03012026-LT-01.qxd 1/3/2026 12:53 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune DRUG PEDDLER’S ‘ILLEGAL’ HOME RAZED IN DORAHA JLO REFLECTS ON LIFE, GROWTH, BEN AFFLECK DHURANDHAR FIRST FILM TO HIT A CENTURY IN WEEK FOUR Doraha police and civic authorities razed illegally constructed house of a drug trafficker in Doraha. P2 Reflecting humorously on her personal life, JLo joked, “And in that time, I’ve only been married twice”. P4 Dhurandhar has become the first Hindi film ever to cross the ~100-crore mark in its fourth week. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 14°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 13°C | MIN 10°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5.35 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:19 AM » SATURDAY | 3 JANUARY 2026 | LUDHIANA Civil Hospital to get highest 12 security guards under statewide safety drive Move aims to ensure 24x7 protection for medical staff, patients in healthcare facilities Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 2 In the new year, doctors at government hospitals in the state will finally work without fear. Responding to persistent concerns over safety and rising incidents of violence, the state government has approved Phase 1 of its security framework initiative, deploying 200 security guards across district hospitals. The move, funded initially through the Emergency Response Fund (ERF), aims to ensure 24x7 protection for medical staff and patients in high-footfall public healthcare facilities. The Ludhiana Civil Hospital will receive 12 security guards, the highest allocation in the At present, the Civil Hospital employs seven to eight guards. FILE state. Other major cities, including Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, and Patiala, will get 11 guards each. The deployment is being carried out through the Punjab Ex-Servicemen Corpora- tion (PESCO), with funding secured for January and February. The financial support for the future will be reviewed in the upcoming fiscal year. The initiative comes in response to long-standing demands from doctors, who have repeatedly raised alarm over violence, overcrowding and lack of crowd control, especially in emergency wards. “It marks the fulfilment of PCMSA’s prime demand for a security framework at public health facilities,” said Akhil Sareen, Senior Medical Officer at the Civil Hospital. “The hiring process has already begun and will be completed in a few days,” he added. Welcoming the move, a senior doctor at the hospital said: “Incidents of violence have become regular. We’ve been working under constant fear, especially during night shifts and emergencies. The deployment brings muchneeded relief and dignity to our profession.” At present, the Civil Hospital employs seven to eight guards, working in three shifts and funded through user charges. The new deployment is expected to ease financial burden on the hospital while significantly improving safety and working conditions for healthcare workers. Handling hundreds of patients daily, including emergency and referral cases, the hospital faces challenges such as multiple entry points, unregulated access and limited monitoring of attendants. The addition of trained security personnel is expected to help regulate entry, manage crowds and deter disruptive behaviour, said a staff nurse working at the hospital. Minor boy alleges kidnapping by youths, ~20K ransom demand Not an abduction case, victim was only assaulted, say police Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 2 A 15-year-old boy, Abhishek, alleged that he was kidnapped by some local youths from Fauji Colony, Moti Nagar here. It is alleged that around five youths forcibly picked him up on a motorcycle, held him hostage, thrashed him brutally and demanded a ransom of ?20,000 from his family. Abhishek’s father Krishna Kumar said they have no enmity with anyone. Shortly after the boy left home saying that he was going to buy kites, the suspects called up and threatened to kill the child and dump his body if Rs 20,000 was not paid to them. When she questioned what was her son’s fault, they refused to answer. Instead, they started assaulting him, the victim’s mother said. The victim said the youths had surrounded him and tried to force him to drink alcohol. When he refused, one of them slapped him and forcibly took him with them on a motorcycle. When bystanders tried to intervene, they misled them by claiming that the boy was a thief and they were taking him to a police station. Later, he was taken to a room near railway tracks at Dholewal Chowk. There, he was forced to make a ‘confession’ on a video, stating that he had come there to supply drugs to a girl. Out of fear of further physical abuse, he done what he was told to do. The kidnappers allegedly beat him with belts and showed the assault to his parents via a video call. Afterwards, the police rescued the boy from clutches of the suspects. Meanwhile, SHO, Moti Nagar, inspector Bhupinder Singh, said it was not a kidnapping case, rather the victim and the suspects were known to each other. The suspects and the boy used to work together in the past. They thrashed the boy on Friday due to some old grudges. A case had been registered against the assailants. Expedite development works, Cold wave grips region, max temp below normal resolve grievances, officials told Foggy conditions to prevail for next few days, many residents choose to stay indoor Mayor, East MLA, civic body chief hold review meeting Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 2 Mayor Inderjit Kaur, Ludhiana East MLA Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal and Municipal Corporation (MC) Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal conducted a review meeting with councillors of the East constituency at the MC’s Zone B office near Shingar Cinema here on Friday. The aim of the meeting was to expedite development works and facilitate residents at large. Detailed discussions were held during the meeting and the officials were directed to move to the field on a regular basis and resolve any kind of grievances at the earliest. Further, they were directed to get the ongoing development Mayor Inderjit Kaur, MC chief and others during a review meeting. works completed within the stipulated time period. Zonal Commissioner Neeraj Jain and officials of various branches of the MC were among those present. Superintending Engineers (SE) of the B&R branch and O&M cell have been directed to conduct weekly review meetings in the presence of MLAs and councillors concerned, so that there should be no delay in development works. The Mayor, MLA and MC chief said the officials concerned of the health branch had been directed to ensure cleanliness in their respective areas. Regular lifting of garbage should be ensured from static compactor sites too. Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 2 The cold wave has gripped the region in the new year with the maximum temperature hovering around 13-14°C till 12 noon. At the same time, the minimum temperature during night hours, recorded at 10.2°C, has not witnessed any major decline. But since the day temperature has witnessed a decline of about 3°C, it has given a major reason to residents to brave the chill during daytime too. Dr Pavneet Kaur Kingra, head, Department of Meteorology at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), told The Tribune that the next few days will experience fog with reduced visibility. At the same time, residents are also forced to suffer due to severe AQI, Sunflower farming shines as path to diversification, profitability for growers A man makes his way to work amid fog on Friday morning in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN which has increased to 226. On being asked about the reason for the poor air quailty, Dr Kingra said due to fog, there was not much movement of air particles and these get locked. The cold wave and dense fog trap pollutants in lower Maternal deaths: Admn holds review meetingto enhance accountability Tribune News Service Manav Mander ADVANTAGES OF HYBRIDS Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 2 “In a world of roses, be a sunflower.” The quote captures the spirit of Punjab Agricultural University’s renewed push for sunflower cultivation, an initiative that promises farmers both sustainability and profitability. Sunflower oil, prized for its light texture and health benefits, is increasingly sought after in premium blends. With its short growing season, adaptability to diverse cropping systems and high oil yield, sunflower offers farmers a reliable option for diversification in the state’s changing agricultural landscape. Dr Vineeta Kaila and Dr Shelley Nayyar Dhaliwal, from the PAU’s Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, emphasised the scientific edge of university’s hybrids. “Our improved hybrids such as PSH 2080 and PSH 1962 are designed for higher oil content and flexibility in sowing windows. They give farm- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, PAU, has developed high-performing sunflower hybrids tailored to local conditions. ers both resilience and returns,” Dr Kaila said. Dr Dhaliwal said: “Sunflower fits seamlessly into multiple crop rotations, helping farmers optimise land and irrigation while reducing pest pressure.” PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr SS Gosal underscored the institutional commitment: “Diversification is the need of the hour. Sunflower not only enriches farm income but also strengthens sustainability. The university is proud to provide farmers with the best hybrids and practices to make the crop a success.” Farmers, too, are finding hope in the golden blooms. Gurpreet Singh, a farmer from Kapurthala while sharing his experience said: “I tried sunflower after wheat, and results were encouraging. The crop matured quickly, required less water and the oil yield was excellent. It feels like a new opportunity for us.” PSH 2080: Matures in 97 days, yields 9.8 quintals per acre, with 43.7 per cent oil content. PSH 1962: Short-duration hybrid, matures in 99 days, yields 8.2 quintals per acre, with 41.9% oil content. PSH 996: Suitable for late sowing till mid-February, matures in 96 days, yields 7.8 quintals per acre, with 35.8 per cent oil content. ■ The hybrids are designed to maximise oil recovery and provide flexibility in sowing windows, giving farmers both resilience and returns. Improved hybrids for higher returns The Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics at the PAU has developed high-performing sunflower hybrids tailored to local conditions. The PAU suggests integrating sunflower into multiple rotations to optimise land use and irrigation such as -rice/maize–potato–sunflower, rice–toria–sunflower, basmati –sunflower and cotton–sunflower. c m y b Ludhiana, January 2 A comprehensive district-level review meeting on maternal deaths was conducted by the district administration. Assistant Commissioner Dr Pragati Verma led the meeting that aimed to examine all reported cases of maternal mortality in the district, with emphasis on identifying systemic gaps and ensuring accountability across the healthcare delivery chain. Key stakeholders actively participated in the deliberations, including Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHA) workers, treating doctors, representatives from private hospitals, senior medical officers (SMOs) and District Family Welfare Officer (DFWO) Amanpreet. Each maternal death was meticulously scrutinised, focusing on critical aspects such as provision of adequate antenatal care, timely identification and management of high-risk pregnancies and effectiveness of referral Officials during a meeting on maternal deaths in Ludhiana. mechanisms and stabilisation procedures and strict adherence to established clinical protocols and guidelines. During the meeting, wherever lapses, delays or instances of negligence were identified — whether at the community, facility or referral level — stern observations were made. Dr Pragati Verma issued clear directions for immediate corrective actions, including enhanced training for frontline workers, stricter enforcement of protocols and improved inter-facility coordination between public and private health institutions. The Assistant Commission- er underscored the administration’s zero-tolerance policy towards avoidable maternal deaths, reiterating the commitment to strengthening maternal healthcare services. Emphasis was placed on proactive measures, such as regular monitoring of highrisk cases by ASHA workers and SMOs, timely referrals and community awareness drives to promote institutional deliveries. The review meeting reflects the administration’s resolute efforts to reduce maternal mortality and safeguard the health of mothers, aligning with national goals for safer motherhood. atmosphere due to which the air quality deteriorates. The nail-biting cold conditions have given every reason to residents to remain indoors unless it is important to venture out for work or some other reasons. Chander Maini, a septuagenarian, said the chilly weather had forced her to remain into the four walls of her home. “Since the extreme cold weather conditions are not favourable for small kids and senior citizens, I avoid venturing out and remain indoors all the time,” she said. At the same time, homeless persons were seen braving the chill in the open under bridges in several areas. Many of them were found sitting around bonfires to keep themselves warm. Snatcher who fled police custody nabbed Ludhiana, January 2 The Jamalpur police on Friday claimed to have arrested a snatcher who had fled from police custody in Khanna on Thursday. SHO, Jamalpur, inspector Balwinder Kaur said when a police team was conducting raids at suspected whereabouts of the suspect, the police got a tip-off that the snatcher was roaming on the 100-ft road in Ludhiana. Following which, the police team nabbed the man. The SHO said the suspect was planning to leave the city but he was caught by the police. The suspect, Santosh Kumar, of Khanna, was recently arrested for robbing the owner of Shagun Jewellers, Jamalpur, of Rs 2 lakh. The man was also facing two drug peddling cases. ACP Inderjit Boparai said police officials was taking Santosh to Khanna city for recovery of a motorcycle, which was forcibly taken away by him from its owner in the past, on Thursday. While returning when the police team stopped at a petrol pump in Khanna, the suspect jumped from the police vehicle and fled the place. — TNS