Turkmenistan Caspian Sea Turkey KOCHI l thursday l april 23, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE city EDITION Tributes were paid on Wednesday to the 26 people who were gunned down by terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam last year India will never bow to terrorism: Modi Syria “Remembering the innocent lives lost in the gruesome Pahalgam terror attack on this day last year,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X, adding India will never bow to terror. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said the nation stands united against terrorism. The European Union and the United Kingdom have expressed solidarity with the people of India Israel 50 Famed meadows of Pahalgam buzzing again ■ ■ Security was beefed up across the Valley, with police and paramilitary forces deployed at many places, especially the tourist hotspots The April 22 attack dealt a severe blow to the region’s tourism industry—a key pillar of the local economy. A year down the line, the famed meadows of Pahalgam are once again buzzing with tourists Afghanistan Tributes paid to Pahalgam victims on anniversary of terror attack pahalgam tourist spots were shut after attack. many are now open 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 a Se ed eR Th Blast toll rises to 14; Pooram fireworks display cancelled 4 still critical; govt announces I14L aid for kin of deceased, to cover treatment cost of injured the day after G O P I K A V A R R I E R @Thrissur The death toll in Tuesday’s blast at a firecracker-manufacturing unit at Mundathicode in Thrissur rose to 14 after one of the five persons critically injured in the explosion succumbed to injuries at the Medical College Hospital (MCH) on Wednesday Praveen of Pattam. bi in Palakkad is the deceased. Meanwhile, a joint meeting of the Thiruvambady and Paramekkavu devaswoms decided to cancel the fireworks display and scale down Thrissur Pooram celebrations in the wake of the tragedy . The government has ordered a judicial inquiry by Justice C N Ramachandran Nair into the explosion. The state cabinet that met in Thiruvananthapuram also announced `14 lakh in immediate relief to the families of the deceased and recommended declaring the incident a ‘special disaster’. At present, 12 people are under treatment at the MCH. Four of them are under critical care. The government said it will bear the treatment expenses of the injured persons for six months. Beyond that, expenses in empanelled private hospitals will be covered based on the recommendation of a medical Pattambi resident under critical care passes away at Thrissur MCH Exact cause behind the blast remains unknown, says Thrissur District Collector Sikha Surendran. Forensic experts visit the site on Wednesday and collect samples PESO officials also collect samples from the spot Search continues, more body parts recovered board. Even after 24 hours, there is no clarity on the exact number of victims, with searches carried out at the blast site with the help of K9 Squad’s cadaver dogs recovering more body par ts on Wednesday . As of now, eight of the 14 deceased have been identified and their bodies released to relatives after postmortem, District Collector Sikha Surendran said. The unidentified body parts recovered from the site would be preserved at the MCH’s mortuary she said. , “Three people are missing. We have collected the samples TN, West Bengal all set for polls today T Muruganandham & S U B H E NDU M A I T I @ Chennai/ Kolkata all arrangements are in place across the state for electing 234 members to the 17th Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Thursday With around 74 lakh names . deleted during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the turnout may rise due to a reduced electorate base, though the actual participation levels will determine the final outcome. A total of 5.67 crore voters will exercise their franchise at 75,064 booths. Chief Minister M K Stalin’s DMK is facing a stiff challenge from the NDA led by former CM Edappadi Palaniswami, while actor-turned-neta Vijay is the X-factor. A notable 14,59,039 first-time voters are expected to play a critical role, with many young people Ministers K Rajan, V N Vasavan A forensic team collecting samples of the explosives from the blast site at Mundathicode in Thrissur on Wednesday | Express | Full coverage: P4 showing strong enthusiasm to cast their ballots. Meanwhile, West Bengal is all prepped up for a pulsating contest between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress and the BJP on Thursday when 152 of the total 294 constituencies in the state go to polls in the first of the two-phase elections amid unprecedented security cover. This is the first election after the SIR resulted in 91 lakh deletions from the list. How it would impact the outcome is anybody’s guess. Of the 152 seats in the first phase, 54 are seen as BJP strongholds, while the remaining 98 are part of the traditional citadel of t h e T M C . T h e re s p e c t ive strengths of the CPM-led Left Front and the Congress will also be under test. Polling materials and EVMs being carried on horses and mules due to lack of motorable roads to Vellakavi and other high-altitude villages in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu | Express of their relatives. Results of the DNA testing and matching would be available in three to four days,” Sikha said. She said four people, who escaped with minor injuries, sought treatment at other hospitals, after which two were discharged. “We are still updating the data about people who managed to escape and are contacting them for more information,” Sikha said. The cabinet also approved compensation for damage caused during rescue operations, including demolition of compound walls and filling of ● More on P5 paddy fields.  Assembly elections HC: No mass arrests of people The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday stayed the EC’s plan to swoop down on ‘troublemakers’ enmasse and arrest them ahead of the first phase of polls. “It is wrong to identify someone as ‘troublemaker’ and arrest them on mass scale,” it observed. Police can take action as per law. But the rule of the law has to be followed even for preventive arrest, the court said ECI: Kharge issued notice The ECI took “serious note” of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “terrorist” and issued him a “stern notice”, officials said. He has been asked to explain his stand within 24 hours, they added. Kharge had accused Modi of “terrorising” political parties | P7 and R Bindu, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan, Union Minister Suresh Gopi and Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala visit blast site, meet injured persons Crucial meeting today A meeting between ministers and participating temples will be held at 10.30am on Thursday to take a call on Thrissur Pooram’s conduct. K Girishkumar, secretary of Thiruvambady Devaswom, said they will discuss all aspects with the government. Paramekkavu Devaswom secretary G Rajesh said they will stand with the government no matter the decision. T’Puram/Kochi: With maximum temperature in Palakkad crossing 410C on Wednesday and mercury inching closer to 400C in two stations, conditions similar to a heatwave are prevailing in Kerala | P5 S UCH I T R A K ALYAN M O HAN T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Wednesday rapped West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her alleged interference in the Enforcement Directorate raids at political consultancy firm I-PAC’s office in Kolkata earlier this year. Noting that such actions harm democracy a bench of justices Prashant , Kumar Mishra and N V Anjaria said: “A chief minister cannot walk into the midst of an investigation, put the democracy in peril, and then say don’t convert this into a dispute between the state and the Union.” The bench made the strong oral remarks while hearing the writ petitions filed by the ED and its officers under Article 32 of the Constitution seeking a CBI probe against Banerjee and her officials. Senior advocate Menaka Guruswamy, appearing for a West Bengal official, questioned the maintainability of ED’s plea, saying the dispute is between the Centre and state and should be resolved under Article 131. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, for another Bengal official, argued the ED can’t invoke fundamental rights under Article 32. The bench, while rejecting the respondents’ arguments, said it can’t shut its eyes to the ground realities in Bengal. ‘Can’t frame rules on state’s role in religion’ New Delhi: On the seventh day of hearings in Sabarimala review petitions, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would be hard to lay down universal or prospective guidelines on when the state can intervene in religious practices in the name of social reform. The nine-judge bench was hearing arguments from the petitioners on the point and scope of the State’s power under Article 25(2) (b) of the Constitution | P7 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express Epaminondas Seized ship lacked permit: IRGC The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps alleged that MSC-Francesca was linked to Israel while Epaminondas lacked “the necessary permits” and had been “tampering with navigation systems” Three cargo ships attacked in Strait of Hormuz Yem- MSC Francesca Euphoria Gulf of Oman Woman set ablaze by husband, dies Malappuram: A 25-year-old woman died after her husband allegedly poured kerosene on her and set her ablaze following an argument. Shahna of Kunnamkulam succumbed to injuries on Tuesday | P5 US woman raped at Karnataka homestay EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Madikeri Arabian Sea The Epaminondas | File pic Trump extends Gulf of Aden truce, Iran seizes India-bound ship Age n c ies @ Washington/ Dubai Iran on Wednesday fired at three cargo ships and seized two of them, including one bound for Gujarat, hours after US President Donald Trump announced that Washington was indefinitely extending its two-week ceasefire with Tehran. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards intercepted and transferred two vessels, identified as the “MSC-FRANCESCA” and the “Epaminondas” (bound for Mundra port in Gujarat ), to Iranian territorial waters, Iranian media reported. It comes a day after the seizure of an Iranian vessel by the US in the Sea of Oman. Late on Tuesday night, Trump said he was extending the ceasefire at the request of Pakistan to give Tehran’s leadership more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war. “Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured… and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, day and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our attack,” President Trump said. Lebanon attacked As for the peace talks in Islamadespite truce bad, there is little clarity on when, or even if, they will take place. Israeli strikes killed three people in Lebanon despite Trump, however, told The New York Post that it’s possible that an ongoing 10-day the second round could begin by ceasefire, Lebanese state Friday, adding the economic media said, adding that blockade of Iran’s ports will reBeirut would request an main in place. Sources in Pakiextension of the truce stan told the daily talks would during upcoming talks resume in 36-72 hours. with Israel in Washington. Iran has not confirmed if it is The two governments, ready to attend the new round of which do not have talks. Its chief negotiator Modiplomatic relations with each other, are set to hold hammad Bagher Ghalibaf said it is “not possible to reopen the a second round of talks strait” if the US blockade of under US auspices on Iran’s ports continue. Oil prices Thursday P17 rose again on Wednesday with Brent North Sea climbing above $100 a barrel while West Texas Intermediate traded above $93 once again. Meanwhile, India denied making any payments —either in cash or cryptocurrency —to Iran to secure safe passage for its vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Two Indian vessels were fired upon as they attempted to cross the waterway on April 18. Reports said at least one ship fell victim to a scam offering fake safe passage in exchange for crypto. Addressing the German Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence and Security Defence Minister Rajnath Singh , warned that disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have direct implications for India’s security and economic stability . Didi’s I-PAC raid 54 dharna ‘harmed democracy’, says apex court express read Heatwave looms as temp crosses 410C IRAN A US national was allegedly sexually assaulted at a homestay in Karnataka’s Kodagu a week ago. The incident came to light after the woman alerted the US embassy which in turn , informed the local authorities. According to police, the incident occurred on April 12 in Kutta village near Kerala border. Two persons, the caretaker and owner of the homestay, have been arrested. The caretaker, hailing from Jharkhand, is the primary accused. The homestay owner allegedly tried to suppress the incident. Both the accused have been remanded in judicial custody . Kodagu Superintendent of Police Bindu Mani said all aspects of the case are under investigation, including allegat i o n s t h a t t h e wo m a n’s movement was restricted for several days after the incident. Sources said the woman, who had booked a tent stay from April 12 to April 17, alleged she was drugged and sexually assaulted by the caretaker on the night of her arrival. She later informed the homestay owner, who shifted her from the tent to his residence on the premises, saying it would be safer. However, the survivor alleged that she was not allowed to leave immediately and the wifi at the property was disabled, limiting her ability to seek help. The woman reportedly left the homestay on April 17 and travelled to Mysuru, from where she contacted the US embassy A formal complaint was . registered later. The police said the survivor is currently undergoing medical treatment, and further details will be released when the investigation progresses. Direct Delhi-Beijing flights resume Air China has resumed its non-stop Delhi-Beijing flight, reconnecting the flight services between the two capitals, disrupted since 2020 due to Covid-19 and border tensions. Flights will operate on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, the airline said Customs begins disposing of 16 tonnes of trafficked cigarettes worth `17 crore Cigerette boxes being ferried from the customs warehouse in Kozhikode to an undisclosed cement factory in central Kerala for disposal S h a n A S @T’Puram In one of the biggest purges it has undertaken, the customs department has begun disposing of around 16 tonnes of cigarettes that were brought into the country without paying taxes. The contraband, whose market value has been pegged at `17.43 crore, is being destroyed at a high-temperature cement kiln. Customs sources said the consignments dispatched for disposal comprised 1.07 crore cigarette sticks that were seized from the Malabar region in the past two years. The disposal is being done in an undisclosed cement factory in central Kerala and the whole exercise is expected to take up to 30 days, said a customs source. “Up to 500kg cigarettes are disposed of each day The con. traband was seized from Malappuram, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts. We occasionally dispose of smaller quantities of cigarettes like 500 to 1,000 kg. However, this time the volume of contraband to be destroyed is huge,” the source said. The seized contraband include those smuggled via countries such as Nepal and Bangladesh or counterfeits made here. “There is a practice of buying cig arettes that have crossed expiry date from other states and then repackaging them as foreign brands. Since the owners do not show records to reflect they are genuinely imported goods, we treat them as smuggled,” said ● More on P5 a source.