Vol. 67 No. 241 | WEDNESDAY | JULY 10, 2024 | 26 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL www.freepressjournal.in NATION PM Modi leverages Bollywood's influence to win diaspora's approval EDITIONS: MUMBAI INDORE PUNE BHOPAL Staff Reporter MUMBAI Briefs Lord’s idol slips at Puri At least nine servitors of the Puri Jagannath temple were injured on Tuesday when the idol of Lord Balabhadra fell on them while it was being taken out from the chariot as part of the Rath Yatra festival. Of the nine, five were admitted to a hospital while four others suffered minor injuries. The mishap happened when the heavy wooden idol was being brought down from the chariot to be taken to the Gundicha temple. This is known as 'Pahandi' ritual. It appears that those who were carrying the idol lost control of it. The Puri Jagannath temple is under the state government's law department. The ritual reumed soon after the mishap and all idols were taken inside the temple. E-paper Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (Jan to Dec 2023) Cinema Manisha reveals famous photographer scolded her Gautam Gambhir officially appointed as the head coach of the Indian cricket team Dead end for Worli hit-&-run accused fp KONKAN GAMES AT LAST | Finally arrested, also mother, sisters & best friend who allegedly facilitated him in getting away More than two days after the hit-and-run incident in Worli, in which a 45-year-old woman, Kaveri Nakhwa, was dragged to death after a BMW rammed into the scooter driven by her husband Pradeep early on Sunday, the driver of the BMW at that time and the main accused, Mihir Shah, 24, was arrested from a Virar resort in a joint operation by the Mumbai Police and Crime Branch on Tuesday. Police have also detained Mihir’s mother Meena, 50, elder sister Pooja, 30, and Kinjal, 26, who went missing after the incident, from Shahpur. Along with Mihir, police have detained his friend Avdeep from Virar, who was with him on Monday night.  According to police, Mihir, his mother and two sisters, and Avdeep, were hiding in Shahpur after the incident. On Monday night, Mihir and Avdeep came to Virar, when Avdeep briefly switched on his mobile phone. This enabled police to trace their location and arrest them both from Virar Naka.  Eight teams each, of Mum- NASHIK Edit Need to fight terrorism on all fronts Modi's peace offensive Solution impossible on battlefield, Modi tells Putin; shares pain over killing of children in Ukraine; remarks follow criticism by Zelensky FPJ News Service MOSCOW Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday told Russian President Vladimir Putin that a solution to the Ukraine conflict is not possible on the battlefield and peace efforts do not succeed in the midst of bombs and bullets, even as he flagged concerns over a deadly missile strike on a children's hospital in Kyiv. In his televised opening remarks at summit talks with Putin in the Kremlin, Modi said the killing of innocent children is heart-wrenching and very painful, a day after a suspected Russian missile struck a children's hospital in Kyiv triggering global outrage. "Whether it is war, conflicts, terror attacks, everyone believing in humanity is deeply affected when there is a loss of lives. But even in that, when innocent children are killed, when we see innocent children dying, then it is heartwrenching and that pain is very horrible," Modi said. bai Police and the Crime Branch, had been deployed in the case.   According to sources, Mihir’s sister helped him get away after the incident. All those who facilitated Mihir’s escape are likely to be arrested. After the accident, Mihir first met his close friend in Goregaon and told her he was in trouble and asked her to drop him at Borivli. Mihir’s father, businessman and Shiv Sena (Shinde) leader Rajesh Shah, owns three luxury vehicles – a Mercedes, BMW and Audi. Of these, the Audi was missing from the parking lot. TIMELINE OF EVENTS ■ Mihir Shah & his friends leave Vice Global Tapas Bar around 1.15am, in his father’s Mercedes ■ From Juhu, they go to Borivli around 1.30am, to drop off friends living nearby ■ Next, Mihir goes to Borivli to fetch his BMW; he & family driver Rajrishi Bidawat set off on a long drive, around 3.45am ■ They reach Marine Drive in 45 minutes; after a while, they embark on the return trip to Borivli, at 5.05am. At this point, Mihir takes the wheel and shortly after, the gruesome tragedy unfolds, near Atria Mall, around 5.25am ■ According to sources, CCTV footage has revealed that had Mihir stopped the car immediately, Kaveri would have been saved 4Contd on | nation Kamala Mills owner held Ankit Salvi MUMBAI The Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing has arrested Ramesh Gowani, the owner of Kamala Mills, in a case of Rs 67.50 crore fraud.   The Kamala Mills houses many corporate offices and restaurants and is a landmark in the bustling city. Govani is accused of taking over the complainant's plot and constructing a building on it but not paying the promised Rs 67.50 crore in return. The complainant, Surjit Singh Arora (62), owned a plot in Khar Danda. In 2013, Gowani proposed a development plan for the site and offered Arora Rs 67.50 crore in return. Gowani, who also serves as a director of a private land development company, and Arora completed all the legal formalities and started constructing the building. After completing the structure, Govani sold it to customers but did not pay the consideration amount to the complainant. Gowani disregarded repeated payment demands, causing Arora to file a complaint with the Mumbai Police EOW. Subsequently, a case was registered against Gowani under sections 409 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. Gowani was summoned for questioning at the EOW office on Tuesday, where he was arrested for his alleged involvement in the cheating case, the official said. 4Contd on | nation PTI The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation over the alleged molestation of a boy by the Dalai Lama, as claimed to have been shown in a video clip that went viral last year, saying the religious leader was "being playful" and has already apologised for the incident. In the clip, the Dalai Lama was seen kissing the boy on the lips and asking him to "suck his tongue", which sparked a row on social media. The petitioner, 'Confederation of NGOs', had urged the court to pass directions to the DOUBLE SUICIDE: Father, son hold hands, lie on track as local train ends it all Suresh Golani MIRA BHAYANDAR A 33-year-old man and his father ended their lives by holding hands and lying on the railway tracks in front of an approaching train near the Bhayandar railway station at around 11:30 pm on Monday. The Churchgate-bound local train ran over them as the motorman had hardly time to apply the brakes. The deceased have been identified as Jay Mehta (33) and his 60-year-old father Haresh Mehta, both residents of Vasai (west). While Haresh was employed as an account manager with a private firm in Worli and had invested money in the stock market, his son worked as a DTP operator. According to Government Railway Police (GRP) officials, both had left for work as usual on Monday morning. In the footage captured by the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, both are seen walking on platform number six of the 4Contd on | nation Renaming of 7 rly stations is fast-tracked Kalpesh Mhamunkar MUMBAI authorities to take cognizance of the alleged incident under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and also ensure that the identity of the child is blacked out in news portals. A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan said the PIL can't be entertained and the incident was "not premeditated". "The court has seen the video and finds that it happened in full public glare. The Maharashtra legislative assembly unanimously passed a resolution to rename seven suburban railway stations in Mumbai on Tuesday. The resolution was moved by Public Works Minister (including public undertakings)  Dadaji Bhuse. The Mahayuti government will now submit the new names to the Union government for approval. In the legislative council, a similar resolution, moved by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil, was adopted unanimously. The resolution sought the following changes in the existing names of the stations:  Currey Road on the Main line 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation HC junks plea on Dalai kiss NEW DELHI The last walk together Top Russian civilian award for PM Modi FPJ News Service MOSCOW NDTV video clip HATHRAS STAMPEDE UP Govt suspends 6, conspiracy hinted at Biswajeet Banerjee LUCKNOW The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended six officials, including a local Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and a Circle Officer, following a Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the Hathras stampede. The incident, which occurred on July 2, resulted in the tragic loss of 121 lives and has raised serious questions about administrative and police conduct. The SIT, led by ADG Zone Agra and Commissioner Aligarh, conducted an exhaustive investigation, inspecting the site on July 2, 3, and 5. Their inquiry included recording statements of 125 individuals, including administrative and police officials, members of the public, and eyewitnesses. Additionally, the SIT reviewed various sources such as news articles, on-site videography, photographs, and video clippings. The report holds the event organizers primarily responsible for the stampede, citing their failure to manage the crowd adequately and concealment of critical facts to obtain permission for the event. It also found that local police and administrative officials were negligent in their duties. The SDM granted permission for the event without a site inspection or informing senior officers, which contributed significantly to the disaster. 4Contd on | nation Happy Birthday, Little Master. Platinum innings for Sunny One of the world’s finest cricketers and living legends, Sunil Gavaskar, turns 75 on Wednesday. Gavaskar has been an inspiration to generations of young cricketers across India and the world for decades. He was the first batsman to score 10,000 runs — 10,122 runs to be precise — in 1987. The Little Master (as he is known) fearlessly faced the famed pace battery of Andy 4Contd on | nation The husband and daughter of the victim. off-grid Robin Roy demystifies the folklore with Dilip Vengsarkar The Indian prime minister's remarks that appeared to be critical of Russia came hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy criticised the Indian prime minister for his Moscow visit where he greeted Putin with a bear hug. “Huge disappointment”: Zelensky took to social media platform X to post the huge disappointment on the same day that the missile struck the children's hospital. "In Ukraine today, 37 people were killed, three of whom were children, and 170 were injured, including 13 children, as a result of Russia's brutal missile strike. Roberts, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Imran Khan, Sarfaraz Nawaz, Jeff Thompson, Dennis Lillee and that too, without a helmet. Speaking to The Free Press Journal, 1987 Wisden Cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar said, “My interaction with Gavaskar goes back a long way, since I was a teen. I was 13 or 14 years old and in 1971, I would play for Dadar Union and we often met at Matunga. My captain then was Ashok Paranjpe. Gavaskar had already emerged on the global scene and we would hear great stories about his achievements in the West Indies series in 1971 and later, about his exploits against England under the great Ajit Wadekar.”  “I started sharing the Team India dressing room with him in 1976, while we were playing New Zealand and later, West Indies. His discipline and ability to time the cherry have today become folklore. Nobody becomes a genius without dedication. For him, dedication and discipline were the end words. He would sacrifice anything to make himself a perfect timer of the ball,” continued Vengsarkar.  “India’s moment in World Cricket had arrived in 1983, but then who can forget the Benson and Hedges series 4Contd on | nation 34 Test tons: Apart from becoming the first cricketer to gather over 10,000 Test runs, Gavaskar also held the record for the most tons in the longer format of the game. The ‘Little Master’ slammed 34 tons in the 125 Test appearances he made in his career. The record was unbeaten for a long period until the arrival of another batting legend called Sachin Tendulkar, who accomplished this feat in 2005. Currently, on the list of most centuries by Indians in Tests, Gavaskar stands third, after Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Calypso in the Caribbean: Gavaskar put up a supreme show against the West Indies. He mustered 774 runs in his debut series against them in 1971 – still the most runs by a player in their maiden series – also playing a key role in helping India seal their first series win in the Caribbean. In fact, Gavaskar has the most Test centuries against the West Indies – 13 from 27 matches. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was officially awarded the ‘Order of St. Andrew the Apostle’ by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to enhancing bilateral relations between India and Russia. The Order was established in 1698 by Tsar Peter the Great, in honour of Saint Andrew, the first apostle of Jesus, and patron saint of Russia. It was bestowed in a single class and was only awarded for the most outstanding civilian or military merit. While accepting the award, PM Modi dedicated it to the people of India and to the traditional bonds of friendship between India and Russia. Guru Gautam Gambhir it is! Haridev Pushparaj MUMBAI It was almost a done deal that Gautam Gambhir would be anointed as the head coach of the cricket team. So, it was no surprise when BCCI secretary Jay Shah made the official announcement on Tuesday. Gambhir, a prominent member of India’s 2011 ODI World Cup winning team, has been the toast of the season in the Indian Premier League (IPL), having mentored the Kolkata Knight Riders to their third title. He will take over as the head coach for the upcoming away series in Sri Lanka beginning July 27th, where India takes on the Islanders in three ODIs and as many T20Is. The Delhi man is famous for his upfront persona and combative attitude on the field. With skipper Rohit Sharma adopting an aggressive batting template that has yielded great results in the recently concluded T20 World Cup, Gambhir would perhaps take that mindset to the next level, especially in the white ball formats. The Sri Lanka tour presents Gambhir with a perfect foil to start his experiments in the ODIs and T20Is. 4Contd on | nation