31122025-JTR-01.qxd 12/30/2025 11:05 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune WAR TENSIONS, HEAVY RAINS DISRUPTED CITY LIFE EX-MP RINKU MEETS UNION AVIATION MINISTER SUNNY ATTENDS SCREENING OF DHARMENDRA’S FILM IKKIS Drone sightings, blackout drills and waterlogging left residents coping with daily challenges. P2 The leader demanded the launch of new flights from Adampur Airport to newer destinations. P3 Bollywood star Sunny Deol arrived at the venue looking emotional, yet he cheerfully posed for the cameras. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 19°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 19°C | MIN 7°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.33 PM » SUNRISE THURSDAY 7.19 AM WEDNESDAY | 31 DECEMBER 2025 | JALANDHAR 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. INBRIEF ~2 LAKH LOOTED NEAR PHILLAUR Phillaur: In a daylight robbery incident, unidentified youths intercepted an Alto car on the Nurmahal Road in the Phillaur area and assaulted the driver before fleeing with cash worth Rs 2 lakh. During the attack, the assailants smashed the car’s windows and injured the driver, who was later admitted to the Civil Hospital in Phillaur for treatment. The injured driver has been identified as Ankush, a resident of Nurmahal, who works with a finance company based in Jalandhar. According to his statement, he was returning to Nurmahal along with his colleague Lovepreet in a car bearing the registration number PB 10 GP 4902 after collecting company funds. As banks were closed, they were unable to deposit the cash. While travelling from Nawanshahr to Nurmahal, near the Phillaur railway crossing, five to six youths on motorcycles allegedly surrounded their vehicle, forced it to stop, and attacked them. Phillaur police have registered a complaint. OC ABETMENT TO SUICIDE ALLEGED Phillaur: A case under Section 306 of the IPC has been registered at Phillaur police station, on the complaint of Balveer Kaur and a resident of Pimgtej Singh. According to the police record, the complaint has been filed against Gurpreet Kaur, daughter of Mulk Raj, and Kulwant Kaur, wife of Mulk Raj, both residents of Garha village under the jurisdiction of Phillaur police station. The complainant has alleged that due to sustained mental harassment and distress caused by the accused, the victims were driven into a state of extreme emotional suffering, which ultimately led them to consume a poisonous substance and end their lives. Police have formally registered a case in the matter. OC WOMEN HELD FOR ALLEGED THEFT Phagwara: Shopkeepers in local Main Bazaar apprehended four women suspected of being part of an organised gang of thieves and handed them over to the police after allegedly catching them red-handed while stealing from shops. The incident created a stir in the busy market area, drawing the attention of local traders and customers. According to shopkeepers, the women had been moving suspiciously from one shop to another and were allegedly involved in stealing cash and goods. Upon noticing their activities, traders kept a close watch and managed to detain all four women. During a preliminary check, stolen items and cash were reportedly recovered from their possession. The police have registered a case and initiated further investigation to verify the women’s involvement and identify possible accomplices. OC Politics picks up pace in Jalandhar West QR code to help deter littering at public places State elections nearing, Oppn sets the ball rolling with mahapanchayat on House session eve in Phagwara Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 30 Even though the Assembly elections in Punjab are still a year away, political activity in Jalandhar West is getting heated up. All Opposition parties in Jalandhar West area have colluded against the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), especially targeting minister Mohinder Bhagat, who represents the area. The leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), including their halqa in-charges, ward in-charges and councillors had organised a mahapanchayat at Babu Jagjeevan Ram Chowk in the area raising the issue of deteriorating law and order situation in the constituency. The mahapanchayat, held in harsh cold winter in an open area received a massive response, clearly ringing alarm bells for the ruling party leaders in the area. The mahapanchayat was convened just an evening before the Special Vidhan Sabha session had been called. They announced having formed 'Save Jalandhar West Front' wherein they shall devise their own ways to tackle crime. "The police have failed here but we shall A BJP leader addressing the Mahapanchayat held in Jalandhar West constituency. A TRIBUNE PHOTOGRAPH show them the way. Our businesses have become unsafe. Our lives and properties are at stake. Even our children cannot safely go to schools. We shall have to make our own arrangements for the safety of our families," said BJP leader and ex-MLA Sheetal Angural, who led the mahapanchayat. The Opposition parties raised the issue of increasing incidents of dacoity. "There have been three incidents of dacoity in jewellery shops of Jalandhar West in the recent past, including Rs 80 lakh loot at Babbar Jewellers at Babu Labh S Nagar today, Rs 1 crore loot at Vijay Jewellers in Bhargo Camp in October and another attempt at Basti Mithu Mor. There was the tragic incident of rape and murder of a teenager which could not have got resolved had the residents not stepped in. Only yesterday, there has been report that 40 CCTVs had been damaged along a road in Pink City colony by the miscreants so that the crime committed by them does not get recorded. My nephew was done to death three weeks ago as he became a victim of the drug mafia. Are we living in UP , Bihar or Jalandhar West," he questioned. Congress halqa in-charge Surinder Kaur also seconded Angural as she said, "Drug addiction is the root cause and we need to get into the depth of it to remove the menace from our society. We shall first start a campaign against drug menace. The police are apprehending only the small fish and keeping the biggies involved in the trade completely safe." Solemn occasion Akali leader Sukhminder S Rajpal proposed, "We should meet again in some days. We should form sub-committees and organise theekri pehras." Almost all leaders demanded that the administration must check the functioning of two drug de-addiction centres in the area where more than 150 patients were coming daily to get their dose. "A majority of them are not addicts themselves. They have made it their trade to daily procure medicine strips for free and sell these to addicts for an income of Rs 800-Rs 1,500 per day," said Rajpal. The leaders also brought forth a woman from the area, whose 20-year-old son had been reportedly compelled to die by suicide. The mother of the victim has been seeking action against a councillor, who she alleged has the patronage of the government. "I was compelled to accept Rs 25 lakh and not raise voice against the accused, but I do not want money. I only want justice for my son," she told the gathering. Mohinder Bhagat dismissed the allegations made against him in mahapanchayat as baseless. "It is wrong to say that the law and order situation is bad in Jalandhar West. There have been loots and firing incidents happening in Amritsar, Ludhiana and Phagwara on a daily basis. All those handful of people who stood out against me are actually disheartened since their loss in Jalandhar West bypoll. I have already told the police to act sternly and arrest the accused immediately. I am much concerned about my constituency and I too want complete peace and general well-being of the masses at all times." Our Correspondent Phagwara, December 30 In a decisive step taken to reinforce cleanliness and civic discipline, the Municipal Corporation (MC) Phagwara has installed 'No Littering' signages embedded with QR codes at prominent public locations across the city. The initiative aims to deter littering while actively involving citizens in maintaining public hygiene. The QR code mechanism allows residents to report incidents of littering by uploading photographs of violators, thereby creating a channel for community participation in cleanliness enforcement. Officials said the system has been designed to enhance accountability and complement existing municipal monitoring efforts. Addressing the media during the installation of the signages, Mayor of Phagwara Ram Pal Uppal issued a clear warning that littering in public places will not be tolerated. He stated that offenders will face penal action, including fines of up to Rs 10,000, as prominently mentioned on the flex boards. Emphasising deterrence, the Mayor added that repeat and wilful violators will be proceeded against strictly. Friend staying overnight with youth held for murder by police Tribune News Service Singer Hans Raj Hans and Master Saleem during the Bhog ceremony of Ustad Puran Shah Koti in Jalandhar on Tuesday. Punjab’s eminent singers gathered at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Model Town, Jalandhar, to offer their last prayers to the legendary musician. Singers Puran Chand Wadali, Lakhwinder Wadali, Jazzi B, Mangi Mahal, Mohammad Sadiq, Kaler Kanth, Ninja, Resham Singh Anmol and Rupinder Handa were present. As a tribute, a young boy Sharanjit Singh, a student of Khalsa School in Khurlapur village of Nakodar, brought a portrait of Koti that he had painted as a gift. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Jalandhar, December 30 The Jalandhar police have arrested one of the two accused in the murder of a 20year-old youth in Guru Ravidass colony near Rama Mandi on Monday. Victim Harpreet Singh had two of his friends staying with him at his place in the night. They had a heated argument at 4 am yesterday after which they reportedly stabbed him to death. In this case, sub-inspector Narinder Singh, who had started investigations into the matter, has arrested one of the two youth. The accused Taranvir Singh was arrested within six hours from a hospital as he too had got injured and was receiving Hardeep Singh was murdered by his friend after a tiff. treatment. He shall be produced in court tomorrow for his remand, said the SI. ACP Jalandhar Central Ajay Singh said that raids were being conducted to arrest the other accused, Charanjit Singh Gill, who hails from Paldi village of Hoshiarpur. Both Taranvir and Charanjit have been booked under FIR No. 370 under Sections 103 and 3 (5) of the BNS and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at Rama Mandi police station. The victim had reportedly got released on bail in a drug trafficking case just 10 days ago. His father had spotted his body lying in a pool of blood on the first floor of his house. Taranvir has hinted that the tiff among the three of them ensued over relations with a girl. In another case, the Jalandhar Police Division No.5 have arrested Suba Lahoria of Shivaji Nagar in Basti Danishmandan for allegedly tresspassing and trying to attack a family in the same locality. FIR No. 193 has been lodged in the case under Sections 333, 109, 351 (2), 191 (3) and 190 of the BNS. High footfall at three-day Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 30 Over 6,000 people turned up during the three-day 150th Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan in Jalandhar. On an average, the Harivallabh pandal saw crowds of between 1,500 to 2,000 per day. During busy sessions, the pandal was packed to capacity as people stood on corners, passages, spare space on mattresses and huddled together to catch minutes more of their choicest artists. The strength of crowds the sammelan faced can be gauged from the fact that during the performance of percussion quartet of Pt. Vijay Ghate (table), Vidwan Selva Ganesh (Khanjira), Naveeen Sharma (Dholak) and Shikharnaad Qureshi (Djembe), the jora ghar (keepers of footwear) at the Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan ran out of space to keep their joras. During the percussion sessions on Harivallabh’s final days, the tabla, khanjira, dholaks and djembes emulating trains, cricket matches also sent waves of exhilaration among the audience. The eagerly awaited flute session, vocals from Pt. Sajan Mishra and Ashwini Bhide also invited packed houses with a sea of people nodding heartily to their favourite musicians. At the Jora Ghar, 20 members of the Gurmukh Sewa Dal scurried to keep footwear of a sea of people who arrived with enthusiasm. Partap Singh Sodhi from the Gurmukh Sewa Dal said, “In terms of audience enthusiasm, this year’s Harivallabh witnessed an eagerness which was heartening to see. Especially during percussion session, including the one with Vijay Ghate and his colleague percussionists, the pandal filled to the brim. We ran out of space at the jora ghar. Of course, as the session got over, the crowds eased gradually. But the footfall is a testimony to the ever intact love of music connoisseurs in Jalandhar for the masters —whom they eagerly want to listen to year after year.” The enthusiasm of the Harivallabh audience is a hearty nod from the Jaland- c m y b har crowds that the love for Indian classical music is alive and kicking. The possibility of larger pandals at the sammelan in coming years is also music to the ears of Harivallabh’s loyal audience. One of the reasons for the Harivallabh magic is the number of bustling music nurseries in Jalandhar which nurture a growing creed of artists in non-percussion, percussion and vocal disciplines every year. The neighouring Bhaini Sahib is also a patron of classical music artists —- many students of which also flock to the sammelan every year. Hundreds of such budding students of music turn up to savour the fare at the now 150year-old sammelan. Pt Kaivalya Kumar Gurav performs on the concluding day of the 150th Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH