10122025-ATR-01.qxd 12/9/2025 11:51 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY 17 CHALLANS ISSUED IN MC DRIVE AGAINST LITTERING SHAH RUKH AMONG NEW YORK TIMES’ 67 MOST STYLISH TERRY CREWS CONGRATULATES RANVEER ON DHURANDHAR The Amritsar Municipal Corporation on Tuesday issued 17 challans against street vendors for littering in Putlighar area. P2 The actor was recognised for his look at the Met Gala earlier this year for wearing design by Sabyasachi. P4 MAX 23°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 23°C | MIN 6°C Terry Crews on Instagram: “Me and the great Ranveer Singh at Abu Dhabi GP !!!! Congrats on DHURANDHAR”. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5.27 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 7.19 AM » WEDNESDAY | 10 DECEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR ~500 cr jibe: Dr Navjot Sidhu faces heat from Cong, BJP Woman found murdered in rest house Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 9 A woman from Maharashtra was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a rest house near the railway station here on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Sarita Sonkar, wife of Ganesh Sonkar, a resident of Thane. The police suspected that her husband, who is the prime suspect, allegedly strangled her and escaped through a window after locking the room from inside. Police suspect husband’s hand behind killing According to officials, routine checking by staff of the rest house knocked at the couple’s room several times but received no response. They alerted the police, who broke open the door and found the woman lying unresponsive on the bed. Strangulation marks were visible on her neck. Based on documents found in the room, the deceased was identified as continued on page 2 Manmeet Singh Gill/ Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service District administration officials during the raid at the illegal de-addiction centre at Booh Havelian village under the Harike police station in Tarn Taran on Tuesday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI Illegal de-addiction centre raided in Harike, eight patients rescued Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran, December 9 The district administration on Tuesday busted an illegal de-addiction centre at Booh Havelian village under the Harike police station and rescued eight patients who had been admitted forcibly by the centre’s management. Two accused running the illegal facility were arrested on the spot, while two of their associates managed to flee. Acting on the instructions of Deputy Commissioner Rahul, a team was constituted by Dr. Gurpreet Singh Rai. The team included Deputy Medical Commissioner Dr. Roopam Chaudhary, Tehsildar (Harike) Akwinder Kaur, Nodal Officer (De-Addiction Centre) Dr. Pawandeep, Pharmacy Officer Varinderpal Singh Bhatia, councillor Yogita, SHO Harike Balraj Singh, and a representative of the DSP Patti. , During the raid, the team found that Safe Life Rehabil- itation Centre, Booh Havelian, was being run illegally without permission, registration, or qualified staff. Serious violations were detected related to patient care, treatment protocols, accommodation and overall safety standards. The team rescued eight patients who had been kept at the centre against their will. They were shifted to the state government-run drug de-addiction centre for continued on page 2 PCCTU criticises govt for withholding grants, plans rally at Dirbha on Dec 12 Neha Walia Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 9 The Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU) has announced a major protest rally at Dirbha, the constituency of Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, on December 12 against the continued failure of the Punjab Government to release long-pending salary grants to aided colleges. The decision was taken on Tuesday by the local unit of the PCCTU at DAV College, Amritsar, where members held a demonstration, expressing strong resentment over the government’s apathetic attitude, which has pushed teachers and employees of aided colleges into severe financial uncertainty. Teachers in aided schools and colleges have not received full salaries for the last few months due to the state government’s failure to release salary grants under the grant-in-aid scheme. Addressing mediapersons, Dr Vikas Bhardwaj, president Members of the PCCTU local unit of DAV College during a protest in Amritsar on Tuesday. of the DAV PCCTU unit, said it was extremely unfortunate that the Finance Department, despite repeated reminders and assurances, had ignored the legitimate dues of aided college employees. He said teachers, who are shaping the future of Punjab, were being compelled to agitate for their own salaries, which he described as both painful and unjust. Ashu Vij, a teacher at DAV College, said the government’s apathy had crossed all limits, and the delay in releas- ing salary grants amounted to mental harassment of teachers. “We have been left with no option but to protest and take on the government for backtracking on its promises. Three years is enough time to plan and implement the proposed promises in reality,” he said. Dr Vikram Chaudhary, another protesting teacher, highlighted that aided colleges play a crucial role in Punjab’s higher education system, particularly in serving students from rural and economically weaker sections, and warned that continued neglect would seriously harm the education system. The non-release of grants has disrupted the financial planning of staff members and caused avoidable stress amid rising living costs. The local unit reiterated its firm resolve to participate actively in the Dirbha rally on December 12 and appealed to the Punjab Government to release the pending salary grants without further delay. Amritsar, December 9 The city’s political circles witnessed sharp turbulence on Tuesday as two major developments emerged following former MLA Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu’s recent statement. The first flashpoint arose within the Congress. Mithu Madaan, a long-time confidant of the Sidhu family and newly appointed president of the Amritsar Urban District Congress Committee, issued a stern warning to Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu, urging her to stop levelling allegations against the party leadership. Madaan claimed he would “expose the names of people from whom she had taken money, gold and other items” if she continued her remarks. Madaan said he had been closely associated with the family for years and knew “everything about their internal matters”, though he added that he still held INDIGO CRISIS Help desk set up at airport for stranded passengers Amritsar, December 9 The Ferozepur division of Northern Railway had established a help desk at Amritsar Airport to provide guidance and assistance to passengers stranded by flight cancellations. The purpose was to offer information, guidance and options to travellers. Through the desk, railway staff supplied passengers with details about available trains, timetables, ticket bookings, additional coach arrangements, and alternative services, ensuring they could reach their destinations safely and with greater ease. Passengers could avail themselves of the services of premium trains, Amritsar Shatabdi 12014, Swarn Shatabdi 12030, and Vande Bharat Express 22488, operating from Amritsar railway station to Delhi for the next four days. — TNS Mithu Madaan, a long-time confidant of the Sidhu family Senior BJP leader Jagmohan Singh Raju respect for them. He insisted that Dr Sidhu’s allegations against the Congress leadership were false. Madaan previously came into the spotlight in 2018 when he was accused of organising the illegal Dasehra event near Jaura Fatak, where 59 people died in a train tragedy — a time when Navjot Singh Sidhu had strongly defended him. The second development came from the BJP Senior . BJP leader and former IAS officer Dr. Jagmohan Singh Raju wrote to the Punjab Vigilance Bureau seeking a formal inquiry into Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu’s claim that “~500 crore in a briefcase” was needed to become the Chief Minister of Punjab. Raju had contested the 2022 Assembly elections from Amritsar (East), the same seat Navjot Singh Sidhu won in 2012. In his letter, Raju said Dr Sidhu’s statement amounted to a serious allegation of corruption at the highest levels of the Congress. He said that as a former MLA, former Chief Parliamentary Secretary and wife of a former PPCC president, her words held considerable significance. Any payment for access to a constitutional office like the Chief Minister’s post, he added, would constitute a grave offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act. He urged the Vigilance Bureau to carry out a “thorough, impartial and time-bound inquiry”. Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu has already been suspended from the primary membership of the Congress following her allegation that a briefcase containing ~500 crore was required to become Chief Minister — a demand she said her husband could not meet. Political temperatures in Amritsar have risen sharply, with Madaan’s threats, the BJP’s call for a probe, and the Congress distancing itself from Dr Sidhu. Health Dept discusses steps to reduce maternal, infant mortality Civil Surgeon Satinder Singh Bajaj during a meeting of department officials in Amritsar on Tuesday. Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 9 The Health Department organised a special meeting on maternal death review at the Civil Surgeon’s office here on Tuesday. The meeting focused on steps needed to reduce deaths of pregnant women and newborns in the district. Civil Surgeon Dr Satinderjit Singh Bajaj said the timely registration of pregnant women and regular antenatal check-ups can greatly help in preventing maternal and child deaths. He stressed that when pregnant women receive proper medical care at the right time, many complications can be avoided. District Family Welfare Officer Dr Neelam Bhagat led the review of recent maternal death cases. She said early registration makes it easier to identify high-risk pregnancies. Such cases can then be referred to specialist doctors for advanced care, ensuring safer deliveries for both moth- ers and babies, she added. Assistant Civil Surgeon Dr Rajinderpal Kaur, District MEIO Amardeep Singh, Deputy Superintendent Kamal Bhalla and other health staff members also attended the meeting. Officials said awareness at the village level, proper counselling and regular check-ups are essential to reduce maternal mortality. They added that the Health Department will continue taking steps to ensure safe motherhood across the district. 2 former SGPC officials booked Fighting pollution through politics: Activist Mandeep over publication of Sikh Itihas contesting ZP elections as Independent candidate Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 9 The Police Commissionerate Amritsar have registered a case against two former SGPC officials, Harbeant Singh and Waryam Singh, both from the Dharam Prachar Committee, for allegedly permitting a private publisher to release a Hindi book titled ‘Sikh Itihas’ containing objectionable language about Sikh Gurus. Both men have since retired. The book, a Hindi translation of JD Cunningham’s English work The History of the Sikhs, was published about 26 years ago. Complainant Baldev Singh Sirsa stated that the book misrep- resented facts about the Sikh Gurus and said the case was registered at the Kotwali police station in E Division on December 7 after an 18-year battle. He alleged that the SGPC had withdrawn the book only after he filed a case with the Sikh Gurdwara Judicial Commission in 2007. Sirsa noted in his complaint that SGPC, through resolution number 558, ordered the publication of Sikh Itihas in Hindi on October 7, 1997. Approximately 300 copies were published by a local private publisher who was paid Rs 67,767 by the SGPC in 1999. He challenged the SGPC’s claim of a complete withdrawal, pointing out that RTI responses indicated only five copies remained and questioning the whereabouts of the other 295 copies. SGPC secretary Partap Singh, in a statement released on November 21, said the move was a deliberate attempt to target the premier Sikh religious institution. He admitted that the SGPC had translated Cunningham’s work into Hindi in a limited run to mark the Khalsa’s 3rd centenary in 1999. He recalled that at the General House meeting on November 23, 2007, a special resolution was passed banning the book and ordering the recall of all printed copies. He argued that revisiting the issue was an attempt to defame the SGPC. Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, December 9 Having waged a determined fight against environmental pollution since 2021, Mandeep Singh Dhardeo — a progressive farmer, activist and serving sarpanch — is now taking his battle to a larger platform. He is contesting the zila parishad elections from the Mehta zone as an Independent candidate, driven not by political ambition but by a mission rooted in public health and accountability. At a time when major political parties are busy showcasing their strength through the local body polls, Mandeep Singh says his priorities are different. “Our zila parishad zone has 42 villages and most of them are suf- c m y b Environmental activist Mandeep Singh while filing his nominations as an Independent candidate for the ZP elections in Amritsar. fering because of the pollution caused by a private mill,” he said. A seat in the zila parishad, he says, will allow him to present their case more effectively. Widely respected in his region, Mandeep has earned recognition for conducting genuine gram sabha meetings — a practice often reduced to paperwork in many panchayats. His panchayat regularly uploads videos of these meetings on social media, setting an example of transparency and grassroots democracy. In the run-up to the elections, Mandeep says he immersed himself in learning about the roles and powers of zila parishads and block samitis. “Just as we demonstrated how an active panchayat can work, we want to show what a committed zila parishad member can achieve for his area,” he said. Asked why he chose to enter what many call “dirty politics,” Mandeep did not mince words. He said the area’s AAP MLA Harbhajan Singh ETO, now a minister, had repeatedly promised to take up the issue of pollution and the residents’ right to clean air and water. “In more than three years, he has not raised our issue in the Vidhan Sabha even once. We do not know what kind of tactical understanding he now has with the mill,” Mandeep alleged. To strengthen their fight, Mandeep said the panchayats of the region will hold proper gram sabha meetings and pass resolutions against the mill. “These resolutions will strengthen our case in courts. People must realise the real power of local bodies. We have understood it, and we intend to use it,” he added.