07052026-CT-01.qxd 5/7/2026 1:01 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune TENSION GRIPS SOHANA AFTER SACRILEGE INCIDENT VEDANG RAINA PLAYS A SIKH IN IMTIAZ ALI’S FILM Vedang Raina, a Kashmiri Pandit by birth, plays a turbaned sardarji in Main Waapas Aaunga. P4 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 20°C YESTERDAY MAX 34.3°C | MIN 18°C PET FRIENDLY CAFÉ IN SHIMLA OFFERS 10 PER CENT DISCOUNT Tension prevailed in Sohana after torn pages of a religious text were found on the main road. P2 FORECAST Cafe Khoblu in Shimla offers 10 per cent discount to those who visit the restaurant with their pets. P4 » » /THETRIBUNECHD WHAT’S ON Tribune News Service APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 34, 56 and Ram Darbar Mohali: Sec 88 and Phase 8 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com INBRIEF MAN BOOKED FOR STABBING YOUTH Chandigarh: Manoj Kumar reported that two compressors of air conditioners were stolen from his shop in Sector 44. The police have registered a case under Section 303(2) of the BNS. TNS TWO BOOKED FOR CHEATING Chandigarh: Dilshad and Dinesh have been booked for duping Mohammed Shakir of Mauli Jagran of Rs 6 lakh on the pretext of arranging a work visa of Dubai. A case has been registered under Sections 506, 406 and 342 of the IPC. TNS At a time when the government is advising the judicious use of LPG cylinders by all, workers of an NHAI contractor blatantly use domestic cylinders for road repairs in Zirakpur on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR Day after power bank blast in flight at airport, Delhi team begins probe Gaurav Kanthwal Tribune News Service Mohali, May 6 A day after 200 passengers and six crew of the HyderabadChandigarh Indigo flight had to be evacuated after the power bank of a passenger exploded inside the aircraft at Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport here, a team of Director General of Civil Aviation officials from Delhi reached here and reviewed various aspects of the mishap. Sources said a full-fledged probe was on and the team interactedwiththeIndigoAirlinesofficials and the aircraft (A321) crew to get details about the circumstances that led to the incident. The officials recorded the statement of the passenger Two decades on, HC raises relief to ~40 lakh in fatal accident case Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 6 When a student secured admission in Mechanical Engineering at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, there was no reason to imagine that years later, the worth of his yet-to-begin career would be capped at Rs 6,000 a month following his death in a motor accident. Nearly two decades after the 2006 accident, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has stepped in to correct that assessment, enhancing the compensation from Rs 5.76 lakh to Rs 40.70 lakh and holding the earlier fixation of income to be noticeably insufficient and “wholly unrealistic”. The accident had occurred on November 27, 2006, while the motor accident claims tribunal passed its award in 2009. Taking up the matter, Justice Sudeepti Sharma recalculated his notional monthly income at Rs 30,000, before directing the respondents to deposit the enhanced amount with interest within two months. The ruling is significant as it addresses a recurring legal issue — how to assess the future earning capacity of students who had not yet entered the workforce but were clearly FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Tricity weapon suppliers’ nexus unearthed, four arrested with pistols Flouting norms COMPRESSORS STOLEN FROM SHOP SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.34 AM » THURSDAY | 7 MAY 2026 | CHANDIGARH Chandigarh: The police have booked Umesh for stabbing Manoj near Ravidass Gurdwara in Dadu Majra. The victim was admitted to the Government Multi-speciality Hospital, Sector 16. A case under Sections 115(2), 118(1) and 351(2) of the BNS has been registered at the Maloya police station. TNS SUNSET THURSDAY 7.04 PM Injured woman’s family says no statement has been recorded whose power bank had exploded in a pouch kept in the seat pocket. A team of Indigo officials from Delhi also visited a private hospital in Phase 6 and met 37-year-old female passenger who had sustained multiple fractures and undergone surgery today. No statement has been recorded from the victim’s family. An Indigo Airlines spokesperson told The Tribune: “This is the only thing we can share at the moment please.” Around six passengers, including children, also sustained minor injuries during the emergency evacuation. Questions remain why the airlines has not recorded formal complaints from the passengers at the airport. A statement by the Director General of Civil Aviation claimed that no passenger was injured in the incident despite Indigo providing first aid to kids and woman at the medical room of the airport terminal. Sorabh Acharya, husband of the victim woman, expressed shock at the DGCA’s response. He said: “It is shocking if the DGCA has made such a statement. My wife’s medical records clearly note that the injury was sustained during the emergency evacuation from the aircraft. Indigo officials visited the hospital today. There were children in the flight who sustained minor injuries,” he said. Acharya’s wife, a state government employee, is bedridden for at least two weeks. Airport police station officials confirmed that “no DDR/ FIR has been registered as no complaint was lodged.” Carry a power bank on flight but don’t use it Mobile phone chargers and laptop chargers are both Continued on page 2 Preparing for the worst Engineering student had died in mishap on a defined professional path. The court has now significantly revised the compensation to align it with the student’s academic record and likely career trajectory. Justice Sharma observed the victim was a third-year student of Mechanical Engineering at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh, and had not yet entered gainful employment as his appointment was contingent upon the completion of his course. However, the tribunal failed to properly appreciate the material evidence on record. Referring to precedent pronouncements and taking into consideration the victim’s academic standing and career trajectory, Justice Sharma asserted: “The court is of the considered opinion that even a conservative estimation of his notional income ought to be fixed at Rs 30,000 per month. Such determination would better subserve the object of awarding ‘just compensation’ as contemplated under the Motor Vehicles Act and rectify the patent inadequacy in the assessment made by the Tribunal.” A team conducts a fire drill at the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital, Sector 16, in Chandigarh on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR Chandigarh, May 6 The Operations Cell of the UT police claimed to have busted a nexus of gangsters with the arrest of Balwant, Subash, Ranjit and Sanju Kancha. One of the weapon suppliers, Rayeen had links with Pakistani gangster Sehzaad Bhatti. The police have recovered four semi-automatic weapons, one countrymade pistol, nine cartridges and one car from these criminals. A team, led by Inspector Satvinder, carried out raids at different locations. The police arrested Sanju with a semi-automatic pistol near the grain market, Sector 39. During interrogation, he disclosed that he had procured the weapon from Rayeen, who was in touch with Pakistani gangster Sahzaad Bhatti. Rayeen, hailing from Meerut, was brought here on production warrant from the Ambala jail. He was earlier caught along with two accomplices with 2 kg of suspected RDX, thwarting a potential terror plot. His accomplices were Ali Akbar (Ajmer) and Jangvir (Ambala). During interrogation, Rayeen said he got in touch with Bhatti on Instagram. He used to sell weapons in the Tricity through Balwant. On the dis- closures made by Rayeen, Balwant, a resident of Dhanas, was arrested by the police after a brief chase. He tried to ram his vehicle into the police car while escaping, but was arrested near Sector 63. “Balwant suffered an injury while trying to escape. The police recovered one coun- Minor awarded 10-year RI in rape case Man stabbed to death atBhankharpurvillage Chandigarh, May 6 A fast-track court has sentenced a minor (child in conflict) to 10year imprisonment after convicting him in a rape case registered two years ago. A “child in conflict with the law” (CCL) refers to a minor aged from 16 to 18 who is accused or found to have perpetrated an offence. The police had registered the case on a complaint filed by the victim. She had reported that the accused raped her on October 12, 2024. The counsel for the accused said he was falsely implicated in the case. Advocate Pradeep Verma, appearing for the complainant, said the prosecution had proved the case beyond a shadow of doubt. After hearing the arguments, the court sentenced the accused to 10-year rigorous imprisonment. Tribune News Service Two of the accused in police custody. PAKISTAN LINK ■ Accused Rayeen had links with Pakistani gangster Sehzaad Bhatti ■ Main accused was earlier arrested with 2 kg suspected RDX ■ Four semi-automatic weapons, one countrymade pistol seized ■ Dhanas resident Balwant used to sell illegal weapons in Tricity Zirakpur, May 6 A man and his son stabbed a Bhankharpur resident to death in full public view over a financial dispute today. The assailants attacked the victim, identified as Tarsem Singh, with knives and stabbed him repeatedly in the chest. He was rushed to a hospital where the doctor declared him brought dead. Tarsem had reportedly gone to the Bhankharpur village bus stand to have his motorcycle serviced. An argument broke out between him and the assailants, Moni and his son, both residents of the same village, over a monetary dispute. The family alleged that Tarsem was not immediately taken to the hospital and trymade pistol and two cartridges from his possession. He used to purchase weapons from Rayeen and sell these to Ranjit and Subash in the Tricity area,” said a police officer. Later, Ranjit and Subash, who claimed to be a sharp shooter of Ravinder, were arrested. remained at the scene for about 10 minutes. Later, with the help of villagers and the police, he was taken to the Dera Bassi subdivisional hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The deceased's son, Bhavanpreet, alleged that his father's life could have been saved had he reached the hospital early. Angry over the incident, local residents have demanded that the police must arrest the accused as soon as possible. The police shifted the body to a mortuary where a postmortem examination would be conducted by doctors. Meanwhile, police officials said both accused had been identified. They had formed teams to arrest the assailants. A murder case has been registered. 2.5-year term for city Mayor, deputies ‘a terrible idea’: Tewari Slams UT Admn’s proposal as cosmetic; demands directly elected Chandigarh Mayor for five years THE TRIBUNE SPECIAL Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 6 Chandigarh Congress MP and former Union Minister Manish Tewari has rejected the UT Administration’s proposal to extend the tenure of the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor from one year to two and a half years, calling it “a terrible idea” that will only perpetuate what he described as “the tyranny of the bureaucracy.” Speaking to The Tribune over the phone from New Delhi on Wednesday, a day when this paper first reported the administration’s proposal to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) seeking amendment in Section 38 of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, Tewari said the proposal was cosmetic at best and structurally flawed at its core. “It is a terrible idea. What is being proposed is cosmetic to perpetuate the tyranny of the bureaucracy,” Tewari said. “Until and unless the Mayor of Chandigarh is directly elected by the people for five years, the Mayor will not be able to deliver.” c m y b ❝ What is being proposed is cosmetic to perpetuate the tyranny of the bureaucracy. Until and unless the Mayor of Chandigarh is directly elected by the people for five years, the Mayor will not be able to deliver. ❞ — Manish Tewari, CHANDIGARH MP & FORMER UNION MINISTER ‘CHANDIGARH A PARKING LOT FOR BUREAUCRACY’ Tewari said the real problem was not the length of the Mayor’s term but the complete absence of meaningful powers in the hands of the elected civic body. He pointed out that Chandigarh had become “a parking lot for the bureaucra- cy,” with layers upon layers of officials stifling the city’s development, a reality so embarrassing. He said the government had refused to answer his parliamentary question on the sanctioned versus actual strength of officers posted in the UT, citing national security grounds. WHAT TEWARI WANTS INSTEAD The MP said he had already placed his comprehensive vision before Parliament through a private member’s Bill introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 5, 2025, and the administration’s proposal fell far short of it on every count. He had proposed that the Mayor should be directly elected by all voters for five years, as is the model in Haryana. “In Panchkula, which is considered a suburb of Chandigarh, the Mayor is directly elected by the people for five years. The Haryana model is far more efficacious than the Pun- jab model,” he said. The Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor, under his proposal, would be elected by the councillors, also for five years. Governance must vest in a Mayor-in-Council comprising the Mayor and the two deputies, with all subjects except land, law and order, and police transferred from the UT Administrator to this elected body. “Given the extremely volatile security situation in Punjab, seamless coordination is imperative, that is why the Governor of Punjab was designated as the Administrator of Chandigarh in 1984. Except for Continued on page 2