40 detained over Parbhani protests; uneasy silence in city
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (PTI): A tense silence prevails in Maharashtra’s Parbhani city, where 40 persons have been detained in connection with the violent protests over the vandalising of a replica of the Constitution, an official said on Thursday.
The official told reporters that damage to about 20 vehicles, during the protests, has been reported to the police so far.
Amid a bandh called by Ambedkarite activists on Wednesday, a mob indulged in arson and vandalised shops, vehicles and even the district collector's office.
“We have so far detained 40 people for these incidents. We are going through the footage from CCTV cameras and action will be taken against all those responsible. The intention of the agitators will also be probed,” said Inspector General of Police (Nanded) Shahji Umap.
The process to register cases is underway in different police stations of Parbhani city, the senior police official told the media.
“We have learnt that 16-17 motorcycles and two four-wheelers, CCTV cameras and signboards of shops were damaged. The figures will be clearer after the offences are registered,” Umap said.
A glass-encased cement replica of the Constitution outside Parbhani railway station, close to a statue of Dr B R Ambedkar, was found to have been damaged on Tuesday, sparking protests. Police arrested a man in connection with the incident, but protests resumed on Wednesday.
Prohibitory orders were imposed in the central Maharashtra city on Wednesday, banning the gathering of five or more persons in public places, and a company of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF) was called in to help maintain law and order.
“There is a tense silence in Parbhani. There is no need for a curfew but we have imposed prohibitory orders in Parbhani (as a precaution),” said another police official.
Patrolling has been intensified in the city, while the SRPF deployment continues, said Umap.
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China confirms its support to Pakistan during four-day conflict with India
Beijing (PTI): China, for the first time, has confirmed that it provided on-site technical support to Pakistan during the four-day conflict with India last year, official media reports here said.
China's state broadcaster CCTV on Thursday aired an interview with Zhang Heng, an engineer from the Aviation Industry Corporation of China's (AVIC) Chengdu Aircraft Design and Research Institute, a key developer of China’s advanced fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicle design.
Zhang had provided technical support to Pakistan during the four-day war last May, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported, quoting CCTV.
Pakistan's air force operates a fleet of Chinese-made J-10CE jets, produced by an AVIC subsidiary.
"At the support base, we frequently heard the roar of fighter jets taking off and the constant wail of air-raid sirens. By late morning, in May, the temperature was already approaching 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). It was a real ordeal for us, both mentally and physically,” Zhang said.
What drove his team was the "desire to do an even better job with on site support” and to ensure their equipment could “truly perform at its full combat potential”, Zhang told CCTV.
“That wasn’t just a recognition of the J10CE; it was also a testament to the deep bond we formed through working side by side, day in and day out,” he said.
