Rohtak: HC stays PGIMS director extension, kabaddi trials held, highway crash leaves two critical
Rohtak generated news across governance, sports, and public safety on September 27, 2026. The Punjab and Haryana High Court dealt a significant setback to the state government by staying a controversial extension granted to the director of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, a decision linked to a BJP leader's public praise of the official. On the same day, Rohtak hosted Kabaddi Champions League player trials, underscoring the city's standing as a hub of contact sports talent in Haryana. A serious road accident on the Rohtak-Gohana National Highway meanwhile left two men critically injured after a Scorpio SUV struck their motorcycle and dragged it along the carriageway.
🗳️ HC stays Saini government's extension to PGIMS Rohtak director after BJP praise row
The Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the extension of service granted to the director of Pt Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak by the Haryana government under Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, according to ThePrint. The controversy stemmed from the fact that a BJP leader had publicly described the PGIMS director as a 'pillar of support' before the extension was announced, raising questions about whether political considerations had influenced what should be a merit-based administrative appointment in a major public health institution. Critics argued that such public endorsements from ruling party functionaries, combined with the subsequent decision to extend the official's tenure, created an appearance of institutional capture. The High Court's decision to stay the extension pending further hearing signals judicial discomfort with the process. PGIMS Rohtak is one of Haryana's most important government medical teaching hospitals, serving patients from across the state and from neighbouring states as well. Decisions about its leadership carry direct implications for institutional quality, the professional environment of its medical staff, and the standard of care available to thousands of patients who depend on it annually. The court proceedings are expected to scrutinise both the grounds for extension and the procedure followed. [5]
🎓 MDU Rohtak professor appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Sikar University
A faculty member from Maharishi Dayanand University in Rohtak has been appointed as the Vice-Chancellor of a university in Sikar, Rajasthan, according to The Tribune. The appointment marks a moment of external recognition for MDU, which was established in 1976 and serves as one of Haryana's primary state universities, encompassing a broad range of departments in sciences, humanities, law, and management. Vice-Chancellorships represent the highest executive academic appointment at a university, carrying responsibility for institutional strategy, faculty recruitment, research direction, examination administration, and overall academic governance. The selection of an MDU faculty member for this role at a Rajasthan university reflects the calibre of academic talent that the Rohtak institution has cultivated and retained. For Rohtak, a city that hosts multiple universities and professional colleges, such appointments reinforce its identity as a significant academic centre in the north Indian belt. The Tribune's coverage of the appointment for its Haryana audience positions the news as a point of regional pride, highlighting the extent to which Rohtak's educational institutions contribute leadership to the broader national higher education landscape beyond Haryana's borders. [1]
Scorpio SUV drags motorcycle 100 metres on Rohtak-Gohana highway, two critical
Two men who are brothers-in-law were critically injured after a Scorpio SUV struck their motorcycle and dragged it for approximately 100 metres along the Rohtak-Gohana National Highway near Kaith village on Friday, Punjab Newsline reported. The injured were identified as Krishna, 23, a resident of Kaith village, and Mahesh, a resident of Narnaul. According to local villagers, the two men were crossing the highway on a motorcycle when the Scorpio, which was travelling from Shahpur toward Gohana with a family on board, collided with them near Kaith Chowk. The force of the collision was severe enough that the motorcycle became trapped beneath the SUV, which continued forward for about 100 metres before stopping near the road's central divider. Villagers who witnessed the accident immediately rushed to assist and transported the injured to the Women Medical College Hospital in Khanpur. Due to the gravity of their injuries, doctors at that facility referred both men to PGI Rohtak for specialised care. Investigating officer Head Constable Vicky confirmed that the Scorpio had been taken into police custody and that an investigation into the accident had been initiated. The incident occurred as the family appeared to be returning from a newborn celebration. [4]
🎉 Kabaddi Champions League conducts player selection trials in Rohtak
The Kabaddi Champions League held player trials in Rohtak on September 27, 2026, according to The News Mill, which cited ANI inputs. The league was seeking to identify and recruit talent ahead of its competitive season, and Rohtak was chosen as one of the trial venues. The choice reflects Rohtak's established position as a cradle of contact sports talent in Haryana, a state that consistently provides a large share of India's top wrestlers, boxers, and kabaddi players. Kabaddi Champions League is among the professional kabaddi circuits that have grown in the decade following the Pro Kabaddi League's success in mainstreaming the sport for television and urban audiences. Conducting trials in Rohtak gives league organisers access to athletes drawn not only from the city itself but from surrounding Haryana districts, many of which have strong kabaddi traditions at the school and college level. Rohtak's institutional sporting infrastructure, anchored in part by Maharishi Dayanand University's sports department, provides facilities and coaching pathways for aspiring professionals. For young athletes in the region, a place in a professional kabaddi league represents both financial opportunity and national visibility, making trial events of this kind significant local news. [7]
Sources: [5] ThePrint · [1] The Tribune · [4] Punjab Newsline · [7] The News Mill