15112025-ATR-01.qxd 11/14/2025 11:45 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune DIST BJP LEADERS, WORKERS CELEBRATE BIHAR VICTORY Supporters danced to the beats of dhol, burst firecrackers and shared sweets with local residents. P2 » 300 PARTICIPATE IN PAINTING CONTEST ON CHILDREN'S DAY FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR MAX 24°C | MIN 10°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 9°C ACTRESS KAMINI KAUSHAL PASSES AWAY AT 98 Indian Academy of Fine Arts marked the Children’s Day by hosting an on-the-spot painting competition for kids. P3 Veteran actress Kamini Kaushal, best known for her roles with Dilip Kumar, passed away at the age of 98 in Mumbai. P4 » » SUNSET SATURDAY 5.31 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6.59 AM SATURDAY | 15 NOVEMBER 2025 | AMRITSAR Module linked to Armenia-based AAP’s Harmeet holds victory procession gangster busted, three arrested Gurbaxpuri Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 14 The State Special Operations Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, in a joint operation with the Counter Intelligence, Pathankot, has busted a gangster module and arrested three operatives linked to Armenia-based wanted gangster Raja Haruwal. The police recovered two .30 bore star-mark pistols, two magazines and 15 live cartridges from their possession on Thursday. The arrested individuals were identified as Yusuf Masih, alias MP a resi, dent of Dharamkot Bagga (Batala), Samuel Masih, alias Ankit, alias Anki, a resident of Pinda Rori (Batala), and Sahibjeet Singh, alias Sabhi, a resident of Haruwal (Bata- Weapons recovered by the SSOC Amritsar and the Pathankot police. la). The police also impounded a Maruti Swift car allegedly used for criminal activities. Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigation suggests that the trio was acting on the directions of gang- ster Raja Haruwal, who had arranged the delivery of the seized weapons. The module was reportedly involved in the exchange of weapons and money and was conducting reconnaissance of potential targets for extortion. He said further investigation was underway to trace backward and forward linkages and dismantle the entire network. Sukhwinder Singh Mann, AIG, SSOC, Amritsar, said the arrests were made following specific intelligence, with police teams recovering the weapons from the accused in the Batala area. He said all three accused had criminal records, with cases registered against them in Batala, Gurdaspur and Amritsar related to kidnapping, attempt to murder and possession of illegal weapons. A case under Section 25 of the Arms Act and Section 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered at the SSOC police station, Amritsar, against the accused in this connection, he said. Tarn Taran, November 14 Harmeet Singh Sandhu of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who was declared victorious in the Tarn Taran byelection, along with his large number of party workers, organised a victory procession here today. After receiving victory certificate from Gurmeet Singh, SDM-cum- Returning Officer, Harmeet Singh Sandhu, when he came out of the counting hall at the Mai Bhago International College, was greeted by a huge gathering of his supporters, who garlanded him and raised slogans in favour of the AAP, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and party national convener Arvind Kejriwal. Sandhu was given a warm welcome by residents of Usman, Piddi, Rasulpur, Chutala, Aladinpur and other villages, while he was on AAP candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu's supporters celebrate his win in the by-election at Tarn Taran on Friday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR way to the Tarn Taran city. The victory procession marched through several bazaars of the town. While addressing party workers on the occasion, Bhupinder Singh Khera, former president of the Tarn Taran Municipal Council, Sarabjit Singh Lali, councillor, Gurminder Singh Rataul and others party leaders called them to be remain associated with the public. They asked workers to prepare them- selves for the upcoming 2027 General Election. While addressing party activists on the occasion, Harmeet Singh Sandhu said, “The AAP has zero tolerance for corruption, drug and other anti-social activities.” Youth nabbed with Unauthorised construction stopped at Heir village Jalalusman remembered Represented Beas Glockpistol,ammunition segment for five Tribune News Service The accused in custody of the Amritsar rural police. Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 14 The Kambo police station personnel arrested a youth near Ball Khurd village after recovering a Glock pistol and live ammunition during routine patrolling from his possession yesterday. Maninder Singh, SSP , Amritsar rural, said the arrest was made under the supervision of Yadvinder Singh, DSP , Attari. A police team intercepted a youth near Palace Morh, Ball Khurd, on suspicion, the SSP said. He was identified as Gurpratap Singh, alias Gopi, a resident of Ball Khurd village. During his search, the police recovered a Glock pistol marked “Made in Austria”, along with a magazine and two live 9mm rounds from his bag. A case under Sections 25(8), 54 and 59 of the Arms Act was registered at the Kambo police station against the accused in this connection. The police said the accused was being questioned to find his forward and backward links. Further action would be taken if more names emerge during investigation, the police said. Amritsar, November 14 The Amritsar Development Authority (ADA) halted work on a fresh round of unauthorised construction near Livasa Hospital on the Amritsar–Ajnala National Highway on Thursday. The action was taken by the wing under the District Town Planner (Regulatory) Gursewak Singh Aulakh, following directions of Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA) chief Administrator Nitesh Kumar Jain. Officials said the construction at Heir village was being carried out without any approval or change-ofland-use permission from PUDA. Several notices had already been issued and construction was stopped multiple times, but the builder continued work at the site. Owing to repeated violations, orders for demolition were issued by senior authorities, said officials. Aulakh said the regulatory team had again moved to enforce the demolition order, but the action could not be executed due to the non-availability of the police force. He said the demolition plan had been Amritsar Development Authority officials at the unauthorised construction site in Amritsar. communicated to the Police Commissionerate. He said repeated reminders were sent to provide adequate police force for maintaining law and order during the operation. However, no police personnel were provided either by the Commissionerate or the Airport police station, resulting in the demolition being deferred once again. He said complaints regarding this unautho- rised commercial structure had also been received at the ADA office. Machinery at the site had been seized earlier, but the builder continued construction in violation of the orders. A demolition drive scheduled last week had also failed because the police force was not made available at that time. Aulakh said directions were also been issued to Punjab State Power Corpo- ration Limited (PSPCL) officials to ensure no electricity connection was granted to the structure and to disconnect any existing connection, if provided. Appealing to the public, the District Town Planner urged residents to obtain change-of-land-use permission and have their building plan approved by the competent PUDA authorities before beginning any construction. Amritsar, November 14 A rememberance function was held at Jalalusman village to pay tributes to education promoter and veteran politician Jathedar Sohan Singh Jalalusman, who played a key role in shaping the Shaheed Darshan Singh Pheruman Memorial Trust (SDSPM), Rayya. SDSPM Trust chairperson Satnam Kaur Sekhon recalled that Jathedar Jalalusman had been instrumental in setting up the Trust in memory of his close associate Shaheed Darshan Singh Pheruman, who died during a fast unto death for safeguarding the sanctity of the Sikh Ardas and for the inclusion of Chandigarh and Punjabi-speaking areas in Punjab. She said Jathedar, known for his honesty and selfless public life, helped secure 10 acres of the Defence Department land for establishing the SDSPM Girls’ College at Rayya, which later led to the opening of the SDSPM Public School. The Trust now runs CBSE-affiliated schools in Butala, Jalal Usman and Ram Tirath. Trustee Sawinder Singh Butala said Jathedar Jalalusman was also instrumental in transferring the privately managed Guru Teg Bahadur College, Sathiala, into a government institution. consecutive terms Principal Kulwant Singh Ankhi said Jathedar represented the Beas Assembly constituency for five consecutive terms owing to his tireless and transparent service, adding that he had shaped the Rayya region into an educational hub without accumulating personal property. Speakers on the occasion highlighted that he resigned from the British Army after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and later took part in the freedom struggle. He was jailed during the Gurdwara Reform Movement. He served as manager of gurdwara in Tarn Taran, a role that earned him the title of Jathedar. Several dignitaries, including Sukhdev Singh Jalalusman, Amarjit Singh Randhawa and sarpanch Lakhwinder Singh, paid floral tributes to Jathedar. Principals, teachers and students of various educational institutions attended the ceremony, during which Gurbani was recited. Chairperson Satnam Kaur Sekhon was honoured with a robe on the occasion. — TNS De-silting, de-watering projects of submerged City’s own exhibition centre remains a distant dream farmland in Ajnala, Ramdas completed Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Amritsar, November 14 Vikramjit Singh Sawhney, Member of Parliament (MP), Rajya Sabha, and Chairman, Sun Foundation, today announced the completion of de-silting and de-watering operations in the flood-ravaged Ajnala and Dera Baba Nanak region. The intensive project reclaimed hundreds of acres of vital farmland buried under sand brought by recent floods, allowing local farmers to sow their winter wheat crop and begin their economic recovery. Sawhney today visited the flood-affected villages of Malikpur, Jatta and Nangal Sohal near Ramdas, and Dharamkot Pattan village of Dera Baba Nanak and reaffirmed his commitment to rebuild lives and restore livelihoods. At Jatta village, the community felicitated Dr Sawhney for completing the de-watering of over 150 acres MP Vikramjit Sawhney addresses gathering at a village in Amritsar. of submerged farmland, an operation undertaken by the Sun Foundation. “It was an engineering marvel where 4.5 km of pipeline was placed to drain water from fields. This intervention has not only revived cultivation of crops, but also prevented longterm soil degradation. The purpose of our project is to restore dignity, livelihood and hope. The revival of Nangal Sohal and Jatta’s fields is not just about land. It is about securing the future of our farmers, our youth and our rural economy,” said Sawhney. He also visited Nangal Sohal village, where Sun Foundation’s de-silting project reclaimed over 40 acres of farmland once buried under six feet of sand. In Malikpur village, Dr Sawhney distributed rehabilitation kits among families whose homes and fields were ravaged by the recent floods. — TNS Amritsar, November 14 Although successive heads of the state government and their leaders have repeatedly been declaring to establish a world-class exhibition centre to showcase indigenously manufactured articles, besides creations from across the country and abroad in the holy city for the past over 15 years, no progress in this connection has been made so far. All these years, Amritsar Improvement Trust’s chunk of nearly five acres land in Ranjit Avenue has been serving as a venue to host exhibitions and other cultural programmes. Organisers pay the rent along with the GST to the Trust to hold programmes. This arrangement is not likely to continue for a long run as sources in the Trust shared that the Local Bodies Department was planning to auction this prime c m y b Residents at the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) hosted by the PHDCCI in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO commercial land. They stated that in most probability SCOs and other commercial projects would be set up at the site to draw maximum profit out of the land. The site was most sought after by organisers for its ideal location in the city, ample parking space, planned area clearly demarcating residential and commercial spaces and enough wide roads. All these factors facilitate hassle free movement of masses and vehicles. This time, the Amritsar improvement Trust escalated the fee for the venue of the five-day Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. PHDCCI would host the event for the 19th year this time, which would commence from December 4 in an area spread over five acres in Ranjit Avenue. Notably, all previous efforts to establish an exhibition centre in the city have come to a naught. The state budget had made a provision of Rs 80 crore for the construction of Unity Mall in the city during the last year with the financial support of the Centre. The Unity Mall was to have stalls representing all states and UTs, where artisans from across the country could showcase their products. It was to come up on 10 acres of land, which was earlier earmarked for a multipurpose sports stadium in the Ranjit Avenue area. The Punjab Public Works Department (PWD) had even floated a tender for the construction of the mall, with an estimated cost of Rs 153.2 crore and a completion period of 24 months. The mall would have promoted Punjab’s handicraft products in a modern environment, catering to tourists visiting Amritsar every day. The project was later shelved by the Trust. Around 15 years ago during the SAD-BJP regime, a state-of-the-art building was to be raised to set up a convention centre inside Old Jail. The state government had then made a budgetary announcement to establish the trade centre in Amritsar.