10012026-LT-01.qxd 1/10/2026 12:50 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune THREE PUNJAB PLAYERS WIN GOLD IN TAE KWON DO Anukriti, Ansika and Prabhjot topped the charts in 38kg, 22kg and 20kg categories, respectively. P2 » HINDUSTANI MEMNE CHRONICLES INDO-PAK WAR, EMERGENCY Story of the novel begins around 1939, when the British were taking Indians to fight in the Second World War. P3 LUDHIANA’S SECRET INGREDIENT IN MASTERCHEF MasterChef India continues to celebrate stories of jodis hailing from various parts of the nation.P4 » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 16°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 14°C | MIN 6°C SUNSET SATURDAY 5.38 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 7:20 AM » SATURDAY | 10 JANUARY 2026 | LUDHIANA F&CC approves Chand Cinema vending zone, activists to move green tribunal They say construction illegal as site falls in designated green belt Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 9 The vending zone near Chand Cinema has been approved by the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) of the MC but now the Public Action Committee (PAC) has decided to file an execution petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT). With the site falling in a designated green belt, activists argue that the creation of the vending zone is a violation. The demand for a designated vending zone in the city has been pending for years. The recent approval of a site near Chand Cinema raised hopes among vendors who have been waiting for a legal space to operate. The zone is expected to accommodate 112 street vendors, many of whom have faced repeated displacement during anti- The demand for a designated vending zone in the city has been pending for years. INDERJEET VERMA encroachment drives. The PAC members, however, maintain that the construction is illegal. “We have already filed a complaint with the NGT and a committee, headed by the Deputy Commissioner, was formed to visit the spot and take necessary action but nothing has been done so far,” said Kapil Arora, member of the PAC. “Now that the F&CC has approved the site, we will be filing an execution petition with the NGT. No activity can be carried out on a green belt,” they said. The vending zone is a part of the Smart City project, which faces a March deadline. Municipal Corporation officials are keen to complete the project before the timeline lapses. They argue that the site had long housed a municipal store and was being repurposed, not encroached upon. However, street vendors, already displaced from earlier proposed sites such as Hambran Road, remain uncertain. “We’ve been waiting for a legal space to work from. Every time a site is proposed, it gets stuck,” said a vendor. Another vendor, Ramesh, said: “We just want stability. Every time the authorities promise us a site and later objections arise and we are left without options.” AAP govt misleading people Woman challaned for on G Ram G Act: BJP’s Jakhar performing bike stunts Says Congress opposing it to protect its political existence Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 9 As part of a public awareness campaign launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission – Gramin (VB-G RAM G) Act, a public interaction programme was organised on Friday at Pona village in Jagraon. Addressing the gathering, BJP state president Sunil Jakhar said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was misleading the people and diverting their attention while the Congress was merely trying to save itself. He asserted that it was only the BJP that was talking about the interests of the state. Jakhar said the ruling AAP government was deliberately spreading misinformation about the Act to divert public attention from real issues while the Congress was opposing the scheme only to protect its political existence and unite itself on this pretext. In contrast, he said, the BJP was the only political party at present working sincerely BJP state president Sunil Jakhar addresses a gathering at a village in Jagraon, Ludhiana, on Friday. for the welfare of Punjab. He said the new law had been framed keeping in mind the interests of the poor and labourers to ensure that rightful benefits of the poor actually reach them and were not usurped by leaders or contractors. The BJP leader said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Central Government was following the policy of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’. In this spirit, the new law had been introduced to ensure that benefits of government schemes reach weaker sections of society and to give a new direction to rural development. Cautioning the people, he said the sole objective of spreading misinformation about this law was to prevent people from learning the truth. If the people come to know about the truth, they would start questioning the government as to why it failed to provide 100 days of employment during past years. continued on page 2 Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 9 The traffic police in the city swung into action after a video of a woman performing dangerous stunts on a motorcycle on the elevated bridge on Ferozepur Road went viral on social media. Immediately after the video surfaced, the police issued a challan to her. In the video, a woman is seen riding a Royal Enfield Bullet with one hand. She is also seen wearing her glasses while riding the bike. Two youths riding in front of her are seen recording the entire act. The video, along with a song, was uploaded on social media, which went viral soon. After the video surfaced, Action comes after video surfaces on social media the traffic police identified the woman based on the bike registration number seen in the video grab. Investigation revealed that the woman was a resident of Dugri and works at a private bank. The bike she was riding reportedly belongs to her colleague. Traffic police zone in-charge sub-inspector Dharampal said the woman had been traced and a challan was issued under the Motor Vehicles Act. He said such negligence poses a serious threat to not only lives of the rider but also other road users. continued on page 2 The suspects in custody of the Ludhiana police on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Couple arrested for killing, dismembering 30-year-old Victim, man had monetary dispute after consuming drugs Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 9 The Ludhiana police claimed to have cracked the brutal murder of a man whose severed body parts were recovered on Thursday. The deceased has been identified as 30-year-old Davinderpal. He was a resident of Bharti Colony, here, and had returned home from Mumbai two days ago. Davinder was a computer engineer who had been working in Mumbai for the past five months. The police arrested deceased’s friend Shamsher, a carpenter, and his wife Kuldeep for his murder. ADCP Sameer Verma, while addressing a press conference along with ACP (North) Kikkar Singh, Salem Tabri SHO inspector Harshvir Singh, said the victim and Shamsher had consumed drugs together during which the two had a fight over an old financial transaction. Afterwards, Shamsher pushed him down. Davinderpal fell to the ground and could not get up. Shamsher kept helping him to get up. When Davinder did not WOMAN HELPED SPOUSE IN DISPOSING OF BODY Initially, when Shamsher committed the murder, his wife was not at home. Later, when his wife arrived, she decided to help him. They both brought saw and chopped the body into pieces. Later, they both went on a motorcycle to dispose of the body. get up, Shamsher assumed he was dead. Fearing police action, he decided to dispose of his body. Later, he took out a saw and began chopping his body. Shamsher and his wife cut his body into six pieces and it took them over two hours. The deceased’s wife also helped her husband in disposing of the body. The body parts then stuffed into a white drum and thrown into an empty plot near a school, near the Jalandhar bypass. The head and torso were separated by a km. One hand is still missing and the police are searching for the same. The ADCP said Davinder had returned from Mumbai two days ago. The victim, who was was a resident of Bharti Colony, Ludhiana, was married. He had a seven-monthold daughter. He left the house, telling his wife he was going for a haircut and never returned. On Thursday morn- ing, a passer-by found his body lying in a drum near a school and informed the police. Initially, when Shamsher committed the murder, his wife was not at home. Later, when his wife arrived, she decided to help him. They both brought saw and chopped the body into pieces. Later, they both went on a motorcycle to dispose of the body. When a CCTV camera footage was found showing the couple taking a white drum on a motorcycle, the suspects were questioned and they confessed to having committed the crime. After stuffing the body into a drum they even cleared blood spots at the house. Hand still missing The police said one of the hands of the victim was still missing and police teams were trying to search it at the place where the suspects dumped the body. Two tanker drivers die of asphyxiation Ludhiana, January 9 Two oil tanker drivers died due to asphyxiation in Machhiwara. To protect themselves from cold, they had lit a coal brazier in the tanker parked inside a factory on Thursday night. After warming themselves by the fire, they fell asleep. Later, they died due to suffocation. According to reports, the two men had come to Ludhiana from Agra on January 5 with an oil tanker. On Thursday night, they had dinner and went to sleep in the tanker. When they did not wake up for a long time in the morning, other truck drivers went to check but found the vehicle’s door locked. When they managed to open the door, both were found unconscious. Afterwards, they informed others at the factory and the police. The police reached the spot and took the bodies in their custody. The deceased were identified as Chhotu Ram, a resident of Kheragarh, Agra, UP and Bhag, wan of Bharatpur in Rajasthan. Machiwara SHO inspector Pavitra Singh, said one of the victim was from Uttar Pradesh and the other from Rajasthan. When the drivers go out, they used to sleep in the tanker at night. Both had closed the windows and doors to protect themselves from cold. Suffocation was caused by fumes from the coal brazier lit inside the tanker. The SHO said the police were probing the case from every angle. A forensic team had also been called for investigation. — TNS Abandoned by loved ones, these elderly get warmth from strangers Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 9 Santosh Kumari (82) is being taken care of at an old age home, ‘Saade Buzurg, Saada Maan’ in the Industrial Area here. It’s not that she is alone and there was none in the family, a widow of an ex-servicemen, Santosh Kumari is forced to lead a quiet life at the old age home as his three sons and one daughter have abandoned her. However, when she talked about her children, she said: “All are educated children.” “I still feel satisfied here as I have had enough from them. After demise of my husband, I was being ill-treated by my children, they used to beat me too,” said the octogenarian, adding that it had been about two years now since she was staying at the old age home. When asked about her daughter, she replied: ”The daughter said since you have given all your property to the sons, ask them to look after you. Nobody has ever visited me,” she said. Hers is not the only case, most of the inmates at the old age home, have their own sad stories. Jaswinder Singh (67) had his own house in Dholewal. He later transferred the house in the name of his only son after the demise of his wife. Later, their son, along with his wife, purchased a new house in the city and Most of the inmates at old age home have their own tales of sorrow Jaswinder Singh and Santosh Kumari (right), inmates of ‘Saade Buzurg, Saada Maan' old age home, in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA moved to London. “They sent me here and went to London. The new house, which was purchased with the money I gave to my son after selling my old c m y b house, remains locked now, but I am not allowed to go there and stay. I am at the mercy of Good Samaritans at the old age home,” he said with tears in his eyes. The home is being run by an NGO, which is operated by a group of persons, headed by chairman Arun Uppal. Caretakers are appointed here to take care of old persons. Food is prepared for them for thrice a day and served on its premises. Uppal told The Tribune that the elderly were brought here as their near ones had abandoned them. “We are managing all affairs but we do face difficulties during night hours or otherwise when any person has to be taken to a hospital for medical aid. If someone provides an ambulance and a doctor is arranged for their check-up every week, much of the issues would be resolved. Since they are all old, they require medical attention all the time,” he said. Another inmate, Aman Kumar, in his late sixties, is a patient of muscular dystrophy from Delhi. A graduate who can speak fluent English, he said he had no relative and was sitting at the bus stand when a person came and extended a helping hand and sent him to the Old Age home here. “Since then, I feel much better, I interact with inmates and there is no issue here,” he said. There are a few old persons who are mentally disturbed but since they get food and shelter, they happily stay at the old age home.