Over 500 kg of cocaine worth Rs 2,000 crore were seized in Delhi today in what is the biggest drug bust in the national capital, police said.  Four men were arrested in connection with the drug bust after a raid in south Delhi. 

According to the police, an international drugs smuggling syndicate is behind the massive cocaine consignment. 

The latest drug bust in the national capital follows the arrest of two Afghan nationals after 400 gram of heroin and 160 gram of cocaine from their possession in Delhi’s Tilak Nagar area on Sunday. 

On the same day, Delhi Customs seized 1,660 gram of cocaine valued over Rs 24 crore from a passenger at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

The passenger is a national of the Federal Republic of Liberia, who arrived from Dubai to Delhi. He was arrested under the NDPS Act 1985.

In a post on X, Delhi Customs said, “On the basis of profiling, Customs@IGI Airport have seized 1660 grams of Cocaine valued at Rs.24.90 cr from one male Pax of Federal Republic of Liberia Nationality who arrived from Dubai to Delhi. The Pax has been arrested under NDPS Act, 1985.”

Further investigation is underway.

Polina Anjani Konidela, the younger daughter of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, signed a declaration of her reverence for Tirupati temple’s deity Lord Venkateswara before visiting the temple with her father today.

According to the temple’s rules, non-Hindus and foreigners must sign a declaration of faith in the deity before visiting the temple. Polina is Pawan Kalyan’s daughter from his third marriage to Anna Lezhneva and is an Overseas Citizen of India along with her brother Mark. She signed the declaration forms given by the temple board officials. Since she is a minor, Mr Kalyan signed the papers too.

Aadya, the Jana Sena leader’s daughter from his first marriage to Renu Desai, accompanied him and Polina to the temple.

Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Sri @PawanKalyan‘s younger daughter, Polena Anjani Konidela, has given a declaration for darshan of Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swamy. She signed the declaration forms given by TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) officials. Since Polena Anjani is a… pic.twitter.com/FLOQv8CpHB

— JanaSena Party (@JanaSenaParty) October 2, 2024

Jana Sena shared visuals of Mr Kalyan and Polena signing the forms.

“Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister, Sri @PawanKalyan’s younger daughter, Polena Anjani Konidela, has given a declaration for darshan of Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Swamy. She signed the declaration forms given by TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) officials. Since Polena Anjani is a minor, her father, Sri Pawan Kalyan garu, also signed the documents,” the party said in a post on X.

Pawan Kalyan is on a three-day visit to the Tirupati temple as part of an 11-day penance amid the massive political row surrounding the Tirupati laddoo.

Mr Kalyan’s ally and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had alleged that animal fat was used in the preparation of Tirupati laddoos during the YSRCP rule in the state. YSRCP leader and former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has rubbished the allegations.

In the wake of Mr Naidu’s allegations, Mr Kalyan said he felt guilty that he couldn’t find out about the alleged use of animal fat in Tirupati laddoos earlier.

“Tirumala Laddu Prasadam, which is considered to be sacred, has become impure as a result of the depraved tendencies of the past rulers. Not being able to detect this sin in the beginning is a stain on the Hindu race. The moment I came to know that the laddu prasadam contained animal remains, I was shocked. Feeling guilty. As I am fighting for the welfare of the people, it hurts me that such trouble did not come to my attention in the beginning,” Kalyan wrote on X.

“Everyone who believes in Sanatana Dharma should atone for this terrible injustice done to Balaji, the god of Kali Yuga. As part of that, I have decided to do a penance initiation,” he said, announcing that he would visit the Tirupati temple after his penance. 

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched its second missile attack against Israel in less than six months, targeting military bases on Tuesday. Dubbed Operation True Promise II, this attack differed from Iran’s earlier strike in April, showcasing a higher degree of technological sophistication and strategic ambition.

Iran deployed hypersonic missiles for the first time in this operation, marking a technological advancement over the older drones and ballistic missiles used in April’s Operation True Promise. The IRGC claimed that 90 per cent of its missiles successfully hit their targets, despite Israel’s advanced defence systems.

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Unlike April’s attack, which primarily targeted isolated military sites, this assault appeared to target more densely populated urban centres near Tel Aviv. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian framed the missile strikes as a proportional response to Israeli “aggression,” warning Israel not to provoke further escalation.

Key Differences Between April And October Attacks:

Iran used hypersonic missiles for the first time in Operation True Promise II, marking a shift from the older technology drones and ballistic missiles used in the April attack. This latest attack involved a broader array of advanced weaponry.

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In April, Iran targeted military bases in remote areas, while this time, urban centres near Tel Aviv were in the crosshairs. Iran claimed a 90 per cent success rate in hitting its targets in this latest attack, despite Israel’s sophisticated defence systems, compared to the high interception rate of missiles in April.

One Palestinian man died after being hit by debris from an Iranian missile in West Bank. Despite no casualties reported on Israel’s side, the proximity of the attack to populated areas signals that Israel’s next response may be far more comprehensive and severe.

With Israeli citizens under direct threat, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to take a stronger stance than after the April attack, potentially heightening the conflict with Iran. Resistance groups across the Middle East praised Iran’s operation, raising the potential for further involvement from Hezbollah, Hamas, and other allied factions in the region.