Aimed at strengthening coastal security, the Centre has launched a `350-crore project to set up radar sensors along the country’s coastlines for surveillance to prevent terrorists and other anti-national elements from sneaking into the country to avoid a repeat of 26/11. The chain of radar sensors is expected to cover the entire 7,517-km coastline, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep and is being set up under a home ministry scheme.
“The government has been constantly reviewing security arrangements of our coastline in the light of emerging challenges, including from terrorists. The decision to set up a chain of radar sensors has been taken to strengthen the coastal security,” an official said. The radar sensors will be fitted on light houses at 46 locations, out of which 36 are in mainland, six in Lakshadweep Islands and four in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
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Bihar boat capsizes, 11 drown
Patna, Oct. 17: Eleven persons drowned and 15 others were missing when their overcrowded boat sank in the Punpun river near Behrampur village in Patna district on Sunday. Director-general of police Neelmani said the boat was carrying 55 passengers from Bharochokia village in the Pipra police station area to a fair at Naubatpur in Patna district. All the 11 bodies, including those of four women and three children, have been fished out from the river bed. The rest of the passengers other than the 15 missing swam to safety, the DGP said. —PTI
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LPG cylinders explode in UP, 4 killed
Lucknow, Oct. 17: Four persons were killed and nine others injured in separate incidents of cylinder explosion during Durga puja celebrations in Mirzapur and Ballia districts, the police said. A husband-wife duo were killed while cooking in Morchaghar area of the city in Mirzapur when the leaking LPG cylinder in their kitchen exploded.
The deceased were identified as Bablu (35) and Ramkumari (30). In a separate incident in Ballia, one Santosh Mali (40) and Manu Pandey (18) died and nine others injured in Sikanderpur when the cylinder used to fill balloon exploded. —PTI
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Test-flight of indigenous UAV Rustom
AGE CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi
Oct. 17: The DRDO an-nounced on Sunday that it had conducted the first-ever flight of its indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle named “Rustom” at Hosur in Tamil Nadu. The UAV flew up to a height of 3,000 feet, remained airborne for 30 minutes, and completed all “mission parameters”.
The UAV took off and landed in “copy book style” and was operated by an Indian Army lieutenant colonel from the edge of the runway as the “external pilot”. The Indian armed forces currently operate UAVs acquired from Israel.