25122024-TTC-01.qxd 25-12-2024 00:35 Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 356 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 $5 BILLION GRAFT PROBE LAUNCHED AGAINST HASINA WORLD /thetribunechd PDP CHIEF, MIRWAIZ CRITICISE POLICY ON RESERVATION J&K PM CHAIRS MEET WITH RAHUL: COMMON MAN ECONOMISTS AHEAD HIT BY PRICE RISE, GOVT OF BUDGET BUSINESS SLEEPING BACK PAGE wednesday | 25 december 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com 5 soldiers die as Army vehicle crashes in J&K Cong moves SC STRANDED IN SNOW against tweak in election rule 5 hurt, shifted to Poonch hospital| Terror angle ruled out New Delhi, December 24 The Congress on Tuesday filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging the recent amendments to the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, and expressed hope that the apex court will help restore the “fast-eroding” integrity of the electoral process. Our Correspondent Jammu, December 24 Five Army personnel were killed and five others injured when their vehicle skidded off the road and rolled down a 300-foot-deep gorge near the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu division on Tuesday. The incident took place around 5.40 pm when the Army vehicle of Maratha Light Infantry (MLI) was on its way from Nilam Headquarters to Balnoi Ghora Post, said a police official. An official Army spokesperson said the 2.5 ton vehicle, part of a convoy of six, was plying on the operational track when it went off the road. The spokesperson ruled out any terror angle. Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Shimla, December 24 Faced with the threat of collapse in case a restoration project is undertaken, the 138-year-old St Michael’s Catholic Church near the Deputy Commissioner’s office here is still awaiting structural measures that could prolong the life of the Britishera architectural masterpiece. The Tourism and Civil Aviation Department had to abandon a Rs 15-crore Asian Development Bank-funded conservation and restoration project for the church, the first Roman Catholic Church in the erstwhile summer capital of the British, a few years The wreckage of the Army vehicle after it skidded off the road and rolled down a 300-foot-deep gorge in Poonch district on Tuesday. PTI The driver apparently lost control of the vehicle while negotiating a turn, said the Army, adding the cause of the accident was being ascertained. The injured were shifted to the Field Hospital in Poonch. “All ranks of White Knight Corps extend their deepest condolences on the tragic loss of five brave soldiers in a vehicle accident during operational duty in the Poonch sector,” said the spokesperson. The government has tweaked an election rule restricting public inspection of certain electronic documents such as CCTV camera and webcast footage as well as video recordings of candidates. The government says the move is aimed at preventing misuse of such documents. Earlier, documents such as reports and other continued on page 8 Awaits repairs; priest seeks govt intervention Nearly 8,000 stranded tourists and 1,500 vehicles were rescued in an overnight operation following snowfall near Atal Tunnel on the Manali-Leh highway. At least 223 roads have been shut in Himachal. ANI INSIDE Ex-Home Secy Bhalla is Guv of Manipur, VK Singh Mizoram Tribune News Service Arif shifted to Bihar, Arlekar Kerala New Delhi, December 24 Former Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla was on Tuesday appointed the Governor of the strife-torn Manipur, according to a press communique issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Former Union Minister and ex-Army Chief VK Singh has been appointed as the Governor of Mizoram. Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan has been shifted as the Governor St Michael’s Catholic Church in Shimla; and (right) a huge crack has develped in one of its columns. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: LALIT KUMAR ago fearing that the entire structure would collapse. The church, thrown open in 1886, is in dire need of structur- 3 ex-cops get life for fake encounter al repairs with cracks appearing in its columns, floors and chancel arch. The south-west portion of the church, built between 1927 and 1930, has also become vulnerable. “We had invited structural and continued on page 8 CHRISTMAS WINTER s MOHALI: A special CBI court has sentenced former Punjab Police personnel — Gurbachan Singh (SHO, Tarn Taran), Resham Singh (SI) and Hans Raj (SI) — to life imprisonment in a 1992 case of kidnapping and fake encounter of a Tarn Taran constable and a Home Guard. The accused have been told to pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of deceased. INSIDE Lapse on my part, says Manu; list yet to be finalised: Govt Says restore ‘fast-eroding’ electoral process integrity British-era church in Shimla stares at collapse Pratibha Chauhan SHOP ONLINE www.dukeindia.com 40% OFF* *T&C Apply Smuggler Yadav of Abohar shot in US ABOHAR: Drug smuggler Sunil Yadav, alias Goliya, a native of Waryam Khera village in Abohar, was shot dead in California. In a social media post, Rohit Godara of the Goldy Brar group has taken responsibility for the killing. Yadav had fled to the US two years ago using a fake passport. He was on the target of the Bishnoi gang for the past four years. INSIDE TRULY INDIAN SINCE 1966 India-Pak match in Dubai on Feb 23 DUBAI: India will play all their matches of the Champions Trophy in Dubai with the marquee clash against archrivals Pakistan scheduled on February 23, the ICC announced. India and Pakistan have been clubbed in the same group which also has Bangladesh and New Zealand. 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Bank of Baroda REWARI: Opp.Ghanteshwar Mandir, Main Bazar HP: Village Bhatol, Dharampur, Shimla Highway KULLU: Opp.JJ Resorts, Forest Chowk, Shamshi For Franchisee Enq. PUNJAB: 9888173700, 9888296700 HARYANA & HP: 9888463700 J&K: 7009848119 Also at: dukeindia.com | c m y b VK Singh Arif Mohammad Khan of Bihar. Khan has been replaced by Bihar Governor Rajendra Arlekar in the southern state. Bhalla, a 1984-batch Ajay Kumar Bhalla IAS officer of the AssamMeghalaya cadre, was appointed as the Home Secretary in continued on page 8 New Delhi, December 24 A controversy erupted over double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker not being shortlisted for the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award. While the shooter on Tuesday admitted that “there has been a lapse, may be on my part” while filing the nomination for this year’s National Sports Awards, the Sports Ministry insisted the list was yet to be finalised. Sources said there was a chance that her name might be included once the official list was announced. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has the discretionary powers to add or delete names from the list of recommended athletes and it is understood that he would take a decision soon. “Discussions are on, but the final decision rests with the minister. We have to wait for it,” said a source. The names, recommended by this year’s award committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge, Justice V Ramasubramanian, continued on page 8 edit: Give Manu her due