14082026-LT-01.qxd 8/13/2026 10:03 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune ‘HAR GHAR TIRANGA, HAR GHAR SWACHHTA’ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED CITY’S SEKHON QUALIFIES FOR WORLD TRACK CYCLING EVENT PAINFUL PAST: POOJA BEDI ON RELATION WITH PANCHOLI The MC on Thursday started the drive, urging residents to display the Tricolour and encourage cleanliness. P2 Harshveer Singh Sekhon has qualified for the omnium event at the UCI World Track Cycling Championships. P3 Pooja Bedi calls her teenage relation with Aditya Pancholi ‘tumultuous’ that she will not discuss anymore. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY, RAIN MAX 35°C | MIN 28°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 28°C SUNSET FRIDAY 7.10 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 5:52 AM » FRIDAY | 14 AUGUST 2026 | LUDHIANA Three killed, two escape unhurt as car plunges into pond near Raikot Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 13 Three persons died in a mishap after their car plunged into a pond near Raikot in the wee hours of Thursday. All three were associated with the Aam Aadmi Party and were close to Punjab minister Harpal Singh Cheema. As per the information, five people were travelling from Nakodar to Dirba in a car after paying obeisance at a religious shrine. Their car suddenly went out of driver’s control at 1.15 am near Bassian village, Raikot, about 12 km from Jagraon. The car then plunged straight into a pond, resulting in the death of three persons, while two others narrowly escaped. The deceased included Aam Aadmi Party leaders Balkar Singh, Vishal and Sandeep Singh. Upon receiving information about the accident near the village of Bassian, the police and rescue teams immediately reached the spot. The police recovered the bodies of the deceased from the pond and took them to a govern- ment hospital. Raikot Sadar police station SHO Inspector Hira Singh said that the three persons had died in the accident while two others managed to escape. Initial investigation revealed that a stray animal suddenly came in front of the car, and in an attempt to avoid it, the driver of the car lost control and it fell into the pond. The deceased’s relatives who reached the hospital said that the five youths were from a village near Dirba, who had gone to pay obeisance at Nakodar in the car. On their way back, the car driver lost control at a bend near Raikot and fell into the pond. Following the accident, all five youths got trapped in the car. Hearing their screams, nearby people rushed to the spot and began rescue operations. Villagers managed to pull two youth to safety, but could not save the three who drowned. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema’s OSD Tapinder Singh Sohi also reached the hospital and consoled the family members of the victims. 2-year-old girl run over by speeding tempo, dies Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 13 A two-year-old girl met a tragic end when she was run over by a speeding tempo outside a factory here on Wednesday. She was killed on the spot. The child’s mother, Lovely Begum, who works at Sethi Steel Factory, had brought her two-year-old daughter Manat Parveen along with her to the workplace. Around 2.30 pm, the toddler was playing inside the factory when she suddenly managed to slip out of the factory gate on to the road. continued on page 2 NHM employees go on strike, health services hit Manav Mander Tribune News Service Ludhiana, August 13 Health services across the district were severely disrupted today as National Health Mission (NHM) employees began their twoday strike to press for their long-pending demands. Union leaders have accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of backing out of the promises made to contractual health workers, who have been serving under the NHM for the past 15-20 years. Despite nearly 40 to 45 meetings held over the last fourand-a-half years, employees said that no concrete solutions had been offered, only “empty assurances”. Speaking to mediapersons, NHM Employees’ Union (Punjab) president Sandeep Kaur of Barnala said the strike was necessary to safeguard the future and livelihood of thousands of workers. She emphasised that demands such as equal pay for equal work, gratuity benefits and extension of the age limit must be met without delay. Union general secretary Ram Singh from Kapurthala and Amanpreet Singh from Patiala warned that if the government continued to delay, then the union would intensify its agitation and stage protests at every level. Leaders called for immediate resolution of their demands, or else the state government would be responsible for the consequences of their struggle. NHM employees staged demonstrations, raised slogans against the government and vowed to hold the latter accountable for the disruption of health services. “If the government fails to act, we will be forced to go on an indefinite strike, and the responsibility for the collapse of health services will rest c m y b 1,700 cameras to keep watch as city gears up for I-Day squarely on the state,” union members declared. Uion representatives from Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Tarn Taran, Muktsar Sahib, Fatehgarh Sahib, Moga, Bathinda, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Jalandhar districts participated in the protest. “If our demands are not met, we will hold a peaceful protest during the districtlevel Independence Day function in Ferozepur,” they said. Ludhiana, August 13 With Independence Day celebrations around the corner, the Police Commissionerate, Ludhiana, has made adequate security arrangements. Apart from physical presence of police personnel at almost every nook and corner of the industrial town, this time 1,700 high-definition cameras will keep a tab on anti-social and anti-national elements. Recently, Kaustabh Sharma, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Security, Punjab, had visited Ludhiana to evaluate and bolster security arrangements across the district. Accompanied by Swapan Sharma, Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana, along with senior officers of the police commissionerate, the ADGP led a series of strategic inspections and high-level review meetings to ensure foolproof security protocols for the grand state event. The Commissioner said that Ludhiana police would install high-tech nakas at the entry and exit points of the city. He added that the police had already made a security plan, and adequate security arrangements are in place to DC Himanshu Jain reviews the arrangements being made for the Independence Day function in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN keep a tab over anti-social and anti-national elements. “Comprehensive security measures are in place at the PAU venue, where Independence Day function is scheduled to be organized, and other key entry points, to ensure that the celebrations are peaceful,” asserted Sharma. A senior police official said the Ludhiana police had a web of over 1,700 high-definition cameras, which are helping the police in digital patrolling in the city. “Police personnel sitting at the Integrated Command and Control Centre have been keeping an eye over the movement of vehicles and people. If cops monitoring the cameras suspect any vehicle or person, the nearby PCR and police station team will be informed immediately to conduct the necessary investigation,” added a police official. Sources said police officials in plain clothes would also roam in public places, such as the bus stand, railway station and crowded markets to keep a check on suspicious individuals. Meanwhile, the Ludhiana police have also been raising awareness through their social media platforms like Facebook, X and Instagram, urging people to stay alert and inform the police if they notice any suspicious persons or unclaimed objects.