11012025-ATR-01.qxd 1/10/2025 10:58 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune BOLLYWOOD STAR HRITHIK ROSHAN TURNS 51 GANGS OF WASSEYPUR ACTOR NOW VENTURES INTO WRITING Bollywood actress Anuritta K Jha has also ventured into writing and producing with her short film Holikadahen. P4 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 14°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 15°C | MIN 5°C PAYAL KAPADIA BAGS BEST INT’L FILM AWARD BY NYFCC Hrithik Roshan, who turned 51 on Friday, celebrated his birthday with his ex-wife Sussanne Khan and others. P4 FORECAST Kapadia on Wednesday evening received the best international film award by the NYFCC. P4 » » SUNSET SATURDAY 5.45 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7.30 AM » SATURDAY | 11 JANUARY 2025 | AMRITSAR PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Terrorist Passia claims responsibility for grenade attack on police chowki PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Senior Congress leaders, including Partap Singh Bajwa, leader of Opposition (2nd from left); PPCC president (C) Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Harish Chaudhary (3rd from left) and others during a meeting in Amritsar. Senior Cong leaders conduct parleys on electing city Mayor Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 10 A day after a meeting was held with winning Congress councillors here, senior state-level Congress leaders once again gathered under Harish Choudhary, former All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge for Punjab affairs, to develop a consensus on candidate for the post of Mayor of the city. Senior state party leaders, including LoP in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, state president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and others were present in the meeting. Earlier, Harish Choudhary arrived in the city on Wednesday after reports emerging that the city Congress was split over the naming of Mayor. The faction owing loyalty to former Deputy CM OP Soni wanted councillor Vikas Soni to be announced as Mayor while councillors siding with MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla wanted Raj Kanwal Preet Pal Singh Lucky to be the Mayor. Sources in the District Congress Committee said a Mayor and two Deputy Mayors would be announced to prevent a rift in the party which would favour the ruling AAP in poaching its leaders. Hectic parleys have been going on in the party after the Congress bagged a clear majority with 40 seats in 85 wards of the MC. However, it requires 46 seats to enable Congress leaders to elect a Mayor from the party. AAP was second in this race, which got 24 seats. Since then, the parties have been engaged in horse-trading. In this scenario, all eyes are on eight Independent candidates who are being lured by both Congress and AAP No efforts . are being spared to include winning candidates of SAD and BJP by the Congress and AAP . It is reliably learnt that the ruling AAP has added four councillors out of the Independents and rumours are rife that two may join soon. The AAP has 24 councillors besides five MLAs from urban constituencies and two more from the rural areas could add to its tally. Before heading for the meeting with party leaders, Partap Singh Bajwa today visited the residence of AAP MLA Kunwar Vijay Pratap, who has influence over four Independent councillors. Bajwa refused to field any political questions at the residence of Kunwar Vijay Pratap, saying that he came here to condole the death of his wife who had died some weeks ago. Amritsar, January 10 Though the police denied any blast due to explosive material outside the Gumtala police chowki on Thursday, the US-based terrorist and an operative of Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, claimed on social media that his aides had lobbed a hand grenade on the police establishment. Passia threatened to launch more such attacks on the police establishments and their family members. Yesterday’s blast was to avenge the fake encounter of my two associates recently, wrote Passia on the BKI social media handle. Amritsar Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said it was an explosion in the radiator of a car belonging to ASI Tejinder Singh, who’s posted at the Gumtala chowki. “We cannot authenticate what someone claimed on social media. We will bring out the truth and are open to probe the matter from every possible angle,” said Bhullar, adding that had it been a grenade blast, it would have damaged car c m y b The Gumtala police chowki. severely, which was not the case. Only radiator and windshield suffered damaged, he said. So far, no forensic team has arrived at the spot to collect evidence. However, the police teams were carrying out the raids in the neighbouring districts and analysing CCTV footage. This is the fifth such incident in Amritsar district and ninth attack on the police establishments in the past month and a half. In the earlier incidents as well, the police attributed the explosions to some weird reasons, including tyre burst. However, Passia or some other members of the terror module claimed the responsibility on social media. Later, DGP Gaurav Yadav announced the arrest of those involved in these blasts. Jeweller shot dead in city, accused held MC’s MTPwing seals 29 illegal buildings Amritsar, January 10 A jeweller was shot dead by another jeweller following a dispute over gold in Tahli wala bazaar area here on Friday. The deceased was identified as Simarpal Singh of Hussainpura Chowk area. The accused, Jasdeep Singh Chann, was known to the victim, it is learnt. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Harpal Singh said the accused has been arrested and a case registered against him. Sharing details, he said Jasdeep Singh Chann along with his relatives and family members on Friday came to the shop of Simarpal Singh where they had arguments over transaction of gold. At that time, Jasdeep went away from there but hours later he came back and had heated arguments with the victim. As Jasdeep came out of the shop, Simarpal also followed. After coming out of the shop, Simarpal took out a pistol and shot at him. Simarpal suffered a bullet injury in the head and fell on the ground while the accused fled the scene. He was immediately rushed to the spot where doctors declared him dead. The entire incident was captured on the CCTV camera installed outside the shop. The ADCP said immediately police teams launched a hunt to nab the accused who was later arrested. — TNS Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 10 Continuing with its campaign against illegal buildings, the Municipal Town Planning (MTP) wing of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation sealed 10 buildings in various areas of the city on Friday. On the directions of MC Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh, MTP wing staff initiated the drive against illegal buildings yesterday and sealed 19 such buildings on the first day. In today’s drive, various teams of the MTP wing led by Central Zone MTP Narendra Sharma, MTP Mehrban Singh, ATP Varinder Mohan, Building Inspector Navjot Kaur and field staff sealed 10 buildings and some others were demolished. A number of hotels are being constructed illegally in walled city areas. Several other buildings are being constructed in the city without the building plan approval. MC Commissioner Gulpreet Singh Aulakh said the drive against illegal buildings will continue. The MC Commissioner stated that 29 buildings have been sealed by the MTP wing in the last two days. He said the buildings, which have been sealed by the MC, should not open. If the builder breaks open the seal or start construction there again, the police will be informed about the development. Aulakh said notices are being pasted on the buildings to be sealed. The MC Commissioner said they are considering action against illegal buildings and calculating the expenditure being incurred by the MC or funds being spent by the officials of the MTP wing. A report is being prepared. He said a report of these expenses by the building department will be sent to the civil wing of the MC to prepare them completely. The civil wing would prepare a detailed report on the cost of labour involved in demolition of the floors of the building and the number of officers and staff employed to seal the buildings. All these expenses would be recovered from the owners of the illegal buildings. The MC Commissioner said yellow tape is being applied to all the buildings that are being sealed. It says “do not enter”. He said some illegal buildings are sealed. Locks are being installed with chains. He has appealed to people that the construction of the building should be started only after getting the approval of the building plan by the MC. When the MC takes action against illegal builders, they suffer huge losses. He said it would be better to get the building plan approved by the MC.