Israel intercepts boats trying to enter Gaza Israeli naval forces boarded most of the vessels in a flotilla attempting to break the blockade of Gaza on Thursday and detained dozens aboard, including European lawmakers, drawing widespread condemnation. The flotilla, which with 39 boats and 450 activists, was carrying aid to Gaza | AFP | P9 chennai l friday l october 03, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 36 l late city EDITION 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 5+ years on, China air link from Oct 26 J aya n t h J a c o b a n d S L a l i t h a @ New Delhi India and China have agreed to resume direct commercial flights by this month-end, marking yet another notable step toward normalising bilateral ties that have remained strained since the 2020 border standoff. The announcement comes after months of technical-level discussions between the civil aviation authorities on both sides, part of the Indian government’s broader approach toward the gradual normalisation of bilateral relations. IndiGo was first off the blocks, announcing its daily air service from October 26 from Delhi and Kolkata to Guangzhou. Air India will resume operations on DelhiShanghai sector before this year-end. WITH THIS ISSUE CHENNAI’S BEST WEEKEND GUIDE 36 PAGES, INCLUDING 24 OF INDULGE (TABLOID) India warns Pak over any buildup in Sir Creek area Rajnath Singh says any misadventure will invite decisive response m aya n k s i n g h @ New Delhi IN a stern warning to Pakistan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said any misadventure by Islamabad in the Sir Creek sector will invite a “decisive response”. Singh’s remarks from a military base near the India-Pakistan border in Bhuj in Gujarat came against the backdrop of the Pakistan expanding military infrastructure in the disputed region. “Even after 78 years of Independence, Pakistan continues to create disputes over the Sir Creek Sector, despite India’s repeated efforts to resolve the issue through dialogue.” He pointed out that Pakistan’s recent expansion of military infrastructure in the Sir Creek Sector reflects its ill intent. “If Pakistan dares to act in Sir Creek Sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change Rajnath Singh applying the ‘tilak’ on Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi in Bhuj | PTI both history and geography In . 1965, the Indian Army showed courage by reaching Lahore and in 2025 Pakistan must remember that the road to Karachi also passes through the Creek.” The Creek is a 98 km long narrow strip of disputed water between the two countries in marshy areas of Rann of Kutch and opens up into the Arabian Sea. The area has inhospitable terrain. There are continuing disputes in this sector as have been reported by this paper in the past. After performing a puja at the Bhuj Military Station on the occasion of Vijayadashami, Singh said, “Pakistan had tried to penetrate India’s defences from Leh to Sir Creek Sector, but the swift counter-action of the our forces during Operation Sindoor sent out a clear message that India can inflict heavy damage at a time, place and manner of its choosing,” Singh said. Govt-society disconnect led to Nepal unrest: RSS “The regime change in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and more recently Nepal due to violent Expressing serious concern outburst of public anger is a over the recent unrest in India’s concern for us,” he said. The natural and imneighbourhood, RSS mediate cause of such chief Mohan Bhagwat disturbances is disconon Thursday linked the tent between the governturbulence to the disconment and the society and nect between governthe lack of able and peoments and societies, as ple-oriented administrawell as the lack of capators. However, violent ble and people-oriented outbursts do not have administrators there. RSS chief In his annual Vijaya- Mohan Bhagwat the power to bring about the desirable change.” dashami address in Only democracy can bring Nagpur, Bhagwat cautioned that some forces, both internal lasting change, he added. Commenting on the US tarand external, are attempting to create similar disturbances iffs, Bhagwat said it does not pose a challenge for India. within Bharat. R A J E S H K U M A R THA K U R @ New Delhi e x p r e ss r e a d Probe on TN pharma firm after 8 kids die in MP, Raj Centre releases fund, TN to begin RTE admissions CHENNAI: The TN Drugs Control Administration has ordered sale of Coldrif to be stopped after reports of the cough syrup’s role in death of eight kids in MP and Rajasthan. Samples were sent for testing | P3 Chennai: With the central govt releasing its share of pending RTE funds, the state govt has announced that it will issue the notifications for admissions under the RTE Act on October 6 | P5 ‘Bribe’ row drives probe on Customs siddharth prabhakar & d i pa k m o n d a l @ Chennai/ New Delhi BRIBERY allegations levelled against Chennai Customs by a Tamil Nadu-based company importing electronic goods, including sex toys, from China raised a storm on social media culminating in the Ministry of Finance announcing a “factual enquiry” on Thursday . The ministry has directed the Department of Revenue to conduct a ‘fair and transparent investigation’, deputing a senior officer to examine all evidence and hear all parties. The controversy erupted after Wintrack Inc announced on X on Wednesday it would cease its import-export operations in India from October 1 citing “relentless harassment” by Chennai Customs after it allegedly exposed bribery demands. “After exposing their bribery practices twice this year, they retaliated, effectively crippling our operations and destroying our business in India,” said the company on X.  P5