25062025-JTR-01.qxd 6/24/2025 10:51 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune DRUG HOTSPOTS SEARCHED, NETWORKS DISMANTLED PHAGWARA’S SILENT GUARDIANS OF HEALTH HOLLYWOOD STARS TOM CRUISE, BRAD PITT REUNITE The police conducted a Cordon and Search Operation under its ongoing campaign ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’. P2 The Blood Donors Council (Regd) provides free blood transfusion services to 500 patients each month. P3 Hollywood stars Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt reunited at the premiere of the film, F1, in London. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.35 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:25 AM » WEDNESDAY | 25 JUNE 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF 8 ‘GANGSTERS’ ARRESTED Phagwara: The police have busted a gang and arrested eight alleged gangsters and solved five cases of extortion. The accused have been identified as Anmolpreet Singh, alias Mela, of Chak Yusafpur Alewal village, Manpreet Singh, alias Mani, and Navdeep Singh, alias Sonu, both residents of Hansa Wala village, Tarn Taran, Surindar Pal, alias Shnda, of Kanganna village, Manpreet Singh, alias Nanna, of Punia village, Ashman, alias Ansh, of Daulatpur Dhadda village in Pathankot and Jashan Preet Singh, alias Jassan, of Fatehpur Bhangwan village. Ten members of the gang are absconding and raids are being conducted to arrest them. The DSP said the accused had demanded a huge amount of money from residents, threatening to kill them. The police have recovered a country-made pistol, one cartridge, one motorcycle and a phone. OC BIKER KILLED IN CAR COLLISION Garhshankar: A speeding car hit two motorcycles near village Saila Khurd on the ChandigarhHoshiarpur road, due to which one bike rider died on the spot while two persons on other motorcycle also got injured. Rakesh Kumar of Raniala was coming from the village towards Saila Khurd on his bike. A car coming from the opposite direction, driven by Manjit Singh of Rasulpur, hit the bike head-on. Rakesh died on the spot. Meanwhile, another bike coming from behind also got hit. Jeevan Kumar and Baljit Singh of Khushi Paddi got injured. They were brought to the Civil Hospital, Garhshankar. OC On MLA’s plaint, ECI tells govt to act against Bholath EO K’thala native commissioned as flying officer in Australia Had taken part in AAP Ludhiana West bypoll campaign Kapurthala, June 24 Kamalpreet Singh, a 33-yearold native of Kapurthala, has made his hometown and state proud by being commissioned as a flying officer in the Royal Australian Air Force. His achievement marks a significant milestone in his life-long aspiration to serve the defence forces. Kamalpreet Singh completed his schooling from Kendriya Vidyalaya and Army Public School in Kapurthala, followed by a B.Tech degree from a college in Jalandhar. Speaking about his son’s journey, Kamalpreet’s father Sewa Singh, who retired from the Army, said, “He always wanted to join the defense forces. He worked very hard while in India, but things didn’t go as planned. After he moved to Australia in 2017, he continued pursuing his dream and finally achieved what he always wanted.” Prior to moving Australia, Kamal had been working as an engineer at a thermal power plant in Goindwal Sahib, Punjab. Sewa Singh along with his wife moved to Australia in 2019. By that time, his all three Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 24 Following a complaint lodged by Bholath MLA Sukhpal Khaira, the Election Commission of India has asked the Additional Chief Secretary of the Local Bodies Department to take disciplinary action against Executive Officer of Bholath Randeep Waraich. Waraich had allegedly participated in the bypoll campaign of AAP candidate Sanjeev Arora in Ludhiana West last week. The Joint Chief Election Officer of Punjab has called for initiation of a major penalty against Waraich for violating the Conduct Rules of a civil servant. He has also called for a compliance report in his office at the earliest. Waraich’s presence in Ludhiana campaign had been noticed through the Facebook page of Harsimran Singh, halqa incharge of AAP . After Khaira reported the same on June 16, the social media team of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Punjab, also checked the page. Secretary ECI Ashwani Phagwara: The police have booked an unidentified driver on charges of causing death by negligence and rash driving. Major Singh of Sultanpur Lodhi complained to the police that his father Mohindar Singh was working as a security officer in a tiles factory at Mannak village. Mohindar died after an accident and the body had been kept in the morgue in the Nakodar Civil Hospital. oc MAN ARRESTED WITH HEROIN Phagwara: The police have arrested a 'drugs peddler' and recovered 8 gm of heroin from his possession on Monday night. The accused was identified as Lakhbir Singh of village Lakhanpal near Phagwara. Cops apprehended him at a check point. OC Kumar wrote to the CEO, Punjab, that the EO had violated Rule 5 of the Government Employees (Conduct) Rules of the Punjab Government. Khaira had complained to the ECI that the involvement of a public official like Waraich in the election campaigning not only undermines the integrity of the electoral process, but also raises serious concerns about the misuse of official machinery and resources. Such actions compromise the principles of free and fair elections, which are the cornerstone of our democracy.” Seeking a response from the ECI, he had written, “I trust that the Election Commission will act swiftly to address this matter and uphold the sanctity of the electoral process. Ensuring impartiality and adherence to the Model Code of Conduct is critical to maintaining public faith in our democratic institutions. Kindly take an appropriate disciplinary and legal action against the officer as per the applicable rules and regulations.” Tribune News Service Kamalpreet Singh, commissioned as a flying officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, is flanked by his parents. sons, including Kamalpreet, were already settled there. Adding to the family’s pride, Kamalpreet’s elder brother Sarabjit Singh is currently serving as an officer in the NSW police force in Australia. Sewa Singh said the spirit of service runs in the family. “My grandfather was also in the Army, and that legacy inspired Kamalpreet deeply,” he said. “This is a proud moment for our family,” Sewa Singh said with emotion, reflecting on the years of hard work that led to this achievement. Kapurthala residents are overjoyed on his achievement. Man assaulted, Youth returns home after month-long torture in Iran Another youth robbed of ~30,000 returns from FAMILY SHATTERED Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Woman among four booked Our Correspondent BOOKED FOR CAUSING DEATH EO Randeep Waraich (in black shirt and yellow turban) during election campaign in Ludhiana West. FILE Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Phagwara, June 24 In a shocking incident on Sultanpur Lodhi road in Kapurthala, a man was robbed of Rs 30,000 by a group of four, including a woman. The victim was assaulted and left injured. He has been admitted to the Civil Hospital, while the police have registered a case and launched an investigation. The incident occurred when victim Sushil Kumar was returning from the Railway Coach Factory to Kapurthala. He stopped his motorcycle near the Indian Oil petrol station when a man approached him under the pretext of asking for directions. The suspect then forcibly took him to nearby vacant rooms, where a woman aged around 20-25 and two other men were already present. The assailants physically assaulted Sushil and recorded a video while threatening him, accusing him of being involved in immoral activities. They demanded money from him, and when he said he had none, they dragged him back to the petrol station and beat him up again. Eventually, the suspects opened the motorcycle’s storage compartment, took out his wallet containing approximately Rs 30,000 and important documents and fled the scene. Sushil was later taken to the hospital. Meanwhile, the Kotwali police, Kapurthala, has registered an FIR against unknown individuals. Investigating Officer ASI Manjit Singh stated that the CCTV footage from the surrounding area is being reviewed to identify the culprits. Sushil revealed that although several people were present at the petrol pump during the incident, no one stepped in to help. The police have assured that all possible angles are being probed and efforts are underway to nab the accused at the earliest. Nawanshahr, June 24 Jaspal Singh, one of the three youths from Punjab who was reportedly abducted and held captive in Iran, has finally returned to his hometown of Langroya, Nawanshahr. Reunited with his family after a harrowing month-long ordeal, Singh shared his traumatic experience, describing the physical and emotional toll of captivity. “I had lost hope of returning home,” Singh said with voice heavy and full of emotion. “We had been tortured for a month. Some things were so horrifying, I can’t even share these with my family or anyone.” Singh, a father of two children — aged three years and three months— spoke of the daily torment he endured, which continues to affect his health. “I am undergoing Xrays and scans. I am in constant pain, and my health doesn’t feel right,” he said, adding that he was still in shock. “Those memories are haunting me. They took everything — my clothes, ■ The episode has left the family emotionally shattered. ■ Jaspal Singh’s wife, mother and children had spent the past month in anguish, unsure if they would ever see him again. ■ This incident serves as a grim reminder of the growing number of youth in Punjab who fall prey to unscrupulous agents in their pursuit of opportunities abroad. < shoes, even a small piece of gold jewellery I had.” He and two other youths from Punjab endured torture. During their confinement, “We held hands when we were being tortured and did ardas day and night. That was the only thing that kept us going,” he said. Singh was one of the three Punjabi youths who had set out on a journey to seek a better future overseas. Like many others chasing the dream of a prosperous life abroad, he had aspirations to reach Australia. He approached a travel agent based in Hoshiarpur, who promised to arrange his passage. Singh’s family collected Rs 18 lakh through loans and savings and handed it over to the agent. However, the journey took a tragic turn. Instead of reaching his intended destination, Singh found himself trapped in Iran. Their ordeal finally ended on June 1, when they were rescued by the authorities and brought under the protection of the Indian Embassy. “Soon after we were rescued, the war between Iran and Israel started. It was terrifying. But embassy officials took good care of us and made us feel safe during that Jaspal Singh (holding a kid), who recently returned from Iran, sitting with his family in Nawanshahr. time,” Singh recalled. The episode had left the family emotionally shattered. Singh’s wife, mother and children had spent the past month in anguish, unsure if they would ever see him again. His return has brought relief to them. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the growing number of youth in Punjab who fall prey to unscrupulous agents in their pursuit of opportunities abroad. While Jaspal Singh is now safe, he still faces a long road to recovery — both physically and emotionally. Iran, father thanks ex-MP Phagwara, June 24 Former Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna played a pivotal role in securing the safe return of Simardeep Singh, a Ludhiana-based youth, who was stranded in Iran. The matter came to light when Simardeep’s father, a well-known industrialist from Ludhiana, approached Khanna a few days back. Deeply concerned for his son’s safety, he requested Khanna’s urgent intervention. Khanna said he immediately escalated the issue with the Prime Minister’s Office and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, urging them to intervene. He said the effective liaison with the Ministry of External Affairs proved instrumental in facilitating Simardeep’s inclusion in the evacuation process. As a result, Simardeep was brought back to India safely. — OC MC razes illegal building of drug smuggler Gunfire at NRI’s house over ransom call Jalandhar, June 24 An illegal construction belonging to an alleged infamous drug smuggler was demolished. This action was carried out by the Jalandhar Municipal Corporation with support from the Commissionerate Police in the local Upkar Nagar area, near Kishanpura Chowk. Police Commissioner Dhanpreet Kaur stated that the Jalandhar MC received information about an unauthorised construction by Kulwant Sahota, a resident of Upkar Nagar, who has five cases registered against him under the NDPS Act in various police stations across the district. Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti claims responsibility for firing She said police teams, under the leadership of Assistant Commissioner of Police (Central) Amandeep Singh, acted swiftly to assist the Duty Magistrate and Municipal Corporation officials to demolish this illegal construction. This sends a strong message to those involved in the drug trade that no activity related to drugs will be tolerated in Jalandhar. Similar actions have been previously carried out jointly by the Municipal Corporation and Police Department, which included the demolition of illegal possessions linked to drug traffickers across the district. — TNS Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 24 Two unidentified bike-borne assailants opened fire outside the house of an NRI family in Aman Nagar here near Gulab Devi Road late Monday night in what appears to be a case of extortion. The police said the firing was allegedly carried out to intimidate the NRI’s family after ransom demands were made by a Pakistan-based gangster. ACP North Aatish Bhatia confirmed that the house belongs to Balvir Singh, whose four sons, including c m y b Jatinder Singh, are settled in Portugal. “The firing seems to have been done to threaten his family following ransom demands made by the gangsters,” Bhatia said. An FIR has been registered against unidentified persons. While some sources suggest that a ransom of nearly Rs 50 lakh was demanded, police officials have not confirmed or disclosed any specific amount. The incident unfolded just five minutes after Jatinder’s mother, Charanjit Kaur, received a threatening phone call from an unknown num- ber. The caller asked her about one ‘Kaka Sandhu.’ When she denied knowing anyone by that name, the caller threatened her, saying, “We will see what happens now.” Within minutes, gunshots fired outside their home. CCTV footage shows two men on a motorcycle firing 10-12 rounds at the house before fleeing. The police later recovered four bullet shells from the spot. On Tuesday, a video surfaced in which Pakistani gangster Shahzad Bhatti claimed responsibility for the firing. An audio recording of Bhatti abusing and threatening Jatinder has also gone viral. In the recording, Bhatti allegedly demanded ransom from Jatinder and warned of attacks on his family in Jalandhar and his restaurant business in Portugal. “First, I will kill your father,” Bhatti allegedly said during the heated exchange. Police officials said, “We are investigating the viral audio and video linked to the Pakistani gangster. The initial probe suggests the firing was carried out to terrorise the family following the ransom demand.”