29062026-JTR-01.qxd 6/28/2026 11:20 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune FARMER’S JOURNEY FROM SMALL UNIT TO THRIVING ENTERPRISE UNEMPLOYMENT & SOCIAL MEDIA BEHIND AGGRESSION SPIDER MAN: BRAND NEW DAY’S SECOND TRAILER SETS RECORD Fateh Singh’s determination, scientific thinking, smart marketing pave way. P2 Introduce value-based education, promote digital discipline, reduce screen dependency. P3 Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s second trailer has achieved an extraordinary 590.8 mn views in its first week. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 38°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 37°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET MONDAY 7.36 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:26 AM » MONDAY | 29 JUNE 2026 | JALANDHAR Farmers announce protests over power cuts in Doaba To block Behram toll plaza, Jalandhar-Phillaur highway Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 28 Farmer unions have announced a series of protests in the Doaba region from Monday against prolonged power cuts during the paddy sowing season amid intense heat. Members of the Bharti Kisan Union (BKU) Doaba, along with other unions, plan to block the Behram toll plaza, while the Phillaur unit of the BKU Doaba, in coordination with the BKU Qadian, will block traffic on the Jalandhar-Phillaur highway. BKU Ekta Sidhupur members will hold dharnas outside the office of the Chief Engineer of Powercom on June 29. The Monday action will be followed by protests outside offices of XENs of Powercom on June 30. Prolonged power cuts during the peak paddy sowing season, when crops require continuous water, have triggered the current wave of protests. Minor girl lured away on false promise of marriage Our Correspondent Kapurthala, June 28 A 16-year-old girl was allegedly lured away from her home on the false promise of marriage, prompting the Begowal police to register a case. According to the complaint, Emvati, a resident of Chaddi Patti near Begowal, has five daughters and two sons. Her youngest daughter is a minor and studies in Class VII at Government Senior Secondary School, Begowal. The girl reportedly left home on June 19 without informing any family member. After failing to trace her despite searching among relatives and in nearby areas, the family later came to know that Sunita of Kapil Colony, along with Ravi, allegedly enticed the minor and took her away on the pretext of marriage. Acting on the complaint, the Begowal police registered a case under Sections 363 (kidnapping) and 366A (procuration of a minor girl) of the IPC and initiated an investigation. The probe has been entrusted to Assistant Sub-Inspector Pargat Singh. Police said Sunita has been arrested, while further investigation is underway to trace the minor girl and apprehend the second accused. The authorities are continuing efforts to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and take further legal action in accordance with the findings of the investigation. 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. Farmers block the Jalandhar-Pathankot highway outside Mukerian Sugar Mill. FILE Farmers warned that they could suffer heavy losses if power supply to their fields is not restored on a priority basis. Davinder Singh Sandhwan, vice-president, BKU Doaba, said, “The crop needs to remain submerged throughout the day, but the current supply is inadequate. Farmers spend around ?15,000 per acre on sowing, and in many fields, crops are already dry- ing up. Any further delay will affect yield and cause heavy losses.” He added that farmers had followed the government’s sowing schedule, questioning why adequate arrangements were not made despite the peak season. Balwinder Singh Sabi, a BKU Doaba leader from Phillaur, said, “We will block the Phillaur-Jalandhar highway along with BKU Qadian. Despite assurances, fields are running dry. If this continues, farmers will face massive losses.” Kulwinder Singh Machine of the BKU Ekta Sidhupur said his union would gherao key Powercom offices in Jalandhar. “Power cuts are delaying sowing. Any further delay will harm the crop. The government must address the crisis immediately,” he said. Over 6.51 lakh enumeration forms distributed in Hoshiarpur Hoshiarpur, June 28 The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls continued across Hoshiarpur district on Saturday, with 6,51,817 enumeration forms distributing by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) on the third day of the campaign. So far, 51.38 per cent of the district’s 12,68,648 voters have been covered. District Election Officer Aashika Jain visited different wards last evening and interacted with residents. She distributed enumeration forms and explained the SIR process to voters. She said the revision exercise is transparent and participatory, with representatives of recognised political parties also associated with the process to ensure smooth implementation. The DC said 1,563 BLOs have been deployed and each household will be visited at least three times. If a voter is not available at home, the form can be handed over to an adult member of the family. She urged voters, who have not yet received their forms, to contact their BLO. Voters were also advised to verify their details through the ECINET app and EC websites. — OC Employee unions have decided to protest outside the residence of minister Mohinder Bhagat. Employee unions to hold protest over pending DA, OPS on July 9 Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 28 Employee unions from various government departments, under the banner of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), have announced a protest outside the residence of Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat on July 9, stepping up pressure on the government over a series of long pending demands. The employees are demanding the immediate release of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) installments and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS). They have also sought the revival State bags silver in mixed 4x400m relay at nat’l meet Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 28 Punjab delivered a spirited performance to secure a silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay at the 65th National Inter-State Athletics Championship in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The Punjab quartet of Jashanpreet Singh, Ramandeep Kaur, Kulvir Ram and Maya clocked 3:23.54, finishing behind champions Tamil Nadu, who won the race in 3:23.51. Three members of the silver medal-winning team, Maya, Kulvir Ram and Jashanpreet Singh, have been training in Jalandhar, while Ramandeep Kaur trains in Bathinda. Behind the medal lies a story of hardwork. Hailing from Sitto Gunno village in Abohar, Maya overcame immense hardships to reach the national stage. Born in a family of farm labourers, she grew up in extreme poverty along with six sisters and a brother. With education itself being a challenge for the family, Maya pursued athletics through determination. For Jashanpreet Singh, the journey has also been filled with struggles. His father, a head constable with the Punjab Police, passed away in 2012, and there was a financial distress. Despite the odds, he continued to work tirelessly towards his dream. “It has taken a lot for me to reach here. I want to give it back to my mother, who has sacrificed so much for me,” Jashanpreet said. Ramandeep Kaur, who trains in Bathinda, credited her coach Harnek Singh for shaping her career. “My coach Harnek supported me a lot. He convinced my father, who is a granthi, to send me to the athletics ground,” she said. Ramandeep said many had urged her parents to prioritise academics over sports, but they chose to support her. “I am grateful to them,” she added. Punjab team get a silver medal in the mixed 4x400m relay in Odisha. All four athletes began their sporting journeys during their school days before rising to the national level. Sports Department coach Sarabjit Singh praised the team’s effort, saying the athletes gave a tough fight to Tamil Nadu and delivered an outstanding performance. “The team gave a fierce competition to Tamil Nadu and performed exceptionally well. The game showed their calibre,” he said. Also told to pay ~20K as compensation for mental harassment, ~10K towards litigation expenses Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 28 Selling a defective iPhone during Flipkart’s ‘Big Billion Days’ sale has cost Apple India and the e-commerce platform, after the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ordered them to refund the handset price and compensate a Jalandhar buyer. Holding Apple India, Flipkart and a Haryana-based seller guilty of deficiency in service and unfair trade practice, the commission directed them to jointly refund ~54,846 to complainant Gagandeep (33), a resident of Sodal Nagar. They were also ordered to pay ~20,000 as compensation for mental harassment and ~10,000 towards litigation expenses within 45 days. Gagandeep had purchased an Apple iPhone 14 through Flipkart during the ‘Big Billion Days’ sale in October 2023. The handset, priced at ~54,499, was bought under an exchange offer. According to the complaint, the phone box did not carry Apple’s original tamper-proof seal when it was delivered. Instead, it bore only Flipkart’s seal. The package was opened in the presence of the delivery executive and the entire process was recorded on video. From the day one, the phone’s battery drained abnormally within a few hours. Gagandeep reported the issue to Flipkart within the replacement period and sought a replacement. Instead, he was directed to Apple’s authorised service centre where, he alleged, neither was the handset replaced, nor was any job sheet issued after inspection. Apple defended itself by claiming that diagnostic tests found no hardware defect and that the complainant had been advised to update the software. Flipkart argued that c m y b it merely acted as an intermediary between the buyer and seller and, therefore, could not be held responsible for the alleged defect. Rejecting both arguments, the commission observed that Apple failed to produce any records to support its claim that the device was functioning normally. It also noted that no job sheet was issued despite the complainant approaching the authorised service centre within days of purchase. The commission further held that Flipkart could not escape liability by describing itself as an intermediary. Since the transaction, payment and consumer interaction took place through its platform, it remained accountable under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 and the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules, 2020. It also found that Flipkart had failed to demonstrate compliance with its obligation to ensure that product descriptions and quality matched what was delivered. Observing that the consumer had raised complaints immediately after receiving the handset and consistently pursued the matter, the commission concluded that the companies had failed to provide effective redressal, making them jointly liable to refund the purchase amount and compensate the complainant. Cabinet Minister, urging the government to resolve the pending issues without further delay. The decision to hold the demonstration was taken at a meeting of the JCC following a state-level call after the government allegedly failed to address the employees’ concerns. Leaders of the JCC said government employees have been waiting for these demands to be addressed for years. They warned that if the government continues to delay it, the agitation will be intensified and employees will campaign against the ruling party in the next Assembly elections. Canada dream turns costly: Family cheated of ~26.45L Our Correspondent Apple, Flipkart ordered to refund ~54,846 to Jalandhar buyer for defective iPhone Rishika Kriti of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) Scheme and enhanced pension benefits through a 2.59 fitment factor. The unions are also demanding the payment of full salary during the probation period, minimum wages for honorarium-based workers and the regularisation of contractual employees with higher salaries and improved service conditions. They have also called for the withdrawal of the Rs 200 professional tax, arguing that it places an unnecessary financial burden on government employees. As part of the protest, the employees will submit a warning memorandum to the Kapurthala, June 28 The police have registered a case against four persons, including a woman, for allegedly cheating members of a family of ~26.45 lakh on the pretext of sending them to Canada. The accused have been identified as Sarabjit Kumar, alias Sarabjit Raj, Rashid Masih, Deep Bhatia and Ravika. According to a complaint by Raj Kalyan, a resident of Mohalla Topkhana, Kapurthala, with SSP Gaurav Toora, he wanted to settle in Canada along with his family. Through a relative, he came in contact with Sarabjit and Rashid, who allegedly agreed to process immigration for ~50 lakh. The complainant stated that in January 2023, Sarabjit contacted and asked him to send passport copies of his wife and children along with email IDs, and initially demanded ~3.20 lakh. He further alleged that, acting on the instructions of the accused, he transferred and handed over money on different occasions. Later, he was asked to arrange additional funds for filing the Canada Embassy application, medical examination and other immigration formalities. Raj Kalyan alleged that the accused continued to assure him that his file was progressing and repeatedly demanded more money. He was also asked to get his heavy driving licence prepared and undergo a medical examination. Subsequently, he was informed that a work permit had been rejected and that an additional ~7 lakh was required to obtain another visa opportunity. Believing the assurances, he arranged money from relatives and handed over cash and passport documents to a person allegedly sent by the accused. When the promised immigration process did not materialise, the complainant demanded the return of his money. He alleged that the accused instead started threatening him, leaving him under severe mental stress. He also claimed that he had even sold his house in the hope of moving abroad. Following the complaint, the SSP ordered an inquiry by the DSP Kapurthala. The investi, gation reportedly found that Raj Kalyan had paid ~16.20 lakh in cash to Deep Bhatia at his telecom shop near Kacheri Chowk, Kapurthala, while ~3.75 lakh was allegedly paid to Ravika. The inquiry also revealed that 700 pounds and 6,589 pounds were transferred to the bank account of Sarabjit’s son Solomon, who resides in England. The total amount obtained from the complainant was found to be ~26.45 lakh. 3 booked for duping Ludhiana men of ~26 lakh KAPURTHALA: The police have registered a cheating and criminal breach of trust case against three persons for allegedly duping two Ludhiana residents of ~26 lakh on the pretext of sending them to Australia. According to the police, complainants Gurcharan Singh and Balbir Singh, both residents of Chauta village in Ludhiana district, alleged that Varinder Kaur, Parmjit Kaur and Kishan Singh, all residents of Dograwal village in Kapurthala district, collected ~26 lakh from them after promising to arrange their migration to Australia. However, the accused neither facilitated their travel abroad, nor returned the money. Following an inquiry conducted by the Punjab Bureau of Investigation (PBI), Kapurthala, the police have registered a case.