Chikkamagaluru: Shivakumar urges India to send message of peace amid West Asia conflict
Chikkamagaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar emphasised the need to send a strong message of peace to end the ongoing conflict in West Asia, urging India to play a proactive role in reducing tensions in the region.
Speaking to journalists in Balehonnur in N.R. Pura taluk on Sunday, during his visit to attend a programme at Rambhapuri Mutt, Shivakumar said, “India needs to send a message to the U.S. to stop the war on Iran.”
The conflict in that region has had an impact worldwide, including in India. “The USA should stop the war and begin the peace talks. All Indians need to send a united message of peace,” he said.
Highlighting the concerns of Indian families, particularly in southern states, Shivakumar said that a significant number of Indians are employed in West Asia. “In the coastal regions of Kerala and Karnataka, at least one person from each family is working in that region. We need to care for their safety,” he said.
Referring to reports of casualties in Iran, he said more than 70 children had reportedly been killed and that lakhs of people were distressed due to the conflict. He also pointed out that global flight operations had been affected.
“We all must desire peace, and only through that can we save people. Nobody should be harmed. The Union government should also convey the message of peace,” he said.
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Gold worth Rs 4.35 cr seized at IGI Airport in two smuggling cases; three arrested
New Delhi (PTI): Customs officers at the Indira Gandhi International Airport have busted two separate gold smuggling attempts, seizing a total of over 3.17 kilograms of gold worth about Rs 4.35 crore and arresting three foreign nationals, officials said on Monday.
In the first instance, Customs registered a case of smuggling on February 26 against a 39-year-old Chadian woman who arrived from Addis Ababa a day before, an official statement said.
Acting on specific profiling and surveillance, officers intercepted the passenger for a detailed examination.
During the search, gold articles of high purity weighing 1,843 grams were recovered from her baggage. The seized gold was assessed at a tariff value of Rs 2.37 crore, officials said.
The passenger admitted that the gold had been smuggled into India without payment of duty, officials said, adding that the recovery was made after she confessed the concealment was done "to evade Customs detection and payment of applicable duty".
The gold was seized under Section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962, and the woman was placed under arrest under Section 104 of the Act for her alleged role in smuggling.
In a separate incident, Airport Customs Preventive officers booked two Myanmar nationals in a gold smuggling case on February 23. The duo had arrived from Yangon, another statement said.
The passengers were intercepted while crossing the green channel at the international arrival hall of Terminal-3.
On thorough personal search and baggage examination, the two men admitted that they had concealed gold bars inside their rectum.
"Further, four gold bars were ejected by each of the passengers," the Customs statement said, adding that eight rectangular gold bars were recovered.
The total net weight of the recovered gold was 1,329 grams, which was appraised at a tariff value of Rs 1.98 crore.
Both passengers were arrested under Section 104 of the Customs Act, 1962 for their involvement in the offence of smuggling, officials added.
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