31102025-JTR-01.qxd 10/30/2025 10:36 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune JCT MILL WORKERS GHERAO CORPORATE OFFICER INDIAN OIL, BHARAT PETROLEUM ENTER SURJIT HOCKEY SEMIS HOW TO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN 2025 IN TRUE SPOOKY STYLE! The protesters allege that their legitimate dues, including pending bonus, have not been cleared. P2 On October 31, Indian Railways Delhi will take on Indian Navy Mumbai in the first semi-final. P3 If loud music, laughter and devilish fun are your idea of Halloween, Sector 26’s 26 Boulevard is your haunt. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 29°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 17°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5.39 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:43 AM » FRIDAY | 31 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. Daylight robberyOrnaments worth ~1 cr looted from jewellery shop All three masked robbers identified |Belong to Bhargo Camp |Flee on foot Tribune News Service INBRIEF ABVP CONFERENCE FROM NOV 14 Jalandhar: ABVP state secretary Manmeet Sohal on Thursday announced that the 57th State Conference will take place from November 14 to 16 at Vidya Dham, Jalandhar. He said more than 300 representatives from 24 organisational districts across the state will participate. The conference will commence with the flag hoisting ceremony on November 14 at 10 am and conclude with the flag lowering ceremony on November 16 at 1 pm. The conference will include an inaugural session, open session, procession, cultural programmes, and special sessions, highlighting the historic journey of ABVP and the role of youth in Punjab. TNS SACHIN SANATAN SABHA CHIEF Hoshiarpur: Advocate Sachin Malhotra was unanimously elected the president of the Shri Sanatan Dharam Sabha. He was also given the authority to form his new executive committee. Addressing a gathering, Malhotra said he would make every effort to carry forward the glorious legacy of the sabha. Before the election, former president Pandit Kamlesh and secretary Dr Bindusar Shukla presented a detailed report of the work accomplished during their tenure. oc Illegal property of peddler razed Jalandhar, October 30 The Jalandhar Municipal Corporation, with the support of the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police, demolished an illegal structure belonging to a notorious drug peddler in the Ali Mohalla area. Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur said the Jalandhar MC and the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police jointly carried out this operation. The illegal construction belonging to Amarjeet Singh, Jalandhar, was demolished. Amarjeet Singh is a notorious drug peddler against whom a total of 11 criminal cases have been registered, including 10 under the NDPS Act. Any illegal activity related to drugs will not be tolerated and such actions will continue in the coming days, she said. The police have appealed to citizens to share any information related to drug trafficking or illegal drug activities through the governmentissued WhatsApp number 9779-100-200. — TNS Jalandhar, October 30 A daylight robbery of gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 1 crore at gunpoint in a jewellery shop at Bhargo Camp this morning rocked the city. Three masked youths, donning black hoodies, entered Vijay Jewellers shop minutes after the jeweller’s son Nikhil opened it around 10:30 am. The whole incident was captured on CCTV cameras in which the robbers are seen walking in armed with a sword and two pistols. As Nikhil tried to make a call to sound alarm, the robbers aimed the gun at him, making him immediately keep his phone down. They then smashed all glass jewellery cases with sword and looted all big and small ornaments put out on display. They even made Nikhil open the cash counter with his keys from which they reportedly took away Rs 2 lakh. The shop falls in the much congested lanes of the locality. The robbers could not even bring their bike to the shop. They came in walking and left the shop with booty in their bag on foot, escaping through the narrow lanes. The police are learnt to have identified all three accused, who hail from the same locality. It was easy for the investigating team to identify the main accused as he had an obvious handicap in his right hand. He is Kaushal from the same Bhargo Camp, who had suffered an injury on his hand during bloody clash a few years ago, the police said. This youth, who had boy written in yellow on the front The police inspect the jewellery shop where youths committed daylight robbery at Bhargo Camp in Jalandhar. PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH THIEVES DECAMP WITH ~10 LAKH FROM GARLAND SHOP IN HOSHIARPUR ■ Thieves targeted a garland shop located in Pratap Chowk, the city’s safest market, and stole garlands made of new currency notes worth approximately Rs 2 lakh and cash of Rs 8 lakh. ■ Upon receiving information about the incident, a police forensic team arrived at the scene and began an investigation. Rajesh Jain, of his hoodie, was see looting only with his left hand as his right hand looked clearly damaged. The two other persons with him were Karan and Gagan, also from the same colony. Since they knew all turns and alleys in the colony, it was easy for them to escape after committing the crime”, said a cop, investigating the matter. The CCTV of the incident went viral. Deepak, president 2 fined for farm fire in Nawanshahr Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, October 30 Acting on the government’s directions to curb stubble burning, the Nawanshahr district administration has intensified its awareness and enforcement efforts across villages. Farmers are being sensitised about the illeffects of burning crop residue and strict action is being taken against those violating the environmental guidelines. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) Avneet Kaur said incidents of stubble burning are being taken seriously. So far, two farmers have been fined Rs 15,000 while an FIR has also been registered against one farmer, with red entries initiated in their land records. Reviewing stubble management efforts in the fields, Avneet directed SDMs and DSPs of all sub-divisions to ensure joint patrolling and strict vigilance to prevent any incidents of crop residue burning. She emphasised that any violation detected in the field would lead to immediate legal action. Appealing to the farming community, Avneet urged all farmers not to set stubble on fire and instead use available machinery for in-situ management of crop residue. Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Rakesh Kumar Sharma said over 2,700 straw management machines are available in the district. The Agriculture Department is also conducting intensive awareness and outreach activities to educate farmers about sustainable alternatives to stubble burning. The meeting was attended by SDM Anamjyot Kaur, SDM, Banga, Vipin Bhandari, DSP Raj Kumar, Engineer Chandan Sharma, Dr Kamaldeep Singh Sangha and other officials. owner of Laxman Das Muni Lal Firm, said he had closed his shop around 8:30 pm as usual. ■ He discovered the theft when his son opened the shop on Thursday morning. He explained that the thieves came down by cutting the shop’s roof gate with a cutter and then stole necklaces made of new currency notes worth Rs 2 lakh and approximately Rs 8 lakh cash. of the Jewellers Association, said the incident had indicated that the jewellery business had become highly unsafe. “Thankfully, there was no loss of life in the incident”, he said. After the incident, leaders from all political parties raised questions over the functioning of the police. Ex-MLA Sheetal Angural and councillor of the area Tarsem Lakhotra reached the spot. “The goons have no fear of police. The ■ He said he had collected the cash from the goods sold during Diwali. The police forensic team reached the spot and started investigation in this regard. ■ Shopkeepers of the area of the said they were angry about the fact that if even the area is not safe, then how can other areas be considered safe. — OC police have failed to ensure law and order in the city, especially in the Jalandhar West constituency”, they said. Secretary of the All-India Congress Committee Pargat Singh expressed grave concern over the alarming rise in daylight robberies, extortion, and shootings across Punjab, holding the AAP government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann squarely responsible for the state’s breakdown in law and order. The Chief Minister and his administration have failed to secure even the most basic right of every citizen — the right to safety. It is time, he said, to make Punjab both fear-free and AAP-free. Gangsters are openly extorting money from businessmen, doctors and shopkeepers, and those who refuse to pay are being targeted with violence and murder. HC seeks technical varsity’s reply on college affiliations Ashok Kaura Phagwara, October 30 The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the Vice-Chancellor of IK Gujral Punjab Technical University (IKGPTU) to personally submit an affidavit, explaining the alleged non-compliance with directives issued by the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP). The direction was issued during the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation plea filed by social activist Amardeep Gujral, who has accused the university of granting fresh affiliations to colleges despite the central prohibition. According to the petition, the NCAHP issued a communication on December 9, 2024, instructing universities and state councils not to open new institutes, start additional courses, or increase student intake until the commission finalised new regulatory guidelines. The order, reiterated on June 10, 2025, required strict compliance from all academic and regulatory bodies. The petitioner has placed documents before the court, showing that on June 30, 2025, the IKGPTU allegedly issued an affiliation order to a private institution, the Amritsar Institute of Paramedic Sciences. The petitioner claims this the move was in contradiction to the national regulator’s directives. The PIL further alleges that the affiliated colleges were asked to obtain undertakings from students acknowledging the ongoing restrictions, and that a similar disclaimer was placed within the affiliation order itself. Gujral has argued that such decisions could adversely affect students admitted under these affiliations, as Road ill-prepared for Nagar Kirtan Book fair draws literature lovers from state Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 30 The 34th edition of the threedays Mela Ghadri Babeya Da commenced today at the Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall with enthusiasm and fervour. Among many attractions of the mela, the book fair again c m y b drew crowds of literature lovers from across the state. Several stalls were set up, showcasing a diverse collection of books that appealed to readers of all ages. The Language Department, Jalandhar, also displayed an impressive range of publications, including many English titles. A professor brought several English books from the stalls in the morning itself. Books on freedom fighters, literature, encyclopaedias, and children’s literature in Punjabi, Hindi, and English languages were found in the fair. Each stall reflected the literary richness and intellectual curiosity. Retired Punjabi professor Raghubir Singh, a regular visitor to the mela, expressed joy at witnessing the growing love for books among the visitors. “Every year, I eagerly wait for the Yadgar committee to host this fair. It creates an their academic credentials may not be recognised by professional councils without due approval from the commission. He claimed that students could face difficulties in securing registration and employment if the courses are not officially recognised. In an interim observation, the High Court asked the VC to clarify the circumstances leading to the issuance of fresh affiliations and specify whether students were informed in advance about the commission’s prohibitions. The court also indicated that compliance with regulatory instructions is essential to protect student interests and maintain academic accountability. Legal experts following the case said the High Court’s direction reflects growing scrutiny over regulatory compliance in higher education. They noted that some universities in Punjab, including Maharaja Ranjit Singh Technical University, adhered to the commission’s embargo, which may place the IKGPTU in an isolated position, if the allegations are proven. This case follows earlier litigation in which the High Court directed the IKGPTU to complete an inquiry into alleged irregular appointments within the university. The petitioner has stated that his efforts are aimed at ensuring transparency in academic administration and safeguarding the future of students enrolled in professional programmes. Wheat seed to be given to farmers free of cost MP Balbir Singh Seechewal shows a poorly maintained road to the DC and Additional DC, Kapurthala, ahead of Gurpurb at Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala, and blamed the administration for it. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH MELA GHADRI BABEYA DA WHAT NCAHP SAYS The NCAHP issued a ‘communication’ on December 9, 2024, instructing universities and state councils not to open new institutes until the commission finalised new regulatory guidelines. atmosphere where reading truly comes alive,” he said. Industrialist and writer Narinder Kumar also shared his thoughts, emphasising the importance of cultivating reading habits among the youth. “When I see young people thronging the stalls, it feels serene. They must come forward and make reading a part of their lives,” he remarked as he browsed through the various book displays. Nawanshahr, October 30 As much as 380 quintal of wheat seed will be provided free of cost to farmers in the flood-affected areas of Nawanshahr district, while the remaining farmers will receive 1,421 quintal of certified wheat seed at 50 per cent subsidy, Deputy Commissioner Ankurjeet Singh said today. He said the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare is implementing the scheme to ensure that all farmers get quality wheat seed at affordable prices. Certified wheat seed will be provided to farmers at a subsidised rate of Rs 2,000 per quintal, with the subsidy amount deducting at the time of purchase. Each farmer can avail of the subsidised seed for a maximum area of one hectare, he added, noting that the supply will continue until the set target is achieved. Dr Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Chief Agriculture Officer, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, said interested farmers can register online at http://agrimachinerypb.com to obtain seeds from their respective Block Agriculture Offices. He also advised farmers to contact their local agriculture officers for any further information regarding the registration process or seed availability. — TNS