13012025-JTR-01.qxd 12-01-2025 23:18 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune NCC CADETS EMBARK ON 700-KM CYCLE RALLY WHEAT CROP FLOODED DUE TO CANAL BREACH IN ABOHAR LOHRI BRINGS CHEER AND CELEBRATION FOR ME: DILJOTT As part of R-Day celebrations, cadets of NCC Directorate, PHHP&C, have undertaken a cycle rally. P2 Several acres of wheat crop was submerged following a breach in a canal near Dharangwala village. P3 It’s an occasion to get together with family and loved ones, and spend time with bonfire, says actress Diljott. P4 » » FORECAST DENSE FOG MAX 13°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 15°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET MONDAY 5:42 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:20 AM » MONDAY | 13 JANUARY 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF THIEVES STRIKE AT RICE MILL Phagwara: Thieves struck at Ekom Rice Mill on the Phagwara-Palahai Road here on Saturday night. The burglars entered the rice mill after breaking open locks and decamped with three batteries from trucks and one from tractor-trailer. On a complaint lodged by mill owner Anoop Singh, a resident of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, here, the police have registered a case under Sections 331(4) and 305 of the BNS. OC MISCREANTS ATTACK 3, FLEE WITH CASH Phagwara: Around six armed motorcycle-borne miscreants reportedly attacked three persons near Panchhat village turn on the PhagwaraHoshiarpur road on Saturday night. The miscreants also snatched two mobile phones and cash from them before fleeing the spot. Manpreet Singh, a resident of Jagniwal village here, told the police that the miscreants attacked them while he, along with his two colleagues, was returning to their village after work. The police have registered a case under Section 309(6) of the BNS. No arrest has been made in this regard so far. OC MAN HELD FOR STEALING BIKE Phagwara: The police have arrested a person on the charge of stealing a bike. The accused has been identified as Kundan Lal, a resident of Chack-Hakim village. Bike owner Mewa Singh, a resident of Harbanspur village, lodged a complaint with the police in this regard. The police had registered a case under Section 303(2) of the BNS. OC WOMAN’S MODESTY OUTRAGED, 1 HELD Phagwara: The Bilga police have arrested a person on the charge of outraging a woman’s modesty. Vijay Kanwarpal, Deputy Superintendent of Police (Special Branch), who is investigating the case, said the accused had been identified as Paramjit, a resident of Mowai village. In her complaint to the police, the woman said the accused misbehaved with her on way to the bus stand. The IO said that a case under Sections 354-A (sexual harassment of the nature of unwelcome physical contact and advances) and 354-D (stalking) of the IPC was registered against the accused. Section 3(2) (VA) of the SC/ST (PIO) Act was also added to the FIR. OC 1 BOOKED FOR STEALING BIKE Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have booked an unidentified person on the charge of stealing a motorcycle. Mohindar Pal, a resident of Mohalla Parainchian, Nurmahal, lodged a complain with the police stating that he parked his motorcycle, bearing registration number PB37F9942, outside his house on the evening of January 10. Later, he found his two-wheeler missing. Investigating officer Bodh Raj said a case under Section 303(2) (theft) of the BNS had been registered against unidentified accused. OC Jalandhar lagging behind, will make it model city: New Mayor Residents in upbeat mood Says residents not getting basic amenities; promises more revenue Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 12 Jalandhar is lagging behind, and what is more painful is that residents are not getting even basic facilities. Vaneet Dhir, newly elected Mayor of Jalandhar, stated this while talking to The Tribune. He also admitted that he would face several challenges ahead, but ensure that by the end of his term as Mayor, the city becomes better and more developed. The Mayor will start holding meetings with the office staff, field staff and unions as well to know what issues they are facing in implementing various works. He also pointed out that several departments from where good revenue would have come weren’t working up to the mark and revenue generation was not satisfactory. He would, therefore, ensure that the revenue increases, he said. Dhir, who became a first-time councillor and Mayor this time, said politics was in his blood. “My father retired as a vice-principal from Arya College, Ludhiana. He was a lecturer of political science. No one from my family was ever into active politics. I somehow developed the love for politics and this is how the journey started,” he said. He also pointed out the pathetic sewerage condition in the city and said he would start working towards resolving these issues. ‘OUR GOAL IS TO WORK DAY AND NIGHT’ ■ “Our goal is to work day and night to ensure that Jalandhar becomes a benchmark for urban development,” Mayor Vaneet Dhir said, adding that all departments have been instructed to prioritise efficiency and accountability. ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY AGAINST CORRUPTION ❝ We are committed to a zero-tolerance policy against corruption. Be it any MC official, or anybody else, nobody will be spared. Every penny allocated for Jalandhar’s development will be spent in a transparent manner and effectively for the betterment of the city. Strict measures will be taken to eliminate corruption from all levels of governance. Vaneet Dhir, MAYOR Highlighting his administration’s priority, Dhir said: “We are committed to a zerotolerance policy against corruption. Be it any MC official, or anybody else, nobody will be spared.” “Every penny allocated for Jalandhar’s development will be spent in a transparent manner and effectively for the betterment of the city. Strict measures will be taken to eliminate corruption from all levels of governance,” he added. Meanwhile, Vaneet Dhir held two press conferences in two days after he assumed charge as Mayor. Dhir also held a press conference at the Municipal Corporation headquarters on Sunday. Accompanied by Senior ❞ Deputy Mayor Balbir Singh Bittu, Deputy Mayor Malkeet Singh and municipal councillors, Dhir expressed gratitude to his team, Jalandhar residents and the AAP leadership for entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the city. Dhir outlined his vision for transforming Jalandhar, listing among his priority areas such as sewage overflow, water scarcity, poor lighting on streets, infrastructure development, repairing broken roads, ensuring timely maintenance of existing infrastructure, enhanced revenue generation, streamlining revenue collection processes within the Municipal Corporation to strengthen the city’s financial 5 held with 400 grams of heroin Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 12 In a crackdown on drug smugglers, the Jalandhar Police Commissionerate, led by Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma, nabbed five persons and seized 400 grams of heroin from them. Sharing details about the operation, Commissioner Swapan Sharma said acting on a tip-off, police teams were deployed for patrolling in the Qazi Mandi and Surya Enclave areas. During the patrolling, the police signalled two youths, identified as Amandeep, alias Bunty, and Soma Rani, to stop for checking. During the search, the police recovered 200 grams of heroin from them. A case under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of resources, Smart City project implementation and proper utilisation of allocated funds. “Our goal is to work day and night to ensure that Jalandhar becomes a benchmark for urban development,” Dhir stated, adding that all departments have been instructed to prioritise efficiency and accountability. The Mayor called upon Jalandhar residents to actively participate in the city’s progress. “Development of Jalandhar is not just the responsibility of the Mayor, Deputy Mayors or councillors. It is a collective duty that requires the cooperation of every citizen,” he said. Dhir said that residents must also take ownership of keeping the city clean and beautiful. The new Mayor informed that meetings with all municipal departments have been scheduled to address challenges at the ground level. He said immediate action would be taken to resolve pressing issues, and parallel work streams would ensure simultaneous progress across all priority areas. Mayor Dhir reiterated his commitment to making Jalandhar a model city through collective efforts and transparent governance. “With the support of my team and the people of Jalandhar, we will leave no stone unturned in achieving our vision for the city,” he concluded. Gang of snatchers busted, 4 arrested Jalandhar, January 12 The Jalandhar Police Commissionerate, led by Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma, claimed to have busted a gang of thieves and snatchers with the arrest of four persons. Acting on a tip-off that a gang was actively involved in theft and snatching incidents, the police deployed a The accused in police custody in Jalandhar. the NDPS Act was registered against the suspects at the Rama Mandi police station. During investigation, it came to light that the suspects were linked to a larger drug network. Following which, the police arrested three more persons Ravinder Singh, Karan Kumar and Gurpreet Singh, all resi- dents of Ganna Pind in Jalandhar. They recovered 200 grams of heroin from them, taking the total seizure to 400 grams. Commissioner Sharma said further investigations were on in the case. He reiterated the department’s commitment to curbing the drug menace in the city. 9 stolen cellphones, 2 laptops recovered team near the Leather Complex area. The police intercepted the accused while they were allegedly trying to sell stolen mobile phones. The accused have been identified as Ranjit Singh, alias Sonu Continued on page 2 Children have a look at kites at a shop; and (left) residents buy peanuts and gajjak on the eve of Lohri in Jalandhar on Sunday. PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH 14-yr-old girl strangled to death by ‘fiancé’ 2 of his minor friends , Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 12 In a suspected case of honour killing, a 14-year-old girl was strangled to death by her fiancé and two of his friends here. The accused later dumped her body in a well in Dhilwan near Rama Mandi. The incident, which took place on January 9, came to light late on Saturday night when the body, which was wrapped in a mat, was discovered inside the well. The victim, who originally hailed from West Bengal and was residing here for an extended period, was reportedly engaged to the main accused around a month and a half ago. The tragedy unfolded when people spotted the body in the well and 2 accused nabbed; efforts on to nab third person: Cops BODY FOUND IN WELL ■ The incident, which took place on January 9, came to light late on Saturday night when the body, which was wrapped in a mat, was discovered inside the well. ■ The victim, who originally hailed from West Bengal and was residing here for an extended period, was reportedly engaged to the main accused around a month and a half ago. informed the police about the incident. The police retrieved the body and sent it to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Rama Mandi SHO Parminder Singh said the girl was last seen on January 9 when her fiancé took her to a burger shop. The main accused, along with two of his friends, allegedly strangled the girl to death with her dupatta and dumped the body in the well. Two of the accused had been arrested, while efforts were on to apprehend the third person. The police have registered a case under Sections 302 and 34 of the BNS against the trio, aged around 14 years. Further investigations are on in this regard. As per the police, preliminary investigations suggest that the victim’s fiancé suspected her of infidelity, prompting him and his accomplices to commit the heinous crime. The SHO said: “Suspicion on her ‘character’ appears to be the motive behind the murder.” On run for 11 yrs, PO in police net Our Correspondent Phagwara, January 12 The Bilga police have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO), who was absconding for the past 11 years. Investigating officer Dalwara Singh said the accused has been identified as Satwindat Singh, alias Shindi, a resident of Dhanipind village falling under the Jamsher police station. The accused was wanted in a case of cheating, breach of trust and criminal conspiracy registered on June 25, 2014. He was declared a proclaimed offender on October 6. Axing of trees raises eyebrows Disability no deterrent for this city girl Activists, Urban Estate Phase II residents write to authorities Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 12 City girl Malika Handa added another feather to her cap by winning a bronze medal in the 25th National Chess Championship held in Mysuru from January 5 to 9. Malika, known for her exceptional performance in chess, earlier claimed the top spot in the India Blitz Chess Championship for the Deaf - 2024 held in Bihar. She also represented India in the Winter Deaf Olympics in Turkey, where she secured sixth position. Despite her accomplish- Jalandhar, January 12 Activists and residents of Urban Estate Phase II have written to the MC Commissioner alleging axing of several trees on January 7-8. In a complaint to the MC Commissioner on January 10, activist Tejaswi Minhas demanded action against a Residents Welfare Association at Urban Estate Phase II for allegedly cutting fully grown trees outside the Fountain Park. A complaint has also been mailed to the Jalandhar Deputy Commissioner, Min- Chopped trees at Urban Estate Phase II in Jalandhar. istry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Chief Minister’s office and the District Forest Officer, Jalandhar. The written complaint alleged: “Multiple green standing trees have been ful- ly cut. The wood from these trees has been sold privately. Multiple old green trees have been lopped off with only a small section of the main trunk remaining.” Continued on page 2 c m y b Bags bronze in national chess c’ship LACK OF SUPPORT FROM STATE GOVT Despite her accomplishments, Malika Handa’s journey has been fraught with challenges. Her mother, Renu Handa, lamented the lack of support from the state government, noting that she achieved the success through her sheer determination and skills. Malika Handa with the medal. ments, Malika’s journey has been fraught with challenges. Her mother, Renu Handa, lamented the lack of support from the state government, noting that she achieved the success through her sheer determination and skills. “She is the first Indian girl to win a gold in the International Deaf and Dumb Chess Championship and an eight-time gold medallist in the National Chess Championship for the Deaf,” Renu said. “With 90 per cent hearing disability, Malika’s achievements speak volumes about her perseverance. We are disappointment with the government for neglecting her accomplishments,” she said. She demanded more recognition and financial support for differentlyabled athletes like Malika, who consistently bring pride to the state on international platforms.