04042025-LT-01.qxd 4/4/2025 12:49 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune MC LIFTS GARBAGE FROM COLLEGE ROAD IN DORAHA CHHORII 2 FEATURING NUSHRRATT TRAILER OUT AKSHAY BRINGS LEGAL BATTLE AFTER 1919 MASSACRE TO LIFE Municipal council cleaned place and installed a board, warning residents against disposing of waste at spot. P2 Trailer of the highly anticipated sequel to the 2021 horror hit Chhorii, titled Chhorii 2, has been dropped. P4 Kesari Chapter 2sheds light on the lawyer’s daring legal battle against the British Crown in the aftermath. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 14°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET FRIDAY 6.43 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:07 AM FRIDAY | 4 APRIL 2025 | LUDHIANA Passengers hit as contractual Interstate gang involved in manufacturing illegal arms, drug peddling busted; 7 held roadways staff observestrike 14 pistols, two swords, heroin, ~3.5L drug money seized from suspects Many travellers face trouble as they were unaware about stir Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 3 Contractual staff of PUNBUS, Punjab Roadways and PRTC observed strike on the call given by the state contract workers’ union from 10 am to 12 noon in support of their demands. No government buses plied in the state during the protest. Unaware about the strike call, many passengers were seen asking about the reason for not plying the buses. Achint Kaur, a senior citizen, had to go to Patiala but since buses were not plying for two hours, she had to wait till 12 pm. “I did not know about the strike, otherwise I would have come late. But now, my son has returned to work. I will wait till 12 pm and then take the bus,” the woman said. Meanwhile, the bus stand wore a deserted look as all Commuters look for means of transportation during strike of roadways staff in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN buses were removed from the bus stand for two hours by contractual workers. Talking to The Tribune, one of the union leaders of the Contractual Employees Union Swaranjit Singh said the services of contractual staff were not being regularised for long. Buses did not have required spare parts and it was difficult to drive the vehicles in such conditions. Staff had not been Man kills live-in partner over argument receiving salaries on time. He said there were many issues and the workers were at the receiving end. “The state government was providing freebies to women continued on page 2 Jeweller murdered at Jago ceremony Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 3 A murder occurred at a spa in Himmat Singh Nagar here on Thursday when a man stabbed his partner after some argument took place between the two. According to information, the Dugri police are looking into the matter. Eyewitnesses said the girl was working at a spa centre when the person entered it. Some heated arguments occurred between the two after which the suspect stabbed the woman. A commuter took the victim to a hospital where she suc- A forensic official inspects the crime scene. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN cumbed to her injuries. It is learnt that the couple were in a live-in rela- tionship. The police are also obtaining the CCTV footage of the incident. Ludhiana, April 3 The owner of Raju Jewellers in Mullanpur was murdered during a function at Malakpet village. As per sources, the jeweller had gone to attend a Jago function when the incident occurred. The victim had some argument over an issue with a person following which a gunshot was fired at him. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead. Panic gripped the area as the information about the incident spread in the area. The police reached the scene and are probing the matter. The incident has again raised question over the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. — TNS A record: MC earns ~834 cr revenue in FY24-25, 18% up from previous fiscal Achieves highest property tax collection of ~154 cr, max shortfall of ~120 cr from GST refund Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 3 In a record of sorts, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation (MC) has collected the revenue of Rs 834 crore from different heads during the recently ended financial year 2024-25, which was the highest-ever collection and almost 18 per cent more than Rs 708 crore revenue receipts recorded in 2023-24, officials have said. While the major hike in revenue collections was recorded from property tax receipts, which had touched the highest-ever amount of Rs 154 crore, a jump of almost 12 per cent than Rs 138 crore collected during 2023-24, the maximum shortfall of Rs 120 crore in the income was attributed to non-refund of VAT/ GST by the government for the last fiscal as yet. With this, the MC’s overall revenue receipts of 2024-25 fell almost 15 per cent short of the revised estimates of Rs 977 crore fixed in the Budget for the previous financial year. It was due to a shortfall in collections from eight of REVENUE TO BOOST DEVELOPMENT: MC CHIEF “The record revenue collections under property tax and other heads in 2024-25 were made possible only due to voluntary deposits by residents/ tax payers and hard work by the civic officials concerned to ensure maximum recoveries. The more revenue collections will certainly help more development of the city as a major chunk would be spent on further improving basic civic amenities being provided to residents. Those, who have not yet cleared their dues, are again issued notices, failing which stern penal action will be initiated against them,” said Aaditya Dachalwal, MC Commissioner. the total 13 revenue heads in Ludhiana, popularly known as Manchester of India, spread over 169 sq km area with a population of 16.18 lakh as per the 2011 Census. Sharing the final revenue receipt figures, MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal told The Tribune here on Thursday that the property tax collections recorded in the last fiscal were highest-ever in the history of the civic body with the overall revenue receipts in 2024-25 going 18 per cent up from 2023-24 despite the non-receipt of entire VAT/ GST refund, besides deficit in the collection of some other heads as well. He said the 2023-24 Budget estimates had put a record estimate of Rs 140 crore collection from the property tax, which was almost 8 per cent up and above the Budget provision of Rs 130 crore kept in 2023-24 but the sustained campaign to achieve maximum collections had helped breach all past records of property tax receipts with the record high of Rs 154 crore collection from this head. Dachalwal said another head that created a record of sorts by logging the highest-ever collection was Rs 37 crore from building fee/ building regularisation fee, which was a whopping 270 per cent rise from Rs 10 crore estimated in Budget provisions and Rs 8 crore more collection from this head than 2023-24. Also, the receipt of Rs 32 crore from municipal tax of 2 per cent on the electricity consumption, under which a sum of Rs 28 crore was collected in 2023-24, saw an increase of 28 per cent over Rs 25 crore estimated collection provisioned in the Budget. However, the other eight heads, which recorded less collection than the proposed estimates in the Budget for 2024-25, were water supply, VAT/ GST refund, composition fee, development/change of land use charges, advertisement tax, additional excise duty, rent/ tehbazari, sale of property and other miscellaneous sources. Though these heads registered lower collections than the respective Budget estimates, the receipts under the rest five accounts were recorded highest ever and much more than the collections made in 2023-24. continued on page 2 c m y b Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 3 The police claimed to have busted an interstate gang of miscreants involved in illegal manufacturing of weapons and peddling of drugs for a long time. Fourteen pistols, 20 gm of heroin, two swords, USD 33 and drug money worth Rs 3.5 lakh were recovered from seven suspects arrested from various places in the state and MP during past days. Khanna SSP Jyoti Yadav said police officials, supervised by DSP (D) Hemant Malhotra and CIA in-charge Hardeep Singh, had busted a gang that had been indulging in illegal activities, including drug peddling, manufacturing and supply of weapons. Perusal of records revealed that officials posted at the Doraha police station had arrested Anuj, alias Lalla, of Khatra village, Ravi Kumar, alias Kaartoos, of Doraha, Suraj of Aalupur of Mansa district, at present staying in Doraha, and Swarandeep Singh of Chawa village after intercepting them during patrolling at a place between Chankoyian and Maksudra village on March 26. While 20 gm heroin, USD 33 and drug money worth Rs 3.5 lakh were recovered from their car, a .32 bore pistol, two cartridges and two swords were recovered later on the basis of information provided by Ravi. The suspects told the investigating team that they had been purchasing drugs and weapons from Jagjit Singh Jaggi of Chankoyian village, who was buying the arms from manufacturers in MP . Following which, Jaggi was also nabbed by the police. The illegal arms manufac- Gym trainer held with weapon Mandi Ahmedgarh, April 3 The police claimed to have arrested a gym trainer for his alleged involvement in antisocial activities. He allegedly used to threaten people with weapons. A .32 bore pistol and three cartridges were seized from the possession of the suspect, identified as Prabhjot Singh Pappa of Dolon Khurad village in Ludhiana district. Dakha DSP Varinder The suspect in police custody at Dakha. Singh Khosa said police officials, led by chowki incharge Gurdeep Singh, had arrested the suspect at a naka in Rachhin village late on Tuesday evening. — OC turers were identified as Harpal Singh of Gandhwani in Dhar district of MP and Kuldeep Singh of Mohalla Bankaner PS Munawar in Dhar district. The police arrested them from their residences in MP on Tuesday and recovered seven pistols from Harpal and six from Kuldeep. All seven suspects have a criminal history and are facing cases registered at Doraha, Malaud, Payal and Patran. Some members of the gang were found to be involved in criminal activities for over 10 years. Man booked for sodomising minor Ludhiana, April 3 The Salem Tabri police have registered a case against Narayan Singh for sodomising a 10-yearold boy, a student of UKG. The boy’s father said on March 28, the man, their neighbour, called his son to his house on the pretext of providing sweets. On reaching the place, the boy was sodomised by him, after which an FIR was registered. — TNS