FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 5 | BHOPAL | THURSDAY | JUNE 19, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Nation READY TO DEAL WITH ANY SCENARIO: CENTRE P.7 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY ‘India does not and will never accept mediation’ PTI KANANASKIS fp Briefs NEW DELHI Rs 3K FASTag pass to roll out In a bid to ease toll payments on National Highways, the government will from August 15 bring a Rs 3,000 FASTag-based annual pass that would allow up to 200 trips on the highways in one year on a single charge. The annual pass will be applicable only for non-commercial private vehicles such as cars, jeeps, and vans. It will allow seamless travel across National Highways without the need for repeated recharging of FASTag cards or toll payments. NEW DELHI Axiom-4 new date June 22 Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla's Axiom-4 mission to the International Space Station has been postponed to June 22 to allow NASA to evaluate the operations on the orbital lab after the recent repairs in the Russian section, Axiom Space announced on Wednesday. The Axiom4 mission, which marks the return to space for India, Hungary, and Poland, was earlier scheduled for lift-off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on June 19 onboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. Trump repeats claim Hours after holding a phone conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday repeated his claim that he stopped a war between India and Pakistan. In comments to reporters, Trump described Modi as "a fantastic man" and asserted that the two countries will have a trade deal. the foreign secretary said. The cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan was first announced by President Trump on May 10. Since then, the US president has been claiming that he brokered the ceasefire deal by threatening to stop trade with both countries if they do not agree to stop the conflict. The prime minister de- clined a request by the US president to stop over in the US on his way back from Canada, citing "prior commitments". The May 7-10 military clashes between India and Pakistan figured prominently during the phone conversation that took place as the two leaders could not meet on the sidelines of the G7 summit fol- lowing the American president's early departure. "Prime Minister Modi clearly conveyed to President Trump that at no point during this entire sequence of events was there any discussion, at any level, on an India-US trade deal, or any proposal for a mediation by the US between India and Pakistan," Misri said. "The discussion to cease military action took place directly between India and Pakistan through the existing channels of communication between the two armed forces, and it was initiated at Pakistan's request," he said, sharing key points of the ModiTrump meeting. The foreign secretary said Modi "firmly stated that India does not and will never accept mediation" and that there is complete political consensus in India on this matter. 4Continued on | P8 Don’t turn blind eye towards challenge of terrorism: PM to G7 PTI KANANASKIS India's neighbourhood has become a breeding ground for terrorism and turning a blind eye towards the challenge would be a "betrayal of humanity", Prime Minister Narendra Modi told G7 leaders, seeking action against Pakistan for its support to crossborder terrorist activities. In an address at a G7 outreach session here, Modi said the April 22 Pahalgam attack was a direct attack on the "soul, identity, and dignity" of every Indian, adding any country that supports terror- Modi in Croatia Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Croatia on Wednesday on the first-ever visit by an Indian premier, during which he will hold talks with the country's top leadership to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest. ism must be held accountable and made to pay the price. There must be no place for "double standards" in dealing with terrorism, he said and questioned whether those spreading terror and those who suffer from it be "weighed on the same scale." Modi was addressing the G7 outreach session on Energy Security on Tuesday. "Terrorism is the enemy of humanity. It stands in opposition to all nations that uphold democratic values. Unity in the fight against terrorism is imperative," Modi said. "Unfortunately, our own neighbourhood has become a breeding ground for terrorism." King Cobra ‘Nagarjun’ dies at Van Vihar PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Murder not justifiable P.6 ‘India Inc key pillar of nation’s economic growth, development’ MODI-TRUMP 35-MINUTE CALL | PM calls out Trump’s narrative on brokering ceasefire between India and Pakistan Prime Minister Narendra Modi has told President Donald Trump that India and Pakistan halted their military actions last month following direct talks between their militaries without any mediation by the US, calling out the American leader's narrative that he brokered the ceasefire. In a nearly 35-minute phone call with Trump on Tuesday, Modi firmly stated that India does not and will "never accept" mediation and that the discussions between Indian and Pakistani militaries on cessation of military actions were initiated at Islamabad's request, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. PM Modi also said that India no longer views "terrorism as a proxy war, but as a war itself", and that India's Operation Sindoor is still ongoing, UJJAIN Sports Kangana in a new role P.12 India, Canada agree to post envoys; restore stability in ties PTI Iran rejects call to surrender, warns against US intervention AP DUBAI NEW DELHI/KANANASKIS Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney have agreed to pursue "constructive" steps to restore stability in India-Canada ties including the early return of envoys to each other's capitals, signalling their intent to repair the strained relations. Modi and Carney held bilateral talks on Tuesday on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis focusing on resetting the bilateral ties that plummeted to an all-time low following a diplomatic spat over the killing of a Khalistani separatist. The two prime ministers also underscored the importance of restarting senior ministerial as well as workinglevel engagements across various domains to "rebuild trust" and "bring momentum" to the relationship, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of India-Canada ties, based on shared democratic values, respect for the rule of law and commitment to upholding the "principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity", it said. The statement assumes significance as India has been pressing Canada to not allow pro-Khalistani elements to carry out anti-India activities. 4Continued on | P8 Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday rejected US calls for surrender in the face of blistering Israeli strikes and warned that any military involvement by the Americans would cause "irreparable damage" to them. The second public appearance by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei since the Israeli strikes began six days ago came as Israel lifted some restrictions on daily life, suggesting that the missile threat from Iran was easing. Khamenei's speech came a day after US President Donald Trump demanded "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER" in a social media post and warned Khamenei that the US knows where he is but has no plans to kill him, "at least not for now." Trump initially distanced himself from Israel's surprise attack on Friday that triggered the conflict, but in recent days has hinted at greater American involvement, saying he wants something "much bigger" than a ceasefire. The US has also sent more military aircraft and warships to Our Staff Reporter INS Arnala, the first warship in the anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft series equipped to conduct subsurface surveillance, search and rescue missions and low-intensity maritime operations, was inducted into the Indian Navy on Wednesday. The commissioning cer- female king cobra is already present. Since then, Nagarjun had been living a solitary life at Van Vihar. His activities were being monitored through CCTV cameras. When forest officials noticed no movement in Nagarjun’s enclosure on Wednesday morning, they entered and found him dead. The death of King Cobra Nagarjun has come as a huge blow to the state’s ambitious programme to reintroduce the species into Madhya Pradesh. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has shown keen interest in bringing King Cobras back to the region. PTI MUMBAI The Bombay High Court has dismissed the petitions of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) challenging arbitral awards of over Rs 538 crore in favour of the now-defunct Indian Premier League franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala. In the order passed on Tuesday, Justice R Chagla said there is no "patent illegality" in the arbitral awards that requires the court's intervention. It has asked BCCI to pay the amount. The Kochi Tuskers Kerala franchise had been awarded to 4Continued on | P8 emony at the Naval Dockyard here was presided over by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan. Gen Chauhan underscored the Navy's remarkable transition from a "buyer's navy" to a "builder's navy", highlighting this as the JALNA Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart, Giorgia Meloni, met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada. The two leaders greeted each other with a handshake, with Prime Minister Modi saying, "India's friendship with Italy will continue to get stronger." continue to get stronger, greatly benefitting our people!" The two leaders had a brief exchange during the summit. PM Modi and Meloni earlier met during the COP28 summit in Dubai. The two leaders clicked a selfie, and Meloni captioned the photo "Good friends at COP28, #Melodi". Earlier in the day, PM Modi arrived at the Pomeroy Kananaskis Mountain Lodge a consortium led by Rendezvous Sports World (RSW) and later operated by Kochi Cricket Private Limited (KCPL). The team participated in the IPL in 2011, but their contract was terminated by the BCCI the following year. The dispute revolved around BCCI's termination of agreements on the grounds that KCPL and RSW allegedly failed to furnish a requisite bank guarantee. The KCPL and RSW initiated arbitration proceedings in 2012, terming the termination wrongful. 4Continued on | P8 Our Staff Reporter backbone of the "country's Blue Water aspirations", according to officials. The 77-metre long warship is the largest Indian naval warship to be propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination. (sacred necklace worn by married women) for his wife accompanying him, the shop owner overwhelmed by the nonagenarian's gesture of love for his spouse, gave it to him for a "token" amount Rs 20. A video of the heartwarming moment has gone viral on social media platforms, garnering more than two crore views, with many impressed by the elderly man's enduring love for his wife. 4Continued on | P8 You are the best, trying to be as you: Meloni tells Modi Meanwhile, in a warm exchange, Prime Minister Meloni told Prime Minister Modi, "You are the best. I am trying to be as you." Italy's PM posted a picture on X and said, "Italy and India, linked by a great friendship". Prime Minister Modi reshared the post and said, "Fully agree with you, PM Giorgia Meloni. India's friendship with Italy will 4Continued on | P8 INDORE offgrid Online Report "threatening and absurd statements" by Trump. Raja murder: Cops unmask Raj behind ‘Sanjay Verma’ 93-yr-old’s love, jeweller’s priceless act When a 93-year-old villager, dressed in a traditional white 'dhoti-kurta' and a cap, stepped into a jewellery shop in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the staff mistook his humble appearance for someone seeking financial help. But when he expressed the wish to buy a 'mangalsutra' the region. The Iranian nation is 'not one to surrender' Khamenei dismissed the HC asks BCCI to pay Rs 538 cr to Kochi Tuskers VISAKHAPATNAM In a major jolt, King Cobra snake died a mysterious death at Van Vihar National Park during early hours of Wednesday. Forest officials are now awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the actual cause behind the sudden death. Van Vihar Director Vijay Kumar told Free Press that nothing is known yet about how King Cobra died. “Its movement was good inside the enclosure. It died a sudden death. It had no external injury,” he said. The five-year-old King Cobra was named Nagarjun.It was on April 6 that two male King Cobras were brought to Van Vihar from Pilikula Biological Park, Mangalore (Karnataka), under an animal exchange programme. One of them, aged eight years, was named Nagshayna, and the other, Nagarjun, was five years old. In May, Nagshayna was taken to Indore Zoo, where a President Donald Trump would not say Wednesday whether he has decided to order a US strike on Iran, a move that Tehran warned anew would be greeted with stiff retaliation if it happens. "I may do it, I may not do it," Trump said in an exchange with reporters at the White House . "I mean, nobody knows what I'm going to do." Trump added that it's not "too late" for Iran to give up its nuclear programme as he continues to weigh direct US involvement in Israel's military operations aimed at crushing Tehran's nuclear programme. "Nothing's too late," Trump said. "I can tell you this. Iran's got a lot of trouble." "Nothing is finished until it is finished," Trump added. But "the next week is going to be very big- maybe less than a week." As many as 110 Indian students evacuated from northern Iran will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of Thursday as India launched 'Operation Sindhu' to evacuate its nationals from the warzone. "The Indian Embassy has evacuated 110 Indian students from northern Iran, assisting them in safely crossing over into Armenia on 17th June 2025. The students have travelled by road to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia. These students departed Yerevan on a special flight at 1455 hrs on 18th June 2025 and will arrive in New Delhi in the early hours of 19th June 2025 as part of the initial stages of Operation Sindhu," read a statement issued by the MEA PTI BHOPAL ‘I MAY DO IT, I MAY NOT DO IT’ 110 Indians students to land today Navy inducts anti-submarine INS Arnala 4Continued on | P8 Israeli air defense system fires to intercept missiles during an Iranian attack over Tel Aviv, Israel in Canada to attend the highlevel gathering. Canadian PM Mark Carney received PM Modi as he arrived at the venue of the G7 Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta. This marks his sixth consecutive participation in the G7 Summit and his first visit to Canada in a decade. PM Modi received a ceremonial welcome at the Calgary airport, where India's acting high commissioner, Chinmoy Naik, was among those who received him. The Prime Minister arrived in Canada after concluding his visit to Cyprus. PM Modi's visit to Canada marks a significant moment in bilateral ties following a phase of strained diplomatic relations. 4Continued on | P8 A new mysterious name stormed into the spotlight in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case on Wednesday—Sanjay Verma, linked to Sonam Raghuvanshi—which became the hot topic of the day. Everyone had just one question on their lips: Who is Sanjay Verma, the man to whom Sonam made as many as 234 calls between March 1 and April 8. As family members claimed ignorance, the police quietly started pulling the thread of the mystery behind the number registered under the name Sanjay Verma on the Truecaller app. This number is currently switched off. Call records accessed by the police revealed extensive conversations between Sonam and the person using the number. By sunset, the mask had slipped—and what lay beneath was far more chilling. Sanjay Verma never existed. He was a digital shadow—a fake identity used by Raj Kushwaha, Sonam’s alleged lover, to hide in plain sight. Sources said that in the weeks leading up to the Meghalaya Police reached the maternal home of Sonam Raghuvanshi in Govind Nagar and questioned her family Pic: Anand Shivre 2nd murder weapon found Meghalaya police recovered the second dao (machete) used in Raja’s murder from the deep gorge with the help of SDERF team. The team managed to retrieve the weapon using metal detector. The police came to know about the second weapon following the recreation of murder at the spot. murder, Raj was playing a game, that too a dangerous one. 4Continued on | P8 First organised, pre-planned crime in Meghalaya: Minister Hek Meghalaya's Minister Alexander Laloo Hek on Wednesday said that Raja Raghuvanshi murder case was the first instance of an organised, pre-meditated crime in the state. "This Raja Raghuvanshi case is a first organised, pre-planned crime of Meghalaya," he said underlining government's commitment to ensuring swift justice and making the state crime-free.