Amritsar: Bank Manager Shot, Five Drug-Weapons Networks Dismantled, Youth Run Against Drugs
Amritsar saw a surge in security-related news this week. A bank manager was shot during a financial dispute on Mall Road, police dismantled five drug and weapons trafficking modules in a coordinated crackdown, and separately busted an ISI-backed arms network linked to a bomb blast. Meanwhile, thousands of young people joined an AAP-organized run to deliver a message of a drug-free Punjab.
YES Bank Manager Shot at Mall Road Branch During Financial Dispute
A YES Bank manager was shot and injured at the bank's Mall Road branch in Amritsar following a dispute over a financial transaction, according to Punjab Newsline reporting on October 13, 2026. The victim identified in the report was Gaurav, described as the manager of the bank's loan department. According to preliminary information gathered by police, an argument over money escalated into a physical altercation that ended with a gunshot being fired at the branch premises. Two to three youths reportedly arrived at the branch on Tuesday afternoon and became involved in the confrontation with bank staff. A bank staff member named Jaspal Singh, identified as a relationship manager, was described as the other party in the original financial dispute with the individuals who arrived at the branch. The accused fled the scene immediately after the shooting. ACP Gagandeep Singh reached the spot and took charge of the investigation. Police teams launched their inquiry upon arrival and began securing evidence. Investigators started reviewing CCTV footage from both the bank premises and surrounding areas to identify and locate the suspects. Punjab Newsline reported that further legal action will be taken against the accused based on what investigators uncover through the footage review and other evidence gathered at the scene. [2]
Amritsar Police Commissionerate Dismantles Five Drug and Weapons Trafficking Modules
The Amritsar Police Commissionerate announced on October 13, 2026 that it had dismantled five separate criminal modules operating in the city, all involved in drug trafficking and the illegal supply of weapons. ETV Bharat described the operation as a major crackdown, and the Commissionerate confirmed that investigators had recovered a cache of arms and drugs from those arrested. ETV Bharat included a photograph described in its caption as showing the cache of arms and drugs recovered, underscoring the material evidence gathered in the operation. The report noted that police are actively working to trace both the upstream and downstream contacts of those arrested, meaning the investigation is focused not only on the individuals caught but on mapping the full network that supplied drugs and weapons to them, as well as those they in turn supplied to others. The stated goal is to expose the entire network involved in both drug trafficking and illegal weapons supply in and around Amritsar. The scale of the operation, involving five distinct modules rather than a single cell, suggests that police had been building their case through sustained surveillance before making the coordinated arrests. The operation was attributed to the Amritsar Police Commissionerate and published by ETV Bharat's English team. [7]
Punjab Police Bust ISI-Backed Arms Network, Arrest Six, Solve Khasa IED Blast
Punjab Police dismantled an ISI-backed arms network, made six arrests, and solved the Khasa IED blast case, according to The New Indian Express reporting on October 13, 2026. The article was filed by reporter Harpreet Bajwa and published at 1:05 pm. As part of the action, a case was registered under Sections 3, 4, and 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, commonly known as UAPA, at Police Station Gharinda. The Khasa IED blast refers to an improvised explosive device incident that had been under investigation, and the arrests were described as resolving that case. The registration of charges under both the Explosive Substances Act and UAPA reflects the severity with which authorities are treating the accused, as UAPA in particular is applied in cases involving unlawful or terrorist activity. The network was described as ISI-backed, indicating alleged links to Pakistan's intelligence agency. The New Indian Express categorized the story under its India news section and illustrated the report with a representative image from IANS. The six arrests represent the individuals directly linked to the network at the time of publication. [6]
Thousands Run in Amritsar Under 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' Anti-Drug Campaign
Thousands of young people participated in the Youth Run Punjab 2026 event held in Amritsar, organized under the AAP's campaign titled Yudh Nashean Virudh, which translates as War Against Drugs. The event was promoted through the official Aam Aadmi Party website and carried a message calling for a drug-free Punjab, using the phrase Rangla Punjab, which evokes a vision of a prosperous and colorful Punjab free from the grip of narcotics and drug abuse. The Youth Run format chose mass physical participation as its medium, using a public running event to send a collective message about the dangers and damage caused by drug abuse across the state of Punjab. The scale of the event, with thousands described as taking part, reflects the AAP government's commitment to making its anti-drug initiative a visible public movement rather than a purely administrative enforcement exercise. By centering the event in Amritsar, Punjab's major religious and cultural hub, the organizers chose a city with great symbolic visibility to amplify the campaign's message. The Yudh Nashean Virudh framing explicitly positions drug abuse as a battle requiring collective resistance from citizens, and the Youth Run format is designed to mobilize young people as active participants in that fight rather than passive recipients of awareness campaigns. The event falls under the broader AAP anti-drug program for Punjab. [4]
Sources: [2] Punjab Newsline · [7] ETV Bharat · [6] The New Indian Express · [4] aamaadmiparty.org