THE SUNDAY Vol. 36 No. 24 | Sunday, March 9, 2025 31 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only | Reg. No. MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 46955/1988 M.p.c.s. office Mumbai-400001 FREE PRESS JOURNAL Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper VARIETY Weekend Forgotten traditions & Holi celebrations across India Manipur sees clashes on ‘Free Movement’ Day 1 Rahul’s eyes on ‘traitors within’ Agencies Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hinted at an overhaul of the Congress party in Gujarat, ahead of the 2027 state assembly polls. He called for filtering out leaders and workers from his party who were working for the BJP saying that the needed to be removed. "If we have to remove 10, 15, 20, or even 40 people who secretly work for the BJP, then we must do it," he declared. Addressing party workers on the second day of his two- Digjyoti Lahkar One Kuki Zo protester was killed and over 25 others, including women, were injured in clashes when security forces tried to disperse demonstrators opposing Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s free movement directive in Manipur's Kangpokpi on Saturday. According to officials, 30year-old Lalgouthang Singsit died of bullet wounds sustained during clashes at Keithelmanbi. He succumbed while he was being taken to a nearby hospital. The unrest left 25 protesters injured in separate clashes at Gamgiphai, Motbung and Keithelmanbi. The injured people were admitted to local primary health centres (PHCs). Home Minister's call is met with violence which leaves one dead, 25 hurt Earlier in the day, tensions flared when Kuki demonstrators took to the streets to protest against Shah’s announcement allowing free movement in the state. In response, security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the agitating crowd, triggering violent clashes. The situation worsened when protesters set ablaze private vehicles and attempted to stop a state transport bus travelling from Imphal to Senapati. 4Contd on | Nation day Gujarat visit, Rahul Gandhi said the party's first job was to separate two groups of Congress workers and leaders ones who carry the party ideology in their hearts and stand with the public and the others who were cut off from the public, "half of whom are with the BJP". "There are two types of people in the Gujarat Congress leadership and among workers. Those who are honest with people, fight for them, respect them and have the ideology of the Congress in their heart. And the others who are cut off from FPJ News Service BHOPAL Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced that those found guilty of converting girls through religious coercion will face capital punishment under the Freedom of Religion Act. The state government is determined to implement such a provision, ensuring that anyone who forces innocent girls into conversion or commits acts of sexual violence will not be spared. The government, he Biswajeet Banerjee The grand spectacle of the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj has concluded, leaving behind echoes of devotion and faith. But for 869 families, the event has not truly ended. Their loved ones, who came seeking spiritual solace, vanished in the sea of millions, leaving them trapped in an unending wait. The lost and found centre, once a beacon of hope, now The lost and found centre, once a beacon of hope, now stands in silence. The walls are still covered with fading posters—smiling faces that have now become symbols of sorrow stands in silence. The walls are still covered with fading posters—smiling faces that have now become symbols of sorrow. Some bear reward announcements, desperate attempts to bring back the ones who walked away and never re- 600 dead in Syria More than 600 people have been killed in two days of brutal sectarian clashes and revenge massacres in Syria, marking one of the deadliest escalations in the country’s 14-year conflict, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The violence erupted Thursday when security forces clashed with loyalists of ousted President Bashar Assad. Chaos deepened as Sunni gunmen backing the new government launched bloody reprisals against Assad’s Alawite sect, slaughtering hundreds and setting homes ablaze. The human rights group reported that among the dead were 428 Alawites. turned. Gyarsa Mali is one such name. His son, Dhanvesh Mali, still roams the streets of Prayagraj, holding onto the belief that his father, who set out for a holy dip, will be found. "We haven't gone home," Dhanvesh says. "He must be here. We even Briefs Pressure on tariffs? The Congress accused the Modi government of bowing to US pressure and reducing tariffs, following claims by Donald Trump that New Delhi had agreed to substantial reductions. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh demanded Modi take Parliament into confidence, questioning if Indian farmers and MSMEs were being compromised. Congress's Pawan Khera criticized Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal's US visit, calling it humiliating that Trump, not India, announced the tariff cut. See also Nation said, will not hesitate to take most stringent action against offenders. This announcement was made by CM during the statelevel programme on International Women's Day at the Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre on made a video, pleading for him to return." Every unanswered call, every fruitless search, only deepens the pain. Then there is Preeti Kishore, a 45-year-old woman from Bihar. She had come with her husband, Dr. Neeraj Pankaj, on February 20. The sacred waters washed over her feet, but before she could take the next step with her family, she was gone— lost in the endless crowd. 4Contd on | Nation Sunita set for return NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore are expected to return to Earth on March 16 after an unexpected nine-month stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The duo initially embarked on what was meant to be a 10-day mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner, but technical setbacks left them stranded in orbit. NASA confirmed on Friday that a relief crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon next week, clearing the way for Williams and Wilmore’s return. Originally scheduled to return in February, the astronauts will now make the journey back together on March 16. offgrid Hackman died 7 days after his wife Agencies Hantavirus killed Betsy Arakawa, and Gene Hackman, who suffered from advanced Alzheimer's disease, lived for a week without knowing she had died. While he died from coronary artery disease, their dog Zinna died of starvation and dehydration. SANTA FE Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman died of natural causes about a week after his wife Betsy Arakawa, who died after contracting a rare virus, a New Mexico medical investigator has said. The BBC reports that Hackman, 95, died at his Santa Fe home from coronary artery disease, with advanced Alzheimer's disease a contributing factor. Arakawa, 65, died in the same house from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a respiratory illness caused by exposure to in- fected rodents. Her cause of death was listed as natural. Authorities believe she passed away about seven days before her husband, to whom she had been married for more than 30 years. During his career, Hack- the people sit far away, do not respect them, and half of whom are with the BJP," he said. The Leader of Opposition in Death penalty if girls are forcibly converted: MP CM Endless wait for 869 missing after Kumbh PRAYAGRAJ Sunday Read Bollywood actor Aamir Khan turns 60 GUJARAT CONUNDRUM | Congress leader says he is ready to weed out as many as 40 party leaders who “secretly work for the BJP” AHMEDABAD GUWAHATI Live Smart Psychological benefits of playing Holi Padma Shri Dr Soma Ghosh talks about ‘Hori songs of Banaras’ man won two Academy Awards for The French Connection and Unforgiven. It is likely that Arakawa died first on 11 February, Dr Heather Jarrell of the New Mexico Medical Investigator's Office told a news conference on Friday. She said it was "reasonable to conclude" that Hackman had died on 18 February. Arakawa, 65, had run a series of errands on Feb. 11, but the authorities could find no evidence of any activity after that, suggesting that she could have died that day., reports the New York Times. That day she was seen going to a grocery store, a CVS pharmacy and a pet store, before returning home in the early evening. 4Contd on | Nation Saturday. CM Yadav said that the government is taking tough action in cases involving both religious conversions and rape. Earlier, capital punishment was meted out only in cases of rape involving minors, but now the state plans to extend this measure to other serious offences. “I want to make it clear that the government won’t tolerate heinous crimes against innocent girl children and forceful religious conversion. 4Contd on | Nation the Lok Sabha said the party's first job should be to filter these two groups, even if it means taking strict action of removing people. Till the two groups are separated, the people of Gujarat will not believe in the party, he said. Gandhi said, "For our district, block presidents and senior leaders, the party should find a place in their hearts. They should carry Congress in their blood. Put the issue of winning and losing the elections aside. As soon as we do that, the people of Gujarat would like to join our organisation, and we will open the door for them." 4Contd on | Nation CM Fadnavis stresses need for love jihad law Prajakta Pol MUMBAI Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday emphasised the need for a Love Jihad law, citing reports of nearly 1 lakh such cases. He noted that while these cases initially seemed like interfaith marriages, a troubling pattern had emerged with men hiding their identities before marriage and later abandoning their wives after having children. Many of these women were then rejected by their families and left on the streets to fend for themselves. Given this alarming trend, Fadnavis emphasized the necessity of a love jihad law. He made these remarks while discussing women’s issues on the occasion of International Women’s Day. He also discussed women’s safety. 4Contd on | Nation Legends, AI foresee epic ICC final Haridev Pushparaj MUMBAI The stage is set for a blockbuster ICC Champions Trophy final as Rohit Sharma’s Team India face their perennial knockout nemesis, New Zealand, in what promises to be a Super Sunday showdown. India head into the clash as firm favourites, eyeing their second ICC title in less than a year after clinching the T20 World Cup in June. However, former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar believes New Zealand can upend the script—if they shed their underdog mentality. “They need to forget they’re up against India. Forget the reputation. Forget that they’re supposed to be second-best. I’ve seen that belief in Santner—he wants to win a title,” Akhtar said. With Rohit Sharma expected to lead from the front, Akhtar stressed that New Zealand’s ability to contain him could be pivotal. “Rohit will go on the attack, especially against spin. 4Contd on | Nation