TUESDAY 05 NOVEMBER, 2024 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard BEHEADING OF TEACHER 8 ON HATE CRIME TRIAL IN PARIS Eight people went on trial in France on Monday, charged with contributing to the climate of hatred that led to an 18-year-old beheading teacher in 2020. PAGE 9 CANDIDATES MAKE FINAL PUSH IN KEY STATES ■ A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 ■ Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald Trump spent Monday, the last day before the election, in key battleground states, making their final pitch to the undecided voters to back them Elections for all 435 seats in the US House and 34 seats in the Senate will also be held. Republicans are in majority in the House at present | P9 36 die as bus falls into U’khand gorge Khalistani attack on Canada temple cowardly: Modi N A R E N D R A S E T H I @ Dehradun A private bus plunged into a gorge in Uttarakhand’s Almora district on Monday, killing 36 people and injuring 27 others. The bus was on its way from Likhwal to Ramnagar when it fell 200 metres into the gorge in Koopi village in the district’s Marchula area around 8 am. The 43-seater bus had 63 passengers on board when the accident happened. “The bus was just 35 kilometers from its destination, Ramnagar, when it plummeted 200 metres into a gorge in Almora’s Marchula area,” Almora District Magistrate Alok Kumar Pandey said. He said the bus, operated by the Garhwal Motor Owners Association, had left Pauri in the state’s Garhwal region on Sunday evening for Ramnagar, about 250 km away . Commandant Arpan Yaduvanshi of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) told this newspaper that four SDRF teams were dispatched to the site upon receiving information about the incident. “We received information about the accident at 8.45 am on Monday Immedi. ately four SDRF teams were dis, patched. Our personnel pulled out the injured and the bodies of those killed by breaking the glass and cutting through iron sheets of the bus,” he said. Soon after the incident, Assistant Regional Transport officials of the Pauri and Almora districts were suspended on orders of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. The chief minister announced `4 lakh ex-gratia for the next of kin of the deceased and `1 lakh for those injured. Separately, the Prime Minister’s Office announced `2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and `50,000 for the injured. Chief Minister Dhami instructed the Commissioner of Kumaon, Mandal Deepak Rawat to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the accident. 10 WOMEN AMONG DEAD Of the 36 killed, 10 are women. Twenty-eight people died on the spot and eight succumbed to injuries in the Ramdutt Joshi Joint Hospital, Ramnagar People beaten up, consular event disrupted; 3 held; violence unacceptable, says Trudeau YESHI SELI AND HARPREET BAJWA @ New Delhi/Chandigarh RETURNING TO WORK A state disaster relief force official said the bus was carrying people who were returning to work after spending the long Diwali weekend at home Rescuers look for survivors amid the mangled remains of the bus | PTI ISRAEL KILLS ANOTHER HEZBOLLAH LEADER The Israeli military said on Monday that it killed a top Hezbollah commander, identified as Abu Ali Rida, it accused of overseeing rocket and anti-tank missile attacks against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon | P9 INDIA’S equity markets fell sharply on Monday with benchmark indices NSE Nifty and BSE Sensex plummeting up to 2% in intraday deals to their lowest level in four months. The fresh selloff is attributed to the nervousness ahead of the US presidential election, continuous FPI/FII selling, and a disappointing September quarter earnings season. According to analysts, expectations of a fresh stimulus package by China to prop up growth also triggered selling in Indian stocks. Markets across the world are feeling the impact of a close contest between Don- WHY THE MARKETS CRASHED 1 Uncertainty ahead of US presidential elections 2 Relentless selling by foreign investors 3 Expectations of a fresh stimulus package by China NIFTY A R S H A D K H A N @ New Delhi SENSEX JITTERY MARKETS TUMBLE AHEAD OF TIGHT U.S. POLLS 78,782.24 941.88 23,995.35 309 6 LAKH CR wiped out as market cap falls from `448 lakh cr MANIC MONDAY to `442 lakh cr 4,329.79 CR pulled out by FIIs on Monday ald Trump and Kamala Harris as the world’s biggest economy is all set to elect its next President. “We believe Harris’ win will be neutral/mean continuity for the economy, equities, and other asset classes. Trump would have a reasonable impact on emerging markets (EMs), equities, and currency due to de-globalisation. Amongst EMs, we expect rela- tively positive impact for India in the long-run,” said Anjali Verma and Navaneeth Vijayan of Phillip Capital in a recent note. The US Federal Reserve’s policy outcome is scheduled for Thursday, with the street anticipating a 25-basis-point rate cut. However, this may not have a favourable impact on the market, as the rate cut is already priced in. AMID a diplomatic chill between India and Canada, Khalistanis radicals attacked devotees on the premises of a temple in Brampton, drawing widespread condemnation, including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Videos showed protesters with Khalistani flags attacking people and indulging in fistfights at the Hindu Sabha temple in Brampton on Sunday, disrupting a consular event coorganised by the temple authorities and the Indian Consulate there. The attack happened despite the presence of the Peel Regional Police at the site. The police later arrested three persons and slapped criminal charges against them. “Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of the law,’’ Modi said in a strongly-worded statement. The Indian High Commission in Ottawa shared its disappointment at disruption of the consular camp. “It is deeply disappointing to see such disruptions being allowed for routine consular work, organised by our consulates with fullest cooperation of local co-organisers. We also remain very concerned for the safety of applicants, including Indian nationals, on whose demands such events are organised,’’ the Indian mission said in a statement. India also said attempts at disrupting similar camps in Vancouver and Surrey were also made. Consular camps in future will be contingent on security arrangements made by the local authorities, the statement added. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the leader of the opposition Pierre Poilievre condemned the attack. “The acts of violence at the Hindu Sabha Mandir in Brampton today are unacceptable. Every Canadian has the right to practice their faith freely and safely said Trudeau. “Completely ,” unacceptable to see violence targeting worshippers,” said Poilievre. I strongly condemn the deliberate attack on a Hindu temple in Canada. Equally appalling are the cowardly attempts to intimidate our diplomats. Such acts of violence will never weaken India’s resolve. We expect the Canadian government to ensure justice and uphold the rule of law Narendra Modi, Prime Minister UNCHECKED KHALISTANI EXTREMISM “This exposes just how deep and unchecked Khalistani extremism runs in Canada.... any Hindu who dares to question or resist this is swiftly branded an ‘Indian agent’, accused of engaging in so-called ‘transnational repression’,” the Coalition of Hindus of North America said SC pulls up govt, cops over cracker ban, seeks list of measures taken... S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Monday expressed its concern over the high pollution levels recorded in the city during Diwali and inquired about the measures taken by the Delhi government and the police commissioner to implement the firecracker ban besides the actions taken against the alleged violators. It also sought to understand the future actions that will be implemented by the relevant authorities to ensure that the ban is enforced next year. A two-judge bench of Justices Abhay Oka and Augustine George Masih, said, “We want the Delhi government to immediately respond as to why this has happened. We will simultaneously issue notice to Delhi Police Commissioner as to why there is non-compliance. We have to hear this immediately The real problem is that . this is all under Air Prevention Act, 1981, which after amend- ment this year, has only penalty provisions”. The SC was hearing the MC Mehta case with regard to air pollution in Delhi-NCR emanating from various sources, including firecrackers, stubble burning, waste burning, vehicular emissions, industrial pollution and others. It asked the Delhi government and Delhi Police Commissioner to file in one week, the detailed affidavit narrating the steps that would be taken to ensure that firecracker-related pollution does not arise again during Diwali celebrations next year. The court asked them to ensure that these steps include measures to conduct a public campaign against the menace. To control the pollution level, the SC also asked the Delhi government to consider implementing a perpetual firecracker ban in the city. “The Delhi Government and other authorities must also take call on perpetual ban of these firecrackers,” the SC order read. A thick layer of smog enveloped the Raisina Hills on Monday. | SHEKHAR YADAV | P3 Lokayukta police to quiz Siddaramaiah tomorrow E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Mysuru THE Lokayukta Police have summoned Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for questioning on Wednesday in connection with the alleged irregularities in allotment of 14 MUDA sites to his wife Parvathi. Siddaramaiah, who is campaigning in Shiggaon, has confirmed it saying: “Yes, I will go to their office in Mysuru on Wednesday .” After the questioning, Siddaramaiah will proceed to Channapatna to campaign for Congress candidate C P Yogeshwara, who is contesting the byelection to the Legislative Assembly from that constituency sources said. , T h e L o k ay u k t a Po l i c e launched an inquiry based on complaints of alleged irregularities in MUDA in acquiring 3.18 acres of land bearing survey No. 468 at Kesare from Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi and allotting 14 sites to her in upmarket Vijayanagar locality in Mysuru, thereby causing a big loss to the state’s exchequer. Parvathi, Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, landowner Devaraj, and a few other persons have already been questioned by the Lokayukta Police. A Lokayukta Police team recently visited MUDA offices in Mysuru and examined the records pertaining to the land acquired at Kesare from Parvathi for formation of a residential layout, allotment of 14 sites to her, and other documents related to the 3.18 acres of land. EXPRESS READ Mayor polls reserved for Dalit candidate on Nov 14 The MCD will hold mayoral polls on November 14, according to an official. The tenure for the Dalit candidate, however, will be truncated to just five months due to a seven-month delay caused by a political deadlock between the AAP and the BJP. | P3 ... meanwhile, Pak blames India for AQI RG Kar rape-murder trial to start on November 11 Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi WITH AQI level in Lahore soaring to an alarming level of 1,900, the Pakistan government has blamed the winds blowing from India for the severe conditions. The Pakistan government has reportedly approached the foreign office to address the issue with India. Toxic grey smog has sickened thousands of people, mainly children and elderly people, since last month when the air quality started worsening in Lahore, the city bordering India. The concentration of PM 2.5 in the air, approached 450, considered hazardous, the Punjab Environment Protection Department said. “The wind from India towards Lahore is pushing the smog to dangerous levels and the wind is likely to sustain its direction for at least next week. We would like to have joint efforts with India to curb smog,’’ senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on Sunday . She also said that the winds from Amritsar and Chandigarh were contributing in spiking the AQI level to over 1,000 since the past two days. MUDA SCAM LAST SORTIE Smoke billows out after a MiG-29 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force crashed near Agra on Monday. The pilot ejected safely | PTI Eighty-seven days after the body of a woman doctor was found at RG Kar Medical College, a Kolkata court on Monday framed charges against the prime accused, Sanjay Roy. The court announced that day-to-day trial will begin on November 11. 22-yr-old held for fight with 3 women at nightclub U J W A L J A L A L I @ New Delhi A 22-year-old man was arrested for thrashing three women at a nightclub in the city after they tried reporting his alleged misbehaviour on the dance floor. The accused had accidentally tripped on them. The incident took place at Key Club Samrat Hotel in Chanakyapuri late November 1 night. The three women in their early twenties went out to party and were allegedly assaulted by the man. The three reported the matter to the police who registered an FIR under sections of hurt and forceful restraint of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. As per the FIR, accessed by this newspaper, one of the women, a native of Rajasthan, stated that she was at the night club along with her two friends when a man, dressed in black attire with black sunglasses, accidentally fell on them after being pushed by a crowd. “This resulted in an argument and I rushed out of the dance floor to report him to the club authorities. The accused followed me and in the lobby of the club pulled me by my hair and threw me against the wall, choking me,” the woman said in her complaint. The other two girls rushed to save their friend, but the accused kicked one and slapped the other. “I called up the police to re- Rushed to RML, two women had bruises The three women were taken to RML Hospital for a medical test where doctors said two of them had bruises over abdomen while the third had no signs of fresh injuries. A police officer said that they scanned the nightclub’s CCTV in which the accused was seen fighting with three women. He was placed under arrest, the police said. port the physical assault at 2:59 am. A PCR arrived soon,” the FIR stated. The accused, identified as Karma Sangpo, a native of Himachal Pradesh, was handed over to the police. The three women were taken to RML Hospital for a medical examination where doctors said two of them had bruises over abdomen while the third had no signs of fresh injuries. A senior police officer said that they scanned the nightclub’s CCTV footage in which the accused could be clearly seen fighting with three women. Based on the complaint of the women, the accused was placed under arrest.