HYDERABAD l tuesday l april 21, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE CITY EDITION Bengal S.i.r. tribunals allegedly non-functional, SC seeks report SIR The Supreme Court said it would seek a report from the Calcutta HC amid claims that appellate tribunals in West Bengal are non-functional Tribunals barring lawyers, petitioners say ‘One after the other’, CJI voices displeasure Advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for the petitioners, told a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi that the SIR appellate tribunals were not allowing lawyers to represent parties and were only accepting online applications. “We will get a report from the chief justice (of the Calcutta HC) today itself,” CJI Kant responded ■ ■ The chief justice expressed displeasure that almost every day, the matters related to SIR in West Bengal were being mentioned before the court. “Every day you people, one after the other...” he said The Calcutta High Court has set up 19 tribunals to decide appeals against the deletion or exclusion of names from the voters’ list Thursday When the first phase of assembly polls will be held in west bengal 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 On eve of inauguration by PM, `80K cr refinery up in flames Modi’s visit postponed after the fire incident; no casualties reported; investigation launched RA J ESH ASNANI @ Jaipur A massive fire broke out at Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)’s new oil refinery at Pachpadra in Rajasthan’s Balotra district on Monday, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate it. The entire refinery complex had to be evacuated following the blaze, which broke out near the crude distillation unit around 2 pm. There were no casualties. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said the PM’s programme would not take place on Tuesday and a new date would be announced. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been ascertained and a probe has been launched to find out what led to the blaze and take remedial measures, the ministry added. The fire incident on the eve of the PM’s programme has raised serious questions about the security arrangements and preparations in place. According to eyewitnesses, plumes of smoke from the re- brainstorming Azhar, projects top April 23 Cabinet agenda ENS @ Hyderabad The state Cabinet is scheduled to meet on April 23 under the leadership of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and discuss crucial matters, including nominating MLCs under the Governor’s quota, the DPR for construction of a new project at Tummidihatti on the River Godavari and repairs to the Kaleshwaram project. It may be recalled that the state Cabinet had recommended that the Governor nominate Prof M Kodandaram and Mohammed Azharuddin to the Legislative Council under the Governor’s quota. As the decision remains pending at the Lok Bhavan, the chief minister met Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Monday . Sources said that during the interaction, the Gover nor asked the chief minister to recommend the names again. With this, the Cabinet is expected to clear these two names again. The Cabinet is also expected to review the implementation of the 99-day Praja Palana–Pragathi Pranalika programme. E x p r e s s Re a d Sigachi survivors seek help for treatment Sangareddy: Sigachi blast survivors reached the Sangareddy collectorate on Monday during the Prajavaani programme requesting help for medical treatment. While 54 workers died in the accident eight months ago, the survivors continue to make visits to hospitals for treatment | P2 Shopkeeper killed for refusing to loan `200 Adilabad: A 69-year-old kirana shop owner was killed and his wife critically injured on Monday after an unidentified person allegedly attacked them for refusing to give `200 as loan at Muthyampet village in Dhandapelli mandal of Mancherial district | P2 Firefighters douse the blaze at HPCL’s refinery in Balotra, Rajasthan on Monday | PTI Fire broke out near the ‘heart’ of the refinery The fire broke out near the crude distillation unit, the primary unit considered the heart of an oil refinery. According to reports, refineries are susceptible to fires, explosions, and catastrophic failures during the commissioning phase, as this period involves introducing hydrocarbons into new or maintained high-pressure, high-temperature systems finery were visible from afar. The unexpected fire a day before a high-profile event caused chaos and panic among officials and security personnel. Chief Secretary V Srinivas had reached Pachpadra on Monday to oversee the arrangements for the PM’s visit. Fire safety systems were immediately activated upon detecting the fire. Teams from both the municipal fire department and the refinery’s inter- nal fire brigade brought the fire under control after around two hours. India’s first greenfield integrated refinery-cum-petrochemical complex, HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd (HRRL) is considered crucial for the country’s energy sector. HRRL is a joint venture between HPCL and the Government of Rajasthan with an equity participation of 74% and 26%, respectively . Built at a cost of `79,450 crore, HRRL is considered one of India’s key energy projects. The refinery has a capacity of 9 million metric tonnes per annum (mmtpa) and a petrochemical capacity of 2.4 mmtpa. The refinery will produce petrol and diesel along with petrochemical products such as polypropylene, linear lowdensity polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, benzene, toluene, and butadiene. The sprawling complex is spread across 4,400 acres and the project is expected to reduce dependence on oil imports.  (With inputs from Rakesh  Kumar in New Delhi) U.S. team yet to reach pak Big ‘no’ to peace talks, says Iran ‘Lots of bombs to go off’ Trump warned that he would not extend the ceasefire unless Iran reaches a deal with the US by Wednesday. Speaking to PBS News, he said that if the ceasefire ends without a peace deal in sight, “then lots of bombs start going off” 3,375 killed in war: Iran According to Iran, a total of 3,375 people, 496 of them women, have been killed in the conflict so far. The figure, given by Abbas Masjedi, head of Iran’s Legal Medicine Organisation, did not specify civilian deaths A g e n c i e s @ Tehran / Washington / Dubai The much-touted second round of peace talks in Pakistan appears to be a non-starter with the US team of negotiators led by Vice President J D Vance yet to board the plane to Islamabad and Iran categorically stating that it has no plans to hold any more talks. “We have no plans for the next round of negotiation, and no decision has been made in this regard,” Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday . Iran’s statement came after the US Navy, which is ‘blockading’ the Strait of Hormuz, seized an Iranian-flagged cargo ship. Announcing the next round of day peace talks with Iran on Sunday, US President Donald Trump had said the US team would travel to Islamabad on Monday He initially said Vance wouldn’t . go this time due to “security reasons” but the White House later clarified that the vice president would lead the delegation. However, as of Monday night, Vance was still in Washington according to reports. Meanwhile, news agency Reuters claimed that Iran agreed to consider attending the talks after Pakistan promised Tehran it would persuade the US to end the blockade. The first round of talks on April 11 had ended without a deal and both sides accused the other of breaching the ceasefire pact. The two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran is set to expire on Wednesday  . P9 52 There is nothing wrong in hanging Despite your curses, I KCR for his misdeeds, says Revanth will not die: KCR to CM M a n da Rav i n d e r R e d dy N a v e e n K u m a r Ta l l a m @ Jagtial Stating that there was nothing wrong in hanging former Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for his “misdeeds” during BRS rule, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday vowed to ensure that the BRS chief does not even get the Leader of Opposition post after the next Assembly polls. “My stomach is burning seeing the plight of the Kaleshwaram project. If laws do not exist and if it is a kingdom of savages, there would be nothing wrong in hanging KCR from a tree. KCR sank `1 lakh crore in the Godavari. If such corruption happened during the Nizam era, they would have sent lizards into the pants (lagula tondalu vidichevallu),” Revanth said. He added he would change his name if KCR remains the Leader of Opposition after the next election. He also termed KCR as “Paapala Bhairavudu”. Addressing a public meeting at Kataram in Bhupalapally district on Monday, the chief minister said: “In the 2023 Assembly elections, I defeated Scoffing at the unsavoury remarks of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy against him, BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao told the chief minister: “Every morning, you are saying that KCR should die. Even if you take a thousand births, I will not die, my son” (poddunna leste KCR chaavali... nuvvu veyyi janmalu yettinaa... nenu chaavanu... naa kodaka...). Addressing a massive public meeting here on Monday after inducting former minister and Congress leader T Jeevan Reddy into BRS, KCR reacted to Revanth’s comments by saying: “Pilli sapaniki utti padadu (A cat’s curse won’t make the hanging sling holding the food fall).” Terming the present government as useless, he said that leaders should serve the people till their last breath to remove this anti-people government. “The people should raise their heads and proudly claim that their Telangana is great. We have to remove this government,” KCR thundered. Stating that the ‘triumphant march’ from Jagtial should lead @ Hyderabad Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy inspects the Medigadda barrage on Monday you. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, I gave you zero seats. In panchayat and municipal elections, I buried you. In the Cantonment and Jubilee Hills byelections, I constructed a tomb for you. In the next elections, Congress workers will hoist our party flag on that tomb. This is my challenge.” He reiterated that the Congress will remain in power in the state at least till 2034. Stating that Congress activists will bury T Jeevan Reddy under 100 feet in Jagtial, the chief minister said: “Jeevan Reddy is saying ‘Praja Palana Povali - Paapala Bhairavudu Ravali’. Why should Praja Palana go and why should Paapala Bhairavudu, who is sleeping in the farmhouse, come to power? Praja Palana came due to the efforts of Congress workers. Should Praja Palana go because you did not get a berth in the Cabinet after being rejected in Jagtial? Why should we treat you as an ‘elder person’? Should Paapala Bhairavudu come to power for killing Dalits at Nerella or for sending farmers to jail?”  continued on P4 BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao raises a slogan during the Praja Ashirvada Sabha in Jagtial on Monday to rebuilding Telangana once again, KCR declared that the BRS, if voted to power, would repeal HYDRAA, which he alleged was razing houses of the poor. He also accused the Congress government of agreeing to fix meters to agriculture motors for additional borrowings under FRBM. KCR said the BRS opposed meters to agriculture motors when the Modi government proposed it. “We have to start a mahayagna to rebuild the state,” he said.  continued on p4 Mangled remains of the bus involved in the accident in J&K’s Udhampur | PTI At least 21 dead, 61 injured as bus falls into gorge in J&K F aya z w a n i @ Srinagar At least 21 people were killed and 61 others injured after the bus they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur district on Monday . Officials said the passenger bus was on its way from Ramnagar to Udhampur, when it met with the accident near Khagote village in Ramnagar around 10 am. “The driver lost control while negotiating a sharp curve on at Khagote. At the same time, an auto-rickshaw was in the vicinity. The bus crushed the auto-rickshaw and plunged nearly 100 metres into the deep gorge before landing upside down on the road below,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (Udhampur-Reasi Range) Shiv Kumar Sharma told reporters. The impact of the fall was so severe that the entire top portion of the bus got crushed, trapping all passengers inside the mangled wreckage. Locals, police, and SDRF personnel soon launched a relief and rescue operations. An army convoy that was moving through the area also assisted. Injured persons were rushed to the Government Medical College, Udhampur. Two critically injured persons were later referred to the Government Medical College, Jammu for specialised treatment. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia of `2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and `1 lakh to those seriously injured. Those with minor injuries would be given `25,000. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “pained to hear about the loss of lives”. The PM announced an ex gratia of `2 lakh from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund to the next of kin of each of the deceased. Those injured would be given `50,000. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha directed the district administration, police, SDRF and the health department to provide all possible assistance. India, S Korea set $50 billion trade target by 2030 3-year-old dies in stray dog attack in Peddapalli J a v a r i a R a n a a n d P u s h p i ta D e y @ New Delhi Pitching their ties as a “message of peace and stability” amid global tensions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Monday expanded cooperation across energy critical , minerals, shipbuilding, semiconductors and steel, set a target to double bilateral trade to $50 billion by 2030 and announced Seoul’s entry into the International Solar Alliance and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. The two sides also agreed to resume stalled negotiations to upgrade the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with the next round scheduled for May and a deadline to conclude talks by CEPA ‘rewrite’ EAM S Jaishankar and his South Korean counterpart exchange an MoU as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, look on | PTI the first half of 2027. Projecting a broader economic and strategic alignment, Modi said cooperation would expand “from chips to ships, talent to technology, environment to energy spanning sem,” iconductors, electronics, maritime industries and defence manufacturing. Bilateral trade currently stands at around $27 billion. To drive this, the two countries agreed to set up a ministe- The push to upgrade CEPA comes amid stalled talks in 2024 over tariffs and nontariff barriers. The joint declaration commits both sides to holding the next round in May and concluding the upgrade by mid-2027. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said India might rewrite chapters of the CEPA if needed to address India’s trade deficit rial-level Industrial Cooperation Committee, their first such mechanism, to coordinate investments and supply chains in critical minerals, nuclear and clean energy and advanced manufacturing. E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Peddapalli A three-year-old girl was killed in a stray dog attack at Katnapalli village in Sultanabad mandal on Monday evening. According to reports, the child, identified as Divya, was playing outside her residence in a brick kiln area when a pack of stray dogs attacked her and dragged her into nearby agricultural fields. Her parents, migrant workers from Odisha employed at a local brick kiln, raised an alarm when she went missing and began searching. Her body was later found in a nearby field. The child sustained multiple injuries, with a severe throat wound reported as the cause of death. On receiving information, Sultanabad police reached the spot, registered a case and began an investigation. The body was shifted to the Sultanabad Government Hospital for postmortem.