KOZHIKODE l thursday l september 05, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION day after history, country’s paralympics medal rush goes on India won medal No. 21 at the ongoing Paris Paralympics thanks to shot-putter Sachin Khillari’s silver in the F46 final on Wednesday Mariyappan Thangavelu Harvinder Singh 2-3 for India in high jump on tuesday harvinder in final of para archery Late on Tuesday, India added two more medals in the men’s high jump T63 event. Tamil Nadu’s Mariyappan Thangavelu, who had won gold in 2016 and silver in 2021, added a bronze while Bihar’s Sharad Kumar took silver. Those medals meant India went past the tally for highest medals in a single campaign. Their previous best was the 19 they won in Tokyo ■ On Wednesday, Harvinder Singh became the first Indian archer to advance to the final in the history of the Paralympics ■ Bhavinaben Patel, a silver-medallist in table tennis (C4) in Tokyo, bowed out at the hands of China’s Ying Zhou in the last eight stage. Sonalben Patel (C3) existed in the round of 16 | P11 FIRST Mariyappan is the 1st indian to win medals in 3 straight paralympics 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 Special arrangement Rahul more intellectual, Rajiv more doer: Pitroda E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ New Delhi 1,00,000 Sam Pitroda, a close confidant of the Nehru-Gandhi family and a Rajiv Gandhi aide, on Wednesday claimed Rahul Gandhi is more intellectual and more of a strategist than his father Rajiv Pitroda, who heads the Indian Over. seas Congress, described both as “custodians of the idea of India”. He made the remarks in an interview with a news agency ahead of Rahul’s visit to the US next week. Pitroda, who had worked with former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh, V P Singh, Chandra Sekhar and H D Deve Gowda, said Rajiv was a little more doer. “Rahul is a strategist, more so than Rajiv was. They are products of different times...,” he said. Thousands of uprooted trees in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary in Mulugu district after a gale last Saturday. (Left) Volunteers rescue a woman from a flooded area on Wednesday | Prasant Madugula trees uprooted Anvar reminds Pinarayi in t’gana forest that CPM made him CM Freak weather at Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary produced tornado-like effect U M a h e s h & A a r t i K a s h ya p @ Mulugu/Hyderabad A rare weather phenomenon left waste thousands of trees — some estimates put the figure at over one lakh — across 200 hectares in the Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary between Medaram-Pasara and Medaram-Tadavi in Telangana. While there was no loss to fauna due to what was described by some environmentalists as a squall, the ecological damage was incalculable. Panchayat Raj Minister Danasari Anasuya alias Seethakka said they never expected around one lakh trees getting uprooted due to a heavy gale. According to forest officials, trees like neem, banyan, peepal and others bore the brunt of nature’s fury. Leopards were spotted in the sanctuary spread over 81,200 hectares though wild animals seldom venture to this area. Elusing Meru, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Protection and Vigilance) told this newspaper: “This is a very rare incident and very unlikely in a state like Telangana. This EXPRESS READ CIAL enters G1,000-cr club in silver jubilee yr Kochi: The Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) has reported an impressive 31.6% rise in its total income for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, at J1,014.21 crore, an all-time high. Profit before tax also hit a new record at J552.37 crore, an increase of 54.6%. P5 Caste census: Muslim Conf hails RSS stand Palakkad: The RSS’ stand on implementation of a caste census is welcome, Kerala Muslim Conference general convenor A K Sultan has said. “The RSS should show zeal and put pressure on the Centre to sincerely implement the census,” he said. P5 is probably the result of high winds and cloudburst.” Senior officials of the India Meteorological Department said, “This is a highly localised convective activity We are ex. amining the exact nature and cause. Our preliminary observations are that it was an effect of thunderstorm activity and strong pressure deficiency giv, ing it a tornado effect.” Experts concurred. Environmentalist and public policy expert Donthi Narasimha Reddy said: “What has happened in Mulugu seems to be a squall, a localised storm or sudden gusty winds, a very unusual weather condition, due to heavy rains and thunderstorms. Such occurrences are common in West Bengal and the Northeast but very rare in a geography like Telangana.” Mulugu District Forest Officer (DFO) Rahul Jadhav Yadav told reporters that the devastation occurred on August 31, possibly due to localised strong wind pressure and a cloudburst. He said the incessant rains appeared to have led to soil erosion, contributing to the uprooting of the trees. New role for fire engines Fire engines from across Andhra parked at BRTS road to clean the accumulated silt in flooded Singh Nagar since the water is receding, in Vijayawada on Wednesday. It was among the worst affected areas due to the rains | Prasant Madugula diagonal wind flattened them? “From the extent of damage, the squall appears to be over 90 kmph. Besides, the winds must have been diagonal, unlike the regular horizontal winds. Horizontal winds do not have the potential to cause such massive destruction,” said environmentalist Donthi Narasimha Reddy drone survey confirms tree loss A drone survey confirmed massive devastation, with thousands of trees of various types being uprooted. Additionally, a field survey is being conducted by forest staff to obtain a more accurate assessment, District Forest Officer Rahul Jadhav Yadav said 1/4th of stray dog samples in T’Puram test rabies +ve U nn i k r i s h n a n S @T’Puram Over one-fourth of stray dog samples analysed at the State Institute of Animal Diseases (SIAD) in Palode, Thiruvananthapuram, have tested positive for rabies, sparking concerns. Between April and July, the SIAD tested 57 samples taken from stray dog carcasses from various areas of the state capital, of which 15 returned positive for rabies. This apart, tests done on the samples of the two now-dead dogs that went on a biting spree in Ayurveda College Junction and Vilappilsala recently confirmed that the canines too were rabid. SIAD is one of the state’s five rabies diagnostic centres under the animal husbandry department. Veterinarians frequently send animal carcasses to the institute to confirm or rule out rabies. Dr Sanjay Devarajan, Disease Investigation Officer at the SIAD, said the extent of the rabies cases was mainly indicative of issues with the animal birth control (ABC) programme. “Recent rule changes have compromised the effectiveness of the ABC programme. The initiative needs to be implemented in a campaign mode to successfully break the breeding cycle,” he said.  ● More on P4 The allegation of rape made after 16 years is prima facie not believable due to the long delay and because such relationship is to be considered consensual, the Kerala High Court has observed. Quashing the rape case against Biju P Vidya of Pathanamthitta, Justice A Badharudeen said the complainant alleged that the petitioner raped her in 2001, but the first information statement (FIS) was given in 2017. The prosecution said Biju sexually assaulted the complainant, a mar ried woman and a mother, in June-July 2001. Howev, er, Biju argued that the FIS was given on February 22, 2017, based on which an FIR was registered against four people. Later, three people were dropped and a final report was filed only against him. He said the 16-year delay in disclosing the acts, where it is also alleged he borrowed `20 lakh during the relationship and failed to return it, indicates the relationship, if any is the outcome of consent. , The HC said the rape allegation was raised with ulterior motives, particularly when money from the accused was allegedly due. Also, the complainant now has no grievance and has filed two affidavits stating the issue is settled, it said. Rabies test results Animal Samples +ve Dog 57 15 Cat 21 3 Cow 1 1 Goat 1 0 Leopard 1 0 Jackal 3 3 (April-July) Source: SIAD A 16-year delay in giving complaint, after continuing relationship for 16 years, is fatal and will stand in way of prosecution as the possibility of false implication is very much discernible Kerala HC A day after striking a truce, LDF MLA P V Anvar resumed firing on all cylinders on Wednesday this time not spar, ing even Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Immediately after meeting CPM state secretary M V Govindan, the Nilambur MLA reminded Pinarayi that it was the party that made him the chief minister. “Who made him (Pinarayi) the chief minister? Isn’t it the party? Did he assume office from his home? Then whom should I show commitment to? I have commitment to the CM and the party. CM is the party’s representative,” said a reinvigorated Anvar, who had toned down his attack on Tuesday after Pinarayi told him to hold fire. However, he said the CM cannot be blamed for the alleged criminal activities by top officers under him. “It is not his fault. Officers who betrayed his trust are to be blamed,” he said. The timing of Anvar’s rhetoric against the CM has sparked speculations that the LDF independent legislator has the backing of the state CPM leadership. The party state secretariat, scheduled to meet on Friday will look , into the allegations raised by Anvar. The party is also likely to probe the allegations against CM’s political secre- MLA P V Anvar in Thiruvananthapuram | File pic Rhetoric after meet with secy The Nilambur MLA’s rhetoric against the CM comes after his meeting with CPM state secretary M V Govindan tary P Sasi. With party conferences going on, the open accusations against the CMO will trigger discussions in party forums. Meanwhile, the state police chief-led Special Investigation Team, constituted to look into the allegations, held its first meeting on Wednesday It decided . to conduct a preliminary probe by looking into all allegations. It will soon collect evidence from Anvar. In another development, the Opposition UDF alleged that Pinarayi deputed ADGP (law and order) M R Ajith Kumar, who is in the eye of a storm, to hold parleys with RSS leadership on his behalf. BJP state chief K Surendran rubbished the allegation.  ● More on P4 E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chandigarh / New Delhi Wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia on Thursday met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi amid speculation that the duo might be given party tickets to fight in the upcoming assembly polls in Haryana. According to sources, Phogat might fight from either Julana in Jind or Charkhi Dadri, while Punia might be fielded from the Badli constituency in Jhajjar district. Vinesh Phogat Dee pak Babaria, AICC general secretary in-charge for Haryana, said clarity will emerge in one Bajrang Punia o r t wo d ay s whether both sportspersons will be given Congress tickets. “I don’t know what discussions they had with K C Venugopal. Whatever solution comes out, it will be acceptable to all. The ultimate goal is to defeat the BJP. If possible, they would contest elections,” he said. In Brunei, Modi takes swipe at China E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ New Delhi ‘Rape charge made after 16 yrs not believable’ E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Kochi E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ T’Puram Cong tickets for Phogat, Punia? Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a swipe at China saying India supports a “policy of development, and not expansionism” as he concluded his two-day visit to Brunei Darussalam. Modi’s comment, which did not name any country at a banquet , hosted by Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah came at a time when an aggressive China is engaged in territorial disputes with the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan. “A code of conduct should be finalised in this region,” Modi said, adding: “We support freedom of navigation and overflight under international laws like UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)”. This was the first bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brunei. According to a joint statement issued after the visit, India and Brunei have elevated their relationship to an ‘enhanced partnership’. After concluding his Brunei visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Singapore on Wednesday for a two-day official visit. This is PM Modi’s fifth visit to Singapore. His last trip to Singapore was in 2018. Modi kicked off his Singapore visit by meeting members of the Indian diaspora and then having dinner with Singapore PM Lawrence Wong. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong, in Singapore, on Wednesday | PTI