The ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan,’ a twin bike yatra, began from Varanasi, launched by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on PM Modi’s 76th birthday.

The campaign connects Kashi, PM Modi’s parliamentary constituency, with Vadnagar in Gujarat, his birthplace, covering 10 states, 193 districts and 1,159 villages.

Roughly 500 bikers on 250 motorcycles are taking part in each direction, with one convoy carrying Gangajal to Vadnagar and another returning with water from Gujarat.

The yatra is set to conclude on October 7 with rituals at Baba Hatkeshwar temple in Vadnagar and a Jalabhishek ceremony at Baba Vishwanath temple in Kashi.

Rajnath Singh described it as ‘a confluence yatra of service, values and sadhana,’ linking Modi’s birthplace to his governance base, and credited the government with achievements including women’s greater parliamentary participation.

Around 500 bikers on 250 motorcycles are participating in each direction of the twin yatra, with 60 to 80 local service programs planned daily at stops along the route.

Rajnath Singh described the initiative as ‘a confluence yatra of service, values and sadhana,’ linking PM Modi’s birthplace with his political and governance base.

The campaign is being organized by the BJP to mark PM Modi’s 25 years of public service and his 76th birthday on September 17.

Rajnath Singh credited the Modi government with several major national changes during the launch, including action against Naxalism and the removal of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Defence Minister also cited poverty reduction affecting crores of people, greater women’s participation in Parliament, and the promotion of the semiconductor industry among the government’s achievements.

The Seva Sankalp Abhiyan follows a template used in past years, including a similar ‘Seva Sankalp’ walk led by Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on PM Modi’s 75th birthday.

The campaign’s stated objective is to connect with public sentiment and reach citizens through local service activities across the covered districts and villages.

Dashashwamedh Ghat, Varanasi (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Two suspected terrorists linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad were gunned down in an overnight operation in the Brattal-Sohan and Khubban forest belt of Udhampur district, Jammu and Kashmir.

Security forces launched the joint operation, codenamed Operation Sohan, during the night of September 16-17 after confirmed inputs on terrorist presence in the Brattal area.

The Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF carried out the counter-terror operation in difficult terrain and poor visibility, establishing contact with the terrorists late at night.

Arms and ammunition were recovered from the site, with no injuries reported among the security personnel involved.

The operation remained active as of the latest update, with search and surveillance efforts continuing in the surrounding area.

Contact with the terrorists was established late at night, with firing and blasts reported during the initial phase of the operation targeting a suspected hideout.

No casualties were reported among the security forces involved in the operation.

The two terrorists killed are suspected to be affiliated with the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) outfit.

Identification of the slain terrorists was still being ascertained by security agencies at the time of reporting.

Search and surveillance operations were continuing in the Brattal Sohan and Khubban areas of Majalta tehsil as a precaution against any remaining threats.

Udhampur district, part of the Jammu region, has periodically seen anti-terror operations targeting militant movement through its forested and hilly terrain.

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir have stepped up counter-infiltration and search operations in recent months across the Jammu division’s forested belts.

The joint operation was code-named Operation Sohan by security forces.

It was launched during the intervening night of September 16 and 17 after confirmed inputs about the presence of terrorists in the general area of Brattal.

Troops of the Army’s White Knight Corps, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF carried out the targeted counter-terrorism operation despite hostile weather, difficult terrain and poor visibility.

Indian Army soldiers (representative image), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

India has boosted its power supply to Nepal following flood damage to the country’s electricity infrastructure, approving up to 18 hours of daily supply.

The extended arrangement runs through December 31 and is intended to help Nepal manage demand while recovering from the flooding.

India and Nepal operate under an existing cross-border electricity trade framework, with power flowing between the two countries based on seasonal need.

Nepal’s hydropower-reliant grid faces particular vulnerability during severe monsoon flooding, which can take river-based generation offline.

The new 18-hour daily supply level is a substantial jump from Nepal’s typical cross-border power import volumes.

Nepal’s hydropower-dependent grid can be particularly vulnerable to disruption during severe monsoon flooding, when river-based generation facilities may be damaged or forced offline.

India’s power ministry coordinates cross-border electricity supply arrangements with neighbouring countries through mechanisms that account for both grid capacity and diplomatic considerations.

The 18-hour daily supply figure represents a significant increase over Nepal’s typical cross-border import levels during non-emergency periods.

Officials have not specified the exact quantum of additional power being supplied, though the arrangement is described as a direct response to the flooding-related shortfall.

India has periodically extended similar emergency power support to neighbouring countries during natural disasters affecting their domestic electricity infrastructure.

The move comes amid broader efforts by India to strengthen its regional standing through infrastructure and energy cooperation with South Asian neighbours.

The extended power supply is intended to help Nepal manage electricity demand after recent severe flooding disrupted parts of its domestic generation and distribution infrastructure.

India and Nepal have an existing framework for cross-border electricity trade, with power flowing both ways depending on seasonal demand and generation capacity in each country.

The enhanced supply arrangement is set to remain in effect through December 31, covering peak periods of electricity demand in Nepal.

High voltage power transmission line, India, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0