kozhikode l thursday l fEBRUARY 05, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION IT stocks crash after AI tool that automates core work unveiled Sentiment turned sharply negative on Wednesday after a US start-up unveiled a new plug-in for its AI tool that could disrupt traditional IT businesses Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of AI startup Anthropic Traditional software biz faces disruption US-based AI company Anthropic unveiled its new AI tool, Cowork, last month. What sent the IT stocks into a tailspin on Wednesday was a new plugin for this tool that automates tasks across legal, sales, marketing, and data analysis. This could cut the need for custom-built software and human expertise, reducing dependence on traditional IT companies ■ 5.49% Infosys falls the most among large cos ■ Shares of Infosys plunged 7.19%, that of Tata Consultancy Services 6.95%, HCL Technologies 4.22% and LTIMindtree 5.51% on the BSE In the US market, the Nasdaq Composite index tanked 1.43% on Tuesday and was down 1.25% in early trading on Wednesday. Shares of major firms like Nvidia Corp and Alphabet Inc registered declines how much the BSE IT index tumbled on Wednesday 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 State govt to bear half the cost of Sabari rail project E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram In a major decision to accelerate the long-stalled Sabari rail project, the state government has decided to bear half of its cost. The state cabinet on Wednesday sanctioned `1,900 crore for the Angamaly-Erumeli railway project, making Kerala the first state to bear such a significant share of a railway project’s cost. The funding will be routed through the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). The Sabari rail project, first announced in the 199798 Railway Budget, has remained in limbo for over 25 years due to funding disputes and land acquisition hurdles. The total project cost has now escalated to `3,800.90 crore, from `2,815 crore in 2021. The 110-km line is considered a lifeline for the eastern hill regions, spanning Er nakulam, Idukki, and Pathanamthitta districts, and will connect the pilgrimage hub of Erumeli with major towns, including Perumbavoor, Muvattupuzha, Thodupuzha, and Pala. Of the total cost, `1,361 crore has been earmarked for acquiring 303.58 hectares of land, while `2,439.93 crore is designated for construction work. Although 90% of work on the 7-km AngamalyKalady stretch was completed years ago, land acquisition for the remaining sections must now begin afresh as previous notifications have lapsed. Revenue authorities have been directed to restart the process. INDIGO under lens of Competition Commission The Competition Commission ordered a detailed probe against IndiGo for unfair business practices, nearly two months after the airline cancelled thousands of flights, causing hardships to passengers | P10 Lok Sabha impasse Mamata argues in SC, questions SIR forces cancellation of Modi’s address SUCHI T RA KALYA N M OHA N T Y @ New Delhi Cong insisted on Rahul Gandhi completing his speech, suspension of BJP MP Dubey Opposition MPs seeking to gherao the Treasury benches in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament, in New Delhi on Wednesday | PTI P r eet h a N a i r @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled reply to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address could not take place on Wednesday, as the Opposition stepped up its attack on the government for blocking Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s speech and suspension of eight MPs. As soon as the House convened at 5 pm after three adjournments, women MPs from the Opposition marched towards the Treasury benches holding banners which read “Do what is right.” Modi was not present in the House when the Opposition members made their way to the Treasury benches protesting against the suspension of MPs and former Army Chief M M Naravane’s unpublished memoir. BJP MP Sandhya Rai, who was in the chair, adjourned the proceedings for the day in a few minutes. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi said, “PM Modi won’t come to Parliament because he is scared and doesn’t want to face the truth.” Later, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge called a meeting of the floor leaders in both Houses. It was decided that floor leaders of all Opposition parties will meet on Thursday morning to chalk out strategy ahead. “How can the PM speak when the LOP was not allowed to speak? What was the PM going to reply to?” said Congress MP Jairam Ramesh. Though Speaker Om Birla convened a meeting of the Opposition leaders at 4 pm ahead of the PM’s scheduled speech, it failed to break the logjam. The Opposition put forward two demands — the suspension of BJP’s Nishikant Dubey and to allow Rahul to speak in the House. The meeting was attended by Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and K C Venugopal among others. The leaders conveyed to the Speaker that if the government does not yield, the Opposition will disrupt the PM’s speech. Earlier, a row erupted when Dubey began his speech by referring to books such as Edwina and Nehru and Mitrokhin Archive among others and made remarks targeting former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. THE Supreme Cour t on Wednesday witnessed dramatic scenes as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appeared in person to make submissions in a case challenging the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. Banerjee, who holds a law degree and had briefly practised as a lawyer, alleged her state was being targeted and people were being bulldozed. “We are not getting justice,” she told a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi. Banerjee, who was represented by senior advocates Shyam Divan and Kapil Sibal, sought five minutes to personally advance submissions. The CJI granted her 15 minutes. “They (EC) are targeting Bengal. We have given everything to ECI... all kinds of documents, but got no justice. I am a very less important person. But please protect people’s rights,” Banerjee told the bench with folded hands. She alleged that the names of women who take their husbands’ surnames after marriage or shift to their in-laws’ houses are deleted, citing mismatches. The bench took note of Banerjee’s submission and said genuine persons must remain on electoral rolls. Referring to the EC as a ‘WhatsApp Commission’ that passes instructions through the instant messaging app, Banerjee alleged that “the SIR process is only for deletion, not inclusion”. Questioning the rationale Cong banks on Guru to rework Rahul’s ‘traitor’ jibe caste calculations ahead of polls at Bittu sparks 24% of the state’s population, Ezhava representation within the Congress In a calculated attempt to fine-tune has steadily declined. Currently, the caste and community equations party has just one MLA from the ahead of the assembly elections, the community . Congress has joined hands with the Attingal MP and UDF convenor Sivagiri Mutt to organise an event Adoor Prakash has taken the lead in marking the centenary of the histor- addressing apprehensions among ic meeting between Sree Narayana Ezhavas. “The Congress has been orGuru and Mahatma ganising various proGandhi. grammes to celebrate social Leader of Opposition in transformation in Kerala. the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi We had organised the centeThe AICC has will inaugurate the event, nary celebration of Vaikom taken the tentatively scheduled for Satyagraha, which was inauinitiative to February 18, at Ashramam associate with the gurated by Mallikarjun Maidan in Kollam. Kharge. The AICC has taken Sivagiri Mutt to With the BJP and the CPM the initiative to associate celebrate the aggressively flagging what centenary of the with the Sivagiri Mutt to celthey describe as the Muslim Gandhi-Guru meet ebrate the centenary of the League’s dominance within Gandhi-Guru meet,” chairM Liju, chairman of the UDF, the Congress feels it the event’s reception man of the event’s reception important to convince Hindu committee M Liju told committee voters that the perception is TNIE. misplaced. The Kollam event is being Confirming the participation of viewed as a step in that direction. Sivagiri Mutt, Sivagiri Dharma SangRelieved by NSS general secretary ham Trust general secretary Swami G Sukumaran Nair’s decision to pull Subhangananda said the programme the plug on Nair - Ezhava unity pro- is part of year-long celebrations posed by SNDP Yogam general secre- launched in March 2025. tary Vellappally Natesan, the Con“The programme is being organgress has stepped up efforts to woo ised in association with Priyadarshiboth communities. ni Foundation. Seers from the SivaDespite being the largest Hindu giri Mutt will be participating in the ● More on P4 community in Kerala, accounting for event,” he said.  M a n o j V i s w a n at h a n @ Kochi Modi gave the message (to the then Army Chief MM Naravane), do what you think is right (on LAC). Meaning he shed responsibility Rahul Gandhi, LS Leader of Opposition Fire-fighting by Speaker Speaker Om Birla convened a meeting of the Opposition at 4 pm ahead of the PM’s scheduled speech, but it failed to break the logjam Rule 349 As Dubey kept listing books about the Gandhi family, the chair disallowed it citing Rule 349, which bars reading from any book except in connection with the business of the House Price of Ambalappuzha palpayasam increased Sabarimala gold theft: HC backs SIT probe Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Wednesday asserted that none of the culprits in the Sabarimala gold theft case would be allowed to go scot-free, and said the probe by the SIT was credible and on the right track. The HC made the observation while considering a batch of petitions. P5 T’Puram: Seat-sharing discussions within the UDF for the assembly elections have taken a sharp turn with the Congress reportedly telling ally, P J Josephled Kerala Congress (KC), to fall in line with broader alliance understanding or face the consequences. P4 New beginning Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla felicitates new Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh after his swearing-in ceremony, in Imphal, on Wednesday; and (inset) deputy chief ministers L Dikho (top) and Nemcha Kipgen | PTI | P8 U . P. s h o c k e r Lens on Korean online games as 3 minor sisters die by suicide @ Ghaziabad/Lucknow In a shocking incident, three sisters, aged 16, 14 and 12, allegedly addicted to a Korean taskbased online game, died by suicide in Ghaziabad in the wee hours of Wednesday . All three jumped from a bal- cony of their ninth-floor apartment around 2 am. Aged 12, 14 and 16, the trio lived with their father Chetan Kumar, a forex trader. While the eldest was born to Kumar’s first wife, the younger two were born to his second wife, who also lived with the family At the . time of the incident, Kumar and his wife were sleeping with their son. The girls were resting in another room. According to the family, they heard a noise and rushed to the girls’ room. “We saw the room was locked. We broke open the door and found the girls were not there. We ran downstairs and saw them lying on the ground,” a PR E E T HA N AIR & HARPR E E T B A J WA @ New Delhi / Chandigarh A sharp war of words between Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu snowballed into a political storm on Wednesday with the BJP urging Lok Sabha Speaker to take action against Rahul. The faceoff took place outside Parliament’s Makar Dwar, where Rahul was standing with the suspended opposition MPs, who were protesting on the stairs. While walking past the protesting MPs, Bittu said, “They are sitting here as if they have won a war.” Responding to the comment, Rahul said, “The thing is, here is a traitor walking right by . Take a look at the face. How he looks.” Rahul then extended his hand towards Bittu and said, “Hello brother, my traitor friend. Don’t worry you will come back to the Congress.” , Bittu refused to shake hands, saying: “Desh ke dushman (enemies of the country),” pointing at Rahul. A former close aide of Gandhi, Bittu had switched to the BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Later in a video statement, Bittu asked why Rahul didn’t say such a thing to other MPs, but only to a Sikh? “I am the grandson of a martyr and as long as I was in the Congress, it was fine. But, now that I am with the BJP he is , giving me such names,” he said. Stepping up the attack, the BJP fielded its Sikh leaders, including Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, to accuse the Congress of harbouring the same “anti-Sikh mentality” that was on display at the height of the anti-Sikh riots of 1984. mas applied for a licence. The government move was meant Who would have thought that to provide additional income to jackfruit, the mushy tropical farmers and help them reduce fruit widely grown in Kerala agri waste. and often overlooked in the In 2024, Thomas became the countryside, could end up in first person to obtain a licence the cellaret, neatly bottled as to brew horti-wine. Though a wine, for oenophiles to savour! few others — less than half a Thomas P O, an expert wine- dozen — also procured the limaker from Kottarakkacence, they are yet to ra, has done just that. venture into the busiAn internationally liness fully . Pineapple and grape censed blending man wines made by Thomas who perfected winehave already hit the making while working Bevco stands, and he in Vatican City, Thoexpects the jackfruit mas foresaw the potential of preparing wine Bevco outlets is one to be equally successful. from jackfruits. And set to receive Though widely his effort is about to the first batch bear fruit as the Bevco of jackfruit wine grown in Kerala, jackfruit has often flown outlets will receive the for sale from under the radar despite first batch of jackfruit Thomas P O its documented mediciwine for sale from him by April nal and nutritional valby April. ue. It got some comAfter returning to Kerala from Europe, Thomas m e r c i a l a t t e n t i o n a f t e r started making non-alcoholic fried chips makers began purwine in 2019, which did not re- chasing jackfruits at a marginal quire a licence from the excise price. Thomas, however, says he ofdepartment. Later, when the state government pitched the fers `20 for a kg of jackfruit and idea of promoting ‘horti-wine’ has been procuring it on a large from local fruit varieties, Tho- scale from farmers.  ● More on P4 S h a n A S @ T’Puram Congress hardens stand on seat sharing Alappuzha: The Travancore Devaswom Board has increased the price of the ‘Ambalappuzha palpayasam’, a sacred food (prasadam) served to devotees from Ambalappuzha Sree Krishnaswami temple. The price of the prasadam was hiked to `240 per litre from Tuesday. P5 political firestorm Kerala all set to raise a toast to jackfruit wine express read N i t i n R a w at & N a m i ta B a j pa i pti for conducting SIR in her state, she asked how can a process that usually takes two years be done in three months. Opposing the submissions of Banerjee, senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the EC, said the West Bengal government was not cooperative. “We wrote to the state government so many times to give grade-two officers to be appointed as EROs (electoral registration officers). Only 80 officers were given.” During the hearing, Banerjee’s counsel Divan sought a direction from the court to the ECI to upload the reasons for each voter discrepancy so that , people know why they are not on the list. The SC bench issued notices and sought replies to the petition by February 9 from the EC and chief electoral officer of West Bengal. family member said. “Papa, sorry We cannot leave . Korea. Korea is our life, Korea is our soul, and you cannot separate us from it,” their suicide note read. Police said the three were addicted to an online Korean game called ‘Love Game’ and had not been attending school for the past 2-3 years. “Because of this, when their family members restricted their mobile usage, they took the extreme step,” a senior police officer said. (If you are having suicidal thoughts, remember help is available. Call Disha Helpline at 1056 or Maithri at 0484-2540530)