21072026-LT-01.qxd 7/21/2026 12:12 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune VIGILANCE NABS ASI TAKING BRIBE OF ~10,000 BOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR SALMAN KHAN TEASES FANS 11-MINUTE FIFA SPECTACLE FAILED TO GENERATE BUZZ Vigilance Bureau apprehends ASI Jagjiwan Singh red-handed while ‘taking’ a bribe of ~10,000. P2 He posted a fresh set of stylish photos on Instagram with caption, ‘Aap logon ki tabiyat kaisi hai?’. P4 Hollywood stars glitter at FIFA World Cup final, where Tom Cruise led an A-list parade of celebrities. P4 » » FORECAST GENERALLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 27°C YESTERDAY MAX 32°C | MIN 28°C SUNSET TUESDAY 7:23 PM SUNRISE WDNESDAY 5:35 AM » TUESDAY | 21 JULY 2026 | LUDHIANA Elderly man’s death due to electrocution exposes poor civic infra in Gurpal Nagar Tragedy could have been averted had pending road repair work been completed on time: Locals Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 20 The death of a 60-year-old man due to electrocution during Sunday evening rainfall has again exposed the poor condition of roads and civic infrastructure in Gurpal Nagar, with residents alleging that the tragedy could have been averted had the longpending road repair work been completed on time. Ram Lakhan, a resident of Gurpal Nagar, died after coming in contact with a live electric wire while walking through a waterlogged street in Gali No 11 on Daba Road. According to local residents, nearly two to three feet of rainwater had accumulated on the road, making the submerged electric wire invisible. Passers-by pulled him out of water using wooden sticks before informing the police but he could not be saved. The incident has triggered anger among residents, who blamed the Municipal Corporation for failing to repair badly damaged roads despite repeated demands. They alleged that poor drainage and broken roads have become a regular problem, Water accumulates on a damaged road in Gurpal Nagar in Ludhiana. PHOTO: ASHWANI DHIMAN turning every spell of rain into a safety hazard. Residents said Gurpal Nagar, Guru Nanak Nagar, Shimlapuri and Kabir Nagar had been facing poor road conditions for years. Water remains stagnant even after light rainfall as roads were uneven and drainage outlets remain blocked. They claimed that people frequently slip on the damaged roads while the latest incident had claimed a life. Sukhwinder Singh, a shop- keeper from Guru Nanak Nagar, said a stretch of the main road was dug up nearly two months ago after a pipeline was damaged but it had not been restored since then. He said around three kilometres of roads in the area were in a poor condition and no public representative or official had visited the locality to assess the situation. “Leaders visit only during elections. Residents continue to suffer as roads remain bro- ken for months. Sometimes tenders are approved but works are shifted elsewhere while our roads continue to deteriorate,” he alleged. Congress councillor from Ward 43 Baljit Kaur said not only Gali No 11 but several other roads in Gurpal Nagar were awaiting reconstruction. She claimed that an estimate of around Rs 75 lakh for road construction had been approved last year but the work was later shifted to c m y b another area. According to her, the proposal for reconstruction had now been approved again by the Finance and Contracts Committee of the MC. She alleged that if the road had been rebuilt on time, the fatal accident might have been avoided. The councillor also claimed that rainwater from nearby factories enters the locality while damaged roads and blocked road gullies worsen waterlogging during every rainfall. B&R branch XEN Shashikant and Junior Engineer Pawanpreet Singh said the tender for reconstruction of Gali No 11 in Gurpal Nagar was being processed and the road would be rebuilt after the tender was finalised. They said the earlier proposal had been shifted elsewhere during the elections and the work had now been taken up again. They added that the condition of roads in Shimlapuri and Kabir Nagar would also be examined. The incident has again raised questions over delays in executing civic works, with residents demanding immediate repair of the damaged roads and improvement of drainage before another tragedy occurs. Non-functional lift at court complex troubles visitors Visitors stand in a queue in front of a lift at the court complex. Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 20 Climbing seven floors in this humid and hot weather for people, especially senior citizens and women, is certainly a tough task. Of only two lifts meant for visitors, one of these at the District Court Complex is not working for the past several days but the authorities are not bothered about the harassment caused to the public. Gurpreet Singh Mandiani from Mandiani village, near here, said he had some work at the court complex and had to go to the third and fourth floors for the same. “Today, one of the two lifts was not working. A few days ago also when I visited the place, only one lift was func- tioning. Hundreds of people visit the complex despite that the authorities have failed to fix the same,” he said. Surinder Kumar, another visitor, complained that since only one lift was working, a queue was witnessed on a daily basis in front of the elevators. “Elderly people, women and patients suffering from asthma and heart-related issues visit the place but all are supposed to use the only operational lift,” a visitor said. DBA secretary Himanshu Walia said both lifts need to be replaced with new ones. Even after a few days of repairs, the lifts again start troubling visitors. These were installed when the courts were shifted from old court complex, situated near Pavillion Mall, to the new court complex in 2005. Clinic assistant booked after woman dies of ‘wrong injection’ Tribune News Service Ludhiana, July 20 A 45-year-old woman allegedly died after being administered an injection at a private clinic in the Islamganj area, following which the Division No 2 police have registered a case against the son of the clinic operator on charges of causing death by negligence. The suspect, Manjit, who works as an assistant at the clinic, has been booked under Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The police said the investigation was underway and more sections might be added depending on the findings of the probe. The case was registered on the complaint of Isha, daughter of the deceased, Rajni. According to the complaint, Rajni complained of uneasiness on July 17 and was taken to a private clinic run by Jagdish for treatment. The complainant alleged that Jagdish was not present at the clinic when they arrived. Instead, his son Manjit attended to the patient and claimed that he could provide the required treatment. She alleged that after administering an injection, Manjit assured the family that the continued on page 2