09112025-LT-01.qxd 11/9/2025 12:53 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune AIDED SCHOOLTEACHERS PROTEST OVERNIGHT DRIVE AGAINST STUBBLE FIRE INTENSIFIES, LOCALS RESIST Many women teachers sat on a protest overnight to impress upon government to pay their salaries. P2 » Ensuring low incidence of stubble burning has been an uphill task for the district administration. P3 » ACTRESS SHEEBA MAKES POLLYWOOD DEBUT FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 29°C | MIN 12°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 12°C SUNSET SUNDAY 5.30 PM Sheeba, who made her Pollywood debut with Badaa Karara Pudna, calls it a “well-timed opportunity.” P4 SUNRISE MONDAY 6:43 AM » SUNDAY | 9 NOVEMBER 2025 | LUDHIANA Garbage crisis: Residents continue to litter in open areas defying civic crackdown Manav Mander Tribune News Service MC has intensified enforcement strategy, launching night patrols, early morning drives to catch violators red-handed Residents’ act of civic negligence mocks the MC efforts and erodes the city’s dignity. Keeping in view the persistent habit of littering in public, the corporation has intensified its enforcement strategy — launching night patrols and early morning drives to catch violators red-handed. Teams are now issuing challans at dawn and after dark, targeting hotspots where illegal dumping thrives. But despite these efforts, it seems city residents don’t bother about the crackdown. Garbage keeps piling up, mocking both warnings and the watchfulness. At Salem Tabri, heaps of waste fester near the petrol pump — once a designated INDERJEET VERMA Ludhiana, November 8 In Ludhiana, the Municipal Corporation’s warning boards stand tall but city’s streets tell another story. Despite repeated written notices, appeals and threats of challans, residents continue to litter openly. Garbage lies unattended in the open along a wall near a banner warning against littering in Salem Tabri. dumping site, now officially closed. The MC has put up a clear signage warning against littering but residents seem to ignore the same and dump waste in the open. The warning boards stand like mute witness to a civic failure that refuses to be corrected. Similar scenes unfold across the city. Plastic bags fluttering along Jalandhar Bypass, rotting waste choking Aman Nagar’s corners and foul-smelling mounds lining GT Road and Jassian Road. These aren’t isolated lapses — they’re symptoms of a deeper malaise — public indifference and systemic strain. “It seems as the people have gone blind and deaf to warnings,” said an MC official, pointing to a signage that clearly prohibits dumping. “They read it, walk past it, and still toss their garbage.” The MC recently launched a crackdown under directives of Mayor Inderjit Kaur and Commissioner Aaditya Dachalwal. For the first time, teams are conducting night and early morning raids in areas notorious for illegal dumping. The health branch has been instructed to issue challans to violators. In cases where offenders refuse to provide ID, officials are visiting their homes to ensure compliance. “Throwing garbage by the roadside will not be tolerated,” said the MC Commissioner. “We’ve deployed roundthe-clock vigilance. If needed, legal action will follow,” he said. The drive also targets safai karamcharis who dump waste in vacant plots or on roadside stretches instead of designated collection points. “We’re not just penalising residents,” said an MC supervisor, adding that “accountability begins with those entrusted to keep the city clean”. Mayor Inderjit Kaur emphasised the need for collective action. “The civic body and residents must work in unison. Cleanliness is not only MC’s job but also a shared responsibility. We urge citizens to extend a helping hand.” Yet on the ground, frustration simmers. “We’ve seen drives before,” said Harpreet Singh, a resident of the Jassian Road area. “They come, issue challans and leave. But garbage returns. Till the people change their mindset, nothing will improve,” he said. Others blame lack of accessible waste disposal systems. “Where do we throw trash?” asked Sunita Devi of Aman Nagar. “Bins are either missing or overflowing. We need solutions not just penalties,” she said. Officials insist that enforcement must go hand-in-hand with awareness. “We’re punishing and educating also,” said a health branch official, adding that education means nothing if people refuse to listen.” The MC Commissioner said over 300 CCTV cameras had been installed at the Integrated Command and Control Centre. “Violators caught on camera throwing garbage will have their vehicle number traced and a challan will be sent directly to their houses,” he said. He added that by the next week, a WhatsApp helpline number would be launched, through which the people will be able to send complaints and photographs related to sanitation issues. Rural police acting tough against gangsters, smugglers Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 8 The Ludhiana rural police have been cracking the whip on gangsters, criminal elements and drug smugglers in the recent past. Besides busting foreign modules involved in unlawful activities and running extortion rackets, the police also freezed properties of drug smugglers worth crores. Even in the recent brutal murder case of a kabaddi player, Tejpal Singh (25), in Jagraon on October 31, the rural police acted swiftly and decisively. After the incident, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana (Rural), Ankur Gupta, constituted multiple teams, including those from various police stations, CIA staff, technical teams and CCTV checking teams, under the supervision of SP (D) Harkamal Kaur and DSP (D) Jatinder Singh. Raids were conducted in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. With the relentless and coordinated efforts of the teams, two of the suspects, Honey Roomi and Gagan Killi Chahal, were arrested within 24 hours, along with the recovery of the weapon used in the crime. The third suspect, Kala Roomi, was apprehended before the cremation of the deceased. Dr Gupta told The Tribune here on Friday that the investigation, CCTV and technical teams of police have consistently demonstrated exceptional The suspects nabbed in the kabaddi player murder case in custody of the Ludhiana rural police. efficiency and professionalism in solving serious criminal cases. “Our teams had travelled across various states and I, along with senior officials, had also been supervising every minute details of raids and technical aspects. I will recommend rewards for every team member before the Punjab DGP who , either remained in the field or had been helping in the case technically by staying awake for day and night for days,” he said. Foiled major terror plot aimed at disturbing peace in state DSP Detective, Ludhiana , rural, Jatinder Singh, said in August, the police foiled a major terror-related conspiracy, recovering a live hand grenade and a .32 bore illegal weapon. Five persons were apprehended on the spot, preventing a planned grenade attack at a bakery in Nakodar and saving numerous innocent lives. During investigation, foreignbased handlers behind the Realty firm partners booked for Man arrested, son at large committing frauds worth crores SUSPECTED THIEF BEATEN TO DEATH Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 8 Singla Land Developers, a city-based property dealer, committed a major fraud of several crores with another prime real estate company, GK Group, involved in various real estate projects, and residents. In the scam, four partners from the company created fake affidavits and NOCs to sell plots in Sunrise Colony, Jandiali village. Furthermore, they also obtained registration of the plots from the department with the help of fake documents. Gulshan Kumar, owner of Singla Land Developers used fake NOCs, affidavits to register, sell plots the GK Group, alleged that the four suspects committed the fraud worth Rs 10 crore. The Focal Point police on Friday registered a case against the business partners of Singla Land Developers Ravi Bhushan Singla, his brother Vinay Singla, Sunil Kumar and Tejinder Singh. The FIR copy, which is with The Tribune, states that when the suspects purchased the 3,100-yard plot from Gulshan Kumar, owner of the GK Group, they finalised the deal by giving him a 10 per cent advance. When the time came for the registration, the suspects obtained the registry by giving Gulshan a post-dated cheque. Later, the cheque was not cleared by the bank. This is where the suspects’ fraudulent activities began. They fraudulently registered the land. Using the Aadhaar card, the suspects themselves prepared fake documents and began selling plots to people, defrauding them of crores of rupees. The complainant, Gulshan Kumar, said the four fraudsters were also accused of misleading GLADA and registry officials through forged documents. The suspects sold land to people by using the officials’ signatures on fake documents. The entire scheme was orchestrated using fake NOCs, registry officials’ signatures and affidavits. Rohit Puniani, son of Gulshan, said Singla Developers had done many other frauds and a lot of complaints were registered against its partners in the past. — TNS Ludhiana, November 7 After a man was beaten to death in Lajpat Nagar, Kochar Market, on the intervening night of November 67, the Ludhiana police registered a case against a man and his son. One of the suspects, identified as Inderpal Singh, was arrested while his son Tarandeep Singh was yet to be arrested by the police. A case was registered against the suspects on the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Besides taking action against the house owner, the police had also registered a case against the deceased as he had attempted to commit a theft and was caught by the house owner. A case was also registered against the deceased on the complaint of the house owner, Inderpal Singh. He alleged in this complaint that as the man entered the house to commit a theft, he was caught. The latter also assaulted him and when he tried to save himself, the suspect fell unconscious. Residents had tied the man to a pole and his hands were tied behind his back. He was slapped repeatedly on the face, kicked and punched in the stomach. His condition has worsened and he was admitted to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The police said the suspect was trying to enter a house when the people stopped him and assaulted him. Investigating officer ASI Rakesh Kumar said after registering a case, one of the suspects was arrested and a raid was being conducted to nab the other person. The ASI said the body was kept at the Civil Hospital mortuary and efforts were on to identify the deceased. War hero’s statue likely to return to Bharat Nagar Chowk after Army’s intervention Western Commandurges admntorestore memorialtoits original,symbolic location Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 8 After months of persistent appeals and peaceful protests by ex-servicemen and local citizens, the long-standing demand to reinstall the statue of Major Bhupinder Singh, Maha Vir Chakra, at Bharat Nagar Chowk has finally gained traction. The Western Command of the Indian Army has officially stepped in, lending its support to the cause. It has urged the Ludhiana administration to restore the memorial to its original, symbolic location. The statue, which had stood at Bharat Nagar Chowk for years as a tribute to Major Singh’s bravery in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, was removed earlier this year during the construction work for the elevated road on Ferozepur Road. Instead of being returned to its original site, REMOVED EARLIER THIS YEAR DURING ELEVATED ROAD WORK At present, the statue of war hero Major Bhupinder Singh is installed outside Rose Garden. ASHWANI DHIMAN The statue, which had stood at Bharat Nagar Chowk for years as a tribute to Major Bhupinder Singh’s bravery in the 1965 Indo-Pak war, was removed earlier this year during the construction work for the elevated road on Ferozepur Road. the statue was relocated near Rose Garden — an act that sparked widespread discontent among veterans and res- a Squadron Commander of Hudson Horse, was posthumously awarded the Maha Vir Chakra for his heroic idents. The situation worsened when a decorative bicycle was installed at the statue’s former spot by a private firm involved in the chowk’s beautification, further fueling public outrage. Major Singh, who served as c m y b actions in the Sodereke battle, where he destroyed multiple enemy tanks before succumbing to fatal burns. His statue, along with a captured Pakistani tank, had become a landmark of pride and remembrance for Ludhiana. Brigadier Inder Mohan Singh (retd), president of the Umbrella Ex-Servicemen Organisation, confirmed that the Western Command had taken the matter seriously. In a formal communication to the Indian Ex-Servicemen League, the command stated it was giving the issue “utmost priority” and had already initiated discussions with Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain. “I personally spoke to the DC, who assured us that the statue will be reinstated at Bharat Nagar Chowk. We will continue to monitor the progress,” he said. The Deputy Commissioner acknowledged the Army’s involvement and confirmed that the matter had been flagged to both National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Municipal Corporation. The Army’s intervention has brought renewed hope to those who had been campaigning for the statue’s return. Activists and ex-servicemen, who had earlier set a Diwali deadline for resolution, now feel their voices are being heard. “The Western Command’s support has added strength to our movement,” said activist Jaskirat Singh. With official assurances now in place, the city awaits the return of Major Bhupinder Singh’s statue to its rightful place — a gesture that would honour not just a war hero, but the collective sentiments of a grateful community. operation were identified and nominated in the case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and correspondence is ongoing with foreign countries through the Ministry of External Affairs, GoI, for their deportation to India. Properties of 70 smugglers freezed, 938 apprehended Under the ‘Yudh Nashian Virudh’ campaign, 644 FIRs were registered and 938 suspects were arrested. A total of 10.377 kg of heroin, 3.65 kg of opium, 29.06 quintals of poppy husk, 425 gm of charas and 18,106 intoxicating tablets were recovered during the drive, leading to the seizure of substantial drug consignments and the arrest of key smugglers and peddlers. Under the NDPS Act, properties worth Rs 24.56 crore belonging to 70 drug smugglers in 47 cases had been forfeited while cases related to properties of seven smugglers worth Rs 2.25 crore are pending before the Competent Authority, New Delhi, for freezing orders. 2 more booked for submitting fake dope test reports Ludhiana, November 8 The Ludhiana police registered a case against two more persons who had submitted fake and forged dope test reports to avail arms licence. The suspects were identified as Navjot Singh of Guru Nanak Dev Extension and Gurmel Singh of Model Town. The case was registered on the complaint of ACP Licens, ing, Ludhiana. The ACP in his complaint said during verification of the dope test reports, these were found to be fake. Following this, action was recommended against applicants and a separate case was filed against the suspects. — TNS 2 killed, one hurt as truck rams into stationary tipper Doraha, November 8 A major accident occurred in the early hours of Saturday near Neemwala Dhaba on National Highway 1 claimed two lives and leaving one person seriously injured. A tipper, loaded with gravel, was parked on the highway, when it was hit from the rear by a truck carrying grains, heading from UP to Ludhiana. The tipper driver, identified as Vipin Kumar from Himachal, was killed on the spot. The truck driver was taken to the Civil Hospital, where he also succumbed to his injuries. His companion is currently undergoing treatment. Police officials said the accident occurred when the tipper driver was checking the vehicle and the truck driver failed to notice the parked tipper. The police got the injured admitted to the Civil Hospital. — OC