23042024-ATR-01.qxd 23-04-2024 00:27 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY PCMSA WITHDRAWS MOVE TO HOLD STRIKE TAYLOR SWIFT CELEBRATES SUCCESS OF HER 11TH ALBUM HARINGTON ‘NOT INTERESTED’ IN PLAYING HEROIC ROLES PCMSA called off a strike over assault on Dr Sunil Bhagat, SMO of ESI Hospital in Hoshiarpur. P2 Taylor Swift has all reasons to express excitement over success of The Tortured Poets Department. P4 English actor Kit Harington says he would enact ‘anti-hero-ish’ roles after Game of Thrones. P4 » » » MAX 34°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 20°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.05 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:51 AM TUESDAY | 23 APRIL 2024 | AMRITSAR 8.30 kg ‘pure-grade’ heroin seized in Pathankot, 3 held Pakistani Taimur Hasan Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Pathankot, April 22 The Pathankot police claimed to have busted an inter-state drug smuggling gang with seizure of 8.30 kg “pure-grade” heroin and arrest of three smugglers. A fourth smuggler has been absconding, senior officers said, adding that he would be nabbed soon. In police parlance, this heroin haul has been bracketed in the “A-1 grade” category. This is regarded as the purest form of the narcotic, the police said. Rs 5 lakh in cash was also recovered from the accused. An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the NDPS Act at Sujanpur police station. SSP Suhail Qasim Mir led a police team that busted the gang. Sources said the Pathankot police had information that a gang, specialised in smuggling drugs to Punjab from Jammu & Kashmir, would be smuggling the contraband from the Madhopur barrier. Smuggler’s two accomplices identified: Cops Amritsar, April 22 A day after arrest of drug peddler Sukhdev Singh and seizure of Rs 1.10 lakh in cash, the police today identified two of his accomplices. They were identified as Kulwinder Singh of Gurdaspur and Gurnam Singh of Ajnala. They were on the run since Sukhdev’s arrest. Satinder Singh, SSP Amritsar Rural, said the police have recovered Sukhdev’s mobile, and found that he was in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers on WhatsApp. Sukhdev told the police that he was in touch with Pakistanbased drug peddler Bhullar. He had come in contact with Bhullar through Kulwinder Singh, one of his relatives. He also told the police that on April 18, they got smuggled 2kg heroin from Bhullar at Sahowal village. The contraband was further handed over to another unidentified person by Kulwinder. —TNS intruder held PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service DIG (Border) Rakesh Kaushal (centre) addresses the media on the seizure in Pathankot. Consequently, the SSP ordered that security should be tightened at the barrier. The cops got success when they intercepted a vehicle bearing a Punjab registration number and stopped it. Subsequently, the police frisked the two occupants — Gurjant Singh and Simarjit Singh — and found 15 grams of heroin from them. Both the accused belong to Tarn Taran police district. Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 22 Municipal town planning wing officials have submitted a list of 136 buildings and colonies constructed in violation of norms in north zone was submitted to MC Commissioner. However, no such development reported from other zones and sectors. According to sources, the central zone has maximum illegal constructions, but not much efforts were being done there to curb illegal construction. Soon after joining as MC commissioner Harpreet Singh in February asked MTP wing officials to ensure that no construction takes place without sanctioned site plan and other legal requirements. The commissioner The accused also disclosed that two more persons, Jaspreet Singh and Harpal Singh, also from Tarn Taran district, were involved in smuggling narcotics from J&K into Punjab. Later, Jaspreet was arrested, and a manhunt has been launched to arrest Harpal. The police sources said it was one of the biggest seizure of narcotics by the Pathankot police in recent times. Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 22 With wheat harvesting picking up pace, the district administration has instructed the Food and Civil Supplies Department to ensure lifting of stocks from markets within 72 hours of purchase. The instructions have been issued to avoid shortage of space for unloading of fresh produce arriving from fields. Meanwhile grain markets in the district witnessed an arrival of 26,377 MT wheat on Monday. With this the total arrival in the district has increased to 41,921 MT. The government agencies procured a total of 17,777 MT, while the private buyers purchased 1,117 MT on Monday. Of the total procurement of 28,039 MT till date, government agencies have procured a total of 26,208 MT and private traders 1,831 MT. While visiting the grain market at Jandiala Guru along with SSP Rural Satinder Singh, Deputy Commissioner Ghansham Thori said with increase in wheat harvesting, arrival of the crop at grain markets has increased. Labourers dry wheat crop at Bhagtanwala grain market in Amritsar on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR He said in next few days, the daily arrival would cross 50,000 MT, and as such it was important that the procured stocks are lifted from the mandis in time. The DC said procurement agencies have also been directed to disburse the amount for the procured crop with 48 hours of purchase. He said the farmers should not worry as the government was committed to procure each Employees question Passengers continue to face problem AAP candidate on due to ‘rail roko’ agitation by farmers unfulfilled promises Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service INDIA VOTES 2024 Amritsar, April 22 Punjab State Ministerial Services Union members today questioned Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate for the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency Kuldeep Dhaliwal about the state government’s failure in fulfilling promises made to them before the Assembly election. Dhaliwal had visited the Company Bagh here as part of his election campaign. However, union leaders harnessed the opportunity to seek answers from the AAP candidate, who also is a cabinet minister. Union general secretary Jagdish Thakur said, “The 136 buildings constructed illegally in city’s north zone Charanjit Singh Teja The cops, after apprehending the duo, put them under sustained interrogation. Later, it was revealed by the accused that they had carved out a cavity near the car’s oil tank and had hidden several packets of the drug. “A total of 8.30 kg of heroin has been confiscated. We are probing the backward and forward linkages of the accused and hope to arrest more smugglers soon,” said SSP Mir. Amritsar, April 22 The BSF today nabbed a Pakistani intruder near Rania outpost along the India-Pakistan border here. The man was identified as Taimur Hasan (22), a resident of Lahore’s Mohamad Booty village. The BSF found nothing objectionable from him during initial search. A BSF spokesman said at around 11am on Monday, BSF personnel noticed suspicious movement of a youth along the Ravi river bank in Rear Kakkar village. During preliminary questioning, the BSF recovered a plastic water bottle, two masks, a pen, a lighter, a carry bag, needle and thread from his possession. A police official has confirmed the development, but added that BSF has not handed him over to the police yet as investigations were still under progress. Ensure lifting of procured wheat in 72 hours: DC had asked the officials to prepare a sector-wise list of illegal buildings so that action against violators could be planned systematically. Assistant Town Planner Arun Khanna, who was deployed in north zone, has submitted a list of 136 buildings and colonies being constructed illegally in the zone. Khanna was transferred from north zone to south zone on April 16. However, Khanna reportedly submitted the list on April 15. According to information, most of such buildings belong to influential people. The building construction mafia has been active in the city for the past many years. The MTP wing was unable to take any concrete action against the mafia. AAP had made several promises to the government employees before the Assembly election. The foremost issue was of revival of old pension scheme. The government even went ahead in issuing advertisements that old pension scheme has been revived, but on ground it did nothing.” He said AAP candidates would be questioned in each and every constituency where they would be held accountable for unfulfilled promises. Union president Tajinder Singh Dhillon said employees were waiting for release of dearness allowance for long time. He said similarly several other allowances, which were available to the employees, have been stopped. Dhillon said if the state government fails to fulfil its promises, the employees would be forced to take to streets. —TNS Amritsar, April 22 Passengers were compelled to use buses to commute following cancellation and diversion of trains from Amritsar railway station due the ongoing rail roko protest by farmers at Shambhu border. A large number of private and public buses were raking in the moolah. All buses Amritsar-Delhi route were going packed. About 40 private buses daily ply on the busy AmritsarDelhi route. Most of them charge Rs 700 to Rs 900 per passenger on normal days. Some of them were charging above the normal rate these days. Besides, taxi operators were also making most of the situation. Vendors at the railway station were irked at repeated blocking of train move- A food cart owner awaits customers at Amritsar railway station on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR ment. Similar blockade in February had caused them losses. Now, they were against staring at losses. They said each vendor pays a monthly rent between Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 to the railways, besides 18 percent GST over it. Apart from this, their other standing expenditure include about Rs 11 per unit commercial power tariff, salaries to their employees, maintenance and other charges. Frequent blockades were upsetting their accounts as they were unable to make both ends meet. Authorities at Amritsar Railway station refunded over Rs 1.75 lakh to 349 passengers till April 21. Meanwhile, Amritsar to Darbhanga train will be short originate on April 23. Amritsar to Mumbai Cen- tral Terminus was short originated today. Amritsar to CSMT Mumbai, New Delhi to Amritsar, Amritsar to New Delhi, New Delhi to Amritsar, Amritsar to New Delhi, Amritsar to Kolkatta, Amritsar to Howrah, Amritsar to Jaynagar and Amritsar to Katihar were diverted to other routes to reach their destinations on Monday. and every grain of wheat. Thori said to ensure hassle free procurement and lifting of the crop, the district administration has appointed senior officials as nodal officers for the grain markets. He said each senior official has been appointed as nodal officer of one market and they would responsible for smooth procurement in the mandi. Youth posts ‘reel’ on police, detained Amritsar, April 22 A youth was detained for making a ‘reel’ while coming out of a police station and posting it on social media. Sanampreet Singh, a resident of Raipur Khurd village in Tarsikka, said his friend had captured the video in 2021 when he had gone to the police station for taking a character certificate. He said after two years, he edited the video with a Punjabi song meaning he was released after bribing the police and posted it on his Instagram account. He was later let off with a warning. The video got the attention of social media wing of the rural police who immediately launched a probe and identified the youth. Sanampreet was summoned to the police station for clarification. The police also posted the same on their social media account, urging the people not to indulge in such things that could invite trouble for them. —TNS National Rangmanch Utsav kicks off with play directed by Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 22 Manch-Rangmanch, founded by eminent theatre personality Kewal Dhaliwal, is hosting the 23rd National Rangmanch Utsav from April 21 to April 25 in collaboration with Virsa Vihar Society. The Shiromani dramatist along with other eminent theatre persons from Punjab came together to inaugurate the festival, featuring acclaimed theatre productions from across the country on April 21. Kewal Dhaliwal said that the festival will feature some of the best plays in Punjabi and Hindi by noted playwrights and directors, bringing the best of talent to the city. The inaugural day had featured the Punjabi play ‘Mahi Mera Thanedar’ writ- ‘Mahi Mera Thanedar’ staged on inaugural day, ‘Nanga Raja’ on Day 2 Punjabi play ‘Mahi Mera Thanedar’ written by Vasant Sabnavis and directed by Keval Dhaliwal was staged by Manch-Rangmanch on the inaugural day at Virsa Vihar in Amritsar. TRIBUNE PHOTO ten by Vasant Sabnavis and directed by Kewal Dhaliwal. It was staged by the ManchRangmanch Amritsar team. c m y b A comedy, adapted from the famous Marathi folk play ‘Vichha Majhi Puri Kara’, written by Vasant Sabnis and later translated into Hindi by Usha Banerjee as ‘Saiyyan Bhaye Kotwal’, the play is designed for urban viewers while retaining its rural essence. It follows the format of the Maharashtrian folk ‘ Tamasha’, as the story revolves around a king and his conniving prime minister. After the death of the Kotwal, the administrative head, the Prime Minister, promptly appoints his incompetent and unworthy brother-in-law to the coveted position. According to the hierarchy, the current Havaldar should have been promoted instead. The aggrieved Havaldar, along with his sweetheart Mainavati, devises a plan to expose the new Kotwal. Mainavati, a dancer, uses her charm on the Kotwal and persuades him to fulfill her numerous desires (hence the name). The play’s slapstick comedy highlights the underlying political nepo- tism, resonating with the current system of how things mostly work. On the second day today, the play ‘Nanga Raja’, written by Alakhanandan and directed by Vishu Sharma, was staged by the Amritsar School of Drama team. Another adaptation of a popular, acclaimed Hindi play, this was a tale of a careless, foolish king, consumed by his obsession with new clothes. While his obsession makes him easy target for some dacoits, who exploit his foolish pursuits, he easily gets manipulated into thinking he is wearing magical outfits offered by the dacoits. The king, wearing nothing but his pride and vanity, parades naked as his subjects watch, exposing him, literally and metaphorically, to all.
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