30042025-ATR-01.qxd 4/29/2025 10:32 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY ACTOR DIBYENDU REMINISCES SCOOTY RIDES IN CHANDIGARH PALI’S ANNOUNCES 3-FILM DEAL WITH FOREIGN COLLABORATIONS ABHISHEK MALIK’S ‘JOKER’ AVATAR BRINGS CHAOS ON SETS A visit to the City Beautiful opens a floodgate of emotion for actor Dibyendu Bhattacharya. P4 United Studio and Luminary Productions announce a three-film collaboration with writer-director Pali. P4 Abhishek Malik, who plays Neel in Zee TV's Jamai No. 1, will be seen wearing the scary ‘Joker’ mask. P4 » » » MAX 40°C | MIN 22°C YESTERDAY MAX 41°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.56 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5.40 AM WEDNESDAY | 30 APRIL 2025 | AMRITSAR Notorious drug smuggler’s house demolished in border village Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 29 The district administration demolished the house of a notorious drug smuggler in the border village of Modeh here on Tuesday. The operation, carried out with the help of JCB machines, was led by the district police and local residents. The house belonged to Ranjit Singh, a drug trafficker. Addressing mediapersons during the demolition drive, Amritsar (Rural) SSP Maninder Singh issued a stern warning, stating, “There will be no leniency for anyone involved in destroying lives through drugs. They will face strict consequences unless they abandon the illegal trade and rejoin mainstream society.” The action was part of the broader state-wide anti-drug initiative spearheaded by the Bhagwant Mann government, which aims to dismantle drug networks and offer rehabilitation to addicts. SP (Detective) Aditya Warrier, who was also present at the spot, provided detailed background on the accused. Ranjit Singh, son of Dalbir Singh and resident of Modeh village, under the jurisdiction of the Gharinda police station, faced 12 criminal cases. Six out of these cases have been registered under the NDPS Act. According to police records, Ranjit Singh has been active in the criminal underworld since 2012. His cases span multiple jurisdictions, including Amritsar City Police, Directorate of Rev- enue Intelligence (DRI), Amritsar, Ajnala Police, Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, Lopoke police station, and several divisions in Ludhiana, including Division No.2, Division No.7, Gharinda, and Sahnewal. SP (Detective) Aditya Warrier said the campaign against drug smugglers is being conducted on a war footing across the district. “We stand as a wall between drug peddlers and society. Those who consume drugs are being treated as victims in need of help, and we are ensuring that they receive proper medical care and rehabilitation,” he said. This demolition sends a strong message that the Punjab Government and law-enforcement agencies are committed to eliminating the drug menace from its roots, added the SP . Slow pace of reconstructing Rigo Bridge troubles commuters Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 29 Reconstruction of the historic Rigo Bridge is going on at a snail’s pace. There has been only 25 per cent progress in the bridge construction work over the past 15 months. The project was awarded to a Chandigarhbased firm with a two-year deadline for its completion. At present, the construction of side pillars on both ends of the bridge is underway. The old iron structure over railway tracks was dismantled, for which rail traffic was partially suspended for around five days. Once completed, the new bridge is expected to bring major relief to city residents by easing traffic congestion and reducing travel time. Being built at a cost of Rs 50 crore, the bridge will span 530 metres. It will have two carriageways of 7.5 metre each, 1.5 metre wide footpaths on both sides and a one metre wide central verge. This time, the bridge is being expanded into a four-lane structure. The Railway authorities have already acquired nearby land for the expansion of the bridge. Several pillars have been constructed in the newly acquired areas. The original bridge was Minister Dhaliwal tours border area villages to boost morale of residents Says the govt is committed to safety of residents, no cause for undue panic Tribune Reporters Amritsar, April 29 Amidst the rising Indo-Pak tension in the wake of Pahalgam attack in Kashmir, Punjab Minister for NRI Affairs, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal today held meetings with farmers, labourers, village panchayats and social service organisations, including the general public, in about a dozen villages located near the Indo-Pak border in Ajnala sub-division. Dhaliwal assured them that the government was committed to the safety of residents living in the 553-km long border belt of Punjab sharing its borders with Pakistan. Meanwhile, the situation in the border area of Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts was found to be normal with residents performing their daily chores as per their routine. Amidst rumours of tension and reports surfacing that the announcements were being made from gurdwaras asking the residents to remain alert, BSF officials confirmed that there was no official communication to any gurdwara to make such announcements. No such announcements could be made as it can lead to undue panic among the civilians for no reason, said a BSF official preferring anonymity. Echoing a similar view, farmer leader Rattan Singh Randhawa said there is absolutely no panic-like situ- ation as was being reported in a section of the media. An identical situation was found in the border villages of Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts. Nonetheless, Dhaliwal who visited the border villages including Ghohnewala, Macchiwala, Sehzada, Jatta-Pachhia, Singhoke, Nisoke, Gaggar, Panj Garian Wahla, Nangal Sohal and Dhangai, today con- demned the Pahalgam attack and called upon people to lead their lives as usual. He said that people of the villages living near the international border were in high spirits. The farmers and labourers were taking care of wheat and straw in the border villages with complete restraint and without fear. “Communal harmony has been maintained despite the CI busts cross-border narco network, 3-kg heroin seized Tribune News Service The under-construction Rigo Bridge in Amritsar. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR constructed by the British Government in 1905 with a designed lifespan of 50 years. Although a plan was made to rebuild it in 1955, it was never implemented. After India got independence, commuters continued to use the bridge despite its deteriorating condition. Gurdeep Singh, a resident of Railway Colony, said, “The bridge has become an integral part of our lives. Now that it is being rebuilt, we all hope it will finally put an end to the long wait in traffic jams. However, the construction work is progressing quite slowly. We believe that Amritsar, April 29 In a breakthrough against trans-border drug trafficking, the Counter Intelligence (CI) wing of the Amritsar police, acting on an intelligence tipoff, busted a cross-border heroin smuggling module with direct links to Pakistan. with better administrative focus, the bridge construction will be completed soon.” Simranjit Kaur, a college student residing nearby, shared, “The ongoing bridge construction is causing a lot of inconvenience, often forcing us to take long detours. We just hope that the work is completed within the promised time-frame.” Meanwhile, the staff of the construction firm claimed that everything was proceeding according to plan. “The bridge reconstruction is expected to be completed within the next one and a half years,” they said. Padma Shri for Amritsar-born ‘miracle maize’ man Dr Vasal Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 29 Dr Surinder Kumar Vasal, renowned Indian geneticist and plant breeder, was conferred with Padma Shri by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Monday evening. Dr Vasal is celebrated for his pivotal role in developing Quality Protein Maize (QPM), a nutritionally enhanced maize variety that has significantly impacted global food security, also called ‘miracle maize’, for its effective counter-malnutrition properties. This variety, made by adding low-nutrient corn, is popular in China, Mexico, Central America and Africa. Celebrating Dr Vasal’s Padma Shri was his family in Amritsar, his hometown, as Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal addresses residents of Ajnala area on Tuesday. anger against the Pahalgam attack. In Punjab, there has been no incident of communal mistreatment against Kashmiri traders and teachers working in private institutions and students studying in educational institutions,” he said. The minister also clarified that if Pakistan, as part of its nefarious designs, dared to commit any war-like act on the border, then the civilians residing on the Punjab border in Punjab would assist the BSF and Army as the second line of defence. “Our forces are capable of countering the Pakistani army more than they did in the wars of 1965 and 1971,” he said. In Tarn Taran, during a visit to Naushehra, Dhala and other adjoining villages, the farmers said though they have completed harvesting, but work was on to manage stubble which would be converted into dry fodder. Manjinder Singh Manna of Naushehra village said that though there were some continued on page 2 Dr Surinder Vasal being honoured by the President of India. they called it ‘a shared recognition for all Amritsaris’. Sandeep Vasal, nephew of Dr Surinder Vasal, and a textile businessman, said, “It’s an absolute honour for him and the family is proud of his achievements as a food scientist. Despite his work and his professional achievements, he has always been connected with Amritsar,” said Sandeep Vasal. Sandeep’s continued on page 2 c m y b In a late-night operation, CI personnel arrested one person and seized a 3-kg heroin consignment that had reportedly been smuggled into India via drones from across the International Border. The operation was based on intelligence that Balvir Singh, alias Veeru, a resident of Attari, and Harpreet Singh, a resident of Mohalla Mahantpura, Attari, were working closely with Pakistan-based drug traffickers. The duo was allegedly receiving large consignments of heroin with the help of Pakistani smugglers using drones, particularly in the border village of Dhanoa in Amritsar district. The tip-off further revealed that the suspects had recently received a fresh consignment of narcotics during the previous night and were heading to deliver it near Morh village along the Amritsar-Attari GT Road. Acting swiftly, the Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, registered an FIR under Sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act. Following the FIR, a targeted raid was conducted. The CI team managed to apprehend Balvir Singh from the Attari road stretch, while his accomplice, Harpreet Singh, fled the scene and is currently absconding. Upon searching the arrested individual, continued on page 2