trai tightens rules to put end to spam calls and messages TRAI on Friday said that telecom companies will now use AI to detect suspected spam numbers and share this information with each other. Under the amended regulations, if five or more numbers associated with a sender are flagged within 10 days, further investigation and graded action will follow. The order also said apps like Truecaller cannot block or tag 140, 1600, and 1601 calls bengaluru l saturday l september 19, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 22 l late city EDITION 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 TMC’s Nandigram pick quits, its nominee held s u b h e n d u m a i t i @ Kolkata Express Read Legal nod for FIR against Pinarayi, kin KOCHI: The Advocate General and DG, Prosecution have cleared the way for further action on an ED report seeking filing of a corruption case against former Keralam CM Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena T and son-in-law P AMohamed Riyas in connection with the CMRL pay-off case | P7 press Intake Minister Lamani fined `3cr for mining violation | P4 EC allots new symbols to 2 factions is unfortunate, unconstitutional, anti-democratic and politically biased. It is just serving the interests of a particular political party she alleged. ,” Faced with no choice, Mamata announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan. “We are extending our support to Congress in Nandigram. We are doing this for the greater interest of the nation,” she said. The impact of the Sanchita’s withdrawal was soon overshadowed by Pradhan’s arrest, who was picked up from a hotel in Chandipur in Purba Medinipur district. Police sources said Pradhan was arrested in an old murder case, apart from a case linked to his involvement in the 2007 Nandigram land acqusition case. The Congress alleged vendetta and questioned the timing of Pradhan’s arrest. IN a theatrical turn of events, The ECI allotted the Didi faction Trinamool Congress candidate the name ‘Mamata All India Sanchita Dey Pradhan, fielded Trinamool Congress’ and the by Mamata Banerjee for the Oc- ‘Football Player’ symbol, while the tober 6 bypoll in Nandigram, rival group led by Arup Roy got turned the tables on her men- ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ tor by withdrawing her nomi- and ‘Envelope’ symbol for the Oct nation papers on Friday after- 6 bypoll | P9 noon minutes after meeting Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at the state secresion left the Mamata Bantariat here. erjee faction in dire straits. The withdrawal came a Since the party did not day before the last date for field a dummy candidate, filing nomination papers. it can no longer contest A photograph of the meetMilan the seat. ing, which lasted about an Pradhan Having lost the party its , hour, went viral on social symbol and now its candimedia, though this paper could date, Banerjee said at her Kanot verify its authenticity . lighat residence that she would Sanchita’s movements had support the Congress candiappeared mysterious since date in Nandigram. “My party morning, according to sources will never support the BJP,” close to her. She did not speak she said. “Today is a black day to the media when she left her in the history of democracy It . residence. She withdrew her nomination at the office of the Today is a black day in the history of democracy, which is sub-divisional officer in Halunconstitutional, anti-democratic and biased. It’s just fulfilling dia, Purba Medinipur. Her deciinterests of a particular political party — Mamata Banerjee 13-yr-old abducted, killed in B’luru; neighbour held Express News Service @ Bengaluru A 13-year-old boy was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by his neighbour for ransom here on Wednesday night. As the accused was trying to flee towards Andhra Pradesh in his car, he crashed into other vehicles on the service road of the Kempegowda International Airport Road in Chikkajala. The public caught him and handed him over to the police, who got suspicious and opened the car’s boot only to find the boy’s body . The accused was reportedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. The victim, identified as Prajwal, a resident of Vinayaka Nagar, was allegedly taken by Bhaskar Reddy, 28, in a car on the pretext of buying firecrackers for Ganapati idol immersion. Reddy assaulted Prajwal inside the car and made him record a video, which was sent to the boy’s father Manohar, a financier and realtor. Reddy threatened to kill Prajwal if the ransom was not paid. Manohar informed Bhaskar’s father. Both of them called Bhaskar and scolded him and asked him to come back with the boy immediately They also . alerted the police and both started a search for the boy P3 . diaspora comes to fore amid chaos Indraneel Das Express @ asian games Nagoya T he Union sports ministry, Indian Olympic Association (IOA) officials as well as the Indian diaspora in Nagoya have stepped in to ensure that Indian athletes and their coaches aren’t overly disturbed during the course of the Asian Games. Following various teething issues — including people stranded at the airport as well as spending a considerable amount of time without accommodation and food — the focus has now shifted to ensuring that athletes don’t suffer. During an informal chat with select mediapersons, sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who is here for a few days, revealed their three-pronged strate g y. When he learnt about the ordeal faced by athletes upon landing in the city, as highlighted by this daily first, the ministry stitched together a mitigation plan. The first layer starts with two persons stationed at the airport who will fast-track their exit. The second would be at the village where three persons will help them with their accommodation. If these seem routine, the sports minister said that with the help of the India embassy, they have reached out to the 2,000-strong Indian diaspora. “There are Cabinet meeting Tulu gets official language status; DK district to be renamed M’luru V i n c e n t D ’ S o u z a @Mangaluru Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya with IOA President PT Usha in Japan | pti more athletes who will come here and if they are short of rooms, we have identified some 10-15 houses in case athletes need to be adjusted or need to freshen up in case there is a delay he said. IOA ,” chef de mission, Sahdev Yadav, had said how India were forced to book hotels at the last moment. “Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games Organising Committee informed us that more than desired athletes had come and they would not be able to give accommodation,” he said. “We have booked 16 rooms and will book 10 more.” As of Friday , things are okay . As for Nagoya, there couldn’t have been a more disastrous star t to the Games. First, a heavy downpour that submerged the city days ahead of the Games. Then, there was the logistical nightmare. Now? A threat of a severe storm with wind blowing at 100km per hour on Monday However, the or. ganisers have said that all mitigation measures are in place. P17 In a landmark move aimed at addressing two of coastal Karnataka’s longest-pending demands, the state cabinet on Friday granted Tulu the status of state’s second additional official language for Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts and initiated the process to rename Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru. The decisions were taken at the cabinet’s first-ever meeting in Mangaluru, chaired by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Announcing the decisions, Shivakumar said with these, the government has sought to balance regional aspirations with development. “We have a commitment. We do not do politics on emotions. We work on people’s livelihoods. Society cannot be built only on emotions. We have to provide social and economic strength and help people build a better life,” he said. On the proposal to rename Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru, he said the government will first seek public opinion before taking the final decision. A draft notification will be issued shortly, following which residents will have one month to submit their views. The move marks the formal beginning of a process that could see the district officially rechristened after its coastal headquarters.  MORE: P4