bengaluru l Monday l February 17, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 18 l late city EDITION European leaders to gather in paris today for summit on Ukraine Emmanuel Macron Volodymyr Zelenskyy Europe jittery as U.S. weighs deal with russia French President Emmanuel Macron will host leaders from key European countries on Monday to discuss the Ukraine war and the continent’s security call for maximum pressure on moscow The summit will focus on the future of European security as the US pursues a deal with Russia to end the war in Ukraine. European leaders fear Donald Trump may agree to Putin’s demands to limit NATO presence in eastern Europe and the US involvement in the continent’s security. Leaders of Britain, Germany, Poland, Italy and Denmark will attend ■ ■ Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed not to respect a truce negotiated by the US and Russia without Ukraine’s input Finland’s president said Europe must rearm Ukraine and put “maximum pressure on Russia” through sanctions and asset freezes in the run-up to negotiations sought by the US $52 bn The size of the European union’s military assistance for ukraine 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 row over handcuffs, turban 3rd aircraft carrying 112 illegal Indians touches down in Amritsar Several deportees aboard the US aircraft who landed on SatTHE third batch of 112 Indians urday night said they were in deported from the United States shackles during the journey aboard a military aircraft land- and that 6 Sikh youths were not ed late on Sunday night at Am- allowed to wear turbans. ritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Dass InDaljit Singh of Kurala Kalan ternational airport. village in Hoshiarpur Among the 112 deporsaid they were handtees, 31 are from Punjab, cuffed and their legs 44 from Haryana, 33 chained during the jourfrom Gujarat, two from ney. “Our legs were Uttar Pradesh and one chained and hands each from Himachal cuffed throughout the Pradesh and Uttarajour ney. There were khand. Two women three women and three Akali Dal children on board who from Punjab were slams among the deportees. were not cuffed,” Singh Mann After security clearsaid. The shackles were ance, immigration, and Senior removed before the airbackground checks, efShiromani craft landed in Amritforts were being made Akali Dal sar., he said. Singh had to send the deportees leader Bikram taken the ‘Dunki route’. back to their respective Singh Sourav (20), who reached states. Those from Pun- Majithia said Chandiwala in Punjab’s jab were being taken to Bhagwant Ferozepur district on their homes in vehicles Mann and his Sunday, said, “We were arranged by the state ministers are handcuffed and our legs government. Haryana concerned were chained.” government had sent about Harjit Singh, who two private luxury bus Punjab’s hails from Khanowal to transport its resi- image but are Ghuman village in Gurdents back home. quiet on Sikh daspur district, said he This was the second youths being was kept at a detention deportation flight after deported centre and handcuffed the meeting between without on the flight. Prime Minister Narenturbans Shiromani Gurdwara dra Modi and US PresiParbhandak Committee dent Donald Trump in Wash- (SGPC) member Gurcharan ington DC last week. Singh condemned the treatThe deportation of Indians is ment meted out to Sikh youths, part of an ongoing crackdown and said it would take the matby US authorities against ille- ter of sending Sikhs without gal immigration. turbans with US officials.  P10 Confusion over trains led to stampede Police: 2 trains with identical names on different platforms led to confusion among passengers before the tragedy H a r p r eet b a j w a @ Chandigarh LoC firing India, Pak exchange fire in J-K’s Poonch A brief exchange of fire took place about 11 am on Sunday whem Pakistani troops fired on an Indian post. The fire was retaliated appropriately by the Indian Army, an official said Measures to ease Kumbh travel Railway ministry said all special trains to Prayagraj will be run only from platform No 16. “So, passengers shall come and go from the Ajmeri Gate side of the New Delhi railway station,” the ministry said Personal belongings of passengers caught in Saturday’s stampede lie scattered on a stairway leading to platforms 14 and 15 | x RA J E SH K U M AR T HA K UR a n d SH E K HAR SI N G H @ New Delhi Miscommunication, inefficient crowd control measures, confusion over train names are among the major factors that led to the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night, which killed at least 18 people, 14 of them women, and injured another 15 passengers. Over 2,500 passengers booked tickets at New Delhi on Saturday within a span of just one hour, which could also have resulted in overcrowding. “As 2,600 more tickets were booked within an hour at New Delhi, and there was a surge in crowd numbers for Prayagraj, a special train was announced from Platform 12,” the rail ministry said. While the ministry said there was no platform change or cancellation of any special trains, vendors and porters at the railway station claimed an announcement was made about platform change. Following this, they said, passengers waiting at Platform 14 US cancels IPL to begin on March 22 The latest edition of the Indian Premier League will begin at the Eden $21 mn grant Gardens in Kolkata, the venue of the defending champions. The 74-match, meant for voter two-month long competition will also conclude at the same venue on May 25. Kolkata Hyderabad and Kolkata venues turnout in India to face for knockouts and finals Bengaluru E x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ New Delhi The newly-created US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) headed by billionaire Elon Musk said it has cancelled the previous administration’s $21 million funding to support efforts to increase voter turnout in India. The funding was part of a larger $486 million allocation to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening. “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all which have been cancelled,” it said, giving a list of funding commitments that stand cancelled. The list also includes $29 million to ‘strengthen political landscape’ in Bangladesh and $20 million for ‘fiscal federalism’ in Nepal. Reacting to the announcement, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said it is proof of external interference in India’s electoral process. “$21M for voter turnout? This definitely is external interference in India’s electoral process. Who gains from this? Not the ruling party for sure!,” Amit Malviya, BJP’s national spokesperson, said. DOGE was created by President Donald Trump to reduce government spending. in opener The defending champions, as is customary, will kick-start the league with the opener against Bengaluru on March 22. Both sides will have new captains Hyderabad, 2024’s losing finalists, will host the first qualifier and the eliminator on May 20 and May 21 before the caravan moves to the home of the current champions for the league’s closing stages on May 23 and 25 Group 1 Group 2 Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, Punjab Kings Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants Key dates May 20: Qualifier 1 | May 21: Eliminator | May 23: Qualifier 2 | May 25: Final Man held for cheating KAS officer with fake CM’s letter E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Bengaluru A 46-year-old man was arrested for faking a chief minister’s office letter and forging Siddaramaiah’s signature to cheat a Kar nataka Administrative Service (KAS) officer, who is posted as an assistant commissioner (AC) in the city and wanted a transfer. The accused, Raghavendra, is a resident of Cantonment and hails from Haveri. He earlier worked as a staff member for the private personal assistant of an MLA. He was arrested recently after the Secretary of the Vidhana Soudha filed a complaint against the use of a fake CM’s office letter and signature. The KAS officer met Raghav- endra for the transfer as the latter claimed to have connections with government officials and politicians. Raghavendra assured him of a recommendation letter for the posting and demanded a few lakhs. The officer allegedly paid the money after , which Raghavendra gave him a fake letter with the forged signature of the chief minister. When the AC sent the letter to an official through Whatsapp, it was found to be fake, the police said. The police learnt during questioning that he had cheated many people in the past, but this was the first complaint filed against him. The police, however, did not disclose the exact amount paid by the KAS officer. Raghavendra was booked for cheating and forgery . rushed towards Platform 16, resulting in the stampede. The Delhi Police, which conducted the initial probe, said two trains with identical names— both bound for Prayagraj—led to chaos among thousands of Maha Kumbh devotees. According to senior police officers, an Rly forms high-level probe into tragedy Railway ministry has set up an inquiry into the stampede. The probe panel comprises Pankaj Gangwar, Principal Chief Security Commissioner, and Nar Singh, Principal Chief Commercial Manager, Northern Railway announcement for the arrival of the Prayagraj Special at Platfor m 16 created confusion among passengers waiting for the Prayagraj Express at Platform 14. In the rush to board what they assumed was their train, a large section of the crowd ran towards Platform 16, triggering a deadly crush. “There were already four trains scheduled to depart for Prayagraj that night, and three of them were delayed. This caused extreme overcrowding. The announcement further fueled panic, as many passengers believed they had missed their original train and rushed in the wrong direction,” said a senior police officer. The government announced a `10 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased, `2.5 lakh for those seriously injured, and `1 lakh for those with minor injuries. Despite the stampede, the New Delhi station remained overcrowded on Sunday, with platforms flooded with thousands of passengers trying to board trains to Prayagraj and other destinations. In the wake of the tragedy there was heavy police , presence at the station. The footover-bridge and other connecting areas between Platforms 14 and 15 were manned by RPF officers to ensure safe movement of passengers.  P9 Security beefed up at rly stations Security has been beefed up at key railway stations including Prayagraj, Varanasi, Ayodhya, Kanpur, Lucknow and Mirzapur following the Delhi stampede, officials said Sack the minister: Congress Opposition parties alleged the stampede was due to poor management by the authorities. Targeting the railway minister, the Congress urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack him Unsettling calm at ground zero hours after deadly rush RA J E SH K U M AR T HA K UR @ New Delhi SUNDAY morning brought an eerie calm to New Delhi railway station, where just hours earlier a chaotic stampede had claimed 18 lives and left countless others shaken. Although there was no significant crowd until about 9.30 am on Sunday, the aftermath of the stampede was evident. Toys, infant milk bottles and medicines were among items strewn across the platforms. “It was total confusion,” said a vendor at the station. “When a special train to Prayagraj was announced from platform 16, passengers rushed towards it. That’s when the stampede occurred”, said a coolie. The chaos that resulted between platforms 14 and 15, and on the foot-over bridges left scores of passengers crushed. Scattered slippers, I saw women fall torn bags, and abandoned be- to the ground, longings lay scattered across only to be the staircase, the bridge, and trampled over. platforms 14 and 15 — silent People didn’t even realize they witnesses to the tragedy “I’ve were stepping on . been a vendor here for the others who were last 15 years, but I’ve never still alive seen such a heart-wrenching scene,” said Chetan, a local Dharamji Mandal, Bookstall owner vendor. Mohan, a cleaning staff at the station, described it as “one of the worst” tragedies he had witnessed in the past 10 years. “There were personal belongings everywhere. People had no time to gather their things; they just ran for their lives,” he said, with tears in his eyes. On Sunday a majority of passengers return, ing from Prayagraj alighted at platforms number 14 and 15, which were unusually clean. Some inquired about the casualties, before disappearing into the crowd towards the exit. Reena Devi, 55, from Sarita Vihar, and her husband Dinkar, 59, said they had not encountered problems at the confluence of the rivers in Prayagraj, but did face a lot of difficulty aboard the train to Delhi due to overcrowding. express read Kuruburu Shanthakumar airlifted to B’luru, now in Manipal hospital BJP to decide Delhi CM today, oath-taking likely on Feb 18 ATS flags B’deshi terrorists entering J’khand for training Bengaluru: Farmer leader Kuruburu Shanthakumar, who was seriously injured in a road accident near Patiala in Punjab, was airlifted to Bengaluru on Sunday. He has been admitted to Manipal Hospital, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s office confirmed. Shanthakumar, who suffered a severe spinal injury, had been receiving treatment at a hospital in Patiala since the accident three days ago | P3 New Delhi: Following a historic triumph in the Delhi Assembly elections, the BJP is all set to hold a crucial meeting on Monday at the party headquarters in Delhi to choose the next CM. Sources said the BJP is likely to choose a leader from its winning MLAs to avoid the need for byelections and an oathtaking ceremony will be held on February 18. Party officials have confirmed that 14 names have been sent to the central leadership. Ranchi: In a shocking input received by Jharkhand Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), some terrorists entered the state from Bangladesh and returned after providing training to some people in Pakur as part of a conspiracy. Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) terrorist Abdul Mammun reportedly crossed the border from Bangladesh and reached Pakur on January 6, where he trained 15 members of JAHA-India.” | P10 wonder woman Gowri brings Ganga to earth, in her backyard Subhash Chandra NS @ Sirsi (Uttara Kannada) Unable to afford a trip to Prayagraj for the Mahakumbh Mela, 57-year-old Gowri has done something unique. She has dug a 40-foot-deep well in her backyard, bringing “Ganga” to earth. She has done it all by herself, and this is not her first time. In mid-2024, she dug a well to quench the thirst of Anganwadi children and staff amid opposition from the district administration. “One has to be lucky to go to Mahakumbh. I cannot afford it (Gowri owns a small patch of agriculture land which helps earn her livelihood). I decided to dig a well here and bring Ganga,” she told The New Indian Express. She has now dug 40 feet deep and is happy that there is sufficient water in the well. “I am planning to take a dip on Maha Shivaratri day later this month,” she said. Gowri had heard of the Mahakumbh Mela in December, but realised that she did not have enough money to travel to Prayagraj. That was when she decided to dig the well and started immediately on December 15. According to her relatives and neighbours, she worked for nearly 6-8 hours a day — digging and dumping the soil. She completed the well on February 15, exactly two months after she started her effort. Digging a well without the help of anybody is not new to Gowri. With this, she has dug four wells all by herself -- one in her field for cultivation, another to quench the thirst of the people of her village and the third one at the Ganesh Nagar Anganwadi School in Sirsi in mid-2024. The Anganwadi well was strongly objected to by the district administration after the media reported about her task. The then deputy commissioner ordered the digging to stop at once. District in-charge minister Mankal Vaidya first honoured her, but later asked her to stop it. But Gowri completed the well after she was supported by then Uttara Kannada Member of Parliament Ananth Kumar Hegde. He ensured that she completed the well. She had then dug a 45-ft-deep well and it is still in use. In case of the new well, which she has again dug all alone, Gowri expressed her happiness that she found water in the well. One has to be lucky to go to Mahakumbh. I cannot afford it. I decided to dig a well here and bring Ganga. I am planning to take a dip on Maha Shivaratri day later this month Gowri of Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district Gowri works on her 40-foot-deep well in Sirsi, Uttara Kannada | express