15102024-LT-01.qxd 10/15/2024 12:47 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune BOOK LOVERS’ WAIT FOR LIBRARIES GETS LONGER To book lover’s dismay, not even one of the planned libraries has been set up so far in the past year. P2 » CELEBS ROCK THE RAMP AT FINALE OF LAKME FASHION WEEK Sushmita Sen stole limelight at Lakme Fashion Week, gracing runway as showstopperfordesignerRashi.P4 » AT POSTER LAUNCH OF PUNJABI FILM, STARS HAD A STORY TO NARRATE A score of cast members gathered for poster launch of upcoming Punjabi film Madhaniyan, in Mohali. P4 » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 33°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 20°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5.52 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:25 AM TUESDAY | 15 OCTOBER 2024 | LUDHIANA 12,37,341 voters to exercise right to franchise in dist today POLL FOR 2 POSTS OF SARPANCH CANCELLED PANCHAYAT ELECTIONS The Punjab state Election Commission (SEC) has cancelled the elections for the posts of sarpanch in two panchayats of Ludhiana district. Issuing the orders, District Election Officercum-Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal said the elections for the posts of sarpanch in Dalla and Pona villages of Jagraon tehsil stand cancelled with immediate effect. A fresh date for the same in these villages would be announced later, he said. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 14 As many as 12,37,341 voters will exercise their right to franchise at 1,408 polling booths in 784 villages of the district tomorrow to elect sarpanches and panchs. District Election Officercum-Deputy Commissioner (DC) Jitendra Jorwal oversaw the dispatch of polling parties from different centres in SRS Polytechnic College, SCD Government College. There are 941 village panchayats in Ludhiana, of which 157 panchayats have been elected unanimously and the voting will be held in the remaining 784 villages. As many as 1,408 booths have been set up for the voting. Of the total 12.37 lakh voters, 6.5 lakh are male, 5.8 lakh are female and 21 belong to the third gender category. Elaborate security arrangements have been made by the district administration at 38 hypersensitive and 177 sensitive polling booths. The voting will be held from 8 am till 4 pm tomorrow and counting of votes would be held the same day. Around 7,040 employees had been assigned duties for conducting the poll in One-year-old dies in mishap Ludhiana, October 14 A heart-wrenching incident occurred at Nandi Colony in Khanna on Monday which claimed the life of a one-yearold child. According to eyewitnesses, the toddler was being looked after by his five-year-old sibling in the absence of their family members. The elder sister, who was holding the child, was playing with friends when the victim slipped from her lap and fell on the ground. The child was rushed to the Civil Hospital but succumbed to his injuries later. A probe is on to determine circumstances surrounding the victim’s death. — TNS Clockwise from top: Poll officials leave for their respective polling stations, check election material and cops get ready for their duties in Ludhiana on Monday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN a free, fair, and transparent manner. The entire election staff had been exhorted to perform their duties diligently so that voters could cast their votes in a smooth and hassle-free manner. The district adminis- tration was duty-bound to hold the poll in a peaceful and transparent way, the DC said. Jorwal also reiterated that the administration had evolved an effective mechanism for keeping a strict vig- il over law and order during the panchayat elections. Adequate security arrangements have been made at the polling booths. Jorwal also exhorted the voters to exercise their fran- chise freely to strengthen the ethos of democracy at the grassroots level. A dry day has been declared in areas falling under gram panchayats from October 15 midnight to October 16 till 10 am. Intensify drive against food adulteration, officials told Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 14 Deputy Commissioner Jitendra Jorwal stated on Monday that the district administration was committed to checking the sale of adulterated food items in the district and ensuring safe food products for the people. He directed the food safety wing of the Health Department to closely monitor the quality of milk-based and other edible products being brought into markets for sale. The focus of the drive was on the quality of sweets, milk, cheese, khoya, bakery products and other items, which are sold in large quantities, especially during the festival season. The DC emphasised on maintaining vigilance on the quality of food items such as mawa and paneer being brought to the city or sent outside, especially during the festival season. He also warned of stern action against those adulterating food items and urged manufacturers, milk vendors and their employees to practice hygiene while preparing the products. Jorwal sought cooperation from food business operators to comply with the state government’s guidelines to ensure safe and healthy products for the people. Health team seizes 600-kg khoya Ludhiana, October 14 Following the directions issued by Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh and Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Jatinder Jorwal to act against adulteration of food items, a team formed by Civil Surgeon Pradeep Kumar Mohindra, led by District Health Officer Amarjit Kaur, conducted a raid at shop Ranjit Nagar, Shimlapuri, based on a tip-off. During the operation, around 600 kg of suspected adulterated khoya was seized. Dr Amarjit Kaur stated that a sample of khoya was taken under the Food Safety Act and khoya was confiscated. Additionally, an improvement notice was issued on the spot. According to reports, khoya had arrived from Bikaner, Rajasthan, yes- Health officials during a raid at a shop in Ranjit Nagar. terday and was purchased by traders at Rs 240 per kg. Civil Surgeon Pradeep Kumar said further action would be taken after arrival of lab test reports. He said the district Health Department was conducting a campaign to prevent the sale of adulterated food items during the festive season. The raid was a part of the department’s initiative to ensure safe and pure food products for the public. Additionally, the food safety team collected one sample of chamcham from the Chimney Road area and one sample each of khoya and chamcham from Shimlapuri. Food Safety Officers Yogesh Goel, Divya Jyot Kaur and Harsimran Kaur were among those others present during the raid. — TNS 34 liquor cases ‘meant for Three fast food vends set on fire distribution’ seized, man flees Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 14 The Mullanpur Dakha police claimed to have recovered 34 cases of illicit liquor. The liquor was alleged to be distributed among voters on the eve of panchayat elections in the district. The suspect, who abandoned a Mahindra Scorpio (PB10CV1313) from which the liquor was recovered, was identified as Lavdeep Singh, a resident of Baddowal, here. Suspect was identified as Lavdeep Singh, a resident of Baddowal Deputy Superintendent of Police, Dakha, Varinder Singh Khosa, said during a routine patrolling in the Dakha area to keep a tab over anti-social elements and smugglers, a tip-off was received that the suspect was on the way to distribute huge stock of illicit liquor to woo the voters in the panchayat poll. The DSP said the police team conducted a raid and noticed the vehicle parked on the road. The driver of the vehicle managed to give a slip to the police. When they checked the vehicle, 34 cases of illicit liquor were recovered. The DSP said the suspect, who was driving the Scorpio vehicle, had escaped. After nabbing the suspect, the police would inquire about his political links and the party on behalf of which the liquor was to be distributed to the voters. Ludhiana, October 14 On the night intervening Sunday and Monday, three fast food vends gutted in fire on the Bhamian road. Two LPG cylinders kept at the vends also exploded which became the reason for major damages. A fast food vendor having enmity with the owner of the vends was suspected to be behind the act. The victim, Simran, said he had three carts in the name of Brothers Food Point on the Bhamian road and along with the vends, there was another vend being run by a woman and her child in the name of OLD ENMITY SUSPECTED TO BE CAUSE Two LPG cylinders kept at the vends also exploded which became the reason for major damages. A fast food vendor having enmity with the owner of the vends was suspected to be behind the act. The police were investigating the matter and action would be taken in the matter as per law. Foodie Point. The husband of the woman would often creates ruckus at the place after consuming alcohol and also indulge in arguments with them. On Sunday night also, he indulged in arguments with them under the influence of alcohol and scuffled with them. He said due to the ruckus created by the suspect, he shut his vends and went to a police station to lodge a complaint, due to which he could not take LPG cylinders and other goods from the vends to home. Later in the night, the suspect allegedly set his vends on fire. Around 4 am, he got to know from a newspaper vendor that someone set their vends on fire. As they reached the scene, everything was reduced to ashes and even the LPG cylinders also exploded. He suffered a loss of over Rs 1.5 lakh due to the fire. Simran said later, the police raided the house of the suspect who allegedly set the vends on fire. Investigating officer SI Bhupinder Singh, who reached the scene, said a man, Sarabjit Lavi, had a fight with Simran and his brother late on Sunday night. It is suspected that Sarabjit could have set the vends on fire at 3 am due to the old enmity. At present, the police were investigating the matter and action would be taken in the matter as per law. FSL team to carry out on-ground investigation today 28-yr-old youth FIRING AT EX-MLA’S VEHICLE Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 14 As the mystery behind the bullet fired at the Innova vehicle of former Congress MLA-cum-president of the District Congress Committee, Ludhiana, Sanjay Talwar, is deepening and the Sarabha Nagar police are yet to reach to any logical conclusion in the case, the police have asked the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) to conduct an onground investigation and ferret out the truth how the bullet hit the Congress leader’s vehicle. Notably, the police in the preliminary investigation had asserted that it was not a targeted attack by any unidentified miscreants. Instead, it was acci- Cops check the broken glass of the bullet-hit vehicle. FILE dental firing that hit the car of the former MLA. However, the Talwar has not been agreeing to the theory of the police, citing that it was a targeted firing by some miscreants and the police should identify and arrest the culprits. Police sources confirmed that to complete the investigation in all respects, the Ludhiana police have summoned the team of the FSL, Mohali, which would visit the spot on Tuesday. The team would scientifically and technically con- duct a probe and explore various angles to reach a valid conclusion that how the bullet hit the former legislature’s car. The team would also clear whether it was a targeted attack on the vehicle or bullet hit it accidentally. ADCP-3 Ramandeep Bhullar told The Tribune here on Monday that though the police probe found that it was an accidental firing as someone might have resorted to celebratory firing and the bullet hit the car, the angle in which bullet hit it reveals that the shot was fired in the air and while falling down, it hit the vehicle’s glass and fell on the rear seat. “Had the vehicle was the sole target, the bullet might have pierced into the rear seat or caused severe damage inside the SUV after breaking the glass c m y b but in this case, it only broke glass and did not cause any damage inside as seat with cushions were found intact and the bullet was lying there,” Bhullar said. He said now, for the satisfaction of the complainant, the FSL team had been summoned and it would conduct a technical probe and it’s report would logically fill loopholes to reach a conclusion. Notably, on October 12 morning, the Congress leader’s driver had noticed the damaged glass of the vehicle and raised the alarm. .315 bore licenced weapons to be checked ADCP Ramandeep Bhullar said the police were not denying firing as it had definitely occurred and the person who opened the fire would face legal action. Bhullar held that since the bullet was fired from a .315 bore weapon, the police were going to check all licensed weapons being possessed by the people in the area. In the Sarabha Nagar police jurisdiction, only two arms licence holders possess .315 bore weapons and during checking, one weapon was found lying in the police station’s malkhana while another one was in the possession of a weapon holder. Now, the police would check the weapon and also question the weapon holder, if he used it for any celebratory firing and upon verification, action could be taken. Some other .315 bore licensed weapon holders would also be questioned and their weapon, if required, could be sent for forensic examination, the ADCP said. dies by suicide at Khanna village Ludhiana, October 14 A 28-year-old youth, Karanveer Singh, was found dead at his residence in Majra Rahaun village, Khanna, on Sunday night. He allegedly committed suicide. According to Randhir Singh, Karanveer’s uncle, the deceased was staying with his mother, following his father’s death. The victim got married in June 2024 and his wife had moved to Canada. He had also applied to go to that country. On Sunday afternoon, Karanveer returned to his room, stating that his wife would call him. When his mother knocked on the door, there was no response. Later, neighbours were called and on breaking the door, the youth was found hanging from the ceiling fan. The Khanna police reached the spot and initiated investigation. No suicide note was found from the room. Karanveer’s phone was seized. The authorities are probing reasons behind his death. After recording statements of his kin, the police filed a report under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. The body was handed over to his family following the post-mortem examination. — TNS
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