FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 14 No. | INDORE | MONDAY | JANUARY 27, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Sreejesh honoured with Padma Bhushan EDITIONS: PRESS ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE INDORE INDORE UJJAIN PUNE BHOPAL MONEY India's cultural heritage, military might on display MUMBAI E-paper Edit Deny impunity Govt drafts rules for mandatory adoption... 76TH REPUBLIC-DAY | President Droupadi Murmu leads celebrations; Indonesian Prez Prabowo Subianto was chief guest NASHIK Cinema ‘I feel extremely fortunate...’ PM Modi pays tribute at National War Memorial ‘Learned a lot from PM Modi’ Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and commitment towards alleviating poverty and helping the marginalised while affirming that he himself learnt a lot from him in the few days Agencies NEW DELHI President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto during At-Home reception India, Indonesia discuss enhancing economic ties Agencies NEW DELHI PTI NEW DELHI India's rich cultural diversity, military prowess, economic progress and the strides it has taken in sectors, such as science and technology, were on full display at the 76th Republic-Day celebrations on Kartavya Path on Sunday, in the presence of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. President Droupadi Murmu led the celebrations as she arrived at Kartavya Path in a horse-driven buggy, a tradition that was revived last year, along with Subianto, the chief guest at the event. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union min- fp Briefs MUMBAI Maha reports first GBS death Maharashtra has reported its first death due to Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) after a Pune-based Chartered Accountant succumbed to the disease. The man was living in Pune's DSK Vishwa area and was suffering from diarrhoea for a few days. He had gone to his native village in Solapur district for a private visit. JAMMU Hoax bomb threat in Jammu A bomb threat at the venue of the main Republic Day parade in J&K’s Jammu city proved to be a hoax, officials said on Sunday. Hours before the main Republic Day parade was to start at the Maulana Azad Memorial Stadium in Jammu, a bomb threat was received through email late Saturday evening. GAZA Gaza sees 2nd hostage swap Gaza saw the second hostage swap as Hamas freed four female Israeli soldiers in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners, a part of a six-week ceasefire starting January 19. Earlier Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency confirmed that four female Israeli soldiers held in Gaza had returned to Israel. isters, the country's top military brass, foreign diplomats, senior officials and a large crowd that had gathered on a sunny winter morning witnessed the impressive show that also included a gravitydefying fly-past by helicopters and fighter aircraft. Subianto was the fourth Indonesian president to attend India's Republic-Day celebrations. Sukarno, the first president of Indonesia, was the chief guest at India's first Republic-Day celebrations in 1950. In a first-of-its-kind display, more than 5,000 folk and tribal artistes showcased 45 dance forms from various parts of the country, covering the entire Kar- Happy Republic Day. Today, we celebrate 75 glorious years of being a Republic. We bow to all the great women and men who made our Constitution and ensured that our journey is rooted in democracy, dignity and unity Narendra Modi Prime Minister tavya Path, to ensure that all guests had the same viewing experience. The 11-minute cultural performance, titled "Jayati Jaya Mamah Bharatam", was curated by the Sangeet Natak Academy. The choreographed artistic presentation was brought alive through the rich and colourful legacy of the country's tribal and folk forms as a tribute to tribal icon Birsa Munda. From wooden toys to the Maha Kumbh -- sixteen tableaux from across states and Union territories and 15 from central ministries, departments and organisations rolled down the ceremonial boulevard, showcasing the rich cultural heritage and diverse traditions of the country. 4Continued on | P6 India and Indonesia have focused on enhancing economic cooperation through various mechanisms, such as the upcoming meetings of the Working Group on Trade and Investment (WGTI) and the Biennial Trade Ministers' Forum (BMTF), with a view to addressing existing trade barriers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto also emphasised the importance of concluding the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) by 2025. "Indonesia is one of India's largest trading partners in ASEAN. Both leaders expressed satisfaction that bilateral trade had reached a record high of USD 38.8 billion in April 2022-March 2023. The leaders desired that the 2nd meeting of the Working Group on Trade and Investment (WGTI), as well as the 4th Biennial Trade Ministers' Forum (BMTF) be convened to resolve outstanding tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. Both leaders agreed to the expedited conclusion of the ongoing review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA) by 2025," the Ministry of External Affairs said. The two leaders also agreed that the first meeting of the Joint Economic and Financial Dialogue should be convened early to further deepen economic engagement. Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the growing bilateral investments. The 3rd CEOs Forum was held on the sidelines of this visit. Call for code of conduct in South China Sea India and Indonesia have pitched for a "full and effective" code of conduct in the South China Sea in accordance with the relevant international laws amid China's increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.The situation in the South China Sea figured in wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Saturday, according to a joint statement Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid heartfelt tribute to the bravehearts who laid down their lives for the country, at the National War Memorial, marking the beginning of the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accompanied by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as he reached at the National War Memorial to pay heartfelt tribute to our heroes. Leading the ceremony, PM Modi laid wreath at the National War Memorial as the country remembered its bravehearts. Following the wreath-laying, Commander Amit Rathi leading the Inter-Services guard comprising of 21 inner guards along with 06 buglers, gave command for Salami Shastra, following which, the command for the Shok Shashtra was given. The mesmerising sound of 'Last Post' filled the air as officers in uniform saluted in reverence and everyone observed a two-minute silence to honour the departed soldiers. 4Continued on | P6 Girl dies as monkey pushes her off roof Fingerprint twist in Saif attack probe Online Report PATNA In a tragic incident, a Class 10 girl died after a monkey pushed her off the rooftop of her house in Bihar's Siwan district. The mishap occurred in Maghar village under the jurisdiction of the Bhagwanpur police station on Saturday afternoon. Priya Kumar was studying on the rooftop while basking in the sun due to the cold weather. According to eyewitnesses, a group of monkeys appeared on the rooftop and began harassing her. Fear paralysed Priya, preventing her from escaping. When villagers created a commotion, she mustered the courage to run towards the stairs. However, a monkey reportedly jumped aggressively and pushed her with force, causing her to fall from the rooftop. INDIA-US BILATERAL TRADE RECORDS ROBUST GROWTH Priya sustained critical injuries, including severe trauma to the back of her head and other parts of her body. She lost consciousness due to the impact. In a desperate attempt to save her, Priya's family rushed her to Siwan Sadar Hospital for treatment. Tragically, doctors at the hospital declared her dead upon arrival, citing multiple injuries as the cause of death. Student asked to leave class for requesting sanitary pad Online Report BAREILLY Online Report MUMBAI The 19 sets of fingerprints collected from actor Saif Ali Khan's residence after the attempted burglary and knife attack on him do not match the fingerprints of the accused Shariful Islam, the investigation into the high-profile case has found. According to sources, Mumbai Police had sent the fingerprints found at Khan's home to the fingerprint bureau of the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID). A system- generated report has established that the prints do not match Shariful's. The CID, sources said, has informed the Mumbai Police that the test result is negative. Mumbai Police has sent more samples for further testing. The 54-year-old actor suffered six stab injuries in a shocking attack on January 15 after an intruder broke into his home. When Khan confronted the intruder, the latter attacked him with a knife. One of the stab injuries Khan suffered was on his spine. The intruder man- aged to escape and Khan was rushed to Lilavati Hospital with serious injuries. Doctors have said one of the knife injuries was on the actor's spine and had caused his spinal fluid to leak. They also said the knife was just 2 mm away from his spinal cord. Khan, they said, is re- ‘Disapproving marriage doesn’t amount to abetment of suicide’ IANS NEW DELHI India’s trade with the USA is on the upswing with robust growth being recorded in December in the bilateral exports of the two countries despite the disruption in shipping due to geopolitical tensions. India’s merchandise exports to the USA shot up by 8.5 per cent to $7 billion in December, according to the official figures. Similarly, US exports to India during December surged by close to 10 per cent to $3.77 billion. India's top imports from the US included petroleum, petroleum products, coal, coke, and electric machinery and equipment. A senior official pointed out that this shows that India is also providing a market for American goods and there is a two-way relationship in which both countries are benefiting from the gains of trade. The bilateral trade between India and the US during the first nine months of the current financial year (April-December) 2024-25 touched 93.4 billion which comes close to the figure for India’s trade with China at $94.6 billion during this period. India’s electronic exports to the US jumped by a robust 27.4 per cent to $22.5 billion in April-November of 2024-25, from $17.66 billion during the same period in 2023-24. There has been continuous growth in the sector over the last two years as electronics exports from India to the US jumped over two-fold year-on-year to $6.6 billion during January-September 2023, industry body ICEA has said. This jump in electronic exports has taken place after the sanctions imposed against China towards the fag-end of President Donald Trump’s first administration which was continued under Joe Biden. With US companies such as tech giant Apple looking to set up supply chains outside China, India with its large domestic market has emerged as an alternative destination. India's electronics exports to the US increased by $7.9 billion, accounting for over 62 per cent of the increase in the trade surplus between the two countries. 4Continued on | P6 A Class 11 student of a girls school was allegedly made to stand outside her classroom for an hour after she requested a sanitary pad during her examination, sparking outrage and prompting an official inquiry into the matter, officials said on Sunday. The incident took place on Saturday when the student who started her menstrual cycle, sought help from the principal. Instead of assistance, she was allegedly ignored and mistreated, they said. 4Continued on | P6 PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court has said expressing disapproval for marriage does not amount to abetment of suicide under section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma made the observation while quashing a chargesheet against a woman who was accused of abetting the suicide of another woman who was allegedly in love with her son. The allegations were based on disputes between the deceased and the appellant's son, who had refused to marry her. The appellant was accused of opposing the marriage and making disparaging remarks against the deceased. The court said even if all evidence on record, including the chargesheet and witness statements, are taken to be correct, there is not an iota of evidence against the appellant. "We find that the acts of the appellant are too remote and indirect to constitute the offence under section 306, IPC. There is no allegation against the appellant of a nature that the deceased was left with no alternative but to commit the unfortunate act of suicide," the bench said. The court said it is discerned from the record that the appellant, along with her family, did not attempt to put any pressure on the deceased to end the relationship between her and the appellant's son. 4Continued on | P6 covering well. He was released from hospital on Tuesday and has been advised bed rest for a week. The accused, Shariful, is a Bangladeshi national who entered India illegally. He has told police that someone had promised to get fake citizenship documents made for him in exchange for money. This, he has said, was why he attempted the burglary at Khan's home. Police are now looking for the person who promised to get Shariful's documents made. 33 TN fishers arrested by Sri Lanka Navy IANS CHENNAI The Sri Lankan Navy has arrested 33 fishermen from Tamil Nadu for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL). Three mechanised boats, reportedly of high value, were also seized, said officials. The arrested fishermen hail from Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu. According to Tamil Nadu Coastal Police authorities, the arrests occurred during the early hours of Sunday (January 26). Budget 2025-26 Tax payers want Sitharaman to cut rates IANS NEW DELHI A pre-budget survey reveals that individual taxpayers want relief on the personal tax front to increase their disposable income in Budget 2025-26 to be presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1. A majority of respondents, 57 per cent, want lower tax rates, while 25 per cent advocate for higher exemption limits, according to the survey carried out by consulting and services firm Grant Thornton Bharat. Based on the latest data available, a significant number of taxpayers have switched to the simplified new personal (default) tax regime. In fact, currently, 72 per cent of taxpayers have opted for this, and only 28 per cent remain in the old tax regime. However, to further enhance the appeal of the new tax regime, about 46 per cent of respondents advo- cate for lowering tax rates, while 26 per cent believe exemption limits can be increased, the survey states. Despite the government's indication that the old tax regime may eventually be phased out, it appears that 63 per cent of the taxpayers still seek an increase in incentives under the old tax regime, the survey points out.As digitalisation reshapes financial processes, taxpayers are increasingly seeking a more efficient tax filing and compliance system. Grant Thornton Bharat’s pre-budget survey indicates that 38 per cent of respondents want the option to make tax payments through foreign banks, which would ease compliance for NRIs. There is also a need to better operationalise tax refunds to overseas banks and for the use of e-verification with OTPs being sent to foreign mobile numbers, for taxpayers living abroad.In terms of domestic tax compliance, 56 per cent of respondents seek an increase in the income threshold for tax filing to reduce the tax return filing burden on small taxpayers. 4Continued on | P6