scrip index rose as much as 249 points to touch 36,866 in early trade, while the Nifty climbed 64 points to 10,998. Gains were led by buying in IT and media stocks. At 9:26 am, the Sensex traded 255 points higher at 36,871 and the Nifty was at 10,998, up 64 points from the previous close.
Here are five things to know:
Top advancers on the Nifty50 were Tech Mahindra, Zee, Hindustan Petroleum and Indiabulls Housing Finance, trading between 1.6 per cent and 5 per cent higher.
Equities in other Asian markets logged mild gains amid cautious traded as investors waited to see if US President Donald Trump drops any hints of progress on tariffs in his State of the Union speech.
MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was flat with China and several other markets in the region still closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. Japan’s Nikkei edged up 0.3 per cent, while E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 barely budged.
Analysts awaited the outcome of the RBI’s policy meeting due on Thursday. With consumer inflation below its medium-term goal, many economists expect the central bank to change its policy stance in preparation for a rate cut in the next policy meet due in April.
A higher closing for the Sensex and Nifty on Wednesday would mark the fifth straight day of gain for the benchmark indices. The Sensex and Nifty have added 1,025 points (2.9 per cent) and 282 points (2.7 per cent) in past four sessions.
(With agency inputs)

ALIGARH: Hindu Mahasabha leader, Pooja Shakun Pandey who was missing since she and her group members enacted the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on his 71st death anniversary, was arrested on Tuesday from Tappal in Aligarh. Her husband, Ashok Pandey has also been taken into custody, said the police.

The Uttar Pradesh police have registered criminal cases against 12 people in connection with the shocking recreation of Gandhi’s assassination by the right-wing group. Last week the police had arrested three others, who were seen in the video.

There was outrage on social media over the video of Pooja Shakun Pandey, wearing saffron, shooting an effigy of Gandhi with an air pistol and garlanding his assassin Nathuram Godse. The Hindu Mahasabha general secretary had also told reporters that her organisation had started a new tradition and it would be an annual event “just like the burning of Raavan on Dussehra”.

The right-wing group regards the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s death as Shaurya Divas (Bravery Day), in honour of Nathuram Godse. The right-wing activist was one of the early members of the organisation, founded by Madan Mohan Malaviya in 1915.

This is not the first time the Hindu Mahasabha has tried to glorify Nathuram Godse. In 2015, the group’s leader, Swami Pranavananda had announced plans to install statues of Nathuram Godse across six districts of Karnataka. He also described the assassin as a “patriot” who had worked with the blessings of Hindu nationalist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.