FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 43 | INDORE | MONDAY | JULY 21, 2025 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Pant gets warning to curb audacious strokes by former India keeper P.10 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE WORLD At least five killed in Indonesian ferry fire UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit AAP out of the INDIA bloc P.6 Brand Sutra Driving India’s EV Dream P.12 WCL calls off Indo-Pak match, says sorry to Indians Yuvraj, Dhawan say ‘nation first’, refuse to be part of match citing Pahalgam attack PTI BIRMINGHAM A veterans' cricket match involving India and Pakistan in PAHALGAM ATTACK TAKES CENTRE STAGE the World Championship of Legends here on Sunday has been cancelled after Indian players, including Shikhar Dhawan, refused to be a part of it citing the Pahalgam terror attack in April. The second edition of the tournament started on June 18 at Edgbaston and is sched- uled for an August 2 final. World Cup winner Yuvraj Singh is the captain of the India legends, while the squad also features the likes of Harbhajan Singh, Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa and Varun Aaron among others. The WCL organisers shared a statement on their X account, detailing the decision of cancellation and said their intention while conducting the match was to recreate some "happy memories." "After hearing the news that the Pakistan hockey team will be coming to India this year, and seeing the recent India vs Pakistan volleyball match along with a few other fixtures between the two nations in different sports, we thought of continuing with the India vs Pakistan match at WCL, just to create some happy mem- MAJOR BOOST | Investment proposals promise to create 14,208 employment opportunities in Madhya Pradesh r Kavita Kasliwal Kothari, CEO of Arihant College, has been guiding students with practical exposure, industry connections and a commitment to real-world impact. Turn to Indore page to find out how. SEE P2 D fp Briefs BHUBANESWAR Odisha girl airlifted to Delhi A 15-year-old girl, who was undergoing treatment at AIIMS Bhubaneswar after three miscreants set her ablaze in Odisha's Puri district, was airlifted to Delhi on Sunday, officials said. Odisha DGP YB Khurania went to Balanga area in Puri district and visited the place of the crime. CM seals Rs 11,119cr deals during Dubai, Spain tour Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has returned from a highstakes tour of Dubai and Spain, bringing back investment proposals worth a staggering Rs 11,119 crore that promise to generate 14,208 jobs in Madhya Pradesh. Speaking to reporters at the State Hanger in Bhopal on Sunday evening, Yadav detailed the outcome of his overseas business push, which ran from July 13 to 19. During the Dubai leg of the visit, Yadav secured proposals totalling Rs 6,801 crore. Major players included BNW Developers, which offered to invest Rs 2,750 crore, and Conares Metal, which pledged Rs 640 crore. Span Communications Ministers Vishvas Sarang, Krishna Gaur, MLA Bagwandas Sabnani welcome Chief minister Mohan Yadav and Alpha Mia came forward with proposals of Rs 500 crore each, while the Indore International Business Network submitted an offer of Rs 1,100 crore. In all, the CM held meetings with representatives of 30 companies in Dubai. Key areas of interest included a Net Zero AI Data Centre, defence production and hospitality projects. Emirates Airlines showed keen interest in launching aviation Bus turns into fireball after hitting container; two hurt NAGPUR/MUMBAI Row over Maha min’s game video A viral video of NCP leader and Maharashtra Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate purportedly playing a game of rummy on his mobile phone during a legislative session has sparked a huge row, with the opposition accusing the government of being insensitive to farmers. BENGALURU SIT lens on burials The Karnataka government has formed an SIT comprising four senior IPS officers to probe shocking allegations of “secret burials” of hundreds of women, allegedly sexually assaulted and murdered near Dharmasthala -a pilgrimage centre in Dakshina Kannada district. The temple is run by the Jain Heggade family, with RS MP Veerendra Heggade serving as its administrator. FP News Service MHOW A potentially disastrous incident was averted on AgraMumbai Highway near Pithampur when a bus carrying 30 passengers from Indore to Pune collided with a container and burst into flames. The swift response of locals and police ensured safe evacuation of all passengers, although the bus driver and a female passenger sustained injuries. According to eyewitnesses, the bus was travelling on the highway when it suddenly hit the container in front of it, causing significant damage to the front of the bus. Passengers reported seeing smoke emanating from the bus, which quickly escalated into a full-blown fire. 4Continued on | P8 Tharoor no longer one of PM MODI TO us: Cong leader amid rift VISIT UK, IANS THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Amid rising tensions within the Congress party, senior leader and former Union Minister K. Muraleedharan on Sunday declared that Shashi Tharoor would no longer be invited to any party programme in Thiruvananthapuram unless he alters his stance on key national security issues. His remarks have further exposed the widening rift between Tharoor and the party’s Kerala leadership. Speaking to reporters, Muraleedharan said, “Till he (Tharoor) changes his stance, we will not invite him to any party programme held in Thiruvananthapuram. He is not with us, so there is no question of him boycotting an event.” The Congress Working Committee (CWC) member was, according to Muraleedharan, “no longer considered one of us.” The senior leader’s statement comes at a critical juncture, with the Congress and the INDIA bloc preparing to confront the Modi government in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament. 4Continued on | P8 MALDIVES FP News Service NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a twonation visit to the United Kingdom and the Maldives from July 23 to July 26, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Sunday. During his visit to the UK, Prime Minister Modi is expected to unveil the bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which was announced by both countries on May 6. 4Continued on | P8 Opioids for sex charge on Indian-origin doc Agencies NEW YORK An Indian-origin doctor from Secaucus was charged with prescribing opioids in exchange for sexual favors, as well as defrauding Medicaid in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Dr. Ritesh Kalra, 51, was charged in a five-count Complaint with three counts of distributing opioids outside the usual course of professional practice, not for a legitimate medical purpose, and in exchange for sexual favors, and two counts of healthcare fraud, Habba said in a statement. Houston County View reported that Kalra made his initial appearance on Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court and was released on home incar- ceration and an unsecured $100,000 bond. He is prohibited from practicing medicine and prescribing medication and will be required to shut down his medical practice while the case is pending. “Physicians hold a position of profound responsibility—but as alleged, Dr. Kalra used that position to fuel addiction, exploit vulnerable pa- tients for sex, and defraud New Jersey’s public healthcare program,” added Habba. “By allegedly exchanging prescriptions for sexual favours and billing Medicaid for ghost appointments, he not only violated the law but endangered lives. Our Office will continue to pursue those who turn their medical licenses into tools for personal gain and sexual gratification.” 4Continued on | P8 Scrutinised new I-T Bill to be tabled PTI NEW DELHI training in the state and expressed willingness to operate a Bhopal Indore flight, subject to approval from Indian aviation authorities. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Calling Dubai a mini world, Yadav said that 42 lakh Indians live there, a number unmatched by any other community. He drew cultural parallels between Spain and India, and lauded the role of the ISKCON temple in Dubai, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi, in bringing together not just Indian diaspora but also people from across globe interested in Indian culture Centre ready to discuss Op Sindoor in Parliament 4Continued on | P8 A report of the parliamentary committee set up to scrutinise the new Income Tax Bill, 2025, which would replace the six-decade old Income Tax Act, is to be tabled in the LS on Monday. The 31-member Select Committee, chaired by BJP leader Baijayant Panda, was appointed by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to scrutinise The new Income Tax Bill, 2025, which was introduced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 13 in the Lok Sabha. The Committee has made 285 suggestions and at its meeting on July 16 adopted the report on new I-T Bill, 2025, which will now be tabled in the House for further action. Cultural ties, global pull Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL ories for people around the globe. "But maybe in the process, we ended up hurting the feelings of many and stirring emotions," the WCL statement read. The organisers also apologised for "unintentionally causing discomfort" to Indian legends. MONSOON SESSION FROM TODAY Kiren Rijiju says impeachment motion will be brought against Justice Varma Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI The government will respond in Parliament to US President Donald Trump’s claims on Operation Sindoor during the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, the all party meeting convened to ensure smooth functioning of both Houses was informed on Sunday. The meeting was also informed that the Centre has also decided to bring an Impeachment motion against former High Court judge Justice Yashwant Varma for which over 100 MPs have signed a notice. The meeting, which was chaired by Union Minister and Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha JP Nadda and attended by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and Ministers of State for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and Dr L Murugan, was told by the government representatives that the Centre was prepared to take up discussion on the issues being raised by the Opposition, but within certain limitations. Following the meeting of the floor leaders, Rijiju said the Centre was prepared to discuss Operation Sindoor on the floor of the House. “We are very much open to discussing important issues like Operation Sindoor in Parliament.” 4Continued on | P8