29122025-LT-01.qxd 12/29/2025 12:45 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune A YEAR OF MILESTONES & MISSED OPPORTUNITIES OTT POWERHOUSES WHO KEPT US GLUED TO OUR SCREENS LEGENDARY ACTRESS BRIGITTE BARDOT PASSES AWAY AT 91 Ludhiana’s health sector ends the year with more than its share of hits as well as misses. P2 This year saw actors pushing boundaries and breathing life into complex characters on OTT. P4 Known in France merely by initials BB, she tantalised audiences with her raw display of sexuality in the 1950s and ’60s. P4 » » » FORECAST DENSE FOG MAX 20°C | MIN 5°C YESTERDAY MAX 20°C | MIN 4°C SUNSET MONDAY 5.32 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:18 AM MONDAY | 29 DECEMBER 2025 | LUDHIANA Encroachments continue to choke Chaura 2 criminals land in police Bazaar despite repeated drives, warnings dragnet after encounter Market attracts thousands of visitors from Punjab, other states on weekends Suspects were wanted in an attempt-to-murder case Our Correspondent Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, December 28 Chaura Bazaar, one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs, continues to present a picture of chaos every Sunday, with illegal encroachments, traffic congestion and overcrowding, making life miserable for commuters and shoppers alike. Despite repeated warnings and anti-encroachment drives by the traffic police and the Municipal Corporation, violations persist. Makeshift shops and carts line roads, narrowing pathways and obstructing traffic flow. Rajiv, a shopkeeper near Mata Rani Chowk, said: “Managing traffic becomes a problem on Sunday. It is difficult to drive on the Clock Tower road. Going into Chaura Bazaar is a Herculean task.” Pedestrians too face difficulties. With carts on the roads, the entire roads are encroached upon, giving little space for commuters. Taranbir Singh, who runs a shoe shop in the area, said now he was not opening his shop on Sundays. “It Khanna, December 28 The Khanna police arrested two persons wanted in an attempt-to-murder case. One of the suspects, Gurvir Singh, was overpowered by the police inside a deserted building. The other suspect, Inderjit Singh Bui, was arrested after being injured in a retaliatory firing as he resorted to firing while coming outside the building. Bullets fired by Inderjit struck a police vehicle. No cop was injured in the incident. The arrested suspects, along with Manjot and Prabhjot, were booked earlier for firing at Manpreet Singh Goldy, acting sarpanch of Raj- outlet on the night intervening Saturday and Sunday after confirming that the two suspects had entered it after being chased by the officials. “We cordoned off the building premises with multiple layers of security rings. When two of our cops entered its premises, Inderjit tried to escape by jumping over the wall and his accomplice Gurvir was overpowered,” said Dr Yadav, adding that Inderjit opened fire at policemen deployed outside the building. The police said Inderjit was already facing four criminal cases and he was declared a proclaimed offender in those cases. The police were yet to ascertain the association of the suspects with any outfit. Commuters are facing inconvenience due to encroachments and traffic congestion at Chaura Bazaar. ASHWANI DHIMAN becomes difficult to reach my shop due to huge rush of customers. Hence, I keep my shop closed on Sundays,” he said. The bazaar attracts thousands of visitors not only from the state but also from Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Jammu and Kashmir on weekends. Wholesale merchants in the nearby AC Market near Clock Tower also witness heavy sales, adding to the congestion in the area. Naresh, a trader near Girja Ghar, said: “The authorities have failed to take stern action. Even pedestrians did not find space to walk in the oldest commercial hub of the city, let alone the smooth traffic flow.” Industry warns of strike from Jan 15 if GST refunds not released Ludhiana, December 28 Industrial bodies have warned that they will begin a strike from January 15 if the government fails to release pending GST refunds. At a meeting held under the leadership of Jatinder Mittal, chairman of the United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association, along with Gurmeet Singh Kular, president, Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation, representatives demanded immediate release of refunds stuck due to the inverted duty structure. In a joint statement, they pointed out that finished products such as bicycles, sewing machines and agricultural implements fall under the 5 per cent GST slab while raw materials are taxed at 18 per cent. The mismatch leads to accumulation of refunds with the government. “It’s industry’s own money,” they said, adding that the garh village on Wednesday. On being chased by a police team, Inderjit and Gurvir had entered a deserted building behind the KFC outlet on the Ludhiana-Delhi highway after leaving their motorcycle outside. Gurvir was overpowered by two officials who entered the building but Inderjit tried to escape by jumping over the wall. As the police had deployed another team outside, Inderjit faced a bullet injury on his leg during retaliatory firing by police officials, led by Inspector Akash Datt. Inderjit was taken to the Civil Hospital at Payal. Khanna SSP Jyoti Yadav said special teams of the police had cordoned a deserted building behind the KFC Bizmen say the refunds have been pending for past six months. FILE delay had created a working capital deficit, forcing units to overuse bank limits and pay higher interest. They said the refunds had been pending for the past six months and must be released without further delay. “The government should intervene in the matter and direct the officials concerned to ensure that refunds were released automatically once returns are filed. The money is neither a grant nor a subsidy — it belongs to the industry and should be returned at the earliest,” Kular said. They cautioned that if the refunds were not provided soon, the industry would intensify its struggle against the government and begin a strike from January 15. On the other side, vendors argue they should be given designated spaces. Sonu Kumar, a fruit seller, said: “Instead of taking action against us, the authorities should allocate specific areas. On weekends, sales are good due to which more vendors come to the market.” Another vendor, Raman, said shopkeepers also extend their shops onto roads, worsening the problem. While the MC’s tehbazari wing claims regular checks, the ground reality depicts a different story. Chaura Bazaar remains “chaura” (wide) only in name, as encroachments continue to choke one of the Ludhiana’s oldest markets. Meet to strengthen NGOs’ role in HIV prevention Speeding car damages foundation stone Ludhiana, December 28 A significant meeting focusing on community system strengthening (CSS) was held on Sunday with non-government organisations (NGOs) under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP). The meeting was chaired by Assistant Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, Vivek Kataria, reflecting the district administration’s commitment to strengthening communitybased health approaches. The objective of the meeting was to enhance coordination between the government health system and community-based organisations to further improve the reach, quality and sustainability of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care services. Special emphasis was placed on community empowerment, strengthening grassroots networks and ensuring the effective implementation of CSS strategies under the NACP — TNS . Cops inspect the scene where the firing occurred near Khanna on Saturday night. The speeding vehicle that rammed into the foundation stone (right) on Malhar Road in Ludhiana on Sunday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Our Correspondent Ludhiana, December 28 The police have initiated a probe into an incident in which occupants of a car had fled, leaving the vehicle at the scene after it crashed with a foundation stone installed on the central divider of Malhar Road here on Sunday. The police are yet to ascertain the identity of the owner and occupants of the vehicle that was also damaged in the mishap. Investigations revealed that the driver of the Audi vehicle (bearing registration number CH 01 AZ 4440) had lost control over the car near a diversion for the Gurdev Nagar area. Luckily, traffic flow was less during morning hours and the speeding car collided with a foundation stone, displaying dedication of Sat Paul Mittal Road by former Chief Min- ister Beant Singh. The then Finance Minister Kewal Krishan had presided over the function to install the stone. The collision was so powerful that the foundation stone was damaged completely. Air bags of the car were also found open. Year-end discounts fuel surge in car sales across segments NCW takes cognisance Manav Mander Incentives helping clear inventories before New Year while giving buyers compelling reason to upgrade vehicles Tribune News Service Ludhiana, December 28 The automobile market is witnessing a strong year-end boost as manufacturers roll out attractive discounts and bundled offers across popular car models. From compact hatchbacks to premium sedans, buyers are being lured by savings that range from Rs 1 lakh to over Rs 2 lakh, depending on the vehicle. Industry insiders said the surge was driven by bundled benefits, including GST waivers, cash discounts, insurance packages and exchange offers. The incentives were helping clear inventories before the New Year while Dealerships are witnessing increased footfall and booking enquiries due to offers. ASHWANI DHIMAN giving buyers a compelling reason to upgrade or invest in new vehicles. Among mid-range models, Hyundai’s Creta and Alcazar are offering total benefits of Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1.80 lakh, respectively. Venue and Aura follow closely, with savings of Rs 1.40 lakh and Rs 1.30 lakh, respectively. Maruti cars are also part of the discount wave, offering up to Rs 1.50 lakh in combined benefits depending on the variant. c m y b Luxury buyers are also seeing significant gains. Honda Civic buyers can save up to Rs 2.25 lakh while select premium models from other manufacturers are offered at up to Rs 2 lakh in combined savings. Dealerships are reporting increased footfall and booking enquiries, with many customers citing fuel efficiency, upgraded features and financial incentives as key motivators. The timing of the offers ahead of price hikes expected in the New Year has added urgency to purchase decisions. Rohit Sharma, a customer at a Ludhiana dealership, said: “I had been planning to buy a new car for months but these year-end offers made the decision easier. Savings are substantial and with prices set to rise in January, it feels like the right time to invest.” With the festive season behind and inventories being cleared, the year-end discount window is expected to remain open for a limited time. Industry experts advise buyers to act quickly, as models and variants may vary in availability and offer structure. of pregnant woman’s murder by husband Ludhiana, December 28 The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken cognisance of the alleged murder of an eight-month pregnant woman of Raj Colony about a week ago. The commission has sought a detailed action taken report within five days from the Director General of Police, Punjab. The NCW has directed the police to conduct a fair, impartial and time-bound investigation, besides strict legal action against the suspect, preservation of evidence, legal aid and compensation for the bereaved family. The Daba police in Ludhiana had registered a murder case on December 23 against Ajai Singh of Lohara village for allegedly killing his wife Pushpa Rani on December 22. Vijay Kumar of Bahri village in Kurukshetra, Haryana, had informed the police about the alleged harassment and victimisation of his sister Pushpa Rani at the hands of her husband. Investigation had revealed that the woman, who was eight months’ pregnant, had succumbed to her injuries caused by the suspect. — TNS