Two infiltrators shot dead along LoC in J-K's Poonch: Army
Jammu (PTI): Two heavily-armed terrorists were killed as Army troops foiled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said on Sunday.
The infiltration bid was scuttled in Balakot sector on Saturday evening and a massive search operation is still underway, the spokesman said.
"At around 7.45 pm (Saturday), alert troops of the Indian Army deployed on the border fence in Balakot, observed suspicious movement ahead of the border fence and subsequently neutralised two terrorists. The area has been cordoned off and the operation is in progress," the spokesman said.
Officials said a huge quantity of arms and ammunition, including two AK assault rifles and a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED), were recovered from the possession of the slain ultras whose identity and group affiliation is awaited.
The successful operation in Balakot sector comes barely a week after terrorists attacked Dhangri village in adjoining Rajouri district and killed seven civilians and injured 14 others.
The officials said troops picked up suspicious movement in Balakot sector late Saturday evening and opened fire.
A search operation was launched with the first light of the day on Sunday and the bodies of two terrorists were recovered along with war-like stores, they said.
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Karnataka procured 16 lakh expired RT-PCR kits during Covid wave: D’Cunha commission
Bengaluru: Justice John Michael D’Cunha’s committee has uncovered significant irregularities in the procurement of medical supplies during the Covid-19 pandemic, revealing that more than 16 lakh RT-PCR test kits purchased by Karnataka in 2022 under the BJP-led government were either expired or close to their expiry dates.
After irregularities in PPE kit purchases, ventilators have also come under the scanner, with the report highlighting discrepancies amounting to Rs 173.26 crore in purchases made by the Medical Education Department.
The commission has also found that the Karnataka State Medical Supplies Corporation Ltd. (KSMSCL) that cancelled a supply order for one lakh Rapid Antigen (RAT) kits placed with a Singapore-based company in March 2020 — for delay in supplying — has not recovered the Rs 6.99 crore paid to the company towards the order, as reported by The Hindu on Thursday.
According to the 279-page report on procurements made by the KSMSCL that is compiled in part IV of the report, a payment of Rs 148.84 crore was made by KSMSCL to various suppliers and firms towards procurement of RT-PCR kits from 2020 to 2022.
The Commission’s report, as cited by the publication, stated that there were records indicating procurement of RT-PCR kits, RNA extraction kits and Viral transport media (VTM) of a total value of Rs 106.25 crore during the pandemic in Karnataka. However, according to the report, this procurement was made without administrative approval.
“Since the KSMSCL has failed to discharge its obligation and responsibility, the loss caused to the State exchequer to this extent is required to be replenished by the erring officers and/or officials of the KSMSCL as well as the officers and/or officials of the consignee designated laboratories who received the consignment,” the report said, pegging the losses due to expired kits supplied by companies at Rs 3.11 crore.
In response to the report’s findings, state Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao criticised the saffron party for profiting from the pandemic. He promised accountability for the irregularities involving PPE kits and ventilators, stating that those responsible would face punishment.
