18052026-CT-01.qxd 18-05-2026 00:33 Page 1 c m y b Chandigarh tribune UT TO BUILD ~1.94-CRORE DRAIN AT SECTOR 26 MANDI BAR BODIES MOVE HC AGAINST ASSAM TENANCY ACT ADITI RAO HYDARI’S WOW FACTOR WORKS @CANNES UT Chief Engineer CB Ojha visits site, reviews various development works in the mandi area. P3 Challenge extension of the Assam Tenancy Act, 2021, to the Union Territory of Chandigarh. P3 The actress wore a lime-green creation by Tony Ward Couture for the red carpet. P4 » » AIR QUALITY INDEX CHANDIGARH 82 PANCHKULA 87 401-500 301-400 201-300 101-200 51-100 0-50 SEVERE VERY POOR POOR MODERATE SATISFACTORY GOOD WHAT’S ON APNI MANDI Chandigarh: Sectors 43 & 45 Mohali: Sectors 70, 78 & Phase 5 Please send information about events in tricity at: whatson@tribunemail.com Man booked for molesting minor Mohali, May 17 The Mataur police have registered a case against a Ludhiana resident and leader of a regional party, Jaskaranjit Singh Deol, under various Sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The victim’s father reported that his wife was living with the accused in a society in Sector 70, Mohali. The accused attempted to rape his minor daughter aged 15. In October 2024, Jaskaranjit allegedly took his daughter to continued on page 2 Dushyant Singh Pundir Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 17 The long-awaited road underbridge (RUB) at the Baltana level crossing will finally see the light of day. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, along with Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu, will lay the foundation stone of the project on May 20. The UT Administration has already completed the land acquisition process for the project. The Northern Railway had invited e-bids for the construction of the RUB through a “normal pushing” technique, which ensures railway operations continue on the line during construction work. The financial bids for the allotment of work could not be opened on the scheduled date (February 13), as the UT Administration had failed to deposit its 50% share with the Railway authorities. Later, the administration deposited Rs 6.4 crore with the Railways to address the longpending demand of residents of Baltana and Makhan Majra for elimination of the manual level crossing. Officials stated that construction was likely to start soon and the project has to be completed within 12 months. “The Governor not only sanctioned the funds, but got them released too,” said Pratap Singh ~12.81-CR PROJECT TO BE COMPLETED IN 12 MONTHS ■ 0.74 acres in Raipur Kalan acquired ■ Project conceived in 2021-22 at an estimated cost of ~7.99 crore ■ Cost increased to ~12.81 crore due to delay ■ Railways, UT to share the cost almost equally ■ Project to be completed within 12 months The level crossing at Baltana. TRIBUNE PHOTO: PARDEEP TEWARI Rana, chairman of the Joint Action Committee for Baltana Residents. He said senior officials from the Ambala Division of Northern Railway, along with officers from the civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering departments, visited the Raipur Kalan-Harmilap Nagar railway crossing yesterday. The officials reviewed preparations for the foundation-laying ceremony and issued necessary instructions to the staff concerned. Rana said once completed, the RUB would rid the local residents of long traffic jams at the railway crossing. A large number of residents of Raipur Kalan village, Mauli Jagran and Vikas Nagar in Chandigarh; Baltana, Zirakpur and Dhakoli in Mohali district; and Panchkula use this level crossing every day. The UT Administration has acquired nearly 0.74 acres in Raipur Kalan for the project. It is a collaborative effort between the Railways and the UT Administration, with both entities sharing the project cost almost equally. According to the Social Impact Assessment report, the c m y b agricultural land of only two families of Raipur Kalan village was acquired for the project and no family was displaced. The Northern Railway had sanctioned the project in 2021-22 at an estimated cost of Rs 7.99 crore on a cost-sharing basis, with the UT’s share pegged at Rs 4 crore and that of the Railways at Rs 3.99 crore. However, the work remained pending for over four years due to non-acquisition of land and non-payment of the requisite funds by the UT Administration. With the delay, its cost escalated to Rs 12.81 crore. MAX 41°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 40.3°C | MIN 22.9°C SUNRISE TUESDAY 5.27 AM /THETRIBUNECHD Baltana RUB work set toon May 20 begin Kataria, Bittu to lay foundation stone of project MAINLY CLEAR SKY SUNSET MONDAY 7.11 PM » MONDAY | 18 MAY 2026 | CHANDIGARH FORECAST FACEBOOK/CHANDIGARHTRIBUNE Puppy thrown into tandoor, dies Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 17 A puppy was allegedly thrown alive into a burning tandoor at a dhaba in Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, here, leading to its painful death. The incident took place around 1.40 am on May 16 near Noorani Dhaba in Phase 2, Bapu Dham Colony. Following a complaint by local resident Sanjay Kumar, the Sector 26 police registered an FIR against unknown persons under Section 11(1)(l) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and 325 of the BNS. According to the complaint, FIR registered, incident occurred at Bapu Dham Colony who works as a labourer at the Sector 26 sabzi mandi, he was returning home after work when he saw an unidentified man carrying a puppy near the Sampark Centre. As soon as the man reached outside Noorani Dhaba, he allegedly threw the puppy into a burning tandoor and fled the spot. He pulled out the puppy with great difficulty. However, by then, the animal had died. He buried the puppy near Sukhna Choe. He told the police that he could identify the accused if produced before him. Meanwhile, animal rights activists termed the incident “barbaric” and demanded immediate arrest of the accused. Chandigarh People for Animals (PFA) coordinator Saarthak Jain said the organisation was closely monitoring the investigation and reviewing CCTV footage of the area along with the police to identify the culprit. “We will take the case to its logical conclusion and will not let the accused go scotfree,” Jain said. Servant attacks woman in Kharar society; flees with jewellery, cash Tribune News Service Mohali, May 17 A newly hired domestic help battered a woman half-dead and fled with cash, ornaments and valuables from a Kharar housing society on May 14. When the woman’s husband, Inam Saabir, returned home from a gym, he found his wife, Shabnam, in a pool of blood. The suspect, identified as Hira Lal Sahni, alias Harry, from Bihar, was hired just five days ago. Saabir, a resident of Shiva- lik City, Kharar, owns a clinic, “Shabnam Ayurveda”, near Nijjar Chowk. The woman was admitted to a private hospital. “My wife Shabnam was sleeping at home and the servant, Hira Lal, was working in the kitchen when I left for gym. When I returned home around 8:10 am, the servant was not in the house. My wife’s bedroom was locked from inside, and I could hear her crying. I asked my wife to open the lock but she said she was immobile with injuries. I broke the door with the help of my neighbour and found Shabnam lying in a pool of blood in the bathroom, with blood splattered all over the bed and floor.” The victim told her husband that Hira Lal had beaten her with a rolling pin and fled with cash, gold and silver jewellery, and a mobile phone. The police said the victim was unable to record a statement. On a statement of Inam Saabir, a case of robbery and voluntarily causing hurt has been registered at the City Kharar police station.