10012023-ATR-01.qxd 1/10/2023 12:03 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY DTF SEEKS REINSTATEMENT OF MINORITY SCHOLARSHIP ‘EMINEM REJECTED $8 MN TO PERFORM AT 2022 WORLD CUP’ GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS TO STREAM LIVE ON JANUARY 11 Members of the DTF lodged a protest against the Centre’s suspension of minority scholarships for students.P2 Eminem turned down an $8 million offer to perform at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, said rapper 50 Cent.P3 MAX 17°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 16°C | MIN 8°C The Golden Globes Awards will stream live on January 11, from 6.30 am onwards on Lionsgate Play. P4 » » SUNSET TUESDAY 5.44 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:31 AM » TUESDAY | 10 JANUARY 2023 | AMRITSAR Police solve burglary case, two nabbed Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 9 With the arrest of two persons, the police claimed to have cracked a burglary case in which three unidentified persons targeted a house in Moon Avenue locality on the Fatehgarh Churian road two days ago and decamped with cash and gold jewellery. Those arrested were identified as Vishal Kalyan of Faizpura locality and Jatinder Singh of Naushehra village. Their third accomplice, Bikramjit, was yet to be arrested. Assistant Commissioner of Police Varinder Singh Khosa said Ujjwal Mahajan of Moon Avenue lodged a complaint with the police that some unknown persons had decamped with cash and jewellery when they had gone out of house. The family also used to run a salon adjoining continued on page 2 Hit by SUV, 15-year-old boy dies on BRTS lane Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 9 A teenage boy was killed in a road mishap when a speeding SUV hit him here late last evening. The incident happened on a BRTS lane near Chheharta. The victim was identified as Sukhraj Singh (15) of Chheharta. The police have registered a case against unidentified persons in this regard while a probe is being conducted. The mother of the deceased, Sarabjit Kaur, told the police that she along with her son used to work at a marriage palace. She said after finishing their work they were returning home from Guru Amardass Colony. She said they were passing through the BRTS ILLEGAL PLYING OF VEHICLES ■ The incident has once again highlighted the problem of illegal plying of vehicles, especially four-wheelers, on the BRTS corridors, which are exclusively dedicated to the BRTS buses ■ Illegal plying of vehicles leads to traffic jams and makes corridors an accident-prone area ■ Buses run behind schedule because of frequent plying of vehicles lane when the SUV, which was being driven rashly, hit Sukhjraj. He was criti- cally injured in the accident while the car driver fled from the spot. She said she took her son to a private hospital where doctors declared him dead. The Chheharta police have registered a case under Sections 304-A and 279 of the IPC against unidentified persons. The incident has once again highlighted the problem of illegal plying of vehicles, especially four-wheelers, on the BRTS corridors, which are exclusively dedicated to the BRTS buses. The BRTS authorities had taken up the matter with the district administration and the police authorities, as it leads to snarls and makes corridors an accident-prone area. Missing grills, private vehicles in BRTS corridor add to traffic confusion in city Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 9 With the iron safety grills installed on the bus rapid transit system (BRTS) corridor going missing over the last few years, the very purpose of constructing a dedicated route for metro bus services for hassle-free and timely journey has been defeated. Most of the grills appear to have been stolen by drug addicts. Others have reportedly been broken by shopkeepers in the vicinity to facilitate the crossing of road by the passengers. Even as the dedicated corridor officially allows the entry of emergency vehicles like ambulances and police vehicles besides metro buses, a large number of private vehicles too can be seen using the road. With private vehicles and pedestrians using the BRTS Missing iron grills from the BRTS corridor in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR corridor, the metro bus drivers have to apply frequent brakes as a result of which the duration taken by the buses to cover the distance between two stations increases. “Driving on the BRTS corri- dor is stressing as you do not know when a scooter or a pedestrian would enter the lane,” said a metro bus driver. He added that sometimes it delays the buses and the drivers are fined for not following the time-table. With Minister for Local Government Inderbir Singh Nijjer now asking the local administration to fix all the missing grills, the residents continued on page 2 Dist IMA elections postponed All colleges in state to remain shut on January 18 Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 9 The fight to take over the reins of the Amritsar chapter of the Indian Medical College got murkier this year as the two opposite groups contested each other over the issue of a candidature for the post of vice-president. High drama prevailed at the IMA hall here which forced the election committee to postpone the elections till further orders on Sunday evening. Officials of the IMA stated that the next date of the elections would be announced in the next few days. Senior members of the IMA stated that the eligibility criterion for contesting the elections for the five-member body states that the candidates should have a membership of not less than five years. The eligibility criterion fur- NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON ■ High drama prevailed at the IMA hall here which forced the election committee to postpone the elections till further orders ■ Officials of the IMA stated that the next date of the elections would be announced in the next few days ther requires the candidate to have a minimum attendance of 30 per cent during the IMA meetings held during the previous year. However, Dr Rajesh Kumar, one of the candidates contesting for the post of vice-president, had zero attendance. Dr Santokh Singh, a senior doctor and election commissioner for the elections, said, “After the candidates have filed their nominations, it is the duty of the election committee to scrutinise the papers.” He said he had never witnessed such a ruckus in the history of IMA during the elections. Insiders say the elections to the IMA Amritsar are usually a quiet affair, but this time a group is making strenuous efforts to take control of the body. Sources stated that the group had even promised a 50 per cent discount on the membership to new members just a few weeks before the elections. Dr RS Sethi, president, IMA, said, “The three members of the contesting team were issued show-cause notices for not working as per the IMA ethics and rules.” He said a report of the incident was also sent to the state-level functionaries of the IMA. Over 500 IMA members, including a vice-chancellor, a Cabinet minister and an MLA had turned up to vote, but they had to return due to unfortunate incidents. Protest govt decision to implement centralised admission portal, lowering retirement age of teachers Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 9 With no favourable response received from the state government, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the NonGovt Aided Colleges’ Management Federation (NGACMF), Principals’ Associations, Punjab Chandigarh Colleges Teachers Union (PCCTU) and Un-aided Private Colleges’ body on Monday called for shutting all colleges shut on January 18. The colleges in the state are against the government’s alleged arbitrary and discriminatory decision to implement the centralised admission portal and lowering the retirement age of teachers at 58 years. In a joint meeting of the JAC and unaided colleges, Members of various bodies during a meeting in Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women, Ludhiana. chaired by RMS Chinna, president of the federation, the management of the colleges decided to remain shut on January 18. “We are taking the step as the government is unresponsive to our demands,” said the federation president who chaired the meeting. He said the Chief Minister and the Minister of Higher Education had Bike-borne persons snatch ~1.8 lakh from shopkeeper Mobile phone, cash snatched from man in Basant Avenue Khan was robbed of mobile phone and cash by three bike-borne snatchers in the Basant Avenue area here. Though the incident occurred on January 4, the police registered a case in this connection now. The victim said he was on his bicycle and going through Basant Avenue when the accused stopped him near Basant Avenue park. He said the accused hit him with a dagger and a kara on his face and snatched his phone and cash. The police have registered a case under Sections 379-B (2) and 34 of the IPC and launched further probe. are shifting to western countries, he said there was no demand of such a portal. “The indifferent attitude of the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government to the issues confronting the colleges is forcing us to adopt the path of agitation and protest. On January 18, all colleges will remain shut and memorandums would be submitted to PWD Minister takes stock of development works in schools Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 9 Two bike-borne persons snatched Rs 1.80 lakh from a trader near Passian Chowk here late last evening. The victim, Vijay Kumar, a shopkeeper, was returning home after closing his shop when the incident took place. The police have registered a case in this connection and investigation is underway to identify the suspects. The police are analysing CCTVs near the spot to find any clues about the perpetrators. Vijay told the police that after closing his shop, he was returning home on his scooter and had stopped at a medical store to buy some medicines. He said when he came out of the chemist shop, a youth pushed him and snatched his cash bag. Some people also tried to stop the accused after he raised an alarm. However, he fled the spot along with his accomplice on a scooter. Meanwhile, a local resident identified as Sadiq not even given them time for meeting to discuss issues confronting higher education in the state. Even now we appeal to the government to address the issues confronting the colleges in the state. Citing that higher education institutions were already facing acute financial troubles in the wake of a drop in admissions as a large number of youngsters the Deputy Commissioners in all district headquarters as neither the Higher Education Minister nor the CM is giving us time to meet them to raise our issues,” said federation secretary SM Sharma. “It is a matter of survival for the colleges. Many Colleges will close down if the government remained noncooperative,” he said, adding that again they appeal to the CM and the minister to give them time to discuss the issues or they will have to go for an indefinite strike in the coming times. He said since there was no provision in the grant-in-aid scheme, which authorises the government to take over the admission process of aided colleges by government departments, rendering the decision illegal, null and void. Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO during a visit to a government school on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Amritsar, January 9 Minister of Power and Public Works Department Harbhajan Singh ETO today visited several government schools in the district to take stock of development works being carried out. He visited Government Senior Secondary Smart School, Chheharta, Govern- Says modern edu structure will be provided in schools ment Senior Secondary Smart School, Mall Road, and Government Senior Secondary School, Saragarhi. He said modern education structure would be provided in these schools, while upgrading teaching infrastructure. Prominent development works being carried out in schools include adding more classrooms, buildings for libraries, computer facilities and digital classrooms; toilets, smart playgrounds etc. The minister also talked to the officials concerned on ensuring completion of these works in time. Several booked for attempt to murder ~6.8 crore sanctioned for Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 9 The Mehta police have booked several persons on charges of criminal trespass and attempt to murder when they attacked a man in Gaggarbhana village here. The incident occurred a week ago, while a complaint was lodged with the police on Sunday. The booked persons include Sattideen of Gaggarbhana, Gama of Kotla in Hoshiarpur, Roshandeen of Kohali in Gurdaspur, besides several unidentified persons. The victim, Laldeen of RAIDS ON TO NAB ACCUSED: POLICE ■ The Mehta police have booked several persons on charges of criminal trespass and attempt to murder when they attacked a man in Gaggarbhana village ■ The incident occurred a week ago, while a complaint was lodged with the police on Sunday ■ The booked persons include Sattideen of Gaggarbhana, Gama of Kotla in Hoshiarpur, Roshandeen of Kohali in Gurdaspur, besides several unidentified persons ■ ASI Victor Singh, the investigating officer, said a case under Sections 307, 452, 323, 324 and other relevant sections of the IPC had been registered in this connection and raids were on to nab the suspects Gaggarbhana, told the police that on January 2, he was feeding fodder to cattle when the accused barged c m y b into his house and attacked him with sharp-edged weapons. He said when he fell on the ground, the accused kicked him leaving him seriously injured. Later, the accused fled the spot and threatened to kill him. He said his family got him admitted to Baba Bakala Hospital. He said respectable in the community tried to strike a compromise but in vain. ASI Victor Singh, the investigating officer, said a case under Sections 307, 452, 323, 324 and other relevant sections of the IPC had been registered in this connection and raids were on to nab the suspects. An old enmity is stated to be the reason behind the incident, the police said. development works: Nijjar Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 9 After inaugurating a Rs 40 lakh-project of installing interlocking tiles in Ward No. 38 of the Municipal Corporation (MC), Local Bodies Minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar said an amount of Rs 6.81 crore had been sanctioned for different development works in the city. The work of pavement of streets in Potohar Bazaar, Kot Mit Singh and Khalsa Nagar would be completed Inaugurates ~40L-project of installing interlocking tiles in a time-bound manner, he said. The minister said no development works had been initiated in the area during the past 35 years. He said problems faced by the residents of the area would be resolved as soon other works would be initiated after the work of pavement of streets is completed.