01112026-JTR-01.qxd 10/31/2026 11:07 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune OPPN UNITES OVER MIDNIGHT GARBAGE DISPOSAL CRISIS OLD TRADITION FINDS NEW LIFE AS MALWA WEAVES ITS MAGIC DIWAN MANNA’S ART GIVES VOICE TO THE MARGINALISED The protest followed allegations of garbage being dumped in a pit outside the Civil Hospital. P2 Faridkot’s Nav-Trinjan is breathing new life into Punjab’s fading handloom heritage. P3 Photographer Diwan Manna has received the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi’s first Lifetime Achievement Award. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 30°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 16°C SUNSET SUNDAY 5.39 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6:43 AM SUNDAY | 1 NOVEMBER 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. AAP retains eight MLAs in Doaba; 2 ministers off list First list outMohinder Bhagat, Ravjot among those excluded Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service INBRIEF MOBILES STOLEN FROM SHOP Phagwara: Thieves allegedly broke the shutter of a mobile phone repair shop in Sarhal Mandi village in Goraya and decamped with mobile phones. The incident was captured on CCTV cameras. Sandeep Kumar, who runs a mobile phone repair business, said the thieves broke into his shop and stole several old mobile phones. He estimated the value of the stolen phones at approximately Rs 50,000 to Rs 60,000. OC THREE BOOKED FOR SNATCHING Phagwara: The police have booked three miscreants, including a woman, on the charge of snatching a woman’s earrings, gold rings, and Rs 40,000. Jagdish Kaur of Mohalla Kasba, Mehatpur, complained to the police that she was returning home when three accused, including a woman, snatched her gold earrings, rings, and Rs 40,000. OC WOMAN HELD WITH HEROIN Jalandhar, October 31 As the Aam Aadmi Party unveiled its first list of 40 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections, it chose to retain eight of its 11 sitting MLAs in the Doaba region. However, the party sprung a surprise by leaving out both its Cabinet ministers from the region, Mohinder Bhagat and Dr Ravjot Singh, with their names missing from the Sham Chaurasi and Jalandhar West seats, respectively. The omission of Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora, meanwhile, came as no surprise, as he has remained on the party’s sidelines for a considerable period. The party named two of its sitting MLAs from Jalandhar, Balkar Singh from Kartarpur and Inderjit Kaur Mann from Nakodar, even as there had been reports in the past that the party could reconsider their candidature for the next elections. Since Nakodar MLA Mann had managed a good show for Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s Lok Milni this week at Sarinh village, it came as a big boost for her just before the first list was to be announced. Mohinder Bhagat Dr Ravjot An ex-cop, Balkar had remained in controversy and had even been removed as the Local Bodies Minister in the past but still the party approved his candidature. A Valmiki leader, he remains to be the choice of the party from the reserved Kartarpur seat. From Hoshiarpur, the ruling party cleared the candidature of five of its six sitting MLAs. Like Balkar, ex-minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa too remained lucky. Jimpa was removed as Revenue Minister by the party two years ago. The other four candidates in the first list include Karambir Singh Ghuman from Dasuya, Jasvir Raja Gill from Urmar, Deputy Speaker and second timer Jai Kishan Rouri from Garhshankar and Dr Ishank Chabbewal from Chabbewal. Like Bhagat, Chabbewal too had become MLA through a bypoll. He is the son of Hoshiarpur MP Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal, who is also the halqa in-charge from Phagwara. The senior Chabbewal is not as lucky as his son who has got clearance at the very first go. AAP had not won on any of the four Assembly seats in Kapurthala. The party, however, has repeated its lone MLA from Nawanshahr district Santosh Kataria from Balachaur seat. She was already facing a stiff opposition from within the party with six strong contenders trying to pull her down. Banga MLA Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi had won on SAD ticket but had joined AAP later. His name has not yet been announced. Phagwara: The police have arrested a woman for selling heroin in the area. As much as 101 gram of heroin was recovered from the possession of Anu Priya of Tehsil Bazar, Nakodar. The Nakodar police arrested Sukhmandeep Singh of Gorsian Peeran village in Nurmahal with 12 intoxicating tablets. The Bilga police arrested Ranndip Singh of Talwann village with 20 tablets. OC YOUTH HELD FOR KIDNAPPING Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested 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 had complained to the police that the accused kidnapped her minor daughter on the pretext of marriage. oc ELDERLY CYCLIST KILLED IN MISHAP Hoshiarpur: An elderly cyclist was killed after being hit by a roadways bus in front of the Mahilpur police station late Friday evening. Deceased Ashok Kumar of Ward 1, Mahilpur, was returning home on his bicycle when a bus coming from the Nangal side collided with him and ran over his legs, leaving him seriously injured. He was taken to a private hospital but he died on the way. oc Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, October 31 In a significant development in the murder case of a minor girl in Dhut Kalan village, the body of her father Amarjit Singh, who was absconding after the crime, was recovered from Dasehra Ground in Hoshiarpur. According to preliminary information, the accused allegedly died by suicide after murdering his daughter. Amarjit Singh was accused of killing his minor daughter Inderpreet Kaur with a kirpan while she was asleep at the home in the village a few days ago. Inderpreet was a Class XII student at Desh Bhagat Government Senior Secondary School in Dhut Kalan. Following the murder, Amarjit had fled the scene and the police were searching for him. The Hoshiarpur police recovered the body of a man from Dasehra Ground. The deceased was identified as Amarjit Singh by the sarpanch of the village and his brother-in-law. The police took custody of the body and sent it to the Civil Hospital, Hoshiarpur, for a post-mortem examination. Further investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death is underway. A school bus with 25 students hit a solar plant near Goraya. School bus with 25 rams into solar plant Our Correspondent Phagwara, October 31 A private school bus carrying around 25 children met with an accident near Dhandwar Gate village in Goraya and crashed into a solar power installation set up on agricultural land. Fortunately, none of the children sustained injuries, averting a potentially serious tragedy. Some local residents and passers-by attributed the accident to excessive speed, bus driver Ramandeep Singh claimed that the brakes failed, causing the vehicle to crash into the installation. On receiving information about the incident, Assistant Sub-Inspector Harbhajan Singh Gill, in-charge of Police Control Room 112, reached the spot along with a police team. The bus remained trapped beneath the solar structure and was eventually pulled out after considerable effort. The driver said the bus owner arrived at the scene approximately half an hour after the accident. During the inquiry, it also emerged that the driver did not have his driving licence with him when asked to produce it. Gill confirmed that the driver was unable to produce the licence at the spot and said the police would investigate the matter and take appropriate action in accordance with the law. Meanwhile, the administration was urged to conduct special inspections of school buses to ensure compliance with safety regulations. India-Japan clash draws massive crowd Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service 3 ARRESTED FOR INTIMIDATION Phagwara: The police have arrested three miscreants for criminal trespass and intimidation. The accused have been identified as Sarabjit Singh and Gurkirat Singh of Kotha village and Nikku of Mandir Kalan village in Moga. Nirmahal Singh of Kotha village had complained to the police that the accused did not allow him to use the common motor to irrigate his fields as per his turn and threatened him. oc All halqa in-charges of the party will undergo more testing times till their names figure in any subsequent list of the party. They include Mayor Vaneet Dhir from Jalandhar North, Nitin Kohli from Jalandhar Central, Deepak Bali from Jalandhar Cantonment, Pawan Tinu from Adampur, Harjot Kaur Lohtia from Phillaur and Pala Jalalpuria from Shahkot in Jalandhar. From Mukerian in Hoshiarpur district, former SAD leader Sarabjot Singh Saabi and Nawanshahr halqa in-charge Jaspreet Singh Robby Kang have been serving as halqa in-charges for the past few months. Former cop and ex-basketball team captain Sajjan Singh Cheema is also looking to try his luck again from Sultanpur Lodhi. Meanwhile, AAP is yet to finalise its candidate for the Bholath Assembly seat in Kapurthala, where the party is expected to field a contender against Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira. The party had recently replaced its Kapurthala halqa in-charge, appointing businessman Davinderpal Singh, who is being seen as a potential challenger to three-time Congress MLA Rana Gurjeet Singh. Man behind murder of daughter found dead Punjab ministerial employees announce a two-day pen-down strike on November 5 and 6 to press for their long-pending financial and service-related demands. Govt staff announce two-day pen-down strike from Nov 5 Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 31 After observing a two-day strike earlier this month, ministerial employees have announced another round of protests, including a renewed two-day pen-down strike on November 5 and 6 to press for their long pending financial and service-related demands. The Punjab State Ministerial Services Union announced the agitation programme at a state-level meeting in Moga on Saturday. The meeting was held under the leadership of state president Gurnam Singh Virk, general secretary Tarsem Singh Bhathal and state chairman Raghbir Singh Badwal. As part of the programme, employees will hold gate rallies across all districts on November 3. On November 4, they will burn effigies of the state government at district headquarters. This will be followed by a two-day pen-down strike on November 5 and 6 during which clerical employees will suspend official work. The agitation centres on several longstanding demands, including the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), release of pending Dearness Allowance (DA) installments along with arrears, revision of pensions and restoration of 37 allowances discontinued by the state government. Employees alleged that repeated representations and protests have failed to secure concrete action from the government, prompting them to go on another strike. Jalandhar, October 31 The hockey fever in Jalandhar reached new heights on October 30 as the IndiaJapan match witnessed an overwhelming response from spectators at the Surjit Hockey Stadium. The turnout was even larger than that on the inaugural day, with hockey enthusiasts arriving in huge numbers to cheer for their favourite players. Long queues were seen outside the designated entry gates and seating areas as spectators waited eagerly for their turn to enter the stadium. With the rush continuing to build, security personnel had to temporarily close the gates for a few minutes to ensure smooth entry and maintain proper arrangements. Despite the wait, the enthusiasm among the spectators remained undiminished, with everyone eager to get inside and witness the action live. The growing crowds have added a fresh wave of excitement to the tournament, creating an electrifying atmosphere both in the stands and on the field. The Indian hockey team captain Harmanpreet Singh has also appreci- The India-Japan match witnesses an overwhelming response from spectators at the Olympian Surjit Hockey Stadium in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH ated the enthusiastic support from the people of Jalandhar. Several players, who began their hockey journey at this very stadium, expressed happiness and gratitude at receiving such an overwhelming response from their home crowd. The atmosphere inside the stadium is no less than a celebration of Punjab’s sporting and cultural spirit. As the commentator calls out, “Pa deo raula for Team India!” before the start of the match, the crowd responds in unison with chants of “India! India!” The energy rises further when Punjabi songs and upbeat music fill the stadium, bringing out the Punjabi flavour of the celebrations. Even the background music has become an integral part of the match day experience. The suspense filled tunes played during the third umpire reviews add to the anticipation, while every Indian goal is greeted with renewed excitement as the energetic ‘Chak De India’ song gets the crowd cheering louder. From passionate chants and Punjabi beats to nail-biting moments and celebrations after every goal, the Surjit Hockey Stadium has turned into a vibrant hub of sporting enthusiasm. The massive turnout reflects Jalandhar’s deep-rooted connection with hockey and its unwavering love for Team India. JIT told to refund ~47.58 lakh with 9% interest over undeveloped plot Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 31 After paying Rs 47.58 lakh for a residential plot in the Jalandhar Improvement Trust’s (JIT) Surya Enclave Extension scheme and waiting for over 14 years to build his dream home, a 59-year-old man was left with a waterlogged site, heaps of garbage and inadequate basic facilities. The District Consumer Dis- putes Redressal Commission has now directed the trust to refund the entire amount with 9 per cent annual interest, observing that merely offering possession without completing development work and providing basic amenities does not amount to proper delivery of a plot. The commission also directed the JIT to pay him Rs 30,000 as compensation for mental agony and harass- ment and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses. With 9 per cent annual interest estimated from the dates of payment, the total refund is expected to be around Rs 1 crore. Complainant Jaswant Singh, a retired executive engineer of the JIT, was allotted a 250square yard plot in the JIT housing scheme in April 2012. He paid Rs 47.58 lakh towards the plot and related charges and also took a bank loan of Rs c m y b 13 lakh to finance the purchase with possession. However, Singh said the area remained unfit for construction and habitation despite years of waiting. In his complaint, he cited poorly developed roads, inadequate sewerage and drainage facilities, and heaps of garbage near his plot. He also alleged that rainwater and sewage accumulated to a depth of six to seven feet in the area, mak- ing construction difficult. After repeated requests for a refund between December 2021 and July 2023 went unanswered, Singh approached the consumer commission in August 2023. The JIT opposed the complaint, arguing that Singh was aware of the scheme’s condition as he had himself served as an executive engineer in the department. It claimed that basic facilities had been provided and that possession was offered to him in August 2023. The trust also argued that the allotment conditions did not allow buyers to surrender their plots and seek a refund. However, the commission found that Singh had submitted photographs and copies of his complaints to support his claims about the site’s condition. On the other hand, the trust failed to provide a convincing evidence that development work had been completed and all promised facilities were in place. The commission also pointed out that the JIT had failed to produce the completion certificate to establish that the project was complete. The commission held the trust was deficient in service and directed it to refund the amount with 9 per cent annual interest from the dates of payment until realisation.