FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | Tuesday, 14 October 2025 SPORTS EDITORIAL West Indies stretch Delhi Test to Day 5 Silence in Delhi PERSPECTIVE PAGE NATION Pakistan must be targeted for suppressing its people Karur stampede: Supreme Court orders CBI probe Page 7 BRIEFLY ECI issues notification for Bihar Assembly 2nd Phase, 8 bypolls: Page 6 Page 8 All living hostages, Palestinian prisoners freed under Gaza deal AGENCIES Deir Al-Balah, 13 October T New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued the notification for the second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, scheduled for 11 November. This phase will cover 122 constituencies across the state. The notification kick-starts the process of filing nominations for contesting candidates. In addition to the Bihar Assembly elections, the ECI has also issued notifications for eight Assembly bypolls across seven states and Union Territories. PAGE 5 Delhi govt declares 41 sq km of Southern Ridge as reserved forest: New Delhi: In a significant step towards environmental protection and pollution control in the national capital, the Delhi government has decided to declare approximately 41 square kilometres of the Southern Ridge area as a reserved forest. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the decision marks a major milestone in protecting Delhi from pollution and promoting sustainable environmental growth. She added that the government will plant indigenous tree species on open lands within these forest zones to maintain soil fertility and further enhance the city’s ecological balance. “Our priority is to make Delhi a modern capital that is pollution-free, green, and environmentally balanced,” the Chief Minister stated. PAGE 2 he Hamas militant group released all 20 remaining living hostages held in Gaza on Monday, while Israel began releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners as part of a ceasefire pausing two years of war that pummeled the territory, killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and had left scores of captives in militant hands. Cheering crowds greeted buses of prisoners in the West Bank, while families and friends of the hostages gathered in a square in Tel Aviv, Israel, cried out with joy and relief as news arrived that the captives were free. The bodies of the remaining 28 dead hostages are also expected to be handed over as part of the deal, although the exact timing remained unclear. Buses carrying dozens of freed Palestinian prisoners arrived in the West Bank and Gaza, as Israel began releasing more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees as part of the ceasefire People gather at Nasser hospital as they welcome freed Palestinian prisoners released by Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Monday. AGENCIES deal. The living hostages released are Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Gali, Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, and Guy Gilboa-Dallal. They were escorted out of the Gaza Strip by special Israeli forces after they were transferred to the Red Cross by Hamas. While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and WB: All five accused in gang rape case held STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Durgapur, 13 October All the five accused involved in the alleged gang rape of a 2nd year MBBS student from Odisha have been arrested by the Asansol-Durgapur police. A temporary employee of the Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC), Sheikh Nasirudin alias Samrat, who was picked up by the police yesterday was formally arrested today, while Sheikh Sofikul, the last person named in the FIR was arrested from the Gopalmath area in Durgapur. Both of them were produced in the Durgapur Sub Divisional Court today. “We have arrested all the five accused in this case within 48 hours of the complaint being lodged. Investigations are in progress,”said Abhisekh Gupta, DCP (East) of the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate. Meanwhile, amid a political row over the incident, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has submitted an set of recommendations to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor CV Ananda Bose in connection with the alleged gang rape. The move follows a report submitted by NCW member and BJP leader Dr Archana Majumdar, who visited Durgapur to assess the situation and prepared a detailed account for the commission. Based on her findings and observations, NCW chairperson Vijay Rahatkar announced on social media that formal recommendations had been sent to the state’s top authorities on Monday. Stage set for global peacekeeping dialogue as 15 Army chiefs arrive for UNTCC meet STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 13 October The stage is set for the United Nations Troop Contributing Countries’ (UNTCC) Chiefs’ Conclave being hosted by the Indian Army from 14 to 16 October in the national capital. A total of 32 countries that play a pivotal role in UN peacekeeping operations will be participating in the two-day conclave. An Indian Army spokesperson said that 15 chiefs, 17 vice chiefs and other high-ranking military officials from seven nations have also confirmed their participation in the event. The countries represented at the level of Chiefs include Bhutan, Burundi, Ethiopia, Fiji, France, Ghana, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Poland, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Uganda, Page 12 Uruguay and Vietnam. Senior military officials from Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, Italy, Nepal, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, Australia, Egypt, Malaysia, Morocco, Nigeria, Thailand and Madagascar will represent their respective militaries at senior levels. The UNTCC serves as a vital forum to address operational challenges, evolving threats, interoperability, inclusivity in decision-making and the role of technology and training in strengthening UN peacekeeping. As one of the largest contributors to UN missions, India is convening this high-level forum to deliberate on operational challenges, evolving threats, share best practices and build shared understanding on future peacekeeping. The Conclave reflects the ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the world is one family). The programme will feature address by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Jean Pierre Lacroix, Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations (USG, DPO). Plenary sessions will feature Chiefs and Heads of Delegations putting forth their viewpoints. Defence Exhibitions for shared capacity building, bilateral and cultural exchanges will also feature during the conclave. Gaza, the exchange of hostages and prisoners raised hopes for ending the deadliest war ever between Israel and the militant group. The ceasefire is also expected to be accompanied by a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged that he was “committed to this peace” in a speech to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament. US President Donald Trump also addressed the Knesset, and later will attend a summit to discuss the US-proposed Headline inflation for Sept eases to 99-month low at 1.54 pc STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 13 October The Consumer Price Index (CPI)-based inflation for September has been recorded at 1.54 per cent, registering its lowest after June 2017. In comparison to August, there is a decrease of 53 basis points in headline inflation. The year-on-year CFPI-based inflation was recorded at (-)2.28 per cent (Provisional). Corresponding inflation rates for rural and urban are -2.17 per cent and -2.47 per cent, respectively, data released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI) said. • Full Report: Page 10 deal and postwar plans with other leaders. Mr Netanyahu also nominated President Trump for the Israel Prize, the country's highest civilian honour, hailing him as "the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House. The war began when Hamas-led militants launched a surprise attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and 251 taken hostage. In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The toll is expected to grow as bodies are pulled from rubble previously made inaccessible by fighting. The war has destroyed large swaths of Gaza and displaced about 90 per cent of its some 2 million residents. It has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies. • More reports: Page 9 Charges framed against Lalu Prasad, family in IRCTC scam PM Modi praises Trump’s peace efforts STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 13 October Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday welcomed the release of all Israeli hostages after over two years of captivity, attributing their freedom to the unwavering peace efforts of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We welcome the release of all hostages after over two years of captivity. Their freedom stands as a tribute to the courage of their families, the unwavering peace efforts of President Trump and the strong resolve of Prime Minister Netanyahu. We support President Trump's sincere efforts to bring peace to the region," Mr Modi said a post on X. UNITED NEWS OF INDIA New Delhi, 13 October A sp ecial CBI cour t on Monday framed charges against RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and 11 others in the IRCTC scam, paving way for the start of the trial weeks before Bihar goes to the polls. he court's decision to formally frame charges is a critical step, confirming that there is sufficient evidence to proceed with a trial against all 14 accused. The case pertains to allegations of corruption in the awarding of railway tenders during Lalu Prasad Yadav's tenure as the railway minister. The CBI alleges that Lalu Prasad entered into a criminal conspiracy with the owners of Sujata Hotels, Vijay and Vinay Kochhar, to grant them favourable contracts for two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri. In return, a prime piece of land in Patna was sold by the Kochhar brothers to a company managed by a close aide of Lalu Prasad, former Rajya Sabha MP Prem Chand Gupta. This company and the valuable land were later acquired at a significantly low price by Lalu Prasad's family members through a firm called Delight Marketing Company Private Limited. While the accused, including Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family, have previously argued that the CBI lacks evidence, the agency has maintained it has a strong case. The court has now scheduled the case for the recording of prosecution evidence, which will be conducted between 27 October to 7 November, on a day-to-day basis. India, Canada agree to work closely on ‘new roadmap’ for bilateral ties NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 13 October India and Canada on Monday agreed to work closely together on a 'new roadmap' for their bilateral ties. The decision is the outcome of bilateral talks between External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Anita Anand in New Delhi. Ms Anand had also called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi this morning before the talks with Mr Jaishankar. Prime Minister Modi, welcoming the Canadian foreign minister, said her visit would contribute to the ongoing efforts to impart "new momentum to the India-Canada bilateral partnership". "PMModinotedthesignificance of enhanced cooperation between the two countries in trade, energy, technology, agriculture and people-to-people ties. Prime Minister conveyed his warm wishes to Prime Minister Mark Carney and said that he looked forward to their upcoming engagements," a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. Ms Anand's visit to India holds special significance in the wake of diplomatic tensions flaring up between the two nations had last year after then Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau alleged that his government had "credible allegations" of India's involvement in the killing of ‘Khalistan’ leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada in 2023. A joint statement outlining the way forward for India-Canada ties was adopted after the bilateral talks between Ms Anand and Mr Jaishankar. “In keeping with the priorities that the Prime Ministers of India and Canada had set out for bringing a momentum to the relationship, both sides, based on mutual respect for shared democratic values, the rule of law, and a commitment to upholding the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, reached consensus on a New Roadmap for India-Canada relations," the joint statement said. Mr Jaishankar and Ms Anand recognised that in the context of the ongoing global economic uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions, a strong and resilient India-Canada bilateral relationship is essential. 3 share Economics Nobel for work on innovation-driven economic growth AGENCIES Stockholm, 13 October The final Nobel, for Economics, of this year's prize season went to Joel Mokyr (Northwestern University, the United States), Philippe Aghion (College de France and INSEAD, Paris, France) and Peter Howitt (Brown University, USA) on Monday for their work related to innovation-driven, sustained economic growth. While one half of the coveted prize went to Mr Mokyr "for having identified the prerequisites for sustained growth through technological progress", the other half was awarded jointly to Mr Aghion and Mr Howitt "for the theory of sustained growth through creative destruction", said the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, while presenting the "Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel 2025". “Over the last two centuries, for the first time in history, the world has seen sustained economic growth. This has lifted vast numbers of people out of poverty and laid the foundation of our prosperity. This year’s laureates in the Economic Sciences, Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt, explain how innovation provides the impetus for further progress,” said the Academy. Mr Mokyr used historical sources as one means to uncover the causes of sustained growth becoming the new normal. He demonstrated that if innovations are to succeed one another in a self-generating process, we not only need to know that something works, but we also need to have scientific explanations for why. “The latter was often lacking prior to the industrial revolution, which made it difficult to build upon new discoveries and inventions. He also emphasised the importance of society being open to new ideas and allowing change,” according to a statement by the Academy. Mr Aghion and Mr Howitt also studied the mechanisms behind sustained growth. In an article from 1992, they constructed a mathematical model for what is called creative destruction: when a new and better product enters the market, the companies selling the older products lose out. The innovation represents something new and is thus creative. However, it is also destructive, as the company whose technology becomes passe is outcompeted.