25122025-JTR-01.qxd 12/24/2025 11:13 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SPECIAL DRIVE FOR NEW WATER & SEWER CONNECTIONS CITY TO GET ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY LAB FOR HEART DISORDERS The MC conducted a special drive to regularise water and sewer connections in unauthorised colonies of the city. P2 SERENA WILLIAMS CHEERS VENUS’ NUPTIALS The city is all set to get a state-of-the-art electrophysiology lab, offering advanced treatment for heart rhythm disorders. P3 » PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 17°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 19°C | MIN 7°C SUNSET THURSDAY 5.31 PM Tennis legend Serena Williams expressed heartfelt joy as she celebrated her sister’s marriage to actor Andrea Preti. P4 » FORECAST SUNRISE FRIDAY 7.25 AM » THURSDAY | 25 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. Two held with capsules in Lohian Phagwara, December 24 The Lohian police have arrested two youth and recovered 100 intoxicating capsules from their possession. According to ASI Umesh Kumar, a police party was present near the new canal bridge at Khalewal village when two youth were apprehended on suspicion. The accused were identified as Gurpreet Singh, alias Gori, a resident of Khanna under the Makhu police station in Ferozepur district, and Karandeep Singh, alias Karan, a resident of Jalalpur Kalan village under the Lohian police station. During search, the police recovered 60 intoxicating capsules from Gurpreet Singh and 40 similar capsules from Karandeep Singh. A case under Section 22 of the under the NDPS Act was registered the accused after arresting them. — OC Bike-borne persons open fire at house Phagwara, December 24 A case had been registered a case under Sections 511, 506, 427 and 120-B of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act, in connection with a firing incident reported at Gorsian Nihal village falling under the Bilga police station in Jalandhar district. The case was registered on the statement of Sudagar Singh, a resident of Gorsian Nihal village. According to the complaint, unidentified motorcycleborne assailants allegedly opened fire with a pistol at the gate of the complainant’s house. No injuries were reported in the incident. Acting on the complaint, the police registered a case against unknown persons and initiated an investigation into the incident. The probe is being conducted under the supervision of ASI Vijay Kumar. Police officials said efforts were underway to identify and trace the accused. — OC One arrested with banned pills Talwara, December 24 The police have arrested a person with banned tablets. Talwara SHO Satpal Singh said ASI Om Prakash, along with his police party, was on patrol duty and checking suspicious persons on the stretch heading towards the Terrace road. A little ahead of the gas godown, a person was seen coming, who, on seeing the police party, started running back and threw a white envelope in nearby bushes. The person was apprehended. He was identified as Rajpal, alias Gajjan, of Joda Phatak village in Amritsar district. He was currently residing at Jhuggian on the Terrace road in Talwara. From the envelope, the police recovered 132 loose pills. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against accused. — OC NRI Sabha election likely to be announced shortly Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 24 The NRI Sabha Punjab is set to convene fresh election to the post of chairman as the two-year tenure of incumbent Parvinder Kaur Banga is set to expire on January 5. Green Park, Jalandharbased Karan Randhawa had filed a civil writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court alleging that there had been a delay in announcement of the election as a fresh electoral roll should have already got prepared 60 days ahead of the expiry of the sabha chairman’s term. In response to the petition, Divisional Commissioner Ramvir Singh submitted in the court that the process of conducting election had already been initiated. In his petition, Karan Randhawa had stated, “The last election was held on January 5, 2024, in which Parvinder Kaur was elected as president of the NRI Sabha. The term of the president is two years. The notice for the The NRI Sabha Punjab office in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH election was held on ❝The lastwhich Parvinder KaurJanuary 5, 2024, in was elected as sabha’s president. The term of the president is two years. So far, Principal Secretary, NRI Affairs, Punjab, or Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar, have not started process for the election, which should be conducted before completion of the president’s term. Karan Randhawa, PETITIONER ❞ preparation of the electoral rolls for the previous poll was issued on October 5, 2023, as per the rules. So far, Principal Secretary, NRI Affairs, Punjab, or Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar, have not started any process for the election, which as per the constitution and as per the approved resolution should be conducted before the completion of the president’s term.” “Permission was sought from the Principal Secretary, NRI Affairs, to conduct the election vide letter dated November 24. In reply to this, the Department of NRI Affairs directed the Commissioner, Jalandhar Division, on December 2 to share the proposed schedule for the election. The schedule has been prepared and submitted for seeking the approval of Chief Minister-cum-Chief Patron of the NRI Sabha for conducting the election,” the Divisional Commissioner’s office submitted in the High Court in response to the petition. There are around 25,000 NRIs who are members of the sabha. Since this is the time that most NRIs visit Punjab, the election is usually held in January. However, the present election for the chairman’s post might be held in February due to procedural delay. Yuletide spirit St Mary’s Cathedral Church decked up with lights on Christmas eve in Jalandhar Cantt on Wednesday. SARABJIT SINGH Grenade attack case on YouTuber Sandhu’s house moved to NIA Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 24 The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is set to take up the case pertaining to grenade attack on the house of YouTuber Navdeep Singh, alias Roger Sandhu, earlier in March this year. The process of handing over the case from the Jalandhar rural police to the NIA has already started. While the police had started proceedings of the case in a local court, the files will now be moved to NIA’s special court in Mohali. As per the police records, the names of 18 persons had been listed as accused of whom 10 had been arrested in the case. One of the accused had died. The main accused in the case are Pakistan-based don Shahzad Bhatti and Zeeshan Akhtar, a resident of Shankar village in Nakodar. Akhtar and six others, who are wanted in the case, are reportedly not in the country. Earlier, the case of grenade attack on the house of former BJP minister Manoranjan Kalia too had been taken over by the NIA. Both cases are learnt to be linked to the gang of Lawrence Bishnoi. A grenade-like object was hurled at the Sandhu’s house in Raipur Rasoolpur village in Jalandhar district on March 16 morning. He had reportedly made objectionable comments against the Muslim community on social media. Five injured in road mishap on GT Road Our Correspondent Phagwara, December 24 Two persons were injured in a road accident near DAV College on the GT road when a tractor-trailer on which they were travelling was hit by other vehicle while on way to Fatehgarh Sahib. Three riders of an Activa scooter were also injured in the accident. The accident occurred when another tractor-trailer hit the vehicle from behind, resulting in injuries to two persons and three scooter riders. All the injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital for medical treatment. The two injured have been identified as Mandeep Kumar and Ravinder Singh of Beas village. Three persons, including man, woman and child, riding Activa scooter were from nearby Mehta village. Fire breaks out at Jammu-Katra Expressway plant store near K’thala Our Correspondent Phagwara, December 24 A massive fire broke out late in the night at a store of the Jammu-Katra Expressway construction plant near Khijarpur village in Talwandi Chaudhrian, near Kapurthala, causing heavy losses. On receiving information, fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control after several hours of strenuous efforts. The police from Talwandi Chaudhrian also reached the site and assisted in the firefighting operation. Confirming the incident, investigating officer ASI Balbir Singh said the police had initiated an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the fire. According to Mandeep Singh, store manager, SP Singla Construction Company, which is executing the Jammu-Katra Expressway project, the estimated loss due to fire was around Rs 2 crore. The manager Fire tenders douse flames at a store of the Jammu-Katra Expressway construction plant near Khijarpur village. said after finishing work around 7 pm, he closed the store and switched off all lights. A security guard was on duty near store. Around 8 pm, the guard informed him that smoke was coming out of the store. When manager reached the spot, the fire had already intensified and spread rapidly inside store. The Fire Department and police were immediately informed, following which rescue and firefighting operations were launched. After prolonged efforts, the fire was finally doused. The store manager suspected that the fire may have been caused by an electrical short circuit. He added that expensive chemicals stored in the store were completely destroyed in the blaze, resulting in substantial financial losses. The police said further investigation was underway and necessary action would be taken based on the findings. Cheatingcaseregistered Onebookedforfraudulentwithdrawal over land deal ‘fraud’ of over ~13 lakh from bank account Phagwara, December 24 The Kapurthala police have registered a case of cheating following a complaint filed by Lakvinder Singh, a resident of Toorna village near Lohian. The case was registered after completion of a departmental inquiry. The complainant stated to the police that while serving as an Inspector in Punjab Police, he came into contact with Tarsem Singh, a resident of Shahwala Andarisa village under the Kabirpur police station, and his son Ajaydeep Singh. Tarsem Singh allegedly told complainant that his wife’s two brothers had passed away and around seven acres of land situated on the Malikiyaan road near Tashpur village belonged to his family. Lakvinder further claimed that Tarsem told him that he wished to distribute his land share between his two daughters and sell the remaining portion to start a business and send his son abroad. After consulting family members and relatives, the complainant agreed to purchase the land, and a deal was allegedly finalised at Rs 40 lakh per acre. As per the complaint, Tarsem Singh and his son Ajaydeep Singh took Rs 4 lakh as earnest money. However, despite repeated requests, the accused allegedly avoided executing the land registry. Later, when the complainant contacted Balbir Singh, father-in-law of Tarsem Singh, he was allegedly told that the land would not be transferred in the names of Tarsem’s daughters, but instead would be given to his granddaughter. The complainant further alleged that Tarsem later assured him that a seven-marla residential property at Shahwala Andarisa village, registered in the name of his son Ajaydeep Singh, would be transferred in his name instead. However, neither the land in Tashpur village nor the seven-marla property was registered in the complainant’s name, nor was the earnest money returned. On the basis of these allegations, the police registered a case and initiated further probe into the matter. The police said the role of all parties involved was being examined. — OC Our Correspondent Phagwara, December 24 The Kapurthala police have registered multiple criminal cases involving alleged financial fraud, motorcycle theft, narcotics possession and recovery of prohibited items from jail inmates. In the first case, the Kapurthala Sadar police registered a case following a complaint filed by Shashi Kumar Khanna, a resident of Jalandhar. The complainant alleged that after death of his brother Ajit Kumar Khanna, a sum of Rs 13,67,832 was withdrawn from his account between April 3, 2021 and June 11, 2021, without informing the bank or anyone in the family. The money, which included pension funds, was allegedly withdrawn using the deceased’s ATM card. The police said the ATM card and its password were in the possession of Gurdeep Singh, a resident of Khera village. Although Gurdeep was the legal heir to the c m y b deceased’s movable and immovable property, the withdrawals were allegedly made fraudulently after Ajit’s death. Following an inquiry and approval from senior police officials, the case was registered in this connection and probe initiated into the matter. In the second incident, the Sultanpur Lodhi police received information about theft of a motorcycle. Acting on the tip-off, the police laid a naka near Garari Chowk and apprehended Vicky Teli, a resident of Sultanpur Lodhi. The police recovered a stolen motorcycle (bearing registration number PB-22-6185) from his possession. The police said the accused was allegedly involved in selling stolen motorcycles to unsuspected buyers. Further investigation into the matter is underway. In the third incident, the police registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act after arresting Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, a resident of Bholath. Presently, he was residing as a tenant at Bedi Nagar in Bholath. The police said the accused was apprehended during routine patrol and search operations near the Bholath cremation ground. Upon spotting the police, the suspect allegedly became nervous and attempted to dispose of a packet. A search led to the recovery of 24 intoxicating tablets, light green in colour from the packet. In the fourth case, the authorities recovered prohibited items from Kapurthala Central Jail during a routine search of inmates. During personal searches, the jail staff recovered an OPPO touchscreen mobile phone from undertrial Harshdeep Singh, a resident of Bhogpur. Besides, a Nokia keypad mobile phone was recovered from undertrial Ajay Kumar, a resident of Ambala. Both inmates were currently lodged in Kapurthala Central Jail. The police registered a case against inmates under relevant provisions for the possession of prohibited items inside jail premises. A food safety team with samples collected in Tanda and Khudda. Safety team collects 8 food samples in Tanda Hoshiarpur, December 24 Food Safety Officer Manish Sodhi and his team today inspected jaggery units and grocery stores in the Tanda and Khudda areas. During inspection, eight samples were collected to check the quality of food items. These included three samples of jaggery, two samples of sugar, two samples of desi ghee, and one sample of edible oil. All these samples have been sent to the food lab in Kharar for testing. Further action will be taken after lab reports are received. Sharing information, District Health Officer Dr Jatinder Bhatia and Food Safety Officer Manish Sodhi said during inspection, jaggery units, grocery stores, and other food vendors were instructed to comply with the FSSAI guidelines, maintain proper licences and follow good hygiene practices. — OC