Drug peddler’s Srinagar property worth Rs 2 crore demolished

Chennai, Dec 3 (IANS) Farmers affiliated with the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam have announced that they will form a dedicated team to capture and eliminate wild boars entering farmlands in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore, citing what they describe as an ineffective response from the Forest Department despite repeated petitions.

At a meeting held at Karadimadai in Perur the other day, the association passed a resolution to create a 15-member squad comprising experienced farmers who would begin capturing wild boars that intrude into cultivated areas.

The move reflects rising frustration among farmers who say frequent attacks by wild boars are causing extensive crop loss and financial strain. The farmers pointed to the state government’s regulated culling order issued in January 2025, which they claim has not been effectively implemented on the ground.

The order outlines a tiered protocol: culling is prohibited within one kilometre of the forest boundary; capture and release is allowed between one and three kilometres; and regulated culling by trained forest personnel is permitted beyond three kilometres.

Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam President T. Venugopal said these restrictions are impractical for farmers who face wild boars directly inside their fields. “We are demanding a correction of the order to allow the culling of wild boars intruding into agricultural lands without restrictions. Even though the order was issued 11 months ago, the Forest Department has taken very limited action,” he said.

Venugopal added that the proposed farmer squad is intended to curb the escalating threat. “Fifteen trained and experienced farmers will be included in the team, and they will begin capturing wild boars that enter farmlands to prevent crop damage,” he said.

District Forest Officer (DFO) N. Jayaraj, however, cautioned that farmers cannot legally conduct culling operations. He clarified that only forest personnel are authorised to carry out regulated culling beyond three kilometres from the forest boundary.

“As per the rules, farmers should not indulge in the culling of wild boars. Our staff have been trained to shoot wild boars entering beyond the permitted distance,” he said.

The DFO also noted that the department has culled two wild boars in the Madukkarai forest range and captured more than 50 wild boars since the order was issued. While the department maintains that action is being taken, farmers argue that the response has been inadequate to address the worsening situation.

The growing conflict underscores the need for a more practical and responsive policy to protect farmlands from increasing wild boar incursions.

–IANS

aal/dpb

Gandhinagar, May 20 (IANS) Gujarat’s Dang district has emerged as the state’s leading strawberry-producing region, with cultivation expanding rapidly under the government’s natural farming initiative and farmers earning up to Rs 8 lakh annually per hectare.

According to official data, the area under strawberry cultivation in the tribal district has grown from 20 hectares in 2022-23 to nearly 33 hectares in 2025-26. Production has also witnessed a sharp rise, increasing from 140 metric tonnes in 2022-23 to 196 metric tonnes in 2024-25, and is projected to touch 233 metric tonnes in 2025-26.

Officials attributed the growth to favourable climatic conditions, increasing market demand, and the widespread adoption of chemical-free farming practices. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Dang was declared the country’s first natural farming district, encouraging large-scale participation by local farmers in sustainable agriculture.

The district’s cool climate and sandy-loam soil rich in organic matter are considered ideal for strawberry cultivation. Experts say the crop thrives in well-drained soil with a pH level between 5.5 and 7.0, along with 8 to 12 hours of sunlight required for flowering and fruit development. Day temperatures between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius and night temperatures ranging from 7 to 13 degrees Celsius are considered optimal.

Farmers in Dang are cultivating nine strawberry varieties, including Winter Dawn, Early Winter, Camarosa, Sweet Charlie, Nabila, Nabati, Selva, Belrubi, and Pajero. Among them, Winter Dawn has become the most preferred variety due to its high yield potential between December and February-March.

Large-scale cultivation has expanded across several villages in Ahwa taluka, including Bhurapani, Borigavtha, Galkund, Kotamdar, Malegaon, Sonuniya, and Vanar. In Waghai taluka, strawberry farming has spread to Kanchanpada, Ghodwahal, Murambi, and adjoining villages.

To support farmers, the state horticulture department has been organising training camps and educational tours focused on natural farming and modern cultivation practices. Subsidies ranging from 55 to 75 per cent are also being provided on strawberry saplings and cultivation-related expenses. Farmers are receiving assistance for mulching sheets, plastic covers, crates, packaging material, and farm equipment such as mini tractors, rotavators, cultivators, and trolleys.

Officials said many residents who earlier depended on labour work in industrial units and farms in Maharashtra have now shifted to strawberry farming due to its higher profitability.

Traditional crops such as paddy, nagli, urad, and varai earlier generated limited returns, but strawberry cultivation is now enabling farmers to earn between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 8 lakh annually per hectare.

Initially confined to local markets in Saputara and Ahwa, strawberries grown in Dang are now reaching larger markets in Ahmedabad, Surat, and Bharuch. Officials added that the expansion of cultivation has also created seasonal employment opportunities for local residents.

–IANS

sn/vd

New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) In a major crackdown on the illegal arms trade, the Delhi Police’s Sarai Rohilla station team has busted a large-scale illegal firearm manufacturing unit operating from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.

Acting on intelligence gathered during a shooting case investigation, the Sarai Rohilla police team conducted multiple raids and arrested three individuals, including the mastermind behind the factory.

North District DCP Raja Banthia revealed that the investigation began following an FIR registered on the night of August 11-12.

A woman had filed a complaint stating that her brother, Shubham alias Lala, was shot at by a minor. After the minor was apprehended, he confessed during interrogation that he had purchased the pistol used in the crime from Vijay alias Bunty, a resident of Aligarh.

A special team led by SHO Vikas Rana and supervised by ACP Anil Sharma conducted coordinated raids across Aligarh and Mathura. On August 27, the team arrested Bunty from Ganga Garhi, Aligarh, and recovered one live cartridge and five empty shells. Further interrogation led to the arrest of Bijender Singh alias Madhura, 61, from Mathura on August 30.

A video showing the production of over 70 illegal firearms was recovered from his phone.

The final breakthrough came on September 1, when police raided a makeshift factory on Jattari Pishawa Road in Aligarh.

Inside two locked rooms, they found six finished pistols, 12 incomplete pistols, six live cartridges, raw material for over 250 more weapons, and equipment, including drills, blow machines, and barrel pipes.

The alleged mastermind, Hanveer alias Hannu alias Pappu, 60, confessed to making and selling over 1,200 illegal firearms over the past two decades, frequently changing locations to evade arrest.

The police seized a significant cache of weapons and related materials from the Aligarh unit.

The police are also investigating the criminal background of the accused and suspect a wider supply network. Authorities believe the weapons may have been distributed across multiple states.

Further investigations are ongoing to trace buyers and associates involved in the illegal arms trade.

This bust highlights the persistent challenge of illicit arms trafficking in northern India and the critical need for inter-state coordination in cracking down on such networks.

–IANS

rs/dpb