FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 89 | BHOPAL | FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 12, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Sachin quashes BCCI presidency buzz P.15 fp Briefs NEW DELHI Match should go on: SC The Supreme Court on Thursday declined an urgent hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking cancellation of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup T20 cricket match scheduled in Dubai on September 14. "Match is this Sunday? What can we do about that? Let it be. The match should go on!" NEW DELHI Rs 1,200 cr aid for flood-hit UK Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,200 crore for Uttarakhand during his visit to Dehradun to review the flood situation and damage caused due to cloudbursts, rains and landslides in affected areas. MPHRC directs SP to probe rape case FP News Service JABALPUR ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN MONEY PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK Cinema Aishwarya trumps AI P.14 STRENGTHENING TIES | India announces over $655 mn special economic package for island country India, Mauritius to boost trade in local currencies PTI India on Thursday announced an over USD 655 million special economic package for Mauritius and signed seven pacts to further expand bilateral ties in several critical sectors with Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing the two countries as not just partners but a family. Following talks with his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Modi said a free, open, stable and prosperous Indian Ocean is a shared priority for both sides and India remains fully committed to strengthening the security of Mauritius's exclusive economic zone. Modi also said that both sides will work towards enabling bilateral trade in local currencies following successful launch of UPI and RuPay cards in Mauritius. PM Narendra Modi and Mauritius PM Navin Ramgoolam hold delegation level talks in Varanasi on Thursday Under the special economic package, India will assist Mauritius implement at least 10 projects that include strengthening key infrastructure like port, airport, and roads and to set up new schools and hospitals. "This package is not an as- sistance. It is an investment in our shared future," Modi said in his media statement. The seven agreements will facilitate boosting cooperation in areas of education, power, hydrography and space research. The most important pact E-paper Edit Police, police thyself P.6 GST reforms to inject fresh growth momentum into auto sector: SIAM VARANASI MUMBAI signed following the ModiRamgoolam talks appears to be the one on hydrography under which both sides will work together on joint surveys, navigation charts, and hydrographic data of the exclusive economic zones of Mauritius. "India and Mauritius are two nations, but our dreams and destiny are one," Modi said. In his remarks to the media, the prime minister also congratulated Ramgoolam and the people of Mauritius on the conclusion of the Chagos agreement, describing it as a "historic victory" for for the island nation's sovereignty. "India has always supported decolonization and the full recognition of Mauritius's sovereignty. And in this, India has stood firmly with Mauritius," he said. 4Continued on | P8 CM distributes scooties to 7,832 meritorious students of class 12 Yadav disburses Rs 61.12 cr to 20 lakh girls for sanitation & hygiene support Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav handed over scooty to 7,832 meritorious students from Government Higher Secondary Schools across Madhya Pradesh under the Free Scooty Distribution Scheme. The event was held on Thursday at Kushabhau Thakre Convention Centre in Bhopal. Addressing students, Yadav urged them to study diligently and aim high. “If you want to go abroad for higher studies, don’t worry. The government will provide all financial support. We feel proud to see you progressing. Our youth should aim to become job creators, not job seekers. We are encouraging this through government initiatives. Students should showcase their talent both nationally and internationally,” he said. The chief minister also high- RAIPUR At least 10 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district on Thursday, a police official said. Police sources said Modem Balakrishna, a senior leader and Central Committee Member (CCM) of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), is among the deceased. The gunfight broke out in the forest under Mainpur po- Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Customs officers in Indore conducted coordinated searches across eight locations after receiving intelligence about misuse of the Advance Authorisation Scheme by M/s Som Distilleries and Breweries Ltd, sources said on Thursday. The searches, carried out on Wednesday and Thursday, covered three company premises in Raisen and Bhopal and five premises of their Customs Brokers in Indore, Mandideep and Bhopal, who facilitated import and export operations. Authorities allege that the company diverted large quantities of duty-free imported materials into the domestic market instead of using them to produce goods for export, violating the scheme. Distilleries had imported empty beer bottles and cans under the scheme, which allows duty-free import of raw materials for manufacturing export products. Instead of meeting export obligations, the materials were repackaged with liquor and sold domestically. The company has deposited Rs 14 crore in duty so far, though the final amount of duty evaded, including interest and penalties, is still under assessment. Investigations are on to determine full extent of the violation. Rajgarh man among 5 nabbed in ‘Khilafat’ terror plot linked to Pak Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Delhi Police Special Cell arrested five people, including a man from Biora in Rajgarh district, in connection with a ‘Khilafat’ terror module with links to Pakistan, officials said on Thursday. Investigations into other suspects are still underway. Additional CP Pramod Singh Kushwaha, addressing the media in New Delhi, said explosives-related materials such as sulphur powder, sulphuric acid, nitric acid, sodium bicarbonate, pH checkers, ball bearings, wires, motherboards, laptops, mobile phones, along with weapons and cartridges, were recovered from the group. These items could be used to make improvised explosive devices. The accused, he said, were being guided to promote the idea of ‘Ghazwa-e-Hind’and carry out terror activities. The arrested include 23-year-old Ashar Danish, alias Ashrar Qureshi, an English honours graduate from Ranchi; Aftab Qureshi and Sufiyan Abubakar from Mumbai; Mohammad Huzaifa from Telangana; and Kamran Qureshi from Rajgarh. Danish, police said, led the module and coordinated tasks with other members on behalf of handlers known by code names such as ‘CEO’, ‘Gazba’ and ‘Professor’. The group was also attempting to raise funds to buy land for setting up a ‘Khilafat zone’. PREZ REFERENCE ON ASSENT TO BILL SC asks can it sit idle if guv fails in duty Reserves verdict PTI NEW DELHI Calling itself the "custodian of the Constitution", the Supreme Court on Thursday asked if it could "sit idle" if a constitutional functionary like Governor failed to discharge duties as it reserved the verdict on the presidential reference on grant of assent to bills. In the marathon hearings spanning 10 days, a Constitution bench of headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai heard legal luminaries including Attorney General R Venkataramani, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Gopal Subramanium, Arvind Datar and others on the presidential reference which centered around Article 200 and 201 and the key issue whether constitutional court can impose timelines for governors and President to assent to bills. 4Continued on | P8 lice station limits when security personnel were out on an antiNaxalite operation, Raipur Range Inspector General of Police Amresh Mishra told PTI. "Personnel belonging to the Special Task Force (STF - a unit AP OREM Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, was shot and killed at a Utah college event in what the governor called a political as- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is planning to allow lenders to remotely lock mobile phones bought on credit if borrowers fail to repay their loans, two sources said. The move is aimed at reducing bad loans in the consumer finance sector but could raise concerns over consumer rights and privacy. Currently, over one-third of consumer electronics, including mobile phones, are purchased on small-ticket loans in India. A 2024 study by Home Credit Finance showed this trend is significant. With more than 1.16 billion mobile connections in India, as per the telecom regulator, phones have become essential tools for communication, work, and education across the country. Earlier, in 2024, the RBI had asked lenders to stop locking phones of defaulting borrowers. The practice involved installing an app when the loan was issued, which could lock the device in case of non-payment. However, after discussions with several lenders, the RBI is expected to update its Fair Practices Code within the next few months. The new guidelines, according to the sources, will require lenders to obtain prior consent from borrowers before using the locking feature. Lenders will also be prohibited from accessing personal data on the phone. One source said, 4Continued on | P8 Kirk called Pak ‘very sneaky’ Soon after Charlie Kirk, was killed in Utah, the spotlight was turned to his views on global politics including his outlook and remarks on Operation Sindoor. "India and Pakistan are on the verge of a war...Pakistan is 100% Muslim. Remember, they sheltered Bin Laden and have been a very, very sneaky actor. India is mostly Hindu. They don't care for each other much at all", he said. sassination. Authorities say Kirk was killed with a single shot from a rooftop on Wednesday. Whoever fired the gun then MARTYR FOR TRUTH: TRUMP US President Donald Trump hailed Charlie Kirk as a "martyr for truth" on Wednesday, while assailing the "radical left," suggesting its rhetoric contributed to the death of the conservative activist. He also pledged to carry out a crackdown on "those who perpetrate political violence." slipped away amid the chaos of screams and students fleeing the Utah Valley University campus. Federal, state and local authorities were still searching for an unidentified shooter early Thursday and working what they called "multiple active crime scenes." 4See also | World Harshita Yadav, a student of Government Higher Secondary School, Gunga. Moreover, Yadav transferred ?61.12 crore to accounts of 20,37,439 girls from Class 7 to 12 for sanitation and hygiene support under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. He also disbursed a stipend of ?7 crore to over 20,000 girls in attendance. School Education Minister Uday Pratap Singh urged students to use helmets, drive safely and adhere to speed regulations after obtaining a valid licence. ‘India-US trade talk’s 1st tranche expected by Nov’ IANS NEW DELHI Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that the first part of the India-US trade deal is expected to be finalised by November. He explained that discussions between the two countries are moving in a positive direction and both sides are satisfied with the progress so far. Speaking to reporters in poll-bound Bihar, Goyal recalled that in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump had instructed their ministers to work on the pact and finalise the first tranche by November this year. "In February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump together instructed us that the ministers of both sides should make a good agreement by November," Goyal said. "The first part of that agreement, the first tranche, should be finalised by November 2025, and since March, discussions have been going on on this subject very seriously in a very good environment, progress is being made, and with the progress, both sides are satisfied," Goyal added. 4Continued on | P8 BJP MLA warns of ‘Nepal-like situation’ Demands military training for youth FP News Service GUNA BJP MLA Pannalal Shakya of Guna has called for mandatory military training for Indian youth, citing fears that India could face internal conflicts similar to those in neighbour- Lenders may get power to lock phones bought on credit Online Report of the Chhattisgarh police), E30 (a unit of the district police), CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action - an elite unit of the CRPF) and other state police units are involved in the operation. Intermittent exchange of fire is still underway," the IGP said. "Ten Naxalites, including senior cadres, have been gunned down so far," he said, adding that further details were awaited as the operation was still underway. According to police, the operation was launched based on the inputs about the movement of top Naxalites in the area, located over 180 km away from capital Raipur. Trump’s close ally Charlie Kirk assassinated at Utah university offgrid MUMBAI lighted past welfare efforts, noting that over the last 15 years, more than 5 lakh laptops have been distributed at a cost of ?1,300 crore and over 1 crore bicycles provided with an expenditure of about ?3,000 crore. During the ceremony, Yadav presented the key symbolically to students Pranjal Kushwah, Komal Pathak, Mehndi Hasan, Rishika Bagoria, Raj Gond, Harshita Yadav, Abhishek Gupta, Yasmin, Rohit Ahirwar, Palak Bhilala and Nishu Pundit. He also rode a scooty with Customs recovers 10 NAXALITES KILLED IN ENCOUNTER Rs 14cr duty in Som Distilleries probe PTI Taking cognisance into alleged rape of a woman by three police personnel, Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission (MPHRC) has sought a report from the Superintendent of Police, Jabalpur in this regard. The Commission has directed the Superintendent of Police to probe the matter. The Commission has taken action on news reports about the rape of a woman by three police personnel posted in Madhotal Police Station. The victim has filed a complaint about the rape committed on her on Dial-112 women’s helpline. However, the police station's TI (Town Inspector) has reportedly dismissed the claims of a woman saying she is mentally unstable. CM Mohan Yadav enjoys scooty ride with a student, congratulating them for their achievements at state-level Scooty Distribution Programme organised at Kushabhau Thackeray Convention Center on Thursday "The RBI wants to ensure that lenders have the power to recover small-ticket loans, and at the same time ensure that customers' data is protected." A spokesperson for the RBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to talk to the media. 4Continued on | P8 ing countries. Speaking at a sporting event, Shakya warned that a ‘civil war’ situation could break out in India, echoing events in Nepal, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan. He stressed the need for national security alongside development and sports. ‘It is important to be serious about the security and future of the country,’ Shakya stated. The MLA proposed that all citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 should receive compulsory military training. He claimed that this would prepare the youth to defend the nation and their property. Shakya has formally requested the district adminis- tration to forward his proposal to the Central government's Home and Defence ministries. He urged immediate action, claiming that the country's security depends on it. He drew parallels with historical events, referencing the burning of Nalanda University and the destruction of the Somnath temple, arguing that a lack of preparedness led to their downfall. Deadlock over interim govt continues as Nepal President appeals for peace PTI KATHMANDU The deadlock over the selection of an interim head to run the Nepal government continued on Thursday, even as President Ramchandra Paudel appealed for peace and said he was aiming to find a solution to the political crisis within the constitutional framework. As political parleys for a transitional government continued, the situation in Kath- mandu and other parts of the country remained peaceful, with army troops carrying out patrolling in sensitive areas. The death toll from two days of violent protests that began on Monday has increased to 34, according to officials. The representatives of youth-led Gen Z, which spearheaded the anti-government protests, held meetings with the top military brass to finalise a transitional government, but the talks hit a roadblock on the issue of who will head it. 4Continued on | P8