20082024-ATR-01.qxd 8/19/2024 10:43 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune MUSICAL FOUNTAIN BECOMES MOSQUITO BREEDING HOTSPOT ABOHAR YOUTH AMONG 3 HELD WITH 6-KG HEROIN In 6-kg heroin dropping case, Rajasthan Police have now arrested two youths from Fazilka along with a local youth.P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 34°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 28°C MIRZA: WE HAVE OVERSHOT EARTH’S RESOURCES… The stagnant water in the defunct musical fountain pool has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. P3 FORECAST Dia Mirza said we highlighted to the world that we had overshot resources the Earth provides for all of us. P4 » » SUNSET TUESDAY 7.08 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5.59 AM » TUESDAY | 20 AUGUST 2024 | AMRITSAR 60-yr-old woman found murdered at home in Beas GMC resident docs write to minister, seek security audit Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 19 A woman, identified as Raj Rani (60), was found murdered at her house in Rohi Colony at Sawan Singh Nagar, Beas, here on Sunday. The incident came to light when a resident of the area found blood coming out of the entrance gate of the house. The man immediately alerted the police. On reaching the spot, the police got the gates, locked from outside, opened. Sub-Inspector Sardool Singh, investigating officer, said the victim was alone at home as her husband Ramesh Kumar, who retired from the canal and irrigation department, had gone to his ancestral village at Nangal. He said the victim’s hands and legs were tied to the cot while she was apparently strangled with some wire. She also had injury marks on her head as she was hit with some blunt weapon. “The police received information about the murder from Baljit Singh who had come to the area for some work. The house was locked from outside while the rooms continued on page 2 Also demand CCTV surveillance linked with central control room Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Members of the district unit of the Old Pension Front during a protest in Amritsar on Monday. Front launches protest, wants old pension scheme restored Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 19 The district committee of the Old Pension Receipt Front Punjab, Amritsar, under the joint chairmanship of Majha Zone convener Gurbinder Singh Khaira and district convener Sukhjinder Singh Jabowal began a fortnight protest “Freedom from NPS”, a movement against the new pension scheme by wearing black robes at Sector 17 during the assembly session. The front, which includes government employees and pensioners, also issued showcause notices to the MLAs for backtracking on the promise of revival of the Old Pension Scheme in Punjab on the lines of Himachal Pradesh. It also announced a three-day march in Sangrur in the beginning of October this year. Sukhjinder Singh Jabbowal said the AAP-led state government had made a promise during the election to implement the Old P Scheme against the BJP-led Central Government’s New Pension Scheme. “NPS has proved to be a complete failure in protecting the interests of employees. So, the revival of the old pension scheme was expected, but the state government’s breach of promise has now forced us to announces a three-day For survival provincial “Pension Receipt Morcha” in Sangrur from October 1 to 3,” he said. “Show-cause notices” will be issued to mobilise this front and to hold ministers and MLAs accountable on the old pension issue. “If the bypoll is announced in these days, this three-day march will be held in Barnala and Chabewal and the government will be surrounded on the issue of pension in the elections,” he said. “Instead of opening GPF accounts by stopping deduction, they are continuing to participate in the new pension scheme, which is a big fraud with the employees,” said Gurbinder Singh Khairah. Amritsar, August 19 In the wake of the recent rape-murder case in a Kolkata, hospital, the resident doctors at Government Medical College here have demanded security audit on campus, installation of CCTVs and alarms, formation of grievance cell, security monitoring committees with participation of stakeholders and registration of FIRs within six hours. In a letter written to the Medical Education and Research Minister, Punjab, the Union of Resident Doctors of Punjab (URDP) has demanded that a detailed security audit be conducted at all campuses and increase the number of adequately trained security personnel, particularly in wards and emergency areas. Dr Prabhsimran Singh Boparai, general secretary, URDP said, “We have , requested that efforts A private security guard on duty at the gate of Government Medical College and Hospital in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR should be made to raise a dedicated security force (hospital security force) on the lines of Sadak Suraksha Force (SSF) as handling of sensitive situations require trained manpower.” The resident doctors have also demanded extensive and thorough CCTV surveillance linked with a central control room in the campuses and fixing of responsibility in case of any security lapse. It has further advocated need for installation of an Alarm system in emergency areas as well as wards to enable instant raising of alarm in any threatening situation. Dr Shivanshee, a resident doctor at GMC, said, “We demand that orders be issued regarding filing of institution- al FIRs in any case of violence against healthcare professional within a span of six hours.” She said at present, FIRs are registered after much delay and even complaints have to be filed by medical professionals. She said institutes should file complaints on behalf of their employees. The URDP has also demanded fully functional doctor duty rooms with bathroom stating that these are a prerequisite to ensure the safety of resident doctors, particularly those on night duties. The union has pointed out the presence of multiple unregulated entry and exit points stating that these allow miscreants to sneak in and out without being detected. Dr Boparai said the establishment of a grievance portal at the level of Secretary or Director Research and Medical Education is required as complaints submitted at the college level are hushed up by college authorities one way or another. After city airport, hoax bomb call 24-year-old attacked at VR Ambarsar shopping mall with iron rod, dies PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service A differently abled toy vendor’s son helps him in pulling a makeshift cart he is riding and selling toys in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Amritsar, August 19 Two days after a hoax bomb call was received at Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport, a bomb threat was received at VR Ambarsar (Trillium) shopping mall located on Circular Road here on Monday evening. Nevertheless, it was later found to be another hoax call though the police carried out all security protocols by searching the shopping mall. “Teams of Armed Reserve Police (ARP), bomb and dog squad besides anti-sabotage were pressed into service and a search operation was carried out,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Satvir Singh Atwal. The police got the threat call via an e-mail at police control room at around 4 pm. The sender said bombs were planted at different places in the shopping mall. “The police teams found nothing suspicious anywhere in the mall during the search operation,” said the DCP while urging the people not to panic. He said the police did not want to spread fear among the people who came there, and the search operation was therefore carried out in such a way that it did not create panic. He also warned against spreading misleading information in the social media. He said investigations were in progress to identify the sender and subsequently arrest him. Two days ago, a similar mail was received by the Airport Authority of India with threats of bombs having been planted at the airport here. During probe, the police had arrested a Ferozepur resident Gurdev Singh in this connection. Further investigations were underway in the case. Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, August 19 A member of a migrant family died when he was attacked by his neighbour with an iron rod. These families had migrated from Bhadra (Rajasthan) and were residing at Ramdev Colony (Muradpur). ASI Sukhdev Singh from the local city police said that the deceased has been identified as Sanju (24), son of Jagdish. The police have booked Sanju, his brothers Mirja, Shambhu and Subash of the same locality. Both the sides were involved in a quar- rel two days back and the elders of the colony pacified them both. But when the deceased along with his brother Gopi was taking a walk after meals near their colony, the accused attacked them with an iron rod. As a result, Sanjhu (24) collapsed and was brought to the local Civil Hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. Police said that a case under Section 103 (1) and 3 (5) of BNS has been registered in this regard. The accused are absconding and the police was conducting raids on their possible hide-outs. Two teenage girls BJPveterancontinuesherRakshaBandhan Complainant turns abducted, six booked tradition, ties rakhis to BSF personnel out to be accused in 3-day-oldrobberycase Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, August 19 Reports have been received of two teenage girls being abducted from different places. Cases have been registered in this regard on Sunday by the police station concerned. In one of the incidents, two women among five have been booked by the Patti Sadar police in the case of abduction of a 15-year-old girl. In the other case, Tarn Taran Sadar police have booked one person from Mal Chack village. ASI Gurmeet Singh of Patti Sadar police said that the accused have been identified as Akash Singh, his brother Harpal Singh and Gursahib Singh, residents of Margindpura, Aman Kaur, sister of Akash and his niece Kajal Kaur, a resident of Toot village who in connivance with each other, abducted a teenage girl from Toot on the night of August 1. A case under Section 137 (2) , 96 and 61 (1) of the BNS has been registered against the accused. In another instance, a teenage girl was abducted from Alawalpur village four days back by one Gaivi Singh of Mal Chack (Goindwal Sahib). ASI Satnam Singh said that the accused has been booked under Section 137 (2) and 96 of BNS by the Sadar Police, Tarn Taran. Youth dies in road mishap Amritsar, August 19 Tragedy struck a family after a youth identified as Manpreet Singh lost his life when an unknown speeding vehicle hit his bike near the Golden Gate here today. Manpreet Singh was going to pay obeisance at Baba Bakala Sahib on the occasion of Rakharpuniya festival. He died on the spot due to a critical head injury. The family members were inconsolable. He had recently got the visa continued on page 2 Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 19 Continuing her annual Raksha Bandhan tradition, former Punjab Health Minister and BJP veteran from Amritsar, Laxmi Kanta Chawla along with a number of girl students today celebrated the festival by tying rakhi threads on the wrists of BSF jawans at the Attari-Wagah joint check-post here. Chawla has followed this practice since 1969 and this year, she also included women BSF officers posted at Attari in the celebrations as she put a symbolic red thread around their neck. Children of various schools and colleges presented a cultural programme at the joint checkpost to mark the occasion. “I wait for this festival the entire year. I started this practice 56 years ago, when hardly anywhere in the country, rakhi was tied to soldiers guarding our nation’s frontiers. Today, many people and young students have joined me in this practice. It is also done in Jharkhand, Poonch, Hussainiwala, Ajnala, Khemkaran, Bhikhiwind and Dera Baba Former minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla ties a rakhi to a BSF jawan on Raksha Bandhan at Attari near Amritsar on Monday. VISHAL KUMAR Nanak border areas,” she said. Chawla said that for her, the festival is not just about brother-sister bond, but a symbol of her faith in the country’s soldiers to protect its citizens. As a student, Chawla had closely witnessed the 1965 Indo-Pakistan war. During the 1971 war, she worked in civil defence and looked after the injured soldiers. “I started this tradition when I was a teacher and even during the days of militancy, when only CRPF men c m y b were seen in the streets of Amritsar, rakhi was tied to the personnel sitting in various camps on Raksha Bandhan,” she said. She also tied rakhi to the DGP of Punjab, KPS Gill, during that time. A senior BSF official said that the festive ritual fills the jawans with a positive spirit. “Chawla ma’am has been coming here to celebrate the festival with jawans for many years and now the border brims with festivities on Raksha Bandhan. I feel that this festival is not just about celebrating the brother-sister bond but also celebrating the love one has for our country and the pledge we take as citizens to protect it against any harm,” he said. Volunteers of Pratishtha Yuva Sangathan too celebrated this festival by tying rakhis to Border Security Force jawans. Conducted by chief guest SS Chandel, Deputy Inspector General, Amritsar sector, Border Security Force representatives participated in the celebrations. Rehabilitation and Settlement Organisation (RASO) chief Kamaljit Kaur Gill, also joined in celebrating the festival by tying rakhi to BSF jawans at Attari border. Teachers of Holy Heart Presidency School also joined the rakhi-tying team under the guidance of Director Anjana Seth. Said Kamaljit Kaur Gill, “By tying rakhi to our BSF jawan brothers, who come from all corners of the country and are engaged in its defence, we pray for their safety.” Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 19 In a new twist to the robbery incident in which two persons had looted a man in Guru Ram Das Avenue locality three days ago, investigation by police revealed that the ‘victim’ had planned the robbery with his friend and his son. The police have arrested the teenage son of the suspect while the complainant and his friend are absconding. Vinod Sharma, Station House Officer (SHO), Sadar police station, said the arrest of ‘complainant’ Rajan Kumar, allegedly a quack, would throw some light on the exact cause behind the incident. The police have nominated Rajan’s friend Manjot Singh, a resident of New Pawan Nagar area (he is also a quack), in the case. Raids were on to nab them. “The police were suspicious of the crime since day one as the ‘robbers’ came on foot and left the house on foot. The police scanned the CCTV cameras and found an e-rickshaw on which the accused fled. This led the police to Manjot Singh,” said Vinod Sharma. Rajan Kumar had told the police that two armed robbers had decamped with gold weighing around 250 gm, ~10,000 cash and a mobile phone at gunpoint from the house. He told the police that he was alone at home when the accused came and said that they had come to update the WiFi. He said when he asked for their identity cards, they asked for water. He said while he went to bring the water, the accused followed him and pointed a pistol at him. The SHO said the police also recovered the cloths, caps, masks and toy gun from Manjot’s residence. These were provided to them by Rajan. He said efforts were on to arrest the duo.