India repatriates non-essential crew members of Iranian ship in Kochi
New Delhi (PTI): India has repatriated the non-essential crew members of an Iranian warship that docked in Kochi on March 4 amid the escalating military conflict between Iran and the US, people familiar with the matter said on Saturday.
Over 50 of the 183 crew members have stayed back as the ship, IRIS Lavan, remains in Kochi, they said.
The non-essential sailors left India by a Turkish airline aircraft. The aircraft landed in Kochi late last night after picking up the bodies from Colombo of over 80 Iranian sailors of another warship that was sunk by a US submarine off the coast of Sri Lanka on March 4.
IRIS Lavan has remained in Kochi since March 4. The ship had developed urgent technical issues and was granted emergency docking approval on March 1 following a request from the Iranian side.
It is learnt that the Iranian sailors of IRIS Lavan will travel to Iran by road from Yerevan, Armenia's capital city.
The repatriation of the crew members comes as New Delhi makes efforts to ensure safe passage for over two dozen Indian-flagged merchant vessels currently stationed on either side of the Strait of Hormuz.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar spoke to his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday night in the fourth such conversation since the West Asia crisis erupted.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Case registered over social media posts 'threatening' Kerala CM’s security officer
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): A case has been registered and a probe launched into social media posts allegedly threatening a member of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s security team with consequences once the UDF comes to power, officials said on Sunday.
The Thiruvananthapuram City Cyber Police registered the case based on a complaint filed by Chief Minister’s security staff member Sandeep Sasidharan.
The Congress had earlier alleged that Sandeep and another officer, Anil Kumar, brutally assaulted two Youth Congress-KSU activists including using flower pot when they protested against the Chief Minister during the Navakerala Sadas programme in Alappuzha in 2023.
A subsequent probe was conducted against both officers, and the Crime Branch later gave them a clean chit.
Recently, following the conclusion of the state assembly election on April 9, several social media posts allegedly made by Congress, Youth Congress and KSU activists claimed that revenge would be taken once the LDF government is removed and the UDF comes to power.
Police said cases have been registered against Facebook accounts named Arun Rajendran, Tom Kuriakose, Yaser KP, Sony Panamthanam, Sarath Pillai, KSU Kanjiramkulam, Rahul John C and Youth Congress Battle.
According to the FIR, the complainant’s photograph and name were used in several social media posts threatening him with consequences and containing abusive language.
Police said the social media account holders have been identified and will soon be summoned as part of the investigation.
The case has been registered under Sections 296(b) (uttering obscene words causing public annoyance), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (acts done by several persons) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
