Pawan Kalyan’s convoy restrictions allegedly cost exam chances for over 25 aspirants in Andhra
Visakhapatnam (PTI): Over 25 candidates were barred from appearing in a crucial competitive examination in Visakhapatnam on Monday after they reportedly arrived late due to traffic restrictions allegedly imposed for the smooth passage of Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s convoy
The examination was scheduled to begin at 8.30 am at the ION Digital Zone building in Chinnamusidivada, Pendurthi.
B Kalavathi, the mother of a student appearing for the Joint Entrance Examination 2025, which determines admissions to National Institutes of Technology , claimed that her son was delayed due to traffic restrictions enforced for Kalyan’s convoy.
"We were stuck in traffic. It was halted because Kalyan was on his way to Araku," Kalavathi told PTI, adding that the roads were cleared to allow the actor-politician’s convoy to pass.
According to her, they reached NAD junction at 7.50 am but took 42 minutes to cover the remaining distance to the exam centre, arriving too late and being denied entry.
"Nearly 30 students were affected. We pleaded repeatedly but were not allowed in," she said, referring to their failed attempts to gain entry into the exam hall.
Anil Kumar, another parent, observed that even a five-minute exemption by the examination centre could have saved the day—and possibly an entire academic year—for his daughter, who also missed the exam.
Chief Ministers and Deputy Chief Ministers will come and go, but had the police informed the exam centre and granted a five-minute exemption, Kumar said, recounting the ordeal.
Though his daughter reached the examination centre at 8.32 am, Kumar said she was denied entry due to being two minutes late.
Speaking to media, a parent appealed to the Deputy Chief Minister to consider rescheduling the exam for the affected students.
Meanwhile, Visakhapatnam police issued a statement denying any connection between the convoy and the students' late arrival.
"It is clear that the Deputy CM’s movement through the area at 8.41 am has no connection to the late arrival of students, who were expected to report by 7 am and certainly before 8.30 am," the police said.
Further, the police emphasised that the number of absentees among examinees was the lowest today.
"Moreover, no traffic was blocked on the BRTS road or the service roads between Gopalapatnam and Pendurthi at any time before 8.30 am to ensure the free movement of examinees to the examination centre, which is located next to a service road," the police added.
The Janasena founder visited the Araku constituency on Monday to interact with tribal communities and launch a few road construction projects.
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EAM Jaishankar meets Jamaican PM, gifts over 10 BHISHM Cubes
Kingston (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness and discussed ways to further deepen "political, economic and people-to-people cooperation."
Jaishankar also conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Holness.
"Pleased to call on Prime Minister @AndrewHolnessJM in Kingston. Conveyed the greetings of PM @narendramodi," Jaishankar posted on X.
"Discussed deepening our political, economic and people-to-people cooperation. Value his commitment towards further strengthening India-Jamaica relations," the post further read.
Also, the external affairs minister handed over 10 BHISHM (Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog Hita & Maitri) Cubes as a gift to Jamaica.
"Formally handed over 10 BHISHM Cubes as a gift from India to Jamaica, in the presence of PM @AndrewHolnessJM, Health Minister @christufton and FM @kaminajsmith," Jaishankar posted on X.
"The BHISHM Cube mobile hospital system, designed for rapid deployment, will help Jamaica during disasters and emergencies. The gift of these cubes is a statement of friendship, a commitment to disaster preparedness, and an outcome of innovation," the post said.
Jaishankar arrived in Kingston on Saturday evening, marking the first leg of his nine-day tour of Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago, aimed at further strengthening India's strategic and cultural ties with the Caribbean nations.
Earlier in the day, he interacted with the Indian diaspora and discussed India's ongoing transformation in infrastructure, human development and technology-driven governance and entrepreneurship with them.
He also highlighted the cricket bond between both countries as India gifted a scoreboard to Jamaica.
A scoreboard was dedicated at Sabina Park in Kingston. It is the home of the Jamaica cricket team and is the only Test cricket ground in the Caribbean island nation.
The minister expressed hope that the new scoreboard would witness many memorable innings, including those symbolising the enduring friendship between the two countries.
Cricket has long been a strong cultural bridge between India and Jamaica, which is part of the West Indies cricket team.
Jamaican players, including Chris Gayle, Courtney Walsh and Michael Holding, have played a major role in shaping the legacy of West Indies cricket in the international arena, contributing to its dominance in earlier decades and its continued global appeal.
