24072026-TTC-01.qxd 7/24/2026 ADANI PLANS TO LAUNCH NEW AIRLINE BUSINESS /thetribunechd 12:53 AM Page 1 13 JUDOKA, LIFTER FAIL DOPE TEST BEFORE CWG SPORT CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 203 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 friday | 24 july 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com CJP, INDIA bloc gun for Pradhan as PM Hitby‘pelletgun’inParlmarch, student risks partial vision loss orders fast-track courts; Edu Secy goes 1st alleged use of the weapon in Delhi; cops deny charge THE TRIBUNE EXCLUSIVE Sack minister to save your regime: Dipke to Modi |No response to govt’s 4 invites for talks Manikant Mishra Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 23 A case of pellet-like injuries linked to the July 20 CJP march to Parliament has surfaced, with the family of a 22-year-old Delhi University student fearing he could permanently lose vision in his right eye. The incident has added to the controversy surrounding the protest, with activists claiming it marks the first reported use of pellet guns for crowd control in the national capital. The Delhi Police, however, have denied the charge. Sahil Lochab, a resident of Najafgarh, remains admitted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after undergoing one eye surgery. According to his family, another procedure is scheduled as doctors attempt to save his eyesight. Sahil, who is pursuing graduation New Delhi, July 23 In his second outreach to students protesting at Jantar Mantar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today announced the setting up of fast-track courts for bringing the perpetrators of the NEET-UG 2026 examination paper leak to justice. Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leader Saurav Das, however, called it a “band-aid solution” and insisted on the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Hours later, the government removed Vineet Joshi as Secretary, Higher Education, giving the charge to Naresh Pal Gangwar. The chorus for Pradhan’s resignation grew with INDIA bloc MPs led by Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi paying homage at Gandhi Smriti to express solidarity with protesting students. “Nothing is more important than the welfare and the future of our youth! We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks,” the PM said. He said he had directed the authorities concerned to take all necessary steps in this regard. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, who drew flak from a section of Jantar Mantar protesters over continued on page 9 Congress MPs Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and others stage a protest over NEET paper leak at Parliament; and (R) LoP Rahul Gandhi and INDIA bloc leaders pay homage to students who took their lives due to paper leak, at the Gandhi Smriti in New Delhi. PTI BACK PAGE CBIcleanchitto’24 NEET leak ‘kingpin’ New Delhi, July 23 The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday said it did not find any evidence to establish the involvement of Sanjeev Kumar, alias Sanjeev Mukhiya, in the theft or distribution of the NEET-UG 2024 question paper. The paper leak was exposed by the Bihar Police on May 5, 2024. During the investigation, the police suspected Mukhiya to be the kingpin in the case and subsequently named him in the FIR. continued on page 9 CJP calls for protests across country today; security up Animesh Singh & Rahul Gahlawat Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 23 The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Thursday gave a nationwide call for peaceful protests on July 24 and urged people to hold demonstrations in every district as it rejected the government’s offer for talks, insisting that any dialogue should be held only at a neutral venue. It said the anti-NEET paper leak agitation had already SKM BACKS AGITATION The SKM has decided to extend support to the ongoing student protests in Delhi, led by the CJP . A meeting of SKM unions has been called in Ludhiana on Saturday to decide the extent and manner of backing the agitation. spread to at least 35 cities across the country, including Chandigarh, Jammu, Dharamsala, Kurukshetra, Bengaluru and continued on page 9 c m y b PM: Willbringtough anti-paper leak law inmonsoonsession NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the government would get a new, stricter anti-paper leak law passed in the ongoing monsoon session after the Cabinet clears the agenda at its meeting on Friday. “A draft law is ready, with provisions for stringent punishment for those behind paper leaks,” the Prime Minister said in a late night video message. BACK PAGE The medico-legal report of Sheikh Mansoori (inset) points to use of pellet gun (encircled). JOURNALIST AMONG 4 VICTIMS At least four pellet-like injury cases have been reported after the July 20 CJP march. Among the victims are DU student Sahil Lochab, Jabalpur’s Sheikh Irshad Mansoori & a journalist who got hurt near Palika Bazar. at Delhi University, works part-time and is preparing for the Delhi Police recruitment examination. His mother Jyoti Lochab said Sahil had joined the march carrying the Tricolour. She said, “He had gone to Jantar Mantar to join the protest. continued on page 9 HC halts construction, transfer NSA power order DelhiPolice oflandin16villagesaroundChd routine:The Delhi Police : NEW DELHI Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, July 23 Expressing concern over the state’s failure to comply with the Supreme Court’s 2014 directions for identifying forest land in the ecologically fragile Shivalik foothills in Chandigarh’s vicinity, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has restrained all construc- Orders 6-week exercise to identify forest land as it existed in 1980 tion and development activities in 16 villages in the area. A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra continued on page 9 on Thursday said the order notified last night about the DCP being granted the authority to detain anyone under the National Security Act (NSA) is routine and has been misinterpreted. In a statement, the police said, “Misleading information is circulating on social media continued on page 9