FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 171 | INDORE | THURSDAY | NOVEMBER 27, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 HAPPY FREE THANKS GIVING DAY www.freepressjournal.in Sports HOME FORTRESS FALLS P.12 IAS OFFICER VERMA SHOW CAUSED Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Late on Wednesday night, state government issued show cause notice to IAS officer Santosh Kumar Verma over his controversial comment against Brahmin community. The comment comes under the category of indiscipline and misconduct, said the notice and asked why action should not be initiated against him for indiscipline. Verma has been given seven days’ time to reply. During AJAKS convention Verma said that reservation should continue till a Brahmin donated his girl to his son. Brahmins are up in arms against Verma terming his statement as an act to divide the society. Taking cognizance of the incident, the government issued the show cause notice to Verma who is currently posted as Deputy Secretary , Agriculture Development and farmer welfare department. fp Briefs ISLAMABAD Rumours swirl over Imran’s death Rumours about former Pakistan PM Imran Khan’s death spread online after several Pakistani and Afghan social media accounts alleged he was killed in a conspiracy involving ISI and Field Marshal Asim Munir. As posts circulated widely, Baluchistan’s Foreign Affairs Ministry commented on X, saying that if true, the development would mark the “absolute end of terrorist Pakistan.” Pak govt has not issued any clarification in this regard. RAIPUR 41 Maoists surrender Forty-one armed Maoists, including 12 women, surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district under government rehabilitation schemes. They carried rewards totalling ₹1.19 crore. Officials said continuous security pressure and welfare programmes encouraged their return. IMPHAL 675-acre poppy field destroyed Security forces destroyed over 675 acres of illegal poppy cultivation in six Manipur districts, seizing equipment and destroying huts and chemicals. An aerial survey detected an additional 700 acres. Officials say the crop could have yielded opium worth hundreds of crores. NEW DELHI Record kharif output India is set to achieve record kharif foodgrain production of 173.33 million tonnes, driven by strong rice and maize output, according to estimates. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said favourable monsoon rainfall helped most regions. ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN MONEY PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK Cinema Bhumi’s Daldal first look revealed P.14 VIT students on rampage, set vehicles afire on campus F P News Service SEHORE 4Continued on | P8 IANS GLASGOW Ahmedabad has officially been awarded hosting rights for the Centenary Commonwealth Games in 2030 — only the second time in history the Games will be held in India after New Delhi 2010. The announcement backed by delegates from 74 member nations sparked jubilant celebrations as Garba dancers and dhol drummers turned the assembly hall into a colourful showcase of India’s cultural power. See Sports pg On Constitution Day, Modi calls for duty-driven citizenship in open letter Students protest at VIT in Sehore late on Tuesday night and (right) vehicles set afire Fake news of deaths fuelled anger: Registrar The registrar of the institute, KK Nayar, said an RO water facility was available. Samples of water and food are regularly taken, Nayar said, adding that there was fake news of deaths of some students on social media, which caused resentment among the students. 3-MEMBER TEAM TO PROBE The MP Private University Regularity Commission has set up a three-member committee to probe the incident of violence by students on VIT campus after the reports of illness caused by polluted water. Principal of the Government Government Hamidia Arts and Commerce College Anil Shivani will head the committee. The other members are Sanjay Dikshit of Motilal Nehru Vigyan Mahavidyalaya and Dr Lokendra Dave of the Indira Gandhi Medical College. Agencies STUDENTS’ HEALTH TOP PRIORITY: KRISHNA GAUR Minister of state for minority welfare and in charge of Sehore, Krishna Gaur, took feedback from the collector Balaguru K and SP Deepak Kumar Shukla on the incidents that followed after several students of VIT fell ill consuming contaminated water. She asked the officials and management of VIT to give top priority to the students health and close the institute for a few days. SC: Nation can bring back law evaders Our Staff Reporter PTI BHOPAL NEW DELHI Raisen police resorted to lathicharge and fired tear gas shells at protesters moving towards the colony of a particular community on Wednesday. A six-year-old girl was raped on September 21 by accused Salman Khan in Goharganj police station area. Since then, villagers have been protesting for arrest of the accused, who remained at large till Wednesday evening, intensifying demonstrations. The country has a right to bring back offenders who are evading law, the Supreme Court said on Wednesday as it refused to entertain a plea by a man seeking withdrawal of a request made to the United Arab Emirates for his extradition. According to authorities, 153 cases are registered against petitioner Vijay Murlidhar Udhwani, who had travelled to Dubai in July 2022 and is alleged to be involved in organised illegal activities of bootlegging and other offences. A large number of villagers from adjoining areas gathered at Goharganj. Police made extensive arrangements to pre- vent any untoward incident and ensure roads remained open. 4Continued on | P8 Congress state president Jitu Patwari met family and the victim at AIIMS hospital, assuring all possible help from the party platform. He said, When safety of girls is at stake across the state, simply removing an SP or TI isn’t the answer. 4Continued on | P8 HR88B8888: Costliest car plate at `1.17cr Rs 7,280-cr push for rare earth magnet manufacturing Agencies FP News Service NEW DELHI NEW DELHI Going once, going twice, sold! Number plate 'HR88B8888' is officially India's costliest car registration number sold for Rs 1.17 crore on Wednesday in Haryana. Haryana holds online auctions for VIP or fancy number plates weekly. Between Friday 5 pm and Monday 9 am, bidders can apply for the number of their choice. The government on Wednesday approved a ₹7,280-crore scheme to boost domestic manufacturing of rare earth permanent magnets, a strategic move aimed at reducing India’s heavy dependence on China for these critical components. Rare earth magnets are indispensable for electric vehicles, wind turbines, consumer electronics, aerospace systems, and numerous defence applications, making them one of the most sought-after indus- 4Continued on | P8 Ah’bad to host centenary CWG PM to citizens: Strengthen democracy through voting RAISEN RAPE CASE: Cops use lathis, tear gas to control protesters JITU SLAMS GOVT E-paper Edit Not where they claim to be P.6 MKTS SOAR AS FED, RBI RATE CUT HOPES BOOST SENTIMENT CAMPUS UNREST| Protest erupts at VIT Sehore after 32 students fall ill allegedly due to contaminated drinking water Angry students of the Vellore Institute of Technology in Sehore set vehicles and cars parked on the campus afire and vandalised the institute properties late Tuesday night. They also clashed with the security guards. The incident occurred after 32 of students fell ill consuming contaminated water supplied on the college campus in the Ko t ha r i village on the Scan & Watch I n d o re Bhopal highway under Ashta police station. A team of police and administrative officers, led by sub-divisional magistrate Nitin Tale and sub-divisional officer of police Akash Amalkar, rushed to the spot and convinced the students to call off the protest. After the protest ended, the management announced the closure of the institute for five days. The students said many of them were suffering from jaundice because of the contaminated water, but the management did not pay any heed to their complaints. MUMBAI trial inputs worldwide. Cleared by the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the “Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs)” seeks to create an annual production capacity of 6,000 metric tonnes in India. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, announcing the decision, said the initiative would mark the establishment of India’s first fully integrated REPM manufacturing ecosystem—from oxide processing to the produc- tion of finished magnets. Under the plan, the government will support companies in setting up end-to-end manufacturing facilities capable of converting rare earth oxides into metals, transforming those metals into specialised alloys, and finally producing finished magnets. The total capacity will be distributed among five selected beneficiaries through a global bidding process, with each eligible for up to 1,200 MTPA of production. 4Continued on | P8 NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday penned an open letter to the nation on the occasion of Constitution Day, recalling the adoption of the Constitution in 1949 and its continued influence in shaping India’s progress. He noted that the Government declared November 26 as Constitution Day in 2015 to honour the nation’s guiding document. In a bizarre case that has stunned Italy, a 57-year-old man was arrested after allegedly disguising himself as his deceased mother for years to continue collecting her pension. The case, now being referred to as a real-life “Mrs. Doubtfire” scandal, came to light after officials noticed unusual physical traits during an identity renewal attempt. The man, whose name remains withheld, is believed to be the son of Graziella Dall’Oglio, who died in 2022 at age 82. Instead of reporting her death, he allegedly hid her body inside their home in Borgo Virgilio near Mantua. Police later discovered the mummified remains wrapped in bedsheets and a sleeping FP News Service NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it has the power to extend the date for publication of draft electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) if the petitioners are able to make out a case. The observation from Chief Justice of India Surya Kant came as parties in the West Bengal matter expressed concern that the case was being posted to December 9, the same day the draft roll is scheduled to be published. “So what? If you make out a case, then we can direct them to extend the date. Can that date be a ground for the Court to say that we don't have any power now? Court can always say,” the CJI remarked. The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi is 2 cr Aadhaars deactivated IANS/NEW DELHI The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated more than 2 crore Aadhaar numbers belonging to deceased individuals as part of a nationwide effort to keep database accurate and up to date, Ministry of Electronics & IT said on Wednesday. 4Continued on | P8 a brown wig to impersonate his mother. He reportedly continued withdrawing her survivor’s pension, worth around €53,000 (Rs 54.79 lakh) per year, and may have fraudulently collected millions over time. He also inherited income from family real estate and farmland. bag inside a laundry room. According to investiga- tors, the suspect dressed in skirts, blouses, lipstick and ‘Constitution defines India’s identity’ President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said the Constitution is the foundation of India’s national identity and a guide to discard colonial thinking and embrace nationalism. Speaking at the Constitution Day event in Samvidhan Sadan, she said Parliament reflects citizens’ aspirations and now stands as an inspiration for democracies worldwide. She called the Constitution a symbol of national pride. ‘Can extend SIR draft roll deadline if needed’ SC orders nationwide scrutiny Italian man dresses up as dead mother to claim pension Agencies 4Continued on | P8 PRIVATE UNIVS offgrid ROME Taking a subtle swipe at the previous Congress government, the Prime Minister said the Constitution did not re- ceive the recognition it deserved when it completed 60 years in 2010. He recalled organising a Samvidhan Gaurav Yatra in Gujarat, during which a copy of the Constitution was ceremonially placed on an elephant as a mark of respect. A key message of his letter focused on strengthening democracy by exercising the right to vote. 4Continued on | P8 hearing a batch of petitions filed by several States and political parties challenging the conduct of the SIR of electoral rolls announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The petitioners have argued that the ECI has no power under the Representation of the People Act to revise in the manner being done, and have raised concerns about haste, burden on electors, and possible exclusions. For West Bengal, the Court directed the ECI to file its counter-affidavit over the weekend, along with replies to two newly filed intervention applications. The matter will now be heard on December 9, with the West Bengal State Election Commission also permitted to file its reply by December 1. 4Continued on | P8 FP News Service NEW DELHI The SC has ordered a nationwide examination of how private universities are created, run and regulated, after hearing a petition filed by a student who accused Amity University of harassment for changing her name. Calling the issue one of “larger public interest,” the SC has sought affidavits from the Centre, states and UTs, and UGC on functioning, oversight and benefits granted to private and deemed-to-be universities. A Bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and NV Anjaria said it wanted clarity. 4Continued on | P8 Gautam’s team buries India’s proud home record without a fight Men-in-blue suffer heaviest Test defeat by runs Agencies GUWAHATI Off-spinner Simon Harmer produced a magical 6-37 as South Africa handed India their heaviest Test defeat by runs, storming to a 408-run victory in the second Test at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium and securing a commanding 2-0 series sweep on Wednesday. Chasing 549, India folded for 140 on Day 5, with only Ravindra Jadeja offering resistance with a fighting 54. The loss marks India’s second home Test whitewash in two years, following the 3-0 humiliation against New Zealand last year, and breaks their long-held fortress reputation at home. (Detail Report on Sports Page) ‘BCCI to decide my future’ Under intense pressure after India’s 0–2 Test series whitewash against South Africa, head coach Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday said that his future rests solely with the BCCI, while firmly reminding critics of the successes achieved during his tenure. “It is up to the BCCI to decide… Indian cricket is important, I'm not important.”