12032025-JTR-01.qxd 11-03-2025 22:37 Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune FATEHGARH CHURIAN ROAD SHOWS SIGNS OF DECAY IN 90 DAYS NEPHEW OF ANU MALIK, MUSIC RACES IN AMAAL’S BLOOD PUNJAB KALA BHAWAN — THE EPICENTRE OF ARTISTIC BRILLIANCE MP Gurjeet Aujla demands Vigilance probe into the construction of road from Amritsar to Fatehgarh Churian. P2 Lyricist Malik says his younger brother Armaan is not always the automatic choice to sing his compositions. P4 The Women Directors’ Theatre Festival here highlighted the strength, creativity & resilience of women in theatre. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 15°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.33 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:40 AM WEDNESDAY | 12 MARCH 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF TWO BOOKED FOR ATTACKING COURT EMPLOYEE Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by Lalit Kumar, an employee of Phagwara court, the police have registered a case against two persons, including Gurdeep Singh of village Panchhat, on the charges of attacking him and attempting to tear the summoning papers and trying to keep him hostage after damaging the papers near the village. No arrest has been made so far. OC WOMAN HELD FOR DRUG PEDDLING Phagwara: The police have arrested two 'drug peddlers', including a woman, and recovered 2 gm of heroin and 75 intoxicated tablets from their possession on Monday night. The police nabbed a peddler woman identified as Rekha of Chhaj Colony and recovered 75 tablets from her possession at a check point in Chhaj Colony, Phagwara. In another case, another peddler identified as Baljit of Mahilpur was arrested with 2 gm of heroin. Two cases were registered under the NDPS Act against both accused. OC FATHER-SON DUO ARRESTED Phagwara: The police have arrested a father-son duo for drug peddling. SHO Parwinder Singh said 250 intoxicated tablets were recovered from the possession of the accused Sukhdev Singh, alias Vindu, of Burj Hassan village and his son Sarabjit Singh, alias Saabi. Cases have been registered against the accused who have many cases pending against them. The police also arrested a drug addict on the charge of consuming heroin. The accused has been identified as Jaspreet Singh of Pati Bhatti, Bilga village. OC MAN BOOKED FOR EXTORTION Phagwara: The police have booked a gangster on the charge of extortion. The victim complained to the police that he received WhatsApp calls and SMSes on his mobile number in which the accused Happy Pasian had said he had dropped bombs at many police stations in the state and demanded Rs 50 lakh and threatened to kill him and his family in case of failure. The complainant said he received these messages repeatedly which became a source of mental torture for him. A case has been registered against the accused. OC 75-YEAR-OLD MAN MISSING Phagwara: A 75-year-old man of Jhugian village under Mehatpur, has been missing for the last three days. Baldev Singh went from the house to pay obeisance at gurdwara and did not return. A missing report has been registered in this connection. OC MURDER ACCUSED PO HELD Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a proclaimed offender (PO) absconding for the last four years. The accused has been identified as Des Raj of Natt village under Nurmahal police station and wanted in a murder case registered in 2019 and was declared PO in 2021. The police also arrested PO Buta Ram of Raiwal village and wanted in a drug peddling case. oc JIT allottees’ wait for refund drags on as Chairman yet to assume office Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 11 Despite the announcement of Rajwinder Kaur as the new chairman of the Jalandhar Improvement Trust (JIT) two weeks ago, allottees awaiting refunds worth Rs 53 crore continue to face uncertainty. As no official notification was issued regarding the appointment and only announcement was made, allottees remain stuck in a prolonged battle for their dues as the JIT fails to comply with nearly 200 execution orders. The affected allottees had invested in three failed residential schemes— Indra Puram Master Gurbanta Singh Enclave (2006), Bibi Bhani Complex (2010) and Surya Enclave Extension (2011, relaunched in 2016). For over a decade, they have fought for justice, securing JIT flats at Indirapuram in Jalandhar. favourable rulings from district, state and national consumer commissions. However, the JIT has yet to release their refunds, leaving many, especially senior citizens, in financial distress. “The JIT collected large sums from us but failed to complete any development work or hand over plots and flats,” said an allottee. “There have been repeated complaints of corruption and mismanagement, but the state government has done nothing to investigate or resolve the issue.” ML Sehgal, a retired SDO and allottee of Surya Enclave Extension, said the uncertainty surrounding the Chairman’s appointment has worsened their predicament. “We’ve been visiting the JIT office, asking when the chairman will take charge so that Crackdown on eve-teasing, traffic violations 46 challaned, 6 bikes impounded we can finally get some clarity. But the delay in issuing the appointment notification is making things worse. Neither the previous government, nor the current administration has taken serious steps to address our grievances. We just want our money back and compensation for the years of mental agony,” he said. Meanwhile, the District Consumer Commission has issued a stern warning to the JIT. In its latest hearing, the commission stated that if the Trust fails to present a concrete resolution — either through refunds or a structured execution plan — nonbailable arrest warrants will be issued not only against JIT officials, including its Chairman and executive officer, but also against the higher authorities in Chandigarh, including the Principal Secretary, overseeing the department. MC okays ~16.7 cr for Hoshiarpur’s development Our Correspondent ~18 LAKH FOR PARKS Hoshiarpur, March 11 The Hoshiarpur Municipal Corporation’s budget meeting was held on Tuesday in which a total budget of Rs 77.52 crore was passed. Apart from Mayor Surinder Kumar and councillors, MLA Brahm Shankar Jimpa, Commissioner Dr Amandeep Kaur, Joint Commissioner Sandeep Tiwari, Assistant Commissioner Ajay Kumar and other officials of the Municipal Corporation attended the meeting held at the corporation office. Mayor Surinder Kumar said special attention was laid on ensuring more provision of expenditure on development works and approval was given to spend Rs 16.71 crore on development works. In this, Rs 12 lakh was also approved for the maintenance of parks, Rs 1 crore for the care of cow ■ Rs 12 lakh was also approved for the maintenance of parks, Rs 1 crore for the care of cow shelters and stray animals and Rs 18 lakh for the maintenance of public toilets. shelters and stray animals and Rs 18 lakh for the maintenance of public toilets. After the budget meeting, a general meeting of the House was held in the afternoon in which various officials participated, while Jimpa was present. Projects worth Rs 34.41 crore were approved for the development of the city. Of these, development work worth Rs 7 crore was approved for installing streetlights at black spots and various places in the city. Works worth Rs 5 crore were approved for installing tubewells, reboring of tubewells and their repair. Police launch CASO ahead of Holi festival Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 11 In a concerted effort to curb eve-teasing and enforce traffic discipline, the Commissionerate Police, Jalandhar, conducted a special drive between March 7 and March 10. The operation was carried out under the supervision of ACP North Rishabh Bhola, between 12pm and 3pm at two key locations — Government Senior Secondary School, Maqsudan, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Ladowali Road. The primary objective of the drive was to ensure the safety and security of women, school-going children and the public. With incidents of harassment and traffic violations posing a serious concern, the police undertook a proactive approach to deter offenders and create a safer environment. The operation saw active participation from officers of Division No. 1 and Division No. 3, working in close coordination with the Emergency The police issue challan to a traffic vioator in Jalandhar. Response System (ERS) and the Field Media Team (FMT). During the drive, police personnel conducted thorough checks on 335 vehicles, leading to the issuance of 46 challans for various violations. Additionally, six motorcycles were impounded for serious infractions. Among the key violations detected, triple riding emerged as a major concern, with 11 cases recording. Riding without helmets was another frequent offence, accounting for nine challans. The police also cracked down on vehicles without number plates, issuing eight challans for such violations. In addition to these, officers identified five cases of underage driving, and three modified Bullet bikes were also seized, as these often pose a threat due to excessive noise and illegal alterations. Furthermore, four vehicles were found with black films on their windows, a violation of regulations aimed at enhancing visibility and security on the roads. Officials emphasised that this special drive is part of a larger strategy to maintain public order and enhance road safety in Jalandhar. “By targeting both traffic violators and instances of harassment, the police aim to send a strong message that law enforcement will take stringent action against offenders”, the police officials said. They further said that the Commissionerate Police is committed to ensuring a secure and disciplined environment, particularly for women and young students. Such initiatives, they stated, will continue in the future to reinforce traffic rules and curb unlawful activities that endanger public safety. PHAGWARA, MARCH 11 In an effort to make district Kapurthala crime-free, the police, headed by Senior Superintendent of Police Gaurav Toora, have begun cordon and search operations (CASO) in which senior police officials from the department conduct the search operations. Phagwara Superintendent of Police (SP) Roopinder Kaur Bhatti along with traffic in-charge Inspector Aman Kumar Daveshver and SHO, City, Gaurav Dhir conducted search operations at the bus stand and railway station, Phagwara, besides other places. Toora said the exercise was being done by the department to ensure the masses that the police were always there for their safety and these search operations would put pressure on the miscreants and curb the crime. SP Bhatti said that sensitive points were visited by the cops to convey the message loud and clear. The house of a drug smuggler razed in Nawanshahr. Illegal structures of drug peddlers razed Tribune News Service Jalandhar, MARCH 11 Amid the ongoing action against drug traffickers and illegal encroachments, the police in coordination with the local authorities, have demolished unauthorised structures in Kalran Mohalla of Nawanshahr. The structures, unlawfully occupied by three families with a history of narcotics smuggling, were razed following due legal procedure. The action was directed against Beero, Shindo and Santosh. They have been facing multiple cases under the NDPS Act. Munshi’s brother to attend 50th anniv of Hockey World Cup win To be held in Delhi on March 15 Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, MARCH 11 It’s a moment of pride for Satta Satpal, the brother of hockey Olympian Mohinder Singh Munshi from Nangal Ambian village, who played in the Indian team that won the 1975 Hockey World Cup. Hockey India is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the win that India had registered in 1975 and then PM Indira Gandhi had honoured the team. The event will be held in New Delhi on March 15. But emotions are high for Satpal as his brother, who was an extraordinary player, died very young in 1977 when he was just 24. “Getting invited by Hockey India is such a nice feeling but the loss cannot be forgotten,” he said. His father Munshi Ram was a peon at Doaba Khalsa Senior Secondary School and Mohinder Munshi used to study there. It was at this school ground where Munshi’s journey in the field of hockey started and then there was no stopping. In 1970, he got posted in the Punjab Police. Mohinder Munshi then played and won medals in Asian Games, the 1975 World Championship that was held in Malaysia and the 1976 Olympics. His brother, admirers and other hockey stalwarts are making sure his legacy is kept alive. Satpal Singh along with hockey doyens — Olympian and Dhyan Chand Award recipient Davinder Singh Garcha and international player Daljit Singh — has been organising Olympian Mohinder Singh Munshi Hockey Tournament every year in Decem- Satta Satpal with photos of Olympian brother Mohinder Munshi in Jalandhar. PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH ber for the past 24 years. Garcha had earlier told The Tribune, “The motive is to pro- c m y b duce more Munshis. We want the younger generation to know and learn about the great man and player that he was. I have played with him. He was my senior. The nation lost one of its great players very early on. He had a lot of potential.” The winning team is awarded a prize money of Rs 1 lakh, while the teams finishing second and third pocket Rs 51,000 and Rs 31,000, respectively. Now 65, Satpal Singh was barely 17 when his brother died. He shared the fondest memory of him, “His strength was always unbeatable. He was a man with a big heart. When he would get a diet from the department, he would give it to other needy people,” Satpal said. Amarjit Singh Sidhu, a hockey player who is one of the organisers of the tournament, said he was 7-8 years younger to Mohinder Munshi. “I also studied in the same school he did and would often watch him play. He was famously known as ‘Sure shot’ because he never missed any goal,” he said. The police stated that the demolition drive was carried out following the request of the Nagar Council, who sought police assistance for the removal of illegal encroachments. The police, along with the EO of the Nagar Council and other civil administration officials, ensured that the encroachments were demolished smoothly with adequate deployment to prevent any disruption. Meanwhile, local residents commended the action of the Punjab Government against drug smugglers. Suction machines to resolve sewage issues at Phagwara Phagwara, March 11 In a major step towards improving the sewerage system in Phagwara, the government has provided truck-mounted suction-cum-jetting machines and mini jetting machines worth Rs 50 lakh to the local MC. These machines were handed over to the municipal authorities today by AAP’s Phagwara constituency in-charge Joginder Singh Mann. The event was attended by MC Commissioner Dr Akshita Gupta, Mayor Rampal Uppal, Senior Deputy Mayor Tejpal Basra, and Deputy Mayor Vicky Sood and SDO Water Supply & Sewerage Board Pardeep Chottanni and others. Mann stated that these advanced machines would help streamline sewer maintenance and ensure effective cleaning of sewer lines. — OC