20122024-JTR-01.qxd 12/19/2024 10:37 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune ROADSIDE ENCROACHMENTS GALORE IN TARN TARAN KRITIKA KAMRA WILL BE SEEN IN FOR YOUR EYES ONLY JACKIE SHROFF COOLEST ACTOR IN INDUSTRY: VARUN Representativesofpoliticalandsocial organisationshavetakenaseriousnoteof encroachmentsalongroadsinTarnTaran.P2 Kritika, who impressed audience with Gyaarah Gyaarah, believes she has become more experimental with her roles. P4 Varun Dhawan recently shared his experience of working alongside Jackie in upcoming film Baby John. P4 » » » FORECAST CLEAR MAX 20°C | MIN 3°C YESTERDAY MAX 21°C | MIN 3°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5.28 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 7:22 AM FRIDAY | 20 DECEMBER 2024 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF BOOKED FOR SACRILEGE Phagwara: The police have booked unidentified persons on the charges of deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage the religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or spiritual beliefs. Surti of Jalalpur village complained to the police that the accused had barged into Valmiki Maharaj Gurdwara on December 17 and torn pages of holy granth. OC MOBILE TOWER PARTS STOLEN Phagwara: The police have booked a Moga villager on the charge of stealing a mobile tower parts. The accused has been identified as Manjindar Singh of Kanayia Kalan village in Moga. Akash Deep of Mudh village complained to the police that he was the supervisor of mobile companies and the accused and his accomplices stole parts from a mobile tower at Ismailpur village.OC EXPIRED DRUG CLAIMS LIFE Phagwara: A villager died after consuming the expired medicine. The deceased has been identified as Gourav of Barra Salam village. Som Nath, father of the deceased, told the police that his son consumed expired medicine by mistake and died. The police has handed over the body to the family after the post-mortem. OC MAN HELD FOR LIQUOR PEDDLING Phagwara: The police have arrested a resident on the charge of smuggling liquor. As many as 60 bottles of liquor were recovered from the possession of the accused Gurcharan Singh, a resident of Padda Colony, Lohian town. A case under the Excise Act has been registered against the accused. The Bilga police arrested a woman Kaushalya of Mao Sahib village with nine bottles of country-made liquor. OC TWO ARRESTED FOR EXTORTION Phagwara: The police have arrested two 'gangsters' on the charge of extortion. The accused have been identified as Anmol, alias Mela, and Sahil Vashisht of Tibbarr village in Gurdaspur. The victim had complained to the police that he received a call from a telephone number in which the accused demanded Rs 50 lakh from him and threatened to kill him if no money was paid. oc 3 BOOKED FOR CUTTING TREES Garhshankar: The police have registered a case on the complaint of the Range Officer of the Forest Department against three persons, including two brothers, on the charge of cutting and stealing khair wood from the forest. The brothers belong to Harwan, and third one from Haibowal. oc YOUTH'S BODY FOUND IN PIT Hoshiarpur: The body of a youth was found in a pit in village. The police said it was suspected that someone must have murdered this youth and thrown the body. The youth's hands were tied and there were marks of sharp-edged weapons on his body. The body has been taken into custody and the police is conducting investigation. oc Curtains on MC poll campaign Roadshows, bike rallies, foot march taken out by candidates in Jalandhar Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 19 Curtains have fallen on the campaign for the Municipal Corporation elections to be held this Saturday. As the campaign ended today, candidates from all parties chose to end the day on a high note by organising bike rallies, roadshows, foot march or ward-wise gatherings. In Ward no. 19, while AAP candidate Harleen Kaur ended her campaign by holding a rally in a park on Ladowali Road, her BJP counterpart Manjit Kaur walked with women supporters. The BJP youth from the same area held a bike rally, which had a trail of autorickshaws using public address system to give the last call to the voters in her support. BJP candidate in Ward no. 31 Anu Matta took out a roadshow along with ex-MLAs Jagbir Brar and Sarabjit Makkar standing along in a goods carrier. The AAP candidate from the adjoining Ward no. 33 Aruna Arora addressed a series of rallies in various localities of her ward falling in the Model Town area. In Ward no. 10 of Dakoha, Congress Jalandhar MP Charanjit S Channi, Pargat Singh and ex-MLA Navtej Cheema addressed a rally in favour of party candidate Manga Singh. Paramjot S Sharry Chadha, Police seize 100 boxes of illegal liquor smuggled from Chandigarh. Ahead of elections, 100 boxes of illegal liquor seized Tribune News Service A large number of e-rickshaws take part in a roadshow on the last day of election campaign in Jalandhar on Thursday. PHOTO :MALKIAT SINGH. who is recontesting for the Congress from Ward no. 28, took out a foot march through Rainak Bazaar, seeking support of shopkeepers of the area. Harsharan Kaur Happy, candidate of the Congress from Ward no. 35, gathered a group of women and went live on FB to announce that her campaign had concluded. Her supporters burst crackers to express solidarity with her. Local Bodies Minister Dr Ravjot Singh too was in city to pep up the campaign of the candidates on the last day. He visited several wards and attended rallies with candidates. He also visited Ward no. 40 AAP candidate Varesh Mintu, who had got hurt during campaign and is on bed rest. MINISTER VISITS WARDS TO MUSTER SUPPORT FIELD DAY FOR DHOLIS, AUTO DRIVERS Local Bodies Minister Ravjot Singh too was in the city to pep up the campaign of the candidates on the last day. He visited several wards and attended rallies with candidates. He also visited Ward no. 40 AAP candidate Varesh Mintu, who had got hurt during campaign. Dholis and autorickshaw drivers had a field day as their demand was all-time high. Some candidates had provided caps with party symbols to auto drivers and dholis. The autos were covered with banners and flags and carried public address system as they went around mohallas the whole day. Jalandhar, December 19 In a crackdown on illegal liquor trade ahead of the MC elections, the Jalandhar Commissionerate Police seized 100 boxes of illicit liquor smuggled from Chandigarh. The operation, led by Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma, was based on a tip-off received during routine patrolling. An FIR was registered on December 17 under the Excise Act at the Basti Bawa Khel police station, following which the raid was conducted. The seized consignment included 95 boxes of ‘London Pride’ and five boxes of ‘Imperial Style Blended Whiskey,’ both marked for sale exclusively in Chandigarh. The primary suspect, Dr Jasbir Singh Anand of Jalandhar, was arrested during the operation, while the second accused Sanjeev Kumar, alias Sanju, of New Gautam Nagar, remains at large. Commissioner Sharma reaffirmed the department’s commitment to tackling illegal smuggling, stating, “Strict action will continue against those involved in such activities to ensure law and order in the city”. He said a search operation is ongoing to locate the absconding accused. Meanwhile, further investigations are being carried out to uncover more details about the smuggling network. Candidates take Parties draw residents’ ire for defacing house walls digital route to win voters’ hearts Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 19 As the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation elections approach, slated for December 21, candidates are increasingly turning to social media to boost their campaigns. While door-to-door canvassing remains a primary strategy, candidates are leveraging digital platforms to expand their reach and engage with a tech-savvy electorate. In a move that signals the shift to modern campaigning, parties like AAP the Con, gress, SAD and the BJP have embraced platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to share updates, interact with residents and even highlight personal moments during their busy schedules. Candidates, including AAP’s Jagdish Raja, his wife Aruna Arora, Harsimranjit Singh Bunty, Amit Dhall, BJP’s Prof Kanwar Sartaj, Rajan Angural, Jasveer Kaur and Congress’s Uma Beri, Jasleen Sethi, Balraj Thakur, Manjit Kaur and several others, including independent candidates, are leading the charge in creating dynamic online presence. Their posts often feature visuals of public interactions, speeches and light-hearted glimpses during campaign, from chatting with shopkeepers, residents to attending local events. It was learnt that many former councillors and those fighting elections for the thirdfourth time, have teams dedicated to managing these social media profiles, who are working tirelessly behind the scenes. These groups ensure real-time coverage of candidates’ activities, frequently uploading videos, photos and reels that are tailored to connect with voters emotionally. Additionally, these digital efforts are directed at narrating a positive story of each candidate, with attention to building trust and transparency. “Even while knocking at voters’ doors to make personal appeals, candidates are mindful of documenting memorable campaign moments, which are quickly edited and posted online. This dual strategy enables them to connect directly with local voters while simultaneously building their presence across city”, said an employee working with a local PR firm. He said digital campaigns have proven effective in attracting young voters and providing candidates a way to communicate policies and promises effectively. “The impact of this growing trend of digital campaigning is already sparking discussions among voters, with many acknowledging the innovation as a new era in local elections. Not just this, even voters are equally smart, they immediately post comments and share the problems in their area and whom they think is a potential winner. So, it also gives those handling social media an idea of what should be their next strategy”, he added. Jalandhar, December 19 As the campaign for MC elections ends today, residents of the city are outraged by widespread defacement of public and private properties by candidates in the recent days. Campaign materials such as posters and stickers from parties, including AAP the Con, gress, BJP and SAD, have been indiscriminately pasted on walls without prior consent, leaving many residents frustrated. Locals have highlighted the hypocrisy of candidates, who promise cleaner neighbourhoods and better waste management but contribute to creating massive amounts of waste. “Walls in most areas of the city are flooded with posters of candidates claiming they will bring development to their wards, if elected. If they can’t follow basic laws now, what should we expect from them later?” said an angry resident. Meenal Verma, an eco-war- Residents have raised concerns over their houses being defaced with posters and banners by candidates. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH rior known for her activism in waste management, recently took to social media to share her ordeal. She recounted how an AAP candidate’s campaign stickers defaced the wall of her house, requiring over 15 minutes to remove and still leaving stains behind. “This lack of respect for private property shows their attitude towards environment and people. Such waste only adds to our already burdened landfills,” she said, urging candidates to campaign responsibly. Residents also urged the administration for stricter enforcement of the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act 1997, which prohibits any form of defacement on pri- vate or public property without explicit permission. Residents are urging the administration and municipal authorities to register FIRs against violators and ensure the removal of materials from walls. Another resident Ashnoor Kaur points out, “This is not just about waste but also about accountability. If these candidates fail to respect basic laws during their campaigns, they cannot be trusted with governance, once elected.” The situation has also raised concerns about the ethical standards of political campaigns, with many residents urging voters to remember these actions when casting their ballots. Quitting parties after 30 years, turncoats sure of win Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Kamaljit Singh Bhatia, who shifted to AAP after serving SAD for 30 years, campaigns for his wife Jaspal Kaur Bhatia. c m y b Jalandhar, December 19 What is it that makes them shift their loyalties? Senior leaders, who remained associated with their parties for over 30 years, enjoyed the posts of councillor, mayor, deputy mayor, joined other party just ahead of the elections. Was it easy for them? Maybe not. Jagdish Raja, 70, recently gave a shocker to everyone by leaving the Congress which he had joined in 1991. After 33-year loyalty, he joined AAP Sources said he . had some friction with other members of the Congress. Jagdish Raja said, “I was impressed by the policies of AAP and the work they have been doing in the government, so I decided to join the party.” Raja, who remained fivetime councillor and mayor in his last tenure, told The Tribune that he was not a contender for the post of mayor this time. “Even when I remained mayor last time, I am fighting for the post of councillor because I don’t want to sit home and get sick. I want to keep on working, no matter what. And I know that this is how I will remain healthy as well.” Is he confident that his decision of shifting to AAP won’t affect his chance of winning, “Not at all,” he said. “I know I will win.” Kamaljit Bhatia, a senior leader is another example. He remained in SAD for 30 years. He was a senior deputy mayor as well, but he also joined AAP Now his wife Jas. pal Kaur, who was also with SAD and remained councillor, is now fighting from AAP . “My time and work within the party and for the party was not respected, and I was getting step-motherly treatment by SAD which made me quit the party and change my path. Jaspal Kaur said she has always worked for the betterment of her ward and would continue to do so. “No matter which party, I am here for my people and will always work and remain for them,” she said.