17032025-ATR-01.qxd 3/16/2025 11:48 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune PTI UNION PROTESTS RECRUITMENT NOTIFICATION The Unemployed Physical Education Teachers' Union protested by burning copies of gazette notification. P2 » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 25°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 11°C SALMAN WRAPS UP ACTION THRILLER SIKANDAR SHOOT I’M A HARVARD WIFE, SAYS PARINEETI CHOPRA Soon after finishing the last scene, the Tiger Zinda Haiactor shaved off his beardsomething he had kept for Sikandar. P4 Parineeti couldn’t contain her excitement as she celebrated her husband Raghav Chadha's latest achievement. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 6.39 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:36 AM MONDAY | 17 MARCH 2025 | AMRITSAR Drug smuggler arrested with 1.560 kg heroin Our Correspondent Murder accused killed in Hawala racket linked with encounteratSherobaghapolice village narco-terror module busted Two operators arrested with ~17.6 lakh, $4,000 (US dollars) PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Tarn Taran, March 16 In a major breakthrough against drug syndicate, including Hawala operatives, the police arrested one drug smuggler with 1.560 kg of heroin on Sunday. He was arrested on the basis of information provided by four accused, who were apprehended earlier. The arrested accused was identified as Abhi, a resident of Gali No. 1, Ward No. 51, Ludhiana. SSP Abhimanyu Rana today said two accused were juveniles in this four-member gang from whose possession Rs 9.62 lakh Hawala money and a motorcycle was recovered. The SSP said the gang worked at the interstate level and was involved in drug and Hawala trade. The SSP further said the gang had links in Delhi and Maharashtra. The main work of the gang was laundering drug money. A case was registered against Abhi at the city police station in this connection. on Friday. Satinder Singh, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Border, said during the ongoing investigation the two accused revealed their links with Hawala operators Sukhjit Singh and Ranbir Singh. As per preliminary investigation, they were allegedly facilitating illegal financial transactions linked to drug trafficking, the DIG said. He said more arrests and recoveries were likely during further course of investigation. Maninder Singh, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Amritsar (Rural), said acting on a tip-off, a police team successfully nabbed both Hawala operators from India Gate, Chheharta, in Amritsar and recovered Indian and foreign currency along with one HP laptop from their possession. Further interrogation was underway to uncover their links in the Hawala network, he said. Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 16 With the arrest of two persons, the Amritsar (Rural) police have busted a hawala racket related to narco-terrorism module. The police recovered Rs 17.60 lakh and $4000 (US dollars) from their possession. Those arrested were identified as Sukhjit Singh, a resident of Fatehpur, and Ranbir Singh, a resident of Anngarh in Amritsar. Apart from recovering Indian and foreign currency, the police team also seized one HP laptop, in which crucial transaction records was stored, from the possession of the accused. Their arrest was the outcome of interrogation of Gursahib Singh and Jaswant Singh, both residents of Hardo Ratan village. The police had recovered 561 grams of heroin from their possession Indian and foreign currency recovered from two accused by the police. 337 DRUG SMUGGLERS ARRESTED Since the launch of special campaign "Yudh Nashian Virudh" from March 1, 2025, the Amritsar (Rural) police have arrested 337 drug smugglers in 192 FIRs registered under the NDPS Act. Police teams recovered 41 kg heroin, 1 kg Ice, Rs 26 lakh and 4,000 US dollars (drug money), six motorcycles, nine four-wheelers and 21 mobile phones from the possession of smugglers. Amritsar, March 16 A week after a man identified as Varinder Singh, alias Vicky, was gunned down by armed assailants at Chungh village in Mehta, the police have arrested two shooters involved in the case from a hotel in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. They were identified as Bishamberjit Singh and Sharanjit Singh of Rangar Nangal area in Batala. However, Bishamberjit was killed in an encounter after he was taken for the recovery of a weapon in the Sherobagha village falling under the Beas police station here today, said Satinder Singh, DIG, Border Range. The DIG said during preliminary investigation, Bishemberjit Singh revealed that he had hidden weapon used in the murder at Sherobagha village. Following this, a police team took him to the location for recovery of the weapon. “However, during this, he attempted to escape from Cop injured in incident custody after retrieving hidden Glock pistol, while firing at the police party, resulting in a bullet injury to a police personnel in the arm,” the DIG said, while adding that the police party repeatedly warned him to surrender, but as he refused to comply. He said the police then took controlled action, during which the accused sustained bullet injuries. He was overpowered and disarmed and the weapon recovered from him. The injured accused was immediately taken to the Civil Hospital for medical treatment, where he was declared brought dead by doctors, he said. SSP Amritsar (Rural), said , third accused Bikramjit Singh, a resident of Sadarang falling under the Rangar Nangal police station in Batala, was still absconding and raids were on to nab him. Investigation revealed that the two accused were also involved in the firing incident in which Sukhdev Singh, alias Jhanda, who was sarpanch of the Timmowal village on February 14 this year. He was injured in the attack and a case was registered at the Khalchian police station in this regard. Varinder Singh was also alleged to be member of notorious Jaggu Bhagwanpuria gang. After he was shot dead, a social media handle in the name of another gangster Gopi Ghanshampuria claimed that gangsters Balwinder Singh, alias Dony Bal, Prabh Dasuwal, Billa Manga and Kaushal Chaudhry takes the responsibility of the murder. It also claimed that Varinder, alias Vicky, was gunned down by their accomplices Daddi Chohan and Afridi Toot. It further stated that Varinder was close to Jaggu Bhagwanpuria and he had given shelters to those who had killed their leader Rana Kandowalia. Arvind Kejriwal, CM Mann pay obeisance at shrines Residents pay property tax at a camp organised by the Municipal Corporation in Amritsar on Sunday. MC collects ~10 lakh property tax at special camps organised on holiday Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 16 Despite being a holiday, the Amritsar Municipal Corporation (MC) collected Rs 10 lakh property tax on Saturday. Assistant Commissioner Daljeet Singh said the civic body had collected Rs 35.30 crore property tax for the 2024-25 fiscal till date. To facilitate property tax payers, a special tax collection camp was organised at Darshan Avenue, where numerous residents came forward to clear their pending dues, he said. Daljit Singh said the initiative was well-received, with a considerable number of property owners making payments at the camp. In an effort to encourage timely tax payments, the MC has decided to keep its main office at Ranjit Avenue and all zonal Citizen Facilitation Centre (CFC) offices open even on public holidays until March 31. This move is for taxpayers’ convenience and boost revenue collection before the end of the financial year. Daljit Singh said property owners could also pay their taxes online through — http://mseva.lgpunjab.gov.in/ — the official Punjab Government portal. “The online payment facility allows users to pay their dues from the comfort of their homes, eliminating the need for physical visits to MC offices,” he said. However, the Assistant Commissioner also cautioned property owners regarding late payments. He said any payment made by property owners after March 31 would incur 20 per cent penalty along with an additional interest of 1.5 per cent for each month. The MC is urging residents to clear their pending dues before the deadline to avoid penalties. Camps are being organised at various markets and localities to collect property tax. Various awareness drives and information campaigns are being conducted to ensure maximum property tax collection. “With the fiscal year nearing its end, the MC is making all efforts to maximise revenue collection. The target of Rs 50 crore property tax collection will be achieved within the given time frame,” said an MC official. Amritsar, March 16 Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, accompanied by former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Sunday paid obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib, Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sthal and Sri Durgiana Mandir to thank the almighty for the successful completion of three years of the state government. Both the leaders said they were blessed to get an opportunity to serve the people of Punjab and herald a new era of unprecedented development and progress in the state. Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal said that they were following in the footsteps of great Sikh Gurus to serve the people and vowed to give further impetus to development of the state. They said a vast change was witnessed in Punjab during the past three years and in the coming two years the state would lead the country in every field. Mann said on this day in 2022, he had assumed the charge of Chief Minister’s office at the native village of Shaheed Bhagat Singh. He said the people of the state had bestowed a huge responsibility on him and his party by giving a thumping majority in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Mann said since then his Villagersenterintoscuffle with police, 18 booked Tarn Taran, March 16 Tense situation prevailed in nearby Reshiana village on Saturday when a police party, which had come to arrest a resident in a five-year-old case, was stopped from doing so by villagers. Village residents entered into heated exchanges with cops and also damaged police vehicle. Sadar police station SHO Inspector Kashmir Singh said here today a police party from Verowal led by ASI Gurpreet Singh arrived at Reshiana village and arrested one Kuldeep Singh, a village resident, in a five-year-old case. The police was on way with Kuldeep Singh when village residents stopped them. Residents managed to free Kuldeep Singh from custody of the police party. Village residents also entered into scuffle with cops after heated exchanges and damaged police vehicle. Jalwinder Singh and Raghbir Singh were among those who stopped the police party from doing official duty. Raghbir Singh, a village resident, removed his own turban and alleged that it was policemen who did so. Eighteen village residents were booked. The police failed to arrest any person. — OC c m y b PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tribune News Service AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, his wife Sunita and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann pay obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. government had made strenuous efforts to make Punjab a frontrunner state in every arena. Mann said the state government had launched the scheme to provide free power to the people in 2022. Since then, 90 per cent of the households in the state were getting free power and got zero electricity bills, he said. Mann said this scheme had reduced a big burden on the pocket of the common man and saved huge amount of money for the poor households. He said along with domestic consumers, food growers of the country were also getting free and uninterrupted power in the state. He recalled that few months after becoming the CM, he had got coal supply from Pachhwara mines resumed and created a history by purchasing Goindwal power plant owned by GVK Power, a private company. The Chief Minister said to make youth an active partner in the socio-economic development of Punjab, the state government offered a record over 51,000 jobs to the youth during its 36 months rule. Mann said in order to impart quality healthcare services to people, the state government set up 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics across Punjab which revolutionised the health care sector in the state. He said more than 2.70 crore people had availed benefits of these clinics. The Chief Minister further said the Punjab Government was committed to make 118 Government Senior Secondary Schools as Schools of Eminence, equipped with smart classrooms, labs and playgrounds for scientific learning. The enrolment in government schools increased by around 17 per cent in pre-primary classes, he added. About agriculture, Mann said 21 per cent canal water was used for irrigation purposes in the state over three years ago. At present, its usage stands at 75 per cent, he said. The Chief Minister said 43 citizen-centric services were being provided, which constitute more than 99 per cent of daily administrative works, under “Bhagwant Mann Sarkar Tuhade Dwar”. He said, “Specially trained and freshly recruited 1,597 personnel, including girls, are the backbone of the dedicated Sadak Surakhya Force, which has been provided 144 fully equipped vehicles since its launch in February last year.” Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the major thrust of the state government would be on serving the weaker and underprivileged sections of society.