28042025-JTR-01.qxd 4/27/2025 11:25 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune CANDLELIGHT MARCH BY BJP FOR TERROR ATTACK VICTIMS HORROR SERIES KHAUF HAS VIEWERS HORRIFIED KAMBAKHT ISHQ CHANGED EVERYTHING, SAYS FARDEEN BJP leader Nimisha Mehta and her colleagues take part in a candle march in Jhungian Adda. P2 Surya Balakrishnan, who co-directed the acclaimed OTT show Khauf, considers herself 'medium agnostic'. P4 The actor took a stroll down memory lane and shared how the song changed everything for him. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 40°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 40°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET MONDAY 7.05 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:44 AM » MONDAY | 28 APRIL 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF THREE TRAVEL AGENTS BOOKED Phagwara: On a compliant of Harpreet Kaur of Hadiabad, the police have registered a case against three persons working as fake travel agents on the charge of duping the complainant of Rs 7,90,000 on the pretext of sending Gagandeep, the brother of complainant, to New Zealand. The complainant told to the police that neither the accused could sent her brother abroad, nor returned the money back. The accused Deepak, Harjinder Mall of SBS Nagar and Pankaj of Rajpura are still at large. OC TWO ‘DRUG PEDDLERS’ HELD Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a 'drug peddler' on the charge of selling heroin and intoxicating injections. Thirty gram of heroin and 45 injections were recovered from the possession of the accused Balwindar Kumar, alias Bindar, of Pati Takhar, Shankar village. A case has been registered against the accused. In another case, the police arrested drug peddler Raj Kumar of Bhangala village with 80 intoxicating tablets. oc ROADWAYS DRIVER HELD Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a Punjab Roadways bus driver on the charge of causing death by negligence. The accused has been identified as Amrindar Singh of Pati Akalpur Malsian village. Sushma Rani of Sunnar Kalan village in Nurmahal complained to the police that the accused was driving his bus fast and negligently and hit his husband's motorcycle on the Nakodar-Jalandhar Road near Malrri village gate on April 25 killing him on the spot. oc TWO HELD FOR SELLING LIQUOR Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested two villagers on the charge of brewing and selling illicit country-made liquor. The accused have been identified as Mandeep Singh of Nimajipur village and Amit Kanda of Malsian village. Twenty litre lahan and five bottles of hooch and utensils for storing/brewing were recovered from their possession. MAN HELD FOR DRUG PEDDLING Phagwara: The police have arrested a drug peddler and seized 50 intoxicating tablets from his possession on Saturday night. The accused Gurpreet Singh of village Aujala was nabbed at a check point. A case has been registered against the accused. OC VILLAGER HELD FOR KIDNAPPING Phagwara: The police have arrested a youth on charge of kidnapping a minor. The accused Manindar Singh, a juvenile, is a resident of Buddannwal. The father of the victim had complained to the police that accused kidnapped his minor daughter on the pretext of marriage on April 21. OC MAN HELD FOR STEALING BIKE Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a miscreant on the charge of stealing a motorcycle. The accused has been identified as Sunni of Kakar Kalan village. A case had been registered. oc Potholed road near cremation ground hassles commuters Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 27 The poor condition of the Model Town road near the cremation ground has become a cause for concern for commuters, local residents and business owners alike. Deep potholes, broken stretches and uneven patches have made driving hazardous, while pedestrians struggle to walk safely on the crumbling road. The area sees heavy daily movement not just from the local traffic, but also from people visiting the cremation ground, a nearby gurdwara and various businesses located along the stretch. Families visiting the cremation ground have often complained about the poor state of the approach road, while business owners report that their customers often complain and avoid the area due to poor accessibility. The Joint Action Committee of Model Town, which has recently started construction of the Bhagat Singh Memorial on this road, has written to the Municipal Corporation, demanding immediate repairs and beautification. In their letter, they highlighted that while the project to honour Shaheed Bhagat Singh is The poor condition of the Model Town road is a nuisance for residents in Jalandhar. PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH progressing with public support, the adjoining infrastructure paints a shameful picture of official neglect. “The Model Town road is not the only one. Roads across the city are in terrible condition. Taxpayers’ money is being wasted and development is clearly not a priority for the Municipal Corporation,” said Tajinder Singh, a resident. Locals pointed out that the repeated complaints to the civic authorities have been ignored and the situation worsens with every passing month. “Accidents are becoming common due to the damaged road surface, especially during rains, when potholes get waterlogged and invisible to motorists. Two-wheelers are vulnerable, with many cases of skidding and injuries”, said a commuter, Pravesh. Residents and shopkeepers have now joined voices with the Joint Action Committee in calling for a comprehensive plan to repair the road, ensure regular maintenance and enhance the overall look of the area. “When people come to pay their last respects or visit religious places, the least they deserve is a safe approach road,” said a shopkeeper near the cremation ground. Meanwhile, MC officials said the work to repair roads is underway in the city and the MC is aware about the condition of this particular stretch, and it will be repaired soon. Two killed in road mishaps, one arrested Our Correspondent PHAGWARA, APRIL 27 Two persons were killed and one sustained serious injuries in two different road mishaps near Phagwara last night. In the first accident, Baljit Singh, resident of village Sidwan near Ludhiana, who was driving the car was killed on the spot while his friend Hardeep sustained serious injuries when their car (PB10JK-4798) rammed into a stationary combine near here. The injured was admitted to the local Civil Hospital. The police have handed over the body of the deceased to his family members after the post-mortem examination conducted. The police have arrested the combine owner Harjit Singh under Sections 279, 427 and 304A of the IPC. In the second incident, a motorcyclist, identified as Mehnga Singh, of village Nangal Khaira was killed on the spot when his bike was hit by another motorcycle from the rear side near the village last night. The police have impounded the bike but the owner Naresh Kumar managed to escape. The police have registered a case under Sections 279, 427, 304A, IPC, against the accused and sent the body to the Civil Hospital for the post-mortem examination. Activists of the Lok Insaaf Manch at a protest in Phillaur. Illegal liquor vend work stopped after protest Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 27 The Lok Insaf Manch (LIM) stopped work on an illegal liquor vend being built by the liquor mafia at bus stop, Phillaur. Alleging the vend was coming up at the spot with the help of government representatives, LIM leaders protested at the site and exhorted labourers to close it. Leaders said the vend owners did not have permission from the Municipal Council, Phillaur, PWD or NHAI to build the establishment. The actvists said when they spoke to the MC President, he refused to entertain their pleas and later, the MC officials also shied away from hearing the problem. The leaders said the local councillor also wasn’t available to address the issue, claming that he was out somewhere. Lok Insaaf Manch leaders warned that if the work of opening the liqour vend is resumed, then a movement will be launched along with various other organisations to ensure its closure at any cost, for which the local administration would be responsible. Leaders of the manch said officials of the NHAI promised them that the illegal liquor vend would be lifted from the spot within 24 hours. Video clip claiming Thousands run against drugs at marathon assault on Kashmiri student fake: Cops Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 27 A video that went viral last night, claiming that a Kashmiri student of Lyallpur Khalsa College was assaulted while buying stationery, created a panic across the city. However, swift action by the city police and college authorities revealed that the video was fake. Student Jazib Hameed, was found safe and unharmed in his hostel. Senior college officials, along with police, interacted with Jazib, who confirmed that no such incident had taken place. In his presence, officials verified that the viral video had no connection to him and was entirely fabricated. Following the clarification, Lyallpur Khalsa College issued an official statement, urging people to act responsibly and refrain from sharing unverified and sensitive content that can disturb students and their families. The college emphasized that such fake videos not only cause unnecessary panic, but also affect the mental well-being of those targeted. Meanwhile, members of the United Sikh Student Feceration, also visited the campus to meet the student. They called for stronger measures to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students studying in the city and urged the authorities to take strict action against those spreading false information. Police officials assured that they are tracking the source of the fake video and appropriate action will be taken against those responsible for the misinformation. Jalandhar, April 27 A wave of unity against drug abuse swept through the city as over 6,500 persons took oath to create ‘Rangla Punjab’ during the ‘Daurda Punjab’ marathon, organised under the government’s ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign. The event organised by the district administration, in association with CT Group of Institutions, Radio Mirchi, Thind Hospital and Lovely Bake Studio, saw the enthusiastic participation at the Guru Gobind Singh Stadium. Deputy Commissioner Dr Himanshu Aggarwal and Police Commissioner (CP) Dhanpreet Kaur led the 3-km run, urging people to turn the anti-drug campaign into a mass movement. Administering the oath to the gathering, both officers called on the public — especially the youth — to fight drug abuse, oppose drug traffickers and encourage addicts to seek recovery, emphasising the need for the collective DC Himanshu Aggarwal, CP Dhanpreet Kaur and participants run against drugs in Jalandhar. effort to build a vibrant and drug-free Punjab. Also present at the event were Director, PRTC, Rajinder Singh Rehal, Doaba coordinator of the Nasha Mukti Morcha Nayan Chhabra, AAP leaders Ashwani Aggarwal and Pinder Pandori, CT Group chairman Charanjit Singh Channi, managing director Manbir Singh, vicechairperson Harpreet Kaur, Bhanu Goel from Radio Mirchi and Additional Deputy Commissioners Jasbir Singh, Arpana MB and Buddhi Raj Singh, along with several religious, political and social leaders. Following the oath ceremony, the marathon, organised in 3 km, 5 km, and 7 km categories, was flagged off from the stadium and concluded at the same venue after passing through various city points. More than 6,000 participants, from children to senior citizens, took part, reflecting widespread support for the campaign. Top performers in the marathon were honoured. In the 3-km girls’ category, Suman, Anuradha and Darshika secured the top three spots, while Anmol Singh, Hans Raj and Gautam Mehta led the boys’ category. In the 5-km run, Jobanpreet Singh claimed the first place, followed by Rajveer Singh and Akhil Kumar. In the 7-km event, Kajal Kumari topped the girls’ category, with Shubham, Ankit, and Raghavjeet leading the boys. Special awards were also given to senior citizens Mahinder Lal, Paramjit Kaur and Jatinder Sachdeva for their spirited participation. All participants received certificates and the event concluded with lively cultural performances, including Bhangra and Zumba, adding a festive spirit to the powerful message of unity against drugs. Illegal structures razed in drug hotspot village Brother of Goraya man missing Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 27 In a major action under the government’s aggressive ‘ Yudh Nashian Virudh’ (War Against Drugs) campaign, the Commissionerate Police, Jalandhar, demolished illegal structures built by drug smugglers in village Lakhanpal, a locality known as a major drug hotspot. Leading the operation, Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur said Lakhanpal, traditionally infamous for rampant drug sale and supply, had been under surveillance. Acting swiftly, a joint team of the Panchayat Department and Jalandhar During crackdown in Lakhanpal village, 9 'peddlers' arrested Commissionerate Police razed the unauthorised structures built on the government land by known drug peddlers. Police investigations revealed that the primary accused who encroached the land Hardeep Singh, alias Deepa, a history-sheeter, had nine cases registered against him, including seven under the NDPS Act. His father Sarbjit Singh and brother Sandeep, alias Sonu, also faced two criminal cases each. Dhanpreet Kaur said the roofs of the illegal structures were being misused by drug peddlers as an escape route when police raids were made to arrest them. They escaped from rooftops during police raids. “By razing the illegal structures, we have curtailed their escape route. We intend to intensify our raids further and clean the village of its bad name once and for all,” she asserted. Earlier, during the crackdown in this drug hotspot, nine ‘drug peddlers’ were arrested, while several others fled, leaving their homes locked. In addition to the arrests, the police have identified two properties for freezing under the Narcotic Drugs and Psy- c m y b chotropic Substances Act to further tighten the noose around drug traffickers. Highlighting the collective resolve against drugs, the village panchayat also passed a resolution banning the sale and consumption of drugs within the village, extending full support to the government’s anti-drug campaign. The CP reiterated the commitment of the police to eradicate drugs from the roots. She urged people to share any drug-related tips on the Punjab Government’s dedicated WhatsApp number 9779-100-200, assuring that the identity of informants would be kept strictly confidential. in Russia returns empty-handed Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 27 On April 3, Goraya-based Jagdeep Kumar had reached Russia to look for his missing brother Mandeep Kumar who is believed to be stuck in the warzone. Now, almost a month later, Jagdeep is back empty-handed. He has no information about his brother’s whereabouts yet, but has pledged to go back again, no matter what. He also alleged that three agents, who are residents of Russia, duped his brother and Mandeep was given 15day training of sniper and he was made to sign the contract in Russian language when his brother didn’t even know the language. He also filed a complaint against the agents in a Moscow police station. “My brother was told that he would be hired as a helper or cook, but he was instead sent to the warzone,” Jagdeep said. “The days in Russia were tough. The language was not understandable. Officials from the Indian Embassy had just told me that my brother was missing,” he told The Tribune. “I also visited the office of the Defense Ministry there. “I will again go to Russia again after a month to know about my brother, as the Russian government has given us a time of 30 days,” he added. Before going to Russia, he had met AAP MP Balbir Singh Seechewal and an official from the Ministry of External Affairs in this regard. He had last talked to his brother in March 2024. When Jagdeep was in Russia, her family members were worried about him as well. “Already one son is missing and is stuck there, I was praying every day for the safe return of Jagdeep as well,” the mother of Jagdeep said.