04102026-ATR-01.qxd 10/3/2026 10:09 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MINISTER ASSURES PADDY FARMERS OF FAIR PRICE LAUNCHING PAD FOR BUDDING RAPPERS, SONGWRITERS SHAH RUKH KHAN JOINS IN TO PRAISE CAPTAIN SMIT MACHCHHAR MinisterLal Chand Kataruchak directs officials to ensure that paddy farmersfaceno inconvenience while selling produce. P2 A movement started by Chandigarh artistes becomes a launching pad for budding rappers and songwriters. P3 SRK has lauded Machchhar for staying strong and putting the safety of those on board before his own. P4 » » MAX 33°C | MIN 22°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 22°C SUNSET SUNDAY 6.04 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6:19 AM » SUNDAY | 4 OCTOBER 2026 | AMRITSAR In Case of An EMERGENCY We are READY FOR YOU! Narco trafficking kingpin wanted by city police in heroin bust deported Pawan K Jaiswar ACCUSED OF RUNNING DRUG NETWORK FROM TURKEY Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 3 The alleged drug trafficking kingpin, Navpreet Singh, alias Nav Bhullar, who was deported from Turkey, is wanted by the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, in connection with the seizure of 105 kg of heroin from the Baba Bakala area in October 2024. A resident of Wazir Bhullar village under the Beas police jurisdiction, Navpreet was arrested by central agencies at the Delhi airport after his deportation from Turkey. He is learnt to have been running a cross-border drug network from Turkey. The police said Navpreet was allegedly involved in arranging large consignments of heroin for Punjab and other parts of the country, with payments being routed through hawala channels. His name figured promi- ■ A resident of Wazir Bhullar village under the Beas police jurisdiction, Navpreet Singh was arrested by central agencies at the Delhi airport after his deportation from Turkey, from where he is learnt to have been running a cross-border drug network. ■ The police said Navpreet was allegedly involved in arranging large consignments of heroin for Punjab and other parts of the country, with payments being routed through hawala channels. ■ His name figured prominently in the investigation into the seizure of 105 kg of heroin from a rented accommodation in Baba Bakala in October 2024. The State Special Operation Cell had also recovered 31.93 kg of caffeine anhydrous, 17 kg of dextromethorphan (DMR) and five foreign-made pistols. nently in the investigation into the seizure of 105 kg of heroin from a rented accommodation in Baba Bakala in October 2024. The SSOC had also recovered 31.93 kg of caffeine anhydrous, 17 kg of dextromethorphan (DMR), five foreign-made pistols and a country-made pistol from the premises. Three large rubber tubes were also seized, leading investigators to suspect that the network could have been using the water route to move consignments from Pakistan. The investigation led to the arrest of Navjot Singh, a photographer, who had rented the premises on the pretext of opening a coaching centre, and Lovepreet Singh of Chakoke village in Kapurthala. Another accused Lovepreet was subsequently arrested with 6 kg of heroin near Umra Nangal village. Officials investigating the case said he had picked up the consignment from Hanumangarh in Rajasthan and was to deliver it to Navjot. Police and central intelligence agencies had been working for nearly two years to secure Navpreet’s deportation. He had allegedly left India nearly a decade ago using a fake passport and travelled through several countries before reaching Turkey. Sources said he subsequently acquired Turkish citizenship and continued oper- ating the alleged drug network from there. A lookout circular and a Red Corner Notice had been issued against him. The investigators also received inputs about his alleged involvement in sending heroin and cocaine consignments to other parts of the country. His alleged associate Rizwan Kashmiri was arrested from South Delhi in 2021 with a large quantity of heroin. Union Home Minister Amit Shah today announced his deportation on his X account. He was living there with changed identity as Nawab Virk after reaching Turkey. The SSOC authorities said Bhullar would be brought to Amritsar soon for his arrest in the 105 kg of heroin haul case. According to the police, he has cases under the NDPS Act in Amritsar Rural, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Ferozepur, SSOC Amritsar and Phillaur. Time to cut corners: Govt’s fresh directive to civic body puts development work on pause Charanjit Singh Teja WHAT ORDERS SAY Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 3 Development works in the city may take a hit, with the Punjab Local Government Department directing all civic bodies to float or allot work only when funds are available. Now, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation may look at the directive as a breather or a roadblock. Breather — it can leverage this pause to its advantage by focusing on revenue generation. Roadblock — no new works can be taken up until there are surplus funds. Now with the directive, it is to be seen how the MC navigates through all this. The orders further state that the local body cannot create any liability beyond the funds available with it. ■ The Punjab Local Government Department has also made it mandatory to obtain administrative approval and technical sanction before floating any tender. ■The department has further directed local bodies to select the most economical option where purchase, hiring or leasing are an alternative The department has also made it mandatory to obtain administrative approval and technical sanction before floating any tender. The sanctioned amount cannot exceed the amount approved by the House. The new conditions seek to prevent duplication of works. Before starting a project, officials will have to record details of any similar work previously executed at the designated site, including the agency and scheme under which it was carried out. Officials concerned will also have to certify that the earlier work has completed its useful life and defect liability period. The department has further directed local bodies to select the most economical option where purchase, hiring, rental or leasing are an alternative, after considering lifecycle costs, mainte- 6 rounded up in early morning drive Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 3 Six persons were rounded up during an early-morning cordon and search operation (CASO) in the Guru Ki Wadali area of Chheharta here today, with the police claiming recoveries under the NDPS and Excise Acts. More than 100 police personnel took part in the operation, which continued till around 8 am. Three unclaimed or suspicious vehicles were also impounded and their ownership and documents verified, the police said. Police teams searched houses, suspected Police personnel during a checking drive in Amritsar. premises and other sensitive points in the area as part of the ongoing anti-drug drive. DCP (Investigation) Prabhjot Singh Virk said the operation aimed at check- ing drug related and criminal activities in identified hotspots. Guru Ki Wadali is one of the hotspots as far as drug abuse in concerned. The six suspects were rounded up for questioning and verification, while legal action was initiated in cases involving recoveries under the NDPS and Excise Acts, the police said. The DCP said the police were focusing not only on street level drug sellers, but also on the supply chain and persons linked to drug trafficking. He said similar CASO operations would continue in sensitive areas of the city. nance and useful life. The procurement will have to comply with the Punjab Transparency in Public Procurement Act, 2019, and Rules, 2022. Splitting works or procurement to bypass financial approvals or restrict competition has been prohibited. Blacklisted or debarred bidders will also not be eligible. Money-wise, the civic body has to pay up crores of rupees to companies and contractors and it has been facing difficulty in meeting its financial commitments too for long, but MC Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill has stated otherwise. On the fresh directions, Shergill said those were standard guidelines to ensure proper allocation and alignment of funds. Three booked for oil theft Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 3 The Ajnala police have booked three persons for allegedly stealing oil and electrical equipment from transformer units installed in fields. The accused have been identified as Samsher Singh, alias Shera, of Gopal Nagar, Ajnala, currently residing at Lakhuval village; Harpreet Singh, alias Sonu, of Gopal Nagar, currently residingatAmbKotlivillage; and Jaskaran Singh, a resident of Talwandi Rai Dadu village, who is absconding. The first two accused have been arrested. Continued on page 2 c m y b 24*7 Emergency Ready Hospital 9915133330 Scan the QR code to download the MyFortis app Two arrested in extortion, firing case Pistol, live cartridges seized; 2 in police net Tribune News Service Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 3 The Amritsar rural police have arrested two alleged members of a gang suspected of demanding extortion from a commission agent at the behest of foreign-based gangsters and opening fire at his house in the Lopoke area in mid-September. The arrested suspects have been identified as Dilrajbir Singh, a resident of Jawahar Nagar near Bohar Wala Shivala on the Batala Road, and Karanbir Singh of Tarn Taran. According to the police, the suspects had allegedly demanded Rs 1 crore from Rakesh Kumar, a former sarpanch and a commission agent, on the directions of foreign-based handlers. After Rakesh refused to pay the extortion money and approached the police, the suspects allegedly opened indiscriminate fire outside his house in the Lopoke area on the night of September 11. Continued on page 2 Amritsar, October 3 The Amritsar rural police have arrested two persons and recovered a .30-bore pistol, three live cartridges, 500 gm of opium, an iPhone, apart from Rs 10,000 of alleged drug proceeds, from their possession during patrolling near the Gehri Mandi level crossing falling under the Jandiala police jurisdiction here. The accused have been identified as Simarbir Singh, alias Sippy Kabaddi Wala, a resident of Chak Kare Khan Patti, Ahmadpur, Tarn Taran, and Gagandeep Singh, alias Gaggi, a resident of Sakar Machhian village in Gurdaspur district. The police said the accused were spotted by a team led by Sub Inspector Satnam Singh while patrolling the area around the Gehri Mandi gate. On seeing the police, the duo tried to flee, raising suspicion. They were given a chase and apprehended. During a search, a .30-bore pistol, along with a magazine, and three LAKHIMPUR KHERI INCIDENT Suspects flee on seeing police, apprehended after chase live cartridges, 500 gm of opium, an iPhone, Rs 10,000 in cash and a black bag were recovered from them. A case under relevant sections of the NDPS Act and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered. Investigating officer Sub Inspector Satnam Singh said further investigation to ascertain the source of the opium and the pistol was on. Their backward and forward linkages would also be established during the probe, he added. MC cracks down on illegal cattle pounds Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service The Kisan Mazdoor Morcha will hold a candle march in memory of those killed in Lakhimpur Kheri violence. Clamour for justice grows as farmers head to Chandigarh Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 3 Farmers, led by the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, Punjab, left for Chandigarh to take part in a candle march being held to mark the fifth anniversary of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. The candle march, being organised by farmer and worker organisations of the Punjab-Haryana chapter of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, will begin from Kisan Bhawan in Chandigarh at 6 pm and culminate at the Matka Chowk. Tributes will be paid to those who lost their lives in the October 3, 2021, incident. Kisan leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said the contingent from Amritsar had left on Saturday morning and would be 4 FARMERS, 1 SCRIBE KILLED IN 2021 ■ Kisan leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said four farmers and a journalist, Raman Kashyap, were killed during a farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. ■ Following a probe, a chargesheet was filed against several accused, including Ashish Mishra, on various charges, including that of murder. part of the evening event. Pandher said four farmers and a journalist, Raman Kashyap, were killed during a farmers’ protest in Lakhimpur Kheri in Uttar Pradesh. Following a probe, a chargesheet was filed against several accused, including Ashish Mishra, on various charges, including that of murder. The case is pending before the court. Various organisations have been seeking justice and punishment for those found guilty in accordance with law. The 2021 agreement between the government and farmer representatives had included compensation of Rs 45 lakh each for the families of the four deceased farmers, a government job for one member of each family and Rs 10 lakh assistance for those injured. A judicial inquiry into the incident was also announced. Farmers and workers said they would continue to raise demands until justice was delivered to the affected families and the commitments made by the government were fulfilled. Amritsar, October 3 The civic body on Saturday acted against four illegal cattle pounds operating from wards 63 and 67, including Wadda Haripura and Shiv Nagar Colony. The action follows the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, with Duty Magistrate Angad Singh supervising the drive. Although those operating the pounds resisted the move, officials with the help of police went ahead with the drive and shifted cattle heads to a gaushala. Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill said the drive against illegal cattle pounds within the municipal limits would continue in view of the High Court’s directions. Other operators were asked Dairy owners warned of stern action in case of non-compliance to permanently shift their cattle outside the municipal limits instead of waiting for enforcement action. The civic body said failure to comply with the directions could invite strict action, while urging dairy operators to cooperate with the administration and voluntarily relocate their cattle outside the city limits. Sanitary Inspector Ravinder Kumar said the drive aimed at ensuring compliance with the court’s directions and preventing illegal dairy operations from continuing within the municipal area.