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P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 40°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 23°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.51 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 5:53 AM THURSDAY | 17 APRIL 2025 | LUDHIANA Properties worth ~90 crore of 71 smugglers attached in 15says CP Sharma months Ludhiana police are committed to ending drug menace, Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 16 Setting a record of sorts and giving a big blow to the drug smuggling network, the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate has attached properties worth Rs 89.85 crore of as many as 71 drug smugglers in the past 15 months. It is stated to be the highest seizure of properties of smugglers in any Police Commissionerate or district police in the state. Not only this, a proposal to attach properties worth crores of rupees has already been sent for approval to the Competent Authority, New Delhi. Pertinently, Ludhiana, also known as the industrial hub of the state, had earned a dubious distinction of operating drug cartels from the city run by international drug Swapan Sharma, CP lord Akshay Chhabra. Chhabra, the kingpin, was first arrested at the Jaipur International Airport while attempting to flee to Sharjah, UAE, in November 2022 by the NCB. His syndicate was busted with the arrest of 21 individuals, including traffickers and two Afghan nationals. He sourced heroin from Afghanistan in cans of tomato sauce or bottles of pomegranate juice imported by Indian traders from Iran. The NCB had also seized property, luxury cars worth crores owned by Chhabra in Ludhiana. Confirming the development to The Tribune here on Wednesday, Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma said sustained efforts to curb drug smuggling and busting of drug networks were the reason the commissionerate achieved this huge success by attaching property worth Rs 89.85 crore of 71 drug smugglers. “The Ludhiana police adopt zero tolerance against drugs. Now, whenever police arrest any smuggler, property or other illegal assets if any made by smugglers with drug money are being sent for attachment before the Competent Authority, Delhi, under the provisions of Chaper 5 of the NDPS Act. Property worth several crores is also pending for approval, “ the CP said. Properties attached in 2024 In 2024, properties of as many as 66 smugglers worth Rs 85.73 crore were attached. Suspects arrested by the police were involved in smuggling of heroin, opium, poppy husk and other drugs. They were arrested by the Police Division 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, PAU, Dehlon, Salem Tabri, Jamalpur, Ladhowal, Sarabha Nagar, Model Town, Haibowal, Sadar, Sahnewal, Koom Kalan, Tibba, Daresi, Focal Point, Meharban, Daresh, Jodhewal, Moti Nagar, Dugri and Shimlapuri police stations. Properties freezed in 2025 As per data, properties of five smugglers worth Rs 4.12 crore were attached by the Police Commissionerate. They were arrested by Sarabha Nagar, Dehlon, Salem Tabri, Shimlapuri and Ladhowal police stations. 345 peddlers held in anti-drug operation The Ludhiana police crackdown on drugs led to the arrest of 345 alleged drug peddlers and registered 235 cases under the NDPS Act since January 1, 2025. The police recovered substantial quantities of narcotics, including 11.5 kg of opium, 93 kg of poppy husk, 2.22 kg of charas, 23 g of cocaine, 21.15 kg of ganja, 8.547 kg of heroin, 357 gm of ICE (crystal meth), 27 kg of poppy husk plant, and 11,467 intoxicant pills and capsules. Drug money amounting to ?5.95 lakh were also seized during raids. Peddler held with 2.10-kg heroin, weapon, drug money Ludhiana, April 16 In a significant bust, the Ludhiana CIA staff have arrested a smuggler, identified as Gagandeep, alias HD, a resident of Jawahar Nagar Camp. During the arrest, the police seized 2.10 kg of heroin, a .30 bore illegal pistol, five cartridges, Rs 40,200 drug money and an electronic weighing scale from his possession. Notably, this is the highest recovery made by the Police Commissionerate this year. The police registered a case against the suspect under the NDPS Act and initiated a probe. As per ADCP (Investigation) Amandeep Singh Brar, the police are conducting a thorough investigation, leveraging their ongoing campaign against narcotics and illegal arms. Brar said CIA staff incharge inspector Kulwant Singh had received a tip off regarding Gagandeep’s possession of heroin and arms. After verifying the location of The suspect in police custody in Ludhiana on Wednesday. Abducted minor girl rescued, MLA, Mayor, MC chief inspect works as Bihar native lands in police net disposal of fresh waste begins at dump site Police officials address mediapersons in Ludhiana on Wednesday. ASHWANI DHIMAN Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 16 The Ludhiana police rescued an abducted six-year-old girl from Moradabad, UP and , also arrested the suspect. The Ludhiana police took the help of their UP counterpart in safely recovering the girl. The suspect, identified as Santosh Chaudhary, a native of Bihar, is at present staying in Sukhdev Nagar here. The police said the suspect would be produced in a court to seek his police remand. Though no sexual assault angle came out as per the police, the suspect had touched her private body parts inappropriately. The police will present him before the court on Wednesday. During the remand, the motive behind the abduction will be known. DCP Rupinder Singh while addressing a press conference stated that Santosh used to work as a labourer with the girl’s father. Her mother was sleeping at home when the suspect lured the girl with a toffee and took her to the railway station in an auto-rickshaw. From there, he made the victim sit in the train and left for Bihar. The DCP said under the supervision of ACP, Industrial Area B, Satwinder Singh Virk, a team of Daba SHO inspector Gurdial Singh, with the help of the UP police, located the suspect and caught him near the Moradabad railway station. The police will now interrogate the suspect to know the motive behind kidnapping. Ludhiana, April 16 With the Municipal Corporation (MC) commencing the major project for disposal of fresh waste at the main dump site of the civic body on Tajpur Road, Ludhiana East MLA Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal, Mayor Inderjit Kaur and MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal inspected ongoing works on Wednesday. The civic body has recently launched different projects worth around Rs 130 crore for improving solid waste management in the city. After installation of the machinery, the contractor has now commenced the disposal of fresh waste at the dump site. The officials said there was estimated around 24.62 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste at the main dump site. The project to dispose of 5 lakh metric tonnes of waste was already going on while the bioremediation of remaining around 19.62 lakh metric tonnes was expected to com- the suspect, the CIA team, including ASI Harjap Singh and head constable Gurvinder Singh, conducted a raid that led to Gagandeep’s arrest outside his home. Upon searching his bag, the police found the contraband and arms. Further investigation revealed that he had two prior criminal cases registered against him at Police Division 5 and after coming out on bail, the suspect carried out drug smuggling. —TNS Man held with illegal weapon Tribune News Service Mayor Inderjit Kaur and other officials at the garbage dump site in Jamalpur. INDERJEET VERMA mence soon. The contractor had already installed machinery at two out of the four sites and directions had been issued to expedite the work. The project for bioremediation of 2 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste at the Jainpur site had also been commenced and the work was going on at a fast pace. MC Joint Commissioner Ankur Mahindroo, Executive Engineer Parshotam Singh and CSI Ameer Singh Bajwa were among other officials who were present during the inspection. The Mayor said due to failure of the previous governments in addressing the issue, residents were facing trouble due to heaps of garbage, foul smell and fire incidents reported at the main dump site. They stated that the first phase of disposing of 5 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste was already going on and the project to bioremediate the remaining around 19.62 lakh metric tonnes of waste would also commence in coming days. After completion of the projects, heaps of garbage at the main dump site would be a thing of the past. Another project for disposing of the fresh waste generated in the city has also now commenced. Around 1,100 metric tonnes of fresh waste was generated in the city on a daily basis. The project has been commenced to ensure that waste should not get accumulated at the dump site in the future. — TNS Ludhiana, April 16 A Ludhiana Crime Branch team arrested Amargiri, a resident of Harkrishan Nagar, Shimlapuri, here, for possessing an illegal .30 bore pistol and two cartridges. The police on Wednesday registered a case against the suspect under the Arms Act. According to ADCP Amandeep Singh Brar, the Crime Branch team, led by Bikramjit Singh Ghuman, received a tip-off and apprehended Amargiri in the Kohara area. During the arrest, the police seized the pistol and cartridges from his possession. The police will interrogate the suspect during his remand to determine the source of the illegal arms and where he intended to use them. Muslims protest Waqf Amendment Bill In touch with local leaders, bypoll candidate’s name to be announced soon, says Sukhbir Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 16 Members of the Muslim community gathered at Bharat Nagar Chowk in large numbers to lodge a protest against the Waqf Amendment Bill. The protest was led by Muslim community leader Khalid Ali. As a big number of people from the Muslim community participated in the protest, the city police made tight security arrangements to keep law and order in place. The police also put up barricades in front of the DC’s office where the protesters were stopped. Khalid Ali said Home Minister Amit Shah was imposing this law on the Muslim community just to snatch their rights and the BJP should stop the same. The government should not interfere in the religion of Muslims, other- SAD chief visits city, meets farmer leader Kadiyan, ex-minister Grewal Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Members of the Muslim community hold a protest in Ludhiana on Wednesday. ASHWANI DHIMAN wise, they would launch a countrywide agitation in coming days. A memorandum addressed to the Central Government, demanding that the Centre should revoke the bill, was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner. c m y b Ludhiana, April 16 After being re-elected as president of the SAD Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday had a quiet visit to the city. During his short stint, he also went to meet the family of Hardeep Singh Kadiyan, a farmer leader, who had recently lost his mother. He also spent some time at the house of Akali leader Maheshinder Singh Grewal. Sukhbir said though party leaders might be having difference of opinion, the cadre of the party was in high spirits and united. He said since all other parties had come together on one platform against the SAD, the cadre had emerged in a much stronger manner again. Accompanied with Daljit Sukhbir Badal with Maheshinder Singh Grewal in Ludhiana. Cheema, the SAD chief was on his way to Badal village when he made a brief halt in the city. On being asked about the party’s candidate for the Ludhiana West constituency, the elections of which would be declared anytime, Sukhbir said he was in touch with local leaders and the name would be announced in the next few days. Sources said Maheshinder Singh Grewal, advocate Paropkar Singh Ghuman and Bhupinder Singh Bhinda were shortlisted for the candidature. They alleged that Grewal had politely declined the offer, giving personal reasons for not contesting the bypoll. Ghuman said he would adhere to the party’s decision. “Though I have not been contacted by anyone but if the party selects me, I will adhere to the decision”, he said. When asked since it was too late and candidates of other parties had already done the groundwork, Ghuman said people of Ludhiana know well about parties and candidates. “Cases are going against them and residents are aware about the same. We are not late, we just need the support of the public, even if we start late,” he said. Pinda is another loyalist of Sukhbir. Meanwhile, many SAD leaders believe that the byelection would cost no less than Rs 1.5 crore-Rs 2 crore as rates of advertisements were too high. “It’s certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. Funds are not much expected from the party, hence, everything would depend on candidate who can bear all expenses,”said a party leader.