India win Test & series against Bangladesh After losing two days to rain and a dodgy outfield, India go on supercharged mode with both bat and ball to emerge victors against Bangladesh in Kanpur. With the added context of World Test Championship (WTC) points, the hosts knew they had to chase the win to get points, even if there were only 35 overs bowled across the first three days | P11 tirupati l wednesday l october 02, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l anantapur 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 Trial run for India’s first hydrogen train to start in Dec RA J E S H K U M AR T H A K U R @ New Delhi India will soon become the fifth country to run hydrogenfuelled trains, after Germany, France, Sweden, and China. Indian Railways has awarded a pilot project for reto-fitment of hydrogen fuel cell in existing DEMU (diesel electric multiple unit) trains, along with the necessary ground infrastructure. According to sources, the first prototype of hydrogenfuelled train is set to run on the Jind-Sonipat section in Haryana under the Northern Railway zone by December 2024. A senior railway official explained that the integration of the prototype train is going on at the Integral Coach Factory, Chennai. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is personally overseeing this eco-friendly railway project, sources said. After trials, the Indian Railways plans to introduce 35 hydrogen trains under Hydrogen for Heritage initiative, investing over `80 crore for each train and `70 crore for ground works and infrastructure development across various heritage and hill routes. Terming this a major move that will contribute to India’s target of achieving net zero carbon emissions, officials said using hydrogen as a fuel source offers significant benefits for green transportation. 63.5% overall poll turnout in J&K At 41.44%, separatist bastion of Sopore recorded highest voting in over three decades Maximum polling in Samba district F aya z W a n i @ Srinagar The third and final phase of assembly polls in 40 seats in J&K on Tuesday witnessed 68.72% voter turnout, two percentage points more than the recent Lok Sabha elections. With the first and the second phases recording 61.38% and 57.31% polling respectively the , overall percentage was 63.45%, up from 59.65% in the Lok Sabha elections. Brisk polling was reported in all separatist bastions in north Kashmir while there was greater enthusiasm in the Jammu region, where the West Pakistan Refugees, Valmikis and Gorkhas got to exercise their franchise for the first time in Samba district recorded the highest turnout at 73.45%, followed by Udhampur (72.91%), Kathua (70.53%), Jammu (66.79%), Bandipora (64.85%), Kupwara (62.76%), and Baramulla (55.73%) the assembly polls. While counting of votes is scheduled for October 8, exit poll outcome would be known by October 5 (Saturday) evening, after elections conclude in Haryana. In all separatist bastions, including Palhalan, Pattan, Baramulla, Rafiabad and Sopore, voters made a beeline at polling stations. These and many other areas in north Kashmir used to witness low turnout in the past but this time there was enthusiasm among the voters who eagerly waited to exercise their democratic right. In the apple town of Sopore, another stronghold of separatists and militants, the polling was moderate. But it was for the first time that people in Sopore openly came out to vote. “This is the first time we are voting without fear. Earlier, there was hesitation and our family members used to prevent us from casting votes,” said retired government teacher Abdul Aziz. The Sopore constituency recorded 41.44% turnout, which is the highest there in over three decades. Aijaz Guru, the brother of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, was in the fray in Sopore as an independent candidate. West Pakistan Refugees were in a celebratory mood. “Today is a historic day said West Pa,” kistan Refugees Action Committee president Labha Ram Gandhi. Probe into Laddu row halted till Oct 3 E x p r e s s New s Se r v i c e @ Tirumala In a major development, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) — constituted by the State government to probe into the alleged supply of adulterated ghee to the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) — temporarily suspended its investigation till October 3. Speaking in Tirumala on Tuesday, Director General of Police (DGP) Ch Dwaraka Tirumala Rao announced that the decision was taken as the mat- INSIDE ter is sub-judice in the Supreme Court. It may be noted that the top court on Monday, while hearing a batch of petitions on the Tirumala Laddu controversy, sought the assistance of the Solicitor General to ascertain whether the State government-appointed SIT should continue the probe or should an independent agency be given the task. The court had also observed that there was no concrete proof that the contami- deputy cm pawan kalyan walks to tirumala nated ghee was used actually in preparation of the laddus. Speaking to mediapersons, the DGP said a case was registered against Tamil-Nadu based AR Dairy Food Private Limited in Tirupati East police station based on a complaint from TTD procurement general manager Murali Krishna. The complainant had alleged that AR Dairy had violated terms of the contract and supplied adulterated or substandard ghee to TTD for preparing Laddus.  P4 pk, purandeswari jump to naidu’s defence P4 power tariff hike? Power distribution companies (DISCOMs) in the State have once again proposed a hike in electricity charges via Fuel and Power Purchase Cost Adjustment (FPPCA) | P4 LAC situation in Ladakh not normal: Army chief M AYAN K SIN G H @ New Delhi THE situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh is stable, but not normal and remains sensitive, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi said on Tuesday Though a ‘positive signal. ling’ is coming out from the diplomatic talks between the two sides on resolution of the row, the execution of any plan depends on the military commanders on the ground, Gen Dwivedi said. He was speaking at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue event here. India and China held two rounds of diplomatic talks in July and August to find an early resolution of outstanding issues in their standoff on the LAC in eastern Ladakh. “But when it comes to the execution on ground, when it relates to ground per se, it is dependent on the military commanders on both sides to take those decisions,” Gen Dwivedi said at the event or- General Upendra Dwivedi speaking at Chanakya Defence Dialogue | pti ganised by the Army in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies, a Delhi-based think tank. “We want the situation that existed pre-April 2020 restored. Till the time that situation is not restored, as far as we are concerned, the situation remains sensitive and we are fully operationally prepared,” he added. Gen Dwivedi also said,“I have been saying that with China, you have to compete, you have to cooperate, you have to coexist, you have to confront and contest.” Express read New liquor policy in State from October 12 Vijayawada: The State government on Tuesday notified the new liquor policy, allowing private retailers to sell spirits on the lines of Haryana and others with the State expecting to rake in a revenue of `5,500 crore. The new policy will come into effect from October 12, 2024, according to a GO issued on Monday | P4 MHA releases `1,036 crore for flood-hit AP Vijayawada: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released `1,036 crore to the State on Tuesday, as part of central share from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and an advance from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). The allocation is part of disbursement of `5,858.60 crore to 14 flood-hit States | P4