BHUBANESWAR l monday l may 04, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l LATE CITY EDITION National childhood diabetes treatment framework live universal screening of all children The document, for the first time, establishes a structured and standardised national framework, positioning India among a select group of countries that have integrated childhood diabetes care into the public health system. The framework aims to ensure universal screening of all children from birth to 18 years for early identification of diabetes Union Health Ministry on Sunday released a document providing a framework for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood diabetes Provision for free-of-cost care package ■ ■ Suspected cases will undergo immediate blood glucose testing and be referred to district health facilities for diagnosis and treatment A key feature is the provision of a comprehensive free-of-cost care package at public health facilities, including diagnostic services, lifelong insulin therapy, glucometers, test strips, and regular follow-up | P7 3 Lakh Children in india are living with diabetes, as per one estimate 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 All eyes on which way the Now, Jitu has to undergo purification power pendulum swings ritual for exhuming sister’s remains Results of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, TN & Puducherry polls today PR E E THA NAIR @ New Delhi as votes are counted in the high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry on Monday, all eyes are on the outcome, which will shape new political alignments and power equations. With the exit polls setting the tone, regional heavyweights such as the DMK in Tamil Nadu, TMC in West Bengal, and CPI(M) i n Ke r a l a Assembly elections are seeking to retain power, even as BJP attempts to expand its footprint beyond traditional bastions. In West Bengal, the results will be crucial in determining whether the three-term Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can withstand a fierce challenge from the saffron party and secure another term in office. While several exit polls showed a tight race between the BJP and the TMC, a historic breakthrough for the BJP would be to breach the TMC stronghold for the first time. If the TMC se- Security personnel patrol the streets of Howrah in Kolkata on Sunday | PTI What’s at stake State Total Halfway Seats Mark West Bengal* 294 148 Tamil Nadu 234 118 Kerala 140 71 Assam 126 64 Puducherry 30 16 TOTAL 824 — * Result of Falta constituency to be declared after repolling cures a strong mandate in Bengal, Mamata will solidify her position in national politics. Tamil Nadu presents another intriguing contest. The DMK, under Chief Minister M K Stalin, is hoping for a second consecutive term, while the AIADMK, now aligned with the BJP is attempting a come, back. All eyes are on the new entrant TVK, led by actorturned-politician Vijay which , has added a new dimension to the race. In Kerala, the results will be a make-or-break for the Congress, which is hoping to return to power buoyed by its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and recent local body elections. The ruling LDF, led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, is seeking a third consecutive term, while the BJP-led NDA is attempting to gain a foothold in the state with a bipolar polity A defeat for the LDF would . also mark the first time since the 1960s that Left parties are not in power in any state. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is seeking a second consecutive term, with the Congress aiming to mount a credible challenge. Puducherry, known for its history of electoral alternation, is also witnessing a closely fought battle, with exit polls indicating a tight contest. Iran dispatches new 14-point proposal to US to break talk deadlock ‘Impossible military op’ vs bad deal express read 9 dead as massive fire guts building in Delhi NEW DELHI: A devastating fire ripped through a residential building in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar in the early hours of Sunday, leaving nine people from two families, including a toddler, dead, with an airconditioner blast suspected to have triggered the blaze, officials said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives in the east Delhi building fire and announced an ex-gratia of `2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives and `50,000 to those who were injured, as per an official note. OMFED milk pricey by `4 per litre Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation (OMFED) has increased the price of milk of all variants by `4 per litre with effect from Sunday. As per the revised rates, toned milk now costs `54 per litre, up from `50. Similarly, premium milk price has been increased from `54 to `58 per litre while gold premium milk has been priced `60, up from `56 | P2 BTech student found hanging in hostel Bhubaneswar: A first-year BTech student of a private engineering college here was found hanging in his hostel room on Saturday night, sparking tension at the institution as his parents alleged their son took the extreme step due to ragging by seniors. The deceased, a 19-year-old, was a native of Balikuda in Jagatsinghpur | P3 Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Sunday said the US faced a choice between an “impossible” military operation or a “bad deal” with Tehran, after Trump disparaged Iran’s latest peace proposal. “The room for US has narrowed,” they said UK military says bulk carrier hit A bulk carrier near the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly been attacked by multiple small craft, UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said on Sunday, warning warns all vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz with caution A g e n c i e s @ Tehran EYEING to break the deadlock over peace talks with the US, Iran has conveyed a “multilayered proposal” to Washington, a senior official in the know said on Sunday . While US President Donald Trump has not rejected Iran’s latest 14-point proposal outright, experts believe Washington is unlikely to accept any framework that does not include firm guarantees preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. The Iran war, launched by the US and Israel on February 28, has been on hold since April 8, with one round of peace talks having taken place unfruitfully in Islamabad since then. The official told PTI that the fresh day Iran proposal is a phased de-escalation framework. “The first component of the plan focuses on urgent de-escalation measures. Iran has indicated willingness to ease tensions in and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, provided Washington reciprocates by scaling back its military posture and easing economic pressure,” he said. Secondly Iran is seeking to decouple the res, toration of maritime trade and oil flows from nuclear negotiations. Thirdly, Iran says it is open to discussing limits on uranium enrichment and enhanced monitoring mechanisms, but only within a broader agreement that guarantees sanctions relief. “The proposal further includes demands for security guarantees, who pre-empt the risk of P9 future military action,” he said.  D e b a s h i s M i s h r a @ Keonjhar The ordeal of Jitu Munda, who exhumed his deceased sister’s skeletal remains from the grave and carried it to the bank as proof of her death in Keonjhar district, is far from over as he now faces social boycott due to his act. The Ho community, which he belongs to, has imposed on him a purification ritual for exhuming the dead, failing which he may be expelled from his tribe and face ostracism. The decision was taken at a village council meeting in Dianali under Patna block, where community members directed Jitu to undergo the purification. They warned that failure to comply could lead to his exile. According to villagers, the As he dug up the bones from the grave, he committed a forbidden act and has to purify himself Kande Munda, a villager File picture of Jitu Munda ritual has been prescribed because Jitu exhumed his sister’s remains, which is considered to be an act of sacrilege in the community. His sister Kalara Munda died on January 26, 2026 and was buried under a tree near their house. “ As he dug up the bones from the grave, he committed a forbid- den act and has to purify himself,” said Kande Munda, a resident of Dianali village. As per the village committee decision, the rituals would have been conducted on Sunday but was deferred as he did not inform his relatives. “It will now be conducted on Wednesday Apart from the vil. lagers and community members, his relatives who reside in other villages and in-laws will have to be present,” said J i t u ’s re l at ive R a m r aya Munda. The ceremony will involve a purification bath in the village Criminal stabbed, run over by rival gang members in Kanas, cops aloof E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v i c e Prima facie, it appears Bharimalla was targeted by the leader of the rival gang. Both the victim and the prime accused have seven to eight cases registered against them in the past @ Bhubaneswar In a grim pointer to the plunging law and order situation in Puri, turf war between two groups of anti-socials played out in open in the streets of Kanas on Saturday when a hardcore criminal was brutally assaulted and mowed down by members of a rival gang reportedly over competition to establish supremacy in the area. The injured, Mrutyunjay Bharimalla was attacked by at least five goons. He was stabbed before being run over by a bike by members of the rival gang even as people watched. The shocking incident, which occurred at around 9 am on Saturday, went viral on Sunday . Initial investigation revealed Bharimalla had recently threatened of shooting the leader of Prateek Singh, Puri SP The videograb of the terrifying incident at Kanas of Puri district the rival gang. The enmity between the duo had escalated in the recent months as they both aimed to become neighbourhood gangster or don and dominate the area. Owing to the ongoing feud, members of the rival gang chased Bharimalla in broad daylight near a busy fish market and stabbed him with a vegetable cutter, sparking panic in the locality. They kept attacking Bharimalla even after he dropped on the road. The brutality went on as one of the anti-socials continued kicking Bharimalla. The rival members left only after running over their Royal Enfield Bullet on him, leaving Bharimalla writhing in pain and gasping for breath. However, no local came forward to rescue him from the severe assault. Police arrived at the crime scene much later and took Bharimalla to a Continued on P5 hospital.  65 testing time for med aspirants Candidates going through the verification process before appearing for NEET exams at BJB Higher Secondary School, in Bhubaneswar on Sunday | DEBADATTA MALLICK chess world championships Gukesh begins specific prep for Sindarov challenge s w a r o o p s w a m i n at h a n @ Chennai WORLD champion D Gukesh has started his specific training prep for the upcoming title c l a s h a g a i n s t J avo k h i r Sindarov. While his principal coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, didn’t reveal much about the training schedule, the Pole confirmed that ‘it has begun’ to this daily . The teen, who has had a mixed time of it since winning the Classical world title in Singapore in December 2024, has only only made sporadic appearances on the circuit in 2026. It’s assumed that Gukesh has been working on new ideas and novelties since the Uzbek phenom wiped the field to win the Candidates tournament last month in Cyprus. In fact, the world will get the first glimpse of champion v. challenger as early as this week when the two face each other in the Rapid & Blitz section in Warsaw. With the first few rounds set for Tuesday, it may offer a peek into the mindset of both Gukesh and Sindarov. This tournament is another opportunity for the Indian to get back into form. Gukesh, who has lost over 50 rating points in the last year, had initially signed on to feature in the Grand Chess Tour. However, in March, he pulled out of a slew of GCT events for ‘more dedicated training time’ at home. Apart from beginning training prep for the clash a g ainst Sindarov, the World No. 19 will also have to put in place a new team to tackle the challenge. His seconds for the Ding Liren match was Radosław Wojtaszek, Pentala Harikrishna, Vincent Keymer, Jan Klimkowski and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. How many of these players will sign on for this match? Keymer’s profile has risen to such a level that the German is now World No. 7 and is now higher rated than the Indian. The same is true for Duda, the World No. 14. However, that may not necessarily stop them from ‘helping’ Gukesh as it gives both of those players, who harbour serious ambitions themselves, a glimpse into preparations. pond, tonsuring his head and other rituals conducted by a community priest. He will then host a feast for around 2025 houses in the village and other invitees, which will include serving handia (tribal rice liquor) and chicken to them. Jitu said he has agreed to all the terms, otherwise he would not be allowed to be a part of the community “I have to un. dergo all the rituals as per the customs of our community,” he said. On April 27, Jitu visited the Mallipashi branch of Odisha Gramya Bank to withdraw `19,300 deposited in the name of his deceased sister, but bank officials reportedly asked him to either produce her in person or submit a death certificate.  Continued on P5 Phogat flags bias ahead of comeback tournament HARPR E E T BA J WA & F i r o z M i r z a @ Chandigarh / Chennai DAYS before her comeback event, Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said she is among the six victims who had lodged sexual harassment complaints against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Phogat, now a Congress MLA from Haryana’s Julana, is set to participate in the National Open Ranking Tour nament to be held on May 10-12 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, a stronghold of Bhushan. She had quit the sport after she was disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics for being 100 gms overweight. In a video message on Sunday, Phogat said she is worried about her safety and fears unfair treatment. “This tournament is being organised at Gonda, where Brij Bhushan’s home is. It is impossible to think wrestlers will get a fair chance to excel there. Which referee will officiate which match, who has to win, who will lose… all that can be controlled by his people,” she alleged. The WFI dismissed her allegations. “If she fears for her safety, I would personally go and pick her up from her place and bring her to the venue. I will also drop her back,” WFI president S a n j ay Ku m a r S i n g h told TNIE. royals& sold to mittals co for `15,600 cr Lakshmi Mittal and his son, Aditya Mittal, have acquired a 75 per cent stake in Rajasthan Royals franchise in the IPL. Vaccine giant Adar Poonawalla will hold 18 per cent | P11