04062024-ATR-01.qxd 6/3/2024 11:52 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune SANS WATER FOR FIVE DAYS, RESIDENTS HOLD PROTEST PINGALWARA SOCIETY OPENS BIOGAS PLANT A bio-gas plant was opened to mark the 120th birth anniversary celebrations of Bhagat Puran Singh. P2 MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 44°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 45°C | MIN 29°C MURDER MYSTERY THAT KILLED INTEREST Residents of Three Star Paradise Colony gathered outside the MC office to hold a symbolic protest. P2 FORECAST Headlined by Sanjay Kapoor, House of Lies is plagued by a clichéd setting, shoddy plot. P4 » SUNSET DAY 07.21 PM SUNRISE DAY 05:21 AM » » TUESDAY | 4 JUNE 2024 | AMRITSAR Seeing lowest turnout, Amritsar no cakewalk for Cong this time GS Paul Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 3 Traditionally, Amritsar Lok Sabha seat has been a Congress bastion. Yet keeping in view the AAP’s citadel in the holy city’s maximum Assembly segments, BJP’s strategy of consolidation of non-Jat votes (Dalits/Mazhabi Sikhs) and SAD’s dominance in rural belt, it would not be a cakewalk for the Congress to maintain its supremacy. Amritsar witnessed the lowest voters’ turnout of 56.06 per cent. Meanwhile, under three-tier security arrangements, around 850 staffers have been assigned to conduct free and fair counting at nine centres from 8 am onwards tomorrow. In this pivotal electoral contest, a roster of key candidates including Congress’ undefeated candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla, AAP’s Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, BJP’s Taranjit Singh Sandhu, and SAD’s Anil Joshi vie to win. Sikhs make up over 50 per cent of the total electorate here. The general trend was of fielding the Sikh candidate. Officials monitor cameras installed to keep vigil on one of the counting centres in Amritsar on Monday. VISHAL KUMAR Interestingly, the ‘Panthic party’ SAD had broken the glass ceiling by putting the bet on a Hindu face, a BJP turncoat, whereas the RSS-influenced BJP had fielded the Jat Sikh candidate, a former India’s envoy to the US. Looking back, between 1952 and 2019, a total of 20 Lok Sabha polls and bypolls were conducted. Of these, the Congress won 13 times, the Opposition, including Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Janata Party and Bharatiya Janata Party six times and Indepen- dent once. Aujla aimed to hit the hattrick. He had won the 2017 bypolls and 2019 general polls with a mammoth margin of 2 lakh and one lakh votes, respectively. Yet this time, the opponents followed him very closely and the margin could be thin. AAP already has seven of the nine Assembly constituencies in its kitty. In addition, its candidate Dhaliwal is holding a ministerial berth. The maximum percentage of 66.03 per cent electoral turnout was from his home constituency Ajnala only. He fits to be a strong contender. Officers, who were posted in Ajnala and Attari belt polling station, said that AAP’s dominance was witnessed over there, followed by the Congress. The SAD and BJP contested ‘solo’ and division of votes would dent the prospects of either side, but pose good competition. Reports suggested that after the Sehajdhari Sikh community’s support, the BJP had managed the Sikh Mazhabi farm community in its favour too, well in advance. Otherwise, its presence was felt in urban areas. Though Sandhu faced several demonstrations by farmers during the poll campaign in rural areas, yet no farm union had opposed the BJP workers to set up their counters in the rural belt. On the other hand, the SAD’s popularity in the rural belt could not be denied, but lagged in the urban segments. Joshi’s hold in urban areas, owing to his estranged BJP cadre vote bank and his pro-farmers’ stand, could also not be ignored. Celebrations to be low key if candidate wins: Parties ‘Akhand path’ to mark Op Blue Star’s 40thanniversary GHALLUGHARA WEEK Tribune News Service Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 3 Even as makers of sweets are preparing to meet any big orders in the wake of the results of the Lok Sabha elections tomorrow, candidates of political parties are keeping their fingers crossed. Iqbal Singh Bhullar, incharge, AAP’s Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, said if their candidate Cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal wins tomorrow, then as per the directions of the Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh, they would not celebrate the victory as the Sikh community is observing Ghallughara Week. “We will celebrate the victory after the conclusion of the week,” he said. Today, local AAP leaders conducted a training workshop for party polling agents. Bhullar said about 125 polling agents would be deployed at the counting centres and arrangements for providing them with meals have been made. Maj (retd) Ravinder Singh Shergill, election coordinator of the SAD for Amritsar seat, A village of migrants, Kullian has 1,271 registered voters With election results to be out on Tuesday, sweet shops are getting bulk orders for sweets in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR said the party will not get involved in any kind of celebration in case their candidate former Cabinet minister Anil Joshi wins. He said as per the directions of the Akal Takht Jathedar, they would celebrate the occasion only moderately. A day before deploying them for counting duty, SAD leaders also held a meeting of party workers. BJP candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu said he was positive about the poll outcome tomorrow. He added that if elected, he would resolve four major demands of the residents of the border district, including tackling drug addiction, problem of sanitation, improvement in law and order besides creating employment opportunities. On making arrangements for tomorrow, he said the BJP was a disciplined party in which work was distributed among ‘ Karyakartas’. The BJP has pressed into service 10 to 12 of its polling agents for counting in nine assembly segments which fall in the Amritsar seat. Congress candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla also held a meeting of party workers who would be deployed at the counting centres. Amritsar, June 3 To mark the 40th anniversary of the Operation Blue Star, an ‘akhand path’ will commence from June 4 at the Akal Takht here. As per the orders issued by the Takht, the SGPC is conducting ‘martyrdom’ ceremonies on June 6 at the Takht as well as in different historical gurdwaras. Regarding the arrangements for these events, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami held a meeting with the SGPC officials at the head office here today. In this meeting, Dhami said, “The first week of June is unforgettable for the Sikh community. The wounds given to the Sikhs in June 1984 by the then Congress government have never healed.” He appealed to the sangat that according to the orders of the Takht, black turbans should be worn from June 4 to 6 and continuous chanting of Gurbani should be carried out at the Takht. Amritsar-bound HRTC bus gutted in fire after tyre burst Tribune News Service Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Khadoor Sahib, June 3 From a hamlet in Uttar Pradesh during the British era to the present village of Kullian near Majitha, it has been a story of grit and determination for migrants who have made this land their new home. The over 2,000 residents of the village at present are descendants of migrant workers brought by the British for the digging of Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC), lifeline of the present canal irrigation system, and to lay the railway tracks. Nirmala Devi, one of the residents who traces her origin to UP said, “Our ancestors were , the people who built the big canal and the tracks with their hands. While coming back from areas which are now in Pakistan after com- pleting work there, our ancestors chose to settle down here.” They made these shanties of grass which were called a ‘kulli’ , and hence, the name ‘Kullian’ was given to this settlement by the locals. Nirmala Devi has been the village Sarpanch for the last 10 years. Colloquially, the village is also known as ‘Bhaiyya da Pind’ as migrants from UP and Bihar are often referred to by the local population. Another resident Ram Aasre said, “Most residents of this village are descendants of migrants who started their journey from Pratapgarh and Allahabad area of UP Though . we are Scheduled Castes here, actually we are from a Rajput clan.” He said that their connection with UP nowadays is mostly to find a bride or groom for their children. Says Booth Level Officer (BLO) Amrit Lal who is also from the same village, “Usually, people marry their children in same caste. If we can find a match for them here, then it is good, but if not then we have relatives and connections in UP He said that in terms of .” politics, people of the village are more concerned about local issues and not what is happening in their native land. “We are completely localised now as we have been living here for at least six generations. Our young generations are not even aware of our roots,” he said. Amrit Lal said that the village has a total of 1,271 registered voters. “We do not have a school in our village and hence our polling booth has been set up in Daddupura village,” he said, adding that residents of the village cultivate nearly 200 acres of land and are into all professions. The mangled remains of the ill-fated car. GURBAXPURI Couple dies in mishap, close shave for son Tarn Taran, June 3 An elderly couple died while their son had a narrow escape on Sunday night in a road accident that took place on Tarn Taran-Patti road near Jandoke-Sarhali village. The deceased have been identified as Darshan Singh (65) and Rajwant Kaur (60), residents of Mohalla Bhullranwala, Patti. Their son Navtejbinder Singh was seriously injured in the accident. He was driving the car. The family was on their way back home in Patti in their car which collided with a truck loaded with a stonecrusher parked on the road near Jandoke Sarhali village. It then struck a roadside tree. The driver of the truck had not used any traffic light or indicator. Manjinder Singh, son of the deceased, said his father died on the spot while his mother died at a private hospital in Tarn Taran. The driver of the truck managed to flee the spot, leaving behind his loaded truck. Kanwalpreet Singh, Patti DSP said a , case had been registered against the unidentified driver of the truck by Sarhali police.—OC Amritsar, June 3 Around 20 passengers of a Himachal Pradesh Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus had a narrow escape when it suddenly caught fire near Khalchian on the JalandharAmritsar road today. The incident occurred when a tyre of the bus burst and the bus hit a roadside railing near Beas. The bus was coming from Hamirpur. Around 20 passengers, who were in the bus at that time, managed to jump out before the bus was completely engulfed in flames. Amritsar SSP Satinder Singh said no loss of life was reported. Two fire tenders from Jandiala Guru were immediately rushed to the spot to douse the fire. The incident led to the traffic chaos on the road. Driver of the bus Kashmir The HRTC bus which caught fire near Khalchian in Amritsar district on Monday. PK JAISWAR Chander, a resident of Budher village in Hamirpur, said he along with conductor Sunil Kumar started the journey for Amritsar around 10.30am. He said they were to reach Amritsar around 5.50pm. He said when they crossed Beas suddenly a front tyre of the bus burst. The bus collided with a roadside railing and caught fire. This led to panic among the passengers who broke the window panes and jumped out. Within no time the fire spread and the entire bus was gutted. Sawinderpal Singh, DSP , Baba Bakala, said the cops along with the fire brigade reached the spot in time. The traffic was also cleared from the spot. He said the luggage of the passengers was gutted in the fire. Youth held on charge Breach in Kasur Branch Lower inundates 1K acres BSF seizes 2 drones, narcotics from of attempt to murder Amritsar, Tarn Taran Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 3 The Ranjit Avenue police have arrested a youth and seized a country-made pistol from him, while his friend and the prime accused managed to flee. The arrested youth has been identified as Nitin Kumar (22) of Muradpura area on the Fatehgarh Churian road and his absconding friend as Rajvir Singh of Fatehgarh Churian. According to the police, both complainant and the absconding accused were relatives. It said raids were on to nab Rajvir. Rahul Kumar, the complainant, in his statement to the police said he had been in a relationship with a girl, Rajvir’s sister, for the past three years and they wanted to get married. Rajvir on coming to know about it started threatening Rahul and his family. He said yesterday Rajvir called his mother and threatened her. He said my mother told him that they were going to a restaurant in Ranjit Avenue and would meet his parents when they return. He said Rajvir and his friend Nitin also reached there, which led to a scuffle, following which Rajvir took out a pistol and threatened him. In the melee Nitin was caught and later handed over to the police. ASI Gurdial Singh, investigating officer, said an attempt to murder case had been registered against the duo and further probe was on. The water-logged fields at Lauhuka village in Tarn Taran district; and (R) the breach being repaired. Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, June 3 A breach occurred in Kasur Branch Lower (KBL) canal passing through the area near Jandoke Sarhali village. As a result, 1,000 acres of land in Lauhuka village have been inundated. Lakhwinder Singh, Junior Engineer, Canal Department, informed here today that the breach was noticed on Sunday and as many as 100 NREGA workers were requisitioned and rescue operations launched. Nachhattar Singh and Sukhchain Singh, president and senior vice-president of Kirti Kisan Union (KKU), said that the fields of farmers in which sowing (paneeri) of paddy, maize, green fodder, vegetable c m y b crops was to take place have been totally damaged. Water has also entered farmhouses. The farmer leaders said breach has become routine and it has been occurring regularly for the last three years at the same spot in the canal. They said that the canal was constructed in 1962 and needed repair because the lining and embankments had become GURBAXPURI weak. Junior Engineer Lakhwinder Singh said that the flow of water had stopped and with the completion of the work, water would be released shortly. A farmer, Jatinderpal Singh of Rasulpur, said the canal was not cleaned before releasing water and the crop residue create obstacles in the flow of water which cause a breach in the canal. Amritsar, June 3 The BSF has seized two drones and narcotics from the border areas of Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts today. During a search around 9.40 am, the BSF troops found a drone from an area ahead of the border fence adjacent to Attari village. The seized drone was identified as a China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic. In another incident, during patrolling on the outskirts of Daoke village in Amritsar district, the BSF troops seized 440gm of suspected heroin in a partially burnt condition. The narcotics were wrapped in a yellow adhesive tape. Similarly in Tarn Taran, the BSF seized a packet of heroin after a local villager informed the troops about the presence A drone and a packet found in Tarn Taran district on Monday. of a drone carrying a packet of suspected heroin. During the search, troops found a drone and a packet containing 537 gm of suspected heroin near the zero line on the outskirts of Mastgarh village in Tarn Taran district. The narcotics were wrapped in a packet with yellow adhesive tape. — TNS