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5 THINGS FIRST President Murmu on a 2-day visit to Gujarat; PMI Manufacturing and Export and Import data for September to be released; IAF to induct indigenous light combat helicopter at Jodhpur; Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2022 to be announced; Punjab Assembly to vote on confidence motion against AAP government

1. When football clash crushed 125 to death At least 125 people have died in a crush at an Indonesian football match. About 180 were also hurt at an overcrowded Indonesian stadium late Saturday night. Violence: Torched vehicles, including a police truck, littered the streets outside the stadium on Sunday. Police said 13 vehicles in total were damaged. How it happened: Playing at Malang in East Java, the home team Arema FC lost to their bitter rivals Persebaya Surabaya, triggering a clash. The supporters stormed the stadium pitch, demanding that Arema management explain why, after 23 years of undefeated home games, this match ended in a 3-2 loss to the visiting team. The stampede began after police tear-gassed protesters, who had invaded the pitch. Panic: Thousands surged towards the stadium’s exits, where many suffocated in the stampede due to overcrowding. The world football’s governing body, FIFA, says the police or the stewards should not carry or use any “crowd control gas” during matches. Negligence? Indonesia’s security affairs minister Mahfud MD said organisers ignored the recommendation to hold the match in the afternoon instead of the evening, and to sell 38,000 tickets. They sold 42,000 tickets, he said. Local police said all the spectators were Aremanias because the organisers had banned Persebaya fans from entering the stadium in an effort to avoid brawls. A past: The restriction was imposed after the two teams’ supporters clashed in February 2020 causing a loss of $18,000. One of the worst: In 1964, 320 people were killed and over 1,000 injured during a stampede at a Peru stadium. In the UK, 97 people died in 1989, and in 1985, 39 people died and 600 were injured in Belgium in stadium disasters. More here

2. It’s pro-changers versus status quoist in Congress The pro-changers Set for an electoral face-off with Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge for the Congress president’s post, Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor has said, “But for those who are satisfied with the party functioning should choose Kharge Sahab, and those who want change should choose me.” Tharor floated the idea of a public debate between the candidates. He said it would evoke people’s interest in the Congress in a manner similar to the recent British Conservative Party leadership race. Earlier, Tharoor began his campaign releasing the list of 60 proposers from 12 states in a tweet. Pro-changer Karti Chidambaram is using “#ThinkTharoorThinkTomorrow” as his campaign hashtag on social media while seeking vote for Tharoor. And also, Tharoor praised the Nehru-Gandhi family saying it has held and will always hold a special place in the hearts of Congress party members. Consensus proposers Kharge, who is considered the Gandhis’ favourite for the Congress president’s job, said on Sunday he had told Tharoor that “it is much better to have a consensus candidate for the president’s post”. He explained his reason for evolving a consensus: “As Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi didn’t want to fight the elections, I was asked by my senior colleagues to contest the elections. I’m not fighting against anyone. I’m fighting for the ideology of the Congress party.” “The status quo and change that Dr Tharoor has been talking about will be decided by the delegates and the All India Congress Committee. One person will not be taking the calls, it’ll be taken collectively,” Kharge said. While Tharoor invoked Nehru and the Gandhi family, Kharge chose Mahatma Gandhi saying, “I’m starting my election campaign on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. I’ve always fought and struggled for my ideology and ethics.” More updates here

3. The Martian who lived 16 times over its lifespan at birth India’s Mars Orbiter Mission spacecraft, which was designed to last for six months when launched in November 2013, has lost communication with the ground stations, bringing an end to its life after eight long years. Isro is working out the details on whether the spacecraft ran out of fuel and battery power, or the communication was lost because of an automated manoeuvre during a long eclipse while changing its antenna’s direction. Multiple sources told TOI that it would not be possible to recover the spacecraft. Isro’s UR Rao Satellite Centre (URSC) director on September 27 communicated the same and Isro will officially announce it soon, a scientist said. The word: Another senior scientist told TOI, “There was a really long eclipse in April 2022. The satellite had been designed with autonomous functions to come out of eclipses and it has done it in the past too. While recovering from the eclipse, the fuel may have been exhausted. The other reason could be that while exiting the eclipse a command for a roll-spin to change direction is done, which could have caused the Earth-facing antenna to change direction.” The spacecraft had handled two black-out phases during an eclipse and one white-out phase in the first year around Mars and another in the second year. In all these instances, the spacecraft was completely autonomous without any help from the ground. The Rs 450-crore mission, which was launched on the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), put India in an elite club of nations to have carried out a mars mission. That the country achieved it in its first attempt was a feather in the cap. Data trove: Carrying five payloads, it sent in over 1TB data in its first year and over 5TB data in five years. More here

4. Who is promising money for cows? It’s not BJP Who: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has promised Rs 40 per day for the upkeep of every cow in Gujarat, and a shelter home for non-milching cattle in every district of the state if his Aam Aadmi Party is voted to power. Why: Kejriwal’s announcement is a renewed push to counter the ruling BJP in Gujarat and attract Hindu voters. His quote: “In Delhi, we give Rs 40 per cow per day. The Delhi government gives Rs 20 and another Rs 20 is given by the municipal corporation. If the AAP is voted to power in Gujarat, then we will provide Rs 40 per cow per day for their upkeep.” The timing: His announcement has come when panjrapole (shelters homes for cattle) owners have been protesting against the Gujarat government over its alleged failure to release a package as promised for the shelter homes. Panjrapole will be constructed in every district for non-milching cows and those roaming on roads, he said, promising further that if voted to power, the AAP government will take all necessary steps for the benefit of cows in Gujarat. After claiming that “an IB report” has said that his AAP will form the next government in Gujarat, Kejriwal said, “Ever since the report has come, both these parties have united. They are conducting secret meetings, and the BJP has freaked out.” On election dinner: Asked about an auto-rickshaw driver in Ahmedabad, at whose house Kejriwal had dinner, supporting the BJP, he said, “Whether they are from the Congress or the BJP, they all invite me for dinner. I visit them without considering which party they vote for.” Gujarat is likely to vote for its 182 assembly seats in December. The AAP had failed to make a mark in the 2017 polls.

NEWS IN CLUES 5. Who launched the Krantikari Morcha in 1987? Clue 1: He holds three degrees — BA, BT and MA— in political science. Clue 2: His other political affiliations include the Samyukta Social Party, Bharatiya Kranti Dal and the Lok Dal. Clue 3: In 1996, he was sworn in as the defence minister in the HD Deve Gowda government. Scroll below for answer

6. Annexation on Friday, desperation on Sunday A Russian retreat Russia has withdrawn its troops from Ukraine’s Lyman, a strategic town in Donetsk. It is being seen as a setback for Russia’s campaign in Ukraine. Russia’s defence ministry said the retreat happened over fears that its soldiers could be encircled in the town. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenky claimed Lyman has been “completely cleared” of Russian troops. Its recapture offers greater reach to the Ukrainian soldiers for the contested territories in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. A setback Videos shared online showed Ukrainian soldiers waving their national flag on the outskirts of the town before the Russian retreat. Russia used Lyman as a logistics hub for its military operations. This comes days after Russia declared that it was annexing Donetsk and three other regions. The nuke button Lyman’s loss prompted Russia’s ally Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, who describes himself as President Vladimir Putin’s foot-soldier, to say Russia should consider using low-yield nuclear weapons. “In my personal opinion, more drastic measures should be taken, right up to the declaration of martial law in the border areas and the use of low-yield nuclear weapons,” he wrote on social media. Appeal from Pope Pope Francis made an impassioned appeal to Putin to stop “this spiral of violence and death” in Ukraine. He said the crisis carries the risk of a nuclear escalation with uncontrollable global consequences. More here

7. India’s ‘wind man’ is no more The man Tulsi Tanti, the founder of Suzlon Energy died of cardiac arrest at 64 on Saturday evening. Tanti was also the chairman of Renewable Energy Council of Confederation of Indian Industry to provide direction to India’s green energy strategies. He was also a globally renowned expert on clean energy. The vision Tanti, popularly known as India’s ‘wind man’, saw opportunity in the Indian renewable energy industry at a time when the global wind energy market was dominated by international players and characterised by expensive and complicated technologies that were largely unviable for traditional businesses. He spearheaded the wind energy revolution in India with the founding of Suzlon Energy in 1995. Before foraying into wind energy, Tanti owned a textile business which he sold in 2001. The company Under his leadership, Suzlon Energy is now the country’s largest wind energy player with a presence in 17 countries. Tanti’s death comes at a time when Suzlon Energy was set to open its Rs 1,200 crore rights issue on October 11. The group was looking to repay debt, fund working capital and deploy the rest for general corporate purposes. More details here.

8. A Made in India chopper takes to the skies The LCH After Apache and Chinook helicopters, Indian Air Force will today induct the first batch of indigenously-developed Light Combat Helicopter (LCH). The 5.8-tonne twin-engine LCH is equipped with Shakti engine developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in collaboration with French engine-maker Safran. The LCH was declared ready for production in February 2020. The need The main strength of this Apache-looking helicopter is that it can operate at an altitude of up to 20,000 feet. The IAF operates the older Russian Mi-25 and Mi-35 attack helicopters, of which one squadron has been phased out following the induction of 22 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters. The LCH is the first dedicated attack helicopter of the Army, which otherwise operates 75 Rudra helicopters. The orders In March, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved the procurement of 15 LCHs at a cost of Rs 3,887 crore. The defence ministry had said 10 helicopters would be for the IAF and five will be for the Indian Army. The Army plans to acquire 95 LCHs of which seven units, each having 10 helicopters, are planned to be deployed for combat roles in the mountains.

9. Two of Ravan’s kin will be spared this Dussehra A change in Awadh: A centuries-old tradition of burning the effigies on Dussehra will mark a historic shift this year in Lucknow’s Aishbagh. The Aishbagh Ramlila committee has decided to discontinue the 300-year-old practice of burning effigies of Kumbhkaran and Meghnad along with that of Ravan this Dussehra — an occasion to commemorate the Lord Ram, the prince of Ayodhya from the Awadh region over the king of Lanka in the Ramayana age. The reason, said organisers, is that all Ramayana texts mention that Ravan’s brother Kumbhkaran and son Meghnad had tried to dissuade him from fighting against Lord Ram. They eventually participated in the war after the demon king rejected their advice. The idea was first mooted by the Aishbagh Dussehra and Ramlila Committee president Harishchandra Agrawal and secretary Aditya Dwivedi five years ago. But it was rejected by other members on the grounds that burning effigies of the trio was part of a 300-year-old tradition. Argument: They said the Ramayana reveals that Meghnad had told Ravan that Lord Ram was Vishnu’s incarnation, and they should not wage war against him. Kumbhkaran, on the other hand, told him that Sita, whom Ravan had kidnapped, was goddess Jagdamba’s incarnation, and if he doesn’t free her, he might end up losing everything, including his life. Ramlila and Dussehra celebrations are believed to have been started at Aishbagh by sage-poet Goswami Tulsidas, the composer of the Ramacharitmanas, in the 16th century. The tradition to burn effigies was introduced about three centuries ago. Both the traditions were conducted by seers till the 1857 revolt. After the uprising, the celebrations were carried forward by social workers. More here

Answer to NEWS IN CLUES Mulayam Singh Yadav. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party founder, who had been undergoing treatment for the last few weeks, was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital on Sunday. The 82-year-old politician was admitted to the hospital after complaining about uneasiness. More details here.

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Written by: Rakesh Rai, Tejeesh Nippun Singh, Jayanta Kalita, Prabhash K Dutta Research: Rajesh Sharma