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 | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Artemis II heads for home after daring moon flyby Edge of escalation NATION Don’t test India, Rajnath warns after Pakistan’s Kolkata strike threat Page 9 Page 6 BRIEFLY Bangladesh FM Khalilur Rahman arrives in New Delhi: Manipur: Kids killed in attack, protesters dead in CRPF firing Liverpool must stop slide against PSG in Champions League QFs Page 12 Page 5 ‘A whole civilisation will die tonight’ MEA issues ‘shelter in place’ advisory to Indian nationals: STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Imphal, 7 April New Delhi: Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening for a three-day official visit aimed at reinforcing bilateral ties between the two nations. With India and Bangladesh seeking to reset ties after a strain of nearly one and half years, Rahman's visit holds more significance. He will meet top Indian ministers on Wednesday and chalk out the roadmap for normalising relations between the two nations. This is the first highlevel visit from Bangladesh after the Tarique Rahmanled Bangladesh Nationalist party (BNP) government assumed office in Dhaka. A t least two protesters were killed and several others injured in firing by security forces in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Tuesday as widespread protests erupted after a bomb attack blamed on Kuki militants in the night claimed the lives of two children. State authorities ordered the suspension of internet and mobile data services across five districts ~ Imphal West, Imphal East, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur ~ for a period of three days, while Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh announced that the state government has decided to hand over the investigation into the deadly bomb attack to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Strongly condemning the UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Washington, 7 April Tronglaobi Awang Leikai incident, the Chief Minister said the act appeared to be the handiwork of individuals or groups with vested interests in disturbing the fragile peace in the state. Khemchand Singh added that the perpetrators have not yet been identified and that a massive combing operation is currently underway. Combined security forces, including the state Police, Assam Rifles and CRPF, have been deployed across the area. Helicopters are also being used to track down those responsible, the Chief Minister said. Meanwhile, police sources said a large number of people, including women, staged a massive protest condemning the killing of two children in a bomb attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai village, and stormed the CRPF camp near Gelmol, located a few hundred metres from the blast site, setting vehicles on fire and vandalising property. A police officer said that as the situation was getting out of hand, the force initially fired Double whammy ~ Monsoon 2026 likely to be below normal, El Niño to strengthen VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 7 April Amid the ongoing geopolitical chaos, rising crude prices and inflation, there seems to be another grim scenario building on the horizon ~ the possibility of a below-normal monsoon, the lifeline of India. While official forecaster IMD is yet to take a position on the critical June-September season that drives the agrarian and economic health of the country and the general well-being of its people, private forecaster Skymet on Tuesday warned that the upcoming monsoon season may be “below normal”, a scenario that is also negative for groundwater and reservoirs recharge and the power situation. According to Skymet, the monsoon is expected to be 94 per cent (with an error margin of +/-5 per cent) of the long-period average of 868.6 mm for the four-month period from June to September. The bottom line is there is zero per cent chance of excess (more than 110 per cent of LPA); 10 per cent chance of above normal (between 105 to 110 per cent of LPA); 20 per cent chance of normal (96 to 104 per cent of LPA); 40 per cent chance of below normal (90 to 95 per cent of LPA); and 30 per cent chance of drought (less than 90 per cent of LPA). Month-wise, June forecast is 101 per cent of LPA and a 70 per cent chance of normal rains; July 95 per cent of LPA and a 40 per cent chance of normal rains; August 92 per cent of LPA and a 60 per cent chance of below normal; and September 89 per cent of LPA and a 70 per cent chance of below-normal rains. The seasonal rainfall distribution is expected to be diverse and biased. In terms of geographical prospects, Skymet expects the core monsoon rain-fed zone of central and western parts to witness inadequate rainfall. Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan are expected to observe less-than-normal rains, more so during August-September. East and north-eastern parts will be placed better than the rest of the country. in the air to disperse the crowd, but clashes broke out with personnel, after which the CRPF opened fire, killing at least two people and injuring 25. The bomb attack at Tronglaobi Awang Leikai was reportedly carried out by suspected Kuki militants. The incident took place around 1 a.m. when a powerful rocket-like device, allegedly fired by suspected Kuki militants, struck a residence, killing a five-year-old boy and his five-month-old sister instantly, while their mother sustained injuries. The Chief Minister and Home Minister also visited the injured family members at a private hospital in Imphal. Kolkata, 7 April The question of how Indian cities negotiate the coexistence of humans and community animals has once again returned to focus, months after an apex court intervention placed stray dogs at the centre of a national conversation last year. The renewed debate has now found local expression at the Agri-Horticulture Society of India (AHSI) in Alipore Road, Kolkata, where an arrangement intended to ensure regulated feeding of stray dogs in the vicinity was recently discontinued, raising concerns among animal rights patrons. According to people familiar with the development, the issue traces back to an earlier disagreement between local feeders and representatives of the society regarding the practice of feeding stray dogs along the periphery of the premises. The feeding activity, carried out informally by residents and volunteers, is understood to have prompted apprehensions relating to the management of the shared public space. Animal welfare activist and founder of RAFTAAR (Raising Awareness and Funds to Aid Animals Rescue), Ms Shimana Gupta Chawla, said the NGO intervened to facilitate discussions after being informed of the impasse, despite not being directly connected with the local feeders. The objective, she said, was to help develop a structured feeding practice that could function within civic guidelines while ensuring continuity of care for the stray dogs. Speaking to The Statesman, Ms Gupta Chawla said: “We had reached an understanding with the society that we would assign a feeder who would provide food for the stray dogs at a designated time daily. This continued for a couple of months, but roughly 10 to 12 days ago he was suddenly told to discontinue the service, without any clarity on what prompted the abrupt withdrawal.” She specified that the organisation sought clarity on the reasons for the sudden discontinuation and whether any alternative mechanism had been put in place to ensure the dogs were not left unfed. However, no definitive response was forthcoming from the society. Ms Gupta Chawla further observed that the surrounding Alipore locality, characterised by controlled residential and institutional spaces, does not easily permit stray animals to find food independently. “At no point have we intended to be adversarial. Our concern has only been to ensure that a practical, legally viable, and cooperative way forward remains possible, so that the animals are not left to go hungry,” she said. She added that dialogue with the concerned parties remains ongoing in an effort to arrive at a mutually acceptable resolution. “In more than 20 years of working in animal welfare, I have consistently found that the best outcomes emerge from amicable solutions.” The Statesman attempted to contact representatives of the AHSI to seek clarification on the decision and to ascertain whether any alternative arrangement has been conceived as of yet. A response was still awaited at the time of publication. The issue has also brought focus to reported restrictions on access to the premises, with non-members recently barred from entering the garden maintained by the Agri-Horticulture Society, urging questions regarding the use of what is understood to be public property. The move has sharpened concerns about the extent to which access to a space of this scale can be limited to a small membership base. Speaking on the matter, Mrs Maneka Gandhi, former Member of Parliament and Union Minister of Women and Child Development, animal rights activist and environmentalist, voiced strong objection to the decision, emphasising that the reported developments raise significant concerns. “This is public property, US President Donald Trump has issued yet another threat to Tehran of wiping out a “whole civilisation” in Iran as his deadline to open the Strait of Hormuz looms. His latest threat was posted on social media reflecting his increasing frustration. “A whole civilisation will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” he begins, in a post on his Truth Social platform. “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will. However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalised minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen,” he continued. New Delhi: Indian nationals presently in Iran to avoid further movements. “In view of the rapidly evolving situation in Iran, Indian nationals who are currently in Iran are advised to stay put where they are, shelter in place and avoid further movements,” the MEA said in its advisory. “Any movement within Iran and to the border crossings of Iran may be considered only in close coordination with the Indian Embassy in Tehran and after obtaining explicit guidance of the Embassy,” it said. “WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!” Iran, meanwhile, has countered Mr Trump, saying that it will not hesitate to respond in kind if the US attacks civilian facilities. The US President has issued an ultimatum, threatening to strike Iranian power plants and bridges in mere hours if Iran does not agree to open the Strait of Hormuz. Sabarimala hearing: Legislature, not courts, must drive social reform, Centre tells SC PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 7 April The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that issues of social reform arising from religious practices fall within the domain of the legislature and not the judiciary, as a ninejudge Constitution Bench began final hearing in the Sabarimala women entry matter. Opening arguments for the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said courts must exercise restraint in matters of faith, asserting that restricting entry of a particular gender within a defined age group at a place of worship cannot be termed discrimination. The Constitution entrusts social welfare and Sudden halt to agreed feeding practice prompts queries, animal activists flag concerns RUDRANI CHATTERJEE Wednesday, 08 April 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | and access cannot be limited to a small group of members. I do not understand how a public space of this scale can effectively function as a private enclosure for a few individuals to enjoy,” Mrs Gandhi said. “We are also given to understand that a municipal team was prevented from entering last year, which is deeply concerning and calls for scrutiny.” Mrs Gandhi suggested that the matter warrants immediate attention from the municipal authorities, adding that the Mayor must take cognisance of the situation following the Assembly polls. The developments point to the persistent ambiguity surrounding implementation of animal welfare guidelines, particularly in contexts where questions of access, accountability, and public character intersect. The absence of clearly defined operational protocols continues to leave welfare measures vulnerable to abrupt reversal. This, in turn, incites larger questions about how institutional responsibility is interpreted in spaces understood to serve a wider public interest. reform to the legislature. Courts are not meant to reform religious practices, Mehta submitted. The Bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices B.V. Nagarathna, M.M. Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B. Varale, R. Mahadevan, and Joymalya Bagchi, is examining the scope of Articles 25 and 26, which guarantee freedom of religion and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs. Mr Mehta argued that the 2018 judgment allowing entry of women of menstruating age into Lord Ayyappa’s temple at Sabarimala had the effect of “compressing the plurality and diversity of Hinduism”. He emphasised that India’s religious traditions are inherently diverse and cannot be subjected to the application of fundamental rights under the constitution. “If a denomination seeks to regulate entry into a specific religious institution, such a claim must be examined in a manner that protects religious diversity and denominational rights,” he said. “We will do to the infrastructure of America and its partners what will deprive them and their allies of the region’s oil and gas for many years,” the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement carried by Iranian state media. “American leaders lack the ability to calculate the critical assets that would be within range of our fighters if they attacked our infrastructure”, it added. • Iran calls for human chains to protect power plants: Page 9 FS Misri leaving for Washington: New Delhi: Amid the ongoing war in West Asia, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri will visit Washington from 8–10 April to review the full spectrum of India–U.S. bilateral relations and advance ongoing cooperation across key areas. During the visit, Mr Misri will hold discussions with senior officials of the US Administration on a wide range of issues, including trade, defence, science and technology, as well as regional and global developments of mutual interest, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday. The visit follows External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s visit to Washington in February.