10112026-JTR-01.qxd 11/9/2026 10:56 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune DIWALI LIGHTS UP PHAGWARA; FIRES CAST SHADOW COMPASSION TAKES CENTRE STAGE AT SCHOOL’S ANNUAL EVENT BIG B MEETS FANS WITHOUT BULLETPROOF GLASS SHIELD Homes, commercial establishments, markets and buildings were tastefully illuminated with colourful lights. P2 Saint Joseph Convent School, Hoshiarpur, celebrated its annual function for the 2026-27 academic session.P3 Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan met with fans without the bulletproof shield on Sunday. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 29°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 14°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5.32 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:51 AM » TUESDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2026 | JALANDHAR First Cong list likely to be out by month-end: Pargat HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune has started 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. Open to pact with Left |PCC chief, Bajwa target AAP, SAD, BJP Ashok Kaura INBRIEF TWO ARRESTED FOR SHOOTING Air pollution in Jalandhar on Monday morning. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Hoshiarpur: The Mahilpur police have arrested two persons for allegedly opening fire at a shopkeeper inside his garment shop on September 18. The police have also recovered a pistol and four cartridges from one of the accused. The incident took place at a garment shop in Mahilpur where an assailant entered the shop and fired at its owner Jasvir Chand, leaving him seriously injured. The police arrested Manjot Singh and Sahil. A pistol and four cartridges were recovered from Manjot Singh. oc AQI breaches 300 mark 5 BOOKED FOR STUBBLE BURNING Phagwara: The police have registered cases against five farmers for allegedly burning stubble. The Nurmahal police booked a woman Manjit Kaur of Saidowal village and her brothers Amarjit Singh and Tarsem Singh, and Karnail Singh of Shamshabad village. Patwaris had submitted reports to the police alleging that the accused had set fire to paddy stubble. The Bilga police booked Harpal Singh of Mao Sahib village for allegedly burning paddy stubble. OC BIKER KILLED IN MISHAP, 1 BOOKED Phagwara: A man has been booked for allegedly driving negligently, killing a motorcyclist. Lashkar Das of Dhani Pind said his son Gurpreet Mehra was returning home from Phagwara on his motorcycle when a car, allegedly driven by Ganga Ram, hit the motorcycle from behind. The collision left his son with serious injuries. The car driver also sustained injuries. Gurpreet was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Phagwara, where he died during treatment. OC 33 LIQUOR BOTTLES, CASH STOLEN Phagwara: The police have registered a case of burglary after 33 bottles of liquor and Rs 5,220 were allegedly stolen from a liquor vend last night. Paramjit Singh of Dadasiba in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh said the theft involved 33 bottles of liquor. The complaint named Rama Shankar Madeshiya of Bansgaon Khas in Kushinagar district of UP, in connection with the incident. OC MP MAN NABBED WITH 1.5 KG OPIUM Phagwara: The Government Railway Police have arrested a Madhya Pradesh resident with 1.5 kg of opium. The police booked Pankaj Kumar of Dhardi village in Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh. oc DRUG USER HELD IN SHAHKOT Phagwara: The police have arrested a man on the charge of consuming heroin and recovered articles allegedly used for consuming the contraband from his possession. oc Firecrackers worth ~30 crore go up in smoke in Jalandhar Aparna Banerji Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 9 Fireworks worth over Rs 30 crore lit up the skies and significantly worsened air quality in Jalandhar as residents continued bursting crackers till the early hours after Diwali, flouting the Supreme Court’s directive restricting fireworks to between 8 pm and 10 pm. The city remained among Punjab’s most polluted urban centres, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossing the 300 mark. AQI rose from 239 at 4 pm on Diwali day to 328 by noon the following day, with PM2.5 emerging as the chief pollutant. A blanket of haze enveloped the city on Diwali night, trig- gering eye irritation and respiratory discomfort among residents. Similar conditions had persisted for over a week before the festival. Despite environmental concerns, firecracker traders reported brisk business. They said demand was driven not only by Diwali celebrations, but also by Vishwakarma Puja observed by industrialists and traders after the festival. A farmland in Raowali village was designated as the city’s sole authorised firecracker market this year, where 20 wholesalers and retailers set up stalls. Vikas Bhandari, president of the Jalandhar Fireworks Association, said sales were satisfactory but claimed that authorised traders accounted for only about half of the city’s total firecracker sales. He alleged that over 800 unauthorised stalls operated across Jalandhar, while licensed traders incurred substantial expenses on permissions, rent, transport and other arrangements. He urged the administration to allow more selling days and additional sales sites on the pattern of Ludhiana. Bhandari also pointed to inadequate facilities at the Raowali site, including dust-related issues and the lack of water supply. Firecracker trader Raghav Mahajan said business remained good but added that a four-day sales window was too short. He maintained that poor air quality could not be attributed solely to the Diwali celebrations. Another trader Baldev Raj said the earlier sale venue at the Burlton Park was more convenient for customers and called for improvements in accessibility to the designated market site. PHAGWARA, NOVEMBER 9 The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) is likely to release its first list of candidates by the monthend, PPCC president Pargat Singh said while talking to The Tribune at the residence of Phagwara MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal here on Monday. Responding to a question about the possibility of a prepoll alliance with other political parties, Pargat and senior Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa indicated that the Congress could consider an alliance with the Left. Their remarks assume significance as the party prepares its political strategy for the coming electoral contest in Punjab. Before proceeding to Shri Vishwakarma Mandir, both leaders launched a strong attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP accus, ing them of pursuing policies that had adversely affected Punjab and its people. Targeting the ruling AAP government, Pargat and Bajwa alleged that Punjab’s financial position had deteriorated, with the state burdened by mounting debt during its tenure. They questioned the government’s claims of pro- PPCC chief Pargat Singh, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa and other leaders pay obeisance at Vishwakarma Temple in Phagwara on Monday. RETIRED SP PARAMJIT JOINS CONG Retired Superintendent of Police Paramjit Singh joined the Congress in the presence of Pargat Singh, Partap Singh Bajwa and MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal. His induction is expected to add to the party’s organisational strength in the Phagwara area. viding an honest and transparent administration, alleging that corruption continued to increase despite its repeated promises of clean governance. They also held the AAP government responsible for the growing drug menace, rising criminal activities and the deteriorating law and order situation. Taking aim at SAD, the Congress leaders also questioned the political legacy and governance record of the Akali Dal, particularly its previous tenure in power. The SAD, which governed Punjab for several years, has faced sustained political criticism over issues concerning the drug problem, sacrilege incidents and the handling of the law and order situation during its previous rule. The BJP also came under criticism from the Congress leaders. The party’s political role in Punjab, both during its earlier alliance with the SAD and after parting ways with the Akalis in 2020, has remained a subject of debate. The BJP has been attempting to expand its independent political base in the state, while the Congress has questioned its policies and political approach towards Punjab. 42 fire incidents reported on Diwali 110 admitted to hospitals, Paralysed man dies in Nijatam Nagar house fire tragedy Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 9 Fire officials in the city remained on high alert on Diwali, responding to 42 firerelated incidents reported until 8 am on Monday. Among these, five or six were major incidents that required the deployment of fire tenders. In a tragic incident, a man lost his life after a fire broke out at his house in Nijatam Nagar. According to officials, the man, who was reportedly paralysed, was trapped inside the house. By the time the fire department team reached the spot, he had already succumbed to his injuries. The department was alerted by local residents. Rajinder Sahota, president of the Fire Brigade Employ- ees Association, said major fire incidents were reported from Basti Sheikh, Basti Adda and the area near Lamma Pind Chowk. Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADFO) Maninder Singh confirmed the fatal incident, stating that the man was trapped inside his house when locals informed the fire brigade. The team rushed to the spot, but he was found dead upon its arrival. Officials said most of the calls were related to fire incidents, while some involved fires in scrap and junk material. Fire tenders were pressed into service to bring these blazes under control. The department said its teams would continue to remain on alert on Monday as well, as people traditionally burst firecrackers on the day following Diwali. 28 suffer burn injuries Rishika Kriti Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 9 The Diwali celebrations saw a spate of hospital admissions in Jalandhar and adjoining areas with 110 residents seeking treatment at government hospitals for various injuries and emergencies. Of these, 28 suffered firecracker-related injuries, including 21 burn cases and seven eye injuries, reported across the district. According to health officials, the Civil Hospital recorded the highest number of admissions during the festival with 80 cases attributed to street fights, assaults and other violent altercations. Besides these, the hospital treated 11 patients for burn injuries and four for eye injuries caused by firecrackers, the officials said. Fire at a crackers shop in Jalandhar. 7 EYE INJURIES REPORTED Of the 110 residents seeking treatment, 28 suffered firecracker-related injuries, including 21 burn cases and seven eye injuries, reported across the district. Seven patients were still admitted to the hospital. Among them was a man in his late 30s who met with an accident while travelling on a motorcycle with his three daughters. The family was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance around 5 pm. The man and his daughters sustained serious head injuries and were admitted. Among those injured by firecrackers was a sevenyear-old boy from the Ghas Mandi area. He suffered 17 per cent burns while trying to light a firecracker, sustaining injuries to his face and hands. The boy remained admitted to the hospital while other burn patients were discharged after dressing. Meanwhile, government health facilities in the peripheral areas of Jalandhar recorded 15 admissions during the celebrations. These included 10 burn cases, three eye injuries and two other cases. Community Health Centre (CHC)-Kartarpur reported the highest number of burn cases at five. CHC-Shankar in Nakodar recorded four cases, followed by CHC-Lohian Khas with one. Dr Jaswinder Sahota, Deputy Medical Commissioner, said no major burn or injury cases had been reported on the outskirts of Jalandhar. Increasing pollution throws city athletes’ routine off track Aakanksha N Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 9 A day after Diwali, rising pollution levels and deteriorating air quality have begun affecting athletes’ training sessions, with coaches and players saying that the pollution affects breathing and reduces stamina during intensive physical activities. With running, cardio and other high intensity workouts forming an essential part of their daily routines, athletes are finding it tough to train outdoors as they are exposed to polluted air. Coaches, too, have been forced to modify their sched- ules and reduce the intensity of training to minimise the impact on players’ health. Sarabjit Singh Happy, senior athletics coach with the Sports Department, said he trains athletes early in the morning. However, with air quality worsening, he changed the schedule and asked players to report to the ground at 11 am instead. “Pollution has a major impact on an athlete’s health. Since athletes breathe heavily during physical activity, they end up inhaling more polluted air, which can adversely affect their lungs,” he said. “Ek do mahine buri halat rehndi hai. It is a problem for athletes. They fall ill and their training gets affected. We cannot make them undergo full training. Their immunity also becomes weak,” he added. Bikramjit Singh, a javelin throw coach, with the department said although he conducts training sessions everyday, he had to cancel the morning session today because of the pollution. “Pollution definitely has an impact on the players,” he said. Even the young athletes, who are preparing for important competitions, shared the same. Gaurav Kumar, 16, who is scheduled to participate in the SGFI Nationals in Madhya Pradesh from tomorrow, c m y b IMMUNITY AFFECTED problem for ill and ❝It is agets affected.athletes. They fallthem their training We cannot make undergo full training. Their immunity also becomes weak. Sarabjit Singh Happy, COACH ❞ said the pollution affects the ability to train. “After Diwali, this happens every year. We get tired easily and experience breathlessness at times,” he said. Maya, a national-level athlete, who recently won a bronze medal in the 400-metre event at the Junior National Championships held in Chennai, also said pollution affects her workout routine. “I already have bad throat. Workout te affect hunda hai. Breathing vich difficulty aundi hai,” she said, describing how throat irritation and other issues impact the routine practice. Kulbir Singh, another player, said working out has also become difficult amid the deteriorating air quality. Athletes train on sports school ground amid rising pollution in Jalandhar. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH