30122025-ATR-01.qxd 12/29/2025 11:29 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune YEARENDER: PUNJAB POLICE TURNED UP HEAT ON DRUGS FORECAST FOG IN MORNING ACTRESS HUMA QURESHI STUNS AS ELIZABETH A series of attacks on police establishments forced the Punjab Police to adopt a more aggressive approach. P2 » THE SHAADI SPECTACLE GREW BIGGER AND BETTER THIS YEAR The first look of Huma Qureshi from the upcoming film, Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, has been released. P4 The year 2025 will be remembered as one of the most spectacular in celebrity and high-profile weddings. P4 » » MAX 19°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 19°C | MIN 5°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5.36 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7.29 AM TUESDAY | 30 DECEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Cold wave grips city as dense fog engulfs city Maharashtra driver loses life in accident Office hours and commercial activity were delayed due to fog Farmers, labourers suffer in Tarn Taran Gurbaxpuri Two persons out on a morning walk by the roadside; (right) people sit around a bonfire to stay warm in Amritsar on Monday. VISHAL KUMAR Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Services Amritsar, December 29 A dense blanket of fog enveloped the region on Monday morning, greeting residents with a grey, low-visibility skyline and bringing daily life to a near standstill. The fog, which has persisted for the third consecutive day, continued to disrupt traffic movement and posed serious risks to commuters across the city and adjoining areas. Poor visibility during the early morning hours has already taken a toll, with a series of road accidents reported over the past two days. One person lost his life Two gangsters arrested in Gurdaspur firing incident Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, December 29 The police claimed to have solved a firing incident that took place in the heart of the city on December 25 by arresting two Batala-based gangsters. SSP Aditya said the two accused had fired gunshots at an office belonging to an immigration consultant in the posh PUDA market on Jail Road. The miscreants fired at the establishment “to terrorise the consultant”. Incidentally, the consultant was not present when the firing took place. The accused, Karamjit Singh and Rohit Kumar, had earlier demanded extortion from the immigration consultant. “They were acting at the behest of UK-based gangster Nishan Jaurian,” said the SSP . The police have recovered a pistol, an air pistol, several rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle used in the crime from the accused. in fog-related mishaps, while several vehicles were damaged. Commuters described driving conditions as extremely hazardous, particularly on highways and poorly lit stretches where visibility dropped sharply. A truck laden with gravel overturned on the bypass road near the Sabzi Mandi, damaging at least three vehicles and bringing traffic to a halt during peak hours on Monday morning. Normal visibility was restored only around 11 am on Monday, delaying office timings and commercial activities. Public transport services were seen operating at a slower pace, with drivers exercising extra caution amid the foggy conditions. Many residents reported spending additional time on the roads, adding to stress and fuel consumption. While the dense fog highlighted the growing intensity of winter, commuters and road users pointed to deeper structural issues worsening the situation. The absence of adequate road signage, reflectors, lane markings and functional streetlights has made navigation difficult even during normal weather. During foggy conditions, these shortcomings significantly increase the risk of accidents. Traffic police officials advised motorists to avoid unnecessary travel during early morning hours, maintain safe distances and use fog lights. They also appealed to drivers to reduce speed and strictly follow traffic rules. The Meteorological Department has forecast that foggy mornings are likely to continue over the next few days due to prevailing cold and calm wind conditions. Residents have urged authorities to treat fog-related accidents as a recurring safety concern and take urgent steps to improve road infrastructure. Tarn Taran, December 29 Thick fog engulfed the district from early morning until afternoon, leading not only to a drop in daytime temperature but also disrupting normal life. According to information from the Meteorological Department, winds are predicted to blow from the northeast. These weather conditions are expected to intensify the winter chill. Most labourers who arrived for construction work in Tarn Taran failed to get employment on Monday. Bikkar Singh of Bugha village said they are returning home without any daily work, resulting in no earnings. In villages along the banks of the Beas river, the fog was even denser, increasing difficulties for residents of the Mand area, particularly farmers. Master Dalbir Singh, Pargat Singh and other residents of Chamba Kalan village said there were problems bringing green fodder for animals, as the fog did not clear for several hours. They added that fog begins to settle soon after noon, shortening the available working hours. Dr Kuldeep Singh Chug from Tarn Taran town said that during the winter sea- son, children and elderly people frequently suffer from chest and respiratory problems, cough, cold and sore throat. He advised them to stay indoors and keep themselves warm. He added that due to extreme cold, patients also face difficulties in reaching doctors, making it important to take precautions to prevent winter-related illnesses. Meanwhile, most shopkeepers in the city were seen keeping warm by lighting fires. A farmer from Sabra village, Shingara Singh, said that floods in villages near the river had already caused a shortage of dry fodder, and continuous fog had now led to a lack of green fodder as well. Davinder Sohal of Chabal said that reports of accidents were coming in from various places due to poor visibility. He also pointed out that street lights on the national highway from Amritsar to Harike have been out of order for several years. Satendra Singh, manager of the Usman toll plaza, said that the National Highways Authority of India has awarded a contract to repair the damaged street lights from Amritsar to Makhu, which are expected to become functional soon. A Tempo Traveller carrying passengers from Maharashtra and a truck involved in a road accident at the Vallah bypass in Amritsar. Amritsar, December 29 Dense fog, which continued to disrupt normal life in the city over the past few days, led to a fatal road accident on the Vallah bypass here on Monday. A speeding Tempo Traveller rammed into a tipper near Doon School, resulting in the death of the Tempo Traveller driver and injuries to 11 passengers. The police said the Tempo Traveller (MH19-CO-8448) was carrying a group of devotees from Maharashtra who were on their way to Amritsar to pay obeisance at Harmandir Sahib after paying obeisance at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at Katra in Jammu. Owing to very poor visibility caused by dense fog, the driver allegedly failed to notice the tipper (PB65-AH1025) moving ahead and Police step up security ahead of New Year’s Eve Property tax arrears to attract 20% penalty, interest from Jan 1 Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 29 With several events planned for New Year’s Eve in the city, the police have stepped up security arrangements to prevent any untoward incidents. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar has issued strict directives to the police force. He said adequate police deployment will be ensured on key routes leading to Lawrence Road, Ranjit Avenue, Hall Bazaar and approach roads to the Golden Temple. In addition, police personnel will remain stationed at all major markets, chowks and intersections across the city. He said senior police officials have been directed to remain in the field and ensure foolproof security arrangements throughout the city. An eagle-eyed vigil will be maintained on criminal elements and history-sheeters. To ensure smooth movement of traffic, the Lawrence Road and Ranjit Avenue areas, which witness heavy rush, will be temporarily converted into one-way routes. Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Ahead of New Year’s Eve, cops check a vehicle in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR The Traffic Police are also preparing traffic diversion plans, which will soon be shared on various social media platforms. The Police Commissioner warned that any act of hooliganism or disturbance of public order will invite strict legal action. To ensure a swift response to public complaints, PCR teams have been deployed across the city. Acting on information received at the police control room, these teams will reach the spot within five minutes, detain offenders and take them to the nearest police station. FIRs will be registered, if required. “Comprehensive security arrangements have been put in place ahead of the New Year. Checkpoints have already been established at several locations, with intensified vehicle checking underway across the city,” he said. Special checking is being conducted at all entry and exit points, with a focus on vehicles entering from other states and districts. Details of suspicious vehicles, including drivers’ mobile numbers and registration numbers, are being recorded. Amritsar, December 29 Property owners who fail to deposit the current year’s property tax by December 31 will have to pay a 10 per cent penalty, while defaulters of previous years will face a heavier financial burden from January 1, 2026. According to officials of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC), pending dues of earlier years will attract a 20 per cent penalty along with interest at the rate of 1.5 per cent per month, amounting to 18 per cent annually. MC records show that so far, Rs 38.60 crore has been collected as property tax, including arrears from previous years. In total, more than 81,000 returns have been filed, covering both current and past dues. From April 1 of the ongoing financial year till date, over 51,550 returns have been submitted, generating revenue of nearly Rs 30 crore. Officials said the number of returns filed for the current year has crossed the 50,000 mark for the first time, compared to around 48,000 in the previous year. The civic body estimates that there are over 1.5 lakh taxable properties in the city. Initially, the MC had set a target of bringing at least one lakh property owners into the tax net. At present, around 150 returns are being filed daily, with an average daily collection of nearly Rs 5 lakh. To tighten compliance, the municipal corporation has stepped up scrutiny of suspected cases of tax evasion. The MC Joint Commissioner has started hearings of scrutiny cases from last week. Officials said around 50 hotels were earlier issued scrutiny notices after the MC suspected under-reporting of rental income. These properties were allegedly paying tax under the self-occupied category to reduce their tax liability. The MC has indicated that other large commercial KMM holds protest over scrapping MGNREGA, burns Central Govt’s effigies Amritsar, December 29 On the call of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM), a massive protest was held at the district headquarters here on Monday by the Kisan Sangarsh Committee (KSC), during which protesters burnt effigies of the Central Government against the alleged scrapping of the MGNREGA Act. KSC general secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said protest marches were organised in 18 districts, including Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Tarn Taran, Fer- crashed into it, said the police. The impact was so severe that the Tempo Traveller driver, identified as Rakesh Kumar, a resident of Maharashtra, died on the spot. Eleven passengers sustained injuries and were rushed to different private hospitals in the city, where they are undergoing treatment. Eyewitnesses said visibility on the bypass was very low at the time of the accident, making it difficult for drivers to see vehicles ahead. Following the collision, the tipper driver fled the spot. The Verka police have registered a case against the absconding tipper driver. Both vehicles involved in the accident have been taken into custody by the police. The police said a postmortem of the deceased will be conducted after the arrival of his family. — TNS Members of the KMSC burn effigies of the Central Government in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR ozepur, Fazilka, Moga, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Mohali, Malerkotla, Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa, Muktsar and Nawanshahr. The protesters strongly opposed the repeal of the MGNREGA Act and the introduction of the new VB–G RAM G Act. They alleged that the new law would deprive labourers of employment opportunities and weaken their basic rights. Pandher said that under the earlier MGNREGA system, workers had the right to c m y b demand work through village panchayats and block development and panchayat officers (BDPOs). Panchayats also had the authority to decide development works in villages. He said these rights had been taken away under the new law. Addressing the gathering here, Pandher alleged that the Centre was following antiworker and anti-poor policies. “We demand the restoration of the old MGNREGA law. The 40 per cent cut in Central funds should be withdrawn and the Centre must provide 100 per cent funding,” he said. He also demanded the restoration of labourers’ right to seek work and the authority of panchayats to decide village development works. The morcha also opposed the four labour codes, alleging that they favour corporates and big capitalists at the cost of workers. The protesters demanded that labourers be freed from debt and employment security be ensured. The morcha urged the Punjab Government to raise the demand for withdrawal of the VB–G RAM G Act during the ongoing Vidhan Sabha session. It also demanded that the state Assembly pass resolutions opposing the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, the Seed Act 2025 and other legislations that, it claimed, compromise the federal structure. Several farmer and labour organisations participated in the protests, including the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, BKU Behramke, BKU Azad, the Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union and others. — TNS properties will also be brought under scrutiny in the coming days. Data available with the MC reveals that there are about 72,000 registered property tax payers in the city. However, every year only around 52,000 of them deposit their property tax. Nearly 10 per cent of registered taxpayers file nil returns, while the remaining fall under defaulter or exemption categories. In a bid to improve tax administration and expand the tax base, the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Corporation has initiated a geographic information system (GIS) survey across the city. Under the exercise, each property will be mapped and provided with a unique identification (UID) number plate. Civic officials believe the GIS-based survey will help identify unregistered properties and ensure more accurate assessment and recovery of property tax in the future. Foetus found on roadside, probe begins Amritsar, December 29 A foetus was found on the roadside in the Gate Hakima area. Alerted by residents, the police took the foetus into custody and sent for an autopsy. ASI Harjinder Singh, investigating officer, said CCTVs in the area are being scanned to find the clues about those who had thrown the foetus on the road. He said a case has been registered in this connection and a probe is on. — TNS