28062026-JTR-01.qxd 6/27/2026 11:26 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune EX-MP RAISES ISSUE OF DEFENCE LAND WITH RAJNATH SINGH HIMALAYAN WILD GOAT MARKHOR’S MYSTIQUE MEET THE STARS OF INDIA’S PARTY MUSIC Avinash Rai Khanna presented several suggestions aimed at balancing national security with local development. P2 References to markhor appear sporadically in memoirs & biographies of Mughal emperors Akbar & Jahangir. P3 There are songs that define a generation. Between 2010 & 2020, Indian music has undergone a cultural reset. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 38°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 37°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET SUNDAY 7.28 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5:24 AM » SUNDAY | 28 JUNE 2026 | 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. Key associate of Doni Ball gang held, weapons seized Sukhjinder met gangster in jail in 2017, formed a separate outfit later: Police Tribune News Service INBRIEF NURMAHAL SHO SHIFTED TO LINES Phagwara: The Jalandhar (rural) Senior Superintendent of police (SSP) has transferred the Nurmahal station house officer (SHO) to Police Lines after nine days of posting. Sub inspector Gursharan Singh was appointed Nurmahal SHO on June 18. The SSP also transferred two other employees of Nurmahal police station to the Lines. OC MAN HELD FOR FRAUD Phagwara: The Nakodar City police have arrested a villager on the charges of fraud and criminal conspiracy. Investigating officer (IO) Rajindar Singh said that the accused has been identified as Joga Singh, a resident of Mohalla Santpura, Kapurthala. The Nakodar Subdivisional Magistrate forwarded a report of the Tehsildar to the police which said the accused and his accomplice Manjit Singh Gill, a resident of Agwarr Kamboj village under Dharam Kot police station, Moga, got registered a sale deed by attaching fake documents. The IO said Joga Singh was arrested during investigation and a case was registered against both accused. Raids are being conducted to arrest the absconding accused. OC DRUG PEDDLER ARRESTED Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have arrested a drug peddler on the charge of selling intoxicant tablets. Station House Officer (SHO) Baljindar Singh said 17 loose intoxicant tablets were recovered from the possession of the accused identified as Rohit Kumar, a resident of Mehsampur village. The SHO said a case under Sections 22/61/85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused. OC Jalandhar, June 27 The Jalandhar (Rural) CIA Staff teams have arrested Sukhjinder Singh, alias Bittu, a key associate of the Doni Ball gang. Sukhjinder was absconding in connection with a March 12 case. The police recovered one .30 bore pistol, three magazines, nine live cartridges and one 12 bore pump-action gun from his possession. Sukhjinder had 12 criminal cases against him previously. In another significant breakthrough, an arms smuggler was arrested with a .32 bore pistol. Accused Sukhjinder Singh, a resident of Kammoke village, Amritsar, was absconding since March. The police said he is a close associate and active member of the gang headed by foreignbased gangster Doni Ball. An FIR under Sections 132, 221 of the BNS and Sections 25-54-59 of the Arms Act was registered at the Mehatpur police station on March 12. Another FIR was registered against him under Section 379-B of the BNS at the same police station on March 13. Weapons seized by the Jalandhar Rural CIA Staff from the arrested accused. TRIBUNE PHOTO Addressing the media, SSP Harvinder Singh Virk stated that on March 12, while conducting routine checking the Mehatpur police intercepted a Scorpio vehicle and a Swift car. During checking, one foreignmade Glock pistol, along with live cartridges, was recovered from one vehicle. One suspect managed to flee the spot after snatching a Splendor motorcycle. Efforts were being made by the CIA Staff of Jalandhar Rural to nab the accused. On June 25, the CIA Staff received specific intelligence that Sukhjinder Singh had been spotted in Mehatpur. A police team led by SI Kashmir Singh apprehended Sukhjinder at a naka near Ghuman Palace on Nakodar-Mehatpur road. He was travelling in Swift car (PB02-DU-4004). SSP Harvinder Singh Virk said Sukhjinder came in contact with gangster Doni Ball while he was lodged in an Amritsar jail in 2017. Thereafter, he, along with Billa Mandiala, Gora Bariar and Gopi Kaura, formed a separate gang. Due to rivalry with the Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang, gang wars had been taking place between the rival groups. As a result, Sukhjinder had been hiding in the Bilga and Mehatpur areas of Jalandhar and was possessing firearms illegally. He remained in direct contact with foreignbased gangster Doni Ball. The foreign-made Glock pistol recovered by the Mehatpur police on March 12 had also been sent to him by Doni Ball, the SSP added. The arrest has helped prevent possible gang wars and other untoward incidents in Punjab, the SSP said. The operation was conducted under the supervision of Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Vineet Ahluwalia and Deputy Superintendent of Police (Detective) Lakhwinder Singh. Continued on Page 2 Firefighters try to put out a blaze at a tent house warehouse in Kapurthala on Saturday. Goods worth lakhs destroyed in Kapurthala warehouse fire Our Correspondent Kapurthala, June 27 A massive fire broke out at a warehouse of a tent house on Amritsar Road in Kapurthala on Saturday morning, reducing goods and other materials worth lakhs of rupees to ashes. In a major firefighting operation that followed multiple fire tenders were pressed into service. According to the Fire Brigade, information about the fire at the warehouse, located in a lane off Amritsar Road, was received at around 10.35 am. Acting promptly, a ninemember firefighting team led by Fire Officer Gurpreet Singh rushed the spot with fire engines and launched an operation. The warehouse reportedly contained a large quantity of tent house equipment, decorative items and other materials. Most of the stored goods were completely destroyed in the blaze, result- Farmers lift road blockade after 8-hour power assurance Our Correspondent Phagwara, June 27 Farmers associated with the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba), under the leadership of state vice-president Harbhajan Singh Bajwa, staged a protest outside the PSPCL office on Hoshiarpur Road in Phagwara on Friday, alleging an acute shortage of electricity supply to fields during the ongoing paddy sowing season. The blockade was lifted after the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd (PSPCL) Phagwara XEN promised eight hours of uninterrupted electricity supply to agricultural feeders from June 28. The union leaders claimed that they had sought a meeting with PSPCL officials to Farmers block the Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road over power shortage during the paddy season. raise their concerns, but they were denied the same. To register their protest, the farmers started a dharna and blocked the HoshiarpurPhagwara road, disrupting traffic on the route. Addressing the media, Harbhajan Singh Bajwa accused the Aam Aadmi Party-led Punjab Government of making false claims regard- ing uninterrupted electricity supply to farmers. He said while the government claims to be providing eight hours of continuous power to agricultural feeders, the farmers are actually receiving power for only two to three hours, due to which they are facing serious difficulties during the crucial paddy transplantation season. Following the road blockade, the local police led by SHO (City) Amandeep Kaur reached the protest site and initiated talks with the agitating farmers to resolve the issue. Later, the PSPCL Phagwara XEN assured the farmers of uninterrupted eight-hour electricity supply to agricultural feeders from June 28, 2026. Following the assurance by the PSPCL authorities, the farmers called off their protest and dispersed around 2.55 pm, restoring normal traffic on the HoshiarpurPhagwara road. Jit Lal Bhatti with Punjab BJP chief Kewal Dhillon at the party’s state headquarters in Chandigarh. TRIBUNE PHOTO Adampur AAP leader Bhatti, others joins BJP Tribune News Service For Manpreet’s mom, win over Pak icing on his b’day cake Rishika Kriti Tribune New Service Jalandhar, June 27 A day after Indian hockey team’s stellar 7-1 victory over Pakistan in the FIH Hockey Pro League, celebrations continued at Mithapur home of former captain Manpreet Singh on Saturday, where his mother Manjit Kaur spent a day filled with prayers and pride. For Manjit Kaur, June 26 was special not only because it was her son’s birthday, but also because India produced one of its most dominant performances against Pakistan. Manjit Kaur had begun the day with prayers at the village gurdwara, where she held a Sukhmani Sahib path for Manpreet’s well-being and the team’s success. Watching the match, however, was an emotional experience for her. Pakistan’s early goal left Manjit Kaur worried, but her anxiety soon ing in a financial loss worth several lakhs of rupees. At the time of filing of this report, firefighters were still engaged in dousing the flames, and four fire tenders had been deployed in the operation. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Fire officials said a detailed investigation will be carried out after the blaze is completely extinguished to determine the cause of the incident. Hockey player Manpreet Singh with his daughter and mother Manjit Kaur; and (right) family celebrates victory in an earlier tournament. FILE turned into joy as India took complete control of the game and stormed to a 7-1 victory. “I got nervous when Pakistan scored first because they looked to be dominating the game. But our boys soon took charge and kept Pakistan at bay. Watching India score seven goals against Pakistan filled me with immense pride and happiness,” she said. The celebrations continued after the match as Manpreet joined his family over a video call and cut his birthday cake with teammates. Looking back at his journey, Manjit Kaur recalled that there was a time when she feared hockey would only bring injuries to her son. “When Manpreet started playing hockey at the age of c m y b 10, I used get worried that he would get injured. I even scolded and beat him up at times so that he would stop playing. It was only after his coach convinced the family of his potential that we allowed him to continue,” she said. Today, she says, the fear has been replaced by pride. Wherever she goes, people recognise her as Manpreet Singh’s mother, a feeling she describes as her greatest happiness. The pride has also strengthened her resolve to encourage other children in the village take up sports. “I tell every young boy around me to choose sports instead of falling into drugs and make the country proud. I even help those who want to play by giving them hockey sticks and boots. I want more children from Mithapur to bring glory to the village.” Despite becoming India’s most-capped hockey player, Manpreet’s ambitions remain undiminished, his mother said. He wants to play 500 international matches and five Olympics, Manjit Kaur said, adding that his dream is to keep making the country proud through his performances. Jalandhar, June 27 Jit Lal Bhatti, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, who had contested from Adampur Assembly segment in 2022, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the party’s state headquarters in Chandigarh. Bhatti was formally inducted into the party by state BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon. The BJP chief expressed confidence that Bhatti’s grassroots connect and public support would further strengthen the party in the Doaba region, especially in Adampur constituency. The move is being seen as an attempt of the BJP to catch hold of leaders in rural areas and increase its presence in villages. Bhatti had polled almost 29,000 votes, which was nearly 25 per cent vote share in the constituency. He had come third after Congress’ Sukhwinder Kotli and SAD’s Pawan Tinu. Tinu left the SAD in 2024 and joined the AAP In June last year, . Jit Lal Bhatti had polled 29,000 votes in 2022 elections, stood third the AAP had removed Bhatti as its halqa in-charge in Adampur and replaced him with Tinu. Before entering active politics, he had served in Punjab National Bank as a supervisor for 36 years and got retired in 2015. Along with Bhatti, several prominent political and social leaders also joined the BJP These include Urmila . Devi, former vice-president of Nagar Council, Bhogpur; Vidwant Kaur, former senior vice-president of NC, Bhogpur; Usha Rani, sarpanch; and Raj Rani, senior AAP worker, among others. Welcoming the new entrants, Dhillon said the BJP continues to gain strength across Punjab. Bhatti said he was inspired by the BJP’s commitment to good governance, nationalism and public welfare, and pledged to work tirelessly to strengthen the party at the grassroots level across Punjab.