20042025-LT-01.qxd 4/20/2025 12:25 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune TOP COP FLAGS OFF 10 ERVS FROM POLICE LINES MEET ACTORS WHO WILL BE SEEN IN PATRIOTIC FILMS IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH TO BREATHE LIFE INTO LIVING SPACE The CP flagged off 10 new emergency response vehicles to strengthen traffic management system. P2 Farhan returns with epic 120 Bahadur, Sikandar will be seen in Ikkis, Varun is gearing up for Border 2. P4 If your home feels a bit dull lately—like it’s waiting to exhale—maybe it’s time to add a little soul back into it. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 36°C | MIN 21°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 22°C SUNSET SUNDAY 6.52 PM SUNRISE MONDAY 5:50 AM SUNDAY | 20 APRIL 2025 | LUDHIANA Boost for state de-addiction infra Health Min announces 550 new beds, additional OOAT centres Tribune News Service Ludhiana, April 19 As part of the Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign to eradicate drug addiction, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh announced on Saturday a significant expansion of deaddiction infrastructure, including 550 new beds and the establishment of additional Out-Patient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) centres. Speaking to mediapersons after reviewing the progress of the anti-drug campaign along with MLAs Madan Lal Bagga and Daljit Singh Bhola Grewal, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain, SSPs Dr Jyoti Yadav Bains and Dr Ankur Gupta, the minister outlined the state government’s multi-pronged strate- Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Balbir Singh addresses mediapersons in Ludhiana on Saturday. INDERJEET VERMA gy under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann. It includes upgrading existing facilities, opening new OOAT centres and combining strict action against drug traffickers with compassionate treatment for addicts. Dr Singh detailed that the state currently had a 480-bed capacity in de-addiction centres and new 550 beds, including 100 beds at the DMCH, 50 at the CMCH, 100 at upcoming government homeopathic medical college here, 190 at nursing college in the city and alongside beds in two govern- ment medical colleges, would further strengthen the capacity. New OOAT centres would also be opened based on requirement to ensure accessible and high-quality treatment for addicts. The government would also provide skill training tailored to industry needs and agricultural training in high-value crops for addicts from farming backgrounds. These initiatives were designed to foster selfemployment and long-term rehabilitation, ensuring recovering individuals could lead to productive lives. Dr Singh also highlighted the success of the Yudh Nashian Virudh campaign, noting that the drug supply network had been significantly disrupted, with stringent action taken against peddlers. JEE (Main): Krishav Gupta secures AIR 379 Ludhiana, April 19 Krishav Gupta, a student of Baba Ishar Singh School and Vidya Champ institute, here, has secured All India Rank (AIR) 379 in JEE (Main) exam, the results of which were declared on Friday night. A topper in JEE prelims also, Krishav wants to pursue career in robotics and for the same, he wants to get admission to the IIT, Madras. His Krishav Gupta father is an advocate while mother is a HR consultant. Vaibhav from Indus World School has also done exceptionally well by securing AIR 437. He wants to get admission to the IIT, Mumbai. His father is a businessman while mother is a homemaker. Vaibhav took coaching from Akash Institute. A student of DAV, Pakhowal Road, Bhavika Kanwar, secured AIR 567. She took coaching from Alchemy Institute. Besides, Sanvi Chopra secured AIR 981 in the exam. She took coaching from Education Square. Her parents are doctors. Many other students from city schools and institutes have scored above 99 percentile in the exam. — TNS c m y b 2 bus staff booked for beating tractor driver to death Ludhiana, April 19 The Samrala police on Saturday registered a case against two workers of a private bus for beating a tractor driver to death. A fight occurred between them after an accident. The suspects were identified as bus driver Amarjit Singh and conductor Roshan Lal of Otalan village in Samrala. As per information, the victim, Manjit Singh, was heading to Bamba village on his tractor-trailer and when he reached Khatra college, his tractor had a collision with the bus. The bus employees brutally beaten up the tractor driver and fled the scene after leaving him dead at the scene. Sukhwinder Singh, cousin of deceased, said Manjit had not suffered any serious injuries in the accident but he was beaten to death by bus staff. Residents also claimed that he was beaten to death. He said the victim was working in a factory at Bamba and was going towards his workplace at the time of the incident. The Samrala police, which reached the scene, took the body to a government hospital for autopsy. Samrala DSP Tarlochan Singh said the conductor was nabbed while bus driver, who also got injuries, was admitted to a hospital. — TNS Snatchers’ gang busted, jeweller among 3 nabbed The suspects in Ludhiana police custody. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, April 19 The Ludhiana police on Saturday claimed to have busted a gang of snatchers and nabbed three of its members. The police also recovered looted valuables from the gang members. A Honda Activa scooter used by them in the crime was also seized. The CCTV footage of the gang members had also gone viral on social media. It showed them looting a gold earring from a woman. The suspects were identified as Rajat (28) of Bihari Colony, Rishav (29) of Haibowal, and Jaspal Singh (70) of Guru Nanak Jewellers, Civil Lines. ADCP-1 Sameer Verma while addressing a press conference said on April 17, the suspects had targeted a woman in Maharaja Ranjit Singh Nagar by snatching a gold earring from her. After registering a case against unidentified suspects, the SHO, Police Division 3, inspector Vijay Kumar, and his team launched a probe and after identifying the suspects, Rishav and Rajat were arrested. Verma said during questioning of the two suspects, the snatched earring was recovered from jeweller Jaspal, who had bought the snatched ornament from the snatchers. Accordingly, the police also arrested the jeweller after nominating him in the case. — TNS Tragedy averted as stubble dump near LPG godown catches fire Mahesh Sharma Payal, April 19 Prompt rescue operation undertaken by the administration with the help of residents averted a major tragedy when a huge stubble dump adjoining a gas godown situated on the outskirts of the town caught fire late on Friday evening. Had the fire reached around 450 gas cylinders stocked inside the godown, losses could have been irreparable as a marriage palace and residences were also located near the dump, owned by a private firm. Wheat crop in adjoining fields were also saved by farmers during the incident. Though the exact reason behind the incident and estimate of losses incurred were yet to be ascertained, around 6,000 tonnes of paddy stubble was reported to be damaged. ASI Surjit Singh said a prompt operation conducted under the supervision of Payal SDM Pardeep Bains, DSP Hemant Malhotra and SHO Sandeep Kumar had averted a major tragedy. Before arrival of eight fire tenders, the Payal police started the operation with the help of residents. MLA Manwinder Singh Giaspura also reached the scene to monitor the operation.