FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLI No. 316 | INDORE | THURSDAY | APRIL 24, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in Sports SPORTING HEARTS BLEED FOR PAHALGAM P.13 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN PUNE MONEY BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Reality check on J&K P.6 Luxury items above `10 lakh to attract 1% TCS Cinema Bollywood unites in outrage over P.14 PAHALGAM ATTACK | Govt hits back hard, reduces diplomatic presence, asks Pak nationals to leave within 48hrs PAKISTAN BANNED PENAL ACTION BEGINS 1 SUSPENDED: Indus Waters Cooperation 2 CLOSED: Attari-Wagah Border 3 REVOKED: Saarc visas of Pak nationals 4 EXPELLED: Military Advisors 5 REDUCED: High Commission Staff Strength ‘WILL HUNT YOU DOWN’ PTI NEW DELHI CM Mohan Yadav pays tribute to last remains of Sushil Nathenial of Indore at Indore airport on Wednesday. Nathenial was killed in Pahalgam attack PTI NEW DELHI India on Wednesday downgraded diplomatic ties with Pakistan and announced a raft of measures including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the over six-decade-old Indus Water Treaty and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post in view of the cross-border links to the Pahalgam terror attack. A day after the brazen attack that killed 26 civilians, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met this evening under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra The defence, military, naval and air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared Persona Non Grata. They have a week to leave India -Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary Modi and firmed up New Delhi's retaliatory measures to the dastardly strike and directed the security forces to maintain high vigil. At a late evening media briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announcing the decisions said the overall strength of the Pakistani and Indian high commissions will be brought down to 30 from the present 55 through further reductions, to be effected by May 1. The new retaliatory measures shut down the few existing diplomatic mechanisms between the two sides taking bilateral relations to yet another new low. The foreign secretary said the CCS resolved that the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack will be brought to justice and their sponsors held to account. 4Continued on | P8 Avoid Kashmir: US advisory Islamabad denies hand in attack In the wake of Tuesday’s deadly terror strike in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives—most of them tourists—the United States on Wednesday issued a travel advisory urging its citizens to avoid travelling to Jammu and Kashmir. “Terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Do not travel to this state (with the exception of visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh),” read the advisory published on the official website of the US Embassy and Consulates in India. In the wake of the deadliest terror attack on tourists in J&K in nearly two decades, Pakistan’s leadership and media launched into a familiar pattern of denial, deflection, and whataboutery. As India mourned the massacre of 28 civilians, Pakistani officials scrambled to distance Islamabad from the bloodbath. Defence Minister Khwaja Asif, speaking on a local news channel Live 92, declared, “We have absolutely nothing to do with it. We reject terrorism in all its forms.” 4See also | P7 S fp Briefs SRINAGAR Encounter in Kulgam A gunfight broke out between terrorists and security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said. Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Tangmarg area of Kulgam district following information about the presence of ultras there. ISLAMABAD Pak brass to meet today Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday that the country's top civilian and military leadership would meet on Thursday to formulate an appropriate response to India's move to suspend the Indus Water Treaty and downgrade diplomatic ties. Kashmir. The men, all three Pakistanis, are Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah and Abu Talha, officials said. They had code names -- Moosa, Yunus and Asif -- and were involved in terror re- FP News Service N Chithra CHENNAI Trouble brewed for controversial Tamil Nadu Forests Minister K Ponmudy om Wednesday with Justice N Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court order- ing to suo motu take up a writ petition against him over his recent vulgar remarks on religious symbols of the Shaivites and Vaishnavites. The action came after the Tamil Nadu Police informed the court no offence was made out against the Minister. 4Continued on | P8 along with their son and daughter, decided to visit Kashmir. According to Nathaniel’s aunt, Indu Dawar, who lives in Jobat (Alirajpur), the family had a tradition of taking trips every summer. Nathaniel visited her as often as he could. Nathaniel’s cousin Sanjay Kumrawat, shared that the family is still reeling from the shock. “Sushil loved to surprise us — but this time, not tack, India had launched air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammad training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan. “Pakistan Air Force C-130 is doing rounds of PoK. Are they preparing for our reaction?” posted retired Indian Navy officer Cdr Sandeep Dhawan on X. The city police have arrested a man for indecent and objectionable post on social media regarding the massacre of tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir by terrorists. According to the police, Mohammad Osaf Khan has been taken into custody. The accused was arrested following a written complaint registered at Hanuman Tal police station by one Abhay Srivastava. Superintendent of police Sampat Upadhyay had directed the social media cell to continuously monitor social media reactions to this sensitive incident. Monitoring of posts and comments related to the incident has been ongoing since April 22, 2025. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 The Income Tax Department’s Benami Transactions Wing has issued a 250-page show cause notice to suspended transport constable Saurabh Sharma and his close associate Chetan Singh Gaur. The notice is in connection with the seiz- Sources said the duo has been served notice under the Benami Property Act, and have three months to respond. The final decision on seizure will be taken by the department’s adjudicating authority, which will review the evi- had already suspected that the gold and cash belonged to Saurabh, though he continues to deny ownership. Investigators have also identified a person named Preetam, who allegedly supplied gold to Saurabh. SC ultimatum to TN minister PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on We d n e s d a y told DMK leader V Senthil Balaji to make a choice "between post and freedom" as it warned him of cancelling bail if he did not step down as minister in Tamil Nadu. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih took exception to the fact that Balaji was reinstated as a Tamil Nadu cabinet minister days after getting bail in a money laundering case related to the "cash-for-job" scam. "There is grave apprehension that you will interfere and will influence witnesses. You have to make a choice between the post (minister) and freedom. What choice you want to make, you tell us," it said. The top court referred to a previous judgment which recorded that he forced people to withdraw complaints against him. Grant of bail did not mean power to influence witnesses, it noted. "When you were a minister, categorical findings have been recorded against you in the manner in which you brought about settlement and the proceedings are quashed. Grant of bail does not mean power to influence witnesses. In the past, you have influenced witnesses," the bench said. In a landmark move aimed at streamlining higher education, the Department of Higher Education is working on introducing a uniform syllabus structure for Post Graduate (PG) courses across all state universities. This will be the first time in A S PER PLAN, major subjects have been distributed among different universities. Each university is tasked with drafting syllabi for their assigned subjects. These syllabi, once finalised, will be adopted uniformly across all universities in state. state’s history that such a comprehensive academic reform is being undertaken at the PG level. According to department sources, while undergraduate (UG) courses already follow a uniform syllabus, PG courses currently vary from one university to another, creating academic inconsistency and difficulty for students who transfer between institutions. “A model PG syllabus is being prepared with the goal of implementation from the 2025–26 academic session. The state government will bring an ordinance to facilitate this rollout,” a senior official shell companies, which may now come under the scanner for attachment.Notably, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had already attached the cash, gold, and car as part of its ongoing investigation. DEFAMATION CASE NBW against Medha Patkar IANS NEW DELHI from the department said. However, to maintain academic flexibility and cater to regional or institutional needs, universities will have the liberty to modify up to 30% of the content. The remaining 70% will be standardised across all institutions. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Hr Edu Dept mulls model PG syllabus rollout Rajan Raikwar 4Continued on | P8 A court here on Wednesday issued a non-bailable warrant ( N BW ) against social activist M e d h a Patkar over her non-appearance and noncompliance with the sentence order in connection with a decades-old defamation case filed by Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena. “The intention of convict Medha Patkar is apparent that she is deliberately violating the Court order; she is avoiding to appear before the Court and also avoiding to accept the terms of the sentence passed against her,” said an order passed by Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Vishal Singh of the Saket Court. offgrid BHOPAL just us, but the entire nation is shaken,” he said. He added that Nathaniel was eager to visit Kashmir ever since Article 370 was revoked, assuring his loved ones that it was safe to go. “I warned him that these cowards (terrorists) don’t change. They strike when you least expect it. He didn’t tell anyone beforeleaving,” he said, adding, “It was the wrong moment to go.” BHOPAL JABALPUR Just hours after the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that left 28 tourists dead, social media has erupted with claims of suspicious military movements by Pakistan. Online flight tracking data appears to show Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft relocating from Karachi’s Southern Air Command to bases near the Indian border in Rawalpindi and Lahore. Screenshots circulating on the microblogging platform X show two specific aircraft: l PAF198, a Lockheed C-130E Hercules transport plane l PAF101, an Embraer Phenom 100 jet often used for VIP or intelligence missions Observers speculate this sudden repositioning may be a preemptive move by Pakistan in anticipation of a Balakotstyle Indian response. In 2019, after the Pulwama terror at- Our Staff Reporter INDORE Man held for I-T sends 250-page notice to Saurabh, Chetan objectionable Investigators have identified Preetam as gold supplier to suspended transport cop post on Our Staff Reporter ure of 52 kg gold and R 11 dence before passing an order. Authorities believe Saurabh crore cash found in an abanBefore the attachment of may have routed benami asPahalgam attack doned car in Mendori. seized assets, I-T department sets through relatives and FP News Service MUMBAI Madras HC initiates case against minister HATE SPEECH lated incidents in Poonch. The sketches were prepared with the help of survivors, they said. From the pencil sketches, in black and white, they appear to be young and have beards. PAKISTAN JETS SHIFT NORTH PLANNED ISRAEL TRIP BUT LANDED IN PAHALGAM The body of Indore resident Sushil Nathaniel (58), one of the victims of the terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam a day ago, was brought to his residence in Veena Nagar area around 9pm on Wednesday. Nathaniel had originally planned a family vacation to Israel this summer. However, when his wife failed to secure an extended leave, the couple, SECURITY AGENCIES RELEASE SKETCHES OF 3 MEN ecurity agencies on Wednesday released the sketches of three men suspected to be involved in the terror attack that killed 27 people, mostly tourists, near Pahalgam in south CM Mohan Yadav, BJP state president VD Sharma, BJP city president Sumit Mishra meet Nathenial’s wife Jennifer and his son Austin People involved in the cowardly terror attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam will get a "strong response" in the "near future" and India cannot be "intimidated" by any such terrorist acts, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday, in the first clear indication of India's possible response to the incident. He also said that India will not only hunt down those who perpetrated the attack but will also trace the people who conspired to carry out the nefarious act on Indian soil while "sitting behind the scenes". Hours before the address, Singh reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in a nearly twoand-half-hour meeting. Pg-9