KOCHI l friday l july 24, 2026 l `10.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE city EDITION India invites Bangladesh PM to September brics summit in Delhi India has invited Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi in September, officials in Dhaka said could pave way for First Modi-rahman meet ■ Sep 12-13 comes amid attempts to mend ties Bangladesh’s state minister for foreign affairs Shama Obaed Islam said Dhaka has received the invitation from New Delhi and forwarded it to the Prime Minister’s Office. If Rahman accepts the invitation, the summit could provide the first opportunity for a direct meeting between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the BNP’s return to power | P7 ■ The outreach comes after a turbulent period in relations between the two, with New Delhi hosting ousted leader Sheikh Hasina and reported incidents of attacks on Hindus living in Bangladesh Since Rahman’s BNP formed the government after the February polls, the two sides have attempted to rebuild the broken relations When India is set to host the 18th BRICS summit 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 Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi out, replaced by Naresh Kumar Gangwar; Rahul visits Gandhi Smriti 17 Delhi Metro stations to remain closed on Friday, Sonam Wangchuk urges protesters to remain peaceful CJP call for nationwide protests today Pa r v e z S u lta n @ New Delhi The NEET paper leak controversy escalated into a wider political confrontation on Thursday as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) called for nationwide protests on Friday, and the Opposition led by Rahul Gandhi staged a symbolic march to Gandhi Smriti in solidarity with the agitating students. The developments came amid heightened security and heavy deployment of personnel across central Delhi, with several metro stations shut, mobile internet services suspended in parts of the city and businesses in Connaught Place advised to close early ahead of anticipated demonstrations. Adding to the momentum of the protests, actors Kareena Kapoor Khan, Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan and Ananya Panday expressed support for agitators through social media, calling for a fair, transparent and accountable exam system. Seeking to control the situation, the government shifted Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi to the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, appointing Naresh Kumar Gangwar as Joshi’s replacement in the higher education ministry And T K . Anil Kumar was brought in as the school education secretary . The Opposition, meanwhile, intensified its campaign against the Centre following the showdown in Parliament. Carrying copies of the Constitution and the Tricolour, INDIA bloc MPs led by Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi marched to Gandhi Smriti at Tees January Marg. At the memorial, the MPs switched on their mobile phone flashlights and observed a silent tribute to students who allegedly died by suicide in the wake of the examination controversy Sev. eral leaders also held placards demanding accountability and the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan. The visit came after the Opposition claimed it had been denied permission to assemble at India Gate. The MPs travelled from Rahul’s residence amid heavy police deployment and barricades. “In solidarity with the students, we wanted to take the Opposition MPs to India Gate, but we were not allowed. Then we decided to go to Gandhi Smriti, and even there our bus was stopped. They are doing drama because they are scared,” Rahul said. He later reiterated the Opposition’s support for the student movement. The students of our country are on the streets, so we felt the Opposition should also be on the streets. Our message is simple: we are with the students. The entire Opposition stands with them Sabarimala gold theft: Ex-TDB chief Prasanth arrested Rahul Gandhi Crowds pour in Despite restrictions and barricading at several major roads in Delhi, crowds continued to swell at the site amid heavy sloganeering Friday’s format The CJP said the slogan for Friday’s protest is “Every district. One day. One demand”. The protesters would read out the demands and express solidarity with those injured in police action on July 20 E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and Opposition MPs after paying homage at the Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi on Thursday | PTI Cabinet to discuss paper leak today: PM M U K E SH RA N J A N & RA J E SH K U M AR THA K UR @ New Delhi THE government will unveil tougher measures to tackle examination fraud in Friday’s cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a video message late on Thursday night. The announcement came hours after he said the government would set up fast-track courts to ensure swift punishment to the culprits. Friday’s Cabinet meeting will discuss a draft legislation on fasttrack courts and stricter punishment for examination paper leak, and the draft bill will be intro- ‘Made 4 attempts for dialogue with CJP’ The Centre, which has roped in Union Ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh as interlocutors to engage with the protesters, on Thursday said it had made four attempts in the past 24 hours to initiate dialogue. However, the CJP declined the offer, insisting on a ‘neutral’ venue for the talks duced in Parliament as early as possible. “Our efforts would be to get the proposed measures passed by both the houses of Parlia- ment,” Modi added. After Friday’s Cabinet meeting finalises the draft, the bill is expected to be presented in Parliament next week. “The departments have informed me late night that the draft proposal in this regard with provision of strict punishment is ready and the same will be taken up during the meeting of the Union cabinet. After discussing the matter with my cabinet colleagues, we will take a final decision,” Modi said. He said the government is aware that examination paper leak is very painful for students and their parents. F i r s t l a r g e - s c a l e Ge n z a g i t a t i o n At Jantar Mantar, a protest unlike any before Am i ta v a S a n ya l @ New Delhi A protester fanning participants as a gesture of kindness | Amitava Sanyal Washout: Parliament stalled for fourth day Parliament proceedings were stalled for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday amid loud protests by the opposition over the NEET-UG paper leak | P7 Jantar Mantar is a republic of handfans these days. Hundreds of young volunteers are furiously fanning those filing in and out of the protest site in the muggy heart of New Delhi. It’s a small gesture of kindness that marks the evolution of a motley crew of first-time protesters who have learnt to organise more efficiently and sustain a movement in the face of inclement weather and immense pressure from an intemperate administration. Welcome to India’s first largescale Gen Z protest, where planning and posing go hand in hand with protesting. Here is a snake of youngsters carrying in food, water and medicine for those fasting and camping overnight. There, a group of medicos sling- ing stethoscopes are urgently effective way to undermine it. ushered in. Every few metres, On the other hand, millennial video makers are speaking into Rajesh Sau, a 31-year-old from Biphone cameras. har’s Begusarai who has come to The hoarse sloganeering of the capital for the first time, holds yesteryears is partly replaced by up a serious-minded, AI-generatprinted memes. The hued poster of the Cockmour, too, is reflective roach Janta Party’s Abof the zeitgeist. Twenhijeet Dipke next to ty-nothings from some When you enter the Bhagat Singh that he of Delhi’s top colleges claims to have downsite, a pankha is are holding up neatlyloaded from Facebook. given. When you visualised posters leave, you deposit it Kindness is mostly screaming,“There’s back so that others shown in the form of can use it 20% ethanol in my food and medicine. exam”, “Swiping left on Members of Sikh founA volunteer national issues like it’s dations are handing out Tinder” and “Dande Mataram”. khichdi plates and juice bottles to A large neem evergreen is marked outstretched hands. Garbage bags as “Pradhan resignation tree”. are filling up faster than cleaners It’s as if the Gen Z protesters are moving them out. are embodying pre-Boomer poIn a show of supreme irony, litical theorist Hannah Arendt’s parked government ambulances idea that exposing authority to are handing out masks to guard contempt through laughter is an against teargas and spraying pain-relievers on shoulders injured by lathi charges. Some among the army of volunteers are blaring whistles to referee crowds when they behave like petulant Argentinian footballers. Only a few near the stages wear the white tees sporting the ‘official’ cockroach logo. At the sanctum—the whitedecked main stage—the humour gives way to the serious demands of resignation, education reforms, court-mandated probe and the prospect of negotiating with the government. There is talk of shifting demands “from Pradhan to pradhan mantri”. There is also exhortation for restraint from the stage. CJP’s Saurav Das warns against giving in to polarising banter by “planted miscreants”. “Are we hateful?” he asks. Every time, the crowd roars back, “Nooo!” Former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president P S Prasanth and board member A Ajikumar were on Thursday arrested by the High Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sabarimala gold theft case, giving a new impetus to the investigation that had apparently lost verve after a wave of arrests in the initial stage. The SIT had earlier stated that the duo had granted the nod to send the gold plates from the dwarapalaka idols to Chennai for re-plating in 2025, in a bid to cover up for the alleged disappearance of gold in 2019. Prasanth was TDB president in 2025. Prasanth was taken into custody from his residence in Thiruvananthapuram in the morning and brought to the Kollam Police Club, where his arrest was recorded after interrogation by the SIT led by S Sasidharan. Ajikumar turned up after being summoned, and he too was arrested following a few hours of questioning. The duo was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by the Kollam Vigilance Court. Prasanth is the third former TDB preseident to be arrested in the case, after N Vasu and A Padmakumar. Prasanth and Ajikumar were arraigned as accused in the case related to the missing of gold from the dwarapalaka idols that occurred in 2019. The SIT had informed the High Court that Prasanth and other members had given the nod to move the gold-plated covering of dwarapalaka idols to Chennai in 2025 for electroplating without prior approval from the court and informing the special commissioner. The SIT had told the court that re-electroplating was done with the intention to cover up the gold theft that occurred in 2019. The plan was executed to destroy evidence ● More on P4 in the past gold theft, the SIT had alleged. E x p r e s s Re a d Samastha gen secy Alikutty Musliyar no more Malappuram: K Alikutty Musliyar, prominent Islamic scholar and general secretary of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, passed away on Thursday at the age of 81. An educator and organisational leader, Alikutty Musliyar had been the Samastha general secretary since 2016. P4 School fitness procedures to go online next yr T’Puram: In a move to ensure hassle-free procedures for schools to obtain fitness certification, the general education department has decided to make the process online from next year. According to department officials, the change will bring in simplification for fitness procedures, officials added. P5 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express Ajith Kumar suspended Mid-air scare as all 3 BA pilots fall ill due to food poisoning over probe-fixing charge S L a l i t h a @ New Delhi E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram Ending months of speculation, the state government on Thursday suspended ADGP M R Ajith Kumar for allegedly interfering in the investigation into the assault on Youth Congress workers by then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s security personnel in Alappuzha in December 2023. The action came a day after State Police Chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar submitted a detailed inquiry report to the home department, indicating that Ajith had attempted to influence the course of the investigation. The decision is likely to dent Ajith Kumar’s prospects of being promoted to the rank of DGP after Fire and Rescue Services Director Nitin Agarwal retires on July 31. Defending the attack by his security personnel on protesters demonstrating against the Nava Kerala Sadas, Pinarayi had described the assault as a ● More on P4 “rescue act”.  Passengers of a British Airways flight from Hyderabad to London had a close shave on Wednesday after all three pilots on board fell ill due to suspected food poisoning after having their breakfast earlier in the day. The health condition of one of the pilots deteriorated so much during the journey that he had to be provided oxygen mid-flight. The airline is probing the incident. F light BA 276 (Boeing 777-200) took off by 7.45 am from Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport and had a journey time of 10 hours ILLUSTRATION : Sourav roy IndiGo submits plan to end anti-trust probe IndiGo, which is facing anti-trust probe for alleged unfair business practices, has made five broad commitments to the Competition Commission of India to address the issues arising out of large-scale flight disruptions. These are: setting up a crisis management group; a dedicated grievance redressal mechanism; temporarily handing over slots to airport authorities; booking alternative flights; and processing automatic refunds within a defined timeline. The CCI had ordered a probe against IndiGo after massive flight cancellations in Dec 2025 and 35 minutes. The night before their flight, the three pilots had stayed in the regular hotel in Hyderabad, which was arranged by the airline. The trio had their breakfast in the lounge before they began their trip. One of the pilots was reported incapacitated at 30,000 feet and had to be put on oxygen, stated an international news report. He was rushed to hospi- tal upon landing in London and had to undergo a surgery which , reportedly lasted 12 hours. The pilots had also consumed bottled water from an external company along with their breakfast at the hotel lounge, the report pointed out. The other two pilots, too, suf- fered from food poisoning but their condition was not so severe. The duo continued steering the flight. The flight landed at Terminal 3 of London Heathrow airport by 2.05 pm (local time). They were also taken for medical checks. When contacted by this newspaper, a British Airways spokesperson confirmed the incident. “The welfare of our colleagues is a top priority and we are reviewing crew accommodation in this location following some isolated reports of sickness,” a statement read. Another official said the safety of the passengers was not compromised at any stage.