11082024-TTB-01.qxd 8/11/2024 12:00 AM Page 1 123 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 222 | 24 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA 80 KILLED IN ISRAELI AIRSTRIKE ON GAZA SCHOOL WORLD /thetribunechd CONG CAN’T THINK BEYOND ONE FAMILY, SAYS NADDA NATION GULAB KAUR: FOOTNOTE INDIA TO OPEN MISSION TURNS A HOUSEHOLD IN TIMOR-LESTE, SAYS NAME SPECTRUM MURMU BACK PAGE sunday | 11 august 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Two Army men killed Modi visits landslide-hit Wayanad, vows central help in Anantnag gunfight Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service 2 civilians among 6 hurt |Ultras behind Doda killings too Adil Akhzer Srinagar, August 10 Two soldiers were killed while six others, including two civilians, were injured in a fierce gunfight between terrorists and security forces in the higher reaches of Anantnag district in south Kashmir, officials said on Saturday. The encounter took place during a cordon and search operation initiated by the security forces based on intelligence reports indicating the presence of terrorists in the remote Ahlan Gagarmandu forest of Kokernag. Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said the operation was launched by joint forces comprising Army troopers, including para commandos, and the local police. “A contact (with terrorists) was established and a gunfight ensued,” it said. Six Army personnel were injured, the officials said, adding they were taken to a nearby hospital where two soldiers succumbed to their injuries. The Army also reported injuries to two civilians, condemning the “indiscriminate, desperate, and reckless Security forces near the encounter scene in Anantnag district. PTI MAJOR ATTACKS SINCE JUNE ■ June 9: Nine die after terror- ists target bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district ■ June 11-12: Seven soldiers hurt in attacks at Doda’s Chattargala & Kota Top ■ July 8:5 Army men killed in ambush by terrorists in Kathua ■ July 16: Four Army personnel killed in a gunfight in Doda firing by the terrorists during the ongoing operation”. “The civilians have been evacuated and provided immediate medical aid. The operation is still underway,” the Chinar Corps said. Meanwhile, residents of Alhan Bala, located nearly 8 km from the encounter site, told The Tribune that the firing began around 12.45 pm on Saturday. “It continued for a few hours. It is a dense forest area and many cattle herders also live there in dhoks (mud houses),” a villager said. The area is further connected to the Doda-Bhaderwah region of Jammu, which has witnessed a spike in terrorrelated incidents in the recent past. In a statement, a Srinagarbased defence spokesperson said on August 5, it was confirmed through “human and electronic means” that terrorists responsible for killings in continued on page 8 New Delhi, August 10 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday conducted an aerial survey of landslidehit areas of Kerala’s Wayanad assuring all possible help for the rehabilitation of survivors and reconstruction of devastated swathes. “This is no ordinary tragedy. The Centre will do its best to meet the expectations of the Kerala Chief Minister on assistance. No work will stop for lack of funds. We will take a liberal view once we receive the evaluation report from the state,” said the Prime Minister, who was flanked by Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan in Wayanad. During the aerial survey, the PM saw Iruvazhinji Puzha river, the origin of the New Delhi, August 10 US short-seller Hindenburg Research launched a fresh broadside against market regulator Sebi chairperson Madhabi Buch, alleging she and her husband had stakes in obscure offshore funds used in the Adani money siphoning scandal. In a blogpost, Hindenburg said 18 months since its damn- Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service Tech makes courts accountable,justice accessible,saysCJI Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 10 The two-day national conference on judiciary and technology began here on Saturday with a cautionary note on ensuring that artificial intelligence (AI) did not encroach upon the creative processes, while acknowledging technology’s crucial role in enhancing efficiency and bringing about transparency and breaking down geographical barriers that once limited access to justice. Speaking at the inaugural session of “The Landscape of continued on page 8 EAM S Jaishankar calls on Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu. PTI hand over the completed water supply and sewerage facilities on 28 islands, the schemes funded by the Indian Government’s line of continued on page 8 Jind school principal ‘rapes’ Class IV student hisar , August 10 A 10-year-old girl was allegedly sexually abused by the principal of a private school at a village in Jind district. The women police station in Jind registered a case under Section 6 of the POCSO Act and Sections 65 (2) and 127 (2) of the BNS on a complaint of the mother of the victim on Saturday. The police said the principal allegedly lured the victim — a Class IV student — into a toilet of the school and raped her. The girl was so shocked due to the assault that she couldn’t reveal anything to her parents on returning home. However, she burst into tears when her parents were having an argument over some issue. Seeing her crying profusely, her parents got suspicious and talked to her. The girl disclosed the entire incident to her mother. INSIDE Harpreet’s travel agent in Russia to ‘secure’ discharge Deployed at Donetsk, Amritsar youth among 69 Indians stuck in Ukraine war Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 10 A day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stated in the Lok Sabha that 69 Indians in the Russian army still awaited their release, hope floats among family members of Harpreet Singh of Amritsar’s Ghanupur Kale village that the Union government would ensure his safety. Their agonising wait may be nearing its end as his travel agent Daljit Singh, a native of his village, has arrived in Moscow to facilitate Harpreet’s return. Deployed Family members of Harpreet Singh at their house in Amritsar. FILE at Donetsk — which witnessed one of the bloodiest battles of the Ukraine war — Harpreet has been yearning to return home and leaning on friends and family for support. Back home, it hasn’t been easy for his family either. His father Narinder Singh, who plies a ‘rehra’, said his son Today’s issue is of 24 pages, including six-page Spectrum. and Chooralmala. He later met survivors in relief camps and the injured in hospitals. “Today, I saw first-hand the demonic force nature unleashed here,” he said, urg- Aditi Tandon/ Animesh Singh Says Delhi invaluable partner that always comes to Maldives’ aid CJI DY Chandrachud at Golden Temple. July 30 disaster and assessed the worst-affected areas of Punchirimattam, Mundakkai Hindenburg links Sebi chief to PU alumnus Somanathan new Cabinet Secy Adani offshore fund ‘scandal’ From ‘India out’ campaign to ‘closest ally’: Major change in Muizzu stance New Delhi, August 10 In a complete turnaround in his stance, Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu, who stormed to power in November 2023 riding an “India out” campaign, today mentioned New Delhi as one of his nation’s closest allies and an invaluable partner that facilitated and provided aid whenever the Maldives needed it. Muizzu said this in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who is on a three-day visit to the Maldives. The event was to PM Narendra Modi, along with MoS Suresh Gopi, inspects a landslide-hit area of Wayanad on Saturday. PTI ing Kerala to draw a longterm strategy for the rehabilitation of children who have been devastated by the landslides. He said it was the collective responsibility of everyone to ensure the dreams of survivors were not shattered. The PM said a central team had also assessed the area and the government, after receiving a report from the state, would take a liberal view on financial support. Modi also recalled his days as a volunteer in Gujarat’s Morbi, which witnessed 2,500 deaths after torrential rains in 1979 swept off an earth dam, ravaging the entire town. “I know what this tragedy means,” said the PM, chairing an evaluation meeting of the tragedy. Kerala Revenue Minister K Rajan continued on page 8 had never been away from family and was homesick. Things became particularly difficult when he was denied the mandatory 14-day leave to overseas soldiers after six months of service. The family’s limited means did nothing to mitigate the situation. Harpreet’s brother Veer Singh, who works as a construction labourer, said they did not have the money to fund his return air ticket. For Harpreet, the entire experience had been nothing short of a trial by fire. Talking to The Tribune over the continued on page 8 Tribune News Service Showed little interest in group’s alleged shell firms ing report on Adani, “Sebi has shown a surprising lack of interest in Adani’s alleged undisclosed web of Mauritius and offshore shell entities.” Citing “whistleblower documents”, it said, “Buch and continued on page 18 New Delhi, August 10 Union Finance and Expenditure Secretary TV Somanathan was on Saturday appointed the next Cabinet Secretary. He will take charge on August 30 after incumbent Rajiv Gauba exits after a five-year stint, which will make Guaba the longestserving Cabinet Secretary. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved the appointment of Somanathan, a 1987batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, as Gauba’s successor. The ACC said Somanathan would take charge on August 30 and would have a two-year tenure. Until August 30, Somanathan, an alumnus of Panjab University, Chandigarh, has been appointed Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat. continued on page 8