FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Adani outlines initiatives to enhance workforce welfare NATION Page 11 Shubman rises to No. 2 in ICC ODI batting rankings HM to chair 10th apex-level meeting of NCORD in Delhi US Senate votes to block Trump from resuming Iran war Page 16 Page 5 Page 12 Five killed, multiple injured as tea warehouse crumbles STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 24 June F ive workers were killed and 18 others were injured when a massive iron shed and roof of an under-construction tea warehouse suddenly collapsed at Taratala in the western part of the city today. “Three people have died, 21 have been rescued, while 18-19 others are still buried under the debris,” Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said at the site of the accident. Later, police confirmed two more deaths in the accident that occurred near the Brace Bridge and in the vicinity of the Taratala Tram depot. A senior Kolkata Police officer said late in the evening that 18 persons were injured, of whom two were critical. All the injured were admitted in the Trauma Centre of the state’s premier health facility SSKM Hospital. While three of the deceased were declared brought dead by doctors, two others succumbed late in the evening. Mr Adhikari, along with state ministers Indranil Khan and Agnimitra Pal, rushed to the spot to oversee the largescale rescue operation involving the Army, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire services, police, and disaster management teams. Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey, Police Commissioner Ajay Nand are also supervising the operation. Local people claimed around 50 to 60 workers were present at the site when the massive heavy iron shed and a section of the roof collapsed with a loud sound around noon. The collapse reportedly occurred while concrete casting work was in progress. Heavy iron beams and concrete slabs came crashing down, trapping EAM: Cooperation among trusted partners necessary in current int’l environment STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 24 June External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said the current global situation makes cooperation among trusted partners more important than ever. “I think, countries that are like-minded, countries with shared values, countries that have strong mutual trust must work with each other,” he said at a meeting in Seoul with his South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun. “It’s a great pleasure to be back in Seoul and to meet you and your team today for our discussions. And I agree with you, I think our meeting is very timely. Timely partly because we are following up on a presidential visit just recently and also timely because of the state of the world and the importance of our relationship in this somewhat complicated world,” the minister said. Recalling his recent interactions with Cho Hyun, Jaishankar said, “My colleagues reminded me that from the time when you assumed the post of a minister, we have actually met in New York, in Kuala Lumpur, in Washington, at the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and of course recently during the president’s visit. But I tell them exactly as you say, that yes, we have met recently, but I’ve known him a long time.” Thursday, 25 June 2026 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS | Emphasising the role of both foreign ministers in advancing bilateral ties, he said, “I do think today that as foreign ministers, it is clearly our responsibility to take this relationship forward, to oversee what different parts of the government and different parts of our economy, of our country, do with each other in their interactions. In coordinating that and in really, I would say, fashioning a more forward-looking, a more contemporary relationship in a more difficult world.” Reaffirming India’s commitment to strengthening the partnership, Mr Jaishankar said, “What I do want to assure you is from our side, there is a full commitment that the potential of our relationship, which many of us I think on both sides feel there’s a lot that remains to be realised, that we would strive to do that.” He also acknowledged Cho Hyun’s efforts in promoting bilateral relations, stating, “And I do want to also take the occasion to recognise your personal commitment to the relationship. From the very moment you assumed this post, you have been sending that strong signal which I hope I have equally strongly reciprocated from our side.” “We very much value the personal commitment that you have brought to this relationship. So I look forward to very, very productive talks,” Jaishankar added. many labourers beneath the rubble. Rescuers heard cries for help from beneath the debris. They also arranged ventilation and water supply through gaps created in the collapsed structure to assist those still trapped inside. The state government has opened a control room at the state secretariat Nabanna to coordinate rescue efforts. Locals said construction of the warehouse had been underway for nearly one and a half years. The structure, spread across several thousand square feet, was reportedly being built on land owned by the port authority and leased to a tea company. Kolkata Police have started a suo motu case. A manhunt has been launched for the Behera Brothers, who were assigned responsibility for the construction. Police have arrested three persons—Syed Mohammad Gulzar, Subhash Chowdhury, and Mohammad Ataul. It has been reported that Syed Mohammad Gulzar served as the 'project supervisor' for the warehouse, while Subhash Chowdhury and Mohammad Ataul were responsible for supplying the necessary labour for the construction work. (Photo by Biswajit Ghoshal) All TMC-approved building plans put on hold: CM Suvendu STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 24 June West Bengal’s BJP government today put on hold all construction plans approved during the previous Trinamul Congress regime until 31 July following suspicion that the Taratala warehouse crumbled due to a faulty building plan cleared by the previous dispensation. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who visited the spot and spoke to the officials, said preliminary findings indicated flaws in the sanctioned design of the five-storey steel-framed structure. “The plan was sanctioned by the previous government on 17 January. According to the corporation engineer, the plan was defective, and that has led to the disaster. The lease was given to Behara Brothers,” Mr Adhikari told a press conference. “Presently we have asked to put the construction work on hold till 31 July. We will reassess all the plans that were sanctioned during the Trinamul Congress regime and give fresh sanctions,” he said. The structure, being built over the past one-and-a-half years on land leased from the Kolkata Port Trust to a leading tea manufacturing company, had reportedly shown signs of instability since the morning. Local sources said the massive iron framework, part of a proposed tea warehouse spread across several thousand square feet, had been swaying unusually for hours before the collapse. Workers and residents had noticed apparent flaws in a section of the structure, raising concerns about its stability. Several workers reportedly gathered beneath the affected portion around noon to inspect the problem when the entire roof and steel framework suddenly gave way, crashing down within minutes and trapping dozens under tonnes of debris. When asked about the cause of the collapse, Mr Adhikari said, “I cannot say what has happened, but there was something wrong in the plan. Whether that was deliberate or not is subject to investigation.” Clarifying the role of the port authority, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port stated that, as the lessor of the land, it grants permissions and no-objection certificates only to the extent required under the lease agreement. Iran invites PM to attend state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ARTI BALI New Delhi, 24 June Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has extended a formal invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to be held in the first week of July, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday. “The Iranian President has formally extended an invitation to the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to attend the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei," sources said. New Delhi was, however, yet to confirm the invite. The funeral of Khamenei will start on 4 July and end with his burial in the holy city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran, which was also his hometown, on 9 July. The 86-year-old was killed on the very first day of Israel and US airstrikes on Tehran on 28 February. Khamenei had been serving as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic for 36 years. The funeral of the Ayatollah could not take place earlier as Iran was at war with the US and Israel. The funeral will commence with a farewell ceremony at Tehran’s Grand Imam Khomeini Mosalla on Saturday, 4 July, and Sunday, 5 July, according to the spokesperson for the commemoration headquarters. The main funeral procession in Tehran is scheduled for Monday, 6 July, during which the bodies of four additional martyrs ~ Dr. Mesbah-ol-Hoda Bagheri, Seyyedeh Boshra Hosseini Khamenei, Zahra Haddad Adel, and Zahra Mohammadi Golpaygani ~ will be escorted alongside the martyred leader. Centre advises Indian nationals to avoid non-essential travel to Iran: On Tuesday, 7 July, funeral ceremonies will be held in the holy city of Qom, where prayers will be offered over the leader's body. The procession will then travel to Iraq on Wednesday, 8 July, following repeated requests from Iraqi tribes, scholars, elites, and political and religious figures. Funeral rites will be held in the cities of Najaf and Karbala, with the Iraqi government responsible for announcing specific times and locations. The burial is scheduled for Thursday, 9 July ~ coinciding with the night of Imam Sajjad's martyrdom ~ at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad. Political figures, elites and official delegations from across the world will pay tributes to the late leader, with timing and venue details to be released by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. New Delhi: Notwithstanding the truce between the United States and Iran, the Indian Embassy in Tehran on Wednesday advised Indian nationals to continue to avoid all non-essential travel to the Islamic nation until further notice. In a fresh travel advisory, the mission said it is closely monitoring the prevailing security situation in Iran and the recent positive developments and overall improvement. It, however, reiterated that, “Notwithstanding the recent improvements, Indian nationals are advised to continue to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran until further notice.” Indian citizens presently residing in Iran, as well as those travelling for unavoidable official or functional reasons, were advised to “exercise a high degree of caution, remain vigilant at all times, and maintain constant situational awareness.” They have also been asked to “closely follow local developments through credible sources of information and comply with all instructions issued by local authorities.” The Embassy further requested all Indian nationals in Iran, as well as incoming travellers, to register their details with the mission at the earliest opportunity. They have also been advised to regularly monitor the Embassy’s official website and social media platforms for updates and future advisories. India, USA edge towards trade truce as Greer concludes Delhi visit JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY New Delhi, 24 June Security showcase Visitors and officials gather at Bharat Mandapam during the International Police Expo 2026 and Drone International Expo 2026 in New Delhi on Wednesday. The event brings together participants from 25 countries to showcase AI-powered weapon systems, drones, indigenous defence and policing technologies, armoured vehicles, and other advanced security innovations at the 11th edition of the International Police Expo and the 7th edition of the Drone International Expo. RANJAN DIMRI US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal appeared to draw closer to a trade pact as the USTR wound up his three-day tour to the Indian capital. Officials on both sides described the negotiations as entering their final phase after days of intensive discussions. However, a final print on the pact may still take time as both sides continue to have sticking points, according to sources. A statement issued by Goyal’s office said, “Both sides noted substantial progress by negotiating teams in recent months and welcomed the momentum from successive technical and ministerial-level engagements. Discussions focused on pathways to conclude an interim agreement as an important milestone toward a comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement.” Diplomats and trade negotiators involved in the talks described the outcome as a near-complete framework agreement requiring only “final touches” before conclusion, but some of them also pointed out that the pact was taking time as it was “buffeted by tariff disputes, judicial interventions in the USA and growing geopolitical uncertainty.” “The significance of Greer’s visit lay less in any breakthrough than in its timing. With a 24 July deadline looming for the expiry of Washington’s temporary 10 per cent universal tariff regime, negotiators are facing mounting pressure to settle the contours quickly,” said officials. The talks have acquired urgency following an unexpected intervention by the US Supreme Court earlier this year, which struck down the legal basis for a series of Trump-era reciprocal tariffs. The ruling forced the White House to recalibrate its tariff policy and reopen trade negotiations with several partners, including India. Before the court’s decision, Washington had agreed to lower tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent. The subsequent shift to a temporary universal 10 per cent duty, however, altered the “negotiating landscape and compelled both countries to revisit key assumptions underpinning the proposed agreement,” according to officials. Indian officials sought clarity on Washington’s future tariff regime before making agreeing to new market-access commitments, while US negotiators showed reluctance to finalise concessions without a clearer understanding of the administration’s long-term trade strategy. “Greer’s arrival in New Delhi was intended to resolve the final tariff questions face-to-face and to give a political push to conclude a first-stage agreement,” said Prof Biswajit Dhar, former WTO Chair at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade.