06032026-ATR-01.qxd 05-03-2026 23:16 Page 1 c m y b Amritsar tribune FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY AAP DECEIVED STATE THROUGH ADVERTISEMENTS, SAYS CONG KEJRIWAL’S WORLD-CLASS STADIUM PROMISE REMAINS ON PAPER ARJUN TENDULKAR-SAANIYA’S WEDDING A STARRY AFFAIR Congress leaders alleged that the govt had created an illusion of development through expensive advertisements. P2 AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal’s plan to set up a world-class cricket stadium here has not materialised. P3 Arjun Tendulkar, the son of cricket legend, Sachin Tendulkar, married Saaniya Chandhok in Mumbai on March 5. P4 » » » MAX 30°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 15°C SUNSET DAY 0.00 PM SUNRISE DAY 0:00 AM FRIDAY | 6 MARCH 2026 | AMRITSAR Delay in MC House meeting triggers political row in city 30-year-old killed in road accident Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 5 A 30-year-old man was killed in a tragic road accident after a speeding bus allegedly hit his motorcycle near Gurdwara Bodi Sahib in Jandiala Guru here on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Jaspreet Singh, a resident of Jheete Kalan village. The complaint was lodged by his aunt Sarbjit Kaur (43), a resident of Dashmesh Nagar under the jurisdiction of the Tarsikka police station. In her statement to the police, Sarbjit Kaur said that Jaspreet Singh had come to her house in Dashmesh Nagar for some work. Later, her son Akashdeep Singh and Jaspreet Singh left for Amritsar on their respective motorcycles. She stated that Jaspreet Singh was going ahead of them on his motorcycle. When he reached near Gurdwara Bodi Sahib, a speeding bus (PB02-BV-9935) allegedly came from the Amritsar side and hit his motorcycle. The bus hit Jaspreet Singh on the head, leading to his death on the spot. The bus was reportedly moving at a very high speed and lost control after the accident. The driver fled the spot immediately after the incident. The police have registered a case. Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Building material lies along the roadside on the Mall Road in Amritsar on Thursday. PHOTO: VISHAL KUMAR Encroachments on roads trigger traffic woes for commuters Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 5 The growing practice of using roadsides for commercial activities such as repairing cars and two-wheelers, as well as storing or selling construction material, has emerged as a major hurdle to the smooth flow of traffic in many parts of the city. Residents complain that these encroachments not only reduce the effective width of roads but also pose a threat to commuters. Across several busy stretches, mechanics have set up makeshift workshops on the roadside, with damaged vehi- cles parked there for repair. In some areas, piles of sand, gravel, bricks and other construction material are stacked along the edges of roads, leaving little space for vehicles to pass. The situation becomes particularly difficult during peak hours, when motorists struggle to navigate through narrow passages created by these activities. Local residents complain that such unregulated use of public roads leads to frequent traffic jams and increases the chances of accidents. “Roads are meant for commuters, but in many places they have turned into repair yards and storage Woman lawyer, brother nabbed for alleged extortion of ASI spaces,” said Sukhmeet Singh, a resident of the city, adding that pedestrians and twowheeler riders often face the greatest inconvenience. Commuters stated that vehicles parked for repair often remain on the roadside for hours or even days, further worsening congestion. The problem is also visible near markets and residential colonies where construction work is underway and material is dumped along the road. Residents have urged the district administration and municipal corporation authorities to take strict steps continued on page 2 Undertrial escapes from police custody Tribune News Service Our Correspondent Amritsar, March 5 The city police have arrested a woman lawyer and her brother on charges of alleged extortion. The accused have been identified as Simranjit Kaur and her brother Manjit Singh. According to police officials, the duo allegedly demanded and extorted money from an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI), identified as Gurmej Singh. A case under Section 308(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) has been registered in this regard. Sharing details, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP) Sirivennela said that on February 28, ASI Gurmej Singh, who was part of the PCR team and deployed in the Sultanwind area, was approached by a passerby seeking Rs 500 in cash after claiming he had lost his purse. The officer Tarn Taran, March 5 An undertrial escaped from the custody of the Goindwal Sahib police on Wednesday. The accused has been identified as Harjit Singh Kaki, a resident of Sabhra village, who was lodged in Central Jail, Goindwal Sahib, in a drugs case. He was arrested by the Goindwal Sahib police under the NDPS Act over the recovery of drugs from his possession on March 2. The next day, he was produced in Khadoor Sahib court, which sent him to judicial custody at the Central Jail, Goindwal Sahib. A police team, led by ASI Arjun Singh, was taking him to the jail when he complained of pain. Taking advantage, he managed to get rid of the handcuffs, pushed the ASI and fled the spot. ASI Baldev Singh said a case had been registered under Section 261, 221 and 132 of the BNS. ADCP Sirivennela along with other cops addresses mediapersons regarding the case in Amritsar on Thursday. gave him the money. Later, the person returned the amount through an online wallet (Google Pay). The following day, the ASI reportedly received a call from an unknown number. The caller accused him of corruption and claimed to possess evidence against him. The caller then allegedly demanded Rs 10 lakh from the ASI to avoid legal action, the ADCP said. Acting on the complaint, the police laid a trap and arrested lawyer Simranjit Kaur and her brother Manjit Singh red-handed on March 3. The police also recovered Rs 4.5 lakh from them, which was allegedly part of the extorted amount. The ADCP said that both accused had previously been involved in several cases of fraud and cheating. He added that continued on page 2 Govt school principal uses caste-based remarks against employee, booked Tribune News Service Amritsar, March 5 The Amritsar Rural Police have registered a case against the principal of a government school under charges of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, for allegedly using casteist remarks against a staff member. The complainant, a resident of Ball Kalan village, alleged that the incident took place when he went to mark his attendance in the office of the school princi- pal, Rekha Mahajan, at Government Senior Secondary School, Muradpura. According to the complaint, several teachers were present in the principal’s office and an argument was underway among staff members. The victim reportedly asked the staff and the principal to end the arguing and continue with work. At this point, the principal allegedly began arguing with him and used caste-based derogatory words in the presence of other staff members. The complainant further alleged that the principal humiliated him by using casteist remarks against him and claimed that she had previously “taught lessons” to people belonging to his community in other schools as well. He alleged that she stated that she had a clout with senior officials in her department and no one could take action against her. Following a complaint and inquiry conducted by Deputy Superintendent of Police Yadvinder Singh of Ajnala subdivision, the police registered a case under Section 3(1) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. Police officials said further investigation into the matter is underway. Rekha Mahajan was earlier suspended on the directions of the Punjab State Scheduled Castes Commission, which had written to the Secretary, Punjab School Education Department, in this connection. The action was taken after a two-member committee constituted by the Education Department probed into the allegations and found Mahajan guilty of misconduct. c m y b Amritsar, March 5 A delay in convening the general house meeting of the Amritsar Municipal Corporation has triggered a political row, with opposition councillors accusing the ruling leadership of avoiding the session due to a lack of majority support. City Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia had in January sought development proposals from various departments of the municipal corporation as well as from councillors. However, even as March has begun, the schedule for the general house meeting has yet to be announced. Opposition parties claim the delay is linked to the fact that the ruling Aam Aadmi Party does not have a clear majority in the House. Mayor Bhatia, however, has dismissed these allegations, stating that the preparation of resolutions has already been completed and that the date for the meeting will be announced soon. Congress senior leader and councillor Vikas Soni alleged that not only Congress councillors but even several councillors from the ruling party are unhappy with the Mayor. He claimed the prevailing situation in the House is such that the Mayor may not be able to pass resolutions with a majority. Soni said councillors were not receiving the funds required to address day-today public grievances in their respective wards. According to him, as per the rules, a general house meeting should be held every month, but neither the government nor the administration has taken steps to ensure compliance. He further alleged that for nearly the past year, the ruling side had been managing civic affairs without convening a proper meeting of the House. Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader and councillor Avtar Singh Truckanwala also criticised the delay, alleging that the Mayor was reluctant to call the meeting because he could not prove his majority in the House. It is worth men- tioning that Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia was elected on January 27, 2025, and convened the first general house meeting on March 29, 2025. Since then, no meeting has been held, leading to growing discontent among councillors across party lines. Councillors from various wards have publicly expressed resentment, stating that development works in their areas have been affected due to the prolonged delay. They argue that without the approval of the general house, several key proposals related to infrastructure upgrades, sanitation improvement, road repairs and other civic amenities remain pending. City police arrest youth with illegal pistol Amritsar, March 5 The Amritsar Rural Police arrested a youth and recovered an illegal firearm from his possession at Udonangal village following a tip-off here on Wednesday. Investigating officer ASI Balkar Singh said that the police team was on patrol at Udhanangal when they received a tip-off from an informer. The informer revealed that a youth, identified as Rohit Singh of Kuraliya village under the Ramdass police station limits, was roaming in the area on a motorcycle with an illegal pistol allegedly to commit a crime. Acting swiftly, the police laid a naka at the bridge. Soon, a motorcycle (PB-18-S6453) was spotted approaching. On seeing the police party, the rider tried to turn back in a suspicious manner, but the police team managed to arrest him after a brief chase. During the search, the police recovered a .32 bore pistol along with two live cartridges from his possession. The motorcycle used by the accused was also seized. A case has been registered. — TNS