kochi l friday l september 12, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Trump ally shot at utah college ceremony, dies shortly after Charlie Kirk, who played a huge role in rallying young Republicans, was assassinated while speaking at a campus early on Thursday utah governor: a political assassination Kirk was speaking on gun violence Authorities say Kirk was killed with a single shot from a rooftop. The killer then slipped away amid the hubhub of screams at Utah Valley University campus. Utah governor Spencer Cox said, “This is a nothing but a political assassination.” Authorities did not identify a motive. The FBI announced a bounty of $1,00,000 and released images of the killer, who’s still at large ■ ■ Immediately before the shooting, Kirk was taking questions from an audience member about mass shootings and culture of gun violence Trump announced he’ll posthumously award the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Charlie Kirk, co-founder and CEO of Turning Point, while blaming the rhetoric of the ‘radical left’ for the killing | P9 3,000 people were in attendance at the university when kirk was shot 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 Delhi court junks plea CRPF missive to Rahul for probe against Sonia on security irks Cong E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ New Delhi Protesters outside Nepal’s army headquarters during a curfew in Kathmandu on Thursday | AFP Nepal talks stuck on new govt head Gen Z wants Karki, Army favours pro-monarchy Prasai C urfew remains in effect across much of Nepal, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley as the Gen , Z protests enters the fourth day Life is becoming . increasingly difficult for ordinary citizens, especially those who depend on daily wages to sustain themselves. “We are leaderless at the moment, but we are not without a country As long as we have . our Constitution, we are secure,” Tanuja Pandey, a Gen Z protester, told this reporter. She explained that multiple reasons had been presented against their choice of Sushila Karki as prime minister of the Interim Government. However, Gen Z had united in support of Karki because of her corruption-free reputation. Pandey added that Gen Z had repeatedly requested the Army to facilitate a meeting with President Ram Chandra Poudyal, though so far, all meetings have been conducted only with the Chief of Army Ashok Raj Sigdel. The determination of Gen Z to establish the Interim Government with Sushila Karki as PM is growing stronger by the day. Karki agreed and received widespread support from the public. However, some backlash has emerged. Namrata Sharma Opposition seems to be coming primarily from the Army, which reportedly Senior journalist and women rights advocate. favours Durga Prasai, a pro-monarchy Sharma can be reached at figure. The President also appears to namrata1964@yahoo.com prefer another candidate from among @NamrataSharmaP the current parliamentarians rather than Sushila Karki. This push to nominate someone from the existing parliament, rather than Karki, is causing friction with Gen Z. A press release signed by the President stated that he is seeking a solution based on constitutional provisions and urged citizens to remain calm and patient, emphasising respect for the current Constitution. Meanwhile, under repeated pressure from Army Chief to propose a new candidate, Gen Z may now hold another virtual discussion. One potential alternative being considered is Santosh Pariyar, Chief Whip of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and a proportional representative from the Dalit category elected in 2022. An excellent choice, nonetheless, the majority of Gen Z remains united in supporting Sushila Karki, preferring a leader outside of existing political parties to guide the Interim Government and oversee elections under the current Continued on: P7 constitution.  PR E E T H A N A IR @ New Delhi A Delhi court on Thursday rejected a plea seeking a probe against Congress leader Sonia Gandhi over her inclusion in electoral rolls prior to becoming an Indian citizen in 1983. While dismissing the complaint, filed by advocate Vikas Tripathi, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Vaibhav Chaurasia said the court has no jurisdiction over matters of citizenship and electoral rolls. The authority to determine a person’s eligibility to be included in or excluded from the electoral roll is vested solely in the Election Commission of India, the court said, adding that the issue of citizenship falls within the domain of the Central government. According to the petition, Gandhi’s name Sonia Gandhi was added to the New Delhi constituency voter list in January 1980, three years before she became an Indian citizen. During the hearing, the complainant’s counsel senior advocate Pavan Narang said Gandhi’s name was deleted in 1982 and re-entered in 1983, coinciding with her getting Indian citizenship. He claimed the EC must have detected an anomaly that prompted the deletion. This, he argued, merited investigation. THE Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has written to Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi about security protocol violations during his travel within India and outside. The letter, also addressed to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, drew a sharp reaction from the Congress, which questioned the timing of the communication and wondered whether it was a ‘veiled attempt’ to intimidate its leader who just announced ‘another imminent disclosure’ on the alleged ‘vote theft’. In the letter, the VIP security unit of the paramilitary force flagged several instances of Rahul Gandhi’s “unscheduled movements without intimation” during his travRahul Gandhi el. It also referred to his trips to Italy, Vietnam, Dubai, Qatar, London, and Malaysia. An official said the CRPF had sent similar letters to Gandhi in the past too. The official said the politician violated the protocols mentioned in the Yellow Book of the CRPF. The CRPF VIP security wing provides the top category Z plus (ASL) armed protection to Gandhi, while 10-12 armed commandos give proximate security cover during his travel. HC gives nod to Global Ayyappa Sangamam I am consulting and making every effort to find a way out of the current difficult situation in the country within the constitutional framework Ramchandra Paudel, Nepal President SC, banks to resume functioning Nepal’s Supreme Court and banks are set to open in Kathmandu with the relaxation in curfew for a few hours Visa power for foreign nationals Foreigners with valid visas up to Sept 8 and who want to depart shall be granted exit nod without more fee, the govt said E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kochi In a morale booster for the state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the Kerala High Court on Thursday gave its nod to holding the Global Ayyappa Sangamam on the banks of the Pampa. The court directed the government and TDB to maintain clear, detailed and transparent accounts, reflecting the total estimated cost of the event, including accommodation and travel expenses, together with the contributions received from sponsors. Such accounts shall be subject to audit, and a copy of that shall be furnished to the Special Commissioner within 45 days of the event, for submitting before the High Court along with a report, it said. A division bench comprising Justice V Raja Vijayaraghavan and Justice K V Jayakumar issued the order while dismissing a batch of petitions challenging the event — scheduled to be held on September 20. The bench directed TDB to ensure that no event is conducted on the banks of the Pampa in any manner that compromises its sanctity whether by erect, ● More on P4 ing structures.  k a n n u r m a n c u t s a g l o b a l pa t h Profession: Coconut picker. Passion: Travelling J i th u l N a r ayanan @ Kannur Purushothaman T V a resident , of Velloor in Payyannur, has turned his humble livelihood of coconut plucking into a ticket to see the world. With the firm belief ‘thengu chadikkilla’ (coconut tree never cheats), the 62-year-old built his life around the trade, and in return, coconuts rewarded him with opportunities he never imagined. Once convinced that he would never step beyond the country Purush, othaman has now travelled to countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and several Arab nations. His journey stands as a testament to how dedication and faith in one’s work can open doors to experiences far beyond expectations. Currently, Purushothaman and wife Sarojini during a desert safari in Dubai he is preparing for his next trip, to Vietnam. “I have always had a passion for travelling and exploring new plac- es,” Purushothaman tells TNIE. “But during my childhood, financial limitations stood in the way And . being the eldest of three children, I had to start working at a young age, which also affected my education.” His travels began with visits to temples like Sabarimala and Kollur Mookambika. “I often visit these temples multiple times a year. Accompanying other devotees on these trips gave me the chance to explore not only the temples but also the places around them. These experiences brought me immense joy, not just in exploring new places but also in meeting and interacting with new people,” he says. For Purushothaman, coconut palms are more than just a livelihood, ● More on P4 they are a way of life. EXPRESS READ P P Thankachan, former speaker, passes away Kochi: Former Kerala speaker P P Thankachan, 87, passed away on Thursday. A former KPCC president, Thankachan had been undergoing treatment at Rajagiri Hospital in Aluva, and breathed his last at 4.30pm. P4 10 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter Raipur: A Central Committee (CC) member of CPI (Maoist), Manoj Balkrishnan, is believed to be among the 10 Maoist cadre gunned down by the security forces in Gariaband district in Chhattisgarh on Thursday. P8 16 pages, including 4 pages of kochi Express