Chandigarh, Apr 01: A blast outside the Punjab BJP headquarters here Wednesday evening sent people panicking, with police saying a “crude” device appeared to have been hurled. No casualties were reported.

A team of the National Investigation Agency was at the site to investigate the blast, which occurred at around 5 pm, a police officer said.

A scooter parked outside the building in Sector 37 suffered damage in the blast.

“Prima facie, it appears that a small crude-type device was thrown,” Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur told reporters.

“We received information at around 5 pm that an explosion-like sound was heard near the Punjab BJP office,” she said.

“Our crime branch and the operation cell also reached here,” she said, adding, a team of Central Forensic Laboratory was also rushed to the site.

The party’s state media cell head Vineet Joshi Joshi, who heard the blast, said, “How did it take place? We could see some signs on the boundary wall. Only police can provide details.”

He told reporters, “It is a matter of concern if a blast took place outside the party office.”

The area also houses Law Bhavan and a petrol pump.

New Delhi, Apr 01: About 5,98,000 passengers have returned to India amid the developing security situation in West Asia and the Gulf region, an official of Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, said on Wednesday.

The official said that three Indian nationals sustained minor injuries in an incident caused by debris from an interception in Dubai yesterday. He said that consulate is in close touch with them as it renders all possible assistance.

It is worth to mention that authorities in Dubai confirmed that the incident caused by debris from an interception that fell on houses in southern Dubai resulted in minor injuries to two Indian nationals, one Bangladeshi national, and one Sri Lankan national.

Additional Secretary (Gulf), Ministry of External Affairs, Aseem R Mahajan while addressing the inter-ministerial briefing on the latest developments in West Asia, said that the overall flight situation continues to improve with additional flights operating from the region to various destinations in India.

“Since February 28th, around 5,98,000 passengers have returned from the region to India. Airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled flights based on operational and safety considerations between the UAE and India,” Mahajan noted.

He further added that around 90 flights are expected to operate from the UAE to India today.

“Around 90 flights are expected to operate from the UAE to India today. Flights are operating from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to different destinations in India. With the Qatar airspace partially open, Qatar Airways is expected to operate around 8 to 10 flights to India today. Kuwait and Bahrain airspace remains closed. Jazeera Airways of Kuwait and Gulf Air of Bahrain have been operating non-scheduled commercial flights from Dammam airport of Saudi Arabia to various destinations in India,” Mahajan further informed.

He also said that due to flight restrictions and airspace closure, the travel of Indian nationals is being facilitated from Iran through Armenia and Azerbaijan to India, from Israel through Egypt and Jordan to India, from Iraq through Jordan and Saudi Arabia to India, and from Kuwait and Bahrain through Saudi Arabia to India.

He underlined that the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the Gulf and West Asia region and noted that the dedicated special control room is operational to assist Indian nationals and their families, with the missions and posts across the region working round the clock and remaining in close touch with the local governments.

New Delhi, Apr 01: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening will review with a group of senior cabinet ministers the situation arising due to the West Asia conflict and the availability of critical needs including food, energy and fuel security of common people.

The meeting is expected to be held after the prime minister returns from Assam, where he has gone for campaigning in the assembly election there, this evening, official sources said.

The Union ministers who are expected to attend the meeting include Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar, Nirmala Sitharaman, Piyush Goyal, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, J P Nadda, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Manohar Lal Khattar, Pralhad Joshi, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu and Hardeep Singh Puri are also expected to attend it.

NSA Ajit Doval, the prime minister’s two principal secretaries, P K Mishra and Shaktikanta Das, and Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan are also expected to attend it.

Last Sunday, in his monthly radio broadcast Mann Ki Baat, the prime minister termed as “challenging” the situation emerging due to the ongoing “fierce war” in West Asia and urged all citizens to join hands to overcome the difficulties.

Modi also cautioned those who are politicising the present crisis and asked them to refrain from doing so and said there is no place for self-serving politics in the prevailing situation.

He said those who are spreading rumours are causing major harm to the country.

“Presently, a fierce war has been going on in our neighbourhood for a month. These certainly are challenging times. Today, through ‘Mann Ki Baat’, I would once again urge all my countrymen that we must unitedly overcome this challenge,” he said.

On March 22, the prime minister held a similar meeting with the same set of ministers and offices and reviewed the situation arising out of the conflict in West Asia and a detailed assessment was made on the availability of critical needs of the common people, including food, energy and fuel security.

At that meeting, Prime Minister Modi had said the conflict was an evolving situation and the entire world was affected in some form.

In such a situation, he said, all efforts must be made to safeguard the citizens from the impact of this conflict.

Modi instructed that all arms of the government should work together to ensure the least inconvenience to the citizens.

On March 12, PM Modi had said that the war in West Asia has triggered a worldwide energy crisis, posing a critical test of national character that requires dealing with circumstances through peace, patience and increased public awareness.

The prime minister emphasised that his government is working relentlessly to address disruptions that have emerged in international supply chains.

“Continuous efforts are also underway to determine how we can overcome the disruptions that have occurred in the supply chain,” Modi had said.

The prime minister has spoken to many global leaders since the West Asia conflict started on February 28, when the US and Israel attacked Iran. Iran has retaliated by targeting Israel and several of its Gulf neighbours.

Iran controls the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route through which 20 per cent of the world’s energy is transported. Since the conflict, very few ships have been allowed by Iran to cross it.

The blockade has resulted in severe disruptions in energy supply to many countries, including India.

Since the conflict, Modi has had telephonic conversations with leaders from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, France, the Netherlands, Malaysia, Israel and Iran.

He has also spoken to US President Donald Trump. After a telephonic conversation between the two on March 24, Modi said he “had a useful exchange of views on the situation in West Asia”.

Srinagar, Apr 01: Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain on Wednesday has assumed command as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command. He succeeds Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, who has taken over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff today.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain was commissioned into the MAHAR Regiment in June 1988. Over a distinguished career spanning nearly four decades, he has held a wide range of command and staff appointments across diverse operational environments.

The General Officer has commanded an Infantry Battalion in semi-developed terrain as well as in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, an Infantry Brigade in a Strike Corps, a Counter Insurgency Force and a Pivot Corps in Northern Command. His operational experience includes participation in Operation Pawan, service as a Military Observer with the United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and multiple tenures in high-altitude areas and counter-insurgency operations along the Line of Control and in the North East. He is also the Colonel of the MAHAR Regiment.

Prior to assuming command of Southern Command, he served as Chief of Staff at Headquarters Southern Command, where he contributed significantly to capability development, force restructuring and overall operational preparedness.

The General Officer has attended the Higher Command Course at the Army War College and the National Defence Course in Kenya. In recognition of his distinguished service, he has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Sena Medal.

On assuming command, Lieutenant General Sandeep Jain paid tribute to fallen soldiers at the Southern Command War Memorial and received a Guard of Honour at Headquarters Southern Command.

He stated that the Command will continue to focus on operational readiness across its diverse areas of responsibility, including deserts, the Rann and Creek Sector, coastline, island territories and hinterland. He emphasised strengthening jointness, indigenous capability development and technology absorption under the JAI framework and directed all ranks to maintain high standards of preparedness, professionalism and combat readiness in line with evolving operational challenges.