27082026-ATR-01.qxd 8/26/2026 10:42 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune LOCALS SEEK SHIFTING OF GARBAGE TRANSFER STATION SELF-MEDICATION DANGEROUS, WARN HEALTH EXPERTS The easy availability of antibiotics can result in its misuse and affect health, say experts. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 28°C MAKE YOUR RAKHI WARDROBE STAND OUT The garbage transfer station is close to residential areas and educational institutions. P2 FORECAST Traditional gharara sets and handpainted skirts bring a fresh spin to traditional dressing this Rakhi. P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 6.52 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:57 AM » THURSDAY | 27 AUGUST 2026 | AMRITSAR PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Third ISI spy arrested; shared sensitive info with Pak: Cops Main accused in e-rickshaw driver’s murder held Pawan K Jaiswar Threads of love Tribune News Service GATHERED INFO ON MILITARY BASES Tribune News Service Women buy rakhis ahead of Raksha Bandhan in Amritsar on Wednesday. SC turns down bail plea of drug kingpin Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 26 The Supreme Court has rejected the bail plea of Harmanjeet Singh Sandhu, who is allegedly involved in largescale cross-border heroin trafficking in Punjab and supply of drugs outside the state in coordination with Pakistan-based smugglers. During the hearing, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) told the Supreme Court that Sandhu was Arms supply network busted, three arrested Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 26 The Amritsar Rural Police have arrested three alleged members of an arms supply network in two separate operations. Three pistols, two magazines, two cartridges and four mobile phones were also recovered from their possession. During the first operation, the Gharinda police arrested Rohit Deep Singh and Harsh Singh, both residents of Atalgarh village.The police said two foreign-made pistols, two magazines, one cartridge and three mobile phones were recovered from them. During the second drive, the Lopoke police arrested Baljinder Singh, a resident of Makhanpur village. A pistol, a magazine and a mobile phone were recovered from his possession. According to the police, the three accused were allegedly part of a network involved in supplying illegal weapons to criminals and other anti-social elements. Investigators suspect that the weapons weremeant to be handed over to members of criminal gangs for use in further illegal activities. Police officials said preliminary investigation had revealed that the two foreignmade pistols recovered in the Gharinda case were allegedly supplied by Pakistan-based smugglers. The weapons were reportedly dropped into the Indian territory using drones, highlighting the suspected use of cross-border drone routes for the movement of illegal arms. The police are now questioning the arrested accused to ascertain who had placed orders for the weapons, identify the intended recipients and establish the source of the remaining firearms. The investigators are also probing whether the accused had established direct links with Pakistan-based smugglers. allegedly operating a major heroin trafficking network in Punjab. Around 12 members of his alleged network had already been arrested, the agency submitted. According to the NCB, Sandhu has been on the run for the past six months and its teams have conducted raids at several locations in an effort to arrest him. With the accused evading arrest, the agency had declared a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest and issued a proclamation against him around three months ago. Recently, the NCB also tightened the financial noose around the alleged drug kingpin. In three separate actions carried out at different times, the agency froze two cars, 93 kanals of land at Burj village of Tarn Taran and a residential property allegedly belonging to him. A probe into the alleged drug network has led to the continued on page 2 Amritsar, August 26 The Punjab Police have arrested the third alleged member of the Pakistan intelligence agency ISIlinked espionage network, with investigators claiming that the accused and his associates had collected photographs and information about military establishments, including the Khasa Army Camp and other sensitive locations, and shared those with a Pakistan-based handler. The accused has been identified as Chandandeep Singh, alias Chand, a resident of Dauke border village. Two mobile phones were recovered from his possession, police sources said. Following Chandandeep’s arrest, the police arrested three more persons in connection with the case. The other two accused, Armaan Singh and Sunny, residents of the Khemkaran area, were arrested near the Khasa Army Camp on Saturday night. The police said Chandandeep had a criminal record. He was previously arrested in a heroin trafficking case regis- ■ A police official said the accused, Chandandeep, came in contact with a Pakistan-based handler while he was in judicial custody. The handler allegedly tasked him with espionage and recruiting associates who could gather information about military installations. ■ The other two accused, Armaan Singh and Sunny, residents of the Khemkaran area, were arrested near the Khasa Army Camp on Saturday night. ■ Chandandeep was earlier arrested in a heroin trafficking case. tered at the Sarai Amanat Khan police station and sent to judicial custody after commercial-quantity heroin was allegedly recovered from him. After getting out on bail on August 25 last year, he allegedly resumed drug trafficking. A police official said Chandandeep came in contact with a Pakistan-based handler while he was in judicial custody. The handler allegedly tasked him with espionage and recruiting associates who could gather information about military installations. The investigators said Chandandeep allegedly brought Armaan and Sunny into the network. The two had earlier been used for selling heroin, but around six months ago, they were allegedly assigned the task of conducting reconnaissance of military establishments. The police suspect that the duo visited several military locations in the Majha region and allegedly shared their locations with the Pakistanbased handler. Investigating agencies have been tracing their call detail records and location data for the past one year to establish their movements. Officials are examining the data to determine the dates and times on which the accused allegedly visited or remained in the vicinity of sensitive military installations. The police are also probing what other information or photographs may have been transmitted to the Pakistanbased handler. They added that Armaan and Sunny had already revealed details during interrogation and that further investigation was underway to identify other members of the network. GRENADE ATTACK ON HOUSE IN JATTAN VILLAGE ALONG BORDER Police step up efforts to secure deportation of BKI terrorist Passia Pawan K Jaiswar ATTACKS TARGETING POLICE ESTABLISHMENTS Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 26 From making every possible effort to dismantle the network allegedly operated by US-based gangster-turnedBKI terrorist Happy Passia to planning his deportation, the police are leaving no stone unturned. The development comes following a grenade attack on a house in Jattan village along the India-Pakistan border. The police have so far arrested Passia’s mother Bhupinder Kaur and two of his alleged aides in connection with the attack. During interrogation, the accused allegedly named Passia and Gurdaspur-based Manpreet Singh, alias Sandy, who is reportedly operating from Singapore, as being ■ SEPT 11, 2024: Hand grenade attack on the residence of retired police officer Jaskirat Singh Chahal in Sector 10, Chandigarh. ■ NOV 24, 2024: IED planted at the Ajnala police station, Amritsar Rural. ■ NOV 29, 2024: Hand grenade attack on the Gurbaksh Nagar police post, Amritsar. ■ DEC 4, 2024: Hand grenade attack The house that was attacked at Jattan village. on the Majitha police station, Amritsar Rural. NAMED IN OVER 30 FIRS ■ DEC 12, 2024: Hand grenade ■ Over 30 FIRs and multiple terror attacks linked to Passia attack on the Ghaniye Ke Bangar ■ Gangster-turned-BKI terrorist Happy Passia is named in more police station, Batala. than 30 cases, the police say. ■ DEC 17, 2024: Hand grenade involved in the attack. Following the emergence of Sandy’s name in the case, the police are also planning the issuance of lookout circulars (LOCs) against him. A Punjab Police dossier prepared in April 2025 had named Passia in 33 FIRs, stating that 10 LOCs had been issued against him. The dossier had also attributed 14 grenade attack on the Islamabad police station, Amritsar. ■ DEC 20, 2024: Hand grenade attack on the Wadala Bangar police post under Kalanaur police jurisdiction. ■ JAN 9, 2025: Hand grenade attack on the Gumtala police post, Amritsar. ■ JAN 15, 2025:Grenade attack on businessman Amandeep Jaintipur’s residence in Jaintipur village, Amritsar. ■ FEB 3, 2025: Grenade attack on the Fatehgarh Churian bypass police post, Amritsar City. ■ FEB 17, 2025: Grenade attack on the residence of constable Jitender in Raimal village, Dera attacks, one IED blast and one RPG attack to him, underlining the extent of the alleged terror network operated by the US-based gangster. Apart from extortion Baba Nanak, Batala. ■ MARCH 18, 2025: Petrol bomb attack and firing at a liquor shop on the Fatehgarh Churian Road, Majitha. ■ APRIL 1, 2025: Grenade attack on the Badshahpur Patran police station/post, Patiala. ■ APRIL 6-7, 2025: Blast near the Qila Lal Singh police station, Batala. ■ April 8, 2025:Grenade attack/blast at the residence of BJP leader and former minister Manoranjan Kalia in Jalandhar. ■ AUGUST 20, 2026: Two hand grenades allegedly hurled at the residence of Daljit Singh in Jattan village along the India-Pakistan border. demands, grenade and IED attacks, Passia was also wanted in several criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, firing over non-payment of extortion money. Police sources said efforts were also underway to initiate the process for deportation of Passia and his associate Sandy. continued on page 2 Amritsar, August 26 The Hakima Gate police claimed to have arrested the main accused in the murder of an e-rickshaw driver. The police said the deceased, Sandeep Singh, alias Bhadkkila, was allegedly beaten to death with sharp weapons following a clash in the Dhapai area of Amritsar on late Monday evening. Complainant Mandeep Singh, a resident of Bharariwal village, said after receiving a phone call around 8.45 pm, he immediately rushed to Dhapai, where he saw the accused — Noni, Amit, Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, and three others — attacking Sandeep with sharp weapons. “The moment I raised the alarm, the attackers fled the spot,” Mandeep added. The police said Noni and Amit were Dhapai residsents, while, and Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, resided in Satnam Nagar, Bharariwal. They added that the attack was the fallout of an old dispute between Sandeep and Noni. Efforts were on to track down the remaining accused, officials said. Journalist dies by suicide in Amritsar jail Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 26 A web channel journalist, Deepak Bhandari, who was in judicial custody in the Amritsar central jail in connection with a case of alleged smuggling of banned medicines, allegedly died by suicide by hanging on Wednesday morning. Bhandari had been lodged in the jail for more than oneand-a-half years. The jail authorities informed his family members, the police and the district administration about the incident. The Islamabad police took custody of the body and initiated proceedings for the autopsy. Sources said Bhandari had reportedly been under stress for nearly a year while in jail. continued on page 2 Chamba Rumal tells tale of magic weaved in Himalayas Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 26 Unfolding a creative story set in the Himalayas, KT Kala museum and art gallery on Wednesday treated art lovers to the magic of a hand embroidered textile — Chamba Rumal. The celebrated art form has a deep cultural and spiritual significance in Punjab as it is believed that the earliest recorded Chamba Rumal made by Guru Nanak Dev’s sister Bebe Nanki in the 16th century lies preserved at Gurudwara Babe De Ber in Hoshiarpur. The art gallery brought the history and craft of Chamba Rumal alive at a special workshop, with artist and craft researcher Reena Devi demonstrating the famed Dorukha (double stitch) technique to art students. “Dorukha technique gives Artist Reena Devi (in yellow attire) gives students a demonstration on the double stitch technique. Chamba Rumal the status of geographically distinct textile treasures protected by a Geographical Indication Tag. The needlework is carried out simultaneously on both sides, giving it a mirror like and identical finish. It almost looks like a miniature painting,” said Reena. The researcher, whose work reflects a deep commitment c m y b to sustainability, craftsmanship, and women-led creative enterprises, has been working to not just revive, but also expand the technique in the sustainable and slow fashion industry. With her valuable guidance and demonstrations, students were able to learn the highly revered traditional embroidery originated from Himachal Pradesh. “The double stitch technique demands precise spatial planning so that a story unfolds identical on both sides of a fabric without visible knots. It also is a zero waste art form, where natural fibre made threads, with organic colours are used to make these handkerchiefs,” she said. More than 70 participants attended the free workshop that lasted three hours. “ It is imperative that senior artists and foot soldiers of traditional art forms pass on these historically significant techniques and crafts to the younger generation,” said Brajesh Jolly, art critic and director, KT Kala Museum. A railway employee helps passengers install the RailOne app. Queuing up for train tickets a passé now Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 26 Gone are the days when travellers queued up to buy train tickets. Now, get the booking done through your mobile phone, courtesy RailOne app. At the city railway station today, the app was installed in 250 passengers’ cellphones as part of the Firozpur railway division initiative to create awareness about the online facility. Aiming at promoting digital ticketing, a special drive was held to apprise passengers of the app benefits. Senior divisional commercial manager Basant Kumar urged passengers to buy tickets digitally as it simplified the entire process. The application comes handy, especially in this digital era, a local said. With the app in place, travellers need not carry change or wait in queues.