10102026-JTR-01.qxd 10/10/2026 12:04 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune JCT STAFF SEEK RELEASE OF PF DUES BEFORE DIWALI CITY HOMEMAKER PUBLISHES DEBUT POETRY COLLECTION AT 70 Jyoti Sharma has published her first book of poems, fulfilling a dream she had nurtured since the age of 15. P3 RAINY MAX 28°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 23°C TV ACTORS SHARE WHAT MENTAL WELL-BEING MEANS TO THEM The union urged the authorities to ensure that no eviction action was taken against them. P2 FORECAST This World Mental Health Day, television actors share their thoughts on handling life’s pressures. P4 » » SUNSET SATURDAY 6.02 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:27 AM » SATURDAY | 10 OCTOBER 2026 | JALANDHAR Slogans against Diljit surface BJP holds protest at MC office, seeks White Paper on Smart City project near singer’s house in village Tribune News Service Ashok Kaura Phagwara , October 9 Controversial slogans, including messages allegedly supporting Khalistan and opposing Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh, were found painted on a wall near his residence in Dosanjh Kalan village. The incident has also drawn attention to calls purportedly opposing the singer’s upcoming shows in Delhi and Chandigarh, along with an appeal to observe November 1 as “Sikh Genocide Day.” Mukhtiar, a resident of the village who works as a driver, reportedly noticed the smell of spray paint outside his house around 1.30 am. When he stepped outside, he allegedly saw around four persons writing slogans on a wall. He said when he objected to their actions, the individuals fled in a vehicle. He claimed that Dosanjh’s house is located a short distance from his residence and that the individuals may have mistaken his house for the singer’s residence before writ- Cop hurt in jail inmates clash HOSHIARPUR, OCTOBER 9 A clash between inmates at Hoshiarpur Central Jail late Thursday night left a policeman Mani Kumar seriously injured. The incident occurred when the undertrials were being escorted to their barracks. An argument broke out among some inmates over an issue and soon escalated into a physical altercation. Police personnel and officials rushed to the spot and tried to bring the situation under control. However, the inmates allegedly attacked the policeman, leaving Mani Kumar seriously injured. He was under treatment in a private hospital. — OC The wall of Mukhtiar Singh’s house in Dosanjh Kalan after the slogans were removed. ing the slogans on his wall. A video purportedly showing the controversial slogans written on the wall has also surfaced on social media. ASI Harbhajan Singh of the Goraya police reached the spot and said the police were examining the circumstances surrounding the incident. He stated that CCTV footage from the area would be examined to identify the persons involved and that appropriate legal action would be taken. Subsequently, the Goraya police covered the alleged slogans with white paint, removing these from public view. The identities of the individuals involved and the motive behind the incident are yet to be established. Jalandhar, October 9 Protesting against the alleged corruption in the Jalandhar MC, irregularities in the Smart City project, the deteriorating sanitation and sewerage systems and lack of transparency in development works, BJP councillors today staged a massive protest at the Municipal Corporation office along with hundreds of supporters and party workers under the leadership of BJP Councillor Dal leader Manjit Singh Titu. Jalandhar BJP president Ashok Sareen Hicky and BJP rural president Jagbir Brar were present during the protest. They alleged that the MC Commissioner and the officials concerned were unavailable in their offices during the demonstration. Subsequently, the BJP councillors pasted their memorandum of demands on the Commissioner’s door to express resentment against the MC. The BJP leaders said the government should clarify its position on the observations and irregularities highlighted in the CAG report concerning the Smart City project. They Rain triggers traffic chaos also demanded a White Paper containing complete details of project expenditure, tenders, payments, investigations and action taken. The BJP further demanded that the status of the Vigilance investigation be made public, accountability be fixed and a time-bound action plan be announced to improve sanitation, sewerage, streetlighting and drinking water facilities in the city. In addition, the party demanded the public disclosure of ward-wise details regarding sanctioned posts, deployed employees, vacant positions and pending recruitment backlogs for sanitation and sewerage staff. Titu, BJP Councillor, said people of Jalandhar wanted answers regarding the alleged scam and irregularities in the Jalandhar Smart City project. He alleged that the political alliance between the AAP and the Congress was preventing effective Vigilance action in corruption cases. Hicky said the Mayor and MC administration must issue a White Paper explaining how much money had been spent, how many projects had been completed, where complaints of irregularities had been reported, and what action had been taken so far. Cong leaders take round of city Civil Hospital, flag woes Share pictures of clogged washrooms, non-functional water coolers, stray dog Tribune News Service Rainwater inundates a busy road in Jalandhar on Friday, causing inconvenience to commuters. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH 2 get 10-year jail for attacking Cong burns effigy of girl while snatching mobile CEC in Phagwara Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 9 Additional Sessions Judge Parminder Singh Rai has sentenced two men to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for attempt to murder of schoolgirl and Jalandhar’s braveheart Kusum Kumari (then 15) while snatching her mobile phone. The court convicted Avinash Kumar, alias Ashu, and Vinod Kumar, alias Jhikka and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on each convict under Section 307 and Rs 20,000 each under Section 379-B. Vinod was additionally sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 5,000 under Section 411. In default of payment of the fines, they will undergo additional imprisonment as ordered by the court. The incident dates back to August 30, 2020. Kusum had then chased the snatcher and caught hold of his shirt. The snatcher had allegedly attacked her with a sharpedged weapon, aiming at her head. She had raised her left arm to defend herself and suf- BJP leaders during a protest against irregularities in Smart City project at MC office in Jalandhar. MALKIAT SINGH Victim Kusum got National Bravery Award in 2023 fered a grievous injury on her wrist. The victim had undergone emergency surgery at a private hospital. The treating doctor had testified in the court that the injury was bone-deep and had severed tendons in her wrist, fingers and thumb. The video of the incident had gone viral and Kusum was conferred with the National Bravery Award in 2023. Even Captain Amarinder Singh, as Punjab Chief Minister, had then commended Kusum for her courage to foil the snatching and had offered a financial aid worth Rs 1 lakh last year, which was provided to her through the district administration. The then Jalandhar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Bhullar had also extended her a financial help worth Rs 50,000 besides handing over a new mobile phone. The district administration had also dedicated a graffiti to Kusum under the PAP flyover. She was also announced as the brand ambassador under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao mission. Kusum was then a student of Class VIII student of Lala Jagat Narayan DAV Model School and was returning home after tuition classes. Two motorcycle-borne youths had allegedly snatched her mobile phone as she was walking near Shivjyoti Park in Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar. The court relied on the consistent testimonies of the victim and two neighbourhood residents, who had witnessed the incident and helped apprehend Avinash. The judge noted that nothing substantial emerged during their cross-examination to undermine their credibility. Gyanesh Kumar acting at Centre’s behest, alleges MLA Balwinder Singh Our Correspondent Phagwara, October 9 The Congress staged a protest in Phagwara on Thursday, burning an effigy of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar and raising slogans against the Centre and the Election Commission of India. The demonstration was led by Phagwara Urban Block Congress president Naresh Bhardwaj and Rural Block Congress president Vicky Ranipur. Phagwara MLA and Kapurthala District Congress Committee president Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, who attended the protest, accused the Chief Election Commissioner of acting at the behest of the Centre. He stressed that maintaining public confidence in the institution was essential for the healthy functioning of the country’s democratic system. c m y b Any questions regarding its functioning, he said, should be addressed transparently to ensure that the electoral process remained impartial and credible. The Congress leader alleged that policies of the Central Government and issues surrounding the electoral process had raised concerns among opposition parties. He maintained that the Election Commission was duty-bound to treat all political parties equally and conduct elections in a fair and impartial manner. Addressing the gathering, Naresh Bhardwaj and Vicky Ranipur said the Congress would continue its struggle to protect democracy. During the protest, Congress leaders and workers raised slogans against the Centre and the Chief Election Commissioner. Jalandhar, October 9 In an attempt to bust the Aam Aadmi Party’s claim of having brought in ‘Sehat Kranti’ (health revolution) in the state, Congress leaders on Friday took a round of the Jalandhar Civil Hospital today, sharing videos and pictures of the apathetic conditions in the vicinity. District Congress Committee (urban) chief Rajinder Beri and Jalandhar North MLA Bawa Henry went to the Civil Hospital this morning and showed how the patients had been suffering from issues like clogged or locked toilets, broken taps, blocked pipes, presence of stray dogs in the ICU, lack of drinking water facilities and unavailability of wheel chairs. Taking the media along, the Congress leaders first went to take a round of the washrooms in the the mother and child ward which had been lying clogged. There was garbage and fungal growth at many places. The patients complained, “There is no provision of clean drinking water. The water coolers are not working. We have to buy bottled water from outside. There are no bedsheets in the wards.” The leaders went to the Trauma Centre where they were allegedly greeted by a stray dog. “Is this a veterinary hospital?” asked Henry. “Stray animals can be a big source of infection to the already ill and immuno-compromised patients”, he said. The patients also complained to them that the wheel chairs are not provided to them. A visitor, whose daughter had got injured, said, “I had to carry my daughter as no wheelchair was provided to me by the staff. Later, I was told that the wheelchairs had been kept stocked in the store and I had to go and get one. Ideally, Congress MLA Bawa Henry with party leader Rajinder Beri during a visit to the Civil Hospital in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTOGRAPH NO DRINKING WATER provision of clean }There is noare not working. Wedrinking water. The water coolers have to buy bottled water from outside. There are no bedsheets in the wards’ beds. PATIENTS ~ these should be kept right at the entrance for the convenience of the patients.” Dr Namita Ghai, Medical Superintendent, said, “Currently renovation work is underway on the hospital premises. As many as 130 washrooms have been demolished and are being re-constructed. Fittings and tiles are being changed. In paediatrics department, the supply to main water cooler has been snapped temporarily because of this ongoing work. We are getting door closers fitted at the entrance doors of Trauma Centre to ward off entry of strays. We have 11 wheelchairs in emergency and five in the OPD which have been REPAIR WORK ON } In paediatrics department, the supply to main water cooler has been snapped temporarily because of the ongoing work. Dr Namita Ghai, MS ~ kept outside. Patients have been using wheelchairs recklessly and we expect some sense of responsibility from them. So we have chosen to keep the Aadhar Card copy of the wheelchair users until they return it.”