FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 251 | INDORE | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 17, 2026 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in NGT upholds clearance for Great Nicobar project iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE MONEY Sports ISLAND ROARED, AUSSIE FLOORED ESTD-1983 P.12 UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit A new vision for our cities P.6 India’s trade deficit widens to $10.38bn as gold imports soar Cinema From Hollywood to Bollywood P.14 AI: ‘India in lead role’ Directs strict compliance with EC conditions FIRST DAY OF ASSEMBLY BUDGET SESSION Guv speech marred by uproarious scene Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Agencies NEW DELHI The National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday directed authorities to ensure full and strict compliance with environmental clearance (EC) conditions while disposing of multiple applications challenging the Great Nicobar Island development project, holding that adequate safeguards are in place and found no grounds to interfere with the project at this stage. In a detailed order dated February 16, a bench led by Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava observed that a balanced approach is necessary, considering the project's strategic importance and environmental sensitivities. The Tribunal concluded that concerns raised in the second round of litigation had already been addressed through safeguards and review by a High-Powered Committee (HPC), and therefore the project could proceed subject to strict adherence to EC conditions. 4Continued on | P8 fp Briefs DHAR Bhojshala HC hearing on Feb 18 The MP High Court hearing on a dispute over the Bhojshala temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar was deferred to Wednesday due to a lawyers’ strike on Monday, a litigant said. See Page2 NEW DELHI Modi to meet Macron today Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai on Tuesday, and during their meeting, the two leaders will review the progress made in the India-France strategic partnership. JAIPUR 7 killed in factory fire Seven people were burnt alive and two were critically injured in an illegal firecracker-manufacturing factory in the Bhiwadi town of Rajasthan's Khairthal-Tijara district on Monday, officials said. The incident occurred in the Khushkhera-Karoli industrial area in Bhiwadi. PM Modi with Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd chairman Akash Ambani at the AI Impact Expo in New Delhi on Monday. Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India has played and will continue to play a very important role in global artificial intelligence (AI) transformation, citing the country’s vast population of 1.4 billion people, vibrant digital public infrastructure, thriving startup ecosystem and emergence as a hub of cutting-edge research. Addressing the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam, Modi said India’s progress in the field of AI reflects both its ambition and its sense of responsibility. He said this progress has positioned the country at the forefront of technological advancement. Addressing leaders in the field, top industrialists, innovators, policymakers, researchers and technology enthusiasts, the Prime Minister noted that the theme of the Summit was Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya (Welfare for All, Happiness for All).” He said it was a matter of pride for India that people from across the globe had come to attend the summit. The Prime Minister said the occasion also demonstrated India’s rapid progress in science and technology. He recited a shloka from Chanakya Niti Darpan “dāne tapasi śaurye vā vijñāne vinaye naye” – to stress on the need to not feel pride in charity, valour and spiritual knowledge because the world is rich in gems and jewels (people) who possess these qualities. Cops record woman’s statement on allegations against Swami Delhi police will come to MP for an inquiry; an FIR may be registered against him Our Staff reporter BHOPAL The Delhi police on Monday took the statement of the woman who accused the religious preacher, Uttam Swami, of violating her. The Delhi police took the statement from the woman for three hours. The police took her statement on Sunday, too. Because the case is highprofile, the police are taking every step with caution. The woman accused Swami of violating her as well as of exploiting her. The woman has been ac- Translocated tiger found dead in reserve Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL cusing Swami of raping her since she was a minor, so the police are taking her statements to act against Swami under the Protection of Children from Sexual Of- fences Act. The police also took the statements of the woman’s father and brother. According to sources, after taking her statement, the police may register an FIR against Swami. There were allegations that Swami took her to different places where he had violated her. The police will also go to those places that the woman has mentioned in her complaint. The Delhi police will visit MP for an inquiry into the case. Backers running campaign on social media, Swami out The supporters of Uttam Swami are running a campaign on his behalf on social media, calling the allegations against him an attack on Sanatan Dharma and a conspiracy of the people of other religions. The supporters are saying that they will not tolerate the attack on Sanatan Dharma this time. On the other hand, soon after the issue came to light, Swami disappeared. Swami was organising a religious event in Jabalpur when the woman made allegations against him. After the allegations, he did not attend the event. His supporters are not able to say anything about his whereabouts in the past three days. Modi said“AI today is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise.” He added that the Summit would enrich global discourse on various aspects of AI, including innovation, collaboration and responsible use. Expressing confidence about the outcomes of the event, the Prime Minister said they would help shape a future that is “progressive, innovative and opportunity-driven.” CBSE makes Class 10 first Board exam mandatory Agencies NEW DELHI The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Monday announced that appearing in the first Class 10 Board examination is compulsory for all students, and those who miss three or more subjects in the first exam will be ineligible to appear in the second examination.In a letter issued on Saturday, CBSE clarified that attendance for the first examination is mandatory. It issued the clarification after it recieved several requests from students regarding their inability to attend the 1st Board Examination for various reasons, and they may be allowed to attend the 2nd Board Examination. 4Continued on | P8 JEE Main 2026 first session results out, Indore dominates in state Our Staff Reporter INDORE A translocated tiger was found dead in Veerangana Rani Durgawati Tiger Reserve on Sunday evening. Investigation has started to ascertain how it died. Radio collar had been sending signals from same location for last three days, sources said. The carcass was found in Manegaon beat on Sunday evening. The post-mortem was conducted on Monday to determine the reason behind death. Patrolling staff of forest department first spotted the tiger lying dead. Help of dog squad was taken during investigation. Indore has once again proven its reputation as a hub of academic excellence. The results of the JEE Main 2026 first session were declared on Monday, and the city has produced both the MP state topper and the MP state female topper. According to reports, over 13?lakh candidates appeared for the JEE Main 2026 Session?1 exam, with an overall attendance above 96?per cent. Among the national toppers, candidates hail from states including Delhi, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Gujarat, Haryana, and Maharashtra, reflecting wide geographic competition. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 MP Topper: Riddhesh Anant Bendale – 99.9992186 ailing from Bhusawal, Maharashtra, Riddhesh Anant Bendale has set a benchmark for students across the state. Born to a family of doctors—his mother Dr Pankaja (ENT) and father Dr Anant (Paediatric)—Riddhesh chose a different path. 4Continued on | P8 H MP Girls Topper: Anushka Agrawal – 99.96 nushka Agrawal has also made Indore proud by securing the highest marks among female candidates in the state. “I am containing my excitement. I want to improve my score further in my second attempt,” she shared. 4Continued on | P8 FP News Service Pakistani newspaper The Dawn was at its acidic best on Monday following Pakistan’s defeat to India in the T20 clash on Sunday night. “As noted, after the hullabaloo over the boycott and subsequent ‘un-boycott’, and loud claims of a moral victory in the ICC’s morally ambiguous corridors, there was genuine expectation that Pakistan’s cricketing Cong focus on Bhaghirathpura Leader of Opposition UmangSinghar said 35 innocent people lost their lives in the Bhagirathpura incident in Indore. Congress will raise the issue with full strength in the Assembly. He also highlighted the rising state debt and demanded a white paper from the government on the budget. FOCUS ON DEVPT WORKS he Governor highlighted various welfare and development initiatives under the “Prosperous Madhya Pradesh @2047 Vision Document.” He said last year focused on industries, while this year the theme is “Prosperous Farmers, Prosperous State.” He said that the state achieved its naxalfree target ahead of the March 2026 deadline, with 10 extremists killed in encounters and 13 laying down arms last year, ending an atmosphere of fear and opening new avenues for development. The Governor spoke about the state’s plan to grow its economy to $2 trillion by 2047 and efforts to strengthen the MSME T sector. Madhya Pradesh is aiming to become the Milk Capital of India, with over 99% villages now ODF Plus. Installed electricity capacity has reached 25,515 MW, providing 24-hour supply to non-agriculture consumers and 10-hour supply to farmers. The installed capacity of new and renewable energy stands at 9,508 MW, alongside initiatives to digitalize old records. Welfare programs for SC, ST, and OBC communities continue, and the Veerangana Rani Durgawati Tiger Reserve is being developed as the third home for cheetahs. Infrastructure projects, particularly the expressway network, remain a priority, he said. Out on swim with friends at dam, 2 boys go missing Search hit by depth, poor visibility at night Man, wife booked for illegally entering Khajrana temple sanctum sanctorum FP News Service RATLAM Two 14-year-old boys allegedly went missing during a swim in the Shriram Dam near Palsodi gram panchayat in Ratlam district on Monday afternoon while they were on a picnic with their friends. Rescue operations continued till Monday night but the boys were yet to be found till this story went to press. As per reports, the missing boys were identified as Dhuru Rathore from Tatanagar and Ashutosh Mandloi from Srinagar. They had reportedly gone to the reservoir to have a picnic with six other friends. According to officials, the group cooked Maggi and went for a swim around 4 pm. Our Staff Reporter INDORE Rescue team launches search op FP PHOTO While five boys remained in the shallows, three of them ventured into deeper waters. As they began to struggle, their friends managed to pull one of the boys to safety, but Dhuru and Ashutosh allegedly disappeared under water.. SDM Archie Harit said that local villagers, police, and divers launched an immediate search operation. However, the operation was hampered due to the dam’s 50-foot depth. A case has been registered against criminal Satish Bhau and his wife for illegally entering the sanctum sanctorum of Khajrana Ganesh Temple. The action was taken after the temple management submitted CCTV footage and statements related to the incident. According to the Khajrana police, Bhau entered the sanctum sanctorum without permission to offer prayers. Local resident Akash Rawat allegedly pressured the temple security guard to allow the entry. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 A City’s Second Topper: Parth Maheshwary – 99.994666 ollowing closely is Parth Maheshwary, whose favorite subject is Maths. Inspired by his father, Ashish Maheshwary (an engineer), and supported by his mother Madhuri, Parth has his sights set on IIT Bombay. “Just stay motivated and stay focused,” 4Continued on| P8 F ‘They came, they saw, they collapsed’ MUMBAI The budget session of Madhya Pradesh Assembly began on a tumultuous note on Monday. Congress repeatedly disrupted the speech of Governor Mangubhai Patel, creating uproarious scenes. After reading some paragraphs of his address, the Governor left the assembly. When he spoke about conservation work on Kshiprariver in Ujjain ahead of Simhastha 2028, Leader of Opposition and other members raised the issue of Bhagirathpura water contamination, which claimed several lives. Congress also raised slogans as the Governor exited. Opposition demanded the resignation of Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah over his comment of Colonel Sofia Qureshi. bravado off the field would translate into defiance on it. It did not.” “They came, they saw, they collapsed. Frankly, watching an India–Pakistan match these days requires a blindfold — if only to spare oneself the tedium. There is no thrill left, only squandered chances and mounting frustration. Fans have had enough. Many even wished Pakistan had stuck to the boycott — at least Sunday evening would have been spared. Or better still, stopped playing India altogether,” reported The Dawn. On a Sunday night, no less. Peace might have been preferable. Instead, in what The Dawn described as a night stripped of theatre, India posted 175 and bowled Pakistan out for 114, sealing a comprehensive 61run victory in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup clash in Colombo on Sunday. 4Continued on | P8 LEGAL VIEW Data law case to be sent to larger bench ‘Don’t trust anyone before marriage’ FP News Service FP News Service NEW DELHI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday declined to stay the amendment made to the Right to Information (RTI) Act through the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, which bars disclosure of personal information even on grounds of larger public interest. The Court said it would refer the matter to a larger bench and decide the issue at the earliest. A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi said the case involves a sensitive and complex issue concerning the balance between competing fundamental rights, Live Law and Bar & Bench report. “We have to iron out the creases and lay down what is personal information,” CJI Kant remarked. He added, “It is a complex and sensitive issue and interesting because it touches upon fundamental rights on both sides.” In a courtroom more accustomed to parsing constitutional morality, India’s Supreme Court on Monday delivered a dose of what sounded like grandmotherly wisdom: don’t trust anyone before marriage — especially in matters of the heart and body. Hearing the bail plea of a man accused of rape on the false promise of marriage, a bench of Justice BV Nagarathna and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan remarked that a man and a woman remain “strangers” before marriage, and therefore should exercise caution before entering into physical relationships reported Live Law .“Maybe we are old fashioned but before marriage a boy and a girl are strangers,” Justice Nagarathna observed. “We fail to understand how they can be indulging in physical relationship before marriage. You must be very careful, nobody should believe anybody before marriage.” 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8