18052023-LT-01.qxd 5/18/2023 12:04 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune RESIDENTS COMPLAIN OF BREATHING PROBLEMS SONAKSHI SINHA, VIJAY VARMA EXPRESS LOVE FOR VIRAT KOHLI SHAH RUKH KHAN HOSTS US AMBASSADOR TO INDIA A major fire that broke out at the MC’s main garbage dumpsite on the Tajpur Road is yet to be controlled. P2 I am a Kohli fan. I have a feeling that the Bangalore team has strong chances, says Sonakshi Sinha. P3 US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti was hosted by Shah Rukh Khan at his home Mannat in Mumbai. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 36°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 41°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET THURSDAY 7.16 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:29 AM » THURSDAY | 18 MAY 2023 | LUDHIANA INBRIEF INMATE ATTACKS JAIL OFFICIAL Ludhiana: A jail inmate attacked Assistant Superintendent of Jail Gagandeep Sharma at the Central Jail here on Wednesday. The inmate started arguments with the jail official in the evening. The accused later hit his bracelet on the eyes of the jail official, leading to injuries. The jail official lodged a police complaint in this regard. TNS DIST SEES 4 NEW COVID-19 CASES Ludhiana: The district reported four fresh Covid-19 cases on Wednesday. At present, there are 20 active cases in the district. The Department of Health & Family Welfare, Punjab, confirmed that the district has witnessed 1,14,517 positive cases so far. As many as 3,031 people have lost their life to the virus in the district to date. TNS MISSING YOUTH’S BODY RECOVERED Doraha: The Doraha police recovered the body of a youth here on Wednesday. The deceased has been identified as Dilvardeep Singh, a resident of Doraha town. The youth, who was missing since Monday evening, is said to have committed suicide by jumping into the Sirhind canal. He is allegedly depressed due to persistent failure in examinations. The police handed over the body to the kin after the post-mortem examination. A probe has been initiated into the matter. Dilvardeep was working at a courier shop and wanted to settle down professionally. Despite several attempts, he couldn’t clear the exams for the post of patwari. OC 3 employees placed under suspension Tribune News Service Work to revamp city rly station at ~529 crore picks up pace Servant decamps with ~2.25 lakh, gold jewellery from Sec 32 house British era’s biggest junction to get new look by August 2025 Ludhiana, May 17 A Nepalese servant decamped with cash, a revolver, gold worth several lakhs from a house in Sector 32, Chandigarh road. The suspect has been identified as Prem Bahadur, a native of Nepal. He was employed as a servant at the house around two weeks ago only. The house owner, Makhan, in his complaint to the police, said Naresh Bahadur, a native of Nepal, was working at his Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 17 The work for major upgrade of the Ludhiana railway station at a cost of ~528.95 crore has picked up pace, with the completion deadline fixed as August 2, 2025, the Northern Railway has said. The project, which was awarded at the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode to a local firm on December 19 last, entails a host of new facilities and upgrade of the existing services to give a new and modern look to the British era’s biggest junction in the Ferozepur division, officials have revealed. The total project cost of ~528.95 crore included the contract value of ~472.94 crore, project management consultant cost of ~4.56 crore and other allied expenditures. The development assumes significance as this will be the first major revamp of the railway station established way back in 1860. Sharing details, Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora, who reviewed the progress of the project, told The Tribune today that the geotechnical investigation and survey work had already been completed, while 85 per cent of the work involving relocation of existing facilities had also been completed so far. He disclosed that Northern Railway General Manager Ashutosh Gangal has informed him that 50 per cent of the approvals for architectural designs had already been accorded, 25 per cent of the structural design approvals had been obtained and 15 per cent of the MEP design approvals had also been granted so far. Gangal further told Arora Work in progress for upgrade of the railway station in Ludhiana on Wednesday. PHOTOS: ASHWANI DHIMAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS Geotechnical investigation, survey work Relocation work Architectural design approvals Structural design approvals MEP design approvals Master plan, relocation plan General arrangement drawings of quarters (Type II, III, IV), officers’ rest house, multi-level parking Floor plans, conceptual plans Excavation PCC and footing PROJECT REPORT Completed 85% complete 50% complete 25% complete 15% complete Approved Approved POWER SHUTDOWN LUDHIANA 10 am to 4 pm: South City all blocks, Basera Heights, Garden Enclave, F2 Raceway, Victoria Enclave, St. Joseph Sacred Heart School, Kothari Marbles side Canal Road, Ayali Khurd, Dashmesh Nagar, Raikoti Jain Colony, Golf Link Colony, Humbran Road. 10 am to 4 pm: Maya Soap Street Nos 1 to 7, Shimlapuri Street Nos 10 to 14. ~528.95 crore CONTRACT VALUE ~472.94 crore PMC COST ~4.56 crore PROJECT AWARDED Approved Under progress Completed Dec 19, 2022 COMPLETION DATE August 2, 2025 MP SANJEEV ARORA’S PUSH Redevelopment and upgrade of the Ludhiana railway station was approved after Rajya Sabha MP from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora, who had been raising the demand inside and outside the Parliament for long, had recently met Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. He demanded major infrastructure uplift and revamp of the junction while highlighting its poor state. “This is the much-needed and muchawaited project to undertake the first major revamp of the railway station, which was opened by the Britishers in 1860,” Arora added. that the PCC and footing had been done while reinforcement works for pedestal and column construction for Type-II of A and B blocks was in progress. While excavation work was in progress for Type-II of C block, Type-III of A block, rest house and hospital buildings, site had been cleared to start excavation for construction of Type-IV . Arora was further intimated that the railway station development work involved relocation of 130 existing quarters, rest house, hospital, main station building and railway offices for clearance of the site for construction of main and secondary entry of the new station building. The project entails additional entry from elevated road for smooth traffic flow, arrival and departure segregation in station area, new multi-level car parking and 12,600 square meter surface parking area, provision for proper second Continued on page 2 house since long. When he had to visit Nepal about two weeks ago, he brought Prem Bahadur in his place. “Since Naresh was loyal, we agreed to employ Prem, but we could not gauge the intentions of the suspect,” the complainant alleged. Makhan said the theft took place when all family members had gone to work on May 15. Prem ransacked the entire house and decamped with a revolver, ~2.25 lakh in cash, 16 gold rings, three gold sets, eight gold bangles, two gold bracelets, four gold chains, two gold coins and some other valuables. When they returned home, they were shocked to see the ransacked house and broken locks of the almirah. Investigation officer Assistant Sub-Inspector Kuldeep Singh said a case had been registered in this regard. Raids were being conducted at the suspected whereabouts of Prem Bahadur. An alert was also sounded at the Nepal border as he might also try to cross the border. Hit by speeding truck, 13-yr-old student dies Land dispute claims man’s life, 2 booked Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 17 A land dispute at Gonspur village claimed the life of a man here yesterday. The deceased has been identified as Gurcharan Singh (58). The Ladhowal police have booked suspects Jagtar Singh and his son Harjinder Singh, residents of Gonspur village. A case under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC was registered against the suspects. Complainant Jagsir Singh said his father was present at his farm land in the village. The suspects came there and started altercation with his father. They resorted to altercation over the same land dispute going on between his father and his (father) brother. The suspects attacked his father, following which he fell unconscious. He was immediately taken to the hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Investigation officer SubInspector Gurmit Singh said the police were conducting raids to nab the suspects. — TNS Ludhiana, May 17 A 13-year-old student was crushed to death by a speeding truck while he was returning home from the school on a bicycle here this morning. The deceased has been identified as Shivam. The boy was on his way home from the school after submitting a leave application. After receiving information, the police reached the spot. The police took the body into their possession and sent it to the Civil Hospital for postmortem examination. Shivam was unwell for the past few days. He went to the school today to submit a leave application for two days. After submitting the application, he left for home on his bicycle. When he reached near the Kailash Nagar cut, a speeding truck hit him. The boy died on the spot. Initially, the truck driver parked his vehicle on the Driver flees from spot; efforts on to nab him: Cops roadside after the mishap. When he saw a large number of people gathering at the spot, he fled from the spot. People immediately informed the police about the incident. Shivam’s father Vikas Kumar, who resides in Gahlewal, said Shivam was their only son. He lost their son due to the driver’s negligence. He demanded immediate arrest of the truck driver and strict action against him. The police said a case had been registered against the truck driver and efforts were on to nab him. Vigilance Bureau arrests Bookie held for betting on cricket matches ASI for taking ~9,000 bribe Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 17 The Ludhiana police arrested a bookie involved in betting on cricket matches and recovered 12 mobile phones from his possession here yesterday. The suspect has been identified as Sourav Mahindra (34), a resident of Nasib Enclave. Additional DCP (Crime) Rupinder Kaur Bhatti said they got a tip-off that a person was running a cricket betting racket. He was betting on interna- Tribune News Service Chandigarh, May 17 Principal Secretary VP Singh, Local Government, has placed Assistant Town Planner (ATP) Sunil Kumar and Building Inspector (Technical) Kuljit Singh Mangat under suspension in connection with a construction case of Vardhman City Centre, Chandigarh road, Ludhiana. Both the employees, posted in the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, have been suspended on the basis of a probe conducted by the Chief Vigilance Officer. The Principal Secretary has also suspended Vishal Sharma, a clerk at the Improvement Trust, Ludhiana, in connection with a case involving waiving off construction fee of a plot in Ludhiana. PROJECT COST Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 17 The Vigilance Bureau (VB) nabbed Assistant SubInspector (ASI) Baldev Raj posted at the Samrala police station, Khanna district, for allegedly demanding and accepting a bribe of ~9,000 in two instalments. Ravinderpal Singh Sandhu, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Vigilance Bureau, Ludhiana, said ASI Baldev Raj was arrested on the complaint of Ram Singh, a resident of Bhall Majra village, Fatehgarh Sahib district. He lodged a complaint on the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption Action Line in this regard. Giving further details, Sandhu said Ram Singh, in his online complaint, alleged that the police official had already taken ~9,000 bribe in two instalments for not to register any case against his daughter and son-in-law. The complainant further alleged that the accused cop conducted criminal proceedings against them even after taking the bribe money. He recorded the conversation with the ASI regarding the payment of The suspect in the Vigilance Bureau custody in Ludhiana on Wednesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO COMPLAINT LODGED ON CM’S HELPLINE Ravinderpal Singh Sandhu, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Vigilance Bureau, Ludhiana, said ASI Baldev Raj was arrested on the complaint of Ram Singh, a resident of Bhall Majra village, Fatehgarh Sahib district. He lodged a complaint on the Chief Minister’s Anti-Corruption helpline in this regard. bribe money, which was submitted to the Vigilance Bureau as the evidence. The SSP said the VB range, Ludhiana, investigated the complaint and arrested the accused police official after finding him guilty of taking a bribe of Rs 9,000 from the complainant. A case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the cop at the VB police station, Ludhiana range. He would be produced in the competent court tomorrow. Further investigations were on into the matter, said SSP Sandhu. c m y b tional cricket matches. Initially when the suspect was nabbed, a mobile phone was recovered from his possession. Later during interrogation, 11 mobile phones, a mike and a suitcase were also recovered from his flat in Hero Homes, Iyali Kalan, said ADCP Sran. Further questioning of the suspect would be done to inquire about other cricket bookies active in the industrial hub and action would be taken against them. Some of the bookies are already on the radar of the police. The suspect in custody of the Ludhiana police on Wednesday. Probe reveals details of properties amassed APP SCAM Jain brothers created their empire in the past few years Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 17 The investigation by Ludhiana Police Commissionerate into the fake online V-Trade app being run by the Jain brothers has led to startling revelations about the properties amassed by the accused. To prevent them from being detected by the Income Tax Department and the Enforcement Directorate, most properties were bought by the accused in the name of their family members, kin and even friends. One Kanav Sachdeva of The suspects running fake online trading app in the Ludhiana police custody. TRIBUNE PHOTO CRPF Colony who was also nominated and arrested late on Wednesday evening, also owned five properties which actually belong to the key accused, Anil Jain and Jatin Jain. The value of these properties is said to be around Rs 95 lakh and they have been rented by the accused to earn a steady income. Additional DCP Rupinder Kaur Bhatti who is heading the probe, told The Tribune on Wednesday that as the accused had created an empire of crores in the span of a few years. Police investigation found 42 properties the accused own, which also includes commercial properties. Almost all these properties are located in the city Continued on page 2