FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 50 | INDORE | MONDAY | JULY 28, 2025 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Nation Mamata to begin Bhasha Andolan from Birbhum P.8 fp Briefs RAIPUR Four Maoists killed In a significant counterinsurgency operation success, four rewardcarrying Maoists were killed during a prolonged encounter with security forces in the dense forest region of Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, the police said on Sunday. The operation, launched by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) on July 26, was based on specific intelligence inputs regarding Maoist activity near the Basaguda and Gangaloor police station limits in the district’s south-western corridor. The gunfight began in the evening and continued intermittently through the night. Among the deceased were two women cadres, all affiliated with the South Sub Zonal Bureau of the banned CPI (Maoist), said the official. NEW DELHI India’s direct tax collections double India's total gross direct tax collections (before adjusting for refunds) have more than doubled in the last five years, reflecting the high economic growth and improved tax compliance in the country, which has been encouraged with the introduction of the new digital technology. The increase in collections is backed by a 36 per cent jump in the number of Income Tax returns filed in the last 5 years, with around 9.19 crore ITRs submitted in FY 2024-25 compared to 6.72 crore in FY 2020-21 due to the robust expansion in the taxpayer base. MELBOURNE Indian-origin man attacked An Indian-origin man, Saurabh Anand, was left severely injured after being brutally attacked with a machete by a group of teenagers in Australia's Melbourne, local media reported. The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on July 19 while the 33-year-old was walking home from a pharmacy at the Central Square Shopping Centre in Altona Meadows.The horrifying assault left him with multiple injuries, including a nearly severed hand, which was later reattached during surgery. ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE WORLD As hunger bites Gaza, Israel starts war pause UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK Brand Sutra Finding A New Footing P.12 8 dead, 30 hurt in Mansa Devi Temple stampede Biswajeet Banerjee stampede was triggered after devotees began scrambling for safety amid rumours of an electric current passing through a section of the temple pathway. “The situation is now under control,” Pandey said over the phone from Haridwar. “But the panic led to tragic consequences.” Senior Superintendent of Police Pramendra Singh Doval said that 35 people were rushed to nearby hospitals, where eight were declared dead. If the staircase route leading to the temple was not closed half an hour before the stampede, the scale of the tragedy would have been bigger, Haridwar A stampede at the Mansa Devi temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, on Sunday claimed eight lives and left at least 30 others injured after panic broke out among devotees following reports of an overhead electric wire collapsing along the temple path, officials said. The incident took place around 9 am as thousands of pilgrims had gathered at the hilltop shrine during the ongoing Shravan pilgrimage, which witnesses a sharp rise in footfall on weekends and festival days. Garhwal Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey said the Agencies GOLDEN GILL MANCHESTER Indian captain Shubman Gill etched his name in cricketing history on Sunday by becoming the first cricketer from Asia to score 700 runs in a single Test series on English soil. Gill surpassed the long-standing record of Mohammad Yousuf, who had amassed 631 runs during Pakistan’s 2006 tour of England. Gill had already broken Yousuf’s mark on Saturday, reaching 13 during the second session of Day 4 of the fourth Test. His form through the series has been nothing short of phenomenal, marked by elegance, grit, and consistency. What makes the feat even more remarkable is that Gill is also the first Asian batter to cross the 700-run milestone in a Test series across SENA countries. SENA STORM | Shubman creates history, becomes first Asian to score 700 runs in a Test series in England INDIA SECURE DRAW Manchester: Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Shubman Gill struck fine hundreds as India secured a morale-boosting draw in the fifth Test here on Sunday. The stalemate was achieved after Gill (103), Rahul (90), Jadeja (107 not out), and Washington (101 not out) fired with the bat on a fifth day pitch after India started their second innings 311 runs in arrears. (Detail on Sports Page) Incident took place around 9 am as thousands of pilgrims gathered at shrine during Shravan pilgrimage Kotwali in-charge Ritesh Shah said. The deceased were identified as Arush (12), Vipin Saini (18), Shakal Dev (18), Vicky (18), Vishal (19), Vakil (43), Shanti (60) and Ram Bharose (65). Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami said a magisterial probe has been ordered. He announced a financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. He also visited the injured at the district hospital in Haridwar and assured their families of all help. President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the stampede. The probe into the disaster will seek to determine the cause of the overhead wire's collapse and to assess whether adequate crowd management and safety protocols were in place. Initial reports suggest that a combination of overcrowding and a narrow pedestrian path contributed to the chaos. 4Continued on | P8 5 officials removed over lathicharge on Karni Sena Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL CM Mohan Yadav on Sunday removed five officials of Harda district, including four from police and one from district administration, over a controversial lathicharge on Karni Sena members earlier this month. The action comes in response to a police crackdown on July 12 and 13, when Karni Sena members were protesting, demanding arrest of an accused in a cheating case. The protest turned tense when police used force to disperse the crowd. ‘No extension’ of Aug 1 tariff deadline: US NEW DELHI: The US administration on Sunday said the August 1 deadline for imposing reciprocal tariffs remains unchanged and there will be no extension this time. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick ruled out any possibility of an extension on the Fox News Sunday TV programme." No extensions, no more grace periods. August 1, the tariffs are set. They'll go into place. Customs will start collecting the money, and off we go," Lutnick was quoted as saying on the show. He also said that the European Union needed to open its markets for more US exports to convince US President Donald Trump to reduce a 30 per cent tariff rate that is due to kick in on August 1. During the operation, police reportedly entered Rajput hostel, detained members one by one, and allegedly thrashed them after asking their caste identity. There were also serious allegations that police beat female residents of the hostel. In the crackdown, police arrested Karni Sena’s district president and national president Jeevan Singh Sherpur, triggering widespread outrage not only within the Rajput community, but across social and political circles. 4Continued on | P8 Representative pic As many as 63 districts across 13 states and Union Territory, including 34 in Uttar Pradesh, have reported that more than 50 per cent of children enrolled in anganwadis are stunted, according to an analysis of multiple documents submitted in Parliament. The analysis also showed that 199 districts reported stunting levels between 30 per cent and 40 per cent. Stunting is a form of chronic undernutrition that occurs when children do not receive adequate nutrition over a long period of time. According to the data based on the Ministry of Women and Child Development's Poshan Tracker for June 2025, some of the worstaffected districts with highest level of stunting include Nandurbar in Maharashtra (68.12 per cent), West Singhbhum in Jharkhand (66.27 per cent), Chitrakoot in Uttar Pradesh (59.48 per cent), Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh (58.20 per cent), and Bongaigaon in Assam (54.76 per cent). Uttar Pradesh leads the list with 34 districts showing stunting levels above 50 per cent, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, and Assam. In response to multiple questions, the Women and Child Development Ministry said that 35.91 per cent of the 8.19 crore children aged 0-?6 years measured across anganwadis were stunted and 16.5 per cent were underweight. Among children below five years of age, the prevalence of stunting was even higher at 37.07 per cent. The situation is equally No safe haven for terrorists: Modi FP News Service NEW DELHI After a week of disruption, Parliament’s Monsoon Session is set to shift gears as both the ruling NDA and the Opposition prepare for a high-voltage debate on the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, starting Monday. The issues are expected to trigger intense exchanges in both Houses. According to sources, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will lead the charge for the treasury benches. There are also indications that PM Narendra Modi may intervene in the discussion to underscore the government’s “robust” stance against terrorism. 4Continued on | P8 Monsoon session of Assembly begins today 10 sittings, 3 bills on table Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The monsoon session of the 16th Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly will begin on Monday, with 10 sittings scheduled over the 12-day duration. Assembly Speaker Narendra Singh Tomar on Sunday reviewed preparations and directed officials to ensure smooth conduct of the session. According to Principal Secretary AP Singh, the Assembly Secretariat has received a total of 3,377 questions — 1,718 starred and 1,659 unstarred. It has also recorded 226 call attention notices, one adjournment motion, 23 private member resolutions, 65 zero hour notices and one notice under Rule 139. Three government bills are expected to be tabled during the session. Agencies GANGAIKONDA CHOLAPURAM BJP HITS RAHUL WITH PAK BARB: On the eve of the Parliamentary debate, the BJP targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. "He (Gandhi) constantly repeats Pakistan's wornout narrative that India was isolated globally," BJP's IT department head Amit Malviya said in a post on X. PM Modi on Sunday declared that Operation Sindoor had sent a clear and powerful message to the world about how India would respond if its sovereignty was challenged. Speaking at an event held to honour the legacy of Tamil emperor Rajendra Chola I, he said the cross-border military offensive had instilled a "new self-confidence" across the nation. “Operation Sindoor has proved that for enemies and terrorists targeting India, there is no safe haven,” Modi said. 4Continued on | P8 PM lauds Bhopal’s ‘Sakaratmak Soch’ in Mann Ki Baat Highlights forts of Bundelkhand as symbols of valour Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address on Sunday, praised the efforts of Bhopal’s women-led ‘Sakaratmak Soch’ group for its contribution to city cleanliness. Modi said the group, comprising around 200 women, is actively engaged in cleaning 17 public parks in Bhopal and promoting sustainability by distributing cotton bags. He credited such initiatives for helping Bhopal improve its ranking in the national cleanliness survey. Highlighting importance of heritage, Prime Minister also spoke about the his- Red alert for extremely heavy rain continues Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Eight more gates of Bargi dam were opened on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday leading to flood-like situation in low-lying areas in Mandla and Dindori districts. Total 15 gates of the dam have been opened so far. Spell of extremely heavy to very heavy rainfall continued in the state on Sunday. An alert has been issued for heavy TCS to lay off over 12,000 employees Agencies BENGALURU India's largest IT services provider Tata Consultancy Services will reduce its workforce by 2% in its 2026 financial year, primarily affecting middle and senior management, the company 50% kids stunted in 63 dists across 13 states, UTs PTI Sindoor showdown to set off Parliament fireworks CM hears Mann Ki Baat with people Chief Minister Mohan Yadav listened to the Prime Minister’s address at a government school in Ward 50 of the state capital. Speaking on the occasion, Yadav said the PM’s mention of the Sakaratmak Soch group and Bundelkhand forts is highly encouraging. He also said that on August 10, foundation stone of a rail coach manufacturing factory will be laid in Raisen. toric forts of Bundelkhand, calling them living chapters of India’s glorious past. He named forts like Gwalior, Datia, Ajaygarh and Chanderi, urging people to explore these sites that echo with tales of bravery and rich history. 15 Bargi gates opened; flood-like situation prevails offgrid NEW DELHI E-paper Edit ICJ’s ruling on climate change P.6 HARIDWAR MISHAP | Chaos breaks out following reports of an overhead electric wire collapsing along temple path HARIDWAR MUMBAI serious in terms of underweight children. Nandurbar in Maharashtra recorded 48.26 per cent underweight prevalence, the highest in the country, followed by districts like Dhar (42 per cent), Khargone (36.19 per cent) and Barwani (36.04 per cent) in in Madhya Pradesh, Dang in Gujarat (37.20 per cent), Dungarpur (35.04 per cent), and Sukma in Chhattisgarh (34.76 per cent). 4Continued on | P8 said on Sunday. The move will eliminate roughly 12,200 jobs from the company's workforce of more than 613,000 as TCS deploys AI and other technologies while entering new markets. "This transition is being planned with due care to ensure there is no impact on ser- vice delivery to our clients," the company's statement said. India's $283 billion IT sector has had to contend with clients holding back non-essential technology spending because of weak demand, persistent inflation and lingering uncertainty over US trade policies. ECI wraps up SIR, 65L voters out of draft roll Agencies NEW DELHI A day before the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a batch of pleas challenging the Election Commission's decision to undertake a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in pollbound Bihar, ECI On Sunday said that it has successfully concluded the enumeration phase of the SIR in Bihar, held from June 24 to July 25, 2025. In what is being hailed as one of the most comprehensive electoral exercises in the state, more than 7.24 crore electors - out of a total of 7.89 crore submitted their enumeration forms. According to a detailed press release, as many as 65 lakh voters will not figure in the state’s new draft electoral rolls, which are to be published on August 1. See Nation rainfall in next 24 hours. Low to Moderate flash flood risk likely over likely at Ashoknagar, Guna, Mandsaur, Neemuch, Raisen, Rajgarh, Sheopur, Shivpuri and Vidisha districts in next 24 hours. Red alert for extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorm and lightning for districts like Ratlam, Mandsaur and Neemuch. 4Continued on | P8 Thai, Cambodian leaders agree to ceasefire talks AP BANGKOK Thai and Cambodian leaders will meet in Malaysia for talks to end hostilities, a spokesperson for the Thai prime minister's office said Sunday. This comes following pressure from US President Donald Trump to end a deadly border dispute, now in its fourth day, which has killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 218,000. Jirayu Huangsap said Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will attend Monday's talks in response to an invitation from Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim "to discuss peace efforts in the region." Anwar has been acting in his capacity as this year's chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Cambodian PM Hun Manet late Sunday night on several social media platforms confirmed his participation as well.