FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 137 | INDORE | FRIDAY | OCTOBER 24, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports HISTORIC MANDHANARAWAL PARTNERSHIP P.15 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE MONEY Penthouse fire claims bizman-Cong leader’s life Our Staff Reporter Mother rushes Somya to hosp INDORE R amesh said that on coming to know about the incident, he and another guard went upstairs and found Shweta and Mayara on the balcony. The two of them managed to get the mother-daughter duo downstairs while they entered the penthouse and found Somya unconscious. They took her downstairs and Shweta immediately took her to the hospital. After that Pravesh was taken out and rushed to the hospital. Wooden racks of puja house competely in fire that started from akhand jyoti and soon spread across the penthouse and (inset) Pravesh Agrawal help of Ramesh, the guard. Reports suggest that Somya’s condition is out of danger. Police are also trying to record PRESS PUNE statements from Agrawal’s wife and daughter to gather more details about the incident. Sources claimed that there were biometric locks in the house so the guard and caretaker could not open the first door but they managed to enter the penthouse through another door without biometric lock. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the city’s business and political circles as Agrawal was a well-known businessman and senior Congress leader. Leaders from Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee and Indore City Congress Committee have expressed deep grief and condolences over his untimely demise. BHOPAL NASHIK Agencies Putin brushes off oil sanctions The United States has imposed new sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies in a move aimed at pressuring Moscow to negotiate a peace deal in Ukraine. The announcement came a day after President Donald Trump said a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Budapest would be shelved indefinitely. “Every time I speak to Vladimir, I have good conversations and then they don’t go anywhere,” Trump said. The sanctions target Rosneft and Lukoil, which fund what US Treasury fp Briefs Russian President Vladimir Putin said the latest US sanctions targeting two major oil firms were "serious", but not strong enough to significantly affect the economy. "They (sanctions) are serious for us, of course, that is clear. And they will have certain consequences, but they will not significantly impact our economic well-being," Putin said Secretary Scott Bessent called the Kremlin’s “war machine.” 4Continued on | P8 Agencies WASHINGTON President Trump on Wednesday again reiterated that India had agreed to “almost stop” buying Russian oil by the end of the year. “India, as you know, has told me they are going to stop. It’s a process. You can’t just stop. By the end of the year, they’ll be down to almost nothing,” Trump said at the White House, adding that he had spoken to PM Modi. Meanwhile, reports citing industry sources, after the new sanctions on Russian oil entities, say Indian refiners are PM to attend India-ASEAN summit virtually INDIA BLAZE INTO WC SEMIS Our Staff Reporter Ashwin Ahmad BHOPAL NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be travelling to Kuala Lumpur to attend the ASEAN summit this weekend and instead will be there virtually. “Had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of upcoming Summits. Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually and to further deepening of the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” said Modi on X. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim confirmed the phone conversation with the prime minister and wrote on social media. “We touched on the organization of the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur at the end of this month. He informed me that he will attend virtually due to the ongoing Deepavali celebrations in India at that time.” The Ministry of Eternal Affairs issued a statement saying that External Affairs S. Jaishankar will be deputed to lead the Indian delegation to Kuala Lumpur. 4Continued on | P8 Dheeraj Kumar Process begins to appoint CJI The government on Thursday initiated the process to appoint the next chief justice of India as incumbent B R Gavai demits office on November 23, sources said. The letter asking Justice Gavai to name his successor is set to be delivered either this evening or on Friday. NEW DELHI India, Oman discuss ties The Indian Army and Royal Army of Oman held the third Army-to-Army Staff Talks in New Delhi, focusing on enhancing bilateral defence cooperation through expanded joint exercises, expert exchanges in niche domains. Team India celebrate their emphatic victory over New Zealand in the crucial ICC Women’s World Cup clash IANS NAVI MUMBAI: India stormed into the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup semifinals, defeating New Zealand by 53 runs (DLS method). Openers Smriti Mandhana (109) and Pratika Rawal (122) lit up the DY Patil Stadium with a record-breaking 212-run stand, laying the foundation for India’s spectacular 340/3. Chasing a revised 325 in 44 overs, New Zealand stumbled to 271/8, with only Brooke Halliday (81) showing resistance. (Detail on Sports Page) their exposure to Russian suppliers. Reliance Industries, India’s biggest buyer of Russian crude, plans to reduce or halt imports, including those under its long-term deal with Rosneft. 4Continued on | P8 The state cabinet has approved a major change in the land disposal policy, deciding that the reserved price of land will now be fixed at 100% of the area as per the Collector’s guideline rate. The move is expected to increase revenue for the state government. As per the amendment to clause 10.11 of the Re-densification Policy 2022, the offset value—earlier determined on the basis of 60% area and 100% guideline rate—will now be calculated on 100% area and 100% guideline rate. Officials said this adjustment will help generate more funds for development projects. While satellites and modern forecasts guide most of the world, the tribal communities of Jhabua still trust their age-old tradition to read the skies. Like every year, thousands of villagers climbed Chui Hill in Ranapur area after Diwali to perform the ancient weather-prediction ritual on Baba Dev Hill. The highlight of this cen- turies-old custom is the symbolic sacrifice and rolling of a buffalo’s carcass. According to belief, the direction and distance of its roll reveal how the coming year’s weather and crops will be. This year’s reading brought smiles and hope – elders predicted that 2026 would see good rainfall, lush greenery and a prosperous harvest season, especially during the months of Jeth, Bhadar and Haravan. Interest-free farm loan scheme extended- The cabinet approved the continuation of the zero-interest short-term loan scheme for farmers for 2025–26. Loans will be disbursed through cooperative societies, with the due date for Kharif 2025 set as March 28 and for Rabi 2025– 26 as June 15. No interest will be charged on loan up to Rs 3 lakh. The state has set a target of Rs 23,000 crore for loan distribution. New scheme to track SDG progress- The cabinet also ap- Agencies NEW DELHI India on Thursday cleared a fresh round of big-ticket defence procurements worth ₹79,000 crore, including Nag missiles, amphibious warfare ships and advanced electronic surveillance systems, in a move aimed at further strengthening the combat capabilities of the armed forces. The approvals came at a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. This is the second major procurement decision since Operation Sindoor, following a ₹67,000-crore clearance on August 5. “The DAC approved various capital acquisition proposals amounting to about ₹79,000 crore,” the Defence Ministry said, emphasising that a large share of the systems are indigenously developed under the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative. For the Navy, the green signal covers procurement of Landing Platform Docks, 30 mm Naval Surface Guns, Advanced Lightweight Torpedoes, Electro-Optical Infra-Red Search and Track Systems, and smart ammunition for 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mounts. The LPDs will serve as amphibious warfare ships capable After weeks of hesitation, closed-door negotiations, and mounting pressure from allies, the Congress on Thursday formally declared RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the chief ministerial face of the INDIA bloc for the Bihar election. Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief and former minister Mukesh Sahani will be the bloc’s deputy chief ministerial face. Senior Congress leader and former Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot made the announcement here in the presence of top alliance leaders, including Tejashwi, Sahani, CPI(ML)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, and state Congress chief Rajesh Ram. Congress state in-charge Krishna Allavaru was also present. The announcement, made just weeks before polling, resolves one of the most contentious issues within the alliance — who would lead the campaign in Bihar. “Mukesh Sahani had from the very start demanded that the deputy CM post be reserved for him, even offering to give up a few seats in exchange,” sources in the alliance said. By conceding to his demand, the bloc has sought to consolidate support among the politically influential Mallah (fishermen) community, a key constituency in eastern Bihar. proved the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Valuation Scheme for the next five years. Under the plan, SDG implementation and monitoring will be carried out at the state, district and block levels. Districts will be ranked through a dedicated dashboard. The top two districts will receive awards of Rs 1 crore and Rs 75 lakh respectively, which can be used toward any of the 17 SDG targets. The scheme will cost about Rs 19.10 crore and aims to promote social, economic and environmental development. Drug case: Dawood aide deported from Dubai IANS MUMBAI of transporting heavy equipment, tanks and troops. “These vessels will enhance India’s capacity to conduct amphibious operations jointly with the Army and Air Force, and also support peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief missions,” the ministry noted. The indigenously developed ALWT, designed by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory, can effectively target conventional, nuclear and midget submarines, while the new 30 mm NSGs will bolster low-intensity maritime and anti-piracy operations. For the Army, the council cleared procurement of the Nag Missile System (Tracked) Mk-II, Ground-Based Mobile Electronic Intelligence System and High-Mobility Vehicles. In a major breakthrough in the ongoing crackdown against the Dawood Ibrahimlinked drug network, the Mumbai Crime Branch has taken into custody Dubaibased handler Mohammed Salim Sheikh, who was deported to India in connection with the Salim Dola drug trafficking case, officials said on Thursday. Sheikh, identified as one of the key coordinators operating from abroad alongside Salim Dola, is accused of managing drug operations linked to a large-scale mephedrone manufacturing network in Maharashtra. Both Sheikh and Dola are said to be close aides of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. A Red Corner Notice had earlier been issued against Mohammed Salim Suhel Shaikh. He was apprehended in the UAE a few weeks ago and brought to India following completion of legal formalities. On October 22, the Mumbai Crime Branch formally arrested him and produced him before a court 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 DAC clears major indigenous weapons and naval systems to bolster tri-service combat readiness 4Continued on | P8 Little Miss Marple and Mr Poirot make appearance in illustrated books targeting pre-schoolers Congress ends weeks of wrangling, declares RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav as INDIA bloc’s chief ministerial face and VIP’s Mukesh Sahani as his deputy Faith over forecast: Buffalo predicts good harvest FP News Service The cabinet sanctioned 810 new posts for operation and upgradation of district hospitals in Tikamgarh, Neemuch, Singrauli, Sheopur and Dindori, including expansion of facilities by 100 beds in each hospital. INDIA APPROVES ₹79K CR ARSENAL offgrid JHABUA 810 new posts sanctioned in hospitals Tejashwi INDIA bloc CM face Agatha Christie catching kids early PATNA NEW DELHI Land disposal rate fixed at full Collector guideline value Jaishankar to lead Indian delegation ‘OIL BILL TO RISE’: The Russian firms sanctioned by the US account for 60% of the supplies of crude oil to India, said Prashant Vasisht, senior vice president and co-group head of corporate ratings at ICRA. “While India can substitute the purchases from Russia with suppliers from the Middle East and other geographies, the import bill for crude oil would increase,” he said. “On an annual basis, the replacement by market priced crude would lead to a rise in import bill by less than 2%.” preparing to reduce imports of Russian oil to comply with new US curbs. Such a cut could ease trade tensions with Washington and help India negotiate lower tariffs on its exports to the US. Private and state-run Indian refiners have begun reviewing E-paper Cinema How Gen Z stars lit up Diwali P.14 US clamps sanctions Trump: India to almost stop on Russian oil firms buying Russia oil by ’25-end WASHINGTON MUMBAI Edit Negligence mars pilgrimage P.6 Revenues rise, profitability dips TRAGIC | Elder daughter undergoing treatment; wife, younger daughter escape to safety from balcony after noticing smoke A tragic incident unfolded early Thursday morning, wherein businessman and Congress leader Pravesh Agrawal, owner of a Mahindra showroom, died of suffocation after a fire broke out in his penthouse. His elder daughter is currently undergoing treatment in the ICU of a private hospital. Agrawal lived with his wife Shweta, elder daughter Somya and younger daughter Mayra in a penthouse located above their showroom. The family was asleep when the fire broke out.   Additional DCP Rajesh Dandotiya said that, as per preliminary investigation, the fire is suspected to have started from an oil lamp (akhand jyot) burning in the home temple. However, the possibility of an electrical short circuit has not been ruled out. Police and forensic teams are investigating the exact cause of the blaze. The incident came to light when a neighbour noticed smoke from the penthouse and alerted the caretaker, Raghav. Raghav managed to rescue Agrawal’s wife and younger daughter with the UJJAIN People gathered for a programme on Chui Hill in Ranapur cultural heritage. Jhabua MLA Vikrant Bhuria and BJP District President Bhanu Bhuria also attended, calling the ritual a “living symbol of tribal wisdom” that continues to prove accurate even in the satellite age. Women, though not allowed to climb the hill since Baba Dev is a bachelor deity, watched the event from below with devotion. The hilltop turned festive as villagers, farmers and 4Continued on | P8 youth gathered with drums and songs, celebrating their FP News Service MUMBAI In a first for Agatha Christie, four of the crime novelist's famous mysteries are being adapted for children – with the help of the Mr Men and Little Misses. The illustrated books, aimed at pre-school and primary age children, feature Christie detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple working alongside Roger Hargreaves's much-loved children's characters, reports the BBC. Two of the books were published on Thursday - Little Miss Marple: Muddle at the Vicarage and Mr Poirot: Mischief on the Nile – with two more to follow in February. James Prichard, Agatha Christie's great grandson, said it was a "dream collaboration". Prichard, who is also the chair and CEO of Agatha Christie's estate, added: "These clever and very funny re-imaginings of my great grandmother's stories, which include some of my favourite characters (in rather suspicious circumstances!), are bound to delight fans of both authors." Little Miss Marple: Muddle at the Vicarage will see the super-sleuth get involved when Reverend Muddle suspects there's been a theft at the vicarage. The Guardian quoting Harper Collins, the publisher says, In Muddle at the Vicarage, Little Miss Marple lives in St Mary Mead, the fictional village created by Christie, and is friends with Mr Nosey and Little Miss Chatterbox. When Reverend Muddle suspects a theft there are further mysteries “of the rather muddled kind”, and Little Miss Marple is “sure she can help Inspector Nonsense and Constable Silly uncover the truth” truth with the help of Inspector Nonsense and Constable Silly. 4Continued on | P8