03032026-ATR-01.qxd 02-03-2026 23:23 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 28°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 27°C | MIN 13°C WOMAN LOSES GOLD EARRINGS TO SNATCHERS, ONE ARRESTED TEACHERS GHERAO ETO’S HOUSE OVER ELIGIBILITY TEST MANDATE DIVAS SET THE MOOD FOR A DREAMY HOLI FESTIVAL One of the robbers, who tried to flee after committing the crime, was caught by locals near Majha College. P2 After Supreme Court’s decision, lakhs of educators will now need to clear the exam to keep their jobs. P3 On Holi, one fashion ritual never goes out of style — stepping out in stunning all-white glam. P4 » » » SUNSET TUESDAY 6.29 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6.54 AM TUESDAY | 3 MARCH 2026 | AMRITSAR Lopoke CHC ‘suicide’ case: Kin question report, seek fresh probe Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 2 Days after the alleged suicide by a man at the Lopoke Community Health Centre (CHC), the deceased’s family members have raised serious questions over the findings of a five-member medical board constituted to probe the death. The kin of the deceased have urged authorities to dismiss the current inquiry report, and constitute a fresh, independent highpower medical board comprising senior experts. The deceased, Vinod Kumar, allegedly died by suicide on January 13 on the hospital premises after reportedly not receiving timely medical attention. The medical board report was submitted to the Civil Surgeon. Parveen Kumar, the brother of the deceased, in a detailed representation to the Civil Surgeon, alleged that the existing inquiry report contained “serious contradictions” and “overlooked evidence”, casting a doubt over the transparency and impartiality of the proceedings. He alleged that the REPORT CONTAINED CONTRADICTIONS: BROTHER ■ The deceased, Vinod Kumar, allegedly died by suicide on January 13 on the hospital premises after reportedly not receiving timely medical attention. ■ Parveen Kumar, the brother of the deceased, in a detailed representation to the Civil Surgeon, alleged that the existing inquiry report contained “serious contradictions” and “overlooked evidence”, casting a doubt over the transparency and impartiality of the proceedings. ■ He alleged that the patient’s primary complaint of breathing difficulty was ignored. Instead, he added, both the doctors’ statements and the board’s report reportedly emphasised abdominal pain — a symptom the complainant claimed was never mentioned by the patient, or the attendant who took him to the hospital. patient’s primary complaint of breathing difficulty was ignored. Instead, he added, both the doctors’ statements and the board’s report reportedly emphasised abdominal pain — a symptom the complainant claimed was never mentioned by the patient, or the attendant who took him to the hospital. During the probe, the treating doctor, Dr Sahil Bhardwaj, and staff nurses Gaganpreet Kaur, Paramjit Kaur and Navneet Kaur of the Lopoke CHC were summoned to record their statements. The deceased’s brother has demanded that the CHC surgeon, who was reportedly consulted along with the Senior Medical Officer and the then Civil Surgeon, also be included in the investigation. He alleged that medical records did not mention oxygen support or basic emergency checks such as ECG, pulse rate, blood pressure, or blood sugar monitoring. It was also alleged that, shortly before his death, the patient made a phone call stating that he had been suffering for nearly two hours without proper treatment and was experiencing acute breathing difficulty. Family members later reportedly found him hanging from the grill of a water tank at the CHC. Defacement of public property persists despite strict orders concern over the growing problem, stating that unchecked defacement not only mars the city’s appearance but also reflects poorly on civic discipline. “The authorities have put up warning signs, yet people are still pasting posters right below them. It makes a mockery of the rules,” said a local shopkeeper. Officials claim that teams are regularly deployed to remove unauthorised posters and identify offenders. However, the posters often reappear within days, indicating a lack of sustained monitoring and stringent penalties. Activists have urged the authorities to impose heavier fines and take swift action against repeat offenders. They have also suggested creating designated spaces for advertisements to prevent damage to heritage structures and public infrastructure. “Most of these advertisements are put up by quacks and self-styled godmen. The administration must act firmly to curb the defacement of public property,” said Harjit Singh, another resident. Manmeet Singh Gill Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 2 Despite repeated warnings and strict directives from the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, illegal posters and advertisements continue to deface public buildings and walls across the city. Ironically, many of these posters are pasted directly beneath official warning boards installed by the civic body, underscoring a blatant disregard for regulations. A recent visit to several areas revealed walls covered in layers of promotional material, including advertisements for coaching centres, immigration services, political campaigns and local events. In some instances, posters were found plastered below bright yellow warning boards cautioning individuals against defacing public property under the provisions of the Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act. The Act clearly prohibits writing, printing or pasting any material on public property without prior permis- Illegal advertisement posters pasted on government properties in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR sion and provides for penalties and fines. The municipal corporation has previously stated that violators could face fines of up to Rs 50,000 along with other legal action. However, the ground reality suggests that enforcement remains a significant challenge. Residents have expressed Holi celebrated with fervour at Durgiana temple Three more held in 43 kg heroin Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 2 The festival of Holi was celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion at Durgiana temple on Monday. As the temple will remain closed on Tuesday due to a lunar eclipse, devotees marked the festival with special fervour a day earlier. A large number of devotees gathered on the temple premises from early morning. After paying obeisance, they shared the joy of Holi by applying colours to one another. Many devotees brought idols of Lord Krishna to the temple, where they symbolically played Holi with Thakur Ji amid devotional chants. Devotees said that cele- Devotees indulge in the Holi celebrations at Durgiana temple in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR brating Holi at Durgiana temple holds special significance. “Just as Holi is famous in Vrindavan, Holi at Durgiana temple in Amritsar is also considered unique. Flowers like tesu and marigold are specially brought and natural colours are used to play Holi here,” said a devotee. Pushp Holi was observed using dry flowers such as marigold, tesu, amaltaas and red hibiscus to prepare natural colours. Devotees applied colours to each other and danced to the tunes of religious bhajans. Children dressed as Radha and Krishna also participated in the celebrations and the religious procession. Participants appealed to people to celebrate the festival with love and harmony, avoiding disputes and ensuring no harm is caused to animals or the environment. Pandit Megh Shyam, a priest at the temple, said there is special enthusiasm at Durgiana temple during Holi each year, with a large number of devotees visiting to take part in the celebrations. seizure case; count rises to nine Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 2 The Amritsar Rural Police have arrested three more suspects in connection with the seizure of nearly 43 kg of heroin and a cache of arms confiscated on January 29, taking the total number of arrests in the case to nine. The accused have been identified as Rehmat Ali, Sanjeev and Gagan, all residents of Chheharta area, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Dharminder Kalyan. He said all three were working as couriers in the illegal drug trade and played a role in transporting the contraband as part of the larger smuggling network. In a parallel development, the police have also issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against the prime accused, Karan Singh, alias Karan Chheharta, a resident of Chheharta, who is currently based in Dubai, said the police official. He is alleged to be the key handler behind the cross-border drug and arms consignment. The case pertains to the recovery of nearly 43 kg of heroin, four hand grenades, a Glock pistol and a large quantity of ammunition by the Amritsar Rural Police from Othian village on January 29. During the course of investigation, the police had earlier arrested Sonu, an auto-rickshaw driver; Mohit, a courier; and Anil Poddar and Ritik, both residents of Bhalla Colony in Chheharta. Karan Chheharta was subsequently nominated in the case as the alleged mastermind operating from abroad. Later, the police had also arrested Davinder Kaur and Kirandeep Kaur, mother and sister of the Dubai-based prime accused Karan Chheharta. A police official stated that the arrests were made following the analysis of digital evidence and interrogation of the previously held accused. Man sentenced to life term in Foundation moves to preserve Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s legacy 2023 Chheharta murder case Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 2 A local court on Monday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a youth in the Chheharta area in September 2023. The court of Sessions Judge Jatinder Kaur convicted Gurdeep Singh, alias Gandhi, under Section 302 of the IPC for the murder of Kuldeep Singh, alias Ishu, and awarded him life imprisonment. He was also sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment under Section 201 of the IPC for attempting to cause the disappearance of evidence. The incident occurred on September 11, 2023, around 8 pm. The complainant, Harpal Singh, was travelling in his auto-rickshaw towards GT Road, Chheharta, with his friend Kuldeep Singh seated beside him. When they reached near Dhillon bus stand in Dhillon Bassan Wali Gali, the accused allegedly signalled them to stop. According to the prosecution, Gurdeep Singh pulled Kuldeep Singh out of the autorickshaw, grabbed him by the collar, abused him and stabbed him with a sharpedged weapon. The sudden attack created panic in the area, and the accused fled as passersby gathered at the spot. Kuldeep Singh was rushed to the Civil Hospital, Amritsar, where doctors declared him dead. The post-mortem examination conducted by Dr Ravi Tejpal revealed a penetrating stab injury caused by a sharp-pointed weapon, resulting in massive internal bleeding and shock. The injury was opined to be sufficient in the ordinary course of nature to cause death. The accused was arrested on November 3, 2023. During the investigation, he allegedly disclosed that he had thrown the weapon into a drain, but it could not be recovered. The court observed that the non-recovery of the weapon did not weaken the prosecution’s case in view of the consistent and reliable eyewitness testimony corroborated by medical evidence. The defence questioned the motive and pointed out minor discrepancies in statements, but the court found the complainant’s testimony to be natural and trustworthy. While the prosecution sought capital punishment, the court, relying on the principles laid down in Bachan Singh v State of Punjab, held that the case did not fall within the “rarest of rare” category and therefore did not warrant the death penalty. Pronouncing the judgment on March 2, 2026, the court stated that the evidence on record conclusively established the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt and imposed life imprisonment. Amritsar, March 2 In a significant step towards environmental conservation and heritage preservation, the Akal Seva Foundation has launched a plantation drive outside the historic Summer Palace located within Ram Bagh garden, associated with the legendary Sikh ruler Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The initiative was formally inaugurated with the planting of 10 saplings, including varieties such as kaner, bottle king, red rose, orange rose, pink rose, white rose, morpankhi, neem, amla, mulberry (toot), shahtoot, ber and peepal. The drive aims to enhance the greenery and aesthetic appeal of the heritage site while contributing to environmental sustainability. Speaking on the occasion, Akal Seva Foundation president Harpal Singh Randhawa, along with social worker and environmentalist Sarabjit Singh Sonu, alias Sonu Jandiala, said the plantation campaign is being carried out in c m y b Members of the Akal Sewa Foundation plant saplings at the historic Ram Bagh garden in Amritsar on Monday. coordination with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). They informed that the ASI has granted permission to plant 10,000 saplings in the area. Members of the foundation further stated that after obtaining approval from the municipal corporation, they plan to plant an additional 10,000 heritage trees within Ram Bagh. The objective is not only to beautify parks and public spaces but also to protect and preserve centuries-old trees that are gradually disappearing. They emphasised that, in collaboration with civic authorities and the administration, consistent efforts would be made to safeguard the historical legacy of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and maintain the green cover of the region for future generations. Earlier, the organisation had raised serious concerns over the deteriorating condition of several century-old trees in the historic garden linked to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Representatives of the foundation met officials of the municipal corporation and the district administration, urg- ing them to adopt scientific methods for the preservation and conservation of these heritage trees. They stressed the need for expert assessment, proper soil treatment, disease management, structural support and regular monitoring to ensure that these invaluable natural assets are protected for generations to come.