WEDNESDAY www.thestatesman.com 04 MAY 2022 FIND US ONLINE Scan this with your smartphone twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd facebook.com/thestatesman1875 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘GOVT PURSUING ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY AGAINST TERRORISM’ LOUDSPEAKER ROW: MAINTAIN LAW AND ORDER, UDHAV TO COPs P4 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. DUST STORM/THUNDERSTORM ACCOMPANIED WITH GUSTY WINDS SPEED. POSSIBILITY OF VERY LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE.THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 33 AND 26 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: 0.2 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max: 89% Danish counterpart Frederiksen hopes that India will influence Russia to stop the crisis THUMBNAILS People buy jewellery at a showroom on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya, in the Capital, SNS Tuesday. Top security priority cover for 777 vital installations in India: As many as 777 vital installations in India are currently under special security cover provided by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), working under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the state governments. As per the recently published Annual Report 2020-2021, based on threat vulnerability, these installations are being guarded by Central (P4) Armed Police Forces and state forces. Curfew clamped in parts of Jodhpur as violence erupts again JAIPUR, 3 MAY Curfew was clamped in ten police station areas of Rajasthan's Jodhpur onTuesday after clashes occurred again between two groups. The clashes had first erupted late Monday night. The violence erupted again on Tuesday morning at the Jalori Gate over the unfurling of a flag. The police lathi-charged the miscreants, fired tear gas shells and dispersed the mob. In view of the tense situation, curfew was imposed in 10 police station areas. At the same time, the Internet has been suspended in the district till Tuesday midnight. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, meanwhile, cancelled all his significant scheduled programmes in the wake of this violence. He also called a high-level meeting to take feedback of the situation. The Chief Minister appealed to people to maintain peace. On Tuesday morning in the Shanichar police station area of Jodhpur, miscreants smashed glasses of more than 20 vehicles and also ransacked many ATMs. There has also been a ruckus outside the house of the Soorsagar MLA. Additional Director General, Crime and other officers from Jaipur have been sent to Jodhpur. Another policeman was injured in stone pelting during the Tuesday morning clashes taking the total number of injured personnel to three since IANS Monday. rime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday again appealed to Russia and Ukraine to have an immediate ceasefire and to take the path of dialogue as his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen hoped that India would influence Russia to stop the crisis. The appeal was made by Modi, while making a statement following talks with the Danish Prime Minister in Copenhagen, where he reached on the second leg of his three-nation European tour. "We call for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and take the path of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve the issue," he said. Frederiksen said that as India is a close partner, she and Modi discussed war in Ukraine. "We discussed the consequences of horrible crimes committed against civilians and the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine." She said that killings of civilians in Bucha are deeply shocking. Both the Prime Ministers condemned these killings and stressed the need for an independent investigation. Frederiksen said that Denmark and the entire European Union strongly condemn Russia's unlawful and unprovoked invasion of P Min: 26°C (0) SUN SETS 18:10 hrs MOON SETS 21:17 hrs Ukraine. "My message is very clear - (Russian President Vladimir) Putin has to stop this war and end the killings," she said. She also said that she hopes that India will influence Russia to stop the war. Modi landed in Copenhagen on Tuesday and held talks with Frederiksen to enhance the bilateral relationship. Delegation-level talks were also held and some MoUs signed. Modi, in a statement, said that he was delighted that there have been "important developments" in various areas, especially in renewable energy, health, ports, shipping, circular economy and water management. He also pointed out that more than 200 Danish companies are working in different sectors in India. "These companies are benefiting from increased ease of doing business and economic reforms in India," he said. According to the statement, both sides reviewed progress in the Green Strategic Partnership. "They also discussed our wideranging cooperation in areas of skill development, climate, renew- India logs 2,568 new Covid cases, 20 deaths in 24 hours STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE FACT FILE NEW DELHI, 3 MAY TOTAL CASES With less than 3000 cases reported, India logged 2568 new Covid cases and 20 deaths in the last 24 hours, stated the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Tuesday. With this, India’s active caseload now stands at 19,137 with active cases now constituting 0.04% of the country's total positive cases. As per the data shared by the ministry, India’s recovery rate stands at 98.74% with 2911 patients having recovered in the last 24 hours taking the cumulative tally of recovered patients to 4,25,41,887. While the weekly positivity rate in the country currently stands at 0.71 percent, the daily positivity rate is reported to be 0.61 percent, as per the data. Besides, the health min- 4,30,84,913 ACTIVE CASES 19,137 NEW CASES 2,568 NEW RECOVERIES 2,911 TOTAL DEATHS 5,23,889 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 10.00 P.M. TUESDAY 03 MAY 2022 West Bengal today registered 34 fresh Covid cases and no deaths in the last 24 hours. istry stated, the last 24 hours saw a total of 4,19,552 COVID-19 tests being conducted taking the cumulative tests to over 83.86 crore. Under the National vaccination drive, 189.41 crore vaccine doses have been administered so far. As per the data, COVID19 vaccination for the age group 12-14 years was started on 16 March, 2022. So far, more than 2.94 Crore (2,94,30,754) adolescents have been administered with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Similarly, the COVID-19 precaution dose administration for age group 1859 years also started from 10 April, 2022 onwards. More than 19.01 crore balance and unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and UTs to be administered. Besides, as per the ministry’s data, more than 193.53 crore vaccine doses have been provided to States/UTs so far through Govt. of India (free of cost channel) and through the direct state procurement category. Pak plot to send terrorists in guise of scribes unearthed SP SHARMA JAMMU, 3 MAY The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Jammu and Kashmir PolicehasthwartedPakistan’splot toembedtrainedterroristsinthe guise of journalists in India and theagencyhasfiledacharge-sheet againstthreeHizbulMujahideen (HM)terroristsoperatingfromPakistan.SIA spokesman said on Tuesday that the agency filed charge-sheet against three HM terrorists belonging to the Doda districtofJammu,AsifShabirNaik a resident of Kashtigarh in Doda, his father Shabir Hussain Naik @ Khalid Shabir currently operating from Pakistan and Safdar Hussain @ Ehsan of village Marmat of Doda, who too is based in Pakistan. The investigating agencysubmittedthecharge-sheet against the three accused before the TADA/POTA/NIA Special Court in Jammu. The investigation, started on 7 November 2021 and conducted over last about six months, assumes importance in the context of the government’s strategy to identify J&K residents who are hiding in Pakistan and coordinating terror- ist and secessionist activities behind the scene from across the border, said the SIA. Investigations revealed how Pakistani agencies have been brazenly and egregiously misusing not only the travel between the two countries on the basis of valid travel documents but also the Indian students going to Pakistan for higher studies, SIA said. The investigating agency said that one of the booked terrorist, Asif Shabir Naik was intercepted at Srinagar airport while trying to escape to Pakistan on the basis of intelligence inputs that he had been visiting Pakistan posing as a student there. But he has actually been visiting terrorist and separatist training facilities, suggested the intelligence input.While Asif Shabir Naik is in Judicial custody, the other two accused, especially the mastermind Shabir Hussain Naik and his associate Safdar Hussain hiding in Pakistan have been booked under Sections 299 CrPC as absconders. The forensics of Asif’s phone showedthathehadvideographed army installations along the strategic Baramulla-Srinagar road. He had also photographed the access road to the airport and security features adjacent to it. While the visa on Asif’s passport showedthathewasavisitor,immigration records indicated he was a student. Interrogation of Asif in the context of digital evidence revealed that Pakistan had arranged his admission to International Islamic University in Islamabad in a mass communicationprogrammeascoverand simultaneously facilitated his internshipinthemediacellofHM, runbyhisfather,”theSIArevealed. In this case, the terrorist outfit HM with the blessings of Pakistani agencies gave the cover of studentship to Asif but used his stay in Pakistan to meet his father, a senior HM terrorist and also undergo training in sabotage and subversion activities. The SIA said, the objective of Asif’s admission, as a student in a mass media course in Pakistan is suspected and he was to return to India as a respected journalist and clandestinely get embedded in the system and receive instructions from across in planning, coordinating and executing not only propaganda operations but separatist and even violent terrorist actions. But for the videos in his cell phone, the latter part of the adversary agenda would not have surfaced. Pertinent to mention here that the accused Asif Shabir Naik stayed in Pakistan for almost three years along with Shabir Hussian Naik and Safdar Hussain in HM camps. Moreover, the major part of the investigation pertains to the territory of Pakistan. Even when it is comprehended that Pakistan authorities would not cooperate in assisting this legally mandated investigation, it was thought prudent and legally warranted to use the tool of Letter Rogatory and request the Pakistani court of law through the laid down channel seeking information of the activities of the accused Asif Shabir Naik while in Pakistan. Similar Letter Rogatory related requests have been initiated pertaining to the Shabir Hussain Naik and Safdar Hussain hiding in Pakistan. Endeavours are being made to get some more evidences and the investigation in this regard shall continue, SIA added. ANDY MURRAY OVERCOMES THIEM IN MADRID OPEN P8 Take path of dialogue, PM appeals to Russia, Ukraine NEW DELHI, 3 MAY TEMPERATURE Max: 33°C (0) SUN RISES 05:09 hrs MOON RISES 07:20 hrs P5 AGENCIES Min:79% ELECTRIC IS THE FUTURE OF AUTO INDUSTRY: GADKARI able energy, Arctic, P2P ties and other issues." After reaching the Danish capital, Modi, in a tweet, said: "I am very grateful to PM Frederiksen for the warm welcome. This visit will go a long way in further cementing India-Denmark ties." Modi was received by Frederiksen at the airport and from there, they moved to Marienborg, the official residence of the Prime Minister. He is also slated to participate in the Second India-Nordic Summit with the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. At the India-Nordic Summit, Modi will talk to the Nordic nations to strengthen the areas of climate change, renewable energy, and innovation and technology. Modi will also hold bilateral talks with his counterparts Katrin Jacobsdottir (Iceland), Jonas Gahr Store (Norway), Sanna Marin (Finland), and Magdalena Andersson (Sweden). On the first leg of his visit, Modi was in Germany where he held talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz over a wide range of issues, including regional and global matters. He received a warm welcome from members of the Indian community and met several top business leaders. On the last stretch, Modi will visit France and meet President Emmanuel Macron. P12 Rahul’s nightclub video sparks political slugfest SNS & AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 3 MAY A viral video of the former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi in which he's seen at a nightclub in Kathmandu set off a political slugfest on Tuesday. While the BJP leaders seized the opportunity to hit out at Rahul Gandhi, Congress hit back and said "it has still not become a crime in this country to attend a marriage celebration". "Rahul Gandhi went to a friendly country, Nepal, to participate in a marriage function of a friend who also happens to be a journalist. It has still not become a crime in this country to attend a marriage. Maybe after today, the BJP may decide (if) it is illegal to attend a marriage and a crime to have friends," said Randeep Singh Surjewala, the Congress media department head. The BJP incidentally, took , potshots at Rahul Gandhi by referring to the "leadership crisis" in the Opposition outfit. Congress had been in an intense discussion with the poll strategist Prashant Kishor over revamping the organisation. However, Kishor developed cold feet at the last minute. Woes for the Congress refuse to die down as the party's working president in the pollbound Gujarat Hardik Patel on Monday removed the name of the organisation from his Twitter profile. The BJP leader and Bihar Minister Syed Shahnawaz Hus- sain took a jibe at the Wayanad MP saying "he's more busy in , parties than running his own political party". "Nothing can stop Rahul Gandhi from doing parties. He is more involved in parties, rather than running his own party. We work for our political parties, but he attends parties," Hussain said. Rahul Gandhi, who is in Kathmandu, reportedly attended the wedding of a friend a day ago. Surjewala sought to counter the BJP saying Prime Minister , Narendra Modi too had visited Lahore to attend a marriage function when Nawaz Sharif was the Prime Minister in 2015. "Rahul Gandhi has not gone to Nepal to cut Nawaz Sharif's cake, uninvited like PM Modi," said Surjewala. Meanwhile, Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore said that everyone attends private functions, so "what is wrong if Rahul Gandhi attends it?". Earlier, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had called Rahul Gandhi a "full-time tourist and a part-time politician, who is filled with hypocrisy", while reacting to the viral video.