15122025-JTR-01.qxd 12/14/2025 10:42 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune ELECTION DUTY TURNS FATAL FOR TEACHER COUPLE REVAMP NIGHT SHELTERS, PROVIDE WOOLLENS Stock and distribute winter essentials, ensure heating arrangements at public places. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 22°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 22°C | MIN 9°C VIN TEASES RONALDO’S ROLE IN FAST & FURIOUS GTU expressed deep sorrow over the tragic demise due to accident of the teacher duo and blames district admn Moga. P2 FORECAST Hollywood star Vin Diesel teased that footballer Cristiano Ronaldo may feature in the upcoming Fast & Furious film. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 5.26 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:19 AM » MONDAY | 15 DECEMBER 2025 | JALANDHAR Women show ink mark after casting their votes during Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections at village Dhadde in Jalandhar on Sunday. A physically challenged woman being helped by a volunteer at village Kukkad in Jalandhar. Pick-up and drop facility was provided by a BJP candidate for villagers at village Bambianwali in Jalandhar on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH 44.6% turnout in Jalandhar rural bodies poll Compared to 2018 poll, voter %age dips by 13 Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, December 14 As many as 44.6 per cent votes were polled in Jalandhar in the rural bodies elections on Sunday. This is 13 per cent lesser (57.56 per cent) compared to the turnout in the 2018 poll in Jalandhar. As many as 1,209 polling booths were set up for 21 zones of the Zila Parishad and 188 zones for 11 Block Samitis. Although polling was scheduled to end at 4 p.m., voting continued beyond the stipulated time in some areas as voters queued up at the last minute. Officials visited various booths throughout the day to review arrangements. Voter enthusiasm appeared subdued early in the day, with many booths wearing a deserted look until 11 am – many booths wore a deserted look as voting picked up mostly post afternoon. At a booth at village Dhadde, out of 1,700 votes, only 100 had been polled around 11 am today. Booths at villages Hazara and Johlan also remained mostly empty. While voting picked up at Kukkar Pind gradually, at village Bambianwali, the BJP booth witnessed a rush. While AAP maintained a decent booth presence on the ground, the BJP interestingly put up booths at most villages where The Tribune team visited. After the stand-off with farmers during the Delhi farm protests and the following opposition faced by the party in the state, the BJP has been working to increase its ground presence in the rural areas in all elections. After voting was concluded, Deputy Commissioner, Jalandhar, Dr Himanshu Aggarwal thanked the voters, poll and security staff, candidates and political parties for cooperation in organising free, fair and peaceful elections for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti in the district. The DC said elaborate arrangements were put in place to ensure that people do not face any problem in exercising their franchise. He said polling was peaceful and there was no report of any HIGHEST 52.69% VOTING IN LOHIAN KHAS Following 44.6 per cent voters exercising their franchise during the elections to Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti in Jalandhar, DC Dr Himanshu Aggarwal stated that 43.93 pc votes were cast in Jalandhar East, 44.04 pc in Adampur, 46.13 pc in Bhogpur, 43.57 pc in Jalandhar West, 52.69 pc in Lohian Khas, 45.76 pc in Mehatpur, 48.84 pc in Nurmahal, 41.45 pc in Phillaur, 49.06 pc in Shahkot, 43.76 pc in Rurka Kalan and 45.86 pc in Nakodar. REPOLL ORDERED IN BHOGPUR ■ A repoll was ordered in booth no. Villagers stand in a queue to vote during rural elections at a polling station in village Kukad in Jalandhar on Sunday. PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH untoward incident from any polling booth in the constituency. The DC said the administration had made elaborate security arrangements for polling and a large number of personnel both from civil and police were deployed for smooth and hassle-free conduct of polling on all 1,209 polling booths. Earlier in the day, Commissioner of Police Dhanpreet Kaur visited various booths. Speaking to mediapersons she said, “As many as 57 polling booths were set up within the commissionerate police’s jurisdiction, where category- wise deployments had been made. Barring this, 10 of our patrolling parties were on the job at various stations.” Meanwhile, the collection centre set up to keep the ballot boxes at Doaba College in Jalandhar was inspected by Election Observer Nayan. She said after voting, the ballot boxes were being kept under tight security at the collection centres. CCTV cameras had been installed for 24-hour surveillance of the ballot boxes and no one will be allowed to enter, she added. Counting of votes will begin on December 17 at 8 am. 72 of the Bhogpur Block Samiti (zone number 4) in Jalandhar after an error was spotted in the ballot papers on the booth. ■ The DC said, “The repoll has been ordered on our own recommendation. Some mistake in ballot was found and on the report of Returning Officer (RO), repoll was recommended.” ■ Senior officials said a printing error in the ballot paper was observed following which the issue was brought to the notice of the administration by the RO, following which immediate cognizance was taken and a repoll on the booth was sought by the administration from the SEC. ■ Repoll will be held on the booth on December 16 and counting on December 17. A cop helps a physically challenged voter at village Kukkad. SARABJIT SINGH 47.8% cast vote in Nawanshahr Kapurthala witnesses 45.2% polling Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, December 14 The voting for the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections was held today across the district in a peaceful manner, with 47.8 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the Nawanshahr. The polling process was carried out under tight security arrangements to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. Polling parties were dispatched a day earlier from Nawanshahr, Balachaur and Banga to their polling sta- tions. Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Avneet Kaur stated that all preparations were made well in advance and the election process concluded smoothly. Adequate security arrangements were in place at all polling stations to maintain law and order throughout the day. In the district, elections were held for 10 Zila Parishad zones and 82 Panchayat Samiti zones, covering 466 gram panchayats. A total of 462 polling stations and 633 polling booths were set up to facilitate 4,17,240 voters, including 2,16,395 male, 2,00,836 female and 9 thirdgender voters. Voters who came to cast votes in different villages said tthey wanted winning candidates to work diligently in their respective areas. “People generally don’t vote in these elections, thinking that these are not important, but I want to tell them that these elections are important and the elected candidates should also work properly,” a voter said. Tribune News Service Jalandhar/Phagwara, December 14 The voting for the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections in Kapurthala district was completed peacefully on Sunday. As much as 45.2 per cent cast vote for 10 Zila Parishad zones and five Block Samitis across 88 zones till 4 pm in the district. District Election Officer-cumDeputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal said the voting process was peaceful across the district. The poll percentage in Kapurthala was down by 16 per cent, compared to the Zila Parishad polls in Kaputhala in September 2018, which witnessed 61.63 per cent voting. Informing about the further electoral process, the Kapurthala DC said counting of votes for the panchayat polls will be held on December 17. The District Election Officer thanked the voters, election staff and security forces for the peaceful voting and said the process remained smooth with the cooperation of hundreds of staff on poll duty. Throughout the voting, officials toured the booths across the district to review polls and ensure smooth conduct of the electoral process. Additional Deputy Commissioner, Development, Varinderpal Singh Bajwa visited polling booths of Ucha and Fattu Dhinga, Returning Officercum-SDM Irwin Kaur visited various villages of the Kapurthala constituency and Returning Officercum-SDM, Sultanpur Lodhi, Alka Kalia visited booths of Sultanpur Lodhi and reviewed the election process. SSP Gaurav Toora visited various polling booths in the district and reviewed the security arrangements. He said the election process in the district remained peaceful amid deputation of heavy police force and stringent security arrangements. Woman sexually abused by guard One killed in blast at PHAGWARA, DECEMBER 14 A case of alleged sexual exploitation has come to light in Sultanpur Lodhi where a woman has accused a security guard of luring, coercing and exploiting her after she visited a government facility for official work. The police have registered a case and arrested the accused, officials said. According to a complaint, the woman, a resident of Sultanpur Lodhi rural area, stated that the incident traces back to July 2022 when she visited the Suvidha Centre at Sultanpur Lodhi for per- sonal work. At the centre, a man, later identified as Shinderpal Singh, resident of Kabirpur village, was working as a security guard. His duty involved making entries of visitors in the register. The complainant alleged that the guard recorded her details in the register, including her mobile phone number. She claimed that after this, the accused began calling her repeatedly and gradually drew her into conversations, gaining her trust. Over time, she alleged, he manipu- lated and pressured her, eventually coercing her into situations against her will. In her statement to the police, the woman further alleged that the accused forcibly took objectionable photographs and videos of her and later circulated these, causing her mental trauma. She said the continued harassment and fear of the material being misused left her under severe psychological pressure. Police officials confirmed that the accused has been arrested. — OC scrap warehouse Jalandhar, December 14 Panic gripped the Santokhpura area after a powerful blast took place at a scrap warehouse today. The explosion claimed the life of one person on the spot and two were left injured. According to information, the blast was so intense that it was heard by almost everyone in the locality, creating fear among local residents. Upon hearing the explosion, people in the area informed the police. A police team reached the c m y b spot soon after receiving the information and began investigating the incident. The SHO also arrived at the scene and took charge of the investigation. “We are trying to ascertain the exact cause of the blast for which we have also called forensic team,” he said. The councillor from Ward number 76 also reached and said he could hear the blast sound even when his house was a km away from the spot.— TNS A scrap warehouse after a powerful blast in Santokhpura area, Jalandhar, on Sunday.