Gurpreet Singh, Author at National Times

24 May

Punjab Unveils Massive Sports Expansion Drive as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Honours Over 1,100 Athletes

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabAsian Champions Trophy, Bhagwant Singh Mann, Harmanpreet Kaur, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award, Punjab sports awards, rural sports infrastructure

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday unveiled one of the biggest sports promotion drives in Punjab’s history, honouring 87 Maharaja Ranjit Singh Awardees and 1,070 medal-winning athletes with prize money worth ₹32.05 crore while announcing a sweeping expansion of the state’s sports ecosystem from villages to international arenas. Positioning Punjab as an emerging sports powerhouse, The Chief Minister the Punjab Government has not only honoured Olympic and Asian Games medallists with ₹1 crore each and provided jobs to nine players, but has also, for the first time, extended direct financial assistance worth ₹8.61 crore to…

24 May

Gurmukhi Express to Now Run Up to Amb Andaura, Boosting Rail Connectivity in Una

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndia, Punjab, TrendingGurmukhi Express

Una (Gurpreet Singh): Rail passengers in Himachal Pradesh’s Una district are set to benefit from improved long-distance connectivity as Indian Railways has officially extended the weekly Gurmukhi Express service from Nangal Dam to Amb Andaura. The extended service is scheduled to begin its inaugural run from Amb Andaura on June 6. With the route expansion, three railway stations in Una district — Una, Chururu-Takarla and Amb Andaura — will now become part of the train’s regular schedule, strengthening travel links between the region and eastern India. The Gurmukhi Express, train number 12325, currently departs from Kolkata every Thursday morning at…

24 May

Punjab Police Uncovers International Drug Racket, Seizes Massive Heroin Consignment in Ferozepur

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingFerozepur, Punjab

Ferozepur (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Police has achieved a major success in its fight against narcotics trafficking after Counter Intelligence officials in Ferozepur uncovered an alleged cross-border drug smuggling operation and arrested four people linked to the network. During the operation conducted in Guruharsahai, police recovered 28.12 kilograms of heroin and seized ₹9.5 lakh in suspected drug proceeds. The recovery is being considered one of the significant recent crackdowns on narcotics movement in the border belt. Initial investigation suggests the accused were allegedly acting on instructions from handlers operating from abroad. Investigators believe the group had been tasked with receiving the…

24 May

Punjab Cop Killed in Targeted Morning Attack Near Amritsar, Police Intensify Search

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingAmritsar, Punjab

Amritsar (Gurpreet Singh): A serving Punjab Police officer was shot dead by unidentified attackers near Amritsar early Sunday in what officials suspect was a planned assault carried out while he was travelling to report for duty. The victim, Assistant Sub-Inspector Joga Singh, was posted with the Traffic Wing and was on his regular commute when two armed men on a motorcycle allegedly intercepted him near Majitha and opened fire. Investigators said the incident occurred shortly after dawn when the officer was riding his scooter towards Amritsar city. Eyewitness accounts and initial evidence suggest the assailants approached swiftly, fired multiple rounds…

24 May

Midnight Disturbance at Kapurthala Jail Sparks Heavy Security Response, Three Prisoners Hurt

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingKapurthala, Kapurthala police

Kapurthala (Gurpreet Singh): A tense overnight situation unfolded inside Kapurthala Central Jail after a confrontation between inmates escalated into large-scale disorder, forcing authorities to launch a swift security operation involving tear gas and controlled force to restore discipline. The unrest reportedly began inside one of the prison’s residential blocks when an argument between a few inmates intensified into a violent clash. Within minutes, the confrontation spread, drawing dozens of prisoners into the commotion and creating panic across the correctional facility. Officials said efforts by jail personnel to calm the inmates failed, with several prisoners allegedly confronting staff members and refusing…

24 May

Punjab, Chandigarh Face Fresh Heatwave Threat; Schools Shut and Timings Altered Amid Rising Temperatures

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingChandigarh, Heatwave, Punjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): A renewed heatwave warning has put Punjab and Chandigarh on alert, prompting authorities to announce precautionary measures as temperatures continue to soar across the region. Weather experts have cautioned that the next three days could witness extreme daytime heat, with conditions likely to remain severe until May 27. The Meteorological Department has predicted a sharp rise in temperatures beginning May 24, with several districts expected to experience intense heatwave conditions. While dry weather is likely to dominate for most of the period, a possible weather shift is expected towards May 28 and 29, when thunderstorms and strong…

23 May

Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Cognizance of Actress Twisha Sharma’s Death; Husband Remanded, Delhi AIIMS to Re-Conduct Autopsy

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAIIMS Delhi autopsy, Samarth Singh remanded, Supreme Court cognizance, Twisha Sharma case

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The Supreme Court of India has taken suo motu cognizance of the highly publicised death of actress Twisha Sharma, the daughter-in-law of a retired judge, whose body was discovered under highly suspicious circumstances at her marital home in Bhopal’s Katara Hills on May 12, 2026. A bench headed by the Chief Justice of India is scheduled to convene an emergency hearing on the matter on Monday. The apex court's direct intervention comes amidst mounting allegations of administrative collusion and institutional pressure within the local police apparatus. Concurrently, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has formally extended…

23 May

Punjab Police and Counter Intelligence Neutralize Transnational Terror Module Linked to Germany and Dubai Handlers

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabhand grenades recovered, Ludhiana terror network, Swapan Sharma

Ludhiana (Gurpreet Singh): The Ludhiana Commissionerate Police, operating in close coordination with Counter Intelligence Punjab, has successfully dismantled a major transnational terror-gangster syndicate following the targeted arrest of two key operational suppliers. The joint tactical operation yielded the recovery of two live, military-grade hand grenades, effectively pre-empting a series of coordinated terrorist strikes planned across the state. Investigators have mapped the dismantled module directly to the notorious international Lakha gang, which has been coordinating subversive activities through a sophisticated network of foreign-based handlers. Ludhiana Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma stated that the enforcement actions commenced on May 17, 2026, when…

23 May

Punjab Finance Minister Accuses Centre of Treating RBI as Personal Treasury While Squeezing States

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabHarpal Singh Cheema, Punjab Finance Minister, RBI surplus transfer

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday intensified his attack on the BJP-led Union Government over the record transfer of nearly ₹2.87 lakh crore from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to the Centre, stating that the Modi Government was increasingly treating the RBI like a “personal treasury” to manage its fiscal deficit while denying states their rightful share despite India’s federal structure. Citing official figures showing that the Centre has taken nearly ₹14.29 lakh crore from RBI since 2014, with more than half of the amount transferred in the last three years alone, the Finance…

23 May

High Court Orders Blanket CCTV Surveillance and One-Year Video Retention for Punjab Municipal Polls

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabCCTV surveillance, High Court directive, Punjab municipal elections

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The Punjab and Haryana High Court has issued a series of binding directives to the State Election Commission to secure complete impartiality, transparency, and administrative accountability during the upcoming Punjab Municipal Corporation and local body elections. Disposing of several public interest petitions that raised serious concerns over potential booth capturing and administrative interference, the High Court mandated the compulsory installation of closed-circuit television cameras inside as well as outside every single polling booth and counting station across the state. To prevent post-poll tampering and maintain the sanctity of the democratic exercise, the division bench ordered that the…