MONDAY NATIONAL CHILDHOOD DIABETES TREATMENT FRAMEWORK LIVE 04 Union Health Ministry on Sunday released a document providing a framework for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood diabetes MAY, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard UNIVERSAL SCREENING OF ALL CHILDREN X.com/TheMornStandard UKRAINE WAR KYIV TARGETS OIL SITES IN RUSSIA Ukraine said on Sunday it had hit several Russian ships as both sides fired hundreds of drones in a spree that killed at least eight people PAGE 9 GONDA EVENT Phogat flags bias ahead of comeback tournament HARPREET BAJWA & FIROZ M I R Z A @ Chandigarh/Chennai DAYS before her comeback event, Olympian wrestler Vinesh Phogat on Sunday said she is among the six victims who had lodged sexual harassment complaints against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. Phogat, now a Congress MLA from Haryana’s Julana, is set to participate in the National Open Ranking Tournament to be held on May 1012 in Gonda, Uttar Pradesh, a stronghold of Bhushan. She had quit the sport after she was disqualified from the 2024 Paris Olympics for being 100 gms overweight. In a video message released on Sunday, Phogat said she is worried about her safety and the government would be responsible if anything happens to her during the tournament. “This tournament is being organised at Gonda, where Brij Bhushan’s home is. It is impossible to think wrestlers will get a fair chance to excel there. Which referee will officiate which match, who has to win, who will lose… all that can be controlled by his people,” she alleged. The WFI dismissed her allegations and said the venue can’t be changed for one person. “If she fears for her safety I would personally go and , pick her up from her place and bring her to the venue. I will also drop her back,” WFI president Sanjay Kumar Singh told TNIE. Singh said the venue was known when Phogat registered for the event. “She didn’t raise concern then. Now she is saying this. This event is open tournament and participation is not mandatory If she already . knew the venue then she could have avoided the event,” he added. ANXIETY IN UNAUTHORISED COLONIES OF CITY There was hope among residents of unauthorised colonies when over 1,500 were regularised. But, the ones living in areas that are left out stay in fear of eviction and civic infra discomfort | P4 3 Lakh A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  PAGES 12 All eyes on which way the On counting eve, power pendulum swings DMK, AIADMK file Results of Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, TN & Puducherry polls today P R E E T H A N A I R @ New Delhi AS votes are counted in the high-stakes Assembly elections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam, and Puducherry on Monday, all eyes are on the outcome, which will shape new political alignments and power equations. With the exit polls setting the tone, regional heavyweights such as the DMK in Tamil Nadu, TMC in West Bengal, and CPI(M) in Kerala are seeking to retain power, even as BJP attempts to expand its footprint beyond traditional bastions. In West Bengal, the results will be crucial in determining whether the three-term Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee can withstand a fierce challenge from the saffron party and secure another term in office. While several exit polls showed a tight race between the BJP and the TMC, a historic breakthrough for the BJP would be to breach the TMC stronghold for the first time. If the TMC secures a strong mandate in Bengal, Mamata will solidify her position in national politics. Tamil Nadu presents another Security personnel patrol the streets of Howrah in Kolkata on Sunday | PTI What’s at stake State Total Halfway Seats Mark West Bengal* 294 148 Tamil Nadu 234 118 Kerala 140 71 Assam 126 64 Puducherry 30 16 TOTAL 824 — * Result of Falta constituency to be declared after repolling intriguing contest. The DMK, under Chief Minister M K Stalin, is hoping for a second consecutive term, while the AIADMK, now aligned with the BJP , Iran dispatches new 14-point proposal to US to break talk deadlock ‘Impossible military op’ vs bad deal Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Sunday said the US faced a choice between an “impossible” military operation or a “bad deal” with Tehran, after Trump disparaged Iran’s latest peace proposal. “The room for US has narrowed,” they said UK military says bulk carrier hit A bulk carrier near the Strait of Hormuz has reportedly been attacked by multiple small craft, UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre said on Sunday, warning warns all vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz with caution A G E N C I E S @ Tehran EYEING to break the deadlock over peace talks with the US, Iran has conveyed a “multilayered proposal” to Washington, a senior official in the know said on Sunday . While US President Donald Trump has not rejected Iran’s latest 14-point proposal outright, experts believe Washington is unlikely to accept any framework that does not include firm guarantees preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons. The Iran war, launched by the US and Israel on February 28, has been on hold since April 8, with one round of peace talks having taken place unfruitfully in Islamabad since then. The official told PTI that the fresh DAY Iran proposal is a phased de-escalation framework. “The first component of the plan focuses on urgent de-escalation measures. Iran has indicated willingness to ease tensions in and around the strategic Strait of Hormuz, provided Washington reciprocates by scaling back its military posture and easing economic pressure,” he said. Secondly Iran is seeking to decouple the res, toration of maritime trade and oil flows from nuclear negotiations. Thirdly, Iran says it is open to discussing limits on uranium enrichment and enhanced monitoring mechanisms, but only within a broader agreement that guarantees sanctions relief. “The proposal further includes demands for security guarantees, who pre-empt the risk of future military action,” he said. P9 65 is attempting a comeback. All eyes are on the new entrant TVK, led by actor-turned-politician Vijay which has added a , new dimension to the race. In Kerala, the results will be a make-or-break for the Congress, which is hoping to return to power buoyed by its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and recent local body elections. The ruling LDF, led by Chief Minister PiASSEMBLY ELECTIONS narayi Vijayan, is seeking a third consecutive term, while the BJP-led NDA is attempting to gain a foothold in the state with a bipolar polity. A defeat for the LDF would also mark the first time since the 1960s that Left parties are not in power in any state. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is seeking a second consecutive term, with the Congress aiming to mount a credible challenge. Puducherry, known for its history of electoral alternation, is also witnessing a closely fought battle, with exit polls indicating a tight contest. P8 complaints to CEO E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Chennai WITH exit polls predicting the possibility of a razor-thin margin of victory in the 2026 Assembly elections, political tensions have peaked in Tamil Nadu. On the eve of the results, the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK have approached Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Archana Patnaik with a flurry of complaints, each accusing the other of attempting to compromise the integrity of Monday’s counting process. DMK organisation secretary RS Bharathi, in his representation to the CEO, alleged that the DMK has credible information that the BJP and other parties acting at its behest may attempt to create ruckus at the counting centres and nearby sensitive locations, including party offices, to disrupt the counting process. Stating that such orchestrated, large-scale law and order issues may seriously affect a free and fair electoral process, Bharathi urged the CEO to take all steps to ensure maintenance of peace, public order and the integrity of the counting process across TN on Monday . Talking to reporters in Chennai, Bharathi said the ECI should operate above suspicion, given the many complaints about the commission’s activities in other states. “However, the DMK is ready to face any eventualities,” he added. Meanwhile, AIADMK Advocates Wing secretary IS Inbadurai has complained to the Chief Election Commissioner, CEO, and the Special Observer, alleging misuse of press passes to gain unauthorised access to counting centres. He claimed certain individuals linked to the DMK IT Wing sought press accreditation, with some officials allegedly issuing passes to non-media persons. Cautioning that this could compromise transparency and affect the level playing field, he sought immediate verification of passes, strict scrutiny, cancellation of irregular passes, and fixing of accountability on the officials to ensure a free, fair, and credible counting process. WORLD champion D Gukesh has started his specific training prep for the upcoming title c l a s h a g a i n s t J avo k h i r Sindarov. While his principal coach, Grzegorz Gajewski, didn’t reveal much about the training schedule, the Pole confirmed that ‘it has begun’ to this daily . The teen, who has had a mixed time of it since winning the Classical world title in Singapore in December 2024, has only only made sporadic appearances on the circuit in 2026. It’s assumed that Gukesh has been working on new ideas and novelties since the Uzbek phenom wiped the field to win the Candidates tournament last month in Cyprus. In fact, the world will get the first glimpse of champion v. challenger as early as this week when the two face each other in the Rapid & Blitz section in Warsaw. With the first few rounds set for Tuesday, it may offer a peek into the mindset of both Gukesh and Sindarov. This tournament is another opportunity for the Indian to get back into form. Gukesh, who has lost over 50 rating points in the last year, had initially signed on to feature in the Grand Chess LDF and UDF confident, BJP wants surprise EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ T’puram IT’S only a matter of hours to know who will rule Kerala next. Ending a month-long wait, results of the crucial assembly elections that could very well alter the state’s political scenario will be out on Monday Counting . of votes will begin at 8 am, with initial trends set to be available within an hour. While Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeks a historic third term, the Congress eyes a comeback. On the eve of counting, both LDF and UDF appear confident, while BJP is hopeful of reopening its account in the state assembly after a fiveyear gap. Upbeat over different pre-poll surveys and exit polls that predict a comeback, the Congress has made elaborate arrangements at the KPCC office, erecting tents and setting up huge LED walls to watch poll results live. The UDF leadership sounded confident of a landslide victory with 85+ seats, a repeat of its authentic win in the recent local body elections. 9 KILLED IN HOUSE INFERNO N I T I N R A W AT @ New Delhi NINE people were charred to death on Sunday morning after a fire broke out at a residential building in Shahdara’s Vivek Vihar Extension area. According to the fire officials, the fire started at 3:47 am and it needed 14 fire tenders to douse the blaze. The fire department has recovered all nine charred bodies, one from first floor, five from second floor, and three from staircase mumty which , was found locked. The fire was brought under control at 6.25 am. The deceased have been identified as Arvind Jain, 60, his wife Anita Jain, 58, their son Nishank Jain, 35, Nishank’s wife Anchal Jain, 33, and their one-and-half-year old son Akash. They were on the second floor of the building when the building caught fire. Shikha Jain, 45, was found dead on the first floor, while Nitin Jain, 50, his wife Shailey Jain, 48, and their son Samyak, 25, were found on the third floor. A fire department official said that firefighters found the front portion of the fourstorey building enclosed by iron grills, which hampered rescue efforts. Despite the challenge, 15 people were evacuated safely The injured . (Left) The building which caught fire. (Above) A faulty AC could be the likely cause of the tragedy. (Below) Relatives of victims grieving their loss | SAYANTAN GHOSH Mother found clutching son The tragedy had a heart-wrenching image in the body of a one-and-a-half-year-old boy who was found tightly clutched to his mother’s chest, as if she had tried till her very last breath to shield him | P3 were shifted to a nearby hospital, where one person was reported to have come with 30 per cent burn injuries, while the others received treatment and were discharged soon after, he added. The visuals of the incident recorded by passersby show a massive fire engulfing the Tour. However, in March, he pulled out of a slew of GCT events for ‘more dedicated training time’ at home. Apart from beginning training prep for the clash a g ainst Sindarov, the World No. 19 will also have to put in place a new team to tackle the challenge. His seconds for the Ding Liren match was Radosław Wojtaszek, Pentala Harikrishna, Vincent Keymer, Jan Klimkowski building and thick smoke emerging from it. Videos showed that the flats where the fire took place were completely gutted. Nothing was left in the houses intact. Just piles of completely burnt household items were left behind after the incident. Union Minister of State of Corporate Affairs and East Delhi MP Harsh Malhotra, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, Aam Aadmi Party M L A Ku l d e e p Ku m a r, Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav, and others reached the spot and expressed solidarity with the families of the victims. EXPRESS READ Gukesh begins specific prep for Sindarov challenge @ Chennai KERALA POLL SHAHDARA BLAZE CONTROLLED WITH HELP OF 14 FIRE TENDERS; 15 RESCUED CHESS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS S W A R O O P S W A M I N AT H A N CHILDREN IN INDIA ARE LIVING WITH DIABETES, AS PER ONE ESTIMATE The document, for the first time, establishes a structured and standardised national framework, positioning India among a select group of countries that have integrated childhood diabetes care into the public health system. The framework aims to ensure universal screening of all children from birth to 18 years for early identification of diabetes | P7 and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. How many of these players will sign on for this match? Keymer’s profile has risen to such a level that the German is now World No. 7 and is now higher rated than the Indian. The same is true for Duda, the World No. 14. However, that may not necessarily stop them from ‘helping’ Gukesh as it gives both of those players, who harbour serious ambitions themselves, a glimpse into preparations. SC to hear writ pleas on Transgender Act today NEET UG ’26 held amid huge security measures The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear, on May 4, a batch of writ petitions—including one filed by noted transgender activist Laxmi Narayan Tripathi—challenging Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Amendment Act, 2026. Tripathi, the chairperson of the National Council for Transgender Persons, has approached the SC contesting the constitutional validity of the amendment. The petition argues that the law brings significant changes to the framework governing the rights of transgender persons. It was a collective sigh of relief for aspirants who appeared for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test–Undergraduate (NEET UG) 2026 on Sunday afternoon, conducted under unprecedented security arrangements at 5,432 examination centres. According to the NTA, a total of 22,79,743 candidates from India and abroad registered for the exam, of whom 58% were female. Nearly two lakh security personnel were deployed across various centres in country to ensure stringent security.