26102026-LT-01.qxd 26-10-2026 00:40 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune EX-IT PROFESSIONAL BUILDS ORGANIC FARMING VENTURE SUFI IN SARTAAJ CONNECTS AUDIENCE WITH LOVE The singer-poet’s journey is a reminder that success need not come at the cost of one’s language or roots. P4 MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 32°C | MIN 13°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 14°C KRITI STEALS SPOTLIGHT AT SHOWCASE ‘INTO THE WILD’ Rahul Sharma, a former IT honcho, now runs a successful Punjab-based organic agricultural firm, Graintastic . P2 FORECAST Kriti Sanon took centre stage in a classic black Abhinav Mishra lehenga crafted in NEO-Tech fabric. P4 » » SUNSET MONDAY 5:41 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:32 AM » MONDAY | 26 OCTOBER 2026 | LUDHIANA IPSofficer Damaged road gullies spark safety Home Guard posing asresidents arrested for assaulting fears in city, residents seek repairs Lovleen Bains Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 25 Damaged road gullies at several locations in the city have become a safety concern for commuters and residents. Damaged grills and open pits near Guru Nanak Stadium and on Club Road and near Bhadaur House pose a risk to motorists, particularly during night hours when the openings are difficult to spot. The road gullies, meant to drain rainwater from roads, have been damaged at several points, leaving dangerous gaps on the road surface. Commuters passing through these stretches face the risk of accidents while two-wheeler riders are particularly vulnerable to losing their balance if they fail to notice the openings in time. The condition of the road gullies has raised questions about the maintenance of the civic infrastructure in the city. Residents said such damaged structures could lead to serious accidents if the Municipal Corporation Damaged road gullies near Bhadaur House and on Club Road in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA RESIDENTS URGE CIVIC BODY TO CONDUCT SURVEY Residents have urged the MC to conduct a survey of damaged road gullies across the city and take up repairs on a priority basis. They said regular inspections and timely maintenance could prevent accidents and ensure the safety of commuters. They said such damaged structures can lead to serious accidents if the MC failed to repair them in time. failed to repair them in time. They said the situation becomes more dangerous during the night hours. Dheeraj Kumar, a resident of the Club Road area, said the damaged road gullies were a cause for concern for people using the road daily. “The damaged grills and open gaps on the road can cause accidents, especially at night. A commuter may not notice an opening in time and could fall or lose control of the vehicle. The Municipal Corporation should inspect such spots and get damaged struc- tures repaired without delay,” he said. Another resident, Krishan Kumar, from the area, said the civic body should not wait for an accident to occur before taking action. “The road gullies are meant to ensure proper drainage but their damaged condition has made them a hazard. People travelling on two-wheelers are at greater risk. The authorities should replace the damaged grills and ensure that all open gullies are properly covered,” he said. The residents have urged the corporation to conduct a survey of damaged road gullies across the city and take up repairs on a priority basis. They said regular inspections and timely maintenance could prevent accidents and ensure the safety of commuters. Meanwhile, SE Sham Lal Gupta said: “I will direct the officials concerned to repair the road gullies as soon as possible so that people do not face any trouble.” Doraha, October 25 In a case of impersonation, a Punjab Home Guard (PHG) jawan attached with the Government Railway Police (GRP) and posted at the Doraha railway station has been arrested for posing as an IPS officer and threatening and assaulting workers of a dhaba. The suspect is reportedly mentally disturbed. He has been identified as Amarjit Singh (55), a resident of Maloud in Payal. According to information, the incident occurred late on Friday night at 3-J dhaba, located on the national highway in Doraha. The suspect reached the dhaba in his official uniform but was also wearing IPS badges. According to the Doraha SHO and the CCTV footage, he is seen questioning the dhaba staff about why the outlet was kept open till late hours. As a dhaba employee was talking to him, the suspect, claiming to be a senior IPS officer, started abusing him. He also allegedly manhandled Amarjit Singh, the suspect. ❝ SUSPECT IS MENTALLY UPSET As we received the complaint, we enquired about the impersonator’s credentials and nabbed him. He is a PHG employee posted at Doraha. He went to the dhaba in his uniform, wearing IPS badges. He threatened and assaulted staff for keeping the outlet open till late hours. The suspect is reportedly mentally upset. ❞ Jashanpreet Singh, SHO, DORAHA him and another employee, threatening them to close the dhaba or face consequences. He is also alleged to have misbehaved with customers having food. Confirming the arrest, Doraha SHO Jashanpreet Singh said: “As we received the complaint, we enquired about the impersonator’s credentials and arrested him. He is a PHG employee posted at Doraha. He went to 3-J dhaba in the late hours in his uniform, wearing IPS badges. He threatened and assaulted the staff for keeping the dhaba open till late hours.The suspect is reportedly mentally upset,” the SHO added. A case under sections 204, 205 and 351(2) of the BNS has been registered against him for impersonating a public servant and criminal intimidation. The SHO said the man was being interrogated to find out from where he got the IPS badges and whether he had cheated people in the past by posing as an IPS officer. “He will be produced before the court today,” the Station House Officer said. 24-year-old dies of suspected drug Table agenda may trigger debate as overdose; silent attack, claim police councillors seek priority for quota works Man’s body found at fuel station washroom Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 25 A 24-year-old youth died under suspicious circumstances at Hathur village in Ludhiana district on Sunday triggering speculation among villagers about a possible drug overdose. According to village sarpanch Jaskamal Singh, the youth had a history of substance abuse and had earlier undergone treatment at a deaddiction centre. In the wee hours of Sunday, his grandmother served him tea before leaving for gurdwara. On her return, she found him dead. ASI Manohar Lal from the Hathur police station said a police team reached the spot after receiving information. Preliminary investigation indicated that the victim suffered a silent attack while asleep, which led to his death. The police said claims of drug overdose were being spread on social media without complete information. Several residents, however, expressed suspicion that the death could be linked to drug overdose, leading to widespread discussion in the village. No post-mortem examination was conducted. The family did not lodge any formal complaint with the police. The last rites of the youth were performed at the village cremation ground on Sunday afternoon. The police said no legal action had been initiated in the absence of a complaint from his family. Deceased’s uncle Sukhdev Singh said his nephew had addiction and he used to consume drugs every day. Drug overdose possibly was the cause of his death. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 25 The body of an unidentified man was found from the bathroom of a petrol station on Tajpur Road early on Saturday. Initially, there were rumours that drug overdose could be the suspected cause of death but police categorically denied any such angle. According to sources, the man had entered the bathroom late on Friday night. When staff tried to open the door on Saturday morning, they found it locked from inside. After repeated knocking failed to elicit any response, they broke open the door and found the man’s body inside. After getting information, a team of the Police Division 7 rushed to the spot and started a probe. The police shifted the body to the Civil Hospital. Investigating officer in the case, ASI Dinesh Sharma, said the body was sent to the mortuary at the Civil Hospital. Further proceedings in the case would be started once family members of the deceased were traced. A CCTV cameras at the petrol pump was also being checked, he said. The ASI said drug overdose claims were only rumours. Post-mortem examination could only clear the cause of death. Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 25 The Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) of the Municipal Corporation is set to meet at the Mayor’s camp office on Tuesday to deliberate on at least 48 resolutions, the majority of which pertain to development works across the city. The meeting will also be the first to be chaired by newly appointed MC Commissioner Ankur Mahindroo. The agenda features proposals related to road construction, park development, sewerage and water supply infrastructure, installation of tube wells and the cleaning of sewer lines using super-suction technology. However, the meeting could witness a debate over the inclusion of table agendas. Sources said members had previously objected to the practice of introducing proposals at the last minute and had sought priority for works An F&CC meeting in progress in Ludhiana. FILE under the councillor quota. With table agendas expected to be placed again, the issue may lead to differences among committee members. One of the key proposals seeks the cancellation of a work order issued to a private firm engaged to conduct a survey of streets in 44 colonies in the city. The firm was awarded the contract on May 14 but it reportedly failed to commence the survey despite repeated reminders from the civic body. The firm was to be paid Rs 485 per acre and was required to complete the survey within two months. The MC has now proposed cancelling the work order and debarring the firm, with the committee expected to take a final decision on the matter. Another agenda item relates to the lifting and maintenance of stray cattle. Guru Nanak Jeevarth Sewa Society has approached the civic body for the work. The NGO has been running a gaushala at Baranhara village on Hambran Road for the past five years. It currently shelters around 110 cattle and has the capacity to accommodate another 120. The society has offered to undertake the work at Rs 61 per cow per day. The MC has already signed memorandums of understanding with four gaushala managements to address the stray cattle menace, which continues to pose a risk to commuters. The expenditure is met from the cow cess collected by the civic body. The committee will also consider a proposal to install Remote Telemetry Units (RTUs) to link the online continuous effluent monitoring system with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) server. The system is intended to enable the CPCB to monitor the functioning of inlet and outlet points at the sewage treatment plants in Balloke and Bhattian. The project is estimated to cost Rs 35.65 lakh. Besides these proposals, the agenda includes several works aimed at strengthening civic infrastructure and improving public amenities across the city. Another illegal de-addiction centre busted, 48 rescued Man’s body found at Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 25 On a second consecutive day of its crackdown on illegal de-addiction centres, the Malerkotla police have busted another such centre at Bijoki Kalan village, located in the jurisdiction of the Amargarh police station. The centre was being run in the name of ‘Nasha Mukt Samaj Welfare Society’, where drug addicts were allegedly held captive against their will, assaulted and made to perform forced labour. The suspects have been identified as Jatinder Singh, a resident of Naushera, and Hammad Sadiq, alias Shikhu, of Kacha Jamalpura, Malerkotla. Jatinder has been arrested. While addressing the media, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Harkamal Preet Singh Khakh said the action was taken under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, under the supervision of Amargarh DSP Sanjeev Kapoor. On October 24, when a police team, led by ASI Balwinder Singh, was on patrol near Bijoki Kalan, it received a tip-off. Information was that the suspects were running an illegal deaddiction centre, where they were picking up addicts without their consent and holding them captive. Acting promptly, the police raided the premises and rescued 48 persons who were being held captive at the centre. A case was registered at the Amargarh police station against the suspects. Efforts are on to arrest the coaccused and further investigation is underway. The SSP said de-addiction was a matter of medical care and human dignity and nobody would be allowed to turn it into a business of fraud and cruelty. He added that a districtwide drive against illegal centres was underway and strict action against such establishments would be continued. Khakh appealed to the public to seek treatment only at government hospitals or licensed de-addiction centres. Any information regarding illegal centres or drugrelated activity could be shared with the nearest police station and the identity of the informer would be kept confidential. ‘Addicts held captive, assaulted, made to perform forced labour’ Cops during a raid at an illegal drug de-addiction centre in Bijoki Kalan village on Sunday. c m y b under-construction factory, probe on Ludhiana, October 25 The body of an unidentified man, aged between 35 and 40 years, was recovered from under the debris in the bathroom of an under-construction factory in Sandhu Nagar on Saturday, triggering panic in the area. Advocate Harman Singh informed the police that a property in Sandhu Nagar is in the name of his grandfather. Construction of a new factory was underway at the site. On October 24, he received information that a body was lying buried in the factory bathroom. The Haibowal police reached the scene and extri- cated the body from under the debris. Station House Officer, Haibowal, Inspector Jasbir Singh, said a murder case was registered against unidentified persons under Sections 103 and 3(5) of the BNS. The police suspect the victim was murdered brutally and the body was later buried under the debris. “The police have sounded alert regarding the recovery of the body and CCTV camera footage is being scanned to get any clue about the suspects. The case will be cracked soon. Once the deceased is identified, investigation will speed up,” he said. — TNS