20102026-JTR-01.qxd 19-10-2026 22:50 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SEVEN HELD FOR ILLEGAL FELLING OF KHAIR TREES IN HOSHIARPUR BJP LEADER TARGETS AAP GOVT OVER LAW & ORDER SITUATION B-TOWN CONDEMNS FIRING AT TIGER SHROFF Range Officer said eight khair trees had allegedly been felled during the intervening night of Oct 15 and 16. P2 Vijay Sampla says maintaining law and order in Punjab is the responsibility of the state government. P2 BJP MP Ravi Kishan and filmmaker Ashoke Pandit have condemned the targeting of actor Tiger Shroff. P3 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 30°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 15°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5.50 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:34 AM » TUESDAY | 20 OCTOBER 2026 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF MAN KILLED IN FACTORY ATTACK Phagwara: Rajnish Kumar was allegedly killed in an attack at a tile factory. The police booked Gurdeep Singh, Pahwa and Navdeep Singh of Bajaj village and Gaurav and Arman of Bagrian village. According to a complaint filed by Bhullar Singh of Chanchak village, the victim sustained a fatal head injury during the attack. A forensic science team visited the spot, while video and photographic evidence were reportedly preserved through the eSakshya system. OC 2 ARRESTED FOR HOUSE BURGLARY Phagwara: The Satnampura police have arrested Sandeep Kumar and Pawan Kumar of Ucha Pind village for their alleged involvement in a house burglary. The case was registered on October 18 following a complaint by Ranjit Kaur, who alleged that valuables were stolen from her house while the family was at a wedding function on October 17. On returning home, she found the kitchen window mesh cut and a cupboard lock broken. OC DRUG SUPPLY NETWORK BUSTED Phagwara: The police have uncovered an alleged drug supply network that was using a minor boy to distribute narcotic substances. The operation was conducted at Nawan Pind Bhathe village, leading to the recovery of suspected narcotic substances and the registration of a case against three accused.OC MOBILES SEIZED FROM JAIL Phagwara: Three inmates of Kapurthala Central Jail were allegedly found in possession of mobile phones during a search. The inmates were identified as Amritpal Singh of Khukhrain village, Gursharan Singh of Bhila village and Paras of Jalandhar. According to the jail authorities, two phones, SIM cards and batteries were among the items recovered. A case was registered. oc MAN ARRESTED FOR SNATCHING Phagwara: The police have arrested Sahib Singh of Tandaur village in Jalandhar district. According to a complaint filed by Sarabjit Kaur of Qila Mohalla in Mehatpur, the accused allegedly snatched a polythene bag containing a stitched suit, ~10,000 and a mobile phone. oc 3 BOOKED FOR NAKODAR ASSAULT Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked three men for allegedly assaulting a 67-yearold resident of Talwandi Bharon village and damaging his car. Baljit Singh said the incident took place around 10 pm on October 14 when Harmanpreet Singh, Jagdeep Singh and Amritpal Singh allegedly entered his house armed with weapons and assaulted him. The accused also allegedly damaged his SUV. The police have arrested Jagdeep while the other two accused are fleeing. oc MAN HELD WITH INTOXICANTS Phagwara: The Jalandhar police have arrested Ranjot Singh of Patti Ram Ki, under Sadar Jalandhar after allegedly recovering 15 intoxicating tablets from him. oc Taking a break from work to keep 70-year-old Ram Leela tradition alive Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 19 For a few days every year, shops, businesses and offices take a back seat as residents of the Sodal Road area come together to keep a 70-year-old Ram Leela tradition alive. Leaving their everyday roles behind, they transform into characters from the Ramayana after weeks of rehearsals. Organised by the Navyuvak Mandal Ramleela Committee at Ram Leela Maidan on Sodal Road from October 12 to 20, the annual event brings together more than 25 artistes, most of whom are engaged in private jobs or run their own businesses. For Sukhwinder Kalia, president of the committee and industrialist, the tradition is a family legacy. He is the third generation of his family to lead the Ram Leela. Before him, his late father Ajotya Prakash Kalia served as the chairman. “For us, Ram Leela is not just a performance, it is a form of devotion and worship. We organise it free of cost so that everyone can come and witness it. The expenses on costumes, makeup and stage sets are borne by us because keeping this decades old tradition alive is a matter of faith and pride for our families,” Kalia said. However, for the performers, the preparations begin long before the first scene unfolds. Rehearsals start nearly a month in advance Sodal area residents perform Ram Leela in Jalandhar. every evening from 8 pm to 11 pm. Once the perform- ances begin, their day stretches till late night with Ram Leela running from 6 pm to 2 am. Pawan Luther, who is playing the character of Ravana, takes a month-long break from his marketing job every year to be part of the epic. Associated with Ram Leela since he was 14, Luther has played several characters, including Dashrath, Meghnad, Parshuram and Vishwamitra. He has been portraying Ravana for the past three years. “I have been associated with this Ram Leela since I was 14. Whenever an artiste is unavailable, I step in to fill the role. This year, I played Dashrath as well,” he said. For Luther, the association is also a family tradition. Before him, his father Krishan Lal Luther played Lakshmana in Ram Leela. “It is like worship for us. We begin rehearsals a month before the performances and they continue until late at night. It is not just about acting, it is about keeping a tradition alive,” he said. Vikrant Sharma, who runs a Colgate merchandise business during the year, takes on the role of Hanuman during the annual event. He, too, has been associated with Ram Leela since the age of 12. For these performers, Ram Leela demands more than learning dialogues and portraying mythological characters. It means making time away from their livelihoods to uphold a tradition passed down through generations through a shared expression of faith and community participation. MLA questions mining UP student arrested in LPU campus violence FIR, seeks CBI probe ■ Flags discrepancies in vehicle numbers ■ Police say one was a clerical error PHAGWARA,OCTOBER 19 The Phagwara police have arrested another student Om Chaturvedi, a resident of Uttar Pradesh, taking the total number of youths arrested in connection with vandalism at Lovely Professional University (LPU) to 23. The latest arrest has come amid an expanding police investigation in which more than 100 youths, mostly students, have reportedly been named, while around 400 others are under scrutiny. The arrested student was produced before a local judicial magistrate, who remanded him to police custody. Police sources told this correspondent that the investigation was continuing and more arrests could follow as investigators examined the role of those allegedly involved in the incidents. Although normalcy has gradually returned to the LPU and students have started attending classes, the continuing arrests have created apprehension among students living in university hostels. Several students expressed concern over the police action, alleging corruption in the investigation and questioning the manner in which students were being picked up. — OC Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 19 Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh (pic) has questioned the FIR registered in connection with an alleged illegal sand mining operation at Khijarpur village in the Mand area of Sultanpur Lodhi on October 17 and demanded a CBI probe into the case. Alleging that illegal mining had been rampant in the region for the past several years, Rana said the Sultanpur Lodhi case should be brought under the ambit of the CBI probe into alleged sand mining in Hoshiarpur. The MLA also alleged discrepancies in the registration numbers of vehicles mentioned in the FIR, claiming that these differed from those visible in videos released following the raid. The Kapurthala police, however, disputed his allegations. Rana alleged that illegal mining had been taking place along the Beas in Sultanpur Two arrested with heroin Lodhi for the past four years due to a “police-political nexus”. He claimed that a raid by a Mining Department team from outside the area had led to the seizure of four tippers and a Poclain machine. “The illegal mining work is going on under Billa, a contractor, who is from district Amritsar, who has rented a house just a km away from where the FIR has been registered,” he said. Rana alleged, “In the FIR, a tipper number PB07 CN 9700 has been changed to CH 9700. And another vehicle number PB07 CE 9898 has been changed to - PB09, instead of PB07. The numbers were changed so that facts may not be proved in court and the culprits may not be nailed.” According to the FIR, a joint team of the Mining Department and police found six tippers and two other vehicles at the site. The vehicles were seized. The registration numbers of two trucks mentioned in the FIR are at the centre of the MLA’s objections. Talwandi Chaudharian SHO Sonamdeep Kaur rejected the allegation that vehicle numbers had deliberately been changed. Phagwara,October 19 The Dhilwan police have arrested two youths travelling in a car and allegedly recovered 15 gram of heroin from their possession. ASI Darshan Lal, along with a police team, was checking vehicles at the high-tech checkpoint at Bandi Dhilwan. The police stopped a car for inspection and searched the vehicle after finding two youths inside. The driver was identified as Parminder Singh of Street No. 9, Mohalla Ratanpura, Phagwara. The other occupant was identified as Nitin Gupta of Arhtiya Mohalla, Mehli Gate, Phagwara. The police said a search of the car led to the recovery of 15 gram of heroin concealed in a wax envelope in the dashboard. — OC Salute to Team India The Indian men's hockey team gets a warm welcome at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium, Jalandhar, on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH From health setback to Sa Re Ga Ma Pa top 12 ‘Shop of love...’ initiative Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 19 At the age of 10, Sehajdeep Singh had to give up singing after a kidney condition and strong medication made it difficult for him to focus on music. Today, the 24-year-old from Jalandhar is among the top 12 contestants on Zee TV’s singing reality show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, drawing attention for his soulful voice and sitar performances. His renditions of ghazals have also invited comparisons with legendary singer Jagjit Singh. Currently in Jalandhar on a three-day break from the show’s hectic shooting schedule in Kolkata, Sehajdeep spoke to The Tribune about his musical journey, his unexpected entry into the reality show and his ambition to become a playback singer. Sehajdeep said his musical interests began at the age of four but his health forced him to step away from singing. He recovered at 19 and although he did not immediately return to vocal music, his connection with music remained alive Sehajdeep overcame a childhood break from singing to find his way back to music and the national stage Sehajdeep Singh from Jalandhar, who has made it to the top 12 of Zee TV’s singing reality show. through the sitar. His father, Inderjit Singh, a music teacher known for his work with instruments associated with Gurmat Sangeet, noticed his interest in the instrument. Sehajdeep began learning to play the sitar, developing his understanding of music without practising vocal singing. It was only during his graduation, while jamming with friends, that he began singing seriously again. Despite never having received professional training in vocal music, Sehajdeep gradually developed his singing through practice. An opportunity to take that talent to a national platform came unexpectedly when a member of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’s social media team contacted him and asked him to submit two singing videos. After being shortlisted, he was invited to an audition in c m y b Chandigarh. Sehajdeep said he had gone with no particular expectations, simply wanting to give it a try. “I went there casually, just to give it a shot. When I finally made it to the show, it felt like a dream. My life changed,” he said. Since joining the show, his melodious performances have caught the attention of judges and audiences with his effortless handling of difficult compositions drawing comparisons with Jagjit Singh. Interestingly, his own introduction to ghazals came only around four years ago. Sehajdeep recalled during college, he heard Apni Tasveer, sung by Ghulam Ali and gradually developed an interest in the genre. Having grown up listening to film songs and classical music, he found himself drawn to the emotional depth and poetic quality of ghazals. At a time when fast paced songs remain popular, Sehajdeep believes ghazals offer a sense of solace. Their lyrics, he said, have the quality of poetry, allowing listeners to connect with the emotions behind the music. Sehajdeep is the third generation of singers in his family and credits his father as his biggest inspiration. He believes his father’s guidance and musical influence have played a critical role in bringing him to where he is today. With a place among the top 12 contestants, Sehajdeep now hopes to take his journey further and pursue playback singing. by Congress leader Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 19 Congress leader and former Director of the Punjab Brahmin Welfare Board Ravish Raj Sharma has launched an initiative inspired by Rahul Gandhi’s message of setting up a “Shop of love in the market of hate.” One of the aspirants of the coming Assembly elections from the Jalandhar Central seat, Sharma launched his initiative on Monday on the auspicious occasion of Navami. As a part of the initiative, a tea langar was organised at the PUDA Complex, opposite the DC office, from 11 am to 12 noon, providing an opportunity to interact with people over a cup of tea. Sharma said following the launch, the initiative would be taken to different parks in his area every Sunday, beginning October 25. From 6 am to 7 am, people will be invited to share their thoughts and experiences over tea in an atmosphere of warmth and Sunday park meetings to start from Oct 25 over a cup of tea mutual understanding. Their joys and sorrows will be shared, their problems heard, and their suggestions discussed. He said the initiative would continue every Sunday at different parks, allowing him to meet people in their neighbourhoods and listen directly to their concerns. He said the objective of the initiative was to establish direct communication with people without discrimination or barriers. The effort would be to bring together people from every section of society through the message of love, harmony and brotherhood. He clarified that the purpose of setting up the “Shop of Love” was not merely political, but to connect with people at a personal level and build meaningful relationships with them.