22092026-LT-01.qxd 22-09-2026 00:39 Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune SCHOOLS TO CREATE DRUG-FREE ZONES AROUND CAMPUSES BHUMI PEDNEKAR TURNS SHOWSTOPPER FOR NAZRANAA HOMEMAKERS ARE REAL CELEBS: CHEF SANJEEV KAPOOR Schools have been told to install boards outside their campuses declaring the 500m area as a drug-free zone. P3 Collection Samskriti 2.0 brings India’s extraordinary temples and intellectual traditions to NY Fashion Week. P4 The chef said: “In India — probably more than anywhere else — real celebrities are homemakers.” P4 » » FORECAST MAINLY CLEAR SKY MAX 35°C | MIN 24°C YESTERDAY MAX 36°C | MIN 25°C SUNSET TUESDAY 6:19 PM SUNRISE WEDNESDAY 6:11 AM » TUESDAY | 22 SEPTEMBER 2026 | LUDHIANA Bizman dies by suicide in hotel over property dispute Industrial units await clarity from govt as mixed land use deadline nears Had come to city recently from England; kin allege harassment by relatives Ludhiana, September 21 With the deadline for industries operating in mixed land use (MLU) areas set to expire on September 30, uncertainty continues to loom over hundreds of micro and small industrial units in the city. The affected units, located in nearly a dozen localities, including Dashmesh Nagar, Janta Nagar and New Janta Nagar, manufacture cycle parts, auto parts, rims, bolts and undertake electroplating work. Many of these units have been operating in the MLU areas for around a decade and serve as suppliers to major bicycle manufacturers and other industries. With just nine days remaining before the deadline, industrialists say they have yet to receive any clarity Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 21 Upset over a long-standing property dispute with family members, a 70-year-old businessman staying in England died by suicide after consuming some poisonous substance at a hotel on Pakhowal Road here. The deceased has been identified as Satnam Singh. He had arrived in Ludhiana from England on Sunday without informing his family. He booked a room at Hotel Imperial on Pakhowal Road and continued speaking to his children through his England number so that they would not come to know about his presence in Ludhiana. Before taking the step late on Sunday night, he sent a video to an acquaintance. Hotel staff found the body on Satnam Singh, Monday the deceased morning when they went to his room for some work and found the door locked from inside. They opened it with a master key and found Satnam Singh dead. Afterwards, they contacted his son on the number saved in the victim’s phone. Officials from the Police Division 5 reached the spot, recovered a suicide note and took the video into custody. Further probe was under way. The victim’s son, Samardeep, has accused his aunts and other relatives of mentally harassing his father. According to him, Satnam had been staying in England for a long time and his sisters had been putting continuous pressure on him regarding ownership of a 300-yard house in Sarabha Nagar. He alleged that a false case related to the property had been registered against his father under a conspiracy, which left him under severe stress. Samardeep said he had spoken to his father on his England number till a day ago and the family had no idea how he had reached the hotel. He also stopped answering his son’s calls on Monday. They learnt about the incident only after the hotel management informed them about the incident. The son claimed that the suicide note names five to seven persons who allegedly forced his father to take the extreme step. The family has made it clear that they will not perform the last rites till the police arrest all those named in the suicide note. Additional DCP Dharavath Sai Prakash said a suicide note was found from the hotel room and the same was being examined. Preliminary investigation confirmed property dispute as the cause behind the victim’s step and further action would be taken as per law. Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service from the state government. Residents, meanwhile, have renewed demands for shifting industrial units to designated industrial zones, citing health and environmental concerns. For both industry and residents, a clear government decision remains eagerly awaited. Speaking to The Tribune, Avtar Singh Bhogal, a member of the United Cycle and Parts Manufacturers Association (UCPMA), said several representations and memorandums had been submitted to the state government seeking a clear stand on the issue. “We have also approached local MLAs, who assured us that the matter would be taken up. However, we are still awaiting a formal notification. After September 30, industries will not be able to operate legally in these areas if no decision is taken,” he said. On the other hand, members of the Public Action Committee (PAC) have reiterated their demand for the removal of industrial activities from residential localities. PAC member Kuldeep Singh Khaira said industries had already been granted several extensions and should now be shifted to designated industrial zones. “The land should be used solely for residential purposes and the government must act in the interest of residents,” he said. What MLA Sidhu says Kulwant Singh Sidhu, MLA from Atam Nagar, said the matter was already in the knowledge of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and the state government. “I have a meeting with the Chief Minister and government representatives in Chandigarh on Tuesday and I will raise the issue. I hope some announcement for the industry will be made within the next two to three days,” he said. Industry representatives are also concerned about renewal of No Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued by departments such as the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB). Industrial units falling under the orange and red categories require mandatory permissions, which will effectively lapse after September 30 if no extension or notification is issued. Industrialists fear that without valid NOCs, units operating in the MLU areas would not be able to function legally after the deadline. F&CC members sign letter against Sanitation workers protest over waste mgmt project outsourcing of garbage collection Sukhpreet Singh Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 21 In a significant development, members of the Municipal Corporation’s Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) signed a letter stating that door-to-door garbage collection should not be outsourced under the proposed Rs 1,198crore Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) project. The letter was signed by the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor, Deputy Mayor and members Gaurav Bhatti and Yuvraj Sidhu. They maintained that the existing system of door-to-door waste collection should continue and should not be handed over to a private company. The move came amid strong opposition from sanitation workers and garbage collectors, who fear that outsourcing could affect their livelihood. On Tuesday, F&CC members and leaders of sanitation workers will meet Minister Harjot Singh Bains in Chandigarh in this regard. The proposed ISWM project was not taken up for discussion during Monday’s F&CC meeting. The main roadsweeping project was also not presented before the committee. Instead, the members discussed and passed 16 main agenda items and 23 supplementary proposals. Earlier in the day, hundreds of sanitation workers and waste collectors had gathered outside the Mayor’s camp office to oppose the proposed outsourcing. F&CC member Gaurav Bhatti led a nearly 12km barefoot march from the Jamalpur LIG flats area to the Mayor’s camp office. — TNS The F&CC meeting in progress at the Mayor's camp office in Ludhiana on Monday. 12-year-old girl raped in Khanna Ludhiana, September 21 Hundreds of sanitation workers and garbage collectors gathered outside the Mayor’s camp office near Rose Garden here on Monday to oppose the proposed Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM) project, turning the F&CC meeting into a major protest over the civic body’s plan to outsource waste management. Congress councillor and F&CC member Gaurav Bhatti led a nearly 12-km barefoot march from the Jamalpur LIG flats area to the Mayor’s camp office. The march, which began around 10 am, passed through several city areas before reaching the camp office in the afternoon. The protesters carried placards and raised slogans against the proposed project. The protest also affected traffic movement on the one side of College Road for several hours as sanitation workers and garbage collectors sat on the road outside the camp office. Police personnel were deployed at the gate after Sanitation workers block the way to the Mayor’s camp office in Ludhiana on Monday. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN some protesters attempted to enter the premises. The F&CC meeting, originally scheduled for 2 pm, was later held at 7 pm. The proposed ISWM project was among the major issues before the committee. The project has faced objections in successive detailed account of the proposed expenditure and questioned the need for the new arrangement. BJP councillors also met Mayor Inderjit Kaur and submitted a memorandum seeking withdrawal of the project. Councillors Rohit Sikka, Ruchi Gulati and Blatant misuse of hooters by political, religious leaders continues Nikhil Bhardwaj Ludhiana, September 21 A shameful incident has come to light in the Triveni Chowk area of Khanna in the district, where a man, father of five children, has been accused of raping a 12-yearold orphan girl. As per the victim, the man brought her to Khanna from Bihar about 10 days ago on the pretext of providing her better care and education. The incident came to light on September 19 when his landlord, Shankar, came to his house to collect rent. A crowd had gathered at the spot. When he checked, the victim, told him about the suspect’s act. After coming to know about the incident, the landlord and residents took the minor girl to the City 2 police station in Khanna and filed a complaint. Based on the victim’s statement, the police registered a case on Monday. The suspect is yet to be nabbed. — TNS meetings over its cost and the possible impact on workers involved in doorto-door garbage collection. Bhatti said the MC was already spending around Rs 1,000 per tonne on waste lifting while the proposed system involved a much higher rate. He sought a Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 21 Whether seen as a status symbol or an assumed privilege, the misuse of hooters and sirens on private vehicles by leaders of Shiv Sena factions, religious and social organisations and individuals with political connections continues unabated across the state. Even police protectees can’t install sirens on pvt vehicles, says ADGP Even individuals granted police security after a formal threat assessment are not authorised to install sirens, hooters or flashing lights on their private vehicles. Yet the violation remains commonplace, with rules being openly flouted. Special Additional Director General of Police (Security) Kaustubh Sharma told The Traffic police personnel issue a challan to a violator in Ludhiana. Tribune that hooters could only be used on emergency vehicles, police vehicles, vehicles deployed for law enforcement duties, or those specifically authorised by the competent authority. “No leader of any religious, social or Shiv Sena outfit, nor any private individual, is permitted to use sirens on a private vehicle. As per the standard operating procedures (SOPs), even persons under police protection cannot use sirens on their private vehicles, unless they are accompanied by a police escort vehicle,” Sharma said. “Only authorised persons should use hooters or sirens. Instructions are issued ona regular basis to police districts and commissionerates across the state to monitor violations and issue challans. c m y b Any misuse may invite action,” he added. Shiv Sena Punjab chairman Rajiv Tandon said he owns two private vehicles but had never used hooters on them. However, police vehicles assigned to his security detail were equipped with sirens and hooters. “I can say with certainty that many Shiv Sena and religious outfit leaders, as well as people with political and bureaucratic connections who have been provided police security, use hooters on their private vehicles. I condemn the practice and believe strict action should be taken against violators,” he said. In June 2026, the Punjab Police conducted a 15-day statewide drive against the illegal use of hooters, sirens, flashers and illegal black films on vehicles. Over 1.8 lakh vehicles were checked during the campaign. Police teams removed 202 hooters, 49 sirens and 2,430 flashers from unauthorised vehicles. However, sources claim that vehicles belonging to influential leaders or their associates largely escaped enforcement, allowing the practice to continue unchecked. The Ludhiana Police Commissionerate issued 2,407 challans for illegal flasher lights, 172 for unauthorised hooters and 9,511 for black films between January 1 and September 15. A senior police official, requesting anonymity, alleged: “Children and family members of politicians and even some police personnel have installed hooters on their private vehicles. Many police protectees, irrespective of the level of security provided to them, use sirens while commuting. Some even pass through toll plazas without paying by using sirens. During traffic congestion, they misuse these devices to move like VVIPs, creating unnecessary pressure and inconvenience on roads.” Recently, Ludhiana Additional Commissioner of Police Rupinder Singh issued orders prohibiting the use of sirens, hooters and flashers on private vehicles. Shopkeepers were also warned against selling such equipment to unauthorised persons. Despite these directives, the devices continue to be openly available in local markets. Bhavneet Kaur raised questions over the proposed cost and sought clarity on the scope of work. They said the livelihood of sanitation workers should be protected. Former councillor Mamta Ashu, who reached the spot with Congress leaders, also opposed the proposal. She alleged that the project cost had increased substantially and said political parties should come together on an issue affecting the city’s sanitation system and workers. Mayor Inderjit Kaur later met the protesters and said the livelihood of existing workers would not be taken away. She said the government would discuss the matter with stakeholders and that services in areas where the existing system was functioning properly would not be disturbed. Sanitation workers, however, continued their protest even after the Mayor’s interaction. The ISWM proposal has remained under discussion amid objections from councillors and employee unions. No headway in murder case Ludhiana, September 21 The Sadar police were yet to make any headway in the alleged murder of a woman whose body was found in Lalton village three days ago. They also contacted police stations in surrounding districts to identify the victim. As per reports, on the evening of September 18, passers-by saw a woman’s body lying on a deserted road. Following which, they informed the Lalton police. Initial probe revealed injury marks in the woman’s abdomen and neck, which appeared to be caused by a sharp weapon. The police said during a search of the woman’s clothing and surroundings, no mobile or identification documents were found. Tattoos on her body are the only means of identification. The woman has a tattoo ‘Mani’ written in English on her right arm while three stars are marked on her left arm. — TNS