16102025-JTR-01.qxd 10/15/2025 11:06 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune AAP LAUNCHES COMPENSATION DISTRIBUTION FOR FARMERS 24 DENGUE CASES REPORTED IN NAWANSHAHR A team of 50 breeding checkers, along with multipurpose health workers, is actively monitoring 470 villages. P3 MAINLY CLEAR MAX 30°C | MIN 20°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 20°C SALMAN TURNS SHOWSTOPPER FOR VIKRAM PHADNIS Minister Bhullar says Punjab is the first one to offer compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for damaged crops. P2 FORECAST Salman Khan turned showstopper for designer Vikram Phadnis, who celebrated 35 years in fashion. P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 5.54 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:31 AM » THURSDAY | 16 OCTOBER 2025 | JALANDHAR HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your health-related queries. Please mail your questions (not exceeding 40 words) at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your healthrelated concerns. INBRIEF BID TO CHEAT COLONEL Phagwara: Col Rajesh Kwidhaan has lodged a complaint with the local police regarding an attempt to invest funds without his consent. The incident reportedly involves an amount estimated to be between Rs 20,25,000 and Rs 20,50,000. Col Kwidhaan became aware of a suspicious online approach to commit him to a financial investment. He approached the police and investigation is on. OC 2 WOMEN HELD FOR LIQUOR SALE Phagwara: The Lohian Khas police have arrested three villagers, including two women, on the charge of selling and brewing illicit country-made liquor. The accused have been identified as Kamaljit Kaur of Motipur village, her son Anmoldeep, and Sukho of the same village, and 150 kg lahan and utensils for brewing were recovered from their possession. A case under the Excise Act has been registered against the accused. OC TWO ‘DRUG ADDICTS’ HELD Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have arrested two persons on the charge of consuming heroin. The accused have been identified as Mohindar Singh and Amarjit Singh of Umrewal Bille village. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused. OC 3 HELD UNDER NDPS ACT Phagwara: The Nakodar Sadar police have arrested a woman on the charge of selling heroin. Six gram of heroin was recovered from the possession of the accused Kulwindar of Bajuha Kalan village. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused. The police also arrested Sonu of Lattianwal village in Kapurthala and Pawan Kumar of Dhumanna village with 67 intoxicating tablets. oc THREE BOOKED FOR ASSAULT Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have booked three villagers on the charge of assaulting a covillager. The accused have been identified as Gurman Singh, Rajveer Singh, and Arasi, residents of Bundala village. Tanveer complained to the police that the accused barged into his house, attacked him and his friend. oc MANY BOOKED FOR STEALING CASH Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have booked many persons on charges of stealing Rs 3.5 lakh and other items from a school. Mangal Singh of Green Colony, Mehatpur, and Vice-Principal of Gobind Sarver Senior Secondary School, Bulandpuri Sahib, complained to the police that thieves barged into the school on the night of October 13 and stole Rs 3.5 lakh and other items. oc Phillaur ex-SHO booked in sexual harassment case Nawanshahr boy turns to rehab centre to escape drug addiction EVEN THRASHED MY PARENTS kind of I ❝I tookIevery to quit, drugit'sshould never have touched. want but getting harder every Was suspended, transferred after allegations by girl, her mother Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 15 Days after a viral audio/video and a sexual harassment complaint by the mother of a rape victim against a former SHO, Phillaur, Bhushan Kumar, the officer has been booked by the Jalandhar rural police. A case has been registered against him on October 14 under Sections 75 (1) (sexual harassment) of the BNS, 67(D) of the Police Act and 67 of the IT Act at the Phillaur police station. While the sexual harassment allegations and the relentless campaign against the SHO have snowballed into a major issue, it has landed not just the SHO, but also the Jalandhar police in a tight spot. The SHO was transferred, then suspended. Taking cognizance of the matter, the Punjab State Women Commission also Bhushan Kumar directed the Jalandhar Rural SSP Harvinder Singh Virk to probe the matter. Meanwhile, more women victims also came to the fore making sexual harassment complaints. An audio clip of an alleged conversation between the SHO and the minor rape victim’s mother - where in the SHO can be heard asking her to meet him alone - went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation. Speaking on the fresh FIR, Mother-son duo killed in accident Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, October 15 A devastating road accident occurred on the Jalandhar–Jammu National Highway near Uchi Bassi Cantt, close to Dasuya, claiming the lives of two family members and leaving two others seriously injured. The victims were travelling from Jammu to Khatusham in a car when the vehicle lost control and crashed into a divider. The deceased have been identified as Meera Minhas and her 4-year-old son Haryansh, who died on the spot. Her husband, Shakti Singh — an Army personnel — and their 3-year-old daughter survived but sustained serious injuries. Both survivors were rushed to the government hospital in Dasuya for treatment. The hospital authorities confirmed that they are receiving medical care. Investigating Officer Father-daughter seriously injured as car crashes into divider Haryansh, the deceased Didar Singh stated that an inquiry is underway, and the exact cause of the accident is yet to be determined. day. When I take chitta (heroin), I feel calm and start liking everyone. But without it, I feel desperate and start demanding money from my parents. I even abuse and hit them. Drug-addicted youth DSP Phillaur, Navneet Singh Bal said Bhushan Kumar made a call to an unidentified number from his official phone number. The DSP said, in this conversation, the SHO can be heard asking a woman to meet him alone and can be heard speaking in objectionable language to her. The DSP added that following the first clip, another audio clip went viral in which the SHO can be heard speaking the same manner to another woman. The DSP further said Bhushan Kumar was deputed at an important post until October 6. The DSP said the misuse of this important official position by the SHO and calling and harassing woman with bad intentions while deputed on government duty, including use of audio/video calls and the subsequent viral status of these videos, has tar- nished the image of the police department. Hence, a case has been registered against him at the Phillaur. Meanwhile, farmers, labourers, social and religious organisations and village panches and sarpanches have announced to stand firm with the girls who have been a victim of Bhushan Kumar. A meeting of various organisations was held in Phillaur today, in which his immediate arrest was demanded. The leaders said the struggle will continue until justice is delivered to the aggrieved women and action is taken against the cop. They also demanded the imposition of the POCSO Act in the case. A meeting was also announced in Phillaur, bringing together all big organisations, and announcing a struggle for which public mobilisation will be done. Man injured in train mishap Baba Budha Dal takes possession of gurdwara after 2-year dispute Phagwara, October 15 A man sustained serious injuries after being struck by a train near Santokhpura in Phagwara. The victim, identified as Chaman Lal, was reportedly sitting close to the railway tracks while smoking a beedi when the incident occurred. According to initial reports, his scarf (parna) got entangled with a passing train, pulling him toward the tracks. One of his legs was crushed under the train, and he also suffered head injuries. Locals rushed to his aid and alerted the authorities. He was first taken to the Civil Hospital in Phagwara, but due to the severity of his injuries, he was referred to Jalandhar for advanced treatment. Hospital sources confirmed that his leg had to be amputated. The railway police have launched an investigation into the incident. People has expressed concern over the frequent presence of people near railway tracks and called for stricter safety awareness measures to prevent such tragedies. — OC Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, October 15 A 17-year-old youth from a village in Nawanshahr visited the Red Cross Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts (IRCA) today, seeking help to break free from drug addiction. According to officials at the centre, the youth has been addicted to drugs since he was in Class X. He revealed that he initially fell into bad company, which led him down the path of substance abuse. “I took every kind of drug I should never have touched. I want to quit, but it’s getting harder every day. When I take chitta (heroin), I feel calm and start liking everyone. But without it, I feel desperate and start demanding money from my parents — I even abuse and hit them,” he confessed. The youth’s father, a driver, recently returned from abroad a year ago, while his sister is also living overseas. “I too wanted to go abroad and earn, but now I am stuck in this mud,” the boy said with regret. His mother, visibly distressed, shared her fears about her son’s violent behaviour. “I don’t know how to control him anymore,” she said. Chaman Singh, Project Director of the Red Cross IRCA in Nawanshahr, said the centre is committed to helping the youth. “We have advised them to go to the Civil Hospital. The psychiatrist will guide them there,” he said. Tribune News Service Kapurthala, October 15 The two-year-old dispute regarding the possession of Gurdwara Akal Bunga at Sultanpur Lodhi ended on Wednesday with the local administration handing over its charge to the nihang jatha of Baba Budha Dal led by Baba Balbir Singh, following the conclusion of a trial in its favour. Tehsildar, Sultanpur Lodhi, Parminder Singh officially handed over the charge to Sukhdev Singh, member of the Baba Budha Dal, while declaring that Section 145 of the CrPC would now cease to exist as the trial was now over. After a dispute had broken out between the two nihang groups in November 2023, the tehsildar had been appointed as receiver in the gurdwara, which falls right in front of the historically most significant Gurdwara Ber Sahib in the holy town. Gurdwara Akal Bunga Sahib at Sultanpur Lodhi . As the possession was handed over, the entire area had been cordoned off and a heavy deployment of force had been done. The administration was wary that the followers of Nihang Maan Singh, who heads Shiromani Panth Akali Budha Dal, could retaliate but nothing of the sort happened. The police and the local administration seemed to be overcautious as the last time when they had tried to hand ❞ The case highlights the growing menace of drug abuse among the youth, especially in rural areas, and the urgent need for both community awareness and strong rehabilitation support systems. For the last 12 years, 70year-old Chaman Singh, Project Director, Red Cross Integrated Rehabilitation Centre for Addicts, has been spreading awareness among people, especially the youth, regarding drug abuse. The centre has been fighting drug abuse in its own way. Singh has dealt with over 3,500 inmates until now. “I know how they should be treated and how much love they need,” he had earlier told The Tribune. over possession to the same nihang group two years back, there had been a strong reaction from the other side and Punjab Home Guards Constable Jaspal Singh was gunned down. Six cops were injured, of whom two with bullet shot injuries in hand and thigh. Police teams used teargas shells to take the cover and started retaliatory fire from the rooftops of surrounding buildings. Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla too had reached the site. Post the incident, SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia had levelled allegations against the state government for doing favouritism for the jatha of Baba Balbir Singh as his sister Manpreet Kaur was serving in a school run by it. Baba Balbir Singh is also on the panel of a committee formed by the state government for supervising the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Teg Bahadur. UP youths ride 550 km on bike to aid flood victims Raids on to arrest six in Give ~1.46 lakh to Seechewal for clearing fields | Honoured at Nirmal Kutiya in Sultanpur Lodhi Ashok Kaura Phagwara, October 15 In the flood-affected areas of Baupur Mand, under the guidance of Rajya Sabha member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, efforts are underway to level and restore farmlands damaged by floods. People from different parts of the country have been sending assistance for this noble cause and volunteers have been contributing to this humanitarian mission. However, everyone was surprised when two young men from UP travelled 550 km on a motorcycle to reach Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi. The youths said due to the floods in the Baupur area, a large amount of silt and sand had accumulated in farmers’ fields. What had astonished them was that Sant Seechewal himself was driving tractors to clear and level the land. To support this work, the UP men said they had collected over Rs1,46,000 for diesel to fuel the tractors serving in the affected areas. Shubham and Sushil, who brought the donation, said people from the villages of Faridpur, Patti, and Chak Madipur had jointly contributed the funds to assist in the levelling of farmers’ fields. Shubham added that when they saw a video on social media of Seechewal driving a tractor to help farmers, their entire village was astonished to see an MP quietly working for the people without any publicity. Inspired by this, two neighbouring villages decided to visit Seechewal and contribute Eastwood armed attack Our Correspondent Youths reach the ashram of Sant Seechewal to hand over the collected money for flood victims. diesel for the tractors being used in the flood-relief efforts. At Nirmal Kutia, Sultanpur Lodhi, both young men were c m y b honoured and warmly welcomed for their dedication and spirit of service. Earlier too, people from Rajasthan and Haryana had visited Seechewal to offer assistance for those affected by the floods. Phagwara, October 15 In a major breakthrough in the investigation of the violent armed attack in Eastwood village near Phagwara, the police have identified five more accomplices of the main accused Sukha of village Talhan linked to the assault on security guard-cum-bouncer Sandeep Kumar. The hunt is on to nab the accused — Sukha, Sahbha, Rakshat, Kartarpur, Neeraj and Raj Verma — across Kapurthala and Jalandhar districts, said SSP Gaurav Toora. He said the accused have been booked under the BNS. According to SP Phagwara Madhvi Sharma, Sukha, who had previously worked as security man at an ice cream parlour in Eastwood village, had been dismissed from the job due to repeated disputes with colleagues. The police reports indicate that Sukha had made several attempts to return to the parlour but was stopped each time by on-duty bouncers. Investigators believe the recent attack was a revenge-driven act. DSP Bharat Bhushan stated that Sukha went to the parlour’s security post on Tuesday evening accompanied by five or six accomplices armed with sticks and a firearm. Witnesses reported that a tall youth with long hair fired a bullet from the close range, which struck the mobile phone in Sandeep Kumar’s pocket. The impact caused the phone to explode, inflicting both gunshot and burn injuries.