13042026-JTR-01.qxd 4/12/2026 10:44 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune MITHAPUR WOMAN BUILDS MARKET FOR SOYA-BASED NUTRITION STRENGTHEN VIGILANCE AND PROMOTE SPORTS ASHA BHOSLE’S LEGACY WILL LIVE ON THROUGH HER SONGS 50-year-old Sarabjit Kaur is transforming local food habits with her innovative range of soya and peanut-based products. P2 Ensure police accountability for drug activity and conduct workshops, peer-led discussions regularly.P3 Her contribution to the world of playback singing transcends scholarly analysis. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.54 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:01 AM MONDAY | 13 APRIL 2026 | JALANDHAR Released from Russian jail, 3 youths back home 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. Trio from Jalandhar, Mohali & Tarn Taran thanks MP Seechewal Ashok Kaura INBRIEF MAN KILLED IN BIKE ACCIDENT Hoshiarpur: A man was killed after being hit by a speeding motorcycle in the Mehtiana area. The deceased has been identified as Gurdev Singh of Ahrana Khurd. A complaint was lodged by his son Gurdeep Singh. He stated that his father had gone out on his Activa (PB07 AJ-8377) to buy milk. While crossing the GT Road, a motorcycle (PB-10 JP-7258) at high speed hit him. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The police have arrested the accused Jatin, son of Manjit Singh, a resident of PAU campus, Ludhiana. OC 3 EX-OFFICERS BOOKED Hoshiarpur: In a case related to the Water Resources Department, complainant Davinder Singh alleged that a false completion certificate was issued, causing heavy financial loss to the government. During investigation, Harjinder Singh Mann, retired XEN, Amarjit Singh Virdi, retired SDO, Swaran Singh Virk, retired JE and contractor Gurinder Singh were found allegedly involved in the irregularity. The police have registered a case and initiated further investigation. OC FOUR NABBED IN ANTI-DRUG DRIVE Schools in Jalandhar received messages, flagging “missing” online attendance on Saturday. Goof-up: Schools get ‘missing attendance’ alerts on holiday Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 12 In an administrative goof-up that left teachers baffled, several government schools across Jalandhar received message alerts, flagging “missing” online attendance on Saturday, despite it being an officially declared holiday. “It is noted that the schools have not marked the attendance of any classes on April 11. Hence, kindly mark the attendance at the earliest,” read the alert sent through the department’s digital system, prompting concern among the school authorities. A government school teacher said,“The second Saturday of the month is a scheduled holiday where classes remain off. We were surprised to receive such messages on a non-working day when no classes were conducted. At first, it created panic as attendance compliance was taken very seriously, but it soon became clear that it was a system error.” Several institutions, including School of Eminence on Ladowali road; Government High School, Mao Sahib, and Government Middle School, Mundi Cholian, confirmed receiving the alerts. Teachers here pointed out that the issue appeared to stem from a technical glitch in the attendance tracking system, which failed to account for the holiday schedule. Kulwinder Singh, district president of the Democratic Teachers Front, said, “Classes were off due to the second Saturday. Despite this, the Education Department sent messages, asking schools to mark attendance for classes that were not held.” The incident comes amid the government’s push for digitisation in schools under Mission Samarth 4.0. As part of the initiative, teachers are required to mark daily attendance through the mStar app, enabling parents to receive SMS alerts if their child is absent from class. While the system aims to improve transparency and accountability, the glitch has exposed gaps in its implementation. Educators say such errors not only create unnecessary panic, but also add to their administrative burden. Ready for golden yield Tribune News Service 60 BOTTLES OF LIQUOR SEIZED MANY NAMED IN ~32L FRAUD Phagwara: The police have expedited their investigation into a ~32 lakh cheque fraud case, naming multiple accused. The case was registered following a complaint filed by Karanbir Singh, resident of Green Land Colony, Hadiabad, who alleged that a group of individuals dishonestly obtained a cheque for ~32 lakh through fraudulent means. oc Environmentalist and MP Balbir Singh Seechewal with a youth, who has returned from Russia. 22 DAYS LIKE 22 CENTURIES: ASHOK in ❝The 22 daysIspentlostdetentionofwas equivalent to 22 centuries. had all hope rescue. We were provided minimal food - just enough to survive and were subjected to harsh treatment, including electric shocks Ashok Kumar, RUSSIA RETURNEE ❞ awake, and that he still feels lingering effects, suggesting possible administration of unknown substances. Ashok revealed that he had travelled to Moscow on January 19 after paying approximately ~3 lakh to a travel agent, who had promised a monthly salary of ~90,000–~1 lakh, along with accommodation, meals, and a one-year job guarantee. However, upon arrival, these assurances proved false. After working for nearly two months, when salary payment was due on March 20, the company owner reportedly handed him and his colleagues over to the police on the night of March 13. During detention, he survived for seven days solely on water. He also claimed that nearly 100 Indians are still confined in a major Russian prison under similar circumstances. Seechewal has urged the youth to remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to fraudulent travel agents. He emphasised the importance of engaging only licensed and registered agents for overseas employment. He also warned that, in some cases, agents exploit individuals abroad by holding them captive and extorting money from their families through coercion. He reiterated that while seeking opportunities abroad is not wrong, it must be pursued through legal and verified channels. Ashok’s family had approached Sant Seechewal on March 29. Following his intervention and with the support from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ashok safely returned to India on April 1. Engineer degrees go missing in transit, consumer panel pulls up, fines DTDC Hoshiarpur: The police have intensified their anti-drug campaign across the district. A police team apprehended Arun Kumar, alias Mangu, from Deep Nagar and recovered 35 intoxicating tablets from his possession. In another case, Kashmir Singh, alias Sheera, of Denowal Khurd was arrested near a cremation ground in Garhshankar and recovered 310 gram of intoxicating substance. Similarly, Jaspreet Singh, alias Jashan, of Salempur was caught in Tanda while allegedly consuming drugs. In Dasuya, Abhay from Mahajan Mohalla was held with a syringe near a bus stand. OC Hoshiarpur: Acting on a tip-off, a team led by ASI Balvir Singh raided a shop at Piplawala in the Model Town area and arrested Satpal. During a search, 60 bottles of whisky were recovered. The accused failed to produce any valid licence or permit. A case under the Excise Act has been registered and further investigation is underway. oc Phagwara, April 12 The incidents of fraud involving the youth seeking employment abroad continue to surface. Lured by promises of a better future, many travel overseas only to face exploitation, non-payment of wages and, in extreme cases, unlawful detention. A similar case recently emerged from Russia, where three youths from Punjab were jailed. They have now safely returned to India due to timely intervention. The youths belong to Jalandhar, Mohali, and Tarn Taran districts. One of them, Ashok Kumar from Nakodar, visited Nirmal Kutiya in Sultanpur Lodhi to express gratitude to MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal for his efforts in securing their release and safe return. Sharing his ordeal, Ashok Kumar described the 22 days spent in detention as “equivalent to 22 centuries.” He stated that he had lost all hope of rescue during that time. According to him, prisoners were provided minimal food — just enough to survive — and were allegedly subjected to harsh treatment, including electric shocks. He further alleged that the food served in jail caused extreme drowsiness within 30 minutes of consumption, making it difficult to stay Following a wet spell, farmers examine grain quality in standing wheat crop near Jalandhar on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Jalandhar, April 12 In a glaring case of service failure, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has held DTDC Express guilty of deficiency in service after a courier consignment containing personal belongings, certificates and critical work notes of a city engineer went missing for over a year. The case was filed by Rajat Sharma, a software engineer working in Hyderabad, and his father Rajnish Kumar, residents of Preet Nagar in Jalandhar. In October 2022, Rajat had sent a 9.5 kg parcel through DTDC from Hyderabad to his home in Jalandhar while shifting as airline baggage limits prevented him from carrying all his belongings. The parcel contained his professional certificates, trophies and a notebook with sensitive work-related data along with some personal items. Despite repeated follow-ups, the consignment was never delivered. Shockingly, nearly a year later, the company even sent an automated message claiming the parcel was “out for delivery”, but it never actually reached his home, indicating a false delivery. The complainant argued that the loss went far beyond material value, stating that the missing documents and notes were important to his professional growth and future opportunities. He sought Rs 90 lakh as compensation for mental agony and career-related losses. Coming down firmly on the courier firm, the commission also flagged prominent gaps in the complainant’s case. It noted that although photographs of the items were submitted, there were no bills or concrete proof to establish their value or confirm that all listed items were actually handed over to the courier. The booking receipt, issued by DTDC, mentioned the declared value of the consignment as only Rs 10,000, far lower than the Rs 49,500 later claimed. In the absence of supporting evidence, the commission declined to accept the higher valuation. However, holding DTDC negligent on the basis of booking records and tracking reports showing the repeated “out for delivery” status without actual delivery, it directed the company to pay Rs 10,000 as the declared value of the parcel, along with Rs 10,000 as compensation for mental harassment. Move to shift ‘surplus’ school staff draws teachers’ ire Man held with heroin Under new norms, number of teachers in middle schools to depend on how many students are enrolled near Civil Hospital Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, April 12 Instead of filling vacant posts in government schools, the Punjab School Education Department’s move to reshuffle middle school teachers to address the staff crisis has drawn sharp criticism from educators in Jalandhar. They say the step will not only fail to resolve the severe staff crisis, but also harm students’ holistic development. As per an official notification issued by the Directorate of School Education (Secondary) on April 10, a fresh redeployment drive has been ordered to adjust teachers based on student strength. District education officials have been asked to shift teachers from schools with “surplus” staff to those facing shortages. Under the new guidelines, the number of teachers in a school will depend on how many students are enrolled. Schools with up to 30 students will have two teachers, those with 31 to 60 students will have three and the number of teachers will increase as student strength rises. For schools with more than 450 students, one extra teacher will be given for every additional 50 students. Teachers, however, say the plan is only an administrative formality which will reduce education to basic instruction, leaving little scope for holistic learning. Voicing his concerns, a middle school teacher in Jalandhar said, “It is unclear how the department is identifying schools with “surplus” staff when most government schools are already facing shortages. Additionally, how subject specific teaching will be ensured under this system. If teachers are posted only based on student numbers and not their subject expertise, it will hamper the overall development of students,” he said. Another teacher pointed c m y b out the strain on smaller schools. “In a school with just 30 students, only two teachers will be posted. How will they handle all subjects for Classes 6 to 8? This will directly affect not just academics, but also activities like language development, conceptual understanding and extracurricular exposure,” he said. Kulwinder Singh, district president of the Democratic Teachers Front, said many government schools in Jalandhar, especially in Lohian block, are severely understaffed. “There are eight middle schools and most have only two teachers each. These teachers are forced to handle multiple subjects.” He added that this situation leaves teachers overburdened and students without proper attention in the classroom. “It results in divided focus, weak classroom engagement and incomplete syllabus coverage which directly affects students’ confidence, learning levels and overall academic performance,” he said. Gurinderjeet Kaur, District Education Officer (Secondary), said,” The redeployment drive has not yet started in Jalandhar. Whenever it is implemented, it will be strictly as per norms,” she said. Our Correspondent Phagwara, April 12 The police have arrested a man and recovered seven gram of heroin from his possession during a routine patrol near old Civil Hospital, Phagwara. SP Madhvi Sharma stated that the accused has been identified as Tarun Kumar, also known as Navi, resident of Preet Nagar, Phagwara. The arrest took place when a police team was patrolling near the old Civil Hospital on Banga Road. During the operation, the police noticed a young man standing by the roadside out- side the hospital premises. On seeing the police, the suspect attempted to flee from the spot, raising suspicion, said SP Madhvi Sharma. Police personnel acted swiftly and managed to apprehend him. During questioning, the accused initially disclosed his fake identity as Naresh Kumar, also known as Beera, a resident of the Valmiki locality in Phagwara. Upon conducting a search, the police recovered seven gram of heroin from his possession. Following the recovery, a case was registered against the accused under relevant provisions of law.