Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has made his X account private following a wave of online abuse and trolling. Misri, who has been actively representing India’s diplomatic stance through press briefings off late, faced personal attacks on social media, with users digging up old posts and sharing private photos and contact details of his family. Some also made inappropriate remarks about his daughter.
Political leaders across party lines have condemned the targeting of Misri. AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi defended the Foreign Secretary, stressing that civil servants should not be held accountable for political decisions. “Mr Vikram Misri is a decent and honest, hard-working diplomat who works tirelessly for our nation… They shouldn’t be blamed for decisions taken by the executive or any political leadership,” Owaisi said.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot echoed the sentiment. “I condemn the social media trolling directed at the family of the Foreign Secretary. It’s unacceptable to target our professional diplomats and civil servants — those who work dedicatedly to serve the nation,” he wrote on X.
Meanwhile, calm returned to Punjab on Sunday, particularly in the border districts, after India and Pakistan agreed to cease all hostilities. District administrations in Amritsar and Jalandhar urged residents to resume normal activities, though they advised against setting off firecrackers or flying drones.
At a press briefing earlier today evening, Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Rajeev Ghai confirmed that more than 100 terrorists were eliminated during Operation Sindoor. Among those neutralised were high-value targets including Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf and Mudasir Ahmed, all linked to major terror incidents like the IC-814 hijacking and the 2019 Pulwama attack.
“Operation Sindoor was conceptualised with a clear military aim to punish the perpetrators and planners of terror and to destroy their terror infrastructure,” Lt Gen Ghai stated. He added that India’s intolerance to terror continues to guide its strategic and military responses.