23012025-JTR-01.qxd 1/22/2025 11:00 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune NO POWER SUPPLY, JCT MILL WORKERS PROTEST INDIAN COAST GUARD’S BIKE EXPEDITION FLAGGED OFF ACTING IS A DEEPLY PERSONAL JOURNEY: AHSAAS CHANNA They demand restoration of their electricity supply, which has been disconnected since Jan 15. P2 To mark the 49th Raising Day, ‘Sarhad Se Samandar’ motorcycle expedition was flagged off. P2 Actress Ahsaas Channa says for an actor to have an actor parent has no bearing on their craft. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 21°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 21°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET THURSDAY 5.54 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 7:24 AM » THURSDAY | 23 JANUARY 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF 3 ARRESTED FOR PHONE SNATCHING Phagwara: The police have arrested three miscreants for snatching a smart phone from a migrant worker. Mithun, a Bihar native living at Meinwal Maulvian village, complained to the police that the accused waylaid him on January 20, attacked him with a sharpedged weapon and snatched his i-phone. A case had been registered against the accused. The police also booked Seikhu, Sahil and a miscreant for snatching Rs 42,000, a smartphone and silver ornament from Punit Jain of Shahkot on January 20. OC BANKER HELD FOR EMBEZZLEMENT Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a cooperative bank branch manager for embezzling customers' money. DSP Sukhpal Singh said the accused had been identified as Davender Pal Singh of Shankar village. District Manager, Cooperative Bank, complained to the Jalandhar (rural) SSP that the accused was manager of a cooperative bank branch at Shankar village from July 15, 2023, to October 3, 2023, and fraudulently withdrew Rs 5 lakh from accounts of customers, which had been recovered from the accused. The SSP ordered the registration of a case.OC TRAVEL AGENT HELD FOR DUPING Phagwara: The police have arrested a travel agent for allegedly duping a man of Rs 15 lakh on the pretext of sending his son abroad. The accused is Vikas Sharma of Parkash Avenue, Kapurthala. Balwant Singh of Puniyan village had complained to the SSP that he had paid Rs 15 lakh to the accused for facilitating his son's migration abroad. However, he was neither sent abroad, nor returned the money. OC TRUCK DRIVER, CLEANER LOOTED Phagwara: Two miscreants snatched two mobile phones and cash of Rs 1,49,280 from a truck driver and cleaner near village Chachoki, Phagwara, on national highway on Wednesday. Truck driver told the police that they were returning from Himachal to Ludhiana. He said as he started his truck after taking a brief halt, the miscreants broke opened the windowpanes and snatched cash and mobiles and fled. The police have registered a case. OC GIRL ABDUCTED IN PHAGWARA Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by Arun Saini of the Baba Gadhia locality in Phagwara, the police have registered a case against an unknown person on the charges of abducting the young daughter of the complainant. The victim told the police that his daughter went to the market to purchase some household goods on January 20 but did not return. OC 'DRUG PEDDLER' ARRESTED Phagwara: The police have arrested a 'drug peddler' and recovered 5 gm of heroin from his possession on Tuesday night. The accused identified as Amritpal Singh, resident of village Rawalpindi, was nabbed at a check point. A case has been registered against the accused. oc Overflowing sewage a perennial problem at city’s Kalia Colony Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 22 Residents of Kalia Colony in Ward 1 have been grappling with overflowing sewage for over two months, turning their lives into a nightmare. The accumulated dirty water has flooded the three sides of the main chowk in the area, while residents blocked the fourth side with a temporary bundh to prevent the water from entering their homes. The filthy water not only poses severe health risks, but has also left residents in misery. “This issue is not new. The sewage problem has been plaguing the area for years, yet no permanent solution has been provided by the Municipal Corporation (MC). Despite frequent complaints to the area councillor and the MC office, the pleas remain unanswered”, said Ranjit Singh, a resident. He said the dire situation stands in stark contrast to the promises of the city’s Mayor, who has been holding meetings and assuring improved infrastructure and basic amenities. “We can’t even A constable, accused of taking bribe, was arrested by the Vigilance Bureau while a Garhshankar SHO is absconding. Cop caught taking ~30,000 bribe Tribune News Service Overflowing sewage poses a threat to the health of Kalia Colony residents in Jalandhar. PHOTO SARABJIT SINGH step out of our houses. While they promise a better city, we are trapped in filth”, he added. Kalia Colony, one of busiest locations in the city with connectivity to the highway and nearby localities, has been reduced to a hazard zone. The chowk, used by an estimated 300 visitors daily, has turned into a site of frequent accidents as pedestrians and vehicles navigate the slippery waterlogged area, said residents. They said the businesses in the vicinity were also suffering and the fruit and vegetable vendors avoiding the locality due to the unbearable stench and unclean conditions. “This was once one of the most sought-after area, but now the stinking water has turned it into a nightmare. The authorities talk about development, but we can’t even have basic sanitation,” said another resident Kamlesh, expressing anger and frustration. “The lack of action is not only inconveniencing us but also affecting the area’s economy and reputation. As a solution remains elusive, we demand immediate intervention of the administration, fearing that the situation will worsen”, they said. Jalandhar, January 22 The Vigilance Bureau (VB), during its ongoing campaign against corruption, has arrested constable Kindar Singh, posted at police station, Garhshankar, in Hoshiarpur district for accepting a bribe of Rs 30,000. His co-accused SHO Baljinder Singh Malhi escaped from the scene. Disclosing this here today, an official spokesperson of the state VB said a case had been registered against the official on a complaint lodged by Hardeep Kaur, a resident of Nangal in Rupnagar district. He said the complainant had approached the VB that the accused had demanded Rs 1 lakh on behalf of Inspector Malhi for not involving her brother in the narcotics case who along with others had been arrested by the police. She said after her plea, he had agreed to take Rs 50,000. The spokesperson added that after a preliminary inquiry into this complaint, a VB team from the Hoshiarpur unit laid a trap during which the policeman was caught red handed while he was receiving a bribe of Rs 30,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. During the trap, Malhi escaped from the scene, evading his arrest. A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against both accused. The accused willd be produced in a court tomorrow and further investigation into this case is under progress. ‘Mining king’ arrested in Now, Bhogpur MC chief election deferred Another Shahkot, toll plaza extortion case SDM leaves room; Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 22 In a significant breakthrough, the Jalandhar Rural Police have arrested a notorious criminal, who had been terrorising employees at Chak Bahmania Toll Plaza on the JalandharMoga National Highway. The accused, who has a history of serious criminal offences, was apprehended along with a .315 bore rifle and a white Fortuner vehicle (PB10-EG-9541) used in the crime. The accused has been identified as Ravinder Singh, alias Binda, resident of village Kokri Vaihiniwal, Moga. Speaking to the media, SSP Jalandhar Rural, Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh, said the operation was conducted under the supervision of the SP , Investigation, Jasroop Kaur Bath, and DSP Onkar Singh Brar. Inspector Sukhdev Singh, SHO, Mehatpur, led the operation following complaints of threats and toll evasion. The arrest came after toll plaza manager Sonu Tomar filed a complaint about the repeated incidents of armed threats, barrier breaking and toll evasion, causing losses worth lakhs of rupees to the company by the accused. The accused would threaten employees at gunpoint to allow his vehicles to pass without payment. During the arrest on January 21, the police recovered a .315 bore rifle and a white Fortuner. The accused, known locally as the “mining king,” operates a transport company with 13 trolleys and five tippers, primarily used for illegal sand transportation. An FIR under section 125,351(3), BNS, and 25/27-54- 59, Arms Act, was registered at Shahkot. Investigation reveals that Ravinder Singh has 16 criminal cases registered against him across various police stations, including charges of attempt to murder, theft, criminal intimidation and illegal weapons possession. The police are investigating his involvement in illegal mining operations along the Sutlej. The accused has been remanded to police custody for two days. Investigations are ongoing regarding his financial assets and possible connections to other criminal activities. The police said the arrest marks a significant victory of the police special campaign against criminal elements, demonstrating zero tolerance for extortion and illegal activities in the region. Cong protests Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 22 The election of the Bhogpur MC chief got stalled this evening as SDM, Adampur, who was conducting the meeting, left it midway and did not return. Congress leaders led by Adampur MLA Sukhwinder Kotli lodged a protest alleging foul play. Soon after oath taking by 13 councillors, SDM Vivek Modi left the room when the process for the election of the Bhogpur MC chief just started. Adampur Congress MLA Sukhwinder Kotli alleged, “The SDM had already announced that the process be started. At this, our councillor Manish proposed the name of president Raj Kumar and our second councillor Jeet Rani seconded his name. The Congress MLA Sukhwinder Kotli along with worker during a protest at Bhogpur in Jalandhar. councillors were asked to raise hands by the SDM. So I, as the area MLA, and eight Congress councillors raised our hands showing a majority. The SDM had just asked if any other name had to be proposed. Right then, the SDM got a call and he left the election midway”. Kotli, whose phone had been taken at the entrance, went out, took his deposited phone and went live on Facebook page. He showed as to how all councillors had been sitting while the officials, including the SDM and Executive Officer Rajat Oberoi, had left. “See only the SHO, Bhogpur, is here to keep an eye on us. But we are not going. Someone has to come and tell us that the proceedings of the meeting had been suspended”, said Kotli. After this, Kotli and Congress workers went out and sat on a dharna on the Jalandhar-Hoshiarpur highway. Police teams went and forcibly removed the leaders. City’s sewer lines to Shortage of staff hits Phagwara MC working get cleaned: Mayor Ashok Kaura Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 22 When Mayor Vaneet Dhir bacame the Mayor of the city, he first raised the issue of sewerage mess that has been troubling residents for long. Today, he held a meeting with the O&M branch officials. To address everyday complaints related to sewerage blockage, four jetting machines and four jettingcum-suction machines will be brought and the machines will also have GPS. Dhir further said with GPS, it will be easy to know whether the machines are working at the sites or not. He asked officials to clean the main lines with supersuction machines. An estimate of Rs 28 crore has been made to clean the main sewer lines in the city. The main sewer lines are from Pholariwal to Rama Mandi, Pholariwal to Gadaipur, Garha Railway Station to football chowk, and Basti Peer Daad to Suranussi. The Mayor said the proposal had been sent to the head office for the approval. Companies from Delhi and Mumbai must be contacted to carry out the work. A meeting with the companies will also be held in this regard. He also took notice of the sewage treatment plants that have been working. As per the information, against 350 MLD of water, the STPs work only to treat 300 MLD of water, the mayor advised to increase the capacity of the plants. Phagwara, January 22 The Municipal Corporation, Phagwara, which has 50 wards, is presently facing the acute shortage of staff, depriving residents, who are regularly paying taxes, of several facilities which are supposed to be provided by the MC in routine. It was observed that 58 of the 68 sanctioned posts of clerk and officer were lying vacant in the municipal corporation. Phagwara MC Commissioner Navneet Bal, who is ADC (General) also, told The Tribune that the post of Joint Commissioner and Secretary (MC) had been lying vacant, while out of two posts of SE, one was lying vacant. Besides, four of the five sanctioned posts of assistant engineer, six of the eight posts of junior engineer, four c m y b Garbage can be seen littered in Phagwara. of the five building inspector posts, all four posts of superintendent and two posts of accountant have been lying vacant since long. Moreover, 35 of the 40 sanctioned posts of clerk are also lying vacant for several months. Moreover, the MC does not have sufficient electricians, so streetlights are not switched on during night in several localities. Interestingly, the MC Commissioner had written to the Director, Local Bodies, several times and the last request was sent on September 27 last year, but nothing had been done to fill the vacant posts. Though Punjab Local Bodies Minister Punjab Ravjot Singh during his visit to the MC in October last year had claimed that the Local Bodies Department would soon be fully computerised to facilitate the people, but even after three months people are facing several problems in depositing different taxes online, especially property tax and sewerage bills. It seems the minister’s assurance did not have the desired effect on the Local Bodies Department even after three months. Kotli said he wanted the administration to tell him that the meeting had been put off but there had been no word. “This is just a repeat of what had happened in Shahkot and Bholath where AAP does not have a majority and has been using its might to rope in councillors of the Congress and stall the election process”, he alleged. The protest was lifted when Adampur tehsildar assured him that a new date for the election would be out shortly. Fungus-infected, expired food items destroyed Hoshiarpur, January 22 The food safety team of the Health Department conducted raids in various parts of Hoshiarpur district to provide clean and quality food to people. Food Safety Officer Abhinav Khosla and team member Ram Lubhaya, led by District Health Officer Dr Jatinder Bhatia, inspected food items at various places in Mahilpur and collected samples. During investigation, fungus infected sandwich bread and expired food items were destroyed Dr Bhatia said the team checked a bakery shop, restaurant, grocery store and cake factory in Mahilpur. Expired food items like fungus-infected sandwich bread, juice, pineapple, coconut water and chutney were destroyed on the spot. — OC