02102026-LT-01.qxd 10/2/2026 1:06 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune STUDENTS HOLD RALLY TO RAISE AWARENESS ON DRUG ABUSE KHEDAN WATAN PUNJAB DIYAN MEET SEES ACTION ON DAY 4 ‘NEPALESE IN INDIA ARE LIKE MEXICANS IN AMERICA’ PAU students have taken up the task to spread awareness on stubble management among farmers. P2 Competitions of district-level Khedan Watan Punjab Diyan continued for the fourth day on Thursday. P3 Meet Ashim Ahluwalia, Niharika Singh and Vishwendra Singh, who are behind Hindi-Nepalese film Khoriya. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 35°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 22°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6:07 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:17 AM » FRIDAY | 2 OCTOBER 2026 | LUDHIANA leaders put up united Gangster, five others booked for CongressWarring's resignation face after running ‘extortion racket’ from jail Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Targeted fellow prisoners, threatened them with assault if ~2L was not arranged by kin Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 1 An alleged extortion racket being operated from the Ludhiana Central Jail has come to light after the prison authorities recovered a mobile phone from an inmate and approached the police following allegations that two prisoners were assaulted and their families threatened to pay Rs 2 lakh. The Division No 7 police have registered a case against six inmates, including alleged gangster Harsimran Singh Mand, in connection with the incident. The accused allegedly targeted fellow prisoners and threatened them with physical assault if the money was not arranged by their relatives. According to the complaint submitted by Jail Assistant Superintendent Rishavpal Goyal, the matter surfaced after officials During a search, jail officials allegedly found a mobile phone and a SIM card from gangster Harsimran Singh Mand. FILE received information about two inmates, Rupesh Puri and Neeraj Adya, allegedly being targeted by prisoners lodged in another barrack. The two victims had been shifted to Barrack 6 a few days ago in connection with an alleged abetment-to-suicide case involving an NRI. They were allegedly assaulted and threatened by inmates lodged in Barrack 4. The accused allegedly demanded Rs 2 lakh from the two persons and their families. The jail authorities stated that the accused used a mobile phone inside the prisons and handed it over to Neeraj, who was allegedly forced to contact a friend outside and arrange the money. The amount was to be handed over to an associate of the accused on Alamgir Road, according to the complaint. During a subsequent search of the barrack, the jail officials allegedly found a keypad mobile phone and a SIM card from Mand. The development has also raised questions over the presence and use of mobiles inside the high-security prisons. The police are now probing how the handset and SIM card reached the jail and whether other persons were also involved in collecting money from the relatives of the inmates. The FIR names undertri- als Mand, Jagveer Singh, Jatinder Singh, Abhey and Sukhman, besides convict Gurjeet Singh. The police are also examining the alleged role of outside associates who may have been receiving the money. ASI Gurdial Singh, the investigating officer, said the case had been registered on the basis of a complaint received from the jail authorities. He said the investigation would focus on the source of the mobile phone, the circumstances in which the two inmates were allegedly targeted and the alleged extortion network operating outside the jail. The suspects have been booked under Sections 308(4) of the BNS and 42(2) of the Punjab Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2026. The police are likely to seek production warrants of the accused for questioning. Ludhiana, October 1 The resignation of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring has boosted the morale of the Bharat Bhushan Ashu camp. While local Congress leaders who did not share a good rapport with Warring termed the move a welcome step, those close to him said he had done exceptional work in the past few years and would continue to enjoy the support of local leaders. Talking to The Tribune, former minister and senior Congress leader Bharat Bhushan Ashu said the decision was necessary for the party’s growth and that whoever was appointed the next PPCC president would receive wholehearted support from party leaders. “The party will present a united face. There were differences within the organisation but matters were streamlined after Sachin Pilot was appointed Punjab in-charge. Leaders’ grievances are being heard and we assure complete Amrinder Singh Raja Warring support to the new president. We will do our best to take the party to greater heights and are prepared to give a tough fight to other mainstream parties in the upcoming Assembly elections,” he said. Former minister Surinder Dawar said Warring had done commendable work for the state. “As an MP from Ludhiana, he holds a special place in our hearts. He has done a lot for Punjab. It reflects his decency that he did not hesitate before resigning and chose to put the party first. We are loyal Congress workers and abide by high command’s decisions. We will remain committed to the party,” he said. Former MLA Kuldeep Singh Vaid said Warring’s resignation was unfortunate but the party leadership must have taken the decision in the larger interest of the organisation. A close aide of Ashu, Ishwarjot Singh Cheema, said the leadership change would help project a united Congress in the state. “Earlier, it was AAP versus Congress. In coming days, people will see a stronger and more united Congress. We are in a stronger position now. Public perception of the party will change and there are no differences among leaders,” he said. The Congress cadre had largely remained quiet but the change in the state leadership has prompted leaders to become more vocal about the party and the forthcoming elections. Even Warring’s social media profile now describes him as the former PPCC president. Differences between Ashu and Warring had surfaced when the party high command chose Warring over Ashu as the party’s candidate for the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat in 2024, despite Warring being regarded as an outsider to the city at the time. Labourers foil theft bid Slow start to paddy procurement in mandis on Day 1 at factory, three nabbed STORAGE CRISIS Manav Mander Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 1 Labourers helped the police foil a theft attempt at a closed factory in the Focal Point industrial area here after they spotted three men allegedly removing copper pipes from an air-conditioning unit in the wee hours of Wednesday. The labourers raised the alarm when they noticed the suspects on the factory premises in Phase VIII. The miscreants allegedly tried to escape but the workers caught and handed them over to the police. The suspects have been identified as Sonu Kumar of Mundian Kalan, Bunty of Mundian Khurd and Sunny Kumar of Sherpur. The Focal Point police subsequently registered a case against them on the complaint of factory owner Harish Kumar, a Sector 39 resident. According to the police, the suspects allegedly entered the factory and started removing copper pipes from an AC unit. Their activity was noticed by the labourers who were passing through the area. They raised the alarm and alerted the police. A police team reached the scene shortly and took the three suspects into custody. The incident has also led the police to examine whether the suspects could be linked to an earlier theft reported on the same premises. Harish told the police that unidentified persons had allegedly broken into the factory on September 22 and escaped with copper wires and other valuables. He has expressed suspicion that the same persons could have been behind both incidents, though the police are yet to establish any link. ASI Manjeet Singh, investigating officer in the case, said the three suspects had been arrested and were being questioned to ascertain their involvement in the earlier theft. He said the police were also checking the criminal history of the suspects. Bunty had earlier faced a motorcycle theft case and had served sentence. The suspects have been booked under Sections 331(4) and 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for alleged house trespass and theft. Further investigation is underway. Ludhiana, October 1 Paddy procurement began in the state on Thursday and district mandis witnessed negligible arrival on Day 1. The arrival is expected to pick up in coming days. Mandi board officials said at some grain markets, the produce has arrived but it will take a few days to gain momentum. Unlike districts such as Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur where paddy produce has been arriving for the past 10 days, Ludhiana district presented a different story on Thursday. Workers at the Gill Road market were seen siting idle near the produce. “We have harvested our crop but will be taking it to the mandi in a day or two. There was no point of taking the produce to the mandi ear- The state can face a storage crisis this season as its granaries are already full with wheat and rice from previous procurement seasons. The state is facing a storage problem for the third consecutive year as the movement of foodgrains from Punjab to other states remain slow. The paddy arrival in markets of Ludhiana district is expected to pick up in coming days. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN ly as procurement starts only on October 1,” said farmer Gurbir Singh from Jodhan. Another farmer, Harinder Singh, from Samrala said he had sown early sowing variety and he had already harvested it a week ago. “Earlier, I thought I would take my produce to the mandi but then rainfall on a day postponed my plans as storage would have been a problem and in case the produce got wet, it will increase the moisture,” he said. The state government has set a target of procuring 180 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy during this season at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2,461 per quintal for Grade A variety. The state can face a storage crisis this season as its granaries are already full with wheat and rice from previous procurement seasons. The state is facing a storage problem for the third consecutive year as the movement of foodgrains from Punjab to other states remain slow. Damaged boundary wall puts students at risk at Khaira Bet govt school Health team conducts special checking in dist, collects 21 samples Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 1 Government Primary Smart School at Khaira Bet might be upgraded as a ‘smart school’ but its badly damaged boundary wall has remained unrepaired for over three months, leaving around 75 students exposed to serious safety risk. Damaged during heavy rain over three months ago, wall remains unrepaired The boundary wall was damaged during heavy rain around three months ago but despite repeated reminders to the higher authorities, no repair work has been carried out so far, a school teacher said while requesting anonymity. The completely damaged wall has left the school premises vulnerable, with school equipment and students also facing a safety concern. What makes the situation The damaged wall of Government Primary Smart School, Khaira Bet, has not been repaired despite repeated appeals to the higher authorities, says a teacher. more worrying is the location of the school. A link road runs close to the premises and is used by a large number of commuters and vehicles every day. With the boundary wall no longer providing proper protection, teachers fear that the open and damaged portion could pose a risk to children, particularly during school hours. “About three months ago, the boundary wall was damaged during heavy rain. We have repeatedly informed and reminded the higher authorities but it has still not been repaired,” the teacher said. The school is also facing a financial crunch over midday meals, with workers claiming that funds for the meals have not been released for the past three months. Some mid-day meal workers also said their salaries had not been paid for the same period. According to the workers, they have been managing the meals by purchasing food items on credit from a nearby grocery shop. With limited resources, students are reportedly being served largely dal-chawal on a regular basis. c m y b The workers said they had been continuing the work despite the delay in payments and the lack of funds for procuring food material. The twin problems, a damaged boundary wall and shortage of funds for mid-day meals, have raised questions over the basic facilities being provided at a government primary school catering to young children. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said he would direct the District Education Officer to prepare an estimate for the repair and construction of the boundary wall. “I will direct the District Education Officer to prepare an estimate and get the boundary wall constructed for the safety of the school and students,” he said. Ludhiana, October 1 Following the directions of the Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration, Punjab, Kanwalpreet Kaur Brar, and under the guidance of District Health Officer Sandeep Singh, the Food Safety Team, Ludhiana, conducted a special checking and sampling drive across various areas of the district to ensure compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and standards prescribed by the FSSAI. During the drive, various food establishments in Khanna, Samrala, Jandiala, Gattani, Chandigarh Road and Kohara and other areas were inspected. Samples of chilli and spices, whole black pepper, cumin and other food articles were collected for quality testing. A total of 21 food samples, including 18 of chilli and spices, two of cake and one of besan barfi, were collected by the Food Safety Team. All samples were collected as per the prescribed procedure and sent to the authorised food laboratory for scientific examination. The Food Safety Department said after receipt of laboratory reports, if any violation of the Food Safety and Standards Act or the rules and regulations framed thereunder, was found in any food article, appropriate action would be initiated against the Food Business Operators (FBO) concerned as per law. District Health Officer Sandeep Singh urged all FBOs to strictly follow the hygiene and sanitary practices prescribed by the FSSAI. He stressed the importance of keeping food articles in clean and covered containers, maintaining proper hygiene at food preparation and storage premises. — TNS