03062026-LT-01.qxd 6/3/2026 12:45 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune CONGRESS HOLDS PROTEST OVER PAPER LEAKS Local unit of the Congress holds protest over spate of paper leaks that have rocked the country. P2 » THE NEXT CLASS WITH ADITI ARYA KOTAK B’WOOD DIVAS BEAT THE HEAT IN BREEZY YELLOW OUTFITS The former Miss India World makes her debut as host with Edstead’s new docu-series. P4 Yellow is the colour of the summer season and our Bollywood actresses surely know how to nail it. P4 » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 39°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 38°C | MIN 24°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7.20 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:21 AM » WEDNESDAY | 3 JUNE 2026 | LUDHIANA Cops bust inter-dist ATM theft gang HPV vaccine drive extended as uptake remains low in dist operating from Amritsar; 2 arrested Manav Mander Tribune News Service Firearms, cutting equipment seized | Five ATM thefts in city, Jalandhar cracked Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 2 The Ludhiana commissionerate police have successfully dismantled an organised inter-district ATM thieves’ gang. The kingpin of the gang is already facing 21 criminal cases, including murder and other serious cases. Six members of the gang from Amritsar had been targeting ATMs in the state. Police teams arrested two key operatives and recovered a .32 bore pistol with two cartridges, an industrial gas cutter set, a gas cylinder, a portable cutting machine and a Maruti Suzuki Ertiga vehicle (PB 01 D 0707) from them. Commissioner of Police (CP), Ludhiana, Swapan Sharma, said the arrests follow a criminal attempt during the intervening night of May 19 and 20 near Noorwala Road, Shivpuri Chowk. While the suspects were cutting an ATM vault, an electrical short-circuit triggered a fire, forcing them to flee. Intercepted CP Swapan Sharma addresses mediapersons in Ludhiana on Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN KINGPIN FACES 21 CRIMINAL CASES CP Swapan Sharma said the nabbed kingpin of the gang, Deepak Kumar, alias Deepu Bihari, of Sultanwind, Amritsar, was a habitual offender with 21 registered cases between 2007 and 2022, including attempt to murder, murder, robbery, Arms Act, Prisons Act, and NDPS Act violations, across Amritsar and Bathinda. by a PCR Tango-6 patrol team, the suspects opened direct fire upon police personnel to evade arrest. Consequently, an FIR was registered at the Basti Jodhewal police station on May 20 under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Sharma said using advanced technical and electronic intelligence, police teams first apprehended Jasminder Singh, alias Jass, on May 25, along with the vehicle. His disclosure revealed that a sixmember gang from Amritsar had travelled to Ludhiana to target the ATM. Acting on his pointers, the police raided a hideout on Tuesday and arrested the second core operative, Deepak Kumar, alias Deepu Bihari, recovering the weapon used against the PCR team from his possession. The CP said the gang conducted daytime recces of isolated ATMs and targeted them at night using hightemperature gas cutters. They have confessed to multiple ATM robberies across Ludhiana, Jalandhar, and other districts of Punjab. CP Swapan Sharma said the nabbed kingpin of the gang, Deepak Kumar, alias Deepu Bihari, of Sultanwind, Amritsar, was a habitual offender with 21 registered cases between Picturesque 2007 and 2022, including attempt to murder, murder, robbery, Arms Act, Prisons Act, and NDPS Act violations, across Amritsar and Bathinda. The other suspect, Jasminder Singh, alias Jass, of Tarn Taran road, Amritsar, has no case filed against him. “Preliminary interrogation has successfully cracked five major inter-district cases, which were lying untraced at Jalandhar Cantt police station, Rama Mandi police station in Jalandhar, Phagwara Sadar police station and two cases at Jodhewal police station in Ludhiana. The suspects had stolen over Rs 20 lakh in these cases,” he said. He said the suspects were being produced in a court to obtain extended police remand for further interrogation, asset recovery and tracing their links. Special teams were actively raiding suspected hideouts to arrest the four remaining absconding accomplices. Ludhiana, June 2 The 90-days HPV vaccination campaign in Ludhiana, initially launched with a target of 40,000 girls, has been extended by another 90 days after only 825 vaccinations were completed so far. The drive was launched on March 5 in the district. Concerned by the low numbers, the Health Department decided to prolong the drive, noting that recent awareness efforts such as workshops in schools and sessions during parent-teacher meetings have begun to yield results. The pace of immunisation is gradually picking up, with 300 girls vaccinated on Monday and 225 on Tuesday, prompting officials to continue the campaign in hopes of covering more ground before the new deadline. A special coordination meeting was held at the Community Health Centre, Sudhar, to review the progress of the HPV vaccination campaign and ensure coverage of all remaining eligible beneficiaries. It was chaired by District Immunisation Officer Harpreet Singh and Senior Medical Officer, CHC Sudhar, Campaign extended by another 90 days as only 825 vaccinations were completed so far Davinder Kumar. Religious leaders, village panchs and sarpanchs, lady health visitors, auxiliary nurse midwives, ASHA workers and other healthcare staff were also called in the meeting to understand the importance of vaccination so that they could propagate further. During the meeting, Dr Harpreet Singh said the special HPV vaccination campaign for girls who had completed 14 years of age but have not yet turned 15 had been extended for another 90 days. He said the primary objective of the Health Department was to ensure that no eligible girl was deprived of the lifesaving vaccine and 100 per cent coverage was achieved. He explained that the HPV vaccine was an effective preventive measure against cervical cancer and protects girls from the risk of developing serious diseases in the future. The vaccine has been proven safe and effective worldwide City pacer Aradhya Shukla called up as net bowler for Afghanistan Test Anil Datt A tree with yellow flowers in full bloom makes for a beautiful view at the PAU in Ludhiana. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN City bizman booked for ~1.05-cr fraud Ludhiana, June 2 A textile businessman was defrauded of Rs 1.05 crore. The suspect initially gained the trust of the complainant and purchased a large quantity of goods but then reneged on the payment. Following a probe, the police registered a and was considered an important public health intervention. Civil Surgeon, Dr Ramandeep Kaur emphasised that special vaccination sessions will continue to be organised in schools and communities to reach all remaining eligible girls. Health workers were instructed to prepare village-wise beneficiary lists, conduct door-to-door outreach and ensure that no eligible beneficiary was left behind. The need for stronger coordination with the Education Department and the Department of Women and Child Development was also highlighted. Religious leaders and representatives of local self-government institutions were requested to create awareness among community members about benefits of the vaccine and to help dispel myths and misconceptions related to it. Lady Health Visitors, Auxiliary Nurse Midwives, and ASHA workers were also instructed to ensure the proper utilisation of all vaccines and to follow the principle of using vaccines with earlier expiry dates first, thereby preventing vaccine wastage. continued on page 2 case on Tuesday. The case was registered on the basis of a complaint from Dinesh Agarwal, owner of MGK Fabric Private Limited, located on Tajpur Road. He told the police that the suspect defrauded him in the name of a business transaction. A thor- ough probe by senior officials into the transaction, which took place before October 28, 2025, found that the complaint was true. Following the same, the police registered a case against the suspect. The suspect has been identified as Prabhsimran Singh, who owns Arvind Knitwear, located on RK Road. As per the complaint, the suspect bought fabrics worth around Rs 1.05 crore from the firm of the complainant. After taking delivery of the goods, he failed to pay or provide any satisfactory explanation. — TNS Ludhiana, June 2 Hard work, perseverance and belief in his abilities have paid rich dividends for talented city pacer Aradhya Shukla as he has been called up as a net bowler for India cricket team, which is hosting Afghanistan for a one-off Test and three one-day internationals (ODIs). Aradhya got the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) call-up ahead of the Test match to be played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur (Mohali), from June 6 to 10. The assignment is another milestone in the young cricketer’s rapidly growing career. For Aradhya, who has worn India colours at the junior level, the opportunity to share the dressing room and training facilities with some of the country’s biggest stars is a reward for his recent performances as well as a chance to showcase his talent. He is no stranger to national recognition. The right-arm DONNED NATIONAL COLOURS IN PAST Aradhya Shukla is no stranger to national recognition. The right-arm pacer represented India in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai and featured in the ICC under-19 World Cup in South Africa, earning praise for his disciplined bowling and ability to deliver under pressure. However, the road since has not been without challenges. pacer represented India in the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup in Dubai and featured in the ICC under-19 World Cup in South Africa, earning praise for his disciplined bowling and ability to deliver under pressure. However, the road since has not been without challenges. After battling fitness concerns and spending considerable time working on physical conditioning, Aradhya returned to competitive cricket this season with renewed determination. His comeback could not have been scripted any better. The young speedster emerged as the highest wicket-taker for Punjab in the PCA U-23 Multi-Day State Championship, claiming 21 wickets in just five matches. What made the achievement even more noteworthy was that most of the matches were played on pitches that offered substantial assistance to spinners, making life difficult for fast bowlers. Despite the conditions, Aradhya consistently troubled batters with his pace, accuracy and intelligent use of the new and old ball. His ability to extract movement early in the innings and maintain control during long spells made him one of the standout performers of the tournament. His coach, Amandeep Singh, believes the youngster’s recent success is the result of hard work and a professional approach towards the game. “Aradhya has shown tremendous commitment over the last year. He worked on his fitness and bowling, and the results are now visible. He has the ability to bowl fast while maintaining accuracy. He can be equally effective with new and the old ball. Being selected as a net bowler for the Indian team is a well-deserved recognition,” he adds. He said such assignments have often served as stepping stones for emerging cricketers, allowing them to test their skills against elite players and gain insights into the demands of international cricket. According to those close to the player, Aradhya remained focussed during difficult phases and never lost sight of his goals. His strong performances this season reaffirmed his reputation as one of the state’s most promising pacers continued on page 2 Samrala woman weaves success story via jute bags Two miscreants open fire at PSPCL 54-yr-old Charanjit Kaur turns inspiration for others, her clients range from local traders to NRIs Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 2 At 54, Charanjit Kaur never imagined that learning to make jute bags would one day secure her financial future. A resident of Bhagwanpura village near Samrala, the woman, a grandmother, has emerged as an inspiration for many women in her village, encouraging them to work and become self-reliant. Today, leading firms and NRI clients place regular orders with her, helping her run a flourishing handmade jute-bag business. Charanjit Kaur at work. Speaking to The Tribune, Charanjit Kaur said she had studied up to Class VIII only and faced financial hardships early in life. “There were financial problems at home and our family was large. I decided to learn jute-bag making. Though I had some idea about it, I did not receive much support initially. Still, I went to Samrala and learnt the craft through training at KVK centres. Afterwards, I started receiving small orders and gradually the business picked up. Today, leading companies are placing bulk orders with me,” she said. Charanjit Kaur said the scale of work depends largely on orders. She receives bulk orders from companies such as Tata and Jonty Agro while NRI clients often purchase the bags to carry abroad due to their convenience and durability. “There are lean period too, when there are no orders. But on an average, I earn up to Rs 50,000 a month. Around 12 women are now associated with me and work together in the venture,” she added. Besides managing her business, Charanjit Kaur has also taken up the responsibility of training other women and girls in nearby villages. “Village panchayats often invite me to train women and c m y b girls in making jute bags. It gives me satisfaction to be financially independent. Not only am I selfreliant, but my family is also involved in the business as it provides good returns,” she said. The cost of a jute bag ranges between Rs 45 and Rs 100, depending on its size and design. Specialised storage bags made for NRI clients can fetch as much as Rs 1,000 per piece. For Charanjit Kaur, the journey from a village homemaker to a successful entrepreneur stands as a testament to her belief that women must strive to become self-reliant. employee post altercation, nabbed Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 2 Tension gripped the Janta Nagar area late on Monday night after two youths allegedly opened fire on a PSPCL employee following a heated argument. The victim had a narrow escape as the bullet missed the target. Locals overpowered the suspects and handed them over to the police. As per information, Arun Prasad, an employee of the Janta Nagar Electricity Department, was standing outside his office around 12:30 am when two youths reached the spot and got into an altercation with him. As soon as he entered the office, they followed him inside and fired a shot at him from point-blank range. The bullet, however, missed the target. The youths also allegedly assaulted him. Their attempt to loot the victim was foiled as hearing the gunshot and the ensuing commotion, residents rushed to the scene. They overpowered the suspects, thrashed them and informed the police. A team from the Shimlapuri police station reached the scene and took them in their custody. SI Salwinder Pal said they had been identified as Pankaj and Krishna. The matter was being probed by the special cell. Meanwhile, ADCP (Crime) Amandeep Singh Brar said preliminary probe suggests the incident stemmed from a quarrel outside a pan shop. Owing to the proximity of the police station, the police acted swiftly and apprehended the suspects with the weapon. The police are also probing whether the duo has links with any criminal gang or was involved in any previous criminal cases.