12062025-ATR-01.qxd 6/11/2025 10:30 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 44°C | MIN 30°C YESTERDAY MAX 45°C | MIN 29°C GNDU LEADS GREEN INITIATIVES WITH CYCLING CAMPAIGN BABA BHAKNA’S LEGACY FACES FORGOTTEN FATE DILJIT PLAYS SHERLOCK IN DETECTIVE SHERDIL ‘Sundays on Cycle’ initiative is aimed at promoting the use of bicycles within the campus. P2 Ghadar Party founder Baba Sohan Singh Bhakna’s sacrifices have been met with neglect. P3 In Detective Sherdil, Diljit Dosanjh plays Sherlock for the ‘goras’ and Byomkesh Bakshi for the ‘desis’. P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 7.24 PM » SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:21 AM THURSDAY | 12 JUNE 2025 | AMRITSAR Encroachmentsshops, sellingMC claim belie construction material Roadside spaces taken up for repair Heatwave grips region, no respite for labourers, farmers Manmeet Singh Gill Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 11 Despite the Municipal Corporation’s announcement that it will take action against encroachments on roadsides, a visit to various areas of the city reveals that the practice continues unabated. Roadside spaces are being used for selling construction material, repairing vehicles and displaying goods, among other activities. Even as the residents welcome the MC’s announcement, they remain sceptical about the MC’s initiative. “It’s about time the MC takes action against encroachments. Our roads are becoming increasingly congested, and it is affecting the flow of traffic,” said Rohan Sharma, a local resident. He, however, added, “I am sceptical about whether they will actually follow through. We have seen promises like this before, but nothing seems to change.” Another resident, Sunita Devi, echoed similar sentiments. “Encroachments are a big problem in our city. If the MC can remove them, it would make a huge difference. But we need to see consistent action, not just onetime drives.” She added that Amritsar, June 11 The intense heat wave has thrown life out of gear in the region, with roads deserted during the afternoon as people try to stay indoors to escape the blistering sun. However, for farmers and labourers working in the fields, there is no respite as the paddy transplantation season is in full swing. “It’s like working in a furnace. The sun beats down relentlessly, making every step feel like a struggle. Working in 40-degree Celsius heat is unbearable, but we have no choice but to push through,” said Sarabjit Singh, a labourer working in the fields for over a decade. Paddy transplantation is a labour-intensive process that requires workers to bend, kneel and wade through muddy fields for hours on end. The scorching heat only adds to the physical toll, making every movement feel like a chore. “Transplanting paddy seedlings is backbreaking work, even on a normal day,” said Surinder Singh, a farmer who owns a small plot of land. But in this heat, it is like torture as the sun drains our energy and the muddy fields make every Building material lying along the roadside in Amritsar on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR it is difficult to find even a single road in the city which could be considered as completely encroachment-free The persistence of encroachments not only affects the flow of traffic but also impacts the city’s aesthetic appeal and cleanliness. The MC’s claim to issue challans and take strict action against encroachers has raised hope among local residents, but only time will tell if the authorities can successfully implement their plans and reclaim public spaces. In many areas of the city, the roads are used for selling construction material and heaps of sand and gravel besides stacks of iron bars not only narrow the passage for the flow of traffic but are 70-yr-old duped of ~3.02 cr in ‘digital arrest’ cyber fraud Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 11 Harvinder Singh, a 70-yearold retired manager of the National Insurance Company and a resident of the Ranjit Avenue area, was duped of Rs 3.02 crore by cyber fraudsters posing as officials from the Central investigative agencies. According to police, a case has been registered at the cyber crime police station following a preliminary investigation by an Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police. The complaint was initially lodged on May 31 and the incident took place between April 28 and May 8. The fraud began when Singh received a WhatsApp call on April 28. The caller claimed that a bank account had been opened using his wife’s Aadhaar card at Canara Bank and was allegedly involved in large- CKD honours young chess maestro Amritsar, June 11 The Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) honoured young chess maestro Sahib Singh, who has created history as the first Sikh to attain the prestigious title of International Master (IM) in the global chess arena. He secured this remarkable achievement at the Dubai Open 2025. Sahib Singh clinched three gold medals at the Western Asian Youth U-14 Championship held in Maldives. CKD president Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar congratulated Sahib for his success. CKD secretary Ramneek Singh said Sahib’s success brings immense pride to the community. — TNS FRAUD ON WHATSAPP ■ The fraud began with a WhatsApp call on April 28, where scammers falsely accused the victim of money laundering linked to a bank account opened in his wife's name and subjected the couple to a fake “digital arrest.” ■ Over 10 days, the scammers coerced him into sharing sensitive information and transferring money into multiple bank accounts across various cities. scale money laundering. He was told that a case had been registered by the crime branch in Mumbai. To make the deception more convincing, another individual joined a video call posing as an official from the Enforcement Directorate. The scammers warned Singh that an FIR would be lodged against him for money laundering. They then placed him and his wife under what they called a “digital arrest,” claiming it was part of an ongoing online investigation. The couple was coerced into sharing personal, financial and propertyrelated information. Over the span of 10 days, Singh was manipulated into transferring Rs 3.02 crore into various bank accounts across the country, including in cities like Bengaluru, Visakhapatnam, Lucknow, Varanasi, Agartala and Guwahati. The accounts were in the names of fashion outlets, property dealers, trading firms and private individuals. Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said an ADCP-rank officer conducted the initial probe, following which an FIR was registered. Investigations are going on to trace and identify the suspects. Two held for firing outside residence of girl’s fiance Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 11 Unrequited love led a youth to fire outside the residence of a girl’s fiancé located in Mohkampura area. The incident had occurred on April 26 while the accused was arrested by the police only yesterday. Apart from the prime accused Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi of Dashmesh Nagar, Kot Khalsa, the police had also arrested his accomplice, Sunny of Kot Atma Ram locality. The police have recovered a .32 bore pistol, along with the motorcycle, used in the crime. Dr Sheetal Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police The accused in police custody. (East), said that Davinder Singh of Mohkampura lodged a complaint with the police that he along with his brother Sonu Sharma used to work in a flex board manufacturing continued on pg 2 also a potential cause of accidents. Even most vehicle repair shops in the city use roadside areas as their workshop. Residents stated that the MC should take action against all those responsible for the unauthorised use of roadsides for commercial purposes. They demanded that footpaths should be freed for use by pedestrians. Drug peddler’s property frozen Amritsar, June 11 The city police today froze the property of a drug peddler, identified as Rohit Kumar alias Lobhi, a resident of Ghah Mandi. His ancestral property is located in Khairabad village on Ram Tirath Road here. The residential property was worth Rs 22.86 lakh. The police also seized a car worth Rs 3.12 lakh and cash in the accounts of Rohit and his father Satnam Singh worth Rs 9.5 lakh. The police also froze Rs 8 lakh kept in the bank account of his mother Rajni. The police said that his moveable and immovable property, allegedly attained from ill-gotten money from drug trade, was frozen after following due legal procedure. It was frozen after evaluation and permission from the competent authority and Administrator, NDPS Act, New Delhi. “The property was frozen under the provision of section 68-F of NDPS Act,” said Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar. — TNS Patti lawyer held for links with gangster Tarn Taran June 11 Patti police have arrested a lawyer for his alleged links with notorious gangster Prabhdeep Singh alias Prabh Dasuwal and misleading police by staging firing at his house to seek police security on Tuesday. The accused Baruno Dhawan, a resident of Patti, has been practicing in the Patti sub-divisional court. SSP Bhupinder Singh Sidhu said the police arrested Harinder Singh who revealed during the interrogation that Dhawan had conspired and orchestrated the incident for getting police security. The accused was produced in court and sent to two days of police remand. — OC c m y b “Our city, which is a tourist place, is in a mess presently. As its residents, we have been hoping for long that the authorities concerned would do something to improve the living conditions here. If encroachments are removed, most traffic chaos would automatically vanish,” said another resident Harpal Singh. Commuters cover their faces with cloth for protection from heat. step a slippery slope, he added. “Despite the challenges, we have to keep going to ensure a good harvest,” he summed up. The labourers echoed similar sentiments, with many complaining of headache, fatigue and dehydration. “We start work early in the morning, but even the morning sun is unforgiving. By the time the day wears on, we are exhausted. Still, we cannot afford to take a break as every plant counts, and every day’s delay can affect our earnings,” said Narinder Singh, another farmer. Residents have been advised to take necessary precautions to avoid heatrelated illnesses. The situation is expected to remain grim until the monsoon brings some relief.