The idol of Ram Lalla reached the Ayodhya temple late Wednesday evening and was lifted using a crane to place it in the sanctum sanctorum where it will be installed ahead of ‘Pran Pratistha’ ceremony.

The idol, carved in black stone by Mysuru sculptor Arun Yogiraj and weighing around 150-200 kg, was lifted by a crane from the truck that reached the temple along with a procession in the evening. The procession also stopped briefly at the Hanumangarhi temple in Ayodhya in a symbolic halt.

An image later showed the idol being placed inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple as the workers looked on. A special puja was held in the sanctum sanctorum before the idol was brought inside.

It is likely to be installed in the sanctum sanctorum on Thursday, said Shri Ram Mandir Construction Committee chairperson Nripendra Mishra.

The idol was brought inside the temple for the first time on Wednesday, which marked the second day of the weeklong rituals before Monday’s Pran Pratishtha ceremony.

Preparations to take the idol to the new Ram temple complex were on since last night. The idol was placed on a truck decorated with flowers late at night for the procession with the help of a crane.

Meanwhile, a silver idol of Ram Lalla (not the same one to be installed in the sanctum sanctorum) garlanded with roses and marigolds toured the premises of Ram temple this evening. A “Kalash Pujan” was held today as part of rituals being performed in the run-up to the January 22 event.

In yet another incident of violence in Manipur, three Border Security Force (BSF) personnel were injured last night when a mob attacked police headquarters in Thoubal district. The mob violence took place hours after two commandos were killed in the border down of Moreh, less than a 100 km from Thoubal, after armed militants attacked a police team last morning.

According to police, the mob first targeted the complex of 3rd Indian Reserve Battalion in Thoubal’s Khangabok area. Security personnel managed to disperse the mob using “minimum necessary force”, the police added.

Today (17.01.2024), an irate mob targeted the 3rd Indian Reserve Battalion (3IRB) in Khangabok, Thoubal District. Security forces repelled them using the minimum necessary force. Further, the mob attempted to breach Thoubal Police Headquarters, prompting the security forces to…

— Manipur Police (@manipur_police) January 17, 2024

“Further, the mob attempted to breach Thoubal Police Headquarters, prompting the security forces to use legal force. Armed miscreants from among the mob fired with live rounds. As a result, 03 (three) personnel from BSF sustained bullet injuries namely (i) Constable Gourav Kumar, (ii) ASI Sobram Singh, and (iii) ASI Ramji,” the police said in a statement posted on X.

The injured BSF personnel, they said, have been evacuated and admitted to an Imphal hospital.

Sporadic incidents of violence have kept Manipur on the edge for months now since ethnic violence broke out in the state last year over the Meitie community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status. The demand was opposed by the tribal Kuki-Zo community.

Amid the ethnic clashes, weapons were looted from security installations, arming militants and fuelling a cycle of violence. 

Following the attack in Moreh yesterday, an emergency meeting was held at the Chief Minister’s secretariat. Chief Minister N Biren Singh, his cabinet colleagues and MLAs were present at the meeting.

Pakistan confirmed that it carried out air strikes against militant targets in Iran, days after Tehran launched attacks on Pakistani territory. Four children and three women were killed in the attacks, Iranian media reported.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry said that the precision strikes were aimed at terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran. In its statement, the country also said that several terrorists were killed in the operation codenamed ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’.

Here is Pakistan’s full statement on the retaliatory strikes in Iran:

This morning Pakistan undertook a series of highly coordinated and specifically targeted precision military strikes against terrorist hideouts in Siestan-o-Baluchistan province of Iran. A number of terrorists were killed during the Intelligence-based operation – codenamed ‘Marg Bar Sarmachar’.

Over the last several years, in our engagements with Iran, Pakistan has consistently shared its serious concerns about the safe havens and sanctuaries enjoyed by Pakistani origin terrorists  calling themselves Sarmachars on the ungoverned spaces inside Iran. Pakistan also shared multiple dossiers with concrete evidence of the presence and activities of these terrorists.

However, because of lack of action on our serious concerns, these so-called Sarmachars continued to spill the blood of innocent Pakistanis with impunity. This morning’s action was taken in light of credible intelligence of impending large scale terrorist activities by these so called Sarmachars.

This action is a manifestation of Pakistan’s unflinching resolve to protect and defend its national security against all threats. The successful execution of this highly complex operation is also a testimony to the professionalism of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan will continue to take all necessary steps to preserve the safety and security of its people which is sacrosanct, inviolable and sacred.

Pakistan fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The sole objective of today’s act was in pursuit of Pakistan’s own security and national interest which is paramount and cannot be compromised.

As a responsible member of the international community, Pakistan upholds the principles and purposes of the UN Charter including territorial integrity and sovereignty of member states. Guided by these principles, and in exercise of our legitimate rights within international law, Pakistan will never allow its sovereignty and territorial integrity to be challenged, under any pretext or circumstances.

Iran is a brotherly country and the people of Pakistan have great respect and affection for the Iranian people. We have always emphasized dialogue and cooperation in confronting common challenges including the menace of terrorism and will continue to endevaour to find joint solutions.

Pakistan’s air strikes comes after Iran carried out strikes against “terrorist targets” late Tuesday in Pakistan — an attack that Islamabad said killed two children. The missile and drone attack targeted the Jaish al-Adl group in Pakistan, Iran said.

Jaish al-Adl is designated as a terrorist organisation by the US and the  group operates along predominantly Iran’s porous border with Pakistan. It’s launched multiple attacks on Iranian security forces, most recently a December assault on a police station that killed 11 people.