19112025-TTC-01.qxd 11/19/2025 12:39 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 319 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 UNSC BACKS TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN, CLEARS DEPLOYMENT OF INT’L FORCE WORLD /thetribunechd LADAKH GROUPS SEEK STATEHOOD, RELEASE OF WANGCHUK J&K ED RAIDS GAMEZKRAFT, WINZO FOR ‘RIGGING ALGORITHM’ BUSINESS wednesday | 19 november 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Delhi suicide bomber glorifies act in video found in his phone recovered from brother Umer asked sibling to dump device in water | Recorded clip in April RED FORT BLAST ED arrests Al Falah group chairman after daylong raids Tribune News Service Adil Akhzer Srinagar, November 18 Over a week after the car bomb blast near Delhi’s Red Fort claimed 15 lives and left several others injured, a purported video of the suicide bomber, Dr Umer un-Nabi, surfaced on Tuesday in which he is seen discussing “suicide bombing” and describing it as a “martyrdom operation”. The nearly two-minute-long clip, which went viral on social media, appeared to have been recorded by Umer before he went into hiding as the Jammu and Kashmir Police busted the “white collar” terror module. Umer was driving the explosive-laden car that blasted outside Red Fort on November 10. The video shows Umer struggling to articulate his thoughts clearly, often faltering throughout the recording, before abruptly concluding it. “One of the most misunderstood concepts is what has been labelled as suicide bombing. continued on page 8 Jasir Bilal Wani, a close aide of bomber Umer un-Nabi (inset), being brought to the Patiala House Court in New Delhi on Tuesday. He was sent to 10-day NIA custody. PTI Terror module wanted bomber from Nuh Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service Gurugram, November 18 Identifying the Mewat region of Haryana as an “untapped pool for anti-national activities”, the “white collar” terror module aimed to radicalise the Meo Muslims and is even learnt to have unsuccessfully tried to find REUTERS a suicide bomber from Nuh. Calling them “naïve but sharp”, Red Fort suicide bomber Dr Umer un-Nabi had allegedly planned to radicalise local youth and send them abroad for training. Investigators part of a joint probe by the Haryana Police and central agencies revealed that Umer US SEES INDIA AS TRUSTED PARTNER, TRADE TIES REMAIN STRONG: GOYAL BACK PAGE maintained a low profile at Al Falah, but remained active in Nuh and even rented a house there 10 days prior to the blast. Umer’s suspected associates are learnt to have told security agencies that the suicide bomber would go around talking about “atrocities” continued on page 8 New Delhi, November 18 The ED on Tuesday evening arrested Al Falah group chairman Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui in an alleged money laundering case linked to the Al Falah Charitable Trust. He was arrested under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and produced before the PMLA court for remand. The arrest followed a detailed investigation and analysis of evidence gathered during searches on premises associated with the Al Falah group, conducted as part of an ECIRbased probe under the PMLA. The case stems from two FIRs registered by the Delhi Police Crime Branch alleging that Al Falah University, Faridabad, fraudulently claimed NAAC accreditation and falsely projected UGC recognition under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956, to mislead students, parents and stakeholders for wrongful gain. The UGC has clarified that the continued on page 8 Hidma, top Naxalite behind 26 attacks, killed in encounter Animesh Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 18 In a major breakthrough, the security forces on Tuesday killed dreaded Naxal leader Madvi Hidma in an encounter in Alluri Sitarama Raju district of Andhra Pradesh. According to the state police, both Hidma and his wife Raje were killed in the encounter, which began early Tuesday morning. Sources said the police got a tip-off regarding Hidma’s entry into Andhra Pradesh, which led to the encounter. The bodies of six militants, including those of Hidma and his wife, had been recovered till the time of filing of this report. The sources said Hidma was killed by the security forces 12 days before the November 30 deadline set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to eliminate the most-wanted Naxalite. Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sources said while Shah had set a deadline of March 31, 2026, for the eradication of Naxalism from the country, at a recent security review meeting, he had also told top security officials engaged in anti-Naxal opera- Elimination comes 12 days before Shah’s Nov 30 deadline Madvi Hidma was CPI (Maoist) central committee member. EC summons Pb DGP over 9 FIRs against Akalis CHANDIGARH: The EC has summoned Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav on November 25 in connection with complaints received against the police during the period when the model code of conduct was in force for the Tarn Taran bypoll. The ruling AAP candidate, Harmeet Singh Sandhu, won the election. Highly placed sources in the EC told The Tribune that the DGP had been summoned to explain nine cases registered against Akali workers during the election campaign. INSIDE UIDAI mulling QR code Aadhaar to check misuse NEW DELHI: The Unique Identi- tions to eliminate Hidma before November 30. The security forces killed the 44-year-old Naxal leader in the dense Pullagandi forests located at the tri-junction of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Briefing the media, Andhra Pradesh Intelligence chief Mahesh Chandra said, “For the past few days, we had a specific intelligence that a few Maoist leaders were entering Andhra Pradesh continued on page 8 fication Authority of India is mulling issuing an Aadhaar card with the holder’s photo and a QR code to prevent misuse of individuals’ data and discourage offline verification practices, which are in contravention of the present law, a top official said on Tuesday. In an online conference on a new app for Aadhaar, UIDAI CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar said the authority was considering introducing a new rule in December to discourage offline verification by entities such as hotels. — PTI Can’t whitewash terror, India has right to defend its people: EAM to SCO Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 18 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday asserted that the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) must reaffirm its founding mandate to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism, warning that there can be “no justification, no looking away and no whitewashing” of terror in any form. Addressing the SCO council of heads of government in Moscow, Jaishankar said terrorism remained the “most serious” challenge confronting the region and reminded member states that India had the sovereign “right to defend” its people. “As India has demonstrated, we have the right to defend our people against terrorism and will exercise it,” he said, underscoring New Delhi’s long-running concerns over cross-border terrorism. The minister, who congratulated Russia on its presidency of the council, stressed that the grouping must keep pace with global changes and adopt “fresh thinking and new collaborations” while standing firm on its core security mandate. He highlighted India’s CALLS ON PUTIN EAM S Jaishankar on Tuesday called on Russian President Vladimir Putin along with other heads of delegation of SCO member states. The meeting comes ahead of Russian President’s expected visit to India around December 5 for annual summit talks with PM Narendra Modi. support for reforming the SCO’s functioning as it grows more diverse, including prioritising a long-pending proposal to make English an official language of the organisation. Jaishankar pitched for stronger cooperation against organised crime, drug trafficking and cyber threats, which he said were increasingly intertwined with terrorism networks. On economic issues, the minister flagged an “uncertain and volatile” global situation fuelled by complex supplyand-demand side risks, calling for “de-risking and diversification” through broader trade linkages. He said India’s push for fair and transparent free-trade arrangements with several SCO nations reflected this approach. Won’t tolerateattempttosnatch Punjab’s rights, resources: CM Tribune News Service Russian President Vladimir Putin with EAM S Jaishankar in Moscow. Nitish to be elected NDA leader today Aditi Tandon New Delhi, November 18 Janata Dal (United) president Nitish Kumar will be elected the leader of the ruling National Democratic Alliance on Wednesday, paving the way for his anointment as the Chief Minister of Bihar. Ahead of the oath-taking ceremony on November 20 at Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan, the NDA MLAs will meet to elect Nitish Kumar their leader. Meanwhile, the BJP legislature party meeting has been postponed to Wednesday with the party appointing Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya as the central observer. The meeting will see BJP’s 89 MLAs elect the party leader in the Assembly. Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and former minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti have been appointed coobservers for the BJP legislature party meeting in Patna on Wednesday morning. BJP likely to get Speaker’s slot RAHUL QUESTIONS SIR Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday raised questions over the SIR process at a meeting with key AICC office-bearers of 12 states and union territories where the revision of electoral rolls is underway. He asserted that the party must fight it politically, organisationally and legally, sources said. Sources said two deputy chief ministerial slots were likely, with the BJP’s sixterm MLA from Bettiah, Renu Devi, a frontrunner to fill one of these. The BJP is likely to wrest the Assembly Speaker’s post although the JD(U) has also staked claim to it. The November 20 swearing-in will be attended by PM Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda among other senior NDA leaders and CMs of BJP and NDA-ruled states. Tribune News Service Anmol Bishnoi, key Siddique murder accused, extradited Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 18 Gangster Anmol Bishnoi, key accused in the murder case of NCP leader Baba Siddique, is learnt to have been deported to India from the US, agencies quoting a police official said on Tuesday. Anmol, also a wanted accused in the case related to firing on Bollywood star Salman Khan’s residence in April 2024, was expected to land in Delhi on Wednesday, the police official was further quoted as saying. The Mumbai Police had sent two proposals regarding his extradition, the official said, adding that multiple cases were registered against the gangster across the country, and the Centre would decide to which agency his continued on page 8 New Delhi, November 18 Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday accused Haryana, Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh of seeking to snatch the resources of Punjab and said infringement of state’s rights would not be tolerated. A day after the Northern Zonal Council met under the chairmanship of the Union Home Minister to discuss matters pertaining to the northern states, Mann said his opposition to Punjab-specific agendas raised by the neighbouring states led the Home Minister to defer decisions on all 11 items related to the state. “Of the 28 items on the meeting agenda, 11 pertained to Punjab. While on most, the Centre agreed to a status quo, our demand for the restoration of 60:40 Punjab-Haryana ratio for service intake to the Chandigarh Administration was referred to the standing committee of the council. This was done because Says Centre has deferred decision on 1 key items 1 Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann in New Delhi. PHOTO: MUKESH AGGARWAL Himachal Pradesh has now surprisingly claimed a 7 per cent share in the Chandigarh Administration staff. The committee will hear both states on this,” Mann said. Punjab resisted three demands raised by Haryana at the meeting — water sharing under the Sutlej-Yamuna Link Canal; Punjab should refrain from building mini hydel projects on the Bhakra Main Line as these hamper water flow; and accreditation of Haryana colleges to Panjab University, Chandigarh. Mann also objected to a proposal to appoint a whole-time member from Rajasthan on the Bhakra Beas Management Board where Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh are continued on page 8 By2:1,SCrecallsbanonpost factogreennod Delhi riots ‘pre-planned’ Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 18 The Supreme Court on Tuesday recalled its May 16 judgment that had prohibited the Centre from granting retrospective environmental clearances to projects found violating environmental norms. By a 2:1 majority, a Bench of Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and Justice K Vinod Chandran revived the legal mechanism that allowed ex post facto ECs for projects that had commenced or expanded without prior approvals under the 2006 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) notification. Justice Bhuyan dissents, cites Delhi smog “If the judgment under review (JUR) is not recalled, it will have serious consequences in terms of demolition of projects which are either completed or about to be completed in the near future and which are of vital public importance constructed out of the public exchequer. If the JUR is continued to operate, thousands of crores of rupees will go waste,” the CJI said in his judgment supported by Justice Chandran. The three judges delivered three separate verdicts on nearly 40 petitions seeking review/modification of the May 16 Vanashakti judgment by a Bench of Justice AS Oka (since retired) and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan that had barred the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) and the authorities concerned from granting retrospective environmental clearances to projects violating environmental norms. While CJI Gavai and Justice Chandran recalled the May 16 verdict and ordered the matter to be placed before an appropriate Bench for reconsideration of the issues afresh, c m y b Justice Bhuyan dismissed the review petitions. Citing Delhi smog, Justice Bhuyan, however, rejected the review petition and stuck to the original verdict against retrospective environmental clearance. “I would like to painfully observe that the deadly Delhi smog reminds us everyday about the hazards of environmental pollution. (The) Supreme Court, as the highest constitutional court of the country, has the duty and obligation under the Constitution of India and the laws framed thereunder to safeguard the environment. “It cannot be seen backtracking on the continued on page 8 attackonsovereignty:Cops Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 18 The Delhi Police on Tuesday termed the 2020 Delhi riots an “orchestrated, preplanned, and well-designed” attack on the sovereignty of India as they vehemently opposed the bail pleas of accused Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and three others, saying the riots were not something spontaneous. “First of all, that myth (has) to be busted. This was not a spontaneous riot after the CAA/NRC protests…. It was a welldesigned, well-crafted, well- Oppose bail to Umar, Imam, 3 others in SC Umar Khalid Sharjeel Imam orchestrated, pre-planned riot. That will emerge from the evidence collected... Speech after speech, statement after statement, there was an attempt to divide the society on communal continued on page 8