MANGALURU  MONDAY  APRIL 20, 2026  `9.00  PAGES 12  CITY EDITION U.S. DELEGATION TO REACH PAKISTAN TODAY TO RESUME TALKS WITH IRAN US President Donald Trump renewed his threats to destroy Iran’s vital infrastructure if it did not agree to a deal with the US to end the war ‘NO MORE MR. NICE GUY’, TRUMP WARNS IRAN DAY AFTER SHIPS FIRED AT, STRAIT STAYS SHUT Trump said his negotiators would arrive in Islamabad on Monday evening. Ahead of the expected talks, Trump stepped up his threats saying the US will “knock out every single power plant and bridge in Iran” if it does not agree to the deal he offers. “NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!” he wrote on Truth Social. Vice President J D Vance is expected to lead the US delegation ■ ■ The Strait of Hormuz remained closed on Sunday. Trump slammed Iran for violating the ceasefire by firing upon ships transiting the strait Meanwhile, Iran doubled down on its pledge to curb ships transiting through the strategic waterway. “It is impossible for others to pass, while we cannot,” Iranian speaker Mohammed Ghalibaf said | P9 Wednesday WHEN THE CURRENT CEASEFIRE BETWEEN IRAN AND THE U.S. EXPIRES 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’s address to nation flouted poll code: Left parties Ex-Union min Trivedi to be India’s next envoy to Dhaka J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi IN a calibrated move, the government is set to appoint former Union Minister and former Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi as India’s next High Commissioner to Bangladesh, opting for a political heavyweight over a career diplomat at a moment of cautious reset in Dhaka-New Delhi ties. Though Bangladesh had been quietly informed that the next envoy would be a political appointee, Trivedi’s selection stands out for both its timing and signalling value. He replaces Pranay Verma, who moves to Brussels as India’s ambassador to the European Union. Trivedi becomes one of the few overtly political nominees to a sensitive neighbourhood posting in recent years. The appointment comes as India looks to reset its Bangladesh policy amid an evolving political lands c a p e under Tarique Rahm a n dispensation. Against this backdrop, sending a 75-year-old political veteran suggests a deliberate pivo t : f r o m p r o t o c o l - h e av y diplomacy to a more politically managed engagement, where messaging, access and negotiation bandwidth may outweigh traditional bureaucratic continuity. The move also carries domestic political messaging as Trivedi is a former TMC leader. Trivedi’s own arc—from a Trinamool Congress minister in the UPA government under Manmohan Singh to a BJP entrant in 2021—adds a layer of political adaptability that may be seen as useful in a complex bilateral setting. His parliamentary experience across both Houses, and familiarity with West Bengal’s political landscape, could also prove relevant in managing cross-border sensitivities. PUB BRAWL MAN PUSHED FROM 2ND FLOOR, DIES A 30-year-old man died on the spot after he was allegedly pushed from the second floor of a pub in Vijayanagar, Mysuru, late on Saturday night following a heated altercation. The deceased, Nishanth, was a resident of Gokulam in Mysuru. | P5 PA R V E Z S U LTA N @ New Delhi Concrete structures reduced to rubble at the Vanaja fireworks unit in Kattanarpatti after a massive explosion; (right) fire and rescue services personnel carrying an injured man to safety; (inset) a woman breaks down outside the Virudhunagar MCH | K K SUNDAR 23 killed, 11 injured in explosion at Tamil Nadu firecracker unit Police, some media personnel, including TNIE photographer, hurt in second blast during rescue op H A R I N I M @ Virudhunagar AT least 23 workers were charred to death and 11 others sustained injuries in a massive explosion at Vanaja fireworks unit at Kattanarpatti village near Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu on Sunday. At least five policemen, media personnel, including TNIE senior photojour nalist KK Sundar, and a few fire and rescue services personnel suffered injuries in a second blast at the private firecracker unit d u r i n g re s c u e o p e r at i o n around 7pm, sources said. Based on preliminary inquiry, police said the incident happened around 3 pm when around 50 employees were working at the DRO-licensed unit. The blast is believed to have originated in the front veranda area, where workers were allegedly handling raw materials. The impact of the blast was so severe that at least four rooms were reduced to rubble, and several adjacent structures were completely levelled. Sources said fire and rescue services personnel battled the flames for several hours. So far, police have identified the deceased as K Velsamy (56), A DEAFENING BLAST AND CALL OF DUTY Virudhunagar: In a firsthand account, TNIE’s photojournalist K K Sundar recounts a harrowing experience during the blast at Kattanapatti. While approaching the site on a Sunday, Sundar was nearly caught in a massive secondary blast. The explosion was so powerful it caused temporary disorientation and a head injury from flying debris. Despite the physical trauma and rising panic, Sundar overcame personal fear to answer his call of duty | P7 H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh ABOUT 9,000 Indians, most of them students from Punjab, who had sought asylum in Canada, are facing deportation under the country’s new immigration law. Bill C-12, enacted on March 26, tightens rules for asylum seekers in Canada. Many students from Punjab, who had adopted the asylum route to extend their stay in Canada after completing their studies there, due to stringent visa rules and limited pathways to permanent residency, would be affected. A spokesperson for the Canadian Immigration Minister said the government is now implementing the new law and is in the process of sending procedural fairness letters to affected individuals. According to reports, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has told some of them to leave the coun- try immediately . Reports said the IRCC has issued procedural fairness notices to 30,000 asylum seekers, including 9,000 from India, informing them that their asylum claims may no longer qualify and advising them to leave Canada voluntarily or face enforcement action. The IRCC has clarified that those receiving the notice have 21 days to submit additional information. Failure to respond to the notice could lead to deportation proceedings, it said. These notices have triggered panic. Affected individuals have been advised to consult registered immigration consultants or lawyers and gather all supporting documents. Bill C-12 retroactively bars individuals who entered Canada more than one year prior to filing an asylum claim from referring their cases to the Immigration and Refugee Board. Tata Trusts scraps Parsi-only clause @ Mumbai TATA Trusts, led by chairman Noel Tata, on Sunday said it has decided to correct certain clauses in the trust deed of the Bai Hirabai Jamsetji Tata Navsari Charitable Institution that restrict trusteeship to Parsis, and that too to those residing in the erstwhile Bombay Presidency . “The trustees, at their April 17 meeting, have decided to initiate proceedings... for alteration of restrictive clauses with respect to the eligibility of trus- injured are also getting treatment at the same hospital. Police identified the injured as Saratha, Panjavar nam, Petchiammal, Sangli Thangam, Veerabathran, Arunkumar, a 12-year-old V Sathish (son of one of the workers who was playing at the spot). Among the injured, Petchiammal and Panjavarnam sustained more than 80% burns and are said to be critical. The rescue operations resumed post a brief halt after the second blast.Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said that CM M K Stalin will announce compensation after getting approval from the ECI. President Droupadi Murmu, Vi c e P re s i d e n t C P R a d hakrishnan, PM Narendra Modi and CM MK Stalin have expressed their condolences. P7 9K Indians face deportation from Canada due to new law NEW CHAPTER EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE S Porkodi (63) both from Thiruthangal village, K Pandiammal (55), M Bakyalakshmi (40), K Kaliammal (45), M Indhurani (46), R Mariammal (57), K Maruthan (50), his wife Nagammal (48), K Pandiammal (54), A Janaki (55) and I Nachiammal (55), all from Servaikaranpatti. The charred bodies of the deceased were shifted to Government Virudhunagar Medical College Hospital and the tees,” Tata Trusts said in a rare public statement. The development comes days after Mehli Mistry, a former trustee of the Tata Trusts, challenged the appointments of industrialist Venu Srinivasan and former defence secretary Vijay Singh to the board of Hirabai Trust in a complaint to the Maharashtra Charity Commissioner. The dozen-odd trusts, which own 66.4% of the nation’s largest business group, have been embroiled controversy ever since Noel Tata became chairman in 2024. Several trustees questioned the trusts’ functioning and sought the listing of holding company Tata Sons. Non-Zoroastrians have been appointed to the trusts since 2000, following a legal opinion obtained from for mer Chief Justice of India M H Kania. Tata Sons director R Krishna Kumar became the first non-Parsi trustee on the board of the Hirabai Trust, created under a 1916 codicil to the will of Ratan Tata. Public gather in front of a hospital in KR Nagar where the survivors are under treatment Six people drown in Cauvery, CM offers D5L relief E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @Mysuru SIX people, including three children, who had gathered for an urus, drowned in the Cauvery river near Arkeshwara Temple in KR Nagar taluk of Mysuru district on Sunday. All the deceased had come to a nearby dargah. As they were playing in the river, one of them slipped away, while others, trying to rescue the person, entered the water. The deceased were identified as Fatima (42), wife of Ismail from Udayagiri in Mysuru; Mohammed Yasin (23), son of Mohammed Babu, an autorickshaw driver from SBR Layout, Bengaluru; Neha Kausar (19), wife of Mohammed Yasin, from SBR Layout, Bengaluru; Uzeir (5), son of Sadiq, from Udayagiri, Mysuru; Emma Aiman (13), daughter of Arif, from Kadugondanahalli, Bengaluru; and Afif Ahmed (13), child of Riyaz Pasha from Muslim Block, KR Nagar. Expressing grief, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah posted on X that he was deeply saddened by the deaths. He announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the relatives of each deceased. Mysuru SP Mallikarjun Baladangi and KR Nagar police have visited the spot and are investigating the circumstances that led to the tragedy. vour of the ruling party,” he said, adding that appropriate A day after Prime Minister proceedings should be initiatNarendra Modi hit out at the ed against Modi and the auOpposition for voting against thorities concerned. the women’s quota bill in the CPI’s Sandosh Kumar, in his Lok Sabha, the Left parties letter to the CEC, said that Mowrote to Chief Election Com- di’s speech contained direct missioner Gyanesh Kumar al- attempts at influencing public leging Modi’s address to the opinion on a matter that is unnation violated the der active political poll code. A Concontestation. “What gress leader in Kerais even more conla also wrote to the cerning is that this EC against the aladdress was broadle ged violation, cast on national while West Bengal public broadcasters Chief Minister and such as DoordarTMC supremo shan and Sansad TV . Mamata Banerjee It undermines the said she would soon level-playing field What MCC f i l e a c o m p l a i n t guidelines say that the EC is conagainst Modi’s “illestitutionally manThe party in power gal campaign”. dated to uphold durwhether at the In separate letters ing the period when Centre or in the to the poll panel, the MCC is in operaState or States CPI(M) general section,” he said. concerned, shall retary M A Baby and In his complaint ensure that no CPI Rajya Sabha MP to the Election Comcause is given for P Sandosh Kumar mission of India, any complaint that alleged misuse of for mer Cong ress it has used its the public broadMLA Anil Akkara official position for caster Doordarshan termed the PM’s adthe purposes of its influencing public d r e s s “ a g r av e election campaign opinion in states breach of election wh e r e vo t i n g i s protocols” and scheduled in the coming days. sought a detailed probe and apIn his letter, Baby said the propriate legal action. PM’s televised address constiTMC supremo Mamata tutes a flagrant breach of the Banerjee alle ged Modi inMCC provision laid down in dulged in “illegal campaign” the section under the heading for the BJP through his adParty in Power. “It was blatant- dress to the nation regarding ly political, targeting the oppo- the women’s quota bill. “We sition parties… and seeking to condemn this and will file a influence public opinion, in- complaint (to the Election cluding the voters of Tamil Commission),” she said on Nadu and West Bengal, in fa- Sunday.