MONDAY PAATAL LOK 2 ACTOR PRASHANT TAMANG DIES OF CARDIAC ARREST 12 JANUARY, 2026 2010 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard WHEN TAMANG’S FIRST FILM GORKHA PALTAN WAS RELEASED S T R I K E TA L K IRAN THREATENS US, ISRAEL DEATH PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON HEART HEALTH Iran’s parliament speaker warned on Sunday that the US military and Israel would be ‘legitimate targets’ if the US strikes the Islamic Republic A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9 Alliance pact: Ramadoss demands ECI action on son EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 German Chancellor’s visit to India first in Asia after taking office last year; to visit B’luru too PMK founder S Ramadoss has petitioned the Election Commission (EC) seeking legal and criminal action against his son Anbumani Ramadoss for holding alliance talks with the AIADMK. He also alleged that Anbumani had forged the documents related to the extension of his party presidency which were submitted , before the commission. In his letter to the EC, dated January 10, the veteran leader said the attempt by Anbumani to forge an alliance with the AIADMK is not merely illegal but also merits civil and criminal action. “Kindly take appropriate legal action for the same, apart from registering a criminal case for the u n a u t h o rS Ramadoss ised use of my party name for political gain by Anbumani and others at the earliest,” Ramadoss said Ramadoss also sent copies of the letter to the state Chief Electoral Officer and Home Secretary. Stating that he has been running the PMK since 1989, the PMK founder said, “In the recent past, my party lost recognition due to poor performance in the elections during the tenure of Anbumani, who was holding the post of party president (May 28, 2022 to May 28, 2025). But Anbumani committed fraud and forgery against the ECI and obtained fraudulent documents for presidency extension which was not authorised by the party or by-laws.” SIGNALLING New Delhi’s intent to deepen partnerships with key European powers amid shifting global geopolitics and growing economic uncertainty , Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold comprehensive talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ahmedabad on Monday . Merz’s January 12-13 visit, his first to Asia since taking office eight months ago, comes in a backdrop of global challenges including Washington’s 50 percent tariff on Indian goods, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, and a fractious global politico-economic order. The talks are expected to focus on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, critical technologies, defence, and skill development. Germany is India’s largest trading partner in the European Union, with bilateral trade reaching around $50 billion in 2024-25. Germany accounts for roughly one-fourth of India’s EU trade and is the ninth-largest foreign direct investor with cumulative investments exceeding $15 billion. Over 2,000 German companies operate in India. The two leaders will review the IndiaGermany Strategic Partnership, which completed 25 years last year, and discuss ways to enhance cooperation in education, skilling and mobility, science and innovation research. Chancellor Merz’s Ahmedabad programme includes visiting Sabarmati Ashram, participating in the International Kite Festival, attending a skill development event, and talks with PM Modi at Mahatma Mandir. He will travel to Bengaluru on Tuesday to visit Bosch and Centre for Nano Science and Engineering. Days after Merz’s trip, EU leaders will visit New Delhi, where they may wrap up India-EU free trade agreement, to be followed by French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit. SHOT TO FAME AFTER WINNING INDIAN IDOL 3 agency, says Shah EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ T’puram NAVAL OFFICER POSTING Germany has agreed to deploy a Naval Liaison Officer at the IFC-IOR, a key informationsharing hub for maritime security in the region | P7 PM Narendra Modi addresses a gathering at Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference | PTI PM: INDIA ON FAST TRACK TO BE 3RD LARGEST ECONOMY D I L I P S I N G H K S H AT R I YA @ Rajkot Bullish on growth In a message to investors, Modi said amid global uncertainty India offers predictability, political stability and rising middleclass purchasing power PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday declared that India is rapidly advancing towards becoming the world’s third largest economy, citing controlled inflation, macro stability and global confidence as key drivers amid worldwide uncertainty . “Inflation is under control, macro stability is strong, and India today stands out with unprecedented certainty,” Modi said at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference in Rajkot, contrasting India’s political stability with tur moil in neighbouring countries. Highlighting India’s economic trajectory, he said, “India is the world’s fastest growing economy . Global hopes are rising.” Modi listed milestones including India being the world’s largest milk producer, number one in generic medicines and vaccines, biggest mobile data consumer, top digital payment platform through UPI, second largest mobile manufacturer, and among top three in solar power and aviation markets. “This is why global institutions are bullish on India,” he said. “The IMF calls India the engine of global growth. S&P has upgraded India after 18 years. Fitch praises our macro stability and fiscal credibility .” Modi stressed that amid global uncertainty India offers pre, dictability, political stability and rising middle-class purchasing power. UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said that the Sabarimala gold theft case must be investigated by a neutral agency to bring out the whole truth, alleging that the CPM-led government in Kerala is trying to protect the real culprits. Shah said the case cannot be treated as a local issue as it is closely watched by people across the country adding that the BJP , will organise protests in Kerala until a neutral agency is assigned to conduct a probe into the matter. “I demand that the Chief Minister hand over the probe to a neutral investigation agency. The BJP will carry out protests and door-to-door awareness campaigns,” Shah said while addressing the newly elected local body members of the party in Thiruvananthapuram. “The controversy is not just an issue of the state, but is closely being observed by people throughout the country. Can people under whom the assets of Sabarimala are unsafe protect our faith?” he said. Shah expressed doubts about an investigation conducted by state police being impartial, saying that people associated with the ruling CPM are under suspicion. He further alleged that even the Congress could not be absolved, claiming that evidence had emerged of the involvement of its leaders. Shah said he had seen the FIR Govt to ask manufacturers to pre-install Prasar Bharati’s OTT app on new TVs BUOYED by the growing popularity of WAVES, Prasar Bharati’s over-the-top (OTT) application, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is set to write to television manufacturers, urging them to pre-install the app on smart TVs. Currently most smart , TVs come pre-loaded with major OTT apps such as Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video. It comes weeks after the Ministry of Communications mandated the pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones, but later withdrew the order following pushback from phone makers. WAVES was launched in November 2024. It combines live TV, ondemand videos, radio, games, ebooks, and e-commerce in a single Waves has a robust international presence with users in 181 countries, according to the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. While India remains the leading market with over 4.2 million users, significant traction has been recorded in the USA, UK, UAE, Australia and France platform. It has already made strong inroads, recording over 3.8 million downloads and 2.3 million registered users in less than a year. WAVES currently offers at least 65 channels, including 40 live services featuring news and entertainment netwo rk s , m o v i e s , T V s h o w s , and games in ten languages, including Hindi, English, Marathi, Tamil, and Assamese. The content includes classics from the Doordarshan and Akashvani archives, along with new programming available on the application. Prasar Bharati also recently invited licensed linear satellite TV channels to join its OTT under a revenue-sharing commercial framework. With the objective of bringing quality content to WAVES, the public broadcaster introduced a PayPer-View Content Sourcing Policy in October. 27 pushed into cyber crime in Myanmar back in India ‘SONS TAKEN TO THE BORDER BLINDFOLDED’ S L A L I T H A @ New Delhi TWENTY-seven Indian nationals trafficked to the Myanmar border with false job promises were rescued and finally repatriated to India late on Saturday night. They were subjected to coercion and physical abuse and forced to work in cyber scam operations. The Civil Aviation Ministry said on Saturday “The rescued In, dian nationals arrived in New Delhi earlier today and are now proceeding onwards to their respective native places to reunite with their families.” Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar about the issue on July 29, 2025, seeking Citing the agony of Gandaboina Surya Kumari from Andhra Pradesh, aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said her sons went to Thailand with eight others through an agent, who took their passports and handed them over to the Chinese, who then moved them to Myanmar border while blindfolded. urgent intervention, the release said. The Ministry of External Affairs through the Embassy of India in Yangon and in coordination with concerned authorities, undertook sustained efforts that led to the release of the affected Indians and their safe evacuation to New Delhi, it added. The repatriated Indians include Ramu Gunnugukelli, Sai Kumar Kanakavala, Ajay Dubba, Jagadesh Sahu, Brahmaji Alugolu, Bhuvanesh Gandaboina, Dinesh Gandaboina, and Dhanunjaya Rao Guvvala. The communication by Naidu to the MEA had specified the names of 10 individuals from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, who are victims of human trafficking. “These individuals travelled to Thailand in search of a better livelihood through an agent, only to be transferred to the Myanmar border, where they are being exploited for online scams and subjected to severe mistreatment,” it said. Citing the instance of the agony experienced by Gandaboina Surya Kumari, a resident of YSR Nagar in Andhra Pradesh, Naidu said her sons, Gandaboina Bhuvanesh and Gandaboina went to Thailand along with eight others through an agent. They were given the designation of floor managers in resorts, for which they had paid significant commissions. Union Home Minister Amit Shah greets newly elected local body members, in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday | B P DEEPU ‘BJP CM in Kerala’ Amit Shah told party workers that the local body election victory was not the final goal and that they must work further to achieve the objective of having a BJP Chief Minister in Kerala in the case and alleged that the manner in which it was drafted made it clear that it was aimed at protecting the accused. His comments came two days after Sabarimala Thantri Kandararu Rajeevaru was arrested by the Special Investigation Team constituted by the Kerala High Court in connection with the case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also looking into the financial trail in the case. The ED has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Delhi shivers at below 3°C, Rajasthan goes under zero INTERNATIONAL REACH PA R V E Z S U LTA N @ New Delhi Mandated after the 2014 Uber rape case, these safety buttons remain non-functional, poorly connected or entirely as symbols | P4 Tamang, 43, passed away around 9 am at his Delhi residence, his close friend and singer Mahesh Sewa said. Tamang was born on January 4, 1983. Encouraged by friends, he auditioned for the reality singing show Indian Idol in 2007 and went on to win it. He then came out with his first album Dhanyavaad in 2010 and began performing at concerts worldwide Big push to strategic ties as Modi, Hand over case Merz set for talks in Ahmedabad to a neutral probe J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi WOMEN CAB USERS PRASHANT TAMANG (4 JANUARY 1983 — 11 JANUARY 2026) Tamang’s sudden death comes amid a rising number of young people succumbing to cardiac arrest and heart-related ailments SABARIMALA GOLD THEFT @ Chennai PANIC BUTTONS FAIL Winner of Indian Idol 3 and acclaimed for his role as an assassin in Paatal Lok 2, Tamang died of cardiac arrest on Sunday morning EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi KING AGAIN India batting stalwart Virat Kohli’s fluent 91-ball 93 laid the foundation for India’s four-wicket win against New Zealand in the first ODI in Vadodara on Sunday. This marks his return to consistent form after a long drought | PTI | P11 EXPRESS READ Multiple drone intrusions along IB, LoC A series of suspected Pakistani drone intrusions triggered a high alert along the International Border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in the Jammu region on Sunday evening. The Army personnel fired at a drone in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri, forcing it to return to the other side of the LoC and preventing a possible breach. Another Sikh event disrupted in NZ For the second time in less than a month, a local right-wing religious group in New Zealand on Sunday disrupted a nagar kirtan organised by the members of Sikh community in Tauranga. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee and the Shiromani Akali Dal have urged the Centre and the New Zealand government to intervene. MINIMUM temperature in some areas of Delhi dropped below 3 degrees Celsius on Sunday , with Ayanagar recording a low of 2.9 degrees Celsius and Palam 3°C. Meanwhile, parts of Rajasthan experienced sub-zero temperatures, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). On Monday, the maximum temperature in Delhi is expected to settle around 18 to 20°C, while the minimum is likely to hover between 2 and 4°C. Shallow to moderate fog is likely during morning hours. Cold to severe cold wave conditions were recorded at isolated places in parts of Rajasthan. The minimum temperature in Pratapgarh was at minus 2 degrees Celsius, while Barmer recorded a low of minus 1 degree Celsius, local met office said. Besides Rajasthan, some places in the upper reaches of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttarakhand also recorded temperatures below zero degrees Celsius even as it remained close to the freezing point in Punjab and Haryana. According to the IMD, the spell of extreme cold is likely to continue for the next few days, with severe cold wave conditions expected in isolated parts of northern India. In the national capital, the air quality remained in the poor category with the Central Pollu, tion Control Board recording an AQI level of 291 at 4 pm.