24072026-ATR-01.qxd 7/23/2026 11:37 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune POWER SUPPLY GRINDS TO A HALT IN TARN TARAN CIRCLE CITY BOXERS CONTINUE WINNING STREAK AT NAT’L, GLOBAL LEVELS Trailblazing performances by boxers Navroop Singh and Bhupinder Singh continue to bring laurels to the city.P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 24°C POLLYWOOD STANDS WITH NEET PROTESTERS The power supply situation in Tarn Taran has turned critical due to the strike by electricity employees. P2 FORECAST Gippy Grewal, Neeru Bajwa, Diljit Dosanjh, Himanshi Khurana and Jasbir Jassi call for justice. P4 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 7.32 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5.41 AM » FRIDAY | 24 JULY 2026 | AMRITSAR Pak-linked arms smuggling racket busted; 2 arrested Pawan K Jaiswar Amritsar, July 23 The Amritsar police have busted an alleged Pakistanlinked cross-border smuggling module involved in the trafficking of illegal weapons and narcotics. Two alleged operatives were arrested and the police recovered six sophisticated pistols, over 1 kg of heroin, opium, suspected drug money and a motorcycle from their possession. The accused have been identified as Joga Singh (45), a resident of Dal village in Khalra, Tarn Taran, and Manpreet Singh (28) of Kalla village in Tarn Taran. Separate cases under the Arms Act and the NDPS Act have been registered at the Chheharta and Cantonment police stations. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said Joga Singh was initially arrested on the basis of specific intelligence, leading to the recovery of four .30 bore pistols. During sustained interrogation, two more pistols were recovered on his disclosure, taking the total seizure to six firearms — two .30 bore X Shot pistols, two China-made Star .30 bore pistols, one Turkish-made Zigana .30 bore pistol and one .30 bore PX Storm pistol. Bhullar said Joga Singh was in direct contact with a PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar (2nd from left) addresses mediapersons in Amritsar. Pakistan-based smuggler identified as “Manna” through a social media platform. The handler allegedly used drones to drop consignments of illegal weapons across the International Border, which were then collected and supplied to criminal elements in Punjab. The investigation subsequently led to the arrest of Manpreet Singh, from whose possession the police recovered 1 kg of heroin. Based on his disclosure, the police also recovered 1 kg of opium and Rs 10,000, suspected to be drug money. According to the police, the investigation revealed that while Joga Singh was operating an illegal arms supply network, Manpreet Singh was allegedly involved in crossborder narcotics smuggling under the directions of the same Pakistan-based handler. The police described Joga Singh as a habitual offender with 21 previous criminal cases registered against him in Tarn Taran, Amritsar Rural, Kapurthala and Ludhiana Rural. His criminal record includes cases related to murder, offences under the Arms Act and the NDPS Act, robbery, dacoity and theft. Officials said one of the ear- lier cases against him dates back to 2019 in Khalra, Tarn Taran, when he and an associate allegedly attempted to retrieve a cross-border drug consignment from the Ravi river. During the operation, his associate drowned while attempting to cross the river. Joga Singh was last released on bail on July 20, 2022, and has allegedly continued to engage in criminal activities. The police said further investigation is underway to trace the module’s backward and forward linkages, identify other members of the network and uncover its crossborder connections. Over 6.5 kg heroin seized in separate cases; three nabbed Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 23 The Amritsar Rural police have arrested three persons and seized more than 6.5 kg of heroin along with suspected drug money in two separate cases. In the first case, the Ajnala police arrested Shamsher Singh, alias Shera, and Charanjit Kaur, alias Saranjit Kaur, both residents of Bachhiwind village under the Lopoke police station. According to the police, acting on a specific tip-off, the Ajnala police raided a house near Bhagat Namdev Colony where the two accused had allegedly been staying for the past few days. The informer had claimed that the duo was involved in heroin trafficking and had The contraband and money seized by the police in Amritsar. recently brought a large consignment for distribution. During the raid, the police recovered 6.072 kg of heroin packed in a transparent polythene bag. Both accused were arrested, and further investigation is underway to trace the source and intended recip- ients of the consignment. In another operation, the Beas police arrested Jaswinder Singh, a resident of the Nikka Rayya area. A police team intercepted him during patrolling near Rayya Khurd village after continued on page 2 26-yr-old shot at during clash in grain market Tarn Taran, July 23 A man was seriously injured in a firing incident at the grain market here on Thursday. The victim was identified as Ravi (26), a resident of the Muradpur locality in Tarn Taran town. SHO (city police) Paramjit Singh Virdi said discussions were underway regarding the installation of swings at the grain market for a fair scheduled to be held on July 26 when a dispute broke out between two groups. Following the altercation, Jashan, son of Tarn Taran municipal council member Sham Singh, along with his associates, allegedly opened fire on Ravi. He was admitted to the Civil Hospital in Tarn Taran in a critical condition and was later referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar for further continued on page 2 Writers slam Delhi Police action on students Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 23 The Folklore Research Academy, Amritsar, a cultural and literary organisation comprising scholars, writers and Punjabi thinkers, has supported youth protests led by the Cockroach Janata Party, seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Academy members said the youth protesting at Jantar Mantar in Delhi were raising an important issue and that the alleged ‘NEET paper leak’ reflected the Centre’s failure, which required accountability. They also condemned the Delhi Police’s action against students as they marched towards Parliament House. “Delhi Police and security forces indiscriminately lathicharged the youth, injured them, fired tear gas shells and misbehaved with girls. Several students were seriously hurt. Videos circulating on social media showed cracked heads, broken bones and the use of violent tactics to suppress the protest. Was such brutality against students necessary?” asked Ramesh Yadav, president of the Academy and a human rights activist. He said the youth marching towards Parliament were accompanied by their parents. Prof Surjit Judge, an educator and writer in Punjabi and English, said many teachers and other concerned citizens had also joined the protest. “This struggle is gaining strength. The demand is genuine and the protest is legitimate. We strongly appeal to the government to accept the demands of the youth at the earliest and ensure justice,” he said. Cong leader flags flood Overnight rain leaves city roads waterlogged Schools shut, admn threat after downpour monitors situation Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 23 Fears of flooding have resurfaced in villages along the Ajnala belt, with large stretches of agricultural land reportedly submerged following heavy rainfall on Thursday. This was stated by senior Congress leader Sukh Aujla after visiting Ghonewal and several other flood-prone villages to assess the situation. Aujla claimed that paddy fields in villages, including Gaggomahal, Dial Bhatti, Anaitpura, Harar, Nanakpura, Amb Kotli and Gujjarpura, had been inundated following the season’s first spell of heavy rain. Referring to the devastating floods caused by breaches in embankments last year, Aujla said residents of Ajnala, who had already suffered extensive losses, were once again facing an uncertain future. He alleged that vast stretches of farmland had been submerged, leaving farmers worried about damage to their standing paddy crop. Aujla criticised the state government, alleging that timely preventive measures and desilting work could have averted the present situation. He urged Aam Aadmi Party chief spokesperson and local MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal to visit the affected villages and assess the ground situation firsthand. He further demanded that the government immediately deploy flood management teams to inspect river embankments in the area. Aujla alleged that portions of the riverbanks had been weakened due to sand mining, reducing their ability to withstand the increased flow of water during heavy rainfall. — TNS Amritsar, July 23 A night of relentless rain left large parts of the city and its surrounding areas waterlogged on Thursday morning, disrupting normal life and exposing shortcomings in the city’s drainage infrastructure. While the rainfall brought much-needed relief from the prevailing humid conditions and proved beneficial for farmers, it also caused widespread inconvenience to commuters and residents. The rain, which continued intermittently as a steady drizzle through the morning, submerged roads, streets and several low-lying residential areas. Water accumulated on major roads as well as internal streets, slowing traffic and making commuting difficult. In several localities, residents were forced to wade Tribune News Service The waterlogged Heritage Street near the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR through knee-deep water to reach their workplaces, schools and markets. The worst-affected stretch was near Fatehgarh Rajputtan on the Amritsar-Mehta road, where overflowing water from a nearby nullah inundated the road, triggering long traffic snarls. Vehicles moved at a crawl as motorists struggled to negotiate the flooded stretch. Local residents blamed the situation on the government’s failure to complete the bridge under construction at the site and the lack of timely clearance of water hyacinth from the nullah. A dense growth of hyacinth obstructed the natural flow of water, causing the nullah to continued on page 2 Amritsar, July 23 Heavy rain that lashed the district on Thursday forced private schools to remain closed as waterlogged roads posed a safety risk to commuters. While government schools remained open, private and aided schools, along with anganwadi centres, remained shut after the city recorded 55.7 mm of rainfall between 8.30 pm on July 22 and July 23. The district administration is closely monitoring the situation as the Meteorological Department has predicted the possibility of heavy rain accompanied by strong winds in the region. Waterlogging rendered several roads impassable for small vehicles, auto-rickshaws and school vans during the morn- ing hours. Several private vehicles were seen returning from school gates. While some private schools informed parents about the closure early in the morning, others remained closed without prior intimation, leaving parents and students to discover the situation on reaching the schools. Slow-moving traffic and stranded vehicles created major bottlenecks, with private school transport vehicles ferrying government school students also getting stuck at several places. Attendance in government schools remained poor. "As most students depend heavily on private or public transport for their daily commute, many did not risk coming to school," said Manpreet Kaur, a teacher from the Kot Khalsa government school. Police solve Chheharta murder Residents seek shifting of TCS iON centre to city outskirts case within 24 hours of FIR Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 23 The city police have cracked a murder case within 24 hours by arresting two suspects allegedly involved in the fatal attack that claimed the life of a 25-year-old man, Akashdeep Singh, and left his brother, Harmandeep Singh, seriously injured. Akashdeep had recently returned from Dubai, while Harmandeep serves in the Army. The accused have been identified as Hardeep Singh, alias Gagan alias Deep (30), a resident of Guru Ram Dass Avenue on Sultanwind Road, and Sukhbir Singh, alias Two suspects in the custody of the police in Amritsar. Sukh (25), of Fateh Singh Colony near the Angarh area. They were arrested from a colony near Manawala, where they were allegedly hiding after the incident. Deputy Commissioner of Police Alam Vijay Singh said the case was registered at the Chheharta police station following a complaint lodged by continued on page 2 Amritsar, July 23 A delegation of local traders and residents of Albert Road, Kennedy Avenue, Yaseen Road and Court Road on Thursday demanded that the TCS iON examination centre be shifted from its present location to the city outskirts. The high-tech digital testing and assessment centre on Albert Road, operated by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), hosts large-scale computer-based entrance tests, recruitment examinations and academic assessments. As the facility accommodates thousands of candidates each day across multiple examination shifts, residents alleged that it frequently leads to traffic congestion and heavy movement c m y b in the surrounding neighbourhoods. “The area is a prime commercial and residential locality and the adjoining neighbourhoods have been suffering for a long time due to severe traffic congestion, police barricading, inadequate parking facilities and restricted customer access caused by road blockades. This has resulted in significant financial losses for local businesses,” said Ankur Gupta, president of the Traders’ Association. Traders also alleged that mobile communication jammers installed during examinations severely disrupt mobile networks and Internet connectivity across the area. “Business calls fail, digital payments A rush of students near the TCS iON centre at Albert Road in Amritsar. are interrupted and communication with customers is affected,” Gupta added. Residents further claimed that students’ online classes, internet-based work and routine communication are also disrupted because of poor network connectivity during examination days. Senior BJP leader and former MP Shwait Malik also supported the demand for relocation. “There is no adequate parking facility around the examination centre. Vehicles are frequently towed away and fined up to Rs 1,100, discouraging people from visiting the market and adversely affecting local businesses. The absence of public toilets for thousands of candidates and their accompanying parents also creates inconvenience, as many are forced to relieve themselves in open spaces, resulting in unhygienic conditions around homes and commercial establishments. Women candidates and their guardians often have to request access to washrooms in nearby houses and showrooms. Temporary street vendors on examination days further contribute to littering and disorder,” he said. “This is a genuine concern for residents and local business continued on page 2