Rupee gains 16 paise to settle at 85.29 against the U.S. dollar A weak US dollar and decline in crude oil prices contributed to the rupee’s gain Experts have forecast the expected trading range in the next few days to be 85 to 85.70, with support at 85.03 and resistance at 85.70 THRISSUR l friday l april 25, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION total solidarity National consensus emerged at all-party meeting to go after the terrorists. India briefed several nations on the cross-border terror India briefed envoys from several countries, including the US, the UK, France, China and Russia on the J&K attack and its crossborder terror linkage | P7 A day after announcing it, sources said the government issued an official notification holding the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance Kashmiri students in Himachal, Punjab and Uttarakhand allegedly abused and assaulted. Several students reportedly flee to safety | P8 BSF jawan P K Singh detained by Pak Rangers as he accidentally crossed the international border on Thursday; flag meeting on to secure release | P8 Vows to punish terrorists, their backers ‘beyond imagination’ PM’s strong message: India will wipe out ‘land of terror’ Pak suspends Simla Agreement, shuts airspace for India India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We’ll pursue them to the ends of the Earth e x p r e s s n e w s s e r v i c e @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the National Panchayati Raj Day programme, in Madhubani district, Bihar on Thursday | PMO/PTI R A M A S H A N K A R @ Patna In his first public speech after the brutal attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday issued a stern warning to the perpetrators that they would be punished “beyond their imagination”. Addressing a rally in Bihar’s Madhubani district on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj Day Modi said In, dia would go after the terrorists and their handlers wherever they are. “We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth. We will ensure justice is done,” he said. It was Modi’s first public interaction after the Tuesday massacre, in which 26 people, 25 tourists and one local, were killed. In a message to Pakistan but without naming it, Modi said not just the terrorists but their sponsors will also get a punishment bigger than they could imagine. “Aatankiyon ke bachikhuchi jamin ko mitti mein milane ka samay aa gaya hai (It’s time to wipe out the remaining land of terror),” he said amid clapping from the crowd. Turning emotional during his speech, Modi said the Pahalgam attack was not on tourists but on India’s soul. He said India would not bow down to terrorism, asserting the entire nation is firm in this resolve. Switching to English during his speech, Modi said: “Today, from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world, India will identity, trace, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth.” The spirit and willpower of 140 crore Indians will break the back of patrons of terrorism, he added. Long term visas India clarified that the revocation of visas does not apply to the Long Term Visas (LTVs) already issued to Hindu Pak nationals, which remain valid ‘Attack must be decried’ India’s envoy to the UN, P Harish, said on Thursday the world must condemn the Pahalgam terror attack on civilians and tourists with no justification A day after India decided to suspend the Indus Water Treaty in response to crossborder links to the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan’s Prime Minister’s Office issued a stern warning and said any such move would be deemed an “act of war”. Pakistan also announced a series of retaliatory measures, including closure of its airspace for India and suspension of all trade activities apart from conditional suspension of the Simla Agreement, a peace treaty signed between India and Pakistan following the 1971 war. A key outcome of the agreement was the establishment of the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. Following a National Security Council meet chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan emphasised that suspending the Indus Water Treaty Shehbaz Sharif, would severe the “lifeline” Pakistan PM for 240 million Pakistanis. Pakistan said any threat to its sovereignty and the security of its people would be met with firm countermeasures. “Any attempt to disrupt or divert Pakistan’s rightful water flow under the Indus Waters Treaty, and any violation of the rights of the lower riparian, will be considered an Act of War and responded to with full force,” a statement read. Islamabad also shut the Wagah border crossing and halted all trade routes with India, including those through third countries. It asked all Indian nationals in Pakistan to leave within 48 hours, excluding Sikh pilgrims. Support amid queries at all-party meet P r e e t ha Na i r a n d R A J ES H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi At an all-party meeting convened by the government on Thursday Opposi, tion MPs questioned the security lapses behind the Pahalgam massacre, but assured that they were with the Centre on combating terrorism. While the Centre gave a briefing on the Pahalgam carnage, several MPs demanded its immediate intervention to stop an all e g e d h at e c a m p a i g n launched by the BJP on social media. “The amity and unity of the people inside the country is more important,” said leaders, according to sources. Participants at an all-party meeting observe silence to pay homage to the victims of the Pahalgam massacre, in New Delhi on Thursday | ANI Many Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge raised the issue of grave security lapses and intelligence failure. The government partially conceded the lapses, said sources. Speaking at the meeting, Rahul said, “How come there was no information with the police and the security agencies when thousands of tourists had travelling there? This is a security lapse,” said a source familiar with the developments. Rahul also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi ought to have been present at the meeting. Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, S Jaishankar, Nir mala Sitharaman and Kiren Rijiju were present from the government’s side. Speaking to this newspaper, CPI (M) MP MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya said he flagged similar security lapses during the Pulwama attack in 2019. “But till date, we do not know what are the lapses and who was responsible. Sources also said that leaders across party lines sought decisive action for destroying terror camps. There were calls to take over Pakistan-occupiedKashmir, said sources. express read Wild jumbo kills man in Wayanad ‘Isaac appointed to Death sentence Power cut in parts non-existing dept’ for murder convict of North Kerala Kalpetta: A 67-year-old man was killed in a wild elephant attack near Meppadi in Wayanad on Thursday. Arumukhan, of Poolakunnu tribal settlement in Erumakolli, was reportedly attacked while returning home around 9.30pm. Police and forest officials reached the spot. Inquest proceedings are on. Kochi: The amicus curiae appointed by the Kerala High Court to assist the court in a plea challenging the appointment of former minister Thomas Isaac as an advisor to the ‘Vijnana Keralam’ project has informed the court that the appointment made is to a department that does not exist. P4 T’Puram: The Thiruvananthapuram Additional Sessions Court on Thursday handed capital punishment to TN native Rajendran for the murder of Vineetha, 38, an employee of a plant nursery in Ambalamukku, in 2022. The court sentenced him to death saying he was not entitled to any leniency. P4 T’Puram: A 30-minute power cut during peak hours (6pm to 10pm) may be imposed in certain areas of northern Kerala till Saturday, the Kerala State Electricity Board has said. The regulation was necessitated due to a shortage of 150 MW of electricity due to repair work at Kakkayam dam. P4 Rupee traded between 85.25 (intra-day high) and 85.67 (intra-day low) Expect rupee to trade with a positive bias as weakness in the US dollar is likely to remain intact amid trade tariff uncertainties. Sentiments in global markets and FII inflows may support rupee at lower levels Anuj Choudhary, Mirae Asset Sharekhan 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 ■ ■