MADURAI l Wednesday l march 12, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE CITY EDITION Airtel, Elon Musk’s SpaceX join hands for satcom service airtel gains heft versus rival eutelsat Bharti Airtel on Tuesday said it signed an agreement with Musk’s SpaceX to offer high-speed internet services under Starlink to its customers in India deal set to benefit both companies The development assumes significance as Sunil Mittal-led Bharti Airtel was at loggerheads with Starlink over licence fees and spectrum pricing for satellite-based internet service providers. Airtel is also the single-largest shareholder with a 21.2% share in Starlink’s rival firm Eutelsat OneWeb, which has got the nod to start operations in India ■ ■ The agreement will enable Airtel and SpaceX to explore how Starlink could complement and expand Airtel’s offerings Airtel said that its agreement with SpaceX is subject to receiving authorisations to sell Starlink’s satellite communications-based services in India. The deal will be symbiotic in nature | P10 8% of adjusted gross revenue is what telecos are charged as licence fee 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 morning madness 1 Attackers blew up railway tracks between Pehro Kunri and Gadalar in Sibi district of Balochistan in Pakistan 2 Armed men stormed the train, taking over 100 passengers, including security men, women and kids, hostage 3 Security forces have launched an operation to rescue the hostages, with local media reporting a fire exchange late in the night Peshawar Railway Station Islamabad Railway Station afghanistan Quetta Railway Station Bolan Pass Balochistan Liberation Army said it seized control of the train when it was minutes away from the Mashkaf tunnel on the Pehro Kunri route in Sibi district illustration: sourav roy pakistan india Provisions to deny foreigners’ entry, restrict their movement; harsh penalty for violators The taking of Jaffar Exp Pak train hostage drama with 500 aboard QUETTA: Suspected Baloch insurgents opened fire at a passenger train in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan region on Tuesday and shot dead 20 soldiers while taking hundreds of passengers, including women and children, hostages. Pakistan’s media reported late Tuesday that 80 hostages had been rescued and 13 terrorists eliminated after an operation by special forces. The insurgents bombed the track before storming the Jaffar Express, headed from Quetta to Peshawar, between Pehro Kunri and Gadalar stations in a remote, mountainous area of Sibi district in Balochistan province which borders Afghanistan and Iran. Balochistan gover nment spokesperson Shahid Rind termed it as a “terrorist attack.” The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) took responsibility for the attack, and warned “all hostages would be executed” if Pakistan army intervened. BLA is fighting for independence and accuses outsiders of profiting from the region’s vast mineral wealth.The group is banned in Pakistan, the UK and the US. Controller of Railways Muhammad Kashif said that the train, comprising nine coaches, has around 500 passengers on board. There are 17 tunnels in the area on the railway line and due to the difficult terrain, trains move at a slow speed, Kashif said. The train was ambushed near Mashkaf tunnel in Sibi district. Dawn.com said security forc- es had surrounded the area and launched a clearance operation that would continue till the aggressors were eliminated. An emergency has been declared at local hospitals, and rescue teams are on their way to the site. However, the rocky terrain is making it difficult for officials to reach the area. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, and said: “The beasts who fire on innocent passengers do not deserve any concessions.” The siege comes amid a surge in terror attacks in Balochistan, with over 1,600 people killed in attacks in 2024. In November 2024, at least 26 people were killed in a suicide blast at Quetta railway station.  AP/AFP M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi Security forces later surrounded the tunnel and began flushing out ops Reports suggested that the Balochistan Liberation Army insurgents used women and children as human shields before issuing a warning that any interference from the Army would lead to the death of the hostages War over NEP: Pradhan Ministry lifts suspension, WFI calls trials repeats U-turn jibe, TN edu minister claps back F ir o z M ir z a @ Chennai mittee” it has constituted in this regard. The letter was sent to request the centre to release Doubling down on his claim the SS funds for the year 2023that Tamil Nadu government 24, which had been withheld went back on its promise to im- until then, based on the state’s plement the National Educa- assurance that the MoU would tion Policy 2020 in state schools, be signed soon. Union Minister for Education Releasing the letter, Pradhan Dharmendra Pradquestioned the “sudh a n o n T u e s d ay NEP will hurt den change” in Tamil tweeted a letter dated education: CM Nadu’s stance on NEP March 15, 2024, writ2020. “Definitely for ten by TN’s then CM Stalin said TN is political brownies Chief Secretary Shiv opposing NEP as it and reviving DMK’s would destroy Das Meena to the Unpolitical fortunes. education in the ion Education This retrograde polistate. “Injecting Ministry . tics of DMK is a great communalism, The letter, the mindisservice to the privatisation of ister claimed, is a bright future of Tamil education, public proof that Tamil Nadu and its stuNadu did a “U-turn” exam for kids, and dents,” he said in a after agreeing to im- NEET-like tests for post on X. plement the PM-SHRI all courses are some Tamil Nadu School of the reasons for scheme, including the Education Minister opposing it,” the provisions to impleAnbil Mahesh CM said | P4 ment the National Poyyamozhi, howevEducation Policy and er, responded alleging the three-language policy to get that “spreading misinformathe funds under Samagra Shik- tion won’t change the facts”. He sha (SS) scheme released. said there was ”no sudden The letter, which was already change” as alleged by Pradhan been reported by media last since the March 15, 2024 letter year, said that the state is “very clearly stated that the state will keen” to sign the MoU for the decide on the implementation PM SHRI scheme “based on the based on the recommendations recommendations of the com- of the committee. P9 E xpress N ews S ervice @ Chennai Months of uncertainty gave way to hope as the sports ministry through an order dated March 10 revoked suspension of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). The suspension was imposed on December 24, 2023, days after the elections of the executive committee following which Sanjay Kumar Singh was elected as the president. The sports ministry after much deliberation and evalua- Immigration law has more teeth in new bill in LS tion took this decision in the interest of the wrestlers. There was ambiguity over selection and participation in international competitions was also getting affected. T h e d eve l o p m e n t meant the Indian wrestlers, who had to miss two Ranking Series last month, could now compete at the Asian Championships this month. Had they missed this, they would have rendered ineligible to compete at the World Championships. Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya said the decision was taken keeping in mind the welfare of wrestlers. While WFI chief thanked the prime minister, home minister and sports minister for lifting suspension. Due to the suspension and an order of the single bench of the Delhi High Court, the WFI was not able to hold selection trials. The WFI is planning to hold trials on March 15. Hours after the suspension was revoked, the Delhi HC division bench disposed off an appeal challenging single bench order over IOA’s ad hoc committee.  P13 The government on Tuesday introduced the Immigration and Foreigners Bill, 2025 in the Lok Sabha, seeking to overhaul existing immigration laws and streamline various services related to foreigners’ entry, exit, and stay in the country . Introducing the bill on the behalf of Home Minister Amit Shah, Minister of State Nityanand Rai said that once the proposed law is passed, it will replace the colonial-era Foreigners Act, 1946; Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920; Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939; and the Immigration (Carriers’ Liability) Act, 2000. According to the bill, the objective is to enhance national security, control immigration procedures, and introduce stricter penalties on foreigners who violate visa rules. It says any foreigner posing a threat to national security, sovereignty or the integrity of the nation “will not be allowed into the country or will be denied the permission to stay in India”. It further mandates registration for foreigners upon arrival. The bill proposes heavy penalties for violations. Those overstaying, violating norms, or trespassing in restricted areas face three years imprisonment and fine of up to `3 lakh. Transport carriers carrying foreigners without valid documents face up to `5 lakh fine. If a foreigner is denied entry the , carrier will be responsible for their removal from India. The bill also empowers immigration officers to arrest individuals without a warrant. Meanwhile, the opposition dubbed the bill as violative of Hours after being caught, goat-killer leopard dies  Mandatory registration of foreigners upon arrival; restrictions on their movement, name change, and stay in protected/restricted areas  Mandatory for universities, hospitals and accommodation providers to report about foreign nationals  Burden of proof on individuals to establish they are not foreigners  International transport carriers must provide passenger data Punitive charges  Entry without valid documents:  Up to 5 yrs in prison or `5 lakh fine  Use of forged documents: 2-7  years in jail and `1-10 lakh fine  Overstaying Visa: Up to 3 years in  jail or `3 lakh fine Enforcement powers  Immigration officers empowered to arrest without warrant  Authorities can remove foreigners violating the law  No appeal provision in proposed law constitutional provisions. Briefly intervening during the introduction of the bill, Congress MP Manish Tiwari said it doesn’t even have the right to appeal. He said the government should withdraw the bill or send it to the Joint Parliamentary Committee. TMC MP Sougata Roy also opposed the bill, saying: “I beg to oppose the Immigration and Foreigners Bill. There are already four laws in the country for the entry and exit of foreigners.” express read Recall notification for V-C search panel: Guv Chennai: Governor R N Ravi on Tuesday objected to the notification issued to set up a V-C search panel for the Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University as it excluded the UGC chairperson’s nominee, and asked the state to recall the order | P4 E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Coimbatore Fourteen hours after being caught using a trap net and tranquilised, a five-year-old female leopard that had allegedly killed eight goats and continued venturing into residential areas over the last few days in Onapalayam area in Coimbatore died due to suspected septicemia at Maruthamalai foothills on Tuesday afternoon. District Forest Officer of Coimbatore Forest Division N Jayaraj said, “The animal had bite marks of another carnivore indicating that it may have been injured in a fight with another animal that resulted in the septicemia. The animal’s right and upper and lower canines were also broken, and it could have ventured into agricultural areas in search of easy prey like goats.” The officer added, “We also noticed multiple fractures at the right elbow joint in the legs, and during the postmortem, we found kidney and heart failure in the animal due to septicemia.” P9 Key provisions Court stays ED order to attach Shankar’s assets showerproof smiles TN recorded widespread rainfall on Tuesday, with Kallakurichi recording the highest of 12 cm. Heavy rain, due to low trough, may continue for one more day. Two women in Koyambedu enjoying the cool weather due to surprise showers | P jawahar | P2 Chennai: The Madras High Court on Tuesday stayed the ED’s order to attach three properties belonging to film director S Shankar valued at `10.11 crore in connection with a copyright infringement complaint regarding Rajini movie ‘Enthiran’ | P4 sales not open yet Gang uses crude bomb, machetes to `17,804 to `1.23 lakh: CSK tickets on resell site kill rival in broad daylight in Kanchi sw a r o o p sw a min at h a n @ Chennai CHENNAI Super Kings (CSK) are yet to announce ticket sales for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season but that hasn’t stopped tickets for their matches from appearing in a prominent ticket reselling website. When this daily last accessed the pages of viagogo, the current asking price for one KMK Lower ticket is `123,593 for the team’s opener against Mumbai Indians at Chepauk on March 23. Screen shot of the webpage displaying price of CSK tickets | Express Tickets, at this point in time, are listed across 12 price bands, with the cheapest at `17,804. According to the website, one KMK Lower ticket was grabbed for `123,593 two days ago. Right now, there are 84 tickets available for the marquee clash against Mumbai. Interestingly , even the lower stand tickets (without hospitality and on the square of the wicket) are selling for 10 times its original price. For example a D lower cost `1700 last season and for the same Mumbai match the price has touched `20,600. Right now, tickets are available on viagogo for six of the seven home matches. Tickets are also available across venues including Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad but there are no tickets available for the season opener between Kolkata and Bengaluru at Eden Gardens on March 22. Not yet anyway. In all, tickets are available for over 50 games. Tickets bought off reselling websites come in with the inherent risks so the buyer ought to be aware of these risks. The caveats are usually mentioned on the back of tickets purchased off the official ticketing agencies. E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Chennai A 38-year-old history-sheeter was killed in broad daylight at Thirukalimedu near Kancheepuram on Tuesday afternoon after an unidentified gang attacked him with machetes and hurled country-made bombs at him as he attempted to escape. The deceased — A Raja alias ‘Vasool’ Raja (38) — had at least 18 cases registered against him, including four murder cases in Kancheepuram district, said History-sheeter hacked to death in Thanjavur In a suspected revenge murder, a history-sheeter was hacked to death by a gang near Thanjavur on Tuesday. B Kurunthaiyan (50) was knocked down on VallamOrathanadu Road by a car-borne gang that hacked him to death with machetes, police said | P9 Sivakanchi police, who suspect that the fatal attack could be a fallout of a gang rivalry. Raja had come out on bail four months ago in a murder case. The police said the gang, on two motorbikes, surrounded Raja, who was talking to his friends near a ration shop at Thirukalimedu in Kancheepuram district. The suspects hacked him with machetes, and when he attempted to escape, they hurled country-made bombs at him, said the police, adding that the suspects threatened Raja’s friends to stay away , and fled after he collapsed. P9