16112026-CT-01.qxd 11/16/2026 12:38 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune MILITARY LIT FEST ENDS WITH FOCUS ON GLOBAL SECURITY SWETA STRIKES GOLD IN STATE WEIGHTLIFTING MEET STUDENT OF YEAR-AFTER DARK: LEAVING LA LA LAND BEHIND… Experts deliberate on contemporary geopolitical developments and maritime security. P3 Sweta clinches the gold medal in the cadet 36kg category with a total lift of 66kg. P3 Filmmaker Reema Maya takes viewers deep into the insecurities, anxieties and complexities of youth. P4 » » PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 14°C YESTERDAY MAX 30.5°C | MIN 15.9°C SUNSET MONDAY 5.26 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6.49 AM » MONDAY | 16 NOVEMBER 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Woman drugged at Thousands throng Sector 42 lake for Chhath Sector 8 house; cash, valuables taken away Tribune News Service Maid key suspect, victim admitted to GMCH-16 Aanavi Singh Arya Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 15 A 44-year-old woman was allegedly drugged at her residence in Sector 8-C here this evening and her house was found ransacked. According to preliminary investigation, her domestic help, identified as Goma, is suspected to be involved in the incident. The victim, Komal Mittal, is undergoing treatment at the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital, Sector 16 According to the complaint, she was allegedly administered a sedative or an intoxicating substance at House No. 1124. The nature of the substance and the manner in which it was administered are yet to be established. Toxicology tests are expected to determine what she had consumed. Those who reached the house found cupboards open and belongings scattered, indicating a possible AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 128 PANCHKULA 116 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 43 & 45 Mohali: Sectors 70, 78 & Phase 5 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com INBRIEF WOMAN HURT IN ACCIDENT Chandigarh: A 48-year-old woman from Sector 44 was injured after a car hit her vehicle near Sacred Heart School in Sector 26 on Saturday. She was admitted to the GMCH-32. The police arrested the driver of the other car, Gurpreet (21), a resident of Nayagaon. He was later released on bail. TNS VEHICLE CATCHES FIRE IN SEC 25 Chandigarh: A parked car caught fire in Sector 25 on Sunday. The flames spread to another vehicle parked nearby. A team of firefighters rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. TNS HOUSE BURGLED Chandigarh: Thieves broke into a locked house in Sector 38 and decamped with jewellery and cash. The family had been living in Canada for the past three months. On Sunday, a relative visited the house and found the lock broken and belongings scattered inside. TNS VICTIM WAS ALONE IN HOUSE ■ 44-year-old Komal Mittal was alone in house ■ Rooms found ransacked, with cupboards open and belongings scattered ■ Domestic help, identified as Goma, absconding ■ Maid had not undergone mandatory police verification. ■ Police to examine CCTV footage and question neighbours and security staff theft. The value of the missing cash and valuables has not yet been ascertained. Sources said Komal had been living in Canada and returned to India only in January. She was living alone in the house. The police said the domestic help had not undergone mandatory police verification. This lapse is likely to be a key focus of the investigation. Goma’s whereabouts were not immediately known. The police will examine CCTV footage from the house and its surroundings, question neighbours and security personnel. The domestic help is being treated as a suspect, but the allegations are yet to be established as the investigation is underway, said the police. The police have urged residents to get their domestic workers verified at the local police station and maintain records of their identity documents. The incident bears similarities to a recent case reported from Sector 28, where a newly hired cook at the residence of late Mukesh Bassi, a former Congress councillor, spiked food with a sedative before fleeing with cash, gold and diamond jewellery. Three members of the household were left unconscious after consuming the food. The theft came to light around 10 pm the following day. Minor raped; youth, hotel owner booked Mohali, November 15 The Dera Bassi police have booked a youth, Gurvinder Singh, for allegedly raping a 14year-old girl at a hotel in Dera Bassi on November 9. The police have also booked the hotel owner for allegedly providing a room to the accused without verifying his identity. The victim’s mother, in her complaint, stated that her daughter attended tuition classes on College Road, Dera Bassi. For the past week, the girl had remained silent and appeared distressed. On being repeatedly questioned, she told her elder sister that she had befriended a boy on Instagram, who had called her to Good Pizza on College Road to meet him. The boy was accompanied by three friends, and they had pizza and cold drinks together. According to the complaint, Gurvinder forcibly took the girl to Hotel Gopal, where the owner allegedly provided them a room without checking their identity documents. The mother alleged that Gurvinder raped her daughter and later fled. She subsequently took the minor to the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Dera Bassi for a medical examination. On the statement of the victim’s mother, the police registered a case under Section 65 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 4 of the POCSO Act on November 14. Police officials said the suspects were absconding. — TNS Chandigarh, November 15 Thousands of devotees, particularly those from Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, thronged the Sector 42 lake here on Sunday evening to celebrate Chhath Puja. As the sun began to set, the lake wore a festive look, with chants of “Chhathi Maiya”, devotional prayers and traditional Chhath songs filling the air. Standing waist-deep in water, devotees offered “arghya” to the setting sun and prayed for the prosperity, health and well-being of their families. Women, dressed in colourful traditional sarees, carried bamboo baskets filled with fruits, “thekua”, sugarcane and other offerings as they made their way to the lake. Men assisted their family members in performing the rituals and making arrangements. One of the most significant festivals for people from Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh, Chhath Puja is dedicated to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya. Known for its strict rituals and 36-hour ‘nirjala’ fast, the festival is celebrated twice a year, with the Kartik Chhath holding special significance. The main celebrations at the Sector 42 lake were organised by the Purvanchal Yuva Seva Samiti, which has Devotees perform Chhath rituals at the lake in Sector 42, Chandigarh, on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PARDEEP TEWARI been organising the festival in the city since 2016. Samiti president Brijesh Kumar Gupta said special arrangements had been made to bring the flavour of Purvanchal to the celebrations. “We had invited folk singers to perform during the celebrations at the lake, which added to the festive atmosphere,” he said. Gupta, who hails from Bihar but is now settled in Chandigarh, said the num- RESTRICTED HOLIDAY IN UT TODAY The UT Administration has declared Monday a restricted holiday on account of Chhath Puja. According to a notification, the holiday will be applicable to all government offices, boards, corporations, institutions and industrial establishments under the Chandigarh Administration. ber of devotees had been increasing every year, reflecting the growing Purvanchali population in the Tricity. The UT Administration had made elaborate arrangements to ensure the smooth conduct of the festival. The Engineering Department had carried out a thorough cleaning of the lake and undertaken repairs and maintenance of the infrastructure. Adequate lighting and power backup arrangements Fake pension scheme costs elderly man ~11L Missing two-year-old boy found dead at neighbour’s roof in Mohali Tribune News Service Gaurav Kanthwal Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 15 A senior citizen of Sector 38-A was duped of Rs 11.67 lakh by cyber fraudsters who lured him with the promise of a lifetime pension plan advertised on social media. According to the police, the victim, Madhukar Kumar Chadha (80), came across an advertisement promoting a lifetime pension scheme on a social media platform and contacted the persons behind it. During their interaction, the fraudsters sent him a link to what turned out to be a malicious APK file. After he opened the file, the accused allegedly gained continued on page 2 Mohali, November 15 A two-year-old boy, Gursaaz Singh, who had been missing since Saturday afternoon, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on the rooftop of a neighbour’s house in Ballopur village near Lalru on Sunday morning. Gursaaz, son of Gurvinder Singh, had gone out of his house around noon on Saturday. When he failed to return even after an hour, family members began searching for him in the neighbourhood, said his grandfather, Bahadur Singh. The family later informed the police, following which teams were constituted to Victim Gursaaz trace the missing child. Three police teams searched the area but failed to find him. On Sunday morning, the boy’s body was found on the rooftop of a neighbour’s house. The CIA staff is also investigating the case. Dera Bassi MLA Kuljit Singh Randhawa visited the bereaved family and expressed his condolences. He called for a thorough investigation and strict action against those responsible for the incident. Police officials said the exact cause of death would be established after a postmortem examination. Further action would be taken based on the report. SP (Rural) Jaspinder Singh said, “There are minor bruise marks on the body. A post-mortem examination will be conducted tomorrow. The police have rounded up three suspects.” were made, while designated parking areas were provided for devotees and the general public. A large number of police personnel were deployed in and around the lake to manage the rush and maintain law and order. Barricades were also put up to regulate the movement of vehicles and devotees. Devotees observing the arduous fast shared their experiences. Raj Kumari, a continued on page 2 4 arrested in arms cases Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 15 The police arrested four persons in two cases under the Arms Act on Saturday and recovered four button-operated knives from their possession. In the first case, Faizan, alias Raja (24), a resident of Daria village, was arrested near a parking lot in the PGI area around 2.45 pm. A button-operated knife was recovered from him. A case under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered at the Sector 11 police station. In the second case, three persons were arrested near the T-point of NMIMS University, and three buttonoperated knives were seized from them. The accused have continued on page 2 Listening, not just arguing, makes a true leader: Judge Bajwa Stuti Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 15 Listening to opposing viewpoints and respecting differing perspectives are essential to effective leadership, said Kanwaljit Singh Bajwa, District and Sessions Judge, Chandigarh, while addressing delegates at the concluding ceremony of Tribune MUN 2026 (3.0) at The Tribune School on Sunday. Sponsored by Chitkara University and powered by Grid Advertising, the two-day conference saw students deliberate on international issues, engage in diplomatic negotiations and showcase their public speaking and critical thinking skills. The event concluded with the announcement of awards across four committees. Bajwa said, “We are so busy defending our opinions that we forget to honour and respect the opposite opinion. But believe me, real leader- Tribune MUN 3.0 concludes with awards given across four committees Judge Kanwaljit Singh Bajwa addresses students at The Tribune Model United Nations (MUN) 2026 on Sunday; and (right) students after award ceremony. PHOTOS: VICKY ship begins when we start listening to the other side.” Recalling his experience on the Bench, he said arguments that initially appeared convincing could take an entirely different direction when the opposing counsel presented their case. Relating the analogy to Model United Nations, Bajwa said delegates representing different countries must thoroughly understand their respective national positions and international agendas while respecting the perspectives of other nations. c m y b “These exercises enlarge the spectrum of your knowledge. You grow wiser as you discuss different problems of different countries,” he said. He added that the conference offered students a glimpse of how they could represent their country’s interests and per- spectives on international platforms in the future. Award winners United Nations General Assembly (UNGA): Aarav Garg of St John’s High School, Sector 26, Chandigarh, representing Montene- gro; and Gulnar of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 27-B, Chandigarh, representing Norway, were adjudged Best Delegates. Monisha Saxena of The Tribune School, representing New Zealand, secured Special Mention-I. Samreen Kaur of Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 38, representing the USA; and Harshith Sharma of SGHMS-38, Chandigarh, representing El Salvador, received Special Mention-II. United Nations Security Council (UNSC): Naman Bansal of Delhi Public School, Chandigarh, representing Russia, and Abhiroop Singh Brar of Guru Nanak Public School, Chandigarh, representing Switzerland, were adjudged Best Delegates. Myra Garg of Buddha Dal Public School, Patiala, representing China, received Special Mention-I, while Gurneet Kaur of Guru Nanak Public School, Chandigarh, representing Denmark, secured Special Mention-II. Sukhman Vasati of Blossoms Senior Secondary School, Patiala, representing France, received Special Mention-III. The verbal mentions went to Jaivardhan Singh of St Joseph’s Senior Secondary continued on page 3