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P4 » » MAINLY CLEAR MAX 32°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 32.8°C | MIN 19.4°C SUNSET THURSDAY 5.51 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6.25 AM » THURSDAY | 16 OCTOBER 2025 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Tearful adieu to Hry IPS officer, daughters perform last rites WHAT’S ON Autopsy conducted at PGI under tight security | Assured of swift action, says wife MOHALI CONCLAVE: Curtain raiser event of “Emerging Science, Technology & Innovation Conclave” & RFP launch of DESIGN for BioE3 challenge; BRICNational Agri-Food & Biomanufacturing Institute, Sector 81, 11:30 am Sheetal APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 34, 56 and Ram Darbar Panchkula: Sector 5 Mohali: Sec 88 and Phase 8 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your health-related queries. Please mail your questions (not exceeding 40 words) at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your healthrelated concerns. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 15 Nine days after Y Puran Kumar allegedly shot himself dead, the Haryana IPS officer was cremated on Wednesday at the Sector 25 cremation ground in Chandigarh where his two daughters performed the last rites. His wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, was also present during the emotionally charged ceremony, which took place after the family finally gave its consent for the autopsy and cremation, ending days of standoff over their demand for action in the case. Amid tight security, the officer was given a tearful farewell with state honours as police personnel, senior officials and government representatives paid their last respects. The autopsy of Y Puran Kumar, who died allegedly by suicide at his Sector 11 house on October 7, was conducted at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) today under heavy security arrangements and judicial supervision. After days of deliberation and emotional strain, Amneet P Kumar gave her consent for the post-mortem early in the morning. Her decision came after formal assurances from both the Chandigarh Police and the Haryana Government that the probe into the officer's death would be conducted fairly and transparently. In a statement, Amneet Late IPS officer Y Puran Kumar’s daughters perform his last rites at the Sector 25 cremation ground in Chandigarh on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: RAVI KUMAR Advanced Anatomy Centre (AAC) with her brother, Amit Rattan Kotfatta, and relatives. The police had cordoned off the entire area since early morning. Barricades were placed at all approach roads leading to the AAC, and entry was strictly regulated. Post-mortem examination Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan at the cremation ground. expressed faith in the judiciary and the investigative agencies, stating: "In view of the assurance extended by the UT police for a fair and impartial investigation, and the commitment of the Government of Haryana to take appropriate action against any erring officials, I have consented to the post-mortem examination… I have full faith in the judiciary and the police authorities and hope that the truth emerges in accordance with law." Around 8.45 am, Amneet arrived at the PGIMER's After all legal and procedural formalities were completed in the presence of the SubDivisional Magistrate, the Medical Board and forensic experts, the post-mortem examination began around 11 am. It was conducted by a four-member board headed by Dr Jasbir Singh, Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine at PGIMER. The examination went on for nearly two and half hours, concluding at 1.30 pm. In adherence to the family’s requests and to ensure transparency, the entire process was videographed. Three key samples — viscera, DNA swab and the deceased’s clothes — were preserved for forensic analysis. In its official statement later in the afternoon, the PGIMER confirmed: “The post-mortem examination of Haryana-cadre IPS officer Y Puran Kumar was conducted today by a duly constituted Medical Board following all due procedures. The report will be submitted to the Investigating Officer of the Special Investigation Team (SIT). The mortal remains have been respectfully handed over to the family members.” Riot Control Police deployed at the cremation ground. HEAVY POLICE DEPLOYMENT ■ Tight security was ensured under the supervision of SSP (UT) Kanwardeep Kaur, Sector 11 SHO Jaiveer Rana and SI Babita, in charge of the PGI police post. The presence of IGP Pushpendra Kumar at the site underscored the sensitivity of the event. Traffic police were stationed around the premises to prevent any disruption. ■ The SSP later accompanied the family to the officer’s Sector 24 residence to facilitate their movement and ensure that postidentification procedures at the PGIMER could commence smoothly. Final journey By 3 pm, hundreds had gathered outside the late officer’s house to pay their last respects. Emotions ran high as colleagues, friends and local residents queued to offer condolences. Among those in attendance were Chandigarh and Haryana DGPs Dr Sagar Preet Hooda and OP Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Misra, Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan, former Union Minister Pawan Bansal and Chief Principal Secretary to the Haryana CM Rajesh Khullar, IAS. Senior bureaucrats, including Anurag Rastogi, Chief Secretary, Haryana, continued on page 3 Chandigarh and Haryana DGPs Dr Sagar Preet Hooda and OP Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Mishra and other officers attend the cremation. NINE DAYS SINCE THE TRAGEDY ■ The cremation brought to an end a nine-day impasse since the death of the senior IPS officer, who allegedly died by suicide at his Sector 11 residence on October 7. His death had sparked widespread outrage and protests across Haryana and Punjab, with several political leaders calling for accountability and swift action. ■ The officer’s family had accused Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and SP Rohtak Narendra Bijarniya of harassment and bias, demanding their arrest and suspension. The Haryana Government eventually responded under pressure. On October 11, SP Bijarniya was sent on leave, and two days later, on October 13, DGP Kapur was also directed to proceed on leave. Surinder Singh Bhoria was appointed as the new Rohtak SP, while Om Prakash Singh, Managing Director of the Haryana Police Housing Corporation, was given the additional charge of the DGP. ■ The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Chandigarh Police, currently probing the case, has been coordinating with Haryana Police to collect all relevant documents and evidence. HC imposes ~25K Youth stabs grandmother to death Two sisters hit by Trigger: She used to Thar in city, 1 dies costs on Admn, MC object to his habit of drinking at home for failing to file reply Tribune News Service DADUMAJRA DUMP Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 15 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has imposed a penalty of Rs 25,000 each on the Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation for their continued failure to file replies to an application in an ongoing public interest litigation (PIL) concerning the Dadumajra garbage dump. A Bench, headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu, expressed dissatisfaction over the lack of compliance with its directions to submit para-wise replies to the PIL alleging institutional misrepresentation and concealment of facts relating to the garbage dump, despite having granted repeated opportunities. The Dadumajra landfill remains a focal point of environmental and public health concerns in Chandigarh. The PIL seeks remediation of the dump, enforcement of effective waste management practices and strict accountability from public institutions. After the Chief Justice asked for an update from the Municipal Corporation on the current status of dump clearance, the counsel for the MC reported that 48,000 COURT POSER ON INDORE MODEL The Bench also sought an explanation on why the Indore model of garbage management was not being implemented in Chandigarh, following which the MC assured the court of intensified clearance efforts. On residential colonies nearby the dump, the Chandigarh Administration claimed that these pre-dated their jurisdiction and both temporary and approved structures had coexisted with the dump for decades. metric tonne of waste remained and attributed the delay to monsoon. On the Bench seeking a clarification on measures taken for affected residents living in the vicinity and whether these residential colonies had received formal approval, the Chandigarh Administration claimed that these pre-dated their jurisdiction and both temporary and approved structures had coexisted with the dump for decades. The Bench also sought an explanation on why the Indore model of garbage management was not being implemented in Chandigarh, following which the MC assured the court of intensified clearance efforts. Mohali, October 15 A 22-year-old youth stabbed his 85-year-old grandmother to death for objecting to drinking at home in Gupta Colony on the Gulabgarh road in Dera Bassi this evening. Ashish Saini stabbed his grandmother Gurbachan Kaur (85) with a household knife. The other members of the family were away. The police said the elderly woman died on the spot. When Ashish’s mother, Veena Saini, a schoolteacher, reached home around 3 pm, she found the door was closed. Her son opened the door and she found her mother-in-law lying in a pool of blood, with knife still lodged in the body. Later, the youth fled the spot. The family head, Kuldeep Saini, a provision store owner, and his elder brother were away for work. Sources said the youth was enraged as his grandmother used to object to his habit of drinking. The police are verifying whether the youth was intoxicated at the time of the incident. Sources said the police found the body wrapped in a sheet. Dera Bassi DSP Bikramjit Singh Brar, Station House Officer Sumit Mor and other police personnel reached the spot and began an investigation. A deathly silence prevailed in the thickly populated residential area as the police shifted the body to the mortuary of the local subdivisional hospital. A post-mortem examination was held in the evening. A murder case has been registered and the police are searching for the killer. Police officials said the youth was not studying or working anywhere. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 15 Two teenaged sisters were hit by a Thar near Sector 46 while they were crossing the road today. The elder one, identified as Sajaf (19), was killed and her younger sister, Isha (17), critically injured. She was admitted to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32. According to an eyewitness, a speeding black Mahindra Thar hit them in the afternoon in Sector 46. The SUV driver sped away after the accident. Both sisters, residents of Burail, were crossing the road to reach a vocational institute in Sector 46. Local residents rushed them to the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, where doctors declared Sajaf dead on arrival. The condition of her younger sister, Isha, was critical. The police said a case had been registered at the Sector 34 Police Station and efforts were underway to trace the Thar driver. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby areas to identify the vehicle. Man gets life term in double murder case Tribune News Service Mohali, October 15 A local court sentenced Ashok Kumar, a native of Bihar, to life imprisonment for the 2019 Zirakpur double murder. The convict was also fined Rs 50,000. Ajay Kumar, a resident of Zirakpur, and Fazzaluddin, a security guard, had been found dead under mysterious circumstances. The convict and his three cousins Sooraj Santosh and Krish allegedly murdered Ashok and the elderly continued on page 3 72 GMADA properties go for ~1,911cr, SCO cluster fetches ~80.20 cr Gaurav Kanthwal Tribune News Service Mohali, October 15 The Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) today mopped up Rs 1911.69 crore by e-auctioning 72 commercial and residential properties at Aerocity, Ecocity-1, IT City and in Sectors 67, 68, 69 and 78 here. The top grosser of the e-bidding that concluded today was a cluster SCO (1-2-3-4) in Block -C Pocket No. 2 of Aerocity, which was bought for Rs 80.20 crore by a firm, Aura Trade Links. Two cluster SCOs in Block C Pocket-1 were sold for Rs 79.87 crore each. The authority's bid to auction five school sites in Mohali and New Chandigarh, nine commercial sites in Sector 62 and Aerocity, three mixed-use sites in Mohali and nine group housing sites drew a blank. As many as 14 cluster SCOs, out of a total of 16 on offer, four shop-cum-offices bundled together, measuring 2000 sq yd, were auctioned to the highest bidder in Block-C Pocket 1 and 2 of Aerocity alone. Fortyeight SCOs, measuring 500sq yd, were also auctioned in the same area with a few located in Sectors 69 and 78 getting new ownerships. Among the booths on offer, only one corner booth, measuring 46.5 sq yd in Sector 69, was auctioned for Rs 2.76 crore. Eight residential sites in c m y b The GMADA office in Phase 8, Mohali. TRIBUNE PHOTO:VICKY Sectors 67, 68, Ecocity-1 and IT City were sold, with a Sector 68 corner site (430 sq yd) fetching Rs 8.86 crore. An Ecocity-1 site (500 sq yd) was also sold for 7.61 crore. Social impact assessment for Aerotropolis from Nov 10 Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, will conduct a social impact assessment (SIA) of eight villages of Mohali where 3,537 acres of land will be acquired to develop Pockets E, F G, H of the , Aerotropolis township on November10, 11 and 12. Six property collectors of GMADA issued letters to the sarpanches of Badhi, Bakarpur, Kishanpura, Chhat, Patton, Kurdi, Siaun and Matran village panchayats on October 14 to inform the area residents of the visiting teams for discussion, assessment, pros and cons of the project. The development authority will now acquire land under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. The Aerotrop- olis township near the airport will have more than 8,600 residential plots, commercial and institutional sites. In another recent development, a joint venture of Ludhiana-based company, Ceigall India Ltd, and JSP Projects Pvt. Ltd. has received a Rs 509.20 crore Letter of Award (LOA) from GMADA for developing upcoming Mohali township, Aerotropolis. Under the project, internal roads and associated civil, public health and electrical works will be carried out. The project is expected to be completed in two years. The work order has already been issued, officials said.