11102026-JTR-01.qxd 10/10/2026 10:37 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune MINISTER BHAGAT INAUGURATES KHEDAN WATAN PUNJAB DIYAN SENTINELS OF SHIMLA’S SKYLINE: LOCALS REMEMBER CITY’S PAST Historic brick-and-stone masonry chimneys rise above roofs, guarding memories of what winters meant in the hill town . P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 22°C CLOONEYS’ NIGHT OF GLAMOUR & PURPOSE The competitions, which began on October 10, feature events in volleyball, shooting, chess and table tennis. P2 FORECAST George and Amal Clooney hosted their fifth annual Albies gala at London's Natural History Museum. P4 » » SUNSET SUNDAY 06.02 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 06:26 AM » SUNDAY | 11 OCTOBER 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. Train cancellations, diversions leave passengers stranded Festive fervour 5 trains cancelled after CJP protest call, 15 affected by track work Tribune News Service INBRIEF MAN HELD WITH 3,600 CAPSULES Phagwara: The Kapurthala police have arrested a man for allegedly possessing 3,600 pregabalin capsules. The accused has been identified as Deepak Kumar, a resident of Mohalla Shergarh. According to the police, a team led by ASI Gurdeep Singh was patrolling near the Chandigarh bypass when the accused allegedly tried to evade them. He was apprehended and searched, leading to the recovery of the capsules. The police said the accused failed to produce a bill or other supporting documents for the medicines. OC WOMAN NABBED WITH HEROIN Phagwara: The police have arrested Binder Kaur, a resident of Toti village, in connection with the recovery of 15 gm of heroin and 50 intoxicating tablets. According to the police, a patrolling team received information that the woman was allegedly involved in drug peddling and was waiting for customers on the road connecting Toti village and Sherpur Dona. Acting on the information, the police conducted a search and recovered the narcotics. OC FOUR BOOKED IN ASSAULT CASE Phagwara: The Phillaur police have registered a case against four persons in connection with an alleged assault and house trespass in the Brahmpuri locality near Akalpur Road. According to a complaint filed by Charanjit Kaur Pawar, the accused entered her house around 10 pm on October 8 and allegedly assaulted her. The accused have been identified as Sham Sundar, Shubham, Kindar, wife of Sham Sundar, and Diksha. All are residents of the Brahmpuri locality. Shubham has been arrested, while the others are yet to be arrested. OC TWO NABBED IN MINING CASE Phagwara: The police have arrested two men and seized two tractors in connection with a case involving illegal sand mining. The accused have been identified as Manjeet Singh, a resident of Dashmesh Nagar near Parjian Khurd under the Mehatpur police station; and Lakhvinder Singh, a resident of Khurampur locality in Mehatpur. The case was registered on Friday on the basis of a complaint filed by Mining Inspector Manpreet Singh. OC 10 GRAMS OF HEROIN SEIZED Phagwara: The Goraya police have arrested Ravinder Singh, a resident of Sang Dhesian village, for allegedly possessing 10 gm of heroin. According to the police, he was apprehended by a police team near Patti Kamalpur Bara village. A case was registered under Sections 22, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act. Further investigation is underway to determine whether any other persons were involved. OC Devi Talab Mandir decked up on the eve of Navratras in Jalandhar on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH 17 arrested, 515 gm heroin seized Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 10 Seventeen people were arrested and 515 gm of heroin recovered during a special cordon and search operation by the Jalandhar rural police on Saturday. The operation was carried out as part of the Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign. Various teams of the police thoroughly checked suspicious persons and locations, with an aim to prevent the illegal sale and supply of drugs. The police lodged 15 FIRs, arresting 17 persons. The police seized 456 intoxicant tablets, 515 gm of heroin and a motorcycle. Additionally, the police identified 15 drug hotspots across the district to curb the drug menace. These hotspots were being kept under continuous surveillance, said an official. Activities of suspicious individuals were being monitored while special checking and search operations were being conducted, the police said.Jalandhar Rural SSP Harvinder Singh Virk said equal importance was being given not only to strict enforcement but also to public awareness, treatment and rehabilitation of drugaffected people. The police appealed to the public to share any information regarding drug trafficking and the illegal sale of narcotics. Jalandhar, October 10 The cancellation of at least five trains operating between Jalandhar and the national capital on Saturday, following a protest call by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), added to passengers’ inconvenience. Several other trains were also delayed or diverted due to ongoing work at the Jalandhar yard. The CJP had called for the protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and the complete rollback of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The cancelled trains included the Shatabdi Express (12014), AmritsarNew Delhi Intercity Express (14680), Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi Sampark Kranti Express (12446), Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra-New Delhi Special (04082) and Shri Shakti Express (22462). The Railways also can- Passengers stranded at the Jalandhar railway station on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH celled the Shatabdi Express (12013) from New Delhi to Amritsar and the New Delhi-Amritsar Intercity Express (14679). Adding to the inconvenience, nearly 15 trains operating on routes connecting Amritsar, Jalandhar Cantonment, Chandigarh, Ferozepur, Haridwar, Qadian and Lal Kuan were also affected due to the laying of new tracks at the Jalandhar yard. Three trains were also diverted: the Pathankot-Delhi Superfast Express (22430), Hoshiarpur-Agra Cantt Express (11906) and Agra CantonmentHoshiarpur Express (11905). The disruption has left passengers with fewer travel options, particularly those travelling between Punjab and the national capital. Maninder Singh, a passenger at Jalandhar City railway station, said, “The cancellation of trains has made travel difficult, especially when the remaining services are already crowded. We need timely information about cancellations so that alternative arrangements can be made to avoid unnecessary delays.” SAD appoints ex-SMO Bittu as Banga in-charge 178 kg desi ghee seized as admn Likely to take on turncoat MLA Sukhi in state Assembly poll next year of the shrine had expressed considerable displeasure with the AAP The party’s leaders . were subsequently forced to take a U-turn. The shrine has a large following in the Banga, Nawanshahr, Garhshankar and Chabbewal areas. Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 10 The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday appointed former Senior Medical Officer Satwinderpal Singh Bittu (52) as its in-charge for the Banga Assembly constituency, just days after he quit his job. Bittu joined the party in the presence of its president, Sukhbir Singh Badal, in Chandigarh. He had taken premature retirement. Sukhbir said, “Due to his long-standing dedication to public service in Nawanshahr district, Bittu has gained valuable social experience. I extend my best wishes to him for this new responsibility. I am fully confident that he will further strengthen the party in the area.” The development is being seen as an attempt by the party to take on ENT specialist Dr Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, who was elected an Akali MLA from the constituency for the second time Party seeks views for Punjab poll manifesto SAD chief Sukhbir Badal welcomes Satwinderpal Singh Bittu into the party in Chandigarh on Saturday. in 2022 but later joined the ruling AAP in August 2024. SAD leaders believe that a doctor with goodwill in local circles could take on Sukhi in the forthcoming elections. A general surgeon, Dr Bittu’s wife is also a doctor. She is a gynaecologist and runs a private maternity centre in Balachaur. Bittu is learnt to have recently bought a new house in Banga to begin his new innings in politics. Following a controversy in January this year, when Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann initially claimed that 169 missing saroops of Guru Granth Sahib had been recovered from Rasokhana Nabh Kanwal Raja Sahib in Banga, Sukhi had taken a stand against his own party and defended the religious shrine. At the time, it was believed that Sukhi could return to the SAD, as followers Phagwara: The SAD has launched a public outreach campaign here to seek suggestions from residents for preparing its manifesto for the Assembly elections. The drive was launched at Preet Nagar in the Satnampura circle of Phagwara under the leadership of Ranjit Singh Khurana. Khurana said the party wanted to prepare a manifesto that reflected public opinion rather than being limited to promises formulated by political leaders. The party plans to release its election manifesto on November 1, which is observed as Punjab Day. — OC intensifies food quality checks Ashok Kaura Phagwara, October 10 The food safety wing of the Health Department in Kapurthala has seized 178 kg of desi ghee and collected samples of various food products for testing as part of an intensified inspection drive ahead of the festive season. The team also seized energy drinks being sold in violation of prohibitory orders near government schools and conducted awareness campaigns on food safety and the health risks associated with energy drinks. The drive was held following the directions of Kamalpreet Kaur Brar, Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Punjab; Akash Bansal, Deputy Commissioner, Kapurthala; Dr Rajiv Parashar, Civil Surgeon, Kapurthala; and Harjot Pal Singh, Assistant Commissioner (Food). The team collected three samples of different food products, including milk and ice Officials inspect a shop in Kapurthala. cream, for testing. The team also collected four midday meal samples from government schools. As part of the awareness initiative, a special camp was organised in government schools to educate students about the potentially harmful effects of consuming energy drinks. Students were told that caffeine and other stimulant ingredients present in energy drinks could pose health risks to children and that their consumption should be avoided. The team also inspected the sale of energy drinks within a 50-metre radius of government schools. Energy drinks being sold in violation of the prohibitory orders were seized. Food joint owners were directed to strictly adhere to food safety standards. Officials said inspections and awareness drives would continue throughout the festive season to safeguard public health. Citizens’ collective leads fight to save Kanjli Wetland from piling waste Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 10 Rewilding Punjab, a citizens’ collective, has launched a clean-up campaign at Kanjli Wetland in Kapurthala amid concerns over the site’s deteriorating ecological condition due to the accumulation of waste. At least four tonnes of garbage were removed from the forest area around Kanjli under the initiative on Saturday. Kanjli Wetland, recognised as a Ramsar site, has allegedly faced decades of neglect, with the forest adjoining the Kali Bein rivulet increasingly becoming a dumping ground for waste. ecosystem and the wildlife that depends on it,” he said. Bageshwer said the initiative not only aimed to remove accumulated waste but also to encourage people to take collective responsibility for the conservation of the natural space. The forest, which is home to more than 350 plant and bird species and provides shelter to a large population of flying foxes, is being choked by tonnes of plastic and other waste regularly dumped in the area. The initiative aims to reconnect people with nature and promote ecological restoration. It is organising community-led cleanup drives with the support of the Desh Doab Trust and the youth organisation PAHAL. Initiative launched on Oct 2 ‘Treated as dumping site’ Speaking on the issue, ecologist Bageshwer Singh, who was among those who led the cleanup exercise on Saturday, said, Members of a citizens’ collective remove garbage from Kanjli Wetland in Kapurthala on Saturday. “Despite its ecological significance, the Kanjli forest c m y b has been treated as a dumping ground for long.” “The waste accumulating here threatens the forest On Saturday, volunteers came together for the second time. They had started the initiative on October 2. The waste collected on Saturday consisted largely of household garbage and plastic, along with religious offerings and paraphernalia. Volunteers used manual and mechanical methods to remove the accumulated waste, taking care to minimise disturbance to the wetland’s ecology. “When green spaces are neglected, they become vulnerable to misuse. We need to reclaim these spaces and recognise their importance not only for biodiversity but also for the well-being of our communities,” said Hem Khosla. The initiative, aimed at preventing further waste dumping, also seeks to bring more people into the forest and develop a sense of stewardship towards local natural spaces. Participants called for greater public involvement in future drives. The next clean-up drive is scheduled for October 17.