Two Foreign Terrorists Possibly Involved In Gagangir Attack, Says J&K L-G

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has said that possibly two foreign terrorists were involved in the Gagangir terror attack.

Jammu, Oct 22: Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has said that possibly two foreign terrorists were involved in the Gagangir terror attack.

“According to an initial investigation, two people with masks covering their faces, both possibly foreign terrorists, entered the mess of the company constructing the Z-Morh tunnel and opened indiscriminate fire. Seven people were killed and four injured,” L-G Sinha said on Monday in Jammu.

The Lt Governor added that both the terrorists reportedly infiltrated from the Bandipora area of North Kashmir. "They are being tracked and will be neutralised,” he said.

Officials said that the terrorists carried out the attack when the labourers and other staff working on the tunnel project at Z-Morh in Ganderbal district returned to their camp late in the evening.

The Lt Governor reiterated that the security forces have been given instructions and full freedom to track down and eliminate the perpetrators of the heinous act.

On Sunday terrorists attacked unarmed, innocent civilian workers of a private company in the Gagangir area of Ganderbal district.

Seven people, including six non-local workers and a local doctor, were killed in the attack and four others were wounded.

Pakistan-based terror outfit ‘TRF’ (The Resistance Front) later owned responsibility for the dastardly attack.

The attack on civilian workers engaged in building an important infrastructure project that would benefit the local economy and bring employment for the locals has been widely condemned.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Minister for Roads and Highways Nitin Gadkari, J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, former Chief Ministers Dr Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mehbooba Mufti and many others have unequivocally condemned the terrorist attack.

Ex gratia relief has been sanctioned by the J&K Lt Governor in favour of the victims and the private company, APCO has also sanctioned relief to the next of kin of the victims.

--IANS

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Adani Energy Solutions Reports 172 Pc Jump In Net Profit In Q2 FY25

by Hemanta Pande

Ahmedabad, Oct 22: Adani Energy Solutions Limited (AESL) on Tuesday reported an impressive 172 per cent surge in net profit at Rs 773 crore in the July-September quarter (Q2) this fiscal.

Adjusted profit after tax (PAT) was Rs 459 crore, excluding deferred tax reversal (MAT entitlement) of Rs 314 crore -- up 61.6 per cent YoY while EBITDA was Rs 1,891 crore, up 31 per cent YoY.

Kandarp Patel, CEO, Adani Energy Solutions, said the company remains focused on timely project commissioning as well as achieving operating efficiencies.

“The power demand trends in both utilities and new transmission project wins are very encouraging and we are making progress with the installation of smart meters in all our contracts,” said Patel.

In the month of August, the Adani Group company raised Rs 8,373 crore via the qualified institutional placement (QIP) route, the largest in the country's power sector. The QIP received bids of approximately six times of the base deal size from a diverse group of investors.

Adani Energy Solutions reported an increase in its project pipeline from Rs 17,000 crore in the first quarter of the current fiscal to Rs 27,300 crore in the second quarter (Q2). The transmission network was at 23,269 circuit kilometres (ckm) in the July-September period, compared to 19,862 ckm in the same period of the previous year.

Adani Energy Solutions saw robust growth of 69 per cent in total income, driven by the contribution from the recently commissioned Kharghar-Vikhroli, Warora-Kurnool, Khavda-Bhuj lines, acquired Mahan-Sipat line, higher energy sales in Mumbai and Mundra utilities and contribution from smart metering.

The company also secured three new transmission projects -- NES in Jamnagar Gujarat, NES in Navinal (Mundra), and Khavda Phase IVA, thereby adding 2,059 ckm to under construction network.

“The leverage position is healthy, with net debt to EBITDA metric at 3.1 times in H1 FY25,” said the company. The capex as of H1 FY25 was Rs 4,400 crore, as against Rs 2,622 crore in H1 FY24.

“Our credible steps of successfully divesting the Dahanu thermal plant in line with our commitment and achieving an all-time high share of 39 per cent renewable power penetration in Mumbai strengthens our position as true energy transition leader in India,” Patel said.

--IANS

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Cyclone Threat: Well-Marked Low Pressure Area Intensifies Into Depression In Bay Of Bengal

by Utkalika Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, Oct 22: The well-marked low pressure area developed in Bay of Bengal has intensified into a depression, IMD informed on Tuesday.

"Yesterday’s well-marked low pressure area over east-central Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards, concentrated into a depression and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST on October 22, over the same region near latitude 15.4° N and longitude 91.2°E, about 730 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 770 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) and 740 km south-southeast of Khepupara (Bangladesh)," said the IMD.

The IMD further noted that the system is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 23 over the east-central Bay of Bengal.

"Thereafter, continuing to move northwestwards, it is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over northwest Bay of Bengal by the morning of October 24 and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island during the night of October 24 and the next morning as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph," it added.

Notably, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had earlier asserted that the state government is fully prepared to deal with the impending severe cyclonic storm.

CM Majhi, while emphasising the government's resolve to ensure 'zero casualty' in the cyclone, has appealed to the people not to panic.

The Chief Minister has also reviewed the preparedness to face the cyclone in a high-level meeting at the Lok Seva Bhavan here on Monday. All the District Collectors have been instructed to identify the affected areas and ensure evacuation of all the people from vulnerable places to safer places.

The state government has also cancelled the leaves of all its employees from October 23 to 25. The schools in 14 affected districts will also remain closed during the above period.

The tourists have also been asked to leave Puri before the cyclonic storm hits the Odisha coast. The state government has advised the devotees from the state and outside to avoid visiting the holy city on October 24 and 25.

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Pant And Gill Available For Second Test As India Face Selection Dilemma In Pune

by Utkalika Mohanty

Pune, Oct 22: India are expected to have a nearly full-strength squad for the second Test against New Zealand in Pune, with assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirming that Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill are fit and will be available for selection.

Both players are recovering from injuries that kept them out or limited their participation in the first Test, where India suffered a defeat in Bengaluru.

Pant, who injured his knee during New Zealand’s first innings, left the field and did not return to wicketkeeping duties for the remainder of the match. Dhruv Jurel replaced him behind the stumps, but India hopes Pant will be fit enough to resume his role in Pune.

"Yeah, I think everyone's really well. There wasn't too much bowling in that first Test, so the fast bowlers are all good. Rishabh's pretty good," Ryan said in the pre-match press conference on Tuesday. "I think Rohit Sharma touched on it the other day. He was having a little bit of discomfort at the end range of his movement with the knee. But fingers crossed he'll be good to keep in this Test as well."

Shubman Gill, who missed the first Test due to neck stiffness, has also been progressing well. "He's batted last week in Bangalore, he had a few nets," the assistant coach said of Gill. "He's got a little bit of discomfort, but I'll think he will be good to go for the Test."

Ryan also claimed that there are no concerns about KL Rahul's form at the moment but admitted that there is a big fight for places within the team. Rahul was terribly out of touch in the Bengaluru Test as he got for a duck in the first innings and 12 in the second one.

The return of Gill raises a significant selection challenge for India, especially in the batting department. Sarfaraz Khan, who replaced Gill in the Bengaluru Test, capitalised on his opportunity with a stunning 150. His standout performance adds to the complexity of India's middle-order decisions, especially with Rahul's current form under scrutiny.

"He didn’t play and miss at any balls. That’s what tends to happen when you're not getting runs. He got two balls in the game, one down the leg side and one that he managed to nick," ten Doeschate explained. "There’s certainly no concerns about KL. He’s batting nicely, and he’s in a good mental space."

The assistant coach hinted at a fierce competition for spots in the playing XI, particularly in the middle order. "Sarfaraz was brilliant in the last Test... We certainly have to fit seven pieces into six spots for this Test. We will look at the pitch now and decide what's going to be best for the team," he said.