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P4 » » SUNSET TUESDAY 5.26 PM » SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7.19 AM TUESDAY | 9 DECEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Cross-border arms smuggling module busted, six arrested Businessman gets ~50 lakh extortion calls Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Amritsar, December 8 The Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a Pakistan-operated arms smuggling module with the arrest of six persons, including a juvenile. Besides, the police recovered six sophisticated pistols — five .30 bore weapons and one 9mm PX5 pistol — from them. Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused were in direct touch with a Pakistan-based handler through social media, who shared GPS locations for weapon-drop points. The arrested individuals have been identified as Gurbir Singh, alias Sonu (28), of Kotli Vasava Singh in Tarn Taran; Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopa (32), Gorka Singh, alias Gora, and Rajwinder Singh, alias Raju, all residents of Khem Karan (Tarn Taran); Jaspal Singh, alias Jass (24), of Bachiwind in Amritsar; and a juvenile from Sultanpur Lodhi. The police said some of the arrested accused have previous criminal records, includ- Tarn Taran, December 8 Birinderpal Singh, a resident of Fatehbad village here, has received extortion calls from a gangster, Updesh Jamarai. The gangster is demanding an extortion of Rs 50 lakh from Birinderpal Singh. A case under Section 308 (4) of the BNS has been registered. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar (centre) addresses mediapersons in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR ing cases under the NDPS Act and charges related to rape and the POCSO Act. Police Commissioner, Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the breakthrough came during an intelligence-led operation that led to the arrest of Gurbir Singh and Gurpreet Singh with two pistols. Their interrogation uncovered the wider network, prompting followup raids that resulted in further arrests and recoveries. The module had been sup- plying weapon consignments to criminals operating in the Majha and Doaba regions, the police said. Further investigation is underway to identify the receivers of the weapons, financial channels involved and the full extent of the network. The police have also identified two accomplices from Kapurthala district who were allegedly receiving illegal arms. Raids are being conducted to arrest them, Bhullar added. In his complaint to the Goindwal Sahib police, the businessman stated that the gangster repeatedly called him on December 2 seeking an extortion of Rs 50 lakh and warned him of dire consequences in case he failed to give him the amount soon. Assitant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Jagjit Singh, posted at the Goindwal Sahib police station, said a case under Section 308 (4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita BNS has been registered and further investigation is underway. AAP gains early lead in polls for zila parishad, block samitis Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 8 It may sound absurd to a firm believer in democracy, but the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already secured nearly one-third of the Block Samiti seats unopposed in Amritsar district. Its candidates in 63 of the total 195 Block Samiti zones have been declared elected without contest. The party has also won three of the 24 Zila Parishad zones unopposed. As political observers often note and the public also understands, this early lead is only the tip of the iceberg. With the government believed to have more political levers at its disposal, it would hardly be surprising if the AAP ultimate- ly wins over 80 per cent of the seats. This is not unprecedented. The Congress, too, had swept the 2018 rural polls, winning 21 of the 25 Zila Parishad seats and 154 of the 199 Block Samiti zones. Similar one-sided outcomes have occurred in previous elections as well. Even as AAP appears poised to declare that the people of Punjab have once again reaffirmed their trust in the party and in Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, political pundits insist that the eventual result is already largely predictable. In Amritsar district, the trend of unopposed victories is especially stark. Chogawan Block Samiti leads with 12 uncontested winners out of 20 seats. It is followed by Majitha-I, where 11 of 18 candidates have been elected unopposed, and Majitha-II, where 9 of 15 seats have seen no contest. Another Block Samiti with a striking number of unopposed winners is Harsha Chinna, where 9 of the 15 members have been elected without opposition. Majitha-I and Majitha-II fall under the Majitha Assembly segment, while Harsha Chinna and Chogawan fall under the Rajasansi constituency. In Tarn Taran Zila Parishad, AAP is already in a position to declare its chairman as it has won 12 of the total 20 zones unopposed and has a majority even before the elections are held. Of the 165 Block Samiti zones, it has already won 98. The political backdrop is further complicated by a recent incident in Bhindi Saidan village of Rajasansi, where a sarpanch was allegedly thrashed by AAP supporters and later booked by the police. The episode triggered a boycott of the Zila Parishad and Block Samiti elections in three constituencies; Rajasansi, Ajnala and Majitha. With the Congress already out of the contest, the main fight now remains between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Shiromani Akali Dal. However, it is not much of a fight now as most of its former halqa incharges are either astray or inactive. Post-holy city tag: Survey of liquor, meat shops begins Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 8 Following the Punjab Government’s decision to ban the sale of liquor, tobacco and meat in Amritsar’s walled city after granting it holy city status, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation has begun groundwork to enforce the new rules. A series of meetings chaired by the Deputy Commissioner and the Municipal Commissioner have been held to finalise the implementation plan. As part of this exercise, the MC has been directed to conduct a detailed survey to determine the exact number and locations of liquor, tobacco and meat sellers operating within the walled city. MC Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill has assigned Joint Commissioner Jai Inder Singh to supervise the survey. Secretary Sushant Bhatia, Estate Officer Dharminderjit A view of a meat shop near the Rambagh area in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Singh, Superintendent Lovleen Sharma and veterinary Dr Darshan Kashyap have been appointed as team leaders to carry out the ground assessment. The teams have been mapping all outlets selling ciga- rettes, tobacco products and meat within the 12 historic gates. Several locations reportedly sell tobacco and meat, and at many places people consume liquor inside parked vehicles. Such activities are also noted in Custodial death: PSHRC seeks detailed report from DGP, SSP Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 8 The Punjab State Human Rights Commission (PSHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of the custodial death of a youth who allegedly died in the Jandiala Guru police station, triggering massive protests by family members and relatives who blocked the Amritsar-Jalandhar national highway on Sunday. The family has accused the police of brutally torturing the victim, leading to his death. The commission has sought a detailed report from the Director General of Police (DGP), the Deputy Commissioner, and the SSP , Amritsar (Rural), regarding the action taken so far. They have been directed to sub- mit their report a week before the next hearing, scheduled for January 27, 2026. A judicial probe has already begun, and a postmortem was conducted today by a three-member medical board. Gurpreet Singh, alias Harman, had been arrested by the police on December 6 in a Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) case. He and four others were lodged in the police lock-up when his condition suddenly deteriorated. He was rushed to Manawala Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Balwinder Kaur, mother of the deceased, said he had been detained for questioning following a quarrel in the village. She claimed his uncle had met him in cus- tody and found him normal at that time. While taking suo motu cognizance, the commission asked authorities to submit the judicial inquiry report, the post-mortem report with videography, a detailed report from the Senior Superintendent of Police, Amritsar (Rural), details of the officials posted at the police station at the time, the chemical examination report, the cause of death as explained by the medical board, and the treatment administered at the hospital. According to information, the judicial officer has recorded statements of other suspects in the lock-up, the police personnel present at the time, and the doctors who examined the victim and later conducted the autopsy. BJP’s Chhina slams Sidhus, seeks PITEX draws 3.5 lakh visitors as Governor explanation from Cong top brass Kataria pushes Make in India vision Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 8 Senior BJP leader Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina on Monday criticised the recent remarks made by former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu, in which she claimed that it takes a “Rs 500-crore suitcase” for anyone to become the party’s face for the Chief Minister’s candidature. Chhina said this stunning assertion exposes the deeply entrenched corrupt practices that, according to him, define the Congress party’s political culture. “When a former Congress leader publicly suggests that the route to the Chief Minister’s chair is paved with cash-filled suitcases, it raises extremely serious questions about how the Congress functions and how decisions affecting millions of people are made,” Chhina stated. He added that such allegations strike at the core of India’s democratic values, which demand fairness and integrity in public life. “The top leadership of the Congress, including Rahul Gandhi, needs to explain these allegations,” Chhina said, arguing that top-level positions in the party appear to be traded like commodities. “Punjab deserves leaders chosen on merit, integrity and public service, not those elevated through secret financial dealings,” he added. Calling upon the Congress to respond transparently, Chhina demanded that the party “come clean” on the charges. “Silence or evasion will only deepen public suspicion. The people of Punjab deserve to know whether their political future is being decided through ‘suitcases filled with cash’ instead of a dem- ocratic process.” Responding to Navjot Kaur Sidhu’s claim that Navjot Singh Sidhu would return to politics if the Congress declares him its chief ministerial candidate, Chhina said the statement clearly shows that the couple is focused on personal ambition rather than public welfare. He challenged both Sidhus to explain what they delivered to Amritsar during Navjot Singh Sidhu’s 10-year stint as an MP and their respective five-year terms as MLAs from the Amritsar (East) constituency. “The couple has done nothing for the city of Amritsar and has only pursued their own interests to stay in power. They have been in public life for long but failed to deliver for the city’s development, which is still struggling for basic amenities,” Chhina added. Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 8 Asserting that businessmen and industrialists play a major role in the state’s growth and urging them to collaborate with startups, Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria said such partnerships would strengthen India’s manufacturing sector and boost the Make in India campaign. Speaking as the chief guest at the closing ceremony of the 19th PHDCCI PITEX fair on Monday, the Governor praised industry leaders, exhibitors, foreign delegates, and visitors for contributing to the event’s success. He said PITEX has evolved into an important platform for trade, business networking, and economic cooperation. “In the last few years, PITEX has grown into a trusted event that connects Punjab’s business community c m y b Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria addresses the gathering on the concluding day of the PITEX expo in Amritsar on Monday. with markets across the globe,” he said. The expo, he added, reflects the energy and determination of Punjab’s entrepreneurs. Punjab’s strengths lie in agriculture, manufacturing, small industries, handicrafts, and emerging sectors. The state now has strong prospects in high-value manufacturing, food processing, textiles, renewable energy, and modern services. “With skilled workers, strategic location, and a business-friendly environment, Punjab is an attractive destination for investors,” the Governor noted. He expressed satisfaction at the participation of small businesses, women entrepreneurs, and young startups. “They are the backbone of our economic growth and represent the innovation and ambition that will shape India’s future,” he said. PHDCCI Chairman (Punjab Chapter) Karan Gilhotra said PITEX began in 2005 with just 50 stalls. “This year, more than 550 business participants joined the fair. If we had more space, even more exhibitors would have taken part,” he added. Senior Regional Director Bharti Sood presented the roadmap for upcoming PHDCCI events in Chandigarh and Punjab to the Governor. Despite space constraints, the five-day fair attracted more than 3.5 lakh visitors, an increase from last year’s 3.43 lakh. Seventeen state departments, including Markfed, PSIEC, Invest Punjab, and Startup Punjab, participated. certain hotels and roadside eateries. Some vendors sell meat only during evening hours. At present, no liquor vends or hotels are permitted to serve alcohol inside the walled city. As part of the survey, teams are also checking whether any hotel has been issued permission to serve liquor in violation of norms. Four survey teams, led by senior officers, are covering the entire walled city to identify all sellers of cigarettes, liquor and tobacco products. The findings will be compiled and submitted to the district administration. According to initial information, around 100 shops and vends have been identified so far, with a similar number expected during the evening survey. Some liquor vends on the outer ring road are also reportedly operating from properties owned by the municipal corporation. BSF foils drug smuggling attempts on Punjab border Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 8 In a series of swift and coordinated operations, the Border Security Force (BSF) has dealt a major blow to crossborder narco-smuggling networks along the Punjab frontier, recovering a large quantity of heroin, opium and a drone carrying weapon components. According to officials, the first breakthrough came late on Monday night after troops detected a suspected aerial movement near Daoke village in Amritsar district. Launching an intensive search of nearby agricultural fields, BSF personnel recovered two large packets of heroin weighing 6.641 kg. The consignment, wrapped in yellow adhesive tape with illuminating sticks and metal loops attached, contained 12 smaller poly packets consisting of heroin concealed inside. Yesterday also, the BSF had recovered 6.6 kg of heroin from the same border village. In a separate intelligencebased operation near Mahawa village (also in Amritsar), BSF troops recovered one packet of opium weighing 429 grams from farmland. A third operation unfolded in Tarn Taran, where a suspected drone movement was tracked by a joint team of the BSF and the Punjab Police. The coordinated effort led to the recovery of a DJI Air 3 drone along with pistol parts from fields near village Dal, indicating yet another attempt to smuggle weapons using unmanned aerial systems. CONTRABAND FOUND FROM FIELDS ■ According to officials, the first breakthrough came late on Monday night after troops detected a suspected aerial movement near Daoke village in Amritsar district. Launching an intensive search of nearby agricultural fields, BSF personnel recovered two large packets of heroin weighing 6.641 kg.