30092026-JTR-01.qxd 9/29/2026 11:06 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune TALWARA REJOICES AS SHOOTER NEERAJ CLINCHES ASIAD SILVER STINK OF NEGLECT LINGERS BESIDE PHAGWARA SCHOOL Young shooter Neeraj’s parents said he had developed an interest in the sport at an early age. P2 Cong councillor flags waste accumulation on Old Post Office road, asks MP Chabbewal & Mayor to take action.P3 » ACTOR JITIN GULATI REFLECTS ON HIS JOURNEY PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.14 PM Before becoming a full-time actor, Jitin Gulati spent nearly nine years as a banker in Delhi. P4 » FORECAST SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:21 AM » WEDNESDAY | 30 SEPTEMBER 2026 | JALANDHAR HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune has started 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 FRAUD: GIRL, FATHER BOOKED Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked a father-daughter duo travel agents for allegedly duping a Nakodar villager of Rs 20 lakh on the pretext of sending his family abroad. DSP Onkar Singh Brar said the accused have been identified as Gurdev Singh, a resident of Bajuha Khurd village, and his daughter Sarabjit Kaur. Charanjit of Thabalke village, complained to Jalandhar (Rural) SSP that he paid Rs 20 lakh to the accused for facilitating his family members' migration abroad, but the accused did neither send them abroad, nor return his money. OC PO ARRESTED FOR MURDER BID Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) absconding for the last many months. The accused has been identified as Gurmit Singh of Chania village in Nakodar. The accused is wanted in a case of attempt to murder registered in October 2025 and was declared PO in March 2026. OC MAN HELD FOR ATTACKING WOMAN Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a villager on the charge of outraging a woman’s modesty. The accused has been identified as Arshdeep, alias Raja, of Baghpur village. Gurmail Chand of Baghpur village had complained to the police that the accused and his accomplices had attacked him and his wife on November 5, 2025, and tore her and her daughter’s clothes and threatened him with dire consequences. OC Missing student found dead in Mukerian canal Talwara, September 29 The body of a 15-year-old schoolboy, who had gone missing from his home, was recovered from a canal near the gates of Power House No. 2 of the Mukerian Hydel Project here. The deceased, Sorish Dadwal, a resident of Repur village, was a Class X student of Army School, Unchi Bassi. According to the complaint, Sorish returned home after appearing for an examination and left around 3.30 pm, saying he was going out to play with children in the locality. He did not return home till late in the night. The family searched for him but could not trace him. Later, they were informed that the body of a child had been found near the gates of Power House No. 2. The family reached the spot and identified the body as that of Sorish. The father told the police that Sorish had been under stress over his studies. He suspected that the boy might have slipped into the canal accidentally. The cause of death will be known after the post-mortem examination. — OC No traffic Shah to visit Devi Talab yet for HM’diversion plan s anti-drug rally Temple before rally today Tribune News Service Home Minister to pay obeisance at Tripurmalini shrine Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 29 Ahead of addressing his antidrug rally in Jalandhar on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will pay obeisance at the 200-year-old Tripurmalini shrine within the compound of Shri Devi Talab Mandir here. Shah will arrive at Sri Guru Ravidas Ji Maharaj Adampur Airport and then travel to the temple by a helicopter. He is scheduled to land at the LR Doaba School grounds, where a helipad has been prepared adjacent to the temple complex around 12.25 pm. He will spend nearly 30 minutes at the shrine. After offering prayers at the main temple, Shah will proceed to the Tripurmalini shrine. Former BJP MLA KD Bhandari, who is overseeing the Union Home Minister’s temple visit, said Punjab BJP president Kewal Singh Dhillon would accompany Shah. Special Protection Group (SPG) personnel visited the site on Tuesday, reviewed security arrangements and conducted rehearsals ahead of the visit. Punjab Police teams have also been carrying out security checks in and around the temple premises with the help of dog squads. Bhandari said Shah’s visit would mark a big day for the BJP in Punjab. “This will be his first visit to Jalandhar. Jalandhar, September 29 With Union Home Minister Amit Shah scheduled to visit Jalandhar on Wednesday, the traffic police have said no traffic diversions have been planned in the city so far. However, officials said traffic movement could be rerouted at short notice if congestion builds up during the visit. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Gurbaj Singh said the existing traffic routes would remain open. “Traffic movement will remain normal tomorrow and no diversions have been planned so far,” he said. Jalandhar Rural SSP Harvinder Singh Virk also said no traffic diversions were in place as of now. “Amit Muslims to show black flags to Shah Security personnel with dog squad inspect the Shri Devi Talab Mandir complex in Jalandhar on Tuesday ahead of Amit Shah’s visit. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH During his maiden visit, he has chosen to pay obeisance at the historic temple and pray for a drug-free India by 2029,” he said. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2022 election rally in Jalandhar, Bhandari said Modi had then expressed a desire to visit Shri Devi Talab Mandir but was advised against it by his security team. “By visiting the temple, Shah will also fulfil that incomplete wish of the Prime Minister,” he added. The nearly 200-year-old Shri Tripurmalini Mandir is revered as one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, associated with the legend of Goddess Sati. According to religious belief, the goddess’s left breast fell at this spot. She is worshipped here as Tripurmalini, while Lord Shiva is venerated as Bhishan. The temple, situated on Tanda Road, is among the prominent Hindu pilgrimage sites in the Doaba region. Shah’s visit to the shrine is aimed at depicting the seriousness of the saffron party in eradicating the drug menace from Punjab, just about four months ahead of Assembly polls. The four BJP yatras, launched on September 18 from different parts of Punjab, have traversed nearly 4,000 km, covering all 117 Assembly constituencies. They will all conclude in Jalandhar this evening. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 29 Members of the Muslim Organisation Punjab announced that it will stage a protest against the rally of Amit Shah in Jalandhar and register its opposition by showing black flags. The decision was taken at a meeting held under the chairmanship of general secretary Mazhar Alam. Its president Advocate Naeem Khan said his organisation alleged that the policies of the BJP government were anti-Muslims. Families recount tragedies during BJP’s anti-drug drive Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 29 “My two sons died due to drugs. My wife has also passed away, and I have lost my eyesight. There is no one left to look after me. I spend my nights at a gurdwara and do not know who will perform my last rites when I die.” Recounting his ordeal, Ramesh, a resident of Bilga in Jalandhar district, broke down while narrating how drug abuse had devastated his family. His was among several heart-rending accounts shared by families affected by the drug menace in Jalandhar. A woman from Tilak Nagar said she had also lost both her sons to drugs. “After one son died, his wife and child left the house. My other son, who had two wives and two children, also passed away, and they too left. We eventually lost everything. Drugs are available in almost every neighbourhood of Tilak Nagar. We feel helpless,” she said. Ramesh and the woman from Tilak Nagar were among more than a dozen people who spoke about how drug abuse had devastated their families. Punjab Bharatiya Janata Party president Kewal Singh Dhillon accompanied by state media head Vineet Joshi brought their accounts before the media during the party’s ongoing Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras. The BJP has been undertaking four Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras since September 18. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address a public gathering in Jalandhar on September 30 to mark the culmination of the yatras. During the campaign, the Punjab BJP has also been highlighting the experiences of families affected by drugs. After listening to the affected families, Dhillon said their experiences reflected the ground reality of the drug problem in Punjab. Dhillon said, “The government’s policy has become one of beating up people and not even allowing them to cry.” He alleged that instead of taking effective steps to curb drugs, attempts were being made to silence those raising their voices against the menace. Dhillon said the Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra should not be viewed merely as a political exercise. “It aims at bringing the concerns of affected families into the public domain”, he said adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah had set a target of making the country drug-free by 2029. Meanwhile, he along with national general secretary Satish Poonia on Monday visited the rally venue. Shah will land in Adampur tomorrow morning. If traffic congestion increases, we will divert vehicles accordingly,” he said. Shah is scheduled to address a mega anti-drug rally at a site on the Paragpur GT Road along the Jalandhar-Phagwara highway. The venue selected for the large gathering, spans around 55 to 60 acres with space earmarked for the main event and parking. The rally will mark the culmination of four Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatras, launched on September 18 from different parts of the state. The yatras converged in Jalandhar ahead of the concluding programme to be addressed by Shah. Preparations at the venue have been underway for several days, with arrangements being made for seating, parking, drinking water, medical assistance and security. BJP leaders have said thousands of party workers and supporters are expected to attend, with nearly 2,000 buses being mobilised from across Punjab. The large-scale mobilisation is expected to increase traffic on the JalandharPhagwara highway and adjoining roads linking the rally venue with Adampur and other parts of the district. Despite the anticipated influx of vehicles, officials said no blanket diversion plan had been put in place. Instead, traffic police personnel will monitor vehicle movement throughout the day and take situation-based decisions to ease congestion and ensure smooth traffic flow, if required. MLA Pargat raises questions over drug trafficking Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 29 Ahead of Amit Shah’s visit to Jalandhar, All-India Congress Committee secretary Pargat Singh has a poser for him “When will action reach the entire network that brings those drugs to Punjab?” The Jalandhar Cantonment MLA has alleged that it is the BJP government at the Centre which is more accountable for the drug menace. He, along with Jalandhar North MLA Bawa Henry, Nakodar halqa in-charge Dr Navjot Dahiya and DCC chief Rajinder Beri, said, “The Centre must now answer — From the border to drug money, from drones to organised networks, whose responsibility is it to break the entire supply chain?” They said people had been fighting the drug menace for years and raised several questions. “What has been achieved by the Centre’s decision to extend the operational jurisdiction of the BSF from 15 km to 50 km along the international border in Punjab? More drugs are reportedly seized at Gujarat’s ports than in Pun- jab. What action has been taken there? What steps have been initiated against factories in Gujarat and Maharashtra allegedly involved in processing drugs? Why has the crackdown not reached the larger network responsible for bringing drugs into Punjab?” they asked. Pargat said governments have come and gone, but even today the biggest question remains the same. “The future of Punjab’s youth, families and the national security of the country are at stake. The Congress will continue to raise the voice of the youth and families and will continue to demand accountability from both the central and state governments for the entire drug supply chain, from the source to the final distribution. But Punjab needs results, not slogans,” he said. Care Health ordered to pay Govt Polytechnic College starts civil, ~70,000 to city policyholder electrical engg, 45 join maiden batch Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 29 The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jalandhar, has directed Care Health Insurance Limited to pay over Rs 70,000 to a city resident after the insurer rejected his medical claim over missing documents but failed to explain why those documents were needed to decide the claim. The case relates to Jatinder Singh, a Dada Nagar resident, who said he had been taking health insurance policies from the company since 2007. In August 2020, Singh was hospitalised for treatment of pyogenic arthritis and submitted a reimbursement claim of Rs 41,300 to the insurer. However, the company rejected the claim, stating that the policyholder had not provided the documents sought by it. The insurer had asked Singh to submit several documents, including records of his first consultation and investigations relating to hypertension, besides complete indoor case papers. The commission, however, found that the insurer had failed to establish why the hypertension related records were necessary to decide a claim for treatment of pyogenic arthritis. The medical records showed that the hospitalisation was for pyogenic arthritis, it said. The insurer also failed to establish any specific clause in the policy that allowed it to reject the claim on this ground, the commission said. The panel headed by President Harveen Bhardwaj noted that the insurer already had the claim form, discharge summary, bills and receipts relating to the treatment. It held that the company had rejected the entire claim without properly assessing the available medical and billing records. The commission also took note of another claim filed by Singh for a second hospitalisation under the same policy. The insurer had initially rejected that claim too but later reviewed it and paid Rs 28,486. In its order, the commission directed the insurer to pay Rs 41,300, with 6 per cent annual interest. It also awarded Rs 20,000 for mental agony and harassment and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses. c m y b Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 29 Government Polytechnic College on Ladowali Road, Jalandhar, has expanded its technical education programme with the introduction of two diploma courses in civil engineering and electrical engineering from this academic session, with 45 students enrolling in the first batch. Of these, 27 students have joined electrical engineering and 18 have enrolled for civil engineering. The two courses have an approved intake of 30 students each. The courses are being offered with the approval of the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and are affiliated with the Punjab State Board of Technical Education. Principal Prenuka Jindal said the college is working on strengthening the faculty and infrastructure required for the new programmes. “We have sent our requirements for six faculty members for each of the two courses, including a head of department, senior lecturer and lecturer. We are also planning to set up three or four laboratories for both courses,” she said. She said the college had time to complete the required arrangements as the specialised subjects of the two engineering programmes would be introduced from the second year. “We have the infrastructure to accommodate the first batch as its first year curriculum resembles that of applied sciences. The specific subjects of these courses will commence from the second year, so by then the required faculty and laboratory facilities will be available,” she said. The introduction of the two courses has expanded the range of technical education programmes available at the government institution which was established in 1970. The college offers three-year diploma programmes in architecture assistantship, comput- er science and engineering, electronics and communication engineering, information technology, library and information science and modern office practice. It also offers a two-year diploma programme in pharmacy. Reportedly, the AICTE approval requires the institution to comply with norms and maintain mandatory disclosures, including departmentwise details of infrastructure, approved courses and intake, faculty details, their qualifications and experience and student faculty ratio. The council has further made internships mandatory for all admitted students and directed AICTE-approved institutions to make effective use of existing infrastructure and human resources for skilling through vocational courses.