20022025-ATR-01.qxd 2/19/2025 11:37 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY ONCE READERS' TOP CHOICE, LIBRARY FACES NEGLECT GARBAGE, GARBAGE EVERYWHERE IN PHAGWARA PROGRESSIVE PLATTER: FUSION FOOD IS THE BUZZWORD The library now stands abandoned, with no explanation for its deteriorating condition. P3 The new Phagwara Mayor Rampal is grappling with multiple challenges since he took office two weeks ago. P3 Turning the desi dining experience on its head, niche restaurants & cafés are now offering progressive food menu. P4 » » » MAX 23°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.21 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 7.06 AM THURSDAY | 20 FEBRUARY 2025 | AMRITSAR SEIZURE OF OPIOD DRUGS PSEB Class VIII, XII exams begin, 248 centres set up in district NCB nabs 2 staffers of Dehradun-based pharmaceutical firm Students come out of a school after attempting their board exams in Amritsar on Wednesday. SUNIL KUMAR Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 19 The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) exams began today with six flying squads conducting checks and supervising the conduct of exams at various centres across the district. The PSEB has set up 2,579 centres to conduct its annual board examinations for Classes 8, 10 and 12 across the state, where over 8.82 lakh students are expected to appear this year. As many as 2,579 superintendents and 3,269 deputy superintend- ents have been assigned to ensure the smooth and fair conduct of exams. A control room (0172-5227136, 137,138) has also been set up at the head office to oversee the board examinations. Today, Class 8 board exam for English and Class 12 board exam for Home Science was conducted. A total of 248 examination centres have been set up in the district and 16 flying squads assigned the duty to keep vigil. Sukhpal Singh Sandhu, incharge, examination control room in the district, said only one exam centre has been designated as sensitive in the district. “Mata Ganga School in Baba Bakala has been designated as sensitive exam centre where we are keeping a strict vigil. The flying squads ensured that the exams are being conducted under CCTV surveillance and we have also requested police deployment outside examination centres to avoid any untoward movement or incident,” he shared. PSEB Class 8 and 12 board exams began on Wednesday (February 19). Class 10 board examinations are scheduled to commence in March. Amritsar, February 19 A month after the seizure of opiod drugs, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) here raided a pharmaceutical firm at Dehradun in Uttarakhand leading to the recovery of a huge quantity of sedative pills from there. Though the owner of the firm fled the scene, the NCB arrested its two employees who were on Wednesday produced in a local court, which sent them to judicial custody. They were identified as Ajit Singh of Sinhniwala and Ankit Patel of Ram Dham colony. On January 4, the NCB had arrested Naveen from a medicine shop and recovered 24,000 of sedative pills from his possession. His interrogation led to the arrest of Sonu and Harsh Kumar of Gate Hakima. Further investigations led to the recovery of 34,000 pills from Sukhpal Singh and Harwinder Singh of Beas, NCB officials said. On January 8, NCB sleuths arrested Manpreet Singh of New Amritsar. An official said their interrogation led the NCB team to the The two employees of a pharma firm being escorted out of a court in Amritsar. Dehradun-based pharmaceutical firm where a raid was conducted. He said though the owner managed to flee the spot, the NCB team arrested two workers from the spot and produced them in a local court. Sources said more names have also cropped up during the probe and NCB teams would tighten the noose around several other firms in Punjab and Uttarakhand in the near future. They supplied sedative pills to Punjab via various parts of the country. — TNS CI nabs drug peddler with 10 kg of heroin Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 19 The Counter Intelligence (CI), Amritsar, has confiscated 10 kg of heroin from an alleged drug peddler identified as Harmandeep Singh from Mahal village. Director General of Police (DGP), Punjab, Gaurav Yadav said the accused had been in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers. He was working under a pseudonym, Chacha Bawa, said the DGP The con. traband was smuggled via drones to Attari border belt and was meant for supply in different parts of Punjab. Apart from the consignment of the heroin, the police also impounded the motorcycle (PB02EW5675) he was riding. He said investigations were in progress to ascertain whether he had retrieved the contraband or someone else have handed it to him for further supply. A preliminary probe revealed that he was earlier booked in a case of scuffle and physical assault. The DGP said CI Amritsar received a reliable input that The 10-kg heroin seized by CI Amritsar personnel. accused Harmandeep has established relations with Pakistan-based drug smugglers and recently got a huge consignment of heroin from Pakistan, which he was going to deliver to someone at Ram Tirath Road, Morh village Kale, near a Radha Soami dera in Amritsar. Acting swiftly, the police launched an intelligencebased operation and arrested accused Harmandeep Singh at a special police checkpoint established on Ram Tirath Road in Amritsar. Police sources said Harman- deep, who made around 10 rounds near the International Border in the past two months, has been into the illegal trade for the past two years. He said further investigations are going on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case and identify other associates involved in the drug smuggling racket. More recovery of narcotics and arrests are likely in the coming days, he added. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against him at the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) here. Illegal rehris evicted Non-lifting of soil heaps, debris raises safety ANTF arrests drug from UT market concerns among pedestrians on city road trafficker with heroin Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 19 Taking a step towards the protection of the green cover, workers and officials of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation on Wednesday removed over 20 illegal rehris and food stalls from the UT market near Kabir Park here. Many illegal stalls were set up alongside the green cover on the service lane. The presence of stalls had started causing damage to the green cover, said MC Estate Officer Dharminder Singh. The Estate Officer said the MC would provide an alternative place to these rehriwallas so that they can run their businesses. He said setting up stalls on roads and service lanes had been causing problems like creating a hurdle in the smooth flow of traffic and jams. It also damages the green cover as in order to occupy more space, these rehri-wallas damage saplings. An illegal food stall being removed in Amritsar. Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune news service Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 19 For over a month, commuters and residents have been facing inconvenience on Majitha Road where heaps of soil and debris have not been removed. The road was dug up to lay pipelines, but the contractor’s failure to clear the debris and fill the pits has been creating a hurdles in the smooth flow of traffic, besides posing a threat. Residents of the area are frustrated as daily commute on the road has turned into a nightmare. “The road was dug up over a month ago and the debris was piled up on the roadsides. It is shocking that the contractor has not bothered about clearing the rubble or level the pits, even on the stretches where the pipes have been laid,” said Jaswinder Singh, a local resident. Amritsar, February 19 A team of the Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has arrested a local resident, identified as Vishal Singh alias Vishal, a resident of Khemkaran in Tarn Taran and confiscated 511 gram of heroin from his possession yesterday. Police said that they received a tip-off that the accused was involved in drug peddling on the Tarn Taran road in Amritsar and its adjoining areas. The police laid a trap and he was arrested while waiting for his clients. During search in the presence of a DSP rank officer, the police team seized 511 grams of heroin. They said further probe was on to find out the source of the contraband. Heaps of soil and debris on Majitha Road have turned the road into an obstacle course. in Amritsar on Wednesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Commuters are forced to navigate through the road, which has turned into a threat for two-wheeler riders. “During traffic jams, people try to cross over the piled-up rubble, which sometimes leads to skidding of twowheelers. It is a miracle that there has not happened any major accident yet,” said Jaswinder Singh. Ravinder Kaur, another resident, echoed similar sentiments. “The road is already witnessing traffic jams, but now the situation is appalling. We urge the authorities concerned to take immediate action to clear the debris.” The non-lifting of debris and soil raises concerns about the safety of pedestrians, who are forced to walk on the uneven road. “We request the authorities to take immediate action to address this issue,” said Harpreet Singh, a local shopkeeper. Commuters and residents are urging the authorities to get debris removed from the road. Until the necessary step is taken, commuters will continue to suffer while commuting on the road. The accused in custody of the ANTF Jalandhar. Gang involved in contract killings busted 59 candidates file nomination papers for municipal council elections in Tarn Taran Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 19 The Chohla Sahib police busted a gang involved in issuing extortion threats, executing contract killings and other illegal activities by arresting three of its members with illegal weapons. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abhimanyu Rana informed here today that a police team led by subinspector Jassa Singh was on its way to Bhathal Bhaike in connection with investigations with Mangal Singh of the village. The gang members were planning to commit some crime there. The SSP said that besides Mangal Singh, Taranjit Singh Tarn of Jhander Mahan Purkha and Simranjit Singh Simran of Rahal Chahal village were arrested with Three members of the gang in the custody of Tarn Taran police on Wednesday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI two revolvers and six cartridges. The other members who absconded from the spot besides four unidentified miscreants have been identified as Gurjinder Singh Gandhi of Kallha, Prabhdeep Singh Prabh of Hansawala and Lovepret Singh Lov of Khakh village. The SSP said that the gang members were involved in making extortion calls to businessmen and other well to do persons besides effecting contract killings. A case under section 111 of the BNS and section 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered in this regard. The arrested gang members were produced in court from where they were sent to two-day police remand. The SSP said that the police have been conducting raids to arrest the absconding accused. c m y b Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, February 19 As many as 59 candidates filed their nomination papers on Wednesday for the Municipal Council elections. It was the third day for the filing of papers. With this, the number of candidates who have filed their nomination papers reached 61 today for the 25-member council. Deputy Commissioner–cumDistrict Election Officer Rahul said today that the candidates wishing to contest the elections may file their nomination papers till February 20, the last day of filing papers, till 3 pm. Three persons who came to file their nomination papers in the SDM Complex today alleged that some unidentified persons snatched their papers Candidates file their nomination papers in the office of the returning officer in Tarn Taran. GURBAXPURI forcibly in the presence of the police force on the spot. Meanwhile, the ruling AAP is yet to release its list of candidates. The aspiring AAP candidates include Navjot Kaur Hundal, wife of Dr Kashmir Singh Sohal, MLA, Tarn Taran. It is for this that none of the AAP candidates has filed his nomination papers till date. The candidates who filed their papers include candidates of the BJP Congress , and Independents. The activi- ties of SAD or rebel SAD candidates are nowhere noticeable. The scrutiny of the papers would be done on February 20 and the date for withdrawal of papers has been fixed for February 22.