NEW DELHI 02 NOVEMBER 2025 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard MORE OR LESS https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES Beauty and the Best MAGAZINE A Dam Good Weekend EXCLUSIVE VOICES Anand Neelakantan Prabhu Chawla Anuja Chandramouli Shankkar Aiyar Sheila Kumar Anuradha Goyal Dinesh Singh Lessons from the Hills A Road Trip to White Male Meltdown The Cure is Just Around The Clutter Breaker SWAMI SUKHABODHANANDA SPEAKS Transcending Activity into Action Women among 9 people killed in AP temple crush No police permission sought for the event U S H A P E R I @ Srikakulam NINE devotees, eight of them women and a 13-year-old boy died , in a stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, on Saturday. The crush occurred when a large number of people thronged the temple for darshan on the first Ekadasi of Karthika Masam, considered auspicious. Two persons are reportedly in a critical condition, while about 15 others suffered minor injuries. All the victims hailed from nearby villages and mandals. Srikakulam district Superintendent of Police KV Maheswara Reddy said the temple was built recently on a private land without proper permissions. “The structure, including the gate and stairway was com, pleted only 3-4 months ago. The crowd tried to enter through an exit gate with a seven-foot drop. The grill at the spot was weak, and collapsed due to the pressure, leading to the fall of sevRescue efforts on after the stampede at eral devotees,” he explained. No permission was sought the temple in Kasibugga | EXPRESS from local police for crowd management. “A case has been Probe committee registered against the temple owner, Hari Mukunda Panda, A three-member probe panel under various sections of culhad been constituted. It pable homicide,” the SP said. comprises Tekkali RDO M Prime Minister Narendra Krishnamurthy, ASP KV Modi expressed grief over the Ramana, and Endowments tragedy, and announced an exAssistant Commissioner gratia of `2 lakh to each of the Prasad Patnaik families of the deceased, and `50,000 to those injured in the incident. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to ensure immediate medical aid and relief. The state government said the temple was not under the control of the endowments department. Harimukund Panda acknowledged that they were unprepared for the surge in devotees. “We rarely get more than a 1,000 even on special days. Today several , thousands arrived for darshan. We did not anticipate the crowd, and did not alert the police,” he admitted. A view of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s house in Kalyan Bigha in Nalanda district | RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR 2005 fallout on Lalu, Nitish villages RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ Nalanda/Gopalganj IN Bihar’s political heartland, two villages—Kalyan Bigha in Nalanda and Fulwaria in Gopalganj — stand as contrasting portraits of their most illustrious sons, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Kalyan Bigha, Nitish Kumar’s ancestral village, mirrors the CM’s focus on development and order. T he once-slee py hamlet now gleams with smooth roads, solar-lit lanes, and uninterrupted electricity. On the spectrum’s far-end, former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Fulwaria reflects the fading imprint of a political era long past. Once popularly referred to as a “mini-secretariat” during the RJD’s rule from 1990 to 2005, Fulwaria is now lost in the tedious warp of time, with whatever once built now slowly withering away . In Kalyan Bigha, where Nitish Kumar is affectionately called as “Munna”, villagers speak with pride and gratitude. “Our Munna has made this village immortal with development works,” said 70-year-old Girendra Singh, sitting under a tree near the market that’s buzzing with evening chatter. The village has round-the-clock electricity, high speed internet, a referral hospital, a high China said on Saturday it would exempt some Nexperia chips from an export ban imposed over a row with Dutch officials and has alarmed European businesses, though Nexperia produces relatively simple technologies | P9 Ban imposed on non-Delhi BS-III goods vehicles, checks at 23 points EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi THE Delhi High Court has directed the Director General (Prisons) to frame and notify a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) governing the use and access of mobile phones by inmates lodged in open prisons. Justice Sanjeev Narula said the SOP must either allow inmates to retain mobile phones under regulated conditions or establish a secure deposit-andreturn system for hours when they are required to remain within the open-prison precincts. “The court directs the DG (Prisons), after consulting relevant stakeholders, to frame and notify an SOP that either permits retention of mobile phones by open-prison inmates under regulated conditions, or establishes a secure deposit and return facility,” the court stated, directing that the SOP be finalised and implemented within eight weeks. It was hearing a plea by a life convict serving a sentence in a murder case, who challenged the punishment imposed on him in 2020 after a mobile phone, two SIM cards, and two chargers were recovered during a surprise inspection. Following the incident, his Inmate Calling System (ICS) and canteen privileges were suspended for one month, and he was subsequently transferred from an open to a closed prison. Justice Narula observed that under Rule 1270 of the Delhi Prison Rules, 2018, no punishment or transfer with penal consequences can be imposed without proper judicial appraisal. THE Delhi government on Saturday enforced a ban on nonDelhi registered commercial goods vehicles that do not meet BS-IV emission standards, deploying joint teams of the Transport Department and Delhi Traffic Police at 23 major city entry points. The enforcement teams have been stationed at key borders including Kundli, Rajokri, Tikri, Aya Nagar, Kalindi Kunj, Auchandi, Mandoli, Kapashera, and Bajghera toll or Dwarka Expressway to monitor and control the entry of high-polluting vehicles. Officials estimate that 50,000 to 70,000 commercial vehicles currently operating below BSIV norms in the region will be school upgraded to the 10+2 level, an ITI, a shooting range and a spacious guest house. Nitish’s ancestral doublestorey home remains locked for most of the year, except during his visits to the Smriti-sthal, a memorial built in memory of his parents and wife. Nearby, the restored Devi-sthal — where he reportedly prays before major political moves — serves as the village’s spiritual heart. Every corner echoes the villagers’ affection for both Nitish and his son, Nishant Kumar. Their only worry— why the NDA hasn’t formally projected Nitish again as chief ministerial face. About 200 km away, in Ful- waria, the once-busy helipad is in ruin, the railway station silent, and battered link roads carry the scars of neglect. “Samay ka chakra hai. Jo kal chamakta tha aaj murjha raha hai (It’s the wheel of time. What once used to shine has now lost its glitter),” says Parmeshwari Singh, watching cattle graze where choppers once landed. Fulwaria’s old hospital still functions but in a ramshackle state. Lalu Yadav’s two-storey ancestral home, with a statue of his mother inside, serves as a reminder of his past glory . Villagers hope for a revival under Tejashwi Yadav. “When he comes to power, Fulwaria will bloom again,” says Nityanand, a youth. P8 CURB EXEMPTION Collective security key CHINA EASES EXPORT BAN ON NEXPERIA CHIP to sovereignty: Rajnath HC seeks SOPs for cellphone use in open jail @ New Delhi Former CM Lalu Prasad Yadav’s ancestral home in Fulwaria in Gopalganj | SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT 1,747 vehicles sans PUC certs challaned Cops at Gazipur border on Saturday affected by the restrictions. The move follows a directive from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) issued on October 17, aimed at curbing vehicular pollution as the national capital’s air quality continues to deteriorate. Under the new rules, only BS-IV or higher commercial vehicles registered in Delhi will be allowed to operate within city limits. Vehicles The Delhi Traffic Police has issued 1,747 challans against motorists for failing to produce a pollution under control certificate (PUC) for their vehicles | P3 powered by CNG, LNG, or electricity are exempt from the ban, as they produce fewer emissions. Private vehicles, taxis and app-based cabs such as Ola and Uber are not covered by the restrictions. Officials said that the measure is part of a larger effort to reduce toxic vehicular emissions and improve the city’s worsening air quality during the winter months. United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and its adDEFENCE Minister Rajnath vocacy for freedom of navigaSingh on Friday reaffirmed In- tion and overflight in the Indodia’s stance in the Indo-Pacific, Pacific, are not directed against stressing that its emphasis on any country but are meant to the “rule of law” does not tar- safeguard the collective interget any country but ests of all re gional seeks to protect regionstakeholders,” said al interests collectively . Singh on Saturday . Speaking at the 12th Singh asserted that ASEAN Defence MinisIndia’s strategic enters’ Meeting — Plus gagement with ASEAN (12th ADMM-Plus) is not transactional but m e e t i n g i n Ku a l a long-term & principleL u m p u r, M a l ay s i a , Rajnath Singh driven, and it rests on a Singh underscored that shared belief that the India’s advocacy of the Indo-Pacific should reUN Convention on the Law of main open, inclusive, and free the Sea and freedom of naviga- from coercion. “India is ready tion reflects a commitment to to deepen cooperation in all arinclusivity, openness, and sta- eas of mutual interest to probility in the region. mote dialogue, and to strength“India’s emphasis on the en mechanisms that ensure rule of law, particularly the peace and stability .” M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi EXPRESS READ Won’t pass orders that hurt Indo-Russia ties: SC S’pore shares Zubeen’s post-mortem report The SC says it won’t pass orders that can hurt Indo-Russia ties, expressing concern over a Russian woman who has fled to Moscow with her child amid a custody battle with Indian husband | P7 Assam police have got autopsy and toxicology reports of music icon Zubeen Garg from Singapore. Meanwhile, CM Himanta Biswa Sarma says the SIT probing the case has made progress | P8 ACHIEVEMENT Kerala 1st state to become free of extreme poverty E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ T’Puram CHIEF Minister Pinarayi Vijayan formally announced in the legislative assembly on Saturday that Kerala has eradicated extreme poverty, becoming the first state in the country to achieve the milestone. The Chief Minister made the announcement in a special session of the House convened on the occasion of Kerala ‘Piravi’ or formation day . The Opposition boycotted the session questioning the propriety of convening a special session just for the CM to make a statement on extreme poverty eradication. Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan also called it a sham and a hollow proclamation. Taking a dig at the Opposition, Pinarayi said the LDF government only makes promises that it can fulfil and one such promise to rid the state of extreme poverty has been fulfilled. He said the state had spent over `1,000 crore to eradicate extreme poverty . The CM said Kerala has presented a model for other states to emulate. He said achieving the milestone was also a significant step towards goal of building ‘Nava Keralam’. “Providing welfare pension to 62 lakh families, houses to 4.7 lakh families, setting up of 6,000 public health facilities, expanding family health centres, free health insurance to 43 lakh families and land to four lakh families were helpful in reducing the extent and intensity of extreme poverty in the state,” he said. ICC WOMEN’S WORLD CUP Final destination: Harmanpreet & Co set to take a shot at immortality G O M E S H S @ Navi Mumbai IT doesn’t get any bigger than this — India team is set for the final of the home ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup here on Sunday. Their final obstacle before getting their hands on their first-ever ICC Trophy are South Africa — a team and country chasing a history of their own. One just needed to stroll along the roads around the DY Patil Stadium to understand what the final meant to the teams. With more than 24 hours to go, thousands of fans had flocked the gates and lanes of the venue, trying their luck to get tickets for the game. The official ticketing partner had gone from ‘coming soon’ to ‘event closed’ overnight, leaving the fans disappointed. Excitement was palpable as myriad emotions gripped the fans. T h e p re s s u re o f ‘availability of tickets’ did not spare the India captain either. Though it was an avoidable nuisance for players, Harmanpreet Kaur under- stood the gravity of it. She rather cheekily welcomed it. “I think it’s good that not only for cricket on the field but there is pressure for tickets also,” she said during the press conference on Saturday This daily has . reported how ticket prices on resaling websites have shot the roof. As much as Kaur had an off-the-cuff reply, the enormity of the occasion had not gone past her. Leading the country in a home World Cup for first time, she knew how crucial the final will be for women’s cricket. Despite the high points of the 2005, 2017 and 2020 World Cup finals (two ODIs and one T20), the silverware has remained elusive. With Sunday offering the chance to reshape history it , is understandable why Kaur called the home WC final the biggest thing in their lives. “We know how it feels to lose, but we are really looking forward to seeing how it feels after we win. Hopefully, this day tomorrow (Sunday) will be special for us,” said Kaur. If they manage to win, they will change the course of women’s cricket in India forever. P11 Captains Harmanpreet Kaur and Laura Wolvaardt with World Cup trophy | PTI 3 PM ON JIO/HOTSTAR; LIVE STAR SPORTS NETWORKS