12012026-LT-01.qxd 1/11/2026 11:52 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune US PROF VISITS PAU TO EXPLORE JOINT VENTURES FARMERS UNDERGO ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING ‘I PUT ON 15 POUNDS FOR SONG SUNG BLUE’ PAU hosted Prof Antarpreet Singh Jutla, University of Florida, US, to explore avenues for research and higher education. P2 Twenty-five beneficiaries attended training organised by the Department of Processing and Food Engineering at PAU. P2 Hollywood star Kate Hudson said she had to gain 15 pounds for her role of Claire Sardina in musical Song Sung Blue. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 16°C | MIN 6°C YESTERDAY MAX 15°C | MIN 5°C SUNSET MONDAY 5.44 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7.25 AM MONDAY | 12 JANUARY 2026 | LUDHIANA A day after firing, luxury car rental 80 spools of banned string seized showroom owner receives extortion call Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 11 After the luxury car rental showroom, located in Baddowal, near Mullanpur, opposite the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) camp, on the Ludhiana–Ferozepur highway, was targeted by unidentified armed miscreants who opened fire in broad daylight on Saturday, now a gangster has made an extortion call to one of its owners and demanded a huge sum. After yesterday’s firing, the assailants fled from the spot leaving behind two slips of paper bearing the names of alleged gangsters Pawan Shaukeen and Mohabbat Randhawa. These gangsters are the most wanted criminals eluding arrest from the past many years. Recently, involvement of both was found in several firing incidents reported in Punjab. After receiving call, owner had informed senior officials of the Ludhiana (Rural) police. The police launched technical investigation to trace the caller and the number from which threatening call was made. Dr Ankur Gupta, Senior Superintendent of Police Ludhiana (SSP), Rural, confirmed that a day after firing, one of the gangsters made a call to one of the owners of the show- Cops conduct investigation after firing at the luxury car rental showroom at Baddowal in Ludhiana. CALLER ‘DEMANDED SUM IN CRORES’ Sources in the Police Department maintained that the caller had allegedly demanded sum in crores from the car rental showroom owner. “A technical team of the police has already gathered vital clues about the caller. The police may taste success soon.” the sources said. RECENT CASES OF EXTORTION IN LUDHIANA Businessman told to pay ~10 cr On January 6, a city-based businessman received a ~10 crore extortion threat from a man claiming to be associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The Sarabha Nagar police registered an FIR against Hari Boxer, a member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. ~1 cr demanded from jewellery shop owner On December 12, 2025, the police arrested an associate of gangster Amrit Dalam after a shootout near Samrala Chowk. The accused were threatening a jewellery shop owner and demanding a ransom of ~1 crore from him. When the accused came to the city to collect the extortion amount, they were apprehended by the police. Garment businessman asked to cough up ~50 lakh On the intervening night of January 5 and 6, three bikeborne miscreants opened fire at a closed readymade garment showroom in Civil City, after which they demanded extortion by claiming to be members of the Rohit Godara gang. Showroom owner Himanshu claimed he received a threatening call from an overseas number. The caller demanded a ransom of ~50 lakh. In connection with this case, the police brought gangster Shubham Grover from the Ferozepur jail on a production warrant for questioning. room and demanded huge sum. Caller posing as gangster asked the owner to fulfil extortion demands else threatened him of dire consequences. The SSP refused to share the sum demanded by the caller citing the ongoing investigation. “Although caller posed as one of the gangsters whose name was written on the slip left outside the showroom after firing, exact identity of the caller is subject to verification and investigation. Whether the real gangster made call or someone posing as gangster made the call, the police investigation will unearth the truth,” SSP Gupta added. The SSP confirmed that prior to the firing incident, showroom owners did not receive any extortion call and nor did they file any ransomrelated complaint which was pending with the Ludhiana (Rural) police. Asked if the accused, who opened fire at the showroom, were identified or not, the SSP replied that the police investigation was going on at fast pace on the basis of the CCTV footage and details of the motorcycle used in the crime. “We have formed separate teams which are following the exit route of the accused. Some vital clues of the accused have also been collected. The police will crack the case soon,” the SSP maintained. The seller of banned synthetic string in police custody; and (right) ACP (Traffic) Gurdev Singh installs metal ring on a two-wheeler in Ludhiana on Sunday. PHOTOS: INDERJEET VERMA Tribune News Service Main suppliers yet to be identified from Rs 350 to Rs 600 or more. Ludhiana, January 11 The police have intensified campaign against banned plastic string in Ludhiana. Acting on a tip-off, officials of the Police Division-5 raided the Jawahar Nagar Camp area and arrested a man with a large quantity of banned Chinese rolls. Giving details, SHO Inspector Madhu Bala said last night, a police team was patrolling near Midha Chowk where they received information that a man named Sushil Kumar was selling banned plastic string. Upon receiving the information, the police team cordoned off the area and conducted a raid. The police recovered 80 rolls of string from a shop and arrested Sushil Kumar, a resident of Jawahar Nagar Camp. A case was registered against the accused. Although the police have been arresting shopkeepers and small traders, big suppliers continue to sell banned string with impunity. Sources said big supplier of plastic string is a resident of New Madhopuri. “All his relatives are ancestral kite makers. All of them sell plastic string, but the one in New Madhopuri supplies the most bloody kite string. He has built a business worth crores in just a few years,” the sources said. He settles everything in advance by paying a substantial sum to some corrupt officials or middlemen. Sources said if the police search warehouses of transporters in Transport Nagar, a large stock of the plastic string can be recovered. Due to strictness of the police, rate of a one Chinese string spool has shot up Police install safety devices on two-wheelers Gurdev Singh, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Traffic, today installed safety devices on motorcycles and scooters to prevent injury to drivers from banned plastic string. The ACP said the device could be fitted on handle of bicycles, scooters and motorbikes. He said it would prevent kite string from coming in contact with rider directly. “Design-wise, it is a simple U-shaped metal, which is curved at the top. When kite string comes in the way of a vehicle, it passes over driver’s head after hitting the device,” the ACP said. South Constituency MLA Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina also accompanied the ACP during the drive at Dholewal Chowk. Brother-sister duo Garbage piles tarnish Leisure Valley’s green image Work in full swing on Jassian road underpass killed in road mishap Manav Mander Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 11 A road accident near Pardesi Dhaba on Moga Road on Sunday night cost the life of brother and sister travelling in a Swift Dzire car. Both died on the spot in a head-on collision between a speeding Thar and their car. The Thar driver was seriously injured in the accident. The car’s airbags deployed during the collision. The Thar driver was identified as Inderjit Singh (42), a resident of Goindwal village in Raikot. He was initially admitted to the Jagraon Civil Hospital from where he was referred to a private hospital. Sources said Inderjit Singh was heading from Moga to Ludhiana on his Thar. When Inderjit reached Moga Road, he suddenly lost control over his vehicle and it collided with a white Swift Dzire coming from the opposite direction. After collision, Swift Dzire rammed into a truck parked along a roadside eatery. The deceased were identified as Jabar Singh (34) and his sister Hardeep Kaur (45), both residents of Bagha Purana. The siblings were reportedly returning from a Lohri celebration of their younger sister in Ludhiana when the tragic accident occurred near Jagraon. Ludhiana, January 11 Leisure Valley in Sarabha Nagar, which was once cherished as vital green space for recreation and health, has now fallen into neglect, leaving residents frustrated over broken infrastructure, overgrown grass and heaps of garbage. Visitors at the valley say the poor upkeep has turned this public space into unhygienic zone rather than a place of relaxation. “We come here every morning for a walk, but the stench of unbearable garbage makes daily workout difficult. Garbage lying at the every entrance gate of the valley leaves one frustrated right at the beginning of the morning,” said Ritu Sharma, a resident of the BRS Nagar. Harpreet Singh, a young father from Sarabha Nagar, Senior Congress leader Pawan Dewan shows garbage lying at the Leisure Valley in Ludhiana. said, “Children should be able to play freely, but garbage littered everywhere in the valley make it unsafe. We come here for fresh air and to relax in the green environment, but the stench of litter spoils the whole charm.” Senior citizen Sunita Arora, who visits Leisure Valley regularly, further remarked, “The parks are supposed to be a place of relaxation, but instead they add to our stress. The worst part is that the Zone D office of the Municipal Corporation is located just next to the Leisure Valley, but still nobody is paying attention towards it.” Amid these growing complaints, senior Congress leader and former District Congress Committee (Urban) president Pawan Dewan has raised questions over the functioning of the Municipal Corporation. He pointed towards deplorable condition of the Leisure Valley, located right next to the Municipal Corporation’s Zone D office, where garbage piles remain unattended. “If the corporation cannot maintain a park adjoining its own office, then the condition of parks across the city can well be imagined,” Dewan said. “The corporation should take immediate steps to restore Leisure Valley as well-maintained green spaces are not a luxury, but a necessity for the public health in an increasingly urbanised city,” said Harshveer, another city resident. Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 11 The construction of an underpass near the Jassian road is progressing at a rapid pace. The project, aimed at streamlining vehicular movement along this busy stretch, has also seen service lanes widened from seven metre to 11 metre to facilitate smoother passage for commuters. MLA Madan Lal Bagga said, “This underpass near the Jassian road will significantly reduce traffic bottlenecks and ensure safer and faster travel for residents.” “Another underpass planned near Kailash Nagar is designed to handle inbound and outbound traffic. These projects are expected to ease traffic congestion,” he said. Mayor Inderjit Kaur said, “These underpasses will reduce traffic congestion at the two black spots that witness frequent accidents. By curbing highspeed collisions, these underpasses will make NH1 safer for all road users.” The underpasses, each measuring 15x2 metre with a clear height of 5.5 metre, are being built at an estimated cost of Rs 21.67 crore. Rajesh Sharma, a local shopkeeper said, “On most evenings, it takes me 30 to 40 minutes just to cross this stretch. If these underpasses can cut down the waiting time and reduce accidents, it will be a big blessing for people like us.” From gachak to bhugga: City’s mithai makers gear up for Lohri celebrations Manav Mander SIGNIFICANCE OF LOHRI Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 11 With Lohri just a day away, Ludhiana’s mithai shops are alive with the aroma and crafting flavours that make Lohri celebrations complete. With gift hampers designed in creative styles plated around miniature trucks, bonfire replicas and traditional manji, Ludhianvis are ensuring that this harvest festival is celebrated not just with warmth, but with grandeur, taste and style. “Reodi”, “gachak”, “gajar paak”, “pinnis” and “bhugga” are best enjoyed while sitting around the bonfire. These sweets are being pre- Workers busy preparing “bhugga” and “gachak” at Nathu Mal Ghudoo Mal; and (right) residents buy kites ahead of the Lohri festival in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA/ASHWANI DHIMAN pared in large batches to meet the festive demand. Health consciousness may be on the rise, but when it comes to festivals, Ludhian- vis ensure celebrations are marked with grandeur and indulgence. For over 108 years, Nathu Mal Ghudoo Mal has been serving the city with its signature sweets. The shop’s workshop is bustling this week, turning out endless trays of Lohri favourites. c m y b “With time, we’ve added new flavours to our “gachak”, “bhugga”, “til”, peanut, rose, dry fruit and even chocolate. “Gajar paak” remains a seasonal favourite, while “pinnis” of atta, besan, alsi and dal varieties are also popular,” said a salesman at the shop. Beyond sweets and feasts, Lohri carries a deeper significance as a festival of harvest that marks the passing of winter and the arrival of longer days. Traditionally, it is celebrated to honour the sun god and to thank nature for abundance. In Punjab, Lohri also holds special meaning for families celebrating milestones such as the birth of a child or a marriage, with the first Lohri of a newborn or newlywed often observed with greater enthusiasm, distribution of gifts and organising community gatherings. Families are equally enthusiastic. “It is my granddaughter’s first Lohri, and we’re hosting a celebration with traditional hampers as return favours,” shared Chanda Aggarwal of the South City. Manjit Kaur from Rajguru Nagar said, “In our family, carrot kheer is a Lohri tradition. Lunch will be “makki di roti” and “saron da saag”. The children will enjoy kite flying during the day, and in the evening we’ll gather around the bonfire to relish the delicacies.” The festival also brings seasonal opportunities for small vendors. A groundnut seller at Ghumar Mandi said, “This is the time of year I earn extra income. I set up my stall with groundnuts, “gachak”, “reodi” and “shakarkandi”. The business is good during Lohri celebrations.”