KOCHI l Wednesday l February 26, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 18 l LATE city EDITION Breakthrough elusive amid Heavy flow of water, silt into tunnel Despite relentless efforts by Army, Navy, NDRF, and GSI, rescue workers could not reach those trapped inside the collapsed Srisailam tunnel ‘Tunnel collapsed due to tectonic shift’ Experts looking at alternative ways Terming it one of the world’s most complex rescue operations, Telangana’s irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Tuesday that there is only one entry or exit to the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel, which is now partially collapsed. He said the collapse might have taken place due to a slight tectonic shift and as some geological fault lines have given way ■ ■ The minister said experts from 11 agencies including the Army, Navy, NDRF, SDRF, GSI, besides rat miners were working round the clock to save the eight workers trapped inside since Saturday morning Experts are now assessing the feasibility of drilling from the top and side of the tunnel — though vertical drilling is a very risky operation 40 metres Of heavy debris, silt & water separate rescue workers and the trapped men 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 L2K cr loss Kejri didn’t want you to know about CAG report found hole in the exchequer due to excise policy revamp A n u p Ver m a @ New Delhi A report of the national auditor the Kejriwal government failed to table in the Delhi assembly faulted it for a cumula, tive loss of `2,002.68 crore to the exchequer between November 2021 when the new excise policy was rolled out and September 2022, when it was scrapped. This newspaper was the first to report the Delhi excise policy scam. The report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) that was finally tabled in the House on Tuesday, said the AAP government lost `1,890 crore because of its failure to re-tender surrendered licenses. Losses under various other heads included revenue slip of `941.53 crore since retail shops were not opened in nonconforming wards; `144 crore hole due to fee waiver to zonal licencees citing Covid-19 despite the excise department’s advice to the contrary; and `27 crore loss due to the failure to collect proper security deposits from zonal licencees. The report established that the failure to enforce Rule 35 of Enabling monopolies in the city AAP’s policy forced manufacturers to tie up with a few wholesalers, allowing them to dominate the supply chain. 3 wholesalers (Indospirit, Mahadev Liquors, Brindco) controlled over 71% of supply. So, prices could be artificially inflated Transparency missing in pricing The Excise Department allowed L1 licencees to set their own ex-distillery price for high-priced liquor, leading to price manipulation brands Supplied by just three wholesalers. It gave them power to decide which brands to push The CAG report will be referred to the Public Accounts Committee of the House for further examination —Vijender Gupta, Assembly Speaker the Delhi Excise Rules, 2010, resulted in the grant of licences to wholesalers having interests in manufacturing and wholesalers having relationships with retailers. It polluted the entire liquor supply chain with common beneficial ownership across licensees in manufacturing, wholesale and retail. The report pointed out that the wholesaler margin was hiked from 5% to 12%, claiming it was necessary to compensate them for setting up a qual- leaders booked Despite HC warning, CPM blocks road again E x pre s s N e w s Ser v i c e @ Kannur Defying High Court observations, the CPM has once again blocked the road and disrupted traffic as part of an agitation in Kannur on Tuesday The police . have registered a case against CPM district secretary M V Jayarajan, MLA K V Sumesh and several others after the party cadre placed chairs and erected a shamiana, obstructing traffic at Yogasala Road in the morning. The CPM district committee organised the blockade in front of the Kannur Head Post Office to protest the central government’s alleged disregard for Kerala in the Union budget. The High Court had earlier initiated contempt of court proceedings against various political parties for blocking public pathways. CPM state secretary M V Govindan recently appeared in person before the High Court in a case related to the blocking of a road in Thiruvananthapuram after a stage was set on the road for a party event. Defending the act, Jayarajan said in his speech that there are 192 The agitation organised by CPM by blocking the road in Kannur on Tuesday other alternatives for the public to travel but there is only one head post office in the district for the party to stage a protest against the Centre. “Police have issued a notice. I received and kept it in my pocket because I have democratic sense,” he said. “Traffic block will be there when thousands of people participate in an agitation. Traffic diversion is the way out in such circumstances. But some interpret it as the violation of fundamental rights,” Jayara● More on P4 jan said.  ity checking system through government-approved labs at warehouses. However, no such labs were set up. So, profit margin of wholesalers shot up, while revenue tanked. The AAP government awarded retail liquor licences without proper checks on solvency , financial statements, and criminal records. Running a liquor zone required an initial investment of over `100 crore, yet no qualifying financial criteria was set, it said. Killing spree motive remains a mystery How it happened E x pre s s N e w s Ser v i c e @T’Puram While initial speculation points to financial disputes and anger over being denied money as possible triggers, the police probing the brutal killing spree by a youth at Perumala in Venjaramoodu, say they are yet to ascertain the exact motive behind the crime. Afan, 23, bludgeoned five people, including four family members and his girlfriend, to death with a hammer on Monday and surrendered at the police station. His mother, who was also attacked and injured, remains at the hospital. Afan, who reportedly consumed rat poison after the crime, is undergoing treatment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital. Rural SP K S Sudarsan said since the accused is under medical care, his statements are unreliable. According to doctors, he will have to remain in hospital for at least two more days. The police have subjected Afan to various tests and are awaiting results to ascertain whether he was intoxicated when he committed the murders. South Zone Inspector General Shyam Sundar confirmed that forensic examinations are under way and that the investigation could reach a conclusion within two days. Police suspect that the mur- Afan told cops that he first attacked his mother Shemi with a hammer when she refused to give him money. Believing she had died, he left the house, and took her mobile phone with him  Around 12.30pm, Afan went to grandmother Salma Beevi’s house in Pangode and hit her with the hammer when she refused to hand over her gold ornaments. He took her foursovereign gold chain and pawned it at a local finance firm. Smitha, the class teacher of Afsan, who was murdered by his brother Afan, weeps on seeing his body when it was brought near his home at Perumala Junction near Venjaramoodu in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday | B P Deepu ders were premeditated, given how Afan managed to kill five people in six hours. According to police sources, Afan told the cops that he argued with his mother, Shemi, a cancer patient, on Monday morning demanding money. When she refused, he tried to strangle her with a shawl but failed. He then struck her on the head with a hammer, knocking her out. Believing she was dead, he locked the house, took her phone and left for his grandmother’s home in Afan mentioned financial issues. He claimed he killed Farsana because ‘everyone was dying anyway’. However, no definitive conclusion on the motive can be drawn yet — K S Sudarsan, Rural SP Rahul summons state cong leaders for talks to ease Tharoor row Upcoming polls, infighting on agenda P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi AMID the row over Congress leader Shashi Tharoor’s opinion piece in TNIE hailing the development initiatives of the CPM-led government in Kerala, the Congress’ central leadership summoned senior leaders from the state for consultation. According to sources, as many as 27 leaders—including Tharoor—have been called for the meeting, which will likely discuss ways to douse the infighting ahead of the crucial local body and assembly elections in the state. The meeting, scheduled to take place on Friday, will be A senior Congress leader said the Friday meeting will focus on the party’s preparations for the local body elections. Another leader said the leadership may also discuss the factional feud chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leader Rahul Gandhi at Indira Bhawan, the new headquarters of All India Congress Committee in New Delhi. Congress Working Committee members from the state Kodikunnil Suresh, Ramesh Chennithala, KPCC president K Sudhakaran, and Opposi- tion leader V D Satheesan will attend the meeting. Senior leaders Mullappally Ramachandran, UDF convenor M M Hassan, and V M Sudheeran will also attend the meeting. It is not clear if Tharoor will attend the meeting. Sources said the confirmation of his attendance will be known only on Thursday. If he at- E X P R E SS R E A D In a first, IMD’s heatwave warning for Kerala in Feb T’Puram: In an unprecedented development, the IMD issued a heatwave alert for Kerala for the first time in February on Tuesday. It has sounded a heatwave warning for Kannur and Kasaragod districts, while also predicting 2-4 degrees Celsius above normal temperatures in the state on Wednesday | P7 CBI raids in multiple cities in crypto scam New Delhi: The CBI has been conducting extensive raids at over 60 locations linked to key accused individuals, their associates and entities suspected of laundering the proceeds of crime across the country as part of its investigation into the GainBitcoin crypto currency scam case, officials said on Tuesday | P9 first of its kind Coming up, research centre on addictive behaviours K a v ita B a j e l i - D att @ New Delhi Concerned with the excessive and problematic use of technology the Indian Council of Medical , Research (ICMR) has approved the setting up of a Centre for Advanced Research on Addictive Behaviours (CAR-AB). The first of its kind centre in the country has been mandated to develop evidence-based intervention targeted at excessive and problematic use of technology, especially among the children and the youth. “The centre shall address various addictive behaviours in a comprehensive manner. The interventions shall be aimed at prevention, screening, early detection and intervention for internet and tech- Pangode, the sources said. CCTV footage shows Afan heading towards his grandmother’s house on a two-wheeler at 12.30pm. Salma Beevi, 95, his paternal grandmother, had been living alone in the house. Afan told the cops that he attacked her with the hammer in the kitchen when she refused to hand over her gold ornaments. He snatched a four-sovereign gold chain that she was wearing and pawned it at a local finance firm, said a source.  ● More on P4 nology related addictions among children and youth,” according to Prof Yatan Pal Singh Balhara, faculty in-charge of the Behavioral Addictions Clinic (BAC) at AIIMS, New Delhi, who is the lead on this project. The centre will also be tasked to develop resources for education and health sector workers to strengthen their capacity on prevention and management of these problems. The interventions shall also help reduce the stress, depression, anxiety addiction associated , with use of the internet and technology . “Also, the centre aims to develop AI-based predictive models to detect vulnerability to excessive and problematic use of technology among the youth,” Prof Balhara said. “Excessive and problematic use of technology has been recognised as a major public health problem. The Economic Survey of India (2024-25) has linked increase in mental health issues in children and adolescents to overuse of the internet and highlighted the ur- gent need for school and familylevel interventions to keep children and adolescents away from the internet to improve their mental well-being,” he added. The centre will partner with school and college students, parents, teachers, faculty from Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and other medical colleges to create a national network targeted at addressing the internet and technology related addictions. The Economic Survey had said that “Social media, screen time, sedentary habits, and unhealthy food are a lethal mix that can undermine public health and productivity.” It raised concerns about the impact of social media on the mental health of the youth. tends, it will be Tharoor’s second meeting with the central leadership after his TNIE column sparked a controversy. Last week, Rahul Gandhi had called for a one-on-one meeting with the Thiruvananthapuram MP, though Tharoor did not divulge what transpired in the meeting. Tharoor’s close associates said he had conveyed his unhappiness over being sidelined in the party at national level and state level. Early this week, Tharoor further ruffled Kerala leaders’ feathers by saying there is a leadership vacuum in state and his projection as Congress’ face ahead of 2026 assembly polls. Assuming his uncle had found out about the murders, Afan rushed to Abdul Latheef’s house in SN Puram, and killed him and his wife Sajitha Beevi around 3 pm After his brother Afsan returned from school, Afan sent him to a restaurant. He then picked up Farsana, 22, his girlfriend, and returned home with Afsan. There, he killed both of them What police say  Rural SP K S Sudarsan said the hammer that Afan used for the murders was the only weapon involved and that the police have located the shop from where it was purchased.  He said since Afan is under medical care, his statements are unreliable 1984 riots case Sajjan Kumar gets life term E x pre s s N e w s Ser v i c e @ New Delhi A Delhi court on Tuesday sentenced former Congress leader Sajjan Kumar to life imprisonment for orchestrating the killings of a father-son duo during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. While delivering the verdict, special judge Kaveri Baweja of Rouse Avenue Court underscored the brutality of the crime but stopped short of awarding the death penalty, citing Kumar’s age and health conditions. 18 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express