10062026-ATR-01.qxd 6/10/2026 12:29 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune NO END TO SEWAGE DRAINAGE PROBLEM IN DHOTIAN VILLAGE SPECIAL CAMPS AT 615 BOOTHS TO BOOST VOTER MAPPING The DC appealed to voters to actively participate in the SIR process and ensure the verification of their details. P3 MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 44°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 43°C | MIN 27°C NORA FATEHI REPRESENTS INDIA IN FIFA ALBUM The stagnant sewage from houses at the adda of Dhotian village has resulted in many accidents. P2 FORECAST The new song from the FIFA World Cup 2026 is finally out, and it features the Bollywood star. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.18 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5.22 AM » WEDNESDAY | 10 JUNE 2026 | AMRITSAR One injured in Tarn Taran firing incident, four booked Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, June 9 The Chabal police have registered a case against four persons who allegedly stormed into the house of Baljinder Singh, alias Nikka, a resident of Khairdeenke village here, on Monday evening and fired gunshots. Baljinder Singh dialled 112 and lodged a complaint in this regard. The accused include Dilbagh Singh, alias Baga, a resident of Fatehpur, Sajan Singh, Siva and Batra, all residents of Khairdeenke. Investigating officer ASI Sukhwinder Singh said that the accused went to the house of Baljinder Singh, alias Nikka, a resident of Khairdeenke, and fired gunshots to kill him. A relative, Sonu Singh, was injured in the firing, he stated. A case has been registered under Sections 109, 191 (3) and 190 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act against the accused. Historian Dr Rupowali makes fiction debut with ‘Deh Ki Sakhi’ NEWSMAKER OF THE WEEK Immigration glitch causes chaos at Amritsar airport Charanjit Singh Teja Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 9 Dr Gurminder Singh Rupowali has long been recognised in academic circles for his work on Sikh historiography and historical sources. His latest book, ‘Deh Ki Sakhi’, however, has brought him into the spotlight for an entirely different reason — it marks his debut work of fiction. A researcher with the Sikh History Research Board and a scholar who earned his PhD from the Department of Guru Nanak Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University, Rupowali has primarily engaged with questions of history, methodology and Sikh intellectual traditions. While his earlier books examined historical events and institutions, ‘Deh Ki Sakhi’ reflects on the human condition and the spiritual purpose of life. Through a series of characters and experiences, the book explores how individuals gradually drift away from their spiritual essence in pursuit of comfort, Amritsar, June 9 Passengers at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, Amritsar, faced inconvenience late on Monday night after a technical glitch in the immigration system disrupted routine processing, leading to long queues and temporary chaos at the airport. According to officials, the malfunction slowed immigration clearance and passenger processing, resulting in lengthy waiting times for travellers around 10 pm. As the backlog increased, long queues formed at the immigration counters, causing confusion and frustration among passengers. Several travellers expressed concern about missing their flights, while others complained of delays and inconvenience. The situation triggered panic among some passengers and videos showing travellers arguing with airport staff surfaced on social media. Airport authorities, however, said they acted swiftly to Gurminder Singh Rupowali in Amritsar. convenience and material success. It traces a journey from a simple life rooted in contentment to the complexities of modern urban existence, where peace of mind and spiritual awareness are often sacrificed. The protagonist’s encounters with spiritually enlightened individuals set him on a path of self-discovery and transformation. According to Rupowali, the literary form of the book is inspired by the Sikh ‘Sakhi’ tradition. Rather than presenting abstract philosophi- cal arguments, the work seeks to impart lessons through stories and lived experiences, much like traditional Sikh narratives that have historically served as vehicles of moral and spiritual instruction. The author’s academic background continues to shape his literary outlook. His doctoral research focused on Sikh historiography and methods of interpreting Gurmukhi sources. A central theme of his scholarship has continued on page 2 A view of Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO address the issue. Technical teams were immediately deployed to rectify the fault, while efforts were made to manage passenger movement and restore normal operations. Airport Director Bhupinder Singh said a technical problem related to the immigration system had caused the disruption. “The issue persisted until 12.20 am, but was fully resolved thereafter. Around 500 passengers from four flights were affected. We opened additional counters and introduced direct processing arrangements to manage the situation. The system was restored and operations returned to normal soon afterwards,” he said. The Airport Director further clarified that all services are now functioning smoothly and passengers are no longer facing any difficulties. Authorities have also initiated measures to strengthen monitoring of critical systems and enhance technical safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future. Babuwal villagers protest Nihang Major mishap averted as roof collapses Sikh’s death, allege police assault in govt building, employees raise concern Pensioners’ union slams govt over delay in DA arrears Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 9 Residents of Babuwal village in the Majitha area staged a protest on Tuesday following the death of a 65-year-old Nihang Sikh on Tahli Sahib Road, alleging that Punjab Police personnel assaulted him during a raid at his residence. The deceased, identified as Nirmal Singh, died after a police raid conducted at his house in the early hours of Tuesday. Family members claimed that a team of five police personnel arrived at the residence to carry out a search and allegedly assaulted members of the family despite failing to recover anything during the operation. According to the family, Nirmal Singh and his son, Daler Singh, were beaten with sticks during the raid. Relatives alleged that both sustained injuries to their arms and legs and claimed that Nirmal Singh’s condition deteriorated following the incident, ultimately leading to his death. They further alleged that police personnel forcibly took Nirmal Singh and his son away from the house during the operation. Shamsher Singh, son of the deceased, alleged that his father was brutally assaulted. Family members and supporters demanded strict action against the police officials involved and called for their dismissal from service. Villagers who joined the protest also accused the police of routinely detaining local residents and subsequently registering cases against them. The protesters announced that they would not perform the last rites of the deceased until an FIR is registered against the police personnel concerned. Meanwhile, police officials strongly denied the allegations. Speaking to the media, DSP , Majitha, Kamalmeet Singh Randhawa refuted the claims and stated that no assault had taken place during the raid. The DSP said that Daler Singh was already facing multiple criminal cases and that the police team had visited the village in connection with an ongoing investigation. He added that the police party left after conducting the raid and that the death occurred later. Randhawa said the exact cause of death and the nature of the visible injuries on the deceased’s body would only be determined after the postmortem report is received. He assured that the matter would be investigated fairly and that further action would be taken based on the findings of the inquiry and medical report. Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 9 A major safety scare unfolded at the office of the Assistant Registrar and Deputy Registrar, Cooperative Societies, when a portion of the roof suddenly collapsed inside the government building on Tuesday. A large chunk of concrete fell directly onto the chair and work area of a PCS officer after the roof structure weakened and the steel reinforcement rods lost their hold. Fortunately, no official or employee was present beneath the affected section at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported. The incident, however, has exposed the deteriorating condition of the building and raised serious concerns about the safety of employees working there. Staff members said pieces of concrete and plaster have been falling from various parts of the roof for some time. A large crater develops after a portion of the roof collapses at a government office in Amritsar on Tuesday. Employees expressed concern over the worsening state of the structure, saying they work under constant fear as another section of the roof could collapse at any moment. They added that the unsafe environment adversely affects their ability to perform official duties efficiently. Staff members also reported that rainwater frequently seeps through the damaged roof during the monsoon season, causing damage to official records, files, computers and other office equipment. Falling concrete has reportedly damaged government property on several occasions in the past. Employees urged the authorities concerned to take immediate steps for repairs and renovation of the building. They have also appealed to the government to consider reconstructing the structure or shifting the office to a safer location before a major mishap occurs. Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, June 9 The district pensioners’ union, during a meeting held at the local Bunga Ramgarhia on Tuesday, condemned the state government for allegedly creating obstacles despite the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s orders regarding the payment of dearness allowance (DA) arrears to employees. The union members were addressed by Jaswinder Singh Manochahal, Dr Ajmer Singh, Principal Dalbir Singh and Karam Singh Lalpura. The speakers said the High Court had issued clear directions for the payment of DA arrears and urged the government to implement them without delay. They said that while MLAs and ministers continue to enjoy enhanced facilities and continued on page 2 Two linked to cross-border terror module Ghonewal villagers hold protest, seek held with hand grenades from Khasa area compensation for last year’s flood losses Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 9 The Amritsar Rural Police, in a joint operation with central agencies, apprehended two individuals allegedly linked to cross-border handlers and recovered two hand grenades from their possession on Tuesday. The accused were identified as Davinder Singh, a resident of Chungh village in Tarn Taran, and Rajwinder Singh, a resident of Sursingh in Tarn Taran. Besides recovering the hand grenades, the police also impounded the car in which they were travelling. Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were in contact with foreignbased handlers and were act- The two hand grenades seized by the Amritsar Rural Police. ing on their directions. The recovery of the hand grenades points to a larger conspiracy aimed at disturbing peace and public order in the border state, he said. Further investigations are underway to establish forward and backward linkages and identify other associates involved in the network. Sharing operational details, Senior Superintendent of Police (Amritsar Rural) Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal said the police received credible infor- mation that the suspects had retrieved a consignment of explosive material sent by handlers from across the border and were allegedly planning a terror activity to disrupt peace and harmony in the state. Acting on the input, police teams under the supervision of DSP (Investigation) Gurinderpal Singh Nagra and DSP Attari, Yadwinder , Singh launched an intelligence-led operation and apprehended the duo from the Khasa area. During the search of their car, two hand grenades were recovered. The SSP said preliminary investigations suggested that the accused were awaiting further instructions from their foreign-based handlers to execute the planned activity. Further investigations are in progress. continued on page 2 c m y b Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Ajnala, June 9 Farmers and labourers of Ghonewal village in Ajnala tehsil held a large protest meeting against the Punjab Government, alleging failure to provide compensation for losses caused by the devastating floods that struck the area last year. Ghonewal was among the worst-affected villages during the floods. Vast stretches of paddy and sugarcane crops were destroyed, houses remained submerged for an extended period and numerous livestock animals perished. The village drew national and international media attention, while senior government officials, ministers, Members of Parliament, leaders of the Farmers and labourers of Ghonewal village in Ajnala during a protest. Samyukt Kisan Morcha and representatives of social organisations visited the area and demanded full compensation for the affected families. However, villagers alleged that many families are yet to receive compensation for crop losses, damaged houses and livestock deaths. Led by the All India Kisan Sabha and the Democratic Kisan Sabha Punjab, farmers gathered at Baba Buggan Shah Dera and raised slogans against the state government. The protesters claimed that more than 125 farmers and labourers, whose names were submitted for compensation, have not received any payment so far. They further alleged that several eligible beneficiaries were excluded because their names were not forwarded by revenue officials and the authorities concerned in Ramdas sub-tehsil. Senior All India Kisan Sabha leader Gulzar Singh Basantkot and Democratic Kisan Sabha Punjab state president Dr Satnam Singh Ajnala said a delegation had recently met the SDM and the Tehsildar of Ajnala. According to them, the officials assured the delegation that funds had already been received and compensation would be disbursed soon. However, no payments have been released so far, leading to growing resentment among villagers.