29072025-TTB-01.qxd 7/29/2025 12:32 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 208 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 TRUMP SETS NEW UKRAINE PEACE DEADLINE WORLD /thetribunechd CBI BOOKS DSP FOR ‘BRUTAL TORTURE’ OF CONSTABLE J&K INDUSTRIAL GROWTH AT 10-MONTH LOW OF 1.5 PER CENT BUSINESS SC VACATES CALCUTTA HC STAY ON WEST BENGAL OBC LIST BACK PAGE tuesday | 29 july 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Pahalgam ‘mastermind’ among 3 terrorists shot ‘OP MAHADEV’Were hiding in forest on Srinagar outskirts Adil Akhzer Srinagar, July 28 The security forces achieved a major success on Monday as they gunned down the alleged mastermind of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which had left 26 persons dead, and two other “hardcore” terrorists in an operation in the forest area on the city outskirts. While the security forces were tight-lipped about the identities of the slain militants, one of them had been identified as Asif, alias Sulaiman Shah, the alleged Pahalgam attack mastermind. Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps said “Operation Mahadev”, named after Mahadev Peak in Srinagar, was launched on Monday morning and “contact was established” in the Lidwas area. The encounter site is located near the Harwan area, which is further connected to south Kashmir. In the afternoon, Kashmir IGP Vidhi Kumar Birdi said the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and paramilitary personnel exchanged fire with terrorists in the higher SC denies stay on publication of Bihar draft electoral rolls NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the publication of draft electoral rolls under the special intensive revision (SIR) schedule in poll-bound Bihar but asked the Election Commission to accept Aadhaar and voter ID as identity proof. As per the EC, the draft roll will be published on August 1. Printed and digital copies will be provided to all 12 political parties. It will also be available on the EC website for public verification. BACK PAGE Op Sindoor paused on Pak’s appeals: India rejects Trump’s mediation claims Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 28 The government on Monday rejected US President Donald Trump’s repeated claims of mediation in the cessation of May hostilities between India and Pakistan and said Operation Sindoor, launched to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam killings, was paused on Pakistan’s pleas after successful achievement of the stated political and military objectives. PM, RAHUL TO SPEAK TODAY Security personnel during a cordon & search operation that led to the killing of three terrorists in Srinagar district on Monday. PTI SAT PHONE SIGNAL GAVE THEM AWAY? ■ ‘Op Mahadev’ was launched based on a technical signal, indicating the use of a satellite phone by Pahalgam attackers ■ Pahalgam ‘mastermind’ Asif, alias Sulaiman Shah, a foreign terrorist, was active in Valley since last year after shifting base from Pir Panjal range ■ He is learnt to have fled the encounter site where Lashkar militant Junaid Ahmed Bhat, behind Ganderbal tunnel attack, was shot last Dec reaches and as per the initial reports, three bodies were observed and seemed to be neutralised. The operation was “still continuing”, he said. The Army later confirmed that three terrorists had been neutralised in an “intense firefight”. The bodies were recovered and brought down by the security forces in the evening. continued on page 8 Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, both participating in a discussion on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha, dismissed the US claims of intervention to stop the nuclear-armed neighbours, with Rajnath announcing that “no harm came to any important asset”. The Defence Minister opened the “special discussion on India’s strong, successful and decisive Operation Sindoor in response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam”, in the Lok Sabha and said India continued on page 8 ❝ There was no call between PM & Prez Trump from April 22, when he called up to convey sympathy, &June 17 when he dialled PM in Canada to say why he couldn’t meet. S Jaishankar, EAM Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 28 Posing some tough questions to Justice Yashwant Varma over his petition challenging an inhouse inquiry committee report that indicted him for recovery of unaccounted cash at his official residence during a fire on March 14, the Supreme Court on Monday sought to know why he appeared before the panel if he thought it was illegal. “Why did you appear Cash at judge’s home: Next hearing tomorrow before the (in-house) inquiry committee? Did you come to the court to have the video removed? Why did you wait for the inquiry to be completed and the report be released? Did you take a chance of a favourable order there first,” a Bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice AG Masih asked senior Animesh Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 28 Launching a scathing attack on the government in Parliament, Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi on Monday said Home Minister Amit Shah must take responsibility for “security lapses” that allowed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Gogoi said this while opening the special discussion on behalf counsel Kapil Sibal, who represented Justice Varma. “That cannot be held against me. I appeared because I thought the committee would find out who the cash belonged to,” Sibal told the Bench. The Bench also grilled him over the parties he chose to make to his petition and not filing a copy of the in-house inquiry report, saying the Union of India was not needed as a respondent. continued on page 8 Hry drops stalking accused Ludhiana AAP leader quits Vikas Barala as law officer to protest land pooling policy Geetanjali Gayatri Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 28 Ten days after being appointed a law officer in the Haryana Advocate General office, BJP MP Subhash Barala’s son Vikas Barala, an accused in the 2017 Varnika Kundu stalking and attempted abduction case, has been dropped from the list. Sources in the Haryana Government said “since Vikas did not join, his name was dropped from the list”. An order issued by Addition- Chandigarh, July 28 The Punjab Government’s contentious land pooling policy led to the first resignation by a leader of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party on Monday as Jodhan (Ludhiana) block president Tapinder Singh Grewal quit his post, denouncing the new scheme as “anti-farmer”. The development came a day after AAP MP from Anandpur Sahib Malvinder Singh Kang, in a post on X, criticised the scheme and asked his party leaders to Govt cites ‘failure to join post’; appointment led to massive outcry al Chief Secretary (Administration of Justice) Sumita Misra said, “The Haryana Governor is pleased to delete continued on page 8 “earn the trust of farmers before introducing any such policy”. He stressed the need for “addressing the objections of farm unions through empathy and meaningful dialogue”. Kang, however, deleted the post today, drawing criticism from the very leaders who had earlier commended him for breaking ranks with AAP to support the farmers. The post by Kang, who had resigned from the BJP in 2020 to protest the now-repealed three farm laws, became a talking point in AAP even as continued on page 8 Teen chess prodigy Divya conquers the world Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service Divya Deshmukh during the FIDE Women’s Chess World Cup 2025 final match against compatriot Koneru Humpy in Batumi, Georgia. PTI Chandigarh, July 28 At an age when most are just beginning to weigh career choices, teenager Divya Deshmukh did something extraordinary, she became a world chess champion. In a feat reminiscent of Dommaraju Gukesh’s meteoric rise just months earlier, the 19-year-and-83-day-old from Nagpur scripted history in Batumi, Georgia, by winning the FIDE Women’s World ❝ We want to know from PM Modi if Pakistan was ready to kneel down, why did you stop? US President has said 26 times that he forced India & Pakistan to announce a truce. Gaurav Gogoi, CONGRESS Cong slams Shah for ‘security lapses’ Why challenge inquiry after taking part in it, SC questions Justice Varma Satya Prakash DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to examine the Punjab government's plea against an order directing it to abide by the decision over the release of 4,500 cusecs of extra water to Haryana. The Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed Punjab to abide by the decision taken in the meeting held on May 2. INSIDE NEW EightPunjabpilgrims die in canal mishap Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Cong leader Gaurav Gogoi speak on Op Sindoor in the Lok Sabha. PTI No harm came to any important asset: Rajnath SC junks Pb plea on extra water to Hry India’s youngest to win Women’s World Cup, Grandmaster title Cup. With that, she became the youngest Indian woman ever to claim the title. Divya’s triumph underlined India’s growing dominance in chess, with Indian players now reigning as world champions in both the male and female categories. continued on page 8 c m y b ‘HM must take blame for intel failure on Pahalgam attack’ of the Opposition on Operation Sindoor in the Lok Sabha. He spoke after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had initiated the debate. “The country and those who lost their family members want to know why the government has not been able to catch the terrorists even 90 days after the attack. They want to know how the terrorists were given shelter and information,” said Gogoi. The Congress leader said Shah could not “hide behind” J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. “If someone needs to take the responsibility, it is the Home Minister,” said continued on page 8 MANDI AHMEDGARH: Eight pilgrims died when their tempo plunged into Sirhind Canal near Jagera Bridge on Sunday night. Two others are feared drowned. Nineteen were rescued. The victims, all from Manakwal village’s Dalit community, were returning from Mata Naina Devi temple. INSIDE 2 dead, 32 hurt in UP temple stampede BARABANKI: Two persons were killed and 32 injured as a stampede broke out at a temple here early on Monday after a live electric wire, broken by monkeys, fell onto a tin shed, leading to panic among devotees. DGP Rajeev Krishna said that the casualties were caused due to electrocution. — PTI