kochi l tuesday l september 30, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION India to build two cross-border rail links to Bhutan for K4,000cr 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 | P7 A10K 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 ee 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 transnational criminal organizaLawrence Bishnoi tion.. engages in murder, shootings and arson, and generates terror through extortion and intimidation,’’ read a statement by Canadian government. The gang, 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. 16 pages, including 4 pages of KOCHI Express 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 S i 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 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 FM meets families of stampede victims Karur: Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and L Murugan on Monday visited the Karur MCH to meet the injured and families of those who died in the stampede at the TVK rally on Saturday. Later, she clarified that her visit was not to oversee the state government but to convey the condolences of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah | P5 House passes resolution against SIR T’Puram: Expressing concern that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll was aimed at indirectly implementing the National Register of Citizens, the Kerala assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution urging the ECI to desist from the move and to carry out electoral roll revision in a transparent manner | P4 Leh Apex Body to pull out of October 6 talks FAYA Z WA N 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 | P7 HC calls for full inventory of valuables at Sabarimala E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @Kochi The Kerala High Court on Monday appointed retired HC judge Justice K T Sankaran to oversee the preparation of a complete inventory of the valuables in the strongroom and those recorded in the Thiruvabharanam (sacred ornaments) register at Sabarimala, saying the lack of details on the same was a “serious discrepancy .” It requested the judge to appoint a “highly-reputed and trustworthy jewel appraiser” for the purpose and submit a report while ensuring that strict confidentiality is maintained. The HC bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar also directed the chief vigilance and security officer to conduct a “diligent and independent” probe into all lapses by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in connection with the dwarapalaka idols row, not limiting it to Unnikrishnan Submission by chief vigilance officer The officer said he examined the strongroom to check for dwarapalaka idols and peedams, but found none. He said the gold jewellery is stored in chests, while gold coins and other items are kept in sacks. The records are not digitised, and the value of gold items has not been determined, as it fluctuates. A detailed investigation is therefore necessary, he said None of the registers revealed that the peedams (pedestals) seized were ever handed over to Unnikrishnan Potti, warranting continued probe, he said Potti who sponsored their gold plating. Only items offered to the deity by devotees are entered in the register, maintained physically “In the case of the kodi. maram, dwarapalakas, peedams, etc, there are no details in the register regarding their installation, the quantity of Akkulam-Chettuva gold used, or their value. This is a serious discrepancy,” the court remarked. The bench recalled that in 1999 more than 30kg of gold was used for cladding, yet there is no proper record of the same. “To correct these anomalies, a proper inventory and authentic valuation statement must be prepared and preserved for posterity it ob,” served. Regarding the missing gold, the court directed the TDB vigilance officer to pursue the investigation and bring out all discrepancies, including lapses by the officers themselves. The bench noted that the valuables were entrusted to Potti in a casual manner, with no registers maintained. The investigation, which must be conducted in strict confidence, must not be limited to one individual, it said. “We want you to conduct the investigation flawlessly Who. ever is responsible for these scandals should be unearthed,” it told the officer. Govt to honour Mohanlal at gala event E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram Film personalities, politicians and sociopolitical and cultural icons will gather at Central Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on October 4 to honour and celebrate the achievements of superstar and Dadasaheb Phalke award recipient Mohanlal. ‘Malayalam Vanolam, Lalsalam’, organi s e d by t h e state gover nment, will see Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan honour the actor. Cultural Affairs Minister Saji Cherian will preside over the event, in which ministers V Sivankutty, G R Anil and others will be presen. Actors Urvashi, Shobhana, Manju Warrier, Parvathy, Karthika, Meena, Nithya Menen and Lissy will share their experiences working ● More on P4 with Mohanlal.  India vs Pak National Waterway stretch set for December opening After Men’s Asia Cup, will the drama spill over to Women’s World Cup? S h a i n u M o h a n @ T’Puram Kerala’s ambitious inland navigation project is edging closer to reality with the Akku, lam-Chettuva stretch of the National Waterway set to open soon. The nearly 250km link, part of the Kovalam-Bekal West Coast Canal (WCC) project, will be commissioned in December, offering a new lifeline for transport, tourism and cargo movement. According to sources, the chief minister is expected to dedicate the section from Akkulam, in Thiruvananthapuram to Chettuva, in Thrissur in a ceremony pro- Chilakkoor tunnel, a part of the National Waterway project posed to be held in the 330m tunnel at Chilakkoor in Varkala. A `3 crore electric boat is being manufactured for the commissioning. Expected to pave the way for new economic and tourism opportunities, the work is being implemented jointly by the Coastal Shipping and Inland Navigation (CSIN) department and Kerala Waterways Infrastructure Ltd (KWIL) — a special-purpose vehicle of Cochin Inter national Airport Ltd (CIAL) and the state govern- ment. “CIAL’s CSR fund is bankrolling the design and manufacture of the boat meant for commissioning the project. A high-quality projector will be installed in the 20-seater boat, which will cost around `3 crore. The tunnel will host the official commissioning,” a KWIL official said. KWIL carried out beautification of the Arivalam-Thottilpalam area for `24 crore. “The seven-minute journey through Varkala tunnel will feature a light-and-sound infotainment show. It will deal with the history of Travancore and Sree Narayana Guru’s legacy,” the ● More on P4 official added.  E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai The Asia Cup, perhaps, ended in the most apt manner possible. 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 yet. 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 going to set the tone. 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. Our focus will remain on cricket only,” Kaur said.