21082026-ATR-01.qxd 8/20/2026 10:31 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY SIKH DIASPORA IN ITALY KEEPS WORLD WAR MARTYRS ALIVE KHALSA SCHOOL BOYS CLINCH BOXING TITLE FOR 26TH TIME AYUSHMANN KHURRANA RAISES RURAL SCHOOL SAFETY CONCERNS The World Sikh Shaheed Military Memorial Committee has been paying tributes to war heroes since 2016. P2 Khalsa College Senior Secondary School boys’ boxing team wins the district tourney in all age categories. P4 MAX 31°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 26°C Actor and UNICEF India National Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana got letters from village girls over school safety. P5 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.59 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:53 AM » FRIDAY | 21 AUGUST 2026 | AMRITSAR Drug trafficker on run, NCB freezes assets worth ~2.79 cr Pawan K Jaiswar HAD LINKS WITH PAK-BASED SMUGGLERS Tribune News Service MC staff demolish the house of Akashdeep Singh, alias Akash (26), in Maqboolpura. The police say 10 FIRs have been registered against him. MC razes drug offender’s house Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 20 During the 26th demolition drive against drug offenders, the Municipal Corporation, along with the Amritsar police, on Thursday demolished the house of a habitual drug offender at Maqboolpura here. The property belonged to Akashdeep Singh, alias Akash (26), a resident of Maqboolpura, a locality which is infamous for rampant drug abuse and drug peddling. The Municipal Corporation carried out the demolition after identifying the property as having been allegedly acquired through illicit activities. Police Commissioner Harmanbir Singh Gill said that civic authorities had request- 5 KG HEROIN SEIZED The police have recovered 5.569 kg of heroin and arrested five persons. In the first case, the Lopoke police arrested two persons, Sandeep Singh and Sarf Singh, with 4 kg of heroin from Vanike village. In the second case, the Gharinda police arrested Arjun Singh, a resident of Bachiwind village with 1 kg of heroin. In another instance, the Gharinda police intercepted Vanshdeep Singh of Rorawala Kalan and Karandeep Singh of Navi Abadi in Attari and seized 569 gm of heroin. ed the police to accompany them in order to prevent any untoward incident. He said as per police records, Akashdeep had 10 FIRs against him (registered since 2020). His criminal record includes cases under the NDPS Act, besides charges of murder, theft and robbery. He was booked by the Maqboolpura police in a murder case in 2022. He has also been booked in several narcotics cas- es registered in 2021, 2024, 2025 and 2026. His latest FIR under Sections 21-B, 27 and 29 of the NDPS Act was registered at the Maqboolpura police station in June 14 this year. According to the police, from January 1 to August 19 this year, they had registered 1,275 cases under the NDPS Act in the Amritsar Commissionerate, leading to the arrest of 2,109 persons. continued on page 2 Amritsar, August 20 The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Amritsar zonal unit, has frozen assets worth Rs 2.79 crore allegedly acquired from the proceeds of narcotics trafficking by an absconding drug trafficker, Harmanjit Singh Sandhu, a resident of Naushehra Dhalla village in Tarn Taran. The NCB action follows an investigation into a drone-based cross-border drug trafficking case in which 18 kg of narcotics was recovered from the border area on February 15 this year. Two persons were arrested on the spot, while two others were subsequently arrested during the followup investigation. According to the NCB, a probe revealed that Harmanjit Singh Sandhu, a resident of Naushera Dhalla village in Tarn Taran, was allegedly coordinating with Pakistan-based smugglers and managing the delivery of drug consignments. He had been evading arrest, the agency said. The NCB had announced c m y b ■ According to the NCB, a probe revealed that Harmanjit Singh Sandhu, a resident of Naushera Dhalla village in Tarn Taran, was allegedly coordinating with Pakistan-based smugglers and managing the delivery of drug consignments. He had been evading arrest. ■ The NCB had announced a reward of ~1 lakh to anyone sharing information regarding his whereabouts in May this year. ■ The NCB action follows an investigation into a drone-based cross-border drug trafficking case in which 18 kg of narcotics was recovered from the border area on February 15 this year. Two persons were arrested on the spot. << The accused’s residence at Naushehra Dhalla village in Tarn Taran. a reward of Rs 1 lakh to anyone sharing information regarding his whereabouts in May this year. The agency said information regarding his whereabouts could be shared with the NCB, Amritsar zonal unit, and assured that the identity of the informer would be kept confidential. An NCB official said the investigation allegedly traced several assets to the proceeds of drug trafficking. These included around 93 kanals and 11 marlas of agricultural land valued at Rs 1.75 crore, two vehicles worth around Rs 32.90 lakh and a residential house in Naushera Dhalla valued at Rs 71.28 lakh. The total assessed value of the assets is approximately Rs 2.79 crore. The NCB said no satisfactory legitimate source of income commensurate with the acquisition of the assets had been established during the investigation. Sandhu’s anticipatory bail application was rejected by a HARMANJIT SINGH competent court in Amritsar and his subsequent petition before the Punjab and Haryana High Court was also dismissed. He also has criminal antecedents relating to narcotics offences, according to the agency. With the accused continuing to evade arrest and allegedly not cooperating with the investigation, proclamation proceedings have been initiated against him by the competent court in Amritsar. Youth shot at, five booked Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 20 A youth was shot at by five miscreants while out for dinner after celebrating his birthday last night. The victim identified as Prince, alias Amit, suffered a bullet injury in the leg. He was rushed to a private hospital, where his condition is stated to be stable. He was under observation. Assistant Commissioner of Police Surinder Singh said five persons had been booked on charges of attempt to murder and the Arms Act at the Gate Hakima police station here. The police have recovered an empty bullet shell from the spot. Among those booked included Rajinder, alias Ashu, alias Gosha, and his accomplice Nitish, both residents of Noore Shah Colony, while the remaining three are yet to be identified. He said raids were on to arrest the accused. According to the police, Gosha had recently came out on bail in a murder case. Sharing details, he said Amit had recently saved his brother Prabh from the accused who were beating him up mercilessly following a dispute. Gosha nursed a grudge against him and yesterday when Amit was going for dinner with his brother, the accused followed them and opened fire. The accused have been on the run.