www.thestatesman.com | FOLLOW US: India’s National Newspaper since 1818 BRIEFLY Rohit, Virat roll back the years in India win: @TheStatesmanLtd | Pages 12 | @thestatesmanltd ` 5.00 | People’s Parliament, Always in Session thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI Kolkata, 25 October C Police arrest accused in Maharashtra doctor's suicide case: New Delhi: Police in Maharashtra’s Satara district arrested one accused on Saturday in connection with the death of a female doctor who allegedly committed suicide after being repeatedly raped by a police officer and being pressurised by an MP to falsify medical reports of accused in cases. According to officials, the arrested person has been identified as Prashant Bankar, the son of the doctor’s landlord whose name was mentioned in her four-page suicide note. The deceased doctor, a native of Beed district, was posted as a medical officer at a government hospital in Phaltan, Satara. On Thursday night, she was found hanging in a hotel room under mysterious circumstances. Page 5 hief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday took a firm stance on hospital security, directing officials to ensure the safety and security of patients, visitors and doctors in all medical establishments across the state following incidents of alleged molestation of a minor and a medic at state-run hospitals in Kolkata and Uluberia, Miss Banerjee virtually joined a meeting chaired by state Chief Secretary Manoj Pant at Nabanna to review the safety and security measures in state -run medical establishments and asked the concerned authorities to take immediate action and implement necessary mechanisms on a war footing to strengthen security. According to sources, Miss Banerjee expressed strong dissatisfaction over the continued lax security in government hospitals. She directed officials to make certain measures mandatory to enhance security and prevent recurring incidents of alleged crimes against women on hospital premises. The high-level meeting included principals and superintendents of all state medical colleges and hospitals, as well as Commissioners of Police (CPs), Superintendents of Police (SPs), and District Magistrates (DMs) from across the state. It followed a series of alleged incidents involving crimes against women, particularly at government hospitals, where outsiders reportedly committed acts of sexual misconduct. Sources at Nabanna claimed that the Chief Minister, who is as the state health minister, expressed anger over the fragile security arrangements. She was especially critical of the lapses at SSKM Hospital. Expressing her frustration, she reportedly remarked, Kurnool bus tragedy: Phone batteries intensified blaze, pillion rider held STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Hyderabad, 25 October The police investigation into the Kurnool bus tragedy has taken a new turn after police took into custody a young man who was riding pillion on the motorcycle that was hit by the ill-fated bus, triggering a blaze that left 19 people dead. It has also emerged that the driver of the bus, Lakshmaiah, had escaped through the passenger door after the fire started. The bus was also illicitly carrying 234 smartphones in the luggage cabin, and the explosion of their batteries and that of the air conditioning equipment made the fire a raging inferno, which gutted the bus within minutes. The police team piecing together the sequence of events before the accident picked up the pillion rider of the bike, Nani, who was with the 24-year-old rider Shivshankar when the accident happened. Earlier, it was thought that Shivshankar had died in the collision with the bus. The pillion rider, Nani, told the police that the bike had skidded and both had been thrown to the ground, with Shivshankar dying on the spot. Within minutes, the ill-fated Centre to set up 10 new IICTs to boost media, digital sectors STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 25 October In a move to strengthen India’s creative, entertainment, and digital industries, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has announced plans to establish 10 new Indian Institutes of Creative Technologies (IICTs) across the country over the next decade, offering specialised, industry-oriented courses in these sectors. It may be noted that the country's first IICT, based in Mumbai, opened its doors with the first batch of students in the month of August this year. The Rs 400-crore project offers industry-oriented courses ranging from three months to three years, aimed at building a skilled workforce for India’s BHUBANESWAR | 26 October 2025 Mamata Banerjee orders security overhaul in Bengal hospitals STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Sydney: Rohit Sharma (121 not out) and Virat Kohli (74 not out), the heartbeat of Indian cricket for over a decade, stood tall one last time on Australian soil, with their 19th century partnership in ODIs guiding India to a commanding nine-wicket win and helping the Men-in-Blue avoid a 3-0 whitewash. At the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Saturday, Rohit and Virat rolled back the years with a vintage masterclass, stitching together an unbeaten 168-run stand for the second wicket to help India chase down 237 with nine wickets in hand and 69 balls to spare. Page 12 | growing media and entertainment sectors. Operating from the NFDC campus, the IICT is currently offering 18 courses in the AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality) sector. The inaugural academic offering includes six specialised courses in Gaming, four courses in Post Production and eight courses in Animation, Comics and XR. In another landmark move, the government is working towards the creation of 100 PhD seats at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) to promote advanced research and capacity building in journalism and communication studies. In the broadcast sector, significant reforms are underway with the formulation of new TRP Rating Agency Guidelines. The first round of public consultation has already been completed, and ministry sources indicated that further rounds may follow to ensure a fully consultative and transparent approach. Further, under the theme of institutional strengthening and convergence, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) has intensified its outreach, issuing regular backgrounders and research-based documents on key national topics. private bus ran over the stationary bike, dragging it some distance before catching fire. Shivshankar and Nani were on the way to Dhone when the accident happened. A CCTV grab of a petrol pump where the duo had stopped before leaving for Dhone showed the two walking a bit unsteadily and riding recklessly. The blaze was intensified by a consignment of 234 smartphones worth Rs 46 lakh that were being sent to an e-retail company in Bengaluru by a mobile phone distributor from Hyderabad, which had been stored in the luggage cabin at the rear of the bus. According to the forensic team, the explosion of the lithium batteries in the phones added to the intensity of the fire, which melted the aluminium sheets on the floor of the bus. “There are so many CCTV cameras at SSKM. Where is the monitoring? Had there been proper surveillance, how could the accused have managed to take the minor girl to a male washroom in the Trauma Care Centre building? Agencies must ensure the security guards they deploy are competent.” She further questioned, “How could a security guard, previously suspended, manage India condemns Pak rights violations in PoK to infiltrate another hospital? Patients must also remain vigilant, and authorities should take steps to raise awareness. Identity cards must be made mandatory for everyone, including superintendents and principals, who should wear and present them when required.” In the same vein, she outlined a series of mandatory steps to be implemented immediately. Miss Banerjee stressed that civic volunteers and security guards must undergo proper training, which should be made compulsory. CCTV cameras found to be non-functional in hospitals must be replaced without delay, and adequate lighting should be installed to prevent untoward incidents. She also stated at the meeting~ attended by the Director General of Police (DGP), CPs, SPs, and others ~ that private security agencies must obtain police clearance before deploying personnel. The entry of security guards into sensitive areas should be strictly regulated and, where necessary, restricted. LIC rejects Washington Post allegations, Cong demands JPC probe STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 25 October The Life Insurance Corporation of India on Saturday strongly refuted recent reports published by The Washington Post alleging irregularities in its investment practices even as the Opposition Congress demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) investigation into the matter, The Washington Post had claimed that Indian government officials fast-tracked a proposal in May this year to direct approximately $3.9 billion in investments from the LIC to an Adani group firm. In an official statement issued on Saturday, the LIC said the allegations levelled by The Washington Post that Two Australian women cricketers molested in Indore AGENCIES New York, 25 October India has strongly rebuked Pakistan for once again raising the Kashmir issue at the United Nations, asserting that democracy remains an alien concep t for Islamabad. India called upon Pakistan to immediately end the grave human rights violations in the territories under its “illegal occupation,” where local populations are in open defiance of military repression and exploitation. Speaking at the UN Security Council, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, accused Pakistan of perpetuating systematic abuse in PoK. the investment decisions of LIC are influenced by external factors are “false, baseless, and far from truth” and asserted that all its investments are conducted with the highest standards of integrity and due diligence. “No such document or plan as alleged in the article has ever been prepared by LIC, which creates a road map for infusing funds by LIC into Adani group of companies,” the company said in a statement. The LIC said that its investment decisions are guided by sound financial principles and comply fully with regulatory requirements. LIC’s portfolio adheres to strict guidelines designed to safeguard and grow the funds of its vast policyholder base, it said. The Congress party, meanwhile, demanded a JPC investigation into the matter, citing the need for transparency and accountability and claiming that the LIC funds and the savings of its 30 crore policyholders were systematically misused to benefit the Adani Group. TRIDIB BAPARNASH New Delhi, 25 October Cricket Australia confirmed on Saturday that two of the Australian women’s team members, currently participating in the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup in Indore, were molested and “touched inappropriately” while walking to a cafe in the city on Thursday. The Australian women’s team is in Indore for Saturday’s crucial group-stage clash against South Africa that will determine the top spot on the points table as the tournament moves toward the semifinals. However, the shocking incident has cast a shadow over the contest. In a statement, Cricket Australia said: “CA can confirm two members of the Australian Women's team were approached and touched inappropriately by a motorcyclist while walking to a cafe in Indore. The matter was reported by team security to police, who are handling the matter.” Police arrested the accused, identified as Aqeel Khan, on Khajrana Road on Thursday morning. According to officials, the two cricketers had stepped out of their hotel and were walking to a cafe when a man on a motorcycle began following them, inappropriately touched one of them and fled the scene. The players immediately contacted their team’s security officer, Danny Simmons, who coordinated with local liaison officers and arranged for a vehicle to escort them. Police examined CCTV footage, hotel logs and statements from security personnel before tracing and arresting the accused. Facebook, Reliance to invest `855 cr in AI joint venture STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE • REIL will be a 70:30 joint venture with Facebook Worldwide Inc. Mumbai, 25 October Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has announced incorporating a step-down subsidiary called Reliance Enterprise Intelligence Limited (REIL) to invest in enterprise-level artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. REIL will be a 70:30 joint venture with Facebook Worldwide Inc, which will make an initial investment of Rs 855 crore in India. REIL will function as a subsidiary of Reliance Intelligence Limited, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of RIL, the company said in a regulatory filing to the stock exchanges. “In accordance with the joint venture agreement, Reliance Intelligence will hold 70% and Facebook will • The joint venture, which was first announced at RIL's AGM in August 2025, will use Meta’s open source Llama models combined with Reliance’s enterprise reach to offer AI tools across sectors. hold the balance of 30% in REIL,” according to the filing. “Reliance Intelligence and Facebook have jointly committed an initial investment of Rs 855 crore. Reliance Intelligence will invest an amount of Rs 2 crore towards the initial subscription of 20,00,000 equity shares of Rs 10 each,” the filing made to the stock exchange mentioned. REIL, incorporated in India as a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Intelligence, will become the joint venture company as per the amended and restated joint venture agreement with Facebook Overseas Inc, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Meta Platforms Inc, the filing stated. REIL will develop, market and distribute enterprise-level artificial intelligence (AI) services. The joint venture, which was first announced at RIL's AGM in August 2025, will use Meta’s open source Llama models combined with Reliance’s enterprise reach to offer AI tools across sectors. The partnership will focus on two main offerings, including an enterprise AI platform-as-a-service enabling organisations to customise and deploy generative AI models, as well as a suite of pre-configured solutions for sales, marketing, IT operations, customer service and finance. Meta will provide technical expertise in building Llama-based models, while Reliance will leverage its digital infrastructure and access to thousands of Indian enterprises and small businesses. The solutions will be deployable across cloud, on-premises and hybrid environments, with an emphasis on lowering the total cost of ownership.