kozhikode l Sunday l september 28, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l city edition Blockbuster India-Pak Final at t20 Asia cup tourney today Men in Blue take on arch rivals in the T20 Asia Cup final in Dubai today. This will be their firstever meeting at this stage of the competition... Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav Pakistan skipper Salman Agha Time for cricket to take centre stage Emotions running high on both sides The controversies, largely non-cricketing, between India and Pakistan have been the biggest talking point of the tournament. India refused to shake hands with the Pakistan team. The reactions from either side since has only added to the prevailing tensions. Under pressure, both teams will look to hold their nerves and focus on playing good cricket ■ ■ India have maintained that they are there to play cricket, but the Super 4s match showed how much it matters to them On the eve of the final, Pakistan captain Salman Agha said that every individual has the right to express emotions. “I won’t stop anyone as More on P11 long as it is not disrespectful,” he said.  Eight The number of Asia Cup titles India have won 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 Over 62 hurt after crowd surge at TVK leader Vijay’s rally in Karur At LEAST 36 killed in TN stampede Ambulances passing by the crowd at Vijay’s rally as the leader looks on from atop his bus in Karur on Saturday| EXPRESS D V i n c e n t A r o c k i a r aj @ Karur At least 36 people, including six children and 16 women, died following a suspected stampede and crowd surge during Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) leader Vijay’s election campaign at Veluchamipuram in Karur on Saturday evening. A one-yearold baby is among those feared dead, sources said. At least 62 people are under treatment at various hospitals across the city. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin is expected to visit Karur on Sunday, former minister Senthil Balaji told reporters. Actor-politician Vijay arrived at the Tiruchy International Airport in the morning from Chennai by a chartered flight and proceeded directly to Namakkal for the first leg of the campaign. Although he was scheduled to address his cadre around 12 pm, he reached the venue only around 2.30 pm. After completing his campaign in Namakkal, he began his journey to Karur. As hundreds of cadre and members of the public lined the route, it took more than four hours for him to reach Veluchamipuram. Even as Vijay was addressing the rally, the crowd swelled and became uncontrollable, and a number of persons including party workers and a few children fainted and fell down in the crowd. They were rushed to the Karur Medical College Hospital and other private hospitals. Several workers noticed the situation and raised an alar m. Vijay halted his speech and threw water bot- tles from atop the custombuilt campaign bus. Ambulances had a tough time negotiating the heavily crowded thoroughfare to reach the spot. After multiple patients were rushed to hospitals, the state health department mobilised doctors from Tiruchy Dindigul, Namakkal , and Salem. Expressing grief over the deaths, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday announced a solatium of `10 lakh to the families of each of the deceased. “I am overcome with inexplicable grief. The priceless lives lost have shaken us all. I extend my deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the bereaved over their irreparable loss. I have directed the best possible medical care for all those hospitalised,” the CM said. Sharif’s absurd theatrics at UN glorify terror, says India J aya n t h J ac o b @ New Delhi In a sharp rebuttal at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), India strongly rejected Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ’s remarks on the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent the Indian military response, Operation Sindoor, calling them “absurd theatrics” and accusing Islamabad of glorifying terrorism on a global platform. Exercising India’s Right of Reply Petal Gahlot, First Secre, tary at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN, delivered a scathing response following Sharif ’s speech earlier on Friday during the General Debate of the UNGA’s 80th session. “This Assembly witnessed absurd theatrics in the morning from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who once again glorified terrorism that is so central to their foreign policy Gahlot ,” said, underscoring Pakistan’s continued attempts to shield terrorist entities and distort regional realities. Sharif, during his address, referred to the Pahalgam incident and ensuing conflict, Petal Gahlot exercising the Right of Reply to Pak PM’s address at UN GA | PTI claiming credit for preventing escalation through diplomatic channels, notably praising US President Donald Trump for allegedly averting a war between the two nuclear-armed nations. He also called for a “comprehensive and result-oriented dialogue” with India on Kashmir and other issues. India, however, dismissed the remarks as revisionist and misleading. “The Prime Minister of Pakistan also advanced a bizarre account of the recent conflict with India,” Gahlot countered. “Till 9 May, Pakistan was ment, as he referred to the Arab Spring and the recent unClimate activist and Mag- rest in Nepal, Bangladesh, and saysay awardee Sonam Wang- Sri Lanka,” Jamwal said. The chuk, who was arrested on Fri- DG also referred to Sonam’s day in connection with the Leh recent visits to Pakistan and violence, is being investigated Bangladesh. for alleged links to Pakistan “He attended an event orand violation of foreign ganised by The Dawn funding rules, Ladakh in Pakistan and also Director General of Povisited Bangladesh,” lice S D Singh Jamwal Jamwal said. said on Saturday . The police are also Wangchuk is accused probing Wangchuk’s of being a key instigaforeign funding. “There tor in the Leh violence, is an investigation into Sonam in which four persons foreign funding and viWangchuk were killed and 80 otholation of FCRA reguers injured. “We recentlations against him,” ly arrested a Pakistani intelli- Jamwal said. gence operative who sent Curfew in violence-hit Leh videos of Wangchuk’s speech- was relaxed in the afternoon es across the border,” Jamwal in a phased manner for a few said, adding that the operative hours. Wangchuk’s arrest and was also in contact with the way the the situation was Wangchuk. handled drew criticism from “His speech acted as incite- all Opposition parties. WITH THIS I SSU E Small Town, Big Deal PLUS 12 PAGES EXPRESS READ CM urges banks to go easy on loan defaulters Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday urged banks to show social responsibility by refraining from house confiscation proceedings during students’ exam season, warning that such actions disrupt families and affect children’s studies. Another SUV linked to actor Dulquer seized Kochi: In a new development in the ongoing probe into the alleged smuggling of high-end vehicles into India as secondhand imports, the customs on Saturday seized another vehicle -- a Nissan Patrol allegedly linked to actor Dulquer Salmaan. NSS and SNDP Yogam show signs of closer ties A b h i l a s h C h a n d r a n @Kottayam Police now looking at possible Pakistan links of Wangchuk, says DGP F ay w a z w a n i @ Srinagar threatening more attacks. But on 10 May its military pleaded , with us directly for a cessation to the fighting.” She stated that Pakistan’s retreat came only after Indian forces launched precision strikes on multiple Pakistani airbases. “If destroyed runways and burnt-out hangars look like victory, as the Prime Minister claimed, Pakistan is welcome to enjoy it,” she added. Gahlot said Pakistan’s track record of harbouring terrorists, citing the country’s decade-long sheltering of Osama bin Laden and recent admissions by Pakistani officials of running militant camps. She accused Pakistan of glorifying terrorists killed during Operation Sindoor. “We saw many pictures of terrorists slain in Bahawalpur and Muridke terror complexes… When senior Pakistani military and civilian officials publicly pay homage to such notorious terrorists, can there be any doubt about the proclivities of this regime?” Gahlot also accused Islamabad of trying to derail accountability within the UN. amma’s blessings Union Health Minister J P Nadda seeks the blessings of Mata Amritanandamayi during her 72nd birthday celebrations at Amritapuri, Kollam, on Saturday | B P Deepu In a major development that may have political implications in the state, two influential community organisations, Nair Service Society (NSS) and Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, have s h ow n s i g n s o f c o m i n g together. In an unprec e n t e d m o ve, NSS general secretary Sukumaran Nair on Saturday endorsed the SNDP Yoga m ’s c o m m i t ment to preserving the rituals and customs of Sabarimala Hill Shrine. In a meeting of Nair delegates’ council at Perunna, Nair expressed gratitude to SNDP Yogam chief Vellappally Natesan for his involvement in protecting the faith. Vellappally had recently commended the NSS supremo’s stance on the Global Ayyappa Sangamam organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) held in Pampa. The gesture is perceived as an indication of the two organisations uniting to safeguard the interests of the Hindu community amid increasingly polarised communal dynamics in Kerala. “The TDB’s initiatives to safeguard religious faith received strong backing from the state gover nment, which offered its full support. Additionally the SNDP Yogam ex, pressed its endorsement of this initiative. We welcome the positions taken by both the government and the SNDP Nair told ,” the meeting. He also explained that while the organisation continues its equi-distance policy to all political parties, it took a “right distance” in the ● More on P5 issue of faith. re m e m bra n c e Assam’s heart still misses a beat called Zubeen i n d r a n e e l d a s @ Mangaldai WHENEVER Zubeen Garg’s name is uttered, Susmita still sheds tears. Arup Barua has not watched him perform but every 5-10 minutes he can hear his voice inside him. In Mangaldoi town, some 65km away from Guwahati, a bunch of people took out a procession with a banner of Zubeen Garg, humming his songs with tears in eyes and love in their hearts. The air was heavy and the mood sombre as the dusk settled in. They were not alone. Every street corner and every place, small or big, has its own poster and its own way of remembering Zubeen. No one has touched a chord with the entire population of a state as Zubeen. In fact, his fame goes beyond it. He is here, there and everywhere with his songs play- ing in the background. He is on everyone’s lips at every gathering. Zubeen’s body of work rose above politics, religion, caste, creed and brought the state together like no other. Even after one week since he passed away in Singapore on September 19, the state remains in mourning.No one asked businesses to shut shops, they did it on their own. His passing has touched As- sam so much that even the euphoria of Durga Puja, which begins from Sunday with Shasti, may not be enough to lift the gloomy mood of the state. The collective grief that descended upon the state on September 19 will take a long time to heal. Zubeen’s words —“Mur kunu jaati nai, mur kuno dhormo nai, moi okol manuh (I don’t belong to any caste, I don’t have any religion, I am just a human being)” will remain immortal. Forever.