13012026-ATR-01.qxd 1/13/2026 12:01 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST FOG MIST IN MORNING MAX 12°C | MIN 2°C YESTERDAY MAX 12°C | MIN 1°C COMMUNITY HEALTH OFFICERS ABSTAIN FROM NHM WORK GNDU SET TO HOST ITS GOLDEN JUBILEE CONVOCATION ON JAN 15 GOLDEN GLOBES 2026 BIG WINS, MORE SURPRISES The Community Health Officers Association organised a protest against the District Monitoring and Evaluation Officer. P2 GNDU is going to mark a milestone by hosting its 50th (golden jubilee) convocation on January 15, 2026. P3 Owen Cooper (16) has created history by winning the Golden Globe for his role in Netflix series Adolescence. P4 » » SUNSET TUESDAY 5.47 PM » SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7.30 AM TUESDAY | 13 JANUARY 2026 | AMRITSAR Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 12 A married woman was found murdered, seemingly committed with a sharp-edged weapon, in a hotel located on Court Road here on Sunday. The deceased has been identified as Prabhjot Kaur, a resident of Varraich village in Gurdaspur district. She had recently returned from Austria with her husband and their seven-monthold son. The police have booked the victim’s husband, Mandeep Singh Dhillon, who has been missing since the incident and is suspected to be involved in the murder. A hunt has been launched to trace his whereabouts, the police said. Family members of the deceased alleged that Mandeep Singh Dhillon was suspicious of Prabhjot Kaur’s character, which frequently led to quarrels in their married life. Lovepreet Singh, the victim’s brother, said Prabhjot Kaur was married about eight years ago to Mandeep Singh Dhillon, a resident of Jethuwal village in Victim Prabhjot Kaur Amritsar district. Lovepreet said the initial years of the marriage were peaceful, but domestic disputes later became frequent due to the husband’s suspicious nature. He further said the couple had been residing in Austria and had recently returned to India to organise a religious ceremony following the birth of their son. The victim’s father, Makhan Singh, said his daughter had been married into a respectable family and that there were no major disputes for a long time, though tensions had reportedly escalated in recent months. “A few days ago, they organised a bhog ceremony in connection with their son’s birth and were also preparing to celebrate Lohri. During this period, a dispute broke out between them,” he said. Makhan Singh said Mandeep Singh brought Prabhjot Kaur from her village while their child remained there. “Last night, they stayed at a hotel in Amritsar, where my daughter was murdered,” he added. Providing details, Assistant Commissioner of Police Lakhwinder Singh Kaler said the police control room received information around 1.30 pm through the emergency helpline 112 about a woman’s body found in a hotel on Court Road. A police team immediately rushed to the spot and initiated an investigation. “Preliminary inquiries revealed that the deceased and her husband often had altercations. Based on statements from the victim’s family members, a case of murder has been registered. Further investigation is underway, and efforts are being made to arrest the accused at the earliest,” the ACP said. Shivering cold conditions, dense fog add to residents’ woes in city Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 12 A sharp dip in temperatures across the region has resulted in shivering cold conditions, throwing normal life out of gear and causing widespread inconvenience to residents. The cold wave, accompanied by dense fog during the early morning hours, has severely affected daily activities, road traffic and public transport. With the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) issuing a warning about a severe cold wave and dense to very dense fog in Amritsar and Tarn Taran districts, residents are not hopeful of getting any immediate respite. Icy winds and biting cold made it difficult for people to step out of their homes on Monday, especially during the morning and late evening hours. Markets opened late, while footfall in public places remained thin throughout the day. Homeless people were seen huddling around Flood victims protest from Harike Headworks gates, demand relief Police, BSF seize 1.5 kg heroin Our Correspondent Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, January 12 Workers of the Flood Victims’ Kisan Sangharsh Committee (KSC), Punjab, continued their dharna on the 12th day today by climbing atop the floodgates of the Harike Headworks, demanding the early release of compensation for crop damage. Addressing the protesters, Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, state president of the committee, said that families living on thousands of acres of land along the Dhussi embankments were badly affected by the floods. He said that due to flooding, farmers had suffered massive losses, including standing crops, tubewells, residential houses, Tarn Taran, January 12 In a joint search operation conducted by teams of the Khemkaran and Valtoha police along with the Border Security Force (BSF) in their respective areas, around 1.5 kg of heroin, allegedly dropped by drones, was seized on Sunday. The police said on Monday that a team led by Khemkaran police station SHO Sub-Inspector Avtar Singh, along with BSF personnel, conducted a search in the fields of farmer Dhian Singh of Sujadipur (Ghazal) village. A dog squad was also pressed into service to assist in the operation. During the search, the continued on page 2 Flood victims stage a dharna on the flood gates at the Harike Headworks in Tarn Taran on Monday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI livestock and agricultural machinery. However, despite repeated demands, they have not received any compensation so far and the government has done nothing for their rehabilitation. Farmer leader Gurjit Singh Ram Singh Wala alleged that the state government has not paid even a single penny in continued on page 2 PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Woman found murdered in city hotel, police book husband Commuters travel along a road amid dense fog on a cold winter morning in Amritsar on Monday. bonfires to protect themselves from the extreme cold, while social organisations stepped in to distribute blankets and warm clothing at several locations. Dense fog enveloped the city and surrounding areas from late night till mid-morn- ing, reducing visibility to a few metres at many places. As a result, vehicular movement on highways and arterial roads slowed down considerably. Several vehicles were forced to use headlights even after sunrise, while minor traffic jams were reported at busy intersections. Bus and train services also witnessed delays, inconveniencing commuters and passengers. Health experts advised people, particularly senior citizens and children, to avoid unnecessary outdoor movement and to take adequate precautions against coldrelated ailments. Meanwhile, the adverse weather conditions have dampened the festive spirit ahead of Lohri, one of the most popular festivals in Punjab. Kite enthusiasts and youngsters, who traditionally look forward to flying kites under clear skies, are keenly waiting for an improvement in weather. Persistent fog and overcast conditions have made kite flying difficult, forcing many to postpone their plans. However, traders dealing in kites, sugarcane, peanuts, popcorn and other Lohrirelated items remain hopeful that weather conditions will improve in the coming days, allowing people to celebrate the festival with enthusiasm. The Meteorological Department has predicted that cold conditions may continue for the next couple of days, with chances of fog during morning hours, advising residents to remain cautious and prepared. Seven held in Valtoha sarpanch murder case Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 12 Cracking the murder of former Valtoha sarpanch Jharmal Singh, the Police Commissionerate, Amritsar, has arrested seven accused. Police investigations have established gangster Prabh Dasuwal as the mastermind behind the murder, committed due to old enmity, underscoring the preplanned and targeted nature of the crime. The accused have been identified as Sukhraj Singh alias Gunga (20) of Thakkarpura in Tarn Taran, Karamjeet Singh (23) of Passanwal village in Gurdaspur, Jobanpreet Singh (19) of Bhai Ladhu village in Tarn Taran, Harpreet Singh alias Happy (27) of Bahadur Nagar village in Tarn Taran, Jobanpreet Singh (20), Kulwinder Singh alias Kinda (20) and Armandeep Singh (18), the latter three are residents of Kalsian Kalan village in Tarn Taran. The police said Sukhraj Singh alias Gunga has a prior criminal history and was also involved in the sarpanch Rajwinder Singh murder case. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said investigations revealed that gangster Prabh Dasuwal had an old enmity with the deceased (former sarpanch) and had even fired at him earlier, clearly indicating a pre-planned and wellorchestrated conspiracy. He said the case was taken up on the highest priority and multiple specialised teams were constituted to investigate the murder. “The investigation, aided by a combination of technical surveillance and precise human intelligence, enabled police teams to identify both shooters Sukhraj Singh alias Gunga and Karamjeet Singh involved in the crime,” said the DGP . He said sustained interstate coordination, intelligence led tracking and close cooperation with Central agencies and the Chhattisgarh police led to the arrest of both shooters from Raipur in Chhattisgarh. “Both accused were deliberately changing locations across multiple states, including Maharashtra, Delhi, Bihar, Punjab and Chhattisgarh, and were using forged Aadhaar cards to conceal their identity and evade police detection,” he said. The DGP said another police team, with assistance from the SSOC, Mohali, arrested two more accused, both named Jobanpreet Singh, from Mohali. He said Harpreet Singh alias Happy was arrested from Valtoha, while Kulwinder Singh alias Kinda and Armandeep Singh were arrested from the Bhikhiwind area of Tarn Taran. He added that investigations revealed these five accused played a crucial role in the conspiracy by providing logistics, shelter, weapons and a motorcycle to the shooters. DGP Gaurav Yadav said the probe has further revealed that the shooters and the accused providing logistical support did not know each other and were acting independently, solely on the instructions of Prabh Dasuwal. Admn celebrates ‘Dhiyan Di Lohri’ with 101 newborn girls MP Aujla hails Punjab volleyball team’s bronze medal feat Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 12 Celebrating “Dhiyan Di Lohri” (Lohri of Daughters), Punjab Cabinet Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and his wife Suhinder Kaur joined Lohri festivities with staff and officials of the district administration at Saroop Rani College for Women here on Monday. The event specially honoured the families and parents of 101 newborn girls, who were invited to celebrate their daughters’ first Lohri. In Punjab and mostly in North India, Lohri, especially the first Lohri, is considered significant for a newborn. Traditionally, however, the celebration was largely limited to the birth of baby boys. Over the years, this patriarchal norm has begun to fade, giving way to new traditions that promote gender equality. Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO distributed Lohri to the families of the newborn girls and congratulated them on the festival. “These daughters should be educated and bring honour to their families and the country. It must be reiterated that Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and his wife celebrate Lohri with 101 newborn girls at Saroop Rani College in Amritsar on Monday. daughters today are excelling in every field and bringing glory to their parents and the nation,” said Minister ETO. He added that in Punjab, educated and capable women have taken charge as Deputy Commissioners in nearly seven to eight districts. Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar, Dalwinderjit Singh said parents should not consider daugh- ters a burden but should provide them equal opportunities for education. “To eradicate social evils like dowry, we must educate sons and empower daughters,” he said. c m y b Meanwhile, the Indian Academy of Fine Arts (IAFA) also celebrated Lohri by dedicating the festivities to art. Artists, poets and cultural enthusiasts participated in the celebrations. Prior to the event, the city’s artist fraternity paid a solemn tribute to veteran Bollywood actor Dharmendra. In another event, former chairman of the Amritsar Improvement Trust (AIT) and senior Congress leader Dinesh Bassi celebrated Lohri with residents of Ward No. 32 in the East constituency. Extending Lohri greetings to the residents, Bassi said Lohri is not merely a festival of circling around a bonfire, but a symbol of farmers’ hard work, mutual brotherhood and Punjab’s rich cultural heritage. Bassi said that in times of rising inflation, unemployment and growing concerns among the youth, the Lohri bonfire inspires society to unite and collectively face these challenges. He reiterated his commitment to bringing Punjab back on the path of progress through education, healthcare and employment. The Punjab volleyball team, which won a bronze medal in a national level championship recently. Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 12 Member of Parliament (MP) Gurjeet Singh Aujla has lauded the Punjab volleyball team for its historic bronze medal win at the 72nd Senior National Volleyball Championship, where they defeated the Services team. The championship concluded recently, marking Punjab’s return to the national open volleyball podium after a gap of 21 years. The state last won a medal in the championship in 2006. Punjab Volleyball Association president and MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla personally spoke to all the players over the phone and congratulated them on their remarkable performance. He said the achievement was the result of a completely transparent and fair selection process. MP Aujla emphasised that only deserving and hard- working players were selected, without any recommendations or favouritism, which led to Punjab clinching a bronze medal after more than two decades. He added that honest selections invariably lead to historic results. “The selection of five Punjab players for the national team is a matter of great pride for the entire state. This achievement was possible only because sincere and continued on page 2