02122022-ATR-01.qxd 12/2/2022 12:17 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar TRIBUNE DAY 6: WOMEN PROTESTERS CALL SHOTS AT PUCCA MORCHA The leaders highlighted economic, social and political inequality in society and urged women to be politically aware. FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY PAGE 2 NORA FATEHI WAVES INDIAN FLAG AT FIFA EVENT IN DOHA Bollywood actor and dancer Nora Fatehi set the stage on fire as she performed at the FIFA fan festival. MAX 24°C | MIN 9°C | YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 7°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5:26 PM Six members of snatchers’ gang nabbed, arms seized Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 1 Amritsar rural police busted a six-member gang of snatchers and recovered two country-made weapons besides 10 live bullets from their possession. The police also confiscated 10 mobile phones and two bikes from them. The accused used to rob people on the Manawala highway, said Superintendent of Police Tejbir Singh Hundal. Those arrested were Harjinder Singh alias Jinda of Manawala Kalan, Gagandeep Singh of Harar Bhure Gill, Manraj Singh alias Monu of Mallian, Navdeep Singh of Nangal Dayala, Manpreet Singh alias Mani and Balkar Singh alias Mitthi of Manawala Kalan. Hundal said the police PAGE 3 The accused in police custody; and (above) SP Tejbir Singh Hundal shows the seized weapons. TRIBUNE PHOTO PRIME VIDEO REVEALS TRAILER OF UK ORIGINAL SERIES THE RIG Prime Video has released the official trailer of series The Rig, which features Iain Glen, Emily Hampshire. SUNRISE SATURDAY 7:13 AM Former SMO held for taking ~1L bribe Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 1 The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Thursday arrested a former Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Dr Satnam Singh, for demanding a bribe of Rs 1.15 lakh. He was posted at Civil Hospital, Majitha, at that time. Vigilance spokesman said the accused SMO, a resident of Friends Avenue, was arrested after the investigation of an online complaint lodged at the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Helpline. Giving details, he said the complainant, Malkiat Singh, a resident of Athwal village, Amritsar, alleged that the SMO had demanded and accepted Rs 1.15 lakh as bribe for issuing a medico-legal report regarding a police case. He added that a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against him at the VB police station in Amritsar while further investigation in this case was in progress. PAGE 4 FRIDAY | 2 DECEMBER 2022 | AMRITSAR Police crack blind murder case of woman running PG Accused tried to make it look like robbery by breaking open almirah Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 1 The police today claimed to have cracked the blind murder case of an elderly woman that took place in Ranjit Avenue area on Tuesday. The accused was identified as Sumit alias Shamsher Singh (30), a resident of Jagdev Kalan now residing at Sethi Tent Wali Gali near Housing Board Colony in C block of Ranjit Avenue locality. His house is located just opposite to the victim Savita Khurana’s (60) home. Police Commissioner Jaskaran Singh said the accused killed the woman over a minor issue. The police have recovered the weapon used in the crime. The accused tried to deceive the police by giving it the shape of robbery by breaking open an almirah. How- COPS RECOVER MURDER WEAPON ■ Savita Khurana used to run a paying guest accommodation on the first floor of the house while Sumit, the accused, also used to run a PG in his house. Both often used to have tiffs over one issue or the other. ■ Police Commissioner Jaskaran Singh said the accused killed the woman over a minor issue. The police have recovered the weapon used in the crime. The accused tried to deceive the police by giving it the shape of robbery by breaking open an almirah. ever, the police became suspicious as the CCTV cameras installed in the locality did not find any outsider entering or leaving the house. The accused entered the house from the rooftop and left the scene after committing the crime. Savita Khurana used to run a paying guest accommodation on the first floor of the house while Sumit also used to run a PG in his house. The police said the woman and the accused often used to have tiffs over one issue or the other. Giving details, the Police Commissioner said on Tuesday finding her alone in the house, Sumit planned to kill her. He went from the rooftop of his house to her rooftop and entered Savita’s house. He took a knife along and slit her throat resulting in her death. He also stole money from her almirah to make it appear like robbery. “Sumit told the police that Savita Khurana used to abuse her which enraged him and therefore he killed her,” the Police Commissioner said. had specific information that Harjinder Singh Jinda and his accomplices had formed a gang which used to loot people, especially commuters on the Manawala highway late at night. He said following this, a naka was laid by the CIA staff of the rural police. The police saw six persons on two bikes and signalled them to stop. However, they tried to flee but were arrested by the police. During a search, the police found two country-made pistols of .32 bore with two magazines, 10 live cartridges, two bikes and 10 phones from their possession. A case was registered at Chatiwind police station in this regard. They were pro- duced in the court and brought on police remand for further interrogation. The SP said that preliminary probe revealed that besides Manawala highway, they had also committed robberies in city and rural areas. He said Manraj Singh and Gagandeep were already booked in cases registered under the NDPS Act. Online betting racket busted, 13 arrested Jt Commissioner raids MC depts, finds staff missing Dangling wires at Shastri Market big safety threat Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 1 The city police busted an online betting racket and arrested 13 persons, all residents of Chhattisgarh who were operating from a rented accomodation in Palm Grove Colony located on Airport road here. All the suspects were booked on charges of fraud, gambling and criminal conspiracy. They were brought on police remand for further investigations. The police seized five laptops, 17 mobile phones and three wifi modems besides other electronic items from the house. The racket was busted after a tip-off provided by the residents of the area who informed the police commissioner about the movements of suspicious elements in the area. Police Commissioner Jaskaran Singh said the suspects used to run an online betting mobile application Fairplay and used to cheat people by getting them involved in betting huge amounts on different games including cricket and football besides other online games. The police said 13 youths in the 18-36 years age bracket namely Anil Kumar Jatta of Chhattisgarh was the mastermind. A commerce graduate, he was an expert in computers. Among others arrested included Aman Kushwaha, Abhay Rai, Ashish Kumar, Saurav Yadav, Alok Kesarwani, Nikhil Soni, Tirlok Singh, Ankit Manji, Sonu Sardar, Sumant Kumar, Manpreet Singh alias Kalu and Kuldeep Singh alias Goldy have been held. The police commissioner said the racket used to lure people especially youth from Punjab, Delhi and Chhattisgarh to gamble their money on live matches of cricket, football and casino. They used to make different IDs for money transactions. The police have registered a case under Sections 420, 120B of IPC, Section 7 (3) of Lottery Regulation Act, Section 3, 4, 13 of Gambling Act and 66 (D) of the IT Act at Airport police station here. Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 1 Joint Commissioner Hardeep Singh conducted a surprise check at three departments of the Municipal Corporation today morning. During the inspection of the Property Tax Department at 9.40 am, the Joint Commissioner, Hardeep Singh, found that five superintendents of the department and several other staff members were absent. Joint Commissioner Hardeep Singh said show-cause notices would be issued to the employees, who were found absent during the inspection. If response of the employees was not satisfactory, strict action will be taken against them under the Punjab Punishment and Appeal Rule. Hardeep Singh said that the attendance of the corporation’s departments will be checked daily at 9.10 am. The officers and employees of the MC are often not available in their offices. The residents have to wait for hours. Most of the time officials and employee claim that they were on field duty. TANGLED MESS Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 1 A wired mess inside the narrow by-lanes of walled city, especially in the old katras that are the commercial lifeline of Amritsar, continue to be a public hazard as the administration looks the other way. Loose and naked wires, that bundle around transformers or street lamp posts over the busiest lanes in Shastri Market, near the telephone exchange and lanes leading to Katra Ahluwalia and Jaimal Singh are not just an eyesore but also pose a threat of fire outbreak or electrocution risk to passersby and shopkeepers of the area. Tangled and hung loosely, often falling on shops and houses, the authorities concerned have shown no interest in streamlining or proposing a solution to this problem. The shop owners in the area shared that in the past, several instances of small fire out- Cobwebs of wires around electric poles in the narrow lanes of Shastri Market in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTOS: SUNIL KUMAR ❝Some of these wires, including the optical fibre wire of internet companies, telephone wires and cable wires run across windows and balconies of people’s homes, causing an immediate threat of electrocution ❞ Prakash Kapoor, A LOCAL SHOPKEEPER breaks due to a spark have taken place, only to be controlled in time by shop owners and local residents. The Municipal Corporation as well as the power corporation authorities seem to be indifferent as people tend to adjust their lives around these tangled wires having been unable to make the authorities take notice of their problem. “Some of these wires including the optical fibre wire of internet companies, telephone wires and cable wires run across windows and balconies of people’s homes, causing an immediate threat of electrocution. Several times, complaints have been made but the authorities concerned do not seem to care,” said Prakash Kapoor, a local shopkeeper who runs a furnishing business in Katra Ahluwalia. Most commercial areas in Katra Jaimal Singh comprise wholesale clothes and fabric market, which fall under highly combustible products. These wires run across or just over the shops, storing mountain high stacks of cloth. “It is just another man-made disaster waiting to happen. Especially during the monsoon or heat season, these wires pose a high risk,” said Vijay Sharma, another show owner in the area. Apart from the risk, it is also a cumbersome exercise for the electricians or cable operators to give new connections as the wires that are juxtaposed each other, make it a confusing and tiresome process. Residents bear the brunt of multiple choke points on GT Road Pharmacy robbery case solved, one in police net STRETCH OF PROBLEMS Tribune News Service Manmeet Singh Gill tribune news service Amritsar, December 1 Encroachments on GT Road, the lifeline of the traffic in the city, are not only forcing people to spend more time on travelling due to frequent traffic jams but also increasing their fuel bills. The stretch near the railway station, Putligar, Khandwala and Chheharta witness frequent traffic jams throughout the day. Residents are of the view that freeing the service lanes from illegal encroachments and making it available for the slow moving traffic can help in solving the problem to a great extent. The private buses parked outside the railway station, along with the auto-rickshaws, waiting at Rampant encroachments on GT Road not only lead to recurrent traffic jams but also increase travelling time of commuters in Amritsar. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: SUNIL KUMAR the entrance of the station cause traffic congestion till late in the evening. Harman Singh, a resident of Jandiala, who travels on the stretch daily to reach Khalsa College, said, “I avoid driving on the stretch and prefer to use the outer bypass road. I have to drive 15 km more but it’s better than travelling on the GT road.” He said the traffic police and the Municipal Corporation must come up with a plan to remove all traffic bottlenecks. Near Putlighar Chowk, vegetable sellers, food kiosks and illegally-parked vehicles eat up a major portion of the road thus hampering the smooth flow of traffic. “The sheer number of cars creates a free-for-all here. No one is bothered about the traffic signals as everyone is in a hurry to cross the stretch and this makes things worse,” said Amanpreet Singh, a shop- c m y b keeper in the area. The tendency of the shopkeepers to display their billboards and even items on the road reduces the space available for vehicles and pedestrians. Apart from the local administration, the residents too are at fault in creating the mess on the roads, locals claim. “If everyone starts following traffic norms religiously, the situation can improve to a great extent. Shopkeepers are using the road in front of their property as extension of their shops,” said Lakhbir Singh, a resident of Chheharta area. Amritsar, December 1 The city police have cracked a case in which a pharmacy was looted by an armed youth. The police have arrested a youth, who has been identified as Jagdish Singh, alias Goldy, a resident of Himmatpura, Gilwali Gate. The police said the suspect got addicted to drugs a few days ago and started committing petty crimes. On November 25, he entered into a quarrel with his family and left the house before committing the robbery, in which he looted Rs 35,000 from a pharmacy located on Court Road. The police registered a case under Section 379-B (2) of the IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54, 59 (2) of the Arms Act against him on the complaint of Nitish Kumar, an employee of the pharmacy. Varinder Singh Khosa, Assistant Commissioner of Police (North), said the police had recovered a toy pistol, Rs 3,000, a laptop and a cell phone, besides a stolen scooter from his possession. He had stolen the scooter from the bus stand area around 10 days before the robbery. He said the suspect had been working at an automobile agency for the past six months. The investigation revealed that he had committed the crime in order to earn easy money for his daily dose of drugs. He had two theft cases registered against him at Civil Lines and Division E police stations.