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P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 22°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 22°C | MIN 9°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.10 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:12 AM » TUESDAY | 10 FEBRUARY 2026 | JALANDHAR 30 arrested in district-wide raids under Operation Prahar 2.0 3 illegal pistols, 14 cartridges, one bike, 115 intoxicating tablets recovered Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 9 Thirty criminals were arrested by the Jalandhar rural police during district-wide drives under the Operation Prahar 2.0, during which 36 persons were interrogated and verified and two FIRs were registered. Preventive detentions were also carried out against 12 wanted criminals. In compliance with the directions of the Punjab Government and the DGP the , Jalandhar Rural Police carried out a special drive against gangsters, their associates, shelter providers, and other criminal elements, with the launch of “Operation Prahar 2.0” today. The operation was executed under the leadership G. Nageshwar Rao, Additional Director General of Police (Provisioning), and Harvinder Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jalandhar Rural. Large-scale and coordinated action was taken across the district with raids, surprise checks and intensive surveillance carried out at all sub-division and police station levels through the deployment of multiple police teams. The SSP Jalandhar Rural, , Harvinder Singh Virk said a CASO (Cordon and Search Operation) was conducted across Jalandhar Rural district. During the operation, 131 raids were carried out by cordoning off identified suspicious locations, 26 wanted criminals and 4 proclaimed offenders were arrested. The police also recovered three illegal pistols, 14 cartridges, one DIG, Jalandhar Range, Naveen Singla and SSP Gaurav Toora lead a march past in Kapurthala. 15 nabbed, 45 rounded up in 3-hr Kapurthala drive Our Correspondent Special DGP Gurpreet Kaur Deo and Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur at Cantt Railway Station; and (below) police conduct a check under Operation Prahar 2.0 in Jalandhar on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: MALKIAT SINGH motorcycle and 115 tablets. The SSP further stated that two associates from the previously identified list were detained and verified and six preventive steps were taken during the course of the operation. During the operation, 30 wanted criminals and proclaimed offenders were arrested, 35 persons were interrogated/verified and 66 persons were proceeded against (arrested and questioned). Alongside the CASO, night domination operations also continued across the district. The police patrolling during night hours was intensified and special nakas and blockades established at strategic points. Vehicles and individuals were subjected to checks to ensure public safety and effective crime prevention. The SSP also said 112 Emergency Response Vehicles (ERVs) have been deployed across Jalandhar Rural district for 24x7 patrolling and emergency response. Citizens facing any emergency are advised to dial 112, where immediate police assistance will be ensured. Phagwara, February 9 Acting on the directions of the government, the Kapurthala and Phagwara police have launched a statewide 72-hour special drive titled ‘Prahar-2’ to tighten the noose around wanted criminals, gangsters and absconding accused. The intensive operation aims to strengthen law and order and curb criminal and drug-related activities across the state. In Kapurthala district, the police carried out extensive search and raid operations at identified sensitive locations and crime-prone areas. As part of the coordinated action, 45 suspects were rounded up for questioning, while 15 accused were arrested, including several apprehensions made in the Phagwara area. The operation focused particularly on drug hotspots such as Mohalla Mehtabgarh and other vulnerable localities. SSP Gaurav Toora said the action was conducted under a focused search strategy, resulting in the recovery of stolen motorcycles, narcotic substances and other prohib- ited materials. He added that the arrested accused are being interrogated and further disclosures are expected during the course of investigation. Following the successful operation in Phagwara, SP Madhvi Sharma led a flag march with police personnel to instill a sense of security among residents and send a strong message to anti-social elements. The flag march passed through key areas of the city, reinforcing police presence and public confidence. As many as 22 suspects were rounded up while 15 were arrested in Phagwara search operation. Emphasising a zero-tolerance policy against crime, SSP Toora stated that no criminal involved in illegal activities would be spared. He noted that the earlier ‘Operation Prahar-1’ had yielded significant results, leading to multiple arrests and improved control over criminal elements, and that ‘Prahar-2’ would further strengthen these efforts. DIG reviews Prahar 2.0 DIG, Jalandhar Range, Naveen Singhla, accompanied by Kapurthala SSP Gau- rav Toora, after conducting surprise midnight visit to Phagwara late Sunday night to review law and order preparedness under Operation Prahar 2.0. briefed officers of Phagwara and directed them to intensify intelligencebased action against gangsters, drug smugglers, proclaimed offenders and their local support networks, with special focus on legally examining seized mobile phones to trace criminal links. DIG Singla said more than 200 police teams were deployed across the Jalandhar Range, carrying out over 2,000 raids, including more than 500 in Kapurthala district alone. Around 600 criminals and their suspected associates were apprehended. Under CASO, nearly 300 raids led to the detention of over 160 suspects, of whom 100 were arrested on the first day, including five proclaimed offenders. Three countrymade weapons were also recovered. He said Operation Prahar-1 had earlier resulted in 529 arrests, verification of nearly 700 individuals and action against history-sheeters, travel agents and gun houses. Bholath Market Civic infra, contract extensions top Call to withdraw TET as promotion norm Committee chief agenda for Feb 12 F&CC meeting Teachers to begin stir if demand not met killed in accident Tribune News Service Minor among 3 others injured Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 9 A tragic road accident on the Nadala-Begowal Road on Sunday afternoon claimed the life of Bholath Market Committee Chairman Tejinder Singh Rampi, while three others, including a minor child, sustained injuries. The incident occurred near Adda Nangal Lubana and was captured on a CCTV camera installed at the spot. Rampi (48) of village Nangal Lubana was returning home from Nadala after attending to official and market-related work. He was riding his scooter bearing registration number PB-09-V-2603, accompanied by his 12-year-old son Amarveer Singh. As he reached near Nangal Lubana and attempted to cross the road, a black motorcycle bearing registration number PB-57-C-9194, coming at a high speed from the Begowal side, collided with the scooter. The impact of the collision was severe, leaving Tejinder critically injured along with three others. Amarveer suffered injuries on his leg, while the motorcycle rider and another individual were also hurt. All injured were rushed to hospital. Block Samiti member and close friend of the deceased Sukhjinder Singh Saundhi said that Tejinder was first taken to Begowal hospital, where doctors, observing his critical condition, referred him to Jalandhar. However, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Amarveer Singh is undergoing treatment in Jalandhar and is stated to be stable. SHO Harjinder Singh confirmed the death and said the body has been kept in the mortuary in Kapurthala. The post-mortem examination will be conducted on Monday, after which the body will be handed over to the family. He added that police are conducting investigation to ascertain the identity and background of the injured motorcycle rider and to determine responsibility in the case. Jalandhar, February 9 Several important agendas related to civic infrastructure, contract extensions and development works are scheduled to be discussed in the upcoming meeting of the Finance & Contract Committee (F&CC) to be held on February 12. One of the key items pertains to the extension of the Operation & Maintenance (O&M) contract for the 50 MLD sewage treatment plant (STP) at Basti Peer Dad, Jalandhar. Bills amounting to Rs 59.76 lakh, submitted by a company in Ludhiana, from January to June 2025, have already been verified and processed. The original contract, awarded on February 2, 2020, was valid for five years. However, the tendering process for the next term could not be completed in time due to the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct during the Jalandhar municipal elections. As the STP is an essential public utility and its operation could not be halted, the existing agency’s contract was extended in public interest to ensure uninterrupted services. Although the Commission- er is empowered to approve variations and time extensions up to 10 per cent under the Punjab Municipal Corporation Accounts Act, the Accounts Branch has raised an observation citing Agenda No. 70 dated July 14, 2025, which mandates that such cases must now be placed before the F&CC. The proposal has already received approval from the Commissioner and the Mayor and is being placed before the F&CC for ratification and release of payment. In addition, several road upgrade projects across different zones of the city will also be discussed. These include cement concrete road works in multiple wards under the central, north, and west zones; c m y b premix road upgrade works in wards falling under the Cantt area; street upgrade and cement concrete flooring works in various wards of the west zone and the Kartarpur constituency. Another agenda relates to the Renovation and Beautification of Sri Guru Ravidas Chowk. Under the Untied Funds of the District Planning Committee/District Specific Schemes for 2024–25, Rs 10 lakh has already been sanctioned out of a total allocation of Rs 56.52 lakh for development works in Jalandhar district. The total estimated cost of the chowk’s beautification project is Rs 21.40 lakh, with the remaining Rs 11.40 lakh proposed to be met from the Municipal Corporation’s own funds, subject to approval by the F&CC. The MC has proposed a revised cost estimate for an ongoing sewer and water supply project after deteriorated road conditions were observed at the work site. It was informed that the work of laying the sewer line is being carried out by the O&M division, while the water supply pipeline is being laid by the sewerage board under the Surface Water Scheme. Due to excavation for the works, the condition of the road at the site has worsened, causing inconvenience to the public and pedestrians. The site was inspected by the Mayor, who directed that the road restoration work to be completed at the earliest to avoid public hardship. In compliance with these directions, it was decided that after laying the sewer and water supply lines, the trench would be filled with sand, followed by stone filling and water-bound macadam, to make the road motorable. All these proposals are being placed before the Finance & Contract Committee meeting scheduled for February 12 for discussion and approval. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 9 Government Teachers Union Punjab State president Sukhwinder Singh Chahal, general secretary Gurbinder Singh Saskaur, finance secretary Manohar Lal Sharma and press secretary Karnail Phillaur said the department’s letter issued through the Director, School Education, Punjab Promotion Cell, making TET mandatory for the promotions of the Master Cadre, is unscientific. The leaders have demanded that the teachers who have received promotions in the Master Cadre in the past in the Education Department should be made to join after conducting station selection. They said it is pointless to impose the condition of passing TET on teachers who have been recruited before 2011, due to which many senior teachers will be deprived of promotions. They said the condition of TET must not be applied to the previous recruitments now. They further said the meaning of promotion is based on experience and length of service. The Education Department is interpreting the rules of the Supreme Court not for education reforms, but to cause trouble to teachers, while refraining from implementing proteacher decisions of many other high courts. State senior vice-president Tirath Singh Bassi, Kuldeep Singh Purowal, Gurpreet Singh Amiwal and vice-president Harinder Mallian, Rachpal Singh Waraich, Gurdeep Bajwa said a meeting of teacher organisations were held with officials of the department. They asked the government to withdraw such a letter and promote teachers without the TET condition. They warned of fierce struggle in the coming days if the government did not withdraw the decisions. Rajesh Amloh from Fatehgarh Sahib, Dharminder Singh Bhangu from Ropar, Pritpal Chotala from Hoshiarpur, Jasvir Talwara from Jalandhar, Sukhwinder Makkar from Moga, Judge Pal Baje Ke from Gurdaspur, Dildar Bhandal from Muktsar Sahib, Manjit Singh Brar from Amritsar, Sucha Singh Tarpai from Amritsar, Harvinder Singh Sultanwind from Sangrur, among others were present.