18042026-ATR-01.qxd 4/17/2026 11:48 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FARMERS POSTPONE ‘RAIL ROKO’ PROTEST COLOURS, CONVERSATIONS MARK KALAKRITI 7.0 AT LPU The five-day painting camp witnessed the participation of 10 eminent artists from across India. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 37°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 23°C A ROCKING START OF INDIAN NATIONAL CINE AWARDS Move follows meeting with the state government; Centre relaxes wheat procurement norms. P2 FORECAST The first edition of Indian National Cinema Awards 2026 witnesses huge star presence. P4 » » SUNSET SATURDAY 7.01 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5.57 AM » SATURDAY | 18 APRIL 2026 | AMRITSAR GNDU joins elite IIT league with Quantum Lab project Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 17 Amritsar, a city known for its rich socio-religious culture, is all set to join the nation in its multi-billion-dollar race for technological sovereignty by establishing a Quantum Technology Laboratory at Guru Nanak Dev University. The Department of Physics at the university has been awarded a prestigious grant under the National Quantum Mission to establish a Quibitbased quantum technology laboratory. Notably, GNDU is among only 23 institutions across India selected under this highly competitive national initiative, joining elite institutions including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research to undertake quantum technology-based research in computing, communication and sensing. By 2031, India proposes to scale up the number of such laboratories to over 1,000. Quantum physics is now hailed as the foundation of The GNDU team receives the award at the IIT Bombay. the modern world, with immense potential in drug discovery, the design of supercomputers and much more. Prof Aman Mahajan, Head of the Department of Physics, received the award for the lab at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay from AK Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, and Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology. A grant of Rs 1 crore has been sanctioned for establishing the iQUANT Lab (Integrated Quantum Undergraduate Laboratory for Computing, Communication, Materials and Sensing), a state-of-the-art facility aimed at providing hands-on training in emerging quantum technologies. “The iQUANT Lab will Devotee jumps into Darbar Sahib sarovar in Tarn Taran, missing Tarn Taran, April 17 A devotee jumped into the sarovar at the local Darbar Sahib here on Friday. The man has not yet been identified. Bhai Harjinder Singh, manager of Darbar Sahib, said that the man had been sitting in the parikrama, listening to kavishri (poetry) performed by Dhadi Singhs, when he suddenly ran towards the sarovar and jumped into it. Apart from the sewadars of Darbar Sahib, several others who knew how to swim attempted to rescue him. However, he had moved far into the sarovar, due to which the initial rescue efforts proved unsuccessful. focus on key areas such as quantum communication and optics, quantum sensing, quantum computing using IBM Quantum platforms, and quantum materials. It aims to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical implementation through hands-on training,” said Prof Mahajan, who will lead the project along with his team. Additionally, Dr Harpreet Singh, in collaboration with a team from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mandi, and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, has also received a major research project under the National Quantum Mission. Prof Mahajan said the facility will benefit not only physics students but also learners from multidisciplinary fields such as electronics, computer science, chemistry, and materials science, along with students from GNDU’s affiliated colleges. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Karamjeet Singh, said that this project will significantly strengthen the university’s academic and research infrastructure while placing continued on page 2 Golden Temple manager’s phone hacked, case filed Tribune News Service A diver tries to locate the victim’s body from the sarovar at Darbar Sahib in Tarn Taran. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI Manager Harjinder Singh said that divers were later called to recover the body. Despite their best efforts, the body could not be retrieved. The man is believed to be around 45 years old. — OC Amritsar, April 17 Cyber fraudsters allegedly hacked the mobile phone number of Bhagwant Singh Dhanger, chief manager of the Golden Temple, and used it to send fraudulent messages seeking money from his contacts. Dhanger lodged a complaint at the Galliara police outpost in Amritsar following the incident. He told reporters that he had received a call from an unidentified person some continued on page 2 Two city students share vision with PM Modi during MY Bharat Budget Quest 2026 event Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 17 Two students from Amritsar recently got the opportunity to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as part of the MY Bharat Budget Quest 2026. Shortlisted among youth selected nationally through multiple competitive rounds, the students — Divjot Singh, 14, and Harsh Sehdev, 21 — engaged with the Prime Minister, sharing their vision for rural development and an AI push in Punjab. MY Bharat Budget Quest 2026 is a national initiative by the Department of Youth Affairs designed to engage young citizens in the Union Budget process through quizzes, essay writing and panel discussions. Launched on February 2 this year, it aims to foster policy understanding among youth and connect them with the Viksit The CKD president honours Divjot Singh, a student of Sri Harkrishan Public School in Amritsar; (right) Harsh Sehdev Bharat 2047 vision. Divjot Singh, a meritorious Class X student of Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School, Chowk Pragdas, under the aegis of Chief Khalsa Diwan, cleared several challenging rounds and earned the opportunity to participate in a special virtual address by the Prime Minister. During the session, selected youth from across the country discussed India’s digital development. Divjot actively shared his views on improving the digital education system, emphasising the need to expand digital access in rural and underprivileged areas to empower youth technologically. He also proposed setting up smart classrooms and making learning applications freely accessible to students for inclusive development. Earlier, Divjot had also achieved distinction at the “Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue” held in Delhi, where he surpassed nearly 50 lakh applicants to secure a place among the top finalists. Notably, he became the youngest national finalist in the competition. He also got the opportunity to interact with Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and exchange ideas. CKD president Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar lauded Divjot Singh’s vision, dedication and commitment towards society. Harsh Sehdev, a student of BSc Computer Science at Guru Nanak Dev University College, Verka, also interacted with the Prime Minister continued on page 2 c m y b Police destroy narcotics seized in 249 NDPS cases Commission acts after viral video shows elderly woman in chains Amritsar, April 17 The Amritsar (city) Police Commissionerate on Friday destroyed a substantial quantity of narcotics seized in 249 cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in the past. The destruction was carried out by the Drug Disposal Committee under the supervision of its chairman, Ravinder Pal Singh Sandhu, DCP (Investigation), while other officers present included Jagbinder Singh, ADCP (Investigation), and Harminder Singh, ACP (Detective). The team transported the contraband to Khanna Paper Mill, where it was incinerated in a boiler following all prescribed legal procedures and environmental norms. Sandu said that the destroyed substances included 891gm of heroin, 7,085 and 4,280 of intoxicant capsules and tablets respectively, 11. 523 kg of narcotic powder, 1.115 kg of poppy husk (bhukki), 7gm of smack, 180 gm of charas, 75 injections and 325gm of ganja. He said that the exercise underscores their ongoing commitment to eradicating the drug menace and ensuring stringent enforcement of the NDPS Act in the region. — TNS Amritsar, April 17 The Punjab State Women’s Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of a shocking incident of alleged neglect and cruelty involving a 75-year-old woman who was reportedly chained and abandoned outside her house by family members in the posh Green Avenue locality of Amritsar. The incident came to light after local residents alerted an NGO. Members of the organisation found the frail woman lying on her back near the shutter of a closed shop, bound with a heavy iron chain. The NGO secured her release and admitted her to a hospital for treatment. A video of the incident later surfaced on social media, prompting the Women’s Commission to direct the Deputy Commissioner to submit a detailed report by April 20. The Commission has also ordered an immediate inquiry and strict action against those found responsible. Advocate Harsimran Singh, president of the Just Seva Society (NGO), alleged that the woman had been chained outside a shop located beneath her family’s residence. Her son Sanjay, daughter-in-law Sunita, and grandson Sumeet reportedly Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service The elderly woman who was chained allegedly by her family in the posh Green Avenue locality in Amritsar. live in the nearby building. Harsimran Singh said he received a call from local residents claiming the elderly woman had been kept in chains for several days without proper food, leading to a drastic decline in her weight. Her condition had reportedly deteriorated severely due to prolonged neglect and abuse. He added that he, along with other members of the NGO, reached the spot and asked the family for the keys. However, they allegedly refused and began arguing and abusing them. The team managed to rescue the woman and admitted her to a hospital. However, her son and daughter-in-law reportedly reached the hospital, created a scene, and forcibly took her back home, only to chain her outside again while continuing to deny her food, according to local accounts. Gurpreet Singh, SHO of Civil Lines police station, said that appropriate action is being taken. He added that the Punjab State Women’s Commission has taken note of the matter and directed necessary action.