HYDERABAD TUESDAY APRIL 16, 2024 `9.00 PAGES 18 LATE CITY EDITION FBI OPENS CRIMINAL PROBE INTO U.S. BRIDGE COLLAPSE THAT KILLED 6 The criminal probe will target the crew of the container ship Dali that crashed into a major road bridge in Baltimore on March 26 FBI SUSPECTS CREW KNEW OF SHIP’S FAULTS BALTIMORE TO LAUNCH LEGAL ACTION FBI officials are presently conducting a court-authorised “law enforcement activity” aboard the ship which remains pinned beneath the wreckage. The agency will probe whether the crew knew the ship had serious systems problems and failed to report it. The ship lost power and rammed against a pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the bridge to collapse ■ ■ Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott announced a partnership with two law firms to launch legal action to hold “the wrongdoers responsible” and mitigate harm to city residents, his office said Eight construction workers were carrying out maintenance works on the bridge when the vessel struck. Six of them died 30,000 VEHICLES USED TO PLY OVER THE BRIDGE EACH DAY 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 No interim relief; CM vows `2 lakh crop loan waiver by Aug 15 Above normal rains this year AK can sign two types of papers IMD FORECAST B K A R T H E E K @ Hyderabad SC issues notice to ED; Tihar DG says CM can sign only legal or property documents S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y A N D U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi INCARCERATED Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday got no interim relief from the Supreme Court on his plea challenging his arrest in the Delhi excise policy scam. A twojudge bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna merely issued notice to the Enforcement Directorate to file its reply on the CM’s plea by April 24. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, told the court that the ED hadn’t named the CM in its chargesheet, adding the objective was disable him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections. But the bench refused to yield. Later, a city court extended Kejriwal’s judicial custody in Tihar jail till April 23. At Tihar, Director General (Prisons) Sanjay Baniwal said Kejriwal can only sign two types of documents while in judicial custody and they , can’t be political in nature. “He or any inmate in judicial custody can only sign two types of documents, which can’t be political in nature,” Baniwal told this newspaper over phone. The two types of documents can be either a legal paper or some property related document, he added. His remarks came after AAP leaders reiterated that CM will continue to run the government from jail, and from next week he will call two ministers to Tihar every week and review their work. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accused Tihar officials of giving Kejriwal a terrorist-like treatment. “Kejriwal is given terrorist-like treatment in jail... There was a glass wall between me and him when we met today Mann said. But Tihar officials rebutted it, ,” saying “There is no distinction between a hardcore or a normal criminal.” DELHI COURT ISSUES NOTICE TO CBI ON KAVITHA’S BAIL PLEA | P4 Can write to family, friends As per the jail manual, undertrial and civil prisoners shall be granted all reasonable facilities to interview or write letters only to their family members, friends and legal advisers. “Prisoners should also be allowed to correspond with the counsel handling their cases.” If it is found that the prisoner is corresponding with undesirable persons, such letters, both incoming and outgoing, shall be withheld,” the jail manual says DISMISSING the allegations levelled by opposition leaders that the Congress was going back on its pre-poll promises, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Monday announced that his government will implement the crop loan waiver of up to `2 lakh by August 15, a move that is set to benefit 69 lakh farmers, and also promised to provide `500 bonus for each quintal of paddy from the next crop (Kharif) season. Addressing the Jana Jatara Sabha at Narayanpet, which falls under the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district, he launched a scathing attack on former chief minister and BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, accusing him of mortgaging Telangana’s self-esteem with Along with Congress leaders, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy poses with a sword during the Jana Jatara Sabha in Narayanpet on Monday Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Revanth alleged that KCR took “supari” from the PM to support the BJP in five Lok Sabha segments: Mahbub- nagar, Chevella, Malkajgiri, Bhuvanagiri and Zaheerabad. The TPCC chief alleged that the BRS supremo has directed his party functionaries to transfer the vote to the saffron par ty in those five constituencies. “KCR didn’t understand how I felt lodged in a jail while my daughter was getting married. However, as soon as his daughter (MLC K Kavitha) was jailed, KCR mortgaged Telangana’s self-esteem to get his daughter released. It is high time that BRS leaders introspect,” Revanth said. Announcing future commitments, the chief minister said a member of the Mudiraj community would be included in his Cabinet if the Congress wins at least 14 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana in the upcoming elections. “Give me 14 Lok Sabha seats, I will take Mudiraj leader and Makthal MLA Srihari into my Cabinet,” he said. CONTINUED ON P5 FOOD POISONING AT BHUVANAGIRI SCHOOL: NO TRUST IN INQUIRY PANEL, SAY PARENTS A SESHACHARYULU @ Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri A washroom at the Social Welfare Boys’ Residential School and Intermediate College in Bhuvanagiri OPEN DEFECATION Students said they are forced to defecate in the open as the toilets in the campus are poorly maintained. They alleged that despite raising the issue with the principal and warden, no action has been taken THE parents of the 15 middleschool students who fell ill after reportedly eating contaminated food at the Social Welfare Boys’ Residential School and Intermediate College in Bhuvanagiri said they have no faith in the inquiry committee appointed to probe the incident. They fear that the facts would not be brought to light and justice would not be served to the students. The parents, who didn’t want to be named, alleged that the principal and warden were not present at the school on the day of the incident: April 13. They claimed that the principal travels back and forth from Hyderabad, and does not come to the school regularly . “Even if he does come, he does not stay for more than two or three hours. If we ask any questions about his absence, he will say that he had gone to the social welfare society’s office for school work,” the parents said. They blamed the unavailability of the principal and lack of proper supervision by the management for the incident. The students allege that despite having a hostel on the premises, the principal never inspects it or the quality of the food provided. N Rajani, regional coordinator of the residential school society for Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri, told TNIE that an inquiry is being conducted into the recent incident at the institution. Allegations against the principal are also being looked into. Following an inspection by the vigilance committee, 39 bathrooms in the hostel were found to be in good condition, although some require repairs, which are currently underway, she said, adding that measures are being taken to remove the overgrowth. Instructions have also been issued to the contractor to increase the number of workers in the hostel kitchen from four CONTINUED ON P2 to six. DIVINE TRIBUTE Celestial wedding woven in gold & silver When the people (of Tamil Nadu) were disappointed with the Congress, they moved to regional parties, now they are disappointed with these parties N A V E E N K U M A R TA L L A M @ Rajanna-Sircilla Narendra Modi Modi says people’s anger against DMK to help BJP in Lok Sabha polls in TN RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi A day after unveiling the BJP’s Lok Sabha election manifesto, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took aim at the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in an interview on Monday, saying Tamil voters’ resentment against the DMK will help the saffron camp in the upcoming elections. “Five generations of our party have been working in south India and the works are continuing. When the people of the state were disappointed with the Congress, they turned to regional parties. And now, the people are disappointed with these parties,” he told ANI in the interview. Amid this disappointment, Modi said the people of the state took note of the BJP model of government at the Centre and in the BJP-ruled states. “The Tamils who live across India went to their home and said this is happening in the state where we live. Naturally, people started comparing,” Modi said. He said the DMK used “to make fun of us calling Panipuri-wallah”. “But when the people of Tamil Nadu came and saw Kashi, they said this is not what they used to hear. There is a lot of progress. And because of that, anger against the DMK has increased,” he said. Attacking the Congress, Modi said, “there are parties that have the mission: of the family, by the family and for the family”. Had party state president Annamalai gone to the DMK, he would have become a big name, Modi said. “But he did not go there and instead joined the BJP. The people there think if Annamalai has joined the BJP, it is because he believes in the party’s ideology. So it has become a source of attraction. Our party gives opportunity to every small and big worker who is capable,” Modi said. He said the Congress must also be questioned about its ally’s stance against Sanatana Dharma. “The Congress where Indira Gandhi used to wear a Rudraksha mala around her neck. The question should be asked to the Congress. What is your helplessness? Why are you sitting with the people who have so much hatred against Sanatana?,” he asked adding that the DMK must have been born out of hatred of Sanatana. EXPRESS READ After attack, Jagan resumes bus yatra Vijayawada: Resuming the bus yatra just two days after being attacked, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday said the attack on him on Saturday has only increased his resolve to serve the people | P6 Mercury crosses 44°C in Telangana again Hyderabad: Mercury levels soared above the 44°C mark across the state on Monday. Maximum temperatures crossed 40°C in all 33 districts. Meanwhile, the IMD has issued a yellow alert forecasting a heatwave on April 17 and 18 in the state | P2 Head ton propels SRH to a new IPL record Travis Head scored a 39-ball century to take Sunrisers Hyderabad to the highest total in IPL (287/3) on Monday. They bettered their earlier best of 277. There were 22 sixes and 19 fours for SRH against Royal Challengers Bangalore | P13 WHILE offering pattu vastralu (silk robes) to deities is a common practice in temples across the region, a weaver from Sircilla, in a mark of ultimate devotion, has woven a saree with gold and silver threads depicting scenes from the Sita Rama kalyanam (celestial wedding). Displaying the saree to the media here on Monday, the weaver, Veldi Prasad, said that the 800-gram saree using two grams of gold and 150 grams of silver was woven by hand in six days. The 800-gram saree made using gold and silver threads displayed on Monday Adorning the border is the timeless chant of ‘Jai Sri Ram’ and intricate designs inspired by ‘Sanku Chakralu’ and ‘Namalu’, he added. Additionally, Prasad said he is going to donate the saree to the Sri Sita Ramachandraswamy temple in Bhadrachalam with the help of the Endowments department for the celestial wedding scheduled for Wednesday (April 17). However, this isn’t his first artistic work for the temple. In 2023, he presented a silk saree woven for Sri Rama Navami. Prasad is already known for his ‘Rajanna Siripattu’ brand, which became a hit in New Zealand. Additionally, his talent was acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he designed the G20 logo on a piece of cloth. JI TEND RA CHOU B EY @ New Delhi THERE is a high probability that India will get above-normal rains this southwest monsoon season, the Indian Meteorological Department said on Monday . It said seasonal rainfall will be on the higher side of abovenormal, with over 106% precipitation in the long-period average (LPA) of 87 cm. The weather office said favourable La Nina conditions, neutral Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)—which occurs due to differential warming of the western and eastern sides of the equatorial Indian Ocean—and lesser snow coverage over the norther n hemisphere have brightened chances of a bountiful monsoon. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD director general said La Nina conditions are likely to develop in the second half of the monsoon season. “El Nino conditions are prevailing at present. ENSO-neutral conditions are expected in the first half of the monsoon season. Thereafter, models suggest, La Lina conditions may set in by August-September,” Mohapatra said in a press conference here. Parts of the northwest, east and northeast India are expected to receive below-normal rainfall, he added. The normal monsoon range is between 96-104% of LPA. The range 104-110% of LPA is considered above nor mal and above 110% is excess rainfall. Similarly, ranging between 9096% is considered below normal and less than 90% is deficient rainfall. El Nino refers to the warming of ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastcentral equatorial Pacific, while La Nina refers to the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures. What the data shows Data from the 1951-2023 period shows India experienced abovenormal rainfall in the monsoon season on all the nine occasions when La Nina followed an El Nino event, said Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, the director general of IMD 110% rainfall expected between June & Sept in TG According to the IMD, Telangana will receive above normal rainfall in the monsoon season from June to September. The above normal rainfall will be in the range of 104% to 110% of the Long Period Average (LPA) for Telangana for the four-month duration Sharmila struggling in cousin vs cousin joust S N A G A R A J A R A O @ Kadapa KADAPA is witnessing a legacy joust between two cousins of a politically influential family — one of whom is a first-timer — and a triangular contest in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. Incumbent Y S Avinash Reddy belongs to the Y S Rajashekara Reddy family tree. He is the cousin of YSR’s son and Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who floated his own YSR Congress. The Congress pitted Jagan’s sister Y S Sharmila Reddy against Avinash. Ever since 1989, when Rajasekhara Reddy won the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat, the contest here has only been about the YS family’s victory margin. This is the first time two members of the YS family are vying for the top honours. One of the backward districts in the Rayalaseema region, Kadapa witnessed a spurt in development after Rajasekhara Reddy became CM as he ensured a steady flow of funds for the family pocket borough. The only time the TDP won the seat was in 1984 when D Narayana Reddy wrested it at the height of the N T Ramarao wave. Like Sharmila, TDP’s candidate Chadipiralla Bhupesh Subbarami Reddy too, is a , first-timer. However, he hasn’t been suddenly parachuted into Kadapa like her. Subbarami Reddy has silently been preparing the ground for the past several months. The downside for Avinash Reddy is that he is an accused in the murder case of his uncle and former minister Y S Vivekananda Reddy But he has the solid . backing of Jagan. Avinash has stayed put in the constituency since the past several months to ensure there is no dent in his influence. His victory margin last time was over three lakh votes. Speaking to TNIE, Avinash ILLUSTRATION: MANDAR PARDIKAR said spent his MPLADS (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme) allocation and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) funds generated from various corporates for the development in all assembly segments falling under his constituency. “I also took the initiative to get funds from the state government for implementing various projects in all segments,” he said. As for Sharmila, she does not have any base here, as she has been living in Hyderabad all along. Hoping to wrest the YSR legacy, she claims her father was a tall Congress leader, but Jagan left it and floated his own regional party . However, the argument doesn’t seem to be cutting ice with the people. CONTINUED ON P6
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