01032026-TTC-01.qxd 4/1/2026 12:30 AM Page 1 c m y b 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 89 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 BJP’S ASSAM MANIFESTO PROMISES UCC WITHIN THREE MONTHS NATION /thetribunechd OVER 59,000 POSTS VACANT ACROSS 38 GOVT DEPTS: CM J&K GDP GROWTH LIKELY TO LAVROV TO VISIT INDIA ERODE BY 1% POINT IN ON MAY 14-15 FOR FY27: REPORT BUSINESS BRICS MEET BACK PAGE wednesday | 1 april 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com US drops massive 900-kg bomb on nuke city Isfahan as Trump hints at ending war Airfares set to spike with surge in jet fuel prices from today But Hegseth says ready for long haul | Iran hits Israel refinery; digs in heels on Hormuz blockade Ajay Banerjee First Iranian oil New Delhi, March 31 cargo since 2019 The US launched a massive 900-kg bunker buster bomb headed to Gujarat at an ammunition storage Shekhar Singh Tribune News Service facility in Isfahan, a city home to one of Iran’s main nuclear sites, while Tehran retaliated with a strike on an oil refinery in Israel. On the diplomatic front, US President Donald Trump reportedly told his aides he was willing to end the war without reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. This came even as Iran refused to yield to Trump’s threats demanding the reopening of the strait, asserting that “ships would be allowed passage only in compliance with measures it had laid down”. Iran has declined to unblock the waterway despite repeated warnings from Trump. The US President and his aides reportedly concluded that any operation to reopen the chokepoint would likely prolong the conflict beyond his preferred fourto-six-week timeline, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. The Iranian Kuwait-flagged crude oil tanker ‘Al-Salmi’ suffered damage (inset) in Iranian strikes off Dubai coast. REUTERS GO TO HORMUZ, GET YOUR OIL: TRUMP CHIDES UK ■ Trump chided European allies for lack of support, lashing out at France for denying passage for US planes carrying ammunition ■ Italy too barred US planes carry- ing weapons to stage through an airbase in Sicily; Spain had done the same on Sunday ■ Trump asked the UK to ‘gather courage and itself go to the Strait of Hormuz to take fuel’ Embassy in India released what it described as a “fact sheet on legal and proportionate measures” concerning passage through the Strait of Hor- muz. It stated that the Iranian government reserved the right to determine whether a vessel’s transit posed a threat and to prevent such passage if nec- Haryana seeks CBI probe into ~590-cr IDFC, AU bank scam chandigarh, March 31 The Haryana Government has written to the Centre, recommending a CBI probe into the Rs 590-crore scam involving IDFC First Bank and AU Small Finance Bank, in which government funds were siphoned off. Twelve bank accounts across the eight Haryana departments were affected: 10 at IDFC First Bank and two at AU Small Finance Bank. Earlier, the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) registered an FIR in the scam on February 23 in Panchkula. So far, 15 persons have been arrested in the case, including bank officials and four government officials. More than 25 electronic devices, including mobile phones and laptops, have been seized and sent to the Cyber Forensic Laboratory for examination. The authorities have also seized six luxury vehicles, including three Toyota Fortuners, two Innovas and one Mercedes, which are suspected to have been purchased from illicit proceeds. Over 100 bank accounts suspected of being linked to the fraudulent transactions are under scrutiny. Additionally, 10 properties have been identified as reasonably suspected of having been purchased with the proceeds of crime. The probe has uncovered that the accused allegedly manipulated banking records by preparing fake debit memos or transferring funds without any valid debit memo or cheque authorisation. Investigators have further found that forged bank statements were allegedly prepared to facilitate the transfer of funds to multiple accounts linked to the accused and their relatives. A large volume of records has been obtained from banks and departments concerned and is being analysed to identify transactions and to trace the fund flow. Some fictitious companies identified during the probe that allegedly received over Rs 250 crore include Cap Co Fintech Services, SRR Planning Gurus Pvt Ltd and Swastik Desh Project. — TNS ■ The average price of gasoline in the US shot past USD 4 a gallon — a first since 2022 ■ An Iranian drone hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker in waters off the UAE city of Dubai essary. Tehran cited relevant UN laws to assert that the existing legal regime of “innocent passage” for ships stood continued on page 10 New Delhi, March 31 India’s first Iranian crude oil cargo since 2019 may be headed towards a port in Gujarat, suggests ship tracking data. Indian refiners have been looking to purchase Iranian oil on water following the recent sanctions waiver by Washington. “The Indo-Iranian oil trade has flickered back to life. Following the US administration’s decision to grant a 30day window for Iranian oil ‘on the water’ due to regional conflict, vessel ‘Ping Shun’ is now en route to Vadinar (Gujarat) with six lakh barrels of crude. This is the first such delivery since May 2019 and comes at a critical time for Indian refiners facing tightening inventories,” said Sumit Ritolia, lead research analyst (refining and modelling) at commodity market analytic firm Kpler. While the identity of the buyer is unknown, Vadinar is home to an oil refinery of Russian continued on page 10 Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 31 A surge in the prices of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) from April 1 is set to push airfares higher, as a sharp global crude spike and escalating tensions around the Strait of Hormuz tighten the screws on India’s aviation sector. The pressure is already visible on ticket pricing, and airlines say the next round of revisions will accelerate the pass-through to passengers. What is unfolding is not a routine fuel adjustment. Global jet fuel prices have more than doubled in four weeks, from $95.9 per barrel on February 20 to nearly $197 by March 20, driven by supply disruptions linked to the USIsrael and Iran war. Crude has risen over 50 per cent during the same period. For the airlines, where fuel accounts for 30-40 per cent of the cost, this is a direct hit on margins. The geopolitical risk has sharpened the uncertainty. US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said countries facing jet fuel shortage should “go to the Strait and just TAKE IT” and “learn to fight for themselves”, underlining the fragili- 8 DIE IN TEMPLE STAMPEDE New Delhi, March 31 India highlighted its growth potential and push for global partnerships at a high-level business roundtable in Shanghai, with focus on emerging sectors, resilient supply chains and clean energy collaboration as an Indian corporate delegation visited China for the first time in nearly five years. The interaction, hosted by the Consulate General of India in Shanghai, brought together a delegation from the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) and leading companies from eastern China. The visit is part of a structured business delegation programme in the renewable energy and electric vehicle (EV) sectors being held from March 29 to April 4 across Shanghai and Jiangsu province, aimed at A business roundtable between the PHDCCI and Chinese companies. PTI deepening industrial and technology engagement between the two countries. Consul General Pratik Mathur underlined India’s position as the world’s fastest-growing major economy with a young demographic profile, offering significant opportunities in sunrise sectors such as renewable energy, electric mobility, infrastructure and information technology. He said the engagement was designed to build stronger industry linkages between Indian businesses and counterparts in the economically vibrant regions of Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu. The delegation’s agenda includes exploring technology partnerships, engaging with advanced clean-energy ecosystems and gaining firsthand exposure to large-scale deployment models in China’s renewable energy and EV sectors. It also seeks to IndiGo on Tuesday announced the appointment of aviation veteran Willie Walsh as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing Pieter Elbers, who stepped down earlier this month, with Walsh set to take charge by August 3. VIR VIKRAM YADAV IS NEW DGCA CHIEF The Central Government on Tuesday appointed Vir Vikram Yadav as the new chief of the DGCA, replacing Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, in a wider bureaucratic reshuffle spanning multiple ministries and departments. ty of supply lines and the possibility of prolonged disruption. “…countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the UK, which refused continued on page 10 Subhash Rajta Tribune News Service ■ At least eight devotees, mostly women, were killed and eight injured in a stampede at a temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district on Tuesday. Focus on emerging sectors, resilient supply chains, clean energy tie-up Tribune News Service INDIGO NAMES WILLIE WALSH AS ITS CEO identify trading, investment and partnership opportunities, while fostering businessto-business collaborations. Participants are scheduled to visit innovation and industrial parks, with a focus on learning from China’s advances in battery technologies, clean mobility solutions and integrated renewable energy supply chains. Key areas of interest include solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, energy storage, batteries, wind power, EV charging infrastructure, mobility solutions, green hydrogen, waste management, recycling technologies and power electronics. Industry representatives highlighted China’s cost-competitive and scalable renewable energy and EV value chains, supported by integrated industrial clusters that enable faster sourcing and lower costs. continued on page 10 ■ The incident took place due to heavy rush at the Sheetla Mata temple. PM Modi has announced an ex gratia of ~2L for the kin of the deceased. PTI c m y b Farooq, CMOmar flags NC security withdrawal Our Correspondent Jammu, March 31 Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday claimed the security cover provided to the National Conference (NC) headquarters in Srinagar had been “completely withdrawn”. He said the move came weeks after an alleged assassination attempt on party president Farooq Abdullah, who frequently visited the office. “The security at the NC headquarters has not been reduced but completely withdrawn. That in itself is surprising, because it has only been a few days since the attack on Farooq Abdullah. At the time, everyone said it should not have happened and that it was a matter of concern,” Abdullah told reporters. Earlier, the Assembly took NEW DELHI: The Centre is mulling a special session of Parliament to pass amendments to the women’s reservation law to advance the rollout of 33% reservation in the Lok Sabha and state Assemblies to 2029. Sources said the dates were being considered and a final decision was awaited. The Budget session is scheduled to end on April 2. — TNS Indian-origin man shot dead in Surrey OTTAWA: An Indian-origin man, Jasman Sekhon (27), has been killed in Canada's Surrey in an incident of shooting allegedly related to organised crime. The incident was reported from a townhouse complex in Surrey's Sullivan Heights on Saturday night, in which Sekhon was shot dead, Global News reported. — PTI Sonia discharged from Delhi hospital NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was discharged from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Tuesday morning after recovering from a “systemic infection”, doctors said. The 79-year-old leader was admitted on March 24 around 10.20 pm with fever and spent seven days in the hospital. — TNS Himachal blinks on entry tax, levies flat ~100 fee on vehicles After5-yearhiatus,biz delegation visits China Weeks after attack on Ujwal Jalali Willie Walsh Centre mulls special Parlsessionmid-April up a half-hour discussion, initiated by NC MLAs, on the withdrawal of security from the party headquarters. Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather expressed concern and urged the authorities to either declare Jammu and Kashmir “riskfree” or ensure security for all. Concluding the discussion during Zero Hour, the Speaker said members had repeatedly raised concerns over security arrangements, including the withdrawal of escort vehicles, which required urgent attention. Referring to the alleged assassination attempt on March 11, he said, “If you are withdrawing security from his office, what message are you sending to the people? He visits the headquarters quite frequently, and I do not continued on page 10 Shimla, March 31 The Himachal Pradesh Government has reduced the entry tax on passenger vehicles to Rs 100 from Rs 130. The tax on five-seater vehicles had been increased from Rs 70 to Rs 130, and from Rs 110 to Rs 130 on six-12 seater passenger vehicles. Now, both categories will have to shell out Rs 100 as tax. Besides, the government has decided to provide concessional passes to all people living within a radius of 5 km from the barrier. It will benefit people residing within the 5 km limit in the neighbouring states as well. A person will have to produce a certificate of residence within the prescribed distance to get the concessional pass from the SDM or the Tehsildar. According to the Excise Department, commercial light vehicles registered in the state have been exempted from paying the toll tax. The hike in entry tax had turned into a volatile issue with protests erupting in border areas against the move. The enhanced taxes were scheduled to come into effect from tonight. While raising the matter in the Assembly today, Randhir Sharma, BJP MLA, said some protesting groups in PROTESTERS FIRM, SEEK NOTIFICATION ■ Despite the announcement by Himachal to reduce the recent hike in the entry tax, uncertainty continues to prevail in border areas of Punjab, with protesters deciding to carry on their stir until a notification is issued in this regard. ■ Leaders spearheading the agitation have made it clear that their planned dharna will continue on Wednesday. Punjab had threatened that vehicles from Himachal would not be allowed into Punjab from tomorrow. Responding to the concerns raised by Sharma, the Chief Minister said the government would withdraw the hike in entry tax on fiveseater and six-12 seater vehicles. Later, the hike was rationalised, not completely withdrawn. While making a statement in the House, the Chief Minister said confusion was being spread in the border areas of Punjab and Haryana that the Himachal Government had significantly increased the toll tax. “I would like to share that the hike is not much. The tax was hiked only for heavy vehicles like three-excel trucks and trailers,” he said. People on the Punjab side of the HP border have been protesting tax hike. FILE