22052026-JTR-01.qxd 5/21/2026 10:54 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune SURVEY FOR ELECTORAL ROLL REVISION FROM JUNE 25: DC MP SEECHEWAL INAUGURATES CRICKET ACADEMY Walia said it would also be ensured that no voter has to travel more than 2 kilometres to reach the polling station. P2 Seechewal said that motivating youth towards sports is the need of the hour so they can achieve their dreams.P3 » MANISH MALHOTRA TAKES ASSAM TO CANNES FILM FEST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 43°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 44°C | MIN 29°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.21 PM Mother-daughter duo Urmimala Baruah and Snigdha Baruah wore clothes designed by Manish Malhotra. P4 » FORECAST SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:27 AM » FRIDAY | 22 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 TRAVEL AGENT HELD FOR FRAUD Phagwara: The Nakodar police have arrested a notorious travel agent for duping a Nurmahal villager of Rs 50 lakh on the pretext of sending his son abroad. The accused has been identified as Gurdev Singh of Kalyanpur village. Gurmit Singh of Fatehpur village complained to the police that he had paid Rs 50 lakh to the accused for facilitating his son’s migration to the USA, but the accused did neither send him abroad, nor return the money. oc MAN BOOKED FOR THREAT TO WOMAN Phagwara: The Shahkot police have booked a villager on the charge of outraging a woman’s modesty and under the Arms Act. The accused has been identified as Sahib Jot Singh of Mannakpur village. The victim complained to the police that the accused compelled her to have friendly relations with him and threatened to kill her. OC MAN BOOKED FOR HARASSING WOMAN Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked a Mehatpur village on the charge of sexually harassing a woman. The accused has been identified as Rohit of Birr Baloki village. The victim complained to the police that the accused stalked and sexually harassed her on May 19 and ransacked her shop and threatened her with dire consequences. OC 3 WOMEN BOOKED FOR KIDNAPPING Phagwara: The Shahkot police have booked five members of a family, including three women, on the charge of kidnapping a minor. The accused have been identified as Meji of Talwandi Madho village, his wife Sita, son Javi, daughters Sharandeep and Rajji. Mother of the victim complained to the police that the accused conspired and kidnapped his minor daughter on May 17 night. OC ‘JUGAAR REHRIS’ MAKER ARRESTED Phagwara: The Shahkot police have arrested a manufacturer of illegally modified motorcycledriven “jugaar rehris” operating on roads for violating government orders. The accused has been identified as Mandeep Singh of Bahmannia village. The accused was manufacturing illegally modified “rehris” and was selling these, violating the orders of the Punjab Transport Department. oc MAN ARRESTED UNDER NDPS ACT Phagwara: The Bilga police have arrested a person on the charge of selling intoxicating tablets. As many as 105 intoxicating tablets were recovered from the possession of Lakhwindar Singh of Burj Hassan village. A case under the NDPS Act have been registered against the accused. oc Harbhajan restricts X replies amid troll storm DGP Post Row MP hits back at critics as social media heat intensifies side his Chhoti Baradari residence following his dramatic political crossover to the BJP . But unlike many celebrities, who retreat into silence, Bhajji decided to take the fight head-on. When one user taunted him to “first ask your BJP bosses about Punjab’s RDF funds”, Bhajji fired back sharply: “I will surely ask them this for Punjab as it’s my duty. But ask your leader to stop using Punjab ministers to make money for your leader. And stop fooling Punjabis with false promises.” Notably, replies to the post had been disabled. Another user accused him of enjoying the perks of the Rajya Sabha without raising Punjab’s issues during his stint with AAP Bhajji again . Deepkamal Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 21 Three weeks after switching sides from the Aam Aadmi Party to the BJP cricketer, turned-Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh has found himself in the middle of a full-blown social media slugfest — and this time, the off-spinner appears to have spun the comments section out of bounds. After triggering a political storm with a post directed at the Punjab DGP over law and order, Bhajji’s ‘X’ timeline was flooded by angry AAP supporters and political trollers, who pounced on the former cricketer over everything from the NEET controversy and inflation to Punjab’s pending RDF dues. The trolling barrage grew so intense that by Thursday morning, Bhajji quietly restricted replies on several of his posts, allowing only select followers to comment — effectively shutting the gates on many of his critics. The trolling came barely weeks after AAP protesters had scribbled “gaddar” out- Shrine dispute sparks clash in Kapurthala village, 30 detained SHO and local Chowki incharge reached the spot. SDM Kapurthala Dr Irwin Kaur also arrived at the village. During attempts to pacify the crowd, some persons raised slogans against the police. To ease tensions, the administration proposed the formation of a new 12-member committee with equal representation from both sides. As a preventive measure, 15 persons from each group were taken into custody. A heavy police presence has been deployed in the village. The police said no permission has been granted to organise the fair so far and no FIR has been registered yet, as the situation is presently under control. DSP Sheetal Singh said the dispute had been ongoing and the current flashpoint was linked to the proposed mela. “Some villagers became agitated and raised slogans, but the situation was quickly brought under control. The village is peaceful and we are monitoring the situation closely,” he said. Tribune News Service ABOUT THE DISPUTE Jalandhar, May 21 Ahead of the MC elections, 30 persons have been placed in preventive custody by the Kapurthala police after two groups clashed at Khojewal village in Kapurthala today over a simmering dispute regarding a religious place at the village. As tensions escalated, some persons of a group called in supporters and nihangs from outside the village. During the unrest, some villagers reportedly attempted to attack police personnel and raised slogans against the police, who had reached the spot to defuse the situation. The dispute pertains to Baba Sabhu ji, considered a village ancestor and a Sufi ‘peer’ revered across communities. According to the police, one committee has been managing the religious place for nearly 40 years, while another group of villagers recently staked claim to its management. Officials said while the The dispute pertains to Baba Sabhu ji, considered a village ancestor and Sufi ‘peer’ revered across communities. According to the police, one committee has been managing the religious place for nearly 40 years, while another group of villagers recently staked claim to its management. shrine has traditionally been associated with Sufi practices, including the presence of a hookah, some residents installed a portrait of Guru Ravidas there about two years ago, citing the sizeable following of the community in the village. The placement of the hookah near the portrait has since drawn objections. Tensions further escalated after one group began putting up posters and invitations to organise an annual mela at the site, triggering the latest clash involving around 40–50 villagers. The Kapurthala DSP Sheetal Singh, Sadar Kapurthala responded aggressively: “Check your facts. Check how many concerns I have raised in the Rajya Sabha for Punjab. It’s on record… God gave me enough by playing cricket so that I can own the facilities.” He added sarcastically, “If someone raises a concern, then why? If they don’t raise, why are you quiet? Kamaal hai.” Interestingly, while Bhajji locked replies on posts where he directly sparred with trolls, he kept comments open on a repost of a Tribune report highlighting an increase in corruption FIRs during Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s tenure — a move political observers see as a calculated signal that the cricketer-turned-politician is now ready to play hardball in Punjab’s political arena. Cong alleges fake voter entries ahead of Adampur MC polls Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 21 Congress leaders on Thursday raised the issue of fake registration of voters ahead of the May 26 Adampur Municipal Council poll. Party leaders, including Adampur MLA Sukhwinder Kotli, ex-Adampur MC chief Darshan Singh Karwal, MLA Pargat Singh, DCC (rural) chief Hardev S Laddi Sherowalia and DCC (urban) chief Rajinder Beri, held a media interaction, alleging that the district administration had been supporting the ruling AAP by continuing with updations in the voter lists and making new entries even till today. Kotli pointed out, “As per the voter lists that we got, there were 720 votes in ward no. 11. But the list available online has 1,055 votes in the same ward, indicating that fresh entries were being made even today. Showing a vacant plot as the address, 24 new votes have been added. Congress MLAs Sukhwinder Kotli, Pargat Singh and Hardev Singh Laddi Sherowalia during a press conference in Jalandhar. As many as 10 voters have been enrolled from a single house in ward nos. 5 and 6.” The Adampur legislator said, “I met the BLO even today and saw that fresh enrollment was still being done, just five days ahead of the MC polls. This is uncalled for. I have already taken up the matter with the SDM and the Deputy Commissioner. I have also apprised the Election Observer about it. Since I do not sense any relief, I shall be approaching the Punjab and Haryana High Court on the matter.” The Congress is not contesting on any symbol in Adampur and it is the Karwal group with ‘tractor’ as symbol which has got the Congress support. Reacting to the allegations made in the media interaction, Aam Aadmi Party halqa incharge Pawan Tinu said, “The allegations levelled by the Congress MLA that injustice was being done during voter registration are false. Getting voter cards made is everyone’s democratic right. This panic is only a sign of defeat.” Young, educated women add fresh energy to civic bodies polls in Rahon Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Nawanshahr, May 21 A wave of educated and dynamic women candidates is adding new enthusiasm to the upcoming Municipal Council elections in Rahon, with three highly qualified women entering the fray from Ward Numbers 1, 3 and 13. Their entry is being seen as a sign of changing political participation at the grassroots level, where education and social awareness are becoming key strengths. Among them is 38-year-old Chandni Joshi, contesting from Ward No. 3. Armed with an MSc in Computer Science and MTech degree, Chandni earlier served as a professor at a college in Nawanshahr before moving to Canada with her family. After spending more than five years abroad, she returned to India due to personal circumstances and has now stepped into public life. Chandni said politics and public service run in her family. “My husband’s grandfa- Chandni Joshi Mandeep Kaur ther had served as the president of the Rahon Municipal Committee. Now I have also entered this field and am prepared to serve the residents of my ward,” she said. Another prominent face is 39-year-old Mandeep Kaur Chahal, contesting from Ward No. 13. Exceptionally qualified, she holds a BSc Medical degree, MA in English, MA in political science and B.Ed. She was also a district topper and has completed four diploma courses. Mandeep has previously served as a councillor and is again seeking public support. Speaking about her vision, she said, “Resolving civic issues is definitely important, but I also want to work in other areas. Along with my husband, I run a sports club where players from across the district participate and compete up to the state level.” Meanwhile, 30-year-old Rupinder Kaur, contesting from Ward No. 1, is a mathematics and science teacher at a school. She holds an MSc in mathematics and a B.Ed degree. Recently, she cleared the Punjab TET examination and is now preparing for the CTET exam. Balancing family, profession and politics, Rupinder is also the mother of a threeyear-old girl. After returning from school every day, she campaigns in her ward. Her father-in-law, a retired school teacher, had earlier served as a councillor, inspiring her interest in public service. Residents say the presence of educated and young women candidates has brought a refreshing change to the local political atmosphere. During campaigning, many voters have expressed hope that this new generation of leaders will bring progressive thinking, better communication and a stronger focus on development and public welfare. Books missing, students in govt schools suffer Int’l kabaddi player Jasveer Weeks into session, students rely on shared, old textbooks | Supply gaps hit board classes hardest joins AAP Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, May 21 Nearly one-and-a-half months into the new academic session, students studying in government schools are still waiting for their academic textbooks. With classrooms functioning without essential study material, students, particularly those from economically weaker section who rely entirely on government supply, are now being forced to attend lessons without books, severely impacting their learning at the very start of the session. Students in several government schools are yet to receive complete sets of textbooks for major subjects, including mathematics, science, social science and phys- ical education. In many schools, studies are continuing through shared, borrowed or old books, leaving students struggling to cope with the syllabus. Reportedly, textbooks for several classes and subjects are still unavailable. These include mathematics (English medium) for Classes II and III; physical education (English medium) for Classes VI and VIII; social science (English medium) for Class IX; mathematics (Punjabi medium), social science (Hindi medium) and science (Punjabi medium) for Class X; environmental science (Punjabi medium) and political science for Class XI; and computer science (Punjabi medium), social science and general Punjabi for Class XII. FILE HEALTH & WELLNESS Teachers said the shortage has especially affected board classes, where students are expected to begin serious c m y b preparation from the start of the session. “At times, only one or two students in the entire class have books. The rest have to sit together and share. Sometimes, there is only one book available in the whole class,” said a teacher. A teacher at School of Eminence, Ladowali Road, said studies had initially begun with old books collected from students who passed out last year. “Books from previous batches are distributed among the promoted students so that studies do not stop. But this is only a temporary arrangement,” he added. Kulwinder Singh, district president of the Democratic Teachers Front, said the issue persists every year. “Even last year, books were supplied by June-July. The government should ensure availability by April 1 when the new session begins. Students cannot effectively study without aca- demic books.” Students said the delay is affecting self-study and note preparation. Gurmandeep Kaur, a Class X student, said she is still waiting for her mathematics and science books. “Teachers teach in class, but it becomes difficult to prepare at home without books. I am relying on the questionnaire and notes given by my teachers” she said. Gagandeep Sharma, district book coordinator, said, “I will look into the issue regarding the unavailability of books as most textbooks have already been supplied. Since the admission process is still underway, the issue may be with newly admitted students. We will seek fresh demand from schools next week to ensure that all students receive their books.” Garhshankar, May 21 International kabaddi player Jasveer Singh Jassa from Sikanderpur village in Garhshankar joined AAP today in Chandigarh. The induction took place at the Chief Minister’s residence in the presence of CM Bhagwant Mann’s OSD Rajveer Singh Ghumman, AAP Youth Wing leader Birdevinder Singh Babba and senior party leader Lakhwinder Singh Lakhi. Jassa has represented India in kabaddi both nationally and internationally. He expressed gratitude to the CM and party leaders for welcoming him into AAP and pledged to work for strengthening the party. Jassa said he would try to make Punjab drug-free, promote sports among the youth. — OC