Gurudwara vandalised in Canada's Vancouver
Ottawa, Apr 20 (PTI): A gurudwara in Canada's Vancouver has been vandalised with pro-Khalistan graffiti, with its leaders blaming a small group of Sikh separatists for the act, according to a media report.
The local police said it was investigating graffiti sprayed on Saturday at the Ross Street Gurdwara, Vancouver Sun reported.
Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison said Saturday that police are looking into the graffiti at the gurdwara, the newspaper said.
He said the police do not have a suspect.
The Khalsa Diwan Society, which runs the Ross Street Gurdwara, blamed the vandalism on a small group of Sikh separatists advocating Khalistan.
“This act is part of an ongoing campaign by extremist forces that seem to instil fear and division within the Canadian Sikh community,” the society said in a statement.
“Their actions undermine the values of inclusivity, respect, and mutual support that are foundational to both Sikhism and to Canadian society,” it said, urging Canadians to stand strong in the face of extremism.
These images are from the Ross Gurdwara in Vancouver. Khalistanis vandalised this gurudwara a few hours ago. This Gurdwara promotes Hindu-Sikh unity & didn't allow Khslistanis in their Nagar Kirtan a few days ago, and this is the net result. The price of being decent in Canada. pic.twitter.com/XpHHI1ksFy
— कुशल मेहरा (@kushal_mehra) April 20, 2025
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Govt to set up Bureau of Port Security to boost port, vessel security
New Delhi (PTI): To beef up the security infrastructure of ports, the government will set up a statutory body -- the Bureau of Port Security -- that will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information of ports and vessels, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday convened a meeting for the constitution of the dedicated body, the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS), which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said.
Emphasising that there is a need to establish a country-wide robust port security framework, Shah directed that security measures should be implemented in a graded and risk-based manner, taking into account vulnerabilities, trade potential, location, and other relevant parameters.
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The meeting also noted that lessons learned from the maritime security framework shall be replicated in the aviation security domain, the statement said.
The new body, modelled on the lines of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), will be constituted as a statutory body under the new Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, and will work under the aegis of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), it said.
Headed by a senior IPS officer as its director general, the BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities.
"During the transition period of one year, the director general of shipping shall function as the director general of BoPS," the statement said.
"The BoPS will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, including a dedicated division to safeguard port IT infrastructure from digital threats," it said.
The government has designated the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) as a recognised security organisation (RSO), responsible for undertaking security assessments and preparation of security plans for port facilities.
The Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) will train and build the capacities of private security agencies (PSAs) engaged in port security.
"These agencies shall be certified and appropriate regulatory measures shall be introduced to ensure that only the licensed PSAs operate in this sector," the statement said.
