21022025-ATR-01.qxd 2/20/2025 11:25 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY FASTEST RIDERS, FIERCEST HORSES SHINE AT MEET I STILL GET MAAR FROM MY MOM, SAYS VICKY KAUSHAL ONE HAS TO LEARN TO MANAGE FAME, SAYS SHARUL CHANNA Nat’l Equestrian C’ship showcases some of the most skilled and fastest riders in the sport of tent pegging. P3 Bollywood heartthrob Vicky Kaushal has talked about how so much has changed around him over the years. P4 “You don’t choose comedy, it chooses you,” says Singapore-based Sharul Channa, a well-known stand-up comic. P4 » » » MAX 21°C | MIN 13°C YESTERDAY MAX 19°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.22 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 7.05 AM FRIDAY | 21 FEBRUARY 2025 | AMRITSAR Furniture worth lakhs gutted in Gangster acquitted in fire at shop; no casualty reported 12-yr-old NDPS case The furniture store that was damaged by fire on Court Road in Amritsar on Thursday. Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 20 A massive fire broke out at Bharat Furniture House, located on Court Road, here early this morning. The fire caused extensive damage to goods. However, no loss of human life was reported. Dilbag Singh, Additional Divisional Fire Officer (ADFO), MC Fire Brigade Department, said the fire was reported at around 4.45 am. Owing to the presence of flammable goods like furniture, the fire spread rapidly throughout the establishment. To control the blaze, approximately 50 fire brigade vehicles from various fire stations of the city and adjoining towns, including Batala, Tarn Taran, Jandiala, were dispatched to the spot. Firefighters from the MC, Seva Samiti and Khanna Paper Mill battled for nearly two hours to bring the fire under control. The fire engulfed all three floors of the furniture house, completely destroying the stock inside. Besides, it spread to an adjacent showroom, causing significant damage. However, due to the swift response and a large number of fire brigade vehicles, the fire was contained and did not spread further into the market, preventing further destruction. There was a petrol pump also in the market, but fire was controlled on time. No human loss has been reported. Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia visited the spot and met the affected traders in the market. The traders claimed that a short circuit was the cause of the fire. The Mayor demanded to address the issue of open wires in the market. Two killed in road accident PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 20 Tragedy struck a family after a woman and her father-inlaw died in a road mishap here last night. The woman, identified as Sonia Arora (47), a resident of Greenfield locality on Majitha road, had her marriage anniversary on Thursday. Apart from Sonia, her father-in-law Vinod Kumar Arora (69) also died in the accident that occurred when a speeding car hit their scooter near a marriage resort on Vallah-Verka road. The driver of the car fled leaving the vehicle behind. Sonia’s husband Varun Arora said that he runs a photo studio and a photoshoot was going on at a marriage resort near Vallah. He said on Wednesday night, his father Vinod Kumar Arora and wife Sonia had gone to the resort to oversee work on their scooter bearing the registration number PB02EV-4548. He said around Amritsar, February 20 Notorious gangster Jagdeep Singh, alias Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, has been acquitted in another case owing to the lack of evidence. He was acquitted by the court of Additional Sessions Judge in connection with a case registered under the NDPS Act by the Mattewal police in December 2012. Sharing details, Jaggu’s counsel advocate Amandeep Singh Pahwa said the Mattewal police hade registered an FIR against him Jaggu while claiming to have confiscated 700 gm of contraband following his disclosure in 2012. However, the prosecution failed to present a solid evidence that could substantiate the claims. He alleged that the case was registered against him on the basis of a fabricated story having several inconsistencies. He said looking into the flaws in the evidence produced by the prosecution, the court acquitted him in the case. Last year, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria was acquitted in a case LACK OF EVIDENCE ■ Sharing details, ganster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria’s counsel advocate Amandeep Singh Pahwa said the Mattewal police hade registered an FIR against him Jaggu while claiming to have confiscated 700 gm of contraband following his disclosure in 2012. However, the prosecution failed to present a solid evidence that could substantiate the claims. pertaining to cross-firing between him and a team of the Amritsar Rural Police in September 2014 at Sohian Kalan village falling under the Majitha police station. The police had arrested an Uzbekistan woman, Dilnoza, at that time from the spot while Bhagwanpuria had fled the spot taking advantage of darkness. So far, he has been acquitted in around 19 criminal cases out of about 50 cases registered under various offences, including murder, attempt to murder, robbery and NDPS cases, at various police stations in Punjab, Pahwa added. — TNS Day after, one more heroin haul for cops Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 20 A day after the seizure of 10kg heroin, the Counter Intelligence (CI) here have confiscated yet another haul of contraband from a drug peddler, identified as Lovepreet Singh, of Attari. It seized 3 kg of heroin from him possession on Thursday. He was arrested following the disclosure of Harmandeep Singh of Ghumanpura village who was nabbed yesterday with 10-kg heroin. “The recovery was made following the disclosure of Harmandeep Singh,” said Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav, adding that Lovepreet was arrested from near the bus stand at Khasa located on the Amritsar-Attari GT Road here. He said acting swiftly on forward and backward linkages of Harmandeep Singh arrested yesterday, In a follow-up action, CI staff made a significant breakthrough The contraband confiscated by the CI wing of the Amritsar police. by recovering an additional 3 kg heroin from his associate Lovepreet Singh. Lovepreet Singh has been arrested and nominated in the case taking the total recovery to 13 kg. The DGP said investigations revealed that Harmandeep handed over 3 kg of heroin, which is the part of the earlier consignment smuggled from Pakistan, to his associate Lovepreet Singh on Monday. Police teams have also nominated him as an accused in the case. Hamandeep was constantly in touch with Pakistan-based smuggler identified as Chacha Bawa, who was using drones to send the heroin consignment across the border. Showers bring both cheer & agony for farmers 12.15 at night when they were going towards Verka, a car bearing the registration number PB46-X-5290 came from behind and hit their scooter leaving them critically injured. The car driver fled from the scene while people rushed the injured to a hospital where doctors declared them dead on arrival. The Vallah police reached there and took the bodies into custody. A case has been registered against the unidentified car owner. A commuter caught unawares by sudden rain in Amritsar; (right) wheat crop lies flattened at a village in Tarn Taran on Thursday. PHOTOS: SUNIL KUMAR/GURBAXPURI Police arrest two with opium Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 20 Two persons, including an ex-serviceman, were arrested by the Chheharta police for opium trafficking and supply in different parts of the city here. The police recovered 2.350 kg of opium and ~20,000 of drug money from their possession. They were identified as Malwinder Singh, alias Sonu (46), an ex-serviceman and resident of Hargobindpura, Guru Ki Wadali in Chheharta, and Manjinder Singh, alias Soni, of Guru Ki Wadali. Malwinder used to run a meat shop in Chheharta while Manjinder have a gym. Though they don’t have any previous criminal record, they had been in the illegal trade for past over a year, investigations revealed. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Alam Vijay Singh, along with Assistant Commissioner of Police Shiv Darshan Singh said as per a preliminary probe, they used to procure the opium from Madhya Pradesh for further supply in different parts of the city. Their backward and for- ward links were being established. Chheharta Station House Officer (SHO) Vinod Kumar Sharma said a case under the NDPS Act was registered against them. They were produced in a court and brought on police remand for further interrogation. He said initially, the police arrested Malwinder with 2.3 kg of opium and the drug money when he was travelling in a car (PB-02-CR-3493). His interrogation led the police to Manjinder Singh from whom they confiscated 50 gm of opium. Tribune Reporters Amritsar, February 20 Intermittent showers that lashed the region since midnight have brought cheer to the farmers and city residents. Farmers, who were worried over the early rise in the temperatures affecting the wheat crop, had a sigh of relief. “We were worried that the unusual heat at this time of the year would lead to shrinking of grains of the wheat crop, but the rain has come as a blessing. It has decreased the temperatures,” said Gurdev Singh, a local farmer. The showers will help cool down the soil and increase the moisture levels, which is essential for a good harvest. Gurdev Singh said a prolonged winter is always good for the wheat crop. City residents, who had started to feel the unusual heat, also welcomed the sudden change in weather. “It’s a welcome relief from the heat,” said Ramesh Kumar, a city resident, adding that rain has brought down the temperatures and the air feels fresh and clean.” Rain, which continued till Thursday evening, brought a substantial fall in temperature, with residents in some areas even reporting hailstones. Agriculture official Tajinder Singh said rain is good for crops, adding that the farmers, who had not irrigated their fields, need not irrigate their fields for some days. “Even rain has washed away the dust and suspended particles in the air,” said Civil Surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur. She said cases of breathingrelated issues, especially among those with respiratory problems, would automatically go down if the air is clean. As the rain clears up, residents are enjoying the cool and pleasant weather. “It’s a lovely feeling to walk outside without feeling the heat. We hope the weather stays like this for a while longer,” said Sarita Gupta, a city resident. Meanwhile, moderate to heavy rain lashed all parts of the district on Thursday. Even some areas witnessed heavy hailstorm. Most of the farmers welcomed the rain, saying it will lead to a dip in temperature which had increased unusually in the last few days. Farmers from Patti area reported a heavy loss of nakh (fruit) as it had started was in the flowering stage and heavy rain and hailstorm caused a great loss to horticulture farming. Rain, which started at last night, continued to lash intermittently the district throughout the day. Hailstorm was also reported from Tarn Taran and Patti villages in the afternoon. Tajinderpal Singh, a farmer of Rasulpur village, said rain led to flattening of the early varieties of wheat crop, which were nearing the maturing stage. Harpal Singh Pannu, Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), said that on Thursday morning, Tarn Taran tehsil recorded 16.4 mm rain followed by 12 mm in Patti and 3 mm in Khadoor Sahib tehsil. The CAO said rain at this time is very beneficial for the wheat crop and other rabi crops. Gurpreet Singh Sabhra, farmer and former Zila Parishad member, and farmer Harpal Singh of Balehr village said reports of rain were also reported from Khemkaran, Valtoha, Khalra, Bhikhiwind, Chabal, Sarai Amanat Khan, Harike, Khadoor Sahib, Chohla Sahib and other parts of the district. They said the rain is beneficial for rabi crops. 110 more file papers for civic body elections City police book Delhi-based travel agent TARN TARAN Tarn Taran, February 20 As many as 110 candidates filed their papers on Thursday, the fourth and last day for filing of nomination papers for the 25-member Municipal Council in Tarn Taran. With this, the number of candidates in the fray has reached 171. The candidates contesting elections from ward number 1 to 13 filed their nomination papers at the District Rural Development Bhawan (Near Police Lines) and the candidates for ward numbers from 14 to 25 filed their nomination papers in the local SDM complex. The nomination papers of all Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar and MLA Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal file the nomination papers of AAP candidates in Tarn Taran. 25 AAP candidates were filed under the leadership of Cabinet Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar and Tarn Taran MLA Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal en masse before the respective Returning Officers. The AAP candidates include Navjot Kaur Hundal, wife of MLA Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal, who is contesting from ward number 3, reserved for women. The election for the Tarn Taran Municipal Council is being witnessed after a gap of 10 years. Deputy Commissionercum-District Election Officer Rahul said that the scrutiny of nomination papers would be done on February 21 and the date for withdrawal of nominations is February 22. The date for polling is March 2, from 7 am to 4 pm. Election observer Baldeep Kaur reviewed arrangements for polling in a meeting with Deputy Commissioner Rahul and SSP Abhimanyu Rana and issued instructions for conducting free and fair elections. She also visited different polling stations. — OC c m y b PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 20 The Amritsar police on Wednesday registered an FIR against an immigration agent operating from Delhi. Pardeep Kumar, along with another unidentified person, was booked on the complaint of 23-year-old Jatinder Singh of Bandala village in Jandiala Guru. He was among the 117 illegal immigrants who were sent back by the US on a military plane that landed at Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International airport on February 15. In the police complaint, he alleged that Pardeep Kumar Had taken ~50 lakh from man deported from US had taken Rs 50 lakh from him to send him to US legally. The police said Pardeep Kumar and his unknown accomplice has been booked under section 143 (3), 318 (4) and section 13 (1) of Punjab Travel Professions Regulation Act, 2014. Jatinder Singh said that despite being a baptized Sikh, he was forced to eat non-vegetarian food, had to swim in sea waters apart from cramming into a suffo- cating chamber on a boat for days on his six-month- long journey to US. He is the son of a retired Army soldier. He had left his home at Bandala village in Amritsar’s Jandiala area on September 18 last year and was caught on January 27 after he jumped a 25-foot high iron wall to enter the US from Mexico, an effort during which several of his companions broke their limbs. Earlier, he had applied for work permits of Canada and Australia but they were rejected. He then brokered a deal with an immigration agent from Haryana and paid Rs 40 lakh, for which his father Gurbachan Singh had to sell the only piece of land of one acre that they owned. On Tuesday, Mehta police booked an immigration agent who operated from Haryana for duping Harpreet Singh of Chhota Ghanshampura village, a US deportee. Arsh Kahlon, a resident of Ajnala and operating from the neighbouring state, had allegedly taken Rs 43 lakh from him to send him to the US legally. He was booked under Section 318 (4) of BNS. Harpreet Singh said his parents had borrowed money from relatives and taken a loan at higher interest to pay the travel agent.