Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the government is committed to zero tolerance towards terrorism and added that Article 370 of the Constitution that has been the basis of terrorism, has been abrogated. By implication he said terrorism would soon end in Kashmir and the State would transform from being a terrorist haven to tourist paradise.
Union Minster Ashwini Vaishnav informed Parliament of the various measures being to counter cyber-attacks.
The central Indian State of Chhattisgarh witnessed heavy gun battles between the security forces and armed cadres of the proscribed Communist Party of India (Maoist). Forty rebels were called in two separate exchanges of fire.
On the other, twenty-two Maoists surrendered to the authorities in Chhattisgarh citing disillusionment with Maoist ideology. The government would rehabilitate them and enable them to lead a peaceful life.
Of late, remotely controlled improvised explosive devices have begun to pose a challenge to the security forces.
Jammu and Kashmir police chief Nalin Prabhat said the government is committed to a tough stance towards narco-terrorism. Chief Minster Farooq Abdullah reiterated that people’s support is vital essential to rid the State of terrorism.
Charge sheet has been filed against three Babar Khalsa International terrorists while some others have been sent from Dibrugarh jail to a jail in Punjab.
Dibrugarh in Assam has been removed from the list of Disturbed Areas Act; in other words, it is no longer a disturbed area.
A lady in Mumbai in the western Indian State of Maharashtra lost rupees twenty crore to digital arrest. Several SIM cards have been blocked as they were being misused.
Crackdown continued against digital arrest and money laundering fraudsters.
Zero-tolerance towards terrorism: Home Minister Amit Shah
The Government has zero tolerance policy towards terrorism Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on March21, 2025 while replying to a debate in Rajya Sabha on the working of the Home Ministry.
He further said, “Article 370 9 (since abrogated) was the basis of separatism in Kashmir. But I also thank the architects of the Constitution. [They] made the provision temporary, and the way to abrogate it was also included in the Article.
Sixteen Maoists neutralised in Sukma
At least 16 Communist Party of India Maoist rebels were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh, on March 29, 2025.[1] Two jawans sustained minor injuries. The operation was undertaken in the forest of Upampalli Kerlapal area, Sukma-Dantewada border. The joint anti-Maoist operation by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) began a day earlier
Thirty Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh
At least 30 Maoists were killed in two separate encounters of Chhattisgarh’s Kanker -- Gangalur area -- and Bijapur district, on March 27, 20205.[2] In the encounter in 26 Maoists and a security force personnel was also killed. In the Bijapur encounter four Maoists were killed.
Besides the bodies of Maoists, a large quantity of weapons was also recovered. Following news of the encounter Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Today our soldiers have achieved another major success in the direction of ‘Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’.
Twenty-two Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh
Twenty-two Naxalites, or cadres of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), including six carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 11 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, media reports said on March 24, 2025.[3]
In 2025 107 Maoists have laid down arms, 82 have been gunned down and 143 Naxalites have been apprehended in Bijapur. They decried the inhuman and hollow Maoist ideology and hailed the state government’s Naxalism elimination policy and the police’s rehabilitation drive.
Top commander killed in Dantewada
Three Naxalites, including a top commander with a bounty of Rs 25 lakh, were killed in an operation by security forces in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, media reports said on March 25, 2025.
The gunfight occurred along the border of Dantewada and Bijapur districts when a team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation.[4]
Remotely-controlled IEDs pose new threat
An alert has been sounded in the anti-Maoist operations theatre of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand following a spike in remotely-controlled Improvised Explosive blasts and recoveries, including that of a device rigged with beer bottles and a small antenna for remote control explosion, media reports said on March 23, 2025.[5]
The uptick in improvised explosive device (IED) recovery and blasts has been noticed as multiple security forces move into core Maoist areas. Until now they have been using claymore, pressure and directional mines.
Jammu and Kashmir police chief: Tough stance against Narco-Terror
Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, on March 21, 2025, said a tough stance would be taken against narco-terror and added would go hard on those involved in the menace.[6] While chairing a security review meeting in Srinagar, she discussed the growing challenge of narco-terrorism and directed security agencies to intensify efforts against drug smuggling networks linked to terror funding.
He rubbished concerns that infiltration would increases as snow is has begun to melt and said, “You are talking like the Meteorological department”.
People’s support vital to eradicate terrorism: J&K Chief Minister
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on March 24, 2025, asserted that militancy in Jammu and Kashmir cannot be finished without the support of people and said his government is extending support to the Union Home Ministry to ensure the security situation remains peaceful in the Union Territory.[7]
“Though it (security) is directly not our responsibility, I am repeatedly saying that militancy cannot be finished without the support of the people. The elected Government is making attempts to keep situation under control and maintain peace.”
Three terrorists killed in Kashmir
In one of the fiercest gun battles, three Pakistani terrorists were killed and three Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel were martyred, while seven others were injured in village Safiyan Jakhole village, Rajbagh police station, Kathua district, media reports said of March 27, 2025 said.[8] It, however, is yet to be ascertained whether it was same group which was spotted earlier in the same area.
Crackdown against proscribed organisations
Police has launched an extensive search operation in Botingoo, Sopore district, north Kashmir as part of the ongoing investigation into a case involving members of the proscribed Jammu and Kashmir National Front (JKNF), media reports said on March 26, 2025.
The raid was specifically targeted at the residence of a person believed to be an associated spokesperson of the banned outfit.[9]
Khalistan supporters moved out of Dibrugarh
All seven associates of pro-Khalistan leader and Lok Sabha MP Amritpal Singh were transferred from Assam’s Dibrugarh Central Jail to Punjab, on March 21, 2025.[10]
The detainees — Gurmeet Singh Bukkanwala, Bhagwant Singh, Basant Singh, Daljit Singh Kalsi, Harjit Singh, Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal, and Gurinderpal Singh — were moved from Dibrugarh to Punjab.
NIA files charge sheet against BKI operatives
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge sheeted four terror operatives of the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist organisation in the 2024 Chandigarh grenade attack case.[11] They include Pakistan-based designated individual terrorist Harwinder Singh Sandhu alias Rinda, and US-based Harpreet Singh alias Happy Passia. The two terrorists were the primary handlers and conspirators behind the attack. They had provided logistical support, terror funds, weapons, and smuggling ammunition to India based overground operatives in Chandigarh for executing the grenade attack.
Dibrugarh is no longer a disturbed area
The Ministry of Home Affairs has withdrawn the “disturbed area” tag from Dibrugarh, bringing an end to the enforcement of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in the district.[12] Since we envisioned making Dibrugarh the second capital of Assam, we requested the Centre to revoke AFSPA. In 2025, four districts—Charaideo, Sivasagar, Tinsukia, and Dibrugarh—were designated as “disturbed areas” under AFSPA. With the latest revocation, only three remain under the controversial law.
Measures against cyber-attacks: Minister Ashwini Vaishnav
Government of India is cognizant of the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber-attacks in the country, Minister Ashwini Vaishnav informed Rajya Sabha. Government has taken several legal, technical, and administrative policy measures for addressing cyber security challenges in the country. The Government has also institutionalised a nationwide integrated and coordinated system to deal with cyber-attacks in the country which, inter alia, includes:
- National Cyber Security Coordinator (NCSC) under the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) to ensure coordination amongst different agencies.
- Under the provisions of section 70B of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) is designated as the national agency for responding to cyber security incidents.
- National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) implemented by the CERT-In serves as the control room to scan the cyberspace in the country and detect cyber security threats.
- Cyber Swachhta Kendra (CSK) is a citizen-centric service provided by CERT-In, which extends the vision of Swachh Bharat to the Cyber Space.
- Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has created Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) to deal with cybercrimes in a coordinated and effective manner.
- Under the provisions of section 70A of the IT Act, 2000, the Government has established National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) for protection of critical information infrastructure in the country.
Mumbai lady loses Rs 20 crore in digital arrest
Cyber fraudsters extorted Rs 20 crore from an 86-year-old Mumbai resident by threatening her with arrest, media reports said on March 20, 2025.[13]
The woman first received a call from person who alleged that a bank account was opened in her name and used for money laundering, including transfers to an airways company. The fraudsters religiously followed their routine ‘standard operations procedure’ [our SFs may not follow SOPs but these fraudsters religiously do follow. I shall delete this, Sir. Could not help laughing] of threatening to arrest her children was followed. Noticing behavioural changes in her, the house help informed her daughter and a complaint was lodged. Investigations are presently underway.
The “Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre” (I4C) set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs has identified and blocked more than 83,668 WhatsApp accounts and 3,962 Skype IDs used for Digital Arrest.
Several SIM cards blocked: Minister of State for Home
Over 7.81 lakh SIM cards and 2,08,469 IMEIs have been blocked by the government after receiving police complaints, media reports said on March 26, 2025, quoting Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar.[14]
Since 2021, a Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System for reporting financial frauds and stopping siphoning off funds by fraudsters has saved more than Rs 4,386 crore in more than 13.36 lakh complaints.
Stating that the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) does not separately compile or publish specific data regarding digital arrest scams, the MoS said the MHA has set up the I4C as an attached office to deal with all types of cybercrimes in the country, in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.
Sharing details of avenues for citizens to report digital arrests and other cybercrimes, he said the “National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal” (https://cybercrime.gov.in) has been launched, as a part of the I4C, to enable the public to report incidents pertaining to all types of cybercrimes.
Property attached in money laundering case
In a money laundering case involving chartered accountant Amber Dalal and others, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable and movable assets worth Rs 36.21 crore, media reports said on March 26, 2025.[15] The attached assets include 10 immovable properties in Mumbai and Kolkata, along with movable assets such as fixed deposits, shares, mutual funds, and investments in alternative funds linked to multiple individuals, the agency said on Tuesday.
NDPS accused discharged by Mumbai court
A special Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances court, on March 21, 2025, discharged Ali Azghar Shirazi, a close aide of drug lord Kailash Rajput, who was booked in May 2023 in connection with the case probed by the Anti-Extortion Cell for smuggling narcotic substances and banned medicines to Australia and the United Kingdom using a courier service. The court had also discharged Rajput’s brother, Kamal, from the case.
Shirazi was arrested in May 2023 from the airport trying to escape to Dubai. He has been in prison since then. His brother claimed he was arrested merely because of his relationship.
Endnotes
[1] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/at-least-16-naxalites-killed-2-jawans-injured-in-encounter-in-chhattisgarhs-sukma-operation-under-way/articleshow/119689272.cms
[2] https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/chhattisgarh-18-maoists-security-personnel-killed-in-bijapur-encounter-101742457436843.html
[3] https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/india/six-with-11l-bounty-among-22-naxalites-give-up-arms-in-cgarh-2/
[4] https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/naxals-chhattisgarh-top-commander-sudhir-25-lakh-bounty-killed-operation-2698808-2025-03-25
[5] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/chhattisgarh/ied-alert-sounded-as-threat-spikes-with-new-camps-in-core-areas/article69364945.ece
[6] https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/dgp-for-tough-stance-against-narco-terror/
[7] https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/militancy-cant-be-finished-without-support-of-people-says-omar/
[8] https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/3-pak-terrorists-eliminated-3-sog-jawans-martyred-dysp-among-7-injured-in-day-long-operation/
[9] https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/crackdown-against-banned-outfits/
[10] https://assamtribune.com/assam/seven-pro-khalistani-leaders-moved-to-punjab-amritpal-singh-still-in-dibrugarh-jail-1571742
[11] https://nia.gov.in/writereaddata/Portal/PressReleaseNew/1915_1_PR23032025.pdf
[12] https://assamtribune.com/assam/dibrugarh-no-longer-a-disturbed-area-as-mha-rolls-back-afspa-1572522
[13] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/86-year-old-woman-kept-under-digital-arrest-for-2-months-duped-of-rs-20-crore/articleshow/119227570.cms
[14] https://telanganatoday.com/more-than-83668-whatsapp-accounts-used-for-digital-arrest-blocked-home-ministry
[15] https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/amber-dalal-money-laundering-case-ed-attaches-immovable-movable-assets-worth-3621-crore
