25012026-ATR-01.qxd 1/24/2026 11:15 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST FOG MIST IN MORNING SARBAT DA BHALLA TRUST PROVIDES AID TO FLOOD-AFFECTED FAMILIES TARN TARAN POLICE INTENSIFY DRIVE AGAINST CRIME WITH CASO CCTV CAMERAS TO BE INSTALLED AT 122 LOCATIONS IN AJNALA The Sarbat Da Bhala Charitable Trust provided help for the marriage of girls from flood-hit families. P2 The Punjab Police, under CASO, sealed off Nanaksar area of Tarn Taran city on Saturday for the fifth day. P3 The work to install CCTV cameras at 122 locations in Ajnala town has begun at a cost of about Rs 68 lakh. P3 » » » MAX 17°C | MIN 4°C YESTERDAY MAX 16°C | MIN 2°C SUNSET SUNDAY 5.57 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 7.26 AM SUNDAY | 25 JANUARY 2026 | AMRITSAR Arms smuggling module busted, 3 held with foreign-made pistols Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 24 Ahead of the Republic Day parade, the Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of the Punjab Police has busted an illegal arms smuggling module with the arrest of three persons from Amritsar and the recovery of three foreign-made pistols from their possession. The arrested accused have been identified as Mani, a resident of Baghwanpur; Sehajpal Singh of Vichhoa village; and Diljanpreet Singh of Shehzada village. The police recovered two 9 mm pistols and one .30 bore pistol along with 15 live cartridges from the accused. Besides, a motorcycle (PB02 ET 8857), allegedly used for transporting the illegal weapons, was also impounded. Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Saturday that the arrests were made at a time when security has been intensified across Despite ban, Chinese string used openly during Basant Panchami fair Tribune News Service Three pistols seized by the CI wing of the Punjab Police in Amritsar. the state to ensure peaceful Republic Day celebrations. Preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were acting on the instructions of foreign-based handlers and were allegedly planning to carry out serious criminal activities to disrupt peace in the region. Sharing operational details, the DGP said CI Amritsar teams received reliable intelligence inputs regarding the movement of wanted criminal Mani and his associates, who were reportedly carrying illegal weapons. Acting swiftly, the police launched an intelligence-led operation and intercepted the accused while they were travelling on the Amritsar-Fatehgarh Churian Road towards Muradpura village. The police disclosed that Mani was already wanted in an Arms Act case registered at the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) police station, Amritsar, continued on page 3 Amritsar, January 24 Despite a complete ban, blatant violations of safety norms were witnessed during the Basant Panchami fair at Chheharta, where children and youths were seen openly flying kites using the banned Chinese kite string, popularly known as China dor, on Saturday. In fields near the fair venue, hundreds of youths were spotted flying kites simultaneously using plastic and Chinese string, while police action remained absent throughout the evening. From morning till evening, no effective action was taken against violators. During this period, at least four persons suffered minor injuries after being cut by the sharp string. There had been apprehen- Youngsters indulge in kite-flying in agricultural fields at Chheharta in Amritsar. sions well in advance regarding the possible use of China dor during Basant Panchami. Despite this, neither strict preventive arrangements were made nor was timely enforcement visible on the ground. Locals alleged that the police appeared to be shielding those flying kites with the banned string, allowing large-scale violations without fear. Had strict action been initiated in time, the four injuries could have been prevented, residents said. The incident has once again raised serious questions over the easy availability of China dor in markets and fairs despite a complete ban. Alle- gations were also made that police action is limited to token recoveries, while children and youths across the city continue to fly kites using the banned string. Notably, a heavy police force had been deployed at the fair, yet kite flying with banned string continued openly in their presence. Recently, near Hall Gate, a scooter rider suffered severe facial injuries after coming into contact with kite string, further highlighting the danger. Every year, the police claim that strict action will be taken against those flying kites with China dor, including drone surveillance and action against families involved. However, for the past two years, such claims have been repeated without any concrete evidence of sustained continued on page 3 City gears up for Republic Day with full dress rehearsal Farmers hold meetings to prepare Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 24 Ahead of the Republic Day parade, the full dress rehearsal was held at Guru Nanak Stadium here on Saturday. The rehearsal was led by Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh and conducted to ensure the smooth execution of the main event scheduled for January 26. After unfurling the national flag, the Deputy Commissioner inspected the parade. Under the command of Parade Commander Paras Garg, contingents of the Punjab Police, the women platoon of the Punjab Police, Punjab Home Guards, and the Punjab Police band presented an impressive marchpast. The rehearsal also featured vibrant cultural performances by students from various educational institutions, including patriotic choreographies, giddha, and bhangra, adding colour and fervour to the occasion. A police band during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day parade in Amritsar on Saturday. Addressing the gathering, the Deputy Commissioner said that all preparations for the Republic Day celebra- tions have been completed and that the event will be organised with full enthusiasm and dignity. He said that Punjab Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, who holds the portfolios of Revenue, Rehabilita- tion and Disaster Management, Water Supply and Sanitation, and Housing and Urban Development, will unfurl the national flag at the district-level function on January 26. The Deputy Commissioner appealed to all government officers and employees to participate in the Republic Day celebrations as part of their official duty. He also urged residents of the district to attend the event in large numbers to enhance its grandeur. Following the rehearsal, the Deputy Commissioner chaired a meeting with officials from various departments and issued necessary directions to ensure the smooth and successful conduct of the main function. Among those present on the occasion were Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagjit Singh Walia, Additional Deputy Commissioner Rohit Gupta, SDM-I Amanpreet Singh, and several other senior officials. for tractor march tomorrow Aim is to seek withdrawal of Electricity, Seed Bills 2025 Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 24 On a call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), farmers are holding village-level meetings to prepare for a tractor march on January 26. The march is being organised to demand the withdrawal of the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025 and Seed Bill 2025, repeal of four labour codes, and restoration of the original form of MGNREGA. The programme also marks the fifth anniversary of the Delhi farmers’ movement. As part of these preparations, a large meeting was held at Bhindi Saidan village under the chairmanship of Karnail Singh. Addressing the gathering, Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala, state president of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha and senior leader of the SKM, criticised the Central Government. He alleged that the policies of the BJP-led Central Government are pro-corporate and against farmers and workers. He said the Electricity Bill, Seed Bill, labour codes and changes in MGNREGA are anti-people and anti-farmer. He added that farmers and workers across the country are raising their voice against these laws and will participate in tractor marches in large numbers. Several farmers, including women farmers, attended the meeting and pledged to join the tractor parade village by village and participate in the rally at Ajnala. In another meeting held at Nawan Pind under the leadership of Bhupinder Singh Tirthpura, prepara- tions were reviewed for the tractor march to be held on January 26 at Jandiala Guru. The route of the march was finalised. It was decided that farmers would gather with their tractors at Nawan Pind by 11 am. The convoy will pass through Tirthpura and Wadala Johal villages, reach the GT Road at the Nijjar toll plaza, and then proceed to Jandiala Guru, where the march will conclude. Farmer leader Lakhbir Singh Nizampura said the march will remind people of the historic farmers’ movement and call for unity to oppose anti-farmer policies. He also announced support for the nationwide strike called by central trade unions on February 12 against the Central Government’s policies. Grenade, Glock recovered; BKI Safety, better infra needed to boost tourism growth: Experts operative sent to police custody NAT’L TOURISM DAY Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 24 An alleged operative of the Pakistan-based terror organisation Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Sharanpreet Singh, a resident of Tarn Taran, who was arrested by the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), was produced before a local court, which remanded him to two-day police custody for further interrogation. The police recovered a hand grenade, a Glock pistol, magazines, ammunition and drugs from his possession on Friday. With his arrest, the police claimed to have averted a major terror attack targeting police establishments ahead of the Republic Day celebrations. Earlier, the Punjab Police had also busted another terror module in Hoshiarpur, seizing RDX and two pistols. Following these back-toback recoveries, the Punjab Police have been placed on Amritsar, January 24 With National Tourism Day falling tomorrow (January 25), no concrete efforts are being made to raise awareness or educate people about the importance of tourism and the crucial role it plays in the Indian economy. Satnam Singh, a veteran hospitality player, said that round-the-clock cleanliness, encroachment-free roads, quality transport services, instant dissemination of information related to sightseeing places, and proper law and order arrangements are some of the essential services that need to be ensured immediately in the holy city. He added that such measures would put the tourism industry on a growth trajectory and that occasions like National Tourism Day should be utilised to hold interfaces between industry stakeholders and concerned government departments. Petty crimes, including The arms and ammunition seized by the police in Amritsar. high alert in view of the upcoming Republic Day celebrations on Monday. Preliminary investigations revealed that Sharanpreet Singh was acting at the behest of foreign-based BKI operatives — Nishan Singh, alias Nishan Jaurrian, Adeshbir Singh, alias Adesh Jamarai, and Simranjit Singh, alias Simma Deol. These operatives are allegedly involved in orchestrating terror activities in Punjab with the objective of creating panic and disrupting peace. While investigations are underway to trace his forward and backward linkages, it was revealed that the hand grenade and pistol were smuggled from Pakistan using drones. The explosives were allegedly handed over to him after being retrieved from near the International Border. He had reportedly concealed the weapons near a church along the AmritsarTarn Taran highway. He was tasked by his handlers to transport explosives, weapons and illegal funds, police said. c m y b Tourists at Gobindgarh Fort in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO mugging and pickpocketing, need to be curbed strictly. It is evident that tourists are prime targets of snatchers on city roads. After losing their belongings, many tourists do not report incidents, fearing lengthy paperwork and procedural hassles. A common demand of traders associated with the tourism, tour and travel indus- try is to curb snatching and fleecing of tourists, besides paying focused attention to tourist sites. Tourism police could have been of great help to visitors. Launched at least four times over the past two decades, the ambitious project has suffered due to utter neglect, allegedly owing to the apathy of the Punjab Government and the authorities concerned. While re-launching the project in 2019, the government had established tourism police booths at several locations, including religious places such as near the Golden Temple and Dr Kitchlew Chowk (popularly known as Kachahari Chowk), where personnel were to be stationed. However, these booths now lie closed. The project reportedly involved an expenditure of around Rs 8-10 crore. Projects such as the heritage village, Gobindgarh Fort, Ram Tirath temple, and the war museum have contributed to prolonged tourist stays. Earlier, visitors would leave soon after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple and witnessing the retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah check post. Encouraged by this trend, several hotels across various star categories are in the pipeline, while existing hotels plan to add more rooms over the next couple of years. Seasoned hospitality players believe the government must introduce more touristoriented projects offering new destinations within the holy city. In this regard, rural tourism could yield significant benefits. The countryside around the city is known for lush green fields, water bodies, and structures with a rich repository of Sikh history, including historic gurdwaras and Mughal-era edifices. Promoting these sites would help preserve heritage continued on page 3