11052026-LT-01.qxd 11-05-2026 00:40 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune FARMER BLENDS TRADITION, TECH TO RUN THRIVING DAIRY GOVT’S DUTY TO RESOLVE TAKHT’S OBJECTIONS: SUKHBIR Akal Takht and SGPC have objected to certain provisions of the new anti-sacrilege law. P2 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 37°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 37°C | MIN 25°C SANJAY DUTT SHARES TRIBUTE TO NARGIS DUTT Honoured with CM Award in 2019, Gurpreet has become a role model for dairy farmers across the state. P2 FORECAST Sanjay Dutt marked Mother’s Day with a tribute to his late mother Nargis Dutt, sharing a series of photographs. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 7.06 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 5:32 AM » MONDAY | 11 MAY 2026 | LUDHIANA Inaugural Delhi-Halwara Tension erupts as workers of flight to take off on May 15 AAP, BJP face off during protest Only 40 per cent seats sold for historic flight so far BJP man suffers injury, brooms thrown at AAP workers amid allegations of hooliganism Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 10 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a protest against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central Government over the arrest of Industries Minister Sanjeev Arora by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The situation turned tense outside the BJP office in Ludhiana when AAP and BJP workers came face to face during the protest in Ludhiana. Leaders from both parties raised slogans against each other. The BJP workers also threw brooms at the AAP workers during the protest. A BJP worker got injury on his hand during the demonstration. Women workers of AAP also participated in large numbers in the protest. Senior BJP leaders, including state general secretary Anil Sarin, district president Rajneesh Dhiman and Parveen Bansal were also present. At Dana Mandi, Gill Road, in Ludhiana, AAP workers burnt the effigy of the BJP and Enforcement Directorate to protest against ED raids in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections. The police force in a large number was deployed to tackle any untoward situation. When AAP workers tried to barge into the office of the BJP the saffron party , workers carrying flags also raised slogans against Kejriwal outside the office. Jatinder Khangura, president of AAP Ludhiana Urban, , and Chairman of the Planning Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 10 The inaugural and historic flight from Delhi to the Halwara airport is scheduled to take off at 5:55 am on May 15. The much-awaited airport will become operational in less than a week, marking a significant milestone for the region. However, initial response appears subdued. Well-placed sources in Air India revealed that the airline has managed to sell only around 40 per cent of the total seats for the inaugural flight. Given that this is a new airport, officials believe it may take up to six months to build public confidence in air travel from the region. Highly placed sources informed The Tribune that a 138-seater aircraft is expected to operate the flight on May 15, with only 40–50 per cent occupancy so far. “The passenger load is poor for both onward and return flights. On the first day, bookings are around 40 per cent while for subsequent days, they range between 10–15 per cent. For Air India, it will be a wait-andwatch situation over the next few months as it works to gain public trust,” an official said. The return morning flight from Halwara to Delhi has also seen limited response, with only about 35 seats booked so far. Commenting on the low occupancy, Pankaj Sharma, president of the Association of Trade and Industrial Undertakings, said he had considered booking a ticket from Halwara for a trip to Kolkata in June. “However, it was not a viable option. Starting early in the morning, I would have reached Kolkata only by late evening. My entire day would be wasted due to a layover of over three hours in Delhi. Several factors need to be evaluated before opting for air travel,” he said. Moreover, many passengers still prefer trains such as Shatabdi Express and Vande Bharat Express, citing comfort and familiarity. Industry observers believe it may take time for travellers to shift to flights and develop confidence in the new service. Cops try to pacify BJP leaders as AAP workers attempt to enter the BJP office during a protest against ED raids, in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN and Finance Committee, condemned the action by central agencies. He alleged that the Central Government was misusing the ED to suppress the voices of opposition leaders. He said Sanjeev Arora’s arrest was illegal and tantamount to the murder of democracy. Khangura alleged that during the protest, BJP workers indulged in hooliganism and attempted to manhandle AAP workers. The AAP leadership said the dictatorship of the BJP would not be tolerated. The party would fight this battle through legal and democratic means. Chief cashier of the state BJP and senior leader Gurdev Debi Sharma, also launched a scathing attack on the AAP government and its leadership, holding corruption, false promises and poor governance responsible for AAP’s debacle. Punjab BJP spokesperson Kamaljeet Soi condemned the attack carried out by the AAP workers at the party office. Dr Soi said the attack was not merely an assault on party workers but a direct one on democracy, law and order and the peaceful fabric of Punjab. In ‘befitting reply’, BJP to lock CP’s office today BJP district president Rajnish Dhiman condemned the attack on party workers by AAP and raised serious questions over the law and order situation in the city. He termed allegations being levelled by AAP as baseless and politically motivated. Dhiman said the ED had arrested Sanjeev Arora only after finding substance in allegations against him. “What is the fault of BJP leaders in the same? AAP is targeting the BJP only to divert public attention from its failed governance, deteriorating law and order and rising corruption,” he alleged. “The party workers will give a befitting and democratic reply to the false allegations and will reach out to the people to expose the truth,” he said. He announced that the BJP would gherao the office of the CP on Monday and lock the premises. He also criticised the administration for its inaction in the entire episode. Dhiman demanded an impartial probe into the matter without any political pressure and action against the guilty. The BJP leader said the AAP government’s attitude was aptly described by the idiom ‘Ek to chori upar se seena zori’ (committing a mistake and then acting arrogant). Cattle feed dealer dies by suicide over financial crisis Mahesh Sharma Raikot, May 10 An octogenarian cattle feed dealer of Aitiana village near Halwara in Ludhiana district allegedly died by suicide by consuming a poisonous substance on Saturday. The deceased, identified as Kundan Lal, breathed his last at a hospital in Ludhiana on the night intervening Saturday and Sunday, where he was admitted in an unconscious condition on Saturday afternoon. The deceased is reported to have left two suicide notes, as per which he had taken the step as some of shopkeepers of Ludhiana and surrounding areas, whom he had supplied cattle feed worth lakhs, were not paying his money. The deceased was upset as he also owed money to the tune of Rs 6 lakh to some people. Kundan’s son Dharminder Kumar told the police that his father had consumed some poisonous substance when he was alone at the house on Saturday and two handwritten notes were found from his pocket. Dakha DSP Karan Singh Sandhu said the Sudhar police have initiated a probe into the case and further action would be taken after verifying the suicide notes handed over by the aggrieved family to the police. INDERJEET VERMA FarmerstomarchtoGuv 5 months on, robbery victim struggles Former aide levels graft residence on May 15 with injuries, suspects have a free run charges against MLA Pappi, he calls it a lie Farmers during a meeting of the BKU (Lakhowal) in Ludhiana. Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 10 Thousands of farmers from across the state will hold a protest march to the Lok Bhawan in Chandigarh on May 15, pressing for their long-pending demands. The protest will be held under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. The announcement was made in the monthly meeting of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Lakhowal) by president Harinder Singh Lakhowal. He said the rally will be held at Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nature Park, opposite YPS School, Mohali, from where farmers would walk towards the Lok Bhawan, Chandigarh. “All governments till now have ignored Punjab’s rights and progress. The state has always faced injustice, which continues even today,” Lakhowal said. Parminder Singh Palmajra and Parshotam Singh Gill highlighted the urgent need for strengthening cooperative banks to ensure timely crop loans for farmers. They emphasised that government subsidies and debt relief programmes must reach cultivators without delay, as many were struggling under the burden of loans. They also demanded eight hours of uninterrupted power supply to farmers so that they could prepare a nursery of paddy. They said cooperative institutions play a vital role in rural credit, yet farmers often face hurdles in accessing funds. Lakhowal said the protest would be peaceful but determined. “Punjab’s farmers continued on page 3 Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 10 Nearly five months after a brutal attack left a youth, Aditya Gupta, with severe injuries on one of his legs and almost nearly chopped off fingers, justice remains elusive. Despite the assault and loot occurred in December last year, the Moti Nagar police are yet to identify or apprehend culprits. The victim’s ordeal has been compounded by medical hurdles as he was rushed to the Civil Hospital and later to a private hospital after the incident, which referred him to the ESI Hospital, Ludhiana. ESI Hospital expressed its inability to treat the injuries and referred him to the PGI, Chandigarh. Following which, the youth was denied admission to the PGI. Now, the victim’s family is forced to spend Rs 1.5 lakh on his treatment at a private hospital in the city. Frustrated by the lack of progress, the family has condemned the police for their inaction. Talking to The Tribune, victim’s uncle Amit said on December 20, 2025, his 21year-old nephew Aditya Gupta, a resident of Shiv Shakti Enclave, Ludhiana, who works in Hero Cycles, left home in the wee hours on my motorcycle (bearing VIDEO ROW Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service The victim, Aditya Gupta, undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ludhiana. FILE registration number PB 10KC 1624) for his workplace. When he reached the bridge near Mohan Dai Hospital, three unidentified persons on a motorcycle cornered him on the bridge. Before Aditya could understand anything, they snatched the key of the motorcycle and started beating him mercilessly. They inflicted serious injuries on the victim but fortunately his life was saved. Aditya stated in the FIR that “The three youths started beating me up. One of them hit me with a sickle on both my hands and left leg. My three fingers were almost c m y b Miscreants had nearly chopped off youngster’s fingers chopped. The robbers then snatched my phone, power bank and about Rs 2,000 in cash and fled on the motorcycle. A passer-by called my family members, who took me to the Civil Hospital.” Station House Officer (SHO), Moti Nagar police station, inspector Bhupinder Singh, said: “The police would provide justice to the victim. I will check the progress of the case and direct the investigating offi- cer to identify the robbers.” Will approach CP for justice, says victim Aditya said his three fingers were almost chopped off by the robbers and he also suffered a fracture on the leg. “Despite passing of five months, I am yet to recover completely. Even Rs 1.5 lakh was spent by my family members from their own pocket and the tragedy is that the suspects are still enjoying a free run. They are not even identified by the Moti Nagar police. To get justice, I will approach the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana,” he said. Ludhiana, May 10 A video of a former personal assistant, Nikhil Sabharwal, of Ludhiana Central MLA Ashok Parashar Pappi has surfaced on social media in which he has levelled serious allegations of corruption against the MLA and some Municipal Corporation officials. In the video, Sabharwal has claimed that money was collected from over 100 people on the pretext of providing jobs in the civic body on DC rates but no appointments were made. He alleged that the collected amount was handed over to the MLA and later, the responsibility was shifted onto him when people started demanding refunds. Sabharwal also alleged financial irregularities, claiming that Rs 30 lakh was transferred into his account by Municipal Corporation building inspector Harwinder Singh Makkar during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which was later routed to accounts linked to the MLA and his family members. He alleged that regular payments were being collected from various sources, includ- ing shopkeepers and officials, and claimed that total transactions involved Ashok Parashar could be Pappi, MLA around Rs 10 crore. He said he had documentary proof, including bank statements, to support his claims. Reacting to all allegations, MLA Ashok Parashar Pappi said: “It is all fabricated and false. I am busy in my constituency development work and do not have time for such allegations which are baseless.” He said Sabharwal himself was involved in cheating people and an FIR had already been registered against him. The MLA said he would address the issue in detail soon. Notably, the Division No 2 police had registered a case against Sabharwal on Friday on the complaint of a resident, who accused him of duping two youths of Rs 1.7 lakh by promising them jobs in the Municipal Corporation. Police officials said the matter was under investigation and appropriate action would be taken on the basis of findings.