10052026-LT-01.qxd 5/10/2026 12:28 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune DISTRICT GIRLS CLINCH BASEBALL TITLE ACCIDENT VICTIM CONFINED TO WHEELCHAIR GETS ~25L RELIEF Home crowd cheered on as Ludhiana girls’ team emerged champion in state baseball championship. P2 The victim was awarded ~25 lakh as compensation during a National Lok Adalat session. P2 » » ‘I WANT TO DRESS UP MERYL STREEP’ FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 37°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET SUNDAY 7.06 PM Manish Malhotra, who loves dressing up celebs, wants to put the spotlight on artisans. P4 SUNRISE MONDAY 5:32 AM » SUNDAY | 10 MAY 2026 | LUDHIANA ED raids on Minister Arora’s premises MC chief issues show-cause notices over poor sanitation spark concern among industrialists Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Such actions, if politically motivated, create negative perception of state’s biz environment, they say Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 9 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday conducted raids at five locations, including the official residence of Punjab Power and Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora in Chandigarh, in connection with an alleged money laundering case. It marks the third such action on the minister. And the news of his arrest further came as a shock to everyone. The development has triggered concern among Ludhiana’s industrial community. Many industrialists, citing Arora’s roots in the city and his contribution to the industrial sector, said such actions, if were politically motivated, create negative perception about state’s business environment. They said such developments risk tarnishing the Sanjeev Arora state’s image, particularly that of Ludhiana, widely regarded as a key industrial hub. Speaking to The Tribune, Pankaj Sharma, president of the Association of Trade and Industrial Undertakings (ATIU), said the prevailing political situation in the state was discouraging. “It creates a negative perception of the state. If this is a case of vindictive politics, it should be avoided. Our efforts to attract investment could be undermined if such impressions persist, especially when raids are conducted on a sitting Industries Minister,” he said. Another industrialist said On the one hand, the minister was working to bring investments to Punjab, and even travelling abroad for the same, and on the other, he is being targeted repeatedly within a short period. Such situation damages the state’s credibility,” he said. Avtar Singh Bhogal, another businessman, expressed concern over state of politics in the state. “If there is evidence, action should be taken. But if such steps are driven by political motives or to settle scores, they are unwarranted. Ultimately, Punjab will suffer due to such policies,” he added. Since Arora belongs to Ludhiana, panic gripped among his near and dear ones over Sun guard the recent developments. Many of his acquaintances preferred not to pick up calls and discuss the issue over the phone unnecessarily. Officials, who remained with the minister throughout when he went to inaugurate works or held meetings, preferred to remain mum on the matter. Since Ghuman was a rival of Arora in the Ludhiana West byelections, the former said it was not only a financial scam but also injustice with the people of Ludhiana. It was a big political deception. Ministers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who came to power with the “cloak of honesty”, are now involved in scams. SAD leader hails action BJP misusing power to crush democracy: AAP MLA Advocate Parupkar Singh Ghuman, senior leader of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and in-charge of Halka West, on Saturday welcomed the action taken against Minister Sanjeev Arora by the ED. He said: “Arora has cheated residents of Ludhiana West in a big way. Representatives of the constituency whom the people had voted hoping to bring a positive change are accused of money laundering.” Six held for assaulting group after mistaking them for snatchers Mahesh Sharma Students brave the sweltering heat on the PAU campus in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN UP bizman duped of ~3.42L in online fraud Ludhiana, May 9 After a Zero FIR was registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police, Ludhiana’s Kotwali police have initiated an investigation into a hi-tech cyber fraud in which the UPI account of a UP businessman was used and Rs 3.42 lakh was fraudulently withdrawn from his bank account. Lalman Yadav of Kabir Reacting to the raids by the ED in the past few days on Arora, AAP MLA Ashok Parashar Pappi said the BJP was misusing its power to crush democracy in the country. “If someone rejects the proposal of not joining the party (BJP), it doesn’t mean that you stoop so low. People are aware of what is happening in Punjab now, and they will give a befitting reply to the BJP in the next elections. Nagar in UP who runs a cloth, ing business in Ludhiana, fell prey to the fraudsters who hacked his account and used UPI ID to steal Rs 3.42 lakh. Following a preliminary probe, the matter was reported to the Bakhira branch of the SBI in UP A Zero FIR was . subsequently registered at the Dev Bakhira police station in Sant Kabir Nagar dis- trict on March 16 and the case was transferred to the Ludhiana police for further probe. Inspector Paramveer Singh, in-charge, Kotwali police station, said a case was registered. “Preliminary probe suggest that the victim had lost his phone and someone after finding the same, used the SIM card to use his UPI account and steal money.” he said. — TNS Ludhiana, May 9 The Dugri police have booked at least nine persons for allegedly restraining and assaulting a stranded youth and his associates, mistaking them to be snatchers and anti-social elements, under the overbridge near the railway line late on Thursday evening. Six of the suspects, booked under Sections 115 (2), 126 (2), 324 (4), 191 (3), 190 and 351 (2) of the BNS on Friday, were arrested and identified as Manjit Singh, Gunna Singh, Bhupinder Verma, Manjot Singh, Manvir Singh and Krishna Mehta, all residents of the city. Harpeet Singh, Jagrup Singh and his son Molly are yet to be arrested in the case. Sunny of Basant Nagar in the Daba area here had informed the police that the suspects had allegedly thrashed Abhi, Manish and their other associates. Man- Bike of youngster ran out of fuel in deserted area after which he called others for help ish and his companions had reached the spot to help Abhi as his motorcycle ran out of fuel late on Thursday night. Though a group of around 36 persons was alleged to have gathered at the spot, they allegedly attacked the complainant and his associates, mistaking them to be snatchers. They had also forcibly taken the victims to the Dugri police station. Having received claims and counter claims about the incident, the Dugri police deployed sub-inspector Amolak Singh to probe the matter. It was on the basis of preliminary investigation that a case was registered against nine suspects, six of whom were arrested by police personnel, led by investigating officer SI Amolak Singh. Ludhiana, May 9 Taking serious note of scattered garbage and poor sanitation arrangements in several parts of the city, Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Neeru Katyal on Saturday conducted surprise inspections in different areas and issued show-cause notices to the sanitary inspectors concerned over lapses in cleanliness work. The inspections were carried out early in the morning in various areas, including Haibowal Road, Sarabha Nagar, Pakhowal Road, BRS Nagar, Gill Road and Dholewal Road, after repeated complaints were received from residents regarding unattended garbage dumps and irregular lifting of waste. During the checking, heaps of garbage were found lying at several locations while sanitation arrangements in some areas were also found unsatisfactory. According to information, the MC Commissioner expressed displeasure over the slow pace of garbage lifting and poor monitoring by field staff. Following the inspection, show-cause notices were issued to officials and employees concerned for negligence in sanitation duties. She directed sanitation teams and contractors to ensure regular sweeping and timely lifting of waste from all vul- MC chief Neeru Katyal inspects a waste compactor site in Ludhiana. nerable points in the city. In official directions issued after the inspection, the MC chief stated that daily surprise checking of sanitation work started from 7.30 am onwards on Saturday in different zones of the city. Officials had been warned that negligence in cleanliness work would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken against those found responsible for lapses. She stated that teams inspected the affected areas and found that the problem was mainly caused due to plastic waste, bottles and other garbage being thrown into sewer lines, leading to blockages. Officials said sewerage staff were deployed to clear choke points and restore normal flow. The department had appealed to residents and shopkeepers not to dump waste into sewer lines, warning that strict action could be taken against violators to avoid such incidents in the future. Residents have been raising concerns over increasing garbage dumps and foul smell in several residential localities during past few weeks. The civic body has now intensified monitoring ahead of the monsoon season to improve sanitation conditions across the city, she said. Garbage lies unattended on a road in Ludhiana. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Reason to cheer: Maternal deaths down from 50 to 38 in 3 yrs Four booked for Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 9 On Mother’s Day, when families celebrate the bond that nurtures every life, Ludhiana has found a deeper reason to rejoice. Protecting mothers is the greatest gift society can offer because a healthy mother means a healthy child. And when maternal deaths decline, fewer children are robbed of that bond. This year, Ludhiana’s reducing maternal deaths is the most meaningful tribute of all. While the district recorded 50 maternal deaths in 2023-2024 and 43 in 20242025, the figure for 2025-2026 has come down to 38, marking a significant step forward in maternal health care. The district administration, under the leadership of Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, launched MOTHER’S DAY SPECIAL MISSION JEEVNI ■ FOCUS: Reduce Maternal An inspection in progress at a hospital in Ludhiana. Mission Jeevni in January this year to focus on high-risk and critical pregnancies. The initiative emphasises the ‘golden hour’, the crucial window in which timely medical intervention can save both mother and child. To strengthen the effort, the administration is entering into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) next week. The agreement will ensure specialised care for at least 20 high-risk pregnancy cases referred month- Mortality Ratio (MMR) ■ METHODS: Tracking antenatal visits, managing anaemia, monitoring high-risk pregnancies, maternal death reviews ■ PARTNERSHIPS: DMCH MoUs for advanced referrals and nursing student volunteers ■ TOOLS: AI-enabled stethoscopes for frontline detection ■ GOAL: Safe delivery and postnatal care through a continuum of vigilance and accountability ly from the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana. Another MoU already in place involves DMCH nursing student volunteers tracking high-risk pregnancies, maintaining regular contact with expectant mothers and ensuring time- c m y b ly tests and follow-ups. “Whenever a pregnancy is identified as critical highrisk, it will be directly referred to the DMCH without losing time at the Civil Hospital,” explained Dr Bishav Mohan, professor and head and chief cardiologistcum-coordinator at Hero DMC Heart Institute. Artificial Intelligenceenabled digital stethoscopes, AyuSynk devices, developed by Ayu Devices, have been distributed among community health officials across the district. The smart stethoscopes are helping frontline workers detect early cardiac complications among pregnant women. “Deployment of these devices will enable timely medical intervention and strengthen screening at Health and Wellness Centres,” said Civil Surgeon Ramandeep Kaur. Jeevandeep Singh, assistant nodal officer of Mission Jeevni, said the integration of technology with grassroots health work was ensuring that no mother was left unattended in her most vulnerable moments. On an average, Ludhiana reports 10-15 critical pregnancies every month. To address the same, gynaecologists and ASHA workers have been instructed to mark OPD slips with ‘high-risk’ or ‘very high-risk’ status, ensuring immediate referral and specialised care. “It is vital to take care of a woman who is going to become a mother, as her health determines the health of the child she brings into the world,” emphasised Dr Ashima Taneja, professor & head of obstetrics and gynaecology, DMCH. abducting girls Mahesh Sharma Ludhiana, May 9 The Ludhiana police have registered three separate cases for allegedly abducting women on the pretext of marriage. Perusal of records at the Dugri police station revealed that Anil Kumar of Karatia in Darbangha district in Bihar had allegedly abducted 13year-old daughter of Kantu Paswan, a native of Nimroli village in Darbhanga and at present staying in Mata Nagar, Ludhiana, on the pretext of marriage. Though the girl had gone missing on April 24, an FIR was registered after getting a complaint in this regard on Thursday. Shambhu Purve of Kakrampur Rajoli village in Darb- hanga district, at present staying at Jiwan Nagar in the Focal Point area here, lodged a complaint on Thursday that Gulab Ansari had allegedly abducted his 24-year-old daughter on the pretext of marriage on April 27. The Division Number 6 police have also registered an FIR against Ramakant for allegedly abducting the minor daughter of Santosh Kumar of Ludhiana, on April 28 on the pretext of marriage. In another case registered at the Division Number 6 police station, Shiv Narayan has accused Manoj Kumar of allegedly abducting his 16-year-old daughter on May 7 on the pretext of marriage when she had left home for going to school at Dholewal.