08072025-LT-01.qxd 7/7/2025 10:53 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune DYERS SEEK SUPPORT FROM MP GOVT AMID SHUTDOWN FEAR MADHAVAN & FATIMA STARRER ADDRESSES LONELINESS SARBALA JI TRAILER LAUNCH UNVEILS WITH WEDDING VIBES Members of Punjab Dyers Association have approached the CM for assurance on facilities to be provided in their state. P2 Actors R Madhavan and Fatima Sana Shaikh are gearing up for the release of their film Aap Jaisa Koi. P4 The trailer launch, hosted by Tips Films at The Mohali Club, Wyndham, turned out to be a proper celebration. P4 » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 33°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7.33 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 5:30 AM » TUESDAY | 8 JULY 2025 | LUDHIANA Kejriwal, CM take on Oppn in ‘Dhanwaad Sabha’, thank party leaders, workers Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 7 “Dhanwaad Sabha”— a rally to thank the workers, leaders and supporters of AAP for their untiring efforts during the recently held Ludhiana (West) and Gujarat byelection — was held here today. AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal asked all those present to be ready to take a pledge from state voters that they would not vote in favour of the Congress, BJP and SAD in the 2027 elections as these parties had looted the state for decades. He said that Gujarat, considered a stronghold of the BJP witnessed a significant , triumph, where the AAP candidate won by more than 17,000 votes. On this occasion, he was accompanied by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab incharge Manish Sisodia, state president Aman Arora, working president Amansher Singh and several senior leaders of the party. Kejriwal termed the Con- AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab in charge Manish Sisodia, AAP state president Aman Arora and other leaders at the ‘Dhanwaad Sabha’ in Ludhiana. gress and the BJP as “lover and beloved”, which worked together while putting up a different face in public. He said that AAP had worked so well in the last three years that the other party leaders did not keep any agenda about development. In the recently held elections in Ludhiana, all parties kept on talking of just one point, “stop Kejriwal from going to Rajya Sabha. This is the reason why people rejected them because there was nothing for the welfare of masses in their agenda,” said Kejriwal. He further said that Ludhiana byelection results was a befitting reply to all those who had spread false propaganda that AAP had done nothing in the last three years. Kejriwal added that this was semifinal and the final (2027) would also be in their favour. He further said that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was soon going to bring a strict law against sacrilege. In his address, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann started his address with a couplet of Kabir, “Kabira teri jhopri, galkatiyan ke paas, jaisi karni waisi bharni, tu kyun bhaye udaas (Kabir, your hut is near the wicked, but do not worry, as everyone reaps what they sow)”. Raking up SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia’s issue, Mann said those who had hosted dinners for those responsible for Jallianwala Bagh massacre, were now lodged in Nabha jail. The CM said that the political parties like Congress, BJP and SAD were losing their identity and AAP which , was just about a decade-old party, was coming up in a strong manner, giving tough times to these mainstream parties. He also launched a scathing attack on Ravneet Bittu and Charanjit Channi. He announced that the special session of the Punjab Assembly would be held on July 10 and 11, where the lies of the Opposition would be exposed. 3 borrowers booked in suicide case of Jagraon optician Our Correspondent Jagraon, July 7 The Ludhiana (Rural) police have booked three persons for allegedly abetting a social activist and former president of Dashera Committee, Jagraon, to die by suicide on Saturday. Vikramjit Sharma was an optician and had been running a shop at Sidhwan Bet for many years. The deceased had died under mysterious circumstances when his condition suddenly worsened at his shop at Sidhwan Bet village. He was declared brought dead by doctors at a private hospital in Jagraon the same day. The accused, identified as Gursewak of Malsihan Bhai Ke, Jagsir Singh of Sidhwan Bet village and Sukhwinder Singh, owner of Punjab Laboratory of Galib Kalan village, Heavy rain brings city to standstill, waterlogging chokes key roads Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 7 Rain lashed Ludhiana on Monday, flooding major roads and underpasses, and leaving commuters stranded in knee-deep water. The city recorded 53.8 mm rainfall, with the maximum temperature recorded at 32.4°C and minimum at 28.4°C, according to the Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Meteorology of the Punjab Agricultural University. Ferozepur Road, South City underpass and Lodi Club underpass were among the worst-hit areas, where several cars and two-wheelers broke down. “It was chaos near the Grand Walk on Ferozepur Road. Water was being splashed everywhere, and I had to wade through it just to get to the other side,” said Navdeep Singh, a local commuter. At the South City underpass, the situation was no better. “My car stopped in the middle The Lodhi Club underpass submerged under water after rain in Ludhiana on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN of the underpass. The water was up to the car doors. I had to call friends to help push it out,” shared Harpreet Kaur, a resident of Pakhowal Road. Ravneet Arora’s, a local resident, said, “The rain was a welcome break from the scorching heat, but as we stepped out to enjoy rain and a little snack break, we got stuck in a long traffic jam as roads were submerged under water. Going out on a rainy day was the worst decision made today.” Another city resident Gurbir Singh voiced frustration over persistent waterlogging at the Lodhi Club underpass, which he believed pointed to a structural flaw. “Even a light rain leaves the underpass flooded,” he said, adding that the authorities concerned should have addressed the issue long ago. Unfortunately, the newly built South City underpass faces the same problem — both becoming impassable during the monsoon due to poor drainage system. Despite Ludhiana’s Smart City status, residents say the civic body has failed to learn from past mistakes. Experts and locals alike have repeatedly called for separate storm water drainage system and better planning, especially in lowlying and heavy-traffic areas. The situation not only disrupts daily commuting, but also raises questions about the quality and foresight needed for infrastructure projects in the city. Our Correspondent Ludhiana, July 7 The police here claimed to have solved a blind murder case of a Nepalese man, who was brutally killed by sharpedged weapons on Saturday night. Lalit Kumar of Satguru Nagar, Ludhiana, and Raju Rana of Jain Colony, Daba Road, have been identified as the main accused, along with 10-12 more accomplices, were arrested today for the murder of Kishan Thapa of Giaspura Park Area. The division number 6 police led by Inspector Kulwant Kaur had booked Lalit Sharma, Raju Rana , Javed Khan and Shivam Rajpur and 10 unknown persons for the murder on Sunday and claimed to have solved the case by arresting Lalit and Raju when they were trying to leave the area today. The police have also recovered the sharp weapons used in the crime. Cycle industry seeks revival amid export challenges Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 7 Despite being India’s bicycle manufacturing hub, Ludhiana’s cycle industry continues to struggle on the global stage, with exports lagging behind competitors like China. Industry leaders are now looking up to the newly appointed Punjab Industry Minister, Sanjeev Arora, to help steer the sector towards international competitiveness. With an annual turnover of Rs 12,000 crore, approximately 90 per cent of India’s bicycle production originates from Ludhiana and it comprises around Rs 3,500 crore of export business. According to DS Chawla, past president of the United Cycle Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA), Ludhiana’s bicycle industry lags behind in exports, particularly in western and developed countries. In Europe, there is The cycle industry is pinning hopes on new Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN a huge demand for bicycles and they seek quality, safety and comfort and India is still to tap this market. The export market for India is mostly Bangladesh, African countries and a few others, he said. India exports only 75-80 lakh bicycles annually, compared to China’s staggering 23 crore units. There is an emerging need for advanced R&D and design innovation. He urged the central and state governments to form a dedicated organisation for research and development. “A big market is waiting to be tapped, especially in Europe, where quality, safety and com- fort are paramount,” added Vinay Kansal, a cycle parts manufacturer. The industry also called for regulation of steel and raw material pricing, which directly affects production costs. Kansal stressed that without government support, Ludhiana’s cycle sector risks falling further behind in the global race. Arora’s appointment as Industry Minister has sparked optimism among manufacturers, who believe his background equips him to understand and act as per the sector’s challenges, he said. Federation of Industrial and Commercial Organisation (FICO) president Gurmeet Singh Kular emphasised the urgent need for enhanced research and development to help Ludhiana’s cycle industry remain competitive in international markets, particularly Europe, where quality and innovation are paramount. He also pointed out a c m y b shift in government policy regarding export promotion reimbursements — while previously 70 per cent of the ticket cost was reimbursed upfront, companies must now book their stalls before receiving any financial support, placing additional strain on small manufacturers. Avon Cycles chairman and MD Onkar Singh Pahwa said that winds of change had started blowing and they had slowly started entering the European market. “With newly inducted Industry Minister Sanjeev Arora, himself a Ludhianabased industrialist, the industry has pinned high hopes on him as he has promised to prioritise industrial growth and address long-standing concerns. We need buyers to come here and for this, improvement in infrastructure and Halwara airport to be made operational are our two main demands,” said Pahwa. are yet to be arrested. They were identified and booked on the basis of a video, in which the deceased had accused the trio of abetting him to take the extreme step. However, the exact cause of death will be ascertained after the postmortem examination report of the deceased. Perusal of an FIR registered at Sidhwan police station under Sections 108 and Woman among 8 nabbed with 100kg poppy husk, 187 gm heroin Our Correspondent Two held for murder of Nepalese man Victim Vikramjit Sharma 3(5) of the BNS on Sunday, revealed that Vikramjit had died under mysterious circumstances on Saturday. Gagan Kumari informed the police that her husband had left home in the morning on Saturday and was declared brought dead by doctors at a private hospital in Jagraon after being shifted because his condition deteriorated around 2.30 pm. Had the family of the deceased not surfed his mobile phone, the accused could have gone scot free. “When we surfed Vikramjit’s phone we found his video showing that he was taking the extreme step as the accused had not returned money borrowed from him,” Gagan Kumari stated before the police. Vikramjit had alleged that Gursewak owed him Rs 90,000, Jagsir owed Rs 1.20 lakh and Sukhwinder Rs 80,000. Ludhiana, July 7 The police have nabbed eight persons in cases related to violation of the NDPS Act and the Punjab Excise Act. Huge quantities of drugs and narcotics, including 100 kg of poppy husk and 187.3 gm of heroin, were recovered from their possession. In the first case, cops led by Mohan Singh of Special Branch, Ludhiana, nabbed Gurpreet Singh Ranian, who had been running an illicit trade of drug peddling at his Bhalwan da Dhaba situated on the outskirts of Ranian vil- lage on the LudhianaMalerkotla road, on Sunday. 100 kg of poppy husk was seized during a raid conducted at the dhaba when the accused was waiting for his regular clients on its backside. Cops posted at the Sudhar police station nabbed Bikram of Sukhdev Singh Nagar, Lohara in Ludhiana and Karan Kumar of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Moga, when they were going to deliver a consignment of 150 gm of heroin in a car on Sunday. Jamalpur police also claimed to have seized 7 gm of heroin from Sunny Kumar of Bhukhri Kalan during patrolling at Pahruwal area on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Khanna police, led by Issru Chowki incharge Charanjit Singh, arrested Gurwinder Singh of Nasrali village, who is known to be a listed drug peddler and seized 10 gm heroin and Rs 200 cash from him. Khanna city police team led by Pargat Singh nabbed Sukhwinder Singh of Bagli and his female accomplice Mahi Rajput of Baba Sodhi Baler Road area in Sultanwind locality and seized 15 gm of heroin. Similarly, Jaspreet Singh of Lopon village was held with 5.3 gm of heroin.