21022024-JTR-01.qxd 2/21/2024 12:52 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune FARMERS PROTEST OUTSIDE UNION MINISTER’S HOUSE 33K STUDENTS GET FRUIT IN MID-DAY MEAL IN BARNALA Kinnow distributed among students of government-aided & government schools of Barnala district. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 22°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 24.6°C | MIN 13.6°C ACTRESS KIARA ADVANI JOINS RANVEER SINGH IN DON 3 Irate farmers hold a protest outside the Phagwara residence of Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry. P2 FORECAST Kiara Advani, who was last seen in film Satyaprem Ki Katha, has come on board for the third instalment of Don.P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6:15 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:57 AM » WEDNESDAY | 21 FEBRUARY 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF TWO NABBED WITH 200 GM OF HEROIN Phagwara: The Criminal Investigating Agency (CIA) of the Jalandhar (Rural) police arrested two drug peddlers on the charge of selling heroin. The suspects have been identified as Baljit Singh, alias Sonu, a resident of Kaliyan Pur village falling under the Lambarra police station, and Tajinder Pal, alias Sunny, a resident of Sharak Pur village. Investigating officer (IO) Navdeep Singh said 200 grams of heroin was recovered from their possession. A case under Sections 21(b), 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against the suspects. The police also impounded a motorcycle on which they were travelling with the contraband. OC BIKER DIES IN ROAD MISHAP Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a combine harvester driver on the charge of causing death by negligence and mischief. Investigating officer (IO) Kashmir Singh said the suspect had been identified as Sandip Singh, a resident of Warra Jagir village. Rajinder Singh, a resident of Ram Pur village, told the police that the suspect parked his machinery on the Parjian road. His brother Kuldeep Singh was coming to his village on a motorcycle around 7 pm on February 18. His bike rammed into the machine from the rear killing him on the spot. A case under Sections 304-A and 427 of the IPC has been registered. OC Snatchers’ gang busted, 2 land in police dragnet Motorcycle, weapon, cash recovered Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 20 The police claimed to have busted a gang of snatchers with the arrest of two of its members. The police also recovered a motorcycle, a machete (datar) and cash from their possession. Divulging details, the police said four masked men, who were carrying machetes, snatched ~4,200 from a person, Dhani Ram, near Guru Ravidas Chowk here around 6:15 am on February 16. Acting on the victim’s complaint, the police registered a case against the suspects under Sections 379-B and 34 of the IPC and started investigations into the matter. During investigation, the police arrested two persons - Kiranpreet Singh, alias Chitta, and Hardev Singh, alias Happy, both residents of Khurla Khingra here from Ravindra Day Boarding School T-point, New Jawahar Nagar. They recovered a motorcycle used in the crime, a machete (datar), and ~1,000 from the suspects. “Raids are being conducted to nab other members of the gang. Kiranpreet Singh has a criminal past as three cases are already registered against him at various police stations in Jalandhar,” the police said, adding that further investigations were on in the case. A huge rush at the automated driving test & online licence centre; and (left) a biker undergoes driving test in Jalandhar on Tuesday. PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH Slow server tests applicants’ patience People wait in queues for hours to get their works done at automated driving test centre Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service The suspects in police custody in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO Jalandhar, February 20 A visit to the automated driving test & online licence centre here revealed that people have to face harassment due to slow server. They have to wait for hours here for the websites to work and servers to get back on track so that their pending work can be done. As per information, there is a footfall of more than 300 at the centre every day. Farmer killed in Thieves strike at temple premises road accident Flee with cash, gold items; injure woman, caretaker Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Jalandhar, February 20 A farmer, who was on his way to join the protest at Shambhu border, died in a road accident last evening. The deceased has been identified as Hardeep Singh, a Phagwara, February 20 Unidentified miscreants entered the residential portion of Shiv Mandir Baba Bhandari in Harkishan Nagar and stole cash worth lakhs and gold items in the wee hours here today. A woman, Anita Bhandari (67), suffered injuries when the miscreants entered into a scuffle with her. She was shifted to Gandhi Hospital, Phagwara, where she is undergoing treatment. Pawan Kumar Tiwari, caretaker of the temple, also suffered injuries in the scuffle with the miscreants. Superintendent of Police Rupinder Kaur Bhatti met the injured woman in the hospital. She told the police Was on way to join protest at Shambhu resident of Rampur village in Shahkot area of Jalandhar. He was to join the jatha of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, which was to be led by district vice-treasurer of the committee Rajinder Singh Nangal Ambian. The accident took place when his vehicle rammed into a combine at Danewal village in Shahkot. — TNS Phagwara SP Rupinder Kaur Bhatti interacts with the victim at a hospital on Tuesday. that her husband Jagjit Bhandari, who constructed the temple, suffered paralysis. They recently sold a plot and kept the money in the residential part of the temple. She said the suspects beat her up with an iron rod and dragged her to the almirah in which valuables were kept. It may be mentioned here that the temple has been constructed on the first floor of the building and rooms on the ground floor are used for residential purpose. Jagjit Bhandari is the owner of the temple and resides in the premises along with his wife Anita Bhandari. Pandit Pawan Kumar Tiwari, a resident of Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, has been the caretaker of the temple for the past two weeks. He also resides in the residential area of the temple along with his family members. The exact value of the stolen gold and cash is yet to be ascertained. The SP said the police had registered a case against the suspects under Sections 459 and 380 of the IPC. Channi’s dera visits spark off speculation Remains front runner among aspirants from Jalandhar (reserved) seat LS ELECTIONS Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 20 Even as the name of former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit S Channi has been doing rounds for contesting on the Congress ticket from the Jalandhar (reserved) Lok Sabha seat in the forthcoming elections, he was here yet again today to pay obeisance at Dera Sachkhand Ballan. This was perhaps his third visit to the dera in the past two months. Channi brought offerings to the dera ahead of Guru Ravidas Jayanti. He met dera chief Sant Niranjan Das, spent few hours there and even partook of langar. Since the dera chief is slated to depart for Sri Guru Ravi Das Janam Sthan Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit S Channi with Sant Niranjan Dass at Dera Sachkhand Ballan in Jalandhar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Mandir in Varanasi tomorrow via a special train, Channi chose to meet him and seek his blessings before his departure from here. He was accompanied by his son Navjeet Singh and a close associate Kamal Bhairon. Channi also visited Dera Radha Soami Beas where he met its chief Baba Gurinder Singh and had an interaction with him today. He has been visiting other deras of Jalandhar too in the recent past. Channi remains to be the front runner from among various likely claimants to the Jalandhar seat. Being a popu- lar leader from the SC community here, he tops the chart among the winnable candidates. Karamjit Chaudhary, wife of former MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh who lost the Jalandhar bypoll last year, and former Jalandhar MP MS Kaypee are among others in race for the ticket. Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party has also planned to hold a state-level programme on Guru Ravidas Jayanti on February 24. A shobha yatra is to be taken out a day before. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is also slated to be here for the celebrations. AAP leaders, including Minister Balkar Singh and Jalandhar MP Sushil Rinku, will be at the Jalandhar city railway station for the flagging off ceremony of the train tomorrow. c m y b ISSUE TO BE RESOLVED SOON State Transport Commissioner Moneesh Kumar said the problem of slow server had become common across the country. “Updation is being done and we have been assured that the issue will be resolved by next week,” he said. A woman said: “I visited the centre for the third time today. Every time, I hear the same excuse that server is down. I do not know if I will be able to take the driving test today or not”. Several elderly persons were seen standing in queues while some were SAME EXCUSE EVERY TIME I visited the centre for the third time on Tuesday. Every time, I hear the same excuse that server is down. I do not know if I will be able to take the driving test today or not. A woman ❝ waiting outside as no work was being done on the computers at the automated driving test & online licence centre. “I came here for the renewal of my licence for the second time. Halle vi pata nai kamm hona ke nai. Har vaar da hi hai, ❞ bada mushkil hai,” said an elderly person. One of the employees present at the centre said the issue had been there for a long time. Even officials at the centre do not know when the problem would be resolved. One of the officials from the Dis- trict Transport Department said the issue was related to the state. The Tribune team remained at the centre for over an hour and the server remained down during that period. Only driving tests were being held. State Transport Commissioner Moneesh Kumar said the problem of slow server has become common across the country. “Updation is being done and we have been assured that the issue will be resolved by next week,” he said. Man attacked over old enmity, critical Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 20 Assailants attacked a man near Guru Ravidas Chowk here this afternoon. The suspects fled the spot leaving the victim, identified as Baljinder Singh, alias Balli, a resident of Aabadpura, in a pool of blood. Passersby shifted Cash, jewellery stolen from shop Our Correspondent Phagwara, February 20 Unidentified miscreants reportedly burgled a jewellery shop in Hadiabad subtown here last night. The suspects entered the shop after breaking open the shutter. Vivek Chadha, a friend of the shop owner, saw the shutters of the shop half open and two miscreants inside. He raised an alarm following which the suspects fled the spot with the stolen goods. Shop owner Manoj Kumar, a resident of Mansa Devi Nagar, reached the spot. He said the suspects took away gold and silver ornaments and cash worth ~7,000 from the shop. The exact loss is yet to be estimated. The police have registered a case against the suspects under Sections 457, 380 and 34 of the IPC and are investigating the matter. Theft at garments shop In another incident, burglars struck at a garments shop at Lakhpur village near Phagwara last night. Shop owner Krishan Singh said he went home after closing his shop. When he came to open the shop next morning, he found it burgled. The police have registered a case under Sections 457 and 380 of the IPC. him to the Civil Hospital. Speaking to the media, the victim’s father accused Bunty and his associates of orchestrating the assault. He alleged that Bunty, a frequent visitor to Balli’s dhaba near Guru Ravidas Chowk, was extorting protection money from him, leading Balli to close his business and work as a taxi driver. The attack was the result of a feud over extortion. Bunty and his accomplices reportedly attacked Balli after he dropped passengers near Guru Ravidas Chowk. His condition is stated to be critical. The suspects fled the spot leaving the weapon behind. After getting information, the police initiated an investi- gation into the case. SHO Parminder Singh said the victim and the suspects sustained injuries. Though the motive behind the attack was not clear, he hinted at an old rivalry between the parties. He said legal proceedings would be initiated after recording statements and scrutinising CCTV footage. Punjab Youth Cong members hold bike rally, burn PM’s effigy Members of the Youth Congress take part in a bike rally in Jalandhar on Tuesday. MALKIAT SINGH Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 20 Members of the Punjab Youth Congress took out a bike rally, “Jai Jawaan Jai Kisan Jai Naujwan”, from Punjab Congress Bhawan here today. Eyeing the coming Lok Sabha elections, the campaign will be initiated in all 13 Parliamentary constituencies of Punjab and will cover every Assembly constituency. The bike rally, which included 500 youths, started from the Congress office. It ended at Company Bagh Chowk after passing through BMC Chowk and Guru Nanak Mission Chowk. Later, the members also burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of unemployment, Agniveers and farmers. The Punjab Youth Congress also released a phone number 8860812345 for unemployed youth of Punjab to register for this campaign. Addressing the gathering at the Congress Bhawan, Mohit Mohindra, president, Punjab Youth Congress, said: “Today, the country is reeling under financial crisis, which in turn multiplies unemployment rate. Before coming to power, the Modi Government promised to give 2 crore jobs per year. A total of 22 crore youth applied for various jobs in the Central Government. Out of this, only 7 lakh were given jobs. The youth of the country should celebrate National Unemployment Day”. Mohit said the farmers were protesting because of the Union government’s failure to give MSP on crops. Among others who participated in the bike rally included Rajinder Beri, DCC president, Randeep Sandhu, District president, Jalandhar Urban, Bob Malhotra, Assembly president, Jalandhar, Shivam Pathak, Assembly president, Honey Joshi, Secretary, Punjab Youth Congress, Ashwin Bhalla, exyouth president, and Suman Preet, DYC president, Nawanshahr.
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