23102026-ATR-01.qxd 10/22/2026 11:30 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY RAZES ILLEGAL COLONIES KAPURTHALA CLINCH GOLD IN WOMEN’S FOOTBALL LARA DUTTA, KIRRON KHER HAVE WORN PALI WARAICH’S CLOTHES Action comes as developers allegedly continued construction despite receiving notices. P2 Kapurthala women win gold in the 21-30 age category during the Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan. P3 MAX 30°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 19°C Pali Waraich, 85, has dressed celebrities but is happiest empowering underprivileged women. P4 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 5.51 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.40 AM » FRIDAY | 23 OCTOBER 2026 | AMRITSAR MLA Jeevan Jyot’s ‘aide’, 4 others booked on charge of murder bid Shopkeeper stabbed twice over money dispute; cops launch hunt for accused Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service A Counter Intelligence wing team with the seized contraband in Amritsar on Thursday. Four arrested with 10 kg heroin Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 22 The Counter Intelligence wing of the Amritsar police on Thursday arrested four alleged drug smugglers and seized 10 kg of heroin from them. With the arrests, the police claimed to have busted a narcotics smuggling network allegedly operated in coordination with foreign-based handlers. Those arrested have been identified as Sukhraj Singh, a resident of Hargobind Avenue; Ajitpal Singh, a resident of Khandwala; Anmolpreet Singh, a resident of Jawahar Nagar; and Robin Gill, a resident of Chogawan village. The police also impounded a motorcycle and a scooter allegedly used to transport the contraband. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said a preliminary investigation indicated that the accused were allegedly acting on Allegedly operated in coordination with foreign-based handlers the directions of foreignbased smugglers and had been receiving heroin for further distribution in Punjab. According to the police, the Counter Intelligence team had received a tip-off that the four accused had collected a large consignment of heroin on the instructions of a foreignbased handler and were planning to deliver it to another party. Acting on the information, the police intercepted them near Dera Baba Darshan Singh in Ghanupur Kale village. “The search led to the recovery of 10 kg of heroin,” the DGP said. A case under Sections 21, 25 and 29 of the NDPS Act has been registered at the State Special Operations Cell (SSOC) police station in Amritsar. Cops raid drug hotspots Meanwhile, the Amritsar police conducted a cordonand-search operation in areas identified as drugtrafficking hotspots, with a special focus on the Indrapuri locality in the Kot Khalsa area. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (City-I) Yogeshwar Singh Guraya said the police arrested three persons and detained four others during the drive. He said the operation aimed at breaking the drug supply chain. Suspicious and unidentified vehicles were thoroughly checked during the operation. Guraya said two cases were registered under the NDPS Act, leading to the arrest of two persons. Another person was arrested for bootlegging, and a case was registered against him under the Excise Act. Apart from this, four persons were detained as a preventive measure. Amritsar, October 22 A man, said to be a personal assistant to Amritsar East legislator Jeevan Jyot Kaur, and his four relatives have been booked on the charge of attempt to murder after they allegedly assaulted a shopkeeper in the Rambagh area here. The MLA could not be contacted for comment as she was attending the Assembly session in Chandigarh. Her office here also declined to comment on the matter. The case has been registered at the Division A police station. The alleged incident took place on October 17 at a market situated opposite a church in Rambagh. The accused have been identified as Maninder Singh, said to be the MLA’s personal assistant; his father-in-law, Sucha Singh; his brothers-inlaw, Rana and Harpreet Singh; and another relative. A monetary dispute was said to be the reason behind the incident, the police said, adding that efforts were being made to nab the accused. The victim, Ashwani Kumar (43), a resident of Pakharpura village, alleged that he had visited the market to make some purchases Maninder Singh when the accused abused him upon spotting him there. According to the complaint, Rana allegedly asked the others to catch hold of the victim. Kumar alleged that Rana and his father, Sucha Singh, held him by his arms, while Hockey fever Maninder, Harpreet and their other relative attacked him. The complainant alleged that he was struck twice in the abdomen with a sharp weapon. He was rushed to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, from where he was referred to a private hospital owing to his critical condition. Following his complaint, the police registered a case under Sections 109, 190, 191(3) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and initiated a probe. State run by goons: BJP The BJP reacted sharply to the incident, with senior party leader Shwait Malik alleg- ing that the state was being “governed by goons”. “The incident has reinforced this point,” he alleged. Malik also shared a purported video of AAP MLA Gurdev Dev Mann, allegedly showing him assaulting a youth in Nabha. “In Phagwara, a case was registered against AAP leader Gursimran Singh over allegations that he entered the residence of a young Shiromani Akali Dal leader and assaulted him after the latter refused to join the AAP Simi. larly, in Ludhiana, AAP MLA Rajinder Kaur Chhina was accused of slapping a truck driver,” Malik said. Masked men shoot dead daily wager in Tarn Taran Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran, October 22 A daily wager was shot dead by two masked men in Naushehra Pannuan town late last evening. The deceased has been identified as Kuldeep Singh (45). Kuldeep was returning home after work with his brother, Baj Singh, when he stopped at a shop on his way to his village to get a haircut. Two men arrived on a motorcycle. While one stayed beside the vehicle, the other went inside and asked who Manpreet Singh Batua’s father was. Kuldeep Singh Sports enthusiasts welcome Hero Men's Asian Hockey Champions Trophy at the School of Eminence in Chheharta, Amritsar, on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR PAGE 3 identified himself as Manpreet’s father. After confirming his identity, the masked man opened fire at him with a pistol. The victim’s brother, Baj Singh, could do nothing to save him. After the shooting, both accused fled on their motorcycle. The Sarhali police have registered a case under Sections 103(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Riputapan Singh said teams had been formed to identify the accused. Improvement Trust floats Ranjit Avenue work tender for 3rd time Tribune News Service A portion of a road encroached upon by scrap dealers at Jahajgarh in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Encroachments delay ~9-crore road project Amritsar, October 22 Road construction work worth around Rs 9 crore under the Amritsar Improvement Trust’s Truck Stand Scheme in Jahajgarh has begun, but illegal encroachments are posing hurdles to the project. Although machinery and construction material have started arriving at the site, the work is being hampered by the lack of clear space for construction. The Improvement Trust is now preparing to remove the encroachments. Officials said scrap dealers and shopkeepers had been offered alternative space but had not shifted, affecting the progress of the project. Executive Engineer Amandeep Singh said the trust had provided alternative space to scrap dealers and shopkeep- ers, but they had failed to relocate. The road work cannot proceed as planned until the encroached portions are cleared, he added. The issue of vacating the truck stand land has been pending for more than a year. Records show that the trust has repeatedly written to the authorities seeking action. Its earlier correspondence included letters dated July 23, September 3 and October 30 in 2025, followed by January 6, March 9, April 1, July 1 and August 19 in 2026. The trust sent another letter on August 12 and approached the administration again on October 12 for action. A letter regarding the appointment of a duty magistrate was issued on October 13, paving the way for the proposed action. — TNS Amritsar, October 22 The Amritsar Improvement Trust has floated tenders worth Rs 52.81 crore for a set of projects whose earlier tendering process was cancelled following allegations of irregularities. The projects, mainly to be taken up at Ranjit Avenue, have now been divided into four lots, with the estimated cost of some works also reduced. The projects aim to improve parking facilities at 17 market complexes in Ranjit Avenue, lay stormwater drainage lines across an 8-km stretch and install 22 rainwater harvesting chambers. Nine officials had earlier been suspended over alleged irregularities in the tendering process. This is for the third time that tenders have been floated for the projects. The works are expected to address long-standing waterlogging problems in KEY FEATURES Parking facilities to be upgraded at 17 market complexes in Ranjit Avenue I 8-km stormwater drainage network and 22 rainwater harvesting chambers planned I parking areas during the monsoon and ease traffic congestion caused by haphazard parking. The rainwater harvesting chambers will help channel rainwater into the ground, 467 gm of gold items seized in BIS search Amritsar, October 22 The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) on Thursday seized 95 gold jewellery items weighing over 467 gm from a shop in Partap Bazar, Chheharta, for the violation of hallmarking norms. A team from the Jammu and Kashmir office of the BIS conducted the search. Of the seized items, 91 weighing 447.11 gm bore incomplete or non-prescribed hallmarking, while four weighing 20.33 gm did not carry the prescribed BIS hallmark. Ashish Dwivedi, Standard Promotion Officer, BIS, said the jewellery in the first category carried the BIS logo and purity markings such as “916” but lacked the prescribed hallmark unique identification. — TNS Works to cover Ranjit Avenue’s District Shopping Centre and Block C, and the 97-acre scheme (New Amritsar) I Completion target set at four to six months after award of contracts I supporting groundwater recharge, while the stormwater drainage network is expected to reduce complaints of water accumulation and sewer blockages during heavy rainfall. The proposed drainage works will cover parking areas at Ranjit Avenue’s District Shopping Centre and Block C, two parking lots at the 97-acre scheme (New Amritsar), and the parking lot behind the consumer courts. Besides drainage and parking improvements, the trust plans to undertake beautification, plantation and electrical works at District Shopping Centre and Block C, and the 97-acre scheme. The rainwater harvesting chambers will be connected to the parking areas to facilitate the collection and absorption of rainwater. The initiative is intended to prevent rainwater from accumulating in parking lots and reduce pressure on the existing drainage system. The trust has set a target of completing the works within four to six months after the tendering process is finalised and the projects are awarded. WE WELCOME STRENGTHENING OUR DEPARTMENT OF DR Somnath Verma Gastroenterology MBBS, MD Medicine, DM Gastroenterology & Hepatology Consultant - Gastroenterology AREAS OF EXPERTISE Endoscopy Sigmoidoscopy Colonoscopy Various therapeutic procedures - Side view endoscopy Therapeutic ERCP Capsule endoscopy Endoscopic variceal ligation Glue injection therapy Argon plasma coagulation for vascular lesions EST for hemorrhoids Endoscopic Stricture dilatation PEG tube insertion Endoscopic Oesophageal and Anteropyloric SEMS Endoscopic biliary metal stenting ( biliary SEMS) Manometry - Esophageal and Anorectal EUS - Diagnostic & Therapeutics Fortis Escorts Hospital Amritsar is empanelled with all health insurance companies. | For cashless Hospitalization Call our desk: 9915155550 for more information or to book an appointment 97693 32222, 0183-5032222 Majitha Verka Bypass, Amritsar, Punjab www.fortishealthcare.com | Ambulance: 9915133330 c m y b To book online appointment, download the App.