25102026-ATR-01.qxd 10/24/2026 11:18 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY POLICE, MC DEMOLISH ILLEGAL PROPERTY SOCIAL: CHANGING LIVES BY STITCHING TOGETHER ANIL KAPOOR REMEMBERS HIS LATE FRIEND SATISH KAUSHIK The property, located in Aman Avenue on Majitha Road, belonged to murder accused Malkeet Singh . P2 Liza Chawla takes women's craft from dim-lit corners of their homes to the centre of a thriving enterprise. P3 MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 17°C Revisiting some of their most cherished memories, Anil Kapoor said he fondly called Satish Kaushik Danny DeVito. » » SUNSET SUNDAY 5.48 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6.41 AM » SUNDAY | 25 OCTOBER 2026 | AMRITSAR alarm over stubble Heroin haul tops 32 kg in CAQM soundswarns against laxity burning in dist, 3 days after fresh seizure Tribune News Service 10 kg contraband found in bag near border outpost in Lopoke Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 24 The Border Security Force (BSF) seized another 10 kg consignment of heroin late last evening, taking the total recovery by the force and the Amritsar police in the border belt to over 32 kg in three days. In the latest incident, the BSF recovered over 10 kg of heroin from a bag found near the Pul Moran border outpost in the Lopoke area. The consignment is suspected to have been dropped by a drone from across the border. Personnel of the BSF’s 100 Battalion were patrolling near the outpost when they noticed a suspicious bag lying near the fields. A search led to the recovery of over 10 kg of heroin packed in separate packets. Battalion Commandant Masked men open fire near doctor’s house Tarn Taran, October 24 Two unidentified masked men riding a motorcycle allegedly opened fire while targeting the house of a renowned doctor in Chohla Sahib around midnight on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. The bullets hit the gate of a neighbouring house. According to information gathered, the gangsters had been demanding extortion money from the doctor. After receiving information about the incident, a police team led by SHO Ranjit Singh reached the spot. After examining CCTV footage, the police released photographs of the suspects. — OC The consignment dropped by a drone in the Lopoke area. MAJOR RECOVERY The consignment was suspected to have been airdropped by a drone from across the border. I The BSF seized 5.5 kg of heroin in Lopoke and 6.5 kg in Gharinda on Thursday night I Mod Singh Rathore informed the Lopoke police, who took posses- Cases have been registered against unidentified smugglers in both incidents. I The Punjab Police’s Counter Intelligence wing had seized 10 kg of heroin in the district on Thursday I sion of the contraband and launched an investigation. The police are trying to identify those who were to collect the consignment. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The latest seizure follows the recovery of 5.5 kg of heroin in Lopoke and 6.5 kg in Gharinda by the BSF and the Amritsar rural police on Thursday night. Cases have been registered against unidentified smugglers in both incidents. In Gharinda, two suspected smugglers opened fire at BSF personnel when the latter tried to stop them from collecting the consignment. The Punjab Police’s Counter Intelligence wing had seized 10 kg of heroin in the district on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Rajasansi police arrested two persons after recovering 500 gm of heroin from them. Amritsar, October 24 The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) in NCR and Adjoining Areas on Saturday expressed concern over the rising number of stubbleburning incidents in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts, directing officials to step up surveillance and ensure farmers have access to the required machinery for paddy straw management. The commission warned that any laxity or failure to take effective measures would invite strict action and accountability. The directions were issued by a CAQM team led by its Chairman, Rajesh Verma, during a review meeting with the deputy commissioners and other officials concerned of both districts. The team reviewed measures being taken for the comprehensive management of paddy stubble and actions taken by the two districts in response to the rising number of stubbleburning incidents. The team Family seeks CBI probe into teacher’s death Pawan K Jaiswar CONFLICTING CLAIMS Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 24 The family of a schoolteacher who died more than four months ago has sought a CBI or independent agency probe into his death, alleging discrepancies between the autopsy report and the police claim that he died in a road accident. Jagdeep Singh died under mysterious circumstances on June 1. His brother alleged that the special investigation team (SIT) constituted to probe the case had concluded that he died in a road accident involving five minors. The family alleged that the post-mortem report indicated that the injuries on his body had been Jagdeep Singh died on June 1 while returning home after dropping his daughter off for tuition. The family alleges that the autopsy report points to sharp-weapon injuries, while the SIT has attributed the death to a road accident. caused by a sharp weapon. Jagdeep Singh was killed while returning home after dropping his daughter off for tuition. The police had apprehended five minors following a preliminary probe and registered an FIR on the charge of murder. Two of the accused are now out on bail. In the challan presented before the court, the SIT claimed that Jagdeep Singh’s death was the result of a road accident caused by the minors’ reckless driving. The SIT stated that the accident left him with critical head injuries and that he died on the spot. The police later amended the FIR, adding sections pertaining to culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The victim’s family alleged that Jagdeep Singh was murdered and suspected that the incident was linked to a dispute at the school where he worked as an art and craft teacher. According to the family, he had stopped some individuals allegedly involved in selling drugs on the school premises, leading to a dispute. The family also suspected the involvement of a village sarpanch and alleged that the accused were relatives of a minister from the ruling party. The case returned to the spotlight recently after AICC general secretary incharge for Punjab Sachin Pilot met the family in Jandiala Guru. SSP Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts. A CAQM team holds a review meeting with officials in Amritsar. KEY DIRECTIONS Intensify monitoring in Amritsar and Tarn Taran to curb rising stubble-burning incidents I Make paddy straw management equipment available to farmers in time I directed officials to make all possible efforts to curb the rising trend. The commission stressed the need to maximise the use of paddy stubble as fuel in thermal power plants, brick kilns and industries where feasible. Assign sector-wise nodal officers to ensure actual utilisation of paddy straw I Maximise the use of paddy straw as fuel in thermal power plants, brick kilns and industries I It also directed that sectorwise nodal officers be assigned responsibility for ensuring the actual utilisation of paddy straw by the respective sectors. Emphasising the need for timely intervention at the field level, the CAQM team directed officials to make regular visits to villages and farmers to inform them about the availability of stubble-management facilities and ensure that the required machinery reached them in time. The district administrations were asked to strengthen coordination among farmers, custom hiring centres (CHCs), machinery providers and other stakeholders to ensure that farmers could access residue-management solutions without delay. With Tarn Taran continuing to figure among districts reporting a high number of stubble-burning incidents, its deputy commissioner was directed to accord top priority to the issue and intensify preventive and management measures. During the visit, the team also inspected facilities in Amritsar where paddy stubble is being used as fuel. It visited an industrial boiler at a complex in the district where paddystraw pellets are being used as fuel. 2 pistols, 18 live rounds seized in Tarn Taran Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, October 24 The Khalra police and the BSF seized two pistols, magazines and 18 live rounds in a joint operation a day ago. Sub-Inspector Arvind Kamboj, who led the Punjab Police team, said on Saturday that the operator of an anti-drone system had provided him with two locations. Based on the information, the police seized two packets from the fields of Sukhdev Singh and Balwinder Singh, both residents of Kalsian village. The police said the consignment had been dropped from the Pakistani side using a drone. A garbage heap at Ranjit Avenue in Amritsar. MC issues ~17.50-cr notice to company for Nearly 1,000 posts Kirtan darbars, fireworks to mark Guru garbage-lifting lapses of specialist doctors Ram Das’ Parkash Purb over three days vacant in state: BJP CharanjitSingh Teja Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 24 The BJP on Saturday criticised the state’s AAP government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, alleging that Punjab’s healthcare system had collapsed. Senior BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha member Shwait Malik said the crisis had worsened because the government had not made a single regular recruitment of specialist doctors since 2022. Malik said nearly 1,000 of the 2,098 sanctioned posts of specialist doctors in the state were lying vacant. He warned that if the situation did not improve, the Punjab BJP would stage protests outside hospitals at the district level. “The Chief Minister, who talks about a health revolution, must answer why no recruitment has been done to date,” he said. He said the shortage was Shwait Malik threatens district-level protests most severe in surgery, gynaecology, paediatrics and anaesthesia. The senior BJP leader claimed that the government had opened Aam Aadmi Clinics on the lines of the Delhi model while leaving major hospitals short of specialists. Party seeks white paper “To fill the gap, the government had hired 78 retired specialists on one-year contracts in October 2025. Their contracts are now set to expire in November,” he said. “After that, those posts will again fall vacant and the crisis will worsen,” he said, asking the government to spell out its roadmap for filling the posts. He demanded a white paper on recruitments. Amritsar, October 24 Special kirtan darbars, a nagar kirtan, fireworks and traditional deepmala will mark the Parkash Purb of Guru Ram Das at the Golden Temple from October 25 to 27. Historical artefacts will also be displayed on the occasion. Golden Temple head granthi Giani Amarjit Singh said the celebrations were being organised with the cooperation of the sangat, as in previous years. He said special kirtan darbars would be held on October 25 and 26. Renowned ragis from India and abroad would perform kirtan in the raag partaal tradition from 7 pm to 1 am on both days. A special nagar kirtan will be taken out from the Akal Takht at 10 am on October 26. The head granthi appealed to devotees to participate in the religious procession with their families. The main event will be held on October 27, the day of the The Golden Temple will be illuminated with traditional deepmala on the evening of October 27, accompanied by fireworks to mark the Parkash Purb of Guru Ram Das. FILE PHOTO Parkash Purb. The saroop of Guru Granth Sahib associated with Baba Deep Singh will be ceremonially installed on the occasion. Jalau, the ceremonial display of precious historical objects, will be arranged at the Golden Temple, the Akal Takht and c m y b Gurdwara Baba Atal Rai Sahib. Deepmala will be illuminated and fireworks displayed in the evening as devotees gather at the shrine to mark the occasion. The religious programmes will continue beyond the three-day celebrations. From October 25 to November 9, special mukhwak recitations and Gurmat vichaar sessions dedicated to Guru Ram Das will be held in the early morning hours at Gurdwara Diwan Hall Manji Sahib. Amritsar, October 24 The Municipal Corporation has issued a Rs 17.50-crore notice to waste management company Three R for failing to lift garbage as required, amid mounting complaints of irregular collection across the city. Despite the civic body engaging two companies to manage door-to-door collection, transportation and processing of waste in all 85 wards, garbage continues to pile up on roads and in residential neighbourhoods, raising questions about the monitoring and implementation of the system. The situation has raised concerns among residents and councillors, including those from the ruling party, who have repeatedly complained to Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia about poor garbage collection. Delays in salary payments to employees of one of the companies have further raised concerns about the continuity of sanitation services. The MC issued the notice to Three R on October 21 over its failure to lift garbage as required. The civic body has warned that further lapses could invite penalties under the prescribed rules. Three R is responsible for garbage collection across the East, South, North, West and Central Assembly segments. Irregular lifting The MC’s claim that 85 per cent of the garbage is being collected has also come under scrutiny, with residents reporting that waste is not being lifted regularly in several localities. The availability of vehicles and machinery needed for waste collection has emerged as another concern. Mayor Jatinder Singh Bhatia said the Rs 17.50crore notice had been issued to the company for failing to lift garbage as required. “The company must ensure garbage lifting in accordance with its prescribed responsibilities. If the service is affected again, penalties will be recovered from the company,” he said. The Mayor said he had met Health Department officials and directed them to strengthen the monitoring of sanitation services.