AI Image vijayawada l sunday l october 18, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 26 l late city EDITION FSSAI proposes ban on fructose, sucrose in infant food products The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India proposed a ban on adding fructose and sucrose in food products for infants up to six months old Aim is to curb early exposure to sugar Currently used as carbohydrate source According to a statement from Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, emphasis is on minimising exposure to added sugars during the earliest stages of life. “The proposed restriction seeks to ensure that infant nutrition products meet the nutritional needs of this age group without unnecessary addition of sucrose and fructose,” the ministry observed ■ ■ Under the current provisions, lactose and glucose polymers are the preferred sources of carbohydrates. Sucrose and/or fructose could be added only when required as a carbohydrate source Multiple studies have shown that early exposure to sugar creates a preference for sweetened food, leading to health issues later in life 60 days The draft notification is open for public scrutiny 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 at least 18 killed in kolkata pandal stampede Sudden downpour around 7 pm results in human crush after pandal gates collapse; several others injured, PM announces ex-gratia relief s u b h e n d u m a i t i @ Kolkata At least 18 people were feared dead and many others injured after a downpour led to a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal on Saturday evening in Central Kolkata near Mahajati Sadan. Police authorities are yet to confirm the casualties. The tragedy occurred inside the Chorbagan Puja pandal around 7 pm. Eye-witnesses said many revellers on the lane outside rushed to take shelter inside the pandal after it began pouring. Those inside the pandal could not come out. As a result, people got trapped and tumbled on top of each other on a makeshift staircase, leading to the stampede. Hospital and police sources said the deceased included four men, 13 women and one child. WITH THIS ISSUE Grain of Truth PLUS 12 P AGES Dipke granted bail, Neha Bora freed U D AYAN KISHOR E @ New Delhi All India Students’ Association (AISA) leader Neha Bora was released from detention on Saturday morning, while Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was granted conditional bail later in the day by a local court, after he signed a peace bond. Both were detained by the Delhi Police on Friday ahead of the Lehra do Tiranga protest at Conn a u g h t Place. Dipke was arrested in a fresh case for violating a peace bond furnished by him on October 10. Bora was released after completing formalities related to her detention under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act. Structural collapse The pandal, located off Chittaranjan Avenue in Central Kolkata, had an iron structure under which was the idol of Goddess Durga. A portion of the structure is suspected to have collapsed, adding to the casualties All 18 were declared dead on arrival at Calcutta Medical College in Bowbazar police station area, while more than 30 others are admitted. This is perhaps the first incident of stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in West Bengal. Health minister Saradwat Mukherjee and senior officials also rushed to the hospital. Disaster management personnel have been deployed at the site. Trump waives Russia-related curbs on India But US retains the right to withdraw waiver P u s h p i ta D e y @ New Delhi The US has waived punitive tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, temporarily relieving India of the threat of additional duties of up to 100% over its purchases of Russian crude. In an executive order signed on October 16, President Donald Trump invoked national interests to waive key tariff penalties under the new Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The waiver suspends the additional duties days before they were scheduled to take effect on October 18. The move provides temporary relief to India, one of the largest buyers of Russian crude, but the threat of tariffs remains as Washington retains the authority to withdraw the waiver. Trump’s move comes days after he announced that the US would import diesel from Russia, in a bid to bring down domestic fuel prices ahead of the November midterms. The US administration would continue to monitor imports of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas by other countries and keep the President informed. The US House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by 262 votes to 159 on September 16. The legislation empowers the President to impose additional tariffs of up to 100% on goods from the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas. India and China, both major buyers of Russian crude, would have been among the countries most exposed to the proposed tariffs. India is particularly vulnerable because it imports more than 88% of its crude oil requirements. This newspaper had on Friday reported that India was confident it would remain protected from US sanctions over its purchases of Russian oil and gas, with government officials indicating that Washington is unlikely to penalise New Delhi. They said India was in regular discussions with the US administration. “We have been in touch with the US team and India’s standpoint has already been conveyed regarding the challenges that could arise because of that,” an official had said.  Yo-yo diesel diplomacy: P14  I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States Donald Trump, US President Temporary relief The US, however, retains the power to impose additional duties of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian energy 500% levy provision The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 also provides for a 500% tariff increase on Russian goods West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal reached the Calcutta Medical College to take stock. BJP MLA Bijoy Ojha from Jorashanko constituency is the chairman of the pandal committee while Debdeep Adhikari, CM’s nephew, is a member. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the deaths and announced an ex gratia of `2 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and `50,000 for the injured. “Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the stampede at the Chorbagan puja pandal. I pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured and for strength and courage for their families during this difficult time,” former chief minister Mamata Banerjee said. 1 2 3 Violence mars filing of nominations on 2nd day E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e @ Kadapa/Tirupati/Ongole/Guntur For the second consecutive day, nominations for the urban local body elections in Andhra Pradesh were marred by violence and clashes between members of contesting parties - TDP and YSRCP . In Pulivendula, police had to open fire in the air to disperse the volatile mob. A tense situation was reported in Punganur, Rayachoti, Rajampet, Tirupati, Kadapa, Gurazala and Piduguralla in Palanadu, and Darsi of Prakasam district. The escalation of hostilities paralysed normal civic life in these urban centres, forcing top-tier administrative and police leadership to step in directly to restore order. In Pulivendula, the situation reached a boiling point when a massive procession of YSRCP supporters, led by local MP YS Avinash Reddy, attempted to force their way toward the nomination centre. Confronted by heavy police Tension at the municipal corporation office in Tirupati on Saturday I Express Bouncers unleash terror Bouncers allegedly hired by the YSRCP created a major stir along the Madanapalle road in Rayachoti, wielding revolvers and attacking TDP cadre. Police rushed to the spot, dispersed rival groups, and apprehended four members of a Punjab gang cordons enforcing strict scheduling and entry restrictions, a fierce confrontation ensued. As angry mobs began hurling stones—dangerously close to District Superintendent of Police Shelke Nachiket Vishwanath—law enforcement agencies were com- e x p r ess r e a d MP CM meets Naidu, Pawan Vijayawada: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav met AP CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan separately on Saturday, and discussed development initiatives, interstate cooperation and wildlife conservation. He came to the city to take part in Devi Navaratri and Vijayawada Utsav 2.0 | P4 Poll violence: SEC warns of action Vijayawada: Reiterating that safeguarding law and order and ensuring a peaceful, transparent electoral process are top priorities, State Election Commissioner (SEC) Anil Chandra Punetha announced on Saturday that strict punitive measures will be enforced against any violations at nomination centres | P4 C H I L D M O D E c a ll Children have fundamental right to internet access: SC s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a n t y @ New Delhi DEclaring that access to and use of the internet is a ‘fundamental right’ for every individual, including children, the Supreme Court has directed the Central government to create a national database for detection and removal of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on digital platforms. A bench comprising justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran suggested introducing “child mode” for social media accounts, with greater emphasis on parental consent and oversight. “We have no hesitation in saying that the right to access and use the internet is a fundamental right of every individual under Article 21 read with Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. Our children, irrespective of their age, enjoy the same rights ... the safety of our children and their freedom are not at odds with each other.” The bench made these observa- tions while hearing a plea by Just Rights for Children Alliance (JCRA). The bench acknowledged that the internet is far from safe for children but held that keeping children away because of the failures of intermediaries to detect and remove harmful material would amount to mistaking the victim for the problem. “Children do not cease to use the internet merely because the law prohibits them from doing so, and they continue to use the same,” the bench said. The bench also directed that National Hash & URL List Database be set up for detection and removal of CSEAM. pelled to use heavy lathicharge. The situation deteriorated to the extent that police fired over 30 rounds of tear gas shells, and discharged multiple warning rounds into the air, including the deployment of an AK-47, to disperse the volatile crowds. Kurnool Range DIG Koya Praveen and District Collector Sridhar Cherukuri subsequently rushed to the town to review security protocols, while an overnight arson attack completely gutted a YSRCP-affiliated chicken shop and multiple vehicles. Violence also erupted across Kadapa city, where nomination venues near Mariapuram, Gandhi Nagar School, and Kagitalapenta tur ned into active flashpoints. Rival factions engaged in intense stone-pelting melees that wrecked vehicles and resulted in brutal knifeinjury assaults. Among the injured were former mayor Mumtaz Begum’s son, Mubarak, and two others who sustained deep P4 stab wounds. 1. Footwear scattered at the stampede site in Kolkata; 2. Kin of victims at the Calcutta Medical College; 3. A patient being stretchered into the hospital | special arrangement ‘Vizag beach sand contains high natural radionuclides’ U s h a P e r i @ Visakhapatnam Beach sand samples collected along the Visakhapatnam coast contain concentrations of naturally occurring radioactive elements above global average levels, with relatively higher concentrations recorded in the northern sector of the study area, according to a research paper published by Springer Nature. The study titled ‘Spatial dis, tribution of natural radionuclides and radiological hazard assessment in beach sands of the Visakhapatnam coast, Eastern India’, examined four naturally occurring radionuclides, including uranium-238, radium-226, thorium-232 and potassium-40, and assessed their distribution in beach sands, and the associated ambient radiation levels. The paper was authored by B Ramesh, P Padma Savitri, J Sudhakar, R Balaram Kumar, SK Sahoo, IV Saradhi and VanP4 dana Pulhani.