29082025-LT-01.qxd 8/29/2025 12:40 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune PET OWNERS BYPASS REGISTRATION IN CITY BALJINDER’S 160-KM RUN A MESSAGE FOR HUMANITY A LOOK AT STARS WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT GAMES Only 3,321 pet dogs were registered with the Municipal Corporation in the past five years. P2 Baljinder Singh Baraich has completed 160-km run from Ludhiana to Golden Temple in just 41 hours. P3 Every year on Aug 29, nation celebrates National Sports Day to honour legacy of hockey legend Dhyan Chand.P4 » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.48 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:58 AM » FRIDAY | 29 AUGUST 2025 | LUDHIANA Road cave-in outside city railway Health Dept deploys 74 Rapid Response Teams across dist station sparks safety concerns Manav Mander Tribune News Service Stretch gives way in Shastri Nagar too, second instance in same area this month Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 28 A road cave-in outside the main entry gate of the Ludhiana railway station has raised serious safety concerns for thousands of daily commuters. The damaged stretch, located opposite one of the busiest junctions in the city, has become a hazard zone following the recent spell of heavy rainfall that battered Ludhiana. The cave-in, which appeared on Thursday, has exposed deep cracks and a sunken road patch that may widen as well. The compromised road surface poses a dual threat — both to pedestrian safety and vehicular movement. “The road is a lifeline for Ludhiana,” said Ramesh Kumar, a daily commuter. “It connects the railway station with the Civil Lines, old city areas, Jalandhar bypass and major commercial areas. A cave-in here is not only an inconvenience but also a disaster waiting to happen,” he said. The area sees a footfall of over 50,000 passengers daily. Auto-rickshaws, cabs and private vehicles are The caved-in portion of the road outside the railway station in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN forced to swerve dangerously close to the edge, risking further collapse. “I saw a two-wheeler skid and fall on Wednesday,” said Harpreet Kaur, who travels through the route daily. “It’s shocking that such a critical spot is being ignored. The authorities should get the issue rectified at the earliest,” she said. The recent rains have wreaked havoc on Ludhiana roads, with waterlogging and erosion weakening several stretches. Experts warn that poor drainage and delayed maintenance are compounding the problem. “This caved-in road needs urgent attention before it turns into a tragedy. We demand a permanent fix to the solution. As Ludhiana continues to grapple with damages caused by rains, the cave-in outside its busiest transport hub stands as a stark reminder of the urgent need for infrastructure accountability,” said Pooja Sharma, a social activist. In yet another blow to the city’s crumbling road infrastructure, a fresh cave-in has emerged near Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib Hospital Road in Shastri Nagar, just steps away from Mintgumri Chowk. It marks the second cave-in in the same vicinity this month, raising serious concerns about public safety and civic accountability. Earlier this month, a portion of the road on the one GLADA razes illegal colony in village side of Mintgumri Chowk collapsed due to underground sewer failure. Now, a portion of the opposite side has caved in, creating a dangerous crater at one of the city’s busiest junctions. The stretch connects Model Town, Civil Lines and several key institutions, making it a vital artery for daily commuters. “It is not just a pothole, it’s a warning sign,” said Arvind Sharma, a local activist and resident of SBS Nagar. “I’ve flagged the issue repeatedly. Poor drainage, reckless cable digging and zero preventive checks have turned our roads into ticking time bombs.” Commuters are already feeling the impact. With the festival season approaching, traffic congestion has worsened and detours through narrow lanes are causing delays and accidents. “Going to Model Town has become a nightmare,” said Ravinder Singh, a shopkeeper near the affected stretch. “There’s no signage, no barricades, just chaos. People have put tree branches into the road caved-in portion,” he added. A demolition drive in progress at Bhadla village. lacked statutory sanction and compliance with the government norms. Liquor smugglers attacklicensees’ team Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 28 In Ludhiana, a private team of licensees was attacked by miscreants late on Wednesday night when it was cracking the whip on liquor smugglers. The team members got information that some people had been smuggling illicit liquor in the Janak Puri area. They were roaming in the market to keep an eye on the liquor smugglers. Later, the liquor smugglers surrounded the team members and beat them up. There were about 20 to 25 persons involved in the assault. The team members escaped from the spot to save their lives. Following a complaint made through officials of the Excise Department, an FIR has been lodged by the police. About three persons are reported to be injured in the attack. Two of them, members of the team, have been admitted to the CMCH. Medical check-up of a policeman, who was among the injured, was done at the Civil Hospital. The uniform of the police official was also torn by the attackers. The police official, Sukhdev Singh, said he had gone to raid the Janakpuri area with the private team of the licensees. Some people were suspected of smuggling liquor. When he stopped the vehicle for checking and started questioning some suspicious youths, about 20 to 25 youngsters attacked the raiding team. The attackers abused and attacked them with sharp objects. Sukhdev said the miscreants slapped him and tore his uniform. Somehow, they escaped and saved their lives. Two youths, Sunny and Sufiyan, who were part of the raiding team, were injured. Meanwhile, Shivani Gupta, AC (Excise), Ludhiana, said no excise inspector or official was involved in the raid as it was conducted by a private team of licensees. The Chief Administrator also appealed to the public not to purchase property/plots/buildings in unauthorised colonies as GLADA will not provide any facility such as water supply, sewerage, electricity connections. The list of approved and regularised colonies along with their sanctioned maps was available on the official website of GLADA, which may be checked by prospective buyers before buying any property. He said besides undertaking a demolition campaign, GLADA had also recommended filing of FIRs against developers of unauthorised colonies in the district. Ludhiana, August 28 The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Sandeep Singh Bajwa has sentenced two brothers, Sandeep Saini, a resident of New Tagore Nagar, Haibowal, and Simarjit Singh of Old Madhopuri to rigorous life imprisonment for murdering their mother Amarjit Kaur over a prolonged property dispute. Delivering the verdict, the court held that the prosecution has proved its case beyond reasonable doubt. Declining the plea of leniency, it also ordered them to pay fine of Rs 10,000 each. Additional public prosecu- tor Ajay Kunar Singla apprised that the crime occurred on July 17, 2017, at Old Madhopuri. The accused acting with a common intention, strangled their mother to death. The prosecution examined 16 witnesses to prove the guilt of the accused, which played important role in bringing the truth to light. The judgment also rested heavily on the testimony of Amarjit Kaur’s daughter, Gagandeep Kaur, who said how her mother was repeatedly harassed by her sons over property, faced beatings from Simarjit. She also recalled earlier attempts on her mother’s life, including an acid attack, by Sandeep. 14 goats killed by stray dogs, farmer demands ~5.6-lakh compensation Mahesh Sharma Mandi Ahmedgarh, August 28 A pack of stray dogs attacked a goat farm, killing 14 animals and leaving nine injured in the wee hours of Wednesday. Gurpreet Singh of Rajendra Nagar, Jamalpura, in Malerkotla district, owner of the farm, has demanded a compensation of Rs 5.6 lakh, besides seeking free treatment of injured goats which survived the attack. Through a communiqué addressed to Deputy Commissioner, Malerkotla, Viraj S Tidke, Gurpreet Singh has drawn attention of the state government towards increasing canine menace in the region, which had been taking heavy toll on lives of the people and domestic animals as well. “I am a poor person who had been looking after my family with the meagre income from The victim shows a goat injured by stray dogs in Jamalpura. PHOTO BY WRITER the sale of goat milk,” said Gurpreet Singh,adding that at present, he had been rearing 23 goats, some of which were purchased on credit. Gurpreet is facing a double whammy as besides suffering losses due to the death of his 14 goats, he has to spend money on the treatment of the injured animals and dis- c m y b Health officials visit a flood-affected area in Ludhiana. resident is left without medical support during this critical time,” she said. She urged residents to take preventive measures seriously — consume only boiled or chlorinated water, avoid uncovered or spoiled food and maintain strict personal hygiene. “Hand washing with soap before meals and after using the toilet must be practiced diligently,” she added. To prevent mosquito breeding, Dr Kaur advised people to ensure there was no stagnant water. She told residents to sleep under mosquito nets. In case of symptoms such as fever, diarrhoea, vomiting, jaundice or skin rashes, residents should contact the nearest health facility or Rapid Response Team. The Civil Surgeon further assured that the government had ensured adequate stock of essential medicines, ORS, chlorine tablets and other supplies. Health workers have been instructed to intensify public awareness campaigns and mosquito-control activities across the district. “With 74 Rapid Response Teams on the ground, our goal is to ensure timely medical care and prevent any disease from going undetected,” Dr Kaur emphasised. She appealed to the public to cooperate fully and follow health advisories, assuring that the department will continue its dedicated services till the situation stabilises. 2 get life term for killing mother over property dispute Rajneesh Lakhanpal Ludhiana, August 28 Following the directions of Housing and Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian and GLADA Chief Administrator Sandeep Kumar, the GLADA Regulatory wing demolished one unauthorised colony in Bhadla village on Thursday by dismantling roads and undergoing illegal constructions and structures on these sites. Kumar stated a special drive had been launched to take punitive action against those who were fleecing innocent residents under the garb of offering cheaper plots in such unauthorised colonies, which Ludhiana, August 28 In response to the ongoing flood crisis, the Health Department of Ludhiana has intensified its efforts to safeguard public health, deploying 74 Rapid Response Teams across the district. The initiative aims to curb the spread of waterborne, foodborne and mosquito-borne diseases and ensure uninterrupted medical care in both rural and urban areas. Civil Surgeon Ramandeep Kaur, accompanied by Assistant Civil Surgeon Vivek Kataria and District Epidemiologist Sheetal Narang, visited Sasrali (Raur Complex) village, Koom Kalan block, on Thursday to assess the ground situation. During the visit, the Civil Surgeon inspected medical teams, reviewed the availability of essential medicines and issued directives to further strengthen health services in flood-affected zones. Dr Kaur said 63 teams had been deployed in rural areas and 11 in urban pockets, all working round-theclock to monitor disease outbreaks, provide immediate treatment, ensure safe drinking water and conduct mosquito-control drives. “The state government is committed to ensure that no posal of the carcasses. Notably, those hit by stray dog menace did not approach the authorities for seeking any compensation. Now, that people have come to know about the High Court orders regarding responsibility of civic bodies of compensating victims according to number and nature of wounds inflicted by stray dogs, they (victims) have started demanding their rightful compensation in compliance with the orders of the court. “I have demanded Rs 5.6 lakh as compensation as 14 goats, worth Rs 40,000 each, have been killed during the incident,” said Gurpreet Singh. Key corroboration came from Jagdeep Singh, husband of complainant Gagandeep Kaur, who told the court that he had seen the CCTV footage in police presence on the day of the incident. “In the CCTV footage, one youth was seen coming, whom I identified as Sandeep Saini. Sandeep and Simarjit had committed the murder of my mother-in-law. On seeing the pictures of the CCTV footage in the judicial file, I can confirm that the person riding the Honda Activa is Sandeep,” he deposed in court. The crucial CCTV evidence was produced from the house of a neighbour, Jujhar Singh, who handed over its hard disk to the police. The court noted that the footage played an important role in nailing the accused and proving the prosecution’s case. The prosecution examined 16 witnesses in total, including family members, police officials, and technical witnesses, all of whom supported the chain of evidence. Holding the brothers guilty of matricide motivated by greed and property disputes, the court awarded them life imprisonment. However, during the trial, both accused claimed false implication in case. But after appreciating the evidence on record, the court found them guilty and sentenced accordingly. Following threats, security agencies on alert in city Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 28 Security agencies are on alert in the city after receiving “threats of terror attack” in the city. According to sources, some organisations have sent warnings of targeting police stations in the city through e-mail. Following which, the police have tightened security across the city. Commissioner of Police (CP) Swapan Sharma said it was a routine checking. However, seeing security arrangements across the city, it is clear that the police don’t want to take any chance. According to information, the police have started checking by setting up special checkpoints in different parts of the city. Patrolling has also been increased. Additional police force has been deployed at many government offices and around areas, including Jagraon Bridge, Post Office, DIG Kothi, Circuit House and Ferozepur Road Elevated Bridge. It is not the first time that government buildings in the city have received threats. Officials of police stations located on the highway have also been asked to remain alert. After receiving the threats, security of many government buildings in the city has been increased but the Commissionerate Police has not increased the security of police stations. However, the authorities of the police stations located on the highway had been asked to be vigilant. An ACP in the city said security arrangements were enhanced at Ladowal, Salem Tabri, Division Number 6, Sahnewal, Dehlon, Division Number 5, Division Number 3, Jamalpur, Kumkalan, Moti Nagar, Meharban and many outposts of the city, which come under the highway police stations.