04012025-JTR-01.qxd 1/3/2025 11:09 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune TEACHERS MEET MINISTER OVER PENDING DEMANDS ADMIN TO ROPE IN ACTIVISTS TO FIGHT DRUG MENACE MANY STAR KIDS LIKELY TO MAKE THEIR DEBUT THIS YR A delegation of the Computer Teachers Hunger Strike Struggle Committee met Cabinet Minister Dr Ravjot . P2 The Malerkotla district Committee has prepared a draft plan to rope in activists in the fight against drug abuse. P3 The year brings fresh ammo for the critics of Nepo kids as many star kids are poised to make their debut. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 20°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5.38 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:27 AM » SATURDAY | 4 JANUARY 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF TWO ASSAULT COP, ARRESTED Phagwara: The Nakodar City police have arrested two men for allegedly attacking a police officer on duty. Investigating Officer Dilbag Singh identified the accused as Mandeep Singh and Bhagat Veer Singh, both residents of Meerapur village. ASI Amrik Singh stated that he was on duty near Sharak Pur village. He said Mandeep Singh, who was driving a scooter in an inebriated state, began misbehaving and using abusive language when stopped for a check. He then called Bhagat Veer Singh, who arrived at the scene, and both men attacked the ASI and his colleague. A case has been registered against the accused and six others. OC 1 HELD FOR MAKING CASTE REMARKS Phagwara: The Nurmahal police have arrested a villager on charges of making casteist remarks and assaulting a fellow resident. DSP Sukhpal Singh said the accused, identified as Amanpreet Singh, alias Kala, of Batura village, was reported by Buta Ram, a resident of the same village. According to the complaint, Amanpreet Singh made casteist remarks against him, assaulted him, and ransacked the house of Harjindar, alias Jindi, with whom the accused had quarrelled earlier. A case has been registered. OC Int’l cyber fraud syndicate with links to Dubai, Cambodia busted City wakes up to dense fog ~1.40 cr fraud uncovered using gaming apps, hawala channels Our Correspondent Phagwara, January 3 In a significant breakthrough, Jalandhar Rural Police busted an international cyber fraud syndicate with links to Dubai and Cambodia. The operation has led to the arrest of two key members of the gang — Varinder Singh and Amarinder Singh Saini, both residents of Bhilai, Chhattisgarh. The investigation began when nine complainants were registered at Phillaur Police Station, reporting that they were offered Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 to open bank accounts. These accounts were later exploited for illegal financial transactions, including hawala operations and fund transfers using gaming and betting apps. The fraudulent transactions, amounting to Rs 1.40 crore, were routed through Delhi and subsequently transferred to Dubai and Cambodia. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh revealed that the operation was spearheaded by a specialised cyber team in coordination with Phillaur Police Station under the guidance of SP Investigation Jasroop Kaur Bath and Phillaur DSP Sarwan Singh Bal. The breakthrough came when Akashdeep, one of the complainants, reported unauthorised transactions from his Karnataka Bank account. Another complainant, Sanjeev, assisted as a decoy, helping the police identify the accused. Preliminary investigations uncovered 23 bank accounts suspected to have been used for fraudulent activities. The syndicate reportedly targeted economically vulnerable individuals, exploiting their accounts for hawala transactions and transferring funds to international networks. The gang’s operations spanned multiple states, including Punjab, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh, and extended to Dubai and Cambodia. Both accused have been remanded to police custody for further interrogation. Authorities plan to seek their remand to investigate their forward and backward linkages, identify other syndicate members, and trace the financial trail. SSP Khakh praised the investigation team’s efforts and emphasised the importance of dismantling international cybercrime networks. He assured the public of the Jalandhar Rural Police’s commitment to combating cyber fraud and ensuring financial security. Commuters amid dense fog in Jalandhar on Friday morning. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT ■ City residents woke up to a thick blanket of fog on Friday morning, with visibility reduced to just about 20m in the early hours. However, the fog began to lift by 11 am, and by noon, the warm sun finally emerged. ■ The maximum temperature for the day remained at 17 degrees C, consistent with the previous day, while the minimum temperature was recorded at 8 degrees C. Weather forecasts predict a rise in temperature by three degrees on Saturday. There is also a chance of light drizzle on Sunday evening and Monday morning. SINGH ■ To combat the cold, residents continued to wear multiple layers of warm clothing. Due to the weather conditions, schools have been closed until January 7, as per government orders, with many schools opting to conduct online classes in the meantime. TNS Passengers suffer as 54 trains cancelled, 37 short-terminated Tribune News Service Passengers at the Jalandhar railway station. SARABJIT SINGH Jalandhar, January 3 Due to ongoing repair work near the Ladowal railway track, 54 trains have been cancelled and 37 have been short-terminated by the Railways authorities, effective until January 8. The disruption has caused significant incon- c m y b venience for passengers, especially those whose trains were short-terminated at Ludhiana and did not continue on to Jalandhar or Amritsar. Passengers traveling to Delhi via the Swaran Shatabdi or ShanePunjab trains were left with no choice but to either take a bus or hire a taxi to continue their journey. Those returning by these trains and unaware of the early stoppage found themselves having to take cabs from Ludhiana, struggling with heavy luggage. Many passengers have also had to change their travel plans, crowding the railway station to cancel tickets. Among the affected trains are the Pathankot- Delhi Express, AmritsarJamnagar Express, Amritsar-Haridwar Express, Chandigarh-Amritsar Express, and DarbhangaJalandhar Express. Trains returning from Barmer and Agra are also being shortterminated at Ludhiana. The repair work is taking place between Ludhiana and Phillaur. Additionally, several trains are running late due to dense fog. The Sachkhand Express, which operates between Nanded and Amritsar, was delayed by 12 hours yesterday. Similarly, the Chhatisgarh Express, Amritsar Express, Malwa Express, and Jhelum Express also experienced delays of three hours.