FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLI No. 162 | INDORE | TUESDAY | NOVEMBER 19, 2024 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE World Trump names Brendan Carr as telecom chief P.9 UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI Cinema Vidya Balan: It Was Inflammation! P.14 Mob locks Central offices, burn effigies of PM, CM BARBARISM IN ALIRAJPUR: Five held after outrage over the incident Couple stripped, man paraded One killed in firing by security forces Agencies IMPHAL\GUWAHATI FP News Service CHANDRASHEKHAR AZAD NAGAR In a shocking incident a youth in a village in Alirajpur district was beaten up along with his girlfriend and then he was paraded naked in the village, for alleged infidelity. The incident, that has drawn widespread condemnation took place in Sejawada village, Chandrashekhar Azad Nagar block of Alirajpur district. In an act reminiscent of 'Talibani' justice, villagers publicly punished Devsingh, son of Raisingh Parmar, and his girlfriend for their act. Initially, the young couple were beaten up, but things soon escalated and the villagers stripped both individuals of their clothing and subsequently paraded Devsingh naked through the village, subjecting them to humiliation while the entire community looked on. Despite the severity of the situation, their plight did not end with public shaming. Upon seeking refuge and justice at the Sejawada police station, the victims found little support from law enforcement, which puts question mark on police functioning. As news of the incident spread, there was widespread condemnation from several quaters. An FIR has since been filed against six individuals involved in this act. Of those, five have already been taken into custody, while CM going to UK, Germany to woo investors Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL DELHI UNDER HAZE An anti-smog gun on a multi-purpose vehicle sprays water droplets to curb air pollution as Delhis air quality remains in the severe category, at Raisina Hills in New Delhi on Monday authorities are searching for the sixth participant. SP Rajesh Vyas has acknowledged the gravity of the matter, stating, "The incident has come to our attention. We assure the public that an FIR will be registered and stringent action will be taken against those responsible." A social worker of the area who did not want to be named said that this brutal act exemplifies not only the dangerous mindset towards personal relationships and love but also highlights the urgent need for a cultural shift and robust legal frameworks to protect individuals from mob justice and societal oppression. He added that the village's actions have elicited widespread anger, emphasising the importance of accountability and justice in preventing such occurrences moving forward. Do not relax GRAP-4 curbs without court's nod: SC Flagging delay in implementation of stricter measures for checking the alarming rise in pollution, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Delhi-NCR states to immediately set up teams to enforce GRAP 4 restrictions which, it said, will remain in effect even if the AQI is below 450. Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih said it is the constitutional duty of all states to ensure all citizens live in a pollution-free environment. Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Monday raised alarm over the severe air pollution engulfing a large swathe of north India, describing the situation as a medical emergency caused by rampant stubble burning in several "BJP-ruled" states. But the BJP-led central government, instead of addressing the crisis, is focussed on political blame games, she told a press conference here. Is Chhota Popat the key issue? FP News Service The election season is always a spectacle, but this time it seems to be a trite slapstick comedy with theatrics that obscure the real issues. The histrionics this time are courtesy Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, who stood under the arc lights on Monday in the year's most ham-handed performance. Imagine this: Gandhi, looking more like a nervous teenager at his first youth festival than a seasoned politician, strides up to the podium. With all the flourish of a jaded magician, he unveils a steel box labeled "safe return." The crowd waits in anticipation as he dramatically opens it, revealing… a poster. Not just any poster, but one featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ‘a much-innews’ business magnate. The message: “Ek hai toh safe hai”— they are safe as long as they are together. The insinuation is clear: an unholy nexus between the two. Gandhi’s narrative pivots on the allegation that PM Modi is more concerned with safeguarding the tycoon’s interests than addressing the Worst pollution of season Delhi's air quality on Monday plummeted to alarming levels, with the city recording its highest average 24-hour AQI for the season at 493. The strictest GRAP 4 restrictions are currently in place in the national capital. Out of the 36 air monitoring stations across the national capital, 13 reported AQI readings at the extreme levels of 499 or 500, indicating hazardous air conditions. These stations include locations such as India Gate, Mundka, Najafgarh, Dwarka, Siri Fort. Atishi attacks BJP, says north India facing medical emergency MUMBAI Chief Minister Mohan Yadav is going to visit United Kingdom and Germany from November 24 to 30. He is going there to attract investments. This is his first foreign tour as a CM. He will leave for London on November 24. He will visit the British Parliament in Westminster on November 25. He will also visit King’s Cross and redevelopment sites and attend a dinner programme organized by the NRI “Friends of Madhya Pradesh” in London. More than 400 NRIs will participate in that dinner. He will interact with industrialists and the High Commissioner of India Vikram K Doraiswami at breakfast on November 26. He will also visit Warwick University on November 27, after which he will interact with the Dean, faculty members and researchers of Warwick Manufacturing Group. Later on, he will leave for Germany from Birmingham Airport and reach Munich. After his 3 day visit to UK, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will be on a visit to Germany on the 28th and 29th of November. During the visit, he will attend many important events in Munich and Stuttgart. He will hold discussions with the leaders of the Bavaria state government and the Consul General of India in Munich. He will participate in the interactive session on Investment Opportunities in Madhya Pradesh. E-paper needs of the people of Maharashtra. He claimed, "The entire political machinery is twisted to benefit only one person," pointing specifically to the controversial Dharavi redevelopment project. According to Gandhi, the BJPled government was merely a puppet show, with Modi pulling the strings to enrich the industrialist. The BJP takes the cue and the drama takes a turn for the absurd. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra wasted no time mocking Gandhi’s theatrics, dismissing the press conference as a “low-level” affair that perfectly encapsulated Gandhi’s grasp on real issues—or, more accurately, his complete lack thereof. 4Continued on | P6 Though no fresh incidents of violence was reported on Monday, one person was killed, and another sustained injuries on Sunday as security forces opened fire in Jiribam district to disperse the crowd, killing a 20year-old man identified as K Athouba. The incident occurred around 11 pm at Babupara. As part of protests in Manipur civil society organisations locked Central Government offices, and civilians burned effigies of the Prime Minister, Governor of Manipur, and Chief Minister Biren Singh on Monday in capital Imphal. Meanwhile, the sixth body, that of a woman, was recovered from Barak river on Monday. The members of Coordinating Committee of Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), stated that the Centre has failed to secure the lives and property of the people of Manipur. Since the report about the killing of minors and women, the people of Manipur feel that the Government of India has failed to safeguard the lives and property of its citizens, In response, residents have taken to the streets, stated. "We believe we must put pressure on the Centre to act sooner rather than later. The long-pending crisis, which has lasted over 18 months, needs resolution as soon as possible," civil society's leaders said, warning of more unrest in times to come. Biswajeet Banerjee PRAYAGRAJ Ravindra Puri, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad, has stirred controversy by calling for a ban on Muslim participation in the upcoming 2025 Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj. Speaking to the media on Monday after a meeting of the Akhada Parishad, Puri alleged that the presence of Muslims at the Hindu religious festival could "corrupt" the religion of sadhus and sanyasis through what he described as "spit SPs of 3 dists among 10 IPS officers shifted Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL jihad" and adulteration of food items. "Can any non-Muslim or Hindu go to Mecca or set up a shop there? If not, then Muslims should not be allowed entry here either," Puri stated, emphasizing that Maha Kumbh is a significant event of Sanatan Dharma. The Akhada Parishad President further demanded a ban on Muslims selling food, snacks, or beverages at the festival, arguing that this measure would prevent any potential disputes. "They (Muslims) can participate in contracting or selling non-food items, but Sukham Bidyananda, the students' wing coordinator of COCOMI, said the organisation is protesting the Central Government’s failure by locking down key government institutions, including the Election Commission of Manipur. 4Continued on | P6 Our Staff Reporter 4Continued on | P6 Muslim traders have been allegedly evicted from 'Swadeshi Mela' held by Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) at the Tehsil Ground in Damoh district. SJM organisation has clarified that it is not the matter of community particular so it is not justified to generate controversy as fair is to promote locals so preference has been given to local traders and then state so outsiders like Lucknow, Jammu& Kashmir have not been invited. A fair which was meant to encourage self-employment and promote local products so outsiders have not been allowed, SJM added. It has sparked a massive controversy. Muslim traders A first in 15 years, India dethrones China as top source of international students in US Science is the most popular field of study among Indian students in the US, with 42.9 per cent of the number of Indian students pursuing this field in 2023-24, which is a slight uptick from 41.2 per cent in 2022-23. Engineering, which was more popular than Mathmatics or Computer Science eight years ago, has seen a dip in recent years in terms of the percentage of Indian students choosing the field in the US, shows the report. In 2016-17, 36.2 per cent of Indian students in the US were doing engineering courses, compared to 35.4 per cent pursuing Math or Computer Science. In 2023-24, 24.5 per cent of Indian students were doing engineering, down from 26.9 per cent in 2022-23, and 29.6 per cent in 2021-22. The report also shows that the number of Indian students pursuing postgraduate studies in the US saw an 18 per cent increase in 2023-24, compared to the previous year. This increase was smaller at around 13 per cent among undergraduate students. In contrast, China saw a dip in both postgraduate (2.58 per cent decrease) and undergraduate (12.75 per cent decrease) students in the US compared to 2022-23, it shows. Anmol Bishnoi detained in US Poonam Apraj MUMBAI have alleged that they were evicted from 'Swadeshi Mela' organised at the Tehsil Ground in Damoh district and were allegedly told by the organisers that "Muslims are not allowed". In a significant breakthrough, the US law enforcement authorities have detained Anmol Bishnoi, the younger brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, in connection with the Baba Siddique murder case and the firing incident in April this year outside Salman Khan’s residence. Sources from investigative agencies have confirmed Anmol’s detention in California. Mumbai Police claim to have evidence that Anmol not only provided logistical support for the Siddique killing but also coordinated the attack. Given these antecedents and his increasingly dangerous profile, India could not afford to let him slip through its grasp. After fleeing the country using a fake passport, Anmol’s trail led him to Canada, before his eventual arrest in the United States. This international dimension underscores the global reach of the Bishnoi gang and the complex web of crime they are entangled in. 4Continued on | P6 4Continued on | P6 4Continued on | P6 Swadeshi Jagaran Manch clarified that it is not matter of community. It is to promote locals so preference given to locals so outsiders were not invited or allowed. BHOPAL The State government on Monday transferred ten IPS officers, including superintendents of police (SPs) of three districts. Inspector General of Narmadapuram division Irshad Wali was shifted as IG of Special Armed Forces (SAF). Mithilesh Kumar Shukla, who was IG SAF in Gwalior, was transferred as IG of Narmadapuram. food stalls should be restricted," he suggested. He alleged that individuals belonging to other religions, particularly Muslims, could disrupt the festival's sanctity by contaminating food and prasad. Puri warned that such actions could provoke conflicts. "If such adulteration is discovered, it could lead to violent incidents, which would tarnish the image of the country and the Maha Kumbh internationally," he said. Muslim traders evicted from Swadeshi Mela in Damoh India tops in sending students to US F number of Indian students in the US from at least 200001 onwards. The number of Indian students in the US is now a little more than three times what it was a decade ago — 1.02 lakh in 2013-14. According to data from the Open Doors 2024 report, Mathematics or Computer Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting on Monday to discuss the ongoing situation in Manipur. This marked the second consecutive day of deliberations led by the Home Minister on the state’s security concerns. As tensions remain high in the region, the Centre is dispatching an additional 50 companies of CAPF to the state. This comes after an earlier deployment of 20 companies, bringing the total to 70 CAPF units now being mobilised to ensure law and order in the state. Akhada Parishad calls for ban on Muslims in Kumbh offgrid or the first time in 15 years, the number of students from India in the US has surpassed that of Chinese students, making Indians the largest international student cohort in America in 2023-24, according to data from the Open Doors 2024 report. There were 3.31 lakh Indian students and 2.77 lakh Chinese students in the US in 2023-24. While this is the lowest number of Chinese students in the US in about a decade (a lower figure of 2.74 lakh students was recorded in 2013-14), it is the highest SHAH CHAIRS MEET, 50 CENTRAL FORCE UNITS DEPLOYED Bihar man deported from Sharjah detained in city Our Staff Reporter INDORE The Aerodrome police detained a 42-year-old man from Bihar who was deported from Sharjah when he landed at the city’s Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Airport. He had been deported for carrying a fake passport, an official said on Monday. The incident came to light when the accused reached Sharjah and was found blacklisted during iris scans at immigration. He had been blacklisted earlier by authorities for engaging in an illegal activity on their soil. Additional DCP Alok Kumar Sharma informed Free Press that they received information from the airport authorities about one Mohammad Kalam Kabadi, a resident of Sitamarhi, Bihar. Kabadi was deported on a Sharjah-Indore flight after being found in possession of a fake passport. The accused, a labourer, had previously travelled to Sharjah but was blacklisted for illegal activities. Subsequently, he made a fake passport by altering his surname and date of birth with the help of a local agent. 4Continued on | P6