THIRUVANANTHAPURAM 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 It’s victory or mere power pendulum swings survival: Both LDF, Results of Kerala, Assam, West Bengal, TN & Puducherry polls today PREETHA NAIR @ New Delhi Phogat flags bias ahead of comeback tournament HARPREET 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 Tournament to be held on May 1012 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 Sanjay Kumar Singh 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 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) in Kerala 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 secures a strong mandate in Bengal, Mamata will solidify her position in national politics. Tamil Nadu presents another 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 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 , Iran dispatches new 14-point proposal to US to break talk deadlock ‘Impossible military op’ vs bad deal 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 is attempting a comeback. All eyes are on the new entrant TVK, led by actor-turned-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 PiAssembly elections narayi 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. UDF on the brink Express News Service @ T’Puram It Is only a matter of hours to know who will rule Kerala next. Ending a month-long wait, results of the crucial assembly elections that could very well alter the state’s political scenario will be out on Monday Count. ing of votes will begin at 8am, with initial trends set to be available within an hour. While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeks a historic third term, the Congress eyes a comeback. On the eve of counting, both LDF and UDF appear confident, while BJP is hopeful of reopening its account in the state assembly after a five-year gap. Upbeat over different pre-poll surveys and exit polls that predict a comeback, the Congress has made elaborate arrangements at the KPCC office, erecting tents and setting up huge LED walls to watch poll results live. The UDF leadership sounded confident of a landslide victory with 85+ seats, building on the momentum of its authentic win Faced assault on several occasions, says boy tortured at Punalur hostel A g e n c i e s @ Tehran T i n i s h a R a c h e l S a m u e l @ Kollam Aiming 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.  The 12-year-old boy who was tied upside down and tortured on suspicion of theft at a hostel in Punalur has revealed that he had faced physical assaults on multiple occasions. The revelation comes a day after the police arrested a cook and warden of the hostel on charges of assaulting the boy on suspicion that he had stolen `500 from one of the accused. Stating that it was not an isolated incident, the Class VI student told TNIE that on a previous occasion, Liju, one of the accused, threw him and his 10-yearold brother on to the floor, accusing them of harming his son. “He did this despite pleading innocence several times. He harboured a personal enmity towards me,” the boy said. The hostel — of a theological institute — caters to students from economically weaker sections, whose parents cannot afford their education expenses. They stay at the hostel and study in a school outside. Only four students, including the boy and his brother, were reportedly staying at the hostel at the time. The boy alleged that students were subjected to physical punishment even for minor mistakes. He claimed that two other students had seen the cook assaulting him. He alleged that though they supported his account initially they later changed their , ● More on P4 statements.  65 chess world championship 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 clash against Javokhir 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 against Sindarov, the World No. 19 will also have to put in place a new team to tackle the challenge. His seconds for 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. in the recent local body elections. Meanwhile, despite exit polls and own internal assessments not painting a rosy picture, the Left camp still hopes to retain power. Talking to media on Sunday, LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan underscored that the LDF has no concerns about the verdict, as it is confident of continuing in power. While most surveys predict an LDF loss, the CPM is banking on its own internal assessments of garnering 72-78 seats. The saffron camp is confidence personified after snatching Thiruvananthapuram corporation from the LDF and hopes to make it big in a couple of strongholds in the capital, in addition to a few seats in central and north Kerala, with a winning tally of more than 2 seats. As a do-or-die battle, nothing short of a win would do for both LDF and UDF. For the Left which broke a decades-old practice with a second consecutive term in 2021, victory is imperative to keep the only red fortress in the country intact. A defeat would mean loss of face for Pinarayi, while a win would gift him invincible stature in Kerala ● More on P4 politics.  D-day Counting across Kerala will be held today with strict protocols as turnout edges up to 79.70%. Here is a quick guide Counting begins: 8 am Strong rooms open: 7am Postal ballots to be counted first Up to 500 postal votes per table Counting tables: 14 per centre EVM counting from 8.30 am 14 EVMs per round simultaneously 140 centres across 43 locations VVPAT slips counted in case of mismatch In disputes, 2 random EVMs with VVPATs cross-checked Final results expected before 5 pm Key numbers Polling percentage: 79.70 Postal votes received: 20,028 15,465 poll officials on duty 32,301 police personnel deployed E X PRESS READ Prasanth’s suspension extended 9 dead in Delhi fire accident T’Puram: The government has extended the suspension of bureaucrat N Prasanth, citing violations of service conduct rules. The order was issued by the Chief Secretary on May 2, just four days before the end of Prasanth’s existing suspension period on May 6. It said Prasanth made a series of public statements against government without approval. P5 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 dead, with an air-conditioner blast suspected to have triggered the blaze. PM Narendra Modi condoled the loss of lives and announced an ex gratia of D2 lakh to the next of kin of each of the deceased.