31012025-ATR-01.qxd 1/30/2025 10:56 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune JALANDHAR PAYS TRIBUTE TO MAHATMA GANDHI ACTRESS SHRUTI HAASAN PENS A NOTE OF GRATITUDE In her Instagram post, she penned a long note of gratitude for all the birthday wishes that came her way. P4 MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 22°C | MIN 5°C YESTERDAY MAX 22°C | MIN 4°C RHEA CURATES STYLISH LOOK FOR SISTER SONAM Political leaders, NGOs and educational institutes remember the Father of Nation on his 77th death anniversary. P2 FORECAST Rhea showcased her fashion sense as she styled her sister, Sonam Kapoor, for Paris Fashion Week. P4 » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.03 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 7.23 AM » FRIDAY | 31 JANUARY 2025 | AMRITSAR Fake travel agent brought on production warrant Amritsar, January 30 The Rajasthan police arrested a fake travel agent and human trafficking suspect Ankit (Donkar) on production warrant from the Amritsar Central Jail here on Thursday. He was taken to Rajasthan in connection with a case under NDPS Act, it has been learnt. Ankit was arrested by the Amritsar city police for allegedly kidnapping two Sri Lankan nationals who had arrived here hoping to secure work visa to Albania earlier this month. The victims were part of a group of six Sri Lankan nationals. The duo was kidnapped on December 29. Apart from Ankit (22), a resident of Kapurthala, the police had arrested Inderjit Singh (23) of Chandpur in Jalandhar rural. They had promised to arrange work visas for them. Ankit recently returned from Italy. Inderjit had three cases registered against him under the Arms Act and the NDPS Act. As per police source, Ankit was wanted by the Jalandhar police in several cases of human trafficking. He was allegedly part of the racket that tricked many people to join the Russian army. He was involved in duping Goraya-based Mandeep Kumar and making him join the Russian army. — TNS 15 inmates rescued from illegal de-addiction centre during raid Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 30 As many as 15 inmates were rescued during a late-night raid at an illegal de-addiction and rehabilitation centre being run in the industrial area Focal Point on the Mehta road here on Thursday. A team of health officials also accompanied the police team during the raid. The police have arrested the owner of the centre, identified as Arshdeep Singh, alias Arsh, of Preet Vihar on Ajnala Road and Vishal Kumar of Chogawan village in Ajnala here. Giving details, Assistant Commissioner of Police Vaneet Ahlawat said the Vallah police team during patrolling received a tip-off that duo were running an illegal de-addiction centre without any valid documents. They were keeping around 15 drug addicts in inhuman conditions and were not allowing them to meet their parents. They were allegedly extorting huge amounts from them for their ‘treatment’. On receiving information, the police team along with health officials led by Dr Kirandeep Kaur raided the illegal de-addiction centre. The rescued addicts were taken in three ambulances to the Swami Vivekanand De-addiction and rehabilitation centre at Government Medical College. “The 15 innocent individuals were unlawfully detained at the illegal rehabilitation centre. During verification, the owner could not produce any documents or licence for running the centre,” said the ACP while adding that a case , for wrongful confinement and cheating was registered against them at the Maqboolpura police station against them. College teachers to join protests 7TH PAY PANEL Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 30 On the call of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union (PCCTU), the PCCTU unit of DAV College and other colleges in Amritsar will join protests against the government over the delay in implementing the Seventh Pay Commission report and other demands. Teachers from across the state will stage a protest tomorrow at the DPI office in Mohali. This has been a long-pending demand of the college and university teachers’ organization as they rue Punjab is the only state which is not giving the wages as per the 7th Pay Commission report. PCCTU unit president (DAV College) Prof Vikas Bhardwaj said due to antistudent and anti-teacher policies of the government, there was resentment among college teachers. He said though the entire process regarding the implementation of the commission’s recommendations had been adopted, teachers were not being paid increased salaries. PCCTU unit secretary Prof Ashu Vij said such a policy of evasion showed the anti-education mentality of the government. “The state government has continued such an authoritarian behaviour towards the demands of the teachers in higher education institutions.” The protest, as shared by unit heads, is a way of continued on page 2 c m y b Convoy of farmers, labourers leaves for Shambhu barrier Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 30 A large number of farmers associated with the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) left for Shambhu barrier to lend support to the ongoing farm agitation here on Thursday. The Sanyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) gave a call to farmers to join the sit-in on Haryana borders. A massive convoy of thousands of farmers and labourers riding their tractor trolleys left for the Shambhu border morcha. The procession, organised under the leadership of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee, departed from the Beas bridge early in the morning. Sarwan Singh Pandher, senior leader of the SKM and KMSC, said farmers and labourers had started gathering near the Beas bridge last evening and the mobilisation continued late into the night. The convoy set off around 8 am. Pandher said today’s convoy serves as a response to those people, who either support the government or hold an indifferent view of the movement. He further said attempts were initially made to portray the farmers’ agitation as being A large number of farmers, who gathered at Beas, leave for Shambhu barrier on Thursday. limited to just two organizations, but the morcha proved this narrative wrong. Later, when claims were made that the entire state was not supporting the agitation, a bandh across Punjab dismantled this misconception. Condemning the recent vandalism of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar’s statue in Amritsar, Pandher alleged that divisive forces were behind such acts and expressed suspicion that the BJP government might be involved in such tactics. He expressed grief over the tragic loss of lives in the stampede at the Kumbh Mela and called for a thorough investigation. Highlighting the large-scale participation in today’s convoy, he urged the government to recognize that the protesters would not relent until their demands are met. He reaffirmed that the struggle would persist with the same intensity until all demands are addressed. These include the enactment of a law guaranteeing crop prices as per the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, procurement of all crops at the MSP 200 days of employ, ment per year under the MGNREGA scheme with a daily wage of ~700, a comprehensive crop insurance scheme, waiver of all farm debts, and the implementation of the fifth schedule of the Constitution to protect the tribal community’s rights over water, forests, and land. On the occasion, farmer and labourer leaders, including Ranjit Singh Kler Bala, Jarmanjit Singh Bandala, Baz Singh Sarangra, Baldev Singh Bagga, Kandhar Singh Bhoewal, and Kuljit Singh Kale, addressed the farmers.