26072025-JTR-01.qxd 7/25/2025 10:50 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune PANTOMATH HOSTS FORUM FOR BUSINESS PROMOTERS ‘THE PUNJABI STORE’ TURNS HEADS WITH 164 TURBAN STYLES NEW WAVE OF ACTION CINEMA ISN’T JUST FLEXING MUSCLES The event brought together 50 handpicked business founders to engage in a dialogue on capital access. P2 It is located near Johal Market, has become a popular stop for locals for its tribute to the Sikh identity. P3 If you've been anywhere near a cinema lately, you may have noticed one thing, action films are having a moment. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7.27 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:40 AM SATURDAY | 26 JULY 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF MAN ATTACKED WITH POISON SPRAY, 8 BOOKED Phagwara: The police have booked eight miscreants on charge of attacking with poison spray. The accused have been identified as Pappu, Gurjit Singh, Dilpreet Singh, Gurdawar Singh, Tarsem Singh, Jaswant Singh, all residents of Mowai village, and their two accomplices. Ajmer Singh, a resident of Bara Pind village, complained to the police that he was driving his tractor when the accused waylaid him near Mowai village on NurmahalPhillaur road, attacking him with sharp-edged weapons and sprayed poisonous insecticide on his face. OC MAN BOOKED FOR OBSCENE ACT Phagwara: The Nakodar police have a booked a village for sexually harassing a woman. The accused has been identified as Nani of Lehanna Dhadda village. The complainant told the police that the accused was contacted for repairing the house on July 24, and her minor daughter was present, and both husband and wife were out. She said the accused forcibly tried to embrace her daughter, who escaped, but the accused tore her t-shirt and did some obscene acts and when her daughter raised the alarm, the accused fled. No arrest has been made and raids are being conducted to nab the absconding accused. OC VILLAGER BOOKED FOR KIDNAPPING Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked a Mehatpur villager on the charge of kidnapping a minor girl. The accused has been identified as Sunni Kumar, a resident of Bara Salam village under the Mehatpur police station. The father of the victim, a resident of Shankar village, complained to the police that the accused had kidnapped his minor daughter. oc Artist Bhavya enters ‘US Book Of World Records’ Jalandhar, July 25 Bhavya Batra, student of Class IX from Swami Sant Dass Public School and a talented artist, has earned an entry and name in the renowned ‘United States Book of World Records’. The recognition has come to Bhavya at a very young age. He has been into making sketches of renowned personalities, including Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner and other people, and has been presenting these to them in person. He had also won a prize at a state-level Independence Day function two years ago. Bhavya also has a flair for creating impressive paintings that beautifully depict religious gurus and a variety of other thoughtful themes. His creations on canvas have earned him widespread appreciation, recognition and also brought him numerous accolades. — TNS Hotel Skylark undergoes demolition Owners plan to redevelop it |Oldies reminisce moments tied to iconic landmark Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 25 The demolition of 56-year-old Jalandhar’s Hotel Skylark has begun. The outer facade of the iconic building has started falling, stirring emotions of the masses. The oldies in the city have fond memories attached to the place — of their gettogethers, family functions and dine-out times as it was among one of the few hotels of the 1970s era in the city. The city’s important intersection just outside the hotel also draws its name from it Skylark Chowk. The roundabout is a point that intersects roads leading to Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, Jyoti Chowk and Namdev Chowk. The hotel had been constructed by Niranjan Singh, who hailed from Johal Bolina village near Adampur. “The family had clothing business and later got settled in the UK but since Niranjan Singh was deeply attached to his roots, he decided to construct a hotel at the site. The construction work was started in 1965 and the hotel got inaugurated in 1969”, said a close The famous Hotel Skylark being demolished in Jalandhar. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH OWNERS REFUTE CLAIM OF 56-YEAR-OLD PROPERTY SALE ■ There have been reports that his family have sold out the hotel to Kapurthala’s Saffron group, which is mulling construction of a commercial complex at the prime location along with some other builders. But the owners denied having sold out the building. ■ “This is our property. We are retaining it. It is our personal matter. We are just redeveloping it. We may retain it as a hotel,” say the owner of the hotel. associate from the family. Since the food preparation was very good, not just Jalandharites, but also the elite of that era from Hoshiarpur to Kapurthala are known to have been visiting here on the weekends to savour their favourite mutton tikkas, cheese balls and fish delicacies. “My father was posted with the PWD in Hoshiarpur. Whenever he would visit Jalandhar for meetings, Skylark was his go-to place. He would have meetings there, followed by lunch or dinner. Cong leaders stage protest at MC office over ‘poor civic amenities’ Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 25 Members and office-bearers of the Congress staged a protest outside the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation office today, raising voice against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and municipal administration for the deteriorating conditions in the city. Congress leaders and workers from Jalandhar Central, Jalandhar North, Jalandhar Cantt, and Jalandhar West constituencies joined the demonstration. Slogans were raised, accusing the government and municipal officials of gross negligence and failure to address basic civic issues. Leading the protest were Rajinder Beri, president of the District Congress Committee (Urban); Bawa Henry, MLA from Jalandhar North; and Surinder Kaur, in-charge of Jalandhar West. They criticised the administration for its inability to provide even the basic services to the residents of Jalandhar. “Almost every ward in the city is facing problems like Congress MLA, leaders and workers stage a dharna in front of MC office, Jalandhar. PHOTO SARABJIT SINGH choked sewer lines, contaminated drinking water, garbage heaps at every corner, and a growing menace of stray dogs,” said Beri. Despite the ongoing monsoon, the MC has made no preparations. Streets remain filthy, he said. The Congress leaders alleged that the claims of cleanliness and development made by the Mayor and Com- missioner are misleading. “After the recent rain, many areas were flooded, and citizens are forced to drink dirty water. Yet, the public’s cries are falling on deaf ears,” they said. The protest concluded with a call for accountability, urging the government to wake up to the city’s deteriorating condition and fulfil its responsibility toward the citizens. Mayor Vaneet Dhir responded to the Congress’ protest, addressing the media afterward. He said if the Congress had focused on the city’s development during its tenure, the current issues wouldn’t be as severe. “In my six months in office, I’ve already launched several projects. They couldn’t even appoint their own Leader of the Opposition,” he stated. He used to enjoy the food there so much that he would take us as well to Skylark once in a month. So, when I got to know that the old building is being razed, I was a bit emotional for a while. The owners have retained the old charm for quite sometime not changing much of it in 56 years which itself was a big achievement”, said Harpreet Singh of Hoshiarpur. After Niranjan Singh, his son Iqbal Singh took care of the hotel. Iqbal passed away last year. There have been reports that his family have now sold out the hotel to Kapurthala’s Saffron group, who is mulling construction of a commercial complex at the prime location along with some other builders. However, Iqbal’s wife Poonam and son Karamvir Singh Bolina denied having sold out the site. “This is our property. We are retaining it. It is our personal matter. We are just re-developing it. We may retain it as a hotel.” Awalpreet Singh of the Saffron group also did not reveal much as he said, “It is not my solo deal but a joint venture of some developers.” Two minor girls abducted in Phagwara Phagwara, July 25 In two incidents, the police have booked two youths for allegedly abducting minor girls on the pretext of marriage. In the first case, Mahesh Sain, a resident of Rattanpura in Phagwara, approached the Sadar police station and reported that his minor daughter had been missing since July 13. According to the complainant, a youth Gulab, who also resides in the same locality, allegedly lured his daughter away on the false promise of marrying her. Acting on the complaint, the police registered an FIR against Gulab. Multiple teams have been deployed to trace the girl and locate the accused, who remains absconding. In another incident, Kavita, a resident of Green Model Town in Phagwara, filed a complaint with the police stating that her minor daughter had gone missing since July 19. She alleged that a local youth Chintu had abducted her daughter. Taking swift action, the police also registered an FIR against the accused. — OC ‘Drug addict’ arrested Phagwara, July 25 The Mehatpur police have arrested a man on the charge of consuming heroin. The accused has been identified as Buta Singh, a resident of Dharme Dian Chhana village. A case has been registered under Sections 27/ 61/ 85 of the NDPS Act against the accused. oc Kargil martyr’s father dead, leaves void at War Memorial event Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 25 Kirpal Singh, father of martyr Sapper Daljit Singh, would attend the Kargil Vijay Diwas programme without fail for the last 25 years. He always vent out his emotions and share the cherished memories of his son, who laid down his life at 26. This year, the commemoration function will be incomplete as Sapper Daljit Singh’s father passed away in February. Until his last breath, Kirpal spoke often of the last time he saw his son, how Sapper Daljit Singh had taken his blessings at Jammu station and didn’t look back. “He always talked about how my brother didn’t look back. In his last days as well, my father would call me and talk about my brother,” Kuldeep Singh, Sapper Daljit Singh’s younger brother, told The Tribune. He said now in the absence of his father, the mother also doesn’t keep well, so he will go to attend the programme on Saturday. Kargil Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year on July 26 at the War Memorial by the Kashyap Naujawan Dharmik Sabha. Had been attending event for 25 years without fail, died in Feb this year Kirpal Singh had told The Tribune how he always remembered that in the last letter the family had received from Sapper Daljit Singh after his death, he had asked his wife to take care of the family as anything could happen to him in the war. “He was not well and had come home on sick leave. When the war broke, he insisted on going back even though I asked him not to,” he had told The Tribune. Pawan Kumar, president of the sabha, said they first started organising the event in a mohalla and then they started holding it in palaces. The president said, “When I am asked why I get so emotional for the families of the martyrs, even though nobody from my own home was in the Army or is a freedom fighter, I always reply that whosoever sacrificed their lives for the country are my family members,” he said. Gangsters open fire Gang of criminals busted, 4 held on police, arrested Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 25 Two gangsters, who fired at a police party of the Kaputhala police last evening in an attempt to escape, have been arrested. The police recovered a desi pistol and heroin from their possession. The arrested gangsters, both of whom hail from Amritsar, have been identified as Jaspreet Singh, alias Lalla, resident of village Poti at Sultanwind in Amritsar, and Karanbir Singh, alias Prince, resident of Tarn Taran. Their third associate is absconding. The arrested Jaspreet has 14 cases registered against him while Prince has one case against him. The Kapurthala police on Thursday received a tip-off that the gangsters were headed from Amritsar to Fattu Dhinga with arms and heroin. On the directions of SSP Gaurav Toora, a police party set off to apprehend the criminals. During the chase, the three criminals fired at the police but were eventually gheraod and two of them apprehended, while one fled. SP Kapurthala, Prabhjot , Singh Virk said no injuries were sustained to any police personnel. — TNS Jalandhar, July 25 Four members of a gang of criminals involved in cases of murder, attempt to murder, robbery, dacoity, loot, snatching and drug peddling in the region have been arrested by the Jalandhar rural police. A cache of arms was recovered from them. They were reportedly working as contract killer and had killed and attempted to kill several people. Besides, they had committed 25 crimes across Goraya, Phillaur, Phagwara and neighbouring areas. The members of the gang have been identified as Joginder Pal, alias Sunny, and Man- c m y b deep Kumar, alias Mani, both residents of village Sangh Dhesian in Goraya; Deepak Saroye, resident of village Sargundi in Goraya; Ranveer Singh, resident of village Dhindsa in Goraya; Baljinder Kumar Talli, resident of village Danduwal in Nurmahal and Gurmukh Singh, resident of Nurmahal. They were all released from jail on bail in cases of fight, clash, loot and other serious crime. DSP Phillaur, Sarwan Singh , Bal said after coming out of jail, they made a separate gang. They were gathered at the house of Joginder Pal and were planning to pull off loots , snatchings and other serious crimes in the coming days. They also had dangerous weapons in their possession. The DSP said on a tip-off, the police raided the house of Joginder Pal from where he, Mandeep, Deepak and Gurmukh were arrested. The police recovered two pistols, four cartridges, one cartridge shell, three sharp-edged weapons and two stolen bikes from them. A case has been registered against them. Ranveer and Baljinder are still absconding. During questioning, the accused revealed that they had carried out 25 crime in the region, which included contract killing of Sekhwan villager Sarabjit Singh, who was attacked by the gang and wounded 12 times on July 20. Kirpal Singh (white kurta pyjama) holding the photograph of his son, martyr Sapper Daljit Singh, died this February.