Wednesday, December 24, 2025 | Vol. 69 No. 68 | 30 Pages N AT I O N A L C O N S U M E R R I G H T S DAY Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation NATION Robert Vadra backs Congress MP Imran Masood’s support for Priyanka as PM GAMES Cinema Year-Ender 2025: The biggies that flopped Kohli, Rohit, Gill add star power to the Vijay Hazare Trophy starting today Edit Durani: A life with an unusual beginning and a sad end BANGLADESH LYNCHING | VHP, Bajrang Dal activists demonstrate in Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata over killing of a Hindu man. Dhaka summons Indian envoy Protests erupt across India FPJ News Service MUMBAI & NEW DELHI Hundreds of activists from Hindu right-wing organisations staged protests outside Bangladesh diplomatic missions in India on Tuesday, denouncing the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh and alleging continued attacks on religious minorities in the neighbouring country. Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday summoned Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma for the second time in 10 days to convey its “grave concern” over the security of its diplomatic missions in India. Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam met the envoy at the Foreign Office to discuss the issue. In New Delhi, supporters of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Bajrang Dal gathered near the Bangladesh High Commission, prompting authorities to step up security in the high-security diplomatic zone. Police erected three layers of barricades and deployed additional personnel from the police and paramilitary forces to prevent any breach. Despite the heavy security presence, protesters PROTESTS mumbai HIT MUMBAI AKHLAQ LYNCHING Court bins UP plea to drop charges, calls it baseless Biswajeet Banerjee NOIDA The Uttar Pradesh government suffered a major setback on Tuesday after a court in Surajpur, Noida, rejected its plea seeking withdrawal of cases against the accused in the Bisahra Akhlaq lynching case. With the dismissal of the application, hopes of relief for the accused have come to an end and the trial will continue. The Surajpur court heard the state government’s plea and arguments from the prosecution, which supported withdrawal of the case. How- ever, the court said it was not satisfied with the submissions and observed that the application lacked any concrete legal basis. Terming the plea as baseless, the court rejected it and made it clear that the judicial process against the accused would continue without any interruption. The court fixed January 6, 2026, as the next date of hearing and directed that the trial be conducted on a day-to-day basis. The prosecution has been instructed to proceed with recording of witness statements. The court also directed the Police Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner of Police of Greater Noida to provide security to witnesses if required. Advocates Yusuf Saifi and Andaleeb Naqvi, representing Akhlaq’s family, said the court had dismissed the prosecution’s application, reiterating that there was no legal ground to withdraw the case. 4Contd on | nation rushed towards the barricades, raised slogans against the Bangladesh government and waved placards condemning the killing. Some demonstrators attempted to climb over barricades, leading to brief clashes as police struggled to keep the crowd at bay. In Mumbai, activists of the VHP and Bajrang Dal demonstrated outside the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission at Cuffe Parade, holding saffron flags and placards reading ‘Save Hindus’. Around 50 protesters raised slogans before police shifted them to Azad Maidan to prevent disruption. A simultaneous demonstration was also held outside the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation headquarters. Similar scenes played out in other parts of the country. In Kolkata, hundreds of supporters of pro-Hindutva outfits attempted to march towards the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission at Beckbagan. Police stopped the rally, titled “Hindu Hunkar Padayatra”, leading to scuffles and baton charges after protesters breached barricades. Protesters vent their anger over alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh, outside the neighbouring country’s High Commission in New Delhi on Tuesday. – PTI 4Contd on | nation BANGLADESH editorial ON THE BRINK Date’s path for Maha DGP cleared BMC, MPCB get an earful from HC Poonam Apraj MUMBAI The Union Cabinet Committee has approved proposal to repatriate NIA Director General Sadanand Date to his parent Maharashtra cadre, paving the way for his appointment as next DGP of Maharashtra from January 1, 2026. The twoyear extension granted by the state government to the incumbent DGP Rashmi Shukla ends on December 31. Ahead of the appointment of a new police chief, the Maharashtra government has forwarded a panel of names to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), with Date being the senior-most officer on the list. The UPSC will recommend three names, from which the state government will make the final selection. Senior Home Department sources said that with the Centre’s clearance for Date’s repatriation, the hurdle to his appointment has been removed. A 1990-batch IPS officer, Date has been on central deputation as the head of the NIA. Widely regarded as an upright and duty-bound officer, he is the senior-most IPS officer by service tenure. 4Contd on | nation AIR POLLUTION Urvi Mahajani MUMBAI Asking the BMC and MPCB to take serious steps to curb the spiraling air pollution in the city , the Bombay High court said it does not want construction or development to stop, but want compliance. “We don’t want work to stop. We want compliance. You have failed to do so,” a bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad said. It warned the authorities that if air pollution was not curbed now then it would become impossible to control it. “If all goes out of hand then nothing remains within your control. We have seen that in the last 45 years,” remarked the bench. The court nudged the authorities to look at the issue as a $450M RECONSTRUCTION AID FOR STORM-HIT LANKA PTI COLOMBO India on Tuesday announced a USD 450 million reconstruction package for Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the island nation’s top leadership as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special envoy and assured New Delhi’s steadfast commitment to Colombo’s rebuilding efforts. Jaishankar, who is on a two- day visit to Sri Lanka, called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. “The Letter from Prime Minister Modi that I handed over builds on our First Responder role and commits a reconstruction package of USD 450 million to Sri Lanka,” Jaishankar said while addressing the press alongside Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath. He said the assistance package includes USD 350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and USD 100 million in grants. The support will focus on sectors worst affected by Cyclone Ditwah, including rehabilitation and restoration of road, railway and bridge connectivity; construction of houses that were fully destroyed or partially damaged; support for health and education systems; agriculture; and strengthening disaster response and preparedness. “We are conscious that work towards mitigating the impact of Cyclone Ditwah on the people of Sri Lanka must be done in the quickest time possible. We are discussing an effective coordination mechanism for the earliest possible delivery,” he said. Jaishankar said he held detailed discussions with President Dissanayake on the scale of damage caused by the cyclone and on how India’s assistance package can be delivered expeditiously. 4Contd on | nation NEW DELHI Nearly 95 lakh voters in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Kerala and the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar did not find their names in the draft electoral rolls published by the Election Commission on Tuesday after Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. In Kerala, names of 24.08 lakh of the over 2.78 crore electors were removed from the draft rolls. In Chhattisgarh, out of 2.12 crore electors, names of 27.34 lakh were removed. Out In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, out of 3.10 lakh electors, 64,000 didn’t figure in the draft rolls EC released on Tuesday of 5.74 crore voters in Madhya Pradesh, 42.74 lakh were removed from draft rolls. In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, out of 3.10 lakh electors, 64,000 electors did not figure in the draft rolls. The final rolls will be issued 4Contd on | nation US recalls over 30 ambassadors Agencies WASHINGTON The Trump administration has quietly recalled nearly 30 ambassadors and other senior overseas diplomats as it plans to promote appointees loyal to the new administration to higher levels of the state department, according to diplomatic sources. The recall of ambassadors or heads of mission, confirmed by several current and former senior diplomats, is unusual because it targets career foreign service officers who typically remain in their posts after a Trump’s decision affects Africa the most, with about a dozen envoys or chiefs of mission recalled from Niger, Uganda, Senegal, Somalia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritius, Nigeria, Gabon, Congo, Burundi, Cameroon and Rwanda change in administration due to the apolitical nature of their roles, The Guardian reports. The move aligns with President Donald Trump’s vow to dismantle what he has described as a “deep state” within the federal bureaucracy. Critics have characterized the effort as a purge of professional civil servants, including senior overseas diplomats. “This is a standard process in any administration,” a cur- rent senior state department official said in response to a request for comment from the Guardian. “An ambassador is a personal representative of the President, and it is the President’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda.” The official confirmed that the recalled ambassadors would not be fired but reassigned. The plans were first reported by Politico, while a partial list of those recalled was published by the Associated Press. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation US lobbyist Fai’s land in J&K seized tural land in Mouza Bhopali in Madhya Pradesh, which was recorded in the name of Roda alias Rodilal. After his death in November 2019, the appellant Tarachandra sought mutation of the land records on the strength of a registered will executed by Rodilal in May 2017. The Tehsildar, Manasa, allowed the mutation after issuing a public notice, considering objections and recording statements of witnesses, including attesting witnesses to the will. A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday ordered the immediate attachment of land belonging to US-based Kashmiri lobbyist Ghulam Nabi Fai, who has been convicted in the United States for acting as an agent of P a k i s t a n ’s I n te r-S e rvices Intelligence (ISI). NIA Special Judge Yahaya Firdous of Budgam district authorised the seizure of over 1.5 kanals, or about 8,100 square feet, of land located in two villages, Wadwan and Chattabugh. The court directed the Budgam district collector to take possession of the property forthwith with the help of the revenue and police authorities. The order followed an application filed by Assistant Public Prosecutor Mohammad Iqbal Rather under Section 85 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with Sri Lankan PM Harini Amarasuriya in Colombo on Tuesday. –PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court has held that there is no legal bar on carrying out mutation of land records on the basis of a will and that such mutation cannot be denied merely because the claim is founded on a testamentary document. The Court clarified that mutation entries are only for fiscal purposes and do not confer any right, title or interest in property. Allowing an appeal, the bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Manoj Misra set aside an order of the High citizen of the country and not just as an authority. “Apart from being an officer of the court, you are also a citizen. Protecting the encampment is your fundamental duty,” the bench reeked. The court has asked BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani and MPCB secretary M. Devendra Singh, who were present in the court, to come up with solutions before things go out of hand. The court, on Monday, has asked the duo to personally explain “inaction” on the part of the officers concerned to ensure strict compliance of pollution mitigation guidelines. M Saleem Pandit FPJ News Service on February 14 next year. Those removed from draft rolls can still apply for inclusion and elector registration officers will take a final decision. Of the deleted names in Kerala, 6,49,885 pertain to deceased persons, 6,45,548 voters were found to be untraceable, and 8,16,221 were identified as having permanently shifted from their registered addresses. In addition, 1,36,029 duplicate voters and 1,60,830 voters falling under other categories were identified. Bombay High Court SRINAGAR After SIR, 94L voters struck Will can be basis of land record off Kerala, MP, C’garh rolls mutation, says Supreme Court Agencies We don’t want work to stop. We want compliance. You have failed to do so Court of Madhya Pradesh and restored mutation in favour of a legatee under a registered will, while making it clear that the entry would remain subject to the outcome of any civil proceedings on title, Live Law reports. The case related to agricul- Have to have Greenland: Trump Agencies WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Monday reiterated that the United States needed Greenland for “national security,” escalating tensions with Denmark after Washington appointed a special envoy to the Danish Arctic island. On Sunday, Trump appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as special envoy to Greenland, a move that triggered anger in Copenhagen and led Denmark to summon the U.S. ambassador. “We need Greenland for President Trump has repeatedly said the US ‘needs’ the resource-rich autonomous territory for security reasons and has refused to rule out using force to secure it national security. Not for minerals,” Trump told a news conference in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday. “We need it for national security. We have to have it,” the president said, adding that Landry “wanted to lead the charge”. “If you take a look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” he said. Following his appointment, Landry immediately vowed to make the Danish territory “a part of the U.S.”. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly said the United States “needs” the resource-rich autonomous territory for security reasons and has refused to rule out using force to secure it. 4Contd on | nation