23102024-JTR-01.qxd 22-10-2024 22:30 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune COMMITTED TO PROCURING EVERY GRAIN OF PADDY: DC JAGJEET SANDHU WILL BE SEEN IN PUNJABI FILM CHOR DIL SUDHIR IS HAPPY TO LEND VOICE TO STORY THAT PROMOTES INCLUSIVITY Of 229,892 MT of paddy arrived in 78 mandis of district, 227,420 MT of paddy has been procured. P2 Jagjeet Sandhu, who got recognition with Paatal Lok, is choosy about his projects. He continues to be associated with theatre.P4 Singer Sudhir Yaduvanshi, who has lent his vocals to film Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani, believes the year is lucky for his career.P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 33°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.46 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:37 AM WEDNESDAY | 23 OCTOBER 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF CENTRE BLAMED FOR PADDY MESS Nawanshahr: Minister for Local Government Dr Ravjot Singh has blamed the Centre's negligence for the delay in lifting paddy from the markets. At the School of Eminence, Nawanshahr, Dr Singh responded to questions from journalists about the non-lifting of paddy and stated that there was no shortcoming on the part of the state government. He pointed out that the state administration, including the Chief Minister, is actively working on the ground in the mandis. He attributed the delays to the Central Government's laxity. He said the Centre is delaying the timely lifting of crops. TNS EUNUCH INJURED IN ATTACK Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by third gender, Gauri Mahant, resident of Bhagatpura locality in Phagwara, the police have registered a case against five eunuchs Ritu, Goldy, Pooja, Ashoka and Bhagdin of Ravidaspura, Phillaur, on the charges of attacking and injuring the complainant. Professional rivalry was said to be the cause of incident, the police said. No arrest has been made till so far. OC 2 WOMEN AMONG 4 PEDDLERS HELD Phagwara: The police have arrested a woman on the charge of selling heroin. SHO Aman Saini said 4 gram of heroin and Rs 1,300 drug money were seized from the accused Jaswindar Kaur, alias Jassi, of Pasla village. The police have arrested three drug peddlers, including a woman, for selling intoxicated tablets. The accused had been identified as Manjit of Thabalke village and 92 tablets were recovered from her. OC ASSAULT ACCUSED PO ARRESTED Phagwara: The police have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) absconding for the last four years. Investigating officer Puran Singh said the accused has been identified as Paramjit Singh, alias Pamma, of Parbhat Singhwala Hithaar village in Jalalabad, Fazilka district. The accused is wanted in a case of assault registered in 2019 and declared PO in 2020. OC 18-YEAR-OLD GIRL FOUND MISSING Phagwara: An 18-year-old girl of Sarai Kham village has been missing for the last two days. The victim had been identified as Amar Preet Kaur. The victim's parents complained to the police that their daughter went outside on October 20 but did not return home. A missing report had been registered in this connection. The police also registered a missing report in connection with the disappearance of Ankita (2), daughter of Ram Tirath, of Parjian Kalan village. OC THREE ARRESTED WITH WEAPONS Phagwara: The police have arrested three youths and seized four 7.65 mm pistols and eight cartridges from them on Tuesday. The accused were identified as Harshdeep Singh of Kapurthala, Pardeep Singh of village Sanghowal and Pratikhia Singh of Dhilwan. The police also seized a motorcycle from the accused. oc ‘KLF’ operative’s attempt to Non-functional streetlights in Focal Point raise safety fears escape from hospital foiled Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Cops overpower him, aide after 1-km chase, to be rewarded Tribune News Service Kapurthala, October 22 An attempt by an alleged Khalsa Liberation Force operative to escape from the judicial custody got foiled when the vigilant PCR cops chased and overpowered him and his armed supporter, risking their lives. The accused Jashanjit Singh has been behind bars since June last year after he had been accused of shooting at Batala-based Shiv Sena leader Rajiv Mahajan. He and his accomplices had got arrested and booked under various Sections of IPC, the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The accused had been brought to the emergency of the Civil Hospital in Kapurthala for taking some medicine, where Amritpal Singh of Tarn Taran was already waiting for him with an escape plan. Amritpal fired two-three rounds of gunshots to be able to take him along on his bike. Fortunately, the bullets did not hit anyone. As this happened, PCR cops chased the bikers for about 1 km and managed to nab both accused from the busy vegetable market area. PCR incharge Charanjit Singh, ASIs Manga Singh, Jaspal Singh, Paranjit Singh, Kamaljit Singh and Jagdish Lal of the security branch gheraoed the accused, not allowing them to escape. The accused were then in possession of a revolver and 12 cartridges. A short video when the accused got nabbed had also gone viral. SSP Vatsala Gupta said the PCR cops who helped nab the fugitive and his supporter would be rewarded with the DGP’s commendation disk. She said the bike and weapons of the accused had been seized and a case had been lodged. She confirmed that the accused had been arrested in connection with the Batala shootout case but did not endorse his connection with the terrorist outfit. An undertrial, who attempted to escape police custody from the Kapurthala Civil Hospital, was nabbed by a PCR team. Vehicle thieves’ gang busted, 3 held 9 two-wheelers recovered Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 22 The CIA team has busted an inter-district vehicle theft gang, arresting three members and recovering nine twowheelers, including eight motorcycles and one scooter. This operation is part of a larger crackdown on street crime across district borders. The accused have been identified as Sorav Kumar, alias Sobha, Sunil Kumar and Sukhraj Kumar, alias Ghannu, all resident of Khurdpur in Adampur, Jalandhar. SSP Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh stated that based on intelligence, a check-point was established at Madar Gate on October 21. The accused were intercepted while riding two stolen motorcycles, both bearing the fake registration. It was confirmed that the gang had been operating across multiple districts, stealing and selling two-wheelers with forged number plates. “This operation is a crucial step in curbing street crime. The gang was actively stealing vehicles across Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur districts and their arrest will help reduce vehicle theft in the region,” said SSP Khakh. The operation was executed by the CIA team led by Inspector Pushp Bali. The gang used fake num- ber plates to avoid detection. During interrogation, the accused disclosed the names of two other gang members, Rupinder Singh, alias Gopi, and Vishal, who remain at large. Raids are underway to apprehend these suspects. The accused will be produced in a local court and their remand be sought to further investigate the matter as more recoveries are likely. The authorities believe this operation will lead to the dismantling of similar networks operating in neighbouring districts. The police have urged people, whose motorcycles or scooters had been stolen, to approach the police station, Adampur, to identify their vehicles. Main accused in double murder case nabbed Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, October 22 The main accused in the Chakkowal double murder case, Sukhwinder Singh, alias Sukhi, of Raipur was arrested today by the police after an encounter. SP (D) Sarabjit Singh Bahia said the police had got a tipoff that Sukhi, the main shooter in the double murder case, was hiding near Hargarh Choe. When the CIA staff and the Bulhowal police tried to arrest him, he fired three shots on the police. During the retaliatory action by the police, a bullet hit the leg of the accused and he was arrested. Potholed road, garbage piles near grain market add to farmers’ woes Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 22 Farmers are facing mounting challenges as delays in paddy lifting are compounded by poor infrastructure around the grain market. The primary issues stem from the deteriorating condition of the road, leading to the mandi and the accumulation of garbage near its entrance, turning the area into an unsanitary zone. The road leading to the mandi has become a major source of frustration for farmers. They said the road is riddled with potholes, causing frequent damage to their vehicles. “Our tractor-trolleys often break down because of the poor road conditions,” said Gurpal Singh, a local farmer. He said farmers had raised this issue during the wheat procurement season in April, but no repairs had been carried out. In addition to the road problems, garbage piles near the mandi’s entrance are creating serious sanitation con- A garbage dump at the gate of New Grain Market, Jalandhar. cerns. Daljit Singh, another farmer, expressed disappointment with the local authorities for not addressing the issue sooner. “The Municipal Corporation should have prioritised fixing the road and removing the garbage, knowing the pro- curement season was about to begin,” he said. The foul smell from the dump is making it difficult for farmers who are staying overnight at the mandi to protect their produce. Despite these challenges, the mandi itself remains functional, but the road conditions and c m y b sanitation issues are making access difficult and unpleasant. Farmers at Nakodar and Adampur also raised concerns about the lack of basic amenities such as clean drinking water and proper toilet facilities at the mandis there. Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said he had already addressed these issues. He said during his visit to the mandi, he instructed officials to resolve all problems related to the grain markets across the district. Aggarwal emphasised that ahead of the procurement season, he had directed the authorities to ensure that all necessary arrangements were in placem including clean drinking water, floodlights, sufficient gunny bags and proper sanitation facilities. Regarding the road and garbage issues, he assured them that he would instruct the Municipal Corporation Commissioner and Mandi Board officers to take immediate action. Jalandhar, October 22 Focal Point and Focal Point Extension, the city’s vital industrial hub, have been left in complete darkness with all streetlights being out of order, posing serious safety concerns amid the festive season. The lack of lighting on roads connecting Focal Point to the national highway and Gadaipur has created an atmosphere of fear, particularly for workers walking home at night. Inside the bustling industrial area, workers find some comfort in the crowds, but once they step onto the deserted roads outside, the absence of streetlighting leaves them unsafe. “With the festive season in full swing, the risk of crime is amplified. It created fear among the workforce and business owners alike”, said an industrialist. Originally developed in the 1990s by the Punjab Small Industry and Export Corporation, Focal Point was designed with top-notch infrastructure, including proper roads, parks and streetlighting. However, years of neglect have left the Streetlights in the city’s industrial hub are out of order. area in disrepair. “Now under the management of the Municipal Corporation, the area’s deteriorating condition, particularly the broken streetlights and poor roads, has only increased the urgency of the situation,” said Rajan Sharda, an industrialist. He said although private security and the police had collaborated to maintain safety in the area, the lack of lighting continued to undermine these efforts. Workers and residents were calling for immediate action to restore the streetlights, especially during this busy period when safety concerns are at an all-time high. The Jalandhar Industrial Focal Point Extension Association has already presented the area’s maintenance issues to the MC, highlighting not just the streetlights, but also problems with sewerage and overall cleanliness. Meanwhile, MC officials claimed that the repair of nonfunctional streetlights, be it in the Focal Point area or other localities, is already underway in the city. They said the company responsible for its repair has also been fined for the delay in the repair work. 4 held within 24 hours of murder Hoshiarpur, October 22 The police claimed to have solved the case of murdering a person with the intention of looting cash and arrested four persons within 24 hours. They include three migrants and a Nepalese. Addressing a press conference today, SSP Surendra Lamba said Meen Sehjapal had informed the police that her brother-in-law Deepak Sehgal of Harmilap Nagar, Baltana, Mohali, went to the market from their house with Rs 5,000 to get a new mobile phone and SIM in his name on October 19 but he did not return. After this, on October 21, his body was recovered at a plot in front of Mount Carmel School, Kakkon. Lamba said after the body was found, a case was registered in the Model Town police station on October 21. Various police teams were formed. He said with the help of technical surveillance, the CCTV footages and informers, the case was solved within 24 hours. Four accused were arrested. He said all these were living at Kakkon Adda, Hoshiarpur. — OC