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Indian police service marks 76 years of legacy, leadership
Hyderabad, Sep 15: Monday (September 15, 2025) marks the 76th anniversary of the Indian Police Service (IPS), a cornerstone of India’s civil administration and internal security framework.
Established on September 15, 1948, the Indian Police Service (IPS), a cornerstone of India’s civil administration and internal security framework has evolved into one of the most prestigious and vital arms of the All India Services, playing a pivotal role in maintaining law and order, countering terrorism, and upholding constitutional values across the nation.
The journey of IPS training began with the establishment of the Central Police Training College (CPTC) in Mount Abu, Rajasthan, on the same day in 1948. For nearly two decades, Mount Abu served as the cradle of police leadership, shaping officers through rigorous physical, legal, and ethical training.
In 1967, reflecting its expanded mandate and growing national significance, the institution was renamed the National Police Academy (NPA). This change signaled a broader vision for police training, encompassing modern policing techniques, leadership development, and inter-agency coordination.
A landmark transformation occurred in 1974, when the academy was renamed the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy (SVPNPA), honouring India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.
Sardar Patel was instrumental in establishing the All India Services, and the renaming paid tribute to his enduring legacy in shaping India’s administrative backbone. The following year, in 1975, the academy was relocated to Hyderabad, then part of Andhra Pradesh and now in Telangana.
The move provided access to more extensive facilities, modern infrastructure, and a strategic location for national-level training. Today, SVPNPA spans 277 acres in Shivrampalli, Hyderabad, and serves as the premier training institution for IPS officers selected through the All India Civil Services Examination.
Over the decades, the academy has adapted to the changing landscape of law enforcement, incorporating modules on cybercrime, counter-terrorism, forensic science, and community policing.
It continues to host seminars and specialized courses, including recent programs on Artificial Intelligence, Urban Policing, and National Security, reflecting its commitment to evolving with the times.
As the IPS celebrates 76 years of service, the nation honours the dedication, discipline, and courage of its officers who serve across diverse terrains and challenges. The legacy of SVPNPA and the IPS stands as a testament to India’s commitment to justice, integrity, and public service.
IANS
PM Modi to inaugurate 524-year-old redeveloped Tripura Sundari temple on Sep 22
Agartala, Sep 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the redeveloped Tripura Sundari temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peethas worshipped by Hindus, in southern Tripura’s Udaipur on September 22, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said here on Monday.
The Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister will arrive in Agartala on September 22 afternoon and then go to Gomati district headquarter Udaipur to inaugurate the redeveloped Tripura Sundari temple, 65 km south of Agartala.
“After inaugurating the redeveloped temple and the beautified surroundings, Modi will offer puja at the Kali temple. After the inauguration and the puja, he will return to Agartala and then leave for Delhi. There will be no public address by the Prime Minister as per the schedule available as of now,” Saha told the media.
He said: “I have earlier invited the Prime Minister to inaugurate the redeveloped temple.” “Senior officials, including Director General of Police Anurag, recently visited Udaipur to supervise the necessary arrangements for the Prime Minister’s visit.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, accompanied by other ministers, also visited Udaipur last week to oversee the probable arrangements for PM Modi’s visit and inauguration of the temple,” an official told IANS, refusing to be named.
The official of the Tourism Department said that under the PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme of the Union Tourism Ministry, the 524-year-old Tripura Sundari temple has been redeveloped at a cost of over Rs 52 crore.
The Tripura government also contributed Rs 7 crore to this project. The Tripura Sundari temple in southern Tripura’s Gomati district is an iconic temple and is a symbol of the state’s rich cultural heritage.
Prime Minister’s inauguration of the redeveloped temple would be a testament to its significance, the official said. The temple, built in 1501 by the state’s erstwhile king Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in Udaipur, is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas in the country, and the third such shrine in eastern India after the Kali temple in Kolkata’s Kalighat and the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati.
At the end of the 517-year rule by hundreds of kings, on October 15, 1949, the erstwhile princely state of Tripura came under the control of the Indian government after a merger agreement was signed between Kanchan Prabha Devi, then regent Maharani, and the Indian Governor General. Meanwhile, replicas of all 51 Shakti Peeths are being constructed at an under construction 51-Shakti Peethas Park at Banduar in Gomati district at a cost of Rs 97.70 crore.
The under construction park is situated four km away from the Tripura Sundari temple. Tripura Chief Minister laid the foundation stone and participated in the Bhumi Pujan of the 51-Shakti Peethas Park on July 13. According to the Tourism Department official, the site of the proposed 51-Shakti Peethas Park at Banduar is a quiet village in the Gomati district surrounded by lush greenery and a serene environment. The area also offers a tranquil setting.
“The 51 Shakti Peethas Park is an ambitious religious tourism project that would be developed in Banduar village. This unique project aims to create an immersive experience for visitors by showcasing replicas of the 51 Shakti Peeth temples from across the Indian sub-continent, symbolising the rich cultural and spiritual heritage associated with Shakti (Devi) worship in Hinduism,” the official stated.
He said that the park would feature a range of amenities designed to enhance the overall visitor experience, including a food court with adequate seating, a souvenir shop, drinking water facilities, well-constructed roads with parking, public conveniences, guest accommodation, landscaped gardens, museums dedicated to mythology, and a range of entertainment activities.
IANS
ED returns assets valued at Rs 163.85 crore to SBI in Rs 380 crore bank fraud case
Chennai, Sep 15: The Chennai Zonal Office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has restituted 27 immovable properties worth Rs 163.85 crore to the State Bank of India (SBI) in connection with the Rs 380 crore bank fraud involving Nathella Sampath Jewellery Private Limited (NSJPL).
The restitution followed orders issued by the Special Court in Chennai under Section 8(8) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The case dates back to March 2018, when the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Bengaluru registered an FIR based on a complaint filed by SBI on behalf of a consortium of three banks.
The consortium had extended loans totaling Rs 380 crore to NSJPL. According to the complaint, the company diverted the funds for purposes other than those intended and defaulted on repayment, causing significant losses to the lenders.
Investigations by the ED revealed that the promoters of NSJPL routed and layered the funds through multiple entities for personal gain. In July 2018, the ED attached 37 immovable properties valued at Rs 328.44 crore, treating them as equivalent to the “proceeds of crime”.
A prosecution complaint was later filed before the PMLA Special Court in July 2019. Charges were framed in October 2024, and the trial is currently underway. During the proceedings, SBI moved the Special Court seeking restitution of 27 attached properties, asserting its first right over them as a financial creditor under the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act.
Supporting the bank’s plea, the ED acknowledged SBI as a victim in the fraud. The Special Court, invoking the provisions of Section 8(8) of PMLA, permitted the restoration of the assets. Accordingly, on September 12, 2025, the 27 properties located in Chennai and valued at Rs 163.85 crore were officially released to SBI.
This restitution marks a significant step in recovering assets for banks that have suffered losses due to corporate frauds, while the trial against NSJPL and its promoters continues.
IANS
Women’s empowerment key to India’s development journey: Manipur Guv Bhalla
Imphal, Sep 15: Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla said on Monday that women empowerment has always been at the core of India’s development journey. Addressing the 19th Foundation Day celebration of the Manipur State Commission for Women, the Governor said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central government has launched various flagship programmes for women.
The programme includes schemes such as Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM Mudra Yojana, Mission Shakti and Lakhpati Didi, he added. Governor Bhalla told that the state government has also adopted the Central government’s Childcare Leave policy granting eligible women employees and even single male employees up to 730 days of paid leave during their entire service.
The Governor said that the establishment of the Manipur State Commission for Women in 2006 was a historic step to ensure that the women enjoy dignity, safety and opportunities. Over the years, the Commission has tirelessly worked to spread awareness, hold consultations, address grievances and take up issues of violation of women’s rights with the appropriate authorities.
Referring to the historic ‘Ima Keithel’ (all women’s market) and praising Manipuri women’s legacy of economic leadership and said the recent inauguration of four new Ima Keithels by the Prime Minister would further strengthen the legacy by creating new avenues for women’s participation in the economy.
‘Ima Keithel’, also known as ‘Ima Markets’ and ‘Nupi Keithel’ are unique in nature as the women of different ages are the only sellers or vendors of these markets functioning in Imphal and different parts of Manipur.
Prime Minister Modi, on Saturday, inaugurated four ‘Ima Markets’ at four locations — Tengnoupal, Noney, Pallel and Moirang. The infrastructures of these markets were built at a cost of Rs 24 crore. PM Modi addressed public rallies at the peace ground in Churachandpur and at the historic Kangla Fort in Imphal.
From the two places, the Prime Minister unveiled a total of 31 development projects worth Rs 8,500 crore. The Governor while addressing the Monday’s event appealed to the people of Manipur to renew the pledge to make every town, village and workplace a safe and empowering space for women.
He urged everyone to work together to build a Manipur where opportunities know no gender and where every citizen can dream, aspire and achieve. Governor Bhalla also inspected the stalls set up by members of women’s self-help groups, appreciated their products and entrepreneurial spirit.
He later released a bilingual journal titled “Vision for Women, Volume-VI” and lauded the Commission’s 19 years of dedicated service in safeguarding women’s rights and advancing their empowerment across the state.
IANS
Aadhaar mandatory for online ticket booking in first 15 minutes from Oct 1: Railways
New Delhi, Sep 15: In a major move to curb misuse of its ticketing system and ensure benefits for genuine passengers, Indian Railways on Monday said that it has made Aadhaar authentication mandatory for booking general reserved tickets online during the first 15 minutes after the opening of reservations.
The new rule will come into effect from October 1, the Ministry of Railways said. According to the ministry, only Aadhaar-authenticated users on the IRCTC website or app will be able to book tickets in this crucial 15-minute window. Officials said this step is aimed at stopping unscrupulous elements from cornering tickets at the time of opening and giving priority to common end users.
The ministry clarified that there will be no change in the timings of booking tickets at computerised Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters. Similarly, the 10-minute restriction already in place for authorised agents to book opening day reserved tickets will continue without change. This move comes as part of a series of reforms Indian Railways has been undertaking in its reservation system.
Earlier, in June, the Railways had announced that reservation charts will now be prepared 8 hours before the train’s departure instead of 4 hours, to give passengers with waitlisted tickets more clarity and time to plan.
The Railways is also in the process of upgrading its Passenger Reservation System (PRS), being developed by the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS). Once operational, the new PRS will be capable of handling ten times the current load, processing over 1.5 lakh tickets per minute and more than 40 lakh enquiries per minute.
With Aadhaar-based authentication for online bookings and early chart preparation, the Railways aims to make the ticketing experience more transparent, passenger-friendly, and efficient.
IANS
Bangladesh: Another Hindu temple vandalised ahead of Durga Puja
Dhaka, Sep 15: In yet another disturbing attack on a Hindu temple in Bangladesh, miscreants vandalised idols and stole a security camera and memory card, local media reported.
The incident occurred on Sunday night at the Shwarupdah Palpara Sri Sri Rakhha Kali Temple in Mirpur upazila of Kushtia district ahead of the Durga Puja celebration, the largest religious festival of the Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. According to the temple committee president Amaresh Ghosh, miscreants broke the heads and hands of the Kartik and Saraswati idols.
“At the time of the incident, there was no electricity in the area, and it was lightly raining. Taking advantage of this situation, the idols were vandalised. Even though the temporary tin-shed temple is guarded daily, the damage was done during the load-shedding,” Bangladesh’s leading daily, The Business Standard, quoted Ghosh as saying.
“For the past three years, we have been organising Durga Puja here. This incident ahead of Durga Puja has left us in a state of fear,” said Badal Kumar Dey, former secretary of the temple committee. Confirming the development, Mominul Islam, officer-in-charge of Mirpur Police Station, said, “We immediately reached the spot after receiving the news.
A detailed report will be provided after the investigation.” The vandalism of the Hindu temple in Kushtia is not an isolated act of violence in Bangladesh under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
It highlights a troubling trend as the nation has witnessed a surge in attacks on Hindu temples and minorities since Yunus assumed power in August 2024. Last week, Bangladesh’s Awami League strongly condemned the interim government’s Home Advisor Jahangir Alam Chowdhury for his disparaging remarks against Hinduism, in which he reportedly referred to Hindu rituals as “gatherings of liquor and drugs.”
His offensive remarks came in the run-up to the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations in the country Condemning the remarks, the Awami League said, “The Home Affairs Advisor of the illegitimate Yunus government has shattered the spirit of Bangladesh’s Liberation War by making a vile remark against Hinduism”.
The party stated that such words are not only deeply disrespectful but also a dangerous attempt to incite religious hatred. Since the ouster of the democratically elected government of Awami League led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has been gripped by violence and extreme lawlessness. The interim government has also received massive criticism for providing shelter to radical and extremist Islamic outfits.
IANS
Meghalaya Cabinet reshuffle: Swearing-in at 5pm on Tuesday
Shillong, Sept 15: The much-anticipated Cabinet reshuffle of the Conrad K. Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) 2.0 government will take place on Tuesday, with the swearing-in of new ministers scheduled at Raj Bhavan at 5 pm.
Sources said Chief Minister Conrad Sangma met Governor C.H. Vijayashankar on Monday evening around 4 pm and submitted the list of legislators who will be inducted into the Cabinet. The reshuffle is expected to affect at least eight sitting ministers.
According to reports, four ministers from the National People’s Party (NPP) have been dropped—Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, Power Minister Abu Taher Mondal, Education Minister Rakkam A. Sangma, and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Comingone Ymbon.
Their likely replacements are Jirang MLA Sostheness Sohtun (replacing Ampareen), Resubelpara MLA Timothy Shira (replacing Rakkam), Jowai MLA Wailadmiki Passah (replacing Comingone), and Dalu MLA Brening A. Sangma (replacing Mondal).
From the United Democratic Party (UDP), Cabinet Ministers Paul Lyngdoh and Kyrmen Shylla will step down, making way for party president and Mairang MLA Metbah Lyngdoh, and Amlarem MLA Lahkmen Rymbui. The decision was taken during a UDP meeting on Monday morning.
In the BJP, senior leader AL Hek will be replaced by South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai. The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) minister Shakliar Warjri is also set to be replaced by Mawshynrut MLA Methodius Dkhar.
Both the BJP and HSPDP currently have two MLAs each in the Assembly.
Interestingly, despite the reshuffle being scheduled for Tuesday, BJP state president Rikman G. Momin said he had not yet received any official communication from the Chief Minister.
‘Courts must exercise restraint’: SC declines to order blanket stay on Waqf Amendment Act, grants limited interim relief
New Delhi, Sep 15: The Supreme Court on Monday declined to order a blanket stay the operation of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, while granting limited interim relief in respect of certain contentious provisions. A Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) B.R. Gavai observed that courts must exercise restraint when asked to stay laws enacted by Parliament.
“By now, it is a settled principle of law that the courts should be very slow in granting interim relief by way of staying the provisions of an enactment,” said the Bench, also comprising Justice A.G. Masih, adding that such an interim relief can only be granted in “rare and exceptional cases”.
“In the totality of the circumstances, we do not find that any case is made out to stay the provisions of the entire statute. The prayer for stay of the impugned Act is, therefore, rejected,” the apex court said, rejecting the prayer for blanket stay on implementation of the act.
At the same time, the CJI Gavai-led Bench issued certain protective directions and stayed the requirement that only a person “professing Islam for at least five years” can create a waqf, until rules are framed for its implementation.
“The following part of clause (r) of Section 3 of the amended Waqf Act ‘any person showing or demonstrating that he is professing Islam for at least five years’ shall stand stayed until the rules are framed by the state government for providing a mechanism for determining the question as to whether a person has been practicing Islam for at least five years or not,” the apex court said.
Similarly, provisions empowering designated officers to treat disputed properties as government land pending verification have also been put on hold. “Upon commencement of an inquiry under Section 3C of the amended Waqf Act till the final determination by the Tribunal under Section 83 of the amended Waqf Act, subject to further orders of the High Court in an appeal, no third-party rights would be created in respect of such properties,” the bench ordered.
It further directed that the Central Waqf Council — constituted under Section 9 of the amended Waqf Act — should not consist of more than 4 non-Muslim members out of 22. “Insofar as the (State Waqf) Board constituted under Section 14 of the amended Waqf Act is concerned, it is directed that it shall not consist of more than 3 non-Muslim members out of 11,” added the top court.
Though it declined to stay the provision of Section 23 of the amended Waqf Act, the CJI Gavai-led Bench directed that “as far as possible, an effort should be made to appoint the Chief Executive Officer of the Board who is the ex officio Secretary from amongst the Muslim community”.
On the controversial deletion of waqf-by-user, the apex court refrained from granting an immediate intervention, saying: “If Mutawallis (custodians) for a period of 102 years could not get the waqf registered, as required under the earlier provisions, they cannot claim that they be allowed to continue with the waqf even if they are not registered.”
It observed that the Mutawallis who failed to apply for registration of waqf properties for three decades cannot now argue that the legal requirement of submitting a copy of the waqf deed is arbitrary.
“If the legislature, on noticing misuse of the waqf properties, finds that after the enactment of the impugned Act all such applications should be accompanied by a copy of the waqf deed, the same cannot be said to be arbitrary,” the CJI Gavai-led bench said.
“Not only that, but we are also of the view that if the legislature, in 2025, finds that on account of the concept of ‘Waqf by User’, huge government properties have been encroached upon and to stop the said menace, it takes steps for deletion of the said provision, the said amendment, prima facie, cannot be said to be arbitrary,” it added.
The Supreme Court declined to stay Section 3D of the amended Waqf Act, which renders void any declaration of protected monuments or areas as waqf, noting that the provision was enacted after the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) highlighted difficulties in preserving monuments due to overlapping claims by mutawallis.
Dismissing arguments that Section 3D deprived Muslims of religious practices, the apex court observed that Section 5(6) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, permits customary religious practices even if such an area is a protected monument.
Further, the apex court prima facie opined that Section 3E of the amended Waqf Act, which prohibits declaring land in Scheduled or Tribal areas as waqf property, is not arbitrary and has a clear nexus with its objective.
“We are of the considered view that a provision such as Section 3E of the amended Waqf Act, which has been enacted with the avowed object of safeguarding the interest of one of the most marginalised and vulnerable sections of our country, i.e., the Scheduled Tribes cannot be said to have no nexus with the object sought to be achieved,” the bench observed.
The apex court clarified that its observations were made on a prima facie basis for the limited purpose of examining whether an interim stay should be granted. “The observations made…will not prevent the parties from making submissions with regard to the validity of the provisions contained in the amended Waqf Act or any of the provision(s) therein,” it added.
The decision appears to be a setback for petitioners challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, as violative of Articles 14, 15, 25, 26, 29, and 30 of the Constitution. The petitioners’ side had argued that the amendments were an attempt to expropriate waqf properties, saying “though the impugned Act says that it has been enacted to ‘protect’ Waqfs, the real intention behind it is to take away or expropriate the Waqf properties”.
The Supreme Court heard the petitioners’ and the Centre’s views over three hearings before reserving its order on issuing a stay on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 — a law vehemently defended by the Union government as a tool to curb misuse of Waqf properties and ensure greater transparency in their management.
IANS
Bihar: PM Modi vows to end infiltration, slams Congress-RJD over corruption
Purnea, Sep 15: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said it is “Modi’s guarantee” that all the poor will get a permanent house and hit out at the Congress and RJD for ignoring “Seemanchal”, corruption and protecting infiltrators.
Addressing a public rally in Purnea, PM Modi described the NDA government as pro-poor and promised a sharp price drop in prices of articles with the GST reform. He said, “Till the time every poor person in the country gets a house of his own, Modi is not going to stop or take a breather.”
PM Modi said the NDA government has already built 4 crore houses for the poor, and it is building another 3 crore houses for the poor. He highlighted that during his visit, he had inaugurated and laid the foundation of projects worth Rs 40,000 crore, and over 40,000 people got their own permanent house under PM Awas Yojana.
Training his guns on Congress-RJD over corruption and attempts to shield infiltrators and change the region’s demography, PM Modi said, “They are taking out marches and shouting slogans to protect illegal foreigners.”
“I want to send a strong message to RJD-Congress’ ‘jamaat’ that every infiltrator will have to go. The NDA is committed to checking infiltration. All leaders standing in support of infiltrators should understand clearly that it is Modi’s guarantee to act against infiltrators,” he said.
He said the poor are like a family to Modi, but the Congress-RJD only focus on promoting their own dynasty and corruption. “Those who exploited Bihar and betrayed this land are unhappy with development in the state. People who focus on filling cash in their lockers will never care for the public,” he said.
The PM’s current Bihar visit, ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls, marks one of the largest development packages for the state in recent years, with a strong focus on infrastructure, connectivity, power, housing and water supply.
PM Modi stated that the Congress and RJD are out of power in Bihar for two decades, and I thank women and mothers for punishing them for the lawlessness that prevailed in the pre-NDA era.
“In the NDA era, women are becoming lakhpati didis,” he said. Ahead of his visit, the entire city has been decorated with banners, cutouts, and welcome gates, while heavy security deployment has been ensured by the SPG, CRPF, and local police.
Earlier, the PM inaugurated the Purnea Airport, along with launching and laying the foundation stone of development projects worth nearly Rs 40,000 crore across Bihar. –IANS