07092026-JTR-01.qxd 9/6/2026 10:39 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune 500 DRONES ILLUMINATE KAPURTHALA SKY GRIEVANCES CALL FOR DIALOGUE, NOT PUNITIVE MEASURES A LOVE LETTER TO TIBET’S UNSUNG WARRIORS Drones created illuminated images and visual sequences portraying the spiritual philosophy of Guru Ravidas. P2 Dues should be paid as per court rulings and protests must be peaceful, disciplined. P3 Film 4 Rivers 6 Ranges follows the Chushi Gangdruk who took up arms to defend the 14th Dalai Lama. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.44 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:07 AM » MONDAY | 7 SEPTEMBER 2026 | JALANDHAR represents India at Jalandhar records 10 H1N1 cases InayatAsia b’minton meet junior this season, isolationmost affected in the state unit set up Suspected death also reported | District fifth Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Aparna Banerji CASES IN Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 With swine flu cases on the rise, Jalandhar has reported 10 positive H1N1 cases so far, prompting the health authorities to intensify surveillance, monitoring and preventive measures. The district ranks fifth in Punjab in terms of reported swine flu cases. Ludhiana leads with 72 cases, followed by SAS Nagar (36), Patiala (16), Moga (11) and Jalandhar (10). Jalandhar is also the only district where a suspected death from swine flu has been reported. Mool Raj (85), a Jamsher Khas resident, who had tested positive for swine flu on September 2, died on Friday at the Civil Hospital, Jalandhar. He was a chronic COPD patient with co-morbidities. The Health Department will determine the specific cause of his death – and whether H1N1 is a factor – after a review. Among the Doaba districts, Jalandhar has recorded the highest number of swine flu cases. Hoshiarpur has reported eight cases, Nawanshahr four and Kapurthala two. Stepping up surveillance, 2 arrested for raping 15-year-old DOABA Jalandhar Hoshiarpur Nawanshahr Kapurthala Nurses at the Civil Hospital in Jalandhar examine a swine flu patient . TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH the department has set up flu corners in the Jalandhar hospital so that patients reporting flu or influenza-like symptoms are checked separately from the rest. A four-bed isolation unit has also been set up at the Trauma Centre in Jalandhar. So far, 81 samples have been tested in Jalandhar, of which 10 have returned positive for H1N1. Officials said Our Correspondent Garhshankar, September 6 The Mahilpur police have arrested two youths for allegedly sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and making her pregnant. A case has been registered on the complaint of the girl’s father. Phagwara, September 6 An NHAI employee was killed on the spot after a speeding car allegedly rammed into a road construction site on the Jalandhar–Phagwara highway late last night, raising concerns over road safety and the protection of workers engaged in highway maintenance and construction activities. The deceased has been identified as Sandeep, an NHAI employee deployed for road construction work. A team of NHAI workers was carrying out constructionrelated work near the East- HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune has started 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. all patients, except the deceased, experienced mild symptoms and recovered. Changing trend Health experts noted that swine flu was traditionally associated with cooler pre-winter and winter months. This year, however, cases began rising in August despite relatively warm weather. Officials said post-Covid changes in disease patterns have been observed. Unlike earlier years, when many infections were linked to travel history, several recent cases have involved local transmission. The state Health Department, however, has ruled out the emergence of any new or mutated strain. Health Minister Dr Balbir Speeding car kills NHAI worker on Jalandhar-Phagwara highway Our Correspondent According to a complaint, the girl fell ill while attending school. Her father took her for a medical examination during which doctors found that she was around four or five months pregnant. The father told the police that when he questioned his daughter, she allegedly disclosed that Rahul Gill, alias Sunny, a resident of Kot Fatuhi, used to lure her to his house and sexually assault her. He further alleged that another youth, Jaswinder Singh Bains, alias Pappu, also of Kot Fatuhi, sexually assaulted her. The girl allegedly told her father that both accused threatened to kill her if she disclosed the incidents to anyone. The Mahilpur police registered a case and arrested both accused. Further investigation is underway. — OC 10 8 4 2 Singh said, “No new strain has been reported so far and we are closely monitoring patients with influenza across the state. Strict precautions have been advised both to patients with influenza or flulike symptoms and for frontline health staff. Isolation units and enhanced monitoring measures have been put in place across hospitals. We have an adequate supply of Tami Flu which is promptly being provided to patients.” Civil Surgeon, Jalandhar, Dr Rajesh Garg said, “The cases of swine flu have started coming in August. But in Jalandhar, the positive cases are relatively less. Foolproof precautionary and preventive measures are being taken to keep the disease at bay. Epidemiologist Dr Shobhna Bansal said, “Flu corners have been set up and patients with symptoms are being strictly monitored. Influenza or fever patients are segregated at the very beginning in the OPD . The symptoms even among category C patients are very mild. There is a very high recovery rate among the category C patients, all of whom, except one (the deceased), have recovered.” wood area of Phagwara when the speeding car suddenly crashed into the workers at the site. The impact of the collision was reportedly so severe that the vehicle itself sustained damage. Sandeep suffered critical injuries in the crash and died on the spot. The accident was noticed by passers-by, who informed the police. Acting on the information, a team from Phagwara Sadar Police Station reached the accident site and initiated an investigation. The police shifted the deceased’s body to Civil Hospital, Phagwara, for the post- mortem examination. Police officials said the driver of the car, identified as a foreign student, was taken into custody following the accident. Investigating officer Rohit of Phagwara Sadar Police Station said the police received information about the accident through the control room. A police team immediately reached the spot, examined the circumstances surrounding the collision and took the car driver into custody for questioning. The officer said statements of the family members of the deceased were also being recorded. Further legal action would be taken on the basis of the statements and evidence collected during the investigation and the findings of the police inquiry. The fatal crash has again highlighted the risks faced by workers carrying out construction and maintenance work on busy highways, particularly during night hours. The investigation is continuing, and further details are expected to emerge after the completion of the postmortem examination and recording of statements of the deceased’s family members and other witnesses. Consumer panel pulls up private insurer, orders firm to pay ~2.16Lto cab owner Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Jalandhar, has pulled up a private insurance company for rejecting a taxi owner’s accident claim on the basis of doubts and “tentative conclusions”, holding that suspicion cannot take the place of proof. The commission has directed Shriram General Insurance Company to pay Rs 1,86,631, along with 6 per cent annual interest from July 2021 till realisation. It also awarded Rs 20,000 as compensation for mental agony and harassment and Rs 10,000 towards litigation expenses. The insurer has been given 45 days to comply with the order. The case was filed by Man- deep Jaura, 35, a resident of Jalandhar, who owned a Toyota Etios. According to the complaint, the vehicle met with an accident near Chogitti Flyover in June 2021, while it was being driven by his driver Harpreet Singh. Jaura said a Scorpio travelling ahead suddenly applied brakes during heavy rain. His vehicle hit the Scorpio and was subsequently struck from behind by another vehicle. Both vehicles allegedly fled the spot, leaving the taxi extensively damaged at the front and rear. The vehicle was later repaired at an authorised service centre and Jaura paid Rs 1,86,631 from his own pocket. However, the insurer rejected the claim on July 30, 2021, alleging concealment and misrepresentation of material facts. The insurer questioned Jaura’s ownership history, pointing to service records showing the vehicle had been serviced in his name since 2017 although he claimed to have purchased it in 2021. It also disputed whether Harpreet Singh was driving during the accident, relying on Google location data. The company further raised questions over the vehicle’s movement, FASTag records and a two-day delay in reporting the accident. The commission, however, found that these discrepancies did not establish fraud or c m y b deliberate misrepresentation. It noted that the insurer’s own investigator had recorded statements from the driver and another person associated with the taxi stand that supported the occurrence of the accident. Photographs clicked just two days after the crash also showed damage to both ends of the vehicle. The commission also rejected the insurer’s reliance on the two-day delay in reporting the accident, noting that there was no material to show that the delay had caused any prejudice to the company. Holding that the insurer had failed to prove its allegations, the commission termed the repudiation of the claim unjustified and held it amounted to deficiency in service. Jalandhar, September 6 Inayat Gulati (14) is giving Punjab another presence on the international badminton stage as she is representing India at the Junior Asia Badminton Championship in China. Hailing from Phagwara, Inayat first picked up a badminton racket at the age of seven. With no sporting background in the family, her parents initially enrolled her in sports simply to ensure she had an activity beyond academics and to help her stay fit. Little did they know that badminton would soon become an inseparable part of her life and that their daughter would go on to become a champion. Inayat began training in Phagwara and, at a young age, emerged as a district champion. Encouraged by her progress and keen to give her greater exposure, her parents later enrolled her at Ratti Badminton Academy, run by international badminton player Sachin Ratti in Jalandhar. Since then, there has been no looking back for the young shuttler. Her journey has also been one of constant parental support. Inayat’s father Gagan Gulati, who runs a showroom Man loses ~75K in Phagwara ATM fraud PHAGWARA,SEPTEMBER 6 The police have registered a case after a man allegedly lost ~75,600 in an ATM-related fraud at an SBI ATM located near Valmiki Chowk on Hoshiarpur Road in Phagwara. According to a complaint, Mahinder Lal of village Sahni near Phagwara, had gone to the ATM to withdraw cash. The complaint alleges that an unidentified person fraudulently tampered with or replaced the ATM card and subsequently withdrew ~75,600 from the account. The police have registered a case against the unidentified accused and started investigation. — OC 3 booked for ~41L visa fraud PHAGWARA,SEPTEMBER 6 The police have registered a case against three persons following a complaint alleging that Rs 41 lakh was taken on the promise of sending a family to Canada. The complaint was filed by Jasvir Singh, resident of village Ranipur Rajputa near Phagwara. The accused named in the complaint are Satpal Kaul, Ashok Kumar and Rajesh Kumar, all residents of Jalandhar. According to the complaint, the accused allegedly assured the complainant that members of his family would be sent to Canada and, on that pretext, allegedly obtained Rs 41 lakh from him. The case was registered after an inquiry into the allegations and examination of the material collected during the investigation. Further probe is underway to establish the alleged transactions and determine the roles of the accused. — OC PHAGWARA SHUTTLER Hailing from Phagwara, Inayat first picked up a badminton racket at the age of seven. Little did her parents know that badminton would soon become an inseparable part of her life and that their daughter would go on to become a champion. in Phagwara, had accompanied her to tournaments and training sessions over the years. However, her trip to China with the Indian team marks a new milestone, as it is the first time she has travelled for an international assignment without either parent accompanying her. “It is for the first time that she has gone with the Indian team without either her father or me accompanying her. Until now, her father would always be with her and accompany her to tournaments,” said her mother, Shivani Gulati. For Shivani, Inayat’s sporting journey has been about much more than medals and championships. She believes sport has brought a noticeable change in her daughter’s personality and sharpened her cognitive abilities. “Sports can change the personality completely. The mind gets sharper, and the ability to grasp things also improves a lot,” Shivani said. From taking up badminton as a seven-year old activity to earning a place in India’s junior team, Inayat’s journey is surely inspirational. Recently, Hoshiarpur’s Tanvi Sharma also clinched her maiden BWF World Tour and won the women’s singles crown at the Taipei Open Super 300 badminton tournament. AIDS control staff to go on protest leave on Sept 9 Services at ART centres may be hit Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 6 Services at Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) and Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centres across Punjab are likely to be affected from September 9, with nearly 750 employees of the Punjab AIDS Control Society (PACS) announcing a mass leave protest over their demand for a 20 per cent salary hike. The employees, who work under the state AIDS Control Programme, have said they will boycott their assigned duties as part of the protest. This could affect HIV, syphilis and hepatitis C testing, dispensing of medicines at ART and OST centres, distribution of sexually transmitted disease drug kits and blood bank duties, among other services for patients dependent on these centres for regular treatment. The call for the mass leave protest has been given by the Punjab State AIDS Control Employees Welfare Association after several rounds of talks with the government failed to resolve their concerns. Association president Jasmail Singh Deol said employees were assured at a meeting with the Health and Finance Ministers on August 19 that their demand for a salary hike would be considered and action taken within about 10 days. “More than 20 days have passed, but there has been no concrete decision,” he said. The association said the employees had been waiting for financial benefits for four years and seven months. Besides the salary hike, they are seeking regularisation, health insurance and medical facilities, resolution of salary anomalies and timely payment of allowances and other field-related dues. Employees from all districts are expected to participate in the state-level protest at the PACS head office from September 9. The mass leave could disrupt medicine dispensing, testing and follow-up services at 68 ART and OST centres. For people living with HIV any , interruption in access to antiretroviral medicines could affect continuity of treatment. The association said employees had taken the decision after exhausting “all peaceful avenues” and appealed to the government to intervene.