FREE PRESS The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms VOL. XXXX NO. 238 | INDORE | SUNDAY | FEBRUARY4, 2024 | PAGES 16 YASHASVI BECOMES THIRD INDIAN BATTER TO HIT DOUBLE TON SPORTS `4 - r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; r RNI No. 38281/83 QUALITY AT VALUE www.freepressjournal.in EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE WEEKEND SACRED SOJOURNS WEATHER FP 26.80c. 14.40c Sunrise : 07.05 Sunset : 06.16 DIRECTOR’S REBUKE CINEMA ADVANI IN BHARAT RATNA TURN The announcement comes less than two weeks after the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and ten days after the posthumous conferment of Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR / NEW DELHI SHIMLA: The death toll in the fire at a perfume manufacturing unit in the Baddi industrial area of Himachal Pradesh's Solan increased to five as firefighters were working to bring the blaze under control nearly 24 hours after it started, officials said on Saturday. The massive fire broke out around 2:45 pm on Friday. A search is also underway to trace nine persons who are still missing, a senior officer said, adding that 31 people suffered injuries in the fire. 7-yr-jail for Imran, wife ISLAMABAD: A Pakistan court on Saturday sentenced jailed former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to seven years imprisonment in the 'un-Islamic nikah' case, less than a week before the general elections.This is 71-year-old Khan's fourth conviction since 2022 adding to the troubles of the beleaguered founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party ahead of the February 8 polls. Give Bharat Ratna to Kanshi Ram: BSP LUCKNOW: The BSP on Saturday urged the government to award the Bharat Ratna posthumously to party founder Kanshi Ram for his contribution to empowering the people of the country socially and economically. This comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that BJP stalwart and former deputy prime minister Lal Krishna Advani will be conferred the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian award. In a post on X, BSP national coordinator Akash Anand said the government should honour Kanshi Ram with the Bharat Ratna as soon as possible. China to see eco decline: IMF WASHINGTON: The IMFpredicted China's economic decline to continue over the next four years as Beijing continues to tackle a range of challenges, including a rapidly aging population, higher unemployment and a property crisis, VOA News reported. In a report released on Friday, the IMF projected that China's economic growth will reduce to 4.6 per cent this year, down from its 5.2 per cent growth in 2023, and drop further to 3.4 per cent by 2028. PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI har Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to switch sides from the INDIA bloc to the NDA. At a rally in Odisha, Modi said Advani worked tirelessly to break the vicious cycle of dirty politics in the country. In an oblique reference to how Advani contributed to the decline of the Nehru-Gandhi family and the Congress, the PM added that Advani fought continuously to free India s democracy from the captivity of one party and one family . By challenging the family ideology, he linked India s democracy with an all-inclusive and nationalist ideology . In his social media announcement earlier in the day, Modi wrote: His is a life that started from working at the grassroots to serving the nation as our Deputy Prime Minister. CONTD. ON P8 Shootout in PS: Sena man shot at by BJP MLA; critical Lal Krishna Advani, one of the founders of the BJP a former deputy Prime Minister , and the man who led the Rath Yatra in 1990 for the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, will be conferred the Bharat Rat- NEWS BRIEF Himachal factory fire toll rises to 5 A dvaniji worked tirelessly to break the vicious cycle of dirty politics in the country. He fought continuously to free India s democracy from the captivity of one party and one family. na. The announcement was made through a social media post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself on Saturday . In the post, Modi wrote I am very happy to share that Shri LK Advani Ji will be conferred the Bharat Ratna. I also spoke to him and congratulated him on being conferred this honour. Describing Advani as one of the most respected statesmen of our times, the PM said, his contribution to the development of India is monumental. The announcement comes less than two weeks after the consecration of the Ram Mandir and ten days after the conferment of Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur. This had proved to be a stimulus for Bi- ‘NO REGRETS’ FADNAVIS ORDERS high-level probe as Oppn guns for CM Shinde THANE/MUMBAI A Shiv Sena leader suffered multiple gunshot wounds and is in critical condition after a BJP MLA fired upon him over a land dispute in Maharashtra's Thane district, prompting the opposition to demand Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's resignation, citing deteriorating law and order in the state. Deputy CM and state home minister Devendra Fadnavis said he has ordered a high-level probe to find out what made the MLA open fire and under what circumstances. Kalyan MLA Ganpat Gaikwad of BJP opened fire on Mahesh Gaikwad, the Shinde-led Sena's Kalyan chief, inside the chamber of the senior inspector of Hill Line police station in Ulhasnagar area on Friday night, Additional Commissioner of Police Dattatrya Shinde told the media. CONTD. ON P8 CBI not completely exempted under RTI Act: HC NEW DELHI The CBI is not completely exempt from the purview of RTI Act and the transparency law permits it to provide information pertaining to corruption and human rights violation, the Delhi High Court has held. Perusing Section 24 (Act not to apply to certain organisations) of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the high court said it showed that even though the name of the organisation (CBI) found mention in the Second Schedule to the law, it did not mean that the entire Act is not applicable to such organisations. "The proviso to Section 24 permits information pertaining to allegations of corruption and human rights violation to be made available to the applicant and the same cannot be included in the exception provided to organisations mentioned in the Second Schedule of the RTI Act," Justice Subramonium Prasad in an order passed on January 30 and made available late Friday evening. The high court passed the order on a plea by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging a November 2019 decision of the Central Information Commission (CIC) directing the probe agency to provide certain information to Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Sanjeev Chaturvedi. CONTD. ON P8 Shiv Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad receives treatment in a hospital after he was allegedly shot by BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad in Ulhasnagar on Friday ACCUSED IN POLICE CUSTODY TILL FEB 14 THANE: BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad accused of shooting at Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde faction leader Mahesh Gaikwad was sent to police custody till February 14 by a Magistrate court on Saturday. BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad and two other accused were brought to Ulhasnagar court. The other two accused in the case have also been sent to police custody till February 14. SENA, BJP BOTH WANT KALYAN LS SEAT MUMBAI, The shooting incident in Thane district has brought to the fore the simmering tensions between the ruling BJP and Shiv Sena in Kalyan with both parties eyeing this Lok Sabha constituency, currently represented by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's son Shrikant Shinde. THANE: "Yes, I shot (him) myself. I have no regrets. If my son is being beaten in front of the police inside the police station, what will I do," asked Ganpat Gaikwad while talking to a news channel. The BJP MLA alleged that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is "trying to create a kingdom of criminals in Maharashtra". Besides Ganpat Gaikwad, the police have also arrested two others. They have been booked under Indian Penal Code sections, including 307 (attempt to murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy), said an official."If Eknath Shinde is the chief minister, only criminals will be born in Maharashtra. He has made a good person like me a criminal today," he said and described his action as self-defence. The BJP MLA accused CM's son and Kalyan MP Shrikant Shinde of putting up boards and grabbing credit for the work done by him. WHY OUR BOATS WERE BOARDED MALDIVES TO DELHI FP NEWS SERVICE / MALE The Maldives has asked India why its Coast Guard personnel boarded boats that were fishing in the former’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The boats fishing in the EEZ were boarded without informing any relevant authority and in violation of international maritime laws, Maldives has alleged and requested India to share the details of the operation. The development is the latest in the diplomatic row between the two nations that led to a strain in bilateral ties after President Mohamed Muizzu, seen as a pro-China leader, came to power in November last year in the Maldives. There was no immediate response from the Indian government to the Maldi- vian allegations. On January 31, the Indian Army intercepted Asuruma-3, a Maldivian boat engaged in fishing activities within the EEZ, located 72 nautical miles northeast of Dhidhdhoo, Haa Alifu Atoll, the Maldives’ defence ministry said on Friday . The Indian troops boarded Asuruma-3 and two other vessels within the EEZ without prior consultation with relevant authorities, thus breaching international maritime laws and regulations, it said. Soldiers from Indian Coast Guard ships 246 and 253 had boarded the three fishing boats, the Maldives said. Four soldiers initially came aboard Asuruma-3 and were later joined by two others, according to Bodu Kanneli Masveringe Union (BKMU), which initially reported the incident on social media. A video showing Indian soldiers aboard went viral on Friday. A video posted on social media by BKMU, which initially reported Wednesday’s incident, shows two Indian soldiers on the upper deck of the boat. One of them is armed. According to the BKMU, the crew member who shot the video states the soldiers aboard forced the rest of the crew to the back of the boat. The crew, alongside additional soldiers, are shown in the video. CONTD. ON P8 Punjab Guv quits for ‘personal reasons’ Leadership tips given to ministers RAJESH MOUDGIL & GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR Chandigarh & New Delhi Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Saturday resigned from the post while also stepping down as the administrator of the Union Territory (UT) of Chandigarh, the common capital of Punjab and Haryana. “Due to my personal reasons and certain other commitments, I tender my resignation from the post of the Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh. Please accept the same and oblige,” read his short resignation letter sent to President Droupadi Murmu. Purohit’s resignation comes a day after he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi on Friday and soon after the controversial Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) victory in the Chandigarh mayoral polls. As many as eight of the 36 votes cast in the polls were declared invalid, prompting cries of “rigging” by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-Congress alliance, which claimed a clear majority of 20 votes over the BJP’s 16. CONTD. ON P8 Panic after live grenade found near CAT Square OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in On the first day of the Leadership Summit on Saturday, the ministers of the Mohan Yadav government learnt the tactics of handling stress in their daily life and improving leadership qualities so that they can deliver their duties in a better manner. They also got a chance to know about the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Leadership Summit: Madhya Pradesh Government was held jointly by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy and Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini Institution on Saturday. Tips given on aligning state’s interests with Centre. CONTD. ON P8 TRAINING WILL HELP IN GOVERNANCE: CM CM said that entire people of the state are affected by the Cabinet decision and therefore training of ministers is necessary. It will help the ministers in learning the minute things of the government He said it will help ministers in learning about the coordination between the state and the Centre. EXPERTS SPEAK ON LEADERSHIP Executive director of Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini, Dr Jayant Kulkarni, shed light on the training programme. NITI Aayog’s Anand Shekar said the Aayog is working in four districts of the state. Dr Vikrant Tomar gave tips on how to deal with tension and stress. READY TO CREATE WORLD RECORD OUR STAFF REPORTER city.indore@fpj.co.in Panic gripped near CAT Square after a live grenade was recovered from a ground on Saturday night. Thankfully, the grenade was safely recovered and handed over to the BDDS Squad, who took it for further investigation. Information is being gathered about the grenade. ACP (Annapurna) Nandini Sharma said that information was given by a person after he spotted the grenade in the ground in Chitrakoot Nagar area around 8.30 pm. Dwarkapuri police reached the spot and recovered the grenade. The pin of the grenade was opened. Contestant participated in the street painting competition at SGSITS which will run for a non-stop 30-hours in a bid to make world record ANAND SHIVRE Cops on buffalo duty in Khandwa FP NEWS SERVICE / Khandwa In one of its kind incident, the unusual sight came about when a group of buffaloes strayed into the po- lice station compound and the officers decided to temporarily accommodate them until their owners could be located. Instead of treating them as mere animals, one police officer has stepped up to ensure their well-being. She is observed diligently looking after the buffaloes that are caught during routine checks, displaying a unique blend of compassion and duty The matter was re. ported at Jawar police station in Khandwa district, which is situated about 20kilometre from the district headquarters. Here the policemen, with a sense of humour, even took on the role of caretakers, ensuring the buffaloes were wellfed and comfortable during their unexpected stay . Jawar police station incharge JP Verma informed that police seized about 17 buffalos from one truck recently The market value of . these animals stands around Rs 8.5 lakh. In a normal scenario, whenever cows are caught, the police send them to cow shelters. Since the matter is related to expen- sive buffaloes and the price of these buffaloes is said to be more than Rs 8.5 lakh, the police are keeping these 17 buffaloes under their care. The police are taking extra precautions due to the high value of these buffaloes. They want to ensure their safety and prevent any potential theft or harm. Police personnel provide water and fodder. Not only this, but when they show tantrums while taking fodder and water, they are also pacified by caressing them. Their care is costing around Rs 5,000 per day. The police staff are taking care of these buffaloes like their own cattle. Verma said that when the order of the court is given, these buffaloes will be given to their owners. Till then, these buffaloes are being looked after in the Jawar police station premises only .