05062026-ATR-01.qxd 6/4/2026 11:50 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY 8 DAIRY SAMPLES FAIL QUALITY TESTS, 2 DECLARED UNSAFE THE DON 3CRISIS: WHAT TRIGGERED RANVEER SINGH’S EXIT? AAMIR KHAN CONFIRMS MARRIAGE TO GAURI SPRATT The Food Safety Department has initiated legal action against several dairies in Amritsar. P2 Ranveer Singh exited Don 3in December 2025, less than three weeks before the film was scheduled to go on floors. P4 Superstar Aamir Khan has confirmed that he will tie the knot with partner Gauri Spratt on July 5. P4 » » » MAX 35°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 26°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.16 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5.23 AM FRIDAY | 5 JUNE 2026 | AMRITSAR Rural police bust cross-border narco-arms smuggling module Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 4 The Amritsar Rural Police, in a joint operation with a central agency on Thursday, dismantled a narcoarms smuggling network operating along the IndoPak border and arrested a key operative involved in the racket. Following his arrest, the police claimed to have foiled a possible targeted killing attempt. The accused, identified as Gursewak Singh, alias Guri, a resident of Ghagge village in Tarn Taran district, was arrested with 1.128 kg of heroin and three Pakistanmade .30 bore pistols. Kanwalpreet Singh, SSP , Amritsar Rural, said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused was part of a cross-border network that received consignments of drugs and weapons from Pakistan through drones. The recovered weapons are suspected to have been used in targeted killings, raising concerns about the nexus between narcotics trafficking and organised crime. The police have also found links between the accused and notorious Ravi Gujjar, Delhi blaze puts focus on city’s unsafe hotel infrastructure Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service The seized pistols and heroin in the custody of the police in Amritsar. alias Ravi, of the Balachauria gang, which has been involved in multiple criminal activities in the region. A case has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at the Lopoke police station. Police sources said Gursewak Singh is a habitual offender and is already facing nine criminal cases in the past. Further investigations are underway to establish forward and backward linkages of the smuggling network, identify other associates, and trace the intended recipients of the narcotics and weapons. The SSP said efforts are being made to uncover the entire chain of operatives connected to the module and determine its links with organised crime groups operating in Punjab. Amritsar, June 4 The devastating hotel fire in Delhi that claimed 21 lives, including 12 foreign nationals, has once again brought the issue of fire safety compliance in hotels under the spotlight. Similar concerns are now being raised in Amritsar, where hundreds of hotels operating in the walled city are allegedly functioning without mandatory fire safety clearances and in violation of building regulations. A large number of hotels located within the historic walled city do not possess fire safety certificates issued by the Municipal Corporation’s Fire Department. Many of these establishments have reportedly been constructed without obtaining approval for their building plans and are operating in violation of building bylaws. Residents and urban planning experts have expressed concern that these hotels pose a serious threat to public safety. Several multi-storeyed hotels have come up in narrow A large number of hotels located within the historic walled city do not possess fire safety certificates issued by the MC’s Fire Department in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR lanes, some barely three feet wide, making access difficult for emergency vehicles. In the event of a fire or any other disaster, the evacuation of guests and residents could become nearly impossible, potentially leading to a major tragedy. Apart from regular hotels, many accommodations in the old city are operating under the Bed and Breakfast scheme. Due to a lack of regular inspections and enforcement by the authorities, even basic fire safety requirements are allegedly being ignored. Critics argue that the absence of stringent monitoring has encouraged the unchecked growth of such establishments. According to estimates, nearly 800 hotels have been constructed in the walled city over the past decade. Since many owners did not obtain building plan approvals from the Municipal Corporation, they are technically ineligible for fire safety certificates Amritsar set to clear three major garbage School teacher cremated, family dumps, fresh waste disposal still a challenge seeks justice as probe continues Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 4 Tenders floated by the Amritsar Municipal Corporation for the second phase of bio-mining and bioremediation are currently under technical evaluation. Officials are hopeful that once the contracts are awarded, the remaining waste at all three dump sites will be cleared within the next six months. The project covers the city’s three major dumping grounds — Bhagtanwala, Jhabal Road and Narayangarh. Under the proposed plan, around 3.67 lakh metric tonnes of waste remaining after bioremediation at the Bhagtanwala dump, 1.37 lakh metric tonnes at Jhabal Road and 57,000 metric tonnes at Narayangarh will The Bhagtanwala garbage dump in Amritsar. FILE PHOTO be scientifically processed and disposed of. The Bhagtanwala dump, considered one of the city’s biggest environmental challenges, originally contained nearly 14.67 lakh metric tonnes of accumulated waste. Of this, a tender had earlier been awarded for processing 11 lakh metric tonnes. The bioremediation work began in October last year and the executing agency has already processed nearly seven lakh metric tonnes of waste. Officials have set a target of October this year for clearing the entire 11 lakh metric tonnes of waste covered under the first phase. With the fresh tenders now under evaluation, authorities expect the remaining legacy waste at all three sites to be eliminated within six months. The Jhabal Road dumping site became a major point of controversy last year. Garbage dumping at the site was stopped in November following strong protests by local residents and social organisations. The site had initially been used as a temporary dumping ground when access to the Bhagtanwala dump became difficult due to poor road conditions. continued on page 2 Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 4 Three days after government school teacher Jagdeep Singh was found dead under mysterious circumstances, his postmortem examination was conducted at the Civil Hospital, following which he was cremated in his native village here on Thursday. Adding a new dimension to the case, the police claimed that preliminary investigations suggest the incident may have been an accident. However, officials said the exact cause of death would become clear only after the post-mortem report is received. Earlier, police officials had stated that family members were initially reluctant to consent to the autopsy, alleging that Jagdeep had been murdered. A resident of Talwandi Malowal village, Jagdeep Singh was an art and craft teacher posted at a school in Gehri Mandi in the Jandiala Guru area. He was found dead near Naraingarh village under the jurisdiction of the Tarsikka police station on Monday. Initial reports alleged that he had been brutally attacked by unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants armed with sharpedged weapons. According to the police and family members, Jagdeep had left home on Monday morning to drop his 15-yearold daughter, Komaldeep Kaur, at a tuition centre. After dropping her off, he was returning home when the incident occurred. He sustained severe injuries, including deep wounds to his neck, and died on the spot. Based on statements provided by family members, the police registered a murder case against unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants at the Tarsikka police station. Investigators said the case is being examined from all possible angles. Dharminder Singh, the deceased’s brother, said the family wanted justice and had therefore requested that the post-mortem examination be videographed. He urged the police not to treat the case as an accident without conducting a thorough investigation and determining the exact circumstances surrounding the death. Police hand over copy of FIR Demand gets shriller for closure of Mannawala registered against Majithia toll plaza on NH after 20-year term concludes Manmeet Singh Gill Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 4 Following the intervention of a local court, Punjab Police on Thursday handed over a copy of the FIR registered against former Punjab minister and senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Bikram Singh Majithia in connection with the alleged storming of the Majitha police station on Sunday in an attempt to secure the release of his supporter Jobanpreet Singh. The FIR was provided to Majithia’s legal team, comprising advocates Bhagwant Singh Sialka, Amarbir Singh Siyali and Kiranpreet Singh, at the local court. Apart from Majithia, several of his close associates and supporters, including advocate Bikram Singh Bath, Sahib Hamza, Raja Ladeh and Jodh Singh Samra, have been named in the case along with several unidentified persons. The case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including assault on a public servant while performing official duty, obstruction of a public servant, snatching, rescuing a person from lawful custody, destruction or concealment of evidence, criminal intimidation, unlawful assembly and rioting. Provisions of the Arms Act have also been invoked. According to the FIR, Majithia allegedly arrived at the Majitha police station with over 50 supporters while police were questioning Jobanpreet Singh. The police alleged that the group entered the premises without authori- sation and searched various parts of the station, including rooms and lock-up areas. The FIR further states that when police personnel attempted to stop them, one supporter allegedly brandished a pistol and waved it in the air, creating panic among officers present at the station. Investigators have also alleged that Majithia and his associates entered restricted areas of the police station and attempted to escort Jobanpreet Singh from an interrogation room towards the main gate. Police intervention allegedly thwarted the attempt, the FIR stated. The Shiromani Akali Dal has rejected the allegations, claiming that Jobanpreet Singh, who served as a party continued on page 2 Tribune News Service Amritsar, June 4 The demand for the closure of the Mannawala toll plaza on the Amritsar-Jalandhar National Highway is gaining momentum, with local residents and political leaders alleging that the toll plaza has completed its 20-year concession period but continues to collect toll charges from commuters. Sukhwinder Singh Danny Bandala, former Congress MLA from Jandiala Guru, said the toll plaza became operational on May 29, 2006, and completed 20 years on May 29, 2026. He claimed that, according to the agreement signed with the company operating the toll plaza, the concession period was limited to 20 years. “Even after completing its term, the toll plaza is still c m y b The Mannawala toll plaza on the national highway in Amritsar. charging fees from thousands of vehicles passing through it every day,” Danny said. He added that commuters have borne the burden of toll charges for years and now deserve relief. Danny questioned why the toll plaza had not been shut down despite the Punjab Government’s decision to close several other toll plazas across the state. “It is surprising that no action has been taken on a toll plaza located on one of the most important routes connecting Amritsar with the rest of the country,” he said. The issue was earlier raised by Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira. According to Khaira, local lawyer and RTI activist Gurinder Pal Singh had sought information from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which reportedly revealed that the concession period of the toll plaza would end on May 29. Danny warned that residents of Jandiala Guru would intensify their protest if authorities failed to act on the matter. He also alleged that the contractor had not fulfilled maintenance obligations outlined in the agreement. “The contractor was required to carry out resurfacing work and repair road shoulders every five years, but this was never done,” he claimed. He urged the NHAI and the Punjab Government to order the closure of the toll plaza at the earliest, stating that commuters have paid enough over the past two decades and should now be relieved of toll charges. under existing regulations. As per the rules, such structures are considered unauthorised and cannot be granted fire safety clearance. The issue assumes significance as the Punjab and Haryana High Court imposed restrictions on construction activities in the walled city in 2012. Despite the court’s directions, hundreds of hotel buildings have reportedly been constructed and made operational over the years. The matter was also flagged by the Chief Vigilance Officer of the Local Bodies Department in a report submitted in March 2024. The report identified several hotels allegedly operating in violation of regulations. However, no significant action has been taken by the Municipal Corporation so far. Concerns are also being raised about the city’s firefighting infrastructure. The shortcomings of the system were exposed during the recent major fire in the Bansan Wala Bazaar area, where fire tenders reportedly reached the spot after a delay continued on page 2 Police hunt four suspects in honey-trap case Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, June 4 The city police have booked four persons, including a woman, allegedly involved in luring unsuspecting people to specific locations and extorting money from them. A victim, Harjinder Singh of Kalla village, lodged a complaint with the police. The accused have been identified as Rajwinder Kaur, alias Rajji, Gurlal Singh, Partap Singh Bath and Sahil Arora, all residents of Guru Arjan Dev Colony in Mohalla Jaswant Singh, Tarn Taran. According to Harjinder Singh, Rajwinder Kaur contacted him about a week ago and requested him to donate blood, claiming that her daughter was seriously ill. When he reached the location provided by her in Tarn Taran, she allegedly took him to her house, locked him inside a room and removed both her clothes and his. A short while later, three men entered the room and allegedly took photographs of the two on their mobile phones. The accused then demanded Rs 1 lakh from Harjinder Singh and threatened to circulate the photographs on social media if he failed to pay. Fearing defamation, Harjinder Singh transferred Rs 72,000 through a Google Pay transaction and arranged the remaining amount. He later approached the city police and filed a complaint regarding the incident. The police have registered a case against the accused under Sections 308(4), 308(5), 308(7), 127(2), 351(2), 351(3) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The accused are absconding. Investigating officer ASI Nirmal Singh said efforts are underway to arrest the suspects.