25042025-ATR-01.qxd 4/24/2025 11:19 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 39°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 39°C | MIN 17°C CANDLELIGHT MARCH FOR PAHALGAM VICTIMS AT 62, ACTRESS DEMI MOORE STILL LOOKS STUNNING PAK ACTOR’S ABIR GULAAL NOT TO RELEASE IN INDIA Participants lit candles and observed a moment of silence to honour the lives lost in the attack. P2 Actress Demi Moore,62, sets an example for many on how one can age gracefully and still looks stunning. P4 Hindi film featuring Fawad Khan in the lead role will not be released in India in the wake of terror attack. P4 » » » SUNSET FRIDAY 6.53 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5.44 AM FRIDAY | 25 APRIL 2025 | AMRITSAR Three arrested with 678 bags of stolen wheat Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, April 24 The Harike police arrested three persons with two trucks laden with stolen wheat at a naka installed on National Highway No.54 here on Wednesday night. Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Pargat Singh, who was leading a police party, said here on Thursday that the accused have been identified as Gurjant Singh Sanni, Akashdeep Singh Akasha and Manjit Singh of Harike, who stole 678 bags of wheat from the grain market, Harike, to be unloaded at godowns in Naushehra Pannuan village. The Assistant Sub-Inspector said the accused in spite of going to the Naushehra Pannuan side, went to the opposite side towards Makhu town. He said the accused took the stolen wheat bags to a private market to sell it on their own. The police have registered a case under Section 316 (3) of the BNS in this regard. FDA cancels licences of two chemists for unethical practices Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 The drug authorities have cancelled the licences of two more chemists in Amritsar for stocking habitforming drugs without proper documentation. Confirming the development, Kulwinder Singh, Zonal licensing authority, said they have also lodged FIRs against the defaulters in this connection. Giving details, he said on April 11, Drug Control Officer Sukhdeep Singh along with the police raided Dhunna Medical Store at Mudhal Colony, Verka. During inspection, he recovered 820 tablets of tramadol while shop proprietor Shamsher Singh failed to produce any purchase record and permission for stocking the drug, which is largely misused by drug addicts for their daily high. On Wednesday, the retail sale licence of the firm was cancelled after issuing a show-cause notice to the firm. Similarly, he said the drug officials had conducted a raid at Baba Deep Singh Medical Store in Kot Mit Singh area on April 3 by Drug Control Officer Bableen Kaur where she had found eight types of drugs, including pregabalin300. The in-charge of the firm failed to produce the purchase record following which an FIR was lodged by the Sultanwind police in this regard for violating the orders of the Deputy Commissioner. His retail licence was also cancelled and a show-cause notice was served on the firm. In the last one month, the Drugs Wing, Food and Drugs Administration, Amritsar, had conducted 78 inspections, seized drugs worth approximately ~71 lakh (which includes 1.60 lakh capsules and 1.55 lakh tablets), sealed five shops, registered six FIRs against the defaulters and cancelled the licences of three erring chemists. Gangster’s operative injured in police encounter; Glock pistol recovered Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 An operative of foreign-based gangster Mann Ghanshampuria was injured in a brief police encounter during the recovery of weapon at Mehta here on Thursday. He was identified as Gemanjit Singh, alias Jammu, of Mehta. The police have recovered a Glock pistol from his possession. According to the police, he had shot a motorcycle spare parts trader, identified as Baldev Singh, of Mehta Chowk in February this year. Aditya S Warrier, Superintendent of Police (Investigations), along with other senior police officials visited the spot. Sharing details, he said the police arrested Germanjit on Tuesday. During his interrogation, he disclosed about concealing a Glock pistol near ‘23 meel’ canal area in Mehta. “A team of the Mehta police station took him to a place for the recovery of a weapon. SP (Detective) Aditya Warrior at the encounter spot in Amritsar on Thursday. However, he pushed the cops and took out the pistol and fired at the police party in an attempt to escape from the police custody. The cops retaliated in self-defence during which he suffered a bullet injury in the leg,” said Warrier, while adding that he was taken to a hospital for treatment while the police recovered a pistol along with magazine and one live round from the scene. On February 13, Baldev Singh along with Amanbir Singh was injured when motorcycle-borne armed assailants sprinkled bullets at them when he was present in his shop located on Jalandhar Road in Mehta. He had told the police that he was working just outside his shop while Amanbir Singh and Satnam Singh were standing near him. He said at around 3.15pm, two bike-borne persons with covered faces came from the Batala Road side and fired around five gunshots towards him. The police said he had received an extortion threat from foreign-based gangster Mann Ghanshampuria around three months ago. Shamsher Singh, SHO, Mehta police station, said Germanjit was also wanted in the shooting case in which a youth was shot at in Chananke village in January this year. Earlier, the police had arrested his accomplice Rohit of Mehta on February 25 while he was evading arrest. Rohit was also injured in the police encounter as the police had seized a revolver and two live cartridges from him at that time. Rohit and Germanjit were introduced to gangsters Mann Ghanshampuria and Balwinder Singh Dony Bal by Arsh Bagga who was also based in a foreign country. BSF, Punjab Police seize drone, Form special wards in hospitals VB to probe into role heroin at Amritsar border for dengue patients, says DC of Tehsildar, Girdwar Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 BSF troops and the Punjab Police recovered one pistol with magazine, two drones and one packet of suspected heroin from border areas of Punjab, consequent upon extensive search operations based on specific information from BSF intelligence set-up. A joint search operation, which culminated in the afternoon, led to the recovery of one drone (DJI Mavic 3 Classic) in a broken condition with a packet containing one pistol and a magazine. The drone was recovered from a harvested field adjacent to Daoke village in Amritsar district. Another well-coordinated joint operation on specific input today resulted in recovery of one packet of suspected heroin (weighing 550 grams) Tribune News Service The seized drone and heroin in custody of BSF troops and Punjab Police personnel in Amritsar. from a harvested field located near Wan village in Tarn Taran. Later in the day, a search operation by BSF troops led to the recovery of one more DJI Mavic 3 Classic drone in damaged condition at about 4.15 pm from a field adjacent to Rattankhurd village in Amritsar district. UP ATS nabs alleged Khalistani terrorist from Timmowal Church holds prayer meeting for Pahalgam victims Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 An anti-terrorist squad from Uttar Pradesh has reportedly arrested an alleged Khalistani terrorist, identified as Mangat Singh, from a village here. He had been evading arrest for the past three decades. However, Amritsar rural police chief Maninder Singh has denied any such arrest. According to information received, Mangat Singh was arrested from Timmowal village where he had been hiding for almost 30 years. The UP ATS got a tip-off about him hiding in the village following which it contacted the Amritsar rural police and arrested him. Sources said that Mangat Singh was booked by the COPS DENY ARREST ■ He had been evading arrest for nearly three decades. ■ Amritsar rural police chief Maninder Singh has denied any such arrest. ■ According to information received, Mangat Singh was arrested from Timmowal village where he had been hiding for almost 30 years. The UP ATS got a tip-off about him hiding in the village following which it contacted the Amritsar rural police and arrested him. UP police in 1993 for attempt to murder, under provisions of the Arms Act and Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act or TADA. He was arrested and released on bail two years later. However, he went underground after that. He also carried a reward of Rs 25,000, it is learnt. Amritsar, April 24 Condemning the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam as cowardly, brutal and inhumane, the Diocese of Amritsar, Church of North India, held a prayer meeting to express solidarity with the families of the victims. The meeting brought together members of the Christian community to offer comfort, peace and strength to those affected by this senseless act of violence. The event featured prayers, hymns and messages of condolence. Bishop Manoj Charan expressed his deep sadness over the tragic incident and urged the government to intervene and ensure justice for the families of the victims as soon as possible. Meanwhile, leaders and workers of Aam Aadmi Party and Congress took out candlelight marches. — TNS Amritsar, April 24 With the change in weather, the Health Department is gearing up for medical exigencies like dengue and chikungunya outbreaks. In this regard, Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney held a meeting today with officials of the Health Department to discuss measures to prevent incidence of dengue and chikungunya. She instructed the department to ensure fogging in areas prone to outbreaks. Doctors and health workers were asked to remain vigilant. The DC emphasised the need for special wards in hospitals at the district and block levels for treating dengue and chikungunya patients. Civil Surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur assured that the Health Department has completed preparations to prevent the spread of these diseases. The department has formed teams for fogging in hot spot areas, said the Civil Surgeon, adding that awareness campaigns have been completed in 1,246 schools of the district. She said the department has trained over 1,300 nursing students, 355 lab technicians and other healthcare workers to help deal with the vector-borne diseases. Dr Kirandeep Kaur further stated that the Health Department has set up 16 teams in urban areas and 109 in rural areas to control dengue and chikungunya. These teams conduct breeding checks, spraying and awareness activities in all areas, he said. The Municipal Corporation Two arrested with Glock pistols near Gharinda chowk The seized pistols in Amritsar on Thursday. Amritsar, April 24 The Amritsar rural police have confiscated three weapons, including two Glock pistols, and arrested two persons in this connection. They were identified as Kashmir Singh and Sonu, both residents of Mehma Pandori village falling under the Chatiwind police station here. The police said they got specific information that the accused were involved in the smuggling of weapons. Following this, a naka was laid near the Gharinda chowk where they were c m y b arrested by the police. During their search, the police seized two 9mm Glock pistols from Kashmir Singh and a .30 bore pistol from Sonu and two mobile phones. The police also impounded their motorcycle (PB-46-X-9012). A case under the Arms Act was registered against them. They were produced in a court and brought on police remand for exposing the entire network by identifying their backward and forward linkages. — TNS officials informed the Deputy Commissioner that the civic body has 52 fogging machines while the Health Department has three machines. Special dengue and chikungunya wards have been created at the district, sub-divisional and block level hospitals. Civil Surgeon Dr Kirandeep Kaur appealed to the public to prevent waterlogging near their homes, which can lead to mosquito breeding. She also highlighted the common symptoms of dengue and chikungunya, such as high fever, headache and joint pain, and urged people to seek immediate medical attention if they experience any of these symptoms. Treatment is provided free of cost in government institutions, she informed. Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 The Vigilance Bureau (VB) will examine the role of Tehsildar and a Girdawar following the arrest of revenue patwari yesterday. The Patwari was arrested by vigilance for demanding and accepting a bribe of ~2.5 lakh in the name of Tehsildar and Girdwar. On Wednesday the Punjab vigilance bureau had arrested Harpreet Singh, a Revenue Patwari, posted at revenue Halqua Sultanwind here red handed while for accepting a bribe of ~50,000. A Sultanwind resident had approached the Vigilance while alleging that the accused demanded a bribe of ~2.5 lakhs for making correction in the revenue record pertaining to his plot. As per the complaint the Patwari asked him that the ~2.5L BRIBE CASE ■A Sultanwind resident had approached the Vigilance Bureau while alleging that the accused demanded a bribe of ~2.5 lakh for making correction in the revenue record pertaining to his plot. bribe money would be shared with Tehsildar and Girdawar and he would take ~50,000 out of this amount. He was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of ~50,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. Lakhbir Singh, SSP VB, , Amritsar, said that the accused was brought on police remand for probe. He said the role of Tehsildar and Girdwar whose name was cropped up in the complaint would also be examined. He said further probe was on. Wheat straw prices fall due to lack of demand, farmers worried Tribune News Service Amritsar, April 24 With the prices of wheat straw crashing this season owing to decrease in the population of milch cattle and the industry shifting to paddy straw instead of wheat hay as fuel, the wheat growers are worried as the crop residue has no demand. With the prices of wheat straw falling to Rs 250 per quintal, the traders are not buying crop residue as they have to spend Rs 1,300 per hectare for manufacturing ‘toori’. Harvir Singh Laddi, a farmer from Cheema Khurd, said, “A trolley has four to five quintals of toori. With the price as low as now, the traders would not even recover their investments.” Laddi said that he had harvested the crop five days ago, but till date not even a single person has approached him for purchase of crop residue. Another farmer Mandeep Singh from the same village said, “People do not own ani- A farmer shows wheat crop residue in his fields in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: SUNIL KUMAR mals which are required to be fed on ‘toori’. As such there is no demand for it.” He said that earlier, traders from Rajasthan and elsewhere used to roam around in the villages but this season, no one has arrived. The farmers are worried that with no one buying their crop residue, they would have no option but to clear their fields for the next crop by burning it. “If the farmers burn the crop residue, they would have to face FIRs and penalty. But nobody is concerned about the problems being faced by us,” said another farmer.