New Delhi, Aug 20:Union Railway Minister Suresh

Prabhu today directed the Chair-man Railway Board (CRB) to fi x re-sponsibility on prima facie evidence by the evening, in connection with yesterday’s Utkal Express derail-ment, which left 23 people dead and over 100 injured. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Prabhu posted,’Will not allow laxity in opera-tions by the Board. Have directed CRB to fi x responsibility on prima facie evidence by end of day.’The Union Minister informed that 7

derailed coaches have been tackled. ‘Restoration is top priority. Seven coaches tackled. Also ensuring best possible medical care for the injured. Monitoring situation closely,’ the Railways Minister added.Meanwhile, it has also been report-

ed that the Railways Commissioner (Safety) would be visiting the acci-dent site to conduct the preliminary inspection. Railways spokesperson Anil Saxena said that a terror angle

has not been ruled out.On the other hand, all the trains on

the Meerut line have been cancelled or diverted till 6 PM. As per the reports of ANI, affected rail route is expected to be cleared and traffi c is likely to be restored by 7 PM today.Rescue operations at Khatauli in

Muzaffarnagar, where the Kalinga Utkal Express had derailed, conclud-

ed on Sunday morning, offi cials said.At least 156 passengers were injured

after 14 coaches of the train bound for Haridwar in Uttarakhand derailed on Saturday evening in Meerut-Saharan-pur Division in Uttar Pradesh.So far 10 victims have been identi-

fied -- Sukhi Prajapati (Madhya Pradesh), Alok Sarkar (New Delhi), Vishnu Goswami (Gwalior), Rinki

Kumari (Agra), Karishma (Saharan-pur), Brijraj Pandey (Gwalior), Sumit Garg (Saharanpur), Rampal Singh Sharma (Muzaffarnagar), Vineet Mit-tal (Muzaffarnagar) and Braj Kumar Prajapati (Gwalior). Efforts were underway to identify the others as well, the state government offi cial said. The death toll is likely to rise further as at least 10 of the injured are in critical condition.Jagat Ram, one of the residents of

the house that was damaged when the train crashed into it, said that parts of the rail track in the area were being repaired for the last two days. Locals suspect that the driver of the Utkal Express was not informed about the repair work. Sources in the engineering division of the Railways claim that they had warned the Kha-tauli station authorities of repair work being carried out on the tracks. They also claimed that they had asked for movement of trains to not be allowed on the stretch for 20 minutes till the tracks were restored.

‘Fix responsibility on prima facie evidence’

� Utkal tragedy: Union Minister directs Chairman Railway Board

Regd. No., TN/CC(S) DN/223/15-17, RNI No: 33810 / 82 CHENNAI ��SUNDAY 20.8.2017 (EVENING) � OTHER STATIONS MONDAY 21.8.2017 (MORNING)

NATIONAL DAILY FOUNDER EDITOR: T.R.R

Chennai’s No 1 English evening daily since 1982 � www.newstodaynet.com � newstodaydaily � ntchennai

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NT BureauChennai, Aug 20:

Actor Rajinikanth’s fans from across the State are gathering at Tiruchi later in the day for a mega meeting being organised by Tamilaruvi Ma-nian of Gandhiya Makkal Iyakkam.Placards, banners and posters wel-

coming the actor’s fans have been put up at many places in the town since yesterday.The public meeting will discuss

‘Why should Rajinikanth come to politics? What compels him?’ Tamilaruvi Manian, believes Ra-

jinikanth has decided that it is time to enter politics and would announce his own political party.‘I had very lengthy discussions with

him. We have discussed all political and social issues and about solu-tions. He is clear about it, he will launch his own party sooner or later, he is preparing the blue print’.‘I can’t say when he will come, it

depends on the political situation. There is a political vacuum in the State following the demise of former AIADMK general secretary and Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and DMK president M Karunanidhi be-coming inactive. People are looking

for a change. For nearly 50 years Dravidian parties have been in power, they made corruption a part of life and they have undermined all public structures. People expect and need a messiah. And Rajinikanth will be that messiah,’ Tamilaruvi Manian

said. The conference would explain the necessity of Rajinikanth’s entry into politics and the good changes he could bring into the State, besides becoming a platform for his political entry, he added.

The popular actor is at present busy in shooting of his fi lm Kaala. The shooting had faced delay due to the strike of FEFSI employees. It is ex-pected that he would meet his fans again in September last or October, when he is expected to convey his views on entering politics.During his earlier meeting with

fans, he had criticised the system in the State and declared that ‘I will consider when the war approaches’. The comment is being interpreted as his wish to take the political plunge at the election time.Addressing his fans in June, Ra-

jinikanth, said, ‘God decides what we have to do in life at every phase. Right now, he wants me to be an actor and I’m fulfi lling my responsibil-ity. If God willing, I will enter politics tomorrow. If I enter, I will be very truthful and will not entertain people who are in this to make money. I won’t work with such people’.

Rajini fans gather in Tiruchi� Mega meet draws people from various parts � To discuss actor’s political entry

The conference will explain

the necessity of Rajinikanth’s entry

into politics and the good changes

he could bring into the State,

besides becoming a platform for his

political entryRajinikanth fans leaving for a mega meet in Tiruchi today from Chennai.

NT BureauChennai, Aug 20:

Chief Minister Edappadi K Pal-aniswami will chair a meeting of AIADMK office-bearers here tomorrow in which many crucial resolutions are expected to be passed. The meeting assumes significance amidst reports that an announcement on merger is round-the-corner.Six months after former Chief

Minister O Panneerselvam revolted and attempted to split the AIADMK, a merger seems close. At the end of many marathon meetings and tortuous negotiations over the past few months, the factions led by OPS and Tamilnadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami seem to have hammered out the formula for re-unifi cation. An announcement is likely on Monday, sources on both sides said.

Two major demands of OPS for merger was accepted by the Chief Minister recently. Edappadi K Pal-aniswami on Thursday announced that an inquiry commission headed by a retired High Court judge would be constituted to probe the death of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in December last year.A decision on the judge who will

head the commission will be taken in due course, Palaniswami said.He also said that ‘Veda Nilayam’,

the erstwhile residence of Jayala-

lithaa in Poes Garden here, would be converted into a public memo-rial. A few months ago, a campaign to convert the Veda Nilayam into a memorial was also launched by Panneerselvam.Sources say the announcement for

merger would be made tomorrow.

‘Trials on for AC jackets for Indian

Special Forces’New Delhi, Aug 20:

The government is testing ‘air-conditioned’ jackets to be worn by special force soldiers who operate for long hours in hot areas. Though the government has not

said what material the jackets would be made of and the kind of technology used, former De-fence Minister Manohar Parrikar has confi rmed that trials for such jackets are on. In a special forces operation,

there is extensive exercise. The body heats up. He [soldier] feels very uncomfortable. At that time if he has an air-conditioned jacket, he is more comfortable. Trial is on, Parrikar, who is now Goa’s Chief Minister, told students in Panaji at an event on Sunday. The US Army is already using

jackets, worn underneath body armour, which provide cooling to soldiers. A small battery that fits inside the armour powers the system, according to the US Department of Defence.

Crucial AIADMK meet tomorrow

New Delhi, Aug 20:Services at public sector banks

may take a hit on Tuesday as al l unions under the aegis of UFBU have threatened to go on strike against the government’s proposed consolidation move besides raising a host of other demands.Most banks have already informed

their customers that functioning of branches and offices will be im-pacted if the strike takes off.Operations at private lenders like

ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank are ex-pected to be normal except delay in cheque clearances.The United Forum of Bank Unions

(UFBU) is an umbrella body of nine unions, including All India Bank Of-fi cers’ Confederation (AIBOC), All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW).As the conciliation meeting before

the Chief Labour Commissioner failed, unions are left with no other option but to go on strike. There was no assurance from the government and the management of banks, AI-BOC General Secretary D T Franco said.

All attempts to hammer out solu-tions to the demands raised by the unions bore no fruit and hence, UFBU decided to proceed with the proposed strike on 22 August, he said.Other demands include no write-

off policy for non- performing as-sets (NPAs) of corporate loans, declaring wilful default of loans as criminal offence and imple-mentation of recommendations of Parliamentary Committee on recovery of NPAs, AIBEA Gen-eral Secretary C H Venkatchalam said.He also suggested that banks

should not pass on the burden of corporate NPAs on bank customers by hiking charges.Venkatchalam said the government

should abolish the Banks Board Bu-reau and ensure stringent measures to recover bad loans and account-ability of top executives.UFBU, which claims membership

of nearly 10 lakh across banks, also requested the government for cost reimbursement of demonetisation to banks.As many as 21 public sector banks

control 75 per cent of the total busi-ness.

Banks stare at union strike on Tuesday

At the end of many marathon meetings

over the past few months, the factions

led by OPS and Palaniswami seem to have hammered out the formula for re-

unifi cation