16052023-LT-01.qxd 16-05-2023 00:45 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune RESIDENTS, TRADERS PROTEST POOR CONDITION OF STRETCH ACTOR SHARAD TALKS ABOUT SHORT FILM THANKS MOM SHAKIRA NOT INTERESTED IN DATING TOM CRUISE: SOURCE Protesters allege successive govts have failed to address problem of damaged Dugri-Dhandra road. P2 The actor has shared that he had to step out of his comfort zone for his role in short film Thanks Mom. P3 Shakira has no plans to date Tom Cruise, who has reportedly been romantically interested in her. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 42°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 40.2°C | MIN 22.2°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.15 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5.30 AM » TUESDAY | 16 MAY 2023 | LUDHIANA 48 students among 54 injured as buses collide head-on in Jagraon Driver of school vehicle, 10 pupils suffer major injuries Our Correspondent Jagraon, May 15 Fifty-four persons, including 48 students and the driver of a school bus, were injured when the vehicle ferrying them collided head-on with a Punjab Roadways bus near Kothey Baggu village in Jagraon on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway near here. Except the school bus driver and 10 students, who suffered major injuries, all others were discharged after providing medical aid at the Civil Hospital, Jagraon. Panic struck the region after news about the collision of a bus of Sacred Heart Convent School, Jagraon, carrying 48 students with a Punjab Roadways bus (bearing registration no. PB 10 HT 2614) and visuals showing the mangled remains of the school vehicle went viral on social media. All injured persons, including five passengers of the roadways bus, were rushed to the Civil Hospital Jagraon. Those who got major injuries, including the driver of the school bus, were shifted to multispecialty hospitals in Ludhiana. Gurmukh Singh (driver), The mangled remains of the school bus that collided with a Punjab Roadways bus on the Ludhiana-Ferozepur highway in Jagraon. PROMPT ACTION SAVED MISHAP VICTIMS A timely rescue operation conducted under the supervision of ADC Major Amit Sarin and Jagraon SDM Gurvir Singh Kohli facilitated prompt medical aid to the injured students, a majority of whom were handed over to their parents by the evening. Vipul Kumar, Ravnoor Singh, Japman, Harpreet Singh and Anurup suffered major injuries. SDM Gurvir Singh Kohli said the speeding school vehicle had collided with the roadways bus after the driver of the school bus lost control over his vehicle and went slightly on the wrong side. However, the situation was controlled by joint efforts of the administration, police, health authorities and social organisations. “After getting information, officials, led by tehsildar Manmohan Kaushik, reached the scene and launched a coordinated rescue operation,” said Gurvir Singh Kohli while appreciating that teams of doctors, including SMO Puneet Sidhu, Dr Dheeraj Singla, Dr Akhil Sarin, Dr Sukhdeep Kaur, Dr Sangeena, Dr Manpreet, Dr Deepak and Dr Manisha, had shown exemplary diligence in providing medical aid to students. Jagraon MLA Saravjit Kaur Manuke also visited the hospital. Driver of the school vehicle Gurmukh Singh was going to drop students in their villages near Jagraon. When the bus reached Kothey Baggu village on the highway, it collided with the roadways bus. Of the passengers travelling in the bus, only five persons, including a child, suffered injuries while all occupants of the school bus received injuries. c m y b Migrant held for killing 5-yr-old girl Our Correspondent Payal, May 15 The Khanna district police claimed to have solved a case in which a five-year-old migrant girl had gone missing on the outskirts of Mandiala Kalan village on Thursday and her body was found in nearby maize fields on Saturday. The girl lost her life as she tried to confront the molestation bid of a migrant and raised the alarm. The suspect, Lal Babu Rai, alias Babua, of Amwa Kalan village in Bihar thrashed the victim to death after a molestation bid and hid her body in nearby maize fields Dist reports Covid death for fourth consecutive day Tribune News Service The suspect in custody of the Khanna police. TRIBUNE PHOTO with an intent to evade action by the police. The suspect used to prepare meals for migrant labourers in in a room in fields where the deceased’s father Bijli Paswan was also staying along with his daughter. The police claimed that intensive investigation under the supervision of Khanna SSP Amneet Kondal and SP Pragya Jain had resulted in identification and arrest of the suspect on Sunday evening. The victim had gone missing after she took Rs 20 continued on page 2 Ludhiana, May 15 The district reported a Covid death for the fourth consecutive day today while three more tested positive for the virus. The person who lost his life was a 75-year-old man. He was admitted to Fortis Hospital where he breathed his last after a few hours. He was brought to the hospital with the history of cough, cold, breathlessness and mild abdominal distention. He was a chronic patient of diabetes. The positivity rate was 0.64 continued on page 2 Move to ‘privatise’ O&M branch opposed Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 15 In the Municipal Corporation Zone A, a meeting was held by the Municipal Employees’ Sangharsh Committee to address issues faced by the employees. They opposed the alleged planned privatisation of the corporation’s O&M branch. During the meeting, chairman Ashwani Sahota and president Jasdev Singh Sekhon raised concerns and challenges faced by the employees. The focus of the discussion was the proposed transfer of employees from the operations and maintenance (O&M) branch of the MC on deputation to Ludhiana Urban Water and Waste Water Management Limited Company, which will be responsible for the 24x7 canal water supply project. An official said: “It is believed that the government’s intention to transfer all employees from the O&M branch of the corporation to a private company is an agenda that will not be allowed to succeed. Consequently, all MC employees oppose such privatisation. If any sewer worker from the O&M branch is deputed to the mentioned company by the government, the Municipal Sewermen Karamchari Association will protest against the decision as part of their ongoing struggle. Both corporation and the state government will be held accountable for the same. A gate rally will be con- ducted in Zone A on May 17 as part of these efforts. Additionally, demands of the driver union and issues related to employees’ salaries will also be addressed.” Notably, several other committee members participated in the meeting and raised the matter. Joint Commissioner of the corporation Ankur Mahindroo, Superintending Engineer Ravinder Garg and other officials were among those others present during the meeting.