Latest news with #Bhullar
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Hindustan Times
136 fake portals offering Char Dham chopper service shut in last 5 months: Official
As many as 136 fake websites offering helicopter ride booking for Char Dham yatra were shut down in the last five months this year, police officials said. 117 mobile numbers, 35 WhatsApp numbers have also been blocked, while 61 bank accounts have been frozen in coordination with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs. In 2024, 18 such fake websites were shut, 45 Facebook pages were blocked, and 20 bank accounts were frozen while in 2023, 64 fake websites offering chopper service to Char Dham yatris were blocked. Also Read:Gangotri: Civic body collects over 2 tonne of clothes discarded by pilgrims in Ganga 'We are witnessing a shift in the tactics of cybercriminals,' said senior superintendent of police (STF) Navneet Singh Bhullar. 'Earlier, scammers operated through fake websites. Now, they are leveraging Facebook and Instagram pages, using ad boosts to promote fraudulent helicopter booking links and deceive users', Bhullar said. 'To address this threat, deputy inspector general (Law & Order), Dhirendra Gunjyal, has been appointed as the nodal officer for Meta under Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act. Under his supervision, legal notices are being sent to Meta to remove misleading content and ads related to these fake helicopter bookings', he said. 'We are monitoring the cases on a daily basis. Notices are being issued to the concerned social media platforms through the nodal officer. We are also actively coordinating with the Ministry of Home Affairs, bank administrators, and telecom service providers for blocking fraudulent phone numbers', he added. According to police, the major reason for such cybercrime is that victims had no information about the authentic website for helicopter service booking. DSP Ankush Mishra of cyber cell said, 'They (fraudsters) are exploiting search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to make their fake websites appear at the top of search results when pilgrims search for booking sites. As a result, those who are unaware of the authentic Char Dham chopper booking websites fall into their trap, click on these links, and unknowingly enter their financial details to make payments. These fraudsters are operating from various parts of the country, including Bihar, Jharkhand, and Haryana,' he said. 'The only way to curb such cybercrime is spreading awareness among the public. The booking for the Char Dham chopper service should only be made through IRCTC's website Mishra said.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Time of India
Narco-hawala cartel linked to Bhullar busted
Representative image AMRITSAR: With the seizure of 1.10 kg of heroin and Rs 1.06 crore of suspected hawala proceeds , and arrest of three persons, the Punjab police on Monday claimed to have busted a narco-hawala racket allegedly operated by Turkiye-based drug smuggler Navpreet Singh 'Nav Bhullar'. Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said Gurdeep Singh (35), a taxi driver from Amritsar; Pardeep Sharma (29), a garment shop employee from Bikaner in Rajasthan; and Mani Sharma (36), a garment businessman from Ludhiana had been arrested. The police operation also yielded 1.10 kg of heroin, Rs 1.06 crore of suspected hawala proceeds - including Rs 84.02 lakh in cash and Rs 22 lakh in bank accounts - a cash-counting machine and a vehicle used by the racketeers. Preliminary investigations indicate Gurdeep Singh was managing the drug and hawala network on instructions from Bhullar, who allegedly arranged for a safe house in Amritsar and provided the gang with logistical support. Bhullar is wanted by multiple state and central agencies in major drug and hawala cases.
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Will introduce AI-based tech for driving tests, says transport minister
The Punjab government would introduce HAMS technology, an artificial intelligence (AI) based automated driver licence test system, to bring more transparency at driving test tracks, state transport minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said on Monday. The Harnessing Automobile for Safety (HAMS) technology includes iris scanning, which will ensure that no one is substituting for actual driving test applicants, and this technology is very effective in assessing the driving skills of applicants, he said at the regional transport office in Rupnagar. Bhullar conducted surprise raids at driving test centres in Phagwara and Jalandhar as well. He said the state government had decided that two additional officers/employees would be deployed at every driving test track across the state in order to keep tabs on the 'nexus' between private agents, middlemen and employees. 'An order has already been issued to the state transport commissioner and soon 64 more staff members will be stationed at Punjab's 32 driving test tracks,' Bhullar said. On April 7, the vigilance bureau had conducted raids at RTA offices and driving test centres across the state, leading to the arrest of 24 individuals allegedly involved in bribery and malpractices. A total of 16 FIRs were registered and ₹40,900 was seized from middlemen who were 'extorting money' from applicants. Bhullar said stringent directions were issued to all RTOs and RTAs to ensure that such malpractices must be stopped. On April 25, the state government suspended state vigilance bureau (VB) chief SPS Parmar, VB assistant inspector general, SAS Nagar, Swarandeep Singh, and senior superintendent of police, VB, Jalandhar, Harpreet Singh for allegedly not taking action against those involved in the 'scam'. Over the increasing pendency related to issuance of registration of driving licences and vehicle registration certificates, Bhullar said the government has already initiated the process to blacklist the private vendor — Smart Chip Private Limited — for leaving the printing process midway last year. (With PTI inputs)
CBC
26-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
U of A students propose specialized ICU for homeless Edmontonians
With one successful project under their belt, students in an advocacy class at the University of Alberta are making a new pitch to advance care for homeless emergency room patients. On Tuesday, Student Advocates for Public Health laid out their vision for a specialised intensive care unit to treat the growing number of unhoused patients who disproportionately rely on emergency services. The proposed 24/7 facility would offer a trauma-informed, multi-disciplinary approach aimed at improving outcomes for unhoused people and reducing the strain on Alberta's health-care system. "Let's not treat them and street them. Let's greet them and treat them," said Imrose Bhullar, a public health master's student and member of Student Advocates for Public Health. The team says their proposal is the first of its kind in Canada and builds on the success of the Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program proposed by students from the same advocacy class in 2017. The Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program has transferred more than 300 unhoused ER patients directly into transitional housing since its launch in 2023. In Alberta's February budget, the program received $1.8 million to continue its work, which has also been supported by private donors and the City of Edmonton. The group cited research that found unhoused individuals rely on emergency services at a rate 8.5 times higher than the general population and said having a specialized ICU for people experiencing homelessness should be the next step, the group said. "This crisis doesn't just affect unhoused individuals, it affects the entire health-care system," Bhullar said. "Health-care workers are burned out, care is being delayed and patients are slipping through the cracks." 'We don't have enough capacity:' ER physician The team recommended an approach that would connect patients to a continuum of care through health-care providers, social workers, housing navigators and rehabilitation They proposed the creation of a 90-bed facility as an extension at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, which sees the most visits from unhoused patients annually in the province. "There has been a surge in homelessness and substance use. We don't have enough capacity to meet the needs," said Dr. Robert Wittmeier, an emergency room physician based in the Royal Alex. "It would be far better to bring people to a site like this where they have consistent expert care." Among the proposal's fans is Bryan Kenny, who overcame chronic homelessness, substance use and mental illness to become an outreach worker. "This project lined with bridged healing is going to close that gap," said Kenney, who works with AAWEAR, a peer-support group offering support to Albertans who use or used drugs.
