26052026-ATR-01.qxd 5/26/2026 12:18 AM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 42°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 41°C | MIN 25°C SHAKTI NAGAR PARK CLOSED AS WATER TANK DECLARED UNSAFE STUDENT VOLUNTEERS POWER AMRITSAR'S SVEEP CAMPAIGN RANDEEP WAS ONLY CHOICE FOR WEB SERIES: DIRECTOR The Amritsar MC has closed a park after a water tank here was found to be in a dangerous state. P2 Four students of DAV College have been inducted into the SVEEP core panel by the district administration. P3 Neeraj Pathak speaks on casting, cop culture & balancing realism with massy appeal of Inspector Avinash. P4 » » » SUNSET TUESDAY 7.27 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5.27 AM TUESDAY | 26 MAY 2026 | AMRITSAR Elderly man killed in road mishap near Chabal bypass Our Correspondent Gathering of 5 or more persons banned near counting centres Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, May 25 Seventy-year-old Gurdial Singh, a resident of Mohalla Tonk Kshatriya in Tarn Taran, died in a road accident near the Chabal bypass here on Tuesday evening. The victim had gone to the Chabal bypass on his Activa scooter for some work when a speeding car hit him. He fell on the road and sustained serious injuries. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital in Tarn Taran, where doctors declared him dead. ASI Gurpreet Singh from the city police station visited the spot and took stock of the situation. A case has been registered under Sections 106(2), 281 and 324(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and under Sections 134 and 187 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The car driver fled the scene after the accident, though passersby managed to note down the vehicle’s registration number. The Activa scooter was extensively damaged in the collision. Tarn Taran, May 25 District Magistrate, Tarn Taran, Rahul — exercising powers vested in him under Section 163 of the Indian Civil Protection Code, 2023 — has issued orders prohibiting the gathering and activities of five or more persons within a 100-metre radius of the vote-counting centres for the elections to the municipal council, Patti, and the nagar panchayat, Bhikhiwind. The restrictions will remain in force around Sri Guru Gobind Singh Government High School (Boys), Kairon, and Government Polytechnic College (PTU Building), Bhikhiwind, from May 26 till May 29, or until the completion of vote counting. The orders state that any person found violating the restrictions will face action under Section 223 of the Indian Penal Code, 2023. According to the notification issued by the State Election Commission, Punjab, the elections to the municipal council, Patti, and nagar panchayat, Bhikhiwind, are scheduled to be held on May Civic body launches anti-encroachment drive on city roads Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 25 The Estate Wing of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation on Monday launched a special anti-encroachment drive against illegal occupation by vendors and shopkeepers causing obstruction to traffic movement on city roads. During the drive, civic body teams removed several roadside vendors and temporary encroachments from Nai Sadak opposite BBK DAV College and Batala Road. The action was carried out under the supervision of Estate Officer Sushant Bhatia along with officials of the Estate Department and the MCA police wing. Speaking on the occasion, Bhatia said repeated warnings had already been issued to encroachers, but many vendors return and reinstall their carts after municipal teams conclude enforcement action. He said Municipal Commissioner Bikramjit Singh Shergill has issued clear directions that no individual involved in illegal encroachment would be spared. Bhatia further stated that illegal encroachments beneath the flyover on Batala Road were removed during the operation and no vendor would be allowed to reoccupy the site. The drive was conducted as per the directions of the Municipal Commissioner under the supervision of the Secretary-cum-Estate Officer and in the command of Inspector Preeti Chauhan with the participation of the Estate Department teams and the MCA police wing. Officials said similar enforcement drives would continue in different parts of the city to ensure smooth traffic movement and keep public spaces free from illegal encroachments. All set for elections; holiday for voters, dry day in poll areas Tribune News Service District Magistrate Rahul in Tarn Taran on Monday. 26, while the results will be declared on May 29. The administration stated that the restrictions have been imposed to maintain law and order and ensure peaceful and smooth conduct of the elections in the public interest. Officials said it was necessary to enforce prohibitory orders within 100 metres of the counting centres at Sri Guru Gobind Singh Government High School (Boys), Kairon, and Government Polytechnic College (PTU Building), Bhikhiwind, to prevent any untoward incident during the election process. The orders will remain effective from May 26 to May 29 until the completion of counting proceedings. Amritsar, May 25 With all set for the five civic body polls in the district on May 26, the district administration has imposed a series of restrictions and announced special arrangements to ensure peaceful and fair elections. The administration has also ordered the closure of liquor vends and holiday for eligible voters. The results for the municipal council and nagar panchayat elections will be declared on May 29. Deputy Commissionercum-District Magistrate Dalwinderjit Singh said strict directions have been issued under the Punjab State Election Commission Act, 1994, and the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, to maintain law and order during the elections. As per the orders, carrying firearms and sharp-edged weapons near polling stations has been banned till the completion of polling, except for on-duty army personnel, paramilitary forces and uniformed police officials. Even security Poll officials at a centre in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR personnel attached with the election candidates will not be allowed to carry weapons inside restricted areas. The administration has also prohibited gatherings of five or more persons within 100 metres of polling stations, except voters standing in queues. Election campaigning, appeals for votes, political booths, banners and posters have also been banned within the restricted zone. Further use of mobile phones, wireless sets and loudspeakers within 100 metres of polling booths has also been restricted, except for election officials and security staff on duty. Authorities further stated that no private vehicle will be allowed within 100 metres of polling stations without proper authorisation from the Election Commission or Returning Officers. Any activity that may influence the polling process has also been prohibited. In another order, public meetings and gatherings in polling areas have been completely banned. Unnecessary presence of people outside polling booths has also been prohibited. Meanwhile, the government has declared May 26 as a paid holiday for employees working in registered shops and Digital evidence strengthens case against former transport minister Laljit Bhullar Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, May25 A web of scientific and digital evidence — including CCTV footage, mobile tower locations, WhatsApp call records and distress videos — has emerged as the backbone of the prosecution’s case against former Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar and others in the alleged abetment-to-suicide case of Punjab Warehousing Corporation District Manager Dr Gagandeep Singh Randhawa. The Ranjit Avenue police, through the prosecution, filed a nearly 500-page chargesheet in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Supreet Kaur on May 21, naming Bhullar, his father Sukhdev Singh Bhullar and personal assistant Dilbagh Singh. More than 50 witnesses are expected to depose during the trial. Investigators claim the case is not based merely on allegations or witness statements, Former minister and Patti MLA Laljit Singh Bhullar at a Amritsar court on Tuesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR but on electronic evidence reconstructing Randhawa’s final days, movements and the alleged harassment he faced before his death on March 21. The police recovered WhatsApp call details allegedly showing repeated calls made by Bhullar to Randhawa on March 13, the day the victim was allegedly humiliated and assaulted at Bhullar’s residence-cum-office. Randhawa’s family alleged that Bhullar pressured him to allot a warehouse contract to his father in violation of norms. When he refused, he was allegedly threatened and repeatedly harassed. Among the key evidence are two videos recovered from Randhawa’s phone. One is a 12-second distress video allegedly recorded after consuming celphos tablets. The second video, now under forensic examination, was allegedly recorded at gunpoint at Bhullar’s residence, where Randhawa was allegedly forced to confess to accepting a Rs 10 lakh bribe for allotting warehouse tenders. Sources said the footage could play a crucial role during the trial. Following protests by opposition leaders and pressure from the family, the police registered an FIR on March 22 under Sections 108 (abetment to suicide), 351(3) (criminal intimidation) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against Bhullar, his father, Dilbagh Singh and three unidentified persons. During the investigation, the police also added Section 238 (destruction of evidence) of the BNS after Bhullar allegedly failed to hand over his mobile phone and DVR hard disk, along with Section 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt) of the BNS. Investigators also reconstructed Randhawa’s movements through CCTV footage from locations, including the Sarhali toll plaza, while mobile tower dumps confirmed his presence at Bhullar’s residence on March 13. Tower continued on page 2 Street lights operating on winter timings cause power waste 3 injured in firing over land dispute, 1 held Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, May 25 Around 60,000 street lights installed across the city are reportedly continuing to operate on winter timing settings despite the ongoing summer season, leading to large-scale electricity wastage and financial loss to the civic body. The street lights are switching on around 5.30 pm and remaining operational till nearly 7 am even though sunrise occurs earlier and sunset takes place later during summer months. Complainant PC Sharma alleged that lights, which should normally function for nearly 10 hours, are currently Street lights being operated as per winter schedule, the company starts it at 5.30 pm in Amritsar on Monday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR operating for around 13-and- a-half hours daily. Sharma claimed that the prolonged operation is resulting in wastage of nearly 16,000 units of electricity every day, causing an estimated financial burden of around Rs 1.27 lakh daily and nearly Rs 38.17 lakh every month on the government exchequer. He further stated that different categories of street lights ranging from 90 watts to 1000 watts have been installed on roads and intersections across the city. According to him, high-mast towers installed at major junctions use powerful 1000watt floodlights, leading to substantial power consumption when operated unnecessarily during daylight hours. c m y b “The administration’s negligence is resulting in largescale wastage of public money as electricity continues to be consumed unnecessarily on illuminated roads even after sunrise,” Sharma alleged. The street lights are at present being maintained by Samundra Light Company. The company’s contract expired around two months ago, but its operational responsibilities were extended temporarily for six months till finalisation of a fresh tender process. Responding to the issue, Superintending Engineer Sandeep Singh stated the problem occurred due to timer settings not being updated in continued on page 2 Gurbaxpuri Tarn Taran, May 25 Three persons were injured in a firing incident between close relatives over a land dispute at Saido village under the Sadar Patti police station here on Sunday. The police have registered a case against six members of a family in connection with the incident and arrested one of the accused. Rajbir Singh and his brother Ranjit Singh sustained bullet injuries, while their mother, Kulwinder Kaur, was also injured during the clash. ASI Malkit Singh, who is investigating the case, said the accused include Saroop Singh, his wife Jaswinder Kaur, their sons Jagjit Singh, Gurjit Singh and Balraj Singh, along with another relative, Bohar Singh. The police have arrested Jaswinder Kaur. Rajbir Singh said there has been a dispute over two kanals of land between the two families, with Saroop Singh claiming ownership rights over the property. He alleged that he was on his way home in the village when the accused attacked him. His brother Ranjit Singh was also injured in the firing continued on page 2 commercial establishments who are eligible to vote in the municipal elections. The decision has been taken under the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, to allow employees to exercise their franchise freely. The administration has also declared a dry day in areas falling under municipal councils and nagar panchayats where elections are being held. Sale, storage and serving of liquor will remain completely prohibited in hotels, restaurants, clubs and liquor vends situated in these areas. District Election Officer Dalwinderjit Singh said that voters can use their EPIC card or any of 15 alternative identity documents, including Aadhaar card, passport, driving licence, PAN card, MGNREGA job card, ration card, pension documents, bank passbooks and student identity cards, for voter identification on polling day. He urged voters to carry valid identification documents to avoid inconvenience during voting. 3 civic bodies of Gurdaspur go to polls on June 10 Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Gurdaspur, May 25 With the state Election Commission (EC) having issued the notification to hold the elections to the civic bodies of Gurdaspur city, Qadian and Dinanagar on June 10, the district administration has started making preparations to hold a free and fair poll even as opposition parties claim that the ruling party will go all out to ensure that “their candidates win by hook or by crook.”. The Gurdaspur body has 29 wards. In the previous house, the Congress ruled for the full term of five years by virtue of winning all the wards. Baljeet Singh Pahra, brother of sitting Congress MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahra, was the Municipal Committee (MC) chief. He had won unanimously from his ward. Residents claim that the previous MC had to deal with the garbage issue for much of its time in power. Trash used to be thrown by the MC in an unregulated manner because the body could not take on lease or own a piece of land which could be used as a landfill. However, during the fag-end of its term, the MC did find a piece of land but the project was stalled due to petty politicking. AAP leader and Halqa incharge Raman Bahl too is trying his level best to make sure his councillors win a majority of the wards. This development will ensure they will be in a position to control the house. For Bahl, it will be a litmus test, as in all likelihood, he will be the party candidate for the 2027 elections. He has also remained the MC chief. He was earlier in the Congress before shifting loyalties to the AAP ahead of the MC elections. continued on page 2