30122025-LT-01.qxd 12/30/2025 12:49 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune SURJIT HOCKEY ACADEMY BAGS ARYAN CUP TITLE Surjit Hockey Academy defeated Baba Fateh Singh Hockey Academy in final of Aryan Cup Hockey meet. P3 » ACTRESS HUMA QURESHI STUNS AS ELIZABETH THE SHAADI SPECTACLE GREW BIGGER AND BETTER THIS YEAR The first look of Huma Qureshi from upcoming film, Toxic: A Fairytale for Grown-Ups, has been released. P4 Year 2025 will be remembered as one of the most spectacular in celebrity and high-profile weddings. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 20°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 20°C | MIN 6°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5.32 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:18 AM TUESDAY | 30 DECEMBER 2025 | LUDHIANA Cold wave, dense fog disrupt life in city Minimum temp hovers around 7°C in morning, max recorded at 17°C Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Police personnel and members of the deceased’s family at the hotel in Raikot on Monday. Man shoots himself dead Was under stress since his wedding date was fixed: Probe Mahesh Sharma blood in the morning, had been sealed and a team of experts had been called for forensic examination. Referring to information received from the aggrieved family, DSP Harjinder Singh said Gurbir had been frequently staying at Simer Hotel as its owner was one of his close friends. The police have initiated the process for conducting his post-mortem examination after registering a case under Section 194 of the BNS as the family believed that nobody was responsible for his death. Ludhiana, December 29 As the year is coming to an end, the cold wave is being intensified and there has been decline in both maximum and minimum temperature levels. The minimum temperature hovered around 7°C in the morning while the maximum remained around 17°C on Monday. At the same time, dense fog was also witnessed during early morning hours. The attendance of morning walkers at the PAU, Leisure Valley and Rose Garden remained low due to the cold wave. One of the morning walkers at the PAU, Gaurav, said usually about 68 persons of their group come for morning walk but since the cold wave was intensifying, a few members avoid exposing themselves to the extreme weather. Milkmen and hawkers reached their destinations late due to the low visibility. In view of the approaching western disturbances in the Western Himalayan region, dense to very Raikot, December 29 The 30-year-old man from Jalaldiwal village died by suicide by shooting himself with his licensed revolver at a hotel here on Monday morning. The victim, identified as Gurbir Singh, had spent time with his friends somewhere in the city on Sunday and returned to the hotel in the evening. Though the reason behind the suicide is yet to be ascertained, preliminary investigation revealed that Gurbir had been under stress since his wedding date was fixed for January 16. Raikot DSP Harjinder Singh said the room of the hotel, where the body of the victim was found in a pool of Four robbers nabbed, bikes, mobiles seized Farmer unions,Youth Cong protestover Warring slams Centre over MGNREGA MGNREGA ‘dilution’ poor law & order renaming, vows nationwide protest , Our Correspondent Tribune News Service PCC chief terms it as insult to Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy Ludhiana, December 29 The police nabbed four miscreants who had been involved in robbing people by waylaying them after threatening them with toy pistols and sharp weapons. The suspects were identified as Prithvi Raj of Gagandeep Colony Bhattian, Jasvir Singh, Som Nath and Manpreet of Guru Har Rai Nagar, Ludhiana. Three motorcycles, 16 mobiles, a sharp weapon and a toy pistol were recovered from their possession. Perusal of records revealed that police officials, led by Harmesh Pal, had received information regarding a gang that had been involved in robbing people by waylaying them after threatening with sharp weapons and toy pistols. The gang members were nabbed when they were conspiring to strike at a target near the Metro point in Bhattian on Sunday. The police are yet to ascertain identities of other accomplices, if any. Ludhiana, December 29 The city witnessed twin protests on Monday as farmer unions and Youth Congress activists took to streets in separate demonstrations, raising concerns over the alleged dilution of the MGNREGA scheme and the deteriorating law and order in the city. At the New Court Complex on Ferozepur Road, members of the Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union and allied organisations staged a symbolic protest against the Central Government’s alleged move to weaken the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). From 12 noon to 1 pm, the protesters burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing the Centre of systematically dismantling rural employment guarantees. “MGNREGA is not only a scheme but also a lifeline for thousands of landless labourers and small farm- Ludhiana, December 29 Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central Government over proposed changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), alleging that the scheme was being systematically weakened to deprive rural workers of their rights. Addressing a press conference in Ludhiana, Warring said: “MGNREGA is the backbone of rural development and a lifeline for the poor. The Congress will fight this battle across the country.” He accused the BJP of attempting to rebrand the scheme under the name of ‘VB-G RAM G’, calling it an insult to the Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy. Warring claimed that the original vision behind MGNREGA, conceived by Sonia Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh, was to ensure employment for every section of society. “Now, the BJP is using reli- Gurbir Singh, the deceased A farmer works in the fields amid fog on the outskirts of Ludhiana. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN dense fog was predicted by the IMD in many parts of the state. The prediction also says that fog would persist on December 30 also. However, the intensity and spread of fog Members of farmer unions and Youth Cong leaders and workers (below) hold protests in Ludhiana on Monday. PHOTOS: INDERJEET VERMA & ASHWANI DHIMAN ers. If the government continues to cut its scope, rural families will be pushed into deeper distress,” said Gurmel Singh, a protesting farmer from Raikot. Meanwhile, members of the Ludhiana Youth Congress gathered outside the office of the Commissioner of Police to protest against the continue on page 3 will likely be reduced during December 31 and January 1 with improved visibility conditions. Commuters will find it difficult to drive in the prevailing conditions due to poor visibility. On highways, motorists should keep fog lights of their vehicles on to avoid accidents. Worst sufferers in the nailbiting cold conditions were the poor and needy, who were seen sleeping along roadsides near Durga Mata Mandir, Jagraon bridge, PAU underbridge and other such areas. At the same time, they try to keep themselves warm by lighting bonfires. PCC chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring addresses the media in Ludhiana on Monday. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN gious symbolism and political branding to dilute its purpose,” he said, adding that the scheme’s core provisions, including 100 days of guaranteed work and unemployment allowance, were being eroded. He cited data from Ludhiana, where out of 1.21 lakh households, only 42 per cent received work under MGNREGA and a mere 1 per cent completed the full 100 days. “It is a direct violation of workers’ rights,” Warring said, blaming both Centre and the AAP-led state government for inaction and mismanagement. The Congress also raised concerns over reduced powers of gram sabhas, increased administrative interference and the financial burden on states due to the new 60:40 fund-sharing model. Warring announced that the party would begin statewide protests from January 8 in Gurdaspur and would gherao BJP and AAP leaders’ residences. “MGNREGA is not just a scheme, it keeps the kitchen fire burning in poor households,” he said. “The BJP is fooling the nation in the name of economic growth while cutting ration cards and employment guarantees,” he said. — TNS Four members of thieves’ gang Agri varsity to unveil six-foot tall selfie point nabbed, stolen items recovered Installation will serve as a symbolic landmark for students, alumni and visitors to capture memories Our Correspondent Ludhiana, December 29 The police have nabbed four members of a gang that had been involved in stealing ready-made garments and cloth from hosiery and textile mills for a long time. Huge quantities of stolen goods, including liquor, were recovered from the possession of suspects. They were identified as Tarun Kapur Lucky, Soman Singh, Ramandeep Singh Jassu and Tanveer Malik, residents of various localities of the city. Tarun, the kingpin of the gang, is found to be Suspects had been involved in stealing ready-made garments, cloth from hosiery, textile mills involved in 24 criminal cases in the past. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Inderjit Singh Boparai said Gagandeep Singh had lodged a complaint against the suspects for allegedly stealing huge quantities of garments from his hosiery, DGN Overseas Exports. He said the suspects were arrested by a police team, led by SI Sukhwinder Singh, from different places and huge quantities of stolen items were recovered from their possession. Two suspects are still at large in the case. Tanveer used to purchase stolen goods. A pick-up van, 16 bags of ready-made garments and 30 cases of illicit liquor were recovered from the suspects during investigation. Another section under the Excise Act was also added to the case against Tarun from whose possession the illicit liquor was seized. Ludhiana, December 29 Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) is set to unveil a six-foot tall steel selfie point near the Student Centre lawns, marking a new chapter in campus vibrancy and visual identity. The installation, featuring bold steel letters spelling out ‘ PAU’, will serve as a symbolic landmark for students, alumni and visitors to capture memories and celebrate their connection with the institution. According to PAU VC Satbir Singh Gosal, the initiative response to a long-standing demand from the student community. “Iconic photo spots are com- c m y b Initiative response to a long-standing demand from student community, says PAU VC Satbir Singh Gosal. mon across major universities worldwide even before the term ‘selfie’ existed. The structure will not only enhance PAU’s visibility but also become part of its cherished narrative,” said an official. The selfie point has been constructed on a raised platform near the hostels, one of the most frequented zones on campus. The area also includes a walking track, ensuring high visibility and accessibility. “It’s great to see the PAU becoming more student-friendly. The selfie point will be a fun addition and the soft drink counter is a much-needed convenience,” said Simranjeet Kaur, a third-year horticulture student. Many students welcomed the move as a way to foster pride and belonging. “We’ve always wanted a spot that feels like ours, something that says ‘PAU’ loud and clear. Now we’ll have it,” said Amanpreet Singh, a postgraduate agriculture student. The selfie point is expected to be inaugurated in the New Year, adding a fresh visual identity to the university’s landscape and giving students a new reason to pause, pose and preserve their campus memories. — TNS