India News
Agni V Launch: India Joins Exclusive Club Of Countries With ICBMs Of Over 5,000 km Range

Amid fresh war of words with China, India successfully test-fired its Agni-V long-range ICBM which was launched from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast at 9:53am local time on Thursday, January 18.
The nuclear-capable missile, the most advanced in the Agni series of ballistic missiles, can strike targets more than 5,000 km away, meaning the vast majority of China and Europe come in its range.
The missile was test-fired from a canister launcher, mounted on a mobile platform, at about 9.54 am from No. 4 launch pad of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Abdul Kalam Island, earlier known as Wheeler Island. The 17-metre tall, two-metre wide sophisticated missile, which can carry a 1.5 tonne nuclear warhead, travelled for 19 minutes and covered 4,900 km.
India’s defence ministry hailed the test as a “major boost” to the nation’s defence capabilities. “We have successfully launched nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-V today,” said defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
With this launch, India has joined an exclusive club of countries, including Russia, the US and China, with ICBMs with ranges of more than 5,000 km.
The launch is likely to infuriate China and Pakistan, both of which condemned India when it last tested the missile in December 2016.
A border dispute in the Himalayan region of Doklam had led to heightened military tensions between Beijing and New Delhi in 2017.
India has at present in its armoury of Agni series, Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-2 with 2000 km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2500 km to more than 3500km range. The first test of Agni-5 was conducted on 19 April 2012, the second on 15 September 2013, the third on 31 January 2015 and fourth trial on 26 December 2016 from the same base.
In a bid to boost its nuclear arsenal, the Indian army is modifying the Agni missile to make it capable of carrying nuclear warheads. India is believed to have about 120 to 130 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, according to the Federation of American Scientists.
The President of India took to Twitter to congratulate the team of scientists behind the launch: “Successful test firing of Agni-V ICBM makes every Indian very proud. It will boost our strategic defence. Congratulations to the team of DRDO scientists. May you go further on this trajectory #PresidentKovind.”
Media reports quoting sources described the trial as “fully successful”. “After four successful developmental trials, this was the first user associate test of Agni-5 missile,” said the sources.
‘Agni-5’ is most advanced missile in the Agni series with new technologies incorporated in it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine. “The redundant Navigation systems, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS) had ensured the missile reached the target point within few metres of accuracy.
“The high speed on board computer and fault tolerant software along with robust and reliable bus guided the missile flawlessly,” said an official of Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), media reports said.
The missile path is precisely directed by the advanced on-board computer and inertial navigation system, the official added. The first two successful flights of Agni-5 in 2012 and 2013 were in open configuration. The third, fourth and today’s launch from a canister, integrated with a mobile sophisticated launcher, were in its deliverable configuration that enables launch of the missile with a very short preparation time as compared to an open configuration. It also has advantages of higher reliability, longer shelf life, less maintenance and enhanced mobility.
India News
Wrestlers left to grapple with Delhi Police might, march fails, Jantar Mantar cleared
The wrestlers had called for a mahila samman mahapanchayat with support from farmers and khap panchayats from various states

The Delhi Police on Sunday cleared the protest area occupied by protesting wrestlers in Jantar Mantar after detaining several wrestlers, including women, on their march to the new Parliament building which was being inaugurated at that time.
The wrestlers had called for a mahila samman mahapanchayat with support from farmers and khap panchayats from various states. With Delhi Police declaring the area around Parliament a no-go zone in view of the ceremonies there today, the wrestlers were not allowed to proceed on their march from Jantar Mantar.
The wrestlers, Vinesh Phogat, Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia, were detained at Jantar Mantar when the protesters tried to clear the barricades and ended up breaking them.
Videos on Twitter showed a brawl between protesters and Delhi Police personnel as the latter tried to break up the altercation. A woman police officer can be seen taking a woman away from the protest scene in one of the videos.
Unfazed, Punia declared the mahapanchayat will take place today without fail. He said the wrestlers would continue their struggle for their self-respect. The Olympian bronze medallist said the Modi government was destroying democracy on the very same day it was inaugurating a new Parliament. He urged the authorities to free protesters who had been detained by police.
The borders into Delhi had been shut since the morning over the mahapanchayat timing with the Parliament inauguration. Traffic jams were legion along the peripheries of the city as farmers in tractors were refused entry into Delhi, leading to a long pile-up of traffic.
The wrestlers have been on protest since April 23 seeking action against Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the MP from Kaiserganj and a UP strongman, for sexually harassing women athletes.
The wrestlers have won widespread support from farmers who have now stepped in to seek justice for the exploited women.
India News
Caught on cam: Class 10 girl falls from school terrace in Ayodhya, family accuses school authority of rape and murder
The parents of the deceased girl said their daughter was called to school despite ongoing summer vacations.

A class 10 girl students died after falling off the terrace of her school building in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. While school said the girl fell from the swing, family accuses school officials of assault on their daughter.
The incident took place at 8:45 AM in the Sunbeam School, Ayodhya, of which the girl was a student.
The parents of the deceased girl said their daughter was called to school despite ongoing summer vacations.
At around 10:00 am on Friday, the parents received a call from the school administration informing them about their to have fallen from a swing and was severely injured.
The family then immediately rushed to the hospital but were informed by the doctors that their daughter had died during treatment.
The family doubted and informed the police about the incident.
The entire incident on the floor was caught on camera, the police during the investigation retrieved a CCTV footage that showed the girl falling on the floor.
Ayodhya SP Police on the matter said as the girl’s mother was out somewhere, once she comes back and once CCTV footages and other surveillance evidences are retrieved his team will conduct the investigation.
Deceased girl’s grandfather while speaking to media said at around 8:48 am, her daughter left for the school and at around 9:50 am, they received a call from the school authority.
The victim’s grandfather further informed that first they were told by the school management that the girl had fallen from the swing but later in the evening after watching the CCTV footage they got know to that she was thrown from from the terrace.
He further alleged that Brijesh Yadav, Abhishek Kanojia and another person killed her grand daughter. He again putting stress on Abhishek Kanojia’s name said he is responsible for the death.
School principal has distanced from giving any comments on the incident.
India News
Bihar: Snake found in mid-day meal in Araria school, 100 students hospitalised
Reports said the incident occurred on Saturday at Amouna middle school Ward No. 21, under Jogbani Nagar Parishad.

A ruckus broke out at a government school in the Araria district of Bihar after a snake was found in the Khichdi served to students under the mid-day meal scheme.
Reports said the incident occurred on Saturday at Amouna middle school Ward No. 21, under Jogbani Nagar Parishad and landed as many as 100 students in the hospital. Officials said the affected students are undergoing treatment and are out of danger.
The pictures of the dead snake floating in the Khichdi are doing rounds on the internet.
Have a look at the pictures:


Reports further said students were served khichdi prepared by an NGO during the mid-day meal and the students who already ate the food ended up barfing following which they were rushed to the Forbesganj hospital.
Araria district education office Rajkumar said all the students who ate the food are safe and an investigation has been launched into the matter.
DEO Rajkumar also said the NGO, which was assigned for the mid-day meals in the school, will face the cancellation of their license.
The school authorities noticed the dead snake after a student pointed it out and informed everyone. However, about 100 students had eaten the meal till then.
Reports said school teachers complained several times to the NGO about the bad quality of mid-day meals they have been serving to the students, however, their complaint was neglected.
This is not the first mid-day meal mishap reported in Bihar. In November 2022, as many as 200 students were hospitalised after eating mid-day meals at a middle school in Naugachhia in Bhagalpur.
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