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 ■ ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM  THURSDAY  MARCH 20, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 12  CITY EDITION 286 DAYS JOY ALL AROUND AS SUNITA’S BACK HOME D I L I P S I N G H K S H AT R I YA @ Ahmedabad NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stranded on the International Space Station for nine months after their spacecraft developed serious technical glitches, finally returned to Earth in the wee hours on Wednesday . The SpaceX Crew Dragon spaceship carrying the two made a successful splashdown off the Florida coast on Tuesday at 5:57 pm (local time). Williams (59), an IndianAmerican with roots in Gujarat, and Wilmore (62) had set off for the ISS onboard a Boeing Starliner on June 5, 2024 for an eight-day mission. However, the spacecraft encountered technical problems, compromising its ability to bring the astronauts back safely . As the news of their safe retur n spread, celebrations erupted in Williams’ ancestral village Jhulasan in Gujarat’s Mehsana district. Residents gathered at the village temple on Wednesday morning to watch the live broadcast. The moment the SpaceX capsule splashed down off the Florida coast, the villagers burst crackers, danced, and chanted Har Har Mahadeva in sheer joy An . Punjab Police evict protesting farmers Leaders Dallewal and Pandher detained in Mohali; cops clear Khanauri & Shambhu, raze stages, pull down tents Protest began on Feb 13, ’24 The protesting farmers had been camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 last year when their march to Delhi was thwarted by security forces Important for growth: AAP govt Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the step was necessitated for the economic growth of the state. ``It is important that we fight against unemployment too,’’ he added Oppn raps police action Union minister of state for railways Ravneet Bittu condemned the crackdown. Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi said the AAP govt succumbed to pressure from the Centre and took action against the farmers H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh IN a dramatic operation, the Punjab Police on Wednesday evicted all protesting farmers from the Shambhu and Khanauri border with Haryana shortly after detaining their leadership in Mohali. The drama began in the evening when Kisan Mazdoor Morcha and Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non Political) leaders Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal entered Mohali enroute to Khanauri following another inconclusive round of talks with the Centre at Chandigarh. The Punjab Police detained them when they reached the Jagatpura area of Mohali. Dallewal has been on a hunger strike since November last year. Dallewal was taken into custody while inside his ambulance, while others were detained along with their vehicles after some resistance. Pandher was detained at the Zirakpur barrier as he attempted to flee. Fourteen farmer leaders and others accompanying the two were also detained. Pandher has been taken to the Bahadurgarh Fort Commando Police Training Centre in Patiala. It has been transformed into a makeshift detention centre, as a majority of farmer leaders and protesting farm women, except Dallewal, are being lodged there. After detaining the leaders, the police force led by senior officers reached both border points and evicted the farmers there. They were first request- ed to clear the area and sit in vehicles arranged by the police. At Khanauri, a little force was used for eviction. Then, JCBs were deployed to pull down the makeshift stage and other structures, including tents. The tractor-trolleys parked by farmers were taken away The clear. ing operation is expected to last through the night. Around 300 farmers were detained at Khanauri and Shambhu during the operations. Internet service was suspended in many areas around the Shambhu border amid heavy police deployment in the nearby villages. The decision to take action was reportedly made on Tuesday night, following a meeting between top AAP functionaries and industrialists. The industrialists said that they were incurring significant cost mark-ups because of the protests. Deputy Inspector of Police (Patiala Range) Mandeep Singh Sidhu, who was at the Khanauri border and Senior Superintendent of Police of Patiala, Nanak Singh, who was at Shambhu, said that the farmers were requested to cooperate in clearing the roads. “Those who were willing to leave for their native places were sent away The police are . clearing the roads and dismantling the makeshift structures,’’ said Singh. The officers said thet are in touch with their Haryana counterparts to clear the blockades on their side so as to open the roads for unhindered traffic movement. The Punjab Police using a bulldozer to remove a temporary structure put up by farmers at the PunjabHaryana Shambhu border where they were sitting in a protest over various demands, on Wednesday | ANI akhand jyot (eternal flame) had been burning at the village temple since she left for space over nine months ago. Sunita Williams’ cousin Navin Pandya shared that a grand procession is planned in her honour. “We are eagerly waiting for Sunita to visit Jhulasan,” Pandya said, adding that the villagers will extend a war m invitation for her homecoming. EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Vijayawada IN a significant boost to Andhra Pradesh’s industrial landscape, Minister for HRD and IT Nara Lokesh inaugurated the Ashok Leyland Plant at the Mallavalli Model Industrial Park near Vijayawada on Wednesday . “The State’s brand image has been revived with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu back at the helm,” he said, asserting, “While Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Telangana have Chennai, Bangalore, and Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh has Naidu. We are forging ahead under his leadership.” The IT Minister recalled his pledge during his padayatra on August 24, 2023, to bring Ashok Leyland to Mallavalli — a promise now fulfilled. “This is a proud moment for AP,” Lokesh said. “Welcoming Ashok Leyland to our expanding industrial ecosystem Physical challenges NASA astronaut Sunita Williams being helped out of SpaceX Dragon spacecraft after splashing down off the coast of Florida on Wednesday | KEEGAN BARBER/NASA VIA AP/PTI Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will face some physical challenges due to their prolonged spaceflight, including muscle and bone loss. They will need to adjust to the Earth’s gravitational force before walking again AI to reshape healthcare, edu and agriculture sectors of AP E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Vijayawada IN a move aimed at harnessing technology for public welfare, the Andhra Pradesh government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gates Foundation to introduce costeffective and scalable solutions across key sectors such as healthcare, education, medtech, and agriculture. The agreement was signed in New Delhi on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Gates Foundation Chairman Bill Gates. The MoU formalises a strategic collaboration wherein the Gates Foundation will support implementation partners, co-identified with the Andhra Pradesh government, to drive targeted interventions within state-led programmes. The partnership will leverage artificial intelligence (AI) for predictive health analytics and automated diagnostics. In agriculture, it will introduce AI-driven advisory platforms and satellite-based precision farming systems to enhance resource management and boost productivity . Thanking the Gates Foundation for its support, the Chief Minister emphasised CM, RSS try to tamp down Maha tension S U D H I R S U R YA W A N S H I @ New Delhi TWO days after communal riots in Nagpur, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked his party’s ministers to restrain from making unwanted comments that would disturb harmony. Controversial minister Nitesh Rane, too, was asked to tone down his rhetoric, sources said. In Bengaluru, RSS spokesperson Sunil Ambedkar said the Aurangzeb tomb controversy is not relevant today adding , the RSS does not support any kind of violence as it was not good for the society . On Monday 35 police person, nel, including three deputy commissioners of police, and five civilians were injured in communal riots in Nagpur. Opposition leaders have welcomed the stand taken by Fadnavis. “Nitesh Rane has had tacit support from the upper leadership, so he has been making provocative statements. No action was taken against him. It is high time action is taken against such ministers and set an example,” said Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar. BJP MLA Sudhir Mungatiwar said violence was not good for a healthy society adding the , Nagpur violence had been an unfortunate reaction to Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. ‘Ashok Leyland Plant launch marks new era’ A promise fulfilled After inaugurating the plant at the Mallavalli Model Industrial Park, Lokesh recalled his pledge during his padayatra on August 24, 2023, to bring Ashok Leyland to Mallavalli — a promise now fulfilled THE TWO NASA ASTRONAUTS SPENT NINE MONTHS IN SPACE, UNPREPARED strengthens our identity as a rising manufacturing hub. The plant will create jobs, boost skill development, and State’s economic growth.” On the occasion, Lokesh lambasted the previous government for dealing a heavy blow to the industrial sector between 2019 and 2024. He blamed the uncertainty created by reversing key decisions — such as the cancellation of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) — for drivP4 ing industries away . The MoU was signed between the State government and Gates Foundation in the presence Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Bill Gates | EXPRESS his government’s commitment to driving progress through innovation. “Our partnership with the Gates Foundation can be a game-changer in advancing Andhra Pradesh’s development goals,” Chandrababu Naidu said. “By integrating AI-driven governance, human capital development, and technological breakthroughs in healthcare, agriculture, and education, this MoU has the potential to deliver transformative outcomes — not just for Andhra Pradesh but as a scalable model for wider impact,” P4 Naidu asserted. EXPRESS READ YSRCP MLC Marri Rajasekhar resigns to post Guntur: In a jolt to the YSRCP, MLC Marri Rajasekhar resigned from the Legislative Council on Wednesday. He urged the Council Chairman Koyye Moshenu Raju to accept his resignation immediately. Speaking to the media in the Council lobby, Rajasekhar informed that he would announce his decision regarding resigning from the YSRCP after discussing his next course of action with his supporters in Chilakaluripet. Marri Rajasekhar’s resignation comes amid a series of defections from the YSRCP after change of guard in State P4