India on Saturday said it is in touch with all key stakeholders in West Asia to ensure the safe passage of Indian-flagged merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the country’s energy security, even as two LPG tankers sailed through the crucial waterway and headed towards Indian ports.. A total of 22 Indian-flagged merchant vessels are still in the Persian Gulf. (REUTERS/File). A total of 22 Indian-flagged merchant vessels, including six LPG carriers, an LNG carrier, and four crude oil tankers, are in the Persian Gulf and awaiting safe passage, officials told a media briefing on the situation in West Asia. Shivalik and Nanda Devi, two carriers with 92,700 metric tonnes of LPG, transited the Strait of Hormuz early on Saturday and are expected to dock at Mundra and Kandla next week, they said.. Since the start of the Iran-US conflict on February 28, India has called for de-escalation, emphasised the need to ensure the unimpeded transit of goods and energy, and urged all sides to avoid the targeting of civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, across the region, said external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal.. India’s leadership reached out to all key interlocutors, including members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Iran, Israel, and the US, and underlined the country’s focus on energy security. “As a result of these multiple contacts with all concerned, some ships destined for India have been able to cross through the Strait of Hormuz,” Jaiswal said.. Separately, Iranian ambassador Mohammad Fathali said at the India Today Conclave that Tehran has allowed some Indian-flagged vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz following contacts between President Masoud Pezeshkian and Prime Minister Narendra, and foreign ministers S Jaishankar and Seyed Abbas Araghchi.. “Yes, we have allowed [the vessels] but let me not tell you how many,” Fathali said. He declined to go into details and said he would continue following this issue so that more vessels could cross the strait. “As the ambassador, I did my best, of course, there was some delay, but it happened,” he said.. Iran and India have common interests and “any rift or gap” between them can be taken advantage of by “enemies”, Fathali said. “Both sides have the maturity to handle political and social issues together and solve everything,” he added.. Rajesh Kumar Sinha, special secretary in the shipping ministry, said the Shivalik is expected to dock at Mundra port on March 16 and the Nanda Devi at Kandla port on March 17. Authorities have issued instructions for priority berthing of LPG carriers at Indian ports to maintain energy supplies, and six LPG carriers arrived at ports from different parts of the world in the past three days, he said.. “Several of our ships remain on standby in the Gulf region. We propose to continue to remain in touch and coordinate with all concerned countries to ensure a safe and unimpeded transit for 

 Mere registration of a first information report (FIR) cannot justify cancelling or refusing to renew an arms licence, the Orissa high court has ruled. The court said authorities must demonstrate with reasons in writing that the licence-holder poses a genuine threat to public peace and safety before invoking their powers under the Arms Act.. The high court said the grounds for the licence denial did not fall within those cited in the Arms Act. (Getty Images/iStockphoto). Justice AK Mohapatra pronounced the judgment on Friday, setting aside the additional district magistrate’s order upholding cancellation and subsequently refusal to renew the arms licence of businessman Sambit Padhy based on his alleged involvement in a criminal case.. In 2022, an FIR was lodged against Padhy over alleged illegal possession of chromite and hard coke.. Justice AK Mohapatra ruled that mere registration of an FIR is not sufficient. “The competent authority must be satisfied that the licensee was involved in or participated in the alleged offence, or that the licensed weapon was used in the commission of such offence.”. Padhy was granted licence from August 2019 to August 2022 for a 0.32-bore pistol for personal security. He applied for licence renewal in August 2022.. The high court noted there was no allegation that Padhy ever used his licensed firearm in the commission of any offence, nor was there any suggestion that he had assaulted or threatened any person. It said the grounds for the licence denial did not fall within those cited in Section 17 of the Arms Act.. “Once a licence is granted lawfully, Section 15(3) of the Arms Act confers a limited right of renewal; the burden lies on authorities to justify non-renewal in writing. The authorities could not have rejected the application for renewal of arms license because of the pendency of a criminal case, without assessing the gravity of the crime and without concluding that the petitioner is a hardened criminal and that the grant of an arms license in his favour would disturb the peace in the locality,” the high court said. It added that Padhy had not misused his firearm.. The court set aside the cancellation and appellate order. It referred the matter back to Khordha’s additional district magistrate for fresh consideration in conformity with Sections 13, 14, and 17 of the Arms Act. It directed Padhy to appear before the magistrate within two weeks for a “speaking and reasoned order” within four weeks. 

 For 26-year-old Ambuj, an Indian seafarer stranded at the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, the “new normal” involves a constant, haunting hum of fighter jets, and a terrifying new skill of identifying drones from the deck of his merchant vessel. Ambuj is just one of hundreds of Indian nationals working on various vessels across the wider Gulf region who now find themselves on the frontlines of a conflict ever since the US and Israel attacked Iran, and the latter retaliated.. Smoke emerging from a cargo vessel, as filmed from another vessel, just north of Dubai. (Photo via AFP). Also read | Trump says China, UK, others will ‘hopefully’ send warships to keep Strait of Hormuz ‘open and safe’. “We know how dangerous it could be to sail without a navy escort or without permission,” Ambuj told news agency Reuters, describing a state of high alert that has lasted for over a fortnight.. His crew first panicked in early March when their captain received a wireless warning from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), stating that any attempt to pass through the Strait of Hormuz would have “consequences”.. “I have not been home for six months and cannot wait to see my family,” Ambuj said, currently waiting alongside 15 other crew members and 50 other ships for a safe passage that remains elusive.. “The company I work for has released us from duty and we are now waiting for safe passage because flights from Tehran are not operating. If we get clearance to sail to the Middle East or anywhere nearby, we will dock there and take the earliest flight home,” he said.. M Kanta, stationed on another India-bound ship, described how the crew’s “hearts sink” every time a drone or fighter jet passes overhead. This reached a breaking point when Iranian authorities ordered the crew’s Starlink internet service to be disconnected.. Also read | Oil ship Shenlong’s such a long journey to India via Hormuz Strait: Gone dark, fear lurked. For several days, the sailors were cut off from their families and verified news, left only with the sounds of sirens and the sight of fire on distant ships. Though the internet service was restored after March 6, the atmosphere remains grim. Another crewman, who did not want to be named and whose ship is carrying bitumen and crude, recalled the moment he saw a nearby vessel hit by a drone just a few nautical miles from the Strait.. “Sleeping is hard. There is a lot of anxiety,” he said, “One hobby these days is identifying planes, jets or drones we can spot from the ship.”. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that five Indians have lost their lives and one remains missing in the ongoing West Asia conflict.. Against this backdrop of fear, a breakthrough occurred on Saturday morning. The Indian government confirmed that two India-bound liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier ships — the Shivalik and the Nanda Devi — successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz.. The vessels, which were chartered by the Indian O 

 Chennai, AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Saturday lashed out at the DMK government over the law and order situation, stating that it has become a “laughing stock” during the last five years in Tamil Nadu.. AMMK general secy Dhinakaran slams ruling DMK over L&O. There is not a day without murders and robberies in the state, he said in a letter to his partymen, commemorating the 9th anniversary of his party Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.. He also slammed the DMK government alleging corruption and irregularities have piled up like a mountain under its regime.. “In the last five years since the DMK took office, law and order has become a laughing stock to the extent that one can say there is not a day without murders and robberies. From the bottom level of government administration to senior ministers, complaints of corruption and irregularities have piled up like a mountain,” he said.. The DMK government has accumulated ₹5 lakh crore as debt in the last 5 years and made Tamil Nadu secure first place among the states with highest debt in India, he claimed.. “Formally established on March 15, 2018 in Madurai, by lakhs of our partymen, our movement is being led forward on account of your hard work and dedication,” he said in the letter to the cadres.. Stressing that the path and journey of his party are those of the late former Chief Ministers C N Annadurai and M G Ramachandran, he said, “Victory is not a goal to be reached one day and forgotten the next day. It is a continuous journey”.. Dhinakaran further said to re-establish the good governance of MGR and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, ‘Let us all work on the field with unity and coordination within the National Democratic Alliance .’. “Through the forthcoming Assembly polls, let us permanently send home the DMK which is tormenting the people with its three policies deception, cheating and betrayal,” he said.. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text. 

 Chennai, AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran on Saturday lashed out at the DMK government over the law and order situation, stating that it has become a “laughing stock” during the last five years in Tamil Nadu.. AMMK general secy Dhinakaran slams ruling DMK over L&O. There is not a day without murders and robberies in the state, he said in a letter to his partymen, commemorating the 9th anniversary of his party Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam.. He also slammed the DMK government alleging corruption and irregularities have piled up like a mountain under its regime.. “In the last five years since the DMK took office, law and order has become a laughing stock to the extent that one can say there is not a day without murders and robberies. From the bottom level of government administration to senior ministers, complaints of corruption and irregularities have piled up like a mountain,” he said.. The DMK government has accumulated ₹5 lakh crore as debt in the last 5 years and made Tamil Nadu secure first place among the states with highest debt in India, he claimed.. “Formally established on March 15, 2018 in Madurai, by lakhs of our partymen, our movement is being led forward on account of your hard work and dedication,” he said in the letter to the cadres.. Stressing that the path and journey of his party are those of the late former Chief Ministers C N Annadurai and M G Ramachandran, he said, “Victory is not a goal to be reached one day and forgotten the next day. It is a continuous journey”.. Dhinakaran further said to re-establish the good governance of MGR and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, ‘Let us all work on the field with unity and coordination within the National Democratic Alliance .’. “Through the forthcoming Assembly polls, let us permanently send home the DMK which is tormenting the people with its three policies deception, cheating and betrayal,” he said.. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.