tadepalligudem l monday l may 04, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION National childhood diabetes treatment framework live universal screening of all children The document, for the first time, establishes a structured and standardised national framework, positioning India among a select group of countries that have integrated childhood diabetes care into the public health system. The framework aims to ensure universal screening of all children from birth to 18 years for early identification of diabetes Union Health Ministry on Sunday released a document providing a framework for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood diabetes Provision for free-of-cost care package ■ ■ Suspected cases will undergo immediate blood glucose testing and be referred to district health facilities for diagnosis and treatment A key feature is the provision of a comprehensive free-of-cost care package at public health facilities, including diagnostic services, lifelong insulin therapy, glucometers, test strips, and regular follow-up | P7 3 Lakh Children in india are living with diabetes, as per one estimate 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 All eyes on which way the On counting eve, power pendulum swings DMK, AIADMK file Results of Assam, West Bengal, TN, Kerala & Puducherry polls today P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi Phogat flags bias ahead of comeback tournament H A R P R E E T B A J W A & F ir o z M ir z a @ Chandigarh / Chennai DAYS before her comeback event, Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said she is among the six victims who had lodged sexual harassment complaints against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Phogat, now a Congress MLA from Haryana’s Julana, is set to participate in the National Open Ranking Tournament to be held on May 1012 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, a stronghold of Bhushan. She had quit the sport after she was disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics for being 100 gms overweight. In a video message on Sunday, Phogat said she is worried about her safety and fears unfair treatment. “This tournament is being organised at Gonda, where Brij Bhushan’s home is. It is impossible to think wrestlers will get a fair chance to excel there. Which referee will officiate which match, who has to win, who will lose… all that can be controlled by his people,” she alleged. The WFI dismissed her allegations. “If she fears for her safety I would personally , go and pick her up from her place and bring her to the venue. I will also drop her back,” WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh told TNIE. royals& sold to mittals co for `15,600 cr Lakshmi Mittal and his son, Aditya Mittal, have acquired a 75 per cent stake in Rajasthan Royals franchise in the IPL. Vaccine giant Adar Poonawalla will hold 18 per cent | P11 as votes are counted in the high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry on Monday, all eyes are on the outcome, which will shape new political alignments and power equations. With the exit polls setting the tone, regional heavyweights such as the DMK in Tamil Nadu, TMC in West Bengal, and CPI(M) in Kerala are seeking to retain power, even as BJP attempts to expand its footprint beyond traditional bastions. In West Bengal, the results will be crucial in determining whether the three-term Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can withstand a fierce challenge from the saffron party and secure another term in office. While several exit polls showed a tight race between the BJP and the TMC, a historic breakthrough for the BJP would be to breach the TMC stronghold for the first time. If the TMC secures a strong mandate in Bengal, Mamata will solidify her position in national politics. Tamil Nadu presents another Security personnel patrol the streets of Howrah in Kolkata on Sunday | PTI What’s at stake State Total Halfway Seats Mark West Bengal* 294 148 Tamil Nadu 234 118 Kerala 140 71 Assam 126 64 Puducherry 30 16 TOTAL 824 — * Result of Falta constituency to be declared after repolling intriguing contest. The DMK, under Chief Minister M K Stalin, is hoping for a second consecutive term, while the AIADMK, now aligned with the BJP , is attempting a comeback. All eyes are on the new entrant TVK, led by actor-turned-politician Vijay which has added a , new dimension to the race. In Kerala, the results will be a make-or-break for the Congress, which is hoping to return to power buoyed by its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and recent local body elections. The ruling LDF, led by Chief Minister PiAssembly elections narayi Vijayan, is seeking a third consecutive term, while the BJP-led NDA is attempting to gain a foothold in the state with a bipolar polity. A defeat for the LDF would also mark the first time since the 1960s that Left parties are not in power in any state. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is seeking a second consecutive term, with the Congress aiming to mount a credible challenge. Puducherry, known for its history of electoral alternation, is also witnessing a closely fought battle, with exit polls indicating a tight contest. complaints to CEO E X P R E SS N E W S S E R V I C E @ Chennai With exit polls predicting the possibility of a razor-thin margin of victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, political tensions have peaked in Tamil Nadu. On the eve of the results, the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK have approached Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Archana Patnaik with a flurry of complaints, each accusing the other of attempting to compromise the integrity of Monday’s counting process. DMK organisation secretary RS Bharathi, in his representation to the CEO, alleged that the DMK has credible information that the BJP and other parties acting at its behest may attempt to create ruckus at the counting centres and nearby sensitive locations, including party offices, to disrupt the counting process. Stating that such orchestrated, large-scale law and order issues may seriously affect a free and fair electoral process, Bharathi urged the CEO to take all steps to ensure maintenance of peace, public order and the integrity of the counting process across TN on Monday . Talking to reporters in Chennai, Bharathi said the ECI should operate above suspicion, given the many complaints about the commission’s activities in other states. “However, the DMK is ready to face any eventualities,” he added. Meanwhile, AIADMK Advocates Wing secretary IS Inbadurai has complained to the Chief Election Commissioner, CEO, and the Special Observer, alleging misuse of press passes to gain unauthorised access to counting centres. He claimed certain individuals linked to the DMK IT Wing sought press accreditation, with some officials allegedly issuing passes to non-media persons. Cautioning that this could compromise transparency and affect the level playing field, he sought immediate verification of passes, strict scrutiny, cancellation of irregular passes, and fixing of accountability on the officials to ensure a free, fair, and credible counting process.  Iran dispatches new 14point proposal to US to break talk deadlock ‘Impossible military op’ vs bad deal Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Sunday said the US faced a choice between an “impossible” military operation or a “bad deal” with Tehran, after Trump disparaged Iran’s latest peace proposal. “The room for US has narrowed,” they said UK military says bulk carrier hit A bulk carrier near the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly been attacked by multiple small craft, UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said on Sunday, warning warns all vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz with caution A g encie s @ Tehran EYEING to break the deadlock over peace talks with the US, Iran has conveyed a “multilayered proposal” to Washington, a senior official in the know said on Sunday . While US President Donald Trump has not rejected Iran’s latest 14-point proposal outright, experts believe Washington is unlikely to accept any framework that does not include firm guarantees preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. The Iran war, launched by the US and Israel on February 28, has been on hold since April 8, with one round of peace talks having taken place unfruitfully in Islamabad since then. The official told PTI that the fresh day Iran proposal is a phased de-escalation framework. “The first component of the plan focuses on urgent de-escalation measures. Iran has indicated willingness to ease tensions in and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, provided Washington reciprocates by scaling back its military posture and easing economic pressure,” he said. Secondly Iran is seeking to decouple the res, toration of maritime trade and oil flows from nuclear negotiations. Thirdly, Iran says it is open to discussing limits on uranium enrichment and enhanced monitoring mechanisms, but only within a broader agreement that guarantees sanctions relief. “The proposal further includes demands for security guarantees, who pre-empt the risk of future military action,” he said. 65 touching scenes A parent helps her daughter in removing earrings before entering NEET centre in Vijayawada on Sunday (right) A girl says bye-bye to her kin outside after entering an exam centre | Prasant Madugula C P V en u g o pa l @ Anantapur At a time when the State is celebrating the good performance of government schools in the SSC examinations 2026, a contrasting picture has emerged from Anantapur district. The Zilla Parishad High School with a student strength of four at Oobicherla village in Gooty mandal has recorded a shocking 0% pass despite having seven teachers. While the overall pass per- centage in the SSC examinations stood at 85.25, Anantapur district achieved 77.17% success. All the four students of the ZP High School failed in the exam. The dismal show of the school has triggered concern within the education department, raising questions about monitoring, accountability and , the effectiveness of recent school upgrade. The analysis of results revealed that one student failed WORLD champion D Gukesh has started his specific training prep for the upcoming title c l a s h a g a i n s t J avo k h i r Sindarov. While his principal coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, didn’t reveal much about the training schedule, the Pole confirmed that ‘it has begun’ to this daily . The teen, who has had a mixed time of it since winning the Classical world title in Singapore in December 2024, has only only made sporadic appearances on the circuit in 2026. It’s assumed that Gukesh has been working on new ideas and novelties since the Uzbek phenom wiped the field to win the Candidates tournament last month in Cyprus. In fact, the world will get the first glimpse of champion v. challenger as early as this week when the two face each other in the Rapid & Blitz section in Warsaw. With the first few rounds set for Tuesday, it may offer a peek into the mindset of both Gukesh and Sindarov. This tournament is another opportunity for the Indian to get back into form. Gukesh, who has lost over 50 rating points in the last year, had initially signed on to feature in the Grand Chess Tirumala witnessed a massive summer rush over the weekend, with more than 92,000 devotees having darshan on Saturday alone. Temple officials said the surge was managed with great difficulty and darshan , continued until 1.30 am on Sunday before resuming with Suprabhatham at 2.30 am. By 8 pm on Sunday, another 56,000 devotees had completed darshan. Officials noted that the influx was particularly heavy due to school and college holidays, with an estimated 1.5 lakh pilgrims staying in Tirumala on Saturday . Superintendent Ramakrishna of Vaikuntam Queue Complex said the administration worked tirelessly to ensure smooth passage despite the record crowds. Heavy rain in Tirupati and Tirumala briefly interrupted the flow of pilgrims, but footfall and vehicular traffic normalised by Sunday morning. In anticipation of the holiday rush, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has put in place extensive arrangements worth `2 crore. Shaded shelters have been erected at high-footfall areas. Cooling paint has been applied along queue lines and the four Mada Streets to reduce ground heat. The Health Department has deployed mobile water drums and Srivari Sevaks to ensure continuous supply of drinking water. Sixteen medical centres, along with a mobile first-aid unit, are operating to provide immediate care to pilgrims. Tour. However, in March, he pulled out of a slew of GCT events for ‘more dedicated training time’ at home. Apart from beginning training prep for the clash a g ainst Sindarov, the World No. 19 will also have to put in place a new team to tackle the challenge. His seconds for the Ding Liren match was Radosław Wojtaszek, Pentala Harikrishna, Vincent Keymer, Jan Klimkowski in Telugu, another in Social Studies, the third in Mathematics and Social Studies, while the fourth managed to pass only in English. The unusual teacher-student ratio — seven teachers for just four students — has further intensified scrutiny . The District Collector has taken the issue seriously and ordered an inquiry Education . officials are now under pressure to explain how zero results obtained despite having adequate teaching staff. Allegations have surfaced that mandal-level officers failed to inspect the school during the academic year, allowing lapses P4 to go unnoticed.  E x p r e s s Re a d Gukesh begins specific prep for Sindarov challenge @ Chennai B M u ra l i @ Tirumala 7 teachers for 4 students, none clears SSC exam chess world championships s war o o p s waminathan Over 92,000 had darshan at Tirumala on Saturday and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. How many of these players will sign on for this match? Keymer’s profile has risen to such a level that the German is now World No. 7 and is now higher rated than the Indian. The same is true for Duda, the World No. 14. However, that may not necessarily stop them from ‘helping’ Gukesh as it gives both of those players, who harbour serious ambitions themselves, a glimpse into preparations. 9 dead as massive fire guts building in Delhi ULBs net record `948 cr property tax in April NEW DELHI: A devastating fire ripped through a residential building in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar in the early hours of Sunday, leaving nine people from two families, including a toddler, dead, with an air-conditioner blast suspected to have triggered the blaze, officials said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the east Delhi building fire and announced an ex-gratia of `2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives and `50,000 to those who were injured, as per an official note Vijayawada: Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the State have registered a strong start in collecting property tax for the financial year 2026-27, achieving over one-third of the current demand in the very first month. According to the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department, ULBs collected `948.15 crore against a current demand of `2,683.5 crore by April 30, 2026, amounting to 35.34% of the total demand. Including arrears and penalties, total tax collection stood at `1,010.79 crore, officials said | P4