15012026-ATR-01.qxd 1/14/2026 10:31 PM Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune VAJRA CORPS HONOURS INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF VETERANS STRAY DOGS RAISE A BITING PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN As the city sees a rise in dog-bite cases, the growing population of stray dogs has become a public health concern. P3 FOG, PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 11°C | MIN 4°C YESTERDAY MAX 11°C | MIN 4°C GET READY FOR COSMIC CHAOS THROUGH HUMOUR As a solemn tribute to courage & sacrifice, Vajra Corps commemorated the 10th Defence Forces Veterans’ Day. P2 FORECAST Actors Pulkit Samrat and Varun Sharma are in Chandigarh to promote their film Rahu Ketu. P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 7.30 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:48 AM » THURSDAY | 15 JANUARY 2026 | AMRITSAR Elderly man, daughter die 3 city schools receive hoax bomb calls; cops in Lohri night fire incident swing into action, close these for search op Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 14 A tragic fire incident claimed the lives of an elderly man and his differently-abled daughter late on Tuesday at Chuhar Gali near Paragdas Chowk, under the jurisdiction of B division police station here. The victims have been identified as Khajan Singh (85) and his differently-abled daughter Navdeep Kaur (32), who reportedly died due to asphyxia caused by heavy smoke. The fire broke out suddenly on Lohri night, triggering panic among family members and residents of the densely populated area. Cries for help echoed through the narrow lane as the blaze spread rapidly through the four-storey building. According to eyewit- nesses, other family members managed to escape to the rooftop amid the chaos and were later rescued by neighbours. In a desperate attempt to save those trapped inside, residents poured water from overhead tanks on adjacent rooftops. However, their efforts proved unsuccessful in rescuing the two victims, who were unable to move due to age and physical disability. Local residents informed the Fire Department after hearing the screams. As many as seven fire engines pressed into service. However, the narrow and congested lanes of the locality severely hampered the fire-fighting and rescue operations, delaying immediate access to the affected building. People present at the scene said the family was engaged in selling ‘rumale sahib’ (religious cloth coverings). A large stock of these cloth items was stored in the basement of the building, while the family resided on the first floor. It was also reported that a Lohri bonfire had been lit on the rooftop earlier in the night. Preliminary information suggests that sparks from the bonfire may have caused the fire, though no conclusive evidence has been established so far. Police officials said the bodies were sent for a post-mortem examination and later handed over to the family. The incident has cast a pall of gloom over the area, with residents mourning the loss and raising concerns over fire safety in congested residential localities. Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 14 Panic gripped parts of the city on Wednesday morning after three schools received bomb threat emails, prompting immediate action by school authorities and the police. As a precautionary measure, students were sent home and the campuses were thoroughly checked by security agencies. According to information, the threats were received via email, though the sender did not clearly mention any terrorist organisation. Among the schools that received the threats include Sri Guru Harkrishan Senior Secondary School, Millennium School and a government school. Soon after the messages were received, the school managements informed the police and initiated evacuation protocols to ensure the safety of students and staff. Police teams rushed to both Devotees pay obeisance at the Golden Temple on a cold and foggy morning on the occasion of Maghi Mela in Amritsar on Wednesday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Tarn Taran, January 14 The local city police have busted a four-member gang involved in smuggling weapons across the border and arrested one of its members along with some weapons. The police had launched the drive to arrest three absconding members of the gang. The police said here today that ASI Gurpreet Singh along with his team conducted a raid near the bridge of Jarmastpur village to nab the accused. In the raid, the police arrested one member identified as Laras Masih and seized two foreign pistols, one magazine and 11 rounds from him. The police have taken in possession of car of the gang. The police said that the accused used to smuggle weapons from Pakistan and give these to gangsters or other criminals to commit crime and then take back the weapons from them. The police have registered a case under various sections of the Arms Act. — OC Schools reopen after winter break amid concern over cold weather conditions school premises and conducted detailed inspections, focussing on entry points, classrooms, corridors and other sensitive areas. Bomb disposal squads and police officials carried out a preliminary search, but no explosive mate- rial or suspicious objects were found during the operation. After the security checks, the threats were declared a hoax. However, police officials said that the matter was being taken seriously and efforts were underway to trace the ASI booked for sending obscene SMS to woman Remembering martyrs Member of gang involved in weapon smuggling held Police conduct search operations at the Sri Guru Harkrishan Public School in Amritsar on Wednesday after the hoax bomb call. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Video of youth firing from rooftop while flying kite viral, probe on Tarn Taran, January 14 A Punjab Police ASI has been booked for sending obscene SMS to a woman. A 28-year-old woman from Khakh village under Verowal police station of the district alleged that accused ASI Satnam Singh, a resident of Fatehchak Shukerchak, Kambo police station, Amritsar, kept sending obscene SMS to the victim and also kept following her vehicle wherever she used to go. The woman alleged that the accused also fired shots at her vehicle and kept threatening her if she would not oblige him. On the instructions of SSP Surendra Lamba, the facts of the complaint were investigated by DSP (Investigation) Jagjit Singh in which the allegations against the ASI were confirmed. On the orders of the SSP the Verowal police , have registered a case against the accused. The police officer investigating the case said that the accused was given an opportunity to present his side. — OC Amritsar, January 14 Panic gripped the city after some hooligans involved in flying kites allegedly fired some gunshots on the rooftop of a house. The police swung into action after a video went viral on social media. The police have started a probe to identify the perpetrators and take further action. The incident reportedly took place on Majitha Road, which falls under the jurisdiction of Sadar police station. According to the police, the firing incident occurred on Lohri afternoon as a group of nearly 12 youths was seen flying kites on the rooftop of a house when one of them allegedly began firing shots in the air from a rifle. The entire episode was captured on a mobile phone by a person from a nearby location and later circulated widely on social media platforms, triggering public concern. After the video went viral, the matter came to the notice of the police, which initiated a preliminary inquiry. Initially, there was confusion regarding the exact location of the incident, with some reports BSF seizes 1 kg Parents want these to remain closed for a few more days contraband from Tribune News Service classes. On a day (Tuesday) Schools also reported low when the maximum temper- attendance. Kahangarh Amritsar, January 14 ature dipped to an all-time Educational institutions in With severe cold conditions persisting in the city and its surrounding areas with average day temperature being recorded between 10-11 degree Celsius and night temperatures falling to as low as three degree Celsius, parents and teachers are now demanding extension of school holidays for a few more days. There seems to be no immediate relief in near future with weather forecasts predicting that the cold conditions might prevail over the week. In view of this, parents are now seeking extension of school closure. Today, several private schools and government schools reopened after the winter break and students were seen braving the cold and intense fog to return to threats, following which all schools were ordered to be closed. The police had registered a case and started investigations to ascertain the source of the emails, though it was yet to make any breakthrough in these instances. Similarly, Golden Temple management and Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport had also received similar threats in the past. Deputy Commissioner of Police Jagjt Singh Walia said already many districts and other states had received similar mails. He said that Punjab Police, along with central agencies, were on the job and cyber investigations were also on. The accused would be behind bars soon, he said. The police have appealed to the public and educational institutions to remain calm, but vigilant, assuring that strict action will be taken against those found responsible for spreading panic through fake threats. low of 9.2°C, the lowest in the past five decades—the decision to resume classes has evoked concern on the part of parents and teachers as several students were seen shivering, hands turning blue due to cold, as they commuted to schools. “I dropped my daughter, who is in Class 6 at the government school, Putlighar, in the morning and there was no visibility due to fog even at 9 am. The changed school timings make little sense as it is still cold and foggy throughout the day,” said Gurbaksh Singh, a parent. Similarly, private school buses were seen picking up students, who were covered in layers of woollens, for the school commute amid intense fog, making visibility on road a challenge. the state had extended school holidays in view of severe cold wave conditions, as temperatures continue to dip sharply in many regions. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported extreme cold across states, including Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and parts of central India, prompting the state and district administrations to take precautionary measures to protect the health and safety of students. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Bains had announced extension of school holidays from January 7 till January 14, but many feel that the cold wave alert must be considered and the closure period extended in light of this. c m y b Amritsar, January 14 In an operation along the Indo-Pak border, BSF jawans have seized contraband weighing over 1 kg from the border area falling under Kahangarh border outpost. According to information, acting on inputs, BSF jawans conducted a search in the area near the border outpost and seized one big packet containing two small ones of suspected contraband. The packets were wrapped in yellow-coloured packaging material. On weighing, the two were found to weigh 0.546 kg and 0.540 kg. The total weight of the contraband, including packaging material, was 1.086 kg. An FIR had been registered against an unidentified person. — TNS source of the emails. Cyber crime teams have also been roped in to investigate the origin of the threat messages. This is not the first such incident in recent days. Earlier, also several schools in the city had received similar bomb Tribune News Service A video grab shows a youth holding a gun as others make merry while flying kites on the roof of a house. suggesting that it occurred in areas falling near Tarn Taran Road or Sultanwind Road. However, the police cyber team later traced the location accurately and identified the accused youths through technical surveillance and location analysis. A senior police officer said that the identities of the accused had been established. However, the registration of an FIR has been delayed due to security arrangements related to a VVIP’s visit to the region. “Because of the President’s visit, there has been some delay in formal proceedings, but the accused will not be spared,” the officer assured. The incident has raised serious questions about public safety, especially during festive celebrations. Police officials reiterated that strict action would be taken against those found violating the law and indulging in illegal firing, which poses a grave threat to life and property. Bid to break open ATM in Naushahra area CCTV footage shows involvement of two persons Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 14 An attempt to break into an ATM was reported on Monday night in the Naushahra area under the jurisdiction of Kamboh police station. Two unidentified robbers, riding a motorcycle, tried to break open the ATM but fled from the spot after failing to achieve their objective. According to information received, the incident came to light on Tuesday morning when bank officials reached the premises and noticed that items inside the ATM room were lying scattered. On closer inspection, marks of repeated hammer blows were found on the ATM machine, indicating an attempt to break it open. CCTV footage installed at the site was later examined, which revealed two masked men carrying out the act. However, the accused could not cause major damage to the machine and escaped without stealing any cash. Rohit Kumar, manager of IndusInd Bank’s Naushahra branch, in his complaint to the police, stated that the ATM room is located adjacent to the bank branch. He said that the entire staff had left after completing work on Monday evening. On reaching the bank on Tuesday morning, he found the ATM room messed up and the machine damaged with a heavy object. Acting on the complaint, Kamboh police have registered a case against unknown persons. Harjit Singh said that an investigation is underway and CCTV footage is being analysed to identify and trace the culprits. Police have assured that efforts are being made to solve the case at the earliest.