tirunelveli l tuesday l september 30, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION India to build two cross-border rail links to Bhutan for `4,000cr Under the project, the two Bhutanese cities of Gelephu and Samtse would be connected with Kokrajhar in Assam and Banarhat in West Bengal ‘relationship of trust, mutual respect’ Vaishnaw: big push for bhutan’s economy The details of the project was made public by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday. Under the two projects, 89 kms of railway lines will be laid and work is expected to be completed in the next four years. “India and Bhutan share a relationship of exceptional trust, mutual respect, and understanding,” Misri said ■ ■ India’s announcement of the railway projects have come amid efforts by China to increase its geo-strategic influence over Bhutan Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said it is crucial to have a good seamless rail connectivity for the Bhutanese economy to grow as most of the trade of Bhutan is done through Indian ports | P9 `10K Cr is india’s assistance to bhutan for its ongoing 13th five year plan 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 Economy, defence, diplomacy, AI pose existential threats. New NSS is needed H a r p r e e t B a j w a @ Chandigarh CANADA on Monday listed the Lawrence Bishnoi gang as a terrorist entity for creating a “climate of fear and intimidation”. A terrorist listing means anything owned by that group in Canada — property , vehicles, money — can be frozen or seized, and gives law enforcement power to prosecute terrorist offences, including those related to financing, travel and recruitment. “The Bishnoi Gang is a transnationLawrence Bishnoi al criminal organization.. engages in murder, shootings and arson, and generates terror through extortion and intimidation,’’ read a statement by Canadian government. The Bishnoi gang, which was implicated in Baba Siddique’s murder in Mumbai, has grown into a transnational crime syndicate with footprints in Canada and the US and active presence in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, UP and Rajasthan with over 700 sharp shooters. NSS will provide provide guidance to all organs of the govt on policy directions AP Maheshwari, ex-CRPF chief Canada lists Bishnoi gang as terror outfit It is encouraging that the National Security Doctrine is likely to be finalised by year-end Prakash Singh, ex-DGP Lt Gen (Rtd) D S Hooda Comprehensive security doctrine on its final leg S u m i t K u m a r Si n g h @ New Delhi India’s first comprehensive security doctrine — the National Security Strategy (NSS) — is expected to be completed by December this year. The National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) has almost finalised the doctrine, which provides multidimensional understanding on external and internal security challenges and threats together with real-time preparedness. “Last-minute deliberations are on. The secretariat has received all the relevant inputs from stakeholders. Once approved, the draft will be placed before National Security Council (NSC) — chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approval,” said a senior government officer. Defence modernisation, technological advancement, cyber resilience, internal security, hybrid threat management, economic stability and strategic diplomacy will be interlinked pillars of the holistic security doctrine so as to anticipate, respond and mitigate threats comprehensively . The process to formulate the NSS and the National Defence Strategy began under National PDS on doorsteps: Only 50% received it at home B ANBUSELVAN @ Chennai The doorstep delivery of PDS commodities to senior citizens aged 70 and above and persons with disabilities (PwDs), launched in August as part of the Thayumanavar Scheme, has not pushed the percentage of targeted population receiving the commodities beyond the earlier figure of 70%, raising concerns of teething troubles in the scheme’s design and implementation. Moreover, of ficial data showed only 40%-45% of the targeted population (or eligible beneficiaries) received the commodities through door delivery in August and September. The remaining beneficiaries bought directly from PDS shops, had shifted from the place, were not available during delivery, or were reported dead. The average supply of commodities to this population stood roughly the same 70% even before the new scheme, which was launched to cover Security Advisor Ajit Doval’s watch in 2018. The NSCS was made the nodal body responsible for drafting the NSS. Deputy NSAs, domain experts, and retired military and senior police officers were drafted for the exercise. India has not had a security doctrine 26 years since the Kargil war. It’s not that India has never attempted such a doctrine before. Prakash Singh, former member of the National Security Advisory Board, said governments at different periods constituted committees that drafted them. “But they were never approved by the political establishment as they did not want to be bound down by any welldefined policy. Instead, they wanted to retain the discretion to deal with matters in the most politically convenient matter.” Major General (Rtd) Ashok Kumar said, “NSS is one of the most sought after documents by most countries. While its predictability is good, it also puts a strain for countries like India where emerging threats taking a different shape with every passing day Lt General (Rtd) .” Deependra Singh Hooda, said, “The formal articulation of NSS is a very welcome step.” express read HC: Create inventory of Sabarimala valuables Kochi: The Kerala HC has ordered the assessment and inventory of valuables of Sabarimala temple and has appointed a retired judge to oversee the preparation | P5 HC quashes CBI case against Pon Manickavel An elderly lady receives ration products under Thayumanavar scheme | express more of this vulnerable section and strengthen their food security The government had said . a total of 16.73 lakh cards, benefiting 21.7 lakh persons, were eligible for the scheme when it was launched. Officials anticipated the coverage to cross 70% after the launch. An official said the figure was in fact 65% in August and improved to 70% in September. “About 8% of listed beneficiaries were found to be deceased, and their names have been recommended for deletion,” said the official.  P5 Madurai: Madras HC quashed criminal proceedings by the CBI against retired IG Pon Manickavel on charges of falsely implicating an ex-DSP in idol theft case | P2 Leh Apex Body to pull out of October 6 talks FAYA Z WAN I @ Srinagar THE Leh Apex Body (LAB) said on Monday that it would stay away from talks with the Centre till peace and normalcy is restored in Ladakh. “Dialogue cannot be held under the shadow of fear and repression,” said LAB chairman Thupstan Chhewang. The Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which along with LAB is spearheading the protests for special rights to Ladakh, also supports the decision to suspend talks, a KDA leader said. The next meeting of the High Powered Committee (HPC), through which the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) holds talks with the Ladakhi groups, is scheduled on October 6. LAB demanded a judicial probe into the violence in the September 24 protests, in which four persons were killed and 80 injured, and the release of activist Sonam Wangchuk and others detained in LAB leaders Thupstan Chhewang and Chering Dorjay at a press conference in Leh | express connection with the protests. LAB co-chairman Chering Dorjay accused the police and CRPF of using excessive force against the protesting youth. Late in the evening, the Home Ministry issued a brief statement saying the government is always open to dialogues on Ladakh matters with LAB and KDA. “We would continue to welcome the discussion with LAB and KDA through the HPC on Ladakh or any such platform,” it said adding, “We are confident that continuous dialogue would yield the desired results in near future.” Top leadership of Maoists heavily depleted Its apex body is left with just 13 leaders — four members of the Politburo and nine of the Central Committee — as others have been eliminated or arrested or surrendered, a govt dossier revealed Stalin warns rumour-mongers, assures norms for public events EXPRESS NEWS SERV I CE @ Chennai No political party leader will ever want his followers or innocent civilians to die — Chief Minister MK Stalin TVK Karur west dist secretary arrested A special police team on Monday arrested TVK Karur west district secretary VP Mathiyazhagan in a case related to the Karur stampede. Sources said the leader was picked up from a location in Dindigul Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday promised to formulate rules and regulations in consultation with political parties and public organisations on holding public events to ensure that stampedes like the one in Karur, which claimed 41 lives, do not happen in the future. Warning against spreading of rumours on social media, the CM emphasised that no political party leader will ever want his followers or innocent civilians to die. In this situation of sadness and grief, people should refrain from spreading irresponsible and malicious news, he said. Stalin said the new rules and regulations will be formed after receiving the inquiry report of Justice Aruna Jagadeesan Commission constituted by the government to investigate the tragedy “I trust that every. one will cooperate,” he said. “When political parties and public organisations conduct such events, it is the duty of all of us to establish rules on how to act responsibly in the future,” he said, without explicitly referring to or blaming actor and TVK chief Vijay’s rally in Karur on Saturday where the incident happened. “I appeal to all to set aside political positions, conflicts and personal enmities, and to think only people’s welfare,” he added. Pointing out that he has noticed rumours being spread by some on social media, Stalin said regardless of which party the deceased belonged to, they were all “our Tamil brethren” as far as he was concerned.  P5 Ex-HC judge Aruna Jagadeesan holds inquiry with stampede victims’ kin | express Toll up to 41; most died due to compressive asphyxia P e a r s o n L e n e k a r SR @ Karur The death toll in the stampede at Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam’s (TVK) rally at Velusamypuram has climbed to 41, with doctors attributing most fatalities to compressive asphyxia (suffocation by chest compression) due to crowd crush. According to hospital sources, of the 39 victims brought dead to the Karur Government Medical College Hospital, 35 arrived directly and four were referred from private centres. The bodies were later sent to mortuary Sources in the hos. pital revealed that several victims appeared to have collapsed within minutes of being trapped, with many showing rib and spinal fractures. They also added that the first victim to be brought in was a two-year-old boy around 8pm, and within two hours the toll had risen sharply to 33.  P5 India vs Pak After Asia Cup, will the drama spill over to Women’s World Cup? E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Chennai The 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup, perhaps, ended in the most apt manner possible on Sunday . After three weeks of back and forth, multiple handshakegates, geopolitical intrigue, ugly verbals, and press conference point scoring, the posttournament ceremony finished in farcical circumstances. India refused to take the trophy from the Asian Cricket Council chair Mohsin Naqvi (also Pakistan’s interior minister), Naqvi refused to cede ground and India celebrated with an imaginary one to end the night. While the BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia promised a strong protest against Naqvi’s act, the focus now shifts to what happens when India and Pakistan’s women’s teams face each other in the World Cup tie on October 5 in Colombo. Will Har manpreet Kaur shake hands with Pakistan’s Fatima Sana? Will the mood be more congenial? Will the current toxicity touch that game too? Only time will tell but the Indian captain wouldn’t be dragged to commenting on that game. Not yet, anyway . On Friday she said the focus , is on the tie versus Sri Lanka on Tuesday “Our main focus is . on that because that game is go- ing to set the tone for us. And secondly, all the teams are equally important. We can only control the things we can control. We are not going to entertain anything else on the field because we are here to play cricket and our main focus will remain on cricket only,” Kaur said during the captain’s round table in Bengaluru.