THIRUVANANTHAPURAM l friday l june 06, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l LATE city EDITION Trump bans citizens of 12 countries from entering U.S. VISA Policy takes effect from monday The policy takes effect Monday at 12:01 am and does not have an end date. The travel ban applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen; apart from restricted entry for citizens of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela President Donald Trump cited national security concerns to ban citizens of 12 countries from Africa and West Asia from entering the US trump cites ‘terrorism risk’ for move ■ ■ Since returning to White House, Trump has launched an unprecedented campaign of immigration enforcement that has pushed the limits of executive power and clashed with federal judges Trump said nationals of countries being banned pose ‘terrorism’ and ‘public-safety’ risks, as well as risks of overystaying on their visas | P9 Jan 20 order seeking to identify ‘hostile attitudes’ toward U.S. behind fiat 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 Court poses 9 questions to K’taka govt; top cops suspended; judicial, CID probes ordered Heads roll as K’taka HC takes up suo motu PIL YAT HI R A J U & ASHWI N I M S R IPAD @ Bengaluru THE Karnataka government suspended Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda and four other police officials on Thursday evening, hours after Karnataka High Court registered a suo motu public interest litigation taking cognisance of the stampede at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, which claimed 11 young lives when the crowds were trying to enter the stadium for the celebrations organised by the IPL-2025 winners Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said after a lateevening cabinet meeting that he has ordered the DG & IGP M A Saleem to arrest representatives of RCB; DNA Networks, the event manager, and the KSCA. The Cubbon Park police, under whose jurisdiction Kooriyad NHAI: Wayanad landslides might have contributed to NH collapse E x p re s s N e w s Ser v i c e @ Kochi The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Thursday informed the Kerala High Court that the massive landslides at Chooralmala in Wayanad might have contributed to the collapse of the NH 66 Reinforced Earth (RE) wall at Kooriyad in Malappuram. The NH stretch passes through a reclaimed paddy field at Kooriyad, and Panampuzha, a tributary of Chaliyar, passes through the area. The construction of the RE wall on the right-hand side was initiated in February 2024, and on the left hand side in March 2024, much before the Wayanad landslides (July 30, 2024). There was waterlogging for weeks together at Kooriyad after the Wayanad landslides, which might have deteriorated the soil strata, resulting in distress, the NHAI stated. The report further said the Wayanad landslide has been considered as one of the most devastating floods in recent times, causing human and property loss within Wayanad and in the downstream areas. “As a result of the incessant rain and accumulation of water, the upstream side, that is on the left-hand side service road, was also flooded by more than 0.30m depth for a week,” the NHAI report said. Chinnaswamy Stadium falls, has already registered an FIR against the three. Siddaramaiah cited ‘substantial dereliction of duty’ while suspending Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda; Additional Commissioner of Police, West Division, Vikash Kumar Vikash; Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) H T Shekhar; Assistant Commissioner of Police (Cubbon Park) C Balakrishna; and Inspector of Police (Cubbon Park) A K Girish, with immediate effect. The suspension order stated that the Office of the Commissioner of Police had failed to give a written reply rejecting permission to RCB to hold a victory parade on June 4. The Karnataka government ordered a judicial probe by a one-man commission headed by retired High Court Judge, Justice John Michael D’Cunha, besides a parallel probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Inves- E x p re s s N e w s Ser v i c e @T’Puram K’taka home minister G Parameshwara and police commissioner B Dayananda inspecting the stampede site at Chinnaswamy Stadium | Allen Egenuse J COURT’S QUESTIONS TO STATE GOVT When and who has taken the decision to hold the victory celebrations and in what manner? 1 What steps 2 were taken to regulate the traffic? What steps were 3 taken to regulate the public/crowd? 4 What medical / other facilities were arranged at the venue? Any assessment was made in advance on number of people, who may be present at the time of celebrations? 5 Whether persons injured were given immediate medical attention at the venue? If not why? 6 tigation Department (CID) into the stampede. He said they have given 30 days’ time to the Justice D’Cunha Commission to submit a report. Earlier in the day, a High Court division bench of acting Chief Justice V Kameswar Rao and Justice CM Joshi passed the order registering a suo motu PIL while taking cogni- How much time was taken to take the injured to the hospitals? 7 Whether any Standard Operating Procedure has been formulated to manage a crowd of 50,000 and above in any sports event 8 Any permission was sought to organise the event? 9 sance of the fatal stampede, seeking the reasons leading to the tragedy, and whether it could have been prevented. The court also issued a notice to the state government and directed it to submit replies on the further status report based on nine questions (see box) by June 10, the next P5 date of hearing.  A thaw in the strained relations between the state government and the governor was visible after Rajendra Arlekar replaced Arif Mohammed Khan at the Raj Bhavan. Recently, Arlekar even discarded protocol and visited Cliff House to wish the chief minister on his birthday Only a couple of . days back, the governor appointed the state government’s nominee as vice-chancellor incharge of the Malayalam University though it was not bind, ing on him to do so. But, the honeymoon is, it seems, now over? An image of the “RSS version” of the image of Bharat Mata at the venue of the state agriculture department’s programme at the Raj Bhavan to mark World Environment Day on Thursday, appears to have put a dampener on the warm ties between the government and the governor. Objecting to the picture, allegedly used by the RSS at its official functions, Agriculture I told the minister that we will do everything possible but we cannot remove Bharat Mata, our ‘matru bhoomi’ The government is not bound to oblige when the Raj Bhavan takes such a stubborn stance Rajendra Arlekar, Governor P Prasad, Agriculture Min Minister P Prasad boycotted the event, triggering a sharp response from the governor. The issue ignited a political debate with the Left rallying behind the minister and the BJP backing the governor. The controversial image had come to the notice of agriculture department officials, who visited Raj Bhavan the previ- CHENAB RAIL BRIDGE Jammu & Kashmir Udhampur 1,315 metre 30,000 tonnes 260 kmph long steel arch bridge steel used to build the bridge Can withstand wind speeds of up to 260 kmph Bridge will enhance connectivity between Jammu and Srinagar | Built to last 120 yrs | Project cost: L1,486 cr 17 spans 133.7m Max. height Total length 1.3 KM Situated at a height of 359 m above the river File photo expected to roll off the assembly line in FY2028, with @ New Delhi / Hyderabad the facility expected to deliver up to two complete fuIN a major boost to India’s selages per month. defence manufacturing secDassault Aviation’s chairtor, French aviation giant man and CEO Eric Trappier Dassault Aviation has joined said this is the first time Rahands with Tata Advanced fale fuselages will be made Systems Ltd (TASL) to build outside France. “This is a a dedicated facility major step in buildin Hyderabad to i n g o u r s u p p ly Key manufacture Rafale partnership chain in India,” he fighter jet fuselage added. Sukaran TASL said its for global markets. Singh, CEO and partnership with On Wednesday, managing director Dassault will both companies of Tata Advanced signed production strengthen India’s Systems, said the position as a key transfer agreepartnership shows ments. The deal is player in the global India’s g rowing aerospace expected to strengthrole in global aerosupply chain en the country’s airspace. “Making the craft manufacturing entire Rafale fuseskills and support the global lage in India proves the aerospace supply chain. strength of our partnership The Hyderabad facility with Dassault and the capawill make key structural bility of our aerospace ecoparts of the Rafale jet, in- system,” he added. cluding lateral shells of the Dassault Aviation has till rear fuselage, the complete now delivered over 10,000 rear section, central fuse- military and civil aircraft in lage and front section. The more than 90 countries over first fuselage sections are the last century . 23 years of neglect Hero who averted a rail disaster forgotten over time R a h u l R @ Kollam In the 1964 Tamil film Pachhai Vilakku, legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan halts a speeding train with nothing but a shirt-— a cinematic moment etched forever in popular memory Nearly . four decades later, in 2001, a similar real-life drama unfolded near Perumon bridge, in Kollam, where in 1988 a tragic train accident had shocked the entire country . That day Vimal Bose—affec, tionately called ‘Cake’— spotted a fault on the tracks just as Malabar Express was about to pass. Without hesitation, he grabbed a red banner and ran onto the tracks, waving frantically to stop the speeding train. His act prevented what could have been a devastating derailment, saving hundreds of lives. Yet, despite being hailed a hero, Vimal’s life since that fateful morning has been marked by unfulfilled promises and bitter disappointment. Now 50, he is still awaiting the government job that officials had assured him—a promise backed by en- Despite the job recommendation by MP Premachandran and MLA Rajendran, and the High Court order, over 23 years have passed, and I have neither a job nor recognition — Vimal Bose ous day to assess preparations for the programme. After the minister was informed of the matter, the government requested the Raj Bhavan to remove the image. However, it was turned down, prompting the government to shift the programme to the Durbar Hall at the state secretariat. Instead of the governor, who was scheduled to inaugurate the event, the minister carried out the task. Meanwhile, Raj Bhavan went ahead with the programme of planting saplings at its premises to mark World Environment Day . Prasad later told the media that the venue was changed because the Raj Bhavan informed the government that floral tributes had to be paid before the RSS version of Bharat Mata ahead of the inauguration. “The gover nment is not bound to oblige when the Raj Bhavan takes such a stubborn stance. The Raj Bhavan should not be turned into a venue for narrow-minded politics,” he ● More on P4 said. Made-in-India Rafale fighter jet fuselages to roll out in 2028 M AYA N K SI N G H & M A N DA R AVI N D E R R E DDY World’s highest railway arch bridge PM Narendra Modi is scheduled to inaugurate it on Friday Honeymoon over? Govt, guv spar over ‘RSS version’ of Bharat Mata dorsements from Kollam MP N K Premachandran and former MLA Rajendran. Even the Kerala High Court, in 2008, instructed the Railways to prioritise his case. But more than two decades later, recognition and justice still remain elusive. Reflecting on that day Vimal , recounts, “It was early November 2001 and I was out to fetch water for my bakery I noticed . that the railway bolts and plates had come loose. Soon, I saw the train approaching the damaged track. I grabbed a red banner from my shop and ran to stop it. Thankfully, the train stopped safely Railway officials arrived, . repaired the track, and service resumed. Despite the job recommendation by Premachandran and Rajendran, and the HC order, over 23 years have passed, and I have neither a job nor recognition. I only did what anyone would have done. If faced with the same danger again, I would act without hesi● More on P4 tation.”  Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple New Visvaksenan idol to replace centuries-old one M S V i d ya n a n d a n @ T’Puram The divine commander-inchief of the army of Sree Padmanabhaswamy, arguably the richest deity in the country, will get a new avatar on Sunday . A new idol of Visvaksenan will replace the over 280-year-old idol which showed signs of degeneration, believed to be caused by a water leak in the sanctum’s roof. The new idol has also been sculpted using ‘kadusharkara yogam’, a concrete-like mixture prepared from nearly 48 materials, ranging from small conch shells to herbs and sand. It was crafted by Thirukoshtiyur Madhavan, a sculptor from Thirukoshtiyur in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu. “The old idol of Visvaksenan was installed in the 1739-41 period when the temple underwent a major renovation following a fire. It was made by a Brahmin sculptor, Kesavan Vishnuthrathan,” said historian M G Sasibhooshan. “The idol of Sree Padmanabhaswamy and other idols in the same sanctum too are made of kadusharkara yogam. Idols made of this mixture should not be exposed to water. Hence, the customary abhishekams are made on representative idols made for the purpose,” he told TNIE. He said the flowers used for ‘archana’ on these idols are picked the previous evening to ● More on P4 keep them dry  . 16 pages, including 4 pages of THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Express