18052022-ATR-01.qxd 5/17/2022 11:42 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar TRIBUNE ROBBERS ON THE PROWL IN TARN TARAN DISTRICT PAGE 2 DEEPIKA PADUKONE ON BEING CHOSEN FOR CANNES JURY In the last two days, incidents of looting, snatching and theft were reported from different parts of the city. FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY INBRIEF EIGHT BOOKED FOR EXTORTION Amritsar: As many as eight persons were booked for allegedly threatening a journalist here on Saturday. The accused were demanding ‘extortion’ from the victim. Those booked are Simar Kabaddi, Dholla, Amanjot, Ghuman Gill, Deepu and three others. A case under Sections 384, 511, 506, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act was registered against them though no arrest has been made so far. Deepak Bhandari, the complainant, told the police that on Saturday, his brother Amit Bhandari had gone for some work. He said around 11 pm, the accused came in two cars looking for his brother. When he told that he was not home, they threatened saying that Amit ‘owes’ huge amount and they would take that from him. He said they threatened to kill him (Amit Bhandari) if he did not give the money. TNS PAGE 3 Being a member of the Cannes Film Festival jury is a recognition for India & its values, says Deepika Padukone. MAX 42°C | MIN 25°C | YESTERDAY MAX 41°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7:22 PM GOODNIGHT INDIA: JIYA NAILS IT WITH HER WITTY PUNCHLINES PAGE 4 Jiya Shankar, who is known for her role in TV show Kaatelal & Sons, is winning hearts with her comic timing. SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:31 AM WEDNESDAY | 18 MAY 2022 | AMRITSAR doc’ body City roads turning into death traps Missingfromscanal found PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 17 The recent spate of road accidents in the city is ample proof that its roads are becoming unsafe for commuters here. Travelling on these roads is becoming more and more dangerous. People need to be more alert, especially if they are driving or travelling on two-wheelers. Six persons, including a minor boy, have lost their lives in the last one week. The experts and residents of the city feel that a number of factors were responsible for the spurt in road mishaps. Rash and drunk driving, not following traffic norms, lack of traffic cops on roads, rampant encroachments gobbling up footpaths and irresponsible behaviour of commuters were among a UNSAFE RIDE Six deaths reported in last 7 days ❝We are managing the affair with all available resources. We are taking stern action against offenders, but people should also behave in a responsible manner while commuting on road. They should not violate traffic norms. Unfortunately, this is not happening. Thereby causing such accidents. THE WRONG TURN A vehicle takes the wrong side on the elevated road, near the Jahajgarh area, from where vehicles from GT Road come down towards the Golden Temple parking in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR few major reasons. Rasam Sharma and her 4year-old son Hritwik died in a road mishap five days ago, when she was going to drop him to school. A rashly driven car hit her scooter leaving them critically injured. Later, they succumbed to their injuries. The incident occurred on the bypass road from Taran Wala Pul to Tarn Taran Road. The same day, Satpal Singh, a dairy owner, was killed after an SUV hit him when he was returning home on foot after shutting down his dairy. A student died while his Harwinder Singh, ADCP friend was critically injured when the bus of same institute, where the two studied, hit their scooter near Khanna Paper mill on the AmritsarAttari bypass road on May 11. Gobind Arora died on the spot, while Harry sustained serious injuries. Another local resident ❞ Gurpreet Singh died when a rashly driven truck hit his bike near the Golden Gate Chowk. The incident occurred four days ago. He was going to see his wife who was admitted to the hospital. Sandeep Sunder died after Continued on page 2 Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 17 Two days after a doctor allegedly committed suicide by jumping into the UBDC Canal at Taran Wala Pul, his body was recovered from the site here on Tuesday. Dr Subhash Vohra was practicing privately and was also a partner at a private hospital. His wife Dr Vandana Vohra is a gynaecologist and the couple has two children. Dr Vohra was missing for the last two days. The family had even lodged a missing complaint with the police. He went out in his car which was recovered from near Taran Wala Pul. People told the police about a man jumping into the canal and committing suicide. Efforts were made to find him or recover his body, but in Dr Subhash Vohra. FILE PHOTO vain, the police said. His body was traced on Tuesday and handed over to the family after autopsy following inquest proceedings. SHO Maqboolpura Gurinder Singh said the family had lodged a missing complaint on May 15. He said it was yet to be ascertain as to why Dr Subhash committed suicide. The body was handed over to the family after taking action under Section 174 of the CrPC. Property dispute claims 2,274 appear for joint Man shot dead, another hurt PTSE, NMMS exam widow’s life, three booked Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, May 17 A property dispute claimed the life of a widow in Pakhopur village falling under Chhola Sahib police station on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Rajbir Kaur (30) whose husband Sandeep Singh died six years ago. She had a dispute over 9 acre property with a family of the same village. The deceased was at her house when three assailants trespassed her house. The assailants indulged in a verbal duel with her and then fired three shots at her. She died on the spot. DSP Jagir Singh who visited the spot said the accused have been identified as Sukhwinder Singh, his two sons Prabhjit Singh and Jashanpreet Singh. Cops led by DSP Jagir Singh visit the house of Rajbir Kaur (inset) who was killed over property dispute. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI They have been booked under Sections 302, 452 and 34 of the IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act by the Chhola Sahib police. The deceased is survived by two sons and a daughter, who are in the 5-10 age bracket. Kashmir Singh ,father-in-law of the deceased, is the former sarpanch of the village. Kashmir Singh had two sons and both of them died. The DSP said the accused were on the run and the police were conducting raids at their possible hideouts. Amritsar, May 17 The district education department conducted the state-level joint test-2022 for Punjab Talent Search Examination (PTSE) and National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship (NMMS) examination. This is the first time that the two exams i.e. PTSE and NMMS were merged to facilitate the students, who otherwise had to take the exams separately. The examination is conducted for Class VIII students of government schools and those, who clear the exam are eligible for a scholarship by the state for continuation of their education in any government-aided school of their choice till Class XII. This year, of 2,559 students selected for appearing in the examination, 2,274 took the Two exams merged for the first time to facilitate students exam, with an average 88.86 per cent turnout. The twohour subjective paper tests aptitude and language skills of students. Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan District Coordinator Dharminder Gill said the joint examination will declare 157 students from the district eligible for the scholarship. “A total of 157 students will be provided with Rs 12,000 a year under the NMMS and Rs 2,400 under the PTSE as scholarship till Class XII. The two exams were earlier conducted separately, with students having to take the exam within a gap of a month. To ease out the burden on students, this year, the exams have been merged. PROBE ON... Amritsar, May 17 A man was shot dead while one of his relatives was injured near Manawala here late on Monday evening. The deceased has been identified as Charanpreet Singh, who was returning home with his two relatives in a car, when the incident took place. He works as computer operator at Baba Bakala Civil Hospital. Though investigations were on to ascertain the cause behind the incident, the police said apparently robbery was the prime objective behind the murder. The victim was attacked as he resisted the attempt. Didar Singh, a relative of the deceased pointed out that Charanpreet had gone to meet a relative admitted to a private hospital on Ajnala Road with his two relatives Gurdev Singh and Sukhdeep Singh. He said around 10.15 pm, they were returning home and when they reached near Manawala, they stopped on the way to answer nature’s call. Suddenly two car-borne persons reached. Charanpreet resisted their assault. They shot him on the neck killing him on the spot. His relative Gurdev also tried saving him, but he was also injured. The deceased is survived by his wife Though investigations were on to ascertain the cause behind the murder, the police said apparently, robbery was the prime objective behind the murder. The victim, Charanpreet Singh, was attacked as he resisted their attempt. and two daughters. Manmeetpal Singh, SHO, said: “We are still investigating into the reason behind the killing. Prime facie, it appears to be a robbery bid but investigations are still on. We are recording the statements of the other two relatives accompanying Charanpreet, which would clear the motive.” The accused fled towards Jalandhar, he said. The body was handed over to the family after autopsy. The family demanded immediate arrest of the suspects behind the incident. There is total collapse of law and order situation as robbers are striking at their will while the Punjab Police was looking the other way. Shanties outside Lohgarh Gate an eyesore City residents peeved over not shifting ISBT to Vallah Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 17 A large number of shanties have come up outside the Lohgarh Gate which are an eyesore for visitors. Migrants living in these makeshift houses seek alms at nearby temples and a cow shelter. Notably, the number of shanties have increased manifold in the last three to four years despite the location of a defence installation here. Vijay, a resident of the area, said a large number of devotees visit the cow shelter and distribute alms among beggars. It attracted a large number of alms seekers, especially on auspicious occasions. Around four years ago, a shanty was set up on the pavement, opposite the cow shelter. Gradually, more makeshift houses started coming up with the passage of time. Now, they have almost encroached upon the entire stretch of the pavement from the cow shelter to the Regional Transport Office. Tarsem Singh, a visitor at the Gobindgarh Fort, which is situated close to the makeshift houses, said untidy makeshift houses create unhygienic conditions around. The entire stretch has become an eyesore and would have a negative impact Armed robbers attack couple, flee with ~15K Tribune News Service Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service The shanties outside the Lohgarh Gate in Amritsar are a big put-off for visitors. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR departments ❝Untidy makeshift houses create ❝The government and itsthe habit of taking unhygienic conditions around. The concerned are inherently in entire stretch has become an eyesore which has a negative impact on visitors. It is a failure on the part of the district authorities to ignore the trend of such makeshift housing initially. Tarsem Singh, A VISITOR AT THE GOBINDGARH FORT on visitors. “It is a failure on the part of the district authorities to ignore the trend of such makeshift housing initially,” he said. Now, the numbers have swelled and removing these could cause law and order problems. ❞ cognisance of the malaise when things go out of control. Shanties had come up there three to four decades ago in a similar fashion. Eventually, the government had to shift these to the outskirts of the city and raise dwellings there. Manohar Lal, A SENIOR CITIZEN ❞ Manohar Lal, a senior citizen, said the government and its departments concerned were inherently in the habit of taking cognisance of the malaise when things go out of control. Narrating an old instance of closely situated Gol Bagh, he recalled that shanties had come up there three to four decades ago in a similar fashion. Eventually, the government had to shift these to the outskirts of the city and raise dwellings there. c m y b Amritsar, May 17 Residents of the city are a harried lot as their demand for shifting the inter-state bus terminal (ISBT) out of the city for decongesting the area has failed to elicit any response from the government so far. The area around the ISBT witnesses heavy traffic throughout the day and the resultant traffic blockades, leaving little space for commuters to move. The residents, who face traffic jams on roads around the ISBT, have been raising the demand to shift it to Vallah as it will assist in decongesting the area around. It will minimise danger to commuters and tourists while crossing road around ISBT. The shifting of ISBT to Vallah was proposed in 2015 and the then government had made efforts for it. Former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu made efforts and took up the issue with higher officials. In 2015, the comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) prepared by the Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Company (PMIDC), a department of the Local Govern- The area around the ISBT witnesses heavy traffic throughout the day and the resultant traffic blockades, leaving little space for commuters to move. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR ment, for infrastructure development of the city for the next four decades, also proposed to shift ISBT out of the city. The residents claimed that the shifting of ISBT would resolve persistent traffic problems on many roads, including the stretch from Gurdwara Baba Deep Singh Shaheedan to Rambagh Chowk, GT Road Maqbool Chowk to Bhandari railway overbridge and other places. Encroachments around ISBT also create problems for commuters. The MC had failed to establish the street vending zone in the past. A large number of kiosks along the boundary wall of the bus stand, which have been there for the last many years, have further congested the road. Adding to the problem are auto-rickshaws, which are stopped on the road to pick and drop passengers, around the ISBT. Michal Rahul, a social activist, said, “Not only traffic congestion, air and sound pollution also affect the Golden Temple, which is less than one kilometre from the bus stand. All the main road links connecting with the Vallah area and it would be better to shift ISBT to Vallah.” The office-bearers of the Amritsar Vikas Manch also wrote to CM Bhagwant Mann suggesting him to shift ISBT at Vallah. Amritsar, May 17 A couple was robbed by unidentified persons after pointing sharp-edged weapon at them outside the railway station in the wee hours here on Monday. Victim Jaswinder Singh was going to drop his wife to the railway station, who was going to Delhi. Though the police have registered a case in this connection, there was no breakthrough so far. Jaswinder told the police that they were on a scooter (PB02-BJ-0348) and when they reached near the flyover, three unidentified persons came on a bike and intercepted them. They asked to handover whatever they had. He said as he refused, the accused attacked him with sharp-edged weapon leaving him injured. The accused snatched his wife’s purse containing ~15,000 cash and some important documents and keys of the house. The police have registered a case under Sections 379-B and 34 of the IPC and further investigations were on. The police said they were examining the CCTV cameras in the area to identify the suspects.