26022026-LT-01.qxd 2/26/2026 12:45 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune DERA BEAS CHIEF MEETS MINISTER MUNDIAN BREWS AND BOOKS AT CAFÉ ON SHIMLA’S MALL ROAD MEET THE MAN BEHIND SUPERCOP SHIVANI ROY Dera Beas chief Gurinder Singh Dhillon visited house of Punjab Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian. P2 Cafe on Mall Road in Shimla offers a variety of books and cuisines along with hot and cold beverages. P4 Mardaani 4 would happen only if we have a good story to tell, says director Abhiraj Minawala P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 29°C | MIN 13°C YESTERDAY MAX 29°C | MIN 13°C SUNSET THURSDAY 6.19 PM SUNRISE FRIDAY 6:51 AM » THURSDAY | 26 FEBRUARY 2026 | LUDHIANA Proposal to award solid waste mgmt contract to pvt firm raises eyebrows Execution of project involves about ~1,200 crore for initial eight years Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 25 The Municipal Corporation (MC) is in the process of floating tenders for solid waste management, the nod for which was given during the recent General House meeting. Ever since the proposal to award the contract to a private company was mooted, eyebrows have been raised over the execution of the project, as it involves about Rs 1,200 crore for the initial eight years. The contract is likely to be extended for around 24 years thereafter, and the cost is expected to increase further. Not only have Opposition leaders questioned the whopping amount to be paid to the private player for lifting garbage, officials in the MC are also in a tizzy over the issue of funds, as the civic body’s Garbage dumped in the open near the VB's office in Ludhiana. FILE coffers are nearly empty. “We will be under tremendous pressure to generate funds to pay the contractor. No doubt it would be an integrated project for which funds will be required from several quarters, but before jumping to any conclusion, we must face the reality that we have no funds. At present, the MC is spending approximately Rs 1,000 per tonne for the disposal of solid waste and Rs 1,200 crore would mean it may cost over Rs 3,000 per tonne. We have a few schemes through which funds can be generated but what about the remaining whopping amount? And it is an election year, no one knows which government will take over the reins. Such a step would put an unnecessary burden on MC officials,” said a senior official on condition of anonymity. At the same time, a few other officials maintained that in metropolitan cities, the cost of lifting garbage ranges between Rs 4,000 and Rs 5,000 per tonne while in Punjab it was much lower. “If garbage is not lifted that too becomes a major issue. We had started night patrolling to catch those throwing solid waste on roads and in vacant plots. Videos of violations are made and sent to the Human Rights Commission and we landed in trouble again due to the same. The issue needs to be resolved,” rued an official. In January 2026, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) imposed a ?1.54 crore fine on the Ludhiana MC for improper waste management and failure to clear legacy waste. What MC chief says MC Commissioner Neeru Katyal said solid waste management was a major issue in the city that needs urgent attention. She said it would be an integrated project, starting from lifting of garbage to its proper disposal and all funds would not be required immediately. “We will float tenders and accordingly award the contract. Funds would be generated as and when required. Initially, there would be a requirement of about Rs 200 crore and gradually we will require and generate more funds,” she said. 20-year-old student shot dead, five friends booked One of suspects had a pistol; raids on to nab them Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 25 A 20-year-old youth died after being shot allegedly by friends in the Laxmi Nagar area of Haibowal here on Tuesday night. The deceased, identified as Pankaj, was a college student pursuing BA. The police registered a murder case against five friends of the victim. One of them was reportedly possessing a weapon. The deceased’s father, Manoj Kumar, a resident of Chandar Nagar, said Pankaj was a student of Arya College. He left the house after lunch, saying he was going to meet his friends. On Tuesday night around 9:15 pm, he received a call from his son’s friend who informed that Pankaj was injured and was admitted to the DMCH. However, when he reached the hospital, he found that his son had died due to a gunshot injury. Pankaj, the deceased MURDER MYSTERY WILL BE SOLVED AFTER SUSPECTS’ ARREST: COP “Once the suspects are caught, the mystery behind the murder will be unravelled,” SHO, Haibowal, SI Krishan Kumar, said. He claimed that a licensed weapon was used in the murder. Details of the weapon’s owner would be known after arrest of the miscreants. Station House Officer (SHO), Haibowal, SI Krishan Kumar said as per the statement of the deceased’s father, his son seemed to have been shot dead by his friends. So far, a case on the charges of murder, criminal conspiracy and under the Arms Act was registered against the youth’s friends, Varun, Kaif, Garry, Nishant and Avi, and further investigation was launched. The deceased received the bullet injury at the house of Varun in Laxmi Nagar. “The suspects are at large and raids are being conducted to nab them. Once they are caught, the mystery behind the murder will be unravelled,” he said. The SHO claimed that a licensed weapon was used in the murder. Details of weapon’s owner would be known after arrest of the suspects. ADCP-3 Kanwalpreet Singh said after the arrests of deceased’s friends the reason behind his death would be known. Sources said Varun was possessing a .30 bore licensed pistol. Couple takes away e-rickshaw after Food van service launched at rly station Passengers to get packaged food items at reasonable prices through facility throwing chilli powder into driver’s eyes Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Victim forced to run from pillar to post to get FIR filed, appeals to CP for justice Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 25 A man, along with his female accomplice, robbed an e-rickshaw driver of his vehicle after throwing chili powder into his eyes. While the culprits managed to flee the scene with ease, the victim is now being forced to run from pillar to post to get an FIR registered. Desperate for help, the victim has appealed to the Commissioner of Police (CP) for justice. Ram Prakash, a resident of Daba Road, Shimlapuri, submitted a written complaint, stating that he sup- ports his family by driving an e-rickshaw. He said on February 23, around 9 pm, he picked up a man and a woman from under the Giaspura bridge. He dropped them near Gill Garden at Ishar Nagar Chowk. However, the passengers asked him to drop them a little ahead of the spot. Engaging the driver in conversation, the suspects suddenly threw chili powder into his eyes and took away his e-rickshaw. After committing the crime, they fled the scene. The complainant stated that he initially approached the Marado police post to file a report. At that time, it recorded a preliminary (informal) report and asked him to return with his insurance documents and the erickshaw bill. The next morning, when he returned with documents, a policeman told him that since he had picked up passengers from Giaspura, he should go to the Giaspura police post. When he went there, an official sent an employee, Sham Lal, to inspect the crime scene. After the inspection, they claimed that the area fall under the jurisdiction of the Sherpur police post. When he reached the place, officials there told him to go to the Marado police post again, claiming that the incident actually occurred in its jurisdiction. The victim lamented that he had been sent from one police post to another since the morning without receiving any justice. He mentioned that he had financed the e-rickshaw to feed his family and had not even paid off its instalments so far. Ludhiana, February 25 The ‘food van’ service was inaugurated on Wednesday at the Ludhiana railway station under the Ferozepur Division of the Northern Railway. The facility has been started in the circulating area of the station near the unreserved ticket office under the Non-Fare Revenue (NFR) scheme. The objective of the initiative was to provide passengers with clean, high-quality and affordable meals on the station premises. Through the food van, passengers are being offered breakfast, lunch, dinner, fast food, juices, soups and packaged food items at reasonable prices. Senior Divisional Commer- The food van launched at the railway station in Ludhiana on Wednesday. cial Manager Paramdeep Singh Saini said the facility would particularly benefit long-distance and waiting passengers. Keeping passenger convenience on mind, such services would be expanded to Smuggler held with 5-kg opium, 30-kg poppy husk Youth abducted, assaulted over Suspect, two accomplices used to bring narcotics from other states at cheap prices to sell in city suspicion of pigeon theft Nikhil Bhardwaj a driver for the canter Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 25 The Ludhiana police claimed to have nabbed a drug smuggler and recovered 5.060 gm of opium and 30 kg of poppy husk from his possession. The suspect was identified as Jagmel Singh, alias Happy (42 ), a resident of Balara Bana village in Samrala. Jaskiranjit Singh Teja, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural), Ludhiana, Jashandeep Singh Gill, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone-4, Inderjit Singh Boparai, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Industrial Area A, and Inspector Bhupinder Singh addressed a press conference in this regard. Teja while addressing the media said on February 24, a police team was present near Shiv Chowk when information was received that Jagmel Singh, alias Happy, Taranpreet Singh of Tibba village, Ludhiana, who were involved in drug smuggling, used to bring poppy husk and opium Cops address mediapersons in Ludhiana on Wednesday. ASHWANI DHIMAN from outside states at cheap prices and sell it at high prices in Ludhiana. As per information, Jagmel was coming to Transport Nagar in a canter, carrying a large quantity of opium and poppy husk for Taranpreet Singh and Happy, residents of Tibba. Acting on the tip-off, a naka was laid at a strategic point and after intercepting the canter, its driver Jagmel was detained. The police searched the canter and recovered 5.060 gm of opium, 30 kg of crushed poppy seeds hidden in a cabin of the vehicle. Jagmel was arrested on the spot, the DCP said. He claimed that a police team was conducting raids to nab the remaining two sus- pects, Taranpreet Singh owner of the vehicle, and Happy. More important revelations were likely to be made after the suspect was produced in a court and the police remand was obtained. During interrogation of Jagmel, it has been revealed that the owner of the canter was Tarunpreet. Jagmel was hired as c m y b three months ago. Tarunpreet is the uncle of Happy. The three suspects used to bring poppy husk and opium from other states in the canter at a cheap price and sell it at a high price in the city and its adjoining areas. As per the plan orchestrated by the canter owner, Jagmel loaded bicycles from Ludhiana in the canter on February 17 to be delivered at Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh) and after unloading the cycles there, he returned from that area and loaded empty plastic bottles in the canter. Acting on instructions of Tarunpreet, Jagmel obtained opium, which was wrapped in a plastic envelope, and poppy husk, which was in a plastic bag, from an unidentified person from Mansore town in MP and brought it to Ludhiana by hiding the same in the canter. Now, further questioning of the suspect would lead the police to big suppliers of MP involved in drug smuggling, said the ACP . Ludhiana, February 25 In Gorsian Khan Mohammad village of the Sidhwan Bet area, a group of individuals kidnapped a youth, Harpreet Singh, from his house on February 21, suspecting him of stealing pigeons. They took the victim to their residence, tied him to a pillar and brutally assaulted him with sticks and belts. The suspects recorded the entire incident and shared the video on social media. Harpreet continued to plead his innocence but the assailants ignored his cries and continued the assault. After getting information, Harpreet’s father went to the suspect’s house accompanied by the police. The police team rescued Harpreet and took him to the station. He was later taken to the Civil Hospital, Jagraon. He got injuries on his back and legs. His family said a local family lost their pigeons and suspected that Harpreet had stolen the same. Despite his repeated denials of allegations, the attackers showed no mercy. The police said a probe was launched. — TNS other railway stations in the future. The initiative aims to provide better amenities to passengers while simultaneously strengthening sources of NFR income for the railways. Railway officials said pas- sengers appreciated the launch of the food van at the railway station. The authorities would also ensure that quality and fresh food be sold through the facility to the passengers. Woman posing as police official extorts money from truckers, arrested Tribune News Service Ludhiana, February 25 A woman posing as a police inspector, who was allegedly extorting money from people while wearing a police uniform at Transport Nagar here, was caught late on Tuesday night. The suspect was making illegal collection in the name of checking documents by claiming to be a police employee. On suspicion, when truck drivers asked the woman to show her police ID card, she failed to produce the same, following which they called the PCR. The suspect, identified as Ramandeep Kaur, was stated to be a resident of Gurdaspur. The police registered a case and launched further investigation. Sources said the woman had been extorting money for several days She would come under the guise of checking, ask- Was collecting money in name of checking documents ing for documents from drivers and then find some fault and extort money. Truck drivers were upset due to the same. They thought that the woman was a police inspector due to which they were unable to protest. However, some of them got suspicious as she did not had any gunman or employee with her. DCP Jaskiranjit Teja said the police launched a probe to check from where she obtained the uniform and whether she is affiliated with any organised gang. Mobile call records and past criminal history were also being examined to determine if it was part of a larger network targeting truck drivers in the night, he added.