21022021-ATR-01.qxd 2/20/2021 11:01 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar TRIBUNE LAWYERS STAGE A PROTEST AGAINST POLICE OVER ‘WEAK’ FIR PAGE 2 Bar Association members alleged that a ‘weak’ FIR has been registered in a murderous attack on a lawyer. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY INBRIEF TWO BIKE LIFTERS NABBED, 1 FLEES SUNSET SUNDAY 6:22 PM MLA, 20 of family test positive, quarantined Tribune News Service Tarn Taran: The Sarhali and the Harike police have nabbed two bike lifters while their accomplice managed to escape from the spot. The police said Varinder Singh of Naushehra Pannuan was arrested with a stolen bike from the Patti crossing in Sarhali Kalan. His accomplice Jarmanjit Singh of the same village managed to escape from the spot. Panjab Singh of Kirtowal Khurd was arrested by the Harike police with a stolen bike near Booh Havelian. He had stolen the bike from Patti. Cases under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC had been registered against the accused and the Sarhali police were conducting raids to nab absconded accused Jarmanjit Singh. OC Sunil Dutti had organised his daughter’s marriage function in Delhi on February 15, 16 ■ Total 35 samples from the relatives were collected ■ The reports received on late Friday evening revealed that 20 of them have tested positive ■ HELPLINE NUMBERS FOR COVID PATIENTS ■ City Control Room Numbers: TODAY’S COVID UPDATE NEW CASES: 35 TOTAL CASES: 15,359 NEW DEATHS: 0 TOTAL DEATHS: 589 NEW RECOVERY: 15 TOTAL RECOVERY 14,540 ACTIVE 230 help in monitoring the health and medicines to patients. Civil Surgeon Dr Charanjit Singh said people should follow all Covid-19 guide- 0183-2500398, 2500498, 2500598 ■ Health Department helpline: 0183-2535322, 0183-2535323 ■ Medical helpline: 104 ■ Contact a doctor: 1800 180 4104 ■ Bed availability and status: Punjab Covid App (updated daily at 5 pm) lines issued by the department. He said health teams keep a check on the health of all home-quarantined positive patients. SUNRISE MONDAY 7:05 AM Tribune News Service Last time, the MC had collected ~26.34 crore till March 31, but this year, the department has collected only ~17 crore so far. tax during 2020-21 as compared to 2019-20. During 2019-20, the MC had collected ~26.34 crore till March 31, but this year, the department has collected only ~17 crore so far, whereas they had set a target of ~34 CENTENARY OF NANKANA SAHIB MASSACRE Farmers to observe event at Fatehpur Rajputtan today Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 20 Farmers are all set to organise an event to mark the centenary of Sri Nankana Sahib massacre, which is popularly known as Saka Nankana Sahib, on February 21 amid the ongoing farm protest against the three agriculture laws. An event on this occasion will be organised at Fatehpur Rajputtan village, near here. The event is being organised under the banner of Sanyukt Kisan Morcha. Lakhbir Singh Nizampura of the Vegetable Growers’ Association said 21 Sikhs from Nizampura village had sacrificed their lives in the movement to free Gurdwara Nankana Sahib from the control of Mahant Narain Das who enjoyed support of British. After coming into being in October 1920, the Gurdwara Reforms Movement was the first step taken by the SGPC. Hence, a jatha of 21 unarmed Sikhs from Nizampura village, with an aim to take control of the gurdwara at first Sikh mas- crore till the end of this fiscal (March 31). However, the Covid-19 outbreak was the major reason behind less recovery, but even after reopening of markets, the recovery rate of property tax could not be revived. The property tax wing officials have started sealing on the instructions of senior officials. Pardeep Rajput, nodal officer for property tax, said: “We have initiated the sealing and it will continue. The defaulters were asked to pay the tax on time. The Covid-19 outbreak is the major reason for less recovery.” On Friday, Mayor Karamjit Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 20 The Amritsar rural police have nabbed a dismissed cop, Surinderpal Singh, a resident of Barindpur village in Kapurthala for allegedly extorting and robbing commuters by posing as a cop in the Jandiala Guru area on Friday. The police got information that a policeman was intercepting truck drivers, especially from other states, while entering the holy city and extorting money from them while threatening to register an FIR and put them behind bars. In case someone refused to cough up the money, he used to thrash and harass them. The informer told that he was present near the Jandiala Guru grain market and had intercepted a truck. Immediately a raid was conducted and he was arrested from the spot. In a statement issued here, the police stated that Surinderpal Singh was dismissed from his service in Singh and Commissioner Komal Mittal held a meeting with the heads and deputy heads of all departments to achieve the budget targets set by various departments for the financial year 2020-21. As property tax is one of the major revenue sources of the MC, Mayor Karmajit Singh Rintu appealed to residents to deposit their dues before March 31 to avoid penalty. “Not only property tax, the pandemic also hit the recovery of bills and fee of other MC departments. The recovery targets should be achieved for the development of the city,” the Mayor said. ter Guru Nanak Dev's birthplace, had sacrificed their lives to free the gurdwara from the control of Mahant Narain Das, who enjoyed support of the British. However, the Mahant along with the help of local goons and in connivance with British officials closed all gates as Sikhs entered the premises and unleashed unfathomable violence on the peaceful jatha members and killed over 150 of them in cold blood. While many were killed in indiscriminate firing, the survivors and injured were burnt alive in boiling water during the attack. Only a 12-year-old survived by hiding under the palanquin on which Guru Granth Sahib was installed. Rattan Singh Randhawa, a farmer union leader, said, “While we would pay tributes to the martyrs, discussions on importance of peaceful protest during the current times would also be held. The Sikh history is filled with instances when Sikhs under the light of gurus met their fate at the hands of the oppressor while remaining in peace. Such was the impact that Mahatma Gandhi visited Nankana Sahib on March 3, 1921.” In action An illegal colony being razed in Fateh Singh Nagar, Amritsar, on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO MTP WING DEMOLISHES ILLEGAL COLONY Amritsar: The Municipal Town Planning Wing (MTP) demolished an illegal colony at Fateh Singh Nagar in the Central constituency area on Friday evening. The coloniser had constructed the streets and walls on the two-and-a-half acre land and demarked the plots. A team of the MTP wing led by Municipal Town Planner Narinder Sharma, along with police team, reached the spot at afternoon. The walls and roads have been demolished and big potholes have been dug with the machine. c m y b The former cop, who was extorting money from truck drivers, in police custody. TRIBUNE PHOTO HAD 20 CRIMINAL CASES FILED AGAINST HIM ■ Surinderpal Singh was dismissed from his service in 2005 ■ He was active in rural areas of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar ■ He has around 20 criminal cases, including robbery, fraud and under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, registered against him ■ A fresh case under Sections 341, 384, 379-B, 170, 171 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against him at the Jandiala police station ■ The police recovered the police uniform with a belt, an iron punch and a sharp-edged weapon from him 2005. He was active in rural areas of Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar. He has around 20 criminal cases, including robbery, fraud and under the NDPS Act, registered against him. A fresh case under Sections 341, 384, 379-B, 170, 171 and 420 of the IPC has been registered against him at the Jandiala police station here. The police recovered the police uniform with a belt, an iron punch and a sharp-edged weapon from his possession. Putlighar blast: Police still clueless about source of explosive material Police Commissioner Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill and other police officials at the scrap dealer’s residence, where a blast claimed two lives and left five injured in Putlighar area. FILE PHOTO Tribune News Service WHAT HAPPENED WHEN After coming into being in October 1920, the gurdwara reforms movement was the first step taken by the SGPC. Hence, a jatha of 21 unarmed Sikhs from Nizampura village, with an aim to take control of the gurdwara at first Sikh master Guru Nanak Dev’s birthplace, had sacrificed their lives to free the gurdwara from the control of Mahant Narain Das, who enjoyed support of the British. However, the Mahant along with the help of local goons and in connivance with British officials closed all gates as Sikhs entered the premises and unleashed unfathomable violence on the peaceful jatha members and killed over 150 of them in cold blood. While many were killed in indiscriminate firing, the survivors and injured were burnt alive in boiling water during the attack. Only a 12-year-old survived by hiding under the palanquin on which Guru Granth Sahib was installed. SUNDAY | 21 FEBRUARY 2021 | AMRITSAR Dismissed policeman arrested for extorting money from truck drivers ON A SEALING SPREETo meet recovery target, the sealing drive will continue till March 31 Charanjit Singh Teja PAGE 4 Sanjay and Binaiferr Kohli's show has taken a new turn after actress Nehha Pendse entered the show as Bhabi. MC property tax wing goes into overdrive Amritsar, February 20 To achieve its recovery target, the property tax wing of the Municipal Corporation (MC) initiated a sealing drive recently. The wing sealed six commercial properties on Thursday to press the defaulters in North Zone to deposit tax, after which two of the sealed property owners deposited the money. The property tax wing officials claimed that the sealing drive would continue till March 31. The civic body has witnessed a shortfall of ~9 crore in the recovery of property MEET THE NEW BHABI OF THE SHOW BHABIJI GHAR PAR HAIN On Int'l Mother Language Day, celebs share how mother tongue is one's true language of love and longing. MAX 23°C | MIN 10°C | YESTERDAY MAX 23°C | MIN 10°C Amritsar, February 20 Congress MLA from Amritsar Sunil Dutti along with 20 members of his family tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday. Dutti had organised his daughter’s marriage function in Delhi on February 15 and 16. Total 35 samples from the family and relatives were collected. The reports received on late Friday evening revealed that 20 of them had tested positive. The positive family members include Dutti’s sister-in-law Mamta Dutta, who is an MC councillor. The Health Department officials said all family members of the local MLA who tested positive have quarantined themselves. They said none of the family members have reported any severe symptoms so far. The health officials said contact tracing of patients has started. The department has also delivered the medical kits that PAGE 3 CELEBS SHARE THEIR LOVE FOR THEIR MOTHER TONGUE Narinder Sharma, MTP said, “We will not tolerate any violation. The colony should be passed under the rules and regulations of the state government. We have initiated a drive to remove the illegal buildings. We urge residents to construct buildings only after due approval of building plan. Otherwise, MC will take action and demolish the illegal buildings.” The team of MTP wing comprised Assistant Town Planner (ATP) Varinder Mohan and building inspector Navdeep Kumar. TNS Amritsar, February 20 The probe into the Putlighar bomb blast that claimed the lives of two persons and left several persons injured on September 23, 2019, has failed to ascertain the source of explosive material that led to the blast in the scrap dealer’s house. Interestingly, residents of the area had blamed the police administration for the negligence that led to the blast. They had claimed that the police had got the Cantonment police station cleaned and the scrap was sold to the scrap dealer by the police. The dealer brought the same to his residence in the congested Luv Kush colony. They alleged some explosive material such as hand grenades were also given to the scrap dealer while cleaning the scrap. The blast took the lives of two persons, identified as Rattan Lal and Rajinder Kumar, while a Punjab Home Guard jawan was also injured in the blast. Former Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagmohan Singh, who heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by Police Commissioner Dr Sukhchain Singh Gill revealed that the explosive that led to the blast was never found in the cus- ❝The kind of explosive material that led to the blast was never seized or used by the Punjab Police even during the period of terrorism in the state. The hand grenades confiscated by the Punjab Police in the past did not have such explosive material that led to blast in Luv Kush Nagar. Jagmohan Singh, FORMER DCP, WHO HEADING THE SIT ❞ was ❝Theretookno scrap dealer in the house where thehad explosion place. The Cantonment police station asked its Home Guard jawan Gurnam Singh to get the scrap removed from the police station after cleaning. Gurnam Singh took along his relatives, including Rajinder Singh, and brought scrap to his (Rajinder Singh's) residence. The police are yet to fix the responsibility of cops for this gross negligence. Aman William, AREA RESIDENT ❞ tody of the Punjab Police. “The kind of explosive material that led to the blast was never seized or used by the Punjab Police even during the period of terrorism in the state. The hand grenades confiscated by the Punjab Police in the past did not have such explosive material that led to blast in Luv Kush Nagar,” he said. Only deceased Rajinder Singh could have told about the source from where he had brought the scrap. “As he had died, nobody knew about the source of the scrap,” he told. DCP Jagmohan was transferred to Jalandhar two days ago. Nevertheless, the resi- dents did not buy the claims of the police. Aman William, a resident of the area and president of the Bhartiya Moolnivasi Mukti Morcha, said there was no scrap dealer in the house where the explosion took place. He said cantonment police station had asked its Home Guard jawan Gurnam Singh to get the scrap removed from the police station after cleaning. Gurnam Singh took along his relatives, including Rajinder Singh, and brought scrap to his (Rajinder Singh’s) residence. The police are yet to fix the responsibility of cops for this gross negligence, he alleged.