06012026-TTC-01.qxd 06-01-2026 00:41 Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 10 NO. 6 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 FRAMING OF SEDITION CHARGES AGAINST HASINA ON JAN 21 WORLD /thetribunechd KHATTAR REVIEWS POWER PROJECTS IN KISHTWAR DIST J&K TATA GROUP LOOKS FOR COAST GUARD COMMISSIONS NEW AI, AI EXPRESS ITS LARGEST SHIP SAMUDRA CHIEFS BUSINESS PRATAP BACK PAGE tuesday | 6 january 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Akal Takht summons Pb CM for ‘insulting’ Sikh institutions SC denies bail to Khalid, Sharjeel, says played key role in Delhi riots Willabidebydirections,appearbarefootonJan15:Mann Orders release of 5 others, maintains all appellants not on same footing Neeraj Bagga Satya Prakash Amritsar, January 5 Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Kuldip Singh Gargaj on Monday summoned Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to appear before the Takht secretariat on January 15 to explain his alleged utterances against Sikh institutions and related issues. Responding to the summons, Mann said he respected the directive and would comply with it. “I will appear before Akal Takht by walking barefoot like a humble Sikh, not as the Chief Minister,” Mann posted on X. Addressing mediapersons in Amritsar, the Jathedar said the summons had been issued in view of the CM’s alleged repeated statements denigrating and insulting Sikh institutions, “which had hurt the sentiments of the community”. He said Mann had made “disparaging remarks against key Sikh principles, including Daswandh and Guru Ki Golak”. “The action has also been initiated in view of a highly objectionable video of the CM that surfaced recently, in which he is seen indulging in extremely objectionable BEHIND BARS FOR OVER 5 YEARS Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 5 Highlighting the “central and formative role” attributed to accused Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed their bail pleas even as it granted bail to five other accused. “This court is satisfied that the prosecution material, taken at face value as required at this stage, discloses a prima facie attribution of a central and formative role by appellants…. Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the alleged conspiracy,” said a Bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria, which had reserved its verdict on the bail pleas on December 10, 2025. Pronouncing the verdict, Justice Kumar said, “The material suggests involvement at the level of planning, mobilisation and strategic direction, extending beyond episodic or localised acts. The statutory threshold under Section 43D (5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) continued on page 8 edit: Jail, not bail Umar Khalid Sharjeel Imam PRIMA FACIE SATISFIED WITH MATERIAL This court is satisfied that prosecution material discloses a prima facie... central and formative role by appellants Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Supreme Court STRINGENT CONDITIONS FOR BAIL ❝ ■ Those allowed bail told not to leave Delhi with- out prior permission of the trial court ■ To surrender passport, those lacking one to file affidavit; appear in police station twice a week Jail is my life now: Khalid on order New Delhi, January 5 Shortly after the Supreme Court refused to grant him bail, activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid told his partner Banojyotsna Lahiri that being “jail is his life now” and expressed happiness that five other persons had been granted relief. The apex court on Monday Another Hindu bizman shot dead in Bangladesh Dhaka, January 5 A Hindu businessman, who was also the acting editor of a newspaper, was shot dead by unidentified assailants on Monday in Jessore district in southern Bangladesh, officials said. “We have received information that Rana Pratap Bairagi was shot dead in the Keshabpur area of Jessore,” said Bashudeb Dhar, president, Bangladesh puja celebration committee. The 38-year-old was a resident of Arua village in Keshabpur upazila of Jessore in Khulna division, Banglalanguage daily Prothom Alo reported. The shooting marks the latest in a spate of violent incidents against minorities in the country, especially members of the Hindu community. India has been expressing concerns over attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in Bangladesh. Bairagi, who owned an icemaking factory at Kopaliya Bazar in Monirampur, was New Delhi, January 5 Days after fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman was excluded from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Bangladesh on Monday ordered an immediate suspension of the broadcast of the world’s biggest T20 league across the country in retaliation. In an official order issued by the ministry of information and boadcasting of Muhammad Yunus’ interim government, all television channels, cable operators, IPTV platforms and digital media outlets have been directed to halt the telecast and publicity of IPL matches and related events “until further instructions”. The ministry said the decision followed a review of refused to grant bail to activists Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the matter, saying there was a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. However, the top court granted bail to five other activists in the case. “‘I am really happy for the oth- ers, who got bail! So relieved’, Umar said. ‘I’ll come tomorrow for mulaqat’, I replied. ‘Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai’. #UmarKhalid,” Banojyotsna posted on X. The February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi left 53 persons dead and more than 700 injured. — PTI the acting editor of a newspaper called Dainik BD Khabar published from Narail, according to the daily. The incident occurred around 5.45 pm at Kopaliya Bazaar on Monday, a news portal quoted Additional Police Superintendent Abul Basar as saying. Citing locals and the police, Prothom Alo said three miscreants on a motorcycle called him from the factory and took him to an alley. They then shot him in the head from a close range and fled. He died on the spot. “Bairagi was shot thrice in the head and his throat was slit,” Md. Rajiullah Khan, incharge, Monirampur police station, was quoted as saying by the daily. Khan also said the reason for his murder was not known. An investigation continued on page 8 Says decision has hurt cricket-loving nation recent developments concerning the IPL, scheduled to begin on March 26. It noted that the Board of Control for Cricket in India had instructed that Mustafizur Rahman be dropped from the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) squad, without any “logical or acceptable reason”. “Such a decision has hurt, insulted and humiliated the sentiments of the people of Bangladesh,” the order said, describing the move as disrespectful to the country and its cricketing community. The directive was circulated to Bangladesh Television, private continued on page 8 RAIKOT: A 32-year-old man was shot dead by armed assailants in fields near the grain market on the outskirts of Manuke village in Ludhiana district on Monday. Deceased Gagandeep Singh was a former kabaddi player and working as a bouncer. He was a close relative of AAP MLA Saravjit Kaur Manuke. INSIDE Dera chief walks out of jail, reaches Sirsa ROHTAK: Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Sond appears before Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Kuldip Singh Gargaj in Amritsar. activity with the images of Sikh Gurus,” he said. The Jathedar clarified that since Mann was not a ‘Sabat Surat Sikh’ (one embodying spiritual discipline), he could not appear before the Takht’s ‘fasil’ and had instead been summoned to the secretariat. Gargaj also questioned the delay in delivering justice in the 2015 Bargari sacrilege and the 2017 Maur bomb attack cases in which seven persons, including five children, were killed. He asked when Bargari case accused Pradeep Kaler, who was arrested earlier, had “named Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh MADURO PLEADS ‘NOT GUILTY’ and his associate Honeypreet as perpetrators”, why no action was taken against them. He claimed the Maur blast case was also “linked to the dera”. The Jathedar also accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of trying to draw political mileage from the Bargari issue. He said when AAP leaders had been repeatedly claiming that the Maur blast was carried out to prevent them from coming to power, why no action was taken in the case even after the party assumed power. Meanwhile, Punjab Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond visited continued on page 8 Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, serving a 20-year sentence for raping two of his disciples, walked out of Sunaria district jail in Rohtak on Monday after being granted a 40day parole. This is his 15th release from jail since his conviction. Ram Rahim reached the dera headquarters in Sirsa at 2.30 pm. INSIDE 5.1-magnitudequake joltsAssam,3injured GUWAHATI: At least three persons were injured in an earthquake of 5.1 magnitude, which jolted central Assam in the early hours of Monday, officials said. Minor damage was caused to some houses in Morigaon district. Tremors were also felt in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram. — PTI India cut import of Russian oil to please mefortrade:Trump Was also acting editor of a newspaper Dhaka bans IPL telecast over cricketer’s exclusion Tribune News Service FEB 23, 2020: Riots break out in northeast Delhi, leaving 53 dead, more than 700 injured AUG-SEPT: Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid held in larger conspiracy case; others held in same year SEPT 16: Chargesheet filed against 15 accused 2022-24: Trial court dismisses bail petitions of accused; several of them move Delhi High Court SEPT 2, 2025: HC rejects bail pleas of accused DEC 10: SC concludes hearings, reserves verdict DEC 16-29: Delhi court grants interim bail to Khalid for 15 days to attend his sister’s wedding JAN 5, 2026: SC denies bail to Khalid and Imam Tribune News Service AAPMLAManuke’s relativeshotdead Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service Officials move captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro out of a helicopter towards the Daniel Patrick Manhattan US Courthouse for an initial appearance to face narco-terrorism and drug trafficking charges in New York City. Maduro pleaded “not guilty”. REUTERS Pakistan likely to repatriate Sarabjit Kaur today Had gone missing after travelling as part of jatha in Nov, married Muslim Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 5 A Sikh woman from Punjab, who went missing after travelling to Pakistan as part of a pilgrims’ jatha in November last year, is likely to be repatriated to India on Tuesday, officials said. Earlier, there were reports that Sarabjit Kaur, a resident of Kapurthala, would be repatriated on Monday. However, this could not happen due to documentation issues. Confirming the development, Attari DSP Yadwinder Singh said her repatriation was delayed as her documents were incomplete. “The formalities are being completed and she is expected to be repatriated on Tuesday,” he added. Sarabjit had travelled to Pakistan on a visitor’s visa as part of a jatha of Sikh pilgrims to mark Guru Nanak Dev’s Parkash Purb on November 4, 2025. She went missing while visiting Gurdwara Nankana Sahib. Subsequently, reports emerged that she had embraced Islam and married a Pakistani national, Nasir Hussain, a resident of Sheikhupura, about 56 km from Lahore. The Sikh jatha returned to India on November 13. Meanwhile, Mahinder Pal Singh, a former Punjab Assembly member in Pakistan, filed a petition in the Lahore High Court seeking Sarabjit’s repatriation, terming the issuance of a single-entry visa illegal. New Delhi, January 5 The US on Sunday claimed that India had cut back on its purchase of Russian oil following tariff pressure from Washington, with President Donald Trump saying New Delhi acted to keep trade relations with the US on track and to avoid his displeasure. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump backed remarks made by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who argued that the threat of tariffs had proved an effective tool in pushing countries to reduce their economic engagement with Russia amid the Ukraine war. Trump said the measures were hurting Russia “very, very much”. Referring to India’s response, he said New Delhi was keen to ensure smooth trade ties with Washington. “They wanted to make me happy, basically,” Trump said, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was “a good man” who understood that Trump was unhappy with India’s oil purchases from Russia. “It was important to President Donald Trump KWATRA WANTED TARIFF RELIEVED: SENATOR Recounting a recent interaction with India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said, “I was at the Indian Ambassador’s house a month ago and all he wanted to talk about was how they are buying less Russian oil and whether the President could relieve the tariff. This stuff works.” make me happy to do trade,” the US President said, warning that tariffs could be raised “very quickly”, which would be “very bad for them”. However, the US claims appear at odds with recent import data. Russian news agency Sputnik reported that India imported continued on page 8 Mohali IISER study sheds light on how crickets play ball to attract their mates Bhartesh Singh Thakur Tribune News Service A female and a male cricket. Chandigarh, January 5 Imagine a cocktail party in the animal kingdom. Songbirds, frogs and insects are all in attendance. They’re speaking in choruses, each producing different sounds. In the background, there is the noise of rustling leaves, a babbling stream and the pitter-patter of rain. In this cacophony, there are male crickets who are singing to impress the females. Many crickets may call simultaneously, thereby jamming each other’s calls, known as acoustic masking. In such a noisy affair, how will they attract the attention of female crickets? Biologist Dr Manjari Jain of the IISER, Mohali, is an expert in animal communication and has long studied acoustic masking. She uses nocturnal insects, crickets, to study it. She says, “Female crickets are mute. But they listen to males and in complete darkness, locate them c m y b COCKTAIL PARTY PROBLEM Many species sing in choruses because it reduces predation risk and may attract females for mating. However, noise coming from other callers interferes with effective communication with females, as they must detect and recognise calls of males of their own species. This situation is akin to the cocktail party problems in humans. by sound alone to choose which one to mate with. However, in noisy environments, they may find it hard to locate singing males or even fail to recognise the calls of males of their own species.” Many species sing in choruses because it reduces predation risk and may attract females for mating. However, noise coming from other callers would interfere with effective communication with females, as they must detect and recognise calls of males of their own species. “This situation is akin to the cocktail party problems in humans, which refer to the difficulty of listeners in perceiving speech in a noisy social gathering. However, this problem is not unique to humans. Bats, frogs, songbirds and insects all encounter this problem,” says Manjari. Manjari’s team found that field crickets — Acanthogryllus asiaticus — have evolved sophisticated strategies to overcome such challenges. The study was published in the journal ‘Behavioral Ecology’ continued on page 8