Friba Rezayee, the first woman to represent Afghanistan at the Olympics, has called on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban Afghanistan due to the Taliban’s human rights record, Arab News reports on April 16. She has argued that under a such ban, Afghan women should still be allowed to participate as part of the IOC Refugee Olympic Team. “Given tons and tons of evidence about the Taliban, about their brutal treatment of women and children, they are very dangerous,” Rezayee, who now lives in Vancouver, Canada, stated. “If the IOC allows them to enter the Olympics at the heart of Europe, in Paris in 2024, it’s very dangerous for the people”, she added.
In response to the recent bank robberies, abductions, and criminal activities, the ongoing joint operation by the Bangladesh Army led to the arrest of nine alleged operatives of the Kuki-Chin National Front (KCNF) in a remote hilly area under Ruma Upazila (Sub-District) in the Bandarban District of Chittagong Division on April 16, reports The Daily Star. The Inter-Services Public Relation Directorate (ISPR) said in its press release that mine weapons and ammunition were also recovered.
At least 29 Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, including senior cadres, were killed in an encounter ever between Maoists and Security Forces (SFs) in deep forests near Binagunda and Koronar area under Chhotebethiya Police Station limits in Kanker District of Chhattisgarh on April 16, reports The Times of India. Kanker Superintendent of Police (SP) Kalyan Elesela said, “Senior Maoist commanders Shankar Rao and Lalita were among those killed, and they carried a cash bounty of Rs 25 lakh [INR 2.5 million] each. Another cadre, Vinod Gawde, who was active in Rajnandgaon and the state bordering regions of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, was also killed in the biggest encounter ever. Gawde carried a Rs 10 lakh [INR 1 million] bounty on his head.” Three security personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF) and District Reserve Guards (DRG) also sustained bullet injuries in the encounter. Many automatic assault weapons were seized, including the INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) assault rifle, AK 47, SLR (Self-Loading Rifle), carbine, and.303 rifles in large quantity. There was specific input about the presence of senior cadres of ‘divisional committee’ rank, including Lalitha, Shankar, Rajman, and one more, officials said, adding that the identity of killed Maoists is yet to be established.
A group of suspected Kuki militants opened fire at the trucks plying on the National Highway 37 connecting Imphal-Silchar injuring a driver and causing leakage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), petrol, and diesel on the roadside drains at a place in between Tolen Kuki and Kaimai village under the Tousem subdivision of Tamenglong District in Manipur in the morning of April 16, reports Northeast Now. There is no report of the burning of vehicles and inflammable goods.
On April 15, the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) arrested a drug peddler, identified as Manjit Singh alias Mani, who had links with cross-border drug smugglers and recovered seven kilograms of heroin along with INR 36 lakh of drug money, besides arms and ammunition, in Ferozepur District of Punjab, reports The Tribune. The recovered firearms included one pistol (.32 bore along with magazine) with 5 live rounds, one rifle (.315 bore) with 5 live rounds and magazines, and two pistols (.30 bore) with 10 rounds and magazines.
In another case, police arrested a person identified as Karamjit Singh, alias Mann, alias Gola, alias Gurdial Singh, and recovered 220 grams of heroin and INR 1.65 lakh in drug money from an area near Bandala village in Amritsar District of Punjab.