FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 193 | INDORE | FRIDAY | DECEMBER 19, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports HARMAN IS STILL OUR LEADER: ANJUM P.12 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE MONEY UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK Cinema ‘I condemn it in very strong words’ P.14 A WEEK WITH DEATH| Decomposed bodies of couple found inside locked house Lonely wife lives with hubby’s corpse, then dies in silent home Our Staff Reporter NO SIGN OF FOUL PLAY COUPLE OPTED FOR ISOLATION AFTER HEALTH STRUGGLES For nearly a week, Smriti Barnwal (42) lived with the corpse of her husband Kanhaiya Lal Barnwal (47), an act that most would find unbearable. While the world moved on, she remained inside her home with the decaying remains of her husband before her own death. On Thursday afternoon, panic gripped the Satellite Junction Colony after the decomposed bodies of the couple were found in their house under Lasudia police station limits. Preliminary investigations suggest the man died approximately 10 to 15 days ago, while the woman died 3 to 5 days ago. This indicates she lived with her husband's body for about a week before dying. The incident came to light when a foul smell began emanating from the house, promp- Police inspected the house thoroughly and found no signs of a struggle, theft, or forced entry. Household items were intact, and no evidence suggesting murder or suicide was recovered. Officials believe the deaths may have been caused by illness, though the final cause will be determined by the post-mortem report. WOMAN’S BODY FOUND IN LOCKED BATHROOM A police official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the investigation indicates Kanhaiya Lal died nearly two weeks ago as his body was decomposed and turned black. It is suspected that Smriti, due to her mental ting neighbours to inform the police. The cause of death remains unclear, and police have sent the bodies for an autopsy. Lasudia police station incharge Taresh Kumar Soni condition, continued living in the house with the corpse. Her body was found inside the bathroom, which was locked from the inside. She was found in a seated position with her head leaning against the wall. Police suspect she may have suffered a heart attack. Investigations also revealed that on November 23, Smriti had reportedly asked the milkman to stop delivering milk. said that the bodies were discovered on the first floor of the house. Kanhaiya Lal’s body was found on the bed, while Smriti’s body was recovered Bill passed amid din VB-G RAM G Their neighbour Raj Bahadur Yadav said that the couple hailed from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and moved to Indore in 2016. Kanhaiya Lal was previously employed with a pharmaceutical company in Pithampur but had quit his job and suffered a paralytic attack about six months ago. Since then, the couple maintained almost no social contact. Even the milkman and newspaper vendor reported that their calls went unanswered recently. Neighbours recalled that Smriti only stepped out to buy groceries and would return home immediately. from the bathroom. Neighbours said that the couple had no children and were never visited by relatives. They rarely interacted with others in the locality, which is why their deaths went unnoticed for several days. Kanhaiya Lal was reportedly paralysed, and his wife suffered from mental health issues. CM FLAGS SOCIAL MEDIA RISKS Our Staff Reporter Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar BHOPAL NEW DELHI The LS witnessed anarchic scenes on Thursday as Opposition MPs rushed into the Well, raised slogans, and tore up copies of Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025, (VB-G RAM G) which seeks to replace Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The Opposition MPs, including a large number from Congress, objected to what they called the Centre’s attempt to erase Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and weaken the rural jobs guarantee scheme aimed at assisting the poorest of the poor. Though the House had discussed the Bill for nearly 10 fp Briefs DHAKA Visa centre ops resume India on Thursday resumed operations at its visa application centre in Dhaka, a day after closing it over escalated security concerns, but closed two other identical facilities in other parts of Bangladesh as anti-India protestors tried to march towards the Indian missions there. With photographs of Mahatma Gandhi in hand, opposition MPs on Thursday took out a protest march inside the Parliament complex against the G RAM G bill hours on Wednesday, with the sitting continuing till 1:30 a.m., loud protests erupted when the Bill came up for passage. The Opposition raised concerns about the changes in the scheme, including the shift from a fully central government-funded programme to one requiring state contributions. They also noted that wages had not increased, and while the minimum number of guaranteed employment days was raised to 125, they argued Statue of Unity creator dies NEW DELHI: Renowned sculptor Ram Vanji Sutar, whose works shaped the visual identity of modern India and whose artistic vision gave form to the Statue of Unity in Gujarat, passed away at his residence in Noida. Sutar was 100. Family sources said he died due to age-related ailments. His death marks the end of a defining chapter in I n d i a n monumental art. Condolences poured in from across the country following the news of his demise. President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute, describing him as an artist whose creations immortalised India’s history and values. Leaders and cultural institutions called his death an irreparable loss to the nation’s artistic heritage. that it should have been higher. The Bill also mandates that, within six months of its commencement, all states must align their schemes with the new law to benefit from it. Earlier in the day, before the start of proceedings, Opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretaries K.C. Venugopal and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, 4Continued on | P8 Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday warned that social media, while a powerful tool, has also become a major threat to society. Speaking to police officials at the Director General of CM Mohan Yadav flags of Mobile Police–Inspector Gen- forensic van on Thursday eral of Police Conference 2025, he stressed that equipped to provide immedimisuse of social media has amate help to victims,” he said. plified spread of rumours, Women’s safety remains a crime and misinformation, top priority. “Special surveiland must be tackled prolance, regular patrols and swift actively. action must be ensured in The CM urged police to act areas where crimes against swiftly against misleading or women are more likely,” he provocative content. “Public said. Road safety also received expectation of prompt police attention. assistance has increased. Of4Continued on | P8 ficers must be technologically Oz PM unfurls new hate speech laws EU leaders likely to be R-Day guests Agencies Online Report SYDNEY NEW DELHI PM Anthony Albanese has announced a new package of hate speech laws aimed at directly targeting “hate preachers” and strengthening Australia’s response to antisemitism, while conceding that more could have been done before the Bondi Beach terrorist attack. On Thursday, counter-terrorism police arrested seven people in southwest Sydney suburb of Liverpool following intelligence warnings of potential planned violence. Authorities added that, at this stage, they have not established any link between the latest tip-off and the ongoing investigation into the Bondi Beach attack. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other leaders, including European Council President Antonio Costa, are likely to be chief guests at next year’s January 26 parade, sources said. The India–EU summit is also expected to be held in New Delhi around the same time, focusing on the proposed FTA. Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said negotiations are progressing across several chapters, though FTAs cannot be tied to fixed deadlines. He noted deep engagement to narrow differences through physical and virtual meetings. So far, 14 rounds of talks have been held. An EU team visited New Delhi from December 3–9, during which Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic. 4Continued on | P8 Fallout of Bondi Beach terror attack 7 held over ‘attack’ plan Amid an ongoing investigation into the Bondi Beach attack in Australia, police conducted an operation in a Sydney suburb, ramming a car and detaining seven men on Thursday. New South Wales Police said two vehicles were intercepted after intelligence suggested a violent act may have been planned, but clarified there was no link to the Bondi attack investigation offgrid Pak kabaddi player plays for ‘Indian’ team, set to face action PTI KARACHI A popular Pakistani international kabaddi player, Ubaidullah Rajput, faces the prospect of a severe disciplinary action after he appeared for an Indian team in a private tournament in Bahrain on December 16. Ubaidullah found himself in big trouble after videos and pictures of him wearing Indian shirt and waving the Indian flag in the GCC Cup went viral. The secretary of the Pakistan Kabbadi Federation, Rana Sarwar, said an emergency meeting of the PKR had been called on December 27 in which the matter would be discussed and decision taken on disciplinary action against Rajput and some other players. "I can confirm it was a private event with private teams formed under the names of India, Pakistan, Canada, Iran etc. in the com- E-paper Edit SHANTI: Power and peril P.6 Securities Mkt Code Bill introduced in Lok Sabha INDORE MUMBAI petition by the organisers. But all the teams had players of their own origin. Indian players represented the Indian private side and Ubaidullah played for them which is unacceptable in these circumstances," Sarwar said. He also claimed 16 Pakis- tani players had gone to Bahrain in their personal capacity without taking any permission from the federation or the Pakistan Sports Board. "So action will also be taken against these players for falsely playing under the names of Pakistan team." 4Continued on | P8 SC dismisses Takia Masjid plea to challenge Mahakal temple complex expansion Pact opens pathways to key markets in INDIA, OMAN SEAL FTA Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by Takia Masjid challenging the land acquisition and expansion of the Mahakal temple complex in Ujjain. During the hearing on Thursday, the court stated that the petitioner was merely a worshipper, not the landowner, and therefore does not have the right (locus standi) to challenge the acquisition proceedings. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta observed that the acquisition notifications were not directly challenged in the petition; the objection was limited only to the compensation. In such cases, alternative statutory remedies are available under the law. The court held that when the petitioner is not the landowner or the recorded title holder, he cannot claim that the acquisition is illegal. Senior Advocate Huzefa Ahmadi, appearing for the petitioner, told the Free Press, “The land acquisition was carried out without the mandatory social impact assessment under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, making the entire process illegal.” 4Continued on | P8 Africa and Europe, and duty-free access to a range of Indian labour-intensive sectors FP News Service MUMBAI India and Oman on Thursday signed a free trade agreement that will grant duty-free access to a wide range of Indian labour-intensive sectors, including engineering goods and textiles. The pact is expected to provide a major boost to Indian exporters, who Oman’s Sultan, Haitham bin Tarik, honare grappling with oured PM Modi with the Order of Oman, the impact of steep in Muscat on Thursday tariffs imposed by the Trump foreign state award received by administration on Indian the PM and underscores the goods, by helping them diver- depth of bilateral ties. Modi was sify shipments across the on the final leg of a three-nation Middle East — a key gateway tour that included Jordan and to markets in Africa and Eu- Ethiopia, where he was conrope. ferred the Great Honour Nishan The Comprehensive Econ- of Ethiopia. omic Partnership Agreement The CEPA is set to enhance (CEPA) was signed in Muscat market access, reduce trade by Union Commerce and In- barriers and strengthen coopdustry Minister Piyush Goyal eration across key sectors. Ofand Oman’s Minister of Com- ficials said the pact would merce, Industry and Invest- unlock opportunities across ment Promotion, Qais bin the economy, spur growth, Mohammed Al Yousef. The generate jobs and increase inagreement is likely to be im- vestment flows between the plemented in the first quarter two countries. Oman has also of 2026. offered enhanced mobility for The signing of CEPA co- Indian professionals, including incided with a high point in the easing norms for intra-corporvisit, with Sultan Haitham con- ate transferees and service ferring the Order of Oman — suppliers. the Sultanate’s highest civilian 4Continued on | P8 honour — on Modi. It is the 29th Hitting sixes in final over: SC flags judges’ pre-retirement order spree PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court has objected to the "growing trend" of judges passing "so many orders" just before they retire, equating it to a batter "hitting sixes" in the final overs of a match. An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant was hearing a plea of a Madhya Pradesh principal and district judge challenging a full court decision of the high court to suspend him just 10 days before his scheduled retirement allegedly over some questionable judicial orders. "Petitioner just before retirement started hitting sixes. It is an unfortunate trend. I do not want to elaborate on it," the bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and SC was hearing a plea of a Madhya Pradesh principal and district judge challenging a full court decision of HC to suspend him just 10 days before his retirement Vipul M Pancholi, observed on Wednesday. "There is a growing trend of judges passing so many orders just before retirement," the CJI Caste-based mindset needed: IAS officer Meenakshi Singh Video goes viral Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL A video of another IAS officer, Meenakshi Singh, making a controversial statement went viral after IAS officer Santosh Verma’s video kicked up dust across the state. At a function organised by the Anusuchit Jati Jannati Karmachari Sangh (AJJAKS), Singh said people should have a caste-based mindset. Having a caste identity and caste-based sentiments is the need of the hour, she said, adding that the people belonging to the upper caste favour people on the grounds of their surnames. ‘‘So, we, too, should go to the people of our caste,’’ Singh says in the video. She said whenever she had The people of upper caste favour the people of their community on the basis of surname, she says been posted in districts, the people belonging to the SC/ST category avoided meeting her, thinking that she was an officer. 'But we have to tell our people that we belong to the SC/ST category. We should search for our people and help them,’’ Singh says in the video. In the video, she further said, ‘‘So, the AJJAKS must go to our people.’’ The video of Verma in which he made objectionable remarks on the Brahmin girls had gone viral before Singh’s video. said. The Madhya Pradesh judicial officer, who was due to retire on November 30, was suspended on November 19, allegedly because of two judicial orders passed by him. Senior advocate Vipin Sanghi, appearing on his behalf, submitted that he had an impeccable service record with consistently high ratings in his annual confidential reports. Sanghi questioned the legality of the suspension, arguing that judicial officers cannot be subjected to disciplinary action merely for passing judicial orders. "How can an officer be suspended for judicial orders which can be appealed against and rectified by the higher judiciary?" he asked. 4Continued on | P8 US announces $10 bn arms sales to Taiwan AP WASHINGTON The Trump administration has announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than USD 10 billion that includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, drawing an angry response from China. The State Department announced the sales late Wednesday during a nationally televised address by President Donald Trump, who made scant mention of foreign policy issues and did not speak about China or Taiwan at all. US-Chinese tensions have ebbed and flowed during Trump's second term, largely over trade and tariffs but also over China's increasing aggressiveness toward Taiwan, which Beijing has said must reunify with the mainland. 4Continued on | P8