04072025-ATR-01.qxd 7/3/2025 10:55 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST CLOUDY SKY SPORTS KITS DISTRIBUTED TO WEAN KIDS OFF DRUGS WATERLOGGING CAUSING PROBLEMS IN CHABAL JOHN CENA, PRIYANKA CHOPRA SPOTTED AT WIMBLEDON 2025 MLA Dr Ajay Gupta distributed 100 sports kits to schoolchildren in Kirtan Garh village. P2 The waterlogged Tarn Taran road in Chabal village has become a severe headache for residents. P2 On a promotion spree, John Cena and Priyanka Chopra made a captivating appearance on Day 3 of tourney. P4 » » » MAX 34°C | MIN 29°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.39 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5.30 AM FRIDAY | 4 JULY 2025 | AMRITSAR Dhami releases picture book on Army attack on Golden Temple Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 3 SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami today released a picture book capturing the heavy losses suffered by the Golden Temple and the Akal Takht during the military assault in June 1984 Operation bluestar. Dhami said the June 1984 massacre remains one of the most painful chapters in Sikh history. He stated that the government of the time inflicted a deep, irreparable wound on the Sikh psyche by launching a military attack on their holiest shrines. The attack, he said, not only caused enormous physical and emotional damage but also led to the destruction of invaluable religious treasures, including historical documents and artefacts preserved in the Sikh Reference Library. Some of these atrocities were captured in photographs by artist and photographer Satpal Singh Danish. These photos have now been compiled and published by the SGPC in the continued on page 2 Pensioners protest as treasury office fails to clear their dues Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, July 3 Employees and pensioners of the state government hold a demonstration in front of the District Treasury Office here on Thursday. They were protesting against the government’s verbal orders to the treasury office staff not to make payments of dues to employees and pensioners. The protesters burnt an effigy of the Punjab Finance Minister and submitted a memorandum of their demands to the District Treasury Officer (DTO) in the name of the Punjab Chief Minister. The demonstration was organised on the joint call of the Punjab Subordinate Services’ Federation and the Punjab Pensioners’ Association. Karaj Singh Kairoin, Gurpreet Singh Gandiwind, Sarwan Singh Koharka and other leaders addressed on the occasion and condemned the state government for its alleged wrong policies. They alleged that this move has exposed the financial position of the state government, Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Government employees and pensioners burn an effigy of the Punjab Finance Minister in Tarn Taran on Thursday. PHOTO: GURBAXPURI which is not in a position to make payment of the dues to employees and pensioners. The leaders said retired employees were not being paid their payment, revised earned leave, payment of the GPF and other dues. They said the DTOs were neither clearing the bills submitted to their offices nor making other payments to retirees. They expressed their anguish as the payment of the arrears of the Sixth Pay Commission was not being made to them. They said the employees and the pensioners were taking 13 per cent less as compared to Union Government employees and the pensioners. They condemned the state government for not accepting their other demands. Spl search op conducted at city bus stand Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 3 A special search operation was conducted at the Amritsar bus stand by the incharge of the bus stand police post, operating under the Police Station A-Division, here on Thursday. The operation was carried out on the instructions of the Commissioner of Police, Amritsar. ASI Gurjinder Singh, incharge of the bus stand police post, along with ARP (Armed Response Patrol) team, led the intensive search operation. As part of the drive, a thorough inspection of luggage, stalls and the parking areas was carried out. The team also closely questioned individuals found loitering in or around the bus stand without any valid reason. Officials meticulously noted the personal details of suspicious persons for further verification. The aim was to identify individuals with potentially unlaw- Cops during a search drive at the bus stand in Amritsar on Thursday. ful intentions and ensure that the bus stand remains safe and secure for passen- Downpour causes flooding on roads, commuters suffer gers and the general public. The search operation was also conducted in surround- ing areas of the bus stand. People sitting or roaming without any legitimate purpose were asked to leave the premises immediately. Police personnel issued a stern warning that anyone found idling or wandering suspiciously in the future would face strict action. Speaking about the initiative, officials stated that such surprise inspections are part of a broader strategy to strengthen security, prevent criminal activities and instil a sense of safety among the public. They reaffirmed that the Amritsar Commissionerate Police is committed to maintaining peace and public order and remains vigilant 24x7 to safeguard the city. “This proactive policing effort reflects the department’s dedication to creating a safe public environment and cracking down on any suspicious or illegal activities at one of the city’s busiest transit points,” said Harmeet Singh, a local resident. Amritsar, July 3 Heavy rain on Thursday morning lashed the city, causing widespread flooding on roads and streets. Commuters had a tough time getting to work with many struggling to navigate through waterlogged areas. Even as many schools have reopened after the summer vacations, many children were unable to make it to their schools due to the flooding of roads. Two-wheeler drivers were among the worst affected as many of them were seen dragging their bikes through waterlogged lanes as the rainwater accumulated on roads led to the breakdown of their two-wheelers. Chaos prevailed on roads and commuters were seen trying to find their way through the water-logged streets. “Every time it rains, roads get submerged and pedestrians and two-wheelers have to bear the brunt,” said Rajiv The waterlogged Mall Road in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Kumar, an attendant at a private hospital. Even speeding cars, despite knowing that pedestrians are on way to hospital, splash water on pedestrians without caring that they might be going to work, he complained adding that drivers need to be more concerned about fellow commuters. Despite the chaos, rain brought much-needed respite from the scorching heat and humidity. The temperature dropped significantly, providing relief to residents who had been facing the sweltering heat for weeks. After rain, the maximum temperature dropped to 32 degrees Celsius. Rain also brought cheer to farmers as they hope rain will prove beneficial for crops and vegetables. Balwant Singh, a farmer from Attari, said, “We’re hap- KMSC holds protest over govt move to privatise PSPCL STORY REVOLVES AROUND MURDER CASE ■ A courtroom drama, 'Gawahi' depicted Agatha Christie's signature storytelling, through the lens of a crime and its perpetrators. In 'Gawahi', the story revolves around a murder case, like a perfect whodunnit. Several characters are introduced with a suspicious history through the victim. As the story moves on, through court proceedings and a witness, who claims to have pointed out the culprit, one is immersed in the game of guessing the trail. In the climax, like a truetwisted ending, the murderer turns out to be the one enjoying the least bit of suspicion. A courtroom drama, ‘Gawahi’ depicted Agatha Christie’s signature storytelling, through the lens of a crime and its perpetrators. In ‘Gawahi’, the story revolves around a murder case, like a perfect whodunnit. Several characters are introduced with a suspicious history through the victim. As the story moves on, through court proceedings and a witness, who claims to have pointed out the culprit, one is immersed in the game of guessing the trail. In the climax, like a truetwisted ending, the murderer turns out to be the one enjoying the least bit of suspicion. The theatre students who enacted this play included those who took part in the workshop. Dhaliwal, who is the festival director, said that the five-day event will bring out the most immersive, engaging stories and formats of drama. — TNS Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 3 The Punjab Government had issued a notification on April 26 ordering the politically elected representative of the area or a member nominated by him, to be a part of the school management committee of government schools. Now the state teacher’s body, Democratic Teachers’ Front, has objected to political nomination in school managements. Ashwani Awasthi, state finance secretary of the DTF and district unit head, said under Section 21 of the Right to Education Act, apart from parents, only an elected member of the local authority (gram panchayat) can become a member of the school management committee. c m y b Police seize large haul of illicit liquor Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, July 3 Members of the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) held a protest alleging privatisation of Punjab State Power Corporation (PSPCL) here on Thursday. Sarvan Singh Pandher, state convener, and Ranjit Singh, president of the committee, who led the protest, stated that it was a statewide call. The protesters demanded the cancellation of the power purchase agreements and opposed the Electricity Amendment Bill 2025, which would give private companies the right to fix electricity rates and supply electricity. They also opposed the installation of prepaid meters, which would lead to increased electricity costs for consumers. The leaders of the committee, including Germanjit Singh Bandala and Gurbachan Singh Chaba, said that the privatization of PSP- Amritsar, July 3 The Bhindisaida police, operating under the Amritsar rural police, have seized a large quantity of illicit liquor and raw material used for distillation. The operation was carried out under the leadership of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Maninder Singh and DSP Raja Sansi Inderjit Singh. Providing details of the operation, DSP Inderjit Singh stated that the Bhindisaida police received a secret tip-off regarding large-scale illicit liquor production being carried out by a resident of Bhindisaida village. Acting swiftly on the information, a police team was formed and a targeted raid was conducted at the residence of Sukhchain Singh. During the raid, the police recovered 900,000 ml (1,200 bottles) of illicit liquor and 400 kg of lahan, a fermented substance used in the preparation of country liquor. The recovered materials were seized on the spot and further investigation was launched. A case has been registered against the accused under Sections 61, 1 and 14 of the Excise Act and Sections 123 and 62 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). While the accused managed to evade arrest during the raid, police officials confirmed that a search operation is ongoing and he is expected to be apprehended soon. The police said such illegal operations pose a serious threat to public health and safety and that the Amritsar rural police is committed to eliminating the production and distribution of spurious liquor in the region. This successful seizure sends a strong message to those involved in such activities that strict action will be taken under the law. The police have assured that further raids and investigations will continue to dismantle the network behind the illicit trade. Farmers associated with the KMSC hand over a memorandum to Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar in Amritsar on Thursday. CL would lead to indirect looting of people and would benefit private companies. They appealed to the people of Punjab to oppose this policy and support the struggle to stop the sale of electricity boards. The committee gave demand letters to the Chief Engineer, the Superintending Engineer, the DC office, and senior police officers in the district, urging them to take immediate action to stop the privatisation of PSP- CL. A huge gathering is planned in front of the offices of senior officers on July 14 to further press for their demands, said Pandher. The leaders expressed concern over the impact of the privatisation of PSPCL on farmers, labourers and general public. They said the policy would lead to increased costs and would further exacerbate the problems faced by farmers. Five-day theatre fest opens with Teachers’ front flays political nominations Agatha Christie’s murder mystery in school management committees Amritsar, July 3 Noted playwright Kewal Dhaliwal opened the five-day theatre festival in city showcasing adaptations of critically acclaimed plays. The festival is being hosted by Manch-Rangmanch, Amritsar, and Virsa Vihar Society. Kewal Dhaliwal along with National School of Drama alumni Partho Banerjee and Pritpal Rupana opened the festival as students of drama who participated in the month-long National Theatre Workshop enacted the play. Agatha Christie’s famous short play, ‘Witness of Prosecution’, was adapted into a Hindi play ‘Gawahi’, directed by Pritpal Rupana. The play was based on suspense, drama and mysteries of human behaviour and played out over two hours. py it rained. Now we would not have to worry about irrigating our fields for at least two to three days.” He added that rain will reduce their dependence on tubewells for the next few days. Meanwhile, the weatherman has forecast heavy rain in the region from Sunday. Apart from Amritsar, heavy showers were also reported from areas in Tarn Taran district. MOVE A VIOLATION OF RTE ACT: DTF ■ The Democratic Teachers' Front (DTF), Punjab, has strongly condemned the decision, terming it as a violation of the Right to Education Act as well as direct political interference in a sensitive sector like education and demanded its withdrawal. DTF state president Vikramdev Singh said under Section 21 of the Right to Education Act, 2009, provision has been made for School Management Committees to look after the management of schools. “Thus, according to the new notification, with the aim of increasing political interference, the government has created an obstacle for the elected member of the local authority (panchayat) to become a member of the school committee and has given the right to the elected representative of the area to interfere in the work of the school himself or through his nominated person. Even if that person is not even a resident of the village or city in which the school is located,” he said. The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), Punjab, has strongly condemned the decision, terming it as a violation of the Right to Education Act as well as direct political interference in a sensitive sector like education and demanded its withdrawal. DTF state president Vikramdev Singh said under Section 21 of the Right to Education Act, 2009, provision has been made for School Management Committees to look after the management of schools. “The local authority (Panchay- at/MC) has been deprived of this right by using the word representative of the area, which can be anyone, even political elected representative. Now the government is moving towards making political interference in schools a permanent foothold through School Management Committees,” said Dev. They asserted that this is being done at the behest of the Delhi AAP leadership. “There is a possibility of schools becoming arenas for political partisanship,” added Dev. The DTF members urged the Punjab Government and demanded that only parents, students, local authorities and teachers should be made members of the school committee in strict compliance with the Right to Education Act.