Bangladesh, Kazakhstan replace Pakistan, Oman for Asia Cup men's hockey in India
New Delhi (PTI): Bangladesh and Kazakhstan have replaced Pakistan and Oman for the men's Asia Cup hockey tournament to be held in Rajgir, Bihar from August 29 as per the schedule released on Tuesday.
Hosts India have drawn China, Japan and Kazakhstan in Pool A, while Pool B comprises Malaysia, Korea, Chinese Taipei and Bangladesh.
Malaysia and Bangladesh will get the continental tournament underway with their opening fixture on August 29 before India play China in the first day's last game.
The final, third-place match and 5/6th place classification games are scheduled on September 7.
The Indian government had said that it would provide visas to the Pakistani players for the tournament, but the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) has refused to travel, citing security concerns.
The organisers had in advance approached Bangladesh to fill up Pakistan's place in the eight-team tournament.
Pakistan's participation in the Asia Cup -- a qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Cup -- was uncertain after the military confrontation with India following the Pahalgam terror attack.
India had launched Operation Sindoor to dismantle terror infrastructure in Pakistan after the terrorist attack that killed 26 people.
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41 lakh illicit liquor seized, 1.84 lakh arrested in major drive: K'taka Minister tells Assembly
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): The Karnataka Excise Department has conducted a statewide crackdown on illegal liquor trade over the last two years, resulting in arrests and seizures of alcohol, Karnataka Excise Minister R B Timmapur said on Tuesday.
As many as 1,09,017 people were arrested, and seizures included 13.66 lakh litres of liquor and 27.19 lakh litres of beer, he said in a written reply to a starred question by Harihar BJP MLA B P Harish in the Karnataka Assembly.
The Minister said the enforcement drive covered the financial year 2023–24, 2024–25 up to June, and 2025–26 from July to October, targeting unauthorised liquor manufacture, storage, sale and transportation across the State.
"During this period, statewide enforcement drives resulted in a total of 1,84,570 raids against illegal liquor sales,” Timmapur said.
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He noted that 9,179 non-bailable cases and 91,968 bailable and compoundable cases under Section 15(A) of the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, were registered during the same period.
According to him, there have been no reports indicating that students have become addicted to alcohol due to illegal liquor sales.
The sale of alcohol to minors is strictly prohibited under the Karnataka Excise Act, 1965, and the department has issued periodic instructions to initiate legal action against violators, with strict enforcement and investigation measures in place, the Minister said.
Excise officials are carrying out regular road and night patrols, collecting intelligence, monitoring habitual offenders and conducting raids to identify illicit distillation units, unauthorised liquor outlets and spurious liquor manufacturing centres, he said, adding the department is also enforcing the law to prevent the production, storage, sale and transport of spurious, non-duty-paid and unauthorised liquor.
Regular patrols are being conducted on national and state highways, with suspicious vehicles being subjected to checks.
At the district level, standing committee meetings are held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioners, and joint operations are carried out with the police and forest departments to curb excise-related offences.
The department is also conducting awareness programmes through Gram Sabhas and in schools and colleges to educate the public and students about the physical, mental and social health hazards associated with alcohol addiction and substance abuse, Timmapur added.
