18072026-JTR-01.qxd 7/17/2026 10:31 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune TEACHERS DEMAND WITHDRAWAL OF 2020 PAY NOTIFICATION HOME-GROWN BRANDS TO TAKE CENTRE STAGE AT LIFESTYLE EXPO FILMMAKER AMIT RAI RETURNS WITH —OHH MY DOG Six years after the Punjab govt’s July 17, 2020, pay notification, school teachers on Friday observed ‘black day’. P2 A two-day monsoon- themed lifestyle exhibition will be held at Fortune Avenue on July 25 and 26. P3 The emotionally driven film celebrates the bond between humans & dogs and is inspired by real-life experiences. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 29°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 30°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7.32 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:36 AM SATURDAY | 18 JULY 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. INBRIEF TAPS STOLEN FROM SANITARY SHOP Phagwara: The Nakodar police have booked unidentified persons for stealing items from a sanitary shop. Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Baba Malik Bazar here, complained to the police that thieves barged into his sanitary shop near Bank of Baroda branch on July 15 night and stole brass taps and submersible wire. Increasing incidents of thefts in the city have created a sense of insecurity among residents and put a question mark on police functioning. OC MAN HELD FOR DRUG PEDDLING Phagwara: The Bilga police have arrested a ‘drug peddler’ for selling intoxicating tablets. As many as 25 intoxicating tablets were recovered from the possession of the accused Balwant Rai, alias Kaka, a resident of Talwann village. A case has been registered under the NDPS Act against the accused. OC VILLAGE YOUTH DIES BY SUICIDE Phagwara: A Shahkot youth died by suicide on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as Amanpreet Singh, alias Manna, of Bahmannia village. Sarabjit of Bulanda village under Mehatpur told the police that Manna consumed a poisonous substance to end his life. OC Asha workers’ leader put under house arrest Jalandhar, July17 Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Jalandhar Cantt on Friday, some persons were allegedly placed under house arrest by the police to prevent possible protests. Amritpal Kaur, an office-bearer of the Asha Workers’ Union, alleged that she was confined to her home before she could join other workers to raise their demands. She said the workers wanted to highlight that they receive meagre remuneration despite being assigned duties beyond their designated responsibilities. Advocate Naeem Khan, president of the Muslim Organisation Punjab, and Mohammad Mazhar Alam Mazahiri, general secretary and district president of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, also claimed they were placed under house arrest by the police. —TNS Commuters stuck in gridlock as PM visits city Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 17 Commuters travelling to and from Jalandhar faced a tough time for the second consecutive day on Friday as extensive traffic restrictions, route diversions and security arrangements for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit disrupted daily movement across the district. With traffic diversions and checkpoints operational at 31 locations from 8 am to 8 pm, commuters from Phillaur, Phagwara, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana reported delays ranging from one to three hours. Office goers, students, daily wage workDIVERSIONS AT ers and those depend31 LOCATIONS ent on public transport bore the With traffic diversions and brunt of the restriccheckpoints operational at 31 (Clockwise from top) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sporting a green turban associated with Punjab’s farmers, greets the crowd at the rally venue in Jalandhar Cantonment Railway tions, with many locations from 8 am to 8 pm, Station; PM interacts with students in a train; BJP supporters attend the rally; and Modi’s cutout placed near rally venue in Jalandhar on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: SARABJIT SINGH either postponing commuters from Phillaur, Phagwara, Hoshiarpur and Ludhiana their travel or strugreported delays ranging from gling to reach their desone to three hours. tinations on time. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Jalandhar to inaugurate the redeveloped Jalandhar Cantt Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. While security arrangements ensured smooth movement of the VVIP convoy, commuters were left navigating longer routes and limited transport options. Kapilesh, a government schoolteacher travelling from Phillaur, said, “I had planned to come to Jalandhar, but after seeing the restrictions and uncertainty over the travel time, I skipped my Jalandhar-Ludhiana buses dors also adjusted schedules. journey today,” he said. Jalandhar for work, said his reporting few government government buses available. skip travelling to Jalandhar Rajeev Kumar, an office routine journey of 50 minutes buses on several routes. After waiting for nearly half in view of multiple check- were diverted through Samra Police DAV School and Delhi goer who commutes daily stretched to nearly three Around 30 buses from Jaland- an hour, I had no option but points and diversions,” he Chowk, 66 Feet Road, Jamsher, Public School announced a amid expected GNA Chowk and Haveli before holiday from Phagwara to Jalandhar, hours. “I boarded a private har depots were deployed to to take a private bus which said. As part of the security plan, proceeding towards Phagwara restrictions around PAP said, “I took my bike hoping bus at 3:15 pm from ferry police personnel, Army was overcrowded. A journey to avoid traffic congestion. Hoshiarpur but due to diver- officials and mediapersons to that usually takes around an buses from Jalandhar to and Ludhiana. Vehicles com- Chowk. With barricades, diversions Usually, I reach home much sions, it was routed through the venue, reducing availabil- hour took two-and-a-half Amritsar were diverted via ing from Pathankot were routhours today.” Kapurthala and Subhanpur ed through Pathankot and security personnel earlier, but today even travel- several rural roads. We ity on regular routes. Passengers at bus stands Ranjit Singh, secretary of while those heading towards Chowk, Maqsudan Chowk, deployed across prominent ling on a two wheeler took reached Jalandhar Cantt only faced longer waiting times the Punjab Roadways, Pun- Hoshiarpur were routed Workshop Chowk, Kapurtha- routes, Jalandhar remained nearly one-and-a-half hours. at 6:15 pm,” he said. with several forced to opt for bus and PRTC Contract through Nakodar Chowk, la Chowk and Nakodar under heavy security cover The diversions slowed down private buses amid limited Workers Union, said, “The Kapurthala Chowk, Verka Chowk before reaching the throughout the day, leaving traffic movement across the Few govt buses available The security arrangements options. Anamika Singh, a footfall of passengers travel- Milk thousands of commuters Plant, Pathankot Jalandhar bus stand. route,” he said. Meanwhile, schools located navigating a city slowed on these routes Chowk, Kishangarh and Manjinder Singh, who trav- also affected public transport commuter from Ludhiana, ling near prominent traffic corri- down by restrictions. els from Hoshiarpur to movement with commuters said, “There were very few remained thin today as many Adampur. Focus the key to success: NEET AIR 8 Sarin My parents never pressured me to score marks, says Geetansh Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, July 17 Geetansh Sarin (18) from Jalandhar has secured AllIndia Rank (AIR) 8 in the NEET-UG 2026 examination, proving that consistent effort and disciplined preparation can be more effective than simply putting in long study hours. The son of government school teachers Monika Sarin and Sunit Sarin, Geetansh aspires to become either a cardiologist or a neurologist. With no doctors in his family, he wishes to become the first. “There is no doctor in my family. I always wanted to be the first, and now that dream is coming true,” he said. His elder brother is pursuing engineering. Geetansh Sarin with his mother in Jalandhar. Geetansh, a student of MGN Public School, Urban Estate Phase II, prepared for the examination at Aakash Institute, Jalandhar. He scored 96 per cent in Class XII and 705 marks in the NEET. He also credits his success to the support of his parents, who, he says, never burdened him with expectations. “One thing I believe helped me achieve this success is that my parents never pressured me to score marks. That kept my mind free and allowed me to focus on my preparation,” he said. Contrary to the common perception that cracking NEET requires studying for endless hours, Geetansh says he maintained a balanced routine. “I never studied for long hours. I studied around five or six hours a day with complete focus and never took unnecessary stress,” he said. To minimise distractions, Geetansh stayed away from social media during the cru- c m y b cial years of his preparation. “I was active on social media till Class X. In Class XI, I deactivated all my accounts. The day I returned home after my NEET, I activated them again,” he smiled. Apart from academics, Geetansh is a badminton player and has represented his school in tournaments. He says sports and music helped him maintain a healthy balance during his preparation. “Whenever I felt tired, I played badminton or listened to music,” he said. Shiv Jindal also secured AIR 196 with 685 marks and Jayesh Mahajan AIR 508 with 670 Marks. Nilesh Dutta, a student of Innocent Hearts School, Green Model Town Campus, has secured AIR 1305. Ahead of Modi’s visit, Youth Cong chief, leaders detained Tribune News Service JALANDHAR, July 17 Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) chief Shuvam Sharma Shubi was stopped and detained at the Ladowal toll plaza on the way to Jalandhar where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to inaugurate redeveloped Jalandhar Cantonment Railway Station. The youth wing had been mobilising a large black-flag demonstration in Jalandhar to protest the PM’s visit. The protest was aimed at seeking answers from the Centre over the alleged NEET paper leak and recruitment scam cases, which, it claimed, had adversely affected the aspira- tions of students. The Congress had condemned the action on its youth leaders and said it had been done to crush democratic dissent and silence the voice of Punjab’s youth”. Simultaneously, the police carried out crackdowns on senior leadership, placing Jalandhar Urban district president Angad Dutta and Punjab Youth Congress general secretary Deepak Khosla under house arrest at their residences early this morning. Releasing an official statement shortly after his detention, PYC state president Shuvam Sharma said, “Both the Modi government and the Punjab Government are complicit in ruining the futures of our youth. The NEET paper leak scam has exposed how deeply corrupted the examination system has become under Modi’s watch, while the Punjab Government acts as a silent spectator, using its police force to protect him from accountability. They can put us behind bars but they cannot pacify the ‘angry’ students whose hard work was sold to the highest bidder.” Dutta said he and Khosla were placed under house arrest, stopping them from coordinating with the leaders. Later, an FIR was registered against the Congress leaders.