02012026-JTR-01.qxd 1/1/2026 11:14 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune PUNJAB GOVT’S EFFIGY BURNT OVER ARREST OF LABOUR LEADER Leaders of various organisations said Mukesh Malaud had been leading a lawful and democratic struggle. P2 » JALANDHAR’S GIRL CRICKETERS BAT AGAINST ODDS Construction at practice ground can’t bowl out coach Sharandeep Kaur’s mission to nurture budding stars.P3 » THE RISE OF BOLLYWOOD'S ACTION QUEENS High-octane stunts, raw grit & franchise power signal a new era of women taking charge of action in 2026. P4 » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 14°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 13°C | MIN 10°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5.36 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 7:26 AM FRIDAY | 2 JANUARY 2026 | JALANDHAR Three brothers of Ludhiana die as payobeisanceathits their|Friendhurt vehicle NainaDevitemple bike Were going to Our Correspondent Garhshankar, January 1 Three brothers lost their lives while their friend was seriously injured after their motorcycle was hit by an unidentified vehicle on the Garhshankar–Sri Anandpur Sahib road near village Boda in the early hours of the morning. The victims were on their way to pay obeisance at the Mata Naina Devi shrine in Himachal Pradesh to mark the New Year. According to the police, four youths were on a motorcycle when the accident occurred around 3.30 am under the jurisdiction of Garhshankar police station. The impact of the collision was severe, resulting in the death of Rinku (30), Dharmender (28) and Lakhwinder (15) on the spot. Their friend Anshu (16) sustained serious injuries and was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Garhshankar, from where he was referred to a hospital in Ludhiana due to his critical condition. Rajesh Kumar, father of deceased Lakhwinder, said they were residents of Malhotra Colony, Ludhiana, and had left home on a motorcycle without a registration number to visit the shrine. “Rinku’s engagement talks had recent- ly begun. Losing all three together has destroyed our family,” he said, breaking down. The grieving mother of the youths was inconsolable and unable to speak. On receiving information, Garhshankar police personnel reached the spot and shifted the injured youth to a hospital. The police took possession of the bodies and the damaged motorcycle and sent the bodies to the Civil Hospital, Garhshankar, for the post-mortem examination. SHO Gagandeep Singh Sekhon said the police were investigating the incident and efforts were on to identify the unknown vehicle and its driver. “Strict legal action will be taken once the vehicle involved is identified. After post-mortem, the bodies will be handed over to the family,” he said. Celebrate ’26 as river conservation year: Seechewal Girl dies of suffocation from gas geyser leak Phagwara, January 1 Environmentalist and Rajya Sabha member Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal has urged everyone to dedicate 2026 to the conservation of natural resources, with a focus on river preservation. He emphasised that Punjab’s glorious history is tied to its five rivers, or ‘Panj Aab,’ which are an integral part of the region’s culture, identity, and heritage. Seechewal called on the people to make 2026 a year of revival and protection of their rivers and water resources. He particularly highlighted the deteriorating condition of the Budha dariya, which has become a cause for concern not only for Punjab but also for the neighbouring state of Rajasthan. He stressed that the pollution of rivers is not only causing environmental crisis, but is also posing a threat to climate stability and human life. Seechewal said, “We must treat our rivers with the respect they deserve as they are not just natural resources, but symbol of our cultural and historical heritage.” He urged the people to join hands and take collective action to clean and protect their rivers. — OC Tribune News Service 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. Army veteran, father injured in accident Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, January 1 A man, who was returning home after retiring from the Army after 16 years of service in Jammu, and his father were seriously injured in a collision with a vehicle near the Maruti agency on the MahilpurGarhshankar road. Both drivers blame each other for the mishap, probe on Showers greet Jalandhar on the New Year morning. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH The damaged motorcycle at the accident site; and (below) the grieving mother of the deceased. Jalandhar, January 1 In a tragic incident, a 22year-old girl lost her life by getting asphyxiated because of the gas geyser installed in her washroom on the New Year eve. The daughter of Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kamboj, Munmun passed away just a day before her birthday. Munmun had gone to take bath at her place in the Mitha Bazaar locality. A fault occurred in the pipe of the geyser. She inhaled the leaked carbon The police suspect that the motorcycle may have been hit by a tipper as gravel was found scattered at the accident site. However, officials said the monoxide gas and fell unconscious. Since she did not come out of the washroom for long and did not respond to the knocks at the door, the family broke open the door and found her lying inside. Munmun was rushed to a hospital but was declared brought dead. The celebrations in the family due to New Year and her birthday turned into a tragedy. Last year in Laroyi village of Bhogpur too, two sisters had died of gas leak from geyser in a similar way. exact cause would be confirmed only after investigation. CCTV footages from nearby areas was being examined to trace the vehicle involved. According to information, Gurdev Singh, a resident of Dhola, who is receiving treatment at the Civil Hospital, Mahilpur, stated that he was returning in his car with his son Gurjit Singh, who had retired after 16 years of service in the Army. When they reached the location, the driver of a Scorpio vehicle ahead of them suddenly turned the vehicle and their car collided with it, injuring both of them. The Scorpio driver, Harbalraj Singh Raja, a resident of Langheri, stated that he was returning with his family after collecting medicine from a private hospital in Hoshiarpur, and as soon as turned his vehicle towards his village, the car behind him collided with his vehicle. The Mahilpur police station is conducting further investigations. New Year rain brings cheer to wheat farmers in district Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 1 The rainfall on the first day of the New Year brought muchneeded relief and cheer to wheat farmers in Jalandhar district, who were earlier worried about the possible frost injury to their crops. Agricultural experts and farmers said the rain had proved beneficial for the standing wheat crop, especially at this crucial growth stage. Around 1.73 lakh hectares of wheat have been sown across the district this season. According to Chief Agriculture Officer Jaswinder Singh, the rainfall has helped avert potential damage caused by frost. “Frost injury could have slowed the crop’s growth and damaged plant cells as frost freezes the moisture inside the plants. The rainfall has prevented that risk and is beneficial for wheat,” he said. Farmers across villages echoed similar sentiments. Tarsem Singh, a farmer from Uggi village, who has sown wheat on 15 acres, said the rain brought happiness. “This rain was much-needed for the wheat crop. When it rained, it gave me immense joy. The New Year has begun well for us,” he said. From Lohian, farmer Kulwinder Singh, who cultivates Traffic chaos grips city on New Year Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January 1 As the locals went out to be part of New Year events, there remained chaos on the roads till late night. Several roads in the city remained jammed even past midnight as people had been going back home at almost the same time after attending parties and hanging out with family and friends. At Eastwood village, where a large crowd had gathered to celebrate the occasion, bouncers had to be deployed to handle the hooligans. At a resort where the party had been arranged by students of a private university, everything got wrapped up by 11 pm as there was a tiff between the organisers and guests. The angry guests, who had paid an entry fee and even for food and other services at the resort, went live on social media to express their grouse. Cops too remained on guard all night. All those who had been using sky roof of their cars and were peeping out through it were told to sit back and not take the risk. The bikers who were indulging in triple riding or not wearing helmets too were stopped and challaned. Since the tables at most good eateries had been booked in advance, many couples did not get a chance to enjoy the food of their choice. “We had planned to go for fine dining at a newly opened restaurant but we were told that it was booked. We went to a popular fastfood joint but there was no place to sit there either. We finally went back and ordered pizzas and pasta. Even home delivery was too slow last evening”, fumed Parminder Sahni, a Model Town resident. wheat on 20 acres, said the amount of rainfall was ideal. “This much rain is good for wheat. More than this could be harmful. If there had been no rain, the leaves might have turned yellow,” he said. Another farmer Subeg Singh from Dhogri village said the rain had refreshed the crop. “The dryness has gone, the crop looks clean and healthy, and we are happy,” he said. Agriculture officials said if the weather remained stable in the coming days, the rain was expected to support healthy crop growth and improve yield prospects for wheat farmers in the region. Drugs seized from four Hoshiarpur, January 1 The police have recovered narcotics from various locations and apprehended four accused. The police of Bullowal apprehended an accused during a patrol in the area and recovered banned tablets from him. The accused has been identified as Rinkle of Nasrala. Meanwhile, the police of Garhshankar arrested Pawan of Balachaur and Naresh Kumar of Banga, and recovered 12 bottles of liquor. Further, the Mukerian police apprehended Aman Gill of Khanpur, and recovered banned tablets from him.— OC From Amritsar to world stage Purnima’s journey with Harivallabh Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, January1 As a child, she used to come to attend the Harivallabh Sammelan with her father by bus from Amritsar. Begum Akhtar was her father’s ‘muh-boli’ (sworn) sister. Though she explored sitar and vocals in her early years, life eventually steered her toward the demanding role of a businesswoman. Yet, the spirit of classical music remained deeply ingrained in her. The face of the Harivallabh Mahasabha for decades, Purnima Beri, president, Harivallabh Sangeet Mahasabha and MD of Leader Valves has been serving the mahasabha since the 1990s (first as a general secretary, now president) and bears testimony to dramatic changes the world’s oldest classical music festival has witnessed in the trying times we live in. Her tenure is marked by passionate tributes to the festival’s former head Ashwini Kumar, changing festival’s name from Harballabh to Harivallabh, and a commitment that the event remains apolitical. Reflecting on her association, Beri says: “My bond with Harivallabh is very strong — it’s like marrying off three daughters every year, since the festival spans three days. I’ve been associated with it since 1990s, except for a fouryear sabbatical due to a family tragedy. As a child in Amritsar, my father Balbir Chand Mehra was a classical music connoisseur, proficient in bansuri, tabla, and vocals. My bua lived in Jalandhar and father was also general secretary of the Raga Sabha, Amritsar, a 135-year-old organisation hosted at the Durgiana Temple. So, from childhood, it was a great treat — we attended the Raga Sabha there and Harivallabh here. Most performers visited both - Pt Omkar Nath Thakur, Pt Bhimsen Joshi, Pt Ravishankar.” On taking responsibility, she recalls: “Before me, many people were involved through our company (Leader Valves) with Ashwini Kumarji. The locals have always been the strongest supporters of the Sammelan — names like Alok Sondhi’s father Balbir Raj Sondhi, Vijay Sehgal and c m y b Advocate KL Jain. We’ve had presidents like Vijay Chopra, under whom the Harivallabh rule book was drafted. It outlined concepts and dos and don’ts. Recently, we amended it to keep Harivallabh apolitical. Service to music is our only aim.” On the challenge to run Harivallabh, she says, “Since it’s my passion, I find it easy. But there’s many nitty-gritties involved. One has to see the accounts are clear, there’s no hanky-panky. People in my organisation get irritated with me because I try to be a perfectionist. But to move along with everyone one has to come down to their level or they have to come up to yours. By the grace of God, we have a very good team Rakesh Thapar, Ricky and Ashu Singla and Ajimalji are our backbone.” Funds have lately been a constant issue, “Money has been a very important part. Sometimes our advertisement isn’t good enough. It doesn’t ring a bell with ministers that there’s something called Harivallabh. When they come and see it, they realise it’s something different and needs their support. But we’ve been advised by lot many people not to make it a government-run organi- sation. Because then, things won’t happen. It’s because of the passion of Jalandhar people that we’re able to continue. We have generous sponsors. Earlier, artistes didn’t charge, performed for free and stayed in people’s homes. There were no hotels. In the early 50s-60s Harivallabh was considered a festival of India. Members did door to door collections from Rainak bazar traders - Rs 10, 20, 100,” she said. “Shortfalls were fixed by politicians or patrons. But the era has changed, now artistes need money. Especially, since what happened to some big artistes in recent times - they didn’t have money to go to the hospital. So people realise, whatever you may do, without finances, running things isn’t possible.” On the hopes from governments in 2026, she says, “Some funds have been announced this year so far (2025), we’re making a pro- posal for the auditorium among other needs and funds have also come in from the state government. Our aim is Harivallabh must again be deemed a festival of India. We have also started sending reminders to everyone to send in the funds announced.” On festival’s legacy: “People who were working earlier, unfortunately, did not keep any record with them whatsoever. The whole land from Doaba college to this (Devi Talab) was donated to Baba Harivallabh by Kanwar Bikrama Singh of Kapurthala. Formerly it was Baba Harivallabh’s land and the Devi Talab Temple was also built by Ashwini Kumar’s mother. Now Babaji is only left with a little samadhi. I’ve tried searching for Baba ji’s tanpura (stringed, wooden musical instrument) and khadaun (wooden slippers) which were earlier kept at the samdhi and were taken to Patiala. But have been been unable to find them.”