08062026-ATR-01.qxd 6/7/2026 11:25 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune RETIRED TEACHER LEADS GROUNDNUT REVIVAL IN STATE STUDENTS JOIN HANDS FOR CLEANER, GREENER CITY Students of Saraswati College, Rani Ka Bagh, participated in the “Clean Air, Green Amritsar” campaign. P2 MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 40°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 39°C | MIN 26°C WHEN RAM CHARAN STOOD UP FOR JANHVI KAPOOR He moved to UP about 13 years ago, where he successfully cultivated groundnuts on nearly 20 acres of land.P2 FORECAST The actor tried to stop director Buchi Babu from objectifying Janhvi's character in Peddi. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 7.33 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5.24 AM » MONDAY | 8 JUNE 2026 | AMRITSAR In Case of An EMERGENCY We are READY FOR YOU! AUSTRALIAN NRI MURDER CASE ‘Unthinkable betrayal’: Victim’s daughter demands justice 24*7 Emergency Ready Hospital 9915133330 Scan the QR code to download the MyFortis app Domestic LPG price hiked by ~29, consumers face fresh burden Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service The suspects in the custody of the police in Amritsar; (below) victim Sunil Sharma. (FILE PHOTOS) Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 7 The daughter of murdered Australian NRI Sunil Sharma on Sunday demanded the death penalty for the prime accused, his brother Sunny Sharma, alleging that he masterminded a calculated conspiracy to grab property and ultimately murder his own sibling. “My father was a good man. He was the victim of an unthinkable betrayal by someone who should have protected him,” she said while speaking to The Tribune over the phone. In an emotional appeal, Surbhi Sharma said the family was seeking the maximum punishment available under the law for all those arrested in the case. She specifically urged the judiciary to award the death penalty to Sunny Sharma, describing the crime as a deliberate act of greed and betrayal. Surbhi also appealed to the police to intensify efforts to locate Sunil Sharma’s body. She maintained that her father was the sole legal owner of his properties and there was no dispute regarding ownership. According to her, fraudulent powers of attorney were created to facilitate the illegal sale of two properties before he was allegedly KMSC to hold protests across state against fuel price hike Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 7 The Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) on Saturday announced statewide effigy-burning protests on June 8 against the recent increase in diesel and petrol prices, the proposed India-US free trade agreements, land acquisition policies, fertiliser shortages and the alleged police lathi-charge on power employees in Patiala. Speaking at a zonal delegates’ convention held at continued on page 2 murdered and his body disposed of to conceal the crime. “We are praying that our father’s body is found so we can give him the proper cremation ceremony he deserves. He deserves that dignity and so does our family,” she said. Remembering her father, Surbhi described him as intelligent, strong and humorous, but also one of the most loving and sensitive people she had ever known. “He had a heart of gold and gave everything to the people he loved. I consider myself fortunate to have had a father who taught me so much about life,” she said. As news of the case spread, hundreds of former students and well-wishers paid tribute to Sharma, remembering him as an inspiring mathematics teacher who touched countless lives through education. For the family, the tragedy is not merely a criminal case but the devastating loss of a beloved father whose life was allegedly cut short by betrayal. They said they would con- tinue their fight for justice until all those responsible were held accountable. Meanwhile, the police are preparing to investigate the financial trail linked to the case. Sources said the prime accused, Satish Sharma, allegedly transferred ownership of two Amritsar properties belonging to his deceased brother Sunil Sharma and Malaysia-based sister Ritu Sharma with the assistance of family members and three property dealers. The police said Satish allegedly used powers of attorney executed in Ludhiana to get the properties registered in his name at the Amritsar Tehsil Complex. One of the three property dealers, Lachhman Singh, has been arrested, while the other two, Manjinder Singh and Jasbir Singh, remain absconding. The Kamboh police are expected to seek records from the Revenue Department to ascertain how Satish, a taxi driver by profession, allegedly carried out the fraud. However, Ritu Sharma has claimed that Satish could not have committed the murder. She has urged senior police officials, including SSP (Amritsar Rural) Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal, to ensure that the actual perpetrators are identified and brought to justice. Amritsar, June 7 Domestic cooking gas (LPG) consumers woke up to a rude shock on Sunday morning as state-run LPG supplier Indane announced another hike of Rs 29 per refill. This is the second increase in the price of domestic cooking gas refills within the past three months, following disruptions in global energy supplies caused by the West Asia conflict, which has pushed up international fuel prices. Earlier, the price of a 14.2-kg LPG cylinder was increased by Rs 60 on March 7. According to a city-based gas agency, the revised rates came into effect across the city on Sunday. A 14.2-kg cylinder, which was being delivered at Rs 954 until Saturday, will now cost over Rs 980. A domestic LPG consumer, Jaspreet Singh, said delivery This is the second increase in the price of domestic cooking gas refills within the past three months, following disruptions in global energy supplies caused by the West Asia conflict. FILE PHOTO personnel often charge an additional Rs 30 to Rs 50 over the refill price mentioned on the receipt. “If a delivery person supplies around 50 cylinders a day, nearly Rs 1,500 is being collected from consumers daily. Considering these extra charges, an ordinary household will now end up paying more than Rs 1,000 for a domestic LPG refill,” he said. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for austerity and the recommendations of NITI Aayog to reduce expenditure in order to cushion the economic impact of the West Asia conflict, Singh alleged that the burden of rising costs is Bhagtanwala Chowk condition raises question mark over Smart City spending Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 7 Despite crores of rupees being spent under the Smart City Mission, the deteriorating condition of Bhagtanwala Chowk and the public toilets located there has raised serious concerns about the quality of civic infrastructure and maintenance in the city. Alleging gross neglect of public amenities, Congress leader and former councillor Jagdeep Singh Rinku Narula has demanded a probe into the utilisation of Smart City funds and accused the government of failing to provide basic facilities on the ground. During a visit to the Bhagtanwala Gate area, Rinku said the condition of the chowk and public toilets stood in stark contrast to the development claims made by the Aam Aadmi Party government. He questioned whether the present state of the site reflected the government’s much-publicised model of urban development. He alleged that the public toilets lacked proper sanitation and maintenance, rendering them unfit for use by residents and visitors. According to him, the facilities have increasingly become a gathering point for drug addicts, creating inconvenience and safety concerns for commuters, shopkeepers, women and local residents. “The government is show- casing dreams of clean and modern cities, but the reality on the ground is entirely different. The condition of public amenities in the area exposes the hollowness of these claims,” he said. Rinku pointed out that the area lies on an important city route through which thousands of people, including officials and public representatives, pass every day. Despite this, he alleged, the issue has remained ignored by the authorities. He further claimed that the condition of children’s parks and parks meant for senior citizens in the Amritsar South constituency also reflected the failure of the government’s development agenda. He alleged that although crores of rupees were sanctioned under the Smart City project, questions remain about how the funds were utilised. Demanding a high-level inquiry, Rinku said the public has the right to know how taxpayers’ money was spent. “The utilisation of Smart City grants should be thoroughly investigated and the findings should be placed before the public,” he said. He maintained that development should not be measured through advertisements, hoardings and official claims, but through the quality of civic amenities available to citizens and visible continued on page 2 AAP withdraws Nasha Mukti Morcha charge from Sonia Mann Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 7 In a move being viewed by political observers as a reduction in her organisational influence in the Majha region, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has withdrawn the charge of the Nasha Mukti Morcha, Majha Zone, from party leader Sonia Mann and assigned it to Dikshat Dhawan. The position had enabled actress-turnedpolitician Sonia Mann to remain in regular contact with government officials and village panchayats across the region, giving her a significant organisational reach beyond her constituency. While political circles have interpreted the decision as a AAP leader Sonia Mann (centre) along with other party activists in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO curtailment of her influence, Sonia Mann said she had voluntarily resigned from the post two days earlier in order to focus on strengthening the party in the Raja Sansi Assem- bly constituency, where she serves as the AAP in-charge. The constituency is currently represented by Congress MLA Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria, popularly known as c m y b Sukh Sarkaria, who has won the seat four consecutive times and remains one of the Congress party’s strongest rural leaders in the Majha region. The Congress contin- ues to enjoy considerable support in the constituency, making it a challenging electoral battleground for AAP . Last year, former AAP leader Baldev Singh Miadian joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), ending his association with the ruling party. Miadian was among AAP’s prominent faces in the constituency and had contested the 2022 Assembly elections on the party ticket. Apart from being the candidate, he also held several important organisational positions, including that of Pungrain Chairman. His departure was viewed as a setback for AAP’s prospects in the constituency, particularly because Raja Sansi has traditionally been a difficult seat for the party due to the Congress’s entrenched rural support base and Sarkaria’s strong personal network. Since taking charge of the constituency, Mann has focused on expanding the party’s presence in villages through the Nasha Mukti campaign. She was also active during the flood relief efforts, though she later faced criticism and online trolling following a viral interaction with rural youth. Adding another dimension to the political landscape is Baldev Singh Miadian’s new role in the BJP Political . observers believe he could emerge as the BJP’s candidate from Raja Sansi in the 2027 Assembly elections. being passed on to consumers. He remarked that austerity measures appear to apply only to the common public, while the political class remains unaffected. Harpreet Kaur, a housewife and mother of two, said the continuous rise in LPG prices has severely disrupted household budgets. “It is becoming increasingly difficult for families with a single earning member to cope with rising domestic expenses. The increase is steadily eating into our monthly savings,” she said. The latest hike is expected to add to inflationary pressures at a time when consumers are already grappling with persistently high petrol and diesel prices. The increase in LPG rates is likely to further strain household finances and expand monthly kitchen budgets. Earlier, on June 2, the price of commercial LPG cylinders was also increased by Rs 42 per refill. Nursing student dies by suicide in Tarn Taran; lover booked Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, June 7 Geetika, a 23-year-old student of Mai Bhago College of Nursing, Usman (Tarn Taran), allegedly died by suicide after her lover refused to marry her. The incident came Shortly after her mother left home, Geetika took the extreme step to light on Friday. While pursuing her nursing course at the college, Geetika had befriended Rajinder Singh, a resident of Bal Kalan village in Majitha. According to the police, Rajinder frequently spoke to her over the phone and occasionally visited her residence in Sheron village. Her mother, Balwinder Kumari, had reportedly consented to their relationship and was willing to allow the couple to solemnise a court marriage. According to the complaint, Rajinder Singh called Geetika on June 5 and informed her that he would not marry her. Distressed by the development, she shared the matter with her mother. Shortly after her mother left for a nearby shop, Geetika allegedly took the extreme step at her residence. The Sarhali police have registered a case under Section 108(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against Rajinder Singh of Bal Kalan village. The accused is currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace him.