hyderabad l sunday l october 26, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l late city EDITION RoKo show: Duo prove their worth in final match of series Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli wound back the clock with a match-winning 2nd-wicket partnership to help India win against Australia Century for Rohit, unbeaten fifty for Kohli Life left in us, says Rohit after game After an iffy start in Perth, Rohit has grown into the series. After a streaky 50 in Adelaide, he was at his best notching up his 33rd ODI 100 in trademark fashion. While Rohit played the aggressor, Kohli was equally solid during his unbeaten 74. After the game, Kohli spoke of his relief in making his first runs after being dismissed for zero in last two innings ■ ■ Though this could be their last appearance Down Under, in a special interview of the two with the broadcaster after the match, Rohit said there’s still some life left in the pair | Report on P11 Kohli got a standing ovation at the Sydney Cricket Ground when he came out to bat, a gesture that was in show in the two earlier games 168 They put on an unbroken 168-run stand off 170 legal deliveries 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 India waits for clear US signals on BIE plans overhaul how Russian oil curbs will play out of Inter education Trade pact talks stay the course; need more clarity on crude oil sanctions, say officials J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi As trade pact negotiations gain traction, India is pressing for a fair deal and clearer signals from Washington on sanctions related to Russian oil. In a key meeting India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, met US Deputy Secretary of Energy James Danly to review the India–US energy security partnership and recent trends in bilateral energy trade. Sources said the talks also touched on how impending US sanctions could affect global oil flows, even as supplies remain stable. “These are early days and we need more clarity on the sanctions — that’s part of the ongoing conversation with the US. Our energy security is paramount and guided by market conditions, national interests, and domestic requirements,” a source familiar with the issue said. India’s attention is on US sanctions against Rosneft and Lukoil, which supply most of its Russian oil, and the possible ripple effects of secondary sanc- Kwatra meets Lockheed CEO Ambassador Kwatra also met Lockheed Martin CEO Jim Taiclet and had a ‘productive’ discussion on bilateral defence industrial collaboration and opportunities under India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative tions. The fineprint is awaited. Germany recently took temporary control of three Rosneft subsidiaries to secure its own energy supplies -- a move that underscores the lack of a uniform Western approach to Russian oil sanctions. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s renewed sanctions on Moscow are being viewed as a pressure tactic as well. Sources said a Russia– indore shocker Oz women cricketers ‘stalked, molested’ A n u r a a g S i n g h @ Bhopal In a shocking incident, two Australian women’s cricket team members were allegedly stalked and sexually harassed by a motorcycle-borne man in Indore on Thursday. The incident took place in broad day light, 11 am to be precise, when the two players were walking from the Radisson Blu hotel (where the team was staying since October 17) to a popular café close by . The accused stalked the two players who were jogging to the café from the hotel. He followed the cricketers and first tried to grab one of them and drove off. Later, he came from behind again and molested the other woman cricketer. A case was registered on the complaint of the team’s security manager Danny Simmons at Indore’s MIG police station on October 23 night. The accused, identified as Aqeel Khan, was arrested the next day and booked for stalking and outraging a woman’s modesty, under BNS Sections 74 and 78. This was confirmed by additional DCP (ADCP-Crime) Rajesh Dandotiya who added that it was done based on the The accused at the police station after the arrest | express complaint filed by the Australian team management’s security in-charge Simmons, about “inappropriate behaviour” with the team’s players. “Intensive strategic operation was carried out by multiple teams of five police stations, resulting in the tracing and arrest of the accused within six hours of lodging of the case,” Dandotiya told this newspaper. The arrested man has been accused in 10 cases of theft, robbery, drug peddling and attempt to mur- der from 2012 to 2024. “Protocols for the team’s security were set following a meeting between all stakeholders, including the BCCI and MPCA officials and the Indore Police Commissionerate. Despite that, the incident happened. We will analyse and find out the shortcomings,” Dandotiya added. Importantly, the incident with the two players took place a day after the Aussies beat England. The team has been staying at the same hotel and have been visiting the popular café as well. The Aussie cricketers resisted to ‘protect their privacy’. One of the cricketers sent a distress signal to the team’s security manager Simmons over phone through the live location. A local resident also came to the rescue and noted the motorcycle number that led to nabbing the accused. The Indian cricket board (BCCI) condemned the incident. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said “It is a very condemnable but stray incident. We have zero tolerance for such incidents,” he said. The Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association apologised to the Aussie team.  P11 Had a fruitful discussion with Deputy Secretary James Danly on the energy security partnership —Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Indian envoy to the US Ukraine ceasefire would represent the best-case scenario for India, potentially paving the way for lifting the additional 25% tariff on Russian crude imposed by the US. With fears of secondary sanctions looming, India’s imports of Russian oil are expected to come down gradually, a shift that could push New Delhi to source more energy from the US as well. Sources believe this diversification would help off- set tarif f pressures and strengthen the foundation for an energy-focused component in the trade pact. While Nayara Energy maintains a term contract for Russian crude, most of India’s Russian oil purchases are spot deals. Sources noted that while sufficient alternative supply exists, Russia remains a key partner. They added that Washington is unlikely to push sanctions to the point of triggering a price surge, given the potential impact on global markets, particularly on supplies to China and India. Crude prices rallied sharply on Friday with Brent at $66.42, , after Washington sanctioned Rosneft, Lukoil, and Sovcomflot, removing nearly 4.5 million barrels per day from global markets. On October 23, Trump announced sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, giving companies until November 21 to wind down transactions. Earlier, on October 9, Washington imposed sanctions on Serbia’s Russianowned oil company NIS, one of Russia’s last remaining energy assets in Europe. M e g h n a N at h @ Hyderabad The Telangana Board of Intermediate Education (TGBIE) has announced a major revamp of the intermediate education system from the 2026–27 academic year. The reforms include a revised curriculum aligned with National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) standards, the introduction of a new subject group, and changes to the examination and evaluation patterns. Under the new plan, the syllabus for both first- and secondyear students will be updated in line with NCERT frameworks, a model already followed by 13 education boards across the country. A new group, Accounts, Economics, Commerce (AEC), will also be introduced. According to TGBIE officials, subject committees comprising professors from junior and degree colleges, as well as Class 10 school teachers, will review the current syllabus and recommend revisions. The updated content will then be developed and submitted to the state government for approval. The syllabus preparation process is expected to take about 35–40 DCP foils snatching bid, shoots rowdy Express News Service @ Hyderabad South East Zone Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) S Chaitanya Kumar on Saturday shot a rowdy sheeter twice after the latter attacked the police officer and a gunman with a knife at Victory Grounds in Chaderghat around 5 pm. The attacker was identified as Mohammed Omar Ansari, a known property offender in Kalapathar police station limits. Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar said the DCP was returning from an official meeting when two men snatched a mobile phone from a passerby . “The DCP got down from his car and tried to stop the snatchers. While one of them fled, Omar attacked the DCP and his gunman with a knife. The DCP then opened f i r e, o n e b u l l e t struck Omar’s hand and another his stomach,” Sajjanar said. Omar has a criminal record with 20 cases and two preventive detention orders. He is a native of Kamatipura and was first booked in 2010 at Tappachabutra police station. He has served several years in jail, including two years under the PD Act. He faces cases under various Sections covering theft, extortion, attempt to murder, the Gaming Act, and the Arms Act. The accused and the officers involved were admitted to a private hospital for treatment and examination. Sultan Bazar police registered a case, and the search for the second offender continues. new beginnings  Introduction of Accounts, Economics, Commerce (AEC) group  80:20 pattern for assessment – 80% written exams, 20% internal assessments; internal marks previously only in English  First-year students to have practical exams; T-STEM initiative to enable sharing of lab and equipment resources across colleges and universities days and will be completed by December this year. TGBIE Secretary S Krishna Aditya told reporters on Saturday: “The BIE is implementing major reforms from the next academic year. The science syllabus, covering Biology Zoology , , Physics, Mathematics, and Chemistry has not been revised , for 12 years. Humanities subjects were last updated in 2019– 20, and language subjects such as English, Urdu and Sanskrit have not been revised for six years. The new curriculum will be developed in line with NCERT standards.”  Continued on P5 W I T H T H I S I SS U E Star Trek PLUS 12 P AGES Aland vote theft case investigation reveals a ‘call centre’ was set up to file 6,018 Form 7 applications | P5 Investigators unravel reasons behind bus fire E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Kurnool Kurnool DSP Vikrant Patil on Saturday said the fire near Chinnatekuru village in Kurnool district, which killed 19 people early on Friday was trig, gered after the bus rammed a motorcycle that had skidded on the road. The bike was ridden by Shivashankar from Lakshmipuram village, with Yerriswami, alias Nani, as pillion. CCTV footage showed the two refuelling at a petrol pump near the Kia showroom at 2.24 am. Moments later, the bike hit a divider. Shivashankar died on the spot, while Yerriswami sustained minor injuries. As he at- Danger on The roads  68 cases booked, four vehicles seized, `1.17 lakh collected in compounding fees by RTA across Hyderabad, Rangareddy, Medchal & Malkajgiri on Saturday A private bus veered off the ORR and overturned at Pedda Amberpet on Saturday, leaving 6 passengers injured  The violations included absence of fire extinguishers/first-aid boxes, multi-tone horn use and illegal seat modifications | P3 tempted to move the bike, a Vemuri Kaveri Travels bus struck it and dragged it several metres, causing a fuel leak and immediate ignition. Panic-stricken, Yerriswami fled the spot and returned to his village. Forensic experts also sent Shivashankar’s viscera for alcohol testing after CCTV footage indicated erratic behaviour before the crash. Investigations also revealed that the vehicle was illegally carrying 234 new mobile phones beneath the rear seats. Forensic experts said the lithium-ion batteries of the phones exploded in the heat, intensifying the flames that engulfed the bus. The consignment, valued at about `46 lakh, was reportedly bound for an e-commerce firm in Bengaluru. Forensic teams confirmed that the batteries’ explosion worsened the blaze. Samples from the site have been sent for chemical analysis to determine whether the fire began in the fuel tank or was caused by the battery detonation. Syrup deaths: Regulator blocks prosecution info GHMC survey says Hyderabad has fewer than 400 beggars o f f th e c h a r t s K a v i ta B a j e l i - D at t @ New Delhi India faced intense international heat after over 100 children died due to contaminated cough syrups made by three phar ma companies in The Gambia and Uzbekistan. However, after the initial outrage, international alerts, and announcements of probe in 2022-2023, India’s drug regulator has refused to share the action taken against the pharma companies that were at the centre of the international storm, a latest RTI query revealed. Not only did the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) refuse to reveal the details of the investigation and the subsequent prosecution against the three firms — Maiden Pharmaceuticals, Marion Biotech Pharmaceuticals and Fourrts (India) Pvt Ltd — it also cited a section of the RTI Act to stonewall information. While Maiden was linked to the deaths of over 60 children in The Gambia, Marion was blamed for the deaths of 18 in Uzbekistan. S B a c h a n J e e t S i n g h @ Hyderabad A survey carried out by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has found fewer than 400 beggars in the city . The survey, conducted recently by the civic body catego, rised beggars across various groups. Of the total identified, 216 were women, 70 were persons with disabilities, 10 were children below 18 years, and 101 fell under other categories such as the elderly, persons with psychiatric conditions, and infants. Officials said 22 of those identified have their own houses, 12 are availing government welfare schemes, and 116 possess valid identification documents. The survey was taken up following an advisory issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) last year for the protection and rehabilitation of impoverished, uneducated, and differently abled individuals engaged in begging. The GHMC will submit its report to the Municipal Administration and Urban Devel- opment (MAUD) department next week. Recently, the MAUD department and the Telangana Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (MEPMA) directed all urban local bodies, including the GHMC, to act on the NHRC advisory and submit an action-taken report. The NHRC advisory outlines steps such as conducting surveys, mapping and preparing data on beggars, facilitating access to healthcare and education for children aged 6–14 years, and collaborating with NGOs, civil society organisations, and charitable trusts for rehabilitation. It also recommends developing a standardised national database and regularly updating it through an online portal accessible to government agencies and shelter homes. The NHRC further called for registering individuals in shelter homes, issuing identity cards, and ensuring access to essential services, including healthcare, financial assistance, mental health counsel- ling, and deaddiction support.