13052026-LT-01.qxd 13-05-2026 00:38 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune SCRAPPING OF NEET-UG EXAM LEAVES ASPIRANTS IN A MESS National Testing Agency has scrapped NEET UG exam, citing reports of a question paper leak. P2 » SHEKHAR SUMAN IS BACK WITH HIS TALK SHOW After nearly 14 years of Movers & Shakers, the actor is back with his talk show Shekhar Tonite. P4 » ANJALI SIVARAMAN TO PLAY AMRITA SHER-GIL IN AMRI FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 37°C | MIN 23°C YESTERDAY MAX 37°C | MIN 24°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.06 PM Anjali Sivaraman will play legendary Indo-Hungarian painter Amrita SherGil in Mira Nair’s film Amri. P4 SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:32 AM » WEDNESDAY | 13 MAY 2026 | LUDHIANA Cyber criminals target city residents under garb of new e-challan system Targeting victims’ mobile phones by sending fake e-challan links, APK files Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 12 With the implementation of the e-challan system by the Ludhiana police, cyber fraudsters have also become active. AI-based cameras installed at 46 locations to monitor traffic violations are now being misused by the fraudsters. Under the garb of the new system, they are sending fake e-challan messages to random people and tricking them into downloading malicious apps on their mobiles. According to the police, many residents of the city have received such messages. The messages, under the pretext of paying a challan, ask users to download an APK file or click on a link to an unknown app. As soon as the file is downloaded, it consumes mobile data and gives control of the phone to cyber criminals. The fraudsters can then steal sensitive information related to bank accounts, UPI and credit cards. After the cases came to Nine types of violations are detected with help of Intelligent Traffic Management System. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN light, the Ludhiana police released a video message to alert the public. The police clarified that correct echallan information should only be accessed through the official platform of the Transport Department or the official transport app. People have been advised not to trust any links, apps or files received from unknown numbers. Police officials have appealed to citizens to remain alert and report if they get any suspicious message to the cyber helpline or the nearest police station. Assistant Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Jatin Bansal said with the launch of the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), the Ludhiana police have been issuing e-challans through AI cameras. Nine types of traffic violations were being detected, including driving without a helmet, pillion rider without helmet, triple riding, overspeeding, zebra crossing violation, wrong-side driving and wrong parking. “Whenever a traffic violation is captured and a challan is generated, an official message is sent to the vehicle owner along with a link for payment. One can also check the challan status on Parivahan app or other credible apps available on digital space. Now, some cyber miscreants are sending messages to random people with APK files or virus-infected links. Once clicked, financial apps may get compromised and cyber fraudsters may steal money,” Bansal said. The ACP also shared an awareness video on the official Ludhiana police social media page and urged the people to avoid clicking on suspicious links. He advised that before clicking on any link claiming to be an e-challan, it should be verified through official channels. MC poll nomination Family duped of ~1.40 cr, 6 booked process to begin today Mahesh Sharma Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 12 The State Election Commission has announced the schedule for filing nominations for the upcoming Municipal Council elections in various towns of the district. According to the poll programme, candidates can submit their nomination papers from May 13 to May 16 between 11 am and 3 pm. The scrutiny of nominations will be held on May 18 while candidates can withdraw their nominations till May 19. The authorities have also notified separate venues for submission of nomination papers in different towns. For the Municipal Council elections in Khanna, nominations will be accepted at the meeting hall of the Municipal Council on Amloh Road. In Samrala, candidates will file nominations at the SDM courtroom. For the Municipal Council election in Doraha, the venue for filing nominations has been fixed at the construction sub-division office of the PWD on GT Road. Meanwhile, candidates contesting elections in Payal, Jagraon and Raikot will submit their papers at the respective SDM office courtrooms. Polling for the Municipal continued on page 2 Raikot, May 12 The Ludhiana (rural) police have booked six persons, including a woman for allegedly duping a family of Akalgarh Sudhar of Rs 1.40 crore on the pretext of sending its four members to the United States. Simran Kaur of Golden Homes, Sector 124, Sunny Enclave, Kharar, her husband Bikram Singh, Kulbir Singh, Amanjot Singh (Kulbir’s son), Sahil and Agamjot Singh of Kharar, were booked under Sections 318 (4) and 61 (2) of the BNS and Section 13 of the Punjab Travel Professionals (Regulation) Act, 2014, at the Sudhar police station on Monday. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Karamjit Singh of Akalgarh and after conducting an inquiry under the supervision of the SSP Ludhiana , (Rural), Ankur Gupta, and SP (D) Rajan Sharma. The DSP Dakha, Karan , Singh Sandhu, has been directed to take up further investigation, keeping in view observations made by police officials earlier. Perusal of records revealed that Karamjit had made payments worth Rs 1.40 crore to the suspects through bank transfers and cash payments in various places during September 11, 2024, to January 1, 2025, following which a deadlock was created between the complainant and the accused. The key suspect, Simran Kaur, who is a close relative of the victim’s family, had assured Karamjit that she would ensure that all four members of Akalgarh family, including Karamjit, his wife and both sons, reach the United States as permanent residents within two months. Karamjit claimed that amounts totalling to Rs 1.40 crore had been paid to the suspects on different times after availing gold loan, selling jewellery and borrowing money from his friends and relatives. The complainant alleged that the suspects had stopped entertaining him whenever he tried to call them or visit their premises in Kharar. They also threatened him of dire consequences if they initiate any action against them. Sudhar SHO Gurdeep Singh said investigation was on in the case. Fire personnel douse the flames at a vacant plot near Aarti Chowk in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Vacant plots turn fire hazards Incident near Aarti Chowk creates panic in area Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 12 With summer heat intensifying in the city, incidents of fire in vacant plots have started surfacing, raising concerns among residents over the lack of maintenance of such sites. A fire broke out in a vacant plot near Aarti Chowk on Tuesday afternoon, creating panic in the area for some time. According to local residents, dry grass, shrubs and heaps of garbage lying on the plot caught fire due to the scorching heat. Thick smoke engulfed the surrounding area, causing inconvenience to commuters and nearby shopkeepers. Residents informed the fire brigade, fol- lowing which fire tenders reached the scene and controlled the blaze before it could spread further. People staying in the locality said vacant plots across the city had become dumping grounds for waste, dry leaves and other inflammable material. During summers, such material catches fire easily, posing a threat to nearby houses, commercial establishments and parked vehicles. Residents demanded that the Municipal Corporation should identify owners of the vacant plots and issue notices to them for proper cleaning and maintenance of their properties. They said many owners leave their plots unattended for years, allowing wild vegetation and garbage to accumulate, which increases chances of fire incidents during hot weather conditions. The residents also urged the MC authorities to conduct regular inspections and impose penalties on owners who fail to maintain cleanliness on their plots. Meanwhile, Fire Department officials appealed to the residents not to throw burning waste, cigarette butts or inflammable material in open plots. They said people should report any fire incident fast to avoid loss of life and property. Neeraj Jain, Zonal Commissioner, MC, said: “We will appeal to the owners to maintain their vacant plots as wild grass leads to fire in such places. We will run a campaign for the same also”. Woman booked for beating stray dog Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 12 A woman brutally beat a dog with sticks. The police registered a case and begun a probe based on a complaint from an animal welfare organisation. Mani Singh, head of the Help for Animals organisation and a member of People for Animals, stated in his complaint that he received a call from a woman, Kavita, informing him that a woman was brutally beating a dog with a stick in Jaspal Colony, Kakowal. When he rushed to the spot, he found the animal in a critical condition. Neighbours told him the act was carried out by a woman, Sabbu Nisha, also known as Chidiya. Without wasting any time, they admitted the injured dog to Wadhwa Vet Clinic. After examining the canine, doctors determined that assault with sticks had left deep wounds on its head. Based on a complaint from Mani and statements of colony residents, the Meharban police registered an FIR against the suspect under Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. 4 months after woman’s death, Donate illegal properties at Darbar Sahib: AAP spouse, in-laws face dowry case MLA Prashar dares Majithia amid graft row Autopsy report reveals victim was poisoned Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 12 Almost four months after the mysterious death of a woman in Ludhiana, the autopsy report has finally revealed the truth behind her death. The report has established that Nisha, a resident of Yamunanagar, had not faced a natural death rather she was poisoned to death. Earlier, the police had only initiated inquest proceedings in the case. But following the receipt of the post-mortem examination report, the Shimlapuri police here on Monday registered a case against her husband Sahil Saini, his mother Sunita and father Subhash Saini, residents of Karnal, Haryana, and uncle Satish on the complaint of Nisha’s father Mohan Lal and initiated an investigation. While speaking to the media, Mohan Lal, a resident of Yamunanagar in Haryana and a farmer by profession, said in early 2025, a marriage proposal for his daughter Nisha was brought by Sahil. The couple got married on April 6, 2025. Mohan alleged that their troubles began from the day of the wedding itself. He claimed that Sahil and other members of his family started harassing Nisha for dowry. Just days after the marriage, Sahil allegedly demanded Rs 8 lakh. He also allegedly beat Nisha and pressured her to bring a car from her parental home. In December, Sahil came to the Shimlapuri area of Ludhiana for work. Nisha continued to face atrocities at the hands of the suspects. On January 4, 2026, Nisha told her father that she was going to her sister-in-law Pooja’s house with her husband for a meal. After eating, she started vomiting and her condi- tion deteriorated rapidly. She was rushed to the PGIMER, where she died on January 12. Mohan alleged that he had been repeatedly telling the police that his daughter was poisoned by the suspects but the police did not take any action. Instead, they registered a DDR on the statement of Nisha’s mother, Krishna Devi. After the autopsy, the viscera report was sent for examination. Mohan accused the police of deliberately delaying the case. The deceased’s father revealed that in March, he approached the DGP’s office, after which police action picked up pace. On April 16, after the post-mortem report was received, the Shimlapuri police registered a case against the suspects on Mohan Lal’s complaint. Inspector Jatinder Kumar said the police would soon arrest all suspects. Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, May 12 AAP MLA Ashok Pappi Prashar on Tuesday openly challenged SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia, saying both should come to Darbar Sahib with details of their properties. “Whoever has properties acquired through illegal means should donate them right there at Darbar Sahib. If mine are illegal, I will donate them; if his are illegal, he will donate them. Everything will be cleared at Guru Ka Ghar itself,” the MLA said. Prashar’s reaction came after corruption charges levelled against him by Majithia in Chandigarh on Sunday. Majithia had alleged Prashar’s proximity with Nikhil Sabharwal, an associate who had claimed that money was transacted through his account on the MLA’s instructions. The MLA said the allega- c m y b MLA Ashok Pappi Prashar shows a document while addressing mediapersons in Ludhiana on Tuesday. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA tions against him were completely baseless. “These allegations have been made by Majithia and the BJP not , anyone else. The document being presented is not from a bank but it’s made by the BJP and Majithia, without any stamp,” he said. He presented his own documents before the media and said: “Look, these are the original documents, whereas those given by Majithia are fake. The same is solely being used as a tactic to defame me.” When asked why he had not raised the Nikhil Sabharwal matter earlier, Prashar replied that he removed Sabharwal when he started receiving proof against him and people began to complain. “No case was registered against him as his family came and pleaded for him to be forgiven for his wrongdoings,” he said. “Majithia has no work. He sits at home, speaks in English to show off, and has no purpose. He talks aimlessly, whereas we all know that he is the one responsible for snatching young sons from their mothers,” Prashar said while referring to the drug menace during SAD’s tenure. A few days ago, Sabharwal had claimed that money was collected from over 100 people on the pretext of providing jobs in the civic body at DC rates, but no appointments were made. He alleged that the collected amount was handed over to the MLA and later the responsibility was shifted onto him when people started demanding refunds. Sabharwal also alleged financial irregularities, claiming that Rs 30 lakh was transferred into his account by Municipal Corporation building inspector Harwinder Singh Makkar during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and was later routed to accounts linked to the MLA and his family members. He had alleged that the total transactions involved could be around Rs 10 crore and said he had documentary proof, including bank statements, to support his claims. Majithia had convened a press conference on Sunday in which he showed photographs and videos of Prashar and his family members with Sabharwal. He had asked why the AAP MLA was cutting cakes with him if there was no proximity between the two.