KOLLAM l monday l september 15, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION those involved in arson will be brought to book, says nepal pm Nepal PM Sushila Karki on Sunday said those involved in violence during the anti-government protests last week will be brought to justice martyr status for those dead in protests vows to end all forms of corruption Karki, 73, who assumed office at the newly built Home Ministry building at Singhdurbar Secretariat in Kathmandu at around 11 am, also announced that those killed during the ‘Gen Z’ protest will be declared ‘martyrs’ and provided one million Nepalese rupees. She said arson during the protests was ‘pre-planned’ and that the Gen-Z protesters weren’t involved ■ Nepal’s new leader vowed on Sunday to follow protesters’ demands to “end corruption” as she began work as interim PM, days after ‘Gen Z’ youth demonstrations ousted her predecessor K P Sharma Oli ■ The 73-year-old former chief justice has been tasked with restoring order and addressing protesters’ call for a corruption-free Nepal | P9 72 is the revised death toll in the agitation that began last week CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ‘Demography Mission’ to thwart infiltrators RJD threatens Government will pre-empt any conspiracy to alter the demography in border regions through incursions, says Modi p rasanta ma z um d ar @ Guwahati PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Union government is in the process of launching a ‘Demography Mission’ to “thwart a conspiracy aimed at altering the demography of India’s border areas through infiltration.” “A conspiracy is at work to change the demography of border areas (near Bangladesh) with the help of infiltrators. This poses a grave threat to national security That’s why a na. tionwide Demography Mission is being launched,” Modi said at a rally at Mangaldoi in Assam’s Darrang district. He said the BJP gover nment’s goal is to save the people of the country from infiltrators and get rid of them. The PM asserted that India was emerging as one of the world’s fastestgrowing economies, and said that Assam’s growth rate was Plea in SC against Global Ayyappa Sangamam S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi With the Kerala High Court giving the nod for the Global Ayyappa Sangamam slated to be held on September 20 in Pampa, a devotee has moved the Supreme Court seeking a direction to stay the HC order and restrain the Travancore Devaswom Board and the state government from holding the event or using temple funds, properties, or contributions received in the name of the deity for the purpose. In his plea, accessed by TNIE, Ayyappa devotee Dr P S Mahendrakumar has challenged the order passed on September 11. While allowing the meet, the HC had directed the organisers to ensure that the event does not affect the Sabarimala temple’s sanctity or disrupt access to devotees. It had passed the order after hearing a batch of petitions challenging the involvement of the state government and the TDB in conducting the event. The petitioners raised concerns that temple funds may be used for the event. “Restrain the respondents, their officers, agents, and assigns from proceeding with or conducting the proposed “Global Ayyappa Sangamam” scheduled for 20.09.2025, or from utilising temple funds, properties, or contributions in the name of the deity for any such purpose, pending the hearing and final disposal of this Special Leave Petition,” Dr Mahendrakumar said in the petition. He said the impugned HC judgment travels far beyond the plain intent of Section 15A of the Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions Act, 1950, by reading into it powers that the legislature never envisaged.  ● More on P5 EXPRESS READ State assembly session to commence today T’Puram: The 14th session of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly will commence on Monday. The session will span 12 days until October 10, and will be held in three phases: September 15 to 19, September 29 and 30, and October 6 to 10. PM to visit Bihar’s Purnea today Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and others during inauguration of development works in Darrang, Assam, on Sunday | PTI 13 per cent. “This was achieved due to the efforts of the doubleengine government. The Centre and the state government are developing Assam as a health hub. The Northeast has a big role to play in achieving the ‘Viksit Bharat’ dream,” the PM said. Accusing the Congress of shielding and protecting infiltrators, PM Modi said, “Write it down. I will see how much strength you use to protect infiltrators and how we put our lives on the line to remove them. Let there be a contest. Those protecting the infiltrators will suffer.” Comending Assam Chief Patna: Months ahead of assembly elections in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Purnea district on Monday to address a rally and launch development projects worth `36,000 crore. He will inaugurate a newly developed airport terminal in Purnea too. PM Modi landed in Kolkata on Sunday night Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for driving back infiltrators, Modi said, “Under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, lakhs of bighas of land, grabbed by infiltrators, have been taken back. In Darrang, land in Gorukhuti was under the grip of infiltrators. The encroachment has been cleared.” The PM accused Congress of siding with terrorists groomed by Pakistan instead of supporting the Indian Army. “During ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Congress, instead of supporting our armed forces, which destroyed the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, was engaged in protecting infiltrators and anti-national forces,” PM Modi alleged. During his two-day visit to Assam, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth over `18,000 crore, comprising health and infra projects worth `6,300 crore in Mangaldai, and an ethanol plant and Petro Fluidised Catalytic Cracker Unit with a combined cost of Rs 12,230 crore in Numaligarh. He also launched Darrang Medical College & Nursing College, Guwahati Ring Road and NarengiKur uwa bridg e over Brahmaputra. Jungle warfare school to come up in Red corridor M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi the government has decided to set up a ‘jungle warfare school’ at Karreguta Hills in Chattisgarh’s Bijapur district-once a stronghold of Maoists— to give specialised training to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh Police, District Reserve Guard, Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), and other security forces. “Instructions have been passed and the preparations have already started,” multiple sources told this newspaper. The Central government will construct the training school, while the state government will build the approach road and provide other basic facilities, a Chhattisgarh government official said. Officials said the location of the school is significant as Karregutta Hills was “once considered the secure stronghold of Naxals”. Karregutta was freed from the control of Naxals through a special CRPF-led operation early this year. The operation, launched on April 21, lasted for 21 days and led to the killing of 31 Naxals. The lessons drawn during the operation will serve to update the operational tactics, sources said. “The personnel of the CRPF, Special Task Force, and the DRG carried out ‘cave intervention’ extensively So, it will be part . of the training at the school,” they added. Since the institute is being raised in the actual setting, the forces are expected to have a major positive effect on the training. Karregutta is a strategically unique, tough and inaccessible terrain stretching for over 60 km with widths ranging from 10-20 km across the hilly region. The hills stand at an altitude of 5,000 metres and remain inaccessible even for a majority of the local population. The area is dotted with caves, waterfalls, and narrow valleys at the core of the hills, and have been said to house the camps and arms manufacturing units of the Naxals. The CRPF is the lead force deployed in counter insurgency counter terrorism, and Left, wing extremism (LWE). Around 100 battalions, including COBRA units, of the 3.25-lakh strong force are currently deployed for LWE operations. to contest all 243 seats in Bihar DIA bloc candidates would be fielded on all 243 seats and AMID the ongoing seat-shar- election would be fought uning talks within the Opposi- der Tejashwi’s leadership. “It tion INDIA bloc for the up- should not be read beyond coming Bihar assembly that,” Tiwari said, adding that elections, Rashtriya Janata INDIA bloc was intact. Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Seat sharing negotiations Prasad Yadav sparked contro- in INDIA bloc have got trickiversy by declaring that his er with the possible entry of party would contest all 243 Jharkhand chief minister Heseats. mant Soren’s Addressing a public Jharkhand Mukti gathering in MuzafMorcha (JMM) and farpur late on Saturformer union minisday evening, Tejashwi ter Pashupati Paras’s said, “We will return. Rashtriya Lok JanUnderstand this, You shakti Party (RLJP). all have to stay united, Launching a blisterand this time, Tejashing attack on the wi will contest elecstate’s NDA governtions on 243 seats. ment, Tejashwi at the We will return. Whether it is Kanti, Understand this, workers’ event said M u z a f f a r p u r, o r that businessmen You all have to Gaighat, Tejashwi stay united, and were being kidnapped will contest elections and killed daily in the this time, Tejashwi will from every place.” state, and corruption “This government, contest elections had reached its peak, on 243 seats which has been in with the poor being power for 20 years, exploited from local RJD leader which works to spread police stations to the Tejashwi Yadav communal violence, at a rally in Kanti in state headquarters. has to be ousted,” he Earlier this week, Muzaffarpur said. AICC in-charge of BiTejashwi’s remarks har Krishna Allavaru are being seen in political cir- suggested that RJD should cles as a pressure tactic at a show more flexibility in seattime when seat sharing talks sharing deal. Sources said within INDIA bloc are stuck. Congress wants to contest 70 However, RJD spokesperson seats that it fought in the 2020 Mritunjay Tiwari downplayed elections, while RJD is ready Tejashwi’s remarks, and said to offer it 52 seats. he meant to say that elections Among NDA allies, Jitan would be contested under his Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani (Tejashwi’s) leadership. “So, Awam Morcha (HAM) has he will contest all seats.” said it will contest 100 seats if Tejashwi’s remarks would it is not offered 15-20 seats in not impact the alliance as IN- the upcoming election. ramashankar @ Patna Police officer hit pedestrian, fled spot without stopping car E x p ress N e w s S er v ice @ T’Puram india dry Pakistan in spinner Kuldeep Yadav leads India’s charge taking three wickets to reduce Pakistan to a modest 127 for nine in their allotted 20 overs during the Asia Cup match on Sunday. Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel picked two wickets apiece | AFP In a shocking incident, a police officer sworn to uphold the law has apparently neglected it, resulting in the death of a man in Thiruvananthapuram. The police have confirmed that Parassala SHO P Anilkumar was behind the wheel of the car that fatally struck a 59-year-old pedestrian, Rajan, near Kilimanoor on September 7 and fled away without stopping. Though the incident was initially described as a hit-andrun by an unidentified vehicle, the police probe later found that the car belonged to Anilkumar. As per the FIR, the vehicle was speeding and driven care- lessly In the wake of the find. ings, the Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police have submitted a report to the Deputy Inspector General (DIG), recommending strict action, including suspension, against the officer. The DIG has has forwarded the report to South Zone IG Shyam Sundar for a final decision. “Though I have not read the report yet, the matter is being taken very seriously. Strict action will follow based on the gravity of the issue. The order will likely be issued by Monday or Tuesday,” South Zone IG Shyam Sundar said. The victim, Rajan, a daily wage worker, was found injured by the roadside near the Kilimanoor police station on the state highway on September 7 early morning. Though local residents took him to a hospital, he was declared brought dead. Rajan reportedly lay on the road for nearly an hour after the accident. The police are yet to register a case against Anilkumar. The initial FIR registered against an unidentified person has sections under BNS sections 281 driving in a rash or negligent way) and 106(1) (causing death by rash and negligent driving and failing to report the accident) and sections 134 (A) and 134 (B) under The Motor Vehicle Act. Additional charges ● More on P4 may be added.  P u rp o se i n pass i n g Biljith and Isaac’s organ donation proves life-affirming A N N A J O S E @ Kochi Biljith Biju and Isaac George, two youngsters who were declared brain dead last week, have, through organ donation, served a purpose beyond saving lives -- raising awareness of the importance of their life-affir ming acts of eter nal kindness. And, this has reflected in the number of organ-donation pledges made in the state on Friday and Saturday. On September 13, 191 people pledged to donate organs after their death. The number was 193 on September 12. Pledges soar Of the 534 organdonation pledges made in the state in September, 384 were made on September 12 and 13 “Fact o r s like acc e ptance and the honour donors a n d their families receive, and the improved quality of life of recipients have motivated the public to pledge their On Sept 12, 191 people pledged to donate organs after their death. The number was 193 on September 12 organs. The impact of the recent development is reflected in the rise in the number of people who have registered for organ donation in the past two days. People across Kerala are now pledging to do so. There has been a notable increase in awareness about organ donation,” said Dr Noble Gracious, executive director of the Kerala State Organ and Tissue T ransplant Org anization (K-SOTTO). Of the 534 organ-donation pledges made in the state in September, 384 were made on September 12 and 13, following the examples set by the families of Kottarakkara native Isaac, who was 33, and Nedumbassery teenager Biljith. There were a total of 503 pledges made in August. “The decision by the families of teh youngsters declared brain dead comes when there are controversies surrounding organ donation. With news and information about the donors and recipients circulating on social media, the public has become more aware. It has motivated many people to donate organs after death too,” said Gopikrishnan K M, vice chairman of Liver Foundation Kerala, which works to promote organ donation in the state. The shift is not specific to a particular age group or geographical area and is reflected across the state, in people of all age groups. Of the total pledges, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kollam districts registered the most ● More on P4 number.  top shot india finish with two worlds gold Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and Minakshi Hooda (48kg) carved their place in Indian boxing history by clinching titles with hardfought wins at the World Championships in Liverpool I 11