07042026-CT-01.qxd 07-04-2026 00:51 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune BAJWA BACKS STIR AGAINST GMADA LAND ACQUISITION MINOR AWARDED LIFE TERM FOR SECTOR 25 MURDER CHANDIGARH-BASED LABEL IBAI CHAMPIONS FASHION Congress workers and farmers stage a protest against GMADA outside PUDA Bhawan in Mohali. P2 The accused had attacked the victim with a knife in 2023. He died at Sector 16 hospital. P2 Fashion label Ibai at House-75, Sector 2, Chandigarh, offers intricate Jamdani to airy Chanderi and bold Ikat. P4 » » PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 31.9°C | MIN 14.9°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6:44 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:04 AM » TUESDAY | 7 APRIL 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST /THETRIBUNECHD FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE 68 Bomb scare at Mohali courts, 4 UT schools PANCHKULA 35 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Chandigarh/Mohali, April 6 Less than five days after a grenade was lobbed at the Punjab BJP office here, the police and the administration were once again on their toes with bomb threat emails being received at offices, schools and courts in Mohali and Chandigarh, which hours later turned out to be a hoax. The court complexes in Mohali, Dera Bassi and Kharar were vacated after a bomb threat in the morning. The district and sessions judge ordered that no person would enter the judicial court complex of Mohali sessions division till 3 pm. This is the second time a bomb threat has been received at the complex in Mohali. Earlier, an FIR was registered against unidentified persons after a bomb threat e-mail was received by the District Legal Services Authority on January 8. In Dera Bassi, there was commotion in the court complex and the tehsil office after an email threat was received. A police team, led by Sub Inspector Kulwant Singh, in charge of the Mubarakpur police post, got the courts and tehsil complex vacated. A bomb disposal team and a dog squad were pressed into service. The search operation lasted for about two hours. Chandigarh, April 6 The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for thunderstorm over the next two days. Widespread rain, accompanied by gusty winds reaching 4050 kmph, is likely across Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday, while rainfall activity is expected to become scattered on Wednesday. The fresh spell is being triggered by an active western disturbance over the Himalayan region. Experts warn that strong winds and rain may flatten standing crops, impacting yield, while excess moisture could push grain quality beyond permissible procurement norms. In the past 24 hours, Chandigarh recorded a maximum temperature of 30.9°C and a minimum of 14.9°C, both below normal, with only trace rainfall reported. Relative humidity ranged between 36% and 82%. Across the region, weather remained largely dry in Punjab, while Haryana witnessed light rain and isolated thunderstorm activity. The highest maximum temperature in Punjab was 33.4°C, while Haryana recorded up to 33.3°C. SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH EXHIBITION: Artists from Sri Lanka, Mumbai, Vadodara & Chandigarh to showcase international printmaking portfolio residency work; Le Corbusier Centre, Sector 19B; 5:15 pm APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 29 and 56, and Dhanas Mohali: Sec 68, 71 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com Four held under ‘Op Mule Hunt’ Aanavi Singh Arya Chandigarh, April 6 The UT police have arrested four persons involved in a “mule accounts” network under “Operation Mule Hunt”. These accounts were being used to funnel and hide illegal money stolen from victims across India, including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Mumbai and Gujarat. The accused, Manoj Kumar, Jai Kishan Singh, Mubarak Ali and Piyush Pandey, admitted to providing their bank details to unidentified fraudsters in exchange for financial gains. They allowed large sums to be deposited into their accounts, which they withdrew or transferred to other accounts as directed by fraudsters. The investigation, supported by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, confirmed that these Chandigarh-based accounts were critical links to a nationwide fraud operation. The police carry out a search operation at the MC office in Chandigarh; and (right) people gather outside the District Courts Complex in Mohali on Monday. However, no suspicious or explosive material was found. The police said a cyber team had been involved in the case to trace the source of the e-mail. Police officials remained tightlipped over whether any progress has been made in bringing miscreants behind earlier threat mails to justice. 3rd threat to Chandigarh schools in as many months Schools in Chandigarh also received bomb threat emails today — for the third time in the past three months. The threat mails were sent to multiple schools, including St Stephen’s, Sector 45; Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35; Shivalik Public School, Sector 41; and Ryan International School, Sector 49. These mails were sent from an unknown address ‘mofasnojuxksm@gmail.com’, around 9.21am. The sender also threatened to launch a grenade attack at Chandigarh University, Gandhi Bhawan (Panjab University), a bomb attack at Mayor’s office and the Secretariat. The mail also mentions time for carrying out these attacks — 1.11pm at Sector 45 School, 2.11 pm at Mayor’s office, 3.11 pm at Secretariat and 9.11pm at Gandhi Bhavan. Khalistan National Army was mentioned as the sender. The e-mail also threatened to target Punjab CM and DGP . Meanwhile, soon after the threat was reported, teams of the Chandigarh Police reached the schools and carried an intensive search operation with the help of bomb and dog squads. On January 29, as many as 30 schools received a bomb threat. Another threat was received by 11 schools of Chandigarh and Mohali the following month. “A thorough check was carried out and no bomb was found. The police are tracking Rights panel puts UT Flyover bids to be opened today civic body on notice Tribune Chowk project to be completed in 30 months Dushyant Singh Pundir THE TRIBUNE IMPACT Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 6 Taking suo motu cognisance of the news report published in the Chandigarh Tribune — “MC Building without fire safety certificate” — the Punjab State and Chandigarh (UT) Human Rights Commission has issued notices calling for a report from the MC Commissioner, Chief Engineer and Fire Safety Officer, to be submitted by a week before the next date of hearing fixed on April 20. The Fire Safety Officer has also been directed to submit a report regarding how many public buildings are functioning without the fire safety certificate. He has been asked to appear before the commission with a detailed report as to what action he has taken qua those buildings, including the MC office in Sector 17. The commission comprises Justice Sant Parkash (chairperson), members Justice Gurbir Singh and Jitender Singh Shunty. The new report has highlighted the fact revealed in a reply by MC officers to questions raised by Ram Chander Yadav, councillor of Ward No. 15. The MC informed the councillor that the five-storey MC building had been functioning without the fire safety certificate. The councillor said this “lapse” on the part of the MC officers put the lives of thousands of people who visit the building every day and its employees. Kalagram to have auditorium, Admn to pay 40% project cost Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 6 After nearly seven years, the much-delayed flyover at the Tribune Chowk is likely to see the light of day. The UT Engineering Department is set to open financial bids for the construction of the flyover tomorrow. According to officials, 12 technical bids were received for the Rs 247.07 crore project, but only eight could qualify, and these firms subsequently took part in the financial bids, which will be opened tomorrow. After the allotment of the tender, work on the sixlane flyover, rotary and underpass would start within a month, stated the officials. After awarding the work, the project has to be completed within 30 months. Nearly 1.5 lakh vehicles cross the chowk every day. The proj- MAP NOT TO SCALE 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 PARDEEP TEWARI CHANDIGARH Rain likely over next two days AIR QUALITY INDEX ect was conceived in 2016 to decongest the chowk as most of the traffic coming to the city passes through it. After a detailed traffic examination, a proposal was approved in 2019 for the construction of the flyover at an estimated cost of Rs 183.74 crore and a tender was floated. However, the project remained stalled for nearly six years after the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the cutting of nearly 700 fully grown trees on Dakshin and Purv Marg on a PIL filed by the RUN Club. The High Court granted the stay on the execution of the project on November 20, 2019. The UT Administration revived the project after the High Court vacated the stay on April 30, 2024. The proposed 1.6-km flyover will start after the GMCH-32 roundabout and land ahead of the railway overbridge on Dakshin Marg. the origin of the e-mails,” said an officer of the search team. “As soon as I got to know about the threat, I rushed to the school for picking up my kid. Thankfully, situation was back to normal after a few hours,” said Pritam, a resident of Sector 32. Soon after the bomb threat was received at his office, Mayor Saurabh Joshi said every conspiracy to disturb peace in Chandigarh would be met with a befitting reply. CHB to frame land-pooling policy for villages of UT Chandigarh, April 6 The Chandigarh Housing Board has been directed to frame a land pooling policy for villages to suit local needs after considering policies prevailing in the adjoining states of Punjab and Haryana. This information was provided by the Estate Branch of the Municipal Corporation to Satinder Pal Singh, a nominated councillor. He had asked for the status of land-pooling policy for the villages. According to the information provided by the MC officers, the agenda to formulate a better land-pooling policy for the residents of these villages was passed by the MC General House and it was sent to the Secretary, Local Government, Chandigarh Administration. A meeting was held on December 11, 2023, under the chairmanship of the Adviser to Administrator, UT. The CHB On cloud nine ~2.54-crore multi-purpose hall also planned Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 6 To promote folk culture, the UT Administration will construct an auditorium under the Tagore Cultural Complex scheme at Kalagram, an exhibition site for organising cultural, art and craft events. The approval to the project was granted during a governing body meeting of the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) held in Udaipur, Rajasthan, today. It was convened under the chairmanship of Gulab Chand Kataria, UT Administratorcum-Chairman, NZCC. For the Rs 14-crore auditori- um project, nearly 40% of the cost (around Rs 5.6 crore) will be borne by the Chandigarh Administration. Instructions were also issued to initiate the tendering process at the earliest for a multi-purpose hall at Kalagram, to be built at a cost of Rs 2.54 crore. Representatives and nominated members from Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh participated in the meeting. Several important decisions were taken to promote cultural exchange. It was decided to prepare a detailed plan for organising Kashmir and Ladakh festivals in Chandi- garh, Punjab festival in Rajasthan, and Rajasthan festival in Kashmir. Additionally, annual awards for folk artistes and young performers from member states were approved. A total prize amount of Rs 12 lakh is provided from the personal funds of the chairman, making it a unique initiative of the Centre. The expenditure of ?14.56 crore for 2024–25 was approved in the meeting. A programme budget of Rs 15 crore for 2025–26 was proposed. In his address, Kataria emphasised the need for cultural exchange among states to preserve the country’s rich cultural heritage. Students in a jubilant mood at the graduation ceremony of the Indian School of Business in Mohali on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR c m y b was directed to study the feasibility of a land-pooling policy after considering the policies of the adjoining states and formulate one to suit the local needs. The matter is under process. On another question regarding the status of jurisdiction over agriculture land, the Estate Office said the Finance Department, vide its notification dated November 20, 2018, included 13 villages of Kishangarh, Mauli Jagran, Daria, Raipur Kalan, Makhanmajra, Behlana, Raipur Khurd, Dhanas, Sarangpur, Khuda Ali Sher, Khuda Jassu, Khuda Lahora and Kaimbwala in the municipal limits. Further, the administration, vide a notification dated January 18, .2019, clarified that the area of villages outside the “abadi” limits shall continue to be controlled under the Punjab New Capital (Periphery) Control Act 1952 as applicable to Chandigarh. — TNS 2 cousins die in accident, truck driver arrested Panchkula, April 6 The police arrested a truck driver after two cousins on a bike died in an accident near the PWD Colony, Raipur Rani, on the night of April 4. The deceased’s brother, Nishant, a Panchkula resident, reported that on Saturday night, he, along with his younger brother Arun (18) and uncle’s son, Dixit, had gone to Badona Kalan village to visit their uncle’s son. They were returning to their village around 12:15 am when the accident took place. Nishant said the truck, being driven recklessly, hit the motorcycle head-on. Arun and Dixit died on the spot. Truck driver Abhishek Thakur, a resident of Chamba district, HP was arrested. — TNS ,