India, Kazakhstan militaries to train together
New Delhi, Sep 4: Indian and Kazakhstan armies are set to train together in a two-week military drill near a Otar military base in the southeast of the Central Asian country from next week.
The joint army exercise 'Kazind' will be conducted between the Indian and Kazakhstan Army from September 10 to 23 in Otar.
This is the third joint military exercise between the two countries "which have a history of extensive cooperation in the defence arena", an army spokesperson said. The second edition of the exercise was held in India last year.
The aim of the exercise is to build and promote army to army relations and exchange skills and experiences between the Kazakh and the Indian armies. The exercise will also serve as a platform for exchange of drills and procedures, the spokesperson said.
"The 14-day exercise with the Kazakhstan Army will follow a graduated continuum from orientation to a full scale mock exercise - the aim being to achieve optimum integration among the two contingents through enhanced mutual comprehension of each other's tactics, techniques and procedures."
The spokesperson said the Indian troops will share their "vast experience and expertise...in counter insurgency operations" with their Kazakhstan counterparts.
"The conduct of the joint exercise will set the stage for greater defence cooperation and consequently will manifest in stronger ties between the two great nations."
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7 held in election-related violence in Assam: Police
Guwahati, Apr 9 (PTI) Seven people were held in connection with election-related violence at two places in Assam, officials said on Thursday.
Besides, minor clashes also erupted at several polling booths after voting began in the morning, with people suffering minor injuries, they said.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order), Akhilesh Kumar Singh, told PTI that violence took place in Tamulpur and Sivasagar on Wednesday night, hours before polling began for the assembly elections at 7 am.
"We got reports of a clash between two groups at Tamulpur last night. Police reached the spot immediately and tried to control the crowd. When they did not listen, a few rounds were fired in the air to disperse the mob," he said, adding that four people were arrested from the site.
In another incident, two to three members of a political party were attacked in Sivasagar, the IG said.
"We have detained three persons there. The investigation is going on," he said.
Akhil Gogoi, who is seeking re-election from the Sibsagar seat, alleged that BJP nominee Kushal Dowari was behind the incident.
In a series of social media posts, Gogoi claimed two people were injured, and their vehicles were also damaged in the attack.
Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) Chief Executive Member Hagrama Mohilary said a detailed enquiry will reveal the cause of the clash in Tamulpur.
"The situation is normal now. We are monitoring it, and there is enough security presence to avoid any untoward incident," he said.
Polling is underway for the 126-member assembly to decide the electoral fate of 722 candidates. It will continue till 5 pm, with May 4 scheduled for the counting of votes.
A number of minor clashes have erupted at several polling stations in Sribhumi, Golaghat and Nagaon districts.
"Most of the clashes took place due to heavy rush, with people fighting over breaking the queue," an official said.
At some polling booths in places like Patharkandi, Merapani and Raha, supporters of ruling and opposition parties clashed, he said.
"However, police were already present in those areas, and the situations were handled instantly. The polling is going on uninterrupted," he added.
The BJP-led NDA is seeking a third consecutive term in power in these elections, while the Congress is looking to reclaim the state it lost a decade ago.
