THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 138 | Saturday, March 15, 2025 | 31 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (Jan to June 2024) NATION Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader shot dead after chase in Punjab’s Moga GAMES Cinema Check out our verdict on OTT and Film releases Mumbai Indians pacer Bumrah likely to miss the initial rounds of IPL 2025 matches Edit A glimpse of world economy post the Trump trauma BALOCH TRAIN HIJACK | India hits back after Pakistan points accusing finger at New Delhi, saying “India involved in sponsoring terrorism” ‘Pakistan epicentre of global terror’ Agencies NEW DELHI India on Friday dismissed Pakistan's allegations of backing terrorism against that country following the Balochistan train attack and said Islamabad should look inwards before shifting the blame on others for its "failures". On Thursday, Pakistan accused India of "sponsoring terrorism" without directly implicating it in the Balochistan train attack that killed 21 passengers. Briefs Trump positive on Putin talks US President Donald Trump said on Friday that there is a "very good chance" the war between Russia and Ukraine could end soon, following what he described as productive discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin the previous day. "We had very good and productive discussions with President Vladimir Putin of Russia yesterday, and there is a very good chance that this horrible, bloody war can finally come to an end," Trump wrote on Truth Social. He urged Putin to spare the lives of Ukrainian troops who are "completely surrounded." Six new sites for UNESCO Six Indian heritage sites, including Ashokan Edict Sites and Chausath Yogini Temples spanning multiple states, have been added to UNESCO’s tentative list— an essential step toward future nomination to the World Heritage List. The sites, added on March 7, include: Kanger Valley National Park (Chhattisgarh), Mudumal Megalithic Menhirs (Telangana), Ashokan Edict Sites (multiple states), Chausath Yogini Temples (multiple states), Gupta Temples (multiple states) , Bundela Palace-Fortresses (Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh).With these additions, India’s tentative list now includes 62 sites. Five killed in Nadia Five people, including three children, died, and eight others were severely injured in a tragic road accident in Chapra, West Bengal’s Nadia district, on Friday during Holi celebrations. The accident occurred when a Toto—an e-rickshaw—collided head-on with a speeding four-wheeler. A district police official confirmed that the Toto passengers, residents of Nakashipara, had visited Chapra for Eid shopping. On their way back, their Toto crashed into the four-wheeler. Three children died on the spot. India also said the whole world knows "where the epicentre of global terrorism lies". Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, at a weekly press briefing, was asked several questions about the deadly attack on Tuesday, which led to a hostage situation lasting for more than 24 hours. Terrorists were in direct communications with Afghanistan-based planners throughout the incident, he said, adding Islamabad has repeatedly asked Afghanistan to deny the use of its soil for terrorist groups like A man from Haryana allegedly attacked devotees and SGPC staff with an iron rod at Guru Ram Dass Serai near the Golden Temple on Friday, injuring four people. SGPC staff noticed the man behaving suspiciously and questioned him about his identity. When asked to leave, he got into an argument before launching the attack. He was eventually overpowered. the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) for their attacks against Pakistan. "We urge Afghanistan to hold the perpetrators, organisers and financiers, of this rep- rehensible act of terrorism accountable and cooperate with the government of Pakistan to bring all those who are concerned with this attack, including the real sponsors of To another question, he claimed that India has been trying to destabilise its neighbouring countries and running a global assassination campaign "We strongly reject the baseless allegations made by Pakistan," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, responding to media queries on Islamabad's allegations. He also said, "The whole world knows where the epicentre of global terrorism lies." 4Contd on | Nation Flak for Fadnavis as police take it easy gang manhandled the policeman. MUMBAI The following day when her daughter complained to her After the gross mishandling of about the shocking incident, the sarpanch Santosh Desh- Khadse personally went to mukh murder case of Beed, Muktainagar police station the Devendra Fadnaand lodged a comvis government has plaint. After that come in for flak four men, including again for its failure to one Aniket Ghui, arrest all the accused were arrested. Apinvolved in the harparently the gang rassment of the has been stalking minor daughter of and harrassing girls Raksha Khadse going to their Union minister for sports and youth afschools and comfairs and BJP leader plaints to the police Raksha Khadse. were not acted On February 28, upon. Some of the Khadse's daughter accused allegedly had gone to the anhave criminal nual Sant Muktai antecedents. jatra or fair at Muk- Rohini Khadse What is even tainagar in Jalgaon more shocking is district along with her friends. that a full two weeks after the Raksha Khadse was in Gujarat incident, three of the accused on that day on official work. are still absconding. IncidenThe girls were stalked, eve tally, Krishna Andhale, the teased and their videos taken prime accused in the Santosh by a gang of seven men. Even Deshmukh murder is still abthe presence of a policeman sconding. deputed by the minister did 4Contd on | Nation not deter the men. In fact, the S Balakrishnan & Prajakta Pol HOLI CELEBRATIONS SOUR IN RATNAGIRI Manoj Ramakrishnan MUMBAI Celebrations of Shimga, the Konkani version of Holi, were marred this year by visuals of a restless mob outside the main mosque in Rajapur, Ratnagiri, on the evening of March 12. Nitesh Rane, Minister and MLA from Konkan, said slogans from the mosque had provoked the crowd. The Konkan coast has a large population of Kokni Muslims who speak local dialects of Marathi and are integrated into the local society and economy. However, recent incidents of communal unrest have jarred the peace. In February, a scrap shop owned by Muslims was demolished after a boy from the family was accused of abusing the country during an international cricket tournament. Visuals from Thursday evening show a crowd trying to break the gate of the mosque using a Shimga (a holy wooden structure, here used like a battering ram) and there are allegations that the police did not intervene or were overwhelmed by the huge crowd. Social activists said Konkan has been largely free from communal unrest, with exceptional incidents like the landing of explosives for the 1993 Mumbai blasts at a coastal village in the area. "These divisions are recent. Kokni Muslims are culturally integrated.” 4Contd on | Nation Riot of colours Holi celebrations with Marathi actor's Swapnil Joshi and Prasad Oak at Dadar’s Park Club in Mumbai – VIJAY GOHIL JERUSALEM FPJ News Service MUMBAI Russian President Vladimir Putin met US President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to discuss "additional details" from recent US-Ukrainian talks, the Kremlin announced. The meeting comes amid a flurry of diplomatic efforts on Ukraine conflict. "Before I assess how I view Ukraine's readiness for a ceasefire, I would first like to begin by thanking the President of the US, Trump, for paying so much attention to resolving the conflict in Ukraine," he said. "We all have enough issues to deal with. But many heads of state, the president of the People's Republic of China, the Prime Minister of India, the presidents of Brazil and South African Republic are spending a lot of time dealing with this issue. We are thankful to all of them, because this is aimed at achieving a noble mission, a mission to stop hostilities and the loss of human lives," Putin said. 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | World The US and Israel have reached out to officials of three East African governments to discuss using their territories as potential destinations for resettling Palestinians uprooted from the Gaza Strip under President Donald Trump's proposed postwar plan, American and Israeli officials say. Get ready for a splash of colour, a dash of fun, and a whole lot of Archie charm! Our favourite redhead and his Riverdale gang are stepping into the vibrant world of Holi, bringing a desi twist to their all-American adventures. Archie Comics has just released a brand-new 10-page story, Celebration Surprise, in The World of Betty & Veronica Digest #38. Perfectly timed with Holi celebrations in India and beyond, the story introduces Archie, Betty, and Veronica to the festival’s joyful chaos—think gulal showers, festive feasting, and, of course, a few comic mishaps along the way! Nancy Silberkleit, Co-CEO of Archie Comics, revealed the inspiration behind this colorful crossover: her own love affair with India. "The beauty of India has left a lasting impression on me, and this story is a way to celebrate that," she shared. But there’s another heartwarming reason behind this desi debut—Silberkleit also and Somaliland to relocate Palestinians from Gaza The contacts with Sudan, Somalia and the breakaway region of Somalia known as Somaliland reflect the determination by the US and Israel to press ahead with a plan that has been widely condemned and raised serious legal and moral issues. Because all three places are poor, and in some cases wracked by violence, the proposal also casts doubt on Trump's stated goal of resettling Gaza's Palestinians in a "beautiful area." Officials from Sudan said they have rejected overtures from the US, while officials from Somalia and Somaliland told The Associated Press that they were not aware of any contacts. Under Trump's plan, Gaza's more than 2 million people would be permanently sent elsewhere. He has proposed 4Contd on | Nation Smart QR sticker for road safety Kamal Mishra MUMBAI move, the AFP reported. "You know Mark, we need that for international security... we have a lot of our favorite players cruising around the coast and we have to be careful," he said, apparently referring to rising Chinese and Russian interest in the Arctic region. Trump's comments come days after  Greenland's elections, with all the political parties, and the majority of the island's 57,000 inhabitants, backing independence - though they disagree on how quickly the process should go. In a bid to improve road safety and streamline parking management, Eco Bharat has introduced an innovative solution using smart QR code stickers for vehicles. These stickers offer multiple functionalities, from providing crucial emergency assistance to resolving parking disputes efficiently. Eco Bharat QR sticker provides instant access to essential information in case of an accident. Bystanders or first responders can scan the QR code on a vehicle to retrieve details such as emergency contacts and critical medical information. This enables immediate communication with the owner’s family and emergency services, significantly improving response time in critical situations. Additionally, the system facilitates one-touch calling to emergency contacts, ambulance services, the police, or fire services via the Eco Bharat app. A built-in alert system sends a notification with the accident’s location to the registered emergency contacts, nearby ambulance services, and the nearest police station. The Eco Bharat QR sticker also helps in parking management. 4Contd on | Nation 4Contd on | Nation A speeding truck crashed into a level-crossing gate, got stuck on railway tracks, and was hit by the Mumbai-Amravati Express train in Maharashtra’s Jalgaon near Bodwad station on Friday at 4.30 am, disrupting rail services for six hours. No injuries were reported. The truck driver lost control and rammed into the level-crossing gate, broke through the barrier and got stuck on the tracks. – PTI Holi Hai, the Archie Way! FPJ News Service be more who would get deported on student visas "if we determine it is not in the best The US Vice President J D interests of the United States... I Vance has flagged that there dont know how high that could be more deportations number is going to be but we under the student visas and as- are going to see more people. serted that a green card doesn't Vance's statement comes in give a person an indefinite right response to the arrest of Colto be in the United umbia University Orange signal graduate student States. on green card Mahmoud Khalil a "A green card holder doesn't have green card holder, an indefinite right who was detained to be in the United on Saturday for his States,"Vance told role in protests 'The Ingraham against the IsraelAngle' host Laura Hamas war at ColIngraham on Fox umbia University News. last spring. JD Vance He told her, The Donald “American students Trump administrahave different rights tion has revoked from people who Mahmoud Khalil's have green cards green card, accusfrom people who ing him of leading have student visas. "activities aligned This is not fundawith Hamas," the mentally about free militant group Marco Rubio speech, and to me, whose October 7, yes, it’s about national security, 2023 attack triggered the war. but it’s also more importantly Vances statement comes two about who do we as an Ameri- days after the US Secretary of can public decide gets to join State, Marco Rubio told the our national community.” press that,” When you come to “And if the secretary of state the United States as a visitor – and the president decide this which is what a visa is, which is person shouldn’t be in how this individual entered America, and they have no this country, on a visitor’s visa, legal right to stay here, it’s as okay – you are here as a visitor.  simple as that," he added. We can deny you that visa. To another question, he re4Contd on | Nation sponded that that there would FPJ News Service MUMBAI East Africa outreach to relocate Palestinians? Modi earns Putin’s thanks Associated Press A month ago, Americans and Israelis began quietly talking to Sudan, Somalia over Ukraine offgrid MUMBAI Four injured at Golden Temple JAISWAL-KHAN: WORDY DUEL terrorism, to justice," Khan had said. When asked about any change of policy because India was blamed in the past for any activity by the BLA while this time the finger was pointed towards Afghanistan, the spokesman said there was no change in the policy. "There is no shift in our policy. And again, the facts have not changed. India is involved in sponsoring terrorism against Pakistan," the spokesperson alleged without providing any evidence. ‘No right under green card to stay indefinitely in US’ wanted to honor Om Arora, the man behind Delhi’s Variety Book Depot, which has been Archie's home in India for decades. The creative team went all in on authenticity, ensuring that the speech bubbles, artwork, and even the pencils captured the true essence of India’s cultural vibrancy. Silberkleit personally insisted that the "shapes, lines, and patterns of India" be woven into the illustrations. The star-studded creative lineup includes writer John A. 4Contd on | Nation Greenland will be annexed: Trump FPJ News Service MUMBAI US President Donald Trump on Thursday again drew the bead on Greenland and reiterated his desire to  annex the autonomous territory of Greenland from Denmark in the interest of "international security." "I think it will happen," Mr. Trump told reporters at the White House alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, when asked about his vision for the annexation. He pointed at Rutte and added the NATO chief could be "very instrumental" in the