02052026-JTR-01.qxd 5/1/2026 11:16 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune 800 COPS DEPLOYED, TRAFFIC CURBS IN PLACE FOR URS MELA ARTISTE WINS STATE AWARD FOR FOG-LADEN NIGHT PHOTOGRAPH Shot by Harinder Singh Bhatti, the image reflects both artistic sensitivity and documentary realism. P3 The mela began this evening with a Sufi night and will continue till tomorrow, featuring performances by top qawwali singers.P2 » SAVOUR CHINESE PARANTHA AT DX CAFE IN SANJAULI DX Cafe in Sanjauli, Shimla, is known for its unique Chinese parantha and ultra-popular cheese parantha. P4 » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 36°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 22°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7.07 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:41 AM » SATURDAY | 2 MAY 2026 | JALANDHAR 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. INBRIEF CASE REGISTERED FOR ONLINE FRAUD Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by Neelam Sharma of Rurrka village near Goraya, the Phagwara police have registered a case against unknown persons for alleged illegal access to bank details, financial fraud and criminal breach of trust in Phagwara. The complainant alleged that her confidential bank account information was accessed without authorisation. A case was registered in this regard. OC 3 BOOKED FOR FAKE DOCUMENTS Phagwara: The police have registered a case against three persons under Sections 229, 236, 237, 336(2), 337,338,336(3), 340(2), 61(2) of the BNS for allegedly submitting forged documents and false surety in a court matter in Kapurthala. The accused were identified as Satnam Singh and Sandeep Singh, both residents of Ball village in Kartarpur and Karamjit Singh, a resident of Dasmesh Singhwala village in Sangrur district. MAN BOOKED FOR TRAVEL FRAUD Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by Sukhpreet Singh of Gurrey village, the Nakodar police have registered a case against Madan Lal, a resident of Chania village for allegedly cheating him of Rs 14.5 lakh on the promise of sending him abroad. The victim alleged that the accused lured him with the promise of arranging overseas travel and took Rs 14,50,000 from him, but failed to send him abroad and did not return the money. A case was registered in this regard. OC Pendu Mazdoor union protests, seeks repeal of Labour Codes Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 1 A workers’ event was held by the Democratic Workers Federation Punjab and Pendu Mazdoor Union Punjab at Ghadri Baba Vishnu Ganesh Pingla Hall of Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall on the occasion of International Labour Day today. After the event, a protest march was held by ASHA workers, mid-day meal workers, rural labourers and other unions. Speaking on the occasion, Harinder Dosanjh, state leader of the Democratic Workers Federation Punjab, and Kashmir Singh Ghuggshore, state press secretary of the Pendu Mazdoor Union Punjab, said that the martyrs of May Day opposed capitalism and exploitative systems and advocated socialism for the welfare of all. They said that amid rampant poverty, rising unemployment and growing inequalities in society, these reminders ring true Speaking about the four Labour Codes, the leaders said that if implemented, these would increase unemployment and job losses, TRIBUNE PHOTO:MALKIAT SINGH. HEALTH & WELLNESS Members of various trade union on May Day : The Democratic Mulazam Federation Punjab and Pendu Mazdoor Union take out a march on Labour Day in support of their rightsl in Jalandhar. especially in cases of layoffs and lockdowns. They added that this would further reduce the purchasing power of workers, lower demand in the market and adversely affect the economy. They said public sector industries and public sector banks were already under the sword of privatisation. They added the May Day has come at a time when the working class and common people are being crushed by rising prices of commodities includ- ing oil, diesel, gas. A major part of the cost of these commodities is taxes which go into the pockets of the Central and state governments. Transport workers and auto workers are facing immense stress. They said the environment at many workplaces in the country is claiming workers’ lives, while the Central and state governments are backing such employers. He also said that the state government was running away from fulfilling the CREDIT CARD FRAUD Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by Roop Basant, the Shahkot police have registered a case against an unidentified accused for allegedly committing credit card fraud amounting to Rs 2.86 lakh in Shahkot. Roop Basant alleged that fraudulent transactions were carried out from his credit card, resulting in a financial loss of Rs 2,86,600. The Cyber Crime Police station has registered a case under Sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. OC Our Correspondent Phagwara, May 1 On a complaint lodged by Ajay Kumar, the police have registered a case and arrested one person in connection with a road accident that claimed the life of a youth in Phagwara. The accused was identified as Gama, a resident near Cambridge School here on the Plahi road under the Sadar Phagwara police station. Cops said the accused tractor driver had been taken into custody. According to the complaint, the incident occurred when Ajay Kumar, a resident of Thapar Colony, was riding his motorcycle along with his friend Ravi Kumar.As they were crossing ahead, a tractor, coming from the opposite direction at a high speed and allegedly driven in a rash and negligent manner by the accused, collided with their motorcycle. The impact of the collision caused Ravi Kumar to fall on the road.Ravi Kumar sustained severe injuries on his legs, arms and chest, while the motorcycle was also badly damaged. With the help of passersby, the injured was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Phagwara, where doctors declared him brought dead. PPCB raids vendetta against MP, says ex-minister Kalia Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 1 Manoranjan Kalia, former state minister and member, national executive, BJP , today condemned the “political vendetta” by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) against the BJP Rajya Sabha member Rajinder Gupta. In a statement, Kalia said by getting the industrial premises of Gupta raided by officials of the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB), the AAP government had only proved how authoritarian and dictatorial it was. He said Rajinder Gupta was not just a Rajya Sabha MP but , a respected industrialist who had invested huge money in Punjab and generated thousands of jobs. He was also honoured with Padma Shri in 2007 for his exemplary work in the field of trade and industry. Kalia said Gupta had been the Vice-Chairman of the State Planning Board during the Akali-BJP government as well as the Congress government. The Aam Aadmi Party Educators make cut for Finland programme to bring home global lessons MOBILES SEIZED Phagwara: On a complaint lodged by Assistant Superintendent, Raj Kumar, of Central Jail, Kapurthala, the police have registered a case against three inmates after mobile phones and other prohibited items were seized from them during a search inside the jail. The accused include undertrials Manpreet Singh, alias Mani, and Sameer, alias Sanju, while the third accused remained unidentified. A case was registered in this regard. OC promises made to the people in the elections and was looking for new excuses. They called for an organised mass struggle to counter attacks on the working class on May Day and to protect their rights and jobs by getting the four Anti-Labour Codes repealed, fixing the minimum wage at Rs 30,000, ensuring eight-hour workdays and regularising unskilled workers, including ASHA and mid-day meal workers, among other demands. Man killed in road accident GURINDER KAUR PANNU SHELLKA BHATIA Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 1 In a significant push to upgrade teaching standards in government schools, 11 elementary teachers from Jalandhar and nearby areas have been handpicked for a two-week training programme set to be conducted at the University of Turku in Finland from May 18 to 29. This will be the fourth batch of the Punjab Government teachers travelling to Finland. The programme is being conducted under a memorandum of understanding signed between the Punjab Government and the University of Turku in September 2024. Across the state, 72 teachers have been selected, including four each from Jalandhar and Kapurthala, and three from Hoshiarpur. The initiative aims at exposing teachers to globally recognised teaching practices. Among the selected candidates from Jalandhar, Rampal, head teacher at Government Primary School, Sarmastpur (Alawalpur block), GAURAV KUMAR RAM PAL expressed his joy, stating that his prior work as a block resource person under programmes like Padho Punjab Padhao Punjab and Mission Samarth helped him secure a place. Gaurav Kumar from Government Primary School, Bhargo Camp (West1 block) said, “Out of nearly 8,000 to 9,000 applicants, only 150 were shortlisted for the interview round and 72 were finally selected based on merit.” Shellka Bhatia from Government Primary School, Mand (West2 block), said during the Covid pandemic, when schools shifted online, she created digital content, video lecture and MCQ-based online material for primary students, which contributed to her selection. Another teacher, Gurinder Kaur Pannu from Government Primary School, Bidhipur (West2 block), said, “The teachers have been selected on the basis of educational qualifications, departmental recognition, language proficiency and presentation skills.” c m y b government also made him Vice-Chairman of the Punjab State Economic Policy and Planning Board and then, Member Rajya Sabha. “What message does the AAP government want to convey with such vindictive raids?” he asked, while warning that such dictatorial actions would only discourage the industrialists and businessmen from investing in Punjab. Kalia further expressed complete solidarity with their party MP and warned the officials of the PPCB against any arbitrary action. “No government stays permanently. You will be held accountable for all your acts of omission and commission,” he said, addressing officials. Mera rabb rakha, Nijjar had told mother beforebeingshotdead Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 1 “Mera rabb rakha, mata tension na leya kar,” an inconsolably crying Guljinder Kaur, mother of Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi Nijjar, recalled these words of her son, who was shot dead by unidentified assailants in the wee hours this morning. Attacked earlier in the village and having stayed under police protection for months, Nijjar’s family never thought a visit to a fast-food joint would claim his life. Shock and gloom prevailed at his native village Jairampur at Subhanpur in Kapurthala, as a Dhilwan police employee and the village sarpanch broke the news of Nijjar’s murder on Friday morning. Relatives gathered at Gopi’s village home where there was a somber atmosphere, with women weeping and wailing. Nijjar (33) was the last witness in the gangster Sukha Kahlwan murder case. He was found dead in his car at Dhilwan in Kapurthala, with a bullet having pierced his vehicle’s windshield. Nijjar had been a long-time associate of deceased gangster Sukha Kahlwan and was considered his right hand man who didn’t turn hostile in the case despite many others bowing out. Living in fear ever since her son began appearing as a witness in the high-profile case, Nijjar’s mother said she and his friends had repeatedly warned him not to go out in late hours, as he had many enemies. Guljinder Kaur said, “Jadon di Sukhe di gawahi ditti, odon da sadde dhidd ch dar si. Odon ton samjhaunde si putt nhere Was friends with Sukha Kahlwan since he was 17; shock, gloom at Jairampur village Gurpreet Singh, the deceased na jaya kar. Ohne kehna mera rabb rakha - mata tension na leya kar. (Ever since he appeared as witness for Sukha Kahlwan, we lived in great fear. We pleaded with him not to go out late, but he would ask me not to worry, saying God would protect him.) He didn’t even tell me last evening before going out. Just told his niece he was heading to a burger joint to see friends.” The family said he left after persistent calls from a “friend” on Thursday evening. Nijjar’s mother said, “A village boy had introduced him to Sukha (Kahlwan) when Gopi was just 17-18 then. Since then, they had been good friends. Earlier too, he had been attacked at the village, but survived. We had filed a report with the police and action was also taken.” While Nijjar was unmarried, he was the only son living with his parents, mother Guljnder Kaur and father Jasvir Singh. His two sisters and a brother are settled abroad.