07032025-ATR-01.qxd 3/6/2025 11:59 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 25°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 8°C ABHISHEK NOMINATED FOR BEST ACTOR AT CRITICS’ AWARDS NEVER COMPROMISED ON MY ETHICS, SAYS KRITIKA KAMRA NORA FATEHI TO FEATURE AS RAPPER IN FILM BE HAPPY Actor Abhishek Bachchan has been nominated for Best Actor for I Want To Talk at the Critics’ Choice Awards. P4 Actress Kritika Kamra has said she has never sold her soul or compromised her ethics to make it big. P4 Nora loves pushing boundaries and says getting to rap on this track was an incredibly exciting experience. P4 » » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.24 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.38 AM FRIDAY | 7 MARCH 2025 | AMRITSAR Cops confiscate 23 kg of heroin, prime suspect still absconding Amritsar, March 6 The Amritsar rural police are still clueless about prime accused Sahilpreet Singh, alias Karan, of Devidaspura village in the 23-kg heroin seizure case that was reported on Wednesday. He was the second step of the drug chain as he used to store the drugs smuggled from Pakistan via drones and further supply to drug peddlers on the instruction of his foreignbased masters. He was a member of the drug cartel being operated by US-based smuggler Jasmit Singh alias Lucky. The police said many police teams are actively working and raiding his suspected hideouts and that he would be arrested soon. Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Border Range, Satinder Singh along with Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Amritsar Rural, Maninder Singh had revealed that seizure was made following an intelligence based operation. He said the police got a specific input that the he had retrieved the consignment of drugs from across the border. Amritsar, March 6 CIA staff (2) have arrested two persons with 2 kg of opium and ~4.70 lakh of drug money. They were identified as Amandeep Singh of Sultanwind Road and Satnam Singh, alias Satta of Mata Ganga Ji Nagar, located on the Bhai Manjh Singh road here. A case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act was registered against them. Harminder Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (detective), said their backward and forward links were being looked into and more arrests are likely to be made soon. Both were nabbed following reliable intelligence inputs. They were produced in a court and Police take bulldozer action against two ‘drug peddlers’, raze properties PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service DIG (Border Range) Satinder Singh (C) addresses mediapersons at Devidaspura village near Amritsar. Acting swiftly, the Jandiala police recovered 23 packets of heroin, weighing 1 kg each, kept in a jute bag from a pinpointed location in Devi Daspura village. “Sahilpreet was directly in touch with US-based smuggler Jasmit Singh alias Lucky, who arranged the consignment through his Pakistan-based accomplices. He has a criminal background and faced cases registered under sections of the Arms Act and attempt to murder,” said the DIG. He, however, escaped to a foreign country on forged documents, police sources said, adding that he joined Two held with over 2-kg opium, ~4.7 lakh of drug money Tribune News Service WAR AGAINST DRUGS brought on police remand for further interrogation. Meanwhile, the city police have arrested four drug peddlers in separate incidents and recovered 195 gm of heroin, ~7,700 drug money, a .32 bore pistol along with four live rounds and a sports utility vehicle (SUV) from their possession. Jatinder Singh alias Neela of Hargobind Nagar at Kot Khalsa and seized 60 gm of heroin and ~2,000 drug money. Similarly, Harmanpreet Singh alias Raj Avenue of Ghanupur Kale was nabbed with a .32 bore pistol with four bullets and a Toyota Fortuner from him. Ranjit Singh alias Lallu of Mohkampura was held with 25 gm of heroin and ~1 500 drug money while Darshan Singh alias Jhona of Maqboolpura was arrested with 112gm heroin and ~4,200 drug money. hands with anti-national forces supported by Pakistan’s ISI and started his network with local operatives. A case under Section 21-C of the NDPS Act has been registered at the Jandiala police station in this regard. This was the second biggest seizure of heroin in Punjab this year. Earlier on February 15, the rural police had seized 30 kg of heroin from Gursimranjit Singh alias Simran of Basarke Gillan village. This racket was being operated by US-based drug peddler Raju Dhattal, who originally hailed from Gharinda area. — TNS Police arrest prime accused in HDFC bank loot case Amritsar, March 6 Over five months after armed robbers looted a branch of the HDFC Bank at Manjhwind village, the Kathunangal police have arrested another prime accused in the case. He was identified as Karanbir Singh alias Kannu of Nanaksar Mohalla in Tarn Taran. The police also arrested his mother Anuradha for allegedly sheltering him. On September 18 last year, unknown armed miscreants had entered the HDFC bank branch and decamped with ~25.70 lakh at gunpoint. Maninder Singh, SSP (Amritsar rural), said the police had earlier arrested Satnam Singh of Nanaksar Mohalla, Kashmir Singh alias Sheeru, Paramjit Singh alias Sonu of Hansawala, Goindwal Sahib and Shamsher Singh alias Shera of Mianpur in Tarn Taran in the case. — TNS Amritsar, March 6 The bulldozer action was taken in Amritsar with the municipal corporation along with Punjab Police razing two properties allegedly belonging to drug traffickers in localities infamous for rampant drug abuse – Bharariwal near Angarh and Maqboolpura area — here on Thursday. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar supervised the two operations. This was the first operation carried out in Amritsar though similar action is being taken in other parts of the border state for the past few days. The demolition drive was part of the crackdown against drug trafficking launched by the Punjab Government wherein it made a huge seizure of drugs, especially in Amritsar, which has MC staff seal the building of a tax defaulter in Amritsar on Thursday. took firm action by sealing a hotel, a restaurant, a dairy shop, and a wine shop for nonpayment of property tax. East Zone Superintendent Pradeep Rajput confirmed that the campaign against defaulters is underway. He said his team carried out sealing operations at four locations today. Some defaulters, in a bid to avoid the sealing of their properties, made on-the-spot payments. The establishments sealed include ‘The Secret Garden Restaurant’, a wine shop on Batala Road, Om Residency Hotel near the bus stand and Gurinder Dairy in the same area. Additionally, three shop owners in Sundar Nagar and Tip Top store on Batala Road managed to escape sealing by making immediate payments. Superintendent Pradeep Rajput further said the sealing operation was carried out by a team comprising Inspec- turned out to be a major transit point as far as smuggling of drugs from Indo-Pak border is concerned. The two properties demolished — a two-storey residential complex and a godown — belong to two alleged drug peddlers, identified as Sandeep Singh alias Sonu and Gurmeet Singh. First, the municipal corporation under the security of Punjab Police bulldozed the house of Sandeep Singh at Bharariwal village followed by the second operation in Maqboolpura area where the godown tion of these structures was part of the anti-drug drive against traffickers launched by the Punjab Government. He said the municipal corporation had identified these properties and issued demolition orders after following the due procedures and they had sought security from the police for this. He appealed to those involved in the illegal trade that they should surrender and those who are addicts should get rehabilitation. While warning the drug traffickers, MLA Jeevanjot Kaur said the AAP government has made it clear abundantly that they must either leave the illegal business or leave Punjab. She said she learnt that Gurmeet Singh had around nine houses in the area while his children were abroad. She said due action would be taken against him in the future. Minister visits Rajasansi Registration of sale deeds resumes to assess crop damage as revenue officials call off protest Tribune News Service Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal meets farmers at Jhanjoti village in Amritsar on Thursday. Amritsar, March 6 Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal visited the Rajasansi area in the district to assess the damage caused by heavy rainfall and hailstorm to crops, especially wheat, here on Thursday. The minister interacted with the affected farmers and assured them that the Punjab government would provide compensation for their loss. The minister stated that the government would provide seeds to farmers on subsidy to help them replant their crops. He also announced that the government would provide fodder for cattle. Civic body seals properties of tax defaulters Amritsar, March 6 The Property Tax wing of the municipal corporation sealed a hotel, a restaurant, a dairy shop and a wine shop for non-payment of property tax here on Thursday. The MC has adopted this proactive approach to recover outstanding dues. With only 25 days remaining in the financial year 202425, the property tax wing is working rigorously to meet its revenue target. The municipal corporation aims to collect ~50 crore in property tax for the current financial year, however, so far, only ~34.14 crore has been collected. In response to this shortfall, the department has intensified the crackdown on defaulters. On the directions of MC Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, property tax officials have begun actions, including sealing properties, which have failed to clear their dues. Today, officials from the East Zone The house belonging to a drug smuggler being razed in Bharariwal area in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR owned by Gurmeet was razed. Sandeep Singh originally hailed from Naushehra Dhalla village located near the Indo-Pak border falling under the Sarai Amanat Khan police station in Tarn Taran. He faced four cases under the NDPS Act – three at Sarai Amanat Khan and one by the Mohali Anti-Narcotics Task Force. Three cases were registered against Gurmeet Singh. Civic body authorities pasted a notice at the two structures on February 12 over various violations giving a three-day’s time seeking clarifications and response from the owners. After getting no response, MC officials pasted the final order of demolition on February 18. The Police Commissioner said these buildings were constructed with the help of illgotten money. The demoli- tors Satinder Singh and Sukhdev, Clerk Ajit Singh, and support staff members Gautam and Baijnath, along with police personnel. MC Gulpreet Singh Aulakh urged defaulters to clear their property tax dues to avoid sealing of properties. He said despite several notices, some property owners have failed to comply with their tax obligations. He assured taxpayers that the MC’s Citizen Facilitation Centres (CFCs) at the headquarters and zonal offices would remain open until March 31 to facilitate tax payments. For the convenience of taxpayers, the MC Commissioner also highlighted the option of making online payments through the official portal. He warned that after March 31, defaulters would be subjected to a 20 per cent penalty along with a 1.5 per cent monthly interest on unpaid amounts. `— TNS c m y b DC Sakshi Sawhney accompanied the minister on his visit. The farmers praised her efforts in responding to the crisis. “Usually, good officials are transferred soon. This DC has always come to our help whenever there is a problem. For us, she is the best version of a government official,” said Rajinder Singh, a farmer. He minister assured the farmers that the government would take the necessary steps to support them. He also announced that the compensation would be deposited directly into the farmers’ bank accounts within the next few days. — TNS Amritsar, March 6 The inconvenience faced by the general public at the offices of tehsildar ended today with revenue officials resuming their work. They were seen registering sale deeds of properties. The revenue officials had earlier stalled work as part of their protest against the state government. To deal with the protest, the state government had taken a tough stand and deputed sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) and Kanungos to execute registration of sale deeds. Government functionaries had claimed that the employees were supporting corrupt officials against whom action has been taken. The government has also ordered mass transfers of tehsildars and many of the new appointees joined their place of posting today. Meanwhile, the general public appeared to be pleased with the government for taking a tough stand. A sub-registrar discharges duties at Amritsar-2 subdivision on Thursday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR “Corruption at tehsildar office is not a secret. Even in rural areas, a person has to pay at least ~4,000 for registration of a sale deed. In city areas, one has to pay ~2,000 to a patwari to get the ‘inteqal’ of property done,” said a resident Kuljeet Singh. With a large number of people requiring ‘fard’ of their properties, they are always at the mercy of the revenue officials. Another resident Man- deep Singh said, “It is after a long time that any government has taken strict action against the high-handedness of revenue officials.” Even as the Aam Aadmi Party had promised a ‘badlav’ (change), residents believe that it still can be made possible provided the government takes more such decisions to free residents from the clutches of corrupt officials. Choice or necessity, migration depleting Punjab of human resource, finds discussion Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 6 Following mass deportations of Indian nationals from the United States, several questions have been raised, discussed and debated upon regarding the near-obsessive migration trends among the youth in Punjab. Attempting to answer some of them, the School of Social Sciences at Guru Nanak Dev University hosted a seminar titled, “Migration Story of Punjab: Past and Present”, with scholars, policymakers and migration experts coming together to discuss the causes of migration from Punjab, its socio-economic implications and the evolving trends in exodus from the state. GNDU vice-chancellor Dr Karamjeet Singh, Prof Anjali A seminar on Punjab’s migration being held at GNDU in Amritsar on Thursday. Mehra (seminar director), Prof BS Ghuman (former vice-chancellor of Punjabi University, Patiala), and Dr Gian Singh (former professor, Punjabi University, Patiala) were the main speakers who touched upon the factors leading to migration and the possible roadmap ahead for retaining the human resource of Punjab. GNDU VC Dr Karamjeet Singh, while addressing the question, “Is migration driven by choice or necessity”, stressed upon the importance of critically analysing this question to understand the root causes of migration and its socio-economic impact on Punjab. “The glorification of life abroad, particularly through social media, has resulted in harsh realities faced by migrants in foreign lands being overlooked,” he said. Pointing to the deportation of illegal migrants, he highlighted the prominence of Punjab in this regard and said that the state is earning infamy by not taking up the matter with the urgency it requires. Dr Gian Singh, a former professor at Punjabi University, Patiala, who has extensively researched the social and economic effects of migration, said key factors drive the youth outwards which include better living conditions, peer pressure, continued on page 2