Iran, Qatar FMs review latest situation of war in Gaza

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani had a telephone conversation on Thursday.

In the call, the parties discussed the process of bilateral relations between Iran and Qatar and emphasized on the recommendations of the presidents of the two countries to strengthen cooperation in all aspects.

Later in the phone conversation, the two sides also discussed the latest state of efforts and political efforts to stop the war and genocide against Gaza and the proposed initiatives to establish a ceasefire, exchange prisoners, and send shipments of international humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.

SD/IRN

Green-Hazlewood Script History With Partnership In 1st Test vs New Zealand

Star all-rounder Cameron Green was involved in a hilarious incident on Day 2 of the ongoing first Test between New Zealand and Australia at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Friday. It happened in the third over of the morning session after Australia had resumed their innings at 279/9. New Zealand pacer Matt Henry bowled an in-swinger to Josh Hazlewood, who caressed the ball through midwicket. While Green and Hazlewood could’ve stolen two runs, the former sent the latter back even before he completed a single.

Both Green and Hazlewood had crossed, but the all-rounder called the pacer back to his position as he was eager to regain the strike for the first ball of the next over.

The incident, which took place on the final ball of th 88th over, left the umpires and opposition captain Tim Southee baffled. The commentators, on the other hand, saw the funny side of Green’s antics.

Meanwhile, Green and Josh Hazlewood scripted history on Friday as they combined to register Australia’s highest partnership for the tenth wicket against New Zealand, as well as the fourth-best overall by an Australian pair.

The pair tormented New Zealand’s bowling attack during the morning session of the second day in Wellington, putting up 116 for the final wicket with ease, shattering Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath’s previous record of 114 runs in Brisbane in 2004.

The partnership was just Australia’s sixth of 100 runs or more for the tenth wicket in red-ball cricket, and it helped the reigning World Test Championship winners achieve a large score of 383 in their first innings following a difficult opening day at Basin Reserve.

Green’s unbeaten performance of 174 encouraged Australia, with the young all-rounder playing a patient game to begin before reaching his second Test century in the penultimate over of the day, and then taking a more attacking strategy with Hazlewood on Friday.

The duo batted wisely when necessary, with Green, in particular, using his power to smash anything short from the Kiwis, frustrating the hosts and registering the fourth-best partnership of all time for the 10th wicket by an Australian team.

Green’s hundred was just the second time he has scored triple digits for Australia in Test cricket, topping his previous best of 114 against India in Ahmedabad last year.

(With ANI Inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

43 killed in Dhaka building fire

Around 75 people, including 42 in an unconscious state, were rescued from Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall.

Published Date – 1 March 2024, 10:18 AM


43 killed in Dhaka building fire

Firefighters work to contain a fire that broke out at a commercial complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. (AP Photo)

Dhaka: At least 43 people were killed in a deadly fire that broke out at a six-storey commercial building on Baily Road in Dhaka late on Thursday night.

Of the deceased, 33 died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and 10 in Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery, said Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen.


He added that more than 22 people were severely burned are battling for their lives.

Around 75 people, including 42 in an unconscious state, were rescued from Green Cozy Cottage Shopping Mall.

The Fire Service says the Green Cozy Cottage houses Kacchi Bhai biriyani shop, an outlet of retailer Illiyeen, and several other shops.

Live videos shared by people on Facebook showed a fire engulfing the building while onlookers gathered outside.

Locals and firefighters were seen rescuing the people trapped inside the building in some of the videos.

The fire that broke out around 9:50 p.m. was brought under control after two hours.

Mohammad Rashed, a rescue worker of the Fire Service, exited through the back of the building with five other workers. All of them escaped out of the building with air jumping bags.

A security guard in an adjacent building recounted his experience saying, “There was no fire at first, we only saw smoke. When I went to the ground floor of the building to inspect the matter I heard a gas cylinder burst and the fire spread to the upper floors of the building.”

“The fire spread so fast that the Fire service was struggling to rescue people. Some got down from the building by climbing a rope, but many were injured in this way,” he added.

Around 10-15 people have been taken to the Sheikh Hasina National Institute of Burn and Plastic Surgery for sustaining injuries from the fire.

Three platoons of paramilitary, Bangladesh Ansar and one of the specially trained Ansar Guard Battalion have been deployed to help in the fire and rescue operation working together with the Fire service.

Santo Das, rescued from the building at around 11:40 p.m., told IANS that the fire might have originated from a cylinder blast. He works at a restaurant on the third floor of the building.

At least 19 people have been rescued so far, Fire Service officials said. Nearly 12 units of the firefighters worked to douse the fire and carry out rescue operations.

Canada University To Remove Vending Machines Over Facial Recognition Tech

Canada University To Remove Vending Machines Over Facial Recognition Tech

Users were not asked permission to scan or analyse their faces. (Representative pic)

A university in Canada is set to remove a series of smart vending machines from its campus following concerns over the use of facial recognition technology in secret. According to The Guardian, the controversy unfolded when a student captured a photo of the snack dispense displaying an error message – Invenda.Vending.FacialRecognition.App.exe – on the screen. There was no prior indication that the machine was using the technology, nor that a camera was monitoring student movement and purchases. Users were also not asked permission to scan or analyse their faces.

“We wouldn’t have known if it weren’t for the application error. There’s no warning here,” River Stanley, the University of Waterloo student who reported on the discovery for the university’s newspaper, said, as per the outlet

However, Invenda, the company that produces the machines, defended the technology. It claimed that the technology is compliant with the European Union’s privacy standards. Notably, the company advertises its use of “demographic detection software”, which it says can determine the gender and age of customers. It is unclear if the use of technology meets Canada’s privacy standards. 

Separately, the director of technology services for Adaria Vending Services defended the technology, saying that “an individual person cannot be identified using the technology in the machines”. 

“What’s most important to understand is that the machines do not take or store any photos or images, and an individual person cannot be identified using the technology in the machines,” the statement said. “The technology acts as a motion sensor that detects faces, so the machine knows when to activate the purchasing interface – never taking or storing images of customers,” it added. 

Also Read | DNA Test Confirms Dying Construction Worker Was One Of Japan’s Most Wanted Criminals

The University of Waterloo, on the other hand, pledged in a statement to remove the Invenda machines “as soon as possible”. It also said that it has already “asked that the software be disabled”. 

In the meantime, students at the Ontario university responded by covering the hole that they believe houses the camera with gum and paper.

Meanwhile, in a similar incident in April, the national retailer Canadian Tire ran afoul of privacy laws in British Columbia after it used facial recognition technology without notifying customers. Back then, the government’s privacy commissioner said that even if the stores had obtained permission, the company failed to show a reasonable purpose for collecting facial information.

Polls open in Iran's parliamentary, Assembly of Experts elections

Iranians are heading to the polls to cast their ballots for the country’s Parliament (Majlis) and Assembly of Experts.

The polls opened across Iran at 8 a.m. local time (0430) on Friday with more than 61 million people eligible to vote across the country.

Voters are taking part in the parliamentary elections to choose 290 members of the legislative body from over 15,000 candidates. Elected members will serve for a term of four years in the parliament.

In another election being held simultaneously, participants are voting for 88 members of the Assembly of Experts, a deliberative body elected for eight years to choose the leader of the Islamic Republic.


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

BJP May Release 100-Name First List For Polls After Midnight Meet: Sources

BJP May Release 100-Name First List For Polls After Midnight Meet: Sources

New Delhi:

The BJP is expected to release a first list of candidates – around 100 names, which will include heavyweights like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah – for the 2024 Lok Sabha election later today, after marathon overnight meetings in Delhi, including one led by the Prime Minister at his Delhi residence that began 11 pm Thursday and finished 3.15 am Friday.

Sources have told NDTV the BJP’s strategy, as it bids for a third term, revolves around getting feedback on sitting MPs’ – including but not limited to discussions with grassroots-level workers and voters in their constituencies – and a tactical reshuffle to eliminate the anti-incumbency bias.

Sources also said last night the party intends to name a chunk of its candidates, not including those from National Democratic Alliance allies, well before poll dates are announced to ramp up pressure on its main (only) rival – the Congress-led INDIA bloc, which has still not finished seat-share deals.

Hindi Heartland, South Focus

NDTV was told the Thursday night-Friday morning meet would focus on candidates for the Hindi heartland states of UP, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, as well as Mr Modi’s home state of Gujarat. Also in focus were the southern states of Kerala – where the BJP has traditionally been a non-entity – and Telangana, where it was routed by the Congress last year.

READ | PM Leads BJP’s Midnight Meet To Decide Lok Sabha Candidates

A decision for other states, including Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, and Tamil Nadu, have been put on hold pending alliance talks with regional parties. In the latter two states the BJP is hoping to re-establish ties with the Akali Dal and the AIADMK, while in the former it must choose between the ruling YSR Congress Party and the Telugu Desam Party-Jana Sena alliance.

PM Modi, Amit Shah In First List?

In any case, the list is not due before noon, but it is likely Mr Modi will return to defend his seat in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi, which has been a BJP bastion since 1991 (save a Congress win in 2004).

He claimed dominant wins here in 2014 and 2019, winning the first election by 3.7 lakh votes and the second by nearly 4.8 lakh. There was speculation the Prime Minister’s hat-trick bid could be challenged by the INDIA bloc, with Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra a possible candidate.

The other possible candidate was Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, but that has been ruled out since the Janata Dal (United) boss – a founding member of INDIA – has now re-allied with the BJP.

READ | Public Feedback, Tech: How BJP Is Picking Lok Sabha Poll Candidates

Ms Gandhi Vadra’s (long-awaited) electoral debut – there was talk she would run in the 2019 election too – has not been confirmed yet, and the stepping down of Congress matriarch Sonia Gandhi from the party’s Raebareli stronghold has opened up a possible perfect unveiling op for the party.

Amit Shah, meanwhile, could be fielded from Gujarat’s Gandhinagar.

The BJP has held the seat – which has sent stalwarts like LK Advani and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to the Lok Sabha – since 1989. Mr Shah won this seat in 2019 – he recorded a dominant win, beating the Congress’ Chaturainh Chavda by over 5.5 lakh votes.

Other Big Names?

Amit Shah’s cabinet colleagues – Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia – may contest from Lucknow and Guna-Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh, respectively.

Like Gandhinagar, the UP capital is a BJP stronghold.

Mr Vajpayee held this seat from 1991 to 2004 and Rajnath Singh has held it since 2014, seeing off the Congress’ Rita Bahugana Joshi and the Samajwadi Party’s Poonam Sinha.

Mr Scindia’s expected seat in Madhya Pradesh is seen as sure thing since it is his family citadel. The Scindia royal family has won this seat 14 times since the first election in 1952.

Jyotiraditya Scindia held this seat between 2002 (a bypoll necessitated by his father Madhavrao Scindia’s death) and 2014, but that was as a member of the Congress. After his controversial cross-over, he surrendered the seat and was instead nominated to a Rajya Sabha seat from the state.

In 2019 the seat was won by the BJP’s Krishna Pal Yadav.

Others who may be named in the first list are former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from Assam’s Dibrugarh, a seat he won in 2004 (when with the Asom Gana Parishad).

READ | BJP To Contest 11 Lok Sabha Seats In Assam, 3 For Allies

Across Assam the BJP will contest 11 seats, leaving three for its allies – the Asom Gana Parishad and United People’s Party Liberal, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Thursday.

No Pragya Thakur, Shivraj Chouhan Returns?

There are likely to be some surprises too, with buzz fiery Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur will not return to defend her seat, which was offered to ex-Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Mr Chouhan – sacked after the BJP’s Assembly poll win last year, despite his welfare measures, particularly the ‘Laadli Behna’ scheme, ensuring the party retained the state – reportedly refused the seat, and said he wants to contest from his home district of Vidisha.

The former Chief Minister is a five-time winner from the seat – from 1991 to 2004 – that has also been a BJP fortress; the saffron party has held Vidisha since 1989.

Room For Allies

The meeting also likely saw talks about leaving six seats in politically key Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, for regional allies like the Apna Dal and the Rashtriya Lok Dal of Jayant Chaudhary, which the BJP reportedly won over from INDIA despite their January agreement.

Overall, the plan is to name at least 50 per cent of its candidates by March 10. In 2019 the party did the same thing; it revealed 164 candidates on March 21, weeks before dates were announced.

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.

As Indrani Mukerjea Series Streams, A Look At The Chilling Sheena Bora Murder Case

As Indrani Mukerjea Series Streams, A Look At The Chilling Sheena Bora Murder Case

Indrani Mukerjea Netflix series began streaming on February 29.

New Delhi:

In the bustling city of Mumbai, beneath the veneer of glamour and success, a sinister tale of deception, betrayal, and murder unfolded in 2012 – a tale that has captivated the nation for over a decade. Twenty-five-year-old Sheena Bora, an ambitious executive working for Mumbai Metro One, vanished without a trace on April 24, 2012. She was never seen again.

After investigating the case for years, Mumbai police arrested Sheena’s mother Indrani Mukerjea, a former media executive, and her second husband, Peter Mukerjea, along with their driver, Shyamvar Rai, in August 2015. The charges? Abduction, murder, and the gruesome disposal of Sheena Bora’s body.

The arrest came after months of surveillance on Indrani, initiated following a tip-off and Rai’s earlier arrest for illegal weapons possession.

How Sheena Bora Was Murdered

Sheena Bora was allegedly strangled to death in a car by Indrani, her then-driver Shyamvar Rai, and ex husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012.

Latest and Breaking News on NDTV

Peter Mukerjea; Sheena Bora with step-brother Rahul. (File photo)

During interrogation, Khanna and Rai confessed to the crime. However, Indrani vehemently denied the accusations, claiming Sheena was alive and well, residing in the United States.

Shyam Rai’s interrogation allegedly revealed details of Sheena’s murder, implicating Indrani and her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna.

According to Rai’s account, the murder was meticulously planned, with Indrani surveying the location for the disposal of the body a day before the crime. On the evening of April 24, 2012, Khanna allegedly strangled Sheena in a by-lane in Bandra, following her drop-off by Rahul Mukerjea. The body was then transported to Indrani’s residence in Worli, where it was concealed in a bag and stuffed in the trunk of a car, claim investigators.

Rai claimed that the trio then embarked on a haunting journey to the village of Gagode in Maharashtra to dispose of the body by burning it.

Latest and Breaking News on NDTV

What Was The Motive

During the trial, several dark secrets of the Mukerjea family came to light. Sheena Bora was allegedly in a live-in relationship with her step-brother Rahul, the younger son of Peter Mukerjea with his first wife. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claimed that financial disputes and Indrani’s opposition to Sheena’s relationship with Rahul were key factors behind the murder. The alleged conspiracy, involving Peter Mukerjea as well, painted a picture of a complex familial dynamic marred by jealousy and conflicts.

Indrani Mukerjea, while being held in Byculla jail on charges of murdering her daughter, emerged with a memoir titled ‘Unbroken: The Untold Story’ in which she said that Sheena Bora was like a sister to her, not a daughter.

In the city where dreams and nightmares collide, the Sheena Bora murder case remains a haunting tale, a dark chapter etched in the records of crime history.

The docu-series, titled ‘The Indrani Mukerjea Story: The Buried Truth’, delves into the disappearance of Sheena Bora and is scheduled to premiere on streaming platform Netflix on February 29.

Review – Dune: Part Two – Rarely Is A Follow-Up This Invigorating

Dune: Part Two Review - Rarely Is A Follow-Up Film This Invigorating And Immersive

A still from Dune: Part Two. (courtesy: dunemovie)

Everything that Dune was is visibly redoubled in Dune Part Two. The film is an amalgamation of Frank Herbert’s unique vision, director Denis Villeneuve’s penchant for finding variety and depth in the visceral, cinematographer Greig Fraser’s incredible eye for detail in large-scale compositions, production design of the highest order and a magnificent ensemble cast that is perfectly in tune with the spirit of a super ambitious cinematic project that does not leave a single speck of sand unturned.

The action-packed sequel to Villeneuve’s 2021 film is sci-fi filmmaking at its very best. The writer-director delivers a fully realised universe and a stunning visual canvas populated with perfectly etched characters. Rarely is a follow-up to a film this invigorating and immersive. Dune Part Two is a triumph of both staging and pacing. It is richly detailed and arrestingly structured.

With all the exposition having been taken care of in the relatively sluggish Dune, Dune Part Two hits the ground running and it keeps galloping at the kind of frenetic pace that ensures that even at nearly three hours it does not feel like a long movie.

Stray parts of Dune Part Two are inevitably confounding – it isn’t without reason that Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel was once thought to be unfilmable, a fact proven beyond an iota of doubt by David Lynch’s disastrous Dune (1984) – but Villeneuve is able to devise a method of delivery that never seems straining for effect.

Hans Zimmer’s score enhances the operatic rhythm of the film. It works not only as a string of compositions but, like the rhythms of the desert setting, as an integral part of the aural design of Dune Part Two.

What could be more exhilarating than the sight of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet) taming a rampaging sandworm and riding it? Dune Part Two has no dearth of such surprises, not the least of which is the transformation of Austin Butler into a ruthless nephew of Baron Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard) who thrives on wreaking havoc.

The film sweeps one away with its scale and spectacle, but its epic proportions do not snuff out the human elements embedded in the narrative. Villeneuve finds a very visual way of conveying his abiding interest in the characters and the setting.

Even in the most extreme of close-ups, the landscape, be it the desert bathed in a golden and russet glow or the Harkonnen home world bleached out by a black sun, isn’t removed from the visual equation. It always lurks in the background. The reverse is equally true – the people we see in the drama, whether they are merely talking or are engaged in grand and explosive action, never lose their centrality.

Dune Part Two kicks off in the immediate aftermath of the events seen in its precursor and evolves into a powerful and enthralling epic that brings the first novel of Dune series to a close. The narrative cauldron that Villeneuve rustles up crackles with energy. The characters, at least the ones at the centre of the action, pulsate with life.

Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) seek to secure their well-being among the Fremen, inhabitants of the desert planet Arrakis, known for its spice, as they plan to settle scores with the evil Harkonnens. There are many smaller battles to be fought before Paul can well and truly claim his place under the sun.

Shaddam IV (Christopher Walken), the Emperor of the Known Universe, has teamed up with Baron Harkonnen and his family, which includes the pitiless Glossu Rabban (Dave Bautista), to help the latter wrest back control of Arrakis and hasten the fall of House Astreides.

The inhospitable Arrakis, home to the Fremen tribe, is a prized planet because it is the only one among thousands that produces spice. Harvesting the spice is tough and fraught with great risk because of the giant worms underneath the surface.

Stilgar (Javier Bardem), leader of the Fremen, believes that Paul is the outsider who is prophesied to bring peace and prosperity to his people. But not everybody is convinced. Not even Paul himself. He takes nothing for granted and seeks to assimilate himself with the Fremen to earn their trust.

Paul’s Bene Gesserit mother, part of an order of women who dream of power and control over the world that they inhabit – and places beyond the physical dimensions of it – has her own ideas. Friction ensues between the two as also between Paul and his mentor Gurney (Josh Brolin).

Dune Part Two revolves around the young protagonist thrust into a role that is far bigger than the individual he is. Paul must figure out for himself what he is ordained to be and play his part without succumbing to the imperfections that the human flesh is heir to.

Paul is hobbled by doubt but he is conditioned to keep fear at bay. Will he succeed is embracing his destiny? “Fear is the little death that brings obliteration,” Lady Jessica had said to him in Dune. A significant portion of Part Two is devoted to the young man finding his way forward even as misgivings snap at his heels.

In the process, Dune Part Two delivers ceaseless action. The screenplay by Villeneuve and John Spaihts not only gets totally into the spirit of Herbert’s dense, complex tale, it also punctuates the conversations and elaborate world-building with sharp character development on one hand and eye-popping, high-octane sequences on the other.

The coming-of-age theme of Dune continues here and, at an early enough juncture, gives way to a love story. Chani (Zendaya), seen mainly in visions that Paul has in the first film, steps forward and occupies a far larger stage in Dune Part Two. Zendaya figures prominently in the film’s most watchable parts.

Zendaya shines brighter than almost everybody else in the cast barring Rebecca Ferguson. The two actors convey a spectrum of emotions and psychological nuances that gives the action a wide-ranging register as well as recesses where it can stop awhile.

Two other women – Princess Irulan, the Emperor’s daughter played by Florence Pugh, and Lady Margot Fenring, a Bene Gesserit woman played by Lea Seydoux – have lesser roles in the film but they are second to none in terms of the impression that they make.

The ending of Dune Part Two is an improvement on the abrupt denouement of the first film, but it might still leave many in the audience a tad dissatisfied. On the positive side, it points to what Villeneuve has always had in mind – a trilogy.

That is a tantalizing thought – Dune Messiah, the second novel in the series of sci-fi books, is even less filmable. Given what Villeneuve has achieved with Dune and Dune Part Two, there is no reason to believe another visual treat isn’t on the cards.

Cast:

Timothee Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken

Director:

Denis Villeneuve

Govt failing to protect farmers’ interests, says KTR

The BRS was inspecting the Medigadda and Annaram barrages to explain the importance of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project to the people, he said.

Published Date – 1 March 2024, 09:32 AM


Govt failing to protect farmers’ interests, says KTR

BRS working president KT Rama Rao speaking to the media before leaving for Medigadda on Friday.

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Friday slammed the Congress government for failing to protect farmers’ interests in the State and for acting irresponsibly.

The BRS was inspecting the Medigadda and Annaram barrages to explain the importance of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project to the people, he said.


“This is our trip to enlighten the government on the hardships being faced by farmers in the current Yasangi crop season. The Congress government should explain its reasons for failing to take up rectification measures at Medigadda,” Rama Rao said here on Friday before leaving for Medigadda.

Former Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said the government should immediately take up repair works and prove its commitment towards the farming community.

“It is not wise on the Congress government’s part to politicise the Medigadda issue at the cost of farmers interest,” Srinivas Reddy said.

The issue of Medigadda pillars sinking was being blown out of proportion to derive political mileage, he said.

AIIMS-Bhopal to provide free cervical cancer vaccine for girls aged 9 to 14

Executive Director of AIIMS (Bhopal) Dr. Ajai Singh said at a press conference that the medical facility has received 262 doses of cervical cancer prevention vaccines from Vishwanath Care Foundation.

Updated On – 1 March 2024, 09:12 AM


AIIMS-Bhopal to provide free cervical cancer vaccine for girls aged 9 to 14


Bhopal: In an initiative aimed at combating cervical cancer, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here will provide free vaccines for girls aged 9 to 14, an official said on Thursday.

Executive Director of AIIMS (Bhopal) Dr. Ajai Singh said at a press conference that the medical facility has received 262 doses of cervical cancer prevention vaccines from Vishwanath Care Foundation.


The girls between 9 and 14 years of age would have to visit AIIMS’ OPD for registration.

“These vaccines will be provided at free of cost to the girls of the 9 to 14 years age group. Since each beneficiary will be given two doses (one in six months) and we have only 262 doses, we will provide it to 161 girls. It would be the first time vaccines for cervical cancer would be provided free of cost in the country,” Singh added.

He further stated that cervical cancer affects approximately 13 lakh women in India annually, which claims the lives of around 80,000 individuals.

“Currently, we do not have exact data for Madhya Pradesh, but the fact is that state has been bearing a particularly high burden of cases of cervical cancer,” he said.

He said that recognising the urgent need for preventive measures, AIIMS Bhopal has decided to spearhead its efforts to mitigate the impact of cervical cancer within the community.

Singh also claimed that these vaccines, valued at approximately Rs 4,000 each, will be administered free of cost.

“Administered in two doses over a span of 6 months, this vaccination regimen significantly reduces the risk of cervical cancer development in young girls. By making this preventive measure accessible to vulnerable populations, AIIMS Bhopal and Vishwanath Care Foundation are taking proactive steps to safeguard the health and well-being of future generations,” Dr. Singh added.