16062026-JTR-01.qxd 6/16/2026 12:08 AM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune ADAMPUR AIRPORT FORMALLY NAMED AFTER GURU RAVIDASS GOVT LAUNCH FREE RESIDENTIAL CAMP FOR JEE, NEET ASPIRANTS SONGS THAT BECAME SOUL OF THE SUNNY DEOL-STARRER A tree plantation drive was conducted and saplings were distributed to passengers. P2 The main aim of the camp is to provide academic guidance and preparation for national-level competitive exams. P3 Twenty-five years after Gadar: Ek Prem Kathastormed theatres, its music still holds a special place in hearts of fans. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 38°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 37°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.26 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:21 AM TUESDAY | 16 JUNE 2026 | JALANDHAR 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. Woman, daughter crushed to death under bus Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 15 A private bus collided with a motor cart on the JalandharPathankot national highway early this morning, leading to the death of a woman and her daughter on the spot. The woman’s second daughter was seriously injured in the mishap. The Sadak Surakhya Force (SSF) in-charge and ASI Ranjit Singh said around 4.30 am, a passerby reported the incident. Upon reaching the scene, he found that a bus moving at a high speed from Jalandhar towards Pathankot struck the motor cart that was crossing the road, causing it to overturn. In the accident, Pinky and her daughter Yoida, who were on the motor cart, died on the spot. Abida, her second daughter, sustained serious injuries and was admitted to the Civil Hospital at Kala Bakra for treatment. Amid SIR, leaders appeal to NRIs to save their voting right Woman arrested for killing mother-in-law with bricks Deepkamal Kaur Hoshiarpur, June 15 A 56-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her daughter-in-law following a dispute at Mukhliana village in Hoshiarpur district. The police have arrested the accused and registered a murder case. The deceased was identified as Nirmal Kaur, wife of Bhagwan Singh. The accused, Parmjot Kaur, allegedly attacked her mother-in-law with bricks during an argument at their home on Sunday evening. The police said a quarrel broke out between the two women over an issue. During the dispute, Parmjot Kaur allegedly lost her temper and struck Nirmal Kaur on the head with bricks, resulting in her death on the spot. Parmjot Kaur’s husband, Harpreet Singh, is admitted in a private hospital in Hoshiarpur due to some ailment. Villagers informed the police through the emergency helpline 112 about the incident. The police sent the body for post-mortem and later handed it over to the family members. Jalandhar, June 15 As door-to-door enumeration under Special Intensive Revision 2026 is set to begin in the next 10 days, leaders of all political parties across the state have been urging the Punjabi diaspora to remain vigilant and have even been appealing to them to take a tour to their native places before July 24. Since NRIs prefer to return home ahead of the onset of summers, many of them could even have their houses locked around this time. With no one present back home to represent them, their absence could lead to the cancellation of their votes, says Nakodar Aam Aadmi Party MLA Inderjit Kaur Mann. She has even appealed to the NRIs through her social media pages, “At least, one person per family should try to visit their places, physically appear before the respective booth-level officers and ensure that you do not lose your names in the Punjab’s electoral rolls.” She added, “It is not just about the voter card. The NRIs, who have still not got citizenship abroad, are also fearing that the deletion of the vote could lead to the withdrawal of Minor booked for raping class XI student Our Correspondent Hoshiarpur, June 15 The district police have booked a minor boy for allegedly raping a 16-year-old student of class XI, recording her obscene video and blackmailing her on the basis of it. The police, acting on the complaint filed by the victim’s mother on Sunday, have taken the accused into its custody. The accused used to study in the same academy where the victim was attending classes. On October 23 last year, the accused had sent a friend request to the girl on the social media app ‘Snapchat’, after which a conversation started between the two. It is alleged that the accused REVISED TIMELINE FOR SIR IN STATE Tribune News Service often met the girl near the academy and also demanded money from her. According to the complaint, on December 15 last year, the accused boy took the girl to a house on his motorcycle and claimed that this house belonged to his grandmother. He allegedly raped her there and also made an objectionable video of her. The accused threatened that if she told anyone about it, he would make the video viral on social media. Due to fear and panic, the victim girl remained silent for a long time, but recently told her mother her ordeal and blackmailing by the boy. Her family immediately approached the police and a case was registered against the boy. House-to-house visits by BLOs: JUNE 25 TO JULY 24 Rationalisation of polling stations: BY JULY 24 Publication of draft electoral roll: AUGUST 3 Filing claims & objections: AUGUST 3 TO SEPTEMBER 2 Disposal of claims & objections:AUGUST 3 TO SEPT 28 Publication of final electoral roll: OCTOBER 1 ‘LOSING AADHAR CARD ALSO ON MIND’ ❝ NRIs are not as much worried about losing their vote as they are for Aadhaar card. They know that everything back home is linked with Aadhaar, as there is mandatory KYC provision for every other service in government departments. They are also apprehensive that buying or selling land could become a problem for them . — Gurmangal Dass, RESIDENT RURKAN KALAN VILLAGE ❞ their Aadhaar card. They are also apprehensive that their properties could eventually get confiscated. They have been making fervent calls to me. I have been telling them that they should stay vigilant, ask their relatives to stay put in their locked homes and represent them during the period as the exercise starts.” Jalandhar Cantonment MLA Pargat Singh too said, “As per the details that I received from the office of the Returning Officer of my constituency, about 30,000 of the total 1.87 lakh votes have not got mapped. This is a very huge number and is perturbing at the same time. Our party has engaged booth-level agents who are trying to look for missing voters. They have also been contacting the NRIs, asking them to fill up forms online and follow the due procedures.” Likewise, Anandpur Sahib MP Malvinder Singh Kang had also formally written to the Election Commission, seeking special provisions for NRIs. He argued that lakhs of Punjabi voters live abroad and may struggle to meet verification requirements within the stipulated time. He sought options such as digital verification for overseas voters. Gurmangal Dass of Rurkan Kalan village in Jalandhar, who is well-connected with NRIs, said, “To my mind, the NRIs are not as much worried about losing their vote as they are for Aadhaar card. They know that everything back home is linked with Aadhaar, as there is mandatory KYC provision for every other service in government departments. They are also apprehensive that buying or selling land could become a problem for them if their names get struck off from the voter list”. Our Correspondent Sweet gesture A youth distributes sweet water at a “chhabeel” to the public at BMC Chowk in Jalandhar on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH Teachers’ front protests mandatory drug survey duties Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 15 The Joint Teachers Front on Monday staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office, opposing the Punjab Government’s decision to assign mandatory duties to teachers for the ongoing drug survey and the issuance of show-cause notices to those who did not join the exercise. Raising slogans against the administration, the protesting teachers alleged that the government was overburdening teaching staff with non-academic assignments by forcing them to carry out the survey, which was earlier advertised as “voluntary”. The protest was led by union leaders Karnail Phillaur, Navpreet Singh Balli, Mangat Singh and Rishi Kumar. As Deputy Commissioner Varjeet Walia was not present, the unions submitted a memorandum to the general assistant (GA) to the DC, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the survey duties and cancellation of all show-cause notices issued to the employees who failed to report for the assignment. Addressing the gathering, The teachers alleged that the govt was overburdening teaching staff with nonacademic assignments the union leaders claimed that teachers were being compelled to perform “double duties” by being assigned the drug survey after having already been involved in the census operations. They alleged that employees who did not join the survey were being threatened with disciplinary action, including the freezing of salary. The unions also urged the government to distribute survey duties among employees of all departments instead of relying primarily on the Education Department. Referring to a model adopted in Amritsar, they suggested engaging unemployed youth on an honorarium basis for the survey. The protesting teachers warned that if the administration failed to withdraw the mandatory duties and showcause notices, the agitation would be intensified across the district in the coming days. Teachers suffer as tech snags hit transfer on ePunjab portal 2K litre lahan, illicit liquor seized Rishika Kriti ‘SYSTEM REMAINED NON-FUNCTIONAL’ Tribune News Service Jalandhar, June 15 Technical glitches continued to plague the e-Punjab transfer portal on Monday, leaving many teachers unable to correct data mismatches or submit their station preferences despite the School Education Department reopening the portal as an extended opportunity to complete the process. The reopening came in response to mounting complaints from teachers over data mismatches and other discrepancies affecting their transfer applications. Teachers said that earlier, the department had opened the portal at a short notice on June 14 (Sunday), a nonworking day when offices remained closed. As a result, many applicants were unable to carry out the necessary corrections, as the changes required approval from the Drawing ■ Teachers said that earlier the department had opened the portal at a short notice on June 14 (Sunday), a nonworking day when offices remained closed. As a result, many applicants were unable to carry out the necessary corrections, as the changes required approval from the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO). ■ Following these complaints, the department reopened the portal on Monday as a final corrective window. However, teachers said the system remained largely non-functional for most of the day. and Disbursing Officer (DDO). Following these complaints, the department reopened the portal on Monday as a final corrective window. However, teachers said the system remained largely non-functional for most of the day. Several applicants claimed the portal, which was announced to be open from 12 noon to 5 pm, became stable only around 4 pm, leaving them with a very narrow window to complete mandatory corrections and finalise their station preferences before the deadline. Rajni Bala, a teacher posted in Jalandhar West 1 block, said she had been seeking a transfer closer to her residence to take care of her special child. “I have been working in my current school since 2011 and was seeking transfer under exempted staff category. My daughter is a special child and I want to be post- ed near my residence. My application was already verified, but when I checked the portal to fill the station choice, it showed me as not eligible. As it was a nonworking day earlier, I could not reach anyone for clarification,” she said. Another teacher, Ved Raj, said he identified an error in his service record, but could not complete the correction process due to approval requirements. “After the portal opened on Sunday, I c m y b realised that my joining date was incorrect. I tried correcting it under service records, but it still showed wrong as it required the DDO’s approval. By the time the portal started functioning properly by 4 pm on Monday, very little time was left to finalise the process,” he said. Teachers’ organisations also flagged repeated disruptions in the transfer process. Digvijay Pal Sharma, state president of the Democratic Teachers Front, said, “The issue has been a recurring concern during every transfer cycle, with portal glitches affecting the timely completion of applications.” Sakatar Singh Bal, director, School Education (Secondary), said, “In response to the widespread technical glitches on Monday, the portal has been kept open till 9 am on Tuesday, extending the previous window of five hours.” Tribune News Service Kapurthala, June 15 The Excise Department conducted raids at Toti and Latian villages under the Sultanpur Lodhi subdivision and seized a large quantity of illicit liquor and material used in its production. During the operation, officials seized nearly 2000 litres of lahan stored in drums and 20 litres of illicit liquor from an abandoned location in Toti village. The seized material was destroyed on the spot as per the norms. Similarly, during a raid at Latian village, the Excise Department seized 50 litres of illicit liquor lying at an abandoned place. The illicit liquor was also destroyed immediately at the site to prevent its distribution and consumption. Excise Officer Sukhjit Singh Chahal said the raids were conducted with the support of excise inspector Jatinderpal Singh of the Sultanpur Circle, excise personnel and the police Excise Department officials with the seized lahan and illicit liquor . of Sultanpur Lodhi. He said the department was committed to cracking down on the illegal liquor trade and would wipe it out completely. He warned that strict action would be taken against the individuals involved in the manufacture, transportation and sale of illicit liquor.