10092024-ATR-01.qxd 9/9/2024 11:01 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune ACTIVIST ALLEGES IRREGULARITIES IN INSTALLING SOLAR LIGHTS IN CITY DRIVE BEGINS TO INCREASE LAND UNDER HORTICULTURE Questions raised over solar lights installed in the city. Contractors installed less lights & authorities allegedly paid more to them.P2 ~45 lakh plan of action prepared for Malerkotla under national scheme, says administration. P3 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY AMAR KAUSHIK, DIRECTOR OF STREE, HINTS AT A THREEQUEL Amar is not flattered by comparisons with Marvel Cinematic Universe. He says ‘let us be just what we are’. P4 » MAX 36°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.42 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:11 AM TUESDAY | 10 SEPTEMBER 2024 | AMRITSAR Doctors start indefinite strike, OPD suspended for 3 hours Man robbed of ~12K, cellphone Tarn Taran, September 9 Three armed miscreants robbed a person on gunpoint at Gehri village on Sunday. The robbers looted Rs 12,000 and mobile phone of the victim. The victim Jujbir Singh, a resident of Bhuse village, has a medical store in Gehri village. In his complaint to the Sarai Amanat Khan police, the victim said he was at his shop on Sunday evening when three robbers arrived there. One of the three robbers was wearing turban. Two robbers went inside shop while their third accomplice waited outside on a motorcycle with engine running. The two robbers looted cash and cellphone from the victim and fled from the spot on the bike with their accomplice. The victim said when he tried to chase robbers, they opened fire at him. ASI Narinder Singh said one of the robbers had been identified by the victim as Gurbir Singh, a resident of Sarai Amant Khan. The police recovered one empty cartridge from the spot. The ASI said the suspects had been booked under Sections 309 (4), 309 (6) and 311 of the BNS and Sections 25, 54, 59 and 59 of the Arms Act by the Sarai Amanat Khan police. He said raids were on to arrest Gurbir Singh. PHOTOS: VISHAL KUMAR Our Correspondent Members of the PCMS Association protest in Tarn Taran on Monday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI Patients wait outside the OPD entrance; and (right) members of the PCMS Association protest at the Amritsar Civil Hospital on Monday. Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 9 Patients at government hospitals faced lots of inconvenience as the Out Patient Department (OPD) services remained suspended for the first three hours of the day with the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) cadre initiating its indefinite strike from Monday. During the protest, doctors raised slogans against the state government and alleged that the ruling dispensation was running from fulfilling its promises. The protest being held under the banner of the PCMS Associa- Two held for robbery at mobile phone shop Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 9 The Anngarh police on Monday arrested two suspects, who had looted Rs 40,000 from a mobile phone repair shop, near the Bhagtanwala grain market at gunpoint five days ago. The police have recovered the looted amount, besides a stolen scooter (bearing registration number PB63D4724) from their possession. Those arrested were identified as Karandeep Singh, alias Gola, a resident of Mehta Road in Maqboolpura and Akashdeep Singh, a resident of Mulechak village. Vishaljit Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Docs stage dharna in Tarn Taran, abstain from duties in first half Police (ADCP), said Harpreet Singh, a resident of the Kartar Nagar area in Chheharta, told the police that three bikeborne persons with covered faces came to his shop and looted Rs 40,000 cash at pistol point from him. The police registered a case under Sections 304 (2), 3 (5) and 317(2) the BNS and the Arms Act against unknown persons on the basis of Harpreet's complaint. The ADCP said raids were on to nab their third accomplice. The suspects were produced in a court and brought on police remand, he added. More cases were likely to be cracked during their further interrogation, he said. Our Correspondent Harike, Khemkaran and Valtoha and at the primary health centres in the district (PHCs). Several medical officers participated in the districtlevel dharna at the local civil hospital. PCMS district president Dr Surinder Kumar, Dr Sukhjinder Singh, Dr Jaspreet Singh Patti, Dr Jatinder Singh, Dr Rajbir Singh, Dr Jatinder Kaur and other leaders of the association addressed protesters on the occasion. In their respective address, they condemned the state government for not providing security to medical officers at their place of duty. The leaders stressed on promotions of tion witnessed impressive participation of doctors. Apart from Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial (JBMM) Civil Hospital in the city, the services for the general public were also affected at the Bakala Civil Hospital and the Ajnala Civil Hospital, community health centres (CHCs), primary health centres (PHCs), and outpatient opioid assisted treatment (OOAT) centres across the district. PCMSA Amritsar president Dr Sumitpal Singh said, “As there are no avenues for promotion, doctors are seeking revival of assured career progression which ensures time to time promotions for medical professionals.” He said the government had suspended the scheme as it did not want to pay doctors their rightful dues. Dr Madhur Poddar said incidents of violence against medical professionals were being reported daily, but the government seemed to be indifferent. “After the boisterous claims to enhance security, the government functionaries are not even working in this regard,” Dr Singh said, while adding that women employees at the CHCs in far off areas feared for their life and dignity during their night shifts. The protesting doctors also ~2.72 cr sanctioned for construction of 4 gates at Ramdas Five held with heroin, ~8.5L drug money, pistols Amritsar, September 9 The state government had sanctioned Rs 2.72 crore for the construction of four entry gates at Ramdas township near here, said Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Monday. Dhaliwal said the township associated with Baba Budha ji was being developed as large number of devotees from across the globe visit holy shrines here. He said four entry gates would be constructed on each road leading to the township. He said each gate would have a beautiful canopy which would be major attraction for visitors. Dhaliwal said link roads connecting the town to nearby areas would also being reconstructed and widened. — TNS Amritsar, September 9 The CIA staff of Amritsar (Rural) police have arrested two Ferozepur residents among five cross-border smugglers and recovered Rs 8.5 lakh drug money along with two pistols and 160gm of heroin from their possession. The contraband and weapons were smuggled from Pakistan through drone. The suspects had already sold a major portion of the contraband before they were caught by the police following a tip-off. Sources in the Police Department said during the last 15 days, the suspects smuggled around 1.5kg of contraband from Pakistan. Those arrested were identified as Sukhchain Singh, Sukhpal Singh and Navdeep Singh, all residents of Daoke border village, Sukhbir Singh and Rahul, alias Nikku, both residents of Basti Khalia in Ferozepur district. Charanjit Singh, SSP Amrit, sar (Rural), confirmed the seizure and arrest of drug traffickers. He said while Oman government releases ~31.34L financial aid to accident victim’s family boycotted elective surgeries, medical examinations, reporting of various government schemes, official meetings and various other administrative assignments. The PCMSA has announced that it would intensify the protest after September 11 if the government failed to accept their demands. Association leaders said OPD services would be completely shutdown from September 12. Meanwhile, patients faced inconvenience as most of them were not aware of the strike. “Poor patients, who cannot afford to go to private hospitals, would face big trouble if the protest continues,” said Raj Kumar, a patient. Tarn Taran, September 9 On the first day of the indefinite strike call given by the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMS) for abstaining from the OPD duties in the first half, doctors staged a dharna here today. Hundreds of patients, who were unaware of the strike, faced harassment while they waited outside rooms of doctors at the local civil hospital. The same scenario was witnessed at the sub-division civil hospitals in Khadoor Sahib and in Patti, besides at the community health centres in Chabal, Kasel, Ghariala, PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service The suspects in custody of the police in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR patrolling from Khurmania village to Boparai village, the police got specific information from an informer that Sukhchain Singh was in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers and had recently got smuggled a contraband and weapons through their accomplices from across the border. The SSP said Sukhchain along with his accomplices used to supply drug in Amritsar and the adjoining areas. The suspects were travelling in a car (bearing registration number PB-05-AQ-3350) and on a bike (bearing registration number PB-02-A-1042) on the road heading from Khasa to Ramtirath via Khurmania link road, the SSP said. Immediately, police teams laid a naka, intercepted the suspects and recovered heroin, pistols, drug money and four mobile phones from the suspects, the SSP added. The car and bike used by the suspects was impounded, the SSP said. A .32 bore pistol without magazine and a .30 bore pistol also without magazine and barrel were seized from the suspects, the SSP said. The SSP said Sukhchain already had two cases of the NDPS registered against him. One was registered by the Narcotics Control Bureau, he added. Rahul had one case registered against him, the SSP said. Sukhbir had a murder case registered against him in Ferozepur, the SSP said. A case under relevant sections of the NDPS Act and the Arms Act was registered against the five suspects. They were produced before a court and brought on sevenday police remand for further probe to establish their backward and forward links. medical officers and demanded that doctors be given assured career progression (ACP). They said if neighbouring states of Delhi and Haryana could give the ACP to doctors then why the Punjab Government could not do so. They said well-qualified doctors were planning to move to other states which provided better employment opportunities. Doctors distributed pamphlets among patients and apprised them about problems of medical professionals. The leaders warned to intensify their protest in case the government failed to accept their genuine demands. Rly staff reunite boy found alone in train with family Amritsar, September 9 The ticket checking staff of the Mumbai Central-Amritsar Paschim Express have reunited a teenager travelling alone in the train with his family in Ludhiana. The incident occurred last night when the train was coming from Mumbai Central to Amritsar, its final destination. Before Phagwara railway station, chief ticket inspector (CTI) Manoj Chauhan found a 14-year-old boy travelling alone in an airconditioned coach A2. On being questioned, the boy confessed that he was travelling alone without taking permission from his family. Giving details of his family, he told Chauhan names of his family members and his father’s contact number. The boy said he had an argument with his family and walked out of his home without telling anyone. Showing their wisdom, the ticket checking staff handed over the child to the Railway Protection Force in Phagwara. The child’s parents expressed gratitude to ticket checking staff for reuniting them with their son. —TNS Batala cops restart fight against crime, suspend 150 arms licences Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Minister Kuldeep Dhailwal hands over a cheque to the family of a man who died in an accident in Oman. Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 9 Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Dhailwal on Monday handed over an insurance compensation to the family of Sukhdeep Singh, a resident of Jhanjoti village, who died in an accident in Oman three years ago. The compensation worth Rs 31.34 lakh was released by the Oman government. While handing over cheque to the aggrieved family, Dhaliwal said Sukhdeep died in a road accident in Oman in 2021. He said the Punjab Government was continuously in touch with the Oman Government through the Central Government for the release of the compensation to the victim’s family. The minister said he would try to arrange a government job for Sukhdeep’s wife. Dhaliwal said he would write to the Chief Minister in this connection. He said the Punjab Government was determined to protect rights of the people working in foreign countries. Various issues regarding NRIs were being settled on priority basis, he added. Batala, September 9 Batala has earned the dubious distinction of being the “crime capital” of Punjab. In its endeavour to shrug off this rather dishonourable tag and also to bring down the crime rate, the police have suspended 150 arms licences. This has been done based on an elaborate exercise carried out in recent weeks aimed at checking the past criminal record and reputation of arms owners. Persistent glorification of guns at public places suggested that Punjab was increasingly becoming a battleground for a narrative that entwined mas- c m y b FIRs TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION In the first phase, during which 150 licences were suspended, the police took cognisance of people, who had FIRs under Section 307 (attempt to murder), registered against them. Likewise, licences of four weapon owners were suspended, who had a murder case registered against them. Licences of 48 arms owners were put on hold for violating the Arms Act and of other 17 for causing hurt. culinity and guns. This narrative often led to violence. Keeping this in view, the Batala police launched this special initiative. With the crime file getting thicker with every passing day, SSP Suhail Qasim Mir launched a drive wherein in the first phase people, who had FIRs registered against them, were asked to surrender their licences. Till now, the police have collected 125 weapons. The work is in progress and more weapons would be collected in the next few days. The police have forwarded cases to Deputy Commissioner (DC) Uma Shankar Gupta for permanent cancellation of licences. The DC, on his part, has sent show-cause notices asking owners why their licences should not be cancelled. The mandatory time period to reply to notice is 15 days. Sources say this time period is on the verge of elapsing and not many had filed their replies. If owners failed to reply, the Batala police would initiated next step of permanently cancelling their licences. In Punjab, acquiring a licence to possess a weapon is a touchy and an emotional issue. The acquisition process starts from the DC, who signs a file, after which several departments are involved, including the Health Department which takes the mandatory dope test of an owner, before a licence is issued to him/her. Several DCs claimed that they were pressured by ministers to sign files. AAP halqa in-charges and local ruling party satraps are also known to have asked the DCs to sign files. In Batala, the crime rate has been showing an uneasy increase. The police opine that if a person is dispossessed of his/her gun, the chances of committing a crime by him/her are almost negligible. SSP Suhail Qasim said, “This is a crucial step towards reducing gun-related violence and also to enhance public safety.”