FREE PRESS The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms VOL. XXXX NO. 311 | INDORE | WEDNESDAY | APRIL 17, 2024 | PAGES 16 IMPACT PLAYER RULE HAS DEFINITELY WORKED: MITHALI SPORTS `3 - EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE EDIT 29 NAXALS SLAIN IN POLL-BOUND BASTAR NEWS BRIEF Our reponse will be painful: Iran DUBAI: Iran will respond to any action against its interests, President Ebrahim Raisi said on Tuesday, according to the Iranian Student News Agency, a day after Israel warned it will respond to Tehran's weekend drone and missile attack. "We categorically declare that the smallest action against Iranian interests will certainly be met with a severe, widespread and painful response against any perpetrator," Raisi said. Indians free to leave: Iran Iran's Ambassador to India, Iraj Elahi, told a TV channel on Tuesday that all the 17 Indian nationals who were on board an Israeli-linked containership that was seized by Iranian military have not been detained and they can leave the ship once the weather clears and a boat can access the ship. Astra Mark-2 to be testfired NEW DELHI: In a major capability boost for the Air Force's fighter fleet, India is planning to carry out the first test of the 120-130 km strike range Astra Mark 2 air-to-air missile in next few months. The Astra Mark-1 air-to-air missile with strike range of around 90-100 kms is already in the Indian Air Force and is already integrated with the LCA Tejas and the Su-30 MKI fighter jets. Rs 60 lakh cash found in Duronto MUMBAI: Police found Rs 60 lakh cash stashed in two parcel packets that arrived in Nagpur-CMST Duronto Express on Tuesday, an official said. A checking of the parcel was conducted by the Railway Protection Force at platform no.17 after arrival of the train, an official said. Pulling down of X posts decried NEW DELHI: Social media platform X said on Tuesday it had withheld some posts in India containing political speech from elected politicians, political parties, and candidates for office after the country's election commission ordered their takedown. Elon Muskowned X said it disagreed with the election commission's orders. Surya Tilak for Ram Lalla today AYODHYA: The Ram temple will be organising a Surya Tilak ceremony on the occasion of Ram Navami at noon on Wednesday. In the ceremony, sunlight is guided to the Ram Lalla’s forehead to form a tilak. Surya Tilak pays homage to Lord Ram’s connection to the descendants of the Sun. For the task, an apparatus designed by scientists from IIT Roorkee will be used. A Maoist leader, Shankar Rao, who had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head, has been also killed AVDHESH MALLICK / RAIPUR/BASTAR At least 29 Maoists, including one of their top leaders, Shankar Rao, were killed in a fierce gun battle with security forces in the Chote Bethiya area of Kanker district in the Naxalite-infested Bastar division on Tuesday . Why no penalty for EVM manipulation asks SC KEJRIWAL’S JAIL DILEMMA CONTINUES The Naxal leader reportedly had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head. The encounter comes ahead of the polling for Bastar Lok Sabha seat, scheduled to take place in the first phase on April 19; Kanker will vote in the second round on April 26. A joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF), the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of the state police, and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were dispatched to the area after the security agencies received intelligence input about the movement of top Maoist leaders in the jungles of Binagunda. The team was attacked by Maoists while they were patrolling the area; they returned the fire and the ensuing gun battle continued for about an hour. The Maoists moved deeper into the jungle as the security forces started gaining ground, said a senior police officer. The Bastar police also sent additional personnel to the area to support the jawans. CONTD. ON P7 Around 700 inmates are employed and 12,00 more are presently getting training to work in various sectors after coming out of jail, Tihar's Director General (prisons) Sanjay Baniwal said. In an interaction with PTI editors at its headquarters on Monday, Bani- 37.40c. 24.00c Sunrise : 06.05 Sunset : 06.47 Govt sets up panel on LGBTQ+ issues FP NEWS SERVICE New Delhi The Centre on Tuesday said it had constituted a six-member committee to examine various issues faced by the queer community in the country. The panel has been formed on the directions of the Supreme Court. The SC had issued the directions in their judgment refusing to grant legal recognition to same-sex marriages on October 17, 2023. In its ruling it stated that the issue was a matter for the Parliament to decide and not the courts. However, it directed the government to form a committee that will be headed by the Cabinet Secretary to look into the issues faced by the community . The Cabinet secretary will be the chairperson of the committee and Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, will be its convenor. The panel has been granted powers to co-opt experts and other officers if deemed necessary . CONTD. ON P7 r RNI No. 38281/83 Explosion in firecracker factory, 3 workers hurt FP NEWS SERVICE Mhow/Indore A devastating blast tore through a firecracker manufacturing facility in Ambachandan, Mhow tehsil, on Tuesday afternoon, leaving three workers with severe burns. Eyewitnesses stated that the cast iron collided with the metal weighing scale, creating sparks and causing an explosion. The explosion triggered a ferocious fire, engulfing the volatile materials and finished products stockpiled within the factory premises. According to Manoj Patidar, the area's patwari, the factory employs approximately 20 workers, including seven women and they were on duty at the factory when the explosion occurred. The incident occurred as some workers were engaged in the process of mixing chemicals vital for the production of explosive materials utilised in firecracker manufacturing. Police recovered 300 Kerala HC CJ taken ill UJJAIN Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, Ashish Desai, was admitted to a private hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain after he complained of vomiting and uneasiness during his visit to the Mahakaleshwar temple early Tuesday morning, an official said.Dixit was given a preliminary treatment on the temple premises and was later taken to the Ujjain heart care hospital, he said."The Kerala HC CJ Justice Ashish Desai was admitted to a private hospital here after he complained of vomiting and uneasiness," Ujjain heartcare hospital's Dr Chirag Desai said. CONTD. ON P7 Two workers were inside the factory and they asked the third worker, who was outside, for an iron weight as they had to weigh something. The worker threw the iron weight which hit the weighing machine and it created a spark that triggered the explosion. "But we are not on the procedure. There is no specific provision with regard to manipulation done, if at all," Justice Khanna said. The court, however, in the same breath, also said that the system should not be doubted. "My home state West Bengal has more population than Germany We need to . repose some trust and faith in somebody Do not try to . bring down the system like this," Justice Datta said. The court was hearing a batch of petitions seeking a thorough count of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips in elections. CONTD. ON P7 Union Home Minister Amit Shah has held a road show in Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat which has become the most important of all constituencies in the state. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, BJP's state unit president VD Sharma and Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, party's candidate Vivek Sahu and others were present in the road show held on Tuesday.Thousands of people took part in the event. The purpose of organising the road show one day ahead of the end of Six dead, 3 missing as boat capsizes in Jhelum SRINAGAR: A boat carrying mostly school children capsized in the Jhelum river on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday, leaving six people dead, officials said. The incident took place around 8 am in Gandbal Nowgam area here and six people have been pulled out of the river whose water level had risen over the last couple of days due to incessant rains in the Kashmir valley . The exact number of people on the boat was not clear. Deputy commissioner, Srinagar, Bilal Mohi-udDin Bhat, said six people have died and their bodies have been retrieved. "Six people have unfortunately died, while we have over jail reforms during his tenure in Tihar, Baniwal said, "We have started skill development programme with the help of Urban Development Ministry inside the prisons. Under this programme, around 700 inmates have got the job in hotel indus- electioneering was to mount pressure on former chief minister Kamal Nath. The BJP wanted to convey a message to Nath that it would spare no effort to defeat his son Nakul Nath this time. As Shah's helicopter could not land in Chhindwara because of inclement weather, he had to reach there by road from Nagpur. The road show could begin at 8:20pm. Shah who was accorded a traditional welcome during the road show made night halt in Chhindwara where he spoke to a few BJP leaders and the people. Case against borewell owner after child’s death OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in rescued six others -- out of which three are under treatment but stable. The rest three are at home," Bhat told reporters. "The unfortunate incident occurred between 7:45 am and 8 am. We are ascertaining how many people were travelling in the boat, but the information we have so far is that 15 people were on it, including seven minors," he said. CONTD. ON P7 try and 1,200 are getting training to get the job in hospitals." According to jail officials, an infrastructure is provided inside the prisons for training undertrial prisoners (UTP). The programme was launched in early 2023. CONTD. ON P7 Rewa police have arrested the owner of the agricultural field where a six-yearold boy died after falling in a borewell, an official said on Tuesday . SP Vivek Singh said the owner has Brijendra Mishra had been booked on charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (Section 304 of IPC) and 174 (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant) .The owner had du the borewell and had failed to cover it. On Friday afternoon, the boy, Mayank Kol, fell into the open borewell located at the field in Manika village of Janpad Teonthar. He along with his friends was picking up the leftover stalks from the harvest. A rescue operation was launched which lasted 45 hours, but Mayank died before the team could reach him. The probe indicated the borewell was dug up twothree years back and it was found to be dry, but Mishra left it as it is without covering it, the SP said. Bihar NDA found itself on a bit of sticky wicket ahead of the Lok Sabha polls when Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar skipped Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s rallies in Gaya and Purnea on Tuesday, triggering speculation whether the BJP wanted to avoid having both leaders on the same platform, in view of its recent ‘experiences’. Incidentally, Purnia has a JDU candidate and Gaya has an NDA candidate in Hindustani Awam Morcha patron Jitan Ram Manjhi, who had lost against a JDU candidate Vijay Manjhi in 2019. Sources claimed that the BJP was uncomfortable with Nitish raising the issue of Hindu-Muslim clashes during the previ- Bhopal’s Ayan tops UPSC exam in state OUR STAFF REPORTER BHOPAL Ayan Jain of Bhopal with an all-India rank (AIR) 16 topped the state in the prestigious Civil Service Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. From Indore, Aradhana Chouhan (AIR 251) was Ayan Jain Akash Agrawal among those who cracked the exam. Ayan's father Mukesh Jain is a retired IPS officer and mother is financial advisor. This was his third attempt. In the first attempt he could not clear the mains, in the second attempt he secured AIR 87 and was selected to IPS. In the third attempt, he has secured AIR 16 and has opted for the IAS. He has completed his schooling from Sanskriti school, Delhi and cleared JEE Advanced 2017 with AIR 237. He completed BTech in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi. He KGs of explosive from the spot. Among the injured are Rohit Sarwal, hailing from Datoda village, Arjun Rathore from Maharashtra, and Umesh Chouhan from Maharashtra, who found themselves trapped amidst the flames and blast. Prompt action by other workers, who swiftly doused the fire with sand and water, helped mitigate the situation. Emergency responders rushed the injured trio to Choithram Hospital in Indore, where they are currently receiving medical treatment. Till filing the report, their conditions have been reported as stable. Mhow SDM Charanjit Singh Hudda assured that all three injured are out of danger. Investigations revealed discrepancies regarding the factory's licensing, as it was found to be operating beyond its authorized capacity. Further inquiries into the matter are ongoing. CONTD. ON P7 Nitish skips PM’s rallies in Gaya DHEERAJ KUMAR /PATNA 1,200 others getting trained to work in hospitals wal, a 1989 batch IPS officer, said that he is happy to see inmates, who get employed after spending their jail term. Beniwal, who had a stint of Chandigarh DGP, has been posted as Tihar DG since November 2022. Replying to a question HOW THE FIRE STARTED Gutted factory at Mhow ONLINE REPORT / NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) whether there is any law providing for punishment of officials and authorities for manipulating Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta said that unless there is fear of stringent punishment, there is always a possibility of manipulation, reports Bar and Bench. "Suppose there is some manipulation, what is the punishment prescribed? There should be a fear that if something wrong has been done then there will be punishment," the court remarked. "Breach of office punishment is there," the counsel for ECI replied. QUALITY AT VALUE www.freepressjournal.in RAHUL CALLS ELECTORAL BONDS BIGGEST HAFTEBAAZI SCHEME NATION SHAH ROAD SHOW IN NATH’S BASTION CHHINDWARA 700 Tihar inmates hired by hotels: DG prisons NEW DELHI r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; WEATHER FP decided to prepare for UPSC when he was studying in college. He used to study for at least 9-10 hours daily The other successful candidates from the capital include Tejas Agnihotri (AIR 37), Chhaya Singh (AIR 65), Akash Agarwal (AIR 105), Sachin Goel (AIR 209), Sameer Goel (AIR 222), Sameer and Sachin Goel Riju Shrivatava (AIR 227), Arnav Bhandari (AIR 232), Kshtij Aditya Sharma (AIR 384), Aditya Dohar (AIR 603), Bharti Sahu (AIR 850) and Neeraj Songara (AIR 964). Chhaya is the daughter of IAS Chhote Singh. Sachin and Sameer Goel are brothers. Their father Sanjay Goel is the executive director at BHEL, Bhopal and mother Dr. Sangeeta Sharma is a paediatrician. Palak Goel from Narmadachal secured 479th rank. Palak is a daughter of social worker and coloniser Narendra Ranjana Goel. CONTD. ON P7 ous Lalu-Rabri regime in the presence of Prime Minister Modi. “BJP is disturbed over Nitish’s Hindu-Muslim overdrive in his address during election rallies. The Prime Minister, on the other hand, gives thrust to other issues,” sources added. In the last meeting in Nawada, Nitish had created a flutter in political circles by stating – possibly in zest, unless it was a slip of tongue -- that PM Modi would cross the 4000-seat threshold, a remark which constrained him to make amends by touching PM Modi’s feet on the dais. Although leaders of both the BJP and the JD (U) tried to explain Nitish`s absence by citing CM`s pressing official and political engagements, CONTD. ON P7 SEXIEST REMARK Surjewala banned from campaigning for 48 hours NEW DELHI : The Election Commission on Tuesday banned Congress leader Randeep Surjewala from campaigning for 48-hours over his alleged "derogatory remarks" against Bharatiya Janata Party MP Hema Malini. ECI bars Randeep Surjewala from holding any rally public appearances and , interview. The poll body issued a show-cause notice to Surjewala for allegedly making "vulgar" remarks about Hema Malini. "Now, therefore, the Commission without prejudice to any Order/Notice issued or to be issued subsequently to him in the matter relating to MCC violations, hereby strongly condemns the , impugned statement made by him during election campaign held in Haryana and reprimands Randeep Singh Surjewala for the above said misconduct," the Election Commission stated. "The Commission, under Article 324 of the Constitution of India and all other powers enabling in this behalf, bars him from holding any public meetings, public processions, public rallies, road shows and interviews, public utterances in media (electronic, print, social media) etc. CONTD. ON P7