03112025-ATR-01.qxd 11/2/2025 10:18 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune CITY OUTSKIRTS CHOKE UNDER GARBAGE PILES FOUR HELD FOR STEALING MOBILE TOWER BATTERIES The Gharinda police have arrested four persons for stealing batteries from a mobile tower in Cheecha village. P2 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 17°C KING-SIZE BIRTHDAY TREAT FROM SRK Localities are facing insanitary conditions as garbage lifting has remained disrupted for nearly a month. P2 FORECAST Shah Rukh Khan’s dark and menacing transformation for the film, King . P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 5.34 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:38 AM » MONDAY | 3 NOVEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR MC cracks the whip on illegal sewer, water connections in city Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 2 The Municipal Corporation (MC) has launched a major crackdown on illegal water and sewer connections across the city. Over the past three months, the civic body has issued over 1,750 notices to defaulters and unauthorised connection holders. Officials found negligent in enforcement, including junior engineers (JEs) and field staff, are also being asked to explain their inaction. To regularise such connec- tions, the MC has started organising camps in various colonies. The administration has now ordered focused action against large consumers with outstanding dues exceeding Rs 50,000. Officials revealed that several commercial connections have malfunctioning meters, leading to nominal lump-sum bills of around Rs 200 being charged, causing significant revenue loss to the Municipal Corporation. Additional MC Commissioner Surinder Singh said STRICT ENFORCEMENT ■ Now focused action against large consumers with outstanding dues exceeding Rs 50,000. ■ Several commercial connections have meters that malfunction resulting in revenue loss to MC. ■ The MC is now focusing on large defaulters in the North strict measures are being taken to curb illegal connections and recover pending dues. "Connections that are not reg- Gurpurab tidings and Central constituencies. Consumers with outstanding bills of over Rs 50,000 will face disconnection, while camps will continue in colonies to encourage regularisation. ■ Officials estimate more than one lakh illegal water and sewer connections. ularised will be disconnected. At the same time, officials and staff showing negligence in enforcement are being A Sikh youth performs Gatka during a Nagar Kirtan to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in Amritsar on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 2 On eve of the SGPC elections, a letter written by former Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) Chairman Harinder Singh Brar and Manjeet Singh Randhawa, president of Lok Raj Punjab, has appealed to members of the SGPC to elect a new executive committee with “honesty and responsibility”. In the letter, addressed to the SGPC president and all members, the signatories expressed deep concern over the functioning of the present management committee, saying that its decisions have gone against Gurmat Maryada and hurt the dignity of the Sikh community’s highest religious institutions. They alleged that the arbitrary actions of the current committee have reminded the community of the “masand” era, when selfserving leaders ignored Sikh traditions and discipline. Randhawa stated that Guru Gobind Singh had set an example by punishing those who acted against religious principles, and warned that those responsible would face both moral and spiritual consequences. It urged all SGPC members to take this seriously while electing the new office-bearers and executive committee on November 3. They also appealed that none of the previous committee members who were part of the controversial decisions be re-elected. held accountable," he said. The Municipal Corporation is now focusing on large defaulters in the Miscreants fire at medical store, youth suffers injuries Tribune News Service SGPC urged to elect new executive that upholds values A view of the Municipal Corporation office in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO Amritsar, November 2 Two unknown armed persons fired at a medical store in Gehri Mandi area falling under Jandiala Guru police station jurisdiction, leaving a youth critically wounded here late on Saturday evening. The victim was identified as Sahil Singh alias Pamma (19). He suffered two bullet injuries and was admitted to the ICU of a hospital. Mukhtiar Singh, SHO, Jandiala Guru, said that Sahil Singh alias Pamma was operated upon and is out of danger now. But he is still under observation. According to information received, the victim used to work at Rana Medical Store and was standing outside the shop when two bike- borne persons arrived there and started firing indiscriminately leaving him injured. The accused fled after the firing. The police recovered three empty bullet shells from the crime scene. Police officials questioned the medical store owner and other eyewitnesses. However, police was yet to find the motive behind the incident. “The doctors have declared Sahil unfit for recording any statement. Once he is stable, he can shed more light on the incident,” said the SHO while adding that a case has been registered against the unknown bike-borne persons. Footage from CCTV cameras in the area was being scanned to find clues about the perpetrators of the crime, he added. NCB probes extortion, blackmail angle TRAMADOL CASE Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 2 The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has expanded the probe into the illegal tramadol supply case. The central agency was now investigating into the allegations from the angle of extortion and blackmail. Notably, during the inquiry into the illegal tramadol supply to private hospitals case, the NCB has claimed to have stumbled upon a bigger racket of extortion, fraud and black marketing. An NCB official privy to the investigations said that the agency has received permission from the appropriate authorities to hold a probe in this direction also which otherwise was not its mandate. The probe revealed that the 'racket' also included blackmailing the owners of private hospitals by using their influence in the Municipal Corpo- ration's Municipal Town Planning (MTP) wing. "We have got the permission to question officials in the Municipal Town Planning wing. If need be, the Punjab Vigilance Bureau would also be involved to assist in the investigations," he said. The case pertains to the investigations in the alleged illegal supply of tramadol tablets to private hospitals beyond their allotted quota. The central agency had earlier arrested a web journalist and a pharmaceutical company owner Deepak Bhandari in the case. His brother Amit Bhandari and two private hospital doctors were also arrested on May 6 this year. Several other members of the Bhandari family were named in the case as well. Amit Bhandari was first arrested on May 2 following the seizure of over 30,000 tramadol tablets, a prescription painkiller often misused as a narcotic. The next day, Dr Malhotra and Dr Rajan were arrested after 2,000 tramadol tablets were recovered from each of them without valid licences to store such psychotropic drugs. The Enforcement Directorate was also likely to probe the case. North and Central constituencies. Consumers with outstanding bills of over Rs 50,000 will face disconnection, while camps will continue in colonies to encourage regularisation of illegal connections. Officials estimate that more than one lakh (100,000) illegal water and sewer connections currently exist within the municipal limits. Many of these were connected privately by residents to pipelines laid under various government projects, bypassing official approval. The Municipal Corporation has long struggled to identify and regulate such con- Italy-based NRI shot dead by 2 assailants Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 2 Malkeet Singh (42), an Italybased NRI who originally hailed from Dhariwal village falling under Rajasansi police station limits, was gunned down by two armed persons here yesterday. The victim was working in his fields along with his father when the incident took place. The exact motive behind the incident was yet to be confirmed though the police said that they had a quarrel a few days ago. The police have booked Bikram Singh of the same village among two suspects for the murder. He was one of the accused arrested by the Deceased Malkeet Singh police in connection with the grenade blast at Nirankari Bhawan in Rajasansi in 2018. He came out of jail on bail two years later. Vikramjit Singh, SHO, Rajasansi police station, said that the accused were absconding and efforts were on to arrest them. Balwinder Kaur, sister of Police crack firing cases linked to extortion in Gurdaspur, 2 held Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, November 2 The local police cracked two recent firing incidents linked to two extortion cases with the arrest of two persons, besides recovering one sophisticated 9mm Glock pistol from their possession. The accused have been identified as Nitish Singh, a resident of Kotla Sultan Singh village of Amritsar district and Karan Masih, a resident of Deol village in Gurdaspur. On September 22, two motorcycle-borne persons had opened fire at a medical store owner who had sus- tained injuries during the attack. On October 15, two bike-borne persons had opened fire outside a private hospital in Kalanaur. The owners of both establishments had been receiving extortion calls from unknown mobile numbers. DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were operating on the directions of foreignbased gangsters Gurdev Jassal and Gurlal Singh, both of who are associated with the BKI. DIG, Border Range, Sandeep Goel said the police had reliable inputs. City railway station set for world class facilities upgrade Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 2 The Additional General Manager of Northern Railway, Mohit Chandra, inspected Amritsar Railway Station on Sunday. Along with a battery of officials he walked length and breath of the railway station besides paying a visit to its circulatory area. He also observed the condition of approaching roads linking the railway station to the city. Following this, he gave instructions for improvement to officials of the Firozepur division under which the local railway station falls. During the inspection, he reviewed the passenger amenities available at the station and discussed plans for their further improvement. He also discussed plans in Additional General Manager of Northern Railway, Mohit Chandra, inspecting Amritsar railway station on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR context of upcoming redevelopment works including provisions for a circulating area, airconditioned and non-air-conditioned waiting halls, escalators and lifts, a divyang-friendly environment, a large parking area with improved circulation towards main entry gate. c m y b He also evaluated the upcoming redevelopment works for the Amritsar Station. The site identified for the station’s redevelopment was closely nections. In a new directive, the Additional MC Commissioner has instructed each JE to disconnect at least five illegal connections every week, while each SDO has been tasked with inspecting 10 commercial connections weekly. The Municipal Corporationofficials said that regularisation and recovery of pending bills will help improve the revenue base, enabling better maintenance and expansion of the water and sewerage infrastructure. examined by him. The redevelopment plan includes provisions for a circulating area, air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned waiting halls, escalators and lifts, a divyang-friendly environment, a large parking area with improved circulation towards the main entry gate, and separate drop-off and pick-up lanes to ensure smooth traffic flow and passenger convenience. Additionally, new platforms and foot over bridges will also be developed. Mohit Chandra stated that this project will not only make the station modern and passenger-friendly but will also serve as a milestone in providing world-class facilities to passengers. During the inspection, Divisional Railway Manager Sanjeev Kumar, Senior Divisional Engineer (III) Navalpreet Kaur, Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Paramdeep Singh Saini, and other officials and staff of the Construction were also present. the deceased, said that Malkeet returned from Italy around two months back on leave. He was sowing wheat along with his father at around 7 pm when the accused arrived and sprinkled bullets at him leaving him critically injured. He was rushed to the hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival. He reportedly suffered over six bullet injuries. Balwinder Kaur demanded immediate arrest of the accused. She also sought action against those who facilitated his bail bond. Surjit Singh, father of the deceased, said that Malkeet had an argument with Bikram Singh and he nursed a grudge against him. Name Golden Temple post office after former PM Singh, says Aujla Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 2 Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Member of Parliament from Amritsar, has urged the Central Government to rename the old post office located near the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex after former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. He has written a letter to the Union Minister of State for Communications Dr Chandrasekhar in this regard. In his letter, Aujla mentioned that the post office situated near the Golden Temple has been serving people continuously for the last 70 to 80 years. It has remained an important communication centre for pilgrims, visitors and local residents. Presently, the post office functions under the service of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Aujla stated that renaming this historic post office after Dr Manmohan Singh would be a matter of pride for Punjab as well as for the entire nation. He described Dr Singh as an honest, learned and humble leader who played a vital role in strengthening India’s economy and enhancing its global reputation. The MP wrote that naming it “Dr Manmohan Singh Post Office, Sri Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar” would not only honour a great leader but also serve as a true tribute to a son of Punjab who dedicated his life to the service of the nation. Aujla has appealed to the Central Government to approve the proposal.