An Army personnel was shot dead after allegedly being fired upon while trying to stop celebratory gunfire at a wedding in Malmohri village of Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, police said on Friday.

The deceased has been identified as Gursewak Singh, 28, a resident of Khadoor Sahib. According to police, Singh had gone to Malmohri on Thursday night to attend the wedding celebrations of a fellow soldier.

During the event, music was being played by a DJ and some youths were allegedly firing shots indiscriminately while dancing. Singh reportedly objected to the celebratory firing and asked them to stop. Instead of complying, the youths allegedly opened fire at him, leaving him critically injured.

Singh was rushed to a private hospital in Tarn Taran, where he later succumbed to his injuries on Friday.

The Sadar police station has initiated legal proceedings in the matter. SHO Gurcharan Singh said statements of the injured party and witnesses are being recorded, and further investigation is under way.

The investigation into the plane crash near Baramati in Maharashtra, which claimed the lives of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on Wednesday, is under way, with authorities examining multiple theories behind the accident.

The black box of the ill-fated aircraft has been recovered, and a three-member team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has begun probing the sequence of events that led to the crash.

The aircraft involved was a VT-SSK Learjet 45 business jet.

Fresh CCTV footage that emerged on Thursday has drawn significant attention, as it appears to show the aircraft’s left wing dropping suddenly moments before the impact. The footage shows the jet banking sharply to one side mid-air before crashing into the ground, raising questions about a possible loss of control during the final approach.

According to experts cited by Hindustan Times, the video points to three possible theories: an asymmetric aerodynamic stall, an engine failure, or a steep banking manoeuvre following a late visual sighting of the runway.

An aerodynamic stall occurs when an aircraft loses lift due to insufficient airspeed or an excessive angle of attack. In an asymmetric stall, one wing loses lift before the other, resulting in a sudden roll. The Learjet 45 has its engines mounted on the tail, a configuration that has been linked to similar accidents in the past. The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recorded multiple fatal incidents involving tail-engine business jets, including crashes of a Phenom 100 in 2014, a Learjet 35A in 2017, and a Challenger 605 in 2021, all attributed to stalls during low-altitude manoeuvring.

The Baramati crash occurred during the aircraft’s second landing attempt, after a go-around on the first approach. Investigators are assessing whether the pilots allowed the aircraft’s speed to drop too low while visually aligning with the runway. CS Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots, said that the footage suggests a stall.

“Due to low speed, it appears to me that the aircraft crossed the critical angle of attack, thus the drag increased and the lift reduced, causing a wingtip stall,” he said, adding that data from the flight recorder and cockpit voice recorder would confirm whether stall warning systems were activated.

A second theory under consideration is engine failure. According to the US Federal Aviation Administration, loss of power in one engine can create yaw and roll due to asymmetric thrust. However, experts said that this scenario appears less likely, as there was no mayday call in the approximately 60 seconds between landing clearance and the crash.

A third possibility relates to the lack of navigation aids at Baramati airport, which requires pilots to rely entirely on visual approaches.

Aviation safety expert Amit Singh said that sun glare or poor visibility may have delayed the crew’s sighting of the runway, leading to a late and aggressive banking manoeuvre. “It appears the aircraft was not aligned with the runway and the crew realised it too late,” he said.

Authorities have stressed that conclusions will only be drawn after a detailed analysis of the flight data and cockpit recordings. With inputs from PTI

This unique tradition is not a drill error, but a deeply rooted military practice that reflects the regiment’s rich history and heritage

The Sikh Regiment’s double salute during India’s Republic Day parade is a moment of quiet pride, a blend of military protocol and deep-rooted faith. As the soldiers march from Vijay Chowk to Red Fort, their second salute towards Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk is a poignant tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur’s martyrdom, showcasing the regiment’s unwavering commitment to both nation and faith.

As the Sikh Regiment marches from Vijay Chowk to Red Fort, they offer a salute to the President of India and, in a departure from the norm, towards Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk. This double salute is a tribute to Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who was martyred in Delhi. The practice began on January 24, 1979.

The Sikh Regiment’s unique tradition has become an integral part of India’s Republic Day celebrations, reflecting the country’s rich cultural diversity and the values of courage, sacrifice and devotion that define its soldiers.

The 77th Republic Day celebrations showcased India’s military prowess, with missiles, warplanes and newly raised units on display. European leaders, including President Antonio Costa and Ursula von der Leyen, graced the occasion, highlighting India’s growing global influence.

Western Command CoS Lieutenant General Puneet Ahuja conferred AVSM

Awarded Ati Vashisht Seva Medal for distinguished service

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, Updated At : 09:22 AM Jan 26, 2026 IST

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Lt Gen Puneet Ahuja

Lieutenant General Puneet Ahuja, Chief of Staff (CoS) Western Command, has been conferred the Ati Vashisht Seva Medal for distinguished service, on the eve of the Republic Day, 2026.

An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, he was commissioned into the Brigade of The Guards and was served as the Major General General Staff (Operations), Western Command, during Operation Sindoor last year. He assumed the appointment of CoS in October 2025 on promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General.

An officer from Mohali, Major Arshdeep Singh Gill, has been awarded Kirti Chakra for gallantry on the eve of the Republic Day, for his role in operations in the northeast.

Serving with the First Battalion of the Assam Rifles, Maj Gill was leading a special patrol along Indo-Myanmar border in May 2025 to protect workers engaged in the construction of the border fence, when it came under sudden fire from a dominating height.

According to available details, he fearlessly executed a counter-ambush operation and assaulted the enemy position through dense undergrowth. Despite intense enemy fire, he neutralised multiple armed cadres, including one armed with an RPG launcher. He ensured zero casualties to own troops through exceptional leadership, gallantry and resolve.

The Kirti Chakra is the second highest peacetime award for gallantry. This year, there are only two recipients of the award, the other being Naib Subedar Doleshwar Subba of the 2nd Battalion of The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces).

A first-generation officer, he was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in June 2016 after passing out from the IMA. He is an alumnus of Chandigarh University and had earlier represented Punjab in hockey in the National Games from 2006 to 20210, according to family sources.