Friday, June 27, 2025 | 30 Pages | `5 & for State (+4 pages) `6 Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 227 | Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (July to December 2024) GAMES NATION Kailash Mansarovar Yatra resumes after 6 years; 45 pilgrims flagged off from UP’s Bahraich Cinema ‘I would want to play Krishna. Or Ravan’ Fast bowler Jofra Archer added to England squad for the second Test against India Edit A giant leap for India in space 5 tigers, including 4 cubs, poisoned in K’taka Vinay Madhava Gowda BENGALURU In a gruesome incident, five tigers, including four cubs and a mother were poisoned in Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Division. The decomposed bodies of the five tigers, four grown up cubs of which three are female and one male, along with their mother were found at Hoogyam range of Meenyam section near Gajanur Beat. According to preliminary information, the poisoning is suspected to be the handiwork of the local people who graze cattle inside the MM Hills tiger reserves. The tigers had killed cattle inside the forest. It is suspected the villagers had poisoned the carcass. Tigers usually come back to the kill for a second meal and it is thought that after the tigers had eaten their first fill the villagers took DHAKA TEMPLE DAMAGED, INDIA ‘DISMAYED’ SOFT ON TERROR | Joint communique makes no mention of Pahalgam terror attack. Instead, it mentions Balochistan. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh refuses to sign the statement PTI NEW DELHI India on Thursday denounced the reported destruction of a Durga temple in Dhaka, saying it is the responsibility of Bangladesh's interim government to protect Hindus as well as religious institutions. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India was prepared to engage with Bangladesh on "all matters" in an environment that is conducive for mutually beneficial dialogue. His remarks came in response to a question on possible renewal of Ganga water treaty next year. Jaiswal was critical of Bangladeshi authorities for the reported destruction of the temple. "We understand that extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka," he said. "The interim government, instead of providing security to the temple, projected the episode as illegal land use... and they allowed the destruction of the temple today," he said. 4Contd on | nation the opportunity to poison the carcass leading to the deaths. The cubs are said to be around two and a half years old, and were on the verge of separating from the mother to establish their own territories. The MM Hills tiger reserves have many thandas, or settle- ments, both inside and outside the reserves. Most of the people living outside the reserve have cattle, but not for milk. Dung collection is a thriving business here and it fetches a good price in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre has constituted a high level inquiry committee under Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B P Ravi, APCCF Srinivasulu, along with CCF Chamarajnagar Heerlal, NTCA representative, a veterinarian from Mysore Zoo and an independent expert. Besides, a five member ex- INDIA KEEPS OUT OF SCO DECLARATION Agencies QINGDAO (CHINA) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took a strong stand at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting on Thursday by refusing to sign the joint communique which failed to mention the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and did not address India’s concerns about cross-border terrorism, particularly from Pakistan. The SCO works on the principle of consensus. Singh’s refusal to endorse the statement meant the conclave ended without a joint declaration, a significant diplomatic moment. In Delhi, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesper- son Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that India’s push to include strong language on terrorism was the main reason why the joint communique could not be adopted. “I understand that they (Defence Ministers) could not adopt a joint statement. I also understand that certain member countries could not reach a consensus on certain issues and hence the document could not be finalised. On our side, India wanted concerns on terrorism reflected in the document, which was not acceptable to one particular country and therefore the statement was not adopted,” Jaiswal said at a press briefing. 4Contd on | nation Diplomacy a flop: Oppn he Opposition said that India's diplomacy after Pahalgam terror attack had “flopped” and had yielded “no tangible results” after the diplomatic fiasco in the SCO summit that failed to mention the attack that killed 26 people following which Operation Sindoor was launched. It accused the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government of failing diplomatically to rally international support against terrorism and to hold Pakistan accountable. T I understand that they (Defence Ministers) could not adopt a joint statement. I also understand that certain member countries could not reach a consensus on certain issues and hence the document could not be finalised. On our side, India wanted concerns on terrorism reflected in the document, which was not acceptable to one particular country and therefore the statement was not adopted. – MEA spokesperson pert team has been constituted to conduct a Multidisciplinary Post-Mortem and Forensic Examination as per the guidelines of NTCA. The members include the MM Hills DCF Chakrapani, Forest Veterinarian Dr Mirza Waseem, NTCA Nominee Malleshappa, CWLW nominee T John Peter and Hanur government veterinary hospital office Dr Siddaraju. Khandre said that there would be zero tolerance towards the offenders and he had ordered a strict action against those involved in poisoning the tigers. CBI finds 8.5L mule accounts in 700 banks Somendra Sharma MUMBAI The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has carried out searches at 42 locations across India in connection with mule bank accounts being used in cyber frauds involved in digital arrest scams, impersonation, fraudulent advertisements, investment frauds and UPIbased financial frauds to transfer the cyber fraud amounts from the accounts of the victims. The agency officials said that around 8.5 lakh mule accounts were opened in more than 700 Branches of various Banks across India. "During the searches, several incriminating documents and digital evidences, mobile phones, Bank Account Opening Documents, Transactions Details, KYC documents have been seized and identification of individuals including middlemen involved in opening of mule bank account was done. 4Contd on | nation SHUBHANSHU 1ST INDIAN TO REACH SPACE STATION Agencies NEW DELHI India marked a historic day in space exploration on Thursday as Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the first Indian astronaut to reach the International Space Station (ISS). He arrived aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft Grace, part of the Axiom Mission 4, alongside astronauts from the US, Poland, and Hungary. The spacecraft docked with the ISS at 4:01 PM IST after a 28-hour journey from NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. The docking, described by NASA as a “soft capture,” was later followed by a secure connection with 12 sets of hooks and full power and communication links established between the spacecraft and the space station. The hatch was opened around 5:44 PM IST, and Shukla floated into the space station soon after the mission commander Peggy Whitson. In 1984, Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma became the first Indian in space aboard the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz T-11. 4Contd on | nation US trade talks hitch AI 171 black Pentagon aims at ‘fake news’ ‘Hindi friend of all ahead of deadline? box data languages, not foe’ analysis on in briefing on Iran strikes Agencies NEW DELHI: Trade talks between India and the US seem to have a reached an impasse over disagreements on import duties for auto components, steel and farm goods, Indian officials with direct knowledge told Reuters. This raises questions over whether it is possible to reach a deal ahead of President Donald Trump's July 9 deadline to impose reciprocal tariffs. Trump had claimed that New Delhi had proposed a "no tariffs" agreement for American goods, and officials from both sides suggested India could be among the first countries to make a deal. India is pushing for a rollback of the proposed 26% reciprocal tariff set to take effect on July 9, along with Impasse over disagreements on import duties for auto components, steel and farm goods Agencies Dhairya Gajara Agencies WASHINGTON NEW DELHI The Trump administration, facing growing scrutiny over the strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, pushed back against an early intelligence assessment suggesting the attacks may have set back Iran’s nuclear program by only a few months. In a tense press conference on Thursday morning, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force General Dan Caine strongly defended the military operation. Hegseth criticised the media for spreading what he called “fake news” and for undermining the president’s message. “This is a historic moment,” he said, claiming the attacks had “obliterated” Iran’s facilities. Hindi is not opposed to any Indian language, rather it is friends with all Indian languages and there should be no opposition to any foreign language in the country. This was the message that Union Home minister Amit Shah delivered at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Central government's official language department on Thursday. Language was used as a means to try to divide India in the past but such efforts were never successful, he pointed out, adding that the Modi government would ensure Indian languages become a powerful medium to unite the country. He said the administration should align with the spirit of the nation, and for the self-re- MUMBAI concessions on existing US tariffs on steel and auto parts. But US negotiators have not yet agreed to the demands, Indian government officials told Reuters. "The US side first wants India to commit to deeper import tariff cuts on farm goods like soybeans and corn, cars and alcoholic beverages along with easing of non-tariff barriers," leading to disagreement between the two sides, one of the sources said. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has downloaded the data from the black box of flight AI-171 and has begun analysing it, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said on Thursday. However, AAIB is yet to institutionalise the probe panel while it has almost passed halfway of the time limit provisioned to submit a preliminary report of a plane crash. Following the unfortunate plane crash of Air India Flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, AAIB had initiated an investigation and constituted a multidisciplinary team on June 13. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Trump urged Americans to “watch it!”- the Pentagon briefing and suggested media outlets should fire reporters over “fake stories.” Hegseth said he was unaware of any intelligence suggesting Iran had moved any of its highly enriched uranium to shield it from US strikes. "I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be, moved or otherwise," Hegseth said in an often fiery news conference. Trump, who watched the exchange with reporters, echoed his defense secretary, saying it would have taken too long to remove anything. 4Contd on | nation risky ride Road less travelled: Woman drives on rail tracks Navy clerk nabbed for FPJ News Service HYDERABAD It can’t get more bizarre than this. On Thursday morning, a woman drove her white sedan off-road and onto the railway tracks near Hyderabad — triggering emergency brakes on train services for nearly 30 minutes. The eventful “track inspection” began around 7.30 am near Shankarpally, when baffled locals spotted the vehicle traveling on the railway tracks. The woman reportedly covered close to eight kilometres. Residents immediately alerted authorities. The railway control room flagged the incident, and services on the affected section were brought to a halt. Fortunately, there was no untoward incident. Initial reports suggest the woman, whose identity was not disclosed, may be mentally distressed, though there’s a parallel theory chugging along: it could’ve been a misfired attempt at filming a reel. “When we reached her, she resisted police intervention,” said a senior cop. "We managed to overpower her without any injuries and ensured she was taken into custody safely.” “The railway tracks are not designed for vehicular traffic, and this incident could have led to catastrophic consequences,” a railway official said. The woman, believed to be a former software employee, has been sent for medical evaluation. Authorities are awaiting a “green signal” from the medical team before proceeding with formal charges. The off-track adventure has renewed calls for better trackside vigilance, especially in semi-urban sections where the fencing and monitoring systems are often limited. “I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Ravi Kumar, a shopkeeper near the railway line. “It’s a miracle no one was hurt.” spect of Indian languages, administrative functions should also be conducted in Indian languages. Hindi and other Indian languages together can take the self-esteem of the country to its final destination, Shah said. He asked all state governments to take the initiative to impart medical and engineering education in the local language. The home minister also said that everyone should get rid of the slavery mentality. 4Contd on | nation POWER TARIFF TO BE SLASHED leaking key info to ISI M IANS NEW DELHI A clerk working at the Indian Navy's headquarters in New Delhi has been arrested on charges of espionage, accused of leaking sensitive military information to Pakistan's InterServices Intelligence (ISI), including during the recently concluded Operation Sindoor, according to media reports. The accused, identified as Haryana resident Vishal Yadav, was nabbed by the Intelligence Wing of the Rajasthan Police. Authorities say Yadav had been spying for the ISI for an extended period and had shared confidential information through his mobile phone, reports NDTV. According to senior police officer Vishnukant Gupta, the CID Intelligence Unit of Rajasthan had been monitoring activities by Pakistani intelligence operatives when Yadav came under scrutiny. 4Contd on | nation aharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced a significant reduction in electricity tariffs. According to a statement released by the Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office, electricity rates will be reduced by 10 per cent in the first year and there will be a 26 per cent reduction in phases over the next five years. The proportion of people using less than 100 units of electricity in the state is 70 per cent. Work on Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana 2.0 has started on a war footing, CMO added. SEE CITY