Opium crop being destroyed by police in Lowang area of Bani on Monday. —Excelsior/Nishant
Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, May 11: Kathua police has destroyed “Opium” cultivation and recovered 115 Opium (Poppy) plants from the land reportedly belonging to a revenue official in Bagh Lowang falling in Police Station (PS) Bani of Kathua district.
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As per reports, Police Station, Bani had received an information through the reliable sources that one person namely Hidayatullah Malik, son of Abdul Rashid of Bagh Lowang, teshil Bani district Kathua who is reportedly serving as Girdhawar in Revenue Department indulged in illegal cultivation and selling of Narcotic Substance (Poppy) and he had grown Poppy (Opium plants) in his land at Bagh Lowang. The police team of PS Bani led by SHO, Bani under the directives of SSP Kathua Mohita Sharma and supervision of SP Operations, Upper Kathua and DySP PC Bani, swung into action to destroy the Opium in the field.
During the operation, Hidayatullah Malik, son of Abdul Rashid of Bagh Lowang, tehsil Bani, district Kathua was found to have illegally cultivated 115 Opium (Poppy) plants weighing approximately 3.750 Kgs in his agricultural land. The crop was seized on the spot in the presence of Executive Magistrate in charge, Bani as per procedure. In this regard, FIR No. 36/2026 U/S 8/18 NDPS Act stands registered at PS Bani and investigation has been taken up.
However District Development Commissioner Kathua, Rajesh Sharma said that it is yet to be ascertained whether the land belongs to Girdhawar or not. He said in case the land belongs to Girdhawar the strict action under law will be taken against him.
Kathua police in a handout said that it is committed to upholding the law and preventing such illegal activities that affect the safety and security of the community. Opium cultivation and its illegal trade are serious offenses, and the police will take strict action against the offenders.
SSP Kathua urged the public to come forward with any information about such illegal activities and to cooperate with the Police Department to maintain peace and harmony in the community.
KATHUA, May 11: The another son of an ill fated mother who was attacked along with his brother by a goon on May 6 in Ward Number 10 of Kathua town succumbed to his injuries in AIIMS, Vijaypur after battling for his life for five days late last night.
The two brothers who were alone at their residence were attacked by an unidentified assailant on the fateful day when their mother was not in the house and had gone to her office. The elder brother identified as Nakul Singh, 18, died in the murderous attack on the spot while his younger brother Nikhil Singh, 16, was taken to AIIMS, Vijaypur for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries late last night.
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His body was later handed over to his relatives after legal formalities by the police. A pal of gloom descended in the entire Ward 10 after the news of Nikhil’s death spread as the ill fated lady lost her both the children in the attack who were her only hope for future.
The incident dates back to May 6, when a brutal assault took place in broad daylight. According to police officials, a local youth allegedly attacked two brothers with a cricket bat following a dispute reportedly linked to a suspected love rivalry. The attack claimed the life of the elder brother, Nakul Singh (18), on the spot, while his younger brother, Nikhil Singh (16), sustained critical head injuries and was rushed for treatment.
Nikhil Singh had been battling for his life for the last five days at AIIMS Vijaypur, Jammu. However, officials confirmed that he succumbed to his injuries late Sunday night during treatment. With his death, the case has now turned into a double murder, which has generated shock and outrage among residents.
Police had arrested the accused, identified as 19-year-old Parth Verma alias Sumit, on the third day after the incident. Investigators stated that the accused was reportedly a close friend of the deceased brothers. Preliminary investigation suggests that the attack was triggered by a dispute connected to a suspected love affair.
According to police sources, the accused allegedly entered the residence of the victims in Ward No. 10 and attacked Nakul Singh with a cricket bat during an altercation, resulting in his immediate death. Nikhil Singh, who was also critically injured in the assault, later lost his life during treatment. The brutal nature of the crime has deeply disturbed the people of Kathua. Residents expressed grief and anger over the destruction of an entire family within minutes. The grieving mother, who had lost one son on the day of the attack, has now lost her younger son as well, leaving her devastated and alone.
The tragic incident has sparked widespread concern and discussions over rising violence among youth and the need for stronger social awareness and intervention. Police officials stated that further investigation into the case is underway.
NEW DELHI, May 11: Gold prices fell Rs 600 to Rs 1.55 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Monday after US President Donald Trump rejected Tehran’s response to Washington’s peace proposal, raising fears of renewed conflict in West Asia and pushing crude oil rates higher.
Additional pressure came from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to defer non-essential gold purchases for a year in an effort to protect the country’s external balances.
According to the All India Sarafa Association, gold of 99.9 per cent purity decreased by Rs 600 to Rs 1,55,300 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes) from Friday’s closing level of Rs 1,55,900 per 10 grams.
“Gold came under pressure on Monday as fresh setbacks in US-Iran negotiations renewed uncertainty across global markets,” Saumil Gandhi, Senior Analyst – Commodities at HDFC Securities, said.
Rejection of the latest proposals sent by both sides reignited concerns over a prolonged conflict, pushing crude oil prices higher and reviving inflation worries, which strengthened expectations of tight monetary policy by global central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, he added.
However, silver prices climbed by Rs 3,700, or 1.42 per cent, to Rs 2,65,000 per kilogram (inclusive of all taxes). The white metal had settled at Rs 2,61,300 per kg in the previous session.
Gaurav Garg, Research Analyst at Lemonn Markets Desk, said silver saw a slight uptick, benefiting from steady retail demand amid the approaching wedding season.
In the international markets, spot gold fell more than 1 per cent to USD 4,661.68 per ounce, and silver was also trading marginally lower at USD 80.28 per ounce.
“Gold traded slightly weak as markets reacted cautiously to negative developments around the US-Iran peace proposals, with reports suggesting renewed rejection of terms and rising fears of re-escalation in the conflict,” Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst – Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities, said.
The uncertainty has kept pressure on global risk sentiment, while rising crude prices are again adding inflation concerns across markets, he added. (PTI)
Dignitaries posing along with students during a programme.
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 11: Dogra Degree College organised a distinguished guest lecture on the theme “Creating Your Place in the AI-Driven Global Economy” at the Auditorium, Dogra Educational Complex. The academic event was conducted with the objective of sensitizing students towards emerging global opportunities and the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence on the contemporary economic landscape.
The keynote address was delivered by Dr Varun Suthra, Educator and Global Relations Expert, presently serving as Director, International Relations at KIIT University and KISS University. In his highly engaging and thought-provoking lecture, Dr Suthra deliberated upon the profound influence of Artificial Intelligence on global industries, education systems, innovation ecosystems and employment patterns.
He encouraged students to cultivate adaptability, analytical thinking, leadership skills, creativity and digital competence in order to establish themselves successfully in the increasingly competitive AI-driven world. Dr Suthra further highlighted the importance of continuous learning, international exposure and skill enhancement as essential prerequisites for achieving professional excellence in the modern global economy. His insightful interaction provided students with valuable perspectives on emerging career avenues, technological advancements and the evolving dynamics of international education and employment.
The programme was graced by Dr Samar Dev Singh Charak, Secretary, Dogra Educational Trust and Dr Bela Thakur, Director, DGC and Principal Dogra Degree College, whose encouragement and academic vision continue to inspire innovative learning initiatives within the institution.
The session witnessed enthusiastic participation from BBA, B.Com and BA students, faculty members from various academic streams, making the event intellectually enriching and highly inspiring.
KOLKATA, May 11: West Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal was appointed the chief secretary of the Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government in the state, according to an official order issued on Monday.
Agarwal, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, helmed the EC-mandated SIR exercise in the state in the run-up to the assembly polls in which around 91 lakh voters were removed from the electoral rolls.
Incumbent Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala was named Principal Resident Commissioner in New Delhi, the order stated.
Nariwala, a 1993-batch IAS, was named the chief secretary of West Bengal by the poll body, removing Nandini Chakravorty from the position of the state’s top bureaucrat.
An IIT Kanpur alumnus, 60-year-old Agarwal has had a distinguished administrative career, serving in several key departments of the West Bengal government, including Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Food, Fire and Emergency Services, and Forest, while also handling important positions at the Centre, officials said.
He also served as the chairman of the State Highways Authority, planning the crucial elevated corridor over Kona Expressway, a major infrastructure upgrade designed to ease traffic congestion, featuring a six-lane elevated, signal-free path. As of now, the 7.8 km project, aimed at streamlining connectivity to the Kolkata port, is under construction.
Kona Expressway is the arterial thoroughfare connecting Kolkata to the Delhi-bound National Highway 19 and the Mumbai-joining NH 16.
During his stint as the Principal Secretary of the state Food and Supplies Department, Agarwal had mandated that the distribution of food coupons through the state’s Public Distribution System during the COVID-19 pandemic be handled by government officers instead of public representatives of the ruling dispensation.
His stand allegedly did not go down well with the erstwhile TMC brass.
Agarwal was subsequently shifted to the state forest department, only to make a dramatic return to his most high-profile posting as CEO of West Bengal.
There, he took charge of the crucial – and fiercely debated – SIR exercise, hailed by the BJP as an “essential electoral roll clean-up drive” but denounced by the TMC as a calculated bid to “disenfranchise legitimate voters at the BJP’s behest”.
Although Agarwal is set to retire in July this year, sources in the state secretariat indicated that he is almost certain to receive an extension, underscoring the BJP government’s confidence in him to steer and oversee the implementation of key public policies under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s maiden regime in Bengal.
The BJP came to power for the first time in the state after handing a stunning defeat to the Trinamool Congress. The saffron party secured 207 seats in the 294-member assembly, reducing the TMC to 80 seats. (PTI)
KYIV, May 11 : A US-brokered ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was due to expire on Monday with both sides accusing each other of breaching the 72-hour arrangement, as American and European officials considered how they might steer the warring countries into further talks.
Ukrainian authorities said on Monday that Russian drones, bombs and artillery shelling struck civilian areas of the northeastern Kharkiv and southern Kherson regions, killing at least two people and wounding seven others.
Russia’s Defence Ministry on Sunday accused Kyiv of committing more than 1,000 ceasefire violations, state media reported.
Similar ceasefires announced since Russia invaded its neighbour more than four years ago have also failed to stop the fighting, and US-led diplomatic efforts over the past year have come to nothing.
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said data from NASA observations indicated military activities decreased but did not stop after Trump announced last Friday that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy had accepted his request for a ceasefire running Saturday through Monday. The move was meant to mark Victory Day, the Russian celebration marking the defeat of Nazi Germany.
The ISW noted late Sunday that “ceasefires without explicit enforcement mechanisms, credible monitoring, and defined dispute resolution processes are unlikely to hold.”
Trump had said there would also be an exchange of prisoners, declaring that the break in fighting could be the “beginning of the end” of the war. Zelenskyy said the exchange of 1,000 prisoners from each side is being prepared.
There are no signs that the two sides are ready to budge from their key negotiating positions, however.
Putin wants all of the Donbas region, Ukraine’s industrial heartland, even though his army hasn’t completely captured it, but Zelenskyy won’t surrender it. Zelenskyy has offered a ceasefire and a face-to-face meeting with Putin, which the Russian leader has ruled out until a negotiated settlement is almost finalised.
Putin suggested at the weekend that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, who has had close business ties to Russia, could act as a mediator. But German and European officials scotched that possibility even while accepting that the European Union could take a more significant role in peace efforts, have been largely sidelined by Washington over the past year.
Even so, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc must get its objectives straight before attempting to negotiate with the Kremlin.
“Before we discuss with Russia, we should discuss amongst ourselves what we want to talk to them about,” she told reporters in Brussels.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha joined EU foreign ministers for the Brussels meeting. “We have mainstream peace talks under the leadership of the US, and we need this track, and we need US leadership. But Europe could also play its role,” Sybiha said.
He noted that in recent months, Ukraine has improved its performance on the battlefield, reducing the bigger Russian army to a slow and costly slog on the 1,250-kilometre (780-mile) front line, while using its domestically developed long-range drones and missiles to hit targets deep inside Russia.
“We have a new reality on the battlefield … Ukraine became stronger after the most difficult winter,” Sybiha said.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius was the latest senior European official to visit Kyiv, arriving Monday on an unannounced visit that was set to focus on furthering defence cooperation between the two countries.
Prime Minister Evika Silina on Sunday ordered the resignation of Defence Minister Andris Spruds in the wake of recent drone incidents in the Baltic country.
In a post on X, Silina said Spruds had “lost my trust” following a drone incident that “clearly demonstrated that the political leadership of the defence sector has failed to fulfil its promise of safe skies over our country.”
Spruds quit, saying it was a domestic political dispute.
Ukraine’s Sybiha said Sunday he spoke again with Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze about recent drone incidents in Latvia, following investigations that determined Russian electronic warfare had deliberately diverted Ukrainian drones from their intended targets inside Russia.
Sybiha reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to working with the Baltic states and Finland to prevent similar incidents, offering the direct involvement of Ukrainian specialists.
Estonia, Poland and Romania have also reported stray drones landing on their soil. (AP))
Daily wagers and consolidated workers staging protest near Press Club in Jammu on Monday. — Excelsior/ Rakesh
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 11: All Daily Wagers Jammu and Kashmir Sanghrash Samiti members held a protest demonstration near Press Club here today.
The daily rated workers from various departments led by Samiti president, Sunnykant Chib assembled near the Press Club of Jammu and started protest demonstration. Carrying banner and placards in their hands, and projecting issue, they were shouting loud slogans in support of their pending demands.
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Several senior members of the Samiti addressed the gathering and criticized JKUT administration for its alleged failure to address the issues of the daily rated workers.
Samiti president, Sunnykant Chib while speaking on the occasion alleged that despite repeated representations to the higher authorities and protest dharnas, the Government has remained unmoved. The senior officials only gave false assurances. Nothing concrete has been materialized so far in this regard.
He said the Government was given a deadline of May 11, 2026 by the All Daily Wagers Jammu Kashmir Sangharsh Samiti to resolve issues affecting daily wage workers, mid-day meal cooks, ASHA workers, Mali-cum- Chowkidars, land donors, CPW workers, SBM workers, VDG workers, and contract employees.
Chib claimed that the Samiti has been pushing for policy reforms such as regularization and minimum wage implementation. He said several times appeal has been made to the Lieutenant Governor and elected government of Jammu and Kashmir led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to expedite these demands. If the demanded are not settled within week, workers will adopt a ‘No Pay, No Work’ stance, starting from April 6, 2026, and proceed with indefinite hunger strike, Chib added.
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, May 11: Jammu Sanskriti School participated in the prestigious “Mind Smart Conclave 2026”, a three-part participatory series on Life Skills and Wellbeing Leadership for senior school peer educators and ambassadors. The programme was organised by Expressions India under the guidance of Dr. Jatinder Nagpal, Senior Psychiatrist, Life Skills and School Mental Health Expert and Program Director at Expressions India.
The first session, titled “Understanding Self & Growing Up”, focused on adolescent health, nutrition, hygiene, resilience and coping skills. Representing the school were Janvi Behl (XII-A), Kritika (XII-B), Sonakshi (XI-B) and Pragya (IX-D) under the guidance of Sarika Sharma.
The event was graced by Dr Vineet Joshi, Secretary, Department of Higher Education, along with distinguished dignitaries including Professor Dhananjay Singh, Member Secretary, ICSSR; Veena from the Ministry of Education; Divinder Kumar, Director Education and Vividh Gupta, Principal, Bal Bhawan Public School, Mayur Vihar, New Delhi.
Principal-cum-Vice Chairperson Rohini Aima appreciated the students for confidently representing the school at the national platform.
CHANDIGARH, May 11 : The Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab on Monday redistributed the portfolios held by Cabinet minister Sanjeev Arora — arrested by the Enforcement Directorate — among ministers Aman Arora, Harjot Singh Bains, and Tarunpreet Singh Sond.
Aman Arora, who holds the new and renewable energy sources portfolio, has been given charge of the industries and commerce and investment promotion department, while Education Minister Bains has been allocated the local government department, according to official sources.
Sond, who is the rural development, panchayats, tourism, and labour minister, has been assigned the power portfolio.
The Enforcement Directorate on May 9 arrested Punjab industries minister Arora in connection with an alleged Rs 100 crore GST fraud-linked money laundering case involving certain entities linked to him.
Arora, 62, was taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act following raids conducted at his official residence in Chandigarh’s Sector 2 on Saturday morning.
While the AAP dubbed the ED raid at Arora’s residence and his subsequent arrest as politically motivated, Hampton Sky Realty Limited, at which the Punjab minister served as a director, said the company has faith in the legal process and is fully cooperating with all the statutory authorities and will continue to do so.
A special PMLA court in Gurugram on Sunday remanded Arora to ED custody for a week. (PTI)
LONDON, May 11: Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledged Monday to prove the “doubters” in his own party and among the electorate as a whole wrong as he tries to fight off demands to step down after devastating local election results for his Labour Party.
Starmer argued that he will “face up to the big challenges” and restore “hope” to the country. That includes getting closer to the European Union and “putting Britain at the heart of Europe,” a decade after the UK voted to leave the EU.
“I know I have my doubters and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will,” Starmer said during a speech in London. He vowed to prove to millions of people “tired of a status quo that has failed them” that the government is on their side.
He said Labour is in “a battle for the soul of our nation,” and the UK will go down “a dark path” if Reform UK, the anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage, comes to power.
Starmer is warned it’s his last chance
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But Starmer’s position is fragile, with dozens of lawmakers calling for him to announce a date for his departure.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, a powerful lawmaker often seen as a potential challenger, said “what we are doing isn’t working, and it needs to change.”
Rayner did not explicitly call for Starmer to quit, but accused him of presiding over “a toxic culture of cronyism” and said the government must “stay true to labour and social democratic values” and ease the cost of living for working people.
“This may be our last chance,” Rayner said in a statement on Sunday.
Labour has been plunged into gloom by heavy losses last week in local elections across England and legislative votes in Scotland and Wales. The elections have been interpreted as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he swept to power in a landslide less than two years ago.
His government has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living, and been hamstrung by repeated missteps and policy U-turns on issues including welfare reform.
He has been further hurt by his disastrous decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s ambassador to Washington.
Last week’s elections saw Labour squeezed from both right and left, losing votes to both Reform UK and the “eco-populist” Green Party. It reflects the increasing fragmentation of British politics, long dominated by Labour and the Conservatives.
Starmer hopes to regain momentum with Monday’s speech and an ambitious set of legislative plans to be set out in a speech Wednesday by King Charles III at the State Opening of Parliament.
He told an audience of party lawmakers and activists in his speech that the government will take control of Britain’s energy, economic and defence security and make the country fairer.
A key policy is closer ties with the EU, which the United Kingdom left in 2020, four years after the “leave” side narrowly won a membership referendum. Starmer’s government has already moved to ease some of the trade restrictions that have burdened British businesses since Brexit, and he says he will secure a youth mobility deal so young people can spend a few years working across the continent.
Starmer said the government would be “defined by rebuilding our relationship with Europe.”
Labour campaigned to stay in the EU during the 2016 referendum campaign, but has been reluctant to reopen a debate that bitterly divided the country. Starmer has ruled out seeking to reenter the EU, or to rejoin the bloc’s customs union or single market, things that would make a big difference to British businesses.
Rivals weigh making a move
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None of the high-profile Labour politicians considered potential challengers to Starmer – including Rayner, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham – has yet called for him to resign.
But a growing number of Labour lawmakers urged the prime minister to set a timetable for his departure. British politics allows parties to change leader mid term without the need for a new election.
Josh Simons, a formerly loyal Labour lawmaker, wrote in the Times of London that Starmer “has lost the country” and “should take control of the situation by overseeing an orderly transition to a new prime minister.”
Catherine West, a former junior minister, says she will try to trigger a leadership contest unless Starmer delivers a barnstorming speech on Monday. West acknowledged she does not have the support of 81 colleagues, needed to force a contest, and her move appeared to be an attempt to force more high-profile contenders to make a move.
“Working people sent us a message,” West said. “We have to listen to that, and we have to change and we have to do it quickly.” (AP)
