16112025-ATR-01.qxd 11/15/2025 11:06 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune SHIROMANI AKALI DAL’S IT WING CHIEF ARRESTED SHRI RAM ASHRAM SCHOOL CELEBRATES SILVER JUBILEE Shiromani Akali Dal’s (SAD) IT wing chief, Nachhattar Singh Gill, arrested by the Tarn Taran police. P2 The school organised the 9th Acharya Sundar Singh Memorial Lecture as part of its silver jubilee celebrations. P3 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR RAJKUMMAR RAO, PATRALEKHAA WELCOME BABY GIRL Bollywood couple Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa welcomed their first child, a baby girl, on their wedding anniversary. P4 » MAX 24°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 9°C SUNSET SUNDAY 5.30 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 7.00 AM SUNDAY | 16 NOVEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Two nabbed for selling illicit liquor Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, November 15 The Bhikhiwind police have arrested two persons on the charge of selling illicit liquor. Officials said a police party led by ASI Gurmeet Singh recovered 40 litres of lahan from the house of Kashmir Singh, a resident of Burchand village. The accused was arrested on the spot. In the second incident, a police party led by ASI Jaspal Singh recovered 9,770 ML of illicit liquor from Gurwinder Singh, a resident of Sadhra village. He was waiting for customers to sell illicit liquor prepared at home which he had kept in a plastic pot. Two separate cases under Sections of 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act were registered against the accused in this connection. MP-based illegal weapons smuggling module busted Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 15 Acting on specific intelligence, the Counter Intelligence wing (CI), Amritsar, successfully foiled a planned target killing by busting a Madhya Pradesh (MP)-based illegal weapons smuggling module with the arrest of one operative and recovering nine pistols from his possession here on Saturday. The arrested person was identified as Arun Singh, a resident of Naushehra Pannuan village in Tarn Taran district. The recovered weapons include seven 32 bore and two 30 bore pistols along with magazines and five live cartridges. Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigation revealed that the weapons were procured to execute a targeted killing arising from inter-gang rivalry in the region. The probe also One arrested with nine pistols The weapons recovered by the Counter Intelligence wing, Amritsar. revealed that the accused was in contact with illegal weapon suppliers in Madhya Pradesh through social media platforms and was facilitating the flow of arms to criminals in Punjab to support unlawful activities, the DGP said. Sharing operational details, he said the CI-Amrit- sar received a specific intelligence about the retrieval of a huge consignment of illegal weapons from Madhya Pradesh. Acting swiftly, a police team of the CI-Amritsar intercepted the accused near HP Petrol Pump situated on the bypass road nearby Ghanupur Kale village and recovered the cache of illegal weapons from his possession, Yadav said. Further investigation was in progress to uncover the entire supply chain of weapons and identify additional operatives involved, he said. More arrests and recoveries were likely in the coming days, he said. A case was registered against the accused under Sections 25 and 25(1) (a) of the Arms Act and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the State Special Operation Cell Police Station, Amritsar, in this connection. Smuggler held with 11 kg heroin The accused in custody of the Border Security Force in Gurdaspur on Saturday. Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 15 The Border Security Force (BSF) on Saturday reported a major breakthrough in its anti-smuggling operations in Gurdaspur district with the arrest of an armed accused and the recovery of more than 11 kg of heroin. The action was initiated on the basis of specific intelligence inputs regarding suspicious movement in the depth area along the Dera Baba Nanak road. According to BSF officials, an intelligence team intercept- ed a man moving suspiciously near Pakhoke Mahimara village. The accused, a resident of Chheharta in Amritsar, was caught while carrying a pistol with a magazine, one live cartridge, a mobile phone and Rs 4,210 in cash. During preliminary questioning, the accused disclosed a location that led the BSF troops to conduct a coordinated search operation. The search resulted in the recovery of a motorcycle and four large packets of suspected heroin, weighing 11.08 kg including packing material. The packets were wrapped in yellow adhesive tape with illuminating strips and tied with nylon thread and hooks. The BSF officials said 20 smaller packets concealed in multiple layers of cloth and plastic were found inside the larger ones. The recovered items were handed over to the Dera Baba Nanak police station for further investigation and legal action. Officials of the BSF said the force remains committed to securing the border and preventing cross-border smuggling activities. New statues of Sikh warriors to Conference dwells on blueprint for city’s development be installed on Heritage Street Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 15 Heritage Street, the walkway leading to the sanctum of Darbar Sahib, is set for another redesign. Statues of two prominent Sikh warriors, Banda Singh Bahadur and Hari Singh Nalwa would be installed on the iconic Heritage Street. After earlier controversy over bhangra-themed statues, these were removed from the street and shifted to the district administration complex. The structures were removed following objections from devotees and several Sikh organisations, who argued that the sacred route should reflect Sikh history and the legacy of the martyrs. The administration reworked the beautification plan in line with these concerns. The revised proposal includes installing statues of prominent Sikh warriors. Statues of Banda Singh Bahadur and Hari Singh Nalwa are ready and preparations for their installation are Statues of two prominent Sikh warriors, Banda Singh Bahadur and Hari Singh Nalwa, would be installed on Heritage Street. in the final stages. Officials said the new statues would underscore the historical and cultural significance of the route, which was taken by thousands of devotees heading to the Golden Temple every day. The decision aims to honour the Sikh community’s martial heritage and commemorate sacrifices associated with it. “The move has drawn a positive response from devotees, with many describing it as a step that reinforces the spiritual and historical character of the pathway. The redesigned installations are expected to enhance the dignity of the heritage zone, while offering visitors a deeper connection to the Sikh history”, said Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia. Amritsar, November 15 A conference on “Viksit Amritsar” was organised today by the Institute for Inclusive Policy and Governance (IIPG) in association with Viksit Amritsar initiative. The national-level conference was attended by members of civil society and community leaders, who included more than 150 participants and over 25 speakers from diverse sectors. They shared their perspectives on shaping the future of Amritsar. The primary aim of the conference was to ensure community participation in developing a vibrant Amritsar — a city envisioned with smooth transportation, efficient connectivity, cleaner neighbourhoods and restoring its heritage character. On the occasion, speakers emphasised on the need to rebuild Amritsar’s historic identity while integrating modern and urban development. Prominent dignitaries, who addressed the consultation included Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, Laxmi Kanta Participants at a conference hosted by the Institute for Inclusive Policy and Governance in Amritsar on Saturday. Chawla, Baljinder Thakur (IIPG President), Misthi Arun (co-convenor of the event) and several other distinguished experts from the city. Taranjit Singh Sandhu, former Ambassador of India to the USA, who was the chief guest of the event, stressed on the urgent need to stop youth migration by creating better opportunities within Amritsar. “Education with skills is more important that education with a degree. We need to train and mentor our youth towards entrepreneurship and community engagement,” he said. Addressing participants on the occasion, Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh highlighted key concerns related to law and order, which form the foundation of a progressive and safe city. He also called to make politics and governance more transparent and accountable. Dr Neha Tejpal, Professor, Hindu College, Amritsar, said this consultation was only the beginning of a long-term initiative and not the final step. She shared that the IIPG would compile policy recommendations and submit them to departments concerned. She also announced upcoming sector-specific consultations with national and international experts. Baljinder Thakur, President, IIPG, reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to the betterment of Punjab. He emphasised that the IIPG was consistently working to enhance community participation in shaping effective public policy for the state. Several key speakers addressed the issue of Artificial Intelligence in agriculture, expanding city’s tourist potential, developing routes that enable more connectivity and ensuring a clean infrastructure. “Before we talk about bigger issues, ensure that Amritsar has clean streets, smooth roads, accessible public transport and effective waste management. Only then will we be able to call it a tourist city,” said Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, who is also Amritsar North MLA. 10th literary festival begins at historic Khalsa College Donors from U’khand contribute Tribune News Service Amritsar November 15 The 10th Amritsar Literature Festival and Book Fair began at Khalsa College in presence of all members of the Khalsa College Governing Council. Rajinder Mohan Singh Cheena, Pro-Chancellor, Khalsa University, and Secretary, Khalsa College Governing Council, along with Guru Nanak Dev University Vice-Chancellor Prof Karamjit Singh, former diplomat Navdeep Singh Suri, and Khalsa University Chancellor Dr Mahal Singh inaugurated the festival. Chinna, while stressing on the importance of promoting literature, said, “Literature is an important aspect of life. Books give direction to life. Along with increasing knowledge, books sharpen and refresh human mind. Taking Visitors at the Amritsar Literature Festival and Book Fair in Khalsa College on Saturday. into account the objective of development and promotion of book culture, this literature festival and book fair is organised every year.” Navdeep Suri said he reached high positions only on the strength of knowledge gained through reading. “The present generation needs to connect with books to not just increase their knowledge, but also sustain linguistic heritage that otherwise will be lost to generalisation. Books teach lessons beyond any classroom and introduce an individual to places and stories that help gain a personality,” he said. The five day literature festival will host a series of book exhibitions, literary sessions and cultural performances by eminent artistes. Many book sellers from different regions across Punjab have been invited to display stalls and promote Punjabi as well as vernacular literature. c m y b Dr Atam Randhawa, Principal, Khalsa College, said, “This fair has made its own identity outside Punjab and abroad. Its uniqueness compared to common fairs is that it is a literary fair, whose aim is to promote books as heritage.” The first day hosted a panel discussion with Pingalwara Charitable Society Director Dr Indrajit Kaur about Bhagat Puran Singh’s dedication to human life and his selfless services for the welfare of humanity. Noted author and Sikh scholar Dr Heera Singh and Dr Indrapreet Singh Dhami discussed various aspects of child psychology on the occasion. After this, Shiromani children’s writer Baljinder Mann and famous artiste Kamaljit Singh Nilo performed for the audience comprising mostly students. The book fair would continue till November 19. ~13 lakh for food-affected farmers Tarn Taran, November 15 Donors from other states, especially the Sikh organisations, have been liberally participating in the ongoing relief and rehabilitation task for the flood-affected farmers of the area. At present, the Sampardai Kaar Sewa Sarhali sect led by Baba Sukha Singh is restoring farmlands for cultivation which were rendered uncultivable by floods and sand brought by it. A section of poor farmers is not in the capacity to clear sand from their land. A survey is being conducted by the sect in Karmuwala, Gharka and Dhunn villages in Tarn Taran district to restore farmlands for cultivation of the poor farmers. Sangat of Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Bazpur, Uttarakhand, Devotees of Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Bazpur, Uttarakhand, offer donation for the flood-affected families in Tarn Taran. GURBAXPURI contributed Rs 13 lakh on Saturday for this noble cause. Out of this amount, Rs 3 lakh was given to the sarpanch of Dhunn village for diesel expenses, and Rs 10 lakh was offered to Baba Sukha Singh for clearing sand from farmlands in Gharka village. The devotees from the Uttarakhand gurdwara also paid Rs 46,000 school fee of the needy children of the flood-affected farmers. — OC