01042024-LT-01.qxd 01-04-2024 00:39 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune CREATIVITY OUTPOURS ON FOURTH DAY OF NATIONAL YOUTH FESTIVAL AT PAU The 37th Inter-University National Youth Festival entered its fourth day at the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) today. P2 » DRUG PEDDLERS’ PROPERTIES WORTH ~6.91 CRORE ATTACHED SELENA SHARES GLIMPSES OF HER ‘DATE NIGHT’ WITH SISTER GRACE The Malerkotla police expedited process for attachment of movable and immovable properties of five drug peddlers. P3 Singer and actor Selena Gomez shared pictures with sister Grace in which they can be seen making silly poses. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 17°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 18°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.46 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6:13 AM MONDAY | 1 APRIL 2024 | LUDHIANA Man held for using abusive language against biz partner Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 31 The Payal police on Saturday arrested a person who used abusive language against his former business partner and his minor daughter. The arrested suspect has been identified as Alamjit Singh Chakohi. He is also a national and state general secretary of the All India Numbardar Union. As per the complainant, he along with the suspect was into some business. Due to bad behaviour of the suspect, he parted ways. Recently, the suspect made a WhatsApp group in which Alamjit used indecent language against the complainant and his minor daughter. The suspect resorted to this because he was angry that the complainant had broken business partnership with him. The suspect was booked under the IT Act and 509 of the Indian Penal Code (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). He was arrested on Saturday. 2 smugglers arrested with 1.95 kg heroin Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 31 The Special Task Force (STF) claims to have nabbed two smugglers and recovered 1.95 kg heroin from their possession. The arrested suspects have been identified Kapil Kumar (35), a resident of Mohalla Shivpuri, and Varun Kumar, alias Veenu (38), a resident of Basti Jodhewal. STF Inspector Harbans Singh said secret information was received that Kapil and Varun were into drug smuggling trade. He said they were on way to the Shivpuri area to deliver heroin to their clients. After verifying the information, an STF team conducted a raid and nabbed the duo. During checking of their scooter, 1.95 kg of heroin was recovered from its storage compartment. The inspector said during preliminary questioning of The two suspects nabbed with heroin in Ludhiana on Sunday. the suspects, it came to the fore that Kapil was into garment business in Himachal Pradesh while Varun had registered his scooter with Uber and Rapido companies to ferry commuters. The suspects also admitted that they brought heroin from big smugglers in the Amritsar border area and supplied it to their clients in Ludhiana. A case under the NDPS Act was registered against the suspects and further investigation was launched to bust the entire drug supply network. Some big smugglers of the border area were also identified and raids were on to nab them. Dakha cops nab 2 thieves from Meerut Wanted for stealing ~10 lakh & 20 tola gold ornaments from NRI’s house Ludhiana, March 31 The Dakha police have arrested two thieves during a raid at Meerut in Uttar Pradesh. The suspects had stolen Rs 10 lakh in cash and 20 tola gold ornaments on the pretext of performing havan from a house. Their four accomplices involved in the crime are still at large. The nabbed suspects have been identified as Umar Farooq, a resident of Khushhal Nagar, Meerut, and Mohammad Irfhan, a resident of Jakhar Colony, Meerut. The suspects were presented in a court which sent them on three-day police remand for further questioning. Inspector Jasveer Singh, SHO, Dakha police station, said an a woman NRI of Mandiani village had filed a complaint that on February 19, 2024, some persons on the pretext of performing havan at her house stole jewellery and cash. The vehicle in which the suspects had come had a registration number of Uttarakhand. The SHO said the police had secret information about location of the suspects. He said a The two suspects, who had stolen cash and jewellery from a woman NRI’s house, in custody of the Dakha police. police party conducted a raid at Meerut and nabbed the two suspects. Their other accomplices were at large and stolen cash and gold ornament were in their possession. The victim NRI woman in a statement to the police had stated that on February 17, the suspects came in a Swift Dzire car bearing Uttarakhand registration number at her house. They told the victim to organise a havan as misfortune would befall her. One of the persons claiming himself to be an expert in black magic said something terrible was about to happen in her. He said his team would perform havan to ward off the evil. On February 18, the suspects visited the victim’s house and gave her a list of things required to perform havan. On February 19, the suspects came to the victim’s house to perform havan. While performing havan, the suspects gave victim some intoxicating substance in the form of prasad, after consuming which she immediately fell unconscious. When the victim regained her consciousness, she was shocked to find that the suspects had ransacked her house and taken away Rs 10 lakh and 20 tola gold ornaments before leaving. — TNS Man booked for killing stray dog 6 cellphones recovered in search op at Central Jail Reason behind cruelty against canine is yet to be ascertained Our Correspondent Raikot, March 31 The police have booked a man under Section 429 of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly killing, poisoning, maiming or rendering stray dogs in the town. He was also booked under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The suspect was identified as Hardeep Singh Kaka, a resident of Eidgah Road, Raikot. Though the fatal cruelty incident had occurred on the intervening night of March 11 and March 12, the Raikot city police registered an FIR after receiving a formal complaint from Mani Singh, an animal rights activist of Field Ganj, Ludhiana, on Saturday evening. Perusal of records at the police station revealed that the complainant had received a call from a person identified as Mangat Rai, a resident of Raikot, regarding merciless beating of a stray dog by Hardeep Singh. The victim dog was later rescued by the complainant. He got admitted the dog for treatment first at a tempo- rary dog care centre in Raikot and later at a hospital in Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University in Ludhiana. The dog was again shifted to Raikot dog care centre where it succumbed to multiple injuries on March 26, the complainant said. The police led by investigation officer Gurmit Singh initiated a probe into the sequence of events leading to the death of the stray dog. The exact reason behind the cruelty against the animal is yet to be ascertained. The suspect is yet to be arrested. Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 31 The police led by senior officials carried out a search operation at the Ludhiana Central Jail today. In a statement, the police stated that the checking was conducted on directions of Ludhiana Police Commissioner (CP) Kuldeep Singh Chahal. The operation was led by Additional DCP (IV) Abhimanyu Rana along with ACPs Sandeep Singh and Jasvinder Singh Khaira and SHOs of police Division No. 7, Tibba, Moti Nagar, Jamalpur and Meharban. The police have caught inmates running drugs and arms smuggling rackets from Central Jail premises. The operation was conducted on the morning of March 29. In this operation, each nook and corner of jail premises was checked. Suspicious inmates were frisked and their belongings were checked. During the drive, six mobile phones were recovered from six inmates while one was found abandoned on the jail premises. The police said mobile phones were recovered from inmates identified as Manpreet Singh, alias Paras, Baljinder Singh, alias Inda, Rahul Rana, Gurjant Singh, alias Janta, Ajaib Singh, alias Ajay Kumar, Kuljit Singh Simmi and one unknown prisoner. The police said further investigation would be conducted to find out how inmates managed to get access to cellphones. If connivance of jail officials comes to the fore, action would be taken against them. These recovered phones would be sent to the forensic lab so that persons with whom these inmates were in touch from jail could also be identified. Notably earlier too, the police caught inmates running drugs and arms smuggling rackets from the jail premises. Two killed in road accident Staff shortage in govt schools worries teachers PAU, IRRI join hands to empower Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 31 Two Activa-borne persons died after a car hit their twowheeler at Gurusar Chowk in Jagraon on Sunday. The deceased have been identified as Mahinder Singh and Amarjeet Singh. As per information, both were going towards Moga after paying obeisance at Nanaksar gurdwara near Jagraon when they were hit by a speeding Swift car coming from the rear. Due to serious injuries, both died on the spot. The car driver fled from the spot after the accident. The police have launched a probe to identify the car driver. Ludhiana, March 31 At least eight Principals retired today on completion of their long service in Ludhiana district. The entire cadre congratulated them on reaching superannuation through WhatsApp groups. At the same time, teachers are concerned about staff shortage. They believe that between 2024 and 2027, at least 25,000 teachers would retire. “Today, we are congratulating those who have devoted best years of their life for teaching students. Thousands of posts will get vacant in government schools by 2027. How will schools function with short strength of teachers?” asked a Principal Shivani Bhakoo By 2027, at least 25,000 posts will get vacant Students at a government school in Ludhiana district. FILE PHOTO of government senior secondary school here. As per available information, those expected to retire, had joined service in 1996 and 1997. They include principals, master and primary cadre teachers, lecturers and teachers, who were under zila parishads and later joined the Education Department. A senior teacher Gurpreet Singh Brar said there would be a mass exodus of teachers by 2027. He said it was worrisome as the number was huge and the government would never fill 25,000 vacancies. “Students and schools are bound to suffer. Even now, there is an acute shortage of staff in many schools,” he said. “Teachers’ post will be vacant in all districts of Punjab. On one hand, the government is putting pressure on teachers to enrol more and more students and on the other, how will it be possible to run schools without enough teaching staff,” he said. Hundreds participate in Ahimsa Marathon Run Our Correspondent Ludhiana, March 31 A large number of residents from the city and nearby areas participated in the 2nd Ahimsa Marathon Run organised by the Ludhiana chapter of Jain International Trade Organisation (JITO) here at Ananta Enclave, Canal Road, South City, on Sunday. The marathon was held in line with Lord Mahavira’s Winners of the marathon run in Ludhiana on Sunday. TRIBUNE PHOTO teachings “Jiyo aur jeene do” (live and let live). MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali, BJP leader Parveen Bansal, along with Manju Oswal, chairperson, women wing, and Rajeev Jain, chairman, JITO Ludhiana chapter, flagged off the run. In 10 km run, Manjeet Singh and in men’s section 5 km category Akash Prajapati emerged winners. In the women’s category, c m y b Ruchi Vohra and Dhanpreet Kaur came out triumphant. Komal Jain of Duke Fabrics, Rajeev Jain and Manju Oswal gave away prizes to the winners, which included trophies, cash and material. The organisers thanked sponsors, including Oswal Group, Shreyas industries, Cremica, Avon Cycles, Duke Fabrics, Red Hill and Fort Collins, for extending all sorts of help in organising the marathon. researchersinricepathologyscreening Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 31 In a joint effort to enhance research capabilities in rice pathology screening, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) recently organised a comprehensive hands-on training programme. Geared towards young researchers, the workshop delved into the intricate processes of screening rice diseases and insect pests, crucial for maintaining crop health and productivity in rice breeding. Over two days, the training offered practical insights into identifying pathogens, their multiplication, conducting high throughput screenings, and managing various diseases affecting rice cultivation. Led by experts from PAU and IRRI, the sessions provided valuable guidance to the enthusiastic cohort of young researchers. The programme commenced in the presence of Dr Gurdev Singh Khush, the global authority on rice breeding and World Food Prize Laureate alongside PAU’s Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal. Emphasising the imperative for ongoing collaboration between academia and international research institutions, Dr Gosal cited it as piv- Participants during training programme at Punjab Agricultural University. otal for driving innovation and addressing the complex issues faced by the agricultural sector. He underscored the need for continuous learning and adaptation to keep pace with the evolving landscape of rice pathology and breeding techniques. Dr Gosal commended the participants for their dedication to advancing their knowledge and skills in rice research, recognising their role in ensuring food security and sustainable agricultural practices. He encouraged them to apply the knowledge gained from the workshop in their research endeavours, contributing to the collective efforts aimed at enhancing rice productivity and resilience against diseases and pests. Dr AS Dhatt, Director, Research, PAU, underlined the critical role of rice in global food security and the substantial losses incurred due to diseases and pests. He also highlighted the invaluable contributions that plant pathologists and entomologists can make in combating these challenges. Dr Sankalp Bhosale from IRRI expressed his delight for the novel initiative, drawing attention to its potential to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange among researchers. Dr GS Mangat, Additional Director of Research, maintained that the collaboration between PAU and IRRI is dedicated to nurturing innovation and excellence in agricultural research, paving the way for sustainable rice farming practices and food security in the region. The training workshop was organised by Dr Jagjeet Singh Lore.
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