tirupati l tuesday l october 03, 2023 l `9.00 l PAGES 20 l anantapur EDITION Medicine nobel goes to 2 whose discoveries led to Covid vaccines Two scientists won the Nobel Prize in medicine for their discoveries that enabled the creation of mRNA vaccines against coronavirus Weissman and Karikó Vaccine development for pandemic hailed Karikó is the 13th woman in medicine win Hungarian-born American Katalin Karikó and American Drew Weissman were cited for contributing ‘to the unprecedented rate of vaccine development during one of the greatest threats to human health in modern times,’ according to the panel that awarded the prize in Stockholm. The mRNA vaccines can be used to develop other shots in the future | P9 ■ ■ Injecting lab-grown mRNA into the body triggered a reaction that destroyed it. Karikó and Weissman figured out a modification to the RNA that made it stealthy enough to slip past the immune defences Karikó, 68, is the 13th woman to win the prize in medicine. She was a senior VP at BioNTech, which partnered Pfizer to make COVID-19 vax $1 million is the cash award from a bequest left by Alfred Nobel 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 r a i d s i n a p, t s NIA arrests man in Maoist conspiracy case, seizes pistol E x p r e s s ne w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada women lead in organ donation drive A total of 35,000 women have pledged to donate their organs & tissues since the launch of Ayushman Bhav campaign on Sept 13, against 26,000 men | P5 Inspiring mahatma President Droupadi Murmu pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his birth anniversary, at Rajghat in New Delhi, Monday | PTI Bihar BC head count at 63% state caste survey outcome made public; Yadav biggest caste @ 14.3% Tomorrow, at 3.30 pm, a presentation on the findings of the survey will be made before representatives of all 9 parties that gave consent for the survey — Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister Thebigpicture Total population: 13.07 cr Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs): 36% Other Backward Classes (OBCs) 27.13% 10 castes with highest population Caste Percentage(%) Yadav 14.27 Dushad 5.31 1.86 crore 69.43 lakh 68.69 lakh Chamar 5.25 Koiris 4.2 Population 55.06 lakh Brahmin 3.65 47.81 lakh Rajput 3.45 45.10 lakh Mushar 3.08 2.87 2.3 C hristian 0.0576% (75,238) 37.62 lakh Bania I slam 17.7% (2,31,49,925) 40.35 lakh Kurmi Religion-wise H indu 82% (10,71,92,958) 30.26 lakh Kayasth 0.60 7.857 lakh express read India to post attaches in 10 more countries New Delhi: In a major boost to the country’s military diplomacy across the continent, India has decided to increase the number of defence attaches – military officers attached to diplomatic missions abroad. Ten defence attaches from three services will be joining new assignments | P7 10 killed in Mexico as roof of church caves in Mexico city: At least ten people, including three children, were killed and 60 more injured when the roof of a church came crashing down on a baptism in northeastern Mexico on Sunday, authorities said. The disaster struck the coastal town of Ciudad Madero, in Tamaulipas state | P9 total population 13.07 crore; OBCs constitute 27.13% of it, EBC 36% RA J E SH K U M AR THA K UR @ New Delhi Bihar’s backward castes on Monday got an authentic number for the first time — 63% — with the state’s caste ‘survey’ report being made public. In the process, Bihar became the first state to share the findings of its gamechanger caste census. It is expected set off caste assertion of a kind that has the potential to overshadow the Hindutva and nationalism cards the BJP is preparing to use during the next general elections in 2024. While the population of the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) is 36%, that of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) is 27.13%, the census revealed. The state has a total population of 13.07 crore. A visibly elated Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sidestepped queries about whether the survey would prove to be Mandal 2.0, triggering demands for revised quotas for different castes in proportion to their population. “It would not be proper for me to go into such details right now. Let me share the findings with all parties tomorrow. After that, our focus will be on making policies targeted at castes that may be deemed to be in need of greater assistance. The survey will benefit all castes, without exception,” he said. Yadavs (14.27%) unsurprisingly constitute the biggest caste group amongst the OBCs. They form the primary vote- bank of ruling RJD, which alone with the support of the Muslim population comprising 17.70%, ruled the state for 15 years in a row through the MY (Muslim-Yadav) formula from 2005 and are back in power after Nitish’s somersault from the BJP and his JD(U) leading the grand anto-BJP alliance. RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav is Nitish’s deputy . RJD president Lalu Yadav said the survey will set the tone for ‘a nationwide caste census which will be undertaken when we form the next government at the Centre’. The Scheduled Castes comprise 19.65% (2,56,89,820) of the state’s population while the total head count of Scheduled Tribes is 1.68% (21,99,361). The population of upper castes under the unreserved category stands at 15.5%, which has already triggered calls for revisiting the 10% EWS (Economically Weaker Section) quota carved out by the Modi government at the Centre. The break-up of the four upper castes in the state is Bhumihar 3.66% (47,81,280), Rajput 3.45% (45,10,733), Brahmin 3.66% (47,81,280) and Kaystha 0.6% (7,85,771). The survey was approved by state cabinet on June 2 last year with a budgetary allocation of `500 crore. As many as 3 lakh officials were deployed for task. For its part, the Opposition BJP in Bihar termed the report an eyewash, as it did not capture the economic profile of the people. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday conducted searches at 62 places—53 in Andhra Pradesh and nine in neighbouring Telangana—and arrested a leader of the Pragathiseela Karmika Samakya (PKS), Chandra Narsimhulu, from Sri Sathya Sai district. They seized a pistol with 14 rounds of ammunition. Additionally, the sleuths reportedly recovered `13 lakh cash from another alleged Maoist sympathiser in Kadapa district. The raids were conducted as part of investigation into the Munchingputtu CPI (Maoist) conspiracy case in which a journalist, P Naganna, was arrested in November 2020 from erstwhile Visakhapatnam (now Alluri Sitarama Raju) district allegedly for supplying ‘Maoist revolutionary’ literature and other materials to Maoists. Searches were conducted at the residences of activists of “frontal organisations of Maoists” such as the PKS, Revolutionary Writers’ Association (RWA), Kula Nirmulana Porata Samithi (KNPS), sympathisers of CPI (Maoist), Patriotic Democratic Movement (PDM), Kula Nirmulana Porata Samithi (KNPS), Chaitanya Mahila Sangham (CMS) and Civil Liberties Committee (CLC) in Guntur, Vijayawada, Rajamahendravaram, Prakasam, Eluru, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Nellore, Tirupati, Anantapur and Kurnool districts. “We found that these Left-wing affiliated organisations were supporting Maoists,” P4 the NIA said. Engineer among 3 IS suspects held in Delhi U J WAL J ALALI @ New Delhi THE Delhi Police Special Cell arrested three suspected ISIS terrorists, including one who is on the most wanted list of the National Investigative Agency (NIA) and carrying a reward of `3 lakh on his head. The suspected terrorist, identified as Shahnawaz Alam alias Abdullah alias Md Ibrahim alias Prince (31), an engineer by profession, was hiding in Delhi after fleeing from Pune, the police said on Monday The other two were identified as Moham. mad Rizwan Ashraf (28) and Md Seven-day Arshad Warsi (29). police remand Special Commissioner of PoAll three were produced lice (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal before a special UAPA said the arrested persons were court in Delhi, which taking instructions from their sent them to a seven- handlers in Pakistan and were day police remand planning to carry out terror activities in India. “They were in advance stage of preparations and had procured arms, ammunition, and explosives for this purpose and had also set up a base in Delhi,” he added. Dhaliwal said Delhi Police received credible inputs that Pakistan’s spy agency ISI was using terrorists to carry out attacks in India. “One such module was identified with footprints in UP Uttarakhand, Jharkhand & Mahar, ashtra. Two ISIS operatives namely Imran Khan and Yunus Saaki were arrested in Pune by Maharashtra police. However, Shahnawaz Alam managed to escape from the police custody he added. ,” After high drama, Bandaru arrested for derogatory remarks against CM Supreme Court to hear Naidu’s SLP today E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Visakhapatnam Senior TDP leader Bandaru Satyanrayana Murthy was arrested from his residence at Vennalapalem in Parawada mandal of Anakapalle district on Monday allegedly for passing derogatory remarks against Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and tourism minister RK Roja. High tension prevailed in the village since Sunday night as a large contingent of police from Guntur and Pendurthi reached the TDP leader’s house. Amid high drama, police broke open the doors of Murthy’s residence on Monday evening even The Supreme Court bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi will hear TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s petition to quash the FIR registered against him in the Skill Development scam case, on Tuesday as a number of TDP supporters, especially women, attempted to prevent the arrest of the former minister. Police served notices on Murthy under CrPC Section 41 (A) and (B). Two cases were registered against the TDP leader at Arundalpeta and Nagarampalem police stations in P4 Guntur district.  IRR case: APCID serves notice on Narayana The APCID served notices on former Municipal Administration and Urban Development minister P Narayana directing him to appear before it on Wednesday for questioning in the Amaravati Inner Ring Road (IRR) case Three cops suspended for assaulting Dalit youth E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Visakhapatnam Three policemen, including a sub-inspector rank officer and two constables, of Padmanabham police station were placed under suspension on allegations of subjecting a 24-yearold Dalit youth to third degree torture under the pretext of questioning him for theft of a rooster. The police officers were booked under the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The cops were identified as SI Malleswara Rao, constables Katta Srinivasa Rao and K Satish. Elaborating on the case, police said Bandevapuram Papu of Bandepuram village and another person, identified as Gali Yesubabu, were summoned to the station in connection with the theft of a rooster in their village. When the two youngsters reported to the police station on Sunday, the constables allegedly confined them in a room and beat them up. Papu reportedly suffered a fracture to his leg in the incident. When the youngster began crying for help, the two constables fled the scene. Other police personnel came to Papu’s rescue and shifted him to MR Government Hospital EXPRESS ILLUStration a t Vi z i a n a g a r a m i n a n ambulance. According to the injured youth’s complaint, one Indukuri Rajababu had lodged a plaint against the duo for stealing his rooster. Although village elders settled the matter, Rajababu approached the police. Papu alleged that the cops demanded the duo to pay `5,000 to withdraw the case. When they expressed their inability to pay the sum, the cops hit Papu on his leg. Subsequently, the incident triggered protests and Papu’s relatives, along with Dalit organisations, staged a demonstration outside the Padmanabham police station. DCP Naganna rushed to the spot and instructed ACP Vivekananda to investigate into the charges. Following this, the three police officers were suspended. constables demanded `5,000 Bandevapuram Papu, the injured youngster, alleged that the cops demanded the duo to pay `5,000 to withdraw the case. When they expressed their inability to pay the sum, the constables hit Papu on his leg. He had recently recovered from a fracture that he suffered eight months ago India touch 60 Priti (L) and Parul Chaudhary After another good day in office on Monday, the nation is inching closer to its biggest ever haul of 70 at the Asian Games. Here are some of the highlights Athletes sizzle again Parul Chaudhary and Priti secured silver and bronze medals in the women’s 3000m steeplechase while Ancy Sojan grabbed a long jump silver. The 4x400m mixed relay team’s bronze was upgraded to silver after Sri Lanka was disqualified for lane infringement Speed skaters dazzled with two surprise bronze medals in men’s and women’s 3000m team relay events Paddlers Sutirtha-Ayhika win bronze Sutirtha Mukherjee and Auhika Mukherjee’s giant-slaying run ended as they lost the closely-fought women’s doubles semifinal 3-4 to North Korea on Monday. They finished with bronze | More on p11