25092025-LT-01.qxd 9/25/2025 12:29 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune BJP LEADER SLAMS AAP GOVT AS VILLAGERS SEEK GUV’S HELP MEDICAL COLLEGE ROLLS OUT WOMEN-CENTRIC HEALTH DRIVE INDIAN FILM FEST OF SYDNEY TO SHOWCASE RESTORED SHOLAY Punjab BJP spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal said the AAP government had failed the people of the state. P2 ESIC Medical College and Hospital kicked off ‘Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyan’ last week. P3 IFFS has announced that the newly restored version of Sholay to be its centrepiece film this October. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 35°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 24°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.15 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:13 AM » THURSDAY | 25 SEPTEMBER 2025 | LUDHIANA Two cops posing as DIG, SP abduct three from Noida Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Firemen try to douse the flames at the hosiery godown-cum-house; and (right) wailing kin of the deceased outside the building in Ludhiana on Wednesday. ASHWANI DHIMAN Major fire in yarn godown, elderly woman, minor grandson die due to asphyxiation Short-circuit suspected to be cause of fire, pet dog too died in incident Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 24 A major fire broke out in a house-cum-yarn godown near Bharat Nagar chowk on Wednesday morning. An elderly woman, Sudha Chopra (75), and her grandson Garv Chopra (16) died due to asphyxiation during the incident. Though no flames reached the two upper floors where two families stay, the godown situated on the ground floor had completely gutted. Smoke due to the fire choked them to death. Garv was the only child of his parents. The pet dog of the family, who was also present inside the building at the time of the incident, had also died. Shortcircuit in the godown was suspected to be the cause of fire. The entire stock of yarn lying on the ground floor and some on the first floor reduced to ashes. Besides stock, furniture and other valuables also gutted in the fire. The family was into yarn trading business for a long time. The elderly woman, who was sitting on the sofa and was paralysed, was found dead on the sofa on the first floor while Garv was found unconscious in a room on the second floor. When the incident occurred, seven family members had rushed out for safety. When family members, including grandfather of Garv, went out safely, they realised that Garv and Sudha Chopra were still in the house. As the fire had spread and nothing was visible at the scene, firemen reached the place and started the rescue operation. “We could not enter the building from the ground floor due to intense fire, hence, entered it from the adjoining house. We made a chain by holding hands of each other for precautionary purpose and first took out Garv who was lying unconscious in the room and afterwards, went to the first floor where his grandmother was already lying dead. The boy was rushed to a hospital for treatment but he could not survive,” said Assistant Divisional Fire Officer (ADFO) Jaswinder Singh. He said one of the firemen had almost fainted during the rescue operation due to dense smoke in the building but he was taken out and later, regained consciousness. Jeevan Gupta, senior BJP leader, who also rushed to the scene to inquire about the incident, said he knows the family for many years. After the incident occured, Rajan Chopra, his wife Ritu Chopra, his elderly father, Rajan’s brother Rajat Chopra, his wife Mamta Chopra and two children managed to come out safely. But when they realised that the elderly woman and Garv were stuck inside, the fire had spread rapidly in the ground floor. Area councillor Ruchi Vishal Gulati said the victims had planned to hold a navratri puja at home on Wednesday and residents were also invited but the tragedy had traumatised the family. Ludhiana, September 24 Two Punjab Police personnel, along with their aides, raided an office of an online trading firm in Noida where the duo posed themselves as DIG and SP from the Chandigarh cybercrime wing and abducted three online traders, identified as Tarun Agarwal, a resident of Mahadeep Apartment, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Herat Shah, a resident of New Mani Nagar, Ahmedabad, and Burai Raj of Tamil Nadu on the pretext of investigating a cyber fraud case. As the suspects failed to get Rs 10-crore extortion, they still managed to loot 4,650 US dollars, one lakh cash, an Apple mobile, an Apple watch and another mobile. They brought the victims to the cyber police station in Khanna and asked the incharge, SI Nirpinderpal Singh, for action for committing cyber fraud but the officer during investigation caught the lies of the police personnel and found that the latter deliberately abducted them for extortion. The SI registered a case on the charges of abduction, extortion, cheating against them and their aides. As per the police, the three victims, who were abducted, were doing some online trading business in Noida and the Khanna police to verify the matter, had written to the Noida police to check if they are into legal or illegal buisness. The suspects were identified as head constable Bal- Seek ~10-cr extortion; suspect HC is posted with SP-rank official of Punjab Police, ASI posted in GRP winder Singh, ASI Kuldeep Singh, Karandeep Singh, a resident of New Janta Nagar, Shimlapuri, Gagandeep Singh, alias Apple, of Jujhar Nagar, Shimlapuri, Mani of Giaspura and one unidentified person. Balwinder is posted with some SP-rank officer of the Punjab Police while ASI Kuldeep is posted with the GRP . Karandeep was arrested by the police while raids were on to nab the remaining suspects. In the FIR, one of the victims, an online trader, Tarun Aggarwal, who along with his two aides, was abducted from his Noida office told SI Nirpinderpal that “I was present in my office in Noida on September 15 where four persons barged into it, where Balwinder Singh introduced himself as SP and Kuldeep Singh, alias Apple, introduced himself as DIG and Karandeep Singh, who was carrying a weapon, posed himself as a gunman of Balwinder and the fourth person was in a police uniform, with a tattoo on his neck. His height was about 6 feet. He pushed aside staff of my office and took away everyone’s mobile phones and laptops. They took me along with Herat and Burai in a vehicle and said there was a complaint against us at the Chandigarh cybercrime wing and they came to arrest us. They put us in a black MG Hector and a black Kia Seltos and brought us to Ludhiana around 4 am at Zamindar Dhaba, where they kept us in a room. They asked us to pay Rs 10-crore extortion if we want to leave. There Kuldeep Singh, who posed himself as DIG, came and asked us to pay only Rs 5 crore and as we refused to arrange that much money and asked for Rs 2 crore finally. I called my brother who said he could arrange only Rs 10 lakh. Thereafter, the suspects took us to the Sahnewal police station where they kept us in a car and Balwinder went inside and returned after 30 minutes and again asked to settle the deal at Rs 70 lakh. We were then brought to the Khanna police station where lies of the suspects were exposed.” The SI stated in the FIR that when Balwinder and Karandeep were interrogated, they admitted that they committed a mistake and tried to extort money from three persons by conducting a raid. Balwinder under the pretext of calling his other aides went out of the police station and didn’t return. Further probe was on in the matter. Court acquits Simarjit Bains, 21 22 -yr-old youth dies by suicide in Ghumar Mandi others in nine-yr-old protest case Legal Correspondent Ludhiana, September 24 The Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Pavleen Singh on Wednesday acquitted former MLA and Congress leader Simarjit Singh Bains, along with 21 of his associates, in a case related to a protest that took place nine years ago. As per the case, at the time of the incident, Bains was heading the Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) and had led a demonstration outside the cable TV office on the Ferozepur road. During the agitation nine years ago, a scuffle broke out between the protesters and a police party, following which the Sarabha Nagar police registered a case against Bains and his sup- porters. They were booked for allegedly obstructing police officials from discharging their duty, blocking the main road and disrupting public order. After years of trial, the court, delivered the verdict on Wednesday, acquitting Bains and the 21 others of all charges, finding no cogent and convincing evidence against them. Ludhiana, September 24 A youth, son of a local businessman and a former liquor trader, has allegedly died by suicide. He was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his home on Tuesday evening. He left behind a suicide note, which has been recovered by the police. According to assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Rajkumar, the victim, Manav Pahwa (22), a resident of ASHWANI DHIMAN Tribune News Service Argument at liquor store reason for his extreme step, say victim’s kin. Rani Jhansi Eeclave, Ghumar Mandi, had recently returned to the city after completing his studies in Dehradun. ASI Raj Kumar said when Grounds to streets: Dasehra finds new meaning in smaller celebrations Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 24 For decades, Dasehra has been synonymous with grand melas, bustling crowds and the dramatic burning of Ravana’s towering effigy in sprawling grounds. But as times change, so do traditions. Increasingly, families are choosing quieter, more intimate celebrations with- Shift has sparked a growing demand for smaller Ravana effigies, handcrafted by local artists adapting to changing mood of festival Vishal Sharma prepares small effigies for the Dasehra celebrations in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA in their colonies and societies — ushering in a new wave of Dasehra that’s personal, peaceful and just as meaningful. This shift has sparked a growing demand for smaller Ravana effigies, handcrafted by local artists who are adapting to the changing mood of the festival. Vishal Sharma, who prima- rily deals in kites, has also been preparing Ravana effigies for the past two years. He engages an artist from Saharanpur to craft them. “These effigies are often customised for celebrations in residential colonies or small community gatherings. Their height ranges from 4 to 10 ft, with prices range between ?700 and c m y b ?4,000. On average, I sell around 150 to 200 effigies each season,” he said. Another such artist, Ramesh Kumar, who began making compact effigies last year, says: “Earlier, I only worked on large orders for community grounds. But now, families come asking for three-ft Ravanas they can burn in their own lanes. It’s more personal, and I feel I’m part of their celebrations.” The reasons behind this shift are layered. Safety concerns, crowd fatigue and a desire for more meaningful time with loved ones have led many to rethink how they mark the festival. “I stopped going to the big ground two years ago,” says Neha Sharma, a resident of Model Town. “It’s too crowded, and my kids get overwhelmed. Now, we celebrate in our colony park with a small Ravana and homemade sweets. It feels more connected.” For others, the change is about reclaiming the essence of the festival. “Dasehra is about the triumph of good over evil,” says retired teacher Harjit Singh. “Whether the Ravana is 30-ft tall or just three, the message remains. In our society, we gather, share stories and burn a small effigy together. It’s peaceful and heartfelt,” he says. Local markets are now dotted with miniature Ravanas — some made of paper, others of eco-friendly materials — priced affordably for small gatherings. The artists say the demand has doubled this year, with many placing custom orders. Whether in a crowded ground or a quiet lane, the flames of Ravana still rise and with them, the hope for a better tomorrow. Manav went to a local liquor store to buy alcohol the previous night, an argument broke out between him and the store employee when Manav’s online payment via UPI failed. Though Manav returned home, he was upset after the incident. The next morning, his mother, Payal, found him hanging in his room. The family reported the incident to the police, stating that the argument was the reason for his extreme step. The police filed a case against an unidentified individual and are making efforts to identify the person the youth argued with at the store. The ASI said the police would analyse the suicide note to determine the next course of action. They had taken the body for a postmortem examination and expect to take the suspect into custody after the completion of the probe. DC orders crackdown on illegal 5-kg LPG cylinders Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 24 Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain on Wednesday ordered surprise inspections to curb the illegal sale, storage and use of 5-kg LPG cylinders across Ludhiana. The move aims to protect public safety and prevent hazardous incidents caused by unauthorised gas cylinders. During a meeting with LPG companies’ representatives and distributors’ associations, Jain highlighted reports of unauthorised activities involving the storage, filling, refilling and transportation of non-ISI/BIS-certified gas cylinders and containers. Such practices violate the Explosives Act and Gas Cylinder Rules, 2016, posing severe risks to life, property, and public safety due to potential fire hazards and explosions. To address the issue, Jain imposed a complete ban on the storage, sale and use of non-ISI cylinders, invoking powers under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The prohibition covers, sale or display of nonISI cylinders or containers, use of transparent pipes or non-ISI cylinders in godowns, shops, warehouses, workshops, food stalls or residential premises for cooking and heating, filling or refilling LPG or other gases in non-ISI cylinders, use of non-ISI cylinders for domestic, commercial, or industrial purposes and transportation of nonISI cylinders for any purpose. The Deputy Commissioner also instructed inspection teams to rigorously check utensil shops, migrant-populated areas and other establishments for compliance.