17022024-JTR-01.qxd 2/17/2024 12:49 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SINGERS ENTHRAL AUDIENCE AT LAW-CUM-CULTURAL FEST AMRITSAR (RURAL) POLICE BUST DUBAI BASED DRUG CARTEL RASHMIKA MANDANA TO APPEAR ON NO FILTER NEHA SEASON 6 Singers Harvy Sandhu, Feroz Khan and Sukhwinder Sukhi enthralled audience on the second day of the fest. P2 Amritsar (Rural) police have busted a major drug syndicate being operated from Dubai and arrested five peddlers. P3 The show has already created a buzz for its upcoming season with an impressive lineup, including Shahid Kapoor. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 24°C | MIN 07°C YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 05°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6.12 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:00 AM SATURDAY | 17 FEBRUARY 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF ROBBERS LOOT PETROL PUMP Phagwara: On Thursday night, unidentified robbers looted ~50,000 from employees at Reliance Petrol Pump near Poonge village on the Hoshiarpur-Phagwara road. The incident was recorded in the footage of the CCTV camera installed at the petrol station. Model Town Police Station SHO Sukhjit Singh said three masked robbers came to the fuel pump on a motorcycle. Armed with weapons, they entered the main office of the petrol pump, assaulted employees and looted money at gunpoint from them. He said further probe was on. OC Farmers’ protest leaves passengers stranded as buses remain off roads Clockwise from top: Passengers wait for buses at the bus stand; vehicles stuck in a traffic jam; closed shops at a market; and farmer union activists protest at the Bahmanian toll plaza near Shahkot in Jalandhar on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: MALKIAT SINGH/SARABJIT SINGH TWO BOOKED ON CHARGE OF ASSAULT Phagwara: The Nakodar city police have booked two persons on charges of voluntarily causing hurt, criminal intimidation and mischief. Investigating officer (IO) Hans Raj said the suspects, were identified as Labhu and Jassa, both residents of Mehatpur. Hardeep Singh of Mohalla Guru Nanakpura, Nakodar, complained to the police that he was returning home with his friend when the suspects waylaid and attacked them on February 9. The victims were seriously injured in the incident. The suspects also damaged complainant’s car. OC 2 BOOKED FOR BID TO ENCROACH SHOP Phagwara: The Nakodar city police have booked two persons, including a woman, on the charge of attempting to encroach a shop. Investigating officer (IO) Rajinder Pal Singh said the suspects were identified as Amardeep Kaur of Aadarsh Nagar and Arun Kumar of Mallari village. Raman Kumar of Ravi Dasspura, Mehatpur Road, complained to the police that the suspects broke open locks of his shop in front of DAV College on February 15 and threw all goods outside. He said the suspects again locked his shop. The IO said a case was registered against the suspects. OC 1 ARRESTED FOR STEALING CABLE Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have arrested one person on the charge of stealing cable from a mobile tower. Investigating officer (IO) Vijay Kumar said the suspect was identified as Ajay of Fafranna village falling under the Assandh police station in Karnal district. Akash Deep Asur of Mudh village complained to the police that the suspect stole cable and other equipment from the Airtel mobile tower in Nurmahal on February 4. A case was registered against the suspect. OC PO HELD IN DRUG PEDDLING CASE Lohian Khas: The Lohian Khas police have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) who has been absconding since the last year. Investigating officer (IO) Avtar Singh said the accused had been identified as Rinku Singh of Mohatam Nagar (Dhola Bhainni) village. He was wanted in a case of drug peddling and cheating registered in 2017 and was declared a PO in 2023. OC ONE NABBED WITH DRUGS Hoshiarpur: The Garhshankar police have recovered a huge quantity of sedative injections and 20 gm of intoxicating powder from a smuggler identified as Sulinder Singh alias Tikki, of Beenewal. OC Near total bandh in Kapurthala dist Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 16 In a widespread response to the Bharat Bandh call of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) against the Central Government, Kapurthala district observed a near total bandh today. Other than medical stores, markets and shops in Kapurthala remained largely closed today. Shopkeepers and traders extended support to the farmers’ struggle by keeping establishments closed. Farmers also took note of the few open shops and got them closed. Farmers got a photographer’s shop on the bus stop road closed. A heated argument ensued between farmers and the shopkeeper before he downed shutters of his shop. Farmers also staged a dharna in front of the shop. Farmer leaders staged a protest under the leadership of Balwinder Singh Bhullar, district president, Kirti Kisan Union, at the DC Chowk in Kapurthala. During the protest, the Centre’s policies were criticised by farmers. Harpreet Singh, DSP Sub, Division, along with a few police personnel were present during the dharna at DC Chowk. Meanwhile, on a call given by farmers’ organisations, a complete bandh was observed in Phagwara, Goraya, Phillaur, Nakodar, Shahkot, and Nurmahal today. Almost all shops and commercial establishments remained closed on Friday. However, government offices, banks, chemists’ shops and petrol pumps remained open. Farmers staged a dharna at Zandiala Manzaki after blocking the PhagwaraNakodar road at 11am. At least 150 workers of the PRTC Workers Sanjhi Action Committee (Contract basis) at Kapurthala depot along with regular employees held a strike after stopping government and private buses. Seventy workers of the RCF Employees Union held a peaceful protest. More than 50 workers of Lok Hiteshi Manch Phagwara held a protest march that passed through Goal Chowk, Jhatkaiya Chowk, Gaushala Bazaar, Naiaan Wala Chowk and bus stand. Traffic was blocked near Dhilwan on the JalandharAmritsar national highway by Kirti Kisan Union members today. Activists of BKU (Lakhowal) blocked traffic and staged dharna on the Kartarpur-Bholath road today. Members of the LIC Employees Union held demonstration at their office in Kapurthala. Complete shutdown in Hoshiarpur Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 16 The usual hustle and bustle at the bus stand was missing today. Passengers were seen waiting at the bus stand while buses stayed off roads due to the Bharat Bandh call given by farmer unions. Though passengers were finding it difficult to commute, they supported farmers for their cause. Outside bus stand, rickshaw pullers and threewheeler drivers were sitting idle. Jaswant Pandey, one of the rickshaw pullers, said he usually earned Rs 200 to Rs 300 till noon every day, but today no one hired his rickshaw. “It’s a tough day today,” he said. Passengers were seen inquiring about buses at the bus stand. A family of four, including two children from Jhansi, waited with their luggage to board a bus at the bus stand. “We have to go to Kapurthala. We have been told that buses will not ply till 4 pm. So, we will have to wait at the bus stand,” one of the woman among passengers said. A man from Moga, who was in the city for a day wanted to go back home, but was not able to find any means of transport. He said, “It does- Two arrested with stolen motorcycle Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 16 Two persons were arrested with a stolen motorcycle bearing registration No. PB08-VE-0991 by the Jalandhar (Rural) police today. The police said the stolen Bullet motorcycle was recovered from a locked NRI’s house. Officials said on February 2, Satveer Singh, a resident of Bhanoi tehsil in Phagwara, presently a resident of New Zealand, informed the police through WhatsApp that his black Bullet motorcycle, which was standing at his maternal grandparents’ home at Jajjan Khurd village in Phillaur, was stolen. The police, acting on the information, arrested suspects Lakhvir Singh Garcha, One of the suspects in custody of the Phillaur police. alias Feera, a resident of Jajja Khurd village in Phillaur, and Jaswant Singh, alias Jassa, also a resident of Jajja Khurd village in Phillaur. The police recovered the stolen motorcycle from their possession. A case under Sections 454 and 380 of the IPC was registered at the Phillaur police station on February 2. The police said further investigation was in progress after bringing the two suspects on remand. n’t matter if I am facing difficulty in finding a means of transport. I am also a farmer. I support farmers’ protest and stand with them.” An elderly woman passenger, who was accompanied by her son, said they had come to the city from Talwara to buy some medicines and she wanted to go back home today. “We will wait for another few hours till buses start plying,” she said. 10-yr-old girl hurt after kite string slashes her neck Phagwara, February16 A 10-year-old girl was seriously injured after Chinese kite string got entangled around her neck in Dhayan Singh Colony on Friday. She was taken to the Civil Hospital where she received several stitches on her neck. Senior Medical Officer Dr Lehimber Ram said the condition of the girl, identified as Rani, was stable now. Kite flyers were least bothered about the harm the banned string could bring to residents, said social activist Malkiat Singh Ragbotra. The ban on the Chinese string should be enforced strictly as it had caused many accidents, he said. Violators should be punished strictly, he said. — OC Congress activists stage dharna near Union Minister’s residence Former minister Henry acquitted in 10-yr-old case Phagwara, February 16 Hundreds of party activists led by District Congress Committee president-cum-Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal staged a dharna near the residence of Union Minister of State Som Parkash in the Urban Estate over the “atrocities” committed by the Haryana Police on agitating farmers on the instructions of the BJP-led Union and state governments. While addressing party activists at the dharna, leaders including Deepak Salwan, Sukhwinder Singh Billu, Taranjit Singh Walia and Naresh Bhardwaj strongly criticised the anti-farmers policies of the Central Government. Tribune News Service Congress workers protest in Phagwara on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal said the Congress was supporting genuine demands of farmers. He said the Union Government was neglecting farmers’ demands. Dhaliwal said farmers and people of Punjab faced natural disasters like lumpy skin disease and floods, but the state govern- ment did not release compensation for victims. Dhaliwal alleged that the Haryana Police dropped tear gas shells from drones on protesting farmers at the Shambhu barrier. He urged Union Minister of State Som Parkash to hold talks with Prime Minister to redress problems of farmers. — OC c m y b Jalandhar, February 16 Former Punjab minister and Congress leader Avtar Henry was on Friday acquitted by a Jalandhar court in a 10year-old case for the alleged violation of Section 125-A (penalty for filing false affidavit) of the Representation of People Act, 1951. The court of Dr Gagandeep Singh Garg of Special NRI Court, passed the order in the presence of Henry. The Navi Baradari police station had presented a kalandra against Henry in the case in 2014 in a complaint regarding dual citizenship. The trial in the continued on Page 2 Hoshiarpur, February 16 Several trade unions, farmers, labourers and employees protested against the Central Government in Hoshiarpur and its surrounding areas today on the Bharat Bandh call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. Effigies of the Central Government were burnt by protesters. Farmer organisations held protest dharnas on roads heading to Hoshiarpur city like at Naloyan Chowk, Tanda bypass, Purhiran bypass, Prabhat Chowk, Chandigarh bypass and Hoshiarpur-Una Marg among others. Following the bandh call, all markets, shops and other establishments remained closed in Hoshiarpur. Traffic on roads was minimum. Passengers faced problems in com- Trucks stuck in a traffic jam on the Hoshiarpur-Phagwara road. muting as they couldn’t find any mode of transport. People going to weddings and other functions also faced problems. Shops that were open were closed after the intervention of farmer organisations. Markets wore a deserted look. Farmer leaders said, “The Central Government is antifarmers and labourers. It is suppressing farmers who are protesting peacefully. Barricading done by the Khattar government on the Punjab and Haryana border has proved that the Central Government is completely ignoring Punjab. The most important issue is the MSP of crops which the government has failed to solve.” — OC
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).