08062025-JTR-01.qxd 6/7/2025 10:40 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune CLUELESS POLICE STRUGGLE TO SOLVE BANK ROBBERY SEECHEWAL MEETS MINISTER ON SULTANPUR LODHI’S GROWTH FROM STEREOTYPES TO HEARTFELT STORIES 7 days after the incident, the robbers remain unidentified and the authorities have yet to make any arrests. P2 The meeting included in-depth discussions on upcoming development initiatives for the city. P3 This Pride Month, we celebrate the stars who lit up screens with powerful queer roles. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 39°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET SUNDAY 7.30 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5:22 AM » SUNDAY | 8 JUNE 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF State SC panel chief to visit Nangal village on June 10 STATUE VANDALISM Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Children of the Muslim community take a selfie after offering prayers on Eid-ul-Adha at Eidgah in Jalandhar on Saturday. PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH MINOR ABDUCTED IN PHAGWARA Phagwara: On a complaint by Balbir Singh, a resident of the Palahai Gate locality in Phagwara, the police have registered a case under Sections 363 and 366 of the IPC against a resident Rohit Kumar of Soondh Colony on the charges of abducting the minor daughter of the complainant. The victim told the police that his daughter, who was studying in middle school, had been missing since May 31. He expressed doubts that the accused had abducted his minor daughter on the pretext of marrying her. The police are investigating the case. OC CAR FOUND STOLEN Phagwara: A car, bearing registration number PB-09D2631, was found stolen in front of the residence of the complainant Vikramjit Singh in the Khalwara Gate locality in Phagwara on Friday night. The police have registered a case under Section 379, IPC. OC 'DRUG PEDDLER' ARRESTED Phagwara: The police have arrested a 'drug smuggler' and recovered seven gm of heroin from his possession on Friday night.The accused identified as Bihar migrant Saket Kumar, presently residing as a paying guest at village Miharru near Phagwara, was nabbed at a check point, the police said. A case under the NDPS Act has been registered against the accused. OC Jalandhar, June 7 Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Jasvir Singh Garhi will be visiting village Nangal at Phillaur on June 10. During this visit, the Chairman will review the incident of the recent and repeated defacement of the statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at Nangal in the past few months. Garhi’s visit comes a week after the new statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at Nangal was defaced on June 2. The repeated vandalism and defacement of Ambedkar statue at Dalit village of Nangal has deeply angered residents. In the wake of these repeat incidents, Phillaur has witnessed fierce protests and dharnas by Dalit groups and various social organisations. After an initial defacement of an Ambedkar statue on March 31, during which some men scribbled pro-Khalistan slogans on the glass of the statue then, another incident occurred on June 2. In the A new statue of Dr BR Ambedkar was installed at the same venue at Nangal village in Phillaur where the previous one was vandalised. FILE incident, a new statue, installed by the villagers, was defaced again wherein a miscreant smeared ink on the face of the statue. Following the vandalism of the statue both times, USbased secessionist group SFJ claimed responsibility. Garhi said, “The main purpose of my visit to the village is to understand why the village, which predominantly comprises the Dalit community, is being repeatedly targeted. We are concerned whether these incidents are a conspiracy aimed at dividing the peacefully co-existing Sikh and Dalit communities in the village. I will talk to villagers and proactive action by the administration will also be ensured to bring the guilty of the incidents to book and to prevent such incidents from happening in the future.” Garhi said his visit was aimed at addressing all these concerns during which he will hold a detailed interaction with the villagers to hear their side of the story. Travel agent couple dupe man of ~13.4L Our Correspondent Phagwara, June 7 A couple, posing as travel agents, has been booked for allegedly defrauding a local resident of Rs 13.4 lakh under the pretext of sending the victim’s son to Canada. The incident came to light following a complaint filed by victim Gurdeep Singh at Talwandi Chaudhariyan police station. According to the complaint, Singh had approached the couple Sham Singh, alias Satnam Singh, and his wife Manjit Rani, residents of Boghiwal village in Ferozepur after they claimed to have extensive experience in sending individuals abroad. Trusting their assurances, Singh handed over his son Surjeet Singh’s documents and subsequently paid Rs 13.4 lakh in instalments. Despite repeated follow-ups and a considerable lapse of time, Surjeet was neither sent to Canada, nor was any refund issued. Realising he had been deceived, Singh approached the police with evidence of the transaction. Following a preliminary investigation, the police have registered an FIR against the accused couple. However, no arrests have been made as yet. CS told to enact urban tree protection law in 6 months Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 7 In a major development regarding environmental governance, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Chief Secretary of Punjab KAP Sinha to formulate strict and effective legislation for the protection of urban trees across the state within six months. The directive came during a recent hearing on the city’s P&T Colony tree cutting case, where the NGT expressed strong displeasure over the absence of a legal framework to safeguard trees in urban areas. The tribunal had earlier summoned the Chief Secre- tary for a personal appearance, underscoring the gravity of the matter. During the hearing, he assured the court that the state government is committed to increasing its green cover but acknowledged the current legislative vacuum. He sought a six-month period to draft comprehensive laws aimed at preserving urban trees. The petition was filed by Tejasvi Minhas, a city-based social activist, who criticised the state’s existing Tree Preservation Policy for NonForest Government and Public Lands 2024 as ineffective. Minhas highlighted several shortcomings in the policy, including the absence of a mechanism for public complaints, the lack of a tree census, unscientific tree cutting practices by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), no provision for compensatory plantation after trees are felled due to storms and rampant concretisation of tree bases by real estate developers to facilitate the removal. Minhas argued that the state’s lack of seriousness was evident in its failure to implement meaningful measures for urban tree protection. The tribunal has listed the next hearing in the case for October 8 by which time the Chief Secretary is expected to present progress on the new legal framework. Environmentalists have hailed the NGT’s order as a crucial step towards halting the ongoing decline of green cover in Punjab’s urban centres. Goraya assault: Victim alleges key accused being shielded by police Our Correspondent Phagwara, June 7 A violent assault case in Goraya has taken a new turn as the victim Satinder Singh has alleged that the primary accused Lavish Oberoi has not yet been booked by the police despite being named as the main attacker. The FIR filed at Goraya Police Station names Jimmy, Prabh and Gurpal alias Pala, but makes no mention of Lavish. According to Satinder, the first attack occurred in Ludhiana when he was dining at a restaurant. He claims that Lavish, along with his associates, assaulted him without provocation. Satinder says he approached the Sarabha Nagar Police Station in Ludhiana to register a complaint, but instead of initiating action, the Station House Officer (SHO), Mad- Youth killed in clash Poor condition of Rail Vihar road irks during religious fair residents, Lok Adalat issues notice to MC near Banga hu Bala, allegedly blocked his phone number. A week later, Satinder was reportedly attacked again, this time outside the Goraya court complex. He alleges that Lavish’s associates attacked him upon his return from Goraya Police Station, where he had gone to pursue legal action regarding the initial assault. According to the victim, the motive behind the second attack was to pressure him into withdrawing a previous complaint filed against Jimmy. Satinder has raised serious concerns about police inaction and selective enforcement, claiming that the failure to name Lavish in the FIR raises suspicion of bias or possible shielding by law enforcement. The Goraya police have not yet responded to these allegations. Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Phagwara, June 7 A 22-year-old youth lost his life following a violent clash during a local religious fair held in village Bhora near Banga. The deceased has been identified as Arshveer Singh, a resident of village Bhora. According to initial reports, a clash broke out between Arshveer and a group of local youths on the final day of the fair, which was being organised at a religious site along the Moranwale road. Speaking to the media, Gurbachan Singh stated that his son sustained severe injuries during the clash. He was immediately taken to the Civil Hospital, Banga. Due to the critical nature of his injuries, doctors referred him to a private hospital, where he was later declared dead. Upon receiving information, the police arrived at the A case has been registered on the statements of the victim's family scene to initiate an investigation. Station House Officer (SHO) Abhishek Sharma confirmed that a case has been registered on the statements of the victim’s family, and further proceedings are underway. The police are identifying those involved in the incident. The motive behind the altercation is believed to be personal enmity, although a thorough investigation is ongoing to ascertain all facts. Robbery bid at flour mill in Kapurthala, suspect shot Jalandhar, June 7 The dilapidated condition of roads in Rail Vihar Colony, Ladhewali, has left residents fuming as daily commuting has turned into an ordeal due to deep cracks, potholes and decades-long neglect. Locals say the road, last repaired in 2009, has now become a safety hazard, especially for children and the elderly. Frustrated by years of inaction by the Municipal Corporation, a legal intervention has finally brought the issue to the forefront. An application has been filed before the Permanent Lok Adalat, Jalandhar, by advocate Mayan Ranaut through counsels Vikram Dutta and Taranum Ranaut, seeking urgent directions to rebuild the damaged stretch. In response, the Permanent Lok Adalat has issued a notice to the Municipal Corporation, Jalandhar, asking for their reply. The matter is Phagwara, June 7 An attempted robbery at a flour mill on the Nakodar road at village Natthu Chahal near Kapurthala turned violent late last night when armed intruders exchanged gunfire with the facility’s security guard. One suspected assailant was killed in the incident, while two others managed to flee. According to initial reports, two or three individuals attempted to break into the mill by breaching a rear wall. Upon encountering resistance from the on-duty security guard, the suspects opened fire using country-made firearms. In a swift response, the security guard returned fire in self-defence. One of the intruders was critically injured during the exchange and succumbed to his injuries on the spot. The deceased has not yet been identified. The remaining two suspects escaped under the cover of darkness. — OC Poor condition of the Rail Vihar road in Jalandharon Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO now slated for hearing on July 3. Speaking to the media, advocate Mayan Ranaut, who also leads the civic reform group Jaagda Punjab Mor- c m y b cha, said, “This is a battle for dignity. Rail Vihar’s condition is a glaring example of official apathy. We are determined to fix it through legal means.” He said the Jaagda Punjab Morcha has been raising civic issues across Jalandhar, from poor road conditions to lack of clean drinking water and sanitation. “The Rail Vihar case marks yet another legal step in their ongoing campaign for infrastructure improvement and civic accountability”, he added.