13102024-JTR-01.qxd 10/12/2024 10:54 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune MAN ARRESTED IN CASE OF FAKE DEGREE SCAM ZONAL NASA CONVENTION FOR ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS EACH ROLE MUST BRING A CHALLENGE, SAYS ADITYA SEAL The Jalandhar police have arrested another suspect linked to an interstate fake degree scam. P2 The convention welcomed over 1.2K architecture students from over 50 institutions across north India P2 Speaking about Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani, he says it was an effort to normalise same-sex relationships. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 19 °C SUNSET SUNDAY 5:54 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6:23 AM SUNDAY | 13 OCTOBER 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF BKU TO PROTESTS UNPAID ARREARS City comes alive with Dasehra festivities Phagwara: The activists belonging to the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba), led by its president Manjit Singh Rai and general secretary Satnam Singh Sahni, are set to organise a dharna in front of the Phagwara Sugar Mill on Sunday to protest non-payment of the arrears of sugarcane growers. A meeting of the leaders of the BKU has been scheduled in this regard. TNS Blast caused by filling potassium in rods Our Correspondent COUPLE BOOKED FOR DUPING ~12L Hoshiarpur: Cops of the Chabbewal police station registered a case yesterday against a couple for allegedly cheating Rs 12 lakh in the name of sending them to the UK on a study visa. According to the information, Gurinderjit Singh and Amandeep Kaur, both residents of village Atwal, filed a complaint to the police in this regard. They told the police that in the name of sending them to the UK on a study visa, a travel agent, Anuradha Chopra and her husband, Dharamvir Chopra of Khurla Kingra district, cheated them of around Rs 12 lakh. TNS FAMILY BOOKED IN CASE OF DOWRY Hoshiarpur: Cops at Chabbewal police station registered a case yesterday against a man and his mother on the charge of harassing a woman for demand of dowry. The police said Neha, a resident of Dhakkowal village, told them she was married to Sunil Kumar, a resident of Haripur village. She said after marriage, her husband and mother-in-law, Sunita Devi, harassed her and threw her out of the house when their dowry demands were not met. TNS MAN BOOKED FOR RASH DRIVING Phagwara: The Shahkot police have booked a resident on charges of rash driving. The investigating officer (IO), Sulindar Singh, said the suspect has been identified as Kirpal Singh, a resident of Shahkot town. Ashima, a native of Himachal Pradesh who was living in model town at Shahkot, complained to the police that the suspect was driving his twowheeler in a rash manner and injured her on October 8. OC Burning effigies of Ravana, Meghnat and Kumbhakarna on Dasehra; and (right) people welcome artistes dressed up as Ram and Laxman in Jalandhar. SARABJIT SINGH MAN HELD FOR STEALING PHONE Phagwara: The police have arrested a Ludhiana resident on the charge of stealing a smartphone from a shop. Investigating officer (IO) Jaswindar Pal said the suspect has been identified as Sandeep Singh. Raghav Pandit of Nurmahal complained that the suspect entered the shop on the pretext of drinking water and stole his phone. OC Phagwara, October 12 Two minor boys sustained critical injuries caused by a powerful explosion on the rooftop of a house near Shivpuri in Sham Nagar, Phagwara. The injured children were rushed to a hospital for treatment. The police said the preliminary investigation suggests the explosion occurred due to filling the potassium, a chemical commonly used in firecrackers in pipes to burst crackers. The Phagwara police have launched an investigation into the matter. The police said the injured children — Ashish (13) and Aman (14) — were rushed to the Phagwara Civil Hospital with the help of local residents. They said, given the severity of the children’s condition, they were transferred to a private hospital. However, as their situation worsened, the children were further referred to PGI Chandigarh for advanced care. City Station House Officer Amandeep Nahar said the materials of potassium involving a metal rod were recovered from the scene. He said potassium and other items were also seized for further examination. The police suspect the explosion occurred while the children were grinding potash. The Station House Officer said a detailed investigation was in progress and the exact cause would be determined once all evidence was examined. He added that some suspicious materials from the site have been seized for further analysis. The police said the tragic incident raised serious questions about how such young children gained access to such dangerous substances. They said the possibility of illegal firecracker manufacturing or storage also warrants thorough investigation. An artiste dressed up as Ravana arrives at the Dasehra festivities; and (right) residents burst crackers. PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 12 The city was in full festive spirit today as the Dasehra celebrations took centre stage, marking the peak of the ongoing festival season that began with Navratri. Hundreds of residents flocked to various locations throughout the city to witness the traditional burning of Ravana’s effigies, a ritual that embodies the victory of good over evil. Key events took place at Burlton Park, where the 146-year-old Shri Ramlila Committee Mandir Nauhariyan organised its annual Dasehra programme. Over the years, the site has become a cornerstone of the city’s festive calendar, attracting large crowds from distant places who gather to witness the towering effigies of tenheaded Ravana, Meghnat and Kumbhakarna being set ablaze amid the crackling sound of fireworks. The celebrations were enriched by the opening of the Maa Kali temple at Shri Devi Talab Mandir today, as these remain closed throughout the year. The festival gave devotees a special opportunity to visit these temples. The streets were bustling with activity throughout the day, particularly outside the popular sweet shops. A palpable excitement filled the air as residents hurried to purchase ‘jalebis’, a sweet synonymous with the festivities. “Jalebis are not just a delicacy; they represent the sweetness of victory and the joy of togetherness during this auspicious time," said Rajesh Sharma, owner of a local sweet shop. His establishment was filled with customers sharing stories and laughter, enhancing the vibrant atmosphere. Meanwhile, the standout Shop owners relieved as civic body clears Sanjay Gandhi Market dump feature of this year’s celebrations was the installation of towering effigies at the Sai Das School grounds by the Shri Mahakali Mandir Dasehra Committee. The effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnat, standing 100, 90 and 80 feet tall, respectively, attracted significant attention. The committee also arranged for free drinking water, medical facilities and parking to accommodate the large number of attendees. Dasehra festivities were held in multiple localities throughout the city, including Model House, Central Town, Adarsh Nagar, Friends Colony, Kirti Nagar, Bhargava Camp, Gandhi Camp, Satnam Nagar, Jalandhar Cantt and Beant Singh Park. With the influx of visitors, the administration and police had to tighten security in the city. Senior police officials said about 1,000 personnel had been deputed across the city to ensure the safety and smooth flow of the festivities. Special checkpoints were established at the bus stand, railway station and various other key locations to maintain public order, along with 25 traffic checkpoints set up to manage the increased vehicular flow. Police arrest man with desi katta, cartridge Tehsildar’s Ram role: Three decades of cultural heritage Tribune News Service The children being rushed to the hospital. Aparna Banerji TWO HELD WITH NARCOTICS, CASH Hoshiarpur: The district police arrested two smugglers from different places and seized drugs and cash from them. Cops from the Mehtiana police station arrested Sandeep Kumar, alias Bablu, of Khanoda and seized a large number of banned capsules and tablets from him. Cops from the Mahilpur police station arrested Rajwinder alias Manna, a resident of Ward No. 10 and recovered 33.97-gm narcotic powder and Rs 4,450 in drug money from him. TNS Two children hurt in explosion at Phagwara Jalandhar MC cleared the dump at Sanjay Gandhi Market. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH THE TRIBUNE IMPACT Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 12 The businessmen at Sanjay Gandhi Market breathed a sigh of relief as the massive dump in the market that had disrupted their livelihoods has been cleared. The Municipal Corporation (MC) responded swiftly to concerns raised just two days ago in these columns as they removed the debris and applied chalk powder to the site. The MC has also issued strict orders to ragpickers to prevent dumping in the area. The newly cleared area has now been transformed into parking space for local traders. The traders expressed their relief and gratitude. “It was becoming increasingly difficult to run our businesses with that dump looming over us,” said Gaurav, a shop owner nearby. “We could not attract customers and the smell was unbearable. We finally have parking space again, which is crucial for our sales,” he added. Another businessman said the cleanliness has made a huge difference. “We are thankful that this issue was highlighted and the MC finally listened to our concerns,” he said, adding the dump had cre- ated a health hazard for them and was affecting their sales; thus, considering this peak festive season, it was important the dump was removed. “We appreciate the clean-up; however, we urge the authorities to ensure this space remains clean and usable,” said Rajiv Verma, a businessman, adding that they do not want the same problem to return in the future. He said they would also ensure no one from the market threw garbage at the site and urged MC officials to keep an eye over the activities of ragpickers who often end up throwing waste collected from other areas in their market. c m y b Jalandhar, October 12 The Jalandhar Police, led by Commissioner Swapan Sharma, has arrested a person in possession of illegal weapons. According to the Police Commissioner, the police were conducting checks near DIPS Public School in Maqsudan when they observed a man approaching from the side of the railway crossing. Upon spotting the police, the person attempted to flee, prompting a chase and subsequent search. The suspect was identified as Deepak, residing at Bachint Nagar, near Anand Model School in Jalandhar. During the search, police recovered a country-made firearm, commonly known as ‘Desi Katta’, along with a live cartridge. Following the discovery, an FIR was registered under Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act at Police Station Division Number 1. Police Commissioner Swapan Sharma said that further investigation is in progress and the forward and backward linkages of the suspect are being investigated. Tribune News Service Jalandhar, October 12 “I do not shout, I do not swear, I do not fight. You can call it the Shri Ram effect,” says Tehsildar Gurdeep Singh Sandhu. For the past 30 years, with the arrival of Navratri, Sandhu has dressed up in a divine yellow to embody the virtues of ‘Shri Ramchandra’ for the audiences of the Ramleela at Dhilwan. Strong, muscular, clad in yellow, armed with a bow and adorned with a string of marigolds around his neck and hair, he has played Shri Ram at the Ramleela staged by the Mahaveer Dramatic Club and the Ram Krishna Dramatic Club at Dhilwan for decades. A tehsildar by profession, the 50-year-old Gurdeep Singh Sandhu holds the dual charge of Tehsildar Shahkot and Nakodar. Hailing from a Jat Sikh family in Dhilwan (Kapurthala), Gurdeep owes his stroke of fortune to the exodus of previous Ram and Laxman characters abroad. “I started with stage in school, playing a character in a stage adaptation of Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s ‘Athanni Ka Chor’ and thereafter was a regular on Tehsildar Gurdeep Singh Sandhu dressed up as Ram. stage at our annual functions. Once, when the Laxman of our Ramleela went abroad, I was asked to audition to take his place, which I happily did. There has been no looking back since then. I played Laxman for four-five years, then several years later, the guy who played Ram moved to England with his family. I got a promotion and began to play Ram,” he says. Gurdeep says his two teenage sons are also among the avid fans who catch up on his Ramleela shows religiously. Having portrayed Ram for many years, Gurdeep, who has also worked in several religious films, could not appear in the Ramleela this year. “It was my first gap year. We had a busy month since I had dual charge and the panchayat elections are also due. However, I will return to the Ramleela next year.”