13022021-ATR-01.qxd 2/12/2021 11:15 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar TRIBUNE STAFF COMES OUT IN SUPPORT OF ‘CONTROVERSIAL’ CLERK Employees of the DC office in Tarn Taran observed a pen-down strike and staged a dharna outside DAC. FORECAST MAINLY CLOUDY SKY INBRIEF TWO ARRESTED WITH 1-KG HEROIN Tarn Taran: A team of the local CIA staff, led by Sub-Inspector Anokh Singh, on Wednesday arrested two car-borne persons and recovered 1 kg of heroin from their possession near the local T-Point Sarhali road on the national highway. SSP Dhruman H Nimbale said the accused were identified as Ranjit Singh Rana and Gurjant Singh, both residents of Patti town. The accused in the interrogation revealed that they had their links with Chanchal Singh of Chheharta (Amritsar) in the drug trade. The police had launched a hunt to nab Chanchal Singh. A case under Sections 21-C, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act had been registered against both accused by the local Sadar police. OC 22-YR-OLD WOMAN COMMITS SUICIDE Tarn Taran: A 22-year-old woman committed suicide on Thursday by strangling herself. The deceased has been identified as Jaimeet Kaur. Bikramjit Singh, father of the deceased, said Jaimeet got married four years ago, but was living separately with them at Jamarai village. Bikramjit said his daughter went missing from the house on February 10 and she came back today. He said his daughter went to her room and strangled herself. Goindwal Sahib SHO Jaswant Singh, said a case under Section 174 of the CrPC, had been lodged on the statement of Bikramjit. OC DC KHAIRA REVIEWS GOVT SCHEMES Amritsar: Deputy Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Khaira on Friday reviewed various works in the city. He said during third and fourth quarter of 2020-21, around 1,14,272 beneficiaries from the age of six months to six years, besides pregnant woman and nursing mothers, were benefited by supplementary nutrition programme. He said under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana as many as 246 pregnant women were given financial help to the tune of Rs 12.30 lakh. He said the beneficiaries were given financial help in three instalments. District Programme Officer Manjinder Singh said around 32 children were found malnourished during national nutrition month (September 2020). He said the kids were given treatment at primary health centres. Khaira said women above 60 years of age were distributed bus passes. TNS SNATCHING: CASE FILED AFTER 21 DAYS Tarn Taran: After three weeks of being informed about a snatching incident, the police registered a case only on Thursday (February 11). The victim, Anju Arora, a resident of the local Gali Mann Singh Wali, was going to her shop situated in the town when two motorcycle-borne snatchers robbed her purse. The victim said soon after the incident she went straight to the police station to lodge a complaint but the police overlooked her request and she visited the police station regularly but her complaint was lodged only on Thursday. The victim said the purse contained Rs 18,000 cash, a mobile phone, Aadhaar card and PAN card. Balwinder Lal, investigating officer, said the victim lodged her complaint with the police only on Thursday. OC PAGE 2 SHARING A MIRACLE STORY, SOHA ALI KHAN EXPLAINS WHY PAGE 3 SHREYA GHOSHAL BECOMES MTV BEATS’ ARTIST OF THE MONTH Soha shares many hilarious stories, about her life, career and at the end what she learnt from all her mistakes. MAX 22°C | MIN 11°C | YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 10°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6:15 PM PAGE 4 The singer diva cheekily lists down ways to her heart — music, flowers, a romantic dinner and an exotic trip. SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:13 AM SATURDAY | 13 FEBRUARY 2021 | AMRITSAR Armed persons hold couple hostage, take away 500-gm gold ornaments Role of some insider, who knew victims lived alone, can’t be ruled out: Police rah and decamped with gold jewellery, besides ~30,000 cash from the house. The couple somehow came out of the house and informed the neighbourer, who called the police. Neeraj Kumar, SHO, Rambagh police station, said the footage of CCTVs installed in the area was being examined for important clues. As there was poor visibility due to dense fog in the morning, they faced problems in investigation. He said a case had been registered and further investigation was under progress. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Harpal Singh said the role of some insider could not be ruled out as the accused knew that the elderly couple lived alone. Their son lives with his family in Mohindra Colony. Earlier, around five armed persons had robbed a trader’s family in Guru Arjan Dev Nagar area after holding them hostage on November 6 last year. The miscreants had entered the house by posing as sewer cleaners. On January 6, a dentist’s family was looted after being held hostage by miscreants. Around five persons had entered the house on the pretext of treatment of one of them. The police have solved both the cases in which the same gang was involved. Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 12 Two armed persons robbed a retired teacher and his wife after taking them hostage in their house in Tilak Nagar area in the wee hours on Friday. They allegedly decamped with gold ornaments weighing around 500-gm (estimated to be around ~24 lakh), besides cash. Nevertheless, the police authorities said the family was yet to give the details of the items taken away by the miscreants. The incident has once again raised a question mark over the law and order situation as the holy city has already witnessed two such incidents in the past three months. Earlier, a textile trader and a dentist were looted after being held hostage by brandishing sharp-edged weapons at gunpoint. The victim, identified as Janak Raj, told the police that the accused entered the house at around 4 am. Both miscreants were equipped with a pistol and a sharp-edged weapon. They threatened them and asked them to hand over jewellery and cash to them. Initially, Janak Raj tried to resist, but they thrashed him and locked the couple in a room. The unidentified robbers then broke open the almi- Janak Raj, a retired teacher, shows the almirah from where armed persons decamped with gold jewellery and cash in Tilak Nagar area on Friday; and (right) ADCP Harpal Singh inquires on the spot. RAISES QUESTION MARK OVER LAW AND ORDER The incident has once again raised a question mark over the law and order situation as the holy city has already witnessed two such incidents in the past three months. Earlier, a textile trader and a dentist were looted after being held hostage. Students during a protest against on-campus exams outside Guru Nanak Dev University in Amritsar on Friday. VISHAL KUMAR GNDU accepts some demands, but says no to online exams Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 12 The GNDU authorities on Friday accepted some demands of the protesting students but categorically declined to conduct the online exams. Both sides held deliberations on the intervention of the police. For this, a 10-member committee comprising four principals, an equal number of students and two university representatives was formed. Apart from the leaders of the protesting students, Dean (Academic Affairs) Prof S Behl and registrar KS Kahlon also took part in the meeting. Earlier in the day, officebearers of the Students’ Sangharsh Morcha, who were from GNDU-affiliated colleges located in Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Jalandhar and Amritsar, sat on a protest for four hours. Navdeep Dakoha, one of the students’ leaders, said the university had accepted their demand of offering another chance of examination to those students, who would miss the opportunity to sit in the ongoing final examination, which will commence on February 15, in April. Besides, the final exam of those subjects, books of which were not available in the market, would be conducted later. Even the university would help in providing notes. He claimed the university authorities assured them continued on page 2 Campaigningends,overtovoters now Receiving threat calls, CIVIC POLL Congress leaders optimistic of big victory Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 12 As campaigning for the civic body polls concluded on Friday at 5 pm, the State Election Commission, district administration and the police have geared up to hold polls on February 14. Elections will be held in Ramdas, Rayya, Ajnala, Majitha, Jandiala and Ward No. 37 (bypoll) in Amristar city. Senior Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal leaders were seen conducting door-to-door campaigning in the district. MP Gurjit Singh Aujla interacted with voters and party workers in Majitha. Aujla said, “The Congress is seeking votes on the basis of development. Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia was a minister for 10 years during the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tenure, but Majitha still lacks basic amenities. Development will be our top priority after winning the elections.” Senior Congress leader and allege BJP candidates Tribune News Service Gurjeet Singh Aujla along with party activists during the door-to-door campaigning at Majitha on Friday. MC councillor Harpan Aujla was also with the MP during the campaigning. Congress MLA Raj Kumar Verka and MLA Inderbir Singh Bularia also conducted door-todoor meetings in Ward No. 37. Verka said, “I have visited all the civic bodies in the district. Today, I campaigned in Ajnala and Ward No. 37 for our candidates. No other party is in competition of the Congress and their nominees will lose their security bond. The BJP will be wiped off from the state.” Verka condemned SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal for alleging that nomination papers of their candidates were cancelled. “The SAD is contesting from 1,500 seats in the state. Similarly, the Aam Aadmi Party’s nominees are in the fray from 1,600 seats. Both the parties will be defeated badly.” Amritsar, February 12 The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) leaders contesting the civic body polls in Amritsar and Tarn Taran complained of receiving threat calls during campaigning for not repealing three agri laws. Rahul Maheshwari, incharge, BJP Tarn Taran unit, said, “I received three threat calls. Even other BJP nominees who are in the fray from Tarn Taran receive such calls daily. Despite filing complaint with the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police nothing concrete is being done.” He said there was no room for organising rallies and they just held house meetings to avoid any untoward incident. Hardyal Singh Aulakh, chief, BJP Amritsar (rural) unit, accused the Congress for deliberately conducting election at this point to harm the BJP candidate Manohar Singh on the last day of campaigning in Ward No. 37 in Amritsar on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Opposition candidates. He asked, “Are civic polls being held without fear?” The saffron outfit fielded nine candidates in Jandiala Guru, six in Ramdas, five in Rayya and one in Ajnala. Aulakh said no candidate was fielded from Majitha as it was hypersensitive area and the police did not provide them security. He said they were compelled to hold small meetings during this period. Suresh Mahajan, chief, BJP Amritsar (urban) unit, said “A group of protesters raised slogans against the BJP candidate Manohar Singh, who is contesting from Ward No. 37 (byelection), whenever he campaigned.” He alleged that these people were not agriculturists, but workers of the Congress. SP-rank officials to supervise security Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 12 In view of elections to five nagar panchayats round the corner, the Amritsar rural police have deputed SP-rank officials to supervise security arrangements in every nagar panchayat. In Amritsar, elections to nagar panchayats and councils would be held at Majitha, Ramdass, Jandiala, Ajnala and Rayya. Dhruv Dahiya, SSP, Amritsar rural police, on Ahead of civic body polls, policemen check a vehicle in Amritsar on Friday. c m y b Friday said each nagar panchayat would be supervised by an SP-rank officer. Besides, 10 DSPs and 15 Station House Officers were also deputed to ensure that the elections were held in a peaceful manner.” He said adequate arrangements were in place and a number of permanent checkpoints (nakas) were installed at the entry and exit points of the rural belt, besides at sensitive areas. “Armed policemen are deputed at these checkpoints and special emphasis is being laid on checking the supply of liquor and money to lure voters,” Dahiya pointed out. He said no outsider would be allowed during the polls in these nagar panchayats and if any outsider was found present there, legal action would be taken against him. He said mobile patrolling teams, PCR bikes and Rapid Response Teams were patrolling in the areas to keep a tab on the movements of anti-social elements who could vitiate a peaceful atmosphere during elections. Dhruv Dahiya said after the imposition of the model code of conduct, as many as 48 persons were booked in 25 cases for violating the prohibitory orders. A majority of them were those who had not deposited their arms with the police or with respective gun houses. Action was also taken against history-sheeters in the area, he added.