“ROOT CAUSE OF THE TRAIN ACCIDENT AND THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED’: RAILWAYS MINISTER

Hinting at sabotage, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Sunday informed that the Railway Board has recommended that the Odisha train accident case be handed over to the CBI for further inquiry.

Two key officials of the Railway Board — Principal Executive Director of Signalling Sandeep Mathur and Member of Operation and Business Development Jaya Varma Sinha — addressed the media on Sunday and explained how the accident might have occurred.

They said that the functioning of the interlocking system prima facie seemed to have been part of the problem which led to the accident. Sinha said the direction, route and signal were set for the Coromandel Express. The permitted speed at this section was 130 kmph and the driver was running his train at 128 kmph which we have confirmed from loco logs,” she said.

The Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express train was running at a speed of 126 kmph, the officials informed. “In both the trains, there was no question of over-speeding. Preliminary finding has found that there is a signalling issue,” Sinha said.

“The Coromandel Express crashed with the goods train and its coaches went on top of the goods train. It was an iron ore-laden train, a heavy train, therefore the entire impact of the collision was on the (passenger) train,” she added.

Earlier in the day, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the root cause of the train accident and the people responsible for it have been identified, adding that the inquiry report of the Commissioner of Railway Safety would be known soon.

Meanwhile, restoration of the tracks has been completed, 51 hours after the tragedy unfolded. Videos showed the first train movement in the section as Ashwini Vaishnaw prayed on the side-lines. "Everyone has done a great job. I feel great sadness for the affected families but we will get to the root cause of the incident and whoever is responsible will be severely punished," he said.

The death toll in Friday’s accident has been revised downwards to 275 (apparently some bodies were counted twice earlier), while more than 1,000 people were injured.

CONG ALLEGES GOVT IGNORED CAG WARNING

The Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw over the Odisha rail tragedy and attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he should accept part of the responsibility for creating an 'all is well' facade even as the critical infrastructure of the Indian Railway 'languishes in neglect'. The party asked whether the prime minister will take responsibility for the 'deadliest rail tragedy' of this century.

It also asked who is responsible for ignoring the warnings and suggestions of experts, the parliamentary committee and Comptroller and Auditor General report.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that Modi was busy flagging off trains while not paying attention to railway safety.

Addressing a press conference at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in New Delhi, Congress MP Shaktisinh Gohil and AICC's publicity and media department head Pawan Khera alleged that the Odisha rail tragedy was a 'man-made devastation' caused by 'utter negligence, serious lapses in the system, incompetence, and a narcissistic sense of know-it-all attitude of the Modi government'.

Khera said the prime minister has a 'Kavach' which no other PM had, protecting him from public scrutiny and television debates. "This 'Kavach' does not save rail passengers but only your (PM's) image," Khera said.

Continuing his tirade against the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi said the "prime minister is trying to drive the Indian car and he only looks at the rear-view mirror".

"He (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) is trying to drive the car...the Indian car and he looks in the rear-view mirror. Then he does not understand why this car is crashing, not moving forward. And it's the same idea with the BJP, with the RSS. All of them. You listen to the ministers, you listen to the prime minister. You will never find them talking about the future. They only talk about the past," he said.

OPPOSITION PARTIES’ JUNE 12 MEET IN PATNA POSTPONED

A meeting of opposition parties, which was scheduled to be held in Patna on June 12, has been postponed.

With Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and some other key opposition figures unavailable for the meeting, there is a view to hold the deliberations at a later date so that they could also participate, giving the event due prominence.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin were also finding it difficult to attend the meeting on June 12 due to prior commitments.

JD(U) leader and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has taken a lead in speaking to several regional satraps besides the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, and the Left to forge unity among opposition ranks to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

He has held separate meetings with leaders of many parties, including Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and NCP’s Sharad Pawar.

US DEFENCE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN ARRIVES IN INDIA ON TWO-DAY VISIT

US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in India on Sunday on a two-day visit to explore ways to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation, especially in areas of transfer of critical technologies for co-development of military hardware.

Secretary Austin’s trip comes over two weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington during which the two sides are expected to unveil initiatives to expand the India-US global strategic partnership.

“I’m returning to India to meet with key leaders for discussions about strengthening our Major Defense Partnership. Together, we’re advancing a shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Austin tweeted shortly after landing in New Delhi.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Austin are set to discuss in their talks on Monday the General Electric’s proposal to share technology with India for fighter jet engines and New Delhi’s plan to procure 30 MQ-9B armed drones at a cost of over USD 3 billion from US defence major General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc, besides other issues, people familiar with the matter said.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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‘NATO-LIKE’ ALLIANCES CAN LEAD TO CONFLICT IN ASIA-PACIFIC: CHINA

China’s defence minister warned Sunday against establishing Nato-like military alliances in the Asia-Pacific, saying they would plunge the region into a “whirlpool” of conflict. Li Shangfu’s comments came a day after US and Chinese military vessels sailed close to each other in the flashpoint Taiwan Strait, an incident that provoked anger from both sides. “Attempts to push for Nato-like (alliances) in the Asia-Pacific is a way of kidnapping regional countries and exaggerating conflicts and confrontations,” Li told a security conference in Singapore also attended by US defence secretary Lloyd Austin.

Li’s comments echoed longheld Chinese criticism of the US efforts to shore up alliances in the region. The US is a member of AUKUS, which groups it with Australia and the UK. Washington is also a member of the Quad group, which includes Australia, India and Japan. “Today’s Asia-Pacific needs open and inclusive cooperation, not buddying up into small cliques,” Li said. He sought to paint the US as the trigger of regional instability, and China as seeking to ease tensions. “It cannot be denied that if a fierce conflict or confrontation occurs between China and the US, it would bring unbearable pain for the world,”

Austin called for top-level defence talks with Beijing. “The more that we talk, the more that we can avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations that could lead to crisis or conflict. ”Li said that the onus was on the US to pull its military presence away from areas near China. “Our Chinese military aircraft and warships won’t ever go near the airspace and territorial waters of other countries to engage in so-called navigational hegemony,” Li said.

IMRAN KHAN ACCUSES MILITARY OF TRYING TO DESTROY HIS PARTY

Pakistan’s embattled former Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused the powerful military and its intelligence agency of openly trying to destroy his political party, saying he had “no doubt” he would be tried in a military court and thrown in jail.

Khan has hinted previously at the military’s hand in a crackdown on his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party but his comments in an interview at his Lahore home on Saturday night were the most blunt yet.

“It is completely the establishment,” the former cricket hero told Reuters, when asked who was behind the crackdown. “Establishment obviously means the military establishment, because they are really now openly — I mean, it’s not even hidden now — they’re just out in the open.”

A bruising year-long standoff between Khan, Pakistan’s most popular leader according to opinion polls, and the army came to a head when military buildings and property were ransacked last month, allegedly by his supporters. Khan termed the violent protests, which erupted after he was briefly arrested, a “false flag operation” meant to target him.

Authorities have begun the process of trying dozens of people, including members of his party, suspected of involvement in the protests in military court – usually reserved for service members or those categorised as enemies of the state. “That’s the only way they are going to get me into prison,” Khan said, adding that the military wanted to stop him from returning to power in elections due by November.

THE REST

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"WORLD STOOD BY OUR SIDE": S JAISHANKAR ON ODISHA TRAIN TRAGEDY

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday the condolence messages and the outpouring of suppot that he received in the wake of the horrific train accident in Odisha shows how connected the world is with India.

"A lot of leaders from all over the world and the foreign minister from here [Namibia] also has expressed solidarity and sent sympathy," EAM Jaishankar said while addressing the Indian expatriates in Namibia on Sunday.

"I received many messages and foreign ministers and friends from across the world. The Prime Minister also received lots of messages. This is an example of how globalised today's world is and how the world is connected with India," he said further.

On Sunday he reached the Namibian Capital Windhoek to further strengthen relations with Namibia.

WE ALL ARE DOING OUR DUTY: ANURAG THAKUR HITS BACK AT RAHUL GANDHI

Union minister Anurag Thakur, during his visit to Ulhasnagar on Sunday, hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his statement on the Balasore train accident and said no one was running away from accountability. Rahul had on Sunday tweeted, “No accountability even after 270+ deaths! The Modi government cannot run away from taking responsibility for such a painful accident. The PM should immediately ask the railway minister to resign!”

Responding to it, Thakur said, “No one is running away from accountability. We are doing our duty. The railway minister went there and he is fulfilling his responsibility. The PM also went there. All our central ministers went there. ” He added, “And Rahul ji, you have put yourself in that category (of those running away from responsibility). When the Chinese army tried to encroach (on Indian territory), you didn’t respond to queries about your secret meeting with their officials. ”

MANIPUR VIOLENCE: HOME MINISTRY SETS UP 3-MEMBER 'COMMISSION OF INQUIRY'

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Sunday issued a notification constituting a ‘Commission of Inquiry’, under the chairmanship of former chief justice of the Gauhati High Court Ajai Lamba, to probe the recent series of violence in Manipur that led to loss of more than 80 lives.

In the notification the MHA said, the commission “will make inquiry with respect to the causes and spread of the violence and riots targeting members of different communities”, which took place in Manipur on May 3 and thereafter. The other members on the judicial probe panel are retired IAS officer Himanshu Sekhar Das and retired IAS officer Aloka Prabhakar. “The headquarters of the ‘Commission of Enquiry’ shall be at Imphal,” it said.

The panel “will probe the sequence of events leading to, and all the facts relating to such violence; whether there were any lapses or dereliction of duty in this regard on the part of any of the responsible authorities/individuals and adequacy of the administrative measures taken to prevent, and to deal with the violence and riots”, the MHA said.

UNDER-CONSTRUCTION BRIDGE COLLAPSES IN BIHAR’S BHAGALPUR; PROBE ORDERED

A bridge being built over the Ganga river in Bhagalpur district of Bihar, at a cost of ₹1,716 crore, collapsed on Sunday. The four-lane bridge, being built between Sultanganj in Bhagalpur and Aguwani in Khagaria district, collapsed for the second time. The State Government has ordered a probe into the incident.

Last year, the structure of the bridge collapsed due to strong wind and rain. Started in 2014, the deadline to complete the bridge has failed eight times.

Instead of penalising the construction company for the delay, the government kept on giving time to complete the work.

On April 30, 2022, the superstructure between pillar numbers 4 and 6 of the bridge fell due to strong wind and rain. At that time serious questions were raised about the construction work, however, no action was taken against the company. Instead, the company was given more time to complete the bridge work. The bridge is important because it connects north and south Bihar.

Soon after the news of bridge collapse, the Chief Minister spoke to road construction department officials and asked them to conduct a probe, apart from taking strict action against those responsible for it. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav holds the road construction department portfolio, who later in the evening briefed the media, saying that strict action would be taken against the guilty.

GYANVAPI CASES: ON OF THE HINDU LITIGANTS WITHDRAWS CITING HARASSMENT

One of the main litigants from the Hindu side Jitendra Singh Visen has announced that he and his family are withdrawing from all cases related to the Gynavapi issue due to alleged 'harassment'.

He alleged that they were facing harassment from various quarters including from the Hindu side and felt humiliated. "In such a situation, due to limited strength and resources, I cannot fight this battle for 'dharma' anymore and that's why I am leaving this.

Five women plaintiffs, including Visen's niece Rakhi Singh, had filed the original Shringar Gauri suit in August 2021 seeking permission for daily worship of Goddess Shringar Gauri and other deities in the Gyanvapi mosque compound.

However, Rakhi parted ways with the other women and differences appeared between Visen and the lawyers of the four other plaintiffs, including Hari Shankar Jain and Vishnu Shankar Jain, in May 2022.

MONSOON MISSES ONSET DATE IN KERALA, IMD SAYS CONDITIONS BECOMING FAVOURABLE

The monsoon missed its onset date in Kerala on Sunday with the India Meteorological Department anticipating a further delay of three to four days.

The southwest monsoon normally sets in over Kerala on June 1 with a standard deviation of about seven days.

the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said it might arrive in Kerala by June 4.

The southeast monsoon arrived in the southern state on May 29 last year, June 3 in 2021, June 1 in 2020, June 8 in 2019 and May 29 in 2018.

India is expected to get normal rainfall during the southwest monsoon season despite the evolving El Nino conditions, the IMD had earlier said.

BIG-SCREEN MOTHER SULOCHANA DIES AT 94

Noted actor Sulochana Latkar died on Sunday due to prolonged illness at a hospital here, her grandson-in-law Parag Ajgavkar confirmed. She was 94.

Sulochana, a well-known actor of Marathi and Hindi cinema, started her career in 1940s and went on to feature in over 250 films.

In Bollywood, the actor largely played on-screen mother to lead stars of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, including Sunil Dutt, Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Dilip Kumar, and Amitabh Bachchan.

She featured in Hindi blockbuster hits such as “Heera”, “Reshma Aur Shera”, “Jaani Dushman”, “Jab Pyar Kisise Hota Hai”, “Jhonny Mera Naam”, “Kati Patang”, Mere Jeevan Saathi”, “Prem Nagar”, and “Bhola Bhala”.

She was honoured with Padma Shri in 1999.

CRICKET AUSTRALIA'S FANTASY TEAM OF THE TOURNAMENT

Cricket Australia revealed their World Test Championship (WTC) Team of the Tournament and it included just three Indians. The list had Babar Azam over India star Virat Kohli while the upcoming superstar Shubman Gill failed to secure a spot. The spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were the preferred slow-bowling options in the side while Rishabh Pant was selected as the wicket-keeper considering his heroics against Australia. While Pant has been ruled out of his injuries, Jadeja and Ashwin are in the running to play for India in the WTC Final against Australia at the Oval.

Cricket Australia's WTC Team of the Tournament: Usman Khawaja, Dimuth Karunaratne, Babar Azam, Joe Root, Travis Head, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pat Cummins (C), Jimmy Anderson, Kagiso Rabada.

ALCARAZ, DJOKOVIC POWER INTO QUARTERS

World number one Carlos Alcaraz bulldozed his way into the French Open quarter-finals with an awe-inspiring 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 crushing of Italian Lorenzo Musetti on Sunday. The 20-year-old Spaniard, whose maiden run at Roland Garros ended in the last eight last year, next faces Stefanos Tsitsipas or Sebastian Ofner with a potential mouthwatering semi-final clash against World No. 3 Novak Djokovic looming.

Djokovic inched closer to a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title by crushing Peruvian Juan Pablo Varillas 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday to reach the quarter-finals.

In Women’s Singles, a charged-up Elina Svitolina powered into the quarter-finals for the fourth time with a 6-4, 7-6(5) victory over Russian ninth seed Daria Kasatkina on Sunday as she kept alive hopes of winning a maiden Grand Slam title.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh. – Anonymous

OFF TRACK

Things Not to Hear During Surgery:

Could you stop that thing from beating? It's throwing my concentration off..

I hate it when they're missing stuff in here.

Well folks, this will be an experiment for us all.

Sterile, shcmerile. The floor's clean, right?

Anyone see where I left that scalpel?

This patient has already had some kids, am I correct?

Nurse, did this patient sign the organ donation card?

Don't worry. I think it is sharp enough.

Darn! Page 47 of the manual is missing!

FIRE! FIRE! Everyone get out now!!