1. Manipur Violence: ‘Cannot be forgiven’: Modi reacts to video of Manipur women paraded naked, two arrested; top court takes note
2. Day 2, Monsoon Session: Centre braces for another Opposition storm over Manipur
3. Sri Lanka prez in India: Issues on agenda Sri Lanka notifies Indian rupee as designated currency
4. India, US agree to work towards broader bilateral Drug Policy Framework
5. NIA cracks down on more ISIS modules, raids in four states with two arrests

What Else

6. NIA arrests Aligarh Muslim University student working as ISIS operative
7. Uttar Prdesh ATS arrests two Bangladeshi natives for illegal Stay
8. USS Stethem Conducts Cooperative Deployment with Indian Navy Following Goa Port Visit
9. General elections by Oct 11, unless assemblies dissolved earlier: ECP
10. Five KP policemen martyred in two terror attacks
11. Chinese hackers breach email accounts of US Ambassador to China

Manipur Violence: ‘Cannot be forgiven’: Modi reacts to video of Manipur women paraded naked, two arrested; top court takes note

• PM Modi reacted to the horrific visuals of sexual violence from the northeastern state of Manipur that went viral on social media, starting July 19 late evening.
• “The law will take its course. What happened to Manipur’s daughter cannot be forgiven,” Modi said outside the Indian Parliament in New Delhi.
• Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter and sought a response from the state and Centre.
• Terming the incident as the “grossest of constitutional abuse”, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said that if the govt does not act then the court will.
• Meanwhile, India’s parliament convened for a formal Monsoon session on July 20.
• On the same day, several MPs gave notices in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for a discussion of the volatile situation in Manipur, House adjourned for the day. (here)
• Massive protests erupt in Manipur after video goes viral: Massive protests erupted in the state on Fri after a disturbing video showing 2 women being paraded naked.
• Public demonstrations were held through the streets of Churachandpur, fanning fresh ethnic tensions.
• 4 main accused arrested in the Manipur Viral Video Case: including a cadre of Prepak Pro namely Md Ibungo
• CM, N. Biren Singh, who hails from BJP, assured the enraged public that strict action will be taken against those involved in the crime.
• He also suggested capital punishment for the accused to ensure swift justice. (here)
• Woman stripped and raped in Manipur breaks silence, says was ‘left to the mob by the police’ The day after a distressing video surfaced, one of the survivors told The Indian Express that they were “left to the mob by the police”. (here)
• [Police on the other side claimed that they could save only the family members from the outnumbered mob (more than 900).]

Day 2, Monsoon Session: Centre braces for another Opposition storm over Manipur

• After proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were cut short amid a ruckus over a viral video from Manipur Day 2 of the 23-day Monsoon Session, on Fri, could likely witness similar scenes over the prevailing state of affairs in the Northeast state.
• With the Opposition members in both Houses adamant about a discussion on Manipur on the opening day of the Monsoon session, on Thu, the LS was adjourned for the day while the RS was adjourned twice.
• The Upper House was first adjourned till noon following obituary references, and then, till 2 pm, over the Opposition demanding a discussion on the Manipur situation.
• Amid similar bedlam, the proceedings in the Lok Sabha were suspended till 2 pm following obituary references. (here)

Sri Lanka prez in India: Issues on agenda Sri Lanka notifies Indian rupee as designated currency

• Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe embarked on a 2-day visit to India on Thu, his 1^st since taking office last year after a tumultuous period that saw the economy tank, and protests erupt on its streets leading to the ouster of former leaders.
• It marks the 75^th anniversary of the establishment of official diplomatic ties between the two South Asian neighbors.
• “The visit will reinforce the longstanding friendship between the two countries and explore avenues for enhanced connectivity and mutually beneficial cooperation across sectors,” a statement from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs said.
• Sri Lanka seeks ‘innocent passage‘
• Of several items on the table during Wickremesinghe’s visit to New Delhi, one would be of securing an “innocent passage” through Indian waters for fishermen back home.
• Sri Lanka has notified the Indian rupee as a designated currency, Indian External Affairs Ministry said on Thu.
• Making INR a designated foreign currency enables not only trade settlement between the two countries in INR but also Indian tourists can use INR for transactions. (here)
• Capitalizing on goodwill earned during last year: The bilateral ties between India and Sri Lanka have gotten stronger following last year’s economic turmoil that induced massive instability, both economic and political, in the South Asian island nation.
• Strong maritime defense ties between India and Sri Lanka: India-Sri Lanka maritime defense ties have strengthened over the past few months.
• Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera in May visited New Delhi to discuss issues of mutual interest and ways to enhance existing bilateral relations between the defense forces. (here)

India, US agree to work towards a broader bilateral Drug Policy Framework

• India and the US on Thu agreed to work towards a broader and deeper bilateral Drug Policy Framework for the 21^st Century, the WH said after talks between officials
• 4^th annual meeting of the US-India Counternarcotics Working Group concluded in New Delhi
• The counter-narcotics and the work to do to disrupt the networks of traffickers and producers of illicit drugs
• To work on drug demand reduction and harm reduction
• The Indian delegation was led by the Director-General of the NCB SN Pradhan. (here)

NIA cracks down on more ISIS modules, raids in four states with two arrests

• The National Investigation Agency made 2 breakthroughs this week by busting a Kerala-based ISIS module with an arrest of an operative from a hideout in Tamil Nadu and another arrest involving a member of the same terrorist outfit from Jharkhand in a different case.
• In the Kerala-related incident, the NIA busted another ISIS module and allegedly foiled communal unrest which could have been triggered as a fallout of attacks on places of worship and targeted killings of certain community leaders.
• One accused has been arrested from a hideout in Tamil Nadu and searches were conducted in at least 4 locations In Thrissur and Palakkad, sources in the NIA said.
• Based on credible inputs and investigations, the NIA sleuths conducted a joint operation with the state Anti-Terrorist Squad and searched 4 locations following the arrest of 1 accused.
• The raids were conducted at 3 locations in Thrissur and 1 in Palakkad districts of Kerala to bust the IS module, which had been conducting reconnaissance missions and conspiring to commit terrorist attacks (here)

NIA arrests Aligarh Muslim University student working as ISIS operative

• The National Investigation Agency on Thu arrested a 19-year-old student of Aligarh Muslim University for his alleged links with ISIS, a proscribed terrorist organisation.
• Faizan has been taken into custody in a case registered by the NIA on July 19 under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
• Several electronic devices and incriminating materials and documents were seized, said NIA.
• As per the NIA, Faizan had hatched a criminal conspiracy along with his associates and other unknown individuals through social media platforms to support ISIS activities in India and disseminate the outfit’s propaganda over various social media platforms (here)

Uttar Prdesh ATS arrests two Bangladeshi natives for illegal Stay

• The UP Anti-Terrorist Squad arrested 2 Bangladeshi citizens from Saharanpur on Thu.
• The duo was living in the impersonating Indian citizens by usig forged documents.
• The due was identified as Habibullah Misbah (26) and Ahmadullah (35).
• Cops recovered a sim card, 2 mobile chips, photocopy of Aadhaar card, fee receipt of passport, affidavit, ration card, voter ID card of Bangladesh Govt, Fino Bank Passbook, Dutch Bangla Bank, birth Certificate (Assam), PAN Card, Letter Madrasa Al Jamiatul Islamia Khanka e Madani (Urdu Language) and Rs a mobile phone, 2 sim cards, a Bangladeshi passport, an Indian voter ID card, a PAN card and Rs 1,230. (here)

USS Stethem Conducts Cooperative Deployment with Indian Navy Following Goa Port Visit

• The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) conducted a Cooperative Deployment with the Indian Navy following the ship’s port visit to Goa, India, on July 18.
• The U.S. Navy destroyer worked with the Indian Navy frigate INS Tarkash (F-50), and the operations focused on building interoperability and strengthening relationships through maneuvering and communication exercises.
• The U.S.-India bilateral operations included division tactics, a passing exercise and formation sailing, providing both navies the opportunity to work together to further common maritime goals. (here)

[NEIGHBORHOOD]

General elections by Oct 11, unless assemblies dissolved earlier: ECP

• The Election Commission on Thu ruled out any delay in the general elections in the country, saying that the polls will be held before Oct 11, if the national and 2 provincial assemblies were not dissolved before expiry of their term on Aug 12.
• Commission says mechanism in place to check expense limit violations
• Polls to be held on previous delimitation, aligned with upcoming reforms
• ECP said the judiciary had been requested to spare judicial officers to perform duties as district returning officers and returning officers (ROs). (here)

Five KP policemen martyred in two terror attacks

• 5 policemen embraced martyrdom and 12 people — 9 personnel and 3 civilians — suffered injuries when terrorists attacked an official compound in Bara and a PS Peshawar within a span of a few hours.
• Officials said 2 suicide bombers were intercepted by policemen at the entrance of the tehsil complex and police station adjacent to Bara bazaar around 11am on Thu
• They said police engaged the bombers in a gun battle, which left one of the attackers dead, while the other blew himself up.
• A portion of the building collapsed owing to the impact of the explosion.
• police were on high alert after receiving intelligence about a possible attack and worked on a well-coordinated plan which saved the area from huge destruction.
• Due to strict security arrangements that were put in place on the basis of intelligence about the possible attack many lives were saved. (here)

Chinese hackers breach email accounts of US Ambassador to China

• China-based hackers breached the email accounts of the US Envoy to China, Nicholas Burns as part of a recent targeted intelligence-gathering campaign.
• The hackers also accessed the email account of Daniel Kritenbrink, the Assistant Secy of State for East Asia, who also travelled with Secy of State Antony Blinken to China
• Earlier, Chinese hackers also breached the email of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and State Department officials in the weeks before State Secretary Antony Blinken visited Beijing in June.
• Earlier, Microsoft revealed that the Chinese hackers with the intention to collect intelligence on the US have gained access to government email accounts. (here)