28022024-ATR-01.qxd 2/28/2024 12:59 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 22°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 22°C | MIN 12°C MP SAHNEY ANNOUNCES GRANT FOR RESTORATION OF COLLEGE PAU RELEASES NEW RICE, MAIZE, BAJRA, PROSO MILLET VARIETIES PRIYANKA DROPS UNSEEN PHOTOS OF DAUGHTER MALTI RS MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney announced a grant for installation of a solar system & restoration of Hindu College. P2 The Punjab Agricultural University has developed, recommended and released 5 crop varieties for general cultivation.P3 Priyanka Chopra got nostalgic as she dropped some unseen then and now pictures of her daughter Malti Marie. P4 » » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.20 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:49 AM WEDNESDAY | 28 FEBRUARY 2024 | AMRITSAR 4 robbers snatch bike, purse from Dugri resident Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 27 A Dugri village resident identified as Jagroop Singh was robbed of his motorcycle and purse by four masked robbers on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday near Sheron village. The suspects shot and inured the victim before robbing him. Jagroop works as a guard in Amritsar. He was returning home on motorcycle after his duty. When the victim reached near Dugri village, he was stopped by two bikeborne robbers who demanded that he handover keys of his vehicle to them. By the time victim refused to comply, two more robbers, who were hiding in nearby bushes along the road, opened fire at him. The suspects snatched bike keys and purse from the victim and fled from the spot. The Sarhali police registered a case under Sections 379-B (2) of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act in this regard. Jagroop Singh was admitted at a local private hospital for treatment. Police crack 28-yr-old man’s blind murder case within hrs Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 27 The district police claimed to have resolved the mystery behind a blind murder case within four hours. The murder had taken place in Bhikhiwind on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. The body of Satnam Singh (28), a resident of Bhikhiwind, was found from fields on Monday. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ashwani Kapur said on Tuesday that Manjit Kaur, sister-in-law (elder brother's wife) of the deceased, had informed the Bhikhiwind police that five assailants armed with sharp weapons trespassed their house on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. Manjit Kaur told the Bhikhiwind police that the assailants injured her brother-in-law. When she intervened to save Satnam, one of the assailants threatened her with a pistol. The assailants took Satnam The suspect in custody of the police in Tarn Taran. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI with them and his body was recovered from fields on Monday morning by the police. The deceased was unmarried and lived with his elder brother. The SSP said that a case under Sections 450, 364, 380, 302, 148 and 149 of the IPC and Sections 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act was registered in this regard on the basis of Manjit Kaur's statement. The SSP said Mandeep Kaur, a resident of Margindpura village, and sister of the deceased, in her statement to the Bhikhi- wind police, contradicted Manjit Kaur's statement. She said that one of the assailants Sarabjit Singh, a resident of Mari Kamboke Colony (Bhikhiwind), was a friend of Abhay Singh, son of Manjit Kaur. He used to visit the complainant's house under the garb of friendship with Abhay. He developed illicit relations with Manjit Kaur. Mandeep Kaur said Satnam Singh, who was unmarried, lived with his elder brother. Satnam was not happy with frequent visits of Sarabjit Singh to their house. Manjit Kaur incited her son Abhay against his uncle Satnam Singh. Mandeep Kaur told the police that it was Sarabjit Singh who took his friends Prince, Rola, Anmol, alias Akash, and Jassa - of the same locality, Mari Kamboke, armed with sharp weapons to her brother's residence. After injuring him with sharp weapons, the assailants took him along with his motorcycle and mobile phone. The suspects, after killing Satnam with sharp weapons, disposed of his body in fields. The SSP said the police on the basis of investigation based on technical and scientific facts nominated Manjit Kaur, her son Abhay Singh, her paramour Sarabjit Singh, his friends Prince, Rola, Anmol alias Akash and Jassa as the suspects in the Satnam murder case. The SSP said Manjit Kaur was arrested and her son Abhay Singh was detained for investigation. Meeting dwells on issues faced by traders, industrialists Amritsar, February 27 Security is being gradually beefed up in the industrial area, including the new Focal Point and Guru Bazar, in the walled city. Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori, Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and Municipal Corporation Commissioner Harpreet Singh held a meeting with various associations of industrialists and traders here today. Thori asked businessmen to share details of their work so that their grievances could be Motorcycle patrol parties being flagged off at the Focal Point industrial area in Amritsar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO resolved immediately. Thori said he would meet businessmen every month to discuss business-related problems and find their permanent solution. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar assured traders and manufacturers that the Punjab Police was always ready to help and protect them. He said two motorcycle patrol parties had been deployed in the Focal Point. He said more patrol parties would be deployed at the new Focal Point soon. He said security had been beefed up in the walled city’s Guru Bazar area. MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh, while answering questions of businessmen regarding cleanliness and sewage in the city, said the corporation had deployed new tractortrailers for lifting garbage. He said their number would be increased gradually. ADC Nikas Kumar, AAP business wing coordinator Gurpreet Singh Kataria and representatives of different associations of traders and manufacturers were present at the meeting. — TNS 2 held for looting ~6.72L from trader Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 27 The police today nabbed two suspects, who snatched a bag containing money at gunpoint in the Civil Lines area on February 12. The arrested suspects, were identified as Rahul Sharma (27), alias Nancy, a resident of Mahindra Colony, Batala Road, and Sunny Mehra (30), a resident of Mahajan Hotel Wali Gali, Sharifpura. The police have recovered Rs 28,000 from Rahul and Rs 35,000 from Sunny. Jasveer Singh, SHO, Civil Lines, said the key suspect Sunny and his accomplice snatched a bag containing Rs 6.72 lakh from a trader on February 12. The complainant, Surinder Kumar, alias Babalu, owner of Today Electronic, Nehru Shopping Complex, told the police that after collecting Rs 6.72 lakh from dealers in Pathankot, Gurdaspur and Batala on February 12, he was returning home. He alighted Admn gives nod for setting up two units in dist Amritsar, February 27 Under the state government’s ambitious single window system, the administration gave approval for setting up two units with a projected investment of Rs 9 crore in the district. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Ghanshyam Thori held a district-level approval committee meeting here today. During the meeting, it was found that a hotel and resort were eligible for approval under the single window system. The DC said at least 100 people would get employment in two units. Thori said the government had assured industrialists that all facilities under the Punjab Right to Business Act would be provided to them. — TNS Two robbers in custody of the police in Amritsar. TRIBUNE PHOTO from a bus near the Batala road petrol pump. He reached Amritsar safely with the bag. While he was walking along the wall of Company Bagh in front of the SSSS School, three bike-borne robbers came and intercepted him. The miscreants had covered their faces with cloth. They pointed a pistol at Surinder and snatched his bag containing money. After investigation, a police team from the Civil Lines arrested Rahul on February 23 and recovered Rs 28, 000 from him. The police arrested key suspect Sunny yesterday and recovered Rs 35,000 from him. The police claimed that the main conspirator in the case was Sunny, who earlier used to work in the electronic firm owned by Surinder Kumar. He had planned to rob money from Surinder. His other accomplice would be arrested soon, the SHO said. Rahul was already facing two criminal cases of robbery and the NDPS Act, he said. Man injured in firing incident, one booked Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 27 The Sadar police have booked one suspect for opening fire and injuring a resident. An old enmity is cited to be reason behind the incident. The suspect, has been identified as Ballu, a resident of Lakshmi Vihar. The victim, was identified as Gurpreet Singh, alias Boby Randhawa. Gurpreet told the police that he was going on the bike for some work. Ballu was standing in a market. He saw Gurpreet and called him to discuss some issue. While talking they entered into a scuffle and Ballu fired a shot from his pistol at the victim. Gurpreet received a bullet injury on his hand. He was rushed to Guru Nanak Hospital where he was under treatment. Prabhjot Singh Virk, Additional Commissioner of Police (ACP), said earlier Ballu and Boby Randhawa were friends. They had some dispute in 2020 and then in 2021. Recently, they had some issue which led to the altercation on Monday. A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act was registered against Ballu. Raid were on at possible hideouts of the suspect to arrest him, the ACP said. SGPC general poll: Deadline for voter registration extended by 2 months GS Paul Tribune News Service MC staff seal a shop of a tax defaulter in Amritsar on Tuesday. Amritsar, February 27 Keeping in view the lukewarm response to enrolment for the ensuing Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) general elections, the Gurdwara Election Commission (GEC) has extended the deadline of voter registration process by two months. An official of the Punjab Gurdwara Election Com- mission confirmed that the deadline for voter registration had been extended. “Voter applications for SGPC polls would be accepted till April. A notification is yet to be released, which will also certify the new date for receipt of applications, claims and objections followed by the final publication of voter list,” he said. The earlier deadline had been extended to Febru- ary 29, 2024, from November 15, 2023. As per the schedule released by the GEC, the enrolment process was started from October 21, 2023. Only 23.89 lakh applications had been received till February 21 from the state. During the last SGPC elections, held in 2011, around 52.69 lakh ‘eligible’ voters had participated. Gopal Singh Sidhu, president, Chandigarh unit of SAD (Amritsar), said he had met Gurdwara Election Commissioner Justice (Retd) SS Saron two days ago and urged to extend the deadline and streamline the process for voter registration. “After looking at the scant response, Justice Saron was kind enough to announce the extension,” he said. The registration of voters is governed by Rule 3 of the Sikh Gurdwara Board Election Rules, 1959. Till February 21, the maximum number of 2,83,850 voter registration applications had been received from Ludhiana, followed by Gurdaspur (2,82,591), Amritsar (2,56,503), Sangrur (1,58,558), Tarn Taran (1,14,225) and Bathinda (1,05,969). The least applications were from Pathankot (19,559); Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (24,521) and Fatehgarh Sahib (56,132). An applicant has to be ‘sabat surat’ Sikh (with unshorn hair and beard) and above 21 years of age (as on October 21, 2023). The Form-1 meant for voter registration has to be furnished by the applicant with his or her credentials matching with the government certified identity proofs, along with a selfdeclaration with the designated officials. MC seals properties of seven tax defaulters Khaira meets families of NSA detainees SAD leader opposes Amritsar, February 27 The property tax wing of municipal corporation (MC) has initiated a sealing drive against tax defaulters. On directions of MC Commissioner Harpreet Singh, the property tax wing sealed seven commercial establishments today. Today in the West Zone, a team led by Superintendent Dharminderjit Singh and Inspector Ravinder Pal Singh sealed seven commercial establishments, including a hospital on Ram Tirath Road, a wine shop, a liquor store, a petrol pump on Ajnala Road, an ayurvedic medical store, a telecom shop and a chemist shop on Loharka Road. Property tax wing officials said soon after the action the owners of sealed commercial establishments paid the pending tax dues through cheques.Vishal Wadhawan, nodal officer, property tax, said the drive against defaulters would continue for next few days. He said sealing notices had been served to all tax defaulters. He said they should pay pending tax to the MC to avoid sealing of their properties. He said, “Residents can pay their pending tax at the Citizen Facilitation Centre (CFC) in the Ranjit Avenue MC head office and all zonal offices of the civic body. The property tax can also be deposited online on the MC’s portal.” Earlier on Monday, a team led by Superintendent Jaswinder Singh and Inspector Sitaram took action against property tax defaulters in the Central and South Zones. — TNS Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 27 Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira today meet the kin of Waris Punjab De head Amritpal Singh and his aides, lodged in Dibrugarh jail under the NSA, who have been sitting on a dharna demanding the detainees’ transfer to Punjab jail. Amritpal’s mother Balwinder Kaur and kin of other detainees sat on hunger strike at the Heritage Street near Golden Temple after getting negligible response from the state government to their demand. They had submitted a demand letter to Amritsar Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori on February 20 to shift detainees to Punjab. Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira addresses detainees' families at Heritage Street in Amritsar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO They claim that the detainees too have been observing a fast since February 16, accusing the jail authorities of infringing their privacy by installing surveillance cameras in their barracks and bathrooms without their knowledge. c m y b Khaira assured all kind of assistance to detainees’ family members in this regard. He said it was responsibility of the Punjab Government to resolve the entire issue, but to no avail. Khaira termed the NSA as a black law and compared it to the martial law imposed during the Jallianwala Bagh incident in which no one was allowed to argue and advocate. He said except one MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap Singh, all other AAP MLAs were shying away from raising their voice and sitting at homes. He said Amritpal and his associates were running a movement against drugs. “Except for the reported incident at Ajnala, there is no such charge against them,” he said. Akali leader Virsa Singh Valtoha, several leaders of federation factions and many others too have visited the Heritage Street to show solidarity with the detainees’ families. ‘forcible’ occupying of house by AAP MLA’s kin Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 27 Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Virsa Singh Valtoha today flayed the forcible occupying of the house of a poor family by close relative of an AAP leader and disclosed how he was shot at, but the police was reluctant to act against the guilty under political pressure. Addressing a press conference here today along with the victim family, Valtoha said that a close relative (brother-in-law) of Amritsar West AAP MLA Dr Jasbir Singh Sandhu was involved, but the police was reluctant to act against the guilty. He said the victim family had purchased a house from a sister-in-law of one Sarwan Singh. He said the family had paid Rs 15 lakh to purchase the house and the electricity meter connection was also in the name of their family member, Rajan Bhatti. He alleged that Sarwan Singh was a close relative (brother-in-law) of AAP MLA Dr Jasbir Singh Sandhu. He had proximity to Inderjit Singh and both were threatening the family to abandon their house or face consequences. Continued on page 2
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).