02102026-ATR-01.qxd 10/1/2026 11:27 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY JAPAN GETS GNDU DON ON BOARD FOR EFFORTS TO CUT CO2 KHALSA COLLEGE’S BOXING TRIO PACKS A WINNING PUNCH ‘NEPALESE IN INDIA ARE LIKE MEXICANS IN AMERICA’ Dr Tejwant Singh Kang has been awarded a three-year research project under Japan’s LOTUS Programme. P2 Jashanpreet Singh wins gold in Police Games, while Mahi and Kanish Chaudhary secure berths in the nationals. P3 Meet Ashim Ahluwalia, Niharika Singh and Vishwendra Singh, who are behind Hindi-Nepalese film Khoriya. P4 » » » MAX 33°C | MIN 22°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 22°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.11 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:21 AM FRIDAY | 2 OCTOBER 2026 | AMRITSAR Turning a leaf from history on the day dedicated to Bapu — Gandhi Jayanti Neha Saini Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 1 Decades after Bapu continues to live on — in our thoughts and heart. Through landmarks, statues and historical sites, Mahatma Gandhi and everything about him is etched in our memory. In 1919, when Mahatma Gandhi called for the Satyagraha against Rowlatt Act, which was a draconian oppressive law enforcement enabling the British government to detain and suppress any kind of opposition, two prominent Amritsar leaders of nationalist movement — Dr Saifuddin Kitchlew and 58 kg heroin, intoxicants destroyed Tribune News Service Dr Satyapal — rose to the occasion. The resulting mass movements and clash with British officers ended up in the tragic Jallianwala Bagh Massacre on April 13, 1919. The memorial today not only carries the memory of martyrs of that massacre, but also Mahatma Gandhi, who was deeply affected by the tragedy and called off the movement nationwide. His engagement with Punjab and Amritsar grew in the aftermath of the massacre, bringing him into the city’s turbulent political history. One of the most visible reminders is the Gandhi Gate, or as we still know it, The statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Company Bagh in Amritsar. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR the historic Hall Gate. Standing at one of the principal entrances to the old city, the structure has witnessed Amritsar’s transformation over the decades. While its erstwhile name, Hall Gate, is linked to the colonial administration, as it was named after British Deputy Commissioner HC Hall, post-independence the name was changed to Gandhi Gate. Though there are no physical markers that mention the name change, the gate still is labelled as Hall Gate. In Company Bagh, another physical reminder stands in the form of a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, depicting him walking with his characteris- Pawan K Jaiswar Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 1 The Border Security Force and the Amritsar rural police have seized 16.44 kg of heroin and 3.07 kg of opium in separate cases in the Amritsar border belt, besides arresting two alleged drug peddlers in the past two days. Those arrested have been identified as Parasdeep Singh, alias Billa, a resident of Mahal village, and Gurmukh Singh, alias Bodi, a resident of Attari, for allegedly trafficking heroin. According to the police, as many as 10.24 kg of heroin, along with packing material, apart from an electronic weighing machine, was recovered from their possession. They were arrested following intelligence inputs that the duo was involved in cross- Nuggets of wisdom for paddy growers Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 1 This is that time of the year when pollution levels assume alarming proportions due to stubble burning. To rein in the practice, the Agriculture Department has stepped up efforts to persuade farmers to manage straw scientifically. At an awareness camp in Ball Kalan village, officials explained how the residue could be managed with the help of modern machinery. The focus of the campaign was not merely on preventing smoke, but also on protecting the long-term health of the soil. The officials said burning paddy straw could adversely WAS TRYING TO FLEE affect soil fertility, besides contributing to the air pollution. In contrast, incorporating the residue into the soil could help increase its organic content and support soil health. “Paddy straw need not be treated as waste. With appropriate machinery and techniques, it can be retained or incorporated into the soil, allowing farmers to derive agronomic benefits while avoiding the smoke and pollution associated with stubble burning,” an official said. The message assumes greater significance as farmers face the recurring challenge of managing large quantities of paddy residue Continued on page2 Involved in cross-border drug smuggling border drug peddling on a large scale. A case under Sections 21, 23 and 29 of the NDPS Act was registered at the Gharinda police station. Similarly in a separate operation, the BSF recovered 2 kg of heroin and 3.07 kg of opium from a packet near the Rear Kakkar border outpost. The packet weighed 5.975 kg, along with the packing material, was handed over to the police for registration of FIR and further probe. The packet contained five small packets, of which two confirmed to have heroin and three opium. The heroin weighed 2 kg, while the opium weighed 3.07 kg. Similarly, the Lopoke police recovered 4.2 kg of heroin from fields on the outskirts of Shahura village. Acting on a tip-off, a police party reached the spot and found a yellow packet lying in the fields. The packet was checked with a precursor chemical detection kit and tested positive for heroin. The contraband, along with packing material, weighed 4.2 kg. The contraband was apparently airdropped with the help of drones. Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal, SSP Amritsar rural, said a , probe was in the progress to ascertain the backward and forward linkages of those arrested. Amritsar, October 1 The Amritsar rural police are digging deep to know how alleged arms and drug smuggler Ranjan Chauhan managed to renew his passport while having a criminal record, including cases of drug trafficking against him. Chauhan, a resident of the Mustafabad area, was arrested at the Mumbai airport on September 27 while allegedly trying to flee the country. His name had surfaced during the investigation into the recovery of 15 pistols and 5 kg of heroin following the arrest of Deepak Singh of Rorawala Khurd and Subhpreet Singh of Verka on September 7. The police have been investigating his movements, contacts and the role of people who may have helped him ■ Ranjan Chauhan, a resident of the Mustafabad area, was arrested at the Mumbai airport on September 27 while allegedly trying to flee the country. ■ His name had surfaced during the investigation into the recovery of 15 pistols and 5 kg of heroin following the arrest of Deepak Singh of Rorawala Khurd and Subhpreet Singh of Verka. procure the travel documents. Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, IG, Border Range, said the passport trail had assumed significance as Chauhan had allegedly remained in contact with Pakistan-based handlers through social media and was suspected of coordinating the movement of drugs and weapons through his associates. The police are forensically examining his mobile phones in order to establish his contacts with foreign handlers Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 1 Cabinet Ministers Lal Chand Kataruchak and Harbhajan Singh ETO on Thursday visited the Raiya and Gehri grain markets in Amritsar district and assured farmers of procurement at the notified minimum support price (MSP). Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak visited Raiya mandi and took stock of arrangements for farmers, labourers and commission agents, while Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO inaugurated procurement at the Gehri mandi in the Jandiala Guru constituency. Continued on page 2 Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service IG (Border Range) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar addresses the media. ly restricted in India. Smugglers frequently traffic them into Punjab from Pakistan via drones or through international syndicates routing weapons via Dubai and the and other members of the alleged network. According to the police, when Chauhan was in hiding, he had switched off two mobile phones after the arrest of Deepak and Subhpreet were arrested and had left Amritsar. He reportedly stayed in Delhi before moving to Mumbai, where he allegedly remained in hiding for about 15 days. A lookout notice had been issued against him on September 10. “We are now examining how and through which channel he managed to renew his passport. Why his verification was done even as he has a criminal history,” said an official privy to the investigations. The role of private individuals who may have facilitated the documentation is also being examined. The probe assumes significance as the police have found that Chauhan was allegedly linked to a heroinsmuggling case registered in Dinanagar police station in Gurdaspur. The police said he had cross-border links with a Pakistani smuggler with pseudo name Rana. They are also examining the financial trail of the network. His properties are being identified and bank account details checked. Chauhan is currently in police remand for further probe. ~2.96-cr tax deficit; online payment will clear picture, says MC Ministers visit mandis, assure farmers of MSP Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service The SUV up in flames near Bandala village; and (right) deceased Gurvinder Singh. 25-year-old man charred to death Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 1 A 25-year-old man was charred to death after an SUV collided with a tipper on the AmritsarTarn Taran highway near Bandala village on Thursday. The deceased, Gurvinder Singh, was a resident of Goindw- al Sahib. The police said the black Scorpio SUV caught fire soon after the collision, leaving the vehicle gutted. As per information, the SUV rammed into the tipper when the driver was taking a turn. Jandiala Guru SHO Harpal Singh said the fire was brought under control with the help of locals and firefighters. The SHO said Gurvinder was on his way Amritsar to make some purchases. “The exact cause of the accident is yet to be ascertained,” the SHO said, adding that a probe was under way. The tipper driver fled the scene, the police said. Drones and detour — the story behind border exploitation Gurdaspur, October 1 The police are attaching utmost significance to the fact that inter-state and crossborder smugglers are exploiting the state’s long border with Pakistan to push in sophisticated weapons and drugs even as the Gurdaspur police have arrested four arms smugglers and seized seven pistols, including a sophisticated Glock pistol. Glock pistols are highly reliable, lightweight and are legal- Bhandari bridge, was also called Gandhi Ashram as it used to be run by Kasturba Gandhi Trust toll the late 70s. For a city whose history is so closely intertwined with the freedom struggle, these remnants offer more than a glimpse of Gandhi. They provide an opportunity to revisit the people, places and political upheaval through which Amritsar became an important chapter in India’s journey to independence. The challenge now is to identify, document and preserve these less-visible traces before they disappear from the city’s physical landscape and, eventually, from its memory. 16 kg heroin, three kg Long chase, dramatic airport arrest and a flustering passport trail: Cops’ account opium seized; two held Tribune News Service Amritsar, October 1 The Commissionerate Police on Wednesday destroyed drugs seized in 140 cases registered under the NDPS Act, including 58.618 kg of heroin and 328.393 kg of narcotic powder. The seized contraband was destroyed in a boiler at Khanna Paper Mill under the supervision of the Drug Disposal Committee constituted by the police. The committee comprised DCP (Investigation) Prabhjot Singh Virk, ADCP (Investigation) Jayant Puri and ACP (Investigation) Kapil Kaushik. Besides heroin and narcotic powder, the destroyed contraband included 69,157 intoxicant capsules, 11.7 kg of poppy husk, 6.840 kg of charas, 651 gm of smack, 70 intoxicant injections and 90 gm of ganja. Virk said the disposal was carried out in accordance with the prescribed procedure. tic staff. The statue was unveiled by then Vice-President Dr S Radhakrishnan on October 2, 1960, on Gandhi Jayanti. The statue, otherwise faded from memory and everyday public activity, gets a new lease of life on October 2 every year. There are also lesser-known traces waiting to be rediscovered. Historical accounts refer to a Swaraj Ashram in Chheharta, associated with the Gandhian period. Whether substantial portions of the original structure survive today remains a question for local historians and heritage researchers. Also, the century old heritage structure Lal Kothi, near United States. IG, Border Range, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, has been given the additional charge as SSP Aditya is on leave, divulged details about the case in the presence of Pathankot district police chief Manpreet Singh. Bhullar said the weapons had arrived in India through drones flying in from Pakistan.“We have established the backward and forwards linkages of all four smugglers. Their handlers are based in the Middle East countries c m y b and the USA,” the IG added. “An FIR has been registered at the Kalanaur police station. We will be in a position to disclose much more information once the investigation is complete,” he said. Kalanaur, which is near the border and forms part of the Gurdaspur police district, is a favourite hunting ground for both state and non-state Pakistan actors sending in drones. In recent years, the maximum recovery of drones carrying payloads of weapons and drugs has been made from Kalanaur police station. On September 24, the Gurdaspur Sadar police caught an operative carrying 1 kg of heroin and a Glock pistol. In July, the Amritsar (rural) police busted a cross border module and arrested three persons. Three Glock pistols were recovered from their possession. Commending SSP Aditya and district police chief Manpreet Singh, the IG said the two officers made every possible to zero in on the gang. He also praised Sub Inspector Gurvinder Singh. Amritsar, October 1 Property tax collection till September 30 — the last day of the 10 per cent rebate period — has been pegged at Rs 32.82 crore. Taxpayers made a beeline for MC offices to deposit their dues. The civic body collected Rs 3.67 crore on September 30 alone. The civic body’s collection, however, remained below the last year’s figure. Till September 30 last year, the MC had collected Rs 35.78 crore, registering a Rs 2.96 crore low this year. Officials, however, comparison of the two figures did not present the complete picture as last year’s collection included a substantial amount of arrears. Additional Commissioner Jai Inder Singh stated that around Rs 5 crore of the last year’s collection had come from arrears deposited under the one time settlement scheme. In contrast, the bulk collection during the 10 per cent rebate period this year represented the current tax demand, he added. The officials said the distinction was significant while assessing the property tax recovery. Though the current year collection was still short of the last year’s ~32.82 crore collected as property tax till Sept 30 overall figure, the MC maintained that the tax collected against the current demand had remained substantial. With the rebate period now over, the MC is expected to focus on recovery from defaulters and bringing more properties in the tax net. The civic body will also have to track properties where tax has either not been paid or where arrears have accumulated. The figures come at a time when the MC is seeking to strengthen its own-source revenue and improve property tax recovery. The final collection after reconciliation of online payments is likely to provide a clearer picture of the revenue generated during the rebate period.