15072026-TTB-01.qxd 14-07-2026 23:55 13 NON-BAILABLE WARRANT ISSUED AGAINST HAFIZ J&K /thetribunechd Page 1 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 194 | 18 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  DELHI SONAM WANGCHUK’S FAST ENTERS DAY 17 NATION wednesday | 15 july 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com * ‘Very sensitive’: SC won’t restore Bhojshala namaz LIONEL MESSI Argentinian playmaker has lit up his final World Cup with eight goals in six matches, matching KylianMbappe in the Golden Boot race. The 39-yearold is bidding to become the first captain to lead Argentina to successive WC titles. SECOND SEMIFINAL Argentina vs England Atlanta (July 16, 12.30 am IST) JUDE BELLINGHAM Orders separate space for Muslims as ad hoc measure NEW DELHI: The passport is a document issued by the government to “regulate the departure” of Indian citizens from the country, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said amid a raging debate over whether it can be used to verify citizenship. He said passport was issued after due “verification” and that less than 8 per cent Indians hold it. INSIDE Modi stopped N-hit on Ukraine: Poland NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi played a key role in dissuading Russian President Vladimir Putin from using tactical nuclear weapons during the Ukraine war in late 2022, Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Teofil Bartoszewski said on Monday, describing Modi as one of the few global leaders capable of influencing Putin. INSIDE Ruchika M Khanna Satya Prakash ARCH RIVALRY Fierce rivals Argentina and England lock horns for a place in the FIFA World Cup final. Fuelled by decades of unforgettable battles on the pitch and historical tensions off it, defending champions Argentina chase back-to-back crowns, while England seek to end a 60-year WC drought. English star midfielder has emerged as theThree Lions’ driving force with six WC goals, including a quarterfinal brace that sunk Norway. Alongside Harry Kane, he spearheads England’s bid to reach a first World Cup final since 1966 and end six decades of hurt. WC TITLES: Argentina 1978, ’86, 2022| Eng 1966 HEAD-TO-HEAD (ALL COMPETITIONS) HEAD-TO-HEAD ARGENTINA 14 ENGLAND WC WINS 3 WINS 6 ARGENTINA 2 | ENG 3 DRAW 5 5 Passport regulates exitfromnation:MEA Ahead of Modi’s visit, Punjab blames Centre for ‘aiding’ drug trade Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 14 Days ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party has upped the ante against the BJP-led Centre, accusing it of deliberating ignoring Punjab and “aiding a gangster, lodged in Sabarmati Jail, Gujarat, to spread his drug business in the state”. The state’s ruling party has also accused the Centre of failing to act when Punjab is being used as a “dumping ground” for drugs and arms. “The Centre is not even allowing our flagship health insurance scheme to be implemented in the PGI, Chandigarh. This premier healthcare institute was set up for Punjab several decades ago. If this is not discrimination against Punjab, what else is,” questioned Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh. Modi is scheduled to visit the state and its capital, New Delhi, July 14 The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to pass an interim order restoring the status quo ante at the disputed Bhojshala complex in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh to allow Muslims to offer namaz on Fridays alongside Hindu worship on designated days. “Let us not pass any order which can cause tension,” a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant told senior advocates AM Singhvi, Huzefa Ahmadi and Meenakshi Arora after they sought restoration of status quo ante on behalf of Muslim petitioners. The CJI termed it a “very sensitive issue”. The refusal to order status quo ante means Hindus will continue to have exclusive access to the Bhojshala complex, while Muslims remain excluded during the pendency of the case. The One dead, 10 injured in attack on 2 ships, India lodges protest with Iran Ujwal Jalali TRUMP FLIPS ON 20% FEE Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 14 India on Tuesday summoned Iran’s Deputy Chief of Mission in New Delhi and lodged a strong protest after attacks on two commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz left an Indian seafarer dead and 10 others injured. The Ministry of External Affairs said it was deeply concerned over the attacks on MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, which together had 30 Indian seafarers among their combined crew of 46. According to the MEA, of the 12 Indians aboard MT Al Bahiyah, one was killed and another injured. Of the 18 Indians on MT Mombasa, nine sustained injuries, US President Donald Trump has stepped back from a proposed 20% fee to guard the Strait of Hormuz as part of the conflict with Iran, saying he will instead seek investments from Gulf states. The US resumed a blockade of Iran’s ports including two whose condition is stated to be critical. “Our mission and post in the UAE are closely monitoring the situation and are in touch with the UAE authorities to ensure all possible assistance continued on page 8 ❝ MAY SEND A WRONG IMPRESSION It’s a very sensitive issue. What is being said in court can unnecessarily create controversies or send a wrong impression. We have to be very careful about every expression used. CJI-led Bench BOTH SIDES REJECT GYANVAPI MEDIATION Both the Hindu and Muslim sides on Tuesday rejected mediation in the Gyanvapi dispute, saying the matter should be decided by the courts. The development comes as both parties appeared before the mediation centre at a Varanasi court as part of an SC initiative. Bench, which also included Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana, however, ordered allocation of separate open space for Muslims adjacent to the disputed complex SC slaps ~3L costs on Samay Raina, Ranveer Allahbadia over ‘misconduct’ Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 14 Taking strong exception to the conduct of comedian Samay Raina and YouTubers Ranveer Allahbadia and Ashish Chanchlani, the Supreme Court on Tuesday imposed a costs of Rs 3 each on them for taking it for a ride. “We have no reason to doubt that Samay Raina has taken the court for a ride. He is in brazen violation of undertakings given before this court. The misconduct is sought to be compounded by stating that a compliance affidavit was filed yesterday, however, no affidavit has been filed,” a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant said. “They think sitting outside the country continued on page 8 Revisiting Punjab’s ‘Killed once, twice’ horror Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service CPI leader Mahabir Singh Gill & his wife Baljit Kaur hold a copy of The Tribune’sNovember 1, 1993, edition. Amritsar, July 14 The haunting scene from the recent film, “Satluj”, in which police personnel bring a still-breathing man to a hospital mortuary for post-mortem, has once again stirred memories of one of Punjab’s darkest chapters. The chilling episode, earlier depicted in the film “Leather Life”, featuring veteran actor Om Puri, was not merely a work of cinematic imagination but a real-life incident that shocked the state in 1993. Little known is that veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Mahabir Singh Gill and his wife Baljit Kaur were among the key witnesses who exposed the case, bringing it to the attention of then prominent communist leader Satyapal Dang. The revelations led to a landmark report in The Tribune under the headline, “Killed once, twice” on November 1, 1993. In a conversation with The Tribune, Gill recalled the disturbing incident and the struggle to ensure that the truth was not buried along with the victim. “My wife was working as a nurse at The story behind the most haunting scene from ‘Satluj’ A clipping of the news report that appeared in The Tribune. the Civil Hospital, Patti, and we were given accommodation inside the hospital premises. It was early in the morning when the police brought two bodies to the hospital which were shifted to the mortuary,” he recalled. While the helper was about to leave the mortuary, a hand suddenly gripped his shirt in the dark, followed by a voice asking for water. “The helper found that one of the two men was still breathing,” said Gill. He added that the doctor on duty shifted the injured man to the ward despite continued on page 8 c m y b for Friday prayers as an ad hoc measure. The top court directed that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) shall not carry out any structural continued on page 8 Dr Balbir Singh 10L REGISTERED UNDER OOAT PROGRAMME In the past 500 days, over 10 lakh people have registered under the Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) programme at 547 OOAT clinics in the state. More than 38,000 patients have received in-patient treatment at government run de-addiction centres since March 2025. Chandigarh, on July 17. He will inaugurate healthcare projects in Chandigarh and a renovated railway station in Jalandhar and Anandpur Sahib, besides flagging off a continued on page 8 Sacrilege accused hacked to death in Fatehgarh Sahib Surinder Bhardwaj Fatehgarh Sahib, July 14 A 45-year-old man facing trial in a 2020 sacrilege case was hacked to death by an unidentified assailant who allegedly entered his house at Turan village near Mandi Gobindgarh in the early hours of Tuesday. The deceased, identified as Mewa Singh, son of Mahinder Singh, was allegedly attacked around 2 am while he was at his house with his family. According to a preliminary investigation, the assailant repeatedly struck him with a sharp-edged weapon before fleeing. The victim died on the spot. The motive behind the murder is yet to be established. Mewa Singh was booked by the Mandi Gobindgarh police in October 2020 in connection with the alleged desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib at a gurdwara in Turan village. He had been released on bail in the case as the trial is still pending. continued on page 8 Today’s issue is of 18 pages, including fourpage Delhi Tribune.