24032026-LT-01.qxd 3/23/2026 10:31 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune CIVIC BODY SET TO PRESENT ~1,258.8-CR BUDGET TODAY VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS FLAG INFRA GAPS, LACK OF SCRIBES THE CURTAIN FALLS ON LAKME FASHION WEEK The budget, which sees a significant increase as compared to last year, will be presented today in House meeting. P2 Visually impaired students highlighted infrastructural shortcomings at the educational institutes in the city . P3 Gen Z face Aneet Padda’s ensemble, designed by Aneeth Arora, captured a refined, yet playful narrative. P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 28°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 26°C | MIN 11°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6.40 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:24 AM » TUESDAY | 24 MARCH 2026 | LUDHIANA Tension in Khanna locality after sacrilege incident; two arrested 2 minors detained; people living illegally in shanties under lens Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 23 A shocking incident of sacrilege of Gutka Sahib came to light in Anand Nagar locality of Khanna today, sparking widespread outrage among the Sikh community. The entire act has been captured on CCTV cameras, which purportedly show three children tearing the holy pages (angs) and scattering them on the road. Upon finding the sacrilege, a large number of residents gathered at the spot, expressing deep resentment. SP (H) Khanna, Harpinder Kaur Gill, while addressing the media, stated that a very unfortunate incident occurred in the Anand Nagar area under City-2 police station, Khanna. This led to resentment and anger among the public. A police team was formed to ensure that the public received accurate information. A case was registered and two persons, including mother and maternal grandfather of one of the children who was caught in the CCTV footage while committing sacrilege, were arrested. The SP maintained that as the children involved were under 18, so the proceedings would be followed under the Juvenile Justice Act, and they would be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board. Interrogation of the mother and grandfather is currently going on. Sikh community members check the torn pages (angs) of a Gutka Sahib at the site in Khanna. The SP noted that many individuals living in shanties (jhuggies) had not undergone mandatory police verification and were residing there illegally. Legal action is being initiated against the property owners for failing to verify their tenants. “We urge the public that if you keep a tenant, ensure that police verification has been completed. Failure to follow the law makes you complicit if those tenants engage in illegal activities,” the SP warned. Sources said that notices had already been issued to the people to vacate the shanties. Even their identity is also being verified as some people raised allegations that these people had come from other states and their motive needed to be verified. Meanwhile, multiple police parties have been dispatched to investigate the case from various angles. Preliminary leads suggest that the children may have been misled or manipulated into this act by others, the SP said, adding that the police would investigate who provided the Gutka Sahib to the children and names of certain suspects had also surfaced and were being verified. She emphasized that children typically do not pos- sess such a mindset, if they had been told to commit this act, then the perpetrators would not be spared. The Khanna police confirmed that the situation was currently peaceful. The police appealed to the citizens to remain calm while the investigation uncovered the facts. Teams of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) also reached the spot to collect and secure the scattered pages of the Gutka Sahib. Paramjit Singh, a member of the SGPC team, condemned the act and demanded strict action against those responsible. Cong protest, demand ~1K financial guarantee Ludhiana, March 23 Women leaders and supporters of the Congress staged a protest, demanding that the Punjab government fulfil its promise of giving Rs 1,000 per month to women by providing Rs 48,000 to them as arrears over four years. The demonstration was not only a call for accountability, but also a sharp rebuke of what participants described as “empty guarantees”. In a mocking tone, many women declared that this was a fight against “Yudh Gappan Viruddh”, a battle against tall promises that remain unfulfilled. The protest was aimed at reminding the government of its guarantee of Rs 1,000 per month and exposing ‘government’s negligence’. Former minister and MLA Rakesh Pandey led the demonstration, declaring that the government had failed to honour its commitment to women. “This is not about slogans or empty promises. It is about dignity and rights. Our sisters deserve what was promised to them,” he said while addressing the gathering. “We were told that we would get support every year, but the announcement came in the last year of the government. We should get arrears as well,” said Sunita Devi, a local resident. “This money was not charity, it was our right. The government must respect its word,” added Kamlesh Kaur, another participant in the protest. — TNS A road cave-in near Arya Senior Secondary School, old Sabji Mandi road. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN Road cave-in near school sparks safety concerns Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 23 A fresh road cave-in was reported near Arya Senior Secondary School on old Subzi Mandi road today, raising alarm among commuters and shopkeepers on the busy stretch. Bricks, potted plants and plastic sheets were hastily placed around the crater to prevent accidents, but residents fear such temporary measures are inadequate for a longterm hazard. Davider, a shopkeeper near the school, said the proximity of the collapse to the educational institution made the situation particularly worrying. “Immediate steps must be taken so that no untoward incident hap- Warring, Ashu differences ‘fuelling’ factionalism in dist Cong Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 23 Factionalism in Punjab Congress seems to have percolated into the Ludhiana District Congress as well. There seems to be clear division between supporters of the PCC president, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring — who is also the local MP — and those of former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu. This is primarily due to strong differ- ences between Warring and Ashu, who were otherwise very close before the 2024 parliamentary elections. By and large, majority of Congress leaders in Ludhiana, including former MLAs like Sanjay Talwar, Kuldeep Singh Vaid, Rakesh Pandey, Surinder Dawer, Simarjit Singh Bains and senior leaders like Pawan Dewan are rallying behind Warring. However, this is probably because he happens to be the local MP as well as the PCC president. Recently, a senior party leader and former state general secretary Gurmail Singh Pehalwan held a separate meeting with some leaders and former councillors of the party, alleging that they were being ignored and marginalised. Confirming the meeting, Pehalwan accused DCC president Sanjay Talwar of encouraging factionalism. “Talwar is the DCC president, and under the new scheme, the DCC president will have a significant say in allotting tickets,” he said, adding that, “Talwar, being himself a ticket aspirant, is trying to sideline leaders and workers like me.” Before Talwar, Pehalwan had contested from the Ludhiana East Assembly segment. Warring has tried to maintain distance from local politics. Otherwise, the local MP tends to be more involved. He is understood to have given full authority to the DCC president. However, senior party leader Pawan Dewan said that there was no factionalism in the Congress in Ludhiana. He said only one leader was working independently, while the rest of the leadership was united. He added that Warring had been taking everyone along. At the same time, he said party activities would begin very soon as the election year had started. A few Congress leaders said there was no office for leaders to hold meetings. “We cannot go to the DCC president’s office every time to hold meetings. This is the time when we should be together and move strategically, but here everyone is working independently,” rued another leader, wishing not to be quoted. Despite repeated attempts, DCC president Sanjay Talwar could not be contacted for comments. pens,” he urged. Residents pointed out that repeated collapses across the city point to deeper structural problems beneath Ludhiana’s thoroughfares. With heavy traffic and dense commercial activity, such cave-ins pose risks not only to vehicles, but also to pedestrians and nearby businesses. A teacher from Arya school added that they had tried to get a complaint registered with the authorities concerned as this cave-in needed to be repaired immediately. “School students of all age groups come from this road every day and it should be repaired immediately to avoid any untoward incident,” she said. Another road cave-in at Mintgumri Chowk in Model Town today is third in less than a year. A police barricade was put over the cave-in as a precaution. Residents insist that patch work is no longer enough as cave-ins have happened earlier also. “These are not isolated accidents, but symptoms of a larger infrastructure crisis that requires urgent intervention,” said a resident of Harnam Nagar. Local activist Arvind Sharma warned that poor drainage and reckless digging were creating dangerous conditions. The cave-in is due to sewerage pipe leakage, he said, adding that civic apathy was compounding the crisis. Man hit by speeding car, dies Ludhiana, March 23 A pedestrian was killed after being hit by an over-speeding car in Salem Tabri area. The deceased has been identified as 30-year-old Kuldeep Kumar, a resident of Thala village in Jalandhar. Upon receiving the information, the Salem Tabri police reached the spot, took custody of the body and sent it to the Civil Hospital for a post-mortem examination. Investigating officer Javed stated that Kuldeep used to work as a cart-puller (rehriwala) and was the only son of his parents. He was hit by the car while he was walking in Salem Tabri locality, resulting in his death on the spot. Further legal action has been initiated based on the statements provided by the family members following the autopsy. To identify the car driver who fled the spot, the police were scanning CCTV footage from cameras installed near the site of the accident. — TNS LPG shortage: Fraudsters target Devp works in one part of city trigger traffic chaos people through fake SMS, links Manav Mander Tribune News Service Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, March 23 Fraudsters have come up with a new modus operandi during the ongoing LPG shortage. They are sending fake SMS/WhatsApp links, claiming urgent LPG booking or KYC update amid gas shortage rumours. Clicking such links or sharing OTP/bank details can lead to financial fraud, according to the police. It has issued this advisory and urged people to be aware and do not fall prey to such allurements regarding the LPG cylinder booking. It is learnt that scamsters call household owners posing as representatives of official LPG providers such as Indane (Indian Oil), Bharat Gas (BPCL) or HP Gas (Hindustan Petroleum). They first try to build a trust with the potential victims and then take personal details like registered mobile number, registration number of LPG, address and they share links Fake messages being sent by cyber criminals to victims. via WhatsApp /SMS for booking and verification. Once the person clicks on the links, a website looking like LPG providers opens up, which asks the victims to transfer money and they lose control over the mobile phones on the pretext of booking. In an advisory shared by the Ludhiana police on its official Facebook page and other social media handles, it clearly states that do not click unknown links, never share OTP or bank details. In fact, people should immediately report suspicious calls/messages to 1930 or visit cybercrime.gov.in. Police sources said that Lud- hiana district had received around six complaints pertaining to the ongoing LPG crisis in which cyber criminals targeted them by sending messages offering early booking of cylinders. “Mobile phones of some people were hacked by the criminals, but fortunately miscreants failed to steal the money. Victims after sensing the trouble had immediately raised complaint with the cyber helpline,” added an official. Officials said some of the potential victims had received messages that their LPG cylinders might face disconnection and pressed them to click on the links immediately. Innocent people considering the messages to be true, click on the links and lose control over their mobile phones to the miscreants. Officials added that some miscreants also make phone calls amid reports of perceived shortages, panic booking and supply concerns linked to escalating war in West Asia. Ludhiana, March 23 Development activity concentrated just to one part of Ludhiana has added chaos to traffic, with several sites dug up at the same time. Instead of easing lives, overlapping construction projects have left commuters battling gridlock. From Damoria Bridge to the Jagraon flyover, diversions and closures have turned once-busy routes into daily choke points. This has led to frustration among residents, who feel progress has come at the cost of planning, especially as the pace of development has picked up in the shadow of the approaching 2027 elections. The Clock Tower and Mata Rani Chowk areas, once manageable thoroughfares, are now choked with traffic due to diversions from multiple construction sites. On one side, the Domoria Bridge road is under construction, forcing vehicles to funnel through Clock Tower and the Lakkar Bridge flyover. Residents recall that the bridge c m y b Commuters stuck in a traffic jam due to the closure of Damoria bridge in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN had already been closed for an extended period when railway lines were laid, and now the roadwork has added another layer of disruption. “Both these works could have been done together. My son’s school is on the other side of Domoria bridge, and I have to take a longer route while moving through traffic jam,” lamented Subhash, a local resident. A few kilometers away, the Jagraon bridge flyover near Chand Cinema is also under partial maintenance. With only one side of the bridge open, traffic is being re-routed, adding to the congestion around the Clock Tower. “There is huge traffic concentration around the Clock Tower due to ongoing construction works. Development works are for the people, but they should have been started in a systematic manner, so that one area is not over-congested with traffic,” said another commuter Ravinder Singh. The ripple effect extends further. In Salem Tabri, road construction has begun, leaving drivers struggling to navigate uneven and congested stretches. Residents argue that the overlapping timelines of these projects are compounding the city’s traffic woes. Another citizen pointed out the political undertones of the sudden surge in activity. “As elections are approaching, development works have gained pace. But these works should have been completed if planned in a systematic manner, rather than starting at once. It seems more like an election propaganda,” he remarked. The common sentiment among Ludhiana’s residents is not opposition to development itself, but to the lack of coordination. “With multiple projects concentrated in close proximity, commuters are left stranded in long jams, schoolchildren get late and businesses face logistical hurdles,” adds Kamalpreet, a resident of Daresi area. While the city awaits the completion of these projects, the immediate need is for better traffic management and phased planning. Development is meant to ease lives, but for now, Ludhiana’s residents are paying the price of progress with hours lost in gridlock, says a teacher from nearby Kamla Lotia College.