19102026-JTR-01.qxd 10/18/2026 10:34 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune JHOTA MURDER: ACTION PANEL TO SUBMIT ‘LAHNAT PATTARS’ SIR DEBATE MAY TAKE BACKSEAT AMID PUNJAB’S LOCAL ISSUES RANBIR KAPOOR SINGS YJHD HIT WITH HARSHDEEP KAUR To secure justice for Jhota and to intensify struggle against the drugs, the panel has issued a call for protests on Oct 19. P2 Drugs & law and order remain key issues, democracy requires people to feel heard. P3 Ranbir Kapoor recreates Kabira magic with Harshdeep Kaur at Mumbai Durga Puja pandal. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET MONDAY 5.51 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:33 AM MONDAY | 19 OCTOBER 2026 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF WOMAN’S GOLD CHAIN SNATCHED Phagwara: Two unidentified motorcycle-borne men allegedly snatched a gold chain from Komalpreet Kaur near Dr Kaushal's street. According to her mother, Kulbir Kaur, the incident occurred when they were going on a scooter and the suspects approached from behind on a motorcycle. The pillion rider allegedly grabbed the chain, weighing approximately twoand-a-half tolas, before fleeing. The complainant said her daughter followed the suspects till the Kala Sanghian railway crossing but could not catch them. The police have registered a case. oc MAN BOOKED FOR EXTORTION CALL Phagwara: The police have booked a person for allegedly threatening Balraj Singh of Bilga near Phillaur over a mobile phone and demanding ~50 lakh. A case was registered after Balraj reported the matter to the police. The complaint names no identified suspect, and the available information does not specify when the call was made, the exact nature of the threats, or whether the caller made repeated demands. OC THREE BOOKED IN NDPS CASE Phagwara: The police have registered a case under the NDPS after allegedly recovering eight gram of heroin, 150 intoxicating tablets and 18 pregabalin capsules near a pond outside Nawan Pind Bhatte village. Deepak Kumar was apprehended, while Amarjit Singh and Gulzar Singh allegedly fled the spot. Two motorcycles without registration numbers were also seized. OC SCOOTER STOLEN IN KAPURTHALA Phagwara: Former municipal councillor Joginder Singh reported the theft of his scooter from Jallokhana Chowk on October 9. According to his complaint, he had parked the vehicle while shopping and found it missing when he returned about 30 minutes later. He said he searched for the scooter but could not locate it. The police have registered a case against an unidentified suspect. OC MAN BOOKED FOR ACCIDENT Phagwara: The police have registered a case against Balraj Singh, a resident of Muchhal village in Amritsar district, following a complaint alleging that a car hit a scooter near the Wadala Kalan flyover on October 8 and fled. Complainant Amanpreet Kaur stated that her husband, Har Simranjit Singh, was travelling with a woman when the car allegedly struck the scooter from behind. oc ELDERLY WOMAN’S PURSE SNATCHED Phagwara: An elderly woman, Gurdarshan Kaur, reported that an unidentified man allegedly snatched her purse near Nadala Chowk on October 17. According to her complaint, the purse contained her passport, Aadhaar card and approximately ~3,200. She was waiting for an auto-rickshaw after visiting Gurdwara Boli Sahib when the incident occurred. The police have registered a case. oc 3 more youths in police net in LPU violence case Teachers set to go on mass leave on Oct 21 over DA Ashok Kaura Tribune News Service PHAGWARA, OCTOBER 18 Three more youths were arrested in connection with the violence, vandalism and alleged arson at Lovely Professional University (LPU), taking the total number of arrested youths to 22, police sources said on Sunday evening. The three accused, arrested on Saturday night, were produced before a local judicial magistrate, who remanded them to two-days police custody. The latest arrests have come amid an ongoing investigation into the largescale unrest that broke out on the university campus on the night of September 26 following allegations circulated on social media about the rape of a student by an outsider who had reportedly visited the campus. Those arrested have been identified as Liyush Chohan, originally from Uttar Pradesh and presently residing in Deep Nagar, Jalandhar; Om Kumar, a resident of Bihar; and Nikhil Kumar, a resident of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. The police will question them about their alleged involvement in the Jalandhar, October 18 Government school teachers across Punjab will stay away from work on October 21 and stage protests at eight locations across the state, escalating the confrontation with the AAP government over its failure to resolve pending demands of employees and pensioners. The statewide agitation has been called jointly by 21 teacher unions on the appeal of the Joint State Coordination Committee, which is leading the protest against the government’s handling of employee-related issues. The unions have urged teachers to participate in the demonstrations in large numbers. Notices regarding the proposed mass casual leave will be sent to the Director of School Education through district education officers while union leaders at the district and block levels have been tasked with mobilising teachers across government schools. The demands include the release of pending DA installments and arrears, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, regularisation of contractual and outsourced employees The development takes the total number of arrests in the case to 22. FILE incident, their movements during the unrest and the circumstances under which they joined the gathering. The arrests mark another development in the police investigation, which has already seen several youths taken into custody or detained, including juveniles. Investigators are examining the alleged roles of students and outsiders in the mobilisation of the crowd, the escalation of tensions and the damage caused ‘Cops deleted drug sting videos’, Cong stages dharna Our Correspondent Garhshankar, October 18 A Congress leader’s associate was arrested by the Garhshankar police in an alleged cannabis consumption case after the leader and his team reportedly reached Denowal Khurd village (Basti Sansian) to conduct a sting operation into the alleged sale of drugs. Congress leader Gurtej Singh Pannu staged a dharna outside the Garhshankar police station last night, alleging that the police had registered a false case against his associate and deleted videos recorded during the operation. Pannu said he had posted a video on social media on Saturday highlighting the alleged drug trade in Denowal Khurd. He subsequently visited the village with his team to con- duct a sting operation. According to Pannu, police personnel arrived in vehicles, detained his associate Shawan Kumar and took him to the police station. He alleged that the police later registered a case against Shawan for cannabis consumption, although he did not consume drugs. Pannu further alleged that the police took his mobile phone and deleted the videos recorded during the operation. He warned that the Congress would launch protests if the case against Shawan was not withdrawn. SHO Gagandeep Singh Sekhon said Shawan had been arrested from Denowal Khurd village. The police version of the allegations regarding the deletion of videos and the alleged drug sale was not available. to university property. 400 under scrutiny More than 400 youths, including students and outsiders, have reportedly come under scrutiny. Investigators are examining WhatsApp communications, other social media exchanges and CCTV footage to establish the identities and movements of those present at the scene. The police are also attempting to identify senior stu- dents who allegedly mobilised others through messaging platforms. Meanwhile, the cybercrime wing has reportedly initiated action to remove around 300 social media posts allegedly containing inflammatory material and fabricated AIgenerated videos. Investigators are examining the digital content to determine whether it was circulated to spread misinformation or intensify tensions. and implementation of the 2.59 multiplication factor for pensioners and employees in unrevised pay categories. The unions are also seeking restoration of 37 categories of allowances and the Assured Career Progression scheme, full salaries during the probation period, Punjab pay scales for employees recruited after July 17, 2020 and the inclusion of computer teachers in the Education Department. Other demands include minimum wages for workers employed on an honorarium basis. Criticising the government’s claim of addressing employee concerns, the union leaders also alleged that the announcement of an 8 per cent increase in DA had created a misleading impression that their grievances had been resolved, even as several demands remained pending. They maintained that the DA hike could not substitute for the settlement of outstanding arrears and other long standing service-related issues. They also accused the Chief Secretary of making a false statement before the High Court, further fuelling their resentment against the government. Digital luggage lockers at Phagwara railway station Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 18 Passengers at the Phagwara railway station can now leave their luggage in secure digital lockers instead of carrying it around while waiting for trains or stepping out of the station for a while. The Ferozepur railway division launched the facility on October 16 to make travel more convenient and improve passenger amenities at the station. Travellers can select a locker, scan a QR code and pay online Passengers can book a locker for a specific duration with charges based on the period of use. To access the facility, they need to enter their mobile number on the locker panel and receive an OTP They can . then select a locker, scan a QR code and pay online. The facility is expected to benefit passengers who have long waiting periods between trains or need to leave the station temporarily but want to keep their belongings safe. According to officials, the initiative is part of the railway division’s efforts to provide passengers with safer and more convenient facilities at stations. 280 rooms booked as city 4.25L MT of paddy readies for hockey tourney procured in K’thala Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 18 Jalandhar is gearing up to host the Asian Champions Trophy Hockey tournament from October 27 to November 2. Nearly 280 rooms across 10 hotels booked to accommodate international team members, players and support staff, said Nitin Kohli, president, Hockey Punjab, said. The Indian men’s hockey team arrived here for a training camp on October 18. The Indian contingent is staying at Bloom Hotel. Other teams will arrive in the days leading up to the tournament. Japan’s 23-member contingent is scheduled to arrive on October 22 and stay at WJ Grand. Malaysia’s 28member contingent is likely to arrive on October 23 and stay at Fortune Avenue, while Labourers give final touches to hockey stadium. Bangladesh’s 21-member contingent is also scheduled to arrive the same day and stay at Ramada by Wyndham, Jalandhar. However, Bangladesh’s flight details and arrival time are yet to be confirmed. Korea’s 24-member contingent is scheduled to arrive on October 24 and stay at Golden Tulip, while China’s 28-mem- SARABJIT SINGH ber contingent is expected to arrive the same day and stay at Hotel Ambassador. An event management team has also been engaged to ensure food arrangements for spectators. Transportation facilities will be provided to theteams to ensure smooth movement during the tournament. Phagwara , October 18 Deputy Commissioner Akash Bansal on Sunday said Rs 986.29 crore had been paid to farmers for paddy procured so far in Kapurthala district, where 4,25,853 metric tonnes of paddy had been procured out of the total arrival of 4,36,835 metric tonnes. Reviewing the procurement arrangements, he directed officials to expedite the lifting process and ensure that farmers did not face any inconvenience in the grain markets. He said the administration was making efforts to ensure smooth and hassle-free procurement for farmers. The government was regularly monitoring procurement operations to ensure timely payments, efficient lifting and seamless func- ~986 crore has been paid to farmers tioning of grain markets. The DC added that instructions had been issued to all officials to accelerate the lifting process and ensure the timely clearance of procured paddy from the mandis. Issuing strict directions to the officials, he made it clear that any negligence or avoidable delay in procurement operations would not be tolerated. Reiterating the government’s commitment to safeguarding farmers’ interests, the DC said every effort was being made to ensure the procurement of farmers’ produce, timely release of payments and efficient management of all grain markets across the district. Amazon to pay over ~25,000 for non-delivery of sewing machine Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 18 A sewing machine worth Rs 5,804 that never arrived has led the District Consumer Redressal Commission to order Amazon to pay the buyer Rs 25,804, rejecting the ecommerce giant’s argument that it was merely an intermediary in the transaction. In October 2020, complainant Sukhbir Singh had ordered a heavy duty electric sewing machine on Amazon.in intending to buy it for his mother. After a bank discount, he paid Rs 5,804 for his order. Although a tracking number was generated, the shipment record showed the consignment as pending or in transit, with no confirmation of delivery. Singh repeatedly approached both the platform and the seller in November 2020, seeking updates on his order. Records show that he lodged complaints regarding the non-delivery of the package and repeatedly sought clarification on when the product would be delivered. The commission observed that Amazon had been informed of the non-delivery and had itself communicated with the seller. However, the company failed to establish that Singh had received either the product or an effective refund. It held that Amazon’s status as an intermediary did not automatically exclude consumer-protection remedies in the circumstances of the case. The commission also rejected Amazon’s objection that the complaint, filed in Febru- ary 2023, was time-barred. It relied on the Supreme Court’s directions excluding the specified COVID-19 period while calculating the limitation period. The seller, Kriyaansh EStore, did not appear before the commission and was proceeded against ex parte. The commission directed the opposite parties to refund Rs 5,804, pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental agony, harassment and inconvenience and another Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses. The amount must be paid within 45 days of receiving a certified copy of the order. If the refund is not paid within that period, it will attract interest at 6 per cent per annum from the expiry of the deadline until payment. c m y b Granite floor turns rough, store told to pay over ~82,000 Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 18 A granite floor that allegedly began losing its colour and turning rough within months of installation has landed a Jalandhar marble and sanitation store in trouble, with the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission directing it to pay a retired government officer Rs 52,923, along with interest, Rs 20,000 in compensation and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses. The verdict came in favour of complainant Sukhwinder Singh of Vasant Avenue, who had purchased copper granite slabs worth Rs 59,033 from Lovely Marbles and Sanitation Store on Nakodar road in 2021. He noted that during the purchase, the store had assured him that the granite would become shinier with regular cleaning and carried a 10-year warranty against cracks, colour loss and loss of surface shine. However, after the granite was installed at his underconstruction house, he noticed changes in its colour and texture, with the surface becoming increasingly rough and developing white spots. Singh alleged that the store’s technician had acknowledged that the supplied lot was defective but no satisfactory solution was offered. In its defence, the store maintained that Singh had purchased economical, irregular granite and attributed the problem to improper installa- tion, including the alleged failure to use a sealer and proper adhesive and grouting. Rejecting the store’s defence, the commission held it deficient in service for selling defective granite after accepting payment. In its final order, the commission led by president Harveen Bhardwaj and members Jyotsna and Jaswant Singh Dhillon directed the store to refund Rs 52,923 with 6 per cent annual interest from the date of filing the complaint until realisation, besides paying Rs 20,000 as compensation for mental harassment and Rs 10,000 as litigation expenses. The compliance is to be made within 45 days of receipt of the order.