27062025-JTR-01.qxd 6/27/2025 12:33 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune PHAGWARA, KAPURTHALA OBSERVE WORLD DRUG DAY OLYMPIANS MENTOR YOUTH IN HOCKEY HEARTLAND SRK IS NOT JUST AN ACTOR, HE’S AN EMOTION: SHIVANGI In a display of solidarity and public awareness, Punjab’s districts observe Int’l Day Against Drug Abuse. P2 Surjit Hockey Academy has emerged as a beacon of hope and excellence for young aspiring hockey players. P3 Shah Rukh Khan, the King of B-Town, has completed 33 incredible years in the Indian film industry. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.35 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:25 AM FRIDAY | 27 JUNE 2025 | JALANDHAR INBRIEF MAN, SON HELD FOR ASSAULT Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a man and his son on the charge of assaulting a co-villager. The accused has been identified as Kulwant Singh of Tahli village and his son Manjindar Singh. Harpreet Singh had complained to the police that the accused waylaid him on June 17 and attacked him with sharp-edged weapons, seriously injuring him. He said a land dispute is the reason behind the attack and a court case is pending. OC 4 NABBED FOR PLANNING CRIME Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested four miscreants on the charge of planning to commit a crime. The accused have been identified as Indarjit Singh, alias Kala, Prabhjit Singh, both residents of Tahli village, Sukhveer Singh and Anif Khan, both residents of Sarihn village. The police had received information that the accused and their accomplices were armed with weapons and planning to commit a crime. A had been registered against the accused and their six accomplices. OC BOOKED FOR BATTERY THEFT Phagwara: The Shahkot police have booked some persons on the charge of stealing a battery of a generator. Amarjit Kumar, a resident of Billi Chaharmi village, complained to the police that thieves barged into the post office building and stole the battery of the generator in the verandah. OC MAN HELD FOR SELLING LIQUOR Phagwara: The Mehatpur police have arrested a villager on the charge of selling illicit liquor. Fifty bottles of hooch were seized from the possession of the accused Narindar Pal, alias Nanju, a resident of Birr Baloki village. A case of the Punjab Excise Act has been registered against the accused. oc SCOOTER TAKEN AWAY FORCIBLY Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked two miscreants on the charge of taking away a scooter from a villager. Aashdeep Singh of Aalowal complained to the police that he was returning home on his scooter when two accused waylaid him near the village and snatched his Activa at the knife point. A case has been registered against the accused. oc POLL TEHSILDAR OF HOSHIARPUR Hoshiarpur: Harminder Singh assumed charge of election tehsildar, Hoshiarpur on Thursday. He said he will discharge this responsibility with and honesty. Harminder Singh was earlier serving as election tehsildar in Pathankot where he played an important role in smooth running of election-related processes during his tenure. oc PAWAN TINU THANKS AAP Phagwara: AAP leader Pawan Tinu held a special event on Thursday to express gratitude to the party high command for appointing him as halqa incharge of Adampur. The event witnessed the participation of scores of AAP workers from across the district. OC Rain brings relief, pain for city residents Chugitti Chowk, Guru Nanak Pura, Ladowali Road, Damoria underbridge under water Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 26 The first proper spell of rain this season has brought relief from the scorching heat but also exposed the lack of preparedness by the Municipal Corporation. Within an hour of rainfall this morning, several key areas of the city were inundated, disrupting smooth commuting. The downpour, which began around 9.45 am, caused waterlogging in various areas. Around 11, The Tribune team observed water accumulation at Chugitti Chowk, Guru Nanak Pura, Ladowali Road, Damoria underbridge, Lamma Pind, and Guru Nanak Mission Chowk. Traffic crawled as motorists struggled to navigate through flooded roads, while pedestrians were seen wading through dirty water mixed with garbage. The situation was worsened by the garbage in a few areas. The rainwater mixed with waste, led to foul smells and unsanitary conditions on the roads. Several residents expressed disappointment at the recurring issue of waterlogging and the negligence of the authorities addressing drainage problems ahead of the monsoon. Savita, a middle-aged woman caught in the chaos near Guru Nanak Mission Chowk, shared her experience with visible frustration. “I was trying to cross the road, but I couldn’t see anything under the water. What if there’s a pothole? I could fall and injure myself. It’s very risky, especially for elderly people and children,” she said. Another commuter Surinder Kumar, who was on a two-wheeler, expressed anger, saying that he was afraid of rain now. “It has hardly been an hour and look at the roads. This is the condition of Smart City,” he said adding that he feared that it was just the starting of the monsoon, the situation would worsen. Local residents also point out that while pre-monsoon drain cleaning is regularly promised, there is little evidence of actual work being done. Calls for a long-term solution, such as proper drainage system and regular garbage collection, are growing louder among citizens. With the monsoon expected to intensify in the coming weeks, residents fear that today’s situation is just a glimpse of what lies ahead unless urgent measures are taken by the authorities. Municipal corporation O&M staff came out in the field and visited the areas with water accumulation. The officials ensured the speedy disposal of rain water all across the city. People make their way in a flooded road after rain; and (below) flooded Damoria underbridge in Jalandhar . TRIBUNE PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH Kingpin behind fake Canadian offer letter racket arrested, gets 7-day police remand Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 26 The police widened their probe into the fake offer letter scam after Brijesh Mishra, the alleged mastermind behind the racket that duped hundreds of Canada-bound students, was produced in court and remanded to seven days in police custody on Wednesday. “He has admitted his role and also revealed that he had been jailed in Canada. We are questioning him further and more arrests are expected,” said ADCP Gill. The Jalandhar Commissionerate Police has arrested Mishra. Mishra was taken into custody shortly after arriving in India on June 24. According to Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Harinder Singh Gill, Mishra was apprehended at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport and handed over to the Jalandhar police. An earlierissued Look out Circular (LOC) in connection with multiple cases registered against him ensured he could not evade arrest. ADCP Gill confirmed that during interrogation, Mishra confessed to having remained in the Canadian police custody for nearly oneand-a half years. After serving his sentence related to immigration fraud and misrepresentation, he stayed for a few months in Surrey, British Columbia, before returning to India on June 24. Mishra is accused of orchestrating a fake offer letter racket through his consultancy firm, Education and Migration Services, based in Jaland- Brijesh Mishra, the mastermind behind fake offer letter scam, in the Jalandhar police custody. TRIBUNE PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH har. Between 2016 and 2020, he allegedly duped over 200 students by issuing forged admission letters to Canadian colleges. Many of the victims discovered the fraud only after reaching Canada, where they were denied entry or deported when immigration authorities flagged their documents as fake. Nine FIRs have been regis- tered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy, at police division number 6. He was produced in court on Wednesday and has been remanded to seven days of police custody. “He has admitted his role and also revealed that he had been jailed in Canada. We are questioning him further, and more arrests are expected,” said ADCP Gill. The scam had triggered an uproar in 2023 when several students, studying or working in Canada, were suddenly informed that their initial college admission letters were fraudulent. Several protests were held in India and Canada at that time. Police officials have urged more victims to come forward and share information to strengthen the case. Showers leave roads flooded in Kapurthala Kapurthala, June 26 The monsoon made its arrival in Kapurthala today, bringing with it heavy rain that began around 11 am and continued with intensity for over an hour. While the downpour brought much-needed relief from the scorching summer heat, causing a drop of nearly 5 to 6 degrees Celsius in temperature, it also led to widespread waterlogging across several parts of the city. Dark clouds loomed over the city since early morning, with light drizzles observed around 9 am. However, by 11 am, the rain intensified, turning roads into streams and disrupting daily life. Several low-lying areas, including Kotu Chowk, near Satyanarayan Mandir, Mall Road, Kachahri Chowk, and the Jama Masjid Complex Market, reported water accumulation up to two feet. Commuters faced difficulties navigating waterlogged roads, and many households reported water seepage from rooftops. The rainfall exposed the inefficiency of the city’s drainage system, with the MC’s preparedness falling short yet again. Residents expressed frustration over the recurring issue of waterlogging during the monsoon season. Despite the chaos, the drop in temperature came as a welcome relief to locals who had been reeling under relentless heat for several weeks. — OC Gunfire at Dhilwan plaza as armed men refuse to pay toll Our Correspondent Phagwara, June 26 Panic gripped the Dhilwan toll plaza on the JalandharAmritsar national highway after four armed men opened fire after last midnight when asked to pay toll charges. No injuries were reported in the incident, but the toll plaza staff had a narrow escape. According to the police, the incident took place when a white Creta SUV without number plate approached Gate No. 3 of the toll plaza from the Jalandhar side. When toll plaza employee Jugraj Singh, a resident of Dhaniye Ke Bangar in Gurdaspur district, requested the occupants to pay the toll, the driver attempted to speed through the gate without making the payment. The toll staff quickly blocked the vehicle using barricades, forcing the driver to halt. At that point, all four occupants — one of whom was reportedly wearing a turban — stepped out of the vehicle. One of the men fired three or four rounds in the direction of the toll booth before they fled towards the Beas. Responding swiftly, the police arrived at the scene and secured CCTV footage from the toll plaza. SHO Dalwinderbir Singh confirmed the incident and said an FIR has been registered. “We have taken CCTV footage into our custody and launched an investigation. Efforts are underway to identify the accused,” SHO Singh said. BreakMarkets shut for 4 days Newly built road in Phagwara crumbles within weeks, Cong for Vigilance probe Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 26 All electrical shops in Phagwara Gate and surrounding markets, including Milap Chowk, Chahar Bagh and Bhagat Singh Chowk, will remain closed from June 26 to 29 as part of their annual summer holidays. The decision was announced by Amit Sehgal, president of the Phagwara Gate Electrical Dealers Association. “This is our annual summer break. Every year around this time, we voluntarily decide to shut operations for a few days so that shopkeepers and workers can get a brief rest from the intense heat,” he said. Phagwara Gate is one of the city’s busiest hubs for electrical goods, catering to contractors, retailers and consumers across Jalandhar and neighbouring districts. The four-day closure will bring the entire electrical market to a standstill, affecting both retail and wholesale customers. This is not an isolated closure. Several traditional markets in the city, including Mai Hiran Gate and Dilkusha, observe similar holidays during this period. Many traders use this time to travel with family or visit hill stations to escape the harsh summer. The atmosphere during such breaks is often likened to a curfew, with shuttered shops, empty lanes and little activity in otherwise crowded commercial areas. Trade associations across different sectors usually enforce such holidays collectively. In some markets, penalties are imposed on shopkeepers who attempt to open during the designated break. Customers have been advised to plan their purchases in advance. Sehgal urged clients to cooperate and understand the need for this coordinated break, which helps rejuvenate traders and ensures smoother operations ahead. The market will reopen on Monday, June 30, with regular business hours. c m y b Ashok Kaura Phagwara, June 26 A road recently constructed by the Phagwara MC between Katahera Chowk and Sindura Devi Chowk has begun to deteriorate within weeks of its completion, raising serious concerns about the quality of civic infrastructure and alleged corruption. In response, a group of Congress leaders, led by local MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal, visited the site to assess the situation and interacted with local residents. Residents informed Dhaliwal that the road, which was touted as part of the ongoing development initiatives by the MC authorities, is already showing signs of damage, with cracks and surface clearly visible. Upon inspection, the Congress leader confirmed the road’s poor condition and alleged the use of substandard construction materials. Accompanied by senior Congress councillors Sanjeev Bugga, Taranjit Singh Bunty Walia, Sushil Maini, and Jatinder Varmani, along with party members Gurjeet Pal Walia, Vinod Varmani, Mukesh Bhatia, Sanjeev Titu, Happy Dabar, and Dheeraj Ghai, MLA Dhaliwal strongly criti- cised the corporation’s handling of development projects. “The claims of development are merely hollow propaganda,” said Dhaliwal, adding that, “What we are witnessing is blatant misuse of public funds in the name of infrastructure development.” Congress leaders further pointed out that even the ward of Mayor Rampal Uppal is facing critical civic issues, including irregular water supply and unhygienic conditions in the drainage system. “If the Mayor cannot address the needs of his own ward, how can he be expected to oversee the city’s develop- ment?” questioned councillor Sanjeev Bugga. Bugga went on to allege a nexus between AAP leaders, councillors, and municipal officials, claiming that largescale corruption is being perpetrated under the guise of public works. “This road won’t even survive the first monsoon rain. It is a clear example of how the corporation’s funds, sourced from taxpayers’ money, are being looted with impunity,” he said. Calling for immediate action, MLA Dhaliwal demanded a Vigilance inquiry into the alleged scam.