15082025-LT-01.qxd 8/15/2025 12:48 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune RAIN THROWS LIFE OUT OF GEAR, COMMUTERS HIT AT 69, BIZMAN INSPIRES NEXT GENERATION OF TT PLAYERS STARS REFLECT ON FREEDOM’S DEEPER MEANING The rain in early hours of Thursday brings tough times for residents of low-lying areas. P2 Ashwani Goel has achieved accolades in table tennis and become an inspiration for budding players. P3 On I-Day, stars reflect on freedom’s deeper meaning — nurturing values of courage, unity & peace. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 31°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 27°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.04 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:50 AM » FRIDAY | 15 AUGUST 2025 | LUDHIANA Over 3K cops to guard city on I-Day CP takes stock of security arrangements at venue, conducts surprise checking of nakas Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 14 The city police made adequate security arrangements for the Independence Day celebrations in the city. Over 3,000 police personnel were deployed in the city to keep tabs on anti-social elements. Special security arrangements were made at the venue of the celebrations at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). Commissioner of Police (CP) Swapan Sharma on Thursday took stock of security arrangements at the venue and also conducted a surprise checking of police nakas. “The Ludhiana police have made adequate security arrangements, all exit and entry points of the city have already been locked. Vehicles entering the city are Cops check luggage of a passenger at the bus stand in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN being thoroughly checked and suspicious persons are also being questioned. The police would ensure peaceful Independence Day cele- brations,” he said. Sharma said besides police nakas, patrolling teams were also formed to conduct random checking Soaked in I-Day hues 3 poppy husk smugglers get 10-yr jail plaint lodged by SI Harjit Singh. The complainant stated that he had received a tip-off regarding poppy husk smuggling. The police set up a checkpoint near Mangli Tanda village. A car approaching from the village side was signalled to stop but the driver attempted to flee. On suspicion, the police surrounded the vehicle. The driver identified himself as Ravi Kumar and the other person as Sanjeev Kumar. The police Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 14 Inspector Suresh Kumar of the Commissionerate Police, Ludhiana, at present working with the Counter Intelligence, Punjab, has been awarded the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service on the occasion of Independence Day in recognition of his outstanding and unblemished service spanning over 36 years. Only two police officials from the state, inspector Suresh and ADGP PAP Farooqui, have received the prestigious honour during the Independence Day 2025. Inspector Suresh Kumar has a remarkable career record in law enforcement, earning numerous honours, including the President’s Police Medal for Meritorious Service on the occasion of Republic Day, 2016, and the Chief Minister’s Medal for Outstanding Devotion to Duty in 2023. He has also decorated 4 times with Com- Inspector Suresh Kumar The policeman has demonstrated courage and commitment in cracking a number of heinous crimes mendation Discs of DGP in 2010, 2017, 2022 and 2023, secured over 200 Commendation Certificates, and 10 appreciation letters from senior police officials. He stood All-Round First in Basic Training among 600 recruits of his batch at Jahankhelan in 1990. In his college days, he was crowned Best Athlete of the college in 1987. Throughout his illustrious career, inspector Suresh has demonstrated exceptional courage, commitment, unwavering dedication to duty, and professionalism in cracking a number of heinous crimes, including murders, and busting of major gangs. Besides other notable cases, Kumar played a pivotal role in solving Rs.8.49-crore heist, biggest dacoity of the state, at the office of the CMS, a cash management firm. Alongside his distinguished policing career, he has contributed to environmental conversation by actively planting trees and promoting greenery. Talking to The Tribune, inspector Suresh Kumar said: “It is a matter of pride for me that I have been selected for the prestigious award. I will continue to perform policing with honesty and dedication to keep the pride of khakhi high, as always. I also urge youngsters to join the police and serve the nation.” Elderly woman crushed to death by speeding car A girl holds Tricolours on the eve of Independence Day amid rain in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Ludhiana, August 14 The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Harvinder Singh has convicted Major Singh, a resident of Boothgarh village, Sanjeev Kumar of Ropar, and Ravi Kumar, a resident of Balachaur, for smuggling a large quantity of poppy husk, sentencing each of them to 10 years’ in prison along with a fine of Rs 1 lakh. As per the prosecution, the case was registered at the Meharban police station on February 14, 2020, based on a com- at various public places. “The safe city control room of the Ludhiana police is also helping in maintaining vigil through hundreds of cam- eras. Police officials are keeping an eye over suspicious persons and vehicles through the cameras,” the CP said. DCP (Law and Order) Parminder Singh Bhandal said special nakas were already being installed during night hours to prevent entry of any suspicious persons. Senior officials were also keeping tabs on the working of night nakas and night patrolling teams. Meanwhile, the Ludhiana police had also been spreading awareness on their social media platforms, urging people to stay alert and inform the police if they notice any suspicious persons or unclaimed articles. Sources said police officials in civvies would also roam in public places such as bus stand, railway stations and crowded markets to keep tabs on suspicious persons. Prez Police Medal for city cop seized two plastic bags filled with poppy husk from the rear seat and boot of the car. Both men were taken into custody. During interrogation, they revealed the name of Major Singh as another associate. The police arrested him and seized poppy husk from his house as well. During the trial, all three accused pleaded innocence but after hearing arguments and examining the evidence, the court found them guilty and pronounced the sentence. — OC Two killed as bike collides with bus Ludhiana, August 14 A speeding car crushed to death a 60-year-old woman outside the Nankana Sahib Education Trust in Ishar Nagar here. After the accident, the car driver fled the scene. After getting information, the police reached the scene. A CCTV footage of the incident also surfaced on social media. As per information, Satya Devi had come to get her daughter Amandeep physical coaching for the police. When she was sitting outside the training ground and waiting for her daughter, a speeding car hit her. The woman, a resident of Boothgarh, Rahon road, was rushed to a hospital but doctors declared her brought dead. In the probe, the car driver was identified as Amar Singh of Gobind Singh Nagar. Deceased’s daughter Amandeep said when her mother Satya Devi was sitting outside Nankana Sahib Education Trust, a speeding car driver hit her. They will not perform the last rites of her mother till the suspect was arrested. — TNS Payal, August 14 Two motorcyclists were killed when their bike collided with a bus of a private universitycoming from the opposite direction near Malaud town on the Kup-Payal road near here on Thursday morning. The victims, identified as Manjinder Singh (27) of Rorian village and Rupinder Singh Rupi (42) of Malaud, were going to a shoe factory on the Ludhiana-Malerkotla road for duty. Though the police are yet to verify sequence of events leading to the mishap, Balraj Singh of Rorian village, in his statement given to the Malaud police, alleged that when his son Manjinder Singh and his friend Rupinder Singh were going to Kup Kalan around 8 am on the bike, the driver of the bus (bearing registration number PB 11 DF 9771) hit the motorcycle due to negligence. The victims became unconscious after the collision with the bus and they were declared Our Correspondent The vehicles that collided with each other on the Kup-Payal road on Thursday morning. CASE REGISTERED AGAINST DRIVER Having received a formal complaint, officials at the Malaud police station registered an FIR under various sections of the BNS against the bus driver, who reportedly fled the scene. brought dead at a hospital. The complainant alleged that the accident had occurred as the driver, later identified as Sukhwinder Singh of Jhall village in the Amargarh subdivision, had lost control over the vehicle due to high speed. The collision was so power- ful that front parts of both vehicles were badly damaged. No occupant of the bus was reported to be hurt. Having received a formal complaint, the Malaud police registered an FIR under various sections of the BNS against the bus driver, who reportedly fled the scene. Shaheedi Bohr: City’s living witness to Namdhari sacrifice DC assures swift support A LIVING MONUMENT TO TWO REVOLUTIONARIES Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 14 As the nation celebrates Independence Day, the city quietly remembers a chapter of resistance that predates 1947 — a story rooted not in Delhi’s corridors of power, but beneath a banyan tree in Field Gunj. This 150-year-old tree, known as the Shaheedi Bohr, stands at the Namdhari Shaheedi Samarak as a living monument to Suba Giani Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh — two Namdhari revolutionaries who were publicly hanged here on November 23, 1871, for leading an attack on a British-run slaughterhouse in Raikot. Their protest was not just political — it was spiritual, cultural and deeply humane. They freed cows, opposed colonial cruelty and challenged the desecration of sacred beliefs. Their hanging was brutal and symbolic. The Britishers left their faces uncovered, hoping the visible agony would deter As the nation celebrates I-Day, this 150-year-old tree, Shaheedi Bohr, stands at the Namdhari Shaheedi Samarak as a living monument to two Namdhari revolutionaries Suba Giani Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh. Namdhari Shaheedi Samarak located at Field Gunj. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA others. But it did the opposite. It galvanised the Namdhari Movement and etched their sacrifice into Punjab’s soil. The roots of rebellion The Kuka Movement, led by Satguru Ram Singh, was one of the country’s earliest organised uprisings against the British rule. On Baisakhi, he unfurled a white flag of defiance. Alongside him, Suba Giani Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh not only led protests but also established parallel courts — refusing to recognise British justice. Rattan Singh, a respected scholar, presided over these community courts, embodying the movement’s vision of self-rule. In July 1871, Namdhari Sikhs attacked a slaughterhouse in Raikot. The British, shaken by the boldness, launched a crack- down. Seven were arrested. Three were hanged publicly in Raikot. Rattan Singh and Sant Rattan Singh were sent to the Ludhiana jail, sentenced to death, briefly reprieved with a kala paani sentence, and finally executed under the banyan tree on November 23. From jail to memorial The site was once part of the Ludhiana’s old jail near the Civ- c m y b il Hospital. When the jail shifted to Tajpur Road, the Namdhari community petitioned for the land. It was granted in 1998 under CM Parkash Singh Badal, fulfilling a promise made by Beant Singh to allot the land for Rs 1. Today, the memorial includes the preserved banyan tree, a plaque detailing the martyrs’ sacrifice and a painting of the hanging scene. Voices of remembrance City resident Harinder Singh Namdhari, says: “This tree is not just wood and leaves — it’s our history, pain and pride. Every year on November 23, we gather here to remember the courage that helped shape India’s freedom.” Rajesh Bhatt, a local historian, says: “The Namdhari sacrifice is often overlooked in mainstream narratives. But Ludhiana remembers it. This memorial is a reminder that freedom was fought for in every corner of the country — not only on battlefields but also in hearts and homes.” Harpreet Kaur, a schoolteacher from Field Gunj, shares, “I bring my students here every year. They need to know that freedom came at a cost — and that two men once stood beneath this tree and chose death over silence.” A tree that still speaks As the Tricolour flutters across the nation on Independence Day, Ludhiana’s Shaheedi Bohr stands firm — its roots deep in sacrifice, its branches reaching towards justice. It reminds us that freedom is not just a date on the calendar but a legacy of courage, conviction and community. to freedom fighters’ kin Ludhiana, August 14 Deputy Commissioner (DC) Himanshu Jain on Thursday reaffirmed the district administration’s unwavering commitment to the welfare and support of freedom fighters’ families. Addressing the kin of the national heroes during a meeting in his office, Jain emphasised that the administration was dedicated to promptly resolving their concerns and ensuring their well-being. “The nation owes an immense debt to our freedom fighters, whose sacrifices secured our independence,” he stated. “Their contributions are beyond measure and it is our duty to honour and support their families with the utmost respect and care,” he said. The DC assured the families that they could directly approach him with any issues, assuring that their grievances would be addressed swiftly. He emphasised that all district government offices would extend full respect and priority to these families, underscoring that any inconvenience to them would not be tolerated. “We enjoy freedom today due to the sacrifices made by their loved ones,” he added. Highlighting state’s pivotal role in nation’s freedom struggle, Jain said Punjabis were at the forefront, with many freedom fighters from the state facing execution or exile. “Every chapter of our pre-independence history witnesses about hardships suffered by Punjabis in the fight for freedom,” he remarked. During the meeting, Jain listened to the concerns raised by the families and directed relevant departments to ensure swift resolutions. To provide ongoing support, he announced that monthly meetings would be held with the families to address their needs and ensure continued recognition of their loved ones’ sacrifices. — TNS