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P4 » » MAX 38°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 37°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7.37 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.25 AM THURSDAY | 18 JUNE 2026 | AMRITSAR 27 booked for vandalising property, loot in Tarn Taran Eye on polls, AAP ropes in 80 Gujjar families into party fold Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, June 17 The Chabal police have registered a case against 25-30 armed men who allegedly entered a house in Bhojian village, under the Chabal police station, three days ago, vandalised household goods and threatened to kill a woman, Jinder Kaur. The accused, armed with kirpans, sticks, brick-breaking tools and other weapons, not only damaged property but also allegedly took away Rs 60,000 in cash, three tolas of gold ornaments and a motorcycle. Sub-Inspector Bhupinder Singh, posted at the Chabal police station, said the accused barged into Jinder Kaur’s house and created havoc. Those named in the case include Gagan Masih alias Gagan, Hussan Masih alias Nika Hussan, Manga Masih alias Manga, Asu Masih, Robi Singh, Karan Singh and Lazar Masih alias Kulcha, besides around 20 unidentified persons. According to the complaint, the dispute arose over people sitting in front of the victim’s house. During the incident, continued on page 2 Police nab four criminals, seize 10 Pak-made pistols Tribune News Service Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak with leaders of the Gujjar community in Bhoa of Pathankot. Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Pathankot, June 17 With an eye on the upcoming Assembly elections, local AAP leaders have been directed to expand the party’s presence in their respective areas. As part of this outreach drive, Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak on Wednesday welcomed 80 Gujjar families into the party fold during an event held in Bhoa. Bhoa is part of Pathankot district and five municipal corporation wards in the area fall under the jurisdiction of the Pathankot Municipal Corporation. Kataruchak is the sitting MLA from the Bhoa Assembly constituency. The programme was organised by Ward No. 46 municipal councillor Harish Gorkha. The Gujjar community, traditionally associated with pastoral and agricultural occupations, constitutes a significant vote bank in the region. Historically, Gujjars were nomadic or semi-nomadic herdsmen who gradually settled into farming and other occupations. Today, the community is represented across the Hindu, Sikh and Muslim faiths. Pathankot district is home to the largest Gujjar population in Punjab. Kataruchak and his supporters have reportedly been making sustained efforts over the past several weeks to reach out to members of the community. Mukesh Sharma, Vice-Chairman of Punjab Agriculture Development Bank, along with municipal councillors Baljinder Kaur and Paramjit Kaur, attended the function. Addressing the gathering, Kataruchak said the inclusion of the 80 families had further strengthened the party at the grassroots level. He acknowledged the community’s distinct cultural identity and noted that it continues to face challenges, including the absence of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in Punjab. The minister assured community members that he would work towards resolving their issues on a priority basis. Courting risk Amritsar, June 17 The Amritsar Rural Police on Wednesday claimed a major breakthrough against gangsters and terror-linked elements involved in subversive activities with the arrest of four notorious criminals during coordinated operations. The police recovered 10 Pakistan-made pistols, several magazines and live cartridges from their possession. Addressing a press conference, DIG (Border Range) Harmanbir Singh Gill said teams from Lopoke, Jandiala Guru and the Special Cell carried out intelligence-based coordinated operations that led to the arrests and recoveries. According to the police, the first accused, Jaskaran Singh, was arrested with five pistols, nine magazines and several live cartridges. During interrogation, he allegedly revealed information about his associates, leading investigators to identify additional suspects. The police said more arrests are expected in the coming days. The second accused, Man- An accused in the custody of the Amritsar Rural Police. ish Kumar, alias Mani, was also arrested. The police recovered three pistols and around 400 grams of narcotics from his possession. Officials said Manish has been involved in multiple criminal cases in the past. “Anti-national forces operating from across the border are attempting to mislead Punjab’s youth and disturb the state’s atmosphere, but Punjab Police are continuously taking strict action against such elements,” the DIG said. He added that no effort would be spared in apprehending those involved in cross-border smuggling and other criminal activities allegedly being directed by foreignbased anti-national entities. The police also arrested Rawaljit Singh, alias Sonu, and Nishan Singh, alias Ninder, who were wanted in a firing case registered at Jandiala Guru in April this year. Two foreign-made Glock 9 mm pistols and eight live cartridges were recovered from them. Investigators claimed that Rawaljit admitted to working on the directions of gangster Happy Jatt and con- Nagar kirtan procession held in memory of Guru Arjan Dev Our Correspondent People push their vehicles under the railway crossing barrier, putting their and others’ lives at risk in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR Tarn Taran, June 17 A colourful nagar kirtan procession was taken out here today, dedicated to the martyrdom day of Pancham Patshah Sahib Guru Arjan Dev. The nagar kirtan was organised under the patronship of Guru Granth Sahib, with the procession led by Panj Pyaras. The procession was organised by Harjinder Singh, manager Darbar Sahib, Tarn Taran, with the assistance of religious societies across the area. Apart from Tarn Taran, sangats from neighbouring villages attended the nagar kirtan. Gatka parties showed their skills on the occasion. The procession started from Sri Guru Arjan Dev Saran and Neha Saini Tribune News Service Tarn Taran, June 17 An important initiative aimed at making Tarn Taran city crime-free and ensuring a safer environment for residents is set to begin soon. As part of the project, an ultramodern CCTV surveillance system will be established across the city for the first time. The information was shared by Tarn Taran AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Sandhu during a press conference held at his residence on Tuesday. He said that under this major initiative, the entire city will be brought under CCTV coverage, with 175 high-quality and advanced surveillance cameras to be installed at 42 key locations at a cost of Rs 1.60 crore. The MLA said the cameras will provide high-resolution images and video recordings. Live monitoring will be carried MLA Harmeet Singh briefs about the working of the ultra-modern cameras in Tarn Taran. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI out from the police control room and footage will also be stored for future use. He expressed confidence that the project would significantly help in curbing crime and contribute to making the city crime-free within the next four to five months. Apart from this, 41 automatic number plate reader (ANPR) cameras will also be installed. Sandhu said these cameras will automatically record the registration numbers of vehicles entering and continued on page 2 Amritsar, June 17 The Department of Food Processing, Government of Punjab, has convened a meeting on June 19 at the DC office (Amritsar) to advance the process of obtaining a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the iconic Amritsari kulcha. A source of local pride and a cornerstone of Amritsar’s culinary heritage, the kulcha is widely celebrated as a signature dish of the holy city and a symbol of its history, hospitality and rich food culture. According to a communication issued by the Special Secretary, Department of Food Processing, Amritsari kulcha is an integral part of Punjab’s culinary legacy. However, its widespread c m y b replication across the country without proper attribution has affected its authenticity, recognition and the interests of the original artisans. As a result, securing a GI tag for Amritsari kulcha has been identified as a priority by the department. A GI tag is a legal certification granted under India’s Geographical Indi- Farmers meet agri officials, discuss fertiliser supply issues Tribune News Service The Panj Pyaras lead the Nagar Kirtan procession in Tarn Taran. passed through various roads of the city where it was received with respect by the devotees. On the occasion of the martyrdom day tomorrow, preparations have been started by devotees to arrange “chha- bils” and langar etc. The nagar kirtan was welcomed everywhere in the city. Baba Jagtar Singh of Tarn Taran wale, Baba Avtar Singh Sursing wale and other heads of the karsewa sect graced the occasion. 175 CCTVs to boost security Process to secure GI tag for Amritsari and crime prevention kulchabegins; officials’ meet on June 19 Our Correspondent fessed involvement in the July 2025 murder of advocate Lakhwinder Singh in Jandiala Guru. In another breakthrough, the police claimed to have solved the March 2025 petrol bomb attack on a liquor vend near Majitha. Harwant Singh, alias Harry, who is currently lodged in the Amritsar Central Jail, was formally arrested in the case. During questioning, he allegedly disclosed that he carried out the attack on the instructions of foreign-based terrorist Harvinder Singh Rinda and gangster Happy Pasian. The police said two of his associates are already lodged in jail in separate cases. DIG Harmanbir Singh Gill said the investigation has revealed links between the accused and Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI, foreignbased handlers and a network involved in supplying weapons through drones. He further stated that some of the accused were in contact with jailed gangsters and were allegedly planning extortion, targeted shootings and murder. cations of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. It recognises products that originate from a specific geographical region and possess unique qualities, characteristics or reputation linked to that area. Recognising the need to preserve the identity and heritage of Amritsari kulcha, the department has initiated the process to secure GI status for the product. To facilitate the initiative, a coordination committee comprising representatives from the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST), the Department of Food Technology, Guru Nanak Dev University, the district administration, Amritsar, and the Department of Food Processing will be constituted. The committee’s primary objective will be to facilitate the formation of Amritsari Kulcha Makers’ Association, which will serve as the eligible entity for filing the GI tag application. The district administration has designated the Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) as the nodal officer to coordinate arrangements related to the initiative. The meeting will be held on June 19, with officials from the departments concerned and prominent Amritsari kulcha makers expected to participate. The district administration has appealed to leading kulcha makers of Amritsar to attend the meeting and contribute to this significant effort aimed at preserving and promoting the city’s unique culinary legacy. Amritsar, June 17 A delegation of farmer organisations led by Lakhbir Singh Nizampur, state secretary of the Kul Hind Kisan Sabha, and Bhupinder Singh Tirthpur, president of the Vegetable Growers’ Association, met Chief Agriculture Officer Amarjit Singh and other officials on Wednesday to discuss fertiliser supply issues and alleged irregularities in distribution. The farmer leaders alleged that several fertiliser supply firms in the district were forcing pesticide dealers to purchase unwanted products along with fertilisers, a practice commonly referred to as “tagging”. They said such practices were creating difficulties for both dealers and farmers. The delegation also raised concerns over a case registered at the Makboolpura police station in August 2025 after a truck carrying around 600 bags of urea fertiliser, allegedly meant for agricultural use, was seized. Farmer leaders claimed that despite the registration of an FIR, the police have yet to file a challan against the accused. The farmers further alleged that Harinder Singh, owner of Fredge Agro Centre in Vallah and a key witness in the case, has been denied fertiliser supplies by certain distributors since the incident because he had reported the alleged pilferage of subsidised urea. Representatives of Fredge Agro Centre and the Vallah Pesticide and Seed Welfare Association also demanded action against alleged irregularities by fertiliser suppliers. Farmer leaders said such practices were causing hardship for pesticide dealers and continued on page 2