tadepalligudem l saturday l march 28, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION military hardware buy worth `2.38 lakh crore cleared The Rajnath Singh-led defence ministry on Friday cleared a massive capital acquisition package meant for the Indian Air Force and the Army medium aircraft to replace An-32 fleet More firepower in form of s-400 The package includes 60 medium transport aircraft, five additional S-400 long-range air defence system squadrons and four squadrons of remotely piloted strike aircraft, artillery, ammunition and networked systems. The acquisition of 60 medium transport aircraft, pegged at around `1 lakh crore will help replace the ageing Soviet-origin AN-32 fleet ■ ■ Five additional squadrons of the Russian-origin S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile systems, which played a key role in Operation Sindoor, and estimated to cost `50,000 crore, have been cleared For the Army, 300 Dhanush artillery guns worth around `2,500 crore have got clearance, which will take the total inventory to 444 `45K Cr cost of four squadrons of remotely piloted strike aircraft 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 Modi kindles Team India spirit West Asia situation dynamic, needs constant monitoring to evolve adaptive strategies: PM RA J E SH K UMAR THA K UR @ New Delhi Advisory to states power handover Nepal’s new Prime Minister Balendra Shah hugs outgoing interim Prime Minister Sushila Karki during his swearing-in ceremony, in Kathmandu on Friday | PTI | P9 Converted Christians Landmark ruling on SC Status: It all began with land grab for Church IV N P P r a s a d B a b u @ Ongole An alleged occupation of a private family land parcel in Kothapalem village of Pittalavanipalem mandal in Bapatla district, where a temporary Christian prayer hall was reportedly set up, has culminated in a significant Supreme Court order on the Scheduled Caste (SC) status of converted Christians. At the centre of the legal battle is Akkala Rami Reddy a Bapatla , district-based advocate, who pursued the case from a local court to the apex court. The recent Supreme Court order held that persons who convert to religions other than Hinduism, Sikhism or Buddhism are not eligible for Scheduled Caste status. Speaking to TNIE on Friday Rami Reddy said the judgment marked the end , of a long legal fight that began with a dispute over his family’s land in his native village. “Finally the Supreme Court , delivered justice in my yearslong legal fight over the issue. It will be an eye-opening judgment for the public who were blindly supporting religious conversions through preachers and pastors of other religions, who tempted people with sweet words, welfare schemes, health support and financial assistance,” he said. Rami Reddy an LLB gradu, ate from a middle-class agricultural family in Kothapalem, said he returned to the village in 2020 after completing his studies in Hyderabad. It was then that he found that a 0.14-acre parcel of his family land, which had been temporarily given to a distant relative for use as a cattle shed, had allegedly been converted into a Christian prayer hall. According to him, the relative had converted to Christianity and under the influence of Pastor Chintada Anand, Pastor Anil and others, changed the site into a place of worship. Rami Reddy said he objected strongly sought to reclaim the land and installed , an Anjaneya Swamy idol and announced plans to construct a small temple there. He also approached the authorities, alleging illegal occupation and religious misuse of the property . He alleged that some pastors, through converted villagers, later contacted him and asked him to permit the construction of a fullfledged church on the site. When he refused, they allegedly threatened to file a case against him under the SC/ST (Prevention of P4 Atrocities) Act.  States with citizens in West Asia should activate helplines, appoint nodal officers, and establish district-level support systems for affected families Engage continuously with industry and MSMEs to address concerns Coordination mechanisms needed at all levels, including regular reviews by Chief Secretaries and district-level monitoring for quick response to evolving situations Cabinet Secretary presents overview of situation, outlines recommendations for the states Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday sought to kindle the spirit of Team India in the wake of the West Asia flare-up, in a virtual meeting with chief ministers of all states and Union territories except thise facing polls. The Centre and the states should work harmoniously to ensure economic and trade stability energy , security strengthen industry and supply chains, , as also safeguard citizens’ interests, as they did during the Covid pandemic, he said. Modi emphasised the need for advance planning in the agriculture sector, particularly in monitoring fertiliser storage and distribution. “There is the need for robust coordination mechanisms at all levels to enable quick response to evolving situations,” the PM said. Placing special emphasis on border and coastal states, he highlighted the need to address emerging challenges related to shipping, essential supplies and maritime operations. Modi advised all participants to be on alert and cautioned against the spread of misinformation and rumours, underlining the importance of sharing accurate and credible information. He also urged the CMs to take strict action against hoarding and profiteering. Referring to the situation in West Asia, the PM observed that India has prior experience in handling similar global disruptions. He recalled the collective response during the Covid pandemic, when the Centre and states worked together as Team India to mitigate impacts on supply chains, trade, and daily day life. The same spirit of cooperation remains India’s greatest strength in navigating the current circumstances, he said. The present situation, he added, is dynamic and requires continuous monitoring and adaptive strategies. Modi informed the participants that an Inter-Ministerial Group has been operational since March 3, reviewing developments daily and taking timely decisions. Highlighting the critical role of states, the PM noted that effective implementation occurs at the state level. He called for constant communication and coordination between the Centre and states, along with timely information sharing and joint decision-making to ensure swift and well-aligned responses. 28 State of the economy 74,904.91 74,883.79 Previous close: 75,273.45 (-2.25%) Market cap: Market capitalisation of BSE-listed companies slumped `8.86 lakh cr to `422.15 lakh cr `8.86 lakh cr Erosion in investors’ wealth March 23 March 24 March 25 March 27 93.90 93.88 93.96 94.85 (-89 paise) COMMERCIAL LPG: Allocations raised from 50% to 70% Priority sectors for LPG allocation: Steel, automobile, textile, dye, chemicals, plastics Excise duty on petrol, diesel cut to help OMCs RA K E SH K UMAR @ New Delhi aMID energy supply disruptions due to the Iran war, the Centre on Friday announced a `10 cut in central excise duty on petrol and diesel for domestic consumption and slapped fresh export levies on key petroleum products to ensure domestic availability . According to the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell, the special additional excise duty was `10 per litre on diesel and `13 per litre on petrol. So, the `10 cut brings down the special duty on petrol to `3 and diesel to zero. However, the duty cuts are unlikely to lower retail prices of petrol and diesel as the move is to ease the burden of oil marketing companies (OMCs), which have been absorbing the rise in global crude prices. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the excise duty cut would shield consumers from rising fuel prices. Global crude prices have surged sharply since the conflict escalated, rising from $6570 per barrel to a peak of $119— an increase of 75%. As of Friday evening, the price stood at around $103 per barrel. Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the government has taken a substantial hit to its tax revenues to offset losses incurred by OMCs. After the duty cut, the government is likely to incur a revenue loss of `5,500 crore every fortnight. The finance ministry also imposed export duties on diesel at `21.5 per litre and on aviation turbine fuel at `29.5 per litre to discourage outbound shipments and prioritise domestic usage. Akiveedu tense after attack on RRR’s followers E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Rajamahendravaram Tension prevailed in Akiveedu on Friday following an alleged violence during Assembly Deputy Speaker K Raghu Ramakrishna Raju’s visit to a dilapidated Rama temple in Pedapeta to mark Srirama Navami. The Deputy Speaker earlier announced plans to reconstruct the dilapidated temple, which was strongly opposed by certain sections of people. When Raju, along along with NDA leaders, visited the temple, a group of unruly elements allegedly surrounded his vehicle and attempted to attack him. Speaking to the media later, Raju said the mob attacked his supporters with iron rods and sticks. Jana Sena leader Anil was seriously injured in the attack and shifted to hospital in Bhimavaram. Three oth- express read Technical glitch leads to halt of drone trial flight DCIL charts `3,000 cr growth roadmap as it enters 50th year Visakhapatnam: Tension prevailed among tribals in ASR district after a trial medical drone made a precautionary landing in a remote area on Friday evening. No injuries or damage to property were reported. The drone flight was part of an initiative to assess the performance of drone-based medical delivery services in the Agency region | P3 Visakhapatnam: Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) has outlined an ambitious expansion and modernisation plan as it steps into its 50th year, targeting a turnover of `3,000 crore over next five to ten years. Managing Director and CEO Capt S Divakar said the company is focusing on fleet augmentation, diversification into new segments, and strengthening its global presence while continuing to support India’s maritime infra | P4 Refurbished Chinnaswamy Stadium ready for IPL WHEN is a game more than just a game? The one at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday evening is one that has a lot riding on it. Sure, 40 overs separate two points from the holders, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, or 2024 finalists, Sunrisers Hyderabad. But it doesn’t seem right to view the opener to the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) 19th edition through the conventional prism of batters, bowlers, boundaries and team news. That feeling was reestablished after spending less than 30 minutes inside the city’s 73,583.22 73,534.41 stampede & after s w a r o o p s w a m i n at h a n @ Bengaluru Sensex dips RUPEE NEARS 95/$ largest sporting arena. There was ongoing developmental work and infrastructure was either coming up or existing infra was being upgraded. To supplement new changes, almost all of it to enhance safety and security measures following last June’s stampede outside the Stadium gates, some 400-450 AI cameras were in place. Any small inconvenience and the cameras will alert authorities. Blinking neon light warning systems are a go. The paying public — most of whom were subjected to ticket checks and long queues outside the Stadium — would now be RCB captain Rajat Patidar during nets session on Friday | shashidhar byrappa brought inside before ticket verification. The tragedy which claimed 11 lives in June 2025 jolted the establishment. Since that aw- ful day RCB, the Karnataka State , Cricket Association (KSCA) and other stakeholders have taken baby steps towards bringing cricket back in some way shape or form , to this historic venue. Domestic games without crowds. A statement there. A permanent plaque. A tribute in a press conference. A message online. Something to remember the victims by On Saturday the rapid . , work put in place by the association will finally see the light of day After being enveloped by grief . for months, the city will have the chance to rise as one to remember the departed souls. ers also sustained injuries in the attack, he said. Raju said most of the attackers were outsiders and some of them covered their faces with masks to avoid identification. Raju said he urged the district SP to take stringent action P4 against the attackers. Haryana poll ticket for cash FIR hits Cong biggies e x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ New Delhi THE Delhi Police has registered a first information report (FIR) in connection with an alleged ticket-for-money case against important leaders of the Congress. It was alleged in the complaint that the money was demanded on the pretext of securing an election ticket in Haryana Assembly election in 2024. Media reports alleged that the case stems from a complaint filed by Suchitra, former general secretary of Haryana Mahila Congress. The FIR was lodged after Suchitra and her husband Gaurav appeared before investigators with their complaint where they claim that they paid as much as `7 crore to secure a party ticket for Suchitra. Among those named in the complaint were Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal, MP K Suresh and Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra’s aide Shahab Khan, the reports said. Coming as it does ahead of the Kerala polls, the allegation could have a bearing in the state. The amount was reportedly given through multiple transactions, including bank transfers and cash payments. However, it was alleged that neither a ticket was provided nor was the money returned. While speaking with media persons, the complainant said he has provided all details to the Delhi Police. He also mentioned that while he was going to Delhi to protest, police stopped his vehicle and assured that all necessary action would be taken to address their grievances. According to police sources, the FIR was registered by the North Avenue police station under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, under various sections, including 61(2), 318(4) and 316(2). The complaint was filed earlier this month. The police said that all facts and evidence were being thoroughly examined.