PUNJAB AND HARYANA

Gurgaon, Haryana: In a major crackdown on illegal encroachments, Gurgaon authorities demolished nearly 100 shops built on government land by notorious criminal Ricky in Khandsa. The operation, carried out on Tuesday, involved a strong police presence to ensure smooth execution. Ricky, already facing 31 serious criminal cases, had reportedly been operating these illegal establishments for months. Illegal Occupation and ExtortionAccording to officials, Ricky, aged 29, began encroaching on HSIIDC (Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation) land gradually, constructing approximately 100 temporary shops and 10 permanent structures. These shops generated an estimated ₹5–6 lakh per month in illegal extortion. Despite repeated complaints and previous jail terms, the ac...

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the massive ₹9-crore imported liquor smuggling racket has achieved a significant breakthrough with the arrest of Sugreev Kumar, a 50 per cent partner of a wine shop, who had been absconding abroad to evade arrest. Sugreev Kumar, a resident of Fatehabad, was arrested from Delhi Airport upon his return from Indonesia, where he had fled after learning about an impending raid. Acting swiftly, the police had issued a Look-Out Circular (LOC) with the help of Interpol, leading to his deportation to India. The accused was produced before a local court, which granted the police five days’ custody remand for further interrogation. With this arrest, the police have so far apprehended five accused in the case. Massive Seizure of Illegal Foreign Liq...

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a fierce political attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging “jungle raj-like conditions” in the state and accusing the government of protecting infiltrators at the cost of the rights and future of Bengal’s people. Addressing a massive public rally at Ranaghat in Nadia district through a mobile phone due to adverse weather conditions, the Prime Minister said his helicopter could not land because of dense fog, but his resolve to speak to the people of Bengal remained unwavering. “Oppose Modi, Not Bengal’s Development” PM Modi said that while the TMC may continue to oppose him politically, it should not obstruct the development of West Bengal. “You may oppose Modi with full force, a...

Faridabad, Haryana: A disturbing case has emerged from Faridabad, where a 22-year-old shooter from Bhiwani allegedly faced sexual assault at a hotel while attending a shooting competition at Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, Delhi. The shooter had come with a friend for the event. Police are currently investigating the matter. How the Incident UnfoldedAccording to reports, the shooter, a resident of a village in Bhiwani, arrived in Faridabad on Tuesday with her friend to participate in the competition. On Wednesday evening, the friend contacted an acquaintance, Gaurav, to drop them at the metro station. About thirty minutes later, Gaurav arrived with another man, Satendra. The four of them booked two rooms at a hotel in Sarai Khwaja and began a gathering in one of the rooms. Later that...

Chandigarh: Arvind Kejriwal, National Convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), praised the Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government following the party’s sweeping victory in the state’s local body elections. Speaking at a press conference alongside Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Kejriwal said the elections in Punjab were conducted in a completely fair manner. “No election could have been more impartial than this. The results show AAP’s strong performance and the public’s satisfaction with the work of the Mann government,” Kejriwal said. “The party has won 70% of the seats in rural areas, which is a clear indication of AAP’s growing influence in the countryside. This is a major achievement and reflects the trust people have in our governance.” Kejriwal attributed the party’s success to the de...

Nestled in the Aravalli hills, the Kotla Wetland is the region’s largest natural water source and a critical lifeline for Nuh district and several surrounding villages. Spread over nearly 5,000 acres, the vast lake plays a vital role in groundwater recharge by absorbing and storing rainwater. However, environmentalists warn that unless immediate steps are taken to protect it, the wetland could soon become a thing of the past. Only a Fraction Under Protection Despite its ecological importance, government records show that only 90 acres of the entire wetland area are officially protected. The remaining expanse faces growing threats from neglect and unplanned development. Concerned by the situation, environmental activists filed a petition with the National Green Tribunal (NGT) nearly a...

Ludhiana (Vikram Saini):With the objective of strengthening routine immunization services and ensuring maximum vaccination coverage, the Ludhiana Health Department is set to launch a Special Immunization Week (SIW) from December 15 to December 22, 2025, under the guidance of Civil Surgeon Dr. Ramneep Kaur. As part of the preparations for the week-long campaign, a special training session was organized for all Lady Health Visitors (LHVs) of Ludhiana district. The training was conducted by District Immunization Officer (DIO) Dr. Harpreet Singh, who provided detailed guidelines on the effective implementation of immunization activities during the campaign. Dr. Harpreet Singh emphasized the need to enhance coverage of critical vaccines such as Penta-1, OPV, and MR, stating that achieving...

Ludhiana (Vikram Saini):Continuing its crackdown on unauthorized constructions, the Municipal Corporation (MC), Ludhiana, on Thursday sealed five illegally constructed buildings located on Malhar Road and Ghumar Mandi. According to officials, two buildings were sealed on Malhar Road, one in the Temple Street of Ghumar Mandi, and two on the main Ghumar Mandi road. The two buildings on the Ghumar Mandi main road were sealed for non-payment of Change of Land Use (CLU) fees, while the remaining three buildings were found to be under construction without obtaining approved building plans from the Municipal Corporation. Assistant Town Planner (ATP), Zone D, Mr. Harvinder Singh, stated that the action against the illegal structures was carried out on the directions of Municipal Corporation ...

Gurugram: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has achieved a major breakthrough in a multi-crore imported liquor smuggling case with the arrest of a wine shop owner allegedly at the centre of the illegal trade. The accused, Ankush Goyal, was arrested from Narnaul in Haryana, officials confirmed on Saturday. The arrest comes days after the Excise Department unearthed a massive cache of premium imported liquor that was being stored illegally in a warehouse located at Signature Tower, Gurugram, without payment of customs or excise duties. Excise Department Raid Exposes Smuggling Network Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a special team of the Excise Department conducted a raid on Tuesday and recovered 3,921 cases of foreign liquor and 176 bottles of premium imported brands from...