21102026-LT-01.qxd 21-10-2026 00:42 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune BASKETBALL SEES THRILLING MATCHES DURING STATE GAMES POTHOLES ON HAJIPUR-MUKERIAN ROAD POSE ACCIDENT RISK CELEBS SPEAK ABOUT THEIR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY SPOTS Basketball matches saw some close contests, along with a few one-sided victories, on Tuesday. P2 Residents have placed stones to warn drivers, but these pose additional hazards and obstruct traffic. P3 From vibrant cityscapes to serene mountain escapes, celebs reveal what makes their favourite holiday spots special. P4 » » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 32°C | MIN 18°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 17°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 5:47 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:28 AM WEDNESDAY | 21 OCTOBER 2026 | LUDHIANA BJP hits out at Punjab Speaker over remarks on PM Modi, Shah Nikhil Bhardwaj ASHWANI DHIMAN & HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Tribune News Service Clockwise: Home Minister Amit Shah being welcomed by BJP leaders at the PAU; an effigy goes up in flames at Daresi Ground; and people enjoy rides during the Dasehra celebrations. Shah leads Dasehra celebrations in city, lights Ravana effigy at Daresi Ground Demands accountability from AAP government in state over growing drug menace Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 20 In a first, Home Minister Amit Shah set ablaze Ravana’s effigy at the historic over century old Daresi Ground during the Dasehra celebrations. Never in Ludhiana, any Union Home Minister led the celebrations on Vijayadashmi. Shah consigned the 121feet Ravana effigy to flames in the presence of thousands of visitors at the Dasehra ground. When the minister pressed the remote button to burn the effigy, crowd erupted in cheers. While addressing the gathering, Shah started with ‘Jai Shri Ram’. He also remembered martyr Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar, whose birthplace is in Naughara Mohalla in the city near the Dasehra ground venue. He said Ludhiana was a land of martyr Sukhdev Thapar. “When we were young and used to celebrate Dasehra in Gujarat, we had been told by our elders that if one wants to see the Dasehra celebrations in the country, visit Daresi Dasehra ground of Ludhiana and experience the bliss,” Shah said. Ravana dehan signifies triumph over evils and this is the time, to pay respects to Lord Ram who fought against the evils, he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his address also demanded accountability from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the state over the growing drug menace and government’s failure in providing justice to victim families, and asked it to transfer cases involving the other two victims to the CBI. “I will never forget this Dasehra as I recall meetings with the families of three men from Gurdaspur, Sangrur and Mansa, who were killed or driven to suicide for raising their voices against drug-related activities. Despite being an elected rep- resentative for nearly 30 years and having met families affected by several tragedies, I had never felt as saddened as I was today,” Shah said, adding that “their families are not alone. Thousands of families in Punjab who want to end the drug menace, stand with them”. Targeting the AAP government of failing to fulfil its promise of making the state drug-free within three months of coming to power, Shah said: “Drug trafficking has increased and those fighting against drugs are being implicated in cases or murdered. Political criticism will not deter me from pursuing this serious matter.” Responding to AAP’s allegations that drugs were entering Punjab through Gujarat’s ports, Shah said narcotics worth ?20,000 crore had been seized at ports in Gujarat and Maharash- tra. He questioned how drugs continued to enter Punjab? “Such trafficking could not take place without the involvement of elements within the state government,” the minister said. Shah further said Punjab had not convened a single meeting of the Narco-Coordination Centre (NCORD) in the past two years, despite over 48 such meetings being held by states across the country. Meanwhile, Ashok Thapar of the Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar Memorial Trust praised the Home Minister for paying respects to the martyr from the Daresi ground. ‘Dial toll-free helpline of NCB, see action’ Shah urged the people of Punjab to inform about drug trafficking anywhere in the state and the central agency will take action. “If the state government is not taking action against drugs, dial NCB’s toll-free number and see the pace of action of the agency,” he said. Other party leaders leave before minister’s arrival Amarinder Singh Raja Warring from the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party leaders Chaudhary Madan Lal Bagga and Daljit Singh Bhola and other leaders from different poliyical parties also attended the event at the Daresi ground but before the arrival of Home Minister Amit Shah, all of them left the venue. Visitors, traders face inconvenience As the home minister was in the city to take part in the Dasehra celebrations, visitors, shopkeepers and vendors faced inconvenience. As part of the high-level security arrangements, the police had put in place diversions at various points near the Daresi ground and entry of the public were barred before the arrival of Shah. Even some vendors and shopkeepers had to stop operations due to the security protocols. Ludhiana, October 20 Reacting sharply to the statement of Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah resemble the demon figures of Ravana and Kumbhakarna, Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sareen said Sandhwan has lost his mental balance and should seek treatment. Addressing mediapersons ahead of Shah’s visit for a media briefing on the Punjab Agricultural University campus, Sareen said drugs were being sold openly in the state and delivered like pizza on the doorsteps of addicts. He described such an irresponsible statement by the Assembly Speaker as uncalled for. “When drug hauls are being recovered in Gujarat and major drug supply chains are being busted, it is a big success of the Gujarat Government and Central agencies while the Aam Aadmi Party leadership terms it as a failure. However, when drugs are being sold openly in Punjab and people who raise questions against the drug menace are targeted, AAP considers the same as their success,” Sareen said. He said Shah’s visit comes at a time when the state was struggling with the devastating impact of drugs, while Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was enjoying on a foreign tour. The BJP leader alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government had left the state to fend for itself whereas the BJP stands firmly with affected families. Member of Parliament Fervour, gaiety mark Industrialist moves rights panel celebrations in Khanna over bad roads, sewer overflow Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 20 Dasehra celebrations were organised in a grand way in Khanna to mark the festival symbolising the victory of good over evil and showcasing the rich traditions of the Indian culture. The celebrations were marked by the burning of massive effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad. As the effigies went up in flames, the sky was lit up with colourful fireworks. A large number of people from Khanna and surrounding areas participated in the festivities. Several revered saints and spiritual personalities were also present. The event was organised by the Dasehra Utsav Committee, Khanna. Punjab Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond attended the celebrations as the chief guest along with his family. Renowned Punjabi singer Babbu Maan, actors Binnu Dhillon and Dev Kharoud, artiste Kumar Gaurav, Balbir Rai and party, Mani Bajwa, Manraj and other prominent personalities also attended the event. The organisers honoured the distinguished guests on the occasion. Addressing the gathering, Ludhiana, October 20 A city industrialist has approached the Punjab State Human Rights Commission, seeking intervention to address civic problems facing businesses. The development comes as factory owners and workers in the industrial area near Eastman Chowk, Jaspal Bangar Road and Satnam Kanda Street in Dhandari Kalan are facing hardships due to damaged roads, recurring sewer overflows and waterlogging. In his complaint, industrialist Harminder Singh said the poor condition of roads had made commuting difficult and increased the risk of accidents involving pedestrians and two-wheelers. He said the situation worsened during rainfall as sewer water overflowed onto the streets. He alleged that even light rain led to waterlogging. Factory workers and other commuters often faced difficulties reaching their workplaces safely, affecting their daily routine, the complainant claimed. According to Harminder, the affected factory owners had approached the area councillor and the local MLA Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond lights an effigy during the Dasehra celebrations in Khanna on Tuesday. Sond said Dasehra inspires people to follow the path of truth, righteousness and goodness. He said the life of Lord Ram represents the ideals of dignity, discipline and justice. The minister said while burning the effigy of Ravana, people should also resolve to eliminate evils within them- selves, including arrogance, anger, greed, jealousy and other negative tendencies. He said only by overcoming these inner evils could people truly follow the ideals of Lord Ram in their daily lives. Children, youngsters and the elderly participated enthusiastically in the celebrations. c m y b A street near Eastman Chowk in a pathetic state. to seek a solution, but the problem remained unresolved. He alleged that the response conveyed by the MLA was that if the area had remained neglected for the past 10 years, they should tolerate the situation for some more time, and the roads would be constructed as and when time permitted. In his complaint, Harminder urged the commission to direct the Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner and the Buildings and Roads Department officials concerned to inspect the affected areas and carry out repairs on priority. He sought a perma- nent solution to the sewer overflow and drainage problems, along with a timebound action-taken report. Harminder said the “continued neglect” of basic civic infrastructure was causing inconvenience to factory owners, workers and other commuters in the area. Anil Sareen, Punjab BJP general secretary. FILE DRUGS BEING SOLD OPENLY IN STATE: SAREEN Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sareen said drugs were being sold openly in the state and delivered like pizza on the doorsteps of addicts. (MP) Tarun Chugh also reacted to the statement of Sandhwan. He said Shah’s visit to the state on Tuesday was a blow against mafia kingpins. Delivering justice to families who have lost their own while fighting against drugs and gangsters was the priority. The BJP had been demanding a CBI inquiry from Day 1. An investigation must be conducted to find out whether the guilty were in khaki or khadi and from where the drug network was being operated. Law and order would be established, and the guilty will not be spared. Regarding the statement of Kejriwal that Lawrence Bishnoi is a “son-in-law of Centre”, Chugh said who is whose son-in-law, who arranged whose interview, who turned the jail into a studio — the country knows. Kejriwal sahab, stop using such abusive words. You yourself kept arranging interviews of gangsters and turned jails into studios and offices of gangsters. Woman killed, husband hurt as truck rams into bike; driver held Ludhiana, October 20 A woman was killed and her husband seriously injured on Monday as a speeding 16wheeler truck rammed into their motorcycle near the Halwara Air Force Station on the Ludhiana-Bathinda highway. The police have arrested the truck driver and impounded the vehicle. The incident occurred near the main guard room of the base while the couple was returning from a market. The truck dragged the bike for some distance. The couple, Jeet Singh and his wife Mamta Devi, residents of Akalgarh, were returning home after purchasing household items. As they tried to take a turn near the cut close to the main guard room, the truck, coming from the rear, hit the motorcycle. Jeet arranged a vehicle with the help of passers-by and rushed his wife to a government hospital. However, doctors declared her dead on arrival. He also sustained injuries. Mamta Devi used to do cleaning work to support her family. She is survived by her husband and two sons. Sudhar SHO Kulwinder Singh said the truck driver escaped but was later held with the help of locals. — TNS