11062026-ATR-01.qxd 6/10/2026 11:14 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY ~3.74-CR SAROVAR RESTORATION PROJECT BEGINS AT RAM TIRATH JANHVI KAPOOR CARRYING HER MOTHER'S LEGACY FORWARD? AS GULLAK ENTERS SEASON 5, JAMEEL REFLECTS ON ITS MAGIC The state government has launched cleaning of the holy sarovar at Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal. P2 Chiranjeevi and Sridevi were one of the most iconic on-screen pairs in Telugu cinema, celebrated for their chemistry. P4 Jameel Khan elucidates, “This is my story, your story, that of the middle class; it’s relatable for it picks up relevant issues.”P4 » » » MAX 40°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 43°C | MIN 29°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7.26 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5.19 AM THURSDAY | 11 JUNE 2026 | AMRITSAR MC removes encroachments in drive at Narayangarh market road PRTC, Punbus buses off roads as staff go on indefinite strike Tribune News Service MC workers remove illegal encroachments in Narayangarh Vegetable Market Road area in Amritsar. Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 10 The Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) on Wednesday carried out a special antiencroachment drive on Narayangarh Vegetable Market Road as part of its ongoing campaign to keep the city free from illegal encroachments. During the drive, civic body teams removed unauthorised occupations from roads and public spaces, helping improve traffic flow and reducing inconvenience to com- Missing teen found safe in Maharashtra, accused held Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, June 10 A teenage girl and the youth accused of abducting her on the pretext of marriage a few days ago have been traced to Maharashtra and brought back to Tarn Taran. According to the city police, the accused, identified as Karan, a resident of Muradpur Mohalla in Tarn Taran, had allegedly kidnapped the minor girl a few days ago. The Maharashtra Railway Police informed the girl’s family that both the girl and the accused were in their custody. The girl was subsequently placed in the care of the Maharashtra Child Welfare Committee (CWC). The girl’s father, accompanied by relatives, travelled to continued on page 2 muters and local residents. The MC also took strict action against individuals responsible for littering and illegally occupying public areas. A total of 13 challans were issued during the enforcement drive. Officials advised shopkeepers and street vendors to refrain from encroaching on public roads and footpaths and to maintain cleanliness around their establishments. They warned that strict action would be taken against repeat violators and those found flouting civic regulations. Municipal corporation officials said similar drives against encroachments and unhygienic conditions would continue in different parts of the city in the coming days. They stressed that such initiatives are essential to ensure smooth traffic movement, maintain public hygiene and improve the overall urban environment. Residents were urged to cooperate with civic authorities by adhering to regulations. Amritsar, June 10 Commuters across the district faced inconvenience on Wednesday as buses operated by PRTC and Punbus remained off the roads following an indefinite strike by contractual employees. Across Punjab, around 4,700 workers, including 350 from Amritsar Depot 1 and Amritsar Depot 2, participated in the strike. Only Punjab Roadways buses, numbering fewer than 15 across the district, and private buses were available for passengers at the Shaheed Bhagat Singh Inter-State Bus Terminal. With severe heatwave conditions prevailing, passenger traffic was already low as many people avoided unnecessary travel. Only those with urgent, essential or emergency work ventured out, giving the bus stand a deserted appearance. Kuljit Singh said around 170 buses belonging to the two depots remained off the roads. Agitating employees staged a protest at the Punjab Roadways workshop and prevented Punbus and PRTC buses from leaving for the bus stand. The strike has been called under the banner of the Punjab Roadways, Punbus and PRTC Contract Workers Union (Punjab) in protest against the induction of private buses under the kilometre scheme. He said the strike, initially scheduled from June 22 to 24, was advanced after Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema flagged off five Volvo buses operating under the Punbus kilometre scheme for the Delhi airport route from Chandigarh on Tuesday. Viewing the move as a step towards privatisation of the state-run transport sector, the union advanced its protest Labour Dept cracks down on 3 Hand grenade recovery case: Police to bring firms violating workers’ rights alleged BKI operative on production warrant Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 10 Taking strong action against labour law violations, the Labour Department has attached and sealed the bank accounts of three establishments, withheld the salaries of officials in a government department and ordered the attachment of property belonging to a defaulting firm for denying statutory benefits to workers. The action was announced by Assistant Labour Commissioner (ALC) Jaskandeep Singh Kang, who said the department remains committed to protecting workers’ rights and ensuring compliance with labour laws. Exercising powers vested in him as Assistant Collector Grade-I under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, Kang ordered the attachment ALSO SEALS THEIR BANK ACCOUNTS Exercising powers vested in him as Assistant Collector Grade-I under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887, Kang ordered the attachment and sealing of bank accounts of three establishments that had failed to pay gratuity to four workers. In another case, the salaries of officials of a government department were withheld after nine workers were denied benefits legally due to them. and sealing of bank accounts of three establishments that had failed to pay gratuity to four workers. In another case, the salaries of officials of a government department were withheld after nine workers were denied benefits legally due to them. The department has also seized a vehicle belonging to another government department for violating labour laws and failing to provide statutory benefits to three workers. In a separate case, directions have been issued to the Tehsildar concerned to attach the immovable property of a firm that failed to pay benefits due to an employee. Kang said all cases pending before the ALC court are being heard on a fast-track basis to ensure workers receive timely justice and their lawful dues without unnecessary delay. Meanwhile, labour inspectors organised special registration camps at various labour chowks across the district to strengthen welfare measures for construction workers. During the camps, workers were registered on the spot under the welfare schemes of the Punjab Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board. Australian NRI murder case: Three accused sent to judicial custody Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 10 A local court on Wednesday sent the three accused in the alleged murder of Australian NRI Sunil Sharma to judicial custody. They were produced before the court after the expiry of their one-day extended police remand. The accused are the victim’s brother Satish Sharma, alias Sunny, nephew Sunish Sharma and property dealer Lachhman Singh. Satish Sharma’s wife, Anushka Sharma, had been sent to judicial custody a day earlier. Meanwhile, the police continued efforts to recover the body of the deceased, which the accused allegedly dumped in the Harike Pattan barrage. Teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Punjab Police Passengers wait for buses at the bus stand in Amritsar on Wednesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR and launched an indefinite statewide strike from June 9. Union leaders said they had strongly opposed the operation of private buses under the kilometre scheme during previous talks with the government. They alleged that despite repeated assurances that their concerns would be considered, the government proceeded with the scheme, prompting workers to intensify their agitation. The employees argued that instead of bringing private operators into public transport, the government should strengthen Punbus and PRTC by adding more state-owned buses and filling vacant posts. They are also demanding regularisation of services, implementation of equal pay for equal work, reinstatement of dismissed employees, withdrawal of cases registered during earlier protests, and better welfare benefits for outsourced workers. The three accused in the custody of the Amritsar police. FILE PHOTO searched areas along the Rajasthan canal, while forensic experts continued collecting evidence in the case. “We are in touch with the Rajasthan police and have requested them to immediately inform us if a body is found in the canal,” said Shamsher Singh, SHO, Kamboh police station. An extensive search operation involving more than a dozen divers from the SDRF and Punjab Police continued throughout the day. Investigations so far have revealed that the accused allegedly disposed of Sunil Sharma’s body at the Harike barrage on the night of the murder. The police have identified the spot where the body was allegedly dumped. The search operation began after the arrest of the four accused from Delhi four days ago. On Tuesday, intense arguments were exchanged between the prosecution and defence over the charges framed in the case. Defence counsels Sandeep Walia and Baljinder Singh questioned the inclusion of murder charges before the recovery of the victim’s body, arguing that invoking such provisions at this stage was premature. After hearing both sides, the court sent Anushka Sharma to judicial custody and granted a one-day extension of police remand for Satish Sharma, Sunish Sharma and Lachhman Singh for further interrogation. Investigating officials said several key pieces of evidence had been recovered, including a car, a wristwatch and mattresses allegedly linked to the crime. c m y b Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 10 In a significant development in the case involving the recovery of two hand grenades, the Amritsar Rural Police will bring Harwant Singh, alias Harry, an alleged operative of the banned outfit Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), on a production warrant for further interrogation on Thursday. Harwant Singh is currently lodged in the Amritsar Central Jail. According to the police, the two accused arrested in the case — Rajwinder Singh and Davinder Singh, both residents of Tarn Taran district — had allegedly collected a consignment of two hand grenades from the Khasa area on Harwant Singh’s directions. The duo was produced before a local court on Wednesday and The two hand grenades seized by the Amritsar Rural Police. FILE remanded to three days of police custody. The police have also recovered a mobile phone allegedly used by Harwant Singh while in jail. A preliminary investigation revealed that he was allegedly in contact with foreign-based gangsters Happy Pasia and Manu Agwan through the device. Both are suspected of operat- ing arms and heroin smuggling networks in coordination with Pakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI. Deputy Superintendent of Police Yadvinder Singh, who is supervising the investigation, said the police are questioning the accused to establish further links in the alleged conspiracy and identify other members of the network. He added that several new names have surfaced during the probe and the police are pursuing those leads. During the investigation, it emerged that the recovered grenades were allegedly intended to be used in attacks on police establishments, raising serious security concerns. Police officials said further disclosures are expected following the interrogation of Harwant Singh and the other accused. Court defers Majithia’s bail application Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 10 A local court on Wednesday deferred the hearing on former Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia’s bail plea until Thursday while granting relief to his legal advisor, advocate Bikramjit Singh Bath, in a case related to the alleged storming of the Majitha police station to secure the release of a supporter, Jobanpreet Singh. Amanbir Singh Sayali, counsel for the defence, said the Special Investigating Team (SIT) constituted to probe the case submitted a written statement before the court stating that Bath had visited the police station in his capacity as Majithia’s legal advisor and was therefore not required in the investigation. He added that the court declared Bath innocent in the case, following which his bail application was withdrawn. Apart from Majithia, sever- Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia. FILE PHOTO al of his close associates and supporters, including advocate Bikramjit Singh Bath, Sahib Hamza, Raja Ladeh and Jodh Singh Samra, were named in the FIR along with several unidentified persons. The case was registered on charges including assaulting a public servant while performing official duty, obstructing a public servant, snatching, rescuing a person from lawful custody, destruc- tion or concealment of evidence, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and rioting. Provisions of the Arms Act were also invoked. According to the FIR, Majithia allegedly arrived at the Majitha police station with more than 50 supporters while the police were questioning Jobanpreet Singh. The police alleged that the group entered the premises without authorisation, accessed restricted areas and attempted to escort Jobanpreet Singh from an interrogation room towards the main gate. The attempt was allegedly foiled following police intervention. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), however, rejected the allegations and claimed that Jobanpreet Singh, who served as a party polling agent during the recent municipal elections, was being illegally detained at an SHO’s official residence rather than in a police lockup. The party described the FIR as a “fabricated” case intended to target its leaders. A day after the FIR was registered, police teams conducted raids at several locations linked to Majithia, including his residences in Amritsar and Chandigarh. On Tuesday, Majithia moved the Amritsar District Court seeking protection from arrest and bail in the case.