The Evening Wrap: 5 securitymen killed in encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh

The Hindu Newsletter - The biggest news stories from today [logo] The Evening Wrap Saturday | 03 April, 2021 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( Five security personnel killed in encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh Five security personnel were killed and a few others injured on April 3 in [an encounter with Naxals in a forest in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district](, a top police officer said. According to the police, some Maoists are also suspected to have been killed during the exchange of fire. “The gun battle broke out in Tarrem area (along Sukma and Bijapur border) when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Naxal operation,” Chhattisgarh Director General of Police D.M. Awasthi said. [ ] The personnel belonging to the CRPF’s elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action unit (CoBRA), the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) were involved in the operation, he said. “As per the preliminary information, five jawans were killed and a few others were injured in the gunfight,” Awasthi said, adding that further details are awaited. On March 23, five DRG personnel were killed when Naxals blew up a bus carrying the security personnel with an IED in Narayanpur district. [underlineimg] Assam Elections | EC reduces campaign ban on Himanta Biswa Sarma to 24 hours The Election Commission of India (EC) on Saturday [cut short the ban on campaigning by BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma from 48 hours to 24 hours](, taking into account his “unconditional apology” and “assurance” to adhere to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). The EC had on Friday banned Sarma from campaigning for the April 6 polls for 48 hours after finding that a speech he made violated the MCC. He had said that the Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) chief Hagrama Mohilary would be jailed if he (Mohilary) engaged in extremism. On Saturday, the EC wrote to Sarma saying that it had considered his representation sent on Saturday and reduced the ban from 48 hours to 24 hours, which meant that he could campaign from Saturday evening onward. With polls on April 6, campaigning is scheduled to close on Sunday. The EC said Sarma had requested it to accept his “sincere regret and assurance of abiding MCC in future”. The EC said Sarma had also pleaded on the grounds that he was himself a candidate in the constituency that was scheduled for the poll on April 6. Reducing the ban from 48 hours to 24 hours, the EC said Sarma could be given permission for holding any public meetings, processions, rallies, road shows, etc., by the district authorities concerned. [Senior BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma takes part in a road show after his ban on election campaigning reduced to 24 hours from 48 hours by the Election Commission in Guwahati on Saturday.] On Friday, the EC had said in its order that it had received a complaint from the Congress on March 30 that Sarma had on March 28 threatened to send the BPF chief, a Congress ally, to jail by “misusing” the National Investigation Agency (NIA). According to the EC’s order, Sarma had spoken of a case being handed over to the NIA and of “arms recovery cases” that would be “counted one by one after the election”. In its order, the EC had said it found Sarma’s statement to prima facie be in violation of the MCC and therefore issued a notice to him on April 1, asking him to respond by April 2. In his response, Sarma had denied the allegations against him, which the poll panel found “not to be satisfactory”. In a tweet on Saturday, Sarma said he had not challenged the EC’s order before any court of law. Soon after the EC’s letter to him reducing the ban was made public, he tweeted details of a road show to be held in the evening. Meanwhile, the EC has ordered the replacement of Sarma’s brother as the Superintendent of Police of Goalpara district. In an official communication to the State’s Chief Electoral Officer on Friday, the EC ordered the transfer of Sushanta Biswa Sarma from Goalpara “to some suitable post in State headquarters”. The order named IPS officer Veera Venkata Rakesh Reddy as Sushanta Biswa Sarma’s replacement. Voters in Goalpara district will exercise their franchise in the third phase on April 6. The first and second phases of voting were conducted on March 27 and April 1. [underlineimg] No trade with India under current circumstances: Imran Khan Prime Minister Imran Khan decided that [Pakistan cannot go ahead with any trade with India]( under the current circumstances after holding consultations with key members of his Cabinet on importing cotton and sugar from the neighbouring country, a media report said on Saturday. Pakistan’s U-turn on Thursday came a day after the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), under newly-appointed Finance Minister Hammad Azhar, recommended importing cotton and sugar from India, lifting a nearly two-year-long ban on its import from the neighbouring country amidst tensions over the Kashmir issue. The Prime Minister, after consultations on Friday, instructed the Ministry of Commerce and his economic team to immediately take steps to facilitate the relevant sectors, value added, apparel and sugar, by finding alternative cheap sources of import of the needed commodities, the Dawn newspaper quoted sources as saying. While the decision was not on the formal agenda of the Cabinet meeting, the issue was brought up by Cabinet members and the prime minister instructed that the ECC’s decision be deferred and immediately reviewed, the report said. India has said that it desires normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan in an environment free of terror, hostility, and violence. India has said the onus is on Pakistan to create an environment free of terror and hostility. [underlineimg] Bombay HC grants pre-arrest bail to man accused of raping married woman for 10 years, orders probe The Bombay High Court recently granted pre-arrest bail to [a man accused of raping a married woman for 10 years]( after she submitted an affidavit stating that the investigating officer had made her add charges of rape against the man. The court said the circumstances were disturbing and directed the Commissioner of Police to conduct an inquiry into the episode. A Single Bench of Justice S.V. Sarang was hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by Sachin alias Tanaji Mahadeo Maykude. The FIR filed by the woman herself stated that Maykude had been her neighbour when she was residing with her husband and children. The FIR categorically stated that Maykude committed forcible sexual intercourse amounting to rape without her consent. She alleged that he threatened to harm her children and hence, she succumbed to the force. Maykude also blackmailed her by saying that he had her photographs in his cell phone, the FIR said. On March 7, 2020, she was allegedly raped again and then told her husband, after which an FIR was registered. The advocate appearing for Maykude said the complainant (the woman) and accused (the man) had been in a consensual relationship for the last 10 years. The woman also submitted an affidavit before the HC that said she had some personal disputes with Maykude and the FIR had been wrongly registered. She said, “I had explained to the investigating officer about quarrels incidences but the investigating officer have added section (rape) which was not alleged by me against Maykude.” She added that there had been some miscommunication that led to the FIR. The court took the photographs attached to the application, and the affidavit of the woman, and said, “There possibly was a consensual relationship. The lady in her affidavit has categorically stated that she has no complaint against Maykude. It would not be justified to deny anticipatory bail to him. Therefore, I am inclined to grant that order in his favour.” The Bench also remarked, “However, the circumstances in this case are quite disturbing. There are allegations against the police officers made by the lady. There is a possibility that she has made contrary statements and has changed her version through her affidavit. The matter cannot be just ignored like this. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an inquiry to take the matter to its logical end.” [underlineimg] Special NIA court extends Sachin Vaze's custody till April 7 The special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court [extended suspended assistant police officer Sachin Vaze’s NIA's custody]( till April 7 in connection with explosives found near Mukesh Ambani’s residence on February 25. Vaze was arrested on March 13 by the central agency. After arresting him at 11.50 p.m., the NIA’s spokesperson had said he was arrested for his “role and involvement in placing an explosives-laden vehicle near Carmichael Road.” The counsel appearing for NIA told the court on Saturday that they were not merely investigating cases under UAPA but also several other cases related to him and sought an extension of his custody. The agency has till now also raided a prominent eatery in South Mumbai after getting to know that Vaze used to hold several of his meetings there. The NIA has seized seven vehicles, including the Scorpio found with 20 gelatin sticks and a threat letter. The owner of the abandoned Scorpio, Mansukh Hiren, an auto parts dealer, was found dead on March 5 at the Thane creek. Vaze has also been charged with sections 286 (negligent conduct with respect to explosive substance), 465 (punishment for forgery), 473 (making or possessing counterfeit seal, etc., with intent to commit forgery punishable otherwise), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) 120 B (punishment of criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and The Explosive Substances Act. [underlineimg] Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments The [number of reported coronavirus cases from India]( stood at 1,24,68,634 at the time of publishing this newsletter, with the death toll at 1,65,931. India on Saturday [recorded the highest single-day rise in coronavirus cases in six months]( with 89,129 new infections in a span of 24 hours, taking the Covid-19 tally of cases to over 1.23 crore, according to State Health Departments and Ministries. [underlineimg] Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. Today's Top Picks [[ ] How China's Digital Currency will change online payments | The Hindu In Focus Podcast]( [[ A still from ‘Mandela’ ] ‘Mandela’ movie review: Yogi Babu excels in a film that understands caste structure and vote-bank politics]( [[ Anil Shet has been has been part of Mangalore Cycling Club. ] 40-year-old clocks 1 lakh km on cycle in seven years]( [[ A still from ‘Madame Claude’ ] ‘Madame Claude’ movie review: Wearisome retelling of the French icon’s rise and fall from grace]( Copyright @ 2021, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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