23032023-LT-01.qxd 3/23/2023 12:37 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune RLYS’ ‘BHARAT NEPAL AASTHA YATRA’ TO CHUG OFF ON MAR 31 RUTUJA SAWANT SHARES HER HARROWING EXPERIENCE Actress Rutuja Sawant, last seen in show ‘Pishachini’, recalls one of the most dreadful incidents of her life. P3 PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 27°C | MIN 15°C YESTERDAY MAX 28°C | MIN 14°C KANGANA: DILJIT WILL BE HELD FOR ‘SUPPORTING’ KHALISTANIS Ram Temple, Ayodhya, and Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi will bemajor attractions during tour. P2 FORECAST Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut has once again taken on Punjabi actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh. P4 » » SUNSET THURSDAY 6.39 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:26 AM » THURSDAY | 23 MARCH 2023 | LUDHIANA Mandi Mullanpur man booked on rape charge Rain, hailstorm flatten wheat crop over 53K hectares in dist Three of thieves’ gang held, four motorbikes recovered Our Correspondent Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 22 A Mandi Mullanpur-based man has been booked for allegedly raping a 21-yearold woman on the pretext of marrying her. The suspect has been identified as Kundan Paswan. The woman had complained to the police in December 2022, after which, the women cell, Jagraon, started a probe into the case. The complainant alleged that the suspect had kept her with him for over one month and raped her. He took the woman with him on the pretext of marrying her. He took her to Ludhiana, Malerkotla and Ambala and forcibly established physical relations with her, the woman alleged. Following the investigation report, an FIR was recommended in the case. The FIR under Sections 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her mar-riage, etc.) and 376 (rape) of the IPC has been registered against the suspect at the Dakha police station. Health team raids clinic, quack held Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 22 Following a complaint filed by the Senior Medical Officer of the Civil Hospital, Koom Kalan, a man has been arrested for allegedly running a health clinic at Meharban without the required registration certificate. A total of 20 medicines of different companies were also seized from the clinic of the suspect, identified as Parmod Kumar, a resident of Harkrishan Vihar, here. Senior Medical Officer Puneet Juneja complained to the police that he, along with his team, had conducted a raid on the clinic run by an unqualified person. The suspect failed to show the registration certificate required to run the clinic, he alleged. A case under Sections 15 (2) B, 419, and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered at the Meharban police station against him. SI Davinder Singh is investigating the matter. Ludhiana, March 22 After unprecedented heat that feared shriveling of grains, heavy rains coupled with gusty winds and hailstorm during the past week have poured misery on a large number of farmers in Ludhiana district, the government has confirmed. With the peasants of the district staring at losses, preliminary estimates have revealed that standing wheat crop on at least 53,000 hectares, which constitute almost 22 per cent of the total area under wheat, was flattened due to inundating of the fields and lodging while at least 3 per cent of the ready-to-ripe cereal grain plants were feared damaged. However, the halt in rain since Tuesday and sunny weather on Wednesday and Tuesday have revived hopes of the majority of affected farmers with the inundated fields being drained out through various means and the flattened crop being lifted again. Taking cognisance of the situation, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had on Tuesday ordered girdawari to assess the damage to wheat crop due to inclement weather and rain across the state. Acting on the directions, revenue and agriculture officials began field visits on Wednesday to meet the affected farmers and make on-the-spot assessment of the damage caused to the staple food in various parts of the district. A visit to various parts of the district revealed that the wheat crop in vast areas of fields has fallen flat while the rainwater that had caused lodging and flooding of the WHEAT LOSS REPORT TOTAL AREA FLATTENED FEARED DAMAGED 2.43 LAKH HECTARES 53,000 HECTARES 3 PER CENT (SOURCE: PUNJAB GOVERNMENT) Flattened wheat crop due to recent rain and hailstorm in Ludhiana on Wednesday. ASHWANI DHIMAN COMMITTED TO HELP FARMERS government is committed ❝Ourpossible manner. We haveto help and support farmers in every already ordered girdawari to assess the crop damage and once the assessment report is received, we will extend adequate assistance to the affected growers to cover up their losses. — Bhagwant Mann, CM fields has almost receded in most pockets across 11 blocks in the district. “We have suffered huge losses due to the rain, hail and thunderstorm,” an octogenarian farmer in Samrala Maan Singh told The Tribune. Another peasant Shamsher Singh in Sidhwan Bet said most of his crop, which was ready to be harvested, on over 10 acres had flattened. “After suffering due to intense heat till recently, now the rain, gusty winds and hailstorm have poured misery on us,” shared a progressive farmer, Harwinder Singh, in Pakhowal. Ajmer Singh, who had cultivated wheat crop over ❞ 15 acres in Khanna, blamed the government and official machinery of rendering no help so far. “Again, we have been left to fend for ourselves. Similar was our plight when we suffered losses in paddy cultivation and now our wheat crop has also fallen prey to inclement weather,” rued a small peasant, Kuldeep Singh, who was upset watching his flattened wheat crop over 2 acres in Machhiwara. Deputy Commissioner Surabhi Malik said the district administration would assess the exact loss to the wheat crop due to the inclement weather and send a detailed report to the government. “We will extend full support and help to the affected farmers, as per the decision of the government,” she added. Chief Agriculture Officer Narinder Singh Benipal claimed extending all possible help and assistance to the rain-hit farmers. “Our teams are visiting the fields and meeting the peasants to assess loss, besides offering requisite support,” he asserted, adding that the complete field assessment report would be submitted shortly. Raikot, March 22 The Ludhiana (rural) police have nabbed three members of a gang of thieves who had been involved in stealing motorcycles and selling them after preparing fake documents. Four stolen motorcycles were recovered on the basis of information extracted from the suspects. They have been identified as Sukhwinder Singh, alias Seepa, a resident of the Balmiki Mandir area in Guru Nanak Pura, Raikot, Gurtej Singh Ravi of the Shaheed Garh area and Deepak Singh Deepa, a resident of Guru Nanak Pura Mohalla. The SSP, Ludhiana (Rural), Navneet Singh Bains, said police officials, supervised by Raikot DSP Rachhpal Singh Dhindsa and SHO City Raikot Kulwinder Singh Dhaliwal, had nabbed three members STARTED CRIME FOR BUYING DRUGS Though the police are yet to ascertain complete antecedents of the suspects, preliminary probe revealed that they had fallen prey to drug addiction, following which they started stealing vehicles by preparing master keys for different types of motorcycles. The stolen motorcycles were sold at throwaway prices by preparing fake documents. of a gang of miscreants that had been involved in stealing two-wheelers from public places. The gang was busted on the basis of information received from Gurpreet Singh of Ward 12, whose motorcycle had been stolen from Tehsil Complex on March 16. Having arrested the trio from different places, the police recovered four motorcycles, which were stolen from various places in the recent past. Though the police are yet to ascertain complete antecedents of the suspects, preliminary investigation revealed that they had fallen prey to drug addiction, following which Wheat area at five-year low The area under wheat cultivation during the current season was at its lowest ever in Ludhiana district since 2017. From 2.52 lakh hectares, which in the past five years remained the maximum area under the main Rabi crop, in 2017-18, the area under cereal grain cultivation had continued on page 2 The suspects in police custody in Raikot. TRIBUNE PHOTO Travel agent booked for duping 2 Sewer connections of 5 ‘ahatas’ cut Tribune News Service (IPC) were registered on Tuesday against the suspect, Amit Kumar Ahuja, of Karnal in Haryana. In the first case, Gurinder Singh complained to the police that his son Harshdeep Singh was studying in a college in Brampton, Canada, and his college fee was supposed to be deposited in November 2021. He alleged that the agent had taken around Rs 6.10 lakh from him on the pretext of depositing the col- they started stealing vehicles by preparing master keys for different types of motorcycles. The stolen two-wheelers were sold by the three suspects at throwaway prices after preparing fake documents. “Though we are yet to ascertain the exact modus operandi of the suspects, probe revealed that they used to change registration number plates and documents after stealing vehicles,” DSP Rachhpal Singh Dhindsa said. He added that SHO Dhaliwal had been advised to ascertain identities of other accomplices and past record of the arrested suspects. chose to pay the dues on the spot, the official said. SDO Amritpal Singh said the MC had given last warning to the owners to pay the dues on the spot and if they failed to do so, sewer connections would be disconnected. Appealing to residents to pay their taxes/dues on time to avoid action, the SDO said the drive against the defaulters would continue in coming days. 8-yr-old boy among 2 test +ve for Covid lege fee but he did not deposit the same to the college. Later, the agent issued fake fee receipts to him. In another case, Nitin Garg alleged that his son Harshit Garg was studying in a college in Canada and his college fee was to be deposited in December 2021. He alleged that the agent had taken Rs 22.10 lakh from him but he failed to deposit the fee. SI Rakesh Kumar is investigating the case. The suspect was yet to be arrested in the case. Ludhiana, March 22 The Municipal Corporation (MC) on Wednesday disconnected sewer connections of five ‘ahatas’ (drinking places) on Tibba Road and Tajpur Road. An official said the action had been taken after the owners failed to pay water-sewer user charges despite notices served by the civic body in the past. Besides, MC teams also recovered Rs 2.10 lakh as water-sewer charges from a few other defaulters, who 2 nabbed with heroin, opium Worker flees with ~5 lakh, booked Snatchers target three more in city Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 22 A man working for a liquor vendor has allegedly fled with Rs 5 lakh in cash. The police started an investigation in the matter. The suspect has been identified as Ranveer Kushwaha of Rajasthan. Complainant Mohit Samani of SBS Nagar alleged that the suspect had been collecting cash from his liquor vends for the past five years. He alleged that Ranveer collected Rs 5 lakh from the liquor vends in the Shimlapuri area on March 13 but he did not deposit the money. The complainant alleged that he fled away with the cash. — TNS Ludhiana, March 22 The police arrested two persons allegedly involved in cases of drug peddling. The police arrested a man and claimed to have recovered 90 gm of heroin and Rs 10,000 in cash from his possession. The suspect has been identified as Simranjeet Singh of Gurpal Nagar, here. A case under Sections 21, 61, and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered against him at the Division Number 6 police station. SI Amarjeet Kumar is investigating the case. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 22 The Focal Point police have registered two FIRs against a travel agent for allegedly cheating two persons on the pretext of depositing college fees. Two residents of Sector 32-A, Chandigarh Road, here, filed their complaints against the travel agent in December 2022. After inquiry, cases under Sections 420 and 406 of the Indian Penal Code The persons held with heroin and opium in Ludhiana police custody. In the other incident, the police nabbed a man and seized 850 gm of opium allegedly from his possession. A case under Sections 18-B, 61 and 85 of the NDPS Act has been registered at the Divi- sion Number 7 police station against the suspect, identified as Sonu Pandey of Kakka Dhaula village. The police also recovered his motorcycle. Inspector Satnam Singh is investigating the case. c m y b Ludhiana, March 22 Two fresh cases of Covid-19 were reported here on Wednesday. According to the Department of Health and Family Welfare, an eight-year-old boy, an international traveller, from Hambran and a 40-year-old man from Passi Nagar have tested positive for the virus. As many as 266 samples were collected for the Covid test on Wednesday. The department has confirmed 1,13,660 positive cases in the district to date. — TNS Civic body workers disconnect a sewer connection in Ludhiana on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO Take away gold chain, ~90K, mobile from victims; 2 nabbed, weapon seized Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 22 Three more cases of snatching incidents were reported in areas under the jurisdiction of the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate. The police arrested two suspects in one of the cases. Miscreants involved in the other cases were yet to be nabbed. Sapna Dhawan of the Shimlapuri area complained to the police that a scooterborne youth snatched a gold chain from her at Durga Nagar and fled the scene. The incident occurred when she was returning to her home around 4 pm on Tuesday. A case under Section 379-B of the IPC was registered against an unidentified person at the Shimlapuri police station. In the second incident, three persons riding a motorcycle snatched Rs 90,000 from an employee of a private company near Razapur village on Tuesday morning. Harkrishan Singh of Sidhwan Bet alleged that three miscreants on a motorcycle stopped him after brandish- ing an iron rod and snatched Rs 90,000 from him. He said the incident occurred near Razapur village when he was going on his motorcycle after collecting money from sources in different villages. A case under Sections 379 B and 34 of the IPC had been registered against unidentified persons at the Ladhowal police station. In another incident, the Focal Point police booked four persons for allegedly snatching a mobile phone from a city resident. Two of the suspects, Angad Kumar of New Moti Nagar and Akhilesh Kumar of Ram Nagar in Mundian Kalan, were arrested. Dheraj of Moti Nagar and Vikas of Ram Nagar are absconding. Vijay Kumar of Jain Colony, Ludhiana, alleged that when he was talking over his phone outside a factory in Focal Point, Phase V, on Tuesday morning, four persons came and snatched his mobile phone. They tried to flee. The complainant said two of them continued on page 2