china PoK Awantipura afghanistan Rawalpindi Chakwal Gujranwala THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l friday l may 09, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Interception The Air Force used the Russian-made S-400 missile defence system to obliterate Pakistan’s escalation bid Long-range surveillance radar 400 km 40N6E missile[3] 240 km 200 km 150 km 48N6DM(E3) missile 48N6M(E2) missile 48N6(E) missile Command vehicle 120 km 9M96M(E2) Sindh Karachi 40 km 9M96 missile Engagement radar Launch vehicle Lahore Ludhiana Jaisalmer Phalodi Bikaner Jodhpur Uttarlai Barmer Umerkot’s Chhor Operational range Pathankot Amritsar Bhatinda PA K I S TA N How S-400s neutralised the enemy Srinagar Jammu Attock Engagement radar helps guide missiles towards target Kapurthala Bhuj Map not to scale @ Srinagar/ Chandigarh/New Delhi Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated on Thursday evening after Pakistani drone attacks were reported across parts of Jammu, Punjab and Rajasthan. The Indian air defence system responded swiftly, intercepting multiple drones, triggering air raid sirens and enforcing blackouts in border towns. India’s armed forces followed the principle of proportionate response and negated Pakistan’s bid to escalate the conflict. Intense Pakistan shelling from across the border drew a similar response from India. As the tension ratcheted up in the e ve n i n g , U S s e c re t a r y of state Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and called for “immediate de-escalation”. He offered “support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications,” US state department said. Jaishankar said India “will firmly counter any attempts at escalation”. The chain of events began with Pakistan launching missiles and kamikaze drones targeting the Jammu airport, which also houses the Indian Air Force station, and the civilian areas around it. All missiles and drones were neutralised. Soon after, explosions were reported in Punjab, followed by Pakistani shelling near Pathankot and Kupwara. Moments later, Pakistani drones were seen being intercepted over Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer, with visible explosions and flashes lighting up the sky . The situation quickly escalated as civil administrations across northern India moved into action. Hoshiarpur in Pun- jab declared an immediate blackout after loud explosions were heard. “The blackout will continue till further orders,” said Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain, confirming that it was enforced following instructions from Air Force authorities. Amritsar, Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula, and parts of Barmer in Rajasthan soon followed with similar blackout orders. Debris believed to be from missiles was recovered from Kumahi Devi village near Hoshiarpur’s Talwara, officials said. “Military stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary in J&K were targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by #IndianArmedForces as per SoP with kinetic & nonkinetic means,” the Army said. The Centre attributed the success to the jointness of the armed forces. Besides, eight missiles from Pakistan directed at Satwari, Samba, RS Pura and Arnia were neutralised. Similarly, a bid to attack two ammunition depots in Jalandhar, drone attacks at the Pathankot airbase and the Shahpur Kandi dam were thwarted in Punjab. Earlier in the day, India had targeted Pakistani air defence systems, including one in Lahore, in response to overnight drone and missile attacks launched by Pakistan. These strikes came just a day after India carried out Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructures in Pakistan, following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 civilians. In Gujarat’s Kachchh, border villages plunged into darkness following blackouts. Security agencies remained on high alert, and civil defence protocols were rolled out across states bordering Pakistan. PM meets top officials, calls for emergency preparedness RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting with top officials from various ministries to review national preparedness and inter-ministerial coordination in light of the escalating conflict with Pakistan. According to sources, several key issues were discussed in the meeting, including strengthening of civil defence, combating misinformation and fake news, and securing critical infrastructure. Gates of two dams opened Himachal IPL match called off The gates of two dams in J&K – Salal hydro project in Reasi and Baglihar hydro project in Ramban – were opened on Thursday allowing flow of Chenab water to Pak. Chenab was among the rivers Pak got as part of the Indus Waters Treaty | P8 The IPL match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals at Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday was called off midway following a blackout as Pakistani shelling escalated. The stadium was soon evacuated The Cabinet secretary senior , officials from the prime minister’s office, and secretaries from key ministries including defence, home affairs, external affairs, information & broadcasting, power, health, and telecommunications attended the meeting, sources said. The secretaries were directed to conduct a comprehensive review the operations of their respective ministries and to ensure the fool-proof functioning of essential systems, with particular emphasis on readiness, emergency response, and internal communication protocols. @Malappuram A 42-year-old woman from Malappuram has tested positive for Nipah, triggering concerns across the state. Health officials are on alert following the development, which comes nearly a year after the death of a 14-yearold boy from the same district. Officials from the health department said the native of Valanchery is in extremely critical condition and is undergoing intensive treatment at a private hospital in Perinthalmanna. This is the third consecutive year since 2023 that Nipah has been reported in Kerala. After the first-ever outbreak in 2018 in Kozhikode, the infection was reported in Kochi in 2019, in Kozhikode in 2021 and 2023, and in Malappuram in 2024. A total of 21 Nipah-related deaths have been recorded in the state so far. The officials said the woman had been under treatment for four days for high fever, persistent cough and acute breathing difficulty. Suspecting Nipah, the medical staff collected her samples, which were first tested at the Kozhikode Microbiology Lab and then sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV) in Pune, which confirmed the infection. Soon after the confirmation, the health department initiated an immediate response. Health Minister Veena George, who led a highlevel emergency meeting attended by the district collector and senior health department officials at the Malappuram collectorate on Thursday, told reporters that monoclonal antibody treatment has been initiated. She also said the area along 3-km radius in Ward 2 of Valanchery municipality will be declared a containment zone to prevent community trans● More on P4 mission.  THREAT NEUTRALISED Army said military stations of Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur in proximity to the International Boundary, in Jammu & Kashmir targeted by Pakistan using missiles and drones. No losses. Threat neutralised by #IndianArmedForces as per SoP with kinetic & non-kinetic means Terrorists killed by Indian strikes being given state funeral in Pakistan M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi Abdul Rauf Azhar, Jaish-eMohammed founder Maulana Masood Azhar’s brother and the terror outfit’s operational head, was killed in India’s airstrikes under Operation Sindoor, officials said on Thursday . The slain terrorist was considered the mastermind of the IC-814 hijacking in 1999 and involved in the 2001 Parliament attack. Terming it major victory, officials said he was killed in the Indian strikes on the Bahawalpur terror hideout early on Wednesday . Masood Azhar acknowledged that 10 members of his family and four of his close associates were killed in India’s precision air strikes on JeM’s headquarters in Bahawalpur. Those killed included Masood Azhar’s sister and brother-in-law. “Now we have confirmation from our sources in Pakistan that Rauf was killed along with 10 of Masood’s family members and four close associates,” a senior intelligence official said. “Rauf Azhar’s role in orchestrating the IC-814 hijacking directly facilitated the release of Omar Saeed Sheikh, a key Al-Qaeda operative who went on to kidnap and murder Daniel Pearl, an American-Jewish journalist working with the Wall Street Journal,” the official added. ABHRA is a joint development between India’s DRDO and Israel Aerospace Industries. It’s a state-of-the-art air defence weapon system, range 70 km, designed to neutralise aerial threats and drones. It is powered by a dual-pulse solid propulsion system AKASH: Mobile surface-to-air missile The Akash missile system can engage targets up to a range of 25 km. It is a short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) designed to protect from air attacks. The Akash system has been showcased for its ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously at this range SPYDER air defence system: A workhorse This air defence system includes the Elta EL/M-2106 ATAR radar, which can control missile firing units up to 10 km. It also includes Python-5 infrared missiles of range up to 12 km and Derby radar-guided missiles up to 50 km IGLA-S: Russian portable air defence A Man-Portable Air Defence System that can hit low-flying aircraft, helicopters, drones, cruise missiles, and UAVs within a 6 km range Rubio calls for immediate de-escalation j aya nth j a c o b @ New Delhi AS tensions flare between India and Pakistan, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday called for immediate deescalation during a phone conversation with Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. He also spoke to his counterpart in Pakistan. “The Secretary emphasised the need for immediate de-escalation. He expressed US support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications,” said a statement. Nipah returns, woman from Malappuram +ve E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e Pakistan sites hit by India ABHRA Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile ‘IC-814 hijacking mastermind Rauf Azhar killed’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi meeting secretaries of various ministries | PTI Indian sites hit by Pakistan India’s Air Defence SYSTEM PAKistan DRONE BLITZ F aya z W a ni , H a r p reet B a j w a , M aya nk S in g h ■ Jalandhar INDIA REPELS Swarms of drones and missiles targeting Jammu airport neutralised; bid to bomb parts of Rajasthan, Punjab and J&K blocked; Indian follows principle of proportionate response 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 ■ Rubio also offered condolences for the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed. “The Secretary reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism.” Responding to the outreach, Jaishankar conveyed India’s firm but restrained approach. “Deeply appreciate US commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism. Un- Will respond with firm hand, India tells Saudi Arabia, Iran External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday said that India will respond with a “very, very firm” hand to any military aggression from Pakistan, even as he emphasised New Delhi’s intent to avoid escalation. His remarks came amid diplomatic engagements with Iranian and Saudi ministers derlined India’s targeted and measured response to crossborder terrorism. Will firmly counter any attempts at escalation,” he said on X. The diplomatic exchange comes amid a sharp military build-up in the region, following India’s Operation Sindoor— a series of precision strikes on terror infrastructure inside Pakistan. In retaliation, Pakistan attempted drone and missile attacks, which were intercepted by Indian air defences. With both countries on high alert, Washington has urged direct communication to avoid further escalation. ‘Sunny days’ for Congress in Kerala; Adoor Prakash new UDF convener K S S R E E J I T H @ T’Puram 1 st AMerican POpe Cardinal Robert Prevost waves from the balcony of the St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican after he was chosen the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday. He has taken the name Pope Leo XIV. In his first words as Pope Francis’ successor, uttered from the loggia of St Peter’s Basilica, the 69-year-old member of the Augustinian religious order said, ‘Peace be with you’ | AP | P9 16 pages, including 4 pages of THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Express After much drama, the Congress central leadership has appointed three-time MLA Sunny Joseph as the party’s new state chief. Outgoing president K Sudhakaran, who had openly revolted against his removal, has been accommodated as a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC). The AICC has replaced UDF convener M M Hassan with Attingal MP Adoor Prakash. Three working presidents were also announced. MLAs P C Vishnunadh and A P Anil Kumar and MP Shafi Parambil will re place Kodikkunnil Suresh, T N Prathapan and T Siddique. The name of the new president was announced in the evening through a press release issued by AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal. By noon, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Sunny Joseph New entrants Three-time Peravoor MLA Sunny Joseph is KPCC president MP and outgoing KPCC president K Sudhakaran now permanent invitee to Congress Working Committee Former minister and Attingal MP Adoor Prakash replaces M M Hassan as UDF convener P C Vishnunadh, A P Anil Kumar and Shafi Parambil new working presidents. They replace Kodikunnil Suresh, T N Prathapan and T Siddique Gandhi and Venugopal contacted Sudhakaran and convinced him about the necessity to have a leadership change in the state Congress. The two top leaders reportedly assured Sudhakaran that the party still considers him one of its tallest leaders in the state, and his services will be needed further. The AICC leaders also called Sunny and conveyed the decision to him. He was asked to meet Sudhakaran and hold a joint press briefing. Sunny, a close confidant of Sudhakaran, is the party’s face against arch-rival CPM in Kannur. The Peravoor MLA’s appointment is also seen as a move by the AICC to pacify the veteran leader. The final decision was taken by Rahul and Kharge. Venugopal was not part of the decision-making, according to AICC sources. In the new reshuffle AICC has focused to maintain the communal balance. The backing of Catholic Church also played a decisive role in favour ● More on P4 of Sunny  .