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P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 31°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.06 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:56 AM » WEDNESDAY | 19 AUGUST 2026 | JALANDHAR Court lets off 3 cops in 2023 Dhillon brothers suicide case Insufficient grounds to proceed against accused: Additional Sessions Judge Ashok Kaura Kapurthala, August 18 A local court has discharged three police officials, including a former SHO, in the 2023 Dhillon brothers suicide case, holding that the offence of abetment of suicide was not made out against them. Additional Sessions Judge Gurmeet Tiwana discharged then SHO Navdeep Singh, ASI Balwinder Kumar and Constable Jagjit Kaur in connection with the case. Inspector Navdeep Singh had earlier faced dismissal from service following the incident. Jalandhar-based Manavjit Singh Dhillon (40) and his younger brother Jashanbir Singh Dhillon (36) had jumped into the Beas from the Goindwal bridge on August 17, 2023, following allegations of severe humiliation and harassment by the police personnel at Police Station Division No. 1 in Jalandhar. Manavjit had gone to the police station with a friend whose sister was involved in a THE CASE ■ SHO Navdeep Singh. FILE matrimonial dispute. An FIR had been lodged on September 3, 2023, at Talwandi Chaudhrian police station under Sections 306, 506 and 34 of the IPC. The accused had moved applications, seeking their discharge from the case. According to the case record, Jashanbir Singh first jumped into the river after leaving his turban on the bridge wall. Manavjit allegedly jumped in an attempt to Jashanbir Singh jumped into the river. Manavjit allegedly jumped in an attempt to save him, but both drowned. ■ Advocate Rajeev Puri, appearing for the accused, argued that there was no evidence showing that the police officials had abetted Jashanbir Singh’s suicide. ■ The court noted that Jashanbir Singh had no direct contact with the accused officials. He had come to the police station and was allegedly distressed after witnessing the action taken against his brother. save him, but both drowned. Jashanbir’s body was recovered weeks later downstream and identified through his clothes, shoes, belt and other belongings. DNA samples were collected during the investigation, but the report was inconclusive due to the deteriorated condition of the samples. The FSL report attributed the death to asphyxia caused by drowning. In the court, advocate Rajeev Puri, appearing for the accused, argued that there was no evidence showing that the police officials had abetted Jashanbir Singh’s suicide. The defence submitted that Jashanbir had no direct interaction with the accused police officials. The DNA report, call detail records and other circumstances emerging from the investigation were taken into account. The prosecution had opposed the discharge application but the court maintained that the ingredients of the offence of abetment of suicide were not established. It, therefore, held that there was insufficient ground to proceed further against the accused. The court observed that merely because a person commits suicide following a particular incident, it cannot automatically be concluded that those involved in the preceding action had abetted the suicide. For an offence of abetment of suicide, there must be evidence of the accused having the requisite intention and playing a positive role that instigated or encouraged the deceased to take his own life. The court noted that Jashanbir Singh had no direct contact with the accused officials. He had come to the police station and was allegedly distressed after witnessing the action taken against his brother. However, the prosecution material did not establish a clear link between any specific act of the accused and direct instigation of Jashanbir’s suicide. The court further observed that even if the police action against Manavjit Singh was considered improper, remedies such as approaching the senior police authorities or pursuing other legal measures were available. Criminal liability for abetment of suicide, the court held, could not be fastened on police officials merely because a person became deeply distressed over action taken against a relative and subsequently committed suicide. Man killed after scuffle in Banga Fire in hospital, 2 gensets damaged Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, August 18 A tragic incident has come to light from Heon village in the Banga, where a 60-year-old man, identified as Kulwinder Singh, was allegedly killed following an altercation with two of his companions. According to preliminary reports, Kulwinder Singh was consuming alcohol with two acquaintances who lived near his home. During their gathering, a heated argument broke out among them over an undisclosed issue. The verbal dispute escalated rapidly, leading the two companions to allegedly strike Kulwinder on the head with a sharp-edged weapon, leaving him severely injured. Following the assault, the two accused placed the injured victim on a scooter and transported him to the Civil Hospital in Banga. However, upon examination, attending doctors declared Kulwinder Singh dead. Learning of his death, the two accused fled the hospital premises, leaving the body behind. The hospital authorities promptly alerted the local police. Officers from the Banga City Police Station arrived at the scene, took custody of the body and initiated investigation into the matter to apprehend the suspect companions. Drug addiction hits women, families hardest: NCW chief Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, August 18 National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar on Tuesday flagged the growing burden of substance abuse and its impact on women and families during her official visit to Jalandhar. She said drug abuse has far-reaching emotional, social and economic consequences for women and their families, stressing the need for a comprehensive approach centred on prevention, awareness and rehabilitation. Speaking at a programme at the Red Cross Auditorium, Rahatkar said tackling the drug menace required greater participation from communities, families and local institutions. The extent of the drug abuse in Jalandhar was also highlighted by health officials from a de-addiction centre. According to officials, a district Health Department study found substance use, including alcohol, heroin and cannabis, among 45 per cent of the population in the district. The figure also included women and children, officials added.The scale of the problem is also reflected in the district’s treatment figures. Jalandhar records around 350 ON HARASSMENT OF DELHI PROTESTERS ■ When asked whether the NCW will take suo motu cognisance of coordinated online harassment, including rape and death threats, faced by women protesters after their Jantar Mantar protest over NEET paper leaks, Vijaya Rahatkar (pic) said the matter had already been discussed in Parliament. ■ “The government is prioritising their concerns. Hence, it cannot be answered in yes or no whether the commission will take any cognisance,” she said. to 400 admissions for deaddiction treatment every month, besides 600 to 700 patients attending OPDs. The district’s methadone clinic has 34 patients while around 19,000 patients are registered with Opioid Agonist Treatment (OOAT) clinics. Highlighting the role of community-led interventions, Rahatkar cited the example of Vicharpur, a small tribal village in Madhya Pradesh. She said the village had once been known for the illegal liquor trade. However, the situation changed when Raees Ahmed, a former footballer, started engaging the village’s youth in football. The initiative gradually transformed the identity of the village. Rahatkar said Vicharpur is now known as ‘Mini Brazil’, produced more than 40 national and state level football players. She also chaired a review meeting with senior district administration officials where strict compliance with the POSH Act, 2013, remain a key focus. Rahatkar stressed that educational institutions, hospitals and workplaces employing 10 or more persons must ensure effective functioning of internal committees, along with regular awareness and sensitisation programmes and accessible redressal mechanisms. Rahatkar also interacted with around 100 women from Self Help Groups, encouraging them to strengthen their digital presence, improve packaging and product presentation and expand market outreach. Phagwara, August 18 Panic gripped the administration and hospital staff after a fire broke out at Satluj Hospital on Plai Road in Phagwara. The fire reportedly started in generators installed on the top floor of the hospital. Smoke was suddenly noticed coming from a generator. The hospital staff alerted the fire brigade and attempted to control the flames using fire extinguishers. However, as the fire intensified, a fire team reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Dr Gurinder Pal Singh said smoke was first noticed coming from a generator, following which staff went to the fourth floor and found it engulfed in flames. Two generators were damaged in the fire. — OC Government school teachers, govt employees and pensioners burn the effigy of the government and Finance Minister outside the DC office in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MALKIAT SINGH Employees, pensioners burn effigy of FM Cheema Seek release of 18 pc DA installments , OPS restoration Our Correspondent Nawanshahr, August 18 Hundreds of government employees and pensioners on Tuesday staged a protest outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office and burnt the effigy of Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema in support of the Punjab State Ministerial Services Union’s statewide agitation. The protest was organised by the Punjab Employees and Pensioners Joint Front and the Sanjha Mulazam Manch Punjab. The leaders demanded the release of the remaining 18 per cent installments of dearness allowance, pension revision at the 2.59 multiplication factor and restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. They also sought the revision of salaries of unrevised categories at the 2.59 factor and regularisation of all categories of contractual employees. They demanded that hono- rarium and incentive-based workers be brought under the ambit of minimum wages. The protesters also called for restoration of all allowances, including the rural allowance, that were discontinued in the name of revision, along with restoration of the ACP scheme. They demanded repeal of the antiemployee notifications dated January 15, 2015, and July 17, 2020, and withdrawal of the amended service rules notification issued on June 12, 2025, besides extending Punjab’s prescribed pay scales to all newly recruited employees in the state. Among other demands, the leaders sought the withdrawal of the Rs 200 monthly deduction being imposed on employees and pensioners in the name of development, payment of all outstanding arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission in a single installment and restoration of the higher grade pay implemented in World Photography Day today Phagwara liquor vend salesman thrashed, robbed Vehicle headlights paint the night in vibrant streaks as lensman Sarabjit Singh captures the bustle at BMC Chowk, Jalandhar, through a striking long-exposure photograph created using the slow-shutter technique. Eviction drive on hold as occupants seek two days to vacate plot on Jalandhar Road Our Correspondent Kapurthala, August 18 As part of its ongoing drive against encroachments in the city, the Kapurthala Municipal Corporation on Tuesday initiated action on Jalandhar Road, where around 60 marlas of corporation-owned land had alleged- c m y b ly been occupied for several years by people engaged in making earthen pots. An MC team, armed with a JCB machine and police personnel, reached the spot following directions of Municipal Commissioner Anupam Kler and a court order. However, the action was temporarily deferred after the occupants sought two days to remove their belongings themselves and vacate the land. MC Inspector Bhajan Singh said notices had been issued several times to the occupants, directing them to vacate the land, but the encroachment continued. The matter was subsequently taken to court, where, after hearing both 2011 on the recommendations of the Fifth Pay Commission. They further demanded that the fixed medical allowance for employees and pensioners be increased to Rs 2,000 per month and that 125 per cent dearness allowance be taken as the basis while revising salaries and pensions from January 2016. The protesters also sought the immediate release of the second part of the Sixth Pay Commission report and constitution of the Seventh Pay Commission for Punjab without further delay. They demanded the implementation of the cashless health scheme for all government employees and pensioners and enhancement of the death-cum-retirement gratuity to Rs 25 lakh on the pattern of the Central Government. They also sought extension of the benefit to the remaining boards, corporations and other government institutions. sides, the occupants’ petition was dismissed, paving the way for the corporation to proceed with the eviction. According to corporation officials, the occupants assured them that they would remove their belongings and vacate the approximately 60-marla property within two days. Phagwara, August 18 Two persons allegedly assaulted a liquor vend salesman and fled with cash and his mobile phone after committing a robbery at a liquor vend located on the Nangal-Mouli road in Phagwara, raising questions over the law-and-order situation in the area. The incident took place when two unidentified youths arrived at the liquor vend on a motorcycle and demanded beer from salesman Rajesh Kumar Dubey, a native of HP When Dubey . opened the gate of the vend to hand over the beer, one of the accused allegedly entered inside at high speed. He reportedly pulled out a revolver, threatened the salesman and demanded money. When the salesman resisted, one of the accused allegedly struck him on the head with a beer bottle, seriously injuring him. The attackers then allegedly took around ?5,000 kept inside the cash box along with the salesman’s mobile phone. They also reportedly locked the injured salesman inside the vend before fleeing from the spot on their motorcycle towards Mouli village. After the robbery, locals helped the injured salesman and rushed him to the Civil Hospital, Phagwara, where he was admitted. — OC