FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 245 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 17, 2026 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Saina adds ‘Bhavya Bharat Bhushan’ to her legendary legacy P.13 NGT upholds clearance for Great Nicobar project Directs strict compliance with EC conditions ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY 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. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said India has and will continue to play a very important role in global AI transformation due to its vast resource pool of 1.4 billion people, a vibrant digital public infrastructure, thriving startup ecosystem and development into a hub of cutting-edge research. Addressing the AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam here, Modi stressed on how India progress in the field of AI reflects both on its ambition and responsibility and has now positioned it at the forefront of the advancement of technology. Addressing leaders in the field, top industrialists, innovators, policymakers, researchers, and technology enthusiasts at the Summit – which has the theme of “Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya (Welfare for All, 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. Hindus consider Bhojshala to be a temple of Goddess Vagdevi (Saraswati), while the Muslim community calls the 11th-century monument Kamal Maula Mosque. 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. Modi and Macron's discussions will focus on cementing the strategic ties and further diversifying them into new and emerging areas. PM Modi and President Macron will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance. NASHIK Over 80 foreign, 500 global AI leaders participate The India AI Impact Summit 2026, which commenced here on Monday, brings together the heads of state and government, ministers, global technology leaders, eminent researchers, multilateral institutions and industry stakeholders to deliberate on the role of AI in advancing inclusive growth, strengthening public systems and enabling sustainable development. The five-day summit, which goes on till February 20, will witness participation from over 100 government representatives along with over 500 global AI leaders Happiness for All)”, Modi said it was a matter of It is a matter of pride for India that people from across the 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- Musk’s X suffers global outage IANS NEW DELHI 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. globe were visiting it for the summit. The occasion, the PM said, also demonstrates India’s rapid progress in the field of science and technology. He also 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.” Modi also noted that “AI today is transforming several sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, governance and enterprise.” He said the Summit will enrich global discourse on diverse aspects of AI, such as innovation, collaboration, responsible use and more. The PM also exuded confidence that the outcomes of the event would help shape a future that is “progressive, innovative and opportunitydriven.” CBSE makes Class 10 first Board exam mandatory Agencies NEW DELHI 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 Elon Musk-run X Corp suffered a global outage, including in India, as well as several other countries like the US and the UK, on Monday evening, with users unable to access their accounts properly, and posts unable to load on the platform. According to the outage detecting portal Down Detector, the number of outage reports surged to over 25,000. While 53 per cent of X app users were unable to log into their accounts, 16 per cent of website users reported issues, as per Down Detector data.The cause of the outage was not immediately clear, and X did not respond to a request for comment. INDORE 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 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 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 offgrid Translocated tiger found dead in reserve Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL 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 be- MUMBAI E-paper Cinema From Hollywood to Bollywood P.14 Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar DHAR INDORE Edit A new vision for our cities P.6 India’s trade deficit widens to $10.38bn as gold imports soar NEW DELHI Briefs PUNE India will continue to lead global AI push: PM Agencies fp PRESS AI IMPACT SUMMIT | Summit will enrich global discourse on diverse aspects of AI, such as innovation, collaboration, says Modi NEW DELHI 4Continued on | P8 UJJAIN hind death. Patrolling staff of forest department first spotted the tiger lying dead. Help of dog squad was taken during investigation. So far, there are no indications of poaching. The tiger was brought from Kanha Tiger Reserve on January 18 and its movement was regularly monitored through radio collar. It was an orphan feline raised inside enclosure. After being trained to hunt wild animals, decision was taken to translocate and release it in wild conditions. High-level probe sought Wildlife activist Ajay Dubey has demanded highlevel probe into death. 4Continued on | P8 FIRST DAY OF ASSEMBLY BUDGET SESSION Guv speech marred by uproarious scene Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL 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. 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 Out on swim with friends at dam, 2 boys go missing SC notice to Centre on plea over 2023 data protection law PTI NEW DELHI Search hit by depth, poor visibility at night 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. In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine a batch of pleas challenging the constitutional validity of several provisions of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023. The top court, however, refused to grant an interim stay on the impugned provisions, saying "by an interim order, it will not thwart a regime introduced by Parliament unless we hear the case." A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi issued a notice to the Centre on the pleas challenging certain provisions of the DPDP Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection Rules 2025 over their amendment of the provisions of the Right to Information Act. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 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. 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. Rescue team launches search op FP PHOTO 7 killed in chemical factory fire in Rajasthan’s Bhiwadi PTI JAIPUR Seven people were burnt alive and two were critically injured in an illegal firecrackermanufacturing 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. "Seven persons have died in the incident. It was a garment factory but firecrackers were being manufactured inside it illegally," Sumitra Pareek, Additional District Magistrate, said. She said that two people trapped in the factory were rescued. They were admitted to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital in a critical condition. Earlier, officials had said that the fire broke out in a chemical factory. "The premises was leased out in the name of a garment factory but as per the preliminary report, firecrackers were being manufactured illegally," she said. She said that the police came to know about the incident during a routine patrol, following which a rescue operation was launched im- mediately. CM Bhajanlal Sharma instructed district administrations to carry out relief and rescue work immediately. He directed Forest Minister Sanjay Sharma to reach Alwar. Sharma later reached the spot after noon and visited the factory. 4Continued on | P8