hyderabad l thursday l july 10, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION India buoyed by Bumrah’s inclusion in third Test India, after a pulsating win in the second Test, are high on confidence and are buoyed by the inclusion of pacer Jasprit Bumrah at Lord’s Archer recalled, Gill form key for visitors The hosts, as is customary these days, named the XI for the Lord’s game. They opted to recall Jofra Archer, whose last Test was in 2021. For India, Shubman Gill is the star performer so far. With three 100s in four outings to the crease, he has compiled over 570 runs. If he continues the dream run, India will have a good chance to make further inroads into a fragile England bowling unit lord’s Pitch could have more life in it ■ ■ The first two Tests have not had a lot in it for the seamers but the strip at Lord’s may assist seamers. The wicket did sport some live grass on it a day before the game An unusually dry start to the summer is set to continue this week as well with temperatures set to hit 30°C | More on p11 Three matches India have won at Lord’s so far out of the 19 played 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 Moving vehicles plunge into river on day of accidents 11 dead as 40-yr-old Guj bridge collapses Vedika Padhiyar and Naitaik Padhiyar—hailing from Dariyapura village. The others inAT least 11 people were killed cluded Vakhatsinh Jadav from and five others injured when Kahanva, Hasmukh Parmar their vehicles plunged into the from Harshadpura, Rajesh Mahisagar River after a dilapi- Chavda, Kanji Machi, Jashu dated-but-operational 40-year- Bhai from Anklav, and Pravin old Gambhira Bridge collapsed Jadav from Undel. in Gujarat’s Vadodara district “I was in the pickup van on Wednesday morning. when the bridge suddenly colVisuals from the site showed lapsed. The driver shouted ‘get that a big chunk of the slab be- down’ and we jumped just in tween two piers gave way caus- time,” said Razakbhai from , ing a number of vehicles that Borsad, a survivor. were passing through Ashok Chavda, who the bridge to plunge into lives near the bridge, the river. said: “We rescued four Gujarat Chief Minispersons. We also helped ter Bhupendra Patel di- Loss of lives due retrieve five bodies.” rected an immediate in- to the collapse Eyewitness Rajubvestigation into the of the bridge is hai Athiya from Dwardeeply bridge collapse. ka said, “Two or three saddening The Gambhira Bridge trucks were on the at Mujpur in Padra talubridge when it colNarendra Modi ka was a critical lifeline lapsed. I somehow linking central Gujarat swam to safety but my , to Saurashtra and connecting colleague is still missing.” key regions including VadoPrime Minister Narendra dara, Anand, Bharuch, and Modi and Union Home MinisAnkleshwar. ter Amit Shah expressed deep The tragedy reignited con- sorrow over the incident. cerns over administrative negMeanwhile, the Congress ligence with the Opposition termed it a failure of governslamming the state govern- ance. “Gujarat has several old, ment for ignoring repeated damaged bridges. But the state warnings about the bridge’s government is not taking any poor condition. Built in 1985, concrete steps to repair them,” the bridge had long shown said Congress MLA Amit Chavsigns of deterioration. da. He said the tragedy reflects Among those dead were three the corruption behind the Guof a family—Ramesh Padhiyar, jarat Model. key link between Central Gujarat, Saurashtra cut off Jaguar on training mission crashes in Raj, two IAF pilots killed D I L I P S I N G H K SHATR I YA RA J ESH ASNAN I @ Jaipur @ Ahmedabad Downside of big, beautiful Act: US visa fee to take 2.5X hike Bridge won’t last: Official said in 2022 A video clip of August 22, 2022, between Vadodara-based social activist Lakhan Darbar and a Roads & Buildings Dept officer has now gone viral. In the clip, the officer is heard saying the Gambhira Bridge was structurally weak and “would not last long” | p8 KCR caused more harm to Telangana’s interests in the Krishna river dispute than what was done in undivided Andhra Pradesh. He should be whipped 100 times for betraying the people of Telangana J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi The United States has introduced a new $250 “Visa Integrity Fee” for non-immigrant visa applicants under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, effective from fiscal year 2026. It applies to nearly all nonimmigrant visa categories, including B-1/B-2 (tourist/business), F and M (students), H-1B (workers), and J (exchange visitors). Only diplomatic applicants in categories A and G are exempt. Described in the legislation as a recurring surcharge, the amount is indexed to inflation and will adjust annually based on the Consumer Price Index. “During fiscal year 2026, and during each subsequent fiscal year, the amount… shall be equal to the sum of… the most recently concluded fiscal year [amount] and… the percentage… by which the Consumer Price Index… exceeds [that of] the preceding calendar year.” While the fee may be refunded, reimbursement is conditional. Applicants must demonstrate lawful compliance with visa conditions and provide sufficient documentation such as timely departure. The bill introduces a suite of non-waivable travel-related surcharges. These include a $24 I-94 fee, a $13 Electronic System for Travel Authorization fee for Visa Waiver Program travelers, and a $30 Electronic Visa Update System fee for Chinese nationals with 10-year B-1/B-2 visas. This will make the visa fees go up. For example, a US tourist or business visa (B-1/B-2) for Indian nationals costs around $185. With the new surcharges—$250 Visa Integrity Fee, $24 I-94 fee, and $13 ESTA fee, the total cost is projected to rise to $472, nearly 2.5 times the current amount. Rescue operation underway after a portion of the Gambhira Bridge in Vadodara district collapsed on Wednesday. Inset: A truck stranded on a dislocated slab | pti A Revanth Reddy, Chief Minister We can hold mock Assembly session at Erravalli: CM to KCR M a n da Rav i n d e r R e d dy @ Hyderabad Stating that the government was ready to conduct a mock Assembly session at former ch i e f m i n i s t e r K C h a n drasekhar Rao’s Erravalli farmhouse if the latter was unable to attend the official Assembly proceedings due to health reasons, Chief Minister A Rev a n t h Re d dy o n Wednesday made it clear that he would also be present if the BRS chief so desires. “If your health is not permitting you to attend the Assembly let us , debate in Erravalli farmhouse. I will send a delegation of ministers there. You can decide the date. If my presence is required, I will also come,” he said. On Wednesday, irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy gave a presentation on Krishna river water sharing at Praja Bhavan in the presence of the chief minister, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, and TPCC chief Bomma Mahesh Kumar Goud. Several Congress legislators and other leaders also attended. Responding to BRS working president K T Rama Rao’s invitation for a debate at the Press Club, Revanth said, “He wants to debate in clubs in the morning and pubs at night. I suggest KCR, with his experience in public life, give constructive suggestions. The government is open to receiving them. Come to the Assembly we will con, vene it as per your convenience. Suggest the dates.” He added that the Assembly with the Speaker’s permis, sion, can invite experts to participate. “We will respond positively whenever a letter is sent to the Speaker requesting a session. I will ensure the House is run in a proper environment,” the chief minister said, adding that he has kept away from clubs and pubs since his student days.  continued on P4 A Jaguar trainer aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed during a routine sortie near Bhanuda village in Rajasthan’s Churu district on Wednesday, marking the third Jaguar crash in the last five months and raising fresh concerns over the ageing fleet and recurring technical failures. According to preliminary information, the Jaguar had taken off from the Suratgarh Airbase in Sri Ganganagar and was on a training mission. Sources said a technical malfunction appeared to have prevented the pilot and co-pilot from ejecting out of the jet. While the exact reason is yet to be officially determined, initial reports indicate a likely technical fault as the cause of the crash. Officials said more details will be shared after thorough investigation. The IAF said a court of inquiry has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident. “An IAF Jaguar trainer aircraft met with an accident during a routine training mission and crashed near Churu in Rajasthan today Both pilots . sustained fatal injuries in the accident. No damage to any civil property has been reported,” its statement read. Churu SP Jay Yadav said the aircraft went down in Bhanuda Smoke billows out after IAF’s Jaguar crashed near Churu in Rajasthan | pti village under the jurisdiction of Rajaldesar police station. “Two bodies, badly mutilated, have been recovered from the wreckage,” he said. The loud crash triggered panic in Bhanuda and nearby villages. Local authorities rushed to the spot, cordoned off the area, and asked residents not to approach the crash site to ensure smooth rescue and investigation operations. The Jaguar is a BritishFrench supersonic jet designed for low-altitude ground attack and maritime strike missions and was inducted into the Indian Air Force in 1979. NMC nod for all 34 govt medical colleges A a r t i K a s h ya p @ Hyderabad The National Medical Commission (NMC) has approved all 34 government medical colleges in Telangana for the academic year 2025–26, following a review of earlier flagged deficiencies. On June 13, the NMC had issued notices to 26 of these colleges, citing issues related to infrastructure and faculty. In response, the Health department formed 10 Medical College Monitoring Committees on June 23 to inspect and prepare college-specific plans. According to an official statement issued by the department on Wednesday the NMC grant, ed permission on Tuesday for all the colleges, including the 26 previously under scrutiny to , SRH googly HCA chief, office-bearers detained for ‘arm-twisting’ STaffing Initiative  44 Senior Professors promoted as Addl DMEs  They have been deployed as principals & hospital superintendents  278 Associate Professors promoted to Professors  231 Assistant Professors promoted to Associate Professors continue operating for the current academic cycle. The department clarified that no penalties were levied, and all 4,090 MBBS seats across the institutions would remain unaffected. C h i t h a lu r i R eva n t h @ Hyderabad The Telangana CID on Wednesday took Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president A Jagan Mohan Rao in custody for questioning in connection with alleged misappropriation of funds and an attempt to pressurise the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) management into providing additional complimentary tickets during the 2025 IPL season. A senior CID official con- “The NMC has acknowledged the state government’s measures to address faculty shortages. A promotion drive has been carried out to meet teaching requirements and regulatory norms,” the statement said. The NMC has directed that pending compliance issues be addressed within four months, and confirmed that the existing approvals for all colleges remain valid. As part of the staffing initiative, 44 senior professors have been promoted as Additional Directors of Medical Education and deployed as principals and hospital superintendents. Additionally, 278 associate professors have been promoted to professors, and 231 assistant professors to associate professors. Continued on P3 firmed that apart from Jagan Mohan Rao, HCA treasurer C Srinivas Rao (A3), CEO Sunil Kante (A4), general secretary Rajender Yadav (A5) and his wife G Kavita (A6) have been taken into custody . The case stems from a report submitted by the Vigilance wing regarding irregularities in ticket distribution and governance during the 2025 IPL season. SRH had earlier accused HCA of demanding 10% more tickets for the association and an addi- Rahul sees ECI’s bid for ‘Maha rerun’ R a m a s h a n k a r @ Patna A day before the Supreme Court is slated to hear a batch of petitions challenging the special poll roll revision in Bihar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was trying to replicate the Maharashtra model in Bihar by tampering with the electoral rolls ahead of the assembly polls due in October-November. Addressing workers of the opposition INDIA bloc near the Vidhan Sabha gate here on Wednesday Rahul warned , the ECI that it would face legal consequences if it attempted to repeat the ‘Maharashtra episode’ in Bihar. He said though the ECI had wide powers, it was not above the law. Accompanied by INDIA bloc leaders, including RJD’s Tejashwi Prasad, CPI (ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, CPI’s D Raja, CPI (M)’s M A Baby and VIP’s Mukesh Sahani, Rahul participated in a chakka jam agitation against Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. Attacked the ruling alliance, Rahul said, “In Maharashtra, the mandate was stolen, now in Bihar, the target is the right to vote — a new method to deprive the poor of their right to franchise. We will expose these anti-Constitutional forces.” He blamed the alleged manipulation of the voter list for the landslide victory of the BJP-led coalition in Maharashtra. “INDIA got the majority in the Lok Sabha election in Maharashtra, but after a few months in the assembly election, the bloc suffered a defeat. When we analysed the outcome, we found that one crore additional voters were added to the rolls in the assembly election,” he alleged. e x p r e ss r e a d Doctor, bizmen among peddler’s customers Hyderabad: Going by an FIR registered by EAGLE, a surgeon working in one of the topmost corporate hospitals in the city was among 25 booked for consuming drugs. According to the FIR, the peddler, Surya Annamaneni, supplied drugs to Dr Prasanna, a surgeon working with AIG Hospitals | P3 tional 10% for the personal use of the HCA chief, beyond the 3,900 tickets already allocated as complimentary under a tripartite agreement involving SRH, HCA and the BCCI. On March 27, a corporate box at Uppal stadium was reportedly locked by HCA officials. Following this, SRH conveyed their intent to withdraw from the franchise agreement. The government subsequently ordered a V&E inquiry, whose findings indicated coercive actions by HCA. Buzz kill Spurious toddy death toll rises to four; 37 in hospital Express News Service @ Hyderabad The death toll from suspected adulterated toddy consumption in Hyderguda, Kukatpally rose , to four by Wednesday while the , number of people hospitalised increased to 37. Officials suspect the toddy was sourced from four local compounds. Thirty-one persons are undergoing treatment at NIMS, while others have been admitted to different hospitals. Four patients are reported to be in critical condition. The number of cases grew from 15 on Tuesday night to 37 by Wednesday evening. Rangareddy Excise Deputy Commissioner P Dasarath said all patients remain under observation, and the cause of illness will be confirmed once laboratory results are available. Excise officials have collected samples from multiple locations and arrested six suspects. A total of five cases have been registered. Task forces from the state and district levels have launched inspections at toddy compounds across the region. One of the deceased was identified as P Seetharam, 47, a mason from HMT Colony and a native of Wanaparthy. He is believed to have consumed toddy on July 7 at a compound in HMT Hills. He later experienced vomiting and diarrhoea, selfmedicated, and visited a private hospital on July 8. He was referred to Gandhi Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Two additional deaths were reported on Wednesday. Postmortems, scheduled for Thursday are expected to clarify the , cause. Two other deaths occurred earlier under unclear circumstances.