08072026-LT-01.qxd 7/8/2026 12:40 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune MEHAK CLINCHES BRONZE IN N’TNL QAZAQ KURES C’SHIP SHAHID, MIRA CELEBRATE 11TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY ASEES KAUR’S NEW ALBUM NITNEM & MUSICAL EVOLUTION City’s Mehak shows an impressive performance to finish on the podium in the national championship. P2 On Tuesday, they celebrated each other, their bond. Shahid dropped a pic of Mira and captioned it, “It’s YOU.” P4 For singer Asees Kaur, her latest spiritual album Nitnem is a project ‘deeply personal & rooted in devotion’. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 35°C | MIN 29°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 29°C SUNSET WEDNESDAY 7:27 PM SUNRISE THURSDAY 5:28 AM WEDNESDAY | 8 JULY 2026 | LUDHIANA Mayor’s ward raises a stink as locals VB nabs recovery agent while taking ~10K bribe battle overflowing sewers, broken roads Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service the conversation while demanding the bribe. Unwilling to pay the illegal gratification, the complainant approached the VB range, Ludhiana. Acting on his complaint, the VB team laid a trap during which the recovery agent was arrested red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000 from the complainant in the presence of two official witnesses. During the investigation, Ravneet was found to be working as a recovery agent in Savior Recovery Agency, Ludhiana. If the role of any officer/employee of IDBI Bank or Tehsil East comes to light, it will be considered during the investigation. In this regard, a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act has been registered against the suspect at the VB police station, Ludhiana, and further investigation into the case is under progress. Sewer water accumulates on a damaged road at Karamsar Colony in Ward 13 of Ludhiana. PHOTO: INDERJEET VERMA Ludhiana, July 7 The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) apprehended Ravneet Singh, a recovery agent working with the company of Saviour Recovery Agency, Ludhiana, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 10,000. Disclosing this here on Tuesday, an official spokesperson for the state VB said the suspect was arrested based on a complaint lodged by a resident of Kabir Nagar, Basti Jodhewal, here. He said the complainant had been operating a garment factory under the name ‘GNW’ on the first floor of his residence since 2007. The complainant had secured a cash credit (CC) limit/loan of ?40 lakh for the factory from IDBI Bank. The loan matter was currently sub-judice before the Debt Recovery Tri- water supply often gets contaminated due to the damaged sewer lines. “We are worried about our health. Sometimes the drinking water is muddy and has a foul smell. We fear it may lead to water-borne diseases,” she said. Meena, another resident, said the colony had been waiting for the roads to be repaired for months. “The authorities dug up the roads and left them like this. It seems nobody is concerned about the hardships of the residents,” she added. An area resident, Satnam Singh, said daily commuting had become a challenge due to the damaged roads. “Two- The suspect in custody of Vigilance Bureau sleuths in Ludhiana on Tuesday. Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 7 Even as the Municipal Corporation continues to project Ludhiana as a developing smart city, the ground reality in the Mayor Inderjit Kaur’s own Ward 13 tells a different story. Residents of Karamsar Colony, particularly those staying in lanes 5 to 9, have been battling damaged roads, overflowing sewage, waterlogging and contaminated drinking water for nearly a year, with little relief despite repeated complaints. According to residents, the roads were dug up about a year ago for laying sewerage pipelines but the civic body has failed to restore them. The uneven roads are now dotted with deep potholes that remain filled with stagnant sewer water, making it difficult for pedestrians and motorists to pass through. “The roads have become almost unusable. Every time it rains or the sewer overflows, dirty water collects on the road and remains there for days. We have complained several times but to no avail,” said Vijay Sharma, a resident of the colony. Rani, another resident, said the foul smell from overflowing sewage had become a daily problem. “Children, elderly people and women have to walk through dirty water. The entire area stinks and mosquitoes have increased due to the stagnant water,” she said. Another resident, Nisha, alleged that the drinking bunal (DRT) in Chandigarh due to non-payment. On May 25, an individual, Ravneet Singh, approached the complainant. Introducing himself falsely as an employee of Tehsil East, Ludhiana, Ravneet served a notice bearing the signature of the Tehsil East authority to the complainant. He informed the complainant that IDBI Bank was scheduled to take over the property on May 28, 2026. Ravneet then demanded a bribe of Rs 60,000 to delay the possession, promising that he would arrange a three-month extension to settle the loan. He said Ravneet had already accepted a first instalment of Rs 20,000, allegedly on behalf of other officials, to facilitate the settlement. He was further demanding a second instalment of Rs 10,000. The complainant recorded SORRY STATE OF AFFAIRS ■ As per residents, roads in ■ Uneven roads now dotted with Karamsar Colony were dug up about a year ago for laying sewerage pipelines but the MC has failed to restore them. deep potholes that remain filled with stagnant sewer water, making it difficult for pedestrians and motorists to pass through. wheelers frequently skid on the broken surface and elderly residents find it difficult to even step out of their homes. During the rainy season, the entire stretch turns into a pool of dirty water,” he said. Another resident, Karnail Singh, pointed out that the area had nearly five schools, forcing hundreds of children to pass through the damaged stretch every day. “The schoolchildren have to walk along edges of the road to avoid potholes and stagnant water. Several minor accidents have already occurred as vehicles struggle to pass through the narrow usable portion of the road. The road should be repaired soon to avert any major mishap,” he said. Residents questioned how citizens could expect better civic amenities elsewhere when the Mayor’s own ward continues to struggle with basic infrastructure. They demanded immediate recarpeting of the roads, repair of the damaged sewer network and steps to ensure safe and clean drinking water supply before the situation worsens further. Prabhjot Singh, sub-divisional officer, MC, said: “The water supply connections have been installed a few months ago and we are going to recarpet the road soon. Earlier, an O&M cell dug up the roads to lay their sewer pipe and now we are going to complete the process”. Despite repeated attempts, Mayor Inderjit Kaur was not available for comments. Three booked for selling plots, Rights panel demands report from DC, SSP construction in illegal colony over ‘harassment’ of cloth merchant couple Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 7 The Police Division 7 registered a case against three persons, including a woman, for constructing plots in an alleged illegal colony. The suspects were identified as Gobind Prasad Grewal, a resident of Sector 33, Chandigarh road, here, his wife Mahinder Kaur and Jaskiranjit Singh Gill of Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana. The Assistant Town Plan- ner(ATP), Municipal Corporation, Zone-B, Ludhiana, alleged in a complaint to the police stated that Gobind Prasad, Mahinder Kaur and Jaskiranjit Singh Gill were selling plots by developing an illegal colony on around 4 acres at Kuliawal, near Central Jail. A case related to the colony was already going on in a court. Strict action was sought against the suspects as an attempt was also being made to sell the plot by misleading the public. “During checking conduct- ed at the spot, it was found that the construction of a boundary wall has been done and the construction of a road for the colony can also be seen inside the boundary wall. Interlocking tiles have also been laid on the space between the Kuliawal village road and the under-construction colony. All violations were noted and mentioned in the complaint sent to the Ludhiana Commissioner of Police for action,” revealed the complainant. Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 7 The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought an action-taken report (ATR) from the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) over a complaint, alleging that a cloth merchant couple was subjected to severe harassment and public humiliation by recovery agents of a private bank, which allegedly drove them to end their lives in July last year. The commission has directed the district authorities to examine the matter and submit a detailed report within two weeks. The directions were issued after the commission took cognisance of a complaint filed by social activist Keemti Rawal of Chand Nagar, here. According to the complaint, cloth merchant Jasbir Singh and his wife Kuldeep Kaur allegedly consumed poison after facing repeated humiliation and mental harassment at the hands of recovery agents of a private bank. The complainant alleged that the couple’s suicide notes clearly mentioned the mental torture and public disgrace they faced at the hands of the recovery agents. It was further alleged that such agents often operate with political backing and that the police and administration remain silent specta- tors, allowing such incidents to continue unchecked. The complaint also claimed that the state was witnessing a rise in such inhumane acts, leaving ordinary citizens with little legal protection. It urged the commission to direct strict legal action against bank officials and recovery agents responsible for the alleged harassment and sought that the matter be tried in a fast-track court. In its communication, dated Sewer repair work on at Saggu Chowk, road to remain closed for a few more days Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 7 The repair work on the damaged old brick sewer beneath the road near Kaka Marriage Palace on the Saggu ChowkFerozepur Road stretch continued on Tuesday, with the road remaining closed to traffic from June 26 after a road Commuters facing trouble since June 26 when a road cave-in occurred outside a hotel at Saggu Chowk cave-in reported outside Hotel Onn near the chowk. Civic officials said it would take a few more days before the road could be reopened. Meanwhile, opposition leaders criticised the pace of the A woman passes through a stretch amid repair work near Saggu Chowk. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN repair work. Congress leader Inderjit Singh Indie alleged that the Municipal Corporation had been taking too long to restore the road, causing inconvenience to residents. BJP core committee member Jiwan Gupta said the administration should complete the repair work without delay, particularly with the monsoon season underway. He also urged the civic body to prepare a long-term plan to prevent similar sewer collapses in the future. Heavy machinery has been deployed at the site where workers have excavated nearly 40 feet to repair the collapsed sewer structure. c m y b Large heaps of sand surround the excavation as the corporation completes the restoration work on damaged sewer walls and manhole. Officials said the damaged structure had been rebuilt but the pit still has to be filled and the road reconstructed before traffic can resume. According to the corporation, the problem first came to light after staff of a nearby hotel noticed water seeping onto the road. During excavation, officials found that the sewer manhole had collapsed and surrounding walls had been badly damaged, leaving a hollow cavity beneath the recently constructed road. Officials said the defect was detected in time, preventing a possible major accident. The closure has disrupted traffic on one of the city’s busy routes connecting Ferozepur Road with Saggu Chowk. The stretch is frequently used by commuters and also serves as an important access road to the DMCH. Ambulances and other vehicles are now using alternative routes to reach the hospital. Motorists travelling towards Ferozepur Road are being diverted through Gobind Nagar, Maharaj Nagar and Circuit House Road, resulting in traffic congestion on residential streets. Despite barricades, many pedestrians continue to cross the dug-up area by walking over mounds of sand, even as workers ask them to avoid the site. Shopkeepers in the area said business had been affected due to the prolonged road closure while some nearby residents expressed concern over the deep excavation close to their buildings. Ashish, a daily commuter, said the closure had increased his travel time. “I use the road every day to deliver products. I am a delivery person but for the past over one week I have been taking a longer route. The diversion has increased traffic in nearby residential colonies. The work is progressing but it should be completed quickly so that normal traffic can resume,” he said. Municipal Corporation SubDivisional Officer Arjun Sikka said the collapse was more serious than initially expected. “The sewer had collapsed completely and there was a large hollow space beneath the road. Fortunately, the damage was detected before any mishap occurred. The damaged manhole and sewer wall have been reconstructed but restoration of the road will take a few more days,” he said. June 30, the NHRC observed that if the allegations mentioned in the complaint were found to be true, they would prove violation of the victims’ human rights. The commission, therefore, forwarded the complaint to the Deputy Commissioner and the SSP for appropriate action. The NHRC has asked them to probe the allegations and submit the action-taken report to the commission within two weeks of receiving the communication. 8 days after woman went missing, FIR registered Ludhiana, July 7 A woman from the city, Pooja, who was on her way to receive a graduate degree at the IGNOU Khanna Regional Centre, went missing. Her mobile phone also switched off shortly after she went missing. The victim’s husband, Ramesh Kumar, said she had left home on June 29 to receive her BA degree. When she did not return home that evening, he called her. Her mobile was also switched off. Ramesh said he initially searched for his wife on his own but when he could not find her, he filed a police complaint. The police registered an FIR on the eighth day after Pooja’s disappearance. He suspects that his wife was being held captive by some unidentified person. — TNS