THURSDAY INFLATION HITS RECORD LOW OF 0.25% IN OCT ON BACK OF GST CUTS 13 Tax cuts on nearly 400 mass-consumption items, coupled with subdued prices for vegetables, fruits and eggs helped push retail inflation to record low NOVEMBER, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard UK MINISTER DENIES PLOT TO OUST PM A senior member of the British govt on Wednesday denied he’s plotting to oust Keir Starmer, in a sign of anxiety in the Labour Party over its dire poll ratings. PAGE 9 FOOD INFLATION STAYS IN NEGATIVE ZONE A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS Cabinet resolution blames it on anti-national forces  NEW DELHI TERROR ATTACK MUKESH RANJAN, ANUP VERMA A N D N I T I N R A W AT @ New Delhi RED FORT ATTACK Day’s developments Red EcoSport (pic) registered in the name of Dr Umar Un Nabi, who died when his Hyundai i20 blew up near Red Fort, found in Faridabad Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets an injured victim undergoing treatment at the LNJP hospital on Wednesday following an explosion near the Red Fort | PTI spiracy will be brought to justice,” he asserted. “Went to LNJP Hospital and met those injured during the blast in Delhi. Praying for everyone’s quick recovery. Those behind the conspiracy will be brought to justice!” Modi said in a post on X. In Faridabad, the police seized a red Ford EcoSport car in Khandawali village for which a lookout notice was issued earlier in the day as it said , to be registered in the name of Dr Umar Un Nabi, who possibly died in the Red Fort blast. The car will be checked for explosives by the forensics department. Police are trying to ascertain how it reached the village as also the whereabouts of its occupants who abandoned the vehicle. Back to the Cabinet resolution, it reiterated India’s commitment to the policy of ‘zero tolerance’ towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It also recorded its appreciation for the statements of solidarity from many nations across the world. Commending the role played by the probe agencies, it said, “The Cabinet notes with appreciation the timely and coordinated response of the authorities, security agencies and citizens, who acted with courage and compassion in the face of adversity. Their dedication and sense of duty are deeply commendable.” P8 Mobile phone of Dr Muzammil Ganaie, arrested in connection with the terror module, showed he and Dr Umar conducted multiple recces of Red Fort area in Jan Passports of Dr Umar and Dr Muzammil show they had travelled to Turkiye Al Falah Univ says it has only professional association with 2 arrested docs Two cartridges, live ammo, and samples of two types of explosives found by FSL team at the blast site  J8.00 PAGES 12 Woman doctor, brother planned lone-wolf strikes 31-member JPC on bills to remove PM, CMs formed N A M I TA B A J PA I @ Lucknow P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi TWO siblings, Dr Shaheen Shahid and Dr Parvez Sayeed, who were arrested over alleged links to a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror module, had been preparing to carry out lone-wolf attacks across the country for the past two years, sources said on Wednesday . The duo is being questioned by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and various central probe agencies. Dr Shaheen was arrested on Monday after police found arms and ammunition in a car registered in her name. During interrogation, she reve a l e d h e r yo u n g e r brother, Dr Parvez Ansari’s involvement in terror activities. Police subsequently searched Dr Ansari’s residence in MadiEncrypted aon, Lucknow, and seized chat forums his laptop, tablet and moAccording to bile phones. The two admitted to be- investigators, the ing in touch with terror siblings became suspects Dr Muzammil self-radicalised and Dr Adeel Ahmad, who via encrypted were also arrested on chat forums Monday through multiple advocating , encrypted communica- jihadist ideology tion platforms and foreign-based messaging apps. After each virtual meeting, they would delete chats, call logs and communication histories to destroy evidence and avoid tracking, sources added. The probe team managed to retrieve partial data fragments, which are now being analysed to trace their wider network. However, investigators believe that while the two were not under a structured command chain, they were ideologically aligned and motivated to act as lone-wolf attackers targeting public places or sensitive installations. P8 PARLIAMENT on Wednesday constituted a 31-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) that will scrutinise the bills on the removal of the prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers if they are arrested for 30 days straight on serious criminal charges. The committee will be headed by Lok Sabha member and BJP leader Aparajita Sarangi, as per a Lok Sabha bulletin. The panel comprises 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from Rajya Sabha. Some of the Lok Sabha members in the panel include Ravi Shankar Prasad, Bhartruhari Mahtab, Pradan Baruah, Brijmohan Agrawal, Vishnu Dayal Ram and Harsimrat Kaur Badal. From the Rajya Sabha, the nominated members include Brij Lal, Ujjwal Nikam, Nabam Rebia, Dr K Laxman, Sudha Murty, Birendra Prasad Baishya, and S Niranjan Reddy . The committee has been mandated to submit its report Doesn’t blame external elements IT’S OFFICIAL: RED FORT BLAST WAS TWO days after the Red Fort car blast, the government for the first time categorised it as a terror strike. A Union Cabinet meeting led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday passed a resolution expressing profound grief over the loss of 12 lives in the explosion, describing it as an “act of heinous terror” by anti-national forces. The carefully worded resolution restricted itself to the phrase ‘anti-national forces’, stopping short of pointing fingers at any external elements. However, it said, “The Cabinet directs that the investigation into the incident be pursued with the utmost urgency and professionalism so that the perpetrators, their collaborators and their sponsors are identified and brought to justice without delay. The situation continues to be closely monitored at the highest levels of the government.” A meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security was also convened at the prime minister’s residence to take stock of the situation. Earlier in the day, PM Modi visited the LNJP Hospital after his arrival from Bhutan, and interacted with survivors of the explosion. Expressing deep concern over the incident, he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring justice. “Those behind the con-  PM meets the injured Tracing the wheels to track drivers: EcoSport after i20 N I T I N R AWAT @ New Delhi ACTING on an alert from the Delhi Police, Faridabad cops on Wednesday seized a red Ford EcoSport in Khandawali village. It is suspected to be linked to Monday’s explosion near the Red Fort area. A forensic science laboratory (FSL) team and a bomb disposal squad were deployed to the spot to inspect the vehicle. “The police rounded up a red EcoSport vehicle, registration number DL 10 CK 0458, suspected to be involved in the Car dealer detained A Faridabad-based car dealer has been detained for questioning, said Delhi Police. The dealer facilitated the sale of a Hyundai i20—another car linked to the blast, according to the cops. “We are analysing how the car was brought to the dealer and subsequently sold,” said police. blast case. It was found parked near Khandawali village,” said a Faridabad police official. Authorities are examining whether any explosives were present in the car and investigating how the vehicle reached the village. Police suspect that the car is connected to Dr Umar Nabi, an assistant professor at Al-Falah University, who has emerged as a prime suspect in the case. In a parallel development, Delhi Police detained a Faridabad-based car dealer for questioning. Preliminary findings suggest that the dealer facilitated the sale of a Hyundai i20—another car linked to the blast. Investigators are tracing the ownership trail of the i20 to determine how it reached the suspects. “We are analysing how the ve h i cl e w a s b ro u g h t t o the dealer and subsequently sold,” said a senior investigating officer. So far, around a dozen suspects have been detained and are being questioned by multiple agencies. Security has been tightened across the national capital, with all vital installations placed on high alert. FSL experts have collected 40 sam- Catch ’em young: Sports training for school kids, modern grounds soon A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi THE Delhi government proposes to build state-of-the-art sports grounds in government schools, aiming to provide children with quality sports training from an early age, enabling them to compete in national and international events. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Wednesday sought the blueprint for the plan from education department officials. She assured adequate funds for the project, which will be implemented expeditiously The CM . said the government would collaborate with prominent sports academies to strengthen Delhi’s sports ecosystem. It will sign MoUs for training in disciplines such as cricket, boxing, taekwondo, football, and swimming, among others. The academies will be provided access to sports facilities and administrative support to run structured training programmes. Gupta said that it has the potential to transform Delhi’s schools into premier sports hubs of the country . Officials will identify locations for developing sports grounds or multi-purpose auditoria. In schools with large open spaces, modern sports grounds will be developed, while multi-purpose auditoria or mini-sports arenas will come up in areas with limited space. She said the government is committed to ensuring athletes have access to a world-class sports ecosystem, including professional coaching, balanced nutrition, modern stadiums, and well-equipped grounds. ples from the explosion site to identify the materials used. Investigators are also analysing mobile dump data from the vicinity of the Red Fort during the three-hour window when the i20 was reportedly present. CCTV footage suggests that the driver of the car, suspected to be Dr Nabi, visited a mosque near Ramleela Maidan before parking the vehicle at the Sunehri Masjid parking lot around 3:19 pm on Monday Po. lice are probing whether he was in contact with his handlers during this time. It’s a mockery as joint Oppn is absent: Cong The Congress termed the JPC a mockery saying the joint Opposition representing the majority of Indians is absent. The party alleged it is a “JPC of the BJP and its B-Team” in the winter session, scheduled from December 1-19. However, 340 members of the main Opposition parties including Congress, Trinamool Congress, Samajwadi Party , Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Left parties boycotted the panel. Last month, NCP (Sharad Pawar) broke ranks with the INDIA bloc and decided to be part of the panel. NCP(SP)’s Supriya Sule, who is a member of the new panel, had earlier said that her party was not breaking ranks with the Opposition by choosing to be part of the committee. Apart from NCP (SP), AIMIM’S Asaduddin Owaisi, BJD, YSRCP, and SAD joined the panel. U-TURN US lacks ‘certain talents’ and needs to bring them from other countries, US president Donald Trump said seeking to defend H-1B visas | P9 EXPRESS READ $1 tn investment likely at Vizag summit: Lokesh Andhra Pradesh is eyeing $1 trillion in global and domestic investments as it looks to position itself as a major industrial hub, Minister Nara Lokesh said in Delhi on Wednesday, ahead of the CII Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam. He said that the state has attracted $120 billion in investments in 16 months. “These are not symbolic MoUs. There are real projects generating jobs and transforming regional economies,” Lokesh said. P5 SC seeks Punjab, Haryana steps on stubble burning The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought a status report from the governments of Punjab and Haryana on the measures taken to control stubble burning, which is contributing to the air pollution crisis in DelhiNCR. A three-judge bench led by CJI BR Gavai, along with Justices K Vinod Chandran and N V Anjaria, said, “Let Punjab and Haryana governments file a reply, we will hear it on November 17.” P4 In a 1st, lifer to 3 in cow slaughter case D I L I P S I N G H K S H AT R I YA @ Ahmedabad Swimming pools Rural schools will be prioritised to ensure equal opportunities for young athletes. CM Rekha Gupta said the govt is also assessing the feasibility of building swimming pools in select schools. Food inflation remained negative at -5.02%, as prices of vegetables, cereals and pulses eased amid improved supplies and favourable weather. Vegetable prices fell 28% yearon-year, while pulses and spices declined by 16% and just over 3%, respectively. Clothing and footwear recorded only a 1.7% annual rise, thanks to GST rate cuts | P10 EERIE SILENCE The Lajpat Rai Market, one of Asia’s oldest electronics markets, remained closed, with policemen being deployed to maintain check on Wednesday | SAYANTAN GHOSH IN possibly the first such verdict in the country the Amreli , Sessions Court in Gujarat has sentenced three persons to life imprisonment in a cow slaughter case and imposed a fine of `6.08 lakh each on them. “For the first time in the history of the country those guilty , of cow slaughter have been sentenced to life imprisonment. This is not just a verdict—it is a message. Those who commit injustice against the mother cow, a symbol of our faith and culture, will not be spared,” Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sanghvi posted on X. The government said the ruling will go a long way in enforcing cow protection laws. This is the first time in the state’s history that such a harsh punishment has been given. The verdict by Sessions Judge Rizwanaben Bukhari on Tuesday follows a year-long trial that shook Amreli and ig- nited statewide discussion on the provisions of the Gujarat Animal Protection Act. The court held Akram Haji Solanki, Sattar Ismail Solanki, and Qasim Solanki guilty of slaughtering cows and trafficking beef. The case goes back to November 6, 2023 when police raided the house of Akram Solanki following on a tip-off and recovered slaughtered animal parts. Qasim was held on the spot, while Akram and Sattar caught later. HISTORY IN MAKING Feather in cap: Mysuru to get country’s first silk museum B O S K Y K H A N N A @ Bengaluru KARNATAKA, India’s largest silk producer, will have another feather in its cap. The country’s first silk museum will be established in Mysuru, which is famous for silk sarees. The museum will showcase the history of silk, as well as the entire co- coon-to-garment process. The Centre has already started silk tourism in Jammu and Kashmir and is also working on establishing another circuit at Topatali in Assam. While the state government and Centre are popularising the silk chain and fabric in these two states, in Mysuru, a museum showcasing how silk thread is procured —from the pupa stage to how its woven into a fabric will be shown, said Central Silk Board’s (CSB) National Silkworm Seed Organisation (NSSO) director Dr Manthira Moorthy . “This will be the first-ever and unique museum. A dedicated team is being deployed to work on this. The total cost of the project will be known after tenders are finalised. The museum will be set up in CSB’s centre in Mysuru, which is spread across 120 acres,” he said. For creating the museum, CSB officials have studied similar centres in China and Italy . Work has begun to gather herit- age collections from all silkproducing states and farmers to showcase in the museum. “We aim to start work from the coming financial year and complete it in two years... The project is supported and promoted by the Ministry of Tourism,” said CSB member secretary Sivakumar Periyasamy .