10112026-LT-01.qxd 11/10/2026 1:01 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune CONG’S 1ST LIST LIKELY BY MONTH-END, SAYS PARGAT BIG B MEETS FANS WITHOUT BULLETPROOF GLASS SHIELD ACTOR BHUMI PEDNEKAR AIRS POLLUTION CONCERN The PPCC is likely to release its first list of candidates by month-end, says PPCC chief Pargat Singh. P2 Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan met with fans without the bulletproof shield on Sunday. P4 Actor Bhumi Pednekar expresses concern over the health risks posed by rising pollution levels. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 30°C | MIN 13°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET TUESDAY 5:29 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:43 AM » TUESDAY | 10 NOVEMBER 2026 | LUDHIANA Cracker mishaps leave boy dead, many injured Diwali festivities keep firefighters on toes as 75 incidents reported in 24 hours from city Sukhpreet Singh 100 witnessed last year Manav Mander Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 9 The city witnessed several major fire incidents on Diwali night, adding to the pressure on the Fire Department, which attended 75 fire calls across Ludhiana in 24 hours between November 8 and 9. One of the major incidents was reported at the vegetable market in Dhandari Khurd, where a massive fire reduced nine shops to ashes. Some of the shops dealt in quilts and mattresses while others were scrap shops. Vegetable and fruit carts and shops were also gutted, leaving shopkeepers with heavy losses. According to reports, the fire broke out around 10.30 pm after a firecracker allegedly fell into the market and landed near a quilt shop. The shop caught fire, and within minutes, the flames spread to adjoining shops. People present in the market raised the alarm and initially tried to douse the flames themselves. However, seeing the blaze spreading rapidly, they informed the Fire Department. The fire was visible from a distance while the police also reached the spot to control the crowd. Fire tenders rushed to the market, and firefighters managed to bring the blaze under control in nearly 45 minutes. In another major incident, a scrap shop in the Kailash Nagar area caught fire on Diwali night. The blaze spread rapidly, with huge flames emerging from the shop. Scrap material and other goods worth lakhs of rupees were reduced to ashes. On receiving information, fire brigade The figures assume significance as the city had witnessed around 100 fire incidents during the three-day period — before, during and after Diwali — last year. The 75 incidents reported in just 24 hours this year underline the pressure on the Fire Department during the festive season. However, the two figures cover different time periods and should not be treated as a direct year-onyear comparison. Ahead of Diwali, the Fire Department had already strengthened its arrangements bysettingupthreetemporaryfire stations near Jalandhar Bypass, Samrala Chowk and Verka Milk Plant. These are in addition to the six permanent fire stations in the city. A total of 32 fire tenders and around 120 personnel were deployed to tackle emergencies. The recurring fires at scrap godowns, factories and dumping sites also highlight risks posed by the accumulation of combustible material. Electrical faults and short-circuits can further aggravate the situation, particularly in areas where inflammable material is stored. A fire broke out at an old dumping site in the Ludhiana Improvement Trust’s land in City Centre, located in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, and continued for nearly five to six hours. Thick layers of smoke engulfed nearby residential areas, causing considerable inconvenience to residents. The smoke spread across the neighbourhood, leaving people struggling with poor air quality and raising concerns over health risks, particularly continued on page 2 Ludhiana, November 9 Despite repeated safety advisories and official restrictions, the festival of lights ended on a grim note for several families across the city as emergency wards reported several burn and fire-related incidents on Diwali night. A 14-year-old boy, Gagan, lost his life in a tragic incident while bursting firecrackers on the Diwali night in Jagraon. The firecracker exploded near his neck while he was on the rooftop, leaving him critically injured. The victim was rushed to a hospital by his family but succumbed during treatment. On Diwali night, his father Suresh Kumar had gone with his family to the house of his elder brother in Nai Abadi, Akalgarh. After returning, the children went to the rooftop to burst firecrackers. Gagan lit a cracker, but it failed to explode. When he approached it again to set it off, a powerful blast occurred. The cracker exploded near the boy’s neck. The impact was so severe that he fell down, badly injured. Family members, panic-stricken, attended to him and rushed him to Sarbjeet Hospital in Sudhar. Doctors at the hospital started treatment but he could not be saved due to the critical nature of his injuries. The tragedy on Diwali night has left the entire family in deep shock. The house that was filled with festive cheer moments earlier was plunged into mourning after the death of the boy, who was the family’s only son. Major hospitals in the city, A thick layer of smog engulfs a road in Ludhiana following cracker bursting on Diwali night. Air quality has remained in the ‘poor’ category for most of the days since the beginning of this month, raising concerns among experts and residents. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN including Civil Hospital, DMCH and CMCH, saw patients, ranging from young children to the elderly, suffering from varying degrees of thermal and burn injuries. According to emergency medical officers from various hospitals, majority of the casualties were triggered by mishandling of high-intensity firecrackers and accidents involving traditional oil lamps and flammable attire. The Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, reported seven cases of burn injury and three of eye injury due to firecrackers. Besides, 11 road accident cases were reported and 103 medico legal reports were recorded. At the DMCH, a total of 27 burn cases were reported, which included 24 adults and three children. “Cases, including 11 men and 13 women in the age group of 20-55 years and three children — two girls and a boy — were reported with burn injuries on Diwali night. Twenty patients visited the Out Patient Depart- Festive joy ment. They were given first aid and sent back home while seven patients with serious injuries were admitted,” said Emergency Medical Officer on duty at the DMCH. Eleven patients had injuries near the eyes while 16 had injuries involving skin, face, hands and neck. At the CMCH, 13 patients with burn injuries were reported. Maximum patients had eye-related injuries. Of the 13, 10 were referred to the eye department, two to plastic surgery department and one to oral and maxillofacial surgery department. In addition to the immediate burn and eye injuries reported, emergency departments saw a sharp rise in secondary emergency cases, including roadside traffic accidents and cases involving respiratory issues. Hospital staff worked around-the-clock through the night to provide first aid and manage critical admissions. With inputs from Nikhil Bhardwaj A fire breaks out at the City Centre in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar on Sunday night. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN teams rushed to the scene and worked hard to control the blaze. Fortunately, no casualties were reported, though the goods stored inside the shop were completely destroyed. The city witnessed a spate of fire incidents in the past 24 hours, with as many as 75 cases reported across different parts of Ludhiana between November 8 and 9. From residential buildings and factories to scrap godowns, shops, vacant plots and other premises, the incidents kept the Fire Department on its toes. The incidents were reported from several localities, with scrap godowns and dumping sites accounting for a significant share. At least 22 incidents were reported at scrap-related sites, vacant plots and dumping grounds while seven fires were report- THE INCIDENTS Category Cases Residential houses 15 (pucca and kutcha) Factories 7 Vacant plots and 24 dumping grounds Godowns and other 8 storage premises Electrical wires/installations 2 Other premises 6 Shops 6 Vehicles – trucks and rehri 5 Temple 1 Other fire incident 1 Total 75 ed from factories. As many as 15 incidents were reported from residential premises. The department’s record also includes fires involving shops, electrical installations, vehicles and other locations. Several incidents were suspected to have been caused by electrical short-circuits or faults in wires, though the exact cause of each fire would need to be established. Among locations mentioned in the Fire Department’s records were Noorwala Road, where a scrap godown caught fire, and Sujatwala Road, where another scrap-related fire was reported. Fire incidents were also reported at a factory in New Madhopuri and in Daulat Colony. A fire was also reported at a temple in Abdullapur Basti. The list further mentions incidents involving electrical wires, residential areas and other establishments. The department’s record also includes fires at huts and shops. Spike in pollution, noise levels leave animals traumatised Manav Mander Tribune News Service A family watches fireworks during the Diwali celebrations in Ludhiana on Sunday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, November 9 Beyond the festive glow and celebrations, Diwali leaves behind a troubling legacy for the environment and its silent, non-human inhabitants. Explosive firecrackers, toxic smog and deafening noise levels inflict severe harm not only on people but also on animals, birds and plant life. According to Dr SS Randhawa, Dean, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), the university hospital witnesses a sharp surge in distress cases during and immediately after the festival. “Three major categories of cases are commonly reported in dogs during Diwali, namely severe respiratory ailments caused by particulate pollution, burn injuries from closerange firecrackers and acute anxiety,” said Dr Randhawa. He explained that dogs are particularly vulnerable due of Devotees light candles and earthen lamps at a temple in Ludhiana on Diwali. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN their exceptionally sensitive hearing and highly developed sense of smell. Sudden high-decibel explosions disrupt the neurological rhythms of dogs, birds and other stray animals, often triggering panic and disorientation. Pet owners recounted harrowing experiences from the festival night. “My dog was terrified throughout the night, trem- bling at every loud explosion,” said Navneet, a resident of Sarabha Nagar. Another owner shared, “My dog was so frightened that he wedged himself into the smallest corner of the house and refused to move or eat until the next morning.” The impact extends beyond companion animals to livestock. A local dairy owner said, “My buffalo was badly startled by the sudden explosions and remained restless for hours, affecting its feeding pattern and milk production.” Environmental experts cautioned that the damage is not limited to animals. “Heavy metal residues and sulphur dioxide emissions from firecrackers settle on leaves, clog plant stomata and hinder photosynthesis,” said an environmental scientist. “The sudden spike in airborne toxins can cause leaf necrosis and suppress urban plant growth long after the festivities have ended,” he added. As air quality deteriorates in the aftermath of Diwali, veterinarians and ecologists are urging people to embrace cleaner, quieter celebrations to safeguard the vulnerable ecosystems that share urban spaces with them. Bullets hit five-year-old boy, car during Diwali celebrations Ludhiana, November 9 A five-year-old boy allegedly sustained a bullet injury under mysterious circumstances on Diwali night on Gill Road here. The child, lying on a bed inside a jhuggi with his siblings, started crying loudly. When his mother approached him, she found a bullet lodged in his abdomen. Family members first attempted to extract the bullet forcibly. The boy, however, began losing consciousness. He was rushed to the Civil Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment. His mother said she had no idea who fired the shot. Doctors said there was a wound on the left side of the child’s abdomen consistent with a bullet injury. A team of surgery and paediatric specialists was examining him. The injured boy has been identified as Krishna (5). His mother Deepa said the family earns livelihood by collecting scrap. They have three children. At the time of the incident, Krishna was lying on a bed inside the dwelling with his brother and sister. The woman said she was cooking outside while her husband was sitting near him. Hearing Krishna cry loudly, she went closer and found a bullet in his abdomen. Seeing his condition deteriorate, the family tried to forcibly pull out the bullet. It was lodged in the c m y b abdomen. The boy, who was in severe pain, rushed to the Civil Hospital. They also took the removed bullet to the hospital. Deepa said she does not know who fired the shot. No one was seen outside after the incident. The boy was currently under treatment. Meanwhile, a doctor, who is examining the boy, said there was a wound on the left side of the abdomen that appears to be caused by a bullet. Now, the child’s condition was stable. A probe has been launched. In another incident, a bullet mark was found on the roof of a Hyundai Creta vehicle parked outside a house following a firing incident on Waheguru Road on Sunday night. The matter came to notice when house owner Amrik Singh Bitta’s brother inspected the car in the morningf. On further examination, an empty cartridge shell was recovered from near the roof and the wiper area, confirming that a shot was fired. Bitta is stated to be a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).— TNS BJP leader targets AAP over ‘drug sale’ near MLA’s office Ludhiana, November 9 Punjab BJP general secretary Anil Sarin has cornered the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government after the alleged sale of ‘chitta’ (heroin) came to light barely 200 metres from the office of an MLA in the city. He said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and AAP leaders have been making tall claims about making the state drug-free, but a newspaper’s sting operation had raised serious questions about the reality behind these claims. When ‘chitta’ was allegedly being offered for sale so close to an MLA’s office, with youngsters claiming that drugs could be procured within minutes, the situation in the rest of the city and the state could easily be gauged. Anil Sarin questioned: “If the government’s anti-drug campaign is so effective, how is this alleged drug trade operating in such close proximity to the MLA’s office? Are the local police and administration unaware of it or are they deliberately turning a blind eye?” He demanded an impartial investigation into the matter, strict action after identifying the alleged drug traffickers, and called upon the government to demonstrate concrete action against drugs on the ground, instead of relying solely on advertisements and statements. — TNS