07012025-LT-01.qxd 07-01-2025 00:57 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune KHANNA TO BE FIRST GARBAGE-FREE TOWN IN STATE COLD WAVE PERSISTS IN CITY DESPITE RISE IN TEMP According to Weather Department, the city will witness clear skies till Saturday. P2 DENSE FOG MAX 19°C | MIN 7°C YESTERDAY MAX 19°C | MIN 8°C THE BRUTALIST, EMILIA PEREZ WIN TOP FILM HONOURS Khanna will be made the first garbage-free town in the state at a cost of Rs 4 crore. P2 FORECAST The Golden Globe Awards celebrated the best in film and television, with several standout performances. P4 » » SUNSET TUESDAY 5.36 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 7:19 AM » TUESDAY | 7 JANUARY 2025 | LUDHIANA Over 10K lost over ~100 cr to cyber frauds Vardhman Group CMD duped of Rs 7 cr in one of country’s biggest computer-generated scams Nitin Jain ADVISORY Tribune News Service ■ Report cyber fraud to cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930. ■ Avoid social media messages, WhatsApp groups, Telegram channels, or apps that claim to provide access to stock market. ■ Before working with an investment advisor, ensure they are registered with SEBI. ■ Be cautious of calls that ask for personal info. ■ Be wary of unsolicited financial offers, checks, or UPI QR codes from unknown people. ■ Check URLs and hover over links to see where they go before clicking. You can also right-click a link, select “copy link”, and paste it into https://transparencyreport. google.com / safe-browsing/search or https://virustotal.com/ to check it ■ Use secure web browsers and incognito tabs for internet banking and transactions ■ Use strong passwords, don’t store them in browser ■ Block pop-ups and scripts to maintain privacy Commissionerate Police has opened a cyber crime help desk in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN STAY ALERT, REPORT FAST: CP Commissioner of Police Kuldeep Singh Chahal has advised the public to stay alert and report any scam to the local police or on national portal immediately to help the police to catch hold of criminals. “Never share personal identification information over the telephone or the Internet to any unknown person unless you know who you are speaking to,” Chahal urged the residents, adding that if an unsolicited financial offer sounds suspicious, it is usually a scam. and passbooks and 14 banking cards have also been recovered from the arrested fraudsters. Besides, the police received 10,111 complaints of cyber frauds in which the complainants reported loss of Rs 77.74 crore during the past year. While 6,145 complaints have been disposed of following the recovery of Rs 4.24 crore, over 300 WhatsApp accounts of the criminals and over 100 fake Instagram and Facebook accounts were traced during the investigations. “The remaining 3,966 complaints of cybercrimes are pending investigation and we are working hard to crack all genuine cases of fraud through our cyber experts,” the Ludhiana top cop told The Tribune on Monday. Sharing the modus operandi of criminals and how the country’s biggest cyber fraud was cracked in a record time and recovery, Chahal said it was on August 27 last that Oswal first received a Seeking blessings TELLING NUMBERS VICTIMS MONEY DUPED RECOVERY ARRESTS voice call from a mobile number and the caller introduced himself as TRAI officer, threatening to disconnect his mobile connection. The caller further instructed the octogenarian business tycoon to press 9 to continue the services but the call got disconnected. “After some time, I received a WhatsApp call from another number and the caller posed himself as a CBI officer from the Mumbai office,” Oswal had told the police. 10,149 ~100,12,04,406 ~10,81,62,426; over 400 social media accounts, mobile phones, SIM cards, banking instruments and cards of criminals. Five The caller told Vardhman Group owner that he has opened a fake bank account in Canara bank and a case has been registered against him in the CBI. “Now, your case is being transferred to the ED,” Oswal was further threatened while putting him under digital arrest through a Skype video call for an initial 24 hours. “Almost 25-30 calls were exchanged between the criminals and Oswal with each call duration ranging Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 6 A youth, Ashish (21), was critically injured when a Chinese string got stuck in his neck while riding a motorcycle. According to information, the incident occurred when Ashish, who used to repairs ACs, was returning after dropping his friend at Basti Jodhewal. The critically injured youth was taken to two hospitals. Later, he was referred to the CMCH due to his condition. Her family members have requested the authorities concerned to take strict action against people selling the banned string. Doctors at the Scooterist dies in hit-and-run Ludhiana, January 6 The Sadar police have registered a case under various sections of the BNS on the basis of a complaint filed by a 15-year-old boy, Shivam Kumar of Lohara village. The complainant said on January 4, he and his father Harinder Kumar were going to work on a scooter. When they reached near Ambera Green flats, a rashly driven car (HR 05 AN 7169) hit the twowheeler and fled the scene. Both of them suffered injuries. They were taken to Civil Hospital, where his father succumbed to his injuries. — TNS CMCH said the next 48 hours were critical for the patient as he was having difficulty in breathing due to his injuries. The banned string is sold by many people in the city ahead of Lohri. Despite warnings being issue on the sale, purchase and stocking of the string, it is sold right under the nose of lawenforcing agencies. Meanwhile, the PPCB has issued fresh instructions to violators. Hefty fines from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15 lakh can be imposed on sale, stocking and manufacturing of the banned Chinese string while those providing any information related to the same would be rewarded. Man held, 2 stolen bikes, mobiles seized Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 6 Vicky Dhawan, a resident of Mundian Kalan, was arrested by the Jamalpur police and three stolen mobile phones and two motorcycles were recovered from the suspects. He has been taken on police remand for further probe. The police said the suspect used to steal mobiles and motorcycles from various areas of the city and then sold them at cheaper rates. Strike by PRTC, PUNBUS staff hits passengers Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Devotees offer prayers on the Parkash Purb of Guru Gobind Singh at a gurdwara in Ludhiana on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN P2 Ludhiana, January 6 Passengers were at the receiving end due to the three-day strike started by contractual PRTC and PUNBUS employees in Punjab on Monday. The passengers had to resort to private buses in the absence of Punjab Roadways buses on roads. They had to shell out more money while opting for private buses. The strike will be continued till January 8. At the same time, private bus operators had a field day as they picked up passengers from outside the bus stand itself. The strike also hit daily women passengers, who travel free of cost from HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, January 6 In what appears to be a record of sorts, over 10,000 persons fell prey to cyber fraudsters, losing over a whopping Rs 100 crore in the city last year. The Commissionerate Police were able to recover almost Rs 11 crore of the duped amount with the arrest of five masterminds. Padma Bhushan awardee $1-billion worth Vardhman Group CMD SP Oswal was among the victims, who alone had lost Rs 7 crore in the country’s one of the biggest cyber frauds reported so far, Commissioner of Police (CP) Kuldeep Singh Chahal has said. The Ludhiana Commissionerate Police had cracked Oswal’s case within 18 days with the arrest of two main suspects and recovery of Rs 5.25 crore, which was also a national record in cybercrimes. Registering a sudden and unprecedented spurt in the cybercrime, the Commissionerate Police had received as many as 10,149 complaints alleging cyber frauds and reporting a loss of a staggering sum of Rs 100.12 crore between January 1 and December 31, 2024. Acting swiftly, the police registered 38 cases involving cyber fraud to the tune of Rs 22.38 crore, of which four cases have been traced with the arrest of five criminals so far. A sum of Rs 6.57 crore, eight mobile phones, nine SIM cards, 14 cheque between as less as 19 seconds and as much as 45 minutes in three days,” investigations have revealed. Interacting in Hindi dialect, the callers did not demand any specific amount of money but kept on demanding cash to settle the case for three days continuously. Chahal, who himself supervised the investigations, said it was on August 28 that the textile industry magnate fell into the trap and he transferred initial funds to the bank accounts of the callers. Oswal paid Rs 7 crore to two different accounts provided by the fake CBI officers in five separate instalments on August 28 and 29. It was on August 30 late evening that Oswal first realised that he was cheated and approached the cybercrime police station in Ludhiana. “We launched a sustained investigation and cracked the case in 18 days by following leads from a bank account and mobile numbers with the help of our Assam counterparts,” Chahal said. He said Atanu Choudhary and Anand Choudhury, both of Guwahati, have been arrested and seven other gang members, including two women, have been named in the case. “We recovered Rs 5.25 crore in this case, which was also a national record in cybercrimes,” Chahal shared. The accused included former banker Rumi Kalita, Nimmi Bhattacharjee of continued on page 2 Youth critically hurt as Chinese string gets tangled around neck Passengers walk in the absence of bus services in Ludhiana. periphery areas to work in the city. Kamlesh, a woman, said she works as a security guard at a mall here and comes from near Jodhan. But since government buses not plied on roads on Monday, she had to take a private bus and had to shell out approximately Rs 100 (to and fro) for a single day. “We do not earn much in three days to spend Rs 300-400 as fare for the bus,” she said. It’s not just the passengers, who are suffering, but the state exchequer will also be at losses as buses are not being run on roads for three days in the state. As per estimates, over 1 lakh passengers will be affected in the state due to the ongoing strike by the Contractual Worker Union. The striking employees are planning to hold a massive protest on Tuesday outside Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s residence. Employees’ leaders said their demands were not met despite being conveyed to the government several times. The main demand of the striking employees was to regularise staff working on a contractual basis. Other major demands include adding of new buses, buses under km scheme should be stopped, check on the transport mafia and wages of drivers, conductors and other staff to be increased. Though there was not much rush on Monday due to Parkash Purb, on Tuesday and day after tomorrow when offices will open, more passengers are likely to suffer due to the ongoing strike. These visually challenged siblings see a silver lining Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 6 Little had these two visually impaired sisters knew that a mere visit of Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Jitender Jorwal to their school would bring so much happiness for them. Touched by their melodious voice, DC gets their song recorded at academy It was by chance that Paramjit Kaur, the principal of the Government Institute for Blind, near Jamalpur, asked the two siblings to sing a song for the guest and that Bhavna and Palak in a jubilant mood at Ishmeet Academy. one song brought a silver lining for the family. The Deputy Commissioner got so emotional with their melodious voice that he got their first song recorded at Ishmeet Academy and now, the administration is waiting to get it launched through some prominent personality so that the girls get a good platform. Talking to The Tribune, 14year-old Bhavna said she and her 12-year-old sister Palak were studying at the Govern- c m y b ment Institute for Blind and were not able to see the world as Palak was visually impaired by birth and Bhavna lost her eyesight at the age of eight. The girls lost their mother in 2021 in an road accident while father Manish Mittal works as a supervisor at a factory unit. In the mishap, the girls had also suffered fractures in their legs following which they got treatment for about two months at the PGI, Chandigarh. Their father lacks enough resources to give wings to the dreams of his talented children. The district administration in support with leading Punjabi lyricist Bunty Bains recorded the song at Ishmeet Academy recently. “We wish to launch their first song in a proper manner so that both children get recognition and the best platform for their bright future,” the DC said. Palak and Bhavna, who were staying in a small house at Kot Mangal Singh, never thought that they would record a song. Satinder Sartaj is their idol. When the father goes to work, their neighbours take care of the adolescent girls. Both of them are fond of singing as their mother, who also used to sing well, kept on singing for her daughters to make them happy. The sisters want to help their father by becoming professional singers. The suspect in Ludhiana police custody. Man nabbed with heroin Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 6 Dhiraj Pandey (26), a resident of the Tajpur Road area, was arrested by the Tibba police and 45 gm of heroin and Rs 20,000 in cash were seized from his possession. A case has been registered against the suspect at Police Division Number 7 and he has been taken on police remand for further interrogation.