14072024-JTR-01.qxd 7/13/2024 11:36 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune WESTERN COMMAND TEAM WIN HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP THREE ARRESTED WITH DRUGS IN SANGRUR ANANT AMBANI TIES THE KNOT WITH RADHIKA MERCHANT The Army Inter-Command Hockey Championship 2024-25 concluded with a grand closing ceremony. P2 Three persons were arrested by two parties of the Sangrur CIA and a police party of Dhuri. P3 Long-awaited moment has finally arrived as Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant are now married. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 29°C SUNSET SUNDAY 7:26 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5:32 AM » SUNDAY | 14 JULY 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF MAN NABBED ON THEFT CHARGE Phagwara: The Nakodar Sadar police have arrested a person for stealing cash and CCTV cameras from a religious place. Investigating officer (IO) and Uggi police post in-charge Balbir Singh said the suspect had been identified as Sandeep Singh, alias Seepa, a resident of Uggi village. Harjinder Singh, a resident of Rasul Pur village, told the police that the suspect barged into the religious place on July 1 and stole ~1 lakh in cash and CCTV cameras from there. A case has been registered against the suspects. OC MAN HELD WITH 12 LIQUOR BOTTLES Phagwara: The Nakodar city police have arrested a person on the charge of smuggling liquor. Investigating officer Jagjit Singh said 12 bottles of liquor were seized from his possession. The suspect has been identified as Sahil, alias Ankush, a resident of Malrri village. A case under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Punjab Excise Act has been registered. OC YOUTH HANGS SELF TO DEATH Phagwara: A migrant youth reportedly died by suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling at a vacant house in Sarabha Nagar here on Saturday. Station House Officer (SHO) Jatinder Kumar said the deceased had been identified as Rakesh Kumar, alias Pintu (17), a resident of Bihar. He was living in the house as caretaker. Stress was said to be the reason behind him taking the extreme step. The police have registered a case and sent the body to the Civil Hospital for post-mortem examination. OC After setback in LSpoll, AAP’s landslide win surprises many Huge drubbing for Cong; all eyes on upcoming bypolls Deepkamal Kaur IN FIGURES Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 13 Jalandhar West voters have a history of going with the ruling state government and so they did in the July 10 bypoll, the results of which were declared today. Voters supported Bhagat Chunni Lal in 2007 and 2012 when the SAD-BJP was in power. They went for the Congress in 2017, AAP in 2022 and once again back to AAP this time when the same AAP government is in power. Likewise, AAP which was , down from 92 to 90 seats after the LS poll because of the resignation of Sheetal Angural and elevation of Gurmeet S Meet Hayer as the Sangrur MP has regained one more , seat to take the tally to 91. There are four more Assembly bypoll slated in Punjab which can change the figure all over again in the coming months. Leaders and workers of almost all parties knew it well that the AAP would be winning the elections but everyone’s guess was that it could be with a margin of 10,00015,000 votes at the most. Like the way no one was expecting that Charanjit Channi would win by 1.75 lakh votes in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, not even AAP leaders were expecting a landslide victory for the party by 37,325 votes. The AAP polled 55,246 votes, which was 40,000 more votes which the party had got from this segment in June 1 LS poll. Other than freebie distribution and the use of money and muscle power by the government, which most rival Candidate Mohinder Bhagat Sheetal Angural Surinder Kaur Surjit Kaur Binder Kumar Lakha Sarabjit S Khalsa Party AAP BJP INC SAD BSP SAD (A) Votes polled 55,246 17,921 16,575 12,421 734 662 Vote % 58.39 18.94 17.71 1.31 0.78 0.7 Total voters: 1,72,035 Votes polled: 93,922 NOTA: 687 leaders have been alleging, the biggest factor that worked against the Congress was its less synchronised campaign on ground. “Our three big party leaders - PCC chief Amarinder S Raja Warring, LoP Partap Bajwa and Jalandhar MP Charanjit Singh Channi - got together at White Diamond Resort for workers’ meet about 10 days ahead of the elections, but ever since there had been no coherence. Big leaders did not take the local leaders along in roadshows, media interactions and other events. Most councillors had left the party and those who were still there did not campaign much because of local rivalries. In a nutshell, our campaign lacked the much-needed coordination and attack against the government,” said a senior party leader. BJP leader Amit Taneja said: “The AAP got joined 112 leaders and workers from our party in this election. They distributed freebies with the patronage of the government. We caught them red-handed and even handed them over to the police. The police remained a mute spectator by not even registering a case on any of the complaints that we filed, including that on the presence of outsider AAP workers on the polling day.” However, AAP leaders are ruling out all other factors. “It is solely the work of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann that paid us. He remained on ground and led our campaign, which has shown results,” said Balkar Singh, AAP minister. SAD’s claim of community support falls flat Claims of SAD candidate Surjit Kaur of getting a support of her Sirkiband Rajput community having 15,000plus voters in Jalandhar West seemed to have fallen flat as she could get only 1,242 votes. The SAD team, led by Sukhbir Badal, had withdrawn support to her and she got the support of rebel group only led by PS Chandumajra, Jagir Kaur and Gurpartap Wadala. SAD candidate MS Kaypee got 2,326 votes in LS polls last month. Sukhbir Badal-group had announced support to BSP candidate Binder Lakha, but he too could garner only 734 votes. This was marginally up from NOTA votes of 687 and the score of some Independents like Neetu Shatranwala who got 236 votes. 2 DRUG PEDDLERS IN POLICE DRAGNET Phagwara: The CIA team of the Phagwara police arrested a drug smuggler and recovered 13 grams of heroin from his possession on Saturday. The suspect has been identified as Cheecha, a resident of Phagwara. A case under relevant sections of the BNS has been registered against the suspect. In another case, the police arrested a drug peddler and recovered 50 intoxicant capsules and 30 intoxicant tablets from his possession on Friday night. The suspect has been identified as Paramjit Kumar, alias Pamma, a resident of Khotrra village near here. The suspect was nabbed at a checkpoint near the Hadiabad Chowk, here. The police have registered a case. OC AAP MLA Raman Arora, along with his supporters, flashes the victory sign on Saturday. MALKIAT SINGH AAP supporters hold a roadshow after victory in the Jalandhar West bypoll on Saturday. PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH Workers celebrate victory in Jalandhar West byelections Distribute laddoos, hold roadshow, dance to dhol beats Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 13 AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat emerged victorious in the Jalandhar West bypoll, the results of which were declared here today. After first round of counting at 8:46 am, Bhagat was leading by 2,200 votes. There was joy among AAP workers and supporters outside the counting centre at Lyallpur Khalsa College here. After 15 minutes, Bhagat’s lead surged to 6,000 votes in the second round of counting. After third round, his lead nearly doubled to 13,000 votes. As the rounds progressed, so did the celebrations. After the fifth round, more party workers and dhol players reached the counting centre. Party workers’ joy knew no bounds. They started distributing laddoos among each other. The sound of dhol beats grew louder with each passing round. The celebrations were not only confined to the counting centre. After the ninth round, festivities erupted at Mohinder’s residence in JP Nagar, Jalandhar West. Mohinder’s friends, family members, neighbours and party workers gathered outside his residence. They danced to dhol beats and distributed sweets. After the final round, Bhagat was announced the win- Mohinder Bhagat, along with his supporters, takes part in the victory march on Saturday. ‘ALL PROMISES TO BE FULFILLED’ AAP’s Mohinder Bhagat expressed his gratitude to the voters of Jalandhar West for their overwhelming mandate. He attributed his success to the policies of the AAP and the popularity of CM Bhagwant Mann among the people of Punjab. Bhagat assured the voters that all promises made during the campaign would be prioritised and fulfilled. ner with a lead of around 37,000 votes. Following the announcement, AAP workers held a massive roadshow from the counting centre to JP Nagar. The convoy, consisting of pick-up trucks, open jeeps and SUVs, passed through key points such as BMC flyover, Guru Nanak Mohinder Bhagat's family members all smiles after the results. Mission Chowk, and Nakodar Chowk. Supporters atop vehicles waved party flags and danced to loud music and dhol beats flashing the victory sign. Addressing the media, Mohinder Bhagat expressed his gratitude to the voters of Jalandhar West for their overwhelming mandate. He attributed his success to the policies of the AAP and the popularity of CM Bhagwant Mann among the people of Punjab. Bhagat assured the voters that all promises made during the campaign would be prioritised and fulfilled. Bhagat family braces up for ministerial berth after 12 yrs Pick-up van runs over labourers Two-time loser from BJP, Mohinder wins hands down from AAP sleeping on footpath, two killed Deepkamal Kaur CHUNNI LAL REMAINED MINISTER IN SAD-BJP RULE Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 13 After the landslide victory of AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat in the Jalandhar West bypoll, his family has once again become hopeful of getting a ministerial berth after a span of nearly 12 years. The huge victory of Bhagat, who polled 55,246 votes and won with a margin of 37,325 votes, has baffled everyone, including his family and even AAP leaders. Since Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had promised the voters that he would make him a minister in his Cabinet upon his victory, the family is keeping the fingers crossed. Mohinder’s father Bhagat Mohinder Bhagat’s father Bhagat Chunni Lal had remained minister in the SAD-BJP rule for 10 years in the two tenures commencing in 2007 and 2012. He had got the portfolio of Medical Education and Research. In the second tenure, he was also the Minister for Local Bodies Department and later for Bhagat Chunni Lal, former minister and father of Mohinder Bhagat, Forests and Wild Life, and Labour. He is now 92. celebrates the victory on Saturday. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Chunni Lal had remained minister in the SAD-BJP rule for 10 years in the two tenures commencing in 2007 and 2012. He had got the portfolio of Medical Education and Research. In the second tenure, he was also the Minis- ter for Local Bodies Department and later for Forests and Wild Life, and Labour. He is now 92. In the past few years of Bhagat Chunni Lal’s tenure when he was nearing 80, Mohinder Bhagat had become the de facto minister and was handling most of his work. Now, it is Mohinder’s son Atul Bhagat, who not only handles two sports goods manufacturing companies that the family runs, but also supports him politically. c m y b The Bhagat family has been contesting all elections since 2007 from Jalandhar West. In 2007, Bhagat Chunni Lal as BJP candidate had polled 56,775 votes defeating Congress’ MS Kaypee with 44,860 votes. In 2012, Bhagat Chunni Lal again won polling 48,207 votes and trouncing Congress’ Suman Kaypee, wife of MS Kaypee, who got 36,864 votes. In 2017, Bhagat Chunni Lal handed over the baton to his son. Then as BJP candidate Mohinder Bhagat lost his first election to then Congress candidate Sushil Rinku, who got 53,983 votes. Mohinder Bhagat could then poll only 36,649 votes. Mohinder Bhagat could not make it Continued on page 3 Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 13 Two unidentified migrant labourers were killed when a speeding Bolero pick-up van allegedly ran over them while they were sleeping on the footpath near the Pathankot Chowk here around 11:30 pm yesterday. According to eyewitnesses, the pick-up van, bearing registration number HR73B6048, was being driver at a high speed. The driver lost control over the vehicle and veered onto the footpath. The vehicle mowed down two labourers before colliding with another car parked at a nearby taxi stand. The labourers died on the spot. Cops inspect the vehicle that was involved in the mishap near the Pathankot chowk in Jalandhar on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO After getting information, a team from the Sadak Surakhya Force reached the spot. The police also reached the spot and apprehended the driver. They took the suspect, identified as Shivam Kumar from Haryana, into their custody. SHO Gurmukh Singh said the driver lost control over the vehicle due to speeding, leading to fatal crash. Kumar Continued on page 3
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