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'Missing' Boat of 100 Indian Migrants May be Heading to New Zealand, Says Police

Agencies
January 22, 2019

New Delhi, Jan 22: A fishing boat that could contain more than 100 Indian migrants may be heading to New Zealand, Indian police said on Monday.

The boat, which is carrying people from New Delhi, the Indian capital, and Tamil Nadu, left Munambam harbour in Kerala on Jan. 12, two officers involved in the case told Reuters.

An individual from New Delhi arrested in connection with the investigation, Prabhu Dhandapani, told police the boat was heading to New Zealand, according to both officers.

Estimates of the number of people on board vary between 100 and 200, including women and children, they said.

Police have recovered more than 70 bags left behind by the migrants, as well as around 20 identification documents, officer VG Ravindran said.

"The bags are full of dry goods and clothes, suggesting they were preparing for a long journey," said officer MJ Sojan.

"The people and boat are missing somewhere in the sea. Many Indian agencies including the coast guard are trying to locate the boat," the officer said.

For the migrants to reach New Zealand, they would need to travel more than 7,000 miles through some of the roughest seas in the world. Cyclones and storms are common in the straits between Indonesia and Australia, the most likely route for the boat.

New Zealand's department of immigration said it had no comment on this specific case but remains vigilant to any possible venture.

"While reports of these types of ventures are concerning, the message to anyone contemplating such a journey is simple: Any attempt to reach New Zealand will put your life, and the lives of your family members, at great risk," said Stephen Vaughan, the assistant general manager at Immigration NZ (INZ).

He said the country's laws allow those who are part of a mass arrival to be detained for up to six months, and the detention can be extended for up to 28 days at a time.

"Although there has never been a mass arrival in this country there’s no doubt that New Zealand is a target for people smugglers, and a mass arrival at some stage is a very real possibility that we need to be fully prepared for," Vaughan said.

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Agencies
August 4,2020

Lucknow, Aug 4: Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday left for Ayodhya to attend foundation laying ceremony of Ram Temple tomorrow.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on August 5. The construction of Ram temple will begin in Ayodhya after the said ceremony in which various dignitaries from political and religious fields are scheduled to participate.

Bhagwat, along with PM Modi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Governor Anandiben Patel and President of Ram Mandir Trust, Nitya Gopal Das will be present on stage for the event.

Supreme Court, on November 9 last year, had directed the Central government to hand over the site at Ayodhya for the construction of a Ram temple.

The formation of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra Trust was announced on February 5 for the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya. The Trust has been mandated by the Central government to oversee the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

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News Network
July 14,2020

New Delhi, Jul 14: India's COVID-19 tally breached the 9 lakh mark as 28,498 new coronavirus cases were reported in the last 24 hours, informed the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday.

As per the Health Ministry, there are a total of 9,06,752 coronavirus cases in the country of which 3,11,565 patients are active cases.

5,71,459 patients have been cured/discharged while one patient has been migrated, the Ministry informed further.

553 more deaths due to COVID-19 were reported in the last 24 hours in the country, taking the number of patients succumbing to the virus to 23,727.

The Centre further informed that India's recovery rate from COVID-19 stands at 63.02 per cent while the recoveries and deaths ratio stood at 96.01 per cent and 3.99 per cent respectively.

As per the Ministry, Maharashtra -- the worst-affected state from the infection -- has a total of 2,60,924 COVID-19 cases and 10,482 fatalities. While Tamil Nadu has a tally of 1,42,798 cases and 2,032 deaths due to COVID-19.

Delhi has reported a total of 1,13,740 cases and 3,411 deaths due to COVID-19.

As per the information provided by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) 1,20,92,503 samples have been tested for COVID-19 till July 13, of these 2,86,247 samples were tested on Monday.

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News Network
May 21,2020

Srinagar, May 21: Two Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were killed and their weapons snatched by militants in the Pandach area on the outskirts of Srinagar yesterday.

According to IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, the two BSF jawans, who were on road surveillance deployment, were fired upon by two of the three terrorists on a motorcycle around 5:15 pm on the 90-Ft Road at Pandach, near Soura. 

They were critically injured and later succumbed to injuries. The terrorists escaped after taking away one AK rifle and one INSAS. Efforts were underway to trace the terrorists.

He said that two jawans, Constable Rana Mandol and Constable Ziaul Haque of ‘C’ company of 37th battalion, were injured and they later succumbed.

“The terrorists managed to take away the weapons of the martyrs. Area has been cordoned off and the search for the terrorists is on”, he said.

Residents around the spot said that the two soldiers were buying chicken for Iftar from a mutton dealer, around 300 meters away from their deployment location when three militants on a motorcycle stopped and opened fire on them.

Medical Superintendent SKIMS Dr Farooq Jan said that both the jawans were brought dead to the tertiary care hospital.

Senior Police officials said it was a “clear case of security lapse” as the two jawans had left their spot of deployment on Srinagar-Kargil-Leh road and gone to a shop 500 metres away on a different road.

They said that possibility of terror attacks and subsequently claims by the new outfit TRF had been flashed to all forces earlier this week.

The terror strike in the capital city has occurred a day after an encounter in downtown Srinagar, where two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including the top wanted Junaid Sehrai, had been killed on Tuesday.

In the last one month, five Army and Police personnel and two militants had got killed in an encounter in Handwara area of Kupwara, a day before three CRPF men were killed in another attack.

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