11022025-JTR-01.qxd 2/10/2025 11:23 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune STATE COMMEMORATES MARTYRDOM OF ATTARIWALA A function was held to commemorate the martyrdom of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s general, Sham Singh Attariwala. P2 » WHEN IN AMRITSAR, EAT LIKE AN AMRITSARI! MANJOT HAS OFFICIALLY DROPPED HIS DEBUT SINGLE WATCHOUT Celebrating culinary history & Punjabi cooking, The Earth Amritsar has launched a revamped food menu. P4 » Rising music sensation Manjot MJ has officially dropped his much-anticipated debut single Watchout. P4 FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 25°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.11 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:12 AM » TUESDAY | 11 FEBRUARY 2025 | JALANDHAR 3 nabbed with ~13.5 lakh, 28,500 Thai Baht in trader robbery case Victim was attacked with cleaver and rod Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Bholath Congress MLA Sukhpal Khaira in a celebratory mode after the victory of the party in the Nadala MC chief poll on Monday. Cong wins Nadala MC chief poll, Khaira upbeat Tribune News Service Kapurthala, February 10 After Shahkot, the Congress was able to have its Municipal Council chief even at Nadala on Monday amid drama and tension in this otherwise sleepy hamlet of the district. The Congress had won six wards while AAP won four in the polling held on December 21. The eleventh ward was won by an Independent councillor, who came in support of the AAP faction. This morning as the meeting to elect the MC chief poll was held for the third time that too with the intervention of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Khaira faced some resistance as the tehsildar told him that he would not be allowed to vote. Khaira took along a copy of the Punjab Municipal Act to raise the issue that he could not be restrained from casting a vote. Even before this, Khaira had put a post on Twitter saying that the marriage palace, owned by Congress councillor Manjit Kaur, had been sealed by MC officials at the behest of the Aam Aadmi Party leadership that was using its might to force the councillor to come to its side. He said the action just a day ahead of the polling was questionable. At 11 am, Khaira went live on Facebook as he was being restrained from entering the hall where the election was to take place. Khaira had to struggle and argue with the officials before he was let in and even allowed to cast his vote. He and the councillors came out of the hall after the election in a triumphant mode and announced that they had finally made it. Baljit Kaur Walia was finally announced as the President and Sandeep Pasricha as the Vice-President. Khaira made a victory speech, saying, “The election was held unopposed. The AAP had tried to create a lot of hurdles for us but we finally had our way. Our councillors had to face so much pressure ever since. This was not a small victory for us to rejoice. So, we shall celebrate.” Amid drum beating, showering of petals and exchange of sweets, a roadshow was taken out in the town after which the winning team led by Khaira paid obeisance at a local gurdwara and a temple. Jalandhar, February 10 The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police has solved a highprofile robbery case, arresting three suspects and recovering Rs 13.5 lakh along with 28,500 Thai Baht. The operation, led by Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma, comes just days after the brutal attack on a trader, demonstrating swift police action. According to officials, the case was registered on February 5, under FIR No. 23, section 309(6) of the BNS, based on a complaint by Manoj Jain, a resident of Mota Nagar. Jain, who runs a business dealing with Western Union and MoneyGram transactions. As per the complainant, he was ambushed near Green Park around 6 pm while returning home on his scooter. Three assailants on a motorcycle attacked him with a cleaver and rod, inflicting serious injuries before escaping with Rs 13.6 lakh, 28,500 Thai Baht and his iPhone. Acting swiftly, the police launched an intensive investigation, relying on human intelligence and forensic evidence to identify the culprits. The arrested suspects have been identified as Gurbhahar Singh from Kot Kallan village, Harpreet Singh from Bessesarpur village and Harash Verma from Kang Sahibu. “The police have recovered Student union seeks quota for Punjabis in jobs Three persons in Jalandhar police custody in a robbery case; and (below) Indian and Thai currency seized from the accused. the stolen cash, foreign currency, the cleaver and rod used in the attack and the motorcycle used in the crime”, police officials said, while adding that further investigations were ongoing and additional details would be shared as the probe progressed. Jalandhar, February 10 The Punjab Students Union (PSU) held a convention today at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall, Jalandhar, on the issue of reservation in jobs for Punjab residents, in which active leaders from different districts of the PSU participated. Addressing the convention, PSU state president Ranveer Singh Kurar said the government should make a law regarding 90 per cent reservation in jobs for residents. In Haryana, this ratio is 85 per cent and in Ladakh, it is 95 per cent. But there is no such law in Punjab. According to statistics, out of 1,100 linemen, more than 400 were recruited from Haryana. In Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited, 71 per cent of the recruitment have been done from other states. Bhagwant Mann had raised this issue when he was an MP , but now being in power, he is ignoring it. State general secretary Amandeep Singh Khiowali said in Punjab, it should be ensured that the marks of Punjabi language should be added to the total marks by 30 per cent and it should be ensured that the year of the residence certificate is a must for a job. The leaders said those who were residents of Punjab and those who had come from other states and become permanent residents of Punjab should be included in the reservation. MC’s negligence turns Jalandhar’s oldest Beant Singh park into ruins, yet again Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 10 Shaheed S Beant Singh Park, once a thriving green space, now lies in utter neglect - its swings broken, pathways covered in wild grass and garbage strewn across the grounds - all thanks to the sheer apathy of the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar. Developed in 2003 on a fiveacre plot near Focal Point during the Congress regime, the park was revived in 2019 with nearly Rs 1 crore spent on infrastructure upgrades, including fountain, lighting, benches and a walking track. Yet today, it stands as a stark example of the MC’s failure to maintain public spaces, with locals lamenting its decline into a hub for anti- Garbage strewn around the walking track; and (right) a broken see-saw at Beant Singh Park in the Focal Point area in Jalandhar. PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH social activities. A visit to the park paints a distressing picture. The oncemanicured gardens have turned into an overgrown wasteland, with stray animals roaming freely. The walking track is barely visible beneath wild grass and vibrant flowers and medicinal herbs that once flourished have completely vanished. Minor among 4 held in petrol pump robbery, murder case Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 10 The Kapurthala police on Monday arrested four persons for a loot and murder incident which took place at a petrol pump in Kapurthala on February 1. The arrested persons include a minor and an accused out on bail in the case of a previous robbery. Gaurav Toora, SSP said on , February 1 around 9-15 pm, assialants had carried out a snatching and robbery at a petrol pump at Kheeranwali. After taking away money from a staffer, one of the three unidentified bikers had shot patrol pump employee Kulwant Singh of Bhavnoor, Bhambotar, Hoshiarpur, who was working at the petrol pump. The three persons had come on a bike and had a minor scuffle with the petrol pump employee. The assailants had also looted Rs 7,500 from the petrol station. An FIR had been registered on February 2 under Sections 103(1), 109, 311 and 3(5) of the BNS and Section 25 of the Arms Aact at Fattudinga. The SSP said special instructions were given to Sarabjit Rai, SP (Investigation), Kapurthala, Parminder Singh, DSP (Detective) and Gurmeet Singh, DSP Sultan, pur Lodhi. The teams comprising Inspector Jarnail Singh, incharge, CIA, Kapurthala, Inspector Sonamdeep Kaur, SHO, Fattudinga, and ASI Charanjit Singh, incharge of Technical Cell, Kapurthala were formed. The Kapurthala police arrested Arjan Singh, alias Gopi, resident of Mander Bet, Dhilwan; Rohit of Nurpur Lubana, Dhilwan; Tajbir, Singh alias Tirath, res- ident of Mansurwal Bet, Dhilwan, and one minor in the case. The accused were arrested with two motorcycles and a hockey stick and a sickle, used in the incident, was recovered from their possession. On interrogation, it was found that they had committed this incident only for the sake of loot. A case has already been registered against Arjan Singh, alias Gopi, in which an FIR was registered at Kapurthala police station. He had been released on bail since January 11. c m y b Instead, open sewage disposals and piles of garbage dominate the landscape. Locals say that once a favourite spot for morning and evening walkers, the park is now avoided by them, with criminal activities like gambling taking over what was supposed to be a space for recreation. Many residents recall how, just a few years ago, it was blooming with fresh greenery and filled with children enjoying the swings. “We saw it being restored in 2019 and, for a while, it felt like we had a beautiful park again. But within a few years, it’s back to ruins because the MC is least bothered to maintain it,” said Bhavish Kumar, local resident. Even labourers from Focal Point and the Industrial Area, who used to rest in the park during lunch breaks, now find it unusable. Jalandhar North MLA Bawa Henry, meanwhile, strongly criticised the Municipal Corporation for its inaction. “It is shameful that a park named after a former Chief Minister has been left in such a pathetic state. Over Rs 1 crore was spent on its revival, yet the MC’s negligence has reduced it to ruins again. I have personally approached MC Commissioner Gautam Jain multiple times, urging him to ensure the park’s maintenance. I even informed him that several industrialists were willing to take charge of its upkeep, but my requests were ignored,” he said. While the MC Commissioner was unavailable for comment, Joint MC Commissioner Sumandeep Kaur said the issue would seek a detailed report about the park and its present status from officers concerned and necessary action be taken. On inspection, CP reviews police efficiency Tribune News Service Jalandhar, February 10 In a bid to enhance policing efficiency and ensure greater transparency, Commissioner of Police, Jalandhar, Swapan Sharma conducted a surprise inspection of Police Station Division No.1 and Sadar on Monday. The visit focused on reviewing the operational effectiveness of the police force, addressing administrative challenges and reinforcing law and order mechanism. A major highlight of the review was the disposal of over 900 under-investigation cases in just one month across multiple police stations in the city. Sharma directed officials to maintain the momentum by ensuring the swift resolution of pending cases. He emphasised that timely investigations not only strengthen the justice system but also enhance public trust in law enforcement. During the inspection, he instructed officers to expedite the filing of untraced and cancellation reports for cases where investigations had reached a standstill. Proper case closure, he said, would improve resource allocation and prevent unnecessary backlog. He also addressed the longstanding issue of seized vehicles, directing officers to ensure their disposal through legal channels. Clearing these vehicles from police station premises would free up space and enhance transparency in handling caserelated assets. Public safety remained a key focus of the visit, with Sharma stressing the need to promote emergency helplines, particularly 112 and 1091 for women. He directed police personnel to actively raise awareness about these helplines and ensure prompt responses to distress calls. Strengthening community policing was also highlighted as a priority, with the Commissioner urging officers to foster better relationships with residents through proactive engagement and responsiveness to public grievances. The inspection also included a review of police infrastructure and working conditions. Sharma instructed officials to assess station facilities and implement necessary upgrades to create a more efficient work environment for officers. Crime prevention strategies were also examined, with a focus on identifying emerging trends and adopting proactive measures to curb offenses, particularly petty crimes that affect daily life. To ensure greater accountability, the Commissioner directed police stations to improve internal monitoring mechanism for tracking investigations, complaint resolutions and overall staff performance.