26042022-JTR-01.qxd 4/26/2022 12:01 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar TRIBUNE ‘RID ENVIRONS OF STANDING WATER TO FIGHT MALARIA’ Seminars and meetings acquainted the populace with the seriousness of infection on World Malaria Day. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY INBRIEF THREE BOOKED FOR RAPE, ASSAULT Garhshankar: The police have registered a case against three persons, including a woman, on the complaint of a rape victim. The 21-year-old victim told the police that her friend Preeti had introduced her to Bildon village’s youth, Bunty, two years ago and they became friends. On April 22, Bunty called the victim to say that he had come to his village by car and wanted to talk to her about something important. The victim said he took her to a cattle shed in Bildon where he raped her and beat her up saying that it would not be good if she revealed the incident to anyone. After this, the victim went home on foot and did not tell anything to anyone out of fear. But as her condition worsened due to injuries, the family members got her admitted to hospital for treatment. On the statement of the victim, Garhshankar police have registered a case against three, including Bunty, his sister-in-law and Sunny, under Sections 109, 376-D, 506 and 120-B of the IPC. OC ONE KILLED, 1 HURT IN ROAD ACCIDENT Garhshankar: One person was killed and another injured when a tractor trolley overturned in the hills of Maili village in Chabbewal area. As soon as the information of the incident was received, the Jaijon police reached the sopt. It is being told that for the ongoing construction work at a religious place in the lap of the hills, a tractor trolley was carrying the interlock tiles from Saila. The tractor-trolley went uncontrolled down a slope, due to the sudden appearance of a wild animal. In the accident, Sukhbir Singh and Harjeet Singh were injured. With the help of the people, they were taken to a private hospital in Hoshiarpur where doctors declared 26year-old Sukhbir Singh as brought dead while Harjeet Singh was under treatment. Jaijon police outpost in-charge Manna Singh told the reporters that Sukhbir Singh and Harjeet Singh, were both residents of Mazara Dingria and used to work as labourers. OC THREE ARRESTED WITH INTOXICANTS Hoshiarpur: The district police have arrested three persons and recovered a large quantity of intoxicants from them. The police of police station Chabbewal have recovered 43 grams of intoxicating powder from Kuldeep Ram, a resident of Moogo Patti. The Mehtiana police have arrested Johnson and William, both residents of Khanauda and recovered 103 grams of intoxicating powder from them. Separate cases have been registered against the accused under the NDPS Act by respective police stations. OC MAN INJURED IN ACCIDENT DIES Hoshiarpur: After the death of a person who was injured in a road accident, the Hariana Police have registered a case against the accused on Sunday. Hardev Singh, a resident Bhikhowal, told the police that his brother Harjap Singh was going on a cycle. During this, a bike rider hit him. Harjap was admitted to the hospital in an injured condition where he died during treatment. The police have registered a case against the accused biker Gurdev Singh, a resident of Adowal Garhi. OC PAGE 2 HOUSE OF GUCCI IS SET FOR A DIGITAL PREMIERE TODAY PAGE 3 Directed by four-time Academy Award nominee, the star-studded film about the iconic Italian fashion house. MAX 39°C | MIN 22°C | YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 21°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7:03 PM COMICAL FORMULA: GET SET FOR COMEDY SERIES HOME SHANTI PAGE 4 Starring Supriya Pathak and Manoj in the lead roles, Home Shanti is set to release on Disney+ Hotstar on May 6. SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:46 AM TUESDAY | 26 APRIL 2022 | JALANDHAR Sodal road residents flay MC move on replacing tiles with CC flooring MISUSE OF PUBLIC FUNDS? Say by removing interlocking tiles laid at a cost of ~92 lakh, MC indulging in unnecessary expenditure Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 25 Raising questions over replacing old interlocking tiles with cement concrete (CC) flooring on Sodal road (from Sodal Chowk to Leader Factory), the residents of the area have written a complaint to the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary and the Municipal Corporation Commissioner demanding an inquiry into the matter. Rajan Sharda, an industrialist, claimed that old interlocking tiles were in a good condition and there was no point in replacing it with cement flooring this early. He said an amount of Rs 92 lakh was spent to install these tiles in the past, but by removing the same, the MC is indulging in unnecessary expenditure,” he alleged. He said the residents have demanded an impartial inquiry into the matter as dismantling good condition tiles was nothing but sheer wastage of public money. “On one hand, majority of the roads were lying in a poor condition and the MC has no sufficient funds to carry out the construction work, but on the other side officials of the civic body are misusing money on works, which are not required at all,” alleged another resident Jitesh Kumar of Shiv Nagar. The accountability must be fixed and reasons, why the Interlocking tiles are being replaced with cement concrete flooring on the Sodal road in Jalandhar. tiles in good condition were being removed, should be shared with public, he added. “This is all the result of poor management. Firstly, an enormous amount was spent on laying these interlocking tiles along the roadsides, and now by removing the same that too in such a short span, the MC is not only wasting public money but rendering severe inconvenience to the commuters and residents,” said Simarjot Kaur, a housewife. She further said not a single tile was broken or had cracks and could have been used for a few more years. MC Commissioner Karnesh Sharma said he would look into the matter as when these tiles were laid and for what rea- son they are being removed now. He said as the road leads to industrial area and there used to be movement of heavy vehicles on the road, this could be one of the possible reasons behind replacing tiles with cement flooring. Contrary to the claims of residents, XEN Rahul Dhawan said tiles were quite old and were laid in 2014-15. He said the corporation has recently laid a storm water system here and thereafter re-constructed the road. “To equal the levelling and to cater to the movement of heavy traffic on the road, the tiles are being replaced with CC flooring. Besides, the removed tiles would be reused for other purposes,” he added. Family to hold victim Ravi’s Local Bodies Dept ignoring Thori’s recommendation? of Trust bhog outside police station DespiteDC-cum-ChairmanheImprovementwork seeking EO’s suspension, continues to 26-year-old was ‘torched’ at same place in K’thala on April 14 day. Kin of the accused have already openly issued threats. Till the time the remaining accused are free, our family is at risk.” The 26-year-old victim was set on fire at the Kapurthala police station on April 14 (as per the FIR), while he was trying to save himself from some people chasing him. Having suffered over 80 per cent burns, he died a few days later at a hospital in Amritsar. The deceased is survived by his wife and two children aged 6 months and 2 years. He had complained and was seeking justice in a case accusing several persons of driving his wife to prostitution. In all, 11 persons were charged and named in the FIR (registered under Sections 302, 307-B, 120 and 34 of the IPC at the Kapurthala police station) on the statement of his wife. Those named in the FIR included Ranjit Kaur, Manjit Kaur, Soma, Manpreet, Raman, Narinder Singh Mansoo MC, Jassa, Jatinder Shera, Sukkha and Manoj Nahar. Of these, four persons — Manjit Kaur, Ranjit Kaur (alias Renu), Jatinder Shera and Sukha — have been arrested. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 25 My husband would not rest in peace until all those responsible for his death are put behind bars. This was stated by Ravi Gill’s wife. Over a week after her husband died after being torched at a local police station, the family of Ravi Gill (26) has decided to hold his bhog and antim ardas at the same police station where he was set on fire. The bhog will be held outside Kapurthala police station on April 27. While four persons charged with his murder have been arrested and an SIT has been formed to investigate the case, the family has been making appeals to the police demanding the arrest of the remaining accused. Ravi Gill’s wife said, “My husband died fighting for me. To ensure that he rests peacefully, we have been demanding that the remaining accused be arrested. But days have passed and no more arrests have been made. The PCR deputed for our security comes once a morning, clicks a photograph and then no other patrol party turns up for the rest of the Awareness drive against drug abuse begins in Khatkar Kalan Tribune News Service CASE OF MISSING FILES Jalandhar, April 25 Even though it has been nearly 11 days since Deputy Commissioner Jalandharcum-Chairman, Jalandhar Improvement Trust, Ghanshyam Thori, had written to the Principal Secretary (Local Bodies) recommending suspension of its Executive Officer Paramjit Singh Gill, no action has been taken by higher officials so far. Even as sources in the Local Bodies Department said the file with the recommendation against the EO had been moved to the Chief Minister’s office since Bhagwant Mann holds the charge of the department, Principal Secretary Vivek Partap Singh said the status of the case could be known tomorrow morning. Thori had reportedly moved the file against the EO on April 14 and has since then filed many reminders. Meanwhile, the issue of missing files in the office of the JIT remains to be the biggest mystery. It is common for the applicants to make repeated visits to the JIT for various works. Some applicants have even been saying that they are visiting the office since more than a year but only to be told that ■ The issue of missing files in the office of the JIT remains to be the biggest mystery. It is common for the applicants to make repeated visits to the JIT for various works. Some applicants have even been saying that they are visiting the office since more than a year but only to be told that their file remains missing. their file remains missing and hence there has been no headway in their pending works. In the same context, Director Local Bodies had on April 18 written to the EO seeking lodging of an FIR into the alleged case of missing files at the JIT office against the officials for their negligent behaviour. On April 20, the EO has written that there was an inspection of the office by the team of Chief Vigilance Officer of Local Bodies Department in his office on March 23. “During the inspection, the files including those of dispatch register (before September 29, 2021), cash book, sale files, receipt book, and other documents were sought. The staff had then reported that the record had been sought by former Chairman through Senior Assis- tant at his office but did not return,” the EO has replied. The EO has further gone on record to write to the Commissioner of Police: “This shows that the entire record has been misplaced. Since the record was so important for the JIT, it requires the filing of a case under the relevant Sections of the IPC. The office is set to face a major financial loss owing to the missing cash book and documents, which seems to be a part of the larger conspiracy. The maintaining of accounts has not been possible owing to the same reason.” The EO has written to the CP for lodging of the case against former Chairman of JIT and the Senior Assistant on the matter and police intervention for recovery of the missing records. A recommendation for lodging of an FIR into the missing files has also been made by the DC to the CP confirmed Thori. , Daljit Singh Ahluwalia, former Chairman, when contacted, said these were all frivolous charges against me and my exofficer. “All files are either in office or in courts or in the office of the CVO. There is nothing with us. The duty to maintain all files is with the EO himself being the administrative head,” he said. Poor man’s refrigerator DC, SSP seek residents’ support to make dist drug-free Tribune News Service Khatkar Kalan, April 25 Kick-starting a mass awareness drive against the drug menace in Khatkar Kalan, the native village of legendary freedom fighter Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sandeep Sharma along with hundreds of people on Monday pledged to wage a war against drug trafficking in the district. Soliciting the support of people, especially youths, the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP asked them to work in tandem with the administration and get united against drug trafficking. They said this war against the menace must be a mission of every Punjabi to save the future generation from falling prey to drugs. They said Shaheed Bhagat Singh sacrificed his life at the age of 23 to free the country from the clutches of British imperialism and we must follow in his footsteps to make a drug-free society by launching a crusade against drugs and smugglers. They expressed hope that the sacred land of Khatkar Kalan would inspire the people of the district to extend their help to the administration in eradicating drugs from society. NPS Randhawa and Sandeep Sharma said the motive of organising this inter- active session was to ensure that drug addicts could come forward and get treatment from the local government’s OOAT or rehab centre. Both the officers said the civil administration and the police would hold such meetings in all villages to eliminate the curse of drugs from the district and asked the people to approach them directly in case of any problem regarding drug abuse. During the event, they listened to the suggestions and issues raised by the villagers regarding the drug menace and said action would be taken promptly to wipe out the menace by nabbing the peddlers. They also administered oath to people against drugs. c m y b With temperature hovering around 40°C, the sale of pitchers has picked up in the past few days in Jalandhar. SARABJIT SINGH