Ballari, Oct 15: The Congress presidential candidate Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday joined Rahul Gandhi and other leaders in the ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' in the district.

Kharge, who had served as the union minister and as the Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, also took part in the mega public meeting here to celebrate the yatra reaching the 1,000-km milestone.

He took part in the march for the first time today in his home state.

The Bharat Jodo Yatra entered Karnataka on September 30 and will make a final exit on October 20 after covering 511 km in 21 days.

The veteran Congress leader is contesting the Congress presidential election and is pitted against senior party leader Shashi Tharoor.

The 80-year-old leader had been into the electoral politics since 1972.

Earned the reputation of Solillada Sardara' (invincible leader), Kharge was an MLA from 1972 to 2008 winning the assembly elections for a record 10 times before becoming Lok Sabha MP from 2009 to 2019.

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Guwahati: A drone was recovered in an abandoned state near the India-Bangladesh border in Assam's Charbazar area, close to Sribhumi town, prompting a high-level security investigation. The incident occurred just hours after the Indian armed forces conducted precision strikes on terror camps across the Line of Control in Pakistan, adding to the already heightened regional tensions.

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was spotted by local residents in an open field and was reported to the authorities. Law enforcement officials arrived immediately, secured the area, and transported the drone to the Sribhumi police station for technical analysis.

A senior police official suggested that the drone may have originated from across the Bangladesh border. Though the investigation is ongoing, initial assessments point toward the possibility of cross-border surveillance or illicit activities such as smuggling or espionage.

Given Sribhumi's proximity to an international boundary, the area has witnessed similar security concerns in the past. Police have launched a full-scale investigation to determine the drone's origin, flight path, and intended use. Technical experts are examining the device for data and other forensic evidence.

The timing of the drone's discovery, closely following India's military operations in Pakistan, has raised concerns, though officials have not established any direct connection between the two events. Nonetheless, security forces remain on high alert.

Additional patrols and surveillance measures have been deployed across the border region. Authorities have also urged local residents to report any unusual or suspicious activity.