10032025-TTC-01.qxd 3/10/2025 VP DHANKHAR ADMITTED TO AIIMS NATION /thetribunechd 12:35 AM Page 1 13 TRUDEAU ALL SET TO BOW OUT WORLD CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 68 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 monday | 10 march 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Lab reports point to deadly toxin behind Rajouri deaths THE TRIBUNE EXCLUSIVE SYMPTOMS MATCH THOSE OF VICTIMS Aditi Tandon ■ Chlorfenapyr, a broad-spec- Tribune News Service trum insecticide, is used on crops to control pests ■ It is highly toxic to humans, causing liver and nervous New Delhi, March 9 Over three months after a mysterious illness in Rajouri’s Budhaal village claimed its first victim, Fazal Hussain, and went on to take 16 more lives, top central laboratories are learnt to have identified chlorfenapyr, a potent insecticide, as the likely cause of death. Although official toxicology reports, currently with the Jammu and Kashmir administration, are yet to be made public, The Tribune has learnt that system damage — symptoms consistent with those exhibited by Rajouri victims ■ Studies indicate a 75% mortality rate from chlorfenapyr exposure the CSIR’s Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR) has zeroed in on chlorfenapyr as the cause of death in 17 cases involving three related families of Budhaal village, a largely tribal settlement. Following IITR’s confirmation, five other top laboratories corroborated the presence of chlorfenapyr in the food and biological samples taken from the deceased. Sources privy to the case said the findings pointed to a foul play in the deaths since chlorfenapyr is not locally available and unlikely to have been procured online due to the village’s remoteness. The toxin is suspected to have continued on page 8 India savour glory with Kiwi crush SAD warns leaders against indiscipline Minister sees terror linktoKathuadeaths Clinch trophy by four wickets| Skipper Rohit slams 76 as Men in Blue chase down 252-run target Rajmeet Singh Indian players celebrate after winning the ICC Champions Trophy final against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. ANI SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE PRADEEP MAGAZINE R OHIT SHARMA created a fairy tale of his own in the Arabian deserts of Dubai. You may even call it his redemption song. Reviled over a period of time for his lack of form and lack of team success recently, Rohit showcased his multiple facets to lead India to win the ICC Championship on Sunday night. There sure were bumps on the road to glory in an edgeof-the-seat thriller, but in the end India’s experience and better resources for the match conditions saw them scale the summit. More than Rohit’s attacking batting when fours and sixes flowed from his bat in a run chase of 252 runs, it was his mastery over the strategic nuances of the game that shaped this triumph. Asked to field first on a tricky wicket where any chase around 300 runs would have been like nego- tiating the desert sands barefoot, Rohit’s brilliance in rotating and using his spin options to near perfection helped India cross the finish line first. Rohit’s only mistake, not of his own doing, was to lose the toss and being pushed to bat second on a wicket that appeared smooth to look at but in reality was dry and abrasive. The New Zealan- ders, mindful of the slow nature of the track and how difficult it would be for them to break the spin stranglehold later on, started with a flurry, hammering the opening bowlers with impunity. Despite the left-handed Rachin Ravindra benefiting from two dropped catches, the run flow seemed unstoppable. A frown was replacing the smile on skipper Rohit Sharma’s face. The perpetual sulk on coach Gautam Gambhir’s face was getting more pronounced. The Dubai sun appeared harsh on the Indians. Not for long. The wily skipper that Rohit is, the game plan was changed. India’s talisman in the earlier matches, Varun Chakravarthy, was introduced into the attack in the first power play itself. The batsmen find the leggie’s arm mystical and his turn unreadable though most of the time he is bringing the ball in (googlies). The tide started to turn. William Young misread both the line and the turn and continued on page 8 c m y b Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 9 The crisis in the SAD over the removal of the jatehdars of Akal Takht and Takht Sri Kesgarh Sahib deepened today with the party’s working president, Balwinder Singh Bhunder, stating that indiscipline “will not be tolerated at any cost”. Bhunder’s statement came a day after several senior party leaders and former ministers, including Sukhbir Singh Badal’s brother-in-law Bikram Singh Majithia, condemned the SGPC interim commit- NOTICES TO BE ISSUED ❝ Show-cause notices will be issued to those who have spoken against the decisions of the SGPC and the SAD. Balwinder S Bhunder, WORKING PRESIDENT, SAD tee’s decision of removing the two jathedars on March 7. Though he did not name any leader, Bhunder, after participating in the party’s parliamentary board meeting, said, “No one is above the party. Everyone is free to express his views at the party continued on page 8 JAMMU: A day after the bodies of three missing persons were found in the Malhar area of Kathua, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday claimed that the trio was killed by terrorists. The police are yet to officially confirm the cause of the death. INSIDE Punjabworker’sbody retrievedfromtunnel NAGARKURNOOL: Rescue teams working to extricate the eight trapped men under the partially collapsed tunnel in Telangana for two weeks on Sunday retrieved the body of one of them. The deceased has been identified as Gurpreet Singh of Punjab. INSIDE