28062025-LT-01.qxd 6/28/2025 12:54 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune TWO WORKERS ARRESTED FOR BEATING DOG TO DEATH ENCROACHMENTS CLEARED FROM SHINGAR CINEMA ROAD TIMELESS REKHA RECREATES HER UMRAO JAAN LOOK Heavily intoxicated duo brutally struck a street dog on head with a stick and an iron rod. P2 Tehbazaari wing of the MC removed temporary encroachments from Shingar Cinema road. P2 Director Muzaffar Ali and Rekha hosted a special re-release screening of the film on June 26 in Mumbai. P4 » » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 28°C SUNSET SATURDAY 7.28 PM SUNRISE SUNDAY 5:24 AM SATURDAY | 28 JUNE 2025 | LUDHIANA Body found in drum: Five of family among 6 in police net Victim, one of suspects indulged in fight under influence of liquor, case cracked in 36 hrs Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 27 Almost 36 hours after the body of a person was found in a blue drum in an empty plot in the Sherpur area, the Police Division 6 claimed to have solved the murder case with the arrest of six persons, including five persons of a family. The suspects include two minor boys of the family. The deceased was identified as Manoj, alias Raju. One of the suspects, under the influence of alcohol, beat Manoj, due to which he got seriously injured and fell unconscious. His condition worsened and he breathed his last. The suspects kept the body in their room for one night. The next morning, they tied the body with a rope and packed it in a blue drum. Afterwards, they threw it in an empty plot with the help of an e-rickshaw driver. Police personnel address mediapersons in Ludhiana on Friday. ADCP-2 Karanveer Singh, ACP Satwinder Singh Virk and inspector Kulwant Kaur addressed a press conference in this regard. The ADCP said when the body was found in the drum, the police registered a murder case against unidentified miscreant(s). During investi- gation, the police got some footage from Safe City cameras, in which some people were seen carrying a blue drum in an e-rickshaw. After probing the matter, the police registered a case against six persons. Driver of the e-rickshaw Rohit identified the suspects in Majithia’s arrest political conspiracy, says Chugh Ludhiana, June 27 A press conference was held at the BJP district office where BJP party national general secretary Tarun Chugh launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal over the arrest of SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia. He alleged that Majithia’s arrest was part of a politically motivated conspiracy. “When Majithia was in custody in the past, the government helped him secure bail. But now, he is being harassed with summons for questioning. Raids are being conducted at his house and even his wife is being mistreated. This is nothing short of a murder BJP leader Tarun Chugh addresses media in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA of democracy,” he said. Calling the arrest a case of political vendetta, the BJP leader claimed that false cases were being registered against Majithia as part of a deliberate scheme to malign him ahead of the 2027 elections. Observing 50 years since the declaration of “emergency”, Chugh termed it the “darkest chapter in India’s democratic history”. On the occasion, the BJP Ludhiana unit honoured several individuals who had been jailed during the Emergency for opposing the authoritarian rule of the then PM Indira Gandhi. Chugh also planted saplings as part of an environmental awareness initiative. — TNS the presence of the police. The suspects have been identified as Fagu Prasad (60), his wife Usha Devi (52), Neeraj Kumar (23), their son, all from Bharti Colony, Sidu Kumar (20) of Sherpur Kalan and two boys of 14 and 16 years of age, who are also minor children of Fagu Bizman's son gets threat calls, case filed Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 27 Two days after a Maruti XL6Zeta vehicle parked outside a businessman’s house caught fire, the businessman’s son received WhatsApp calls from an unidentified person who threatened him and claimed responsibility for setting the car on fire. The caller demanded an extortion of Rs 5 lakh. Businessman Satish Jain, a resident of Nirankari Mohalla, told the police that recently his car parked in an empty plot in front of his house caught fire, causing extensive damage. Two days after the incident, on June 22, his son, Abhinandan City man deported from US went missing, FIR filed after over 2 months Gave ~50 lakh to travel agent to send him there, says brother Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 27 In a shocking incident, 29year-old Amritpal Singh, a resident of Raja Garden, Hambran road, here, who was deported from the US in April, went missing under mysterious circumstances after reaching the city. The victim is still untraceable. The Ludhiana police have registered a case on the complaint of victim’s brother Gurjeet Singh after over two months. The case was filed against unidentified persons on the suspicion that they might have kept the victim under illegal confinement. The victim took a donkey route to reach the US. Gurjeet stated that his brother wanted to settle in the US. A Jalandhar-based travel agent promised to send Amritpal to the US and in lieu, demanded Rs 50 lakh. Trusting on the agent, they borrowed Rs 50 lakh and gave the same to him Amritpal Singh, in 2023. Latthe victim er in July 2023, the agent first sent his brother to Dubai and then through various countries, the victim managed to enter America via the donkey route. “My brother reached the US in 2023 and had been working there as well. In June 2024, during action against illegal immigrants, his brother was reportedly caught by the US immigration authorities. He was kept in custody for months,” he said. Gurjeet said on April 9 this year, his brother, along with four other deportees, reached the Delhi airport. Though they had gone to the airport but could not meet Amritpal but got the confirmation from the airport authorities that he has landed. “Amritpal failed to reach home. We searched for him at various places but to no avail. Later, we got to know that he took a room in a hotel near the DMCH, Ludhiana, on April 11. Even a CCTV footage of the hotel also confirmed his presence there. On April 12, he went to a mobile shop in Ghumar Mandi where he sold his iPhone and bought a low-cost phone. The shop’s CCTV footage also confirmed the same,” his brother claimed. He alleged that on April 14, they had lodged a complaint at the office of the Commissioner of Police and on April 29, another complaint was lodged at the PAU police station but the police adopted a and Usha Devi. The ADCP said the suspects placed the drum in the empty plot with the help of an e-rickshaw. E-rickshaw driver Rohit was a witness in the case. The suspects stay in rented rooms. Usha helped in tying Manoj’s body with a rope. Fagu and his two minor sons also helped her in disposing of the body. The main reason for the murder is not known so far. The police were investigating the case. The suspects will be produced in a court and their remand will be obtained. According to ADCP Karanveer Singh, Manoj and Neeraj were known to each other. They were drinking alcohol together in the latter’s room. Under the influence of alcohol, they indulged in a fight. Neeraj and Sidu attacked Manoj and caused internal injuries to him. He became unconscious and died later. dilly-dallying attitude and did not registered a case in the matter. Now after over two months, the police have registered a case. Gurjeet said the police had told them that the phone Amritpal bought after selling his iPhone had been put on surveillance but no SIM was inserted in that mobile. “We suspect that my brother could have went into depression as despite spending Rs 50 lakh, he was deported from the US. He might also have taken any unwanted step. We also suspect Amritpal might had been kept under illegal confinement by some unidentified persons. The police should intensify the probe in the case so that he can be traced,” the victim’s brother said. Gurjeet said a complaint against the travel agent was also lodged to seek registration of an FIR. c m y b Jain, received calls on WhatsApp from 9888021882 and 86269-73950. The caller identified himself as ‘Pandit Gangster’, stating that he was responsible for burning their car and demanded Rs 5 lakh extortion. According to Satish, his son dismissed the calls as fake and disconnected the same. However, the person continued to call him. But they did not answer. When they enquired on their own, they found that three unidentified persons had set the car on fire. The Police Division 6 have registered a case against the miscreants and launched further probe to identify the suspects. MC serves notices on owners of 159 unsafe buildings Ludhiana, June 27 For ensuring safety of residents during the monsoon season, the MC has served notices on owners of 159 unsafe buildings situated in different parts of the city. Working on the directions of MC Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal, the notices have been served by building branch officials. The owners of the unsafe buildings have been directed to repair/demolish the illegal structures at the earliest. Of the 159 unsafe buildings, 48 are situated in areas under Zone A of the MC and 21 in areas under Zone B. Further, 35 are situated in areas under Zone C and 55 buildings are situated in areas under Zone D of the civic body. The owners have been directed to repair/demolish the structures, otherwise they would be responsible for any mishap in case any building collapses during the rainy season. The officials are also writting to the police to get the unsafe buildings vacated as these pose danger to the lives of residents.— TNS Health team collects samples from dairies, shops, eateries Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 27 As per directions of District Health Officer Amarjit Kaur, a health team of Ludhiana comprising Food Safety Officer Yogesh Goyal took 26 samples from dairies, grocery stores, sweetmeat shops and fast food outlets here on Thursday. In the joint operation, a Sabzi Mandi official and Health Department officials destroyed 67 kg of paneer and also took two samples of paneer from the sabzi mandi here. A warning was given by the mandi official to shopkeepers to stop selling paneer in the vegetable market, else strict action would be taken. “Samples of paneer, milk, A health team takes food samples from the sabzi mandi in Ludhiana. pulses, fortified edible oils, used cooking oils, pulses, ice cream and sharbat were taken from Sabzi Mandi, Ludhiana, and from other outlets located in Koom Kalan, Machhiwara, Chandigarh road area, Samrala Chowk and Shingar Cinema road here,” the statement issued by the Health Department stated. All samples were sent for analysis and action would be taken as per reports. In May, samples of paneer taken from Sabzi Mandi failed the test and cases regarding the same were submitted in court, it further stated. After hectic West byelection, candidates return to normal life Sukhmeet Bhasin Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 27 With the high-stake Ludhiana West bypoll is over and results are declared, key candidates who were at the forefront of the political battlefield are gradually transitioning back to their routine lives — each in their own unique way. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate and lawyer Parupkar Singh Ghuman, who garnered attention for his door-to-door outreach during the election, is now focusing on personal health and professional life. After shedding nearly 18 kg during the intense cam- paign trail, Ghuman has returned to the gym. “It was a physically and mentally demanding campaign. I’m back to basics now, and the gym is part of my fitness routine,” he said, adding that the campaign tested his stamina like never before. Meanwhile, Congress candidate and former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu is adopting a more relaxed approach after poll. Known for his long political innings in Ludhiana, Ashu is currently spending quality time with his close friends and wellwishers. He also attended a religious event in the Jawahar Nagar area on Thursday. “Politics is a 24x7 job, but moments like these help recharge the mind,” said his close aide. On the other hand, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate Sanjeev Arora, who is the newly elected MLA from Ludhiana West, was wasting no time returning to the political circuit. He is reportedly engaged in meetings with former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, discussing post-election feedback and the party’s roadmap ahead. Sources said Arora’s meetings were part of AAP’s broader plan to strengthen its urban base in Punjab.