01012025-JTR-01.qxd 12/31/2024 11:34 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune TEACHERS HOLD PROTEST, BURN STATE GOVT’S EFFIGY 149TH HARIVALLABH SANGEET SAMMELAN ENDS IN JALANDHAR Shree Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan ended, while faithful listeners savoured Hindustani classical music.P2 Computer teachers staged a massive protest and burnt state govt’s effigy in Nawanshahr on Tuesday. P2 » CELEBS REVEAL THEIR NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS New Year resolutions are a wonderful convention, offering us a chance to reset and refocus. P4 » FORECAST MODERATE FOG MAX 15°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 14°C | MIN 9°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.35 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 7:26 AM » WEDNESDAY | 1 JANUARY 2025 | JALANDHAR Two killed, one seriously hurt in road accident on highway INBRIEF TWO HELD WITH STOLEN BIKE Phagwara: The Police have arrested two vehicle thieves and recovered a stolen motorcycle (bearing registration number PB-91E3690) from their possession on Monday night. The arrested suspects were identified as Deepak Kumar and Jai Krishan of Saprod village. They were nabbed at check point near here. A case was registered against the arrested suspects. OC THREE TRAVEL AGENTS BOOKED Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by Nakodar resident Tirlochan Singh, the police have registered a case against three travel agents running - Dream Visa Overseas - in Phagwara on the charge of duping the complainant of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of sending him abroad. The victim told the police that neither the suspects --- identified as Jagbir Singh, Aniket and Komal - all residents of Ludhiana sent him abroad nor returned his money. The police have initiated probe into the matter. OC THIEVES STRIKE AT GENERAL STORE Phagwara: Some unidentified miscreants reportedly burgled a general store in the Rattanpura locality here on Monday night. Burglars entered the shop after breaking shutters and decamped with goods and ~9,500 in cash. On a complaint lodged by store owner Mahinder Kumar, the police have registered case under in this regard. OC FOUR BOOKED FOR ASSAULT Phagwara: The Shahkot Khas police have booked four persons on the charge of assaulting a villager. Investigating Officer (IO) Jang Bahadar said the suspects were identified as Jasvir Singh, alias Pappa, Jasvir, alias Nayee, Sukhraj Singh, and Major Singh, all of Bagga village. Lovpreet Singh of Bagga village told the police that the suspects waylaid him on December 25 and injured him with weapons, and also threatened him. The IO said a case under Sections 115(2), 351(3), 126(2) and 3(5) of the BNS was registered against the suspects. OC Our Correspondent The office of the Municipal Corporation in Kapurthala. Over ~30 lakh property tax collected by Kapurthala MC Our Correspondent Phagwara, December 31 The property tax branch of the Kapurthala Municipal Corporation (MC) has witnessed a notable increase in collection of dues in December this year. Giving more information, MC Commissioner Anupam Kaler said the corporation collected ~30.63 lakh property tax this month. She said tax collection had increased by ~2 lakh as compared to the corresponding period last year, when an amount of ~28.55 lakh was collected. She said from January 1, ❝ If defaulters fail to clear their tax dues even after receiving notices, the Municipal Corporation will initiate proceedings to seal their properties as per the law. This measure aims at ensuring timely compliance with tax obligations and improve revenue collection by the MC. ❞ Anupam Kaler, MC COMMISSIONER 2025, owners would have to pay 10 per cent penalty on property tax payments as the deadline for depositing dues had expired. Besides, notices had been served to defaulters under Sections 112-A and 138-C of the Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976, to recover overdue property tax. The commissioner said if defaulters failed to clear their tax dues even after receiving notices, the Municipal Corporation would initiate proceedings to seal their properties as per the law. This measure aimed at ensuring timely compliance with tax obligations and improve revenue collection by the MC, she added. Phagwara, December 31 In a heart breaking incident, two young men lost their lives and one sustained serious injuries in a road accident while returning from a birthday party. The accident occurred on the LudhianaJalandhar highway on Monday night. The deceased have been identified as Pankaj, a resident of Mahisampur village in Phillaur, and Deepak Bagga, a taxi driver from Jalandhar. According to preliminary reports, the victims were coming from Ludhiana to Jalandhar when the driver lost control over car and it crossed the road divider and collided with a vehicle coming from the opposite direction. The impact of the collision was so severe that Pankaj and Deepak died on the spot, while the third car occupant sustained critical injuries. He The mangled remains of the ill-fated car that met with an accident on the Ludhiana-Jalandhar highway. was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Eyewitnesses said the car was travelling at high speed, which might have led to the accident. The local authorities and the police are investigating the incident to determine the exact cause of the crash. This tragic accident serves as a grim reminder of the importance of adhering to road safe- 8yrson,constructionofNurmahal Drug racket busted, four held with 1kg heroin school building remains on hold Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Phagwara, December 31 The construction of the new Government Senior Secondary School (co-education) building remains on hold following the government’s non-release of funds. The then Nakodar MLA Gurpartap Singh Wadala on December 14, 2016, laid the foundation for the construction of the new school building. New building became necessary as school faced shortage of classrooms after demolition of a dilapidated structure in 2012. Non-Residents Indians (NRI’s) and the state government jointly made efforts to start construction of the new school building for which Nagar Council had donated 14 kanals and 17 marlas to the Education Department. NRI Raj Nayyar had donated Rs 10 lakh for construction of the school building. The Director General of School Education (DGSE) released ~1.14 crore for the construction of school building in October 2013, following directions from the Punjab State Human Rights Commission. The school principal received Rs 57 lakh grant in 2013 which was deposited in accounts of the Public Works Department (PWD) as it was the nodal agency for construction of government buildings above budget of ~50 lakh. The PWD completed 50 per cent of the construction work, but the Finance Department did not release the remaining grant. So the construction work came to a standstill. Though Nakodar MLA Inderjit Kaur Mann said the construction would resume soon as the government would release the remaining amount as she had intervened, but still not a penny was credited in the school account for the work. Jalandhar, December 31 The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police have dismantled a drug trafficking network by seizing 1kg of heroin and arresting four persons in this connection. The operation was part of the intensified crackdown on narcotics, spearheaded by Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the CIA conducted raid near Focal Point, leading to the arrest of a suspect identified as Karan, alias Kana from Rajpura, Kapurthala. A search yielded 100 grams of heroin from his possession. Karan’s interrogation subsequently resulted in the apprehension of three other The four suspects in custody of the police in Jalandhar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO suspect identified as Prem Singh from Ludhiana, Rohit, alias Vickey, from Gurdaspur and Jabanpreet Singh, alias Jagdeep Singh, from Jalandhar. Further investigations and raids led to the recov- ery of additional 900 grams of heroin along with a Verna car (bearing the registration number PB07-BF-0015). The case, initially registered under Sections 21, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act, was later expanded to include Wonderland Farm receives threat to blow up park on New Year eve celebrations Tribune News Service Security beefed up on New Year eve Phagwara, December 31 Heavy police force was deputed at all important places like Haveli, Law Gate, Eastwood village, Cabana Resorts and hotels and restaurants to keep an eye on anti-social elements during the New Year celebrations. Giving information, Phagwara SP Rupinder Kaur Bhatti said special check posts had been set up to keep an eye on illegal activities and hooliganism. Meanwhile, the police under the leadership of Phagwara SP Rupinder Kaur Bhatti and assistance of local unit of the Indian Medical Association celebrated New Year with inmates of Guru Nanak Mission Neterheen Birdh Ashram today. Bhatti, along with DSP Bharat Bhushan, city SHO Amandeep Nahar and IMA members Dr Jasjeet Singh Virk, GB Singh, Supreet Virk, Tushar Aggarwal, and JS Virk distributed blankets, sweets and eye drops among inmates on the occasion. — OC ty measures and driving responsibly. The families of the deceased are left shattered by the devastating loss. The injured victim is struggling for recovery at the hospital. Two key suspects linked to major narcotics network busted eight months ago in custody of the Jalandhar police. TRIBUNE PHOTO 2 more suspects held in 48.5kg heroin case Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 31 The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police have arrested two more suspects linked to the drug syndicate busted in April this year in which 48.5 kg of heroin was seized. The suspects, identified as Jaswir Kaur, alias Jogga, from Lakhanpal, and Parveen Kumari from Lakhpur in SBS Nagar, were apprehended in a follow-up operation. The police recovered 100 grams of heroin and a white I-20 car (bearing registration No. PB78-A-8512) reportedly used in their drug trafficking activities. Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma said in a major raid on April 27 this year, the police arrested 13 persons and confiscated Rs 1.05 crore drug money, six luxury vehicles and a truck from the possession of suspects. A case was registered under FIR No. 57 at Division No. 1 police station invoking multiple sections of the NDPS Act. Sharma reiterated commitment of the police to crack down on all persons associated with the syndicate. “Our fight against drug trafficking remains unwavering. We will bring every culprit to justice,” he said. Jalandhar, December 31 Ahead of the New Year celebrations planned across the district, some mischievous elements threatened via letter to bomb the park at Wonderland Farm in Jalandhar today. Notably, one of the grandest New Year parties is scheduled at the farm on Nakodar Road tonight. The letter addressed to the Jalandhar administration — bearing Arabic letters at the very top and the end — with English text in the middle — posed an open “challenge” to the administration while stating. “We (unnamed organisation) is going to to blow up the park.” Incidentally, the letter was shared with a regional language news daily in Jalandhar, instead of the police. It soon went viral on social media. The Commissioner of Police and the DIG, Jalandhar Range, visited the park, following the letter to review security arrangements. Security was tightened around the farm which was earlier a water park. Until the c m y b The police personnel deployed at Wonderland Park in Jalandhar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO 53 EVENTS IN RURAL AREAS With the New Year fervour gripping the district, as many as 53 events and New Year functions are being held in the rural areas of Jalandhar alone. Officials said a 1,000 police personnel had been deputed across the rural areas to ensure that the celebrations went on peacefully throughout the night. filing of this report, a New Year Party had already begun at the farm and was continuing peacefully. HPS Khakh, SSP Jaland, har (Rural), said, “It seems to be the handiwork of miscreant elements. The possibility that it might even just be an act of mischief can’t be ruled out. However, the police are investigating the issue. Those, who release such letters, will be traced and brought to book.” Section 29 due to the organised nature of the crime. During investigations if was found that some were earlier booked for drug-related offences. They were remanded to police custody for further interrogation. Nagar Council yet to implement decision to shift old bus stop Phagwara, December 31 The Nurmahal Nagar Council (NC) has failed to shift the old bus stop near the Nakodar side Octroi post. The NC at its meeting held on January 16, had passed a unanimous resolution to shift the old bus stop to solve problems of traffic jams and divert heavy vehicles from Talwan Chowk to bye-pass. Councillors Jang Bahdar, Rajiv Missar, Anil Mehan, Balbir Chand Deepak Kumar and Mamta Jassal had brought a requisition at the meeting while stating that there was a serious problem of traffic snarls on the road heading from Mandi Chowk to old bus stand. They said traffic remained stalled for a long time on this stretch due to which ordinary people suffered. They that heavy trucks, and other vehicles passed through the road causing traffic snarls. They said if these vehicles were diverted to bypass the of frequent traffic snarls could be solved. Councillors had suggested that the old bus stand stop should be shifted near Nakodar side Octroi post. They said traffic jams created problems for tourists who visited historic Nurmahal Sarai. Though the resolution was passed, it was not implemented by the NC. — OC