The Akal Takht's officiating Jathedar, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, on Wednesday condemned the attack in Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Expressing grief over the incident, he offered prayers before the Akal Purakh, seeking eternal peace for the departed souls and strength for the bereaved families to accept His will.

He also prayed that such inhumane acts should never occur anywhere in the world and that peace and harmony should prevail across the nation and the world.

Jathedar Gargaj said the Pahalgam tragedy deeply pained him and reminded him of the March 2000 massacre in Chittisinghpura in Kashmir in which 35 Sikhs were killed, but the truth was "yet to come to light".

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to take stock of security arrangements in the state in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack and asked to ensure strong security arrangements at all religious and public places in the state.

The meeting here saw the presence of top officers of the police and civil administration.

"We will not allow any compromise with national security. Strong security arrangements have been made at all religious places and public places in the state", Mann wrote in a post in Punjabi on X after the meeting.

"The number of security forces has also been increased in educational institutions. It is our responsibility to ensure the safe return of Punjabis stranded in Jammu and Kashmir, and for this, we are constantly in touch with the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The safety of the people of Punjab is our top priority", he added.

Acting on a specific tip-off, Punjab Police’s Counter-Intelligence Amritsar on Tuesday claimed to have uncovered an illegal weapon smuggling module with links extending to the US and apprehended Gurwinder Singh, alias Guri, from Ludhiana.

The police recovered five illegal pistols from his possession.

Gurwinder Singh was acting under the directions of Gurlal Singh and Vipul Sharma, both currently residing in the US, who are key handlers in this network, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav wrote on X.

Preliminary investigation revealed Gurwinder Singh is the brother-in-law of Hardeep Singh, a known drug smuggler who fled to the US in 2022 after being arrested in a 2020 case.

Gurlal and Hardeep appear to have formed an alliance abroad and are operating a transnational weapon smuggling ring using local associates in Punjab, said DGP Yadav.

Further investigation is being carried out to identify all backward and forward linkages, he added.

Desh Bhagat Global School, Mandi Gobindgarh, celebrated World Heritage Day with great enthusiasm to raise awareness among students about the importance of preserving our heritage sites. The event aimed to educate students on the value of cultural heritage and the efforts needed to conserve it. Under the theme "Our Heritage, Our Pride", students participated in various activities including poster making, colouring, showcasing historical buildings, and group discussions. An Inter-House English Quiz Competition was also held for senior students, who took part with great zeal. Students from Classes VI to VIII highlighted their concern for heritage through creative posters, while Grades III to V shared informative speeches about the day’s significance. School Principal Indu Sharma encouraged students to cherish and preserve monuments, calling them vital links to our past. Chairman Dr. Zora Singh and General Secretary Dr. Tajinder Kaur also addressed the students, emphasizing the importance of rich monuments and cultural preservation. The celebration successfully inspired students to value and protect the world’s heritage.

On the demise of Pope Francis Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Singh Sahib Jathedar Baba Balbir Singh Akali 96 Crori, the chief of the Nihang Singhs' apex body, Shiromani Panth Akali Budda Dal Chalda Wahir, has expressed deep sorrow. He said that the Pope's humility and international vision, which emphasized that the poor are also a part of this world and have the right to live with dignity, will be remembered for generations to come. The demise of such a revered spiritual leader, who spread the message of peace and equality worldwide, is a loss for the entire world. Baba Balbir Singh 96 Crori said that Pope Francis, despite suffering from lung disease, left an indelible mark on the world through his teachings, which promoted peace and equality. He was a fighter and a man without prejudice, and his legacy will continue to inspire people globally. He will always be remembered in the world of the Church.

Nine faculty members of Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib have been conferred with the prestigious Women Achievers Award-2025 and Bio-Scientist Award-2025 by renowned industrialist Chiranjeev Singh Cheema, Director of Yaxon Biocare. Among the recipients of Women Achievers Award-2025 are Dr. Ankdeep Kaur Attwal, Coordinator of IQAC and Head of the Department of English; Dr. Kanchan Rani, Head of the Department of Commerce and Management; Dr. Richa Brar, Head of the Department of Mathematics; Dr. Harneet Billing, Head of the Department of Education; Dr. Nav Shagan Deep Kaur, Head of the Department of Sociology; Dr. Supreet Bindra, Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiotherapy; and Dr. Monika Airi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Zoology; while Dr. Rahul Badru, Head of the Department of Chemistry has been honoured with Bio-Scientist Award-2025. The recognition was bestowed upon them in appreciation of their outstanding contribution to the University's Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), and their consistent efforts in promoting academic excellence, institutional development, and student welfare, particularly among those from economically weaker sections. In his appreciation message, Chiranjeev Singh Cheema, who is also a valued member of the IQAC,

The Panchayats of Goniana Block in Bathinda district have taken a historic decision in support of the Mann government’s anti-drug campaign, ‘Yudh Nashiyan Virudh.’ All village sarpanches have passed a resolution stating that drug peddlers in the villages will face collective boycott and will not receive social support of any kind.

The resolution also mentioned that the Panchayats will actively work at their own level to identify drug peddlers, hand them over to the police, and assist in legal proceedings against them. Furthermore, individuals who quit drugs will be honored by the Panchayats and provided with every possible assistance to reintegrate into normal life.

A 24-year-old man was arrested in Punjab for attempting to extort money from an automobile showroom owner by impersonating as the brother of foreign-based gangster Goldy Brar, said Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav here on Saturday.

The arrest was made by the Punjab Police's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF).

The accused, identified as Lovejeet Singh, a resident of Faridkot, had demanded Rs 1 crore extortion money and issued death threats to the complainant and his family if the amount was not paid.

DGP Yadav said a preliminary probe has revealed the accused used virtual numbers and social media applications to mask his identity and make extortion calls in an attempt to evade police detection.