FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 252 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | FEBRUARY 24, 2026 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Gavaskar blasts India’s brainless bashing P.14 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY Customers deserve banking, not pitching UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK Cinema India’s moment at BAFTA 2026 P.16 PRAHAAR: INDIA UNVEILS FIRST COUNTER-TERRORISM POLICY ‘History of sporadic instability in immediate neighbourhood’ NEW DELHI The government on Monday unveiled the country's first counter-terrorism policy, "Prahaar", setting out a multilayered strategy based on "zero tolerance", intelligenceled prevention and disruption of extremist violence that aims to deny terrorists, their financiers and supporters access to funds, weapons and safe havens. The policy unveiled by the home ministry is based on seven key pillars to counter the terror threats emanating from India or abroad -- prevention, responses, aggregating internal capacities, human rights and "Rule of Law"-based processes, attenuating the conditions enabling terrorism including radicalisation, aligning and shaping the inter- Advisory issued for Indians in Mexico, Iran Agencies MEXICO CITY/NEW DELHI The Embassy of India in Mexico on Monday issued an advisory to Indian nationals residing in the country, urging them to exercise caution and remain indoors amid escalating violence after Mexican soldiers killed a top drug cartel leader. Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, also known as El Mencho, leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed on Sunday. Meanwhile, India also advised all its nationals residing in Iran to leave the country by all available means of transport, including commercial flights, in view of the evolving security situation. The Indian embassy in Iran issued a fresh advisory amid fresh protests in Tehran and increasing fears of US military strikes on the Gulf nation. "There has been a history of sporadic instability in the immediate neighbourhood of India, which has often given rise to ungoverned spaces. Besides, a few countries in the region have sometimes used terrorism as an instrument of State policy," the document said, without naming Pakistan. "Notwithstanding this, India does not link terrorism to any specific religion, ethnicity, nationality or civilisation. India has always denounced terrorism and its use by any actor for achieving any stated or unstated ends unambiguously and unequivocally," it added. national efforts to counter terrorism and recovery and resilience through a whole-of-society approach. "There has been a history of sporadic instability in the immediate neighbourhood of India, which has often given rise to ungoverned spaces. Besides, a few countries in the region have sometimes used terrorism as an instrument of State policy," the document said, without naming Pakistan. "Notwithstanding this, India does not link terrorism to any specific religion, ethnicity, nationality or civilisation. India has always denounced terrorism and its use by any actor for achieving any stated or unstated ends unambiguously and unequivocally," it added. Stating that India has consistently stood by the victims of terrorism and has been steadfast in its belief that there can be no justification whatsoever for violence in the world, the document said it is this principled approach that informs New Delhi's policy of "zero tolerance" against terrorism. "India has since long been affected by sponsored terrorism from across the border, with Jihadi terror outfits as well as their frontal organisa- HC directs parties to file objections to ASI report in two weeks Rahul, Kharge to meet farmers at Kisan Panchayat in Bhopal today BHOPAL Our Staff Reporter INDORE The Indore Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday directed all parties involved in the Bhojshala dispute to file their objections, opinions, and suggestions on the scientific survey report prepared by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). A Division Bench comprising Justice Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi also ordered that status quo be maintained at the disputed Bhojshala Temple cum Kamal Maula Mosque complex in Dhar district. The court granted two weeks to all parties to submit their responses to the ASI report, which examines the historical and structural aspects of the site. The matter has been listed for further hearing Retd IAF officer loses Rs 2.52 cr in MP ATS arrests 5 digital arrest scam more Afghan nationals for fake FP News Service Indian passports GWALIOR A 90-year-old retired Air Force Wing Commander allegedly lost Rs 2.52 crore in a digital arrest scam in Gwalior, police said on Monday. As per reports, the accused allegedly posed as a Delhi CBI officer and contacted Tikekar via WhatsApp on January 28. 4Continued on | P8 Our Staff Reporter BHOJSHALA DISPUTE on March 16. The bench noted that the ASI report had already been unsealed and shared with the litigating parties earlier, in compliance with previous court directions. However, this fact was not brought to the notice of the Supreme Court, which had issued directions on January 22, requiring the report to be opened and objections invited. 4Continued on | P8 Bhagirathpura: 30 fall ill after b’day bash Probe underway Incident triggers FP News Service Our Staff Reporter JABALPUR INDORE Madhya Pradesh Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested five Afghan nationals living illegally in Kolkata after obtaining Indian passports in Jabalpur using fake documents, officials said. The accused were arrested from areas under Beniapukur and Bhawanipur police stations in Kolkata. They were granted transit remand by Sealdah Court and Alipore Court in Kolkata before being produced before Jabalpur Court for police remand. The arrested include Raza Khan (28), Ziaul Rahman (30), Sultan Mohammad (27), Syed Mohammad (35)—all residents of After the haunting water episode, Bhagirathpura has hit the headlines ones again. This time, panic ensued at the area after more than 30 people fell ill after they allegedly consumed contaminated food at a birthday party. The incident triggered public health concern once again in the locality as the residents have still not recovered from the past water contamination incident, causing over 30 deaths in the area. The incident occurred at Shukla Gali, where Akash Mukshiya celebrated his son’s birthday on Saturday and invited relatives and acquaintances. Guests were served 4Continued on | P8 Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will meet a group of cotton-growing farmers at a Kisan Panchayat on Tuesday at Atal Path, Bhopal. Congress is protesting India-USA trade deal, claiming it could harm farmers, especially those growing cotton, soybean, pulses and oilseeds. The two leaders are expected to reach Bhopal around 1 PM by special plane. From the airport to Atal Path, Congress workers will raise welcome gates along the route. Around 2 PM, they will reach the dais to interact with farmers and address those who travelled from across the state.The party plans to bring around 50,000 farmers to the event. health concern once again as residents have still not recovered from water contamination dal-bafle, laddus and other dishes prepared at home. By Sunday morning, several attendees reported ill after they returned homes. Affected residents sought treatment at different health centres across the city. However, no patient required hospitalisation and none were reported to be in serious condition, according to preliminary information from local authorities and attending doctors. 4Continued on | P8 British govt indebted to Sehore bizman His grandson will file a petition to claim the amount Kapil Suryawanshi SEHORE The former British government in India is indebted to a business family in Sehore, which goes back to 1917. The family members claim that their ancestor lent Rs 35,000 to the then British gov- Transaction paper ernment to manage the Bhopal princely state. Vivek Ruthia The businessman who lent the money was Jumma Lal Ru- thia, whose grandson Vivek Ruthia claimed that he would take the money with interest from the government. Vivek claims he possesses the original copy of a written agreement about the transaction. According to Vivek, he is getting ready to send a legal notice to the present British government for the return of the amount with interest. 4Continued on | P8 E-paper Edit Freebies are fiscal poison P.6 ZERO TOLERANCE | Blueprint released by home ministry is based on seven key pillars to counter terror threats emanating from country or abroad PTI MUMBAI Totally unwarranted: SC expunges MP HC remarks against POCSO court judge PTI NEW DELHI tions continuing to plan, coordinate, facilitate and execute terror attacks in India. India has been on the target of global terrorist groups such as AlQaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), which have been trying to incite violence in the country through sleeper cells," it said. Operating from foreign soil, terrorists have hatched conspiracies to promote violence in India, with handlers using latest technologies, including drones, to facilitate terror-related activities and attacks in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, the policy said. "Increasingly, terrorist groups are engaging organised criminal networks for logistics and recruitment to execute and facilitate terror strikes in India. The Supreme Court on Monday expunged critical observations of the Madhya Pradesh High Court against a special trial court judge, saying the “hasty conclusion” accusing the judge of “intellectual dishonesty” was “totally unwarranted”. The special court, dealing with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases, had convicted an accused in a sexual assault case. The MP HC had reversed the decision and made critical observations against the special judge that he exhibited a “sign of intellectual dishonesty”. The high court had said that the special judge and the public prosecutor committed a “major lapse” in doing injustice to the accused and putting him behind bars for over three years by overlooking the fact that the victim was a consenting adult. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 CM: Mustard to be brought under Bhavantar scheme Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the government has decided to provide Bhavantar cover to mustard crop. Apart from this, a bonus of Rs 600 per quintal will be given on urad (black grams). He made the statement on agriculture in the state assembly on Monday, noting that mustard crop area has increased by 28% and estimated procurement would be around 15.71 lakh metric tonnes. A decision has been taken to procure mustard under the Bhavantar scheme so that farmers can get a reasonable price for their produce. Similarly, a proposal has been sent to the Centre regarding procurement of gram, masoor and tuar pulses. The aim is to make Madhya Pradesh an agri-export hub. US-India trade deal hits farmers: LoP Leader of Opposition UmangSinghar said farmers are beginning to feel the impact of the USIndia trade deal, with cotton prices falling by 11%. He also demanded the government to release a white paper on debt. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya responded that debt issues are not linked to agriculture. Singhar also alleged that wheat procurement is not happening properly in the state. Zero percentile not to certify competence, Centre tells SC Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Central government on Monday told Supreme Court that NEET-PG is not meant to certify minimum competence, in a hearing over a PIL filed on reducing the zero percentile cutoff. The Centre has filed an affidavit in this regard. FAIMA national executive member Dr Akash Soni, a student of Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal, is one of the petitioners in the case. The government emphasised that all candidates appearing for NEET-PG are already qualified MBBS doctors who have completed 4.5 years of academic training across multiple medical specialties, followed by a compulsory oneyear rotating internship. NEET- NEET-PG Govt emphasised that candidates appearing for NEET-PG are already qualified docs PG is not designed to certify minimum competence. Addressing concerns about patient safety, the affidavit stated that postgraduate training is a supervised process. “All candidates admitted to postgraduate courses are already licensed MBBS practitioners. During postgraduate training, candidates function under constant supervision of senior faculty and specialists,” it said. 4Continued on | P8