22122025-LT-01.qxd 12/21/2025 10:11 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune HEALTH CENTRE STAFF SHORTAGE TROUBLES PATIENTS THALAPATHY VIJAY’S JANA NAYAGAN UK PRE-SALES TAKE OFF THE YEAR BRIDES CHOSE THEMSELVES The centre was established to provide mother and child-care services, yet it fell short of fulfilling the very purpose. P2 Jana Nayaganstarring Thalapathy Vijay has made a powerful impact, with UK pre-sales opening to record-breaking response.P4 Year 2025 wasn’t the year of the ‘perfect bride’. It was the year of the ‘personal bride’. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 17°C | MIN 9°C YESTERDAY MAX 22°C | MIN 10°C SUNSET MONDAY 5.29 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 7:21 AM » MONDAY | 22 DECEMBER 2025 | LUDHIANA Girl dies, six injured in head-on collision between 2 vehicles on Ferozepur road Tribune News Service Mangled remains of the car, which met with an accident on the Ferozepur road in Ludhiana. According to the police, one of the injured is the daughter of a BJP leader. The family has refused to take any action in the matter. Station House Officer (SHO) of Sarabha Nagar police station Inspector Aditya Sharma stated that the impact was so severe that both vehicles were dragged for a considerable distance after the collision. The front portions of both vehicles were severely damaged. Seven people were in the vehicles, six of whom were injured, while a girl, Rashi Sethi (16), died on the spot. Along with Rashi, three other girls, Purvehi, Suhani and Navya, and two boys Satvik and Dev Malhotra were in the car, while Sukhwinder Singh (40) was in the Innova. All of them were injured. The police took the injured to Raghunath Hospital, where due to their critical condition, they were later referred to Fog no deterrent and the case was registered at 10.28 am. He further pointed out that Indi was produced before the court for remand around 1 pm on Sunday, beyond the stipulated 24hour period. The counsel also contended that the mandatory notice of appearance was not served upon Indi. Taking note of these lapses, the court declared the arrest illegal, ordered his release and discharged him from the case. The advocate added that the FIR would be challenged in the HC. The Division No. 8 police had booked Indi on the complaint of the Joint Commissioner (A), Ludhiana MC. According to the FIR, Ajay Kumar, circle in-charge of Rose Garden in the Horticulture Department, alleged that Indi arrived at the spot in his car, abused him and assaulted him when he objected. The complainant further stated that JE Kirpal Singh rescued him and that Indi obstructed him from dis- charging his official duties. Earlier, several Congress leaders came out in support of Indi. Former Senior Deputy Mayor Sham Sunder Malhotra and Mamta Ashu, wife of Ashu, addressed a press conference and alleged political vendetta behind the police action. Addressing the media, Mamta denied the allegations, stating that there was no evidence of any assault and that the complainant had not suffered any injury. She further said that a programme to commemorate the martyrdom of the Sahibzadas was scheduled at Maya Nagar, for which tree pruning was required. Indi, she claimed, had been requesting the Horticulture Department for nearly 15 days to carry out the work. However, the workers allegedly left midway after receiving instructions to attend work in another ward. While conceding that there may have been an argument, she terming the police action politically motivated. Severed cow heads found in Machhiwara, accused flee Nikhil Bhardwaj Ludhiana, December 21 A major accident occurred at a road cut near Verka on the Ferozepur road in the wee hours of Sunday, killing one girl and injuring six others. Three other girls were among the injured. They were returning from a birthday party in a Baleno car. Even a pet dog accompanying them died in the accident. All occupants of the car were reportedly teenagers. According to the police, the Baleno and Innova were travelling at high speed. When they came in front of each other at the cut, the drivers of both vehicles lost control and collided head on. The impact was so severe that both vehicles suffered significant damage. The police reached the spot immediately after receiving information and rushed all injured to a hospital. Fire breaks out in dyeing unit DMC Hospital. Baleno occupants, including the deceased, were residents of Royal View Omax Flats, Pakhowal road, while Sukhwinder was a resident of Payal, Ludhiana. As per the police, the car belonged to Dev and he was driving the Baleno. They were returning after celebrating Suhani’s birthday. Satvik was sitting next to the driver, while Navya, Purvi and Suhani were in the back seat. Rashi Sethi was sitting in the middle, and she hit the dashboard due to the impact. She died on the spot from severe injuries. The police are investigating the matter. Information is being gathered from the injured about the cause of the accident and to find out who was at fault. The families of the injured have also reached the hospital, but the police have refused to take any action. Tribune News Service A farmer walks through a mist-covered field on Saturday morning as dense fog and falling temperatures continue to disrupt visibility across Ludhiana. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN Centre deliberately eliminating job programme: MP Mahesh Sharma Mandi Ahmedgarh, Dec 21 Congress MP from Fatehgarh Sahib Amar Singh Boparai, who played a key role in drafting and implementation of MGNREGA during the UPA Government in 2004, has accused the Union government, led by Prime Minister Narinder Modi, of deliberately eliminating an employment programme that assured right to work for all. The then Joint Secretary of Rural Development Department, Boparai, said constituents of UPA (United Progress Alliance) had decided to implement an employment programme that guaranteed right of employment for certain number of days to all rural labourers, irrespective of circumstances prevalent at the village level. Boparai alleged that the NDA government had been bent upon eliminating the MGNREGA since its (NDA) Court releases Cong leader Indi, terms arrest illegal constitution in a phased manner. In comparison with UPA’s average 80 working days of assured work, the NDA reduced the average to 50-60 per cent and no substantial increase in rate of wages was allowed. Though the Union government has announced a minimum number of 125 days of work, there is no provision of ‘guaranteed’ work under the new Viksit Bharat G Ram G Bill. Also the funds required for carrying out labour work according to the new Act are to be shared in a 60:40 ratio. Restrictions on work under the new scheme during agricultural operation days, highly improved technology necessitating fewer number of workers and ultimate control of Union government about allocation of work, Aadhaar-based payment and attendance on mobile phones, besides geo-tracking of labourers were cited among other anti-labourer features of the new scheme. c m y b Ludhiana, December 21 A case of cow slaughter was reported late at night in the forest near the Garhi Bridge on the banks of the Sirhind Canal in Machhiwara. After getting information, Shiv Sena and Gau Raksha Dal activists, along with the police, conducted a raid and attempted to nab the accused. However, the accused attempted to run them over with a vehicle and managed to flee from the spot. The police team found six cow heads and a large quantity of meat from the spot, while 10 cows were also rescued. The police have registered a case and launched further investigation to identify the accused. Rajneesh Lakhanpal Ludhiana December 21 A local court today released Congress leader Inderjit Singh Indi after holding his arrest to be illegal. The court of Judicial Magistrate Shanu Goyal on Sunday ordered to discharge Inderjit Singh, alias Indi, in the case. Indi, husband of Congress councillor from ward No. 61 Parminder Kaur and a close associate of former cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, had been arrested by the Division No. 8 police on charges of attempt to murder and for allegedly obstructing an employee of the Horticulture Department from performing official duty. A battery of defence lawyers, appearing for Indi, submitted that the police had taken him into custody at 9.56 am on Saturday from his residence, which was captured on CCTV footage. However, as per the FIR, the police received information regarding the incident at 10.09 am Shiv Sena Punjab youth president Raman Wadhera said that he had received a tip-off that some people were slaughtering cows in the forest located on the Ropar road. Upon receiving the information, he immediately reached the spot with his team and Gau Raksha Dal activists. Upon seeing the activists, the accused panicked and tried to run them over with their vehicle in an attempt to escape. The accused then fled through the forest. Samrala DSP Tarlochan Singh, Machhiwara police station in charge Inspector Pavitra Singh and Samrala police station Inspector Harvinder Singh also conducted a raid. During the search operation, it seized a large quantity of meat and sharp weapons from the spot. A large pit was also found dug at the spot, possibly intended to bury the remains and heads of cows. Samrala DSP Tarlochan Singh said the police were also investigating whether the meat had been buried in the surrounding area before also. After registering a case, raids are being conducted to identify the accused involved in cow slaughtering. “One of the accused was living in a dera near the spot, from where severed heads of cows were found. Two other accused identified in the case were also residents of Machhiwara. Five to six police parties have been conducting raids to nab the accused involved in cow slaughtering,” said DSP Tarlochan. Ludhiana, December 21 Panic prevailed on Bahadarke Road this morning when a fire broke out at Ekta Dyeing, a local textile processing unit. The fire, which started from the facility’s boiler section, was controlled by the fire fighters, saving the rest of the unit from destruction. As per information, the fire brigade received an alert around 11.20 am and three fire tenders were sent to the spot immediately. The fire men managed to control the fire within an hour. Luckily, the site was cleared without any report of injury or loss of life. Although the exact reason of fire was yet to be ascertained, fire officials suspected that oil leaks within the boiler coils or high-pressure situation in the dyeing units often make these machines susceptible to such malfunctions, leading to fire at times. — TNS