07092026-LT-01.qxd 9/6/2026 10:57 PM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune KHEDAN WATAN PUNJAB DIYAN OFF TO A ROLLICKING START BKU (EKTA UGRAHAN) DEDICATES PROTEST TO NATIONAL UNITY INTERNET’S FAVOURITE GOLDEN RETRIEVER DIES AT EIGHT The competitions will continue till Sept 14, providing youngsters an opportunity to showcase their talent at grassroots. P2 During the ongoing sit-in by the BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), protesters dedicate their struggle to farmers’ unity across country. P2 Beloved social media star Tucker Budzyn, the Golden Retriever, has died at the age of eight following cancer complications. P4 » » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 36°C | MIN 25°C YESTERDAY MAX 35°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET MONDAY 6.42 PM SUNRISE TUESDAY 6.06 AM MONDAY | 7 SEPTEMBER 2026 | LUDHIANA Hawala web thrives despite crackdowns, Jagraon man murders 65-yr-old maternalgrandmotherforproperty ‘big fish’ still out of investigators’ reach Tribune News Service Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 6 The city has remained under the spotlight over the alleged operation of hawala networks with links in several countries. Central agencies and the police have busted major hawala networks in the past and arrested several operators. Despite these actions, the network continues to flourish in the industrial town, with investigators attributing its persistence to the alleged inability to reach the “big fish”, who continue to operate with little fear of the law. In May this year, the Ludhiana Police Commissionerate busted what it described as its “largest-ever” cyber fraud racket, arresting 132 persons, including three alleged hawala operators from Ludhiana. The accused were allegedly involved in running fake call centres that targeted foreign nationals through pop-up scams, remote-access software and bogus bank-security alerts. According to the police investigation, some members of the racket were based in Europe and North America, while key players were operating from Delhi and Gujarat. The accused were allegedly earning around Rs 35 crore a month, with nearly 40 per cent of the proceeds being diverted to India through hawala channels operated by three operators from Millerganj. The money was subsequently routed to key players in Delhi and Gujarat. 300 bank accounts frozen The police also froze 300 bank Illicit money transfer channels surface during multiple probes Police officials display the recoveries made during the investigation into Ludhiana’s largest-ever cyber fraud network, which allegedly involved a hawala racket. FILE PHOTO accounts, most of them allegedly mule accounts, containing more than Rs 16 crore. Within a month, in June, the police busted another network allegedly operating from different parts of the city and arrested 11 persons in connection with an illegal money-transfer racket. The investigation revealed that the alleged hawala operators had links both in India and abroad. Some had even set up fake firms to facilitate hawala transactions and issued duplicate receipts, the police said. They were also allegedly using the Aadhaar cards of residents to carry out illegal money transfers. Hawala channel ‘used in ISI network’ In August 2026, the Ludhiana police arrested 20-year-old Rashpal Singh, a resident of Sarafkot in Gurdaspur district, for allegedly working at the behest of Pakistan’s ISI. The police said Singh had rented a shop on Ferozepur Road, about six km from the Army depot at Baddowal. According to the police, Singh received around Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh through a hawala channel operating from Dubai. His associates, Rohit Masih and Varinder Masih, were also allegedly recruited by the ISI and received money through hawala operators, the police said. “ISI handlers exploited the hawala network to send money to their recruits in Punjab. An investigation is still on to identify the hawala channel which was being run from Dubai at the behest of the ISI handlers sitting in Pakistan,” a police official said. Betting syndicates rely on illicit money channels Ludhiana has also been linked to IPL betting networks, with investigations indicating the alleged use of hawala channels and mule bank accounts to move betting proceeds. The police arrested two alleged couriers working for an IPL betting syndicate who were accused of routing illicit funds through a network of mule accounts. Investigators found that the accounts had allegedly been obtained from poor and needy people by offering them between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000. Interestingly, the alleged key players involved in the network were not arrested, according to the police investigation. ~1,000-crore ‘hawala racket’ busted in 2012 The use of hawala channels in Ludhiana is not new. In 2012, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted a hawala racket involving more than Rs 1,000 crore. The case came to light during an investigation into a Ludhiana-based exporter who had allegedly used inflated bills to misuse the Union Finance Ministry’s duty drawback scheme and claim incentives worth Rs 60 crore. Former Enforcement Directorate Deputy Director Niranjan Singh, who had led the ED probe into the moneylaundering and NDPS Act cases against Majithia from 2013 to 2017, told The Tribune that a few decades ago, hawala operators typically dealt in amounts running into a few lakh rupees, but the scale had now increased to thousands of crores. “Prior to 2000, the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA) was strict, but after the implementation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), the agency could do little more than initiate a trail,” he said. “FEMA is a civil law, meaning violations result in monetary penalties and seizure of property equivalent in value rather than criminal incarceration. There is no arrest power under FEMA. During my tenure, we used to invoke the Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974 (COFEPOSA), under which an accused could be detained for a minimum period of one year. But now this power is not being used by the agency in every case,” Singh added. Singh said he believed the government’s failure to keep hawala operations on its priority list had allowed the network to grow, adversely affecting the country’s economy. Ludhiana, September 6 A 25-year-old man allegedly murdered his 65-year-old maternal grandmother over a property dispute, with CCTV footage from a neighbouring house later exposing the crime, the police said. The family initially believed that the woman had died of a heart attack or natural causes and cremated her the following day. It was only after the funeral that relatives grew suspicious and checked the CCTV footage from a neighbouring house, which allegedly showed the grandson assaulting her. The accused has been identified as Gurkirat Singh, alias Gora (25). According to the police, CCTV footage showed Gurkirat arguing with his grandmother, Manjit Kaur, at around 5.30 pm on September 3. He allegedly assaulted her and was later seen sitting on top of her and pressing a pillow over her mouth and throat. Jagraon City SHO SI Sukhwinder Singh said the CCTV footage led the police to register a murder case and arrest Gurkirat on Sunday. During interrogation, Gurkirat allegedly confessed to the crime, the police said. According to the SHO, the accused wanted his grandmother to transfer her house and other property to his name. He had allegedly been pressuring her to do so, but she refused. Manjit Kaur had lost her daughter and had subsequently raised Gurkirat. She had also arranged his marriage. Gurkirat was living with his wife and two children at Manjit Kaur’s house, according to the police. The family received information about Manjit Kaur’s death at around 6 pm on September 3. As there was a delay, her body was kept in the mortuary. At the time, the family believed she had died of natural causes and did not suspect any foul play. On September 4, based on Gurkirat’s account, the family approached the police, who registered a natural-death case under Section 194 of the BNSS. The family subsequently performed her cremation. However, after the funeral, relatives began questioning the circumstances surrounding her sudden death. They checked CCTV footage from a neighbouring house and were shocked to allegedly find evidence of an assault. The SHO said Gurkirat had left his wife and two children at his in-laws’ house before allegedly carrying out the crime. Bus stolen from parking lot, found abandoned 21 km away from city Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 6 Thieves stole a PRTC bus from a parking lot directly opposite the Ludhiana bus stand depot and abandoned it the next day, about 21 km from the city. Before fleeing, they removed the bus’s tyres, batteries and other valuables. CCTV footage captured the thieves taking the bus from the parking lot. According to the bus driver, the footage showed a Bolero pickup truck arriving near the parking lot around 12.30 am on August 28, with seven to eight people inside. The group allegedly stayed there for nearly two hours, apparently conducting reconnaissance. At around 2.20 am, when the roads were deserted, the thieves drove the bus out of the parking lot. Surprisingly, no one stopped them. Later, near the Jagraon bridge, an auto-rickshaw and a scooter reportedly joined the bus and appeared to escort it. The scooter travelled ahead of the bus before the vehicle disappeared from the road. The driver said the stolen vehicle was a top-of-the-line BS-VI (Phase 2-6) model equipped with advanced security systems. According to him, the bus could not normally be started without its key. However, the thieves allegedly cut the wires connected to the starting switch and managed to start the vehicle. The driver said he arrived for duty around 7.30 am the next morning and was shocked to find the bus missing from the parking lot. After several hours of searching, he found the bus abandoned near Dhatt village, around 21 km from city. The vehicle had been parked on bricks, with its tyres, batteries and other valuables missing. After Ludhiana, ISI network planned CCTV Residents up in arms against STP in Leisure Valley surveillance in Ferozepur, Rajasthan: Police Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 6 Interrogation of three men arrested in connection with an alleged ISI espionage network has revealed that, after Ludhiana, preparations were under way to install CCTV cameras near security establishments in Ferozepur and Rajasthan, the police said. According to the investigation, the accused were to visit the respective locations to identify and finalise sites for installing the cameras. The money required for the operation was allegedly to be routed to them through hawala channels. The Ludhiana police recently arrested Rashpal Singh, Rohit Masih and Varinder Masih, all residents of Gurdaspur district, for allegedly spying on a military area by installing CCTV cameras under the guise of operating a shoe shop on Ferozepur Road. The police said the alleged network was not confined to Ludhiana. During the investigation, it emerged that the accused were planning to travel to Ferozepur and Rajasthan to install cameras using a similar modus operandi. The cameras were allegedly intended to capture images and videos of activities in the military areas and other sensitive installations and transmit the footage to ISI handlers in Pakistan. However, the accused were arrested before the plan could be executed at the proposed locations. A police official privy to the investigation said the alleged ISI handlers in Pakistan had directed their operatives in Punjab to visit Ferozepur and Rajasthan and finalise locations for installing the cameras. The operatives were allegedly instructed to follow the same modus operandi used in Ludhiana — rent a shop near a security establishment and install cameras at the premises. They were also allegedly promised a substantial amount of money for carrying out the task, the official said. “The three accused started working with the ISI only a few months ago and had allegedly received between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 4 lakh during this period. Apart from Ludhiana, they had not been able to install cameras at any other location in Punjab. The timely arrests of the accused foiled their plans to expand the network of spy cameras,” the police official said. Ludhiana, September 6 Residents of Sarabha Nagar on Sunday protested against the resumption of construction of a sewage treatment plant (STP) inside Leisure Valley, arguing that a public park meant for recreation should not be used for such a project. A group of residents and morning walkers gathered at Leisure Valley, adjoining the Municipal Corporation (MC) Zone D office, in the morning and raised objections to the proposed location of the plant. They said construction had earlier been stopped twice following protests, but the MC had now resumed work. The 40-kilolitre wastewater treatment plant was proposed by the Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, in collaboration Residents protest against the construction of an STP at the Leisure Valley in Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana, on Sunday. with a private bank. Construction for the project was inaugurated on March 15, 2024. Under the project, an underground decentralised wastewater treatment system (DEWATS) is proposed to treat sewage. The treated water is to be reused for irrigation in Leisure Valley, the Sid- hwan Canal Waterfront project and other nearby green areas. The private bank was also to undertake maintenance of the facility for two years after its completion. However, the project faced opposition soon after work began, with residents and morning walkers objecting to the proposed location. Construction was stopped on two occasions following protests. Residents said the resumption of work had once again triggered resentment in the area. Resident Satish Kumar said Leisure Valley had been developed under the Smart City project as a recreational space for residents. He said the park remained busy throughout the day, with people using it for morning walks and evening outings, while children played on the badminton courts. “On one hand, the civic body has developed the park for public use and, on the other, it is planning to construct a sewage treatment facility next to the playing area. The location needs to be reconsidered,” he said. Another resident, Harpreet Singh, said residents were opposed to the STP being established inside the park. He expressed concern that any odour from the facility could affect the surrounding residential area, which he said was barely 20 metres away. He said the presence of an STP could discourage residents from using the park and affect children, senior citizens and morning walkers. “The purpose of developing a leisure space in the middle of a residential locality will be defeated if a sewage treatment plant is constructed here,” he said. Resident Jagmohan Singh also urged the MC to stop construction immediately. He questioned why work had been restarted after it was earlier halted following objections from residents. He said the civic body had invested public money in developing Leisure Valley and should not compromise the character of the park by undertaking sewage-related construction at the site. Committee against further extension to mixed land-use policy in city Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 6 The Public Action Committee (PAC) has opposed any further extension of permissions allowing industrial activity in mixed land-use (MLU) areas of Ludhiana, arguing that repeated relaxations are weakening the city’s statutory land-use plan and worsening environmental and civic problems. The committee has submit- ted a legal notice-cum-representation to the Chief Secretary and other authorities concerned, seeking an end to further extensions, particularly in areas such as Gill Road and Dholewal. According to the PAC, industries operating in the MLU areas were initially given a limited period to continue under the Ludhiana Master Plan notified in 2007-08. The units were subsequently required to shift to designated industrial areas equipped with appropriate pollution-control and effluent-treatment facilities. However, the committee alleged that the deadline for shifting the units had been extended several times. The latest extension is valid until September 30. The PAC has questioned the legal basis for repeatedly extending the permissions through administrative orders. It said any change in the city’s land-use pattern should follow the procedure prescribed under the Punjab Regional and Town Planning and Development Act, 1995, rather than being effected through repeated extensions. The committee also raised concerns over pollution from industries operating in the MLU areas. It said inspections conducted by the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) in January 2026 covered around 200 electroplat- c m y b ing units. Of these, around 80 were allegedly found violating pollution-control norms, according to the PAC notice. The committee further claimed that some units were discharging untreated effluent containing heavy metals into the domestic sewerage network. Following the inspections, the PPCB had directed the disconnection of electricity supply to 25 units, it said. PAC members Kapil Arora and Jaskirat Singh said continued industrial activity in residential and mixed-use areas could place additional pressure on roads, parking, traffic movement, drainage and sewerage systems. They also raised concerns over air and noise pollution, fire safety, water consumption and public health. The committee has demanded that the government should stop granting further extensions that are inconsistent with the Master Plan and ensure that industries, including Red and Orange Category units, are shifted to designated industrial zones. The PAC proposed that the existing MLU areas be converted back into residential zones and that the Ludhiana Master Plan be amended accordingly. It also sought action against units that continue to operate in violation of the rules after September 30. PAC member Kuldeep Singh Khaira said, “If the government grants any further extension or allows expansion of the MLU activities, we will approach the National Green Tribunal and other appropriate forums.” The committee said the September 30 deadline should be treated as an opportunity to enforce the planned transition and ensure the shifting of industrial units, rather than as a basis for granting another extension to industries.