Uttarakhand Police on Tuesday formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death of journalist Rajiv Pratap, days after his body was recovered from the Bhagirathi river, officials said.

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali Angmo, vehemently condemned “blatant lies” and “baseless” anti-national narratives against him. She labeled his recent NSA arrest and transfer to Jodhpur jail a “witch-hunt” aimed at weakening his Ladakh Sixth Schedule movement. Angmo pledged to use the legal system, challenging accusers with facts, asserting they will not rest until truth prevails.

India recorded a sharp decline in extremist, insurgent, and terrorist violence in 2023, with incidents plummeting from 446 to 163. Jihadi terrorism and North-East insurgency saw significant reductions. While overall casualties decreased, a concerning 50% rise in police and army personnel deaths was noted. Alarmingly, extremists looted 706 arms and nearly 20,000 rounds of ammunition, a dramatic increase from 2022.