FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 267 | INDORE | FRIDAY | MARCH 6, 2026 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports ‘Not everyone retires on their own terms’ P.13 Modi calls for ‘swift end’ to conflicts in Ukraine, West Asia PM Narendra Modi on Thursday called for a “swift end” to the conflicts in West Asia and Ukraine, warning that no issue can be resolved through military confrontation, as the Israel-Iran hostilities escalated. Modi's remarks, following his wide-ranging talks with Finnish President Alexander Stubb, came as the US and Israel's war with Iran entered the sixth day, with both sides launching fresh strikes that significantly heightened tensions across the region. The crisis in West Asia figured prominently in the Modi-Stubb talks. “India and Finland both believe in the rule of law, dialogue, and diplomacy. We are in agreement that no issue can be resolved through military conflict alone,” the PM said. “Be it Ukraine or West Asia, we will continue to support the PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK Cinema Sonu offers help to stranded travellers P.14 4Continued on | P8 Ashwin Ahmad NEW DELHI Although Lankan minister Nalinda Jayatissa gave no details of the Iranian ship, official sources identified it as IRIS Bushehr, which was carrying nearly 300 crew ‘DENA GUEST OF INDIAN NAVY’ ran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said the Iranian warship sunk off Sri Lanka had recently been a “guest of India’s Navy,” a remark that draws attention to the protocols foreign naval ships observe when participating in multinational exercises such as MILAN naval exercise. On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Seyed Abbas Araghchi but it is not immediately known what transpired in the talks. Araghchi said the United States had committed “an atrocity at sea” by striking a vessel that had been sailing in international waters after taking part in naval engagements in India. In his statement, he emphasised that the frigate had recently been “a guest of India’s Navy,” carrying dozens of sailors while returning from the region. In naval diplomacy warships attending multinational exercises hosted by the Indian Navy follow strict non-combat protocols during their participation. These rules are designed to ensure that visiting vessels are engaged in cooperative activities rather than operational deployments. I 4Continued on | P8 Tens of thousands of people voted on Thursday in Nepal's first general elections since violent Gen Z protests toppled the K P Sharma Oli-led coalition government, with corruption and generational change in leadership as the main issues in the politically fragile country. The election is being closely watched by India. Indian players celebrate their victory over England during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday ANI Team India beat England by 7 runs on Thursday to book place in T20world Cup finals at Ahmedabad. Earlier, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan scripted history with India’s highest partnership in a T20 World Cup knockout, adding 97 runs for the second wicket against England cricket team at Wankhede Stadium. Samson’s blazing 89 and Kishan’s 39 powered India to 253/7. England chase ended at 246/7 (Indian innings detail report on Sports Page) Dept finds Gour as benamidar, Sharma beneficial owner Opportunity to claim property Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Income-Tax department will seize 52 kg gold, Rs 11 crore in cash and the car from which the gold and cash were recovered. The assets allegedly belong to former RTO constable Saurabh Sharma and his associate Chetan Singh Gour. The property will be deposited in the government treasury. The I-Tax department's ad- The I-T department will give an opportunity to Sharma and Gour to claim their rights over the seized property. If they do not make a claim, the property will be auctioned and the amount will be deposited in the Government of India treasury judicating authority has upheld the action taken by the Bhopalbased Benami Prohibition Unit (BPU). The authority declared Saurabh Sharma the real owner of the gold. Saurabh came into Prayers at any spot not religious right: Bombay HC PTI/Mumbai limelight in December 2024 when the Lokayukta, the ED and the I-Tax department raided his premises.During the raid, Rs 11 crore in cash and 51.8 kg of gold were seized from an Innova car in Mendori, Bhopal, on the night of December 18 and 19. The seizure was also linked to Sharma. The adjudicating authority under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, Mumbai, confirmed the provisional attachment order passed by the Benami Prohibition Unit, Bhopal, under the PBPT Act, 1988. Security overrides religion, the Bombay High Court said on Thursday while refusing any relief to taxi and autorickshaw drivers seeking to offer namaz at the site of a now demolished temporary shed near the city airport during Ramzan. A bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla noted that while Ramzan was an integral part of Islam, its adherents cannot claim to have a religious right to offer namaz (prayers) at any place during the holy month 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 A goldsmith from Jawad in Madhya Pradesh’s Neemuch district has crafted what he claims to be the world’s smallest replica of an opium pod using pure 24-carat gold. The miniature artwork was created by Rajesh Soni, who is known for making micro gold sculptures. Inspired by the flourishing opium crop currently seen in the Neemuch and Mandsaur districts, he decided to design a tiny replica of the opium pod, often referred to as black gold. The replica measures just 5 mm in length and 3 mm in width and weighs only 50 mg. It has been made using 24carat gold and is so small that plete the piece, and the design had to be remade five times before achieving the final result. Due to the extremely 4Continued on | P8 Two mishaps in city A man was killed in a road accident in the Banganga area on Wednesday night. He was on his way to bring his children from their maternal grandparents house when he lost control of his bike and rammed into a road divider. In another incident, Ankit Parmar, an independent journalist and content creator, sustained injuries in a two-wheeler accident reportedly caused by a pothole near the Free Press office on Wednesday. He suffered a deep cut on the leg and required seven stitches. Bengal drama: Bose quits as Guv, Ravi in With Shah by his side, Nitish files RS papers emergency vehicles reached the spots on time in every case and helped save hundreds of lives by providing immediate medical assistance. Despite repeated appeals by authorities to celebrate responsibly and follow traffic rules, the numbers highlight the persistent risk on roads during major festivals. Among the major cities, Indore s third position in accident cases reflects heavy vehicular movement and festive gatherings. Officials have urged citizens to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol and follow traffic regulations during celebrations. Aritra Singha KOLKATA 4Continued on | P8 Earlier miniature creations it can be placed on the tip of a needle or among poppy seeds. Soni said it took two days of continuous effort to com- should adhere to office timings. If there is no improvement, a six-day working week for officials will be implemented. He said that while employees have the right to facilities, they must ensure work accordingly. and increased movement of people visiting relatives and friends. Emergency response teams remained active throughout the day to attend distress calls across districts. Tarun Singh, manager of the 108 Ambulance Service, told Free Press that ambulances were deployed across the state during the Holi festival. He said 4Continued on | P8 small size, the work required very fine tools and careful welding with a low gas flame. Even a small mistake could damage the delicate structure. A 50 mg replica at Madhya Pradesh Bhavan in New Delhi and at Mantralaya in Bhopal to coordinate with such families. Yadav was addressing a meeting with senior officials at Mantralaya on Thursday. He also instructed all district collectors through video conferencing. The CM said employees The festival of colours saw a surge in accidents and emergencies across Madhya Pradesh, with the 108 Ambulance Service responding to 948 accident cases on Holi, according to official data. After Sagar and Vidisha, Indore ranked third in the state with 46 road accidents reported on the day. Among all districts, Sagar reported the highest number of accidents at 67, followed by Vidisha with 55 cases. Indore ranked third in the state with 46 accidents on the festival day. Jabalpur reported 45 accident cases, while Rewa and Satna registered 42 incidents each, placing them among the districts with the highest number of emergencies during Holi celebrations. The state capital Bhopal stood at eighth with 39 road accident cases reported on the day. Officials said festivals often see a rise in road mishaps due to rash driving, drunk driving This is not the first time the goldsmith has created such miniature artworks. MP goldsmith crafts smallest opium pod replica Kajal Kumari Chief Minister Mohan Yadav instructed district collectors to remain in touch with families of students stuck in Gulf countries due to the USIsrael-Iran war. He said control rooms have been set up In a dramatic development just days before the schedule for the West Bengal Assembly elections is expected to be announced, Governor CV Ananda Bose resigned from his post in New Delhi on Thursday evening, triggering a political storm in the state. Confirming his decision, Bose said he had stepped down after serving in the Raj Bhavan for more than three years. “Yes, I have resigned. I have been the Governor of Bengal for three-and-a-half years; it’s enough for me,” he said, offering no further explanation for the sudden move. micro wonder INDORE Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL INDORE I-T dept to seize Saurabh Sharma’s Rs 100 cr ‘booty’ 4Continued on | P8 Keep in touch with kin: CM to collectors Sachin Sharma Sukhoi jet ‘goes missing’ Voting concludes in Nepal The Ministry of External Affairs went on social media to strongly refute a claim made that India was allowing the US Navy to use its ports to launch attacks. In a post on X, the MEAFactCheck wrote, “Claims being made on One America News Network, a US-based channel, that Indian ports are being used by the US Navy are fake and false. We caution you against such baseless and fabricated comments.” The claim was made during an interview with US defence expert and former Colonel Douglas MacGregor on his thoughts on the Iran war. In the interview, Col. MacGregor commented, “All of our bases have been destroyed. Our harbour installations are destroyed. We are actually having to fall back on India and Indian ports, which is less than ideal; that is what the navy says.” Colonel MacGregor also believes the US Navy may have used an Indian port to strike the IRIS Dena, an Iranian frigate that was believed to have been sailing in international waters before it was struck through a torpedo strike by a US submarine in the Bay of Bengal, where over 80 Iranian sailors were believed to have been killed. he Indian Navy on Thursday said it joined search and rescue operations after learning about a distress call from the Iranian warship IRIS Dena, which went down off the coast of Sri Lanka after being hit by a torpedo fired by a US submarine. In a statement, the Indian Navy said it promptly launched its search and rescue (SAR) efforts with a long-range maritime patrol aircraft at 10 am onWednesday to augment rescue operations led by Sri Lanka. “Another aircraft with air-droppable life rafts was also kept on standby for immediate deployment. INS Tarangini, which was operating in the vicinity, was deployed to aid the rescue efforts and arrived in the search area by 4 pm,” it said. Holi sees 948 road accidents in state, Indore ranks third IT’S BLUE Vs BLACK GUWAHATI KATHMANDU E-paper INDIA SENT 2 INDIA REFUTES SHIPS TO RESCUE SLUR ON ATTACK T F A Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft has been reported overdue after taking off from Jorhat in Assam, said the Indian Air Force in an official statement on Thursday. In a post on X, the IAF said the aircraft was last in contact at 7:42 PM. Authorities added that further details are being ascertained and a search and rescue operation has been launched. “An IAF Su-30 MKI is reported overdue. MUMBAI Edit DMK’s unity as strategy P.6 FP News Service oreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday signed the condolence book at the Embassy of Iran, marking India’s formal response to the passing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. While Misri’s gesture fulfils essential diplomatic protocol, it highlights a notable contrast in representation compared to instances where Indian Heads of State or Government have intervened personally. The level of representation signals the strategic or emotional depth of the bilateral bond. In 2007, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally visited the Pakistan High Commission for Benazir Bhutto, a powerful signal of solidarity. Similarly, in 2022, President Droupadi Murmu travelled to London to sign the book for Queen Elizabeth II, reflecting the highest level of state honour. Delegating the Foreign Secretary—a top bureaucrat—for the 2026 signing suggests a more measured approach at a time when the geopolitical context is particularly sensitive. Briefs UJJAIN MUMBAI MISRI SIGNS KHAMENEI CONDOLENCE BOOK fp INDORE Lanka extends help to 2nd Iran ship 4Continued on | P8 Modi said both India and Finland believe in rule of law and that no issue can be resolved through military conflict EDITIONS: MONEY swift end of conflicts and every effort towards peace.” The Finnish President said both sides deliberated on the conflict in West Asia and Russia's “war of aggression” against Ukraine. NEW DELHI iii QUALITY @ VALUE Middle East turmoil threatens crude-linked sectors, exports Sri Lanka has denied docking permission to a second Iranian vessel reported near its coast, even as authorities said they are prepared to extend humanitarian assistance to the crew if required, according to international media reports. The development comes a day after the Iranian naval frigate IRIS Dena sank off Sri Lanka following a US torpedo strike during the escalating regional conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel. According to The Wall Street Journal, Sri Lankan officials confirmed that the vessel was sighted roughly 20 miles off Colombo. Cabinet spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said the ship was in international waters and had not entered Sri Lanka’s territorial zone. Late at night, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Sri Lanka evacuated 208 crew members from the naval vessel. Agencies ESTD-1983 Dheeraj Kumar PATNA Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday heaped praise on Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and his governance, crediting him with freeing the state from the “clutches of jungle raj”. As Nitish filed nomination papers for Rajya Sabha polls, Shah called the JD(U) leader “messiah of the poor”. He said: “For the past two decades, the Nitish government’s commitment and dedicated leadership for the welfare of the people of Bihar has freed the state from jungle raj and propelled it forward in the direction of development and good governance.” Shah also shared images of Nitish Kumar filing his Rajya Sabha nomination while he stood by his side on his X account. The BJP leader said, “Your extensive experience in public service and deep understanding of policy-making will make the Rajya Sabha proceedings even more effective. Your esteemed presence will further strengthen the NDA’s resolve of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’.” 4Continued on | P8