tirupati l sunday l december 28, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l anantapur EDITION Gone in two days: eNGLAND WIN Boxing Day ASHES tEST As Ben Stokes and Co beat Australia in the fourth Test within two days, Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch has come under the scanner visitors ends 18-match winless streak in Oz Having already lost the series, England ended an 18-match winless streak in Australia and beat the home side by four wickets in the fourth Ashes Test at the MCG on Saturday. After Perth, where the visitors lost in two days, this was yet another two-day finish in the series. It was the first time since 1912 that multiple two-day results have occured in a series | P11 ■ 4th Not a good look for Test cricket ■ Both Ben Stokes and Steve Smith expressed concern over the quality of the pitch, which had about 10 mm grass at the start of the match. As many as 20 wickets fell on Day 1 and another 16 on Day 2 Only 852 balls were bowled in the Melbourne Test - the tenth fewest in a completed match - only five more than the Perth Test Two-day Test ever in AUSTRALIA so far 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 Cong to launch nationwide ‘save Allu Arjun 11th accused MGNREGA’ movement from Jan 5 in Pushpa 2 stampede Poor crowd management At CWC meet, first after Bihar drubbing, Rahul hopes the entire Oppn would join campaign @ Hyderabad p r ee t h a n a i r @ New Delhi `3 cr pending dues: Power to Durga temple cut, restored E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) disconnected electricity supply to Sri Durga Malleswara Swamy Varla Devasthanam on Saturday following its failure to clear `3.08 crore pending dues. However, the power supply to Durga temple was restored after the Endowments officials held a meeting with APCPDCL management. According to APCPDCL officials, the Devasthanam had not paid electricity bills since February 2023. Despite issuing multiple notices seeking clearance of the pending dues, there was no response from the temple authorities, prompting the power utility to disconnect electricity supply from the High Tension line. In the interim, arrangements were made to maintain essential services, using generator. The Devasthanam said power is being generated through its solar plant at Pamulakaluva, and repeatedly urged APCPDCL to facilitate net metering. “APCPDCL has failed to record power generated from the solar plant, citing technical reasons,” said temple Executive Officer VK Seena Naik. The Congress on Saturday announced it will launch a nationwide mass movement from January 5 against the Centre’s attempts to repeal the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), drawing parallels with the pushback that led to the repeal of the three farm laws. The decision was taken at a Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting here, which also resolved to oppose any move to remove Mahatma Gandhi’s name from the rural job scheme and to convert workers’ legally guaranteed rights into what the party termed a government dole. In a resolution, the CWC said the Congress would “protect MGNREGA and the rights of India’s workers” and would take the issue to “every last village” across the country . After a nearly three-hour CWC meeting, the first one after the Bihar poll debacle, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said the party will lead the ‘MGNREGA Bachao Abhiyan’ from January 5, and a detailed plan will be announced soon under which rallies will be held across the country . In cryptic post, Digvijaya hails BJP Congress MP Digvijaya Singh triggered a row Saturday after publicly praising the organisational strength of the BJP and RSS. In a post on X, Singh shared PM Narendra Modi’s old picture seated near L K Advani, and said “... the grassroots ‘swayamsevak’ of RSS and worker of Jan Sangh @ BJP4India sat on the floor at the feet of leaders and became the CM of a state and PM? This is the power of the organization.” | P7 Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge with party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, ahead of the CWC meeting in New Delhi on Saturday | Sekhar yadav Addressing a press conference, Kharge said MGNREGA was a visionary UPA legislation appreciated globally. The scheme was named after Mahatma Gandhi due to its impact, he said. “Repealing MGNREGA is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi,” he added, calling it an attack on the Right to Work. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi targeted the BJP government, alleging that “the PM carried out a devastating attack on states and the poor, much like demonetisation.” He accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “single- 20 injured in mob attack on popular rock band in B’desh A G E N CI E S @ Dhaka AT least 20 students were injured in a mob attack in Bangladesh that forced the cancellation of a concert by popular rock singer James, who has sung several hit Hindi film songs, organisers said. The incident occurred late on Friday night in Faridpur, amid a recent spate of attacks on cultural institutions. In recent weeks, organisations such as Chhayanaut and Udichi Shilpi Goshthi in Dhaka have been vandalised. James’ concert was to mark the closing of Faridpur Zilla School’s 185th anniversary celebrations. The programme was scheduled late at night on a temporary stage within the school premises, news portal tbsnews.net reported. However, just before it was due to begin, a group of outsiders tried to force entry after being turned away, throwing bricks and stones and attempting to seize the stage. Students resisted the attackers, and at least 20 were injured by flying debris, according to organisers. However, Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Azmir Hossain said the exact casualty count A videograb of the mob attack in Faridpur of Bangladesh that left fans injured at a rock concert was yet to be confirmed. “The number of injured in the attack is not yet known. We are trying to gather detailed information,” he said. Amid the volatile situation, organising committee convener Mustafizur Rahman Shamim cancelled the show on orders from the Faridpur district administration, The Daily Star reported. James, lead singer of Bangladeshi rock band Nagar Baul, has sung in several Bollywood films, including Gangster, Woh Lamhe, and Life in a... Metro. Rajibul Hasan Khan, convener of the programme’s publicity and media sub-committee, said the attack’s motives remained unclear. handedly destroying” the MGNREGA scheme without consulting his Cabinet or states and without studying the matter, terming it an attack on the democratic structure that will ruin the rural economy . The Congress, Rahul said, has vowed to resist the government’s action and expressed confidence that the entire Opposition would join the movement. He linked the decision to scrap MGNREGA to the decimation of Indian labour, saying it guaranteed a minimum floor below which labour could not fall. “It is going to cause tremen- dous pain to the weaker sections, to Adivasis, Dalits, OBCs, poor general castes, and minorities,” Rahul alleged. In his opening remarks, Kharge alleged collusion between the BJP and the Election Commission of India and accused the government of misusing the Enforcement Directorate, Income Tax department, and the CBI. Xmas decorations at Ahmedabad mall vandalised D i l i p S i ngh K s h at r i ya @ Ahmedabad @ Vijayawada Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said a final notification on the reorganisation of districts in the State will be issued on December 31 after duly considering the suggestions and objections received on the draft notification. It may be noted here that the State government issued a preliminary notification on the district reorganisation on November 27, proposing the creation of three new districts and five new revenue divisions. It has received a total of 927 representations from across the State on the preliminary notification. Naidu held a review on reorganisation of districts at his camp office on Saturday. Five mandals in Gudur Assembly constituency will be merged back into Nellore district as per suggestions. The proposals to retain Railway Koduru in Tirupati district, Rayachoti in Madanapalle, and Rajampet, Siddavatam and Vontimitta in Kadapa were discussed. However, a final decision on the retention of mandals is yet to be taken. express read HM slams YSRCP over violent acts, asks Jagan to rein in cadre TTD readies Tirumala for Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan rush Vijayawada: Observing that YSRCP activists are behaving like maniacs, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha has said YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is not taking any initiative to control his party members | P4 Tirumala: The TTD has made elaborate arrangements for the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan at the Srivari Temple, scheduled from December 30 to January 8, in view of the anticipated heavy rush of pilgrims | P4 In the latest attack targeting Christmas celebrations in India, workers of a Hindu outfit vandalised decorations at a prominent shopping mall in Ahmedabad on Saturday . According to the police, four to five workers associated with a Hindu outfit entered the mall, located near Thaltej on Ahmedabad’s SG Highway, headed straight to the central atrium, and pulled down Christmas trees, causing panic among visitors. “They demanded that all Christmas trees and related decorations at the mall be removed immediately a police officer said. ,” The mall authorities tried to calm them and explained that the decorations were part of the year-end festivities. “Despite repeated requests, they vandalised the decorations, following which the police were informed,” the officer said. Those involved were detained on the spot and security inside the mall was briefly tightened. The incident comes amid reports of widespread attacks on Christmas celebrations in various parts of the country . Earlier this week, the Federation of Parents’ Associations, along with a saffron outfit, protested against Christmas celebrat i o n s a n d h o l i d ay s i n s ch o o l s i n Ahmedabad. W I T H T H I S I SS U E India’s Luxe Pilgrimages PADMA VIBHUSHAN RATAN N TATA PLUS 12 PAGES 28.12.1937 - 09.10.2024 Final notification on district reorganisation on Dec 31 E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e Theatre owners and partners, including Agamati Ram Reddy (owner), M Sandeep, M Sumeeth, Telugu star Allu Arjun has and others, were booked for albeen named as the 11th accused legedly failing to ensure safety in the chargesheet filed by the arrangements, while the event Hyderabad Police in the Sand- organiser, Talla Kiran Kumar hya Theatre stampede case. Goud, is accused of lapses in exThe incident, which occurred ecution and supervision. Of the on December 4, 2024, claimed total accused, 14 were arrested, the life of 35-year-old M Revathi, while nine secured anticipatory while her nine-year-old son, bail and were served notices, poSritej, sustained critical inju- lice said. ries. Sritej continues to remain According to the police, the under treatment more stampede occurred than a year after the due to poor coordinastampede. tion and negligence The chargesheet among multiple stakefiled on December 24 holders, including the says the incident was Sandhya 70 mm Theadue to “serious lapses tre management, in planning, crowd event organisers, pricontrol and security vate security staff arrangements during and others involved in the event”. handling the crowd. Allu Arjun Speaking to reportThe investig ation ers on Saturday, Hyderabad Po- found that no proper crowd lice Commissioner V C Sajjanar management plan or adequate confirmed that the chargesheet security measures were put in lists 23 accused, including Allu place, despite the expected Arjun, his manager Josya Bhat- heavy turnout. la Santosh Kumar, another manPolice said the chargesheet ager Sharath Chandra Naidu, establishes negligence at multifans’ association in-charge Tati- ple levels, which collectively led pamula Vinay Kumar, and his to the incident. Further legal personal security guards proceedings in the case will conCheruku Ramesh and Sriramu- tinue as per law, Sajjanar said. The stampede occurred as fans la Raju. Several bouncers deployed at gathered to catch a glimpse of the actor during the premiere. the venue are also named. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e Considering its vast area, there was consensus on bifurcating Adoni mandal. In Anakapalle district, it was decided to set up Adda Road Junction division in place of Nakkapalli. Munagapaka mandal will be included in Anakapalle division, while Achyutapuram will be brought under the purview of Adda Road. No changes will be made in the proposed Polavaram district with Rampachodavaram as its headquarters.  P4 Remembering Ratan N Tata, an icon of industry and a humanitarian, on the occasion of his 88th birth anniversary. 927pleas on draft A total of 927 representations from across the State have been received on the draft notification for rejig of districts in the State TATA SONS & TATA GROUP OF COMPANIES