Goa may checkmate Chandigarh, Jaipur to host Chess World Cup later this year
CHANDIGARH: The AAP-led Punjab government, Punjab Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal registered their strong objections to the One Nation One Election proposal tabled by the BJP-led central government during a meeting with members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Saturday. After attending a meeting convened by the Joint Parliamentary Committee under the chairmanship of PP Choudhary, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema described it as a direct assault on the fundamental structure and spirit of the Constitution of India as framed by Babasaheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar. Cheema said that he, along with AAP State President Aman Arora, completely rejected the move. This proposal by the BJP-led Union government is a hidden agenda designed to destroy the federal structure of the nation as enshrined in the Constitution of India, meticulously architected by Baba Saheb Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar, he said. Referring to the amendments in the proposed Bill, Cheema said that the suggested amendments would effectively render the tenures of state assemblies subject to the discretion of the Union government, an alarming overreach incompatible with the federal framework enshrined in the Constitution. He said that this bill will further encourage the misuse of Article 356 and 360 by the Union government. As per section 5 of part 2, if the Election Commission is of the opinion that the elections to any Legislative Assembly cannot be conducted along with the general election to the House of the People, it may make a recommendation to the President, to declare by an order, that the election to that Legislative Assembly may be conducted at a later date. Citing this amendment, Cheema said that the BJP's One Nation One Election concept would ultimately backfire, as it would enable the Union government to conduct state elections at its convenience a year or two after general elections, rather than fulfilling the purpose of the proposal as being publicised. Calling for a united stand to preserve the federal ethos and institutional autonomy of the states, Cheema emphasized that such unilateral proposals risk destabilizing the balance of power essential to Indias democratic fabric. He said that the One Nation One Election bill proposed by the BJP is a calculated move to eliminate regional parties that represent diverse cultures, languages, and regions, and serve as the backbone of Indian democracy. Reaffirming the unwavering commitment of the Punjab government and Aam Admi Party to upholding the Constitution, he said that the state government and AAP will also oppose this bill in writing to protect the rights of the states against centralized overreach. A delegation of Congress leaders consisting of Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Partap Singh Bajwa and party general secretary organization, Capt Sandeep Sandhu, also presented the partys case before the JPC. Warring said the party leaders told the committee that the idea of One Nation, One Election goes against the basic concept of federalism that has been guaranteed by the Constitution of India. Besides, he added, it also goes against the basic structure of the Constitution. He pointed out that parliamentary and assembly elections are held on entirely different issues. The idea of imposing simultaneous elections to the parliament and the state assemblies will mean imposing dictatorship by default, he remarked. The regional and local issues which get prominence during the assembly elections will be ignored and crushed, he said. Warring said the argument that imposition of Model Code of Conduct hurts welfare schemes or development works is baseless. He pointed out that pre-existing schemes and projects continue during elections and in any case, the Election Commission can always approve any disbursements of pre-existing schemes. Synchronizing the various state elections and the general elections will require either cutting short the terms of various state assemblies or prolonging some others, he noted. This suggests that to meet the objectives of simultaneous elections, tenures of some state assemblies including Tamil Nadu and Kerala would be curtailed by more than two years, and tenure of state assemblies like Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand would be extended by more than two years, he added. He said the Constitution nowhere authorizes the Union government to dissolve the state assemblies or to suspend the state governments, except under the emergency clauses. The holding of simultaneous elections would require the dissolution of several legislative assemblies which are still halfway (or less) through their terms. This would be a betrayal of the electorate in those states, he added. Warring said the Chief Minister or Prime Minister holds office as long as he or she enjoys the confidence of the house. If a Chief Minister loses the confidence of the house and no other party is able to form the government the current proposal suggests that the state should be put under President's Rule until the fresh elections can be synchronized? he asked, adding that this would be a travesty of democracy. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) urged the committee to recommend dissolution of Article 356, which it said was the root cause for disruption of simultaneous elections in the country. The SAD delegation, led by Dr Daljit Singh Cheema and Balwinder Singh Bhundar, briefed the JPC that in case Article 356 was not done away with the election schedule would be disrupted again. The delegation also opposed the insertion of Article 82 A Clause 5 which empowered the ECI to defer elections of legislative assemblies. This can be misused against opposition parties anytime, it asserted. Cheema and Bhundar also demanded a solution to constant byelections. They said the byelections were turning out to be the root cause of election malpractices.
Duleep Trophy Goes Back To Zonal Format, Indias Schedule Announced For White-ball Series Against NZ
Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy: After a meeting on Saturday, the Apex Council of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that the 2025/26 domestic will begin with the Duleep Trophy on August 28 and conclude with the Senior Womens Inter-Zonal Multi-Day Trophy on April 3, 2026. As per changes announced by the Apex Council, the Duleep Trophy and Senior Womens Challenger tournaments will now be contested between six zonal teams selected by zonal selectors. The format is a departure from the last time when the national selection committee picked the squads, and for the upcoming season, teams will be picked by the Zonal Selection Committee as per the previous tradition. The Apex Council also said the Plate Group restructuring has been introduced across age categories. As per this, the bottom 6 teams (based on the previous seasons rankings) will be placed in the plate group for limited-overs tournaments, adding that only one team will be promoted/relegated between Elite and Plate groups going forward. In the 2025/26 domestic schedule, the prestigious Ranji Trophy will continue to be held in two phases. The first phase of the tournament will begin on October 15 and run till November 19, while the second phase begins on January 22. Regarding the tournament updates, the Apex Council said the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Senior Womens T20 Trophy will now include a Super League stage instead of a traditional knockout. In this, each team will play three games in the league, following which the top team from Groups A and B will feature in the final. As far as new tournament grouping formats are concerned, major tournaments such as the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Senior Womens One Day Trophy, and Mens U23 State A Trophy will follow a four Elite Groups + one Plate Group model. On the other hand, most junior and womens tournaments (U16, U19, U23) have been moved to a five Elite + one Plate group structure. Meanwhile, the BCCI Apex Council has also approved the venues for Indias upcoming white-ball home series against New Zealand, scheduled to be held in early 2026. Vadodara, Rajkot, and Indore will host ODIs on January 11, 14 and 18, respectively. Nagpur, Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram are the hosts for the five T20Is to be held from January 21 to 31. The five T20I matches will serve as vital preparation games for India and New Zealand ahead of the 2026 Mens T20 World Cup, to be played in India and Sri Lanka. Ranji Trophy Groups for 2025-26 season Elite A: Tamil Nadu, Baroda, Jharkhand, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra, Nagaland Elite B: Saurashtra, Chandigarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Goa Elite C: Gujarat, Haryana, Services, Bengal, Railways, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Assam Elite D: Mumbai, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Puducherry Plate: Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Manipur, Arunachal India vs New Zealand mens white-ball series schedule: ODIs: - Vadodara (January 11), Rajkot (January 14) and Indore (January 18) India vs New Zealand mens white-ball series schedule: Also Read: LIVE Cricket Score Article Source: IANS
ISAs sixth regional committee meeting calls for collective action for clean energy for all
CHANDIGARH: The Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has written to the governments of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, urging them to reconsider the fee levied on ethanol production in their respective excise policies, warning that the move may hamper the ethanol blending programme and escalate fuel prices. The ministry, in its letters to these state governments, stated that the provision to levy a Regulatory Fee (Ethanol Permit/Pass) in their excise policies could restrict the free movement of ethanol within and outside the states. This, it noted, would ultimately increase the cost of ethanol-blended petrol. The letters were addressed individually by Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Parveen M Khanooja. The letter to Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena was sent on March 27, followed by a letter to Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha on April 8, and another to Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi on May 23. This newspaper has copies of all three letters. Interestingly, of the three states, Punjab has an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Himachal Pradesh is governed by the Congress, while Haryana is ruled by the BJP. It has been brought to the ministrys notice by oil marketing companies (OMCs) that as per the excise policy 202527 of Haryana state, there is a substantial increase in the licence fee/annual renewal fee for distilleries. Also, the aforesaid policy has introduced a fee of Rs 1 per bulk litre (BL) for issuance of pass for ethanol for mixing in petrol for use as automobile fuel. Additionally, an import duty of Rs 1.20 per bulk litre has also been levied. Given that ethanol is already subject to Goods and Services Tax (GST), imposing an additional excise duty would constitute double taxation, which runs contrary to sound taxation principles and could be legally untenable, especially for a production crucial to a national programme like the ethanol blended petrol programme. Furthermore, the increased costs resulting from the proposed fees and duty in excise policy 202527 are likely to raise the price of ethanol-blended petrol. Haryana and Punjab appear to be the sole states where such levies on ethanol specifically meant for blending with petrol have been imposed, states the letter written to Rastogi by Khanooja. Meanwhile, the Grain Ethanol Manufacturers Association has urged the Haryana government to withdraw the proposed fee on ethanol. Speaking to this newspaper, association member Sukhpreet Grover said he and other members recently met senior officials of the Haryana government regarding the matter and are hopeful of a positive outcome. They have been assured that the government is in discussions with oil marketing companies to absorb the duty as per the terms of contracts between OMCs and ethanol manufacturers. In the letter earlier submitted, we have stated that the ethanol manufacturers have contributed to the states commitment to achieving the target of 20 per cent ethanol-blended petrol in line with the National Mission. Now the ethanol manufacturers are working towards achieving 30 per cent blending in petrol by 2030, he added. The industry is struggling to survive due to high raw material costs, which have seen an unprecedented increase in the prices of feedstock in the past two years, while the ethanol sale prices are fixed by OMCs and have remained stagnant. The ethanol production in Haryana is nearly 65 crore litres annually, which will generate a marginal revenue of Rs 65 crore per annum for the state, he said. We urge the complete withdrawal of the proposed Rs 1 per litre pass fee on ethanol dispatches, Grover added. In the letter addressed to Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, Khanooja wrote: Punjab has made significant contributions to the success of this programme by achieving a blending percentage of 18.8 per cent in ESY 202425, as on March 2025. It has been brought to the ministrys notice by oil marketing companies (OMCs) that as per the excise policy of Punjab state, there is a substantial increase in the licence fee, annual renewal fee and capacity enhancement fee for distilleries (Part D, Para 6 a & b of Punjabs excise policy). Also, Para 29 Regulatory fee on ethanol of the policy makes a provision to levy regulatory fee (Ethanol permit/pass fee) at Rs 1 per bulk litre. I would request you kindly review the excise policy and reconsider any levy/fee on fuel ethanol production/consumption/transportation in the state to facilitate smooth off-take and free movement of green fuel ethanol for the benefit of the environment and farmers. Similarly, the letter written to Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena in March stated, The Union Government has been promoting ethanol blending in petrol to give a boost to the domestic agricultural sector and associated environmental benefits. Over the last decade, ethanol blending in petrol has increased from 1.5 per cent to nearly 18 per cent, and our country is on course to achieve the 20 per cent blending target by ethanol supply year (ESY) 202526. Himachal Pradesh has made significant contributions to the success of this programme by achieving a blending percentage of 18.5 per cent in ESY 202425, as on February 2025. Apart from augmenting distillation capacities of existing plants, dedicated ethanol plants are being commissioned in Himachal Pradesh, providing employment opportunities and boosting the circular economy. It has been brought to the ministrys notice by oil marketing companies (OMCs) that they have been served demand notices regarding an additional levy of Rs 1 per litre for ethanol consumption beyond 300 KL annually, as per the revised excise policy of Himachal Pradesh for 202425, the letter added. Despite repeated attempts, Haryanas Secretary of Excise and Taxation Department Ashima Brar, Punjabs Additional Chief Secretary (Excise) Vikas Pratap, and Himachal Pradesh Excise Commissioner Yunus were not available for comment.
IIT Ropar ranks 12th among 2,500 engineering institutes in India in IIRF 2025 rankings
CHANDIGARH: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar has been ranked 12th among 2,500 engineering institutes across the country in the Top Engineering Colleges in India 2025 ranking released by the Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF). Prof Rajeev Ahuja, Director of IIT Ropar, said, This prestigious ranking, which evaluates over 2,500 institutions across India, underscores IIT Ropars growing stature as a powerhouse of academic excellence, cutting-edge research, and innovation. We should lead in research and innovation- we have all the ingredients to become the most innovative institute in the country. We are committed to pushing boundaries, advancing research, and fostering indigenous manufacturing to reduce reliance on imports. The institutes ascent to rank 12 reflects its strong performance across seven key parameters - placement performance, teaching-learning resources and pedagogy, research (volume, income, and reputation), industry income and integration, placement strategies and support, future orientation, and external perception and international outlook. The Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) evaluates over 2,500 institutions across India, assessing them on parameters such as faculty quality, research output, industry collaboration, infrastructure, and student satisfaction. According to the latest rankings, IIT Ropar is placed among IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Kanpur, surpassing several established engineering colleges in India. IIT Ropar is emerging as a research and technological innovation leader, particularly in defence and security, energy efficiency and decarbonisation, semiconductor technology, quantum, agriculture and water management, artificial intelligence and data science, and cyber-physical systems (CPS). The institute hosts multiple mega projects, such as a PAIR grant with seven other institutions, FIST projects in different departments, a Technology Development Hub, a technology business incubation centre, and a deep-tech accelerator funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). The institute supports deep-tech startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs in developing solutions across various domains. It also houses ANNAM.AI, a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Digital Agriculture backed by the Ministry of Education, focusing on AI-driven solutions for precision farming, sustainability, and real-time decision-making. Its flagship B Tech programme stands out as highly competitive, offering an array of specialisations, including cutting-edge fields such as computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and civil engineeringdesigned to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in a dynamic and evolving technological landscape.
Punjab issues COVID advisory amid rise in cases, Ludhiana emerges as hotspot
CHANDIGARH: Amid a slight rise in COVID-19 cases, the Punjab Government has issued a public advisory urging high-risk individuals such as the elderly, pregnant women, immunocompromised persons, and those with underlying health conditions to wear masks in crowded or enclosed spaces. Health care workers have also been advised to adhere strictly to COVID-appropriate behaviour. The advisory, issued on Friday, reads: Due to a slight rise in COVID-19 cases in some parts of the country, a precautionary advisory is being issued. Though the situation in Punjab is under control and the health system is fully prepared, citizens are advised to follow basic safety measures to help prevent the spread of infection. Among the recommended practices, the advisory states that vulnerable individuals and health care staff should wear masks in crowded or closed spaces. It further advises: Cover your mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing using a handkerchief, tissue or elbow crease. If you feel sick (fever, cough, breathing difficulty), wear a mask and consult a doctor. Donts include: Avoid crowded or poorly ventilated spaces, especially if you have health issues. Do not touch your face without washing hands. Avoid spitting in public. Refrain from self-medicating for respiratory symptoms. The advisory follows a noticeable surge in infections across the state, particularly in Ludhiana, which has emerged as the current hotspot. Two COVID-related deaths have been reported: a 69-year-old woman receiving treatment at PGIMER in Chandigarh and a 39-year-old man admitted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32. Both were residents of Ludhiana and had pre-existing health conditions and recent travel histories, making them more vulnerable. According to the Punjab Health Department, active COVID cases in the state have increased from 12 last week to over 35, with total cases in 2025 reaching 60. Ludhiana alone has reported 23 new cases, a spike partially linked to ongoing political activity and gatherings for the Ludhiana (West) Assembly bypoll. As part of the states ongoing Har Shukkarvaar, Dengue Te Vaar public health campaign, Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh visited Balongi village near Mohali and addressed concerns about rising infections. He said, While neighbouring states like Delhi and Haryana have seen a rise in cases, Punjab has recorded only 31 mild, asymptomatic infections so far. The two reported deaths involved individuals with co-morbidities and may not be directly linked to COVID-19. Dr Singh urged residents to avoid closed-door gatherings and prioritise well-ventilated spaces. He assured the public that the states healthcare infrastructure is fully prepared, with adequate oxygen supplies, essential medicines, and emergency beds available.
Survey: Kerala trails many states in household net connectivity, ICT skills
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala lags behind many other states and Union territories in household internet connectivity and peoples information and communication technology (ICT) skills, according to the Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom 2025 released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) recently. As per the report, 91.7% of households in Kerala have an internet facility within their premises. This includes fixed/WiFi network, mobile network or all of those. Chandigarh, Ladakh and Lakshadweep reported cent per cent connectivity while the national average stood at 86.3%. Kerala was positioned 12th among 37 states/UTs. Rural and urban areas in the state recorded 89.6% and 93.6% connectivity, respectively. The survey collected information on the ICT abilities of individuals in seven categories. Kerala fared better than the national average in all categories, except one. But the state did not find a place among the top ten states/UTs in six categories. Keralites ranked 12th in the ability to perform online banking transactions, with 60% of respondents aged 15 years and above saying they were able to carry out transactions via computer or mobile. The national average came in at 48.9%. Chandigarh (80.1%) stood first in this category, followed by Mizoram (69.9%). Urban areas in Kerala reported a higher percentage, 63.1%, than rural areas, 56.8%. According to the survey, 70.85% of respondents in Kerala had the skill to send a message with an attached file through email, messaging service or SMS. Kerala ranked 14 in this category, while the national average stood at 63.6%. All-India, 24.2% of respondents said they have created an electronic presentation using presentation software on mobile phones or computer-like devices. Kerala which reported a lower percentage, 22.9%, was in 21st position. However, the state ranked third in the category of creating documents with word processing software, with 26.4% of respondents having this ability, against the national average of 13.1%. Furthermore, 49.4% of respondents from Kerala reported the ability to send or receive email, against the national average of 43.5%. At 19th, the state recorded its second-lowest rank in this category.
New digital drug de-addiction registry portal fails addicts in Ropar
Gangster Dhillon a sub-node of Goldy Brar-Lawrence Bishnoi gang to arrange foot soldiers: Cops
Easy Jamabandi to tackle land record typos, offer real-time tampering alerts in Punjab
Health minister leads dengue awareness drive in Mohali
HC to monitor probe into drug racket involving Hoshiarpur jail officials
Voters board? Mind games on: Character takes centre stage in Ludhiana West race
Summer crisis: Power outages spark outrage in Chandigarh
Deputy mayor threatens protest if land for waste disposal not allotted in 15 days
PGIs Rs 495-cr neuroscience centre: Machines missing, hopes on hold
Chandigarh achieves record solar rooftop coverage high EV adoption & major carbon savings
2 years on, garbage waiver charges on papers only in Panchkula
Relief on the horizon: Rain, winds likely in Chandigarh over weekend
Answer to Chandigarh-Mohali traffic woes, IT City-Kurali bypass corridor to open by Aug 15
Campus placement: 87 UIAMS MBA students get jobs, 9 bag Rs 16L package
Union Health Ministrys intervention sought to protect interest of Chandigarhs GMCH students
Allege violation of NMC norms as GMCH plans to fill 75% of seats under all-India quota for 202425 academic session
Social media influencer killed in moral policing attack, say Punjab Police
Chandigarh administration to enforce mandatory rainwater harvesting in houses of 500 sq yds or more
J&K Students Association writes to EAM Jaishankar demanding safe return of Kashmiri students in Iran
CHANDIGARH: With around 1,500 students from Kashmir currently studying in Iran most of them pursuing MBBS the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) has urged Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar to ensure their safe return amid the escalating Iran-Israel conflict. India had already issued an urgent travel advisory for its citizens in both the countries following the Israeli strikes on Iran. In a letter written to Union External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar by Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor, Jammu and Kashmir Students Association, states, We, the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA), write to you with deep urgency and grave concern regarding the dire situation faced by hundreds and thousands of Kashmiri students currently studying in the Iran, following the unprecedented escalation in hostilities between Iran and Israel. The recent Israeli preemptive airstrikes on Irans nuclear infrastructure, followed by a barrage of retaliatory drone and missile attacks by Iran, have brought the region to the brink of a full-scale conflict, the letter further read. This volatile security environment has left thousands of Indian students, the majority of them from Kashmir valley, extremely vulnerable and exposed to immediate danger. These students had traveled to Iran to pursue professional education, particularly MBBS, due to the countrys economically viable academic infrastructure. Now, they find themselves in the middle of an active military zone, fearful for their lives. We have been informed that many of these students are enrolled in colleges and universities that are situated dangerously close to vital military installations and strategic sites. They are reporting continuous sounds of airstrikes, air defence sirens, and increased military activity around them, it read. Israel attacks Iran's nuclear and missile sites, kills top military officials Since last night, the situation has deteriorated rapidly. Some students are even located in cities where direct Israeli airstrikes have been reported, the letter read. The letter stated, The students are terrified and feel completely helpless. Numerous students have contacted the Indian Embassy in Tehran seeking support, relocation, or evacuation. However, they have not received any reassuring response or concrete information about what the next steps will be. They remain in a state of confusion and despair, with no clarity about evacuation plans, safety protocols, or emergency assistance. The letter added that several families from Kashmir have reached out to them, overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty. We are receiving an increasing number of distress calls from parents who are in tears, begging for their children to be brought back to safety. Given the immediate risks and growing psychological toll, we urge your esteemed office to initiate urgent measures to protect and support these students, it read. Timely intervention will not only save lives but also reassure the thousands of families in Kashmir who are currently living in fear for their children. We remain in close contact with many of the students and are prepared to assist in compiling verified lists, coordinating outreach, and facilitating communication wherever possible. We hope this urgent appeal will receive your immediate and compassionate attention, the letter concluded. Trump pushes Iran to 'make a deal,' warns of 'more brutal attacks'; Tehran calls Israeli strikes a 'declaration of war'
Four dead in separate Himachal Pradesh tragedies; three drown, one killed in accident
CHANDIGARH: Four people lost their lives in separate incidents across Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, three due to drowning and one in a tragic road accident. In the first incident, two Kashmiri youths drowned in Baner Khad in Gram Panchayat Gahlian near Ranital in Kangra district. The deceased were identified as Rajendra Kumar (36) and Ashok Kumar (21), both from Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir. They had been working as woodcutters and were living in a rented accommodation in Gahlian. Sources said the two, along with two friends, had gone to the ravine to wash clothes. Afterward, they entered the water to bathe but ventured into the deeper section and drowned. When they did not return for a long time, their other two friends started searching for them and found their clothes and mobile phones lying on the banks of Baner Khad. When they raised an alarm, the local people, including the Panchayat Pradhan and Deputy Pradhan, reached the spot and with the help of the people, divers took out the bodies, said an official. Police reached the spot, took custody of the bodies, and sent them for post-mortem examination at Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College and Hospital in Tanda. In a separate drowning incident, 21-year-old Sheetal, a local girl, died while bathing in Jabbar Khad along the Defence Road in Dhakki village under the Nurpur police station area. Police took her body into custody, conducted a post-mortem examination, and handed it over to the family for cremation. In both drowning incidents, police have initiated inquest proceedings. Meanwhile, tragedy struck in Una district when a pick-up van fell into a 24-foot-deep gorge near the Peer Nigahe area, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to 29 others. The victims were from Punjab and were returning after visiting shrines, including Baba Balak Nath and other local pilgrimage centres, when the accident occurred on Thursday night. Locals rescued the injured from the gorge and rushed them to Una hospital, where one of them succumbed to injuries. Two critically injured persons were referred to PGI Chandigarh. A case has been registered, and investigations are underway. On a separate note, light rainfall lashed Shimla on Thursday afternoon, providing much-needed relief from the sweltering heat. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast rain and thunderstorms in the area, which finally arrived, ending a prolonged dry spell. Rain accompanied by thunderstorm was also reported in Dharamsala, McLeodganj and the surrounding areas.
Chandigarh Man Killed In Shimla Hotel After Cousin Allegedly Slit His Throat With Broken Beer Bottle
The victim, identified as Akash Sharma, a resident Chandigarh, was allegedly killed by his cousin, Arjun, after the two of them checked in a hotel room for a leisure trip
CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police have cracked the blind murder case of 30-year-old social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, popularly known as Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, with the arrest of two nihangs who allegedly killed her as part of a moral policing act. Kanchan was found dead under mysterious circumstances inside her car parked outside Adesh University at Bhucho Kalan, along the Bathinda-Chandigarh highway, on Wednesday. The arrested accused have been identified as Jaspreet Singh (32) of Mehron village in Moga district and Nimratjeet Singh (21) of Harike in Tarn Taran district. Both are unemployed and frequently wore nihang attire. They were arrested around 1 am on Thursday. However, the key accused, Amritpal Singh Mehron, remains absconding. Canada-based designated gangster-terrorist Arsh Dalla had also allegedly threatened Kanchan earlier, warning her of dire consequences if she continued posting objectionable videos. Confirming that the murder was premeditated and executed with full coordination, Senior Superintendent of Police of Bathinda, Amneet Kondal, said, The alleged accused Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjeet Singh have been arrested for the murder, while a search is on for the third accused, Amritpal Singh Mehron, a self-styled Sikh radical leader, who is on the run. They had earlier warned the deceased Kanchan not to post her online content, which they thought was vulgar and objectionable. The main accused Amritpal Singh had earlier warned her to stop posting vulgar videos and had planned to teach her a lesson. He, along with others, then hatched a conspiracy and they strangled her to death at an isolated location on Tuesday, Kondal added. She further revealed that on June 7, Amritpal had approached Kanchan at her Ludhiana residence and sought promotional work in Bathinda. He again met her the next day and convinced her to visit Bathinda. Then, on June 9, he contacted her again, and Kanchan agreed. That night, her mother could not contact her. Later, on Wednesday night, her decomposed body was found inside her car parked outside Adesh University near Bathinda, said Kondal. The alleged accused also took her to a workshop on the pretext of getting her car repaired. During an argument, Jaspreet, who was wearing a waistband under his shirt, strangled her. Later, her body was shifted and dumped in her car to mislead the police, Kondal said. She added that the police collected CCTV footage to trace the accused during the investigation. Kanchan, who belonged to a family of migrant workers but spoke fluent Punjabi, had 2.36 lakh followers on YouTube, 3.84 lakh on Instagram, and 1.74 lakh on Facebook. She frequently posted reels and stories and was cremated in Bathinda on Thursday as her family was unable to take her mutilated body back to Ludhiana. Her mother, Girija Devi, told the police that her daughter often travelled for promotional work. The arrests came after Amritpal Singh Mehron claimed responsibility for the murder on social media, just hours after Kanchans decomposed body was discovered. A video surfaced online in which Mehron is seen justifying the crime, saying Kanchan was killed by two of his accomplices. He claimed she belonged to a non-Sikh family but used a Sikh name to create immoral content. He went on to say that his accomplices would continue to target people engaged in objectionable content creation.
AI-171 crash: Kurukshetra mothers London trip to reunite with daughter ends in tragedy
CHANDIGARH: 55-year-old Anju Sharma had been looking forward to reuniting with her elder daughter in London. But her journey ended in tragedy on Thursday, when she became one of the 241 victims of the Air India AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad. Anju, originally from Ramsaran Majra village in Haryanas Kurukshetra district, had moved to Vadodara years ago with her husband, Pawan Sharma, who worked in the oil industry. A well-regarded presence in her community, she was also the sister of film actor Milan Sharma. While her elder daughter Nimmi lives in London, her younger daughter, Honey Sharma, is based in Vadodara. Anju had recently visited Kurukshetra to spend time with her ailing parents her father, Jagdish Sharma, a retired government employee, and her mother, Santosh Sharma. Her cousin Vaibhav Sharma said, She had come a few days ago to meet her parents. She got married in 1990, but she along with her husband shifted to Vadodara. A few years back, Pawan died... Before boarding the flight, she gave a video call to her parents and talked to them. The family said news of Anjus death has not yet been shared with her parents due to her fathers fragile health. A family friend said Jagdish Sharma is bedridden and in a critical condition. We have not told him or her mother yet about this tragedy. But all the relatives are aware and are in touch with her younger daughter in Vadodara, Vaibhav said, adding that the family is now deciding how to break the heartbreaking news to her parents. The entire village is in mourning, with neighbours and relatives gathering at the family home to offer condolences. Loved ones remembered Anju as a warm, kind-hearted woman who was deeply devoted to her family. After the news broke, family members rushed to Ahmedabad. A DNA sample was taken from her younger daughter, Honey Sharma, to help confirm Anjus identity. Her elder daughter, Nimmi, who had been waiting to receive her in London, immediately contacted her maternal uncle, Milan Sharma, upon learning of the crash. 241 passengers died. One survived. His story bears witness to Ahmedabad plane crash horror
Chandigarh High Court Stenographer Grade III Recruitment 2025 - Apply Offline for 14 Posts
TheChandigarh High Court has released an official notification for the recruitment of 14 Stenographer Grade III posts. Interested and eligible candidates can apply Offline through the official Chandigarh High Court website. The last date to submit the application form is 25-06-2025.
An Indian Air Force Apache helicopter made an emergency landing in a field in Punjab's Pathankot district on Friday after a technical malfunction. The helicopter, which took off from the Pathankot airbase, is part of the 125-Helicopter Squadron inducted in September 2019. This is the second such incident involving a US-made Apache in Punjab.
Punjab Police have uncovered a chilling case of moral policing in Bathinda, where social media influencer Kanchan Devi, known as Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, was murdered. Amritpal Singh Mehro, a Nihang, allegedly orchestrated the crime, objecting to her bold online content.
Pranav Goyal hails from Chandigarh. He topped the JEE Advanced 2018 by scoring 337 out of 360 (99.9993 percentile).
City pharmacist duped of Rs 60.65 lakh in online Avastin powder scam
Noltas murder: One arrested, mastermind still at large
5 years on, new polyclinic hospital building in Pinjore remains incomplete
Temps soar past 46C: No respite from heatwave in Punjab, Haryana
FIRs against 5 immigration firms in city for duping people of Rs 50 lakh
Court steps in as guardian for minors seeking protection after leaving their guardians: HC
Rs 50 QR stickers and student coders: PU to regulate 4-wheeler entry
85 if not 100: e-bus plan in limbo, UT ready to settle for less
Harshvardhan narrowly escapes a helium balloon burst
Actor Harshvardhan Rane experienced an unexpected twist during the wrap-up party of his upcoming movie 'Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat', and the actor has taken to his social media handle to share the concerning video with his fans. While wrapping up the films major shooting schedule in Chandigarh, the crew arranged a cake-cutting party where a burst of helium balloons interrupted the festivities.
Chandigarhs power demand hits all-time high
Air India plane crash: Punjab BJP leaders shocked over BJP state in-charge Vijay Rupani 's death
The death of Vijay Rupani, BJP's in-charge for Punjab and Chandigarh, has shocked party leaders in the state. Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar paid tribute, calling it a personal loss. Not only Gujarat has lost a great leader in him but it is a personal loss for me, as I found his gentle and soft demeanour so endearing, said Jakhar.
Zirakpur municipal council seals building in VIP Enclave for plan violation
Mohali police bust inter-state drugs racket, seize 14.37kg opium; 2 arrested
Encroachment, silt in Nandana choe raise flood fears in Panchkula Sector 25 ahead of monsoon
Social media influencer found dead in car parked outside Bathinda medical university
Arunachal MLA, 3 others get 2-yr jail in Mohali cheque bounce case
Mother from Kurukshetra going to visit daughter among AI plane crash victims
Air India crash in Ahmedabad could be the worst involving a single aircraft in India
The crash of Air India Flight 171 in Ahmedabad on Thursday could be the worst ever accident involving a single aircraft in India. There were 242 people on board the flight, while more casualties are likely on the ground as the plane crashed into a hostel for medical students. The only plane accident in India with more casualties was the mid-air collision of two aircraft over Charkhi Dadri in Haryana, around 100 km from Delhi, in 1996 in which 349 people died. That crash involved the collision of a Saudia flight from Delhi to Dhahran in Saudi Arabia and a Kazakhstan Airlines flight from Chimkent in Kazakhstan to Delhi. LIVE | Air India flight to London crashes near Ahmedabad airport during takeoff; all 242 passengers presumed dead The previous worst crash involving a single aircraft in India took place on New Year's Day in 1978 when an Air India flight crashed into the Arabian Sea just off the coast of Bombay less than two minutes after take-off. All 213 people on board that flight, which was headed to Dubai, died. The aircraft was a Boeing-747 named Emperor Ashoka. The worst ever crash involving an Air India plane was in 1985 when a flight from Canada to India was blown up over the Atlantic Ocean after a bomb was planted on board by Khalistani terrorists. All 329 people on board were killed. Here is a timeline of the major air accidents in India since 1990: August 7, 2020 Air India Express Flight IX-1344 Kozhikode In Keralas biggest plane accident, an Air India Express aircraft carrying 190 people on board, including crew, from Dubai to Calicut airport skidded off the table-top runway while landing in bad weather, fell 35 feet onto a road below and split into two. Operating under the Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate Indians stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Boeing 737-800 aircraft was flying from Dubai to Kozhikode (Calicut). Such runways, which are located on hilltops, create the optical illusion of being at the same level as the plains below when a pilot comes in for a landing. The crash claimed 21 lives, including both pilots, and left more than 100 injured, some critically. May 22, 2010 Air India Express Flight IX-81 - Mangalore Air India Express Flight IX-812 crashed on May 22, 2010, at Mangalore International Airport, marking one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India. The flight, a Boeing 737-800, was operating from Dubai to Mangalore with 166 people onboard, including many Indian expatriates returning home. The 2-year-old aircraft had crashed outside Mangalore airport in Karnataka on May 22, killing 158 people when it burst into flames after overshooting a table-top runway and plunged into a nearby forest.The crash resulted in 158 fatalities, with only 8 survivors, most of whom were seated in the front section of the aircraft. The investigation found that the pilot overshot the table-top runway at Mangalore and tried to pull up the plane but it was too late. November 10, 2009 An ATR-72 passenger plane, operated by Kingfisher Airlines, was damaged when it skidded off the runway on landing at Mumbai-Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM), India. Flight IT4124 operated on a scheduled domestic flight from Bhavnagar Airport (BHU) to Mumbai. Maintenance on main runway 27 at Mumbai effected operations at the airport between certain times. October 29, 2008 King Air C-90 aircraft owned and operated by Govt of Punjab was operating Positioning flight from Chandigarh to Ludhiana on 29.10.08 with two cockpit crew on board. The flight en-route up to overhead Ludhiana was uneventful. The crew located the runway late due prevailing Low visibility. They were not comfortable with the approach and made a go around; a non-standard go-around due to low visibility. In the anxiety to not to loose the sight of the field they descended in three orbits in the vicinity of the airfield on the west side of R/w 12, perhaps to land after making the short circuit from the right. However they lost the control and impacted with the ground in the steep left bank. Aircraft got destroyed in the crash due to the impact and post impact fire. Both the occupant on board died due to fire and collapsing aircraft structure. Air India crash near Ahmedabad airport: What we know so far March 19, 2008 The Premier 1 corporate jet aircraft took off normally from Jodhpur (JDH), India. The flight en-route up to approach to land at Udaipur (UDR) was uneventful. After clearance to land at Udaipur the pilot selected the flaps-10; the flap didnt respond and Flaps-Fail message flashed. The pilot decided to go for a flap-less landing and carried out the check list for Flaps Up approach & landing. The approach speed of the aircraft was probably high and it could not be brought to the assigned limit for flap less landing. The pilot continued approach at high speed. From about 25 feet height, the aircraft had a sort of free fall and impacted the runway. It rolled for about 150 feet with heavy breaking on both the wheels; which caused heavy rubber deposits on the runway and subsequent tyre burst. The aircraft veered to right and hit the boundary wall before it stopped. September 8, 2007 Vulcanair P68C aircraft VT-JOY operated by M/s Joy Alukkas Traders (I)pvt Ltd, Cochin operating flight from Bangalore Airport to Cochin on 08.9.2007 after refueling at Bangalore. Its took-off from Bangalore airport runway 27 at approx 1514 Hrs normally. At about1520 Hrs IST the aircraft wanted to return back due technical. However it could not make it as it was losing the engine power very fast. Subsequently Radar contact with the aircraft was lost and the aircraft crashed onto the lakebed of Gawdanapalya Lake, about 5NM Southwest of Bangalore airport. All the persons onboard received fatal injuries. There was no evidence of fire. Aircraft was completely destroyed. July 1, 2007 ATR 72-212A aircraft VT -JCE operated by M/s Jet Airways was operating schedule flight sectors DelhiBhopalIndoreDelhi on 1.7.2007. The flight up-till approach to land at Indore was normal. On coming to the runway the aircraft touched down moderately hard and bounced high. The Pilots were perhaps determined to salvage the abnormal situation and added Power to the Engines with intention to cushion the sink-rate and settle the runway. On the contrary, aircraft came hard on the RWY and bounced once again. This got followed with a series of bounces in succession. While bouncing the aircraft migrated from the runway and finally came to full halt on right side close to airport boundary wall. There was no fire in the accident. March 11, 2006 Low-cost carrier Air Deccan's flight from Coimbatore was involved in a mishap when it skidded off the runway after landing at the Bangalore airport.The brand new ATR-72 plane with a compliment of 40 passengers and four crew members damaged its landing gear -- nose wheel and undercarriage-- and slipped out of the runway. April 17, 2004 The aircraft owned and operated by M/s Agni Aerosports Adventure Academy,Bangalore was scheduled for a flight from Jakkur airport to Nadirgul on 7.4.2004. The aircraft took off at about 1115 Hrs with four persons on board including pilot in command. Film actress Ms. Soundarya was also on board the aircraft. After attaining a height of about 150 ft after takes off, the aircraft took a steep left turn, stalled and hit the ground. A few minutes later, the aircraft caught fire and all the occupants received fatal injuries. The aircraft got destroyed due impact and post impact fire. Ahmedabad Air India plane crash: Former Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani feared to be among passengers September 30, 2001 (Charter Flight) King Air C 90 aircraft VT-EFF owned by Birla Global Finance Ltd. and operated by M/s Jindal Strips Ltd., New Dehli took off from Delhi on 30.09.2001 at 1241 hrs with six passengers and two crewmembers on board. The aircraft was bound to Kanpur. En route it reported Aligarh as estimated. Short of next reporting point KADAS the aircraft was about 10 miles right of track for which the permission was obtained and the pilot requested for direct routing to Kanpur. Captain was advised by ATC Lucknow, to co-ordinate with Gwalior and Agra for traffic information. Thereafter, the aircraft lost the contact with the ATC and crashed. All the persons on board received fatal injuries. The aircraft got destroyed due fire. July 17, 2000 Boeing 737 aircraft VT-EGD, owned by Indian Airlines Ltd. and operated by Airlines Allied Services Ltd. took off from NSCBI Airport Kolkata at 0615 hrs on 17.07.2000 for Patna Lucknow - Delhi. The aircraft was under the command of Capt. Sohan Pal and there were 58 persons, including six crewmembers, on board. At approx 0713 hrs, the aircraft informed Patna ATC, estimated arrival time at Patna at 0736 hrs. The aircraft informed Patna ATC at 0732 hrs that it would like to do a 360-degree due to being high on approach. The ATC informed the aircraft to report final for R/W 25 after carrying out a 360-degree turn and the pilot acknowledged the same. This was the last communication recorded between the aircraft and the ATC. During the approach, for R/W 25 at Patna, the aircraft turned steeply to the left, losing height, and collided with the tree in the approach funnel and crashed in the GardaniBagh area near Patna Airport. The aircraft was totally destroyed due impact with the ground and post impact fire. July 30, 1998 Indian Airlines DO-228 aircraft VT-EJW was involved in an accident at KochiAerodrome on 30-7-98. The aircraft was scheduled to operate from Kochi toThiruvananthapuram. Aircraft took off from runway 17 of Kochi Aerodrome. After attaining a height of about 400 ft. it was seen pitching up steeply to a near vertical attitude and thereafter appeared to perform a manoeuvre similar to a stall turn to the right and crashed on the roof top of the Component Repair Shop (CRS) building of the Naval Aircraft Yard, Kochi. After the impact the aircraft caught fire and was completely destroyed. All persons on board received fatal injuries. Three persons working in CRS also received fatal and six other persons received minor injuries. November 12, 1996 A Saudi Arabian Boeing 747 aircraft and Kazakhastna IL-76 aircraft collided in mid-air about 40 miles west of Delhi on 12th November, 1996. All the 312 occupants of Saudi Boeing 747 and 37 occupants of Kazakhstan IL-76 aircraft lost their lives. The Saudi Boeing 747 aircraft was on a scheduled passenger flight from Delhi to Dahran and the Kazakhastan aircraft was operating a non-scheduled flight from Chimkent, Kazakhastan to Delhi. After takeoff from Delhi, Delhi Approach had instructed the Saudi Boeing 747 aircraft to climb and maintain FL-140 (14,000 feet). The Kazakhastan aircraft had been instructed by Delhi Approach to descend and maintain FL-150 (15,000 feet). Suddenly at 1840 hours the blips of the two aircraft disappeared from the radar screen, as the two aircraft had collided. There was no casualty on the ground. The wreckage of Saudi Boeing 747 aircraft fell near village Dhani in Bhiwani District of Haryana and that of Kazakhastan IL-76 aircraft was lying near village Birohar in Rohtak District. Standing crops at the site of accident were damaged due to fire, impact and rescue operations. Ahmedabad airport resumes operations after brief shutdown following Air India flight crash July 11, 1996 Archana Airways L-410 aircraft VT-ETC was operating flight on Delhi-Shimla-Bhunter- Delhi sector on 11.07.96. The flight upto Shimla was unenventful. The aircraft took-off from Shimla with 9 persons including three flight crew members. At 0855 hrs. aircraft hit and crashed into a hill and caught fire near Kanda village. The Aircraft was totally destroyed and all the persons on board received fatal injuries and three persons on ground have also suffered injuries. May 18, 1996 Archana Airways L-410 aircraft VT-ETB was operating a scheduled flight from Delhi to Kanpur civil aerodrome on 18.05.96. The flight from Delhi to Kanpur was uneventful. The aircraft took-off from Delhi with 19 persons including three light crew. During landing, the aircraft touched down late and could not be stopped within the available runway length and went beyond the runway. The aircraft hit the boundary wall of the airport and came to halt. The aircraft sustained major damages. There was no fire and no injury to persons on board the aircraft. December 2, 1995 Indian Airlines B-737 aircraft VT-ECS was operating flight IC-492 of 2.12.95 under the command of Capt. Adil Mistry with co-pilot Sandeep Marwah and four cabin crew. The flight upto Jaipur was uneventful. Aircraft took-off from Jaipur with 98+4 passengers. Aircraft landed at Delhi at 1253 hrs. After landing the aircraft could not be stopped within the available runway length and went beyond the runway into kutcha. The aircraft was substantially damaged. There was minor fire. Six passengers received minor injuries. July 1, 1995 East West F-27 aircraft was engaged in a training flight at Baroda airport on 1.7.1995. The aircraft was under the command of an Examiner pilot with the trainee pilot on right hand seat. The first touch and go exercise was uneventful. During the second exercise, immediately on touchdown the left main landing gear failed at its shock strut outer cylinder and the inner cylinder with the main wheel assembly attached to it got liberated. The aircraft continued moving forward with the remaining portion of left shock strut contacting the runway followed by the left engine propellers and fuselage bottom and finally came to rest on the runway left side strip. There was no fire and no injury to persons on board the aircraft. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. December 17, 1994 Indian Airlines A-320 aircraft VT-EPM was operating a scheduled flight from Madras to Hyderabad on 17.12.1994. The aircraft was under the command of Capt. C.J. Bhoopal with Capt. Sree Nair as First Officer. In all there were 144 persons on board the aircraft. After reaching over Hyderabad airfield, the aircraft did normal descent and was cleared for VOR DME approach for Runway 09. Aftertouchdown when the aircraft was rolling, it was hit by an unauthorised outsider on moped, who was attempting to cross the runway. The aircraft continued rolling with normal braking. The moped rider died on the spot and his body was ragmented into pieces and scattered all over the runway. Aircraft sustained slight damage. November 15, 1993 Indian Airlines Airbus A-300 aircraft VT-EDV was operating scheduled flight IC-440 (Madras- Hyderabad sector) on 15.11.1993. There were a total of 262 persons were on board the aircraft including 247+3 passengers and 12 crew members. The aircraft could not land at Hyderabad due to low visibility and carried out a missed approach. After the missed approach, the aircraft reported Flap Problem and was holding overhead at Hyderabad during which the flight crew enquired visibility at nearby Air Force airfields which was also low. The aircraft then diverted to Madras. Due to flaps problem, the crew had to maintain low speed and low altitude as a result of which it experienced fuel shortage and sought permission from Madras control for landing at Tirupati. However, the aircraft could not reach even Tirupati airport and executed forced landing in an open paddy field about 14 nautical miles from Tirupati airport. The aircraft dragged on the soft paddy field before coming to final stop. There was no fire. Passenger evacuation was carried out by means of escape slides. All the persons on board escaped unhurt except four who received minor injuries. April 26, 1993 Indian Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft VT-ECQ was operating scheduled flight IC-491 from Delhi- Jaipur-Udaipur-Aurangabad-Bombay on 26.4.1993. The flight from Delhi to Aurangabad was uneventful. The aircraft took-off from Aurangabad with 118 persons on board. Aircraft lifted up almost at the end of runway and impacted heavily with a lorry carrying pressed cotton bales running from North to South on a highway at a distance of about 410 feet from the end of runway. The aircraft left main landing gear, left engine bottom cowling and thrust reverser impacted the left side of the truck at a height of nearly seven feet from the level of the road. Thereafter the aircraft hit the high tension electric wires nearly 3 kms North-East of the runway and hit the ground. In all 55 persons received fatal injuries. The aircraft was destroyed due to post impact fire. January 9, 1993 On 9th January, 1993 TU-154 aircraft No. 85533 wet leased by Indian Airlines from Uzbekistan Airways was operating flight IC-840 from Hyderabad to Delhi. The aircraft was being flown by Uzbeki operating crew and there were 165 persons on board including the crew. The aircraft touched down slightly outside the right edge of the runway, collided with some fixed installations on the ground, got airborne once again and finally touched down on kutcha ground on the right side of the runway. At this stage the right wing and the tail of the aircraft broke away and it came to rest in an inverted position. During the process, the aircraft caught fire and was destroyed. Most occupants of the aircraft escaped unhurt. Six persons suffered either limb fracture or other serious injuries while 45 persons suffered injuries of a minor nature. Boeing stock tumbles over 7% in pre-market following Air India crash September 4, 1992 Indian Airlines B-737 aircraft VT-EGJ was operating scheduled flight IC-493 (Udaipur-Bombay sector) on 4.9.92. During take-off roll, the aircraft hit an Aerodrome Attendant (Chowkidar) on the runway centerline, who received fatal injuries. The aircraft continued with the take-off roll, got airborne and subsequently landed uneventfully at its destination Bombay. January 10, 1992 Air Lanka B-737 aircraft was engaged in a Scheduled International Passenger flight from Colombo to Madras on 10.1.1992. During landing on Runway 07 at Madras airport, the right landing gear attachment failed and right engine bottom contacting runway surface immediately on touchdown. The aircraft started swerving towards the right of runway center line as it moved forward on its wheels with right engine cowling and bottom rubbing the runway surface. The aircraft finally came to stop with its nose wheel and failed right main landing gear entering the grassy side strip soon after crossing the Delta taxiway. The fire emanating from the right engine was extinguished by the Safety Services and the crew and passengers evacuated the aircraft through the left side exit doors by means of the slide chutes. August 16, 1991 Indian Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft VT-EFL while operating flight IC-257 (Calcutta-Imphal) on 16.8.91 crashed about 20 nautical miles from the Imphal airport. The aircraft had earlier taken off from Calcutta at 0615 hrs UTC and it lost contact with Imphal airport at 0716 hrs UTC at approximately 5000 feet on ILS. The aircraft was under the command of Capt. Shekhar Haldar with Capt. D.B. Roychoudhary as First Officer. There were a total of 68+1 persons on board the aircraft including crewmembers. All the 69 persons died in the accident. The aircraft was completely destroyed. May 7, 1990 Air India Boeing 747 aircraft VT-EBO was operating flight AI-132 (London-Delhi-Bombay). During landing at Delhi Airport, on 7.5.1990, its left outboard engine (No. 1 Engine) partially separated from its wing attachment and consequently left wing caught fire which was quickly extinguished by the Airport Safety Services. The passengers were safely evacuated through slide chutes. The left wing of the aircraft was substantially damaged. February 14, 1990 Indian Airlines Airbus A-320 aircraft VT-EPN was operating Bombay-Bangalore sector on 14.2.1990. The aircraft took off from Bombay at 11:58 hours. There were 146 persons on board which included the two cockpit crew, five cabin crew, and four infants. The flight from Bombay to Bangalore was uneventful. During the final approach to Runway 09 at Bangalore the aircraft first contacted ground within the boundary of the Karnataka Golf Association approximately 2300 ft. prior to the beginning of Runway 09. The aircraft went up into the air for a very short duration after which it again contacted the ground on all three gears and then hit an embankment at the boundary of the golf course. The aircraft finally came to rest outside the boundary wall of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed due to impact and fire. In all 92 persons on board including two pilots and two cabin crew died in the accident.
Sports Department Chandigarh Swimming Coach Recruitment 2025 - Apply Offline
TheSports Department Chandigarh has released an official notification for the recruitment of 01 Swimming Coach posts. Interested and eligible candidates can apply Offline through the official Sports Department Chandigarh website. The last date to submit the application form is 20-06-2025.
Who is Kamal Kaur? Popular Punjabi influencer found dead in car
Punjab Police are investigating the murder of Instagram influencer Kamal Kaur, whose body was discovered in a locked car near Adesh Medical University in Bathinda. Kaur, known for her explicit content and online controversies, had over 3.83 lakh followers. Police suspect she was killed elsewhere and her body was dumped, exploring potential links to prior threats she received.
Punjab shocker: Popular social media influencer Kamal Kaur found dead in car; probe on
Kamal Kaur, a well-known Instagram influencer from Ludhiana with over 3.83 lakh followers, was discovered dead in a car near Adesh Medical University in Bathinda on Thursday. Kaur was popular for her reels on Instagram. Police have initiated an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death.
Punjabi-origin businessman shot dead in Canada, gunned down inside office; probe on
Satwinder Sharma, a 57-year-old Punjabi businessman, was fatally shot in his Surrey, Canada office on June 11. Two men approached Sharma, engaged in conversation, and then opened fire, leading to his death at the scene. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is investigating the incident, which occurred shortly after extortion threats and property attacks targeted another Punjabi businessman in the area.
New Ghaggar bridge a traffic nightmare on Sec 20-21 road
Sec 48 hosp to get Ayushman payment kiosk
3 years, 2 promises, and still no progress: Panchkulas healthcare projects in limbo
3 summer special trains giving much relief to migrants from UP, Jharkhand
Chandigarh power demand rises sharply as temperatures soar and outages continue
Song releases, controversial documentary mark Moose Walas 32nd birth anniversary
FIR into brutal killing of stray dog in Sec 20, Pkl
450kg paneer seized in raid in Chandigarhs Sector 26
No govt job, national athlete sells sugarcane juice in Fazilka
Protest heat rises in poll-bound Ludhiana
Punjab governor honours outstanding students, launches new educational initiatives
NCLT clears merger of Inox Wind units
Inox Wind Energy Limited has received final approval for its merger with Inox Wind Limited. The National Company Law Tribunal, Chandigarh bench, approved the merger. This move simplifies the business structure for the INOXGFL Group. It aims to improve financial health and reduce debt. The merger is expected to reduce liabilities by approximately 2,050 crore.
BJP gets more members in UT advisory council
Chandigarh police register 20 FIRs in a day against immigration firms
Think tank approves MLU for truck terminal zone in New Chandigarh Master Plan
Clubs in Panchkula allowed late-night operations under strict administration rules
Shikara Race Held At Dal Lake To Revive Tourism In Kashmir Valley
Srinagar, Jun 11: A shikara race was organised at the famous Dal Lake here on Wednesday to promote tourism in the Valley in the wake of the Pahalgam attack, officials said. Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Sakina Itoo flagged off the race, organised by a Chandigarh-based private group of colleges, they said. The race was organised to promote Jammu and Kashmirs tourism sector, which suffered a setback following the April 22 terror attack in which 26 people died. Speaking on [] The post Shikara Race Held At Dal Lake To Revive Tourism In Kashmir Valley appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Espionage case: Bail plea of Hisar influencer Jyoti Malhotra dismissed
Hisar court dismisses bail plea of social media influencer Jyoti Malhotra in espionage
Jyoti Malhotra, a social media influencer, had her bail application dismissed by a Hisar court on Wednesday following her arrest on espionage allegations. The court rejected her counsel's arguments, while the police cited concerns about potential influence on the ongoing investigation and witnesses.
ED arrests ex Haryana MLA, associate in 'fraud' linked money laundering case
The Enforcement Directorate has arrested former Haryana MLA Ram Niwas and ex-HSVP official Sunil Kumar Bansal for alleged money laundering related to misappropriation of funds within the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran. Accused were taken into custody on June 9 in Chandigarh.
Sakeena Itoo flags off 6th Aryans Shikara Race at Srinagar
SRINAGAR, JUNE 11: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo today flagged off the 6th Aryans Shikara Race, organised by JK students of Aryans Group of Colleges Chandigarh, at Dal Lake here. The race was organised with an aim to promote tourism of Jammu and Kashmir and bring tourists back [] The post Sakeena Itoo flags off 6th Aryans Shikara Race at Srinagar appeared first on Kashmir Media Watch .
CHANDIGARH: Amid controversy, the BBC World Service on Tuesday released a two-part documentary titled The Killing Call on slain Punjab singer Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, popularly known as Sidhu Moosewala, on his birth anniversary, despite legal efforts by Moosewalas father, Balkaur Singh, to halt its screening. Balkaur Singh had filed a plea before a court in Mansa, Punjab, seeking a stay on the release of the documentary, arguing that it could impact the ongoing investigation and trial related to his son's murder. The court of the Civil Judge (Senior Division) of Mansa has listed Singhs petition for a hearing on Thursday. The BBC had originally scheduled a screening of the documentary at a cinema hall in Mumbai on Tuesday evening. However, following the controversy, the broadcaster instead released it on YouTube. The first episode of the documentary focuses on Moosewalas early life, rise to fame, and the controversies surrounding his career, while the second part delves into his murder. In the two episodes released by the BBC, some of Moosewala's old friends, a few journalists, and two senior police officers from Punjab and Delhi have been featured. It also includes an audio interview with gangster Goldy Brar, who is accused of orchestrating Moosewalas murder at Jawahar Ke village in Mansa district on May 29, 2022, and is alleged to be the mastermind behind it. In its YouTube video description, BBC World Service wrote, On 29 May 2022, Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala was murdered by hired hitmen who followed his car, shot him through the windscreen, and left him to die. As news of the killing spread across India and around the world, a gangster named Goldy Brar claimed responsibility for the hit. But three years later, no one has been convicted of this murder, the motives remain murky, and Goldy Brar is still on the run. BBC Eye Investigations has been talking to some of the people closest to Sidhu Moose Wala, tracing his rise from obscurity to stardom, finding out how he made enemies of Indias most feared gang, and asking why they wanted him dead. Its a story that takes us from the villages of rural India to the hip-hop scene of eastern Canada, from the turbulent history of Punjab to the contested politics of modern India, and from the shadowy world of organised crime to a chilling phone call with the fugitive gangster who says he ordered the hit. Based on hours of unseen archive and exclusive access to Sidhus friends and musical collaborators, the film features voices that have never spoken to the media before, it further added. Saying that the judiciary would give them justice, Balkaur Singh, Moosewalas father, said, The BBC was to screen the documentary this evening, but when we approached the court yesterday, it released the documentary on YouTube this morning. It hurt us a lot to see some of Sidhus friends in the documentary. Some people used to say that Sidhu was bad, but after his death, they started calling him good. When I die, they will call me good too. My present situation is worse than even Moosewala. Satinder Pal Singh Mittal, advocate for Balkaur Singh, had said on Monday that the petitioner argued that the screening could impact the ongoing criminal trial into Moosewalas murder and violate the family's right to privacy. The matter is now sub judice. We are hopeful that the documentary will not be made public, he had said. Earlier, Balkaur Singh had written a letter to the Director General of Police of Maharashtra, urging him to stop the screening. He stated that BBC World Service was organising a programme on June 11 at 3 pm to screen the documentary in Juhu, and contended that the documentary was made without his permission. He also alleged it contained false content about his sons murder. In the communication, he sought to ban the screening of BBC World Services documentary on his son, alleging that it could be an attempt to tarnish his legacy. Singh also said the documentary includes interviews with individuals named in the First Information Report related to his sons murder, which he believes could affect the ongoing legal case. Meanwhile, three of Moosewalas songs were released on his official YouTube channel on Tuesday. The newly released tracks, 0008, Neal and Take Notes, are part of the Moose Print extended play (EP). This brings the total number of songs released after Moosewalas death to 11. Each of these tracks crossed the one million view mark within about an hour of their launch. The family also held a prayer ceremony and cut a cake at their residence in Moosa village on his birth anniversary. His jeep, tractors and other vehicles were also displayed.
NCLT approves merger of Inox Wind Energy & Inox Wind
NEW DELHI, June 11: The Chandigarh bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the merger of Inox Wind Energy Ltd and Inox Wind Ltd, a decision that will streamline the wind business vertical of the INOXGFL Group and improve overall operational efficiencies. Following the NCLT order on Tuesday, Inox Wind Energy Ltd will be amalgamated into Inox Wind Ltd (IWL), INOXGFL Group said in a statement on Wednesday. The merger simplifies and streamlines the wind business vertical [] The post NCLT approves merger of Inox Wind Energy & Inox Wind appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Vodafone Idea launches 5G services in Bengaluru: Check the price plan
Vodafone Idea (Vi) has launched its 5G services in Bengaluru, following successful rollouts in Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Patna, and Chandigarh. This launch is part of Vi's plan to cover all 17 priority circles with 5G by August. Vi users with 5G-enabled devices can now enjoy unlimited 5G data on plans starting from Rs 299, enhancing streaming, gaming, and download speeds.
Six Indo-Canadians among nine arrested in Canadas largest-ever cocaine seizure worth $47.9 million
CHANDIGARH: Six Indo-Canadians of Punjabi origin are among nine individuals arrested by Canadian authorities following the largest drug seizure in Peel Regional Police history 479 kilograms of bricked cocaine worth $47.9 million. The arrests follow a year-long international investigation into a transnational organised crime network trafficking illicit drugs into the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). In a statement, Peel Regional Police confirmed the success of Project Pelican, a major operation undertaken in collaboration with national and international partners including the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the US Drug Enforcement Administration, and US Homeland Security Investigations. On 6 June, the following individuals were arrested and charged in connection with the operation: Manpreet Singh, 44, of Brampton Karamjit Singh, 36, of Caledon Gurtej Singh, 36, of Caledon Sartaj Singh, 27, of Cambridge Shiv Onkar Singh, 31, of Georgetown Arvinder Powar, 29, of Brampton Sajgith Yogendrarajah, 31, of Toronto Hao Tommy Huynh, 27, of Mississauga Philip Tep, 39, of Hamilton Together, they face a total of 35 charges related to drug trafficking and firearms offences. Two loaded semi-automatic handguns were also recovered. The operation began in June 2023 when Peel police started tracking a cocaine smuggling ring using US-Canada commercial trucking routes. By November, with help from cross-border agencies, several individuals, trucking firms and storage locations were identified. Between February and May this year, intelligence led to major drug seizures at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor (127 kg) and the Blue Water Bridge in Point Edward (50 kg), both hidden within commercial truck trailers. Arrests were made with support from the CBSA and Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Additional seizures were carried out across the GTA, some involving suspects found in possession of firearms. Michael Prosia, Regional Director General for Southern Ontario at CBSA, praised the joint effort: These significant seizures and arrests demonstrate the strength of our collaboration with law enforcement partners on both sides of the border. Ontario Solicitor General Michael S. Kerzner added, Project Pelican is proof of what police can accomplish when they have the tools and resources needed to keep our communities safe. Peel Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah noted: This marks the largest drug seizure in the history of our service. Organised crime continues to exploit borders and pose serious threats to public safety. We remain firmly committed to protecting our communities. Project Pelican was supported by funding from the Ontario Governments Ministry of the Solicitor General through the Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario and the Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy.
Maninder Singh, a former IT professional with experience in New York, has traded coding for cooking, now running a food stall in Punjab. Inspired by his wife's culinary skills, his venture has garnered attention online, sparking discussions about career choices and the dignity of labor in India. While some question hygiene standards, many applaud his courage and redefined success.
Despite the family's legal efforts to prevent its release, a foreign media company has launched a documentary about slain rapper Sidhu Moose Wala on his 32nd birth anniversary. The documentary includes interviews with his friends, police officers, and even gangster Goldy Brar, who claimed responsibility for Moose Wala's murder.
West Bengal at bottom of performance on solid waste management
NEW DELHI: West Bengal has recorded the lowest performance in solid waste processing under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, with just eight percent of its daily waste being treated. The states progress has dropped by two percent in four years. It was treating 10 percent of the garbage produced each day in 2021, when the second edition of the mission was launched. According to data available on the SBM-U dashboard, solid waste processing in Nagaland and Mizoram are still in their infancy. Nagaland is processing just one percent of its daily waste while the latters performance is nil. The dashboard states West Bengal generates 7,875.55 tonnes per day (TPD) of solid waste daily but processes only 588.65 TDP. This slow pace of progress was recently flagged during a review meeting held by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), which expressed concern over the states inability to scale up its solid waste treatment capacity. There is decline in door-to-door garbage collection. In 2021, 100 percent door-to-door collection was reported in 2,527 out of 2,939 municipal wards. However, the latest figures show a drop, with 2,317 out of 3,008 wards currently reporting full coverage. Arunachal Pradesh and Bihar have also reported poor waste processing rates. The latest figures show that Arunachal Pradesh generates 177.78 TPD and processes just 22 percent of it. In 2021, the state was treating 25 percent of the total waste generated on a daily basis. Bihar, with a daily generation of 6,638.19 TPD, processes only 32 percent. No immediate response on performance of states from the ministry was available. In contrast, several states and union territories have achieved remarkable success. Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli have reported 100 percent daily processing of solid waste.
A special investigation team has found lapses in the security arrangements for gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The report reveals unauthorized access and protocol breaches during his custody. Several police officials faced suspension and termination. The SIT note highlights failures at multiple levels. It also points to systemic issues within the Anti-Gangster Task Force. The report recommends action against those responsible.
Protest over scholarship turns violent at Haryana Agricultural University
