24092026-CT-01.qxd 9/24/2026 12:38 AM Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune UT’S WARD 28 HAS HIGHEST ELECTORS, WARD 13 LOWEST CULPABLE HOMICIDE CHARGES AGAINST PU STUDENT, FRIEND NORTH-EAST FINDS ITS VOICE ON SCREEN Final electoral rolls for 2026 show a sharp variation in the size of the electorate across Chandigarh. P3 The case pertains to the death of an outsider in the boys’ hostel of Panjab University in November 2024. P3 As Konyak-language drama Anghenters the Oscar race, the spotlight turns to the new wave of films from the North-East. P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 51 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD /THETRIBUNECHD Sector 39 mandi auction a flop show, 1 bid received for 23 sites Admn plan to shift Sec 26 mandi to new facility by year-end suffers setback Dushyant Singh Pundir RESERVE PRICE Tribune News Service WHAT’S ON CHANDIGARH GHAZALS: ‘Sham-eGhazal’, a bouquet of ghazals by NZCC in collaboration with CCF; museum auditorium, Sector 10-C; 5:30 pm EXHIBITION: Exhibition displaying photographs by local photographers on journey spanning India and abroad; Alliance Francaise, Sector 36; 5:30 pm PLAY: Play ‘Sakharam Binder’ on last day of CSNA Tricity Theatre Festival; Tagore Theatre, Sector 18; 6:30 pm APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 34, 56 and Ram Darbar Mohali: Sec 88 and Phase 8 Please send information about events in Tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com Chandigarh, September 23 The UT Administration’s plan to shift the Sector 26 mandi to the new site in Sector 39 has suffered another setback, with the latest e-auction of commercial sites receiving just one technical bid for 23 SCO sites. The State Agricultural Marketing Board, UT, had invited fresh bids for the e-auction of 23 SCO sites at the new mandi in Sector 39 from September 1. The sites, numbered 24 to 46, were to be allotted on a leasehold basis. The reserve price was substantially increased this time, with each 100.23 sq mt (119.874 sq yd) site carrying a reserve price of Rs 5.30 crore. The combined reserve price of the 23 sites was Rs 122.08 crore. An earnest money deposit (EMD) of Rs 10.61 lakh was fixed for each site. Corner sites, numbered 24 and 46, attracted an additional 5 per cent charge. The sites were first offered for e-auction in March 2025, when the reserve price for each was fixed at Rs 3.70 crore. In that auction, bids were received for 12 of the 23 sites. INCREASED BY 43.46% ■ State Agricultural Marketing The new grain and vegetable market site in Sector 39, Chandigarh. FILE However, the allotment process was stalled after the matter reached the Supreme Court. Following the court’s decision in December 2025, the way was cleared for allotting the 12 sites to the successful bidders. The reserve price has now been revised following the implementation of new collector rates. It has increased by around Rs 1.61 crore per site, or 43.46 per cent, from Rs 3.70 Fromnegligencetoculpable Pandey new in-charge homicide charge, Porsche BJPChandigarh for crash case enters trial phase Tribune News Service Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 23 More than a year after a Porsche crash on a Chandigarh road left a 23-year-old man dead, the case has taken a more serious turn. A local court has framed charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Panchkula businessman Sanjeev Babuta. The case, which will now proceed to trial, began with an FIR alleging rash and negligent driving. The culpable homicide charge was added later, following protests by the victim’s family. The court has now held that the circumstances prima facie indicate that the accused knew his actions could cause death. The police initially booked Babuta under Section 106(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with provisions relating to rash driving and causing hurt. Seven days later, after the victim’s family held a candlelight march demanding his arrest, Section 105, which deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, was added to the FIR. During arguments on the framing of charges, Public Prosecutor and complainant’s counsel Ashish Gupta argued that Babuta was driving at a very high speed when his car hit the Activa scooter of the deceased, Ankit Singh, and dragged him for a considerable distance. The car then hit another vehicle carrying injured women Soni and Gurleen Kaur. Gupta submitted that the accused continued driving after hitting the two women and eventually stopped only after his car struck a pole. The prosecution also referred to the accused’s blood sample, which was sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL). Lev- etiracetam was detected in the sample, and the prosecution argued that the medicine could cause dizziness and that the accused should not have driven after taking it. Gupta contended that dragging the deceased for a considerable distance made the accused liable for offences punishable under Section 105 Part II of the BNS. He also sought charges under Section 110 Part II in connection with the injuries sustained by Soni and Gurleen Kaur. Opposing the charges, defence counsel Terminder Singh argued that the incident was a simple accident. He said the police had initially registered the FIR under Sections 106(1), 125(a) and 281 of the BNS, but later added Sections 105 and 110 without any fresh evidence. The defence maintained that Babuta was driving at a moderate speed and that speeding alone did not attract the offences under Sections 105 and 110. He also argued that the accused was not under the influence of alcohol or any other prohibited intoxicating substance and had not admitted to fleeing the spot. Questioning the prosecution’s reliance on the medicine detected in the blood sample, the defence counsel said its alleged side effects had not been clearly established. He argued that, at most, the accused could be charged with rash and negligent driving. After hearing both sides, the court observed that the purpose of an investigation Continued on page 2 Chandigarh, September 23 The BJP has appointed Mahendra Pandey as its new in-charge for Chandigarh, replacing Atul Garg, MP from Ghaziabad. The party has also appointed a new ‘sah prabhari’ for Himachal Pradesh in place of senior BJP leader Sanjay Tandon. Pandey has been given charge of the Chandigarh BJP at a time when preparations for the next Municipal Corporation elections have begun. The elections are scheduled to be held in December. The new in-charge will be responsible for preparing the party for the polls and coordinating with party workers and office-bearers at the ward level. He will also play a key role in candidate selection. crore to nearly Rs 5.30 crore. Interested bidders were required to submit their documents and EMD online from September 1 to 22. Scrutiny and acceptance of the documents and EMD was scheduled for September 25 and 26. However, only one technical bid was received for the 23 SCO sites, officials said. They added that fresh bids would be invited after examining the terms and conditions fixed for allotment of the sites. The auction was expected to pave the way for the UT Administration to begin shifting traders from the existing Sector 26 mandi to the new facility by the end of the year. Of the 92 plots planned at the new mandi, only 12 were auctioned in the first phase. For the latest auction, all eligible buyers, including traders from outside Chandigarh, were allowed to participate. No preference was given to Board, UT, had invited bids for 23 SCO sites at the Sector 39 site from September 1 ■ The sites, numbered 24 to 46, were offered on a leasehold basis ■ The reserve price was increased by 43.46 per cent, with each 100.23 sq mt site carrying a reserve price of ~5.30 crore ■ An earnest money deposit of ~10.61 lakh was fixed for each site ■ Corner sites, numbered 24 and 46, attracted an additional 5 per cent charge commission agents (arhtiyas) from the Sector 26 mandi. According to the detailed project report prepared by Nabard Consultancy Services (NABCONS), the new mandi project is estimated to cost Rs 185 crore. Of this, Rs 13.50 crore has been earmarked for the State Agricultural Marketing Board office building and Rs 9.60 crore for the Market Committee office. GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 35.9°C | MIN 23.2°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.17 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6.12 AM » THURSDAY | 24 SEPTEMBER 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Retired bank officer duped of ~29.80 lakh in ‘digital arrest’ scam Aanavi Singh Arya Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 23 An 83-year-old retired bank officer was duped of Rs 29.80 lakh by cyber fraudsters who posed as CBI officials and threatened him with arrest in a purported money-laundering case, the police said on Wednesday. According to the complaint, Shripal Jain, a Sector 22 resident, received a call on September 9 from an unidentified person claiming to be a CBI officer. The caller allegedly told him that an arrest warrant had been issued against him and that his name had surfaced in connection with a money-laundering case. Sources said the accused kept the senior citizen under sustained psychological pressure, allegedly warning him against approaching the police or informing his family. He was allegedly coerced into transferring money in instalments to bank accounts provided by the fraudsters. Even after receiving a substantial amount, the caller reportedly continued to demand more money. When the accused allegedly sought another Rs 10 lakh, Jain informed his son about the matter, who became sus- ACCUSED POSED AS CBI OFFICIALS ■ Shripal Jain received a call on September 9 from an unidentified person claiming to be a CBI officer ■ The caller told him that an arrest warrant had been issued against him in a money-laundering case. ■ The accused warned him against approaching the police or informing his family ■ Jain was coerced into transferring money in instalments to bank accounts provided by the fraudsters ■ When the accused sought another ~10 lakh, Jain informed his son about the matter, who became suspicious and both approached the police picious of the calls and transactions. The victim and his son approached the Cyber Crime Police Station and lodged a complaint. An FIR was registered on September 22 under Sections 66-C and 66-D of the Information Technology Act and Sections 308(2), 318(4), 319(2), 336(3), 338, 340(2) and Continued on page 2 UT launches dedicated anti-drug helplines Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 23 Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria today formally launched dedicated anti-drug helplines at the UT Secretariat. Kataria said public participation was the most important part of the campaign and urged people to come forward, report drug peddling and abuse, and seek assistance through the helplines. He assured that the identity and contact details of callers and complainants would be kept strictly confidential and not entered into official records. Complaints would be handled by senior officials to ensure prompt action. The helpline numbers are 8283040100 (mobile), 01722677037 (landline) and 1933 (MANAS Helpline). According to officials, six calls were received on the first day. The Governor said the next major step in the campaign Will start door-to-door survey to extend support to those in need Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria launches anti-drug helplines at the UT Secretariat in the presence of senior police officials on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PARDEEP TEWARI would be a door-to-door survey of households across the city to identify individuals and families who might need support in dealing with drug-related issues and to facilitate their access to counselling, treatment and rehabilitation services. He added that the Health Department had been instructed to monitor the sale of medicines containing substances liable to misuse. Strict action would be taken against outlets found supplying such medicines without valid prescriptions issued by registered medical practitioners. The campaign would also be expanded in coordination with neighbouring states, he said. Chandigarh DGP Sagar Preet Hooda said 130 FIRs had been registered and 133 persons arrested so far, while 359 persons had also been detained during the ongoing special drive. The special campaign had received coordinated support from the Health Department, Social Welfare Department and other agencies of the Chandigarh Administration, he added. Hooda said the information received through newly launched helplines would be classified into four categories to ensure appropriate and timely action. Credible information requiring immediate attention would be acted upon promptly by a special team under the supervision of the SSP, while routine complaints and other information would be forwarded to the Anti-Narcotic Task Force for further action, he said. Panchkula’s Raiza helps India win maiden Asian Games medal in skeet shooting Deepankar Sharda Tribune News Service Raiza Dhillon in action at the 20th Asian Games on Wednesday. PTI c m y b Chandigarh, September 23 Balancing Bharatanatyam lessons with a gun at the age of five, qualifying for the Paris Olympics at 19 and now helping India win its first-ever Asian Games medal in women’s skeet shooting, 22year-old Panchkula shooter Raiza Dhillon today added another milestone to her career. Raiza, along with Parinaaz Dhaliwal and Maheshwari Chauhan, won the bronze medal in the women’s skeet team event at the ongoing Asian Games in Japan. The Indian team finished third with a combined score of 331. Raiza and Parinaaz recorded 111 points each out of 125, while Maheshwari contributed 109. China won gold with a score of 346, while Kazakhstan claimed silver. Disappointed after narrowly missing an individual medal by finishing fourth, Raiza did not let the setback affect her performance in the team event. “I am happy to win this medal. The Paris Olympics was a learning experience and taught me how to handle pressure. I was a little disappointed after missing out on a medal in the individual event, but this was not the end of the road. This bronze medal is just the start of a new era in women’s skeet shooting,” Raiza told The Tribune from the Aichi Prefectural General Shooting Gallery in Japan. “We had been working for a while in the run-up to the Asian Games. The NRAI and SAI supported us, and there were a lot of expectations from the shooting contingent. The gold would have been better, but there is always next time,” she said. Asked about her experience at the Asian Games amid concerns over facilities for athletes, Raiza said, “There were some hiccups, but the support staff managed them.” The distance between the athletes’ residence and the skeet venue was reportedly about 90minute journey by bus. Raiza had earlier narrowly missed a medal in the individual event. Despite a slow start, she finished fourth. Low scores in the opening two rounds left her trailing, and she eventually finished with a tally of 23, behind Thailand’s Isarapa Imprasertsuk. After three days of qualification rounds, Raiza had shot 111 to qualify for the final, finishing eighth. “I need to assess what went wrong. I think it was the start, but there was always a chance to recover. A lot depends on how the other competitors perform as well. Isarapa did well in the end, and I cannot complain,” she said. At the Paris Olympics, she scored 113 and finished 23rd in the qualification round. Raiza has also won four Continued on page 2