25072025-LT-01.qxd 7/25/2025 12:40 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune RAIN EXPOSES POOR CONDITION OF CITY ROADS Just a few spells of rain have exposed the poor condition of roads in various parts of the city. P2 » CRPF VETERAN USES FOOTBALL TO STEER KIDS OFF DRUGS TAMIL MOVIE BAD GIRL JOINS THE ‘BAD FILM’ CATEGORY Led by ex-CRPF inspector, initiative has brought together kids from economically weaker families. P3 Madurai Bench of the Madras HC ordered Centre to remove its teaser from all social media platforms. P4 » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 26°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.21 PM » SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:37 AM FRIDAY | 25 JULY 2025 | LUDHIANA Snakebite cases: No claimants for Four of six suspects in robbery, assaultcase land in police net reimbursement, compensation in dist Multiple snakebite deaths reported in Ludhiana during ongoing monsoon season Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 24 Despite multiple snakebite deaths reported in the district during the ongoing monsoon season, not a single compensation claim has been filed with the Punjab Mandi Board, the agency responsible for providing financial aid in such cases. It is in stark contrast to other districts in the state where only five families of victims have received Rs 3 lakh each over the past three months after fatal snakebites. Officials and experts blame lack of awareness among the public and local authorities for the low number of claims. According to officials, the Punjab Mandi Board covers the full cost of treatment in snakebite cases and also provides Rs 3 lakh compensation to the next of kin, if the patient dies. Many victims in rural areas are either treated by quacks or never reach hospitals, resulting in unreported cases. “Unfortunately, people still contact ‘saperas’ (snake AVOID UNTRAINED CATCHERS: EXPERTS Experts also warn against taking help of untrained snake charmers. Improper handling can injure the snake, particularly if its fangs break, leading to starvation and eventual death. “A cobra’s venom is potent enough to kill up to 180 persons. Capturing a snake requires skill and care. The goal is always to release it back into the wild,” said an expert. charmers), instead of reaching out to trained snake catchers from the Wildlife Department. As a result, many cases go unreported and neither hospital treatment nor compensation benefits are availed,” said an official from the Wildlife Department, requesting anonymity.| In Ludhiana district alone, at least five snakebite deaths have been reported this monsoon season. However, due to poor documentation and lack of awareness, no compensation has been disbursed in the district. The data with the Mandi Board shows four fatalities were reported from Sardulgarh and one from Sangrur, where the board successfully provided financial aid to the victims’ families. “We offer compensation as well as reimbursement for treatment expenses but only a few families come forward to claim these benefits,” said Harchand Singh Barsat, Chairman of the board. Wildlife Department officials said snake sighting was most common from February to October, peaking during the rainy season when the reptiles are forced to move out of waterlogged burrows in search of shelter. In cities such as Ludhiana, Jalandhar and Phillaur, trained rescue teams respond to 15–20 snake sightings daily at houses, parks and vacant plots. Trained catchers bust misconceptions Parwinder Singh, a certified snake rescuer who works with the Wildlife Department and has trained in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Odisha, said he rescues and safely releases two to three snakes every day into the Mattewara forests or near Sutlej banks. He also works to bust common myths — particularly the belief that snakes respond to musical instruments such as ‘been’. “That’s a misconception. Only a few species in the country are venomous, such as the Indian Cobra, Common Krait, Russell’s Viper, and Saw-scaled Viper,” he said, adding that immediate medical attention was essential if bitten,” he said. “People should avoid going to quacks. Government hospitals are well-equipped with anti-venom vaccines and symptoms such as swelling, nausea, blurred vision, stomach pain or tingling should never be ignored,” he advised. Parwinder, who has over 17 years of experience, said most people remain unaware that the government fully reimburses the treatment cost for snakebites. “Many lives could be saved if the information was widely known,” he said. Professional snake catchers usually charge between Rs 400-Rs 500 per rescue. The authorities have been continuing to urge residents to contact the Wildlife Department in case of a snake sighting and to seek immediate hospital treatment if bitten. With better awareness, both lives and rightful compensation can be saved. What official says Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said kin of snake-bite victims could submit applications in their respective tehsils, Health Department, Mandi Board or to SDMs after taking death certificate from the Health Department or hospital authorities and it would be moved to the Mandi Board for reimbursement (in snakebite victims’ treatment) or compensation (in death cases),” the DC said. The suspects in custody of the Ludhiana police. Mahesh Sharma Ludhiana, July 24 The Ludhiana police claimed to have solved a case in which six armed miscreants had allegedly looted jewellery and other valuables after committing a brutal attack on a resident of Sector 32, Mukesh Kapur, on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. Four of the six suspects have been arrested by police officials, supervised by Assistant Commissioner of Police (East), from various places. They were identified as Sawan, Vaneet Kumar, both residents of the Bhamian Road area, here, Himanshu and Mahavir Singh, residents of Mundian Kalan village. Shivam Yadav and Ankit of Mundian Kalan were still at large. Three gold rings, one gold chain, seven mobile phones, one Honda Activa scooter and sharp weapons used in the crime were recovered from their possession. Commissioner of Police Swapan Sharma said six miscreants, armed with sharp weapons had allegedly attacked Mukesh Kapur when he was standing alone GLADA removes Minibus overturns after colliding J’khand man nabbed illegal vendors, kiosks with tipper, 19 suffer injuries with 1 kg of opium Accomplice flees, gang from Sector 32 market had been supplying Our Correspondent Ludhiana, July 24 In a major anti-encroachment drive, Greater Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA) officials removed unauthorised street vendors and kiosks from the vicinity of the commercial market in Sector 32 on Chandigarh Road. According to the GLADA authorities, makeshift stalls and carts had been occupying government property illegally for an extended period. Despite repeated warnings, the encroachments continued, prompting action based on directives from the GLADA’s Chief Administrator. GLADA officials said similar drives would be carried out regularly across various urban estates to ensure a clean and orderly living environment for residents. — TNS Encroachments being removed from commercial market at Sector 32 in Ludhiana. Our Correspondent Khanna, July 24 At least 19 persons, including 18 women working at a private factory, were injured, three of them seriously, when a minibus carrying them overturned after being hit by a tipper at Bija Chowk on the national highway on Thursday morning. The minibus (bearing registration number PB 10DA 2172) that was going from the Khanna side to Ludhiana overturned when it was hit by a loaded tipper (PB 13BF 1245) coming from the Samrala side. While driver of the tipper fled the scene after the accident, driver of the minibus and 18 women were reportedly injured in the incident. All 25 women occupants belonged to various localities of Khanna city and surrounding villages. The injured were shifted to the Civil Hospital, Khanna, and oth- Raikot, July 24 The Ludhiana (rural) police claimed to have busted a gang of inter-state drug peddlers who had been supplying contrabands among local residents after smuggling the same from other states. The police seized 1 kg of opium from the main suspect when he, along with his accomplice, was waiting for his clients near the grain market at Sudhar village near here on Wednesday. The suspect was identified as Partas Audia from Khunti district in Jharkhand while his accomplice, Rajan, also from Jharkhand, succeeded in fleeing the scene. SSP Ankur Gupta said police officials, supervised by Dakha DSP Varinder Singh Khosa and Sudhar SHO Jaswinder Singh, had received information The minibus that met with a mishap at Bija Chowk on Thursday. er healthcare centres by members of the Sarak Suraksha Force, Khanna, and passers-by. Khanna DSP Amritpal Singh Bhatti said police officials, supervised by SI Sukhdev Singh, had taken the injured women to various healthcare centres, including Civil Hospital, Khanna, from where three victims were referred to multi-specialty hospitals for management of serious injuries. Manjit Kaur of Bhaddal Dhuha, Veena Devi of Khanna and driver Ajit Singh were injured seriously. Meanwhile, the police have initiated a probe into the sequence of events leading to the mishap and roadworthiness of the colliding vehicles, which were seized after the mishap. “Having completed the rescue operation and cleared the obstruction at the accident scene, we advised the investigating team to probe the incident and verify roadworthiness of both vehicles,” he said. drugs to local residents about anti-social activities of some migrants, who were involved in smuggling of contrabands from other states. “Having received information about the movement of the Jharkhand natives in the area, we advised the Dakha circle police to intensify surveillance, following which the main suspect was nabbed by police personnel, led by the Sudhar SHO, on Wednesday,” he said. Investigation revealed that Partas had been exploiting his innocence due to his crippled leg for misleading the police during long journeys. The police are yet to ascertain links of the suspect. in front of his residence on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. The victim was injured seriously and was admitted to a multispecialty hospital, following which an FIR under Sections 307, 304, 190 and 191 (3) was registered against the suspects, identified on the basis of information provided by the victim. The police had constituted two teams to solve the case and the four suspects were nabbed from different hideouts on the basis of human and technical investigation conducted under the supervision of ACP Sumit Sood. 10 jail inmates booked for violations Ludhiana, July 24 There seems to be no stopping of violation of the Prisons Act by inmates at the Central Jail. Nine more inmates were booked under the Prisons Act and NDPS Act for allegedly possessing and using wireless and digital devices. Heroin was found in the possession of another jail inmate. Perusal of an FIR registered at the Division Number 7 police station on Wednesday revealed that police officials had seized eight mobiles from the nine inmates during a surprise checking. Earlier, investigating Officer Dinesh Kumar Sharma had recovered heroin from an inmate on Monday. Rohit Kumar Raipa was found with over 50 gm of heroin and paraphernalia used to make small packets of the contraband. — OC Six arrested for hurling petrol bomb at realtor’s house Free anti-rabies vaccines available at all 94 AACs Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 24 The Ludhiana rural police claimed to have cracked the case pertaining to the lobbing of petrol bomb and firing multiple gunshots at the house of a property dealer in Baddowal village near here on the intervening night of Man hired US-based gangster, who sent shooters from Patiala to commit crime July 9-10. Six suspects were arrested by the police. The suspects have been identified as Harshpreet Singh Bhullar alias Harsh of Deep Nagar Patiala, Ekjot Singh of Adarsh Colony, Patiala, Dhruv Thakur of Jagdish Colony, Patiala, Gurinder Singh alias The suspects, who lobbed petrol bomb and fired shots at a house, in Dakha police custody. Guri of Nihal Singh Wala, Moga, Baljinder Singh of Ghall Khurd, Moga, and Amrik Singh of Talwandi Bhai, Ferozepur. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Dakha, Varinder Singh Khosa, said USA-based gangster Kunwarvir Singh Deo, who was a native of Bahadarke village, here, was hired by Dildar Singh of Jainpur village. Dildar had a property dispute with the property dealer, Yadwinder Singh Yadi, regarding a land in possession of the latter. Deo further hired four shooters from Patiala, namely Riyaz Gupta, Sahil Malhotra, Sahil alias Mattu, and Harshpreet Bhullar. Riaz was the keyman of gangster Kunwarvir. The DSP said Kunwarvir also ensured delivery of illegal weapons to Riyaz and arranged vehicles, including a stolen Hyundai i20 car. After lobbing the petrol bomb and firing multiple gunshots c m y b at the house of the property dealer, the suspect, who had used the stolen car, abandoned the same near a petrol pump on the Moga-Ferozepur road. Ekjot and Dhruv then arrived in a Mahindra Scorpio and took them along. Later, Gurinder, Baljinder and Amrik provided shelter to the shooters for a few days at their respective places. Now, raids were being conducted to nab the remaining six suspects. Arrest of the key suspect, Riyaz Gupta, would clear if they got illegal weapons from some weapon supplier engaged by the USAbased gangster or through any other sources, Khosa said. The DSP said the USA-based gangster had been facing a few criminal cases, including of Arms Act, and was also declared a proclaimed offender by court. Information about the money the USA gangster took from Dildar or the money given to shooters could be known only after the arrest of Dildar, with whom property dealer Yadwinder had a property dispute. Even Riyaz, the key man of gangster Kunwarvir, may also expose the network of the latter in Punjab. Police will expose every layer of network: DSP DSP Varinder Singh Khosa said engaging a gangster, who is wanted by the Punjab Police, to further commit a major crime is a serious matter. The Ludhiana rural police will expose every layer of the network and whosoever was found involved, will not be spared. So far, 12 suspects were booked, of which six were identified, if during probe any other person’s role is found, strict action will be taken. Ludhiana, July 24 The District Health Department announced that free anti-rabies vaccines (ARV) is now available at all 94 Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs) across the district. The move is aimed at providing swift and accessible medical care for animal bite victims and curbing the spread of rabies — a fatal but entirely preventable disease. “Patients must be sensitised to completing the full vaccination schedule on Day 0, 3, 7 and 28. It’s life-saving and completely free,” emphasised Assistant Civil Surgeon Vivek Kataria. He assured that the clinics were fully stocked and staffed with trained personnel. This rollout is a part of a broader healthcare reform under the government’s AACs and have been transformed access to primary healthcare by offering over 100 essential medicines and diagnostic services free of charge. To amplify the impact, awareness drives are being organised across the district. Panchayats, schools, NGOs and community groups are being urged to spread the word on free ARV services and stress the importance of completing the full vaccination regimen. “All the AACs are open to walk-in patients, with no fees, registration or paperwork required for receiving ARV treatment,” said Dr Kataria. — TNS