30092026-ATR-01.qxd 9/29/2026 11:14 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 31`°C | MIN 23°C WOMEN EXPLORE PRACTICAL USES OF AI IN EVERYDAY LIFE BOHRU: VILLAGE OF FREEDOM FIGHTERS, REFORMERS KUSHA KAPILA, SHEEBA IN INSTAGRAM SERIES More than 50 women explore ways to make AI simple, accessible and useful in their everyday lives. P2 Natives of Bohru village have been at forefront of various causes, including the country’s freedom struggle. P3 Khusha Kapila and Sheeba Chaddha will appear in a 14-episode Instagram series, Likhe Jo Khat Tujhe. P4 » » SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6.19 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6.24 AM » WEDNESDAY | 30 SEPTEMBER 2026 | AMRITSAR MC den of corruption: Cong; Mayor says works upset party Soni flags civic woes; Oppn regularly apprised of projects: Bhatia Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 29 Congress councillors led by Vikas Soni on Tuesday protested outside the office of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation, alleging that the civic body had turned into a “den of corruption” under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The protesters also accused the Municipal Corporation administration of failing to address the city’s problems. Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia hit back, saying Congress councillors were “unhappy” over development works being carried out without corruption and that Opposition parties were regularly apprised of the progress. Soni flagged garbage accumulation, contaminated drinking water, sewerage problems, non-functional streetlights and damaged roads during the protest, even as the protesters raised slogans against the Punjab Government and Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia. Terming the MC a “den of corruption”, Soni questioned the functioning of the Municipal Corporation House. He alleged that the AAP did not have a majority in the House and that regular General House meetings were therefore not being convened. “A city cannot be run by keeping the House non-functional. The Mayor must explain why regular House meetings are not being convened,” he said. He alleged that several projects were being approved without the consent of the MC House and a high-level Congress councillors raise slogans during a protest outside the office of the Municipal Corporation in Amritsar on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR inquiry into such projects could reveal irregularities. Soni also questioned the waste-management work being carried out by the firm hired for it. He alleged that sanitation services were now being undertaken at rates several times higher than Congress rule in the MC. “If such a large amount is being spent on garbage collection, why are garbage dumps still visible across the city,” he asked. He demanded that the Municipal Corporation make public its expenditure on sanitation and waste management. Congress leaders raised the issue of the garbage dump at Ranjit Avenue and said residents had been facing problems for a long time now. They demanded immediate intervention by the Punjab Government, Mayor and the Municipal Commissioner. Soni also demanded a complete account of the expenditure on the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project. He sought details of tenders, payments and the present status of the project. He demanded an impartial inquiry into alleged irregularities in the project and said the MC should clarify its position on the matter pending before the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Responding to the allegations, Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia said the Congress had 35 councillors but only turned up for the protest. Bhatia said councillors from the Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, BJP and AAP regularly met him, apprised him of issues concerning their wards and had their works taken up on a regular basis. “They are only doing politics because AAP is doing good Cultural fiesta work,” he claimed. He said the walled city was around 500 years old and faced certain problems, some of which would continue to persist. He said more employees had recently been engaged through outsourcing to improve civic services. He said a contract had been awarded to RRR Solid Waste Management for lifting 550 metric tonnes of garbage daily. “However, around 700 metric tonnes of garbage is generated in the city every day, and the existing arrangement is not sufficient to handle the entire quantity. We have floated a tender to hire another company,” he said. He claimed that development works in the city were being carried out without corruption and alleged that this was why Congress leaders were unhappy. Man arrested with heroin worth ~50 lakh 65L families to be covered under health insurance plan: Dhaliwal Our Correspondent Tribune News Service Tarn Taran, September 29 The Chabal police last night arrested a man and recovered 100 gm of heroin worth around Rs 50 lakh from his possession. Sub-Inspector Balwinder Singh said the accused had been identified as Fateh Singh, a resident of Naushera Dhala. A police team was patrolling the area when it spotted the accused standing near the Baghiari village bridge. On seeing the police party, the accused allegedly took an envelope out of his pocket and threw it away. The police recovered 100 gm of heroin and Rs 50,000 in drug money from the envelope. The police have registered a case under Sections 21, 27-A, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act in this regard. Amritsar, September 29 Ruling AAP’s chief spokesperson in Punjab and Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal asserted that 65 lakh families would be covered under the Mukh Mantri Sehat Bima Yojana in the state. Dhaliwal said his party’s government was determined efforts to prepare health insurance cards, for which the entire state machinery had been mobilised. Addressing beneficiaries of the scheme here, he said the health card was an important step towards ensuring easy access to quality healthcare facilities. The government was committed to ensuring that every family in the state was financially secure in terms of healthcare and that no citizen was deprived of treatment due to financial constraints, he said. He asserted that the AAP Punjab AAP spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal distributes health insurance cards in Ajnala on Tuesday. government had become the first government in the country to provide relief from expensive medical treatment by extending free health insurance coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh to every family without any discrimination. Dhaliwal directed the party volunteers present at the function to assist beneficiaries on priority in getting their health insurance cards made and ensure that every eligible beneficiary standing in the queue was able to get their card. He said more than 24,000 families in his Ajnala constituency had already been issued health insurance cards. Man shot at as political rivalry turns violent Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, September 29 A man was shot at in Tarn Taran’s Doburji village over a political rivalry between two groups that took a violent turn a few days ago. The shooting incident took place on Sunday evening. The rivalry has its roots in the Tarn Taran Assembly bypoll held in November 2025, with the two groups locked in a battle for dominance in the area. The bitterness resulted in a violent confrontation a few days ago when members of a group allegedly led by Vijay Kumar clashed with mem- bers of the faction owing allegiance to Rajdeep Singh. Five members of the Rajdeep faction suffered serious injuries in the clash, while the local police registered a case against nine people from Vijay Kumar’s side. The earlier clash had drawn sharp criticism from SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal, whose party candidate Sukhwinder Kaur Randhawa had secured more votes in the village than ruling AAP’s winning candidate Harmeet Singh Sandhu in the poll. Taking to X, Badal had accused the police of delaying the registration of a case. The man injured in Sun- Simranjit Singh at a hospital. day’s shooting was identified as Simranjit Singh, a resident of Fatehpur in Amritsar. He is said to be associated with the faction led by Rajdeep Singh. He was travelling on a motorcycle when he was allegedly surrounded by Vijay Kumar and his accomplices. Based on Simranjit Singh’s statement, the local police have registered a case against Vijay Kumar and his unidentified accomplices under Sections 109 and 35 of the BNS and Sections 25, 27, 54 and 59 of the Arms Act. Assistant Sub-Inspector Manjinder Singh said Simranjit was initially admitted to the local Civil Hospital, from where he was referred to Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar. After receiving treatment, he returned to the local Civil Hospital the next day. Hit by speeding Strong-willed, fearless: Coach bike, man dies hails Neeru’s Asian Games win Neha Saini Our Correspondent Girls perform giddha during the zonal youth festival at the GNDU in Amritsar. VISHAL KUMAR Tarn Taran, September 29 A man was killed in a road accident involving a speeding motorcycle near Bhalaipur Dogra village under the Verowal police station area here. The deceased has been identified as Randhir Singh (32), a resident of Jalalabad. Investigating officer ASI Baldev Singh said Randhir Singh was returning to his village from Raya. He was waiting for a vehicle on the roadside when a speeding motorcycle coming from the Raya side hit him. He died on the spot. His family was informed about the incident by Subeg Singh, a farmer from Jalalabad. Randhir Singh’s parents had already died. He is survived by his wife, a two-month-old daughter and a three-year-old son. The ASI said a case had been registered in this regard under Sections 106(1) and 281 of the BNS on the statement of Paramvir Singh, younger brother of the deceased. From ‘me time’ to mountain feat, she conquers Khardung La Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 29 For years, running was Kanwaldeep Kaur's “me time” — a quiet space carved out of busy days, a way to warm up her body and clear her mind. Earlier this month, that daily routine took her all the way to the mountains. The Amritsar-based physiotherapist, nutritionist and holistic health practitioner has completed the 72-km Khardung La challenge, one of the country's most demanding ultra-marathons, held as part of the Ladakh Marathon. The race begins at around 3,975 metres and climbs to Khardung La at 5,370 metres, with roughly 60 km of the route above 4,000 metres before the runners descend towards Leh. For Kaur, however, the achievement was not the result of a sudden transformation or some extraordinary secret. “There is no magical stuff”, she says, describing her preparation. Her foundation was built over nearly 15 years of running and yoga, including both Yin Yoga and Power Yoga, combined with her professional understanding of the human body and nutrition. “Running for me began as part of my everyday routine. Yoga served both a physical Kanwaldeep Kaur after completing the 72-km Khardung La challenge, one of the country’s most demanding ultra-marathons. and meditative purpose. Gradually, the distances grew, and so did my training. While training for the Khardung La ultra-marathon, I used to take my 15-year-old son along at 3 am. He would track my location and monitor my progress along with my husband," she shares. Kaur says she typical- c m y b ly runs around 40 to 45 km a week, fitting her training around her responsibilities at home. From May to August, she underwent a demanding training cycle, spending several hours preparing for the event and running for around four to five hours a day. "It's physically and mentally draining. But that's what you train for. At Leh and during the marathon, I met 65year-old women runners who motivated me for another shot at the 122-km run next year at the same event," she says. But the physical qualification was only one part of the challenge. Continued on Page 2 Tribune News Service Amritsar, September 29 Neeru Dhanda’s historic Asian Games gold in Japan has brought a moment of pride to Amritsar’s sporting and educational institutions, where coaches and educators who have been part of her journey describe the achievement as a reflection of her exceptional temperament, discipline and ability to perform under pressure. The Guru Nanak Dev University shooter on Tuesday became the first Indian woman to win an individual trap gold at the Asian Games, clinching the top spot in the women’s individual trap event and setting new Asian and Asian Games records. For Amritsar, however, the achievement has a more personal connection. Dhanda is pursuing a PGDCA at DAV College, Amritsar, and trained at the GNDU shooting range under coach Rajwinder Kaur before moving to the Madhya Pradesh Shooting Academy and subsequently joining the special Asian Games camp. Kaur, who worked with Neeru during her GNDU years, believes the shooter’s greatest strength is not merely her technical ability but her mindset. “She is a pakki Jaatni — strong-willed, fearless and fiercely determined. She has a headstrong mind and the abil- Neeru Dhanda after winning the Asian Games gold in Japan. ity to turn challenges into opportunities,” Kaur said. According to Kaur, that quality has been crucial to Neeru’s development as a shooter. “Her ability to remain composed, absorb setbacks and find opportunities in difficult circumstances has allowed her to compete confidently at the highest level,” she said. For Guru Nanak Dev University, the gold is also a validation of its sporting infrastructure and the athletes emerging from its programmes. Neeru also won a silver medal in the women’s trap team event alongside Aashima Ahlawat and fellow GNDU athlete Manisha Keer. Vice-Chancellor Karamjeet Singh, who briefly spoke to Neeru over the phone after her victory, congratulated her on the achievement. Dr Kanwar Mandeep Singh, Director (Sports), GNDU, said the performance reflected the high standard of sporting talent being nurtured at the university. At DAV College, the achievement has generated pride. Dr BB Yadav, Head of Sports and Physical Education, pointed to the wider contribution of the institution to India’s shooting contingent, noting that Neeru Dhanda, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Ashi Chouksey — all associated with the college — have won medals for India. For Amritsar, Neeru’s victory offers a reminder of the role its colleges, universities and sporting facilities can play in nurturing athletes who go on to compete at the highest level.