22022023-ATR-01.qxd 2/22/2023 12:09 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FREQUENT TRANSFERS OF SSPS BRING INSECURITY IN FORCE RANVEER RAPS, FANS FIND IT ‘EMBARRASSING’ Comedian Hasan Minaj has shared a video of Ranveer Singh trying to rap in a locker room. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 26°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 27°C | MIN 13°C KUBBRA SAIT ROPED IN FOR PRAKASH JHA’S WEB SERIES Batala Police District has witnessed 15 chiefs in 10 years, an average tenure of 8 months per official. P2 FORECAST Veteran filmmaker Prakash Jha has reportedly approached Kubbra Sait for a big OTT project. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.22 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 7.05 AM » WEDNESDAY | 22 FEBRUARY 2023 | AMRITSAR Police crackdown on drug trafficking Two-day sports tournament ends at Attari Civic body seals 16 shops of tax defaulters ADGP Nageswara Rao leads drive in city; 16 detained, 77 vehicles impounded Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 21 The two-day annual Sardar Sham Singh Attari memorial tournament concluded at Government Senior Secondary School, Attari here on Tuesday. Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, MLAs Jaswinder Singh Ramdas and Sarwan Singh Dhun and AAP leaders Seema Sodhi and Gursharan Singh Goldi distributed medals and certificates to the winners on the occasion. Kirandeep Singh Kaimi, Gurbrinder Singh Sidhu and Manjit Singh Attari, the members of Attari Youth Club, said they had been organising the event for the last four years. Competitions in the categories of hockey, football and kabaddi were organised at the tournament. Cabinet minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal announced a grant of Rs two lakh for the club at the event. Amritsar, February 21 The Amritsar Municipal Corporation intensified its drive against property tax defaulters and sealed 16 more properties in East Zone and South Zone here on Tuesday. The MC teams led by Superintendent Pardeep Rajput and Superintendent Sunil Bhatia visited several tax defaulters, who were not paying their pending tax. Four shops and a shed were sealed near a railway crossing at Verka. A factory of paper stickers and two shops at the Focal Point were sealed by the MC for non-payment of pending tax. One shop each of glass, hardware and gymnasium was sealed on the Tarn Taran road. Three shops at the Bhagtanwala grain water, one shop of mobiles and one shop of snacks inside Chatiwind Gate were sealed. The teams comprising Superintendents Pardeep Rajput and Amritsar, February 21 Police teams raided various pockets of Maqboolpura area to check the menace of drug trafficking here on Monday. The area is notorious for drug trafficking. During the Cordon and Search Operation (CASO), 16 persons were detained on basis of suspicion for questioning and 77 vehicles were impounded. On the instructions of the Director-General of Police, a cordon and search operation (CASO) was conducted to root out drug abuse, drug traffickers, bad elements in society and to maintain law and order and peace in the state. Following this, from 11 am to 4 pm, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police, led by G Nageswara Rao, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), under the supervision of Jaskaran Singh, Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, and Parminder The MC has intensified its drive against property tax defaulters in Amritsar. Sunil Bhatia and Inspectors Shiv Parshad and Satinder Singh also collected the tax from defaulters. It is worth mentioning here that the MC initiated the sealing drive on February 20 and sealed 22 shops on the first day. Superintendent Pardeep Rajput claimed that the drive would also be carried out on the next day and no defaulter would be exempted. The MC has issued around 11,000 notices to tax defaulters and it is being expected that the property tax wing would collect Rs 50 crore till the end of this fiscal. Police personnel search the house and the car of an alleged drug peddler in Maqboolpura area in Amritsar on Tuesday. PHOTOS: VISHAL KUMAR Singh Bhandal, DCP Law , and Order, conducted search operations in the flats in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar of Maqbulpura area. Different teams were constituted for this search operation and a total of 600 police personnel were deployed. After conducting searches at flats in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar, ADGP G Nageswara Rao said a thorough search operation was carried out by various teams of the police force. The ownership of vehicles was checked and suspects were interrogated. Around 13 check-points were set up by blocking all other routes and vehicle were checked properly. After sealing the city, 16 checkpoints were established where SHOs of various police stations and in-charges of police posts checked commuters and vehicles coming in and out of the city. ADGP G Nageswara Rao said the main purpose of the search operation was to control drug peddlers and create fear among them so that they kept themselves away from the drug trade. Besides, there was a need to create a sense of security in the public so that a better coordination could be established between the police and the public and with the help of public, drug traffickers and bad elements could be suppressed. He also appealed to the general public to support the police to maintain law and order in the state. 1 injured in shooting Rising mercury worries wheat growers DC inspects hospital at Tarn Taran village Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 21 One persons was shot at leaving him injured and another escaped unhurt in a firing incident that occurred at Mehindpur village falling under the Khemkaran police station here on Monday. Eight persons had been booked by the police in this regard. Four of the assailants had been identified and the remaining four were yet to be identified. Illegal pistols were reportedly used in the crime. The injured was identified as Gursahib Singh of Mehindpur village, who was admitted to the Civil Hospi- tal, Patti, by his friend Maninder Singh who escaped unhurt. Harpal Singh, an eyewitness, said Gursahib Singh and his friend Maninder Singh were on their way home when the assailants fired at them. SHO Kanwaljit Rai reached the spot. The SHO said four of the accused were identified as Gurlal Singh, Harjit Singh (his father), Arashdeep Singh of Mehindpur and Gurdas Singh of Valtoha. The SHO said the accused had been booked under Sections 307, 336, 506, 452, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. The accused have not been arrested yet, he added. Amritsar, February 21 With Punjab Agricultural University predicting no rain in the coming days and amid fear of decrease in wheat yield due to early onset of summer, agriculture experts have advised the farmers to go for only need-based irrigation and spray potassium nitrate if required. The data released by PAU has revealed that temperature in February this year is higher than that recorded in the last few years and as the wheat crop is in tillering stage it might have an effect on the size of wheat grains. The PAU figures have revealed that the average day temperature this year is higher — by 3.8 degrees Cel- 2 held for stealing goods from temple Amritsar, February 21 The city police arrested the two thieves, who had stolen goods from a temple in the Chheharta area, recently. Those arrested have been identified as Simranjit Singh, alias Mani, a resident of Chheharta (Amritsar), and Sagar Masih, a resident of Church Wali Gali, Gumtala, Amritsar. The police have recovered a silver trishul, two silver gagra, gold naag and a silver nagaraj from their possession. On February 12, Pawan Kumar, president, Hanuman Mandir Committee, GT Road, Chheharta, said on the night of February 11, The suspects in police custody in Amritsar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO he locked the doors of the temple and went home as per routine. He came at 3.30 am and found that seven cash boxes of the temple were broken and other belongings were also stolen by an unknown person. A case was registered at the Chheharta police station. The police team investigated the matter and traced the thieves. They arrested accused Simranjit Singh and Sagar Masih and recovered the missing goods from them. — TNS FILE Tribune News Service PAU says the unusually high temperatures at this time of the year might have an effect on the size of wheat grains. sius to 6.6 degrees Celsius. It has further stated that average night temperature is higher by 1.1 degrees Celsius to 4.7 degrees Celsius. An agriculture department official said, “February last year too was comparatively warmer, but this year temperature is much higher than normal. It might result in a significant decrease in the wheat yield which would hit the farmers’ interests.” He said, “Usually if the temperature during the wheat season remains normal, farmers do not have to irrigate their fields much, but with the Aujla visits passport office, raises issues with RPO Amritsar, February 21 Member Parliament Gurjeet Singh Aujla visited the Regional Passport Office and raised the problems being faced by applicants with passport officials here on Monday. Aujla said a large number of residents regularly complained about the functioning of the passport office and alleged corruption. “We send a list of applicants for the appointment. But the passport officials ignored the list and allow some appointments by accepting bribe. So, I have visited the office and found that passport officials are MP Aujla visits the Regional Passport Office in Amritsar. deliberately harassing public. I have talked to the Regional Passport Officer and warned him of action for this malfunctioning,” said Aujla. Passport officials assured complainants of addressing their concerns. — TNS Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for Rajinder Singh Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 21 Rajinder Singh, noted theatre artist and dramatist from Amritsar, is among the recipients of the prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. The honour has been given to Singh under the category of theatre in the field of direction. Singh, who is an alumnus of the National School of Drama and founder of Dastak the- atre group, received the award for the year 2019. Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama and the apex body for performing arts in the country, in the meeting of its General Council held in November 2022, selected 102 (including three joint awards) artists of India, who have made a mark as young talent in their respective field of performing arts for the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar. The Council announced the awards for three years, by clearing the backlog for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, which happened due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, given to artists up to the age of 40 years, was introduced in the year 2006, giving national recognition for upcoming talent in the country. Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar carries a purse money of Rs 25,000, an angavastram and a plaque, which Rajinder Singh received in New Delhi. Singh has worked closely on a project to revive the bhand and marasi community. He has directed many plays in Hindi and Punjabi, his recent one being the highly acclaimed play Horla, based on a story Diary of A Madman by French playwright and writer Guy De Maupassant. Rajinder Singh, speaking c m y b over the phone from Delhi, said he feels honoured to receive the award. “It recognises the efforts I have put in my craft and to be in such august company of winners, many of who have helped revive the folk art and performing arts of India. It is a surreal feeling. The fact that I am probably the only young theatre director to receive the recognition from Punjab makes it more special,” he said. drastic increase in temperature they must consider irrigating the fields.” Chief Agriculture Officer Dr Jatinder Singh Gill said, “Hopefully, weather conditions might take a turn and the temperature might return to normal levels. But until then there is a need to take precautions. The early onset of summer has increased the chances of yellow rust in the wheat crop.” Meanwhile, health experts too have advised residents to increase intake of fluids and avoid fried food items in view of the prevailing weather conditions. The weather has changed to the extent that people have already started using air-conditioners in their cars. Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 21 The Deputy Commissioner conducted inspection at the Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital here on Tuesday and was satisfied with the services being provided to patients. At the same time, DC Harpreet Singh Sudan asked hospital officials to prepare a proposal for the repair and maintenance of the hospital building. Sudan said the proposal would be forwarded to the state government so that funds could be procured. “We would extend all support to the hospital officials for bettering services for the poor patients,” he said. The DC assured the medical staff of providing better Farmers stage dharna in front of SDM office Tarn Taran, February 21 Activists of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), Punjab, organised a dharna in front of the office of the local SDM here on Tuesday. They were protesting against encroachment of a major portion of the roadside outside the SDM office causing inconvenience to commuters. Farmers and labourers from different villages of the tehsil (subdivision) participated in the dharna. Satnam Singh Manochahal, district president of the KMSC, Fateh Singh, Nirvail Singh Bugha and Lakhwinder Singh Plasaur were among the others who addressed on the occasion. The speakers objected to encroachment outside the SDM office for over the last three years by tying rope around the road causing inconvenience to commuters. The speakers alleged corruption was rife in the office of the tehsildar and the charges for the works to be done had gone up to 50 per cent. They demanded better services to be provided by the Suvidha Kendra and removal of dry trees bent towards the road to prevent any untoward incident. Tehsildar Rakesh Garg assured the protesters of resolving all of their demands raised by them. The rope tied around the road was removed immediately to pacify the protesters. — OC Farmers and labourers stage a dharna in front of the SDM office in Tarn Taran on Tuesday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI DC Harpreet Singh Sudan conducts inspection at the Civil Hospital in Amritsar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO working conditions. On the occasion, hospital staff also pointed out the problems being faced by them. The DC assured that he would take up the issues with the officials concerned. He exhorted the medical staff to provide best services to the patients. Head constable Sandeep Kumar dies by suicide Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 21 The Punjab Police head constable, Sandeep Kumar, who opposed Navjot Singh Sidhu’s derogatory remarks regarding the police last year, committed suicide on Monday night. Sandeep Kumar was residing in police quarters at Mall Mandi. He hanged himself with his turban from a fan and committed suicide. On Monday evening, a resident knocked his door and found that it was already open. The resident went inside and saw the body of Sandeep hanging from the fan in a room. On being informed, the police at Guru Teg Bahadur police post reached the spot. As per the information, a suicide note was also recovered from Sandeep Kumar but the police did not share any information regarding the cause behind the suicide. The police have taken the body into custody and kept it at the Amritsar Civil Hospital. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2