17122025-JTR-01.qxd 16-12-2025 22:55 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune LPU HOSTS SMART INDIA HACKATHON GRAND FINALE VAJRA CORPS CELEBRATES VIJAY DIWAS BLACK WARRANT SWEEPS TOP HONOURS AT OTT AWARDS The five-day Smart India Hackathon 2025-26 concluded at Lovely Professional University. P2 The Vajra Corps celebrated Vijay Diwas to commemorate the victory of the Armed Forces in the 1971 Indo-Pak War. P3 Jaideep Ahlawat, Ananya Panday, Vikramaditya Motwane & Abhishek Banerjee win big at the event. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 21°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 21°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.27 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 7:20 AM » WEDNESDAY | 17 DECEMBER 2025 | JALANDHAR Ramvir takes charge as Div Commissioner Jalandhar, December 16 IAS officer of the 2009 batch Ramvir Singh on Tuesday took charge as new Divisional Commissioner of Jalandhar. Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal welcomed the new Divisional Commissioner in his office. Upon his arrival, he was presented a Guard of Honour by a contingent of the Punjab Police. Those who attended his joining were DC Hoshiarpur Aashika Jain, Director Information and Public Relations Vimal Setia, Additional Director Information and Public Relations Sandeep Garha and Deputy Commissioner of Police Naresh Dogra. Ramvir Singh has a vast administrative experience having earlier rendered services on key posts as Deputy Commissioner, Patiala, Sangrur and Pathankot, Managing Director, Markfed. He is also serving the state as the Secretary of Punjab Mandi Board and Secretary Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab. The Divisional Commissioner said he would carry forward the welfare programmes and policies of the government. — TNS Balachauria’s murder mirrors Counting of votes today, admn sets up 11 centres Nangal Ambian’s killing in ’22 Kabaddi promoter was shot in Mohali 10 days after wedding Tribune News Service Khas; for Nakodar Block at Guru Nanak National College, Nakodar; for Noormahal Block at Doaba Arya Senior Secondary School, Noormahal; for Phillaur Block at Community Hall, Phillaur; for Rurkan Kalan at Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Sangh Dhesian; and for Shahkot Block at Government Arts College, Shahkot. The counting of votes will begin at 8 am on December 17. Meanwhile, CP Dhanpreet Kaur stated that foolproof security arrangements had been put in place for the safety of ballot papers stored in 11 strong rooms across the district. She added that the strong rooms were under high-level security to ensure a peaceful and secure counting process. People attend the death anniversary of slain kabaddi superstar Sandeep Nangal Ambian at Shahkot in Jalandhar. FILE PHOTO Jalandhar, December 16 Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal and Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur on Tuesday visited various centres set up for the counting of votes for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti seats and reviewed the preparedness. During the inspection, the DC directed officials to strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the State Election Commission. He minutely reviewed all arrangements at the counting centres and issued directions to the Returning Officers concerned to ensure that the procedure is conducted in an orderly and time-bound manner. Aggarwal emphasised that about four years then). Nangal Ambian’s wife Rupinder Kaur, who was settled in the UK, had to return to Jalandhar a number of times seeking justice for her husband. Since there were influential people behind the killing who had hired shooters from Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan, she had to repeatedly make emotional appeals before the police and take to social media to push the case. Rupinder Kaur continues to promote the game of her husband as the president of various leagues. Residents of the village had set up a park in the Police personnel stand guard outside a strong room at Doaba College in Jalandhar. MALKIAT SINGH Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 16 The murder of a young kabaddi promoter Rana Balachauria during a match in Mohali last evening has revived the memories of gunning down of international kabaddi player Sandeep Nangal Ambian at Mallian Khurd village, Nakodar, Jalandhar, in almost the same manner on March 14, 2022. There have been stark similarities the way both murders have taken place. Both of them were kabaddi playerscum-promoters and gunned down in kabaddi tournaments from point-blank range in the evening time. In Balachauria’s case, shooters had walked into the kabaddi match and left without being challenged. Both kabaddi players had faced bullets in head and face. Like Nangal Ambian’s case, Balachauria’s murder too has shook the state and also brought to light the involvement of gangsters in organising kabaddi matches. While Balachauria had tied the knot barely 10 days before his murder, Sandeep’s murder was also tragic as he left behind his wife Rupinder Kaur Sandhu and two sons Jasman and Jagsanjh (aged a proper mechanism had been evolved for the regulated entry and exit of the counting staff, candidates, their authorised representatives and officials. He urged all officers and employees deployed on duty to perform their responsibilities with utmost dedication and sincerity. The DC said a total of 11 centres had been set up for the all 11 blocks. The centre for Adampur Block has been established at School of Eminence, Adampur; for Bhogpur Block at Government Senior Secondary School (Girls), Lohara Chahrke Road, Bhogpur; for Jalandhar East at Doaba College; for Jalandhar West at Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women; for Lohian Khas Block at Government ITI, Lohian player’s name where his full statue in glass enclosure stands in a corner. The family and villagers observe his death anniversary every year and garland his statue. Nangal Ambian had captained both India and the United Kingdom, besides representing various clubs in foreign countries. While Nangal Ambian’s shooters Harjit Singh, alias Harry Maur, and Ravinder Singh were arrested by the Delhi Special Cell in September 2023, Puneet Lakhanpal, alias Sharma, and Narinder Kumar Lalli were arrested by the Counter Intelligence unit of the Punjab Police in an operation in Amritsar. Members of the kabaddi federation were learnt to have been behind the murders and were booked as conspirators. Similarity in both murders In Balachauria’s case, shooters had walked into the kabaddi match and had left without being challenged. Both kabaddi players had faced bullets in head and face. Like Nangal Ambian’s case, Balachauria’s murder too has shook the state and also brought to light the involvement of gangsters in organising kabaddi matches. Repoll at Naugaja block sees 60% turnout No one turn up to vote at Noormahal The village has 360 voters Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 16 Owing to a printing error on the ballot paper for the Zila Parishad election in Naugaja block of Bhogpur, a repoll was conducted on Tuesday. The original polling, scheduled for December 14, was halted after it was discovered that the name of the Congress candidate was incorrectly printed as belonging to Jandu Singha ZP instead of Naugaja ZP . About 200 votes had been cast when the error came to light, prompting officials to stop the polling immediately and proceed only with the Block Samiti election on Sunday. The repoll was held at Polling Booth No. 72, Zone 4, set up at Government Elementary School, Nurpur, in the Kartarpur Assembly seg- Our Correspondent A woman gets herself registered before casting vote in Naugaja zone of Adampur. PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH ment. Vipan Kumar, Naib Tehsildar, Kartarpur, served as Assistant Returning Officer. He said 797 voters were listed at the booth, and polling ran smoothly from 8 am to 4 pm, recording nearly 60% turnout. Counting will take place tomorrow as per schedule. PHAGWARA, DECEMBER 16 A rare and troubling situation unfolded during the Block Samiti and Zila Parishad elections in Noormahal where not a single vote was cast at a designated rural polling booth. The incident was reported from Booth No. 26 at a government school in Diyara Gram Panchayat, which serves a village with approximately 360 voters. Despite the polling station being fully prepared and staffed throughout the day, no voter turned up to exercise their franchise. Election officials present at the booth confirmed that the voting process remained inac- Day after bomb threats, schools back to normal Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 16 A day after bomb threats were reported at several schools in Jalandhar, educational institutions resumed normal operations today amid heightened security measures. Though schools remained open after receiving clearance from the administration, some parents chose not to send their children due to lingering safety concerns, while many others sent their wards to school. The school authorities across the city ensured strict security protocols, including enhanced surveillance and restricted entry. Similar bomb threat alerts were also reported from schools in Amritsar last week, prompting administrations there to adopt precautionary meas- ures as well. Despite apprehensions among parents, school managements emphasised that there was no cause for panic. Dr Ruchi Singh Gaur, a parent of an LKG student at a private school, said she sent her child to school but noted that some parents remained fearful and kept their children at home. Principal of Apeejay School, Mahavir Marg, Yashpal Sharma, stated that the school was functioning normally after assurances from the district administration. “Parents are naturally sensitive in such situations. Some may prefer to send their wards after a day,” he said, adding that proper measures were being taken. Rachna Monga, Principal of Sanskriti KMV School, detailed the additional safety A bomb disposal team during a search operation at a school in Jalandhar on Monday after schools got bomb threat. measures put in place. “The safety of our children is our top priority. Entry is strictly regulated, no unauthorised person is allowed on the campus and the number of security personnel has been increased,” she said. School buses were also given proper instructions and access to the school is now per- c m y b mitted only with valid identity cards and photographs. “The school had already informed parents that classes would continue as usual,” she said. Although attendance was marginally lower, the principal clarified that it was not necessarily linked to the incident that happened yesterday. The Director-Principal of IVY World School S Chauhan said parents appreciated the proactive steps taken by the school management. “We are grateful for the trust shown by parents and for the support of the Jalandhar administration,” she said. Deputy Commissioner of Police Naresh Kumar had also conducted security checks at Apeejay School and reassured parents and staff that there was no need to panic, confirming that the situation was under control. Polling staff wait for voters in Noormahal’s Diyara Panchayat. tive from the opening hour until the scheduled close of polling, compelling the polling party to return in the evening without recording even a single vote. Naib Tehsildar Mandeep Singh, who was supervising the polling process, told The Tribune that zero ballot was cast during the polling period. Officials observed that the residents of the village, locally referred to as “Divya Gram,” are followers of Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan, Noormahal. It is being presumed that dera followers collectively chose not to participate in the elections, although no statement, explaining the decision, has been issued by villagers or the religious organisation. The unprecedented zerovote turnout has sparked intense political debate and public discussion. While some political groups are describing the incident as a silent protest or an organised boycott, others view it as a reflection of deep-rooted dissatisfaction with governance and the prevailing political system. Local grievances and a sense of disillusionment with electoral politics are reportedly being cited by residents as underlying reasons, though no unified or official explanation has yet emerged. As the government continues to emphasise its commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and public participation, the zero-vote polling booth has emerged as a stark symbol of growing political alienation in rural areas. 14 new sports courts to be set up under ‘Fit Central Jalandhar’ Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 16 In a boost to sports and fitness infrastructure under the ‘ Fit Central Jalandhar’ initiative, Aam Aadmi Party’s Jalandhar central halqa incharge Nitin Kohli on Tuesday announced the construction of 14 new sports courts in the constituency. He said the move is aimed at transforming Jalandhar Central into a hub of health, sports and an active lifestyle through sustained and concrete efforts. Addressing residents, Kohli said the construction of the new sports courts is progressing steadily and all 14 courts are expected to be completed and ready for use by the end of January 2026. He added that these courts will provide improved facilities for sports such as badminton, volleyball and basketball, benefiting children, the youth and senior citizens alike. Kohli further said once all courts are completed, an inter-ward sports league will be organised under the ‘Fit Central’ initiative. The league will be held in March, after the completion of school examinations, to ensure the maximum participation by children and young athletes. He said the inter-ward league will help identify and promote local sporting talent while strengthening sports culture at the ward level. Explaining the concept of Fit Central Jalandhar, Kohli said it is a people-centric fit- ness and sports promotion campaign aimed at encouraging citizens to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Under the initiative, modern sports courts, open gyms, walking tracks and safe and accessible spaces for sports activities are being developed in parks, enabling residents to play and exercise within their neighbourhoods. He said the core objective of Fit Central is to turn sports into a mass movement and keep youth away from social evils like drug abuse. At present, work is underway in six parks, of which construction has been completed in two parks, while work in the remaining four parks is progressing at a fast pace.