20012026-JTR-01.qxd 1/19/2026 10:34 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SPORTS VARSITY, LPU QUALIFY FOR ALL-INDIA BASKETBALL TOURNEY PUNJAB’S VOICE SALONI ECHOES ACROSS NATIONAL YOUTH FEST The North-Zone Inter-University Basketball Championship enters Day 4 at Govt Arts and Sports College. P2 Sant Baba Bhag Singh varsity student represents state at Viksit Bharat event. P3 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 14°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 14°C | MIN 7°C ‘BEING PART OF BORDER 2 FEELS LIKE LIVING A DREAM’ SUNSET TUESDAY 5.51 PM Vansh Bhardwaj speaks with immense gratitude about becoming part of a legacy he admired as a child. P4 SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:25 AM » TUESDAY | 20 JANUARY 2026 | JALANDHAR Death at Vanita ashram: Autopsy reveals 21 injuries on girl’s body Wounds, abrasions found | With inquiry still pending, no FIR till date Jalandhar, January 19 The post-mortem report of a 17-year-old girl, who was mysteriously found dead at the Children’s Home of Gandhi Vanita Ashram in Jalandhar on November 21, 2025, reveals 21 injuries on her body, including lacerated wounds and bruises. The minor girl from Ferozepur had arrived at the Children’s Home of the Gandhi Vanita Ashram in Jalandhar on November 19 and two days later, on the night of November 21, she was reportedly found collapsed at the home’s bathroom floor. An inquiry had been ordered into the girl’s death by the Jalandhar DC Dr Himanshu Aggarwal on November 23, after Director, Social Security and Women and Child Development, Punjab, sought a probe into the death. An inquiry had been marked to the SDM, Jaland- har, which remains pending. While no initial cause of death had been stated, a letter from the Superintendent, Children Home, to the Director Social Security, had said the girl had gone to bathroom on the night and didn’t come out for a long time. She was found collapsed in the bathroom. The post-mortem report of the girl (a copy of which is with The Tribune) reveals 21 injuries, including five lacerated wounds (between 0.5 and 2 centimetres), 11 abrasions (between 0.6 and 7 cm) and mutiple bruises (between 7 and 20 cm) on her body. The report of the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar, dated November 22 details abrasions, to the left eye, left toe, left leg, right thigh, over upper left forearm, parallel abrasions in right forearm, upper left back, right mid back, over left shoulder, left side of the abdomen, of the girl. The report also reveals lacerated wounds (two on the joints of the little finger of left Quality of mid-day meal inspected Central funds for villages being misused by state govt to pay power bills: Congress Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 19 Vijay Dutt, member of the Punjab State Food Commission, conducted a surprise inspection of government schools and Anganwadi centres in village Nangal Majha under Block Phagwara-2 of Kapurthala district on Monday. The inspection was carried out to assess the ground-level implementation of nutrition and food security schemes being run under the National Food Security Act. During the visit, Dutt reviewed the quality of the mid-day meal, cleanliness of kitchens, storage of food supplies, and overall sanitation arrangements. He emphasised the need for regular health check-ups of mid-day meal workers and issued directions to the departments concerned. He also interacted with children regarding the quality of food and shared a meal with them. Dutt said the quality of drinking water in all schools be tested regularly to ensure the availability of safe and clean potable water for children. He further instructed that the Punjab State Food Commission’s complaint/helpline number 9876764545 be prominently displayed at all schools and Anganwadi centres so that beneficiaries can easily lodge complaints. After the inspection, Dutt stated that any negligence related to children’s health, nutrition, and food security would not be tolerated. Strict action will be taken against officials found guilty of lapses. Jalandhar, January 19 Congress halqa in-charge, Nakodar, Dr Navjot Singh Dahiya, on Monday launched a scathing attack on the Aam Aadmi Party-led government, accusing it of committing a serious financial and administrative fraud. He stated that crores of rupees of the Centre were being illegally transferred to a so-called “Reverse Pooling Account” and then utilised it to clear Electricity Department bills, instead of being spent on development works like paving of roads, sanitation, drinking water, streetlighting and raising other essential rural infrastructure. Dahiya pointed out that Gram Panchayat Basli (Jalandhar) is only one example and several other panchayats have faced the similar diversion of funds under the 15th Finance Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your health-related queries. Please mail your questions (not exceeding 40 words) at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your healthrelated concerns. WHAT HAD HAPPENED IN THE ASHRAM The minor girl from Ferozepur had arrived at the Children’s Home of the Gandhi Vanita Ashram in Jalandhar on November 19 and two days later, on the night of November 21, she was allegedly found collapsed at the home’s bathroom floor. and right hands and one on index finger of right hand; left forearm, on left foot) and bruises over her upper right thigh, right abdomen, left flank, hip, right abdomen to right flank, lower right flank, abrasion over the right flank. The report mentions that the cause of death of the girl “will be disclosed after reports from chemical examination in Kharar and histopathological report from Government Medical College, Amritsar.” While the police maintain that no complaint had been made by the girl’s guardians after her death, hence no FIR had been registered, the report mentions proceedings under Section 194 of the BNSS (unnatural deaths, such as suicide, homicide, accident, or suspicious circumstances) being undertaken by the Division number 2 police in Jalandhar, in the case. SHO of the Division number 2 police station, Jalandhar, Jaswinder Singh said, “We had been intimated by the ashram authorities regarding the death but till date no complaint has been made by the girl’s guardians. An inquiry is on but the report regarding the cause of the death is yet to arrive.” SDM Shayari Malhotra, who has been tasked by the DC to conduct the inquiry into the death of the girl, speaking to The Tribune said, “The inquiry is currently pending and the formal report will be submitted after the viscera report of the girl arrives from Kharar.” The injured child gets treatment in a hospital in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH Boy suffers severe throat injury after slit by Chinese kite string Undergoes surgery | Doc says condition critical, but stable Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 19 A nine-year-old boy suffered a severe throat injury after his neck got partly slit by a Chinese kite string while he was riding a bicycle in the gated colony around his home in Eco Homes, 66-feet road, on Sunday evening. The boy Rudraveer was rushed to the emergency of a private hospital where the doctors performed a surgery on him. Shedding his tears inconsolably in the ICU of the hospital, the boy says that he was still getting nightmares of the horrendous time that he went through. His father Gursimran Sandhu owns a restaurant in the city. “I was at my restaurant last evening when I got a call from a neighbour to immediately rush to Global Hospital as Rudraveer had suffered an accident. Our neighbour Satnam Singh, who was going in his car somewhere had seen the unfateful incident. He managed to rush Rudraveer to the emergency of the hospital in 10 minutes. By the time I also reached the hospital, my son’s treatment had already started. He had bled profusely because of the cuts in the throat.” Sandhu said, “The doctors told me that had the slit got even minutely deeper, the trachea could have suffered a damage. Blood could have entered his wind pipe which could have led to a bigger dam- FATHER THANKS GOD FOR SAVING KID the slit got ❝Doctors told me that had could haveeven a minutely deeper, the trachea suffered damage. Blood could have entered his wind pipe which could have led to a bigger damage. Thankfully, the Almighty was on our side and our boy is feeling better, even though he is under observation. Gursimran Sandhu, FATHER ❞ age. Thankfully, the Almighty was on our side and our boy is feeling better, even though he is under observation”. Rudraveer has a two-yearold sibling, who too needs care at home. Sandhu said, “I and my son are very fond of cycling. We often pedal together inside our colony. Since Sunday evenings are busy for restaurant business, I did not accompany him to cycling yesterday. While we usually make him wear a high neck pullover or a jacket to keep warm in cold weather, it was not that cold yesterday. So he was not wearing a high collar stuff and the string had a more impact”. Sandhu says that he has already given an application to the police for lodging of an attempt to murder case against the accused yesterday. “There are 80-90 houses in our colony and CCTVs are installed everywhere. The residents of our colony have been using all means to look for the accused, who was using a Chinese kite string that could have taken my son’s life. I urge every parent not to allow their children to use these kite strings. Today it was my child who has barely escaped, tomorrow it can be someone else and repercussions can be more serious too. Kites should be flown with a breakable string, only for fun and for festive spirit. These should not be taking toll on others and the administration and the police have to act harsh against the parents allowing their children to buy Chinese strings”, he vent out his anguish. Dr Rajeev Sood, surgeon, Global Hospital, said, “The slit caused by the string was very deep and his veins had got snipped. He was bleeding profusely and he had gone in a shock. The rings of his trachea also had got impacted. We have repaired all his tissues in a 1.5 hour surgery. His condition is critical but stable. He will remain under observation for another 24 hours after which we may allow him intake of fluids orally.” Fire destroys cars, plastic Hit by vehicle, sambar killed in Kapurthala accident material at warehouse Foetus found in sugarcane field Nakodar Halqa in-charge Dr Navjot Singh Dahiya and Congress leaders hold a protest at Nakodar. Commission grants, in violation of established financial norms and Central Government guidelines. “What is even more shocking is that the Congress government, under Chief Minis- ter Charanjit Singh Channi, had already waived the power bills related to water supply — yet these charges are now being re-imposed,” he said. Dahiya further said in protest against this injustice, a massive demonstration was held on Monday at Nakodar outside the BDPO office. He said this agitation is only the beginning and the struggle will continue until the funds are restored to the village. Our Correspondent Our Correspondent Phagwara, January 19 A major fire broke out at a shutter (metal gate) warehouse located near Bhullarai Chowk on the Phagwara–Hoshiarpur Road on Sunday night, resulting in extensive damage and financial losses estimated around ?7 lakh. The incident triggered panic in the area, while thick plumes of smoke were visible from a distance. According to initial reports, the fire spread rapidly through the warehouse due to the presence of highly inflammable material, including plastic items and stored shutters. The fire brigade rushed to the spot with more than half a dozen fire tenders. Firefighters worked relentlessly for several hours before final- ly bringing the blaze under control, preventing it from spreading to nearby shops and residential structures. Shop owner Balwinder Kumar stated that a function was being held in the neighborhood at the time of the incident. He alleged that firecrackers being burst during the event led to a spark landing inside the warehouse, which triggered the fire. Within min- utes, the flames engulfed the stored material, including three cars, plastic stock, and other valuable goods. Despite the timely response by the fire department, the intensity of the fire caused substantial damage before it could be extinguished. Fire officials confirmed that no casualties were reported, though the loss to the property was significant. c m y b Phagwara, January 19 A sambar was killed after being hit by a vehicle near the forest area on Kanjli Road in Kapurthala early this morning. The incident occurred close to the jungle stretch, where the injured animal was later found dead on the roadside in a blood-soaked condition. Local residents, upon noticing the carcass, immediately moved it to the side of the road to prevent further traffic disruption and informed the Forest Department. Acting promptly on the information, a team from the Forest and Wildlife Department reached the spot and shifted the body of the sambar towards the forest area. Wildlife Department in-charge Bobinder Singh stated that the sambar likely strayed out of the forest and came onto the roadside, where it was struck by a vehicle, leading to its death. He added that procedures are being carried out as per wildlife regulations and the animal has been taken to an appropriate location for further action. The accident took place close to the jungle stretch where the injured animal was found dead on Kanjli Road in Kapurthala early Monday morning in a blood-soaked condition. Bobinder Singh also said safety points and signboards indicating speed limits have already been installed near forest-adjacent areas to caution motorists. To prevent such incidents in the future, departmental staff have been issued instructions and the Forest Department is taking required action under wildlife protection norms. Hoshiarpur, January 19 Panic gripped the area after a foetus was found in a sugarcane field near village Randhawa Barota in Sham Chaurasi on Monday. According to information, the genitals were removed. According to information, labourers were harvesting sugarcane in the field of lambardar Bachittar Singh when they noticed a foetus lying in the field. The farm workers immediately informed the landowner, who contacted the village sarpanch. Sarpanch Atma Singh of Randhawa Barota said the matter was promptly reported to the Sham Chaurasi police. The police sent it for postmortem examination. CCTV cameras installed in the surrounding areas are being scanned and records from hospitals are also being checked to trace those involved. — OC