06032026-TT-01.qxd 3/5/2026 11:43 PM Page 1 c m y b 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 63 | 12 PAGES | ~6.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH BUDGET SESSION BEGINS TODAY, OPPN TO FLAG DEBT PUNJAB /thetribunechd CEC IN KERALA FOR POLL REVIEW, TO VISIT WB ON MARCH 8 NATION SENSEX UP 900 POINTS CHINA HIKES DEFENCE AS GLOBAL MARKETS BUDGET BY 7% TO BOOST REBOUND BUSINESS MODERNISATION WORLD friday | 6 march 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com BiharCM for 20 yrs, Nitishto enter RS, paves way for BJP successor INDIA SET UP TITLE CLASH WITH KIWIS Chooses timing of exit from state politics, prepares ground for son’s launch Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service Defending champions India beat England by 7 runs in a thrilling semifinal match on Thursday to reach the T20 WC final. Put to bat, India racked up 253/7 as Sanju Samson struck a commanding 89. England’s Jacob Bethell smashed 105 off 45, but in vain. India will face New Zealand in Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad as they aim to become the first team to retain the T20 World Cup title. REUTERS EAM speaks to Iran minister as crisis in West Asia deepens US sub sinks frigate killing 87 sailors; India mourns Khamenei OP EPIC FURY Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 5 India on Thursday conveyed condolences over the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei even as the war between Iran and the US-Israel alliance intensified across the region, marked by the sinking of an Iranian frigate in the Indian Ocean and a sharp rise in casualties inside Iran. Vikram Misri, India’s Foreign Secretary, visited the Iranian embassy in New Delhi and signed the condolence book following Khamenei’s death, officials said, marking New Delhi’s first formal response to the killing of the Iranian leader. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also spoke to Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi amid the deepening crisis and the rapidly deteriorating regional security situation. Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with French Presi- A grab from a video shows an explosion on an Iranian warship after it was struck by a US submarine torpedo in the Indian Ocean. PTI IRAN YET TO ELECT NEW SUPREME LEADER Iran has not yet elected the successor of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a senior Iranian official said on Thursday. Ayatollah Dr Abdul Majeed Hakeemelahi, representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, said the process to elect a new leader was on. ❝ ARMED CONFLICT NO SOLUTION: MODI Military conflict can’t resolve any issue. There is a need for dialogue and diplomacy. Whether Ukraine or Iran, we’ll support all efforts to end conflicts. Narendra Modi, PRIME MINISTER dent Emmanuel Macron and discussed the evolving situation in West Asia. “Spoke to my friend President Emmanuel Macron today. We discussed our shared concerns over the evolving situation in West Asia and the need for a return to dialogue and diplomacy. We will continue to engage closely and coordinate efforts towards the early restoration of peace and stability in the region,” Modi posted on X. The diplomatic outreach came as the conflict widened continued on page 8 5 dressed as Nihangs hold jeweller family hostage, flee with ~3.5-crore booty Indian-originsocial media influencer killed in Canada Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, March 5 Five persons dressed in the traditional attire of Nihangs held a renowned Gurdaspur family to ransom for 90 minutes before decamping with a Rs 3.5 crore booty, including gold, silver and Rs 40 lakh in cash, leaving the police flummoxed at the turn of events. The SSP residence is barely 200 yards away from the scene of the crime. The incident took place at the posh Improvement Trust Colony No. 5 on the busy Jail Road. This is one of the safest residential colonies of the town. The robbers entered the house of the owners of Manohar Saraf, one of the oldest jewellers of the town, at 8 am and stayed there till 9.30 am. Before they stepped in to commit the crime, they carefully disengaged all CCTVs located nearby. The family’s car driver was washing a vehicle when one of the robbers asked where the house owner was. “We want to discuss a religious matter and want to meet him for just two minutes,” he said. The unsuspecting driver obliged and let all five enter the drawing room. When inside, they tied him with a nylon rope. The robbers entered the bedroom even as the wife of the jeweller started screaming. Her hands and feet were also tied with a rope. Later, they tied both the children and the jeweller himself. The faces of all robbers were covered with handkerchiefs. They were brandishing a rifle and pistols. They demanded the keys of the cupboard where gold and silver ornaments and cash were kept. The jeweller’s nervous wife gave them the keys. continued on page 8 Chandigarh, March 5 A 45-year-old social media influencer of Punjabi origin, Nancy Grewal, was stabbed to death in Canada, with her mother in Jalandhar on Thursday claiming that she used to Nancy Grewal receive threats to her life. Nancy was murdered in LaSalle in Ontario late on March 3. On social media, Nancy used to express her opinions on different social and political issues in Punjab. She had spoken against Khalistanis and even made remarks against pro-Khalistan leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The police said, “Shortly before 9.30 pm on March 3, emergency services responded to a report of a stabbing. A 45-yearold woman was located with injuries. She was taken to a hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.” — PTI Relief for India as Iransaysstraitshut only for US, allies Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 5 In a glimmer of hope for India, Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz is closed exclusively to vessels from the US, Israel, Europe and their allies. The move comes even asIndiaisintalkstosecureoilsupplies from other sources. Almost 40 per cent of Indian crude oil imports flow through the strait, a narrow 33-km wide waterway between Iran and Oman. The strait has been closed since March 1, after the US and Israel jointly launched strikes against Iran. Meanwhile, Russia and the US have weighed in on the oil crisis, as more than a fifth of global crude and gas supplies pass through the Hormuz. Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov on Thursday said his country “has been open to supplying crude oil to India”. US President Donald Trump said the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC) would provide insurance “at a very reasonable price” to all shipping firms in the region. This would ensure free flow of energy to the world, Trump claimed, adding that the US Navy would protect ships in continued on page 8 New Delhi, March 5 After helming Bihar for over 20 years, JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar on Thursday announced his surprise exit from state politics, paving the way for a BJP Chief Minister. Flanked by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Nitish, who turned 75 on March 1, filed his papers for the March 16 Rajya Sabha elections alongside other NDA nominees—BJP president Nitin Nabin, state general secretary Shivesh Kumar; JD(U)’s Ram Nath Thakur and RLM president Upendra Kushwaha. “From the very beginning of my parliamentary journey, there has been a desire in my heart to become a member of both Houses of the Bihar Legislature as well as both Houses of Parliament. In keeping with this aspiration, I seek to become a member of the Rajya Sabha in the elections being held this time,” Nitish said, framing his decision as a voluntary move. Shah too generously praised the JD(U) chief, saying over the past two decades, his “dedicated lead- Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar files his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president Nitin Nabin in Patna on Thursday. PTI ership for the welfare of Bihar’s people had liberated the state from jungle raj and propelled it to development and good governance”. “Your extensive experience in public service and deep understanding of policy-making will make the Rajya Sabha proceedings even more effective. Your esteemed presence will further strengthen the NDA’s resolve of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’,” Shah said to Nitish even as the Opposition camp saw red. RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav said the BJP had done a Maharashtra in Bihar. continued on page 8 edit: nitish’s move Tamil Nadu Guv RN Ravi replaces Ananda Bose in West Bengal Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 5 In a major gubernatorial rejig late on Thursday, the President appointed Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi as the Governor of West Bengal, hours after the resignation of CV Ananda Bose. Former Indian ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu will be the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, replacing VK Saxena, who has been moved as Ladakh Lieutenant Governor. Sandhu unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Amritsar in Punjab. Kavinder Gupta, who resigned as Ladakh Lieutenant Governor, has been moved as the Himachal Prasad Governor in place of Shiv Pratap Shukla, who has been shifted to Telangana. The Telangana Governor, Jishnu Dev Barma, will be the new Governor of Maharashtra. Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd) has been appointed the Governor of Bihar. A decorated officer, Hasnain commanded the 15 Corps (Chinar Corps) in Srinagar, which is responsible for Kashmir operations. He later commanded 21 Corps, one of the strike formations Subhash Rajta Tribune News Service c m y b Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s decision to enter the RS drew sharp criticism from the Congress. “A leadership coup and regime change has taken place. It is, in many ways, a huge betrayal of the mandate of the people,” senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said. Taranjit Sandhu appointed Delhi L-G, Kavinder Gupta now HP Guv of the Army. He oversaw the rescue operations at Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand where workers were trapped. Former Bihar Assembly Speaker Nand Kishor Yadav has been appointed the Governor of Nagaland. Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the Governor of Kerala, will also discharge the additional functions of the Governor of Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, Bose’s abrupt resignation weeks before the West Bengal poll led the Congress to wonder “what was happening” and say that Jagdeep Dhankhar was “summarily sacked” as VicePresident last year. Winterbarelyover,severalHimachaltowns see unusual 10 to 15°C above-normal temp Shimla, March 5 Winter has barely ended but a few places in Himachal Pradesh have already started experiencing heatwave, with the deviation from normal temperature being in the range of 10°C to nearly 15°C. The maximum temperature has shot past 30°Celsius at a few places. If the dry weather continues for the next few days, several hill stations could breach their past record temperatures for March. Places like Shimla, Kangra, Sundernagar, Kalpa and Bhuntar are just one to 2°C away from their highest-ever temperature for the month. Kalpa, for instance, logged a high of 24°C today, which is 14.8°C higher than normal. The small town in Kinnaur district had logged its previous highest-ever temperature of 24.4°C for March in 2010. Shimla touched 25.2°C today, ‘BETRAYAL OF MANDATE’ Tourists enjoy a stroll on a sunny day in Shimla on Thursday. MERCURY METER STATION KALPA KANGRA BHUNTAR MANALI SHIMLA TEMPERATURE 24°C 33°C 31.8°C 25.2°C 25.2°C not too far behind the record of 27.2°C for the month logged in 2004. Incidentally, Shimla had not touched the 20°C mark in the first week of March over the past five years. The lower areas of the state DEVIATION 14.8°C 11.1°C 10.9°C 10.8°C 10°C such as Sundernagar and Kangra are also recording temperatures that are eight to 9°C above normal. The highest deviation from normal temperature is being recorded in the mid and high hills. “We are witnessing appreciably high temperatures, especially in the mid and higher hills, over the last few days. High temperatures are likely to continue for at least the next 48 hours,” said an official from the weather department. According to him, the current wind pattern over the region is the major reason behind the spike in temperature. “In the absence of moisture-laden winds, temperatures rise,” he said. Along with maximum temperature, minimum temperature, too, is soaring. Shimla, for instance, recorded a minimum temperature of 15.4°C, which is 9.3°C above normal. High temperature, coupled with dry spell, can cause problems for apple growers, especially in lower altitude. There’s a forecast for rain in some parts of the state from March 7 onwards. If the forecast holds true, the temperature is likely to dip slightly. Tribune ex-Editor HK Dua dies at 88; Vohraleadstributes NEW DELHI: Former MP and former Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group of Newspapers HK Dua passed away here on Wednesday. He was 88. Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor and President of The Tribune Trust NN Vohra led the tributes as hundreds gathered at the Lodhi Road crematorium to pay last respects to the illustrious journalist. BACK PAGE Finnish Prez flags shiftingworldorder atRaisinaDialogue NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated the 11th edition of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, with Finland's President Alexander Stubb warning that the global order is undergoing a profound transformation and calling for reforms to make international institutions more representative. INSIDE Nepal votes in first poll since violent Gen Z protests KATHMANDU: Thousands voted on Thursday in Nepal’s first general election since violent Gen Z protests toppled the Oli-led government, with corruption and generational change in leadership as the main issues. The election is being closely watched by India, which hopes for a stable government in the politically fragile nation. INSIDE