08082025-ATR-01.qxd 8/8/2025 12:04 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune COMMUNISTS SLAM GOVT OVER POLICIES HOMECOMING OF VOLLEYBALL HERO RANJIT SINGH Along with veteran volleyball players, he helped set up a ground and arranged for a coach at his village. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 37°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 27°C SUNEEL DARSHAN IS BACK WITH A NEW GEN OF STARS Anti-Fascist Front Punjab expressed concerns over the growing threat to democracy in the country. P2 FORECAST Twenty years after his blockbuster film Andaaz, Darshan is ready to unveil his next, which he is calling Andaaz 2.P4 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 7.12 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5.45 AM » FRIDAY | 8 AUGUST 2025 | AMRITSAR Police bust illegal arms racket Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 7 The smuggling of sophisticated arms from the neighbouring country via drones continues unabated with the Amritsar police today busting yet another cross-border weapons smuggling module. The police also arrested four members of the gang leading to the recovery of seven pistols from them. Those arrested were identified as Akashdeep Singh alias Akash (20) of Daoke village located near international border, Ramanpreet Singh (23) of Bagha Kalan village here, Pratap Singh (25) of Sur Singh village in Ferozepur and Sarbjit Singh alias Babbal (25) of Debi Wala Bazar here. Among the recovered pistols were two Italy-made 9mm PX5, two Austria-made 9mm Glock and three .30 bore pistols. “The accused were in contact with Pakistan-based smugglers and have been receiving consignments of illegal weapon near the Indo-Pak border. The arrested accused were operating from border villages and supplying arms to gangsters in the state,” said Director General of Punjab Police Gaurav Yadav on Thursday. Further investigation is in progress to establish the for- Four gang members arrested, seven pistols seized Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar addresses a press conference on busting a crossborder weapon smuggling module in Amritsar on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR ward and backward linkages of the arrested gang members to further uncover the entire network, he added. Sharing details of the operation, Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that the Punjab Police was on high alert ahead of Independence Day celebrations and the Chheharta police had received specific intelligence inputs leading to the arrest of Akash and Raman from the area, resulting in the recovery of four pistols— two PX5 9mm and two of .30 bore. Subsequently, their two accomplices, Pratap Singh and Sarbjeet Singh alias Babbal, were also nabbed from the same area followed up with confiscation of three additional pistols from them. Bhullar said Akash resides close to the international border and he along with Raman used to receive consignments of arms from across the fencing, while their associates Sarbjeet and Pratap were coordinating and handling the weapon supply operations. “With their arrest, the police have averted a major criminal activity,” claimed the Police Commissioner while adding that more arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days. 11 days on, MC’s beautification drive yet to reach Golden Temple Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 7 The ongoing special cleanliness and beautification drive launched by the Amritsar Municipal Corporation is yet to reach the Golden Temple, even after 11 days of commencement. According to the original plan announced by the Municipal Corporation officials, the stretch from Golden Gate to Darbar Sahib was to be cleaned within seven days. However, due to overgrown grass, debris, garbage and numerous encroachments, even a large contingent of volunteers from the Bhuri Wale Baba Kar Sewa group could only reach as far as Alpha Mall in the first week. Their efforts were limited to cleaning the green belts, while road and footpath repairs remain pending. On Thursday, the campaign extended to areas including Ghio Mandi to Shiwala Virbhan and from Bazaar Petia to Jallianwala Bagh. Additional MC Commissioner Surinder Singh, local MLA Ajay Gupta and area councillor Jarnail Singh Dhot were also present to oversee the progress. Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh said this special beautification and maintenance campaign was launched in collaboration with Dera Baba Bhuri Wale and aims to improve the condition of key roads leading to Darbar Sahib. Various departments of the Municipal Corporation, including civil, O&M, estate, advertisement, horticulture and street light wings, are jointly involved in the operation. The campaign has also received support from major social, religious, commercial and residential welfare associations of the city. City residents have widely appreciated this effort to improve the city’s appearance. MLA Ajay Gupta praised the campaign, calling it commendable, adding that the city roads have visibly improved. A large number of devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to visit Amritsar on 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur. The MLA claimed that the Punjab Government has released special funds to mark the occasion. Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh stated that, under clear directions, the corporation is working on garbage collection, mechanical sweeping and clearing unauthorised encroachments and street vendors from major roads. IED recovered from Sarhali Amritsar, August 7 In view of the coming Independence Day celebrations, the Anti Gangster Task Force (AGTF) along with Tarn Taran police on Thursday claimed to have thwarted a terror plot and recovered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in Sarhali area of Tarn Taran. The IED was allegedly smuggled from Pakistan by the ISI-backed Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terrorist Harwinder Singh Rinda and Canada-based Lakhbir Singh Landa. The IED was immediately secured and safely transported to a designated location, where it was successfully neutralised in a controlled detonation by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team. DGP Punjab, Gaurav Yadav , revealed that the IED was recovered following credible human intelligence about the sneaking in of an explosives consignment containing Improvised Explosive Device (IED) from Pakistan. Promod Ban, Additional ADGP AGTF pointed out that , , as per preliminary probe, the recovered IED was smuggled into Punjab by ISI-backed terrorist modules to disrupt public peace and target innocent lives in the border state. A case has been registered under sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and section 111 of BNS at Sarhali police station. — TNS Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 7 Grappling with financial pressure and uncertainty, teachers working in aided schools of Punjab have not received their salaries for the last four months. This is the second time that the teachers have been denied salaries. Last year, aided school teachers received salaries after a delay of five months. In an emergency meeting held at Amritsar, the Aided School Teachers Union called for accountability on the part of Education Department and Education Minister Harjot Bains, who has been promoting the Sikhiya Kranti in state. “Aided schools have not received salary grants (95 per cent) from the state government for last four months, while C&V (Craft and Vocation) teachers of aided schools are waiting for their salaries for the last 16 months. A total of 8,110 sanctioned posts of regular teachers Aided school teachers and members of the management in Amritsar on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO remain vacant in aided schools out of 9,468 sanctioned posts. Although the Punjab government talks of an education revolution in the state, thousands of teachers of these schools in the state are struggling to fetch two square meals for their families,” said Ajay Chohan, a teacher at DAV School, Hathi Gate, and secretary, Aided School Teachers Union. The aided school teachers, recruited before April 2003, receive their salaries under the “grants-in-aid” scheme, where the state government covers 95 per cent of their salaries, with the school management contributing the remaining five per cent. Last paid in 2024, the salaries this year have once again been halted due to nonpayment of grant. Over the years, aided schools in the state have been facing deteriorating conditions in terms of infrastructure and faculty. Gurmeet Singh Madnipur, state president of the Punjab government-aided school teachers, said that aided schools in Punjab came into being in 1967 and served as centres of excellent education till 2003. In 2003, the state government imposed a ban on the recruitment of teachers. “Over the years, the number of schools in Punjab has come down to 400, 53 of which are in Amritsar. The number of teachers today has drastically fallen to 1,300 in the state, with some schools being run with c m y b Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 7 With Independence Day celebrations barely a week away, Special Director General Punjab Police (Railways), Shashi Prabha Dwivedi along with senior police officials including Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, today carried out a cordon and search operation (CASO) at Amritsar railway station here on Thursday. She also supervised the security arrangements being made ahead of August 15. During CASO, Civil Lines police along with personnel from Government Railway Police, Railway Protection Force and Armed Reserve Police cordoned off the roads around railway station and checking of passengers and their belongings was carried out. Sniffer dogs and antisabotage police teams were also pressed into service. Police officials also interacted with passengers at the railway station. Police checked the IDs of people roaming around, inquiries were made about the vehicles parked near the railway station and in the parking lot. Their ownership was checked through Vaahan app. Detailing the security DGP (Special) Railways Shashi Prabha Dwivedi interacts with passengers during a cordon and search operation at Amritsar railway station on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR arrangements being made in view of the Independence Day, Police Commissioner Bhullar said that all entry and exit points of the city have been sealed with special nakas. He said shifting nakas were also being set up in different parts of the city and suspicious vehicles were being checked. The police also kept an eye on suspi- cious elements. Bhullar said foot patrolling in crowded markets within the walled city was being carried out. The Quick Response Teams (QRT) and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams are being equipped with modern weapons and sensitised to exigencies. They have been deputed at different places, he said. Jolt for SAD in Tarn Taran as leaders join AAP Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, August 7 The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) suffered a major setback in the Tarn Taran Vidhan Sabha constituency on Thursday, as independent councillor Suraj Sharma and former president of the SAD Tarn Taran city unit, Manoj Kumar Timma, along with several other associates, announced their decision to join the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). A formal induction ceremony was held under the leadership of Harmit Singh Sandhu, the newly-appointed Halqa incharge of AAP Aman Arora, . state president of AAP and a cabinet minister, was the chief guest at the event. In his address, Aman Arora Aided school teachers demand salaries, plan stir Neha Saini Special DGP conducts CASO ahead of Independence Day only a single regular teacher. The managements too are facing financial distress as student enrolment has dipped and the state government does not give any grants or aid for infrastructure development and maintenance of these schools,” said Madnipur. The teachers now demand that either salaries be paid or aided schools be merged with government schools as this seems to be the only way for survival. “We have taken loans and cannot afford to lose our savings to pay EMIs. The financial stress is humiliating and frustrating now. Some solution has to come from the government,” said Jaswinder Singh, president, Aided School Teachers Union, Amritsar. Teachers of aided schools will gherao the DPI office on August 12. “If these issues are still not resolved, stringent action will be taken for which the Punjab government will be solely responsible,” warned Jaswinder. AAP workers with state president Aman Arora. welcomed the new members and assured them of due respect and recognition within the party. He stated that the inclusion of prominent local leaders had significantly strengthened AAP ahead PHOTO: GURBAXPURI of the upcoming by-election for the Tarn Taran Assembly seat. Arora also highlighted various welfare schemes initiated by the state government and reiterated its commitment to eradicating the drug menace from society. Harmit Singh Sandhu assured the gathering that all pending development projects in the area would soon be initiated. Other key speakers at the event included Sarwan Singh Dhunn, MLA from Khemkaran; Talbir Singh Gill, AAP in-charge for Majitha; and Bhupinder Singh Khera, former president of the Tarn Taran Municipal Council. With increasing activity by the ruling AAP in the Tarn Taran constituency, the political atmosphere is gaining momentum, as the announcement of the byelection is expected soon. The seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal. Civic body reviews illegal sewer, water connections, pending dues Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 7 Following directions from Municipal Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, Additional MC Commissioner Surinder Singh chaired a review meeting with officials from the Water Supply and Sewerage Department, along with recovery staff to assess the action taken on illegal water and sewer connections and pending dues. During the meeting, it was revealed that in the financial year 2025-26, the department has recovered a total of Rs 4 crore so far, a significant increase compared to Rs 1.70 crore recovered during the same period last year. The Additional MC Commissioner took a serious note of the slow pace of regularising illegal connections and recovery efforts. He instructed that a weekly progress report must be submitted by each Junior Engineer (JE), and strict action will be taken against officials failing to meet the set targets. The Additional MC Commissioner directed all JEs to provide a detailed report on new colonies constructed in their areas, number of connections, action taken against illegal connections, steps for regularisation and notices issued. He emphasised the need to accelerate recovery from defaulters and improve performance across all zones. The meeting was attended by Executive Engineer Manjeet Singh, Assistant MC Commissioner Daljeet Singh, SDOs, JEs from various divisions and recovery clerks. Bulk water supply scheme reviewed: Meanwhile, a separate meeting was held to review the bulk water supply scheme. During the meeting, Project Manager Kuldeep Singh Saini gave a detailed update on the progress of the scheme. Addressing officials from Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the contractor for the project, the Additional MC Commissioner issued strict instructions to ensure that water supply to the southern part of the city, divided on the basis of the railway line, should begin by the end of this year. With the monsoon season nearing its end, he also directed the company to promptly repair and restore roads damaged during the laying of pipelines, including complete carpeting with bitumen to ensure smooth vehicular movement. Also present during the meeting were Superintending Engineer Civil Sandeep Singh, L&T Project Manager Rahul Patel, CFO Jitender Vansil and Senior Construction Manager Ashwani Sharma.