India Timeline - Year 2015

Date

Incidents

The Telangana Government allotted INR 600 crore for installation of the CCTV camera grid across Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police Commissionerates. As a first step towards the execution of the project, the government has constituted (through GO MS No. 64 on December 27, 2014) a HPC headed by the Chief Secretary and PMU headed by Hyderabad Police Commissioner to establish CCTV surveillance network in the city with latest video analytics. The video analytic tools process live feed/recorded footage from CCTV cameras across the city and, if a face in the footage matches with the images of offenders or wanted suspects stored in the database, an alert will pop up on police computers.

As of now, the Hyderabad and Cyberabad Police together have 410 CCTV cameras. Once the CCTV grid is put in place in the coming few years, Police expect that there will be over a lakh electronic eyes, including 10,000 pieces installed by the government, keeping vigil in the city.

As Pakistan resorted to fresh firing from across the border, UHM Rajnath Singh said if anyone dares to cast an evil eye on India, security forces will give a fitting response. "Our jawans are protecting the border with all their might. No one can dare cast an evil eye on India. Even if someone tries to do so, BSF and other security forces will give them a fitting reply," Singh said. "Pakistan should not do this. Diplomats of both the countries remain in constant touch," Singh added.

Number of Pakistani Rangers killed in BSF's retaliatory fire according to latest reports stands at five. Earlier it was reported that four Pakistani Rangers were killed in the firing on December 31. BSF also destroyed terrorist launch pad across the border at Abhiyal Dogra but around 23-30 militants, who were stationed there escaped the firing from paramilitary force.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said Islamabad does not seem to learn any lesson, and India's response had been "more than double the capacity". "Pakistan does not like to stay quiet even on New Year day. They started (cross-border) firing at 12.30 in the night and don't seem to learn (any) lesson," Parrikar said. He said, "There are ceasefire violations….Whenever they want infiltration to be done, many times they do the firings at night…I don't think that we have allowed that to happen… Our response is more than double the capacity."

Coast Guard patrol vessels intercepted a suspicious Pakistani fishing boat in the Arabian Sea. MoD officials said the four people on the fishing trawler set it ablaze after an "hour-long hot pursuit", which ended with "warning shots" being fired to stop the vessel around 365 km from Porbandar in Gujarat.

MoD was quite emphatic that the fishing boat which was being quietly tracked after it began its journey from Keti Bandar near Karachi (Sindh, Pakistan) based on specific intelligence inputs and wireless intercepts was carrying explosives.

The location of the ship off Gujarat coast is considered significant because of the high-profile events Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and Vibrant Gujarat which will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others. Two Coast Guard vessels are still searching the area for any "tell-tale signs" of the conspiracy that was afoot.

Almost a year before 26/11, as reported on April 12, 2007) eight LeT terrorists had come from Karachi through the sea route and were intercepted by the Coast Guard off Mumbai coast but were let off for a "consideration". Two of the eight terrorists were held in Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir) following an Intelligence Bureau operation in March, 2014. The duo had travelled from Diu to Mumbai-Delhi-Chandigarh-Rajouri and was helped by a dozen other local operatives who functioned as their guides. The six others remained untraceable.

The two terrorists Abdul Majid Rain from Sindh and Jameel Ahmed Awan from Abbotabad later told their interrogators that they were motivated by speeches of LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and 'commander' Azam Cheema. The two leaders had told them to fight "excesses" against Muslims in J&K and elsewhere in India. Both were enrolled in LeT in 2003, four years before they were launched into India and were given arms training in PoK and shown CDs of "atrocities of security forces" on Muslims.

Suspected pro-IS Twitter account handler Mehdi Masroor Biswas was in touch with IS combatant stationed in Iraq, according to Bengaluru Police Commissioner MN Reddi. "During our interrogation of Biswas, we have found that the IS account holder was in touch with the IS combatant and he was an aide," MN Reddi stated. Biswas was produced before a city court on January 2 and sent to judicial custody till January 16, 2015.

A heavily armed group of CPI-Maoist cadres killed a former intelligence unit 'chief' of the Maoists, identified as Shivaji Korsa at Kottapal village in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh, who had surrendered before Police in 2012.

Police busted an arms factory of the PLFI at Jaldega in Simdega District of Jharkhand.

The Centre has issued fresh warnings of a possible direct assault on government institutions by the CPI-Maoist in Kerala.

Maoists torched a road roller and a motorcycle at Sarhandi Sihari village under Tadoki Police Station limits in Kanker District of Chhattisgarh.

SFs arrested an unidentified militant belonging to NDFB-IKS at Chhagaliya near the Assam-West Bengal border in Dhubri District.

SFs arrested one KYKL militant, 'chapel', Thounaojam Abungoba alias Meiraba alias Tombabu alias Sanathoi Meitei (22), from the general area of Tere Urak Ngamukhong in Thoubal District. One .9 mm pistol along with magazine and four live rounds of .9 mm were recovered from his possession.

SFs arrested a KYKL militant, 'sergent' Sanasam alias Johnson alias Maniyai alias Abung (29) near a vehicle check post at NH-102 near Pallel in Thoubal District.

The NLFT has suffered another split with "commander" Prabhat Jamatya (39), in early December 2014, leaving the group's camp in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh with more than 25 followers and a large number of arms and ammunition. NLFT-Prabhat, have based themselves in the large and sprawling house of a retired Bangladeshi Policeman in Rajghat the tea garden area under Chunarughat sub-district of Bangladesh, which borders Monaibari under Khowai Subdivision of Tripura. The rebels have started sending "tax" notices to Indian residents from across the border.

Sources in the Special Branch (intelligence wing) of the State Police confirmed the movement of more than 25 NLFT-Prabhat rebels in the area. They said the group's main purpose was to create trouble during the TTAADC polls and extort money from candidates and parties."According to our reports, all the militants are armed. They have 10 AK-series rifles, 10 stenguns, six .303 rifles and a number of grenades. The NLFT is terribly short of money and resources because returns from 'tax' collection and ransom from abductions have fallen precipitously. More than any political purpose, their aim is to keep the group going," a senior SB official said.

As Pakistan resorted to fresh firing from across the border, UHM Rajnath Singh said if anyone dares to cast an evil eye on India, security forces will give a fitting response. "Our jawans are protecting the border with all their might. No one can dare cast an evil eye on India. Even if someone tries to do so, BSF and other security forces will give them a fitting reply," Singh said. "Pakistan should not do this. Diplomats of both the countries remain in constant touch," Singh added.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said Islamabad does not seem to learn any lesson, and India's response had been "more than double the capacity". "Pakistan does not like to stay quiet even on New Year day. They started (cross-border) firing at 12.30 in the night and don't seem to learn (any) lesson," Parrikar said. He said, "There are ceasefire violations….Whenever they want infiltration to be done, many times they do the firings at night…I don't think that we have allowed that to happen… Our response is more than double the capacity.

The NIA probing the October 2, 2014 Bardhaman blast case, secured the transit remand of JMB operative Sahanur Alam. And it will enable NIA to take him to Kolkata (West Bengal) from Guwahati (Assam), where he will be produced in a special court there on January 3 along with Rafikul Islam and Sariful Islam, who had earlier been arrested for their alleged jihadi links.

Delhi Police Commissioner, BS Bassi said, that 13 terrorists have been arrested by the Special Cell since January 2014. Of these seven are from IM, three from LeT and three from SIMI. The arrested IM operatives include engineering students Mahruf, Waqar Azhar and Shaquib Ansari of the outfit's Rajasthan module.

Currently, three SWAT teams of the Special Cell are being deployed at Greater Kailash area of Delhi to foil any terrorists attack, Bassi said, adding and the cell is also engaged in verifying and monitoring second-hand car dealers and chemical sellers.

The Madhya Pradesh ATS clarified to their counterparts in Karnataka that CCTV footage of suspects moving around Bengaluru blast (December 28, 2014) site does not match with pictures of any of the SIMI operatives, who had escaped from Khandwa jail. Karnataka Police had been suspecting role of Al-Ummah and five SIMI fugitives in the bomb blast.

The crime branch arrested two Nepalese nationals from Bettiah in West Champaran District of Bihar and recovered FICN worth INR 18,000 in denominations from them. The ASP (Crime), Shailendra Singh Chouhan said two arrested youths have been identified as Gasul Alam Khan and Javed Khan. Alam studied till class X in Nepal and is into tailoring work while Khan is his friend and repairs mobile phones.

The NIA filed a charge sheet in the FICN case involving a lynchpin of the Dawood Ibrahim syndicate. In the charge sheet the NIA names Ekramul Ansari as the prime accused who had attempted to smuggle in FICN worth INR 49,00,000 from Dubai to India. The NIA states that Ansari had brought into India the FICN from Dubai and had planned on circulating it. All the notes that were found were of the INR 1000 denomination and on verification at Nashik (Maharashtra) it was found to be fake. Ansari who originally hails from East Champaran District in Bihar was allegedly working with the Dawood syndicate which is also involved in the circulation of fake currency.

A Policeman, identified as Assistant Constable Somlu Hemla (30), was killed by suspected CPI-Maoist cadres with bow and arrow at Patliguda village in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh.

A person named as Anup Kumar who claims himself to be a 'senior Maoist leader' operating in Sukma District has threatened to abduct Mungeli District Collector Sanjay Alang in the State within 24 hours if he failed to cancel the drive to recruit Revenue Inspectors in the area.

A stone crusher unit at Nedumpoyil in Kannur District of Kerala was attacked by CPI-Maoist cadres. Police and residents said New Bharath Stone Crusher which is close to the Chekkeri Kurichya colony near 24th Mile was vandalised and set afire by a gang of five around 2.30 am after they threatened employees at gunpoint. The tribal community had complained against this unit many times.

A group of Maoists vandalised and ransacked a government office in Kannur District of Kerala. They first tied up security personnel and vandalised the office. The group left after taking away the CCTV cameras and raising pro-Maoist slogans.

The Kurichya Munnetta Samiti, an organisation representing the Kurichya Adivasi community, denied that residents of some tribal colonies have connections with the Maoists.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das said it was really unfortunate that even after over six decades of Independence the poor villagers were deprived of basic amenities including water, road, electricity etc. He attributed "administrative failure" as a major cause behind Naxalism and assured to provide development-oriented schemes and good governance in the State.

The dead body of an Adivasi villager, Kero Hasda, was recovered in Chirang District. The death toll in the violence which started with the December 23, 2013 NDFB-IKS attacks, its backlash and in Police firing has gone up to 82. "He [Kero Hasda] was missing since December 25 from Koraibari village in Chirang district," Inspector-General of Police (law and order) S.N. Singh said.

An AR jawan was injured, in unconfirmed reports, during an encounter between AR personnel and suspected NDFB-IKS militants under Itakhola Police Station area in Sonitpur District. A meeting of the Special Operations Group of Unified Command was held at the Army's Red Horns Division Headquarters at Rangiya on January 2 to review the security situation following the NDFB-IKS attacks.

SFs arrested one KPLT linkman, identified as Babu Hanseyin Kheroni Police Station of Karbi Anglong District. Police also recovered one 9mm pistol with 4 ammunitions and 5 bullets of AK series assault rifle from the residence of Sarmen Enghi located in village Notun Enghi Gaon.

Home Commissioner Prateek Hajela said that the number of Adivasi and Bodo people taking shelter in relief camps has come down to 2,08,000 (on January 2) from 2,36,000 (on January 1), with more people returning home.

A Junior Commissioned Officer of 12 Assam Rifles was killed, in an encounter, with militants of the NDFB-IKS in Sonitpur District. Official sources said a group of 12 NDFB-IKS militants came down from the hilly Seijosa area near Pakke reserve forest in East Kameng District of neighboring Arunachal Pradesh and opened fire on Security Forces (SFs).SFs had launched operations against NDFB-IKS after the later carried out December 23 massacre of Adivasis in Sonitpur, Chirang and Kokrajhar Districts.

RPF claimed that two troopers of AR were killed in a bomb attack as a part of "Operation Jackal" launched by its armed wing, PLA on December 31, 2013. State Police have received report of explosion of two IEDs simultaneously on the road leading to Kotha in Chandel District, the area of occurrence as claimed by RPF's 'publicity secretary' Roben Khuman dispatched to the media in Imphal. However, Police have no report of any casualty. They said that the IEDs were triggered in the evening around 4 p.m. while troops of 24 AR based at Kotha village were on routine patrol duty.

SFs arrested a PLA militant, Maibam Kanta Singh alias Manisana (37), from the general area Heirok Part - II in Thoubal District.

Four GNLA militants surrendered before West Garo Hills SP in-charge Bruno A Sangma. The surrendered cadres were led by Banang G Momin and the rest were identified as Tapseng M Sangma alias Rakchak, Walgrik A Sangma, and Damseng Ch Marak. He was the only member to surrender with a weapon. Banang G Momin handed over a 7.65 pistol with some ammunition.

An IED was recovered from inside an ATM booth in Mokokchung town in Mokokchung District. According to official sources, the IED was reportedly found by a CRPF trooper who had gone to the ATM to draw cash.

At least three Pakistani Rangers were killed as BSF responded effectively to heavy mortar shelling and firing by Pakistan in Hiranagar and Samba sectors as security forces foiled infiltration attempt by a group of seven to eight militants at Chor Gali in Samba sector. However, there had been no reports of any casualties or damage on the Indian side.

Groups of Pakistani terrorists have positioned themselves at eight to nine launch pads along the LoC and IB in J&K. They are waiting to infiltrate under the cover of fire provided by Pakistani forces, for carrying out attacks in India ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit in January, according to sources in the Indian security establishment. Intelligence reports have indicated that the potential infiltrators, who have organized themselves in groups ranging from four to five members to 40-45 members, are attempting to cross over "with the blessings of the highest authority in the Pakistani army".

Pakistan's ISI is disappointed with militant group LeT over the peaceful conduct of J&K elections. According to reports, ISI had asked LeT to disrupt the elections in J&K. However, due to effective vigilance of Indian Security Forces, LeT failed to disrupt the polls in which 65.2 voters cast their vote.

Two Army troopers were killed and two others injured in cross-border firing by Pakistan in Tanghdar sector of Kupwara District

An investigation into the activities of Areeb Majeed, an alleged recruit of terror group IS has led NIA to send requests to authorities in the US, Canada and Australia for cyber evidence. The NIA has approached the authorities in the US, Canada and Australia for providing cyber evidence under the MLAT, official sources said in New Delhi.

Security was increased at the IGI airport in New Delhi following an intelligence alert that terrorists may target Air India flights going to Afghanistan, officials said. The CISF, which looks after the airport's internal security, has been asked to be on alert and keep a tab on the activities of every person. Besides, Delhi Police, which is in charge of security outside the airport, was also put on alert.

The four major international airports of India in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata constitute about 94 per cent of instances of drugs smuggling and seizures, according to NCB data. Out of a total 63 incidents of narcotics detection and seizure at airports in the country in 2013, 59 were reported from these air facilities, one of the largest hubs in terms of passenger and cargo load. Only six per cent of cases were detected at the airports of Guwahati (Assam), Bangalore (Karnataka) and Madurai (Tamil Nadu).

While Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport reported a total of 17 drugs seizure cases during the said period, the Chennai airport had 16 such instances while Kolkata and Mumbai airports registered 13 such instances each during 2013. Over 1,026 kilograms of narcotics, including Ketamine, Ganja, Heroin, Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine were seized from these air facilities during the year leading to the arrest of 75 people under the provisions of the NDPS Act, the data said.

Electronic chatter shows that two Pakistani fishing boats, one of which sank after being intercepted by the Coast Guard in the Arabian sea in early hours of January 1, were in frequent touch with Pakistan Army and Maritime Security Agency through a "contact". Sources privy to the wireless intercepts, which led technical intelligence agency NTRO to alert the Coast Guard, claimed that the "contact" also talked to someone in Thailand on a frequent basis. The intercepts strengthen the official view in New Delhi that the fishing boats were on a sinister mission.

Two troopers belonging to 206 Combat CoBRA unit were injured when a pressure bomb planted by CPI-Maoist exploded, during a combing operation by the CoBRA troopers, in the forests under Chintagufa Police Station limits in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh.

A CPI-Maoist 'sub-zonal commander', identified as Thakur Khaira, was arrested from Satletba forest under Kotoria Police Station limits in Banka District of Bihar.

Bihar Government distributed cheques worth INR 1.6 million among 36 surrendered Maoists in Muzaffarpur District of Bihar. Muzaffarpur Zonal IG Paras Nath and DM Anupam Kumar handed over cheques of INR 46,000 to each of the surrendered Maoists.

Inspector-General of Police (law and order) S.N. Singh said that the ULFA-I might carry out strikes ahead of Republic Day.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the December 23 attack on Adivasi could not have been possible without the knowledge of the NDFB-IKS's 'Commander-in- chief' Ingti Kathar Songbijit. "The attacks could not have taken place without Songbijit consent. His deputy might have executed the attacks but it is not possible that the attacks happened without Songbijit knowing of it," Gogoi said at a press conference here.

SFs arrested a UNLF militant identified as, Sanabam Shyam alias Thaja (35), from near Thoubal dam under Yairipok Police Station in Thoubal District.

SFs arrested one cadre of KNF-N, identified as Letginhao Haokip alias Haopu Haokip (35), from Nongpok Keithelmanbi bazar in Thoubal District.

NSCN-K described ACAUT stand on 'any' and 'every nominal taxation' as 'unyielding' and challenge to 'Naga struggle' and 'Naga Identity'. Upholding Indian Constitution and citing Indian Constitutional guarantees to battle the NPG(s) in itself is self-explanatory of their anti-Naga intent and purpose. Only time will tell as to what extent the damage the ACAUT may inflict on the Naga struggle, the benefits they intent to yield and the price they are willing to pay.

Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said the decade-old militancy still persists in some areas of the State. "The insurgency has not been uprooted yet despite all out efforts. Militants are still on the operational mode in some interior places of the State", he said while addressing a gathering to mark the Police Day in Agratala.

Top official sources told around midnight tonight that the BSF retaliated after the Rangers started pounding about dozen forward BSF posts and all villages falling along the IB in entire Hiranagar and Samba sectors at 9.30pm killing three Rangers at Bhopalpur, Aghora and Khora Pakistani posts opposite Mangu Chak in Samba sector at around 11 pm tonight. All forward posts and villages in Paharpur, Katau, Charu, Londi, Patti, Chakara, Lacchipura, Bobiya, Pansar, Manyari, Karol and Paharpur in Hiranagar sector, Khwara, Regal, Chilyari, Manguchak, Chachyal, Ramgarh, Maluchak, Suchetgarh Kullian and Mawa in Samba sectors were being targeted by the Rangers.

Pakistani Rangers shelled all forward villages and BSF posts in Hiranagar and Samba sectors, killing a woman and injuring 10 civilians. Over 3000 people have so far left their homes in the border areas of the two sectors and have taken shelter in the relief camps.

Official sources said that at least 70 new militants, who were well trained in new kind of 'sneak-in fidayeen attack strategy' were camping at five to six places in Sialkot area of Pakistan opposite Samba sector with a view to infiltrate into the Indian territory to carry out Arnia like terror attack before the visit of United States President Barrack Obama to India on January 26. The official sources said "The militants were well equipped with arms and explosives and new device 'floaters', which would safely help them swim through nullahs in Samba and Hiranagar sectors, in their infiltration attempts." All 70 trained LeT militants were Pakistanis, according to sources.

Official sources said that at least 70 new militants, who were well trained in new kind of 'sneak-in fidayeen attack strategy' were camping at five to six places in Sialkot area of Pakistan opposite Samba sector with a view to infiltrate into the Indian territory to carry out Arnia like terror attack before the visit of United States President Barrack Obama to India on January 26. The official sources said "The militants were well equipped with arms and explosives and new device 'floaters', which would safely help them swim through nullahs in Samba and Hiranagar sectors, in their infiltration attempts." All 70 trained LeT militants were Pakistanis, according to sources.

Police have identified visuals of six men moving suspiciously in and around the site of December 28, 2014 Church Street in Bangalore (Karnataka). The footages of the six suspicious elements were isolated after sifting through hundreds of hours of footage recovered from CCTV cameras placed by various establishments in and around Church Street.

Security across the coastal regions of Gujarat has been increased. According to reports, at least 173 Marine Commandos have been deployed at 20 Police Stations along the coastal areas to foil any attempt by the Pakistan-operated terrorist outfits to create unrest in India. Confirming the development, DySP BJ Ninama of the Marine Police said, "After the incident of Pakistani boats being chased by Coast Guard in Indian waters, we have ordered 173 of our trained Marine Commandos to take positions at 20 marine police stations situated on state coastline."

Bihar Chief Minister Jeetan Ram Manjhi while addressing a gathering at Tarapur in Munger District said that Naxals are "not wrong in demanding levy from contractors if quality of work is poor." He recounted his interaction with three LWEs before he became CM.

Six relief camps have been closed down in Chirang and Kokrajhar districts, and with this, the total number of relief camps has come down to 96 in the four Districts namely Chirang, Udalguri, Kokrajhar and Sonitpur. As on January 4, approximately 164,790 inmates are living in 96 relief camps.

Activists of the ATPC, led by 'general secretary' Manak Chandra Bordoloi, staged a dharna to demand dissolution of the present TAC and holding of elections in February 2015.

Police arrested two militants of LeT from a hotel in Srinagar city. A Police officer said that two LeT militants were arrested when Police raided the hotel during the night after specific information about their presence in the hotel. The duo has been identified as Tanveer Ahmad Baba and Shabir Ahmad.

A BSF personal was killed in cross-border firing along the IB in J&K's Samba District. Officials said the BSF jawan, Devinder Singh, from Aligarh was killed as Pakistani troops fired on forward Indian posts and civilian areas in Samba and Kathua Districts.

SFs arrested two militants belonging to NDFB-IKS, identified as Nakul Narzary and Raju Rabha, from Namora under Jinjia Police Station area of Sonitpur District of Assam.

The Chief Executive Officer of ASDMA, P.K. Tiwari, said during the last 24 hours, 11 relief camps have been closed down with 24,651 inmates returning home. Now there are 140,139 inmates in 85 relief camps in Kokrajhar, Chirang, Udalguri and Sonitpur Districts (Assam), P.K. Tiwari, said.

SFs arrested two suspected NDFB-IKS militants from Shamuktala area under the Shamuktala Police Station in Alipurduar District of Assam. The militants were nabbed of West Bengal close to the border with Assam. A huge quantity of arms and ammunition was recovered from them, police added.

DGP K. Nagaraj claimed that insurgency has been largely contained in Tripura with only eight extremist-related incidents registered in the State during 2014 whereas it was nine in the year 2013. The number of abduction cases has reduced to eight in the year 2014 against ten in the previous year and only one kidnapped person is still in militant captivity adds. "A major achievement was the seizure of a huge cache of arms and ammunition by Assam Rifles jawans from Mizoram on July 2 last year. Acting on specific information, the Assam Rifles jawans of the 45th battalion seized six AK-series rifles, three G-3 rifles and one light machine gun. Twenty-five NLFT militants surrendered to the state government in 2014," Nagaraj said.

DGP K Nagaraj, during his interaction with the media, added, "Since November 2013, Bangladesh Army, Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guards of Bangladesh have conducted a number of operations against Indian militants, destroyed several NLFT camps and seized a huge cache of arms and ammunition ".(Tripura)

At least five CPI-Maoist cadres are suspected to have been killed in an anti-Maoist operation, involving Greyhound personnel of Andhra Pradesh Police, Odisha's SOG and Odisha State Police in Malkangiri District of Odisha. IG of Police, South-Western Range Yashwant Jethwa however said officially the deaths cannot be confirmed as the teams have not recovered anybody.

Maoists killed two tribals, identified as Jaga Kabasi and Jaga Sodhi, at Keriaguda under Kalimela Police Station limits in Malkangiri District of Odisha. After conducting a 'praja court' in the village, they tied up the two villagers to a tree and beat them to death.

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi while addressing a public meeting at Tarapur in Munger District, organized under the banner of Zila Kisan Mazdoor Sammelan, said his cabinet colleagues do not cooperate with him in development measures aimed at curbing Naxalism in the State.

The Pakistani Rangers joined by Pakistan Army resorted to heavy mortar shelling and firing using long range weapons targeting about 28 BSF posts and more than 70 border villages in Hiranagar and Samba sectors in J&K.

Army's 7 Garhwal, 15 Rashtriya Rifles and 23 Grenadiers launched a joint cordon and search operations in Kandiyan forest area of Keran sector in Kupwara District of J&K after inputs that at least two groups of militants have infiltrated in Kupwara sector. Sources said that these two groups of militants, at least 15 in number, are hiding in the forest area.

Authorities in Thailand arrested BKI militant, identified as Gurmeet Singh alias Jagtar Singh Tara convicted for his involvement in a bomb attack in 1995 that killed former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and at least 15 other people. Gurmeet, entered Thailand in October 2014 and was arrested in the eastern province of Chonburi, Thai National Police Spokesman Lieutenant General Prawut Thawornsiri said. Prawut said Gurmeet faces extradition to India.

IM 'India operations chief' Yasin Bhatkal was questioned by NIA in December 28, 2014 Bangalore (Karnataka) blast case. "Some IM suspects are in Yerawada Jail, Pune. NIA officials visited the prison last week and questioned some of them. But there's been no major breakthrough. NIA sleuths also cross-checked visitors of these terror suspects in the past couple of months. The details of phone calls made from the STD booth in the jail are also being checked," the sources said.

Indian Government said the rogue Pakistani fishing boat, which sank after being intercepted by the Coast Guard in the Arabian Sea in the early hours of January 1, had "suspected terror links" while dismissing the "the smugglers at sea" theory. "I think they were suspected terrorists (the four persons on board the fishing vessel) as they committed suicide. A normal boat carrying drugs would have surrendered. Why would smugglers keep in touch with Pakistan maritime authorities?" said Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff Air Marshal PP Reddy warned that India should be prepared for war on both fronts, namely China and Pakistan. He also said that a nuclear war in the subcontinent could not be ruled out. Reddy added that China was supplying weapons to Pakistan. "Both our neighbours are equipped with nuclear weapons. There is a possibility of rise in terrorists' attacks. India has to be cautious from both the sides and should be prepared for any war," said PP Reddy.

Among the three Indian operatives of IS one is working in an oil refinery company and another in a hospital, most likely looking after patients. Farad Sheikh and Shaheen Tanki, have claimed that they were living layman's lives after taking up these jobs. It is not yet clear which company or hospital they are working for, or the nature of the work assigned to them.

SFs arrested a NDFB-IKS militant, Daimu Narzary, from Kajalgaon in Chirang District of Assam. IGP-law and order S.N. Singh said Narzary was involved in a grenade blast at Chapaguri in Chirang some months ago."Two grenade shells of 40mm UBGL and a Chinese grenade were recovered from him," Singh said.

IGP-law and order, S.N. Singh retracted from his earlier statement absolving NDFB-IKS 'commander-in-chief' I.K. Songbijit of the December 23 carnage of Adivasis. "Whatever the chief minister has stated is correct and I stand by his statement," he told reporters. The IGP-Law and Order had on January 2 said that the killings were carried out under direction of G. Bidai, the number two leader of the NDFB-IKS without the consent of Songbijit. (Assam)

SFs arrested ULFA-I militant, Kamal Laskar alias David Asom (32), from Dhemajigaon near Raha in Nagaon District of Assam. ADGP-Law and Order RM Singh further revealed that several political leaders of the State belonging to different parties could be targeted by the banned outfit.

Police killed a suspected militant of NDFB-IKS in the Bogijaan area along the Golaghat-Karbi Anglong border in Assam. Two grenades, a 9mm pistol, seven rounds of cartridges and two mobile phones were recovered from the site. The suspected NDFB-IKS cadre who was killed in the encounter was identified as Birat Basumatary of Gohpur in Sonitpur District.

SFs arrested two KLA cadres, 'Private' Thakhomang Kilong and 'Private' Thanglienjam Gangte, in Kanglatongbi market of Senapati District of Manipur. They confessed of being involved in extortion from the local businessmen and vehicles plying on NH-2, it said.

SFs arrested a PREPAK-PRO militant from Songpijang village of Senapati District of Manipur. One 7.65 mm pistol, two magazines and six live rounds were recovered from the insurgent.

Police arrested two persons while they were allegedly trying to extort money from shopkeepers at Supply Colony area in Dimapur town of Dimapur District of Nagaland. The arrested persons were identified as "captain" Hekato Achumi (22) of NNC-NA and Chulen Chang (36).

Police arrested two extortionists from Mia Bazaar area, Kushiabill in Dimapur. The duo was identified as one Hukato Awomi alias Michael (27) and Tokaho Awomi alias Kato (28).SFs recovered one vehicle tax bricks transportation in the name of 'GPRN (Ministry of Chaplee)', one bricks challan of FGN, five Lorry challan (guide pass association) and cash worth INR 1090 from the duo.

A former Naxal 'commander' identified as Pramod Majhi alias Sagar (26) who was second in command in the OMP surrendered in Berhampur town of Ganjam District of Odisha.

CPI-Maoist cadres stormed the residence of Chhattisgarh Congress leader Manturam Pawar and attacked his guards, injuring two of them at Pakhanjur in Kanker District. Manturam Pawar who is in Raipur confirmed the incident saying that he and his family were safe as Maoists couldn't barge inside the home.

The exchange of fire between the CPI-Maoist and SFs and the suspected killing of five Maoists belonging to the AOBSZC at Bejingi forest in Malkangiri District of Odisha on January 5 is turning out to be a mysterious affair. Even a day after the exchange of fire, the Police were neither able to confirm the actual number of casualties nor recover any of the bodies to substantiate their claim.

Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi said he was ready to talk to Naxalites and bring them back in the mainstream of society. Talking to media persons after his weekly janata darbar, the CM said he was against the policy of bullet for bullet to finish Maoism.

Around 30 CPI-Maoist cadres went on a rampage setting ablaze six vehicles at Tekulagudem in Wajedu mandal of Khammam District of Telangana near the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border.

An Odisha State Government audit has found a total of INR 12.8 million worth projects in Narayanpatna block of Koraput District has been embezzled.

The Andhra Pradesh Government is planning to raise a tribal Police battalion to take on the CPI-Maoist. The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Naxalite issue headed by Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu has recommended a tribal battalion, staffed by tribal youth from East Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, exclusively to counter Maoist insurgence on the Andhra-Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.

The CPI-Maoist called out to people to "condemn and boycott" the visit of US President Barack Obama to India to be the chief guest at the 65th Republic Day celebrations on January 26.

More than 10,000 villagers have been forced to leave their homes along the IB in Samba and Kathua sectors in Jammu District of J&K in the last two days due to relentless shelling by Pakistani Forces, causing a humanitarian crisis in the middle of a hard winter. While close to 5,000 people have fled their homes in Samba, a similar number have left Kathua for safety, retreating around 6km into Indian territory in camps like Hariachak, Hiranagar, Plat, Kanha, Baniyari and Chadwal.

The BSF foiled infiltration attempt along the IB in Hiranagar sector of Kathua District of J&K forcing a group of four to five militants to retreat to Pakistan from where they had been launched into this side by the Rangers. According to sources, the militants were plotting Arnia like attack on the BSF.

The NIA special court framed charges against 11 accused, all suspected to be operatives of IM and SIMI, for the serial blasts at PM (then Gujarat chief minister) Narendra Modi's 'Hunkar Rally' at Gandhi Maidan in Patna (Bihar) on October 27, 2013. NIA Special Judge Anil Kumar Singh also directed the prosecution to produce witnesses from January 19 onwards. The 11 accused in the case are Haider Ali, Numan Ansari, Taufiq Ansari, Mujibullah Ansari, Umar Siddiqui, Azharuddin Qureshi, Iftekar Alam, Firoz Alam, Ahmad Hussain, Fakhruddin and a juvenile. Charges including for murder, criminal conspiracy have been framed against them under Sections 109, 120B, 121, 171A, 302, 324, 326, 360, 441 and 468 of the IPC, UAPA, Explosives Substances Act, and various section of Criminal Law Act.

Coast Guard vessels operating from West Bengal's Haldia and Frazergunj stations in Bay of Bengal have increased vigil along the east coast after intelligence reports warned of a possible terror strike before or during US President Barrack Obama's visit to India.

The intelligence agencies have indicated role of LeT behind the Gujarat off coast incident near Porbandar. Sources indicated that the LeT operative module had possible plans to target Navy installations at Porbandar port.

Confirming that the December 28, 2014 Bangalore blast bore signature of July 2008 serial blasts in the city, an IB source said they are looking at the involvement of absconding terror suspects. Pointing out the IED used in the blast was not something that could be assembled by local goons or amateur activists, the source said: "The blast does have the imprint of a professional bomb-maker. It could be fugitive terror suspects with experience in triggering off similar explosions."

The Australian Government warned that terrorists were planning attacks in India, and urged its citizens to "exercise a high degree of caution" while travelling through the country. "We continue to receive reports that terrorists are planning attacks in India and assess that attacks could occur anywhere at any time with little or no warning, including in locations frequented by Australians," said a statement on smartraveller.gov.au, the Australian government's travel advisory site.

Army, in an encounter, killed a suspected KPLT militant near Hamren in Karbi Anglong District of Assam. An M16 rifle and ammunition were recovered.

SFs arrested five GNLA militants from Rongsoi on the Assam-Meghalaya border. Five pistols and ammunition were recovered.

SFs arrested two militants belonging to NDFB-IKS, identified as Probin Brahma and Vijay Kumar Brahma, from Banshijhora in Parbatjhora subdivision in Kokrajhar District of Assam. A 9mm pistol, a 7.62mm pistol, ammunition and mobile phones were recovered.

Police arrested two UDLA militants from Hailakandi District of Assam.

Police personnel, in an encounter, killed two unidentified militants at Kumbi Sabal Leikai in Bishnupur District of Manipur.

The combing operation to arrest RK, in the Andhra Pradesh Odisha border region, will continue, said Malkangiri SP Mitrabhanu Mahapatra. Maoist literatures, 500 bags of rice and grenades have been recovered from the encounter site.

A red alert has been sounded in the Visakhapatnam agency of Andhra Pradesh and along the Andhra-Odisha Border following a massive exchange of fire between the Maoists and Armed Forces near Mukundapalli village in Malkangiri District of Odisha.

Two suspected Naxals, identified as Surendra Surin alias Dela and Simran Surin were killed by CPI-Maoist cadres allegedly over a dispute regarding sharing of levy at Kadamdiha in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand.

The Kerala Forest Protective Staff Association has expressed concern about the safety of forest guards in the light of Maoist attacks on forest outposts in Wayanad and sought protection for the officials.

A first-of-its kind 'battle field hospital' is being set up in Chintalnar area of Dantewada District which will provide immediate first aid to the injured CRPF and other SFs officials undertaking anti-CPI-Maoist operations.

Bhima Rao (40), a tribal of Rewali village in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh, was killed by 'unidentified persons.' Police had registered a case against "unknown, uniformed and armed Maoists" for killing Bhima on suspicion that he was a 'Police informer'.

SFs arrested a NNC militant, identified as 'Leutinent' Hasiapou Rongmei (35), under Nungba Police Station in Tamenglong District of Manipur in the intervening night of January 6 and 7. SFs recovered one 9 mm pistol with 08 live rounds from him.

Dosti bus service, a low-cost convenient way to travel between Delhi (India) and Lahore (Pakistan), has come under terror threat. Following intelligence inputs received from a foreign agency on January 2 of a possible fidayeen attack on Dosti bus service, both the countries have stepped up security measures for the bus service that originates from Delhi on every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and from Lahore every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Militant belonging to NSCN-IM and ZUF fought a gun battle at Nungtek under Noney Police Station in Tamenglong District of Manipur.

The two militant killed by SFs at Kumbi Sabal Leikai under Moirang Police Station in Bishnupur District of Manipur on January 6 were identified as URF-Lalheiba 'home secretary' Puyam Ruhinikumar alias Mongyamba (50) and 'finance secretary' Keithelakpam Tiken (45).

A militant belonging to the ASAK surrendered in Tura (West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya). The militant identified as Breni Ch Marak (23) hails from Oragitok area on the foothills of Nokrek national park under Rongram Police Outpost. He surrendered at Tura police station and handed over a 7.65 pistol with two magazines containing eight live rounds and a wireless communication handset.

HNLC reiterated its readiness for talks but made it clear that it was not ready for demobilization and disarmament. In a statement e-mailed to media houses, the HNLC 'publicity secretary' Sainkupar Nongtraw said their main agenda in coming forward for peace talks was to achieve a political solution to the burning problems Demanding equal treatment [Khasi and Garo militants], the outfit said that the Chief Minister should avoid being one-sided to prevent disunity among the people of Meghalaya. We deserve to be treated as equal as the HNLC was born out of ALMA and HALC. The A'chik [Garo homeland] and the Hynniewtrep [Khasi-Jaintia homeland] should not be divided politically but they should remain united for lasting peace in the region," Nongtraw said.

Even the UALA has displayed its desire to join the main stream; the security agencies are not fully convinced till its unpredictable 'commander-in-chief' Norok Momin comes out in the open. The first formal peace talks and the preceding informal deliberations between representatives of the Meghalaya Government and the UALA, brokered by the Church body, did not feature Norok Momin. The UALA leadership, during the parleys, was headed its 'chairman' Novembirth Marak.

With the Army carrying out large scale counter-insurgency operations against NDFB-IKS militants, a security alert has been sounded in the Garo Hills and West Khasi Hills of Meghalaya with special focus on the porous India-Bangladesh border areas. Inspector-General (Operations) GHP Raju said NDFB-IKS has longstanding ties with Garo militant groups, including GNLA and its splinter outfit AMEF.

SFs arrested three militants, including two NSCN-K militants indentified as T Anayang Phom, "chairman of NSCN -K" and "private" Anke Phom and one FGN cadre "Leacy" Akham Chingham Phom, from in Leinak Ward in Longleng town in Longleng District of Nagaland.

Krishna Kumari Panda, mother of OMP Chief Sabyasachi Panda, alleged that her son was being framed in the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. Deposing before Justice AS Naidu Commission of Enquiry into the 2008 killing of the seer and the riots that gripped Kandhamal District in the aftermath, Krishna said the person who had owned up to the murder in a TV interview was not her son.

Condemning the arrest of tribals in Odisha by BSF as Maoists, a top Maoist leader, identified as 'secretary' of Malkangiri Divisional Committee Poonam Chand, has asked the Odisha Government to stop 'Operation Greenhunt' with immediate effect.

The Union Minister for Railways Suresh Prabhu said that a 'special commando force' will be created to protect trains going to Naxal affected areas. The commandos will be equipped to protect the passengers and counter the attack by the Naxalites.

Handbills issued by alleged CPI-Maoist cadres at Thalassery in Kannur District defended the attack on a stone-crusher unit at Nedumpoil in the same District on January 2. The handbills issued in the name of "CPI (Maoist) Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee" were found in the press boxes of media at the Press Forum at Thalassery and a few other places.

In a joint operation, the CCB and Karnataka's internal security division arrested three alleged IM operatives in two separate incidents and seized a huge cache of bomb-making material and communication devices. The arrests were made in Cox Town of Bengaluru, and Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada District. Announcing the arrests, Police Commissioner MN Reddi said so far no connection has been established between the trio and the December 28 explosion on Church Street. But, Police will investigate further. Reddi said around 5 kilogram of ammonium nitrate, gelatin, electrical circuits, detonators and a walkie-talkie have been seized. "Three men, Syed Ismail Afaq, 34, Saddam Hussein, 35 and Abdus Subur, 24 have been arrested. The first two were arrested from the house in Pulakeshinagar in east Bengaluru and the third person was arrested from Bhatkal town. Abdus Subur, 24 was MBA student in Bhatkal and we are yet to identify the background of the other two arrested men," Reddi added.

India will continue to engage with France on bilateral and multilateral levels to tackle terrorism, Syed Akbaruddin, Spokesperson of the MEA said at a press. In response to a question on the shootings in Paris (France), Akbaruddin said, "India is shocked like the rest of the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already condemned this attack as a dastardly act. Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj has written to her French counterpart [to express solidarity]. We intend to continue to work with France bilaterally and multilaterally to tackle issues of terrorism."

SFs killed two KPLT cadres in a gun-battle at Rongtang village in Karbi Anglong District of Assam. Three small fire arms were also seized from the incident site, Police informed. KPLT has called for a 48-hour bandh in Karbi Anglong District from January 11. The bandh (shutdown) has been called to protest the killing of its member, believed to be the 'deputy commander-in-chief', Kengkam Terang.

Police, in another operation, arrested one UPLA militant, identified as one Aspee Bey, from Phonglopet village in Karbi Anglong District of Assam. According to Police, Aspee Bey was supposedly involved in the killing of Hamren SP, Nityananda Goswami in June 2014.

Suspected NSCN-IM militants shot and injured a civilian, identified as Saloni (25), at Khabung Karong in Senapati District of Manipur.

After taking over as Chief of IB, Dineshwar Sharma has reached Chhattisgarh to work out strategies for containing Naxalism.

The ongoing probe into the 2013 killing of 27 Congressmen by CPI-Maoist at Jiram Ghati in Bastar District seems to have made a significant headway with the Police identifying the owner of the SIM card allegedly used by Maoists to track the movement of the Congress convoy in the area before targeting it.

Four Maoists, including a woman, identified as Sunita (27), Jagdish Potai (25), Sukhlal Potai (30) and Sona Singh surrendered in Kondagaon District while another Maoist identified as Kosa Kunjam (21) surrendered in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh.

Shrawan Das, an alleged arms supplier to the CPI-Maoist, was arrested at Madhaul village of Muzaffarpur District of Bihar. On a specific tip-off, a STF team raided the village and arrested Das.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik complimented the Odisha Police for achieving 'zero casualties' in 2014 while dealing with Left Wing Extremism violence.

Security Forces in Jharkhand launched an "all-out operation" against PLFI. Though Police did not disclose the details, they said "Operation Karo II" will continue throughout January, 2015.

SFs arrested nine NDFB-IKS cadres along with a huge cache of arms and ammunition. Seven of them were arrested in Kokrajhar District of Assam on January 9 while the other two were nabbed at Gohpur on January 8. Seven of the arrested cadres were identified as Milan Mushahary alias Mithinga ('second in-command of Kokrajhar platoon' of NDFB-IKS), Gautam Moholia, Joyanta Muchahary, Bina Basumatary, Swamkar Brahma alias Khurai, Khanda Narzary and Deuthwai Basumatary. The remaining two were not unidentified yet.

Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps said that Indian troops have been ordered not to react to cross-border shelling or firing immediately but wait for targets to show. He said "After all, we have no plans to fight a war so it's no use aimlessly shelling or firing across the LoC. The troops simply stay put while the firing continues and then maintain strict vigil through night-vision equipment if necessary. Whenever a target presents itself, it is neutralized. This has yielded good results. After all, it's better to strike where it hurts."

Governor's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of efforts at Government formation remaining unsuccessful and Omar Abdullah triggering a crisis by declining to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister. The proclamation placing the state under Governor's rule was issued under Section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir. This provision authorizes the Governor to assume functions and powers of a state Government in case he is satisfied that the latter cannot function in accordance with the provisions of the state's Constitution.

Three IM operatives who were arrested along with a cache of explosives and communication equipment were produced before a court in Bengaluru city and remanded in Police custody till January 21. The three operatives were arrested in a joint operation by the CCB and state internal security division on January 8 in two simultaneous raids in Cox Town east Bengaluru city and Bhatkal District.

Arunachal Pradesh Police has made an action plan to check insurgency in Tirap, Changlang and Longding Districts through various initiatives, including setting up 11 new police stations and upgrading the existing nine.

1769 posts were filled up in the police department for the three insurgency-affected districts, AIGP Tussar Taba told reporters in Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh. The department also procured 313 5.56 INSAS rifles, 158 9mm pistols, 40 2'mortars, 33 7.62 LMGs and over two lakh AK-47 ammunitions during 2014, the AIGP said adding, 28 night vision devices, 20 video cameras, 23 digital cameras and other gadgets were procured for the districts during the year.

A Police Constable, identified as Shankar Joshi, was hacked to death by CPI-Maoist cadres near a busy market place in Katekalyan town of Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh.

Chhattisgarh Police have recovered a rare video footage of the Maoists purportedly showing their cadres conducting a 'commando-style' training to gun down helicopters, used to ferry security personnel and VIPs in Bastar region.

Bihar Police has claimed that it has been successful in containing LWE in the State with arrests of Maoists and recovery of explosives. According to the figures released by Bihar Police Headquarters, though there were 105 incidents of Maoist violence in 2014 in comparison to 103 in 2013, only 20 civilians were killed against 36 in 2013. The number of Police personnel who died during such incidents shows a sharp drop to six in 2014 from 25 in 2013.

In a bid to fight the CPI-Maoist menace, tribal people will be recruited directly to the Police force, Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala said.

In view of increasing extremist threats in the State, the city Police have decided to create a visual database of possible suspects by recording public events and demonstrations held in Kochi using video and still cameras.

Four teams of CPI-Maoist cadres consisting of 12 members, including Area Committee member Atram Shobhan alias Charles, entered Adilabad District from Chhattisgarh and are reportedly recruiting cadres. They are trying to regain their glory and also planning to merge the District from North Telangana zone into Dandakarayana zone.

In September 2014 the State Police had launched 'Operation Karo-I' in which 50 PLFI rebels were arrested while two were killed in Simdega District. "In the two-month long operation over six encounters with the PLFI took place and huge cache of arms was recovered," said a Police officer.

A JMB operative, identified as Rezaul Karim, from whose house Police recovered 39 bombs after the October 2, 2014 Burdwan blast was arrested by NIA from Sahebganj in Jharkhand. Karim, according to NIA, is a bomb maker and explosives transporter for the outfit.

Two days after the arrest of three alleged IM operatives, along with a cache of explosives, the Bengaluru Police arrested another suspected IM operative, identified as Riyaz Ahmed Sayeedi (32), at the Mangalore International Airport (Mangaluru, Karnataka), just before he was to board a Dubai-bound Jet Airways flight. The arrest comes in the wake of the bomb blast on Church Street in Bengaluru on December 28, 2014. Police suspect that Sayeedi, a resident of Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada District could also be involved in some of the blast cases in different parts of the country.

The Crime Branch officials, headed by Crime Branch officer Sushil Tyagi raided Moradabad city in Uttar Pradesh for sleeping terror modules. According to the Crime Branch officials, the terror modules are gathering information and sending it to their seniors in Kashmir. These modules also provide logistic support to the Pakistani residents during their visit to the area, they claimed. The intelligence sources have claimed that the city is considered to be the hotbed of terrorist activity, and is gaining renown as region that provides easy asylum.

SFs, during a counter-insurgency operation, killed a 'platoon commander', identified as B.Jeblang, of NDFB-IKS at Khalsibazar within Serfanguri Police Station jurisdiction in Kokrajhar District of Assam. The news report stated that Jeblang was involved in the killing of five Adivasis at Pakriguri in Kokrajhar on December 23, 2014 and was also involved in the killing of five Hindi-speaking people in the same District. Inspector General of Police (BTAD) L R Bishnoi said "We have intensified our combing operation in the area. Two NDFB-IKS militants, identified as Genda and Bullet, were also arrested today," Bishnoi said. Four pistols and ammunition were seized from the two rebels.

IGP of south-west range of Odisha Yashwant Jethwa, IG of BSF AK Sharma and Malkangiri SP Mitrabhanu Mohapatra visited the cut off area of Balimela reservoir.

Four armed Maoist cadres, including three women, surrendered in Malkangiri District of Odisha.

A Police constable was killed and three others were grievously injured in an encounter with the CPI-Maoist near Botha village under Hawrai Police Station in Narayanpur District of Chhattisgarh.

The chief of JPC, identified as Guddu Ganjhu (50), was killed at Birhu village under Simaria Police Station limits in Chatra District of Jharkhand. Police suspect one of his aides killed him out of a power struggle within JPC to take over the extremist outfit.

A group of about 20 armed CPI-Maoist cadres attacked a road construction company's camp site at Motipur in Muzaffarpur District of Bihar a little after January 10 midnight and burnt nine heavy vehicles and machineries worth about INR 30 million.

Imphal West District Police commandos arrested a KYKL militant, identified as Philem Robajesh Singh alias Bungcha (37), from Sagolband Moirang Leirak crossing in Imphal West District of Manipur. According to a Police PRO statement, investigation revealed that he had collected extortion money from general public, shopkeepers, clinics and hospitals in Imphal West District.

The BSF arrested an Ivory Coast national, Abba Ezeke (46), for illegally entering India from Bangladesh. The African national was nabbed by the BSF from Langtilla village on the Indo-Bangla border in West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya.

The UMHA is not keen on deployment of 'special commando force' to guard the passenger trains travelling to Naxal-hit regions across India. Sources in the UMHA said "The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has neither rejected nor accepted the suggestions for dedicated commando force to guard commuters." However, sources in the State Government revealed "The Union Home Minister is eliciting views from State Chief Ministers and Home Ministers on the matter. A formal decision would be taken only after considering the views of all State leaders."

The CPI-Maoist allegedly threatened sarpanches and panches of different villages near Badesetty village in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh against participating in panchayat elections scheduled for January-end and February, 2015.

Army arrested a militant along with arms and ammunitions in Kupwara District of J&K. Army sources said that Army's 5/5 GR carried out searches in the forests after reports about infiltration of militants in Tangdhar area. One militant Shoukat Ahmad was arrested during searches. Army recovered one AK, two magazines, 67 AK rounds, one Pakistan made pistol with a magazine, one grenade, one pouch and some eatables including dry fruits from the arrested militant.

Telangana Police began questioning the three suspected IM operatives after a Police source revealed that they had confessed to providing explosives for the Dilsukhnagar bomb blasts in February 21, 2013 (Hyderabad). Sources said that the arrested suspects are being grilled on their financial sources, logistic support, network and main handlers.

SFs recovered a Chinese grenade near BJP district office located in GF Road in Bengenakhowa area in Golaghat town in Golaghat District of Assam. The report adds that the incidence comes a day after a ULFA-I's deadline to disrupt the BJP's meetings aimed at winning the 2016 state Assembly election. "The grenade is a Chinese-made one and powerful. We are already on high alert regarding the warning issued by ULFA-I to attack the BJP's offices and workers and it was because our strict vigil that we have managed to foil the plot of criminals," Additional superintendent of Police Numal Mahato said.

SFs arrested 12 NDFB-IKS militants from three different locations in the forest areas along the Indo-Bhutan border in Chirang District of Assam and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunitions.

Villagers caught hold of and thrashed a 'Sergeant Major' of KRA who allegedly came to extort money from Longa Koireng village in Senapati District of Manipur. Meanwhile, KRA claimed that the apprehended cadre identified as Jamkholet Haokip alias David (28) was a deserter. According to information culled from the spot, David and one accomplice tried to abduct Longa Koireng village chief S Sothel Selsochung. After some thrashing, David was handed over to Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) [apex body of Kuki tribes] leaders who then turned over David to 8- Assam Rifles.

Two AMEF militants killed a gatekeeper, Entison Sangma (30), at Ronkhugre in the West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya. The victim worked at the Mahari gate which lies on the National Highway (NH)-44. "We suspect the killing was for ransom and was the handiwork of AMEF. We launched operations immediately after receiving information but the two are still at large," said Superintendent of Police (SP) of West Khasi Hills, S. Nongtyngnger.

A two-day bilateral meeting between the Deputy Commissioners of the border Districts of Meghalaya and Bangladesh will begin in Shillong on January 12. Sources informed that the Deputy Commissioners of six border Districts of Bangladesh - Netrokona, Sunamganj, Sherpur, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Kurigram - and all the districts of Meghalaya sharing international border with Bangladesh will participate in the meeting. Senior BSF and BGB officials, besides SP s from the border Districts would also attend the meeting. It was informed that the issue of border fencing would be given top priority during the meeting with both sides slated to work out a strategy to clear the bottlenecks for early completion of the Indo-Bangla border fencing work in the Meghalaya sector.

A day after IGP of south-west range, Odisha, Yashwant Jethwa claimed that at least seven CPI-Maoist cadres have been killed in the ongoing 'Operation All Out' jointly launched by the Greyhound unit of Andhra Pradesh Police and the SOG and DVF forces of the Odisha Police, a Maoist leader rebutted the claims of any casualty on their side during the operation. Malkangiri Koraput Border Committee Secretary Ghenu, in an audio message, claimed that two security personnel were injured during a pre-dawn exchange of fire on January 5 at Tumbei-Dejing area near Balimela reservoir in the cut-off areas of Malkangiri District. However, there was zero casualty or injury on the Maoist side, he added.

According to sources in the State Home Ministry, 70% of Maharashtra's coastline is still vulnerable and can be used as landing points by infiltrators at any time. This comes after security agencies recently assessed coastal security after crew members of a Pakistani boat allegedly blew it up when it was intercepted about 356km from Porbandar in Gujarat. Sources said it is the state's 1,020km-long creek line that poses more of a threat to coastal security than the 720km-long coastline. This is because the creek line is diverse and criss-cross according to the regional dimensions, making it difficult to keep a track of vessels, sources said. Also, most of the creeks have a mangrove cover, which lowers visibility, making them easy hideouts.

The URF-Lanheiba group issued a warning to the Police for killing of its two top leaders on January 6 in what it described as "fake encounter". The militant outfit, in a statement, threatened that "kill 20 police commando personnel" to avenge the killing. (Manipur)

The Manipuri Muslim community, known as Meitei Pangal, has demanded compensation for the victims of Meitei-Pangal communal clash in 1993 in the valley areas of the State. "We demand that the government pay compensation for those killed and injured during the Meitei-Pangal clash in May 1993. The Narendra Modi Government has announced INR 500,000 each for the anti-Sikh riot victims. Therefore, we should also be compensated," M.I. Khan, spokesperson for Pangal Political Forum said on January 11.

Police arrested a PREPAK militant, Tonjam Tondon Meitei alias Boicha (30), from Khurai Lamlong Bazar in Imphal East District of Manipur.

Police arrested two PREPAK militant namely Ningthoujam Manglem Singh alias Joychandra (30) and Ningthoujam Uttam Singh (36), from Imphal East District of Manipur in separate incidents. While Ningthoujam Manglem Singh was arrested from Chingambam Leirak Machin in Khurai Telipati Road, Ningthoujam Uttam Singh (36) was arrested from Khuman Lampak area.

Police arrested a ULFA-I militant, identified as Tultul Rabha (20), from Dekachang area of Resubelpara in North Garo Hills District of Meghalaya.

Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire targeting four villages in Hiranagar sector of Kathua District along the IB in J&K. In a bid to help militants' infiltration, Pakistani forces have repeatedly fired at the Indian border outposts this year, resulting in casualties and displacement of many villagers.

Some unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade which landed in front of the Lilong post of 40 Assam Rifles and exploded on Imphal-Moreh Highway in Thoubal District of Manipur. However, there is no report of any casualty.

The CRPF DG Prakash Mishra will review Maoist situation in Odisha.

Pakistan Rangers resorted to unprovoked firing targeting BSF posts along the IB in J&K.

According to the Police officials, four suspected operatives of IM arrested recently were part of a terror module that was used to procure, fabricate and deliver deadly explosives. A top Police official said that the IM operatives transferred money through Hawala channels for funding and at least one of them attended meetings in a foreign country, where a conspiracy was hatched to manufacture and deliver deadly explosives which were probably used for blasts in different parts of the country.

One of the arrested IM operative, Syed Ismail Afaque was the man who assembled and supplied two IEDs used in the Dilsukhnagar bomb blasts in February 21, 2013 (Hyderabad). Top sources confirmed that Afaque, during joint interrogation by the Karnataka Police and the NIA, reportedly confessed that he had designed the IEDs and supplied them to other accused who planted them at Dilsukhnagar and executed the blasts.

Tamil Nadu Police questioned four suspected IM members, who have been arrested on charges of supplying bomb-making material to different parts of the country. The Tamil Nadu Police are ascertaining whether the accused supplied explosives for the bombs on the Bengaluru-Guwahati Superfast Express train in Chennai Railway Station last year. The twin blasts had occurred on the train on May 1, 2014 at the Chennai Central railway station, killing a software engineer on the spot.

Delhi Police's Crime Branch arrested nine persons for allegedly being part of a FICN racket and recovered FICNs of INR 4.05 lakh from them. The accused have been identified as Harlal alias Hira Lal alias Hari lal ((51), Sudeep Shah alias Sandeep alias Sanjeet (23), Kanhaiya Lal (30), Paras Gupta (46), Parmeshwar Kumar alias Pavva (26), Raju Kumar Shah (24) and Toofani Shah (22) and Ashok Ram (28), all hailing from Bihar, and one Radha (35) from Jharkhand. Sources said that the FICNs were brought to India via Bangladesh. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch), Ravindra Yadav said that "We received a tip-off on December 29 last year about Lal and three of his associates assembling at subway at Britannia Chowk in Shakurpur in New Delhi for a deal and laid a trap and arrested them." The rest of the associates were nabbed thereafter.

A letter, purportedly written by banned terror outfit SIMI, has threatened to blow up a marriage hall on Thana railway road in Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. According to a complaint filed by the manager of Agrasen Bhavan, the letter was found on January 1 at the gate and it threatened bombing at gate number 1 and 2, between February 6-10, as it is rented out to 'kafirs' (non-Muslims), sources said. The letter, written in Hindi by someone claiming to belong to SIMI, said the organisation had joined hands with the LeT, and was bracing to launch attacks across India. Police said that prima facie going by the language of the letter, the letter appears to be a hoax, but the Police have nevertheless taken the matter seriously and are investigations are on.

Normal life came to a grinding halt following the 48-hour Karbi Anglong (Assam) bandh (shutdown strike) called by KPLT from 5am on January 11. The militant outfit called the bandh to protest against the killing of its 'deputy commander-in-chief' Kangkan Terang in an encounter with SFs near Rangjangfong under Hamren subdivision of the hill District. Government offices and business institutions remained closed in district headquarters Diphu and two subdivisional headquarters of Bokajan and Hamren during the strike.

The UMHA has issued an official order to resume the fourth official tripartite parley with JACAS to look for a solution to settle the long-standing demand for implementation of Article 244 (A).The meeting is scheduled to be held on January 19 in New Delhi. In the parley, top officials from Assam and Union Government will sit together with JACAS leaders for talks.

SFs arrested 'platoon commander of Belsiri area' "corporal" of NDFB-IKS, Bodosha Narzary alias Bishnu Narzary (28), from Dhemaji District of Assam. During interrogation, Bodosha confessed to his involvement in the carnage at Sonajuli in Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur district and his association in other unlawful activities.

SFs arrested an NDFB-IKS linkman, Subungma Basumatary alias Suresh (37), from Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur District of Assam. L.R. Bishnoi said nearly 50 NDFB-IKS militants have been apprehended and a top leader of the outfit killed in the four BTAD Districts since the operation against the rebel group was intensified.

The NIA will take three militants of the NDFB-IKS; arrested from Chirang District on January 11, into custody to interrogate them in connection with the killing of minorities in the BTAD (Assam) in May, 2014. The militants are Swmkwr Basumatary alias B. Simang (27), Surjoy Goyari alias G. Sujulang (25) and Joleswar Basumatary alias B. Jakhrup (29) into custody in connection with cases RC-01/2014 and RC-02 2014 registered at the agency's Guwahati branch.

Government sources stated that NDFB-IKS 'Deputy Army Chief' G. Bidai alias Bishnu Goyari, one of the mastermind behind the December 23 Adivasi massacre, had discussed the possibility of talks with the State Government nearly a week ahead of the killing, report. The discussions failed and an encounter on December 21, 2014 resulted in a massacre by Bidai's men. Sources here said Bidai had been sending feelers on coming to the negotiation table for some time, which prompted the Assam Police to explore the opportunity of getting the entire group. (Assam)

A powerful IED weighing around five Kilograms was detected at the foot of a tree just opposite to the main gate of 40- AR D-Coy post at Lilong in Thoubal District of Manipur.

Imphal West District Police commandos arrested one OWG of URF-Lanheiba from Wahengbam Leikai Jiri parking in Imphal West District of Manipur. The OWG was identified as Khwairakpam Brojendro Singh alias Brojen (39).Investigation revealed that he had collected party fund from the general public and businessmen in the name of URF-Lanheiba and also given shelter to the cadres of URF in his house.

Troops of 16 -AR troopers arrested one KNA cadre, identified as Jangmang Haokip (41), from P Khunonphai village in Senapati District of Manipur. Five demand letters were recovered from his possession.

Members of a bi-lateral conference between the border Districts of Meghalaya and Bangladesh agreed to enhance mutual co-operation in checking trans-border crimes, illegal trespassing and smuggling of contraband items. The Deputy Commissioners of six border Districts of Bangladesh - Netrokona, Sunamganj, Sherpur, Mymensingh, Sylhet, Jamalpur and Kurigram - and all the districts of Meghalaya sharing international border with Bangladesh had participated in the meeting. On the number of militant camps in Bangladesh, Sylhet DC, Shahidul Islam said there was no specific statistics. "In general, it is found that there are miscreants crossing the border illegally. But we are totally against any militant activities and we never shelter them," he clarified, assuring India of Bangladesh's help in flushing out Indian militants taking shelter in their soil.

The Deputy Commissioners of Sylhet and Kurigram of Bangladesh denied that India-based militants were been sheltered in Bangladesh. "We are totally against militant activities. We never give shelter to any militant group," Shahidul Islam, DC of Sylhet said. In addition, DC of Kurigram District ABM Azad asserted that if there is any information from India, stern action against such militant group(s) would be taken. He added that criminals are criminals and have no territory or country.

AR personals arrested an arms peddler; Moa (40), from his house located in general area of Ward No. 6 in Chumukedima in Dimapur District of Nagaland.

Three suspected CPI-Maoist cadres were killed during a three hour long encounter with SFs at Bukar village under Chauparan Police Station area in Hazaribag District of Jharkhand.

An 'area commander' of the PLFI identified as Sonaram Sundi was arrested from Badlagya village in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand.

The CRPF DG Prakash Mishra reviewed operation of the para­military forces in Naxal-hit southern Districts of Odisha. Mishra reached the CRPF camp at Chandrapur in Rayagada District and met some of the personnel engaged in the anti- CPI-Maoist operation. He said there would be a change of strategies to counter the Maoist threat in Odisha. "As part of the strategy, it has been decided that CRPF camps would be withdrawn from the areas where the Maoist activities have declined and redeployed in areas where the red rebels are more active," Mishra said briefing newsmen in Bhubaneswar. Barring Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Sunabeda and Nuapada areas, Naxal activities in the State are now negligible, he said. "CRPF would take up special measures in the four Maoist-prone areas in the state with special focus on Nuapada district and Sunabeda in Koraput district," Mishra added. He also informed that CRPF camps would be withdrawn from Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Ganjam Districts where the Maoist activities have come down drastically.

The Deverakonda Police unearthed a CPI-Maoist dump on the outskirts of Kambalapalli village under Chandampet mandal in Nalgonda District of Telangana.

In a joint combing operation, Bihar Police and CRPF personnel arrested four TPC cadres identified as Jokham Singh, Singhasas Yadav, Mohammad Amaluddin and Salya, from Rohtas District and recovered a huge cache of arms.

A primary charge-sheet was filed in Berhampur Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate court in Ganjam District by the Police against OMP leader Sabyasachi Panda after almost six months of his arrest in the city.

There are no signs of CPI-Maoist activity in any part of 'The Nilgiris', however, vigil has been stepped up on account of the presence of Maoists across the border in Kerala, said ADG, Law and Order, TK Rajendran at Pandhalur near Gudalur.

Jharkhand stands to get road and bridge infrastructure worth INR 6.4 billion from the Centre's Road Requirement Plan (RRP), an ambitious strategy to combat Naxalism- by linking remote areas that serve as LWE hideouts.

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag said that Pakistan is continuing to support "proxy war" in J&K. "Pakistan is supporting proxy war in Jammu and Kashmir despite suffering casualties within their country. Threats and challenges have been growing, both in intensity as well as commitment, because of active borders that we have." Talking about the recent attacks against the Army in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, "The recent strikes by the terrorists not only reflect their desperation but are also a grim reminder that the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan is intact."

According to sources, the four suspected IM operatives arrested in Karnataka last week had planned synchronized blasts in Delhi, Hyderabad and Bengaluru on January 26 as the US President Barack Obama is visiting India as the chief guest at this year's Republic Day ceremony in Delhi. Timed for 7.30 am, the blasts were meant to cause massive loss of life and property. One of the accused had been in constant touch with IM handlers on social media, according to the source. The handlers, hailing from Saudi Arabia, had discussed how to spread jihad across India and had allegedly exchanged contact numbers of youth who wished to join the terror outfit. In December, Syed Ismail Afaque, a homeopathic doctor arrested in Bengaluru, had met a second rung IM handler in Sharjah and allegedly discussed plans to carry out the attacks on Republic Day.

The four suspected IM operatives may be grilled in the presence of the outfit's southern commander Yasin Bhatkal, currently in a Delhi jail. Sources in the NIA Delhi wing said that "Yasin is a key person in many terror acts. We'll keep asking these suspects questions to get the right picture of what happened." This comes in the backdrop of reports that the four arrests were made following disclosures by Yasin.

SFs arrested the 'second lieutenant' and "chief recruiting officer", Enon Bargoyary alias Erkhang (30) 'platoon commander of Amteka', Rinen Basumatary alias Majhi (30), from a forested area in Amteka on the Indo-Bhutan border in Chirang District of Assam. He is also very close to the I.K. Songbijit, 'commander-in-chief' G. Bidai and his 'deputy commander-in-chief' K. Batha, sources said. Rinen Basumatary had surrendered after the Operation All Clear in 2003 but rejoined the NDFB-IKS two years back, the sources said. IGP- BTAD L.R. Bishnoi said an AK-47 rifle, an AK-56 rifle, two 7.65mm pistols, two magazines, a grenade and 219 live ammunitions were seized from them.

SFs arrested six more NDFB-IKS militants from unidentified locations in Assam. The arrested militants were identified as Pranjit Basumatary (19), Kerkho Mushahary (21), Pribol Chumpamari (21), Milan Basumatary (28), Anjalus Basumatary (27) and Pradit Swargoyary (26).

SFs arrested six militants of UGPO, from different locations in Baska and Udalguri Districts of Assam. Police sources said six persons including UGPO 'commander-in-chief' Suraj Magor, 'chairman' Lal Bahadur Tamang, 'vice-chairman' Suresh Ghimire and two cadres Arjun Chetri and Birkha Bahadur Limbu were arrested from different locations in two Districts.

Leaders of now disbanded militant formation DHD-N sought a CBI inquiry into the recent killing of its former 'general secretary', Rajesh Naiding. (Assam)

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh reiterated that there will be no talks with militant outfits that indulge in violence, though doors are open for parleys with others.

SFs launched a search operation following information about the presence of valley based cadres and Kuki militants from Old Laljang village in Senapati District of Manipur resulting the arrest of four militants. A source said that of the four arrested UG cadres, two of them are KNO/KNA militants while the remaining two are from URF-Lanheiba. Full details are awaited as the operation continued till the time of filing the report.

SFs arrested a UNLF militant, identified as Hemam Premananda Singh alias Heingamba (31), at Moirang Lamkhai area Bishnupur District of Manipur.

SFs arrested of a person, Mohammad Indra Rahaman (43), from Wangoi bazar in Imphal West District of Manipur.

India and Bangladesh agreed to approach telecom operators in their countries for a system to jam mobile phone signals on either side of the border to curb trans-boundary crimes. "The ability of miscreants and militants to communicate with their accomplices on the other side of the border by using Bangladesh SIM cards is a big concern for India," East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal told reporters in Shillong in Meghalaya.

The 'southern commander' of ASAK, Dimsrang M Sangma alias Nawal, surrendered before the DIG BSF-Tura sector headquarters in West Garo Hills District of Meghalaya. The militant handed over a 9 mm pistol with two magazines and eight live rounds along with a Motorola wireless communication handset. "He confessed that he was one of the organizing members at the time of ASAK's formation by former GNLA 'finance secretary' Reding T Sangma," revealed BSF sources.

The DC/DM of the bordering Districts (Meghalaya, India) and Bangladesh have proposed to constitute a Joint Border Coordination Committee to strengthen security along the porous Indo-Bangladesh border. This was decided on the concluding day of the two-day bilateral conference of DC/DM of Meghalaya (India) and Bangladesh held in Shillong."This proposal will be placed before both the Indian and Bangladesh governments for a final decision," East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal said, while briefing news persons on the resolutions and proposals agreed upon by the two sides.

The Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has convened a Chief Ministers' conference in Raipur of eight Naxal-hit States to resolve the bottlenecks in construction of road networks in worst-affected Districts. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had taken up improvement of road connectivity in the 34 worst LWE--affected Districts, covering a total length of 5,477 km.

An active member of the Galikonda 'area committee' of the CPI-Maoist, identified as Pangi Bhaskara Rao, was arrested at Chintapalli mandal while a member of the Kalimela 'area committee', identified as Korra Santhi, who was active in Malkangiri District of Odisha till recently and 11 militia members from Pedavalasa area surrendered before the Police in Vishakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh.

Kerala Forest Protective Staff Association has urged the State Government to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of forest rangers and other officials against the backdrop of reports confirming CPI-Maoist presence in the State.

The Karimnagar District Police of Telangana have foiled the attempt of the CPI-Maoist to revive party activities in the District with the arrest one Maoist and two of his associates. The Maoist was identified as Botla Rajendra Kumar (48), and the other two are Sunil Kumar (53), an illegal arms dealer from Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), and his assistant Vikas Kumar (31).

Maharashtra Government is giving a big push to infrastructure development in Naxal affected districts and will also provide additional benefits to civil contractors and employees working there. The State Government has lined up INR 3,942 billion worth of projects in the LWE affected areas to improve connectivity.

Visakhapatnam District Police is upgrading the existing Police Stations in the District to make them attack-proof against CPI-Maoist. Work is under way at the Police Stations in Chintapalli, GK Veedhi and Hukumpeta. "At Chintapalli and GK Veedhi, about 80 per cent of the work is over. At Hukumpeta, we are midway through. They should be ready in a couple of months," said SP Visakhapatnam, Koya Praveen.

The Bokaro Police and the 26th battalion of the CRPF recovered a powerful cane-bomb planted on a railway track under the Gomia Police Station of the District. The cane-bomb was detected and defused by an anti-bomb squad.

Congress leader Mahendra Karma, who spearheaded the anti-CPI-Maoist movement in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, was the main target of Maoists during the massive attack unleashed by them at Jheeram Valley that killed frontline Congress leaders in May 25, 2013, NIA stated in its final charge-sheet.

A top LeT militant, identified as Abu Sufiyaz was killed in a fierce gun battle in Sopore town of Baramulla District of J&K. A Defense spokesman said that based on specific intelligence about presence of militants in Sofi Hamam Chankhan area of the Sopore town, a joint operation was launched by Rashtriya Rifles units of Army and the Police, resulting into killing of one militant and recovery of one AK 47 rifle, 3 magazines, 89 rounds of ammunition, one UBGL, three UBGL rounds and other war like stores.

To gather evidence against alleged JMB member Rejaul Karim, who was arrested in connection with Burdwan blast (October 2, 2014) case, the NIA is now approaching forensic imagery experts to positively identify him as one of the JMB members seen in a video clip of a training session at the Simulia madrasa in Burdwan in West Bengal. Rejaul has allegedly confessed that he attended the session, and that he can be seen on the edges of the frame in the clip shown to him by interrogators. However, only one side of his body is visible, while his face is not seen. NIA sources said they were sending the clip for digital enhancement and forensic analysis to positively identify Rejaul from any distinguishing features on his limbs.

One of the three Kalyan (Mumbai, Maharashtra) youths fighting with ISIS in Iraq and Syria is learnt to have died in a battle recently. According to the report Shaheen Tanki, a close friend of arrested ISIS operative Arib Majeed, is learnt to have died fighting in Iraq. However, Intelligence agencies are now verifying the information.

The NIA in its report to the Home Ministry said that a group of SIMI terror suspects who have been dodging intelligence agencies since their escape from Khandwa jail in Madhya Pradesh in October 2013 are believed to be involved in the Bengaluru Church Street bombing on December 28, 2014. The report said that the suspects, weeks before they struck at Bengaluru, had also planted an explosive in Roorkee in Haridwar District of Uttarakhand on December 6, 2014 to target BJP MLA Sangeet Som to allegedly take revenge for the Muzaffarnagar riots. In its report, the NIA has also pointed out that Shaikh Mehboob (25), Amjad (25), Mohammed Aslam (26), Mohammed Aijajuddin (30) and Zakir Hussain (32) were members of the banned SIMI and believed to be involved in the Pune Ganesh temple blast in July 10, 2014 and the Guwahati-Bengaluru express blast at Chennai in May 1, 2014. They had also attempt to create an explosive in UP's Bijnore in September 12, 2014. The NIA has based its assessment on the similarity in the explosives and detonators analysed in context of intelligence inputs.

As India prepares to roll out red carpet to US President Barack Obama as the chief guest during the Republic Day parade, PM's Office and UMHA are finalising an elaborate agenda to address Indian concerns in the homeland security dialogue with their US counterparts. According to the report, the two countries are looking forward to hold in-depth exchange of views on common areas of interest and collaboration to further mutual counterterrorism goals that includes checking the spread of ISIS and al Qaeda which recently announced its new wing, AQIS. India is also banking on US for building capacity in cyber security and critical infrastructure protection to counter threats and keep terrorist at bay.

SFs arrested a 'platoon commander', identified as Pradeep Brahma, of the NDFB-IKS from Goalpara District of Assam.

The Army arrested two RVA militants, identified as Ful Kumar Rabha and Bishwajit Rabha, from Kokrajhar District of Assam.

SFs detected a powerful remote controlled IED weighing around one kilogram under a culvert at Sikibung Lamkhai on NH-202 (Imphal-Ukhrul road) under Litan Police Station in Ukhrul District of Manipur.

The identities of the five militants who were arrested by SFs on January 13 have been established. SFs during a search operation at Kalijang village near Taphou Kuki village in Senapati District of Manipur arrested the militants. Of the five arrested persons, one cadre is from the URF-Lanheiba while the remaining four are KRA/ KNO cadres.

'Publicity secretary' of KRA, T Simte refuted the report that four URF [URF-Lanheiba] cadres were arrested in the joint operation on January 13. He clarified that three of the arrested men are cadres of KRA while the fourth one is an innocent driver. There is no camp of the URF at Taphou Kuki, he further clarified.(Manipur)

SFs arrested a UNLF militant, 'Lance Corporal' Thangjam Premkumar Singh alias Chingkheihunba alias Pishak (35), from Lairenpat road in Imphal East District of Manipur.

ENPO appealed to "all the national workers to call back armed cadres if any in the effected villages and Tuensang Town to avoid any unwarranted situation", to bring peace and tranquility in Tuensang District in Nagaland. Earlier, clashes between Yimchunger and Chang tribes from Chendang Saddle and Yakhao village under Tuensang district on January 8. In a press release, ENPO 'vice president' C. Sashi Naga also urged the District administration and security forces, to instruct patrolling personnel "to frisk and check any person" roaming around in suspicious manner.

Joint team of Police and NIA arrested three militants of NDFB-IKS from Kohima District of Nagaland. The arrested militants were identified as ' commander of 3rd battalion', Ajoi Basumatary alias B Buhum (32); ' forest secretary', Dilip Basumatary alias Bir Baisa (40) and ' deputy commander' 14th battalion, Khamrei Basumatary alias udla (35).

A self-styled 'area commander' of the Tritiya Prastuti Committee-2 and one of his close aides were arrested from Barkakhad village under Chainpur Police Station limits of Palamau District of Jharkhand.

Kerala Congress (M) leader and Government Chief Whip PC George while speaking to media persons in Thrissur District said that the State Government should end its CPI-Maoist hunt.

The District Court at Palakkad directed the prosecution to submit solid documents or findings, if any, by January 20 to substantiate the police charge against two college students that they formed part of a Maoist outfit. The students were arrested on charges of attacking outlets of KFC and McDonald's in Palakkad in the last week of December.

The NHRC has dubbed the 'praja court' of CPI-Maoist a 'drama' and slammed the Odisha Police for failing to protect a home guard who was 'convicted' in one such 'kangaroo court' before being lynched to death in Malkangiri District of Odisha on September 5, 2014.

Jharkhand Police arrested two PLFI cadres from Rangamati village under Muffasil Police Station in West Singhbhum District of Jharkhand.

Indicating a tough stance of the newly-installed government in Jharkhand when it comes to tackling LWE, Chief Secretary Sajal Chakarabarty said that the fight against LWE is like war and promised to end all LWE activities in three months' time. He was speaking at a press conference organised at the Police Headquarters in Ranchi. He said "There is no time to surrender now. That train has left the station. If you want to get in, run and try." "In three months, there will be no active Naxal activity here. For me, the best Naxalite is a dead Naxalite," he added.

Five militants of JeM and HM, including a JeM group commander, Abu Toiba, a Pakistani national, were killed in a gun battle in the Kellar forests of Shopian District of J&K. Other slain militants were identified as Shakeel Ahmed Wani alias Master, Tahir Ahmed Shah, Parvaiz Ahmed Wagay and Ishfaq Ahmad Wani. Police said that Abu Toiba was instrumental in orchestrating militant attacks in South Kashmir. Three AK-47 rifles, one SLR, one Chinese pistol, magazines, ammunition and other war like stores were recovered from their possession.

GOC, 16 Corps, Lieutenant General Konsam Himalay Singh said that 200 heavily-armed militants were waiting in 36 launching pads across the LoC on the other side of Pir Panjal range. He said that Pakistan-based militants will try to sneak into India and attack soft targets in J&K like schools, religious places and civilian areas ahead of US President Barack Obama's three-day visit to the country on January 25. Singh said 44 terrorist training camps were functional across the border in Pakistan administered Kashmir and added 15 unsuccessful infiltration bids were made in 2014.

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on the occasion of 67th Army Day said that the fragile peace in J&K was achieved at a great cost, together we need to build on our gains. Referring to J&K, the Army Chief said that the security situation there, though stable, requires consolidation. He further said that the handsome voter turnout in the just-concluded election in the State, the highest ever for Assembly elections, reflects the trust of the people in the security system.

Ahead of the Republic Day parade during which US President Barack Obama will be the chief guest, Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi has warned of possible terror attacks in the National Capital by means of paragliders or drones. In a recent meeting, Bassi informed all the Police personnel to be cautious about possible aerial attacks in their areas. Bassi also ordered the Police personnel to shoot if they found any suspicious drone in their areas. Bassi also told his force that there are specific intelligence inputs about possible terror attack on Delhi-Kabul flight, Lahore-Amritsar bus, Lahore-Delhi bus and Samjhauta Express, two prominent five-star hotels situated in New Delhi District area, private international school in Delhi and the embassies, especially the US embassy in Chanakyapuri area.

Security agencies in Mumbai have gone into high alert mode after two hand written notes scribbled on the wall inside the Mumbai airport found on January 15 evening warned of a terror attack by ISIS on Republic Day. According to the reports, the two notes with ISIS names on them teasingly ask: "ISIS 26/01/2015 is BOM ok' (with a plane drawn next to it)". The notes were found in two toilets, meant for males, by a cleaner.

A team of NIA reached Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh to collect information about some absconding members of the banned SIMI. According to reports, NIA team went to the Nizamabad Police station to collect information about Abu Shad and Shah Alam, the natives of Fariha village for some case lodged in 2007. The NIA sources said that despite the ban imposed on SIMI in 2001 it conducted membership campaign in Kerala in 2007. The intelligence agencies had identified 38 such persons of the district out of whom some are absconding. The NIA team wanted to go to the village, but they were advised not to go there, as it may cause tension in the locality.

India is "well-prepared" to thwart any possible terror strike on "soft targets" in J&K and elsewhere with the intention to create trouble ahead of US President Barack Obama's January 24-26 visit, said Defence minister Manohar Parrikar. "They (terrorist) may try to do something to create news. But we are well-prepared," said Parrikar. Parrikar also ruled out any resumption of the bilateral composite dialogue process with Pakistan till it actually takes concrete action against anti-India terror outfits operating from its soil.

SFs arrested two suspected NDFB-IKS linkmen from Lawdangi under Dhekiajuli Police Station in Sonitpur District of Assam. Police sources said the duo was identified as Lakhi Basumatary alias Faila and Debasri Mochahari. A grenade and eight rounds of live cartridges of M16 rifle and a money receipt book were recovered from them.

Some unidentified militants attacked the 20 AR camp located within Machi sub-division of Chandel District of Manipur, injuring two AR personnel. The injured personals were identified as Naib Subedar Bahadur Sunar and T Chentya were hurt in the attack and they were evacuated to the Red Shield Division's military hospital at Leimakhong, informed a source adding that details are being awaited.

A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Laldeep Singh Kharwar, and three PLFI cadres active in Latehar, Garhwa and Khunti District surrendered at Dhurwa Police Headquarters in Ranchi District of Jharkhand coinciding with the visit of K. Vijay Kumar, Senior Security Adviser of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.

SFs arrested two NSCN-IM militants with arms in Lilen Kuki village in Peren in Nagaland. The two militants were identified as Thanglun and Lettin Pao. SFs recovered a point 22 Rifle, one 12 Bore Gun and assorted ammunitions from them.

SF arrested a top LeT commander from Sopore of Baramulla District of J&K. Police and Army arrested the militant commander from the house of a village headman in Sangarhama area of Sopore. Police also arrested the village headman Farooq Ahmad Bhat. The LeT commander has been identified as Zulfikar Ahmad Mughal (24) alias Akhtar Hussain alias Amir Maviya of Gulshan Iqbal, Karachi in Pakistan. Police also recovered one AK-47 rifle, five magazines, three hand grenades and a pouch.

The Hyderabad Police arrested a 32-year-old US-returned engineering graduate, identified as Salman Moinuddin at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (Hyderabad) while he was allegedly on his way to Syria to join ISIS along with his girlfriend, who is based in Dubai. Police said that Salman Moinuddin, the would-be militant, is also an active recruiter for ISIS. Counter-Intelligence wing of the Telangana State Intelligence said they had been tracking Moinuddin through his online activities and nabbed him no sooner did he land at the airport. It were the central intelligence agencies that had tipped off the state officials about Moinuddin, they added. According to Police, Moinuddin had planned to join his girlfriend Ayesha in Dubai from where they were to proceed to Syria via Turkey and establish links with ISIS militants.

Bengaluru Police detained a fifth person in connection with its investigation into revived activities of the IM terror outfit. The detained man was identified by sources as Abdullah Shabandri, a resident of the coastal town of Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada District of Karnataka, who has been working in Bengaluru. Sources said he was an associate in the activities of four others who were arrested by the Bengaluru Police last week. "He has only been detained for questioning," Police sources said, clarifying that no fresh arrest had been made.

A senior official said that a Pakistan UAV conducted recce along the Indo-Pakistan Border in three bordering Districts of Jammu region. The senior official said "A Pakistan UAV was noticed last evening (January 15) along the border in Kathua, Samba and Jammu belts." He further said that the UAV was also noticed flying on the bordering belts along the IB by the locals and some of the BSF troops. Though the UAV was flying 200 meters away from the IB but still covered Kathua, Samba, R S Pura and Akhnoor areas.

The Mumbai Metro has been put on high alert after a specific alert from the IB indicating a threat of a possible terror strike on the city's only metro line, which runs between Versova and Ghatkopar. The alert was sent after the technical intelligence unit picked up a mobile phone conversation in which the plot was discussed. IB sources said that two persons living in Andheri West, who are part of the alleged plot, have been identified. Both the suspects were questioned by the Maharashtra ATS and the crime branch. While the names of the individuals have been withheld as the probe in ongoing, the police stations concerned have been informed about the threat, said officials.

SFs arrested two militants of NDFB-IKS from Gauripur under Bijni Police Station in Chirang District of Assam. The arrested cadres were identified as Suwambam Basumatary and Toten Basumatary. SFs recovered a hand grenade from the duo.

The counter-insurgency operation against the NDFB-IKS militants has spread from the India-Bhutan and Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border areas to Assam-Meghalaya and India-Myanmar borders. With the SFs cracking down on the Bodo rebels in the India-Bhutan and Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border areas, the militants are now trying to slip into Bangladesh and Myanmar through Meghalaya and Manipur, respectively.

Normal life was paralyzed in Dima Hasao District of Assam in the wake of a 48-hour bandh (shutdown strike) beginning. The bandh, called by the HPWS, an NGO formed by the ex-militants of the disbanded militant outfit DHD-N, would end at 5 AM on January 18. All schools, colleges, commercial establishments, markets, offices, banks, post office, transport remained closed in the district but no untoward incident has been reported so far, a district police officer said.

Former militants of the ANVC and the ANVC-B under the banner of the AMS have sought the dissolution of the current Executive Committee of the GHADC and requested that their leaders be given a chance to manage the extended term of the Council. (Meghalaya)

Two persons were arrested and about 2000 rounds of ammunition seized by the Special Branch of the Mizoram police at Phunchawng village near Aizawl in Aizawl District of Mizoram. On January 16, Laldinnghaka (28) of Lawngtlai district and Rohmingthanga (38) of Tanhril near Aizawl, were arrested and a total of 1,986 rounds of ammunition of US-made M-16 rifle were seized, police said. The seizure was made following a raid of a taxi parked in Phunchawng village. Police said the accused claimed the ammunition was smuggled from Myanmar to be sold to insurgents in Bangladesh.

Suspense over the death toll of CPI-Maoist cadres in an encounter with Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh Police and Odisha Special Operations Group (SOG) in Koraput District on January 5 continues. Bodies were not recovered and the death toll varies from five to seven.

Addressing the 21st meeting of Eastern Zonal Council in Patna, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said "The Maoist [Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist)] problem is the biggest internal security problem the country is facing today and to challenge this menace there should be better coordination between the Centre and the State governments."

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das said his Government will "rise to the challenge" posed by insurgents and "decimate extremism and CPI-Maoist violence in the state within six months".

Karnataka State Government is actively pursuing the release of the surrendered Naxalite-Noor Zulfikar.

Merging Chintoor mandal along with six other mandals of Khammam District of Telangana that face submersion due to Polavaram project into the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh received criticism from locals and it also makes the task of controlling activities of CPI-Maoist much tougher for the Police.

Seven CPI-Maoist sympathisers surrendered before authorities in Chhattisgarh.

A Policeman was killed while a civilian injured when militants fired upon them in Kulgam District of J&K. The killed Police man was identified as Zahoor Ahmad Dar, posted as a PSO to MLA-elect of Homeshalibugh constituency in Kulgam. Police said that a civilian, Zahoor Ahmad Elahi was also injured in the attack but is stable.

The Sikh militant Jagtar Singh Tara, killer of former Punjab CM Beant Singh and chief of KTF who was extradited from Thailand on January 16, was remanded in five days' Police custody by a court in Patiala (Punjab) in connection with the murder of Rulda Singh, the chief of Rashtriya Sikh Sangat. Tara was brought by a team of Punjab Police after being extradited from Bangkok. Tara had escaped from jail along with Jagtar Singh Hawara, Paramjit Singh Bheora and Devi Singh. Hawara and Bheora were later arrested, but Tara and Devi Singh reportedly fled to Pakistan. According to Thailand authorities, Tara entered Thailand as Gurmeet Singh on a Pakistan passport in October, and was arrested in the eastern Province of Chon Buri living in the home of a Pakistani national who has also been taken into custody.

Unidentified persons hurled a bomb near an oil pump at Moirang in Bishnupur District of Manipur. A person was injured in this incidence where a patrol team of JKLI troopers was also present.

The apex civil organizations of 'Eastern Nagaland' have declared the Districts of Tuensang, Mon, Longleng, and Kiphire (Nagaland) as "No tax zone on teaching community" on account of "the poor educational stagnancy and economic condition" the region,.

In a press statement, ENSF appealed to all the NPGs' [militant groups] not to misunderstand the concept of freeing the teaching community from paying tax. "It is never a deviation from our political demand and vision. Neither is it a force to restrain or abstain from collecting tax. Rather it is a heralding call to all the NPGs to come forward in building a strong Naga nation by imparting good education today." (Nagaland)

According to a report, the Centre had lauded the increase in the number of surrenders by CPI-Maoist cadres in Chhattisgarh and termed it a major achievement but recent intelligence reports have revealed that several of them were not genuine. Sources said the Intelligence Bureau is unhappy with the manner in which the surrenders are taking place and has discussed the same with the CRPF, the force entrusted with the mandate of combating Maoist insurgency.

A jawan of the STF, identified as constable Mahendra Singh was killed in an encounter with Maoists in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh. Sukma ASP Santosh Singh said that "A team of the STF and district police came under fire from the Maoists near Kondare village under Gadiras police station at around 3 p.m. when they were returning from a routine patrolling. The firing continued for next one hour. One STF constable died in the incident." There was no report of casualty on the Maoists' side.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed two villagers in a Kangaroo court after branding them as police informers in Narayanpur District of Chhattisgarh.

Kin of frontline Congress leaders killed in May 25, 2013 Maoist attack have described the NIA probe as 'pedestrian' saying that the premier agency overlooked all aspects pertaining to security lapses that led to the massacre in tribal Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

CPI-Maoist cadres retaliated to the killing of one of its senior leaders Sharath and a militia member near Korukonda shandy on October 19, 2014, after it killed a native of Veeravaram village Sanjeeva Rao, by destroying an ashram of Sanjeeva Rao's spiritual guru Simhachalam at Gurramveedhi village in G. Madugula mandal administrative unit.

Pro-CPI-Maoist banners and graffiti asking people to fight against Kasturirangan report on Western Ghats and protect the forest ranges appeared in Shedimane village of Kundapur in Udupi District of Karnataka.

A former Maoist cadre identified as Noor Zulfikar who was remanded in judicial custody after he returned to the mainstream on December 9, 2014 was released on bail in Chikkamagaluru District of Karnataka.

All big operations in LWE ­hit states, which require large-scale mobilisation of SFs, will be cleared after approvals from the CRPF headquarters. CRPF DG Prakash Mishra has taken the decision to monitor first­hand important SFs offensives in the LWE grid after he recently toured some of the worst Maoist violence affected states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha.

Five persons were reportedly arrested in connection with the CPI-Maoist attack on an Ashramam in G. Madugula mandal in Visakhapatnam District of Andhra Pradesh. Armed Maoists led a few hundred militia members and sympathisers in the attack on the Ashramam, belonging to one Simhachalam who escaped from being tried at a Praja court (Kangaroo Court). Simhachalam escaped after his supporters and others reportedly lynched to death a Maoist leader Sharath.

SFs arrested a PREPAK-pro'corporal' Sagolsem Bairen Singh alias Ratan, at Thoubal in Manipur.

SFs arrested a KCP cadre, Heikrujam Joychand Singh alias Joy t Lamlai Awang Leikai in Imphal East in Manipur.

SF personnel killed two 'divisional commanders' of LeT and JeM during an operation in Saidpora village of Sopore in Baramulla District of J&K. A Police spokesman while giving details about the operation said that Sopore Police along with 22 RR of Army and 177 Battalion of CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Saidpora village. The militants fired upon the joint search party, triggering an encounter in which two militants were killed. Two Pakistani militants Asadullah of LeT and Ramzan of JeM were killed in the gun battle. There was no collateral damage to any person or property during the operation. Two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, 140 rounds and one pistol were recovered from them.

Ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to India, the US has asked Pakistan to ensure that there is no cross-border terror incident during the trip and subtly warned of "consequences" if any such attack is traced back to the country. Obama will travel to New Delhi later this week to attend the Republic Day parade on January 26, the first US president to do so. The warning has been issued keeping the track record of Pakistan-based militant groups that have carried out attacks in India coinciding with high-profile visits from the US

Investigations have revealed that the four IM operatives, arrested last week from Bhatkal in Karnataka, had supplied explosives for all the bomb blasts carried out by the outfit in the country since 2008. Report said that the group, being called the 'explosives module' of IM, led by Saleem Ismael Ashfaque, was not known to any agency till now as it took explosives delivery orders directly from Riyaz Bhatkal in Pakistan. Sources said Ashfaque, known very well to Riyaz Bhatkal, used to procure ammonium nitrate used in stone quarries and mines in the Karnataka region. He is also said to have travelled to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, said a source, adding that he must have met Riyaz Bhatkal there. An officer said Ashfaque, is a close friend of Pakistan-based Riyaz and used to take orders directly from him through phone or Nimbuzz chats, before delivering it to the operational modules run by Yasin Bhatkal. More than 70 IM members have been arrested since 2008 but nobody ever revealed the identity of the explosives supplier. The group is believed to have supplied ammonium nitrate and other related articles to operational units for the various attacks in the country since the 2008 Delhi blast.

Police arrested a suspected KLO militant, Govinda Roy, from Golokganj area of Dhubri District of Assam. The militant was arrested on charges of serving extortion notes to businessmen of the District.

At least one AR personal was reportedly injured when militant suspect ambushed a camp of the 44 AR at Nambisa area under Phungyar sub-division of Ukhrul District of Manipur.

Some unidentified persons lobbed a hand grenade at Dr Thokchom Dillipkumar (50), Chairman of the Board of Directors, Imphal Urban Cooperative Bank Limited at his Koirou Mamang Leikai in Imphal West District of Manipur.

PREPAK-Pro has claimed responsibility for the attack against troops of 44 Assam Rifles at Nambisa of Ukhrul District of Manipur. The militant formation also claimed grenade attack at the Lilong post of 40 AR on January 11 and for the grenade attack against a patrol team of JKLI at Ngangkhalawai.

The GNLA has made an announcement on Facebook, a social networking site, that its 'chairman', Champion Sangma who is in Shillong jail since 2012, had resigned from the outfit. It also said the outfit is yet to receive any official letter from Champion Sangma on his resignation from the outfit. GNLA is a Meghalaya based outfit fighting for a separate Garoland State. (Meghalaya)

The information was made public by the 'public relations secretary', Garo Mandei Ch. Marak. The post also says the outfit had constituted a 15-member committee of which three are serving jail terms. The chairman's post has been kept vacant. The post on Facebook said the outfit would appoint a chairman if it is invited by the state government or the Centre for peace talks. The 15-member committee is being termed as "decision-making Body". The key members include "vice-chairman" Mikim Marak, "commander-in-chief" Wegara Shira alias Sohan D. Shira, "deputy commander-in-chief" Toding Marak, "general secretary" Raka Marak, "finance secretary" Rakkam Ch. Marak, "foreign secretary" Millam Marak, "political secretary" Bikdot Nikjang Marak, among others. Wegara, alias Shira, has been heading the outfit after Champion's arrest. (Meghalaya)

A CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Joru, was killed during an encounter with SFs in Ghatsila Sub-Division of East Singhbhum District of Jharkhand. A Police officer who is the bodyguard of ASP was also injured. A pistol and five live cartridges were recovered from his possession.

The Maoists called for a bandh in Jharkhand and Bihar in protest against the death of its cadres who were killed during an encounter in Hazaribagh District on January 12. The shutdown had an impact in Latehar District where no public transport or heavy vehicles were seen plying on National Highway 75 and 99.

Britain has warned India about possible terror attack by ISIS and said all efforts must be taken to check activities of the Middle East terrorist group. British officials have conveyed this to their Indian counterparts at the India-UK Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group meeting held in London on January 15-16. An Indian official said that "We have asked Britain to be alert about possible attack by LeT there. Britain in turn has warned us that an attack by ISIS could take place in India."

BSF has strengthened its position with deployment of 1200 additional personnel along the IB and intensifying 24×7 patrolling all along the border including the riverine belt where the fencing was not complete. This was in view of the latest advisory by the UMHA and IB to guard against all possibilities of infiltration attempts by the militants both along the IB and LoC in the State ahead of US President Barrack Obama's Republic Day visit in the country.

According to statistics from the NCRB, in the three years up to 2013, registered cases of cyber crime in India were up 350%, from 966 to 4,356. Report said that as cyber crime rises, there are indications that the criminal-justice system is unable to cope, with a minuscule percentage of convictions reported, although there is no reliable, nationwide data. "Illegal gains" and "harassment" are the top cyber crime motives, the data reveal. The majority of crimes are registered under "others"; 2,144 cases were registered in this category in 2013. Data show that the age group of 18-30 accounts for the highest percentage of cyber crime with 1,638 persons arrested in the age bracket out of a total arrests of 3,301 in 2013. Maharashtra accounts for the most persons arrested under the IT Act, 2000, and Uttar Pradesh reported the most arrests under the older IPC.

Police recovered 10,000 detonators from a Ranchi-bound passenger bus and arrested the driver. The bus was coming from Odisha and was stopped at Namkum in Ranchi District of Jharkhand. Ranchi Police said the driver, Ravi Shankar Pandey (35), is from Bihar's Sheikhpura District and worked on the Odisha-Jharkhand route. Ranchi SSP Prabhat Kumar said that "The huge quantity of explosives indicates that some large network is behind its transport." Probe has already started to find who had ordered the explosives. However, the Police did not find any Maoist link.

Special Cell of Delhi Police arrested three persons and recovered a cache of ammunition from them near Welcome Metro station in New Delhi just days ahead of US President Barack Obama's high-profile visit to India. The arrested persons were identified as Shariq, Fahim and Imran. Commissioner (Special Cell) SN Shrivastava said "We have arrested three men and recovered 1,020 live cartridges from them. The arrests were made from near Welcome metro station here." Police said a large part of the consignment consisted of 9mm, a prohibited bore and 7.65mm bullets. They have not ruled out a terror angle and an alert has been issued to beef up security.

Apprehending threat to lives from CPI-Maoist, four ex-Maoists surrendered before Police at Bonai in Odisha's Sundargarh District.

In the past 10 years, the CPI-Maoist has organised as many as 489 training camps for more than 40,000 cadres who have been taught about the use of sophisticated weapons and guerrilla warfare, according to information obtained under the RTI Act from the UMHA. The information provided by the UMHA under RTI shows that while there was a year-on-year increase in the number of training camps - from 16 in 2004 to 93 in 2010, thereafter the numbers decreased to five in 2014.

A civilian, identified as Sewa Ram (35) was injured in a mine blast in forward village of Sariya in Nowshera sector of Rajouri District of J&K when he accidentally stepped over landmine while grazing his cattle. He was seriously injured in right foot, heel and ankle.

Pakistan Rangers violated the ceasefire by firing at a forward post along the IB in Samba District of J&K. However the BSF did not retaliate and observed restraint. Official sources said that Pakistan Rangers fired three rounds at Chinaz post.

SF personnel recovered two pressure cooker based IEDs at two different places at Mundzi area of Sopore and Mazham area on Srinagar-Gulmarg highway. One pressure cooker based IED weighing approximately 5 Kgs planted under the culvert near village Mundzi of Sopore was recovered. Another IED similarly designed pressure cooker based IED, weighing approximately 5 Kgs planted on the road in the Garbage dump near village Mazhama was recovered.

A close aide of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, Tariq Parveen, was arrested by the UP Police from Mumbai (Maharashtra) for his alleged involvement in a 1999 criminal case in UP. Police sources said Parveen was picked up from Sarang Street in Pydhonie in Mumbai by a team of UP Police's ATS, with assistance from the Mumbai crime branch. Parveen was taken to the Sewri court and his custody was given to the UP Police on transit remand.

The Cyberabad Police (Hyderabad) sought 15-day custody of the suspected ISIS recruit, Salman Mohiuddin, from the court for custodial interrogation. According to sources, Police sought Hyderabad-based engineer's custodial interrogation for 15 days saying he was required to be quizzed to ascertain the identities of other members of the dreaded outfit and to interrogate him on charges on waging war against a country.

Suspected operative of IM, Syed Ismail Afaq, the homeopath arrested by the Bengaluru Police (Karnataka) on January 8, was trained by the ISI in Pakistan, a Police source said. Police also said that indoctrinated by Riyaz and Yasin, known as the Bhatkal brothers, Afaq held a high position in the IM's hierarchy. "He was creating Indian Mujahideen modules. His terror connection had become a family problem, and his brother had written to him cautioning him against such activities," the source said.

Hyderabad Police is on high alert following alert from Britain and the Indo-UK Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group about an ensuing ISIS strike. Security has been stepped up at airports and major railway and bus stations. Since a five-member gang of alleged SIMI activists had already struck at a bank in Karimnagar, all the Districts Police has also been on alert in Telangana. Senior Police officers said that special security checks are conducted in various parts of the city and they will continue till January 26. Report added that major establishments in Hyderabad and Cyberabad are under close surveillance. A special wing of the Police is keeping a close watch on Internet users in the city to track down people getting attracted to ISIS and leaving for Syria or Iraq to join the terror group.

India has stepped up security on its western borders to very high levels following credible intelligence inputs warnings that two groups of LeT and one group of JeM are waiting to infiltrate from Kathua and Poonchh sectors in J&K to orchestrate terror attacks before US President Barack Obama's visit. Sources said that a group of 12-15 fully trained and equipped LeT terrorists who are waiting to infiltrate through Kathua under the supervision of LeT commanders Abdullah Shaheen and Taya Rafiq. Another group of 10 LeT terrorists are waiting at the launching pads in PoK to infiltrate through Poonchh under commander Abdul Rashid, said sources.

Sources said that JeM planned to mark the year 2015 as a year of "Inquilab-e-Jihad" and may carry out terror activities before Republic Day. "The LeT is also trying to unleash its sleeper cells already present in J&K to carry out terror attacks," said sources adding that at least 7 LeT terrorists are on the prowl in Kashmir of which 3-4 are foreign terrorists. High threat perception stands from Pakistan based terror outfits despite US telling Pakistan in unequivocal terms to rein in terror groups to ensure that no terror incident takes place, said Government sources. BSF sources said that "There are inputs that rogue elements within ISI and Army may try to stage Chittisinghpura kind of massacre during Obama's visit. We have picked up information about three groups."

More than three weeks after the IED blast in Bengaluru in Karnataka on December 28, 2014 that claimed the life of a woman and injured three others, Police said there is no breakthrough yet in the case and they were following the clues. Bengaluru Police Commissioner M N Reddi said that "...... I can only say that there is no breakthrough in the investigation till now, but investigation is being carried out very actively and constructively".

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah and Home Minister K J George assured a delegation of citizens from the coastal Karnataka town of Bhatkal that the Bangalore Police had not framed any innocent person from the town in a terrorism probe against the IM.

Jagtar Singh Tara, KTF chief and mastermind behind former Punjab CM Beant Singh's assassination, was extradited to India within a mere two days of his arrest as he did not contest the plea moved by New Delhi in Thailand court. Sources in the Punjab Police said Tara himself requested for extradition, a process that usually took years. The extradition, however, does not bar India from giving him death penalty if any court finds him guilty of committing crime under rarest of rare cases.

Sources said Tara had told investigators that he along with his Pakistan-based associates wanted to carry out killings in Punjab, and that they had even shortlisted some leaders. Tara is learnt to have stayed in Ganganagar, Kurali and Fatehgarh Sahib for a few months before escaping to Pakistan through Nepal and Thailand. Police officials said he was giving some conflicting replies about his whereabouts after he escaped from the Burail Jail in January 2014. However, Police said that his claims were being verified.

Apprehending attack by Pakistan's BAT on forward posts and patrol parties in the run up to Republic Day, Army has sounded an alert along the boundary with Pakistan in J&K. According to officials, there are intelligence inputs that BATs, which are small groups of specialized Pakistani troops, supported at times by terrorists, could strike in the run up to Republic Day, especially as US President Barack Obama will be visiting the country. The BAT could also target Indian patrol parties near the LoC, they said, adding Army is keeping a close watch on LoC and troops are vigilant.

A Maoist was killed in a gun battle with Police in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh.

The Maoists in Chhattisgarh have dropped pamphlets in several areas of Bastar region, opposing US President Barack Obama's upcoming visit to India. The Maoists have called for boycott of President Obama's visit and a nationwide bandh on January 26.

At the Central Zonal Council meeting in Lucknow under the Chairmanship of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, the State Governments asked the Centre to "share the maximum burden" in controlling Naxalism in the affected areas.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has sought an additional fund from Centre for modernisation of Police in the Naxal-hit State and also demanded a special category status for the State.

Army arrested 18 militants of NDFB-IKS and eight suspected KLPF cadres from across the State. Eleven NDFB-IKS militants were arrested from Panbari forest in Chirang in Assam. The militants include Deven Goyari [an IED expert], Hokom Boro, Upendra Nath, Raton Bengali, Namal Basumatary, Sanjay Goyari, Ulla Basumatary, Raju Boro, Konin Basumatary, Prakash Narzary alias Gahen and Ranjan Basumatary alias Kipihungla. The arms and ammunition recovered from the militants include two improvised explosive devices (IED), nine detonators, two 7.65mm pistols with 10 rounds of ammunition, five rounds of ammunition of 7.62mm pistols and a packet of ball bearings.

SFs arrested five NDFB-IKS militants along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border in Udalguri District in Assam. The five include "commanding officer" of the '13th battalion' Binku Narzary alias Birlangbai [on the "most wanted" list], Bidai Singh Narzary alias Bugdaw, Lohit Basumatary alias B. Ferkw, N. Araibaw alias Ajak Narzary and Durga Sing Basumatary alias B. Khamshaw. One AK-56 rifle with magazine, one 9mm pistol, 25 rounds of live ammunition of 7.62mm pistol, 54 rounds of live ammunition of 9mm pistol and a hand grenade were also recovered.

SFs arrested 'Nalbari platoon commander' of NDFB-IKS "sergeant" Bimal Boro alias Khwobla (26), from Antaibari under Tamulpur Police Station in Baksa in Assam.

SFs arrested another NDFB-IKS militant, identified as Danswrang Daimary (21), from the Paltan Bazar Police Station area in Guwahati in Kamrup in Assam.

SFs arrested eight suspected KLPF militants from Gandhipur in Karbi Anglong District of Assam. The five were identified as Biren Ingti, Mohan Terang, Andres Teron, Bizu Teron, John Teron, Babu Teron, Rakesh Ingti and Rup Singh.

Police retrieved bullet-riddled dead bodies of two KNA-I militants, identified as Paoneh and Letminthang Haokip in Churachandpur in Manipur. The duo was reportedly killed in a gunfight with KIA. However, a highly reliable report said that two were shot dead at Molnoiphai village under Churachandpur Police Station after they were abducted from other place.

SFs arrested UNLF militant, identified as 'sergeant major' Irom Rakesh Singh alias Thabungtomba alias Apabi from Tera Sadokpam Leikai area in Imphal West District in Manipur.

SFs arrested a KYKL militant, identified as Nameirakpam Devananda Meitei from Wabagai Kadajit Maning Leikai in Thoubal in Manipur. Investigation revealed that he was involved in the recruitment of new cadres of KYKL organization.

Exchange of fire took place between SFs and AMEF militants at Pakgregittim under Rongjeng Police Station in the East Garo Hills in Meghalaya. However, there was no report of any casualty or injury. SP Davis Marak said the AMEF militants, led by its 'deputy chief' Goran, had abducted four traders from Mangsang area but were later released. Meanwhile, the Police have arrested a resident of the village in connection with the kidnapping case and for allegedly harboring the militants.

Pakistani Rangers violated the ceasefire by resorting to firing by small arms on BoPs along the IB in Arnia sector of Jammu District, prompting the BSF to retaliate. A senior BSF officer said "Pakistani rangers resorted to intermittent small arms firing on border out posts along the IB in Arnia sector of Jammu since January 20 night. BSF troops guarding the borderline retaliated resulting in intermittent exchanges which continued till 7am. There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing."

Ahead of US President Barack Obama's visit to India, security agencies are concerned that a 'Waqas-2' may be on the prowl or waiting in the wings to enter India from Pakistan. Waqas alias Zia-ur-Rehman, is a Pakistani bomb-maker who executed several blasts in India on behalf of IM until his arrest in Bangladesh in March 2014. The information was worked out on the basis of interrogation and recoveries made from IM's explosives suppliers arrested recently in Bengaluru. Report said the agencies have learnt that the accused were instructed to keep explosives and circuits ready and wait for instructions to hand them over to a bomb-maker who would contact them in the coming days. This person was being sent by IM co-founder Riyaz Bhatkal in Pakistan. It is, however, not clear if this person had already entered India by the time the accused were arrested or is yet to enter. It is suspected that this person may be a fresh face from Pakistan or one of the various IM operatives from India, such as Dr Shahnawaz, Mirza Shadab Baig, Bada Sajid and others, hiding in Pakistan.

A group of five to six LeT militants has crossed over from Pakistan to J&K's Kathua District last week. The infiltrating group was tracked with the help of wireless intercepts picked up from across Pakistan, and is currently lying low in J&K, possibly waiting for an opportunity to sneak outside the state. Agencies fear that the terrorists may be headed for Delhi with a specific mission to stage a spectacular strike coinciding with US President Barack Obama's visit.

Pankuj Thakur, a Constable with the 13th battalion of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force, was injured when a pressure bomb exploded near Murdonda village of Bijapur District in Chhattisgarh.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres attacked a "Sahayak Arakshak" (auxiliary constable), identified as Kichche Soya, with sharp weapons at a marketplace at Pollamapalli area in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh.

A joint team of Dantewada and Bijapur Police busted a Maoist camp in Hurrepal forests of Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh.

Three Maoists surrendered before the Police in Dornapal town of Sukma District of Chhattisgarh.

Naxals have set two trucks on fire in a village near Gaya District of Bihar. The incident was confirmed by Gaya city SP Rakesh Kumar.

A CPI-Maoist couple surrendered before Police in Warangal District of Telangana. B Bhikshapathi, a 'divisional committee member' carrying a reward of INR 500,000 on his head, surrendered along with his wife P Rukmini before Warangal Urban SP A.K. Jha. Rukmini was carrying reward of INR 100,000, SP Jha said.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres have killed two persons, including a SPO, near Bundu in Ranchi District of Jharkhand. "One of them was a SPO," Ranchi SSP Prabhat Kumar said.

Security in Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's hometown and other areas in the Naxal affected District in Chandauli has been further revised after the central zonal council meeting in Lucknow under his chairmanship on curbing Naxalism in four states.

In reply to an RTI query, the UMHA has revealed that a total of 12,062 civilians have been killed in Naxal violence till now since 1980. The detail was given in reply to a question filed under RTI rules by a Meerut-based activist.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked various ministries to work in coordination to develop strategies for stopping the spread of LWE and instructed the newly-established National Institution for Transforming India Aayog to plan for overall development of tribal areas. Chairing a meeting on tribal welfare, Modi described the tribal communities as a great force for national development.

A low intensity IED exploded from a heap of garbage near Lamlong Bridge under Porompat Police Station in Imphal East in Manipur. However, nobody was injured in the incident.

SFs arrested two UNLF militants, Naorem Robindro Singh alias Ireicha alias Inao and Hijam Sunil Singh from near Adarsh Laboratory, in Kanglapat area in Imphal West in Manipur. During spot verification, it was learnt that the duo brought the third person, namely, Ashem Sanathoi Singh alias Thoiba for recruiting. UNLF.Investigation revealed that the first arrestee, Naorem Robindro Singh alias Ireicha alias Inao was entrusted for extortion of money from general public and recruitment of new cadres. Investigation also revealed that the second arrestee Hijam Sunil Singh was involved in recruitment of new cadres for UNLF militants. The rescued person, Ashem Sanathoi Singh alias Thoiba was handed over to his father, Asem Suresh Singh.

SFs arrested a PREPAK militant, Mohamad Nahachouba alias Chensam alias Achouba from in and around Keirak area in Thoubal in Manipur. Investigation revealed that he was involved in extortion, transportation of IEDs and recruitment of PREPAK.

AR launched an operation at general area of Moidangpok in Imphal West District of Manipur and arrested one PREPAK militant identified as Langonjam Dhanachandra alias Bodhe alias John. ne M-16 assault rifle, three magazines and sixty nine live rounds of 5.56mm were recovered from his possession. Based on his revelation, a follow up operation was launched by the AR in general area of Khumbong in Imphal West District and one PEK (Plastic Explosives) slab, two detonators and one packet containing explosive substances were recovered.

In another operation AR arrested one PREPAK cadre, identified as Md Abdul Majid, from general area of Khudengthabi check post in Manipur.

UNLF has claimed responsibility for the grenade attack at the residence of the president of IUCB Board of Directors Th Dilipkumar on January 18. (Manipur)

CorCom along with NDFB-IKS, KLO, and ULFA-I have called for a total shut down on January 26, the Republic Day of India.

The decision by jailed GNLA 'chairman' Champion R Sangma to walk away from the armed outfit he once jointly established with Sohan Shira has not gone down well within the ranks of the banned organization which has mocked him and accused him of 'absence' of qualities. "The leaders of GNLA bear better moral qualities than Champion R Sangma, though he is a former MPS [Meghalaya Police Service] officer. He no longer bears any qualities to become a leader of GNLA or the people of Garoland," said Garo Mandai Marak.

Pakistani Rangers resorted to mortar shelling and firing in forward villages of Pansar and Manyari along the IB in Hiranagar sector of Kathua District in J&K targeting civilian areas and BSF posts. There were no casualties or damage in Pakistan firing and shelling.

A Bengaluru city court extended the police custody of four terror suspects arrested recently in Bengaluru and Bhatkal (Karnataka) till February 3. They are suspected to be part of a prominent explosives' module of the IM. DCP Crime (Bengaluru) Abhishek Goyal in a tweet said that "Court has extended the Police custody of Aafaaque, Abdus Saboor, Riyas Syeedi & Saddam Hussain up to February 3, 2015 in IM Explosive Seizure case."

A local court in Hyderabad sent Salman Mohiuddin, who was arrested for allegedly trying to leave the country to join the Middle-East terror group, ISIS to 10-day Police custody. Cyberabad Police, in its petition, had earlier sought 15-day custody of Salman and told the court that it needed to further probe his alleged ISIS links.

IB has prepared a list of 200 militants from different terror outfits which could try to carry out a strike to disrupt the Republic Day (January 26) celebrations at which US President Barack Obama will be the chief guest. Top Government sources said that the list has been shared with the security agencies involved in making arrangements for Obama's visit to New Delhi. Report said that this year, maximum number of spotters and informers drawn from IB, R&AW, anti-terror squads of Delhi, Maharashtra, J&K, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, UP and others states - around 2000 - are being deployed in the capital as the authorities are trying to leave nothing to chance. The list includes militants of LeT, JeM, HM, HuJI, JMB, IM, SIMI, Sikh militant groups, CPI-Maoist and North-East based organisations among others. The list also mentions the five absconding SIMI members who fled from Khandwa jail in Madhya Pradesh last year.

MHA Rajnath Singh at a high level meeting to review security scenario in J&K with top security officials in New Delhi has called for strengthening Security Grid, beefing up security all along the borders and hinterland and taking all possible measures to ward off any terror strike in J&K on or before Republic Day celebrations. Official sources told that the Home Minister directed the heads of para-military forces to strengthen anti-militancy Security Grid and maintain constant vigil along 192 kilometers long IB in J&K, which is guarded by the BSF, to ensure that there was no infiltration by the militants from Pakistan.

Ahead of US President Barak Obama's visit, intelligence inputs on terror threats seem to be coming by the dozen. In a fresh input, a Major rank officer from Pakistan's spy agency ISI has been given the responsibility to push in two batches of five LeT terrorists each across the border. There is information about the groups waiting at Rum (Sialkot) in Pakistan before being launched into India. The terrorists have been tasked to launch a fidayeen (suicide) attack inside India during the visit, said Home Ministry sources.

The Government has finally given a green signal to setting up the Uttarakhand's first Cyber Crime Police station in Dehradun. Till date, the state wasn't equipped with a special force to deal with such crimes and cases pertaining to illegal online activities were being referred to police stations spread across all 13 districts. After the government notification all cases related to IT Act would now be transferred to the Cyber Crime Police station, where members of the STF would conduct probe. All matters of cyber crime, including online frauds, bank frauds, crime through social networking websites and mobile applications will be investigated by the STF team.

Police Constable, Dukhiya Murmu (30), who was critically injured in an encounter with the Naxals at Musabani in East Singhbhum District of Jharkhand on January 18 succumbed to his injury at the Tata Main Hospital.

Odisha's DGP Sanjeev Marik said BSF troopers engaged in CPI-Maoist ­prone areas in the State will be redeployed keeping in view the intelligence inputs.

A group of men, suspected to be CPI-Maoist cadres, torched a vehicle carrying mid-day meal for school children and ate the food before taking away the containers at Ijurupa under Lanjigarh Police Station limits in Kalahandi District of Odisha.

34 sympathisers of the CPI-Maoist militia surrendered before the SP M. Ravi Prakash at Rajavommangi in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh Government will strengthen Police machinery in various Districts to curtail crime rate and be prepared to meet any crisis situation. As part of the plan, Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister China Rajappa has said armed police battalions in some areas and police sub-divisions in some other areas will be set up.

Murali Kannamballi, the Naxalite leader who initiated many students of the erstwhile regional engineering college Kozhikode into the left extremist movement in mid 1970, has emerged as the tallest Maoist leader from the state.

NIA has revealed that a section of State forest department personnel had teamed up with NDFB-IKS to kill 36 people, including women and children, from the minority community in Assam's Baksa District in 2014. NIA stated that "Some forest officials have joined hands with suspected NDFB-IKS cadres and formed a 30 to 40-member group, who took part in mass killing of innocent people at N.K. Khagrabari village on May 2, 2014, with firearms and sharp weapons like dao (machete)," An NIA source said the forest staff of Bansbari range, who were from the Bodo community, were against people from the minority community staying in the fringe areas of the forest as they consider them as outsiders and because of that they joined hands with NDFB-IKS to carry out the massacre.

Three IEDs exploded in quick succession at a gorge located 10 Kms to the North East of Moreh town in Chandel in Manipur. The gorge is reported to be frequented by AR troops posted nearby for drawing water. No casualty was reported during the incident.

Meanwhile, an IED of medium intensity exploded at the foot of a tree within a crematorium on the bank of Naga rivulet just opposite to Nagamapal Singjubung Leirak in Imphal West District in Manipur.

A combined team of Thoubal District Police Commandos and Indian Army conducted frisking and checking at Pallel bazar area in Thoubal District of Manipur on the National Highway. During the frisking and checking, two militants of UNLF identified as 'corporal' Laishram Ratan Meitei alias Lanjadaba alias Puchoubi and Amom Nanao Meitei alias Itheiba alias Bonee were arrested.

SFs arrested two KYKL militants from pallel bazar in Thoubal in Manipur. The militants have been identified as 'lance corporal' Amom Nanao Meitei alias Itheiba alias Bonee and 'corporal' Laishram Ratan Meitei alias Lanjadaba alias Puchoubi.

A retired teacher, Rovingson B Marak who was abducted from his home in Sibbari area of South Garo hills District in Meghalaya, has returned safe after being released by his captives in neighbouring Bangladesh. He was abducted, in the month of December 2014 Police sources reveal that the victim's family and relatives had to pay a sum of INR 260,000 in two installments to secure his safe release.

Pakistan Rangers opened firing at forward area of Pangdor in Samba sector in J&K violating ceasefire along the IB second time in the past 24 hours as the Rangers had also resorted to shelling and firing at Pansar and Manyari in Hiranagar sector on January 21. Reports said the Rangers fired bursts towards the Indian posts and villages at Pangdor in Samba sector followed by small arms firing. The BSF retaliated. However, there were no casualties or damage.

An Anti-Tank mine was found in a field along the in Samba District in J&K. One Balak Ram, resident of Galar noticed an Anti-Tank mine in his field and he informed the matter to the BSF, sources said.

Police will take recently extradited KTF terrorist Jagtar Singh Tara to Nepal border after his disclosure that he had hidden large quantity of RDX and other ammunition in a village near Indo-Nepal border. Police said Tara had disclosed that he had hidden a consignment of around 4kg RDX, detonators and other ammunition in a village in Rudrapur District of Uttarakhand, which is located near Indo-Nepal border. However, the court had extended Tara's remand only for three days, during which the Patiala Police will take Tara to Indo-Nepal border to recover the ammunition.

Uttarakhand resident Devi Singh, the fourth accused involved in the sensational 2004 Burail Jail break, who escaped along with three assassins of former Punjab CM Beant Singh, is currently living in Pakistan and has converted to Sikhism. This was confirmed by KTF terrorist Jagtar Singh Tara, who was nabbed by Indian security agencies from Thailand recently, revealed a senior Police officer associated with the probe. Significantly, Indian security agencies had the information that Devi didn't move out of Pakistan since he sneaked into that country after the escape from Burial jail by digging a 104-feet tunnel. Three of the four accused in the jail break, have already been arrested by Punjab Police, and Devi is still on the run.

Burgumpadu Police of Khammam District of Telangana seized huge quantity of explosive material from a lorry bound for Malkangiri District of Odisha at Morampalli Banjar village on the Khammam-Bhadrachalam main road in Palvancha Division.

The CPI-Maoist-is slowly finding a fresh foothold in Telangana thanks to a botched up division of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh State. Intelligence assessments point at Maoists re-entering the region from where they had been painstakingly pushed out by concerted effort from State Police and Central Forces towards the close of the 2000 decade.

A senior woman CPI-Maoist 'deputy commander' was arrested by the Gadchiroli District Police of Maharashtra. Aruna alias Punai Devsingh Naitam (24), was picked up from Kangadi village on Gadchoroli-Rajnandgaon border in an intelligence-based operation, a press note issued by the Police said.

The CPI-Maoist has called a 'Dandakaranya bandh' on January 26 to protest US President Barak Obama's visit to India as the chief guest of the Republic Day function. In posters and pamphlets posted in different parts of Bastar in Chhattisgarh, the Maoists termed the US the "biggest expansionist force" and "enemy of people all over the world."

The CPI-Maoist-hit Khunti District was inspected by DGP, Rajeev Kumar along with his officials. Anti-Maoist operation has been continuing in the District for the last couple of days. He also decided to sharpen anti-Maoist operation in other Districts of Jharkhand.

The CPI-Maoist cadres set on fire around 14 vehicles of an Andhra Pradesh-based private company engaged in road construction in Dhanora tehsil of Gadchiroli District. The Maoists roughed up a few labourers and their supervisor when the work on the Gharanji-Pustola stretch was underway for connecting road between Edampayali and Korkoti.

Army defused an IED which as kept inside a white gunny bag along with some rags near the Bongaigaon Railway Engineering workshop, in Bongaigaon District in Assam. Bongaigaon SP stated that We have inputs that the Independent faction ULFA-I has planned to attack local BJP leaders and grenade attacks might be carried out by IK Songbijit faction of NDFB-IKS in the town on the eve or after Republic Day. As part of these plans, the IED was planted close to the security picket."

A 'section commander' of NDFB-IKS Sirkhung Basumatary, who was involved in the killing of Adivasis on December 23, 2014, was arrested at Bangalore in Karnataka. A source stated that he was also suspected to be involved in an earlier incident of killing of Hindi-speaking people.

Four NDFB-IKS militants Binku Narzary alias Birlangbai, Ajoi Basumatary alias B. Buhum, Dilip Basumatary alias Bir Baisa alias Lambu and Khamrei Basumatary alias Udla , who were earlier arrested were shifted to Sonitpur from Guwahati by NIA for detailed interrogation. NIA has registered two cases in connection with killings in Sonitpur and another two in connection with killings in Kokrajhar. A source stated that Binku Narzary, the self-styled 'commanding officer' of the outfit's '13th battalion', and Khamrei Basumatary, the deputy commander of the '14th battalion' of NDFB-IKS, will also be questioned by the NIA in connection with killing of minorities in Baksa district in May last year, which is also being investigated by the central anti-terror probe agency,". More than 40 NDFB-IKS militants have been arrested so far in the ongoing operations.

IED was triggered near an AR post in Churachandpur District in Manipur while another IED and a hand grenade were found in two other places of the state. According to the report, Militants triggered an IED blast at the gate of 27 Sector AR headquarters at Tuibuong, Churachandpur District headquarters. However, there was no report of any casualty.

Troops of 2nd Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry detected another IED at Kangvai village in Bishnupur in Manipur.

A China-made hand grenade was recovered from the house of Khaidem Bala Devi, chairperson of Wangoi panchayat, in Imphal West in Manipur.

A combined team of Thoubal District Police and Assam Rifles conducted cordon and search operations at Ngarouthel, Heirok Part - III in Thoubal District in Manipur and arrested a PLA militant dentified as 'lance corporal' Khundongbam Somendro Singh alias Phamen. According to a statement issued by the Public Relation Office (PRO) of Police, investigations revealed that he came to Heirok Part - III, Ngarouthel Leikai to disturb the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations.

HNLC announced a 24-hour shutdown to boycott Republic Day. HNLC "publicity secretary" Sainkupar Nongtraw said the shutdown would come into effect from 6pm on January 25 and continue till 6pm on January 26 across the six Districts of Khasi-Jaintia hills region in Meghalaya.

A cameraperson employed with the ITR in Chandipur in Balasore District of Odisha was arrested on charges of passing on sensitive information about missile tests to Pakistani spy agency ISI. Eastern Range IG Asit Panigrahi said that the man, identified as Ishwar Chandra Behera, was working as a cameraperson in ITR on contractual basis since 2007 and had been engaged in espionage activities for the past 8-10 months. Two computer hard disks, two mobile handsets and a bank passbook have been seized from his possession, the IG said.

Police arrested another Dawood Ibrahim's aide outside Charbagh railway station in Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh just when he was about to escape from the city. Sources said that the Hyderabad native identified as Mohammad Usman was wanted in a case registered in the city (Lucknow) over 15 years back. On the basis of a tip off from Tariq Parvin, the other 'D-gang' member recently arrested from Mumbai, the latest crackdown was made by the Police.

Ahead of his second visit to India, US President Barack Obama sent out a tough message to Pakistan, saying safe havens of terrorism within that country are "not acceptable" and those behind the Mumbai attacks (26/11) must face justice. Obama said in an interview that "I've made it clear that even as the US works with Pakistan to meet the threat of terrorism, safe havens within Pakistan are not acceptable and that those behind the Mumbai terrorist attack must face justice." This came amid signs of renewed US pressure on Pakistan to crack down on terror networks and evidence of recognition within the Pakistani establishment, in the wake of the massacre of school children in Peshawar, that the terror apparatus set up to hurt India and for strategic gains in Afghanistan has boomeranged on them. Obama pointed out that just as Indians were tragically killed in the 9/11 attack in New York, Americans were also killed in the 26/11 terror strike in Mumbai.

India's external intelligence agency, the RAW, has warned that the threat from home-grown elements radicalised by the ISIS has emerged as the topmost terror threat across the globe even as the Afghanistan-Pakistan region remains the epicentre of global terror activity.

According to the assessment of RAW, France is one of the four countries, apart from the US, the UK and Israel, that have prominently figured in the propaganda of the al Qaeda networks and in recent times of the ISIS. In India, the security agencies are keeping a close watch on the international security scenario vis-à-vis the ISIS as recent activities of ISIS-inspired Indian youth have come to their notice. For the Indian security agencies, a joint attack by the al Qaeda and ISIS on Indian cities remains a potent threat and a close watch is being kept on the social media as well as by liaising with counterparts in foreign countries to crack down on such attempts.

A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and Kathua regions following intelligence intercepts that LeT and HM, backed by Pakistan's spy agency ISI, are planning terror strikes in the region coinciding with US President Barack Obama's visit. A specific intelligence input with the Central agencies say a detachment of 5-6 terrorists has been deployed by Badabhai Masroor and is likely to cross over from Shakargarh and Zafarwal Darman area for terror attacks around Republic Day in Jammu or Kathua region. The detachment is in touch with an ISI's Colonel Masood Khan.

To effectively counter the menace of IED, India may soon establish a joint programme to integrate counter-IED efforts of defence ministry, UMHA and agencies involved in dealing with terror incidents. Report said that the idea is being seriously looked at by the Government following the recently concluded counter-IED meet between India and US in Washington. Sources said the four-day meet, which began on January 15, was an experience sharing exercise where officials from the internal security apparatus of both countries exchanged ideas on challenges in their respective countries, ways to counter them, nature of explosives and use of technology. The meet was significant given that India is one of the most dangerous places in the world as far as IED explosions are concerned recording more bomb blasts every year than Afghanistan.

The Maoists have appealed to the people to observe 'Virodh Diwas' on January 26 against US President Barack Obama's visit to India. Gadchiroli Police have recovered an anti-Obama banner at Kamlapur near Repanpalli last week. A press release, issued by the Maoist's DKSZC, also slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inviting the US President.

SFs arrested a CPI-Maoist 'zonal commander' identified as Madan Rai in Giridih District of Jharkhand. A country-made pistol and live cartridges were also seized from his possession.

Three armed extremists, reportedly belonging to PLFI barged into Kurumkela upgraded middle school under Kurdeg Police Station in Simdega District of Jharkhand on the Jharkhand-Chhattisgarh border and tried to abduct a school teacher at gunpoint, creating panic among students on the campus.

Following a bomb blast in Arrah's Civil Court, where three persons were killed including a Police Constable and 16 injured, Police said that CPI-Maoist involvement in the blast cannot be ruled out.

Wary of CPI-Maoist influence among tribals, the Kerala State Government is planning to distribute food kits, each worth INR 100, in vulnerable tribal colonies every day across the state from February under the assumption that only hungry bellies could be swayed by revolutionary ideas.

CPI-Maoist killed an 18-year-old girl at a village in Khunti District. Police said the body of Birsi Kumari (18) was found by neighbours with two bullet wounds on January 24 at Kitahatu village. Local residents said the girl paid with her life for being a Police informer, but the Police deny the claim.

BSF IG Meghalaya Frontier Sudesh Kumar stated that umber of camps of Indian militant groups in Bangladesh has gone down after security authorities of that country launched a crackdown. He also added that there are only 39 camps of Indian militant groups in Bangladesh and most of these camps are located in inaccessible areas of the Chittagong Hill Tract (CHT). He also said that most these Indian militants now do not have any well-mechanized training camps but instead they have set up small sheds from where the insurgents usually operate.

Bangladesh security forces had last year overrun the hideouts of NLFT and gunned down eight of its cadres in Bangladesh CHT. The combined team of army and paramilitary forces arrested a NLFT "commander" Kwaplai Debbarma, 33, alias Karna, from the house of a former ATTF 'commander' Jewel Debbarma in Char Mile area on the Khagrachari-Dighinala road. They also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, which included 263 rounds of ammunition for 9mm pistol, 70 rounds of ammunition for .762 rifles, 11 hand grenades, 17 rounds of rocket-launchers, 19 wireless sets, two very high frequency wireless sets, nine G3 magazines, 1,200 detonators, 18 sets of detonator cable, seven magazines of sub-machine guns, a pistol and a revolver. Number of camps of insurgents was over 100 five years ago.

Shambhu Singh, Joint Secretary for North East in MHA stated that a massive security alert has been sounded across North East India after separatist rebels announced a boycott of the Republic Day celebrations on January 26. ULFA, NDFB, KLO and CorCom had earlier announced their boycott through a joint statement e-mailed to several media houses.

An IED exploded on the bank of Nambul River near Keishamthong Laisom Leirak in Imphal West District in Manipur.

Another IED which was found at the residential compound of an individual identified as Abdul Salam, a convenor of Kwakta Government High School, on January 21 was disposed of safely. (Manipur)

Churachandpur SP Kabib stated that personnel of the District Police have been stationed at night-checking spots and a massive around the clock vigil was being kept to check any untoward incidents that would disrupt the Republic day celebrations. (Manipur)

Kohima police personnel recovered three empty cases of 7.65 caliber used in .32 pistol and two bullet heads from the place where three stationary vehicles were damaged by some unknown militants. The incident had happenedherein some unknown miscreants had fired upon three stationary vehicles located at Pezieliecie and Kezieke Colony in Kohima in Nagaland. All the three vehicles were found with ACAUT sticker. ACAUT has strongly condemned the senseless damaging of vehicles in Kohima that reportedly had sticker "I am ACAUT" on it.

MIP of NSCN-IM reacted to the statements made by Governor of Nagaland P.B.Acharya and chairman of CFMG , retired Lieutenant General N.K.Singh, stating that Governor was "less informed about the twists and turns of events in the struggle for Nagas right to 'self-determination'. On the speech of CFMG chairman MIP CLAIMED that his opinion was one sided.

Suspected CPI-Maoist cadres triggered an explosion on the Visakhapatnam-Raipur railway line at Munikhol near Muniguda Railway Station in Rayagada District of Odisha injuring one railway staff and blowing up a portion of the track that led to disruption of train services on the route.

Three militants of ANLA surrendered before the Police at Nengkra Police check post near Williamnagar in East Garo Hills in Meghalaya. The militants have been identified as Simon Momin, Chonseng Marak and Heff Momin. Police said that the militants were on the run after killing their 'area commander', Nengja G. Momin, in 2014. The militants also surrendered one 9mm pistol along with 5 rounds of ammunition and one 7.65mm pistol with two rounds of ammunition.

BSF thwarted major infiltration attempt by the militants between Jugnu Chak and Jai Kishan posts in Gharana area of RS Pura sector in J&K. A Police Officer stated that "Pakistani Rangers resorted to intermittent small arms firing on Jogwan border outpost in R S Pura border belt along the IB in Jammu District during the intervening night of January 24 and 25.

Indian Authorities has ordered suspension of cross-LoC bus service between Poonch-Rawlakote and it will be suspended on January 26, as a precautionary measure in view of terror threat during Republic Day celebrations.

Five NFDB-IKS militants were arrested from Ripu reserve forest area of Kokrajhar in Assam. Three militants has been identified as Daneshwar Basumatary alias B Dapung alias Ustad Laoga Basumatary and Girish Soren. Two pistols and three hand grenades were recovered from Daneshwar Basumatary and two hand grenades and eight detonators with fuses were recovered from Laoga Basumatary and Girish Soren.

IED exploded on the bank of Nambul River near Keishamthong Moirang Ningthou Leirak in Imphal West in Manipur. This was the eighth IED explosion in less than five days ahead of Republic day, on January 26. Reacting sharply to the blasts, CM Okram Ibobi Singh said such subversive and violent activities carried out by anti-social elements would not serve any purpose.

A gunfight broke out between troops of 22 AR and underground cadres at Chingjao area, 15 kilo meters to the west of Waikhong police station in Thoubal in Manipur. According to a reliable source, 22 AR troops were conducting a cordon and search operation at Chingjao area from 11 am after getting specific information about the presence of militants numbering around 20. Even as the troops were asking the militants to surrender, a powerful IED exploded suddenly and both the sides engaged in brief gunfight. The militants are suspected to have escaped towards Khoidumpat.