Mumbai, May 8 (PTI): Benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty began the day on an optimistic note on Thursday but later turned volatile, a day after India launched missile strikes on terrorist hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

Investors stayed on the sidelines amid rising geopolitical tensions.

In a strong retaliation to the Pahalgam massacre, India's armed forces early on Wednesday destroyed nine terror sites including that of Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) using deep strike missiles in a 25-minute-long "measured and non-escalatory" mission.

The 30-share BSE benchmark gauge climbed 181.21 points to 80,927.99 in early trade. The NSE Nifty went up by 32.85 points to 24,447.25

However, later both the benchmark indices faced volatile trends and were trading flat. The BSE benchmark Sensex traded 24.31 points lower at 80,730.57, and the Nifty quoted 32.20 points down at 24,382.20.

"In the current context of uncertainty investors may wait and watch the developments on the India-Pak tensions," VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited, said.

From the Sensex firms, Tata Motors, Power Grid, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Axis Bank, Adani Ports, IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Finance, and State Bank of India were among the biggest gainers.

Eternal, ITC, Maruti, HDFC Bank, and Reliance Industries were among the laggards.

Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) bought equities worth Rs 2,585.86 crore on Wednesday, according to exchange data.

In Asian markets, South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225, Shanghai's SSE Composite index and Hong Kong's Hang Seng were trading in the positive territory.

US markets ended higher on Wednesday.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude climbed 0.70 per cent to USD 61.55 a barrel.

After gyrating between highs and lows during the day on Wednesday, the 30-share BSE benchmark ended 105.71 points or 0.13 per cent higher at 80,746.78. The 50-issue Nifty of NSE advanced by 34.80 points or 0.14 per cent to settle at 24,414.40.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday took a swipe at Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, by calling him a "Manuvadi" after his alliance with the BJP, for seeking the inclusion of Bhagavad Gita in curriculum for students.

The CM's dig came in response to Kumaraswamy's recent letter to Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan, requesting the inclusion of the Bhagavad Gita in the curriculum of students.

"After Kumaraswamy joined hands with the BJP for elections, he has become a Manuvadi," Siddaramaiah told reporters here after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary here.

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Remembering Ambedkar, Siddaramaiah highlighted his contribution to the Constitution and his relentless fight to provide social justice.

The CM noted said fed up with social and caste system in Hinduism, and unable to reform it, Ambedkar accepted Buddhism.

He said, "Ambedkar, towards the end of his life, quit Hinduism and joined Buddhism. He was born in Hinduism, but cannot die in Hinduism, because he could not reform Hinduism, despite several efforts, so he accepted Buddhism."