24052024-JTR-01.qxd 5/24/2024 1:00 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune FLIP-FLOPS BY LEADERS MAKE LS POLLS INTERESTING, CONFUSING Defections on a large scale by second rung leaders of political parties have confused their supporters and voters. P2 » CATE TROLLED AFTER DESCRIBING HERSELF AS ‘MIDDLE CLASS’ Hollywood star Cate Blanchett is getting mocked for calling herself ‘middle class’ despite her $95 million fortune. P4 » FIRST LOOK OF THE FILM LOVE IN VIETNAM UNVEILED AT CANNES The first look of Love in Vietnam, starring Shantanu Maheshwari & Avneet Kaur unveiled at the Cannes Film Festival. P4 » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 44°C | MIN 30°C YESTERDAY MAX 42°C | MIN 31°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.22 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:26 AM FRIDAY | 24 MAY 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF TWO NABBED FOR SNATCHING PHONE Phagwara: The Lohian Khas police have arrested two miscreants on the charge of snatching a mobile phone from a woman. Investigating officer (IO) Sukhdev Singh said the suspects were identified as Gurjant Singh, alias Bagga, a resident of Jamsher village, and Jaspreet Singh, alias Jassu, a resident of Raiwal village in Lohian Khas. Kiran, a resident of Mohalla Dhomana, Ward No. 4, Lohian Khas, complained to the police that she was returning home after work on May 22 evening when two bikeborne persons snatched her cellphone. When she raised an alarm, passersby chased the suspects and nabbed them. They were handed over to the police. The IO said a case under Sections 379-B (snatching), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property), and 34 (committing crime with common intention) of the IPC was registered against the suspects. OC AAP leaders hold Families join the poll fray as CM Maan,inPhillaur,Nakodar roadshows campaigns hit fever pitch Former Chief Minister and Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi’s wife Kamaljit Kaur interacts with residents during an election campaign; and (right) BJP candidate Sushil Rinku’s wife Sunita Rinku canvasses for her husband in Jalandhar. SARABJIT SINGH INDIA VOTES 2024 Tribune News Service ON HELD FOR STEALING SAND Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a Shahkot village resident for stealing sand. Investigating officer (IO) Rajinder Pal Singh said the suspect was identified as Gora, a resident of Parjian Khurd village, under the Shahkot police station. Manpreet Singh, mining inspector, Nakodar circle, told the police that the suspect was driving a tractor-trailer loaded with 500 cubic feet of stolen sand when he was nabbed at Pandori turn checkpost. The IO said a case under Section 21 of the Punjab Mines Act and Section 379 (theft) of the IPC had been registered against the suspect. OC ONE NABBED FOR HURTING WOMAN Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a villager on the charge of outraging a woman's modesty. Investigating Officer (IO) Gurnam Singh said the suspect was identified as Jaswinder Pal, alias Chhinder, a resident of Nawan Qilla village. The IO said a case under Sections 354 (criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against the suspect. OC ABSCONDING TRAVEL AGENT ARRESTED Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a travel agent who was declared a proclaimed offender (PO) and was absconding since last four months. Amandeep Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police, said the accused was identified as Gurdev Singh Dhillon, alias Bittu, a resident of Variyana village in Jalandhar. He is wanted in a case of cheating and breach of trust. A case was registered against the accused in 2021 and he was declared a PO on January 24. OC HOUSE, CASH, GOODS GUTTED Phagwara: The house of Chaudhary Mohammad Pardhan was destroyed in a devastating fire at Silkiana village near Phillaur on Wednesday evening. Valuable goods, including Rs 85,000 in cash and a bike worth more than Rs 8 lakh were destroyed in the fire. The cause of the fire could not be ascertained yet. Fire tenders from Phillaur brought the blaze under control after much efforts. OC Jalandhar, May 23 As campaigning reaches its peak in Jalandhar, candidates are employing every possible strategy to win over voters. This election season, it’s not just the candidates, who are on the move, their entire families are deeply involved in canvassing neighbourhoods and engaging with the public. Sources reveal that Charanjit Channi’s family is fully committed to the cause. His son and daughter-in-law are managing his social media campaigns, while his wife accompanies him to public meetings and door-to-door visits. When Channi’s schedule is too hectic, his wife and daughter-in-law step in, rallying with party workers to garner support for the Congress. Similarly, the family of SAD candidate Mohinder Singh Kaypee is heavily involved in his campaign. Videos on SAD’s social media platforms show Kaypee’s daughter and sonin-law actively campaigning, going door-to-door to seek votes. His daughter is frequently seen delivering speeches, emphasising her father’s longstanding dedication to Jalandhar and his seniority as a local leader. BJP candidate Sushil Rinku’s campaign is also a family affair. His wife plays a prominent role in public meetings, soliciting votes for her husband. She, along with women from their neighbourhood, is engaged in door-todoor campaigning to ensure a strong turnout for the BJP . In contrast, AAP candidate Pawan Tinu’s family is notably absent from the campaign trail, with his son cur- rently abroad. Instead, his loyal supporters and party workers are leading the charge. BSP candidate Balwinder Kumar is managing his campaign independently, working closely with his supporters and party workers. Meanwhile, candidates are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to attract voters, employing a mix of blame games, jibes, and other tactics to gain an upper hand. The high-stakes Jalandhar (reserved) seat, contested by three turncoats, an outsider from Chamkaur Sahib, and a local scribe, is being closely watched, with various controversies adding to the drama each day. Nakodar, Phillaur, May 23 Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann campaigned for AAP candidates and held roadshows along with party leaders in Phillaur and Nakodar falling under the Jalandhar Lok Sabha constituency. On the occasion, he appealed to people to make the AAP candidate win by a huge margin. Addressing the people during the Nakodar roadshow, Mann asked them to repose faith in him and make Pawan Tinu the MP He said, “Your . work is my responsibility and I guarantee to fulfil it. Pawan Tinu comes from an ordinary family. In Parliament, he will raise voice for the common people and bring funds from the Central Government.” Recounting his work of two years, Mann said, “We have given government jobs to 43,000 youth of Punjab without any discrimination. In one village, 40 people got government jobs. Electricity is provid- CM Bhagwant Mann along with Pawan Tinu during a roadshow at Goraya in Jalandhar constituency on Thursday. MALKIAT SINGH ed free to people. Arrangements have been made for sufficient power supply for farmers. For the first time in the history of the country, our government bought a private thermal power plant.” He said after winning this election on June 4, sewerage system and parking in the cities of the state would be improved. While addressing people in Phillaur, Mann attacked the Opposition parties and said the governments of Akali Dal, BJP and Congress looted Punjab’s three generations. Attacking Sukhbir Badal, he said Sukhvilas Hotel was built with the blood and sweat of the people of Punjab. He said, “We will bring Sukhvilas under the control of the Punjab Government and convert it into a school.” — TNS GAMBLER ARRESTED Phagwara: The police have arrested a Uttar Pradesh migrant, identified as Sahil Ansari, on the charge of gambling and recovered Rs 5,180 from him on Wednesday night. A case under the Gambling Act was registered against him. OC Russian tourist’s purse Former CM Channi accuses state govt of snatched at rly station orchestrating attack to disrupt roadshow MLAKotliblocksMann’s roadshow in Adampur Cops detain Cong MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli in Adampur. Our Correspondent Phagwara, May 23 A Russian woman tourist was reportedly looted by unknown miscreants at the Phagwara railway station on Wednesday. A video of the incident went viral on the social media. Activist of an NGO, Jaswinder Singh, a companion of the victim, said he often accompanies foreign tourists. They were returning from Rishikesh and going to Jalandhar after attending meditation and spiritual camps, when unknown miscreants snatched the purse of the Russian woman, which contained Rs 3 lakh in cash, a mobile phone and other doc- uments, including passport. Government Railway Police (GRP) in-charge Paramjit Kumar said the victim had not come to lodge an FIR so far, but it was learnt that they had gone to Kapurthala to meet senior officials. Deputy Superintendent of Police Jaspreet Singh, who visited the Phagwara railway station and met GRP in-charge yesterday, said today that though the victims had stated they would come to meet him on Thursday to get an FIR registered, they had not done so. The DSP said it appeared that the victims were not interested in lodging a complaint in this connection. 2 killed in road mishap, roadways driver held Phagwara, May 23 The Shahkot police have arrested a Punjab Roadways bus driver on the charge of causing death of two persons by negligence. Investigating officer (IO) Sarwan Singh said the suspect was identified as Pawan Kumar, a resident of 287/13, Gopal Nagar, Gurdaspur. The IO said the deceased had been identified as Chet Ram, a resident of Narangpur Hansi village under the Shahkot police station and Kamajlit Kaur, wife of Lal Chand, a resident of Fajalwal village under the Shahkot police station. Dilbar, son of deceased Chet Ram, complained to the police his father used to drive a passenger tempo from Parjian Kalan to Shahkot. He said his father was going to Shahkot with passengers on May 20 morn- ing and turned towards Shahkot from MogaShahkot Highway. He was on the service road when the bus driver, who was driving very fast and negligently, hit his father’s tempo ferrying passengers and injured them seriously. He said his father and one passenger Kamaljit Kaur died on the way to a hospital. He said other passengers were admitted to hospitals. He demanded legal action against the roadways driver. The IO said a case under Sections 304-A (causing death by negligence), 279 (rash driving on a public road), 337, 338 (causing harm by an act endangering personal safety or the lives of others) and 427(mischief) had been registered against the driver. The bodies of the deceased were handed over to the families after a post-mortem examination, he added. — OC Jalandhar, May 23 In a press conference held today, Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi criticised the state government for the deteriorating lawand-order situation and alleged that the recent attack on a Punjab Roadways bus by some unidentified youngsters, was a deliberate plot orchestrated by the state authorities. The attack, which occurred last evening on the Phagwara-Jalandhar Highway near Jalandhar Cantt, caused a significant traffic jam that not only inconvenienced commuters, but also disrupted Channi’s roadshow. The bus driver, Mukhtiyar Singh from Tarn Taran, had claimed that youngsters in a car made objectionable gestures at him. When he objected, the group halted their vehicle in front of the bus, wielded swords to assault him, and then fled with the bus key, leaving it stranded on the highway for nearly an hour. Channi emphasised that his roadshow was not merely a political event, but a solidarity march for Barjinder S Ham- Lies down in middle of Railway Road Congress candidate Charanjit Singh Channi addresses the media in Jalandhar on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH dard, who was recently booked by the Vigilance Bureau (VB) in the Jang-e-Azadi Memorial construction case. He claimed that the attack on the bus, which was coming from Delhi, was intended to disrupt the march. He accused the state government of orchestrating the incident to impede his demonstration in support for Hamdard. Terming the FIR against Hamdard as an attack on press freedom, Channi defended him, highlighting his own tenure as tourism minister and overseeing this project, asserting that no work under this project could have proceeded without the signature of the DC, who was the member sec- retary of the project. Channi alleged that Hamdard played only a guiding role. While condemning actions of the VB, Channi said the Congress stood firmly with Hamdard. He vowed to ensure fair administration if elected to power. He drew parallels between the actions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the national level and the alleged misuse of agencies by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab. About the incident, Channi alleged, “The highway was almost clear when we started our march from Phagwara. It seems like the government Continued on page 2 Jalandhar, May 23 Having already warned Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in the Vidhan Sabha and in Jalandhar two days ago that he would face protest from him in Adampur Assembly segment, Congress MLA Sukhwinder Singh Kotli on Thursday evening lay down in middle of the road to block his roadshow. Aam Aadmi Party candidate Pawan Tinu, who was accompanying Mann, has been a two-time MLA from the Assembly segment. Kotli, who had been upset since Mann had allegedly passed some remarks against him in the Vidhan Sabha over his question on not appointing a Dalit leader as Deputy Chief Minister, held a protest forcing Mann to take a U-turn during his roadshow on Railway Road in the town around 8:30 pm. As Kotli raised slogans against the CM and refused to get up from the road, the police personnel picked him up, bun- Cong will get huge margin in Phagwara, says MLA Phagwara, May 23 Yamini Gomar, Congress candidate from the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency, visited Phagwara today during her election campaign. She was accorded warm welcome by Congress activists headed by Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal at the residence of former Improvement Trust Chairman Balbir Raja Sodhi. Dhaliwal and Raja Sodhi assured that the Congress would get huge margin in Phagwara Assembly constituency. Addressing party workers on the occasion, Yami- c m y b Party activists welcome Yamini Gomar, Congress candidate from the Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha segment, in Phagwara on Thursday. ni Gomar asked them to contact voters on a war footing in every village, street and ward of the city and make them aware of the policies of the Congress. She said inflation and unemployment had increased tremendously during the 10 years of Modi government’s rule at the Centre. She said social harmony and the Constitution were under threat. She said if Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister for the third time, the country would be ruled by a dictator. So, the people should be mobilised against the BJP she said. , Phagwara urban block head Taranjit Singh Bunty Walia, former Phagwara Market Committee Chairman Naresh Bhardwaj, Tejinder Bawa, Amarjeet Singh Basuta and a large number of Congress workers and supporters were present on the occasion. — OC dled him into their vehicle and detained him for at least 45 minutes. Narrating the sequence of events, Kotli said, “As Congress candidate and ex-Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was holding rallies in my segment today, I was with him throughout the day. I took a break from rallies for some time to lodge a protest at Chumo village. As the police was aware of my plans, I left my vehicle and rode pillion on a bike of my supporter to the protest venue. At least 200 supporters, who were waiting for me to join the protest, were stopped by the police. But I chose to lie down on the road and raise slogans against the government just as Mann’s roadshow was about to arrive.” The MLA said, “The police kept on asking me to leave the site as CM’s roadshow was approaching, but I refused to do so. They took me away in a vehicle to the outer side of town till Mann left.” — TNS Former Congress councillor joins BJP Jalandhar, May 23 Considered Congress Loyalist, Jagdish Samrai, a former councillor from Ward No. 78 today joined the BJP . It has come as a major jolt to the Congress as Samrai had been actively working for party candidate Charanjit Singh Channi. “There is no discipline left in the party which forced me to leave it and join the BJP ,” he said. With hardly nine councillors left, it has become a difficult task for the Congress to gain strength at the ground level. — TNS
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