08042026-JTR-01.qxd 4/7/2026 11:15 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune WORLD HEALTH DAY OBSERVED AT SCHOOLS IN CITY STATE-LEVEL KL SAIGAL PUNJABI RANG UTSAV BEGINS SAVOUR ASIAN FLAVOURS BY INDIA JONES AT THE OBEROI World Health Day was observed at various institutes of the city with a message of keeping a healthy mind. P2 The sixth edition of the festival is being organised by YUVAA Theatre in association with KL Saigal Memorial Trust.P3 India Jones from Trident, Mumbai, is offering Asian flavours at The Oberoi Sukhvilas Resort & Spa. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 22°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.51 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:07 AM » WEDNESDAY | 8 APRIL 2026 | JALANDHAR Ex-DSP’s son held for bank robbery, ~3L recovered Raids on to nab another accused Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 7 The son of a retired DSP was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the loot of a Punjab National Bank branch at Bank Enclave here, with Rs 3 lakh recovered from his possession. The robbery took place on Monday afternoon. Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur said the accused had been identified as Simranjit Singh, who had been arrested with a weapon and some ammunition. She said raids were being conducted to arrest the second accused, who is Simranjit’s friend. The loot took place on Monday around 2:30 pm. The bank staff said an amount of nearly Rs 6 lakh had been looted from the cashier at gunpoint. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras. Two youths came on a scooter with their faces covered by handkerchiefs. The accused came out within a minute Aided school teachers not given salary for 11 months Hoshiarpur, April 7 The Punjab State Government Aided School Teachers and Other Employees Union has decided to submit a memorandum written in blood to the government, highlighting their long-pending demands. The union convened a state-level meeting on April 9 at Malwa Khalsa Senior Secondary School, Dhuri, to discuss the issue and chalk out the future course of action. State president Gurmeet Singh Madanipur, state secretary Sharanjit Singh Kadimajra and Pensioners’ Association president Gurcharan Singh Chahal said teachers and other employees of aided schools in several districts have not received their salaries for the past 11 months. They alleged that the government is treating aided school employees unfairly and ignoring their genuine concerns. The union demanded implementation of auto-parity for aided school employees in line with government employees’ service rules. Warning the government, the leaders said if their demands are not met soon, the agitation will be intensified and the employees may adopt a “do or die” approach. They also announced that if salaries are not released promptly, a state-level rally will be held in Dhuri, followed by a protest march across the city. — OC 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. The son of a former DSP in the custody of the police in Jalandhar on Tuesday. USED HIS FATHER’S PISTOL FOR CRIME Simranjit’s father Harbhajan Singh has passed away. The acused had reportedly used his father’s licensed weapon to scare the cashier. He was an addict earlier and had even taken a treatment. with the looted amount and fled on their scooter. An FIR was lodged in the case under the BNS and Arms Act. Simranjit is learnt to be residing barely 2 km from the bank in the Green Model Town area, but allegedly took a longer route to evade the police. He reportedly discarded his red jacket along the way, but was identified through CCTV footage based on his short stature and heavy build. His mother is said to be in a state of shock following the incident. Simranjit’s father Harbhajan Singh has passed away. He had reportedly used his father’s licensed weapon to scare the cashier. He was an addict earlier and had even taken a treatment. He was involved in two cases — one under the NDPS Act in Mohali and another for violation of the Punjab Travel Professions Regulation Act in Batala. Nawanshahr man wins ~1.5 cr lottery Tribune News Service Wheat arrival in Jalandhar mandi likely from mid-April Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, April 7 In a turn of fortune, 65-yearold Gurcharan Singh from Nawanshahr has won a lottery prize of Rs 1.5 crore, bringing joy and relief to his financially struggling family. Singh, who earned a modest living by playing the tabla at religious gatherings, had been purchasing lottery tickets for the past four decades. His faith has finally paid off. “I always had faith in God,” he said, reflecting on his long journey marked by financial hardships. Despite limited means, he continued to try his luck, buying the winning ticket for Rs 200. Interestingly, the ticket was purchased in the name of his son Maan Singh. His son had been working abroad to support the family and had returned from Dubai last year, with plans to go back again. However, following this unexpected windfall, Gurcharan has asked him to stay home. “I told him not to go back. We have enough now and he can start something of his own here,” Singh said. Describing his life as one filled with struggles, Singh said, “My life had many financial problems, but I am a hardworking man who did everything on my own,” he said. Jalandhar, April 7 With the wheat procurement season having commenced across Punjab from April 1, officials from the District Food and Civil Supplies Department and the District Mandi Board have stepped up preparations at the Jalandhar mandi, even though no wheat arrival has been recorded so far. Officials said all arrangements have been put in place well in advance to ensure a smooth and hassle-free procurement once the crop starts reaching the market. This year, special focus has been laid on better coordination, infrastructure and basic facilities for farmers and commission agents. According to officials, 80 permanent mandis and 24 temporary mandis have been set up across Jalandhar district to facilitate the procurement process this season. The district is likely to witness the arrival of around 5.27 lakh metric tonnes of wheat this season. This marks an increase of about 2.4 per cent compared to last year’s procurement which stood at 5.15 lakh metric tonnes, officials added. In a positive development, Labourers sweep the New Grain Market in Jalandhar. a separate laboratory for women has also been made functional at the mandi. This facility will help in smoother quality checks and provide a more comfortable working space for female staff. District Food Supplies Controller (DFSC) Narinder Singh along with District Mandi Officer (DMO) Arvinder Singh visited the mandi to review the arrangements on Tuesday. They checked the overall preparedness, including infrastructure and staff deployment. Officials further said wheat arrival in the Jalandhar mandi is expected to start around April 14-15 and the authorities are confident of managing the season in an organised manner. Mandi department officials attributed the delay primarily to weather conditions affecting crop maturity. “The actual flow of wheat is expected after April 12. Recent weather changes have also impacted the arrivals,” an official said. Vaneet Kumar, a farmer from Nakodar, said the wheat crop had not yet matured due to prevailing weather conditions. “In our block, it may take another 12–15 days before the crop is ready for harvest,” he added. SC certificate rush, staff diversions leave Sewa Kendras under strain Women queue up ahead of April 13 launch of Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana | Staff shortage, portal glitches add to delays Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 7 Sewa Kendras across the city are under pressure as a large number of women rush to obtain Scheduled Caste (SC) certificates ahead of the April 13 launch of the Mukh Mantri Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojana, officials said. The scheme, which is slated to be launched on April 13, aims to provide Rs 1,000 direct financial assistance to every woman. However, women belonging to the SC category will receive Rs 1,500. To avail the benefits, applicants are required to submit essential documents, including a valid caste certificate, Aadhaar card, residence proof and bank account details, triggering a sharp rise in footfall at Sewa Kendras in recent weeks. The rush has highlighted operational strain at the centres, compounded by the deployment of staff to weekly health camps organised under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana since February. Employees said a signifi- cant portion of the workforce has been diverted to assist in beneficiary enrollment and documentation at these camps, leaving Sewa Kendras understaffed at a critical time. According to officials, Jalandhar has 35 Sewa Kendras with a total of 175 operators. Of these, 64 have been deployed at health camps, leading to a visible staff shortage, affecting service delivery, particularly at high footfall centres. The pressure is evident at the Sewa Kendra located in the DC complex where around 23 operators are handling a daily influx of nearly 400 to 500 applicants. “Since the announcement of the scheme on March 8, there has been a sudden spike in female visitors. With many staff members from across the Sewa Kendras in Jalandhar deputed at health camps, it has become difficult to manage the crowd,” an official said. As a result, applicants are facing long waiting hours and repeated visits. Rajvinder Kaur, a visitor at A huge rush of residents at a Sewa Kendra in Jalandhar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH the Sewa Kendra in the DC complex, said, “I have been coming here for the past two days to get an SC certificate, but my work is still not done. The queues are very long and the system is slow, causing delays. Now I have been asked to come again on Friday as Thursday is a public holiday.” Echoing similar concerns, Woman attacked, shop vandalised over payment dispute in Phagwara Phagwara, April 7 In a serious incident involving assault, criminal intimidation and property damage, the Phagwara police have registered a case following a complaint by a local woman entrepreneur. Complainant Surjit Kaur, a resident of Green Model Town, Phagwara, operates a boutique shop under the name “SR Fashion Hub” located at Prempura, Shivpuri Road, Phagwara. She stated that her hus- band, Rakesh Kumar, had undertaken construction work of a house for Rita, a resident of Chak Des Raj, Jalandhar, and currently residing in Onkar Nagar, Phagwara. An agreement was executed and notarised on October 28, 2025. The construction work was completed approximately three months ago, however, ~60,000–~70,000 allegedly remains unpaid. The complainant alleged that when her husband contacted Rita to seek the pending payment, he was threatened with false legal implications. Following this, he stopped pursuing the matter directly. She further stated that a few days prior to the incident, she approached Rita and requested the payment, but was again met with threats and abusive language. On April 4, she reportedly received a phone call from the accused, during which she was allegedly threatened and verbally abused. She claimed to possess recordings of the con- c m y b versation as evidence. The situation escalated on April 5 when Rita, accompanied by three individuals, allegedly entered the complainant’s shop. They began abusing and threatening her. When she objected, Rita allegedly attacked her by a shop lock, causing injury to her left arm. The complainant also alleged that the accused vandalised the shop, breaking glass fixtures and damaging property inside. — OC another visitor, Baljit Kaur, said, “The situation here is very stressful. I have to wait for more than an hour just to get my turn and even then there is no guarantee the work will be completed the same day. The crowd is too much and the process is very slow.” Adding to the strain is the recurring slowdown of the e- Sewa Punjab portal, which offers around 434 public services, including the issuance of SC and ST certificates mandatory to avail the scheme. Officials said the website remained particularly slow on Monday and Tuesday due to heavy traffic, further delaying processing and increasing congestion at the centres. Navdeep Bhogal, District Revenue Officer and nodal officer of Sewa Kendras in Jalandhar, said, “The issue may be momentary. There is no major staff crunch and Jalandhar is among the top three districts actively processing applications. Staff deployed at health camps are also engaged in public service. However, I will look into the matter and resolve any issues, if these exist.” Despite the assurance, the situation on the ground reflects growing pressure on Sewa Kendras, where the reduced staff, heavy footfall and technical glitches are continuing to test patience of both employees and applicants. Man accused in fraud cases held in Nawanshahr Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, April 7 The Nawanshahr police have arrested a person involved in multiple cheating and forgery cases. The operation was carried out under the directions of SSP Tushar Gupta. The accused Avtar Mahey of Rahon was apprehended by a team led by DSP Raj Kumar Bajarh and SHO Inspector Avtar Singh of Nawanshahr. The police said on March 9, Makhan Singh, a resident of village Hansron, filed a complaint, alleging that the accused had stolen cheque books belonging to him and his wife from his office at KC Tower on Chandigarh Road. “Despite informing the banks about the theft, the accused allegedly forged signatures on the stolen cheques and deposited them into bank accounts opened in his own name and in the names of unknown individuals. Some of these cheques were reportedly bounced,” the police said. The complainant further alleged that Avtar Mahey threatened him with false implication in cheque fraud cases unless he pressured a woman, who had earlier filed a sexual harassment case against the accused, to withdraw her complaint. Additionally, the accused is alleged to have extorted large sums of money from various individuals by filing false complaints.