16032025-ATR-01.qxd 15-03-2025 23:01 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY ROAD SAFETY INITIATIVE LAUNCHED TO CURB ACCIDENTS HEMA MALINI DELIGHTS AUDIENCE WITH HER DANCE PRANJAL KHANDHDIYA PROVES METTLE AS A FILM PRODUCER To enhance road safety and reduce accidents, schools have been asked to launch a campaign on traffic rules. P2 Veteran actress and BJP MP Hema Malini performs at Vrindavan Mahotsav in Bhubaneswar. P4 Producer of the romcom Sweet Dreams is always excited to create something out of just a thought. P4 » » » MAX 24°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 24°C | MIN 12°C SUNSET SUNDAY 6.39 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 6:38 AM SUNDAY | 16 MARCH 2025 | AMRITSAR INBRIEF ILLEGAL WEAPON SEIZED, ONE HELD Tarn Taran: The city police arrested a person with illegal weapon from the local Muradpur road on Friday night. ASI Jasbir Singh, who was leading the police team, said that the accused has been identified as Prem Singh, a resident of the local Kajikot road. ASI Jasbir Singh said that the accused was seen moving under mysterious circumstances. After conducting a search of the accused, the police seized a country-made pistol with two live cartridges. A case under section 25, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act has been registered against the accused. He was produced in court today and sent to two-day police remand. OC 2 arms smugglers held, pistols seized SHOWERS BRING MERCURY DOWN Amritsar: The mild showers on Friday night brought muchneeded respite as the mercury had begun to rise. The Meteorological Department has predicted more showers for the next two days, promising to keep the mercury in check. The prediction has brought cheer to residents, who were bracing themselves for a prolonged spell of hot weather. The Meteorological Department’s forecast has also hinted at a possibility of thunderstorms accompanying showers. TNS Glock pistols seized from the possession of accused on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 15 The CIA Staff of Amritsar rural police on Saturday arrested two persons for smuggling arms from Pakistan. The accused have been identified as Kaka Singh, alias Kaka, and Karanbir Singh, alias Nandi, both residents of Jhanjhoti village falling under the jurisdiction of the Gharinda police station. Amritsar rural Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh said they received information that Kaka and Nandi were involved in supplying arms and ammunition to antisocial elements in the area. He said the accused were heading from Jhanjhoti to Khasa on a motorcycle at the time of their interception. On seeing the police team, they Religious fervour Pak national handed over to Rangers Devotees take part in Hola Mohalla celebrations at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Saturday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Cyclist dies in hit-and-run Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, March 15 A cyclist died on the spot when he was hit by an unidentified vehicle on the Chabal-Attari road on Friday night. Sub-inspector Kanwaljit Singh of the Chabal police said that the deceased has been identified as Nishan Singh (60) of Giddri Baghiarai village. He was a farm labourer and returning from Chabal village on a bicycle. When he reached the Tpoint at Gurdwara Beer Baba Budha Sahib, he was hit by an unidentified vehicle. He fell down and received head injuries resulting in his death on the spot. Jagroop Singh, son of the deceased, reported the matter to the police which lodged a report under section 194 of the BNS. The postmortem was done at the local Civil Hospital today. took a U-turn and tried to flee from the spot, but were overpowered by cops. During search, the police confiscated two Glock pistols (.9mm) from their possession. A case under the Arms Act has been registered against Kaka and Nandi the Gharinda police station. The SSP said the accused would be interrogated to ascertain their links Pakistan-based smugglers. Amritsar, March 15 The Border Security Force on Friday handed over a Pakistani national, who had inadvertently crossed into the Indian territory, to the Rangers. A BSF spokesman said, “On March 13, the BSF jawans observed a movement near the International Border (IB) and subsequently apprehended a Pakistani intruder, who crossed into the Indian territory. The arrest took place on border adjacent to Mullakot village in Amritsar.” He said a detailed questioning was done by the BSF and the sister agencies, which revealed that the Pakistani national was unaware of the alignment of the IB. The BSF found nothing suspicious except some personal belongings from him. — TNS Amritsar leads in timely delivery of citizen-centric services in state SEAMLESS ACCESS TO GOVT SCHEMES Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 15 Amritsar has emerged as a leading district in Punjab for timely delivery of citizen centric services, with an impressive 99.99 per cent applications being addressed on time. This achievement was made possible through 41 service centres, where residents can apply in person, over the phone (1076) or online (connect Punjab portal). In addition to this milestone, Amritsar has also become the first district to provide digital education to sarpanches, numberdas and councillors. This initiative has enabled 853 sarpanches, 1,529 numberdars and 176 councillors to register on the portal and work online, reducing the time spent at service centres. ❝ Empowering sarpanches with financial and digital skills is crucial for efficient service delivery. This training will enable them to navigate e-Sewa portal effectively, ensuring seamless access to government schemes and services for communities. — Sakshi Sawhney, DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ❞ The district administration in collaboration with the Amritsar chapter of FICCI FLO and the NIIT Foundation had launched a financial literacy and government eSewa portal training programme for newly elected sarpanches. The initiative aims to equip people with essential digital and financial knowledge, ensuring efficient grassroots governance. Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney emphasised the importance of digital literacy for rural governance. She said, “Empowering sarpanches with financial and digital skills is crucial for efficient service delivery. This training will enable them to navigate e-Sewa portal effectively, ensuring seamless access to government schemes and services for communities.” The topics included digital literacy, cybersecurity, financial management and government service accessibility. District Technical coordinator Prince Singh said this result had been achieved due to the hard work of employees. c m y b Man suffers gunshot injury as robbers fire after loot bid Stray animals rule the roost at Company Bagh Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, March 15 The Sadar police have booked three unidentified robbers on Friday who shot at a person in Rasulpur village. An injured Paramjit Singh (35) was admitted to the local Civil Hospital and then referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital due to his serious condition. He is still under treatment. Sarpreet Singh, a resident of the same Rasulpur village along with whom Paramjit Singh was on his way back home, went to answer nature’s call and was attacked in the fields by three motorcycle-borne robbers. The robbers tried to loot his mobile but he opposed their move. The robbers fired shots and Paramjit was injured. The local Sadar police personnel visited the spot and recovered five empty cartridges from the spot. The robbers have been booked under Section of 109 of the BNS and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act on Friday. The police are yet to identify the robbers. The condition of Paramjit Singh is said to be stable. Stray animals at the Company Bagh in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 15 The Company Bagh, a monument protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, has been overrun by stray animals, leaving visitors and residents frustrated. The park, once a tranquil oasis, is now home to a large number of stray dogs and cattle, which roam freely, damaging the remaining greenery. Baljinder Singh, a resident, said, “It’s disheartening to see the state of Company Bagh. The government is collect- ing cow cess from vehicles, sale of liquor and electricity, but it’s not being utilised effectively. The authorities must make arrangements to shift these stray animals to shelter homes.” Residents are concerned that the presence of stray animals would damage the park’s greenery, which is already under threat from an alarming rodent population. “We’ve seen rats roaming freely in the park. It’s a health hazard and a nuisance. The caretakers must take immediate action to address this issue,” said Ravinder Kaur, a visitor. The presence of grass attracts the animals as they can feed on it. “The government must develop a comprehensive plan to tackle the problem of stray animals. This includes providing shelter, food and medical care. Even public should be educated,” said Gurmeet Singh, a local. As the situation continues to deteriorate, residents and visitors are hoping that the authorities would take immediate steps to restore Company Bagh to its former glory.