12022024-JTR-01.qxd 12-02-2024 00:33 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune CITY STUDENTS EXCEL IN STATE GAMES, BAG MEDALS CHRISTOPHER NOLAN BAGS BEST DIRECTOR HONOUR SEERAT KAPOOR AND YESHA JOIN RABB SE HAI DUA City students excelled in Punjab Games for Children with Special Needs that concluded in Kapurthala recently. P2 Auteur Christopher Nolan took home the top prize at the Directors Guild of America Awards. P3 Zee TV’s Rabb Se Hai Dua will showcase talented actresses Seerat Kapoor and Yesha Rughani. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 22°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 21.8°C | MIN 4.1°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.08 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:05 AM » MONDAY | 12 FEBRUARY 2024 | JALANDHAR PO LANDS IN POLICE NET Phagwara: The Nakodar Sadar police have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO), who was absconding for the past several years. Investigating officer Nirmal Singh said the accused had been identified as Daljit Singh, alias Jita, a resident of Rasul Pur village. The accused was wanted in a case of outraging a woman’s modesty in 2019. OC TWO HELD WITH ILLEGAL FIREARM Phagwara: The Nakodar city police have arrested two persons on the charge of possessing an illegal firearm. Investigating Officer (IO) Hans Raj said the suspects had been identified as Varinderjit Singh, alias Vija, a resident of Kamal Pur village, and Harjindar Singh, alias Jindu, a resident of Hussain Pur Bulle Kabir Pur village (Akalian) in Kapurthala district. The IO said a pistol (made in USA) was recovered from their possession. A case under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered. OC MAN ROBBED OF CASH, SCOOTER Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have booked three unidentified miscreants on the charge of snatching cash, a scooter and a mobile phone from a person. Raj Kumar, a resident of Kandola Kalan village, complained to the police that three unidentified motorcyclists waylaid him near Bhalowal village and attacked him with a sharp weapon. They snatched his scooter, ~1,500 in cash and a mobile phone. Investigating officer Varinder Mohan said a case under Sections 379-B and 34 of the IPC had been registered against the unidentified persons. OC Quality of road infra affecting life, biz Avneet Kaur Residents rue lack of lasting repairs to improve situation in city Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 11 The city continues to grapple with its poor road infrastructure, posing a significant challenge for commuters. Key routes like the one side of Nakodar road from Ravidas Chowk to Wadala Chowk, Bhagat Singh Chowk, Cool Road, Urban Estate Phase II road near MGN School, and Defence Colony road are in dire need of repair, yet the Municipal Corporation (MC) seems to turn a blind eye to the problem. Commuters navigating these roads on a daily basis express frustration and concern over their safety. They criticise the poor quality of patchwork and lack of supervision, resulting in temporary fixes that barely last a month. “Despite numerous complaints and visits to the MC office, officials concerned seem indifferent to the problem,” they said. Kamlesh Kaur, a commuter, highlighted the lack of progress despite repeated complaints, both online and offline. She criticised frequent digging up of roads, particularly citing the example of Cool Road, which undergoes repair every six months without enduring improvements. She emphasised the need for accountability among contractors and officials responsible for road maintenance. MALKIAT SINGH AND SARABJIT SINGH INBRIEF The Bhagat Singh chowk road; and (below) a portion of the Nakodar road from Ravidas chowk to Wadala chowk in poor condition. NO PROGRESS DESPITE PLAINTS Kamlesh Kaur, a commuter, highlighted the lack of progress despite repeated complaints, both online and offline. She criticised frequent digging up of roads, particularly citing the example of Cool Road, which undergoes repair every six months without enduring improvements. She emphasised the need for accountability among contractors and officials responsible for road maintenance. DIP IN FOOTFALL Business establishments along Nakodar Road reported a decline in footfall due to the deteriorating road condition. One of the shopkeepers, Ajitpal Singh, spoke about the challenges they face, with customers avoiding their stores due to the poor road conditions. Residents near Bhagat Singh Chowk lament the impact of road conditions on their daily lives and businesses. They express frustration over broken roads and slow Honey trap gang busted, 3 women among 4 nabbed progress in repair work, which adversely affects their trade. “Promises made by polit- Stray dog menace goes unchecked in Phagwara ical leaders during elections contrast sharply with the reality faced by resi- dents,” said the shopkeepers while raising questions about the allocation of funds and their utilisation. Business establishments along Nakodar Road also expressed similar sentiments and reported a decline in footfall due to the deteriorating road condition. One of the shopkeepers, Ajitpal Singh, spoke about the challenges they face, with customers avoiding their stores due to the poor road conditions. “Though the road construction work has started, progress remains slow, leaving us uncertain about when repairs will be completed,” he said. The shopkeepers and commuters said the way MC was working, coupled with the rapid turnover of MC Commissioners, numerous concerns had been sparked regarding the effectiveness of the AAP government’s administration. “Despite the Local Bodies Minister hailing from Jalandhar, the city lags significantly behind in addressing civic issues and improving infrastructure compared to other regions in Punjab,” they said. They also demanded urgent intervention from the MC and the district administration to address the issue of road infrastructure, so that the safety and well-being of residents is ensured. Despite repeated attempts, MC Commissioner Gautam Jain couldn’t be contacted for his comments. City’s air quality turns ‘very poor’ Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 11 The city recorded its worst air quality for the month so far on Sunday with air quality index (AQI) at 338, which falls under ‘very poor category’. The AQI this month so far flitted between satisfactory and moderate. The city’s air quality breached the 300-mark thrice this month on February 1, 10 and 11. After the rain in the first week of February, the city witnessed “very good air quality” for days. On February 1, the maximum AQI was recorded at 312 and average at 152. On February 10, maximum AQI was 322 and average 172, while maximum AQI was 338 today. However, the air quality began considerably worsening on February 11. The city breathed cleaner air in the beginning of the month as the maximum AQI on February 2, 3, 4 and 5 was recorded at 66, 96, 75 and 46, respectively. Residents complained of discomfort in breathing and irritation in eyes in some areas. They have been repeatedly complaining about people setting garbage on fire at night which deteriorates the air quality. Toxic fumes due to burning of plastic, garbage and even bio-medical waste give rise to several respiratory problems. Colours of faith Ashok Kaura Phagwara, February 11 Phagwara residents have been facing stray dog menace for years now. Nothing much has been done either by the ‘10-15 DOG BITE CASES REPORTED DAILY’ Senior Medical Officer Dr Lehmber Ram said around 10-15 persons come to the Civil Hospital daily with dog bite injuries. The SMO assured that anti-rabies injections were in stock, including immunoglobulin for instant relief. Miscreants fire shots at shop, seek ransom Our Correspondent The suspects in police custody in Jalandhar on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Mahilpur (Hoshiarpur), February 11 Three motorcycle-borne miscreants fired around 12 shots at a shop on the main chowk of Mahilpur city here this morning. The incident led to a panic in the area. The suspects also demanded a ransom of ~5 crore from the shop owner. According to information, Harjot Chawla was present at his shop Chawla Cloth House. Three masked men armed with weapons reached the shop on a motorcycle and fired over 12 shots. One of the suspects entered the shop and gave a chit to the shop owner demanding a ransom of Rs 5 crore in the name of Saurav Kaushal Chaudhary Group. There was no loss of life in the incident. After getting information, the police reached the spot and initiated investigations into the incident. The police are checking the footage of CCTV cameras installed in the area. Tribune News Service USED TO EXTORT MONEY FROM PEOPLE Jalandhar, February 11 The Police Commissionerate claimed to have busted a gang involved in honey trapping people and extorting money from them. The police arrested four members, including three women, of the gang. The suspects have been identified as Rishabh, Preet Kaur, Aman and Mohini, all residents of Jalandhar. Divulging details, Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma said the police got a tip-off that a gang involved in extorting money by honey trapping people was active in the city. Gang members used to call people in hotel rooms and subsequently blackmail them Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma said the police got a tip-off that a gang involved in extorting money by honey trapping people was active in the city. Gang members used to call people in hotel rooms and subsequently blackmail them using recorded videos. After getting information, the police laid a trap and arrested a man and three women members of the gang from near Nangal Shama Chowk in Jalandhar. using recorded videos. After getting information, the police laid a trap and arrested a man and three women members of the gang from near Nangal Shama Chowk in Jalandhar. CP Sharma said a case under Sections 384, 420, 120B and 506 of the IPC was registered against the suspects at the Rama Mandi police station. The Police Commissioner said during investigation, it came to fore that another sus- pect, identified as Dharminder Gill, a resident of Basti Bawa Khel here, was also involved in the crime. “Both male members used to help their female counterparts by reaching hotel rooms and further threatening the victims by showing them recorded videos and chats,” he said. The CP said raids were being conducted to nab Dharminder. Further investigations were on in the case. Unidentified man run over by train, dies Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 11 An unidentified man died after being run over by a train between Phagwara and Goraya railway station on Sunday. The Government Railway Police (GRP) have kept the body in the Civil Hospital mortuary after the postmortem examination for identification. A case has been registered. c m y b Municipal Corporation or the Animal Husbandry and Veterinary departments to check the problem. Though the Phagwara Municipal Committee was upgraded to the level of a Municipal Corporation in 2016, it has not been of much use. Around 10 persons are attacked by stray dogs in the Phagwara sub-division daily. Hundreds of persons, including women and children, bitten by stray dogs are treated at the Civil Hospital and private hospitals every month. Confirming the number, Senior Medical Officer Dr Lehmber Ram said around 1015 persons come to the Civil Hospital daily with dog bite injuries. The SMO assured that anti-rabies injections were in stock, including immunoglobulin for instant relief. There are reportedly more than 4,000 stray dogs in the sub-division. Dogs roam around in packs in the town, posing a threat to people. “Veterinary doctors are not visiting the town despite repeated letters written to the department for the sterilisation of stray dogs,” MC officials said. An artist gives finishing touches to an idol of Goddess Saraswati ahead of Basant Panchami, in Jalandhar on Sunday. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH 3 nabbed with liquor, pistol, eight cartridges The suspects in custody of the Garhdiwala police. Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, February 11 The Garhdiwala police arrested three persons and recovered a huge quantity of liquor, a pistol and eight live cartridges from their possession. According to information, ASI Sarabjit said the police signalled a car to stop for checking at a naka at the Kulian turn. During checking, the police recovered 108 bot- tles of liquor from the vehicle. The police also recovered a pistol and eight live cartridges from the car occupants. The suspects have been identified as Amanpal Singh, alias Aman, Harjot Singh, a resident of Jattan Mohalla, Gadhdiwala, and Paramjeet Singh, alias Sodi, a resident of Bahla. A case has been registered against the suspects. Further investigations were on. Abetment to suicide: Woman, son booked Phagwara, February 11 Following a complaint lodged by Batala resident Navdeep Singh, the police have booked a mother-son duo on the charges of abetment to suicide. Navdeep Singh told the police that he was the elder son of the deceased who reportedly committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of his house. He said after the death of his mother, his father remarried several years ago. He alleged that though he was living separately, his father was being tortured by his stepmother and stepbrother. Navdeep alleged that his father committed suicide after being harassed and tortured by his second wife and son in Chachoki village near Phagwara. The deceased was identified as Amrik Singh Bajwa, a resident of Sant Nagar, Chachoki. The accused Sukhwinder Kaur and her son Manpreet Singh were still at large. A case has been registered. — OC