16102026-LT-01.qxd 10/16/2026 12:40 AM Page 1 c m y b Ludhiana tribune DHALIWAL TAKES OVER AS PAU VICE-CHANCELLOR EFFORTS BEING MADE TO TAKE CIRCLE KABADDI GLOBAL Despite its immense popularity in Punjab, the sport has a limited international footprint. P3 Horticulture specialist calls for collective efforts to strengthen the university’s legacy. P2 » PERO OPENS LFW 2026 WITH BARBIE-INSPIRED LOOKS The ’70s seem to be back on runway as Pero opens Lakme Fashion Week in New Delhi on October 14. P4 » FORECAST PARTLY CLOUDY MAX 32°C | MIN 19°C YESTERDAY MAX 33°C | MIN 21°C SUNSET FRIDAY 5:50 PM SUNRISE SATURDAY 6:26 AM » FRIDAY | 16 OCTOBER 2026 | LUDHIANA From left: Shops remain closed at Ghumar Mandi; a commuter argues with protesters; and activists block the Gill Bridge following the Punjab bandh call in Ludhiana on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTOS: HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Youngster dies of electrocution during Punjab bandh Ayali said he had not been allowed to leave his house while villages near his area had observed a complete bandh. Shivani Bhakoo Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 15 A youth was electrocuted during a protest held as part of the Punjab bandh being observed on Thursday. The shutdown evoked a mixed response in urban areas but had a major impact across rural Ludhiana. The victim, Manpreet Singh, alias Jashan, stated to be in his early twenties, was removing a banner in the Jamalpur area when the iron rod he was holding accidentally came into contact with an overhead 11,000-volt high-tension electricity wire. He died on the spot. His family members were left inconsolable following the incident. The bandh was called by various organisations to protest the killing of Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. In Ludhiana, Malerkotla and Khanna, the bandh had little impact during the morning, with most shops, offices and factories remaining open. By noon, however, several shopkeepers pulled down their shutters after protesters entered markets and asked traders to support the bandh. An exhibition being held at a leading hotel in Ludhiana was also affected. Exhibitors said there was hardly any customer footfall as protesters moved around outside the venue. The protesters reportedly entered cinema halls in shopping malls, stopped screenings and urged people to support the cause. Toll plaza made free for commuters Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Emergency services remain unaffected SAD leaders hold a protest in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN SAD BURNS MANN’S EFFIGY I The district unit of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) burnt the effigy of Chief Minister Bhagwant Maan and protested against the state government for the deteriorating law and order in state. The leaders and supporters raised slogans against the government and expressed solidarity with the family of Parvinder Singh Jhota. Rural areas wear deserted look The bandh had a much stronger impact in Dehlon, Jagraon, Raikot, Gill, Dakha and Jodhan, where markets remained closed and several areas wore a deserted look. Residents expressed solidarity with the family of Jhota, who was killed by the owner of a chemist shop in Mansa on October 13. Nihangs, farmers and other villagers staged protests on roads, including near Jaghera bridge on the LudhianaMalerkotla road. Raikot and Jodhan also witnessed a complete shutdown. Farmer leader Tarsem Jodhan said the situation in Punjab had deteriorated and alleged that political interests ahead of the Assembly elec- tions were contributing to it. “The chronology of events has united the youth in rural areas, who are now coming forward to fight the system and bring about change. They are fed up with social issues such as unemployment, migration overseas and drug addiction. They will do something for the state,” Jodhan said. Ayali under house arrest Waris Punjab De leader Manpreet Singh Ayali, who was stopped from going to Mansa on Wednesday and detained by the Raikot police for over six hours, was placed under house arrest on Thursday, with police personnel deployed outside his residence. Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain said emergency services remained normal and OPDs at hospitals functioned as usual. Small Scale District Bus Operators Welfare Association general secretary Jasbinder Singh Grewal said buses operated normally on all routes despite the bandh call. BJP demands probe, job for victim’s kin Punjab BJP spokesperson and co-media in-charge Pritpal Singh Baliwal expressed grief over the death of the Ludhiana youth during the protest. Baliwal said the deceased was a resident of Kadiyana Khurd village in the Sahnewal constituency and described the incident during the dharna near Fortis Hospital Chowk in Mundian as tragic. He said the death raised serious questions over administrative and security arrangements and demanded an impartial investigation. If negligence was found at any level, action should be taken against those responsible. Baliwal also urged the state government to provide a government job to an eligible member of the victim’s family. Ludhiana, October 15 The Ladhowal Toll Plaza here was made completely free for all commuters by the Toll Plaza Workers’ Union, Punjab, to protest against the broad daylight killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota. Every vehicle was allowed to pass without paying any toll fee. President of the Toll Plaza Workers’ Union, Punjab, Darshan Singh Laddi, said the union opened the Ladhowal toll barrier and allowed free passage to all vehicles as a mark of protest. The union further announced that toll plazas across the state had been made free for commuters from 8 am to 5 pm. The committee of the union also decided that if their demands Will start indefinite protest if demands not met, says employees’ union were not met, they would start a protest for an indefinite period. Police personnel were also deployed in large numbers at the site to maintain the law and order situation. However, the protest remained peaceful. General secretary Sukhjit Singh and member Amrit Singh from Patiala said the special committee of the union would decide the further course of action and if justice was not provided to the family of Jhota, toll plazas across the state would be made free for commuters again. Toll plaza workers during a protest in Ludhiana. ASHWANI DHIMAN HIMANSHU MAHAJAN Near-complete closure in rural areas, mixed response incity A Waris Punjab De activist removes a banner on Jalandhar bypass. Members of Waris Punjab De tear down banners of CM Mann Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 15 Against the broad daylight killing of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa by a chemist, members of the Akali Dal (Waris Punjab De) torn down banners of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann at the Jalandhar bypass and Ladhowal here on Thursday. They were accompanied by a few Nihangs. The banners of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) displayed its taglines ‘Lokan Da CM’ and Immandar CM. A protester, Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Talwandi Kalan, said he was an active member of Waris Punjab De and he did not hesitate to tear down banners of Bhagwant Singh Mann, who failed to curb the drug menace. An anti-drug activist was gunned down by a chemist in Mansa due to the failure of the government. Though Jhota has been killed, his voice could not be suppressed. Now, the state government would have to bear consequences. He warned that posters would be removed from every places across the state. “I have no fear of the Punjab Police. I will continue to tear down the banners and posters of Mann presenting himself as an honest Chief Minister. Kuldeep, who was also accompanied by Nihangs, alleged that he was ready to face as many FIRs for removing Mann’s banners from Ludhiana. He would not stop till all such banners, which spread fake lies of the AAP-led state government, were torn down. Two theft suspects NH-1 blockade leaves commuters stranded in Sahnewal, Doraha flee police custody Lovleen Bains Nikhil Bhardwaj Tribune News Service Ludhiana, October 15 Two suspects in a house theft case escaped from police custody outside the Crime Branch 1 office, located opposite the Police Commissioner’s office here, on Thursday. The suspects, who had been brought for interrogation in connection with a burglary in Model Town, fled the place in handcuffs after one of them feigned illness and pushed an assistant sub-inspector (ASI). According to police sources, the two suspects, identified as Prince Sharma, a resident of Amargarh in Malerkotla, and Ramandeep Singh, alias Rinku, of Mohalla Jagatpura in Phillaur, were recently arrested in connection with a theft that occurred at a house in Model Town on October 8. ASI Baldev Singh, along with his police team, had brought them to Crime Branch 1 for further questioning. When the police reached the Crime Branch office, interrogation of another suspect was already underway. As a result, ASI Baldev Singh and his colleagues, along with the two suspects, waited in a vehicle parked on the main road opposite the office of the CP . Ramandeep complained of feeling unwell. When the ASI opened handcuffs to check his condition, the man pushed him and both suspects managed to give the police the slip. Following which, the police officials launched a search for the absconding suspects but to no avail. Sahnewal/Doraha, October 15 Sahnewal and Doraha came to a complete halt on Thursday during the Punjab bandh, with commuters bearing the brunt as National Highway-1 remained blocked from 9 am till the evening. Protesters blocked the entire GT Road and service lanes at Sahnewal Chowk and Doraha Chowk. Interstate traffic also came to a standstill, with vehicles stranded in queues stretching 5-6 km on both sides. Markets in Sahnewal and Doraha, including shops, dhabas, factories and showrooms, remained completely closed. Patients and commuters were left stranded, with no way to move forward or turn back. The bandh was called to Vehicles stuck in a traffic jam on the NH-1 in Sahnewal on Thursday. protest the murder of antidrug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota in Mansa. The call was given by his father and supported by various Kisan unions, trade unions, the SGPC and opposition parties. From early morning, pro- c m y b testers gathered in large numbers and completely blocked the NH-1. The police tried to divert traffic through village link roads but the highway remained blocked till evening. A heavy police force was deployed. The situation was compounded by the absence of prior information about the complete closure of GT Road, leaving people who had already set out in the morning stranded. Among the worst affected were those who had travelled from Delhi for important works and found themselves stuck at Doraha. Gurpreet Singh from Delhi said, “We came from Delhi for some urgent property work. We got stuck at Doraha and it took nearly six hours to get out of the mess. The whole day was wasted. Blocking of GT Road daily has become routine. We would think twice before coming to Punjab next time,” he added. Anil Kumar, a shopkeeper in the Sahnewal main bazaar, said, “We closed shops in support but blocking roads is in no way justified. Commuters bore the brunt of the bandh as they remained stranded for hours together. It is a complicated situation. Our customers from outside cannot come inside town also. Our one-day sale is gone. The labour’s daily wage too is gone. Who will compensate us?” he added. Sakshi, a parent from Doraha, said, “My daughter’s school van got stuck near Sahnewal Chowk on the NH1 for over three hours, with 20 more small children crying and getting suffocated. I had to make my way to her van on a two-wheeler so that I could reach my child and bring her back home. I don’t know about the fate of the other children,” she rued. Malti Tiwari and Gurjinder Kaur, college lecturers who were stuck near Sahnewal while returning home by bus, said, “We came from Ludhi- ana to Doraha in the morning for duty. Now, we have to go return home to Ludhiana but the NH-1 is completely sealed. We have been stuck inside the bus for the past four to five hours. Buses are not moving an inch forward or backward, and there is no water or washroom facility.” Deepak from Khanna, whose father suffered severe chest pain in the morning and was urgently referred to the DMCH, Ludhiana, said they had been unable to reach the hospital. “We left fast but have been stuck at Doraha Chowk for the past six hours. There was no way to reach Ludhiana. If something had happened to my father, who would have been responsible? The protesters can spare a thought at least for medical emergencies,” he rued.