THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l monday l june 02, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Ukraine hits Russian bombers ahead of truce talks in Istanbul A Ukrainian drone attack destroyed over 40 Russian planes on Sunday—a day before the two sides were to meet for talks in Istanbul Top ukrainian commander puts in papers Two Russian air bases bear the brunt The spectacular claim that Ukraine damaged $2 billion worth of Russian aircraft parked at airbases thousands of kilometres away came as Kyiv announced that a Russian counter-military strike killed at least 12 of its soldiers at an army training site, leading to the resignation of its ground forces commander Mykhailo Drapaty, who owed ‘responsibility’ for the hit ■ ■ Russia’s defence ministry in a statement confirmed the attacks from Ukraine. The FPV drones damaged aircraft and sparked fires on air bases in Irkutsk as well as Russia’s northern Murmansk Ukraine’s top army chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia attacked Pokrovsk, Toretsk and Lyman in Donetsk as well as Sumy | P9 472 drones launched by russia on sunday in its counter offensive 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 GST collections stay above K2 lakh cr in May Gross GST revenue up 16.4%; robust mop-up for 2nd month in a row; double-digit growth in several large states DIPAK MONDAL @ New Delhi IF May GST collection—tax collected for April transactions— are anything to go by, India’s economy started the financial year with a bang despite the disruptions caused by US president Donald Trump’s threat of reciprocal tariffs. Gross monthly GST collections in May rose by 16.4% to touch `2.01 lakh crore—only the third time since the indirect tax regime came into force in July 2017. Gross domestic revenue rose by 14% to `1.5 lakh crore, while revenue from imports increased by 25% to `51,000 crore. Net GST revenues (after de- Sheikh Hasina charged with crimes against humanity a g e n c i e s @ Dhaka FUGITIVE former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina orchestrated a “systematic attack” that amounted to crimes against humanity in her attempt to crush the uprising that toppled her government, Bangladeshi prosecutors said at the opening of her trial on Sunday . Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 after Hasina’s gover nment l a u n ch e d i t s crackdown, according to the United Nations. Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter to India as the student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule, and she has defied an extradition order to return to Dhaka. Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is prosecuting former senior figures connected to Hasina’s ousted government and her now-banned party the , Awami League. “Upon scrutinising the evidence, we reached the conclusion that it was a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack,” ICT chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam told the court in his opening speech. “The accused unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising.” Islam lodged five charges each against Hasina and two other officials that included “abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising”. Hasina, who remains in selfimposed exile in India since August 5, 2023, has rejected the charges as politically motivated. ducting refunds from gross collections) showed even better buoyancy as the same increased by 20.4% to `1.74 lakh crore. Total refunds contracted by 4% year-on-year. This is the second month in a row when gross collections witnessed double-digit growth. In April, gross GST collections hit an all-time high of `2.36 lakh crore in April 2025, 12.6% higher than the collection of `2.10 lakh crore in April 2024. This augurs well for the country as FY25 showed GST revenue collections growth slowing down to single digit numbers. “A 16% growth in GST collections in the month shows a renewed upward momentum af- A purportedly thrill-seeking Tanzanian cadet who was undergoing training at the Ezhimala Naval Academy went missing after being swept away by strong currents in the Kochi backwaters on Sunday evening. Navy and fire and rescue teams launched a joint search operation, which was later solely overseen by the former. The incident occurred when 22-year-old Abdul Ibrahim jumped off the Venduruthy Import gains May ’24 May ’25 GST revenue CGST 32,409 35,434 from inward shipments SGST 40,265 43,902 grew 25%, IGST 87,781 1,08,836 showing CESS 12,284 12,879 imports shot up despite Total 1,72,739 2,01,050 tariff (Figures in Ccrore) headwinds IUML fumes at Satheesan’s ‘handling’ of Anvar episode Express News Service @ Malappuram Adding to the woes of the UDF, the front’s second largest party the Indian Union Muslim , League (IUML), expressed strong reservations over Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan’s handling of the P V Anvar episode. The leaders who attended a meeting in Malappuram on Sunday to assess the Nilambur by-election preparations felt that Satheesan should have exercised more restraint and shown maturity in dealing with the issue. Leaders, including K M Shaji, said Satheesan should have remembered that he is the chairman of a front that has been sitting in the Opposition for the past nine years, party sources said. It is learnt that the IUML leaders expressed discontent Anvar throws his hat in Nilambur ring Malappuram: Lashing out at Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan for “striking a deal” with CM Pinarayi Vijayan, TMC state convenor P V Anvar declared his candidature for the Nilambur by-election, scheduled to be held on June 19. P4 over the way Satheesan is treating them. They are also reportedly unhappy with the AICC leadership for failing to intervene in the issue and sort it out amicably . The rank and file of the UDF had hoped that the IUML would somehow broker peace, as has happened several times in the past when the front faced crises. However, Satheesan’s unrelenting stand dented the party’s credibility The IUML may ap. proach the Congress high command if this continues, said Mohan George is BJP candidate Malappuram: After days of suspense and speculation over whether the BJP would contest in Nilambur, the party’s national leadership officially announced advocate Mohan George as the BJP candidate for the upcoming by-election. P4 sources. IUML had supported Satheesan when he insisted that Anvar should express regret over his remark on UDF candidate Aryadan Shoukath as the party felt it was a just demand. But things spiralled, finally leading to Anvar’s press conference on Sunday where he declared his candidature. IUML state general secretary P K Kunhalikutty had intervened several times to devise an amicable solution to the issues, a fact attested by Anvar ● More on P4 himself.  Tamil Nadu by 25% and Kerala by 24%. Bihar (23%) and Delhi (58%) and West Bengal (18%) are few other notable good performers during the month. Gujarat (4%), Telangana (6%) and Andhra Pradesh (-2%) were few of the laggards. According to Deloitte’s Mani, the wide variations in GST collections growth across states require a thorough analysis across the sectors that are important in each state. “The average growth across the country does not appear to be uniformly reflected across states, possibly due to sectoral or seasonal factors which require a deeper data-based analysis,” he argues. Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah addresses an organisational meeting of the BJP at Netaji Indoor Stadium in Kolkata on Sunday | PTI Shah raises CAA, Operation Sindoor in Bengal poll pitch RA J ESH K U MAR THAK U R @ New Delhi E X P R E SS R E AD 1,400 Covid cases in state since May 6 T’Puram: Responding to a rise in Covid cases, private hospitals across the state have reactivated precautionary protocols, setting up dedicated wards and intensive care sections exclusively for Covid patients to prevent crossinfection. Since May 6, the state has reported around 1,400 Covid cases and seven related deaths. On Sunday, the state reported 64 new cases and a death, that of a 24-year-old woman with comorbidities (liver disease). P5 CM to inaugurate Praveshanotsavam Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the state-lvel Praveshanotsavam 2025-26 at Kalavoor Government Higher Secondary School in Alappuzha at 9.50am on Monday. Cultural programmes by the students as part of the function will start at 8.30 am. Minister for General Education V Sivankutty will welcome the children of Class I. P4 Sounding the poll bugle in West Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls, Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused the Mamata Banerjeeled government of opposing Operation Sindoor and the Waqf Amendment Bill to appease the Muslim vote bank. Addressing party leaders and workers in Kolkata, Shah alleged Hindus were being oppressed in the state and forced to flee. The recent riots in Murshidabad were not spontaneous but orchestrated by the state, he claimed, adding that the Mamata-led Trinamool Congress shielded the perpetrators of violence. Shah also alleged that Hindu refugees were getting notices that their names may be removed from the voter list. “There is no need to worry. Simply fill out the CAA applications, and we will ensure that they are granted Indian citizenship,” he said. Raising the Pahalgam terror attack issue, Shah said, “When tourists from Bengal were killed in the attack, Mamata Didi remained silent. But now she is having problems with Operation Sindoor.” Mamata Banerjee had recently accused the Centre of politicising Operation Sindoor for electoral gains. “Operation Sindoor was to punish terrorists. But Didi was pained at the deaths of terrorists and gave a cheap political statement. She made West Bengal a centre for infiltrators, corruption and crimes,” Shah said, adding that the TMC’s days were numbered. Shah said the upcoming elections are not just about Bengal, but about national security, adding: “Didi has left Bengal’s borders open for Bangladeshis. Infiltration is taking place in Bengal with her blessing.” In a counter to Shah’s charges, the TMC said stopping infiltration is the responsibility of the BSF, not state government. “It is the sole responsibility of the BSF to stop cross-border infiltration. The TMC is not responsible for guarding the borders; that is the job of the BSF, which operates under the Union Home Ministry If there are . any issues, those should be resolved by the Centre, not blamed on the state,” said TMC leader and state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. At 11, B’luru’s Charvi making heads turn at Norway Open s w a r o o p s w a m i n at h a n @ Stavanger Perennial misery Floodwaters force residents to move to safety with their livestock in Lakhimpur, Assam, on Sunday | PTI | P8 Tanzanian naval cadet goes missing in Kochi backwaters E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Kochi Gross GST revenue ter a few months of growth in the range of 11 to 12%. If the growth continues in this range for next couple of months, it might provide the cushion for the Government to look at rate rationalisation on which a lot of work has already been done,” says Pratik Jain, partner, Price Waterhouse & Co LLP . Meanwhile, M S Mani, partner, Deloitte India, says a 25% higher GST revenue from imports indicates that imports have accelerated despite recent tariff headwinds. Several large states, including those in the South, have seen high double-digit growth. Collections from Maharashtra rose by 17%, Karnataka by 20%, Bridge at “his own risk” and was caught in the current, a top source with the Navy said. Abdul was on vacation and had travelled to Kochi with friends for sightseeing. The jump was not part of any training activity and he had acted on his own risk, the source said. “Abdul was reportedly scheduled to return to his home country on Monday Tragically . , the incident occurred just a day before his planned depar● More on P4 ture.”  INDIA’s chess conveyor belt shows no signs of slowing down. One of the latest to emerge from the seemingly limitless pool is Charvi A, who has already made the likes of Viswanathan Anand sit up and take notice. The 11-year-old, currently in action at the Norway Open event in the city, is a WFM (Woman Fide Master). Already an age-group world champion, what makes the Bengaluru-based Charvi special is the way she’s laser-focused in her chess. Even in a game where obsessives are dime-a-dozen, it’s unheard of for somebody as young as her Charvi A with her parents to set boundaries. For example, she has already told her parents to not reveal the identity of her coach (she has wo rke d w i t h S w aya m s Mishra and RB Ramesh in the past). Her dedication also lies in her wanting to learn from her mistakes. After every game, she makes it a point to have a debrief with all of her opponents. “It can go on for 30 minutes also,” her mother, Akhila, who left behind her IT job, says. She and her husband Anil Kumar had to rely on YouTube to understand the game and keep pace with their daughter. Her parents were undecided on her daughter pursuing chess but after she won the Under-8 girls World Championship, they were sold on her obvious talents (post that, she also got the highest civilian award given to children for her chess exploits). They were okay pulling her out of school (she only visits to give term exams) apart from customising her training schedule. P11 Lost and found Monsoon madness or not, it rains umbrellas in Kochi Metro K r i s h n a Ku m a r K E @ Kochi Movie prop, fashion statement, prized possession... : The humble, ubiquitous umbrella is known to fulfil various roles. And, it is this ‘commonness’ that renders it to being misplaced—more often than not. With the monsoon arriving sooner than expected, it’s literally raining umbrellas in the Kochi Metro. Umbrellas are now being recovered from trains or station premises “much too often”. On May 30 and 31 alone, 10 umbrellas were found deserted at stations — four at Vyttila and six at Kadavanthra. And, as it turns out, this is the trend year-round. “The most common forgotten item in metro trains is the umbrella, more so since the rains started. We’re now getting a minimum of three umbrellas daily. It’s also an item which owners rarely return for, leaving us with a good collection of umbrellas,” a senior metro official said. Most forgotten umbrellas lost and 76630 returnedwerecustomers found last year, with only a mere to This year, 10 umbrellas were found deserted at stations on May 30 and 31 alone A total of 766 umbrellas were lost and found last year, with only a mere 30 returned to customers. But, it’s not umbrellas alone! Helmets, cash, and even precious stones and jewellery are among the personal belongings that metro commuters leave behind during journeys. On its part, KMRL issues updates of lost items on its web- A lost article must be claimed within 90 days of the date it is found. After that it is transferred to D-Cos at Muttom and disposed of via auction once every year following a gazette notification — An official site. Commuters can recover them by producing proof of ownership. All lost items, irrespective of who has found them, are promptly collected and handed over to the station controller. The station controller meticulously records details of each item in the lost & found database, ensuring accurate and upto-date information. This information is subsequently made accessible to the public through the official ● More on P4 KMRL website.