13112026-LT-01.qxd 11/13/2026 12:16 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune BURNING OF GARBAGE GOES UNCHECKED ACROSS CITY DORAHA HOCKEY PLAYERS SHINE AT STATE TOURNEY EXPLORING THE DIVINE THROUGH RAGA AND TAAL Public Action Committee lodges a formal complaint with the Punjab Pollution Control Board. P2 Three schoolgirls represent Ludhiana district at the PSEB Primary School Hockey Tournament . P3 Music, mythology and rhythm blend in Vidushi Rimpi Saha’s recital organised by Pracheen Kala Kendra. P4 » » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 30°C | MIN 16°C YESTERDAY MAX 30°C | MIN 14°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5.28 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6.46 AM » FRIDAY | 13 NOVEMBER 2026 | LUDHIANA District administration prepares 50 ghats; ministers review arrangements Channi’s yatrato enter city today; Warring plans foot march soon Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Chhath celebrations begin today Petitioner seeks action against officials in stamp duty scam case Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 12 The Ludhiana district administration has prepared around 50 ghats for the four-day Chhath Puja celebrations beginning on Friday. The administration has constituted several teams, including MC officials and police personnel, to oversee the arrangements and ensure the safety of devotees. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said the teams would work under the supervision of SDMs and other senior officials. Meanwhile, senior officials visited major canal bridges on Gill, Pakhowal and Ishar Nagar roads to review the arrangements. The puja will begin on Friday with the “Nahay-Khay” ritual and conclude on November 16 with Usha Arghya. State ministers Aman Arora and Hardeep Singh Mundian visited the Sidhwan Canal and the Sutlej river at Ladhowal to review the preparations. The ministers inspected the arrangements at the Sidhwan Canal bridge on Pakhowal Road and along the river. They also interacted with the media. Directing officials to ensure proper arrangements at puja ghats, adequate security and the deployment of diver Company owner booked for ~62.66L fraud Ludhiana, November 12 The Ludhiana police have registered a case of cheating against the owner of a fabric firm for allegedly duping a businessman of Rs 62.66 lakh by procuring cloth material without making the payment. The case was registered on the basis of an application filed on October 5 by Abhishek Tandon, a resident of Rahon Road and proprietor of Goofy Knits. Following an inquiry, it was found that Rimpy Lakhwara, a resident of Kashmir Nagar and proprietor of Om Chacha Fabric, had allegedly gained the complainant’s confidence and obtained cloth material worth Rs 62.66 lakh from his firm. Lakhwara is accused of failing to make the payment, thereby cheating the complainant. — TNS Preparations in full swing at a site for the Chhath Puja celebrations in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN DIVERS, SDRF TEAM ON STANDBY ■ Senior officials inspect key canal ■ Helpline 0161-2403100 bridges on Gill, Pakhowal and Ishar Nagar roads in the district ■ SDRF teams, trained divers and health personnel to remain on standby launched to assist devotees and organisers ■ Teams including MC officials and police personnel deployed to oversee arrangements teams, Arora said, “The beauty of Punjab lies in its religious harmony, and the Bhagwant Mann government accords equal respect to every religion and every festival.” “Punjab is the sacred land of Gurus and pirs, whose teachings inspire everyone to remain steadfast in their own faith while respecting all religions, thereby strengthening the spirit of universal brotherhood,” he added. Arora said the CM had convened a special meeting on Thursday to review the preparations and ensure foolproof arrangements at all places across Punjab where Chhath Violating orders Ludhiana, November 12 A suspected fraud involving Rs 3.38 crore in the fruit trade has come to light in Ludhiana, with the police arresting the owner of a company in connection with the case. According to the complaint, the accused allegedly gained the trust of a fruit trader over nearly a year before purchasing goods worth crores of rupees from him. During this period, the accused’s company procured fruits worth Rs 8.72 crore, against which it paid Rs 5.34 crore. The remaining amount of Rs 3.38 crore was allegedly withheld. The matter reached the police after the company owner allegedly switched off his phone and stopped Tribune News Service Former CM Charanjit Singh Channi ‘Jawani Sambhal Yatra’ started from Chamkaur Sahib on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN charge of Punjab Sachin Pilot, former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu and Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Partap Singh Bajwa, are expected to participate in the yatra on Friday. Ahead of the yatra’s arrival in Ludhiana, Warring called a meeting of his close aides at the residence of a Congress leader here to discuss organising another march in the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency, from where he won the 2024 elections. A Congress leader close to Warring said he intended to organise a foot march in the coming days. The yatra on Friday will pass through the Cyclists and pedestrians pass through the closed Sunet railway crossing in Ludhiana, which has been shut to vehicular traffic for repair work. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN. responding to the complainant. The Model Town police arrested the accused following an investigation. The complainant, Syed Shahabuddin Ahmed, a resident of East Mumbai, told the police that he had been doing business in fruits with the company owned by the accused, Hemraj, alias Hem Ayush. The accused is a resident of BRS Nagar, Ludhiana, and his company’s office is located in Model Town. He had been purchasing fruits from the complainant for the past year. Initially, the transactions went smoothly, during which the accused allegedly gained his confidence. Investigating Officer Pradeep Kumar said the accused was produced before a court, which remanded him in police custody for three days. Ludhiana Central and North Assembly constituencies, where Congress leaders, including Surinder Dawar and Rakesh Pandey, have been informed about its route. It will subsequently enter the Ludhiana West constituency, represented by Bharat Bhushan Ashu, and culminate at Durga Mata Mandir in Sarabha Nagar. “Meetings were held in this regard by the party’s Ludhiana in-charge, Rana Gurjit Singh. Tractors and other vehicles will transport the bicycles and participants to Hardy’s World after the yatra, where everyone will stay and have dinner,” said Ashu. Ludhiana, November 12 A day after 10 FIRs were registered by the Ludhiana and Khanna police in connection with alleged stamp duty evasion worth crores of rupees in the district, the petitioner who exposed the scam sought action against revenue officials. He alleged that stamp duty evasion could not have taken place without the connivance of revenue officials. According to the FIRs, around 2,000 persons have been booked for allegedly evading stamp duty while executing sale deeds. The police action followed a petition filed in the Punjab and Haryana High Court by whistleblower Subhash Kundra Katty, president of the Judge Advocate Peedit Organisation (JAPO), Ludhiana. Katty had been pursuing the matter for several years. Katty said that although the police had registered cases mentioning 978 undervalued sale deeds executed between 2013 and 2016, along with the names of buyers and sellers allegedly involved in stamp duty evasion, there was no mention of the connivance of revenue officials. Youth’s body found with plastic bag wrapped around head; friend held Tribune News Service Fruit trader alleges ~3.38-cr fraud; firm owner arrested Tribune News Service Puja was being organised. Mundian said the Ludhiana administration had been directed to ensure comprehensive arrangements for the smooth and safe celebrations. “The administration will ensure adequate security arrangements, smooth traffic management and the deployment of health teams. SDRF teams, along with trained divers, will also remain available to deal with any emergency,” he said. Mundian said helpline 0161-2403100 had been launched to assist devotees and organisers. Ludhiana, November 12 Senior Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi’s bicycle yatra will enter Ludhiana on Friday, with local party leaders saying they would welcome it amid complaints that some of them had not been invited to it. Meanwhile, former Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring held a meeting with his close aides to discuss a separate foot march in the district in the coming days. The meeting called by Warring was attended by Sanjay Talwar, Rakesh Pandey, Surinder Dawar, Kuldeep Vaid, Captain Sandeep Sandhu, Simarjit Singh Bains and Balwinder Bains. Until the afternoon, some Congress leaders had expressed resentment over not being invited to the cycle rally scheduled for Friday. However, by the evening, after Warring’s meeting, the leaders maintained that they would follow the directions of state Congress president Pargat Singh. Channi’s ‘Jawani Sambhal Yatra’ started from Chamkaur Sahib on Thursday. Over 2,000 Congress workers and leaders, including All-India Congress Committee general secretary in- Ludhiana, November 12 A youth was brutally murdered in a room at a village crematorium near Jodhan, with a plastic bag covering his head. A friend of the deceased has been arrested in connection with the murder. The deceased was identified as Karanveer Singh. According to the police, Karanveer had left home around 7 pm on November 10 on his scooter to buy some household items. When he did not return, his family members started searching for him at several places. They later went to the house of Karanveer’s friend, Gurkirat Singh, and enquired about his whereabouts. Body found at village crematorium Accused joined search to dodge detection Gurkirat expressed ignorance about Karanveer’s whereabouts but joined the family in the search. While they were heading towards Mandi Ahmedgarh, they decided to check the village crematorium. There, the family found Karanveer unconscious in an open room. When they turned him over, they discovered a white plastic bag stuffed into his mouth. A wooden stick was also lying nearby. They took him to a doctor, who declared him dead. Karanveer’s father alleged that Gurkirat suspected the deceased of talking to his sister, which had led to a dispute between the two friends. He further accused Gurkirat of beating Karanveer to death, either along with his associates or by getting him killed over the issue. On the basis of the father’s statement, the police registered a case against the accused and launched an investigation into the incident. Investigating Officer ASI Jaspal Singh said the accused would be produced before a court to seek his police remand for questioning to ascertain the motive behind the murder and the possible involvement of others in the crime. Road cave-in puts commuters at risk Man found dead at abandoned dhaba Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 12 A portion of a road near the City Centre caved in on Thursday, prompting nearby residents to mark the damaged spot with tree branches and sandbags to alert commuters. The cave-in is located on a busy stretch frequently used by two-wheelers and other vehicles. Visible cracks around the sunken portion indicate further weakening of the road surface, raising fears that the damaged section could widen if left unrepaired. While vehicles were seen manoeuvring around the damaged patch, residents expressed concern that the absence of proper warning signs could lead to mishaps. “The road surface had been showing signs of deterioration for some time. The Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service A caved-in portion of a road near the City Centre in Ludhiana. TRIBUNE PHOTO: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN authorities should inspect the site and undertake immediate repairs,” said Davinder Singh, a nearby resident. Local residents said the temporary arrangements c m y b made by them could serve only as a short-term safety measure. They urged the authorities to cordon off the area and restore the road before the damage worsened. “The damaged stretch has become a safety hazard. Barricades should be installed and repairs carried out before an accident occurs,” said another local resident. Ludhiana, November 12 A man who had been missing for nearly 10 days was found dead in the bathroom of an abandoned dhaba near Raikot Road in Jagraon. The deceased’s wife, Ravinder Kaur, told the police that her husband had died after his friend allegedly administered a wrong injection to him. On the complaint of the deceased’s wife, the police have registered a case against the accused. The deceased has been identified as Kuljinder Singh, a resident of Hans Kalan village. Sources said the deceased had returned to Punjab from Rajasthan on November 1 after working with a combine harvester during the harvesting season. The deceased’s wife said her husband had called her around 10 am that day and told her that he had lost his mobile phone and had borrowed someone’s phone to speak to her. He informed her that he had met Karamveer Singh, a resident of Dholan village, at the Chowkiman bus stand and was suffering from severe body pain and ill health. “My husband told me that Karamveer offered him an injection, claiming it would provide relief, and demanded Rs 500 for it. After receiving the money, he administered continued on page 2