30052024-TT-01.qxd 5/29/2024 10:58 PM ISRAEL SAYS GAZA WAR MAY CONTINUE THROUGH ’24 WORLD /thetribunechd Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 149 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH AIR-TO-SURFACE MISSILE RUDRAM-II TESTED BACK PAGE thursday | 30 may 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Delhi burns at 52.9°C Setback for Kejri, SC refuses to list plea for bail extension Highest temp in Capital’s history | IMD doesn’t rule out sensor error Delhi CM had sought more time for medical tests Aksheev Thakur Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 29 National capital Delhi recorded its highest-ever temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius at Delhi’s Mungeshpur weather station today even as the government and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) didn’t rule out the possibility of a sensor error behind the unprecedented reading. “The maximum temperature in Delhi-NCR varied from 45.2 to 49.1 degrees Celsius in different parts of the city. Mungeshpur reported 52.9 degrees Celsius as an outlier compared to other stations. It could be due to a sensor error or some local factor. We are examining the data and sensors,” the IMD said in a statement. Responding to the development, Union Minister for Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju said, “It’s not official yet. SCORCHING CHURU ROHTAK PRAYAGRAJ HISAR BATHINDA NARNAUL SIRSA AGRA FARIDKOT 50.5°C 48.8°C 48.8°C 48.5°C 48.5°C 48.3°C 48.2°C 48°C 46°C A woman crosses Kartavya Path in New Delhi on a sweltering Wednesday. MUKESH AGGARWAL HARYANA DAIRY FARMERS REPORT 2-4% DECLINE IN MILK PRODUCTION The temperature of 52.3 degrees Celsius in Delhi is very unlikely. Senior IMD officials have been asked to verify the report. The official position will be stated soon.” Delhi’s primary weather station Safdarjung observatory recorded the maximum temperature of 46.8 degrees Celsius, missing breaching its previous all-time high of 47.2 degrees Celsius, which was logged on May 29, 1994. The IMD has issued a red alert health notice for Delhi, warning there is a “very high likelihood of developing heat illness and heatstroke in all ages”. The national capital also witnessed isolated rainfall, which brought slight relief in some parts. IMD officials said the soaring temperatures in northwest India, including Delhi, would ease from Thursday. The heatwave conditions have been prevailing over several parts of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh and Uttar Pradesh. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, IMD Director General, said, “Heatwave conditions have prevailed over northwest and central India from May 16 onwards due to the absence of western disturbances. The conditions are expected to ease a bit after May 30. In June, we are expecting such extreme weather to persist over northwest India for only four to seven days against the normal of three days.” Meanwhile, the Delhi Jal continued on page 9 Hit by convoy of Brij Bhushan’s son, two bikers killed in Gonda Modi, Priyanka raise poll temp in HP, strike ‘2nd home’ chord with voters Neeraj Mohan BJP, Cong star campaigners go into overdrive in last lap of elections Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 29 Two persons were killed and another sustained critical injuries after being hit by a Toyota Fortuner, which was reportedly part of the convoy of BJP’s Kaiserganj candidate Karan Bhushan Singh in Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district on Wednesday. Karan is the son of Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the incumbent Kaiserganj MP and ‘REPEAT OF KHERI’ ■ BJP’s Kaiserganj candidate Karan Bhushan Singh’s convoy was on way to Huzurpur in Gonda ■ A Toyota Fortuner in his convoy allegedly hit a bike, killing 2 youths and injuring a pedestrian ■ Cong links mishap to Kheri in which 4 farmers were mowed down by SUV of then MoS’ son former chief of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). As per the FIR, lodged on the complaint of one Chanda Begum, the incident took place around 9 am when her 17-yearold son Rehan and 24-year-old nephew Shahzade were riding a motorcycle. They were hit by the speeding SUV (UP 32HW 1800) coming from the opposite direction. Both died on the spot. A police official said the SUV lost control and also hit Sita Devi (60) who was walking on the roadside. She was admitted to a hospital. In a video message, Radhesyam Rai, Additional Superintendent of Police, Gonda, said the police had impounded the vehicle and apprehended the driver. People close to Brij Bhushan confirmed the SUV was part of Karan’s convoy, but said he was travelling in another vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser. Karan is vying for the Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat, stepping in for his father. The continued on page 9 Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, May 29 As the poll fervour reaches its peak, star campaigners from both Congress and BJP are flocking to Himachal Pradesh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi tried to strike an emotional chord with the voters, referring to the hill state as their “home”. PM Modi led the BJP campaign as he addressed two rallies in Nahan and Mandi. As in the past elections, his speeches were filled with memories of the people, food and places in Himachal where he spent several years as the BJP in-charge in the mid-nineties. “Himachal is my second home as I have spent a few years of my life here,” he said, mentioning the names of people he hung around with, among them BJP workers, shopkeepers and journalists. As Prime Minister, Modi’s visit to Shimla is incomplete without a stop at the Indian Coffee House, where “he would hold PM Narendra Modi recently campaigned for BJP’s Mandi candidate Kangana Ranaut; and (right) Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and Pratibha Singh in Sundernagar on Wednesday. PTI FILE/JAI KUMAR discussions with local journalists who often paid for his coffee”, something he mentioned in his speech. The Congress’ counter to Modi’s close affinity to Himachal is Priyanka, who owns a house in Charabra, on the outskirts of Shimla. “You have taken away my sister (Priyanka) as she stays here in Shimla,” said former Congress president Rahul Gandhi at a rally in Nahan last week. The duo’s mother, Sonia Gandhi, too frequents her daughter’s abode here. Priyanka has always maintained that she belonged to the state as she had a home here. In fact, she spearheaded her party’s campaign in the 2022 Vidhan Sabha elections when Rahul was busy with his ‘padyatra’. This time too, she has taken over the campaign in Himachal, canvassing not only in the four Lok Sabha constituencies but also in four of the six Assembly seats where bypolls are being held. Prominent among others who campaigned in Himachal or addressed press conferences are JP Nadda, Amit Shah, Nitin Gadkari, S Jaishankar and Manohar Lal Khattar from the BJP and Mallikarjun Kharge, Sachin Pilot, Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Shashi Tharoor from the Congress. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath will address rallies tomorrow in Kullu district. Agniveers out at 22, but no bar on PM: Cong Tribune News Service Shimla, May 29 The Congress on Wednesday lashed out at PM Narendra Modi over the Agnipath scheme, saying, “The Prime Minister, who is in his seventies, is seeking a third term for himself, but wants the Agniveers to retire at the age of 22 and sit at home.” Addressing a press conference in Shimla on Wednesday, Pawan Khera, chairman of the AICC media and publi- ‘Modi eyeing 3rd term, callous towards youth’ INSULT TO JAWANS Agnipath scheme is an insult to soldiers. The PM has jeopardised the future of the youth and nation’s security. Pawan Khera, CONG LEADER ❝ cation wing, said, “Himachal has given so many brave soldiers to the country. The Agnipath scheme is an insult to all those soldiers. The Prime Minister has jeopar- dised the future of the youth and the security of the country with this scheme.” Khera accused the BJP of leaving the state to fend for itself when it was struck by a natural disaster last year. “Despite not getting any assistance from the Centre, the Congress government did a commendable work in providing relief to the affected people. And what did the BJP do? It tried to bring down the government, create continued on page 9 c m y b Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 29 In a setback to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Supreme Court Registry on Wednesday refused to list for hearing his plea seeking extension of his 21-day interim bail by seven days on medical grounds in a money laundering case linked to the excise scam. The Registry termed Kejriwal’s application for extension of his interim bail “not maintainable” on the grounds that he was given liberty by the top court to move the trial court for regular bail. It pointed out that a Bench led by Justice Sanjiv Khan- ‘NOT MAINTAINABLE’ ■ The Registry termed Kejriwal’s plea for extension of interim bail “not maintainable” saying he was given liberty to move the trial court for regular bail ■ He was released on 21-day interim bail on May 10 to campaign in the LS poll na, which had on May 10 granted 21-day interim bail to Kejriwal to campaign in the ongoing Lok Sabha poll, had already reserved its judgment on his petition challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), sources said. Arrested on March 21 by the ED, the AAP national convener was released on 21-day interim bail by the top court on May 10 to campaign in the Lok Sabha poll. He was ordered to surrender on June 2. The top court had barred him from visiting the CM’s Office and the Delhi Secretariat and had asked him not to sign official files unless it was required and necessary for obtaining clearance or approval of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor. The SC had on May 17 reserved its verdict on Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest. The SC had, however, said Kejriwal was free to move the trial court for grant of bail “as per the law”. A first: Govt promotes 11 ED-cadre officers as Joint Director in one go New Delhi, May 29 The Centre has promoted 11 Enforcement Directoratecadre officers to the rank of Joint Director in the federal anti-money laundering agency. This is the first time that so many cadre officers have been promoted in one go to the Joint Director level, an important position vis-a-vis investigations, official sources said. Cadre officers had been Probe agency has over 30 such posts appointed to the Joint Director post in the past but at one or two positions only, the sources said. The Department of Revenue under the Union Finance Ministry issued an order on Tuesday for promoting 11 officers from the Joint Director rank. A Joint Director position is a cutting-edge administrative post in the ED that envisages supervising investigations related to money laundering and foreign exchange contravention. The agency has over 30 posts of Joint Director. At present, there are only three ED-cadre officers in the Joint Director rank. — TNS