16012026-TTC-01.qxd 1/16/2026 12:36 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 16 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 BNP HEAD RAHMAN CALLS ON INTERIM GOVT CHIEF YUNUS WORLD /thetribunechd HOME SECY, L-G REVIEW ANTI-TERROR OPS IN HILLY AREAS J&K EXPORTS UP BY 1.87%; ARMY CHIEF UNVEILS 2-YR TRADE GAP WIDENS PLAN FOR DATA-DRIVEN MARGINALLY BUSINESS OPERATIONS BACK PAGE friday | 16 january 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Whatever order, ready to obey: CM appears before Akal Takht Jathedar says Mann vowed not to make remarks on Sikh tenets Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 15 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann appeared before the Akal Takht secretariat in Amritsar on Thursday after being summoned over his alleged remarks on Sikh traditions and tenets, and said that he would obey whatever directive was issued. Officiating Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj said Mann admitted to having made certain statements related to Sikh traditions and religious institutions during public appearances which, he acknowledged, shouldn’t have been made. Flanked by Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Tek Singh, Giani Gargaj said Mann assured the Sikh clergy of refraining from expressing personal views on Sikh religion and its institutions in the future. He said the Chief Minister’s explanation would be placed for consideration before the next meeting of the five Sikh high priests. Mann remained at the secretariat for 70 minutes, though the officiating Exit polls predict win for BJP-Sena in Maha civic polls new delhi, January 15 Around 50 per cent polling was recorded in Mumbai and 28 other municipal corporations in Maharashtra on Thursday even as all exit polls predicted a clean sweep for the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and a defeat for the Shiv Sena (UBT)-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. While a major controversy erupted over claims that the ink applied on voters’ fingers could be easily removed, the polling day saw clashes, allegations of bogus voting and distribution of cash as well as EVM glitches. Vote count will begin at 10 am on Friday. In the 2017 elections, the polling percentage in Mumbai was 55.53. As voting commenced, social media was flooded with videos of ordinary voters, politicians, and some mediapersons using acetone to wipe off the “indelible” ink applied on their fingers after voting. State Election Commission Dinesh Waghmare rejected the allegations and said it would conduct a thorough probe into the matter. — TNS Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann appears at the Akal Takht secretariat over his alleged remarks in Amritsar. PTI SUBMITS 2 BAGS FULL OF COMPLAINTS CM Mann submitted two bags containing letters of complaints against the SGPC and urged the Akal Takht to get these investigated. “I submitted 25,000 to 30,000 pages of complaints, which reflect the emotions of people who have flagged to the Jathedar various anomalies in the functioning of the SGPC,” he said. Jathedar arrived 20 minutes late. Prior to his appearance, the Chief Minister offered prayers at the Golden Temple. He later told reporters that he had submitted his clarification to the Jathedar. He said he appeared before the Akal Takht secretariat as a devout Sikh to offer his clarification and would obey whatever directive was issued. Accepting that an apostate or ‘ Patit’ Sikh (someone who does not follow core Sikh principles) could not be pronounced punishment from the ‘fasil’ (façade) continued on page 8 Omar dials Jaishankar as MEAreadies evacuation plan for Indians in Iran Block Atishi video, Pb court tells sites JALANDHAR: A local court on Thursday ordered immediate blocking and removal of a “doctored” video featuring AAP leader Atishi, which purportedly showed her making controversial remarks on Sikh Gurus. “Further circulation of this video can lead to social disharmony and aggravate communal tension which could lead to breach of peace and order,” it said. INSIDE Top court stays FIRsagainst ED officials, puts Mamata on notice Terms obstruction in central agency probe ‘very serious’ Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 15 In a setback to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Supreme Court on Thursday issued a notice to her, state DGP Rajeev Kumar and others on the Enforcement Directorate’s petition seeking a CBI probe against them for allegedly obstructing the agency’s raids at the I-PAC office and the premises of its director Pratik Jain in Kolkata. Terming the alleged obstruction in the ED probe “very serious”, a Bench of Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Vipul M Pancholi agreed to examine if a state’s law-enforcing agencies could interfere with a central agency’s probe into any serious offence. The Bench stayed the FIRs lodged by the West Bengal Police against ED officials who raided Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) — a political consultancy firm — on January 8 in connection with an alleged coal pilferage scam. It also directed the state police to protect the CCTV footage of the raids. Asking Mamata, Rajeev Kumar, Kolkata Police Com- PREZ HONOUR J-K CM demands safety of stuck Valley students AI, INDIGO ABORT FLIGHTS Air India and IndiGo on Thursday cancelled some of their overseas flights as the Iranian airspace closure impacted services. Flights of Air India to the US and Europe, and services of IndiGo to CIS countries, Europe and Turkey have been impacted, according to officials tate the return of Indian nationals who wish to travel back to India, official sources in New Delhi said on Thursday. It is learnt that the government is exploring the option of bringing back Indians using civil as well as military transport aircraft. According to estimates, a little over 10,000 Indians, including students, are currently living in Iran. Omar’s statement came as leaders and parents in the Valley urged the government to ensure the safe return of students. continued on page 8 SHOCKING PATTERN EMERGING: ED “This case reflects the emergence of a shocking pattern. In the past too, whenever the authorities exercised their power of investigation, the CM marched there. Officers, including the DGP, are accomplices and they accompany her. The uniformed police officers sit on dharna with political leaders,” the ED told the court. missioner Manoj Kumar Verma and South Kolkata Deputy Commissioner Priyabatra Roy to respond to the ED petition in two weeks, the top court posted the matter for hearing on February 3. “We are of the prima facie opinion that the present petition has raised a serious issue relating to the investigation by the ED or other central agencies, and interference by state President Droupadi Murmu presents a trophy to an achiever during the convocation of Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar on Thursday. ANI Kollam (Kerala), January 15 Two teenage girl athletes, both trainees staying at a Sports Authority of India (SAI) hostel, were found dead in a room on Thursday in an apparent suicide pact, the police said. The deceased belonged to Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram districts. According to the police, one was an athletics trainee studying in Class XII, while the other, a kabaddi player, was a Class 10 student. The incident came to light around 5 am when fellow inmates noticed that the two had not reported for the morning training session. After repeated knocks on the door went unanswered, hostel authorities broke open the door and found the two hanging from ceiling fans in the room. A case has been registered at the Kollam East police station. “The reason is yet to be ascertained. We are conducting a probe,” said Kollam City Police Commissioner Kiran Narayanan. No suicide note had been recovered from the room. — PTI Call for rethink as ex-MP citesgovt’s Bad roads force Himachal to dump ‘nonamechange’vowonDyalcollege one-third of 98K MT procured apple Eminent Delhi, Punjab academics reach out to Delhi varsity Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 15 Voices opposing the University of Delhi’s proposal to rename Dyal Singh Evening College grew stronger on Thursday with former Shiromani Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral flagging the Centre’s 2017 “no name change” assurance in Parliament and several eminent academicians from Delhi and Punjab urging the university for a rethink. The leading academicians expressed disappointment that the university was trying to rename Dyal Singh Evening College on the pretext that two colleges with the same name caused confusion among students. “While we appreciate the university’s idea of establishing an institution to honour the memory of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, the great Sikh General who liberated the Punjabi peasantry from the crutches of the feudalism, it would be inappropriate to violate the terms of the Trust deed signed by the University of Delhi and trustees of Dyal Singh Majithia Trust,” said the statement signed by Prof SS Johl, former Chancellor, Central University of Punjab; Dr Mohinder Singh, former Member, National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions; Lt Gen DDS Sandhu, former ViceChancellor, Kurukshetra University; Prof Jaswinder Singh, continued on page 8 edit: Dyal Singh’s legacy Subhash Rajta Tribune News Service Shimla, January 15 Nearly one-third of the “culled” apple procured under the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) in Himachal was destroyed at collection centres after heavy rains damaged roads during the monsoon, making the centres inaccessible. “A record 98,000 MT apple was procured under the MIS in 2025, but nearly 30,000 MT had to be destroyed as Horticultural Produce Marketing and Processing Corporation CHANDIGARH: It was biting cold in Punjab and Haryana on Thursday as temperatures in some places dropped further to freezing levels. Hisar on Thursday recorded a bone-chilling minimum of 0.2 degrees Celsius, six notches below normal, making it the coldest place recorded in the two states, the weather office said. — TNS Mitra appointed Pb ChiefElectoralOfficer CHANDIGARH: Anindita Mitra, a 2007-batch IAS officer, has been appointed Punjab’s Chief Electoral Officer. She replaces Sibin C, who has proceeded on central deputation in the Health Ministry. Mitra’s husband S Karuna Raju, also served as the CEO of Punjab before Sibin C was appointed in 2023. INSIDE Unnao victim moves HC over Sengar plea NEW DELHI: The Unnao rape survivor on Thursday moved the Delhi High Court to bring on record more material in the Kuldeep Sengar’s appeal against his conviction in the case. She said she wanted to place before the court facts to show “relevant recent developments” and the threat to herself and her family. — TNS 2 sports trainees found hanging in Kerala SAI hostel Adil Akhzer Srinagar, January 15 Amid the ongoing protests and mounting tension in Iran over possible military intervention by the US, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday dialled External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar amid calls for the safe evacuation of J&K students from Iran. Omar said on X that he spoke to Jaishankar about the evolving situation in Iran. “He shared his assessment of the ground situation and the plans that the External Affairs Ministry is working on. I’m grateful for his assurance that all steps will be taken to safeguard the interests and lives of students and other people from J&K who are in Iran,” Omar said. Meanwhile, India is making preparations to evacuate Indians from Iran. In view of the evolving situation in Iran, the Ministry of External Affairs is making preparations to facili- Mamata Banerjee agencies…For furtherance of the rule of law in the country, and to allow each organ to function independently, it’s necessary to examine the issue so that the offenders are not allowed to be protected under the shield of the law enforcement agencies of a particular state,” the Bench said. “Larger questions are involved in the present manner, which if allowed to remain undecided, would further worsen the situation and there will be a situation of lawlessness prevailing in one state or the other, considering that different outfits are governing different places. True that any central agency does not have any power to interfere with the election work of any party, but if the central agency is bona fide investigating any serious offence, the question arises whether in the guise of taking shield of party activities, agencies can be restricted from carrying out power,” it wondered. The order came after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted on behalf of the ED that in the past also, Mamata interfered in the probe of central agencies. “This case reflects a very continued on page 8 BitingcoldinPb,Hry; Hisarshiversat0.2°C HPMC had bought fruit under govt scheme (HPMC) could not lift the fruit in time due to broken and damaged roads,” said Horticulture Minister Jagat Singh Negi. The order to destroy the procured fruit, piled up in huge heaps along the roads at various places, was issued when the fruit started to rot. The HPMC either processes or auctions the culled apple bought under the MIS at the rate of Rs 12 per kg. The culled c m y b apple are often small, damaged or imperfect. Having had to destroy such a huge quantity of the fruit, the HPMC is staring at huge losses and the apple growers are worried about their payment. While assuring that the payments would be made, the minister pointed out that the entire burden of the MIS had now come on the state. “The Centre has effectively pulled out of the scheme. Earlier, the losses suffered under the scheme were shared between the Centre and the state government. continued on page 8 A damaged house after a fire broke out at a village in the Nauradhar area of Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district on Wednesday night. PTI 3 children among 6 of family killed in fire at Himachal village Pankaj Sharma Nahan, January 15 Six members of a family, including three children, were burnt alive and another sustained injuries in a fire that broke out at Talangna village of Nauradhar tehsil in Sirmaur district on Wednesday night. Among the deceased were house owner Mohan Singh’s two daughters and their family members who had come to their maternal home to celebrate the Maghi festival. Eight persons were inside the house when the fire erupted around 2 am, though Mohan Singh himself was away. As the flames began to spread, Mohan Singh’s wife Indira Devi managed to rush out and raised desperate cries for help. Villagers ran towards the house on hearing her screams, but by then the fire had spread across the wooden structure. Locals managed to pull out the badly injured Lokender (42) of Kumra village in Chopal tehsil of Shimla district. Seconds later, a domestic LPG cylinder inside the house exploded, turning the house into a blazing furnace, leaving no chance for those trapped inside. Six persons who were inside the house Victims had gathered for Maghi festival were burnt alive. The victims included three children, two women and one man. They were identified as Naresh (50) and his wife Tripta (44), both residents of Taproli village in Rajgarh tehsil, and Kavita (36), wife of Lokender and their three children Sarika (13), Kritika (13) and Kartik (3), all residents of Kumbra village of Chopal tehsil in Shimla district. The fire was so intense that the bodies of the victims were charred. Lokender has been shifted to a hospital in Solan, where doctors said his condition was serious. Police and administrative teams, including Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Verma and Superintendent of Police Nishchint Singh Negi, reached the spot soon after the incident. The administration has started a probe to find out the exact cause of the fire. The DC assured that all possible assistance would be provided to the affected families. An ex gratia amount of Rs 25,000 each has been released to the next of kin of the deceased.