vijayawada l friday l july 19, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Top democrats believe biden will drop out of U.S. election: Report Several senior Democrats have told Axios that they believe President Joe Biden will exit the presidential race as soon as this weekend | P14 President ‘receptive’ to pleas to step aside biden’s path to victory narrow, says Obama Though Biden has publicly insisted that he remains the best person to defeat Republican rival Donald Trump, mounting pressure from allies and unfavourable opinion polls have made it very difficult for him to stay in the race, Axios reported quoting senior Democrats. The CNN reported the president is now “being receptive” to requests to drop out of the race ■ ■ Former US president Barack Obama and ex-House speaker Nancy Pelosi have told Biden his chances of beating Trump have narrowed. Trump’s popularity has soared after the failed assassination bid Nearly two-thirds of Democrats say President Joe Biden should withdraw from the presidential race, the latest AP-NORC poll finds 70% Democratic voters not confident of Biden’s mental fitness for the president’s job 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 Youngster brutally hacked to death in Palnadu town Publish centre-wise NEET scores: SC to NTA E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Guntur S u c h i t r a K a lya n M o h a n t y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Thursday directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to publish the marks obtained by students in the controversy-ridden NEET-UG 2024. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the centre- and citywise results should be declared by Saturday 12 noon so that the hearing on the matter can be concluded on Monday the apex , court said. The bench said it wanted to ascertain whether candidates appearing at allegedly tainted centres scored more marks than those elsewhere, adding the identities of candidates must be masked. The bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, initially ordered the testing agency to release the results by Friday 5 pm but granted time till Saturday after NTA sought more time. On the petitioners’ plea for a retest, the bench said it can’t issue such an order without concrete evidence that the alleged leak was systemic and the sanctity of the entire process was affected. “The fact that there was a leak at least in Patna and Hazaribag is (made out)... The question papers have been disseminated before the exam, that is undoubted. The question is whether this is only confined to these centres—in which case there is no question of a retest—or whether this is more widespread,” it said. While refusing to hear a plea by Narinder Hooda, lawyer for one of the petitioners, requesting to stay the counselling of the exam, the bench said: “We will hear it on July 22, as the counselling is starting from July 24 and might go on for more than a month or more.” During the hearing, NTA denied the allegations that there was a systemic failure and widespread irregularities in conducting the exam. Security personnel during an encounter with terrorists in a forest village in Doda district on Thursday | PTI Search ops on in Doda region for terrorists Army rubbishes video of Monday’s attack Heavy forests and caves being used as hideouts Search operation are on in Doda following the killing of four soldiers. Despite poor weather and terrain, security forces are determined to eliminate the terrorists and restore peace Kashmir Tigers, a shadow group of Jaish-e-Mohammad, released a purported video of the Monday attack on an Army officer on social media. But the Army dismissed it as doctored Doda is one of the heavily forested hilly districts of Jammu region. According to security officials, militants are using the caves in the dense forest area and mountain ranges as hideouts PM chairs CCS amid spurt in terror attacks in Jammu RAJ E SH K U M AR THA K UR @ New Delhi Amid a spurt in terror attacks in the Jammu region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to assess the situation. Officials gave a comprehensive briefing on the measures taken so far to proactively eliminate the scattered roots of localised terror links and sympathisers. Though no official details of meeting were shared with the media, sources said the aim was to stratagise and bolster security measures in the conflict-torn state. Home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, J&K’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other senior officials in-charge of the security grid were present at the meeting. The officers presented a detailed chart of tactical strategies being used for elimination of localised terror links and neutralising terrorists. “The presentations provided an overview of the current security scenario and focused on ongoing counter-terrorism operations by the armed forces,” an official said. Hours before the meeting, two soldiers were injured in an encounter in J&K’s Doda district. Elsewhere in the Keran sector along the Line of Control, the Army foiled an infiltration attempt and gunning down two militants. Modi is learnt to have directed officials to ramp up the deployment of armed forces in areas identified as vulnerable to terror activities. He also directed the intensification of counter-terror operations. Security forces along with Capt Thapa’s coffin The mortal remains of Captain Brijesh Thapa, who was killed while combating terrorists in Doda, were brought to his hometown in Darjeeling district’s Lebong on Thursday the J&K Police have launched comprehensive operations to curb the surge in terror across the region. As part of their intensified effort, many persons suspected of helping or aiding terrorists have been arrested in the last few days. The recent spate of terror attacks are also possibly timed to impact the assembly polls that are due in September in J&K, throwing a challenge to the administration. On June 13, Modi had chaired a high level review meeting on J&K after four encounters were reported between security forces and militants. At that meeting, he had directed security officials as well as those at the helm of anti-terror operations to ensure the “full spectrum of counter terror capabilities” are deployed in the region. Since 2021, as many as 34 soldiers have been killed in J&K while security forces neutralised 40 terrorists during antiterror operations during the same period. The toll of security personnel laying down their lives in the line of duty in J&K since May this year stands at 13 — nine Army personnel and one each from the IAF, CRPF, BSF and J&K Police. Two dead as express train derails in UP’s Gonda N a m i ta B a j pa i @ Lucknow AT least two persons were killed and 35 injured when eight coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express train derailed between Motiganj and Jhilahi railway stations near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday The accident site is . about 150 km from Lucknow. According to senior officials, the loco pilot of the 23-coach train heard the sound of a blast before the derailment. The Railway Ministry has ordered a high level inquiry into the cause of the accident. Of the two casualties, officials said one person, identified as Saroj Kumar Singh (31), a resident of Araria in Bihar, died on the spot; the second person, Rahul (38) from Chandigarh, succumbed to injuries on the way to a Lucknow hospital after being referred from the Gonda district hospital. Ambulances and medical teams were rushed to the spot as news of the derailment came in. Inclement weather hampered the rescue operation initially but the police and SDRF teams completed the task in a few hours. express read Avoid local travel, India tells citizens in B’desh New Delhi: With student protests snowballing in Bangladesh, leaving 32 people dead so far, India on Thursday advised its citizens there to avoid local travel. “In view of the ongoing situation, the Indian community members and the Indian students residing in Bangladesh are advised to avoid local travel and minimise their movement outside their living premises,” an advisory by the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said | P8 Biden calls in sick, may drop out of race: Report Washington: US President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19, halting his campaign at a critical juncture when he was facing increasing pressure about his health and concerns about his viability as a candidate. “I’m sick,” Biden, 81, wrote on X. Meanwhile, American news website Axios quoted top Democrats as saying that Biden understands the growing public mood against him and that he could leave the race as early as this weekend | P9 Rescue operation underway after several coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh express train derailed near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday | ANI A 27-year-old man was brutally hacked to death in Vinukonda of Palnadu district on Wednesday night. The gruesome incident, which was caught on camera, has sent shockwaves across the State. According to Vinukonda police, the deceased was identified as Sheikh Rashid (27), a resident of Vinukonda town. The accused, Sheikh Jilani (28), attacked Rashid around 8.30 pm at the Mandlamudi Bus Station. Jilani repeatedly hacked Rashid with a machete, severed his hand and slit his throat even as passersby looked on. The accused has been taken into police custody . Police rushed to the spot soon after receiving information Sheikh Rashid Sheikh Jilani about the incident. Rashid was immediately shifted to a hospital, where he breathed his last. As news about the horrific murder spread, a political slugfest erupted in the State. However, Palnadu district Superintendent of Police Kanchi Srinivasa Rao, who took charge just two days ago, ruled out political motives to be a cause of the crime. He maintained that personal rivalry between the two individuals was the reason behind the murder. He asserted that a thorough investigation has been launched and that Jilani has been taken into custody. To prevent any other untoward incidents in the town, the police imposed Section 144. Further, the SP warned of strict action against those who fail to follow rules and try to instigate further violence. No political motive behind murder, says Palnadu SP Palnadu district Superintendent of Police Kanchi Srinivasa Rao, who took charge just two days ago, ruled out political motives to be a cause of the crime. He maintained that personal rivalry between the two individuals was the reason behind the murder. Vinukonda murder and Punganur clash spark political slugfest in State 2 rounds fired TDP, YSRC clash during Midhun’s visit to Punganur E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Tirupati Tension prevailed in Punganur Assembly constituency as TDP and YSRC activists clashed during the visit of Rajampeta MP PV Mithun Reddy | express E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada The brutal murder of Sheik Rashid, who is said to be a YSRC activist, in Vinukonda by Sheikh Jilani, reportedly a TDP worker, on Wednesday, and the clashes between the two parties in Punganur constituency during the visit of MP PV Midhun Reddy on Thursday have kicked up a political storm in the State. After news of the murder emerged, YSRC president and former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the TDP of resorting to barbaric acts only to oppress the YSRC. Questioning the absence of law and order, he posted on X, “Within a month-and-a-half of the TDP forming government, Andhra Pradesh has become the address of murders, rapes, attacks and vandalism by political parties. Yesterday’s Vinukonda murder is the culmination of this. This atrocious incident on the road is a shame for the government.” Later in the day, Jagan shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the severe atrocities that have taken place in Andhra Pradesh over the past 45 days under the TDP-led coalition government. Meanwhile, Minister for HRD and IT Nara Lokesh accused the YSRC chief of making false allegations, and said his government was accountable to the people. He posted on X, “YS Jagan’s talk about violence, destruction, anarchy injustice, illegality and corruption is , , irritating. It has been more than a month since those dark days in the State when the government committed terrorism by blaming the victims. Jagan, who lost his existence, is trying to stand again on false foundations P4 with his patented fake campaigns.” In just one month, 31 people have been murdered, 300 murder attempts have been made, 35 people have committed suicide due to TDP harassment, 560 private properties have been destroyed & 490 government properties have been vandalized YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, YSRC chief We are committed to protecting people. No incident is ignored and no accused is left out. It is not possible to sit in Banglore’s Yelahanka Palace and carry out conspiracies here. This govt does not fear your (Jagan’s) warnings. We are accountable to the people Nara Lokesh HRD Minister In less than a month, Punganur Assembly constituency once again witnessed clashes between activists of the TDP and YSRC during the visit of Rajampet MP PV Midhun Reddy on Thursday In the ensuing . chaos, the MP’s security personnel fired two rounds in selfdefence. The unrest began when a number of TDP activists gathered in Punganur to protest against the MP’s visit. Midhun Reddy was scheduled to meet former Chittoor MP N Reddeppa at his residence. Aware of the visit, TDP activists assembled in large numbers, prompting YSRC supporters to gather in support of their leader. Violence erupted when TDP activists attempted to storm Reddeppa’s residence and hurled stones at YSRC supporters, who also retaliated. The MP’s security personnel fired two rounds in the air in selfdefence. Additional forces were deployed and police resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse the mob. Condemning the incident, Midhun Reddy accused the ruling TDP of inciting attacks against him since he took charge about a month ago. Stating that he will take the attacks to the notice of the Lok Sabha Speaker, the MP said, “Violent attacks on YSRC activists in Punganur have not ceased since the time TDP came to power. They are preventing me from visiting the constituency , despite it being my constitutional right. It is unfortunate that the police, who should provide security, have become P4 mere spectators.” CM directs officials to mitigate loss of life during heavy rains E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Rajamahendravaram/ Vijayawada In the wake of heavy rains in the State, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu held an urgent meeting with officials of the CMO and a teleconference with the Eluru District Collector and SP on Thursday night. As there is possibility of breaches to Pedda Vagu at two places, Naidu directed officials to take steps to mitigate loss of life. It is learnt that there is pos- sibility of the floodwater entering into 15 villages of Andhra Pradesh and three villages in Telangana. Early on Thursday, five people were rescued after the car in which they were travelling was washed away in the floodwaters of Velerupadu Pedda Vagu stream in Eluru district. Incessant rains have been lashing the region for the past few days. The five persons were going to Rudramkota village in Velerupadu mandal from Ra- jamahendravaram when their car was pulled by strong currents in the stream. All of them managed to get out and take shelter on a patch of land, surrounded by floodwater. Hearing their cries for help, villagers rushed to the spot and swiftly rescued with ropes. Normal life in several villages of the Agency regions in Eluru, Alluri Sitarama Raju, and parts of East Godavari districts was hit due to heavy P3 rains. Five stranded persons were rescued after their car was washed away in Eluru district
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