15012026-LT-01.qxd 1/15/2026 12:52 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune GIRLS FROM DIST BAG 20 MEDALS IN KARATE C’SHIP COLD WEATHER CAN INCREASE BRAIN STROKE RISK: DOCS Girls from Ludhiana won 20 medals at North India Open Karate Championship in Amritsar. P2 Residents told to remain alert as strokes are medical emergencies where timely treatment can save lives.P3 » » GET READY FOR COSMIC CHAOS THROUGH HUMOUR FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 17°C | MIN 5°C YESTERDAY MAX 16°C | MIN 5°C SUNSET THURSDAY 5.45 PM Actors Pulkit Samrat and Varun Sharma are in Chandigarh to promote their film, Rahu Ketu. P4 SUNRISE FRIDAY 7:19 AM » THURSDAY | 15 JANUARY 2026 | LUDHIANA Govt schools open to thin attendance Students commute in freezing temperatures, many parents refuse to send small kids Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 14 All government schools across the state reopened on Wednesday after the winter break. However, despite the biting cold — when the maximum temperature dipped to an alltime low of 9.2°C on Tuesday, the lowest in the past five decades — the decision to resume classes from Wednesday has raised concern among parents and teachers alike. On the first day, the schools witnessed low student attendance. Teachers reported that many students who cycled to school or were dropped off on two-wheelers by their kin had their hands turn blue due to the severe cold. Several parents have outrightly refused to send their wards to schools till there is some respite from the prevailing weather conditions. Dr PS Kingra, head of the Meteorological Department at the PAU, said Tuesday was the coldest day, with the maximum temperature plunging to 9.2°C while the minimum on Wednesday was recorded at around 4°C. The principal of a government senior secondary school here said students in schools running double shifts were facing multiple hard- A woman takes her child to school amid fog and biting cold in Ludhiana on Wednesday. ASHWANI DHIMAN ships. “The temperature was around 5°C when the school opened at 7:30 am. It means when students and teachers leave their homes, the temperature was even lower. In such extreme cold conditions, students and teachers are bound to fall sick. Students showed their hands, which had turned blue due to the cold. When the government had extended the winter break, it should have fur- ther extended to safeguard students during such adverse weather conditions,” the principal added. A teacher at the GSSS, Cemetery Road, said many parents had refused to send their small children to school. “There is not even 40 per cent attendance in primary sections on Wednesday. Parents who came to drop their wards requested us to be considerate towards small children who are made to wake up around 5:30 am to reach school by 7:30 am,” the teacher said. Meanwhile, government schools running double shifts up to Class X operate from 7:30 am to 12:15 pm for the first shift, followed by the second shift from 12:20 pm to 5:15 pm. Students also complained of poor visibility during both morning and evening hours, espe- cially those commuting by bicycle. Many reported continuous shivering even after reaching school. Several schools are running in double shifts, including those on Cemetery Road, GSS Multipurpose School and government schools at the PAU, Mundian, Kundanpuri, Model Town and others. Many private schools also reopened on Wednesday after the winter break. Mandi Ahmedgarh: Attendance at none of the schools could be termed good while there were several schools where only a few students turned up to attend classes. Drivers of school vehicles picking up students had to wait for long to collect children and in many cases, almost empty vehicles returned to their respective schools. Schools providing midday meal to their students had to delay preparation of meals with changes in menu as there were a significant number of late comers too. Confusion caused due to social media posts regarding extension of winter vacation in neighbouring states was cited to be a major reason behind poor attendance at most of the schools of the region. continued on page 2 District courts get bomb threat email again, turns out to be hoax Work affected, BJP leaders allege failure of law & order Rajneesh Lakhanpal Ludhiana, January 14 Panic gripped the District Courts Complex here on Wednesday after a bomb threat email was received on the official email ID of the Sessions Division, Ludhiana, from email ID - Veerapandian@outlook.com. The threat email was received on Wednesday morning before opening of the courts around 8.15 am. The staff concerned apprised senior officials about the matter. When the matter reached officiating District and Sessions Judge Saru Mehta Kaushik, the Commissioner of Police was informed. Sessions Judge Harpreet Kaur Randhawa was on leave on Wednesday. Additional Commissioner of Police Rupinder Singh said after receiving information, the police swung into action. Police officials started a search operation by deputing a bomb squad as well as dog squad. Heavy police personnel were deployed in the courts. However, after intense checking of hours, it was turned out be a hoax. DBA president Vipan Saggar flashed a message to lawyers around 8.28 am and urged them not to go to their chamber till the complex was searched properly by the police. Later, they were allowed to go to their chambers. He urged the local police to trace the mail ID swiftly and arrest the culprits. On January 8, a threat email was received, claiming that three RDX-based improvised explosive devices (IEDs), prepared using C-4 RDX, were planted at important locations in the court continued on page 2 Cops deployed at the court complex in Ludhiana on Wednesday. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN Firing during Lohri celebrations Surprise checking at rly station ahead of R-Day land two youngsters in trouble Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 14 Firing during the Lohri celebrations in the city proved costly for two youths. The police arrested them from the rooftop of a house in Mangat Colony. The police recovered two pistols, an airgun and a cartridge from the suspects. A case was registered against them under Section 125 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act. Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Jaspal Singh said on the evening of January 13, he was on patrol with a police team near the Kailash Nagar T-point. He received information that Suspects nabbed from house rooftop; two pistols, airgun seized some youths were drinking alcohol and carrying weapons on the roof of a house in front of Ravidas Dharamshala in Mangat Colony. It was learnt that the youths were firing indiscriminately in the air during the Lohri celebrations, which could endanger lives of local residents. The ASI said the police team took action and raided the location. The suspects, Navjot Singh, a resident of New Basant Vihar, and Man- ish of Vishal Colony, were arrested from the place. During the search, the police recovered two pistols, one airgun and one cartridge. Police officials said on Lohri, streets were crowded due to kite flying and celebrations. In such circumstances, the firing by the suspects, who were also reportedly drunk, could have led to a major tragedy. Following the arrest of the suspects, the police are now investigating whether the seized weapons are licensed or illegal and from where they obtained the same. Firing in the air would not be tolerated under any circumstances, they said. Ludhiana, January 14 The Ludhiana police and the Government Railway Police (GRP) are on full alert in view of the Republic Day celebrations in the city. On Wednesday, the police conducted a joint search operation at the railway station. In the operation carried out to crack down on drug smugglers and anti-social elements, around 50 police personnel searched every platform and suspicious locations at the station. ACP (Central) Anil Bhanot from the Ludhiana police, along with officials from zone 1 police stations, took part in the operation. Cops check luggage during a search operation at the railway station in Ludhiana. INDERJEET VERMA Police teams checked luggage of passengers present at the station and questioned anyone who appeared suspi- FIRING AT LUXURY CAR RENTAL SHOWROOM Gangster Kaushal’s questioning yet to establish his role Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 14 As the dreaded gangster of Gurugram Kaushal Chaudhary, who has been brought on a production warrant from Bhondsi jail on Tuesday by the Ludhiana rural police for his questioning in a firing incident at a luxury car rental showroom in Baddowal on Saturday, the police are expecting to crack the case soon. Police officials claimed that role of the gangster was yet to be established in the firing incident but the former also believe that further questioning might give them vital leads. A police official said Kaushal (40) had been into crime for a long time. With over 40 criminal cases against him across Haryana and Punjab, including murders, extortions, under Arms Act in Gurgaon alone, he was extradited from Dubai in 2019. Police officials outside the car rental showroom in Ludhiana where firing occurred. FILE Despite he has been in jail for years, continues to run his criminal network from behind bars. In 2018, an FIR was registered at Delhi’s Rohini police station against the suspect under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. The gangster was also brought recently on production warrant by the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate for questioning in connection with a firing at the house of retired naib subedar Nand Lal of Begoana village, falling under the jurisdiction of the Sadar police station. Two bikeborne persons had opened fire and left a slip mentioning the name of Kaushal and demanding Rs 5 crore extortion. However, the gangster had admitted that some gangsters sitting in foreign countries were using his name for extracting money from busi- nessmen and bigwigs. “The reason Kaushal was brought on production warrant by the Ludhaina rural police was that the slips left by two assailants had names of gangster Pawan Shokeen and Mohabbat Randhawa. Since both gangsters are his close associates, the police are suspecting that Kaushal could have hatched a conspiracy. Even a Rs 2-crore extortion c m y b was also demanded from the owner of the showroom after a few hours of firing,” a police official said. Chaudhary is also having ties with the Davinder Bambiha gang involved in extortion and contract killings. Kaushal, who has a grudge against dreaded gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, has already threatened to kill him. He accused of providing weapons to the Bambiha gang for the murder of Lawrence’s close associate, Vicky Middukhera. To avenge the murder, Lawrence had get Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala murdered. Afterwards, Kaushal openly threatened to kill Lawrence as well. Even before this, he had got firing done at the house of a businessman close to Lawrence in England and had set afire vehicles parked outside the house. cious. Platforms were thoroughly searched, including waiting rooms, parcel counter and parking area. The ACP clarified that the drive is not just for Wednesday. Tight security arrangements have been made ahead of the upcoming Republic Day celebrations. The joint checking campaign by the Ludhiana police and the GRP will continue in coming days. Similar checkpoints will be laid at the railway station, bus stands and other crowded areas in the city. He said under the operation, the police also checked if any passenger was carrying drugs and also kept a tab over peddlers roaming in and around the railway station. In coming days, the police will also check guests houses, hotels near the railway station to prevent the entry of any anti-social elements who might hire a room to commit any crime ahead of the Republic Day celebrations. 45 fall ill after consuming ‘prasad’ Condition of patients stated to be stable, says SHO Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, January 14 Around 45 persons reportedly taken ill after consuming ‘prasad’ at a religious place in the Ayali Kalan area on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on Wednesday. They were admitted to Raghunath Hospital and Mahal Hospital after they started complaining of vomiting and loose motions. The police and the Health Department are investigating the matter. Panic gripped the area when a large number of devotees complained of uneasiness after consuming prasad. According to information, a langar was organised at a religious place to mark the Makar Sankranti celebrations. Soon after consuming the prasad, the health of several devotees began to deteriorate. Around 45 persons complained of vomiting, diarrhoea and dizziness Devotees at a hospital in Ludhiana. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN and they were rushed to hospitals. A large number of people participated in the event. Following information about the incident, the administration and the Health Department initiated a probe to ascertain the cause of the illness. As per information, halwa served as prasad is suspected to have caused the alleged food poisoning. Meanwhile, the SHO concerned, Aditya Sharma, said the police were probing the matter and medical tests of the patients were underway. “Once doctors give a clear picture, we will be able to com- ment further. However, persons responsible for the same will not be spared. The condition of the patients is stated to be stable,” the SHO said. He added that halwa was prepared at a shop, for which order was placed by a family as “sewa”. “We have detained the person who has prepared the same and are looking into the matter,” Sharma said. Those admitted to hospitals include senior citizens, women and children. One of the patients, Manjit Kaur, said she had taken the prasad home and everyone who consumed it fell ill.