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The Hindu Editorial Analysis
We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.
Operation Mahadev: 2024 Encounter Site Photos Help Identify Terrorists
- The three terrorists killed in Pahalgam during Operation Mahadev on July 28 were found using photos from a mobile phone taken after a fight in south Kashmir in 2024.
- The phone had many pictures of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists Suleman (also known as Faizal Jatt), Hamza Afghani, and Zibran holding guns and bullets, which helped the security teams find out who they were.
- These pictures were matched with what people who saw the April 22 attack in Baisaran meadow remembered, and that led to a search in Dachigam forest near Srinagar.
- The terrorists were hiding in the Dachigam forest, about 20 kilometers from Srinagar. They were using a wireless device to talk to others, which helped the agencies find where they were.
- The wireless device was likely made with local parts. Agencies tracked its signals, and now it has been sent for lab tests, a top government official said.
- Home Minister Amit Shah told Lok Sabha on July 29 that Indian-made technology helped to find the terrorists hiding in Dachigam by catching their wireless signals.
- The Intelligence Bureau got a tip on May 22 through people who saw something suspicious in Dachigam. From May 22 to July 22, the Army and IB worked to confirm it.
- All three terrorists killed in the operation were from Pakistan. They had been seen many times in the forest, but always escaped until they were caught in Operation Mahadev.
- Forces searched areas near rivers and streams in the forest, because the terrorists would come there to collect water. This helped the forces plan better.
- According to reports, about 20 to 25 trained Pakistani terrorists crossed into India around three years ago and have been hiding in the forests of Pir Panjal and south Kashmir.
- In 2024, they split into two groups. One group was led by Suleman, who died in Operation Mahadev, and the other is led by Musa, another Pakistani who is still hiding.
- Since 2021, around 135 soldiers and police have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir, most likely by this same group of terrorists, which shows how dangerous they are.
- After Operation Mahadev, security teams got important details about the other foreign terrorists and have started new missions to find and stop them.
12 Labourers Injured in Landslide at Hydropower Project Site in Chamoli
- Twelve workers sustained injuries in a landslide that occurred on Saturday at the Vishnugad hydro power project near Helang in Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, according to official reports.
- District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari stated that around 300 workers were present at the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation Ltd. (THDC) site and fled for safety as rocks began to fall.
- Out of the twelve, four workers were seriously hurt and eight had minor injuries. All were quickly taken to Vivekanand Hospital in Pipalkoti for medical help.
- One of the hurt workers broke his leg, and another needed a special scan for his back. He is now being taken to a hospital in Srinagar, Pauri district, for more treatment.
- Work at the hydro power site has been stopped for now. THDC has been told they can only start work again after full safety for the workers is confirmed, Mr. Tiwari said.
- Police, Health department, and State Disaster Response Force teams quickly reached the spot to handle the emergency and help the injured workers.
- THDC is building a dam to control the Alaknanda river water from Helang near Joshimath. The water will be sent through a tunnel to Pipalkoti to make electricity using turbines.
- This same dam site was also damaged before in 2021 during a flood in the Alaknanda river, showing that this area is at risk from natural disasters.
Helicopter Operators Confused by Unofficial Flying Restrictions in Uttarakhand
- Helicopter companies are upset with the Uttarakhand government, saying the State has secretly stopped chopper flights after several helicopter crashes in the past few months.
- They say the new flying rules being suggested should only come from DGCA, which is the national agency that handles flying safety in India, not the State government.
- Retired Group Captain R.K. Bali, who heads the Business Aircraft Operators Association (BAOA), said that all charter and special flights, including those for Char Dham, have been wrongly stopped.
- Bali said the State’s actions are a quick and panicked reaction to five helicopter crashes in May and June, even though the DGCA has not told them to stop any flights.
- BAOA has written to the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA), saying only DGCA has the right to make and enforce flying safety rules in the country.
- A top officer from UCADA denied any total ban, saying that only the shuttle flights to Kedarnath were paused for the rainy season, which happens every year.
- UCADA’s CEO Ashish Chauhan explained that other helicopter services like those under the UDAN scheme and Mukhyamantri Udan Khatola Scheme are still running normally.
- However, some helicopter companies said, without giving their names, that the State is quietly stopping all helicopter work, making it hard for them to operate as usual.
- They also did not agree with UCADA’s draft rules that suggest raising pilot flying hours from 1,000 to 1,500, saying it is too much and not needed.
- Operators were also worried about new enforcement powers, like canceling flight permissions and stopping flying based on tough inspections and more control by local authorities.
Important Questions
- How were terrorists involved in the Operation Mahadev encounter in Kashmir identified using mobile phone photos from a 2024 attack?
- What role did the wireless device play in identifying the terrorists’ location in Dachigam forest?
- How many workers were injured in the landslide at the Vishnugad hydro power project in Chamoli, Uttarakhand, and what was their condition?
- What safety measures have officials taken at the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) site after the landslide incident in Chamoli district?
- Why are helicopter companies unhappy with the Uttarakhand government over unofficial flying restrictions following recent helicopter crashes in the state?
- What issues did BAOA raise about the new draft flying rules in Uttarakhand?
Important Vocabulary
- Encounter – A sudden clash or conflict, often involving armed forces and militants.
- Identified – Recognized or confirmed who someone is.
- Device – A tool or machine, often electronic, designed to perform a particular function.
- Signals – Radio waves or transmissions used for communication.
- Landslide – The sliding down of rocks or earth from a mountain or cliff.
- Injured – Hurt or wounded physically.
- Scan – An imaging procedure that uses medical equipment to examine the inside of the body.
- Treatment – Care or procedures given to heal or manage an illness or injury.
- Restrictions – Limitations or rules that prevent or control actions.
- Operators – Companies or individuals who manage services like helicopters.
- Enforcement – The act of making people follow laws or rules.
- Inspections – Careful examinations, usually for safety or rule-following.
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