mondAY 15 september, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard Israel bombing those involved in arson will be brought to book, says nepal pm Residents flee Gaza City Palestinian families streamed out of Gaza City on Sunday, as Israeli forces pressed their assault on the territory’s main urban centre Page 9 martyr status for those dead in protests A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS l New Delhi l J8.00 l PAGES 12 Karki, 73, who assumed office at the newly built Home Ministry building at Singhdurbar Secretariat in Kathmandu at around 11 am, also announced that those killed during the ‘Gen Z’ protest will be declared ‘martyrs’ and provided one million Nepalese rupees. She said arson during the protests was ‘pre-planned’ and that the Gen-Z protesters weren’t involved | p9 ‘Demography Mission’ to thwart infiltrators RJD threatens Government will pre-empt any conspiracy to alter the demography in border regions through incursions, says Modi prasanta m a z u m d ar @ Guwahati PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Union government is in the process of launching a ‘Demography Mission’ to “thwart a conspiracy aimed at altering the demography of India’s border areas through infiltration.” “A conspiracy is at work to change the demography of border areas (near Bangladesh) with the help of infiltrators. This poses a grave threat to national security That’s why a na. tionwide Demography Mission is being launched,” Modi said at a rally at Mangaldoi in Assam’s Darrang district. He said the BJP gover nment’s goal is to save the people of the country from infiltrators and get rid of them. The PM asserted that India was emerging as one of the world’s fastestgrowing economies, and said that Assam’s growth rate was PM to visit Bihar’s Purnea today Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and others during inauguration of development works in Darrang, Assam, on Sunday | PTI 13 per cent. “This was achieved due to the efforts of the doubleengine government. The Centre and the state government are developing Assam as a health hub. The Northeast has a big role to play in achieving the ‘Viksit Bharat’ dream,” the PM said. Accusing the Congress of shielding and protecting infiltrators, PM Modi said, “Write it down. I will see how much strength you use to protect infiltrators and how we put our lives on the line to remove them. Let there be a contest. Those protecting the infiltrators will suffer.” Commending Assam Chief Patna: Months ahead of assembly elections in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Purnea district on Monday to address a rally and launch development projects worth `36,000 crore. He will inaugurate a newly developed airport terminal in Purnea too. PM Modi landed in Kolkata on Sunday night Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for driving back infiltrators, Modi said, “Under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, lakhs of bighas of land, grabbed by infiltrators, have been taken back. In Darrang, land in Gorukhuti was under the grip of infiltrators. The encroachment has been cleared.” The PM accused Congress of siding with terrorists groomed by Pakistan instead of supporting the Indian Army. “During ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Congress, instead of supporting our armed forces, which destroyed the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, was engaged in protecting infiltrators and anti-national forces,” PM Modi alleged. During his two-day visit to Assam, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth over `18,000 crore, comprising health and infra projects worth `6,300 crore in Mangaldai, and an ethanol plant and Petro Fluidised Catalytic Cracker Unit with a combined cost of `12,230 crore in Numaligarh. He also launched Darrang Medical College & Nursing College, Guwahati Ring Road and Narengi-Kuruwa bridge over Brahmaputra. P8 Jungle warfare school to come up in Red corridor M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi top shot india finish with two worlds gold Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and Minakshi Hooda (48kg) carved their place in Indian boxing history by clinching titles with hardfought wins at the World Championships in Liverpool | P11 Express read 5.8-magnitude quake jolts Assam, Bengal the government has decided to set up a ‘jungle warfare school’ at Karreguta Hills in Chattisgarh’s Bijapur district-once a stronghold of Maoists— to give specialised training to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh Police, District Reserve Guard, Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), and other security forces. “Instructions have been passed and the preparations have already started,” multiple sources told this newspaper. The Central government will construct the training school, while the state government will build the approach road and provide other basic facilities, a Chhattisgarh government official said. Officials said the location of the school is significant as Karregutta Hills was “once considered the secure stronghold of Naxals”. Karregutta was freed from the control of Naxals through a special CRPF-led operation early this year. The operation, launched on April 21, lasted for 21 days and led to the killing of 31 Naxals. asia Cup: SKy and co overpower pakistan sPINNERS kULDEEP yADAV AND aXAR pATEL SHINE BEFORE SURYAKUMAR YADAV guides iNDIA HOME WITH SEVEN WICKETS IN HAND. A LOOK... An earthquake of 5.8 magnitude struck Assam, other parts of the Northeast and West Bengal on Sunday evening, followed by three aftershocks within one-anda-half hours, leaving at least two people injured and damaging scores of houses in Assam. | P8 Rahul to meet flood-hit families in Punjab today Senior Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi will visit Punjab on Monday to meet families affected by the recent floods and assess the extent of damage. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring revealed that it will be a day-long visit. Spinner Kuldeep Yadav celebrates a wicket with his teammates during the Asia Cup clash against Pakistan. He took three wickets, restricting Pakistan to 127/9 in 20 overs. In reply, skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 47 from 37 balls set up the seven-wicket win for the Men in Blue | AFP 780 T’gana pvt colleges to shut indefinitely over dues E x press N e w s S er v i c e @ Hyderabad Around 780 private professional colleges in Telangana will observe Engineer’s Day as Black Day on Monday and begin an indefinite strike, closing all institutions. Despite repeated representations and a meeting with the Telangana Council of Higher Education (TGCHE), managements said the government has neither clarified the release of fee reimbursement dues nor offered a concrete proposal. About `8,000 crore in dues has been pending for the past four months. On similar grounds, private degree and PG colleges will also begin an indefinite strike and closure Tuesday . FATHI members have also set September 21 as the deadline for releasing `1,800 crore in fee dues, for which tokens were issued but not released by the government in June. At its emergency general body meeting on Sunday FATHI demand, ed that the state government clear all pending dues of `8,000 crore, with 50% released on or before October 31 and the rest by December 31. FATHI chairman N Ramesh Babu warned that if the government failed to respond, a massive protest with lakhs of students would be organised on September 23 and24. The lessons drawn during the operation will serve to update the operational tactics, sources said. “The personnel of the CRPF, Special Task Force, and the DRG carried out ‘cave intervention’ extensively So, it will be part . of the training at the school,” they added. Since the institute is being raised in the actual setting, the forces are expected to have a major positive effect on the training. Karregutta is a strategically unique, tough and inaccessible terrain stretching for over 60 km with widths ranging from Dedicate victory to Pahalgam victims: Yadav India captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicated the win to Pahalgam terror attack victims and Indian armed forces. “We stand by the victims of the families of the Pahalgam terror attack. We express our solidarity. Want to dedicate the win to all our armed forces who showed a lot of bravery,” he said at the post-match presentation. Earlier, Indian captain and the players did not shake hands with Pakistan team both at the toss and after the match in Dubai on Sunday. This left Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson miffed as Salman Agha skipped the presentation. | P11 10-20 km across the hilly region. The hills stand at an altitude of 5,000 metres and remain inaccessible even for a majority of the local population. The area is dotted with caves, waterfalls, and narrow valleys at the core of the hills, and have been said to house the camps and arms manufacturing units of the Naxals. The CRPF is the lead force deployed in counter insurgency counter terrorism, and Left, wing extremism (LWE). Around 100 battalions, including COBRA units, of the 3.25-lakh strong force are currently deployed for LWE operations. to contest all 243 seats in Bihar DIA bloc candidates would be fielded on all 243 seats and AMID the ongoing seat-shar- election would be fought uning talks within the Opposi- der Tejashwi’s leadership. “It tion INDIA bloc for the up- should not be read beyond coming Bihar assembly that,” Tiwari said, adding that elections, Rashtriya Janata INDIA bloc was intact. Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Seat sharing negotiations Prasad Yadav sparked con- in INDIA bloc have got trickitroversy by declaring that er with the possible entry of his party would contest all Jharkhand chief minister He243 seats. mant Soren’s Addressing a public Jharkhand Mukti gathering in MuzafMorcha (JMM) and farpur late on Saturformer union minisday evening, Tejashwi ter Pashupati Paras’s said, “We will return. Rashtriya Lok JanUnderstand this, You shakti Party (RLJP). all have to stay united, Launching a blisterand this time, Tejashing attack on the wi will contest elecstate’s NDA governtions on 243 seats. ment, Tejashwi at the We will return. Whether it is Kanti, Understand this, workers’ event said M u z a f f a r p u r, o r that businessmen You all have to Gaighat, Tejashwi stay united, and were being kidnapped will contest elections and killed daily in the this time, Tejashwi will from every place.” state, and corruption “This government, contest elections had reached its peak, on 243 seats which has been in with the poor being power for 20 years, exploited from local RJD leader which works to spread police stations to the Tejashwi Yadav communal violence, at a rally in Kanti in state headquarters. has to be ousted,” Earlier this week, Muzaffarpur he said. AICC in-charge of BiTejashwi’s remarks har Krishna Allavaru are being seen in political cir- suggested that RJD should cles as a pressure tactic at a show more flexibility in seattime when seat sharing talks sharing deal. Sources said within INDIA bloc are stuck. Congress wants to contest 70 However, RJD spokesperson seats that it fought in the 2020 Mritunjay Tiwari downplayed elections, while RJD is ready Tejashwi’s remarks, and said to offer it 52 seats. he meant to say that elections Among NDA allies, Jitan would be contested under his Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani (Tejashwi’s) leadership. “So, Awam Morcha (HAM) has he will contest all seats.” said it will contest 100 seats if Tejashwi’s remarks would it is not offered 15-20 seats in not impact the alliance as IN- the upcoming election. ra m ashankar @ Patna Experts flag transmission puzzle in Kerala ‘brain-eating amoeba’ cases P O O J A N A I R @ Kozhikode KERALA is witnessing an alarming spike in amoebic meningoencephalitis infections, but uncertainty over the exact mode of transmission baffles health experts and prevents authorities from taking effective preventive measures. The rare and often fatal infection, caused by the Naegleria fowleri amoeba that attacks the brain, has so far claimed 17 lives this year in the state with seven deaths reported in September alone. Generally, the infection affects only those who had bathed or swum in ponds, lakes, or swimming pools, where water What is amoebic encephalitis? Amoebic encephalitis is an “acute, fulminant, and rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system” caused by Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the brain-eating amoeba, found in warm freshwater bodies such as lakes, streams, and rivers could inadvertently enter the nose and allow the amoeba to reach the brain. However, some new cases have raised concern among doctors. A three-month-old infant with no exposure to ponds or rivers, and a Class IV school student who only bathed at home, are among the recent victims. The story of Anaya, a 9-yearold girl from Kozhikode, highlights the devastating nature of the disease. On August 13, she returned home exhausted after a dance practice for the Independence Day event. By night, she developed fever and started vomiting. She collapsed the next day and was rushed to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital but could not be saved. In the case of the infant, lab tests confirmed the presence of the deadly amoeba in the family’s well. Officials have since begun chlorinating the well every three days. Man dies in city hotel after organising Accused of harassing party, probe on as kin allege foul play woman, cop faces action P R A B H AT S H U K L A @ New Delhi Panic gripped northeast Delhi’s Brahmpuri area after the sudden death of Mohit Garg, who was found unconscious in a hotel room where he had hosted a party with friends. According to officials, Garg had checked into the hotel on Saturday afternoon and later invited a group of friends for a gathering in his room. The celebration, however, took a grim turn when he collapsed during the evening. Hotel staff informed the police, who arrived at the spot and found him unresponsive. He was rushed to JPC Hospital, where doctors declared him “brought dead”. His body was subsequently shifted to GTB Hospital for autopsy . Meanwhile, his family members strongly contested the police version, insisting that they had rushed him to hospital and not the police. Narender Kumar Garg, the victim’s father, alleged that his son had been “drugged and murdered” by those who attended the party. The angry relatives staged a protest outside JPC Hospital on Saturday night. A family friend, Vikas Jain, echoed similar doubts, pointing to the discolouration of the body “We are convinced it . was not a natural death. There is more to the story, and strict action must follow,” he said. Investigators are working to establish a timeline of events and determine if there was any substance abuse or foul play . Meanwhile, a forensic team examined the hotel room to collect evidence. Officials confirmed that legal proceedings have begun and the identities of all individuals present at the party are being verified. P R A B H AT S H U K L A @ New Delhi A viral post on X alleging that a woman from the Northeast was harassed during a police raid at a south Delhi shop prompted protests and disciplinary action against an assistant sub-inspector, officials said on Sunday . According to a Delhi Police statement, the episode began when a PCR call at around 9.30 am on Saturday reported alleged sale and consumption of illicit liquor at a shop in the SLC area. The call was assigned to ASI Virender of Ashram police station, who arrived with a team and seized 20 quarters and 20 bottles of illicit liquor. Nearly two hours after the seizure, another PCR call was received in which a woman linked to the shop accused the ASI of inappropriate conduct during the search operation. A group of people from the Northeast congregated outside the Ashram police station, demanding a thorough probe and stern measures against the accused. “Disciplinary action was taken promptly and ASI Virender was sent to the district lines , with immediate effect,” the statement said.