21042026-ATR-01.qxd 4/20/2026 11:36 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY STRAY CATTLE POSE THREAT TO COMMUTERS IN CITY KAPIL SHARMA HONOURED AT PUNJABI ICON AWARDS AUNTY SUDHA AUNTY RADHA & THE ART OF LOVING & LIVING Stray cattle, especially cows, are still easily spotted in and around small green belts. P2 Curated & organised by Cong leader Charan Singh Sapra, the event brought together leading names from entertainment.P4 In a career spanning over 3 decades, Tanuja Chandra has consistently told stories that linger. P4 » » » MAX 37°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 37°C | MIN 17°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.03 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5.54 AM TUESDAY | 21 APRIL 2026 | AMRITSAR Internal dissent comes to fore in SAD’s Khadoor Sahib unit Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 20 Internal dissent appears to be surfacing within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) following the party’s recent decision to appoint Ramandeep Kaur, wife of sarpanch Avtar Singh Billa Seron, as constituency in charge of the Khadoor Sahib Assembly segment. Senior SAD leader and former MLA Ravinder Singh Brahmpura, son of veteran Akali leader Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, has raised objections, signalling signs of dissent within party ranks in the Khadoor Sahib constituency. The Assembly segment was earlier represented by Ranjit Singh Brahmpura. After his demise, Ravinder Singh Brahmpura, who has contested the seat twice, was widely considered the party’s primary contender for the SAD ticket. Without naming any individual, Brahmpura alleged that certain “tainted elements” and individuals with questionable backgrounds, including suspected drug Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service FILE PHOTO Gurdaspur, April 20 Gurdaspur District Guidance Counsellor (DGC) Mukesh Verma carried out an inspection of several government schools and interacted with students. This was his first official assignment since his appointment as the DGC. Verma inspected Adarsh Senior Secondary School, Kot Dhandal, Government Senior Secondary School, Sidhwan, Senior Secondary School, Wadala Granthian, and Government High School, Kot Todar Mal. He reviewed the functioning of guidance corners, assessed available study materials and career-related resources. He also gave information about competitive exams and checked the quality of counselling being provided to students. He interacted with students through sessions, providing detailed information about national and state-level competitive examinations, higher education options, vocational and skill-based courses. — TNS Police bust cross-border arms supply module, arrest three Former MLA Ravinder Singh Brahmpura along with other SAD leaders. traffickers, were receiving indirect political and social patronage. His remarks are being interpreted as veiled criticism of recent developments in the party’s local leadership. Brahmpura has also written to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, raising concerns over the alleged rise of such elements. In his letter, he suggested constitutional measures for stricter enforcement of laws to prevent incidents of sacrilege involving the Guru Granth Sahib at the grassroots level. He further emphasised the need to safeguard the youth of the historically sig- nificant and sacred land of Khadoor Sahib, which holds deep religious importance in Sikh history. Brahmpura warned that the people of Punjab, particularly the sangat of the constituency, would not tolerate the promotion or protection of anti-social elements. He urged the state government to act firmly and without political pressure against drug peddlers and those allegedly supporting them. “The government must take strict action against those involved in drug trafficking and their patrons, failing which the people of Punjab will not forgive,” he said. Amritsar, April 20 The Amritsar Commissionerate Police on Monday claimed to have dismantled a cross-border and Madhya Pradeshbased illegal arms supply module with the arrest of three accused and the recovery of six pistols from their possession. The arrested individuals have been identified as Deepak Singh, alias Deepu (22), a resident of Kashmir Avenue in Amritsar; Arun Kumar, alias Sabu (26), a resident of Narayangarh in Amritsar; and Sukhjinder Singh, alias Sukha (29), a resident of Rehana Jattan in Kapurthala. The recovered weapons include one .30 bore PX5 pistol, three .32 bore pistols, and two .30 bore pistols, along with seven live cartridges. Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigations revealed the accused were procuring illegal weapons from Madhya Pradesh. He added that they were also in PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR New Gurdaspur school counsellor interacts with students Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar addresses mediapersons in Amritsar on Monday. contact with a Pakistan-based smuggler through social media platforms, who facilitated the supply of weapons via drones and coordinated their distribution through local handlers. The network was reportedly active in the Majha and Doaba regions. The DGP said further investigations are underway to establish forward and backward linkages and to dismantle the entire network. Sharing operational details, Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that, acting on specific intelligence, police teams initially arrested Deepak and recovered one pistol from his possession, while two more pistols were recovered from a location identified by him. Based on his disclosures, his accomplices Arun and Sukhjinder were also arrested, leading to the recovery of three additional pistols. The Police Commissioner said preliminary investigations indicate the accused had procured the weapons to execute a major criminal act, which was successfully averted due to timely police action. He further stated that Deepak and Arun have prior criminal records involving cases of attempted murder, theft and other serious offences. A case has been registered at the Civil Lines police station in Amritsar. Akshaya Tritiya sees gold rush in city Lawyers call for statewide strike over police Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 20 The spirit of Akshaya Tritiya kept gold markets buzzing in Amritsar, with jewellers reporting a sharp spike in sales despite record high prices, as buyers turned out in large numbers to mark the auspicious occasion. City jewellers said business was significantly higher than usual, driven by strong festive sentiment, though most customers preferred smaller and lightweight purchases. Pankaj Khurana of Khurana Jewellers said sales on the day were nearly three times higher than normal. “The gold price was high it touched nearly Rs 15,700 per gram. However, footfall remained strong throughout the day,” he said. He added that while demand remained robust, buying patterns have evolved. Customers are more City jewellers said business was significantly higher than usual, driven by strong festive sentiment. price-conscious now. Coins, small bars and lightweight jewellery are the top choices this year. He added that customers also preferred dia- mond jewellery. Other jewellers in Guru Bazar and nearby markets echoed similar trends, noting that festive offers and flexible purchase schemes helped attract buyers even as gold prices remained steep. Residents said they did not want to miss the traditional purchase, even if it meant scaling down. Rajesh Sharma, a resident of Ranjit Avenue, said, “Buying gold today is auspicious for us. Prices are high, so we bought a small coin, but we did not skip the tradition.” Simran Kaur, another buyer, said, “Earlier, we used to buy heavy jewellery, but this time we chose a light chain. It’s about the occasion more than the quantity.”Jewellers also reported increased exchange of old gold and advance bookings, indicating a shift toward smarter and budget conscious buying. Despite soaring rates, Amritsar’s markets showed that on Akshaya Tritiya, sentiment outweighs price, with tradition continuing to drive demand, even if the size of purchases has changed. inaction in commission agent murder case Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 20 City lawyers on Monday gave a call to all Bar associations in Punjab for a statewide “No Work Day” on April 21, intensifying protests over the alleged police inaction in the murder case of a commission agent in Ramdas. The deceased, identified as Dalbir Singh, a commission agent at the Ramdas Dana Mandi, reportedly died after being manhandled by a group of persons. The incident has triggered outrage among lawyers as the victim was the father of two advocates from Amritsar. At a meeting of the executive body of the Amritsar Bar Association, president Gurpreet Singh Panesar expressed serious concern over the lack of progress in the investigation. He said Jallianwala Bagh Civil Hospital ranks third in state Tribune News Service Central Government’s Kayakalp Project Amritsar, April 20 The Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital has secured the third position in Punjab under the Central Government’s Kayakalp Project, marking an improvement of two places from its earlier ranking. The hospital had previously ranked fifth in 201920 with a score of 78 out of 100. This time, it has improved its score to 80. Officials said the higher ranking reflects better facilities, improved cleanliness and stronger management systems at the hospital. The Kayakalp Project aims to enhance the condition of government hospitals, with a focus on sanitation, infection control and patient care. Rankings are released every two years, although the last cycle was delayed. Senior Medical Officer Dr Rajneesh said the hospital has implemented several A view of the Jallianwala Bagh Martyrs Memorial Civil Hospital in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO measures to improve services. “Our focus is to provide better healthcare and maintain high standards of cleanliness. We have worked on system improve- ments and facilities, which has helped us achieve a better rank,” he said. He added that gaps identified earlier have been addressed. During the Covid-19 period, the hospital faced challenges such as the lack of separate access routes for patients, forcing them to use common lifts. There was also a c m y b shortage of staff. “Now, separate access has been created for infected patients, staff availability has improved and medicine stock is being maintained properly,” he said. The hospital currently handles more than 1,500 patients daily in its OPD. Oxygen plants have also been installed to manage emergencies more efficiently. However, officials acknowledged that some basic issues still require attention. Renovation of toilets is planned and work is expected to begin soon after the tender process is completed, they said. Officials added that expert teams regularly inspect hospitals, evaluating cleanliness, sanitation, medicine management, staff availability and patient care. The improvement in rankings indicates that hospital administrations are working towards providing better facilities to patients. Lawyers during a protest in Amritsar on Monday. that an FIR was registered on April 16, but the main accused, specifically mentioned by the complaint in his statement, has not been named in the FIR. He said that the police have made no arrests so far in the case. Condemning the alleged failure of the police, the Bar Association unanimously resolved to boycott work on April 21. It has also issued a state-level call to all Bar associations across Punjab to join the strike in solidarity and press for immediate action. The protesting lawyers also raised allegations against AAP MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, with the victim’s family claiming that he is helping the accused and exerting pressure on the police. They urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to intervene and ensure a fair investigation. Intensifying the protest, they have demanded the immediate nomination and arrest of all accused, including the main assailant, and adequate security for the victim’s family, who they claim are facing threats. “The fight for justice will continue and the legal fraternity stands united with the victim’s family,” the resolution stated, warning of further escalation if action is not taken promptly. The strike call is expected to impact functioning in courts across the state, as lawyers have sought cooperation from judicial officers and various tribunals, including revenue courts, consumer courts, labour courts and juvenile courts. PHDCCI hosts exclusive meet with former President Kovind Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 20 The Regional Fashion Tex & Tech Forum, PHDCCI, organised an exclusive Meet & Greet with Ram Nath Kovind, former President of India, along with leading women personalities of the city at Hotel Le Méridien Amritsar. Himani Arora, Chair, Regional Fashion Tex & Tech Forum, PHDCCI, highlighted the forum’s continuous efforts towards promoting women empowerment, skill development, entrepreneurship and innovation. She reiterated the forum’s commitment to creating meaningful platforms that enable women to contribute actively to economic growth and nation-building. Addressing the gathering, Ram Nath Kovind batted for women-led businesses, calling to support local women upskilling initiatives undertaken by PHDCCI. Joined by his bet- Former President Ram Nath Kovind, along with his family, addresses a meet-and-greet event in Amritsar on Monday. ter half, Savita Kovind and daughter Swati Kovind, he commended the efforts of the Regional Fashion Tex & Tech Forum in empowering women through skill development and industry engagement. He emphasised that women today are not only contributors but key drivers of India’s economic and social transformation. He highlighted the growing role of women in entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation and stressed the need to further strengthen support systems, such as skill training, access to finance, mentorship and market linkages. He also spoke on the importance of education, digital inclusion and selfreliance in enabling women continued on page 2