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JeM camp was hit, no. of kills speculative, says a Military report; foreign media questions claims

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7 years ago

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JeM camp was hit, no. of kills speculative, says a Military report; foreign media questions claims

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Indian defence establishment has proof that the Indian Air Force (IAF) pre-dawn strike on Feb 26 at Balakot in Pakistan hit the four buildings it had targeted inside the campus of Madrasa Taleem-ul-Quran used as Jaish-e-Mohammad training camp, said media reports quoting top defence sources.

As for assessment of number of terrorists killed in the strike, they conceded that it was at best speculative because of limitations of technical intelligence and lack of ground intelligence at this point.

Evidence obtained from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery showed that the four buildings, identified as targets, were hit by five S-2000 precision-guided munition (PGM) fired from IAF’s Mirage-2000 fighter jets, reports said.

Also Read: IED blast in Pulwama, one civilian injured

The buildings were in the campus of the madrasa run by Jaish which is located on the same ridge line as the hilltop, a few hundred metres to the east. Pakistan has confirmed that the area was struck by India but has denied that there were terror camps or that there was any damage.

Man near damaged trees in Jaba village, Balakot: Reuters photo

Man near damaged trees in Jaba village, Balakot: Reuters photo

A few independent satellite imagery experts had raised doubts whether the Mirage-2000 fighters had actually managed to hit the terror facility on the ‘Jaba Top’ hillock. They claimed that while there was little evidence of damage to the facility in the satellite pictures, craters caused by bombs were visible in open areas around 150 to 200 metres from the barracks/buildings.

Also Read: Anupam Kher, Anushka Sharma, Mohanlal among others lauds IAF pilot Abhinandan’s return

Countering foreign media reports that bombs fell in open area far from any buildings, the defence sources pointed to the fact that the Pakistan army had sealed off the madrasa after the strike and did not allow any journalists to visit it. They said there was evidence in the form of SAR imagery to show that a building used as a guest house, where brother of Maulana Masood Azhar used to stay; an L-shaped building where trainers used to stay; a double-storied building used to house students entering the seminary and another building where those undergoing final combat training used to stay, were hit by the bombs.

They said it was up to the political leadership to take a call on whether to release that imagery and make public what is a ‘classified’ capability.

“The SAR images are not as clear as satellite pictures and we couldn’t get a good satellite picture on Tuesday because of heavy clouds. That would have settled the debate,” an official told The Indian Express (IE).

“The madrasa was selected carefully as it was in the middle of nowhere and there was little chance of any civilian casualties. Intelligence given to the IAF was accurate and timely,” the official said.

Also Read: US Offers $1 Million reward for giving information about Osama bin Laden’s son

Two Reuters reporters who visited the site of the bombings, where four large craters could be seen, said up to 15 pine trees had been brought down by the blasts.

Explaining further, the sources said that the buildings were targeted by the IAF’s Israeli S-2000 PGM bombs which are not meant to destroy the building but only to cause damage after they enter a building. The S-2000 is a highly accurate, jammer-proof bomb which works precisely even under heavy cloud cover.

“It first penetrates through the roof, then enters the building and explodes after a delay. It is meant to hit the command and control centres and does not destroy the building. The software has to be programmed with the type of roof – its thickness, material of construction etc. – and that, accordingly, sets the delay period for the PGM,” the officer told IE.

These buildings had roofs made of corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets and the SAR imagery shows that on the first day, these roofs had gone missing. These roofs were repaired after two days, making it difficult to assess the full damage by technical intelligence, said the report quoting the officer.

As Pakistan Army has tightly controlled access to the madrassa, there is a lack of human intelligence from the ground to give an accurate picture of total damage and number of terrorists killed in the air strike.

“The whole place has been sealed off by Pakistan Army. We have not been able to get any reliable intelligence inputs and any figures of terrorists killed in the airstrike is purely speculative,” the official added.

Sources also denied that any of the IAF bombs hit the hilltop at Jaba where Pakistan Army has taken a team of journalists to see some craters, and splintered trees. The military official said that “if only S-2000 PGM were fired, there is no possibility of craters or sheared trees. The PGM would go inside the earth and then explode, which would create a mound of earth instead.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Women’s quota bill fails in Lok Sabha as it falls short of two-thirds majority

Women’s reservation proposal failed in Lok Sabha after securing 298 votes, below the required two-thirds majority

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7 hours ago

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April 17, 2026

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Parliament

Government secures 298 votes in favour, 230 against; proposal does not pass constitutional threshold

The proposed amendment related to women’s reservation failed to pass in the Lok Sabha on Friday after the government could not secure the required two-thirds majority.

The bill received 298 votes in favour and 230 against, falling short of the constitutional threshold needed for passage. As a constitutional amendment, it required the support of at least two-thirds of members present and voting.

Despite securing a simple majority, the government was unable to gather sufficient support to meet this requirement.

Debate continues over two days

The discussion on the bill extended late into Thursday and continued on Friday, with members from both sides participating in the debate on women’s representation in legislative bodies.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged members to support the proposal, calling for wider consensus on the issue.

Implications of the outcome

The failure of the bill underscores the challenges in securing broad political agreement on constitutional amendments, especially those related to representation and electoral reforms.

The proposal was aimed at advancing women’s representation in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies, an issue that has remained under discussion for several years.

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Rahul Gandhi faces FIR order as Allahabad High Court acts on dual citizenship plea

High Court allows plea in Rahul Gandhi citizenship case, paving the way for further legal process.

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11 hours ago

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April 17, 2026

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Rahul Gandhi

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has allowed a petition seeking legal action in connection with allegations related to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship status, marking a fresh development in the case.

The petition was filed by a political worker, who had approached the court seeking directions for registration of a case over claims that Gandhi may have held foreign citizenship. The High Court, while hearing the matter, passed directions for further proceedings in accordance with law.

The development comes after a special MP/MLA court in Lucknow had earlier declined to order registration of an FIR, reportedly observing that it lacked jurisdiction in matters concerning citizenship.

Background

The case is linked to allegations that Rahul Gandhi may have held British citizenship. Under Indian law, dual citizenship is not permitted. However, these claims remain part of the petitioner’s submissions and have not been established by any court.

During earlier hearings, the High Court had sought records and considered material presented by the parties involved.

What happens next

With the High Court allowing the plea, the matter is expected to proceed as per due legal process. This may involve examination by the appropriate authority and further judicial review at subsequent stages.

The case carries both legal and political significance given Rahul Gandhi’s role as Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

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Pawan Khera faces fresh setback as Supreme Court refuses relief in passport row case

Congress leader Pawan Khera faces fresh setback as Supreme Court refuses interim relief and directs him to seek bail from Guwahati High Court.

Published

14 hours ago

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April 17, 2026

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Pawan Khera

Congress leader Pawan Khera suffered another legal setback on Friday after the Supreme Court of India declined to extend protection in a case linked to his remarks about Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife.

A bench of the apex court refused to interfere with an earlier order that had stayed the transit anticipatory bail granted to Khera by the Telangana High Court. This decision leaves the Congress leader open to possible arrest by Assam Police in connection with the case.

During the hearing, Khera’s counsel sought interim protection, but the court declined the request and advised him to approach the appropriate court in Assam for relief. The bench clarified that the Guwahati High Court should decide any bail plea independently and on its merits.

“Am I a terrorist?” remark during hearing

While seeking protection, Khera’s legal team expressed concern over the urgency of the situation. In court, his counsel remarked, “Am I a terrorist?” highlighting the plea for temporary relief until a fresh bail application could be filed.

The Supreme Court also raised concerns over the submission of incorrect documents during the proceedings, adding another layer to the legal complications faced by the Congress leader.

Case linked to remarks on CM’s wife

The case stems from a press conference held earlier this month, where Khera made allegations regarding the citizenship status and financial assets of the Assam Chief Minister’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sharma.

He had claimed that she possessed multiple passports and owned undisclosed overseas properties. These allegations were strongly denied by the Chief Minister’s family, who termed them fabricated and misleading.

Legal battle intensifies

Earlier, the Telangana High Court had granted Khera temporary transit anticipatory bail, allowing him time to seek relief from a competent court in Assam. However, the Supreme Court stayed that order following a challenge by Assam authorities, escalating the legal battle.

With the latest ruling, Khera is now expected to move the Guwahati High Court for anticipatory bail as the case continues to unfold.

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