Amit Shah's Anti-Drug Rally Set for Jalandhar as City Lands Its First Comic Con
Jalandhar became a dual focal point of national attention this week, with BJP mobilising for a September 30 anti-drug rally to be addressed by Home Minister Amit Shah and with the city securing its first-ever Comic Con event, scheduled for November. The week also brought sombre news: a youth's body was discovered at the Leather Complex, and a young man who had spent three years stranded in Cambodia finally returned home.
Home Minister Amit Shah to Close Nasha Mukt Punjab Yatra with Jalandhar Mega Rally
Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address a mega rally in Jalandhar on September 30 as the concluding event of the Nasha Mukt Punjab campaign. Mid-Day reported, citing IANS, that the rally is organised around the theme of making Punjab drug-free and is to be held at a 50-acre site on Paragpur Road. The Tribune confirmed that BJP has been mobilising workers across Punjab in the run-up to the event, with the party formally kicking off rally preparations in Jalandhar days in advance. The anti-drug yatra has been a BJP-driven campaign aimed at highlighting the drug menace in Punjab, a state where narcotics abuse has long been a severe social and political issue. The rally in Jalandhar carries political weight given the city's centrality in Punjab's Doaba region. Congress workers in Jalandhar held a separate meeting with a Haryana MP during the same period, signalling that the opposition was also active in the city. Amit Shah's visit is expected to draw a large crowd from across northern Punjab and to set a politically charged tone ahead of the state's next electoral cycle. [3]
🎉 Comic Con India Makes Its Debut in Jalandhar This November
Comic Con India has announced its first-ever event in Jalandhar, scheduled for November 2026, marking a significant cultural milestone for the Punjab city. IGN India reported the announcement, noting that Jalandhar becomes the newest city added to Comic Con India's touring circuit. Comic Con events in India typically feature cosplay competitions, signings with artists and creators, gaming zones, merchandise stalls, and celebrity appearances from the world of comics, anime, and pop culture. The event draws participants from across the region, including cosplayers, collectors, and fans of gaming and Japanese animation. Jalandhar's selection reflects the growing popularity of pop culture events in Tier-2 Indian cities as organisers seek to expand beyond metro markets that have hosted Comic Con for years. The announcement is expected to generate considerable excitement among Jalandhar's younger population and the broader Punjab gaming and pop culture community. Further details about specific dates, ticket pricing, and special guests were to be shared closer to the event as the organising team finalised the programme. [1]
Jalandhar Youth Returns Home After Three Years Stranded in Cambodia
A young man from Jalandhar has returned home after being stranded in Cambodia for three years, The Tribune reported. The case is part of a disturbing pattern involving young Punjabis who travel abroad in search of employment and end up trapped by criminal networks operating scam compounds in Southeast Asia. Cambodia has emerged as a significant hub for cyber fraud operations that lure young people from Punjab and other Indian states with promises of technology and customer service jobs. Once there, victims are typically held against their will and forced to work in online scam operations targeting people in other countries. The youth's return followed intervention by his family, local authorities, or Indian consular officials. His homecoming brings relief to a family that had been waiting for years. The case illustrates a broader trend of Jalandhar-area residents falling victim to overseas exploitation networks, which has prompted Punjab Police and Indian diplomatic missions to issue repeated public warnings about fraudulent overseas job offers. Advocacy groups working on anti-trafficking issues have used such cases to call for stronger pre-departure screening for young migrants. [8]
Youth Found Dead at Leather Complex, Family Alleges Murder
A young man was found dead inside Jalandhar's Leather Complex, with his family alleging the death was not accidental but a murder. The Tribune reported the discovery of the body, prompting police to register a case and begin a formal investigation. The Leather Complex is a large industrial area in Jalandhar known for its concentration of footwear and leather goods manufacturing units, workshops, and storage facilities. The family's murder allegation put pressure on investigators to examine the circumstances of the death carefully, including whether the victim had known disputes or whether theft, workplace conflict, or other motives may have played a role. Police were expected to rely on forensic examination, post-mortem findings, available CCTV footage, and witness accounts to establish the cause and manner of death. The incident added to Jalandhar's law-and-order concerns for the week and drew attention from local residents and trade associations in the leather industry. Authorities were urged to complete the investigation promptly and transparently, given the family's serious allegations. [7]
Jalandhar Scholar Nominated to GNDU Board of Studies in Hindi
A scholar from Jalandhar identified as Sharma has been nominated to the Board of Studies in Hindi at Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar. The Tribune reported the appointment, which recognises the nominee's academic contributions to Hindi language and literature. The Board of Studies is an academic body responsible for framing curriculum, setting syllabi, and recommending academic policy for a given subject at the university level. Nomination to such a body is considered a mark of peer recognition in the academic community and typically follows a record of sustained contribution to teaching, research, or publication in the field. GNDU is one of the premier universities in Punjab, and its Hindi Department maintains a well-regarded research tradition. Sharma's nomination is expected to bring a Jalandhar scholarly perspective to curriculum discussions at the university. The appointment was welcomed by the local academic and cultural community in Jalandhar, which maintains a strong Hindi literary tradition alongside its Punjabi heritage. Such nominations to university boards are periodically made by university authorities in consultation with academic experts from across the region. [9]
Sources: [3] mid-day.com · [1] IGN India · [8] The Tribune · [7] The Tribune · [9] The Tribune