NEW DELHI 18 OCTOBER 2026 SUNDAY `12 PAGES 24  facebook/TheMorningStandard  X.com/TheMornStandard https://epaper.morningstandard.in PLUS: 12 PAGES Feline in Love MAGAZINE A City With Plenty on Its Plate Devdutt Pattanaik Prabhu Chawla Ravi Shankar Shampa Dhar-Kamath Gopalkrishna Gandhi Shankkar Aiyar Anand Neelakantan Portrait of a Man as a Leather Bag EXCLUSIVE VOICES GRAIN OF TRUTH Where There’s a Well, There’s a Way ‘I Don’t Enjoy Watching Myself on Screen’ Walking the Wild Side SWAMI SUKHABODHANANDA SPEAKS Being Awake Trump waives 17 dead in puja pandal stampede Russia-related curbs on India 25 seriously injured admitted to hospital; Heavy rain in the city leads to human crush S U B H E N D U M A I T I @ Kolkata But US retains the right to withdraw waiver 1 P U S H P I TA D E Y @ New Delhi Dipke leaves the police station after being released on bail | PTI Dipke gets bail after ‘peace bond’, Bora freed U D AYA N K I S H O R E @ New Delhi ALL India Students’ Association (AISA) leader Neha Bora was released from detention on Saturday morning, while Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke was granted conditional bail later in the day by a local court, after he signed a peace bond. The Delhi Police allowed permission for a Congress rally at the Ramlila Ground on November 1. Dipke was arrested in a fresh case for violating a peace bond furnished by him on October 10. He was produced before a special executive magistrate court, which imposed various conditions on him while granting him relief. On October 10, he was detained inside a flight at Delhi airport along with CJP leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka. A case for breach of peace was registered. Dipke was released after signing a bond undertaking not to disturb peace for one year. He was made to sign another peace bond on Saturday . Bora was released after completing formalities related to her detention under Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act. After being released, she called the detentions “illegal”. “I was detained at Mandi House and kept here (at the police station) the whole night, until 5 am. Why are you (police) carrying out these illegal detentions? These things have been happening in this country for a long time, and this movement has clearly shown that such detentions are taking place. It has brought these kinds of detentions to light. They claim that they adhere to law and order and go by the book, but none of that is happening,” Bora said. P3 THE US has waived punitive tariffs on countries purchasing Russian oil, temporarily relieving India of the threat of additional duties of up to 100% over its purchases of Russian crude. In an executive order signed on October 16, President Donald Trump invoked national interests to waive key tariff penalties under the new Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026. The waiver suspends the additional duties days before they were scheduled to take effect on October 18. The move provides temporary relief to India, one of the largest buyers of Russian crude, but the threat of tariffs remains as Washington retains the authority to withdraw the waiver. Trump’s move comes days after he announced that the US would import diesel from Russia, in a bid to bring down domestic fuel prices ahead of the November midterms. The US administration would continue to monitor imports of Russian-origin crude oil and natural gas by other countries and keep the President informed. The US House of Representatives passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 by 262 votes to 159 on September 16. The legislation empowers the President to impose additional tariffs of up to 100% on goods from the five largest buyers of Russian crude oil and natural gas. India and China, both major buyers of Russian crude, would have been among the countries most exposed to the proposed tariffs. India is particularly vulnerable because it imports more than 88% of its crude oil requirements. Russia emerged as its largest supplier ever since the war in Ukraine began. This newspaper had on Friday reported that India was confident it would remain protected from US sanctions over its purchases of Russian oil and gas, with government officials indicating that Washington is unlikely to penalise New Delhi. They said India was in regular discussions with the US administration. “From what we sense, the US government will not put sanctions on India. We have been in touch with the US team and India’s standpoint has already been conveyed regarding the challenges that could arise because of that,” an ofYO-YO DIESEL DIPLOMACY: P12 ficial had said. 2 I have submitted to the Congress a certification that the issuance of such a waiver at this time is in the national interests of the United States Donald Trump, US President Temporary relief The US, however, retains the power to impose additional duties of up to 100% on goods from major buyers of Russian energy 500% levy provision The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 also provides for a 500% tariff increase on Russian goods 3 1. Footwear scattered at the stampede site in Kolkata; 2. Kin of victims at the Calcutta Medical College; 3. A patient being stretchered into the hospital | SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT AT least 17 people were feared dead and many others injured after a downpour led to a stampede at a Durga Puja pandal on Saturday evening in Central Kolkata near Mahajati Sadan. The police are yet to confirm the casualties. The tragedy occurred inside the Chorbagan Puja pandal at around 7 pm. As it started raining, the crowd waiting outside the puja pandal rushed forward, and some of them fell on the road, leading to the stampede-like situation, a police officer said. “At least 25 people were taken to the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital in serious condition,” he said. A television report said 17 people were declared dead on arrival at Calcutta Medical Col- CHAYYA CHAYYA TRIP SOUTH WESTERN RLY SENIOR OFFICER TAKES SPL COACH TO JAIPUR FROM HUBBALLI TO GET HOUSEHOLD ITEMS A M I T S U PA D H Y E @ Hubballi IN a case of blatant misuse of power, a senior railway official from South Western Railway (SWR) in Hubballi attached an inspection saloon to a passenger train going to Jaipur in Rajasthan to bring his household items such as fridge and washing machine. The officer got approval to carry the saloon for 4,000 km and reached Hubballi with household items two days ago. The officer heads the vigilance department. Manoj Kumar, Senior Deputy General Manager and Chief Vigilance Officer, allegedly used a Government Inspection Carriage to get his household goods under the guise of official work. The IRS officer was transferred from the post of Chief Vigilance Officer, North Western Railway in Jaipur, to SWR in Hubballi in April 2026. The officer entitled for shifting of household goods in a railway parcel coach, but he used a Railway Inspection Carriage, which is strictly for o f f i c i a l p u r p o s e. “The inspection carriage of SWR was booked in the name of Manoj Kumar on the pretext of Vigilance work at Jaipur. The saloon left for Hubballi The case is under investigation. The officer has been transferred and has been relieved from the South Western Railways P Ananth, GM, South Western Railway station on October 6. Household items such as washing machine, refrigerator, electrical items, gym equipment, chairs and other baggage were alighted in Hubballi on October 12,” a source said. This is not all. Three staff including a SWR technician and RPF constable accompanied the officer to Jaipur and returned with the household luggage, the source added. P Ananth, General Manager of the South Western Railway, said that the case is under investigation by the Railway Board. “The particular officer has been transferred as of now and has been relieved from the South Western Railways,” he said. 5 of family found dead at Greater Noida home N A M I TA B A J PA I A N D N I T I N R A W AT @ Lucknow/New Delhi FRENCH RAGE Flames ravage Lyon’s tourism office after it was set on fire by a mob during a protest against the “high cost of living” in France, on Saturday as part of a nationwide call for mobilisation of students, climate activists, farmers and others | AFP | P9 FIVE members of a family, including three children, were found dead at their home in Nagla Shri Padam village in Greater Noida after having dinner on Friday night. The police suspect food poisoning as a possible cause, however a food safety officer, who visited the place, contradicted the police version and said that it could be a case of poisoning. The police have identified the deceased as Mahesh (37), his wife Lalita (35), and their three children—two sons aged 11 and three and a seven-yearold daughter. “According to lo- cal residents, except the mother of the deceased couple, the family had eaten noodles on Friday night. However, the exact cause of death has not yet been established,” the Noida police said in a statement. Food safety officer O P Singh, who visited the spot, said that it appeared to be “a case of poisoning”, and may not be an outcome of “food poisoning”. He said no suspicious items or expired products were found during an examination of the food packets recovered from the home of the deceased. “Had it been a case of food poisoning, there would have been symptoms, but nothing like that was found,” he added. lege in Bowbazar police station area, while more than 30 others were admitted. West Bengal ch i e f m i n i s t e r S u ve n d u Adhikari and Chief Secretary Manoj Agarwal have reached the Calcutta Medical College to take stock. This is perhaps the first incident of stampede at a Durga Puja pandal in West Bengal. Health Minister Saradwat Mukherjee and senior officials also rushed to the hospital. Disaster management personnel have been deployed at the site. “Deeply shocked and saddened to learn about the stampede at the Chorbagan puja pandal. I pray for the speedy recovery of all those injured and for strength and courage for their families during this difficult time,” former chief minister Mamata Banerjee said. EXPRESS READ City-bound flight suffers bird strike An Emirates Boeing 777-300 carrying 357 passengers and crew from Dubai suffered nose-cone damage after a bird strike while landing at Delhi’s IGI Airport on Saturday. The return flight to Dubai, scheduled for 4.25 pm, has been postponed to 7 am Sunday. Emirates said that the necessary repairs were under way. No diversion of sugar for ethanol The government has prioritised sugar availability over ethanol production from sugarcane in the 202627 season amid concerns over reduced rainfall, lower acreage and rising prices. It has been learnt the 20% blending target will continue using alternative feedstocks, with industry seeking better pricing support. P7 BAN ON FRUCTOSE, SUCROSE ADDITION FOR BABIES Food regulator FSSAI has proposed banning addition of fructose and sucrose in food products for infants up to six months of age CHILD MODE CALL Children have fundamental right to internet access, rules Supreme Court S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi DECLARING that access to and use of the internet is a ‘fundamental right’ for every individual, including children, the Supreme Court has directed the Central government to create a national database for detection and removal of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM) on digital platforms. Crackdown on subscription-based sexual content The Supreme Court has taken serious note of lapses by social media platforms in curbing sexually explicit visual content depicting minors and directed that every intermediary must ensure no such material is offered, hosted, uploaded or promoted through a paywall or subscription, either directly or indirectly A bench comprising justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran suggested introducing “child mode” for social media accounts, with greater emphasis on parental consent and oversight. “We have no hesitation in saying that the right to access and use the internet is a fundamental right of every individual under Article 21 read with Article 19(1)(a) of the Con- stitution. Our children, irrespective of their age, enjoy the same rights ... the safety of our children and their freedom are not at odds with each other.” The bench made these obser- vations while hearing a plea by Just Rights for Children Alliance (JCRA). The bench acknowledged that the internet is far from safe for children but held that keeping children away because of the failures of intermediaries to detect and remove harmful material would amount to mistaking the victim for the problem. “Children do not cease to use the internet merely because the law prohibits them from do- ing so, and they continue to use the same,” the bench said. The bench also directed that National Hash & URL List Database be set up for detection and removal of CSEAM, and said any entry in the database should be made after multiple tiers of verification, with the final screening being done by at least three trained human analysts who independently determine whether the material constitutes CSEAM.