HYDERABAD l Monday l April 21, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l LATE CITY EDITION Two south african cheetahs get new home in mp sanctuary Two South African cheetahs shfited to Kuno National Park two years ago were released into Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary in MP on Sunday Four more cheetahs in m.p. soon: cm Kuno nat’l park shows the way ahead Prabhash and Pavak, the six-year-old male cheetahs, originally brought from South Africa’s Waterberg Biosphere Reserve to Kuno in February 2023, arrived at Gandhi Sagar Sanctuary, abutting Neemuch and Mandsaur districts, after a road journey. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said four more cheetahs from Botswana will arrive shortly ■ ■ Eight Namibian cheetahs — five females and three males — were released into Kuno National Park on September 17, 2022, marking the first-ever intercontinental translocation of these big cats Currently, Kuno National Park, a significant site for cheetah conservation in India, houses 24 cheetahs, including 14 cubs 250 kilometres is the distance between kuno and gandhi sagar sanctuary 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 Easter outreach by the BJP amid Kerala waqf row Harsh tariff will trigger major slowdown in the US economy this year and next, says economists A new Boeing 737 MAX meant for China’s Xiamen Airlines returned to the US due to tit-for-tat tariffs. More planes are at Boeing’s Zhoushan center for final work and delivery, Reuters reported Party says resolution after SC’s order on Act E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ T’Puram Amid the raging waqf land row in Kochi’s Munambam and apprehensions whether the recent Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 would resolve their woes, top Kerala BJP leaders did an Easter Sunday outreach by visiting churches and meeting prominent Christian leaders across the state. While BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar called on Cardinal George Alencherry in Thiruvananthapuram, Union Minister Suresh Gopi met Thrissur Archbishop Andrews Thazhath and later Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church head Baselios Joseph I in Kochi. The Easter outreach that began a couple of years ago, assumes significance in the wake of criticism on Union minister Kiren Rijiju’s statement last week that the 2025 Act might not directly address the Munambam land dispute. The party’s renewed efforts appear aimed at mending fences and strengthening ties with the Christian community . During his meeting with Alencherry, Chandrasekhar conveyed Easter greetings and belated birthday wishes to the cardinal. He expressed the hope that the Waqf Act would help resolve the Munambam issue, and backed Rijiju’s remarks that the amended Act provides a legal pathway for resolution by enabling parties to approach the Supreme Court. “His (Rijiju’s) remarks were well-intentioned, and I believe the Munambam issue will be resolved once the Act is implemented following the SC ruling,” Chandrasekhar said. He also pointed fingers at parties in Kerala for failing to address the issue in the past. “Let’s see who actually resolves the Munambam issue,” he said. Cardinal Alencherry described the meeting with Chandrasekhar as informal. He noted that both the Union and state US V-P comes calling in bilateral talks push Vehicles stuck in the debris after heavy rains triggered flash floods in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. At least three people were killed and more than 100 rescued. The incessant rains also led to landslides and mudslides | PTI | p8 TG & Japan forge green alliance to set up Eco Town in Hyderabad governments appear keen on resolving the Munambam row. “They say people will benefit once the practical aspects of the law are implemented.” As for Suresh Gopi, he attended special Easter prayers at churches in Thrissur and the Holy Mass at Ollur Mary Matha Church and Puthanpally Mary Matha Catholic Church. He also met Archbishop Andrews Thazhath at Bishop’s House and Baselios Joseph I at his residence in Mulanthuruthy . The Telangana government has signed Letters of Intent (LoIs) with leading Japanese companies to collaborate on circular economy initiatives and establish an Eco Town in Hyderabad. On Saturday, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and his delegation, including IT & Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu, took a bullet train from Osaka to Kitakyushu — a global model city for recycling and sustainable urban transformation. Once one of the world’s most polluted cities, Kitakyushu is now recognised for its pioneering work in environmental restoration and green innovation. The delegation was received Indravelli martyrs’ anniversary officially observed after 44 years S R a j a Re d d y @ Adilabad For the first time in 44 years, the Indravelli martyrs’ anniversary was officially observed on Sunday Panchayat Raj and . Rural Development Minister Dansari Anasuya (Seethakka) paid tributes at the Indravelli martyrs’ memorial. The minister honoured the sacrifices of the tribals and said the Congress government would extend all possible support to the families of the victims. She announced that, as per eligibil- Mayor Kazuhisa Takeuchi takes Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and IT Minister D Sridhar Babu, along with others, on a visit around Kitakyushu in Japan on Sunday. The chief minister also welcomed the mayor’s proposal for a sister-city agreement between Kitakyushu and Hyderabad ity, employment would be provided to them either through the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) or the Panchayat Raj department. Seethakka promised that the government would allot five acres of cultivable land and house sites under the Indiramma scheme to each of the victims’ families. A committee under the ITDA will be formed to assess the problems faced by tribals and the families of those killed in the 1981 police firing, she added.  continued on p5 A four-decade-old bondage has been broken. Indravelli has finally spread its wings in freedom. You stood by me with unwavering support, marched beside me with fierce resolve. To the Adivasis of Indravelli, who raised the banner of revolt — I stand with you as a brother, as a pillar of strength. The decision we took… was freedom — A Revanth Reddy, CM by Kitakyushu Mayor Kazuhisa Takeuchi at the historic Kokura Castle amidst performaces by traditional Taiko drummers and Samurai warriors. Welcoming the dele gation, Takeuchi made a detailed presentation on the transformation of Kitakyushu from a heavily industrialised and polluted city to one of the cleanest and most sustainable in the world. He expressed readiness to share the city’s expertise, technology and systems with Telangana to support its journey towards environmental excellence.   continued on p4 Ex-K’taka DGP killed, wife tells friend, ‘I killed a monster’ E x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ Bengaluru Minister Seethakka and other leaders at the Indravelli martyrs’ memorial in Adilabad district on Sunday FORMER Karnataka Director General of Police (DGP) Om Prakash was found dead under mysterious circumstances at his residence here on Sunday evening. His wife Pallavi, who is the prime suspect, has been taken in for questioning. The 68-year-old 1981-batch IPS officer retired from service in 2017 and was staying with Pallavi, his son and daughter at HSR Layout in Om Prakash Bengaluru. “A property dispute within the family is suspected to be the reason behind the murder. The retired officer had told his close associates that his life was under threat. There was a marital dispute too,” said a police officer investigating the case. continued on p5 GAME-CHANGER-II Rasheed’s story — Courage, grit and papa’s sacrifices F i r o z M IRZA @ Mumbai SHAIK Balisha Vali speaks only Telugu. It took him more than five hours to find a translator to speak to this daily but the moment he started talking, he opened his heart out on what it took to make his son, Rasheed, a cricketer. From working in a recovery team for a bank in Hyderabad to relocating the entire family to Guntur, Andhra Pradesh to selling fruits, he did it all for the sake of his son. More importantly for him, his childhood friends chipped in to extend financial support to ensure Rasheed’s dreams became his reality . “He was selected for a cricket academy in Hyderabad when he was eight. Two years later, he was picked up in the U-14 Andhra team. Then, I decided to shift to Guntur,” Balisha told this daily . Initially he took a pay cut but found it difficult to continue. “I was finding it difficult to manage my job and Rasheed’s sessions so I quit the job. It was not an easy decision but I had to take it. I did odd jobs including selling fruits in the market to keep the family afloat,” said the father. After Andhra Cricket Association’s Mangalagiri Cricket Academy adopted Rasheed, the journey became better for the Shaik household. Post that, he was appointed as the vice-captain of the India team for the U19 World Cup in 2022. Next year, he made his debut for the senior Andhra side in all formats and was picked up by the Chennai Super Kings. After warming the bench for two years, Rasheed made his debut in the yellow jersey against Lucknow Super Giants a few days back and opened the innings again versus Mumbai at the Wankhede on Sunday after doing so against Lucknow. Shaik Rasheed’s father sacrificed a lot to ensure his son dreams became a reality | AFP Pradesh, and the couple’s children — Ewan, Vivek, and MiUNITED States Vice President rabel — will accompany him James David Vance, accompa- throughout the trip. nied by his wife Usha and their Prime Minister Narendra three children, will arrive in In- Modi is scheduled to host Vance dia on Monday for a four-day of- for talks at 6.30 pm on Monday , ficial visit aimed at strengthen- followed by a formal dinner. The ing bilateral relations. discussions are expected to cenThe Vance family is sched- tre on trade negotiations and uled to land at the Palam air broader strategic cooperation base in Delhi at 10 am and will between the two countries. be accorded a grand During their stay in welcome. Delhi, the Vance famThis will be Vance’s ily is expected to visit first visit to India the Swaminarayan since assuming office, Akshardham temple and comes at a crucial and a local shopping time as India and the complex known for US work toward finaltraditional Indian ising a comprehenhandicrafts. The delsive trade agreement, egation will travel to JD Vance expected to be conJaipur to tour historicluded by fall. The visit takes cal sites on April 22. Vance is place against the backdrop of also scheduled to address a gathescalating trade tensions be- ering at the Rajasthan Internatween the US and China, follow- tional Centre in the afternoon. ing President Donald Trump’s The next day the Vance fami, imposition of tariffs as high as ly will visit the Taj Mahal in 145% on Chinese imports. India, Agra and explore Shilpgram, an too, was recently affected by US open-air marketplace for Indian tariffs of 27%, though a 90-day handicrafts. They will conclude pause is now in effect. their visit and depart for the US Usha Vance, whose parents from Jaipur on the evening of are originally from Andhra April 24. J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi Stuck in muck E x p r e ss N e ws Se r v i c e @ Hyderabad BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar calls on Cardinal George Alencherry in T’Puram on Sunday | Express Hundreds of protest rallies held across the US against Trump’s deportations and mindless tariffs Dissatisfied with HCA Ombudsman’s order, azhar likely to move HC | p5