14102024-LT-01.qxd 14-10-2024 00:27 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune FIVE ARRESTED FOR ATTACK ON SARPANCH NOMINEE MALLIKA KANDALI, A FIRM BELIEVER IN INDIAN TRADITIONS ADITI RAO HYDARI TURNS MUSE FOR TARUN TAHILIANI Five of the 10 suspects, who attacked the former Bagrian sarpanch, were arrested. P3 She says one should follow path laid down by Bhakti saints to deal with complexities of modern-day life. P4 Dressed in a blue flowy outfit, she unveiled the designer’s sub-brand, OTT, at Lakme Fashion Week. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 34°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 34°C | MIN 19°C SUNSET MONDAY 5.54 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:23 AM » MONDAY | 14 OCTOBER 2024 | LUDHIANA Commuters face trouble as farmers block highways, rail tracks in district PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 13 Various farmer unions today blocked the Ludhiana-Delhi National Highway at Sherpur and other highways in the district in protest against the tardy procurement of paddy in the ongoing kharif season. Commuters faced a huge inconvenience as they were made to wait in long queues of vehicles stranded on the highway. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 13 The Ludhiana rural police today carried out a flag march in Mullanpur Dakha in view of the upcoming panchayat elections. The flag march was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Dakha, Varinder Singh Khosa. A large number of police personnel were present. “The panchayat elections are being held in the entire state and under the guidelines of Navneet Singh Bains SSP, Ludhiana (Rural), a flag march Protests were held against tardy paddy procurement was today carried out in Dakha in which Inspector Hira Singh, SHO, Jodhan police station, SI Gurwinder Singh, SHO, Dakha, SI Jaswinder Singh, SHO, Sudhar police station, along with the heavy police force, took part,” the DSP said. In a statement issued, he assured that the panchayat elections would be conducted peacefully and adequate security arrangements had been made in every village. Even flying squad teams had also been formed jointly by the police and the administration. Khosa said by dividing villages sector-wise, civil officers had been appointed as sector officers and the police administration had appointed police officers for managing law and order. The DSP asserted that a flag march helps promote peace in the electoral process, demonstrating commitment to law and order. Every voter had the right to choose a good candidate by using his or her vote, which could lead to development in the villages. Meanwhile, the police also interacted with voters and assured them that they could participate in the elections without fear. Police officials said the people should inform the police control room if they notice any suspicious person or thing and immediate action would be taken to prevent any untoward incident. Clockwise: Farmers block the Ludhiana-Delhi NH, commuters walk on a road and passengers wait for their trains at the city railway station. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN & ASHWANI DHIMAN The blockade of rail tracks by the farmers in the state badly affected the railway traffic due to which passengers, including children, faced inconvenience. Some trains remained stranded at the city railway station. Harinder Singh Lakhowal, president, BKU, Punjab, said state farmers blocked national highways across the state from 12 noon to 3 pm today. The protest was sparked by the state government’s failure to procure paddy crops, despite promises made on October 1. Lakhowal said farmers were struggling due to inadequate arrangements for paddy procurement. He criticised the Central Government for deliberately creating difficulties for state farmers. “Blockades were in the entire state and in Ludhiana, farmers blocked national highways in Khanna, Jagraon, Ludhiana, Rural police conduct flag march in Mullanpur Dakha Samrala, Kohara and some other places in the district. Protests were peaceful and even local residents had supported the same,” said Lakhowal. Meanwhile, farmers, accompanied by arhtiyas (commission agents) and labourers, too blocked the Ludhiana-Moga GT Road for three hours today, protesting against the state government’s failure to procure paddy crops. The blockade was called by the Bharatiya Kisan Union Ekta Dakounda and Bharatiya Kisan Union Lakhowal. Leaders, including arhtiya leader Kanniya Gupta Banka, Rajkumar Bhalla, criticised the Aam Aadmi Party government, calling it the most incompetent government so far. They alleged that Central Government’s policies were anti-Punjab and aimed at corporatising agriculture. They demanded proper arrangements for paddy procurement, solution to the stubble burning issue, end to police harassment and improved machinery for paddy management. The farmer leaders announced that further action plan would be announced in the next meeting at Chandigarh. Police personnel take out a flag march in Mullanpur Dakha on Sunday. BJP leader attacked, three nabbed Man dies as SUV hits pole in Kochar Market Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 13 Jatinder Mittal, former district president of the BJP was , attacked by unidentified assailants at his factory in Focal Point here on Saturday night. The suspects also pelted stones and bricks at his factory. The incident occurred after he intervened in a fight between two groups outside his factory. Mittal said he was inside his factory when he heard a commotion outside. On enquiry, he found two groups were fighting with each other. When he intervened, the miscreants pushed him and began throwing stones at the factory. Despite repeated calls, the SHO of the Focal Point police station did not respond. Later, he called a munshi who attended the call and assured to send police personnel to the scene. Mittal said as he exited the factory, an assailant tried to hit him with an iron rod. But his friend’s son gabbed the rod and saved his life. The assailant was caught by his friends and the munshi was called again and asked to send the police to take the assailant in their custody. “The SHO failed to attend calls. However, when I called CP Kuldeep Singh Chahal, he attended my call and sent a PCR team in no time,” he said. The BJP leader demanded that the police should take strict action against the assailants and they should be questioned why they made a murderous attack on him. Focal Point SHO Harpreet Singh Handa said three assailants were arrested by the police and raids were on to nab others. An attempt-to-murder case was registered. — TNS Ludhiana, October 13 A person driving a Hyundai Creta vehicle died after it rammed into a pole at Kochar Market here on Saturday night. The victim while trying to prevent a collision of his vehicle with a Hyundai Santro car coming from the wrong side rammed his vehicle into the pole. Creta was badly damaged in the mishap. After the incident, passers-by struggled hard to pull out the driver and his family members who were got stuck in the vehicle. The mangled remains of the ill-fated vehicle in Ludhiana. The deceased was identified as Satpal Chhabra (58), a resident of New Model Town. He owned a dairy on the Hambran Road. Deceased’s wife Urmila Chhabra and sons Rohit and Mohit suffered injuries in the mishap. Deceased’s kin Rakesh Kalra said his uncle Satpal Chhabra and his family had gone to a wedding. While returning home, his vehicle hit a pole while trying to avoid a collision with a car coming from the wrong side. People took their uncle and other family members to the DMCH where doctors declared him dead. Rakesh said he had received information from the hospital that his uncle had died. The driver of the Santro car had escaped from the scene. Raman, a resident of the area, said his uncle’s vehicle had overturned after hitting the pole. He and his family members, who got stuck in the vehicle, were taken out by the people. The car’s airbag failed to open after the mishap. Area residents had informed the police about the incident. SHO inspector Vijay Kumar said the CCTV footage of the incident would be checked to ascertain the exact cause that led to the accident. — TNS EPFO recovers ~37.85 cr from defaulter establishments AAP leader alleges Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 13 The Ludhiana regional office of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has recovered a sum of Rs 37.85 crore from defaulter establishments during the first two quarters of the current financial year 2024-25. It was almost 100 per cent of the total demand and 26 per cent arrears of dues assessed before April 1, 2024, which were supposed to be paid till March 31, 2025. Besides, the Union Labour and Employment Ministry’s social security provider to the employees’ working in the public, private establishments and cooperative societies in the shape of provident fund, pension and insurance schemes also settled as many as 1.72 lakh claims and resolved all 1,928 COMMITTED TO PROVIDING PROMPT SERVICE ❝ Our motto is to provide trouble-free and prompt service to our subscribers as well as pensioners and that too preferably at their doorsteps, wherever possible. The EPFO is handling crores of provident fund and pension accounts across the country and is providing seamless and swift service to its subscribers. — Saurabh Swami, RPFC-I ❞ grievances received during the current fiscal so far. Regional Provident Fund Commissioner-1 (RPFC-1) Saurabh Swami told The Tri- bune that the Ludhiana regional office of the EPFO maintains almost 22 lakh accounts of employees working at over 15,000 establish- ments across the state’s biggest and largest district, in terms of area and population, with a special focus and priority to serve its subscribers in the best possible manner. He said the recovery wing of the Ludhiana centre had recovered a sum of Rs 3,639.83 lakh from defaulter establishments during the first six months of the current fiscal in current demand as per the dues assessed during 2024-25, which was up to 99.98 per cent of the total demand of 3,647 lakh assessed before April 1, 2024. Besides the recovery of Rs 3,639.83 lakh made under Section 7A of the Employees’ Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, the arrears of Rs 145.61 lakh was also recovered under Sections 8B to 8G of the same Act by resorting to bank attachments and oth- c m y b er mode of official mechanism. The arrear recovery remained 25.72 per cent of the total demand of Rs 639.9 lakh as on April 1, 2024. “Under Section 7A of the EPF & MP Act, 1952, inquiries for determination of dues have been completed and disposed of against certain defaulter establishments during this fiscal,” he said. Swami said the recovery of current demand during first two quarters of this fiscal remained 90 per cent more than Rs 1,918.66 lakh recovered during the corresponding period last fiscal while the recovery of arrears demand went up by over 67 per cent as compared to Rs 87.16 lakh recovered under this head during the first six months of the past financial year. The EPFO regional office had also settled as many as 1,71,554 of the total 1,78,631 claims, all types, received during the current fiscal so far, which were also over 11 per cent more than 1,54,248 of the total received 1,58,316 claims settled during the corresponding period last fiscal. “During the current financial year, we had received 1,928 grievances, all of which had been redressed within the minimum possible time, with no plaint left pending with the office as of date,” he divulged while seeking the cooperation of establishments covered under the EPF and the MP Act, 1952, in the district for ensuring uninterrupted, hassle-free and timely service to subscribers and PF members. The count of grievances this fiscal also went down by almost 17 per cent from 2,319 grievances received during the corresponding period last financial year. attack, kidnapping by miscreants Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 13 Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sonu Kalyan, who is also the district youth president of the party, alleged that a group of assailants attacked and kidnapped him on the night intervening October 9 and 10. He alleged that despite lodging a police complaint at the Haibowal police station in this regard, no action had been taken by the police against the assailants. The AAP leader while addressing a press conference stated that a group of persons had reached outside his office at Rara Sahib Market. They first exchanged heated arguments with him and later bundled him into their car. Afterwards, they took him to some isolated place and recorded a video in a mobile phone. They forced him to say that he had no grudge with them. Later, they dropped him and fled the place. The complainant said a few days ago, he had arguments with a youth who, along with his accomplices, had attacked and kidnapped him. He demanded that the police should register a case against the suspects. Otherwise, he would raise the matter with senior party leaders.