HYDERABAD l wednesday l February 25, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 18 l LATE CITY EDITION Nationwide HPV drive for u-14 girls to prevent cervical cancer It’s in line with WHO’s recommendations The programme directed at girls under 14 years of age, will use a singleshot Gardasil, a quadrivalent HPV vaccine that provides protection against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause cervical cancer, as well as types 6 and 11. It is in line with WHO recommendations, which identify HPV vaccination as a central pillar of the Global Strategy to Eliminate Cervical Cancer | P9 In a major step towards eliminating preventable cancers among women, the govt will soon launch a human papillomavirus vaccination programme 3 doses of Gardasil for girls above 15 ■ ■ It would be a special vaccination campaign but not under the Union government’s Universal Immunisation Programme, sources said HPV vaccine offers maximum benefit for girls under 14, which is well before potential exposure to the virus. For those above 15, three doses of the shot are required. Gardasil-4 is manufactured by MSD India `3,927 Cost of two-dose Gardasil-4 vaccine in the open market 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 IAF looks at parallel Russian upgrade as Super Sukhoi awaits nod J a v a r i a R a n a @ New Delhi EVEN as the Indian Air Force’s plan to upgrade 84 Su-30MKI fighters under the Super Sukhoi programme awaits clearance from the Cabinet Committee on Security, the service is eyeing a parallel upgrade of a similar or larger number of aircraft with Russia to sustain operational readiness, sources in the defence and security establishment said. This step comes as India moves towards formalising the procurement of a fifth-generation stealth fighter, with Russia’s Su-57 emerging as a leading contender. A Russian team has recently visited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s Nashik facility, signalling deeper engagement between the two sides. The parallel engagement with Moscow is intended to offset long execution timelines associated with the HAL-led upgrade, which is expected to take at least seven years once it receives approval. There are concerns within the establishment about whether the projected timeline for Final Operational Clearance can be met. “Relying solely on the indigenous upgrade could push timelines well into the next decade. A parallel track is therefore being considered to ensure operational readiness is not affected,” a source said. The source added, “Moreover, with the Super Sukhoi upgrade limited to 84 aircraft, a parallel route is needed for the remaining Su-30MKI fleet of around 175 aircraft.” The Keralam story gets Cabinet’s nod Decision to change name comes ahead of Assembly poll M U K E S H RAN J AN @ New Delhi Express Read DGCA grounds planes of VSR Ventures New Delhi: After finding serious compliance lapses, aviation regulator DGCA on Tuesday grounded four aircraft of VSR Ventures, whose plane crashed at Baramati last month, killing Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and four others. The multi-disciplinary audit team found several noncompliances of approved procedures in the organisation. Mom burns alive boy for crying ‘nonstop’ Hyderabad: A two-month-old boy was gagged, tied up and burnt alive by his 21-year-old mother at Bowrampet on Tuesday. The accused, Mamatha (21), has been detained and is being questioned. The accused said that she resorted to the gruesome act as the infant, identified as Surya, was crying uncontrollably. Dundigal police said Mamatha and her husband Rajesh are natives of Madhya Pradesh who migrated to Hyderabad a year ago | P3 State removes cap on hoarding height in Hyd Hyderabad: The state Cabinet has scrapped height restrictions on hoardings and unipoles across Hyderabad’s Core Urban Region Extended (CURE), allowing advertising structures of any height subject to municipal approval. It removes the existing 15-metre cap that was in force within GHMC limits. Hoardings on government buildings and public structures will be allotted through auctions while fixed rates will apply to hoardings on private properties | P3 THE Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday cleared the Kerala government’s proposal to rename the state as Keralam. The move comes ahead of the Assembly elections in Kerala, expected in April or May . The decision was taken following a resolution passed by the Kerala Assembly in 2024 and forwarded to the Centre. It noted that the state is called ‘Keralam’ in Malayalam, while it has been officially listed as ‘Kerala’ in the First Schedule of the Constitution. Explaining the process, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said it would now be forwarded to the President. The President will then refer it back to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for its views and formal passage. Thereafter, with President’s approval, the proposal will return to the Centre, and Parliament will take up the constitutional amendment to effect the name change. Officials noted that while Article 3 grants Parliament the authority to change a state’s Historical roots In Malayalam, the state is called ‘Keralam’, a form rooted in Dravidian linguistic tradition, ancient political history, and early historical records including the inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka The name ‘Keralam’ will manifest the state’s heritage with all its authenticity and uphold its pride Home Minister Amit Shah name through legislation, the process includes specific safeguards. A Bill for such a change can’t be introduced in either House of Parliament without President’s recommendation. If the proposal affects a state’s name or boundaries, the President must first seek the views of the state legislature within a stipulated time frame. The proposal to rename Kerala was examined by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Following approval from Home Minister Amit Shah, a draft Cabinet note was circulated to the Department of Legal Affairs and the Legislative Department for their expert opinion. Both de par tments, functioning under the Ministry of Law and Justice, concurred with the proposal, paving the way for the next constitutional steps in the renaming process The resolution adopted by the Kerala Assembly underscored the cultural and linguistic basis for the demand for name change. It also highlighted that since the days of the freedom struggle, there has been a sustained demand for a united Kerala for Malayalamspeaking people. The equation for T20 WC semifinal qualification With two matches to go in the Super 8s, a look at different scenarios for India to qualify.. Scenario 1 South Africa beat West Indies and India to win against Zimbabwe and WI — India and SA qualify Scenario 2 South Africa lose to WI and Zimbabwe; India beat WI and Zimbabwe — WI and India qualify Scenario 3 SA lose to WI and Zim, India beat Zimbabwe but lose to WI — WI go through, three teams on two points and it will come down to NRR Scenario 4 SA beat WI and Zim, India lose to Zim but beat WI — SA go through, other three teams on two points and will come down to NRR Suryakumar Yadav during a practice session ahead of T20 World Cup match against Zimbabwe at MA Chidambaram Stadium, on Tuesday | Ashwin prasath Today’s Match 7 pm: New Zealand vs Sri Lanka (Colombo) The proposed Russian track is expected to focus on strengthening the aircraft’s electronic warfare suite and radar. Moscow has also offered the more powerful AL-41 engines to replace the current AL-31s, and the IAF is evaluating the proposal. Once negotiations between the two countries are completed, a separate proposal will be taken up for Acceptance of Necessity by the Defence Minis- @ New Delhi The Supreme Court on Tuesday expanded the pool of judicial manpower to conduct the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, allowing Calcutta High Court Chief Justice Sujoy Paul to deploy additional civil judges, over and above the 250 district judges who are already on the job. It also opened a window to requisition judicial officers from Jharkhand and Odisha to participate in the exercise. Calcutta HC Chief Justice Sujoy Paul had on February 22 written to Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant that even if one judicial officer decides 250 matters a day, it will take at least 80 days to complete the SIR in West Bengal. He said that there were around 50 lakh cases of logical discrepancy/ unmapped categories to be decided in the state. The bench led by CJI Kant said, “If the CJ of Calcutta HC is of the opinion that further human resources would be required, he is at liberty to approach the CJs of Orissa and Jharkhand High Courts for serving and former judicial officers from those states, who amid a potential two-front threat,” the source explained. Under the homegrown upgrade programme, HAL, in partnership with DRDO, will lead the modernisation. It will centre on Virupaksha AESA radar and an upgraded avionics suite. The aircraft will carry BrahMos-ER cruise missiles, Astra beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles and Rudram anti-radiation missiles. Tata Sons board bid to hand Chandra a third term runs into Noel trouble Voting put off Sources said Chandrasekaran himself proposed deferring the vote on his reappointment saying an institution of Tata Group’s stature can function effectively only if Tata Sons and Tata Trusts are aligned in decisionmaking B E NN K O C H U V E E D AN @ Mumbai IN a new twist to the Tata Group’s power struggle, the board of Tata Sons on Tuesday deferred a decision on granting a third term to chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran. According to informed sources, the move follows objections by Noel Tata, chairman of Tata Trusts which owns 66.4% of the holding company of the $120-billion Tata conglomerate spanning software, semiconductors and airlines. Noel Tata was the only board member who did not support Chandrasekaran’s reappointment, while the remaining di- rectors backed a third term. Typically, Tata Sons’ shareholders and board approve the appointment or reappointment of a chairman one year in advance to ensure stability and continuity, or to provide sufficient time for a new leader to settle in and chart strategy . Chandrasekaran, 62, who has led the group since February 2017 and completes his second term in February 2027, is learnt to have requested that the board defer the decision to allow for wider consultation and consensus following the differences. The development is seen as unu- O p e r a t i o n Oc t o p u s Devji, a resident of Korutla in Jagtial district, joined CPI (ML) People’s War in January 1982 and worked his way up the organisation to be elected to the politburo Top CPI(Maoist) leader Tippiri Thirupati alias Devji joins the mainstream in the presence of DGP B Shivadhar Reddy in Hyderabad on Tuesday | Sri E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i ce @ Hyderabad Hyderabad city police arrested 104 persons across 16 states for allegedly operating a nationwide cyber fraud syndicate involved in investment scams, trading frauds and digital arrest scams. Under ‘Operation Octopus’, police seized 204 mobile phones, 141 SIM cards, 152 bank passbooks, 234 debit and credit cards, 26 laptops, 56 firm stamps and cash. Hyderabad police chief VC Sajjanar said there has been a surge in such frauds, with victims losing substantial amounts. Following a detailed probe, the cybercrime police station identified 151 bank accounts used to siphon and launder money . Thirty-two special teams, each led by an inspector-rank officer, carried out coordinated raids over 10 days in Maharashtra, Delhi, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Odisha. Of those arrested, 86 were mule account holders who allowed their accounts to be used for laundering funds, while 17 were account suppliers who procured bank accounts and facilitated fund transfers. A relationship manager of Bandhan Bank was also arrested for allegedly aiding the fraudsters. Further investigation is under way . shall then undertake the pending exercise.” The last date of publication of the final electoral roll is February 28. “If the verification exercise undertaken in respect of logical discrepancies/unmapped remains incomplete, the ECI may publish the final list on February 28, followed by supplement lists,” the court said. Invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142, the court declared that voters enlisted in such subsequent supplementary lists shall be deemed to have been part of the final list to be published on February 28. If Aadhaar has been fraudulently procured on an industrial scale, then it requires to be statutorily regulated. RP Act was amended, and Aadhaar brought in to prove identity – Supreme Court sual, given that the trusts he works with closely had greenlighted another term for him as far back as October 2025. If the third term is approved, the board would need to amend a clause that sets the retirement age for top executives at 65. Another term would have seen Chandrasekaran complete his tenure in 2032 at the age of 69. Noel Tata is learnt to have set four conditions for supporting the reappointment. First, Tata Sons should not pursue listing. Second, the company should remain debt-free. Third, its coffers should not be strained by excessive capital expenditure in high-risk ventures. And fourth, deep losses from acquisitions such as Air India and BigBasket must be contained. Naxal leader for over 4 decades 104 arrested in pan-India cyber fraud crackdown SC allows deployment of judges from J’khand, Odisha for Bengal SIR S U C H ITRA K ALYAN M O H ANT Y try This will mark the first for. mal step in the procurement process, followed by commercial negotiations and finalisation of the contract. “The approach is likely to mirror the MiG-21 Bison upgrade model, with parallel roles for Indian and Russian agencies. The idea is to address the squadron crunch and avoid a capability gap, especially as the IAF looks to maintain adequate 4.5-generation capability Loganathan Velmurugan Top Maoists Devji and Raji Reddy surrender; DGP says ‘end in sight’ C h i t h a l u r i Re v a n t h @ Hyderabad Four senior leaders of the banned CPI (Maoist) party, including politburo member Tippiri Thirupati alias Devji alias Kumma Dada and central committee member Malla Raji Reddy alias Sangram, surrendered before Telangana Director General of Police B Shivadhar Reddy on Tuesday . The police said the Telangana state committee of the Maoist party had become defunct after the reintegration of state committee secretary Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar alias Jagan and state committee member Nune Narsimha Reddy alias Ganganna alias Sannu Dada into the mainstream. However, addressing reporters in the presence of the DGP , Raji Reddy said there would be no end to the Maoist party He . said the surrendered cadre would stand with the people and continue to fight for issues through legal means. The DGP, however, said the movement, which originated in Telangana, appeared to have reached its end. “Many cadres have died or surrendered, and based on that, I am saying this,” he said. The surrendered leaders are Thirupati (62) alias Devji alias Kumma Dada, a central committee and politburo member and in-charge of the central military commission, who had been underground for 44 years; Raji Reddy (76), a senior underground leader for 46 years and a state committee member; Chokka Rao (47), a state committee member who was underground for 28 years; and Narsimha Reddy (62), a state committee member who was underground for 36 years. According to the police, 11 cadres from Telangan a r e m a i n u n d e rground within the CPI (Maoist), but only one, Muppidi Sambaiah, was active. The last recruitment from the state took place in 2019. After that, two to three people joined the party but later left, the DGP said. Explaining his decision, Devji said he had left the party due to health issues. “I am clarifying that this decision is not meant only for my personal life. I have decided to work on people’s problems through legal means, drawing inspiration from what I believed in over the past few decades. I want to continue my political career,” he said.  continued on p4