16072026-ATR-01.qxd 7/15/2026 10:44 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY/RAIN MAX 37°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 24°C PAHRA ELECTED GURDASPUR MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE CHIEF CHEMOTHERAPY SERVICES SOON AT JALLIANWALA BAGH CIVIL HOSPITAL GURU RANDHAWA ENTERS HIS HIP-HOP ERA WITH SIX Baljeet Singh Pahra has been unanimously elected president of the Gurdaspur Municipal Committee for the second term. P2 Patients are set to get relief as day care cancer centre at Civil Hospital is expected to begin chemotherapy services. P3 Randhawa’s SIX, out now on streaming platforms, breaks from his formula in a way his catalog hasn’t attempted before. P4 » » » SUNSET THURSDAY 7.36 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:36 AM THURSDAY | 16 JULY 2026 | AMRITSAR 2 arrested with eight pistols, magazines Tarn Taran, July 15 A police team led by ASI Gurpreet Singh of the CIA staff arrested two motorcycleborne accused and recovered eight pistols along with magazines from their possession at Basarke village in the border belt on Tuesday. The accused were identified as Jaskaran Singh, alias Karan, and Arshdeep Singh, alias Arsh, both residents of Chuslewar village. Their alleged accomplice, Deepak Singh, alias Dhillon, also a resident of Chuslewar village, managed to escape. ASI Gurpreet Singh said the police team was on patrol from Bhikhiwind to Wan Tarasingh village. When the team reached the grain market at Basarke village, it intercepted Jaskaran and Arshdeep, who were riding a motorcycle. During search, the police recovered eight pistols along with magazines from their possession, he said. The Khalra police have registered a case against the accused. — OC Terror plot foiled, ISI-linked man held with grenade, pistol Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 15 The police on Wednesday claimed to have foiled a major terror conspiracy with the arrest of an alleged operative linked to Pakistan’s InterServices Intelligence (ISI). The police said they recovered a hand grenade, a Glock 9mm pistol and live cartridges from his possession. The accused, identified as Sumit Kumar alias Pandit (24), is a native of Sukhsal village in Rupnagar (Ropar) district and was currently residing in Pandori Waraich village near Amritsar. He was arrested following specific intelligence inputs and technical surveillance, police said. Sharing details of the operation, Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said a Glock 9mm pistol and four live cartridges were recov- Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar addresses the media in Amritsar on Wednesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR ered during the accused’s initial search. During sustained interrogation, Sumit allegedly disclosed the location where he had concealed a hand grenade, which was subsequently recovered, exposing what police described as a cross-border terror conspiracy. Preliminary investigation revealed that Sumit had come into contact with Pakistanbased ISI operatives through Instagram and remained in regular communication with them, police claimed. According to Bhullar, the handlers supplied him with the pistol and grenade and were allegedly motivating him to carry out a major terror attack in the region. “The accused was conducting reconnaissance of police establishments as well as public places that could be targeted,” Bhullar said. He added that since Sumit originally belonged to Rupnagar, he had recently been tasked with familiarising himself with Amritsar city and identifying key locations. He was employed at a textile factory in Pandori Waraich village. Bhullar said Sumit had previously been booked under the NDPS Act in 2023 by the Pojewal police station in SBS Nagar district in a case involving the recovery of 10 grams of heroin. Investigators suspect that, acting on the directions of his Pakistan-based handlers, the accused was planning to target police establishments and other public places to disrupt peace and public order. The police also recovered the motorcycle allegedly used by him. Portugal-based fugitive’s name surfaces in petrol bomb attack on property dealer’s house Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 15 The two accused arrested after a police encounter on Tuesday had allegedly hurled petrol bombs at the residence of a property dealer in Pandori Waraich village on the directions of Portugalbased fugitive Badalpreet Singh, police sources said. According to the sources, Badalpreet, a native of Pandori Waraich village, is allegedly running an extortion racket from Portugal and is suspected of operating at the behest of Pakistan’s ISI. He is also wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the grenade attack on the Thakurdwara temple in the early hours of March 15 last year. The NIA had earlier carried out raids at his residence in the village. Five persons were arrested in the case, while one of the alleged grenade attackers was killed in a police encounter two days after the incident. The Amritsar rural police on Tuesday arrested two alleged assailants following a brief exchange of fire near Bhaini village. The accused, identified as Gurlal Singh and Krishan Singh, both residents of Bal Khurd village, were wanted in connection with the petrol bomb attack on the house of Vikram Singh in Pandori Waraich on Sunday. Gurlal sustained a bullet injury during the exchange of fire, while Krishan was arrested unhurt. The duo has also been booked in a fresh case of attempt to murder for allegedly firing at the police team. They were produced before a court on Wednesday, which remanded them to three days of police custody. The police said three petrol bombs were hurled at Vikram Singh’s residence on Sunday. Though no one was injured, the attack caused extensive damage to the house. Investigators said they received specific information about the movement of the Court rejects Bhullar’s bail plea in Zero duty, new opportunities: First garment warehousing officer suicide case shipment takes flight from Amritsar to UK Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 15 A local court on Wednesday dismissed the bail application of former Punjab minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, who is facing charges in connection with the alleged abetment of suicide of Punjab Warehousing Corporation District Manager Dr Gagandeep Singh Randhawa. The bail plea, filed on July 6, was rejected by Additional District and Sessions Judge Sanjeev Kundi after hearing arguments from both sides. During the hearing, counsel representing Randhawa’s family argued that Bhullar’s political influence could allow him to pressure witnesses or interfere with the trial if granted bail. Appearing for the complainant’s family, advocate Satnam Singh alleged that Bhullar received VIP treatment after his arrest and had destroyed crucial evidence before being taken into custody. He further argued that the police had failed to recover any incriminating material from the former minister and had not yet arrested two other accused — Bhullar’s father, Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, and his former private assistant, Dilbagh Singh. The victim’s family had also approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking a CBI probe into the case. The petition is scheduled to be heard on Thursday. Randhawa, 45, died by suicide at his Amritsar residence on March 21. Before his death, he recorded a 12second video on his mobile phone in which he named Bhullar, triggering a political controversy and demands from the Opposition for action against the then minister. Bhullar resigned from the Cabinet later the same day. An FIR was registered on March 22 at the Ranjit Avenue police station against Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar, private assistant Dilbagh Singh, and others, based on a complaint filed by Randhawa’s wife, Upinder Kaur. The accused were booked under charges of abetment to suicide, criminal intimidation and common intention. Later, charges related to destruction of evidence were also added. In her complaint, Upinder Kaur alleged that her husband was repeatedly pressured to bypass the official bidding process and award warehousing contracts to Bhullar’s father. She further alleged that Randhawa was summoned to Bhullar’s residence in Patti on March 13, where he was humiliated and assaulted. Bhullar was arrested from Mandi Gobindgarh on March 23. The police filed the chargesheet before the court on May 21. The 500page chargesheet names 53 witnesses and cites two video recordings as key evidence, including Randhawa’s alleged dying declaration in which he named Bhullar after consuming celphos tablets. Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 15 Marking a significant milestone in bilateral trade relations, the first export consignment of readymade garments under the IndiaUK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was flagged off today from the cargo terminal of Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport (SGRDI), Amritsar. The special commercial consignment was dispatched to Birmingham, UK, through an Air India direct flight. The flag-off ceremony was attended by senior officials, including Aditya Singh Chauhan, Deputy Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT); Gaurav Gupta, Assistant Director; and K Sharma, Airport Director, SGRDI Airport, Amritsar. The India-UK CETA, which officially came into effect on July 15, 2026, marks a historic new chapter in trade and economic cooperation between the two countries. A key feature of the agreement is the Ground staff during the flag-off of the first readymade garment consignment from the cargo terminal at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar on Wednesday. provision of duty-free access to the UK market for nearly 99 per cent of Indian exports, significantly enhancing opportunities for Indian exporters across sectors. Major boost for textile and garment industry The implementation of CETA brings substantial benefits to India’s labour-intensive textile and garment sector. Prior to the agreement, Indian readymade garments and textiles faced import duties ranging from 4 per cent to 16 per cent in the UK market. Under the new trade regime, these duties have been eliminated, reducing tariffs to zero per cent and creating greater opportunities for Indian manufacturers to expand their presence and competitiveness in the British market. The agreement is also expected to strengthen the regional economy and improve export infrastructure. The direct movement of goods from the Amritsar cargo terminal to international destinations through Air India demonstrates that exporters from Punjab and neighbouring regions can increasingly rely on regional air cargo facilities rather than depending solely on major metropolitan airports. This development will help exporters achieve significant savings in logistics costs and transit time. The implementation of CETA fulfils a longstanding demand of garment and textile manufacturers in Amritsar and is expected to provide fresh momentum to the region’s export sector. accused, who were travelling on a motorcycle from Bhaini village towards the Baoli village bus stand. A police team set up a checkpoint and signalled them to stop. However, the accused allegedly opened fire at the police party in an attempt to escape, following which the police retaliated in self-defence. Gurlal suffered a bullet injury during the exchange of fire. The police sources said Vikram Singh had earlier received an extortion call from Badalpreet, who allegedly demanded Rs 30 lakh and threatened him with serious consequences if the money was not paid. The petrol bomb attack is suspected to have been carried out to intimidate the victim and pressurise him into meeting the extortion demand. Following the attack, the police registered an FIR and launched a probe, which led to identification and arrest of the two accused. A pistol was recovered from them, and the bike allegedly used in the crime was also seized. Dhanjal appointed AIT Chairman Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 15 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has appointed Aam Aadmi Party Amritsar urban district president Sarabjot Singh Dhanjal as the Chairman of Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT). He replaced Karamjit Singh Rintu, who had been occupying the position. Dhanjal has been associated with the AAP as a volunteer since 2014. In 2016, he assumed responsibility of the party as the district president and also unsuccessfully contested the election on AAP ticket from Amritsar East Assembly constituency in 2017. After the formation of the AAP government in Punjab in 2022, he was appointed as the Director of the Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board. After this, in the year 2026, he was again made the district president of the AAP Amritsar urban. Party activists said considering the long-term organisational service, experience and connection with the people of Dhanjal, this responsibility had been entrusted to him. Two hurt in gunfight Man escapes murder bid as armed BJP leader faces heat over ‘delete over panchayat land assailants open fire outside his house 20,000 votes’ remark; probe ordered Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, July 15 Two persons were injured in a gunfight between two groups over disputed panchayat land in Thathi Sohal village on Tuesday. The Chabal police have registered a case against around 25 persons in connection with the incident. One of the injured, Jagmeet Singh, told the police that 22 kanal of panchayat land had allegedly been under the illegal occupation of Dharam Singh and others for the past 15 to 16 years. On Tuesday, Circle Kanungo Lal Singh, Patwari Navjot Singh and Gandiwind Block Development and Panchayat Officer (BDPO) Harjit Singh visited the site along with a police team to demarcate the land. The officials left after completing the demarcation. According to Jagmeet Singh, Dharam Singh and his associates, angered by the demarcation, allegedly opened fire on his group, leaving him and another person injured. ASI Sukhwinder Singh of the Chabal police station said a case was registered against Dharam Singh, his wife Resham Kaur, Jaideep Singh, Davinder Singh, Palwinder Singh, Manjinder Singh, Harmeet Singh, Jashandeep Singh, Karandeep Singh, Kulbir Singh and 15 unidentified persons. The police said the accused were allegedly upset because Jagmeet Singh had filed a complaint with the Gandiwind BDPO seeking eviction of those cultivating panchayat land. The police have arrested one of the accused, Palwinder Singh, while the remaining suspects are absconding. Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 15 A man had a narrow escape after armed assailants allegedly opened fire at him outside his residence in the Kot Mitt Singh area, the police said. The incident took place on Monday night, while a complaint was filed the following day. The police registered an FIR under Sections 351(2), 109, 191(3), and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Sections 25, 54, and 59 of the Arms Act. According to the complainant, identified as Kapil, a resident of Kot Mitt Singh, the incident occurred around 11 pm on July 13 when he stepped out of his house and found Harpreet Singh, alias Ghulla, Baba Yousaf, Jaswant Singh, alias Sonu, and Surjit Kaur, along with others, standing in the street. Kapil alleged that an argument broke out when the suspects accused him of tipping off the police about their illegal activities, which they claimed led to frequent raids at their residence. He further alleged that Harpreet Singh then pulled out a pistol and attempted to fire at him, but the weapon failed to discharge. Around 30 minutes later, Kapil claimed he heard people shouting outside his house. When he opened the gate, he allegedly saw the four named accused, along with three unidentified youths, standing near two motorcycles. According to the Kapil, Jaswant Singh and Surjit Kaur allegedly shouted and asked the others to kill him, following which c m y b Harpreet Singh and Baba Yousaf allegedly took out pistols and fired multiple rounds at him with the intention of killing him. Kapil said he immediately ducked to avoid the bullets and managed to shut the gate of his house. The bullets allegedly hit the outer gate, after which the accused fled the spot while hurling abuses. In his complaint, Kapil stated that there had been previous disputes between the two sides and alleged that the attack was carried out due to longstanding enmity. The police have registered a case against Harpreet Singh, Baba Yousaf, Jaswant Singh, Surjit Kaur, and three unidentified persons. Surjit Kaur has been arrested, while the remaining accused are still at large. Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, July 15 A controversy has erupted after local BJP leader Renu Kashyap, who contested the 2022 Assembly elections on the party ticket, allegedly urged party workers to ensure that thousands of votes were deleted during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls so that “the BJP can win.” Addressing a gathering, Kashyap allegedly said, “Please ensure that 20,00025,000 votes are deleted in the ongoing exercise. This will ensure that the BJP candidate wins.” A video of her remarks has since gone viral on social media. Kashyap, however, denied making the statement, claiming the video had been manipulated by her political opponents using artificial intelligence (AI) to malign her reputation. Her explanation has found few takers, with several people present at the gathering maintaining that she made the remarks. Kashyap is the daughterin-law of former Dinanagar MLA Sita Ram Kashyap. Senior BJP leaders said the matter should not be taken lightly and called for a thorough inquiry. Taking immediate cognisance of the controversy, Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal directed SDM Ashok Kumar to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into the incident. Dinanagar Congress MLA Aruna Chaudhary also wrote to Punjab Chief Elec- toral Officer Anindita Mitra, urging action against Kashyap. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the Chief Secretary. “The statement is a matter of serious concern as it has the potential to undermine the integrity of the electoral process,” Chaudhary said. She also stressed that all officials associated with the SIR exercise must discharge their duties impartially. “The BJP leadership should take notice of Kashyap’s irresponsible speech. This is not the way democracy functions. People like Kashyap have no place in the political set-up. Now, she is resorting to the all-too-familiar tactic of blaming AI to extricate herself from the unsavoury situation she has landed in,” the Congress MLA said.