14032026-ATR-01.qxd 3/13/2026 10:49 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 27°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 15°C VEHICLES WITH GPS TO KEEP TAB ON WASTE LIFTING IN CITY ‘POCKETS OF HOPE’ EXHIBITION DRAWS CROWDS EIDDAN KIDDAN BAI TEASER UNVEILED To keep roads clean, waste management firm has introduced six new GPS-enabled patrolling vehicles to remove garbage. P2 The photo-story exhibition and outreach project showcases biosphere reserves as successful models of conservation. P3 Prinday Films unveiled the teaser of its upcoming Punjabi romantic drama, Eiddan Kiddan Bai, in Mohali. P4 » » » SUNSET SATURDAY 6.37 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 6.40 AM SATURDAY | 14 MARCH 2026 | AMRITSAR Dhabas down shutters, households feel the heat as LPG refill policy changed Two booked for murder bid Amritsar, March 13 Panic gripped Pandori Waraich village falling under the Kamboh police station after two persons allegedly opened fire outside a house late at night following an old dispute. According to the police complaint filed by Tarsem Singh (56), a resident of Pandori Waraich village, the incident occurred on Wednesday night. Tarsem, stated that he and his son Mahikpreet Singh had just closed their shop and entered their house when two men — identified as Khushpreet Singh and Bhinda Singh — both residents of Pandori Waraich village — allegedly came there and fired shots with an intention to kill them. The complainant alleged that bullets struck the main gate of their house and their car bearing registration number PB02-EM-0582 parked outside. Fearing for their lives, Tarsem Singh and his son rushed inside their house to save themselves. Tarsem Singh stated that the accused were holding a grudge after a minor altercation that had taken place a few days earlier between them and his son. The police registered a case against accused and initiated probe into the matter. — TNS Tribune News Service Ticket checking staff from Amritsar with the girl found in the Paschim Superfast Express. Ticket checking staff find girl travelling alone in train Hand her over to women RPF personnel Amritsar, March 13 Ticket checking staff from Amritsar today handed over a 13-year old girl found travelling alone in Paschim Superfast Express to women Railway Police Force (RPF) personnel at the New Delhi railway station. Ticket checking staff members Satish Kumar Meena and Manish Kumar Meena said while on duty aboard train No. 12926 (Paschim Superfast Express), which chugged out from the Amritsar railway station yesterday, they found a girl travelling alone in the train. She was in the sleeper coach and was traveling without ticket. Demonstrating a high degree of responsibility both ticket examiners immediately contacted the Commercial Control Room in New Delhi. Subsequently, they safely handed over girl to women RPF personnel at the New Delhi railway station today morning. They said the RPF personnel at New Delhi were taking necessary measures to ensure girl’s safe return to her parents. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager Paramdeep Singh Saini said both ticket-checking staff members demonstrated promptness and responsibility while discharging their duties — an act that brings glory to the image of the Railways and serves as an exemplary model for all employees. — TNS Amritsar, March 13 Although Deputy Commissioner says that LPG supply in Amritsar will not get hit, domestic bookings in most agencies has been closed for a while now. Restaurants are now resorting to tandoors and limited menu options or hours of operation. Meanwhile, panic buying and restricted supply of the LPG has now prompted the Central Government to increase booking period of its refills for the rural areas to 45 days from the earlier 25 days, whereas households in the urban areas can now get their refill after 25 days which could be done after 21 days earlier. This rule has added to the woes of the rural households already affected by restricted supply of the LPG. While these measures follow shortages in domestic supply due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, affecting the LPG availability across India, many in border villages are making a run to get the LPG cylinder refilled. People stand in a long queue outside a gas agency in Amritsar on Friday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR “We have only one cylinder and half of its gas has already been used. Now, we are told that no LPG refills will be available. I do not have a traditional chulha (traditional Indian cooking stove) at home. How will I feed my kids if gas runs out in a day of two?” asked Karamjeet Kaur, a resident of Mahawa village, near Attari. Karamjeet works as a household and the only meal that her kids and her family share in a day is dinner. “My kids go to the local government school where they get mid-day meal. Now, cooks there tell me that the school has one LPG cylinder. What if that runs out? It’s very difficult for us here,” she said. Pawandeep Kaur, a resident of Macchiwal village in Ajnala, which was affected by floods recently, said, “My LPG supplies may not last till morning. I don’t know when my gas cylinder will require refilling. We do not have any means to cook on a chulha. Coal is expensive and wood fire seems to be our last resort,” said Pawandeep. Many border villages are reeling under the LPG crisis as the supplies run dry. Amidst panic, women are also facing a shortage of “bal- an” for their traditional chulhas as demand for dry wood has suddenly surged. Small dhabas and eatery owners are already shutting shops, as gas cylinders are unavailable. “The one cylinder I have is needed at my home. I do not know when I can get its refill. So, I have decided to shut dhaba,” said Sohan Singh, owner of a small vegetarian dhaba on the Attari road. Two shot at over Fire breaks out at Bhagtanwala waste dump Police trace 600 lost Thick, toxic smoke engulfs surrounding areas, causes discomfort to residents mobile phones worth old rivalry in Verka Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 13 Two youth were seriously injured after unidentified car-borne assailants opened fire at them in the Verka area on Thursday night, allegedly due to an old rivalry. The Verka police have registered a case of attempt to murder against five accused, including Deepu and Akash of Luddar village. According to information, three friends — Rohit, Rohan and Harmanjeet Singh — were travelling on a motorcycle from Verka towards the Verka bypass when the incident occurred. The accused, who were allegedly travelling in a car, chased the bike and opened fire at riders. Rohit and Rohan, suffered gunshot injuries. After carrying out the attack, the accused fled form the spot in their car. Harmanjeet Singh, who was riding with the victims, informed their family members and managed to arrange an ambulance. Both injured youth were rushed to a private hospital for treatment. Their family members alleged that Deepu, Kalu and Akash had an old rivalry with the victims. They said an argument had taken place between the two sides around a week ago, but the matter was settled at that time after intervention by locals. However, victims’ kin claimed that Deepu had been planning to take revenge from Rohit and Rohan. On Thursday night, the accused reportedly followed the trio after spotting them heading towards the Verka bypass and opened fire at them. Doctors said that Rohan’s condition was critical. The Verka police registered a case against five accused on the charge of attempt to murder and launched a search to arrest them. Amritsar, March 13 A major fire broke out at the Bhagtanwala garbage dump late last night, triggering worries among residents of the nearby areas as thick, toxic smoke spread across their surroundings. The fire, which had reportedly been smouldering for the past two days, intensified during the night before fire fighters rushed to the spot to control the blaze. According to officials, teams of the Municipal Corporation and the fire brigade battled fire for nearly five hours before it was brought under control. Senior civic body officials reached the site and supervised the firefighting operation. Officials said the dump had been catching fire intermittently over the past two days. However, the situation worsened last night when the flames spread rapidly across the dumping site. As the fire intensified, thick toxic smoke engulfed the surrounding areas, causing severe discomfort to residents living nearby. ~1.2 crore in 3 months Tribune News Service Fire rages across the Bhagtanwala waste dump in Amritsar. Residents alleged that initial signs of the fire were not taken seriously by the company managing the dump or by the civic authorities, allowing the flames to spread further. It was only after the blaze intensified and smoke began affecting nearby localities that the Municipal Corporation swung into AAP sarpanch sent to judicial remand Amritsar, March 13 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) sarpanch, Parminder Singh, alias Pamma, of Kalsian village in Tarn Taran district, who was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in connection with the seizure around 18 kg drug case, was sent to judicial custody on Friday. He was produced before the Ajnala court after expiry of his police remand. An NCB official confirmed that he was sent to judicial custody and would be brought on production warrant soon for further investigations in the case. The central agency in a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF) had recovered 8.8 kg of heroin, 5.6 kg of methamphetamine, popularly known as “ice” and 3 kg of opium and arrested three drug peddlers on February 16 at Kakkar and Pandori villages. Pamma’s name had cropped up during interrogation of Jaspal Singh, alias Jassa, of Ajnala who was held with the contraband on February 16. Along with Jassa, the agency had arrested two more drug peddlers. — TNS c m y b action and deployed fire tenders at the site. Sandeep Sharma, an activist of Sanji Sangharsh committee, said fires at the Bhagtanwala dump had become a recurring problem, especially with the onset of the summer season. The Municipal Corporation staff claimed that methane gas in waste piles often triggered spontaneous combustion. Earlier, a fire brigade vehicle used to remain permanently stationed at the dump site to immediately respond to such incidents. However, the absence of a permanently deployed fire tender this year is believed to have contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze before it was finally brought under control. Amritsar, March 13 The Amritsar (Rural) police have successfully traced and returned 600 lost mobile phones worth Rs 1.20 crore to their rightful owners over the past three months. While giving information, Amritsar (Rural) SSP Sohail Qasim Mir said a special drive was launched with an aim of helping residents recover their lost devices. He said in order to streamline the process, a dedicated Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) Help Desk Team was formed at the district level under the supervision of SP (Investigation) Aditya Wariar, who was also its nodal officer, he said. “During the past two months, the team managed to trace 300 lost mobile phones, including 13 expensive iPhones, with a total market value of approximately Rs 60 lakh, from different parts of Punjab as well as other states across the country,” the SSP said. “At a special programme organised on Friday, the police handed over recovered cellphones to their rightful owners. With this latest recovery, the Amritsar (Rural) police have now successfully traced 600 lost phones worth around Rs 1.20 crore in the past three months,” the SSP said. He appreciated the CEIR Help Desk team including Head Constable Jatinder Singh, IT Officer Jaskaran Singh, IT Officer Bhuvan Sharma, and Constable Mandeep Singh, who had been working tirelessly day and night to trace missing devices. The police have appealed to the public that if anyone loses a mobile phone, he/she should immediately lodge a report at their nearest Saanjh Kendra or the police station. Residents can also contact the CEIR Help Desk located at the District Police Office, Amritsar Rural or call at helpline number 94170-84169. They can also approach through email: ceirhelpdeskamritsarrural@gmail.com.