A woman was arrested from Kharar in Mohali district of Punjab for allegedly duping another woman, a Shimla resident, of Rs 25 lakh on the pretext of getting her a Canadian visa.

According to a complaint filed by victim Bhavna’s brother at a Shimla police station, the accused took the money from them for getting Bhavna the visa.

The police registered a case and sent teams to Punjab to nab the accused.

Manju, who repeatedly changed her location and phone SIMs to evade arrest, was arrested from a flat in Kharar on February 22 and brought back to Shimla.

SSP Gaurav Singh said an investigation is on.

The state has witnessed a sharp and alarming rise in cybercrime, with complaints increasing by nearly 52 per cent in just one year.

According to police data, 18,706 cybercrime complaints were recorded in 2025, compared to 12,249 in 2024. The numbers have more than doubled since 2023, when 8,077 complaints were registered, underlining the rapid expansion of digital fraud.

Police officials say the surge reflects a broader national and global trend, where cybercrime has evolved into a structured and organised industry.

The range of offences has expanded significantly, including AI-generated phishing emails and messages, fake investment platforms promising unrealistic returns, job and work-from-home scams, fraud through messaging apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram, UPI and QR code scams, OTP theft, account takeovers and social media impersonation.

Additional Superintendent of Police, State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SC&ACB), Narvir Singh Rathour, said cybercrime today is far removed from the stereotype of a lone hacker. “It has become a highly organised global industry.

Experts describe it as ‘Crime-as-a-Service’, where criminals rent hacking tools, purchase stolen data and run professional fraud operations,” he said.

He added that illegal online marketplaces make it easy to buy and sell personal information, including phone numbers, banking details and identity documents. Many criminal networks operate across borders, making investigation and enforcement more complex.

Artificial intelligence has further complicated the landscape. Fraudsters can now clone voices, generate deepfake videos and craft highly convincing messages that appear authentic. “This makes scams more dangerous and much harder to detect,” Rathour said.

To counter the growing threat, the state police have set up dedicated Cyber Crime Police Stations and cyber cells, integrated systems with the national Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), promoted the 1930 cyber fraud helpline and intensified awareness campaigns in schools, colleges and rural areas.

Officers are being trained in digital forensics and financial investigations, while coordination with banks has been strengthened to block fraudulent transactions quickly.

Police have urged citizens to remain vigilant: never share OTPs, PINs or passwords, verify links before clicking, avoid making urgent payments without confirmation, enable two-factor authentication, use strong passwords and keep software updated.

The state government has released a fresh installment of Rs 500 crore for the expansion of the Gaggal airport in Kangra district. With this, the local administration has received a total of Rs 1,960 crore to speed up land acquisition for the airport’s expansion.

Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, Hemraj Bairwa said that more than Rs 1,500 crore had already been transferred as compensation directly to the bank accounts of the families whose land had been acquired for the airport project.

He said that 150 hectares had been acquired for the airport’s expansion project, affecting 942 families of the area. “With additional Rs 500 crore released recently, the process of the disbursement of compensation has now been expedited,” he added.

Bairwa said that the total compensation requirement was expected to reach around Rs 2,500 crore. However, for the time being, Rs 1,960 crore was sufficient for the acquisition of land. He added that a few cases were pending due to intra-family ownership disputes, partition issues and ongoing court cases.

Another installment of Rs 500 crore would be required only after the resolution of such personal disputes and legal proceedings, he added. “I assure that payments in these cases will be processed immediately upon the completion of legal formalities, which may take some time,” he said.

He, however, clarified that the administration would proceed with the acquisition of this ‘disputed land’ even if compensation remained pending due to legal issues.

Bairwa said that the district administration had set March 31 as the deadline for the transfer of the acquired land to the Airports Authority of India.

“We have completed all legal formalities. Notices under Section 19 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, have been issued,” he added.

At present, the airport has a runway of 1,376 metres, which restricts operations to smaller aircraft such as ATR-72 having a seating capacity of 70 to 80 passengers. Due to this limitation, airfares are often high and services are sometimes disrupted during adverse weather conditions.

After the airport’s expansion, the runway will be extended to 3,010 metres, enabling the operation of larger aircraft with over 180 seats, including Airbus A320 and Boeing 737.

The upgraded infrastructure was expected to significantly enhance operational efficiency and passenger capacity. It was likely to facilitate direct air connectivity between Kangra and major metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai.

The airport’s expansion was also projected to substantially increase tourist inflow, benefiting the hospitality sector and allied industries in the region.

Bairwa said that modern navigation and landing systems would be installed after the expansion of the airport.

The introduction of a night landing facility would enable round-the-clock operations and ensure safer landings even during heavy rain, fog and other challenging weather conditions.

A political showdown is likely in the upcoming Parliament session in March as the Congress prepares to raise the issue of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) and concerns of apple growers in the backdrop of the proposed India-US trade framework, party sources said on Friday.

The decision follows a strategy meeting chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at his residence in New Delhi. The meeting was attended by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and senior leaders from six states – Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Himachal CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu was among those present.

Sukhu said the central leadership was briefed comprehensively on the implications of the Centre’s decision to discontinue the RDG, stressing that the move would adversely affect the state’s financial stability, development projects and welfare schemes. He added that Kharge and Gandhi assured full support to the state in defending what he termed its legitimate financial rights.

Senior leaders KC Venugopal, Rajni Patil, Vinay Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and former Rajya Sabha MP Anand Sharma also participated in the discussions.

The RDG issue has emerged as a major political flashpoint in Himachal. The state government has argued that withdrawal of the grant will place severe pressure on its finances. The Assembly has already passed a resolution urging the Centre to reconsider its decision.

Sukhu has framed the issue as one concerning federal principles rather than party politics, asserting that it affects nearly 75 lakh residents of the state. He also questioned the opposition’s stance on the matter, asking why it has not supported the demand for restoration of the grant.

Under Article 275 of the Constitution, grants-in-aid are provided to states from the Consolidated Fund of India, with allocations recommended by the Finance Commission.

Sources indicated that the Congress intends to link the RDG issue with apprehensions among apple growers in hill states over possible trade concessions that could impact domestic producers. The party plans to raise both matters forcefully in Parliament.

At the organisational level, the Congress is stepping up outreach through Kisan sammelans, with events already held in Bhopal and more scheduled in Yavatmal on March 7 and Ganganagar, besides a proposed mobilisation in the state.

Acting on the directions of the Supreme Court, the state government has ordered the completion of the delimitation and reservation of wards for elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions by March 31.

According to a letter issued by the Panchayati Raj Department to all Deputy Commissioners, the notification inviting proposals for delimitation will be issued by February 20.

Objections may be filed within seven days, up to February 27. The final publication of the delimitation will be made within two days, by March 2.

The appeal period will remain open for 10 days, till March 11. Appeals will be heard and disposed of within seven days and the final decision will be published by March 20. The process of reservation of constituencies will be completed by March 31.

The department has also clarified that pending delimitation work arising from the reorganisation of blocks and the formation of new gram panchayats must be completed by March 20.

The Centre has approved Rs 1,463.95 crore for the construction of a six-lane, access-controlled greenfield spur in Punjab, aimed at significantly improving connectivity and reducing traffic congestion across the Chandigarh Tricity region.

The new corridor will link the Ambala–Chandigarh section of National Highway 205A with the Zirakpur Bypass, forming a key component of the proposed Tricity Ring Road project.

The Union Minister said the project was designed to decongest major urban junctions in Mohali, Chandigarh and Panchkula by diverting heavy through-traffic away from city roads.

At present, key stretches of NH-44, NH-205A and NH-152 face frequent bottlenecks due to rising vehicular load and inter-state movement. The new spur is expected to ease pressure on these highways and streamline traffic flow.

Beyond urban relief, the project is also expected to enhance regional connectivity.

The corridor would facilitate faster and smoother travel towards Himachal Pradesh, particularly the Shimla region, reducing travel time for commuters and tourists alike, wrote Gadkari.

He said the improved infrastructure would strengthen economic integration in the region by enabling quicker movement of goods and passengers.

The project is seen as a strategic investment in boosting infrastructure, supporting urban expansion and improving overall transport efficiency in northern India, he added.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, along with his council of ministers, will meet AICC president Mallikaarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in Delhi on Thursday to apprise them of the financial crisis Himachal Pradesh will face due to the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG).

The meeting with the Congress high command is scheduled for 4 pm to deliberate on the financial distress that Himachal Pradesh would face due to the scrapping of the RDGH as recommended by the 16th Finance Commission.

Although, Sukhu has sought an appointment to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi but a confirmation is still awaited. The Chief Minister has repeatedly said he is willing to meet the Prime Minister, under the leadership of BJP leaders, if the opposition agrees to do so in the interest of the state and its people.

Meanwhile, the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha is holding a debate on the issue of RDG under Rule 102, which will conclude today. The assembly will pass a resolution and send it to the centre, seeking continuation of RDG.

It will be interesting to see if the opposition BJP will support the resolution, which is being perceived as a move in the interest of the state. Sukhu and other Congress leaders have urged the BJP to stand united with the state government on the issue.

“You cannot imagine the situation that has arisen due to the recommendation of the RDG. Both the ruling and opposition parties must raise their voice together to protect the interest of the state,” Sukhu said.

He added that with the Union Budget scheduled to be passed on March 17, it is important to raise the issue with the Prime Minister at the earliest.

“If the right of 75 lakh people of Himachal are snatched, the state will suffer for all times to come,” the Chief Minister said.

Sukhu further said, “We inherited pending employee arrears of Rs 10,000 crore and a debt burden of Rs 76,000 crore from the previous BJP regime. Our loan raising limit has also been fixed, making the going tough for us.”

He added that the previous BJP regime received Rs 54,296 crore as RDG and Rs 16,000 crore as GST compensation, while the present Congress regime has received Rs 17,000 crore as RDG over the past three years.

The BJP, however, has accused the state government of financial mismanagement due to guarantees given at the time of assembly elections and making political appointments like advisors, chairmen and vice-chairmen of boards and corporations, burdening the state exchequer.

Senior bureaucrats and officials who do not attend telephone calls by legislators wishing to raise public issues in various departments could come under scrutiny as Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Pathania today said it was a very serious issue that needed to be looked into.

Rakesh Kalia, Congress MLA from Gagret in Una, raised the issue in the Vidhan Sabha today. He said the telephone allowance being given by the government to officers should be stopped as they do not take calls even of MLAs, who are public representatives.

As Kalia echoed his annoyance with such officers in the Assembly, he got support from other MLAs who were seen thumping their tables.

Taking cognisance of the issue raised by Kalia, Speaker Kuldeep Pathania asked him to give the names of such officers in writing to the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat so that action could be taken.

“This is a very serious aspersion on officials and their not taking telephone calls from MLAs who are public representatives. I am taking cognisance of this and kindly give it in writing so that I can take action as this is a very serious issue for MLAs,” said Pathania.

Kalia said that if this “indifferent” attitude of the officers continued, he would bring 200 people and hold a dharna against such officials here in the state capital.

“Kindly pull up these officials who refuse to take calls even by MLAs, who wish to raise public issues — which is their duty towards their constituents,” he said, while urging the Chief Minister to take stern action against such officers.

Notably, in the past, even ministers have expressed resentment over the “unresponsive” attitude of senior bureaucrats.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday asserted that despite severe financial stress, his government would neither roll back the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) nor privatise the Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board (HPSEB).

He was replying to the Opposition during a debate in the Vidhan Sabha on a resolution moved under Rule 102 to discuss the fallout of the 16th Finance Commission’s recommendation to discontinue the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) to the state.

Terming the situation “extraordinary,” Sukhu said his government inherited a debt burden of Rs 76,000 crore from the previous BJP regime.

He pointed out that Himachal had received only Rs 17,000 crore as RDG over the past three years, which, he argued, was inadequate given the state’s fiscal commitments. “Despite these constraints, we have ensured that development has not suffered,” he maintained.

Reaffirming his government’s commitment to pre-poll promises, Sukhu said seven guarantees had already been fulfilled. He added that steps had been taken to curb corruption and improve financial management.

The Chief Minister cited resource mobilisation efforts, including securing nearly Rs 400 crore after winning a legal battle in the Supreme Court related to the Wildflower Hall property and obtaining an additional Rs 200 crore in free royalty from hydropower projects.

On the contentious RDG issue, Sukhu struck a conciliatory tone, saying he and his Cabinet were prepared to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi even under the leadership of BJP legislators, provided the Opposition was willing to jointly raise the matter.

“The recommendation to discontinue RDG has created an alarming situation. This is not a political issue alone; it concerns the future of Himachal,” he said.

With the Union Budget scheduled to be passed on March 17, the Chief Minister urged BJP MLAs to immediately take up the matter with the Prime Minister. “If the rights of 75 lakh people of Himachal are compromised, the consequences will be long-term and irreversible,” he cautioned.
Earlier, moving the resolution, Industries and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan accused the BJP of failing to defend the state’s interests.

He said the previous government had left behind employee arrears of Rs 10,000 crore in addition to the Rs 76,000 crore debt. While the BJP regime received Rs 54,296 crore as RDG and Rs 16,000 crore as GST compensation, Chauhan alleged that little effort was made to reduce liabilities.

He further said a presentation by the Finance Secretary outlining the state’s fiscal position was not attended by Opposition members. Highlighting a budgetary gap of Rs 6,000 crore, Chauhan noted that the government was struggling to meet committed expenditures under existing loan limits.

The three-day Budget Session of the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha began on Monday with Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla delivering his address, but notably skipping significant portions of the speech related to the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) by the 16th Finance Commission.

“Since paragraphs three to sixteen of my speech pertain to a constitutional body, I would not like to read them,” said Shukla. He wrapped up his 50-page speech in under three minutes, reading only the first two paragraphs that outlined the session’s agenda — passing supplementary demands for 2025-26, the budget for 2026-27, and other legislative business.

Shukla’s decision effectively avoided reading the sections prepared by the state government highlighting concerns over the RDG’s discontinuation, a contentious issue that has dominated the state’s political discourse.

The speech had noted that Article 275(1) of the Constitution provides grants to states unable to bridge the gap between revenue and expenditure. Historically, from the first Finance Commission in 1952 through the 15th FC (2020-25), Himachal Pradesh had consistently received RDG.

Paragraphs 15 and 16, which were skipped, emphasised that the 16th Finance Commission’s decision to discontinue RDG would significantly affect small and hill states, particularly Special Category States like Himachal.

The speech had stressed that for hilly and border states, where revenue generation is limited due to geography and natural resources, the RDG plays a critical role in funding development projects, social welfare schemes, and disaster management programmes.

By avoiding these sections, the Governor sidestepped a politically sensitive topic while focusing only on achievements of the state government and routine legislative business, maintaining the session’s procedural decorum without addressing the financial concerns of the state.

The omission is expected to set the tone for debates in the assembly over the state’s budgetary and development priorities in light of the discontinuation of central assistance.

The higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh are set to witness a fresh spell of snowfall on February 17 and 18, as a result of a fresh Western Disturbance, which is very likely to affect the northwest part of the country from February 16.

As per the state’s Meteorological Department, light rainfall is very likely to occur in isolated places of Kullu, Kangra, Kinnaur, Chamba and, Lahaul and Spiti districts on February 17 and 18, while the weather will remain dry across the state. However, the minimum and maximum temperatures during the next few days will remain normal and there will be no large changes.

Meanwhile, the weather was mostly dry in the state during the past 24 hours. The minimum temperatures were mostly normal in many parts of the state and 2°C to 3°C above normal in a few parts of the state, ranging between minus 8°C and 12°C. However, the maximum temperatures in most parts of the state were 3°C to 7°C above normal and ranged between 3°C and 27°C.

Shimla recorded a minimum temperature of 7.5°C Dharamsala (6°C), Manali (2.9°C), Kangra (6.7°C), Mandi (6.8°C), Solan (4.4°C), Bilaspur (8°C), Kalpa (- 0.2°C), Sundernagar (6°C), Bhuntar (4.5°C), Kasauli (8.7°C), Nahan (9.9°C), Paonta Sahib (9°C) and Tabo (- 6.6°C).

At minus 7.6°C, Kukumseri village in Lahaul and Spiti was the coldest place in the state while Una was the hottest at 27.8°C.

Three men lost their lives and one sustained critical injuries when a pick-up jeep they were travelling in allegedly plunged into a 100-metre gorge here, police said on Sunday.

The jeep was en route to Lambathach from Silibagi when it crashed near Badamod in the Seraj Assembly constituency of Mandi district at around 4 am.

According to police, the deceased were identified as Hardik Thakur, Ishan Thakur and Sunil Kumar, all residents of Mandi. Khushal Singh, who sustained serious injuries, was rushed to a local hospital.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the BNS, and a post-mortem is being conducted, the police added.

Shimla police have arrested a drug supplier near the India-Nepal border who was allegedly responsible for supplying heroin across various parts of the district.

The accused has been identified as Vijender Singh, 35, a resident of Sundha Bhonda village in Chirgaon, Shimla.

He was allegedly operating as a key distributor of heroin (chitta) in the Rohru and Chirgaon regions. Police said he procured the contraband from Punjab and ran a well-organised drug supply network.

Addressing a press conference, Shimla ASP Abhishek said, “On February 2, 2026, district police arrested two Punjab residents, Jashandeep Singh and Dharampreet Singh, from Mehandli in Rohru with 83 grams of heroin.

An investigation was initiated, during which police analysed their bank account details and digital evidence to trace the supply chain.”

Following the probe, three more alleged peddlers namely Ashish Chauhan (24), Naveen Shitta (31) and Diwan Chand (39), all residents of the Chirgaon region were arrested.

During further investigation, police said it was revealed that Jashandeep had been supplying heroin in several areas of Shimla district, including Rohru and Chirgaon, where Vijender was working as a major distributor.

According to police, Vijender would purchase heroin from Jashandeep and sell it through multiple conduits.

“Vijender is a habitual offender. Three cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, were registered against him in 2018, 2019 and 2022,” the ASP added.

To evade arrest, Vijender had allegedly fled to Nepal. A manhunt was launched on February 13. Within 48 hours, a team from Police Station Rohru, with assistance from Uttarakhand and Nepal police, arrested him from Banbasa in Uttarakhand, near the India-Nepal border.

Abhishek said that six persons involved in the network have been arrested so far and further investigation is under way. He added that this year, district police have arrested 94 accused in 48 cases registered under the NDPS Act, 1985.

Thousands of tourists from across the country are arriving in Shimla to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Tourists from Chandigarh, New Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh have reached in large numbers to celebrate this special day.

To make Valentine’s week special, several high-end cafes and restaurants have also made special arrangements of high tea, special cakes and chocolates so that the love birds can celebrate the day.

Besides, local artists have also organised a Valentine’s Special Art Exhibition at the historic Gaiety Theatre, which has emerged as a major attraction especially among the youth. The exhibition features paintings, traditional art works, miniatures, handicrafts and handloom products, crafted by talented local artists and artisans.

Puneet, a local artist, said, “This exhibition not only promotes the local talent but also encourages people to choose handmade, culturally-rooted gifts made with love. “The exhibition has been specially curated for the Valentine season to provide the visitors with high-quality, meaningful gifting options, all lovingly handcrafted by local artisans,” he added.

He said, “In this exhibition, products from small heartfelt gifts to exclusive artistic masterpieces priced between Rs 50 and Rs 30,000 are being sold.”

The Supreme Court on Friday extended the deadline for the completion of local body elections in Himachal Pradesh from April 30 to May 31.

Acting on a petition filed by the state government, a Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant extended by a month the deadline fixed by the Himachal Pradesh High Court for holding the local body polls in the state.

The Bench — which also included Justice Joymalya Bagchi — extended from February 28 to March 31 the deadline for completing reconstruction work, delimitation and reservation fixed by the high court.
“No further application for extension of time shall be entertained,” it said.

The Bench, however, said, “The direction issued by the high court that elections to municipal corporations/panchayats/urban local bodies are required to be held after expiry of the term of elected bodies are over is a correct expression of law and does not warrant any interference by this court.”

The top court also agreed with the high court’s view that the delimitation exercise could not be used to indefinitely delay local body elections in Himachal Pradesh.

On January 9, the High Court had rejected the state government’s request to defer elections to panchayati raj bodies by six months and directed it to hold the polls before April 30.

The Himachal Pradesh Government has moved the Supreme Court against the High Court’s decision to hold elections to panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) before April 30.

The elections to PRIs and over 70 ULBs were due before March 31, but the matter ended up in High Court after a PIL was filed by some individuals.

The High Court ordered to conduct the elections before April 30, which has now been challenged by the state government.

The historic Pathankot–Joginder Nagar narrow gauge railway line, one of the oldest railway tracks in India, awaits the attention of the authorities concerned as demand grows for its modernisation and conversion into broad gauge to meet the present-day transport needs.

Commissioned in 1926 during the British rule, the railway line was constructed primarily to facilitate the transportation of heavy machinery imported from London for the Shanan Hydel Power Project at Joginder Nagar.

At a time when road connectivity in the region was extremely limited, the narrow gauge railway played a crucial role in supporting one of the earliest large-scale hydroelectric projects in northern India.

Stretching across the scenic Kangra valley, the rail line later emerged as a key mode of transport for local residents, connecting remote hill areas with the plains.

For decades, it served passengers, farmers, traders and students, offering an affordable and reliable link between Pathankot, Kangra, Palampur, Baijnath and Joginder Nagar.

Railway historians describe the track as a notable example of early 20th-century hill railway engineering. The route includes multiple tunnels, bridges and sharp curves designed to navigate challenging mountainous terrain.

Owing to its age and historic relevance, it is also regarded as an important part of India’s railway heritage.

However, nearly a century after it was commissioned, the narrow gauge line faces operational limitations. Low speeds, restricted carrying capacity, aging infrastructure and frequent maintenance issues have reduced its efficiency.

Over the years, passenger footfall has declined as road transport has expanded, though the rail line remains in use.

Local residents and stakeholders have repeatedly highlighted the need for upgrading the track to broad gauge, stating that improved rail connectivity could enhance passenger movement, tourism and freight transport in the region.

They also pointed out that modern rail infrastructure would provide a safer and more sustainable alternative to road travel in the hilly terrain of Himachal Pradesh.

Despite its historical importance and continued relevance, no major upgrade plan has been announced so far. The future of the Pathankot–Joginder Nagar railway line remains uncertain, even as it approaches its centenary year, prompting renewed calls for a comprehensive assessment of its potential and preservation.

Earlier, seven trains were running on this track up and down. However, for the past three years, after collapse of the Chakki bridge, there are no regular train services on this track making the matter worse and resulting in an inconvenience to the public. At present, train services are operating only between Kangra and Joginder Nagar.

When contacted by The Tribune, Kangra MP Rajiv Bhardwaj said he was well versed with the situation. He said, “The survey for expansion of this rail track into broad gauge has already been completed.

Besides, a new railway bridge on the Chakki river will be opened for the traffic soon after completion of the technical formalities. And as usual, seven trains will run on this track up and own before March this year.”