02062026-ATR-01.qxd 6/2/2026 12:06 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY FARMERS DUMP MILK ON CITY ROADS TO LODGE PROTEST A STUDENT’S QUESTION PROMPTS CM TO CHANGE CONVENTION VIKAS KHANNA FOCUSED ON HIS LATEST FILM, IMAGINARY RAIN Dairy farmers on Monday spilled milk on roads in the city over the widespread sale of spurious milk. P2 A Tahirpura village (in Baba Bakala) resident’s question to CM Mann made him change a convention. P3 He calls the film ‘the best work of my life,’ and says directing Shabana Azmi is ‘one of the greatest privileges’ of his career.P4 » » » MAX 38°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.31 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5.25 AM TUESDAY | 2 JUNE 2026 | AMRITSAR Youth held for ‘dumping’ friend’s body in Kot Khalsa Women join Congress in Tarn Taran Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Tarn Taran, June 1 Women residents of local Mohalla Gokalpura joined the Congress after snapping their ties with other parties at a function on Monday. Addressing a gathering, Karanbir Singh Burj, who is Congress in-charge of the Tarn Taran Assembly constituency, welcomed the new entrants to the party and urged them to extend a helping hand to weaker sections, which the party considers as the backbone of its organisational structure. Karanbir Singh Burj condemned the Centre for hiking fuel prices four times within a span of 10 days. He said the Centre has totally failed to protect the interests of the weaker sections. Burj appealed to all sections of the society to be ready for the coming Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections. He claimed that the Congress will form the next government in the state. Amritsar, June 1 The Islamabad police have arrested a youth for allegedly disposing of the body of his friend after the latter died following the consumption of intoxicating substances in the Kot Khalsa area. The victim, identified as Saurav, a resident of Kot Khalsa, was found dead in a deserted locality on May 28. Police investigations, aided by CCTV footage, revealed that the accused, Sachin, along with an accomplice, allegedly transported the body on a scooter and abandoned it in a secluded area to conceal the incident. Investigations uncovered that Saurav had allegedly consumed narcotic substances with Sachin and another associate. Following his death, the accused allegedly chose to dispose of the body instead of informing authorities or seeking medical assistance. ACP Surinder Singh said Sachin has been arrested, while efforts are underway to apprehend his accomplice. A Govt teacher murdered in broad daylight, probe on Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service CCTV footage allegedly shows the victim’s friends carrying away his body before it was dumped in Amritsar. case has been registered against both accused under relevant sections, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Saurav’s sister Sonia said her brother was the sole breadwinner of the family and had informed them on May 27 that he would be spending time with friends and returning home late. When he failed to return, the family became worried. The next morning, they were devastated to learn that his body had been found in the area. The investigation is ongoing and the police are continuing efforts to arrest the second accused. Amritsar, June 1 A government school teacher was brutally murdered by unidentified bikeborne assailants armed with sharp-edged weapons near Naraingarh village under the Tarsikka police station here on Monday. The deceased, identified as Jagdeep Singh, a resident of Talwandi Malowal village, was employed as an art and craft teacher at a government school in Gehri Mandi, Jandiala Guru. According to police and family members, he had left home in the morning to drop his 15-year-old daughter Komaldeep Kaur at a tuition centre. After leaving his daughter at the tuition class, Jagdeep Singh was returning home when the attackers, intercepted him on the road and launched a deadly assault. He sustained severe Government school teacher Jagdeep Singh. injuries, particularly deep wounds to his neck, and died on the spot. Passersby noticed the injured teacher and immediately alerted the police. A police team rushed to the scene and took possession of the body, which was later sent for a post-mortem. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Baljit Singh said that a murder case has been registered against unidentified motorcycleborne assailants at the Tarsikka police station here. He added that police teams are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify and trace the attackers. “The investigation is underway from all angles. We are looking into the possibility of robbery or personal enmity,” the DSP said. A close family associate, Harpal Singh, claimed that the assailants appeared to have planned the attack and were waiting for Jagdeep Singh’s return route before carrying out the murder. Police officials said efforts are on to identify the culprits and ascertain the motive behind the killing. Further investigation is in progress. Ashwani Aswasthi, district president of the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), condemned the incident and urged the police authorities to identify and arrest the suspects. He said he was an honest and hardworking teacher. He was committed to helping his daughter excel in sports. PSPCL urged to Licensed fish, meat trader moves High Court Teen’s body found in reschedule weekly against Amritsar ‘Holy City’ notification canal: Three booked Monday power cuts Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service er distribution network, but argued that the timing of the shutdown causes significant inconvenience to businesses, offices and consumers. He stated that Monday is a crucial working day when commercial establishments, corporate offices and service providers set the pace for the week, and prolonged power cuts during the business hours adversely affect productivity. According to the memorandum, thousands of businesses are compelled to depend on diesel-run generators to continue operations during the seven-hour outage. This, Kamra said, leads to substantial additional expenditure at a time when fuel prices remain high, placing an unnecessary financial burden on traders and entrepreneurs. He also highlighted the continued on page 2 Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 1 Local activists have urged the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) to reschedule its weekly Monday maintenance power shutdown from peak business hours to early morning in order to minimise disruption to commercial activity and public life. In a letter addressed to the PSPCL Chairman, Yogesh Kamra, general secretary of Amritsar Vikas Manch and convenor of the Fly Amritsar Initiative, expressed concern over the corporation’s practice of carrying out major maintenance work on Monday between 10 am and 5 pm. Kamra acknowledged the importance of regular maintenance for ensuring the reliability and safety of the pow- Chandigarh, June 1 A licensed fish and meat trader operating within the municipal limits of Amritsar has approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court challenging the Punjab Government’s notification declaring the walled city of Amritsar a “Holy City” and the consequential restrictions imposed on the sale and trade of fish, meat and raw meat products in the area. Kuldeep Fish Company, which claims to have been carrying on business for several years under a valid licence issued by the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, has questioned the notification (dated December 15, 2025) along with subsequent prohibitory orders, communications and directions restricting the sale, storage, use, display and trade of fish, meat and raw meat products within the walled city limits. The petitioner has contended that the impugned action has effectively resulted in a complete prohibition on an otherwise lawful and licensed trade without statutory authority, a rehabilitation policy, a relocation mechanism or a reasonable transition period. It has been submitted that the firm has regularly deposited the requisite licence fee and municipal charges and was operating lawfully under a valid municipal licence. Despite this, its business premises were allegedly sealed and coercive action initiated without furnishing any statutory order or authority authorising such action. The petition raises constitutional questions relating to the limits of executive power and invokes the fundamental right to carry on trade and business under Article 19(1)(g), the right to livelihood under Article 21 and the guarantee of equality under Article 14. It has been argued that any restriction on fundamental rights must have clear statutory backing and satisfy the tests of reasonableness and proportionality. The petitioner has further contended that the expressions “Holy City” and “walled city” have not been defined under any statute, rule or regulation and that executive notifications, by themselves, cannot create enforceable civil disabilities or impose blanket prohibitions on lawful commercial activities. It has also been alleged that the impugned measures selectively target traders operating within the notified area without any intelligible differentia or rational basis. Besides seeking quashing of the impugned notification and consequential actions, the petitioner has sought directions permitting it and similarly situated traders to continue their lawful business activities. In the alternative, it has sought a direction to the authorities to frame and implement a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory rehabilitation or relocation policy before taking any coercive action affecting their livelihood. The matter is expected to have implications for several similarly situated traders and business establishments operating within the walled city area who are stated to be affected by the notification and subsequent actions. As the matter came up for hearing, the Division Bench comprising Justice Harsimran Singh Sethi and Justice Deepak Manchanda issued notice of motion, including notice regarding stay. The case has been adjourned to June 22. Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 1 Two days after a teenager’s body was recovered from the Sakki canal in Ajnala, the case has taken a dramatic turn, with the police now treating it as a murder after uncovering evidence suggesting that the 16-year-old was allegedly killed and his body dumped in the canal. The deceased, identified as Amandeep Singh, a resident of Ajnala, was found dead in the Sakki canal on Saturday. Following statements from family members and findings from the initial investigation, the police have registered a murder case against the victim’s three friends — Honey, Harmanpreet Singh and Avtar Singh. Kulwinder Singh, SHO, Ajnala police station, said raids were being conducted to arrest the accused. The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem. According to a complaint lodged by Mahinder Singh, a daily-wage labourer, he and his wife Meena had gone out on May 29, leaving their two sons, Amandeep and Kamaldeep, at home. When they returned in the evening, they discovered that Amandeep was missing. As the teenager failed to return home late into the night, the family questioned his younger brother Kamaldeep, who told them that Amandeep had left with his friends Honey, Harmanpreet and Avtar. The family searched for the boy throughout the night but could not locate him. On Saturday afternoon, villagers informed Mahinder Singh that his son’s body had been spotted in the Sakki canal. The family rushed to the scene and identified the body as Amandeep’s. continued on page 2 Police step up security ahead of Operation Anil Joshi, Dutti among key contenders Bluestar anniversary; take out flag march for Congress ticket in Amritsar North Amritsar, June 1 With the anniversary of Operation Bluestar falling on June 6, the Amritsar police have intensified security arrangements and conducted a massive flag march across all three police zones of the city to ensure peace, communal harmony and law and order. The flag march was carried out in different parts of the city. Senior police officers, including DCP (City) Jagjit Singh Walia, DCP (Law and Order) Alam Vijay Singh and DCP (Investigation) Ravinder Pal Singh, along with personnel from various wings of the police department, participated in the exercise. Five companies of central paramilitary forces, including the BSF ITBP and RAF , , have also arrived in the city PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service ITBP jawans deputed ahead of the upcoming Operation Bluestar anniversary in Amritsar on Monday. for security. Police teams marched through sensitive localities, major markets, the bus stand, the railway station and other public places to review secu- rity arrangements and reassure residents. During the march, officers interacted with shopkeepers, traders and members of the public, urging them to cooperate in maintaining peace and harmony in the city. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the police were fully committed to ensuring the safety and security of every citizen. He appealed to people not to believe or circulate unverified information, warning that anti-social elements may attempt to spread rumours through social media and other platforms. He advised the people to verify information only through official sources and refrain from forwarding misleading or provocative content. The police also appealed to citizens to immediately report any suspicious person, object or activity to the nearest police station or police control room. Officials said public cooperation remains continued on page 2 c m y b Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 1 With the Punjab Assembly elections drawing closer, political activity in the Amritsar North constituency has intensified, particularly within the Congress camp, where multiple leaders are positioning themselves as potential contenders for the party ticket. Former cabinet minister Anil Joshi, who joined the Congress after stints with the BJP and Shiromani Akali Dal, has significantly increased his outreach in the constituency. Hoardings and signboards carrying his photographs have appeared at various intersections and public places, projecting him as a “sewadar” (public servant) of the Amritsar North PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Pawan K Jaiswar Congress leader Anil Joshi has started his campaign in the North constituency while Sunil Dutti is already working in the area. constituency. However, the Congress has officially appointed former MLA Sunil Dutti as the con- stituency in-charge. Dutti has been actively holding meetings and public interactions across the constituency for the past several months maintaining his claim as a leading contender for the party nomination. The parallel political activities of both leaders have created uncertainty among Congress workers and local political observers regarding who will eventually secure the party ticket. Besides Joshi and Dutti, former city Congress president Ashwani Pappu and senior Congress leader Raj Kawalpreet Singh Lucky, a longserving municipal councillor, are also considered strong aspirants. A few other party leaders are reportedly exploring their prospects as well. Speaking on the issue, Raj Kawalpreet Singh Lucky said that every party worker has continued on page 2