25072024-ATR-01.qxd 7/24/2024 10:54 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY AIR COMMODORE JACOB INSPECTS SAINIK SCHOOL FRENCH MUSEUM ISSUES COINS IN HONOUR OF SHAH RUKH KHAN PUNJABI ACTRESS SARA GURPAL ATTENDS AN EVENT IN MOHALI Air Commodore S Jacob, Inspecting Officer, Sainik Schools Society, paid a two-day visit to Sainik School. P2 The Grevin Museum in the French capital has honoured Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan with a set of gold coins. P4 MAX 35°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 26°C Sara Gurpal, who was in Mohali for an event, says it’s a challenge to jump from one language to another in various projects.P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 7.31 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:42 AM » THURSDAY | 25 JULY 2024 | AMRITSAR Trader duped of ~20 lakh Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 24 An unidentified suspect duped a local tea trader of Rs 20 lakh by posing as an Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official from Mumbai. The complainant, identified as Ramesh Kumar Mehra, a resident of the Rani Ka Bagh area, told the police that a month ago he got a call from unknown person who introduced himself as CBI official. The complainant said the CBI official threatened to implicate him in a false case, if he did pay Rs 20 lakh to him. Fearing implication in a false case, the complainant paid the amount to the suspect. The cybercrime police station registered a case and initiated further probe into the matter. Girl molested Tarn Taran, July 24 A girl was molested on Monday when she was on her way back home from school. Inspector Jaswinder Kaur recorded the statement of the victim’s mother. She said the victim was on her way back home when Kulwinder Singh molested her. The suspect was booked under Section 74 of the BNS and Section 8 of POCSO Act. The police are conducting raids to nab the suspect. — OC Five drug peddlers arrested, heroin, pistols recovered Amritsar, July 24 The police have arrested five drug peddlers and recovered 1.575 gram of heroin and a pistol in three separate incidents here yesterday. In the first case, the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA-1) arrested three drug peddlers from the areas under the Sultanwind police station and recovered 500 grams of heroin and .32 bore pistol from their possession. The arrested suspects were identified as Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi (22), of Kakuwala village in Ferozepur district, Kuljinder Singh (24) of Fatewala village of Ferozepur district, and Jodhbir Singh, alias Jodha (21), of Gumanpura village under the Gharinda police station. Inspector Amandeep Singh, in-charge, CIA staff-1, Amritsar, said a police team led by ASI Manjinder Singh got a tip-off from reliable sources that a person identified as Gurpreet Singh was waiting for client in Silver Estate of the Sultanwind area to deliver heroin. The police raided the spot and seized 500 gram of heroin from him. Gurpreet was presented in a court and brought on two-day police remand. During interrogation, he confessed to his crime and named two other accomplices, Kuljinder Singh and Jodhbir Singh, alias Jodha. The CIA staff raided their hideouts and arrested them with a .32 bore pistol and two cartridges. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against the three suspects in this regard. In another case, the Gate Hakima police nabbed drug peddler Abhishek Kumar of Dhappai and and recovered 508 gram of heroin from him, said Inspector Manjit Kaur, SHO, Gate Hakima police station. In the third incident in the Chheharta area, the police arrested Sukhdev Singh, alias Manga, a resident of Kotli Dasonda village in Amritsar district and recovered 567 gram of heroin from him. — TNS Union Govt ignored holy city in Budget, rue residents Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 24 A large number of city residents are unhappy with the Narendra Modi-led Union Government’s Budget as they feel that the ruling dispensation at the Centre completely ignored Punjab in general and Amritsar in particular. Kulwant Singh Ankhi, a retired principal, said, “The city of the Golden Temple is considered religious and cultural capital of Punjab. Despite this, the city has been fully ignored in the Union Budget.” He requested the Prime Minister to shun the political narrow mindedness and sanction a special economic package for Amritsar, the border district. He recalled that Arun Jaitley had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 General Elections from Amritsar against Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh. After the NDA formed government at the Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi elevated Jaitley to Union Finance Minister, he said. Jaitley did not harbour any grudge against city residents even after setback in the Lok Sab- ❝ The city of the Golden Temple is considered religious and cultural capital of Punjab. Despite this, the city has been fully ignored in the Union Budget. Arun Jaitley unsuccessfully contested the 2014 General Elections, but he fulfilled many promises made in run-up to polls. ❞ Kulwant Singh Ankhi, RETIRED PRINCIPAL ha elections, he said. He fulfilled many promises made in the run-up to the elections, said Ankhi. During his maiden Budget speech in parliament in the year 2014, Jaitley had given a go ahead to establishment of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the holy city and approved setting up of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Punjab, he said. Although Jaitley wanted an AIIMS in Amritsar too, but the medical institute was diverted to Bathinda, rued Ankhi. During the next Budget session in ❝ BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu Samundri had promised to develop the holy city during his campaigning in run-up to elections. He even promised to make efforts to resume international trade with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Middle East countries via Attari Wagah border. ❞ Dr Charanjit Singh Gumtala, RESIDENT 2015, Jaitley had given approval to set up the Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and Education at Attari village in Amritsar. In the 2016 Union Budget, Jaitley allocated Software Technology Park for Amritsar. Its campus is coming up at Industrial Focal Point, Vallah. Residents say BJP’s Lok Sabha candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu Samundri, a close aide of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, should not keep any grudge for the debacle he suffered in the polls. They say Samundri should focus on developing Amritsar as the most clean, green and safe city on the pattern of Indore, which is considered the cleanest city of the country. Another resident Dr Charanjit Singh Gumtala said Samundri had promised to develop the holy during his campaigning in the run-up to elections. He said the BJP candidate had even promised to make efforts to resume international trade with Pakistan, Afghanistan and Middle East countries via Attari-Wagah border. He had asserted to make the cargo terminal of Sri Guru Ram Das Ji international Airport fully functional so that the yield of farmers could be exported to fetch more prices. Samundri also promised to establish more skill development centres so that more and more Matriculate and twelfth pass-outs could earn their livelihood easily and shun the trend of migrating to other countries. The farming community, industrialists, businessmen and social workers of the city were expecting a special economic package, but were disappointed when Amritsar was not even mentioned in the Budget. On the other hand Bihar and Andhra Pradesh were gifted special economic packages. Passengers wait for trains at the Amritsar railway station on Wednesday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR No clarity on train fare, no rebate irks passengers, senior citizens Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 24 Seven years after the Indian Government ended 92-yearold practice of presenting a separate Railway Budget in 2017, several citizen-centric demands, which are pending, are yet to be raised again. Commuters often reason with Railway officials about exact fare of different categories for train travel, introduction of new trains and expansion of those which are already running. Now, the entire Rail Budget is summed up in a compact speech with no clarity on train ticket fare. Senior ❝ The Union Cabinet approved merger of the separate Rail Budget with the General Budget in 2016. This decision snatched the opportunity from the common people to read in depth reports on expansion plans for trains and Budget’s thrust areas for the year ahead. ❞ Narinder Singh, CITY RESIDENT citizens are no longer offered rebate for travelling by train. Narinder Singh, a city resi- dent, said the Union Cabinet had approved merger of the separate Rail Budget with the General Budget in 2016. He said the decision snatched the opportunity from the common people to read in depth reports on expansion plans for trains, Budget’s thrust areas for the year ahead and safety measures to be adopted for passengers, trains and Railway installations. Surinder Singh, a senior citizen, said the Central Government should acquire modern technology, improve meals in trains and add new features for the convenience of passengers in trains. Gangrape victim’s father alleges Aujla slams Centre for ignoring Punjab lapses in probe, approaches court Tribune News Service PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 24 Though the three new criminal laws replacing the British-era laws came into force from July 1 in the country with an aim to modernise and reform India’s criminal justice system by incorporating various new provisions, old fashioned ways of investigations of the Punjab Police are creating hurdles in delivering of speedy justice. Investigations carried out in a gangrape case registered with the Division B police station earlier this year is glaring example of such lapses. The police investigations in the case have come under scanner with the victim’s father approaching the local court for seeking a probe from senior woman police officer. Earlier, the case was being handled by a male ASI-rank official. In his application to the court the victim’s father pointed out various lapses in investigations carried out by the police so far. He even accused the investigating officer of being in cahoots with some accused for NEW SECTIONS ADDED IN CASE The incident had occurred in November last year while an FIR in the case was registered by the police in February this year. After the complainant approached the court on July 15, the police added several other Sections against the accused in the case. fabricating evidence in order to save their skin. The incident had occurred in November last year while an FIR in the case was registered by the police in February this year. The case was registered under Section 376-D (gangrape) of the IPC and Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). Later, Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the Indian Penal Code was added in the FIR. After the complainant approached the court on July 15, the police added several other Sections including Section 509 (insulting modesty of a woman), 188 (violation of orders of public servant) and 34 (common intention) of the IPC against the accused in the case. The police had arrested two youth Mankirat Singh and Gursahilpreet Singh, both residents of Ajnala, while the remaining accused were yet to be apprehended. The victim’s father alleged that Harpreet Singh and Ankuj Kumar were yet to be arrested in the case. Harpreet used to run a hotel where the incident occurred. He also alleged that the hotel and its building was illegal. He said the car in which the accused took her daughter to the said hotel was not impounded by the police. He alleged that cops used the same car used in the crime to take arrested accused to jail. Moreover, the police also failed to send mobile phones of the accused for forensic examination. The victim’s father alleged that he was also being pressurised and getting threats from unscrupulous elements. Amritsar, July 24 Lok Sabha MP from the city Gurjeet Singh Aujla has slammed the Centre for ignoring Punjab in the Union Budget and doling out funds to poll-bound Bihar and Andhra Pradesh. He said the Budget was silent over waiving of Rs 31,000 crore loan taken by Punjab to fight terrorism. Comparing the Narendra Modi government's 2024 Budget with that of the erstwhile Dr Manmohan Singh-led Congress govern- ❝ The Budget is silent over waiving of ~31,000 crore loan taken by Punjab to fight terrorism. The allocation to the education sector has come down from 4.7 per cent of the entire Budget to 2.8 per cent. Similarly, allocation of funds to the health sector has also been curtailed. Gurjeet Singh Aujla, LOK SABHA MP ❞ ment, he said allocation to the education sector had come down from 4.7 per cent of the entire Budget to 2.8 per cent. Similarly, allocation of funds to the health sector was also curtailed, said Aujla. Thankfully, he said the government had now accepted that unemployment was rising in the country. So, it sanctioned funds to resolve the problem. On the issue of farming, Aujla said the government once again ignored the MSP guarantee on crops. He said the government was spending Rs 31,000 for importing pulses and cereals and another 1.35 lakh crore on import of edible oil. However, when it comes to paying farmers, the government was shying away. Aujla said the demands of AIIMS for Amritsar and a package for the border area industry remainded unmet. He demanded that the Cenral Government should establish industrial parks in big cities of Punjab. Cabinet Minister Dhaliwal flays Budget Amritsar, July 24 Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who unsuccessfully contested from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat as the AAP candidate, termed the Union Budget as one of the worst in the Indian history. “This Budget has nothing for farmers. The government has waived off loans of more than Rs 20 lakh crore of corporate houses without any provision in the Budget, but it is facing difficulty in waiving off Rs 90,000 crore loan of farmers, who are ❝ Punjab is tired of demanding its rightful share from the Central Government for the past two-and-a-half years. Even today, the Central Government is not giving the Punjab Government its rightful share of ~9,000 crore, nor it is making any provision in the Budget for the development of the state. ❞ Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, CABINET MINISTER fighting for their rights. Youth with degrees are roaming on streets,” Dhaliwal said. “Small private companies have been sidelined in the Budget. The Modi government prepared the entire Budget only for the top five to six corporate houses,” he said. He further said, “Punjab is tired of demanding its rightful share from the Central Government for the past two-and-a-half years. Lakhs of Punjabis send their hard-earned tax money to the Central Government with a hope that it would give Punjab its rightful share. Even today, the Central Government is not giving the Punjab Government its rightful share of Rs 9,000 crore, nor it is making any provision in the Budget for the development of the state.” — TNS Extortion racket busted, one arrested, weapon recovered Commission listens to grievances of kids Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 24 With the arrest a youth, the Amritsar (Rural) police today claimed to have busted an extortion racket operating from foreign shores. The arrested suspect was identified as Amardeep Singh of Meharbanpura village in Jandiala Guru. The police seized a .30 bore pistol along with five bullets from his possession. SSP Satinder Singh said the suspect had fired outside a private hospital in Jandiala Guru and at residence of a commission agent earlier this month. Following his interrogation, the police identified his five accomplices, all residents of Jandiala Guru. They were identified as Sarwan Bhola, who originally hailed from Hawelian village, and Maan Singh, of Meharbanpura village, now residing in the USA. They had formed a nexus to run an extortion racket. Among others, who are part of the racket include Iqbal Singh Raja, Kahan Singh Kanha and Akashdeep Singh, all residents of Meharbanpura village. While Akashdeep was in jail, raids were on to nab remaining two accomplices who had been evading arrest. According to the police, Amardeep and his accomplices had fired outside the residence of a commission agent on July 5. The complainant, Kuldeep Singh, who c m y b also has a rice sheller, told the police that he had received a call on his WhatsApp number. The caller had demanded an extortion of Rs 1 crore. Kuldeep said initially he did not take it seriously. But on July 5, two bike-borne armed persons with covered faces fired around four gunshots at his residence, said Kuldeep. Similarly, on July 13, armed persons fired outside a private hospital in Jandiala Guru. The police had registered separate cases in this connection. The SSP said Akashdeep would be brought on production warrant for interrogation. Bholla and Maan Singh were hiring local youth by luring them to give a share from the extorted amount. They were providing youth arms for firing outside their targets residences, the SSP said. He said extortion money was transferred into accounts of family members of the suspects. “We are looking into financial trail in the case,” the SSP added. Amritsar, July 24 During a visit to the city here on Wednesday, Dr Divya Gupta, member of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said a special bench to address grievances of children was organised at the Community Centre in Ranjit Avenue. She said several complaints of violation of child rights related to the district were taken up by the bench. On the occasion, Punjab State Commission For Protection Of Child Rights Chairman Kanwardeep Singh said strict action would be taken against those who engage in child labour. He instructed officials to organise maximum number of camps to make people aware of child rights. A large number of children from across the district attend the camp with their parents. — TNS
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