FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms QUALITY AT VALUE FREE PRESS VOL. 13 NO. 337 | BHOPAL | SUNDAY | MAY 19, 2024 | PAGES 16 r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; `4 r RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in - COACHING INDIA COULD BE EXHAUSTING: LANGER SPORTS READER'S CORNER DO VOTERS REALLY ENJOY VOTING? WEATHER EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE 41.30c. 26.80c Sunrise : 05.45 Sunset : 07.02 BONDS BEYOND THE SCREEN CINEMA India lost over 50L big farmland trees in 5 yrs: Study DATIA SIZZLES NEW DELHI More than 50 lakh large farmland trees vanished between 2018 and 2022 in India, partly due to altered cultivation practices, revealing a "concerning trajectory new re," search published in the journal Nature Sustainability has found. Researchers said that "an observable trend was emerging" wherein agroforestry systems are being replaced with paddy rice fields, even as a certain loss rate could be found to be natural. Large and mature trees within these agroforestry fields are removed, and trees are now being cultivated within separate block plantations typically with lower ecological value, they said. Block plantations, usually involving fewer species of trees, were found to have increased in numbers which some villagers from Telan- RELATED TO VYAPAM SCAM Court accepts closure report of case against Diggy, Scindia, Nath OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in District and sessions court, Bhopal, endorsed closure report by Shymla Hills police station against Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia (who was earlier in Congress now in BJP), Kamal Nath, Vyapam scam whistleblower Prashant Pandey and State over Vyapam scam. A Special Court, in September 2018, had ordered an FIR against the said four on a petition filed by BJP's legal cell advocate Santosh Sharma. The then judge Suresh Singh had ordered Shyamla Hills Police Station to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the four and furnish a detailed report on the matter. Case was registered under sections 465, 468, 469, 471, 472, 474, 120B of IPC against the said four persons and state. The court order has come on the BJP activist's petition which alleged that the Congress leaders had submitted forged documents in connection with the Vyapam case. They were also accused of trying to mislead and manipulate the Supreme Court and the High Court. CONTD. ON P7 gana, Haryana, Maharashtra and other states confirmed via interviews. The team, including re- searchers from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, explained that the decision to remove trees is often driven by perceived low benefits of the trees, coupled with concerns that their shading effect, including that of Neem trees, may adversely affect crop yields. Boosting crop yields also contributed to the expansion of paddy rice fields, further facilitated by water supply which was augmented by the Flash floods kill 68 in Afghanistan ISLAMABAD: Flash floods from heavy seasonal rains have killed at least 68 people in Afghanistan, Taliban officials said Saturday, adding the death toll was based on preliminary reports. Afghanistan has been witnessing unusually heavy seasonal rains. In the hard-hit western province of Ghor, 50 people were reported dead, said Abdul Wahid Hamas, spokesman for the provincial governor. He also said the province has suffered significant financial losses after thousands of homes and properties were damaged and hundreds of hectares of agricultural land destroyed following Friday's floods, including the capital city Feroz Koh. 45 deg in Gwalior, 44.5 in Guna, 44.4 in Bijawar, 44.2 in Niwari Datia has recorded highest 47.2 degrees Celsius day temperature of the season in state so far on Saturday . Besides, Gwalior recorded 45 degrees Celsius while Guna recorded 44.5 degrees Celsius and Bijawar recorded 44.4 degrees Celsius and 44.2 degrees Celsius has been recorded in Niwari. Bhopal recorded day temperature 41.8 degrees Celsius after rise of 1.6 degrees Celsius while it recorded night temperature 28.8 degrees Celsius. Indore recorded 41.3 degrees Celsius day temperature while it recorded 26.8 degrees Celsius night temperature. Heat wave continued northern belt of state especially in Gwalior district in last 24 hours. While alert has been issued for heat wave for districts like Harda, Khandwa, Khargone, Badwani, Alirajpur, Guna, Ashok Nagar, Shivpuri, Gwalior, Datia, Bhind, Morena, Sheopur, Protest against murder of BJYM leader Surendra Kushwah in Bhopal on Saturday Nagar Mandal of BJP Yuva Morcha. The trio came towards a milk shop, and were chatting, when four men, identified as Sandesh Narware, Aakash Bhadoria, Faisal and Deepanshu Sen attacked them with knives. Kushwaha sustained injuries on his chest and thighs, while Verma sustained wounds on his hand. The duo was taken to a private hospital. Kushwaha, whose condition deteriorated, was rushed to AIIMS, where the doctors Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar was arrested Saturday in connection with the alleged assault on AAP MP Swati Maliwal, even as the party claimed she was "blackmailed" by the BJP as she faces a corruption case. Kumar was picked up from the chief minister's residence by a Delhi Police team, a senior police officer said, a day after Maliwal recorded her statement before a magistrate at the Tis Hazari court. ‘Bruises on cheek, leg' AAP airs another video ‘Anti-aurat party' AAP on Saturday released another video featuring its Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal being escorted out of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence by a group of security officers. Video was purportedly taken on the day Maliwal was allegedly assaulted by Bibhav Kumar. Nepal bans sale of Indian spice-mix KATHMANDU After Singapore and Hong Kong, Nepal has also banned the sale and import of certain spice-mix products manufactured by Indian brands over alleged quality concerns. Four spice-mix products by MDH and Everest were banned in the Himalayan nation from Friday due to suspected ethylene oxide or EtO contamination, according to the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control here. Under this, Madras Curry Powder, Sambhar Mixed Masala Powder; Mixed Masala Curry Pow- Scorching heat continues in Bhopal on Saturday A 27-year-old man, who was the vice president of the Panchsheel Nagar Mandal of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, was stabbed to death by four men in front of the Bhopal Central Jail on Friday evening, the police said. Gandhi Nagar police registered a case against the accused on Friday late night, the police added. Additional DCP (Zone-4), Malkit Singh, told Free Press that a murder accused, named Satish Khare, had been released on parole from the jail a month ago. His parole was about to end on Friday evening, and his friends Vikas Verma, as well as Ishu Khare went along with him to drop him to the jail. After Verma and Khare dropped him and were returning, they met their friend, Surendra Kushwaha (27), who was the vicepresident of Panchsheel Maliwal has alleged that the CM's aide attacked her with full force, slapping her in the face and kicking her in the chest and abdomen on May 13 when she had gone to meet the chief minister. A senior police officer said Kumar was arrested from the chief minister's residence on Saturday The officer . said Kumar had gone there in the morning to meet Kejriwal. CONTD. ON P7 According to Maliwal's case sheet at AIIMS Delhi that came out on Saturday, Maliwal had two visible injuries. "She had bruises over the proximal left leg dorsal aspect of approx size 3×2 cm and right cheek elbow below right eye of approx size 2×2 cm", the report stated. HIGHEST TEMP OF SEASON IN STATE OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in AAP claims Maliwal 'blackmailed' by BJP as she faces corruption case SUKMA: A Naxalite, who was wanted in connection with 16 cases and carried a bounty of Rs 1 lakh on his head, was killed in an encounter with the police in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, an official said. The gunfight took place around 6.30 am in the forest near Banjarpara village under Polampalli police station limits, where a team of police personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, the official said. AT 47.2O CELSIUS OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in Kejriwal aide Bibhav Kumar arrested from CM’s house NEWS BRIEF Naxal with Rs 1L bounty killed logical benefits, along with being a natural climate solution owing to their ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the air. However, despite their importance, the lack of robust monitoring mechanisms has contributed to an insufficient grasp of their distribution in relation to management practices, as well as their vulnerability to climate change and diseases, the researchers said. CONTD. ON P7 BJYM leader hacked to death in front of Bhopal Central Jail AAP MP SWATI MALIWAL ASSAULT CASE NEW DELHI establishment of new boreholes, the authors said. "This finding is particularly unsettling given the current emphasis on agroforestry as an essential natural climate solution, playing a crucial role in both climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, as well as for livelihoods and biodiversity the ," authors wrote. Agroforestry trees are a vital part of India's landscapes as they generate socio-eco- BJP accused AAP of resorting to victim-shaming and victimblaming in its brazen defence of Delhi CM Kejriwal's aide Bibhav Kumar. In a swipe at the party, BJP spokesperson Poonawalla said that AAP is essentially an "anti-aurat party (anti-women party)" as he cited past allegations of mistreatment of women. declared him dead on arrival. The police were informed, who registered a case against all the four accused on Friday late night. A state of unrest gripped Link Road area on Saturday Tension had been pre. vailing in the area after vice-president of Panchsheel Nagar mandal of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) was hacked to death by his rivals in front of Bhopal Central Jail on Friday evening. The kin of deceased VIOLENCE IN BISHKEK: Indian students asked to stay indoors NEW DELHI India on Saturday asked its students in Bishkek to stay indoors after the Kyrgyz capital city reported fights between some locals and foreigners. The Indian embassy in the Central Asian country said it is in touch with the Indian students and the situation is "calm" now. The mission asked Indian students in the city to stay indoors. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar advised the Indian students to stay in regular touch with the Indian embassy . "Monitoring the welfare of Indian students in Bishkek. Situation is reportedly calm now. Strongly advise students to stay in regular touch with the Embassy," he said in a post on X. The Indian embassy said, ‘‘We are in touch with our students’’. BJYM leader Surendra Kushwaha (27) blocked Link Road number 2 at 1 pm on Saturday demanding arrest of those ones who stabbed him to death. This led to traffic jam following which TT Nagar ACP Chandrashekhar Pandey rushed to the spot and pacified the lamenting family members. Kushwaha’s body was taken for the last rites, thereafter. Kushwaha was the sole breadwinner of the family, police said. (ALSO SEE P2) Day temp (deg/cel) Datia 47.2 Gwalior 45.0 Guna 44.5 Nowgong 44.5 Bijawar 44.4 Niwari 44.2 Ratlam 44.0 Khajuraho 44.0 Tikamgarh 42.8 Satna 42.6 Khandwa 42.5 Damoh 42.5 Dhar 42.2 Shivpuri 42.2 Khargone 42.0 Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh, Nivari. According to meteorological department, the heat wave of the season is likely to grip the state and today onwards and may persist for over couple of days. CONTD. ON P7 Arson at Shivpuri collectorate destroys important documents Two masked men setting Nazul branch room afire were caught on CCTV camera Important records intact, says collector FP NEWS SERVICE Shivpuri A fire broke that out at the collectorate in the early hours of Saturday consumed the documents of various departments kept in the Nazul branch. When the guards saw a column of smoke emanating from the room, they informed the fire brigade. The fire engines rushed to the spot and took three hours souse the flames. Immediately after the incident, when the officials were sifting through the CCTV footage, they saw two masked men setting the room afire. They were carrying a petrol- filled container and threw petrol through the window of the Nazul branch room. No sooner had the fire broke out, youths ran away . Collector Ravindra Kumar Choudhary confirmed that two youths who set the record room ablaze had been captured on the CCTV camera. SP Aman Singh Rathore also saw the video of the incident. Choudhary said the records of land acquisition had been intact, and a few documents which were destroyed could be retrieved from an online server. A team under additional district magistrate Dinesh Chandra Shukla has been formed to investigate the incident, he said, adding that the details of loss can be ascertained only after the inquiry Nazul branch, land ac. quiring branch, law department and complaint cell are run from the place where the fire broke out. The store of the Nazarat branch, where some unused furniture and other items were kept, is behind these rooms. Records of many departments were burnt, because several offices function from the collectorate premises. 9 killed, 17 injured as bus Take action if he is catches fire in Haryana guilty: Deve Gowda BENGALURU GURUGRAM der of MDH and Fish Curry Masala of Everest have been banned in Nepal. "As residue contents of ethylene oxide are found to be exceeding the prescribed limit in these four products, the import and sale of these products are banned within the country as per Article 19 of the Food Regulation 2027 B.S.," the department said in a notice issued on Friday. Places Nine people, including five women and a 12-year-old girl, were burnt alive and 17 injured when a moving tourist bus caught fire near Dhulawat village in Haryana's Nuh district in the early hours of Saturday police said. , The incident took place around 2 am on the KundliManesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway they said. , The bus was carrying around 60 people, all residents of Punjab's Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana, who were returning from pilgrim towns of Mathura and Vrindavan. All of them are relatives, the police said. The cause of the fire is said to be a short circuit in the AC box of the bus but it is yet to be ascertained, they said. The police said an FIR has been registered against the bus driver, who fled the scene after the incident, at Sadar Tauru police station. Of the 17 injured, 14 have been discharged from Nalhar medical college, Nuh, while three women are still undergoing treatment at different hospitals, an official said. Deputy Commissioner, Nuh, Dhirendra Khadgata said the forensic team of Madhuban will investigate the cause of the fire in the bus. Breaking his silence over the sexual abuse charges levelled against JDS MP Prajwal Revanna, party Supremo H D Deve Gowda on Saturday said he has no objection to the action taken against his grandson if he is found Prajwal sex guilty . He also said the cases against his son and JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, who is facing charges of sexual harassment and kidnap of a woman, were "created", but refrained from commenting further, as the matter was subjudice. Addressing reporters, Gowda, who turned 92 today said, "... I don't want to , comment on things that are going on in the court regarding Revanna. Prajwal Revanna has gone abroad, regarding that Kumaraswamy (Gowda's other son and state JD(S) scandal chief) has on behalf of our family said it is the duty of the government to take action in accordance with the law of the land." "There are several people connected to this (sexual abuse cases), I don't want to take anyone's names. CONTD. ON P7