FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER, 2024 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard PAC MEET POSTPONED AS SEBI CHIEF MADHABI BUCH DOESN’T TURN UP PA K C H R I S T I A N S SEEK ACTION AGAINST ZAKIR The Sebi chairperson skipped a Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee meeting on Thursday, prompting panel head K C Venugopal to put it off Christian leaders have written to President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Shehbaz Sharif, seeking action against Islamic preacher Zakir Naik for discrediting their faith. BUCH CITES ‘EXIGENCIES’ TO SKIP MEETING A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 Cyclone landfall keeps Odisha govt on its toes Pullback begins from Depsang and Demchok B I J AY C H A K I /A S I S H M E H TA @ Bhubaneswar Forces have moved away from stand-off points but remain in the vicinity, say sources EXPRESS READ Mazhar Asif appointed Jamia vice-chancellor President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday appointed Mazhar Asif as the vice-chancellor of Jamia Millia Islamia. Professor Asif (53), currently with JNU, will assume his new role for five years. He is known for his knowledge of seven languages, including Assamese, Bhojpuri, English, Hindi, Persian, Urdu and Vajjika. | P4 1 more held from Bhopal in MD drug seizure case Eighteen days after joint operation by NCB and Gujarat Police ATS led to the unearthing of perhaps the largest illegal MD (mephedrone) drugs unit in Bhopal’s industrial area, the MP police on Thursday arrested the man, to whom the government had originally leased the land for running an industrial unit. NOW, SENIOR RAIL OFFICERS TASKED WITH SAFETY INSPECTION DUTY @ New Delhi AMID a spate of derailments, the Ministry of Railways has decided to involve its senior administrative grade (SAG) officers to conduct inspections to enhance safety . From now on, SAG officers will carry out two night inspections per month at roadside stations, level-crossing gates, or on footplates. This is in addition to regular daytime inspections of maintenance practices across all departments, which may include monitoring crew operations and visits to running rooms. They also have been tasked with conducting “ambush checks” at unmanned level crossings in collaboration with the police to check if safety measures are in place. The decision follows a safety review meeting on October 8, where a system was suggested for assigning officers for night inspections and to monitor the inspections carried out by other nominated officers. The ministry directed General Managers (GMs) and Divisional R a i lw ay M a n a g e r s (DRMs) to implement this system and ensure daily oversight of night inspections. “A number of these accidents are avoidable as they are on account of failure of railway staff. It is essential that constant monitoring is done at all levels of the implementation of follow-up on laid down safety rules and procedures,” the ministry stated in its order. “It has been desired that all SAG officers at the headquarters of the departments eligible to be posted as DRMs/GMs (civil engineering, S&T, Electrical, Safety, Operating, Mechanical, accounts, Stores and also those working in Construction organisation) may be utilised to conduct inspections and look into allotted areas so as to effect improvement in safety in train operations.” Besides, the ministry mandated senior officers to inspect the functioning of vigilance control devices on locos as well as crew lobbies and surprise checks of crews using mobile breathalysers. TOTAL TRAIN ACCIDENTS, DERAILMENTS 55 Accident 48 40 35 40 36 27 *2024-25 (Up to August) 25 22 17 Derailments 18 Data based on a RTI reply *2024-25 RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR 2 jawans & 2 porters killed, 3 Army men hurt in Gulmarg terror attack F AYA Z W A N I @ Srinagar Migrant worker shot at TERRORISTS ambushed an Army vehicle near the Line of Control (LoC) in Gulmarg sector in J&K’s Baramulla district on Thursday evening killing two soldiers and two porters. Three soldiers were also injured. In another incident, terrorists shot at and injured a worker from Uttar Pradesh in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district in a third targeted attack in a week, officials said. Sources said a heavily armed group of terrorists ambushed an Army vehicle in Boota Pathri area in Gulmarg sector close to LoC. The area was recently opened to tourists. “Terrorists fired from automatic weapons towards the A migrant worker was shot at by terrorists in Pulwama in south Kashmir. The labourer identified as 19-yr-old Shubam Kumar sustained a bullet injury in the hand. Army vehicle. The fire was returned by the troops. In the attack, two Army men and two army porters were killed and three soldiers were injured,” said a security official. The injured soldiers were evacuated to a nearby military hospital. Sources said after the attack, the terrorists escaped into the forest area. Reinforcement has been rushed and a search operation mounted to track down two-three terrorists, defence sources said. CM Omar Abdullah expressed concern over the recent surge in terror attacks. “This recent spate of attacks in Kashmir is a matter of serious concern. I condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms and send my condolences to the loved ones of those who lost their lives. I also pray that the injured make a complete & swift recovery,” Omar posted on ‘X’. Meanwhile, a migrant worker was shot at by terrorists in Pulwama district in south Kashmir. The labourer identified as 19-year-old Shubam Kumar sustained a bullet injury in the hand. On October 18, terrorists shot dead a worker from Bihar, Ashok Chavan, in Wandana, Shopian in south Kashmir. SAD story: Takht ‘bans’ Badal from political activity H A R P R E E T B A J W A @ Chandigarh Akal Takht decision IN a setback to the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and its president Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Akal Takht (top temporal body of Sikhs) has barred him from participating in any political activity, including campaigning for the party in the assembly byelections on four seats. The SAD chief was declared ‘tankhaiya’ (guilty of religious misconduct) a few months back. With the Takht decision, whatever little hope Badal had for contesting the Gidderbaha bypoll has been dashed as the deadline for filing nomination papers is October 25. Akal Takht Jathedar (high priest) Giani Raghbir Singh The Akal Takht (top temporal body of Sikhs) has barred SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal from joining any political activity, including campaigning for the party in the assembly bypolls on four seats. With the decision, whatever little hope Badal had for contesting the Gidderbaha bypoll has been dashed as the deadline for filing nomination papers is Oct 25. Badal was declared guilty of religious misconduct earlier. late Wednesday said that Badal’s status would remain that of ‘tankhaiya’ until five Sikh clergymen (Panj Singh Sahiban) announce their verdict on the “punishment” and Badal complies with it. The clergy is expected to meet after Diwali. “No relaxation can be given till a ‘tankhaiya’ takes on ‘tankhah’ successfully he said. ,’’ Sukhbir was declared ‘tankhaiya’ on August 30 for “mistakes” the SAD-led govern- ment committed from 2007 to 2017 on the complaint of its rebel party leaders. The clergy is yet to pronounce its punishment after his atonement. Recently an SAD delegation led by its working president Balwinder Singh Bhunder, spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler and former minister Daljit Singh Cheema, besides others, met the high priest and sought his nod to let the party contest the by-elections under Badal’s leadership. It was speculated that SAD was inclined to field Sukhbir from Gidderbaha, the assembly segment that his father and Akali patriarch Parkash Singh Badal represented for five consecutive terms from 1969 to 1985. Union minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw briefs the media on the Cabinet’s decisions, in New Delhi on Thursday | PTI `7K cr rly projects for NDA’s Bihar, AP M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi IN a big push for infrastructure development in the NDA-ruled Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, the Union Cabinet on Thursday approved one mega Railway project with a total estimated cost of `6,798 crore. In another decision, the Cabinet approved the establishment of a Venture Capital Fund worth `1,000 crore for the space sector under the aegis of INSPACe to promote and oversee private sector participation in the sector. Briefing the media after the Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs met, Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, the two mega railway projects scheduled to be completed in five years will provide connectivity facilitate , ease of travel, minimise logistics costs, reduce oil imports and lower carbon emissions. The projects involve doubling the Narkatiaganj-RaxaulSitamarhi-Darbhanga and Sita- was registered, rain and strong wind uprooted trees in Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts. The NDRF, Odisha Fire and Emergency Service and other agencies quickly cleared the affected roads. Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialled Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and took stock of the preparedness of the government. Union home minister Amit Shah too discussed the preparedness with the CM. He assured all help from the Centre. Earlier, Majhi reviewed preparedness with collectors of various coastal districts. “Kendrapara, Bhadrak and Balasore districts are likely to bear the maximum impact as predicted by the IMD,” he said. | P5 KHALISTAN 2023-24 Rajnath Singh, defence minister People brave gusting wind as they walk by the Dhamara fishing harbour ahead of cyclone Dana’s landfall in Bhadrak; and (inset) eye of the cyclone | DEBADATTA MALLICK 2022-23 The agreement includes patrolling and grazing in the traditional areas DAYS after India and China disclosed that an agreement has been reached to de-escalate the border tension, sources said on Thursday that troops from both sides have begun disengaging from the standoff points in Depsang and Demchok in Eastern Ladakh. The troops have moved away from the points near the Y-Junction in Depsang and Charding Nullah Junction in Demchok, it is learnt. “But the troops remain in the vicinity sources said, ,” indicating that both sides are treading cautiously . In other words, although troops have moved away from the standoff points, there is no real change in the overall troop deployment in the area. Broadly, the infrastructure also remains the same as only the temporary structures such as tents and shades have been dismantled. “The withdrawals are mutual. Patrolling may take some time to resume because it will depend on the removal of the structures which came up since the April 2020 clashes,” said an official. Speaking at an event in Delhi on Thursday Un, ion Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said a broad consensus has been achieved, which includes patrolling and grazing in traditional areas. This is the power of engaging in dialogue, he said. While grazing grounds are only towards Demchok with the nullah in the vicinity the landform , is rugged and rocky towards Depsang, where there are significant patrolling points. Monday’s agreement was about the two friction points, Depsang and Demchok. The strategic importance of Depsang is underscored by its proximity to the Y Junction, which is just 20 km from Daulat Beg Oldi airfield. Control over Y Junction enables China to obstruct India’s movements, which also serves as a link towards Siachen and the DBO airfield. The standoff at Depsang was significant, as Chinese troops had blocked access to Patrol Points 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 13, covering an area of approximately 952 sq km. | P7 2021-22 A broad consensus has been achieved by India and China on restoring the ‘ground situation’ along LAC, Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi 2020-21 GROUND SITUATION ODISHA braced for impact as severe cyclonic storm Dana, packing strong winds, crossed the coast pelting heavy showers just around Thursday midnight. While the storm’s progress and landfall had kept weather experts guessing all day, the state government evacuated 5.84 lakh people to cyclone shelters as the tropical storm made landfall in the Paradip-Dhamra band, closer to Bhitarkanika national park in Kendrapara, impacting three districts with wind speed hitting past 100 km per hour. Though no major damage 2019-20 PAGE 9 Venugopal said the panel received a message from Buch at 9.30 am that she and her team wouldn’t be able to appear before it due to “exigencies”. The panel’s proceedings remained deadlocked even during its second sitting amid the NDA members’ demand that Venugopal allow a vote on agenda items like summoning heads of regulatory bodies, an idea opposed by Cong MPs | P7 Deployment period of venture capital fund The deployment period of the `1,000 crore VC fund in the space sector is planned to be up to five years from the actual date of start of the fund operations. The average deployment could be `150-250 crore per year, depending on investment opportunities and fund need marhi-Muzaffarpur sections, covering 256 km in Bihar with an estimated cost of `4,553 crore, and the construction of a new line between Errupalem and Namburu via Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh, covering 57 km with an estimated cost of `2,245 crore, the minister said. The doubling of the rail line is expected to strengthen connectivity to Nepal, the Northeast and the border areas. The new Errupalem-Amaravati-Namburu rail line will traverse through NTR Vijayawada and Guntur districts of Andhra and Khammam district of Telangana. NIA arrests KTF chief Arsh Dala’s aide at IGIA M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi IN its crackdown against the Khalistani terror network, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested a close aide of designated terrorist Arshdeep Singh Dala alias Arsh Dala of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) from the IGI Airport, officials said. The NIA took Baljeet Singh alias Baljeet Maur into custody on his arrival at the airport from the UAE, sources said. Baljeet belongs to Bathinda in Punjab. Besides being wanted in the case relating to terror activities of the proscribed KTF, he was also wanted in several other cases, NIA sources said. “Baljeet, against whom a lookout circular was issued in February this year, also had a non-bailable warrant in June 2024. His arrest marks a significant development in fight against terror, particularly the activities of KTF and Arsh Dala,” an NIA official said. The NIA has found that Baljeet was involved in providing logistics support, identification of extortion targets, recruitment of new cadres, as well as terror funding to Indiabased aides of Arsh Dala, the officials said. He was a key-conspirator in the KTF conspiracy to unleash terror in Punjab, as a case was registered suo motu by NIA on February 13, 2024. “As per the NIA case, KTF operatives/members/handlers were engaged in raising terror funds through extortion activities, recruitment of new cadres, target killings, smuggling of arms and ammunition into India,” the official said. According to intelligence agencies, Arsh Dala, 27, is originally from Dalla village in Moga district of Punjab. He is associated with KTF and the International Sikh Youth Federation. He is also linked to Canadian gangster Goldy Brar. | P7 TRUCE US, QATAR ANNOUNCE RESUMPTION OF TALKS The two nations on Thursday announced a resumption of talks on a Gaza ceasefire, as Secretary of State Antony Blinken said mediators were exploring new options after failing to seal a US-led plan | P9