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 NATION PERSPECTIVE PAGE Karur stampede: Supreme Court orders CBI probe Pakistan must be targeted for suppressing its people Page 6 Page 7 Page 4 BRIEFLY EC issues notification for Bihar Assembly 2nd Phase, 8 bypolls: All living hostages, hundreds of 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. All five accused in Durgapur gang rape case held: Durgapur: 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. Page 3 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 hostages, all men, have arrived back in Israel, where they will reunite with family and undergo medical checks. 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 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 arrived in the West Bank and Gaza, as Israel began releasing more than 1,900 prisoners and detainees as part of the ceasefire deal. While major questions remain about the future of Hamas and 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 Delhi court frames charges against Lalu Prasad, family in IRCTC hotel scam case AGENCIES New Delhi, 13 October In a jolt to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad Yadav and his family members weeks before Bihar is scheduled to go to the p ol l s, a D e l h i c o u r t o n Monday decided to frame charges against them in the IRCTC hotel scam case. Pronouncing its decision, the Rouse Avenue Court paved the way for the trial of the accused under Sections 420 (cheating) and 120B (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act after they pleaded not guilty to the charges. Special judge Vishal Gogne had reserved his verdict on 29 May after hearing detailed arguments on the framing of criminal conspiracy, cheating and corr uption charges against Lalu Prasad, his son and former Bihar deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav, former Rajya Sabha MP Prem Gupta, his wife Sarla Gupta, and Railway officials Rakesh Saksena and P K Goyal. The alleged scam took place between 2004 to 2009 when Lalu Prasad was the Union Railway Minister. During his tenure, two hotels were given on lease without following the norms. The case is related to the alleged irregularities in giving the contract for maintenance of two IRCTC hotels to a firm when Lalu P r a s a d Ya d av wa s t h e Railway Minister. 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. 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 deal and postwar plans with other leaders. 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. 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 In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half the dead were women and children. The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government, and the UN and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of wartime casualties. 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% 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. Tens of thousands of Israelis watched the hostage transfers at public screenings across the country. In Tel Aviv, families and friends of the hostages broke into wild cheers as television channels announced that the first group was in the hands of the Red Cross. PM Modi praises Trump’s peace efforts CM demands compensation from Bhutan 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. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Siliguri, 13 October Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday demanded that the Bhutan government compensate the flood-affected families in the Dooars region, alleging that water released from Bhutan has caused extensive damage to property and lives in North Bengal. Speaking at a flood relief camp at Nagrakata during her visit to the affected areas, Ms Banerjee said: “Waters from Bhutan have inundated large parts of this region, destroying homes and crops and claiming several lives. The Bhutan authorities should provide compensation for the losses caused by this flooding.” She said that the state government, in its own limited capacity, has been carrying out relief, reconstruction, and rehabilitation work across the affected regions. “The Centre has not given even a single paise so far. Since the flooding occurred due to water released from Bhutan, it is their responsibility to compensate the victims,” the Chief Minister asserted. Miss Banerjee also drew attention to the damage caused by dolomite deposits carried by floodwaters from Bhutan, which have destroyed farmlands across the Dooars. She instructed administrative officials to collect and utilise the dolomite deposits from riverbeds and nearby areas so that the recovered materials could be used for financial assistance and to support ongoing disaster management efforts. • Full report: Page 2 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.