18032026-LT-01.qxd 3/18/2026 1:03 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune MAYOR CONDUCTS SURPRISE INSPECTION AT MC OFFICE CHEF VIKAS KHANNA HOSTS ZOHRAN MAMDANI FOR IFTAR LAUGHTER, MUSIC & MEMORIES AT CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY Mayor Inderjit Kaur conducted a surprise inspection at Zone A office of the Municipal Corporation. P2 New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani visited celebrity chef Vikas Khanna at his restaurant, Bungalow, for Iftar. P4 Kapil Sharma & his team turn a campus stop into high-energy spectacle filled with comedy & sing-alongs.P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 26°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 25°C | MIN 12°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 6:32 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 6:28 AM » WEDNESDAY | 18 MARCH 2026 | LUDHIANA Civic body survey identifies 335 illegal constructions in city Raises concerns about unchecked urban devp, effectiveness of enforcement mechanism Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 17 A recent survey conducted by the Municipal Corporation has revealed the existence of 335 illegal constructions, including under-construction buildings, across the city. The findings have raised serious concerns about unchecked urban development and the effectiveness of enforcement mechanism in place. The zone-wise breakdown of illegal constructions reveals significant disparities. Zone A recorded 86 illegal constructions, Zone B had 36, Zone C reported the highest with 164 and Zone D accounted for 49. It highlights Zone C as the most affected area among the zones. Violations are concentrated in areas such as Sukhdev Nagar, Chand Cinema Road, Kailash Nagar and other densely populated localities, where rapid construction has often bypassed regulatory approvals. A Municipal Corporation ZONE-WISE BREAKDOWN OF ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTIONS Zone-A 86 Zone-B 36 Zone-C 164 Zone-D 49 An illegal construction being demolished by the MC in Ludhiana. FILE official said a list of unauthorised buildings had already been prepared and strict action would be taken against those violating regulations. A thorough inspection would be carried out by designated duty officers, who will examine all constructions on-site. Those who have not deposited the required fees or con- tinue with illegal construction will be charged compounding fees along with other applicable penalties. Despite repeated drives against the illegal buildings, questions remain about the role of officials in allowing such projects to proceed unchecked. Civic activists argue that corruption and negligence have contributed to the mushrooming of unauthorised structures, undermining planned urban development. Illegal constructions not only strain civic infrastructure but also pose safety risks to residents. With Ludhiana’s rapid urban expansion, experts warn that failure to enforce building regulations could lead to long-term challenges in housing, traffic management, and public safety. Zone C has emerged as a hotspot where residential plots are being converted for commercial use in areas such as Chandigarh Road, Tibba Road, Tajpur Road, Jamalpur, Subhash Nagar, Dhandari Khurd, Jeevan Nagar Road, Lohara and Shimlapuri. In Zone A, the main area where 86 illegal constructions have been found include Lakkar Bazaar, Karimpura Bazaar, Karabara, Basti Chowk, Kakowal Road, Kali Sadak, Nehru Vihar, Manna Singh Nagar, Chand Cinema road, among others. In Zone D, there are 49 illegal constructions which are mainly concentrated in Kochar Market, Sarabha Nagar, Model Town, Canal Road, Ferozepur Road, etc. In Zone B, illegal buildings are located in Mali Ganj, Sarafan Bazaar, Than Singh Chowk, Kashmir Nagar, Shivaji Nagar, etc. Illegal property of ‘drug lord’ may face bulldozer action Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 17 As part of ongoing drive against drugs, the process for further action began with the measurement of the illegal property belonging to Gurdeep Singh Rano, the former sarpanch of Rano village (Payal) and the alleged kingpin of a multi-crore heroin smuggling network. Bulldozer action against the illegal property is expected soon. According to information, 11 cases under various sections of drug trafficking have been registered against Rano. In 2020, he was arrested by a STF team with approximately 31 kg of heroin, exposing his multi-crore smuggling operation. His network reportedly extended across the border into Pakistan. In this case, the police and other investigative agencies have previously recovered large quantities of drugs on multiple occasions. On Tuesday, officials from the Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA), supported by a large police contingent, reached Rano’s luxury mansion to conduct on-site measurements of the entire prop- Cops outside the residence of Gurdeep Singh Rano in Ludhiana. GLADA officials, along with heavy police force, conduct on-site measurements erty, including boundary walls. Photos of the current status were taken to be sent to the higher authorities for the next phase of action. JE, GLADA, Amandeep Singh, said a report was being prepared following directives of senior officials. He said preliminary investigations reveal the house was constructed without a sanctioned map from GLADA, making the structure illegal. He said the family had filed a writ petition in court to stop the demolition, which was disposed of on May 9. Following the decision, the path is now clear for GLADA to proceed according to the rules. During the measurement process, DSP (Headquarters), Khanna, Pritpal Singh Sandhu; DSP , Payal, Jaswinder Singh Khehra; SHO, Payal, Tarvinder Kumar Bedi; SHO, Malaudh, Charanjit Singh; and SHO, Doraha, Akash Dutt, were present along with a large number of police personnel, who were deployed at every corner of the mansion to maintain law and order. Police officials said Rano faces about 11 cases under the NDPS Act and other serious charges. Following the recovery of large quantities of continued on page 2 Charitable society rescues mentally challenged youth from ‘bonded labour’ Crackdown on illegal drug sale, tramadol tablets seized from shop Victim was working at suspects’ house for months, went missing 5 yrs ago Tribune News Service Lovleen Bains Wailing kin of Bablu (inset), the deceased, at New Hargobind Nagar in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN Head-on collision between scooters leaves one dead Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 17 A tragic incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon in the New Hargobind Nagar area here. A head-on collision between two Honda Activa scooters resulted in the death of a man. The deceased was identified as 33-year-old Bablu, a resident of Jamalpur. His friend was also seriously injured in the accident and undergoing treatment at a private hospital. According to information, Bablu was returning from market. When he arrived near New Hargobind Nagar, a speeding Honda Activa coming from the opposite direction collided head on with his scooter. Its impact was so severe that Bablu died on the spot. His friend, who was riding pillion, was also seriously injured. Karan is survived by his wife, two daughters and a son. Family members were inconsolable after hearing about the incident. Deceased was the sole breadwinner of the family. The suspect riding the other scooter, who, as per eyewitnesses, was a minor, fled the scene after the accident. After receiving information about the incident, officials from the Police Division 3 rushed to the scene and began a probe. The police said they were trying to identify the suspect with the help of CCTV cameras installed in the area. Sahnewal, March 17 Acting on a tip-off, a Tarn Taran-based charitable society managed to rescue a mentally challenged individual from the clutches of a family of Tibba village in Sahnewal, which had kept him in bondage for several months. The society took to social media to inform his family about the rescue. Within three days, the kin of the victim reached Tarn Taran to accept responsibility of the youth. A case has been registered against the head of the family and his two sons at the Sahnewal police station. The family belongs to the Gujjar community. Jagjit Singh, president, Dhan Dhan Baba Ratan Dev Ji Charitable Society, said the victim, Imtehaaz (25), a native of Bihar, was married and had two children. “The youth used to reside with his uncle in Mullanpur Dakha from where he went missing five years ago. Ever since, his family has been searching for him. In the hope of his recovery, the family started Imtehaaz with his mother and brother. performing sewa at a gurdwara in Bathinda. As they came to know about the youth’s whereabouts through social media, they wasted no time in reaching Tarn Taran,” he said. He said when a team from the society reached Tibba, they saw Imtehaaz rearing the cattle of the family. “The family had caught him forcibly and was making him perform all daily chores for them. Whenever he tried to flee their custody, they would catch him and punish him. They had been exploiting him and using him as bonded labourer for the past several months,” he said. “Though the period of bondage is not clear as Imtehaaz is not in a position to convey his experi- ence, the day we brought him back, he was disturbed and used abusive language. Now, he is calm, eats well and sleeps soundly. He is getting medical treatment and seems to be happy.” The joy of Zohar, the mother of the victim, who along with her husband and brother-in-law, reached Tarn Taran, knew no bounds when she saw her son was safe. “It was like a miracle,” she said. “We have been searching for him everywhere. Thanks to social media, we found him. We are grateful to the society for rescuing him,” she added. “He is getting medical attention and seems to be comfortable,” said Zohar. Sahnewal SHO Varinder Uppal said the victim’s family had demanded compensation from the suspects, who had outrightly refused. “Since they failed to reach a decision, the victim’s family complained to the police. A case has been registered under Sections 127(2) and 3(5) of the BNS against Bholu Khan and his two sons, Rehmat Ali and Sadeek Khan. We will ensure that justice is served,” he said. Dispute over ~1L led to arhtiya’s suicide, 2 named in note booked Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 17 A day after arhtiya Dhyan Singh died by suicide by hanging at the vegetable market on the Bahadurke road, the suicide note left by the deceased named two shopkeepers, Madan Lal and Shelly, of the market. The deceased had owed Rs 1 lakh to the suspects and the undue pressure put by the latter on the victim drove him to take the extreme step. Based on the suicide note and the complaint filed by the commission agent’s son, Jagdish, the police registered an FIR against both commission agents and began investigating the case. Meanwhile, family members gathered outside the Basti Jodhewal police station on Tuesday and demanded immediate RAID ON TO NAB SUSPECTS: ASI Investigating officer ASI Kuldeep Singh said an FIR was filed against the two persons named in the suicide note. Raids are underway to arrest them. Victim was found hanging at vegetable market arrest of the suspects. Commission agent Dhyan Singh died by suicide on Monday morning but the police did not file an FIR against them till late in the evening. The police had assured the c m y b family that an FIR would be filed against them soon. When the police did not file an FIR on Monday, the family refused to allow his autopsy. Later, the police filed an FIR late Monday night. On Tuesday morning, the family went to protest outside the police station where the police gave them a copy of the FIR. The family held a protest while demanding immediate arrest of the suspects. The police assured them that they would be arrested soon. Following the police assurance, the post-mortem examination was conducted at the Civil Hospital. Jagdish said his father owed the accused Rs 1 lakh. They assaulted and insulted him, leading to his suicide by hanging. He said his father was a potato and onion whole- saler in the vegetable market. He had been in the wholesale business for many years. He used to go to the market every morning. On Monday, he left home for the market and died by suicide by hanging himself. Investigating officer ASI Kuldeep Singh said an FIR was filed against the two persons named in the suicide note. Raids were underway to arrest them. Ludhiana, March 17 Acting on a tip-off, the Drugs Control Department conducted an inspection at Life Medicare, located at New Chander Nagar, here. The inspection was carried out by Navdeep Sandhu, Drugs Control Officer, Ludhiana 3, to verify compliance with provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the rules framed thereunder. During the inspection, the shop was found stocking four varieties of allopathic medicines containing pregabalin salt. However, the firm failed to produce the mandatory purchase records of the medicines as required under provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. In view of the violation, the medicines valued over Rs 23,000 were seized on the spot under relevant provisions of the Act. During further checking of the premises, psychotropic drug tramadol tablets (2,376 tablets) were also recovered. As the drug falls under the category of psychotropic substances, the tablets were handed over to the Jagatpuri police post for necessary action. The owner of the shop was arrested. The matter has been referred to the police post for the registration of an FIR under provisions of the NDPS Act and further investigation is being carried out by the authorities concerned. The Drugs Control Department has reiterated that strict action would be taken against any violation of the Act and the NDPS Act. The department further stated that such inspections and enforcement drives would continue in the future to curb illegal stocking and sale of medicines and to safeguard public health.