Yangpa River Maheshvara Ri Kumarayana Point Karakoram Pass Daulat Beg Oldi Depsang Plains AKSAI CHIN LADAKH HYDERABAD  SATURDAY  OCTOBER 03, 2026  `9.00  PAGES 16  LATE CITY EDITION CENTRE MARKS 28 STRATEGIC LADAKH SITES ON OFFICIAL MAP The Centre on Friday formally identified 28 strategic places and geographical features in Ladakh on the official map of India | P7 Some of the places named by govt, include locations in Aksai Chin controlled by China G a lw a Sakyasri Giri Atisha Giri n R iv e JOLMORI r Hot Spring Gogra LEH Hot Spring Darbuk Pangong Tso LAC FRICTION POINTS AMONG SITES IDENTIFIED The government said in a statement that formally identifying them on the Survey of India map of Ladakh will help streamline official cartography, facilitate accurate recognition and promote greater public awareness. Gogra and Hot Spring, key friction points during the 2020 India-China military standoff, are among the strategic locations identified on the map ■ 10 COMES AFTER SIMILAR ACTION IN ARUNACHAL ■ The list includes Alisha Giri, Brangsa, Chapchingal Pass, Kanishka Peak, Karun Pir mountain, Kuksel, Martand Giri, Parpik glacier, Skamri Glacier, Shachmirik Pass, Shkorga Valley and Zorawar Peak It comes nearly two months after the government identified a total of 27 places and features located in Arunachal Pradesh PEAKS AND THREE MOUNTAINS AMONG THE 28 PLACES/FEATURES IDENTIFIED CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Metro-RTC common pass launched @ `8,500 a month EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Hyderabad THE Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) and Hyderabad Metro Rail Limited (HMRL) on Friday launched a common pass for Metro and bus services, with the monthly pass priced at `8,500. Valid for 30 calendar days, the pass will cost `7,000 for the Metro component and `1,500 for RTC services. At `8,500 a month, it is priced at a level that may make it more relevant to higher-income commuters and those with substantial daily travel requirements. A one-day common pass has been priced at `400, with `300 going to HMRL and `100 to TGSRTC. A refundable card fee of `100 will be collected when the pass is purchased for the first time. T he common pass was launched by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar at Praja Bhavan. As part of the launch, Vikramarka purchased one-day common passes for 15 ministers, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy . A group of ministers, including Vikramarka and Prabhakar, will travel using the common pass on Saturday, beginning from Begumpet Metro station, to assess the integration between Metro and RTC CONTINUED ON P5 services. Presidential adviser cautions against conspiracy theories E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ New Delhi R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi UAE Presidential adviser Anwar Gargash on Friday described the cockpit attack aboard a Flydubai plane from Dubai to Tel Aviv as a “dangerous terrorist act”, and praised Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar for his role in preventing a potentially catastrophic outcome. Gargash said Machchhar “deserves every bit of appreciation” for demonstrating exemplary courage after he was allegedly attacked by his co-pilot during Flydubai Flight FZ1073 on Wednesday . He also cautioned against speculation, saying that “vigilance and caution remain essential in confronting the risks of extremism and terrorism. Gargash, a former UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, praised Machchhar for preserving the safety of those aboard the His (Smit) aircraft during the professionalism emergency . and moral sense in The flight, carry- the darkest of ing 174 people, in- circumstances cluding 27 children, make him a hero was travelling from Anwar Gargash, Dubai to Tel Aviv Presidential adviser, when the incident UAE occurred. According to reports, the co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar with a knife inside the cockpit, causing the aircraft to plunge nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds. Other crew members and passengers intervened and overpowered the attacker, restoring control over the aircraft. The plane was subsequently diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely in Tabuk. The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, was arrested after the landing. Gargash also hit out at conspiracy theories surrounding the incident. “Modern aircraft are not merely traditional control devices but fully digital environments of surveillance.” AS diesel shortages have hit supplies and pushed up fuel prices, the Group of Seven (G7) industrial nations on Friday announced the release of up to 100 million barrels of crude oil and diesel from their emergency reserves to ease soaring prices. Following the announcement, oil prices fell by $2. Brent was down $1.80, or 1.76%, at $100.50 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate dropped $2.02, or 2.18%, to $90.85 a barrel. The move is also expected to help calm the Indian stock market, which has recorded its longest losing streak in 25 years amid pressure from high Election crude oil prices. issue The decision came after US PresiSoaring diesel dent Donald Trump urged European price has allies, particularly Germany and become a France, to immediately release emersource of gency diesel reserves or face a potenconcern for tial US diesel export ban. Trump as it Trump is under pressure to adcould affect dress surging prices ahead of Novoters ahead of vember’s midterm elections. the November The G7 said the reserves would be midterm polls released immediately over four months. The release will be coordinated through the International Energy Agency . Diesel and crude oil prices have been on the rise amid the deepening US-Iran conflict. Diesel shortage has also been linked to Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian oil-processing facilities. Subsequently, Russia imposed strict restrictions on diesel exports. Captain Smit Machchhar speaks in a video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, from the UAE | PTI PM to pilot: You showed spirit of non-violence R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi “I was doing it for my own life, but at the same time I also knew that I could not let him kill all of them,” said Captain Smit Machchhar, who foiled an attempt by his co-pilot on Wednesday to crash an Israel-bound Flydubai flight. Machchhar was speaking to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday in a video call from a hospital in the UAE. “Today is Gandhi Jayanti; you have demonstrated the true essence of nonviolence by living it,” Modi said. Hailing Machchhar’s grit, Modi added, “We Indians are not people who take lives, we are people who save lives.” He told the pilot that prayers were being offered across India for his recovery and that he had already spo, ken to the pilot’s mother and wife, adding he remained “just a phone call away.” India was waiting to welcome him, PM Modi told the pilot. Machchhar, who has flown for 17 years, said he opened the cockpit door when he realised the aircraft was going down. “I knew that it’s one last push,” he said, adding that he acted with whatever energy was left in him while lying injured in the cockpit. Bollarum arms theft case: More arrests likely C H I T H A L U R I R E V A N T H @ Hyderabad HEAT ON POLL PANEL Thousands, including members of CJP, SFI and AISA, took to the streets in New Delhi and Mumbai on Friday demanding the resignation of Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner. In the capital, police detained around 700 people | AP | P8 MALKAJGIRI police are likely to arrest at least three more suspects by the weekend in connection with the Bollarum military armoury theft case, a source familiar with the investigation told TNIE. The arrests are expected to follow the 10-day custodial questioning of accused Upputholla Mallesh, 37, which investigators said helped them identify others allegedly linked to the case. Mallesh was questioned in police custody from September 22 to October 1 and was sent to Chanchalguda Central Jail on Thursday . During the questioning, investigators sought to establish his motive, whether he intended to sell the stolen arms and ammunition, and whether he had received help from others. CONTINUED ON P2 ASIAN GAMES S Gold rush: India smash massive six IX gold in a day — this is by far the best day for India at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. If India were struggling to win gold medals in the first 10 days, the last three days have been quite productive. The day however, belonged , to the boxers and women’s hockey team. If three boxers secured a topof-the-podium finish, sending the country into a celebratory frenzy, the icing on the cake came later in the day on the hockey field. For the first time in 44 years, the women’s team rose from the lows of Paris 2024 to beat China 1-0 and clinch of oil reserves INDRANEEL DAS EXPRESS @ ASIAN GAMES NAGOYA gold at the Asian Games. In the process, they also sealed their berth for the LA 2028 Olympics on Friday Lalremsiami landed . the first strike in the tenth minute but from thereon, it was goalkeeper Bichu Devi’s heroics and a defence that ensured India a historic gold medal. Meanwhile, archers created history by winning India’s first-ever recurve gold. Sujeet Kalkal in wrestling was also Indian women’s hockey team celebrate their gold medal | PTI unstoppable. The three boxers, who finished atop the podium, were Lovlina Borgohain in the morning and two youngsters – Parveen Hooda and Ankush Panghal. With this, India have climbed to fifth place in the medals tally with 16 golds. P11 2 more gold in the offing On Saturday, India have a chance to add at least two more gold medals to the tally in men’s hockey and cricket team events. EXPRESS READ CURE Act replacing GHMC law notified Hyderabad: The state government on Friday issued a 460-page Gazette notification for the Core Urban Region (Integrated Governance) Act, 2026. The Act replaces the 70-year-old GHMC Act, 1955, and provides coordinated governance of Greater Hyderabad, Cyberabad and Malkajgiri municipal corporations across 2,053 sq km within the Outer Ring Road. The Capital Value System for property tax will apply immediately to newly constructed, unassessed properties, while existing properties will come under it from April 1, 2027. INSIDE Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka launches the pass on Friday Was terror attack on G7 to release 100 mn barrels Flydubai, says UAE El Nino-induced heat to be felt in 2027 too, warn scientists | P2 Telangana trying to recover lost ground in natural farming | P4