FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 12 | BHOPAL | THURSDAY | JUNE 26, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports THE DAY THAT CHANGED INDIAN CRICKET FOREVER ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN MONEY PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK Cinema ‘Aamir does not interfere’ COSMIC LEAP: Shubhanshu takes 1.4 bn dreams to space PTI NEW DELHI fp Briefs BENGALURU India 3rd in startup funding India jumped to third place in global tech startup funding in the first half this year (H1 2025), raising $4.8 billion, a report showed on Wednesday. Despite the year-on-year slowdown, India ranked third globally in tech startup funding, ahead of Germany and Israel and trailing the US and the UK, according to Tracxn. MUMBAI FDI inflows surge to $8.8 bn Gross inward foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into India surged to $8.8 billion in April this year, higher than $5.9 billion in March and $7.2 billion in April 2024, according to the RBI's monthly bulletin released on Wednesday. NEW DELHI ‘Modi first, country later’ The Congress on Wednesday once again displayed its angst at its MP Shashi Tharoor’s repeated praises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government on various issues when party president Mallikarjun Kharge remarked that while for the Congress it is always “nation first” for others it may be “Modi first”. Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla and three others aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft bound for the International Space Station. The astronauts began orbiting the Earth 10 minutes after the launch, prompting Shukla to announce India's return to human spaceflight after 41 years. "Kamaal ki ride thi (It was a great ride)," Shukla said soon after the Dragon spacecraft was placed in orbit around the Earth at an altitude of 200 km. The spacecraft is expected to dock at the ISS at 4:30 pm on Thursday, capping a 28-hour journey. The Lucknow-born Shukla, former NASA astronaut Mission Commander Peggy Whitson, Slawosz UznanskiWisniewski of Poland, and Tibor Kapu of Hungary are part of the Axiom-4 mission that marks the return to space for the three nations. Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to travel to the International Space Station, a journey that comes 41 years after Rakesh Sharma's eight days in orbit as part of the then Soviet Union's Salyut-7 space station in 1984. "Namaskar, my dear countrymen; we have reached space after 41 years. It was a great ride," Shukla said. "We are orbiting Earth at a speed of 7.5 km per second, I have the Indian tricolour embossed on my shoulders that tells me that I am with all of you," he said in Hindi. "It is not just the start of my journey to the ISS but also of India's human spaceflight. I want each one of you to be part of this journey, let us embark on India's human space programme together," Shukla said. 4Continued on | P8 TWO WORKERS KILLED IN CHORAL TUNNEL COLLAPSE Pak ready for meaningful dialogue: Sharif FP News Service ISLAMABAD PTI MHOW Two workers were killed on Wednesday morning when a portion of an under-construction tunnel caved in near Choral, along the Indore-Ichhapur National Highway. The collapse occurred around 4 a.m. at Tunnel Number 3— part of a major infrastructure project meant to enhance connectivity between Indore and Khandwa. Deputy Superintendent of Police Umakant Choudhary said the incident was triggered by persistent heavy rainfall, which loosened the surrounding soil and led to the outer face of the tunnel collapsing. “One worker died on the spot, while the other succumbed to injuries later in the hospital,” he confirmed. A MERG report has been filed, and investigations are underway, with a focus on whether safety protocols were adequately followed, especially during the risky monsoon period. The deceased were identified as Vikas (29), from Jhonka Vermasia in Jharkhand’s Giridih district, and Lalji Kaul from Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh. Both had been staying in a nearby labour camp. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed his readiness for a meaningful dialogue with India to address all outstanding issues. Sharif views on a dialogue with India were expressed during a telephonic conversation with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday, little over two months after tensions between the two neighbours escalated post the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 N-facilities badly damaged, confirms Iran Online Report TEHRAN Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei confirmed Wednesday the country's nuclear facilities had been "badly damaged" in American strikes over the weekend. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Baghaei refused to go into detail but conceded the Sunday strikes by American B-2 bombers using bunker buster bombs had been significant. Trump compares strikes on Iran to Hiroshima bombing At a Nato summit in The Hague on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump compared the US strikes on Iran to the second world war bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."I don't want to use an example of Hiroshima, I don't want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing that ended a war," Trump said at the summit. "This ended [the Israel-Iran] war. If we didn't take [out the nuclear facilities], they would be fighting right now," he added. "Our nuclear installations have been badly damaged, that's for sure," he said. Meanwhile, the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to be holding on Three labourers electrocuted during roof work in Raisen Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Three labourers were killed and four others injured when a concrete mixer machine came in contact with an electricity cable during roof casting work at a house in Raisen district on Wednesday, police said. The incident took place around 3 pm in Padaria Kalan village under Bamhori police station. Police said that workers were laying the roof of a concrete house belonging to Jamna Kewat. While pulling out the lift machine used for mixing cement-concrete, the machine touched a live power line, resulting in electrocution. Superintendent of Police Pankaj Pandey said, "The work of casting the roof was underway when the mixer machine accidentally came in contact with a power line." The deceased have been identified as Azad Singh (24) and Roop Singh (29), both residents of Nayakheda, and Rajesh Singh (23) from Salaiya. The four injured include family members and relatives of the house owner. They have been admitted to Silwani Civil Hospital, police said. E-paper Edit Air safety under a cloud P.6 Silver prices poised to rise on rising demand, declining supply AXIOM-4 MISSION | Shukla along with three others enroute to International Space Station 41 years after astronaut Rakesh Sharma’s spaceflight India's Shubhanshu Shukla scripted history by embarking on a space odyssey along with three others to the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission by Axiom Space on Wednesday, 41 years after astronaut Rakesh Sharma's spaceflight onboard a Russian spacecraft. SpaceX's Falcon-9 rocket blasted off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 12:01 pm IST carrying the astronauts of the Axiom-4 mission towards the ISS amid cheers from watch parties organised across the world, including at Shukla's City Montessori School in Lucknow where his parents witnessed the historic launch. MUMBAI Wednesday after a rocky start, giving rise to cautious hope that it could lead to a long-term peace agreement even as Tehran insists it will not give up its nuclear program. The ceasefire took hold on Tuesday, the 12th day of the war between Israel and Iran, with each side initially accusing the other of violating it until the missiles, drones and bombs finally stopped. 4Continued on | P8 Mamdani wins NYC mayoral primary NEW YORK: In a stunning victory, Indian-American lawmaker Zohran Kwame Mamdani defeated former governor Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary race for New York City mayor. Mamdani, son of renowned Indian filmmaker Mira Nair and Mahmood Mamdani, a Ugandan author of Indian ancestry, was declared victorious in the Democratic mayoral primary Tuesday night. CBSE Class 10 board exams twice a year from 2026 PTI NEW DELHI PTI From 2026, Class-10 students will be able to take CBSE board exams twice in an academic session but it will be mandatory for them to appear for the first phase in February, officials said on Wednesday. The second phase scheduled in May will be optional for students who wish to improve their performance. In case a student appears for both the phases, the best score of the two will be retained, they said. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has approved the norms for conducting board exams twice a year for Class-10, a move recommended in the new National Education Policy (NEP). "The first phase will be conducted in February and second in May. The results for the two phases will be announced in April and June, respectively," CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj said. "It will be mandatory (for students) to appear for the first phase while the second phase will be optional. Students will be allowed to improve their performance in any three subjects out of science, mathematics, social science and languages," he added. 4Continued on | P8 Ujjain airport plan hits land hurdle Rajan Raikwar Turbulence, too many BHOPAL l Ujjain airport needs 230 acres; only 64 acres available currently l Land acquisition must involve private owners due to lack of government land l Shivpuri project faces forest land and religious trust hurdles l State targets wider air connectivity under Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) The aviation department’s ambitious plan to develop the Ujjain airstrip into a fullfledged airport before the upcoming Simhastha has hit a major roadblock due to land availability issues. Currently spread across 64 acres, the existing airstrip falls far short of the land needed for an airport, and the lack of nearby government land means acquiring private land is now the only viable option. In response, the Ujjain district administration has been pressed into action to identify suitable land. Collector Raushan Kumar Singh confirmed receiving a letter from the aviation department stating that 230 acres are required. “A survey is underway to locate the required land, but no area has been finalised yet,” he told Free Press. The Ujjain airport is to be developed under the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS). Once completed, it would significantly enhance air access to the city, cutting travel time for visitors, especially during high-traffic religious events. A senior aviation department officer said that the Shivpuriairport project—for which an agreement was signed earlier—is also stuck due to land issues. 4Continued on | P8 NEW DELHI As the country commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted it was one of the "darkest chapters" in India's democratic history and slammed the then Congress government, saying it placed "democracy under arrest." Top leaders of the BJP and key ally JD(U) led the charge against the Congress with Modi saying no Indian will ever forget the manner in which the spirit of the Constitution was violated during the Emergency. The prime minister also affirmed his government's commitment to strengthening constitutional principles. The Union Cabinet at its meeting presided by Prime Minister Modi adopted a resolution against the Emergency and resolved to commemorate and honour the sacrifices of countless individuals who valiantly resisted the measure and its attempt at subversion of the spirit of the Indian Con- stitution. It also observed a two-minute silence as a mark of tribute to them. The Congress on its part launched a counter attack on the Modi government, alleging that over the past eleven years, Indian democracy has been under a "systematic and dangerous" five-fold assault that can be best described as "Undeclared Emergency@11". Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, a book which highlights Modi's fight for "the ideals of democracy" was released by Home Minister Amit Shah. 'The Emergency Diaries Years that Forged a Leader' is published by BlueKraft. 4Continued on | P8 Book recalls Modi’s visit to jail in guise of ‘swamiji’ Evading detection as a member of the banned RSS during the Emergency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi travelled in different disguises but it did not stop him from visiting a jail, of all the places with high risk for him, as a "swamiji" to speak to the incarcerated activists for nearly an hour, according to a book. BlueKraft has published "The Emergency Diaries - Years that Forged a Leader" to chronicle Modi's role in the underground campaign during that period, after speaking to a number of people associated with him at that time Mentally ill man killed as part of old govt house collapses Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL A portion of an old and dilapidated government quarter in the rear section of TT Nagar’s Old MLA Quarters collapsed, resulting in the death of a mentally deranged man who had taken shelter inside during rains. On Wednesday afternoon around 3:30 pm, the man’s head was trapped under the debris for about half-anhour as he cried for help, while locals recorded videos. The man was rescued by SDRF and police team and rushed to hospital, where he was declared brought dead on arrival. The victim, believed to be mentally unstable, was reportedly sleeping inside the structure at the time of the collapse. According to ACP TT Nagar Anita Khatarkar, police RAJA MURDER CASE PISTOL RECOVERED FROM NULLAH reached the spot immediately after receiving a Dial 100 call. An SDRF team was summoned for rescue operation, which lasted nearly 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the man had already died by the time he was recovered from the debris. Locals claimed that a man named Amit, mentally unwell and surviving by begging in nearby areas, had been staying there illegally. Following the incident, local MLA Bhagwandas Sabnani and senior administrative officials visited the site. 4Continued on | P8 Pak Army officer, who captured Abhinandan in 2019, killed PTI ISLAMABAD Our Staff Reporter INDORE offgrid Democracy placed under arrest: Modi on Emergency The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Shillong Police, investigating the high-profile Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, has finally recovered the pistol allegedly stolen by property dealer Silom James. The pistol was hidden in a drain (nullah) in Palasia area of Indore after being taken from a flat rented by Silom to one of the accused, where Raja’s wife Sonam had stayed for a few days. Police said Sonam had left the pistol, cash and other valuables in the flat before leaving for Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh. Silom reportedly discarded the bag containing the pistol into the drain a few days ago. With help from the Indore Crime Branch, Shillong police also recovered Rs 50,000 from Silom’s car parked outside his residence in Hare Krishna Vihar. This cash is believed to be the same amount missing from the stolen bag. However, the stolen jewellery and laptop are still untraceable. Police had earlier taken the accused to the site where he allegedly burnt the bag after removing the cash and pistol. Silom James was recently arrested by Shillong Police for stealing the bag from the flat. An officer of the Pakistan Army's Special Services Group, who had claimed to have captured Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman after his jet was shot down in a dogfight in 2019, was killed in a clash with the Taliban militants, according to the army. Major Syed Moiz Abbas Shah, 37, was killed on Tuesday in a clash with the Taliban militants in the Sararogha area of South Waziristan near the Afghan border, according to a statement by the InterServices Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the army. Lance Naik Jibran Ullah, 27, was also killed in the same battle, it said. The army troops killed 11 terrorists belonging to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and wounded seven others in the same operation, the statement said. Moiz's funeral prayer was offered at Chaklala Garrison, Rawalpindi, and army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir attended it. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8