Renowned Telangana folk singer Gaddar passes away
Hyderabad, Aug 6: Renowned Telangana folk singer and balladeer Gaddar, who was popularly known for his revolutionary songs during the 1980s and later during the Telangana statehood agitation, passed away here on Sunday due to ill-health. He was 77.
Gaddar, whose real name is Gummadi Vittal Rao, died at Apollo Spectra Hospital in the city due to lung and urinary problems and advanced age, the hospital said in a statement.
He was suffering from severe heart disease and got admitted on July 20. He underwent a bypass surgery on August 3 and recovered from it, the hospital said.
However, he has had a history of lung and urinary problems, which along with advanced age, became aggravated and led to his passing, it said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi expressed grief over the demise of Gaddar.
"Saddened to hear about the demise of Shri Gummadi Vittal Rao, Telangana's iconic poet, balladeer and fiery activist," Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
"His (Gaddar) love for the people of Telangana drove him to fight tirelessly for the marginalised. May his legacy continue to inspire us all," he said.
Gaddar had attended a Congress public meeting addressed by Rahul Gandhi at Khammam in Telangana on July 2.
Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy, TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu and several other leaders condoled the demise of the singer.
Gaddar, who played a key role in spreading public awareness on various issues, gave an impetus to the Telangana statehood agitation with his songs, Kishan Reddy said.
A former naxalite, Gaddar had led an underground life, including in the forests. Subsequently, he had joined the mainstream and voted for the first time in his life in the Telangana Legislative Assembly polls in 2018.
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Security tightened along Rajasthan border amid espionage concerns; SMS Stadium gets bomb threat
Jaipur, May 14 (PTI): Amid concerns of espionage, the Rajasthan administration has intensified security measures along the India-Pakistan border, with authorities in Jaisalmer and Sri Ganganagar banning the use of Pakistani SIM cards.
According to officials, Pakistan has recently increased the range of mobile towers near the border, prompting fears of unauthorised communication and surveillance.
Meanwhile, Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh (SMS) Stadium once again received a bomb threat on Wednesday. Besides, three district administration offices in Baran, Alwar and Pratapgarh also received bomb threat mail.
"The use of Pakistani SIMs has been strictly prohibited in border districts to prevent any breach of security," said Jaisalmer Collector Pratap Singh said on Wednesday.
A similar order has been issued by the Sri Ganganagar district collector.
Security has been tightened in villages within 50 km of the international border, with restrictions on the movement of outsiders. The Border Security Force (BSF) and local police are maintaining high alert in sensitive areas.
BSF Deputy Commandant (Intelligence) Mahesh Chandra Jat held a training session for common people about drone activity. During the interaction, he warned of a possible increase in drone activity from across the border.
"We must remain prepared at all times. The public should understand how drones operate and the potential threats they pose," he said.
The Union Home Ministry has identified Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Kota, and Ajmer, along with border districts such as Barmer, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Ganganagar, and Jodhpur, as sensitive in view of possible air strikes.
According to the guidelines issued by the Directorate of Civil Defence, instructions have been given to install electric sirens at key locations in these areas, which will be operated from a centralised control room.
In another development, Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium once again received a bomb threat. A similar threat was received by the Pratapgarh, Baran and Alwar district administrations through email.
The threat, sent via email to the Sports Council building, also mentioned the SMS Hospital as a potential target. Police have increased security at the stadium and are tracing the sender with the help of cyber experts.
Meanwhile, life is returning to normal in the border regions. Markets in the affected districts reopened on Tuesday, and routine activities resumed.
Flight operations have also resumed in the state. All three airports in Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Kishangarh (Ajmer) became operational.
On Wednesday, a private operator resumed services from Kishangarh to six cities, including Hyderabad, Pune, Lucknow, Hindon, Nanded, and Bengaluru.
"Flight service by a private operator has been resumed from the airport," said Airport Director B L Meena, adding that IndiGo flights from Bikaner are scheduled to start on Thursday.
Protests have started in Rajasthan against Turkiye. Marble traders in Udaipur have announced that they will not buy marble from Turkiye, which supported Pakistan during the conflict with India.
Udaipur Marble Traders' Association president Pankaj Gangawat said, "The decision has been taken in protest against the support being given by Turkiye to Pakistan."
He said that the association demands the government to ban marble trade and tourism with Turkiye.
Meanwhile, the education department has announced fresh exam guidelines following disruptions in border districts due to the India-Pakistan conflict.
