06012025-ATR-01.qxd 1/5/2025 10:33 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 15°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 16°C | MIN 8°C PARKASH PURB CELEBRATED WITH DEVOTION PROJECTION 2025: CRIME, COMEDY TO COURTROOM TEASER FOR UPCOMING FILM DEVA REVEALED The Parkash Purb of 10th Sikh Master Guru Gobind Singh was celebrated with devotion at the Golden Temple. P2 OTT has become biggest medium of content consumption. These platforms allow viewers to enjoy stories from across the globe.P4 The high-voltage action thriller promises to be a rollercoaster ride of intense stunts and exhilarating dance moves. P4 » » » SUNSET MONDAY 5.41 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:30 AM MONDAY | 6 JANUARY 2025 | AMRITSAR 15,000 ml of illicit liquor seized, one held Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, January 5 A team of the city police led by ASI Sukhdev Singh arrested a man with 15,000 ml (20 bottles) of illicit liquor from the Bugga village road on Saturday night. The ASI said a police team had received a tip-off about a man carrying illicit liquor. Accordingly a naka was laid at an appropriate spot to nab the suspect. When the suspect, who was identified as Deba Singh, a resident of Nanaksar locality, approached the naka point, he was arrested by the police and 15,000 ml (20 bottles) of illicit liquor were recovered from him. The ASI said a case under Sections 61,1 and 14 of the Excise Act was registered against the suspect in this connection. Three masked robbers rob man of bike, cellphone Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, January 5 Three masked miscreants robbed a man of motorcycle and mobile phone on the Tarn Taran-Khadoor Sahib road on Friday night. The victim identified as Nirmal Singh, a resident of Pandori Gola village, along with his farm labourer Kala, was going back home after watering his fields. When they reached near Bal Gas Agency, three-masked bike-borne robbers appeared on the spot and stopped the victim by parking their two-wheeler ahead of his motorcycle. The robbers threatened the victim with a sharp weapon and fled with his motorcycle and mobile phone from the spot. ASI Manjinder Singh of the local Sadar police station said a case under Sections 304 and 3 (5) of the BNS was registered against the three suspects in this regard on Saturday. Dhaliwal: Ajnala to be developed as model constituency Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 5 Assuring that Ajnala would be developed as a model constituency, Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal met sarpanches to chalk out a plan for the overall development of the rural areas here on Sunday. He asked them to submit proposals for works to be done in their villages. Dhaliwal told sarpanches that as each village had different requirements, so the work could be done as per the need and priority of that particular village. In two separate meetings held at Ajnala and Ramdas, all sarpanches of the constituency were present. Officials from all departments were present at the meeting. Dhaliwal also asked officials to do the work of elected sarpanches on priority basis. He said panchayats were the basic unit of the democracy and villages should have facilities on par with cities in the fields of health, education and infrastructure. The minister claimed that there was no shortage of funds and all required works would be done. Senior officials of the civil and police administration were also present at the meeting. Cross-border drug cartel smuggled over 100kg heroin in past 3 months 7 consignments of 5kg each trafficked recently | Drug recovery ops intensified PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 5 The city police have intensified probe and operation to recover huge quantity of contraband retrieved by the cross-border drug cartel busted here on Friday. Investigations carried out so far disclosed that the cartel had recently retrieved around seven consignments of 5kg heroin each with the help of drones. A total of 35kg of contraband was sneaked into the Indian territory by drones in the recent past. These consignments were smuggled through Ramdas and Ajnala border belt. If the police authorities are to the believed hexacopters capable of lifting and ferrying heavy payload were used by the cross-border drug traffickers. The police have arrested 12 persons, including two women, in the case and confiscated 2.1kg of heroin, Rs 2.6 lakh of drug money and three .30 bore pistols The four suspects arrested with 2.192kg of heroin, three .30 bore pistols and ~2.6 lakh drug money in custody of the Amritsar police. smuggled from Pakistan side from their possession. A carpenter identified as Manjit Singh Bhola was the kingpin of the racket which had been active for past three months. “We have been hoping to make more drug recoveries during further course of investigations,” said Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar. A senior police official privy to the investigations revealed that over 100 quintals of drugs was pushed into the Indian side of the border by the antinational entities which were retrieved by Bhola and his associates having links with Pakistan-based smugglers. The suspects used to store drugs at the residence of two women, including an Anganwadi worker identified as Babli, and another woman identified as Reshma, in order to evade catching eye of the law. Besides Bhola, Babli and Reshma, the police arrested Aniket Verma of Chheharta, Jobanpreet Singh, alias Joban, of Chheharta, Harpreet Singh, alias Happy, of Guru Ki Wadali, Amritpal Singh, alias Ansh of Naraingarh in Chheharta, Harshpreet Singh, alias Harman, alias Hamma of Thanda village in Amritsar district, Mandeep Singh, alias Kaushal, alias Joshi, of Fatehpur village of Amritsar district, Gurpreet Singh, alias Gopi, of Fatehpur village, Lovepreet Singh, alias Jashan, of Fatehpur village, and Akashdeep Singh, alias Arsh, of Chheharta. Initially, the police had arrested Aniket Singh with small amount of drug. While establishing his backward and forward links, the police stumbled upon the cross-border drug smuggling racket leading to the arrest of Manjeet Singh, aka Bhola, and Anganwadi worker Babli. Five of the suspects were arrested with the help of the Jammu and Kashmir police from the hill state. Extortion calls trouble residents, police in Tarn Taran district 3 cases reported on first four days of 2025 Our Correspondent Tarn Taran, January 5 The New Year 2025 appears to be critical for the people in general with no hope of any respite from gangsterrelated activities. During the first four days of the New Year, three cases of threat calls from gangsters seeking extortion money have been registered by the police. According to official information, the Harike police registered a case on Saturday after one Rajbir Singh, a resident of Booh village, received a threat call from an unknown gangster based abroad on December 28. Rajbir Singh said the caller introduced himself as Prabh Dasuwal, an infamous gangster, stated to be settled abroad (Canada). Rajbir Singh said the gangster demanded Rs 50 lakh extortion money and threatened that in case he refused to give him the amount, he would face the fate of Raj Talwandi who was killed for refusing to give extortion, said the caller. Rajbir Singh said the caller sent him photos of his brother and nephew, along with his vehicle, while claiming that he was aware of activities of his family. Ajayraj Singh, SP (Investigation), probed the extortion call. Sub-inspector Baljit Singh said on basis of the investigation report, a case under Section 308 (1), 308 (2) and 308 (3) of the BNS was registered against an unknown person in this regard as the caller appeared to be based abroad. Extortion calls being received by well-established persons on a large scale in the area have badly affected business. SP (Investigation) Ajayraj Singh said the police was doing its best to tackle the menace of extortion calls and trying to find out contacts of gangsters. The SP said the situation was serious as teenage innocent youths were being misguided by gangsters to act on their behest. Four Independent councillors join Aam Aadmi Party Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Police conduct search operation in Amritsar on Sunday. Police conduct cordon & search ops in 3 zones Amritsar, January 5 In order tighten the noose around drug traffickers and criminal elements, the city police led by senior officials today carried out the cordon and search operation (CASO) in various localities of the three zones in the city here. The operation was carried out under the supervision of Police Commissioner (CP) Gurpreet Singh Bhullar and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Alam Vijay Singh. Senior police officials, including Additional Deputy Commissioners of Police, Assistant Commission- ers of Police, SHOs and Chowki in-charges also took part in the operation. The police searched houses of criminal elements and history-sheeters and also checked their current activities. The police also checked vehicles and questioned suspicious persons. The CP said CASO was carried out to inculcate a sense of security among the general public, besides warning criminals who could create law and order trouble in the city. The police also urged the people to help officials by sharing information about drug traffickers and miscreants. — TNS Amritsar, January 5 Four Independent councillors, who won the Municipal Corporation elections recently, joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today. Jagmeet Singh, who won from Ward No. 32, Natasha Gill, who got elected from Ward No. 85, Vijay Kumar Bhagat, who won from Ward No. 70, and Mandeep Singh Aujla, who got elected from Ward No. 4, in the civic body polls held on December 21, joined the AAP today. With joining of Jagmeet Singh, Natasha Gill, Mandeep Singh and Vijay Kumar Bhagat, the AAP councillors’ number has gone up from 24 to 28. Today, senior party leaders welcomed them into the party fold. No political party has got majority to nominate its Mayor. The political parties have an eye on eight Independent candidates to prove their majority in the MC House. However, the AAP is far away from the figure Newly elected Independent councillors, who joined the AAP, with Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal in Amritsar on Sunday. required to prove its majority in the MC House. This development has made it difficult for the Congress to have its Mayor in the upcoming civic body House. Though the Congress had a majority with 40 seats in its kitty, still the party was short of six councillors to prove ultimate majority in the House to have its Mayor. Earlier, two Independent councillors had supported the Congress. Four out of eight Independent councillors have yet to reveal their cards yet. The Congress and the AAP leaders are also trying to connect with the BJP and the SAD candidates to get support in case of the floor test in the MC House. In the coming days, the notification for electing the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor will likely be issued by the state government. After the notification, the Divisional Commissioner, Jalandhar Range, will issue a letter to the Amritsar Municipal Corporation Commissioner to call a House meeting of the elected councillors and MLAs of the city. First, oath ceremony will be held in the presence of the Divisional Commissioner. After administering oath to councillors, a floor test would be held. Meanwhile, city residents are eagerly waiting the appointment of the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor in the new civic body House. Vande Bharat likely to be extended till Jammu Light rain after foggy days in city Amritsar, January 5 After the decision of the Ministry of Railways to carve out a separate Jammu division, the Amritsar-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train is now likely to be extended up till Jammu. Over an year after the Amritsar-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train was started, announcement for its extension is likely to be made on January 26, said sources in the Railways. A separate Jammu division for the Railways would mean it would have around 742 km of the Ferozepur division, including Pathankot-JammuUdhampur, Bhogpur-SirwalPathankot, Batala-Pathankot and Pathankot-Jogindar Nagar under its jurisdiction. It would certainly curtail the area under the Ferozepur division significantly. Passengers wait for train at the railway station in Amritsar. The Amritsar-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train, which was inaugurated virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 6 last year, has a seating capacity for 530 in the chair car and the executive class. The eight-coach express train, providing vital connectivity between the border district and the National Capital, would also see expansion in coaches, thereby increasing its seating capacity. The train has 44 executive class seats. It covers around 450 km in 5.30 hours. The train offers reduced commut- c m y b ing time between two destinations by at least 30 minutes as Shatabdi covers it in around six hours. Barring Friday, the express train would run six days a week. The train has halts at Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Ambala and other stations. Trains used in Vande Bharat do not have locomotives. Each alternate coach has an in-built system to convert the electric power into mechanical energy to run the train. A “Make in India” product, Vande Bharat Express train is considered the best in the existing facilities of the Indian Railways. As per process, a pantograph installed over the rooftop from which the train draws electricity from overhead power cables and passes it to the traction converter which converts electricity into mechanical energy that runs the train. — TNS Amritsar, January 5 After the cloudy weather conditions in the evening followed by light rain in the city and its periphery cleared the sky, dense fog last night led to cancellations of two Indigo flights and delay of several others on Saturday night. As per the forecast by the Meteorology Department, rain was expected on Sunday. The day was hazy with clouds in the sky. Two domestic Indigo flights scheduled to arrive from Mumbai and Delhi at 9.30 pm and 9.50 pm, respectively, were cancelled due to dense fog at Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in the city. Flight operation is going on smoothly since the wee hours on Sunday. The rain and cold conditions were good for vegetables, wheat crop and fodder, say experts. — TNS People sit around bonfire to keep themselves warm on a cold day in Amritsar on Sunday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR