31102026-JTR-01.qxd 31-10-2026 00:02 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune ADMN RESTRICTS FIRECRACKER SALES TO DESIGNATED SITES BOOK CHRONICLES ’84 ANTI-SIKH RIOTS, LASTING IMPACT ON STATE The 1984 anti-Sikh violence is one of three narratives explored in Dr Ajay Sharma’s new book. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 16°C WHY GEN Z & MILLENNIALS ASK CHATBOTS HOW TO LOVE... The sale of firecrackers and explosive materials is prohibited at any location other than the designated sites. P2 FORECAST Aisle’s 2026 survey of 8,240 urban Indian singles finds 51.2 per cent run their dating messages through AI. P4 » » SUNSET SATURDAY 5.39 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6:43 AM » SATURDAY | 31 OCTOBER 2026 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF MAN HELD FOR RAPING MINOR Phagwara: The Lohian Khas police have arrested a villager on the charge of raping a minor girl. The accused has been identified as Baldev Singh, alias Manga, of Yakopur Khurd village and presently living at Manjit Nagar, Ward No. 1, Lohian Khas. The maternal aunt of the victim had complained to the police that the accused raped her minor niece two months ago, who did not disclose this incident out of fear. A case under the POCSO Act was registered against the accused. OC TWO BOOKED FOR SNATCHING Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked two miscreants on the charge of snatching a woman’s gold chain. Sandip Kaur of New Raseela Nagar, Basti Daneshmand, Jalandhar, complained to the police that she was returning home from Nakodar when two motorcycle-borne accused snatched her gold chain near Gohir village. OC YOUTH BOOKED FOR KIDNAPPING Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked a youth on the charge of kidnapping a minor girl. The accused has been identified as Anmol, alias Murli, of Uggi village. The mother of the victim, resident of Rahimpur village, complained to the police that the accused kidnapped her minor daughter on the pretext of marriage. OC NOTORIOUS PO ARRESTED Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a notorious proclaimed offender (PO) absconding for the last seven months. The accused have been identified as Bikramjit Singh of Majra Jattan village in Sheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district and wanted in four cases of extortion and firing registered in 2023 and was declared PO in 2026. oc MAN HELD UNDER NDPS ACT Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a man for selling intoxicating tablets. As many as 27 intoxicating tablets were recovered from the possession of the accused as Shevak Raj of Pati Haveli, Malsian village. oc MAN BOOKED FOR STEALING BIKE Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked unidentified persons on the charge of stealing a motorcycle. Bakhshish Singh, a resident of Sabowal village in Jalandhar, complained to the police that the accused stole his motorcycle (PB-08 BD 3430) from Shankar village on October 27. oc VILLAGER BOOKED FOR ASSAULT Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked a villager on the charge of assaulting a co-villager. The accused has been identified as Ramesh Lal, alias Meshaa, resident of Bhodipur village. Narindar Kumar of the village complained to the police that the accused waylaid him and assaulted and damaged his motorcycle and threatened him. oc 10K students in limboas PTU affiliation delayed Deepkamal Kaur WHAT REGISTRAR SAYS Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 30 Nearly 90 colleges and 10,000 allied healthcare course students in Punjab are facing uncertainty as IK Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKGPTU) is yet to issue affiliation orders for the academic session 2026-27. The students had started enrolling in the courses in July this year. They have been attending classes for the past nearly three months but their mid-term examinations have not been conducted owing to the prevailing confusion. The confusion stems from the fact that the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), a parallel state body that came up about five years ago, had made certain amendments to the rules and regulations recently, including those in nomenclature and curriculum. The IKGPTU had delayed the affiliation process as it IKGPTU Registrar Dr Navdeepak Sandhu said, “We are expecting a clarity on the matter tomorrow from the state commission. We do not want to flout any rules and regulations and will go by the final decision of the state commission. There are some healthcare courses to which there are no objections from the NCAHP regarding nomenclature or syllabus. They will surely be allowed to run but there are other courses to which there can be objections. We shall go as per the laid-out procedure.” was awaiting a UGC notification, endorsing NCAHP courses, which came up on August 27. Subsequently, the IKGPTU sought a clarification from the NCAHP regarding offering of B.Sc Cardiac Care Technology (CCT) and B.Sc Operation Theatre Technology (OTT), to which objections had been raised by the commission. However, the uni- versity had to seek further clarification from NCAHP , resulting in additional delays. Consequently, affiliations for nearly 80-90 colleges offering allied healthcare courses remain pending. The admission to the courses is still on and the deadline falls on October 31. Dr Anshu Kataria, President, Punjab Unaided Colleges Association (PUCA), has written to the Health Minister seeking the state government’s intervention to take up the matter with NCAHP Dr Kataria urged the . NCAHP to consider Punjab as a special case and grant a one-month extension for allied healthcare admissions, ensuring that nearly 10,000 students do not lose an academic year due to administrative delays. Commissioner of Police Satinder Singh outside the house of drug accused at Basti Sheikh in Jalandhar. House of drug smuggler razed by Jalandhar police Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 30 A joint action was carried out by Commissionerate Police Jalandhar and the Municipal Corporation as teams brought down an illegal construction of a drug accused in the Basti Sheikh locality in the city on Friday. Under the supervision of Aatish Bhatia, ACP West, and Sandeep Kumar, Assistant Town Planner, Municipal Corporation, illegal construction belonging to Gagandeep Singh, who was involved in drug trafficking cases, was demolished by the Municipal Corporation team. He had raised a construction in House No. 366, Street No. 4, Tej Mohan Nagar, Basti Sheikh. The police teams said seven FIRs had been registered against the accused, out of which five FIRs are related to drug trafficking under the Sukhjeet’s triumph over adversity inspires hockey lovers Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 30 Jalandhar’s Sukhjeet Singh was declared the player of the match after scoring two goals against China in the Asian Champions Trophy yesterday. Sukhjeet opened India’s scoring against China on Saturday. The Jalandhar-born player has been delivering great performance in hockey tournaments. In his early 20s, Sukhjeet suffered partial paralysis in one of his legs, a setback that made him fear that his hockey career was over. At a time when his sporting dreams seemed to be slipping away, his father Ajit Singh, posted with the Punjab Police, stood firmly by his side and ensured that he received the best possible treatment to recover. Ajit Singh, talking to The Tribune, said, “I don’t cry easy. Agar main emotional ho janda life vich te ajj asi ethe takk nahee pahunchde. But that was the toughest time. Still, I made myself strong and NDPS Act. He is currently lodged in Central Jail, Kapurthala, in connection with an NDPS Act case. ACP Bhatia said such enforcement measures would continue as part of the ongoing “Yudh Nashian Virudh”. He said the compliance was held with the directions of Commissioner of Police Satinder Singh under the supervision of DCP City Aditya S. Warrier and ADCP2 Madhvi Sharma. Medicines worth ~25,000 seized in raid, shop owner nabbed Our Correspondent Sukhjeet Singh we are here today.” Sukhjeet’s journey with hockey began at a very young age when his father introduced him to the sport when he was barely five years old. “My son was merely five when we gave him his first hockey stick. It was taller than him. I cut it short according to his height so that he could play with ease. This is how his journey started,” Ajit Singh had recalled earlier. Children cheer in excitement as India take on Japan in an Asian Champions Trophy match at Olympian Surjit Singh Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Phagwara, October 30 In a major crackdown under the Yudh Nasheya Viruddh campaign, the Drugs Control wing of the Health Department along with the police raided a chemist shop in Bhano Langa village and seized 20 types of allopathic medicines worth approximately Rs 25,780. During the inspection conducted by Drugs Control Officer Anupama Kalia, accompanied by Pal Singh from Sadar police station, the shop owner failed to produce a valid drug licence and purchase records of the medicines. Consequently, the medicines were seized under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules. During the inspection, 200 tablets of drug formulations containing pregabalin salt were also recovered from the premises.Taking immediate action, the police also registered a separate FIR under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against the accused and arrested him. The seized medicines will be produced before the court, while legal proceedings will be initiated against the accused. Mela Ghadri Babeyan Da focuses on youth protests, eco concerns Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 30 The 35th Mela Ghadri Babeyan Da, which began at the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall here on Friday, is dedicated to the sacrifices of the Babbar Akalis, the youth and their recent protests in Delhi. The three-day event is also highlighting the displacement of indigenous and tribal communities and the growing environmental crisis caused by the large-scale appropriation of forests, land, water and other natural resources. The mela will continue till November 1 and conclude with an overnight cultural programme featuring plays by artistes from across the country. Acclaimed journalist, author and public intellectual Paranjoy Guha Thakurta will deliver the keynote address on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and the viability of electronic voting machines (EVMs). Renowned Punjabi writer and human rights activist Navsharan Singh is also among the principal speakers. Reflecting this year’s theme, the traditional Jhande Da Geet, which has highlighted contemporary social issues for more than three decades, will focus on bulldozer politics and the incarceration of activists across the country. Addressing mediapersons, Amolak Singh, cultural convener of the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Committee, said the country had recently witnessed strong protests led by students and the youth on issues such as NEET and SIR. He said the mela would examine these struggles while also drawing attention to the large-scale destruction of forests and natural habitats and the transfer of natural resources to corporate interests. On the opening day, committee members inaugurated DEDICATED TO BABBAR AKALIS Dedicated to the sacrifices of Babbar Akalis and the struggles of today's youth, the three-day mela spotlights environmental degradation, displacement of indigenous communities and democratic concerns. Journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and writer Navsharan Singh are among the prominent speakers participating in the event. an exhibition of fine arts, photography and books by lighting a ceremonial lamp. Paying tributes to departed comrades, speakers said the mela sought to address pressing national issues through discussions, lectures and cultural presentations. A panel discussion featuring Shavinder, Rajinder Bhadaur, Dr Lakhwinder Johal and Ravinder Kaur of Jan Chetna was held, with Harvinder Bhandal moderating the session. c m y b On October 31, the programme will feature a quiz, painting competition, rationalist art presentations, a book release, a Kavi Darbar and a screening of Chardi Kala, directed by Nakul Sahni and presented by People’s Voice. The concluding day’s events on November 1 will begin with flag hoisting and an address by committee member Darshan Khatkar. A 100-member cast will then stage the musical opera “Jhande Da Geet: Badal Deo Samaj”, written by Amolak Singh and directed by Harkesh Chaudhary. Other highlights include “Halle Da Diwan”, a presentation on the Babbar Akali movement by Jathedar Gurlal Singh and his associates from Bhaini Sahib, a musical performance by Kushagar Kalia of Manch Rang Manch (Amritsar), and the staging of “Tamasha-eHindostan” by Chandigarh School of Drama’s Ektar. The 35th Mela Ghadri Babeyan Da, which began at the Desh Bhagat Yadgaar Hall here on Friday, is dedicated to the sacrifices of the Babbar Akalis. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH