22092023-ATR-01.qxd 9/22/2023 1:12 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY STUDENTS RAISE AWARENESS ON TRAFFIC RULES, ROAD SAFETY BHARATNATYAM EXPONENT SAROJA VAIDYANATHAN DIES COMEDIAN TREVOR NOAH SPOTTED AT DELHI AIRPORT Students of Khalsa College made public aware of importance of traffic rules and road safety. P2 Bharatnatyam maestro Saroja Vaidyanathan died at her residence in New Delhi on Thursday. P3 MAX 34°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 25°C Global comedian Trevor Noah is in India. Former The Daily Show host was spotted at the Delhi Airport. P3 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.27 PM » SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.18 AM FRIDAY | 22 SEPTEMBER 2023 | AMRITSAR Harvesting of basmati begins; Judge listens to jail nearly 40K MT reaches mandis inmates’ grievances Manmeet Singh Gill Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 With the harvesting of early varieties of basmati, including the 1509, starting in the district, nearly 40,000 metric tonnes (MT) of crop has reached the grain markets here. Farmers fear that the prices may crash once the harvesting picks up the pace. So far, they are getting a price in the range of Rs 2,800 to Rs 3,600 per quintal. The farmers said last year too, the price of the 1509 variety of basmati was initially around Rs 3,700 per quintal which plummeted to around Rs 3,000-3,100 per quintal during the later days. “This year too it is feared that the prices would fall as the government has also imposed certain restrictions on the export of basmati,” said Joginder Singh, who has sold his crop for Rs 3,400 per quintal. The early sown and short maturity period basmati varieties are mostly grown in the vegetable belts — Mehta, Tarsikka and Majitha of the district where farmers cultivate peas or potato crop in the time period between harvesting of paddy and sowing of wheat crop. Encouraged by comparative- Labourers load basmati produce onto a truck at a grain market in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR ly better prices last year, the area under basmati varieties in the district has been increased to nearly 1.42 lakh hectares this year. As per the figures available with the Agriculture Department, basmati varieties were cultivated on an area of 50,000 hectares last year. District Mandi Board officials stated that a maximum of 23,610 MT of basmati arrived at the Bhagtanwala grain market in the city followed by 12,857 MT in Gehri mandi. While the parmal varieties of paddy are purchased by the government at the minimum support price under the public distribution system, the basmati varieties are solely purchased by private buyers. Lakhbir Singh Nizampura, president, Vegetable Growers’ Association, said, “These early maturing varieties are of great help to vegetable cultivators as they get enough time for growing vegetables before sowing wheat.” He however complained that as the prices are decided by private buyers, the farmers do not get a profitable price. He added that government should also fix the MSP for basmati varieties. Tarn Taran, September 21 District and Sessions Judge Priya Sood paid a visit to sub jail in Patti here on Thursday. The judge supervised the living conditions of the jail premises, including the standard of the facilities being given to the inmates. The District and Sessions Judge was accompanied by other judicial officers and Jatinderpal Singh, Superintendent of Jail. The District and Sessions Judge listened to inmates’ grievances and also checked the barracks and the kitchen. The judge instructed the jail officials to INSPECTS KITCHEN The District and Sessions Judge checked the barracks and the kitchen. The judge instructed jail officials to conduct regular medical check-up of the inmates. conduct regular medical check-up of the inmates and the prisoners. The judge interacted with the inmates and ordered the jail authorities for early redress of their problems and were given information of their rights, including to make an appeal in the next court in case they were convicted by a lower court. District and Sessions Judge Priya Sood during a visit to the Patti sub-jail in Tarn Taran on Thursday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI Police raid hideouts of gangsters’ accomplices Search over 300 locations in Amritsar, Tarn Taran Tribune reporters Amritsar/Tarn Taran, Sep 21 In a statewide crackdown launched against the gangster-terrorist nexus, the Punjab Police on Thursday raided over 300 locations of accomplices of various gangsters in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts on Thursday. Though during the raid no arrest was made by police officials, they claimed to have got some vital information regarding the new hideouts and social media accounts which were being operated by them. Overall, 1,159 locations were raided in the state. During the raids, the police thoroughly searched the residential and other premises of relatives, friends and aides of notorious gangsters, said Jugraj Singh, Superintendent of Police, Amritsar rural police, here. “Though no arrest was made during the raid, the police got some vital information about the gangsters,” he said. In Amritsar, the police conducted simultaneous raids at as many as 135 loca- Police parties conduct raids at the probable hideout of gangster Goldi Brar’s accomplice in Tarn Taran on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO tions in various villages. According to information, some of the accomplices of notorious gangsters were found in their houses, but they were not indulging in criminal activities now-adays. However, a number of their accomplices were found absconding from their houses and police have managed to get vital information about their new hideouts. Similarly, the Tarn Taran police conducted simultaneous raids at nearly 170 locations in Tarn Taran district. Gurmeet Chohan, SSP Tarn Taran, , pointed out that today’s search operations were carried out following investigations and interrogations of gangster-terrorist modules busted by the Punjab Police. He said the information and data collected during the search operations were being examined further. During today’s raid, 80 gangsters and their accomplices were in jail while 58 were out on bail. He said seven persons were detained for questioning. Two brothers land in police net Potholed roads give bumpy ride to commuters for looting people with toy gun WARD WATCH WARD NO. 45 Tribune News Service The gold seized by Customs officials in Amritsar. Over 1-kg gold worth ~68 lakh seized at airport Amritsar, September 21 Customs staff intercepted a passenger coming from Dubai at Amritsar airport and recovered two packets containing gold in the paste form concealed in his turban. The gross weight of the two packets was 1,632 grams. After extraction, 1,159 grams of gold of 24 carat purity was discovered, the custom authorities said. He accused had returned by a SpiceJet flight on September 19. The packets were wrapped with grey adhesive tapes in his turban. The market value of the recovered gold was estimated to be around ~68.67 lakh. A case under Section 110 of the Customs Act was registered against him. — TNS Amritsar, September 21 The Civil Lines police have arrested two snatchers, who used to rob people while pointing a toy pistol, at them. The police have recovered five snatched mobiles phones, a toy pistol and a stolen motorcycle from their possession. Those arrested were identified as Sunil Rai (20) and his brother Munish Kumar (19) of Professor Colony in Medical Enclave here. A case under Sections 379 and 411 of the IPC and Sections 28, 54 and 59 of the Arms act was registered against them. They were drug addicts, the police said. Assistant Commissioner of Police (North) Varinder Singh Khosa said Khushbu Sharma, SHO, Civil Lines police, got a tip-off that duo were involved in the snatching mobile phones and rob innocent people by brandishing the toy pistol. At the naka put up in Lawrence Road area, the police arrested the duo and recovered six mobile phones AMRITSAR Tribune News Service The siblings in custody of the Amritsar police on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR on their disclosure. They had snatched the mobile phones from different persons in the recent past. They were produced in a court and brought on two-day police remand for further investigations. “Though they do not have any previous record, the police have seized five snatched mobile phones and a stolen bike from their possession. We are trying to find the owners of the same and would see where they have lodged their complaints,” Khosa said. He added that both brothers were drug addict and committed snatchings for their daily dose of heroin. Amritsar, September 21 Residents of residential-cumcommercial areas of East Mohan Nagar, 100 feet road and Azad Nagar in Ward No.45 are a troubled lot as the roads in their areas are riddled with potholes caused by the movement of heavy trucks and other commercial vehicles. The area residents complain that soon after the roads are re-laid, these develop potholes due to heavy vehicles and machines passing these roads. The residents complain of lack of sanitary conditions in the areas. They say that vacant industrial and commercial plots often become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, giving rise to vector- A road in a bad shape in East Mohan Nagar in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR borne diseases. “When it comes to development, the areas of our constituency — Amritsar (East) — has always been neglected. The local municipal corporation gives preference to the Civil Lines areas over the localities in the other parts of the city,” said Sanjeev Kumar, a local resident. The residents say that public parks in their areas have turned into waste lands and garbage dumps due to being overlooked by the local authorities. “It seems that this area does not belong to the city. People are facing problems due to old sewage pipes, mixing of sewerage water with drinking water, defunct street lights and potholed roads,” said Jugal Kishore, another resident. They say that abandoned parks and poorly lit streets attract anti-social elements, who use these places to consume drugs and commit crimes. They say that the condition of public parks and streets can be improved ridding people of their daily inconvenience. The residents say that the roads should be reconstructed keeping in view the movement of heavy trucks. They want the problem of stray animals be solved at the earliest. Lawyer's murder Youth arrested for robbery at chemist shop Fazilka man nabbed with 1 kg of heroin case solved, 1 held Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 21 The Gharinda police have cracked a blind murder case in which a lawyer was found dead at Mulla Behram village here on September 11. The deceased was later identified as Lakhwinder Singh of Chak Mishri Khan village. The police have arrested his real brother-in-law Sarabjit Singh of Sanghna village for his murder. A monetary dispute was stated to be the reason behind the killing. Dr Sheetal Singh, SHO, Gharinda police station, said after his identification the police made a list of suspects and started questioning them. During investigations, the police zeroed in on Sarabjit Singh who originally hailed from Sanghna village, but was living with his in-laws at Ran Pandori village falling in the Chatiwind police station here. During interrogation he confessed to the crime. He had killed Lakhwinder Singh after hitting him with an iron rod which was yet to be recovered. Amritsar, September 21 With the arrest of a youth, the city police on Thursday claimed to have cracked the chemist shop robbery case at Vallah here on Tuesday night. He was identified as Kanish Kundra (19), a resident of Yasin Road near Aenum Cinema on Taylor Road here. Among his other accomplices booked in the case included Rahul Bhatti of Nangali village, Navdeep Singh, alias Ghulla, of Rangalipur village, Bobby of Nirankari Colony located on Fatehgarh Churian road and two unidentified persons. Additional Deputy Com- The suspect in custody of the Amritsar police. TRIBUNE PHOTO c m y b missioner of Police Abhimanyu Rana said raids were on to nab them. Navdeep had 10 criminal cases of different nature against him while the antecedents of the remaining suspects were being ascertained, he said. Assistant Commissioner of Police (East) Gurinderbir Singh Sidhu and Maqboolpura police station SHO Mohit Kumar said after examining the footage of CCTVs, the police zeroed in on Kanish Kundra. He was having tattoos on his arms and body which led to his identification through human intelligence. He was arrested yesterday and his interrogation led to the identification of other suspects, said the SHO. On the statement of Jashanpreet Singh, an employee of a pharmacy shop, that armed persons looted Rs 55,000 from the cash box of the shop and his purse, the police had registered a case under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms act. During investigation, it was found that Navdeep Singh masterminded the loot. He faced 10 cases of armed robberies, attempt to murder and thefts against him. The police said raids were underway to nab the remaining suspects and recover the amounts looted from the pharmacy shop. Amritsar, September 21 The Amritsar rural police have arrested a drug peddler, identified as Gurmeet Singh of Mahatam Nagar in Fazilka district, with 1-kg heroin. He was arrested by a police patrol party from near the Sarangra village T-point. The police said the accused was travelling in a car when he was signalled to stop. He tried to flee away from the car, but was overpowered by the police party. During search, the police recovered 1.015kg of heroin and Rs 1,500 cash from him. A case under the NDPS Act The drug peddler in custody of the Amritsar rural police. was registered against him and further investigations were underway to establish his backward and forward links. — TNS