01122024-JTR-01.qxd 11/30/2024 10:20 PM Page 1 c m y b Jalandhar tribune POWER SUPPLY TO COLONY CUT, JCT MILL WORKERS STAGE PROTEST JHA'S FILM EXPLORES CONNECTION BETWEEN TRIBAL PEOPLE & FOREST ...WHEN JULIA ROBERTS REFUSED A POTENTIAL MINI-SEQUEL Hundreds of workers from JCT Mills staged a massive protest against the disconnection of electricity to the Thapar Colony. P2 Shishir Jha's film Tortoise Under The Earth explores the deep connection between tribal people and the forest. P4 Screenwriter Richard Curtis revealed that a potential mini-sequel to Notting Hill was rejected by actress Julia Roberts. P4 » » FORECAST MODERATE FOG MAX 24°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 11°C SUNSET SUNDAY 5.24 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 7:10 AM » SUNDAY | 1 DECEMBER 2024 | JALANDHAR Phagwara, November 30 A shocking incident of snatching occurred in Chahal Nagar today. Two motorcycleborne miscreants targeted a woman walking home and fled with her gold chain. The victim, identified as Ritu Sharma, told the police that she was returning home from a neighbour’s house when two young men on a motorcycle approached her. They snatched her gold chain and Mangal Sutra from her neck and sped away. The incident was immediately reported to the police. Amandeep Nahar, SHO, city, said a police team visited the spot and initiated an investigation into the matter. He assured that the culprits would be apprehended soon. The incident has raised concerns over public safety in the area. — OC Two arrested for snatching Phagwara, November 30 The police have arrested two snatchers under Section 304 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on the charge of snatching gold chain from a woman identified as Preeti in the city. The accused has been identified as Rajbir and Ravi, both migrants from Uttar Pradesh. Both have confessed to their crime. — OC 1 booked under POCSO Act Phagwara, November 30 On a complaint lodged by Madhya Pradesh migrant Amar Bansal, presently residing at Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, the police have registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Sections 7 and 8 of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act against a youth identified as Madan Lal, a resident of Tibbi in Phagwara on the charges of sexually abusing and outraging the modesty of a minor girl (niece of the complainant).The accused is still at large and is yet to be arrested by the police. — OC Police tightens grip on traffic rule violators Neglected space opposite Maqsudan police post turns into garbage dump Avneet Kaur Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 30 A vast space opposite the Maqsudan police chowki, originally earmarked for a green zone, has instead turned into a massive garbage dump. Negligence by the municipal corporation (MC) and the lack of proper space at the police post to store seized or unclaimed vehicles has resulted in the area becoming an eyesore. Adding to the problem, scrapped vehicles belonging to the police chowki are parked at the dump site, tarnishing the area’s appearance. The situation has further worsened with the Maqsudan police allegedly encroaching upon a nearby park, which has now been converted into a scrapyard. Local residents are furious, citing health hazards and inconvenience caused by the misuse of public spaces by the police. “The police have taken over crucial public areas TRIBUNE PHOTO: SARABJIT SINGH Woman’s gold chain snatched Unclaimed vehicles and huge pile of garbage at a green belt in front of the Maqsudan police post. like roads, the park and even the service lane opposite the chowki for storing impounded vehicles. The area has become a garbage dump. It’s now a breeding ground for mosquitoes and insects,” said Manohar Lal, a Maqsudan resident. However, the problem is just not restricted to Maqsudan. Other police chowkis and stations in the city face similar issues with scrapped vehicles covered in dust and rust occupying available spaces and creating a chaotic environment for visitors and residents alike. Amandeep Kaur, another resident, highlighted the worsening condition at the Division No. 7 police station where the parking lot is over- run with seized vehicles. “Visitors have no choice, but to park their vehicles on the road which restricts the movement of pedestrians and commuters. With no mechanism to dispose of these vehicles, their numbers keep growing, adding to the chaos,” she said. Police officials, meanwhile, say vehicles must remain in custody until court trials con- clude or release orders were issued. However, with no dedicated yard or parking facilities, vehicles end up in whatever open spaces are available near police stations. SSP (Rural) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh acknowledged the gravity of the situation. The SSP said he had plans to relocate the Maqsudan police chowki to the rural area, as it falls within city limits and lacks sufficient space for vehicle parking. “We are actively working on relocating the chowki. As of now, I will direct officials concerned to immediately look for a temporary solution so that residents don’t face problems,” he said. MC Joint Commissioner Sumandeep Kaur also promised swift action in this connection. “We will hold a meeting with police officials to devise a joint solution. Our priority is to maintain green belts and ensure that residents face no inconvenience,” she said. Vehicle lifter’s gang 3 held with six stolen vehicles busted, three held Phagwara, November 30 In a major breakthrough, the Jalandhar (Rural) police have successfully busted a vehicle lifter’s gang with the arrest of its three members and recovery of a stolen Royal Enfield motorcycle from their possession. The arrested accused were identified as Mani Nahar, Manoj Kumar and Harvinder Kumar, all residents of Mohalla Sunder Nagar, Nakodar. Speaking to mediapersons, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said the arrest of these individuals was part of a broader efforttoeliminateorganisedstreet crime. The operation was executed by a team led by Inspector Aman Saini, SHO, Nakodar city, under the supervision of SP (Investigation) Jasroop Kaur and Nakodar DSP Sukh- pal Singh, Khakh said. The team acted promptly on specific intelligence about the gang’s activities in Nakodar, leading to a strategic blockade and eventual apprehension of the accused. The operation was conducted on Friday. The police set up a blockade following a tip-off regarding the gang’s movement. During the operation, two accused, Mani Nahar and Manoj Kumar, were intercepted while riding a stolen Royal Enfield motorcycle. Upon interrogation, their third accomplice Harvinder Kumar was also apprehended. An FIR No. 13 was registered at the Nakodar city police station. Preliminary probe revealed that the gang was targeting high-value motorcycles in Nakodar and the surrounding areas. — OC One of the accused in custody of the Hoshiarpur police. Hoshiarpur, November 30 Three members of a gang involved in stealing vehicles and other valuables in the area of the Model Town police station have been arrested. Six vehicles and two golaks stolen from religious place have been recovered from them. Giving information in this regard, Model Town police station in-charge Gagandeep Singh said a few days ago two golaks were stolen from a temple located in New Model Town. A case was registered in this regard. He said after a thorough investigation of the case, one accused identified as Karan Adia, alias Bha, a resident of Khanpuri Gate, was arrested. When the accused was questioned, he told the police that he had stolen golaks along with his two other accomplices identified as Kaku, a resident of Shastri Nagar, and Kulwinder Singh, a resident of Tagad Badala. He told the police that the three of them also stole two-wheelers together. Gagandeep said after arresting the three alleged accused and interrogating them, two golaks, three Activa scooters and three bikes were recovered from them. — OC The accused in custody of the Jalandhar (Rural) police. Inter-state drug racket busted, smuggler held 95 gm smack, ~1L drug money seized Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 30 In a major breakthrough against inter-state drug trafficking, the Jalandhar (Rural) police have dismantled a sophisticated drug smuggling network by arresting a key operative allegedly managing a complex drug supply chain spanning multiple states. The arrested accused has been identified as Amit Kumar Bhatti, alias Mita, originally from Bhuntar, Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, who was presently residing at House No. 208, Ward No. 11, Valmik Mohalla, under the Kadian police station, Gurdaspur. Addressing mediapersons here today, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said the police successfully traced an intricate drug trafficking route connecting Moradabad (UP), Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. A special team from the CIA staff, under the supervision of SP (Investigation) Jasroop Kaur Bath and DSP Sarwanjit Singh and led by CIA staff in-charge Inspector Pushap Bali with support from the Bhogpur police station carried out the operation. The team acted on specific intelligence regarding a drug transaction on the BhogpurJalandhar main highway. During a surveillance operation near the Gardi Bakhsha village turn, the accused was intercepted while attempting to flee upon spotting the police. A suspicious envelope discarded by the accused was recovered from which 95 Six nabbed in three operations against drug peddlers in district 23 grams of heroin, 405 narcotic pills, ~10,000 in cash seized; Motorcycle used in illegal activities impounded One killed, another injured in road mishap Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Jalandhar, November 30 The Commissionerate Police launched a three-day traffic enforcement drive by issuing 82 challans and impounding 11 vehicles to bolster road safety. The initiative, spearheaded by ACP (North) Rishabh Bhola focused on curbing major traffic violations across the city. Traffic checkpoints were strategically set up in the bustling areas, including marketplaces and high-traffic zones, to monitor compliance of rules. During the drive, over 765 vehicles were inspected, resulting in the seizure of vehicles lacking proper documentation and the removal of black films from car windows panes. Key violations addressed included triple riding on motorcycles, underage driving and the use of unauthorised bikes. The drive also leveraged modern tools, such as the VAHAN app, to verify vehicle authenticity. grams of brown sugar was recovered. A subsequent search led to the seizure of ~1 lakh drug money. An FIR (No. 144) was registered on November 28, 2024, under Sections 21B, 27A, 61 if the BNS and Section 85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Bhogpur police station, Jalandhar (Rural) district. Initial interrogation of the accused exposed a sophisticated drug trafficking route. The accused was systematically procuring brown sugar from Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) and transporting it through Punjab to Himachal Pradesh where it was sold to foreign tourists at significantly inflated price. Investigations suggested a meticulously planned inter-state drug network involving complex logistical arrangements. The drug route follows a strategic path starting from Moradabad (origin) goes through Punjab (transit) and ends at Himachal Pradesh (distribution market) with potential expansion into Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur. The accused has a prior case registered under FIR No. 54, dated May 1, 2019, under Sections 21, 61, and 85 of the NDPS Act at the Maqsudan police Station. His criminal background is being verified from the Kullu police in Himachal Pradesh. “The arrested accused will be produced in a local court. The police will seek remand of the accused to investigate his forward and backward links with drug trafficking network,” SSP Khakh said. Jalandhar, November 30 In a decisive blow to drug trafficking in the district, the Jalandhar (Rural) police arrested six accused during three operations conducted within 24 hours. The crackdown resulted in the recovery of 23 grams of heroin, 405 narcotic pills, ~10,000 drug money and a motorcycle used in illegal activities. “This is part of our ongoing campaign to uproot drug networks and ensure safety of the community,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh, while addressing mediapersons at the district police headquarters here on Saturday. In the first operation, the Phillaur police apprehended Kamlesh Kumar, alias Sonu Bacha, and Akash Kumar, alias Baba, near Panjdhera village. Acting on specific information, the police recovered 8 grams of heroin, 105 narcotic pills and ~10,000 in cash from them. The operation was con- Two accused in custody of the Jalandhar (Rural) police; and (right) two drug peddlers in custody of the Phillaur police. TRIBUNE PHOTOGRAPHS ducted under Inspector Sanjeev Kapur along with teams deployed at strategic locations in the town. In the second operation, a Patara police team arrested Rajwinder Singh, alias Raja, and Hardeep Thapar, alias Honey, near Chadpur village and recovered 12 grams of heroin and 300 narcotic pills from them. A motorcycle (bearing registration number PB-08-EM-5261) used for supplying drugs by the duo was also impounded by the police. DSP Kulwant Singh supervised this operation c m y b along with a patrol team. The third operation led by the Kartarpur police resulted in the arrest of Arshpreet Singh and Dilpreet, who were intercepted near Ambia village. The police recovered 3 grams of heroin from their possession. The operation was carried out under the supervision of Kartarpur DSP Surinder Pal. Three separate cases were registered against the accused. Initial investigations revealed that some of the accused had prior criminal record. Kamlesh Kumar was involved in two NDPS cases previously. Rajwinder Singh and Arshpreet Singh had connections with drug suppliers operating in nearby districts. The accused would be produced in local courts and their remand sought to investigate their forward and backward links. Phagwara, November 30 One motorcyclist was killed and his pillion rider friend sustained serious injuries when their two-wheelerr met with an accident near Paragpur on the national highway here last night. Both were rushed to the local civil hospital where bike driver identified as Jobanbir was declared brought dead. His pillion rider Sahil was admitted to the hospital. Both were residents of Behram village. They worked as a cook in a private university. The accident happened when the bike driver suddenly lost control over the vehicle and it rammed into a roadside tree. In another mishap two bike-borne youth sustained serious injuries when their vehicle collided with an autorickshaw near Mehli village. The injured were identified as Mukhtiar Ali and Sipahi Khan, both residents of Piparangi locality in Phagwara. They were admitted to the local civil hospital. — OC