MANGALURU THURSDAY JUNE 13, 2024 `9.00 PAGES 14 CITY EDITION STATE OF THE ECONOMY: FACTORY OUTPUT DOWN, INFLATION EASES MANUFACTURING SLUMP BLAMED FOR IIP FALL The fall in IIP was mainly on account of poor show by the manufacturing sector, whose growth decelerated to 3.9% in April compared to 5.5% a year ago. In contrast, mining and power segments performed well, according to official data released on Wednesday. Mining output growth accelerated to 6.7% in April while power generation increased by 10.2% The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) slipped to a three-month low of 5% in April whereas retail inflation fell to 4.75% in May, shows govt data RETAIL INFLATION PARES TO 4.75% IN MAY ■ Retail inflation eased to a 12-month low of 4.75% in May, down from April’s figure of 4.83%, but higher than 4.31% recorded in May last year ■ Inflation in the food basket was 8.69% in May, down from 8.70% in April, according to National Statistical Office data. The government has tasked the Reserve Bank of India to ensure inflation remains at 4% 4.5% THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA’S RETAIL INFLATION PROJECTION FOR 2024-25 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 Close to 50 Indians dead in Kuwait building blaze Most died due to suffocation; minister sent to oversee assistance Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi Video grab of smoke billowing after a fire broke out in a building in Mangaf, Kuwait on Wednesday | PTI INDIANS ADMITTED IN MULTIPLE HOSPITALS REPORTED STABLE Over 30 Indians have been admitted at the Al-Adan hospital, six others at Farwaniya Hospital, 11 in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital and six in Jahra Hospital. They are said to be stable. “Another 6 are expected to be shifted to Jahra hospital today from the Mangaf site,” the Indian mission wrote on X. The Emir of Kuwait assured full probe and accountablity Gangster Pujari beaten up over pro-Pak slogans EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Belagavi NOTORIOUS gangster Jayesh Pujari was beaten up on the court premises here on Wednesday for allegedly raising proPakistan slogans. Pujari, who is lodged at Hindalga central jail in Belagavi district, was brought to the court in connection with a case registered against him in 2018 for allegedly threatening the then Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Alok Kumar. While he was being brought to the court premises, he started shouting “Pakistan zindabad”. This irked the people, including lawyers, on the court premises, who assaulted Pujari. Police, however, secured Pujari and took him to the APMC police station. Last year, Pujari threatened Union minister Nitin Gadakari by calling his office and demanding that Rs 100 crore be paid to him. Convicted in a double-murder case, Pujari hails from Dakshina Kannada district. The reason for Pujari raising pro-Pakistan slogans is not known, the police said. Sources, however, said Pujari allegedly raised the slogans as he was upset that his grievances were not addressed and he was allegedly not allowed to present his case before the court. Police whisk away Jayesh Pujari from Belagavi court premises on Wednesday CLOSE to 50 Indian are feared dead in a massive fire that broke out around dawn in Kuwait in a building housing nearly 200 foreign workers. Most of the victims were asleep and died due to suffocation, sources said. The fire started in a kitchen of a six-storey building in the Mangaf area, south of Kuwait City which is densely populated with mi, grant labourers. Most of the deceased were Indian nationals from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. Their ages ranged between 20 and 50 years, Major General Eid Al-Owaihan, head of the interior ministry’s General Department of Criminal Evidence, was quoted as saying by Arab Times. “We received a report of a fire at 6 am,” he added. Given the scale of the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent the new Minister of State for External Affairs, K V Singh, to Kuwait to oversee assistance to all the affected people. “Minister Singh will also oversee the repatriation of mortal remains of those who have passed away in this tragic incident,” according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Besides, Modi announces ex-gratia relief of `2 lakh to the families of deceased Indian nationals from Prime Minister Relief Fund. The Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Department, too, opened two helplines. For calls within India: +91 1800 309 3793 and for calls from foreign countries: +91 80 6900 9900, +91 80 6900 9901. India’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Sawaika, has been visiting those injured in various hospitals and extending all possible assistance. The embassy also set up a helpline. “In connection with the tragic fire accident involving Indian workers today the Embassy has put , in place an emergency helpline number: +96565505246. All concerned are requested to connect over this helpline for updates,” the Indian Embassy in Kuwait said in a post on X. Indians constitute 21% of Kuwait’s population and 30% of its workforce. Interior minister Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef said the building’s owner had been detained, adding any properties violating safety regulations would be closed immediately “We will . work to address the issue of labour overcrowding and neglect,” he said. PM Narendra Modi embraces Andhra CM N Chandrababu Naidu (right) during the oath-taking ceremony in Vijayawada on Wednesday | PRASANT MADUGULA Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik greets his successor Mohan Charan Majhi (left) during the swearing-in ceremony in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday | PTI NAIDU LOGS IN AS TEAM MOHAN TAKES CHIEF MINISTER OF AP CHARGE OF ODISHA Besides 21 TDP MLAs, one BJP and three JSP legislators TELUGU Desam Party boss N have been inducted into the Chandrababu Naidu was on new ministry . Wednesday sworn-in as the Interestingly, even before chief minister of Andhra the por tfolios were anPradesh for the fourth time nounced, Amit Shah and Pain his four-decade-long politi- wan Kalyan’s brother Chirancal career in the presjeevi took to X and ence of Prime Miniscongratulated the ter Narendra Modi JSP chief for being and Union ministers appointed as the depAmit Shah, Nitin Our government is uty chief minister. committed to Gadkari, J P Nadda, Throughout the upholding the and Bandi Sanjay beevent, the camaraderights of the sides a host of other rie between Modi, marginalised NDA leaders. It was a Naidu, and Pawan star-studded event Chandrababu Naidu, was on full display, attended by film Andhra Pradesh CM sending clear signals stars Rajinikanth that the NDA partand Chiranjeevi. ners stand united. PM Modi Governor S Abdul Nazeer hugged Naidu soon after the administered the oath of of- latter took oath as Andhra fice and secrecy to Naidu and chief minister. Flanked by his 24 Cabinet colleagues, in- Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalycluding Jana Sena Party an on either side, Modi greetchief Pawan Kalyan, at a ed the crowd. grand event held in KesaraLater, Modi also posed for palli on the outskirts of photos with Naidu’s family Vijayawada. members. S V I S W A N AT H @ Vijayawada cil of ministers headed by Majhi includes two deputy chief ministers – K V Singh ODISHA politics turned a Deo and Pravati Parida. new page on Wednesday with Eight ministers have been the BJP forming its first gov- given cabinet rank. They are ernment in the state under Suresh Pujari from Brajrathe leadership of senior tribjnagar, Rabinarayan Nayak al leader Mohan Chafrom Kuchinda, Nityran Majhi, who endanada Gond from ed the 25-year rule of Umerkote, Krushna the Naveen PatnaikChandra Patra from The hopes and led BJD. Dhenkanal, PrithiviOdisha Governor aspirations of 4.5 r a j H a r i ch a n d a n crore Odia people Raghubar Das adfrom Chilika, Mukewill be fulfilled. ministered the oath BJP is committed sh Mahaling from of office to Majhi, a Loisinga, Bibhuti to Odia asmita four-time MLA from and Odia culture Bhusan Jena from Keonjhar, in the presGopalpur, and Krishence of Prime Minis- Mohan Charan Majhi, na Chandra Mahapter Narendra Modi, Odisha chief minister atra from Morada. seven Union minisThe five ministers ters, and nine chief ministers of state are Ganesh Ram of BJP-ruled states. Patnaik Singkhuntia from Jashipur, was also in attendance. Suryabanshi Suraj from Majhi became the 16th CM Dhamnagar, Pradeep Bal Saand third from the tribal com- manta from Sukinda, Gokum u n i t y a f t e r G i r i d h a r lanada Mallik from Polsara, Gamang and Hemananda and Sampad Chandra Swain Biswal. The 16-member coun- from Paradip. EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar 4 offered `20L not to name Darshan, reveals probe Sending explicit pictures & messages led to murder EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bengaluru INVESTIGATIONS into the murder of Chitradurga pharmacy worker KS Renukaswamy, 33, in which actor Darshan and 12 others have been arrested, have revealed that the four accused, who had surrendered before the police, were offered Rs 20 lakh to ensure that the actor’s name doesn’t come up in the case. From Saturday night till the body was dumped by the side of the stormwater drain near Sumanahalli bridge in the wee hours of Sunday, Rs 10 lakh was paid to two of the four accused. The four accused agreed to confess that they had murdered Renukaswamy after accepting the money offered to them. They worked for a firm engaged in seizing vehicles from loan defaulters. The firm has taken the land, where Renukaswamy was murdered in a shed, on lease, police sources said. Deepak, one of the accused, EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bengaluru Police take four of the accused for spot mahjar at the stormwater drain, where the victim’s body was found, in Bengaluru on Wednesday | VINOD KUMAR T is alleged to have given Rs 5 lakh each to Nikhil Naik and Keshavamurthy. As per the deal, the remaining amount of Rs 10 lakh was to be paid to the family members of Karthik alias Kappe and Raghavendra after they went to jail. The four accused are alleged to have had WhatsApp conversations with Darshan from Sat- urday night till the body was disposed of. After they surrendered, the police seized their mobile phones. During interrogation, they disclosed Darshan’s involvement in the murder. The police then checked the tower location and found the actor’s phone active near the scene of crime, the sources said. CONTINUED ON: P5 SENDING explicit photographs and messages to actor Darshan’s close acquaintance Pavithra Gowda is said to be the main reason for Renukaswamy’s abduction and murder. It is said that Renukaswamy , who believed that Pavithra was spoiling the family of his favourite actor, had allegedly sent pictures of his private parts to her, claiming that “he ACTOR OR STAR, I WANT JUSTICE: VICTIM’S WIFE Chitradurga: Renukaswamy’s family was expecting a new member with the delivery date of his wife Sahana fixed three months hence. But now everything is dashed. “If my kid after coming to this world asks where her/his father is, what will I do? I am shattered. How can I lead my life now. Whether he is an actor (Darshan) or a star, I want justice,” Sahana said | P5 Modi to fly to Italy for G7 in first visit in 3rd term Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi IN his first foreign visit after taking oath as prime minister for the third term, Narendra Modi will head to Italy on Thursday to take part in the 50th summit of the Group of Seven (G7) countries. “India has been invited as an Outreach Country for the G7 Summit which begins on June 14th,” foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra said on Wednesday . Modi will participate in the Outreach Session along with the other countries invited for this year’s G7 Outreach Summit. The focus points for the Outreach Summit are artificial intelligence, energy, Africa and the Mediterranean. It will be a block agenda item where the G7 and the outreach countries will share their views. This newspaper had reported on May 4 that if reelected, Modi’s first overseas visit as PM would be to Italy . Kwatra said Modi’s participation in the summit would provide an opportunity to fol- PM’S FIFTH G7 SUMMIT This will be the 11th time India is participating in a G7 summit. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it will be his fifth consecutive participation. During last year’s summit in Hiroshima he held talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy low up on the outcomes of the G20 Summit held under India’s presidency last year. Regarding India’s position on Russia’s war in Ukraine, expected to dominate discussions during the G7 summit, Kwatra said, “We have always main- is no less than Darshan”. Pavithra had discussed this with her close aide Pawan and asked him not to reveal it to Darshan, fearing that he might harm Renukaswamy. Pawan, however, brought the matter to Darshan’s notice after which Renukaswamy was murdered. Social media accounts of the accused and the victim are being examined by the police. Renukaswamy is alleged to have been messaging her from different accounts when she kept blocking him. tained that dialogue and diplomacy is the best option”. During the visit, Modi is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.“In the meeting, the two prime ministers are expected to review the entire gamut of bilateral ties and give directions for next steps,” Kwatra said. Modi is also likely to have bilateral meetings with other leaders, he said. This year’s G7 Summit will be held in the luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia in Italy’s Apulia region from June 13 to 15. EXPRESS READ First session of the 18th Lok Sabha from June 24 New Delhi: The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said. President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint Parliamentary sitting on June 27. The session will end on July 3. Jawan killed, 6 injured in 2 encounters in J&K Jammu: A CRPF jawan was killed and six security personnel were injured in two overnight encounters with terrorists in Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Wednesday. SC to hear pleas against NEET-UG results today New Delhi: The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Thursday as many as three petitions, including the one filed by chief executive of EdTech firm Physics Wallah, pertaining to the controversyridden NEET-UG, 2024, results. HC allows K’taka govt to extend HSRP deadline EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bengaluru THE state gover nment on Wednesday informed the High Court of Karnataka that it is contemplating extending the deadline to fix High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) to old vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, till August or September. Additional advocate general Vikram Huilgol made a submission before the division bench of Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind during the hearing of appeals filed by the HSRP Manufacturers’ Association and others on fixing HSRP . Recording the submission, the court granted liberty to the government to take a decision to extend the deadline by modifying the interim order passed on May 21. Huilgol submitted that the state is not in a position to extend the deadline because of the earlier order, which restrains it from taking any precipitative action till June 12. Hence, the court should modify the earlier order, he stated.
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