28042023-JTR-01.qxd 4/27/2023 11:58 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune CONG MOVES EC AGAINST GOVT, ALLEGES CODE VIOLATION SARA ALI KHAN TRAVELS BY METRO IN MUMBAI Taking to Instagram, actress Sara Ali Khan dropped a video, which shows her seated in the Metro. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 19°C CHARRUL MALIK CELEBRATES BIRTHDAY WITH CLOSE ONES The PCC president has demanded action against minister Dhaliwal for allegedly violating the poll code. P2 FORECAST Charrul Malik, who is seen in Bhabi ji Ghar Par Hai, says she never gives aging too much importance. P4 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6:58 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:48 AM » FRIDAY | 28 APRIL 2023 | JALANDHAR Sanitary workers put off strike, to meet CM today Tribune News Service Policemen carry out investigation after a woman was murdered in Mehatpur. FILE PHOTO Mehatpur murder: Home Guard held as son used his licensed gun Our Correspondent Phagwara, April 27 The Mehatpur police have arrested a Home Guard jawan in connection with the murder of a woman in Udhowal village. SHO Varinder Singh said the accused has been identified as Darbara Singh, son of Tarsem Lal, a resident of Udhowal village and posted at Nakodar city police station. The SHO said that Darbara Singh has a licensed revolver which was misused by his son Ravi ACCUSED HAD SHOT DEAD GURBAX KAUR & INJURED HER SON Kumar, alias Ravi, who shot dead Gurbax Kaur, wife of Kashmir Chand, and seriously injured his son Deepak Kumar on April 25 at Udhowal village. The SHO said the Home Guard jawan has displayed utter negligence in safeguarding his licensed weapon and thus allowed his son to misuse it to murder a woman. This act of the Home Guard jawan amounted to complicity, the SHO said. According to the police, the accused Ravi barged into the house of Kashmir Chand of Udhowal village on April 25 and opened fire and killed his wife Gurbax Kaur on the spot and seriously injured his son Deepak Kumar. The Home Guard jawan has been arrested in a case registered against his son under Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 452 (house trespass) of the IPC and Section 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. Jalandhar, April 27 The Sanitary Supervisor Employees’ Union, which had already announced that it would go on strike and not lift garbage from the city if its longpending demands were not met, has postponed the strike. Union members said they decided to put off the strike as a delegation of the union had a meeting scheduled with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on April 28, i.e. Friday. Bantu Sabharwal, the president of the union, said. “We will discuss our long-pending demanded in detail with the Chief Minister. If we do not get a satisfactory reply or any assurance from him, we will continue with our decision to stop the entire cleanliness work,” he said. The union members have been demanding the recruitment of safai sewaks, sewermen, and other Class-IV employees. A few days ago, they met the Joint Commissioner as well in this regard. The city is abuzz with poll activities and visits by high- NRI jumps off 11th floor, dies Jalandhar, April 27 In a tragic incident at Smarts Homes in Jalandhar Heights II, as a 34-year-old US citizen, identified as Zorvar Singh, allegedly died by suicide on Thursday morning. Singh allegedly jumped off the 11th floor of his building, located on the 66-ft road in the C-Block of the housing society, and died on the spot. According to some sources, Singh had just recently got married in February and was living with his wife here. His parents were settled in California. HAD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES: WIFE Garbage strewn along a road in Jalandhar. The city has been grappling with poor sanitation. THEIR DEMANDS The Sanitary Supervisor Employees’ Union has been demanding the recruitment of safai sewaks, sewermen and other Class-IV employees. A few days ago, they met the Joint Commissioner in this regard. profile leaders with the Lok Sabha bypoll on May 10. If the strike happens, the city’s cleanliness will go for a toss, IF NO SOLUTION, WILL STOP WORKING long-pending demands with ❝We will discuss ournot get a satisfactory reply orthe Chief Minister. If we do any assurance from him, we will go ahead with our decision to stop the entire cleanliness work. ❞ Bantu Sabharwal, PRESIDENT, SANITARY SUPERVISOR EMPLOYEES’ UNION causing much inconvenience to residents and visitors. Already there are several points in the city where piles of garbage can be seen lying. Poor sanitation and cleanliness have been one of the biggest issues in this bypoll. While domestic conflict is speculated to be the reason he took the extreme step, his wife informed the police that he was a drug addict who often experienced seizures as a result of his addiction. She also stated that he had been suffering from mental health issues. The police have initiated an investigation into the matter. Sadar SHO Bharat Masih stated that they have registered a case under Section 174 of the CrPC based on a statement of the wife of the deceased. His body has been sent for postmortem at Civil Hospital, and it will later be handed over to his relatives. — TNS 5 arrested on betting charge Our Correspondent Phagwara police personnel with the accused drug peddlers. 5 peddlers nabbed Our Correspondent Phagwara, April 27 The police have arrested five drug peddlers and recovered 50 grams of heroin from their possession on Wednesday. Superintendent of Police Mukhtiar Rai said the arrested drug smugglers were identified as Santokh Singh, a resident of Sarhali, Prabhjot Singh, a resident of Danial, Baljinder Singh, a resident of Mehli, Nitin, a resident of Phagwara and Sunny. The SP said that all the five accused were nabbed at different check-points.The police have registered a case under the NDPS Act. Phagwara, April 27 The police have arrested five youths on betting charges and recovered Rs 16,520 from their possession on Wednesday. Phagwara SP Mukhtiar Rai said the accused were selling betting number slips at different places in the city. A case under Sections 13-A, 3 and 67 of the Punjab Gambling Act has been registered against the arrested accused at the city police station. The SP said that the three arrested accused were identified as Nitin, a resident of Bhagatpura, Sunil, a resident of Gobindpura and Dharmendra, a resident of Chachoki. A sum of Rs 14,370 was recovered from them. The SP said the police have recovered Rs 2,150 from the other two accused, identified as Karan, a resident of Mehli Gate and Vipin, a resident of Ludhiana. AAP candidate Sushil Kumar Rinku interacts with residents at Bundala in Phillaur; and BJP candidate Inder Iqbal Atwal campaigns in the Bhargo Camp area of Jalandhar. MALKIAT SINGH In hinterland, voters weigh choices discreetly JALANDHAR LOK SABHA BYPOLL Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service 1.93 LMT wheat procured in Nawanshahr district so far Nawanshahr, April 27 Nawanshahr grain markets witnessed a purchase of 1,93,018 metric tonnes of wheat by Thursday. As many as 16,930 MT of wheat was procured on Thursday only. Deputy Commissioner Navjot Pal Singh Randhawa said the district had expected the purchase of 2,31,600 MT of wheat for the current season. So far, we have attained 84 per cent of the target, he added. He said as per the speed of arrival, the target would be achieved in the next few days. He said the procurement was going on smoothly and uninterrupted. “The transfer of payments to the accounts of farmers is also being done regularly,” the DC said. Randhawa claimed a A labourer cleans wheat in a mandi in Jalandhar. SARABJIT SINGH total of Rs 340.25 crore have been credited to the accounts of 19,091 farmers. Giving agency-wise details of procurement, Randhawa said Markfed had purchased the large chunk of 52,135 MT, Pungrain 45,793 MT, PUNSUP 46,770 MT, Punjab State Warehousing Corporation 29,712 MT, and FCI 18,601 MT by this day. He said the lifting was also in progress and a total of 79,451 MT of wheat had been liftedm which contributes to 58 per cent, as per the laid condition of 72 hours. — TNS Bundala (Phillaur), April 27 “Kihnu paiye vote. Gareeban de kamm tan kisene karne nahi, jinnu marzi pao. Ameeran di fer vi sun lainde,” says 80-year-old Darshan Singh as he squats beside his house at Bundala village in Phillaur. A huge cavalcade of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Jalandhar bypoll AAP candidate Sushil Rinku has just passed from the road. Darshan stayed unmoved at the same spot, catching the CM’s speech from there. Darshan, who has 2 marla land in the village, says he hasn’t received his pension despite repeated visits to officials. He says the household earnings are from his sons and grandsons who are daily wagers. A few moments later, his grandson, clad in a black Tshirt and a baseball cap, comes in after attending the road show. A bit more upbeat, he says, “Baba’s pension is a worry, we need it. c m y b Darshan Singh at Bundala village; and women gather for the CM’s roadshow at the village. FATE OF POOR WILL REMAIN SAME ❝ Kihnu paiye vote. Gareeban de kamm tan kisene karne nahi, jinnu marzi pao. Ameeran di fer vi sun lainde (whom should we vote? Nobody listens to the poor. The rich still get their work done.) Darshan Singh, BUNDALA RESIDENT But other than that that, we are doing fine.” A few yards further is a wall on which posters of both AAP candidate Sushil Rinku and Con- ❞ HAVEN’T DECIDED WHOM TO VOTE sareyan di ❝Jaaidapani hovegirallia ch hai. Vote jihnu panvange (we go to everyone’s rallies and roadshows, but we will vote for whoever we think is suitable. Surinder Kaur, BUNDALA RESIDENT gress Candidate Karamjit Kaur command attention. As the poll fever hots up in the Jalandhar hinterland ahead of the bypoll, people ❞ attend rallies and political meetings but are wary to speak about their electoral choices. While the pitch of the bypoll is more laidback and relaxed than previous elections, the campaign goes on full throttle. The walls and bazaars are the biggest witnesses. Right from Goraya to the AAP roadshow venue at Bundala – where the state CM delivered his speech today – the road is dotted with AAP posters, big and small. Shop fronts bear blue and yellow AAP flags all through – heralding the roadshow. At the event, before the CM comes, workers hand out and stick AAP flags in every nook and corner. An ignored Ambedkar statue behind the huge village peepal tree peeks out from the background. Marigolds in a plastic bag are distributed to workers and audience, to be thrown when the CM comes, but many eager villagers rain them a bit earlier as someone prematurely declares his arrival. The bus stand walls and all major throughfares on the road bear huge posters of the AAP candidate in violation of the code of conduct. While Darshan Singh bemoans his pension, two elderly women who came in from Phillaur to Bundala to attend the roadshow are much more discreet. Continued on page 2