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P4 » » » MAX 32°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET SUNDAY 7.20 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5.51 AM SUNDAY | 9 AUGUST 2026 | AMRITSAR Crime prevention to be key focus, says new police chief Drone-based arms smuggling module busted, 1 arrested Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 8 The newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, Harmanbir Singh Gill, who assumed charge on Saturday, said crime prevention would be his key focus. Gill, while reviewing the city’s security arrangements ahead of the Independence Day, told senior police officials that the emphasis should now be on preventing crime through better patrolling, surveillance and police presence on the ground. “The police usually detect and crack cases after their occurrence. But now on, their emphasis will be on preventing crime,” he said while outlining his priorities. A major revamp of the Police Control Room (PCR) teams is on the cards. The teams will be strategically deployed and provided with beat books detailing their assigned areas, duties, vulnerable locations and responsibilities. Their movements and activities will be systematically recorded to ensure accountability and effective deployment. The Commissioner also directed the police to strengthen patrolling around sensitive and vulnerable locations, including banks, ATMs, electricity grids, offices of threatened persons and RSS offices, besides other important installations. With the election year approaching, Gill called for intensifying action against proclaimed offenders and parole jumpers. The police will also focus on arresting suspects involved in unsolved heinous crimes and speeding up investigations in long-pending cases. Officials were directed to ensure that challans in cases pending investigation for more than six months were presented in courts without Faces law & order challenge in border city New Commissioner of Police, Amritsar,Harmanbir Singh Gill. further delay. The new policing strategy, he said would seek to combine preventive policing with effective investigation, with greater emphasis on visible police presence, intelligence gathering and accountability at the field level. The directions came during a meeting held by Gill with senior police officials to review security arrangements ahead of the Independence Day. The officials were asked to maintain heightened alertness, strengthen law and order arrangements and ensure prompt action to prevent any untoward incident. Gill’s assumption of charge comes at a time when Amritsar, a border city and a major tourist destination, faces a range of security and law and order challenges. Posted as DIG Border Range, Harmanbir Singh Gill took the additional charge of the Police Commissioner, Amritsar Police Commissionerate, after Gurpreet Singh Bhullar’s transfer. Pawan K Jaiswar Amritsar, August 8 The Amritsar Rural Police on Saturday arrested an alleged member of an arms smuggling network reportedly sourcing weapons through drones from Pakistan-based smugglers and supplying them to criminals across the Majha region. The accused, identified as Narinder Singh, a resident of the Ghumanpura area of Chheharta, was arrested by the CIA following a tip-off. The police recovered a foreign-made pistol, a foreignmade revolver, a magazine, 30 live cartridges and a motorcycle (PB-11-CS-5379) from his possession on which he was trafficking the weapons. A case under the Arms Act has been registered at the Gharinda police station in this regard. The police are con- NETWORK SUSPECTED TO HAVE LINKS TO PATHANKOT, BATALA, GURDASPUR ■ The police suspect that accused ■ The police also found Narinder Singh was operating as part of an organised network supplying illegal arms to criminal elements across the Majha region. ■ The suspected network is believed to have links extending to Pathankot, Batala, Gurdaspur, and Ferozepur. contact numbers of suspected Pakistanbased smugglers on the accused’s mobile phone. ■ Preliminary scrutiny of the device revealed that calls were allegedly made to some of these numbers on several occasions. ducting raids to trace his alleged associates and recover more weapons suspected to be part of the consignment. The police said Manmeet Pal Singh, in charge, CIA, received information that Narinder Singh was allegedly procuring weapons through several social media platforms and subsequently supplying them to criminals. He was reportedly on his way to the Gharinda area to receive a fresh delivery when the police intercepted him at a checkpoint. During search, the weapons and ammunition were recovered from his possession. The police suspect that Narinder Singh was operating as part of an organised network supplying illegal arms to criminal elements across the Majha region. The suspected network is believed to have links extending to Pathankot, Batala, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur. The police also found contact numbers of suspected Pakistan-based smugglers on the accused’s mobile phone. Preliminary scrutiny of the device has revealed that calls were allegedly made to some of these numbers on several occasions. Officials said the interrogation of the accused could help establish the network’s backward and forward linkages, including the identity of Pakistan-based handlers, other members involved in receiving drone-dropped consignments and the criminals to whom the weapons were allegedly supplied. Third accused in Batala grenade attack case arrested Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service Batala, August 8 The Batala police and the Counter-Intelligence, in a joint operation, have arrested the third accused in the grenade explosion case that occurred at the Urban Estate police post on August 1. Earlier, two juveniles were arrested. At that time, SSP Dr Mehtab Singh had said the third person involved in the blast had been identified and would be arrested soon. The accused has been identified as Karanjit Singh, alias Bacha, a resident of Murgi Mohalla, Batala. DGP Gaurav Yadav said preliminary investigation had revealed that Bacha was an operative of an ISI-backed terror module having links to the Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) organisation. After the blast, the accused TWO JUVENILES HELD EARLIER Earlier, two juveniles were arrested. At that time, SSP Dr Mehtab Singh had said the third person involved in the blast had been identified and would be arrested soon. had gone into hiding and was allegedly planning similar strikes on police establishments across the state, the DGP said. The DGP said a probe was on to unravel the complete terror network, identify foreign handlers and local support networks, and establish all forward and backward linkages involved in the conspiracy. An FIR under relevant sections of the BNS and Sections 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act was registered. How a social media enthusiast emerged key link in cross-border arms smuggling cartel 21 KG HEROIN BUST HAS FIVE NDPS CASES PENDING Pawan K Jaiswar ■ Sukhpreet was among five MC employees load illegal goods onto a truck on Saturday. Tribune News Service MC clears Crystal Chowk of illegal structures, kiosk Amritsar, August 8 His social media presence showed a penchant for making reels. His police record, however, tells a different story. Sukhpreet Singh, alias Sukh, 30, of Jaintipur, allegedly emerged a key link in a cross-border narcotics and arms smuggling network busted by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police, exposing how a repeat offender was allegedly drawn into a sophisticated supply chain involving foreign-based handlers and consignments routed across the International Border. Sukhpreet was among five persons arrested in the case in which the police seized persons arrested in the case in which the police seized 21.299 kg of heroin, 970 gm of ICE (methamphetamine), a .30-bore pistol and four live cartridges. ■ According to the police, he has the hobby of making reels on Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 8 The Municipal Corporation on Saturday removed encroachments from the footpath along the Crystal Chowk and ENT Hospital. An enforcement team, led by Inspector Preeti Chauhan, with the police assistance, dismantled an illegal kiosk and cleared portions of the footpath occupied by vendors. An enforcement team led by Inspector Preeti Chauhan, with assistance from the police, removed the illegal kiosk, cleared portions of the road and footpath that had been occupied by vendors and other material. The goods and other material found causing obstruction to public movement were taken into possession by the enforcement staff. Civic officials said encroachments on roads, footpaths and other public spaces not only continued on page 2 21.299 kg of heroin, 970 gm of ICE (methamphetamine), a .30-bore pistol and four live cartridges. According to the police, he has the hobby of making reels on the social media. What added another layer to the investigation is Sukhpreet’s criminal antecedent. Officials said he had been booked in five previous cases under the NDPS Act, yet he allegedly continued to operate the social media. What added another layer to the investigation is Sukhpreet’s criminal antecedent. ■ Officials said he had been booked in five previous cases under the NDPS Act, yet he allegedly continued to operate in the narcotics network. in the narcotics network. Investigators are now examining whether his earlier involvement in drug offences helped him establish contacts and move deeper into the crossborder supply chain. A probe has indicated that the local operatives were allegedly connected to a foreign-based handler, who introduced them to a Pakistan-based handler for arranging the movement of drugs and weapons across the border. The exact role of the handlers is being probed. The case began with the arrest of Gagan, alias Dishka, 23, and Jaspinder Singh, 25, both residents of Nikosaran village in Gurdaspur. A .30bore pistol and four cartridges were recovered from them. Their interrogation led to the recovery of 1.01 kg heroin and 970 gm ICE, police said. The probe subsequently led investigators to Sukhpreet, Abhishek Sabharwal, alias Abhi, 25, of Sharma Colony, Amritsar, and Manpreet Singh, alias Mannu, 26, of Channanke village in Amritsar Rural. Another 20.2 kg heroin was recovered following their arrest, taking the total recovery to 21.299 kg. The five accused have been sent to judicial custody. Poor hygiene, stench keep food lovers off roadside eateries Fogging City set for intensified sewer infra Many say food items remain uncovered, utensils not washed with clean water; tourist footfall going down across Amritsar Manmeet Singh Gill upgrade vide affordable food and contribute significantly to the Tribune News Service INADEQUATE MANPOWER, Central segment Amritsar, August 8 city’s vibrant food culture, Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Amritsar, August 8 To check the spread of dengue, malaria and other vector-borne diseases, Amritsar Central constituency MLA Dr Ajay Gupta on Saturday sent fogging machines to every ward of the segment. Gupta said regular fogging was being carried out in the area to prevent mosquito breeding. The civic authorities were also spraying medicines in different wards, he added. Gupta appealed to residents to ensure there was no water stagnation. Four heavy vehicles and 10 two-wheelers would be continuously deployed for fogging across the constituency, he said. Municipal Corporation sanitation officer Malkiat Singh, sanitary inspector Shyam Singh, Central Assembly constituency organisational incharge Harpreet Singh Ahluwalia, Dr Sarthak Gupta, Sudesh Kumar, Gurdas Singh, Sajan Kumar, Mannu Pehalwan, Rahul Sethi, Chirag Kumar and Aam Aadmi Party volunteers were present. The city is known for its street food culture. Sadly, poor hygiene and quality issues have become a bane of the booming business of late. With vendors facing questions over the quality and hygiene of food served at stalls, locals are keeping off these roadside eateries. Recent reports of improper food handling, uncovered ingredients, unclean utensils and stench emanating from unhygienic surroundings have turned things from bad to worse. Street food is an integral part of Amritsar’s culinary identity, attracting residents and tourists alike to popular markets and roadside food points. However, a growing number of food stalls and high demand for quick and affordable food have raised concerns over food quality and hygiene standards. While the government had made registration mandatory for food businesses under the Food Safety and Standards Act, inadequate manpower and infrastructure act INFRASTRUCTURE A BOTTLENECK ■ While the government had made Dirty water accumulated on a damaged stretch near street food stalls in Amritsar. as a bottleneck in the way of ensuring regular and frequent checks. “The city alone has over 25,000 food businesses. Besides, illegal kiosks and stalls have mushroomed everywhere. It is a tough task to check them all,” said an official. The residents complained that at several roadside stalls, food items are kept uncovered for long periods, leaving them exposed to dust, flies and other contaminants. In some places, the same utensils and hands are used repeatedly c m y b registration mandatory for food businesses under the Food Safety and Standards Act, inadequate manpower and infrastructure act as a bottleneck in the way of ensuring regular and frequent checks. “The city alone has over 25,000 food businesses. Besides, illegal kiosks and stalls have mushroomed everywhere. It is a tough task to check them all,” said an official. ■ The residents complained that at several roadside stalls, food items are kept uncovered for long periods, leaving them exposed to dust, flies and other contaminants. In some places, the same utensils and hands are used repeatedly for handling food and collecting cash, while access to clean water for washing utensils and maintaining personal hygiene remains a concern. for handling food and collecting cash, while access to clean water for washing utensils and maintaining personal hygiene remains a concern. The condition of the surroundings around some food stalls has added to the problem. Garbage, stagnant water and overflowing waste bins near food-selling points can increase the risk of contamination and provide a favourable environment for flies and other disease carrying insects. “While street vendors pro- this should not come at the cost of public health,” said Pawan Sharma, a local. The residents demanded that the authorities conduct regular and surprise inspections of food stalls, particularly in busy markets and tourist areas. They also called for strict action against vendors found violating food safety and hygiene norms. At the same time, residents said vendors should be educated about safe food handling, proper storage, use of clean utensils, personal hygiene and responsible waste disposal. With the festive season around, the residents stressed the need for stricter monitoring to ensure that the city’s popular street food remains not only tasty and affordable, but also safe for consumption. District Health Officer Manjit Singh Rataul said inspections were being conducted regularly at eating joints. He added that the department had recently carried out a drive to check adulteration of milk and dairy products. Amritsar, August 8 Looking to tide over the city’s sewage problem, the Punjab Government has approved a new 60 MLD (million litres per day) sewage treatment plant (STP), along with an associated pumping station, under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 scheme. The tender for the project has already been floated and is scheduled to open later this month. The proposed STP is expected to significantly increase the city’s sewage treatment capacity and reduce pressure on the existing sewer infrastructure, which is already under strain in several areas. Officials said the project would also help reduce the discharge of untreated sewage and improve the overall management of waste water in the city. A key feature of the project will be the proposed utilisation of sewage for producing bio-CNG. The initiative is aimed at continued on page 2