18042025-ATR-01.qxd 4/17/2025 11:03 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY CELEBRITY CHEF KUNAL KAPUR LAUNCHES HIS RESTAURANT GAURI KHAN’S RESTAURANT REFUTES ‘FAKE PANEER’ CHARGE ANURAG UPSET OVER CENSORSHIP ISSUES FACED BY PHULE Celebrity chef Kunal Kapur has launched his signature restaurant Pincode at a Tricity mall on Wednesday. P4 Gauri Khan’s upscale Mumbai restaurant Torii has addressed allegations of using adulterated paneer. P4 Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has expressed his frustration over the censorship issues faced by the biographical drama Phule.P4 » » » MAX 39°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 39°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.48 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5.51 AM FRIDAY | 18 APRIL 2025 | AMRITSAR Man killed, uncle injured in Tarn Taran firing Tarn Taran, April 17 A man was killed on the spot and his uncle seriously injured in a firing incident at Rataul village here on late Wednesday evening. Around 10 persons were allegedly involved in the incident. Sub-Inspector Avtar Singh, SHO, City police, along with police personnel reached the spot soon after receiving the report and helped control the situation. SHO Avtar Singh said the deceased has been identified as Jarnail Singh (44) and the injured (his uncle) as Jaswant Singh (65), who was admitted to a private hospital in Amritsar where his condition is stated to be serious. The SHO said both the groups were attending a gathering regarding the auction of gurdwara land where a verbal duel took place between them, leading to firing by members of the group of Gurdial Singh, former sarpanch of the village. Jarnail Singh was declared dead by the doctors of the local private hospital. The SHO said former sarpanch Gurdial Singh, his brother Major Singh, besides Nishan Singh, Tasveer Singh Lali, Manga Singh, Sukhmanpreet Singh and five other unidentified persons have been booked. — OC Interstate vehicle lifters’ gang busted, three nabbed with cars Tribune News Service Three vehicle lifters in the custody of the Islamabad police in Amritsar. Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 17 The police have busted an interstate gang of vehicle lifters with the arrest of three notorious persons and recovery of three luxury vehicles from their possession. The police said the kingpin of the gang used to tamper the chassis and engine number of vehicles and sold these after fixing fake number plates on them. Those arrested were identified as Girish Kumar, alias Garry (26), of Soni Mohalla in Bhikhiwind, Tarn Taran, Sahib Singh (32) of Jandpir Colony, Khandwala here, Gurmit Singh, alias Dimple (32), of Bharat Nagar, Batala Road here. Girish Kumar, who works in the garment shop of his father, faced six cases (for vehicle lifting, under the Arms Act and the NDPS Act) while Sahib, who works at a religious place, faced one case. Gurmeet Singh works at an immigration consultant office in Ranjit Avenue area though he did not have any criminal case registered against him. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Vishaljit Singh said the Islamabad police following a specific input had arrested three persons from Kot Khalsa area with an SUV which , was without number. During their interrogation, the police also recovered a Maruti Suzuki Swift and a car of Tata brand which had fake number plates. “Investigations revealed that these vehicles were given to the three accused by gang kingpin Parveen Kumar and Gurwinder Singh of Chandigarh and Zirakpur area. They used to steal vehicles from Delhi and Himachal Pradesh and sold them after tampering with the Chassis and Engine numbers. They also prepared forged registration certificates of the vehicles for selling these further,” the ADCP said. He said duo Parveen and Gurwinder faced a number cases for stealing vehicles in Himachal Pradesh. The Himachal Pradesh police had confiscated over 50 vehicles from their gang members there. He said after arresting the two, the police would establish their links in Punjab and other states. Rural police invoke stringent BNS section to check organised crime Drug peddler’s property razed a comprehensive framework for defining, investigating and prosecuting such gangs. He said Section 111 covers continuing unlawful activities committed by a group of persons, such as kidnapping, robbery, snatchings, extortion, contract killings, cybercrimes, human trafficking, drug peddling, vehicle thefts, etc. It would mean harsher penalties, including imprisonment and hefty fines. The SSP said it also has the provisions of death or life imprisonment along with fine of not less than ~10 lakh in the cases in which the crime resulted in the death of a person. It also addresses the punishment for those who aid, abet or knowingly facilitate the commission of organised crime, he added. The step has been taken to nail criminals, habitual offenders, gangs which have been creating law and order Amritsar, April 17 The Amritsar rural police have demolished the property of a drug peddler, identified as Jatinder Singh, alias Kalu, who had eight criminal cases, including five under the NDPS Act, registered against him. A resident of Mata Ram Mohalla in Baba Bakala, he had constructed a house after encroaching upon a panchayat land. Superintendent of Police (Investigations) Aditya Warrior said the Baba Bakala nagar panchayat had approached the police seeking protection during the demolition of the house of Jatinder Singh who had encroached upon the panchayat land. Following this, a police team led by senior officials on Thursday reached there and razed the property. He said Jatinder had five cases of the NDPS Act registered against him. PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 17 In order to nail snatchers and robbers, the Amritsar Rural Police have adopted a novel way. They have brought snatchers and gangs of robbers under the ambit of stringent Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Section 111 of the BNS provides for the offence of Organised Crime. The police have identified members of different gangs and several of them have already been nabbed with sharp-edged weapons and efforts are being made to arrest their remaining accomplices. Maninder Singh, SSP , Amritsar (Rural), said Section 111 of the BNS would be invoked to deal with serious issues like unlawful activities involving criminal gangs. The section provides the law trouble in rural areas. On April 13, the rural police had registered four cases under organised crime in which 21 persons were booked, out of which five were arrested. According to these FIRs, the suspects have formed gangs involved in robberies and snatchings. From the looted amount, they used to procure contraband and lure the vulnerable youths into addiction. The police have recovered sharpedged weapons from the arrested accused. On April 12, the police arrested three persons — Harmanjit Singh, Happy Masih of Nawan Pind village and Rachhpal Singh of Teda Khurd village — under the similar offence. Similarly, on April 11, the rural police booked nine snatchers in two separate incidents, out of which two persons were arrested. Tribune News Service Nagar Kirtan procession taken out to mark Parkash Purb of Guru Teg Bahadur Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 17 A large number of devotees took part in the Nagar Kirtan procession taken out to mark the Parkash Purb (birth anniversary) of Guru Teg Bahadur here on Thursday. The procession, organised by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), started off from Akal Takht for Gurdwara Guru Ke Mahal, the birthplace of Guru Teg Bahadur. The Golden Temple’s head granthi Giani Raghbir Singh, Akal Takht’s officiating Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Akal Takht’s head granthi Giani Malkit Singh, SGPC offi- Slow start: Only 2,700 MT wheat reaches dist mandis A Nihang Sikh performs ‘Gatka’ during the Nagar Kirtan procession taken out in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR cials and Sabha societies representatives participated on the occasion. The procession passed Akal Takht, Sri Guru Ramdas Ji Niwas, Chowk Pragdas, Chowk Baba Sahib, Chowk Karori, Ramsar Road, Baba Deep Singh Colony, Chowk Moni, Haveli Abalwaiyan, Chowk Jai Singh, Bazar Loharan, Chowk Lachmansar, Dhab Basti Ram, Chowk Chatti Khohi, Bazar Bansan, Bazar Papad, Bazar Kathiya and Guru Bazar before culminating at Gurdwara Guru Ke Mahal. During the procession, gatka parties showcased their martial arts and band parties enhanced the splendour of the Nagar Kirtan with religious hymns. On the occasion, SGPC secretary Partap Singh congratulated the devotees and said Guru’s life and martyrdom would continue to serve as an continued on page 2 c m y b Amritsar, April 17 Nearly 2,700 metric tonnes of wheat produce reached the markets in the district till Thursday, stated Local Government Minister Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar while overseeing the start of government procurement at the Bhagtanwala grain market. Officials of the Mandi Board and the Agriculture Department stated that harvesting of wheat is expected to pick up pace next week. They said farmers should not harvest the crop unless it is fully ripened. Dr Nijjar said all arrangements for the procurement season are in place at the Bhagtanwala grain market. “We have made arrangements for drinking water, restrooms, toilets and electricity,” he said. The Mandi Board has operationalised a total of 56 grain markets in the district. In many markets of the district, no produce has arrived so far. Farmers said wheat grain is not completely matured which is the reason for the delay in harvesting. As the ruling party MLA AAP MLA Inderbir Singh Nijjar at the Bhagtanwala grain market in Amritsar on Thursday. VISHAL KUMAR was in the grain market, the commission agents apprised him of the problems faced by them. They complained that three years ago, Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal had announced the construction of more sheds in the market. “Since then, the minister has not visited the markets and perhaps he has also for- gotten about his announcement. We hope we would not have to face difficulty in lifting the produce,” said a commission agent, adding that contract for lifting has been granted to people with close ties to political leaders. Meanwhile, District Mandi Officer Amandeep Singh said it would be ensured that the crop is procured on the day of arrival itself. He appealed to the farmers to not bring grains with over 12 per cent moisture content. The officials also advised the farmers to harvest the crop during the daytime only. The crop harvested during night has more moisture and procurement agencies would be unable to purchase such grains.