Lucknow: One person was killed and over two dozen others injured yesterday when a crowd of thousands of Shias protesting against Uttar Pradesh Urban Development Minister Azam Khan clashed with the police here.
A crowd comprising of old and young Shias, after offering the Friday prayers at the Asifi Imambada, decided to go ahead and stage a sit-in outside the residence of Azam Khan, who is also the Waqf minister, against his efforts to allegedly sneak in some “corrupt” office bearers in the Shia Waqf Board.
When the procession was prevented by police from moving ahead near the Shaheed Smarak, the protestors became violent and broke past the barricades. Police then carried out a baton charge in which many people were injured.
Kathmandu: Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj arrived here yesterday, saying the new Narendra Modi government held relations with Nepal in “high priority”.
“The new government in India has put its relations with Nepal in high priority,” the minister told the media soon after her arrival to co-chair the third meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission.
The commission is expected to review the entire range of bilateral relations.
“I am here to take part in the Joint Commission meeting. I am here two months after becoming the foreign minister,” Sushma Swaraj said. Modi is to visit Nepal on August and during the trip he will address parliament and hold talks with the country’s leaders.
New Delhi: Fifty Indian soldiers have died in Siachen since the start of 2011 due to adverse weather, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said yesterday.
The minister said landslides, floods, avalanches and harsh climatic conditions killed 24 soldiers in 2011, 12 in 2012, 10 in 2013 and four until July 20 this year.
India and Pakistan dispute the ownership of Siachen.
Jaitley said Indian troops deployed in the icy heights “were suitably equipped, trained and organized to face the operational challenges and carry out their mandated tasks”.
“All efforts are made to minimize the casualties by providing suitable infrastructure, habitat, medical support and casualty evacuation procedures,” he said.
The minister said the government was cognizant of the strategic importance of Siachen.
“Requisite forces have been deployed in the area keeping in view the threat perception, ground situation and other operational aspects,” said Jaitley.
IANS
