11092025-JTR-01.qxd 9/10/2025 11:23 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SERVICES AT SEWA KENDRA HIT AFTER CEILING COLLAPSES EIGHT YEARS OF HEALING THE HELPLESS AT KAPOOR TRUST JIMMY FALLON TRIES BHANGRA WITH SINGER KARAN AUJLA A large portion of false ceiling collapsed at the Sewa Kendra of the Tehsil complex during the recent spell of heavy rain. P2 Lala Ram Kishore Kapoor Viklang Sahayta Trust provides medical services to the underprivileged on subsidised rates. P3 The Punjabi singer made sure to take ‘desi vibes’ to the world stage as he appeared on American television. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 24°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.38 PM » SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:10 AM THURSDAY | 11 SEPTEMBER 2025 | JALANDHAR HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your health-related queries. Please mail your questions (not exceeding 40 words) at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your healthrelated concerns. 5-year-old boy abducted, Over 800 houses damaged in Jalandhar, its periphery murdered, accused held Tribune News Service Sanjiv Bakshi INBRIEF CAR, BIKE GUTTED AT PHAGWARA Phagwara: A major fire was reported at the residence of Rachna in Vishwakarma Colony, Pallahi Road, Phagwara, late last night following a suspected short-circuit. The fire quickly spread, completely gutting a car and a motorcycle parked inside the premises. No loss of human life was reported, though household materials also sustained damage. The authorities have initiated an assessment of the losses caused by the blaze. OC LIGHTNING STRIKES KILN Phagwara: A high-velocity lightning struck the chimney of a brick kiln owned by Ravikant Agarwal, leaving it badly damaged in village Bundala near Phagwara.The strike caused a 10 to 12-foot-long crack in the chimney. Additionally, several sheds at the kiln collapsed and electronic equipment was burnt. Ravikant said he was present on-site on the night of the strike when he suddenly heard a loud blast. On rushing outside, he discovered the extensive damage caused by the lightning strike. OC BID TO BREAK OPEN GATE Phagwara: Panic gripped the Model Town locality here after midnight when three masked youths, armed with sharp-edged weapons, attempted to break open the main gate of a house in the colony. The suspects created chaos outside the residence, attacking the gate with weapons before fleeing the scene in a dramatic, film-style escape. The entire incident was captured on CCTV cameras installed outside the house and has since gone viral on social media.It has shocked residents as Model Town is considered one of the most secured and posh areas of the city. OC YOUTH CONG BURNS PM EFFIGY Jalandhar: Punjab Youth Congress burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here to protest against the betrayal of Punjab by the Centre in this time of crisis. Addressing a gathering, Angad Dutta, secretary, Punjab Youth Congress, said, "Modi government has insulted Punjab by announcing only ~1,600 crore as interim relief." oc MAN FOUND DEAD ON ROADSIDE Phagwara: A 30-year-old man was found dead on a roadside in Kapurthala on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as Imam Hussain, a resident of Chitti village in Jalandhar. The body was first spotted by a passerby near Aujla Jogi village on the road leading to Dhariwal Dona. The police reached the spot and shifted the body to the Civil Hospital mortuary. DSP Deepkaran Singh said investigation points towards an old enmity as the motive behind the killing. oc Hoshiarpur, September 10 A shocking incident came to light from the New Deep Nagar locality here where a 5year-old boy, who had been missing since last night, was found murdered. The child’s body was recovered today from the crematory in Rahimpur. The police have arrested a migrant labourer in connection with the heinous crime. According to SSP Sandeep Kumar Malik, Harbir was reported missing yesterday evening from New Deep Nagar. Following the complaint by the family, the police launched a search operation. CCTV footage from the locality revealed suspicious activity, in which a Harbir man was seen taking along the child on an Activa. From the footage, the police traced the owner of the Activa and he confirmed that a migrant labourer working with him had taken his Activa, leading to the identification and arrest of the suspect late last night. The accused was heavily drunk. During interrogation, the accused confessed to kidnapping and killing the child under the influence of intoxicants. He also revealed the location where the body had been dumped. Acting on his disclosure, the police recovered the child’s body from the cremation ground behind the local Sabji Mandi. The family of the victim had come to Hoshiarpur from a Phagwara village two months ago. SSP Malik, who visited the crime scene, confirmed that the investigation is being conducted with utmost seriousness. “The accused, whose name could be confirmed as Yadav, a migrant labourer from Bihar, was in an inebriated state at the time of the crime. We have registered a case under relevant sections, and the accused has been arrested. He will be produced in a court at the earliest and we will ensure that he receives the strictest possible punishment,” said the SSP . According to the police, the accused also has some previous cases againt him and he had come out of the jail sometime ago. MLA Brahm Shankar Jimpa said the tragic incident has sent shockwaves through the local community. This brutal act has brought to the fore the need for stricter regulation and monitoring of migrants. He asked police officials and advocates to ensure swift trial of the case and that the accused gets death sentence. Jalandhar, September 10 Over 800 houses have got damaged in the city and its periphery in the past few weeks due to rain and flooding. Of these 85 houses have got partially or fully damaged in the city while 200 in Nakodar and 80 in Phillaur. Officials of the Revenue Department have been making assessments of the damage so that the affected families could be compensated. Horticulture and Defence Services Welfare Minister Mohinder Bhagat on Wednesday directed revenue officials to ensure proper verification of claims of damaged houses due to incessant rain and floods, stressing that no affected family should be left without aid from the government. Chairing a meeting with officials at the District Administrative Complex, Bhagat instructed patwaris to visit every applicant who has lodged claims of house damage and complete timely verification. Meanwhile, Chairman of the District Planning Committee Amritpal Singh also directed patwaris to ensure prompt verification of every damaged house, adding that the government has already announced compensation for affected families and none should be left out. Education officer motivates Life slowly returns to normal in mand flood-hit kids to attend school Ashok Kaura Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 10 Children displaced by the recent floods in Dhakka Basti village from Lohian block, Shahkot, are hoping to return to school. Teachers and education officials have been visiting the makeshift settlements on the bundh to motivate them. With their homes submerged and Government Primary School in Dhakka Basti completely underwater, the students are now living under tarpaulin shelters on the bundh. The Education Department has arranged for these students to attend classes at Government School in Mundi Kasu. On Tuesday, Block Primary Education Officer (BPEO), Lohian, visited the bundh, urging parents to send their children back to school. Children from Dhakka Basti, who study at the Government Middle School, Mundi Cholian, also missed their school today. Although their school building remains undamaged, many students are displaced and unable to concentrate on their studies, Girls from Dhakka Basti flood-affected village live on the bundh in Lohian, Shahkot in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH and some are living at the relatives’ place. Kulwinder Singh, head teacher at Government Middle School, has taken it upon himself to visit the bundh every day, motivating students to resume their education. “Examinations are scheduled to begin next week,” said Singh. “The students can’t study properly in these conditions, so I’ve been urging them to return to school so we can help them prepare.” Despite the relentless efforts of dedicated teachers like Singh, the trauma of displacement and ongoing hardships continue to pose challenge. Phagwara, September 10 After more than a month of devastation, life in the mand region is cautiously inching back to normal as flood waters from the Beas begin to recede. The falling water level has brought much-needed relief to villagers who had been battling flood fury for over 30 days. Where boats once ferried relief supplies, tractors are now making their way into villages, delivering aid directly at people’s doorsteps. For many families, this marks a significant step toward recovery. Cooking fires that had long gone cold have been rekindled, signalling a return of daily life. On Wednesday morning, Rajya Sabha MP and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal drove to Baupur village to distribute food and supplies, something impossible just days earlier when flood waters cut off the access. Villagers have also begun returning with their cattle, determined to rebuild their homes and lives. Despite the receding waters, the damage is overwhelming. Vast stretches of farmland lie ruined. Farmer leader Kuldeep Tractors make their way into villages, delivering aid directly at people’s doorsteps. Singh Sangra, who has witnessed multiple floods over decades — from 1988 to 2023 — described this year’s disaster as unprecedented. According to him, nearly 3,500 acres of paddy fields across 16-17 villages have been destroyed, wiping out what was the most profitable crop for farmers in the region. Though some low-lying areas of the Mand still remain under one or two feet of stagnant water, residents have begun salvaging what they can, spreading household goods out in the sun to dry. Beas level recedes The water level in the Beas has receded to 65,000 cusecs, prompting the district administration to speed up efforts for the rehabilitation of the affected people. DC Amit Kumar Panchal, chairing a meeting with officials today, said the district administration is committed to ensuring the health and safety of people as flood waters recede. Strict instructions have already been issued to the Health Department to maintain vigil. The DC directed officials of the PWD and Mandi Board to immediately survey the flood-affected areas and carry out urgent repair of damaged roads to ensure smooth transportation for residents. Work begins on plugging breach in Sutlej bundh MLA Arora’s remand Erosion at three locations in the dhussi bundh was reported in the wee hours on Tuesday in Burj Tehal Das village, Nawanshahr. After the incident, the local administration and villagers reached the site early Tuesday morning to assess the situation and managed the situation on time. Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, September 10 Repair work on a crack in the embankment of the Sutlej near village Burj Tahil Das is ongoing, with efforts being made to construct a protective ring bundh to prevent any damage. The operation is being carried out under the supervision of the Army, in coordination with district administration officials and local villagers, who are working together to control the flow of water towards the embankment. DC Ankurjeet Singh stated that in addition to sealing the crack, spurs are also being constructed to protect surrounding agricultural land from any potential harm. He confirmed that the situation is under control, and both Army and villagers are efficiently carrying out the repair and reinforcement work. Villagers to plug breaches at Sultanpur Lodhi Villagers, Army jawans and police personnel work to strengthen dhussi bundh at Burj Tehal Dass in Nawanshahr. TRIBUNE PHOTO : MALKIAT SINGH “No damage has occurred to the nearby farmland so far due to the crack,” said the DC. “To further strengthen the embankment and prevent erosion during high water flow, a ring bundh is being constructed using heavy machinery.” He added that the district c m y b administration is closely monitoring the condition of the Sutlej embankment across the district and urged residents not to panic. With water finally beginning to recede in flood-affected villages across Sutnapur Lodhi, villagers’ prime focus is now ensuring the protection of the advance bundhs - many of which have developed gaping breaches during the floods which ravaged over 100 villages in Kapurthala. While many visitors, celebrities and citizens made rounds to the villages to pour in supplies, villagers said the real task begins now for which they need help. extended for 3 days Tribune News Service Jalandhar, September 10 Having been re-arrested by the police in an alleged case of extortion, the remand of AAP Jalandhar Central MLA Raman Arora was extended by three more days on Wednesday. Arora had been brought by the Rama Mandi police on production remand from Nabha jail on September 5 on the day he was ordered to be released by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. He had been kept behind bars for nearly threeand-a-half months since his arrest by the Vigilance Bureau in May this year. On September 5, the local court ordered his three-day police remand. He was produced in the court on Sunday and again sent to three more days of remand. While in remand, he has taken to a Amritsar hospital owing to illhealth. As the doctors declared him fine, he was brought back on Monday. The police pleaded in the court today that since he was unwell for the last few days and details of his likely property in HP was still to be investigated, they required his custody for more days. The court again ordered his police remand for three days.