19092025-LT-01.qxd 9/19/2025 12:28 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune RECARPETING OF SERVICE LANES BEGIN AFTER PROTEST BOX CRICKET GAINS GROUND IN LUDHIANA ARYAN KHAN’S THE BA***DS OF BOLLYWOODDROPS ON NETFLIX The stalled work has now started and recarpeting of the Sahnewal service lanes is underway. P2 For most Indians cricket is not just a game it is a passion. It captivates the hearts of millions. P3 Aryan’s larger-than-life drama on the inner workings of Bollywood takes the ‘nepo kid’ charge head on. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.23 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:09 AM » FRIDAY | 19 SEPTEMBER 2025 | LUDHIANA Compensation for flood-hit villages yet to be finalised by state govt Within one month, survey, assessment and disbursement of relief will be done: DC Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Four nabbed for duping 2 residents of ~22.75 lakh Samrala, September 18 The police claimed to have arrested four out of eight suspects who had allegedly cheated two persons on the pretext of paying handsome returns on investment in their company. The arrested suspects were identified as Avtar Singh of Kheernia village, Bikramjit Singh, Amit Khullar and Harpreet Singh, residents of Gehlewal village. Parwinder Singh of Baina Buland village, Jaspreeet Singh of Jalanpur village, Satwinder Singh of Amloh and Jatinder Singh of Gobindgarh were yet to be nabbed. The suspects had allegedly duped Joginder Singh of Baba Nand Singh Nagar, Pullanwal, here, and his brother-in-law Manoj Kumar of Rs 22.75 lakh. Investigating officer Pavitar Singh said an FIR had been registered against the eight persons associated with a company, Generation of Farming, under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Wednesday. Joginder had informed the police that the suspects had allured him and his brother-in-law to deposit Rs 25.75 lakh in two separate accounts on March 26. Though the suspects had promised handsome profits from deposits in their company, the victims were paid only Rs 3 lakh, due to which they suffered a loss of Rs 22.75 lakh. Pavitar said the Samrala police had initiated a probe into the case after seizing four laptops from the possession of the suspects. — OC HEALTH & WELLNESS The Tribune is starting a Q and A column to address your health-related queries. Please mail your questions (not exceeding 40 words) at healthandwellness@tribunemail.com. The Tribune’s panel of doctors will answer all your healthrelated concerns. Dhussi bandh being strengthened at Sasrali village by the Army and other forces. FILE assessments were still awaited. “We are expecting survey teams on Thursday. Personally, I have lost produce on around eight acres of land,” he said. However, farmers are concerned that the damage extends beyond crops. Avtar Singh of Boothgarh said: “The government may compensate for lost produce but the flood water has destroyed the soil. We won’t be able to sow again for at least six to seven years, provided there are no fresh floods during this recovery time.” Dalit farmers among the affected lot The floods also took a toll on Dalit farmers who own smaller landholdings. Nand Singh of Sekhowal said nearly 25-30 Dalit families in his village lost stored fodder. “Our community has suffered losses on Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 18 The craze for getting fancy numbers for luxury vehicles by paying huge prices refuses to die down among local residents. During the recent online auction of the fancy numbers by the Transport Department, Punjab, the number PB-10 KD 0001 has gone with an exorbitant amount of Rs 18.73 lakh to a resident in Ludhiana. This is one of the highest amounts paid for 0001 number till date in Ludhiana. The government had kept the reserved price of Rs 1 lakh for the num- Many other fancy numbers were auctioned, which too grabbed huge amounts ber and about 11 persons wanted to get the same through the online auction. At last, it was given to the person who agreed to an amount of 18.73 lakh for the fancy number. Besides, many other fancy numbers were also auctioned by the department and a huge amount was collected. Number 0005 was sold for Rs 5.65 lakh while 0007 went for Rs 5.53 lakh. Similarly, 0555 for Rs 2.30 lakh, 0006 for Rs 2 lakh, 0025 for Rs 1.69 lakh, 1313 for Rs 1.15 lakh and 1111 for Rs 1.01 lakh. The RTO, Kuldeep Bawa, said the auctions were held across the state through online mode, every week. One of the residents, wishing not to be quoted, said around seven years ago, he had got 0001 number for over Rs 5 lakh. “That time, Rs 5 lakh was a huge sum but today, 0001 number has gone for around Rs 19 lakh, which shows that the craze for getting fancy numbers for luxury vehicles is still the same among people,” the resident added. ESIC hospital launches drive to prioritise women’s health Ludhiana, September 18 The ESIC Medical College and Hospital has launched the ‘Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan’, a nationwide initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision. Running from Sep- tember 17 to October 2, the campaign focuses on women’s health as the cornerstone of empowered families and a healthier society. Mayor Inderjeet Kaur inaugurated the campaign, emphasising that true health stems not only from medicine but also from awareness, preventive care and lifestyle changes. Dean Inder Pawar highlighted the role of education in women’s empowerment while Medical Superintendent Aparajita D’souza urged women to take charge of their health for the wellbeing of their families and communities. — TNS 6 held for violating Explosives Act Murdered US citizen was Aadhaar cardholder Mahesh Sharma Our Correspondent Mandi Ahmedgarh, Sept 18 The police claimed to have busted a gang of miscreants that was involved in the manufacturing of crackers in violation of Section 9B of The Explosives Act, 1884. As many as 9,100 packets of finished products, 2.500 kg of raw material of various grades and paraphernalia used in illegal manufacturing of crackers were seized from the possession of the suspects arrested in connection with two cases registered at the Sandaur and Malerkotla City 1 police stations. The suspects included three brothers, Suhel, Sabar and Sawan, natives of Mujjarnagar in UP and , Tasleem Khan of Adampur and Shehnawaj of Chitawi, who were were arrested when they were preparing crackers illegally at a deserted factory Firecrackers lying at an illegal cracker factory at Dhadewal village at Dhadewal village in Malerkotla district. Sandaur SHO Gagandeep Singh said police officials, led by Gurjot Singh, had busted a cracker factory on a premises owned by a former sarpanch of Dhadewala village and seized huge stocks of finished products and raw material. Though the police were yet to ascertain the modus operandi and network of suppliers and purchasers, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had started their operation around a week ago but had earlier been booked on the same charge two years ago. Aditya Kumar of Shamli in UP was arrested from another factory situated in a locality on the LudhianaMalerkotla road. Ludhiana, September 18 In a shocking case of betrayal and murder committed over two months ago by a contract killer of Kilaraipur at the behest of a would-be groom of a Indian-origin US citizen, the woman was also a bearer of Aadhaar card, allegedly prepared by the accomplice of the killer, Sukhjeet Singh Sonu, in a clandestine manner. Prepared on March 3, the Aadhaar card shows the victim’s address as Rupinder Kaur Pandher, c/o Harbhajan Singh Grewal, House No 4465, Shimlapuri, here. Deceased’s sister Kamaljit Kaur Khairah, a resident of Sugarland Texas in the US, has urged the investigating police to initiate action against the accomplice of Sukhjeet who had allegedly prepared the Aadhaar card of the victim for ulterior Aadhaar card of deceased Rupinder Kaur Pandher. motives by misguiding the authorities. “We fail to understand the reason behind issuance of UID in the name of my sister while all her dealings and documents were based on her US passport number A14166100, showing her permanent address at Seattle, USA,” she said while talking to The Tribune over phone. Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP) Harjinder Singh Gill said the investigating team, led by Dehlon SHO Sukhjinder Singh, had been advised to probe the rationale behind the issuance of Aadhaar in the name of a US citizen and initiate action against those who allegedly facilitated the same by furnishing wrong information. The police also initiated a process to verify whether the transfer of money from foreign bank account of Rupinder Kaur to local accounts of Sukhjeet and his brother Man- With festive season nearing, residents brace for traffic chaos in city Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 18 As the festive season approaches, city markets are buzzing with excitement, and also bracing for a familiar chaos. From Ghumar Mandi to Model Town, BRS Nagar to Dugri, every major shopping hub faces mounting traffic congestion, worsened by encroachments and roadside displays by shopkeepers. “Festivals bring joy but reaching shops feels like a battle,” said Simranpreet Kaur, a resident of Model Town, here. “There’s barely space to walk, let alone drive. Vendors encroach upon on roads and autos stop midlane,” she said. “With Navratri and Diwali approaching, markets are packed and roads are chaotic,” said Harpreet Singh, a local shopkeeper in Ghumar Mandi. walk. It’s stressful and unsafe,” he said. Harvinder Singh, a businessman from BRS Nagar, said: “We want to welcome customers with festive displays but the lack of regulation turns celebration into a gridlock. The city needs a plan.” HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, September 18 Timely strengthening of the dhussi bandh along the Sutlej by the district administration, villagers, Army and NDRF forces helped prevent major losses in the recent floods. However, large tracts of standing crops and dry and wet fodder were destroyed in several villages, for which compensation estimates are still being worked out by the state government. Villages that suffered damage include Sasrali Colony, Garhi Fazil, Boothgarh, parts of Sekhowal, Kasabad and Chaunte. According to rough estimates, nearly 150-200 acres in Sasrali village were affected, including large portions inside the bandh where paddy and poplar were sown and around 40-50 acres outside it. In Garhi Fazil, nearly 70-80 acres of crops were submerged. AAP leader Pradeep Singh Khalsa, who assisted villagers in strengthening the bandh during the floods, said final about 30 acres but no one has approached us so far for compensation. We have applied through the patwari and waiting for a response,” he said. Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson from Sahnewal, Pritpal Singh Balliawal, pointed out that villagers were currently giving only rough verbal estimates. “The exact compensation amount and area covered are yet to be determined by the authorities,” he added. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said: “Providing relief was our topmost priority, all staff, including SDMs, CROs and Municipal Corporation, have been deputed for a damage survey in affected villages and city areas. Regular review meetings are being held to assess the situation, teams are daily adding details of people whose houses got damaged due to heavy rains.” “We have been directed to expedite the process. Within one month, everything, including the survey, assessment and disbursement of compensation will be done,” he assured. E-auction: ‘0001’ fetches whopping ~18.73 lakh Mayor convenes meeting with traffic, civic body officials, takes key decisions Encroachments by shopkeepers and vendors on roadsides have worsened traffic situation in Ludhiana. “Even a short commute takes double the time. We need strict enforcement and better planning,” he said. College student Aarti Verma echoed the frustration. c m y b “Auto-rickshaws stop anywhere, vendors spill onto roads and there’s no space to In response to growing concerns, Mayor Inderjit Kaur convened a meeting with senior traffic and civic body officials. The attendees included DCP (law and order, traffic) Parminder Singh Bhandal, MC Joint Commissioner Vineet Kumar, ADCP (Traffic) Gurpreet Purewal, MC Assistant Commissioner Gurpal Singh and tehbazari superintend- ents from all four zones. Key decisions taken included marking of yellow lines for street vendors, identifying no-tolerance zones and launching awareness drives to prevent encroachments. “We’re not against street vendors,” the Mayor said, adding that “they must stay within designated areas. Their presence should not obstruct traffic, especially during the festive rush”. “Traffic congestion is a major concern. Every measure is being taken to ensure smooth movement and safety for all. We’re taking every step to ensure the city remains navigable and safe during the festive season and beyond. The civic body is expected to roll out fresh traffic management plans in coming days, with special attention to high-footfall areas and market zones,” she said. vir Singh were in accordance with the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). The woman was allegedly killed by Sukhjeet at the behest of the 75-year-old UKbased NRI from Mehma Singh Wala village. The police revealed that the victim was lured to Punjab under the pretext of marriage. She had reportedly transferred large sums of money to accounts linked to the suspects. Investigators believe that financial gain was the primary motive behind the brutal killing. The case came to light only weeks later when Rupinder Kaur’s sister, Kamal Kaur Khairah, reported her missing and alerted the US Embassy in India on July 28, after repeated failed attempts to contact her. The breakthrough came when a friend informed the family of Sukhjeet’s detention by the Dehlon police recently. Contractor attacked by miscreants Ludhiana, September 18 Niksh Gupta, son of Dass Builder, a contractor, was attacked by a group of contractors from Moga. CCTV footage captured the incident. As per information, a few days ago, Gupta went to Moga to bid for a Rs 10-crore road tender under the Prime Minister’s scheme. At that time, local contractors threatened him, telling him to withdraw his bid, claiming they are the only ones who get contracts in the area. On Wednesday, at 2 pm, while Gupta was about to get into his car outside the Dass Builder office, around six contractors from Moga came and hit him with iron rods. He got injuries on his leg and two fingers. He also received 20 stitches on his head. He is being treated at a hospital. The Division 6 police are in the process to register a case. — TNS