17022024-LT-01.qxd 2/17/2024 1:01 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune WASTE COMPACTOR SYSTEM LAUNCHED AT DHANDARI KALAN AMRITSAR RURAL POLICE BUST DUBAI-BASED DRUG CARTEL KAVITA CHAUDHARY DIES DUE TO CARDIAC ARREST MC has opened static waste compactor system in Dhandari Kalan to address complaintsofopengarbagedumping. P2 The police seized 4.4 kg of heroin, two cars, a tractor and drug money from the suspects. P3 Veteran actress Kavita Chaudhary of Doordarshan series Udaan fame dies due to cardiac arrest at 67. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 26°C | MIN 8°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 8°C SUNSET SATURDAY 6.15 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:05 AM » SATURDAY | 17 FEBRUARY 2024 | LUDHIANA Man injured in attack succumbs, two arrested Ludhiana, February 16 A day after a group of persons attacked two friends who were returning their homes in Machhiwara Sahib, one of them succumbed to his injuries. The deceased has been identified as Pardeep Singh. The police have booked around eight persons in the case. The suspects have been identified as Jaspreet Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Ghuggi, all residents of Machhiwara Sahib, and five unidentified persons. Of them, Gurpreet and another person have been arrested so far. ASI Pawanjit confirmed the death of Pardeep, who had received critical injuries in the attack. His friend, Amit Kumar, had also got injuries. Earlier, based on the statement of Amit, the police had registered a case under Sections 307, 325, 323, 341, 427, 148, and 149 of the IPC at the Machhiwara Sahib police station. Now, Section 302 of the IPC has been added to the case after Pardeep succumbed to the injuries. Amit said around eight persons had attacked them when he and his friend Pardeep were returning after paying obeisance at a gurdwara in Machhiwara Sahib on the night of February 14. Pardeep was driving the car when the suspects, armed with sharp weapons, arrived in three vehicles and attacked them. Of the suspects, five persons had attacked Pardeep multiple times with sharp weapons. — TNS Bharat Bandh call gets mixed response in city Shops, factories, govt offices functioned as usual; bus services affected Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 16 Farmers’ call for Grameen Bharat Bandh today got a mixed response in the city as markets, malls, factories, offices, etc, remained open and nobody tried to get these establishments closed. There was normal supply of milk, vegetables and other essentials. However, bus services were affected in the city and tar Amarvir Singh, president of the Hotel and Restaurant Association, here, said there was normal supply of vegetables and fruits in the main mandi. Almost all markets, including at Sarabha Nagar, BRS Nagar, Chaura Bazaar, AC Market and Ghumar Mandi remained opened throughout the day, though it was being expected that everything would be closed and many residents had got essential items stocked to avoid any problem. “Footfall of visitors was low,” said Umesh Kumar, a shopkeeper at Ghumar Mandi. Factory units in Industrial Area, Focal Point, Janakpuri, Sunder Nagar and Janta Nagar remained opened. At the same time, Badish Jindal, president, AITF said facto, ries were running normally Visitors at the MC’s Zone A office amid the protest. INDERJEET VERMA but stocks were not sent to any location. “We are not sending or getting any material from outside Ludhiana to avoid any harassment on roads,”Jindal said. Students taking board exams face inconvenience As the Education Department had yesterday asked students and their parents to reach respective centres one hour before the exams, taking no chance, the students reached well on time but they said there was anxiety among them. “We left home early and did not get enough time for the last-minute revision. Hence, we have done revision outside centres,” said a Class X student who had come to take science exam conducted by the PSEB today. Meanwhile, Daljit Singh Samrala from the Democratic Teachers Union said many teachers and students who did not have own conveyance had to suffer in the absence of bus services, both government and private. “Many teachers reached schools late. The government should had postponed today’s exam to avoid inconvenience to students and others,” he said. Mandi Ahmedgarh: The administration remained on toes taking proactive measures to prevent any untoward incident during the Gramin Bharat Bandh, call for which was given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and trade unions for getting their demands accepted from the Union Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Though road blockades and protest marches at various places were peaceful, police personnel had to intervene where groups of protesters tried to force owners of shops to down shutters of their establishments forcibly. The police had to divert traffic on alternative routes as the protesters had organised dharnas on almost all major crossings on LudhianaMalerkotla, Ludhiana-Bathinda, Raikot-Ludhiana, Ludhiana-Ferozepur highways. Vehicular traffic remained suspended for hours at Hari Singh Nalwa Chowk, Raikot, Sahnewal Chowk, Dehlon and Jodhan on Raikot Ludhiana Road. However the bandh passed off peacefully and no untoward incident was reported from the region. Meanwhile, commuters who had to travel long distances were worst hit. Many preferred to cancel their plans. However, leaders of various outfits holding dharnas in the region claimed that ambulances and vehicles carrying patients were allowed to pass through almost all blockades. — OC Two booked for ~17-lakh fraud Protesters block NH-44, commuters hit Ludhiana, February 16 The police have booked two persons for allegedly committing a fraud with a resident of BRS Nagar. The suspects have been identified as Gurwinderpal Singh Wisky and his son Raju of BRS Nagar. The complainant, Daljeet Singh Cheena (67), alleged that the suspects had taken Rs 17 lakh from him in July 2015 on the pretext of investing money in a real estate business. He alleged that they did not return the money, thus committing a fraud with him. — TNS Tribune News Service ed argument with commuters. The commuters wanted to pass through the road but they were not allowing them. Following which, the police intervened in the matter and pacified demonstrators and commuters. A government official said he had to go towards Dhandari Kalan but the protesters were not allowing vehicles to move ahead during the protest. Hence, he was also forced to return from the road. Meanwhile, the traffic was also diverted through other routes due to the protest but it was a harrowing time for the commuters. STF arrests two, seizes 66-kg opium Five booked for gang-raping woman opium from Dheeraj of Varanasi in UP for Rs 1.10 lakh per kg and they had to further sell it at a cost of Rs 2 lakh per kg to their customers. In the other incident, the police arrested a 35-year-old man and recovered 6 kg of opium allegedly from his possession. He has been identified as Gurdeep Singh Gogi, a resident of Daulatpur village in Moga district. DCP (Investigation) Jaskaran Singh Teja said a case under Sections 18, 18C61-85 of the NDPS Act had been registered at the Dehlon police station against the suspect. The team of the anti-narcotics cell-1 of the police had received information about Gurdeep, who was apprehended near Sayan Chowk, in the jurisdiction of the Dehlon police. When the car in which the suspect was travelling in was searched, 6 kg of opium was seized, the official said. The man will be presented in court to seek his police remand for further interrogation. Ludhiana, February 16 Five persons have been booked for allegedly gangraping a 32-year-old married woman from a Ludhiana village that falls under the jurisdiction of the Jamalpur police. Of the five suspects, three have been identified as Maskeen from Biharipur in Tarn Taran district and Gaggu and Shareef. The police are investigating the case. The complainant alleged that she developed a friendship with Maskeen through a social media platform. The victim alleged that she communicated with the suspect for a few months. On the night of January 29, as per the complainant, Maskeen, along with his two companions, Gaggu and Shareef, and two unidentified persons, forcibly took her to a hotel in Pathankot, where they gang-raped her. Later, she narrated the incident to her brother-in-law over the phone and subsequently, she complained to the police. A case has been registered against the suspects. — TNS Ludhiana, February 16 In support of the Bharat Bandh call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and trade unions, workers associated with trade unions blocked the National Highway-44 (Delhi-Amritsar) near Sherpur Chowk here on Friday. As a result, commuters faced inconvenience due to the blockade on the highway. The protesters were demanding from the Central Government to meet demands of farmers. A highway blocked by protesters in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN When workers sat on the road, blocking the national highway, they got into a heat- Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 16 In two separate cases, different wings of the police recovered 72 kg of opium and arrested three persons in this regard. On Friday, the Special Task Force of Ludhiana Range arrested two persons traveling in an SUV and seized 66 kg of opium Man held with 6 kg of opium by anti-narcotics cell in another incident allegedly from their possession. The suspects have been identified as Gurdev Singh (40) from Odisha and Tejinder Singh, also known as Monu (32), from the Agwar Dala area in Jagraon. STF in-charge, Ludhiana Range, Inspector Harbans Singh, stated that the suspects were nabbed near Sahnewal when they were travelling in an SUV from the Doraha side towards Ludhi- Cops address mediapersons in Ludhiana. TRIBUNE PHOTO ana. He claimed that they were involved in the smuggling of opium, which they used to bring from UP and Jharkhand to sell in different parts of the state. When their vehicle was inspected at a checkpoint, 66 kg of opium was seized, he said. Harbans Singh said a case under Sections 18 and 29 of the NDPS Act had been registered at the STF police station, Sohana, Mohali, on Friday. During questioning, Gurdev said in addition to being involved in the salepurchase business of vehicles, he had also been indulged in opium smuggling for the past five years and was also addicted to opium. The STF in-charge said Tejinder, a truck driver, had been involved in opium smuggling for the past four years. He was also addicted to opium. During interrogation, both suspects revealed that they had procured the recovered c m y b Farmers, trade union members take out protest rally, march Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 16 In support of the Bharat Bandh call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha and Central Trade Unions, a protest rally was held at Amar Shaheed Sukhdev Interstate Bus Terminal here on Friday. Amid the resounding slogans of ‘Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Zindabad’, a large number of members of trade unions and SKM supporters participated in the rally to mark the nationwide strike and bandh. The protesters said the bandh call had been given against repressive policies of the Central Government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and its turning away from the commitment given while withdrawing the three controversial farm laws. After the rally, the workers, employees and people from other sections of society marched to the DC’s Office in Mini-Secretariat on Ferozepur Road here from the bus stand. Later, a rally was held at the Mini-Secretariat, which was addressed by leaders of various organisations, including AITUC, CITU, CTU and INTUC. Comrades Bant Singh Brar, president, AITUC, Punjab, Mangat Ram Pasla, vice-president CTU, Subhash Rani, DP Maur, MS Bhatia, Vijay Kumar, Jagdish Chand, Joginder Ram, Sukhwinder Singh Lotey, Chamkaur Singh, Dr Rajinder Pal Singh Aulukh and Dr Arun Mitra were among those who addressed the rally. The speakers condemned the Centre’s repression against the farmers at the Shambhu border and throwing of tear gas shells with drones on the peacefully protesting farmers. Several of People take out a protest march in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN PEOPLE FROM VARIED SECTIONS JOIN PROTEST After the protest rally, workers, employees and people from other sections of society marched to the DC’s Office in Mini-Secretariat on Ferozepur Road from the bus stand. Later, a rally was held at the Mini-Secretariat, which was addressed by leaders of various organisations, including AITUC, CITU, CTU and INTUC. them have been injured due to the same. This is against the constitutional provisions of the country which guarantees the freedom of expression and protest to all citizens. They also demanded PM Modi’s resignation after the Supreme Court verdict on electoral bonds. They said the Centre had turned away from fulfilling the commitment to the farmers regarding their demands after the Prime Minister withdrew the three farm bills. The speakers at the rallies said laws were being made constantly against workers. While the poor were being denied right to livelihood and jobs and were suffering due to the price rise, the corporate sector had been given favours such as ample concessions in the form of tax reduction and declaring their unpaid loans as the NPA. Against these decisions, workers, employees, farmers, students, youth, women, small and medium entrepreneurs, small shop- keepers and others have sounded the bugle, they said. The speakers said today’s action in which the farmers had observed bandh at every village and the workers had gone on strike across the country was a reflection of the growing resentment among the people. “Having failed on all fronts, the government is resorting to a dangerous game of splitting society on communal lines to garner votes. The SC verdict on electoral bonds has exposed that this is the most corrupt government,” they said. They demanded that the Centre must provide a guarantee of MSP for crops and stop privatisation of public sector enterprises. They also demanded the dismissal and prosecution of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Tenny and justice for victims of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident. They also highlighted their demand for the rejection of the “pro-rich and anti-people New Education Policy 2020”.
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